What Might Have Been

(AN: The first bit in a multi-chapter story inspired by a friendly anon prompt on Tumblr! AU in which Mulan, Aurora, and Philip were all affected by Regina's curse and taken to Storybrooke. My updates on this story will be pretty slow, until I get my other fics done and work out a few kinks in the plot. Feel free to 'Read and Review' and to check out some of my other Sleeping Warrior fics. Disclaimer and tumblr link are on my profile page.)

Chapter 1: Welcome to Reality

The lobby of the Storybrooke animal shelter was a lonely and desolate place, especially on a Friday afternoon. The town's sleepy citizens had far more pressing business to attend in preparation for the weekend, and the beautifully designed animal shelter was a ghost town. Empty, save for a single soul forced to haunt its vacated halls.

A dark haired secretary sat behind the beech wood desk by the door, lazily tapping out a rhythm with the end of a pen, while she studied a spreadsheet on her computer.

Bleak light from the computer screen wavered in and out of focus as her azure eyes glazed over for perhaps the millionth time that day. Somewhere above, a light buzzed and flickered sporadically. Boring. Her job was boring.

She stifled a yawn and rubbed at her eyes, groaning, before glancing at the clock. The large spindle-like hands of the clock glared back unsympathetically, as it continued its incessant ticking.

30 more minutes until her shift was up.

She lazily traced the etched letters of her desk's name plate with the edge of a fingernail.

'Dawn Brierton' her slim finger played across the scrawling lettering stamped in the brass. 'Secretary'.

Dawn returned the nameplate to the corner of her desk and sighed. This was certainly not what she'd expected when she'd signed up for a part-time job at the animal shelter. Initially she had hoped that she'd be able to work with the cats and dogs that so often needed care—She always seemed to have a knack for comforting creatures of all types, and the prospect of devoting her time to the benefit of others greatly pleased her-but when the on-staff vet discovered she had no formal experience, and was prone to fainting at the sight of blood, she had been respectfully turned away.

'I'm not sure this is the proper position for you' the round-faced man had said with a gentle pitying smile and a patronizing pat on her shoulder. 'But we do happen to have a need for a front desk manager! Can you work spreadsheets?'

Need for a steady income to pay her rent and the distant hope that she would someday move up through the ranks had elicited a 'Yes, I'd love to'. Little did she know, the job was essentially nothing more than sitting in a chair and aimlessly clicking a mouse. She sighed again, deeply.

29 more minutes.

The tinkle of the front door bell nearly startled her as it shattered the monotonous silence and the glaze of the mundane routine. Her eyes flicked up, to see a handsome man leaning casually against her desk.

"Hello, Dr. Whale, how may I help you? Come to adopt a friend today? " Dawn chirruped, the well-rehearsed line flowing past her lips without a thought.

Dr. Whale shook his head. "No, not today. I actually came to see you, Dawn." He flashed a pearly white winsome smile. "I was hoping you might join me for a drink at the Diner tonight…" he trailed off, leaving the implications for a date unstated.

Dawn blinked, surprised. She hadn't even known that anyone in this town took notice of her existence. She was quiet and gentle, she didn't make trouble, and usually kept to herself. She was already impressed the man had managed to remember her name, let alone wanted to date her. A soft flattered flush crept to her cheeks.

"I'd love to." she stammered, after a momentary pause. "But…aren't you dating Miss Blanchard?"

Whale's impeccable smile faltered for a moment, but was quickly recovered and plastered back into place.

"No, Mary-Margaret and I aren't really seeing each other anymore." He brushed off the concern as if it were no more than dust. "We're just very different people." He replied, vaguely.

Dawn weighed his words a moment, chewing her lip. The Doctor's reputation preceded him…and she certainly didn't want to end up like so many of his other wild flings. The surgeon was anything but discreet. But surely, she thought, one drink couldn't hurt.

"Sure, I'd love to. Is 7 o'clock ok?"