regina pursues emma. with some meddling help from henry and kathryn... and later from maleficent and aurora.

16? 26? is age physical or is it the number of years you've been alive?

evil snow. mama!maleficent.

beta fabulous: RowArk

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There were strangers in her town. These weren't just any strangers she'd caught glimpses of, but children. Some barely looked out of the teens while others were younger. One of them, a blonde woman, really caught Regina's attention. Something about her pulled at her, made her want to go talk to her. The woman caused her magic to stir without warning, fingers sparking anytime the girl was near. Regina had never felt like this and tried to shake it off. It must be her penchant for blonde ladies flaring up again. It'd been a long time, and a long time since any new blonde faces appeared in town. She was going to go talk to her outside the pawn shop, but Regina blinked and she was gone.

Regina was dropping Henry off at school when she noticed the blonde woman again. A handful of children were with her. Regina had created a private preparatory academy when Henry reached kindergarten. The regular school created when she'd cast the curse was quickly becoming overcrowded. She'd wanted her son to have the best, so she'd created the school and made her best teachers go back to school before switching them to the private school. It worked out well for the town. How these orphans afforded this was beyond her though. She'd have to look into that.

Emma had all of her little ones with her. Getting them ready for the day and into school was always hardest. Her kids were not morning people. Getting them into school, to leave her, especially the littlest ones was near impossible every morning.

Regina watched as the blonde kissed each child on their forehead before hugging them and handing them their bags. She recognized Gretel and Hansel immediately. The rest she had no knowledge on. A young girl, maybe five, started crying and latched onto the blonde's leg. The woman picked up a toddler before walking into school, hysterical child still on her leg. Regina tried to wait and catch her when the woman came out, but the final bell came and went. Soon her secretary was asking her where she was and if her 8:00am meeting should be rescheduled.

Emma had noticed someone in a black Mercedes with tinted windows watching her. Marley having a tantrum allowed her to poof herself and Lucie away when Marley had finally calmed and gone to play with her class. She hadn't seen any kids get out of the car, so immediately her defences were up. She wasn't going to allow anyone to come after her kids again.

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Regina saw the blonde again after lunch leaving Granny's. The girl was talking to Ruby and Granny about something and appeared to be quite animated about it. She watched the young woman thrust a bag of something at Granny. She tried to move her way through the crowded lunch rush, but the girl was gone again by the time she got there.

Emma growled at the old woman. All she was doing was trying to return things Baelfire had taken, things that weren't necessary. Who steals twelve napkin holders and a box of straws? Seriously! The old woman had tried to convince her that she needed to talk to the mayor and the sheriff about it since the townspeople here pretty upset. She'd tried arguing that her kids hadn't known any better and it wouldn't happen again. She loved having Ruby over. The girl was older than her by a couple years, but she was still an orphan. She fit in the crowd. Her grandma though was giving her a migraine.

She felt someone staring at her, but she had no time to wait around and find out. Emma had to try and return what was taken without getting caught. She had to go with her gut that people here weren't all that friendly. They'd turn her in on the spot if they caught her. There was no way that was happening. She refused to go down for Baelfire's crimes.

Regina watched the girl disappear around the corner. It was starting to irritate her that she kept missing the blonde. If there were new people in her town, as mayor, she had a right to meet them. She stormed up to Ruby and Granny. "Who was that you were just talking to? What did she want?"

The wolf girl smirked, baring her teeth. "I'd be careful if I were you, Madame Mayor. The age of consent in Maine may be sixteen, but she's not looking or ready to be your plaything. She's had more than enough horrors in her life to make yours look like they came out in an Easy Bake oven."

"Her name, Miss Lucas! Now!"

Ruby studied the normally composed mayor. It was amusing that Emma was getting under her skin. As far as she knew, they'd never met before. Why was the mayor so hot and bothered over Emma?

"Em isn't here for you to use and discard, Regina. She's a good girl. Don't think that most the older ones help her with those kids. It's mainly just all her. She's not looking for trouble. Quite the opposite. Leave her be." Granny surprised Ruby in speaking up for her friend. Not just five minutes ago she was threatening to turn her over to the very person questioning about her.

"I appreciate the warning, Widow Lucas, but I have a right to know who is in my town. I am the mayor. I will find out."

Regina stormed away, not even ordering her usual lunch she was so annoyed. This girl shouldn't be affecting her this way. What was going on? She'd never reacted this way about anyone, not even Daniel, and he was her true love.

She waited after school in hopes to catch the blonde, but she never came out. The children she was with never came out either. Henry was surprisingly home for dinner. He normally spent all his time over with those new kids now.

"Henry, where were your friends today? I didn't see them after school. Did something happen?"

"No, nothing happened. They were there. They just went out the back. Swan said one of the kids mentioned something about someone watching them at school, so they're trying to be safer. The way they talk about things makes me think Neverland was awful. Swan said it would be nice for me to come home and show you I'm grateful to have you. It's also ramen night, and I was hungry."

Regina was a little hurt Henry hadn't decided to come home on his own. This Swan maybe wasn't so bad if she told him to spend more time with her. "Ramen night? That doesn't sound very nutritious."

"They don't know how to cook. It took them over a year to find us here. Baelfire and Killian said they used to steal all their food from gas stations and grocery stores. They're just a bunch of homeless orphans before they came here. Now they can at least buy the food, but if it's not a sandwich, junk food, raw fruits and veggies, or can be made with boiling water then they just forget it. I told them about the cooking classes starting soon. Swan said she'd look into it."

"Do any of them have magic? They could conjure food. Baelfire is the Dark One's son. Why doesn't Rumple just go make them food or have Belle do it? I'm sure Granny would cook for them."

Henry shook his head no. He'd hoped his mom would have offered to make them food at least. "They don't know food here. They never got fed there. You can't conjure what you don't know. They don't allow anyone who isn't an orphan or under eighteen to their place. It's why Lancelot gets so lost trying to find them. The house is protected by an age spell. Well a lot of spells actually because most the older ones are now over eighteen. Did you know that Neverland was bad?"

"Yes, Henry. Everyone back in the forest was aware that Neverland was a horrid place. Pan did awful things to the children he kidnapped.I thought he only took boys? What changed? I imagine none of them sleep well. How do you manage to do so?"

"I'll have to ask about them being Lost Girls now. Swan gives me earplugs and puts some soundproofing spell around me. She said it's not fair to me that I get no sleep because of them. None of them get much sleep. They cry a lot at night. It makes me sad they don't have anyone like you to come wake them up and hold them when they're scared. We should help them."

"Oh, and what would Swan think of that?"

Henry's face fell. "She probably wouldn't like it. I've only ever seen her angry at Baelfire. He's a bad guy. Well, he does a lot of bad things, anyways. Swan gets so mad at him because she's trying so hard to teach all the kids how to behave in this world and do the right thing. One word from Bae and it all goes wrong. Maybe you could talk to Rumple, tell him you know his son is stealing and if he doesn't shape up then he's out?"

"Baelfire is bad? Has he been stealing everyone's things? Why?"

"He's a bad guy. I don't know if he takes things now. I know they used to have to steal stuff to not die. He knows no one would do anything because of his dad if he does anything wrong. Swan tries to keep him on the right path, but she's so busy trying to keep all the kids in line and she got a new job during the day to have extra money. She's also trying to go to school online. Aside from Baelfire and Killian, all the older ones have jobs. She's trying so hard. Don't be mad at her!"

Regina sighed. Henry pleading with his puppy dog face always got to her. "I won't punish your Swan. I'm not mad at your Swan. I'm annoyed at Rumple and his son thinking they can destroy the town and get away with it. I still have to find my thief. It makes me more concerned now than ever that you're over there with bad influences. I'd like to meet your Swan."

Henry swallowed hard. He knew Emma would never go for that. "I'll tell her. I don't know if she'll agree or not."

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Regina hadn't seen the blonde for a few days. She'd had her secretary call over to the school for paperwork on the new students. There were seven of them in total going to Knight Valley Prep. Hansel and Gretel she'd known about. There was a child named Jordan Hadley who was nine. Eleanor Parker who was eight. Collin Benton was seven. Aeryn Doyle was also seven. Marley Reese was five. The only other child she knew with the blonde was the toddler. Why did none of them share a last name? Their emergency contract was just listed as E.S. with a phone number.

She saw the blonde again leaving the daycare center. She knew that's where Cinder -err, Ashley worked. The princess now ran a daycare center located between both schools. She'd have to see if the toddler was going there or not. The blonde walked down the street, and briefly turned to stare in Regina's direction. Her heart stopped for that minute. It seemed the girl was looking right through her though. She got to see the the young woman has a gorgeous face, high cheekbones, pale skin, and stunning green eyes. She appeared to be slim, but she didn't know if that was from poor diet or good exercise. The purple sparks flying out her fingertips singeing her clothes.

Emma felt someone watching her and turned to figure it out. It was driving her a little crazy, always feeling watched and not knowing who it was. She couldn't risk one of the original Lost Boys coming to hurt her or the kids. She didn't really know anyone else here to have problems with. She noticed a brunette with short, choppy hair, bright red lips, olive skin, and dark brown eyes in a power suit looking at her. Was this who was stalking her? Emma didn't even know who that was. Why?

Regina notice the blonde frown at her before scurrying off. She hadn't even made to get up off the bench and the girl was fleeing. Maybe she had seen her. Was she fleeing out of recognition? Regina was certain she'd remember someone who looked like that in the Enchanted Forest. Whoever she was, the girl was now afraid of her. That's not what she wanted at all.

Henry came home for dinner again after school. All the boy talked about lately was this Swan woman. Occasionally he talked about school or the other children. Mostly it was how great Swan was or what they did together or a story she'd shared with him. Henry was treating this woman like she'd set the stars in the sky, and Regina was more than a little jealous. Henry had long ago stopped thinking of her that way. It hurt.

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Regina sat in her office with Kathryn the next day sharing lunch and coffee. The brunette was trying to distract herself from the captivating stranger in her town. She must have been failing because she had failed to notice Kat flailing her arms in front of her face.

"Regina, where'd you go? I've been trying to get your attention for the past ten minutes."

"Sorry, dear. I've got a lot on my mind lately. What were you saying?"

"I was talking about my date with Fred, but now I'm more interested in hearing what you are thinking so hard about, or should I say who. Is it a certain blonde woman who is new in town?"

"How do you - I mean that's none of your business. I wasn't thinking of anyone at all. I've rather a lot of work to do this coming week and I'm trying to think how to do that and be around for Henry."

Kathryn laughed. "Regina, honestly, the entire town has been watching you chase after the girl since she got here. It's funny. We've started a pool about how long it's going to take for you to actually talk to her. She seems like a great girl though."

"You've been betting on me? Wait, you know her? Tell me everything!"

"I thought you weren't thinking about her," Kat teased.

"Kathryn Nolan, Tell me now!"

"You first! What's going on? You're spacey. You finally seem to be spending a bit more time with Henry again. What's up?"

"I don't know, Kathryn. I've been trying to chase down the blonde woman for days. She keeps slipping through my fingers. My magic starts reacting when she's near. I'd love to find out why. I've never reacted this way to anyone before. Henry seems to spend all his time with the lost kids who knows where. All he talks about is Swan this and Swan that. He's infatuated with her and I don't even know who that is. I can't find where those kids are staying. The school file only has their names and emergency contact number listed as E.S. The possibilities for E.S. are endless. I think I know who has been stealing, and fixing it isn't easy."

Kathryn smirked. Her friend was absolutely clueless sometimes. She knew that the blonde Regina was after was the same Swan that Regina was jealous of and angry at. This was going to be so delicious when that drama finally went down. "Well, how about calling the number and arranging a meeting? I'm sure Ashley knows how to get in touch with the girl, and where she lives. The school should too. The thefts are annoying, but things seem to keep returning. It's odd."

"You're brilliant! I can get the address from Ashley and go track down this Swan person. Hopefully I can meet the blonde along the way. I know Baelfire is at least with those kids, and he is going to answer to me about his stealing. You said you know the blonde. It's your turn. Spill."

"Baelfire, as in the Dark One's son? Your brother is stealing from us? Shit! No wonder it's hard to fix. He's not special just because Rumple is his father. He needs to knock it off. I take it he isn't the one returning things?"

"No, that'd be the blonde woman you're going to tell me about now."

"First, answer me this. Are you attracted to the blonde woman?"

"Kathryn!" Regina all but growled a warning, but her friend merely chuckled and raised an eyebrow. "Yes, fine, okay. I don't know why. I'm just drawn to her."

"The woman is barely a woman. Well, technically she's supposed to be twenty-six but Neverland stuck her at fourteen. She aged in the two years she's been in this world, making her sixteen. I hear your brother did the honors of kidnapping her. She goes by M. I don't know if that's a letter or part of a name, but that's what she goes by. We should come up with a plan to get you to meet so you can ask her on a date."

"But I- that's hardly -"

Kat cut her off. "Operation Birdbrain."

"Excuse you?"

"Well, right now you've got this Swan on your mind. A swan is a bird. A synonym for mind is brain. Birdbrain." 'and you're also a birdbrain for not realizing they're the same woman,' Kat silently added.

Regina scrunched up her nose at the name, but Kathryn had met this blonde. She had yet to. Sighing, she reluctantly agreed. "Operation Birdbrain it is."

"I have to tell Henry. He's so going to be on board with this!"

Olive skin paled. Oh no! Henry! The woman was in fact barely past consent. Not that it really mattered much in Storybrooke. So long as sixteen was met, relationships were people's own business. But this woman, no, this girl was barely older than Henry. What would he think? Would he be okay with her dating? Would he be okay that she was into women more than men? She needed to have a serious talk with her son, and couldn't, wouldn't, pursue anything without his blessing. Kat moved fast, so she had to talk to Henry soon.

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what's henry going to say about regina wanting to date his new friend? how's emma going to react to regina? how did emma become a lost girl? rumple and bae are regina's family...will that change how emma sees regina? will operation birdbrain be successful?