A little blond girl with pig-tails who was wearing mismatched clothes that were just a little too small for her knocked lightly on the back door of Granny's Bed and Breakfast. Emma was good at ignoring the rumblings in her belly, but also thankful she had friends—secret friends—that would help her out when she couldn't find food in other ways. Before she could knock a second time, the rusty door swung open, and she was face to face with her friend Ruby, a young ginger close to her age who had apparently gotten into her grandmother's makeup stash because she had heavy rouge all over her cheeks and extremely thick black eyeliner across her eyes. Emma couldn't help but smile at the sight, but knew better than to say anything before the two of them were alone.

Ruby briefly vanished behind the door and reappeared with warm pastries under her arm. She called out, "Gran, I'm going out with Emma," and didn't wait for an answer before walking out the door with her hand in Emma's and dragging her clear across town to the park.

"Rubes, have I ever told you how lucky you are?" Emma asked between bites as they both sat down on the swings. She meant it too—Ruby's grandmother made the best food she had ever tasted, and she'd had a lot of different mommies whose cooking she had sampled despite her young age.

Blushing, Ruby responded, "Aw, c'mon. You're the lucky one. No bedtime, no chores, nobody telling you what to do…"

"No roof over my head, never knowing where my next meal is coming from…" Emma said wryly. She'd gotten kicked out by the last mommy and daddy who watched her, and no one had come to take her to her new mommy and daddy yet, but she had still stuck around town because of Ruby, and well, because she had nowhere else to go. In spite of everything, she'd kept her sense of humor.

"I'm serious!" Ruby lamented. "You have no idea what I would give to have a little freedom."

Subconsciously starting to pump her legs on the swing, Emma thought out loud, "Maybe…maybe you could. Maybe we could go on a grand adventure."

"As if. The sugar must have gone to your brain," Ruby teased goodnaturedly. "And Gran says I wolf down my food."

Emma grinned broadly, "Emma Swan, trash compactor, at your service."

The young girls burst into giggles and thus didn't even register that another girl their age had wandered over to them.

The new girl spoke up boldly, "You're not s'pposedta eat on the swings."

Ruby rolled her eyes, and Emma turned to look at the intruder while clutching her food tighter to her chest. Just who did this girl think she was—the park ranger? Emma's eyes grew wide. She had never seen that much silk and lace on one person before. Dark curls were tied up in a white ribbon, and the frilly white dress with blue ribbons accentuated the girl's olive skin tone, and even though the outfit was totally out of place for the local park, Emma found she couldn't say so. In fact, she couldn't speak at all; she was too focused on the butterflies suddenly dancing around in her stomach—metaphorically speaking, of course.

"Regina Mills, must you be such a goody-two-shoes?" Ruby complained. "Just for that, we're not going to invite you on our grand adventure."

Regina scoffed, "Who says I wanted to go anyway?"

"You'll be sorry when you are missing the bestest adventure ever. My friend Emma here is going to take us on a secret mission for some buried treasure," Ruby boasted. "Isn't that right, Emma? Emma?"

Too impatient to notice Ruby's friend seemed mute, Regina butted in, "And just who is going to save you when your secret mission gets you into trouble?"

"Emma will. She is the bravest person ever. I bet you she could slay a dragon with her bare hands," Ruby boasted.

Regina snorted, "That's silly! There aren't any dragons…although I guess she is kinda brave walking around in that outfit. It doesn't even match!"

"Not all of us come from stuck-up rich families, ya know," Ruby shot back, glancing at Emma because she was worried at how her friend was taking the insults. It wasn't like Emma to be so quiet. She waved her hand in front of Emma's face, "Emma! Say something!"

Hearing the array of insults directed at her didn't even bother Emma in the slightest. All she noticed was the melodic tone that she decided she could listen to for hours. The only problem was how did one talk to an angel? Emma opened her mouth and the softest, "Hi," came from her vocal cords.

"Hi? That's the best you can do?" Ruby groaned.

Emma could feel the fire on her cheeks, "Would…you…like to come with us? I mean, you don't have to—I'd understand if you said no, and you probably don't want to, and…"

"Yes," Regina answered determinedly. "Just please stop babbling. S'not proper for a lady."

"Really? You will?" Emma's grin stretched from ear to ear. She instinctively grabbed Regina's hand and yelled, "C'mon, Rubes!" before running off.

The three girls ran happily, although they had to slow down a few times so that Regina didn't trip wearing her platform Mary Janes. Emma relished the feel of the wind in her hair, a full belly, and a pretty girl's hand in her own and decided that she had reached heaven on earth. She was going to show Regina her secret place, the one that no one else knew about.

"Emma, stop!" Regina pulled on Emma's arm when she realized where they were headed.

Emma stopped and turned to Regina, "What?"

"Yellow tape. We're not s'pposedta go in," Regina pointed to the yellow caution tape surrounding the mine entrance.

"S'ok, I swear. I go in here all the time," Emma laughed. "It's really pretty, and I want to show you."

Ruby smirked at Regina, "You aren't too chicken to go in there, are you?"

"Ruby Lucas, you take that back," Regina glared at her.

"Ignore her," Emma commanded before she softened her tone, "You said you wanted to come with us."

Regina looked directly into Emma's eyes, "You are sure it's safe?"

Emma nodded, "It's an adventure."

"Okay," Regina relented, allowing herself to be dragged below the tape and into the entrance of the mine. The opening was old and decrepit, but as they got a little deeper, the stalagmites and stalactites were shiny and awe-inspiring. "Wow, Emma, this is beautiful."

Emma grinned widely, "See, I told you. If you come over here, you'll see where the dwarves used to dig for fairy dust."

Even as Regina stepped carefully over to where Emma was pointing, she said, "No such thing as dwarves or fairies. Momma says so, and she knows everything."

"Maybe she's never seen one," Emma said. "I have. A blue fairy with glasses and a wand and everything. She scoops me up and takes me to my new mommy and daddy and then flies away."

"New mommy and daddy?" Regina asked.

"Mm-hmm," Emma nods, "She forgot this time, but that's okay because I don't want to leave Ruby, and my new mommy and daddy might be far away again."

Puzzled, Regina tried to wrap her brain around changing mommies and daddies, "You can't stay with Ruby?"

Ruby shook her head sadly, "No, Granny says she can' afford it."

"Oh," Regina said thoughtfully, "you could stay with me, maybe? If we ask Daddy….Momma is very strict. I'm not even allowed to have pets."

Emma blushed, "That's ok. I got a pretty good setup here, but I wouldn't object to a free meal."

"Emma Swan, always thinking with her stomach," Ruby rolled her eyes.

"That's cause it's usually empty," Emma sighed. She perked up her ears as she heard a rumbling noise, "Hey, Rubes, do you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Ruby looked around. The rumbling got louder. She saw that rocks were starting to fall from the ceiling. "Emma, we have to get out of here."

"We don't have enough time. You two get behind me," Emma shouted, flinging herself in front of Regina and Ruby, doing her best to shield them from falling debris. Fortunately, the majority of the falling rocks was at the entrance to the mine and missed the girls completely, but they did go high enough to block the girls' exit. Emma felt a familiar hand clutching hers and looked in Regina's eyes, "We'll find a way out."

"Emma, I'm scared," Regina admitted.

Trying not to show how scared she was herself, Emma said valiantly, "Don't be scared. I can slay dragons, remember?"

At the girl's nod, Emma glanced around, surveying her surroundings. She could see a hole at the very top, not big enough to squeeze through, but big enough that they wouldn't run out of air and maybe someone would hear them call for help. She looked back at the two girls, "Okay, which of us is the loudest?"

Archie was strolling along on his regular daily walk with Pongo when Pongo suddenly started pulling on his leash, "Woah, boy. Do you see a bird or something?"

Pongo looked back at him and started barking. When Archie just stood there dumbfounded, Pongo started running and dragging him along with his leash until finally coming to a stop near the old mine. Pongo pointed his nose at the mine and looked back at his master, slowing his barks.

Archie said, "Pongo, it looks like the mine collapsed. Is that what you wanted to tell me?" At Pongo's whimper, Archie sighed. He was about to turn them around when he swore he heard a little girl's voice. "Pongo, did you hear that?"

Archie moved as close as he dared and shouted, "Is there someone down there?"

"Help! Help us!" He heard a definitive scream coming from inside and pulled out his phone, dialing 911, "Hello, operator, there's been an accident at the old mine. The entrance collapsed and I think there are some people trapped inside."

Archie put away his phone and shouted back, "Help is on the way. Conserve your energy." He turned to Pongo, "You are such a good boy, you know that? We're getting you a treat when we get home."

Pongo heard the word treat and let his tail wag. He barked a few more times and then waited patiently, satisfied that his master had understood the urgency.

Bursting with a smile, Emma threw her arms around Regina, "See, we did it. We're going to get out of here."

"Oh, Emma, you were right. I shouldn't have doubted you," Regina returned the hug.

"Hey, what about me? I helped too," Ruby pouted, as all three of them had taken turns calling for help.

Emma nodded, motioning for her friend to join the hug, "Yes, you did. C'mere, Rubes."

When Ruby joined the hug, the three girls fell into a fit of giggles, and almost didn't hear the man calling to them again. Regina called out, "Repeat that?"

The man's voice said again, "What is your name?"

"Regina Mills," she answered and glanced at Ruby, hinting for her to go next.

"Ruby Lucas," Ruby shouted, "Please don't call my Gran."

Emma then called up, "Emma Swan. Who is this?"

"Archie. The rescue team wanted to know who to call," The man's voice continued. "We'll have you girls out of there as soon as we can."

"Uh, oh, we're in trouuuuble," Ruby said out loud. "They're going to call my Gran!"

"And my Momma," Regina looked mournful, "Emma, I prolly won't get to see you again."

"How come?" Emma asked, hugging her closer.

"My Momma doesn't like me hanging out with strangers," Regina twirled her hair with her finger. She couldn't say out loud what her mother would really say—she would be punished for playing with the poor kids and they would be blamed for her insolence, and even though she didn't see Emma and Ruby like that, her mom would.

"I'm not a stranger. I'm yer white knight," Emma looked deep into Regina's eyes before closing her own and giving her a brief peck on the lips. "You'll see me again, princess."

Regina put her hand to her mouth and blushed, "Emma, why'd you do that?"

"Because I like you, silly," Emma gave her a big toothy grin and began tickling her.

"No, please…stop, that's not fair," Regina half-heartedly complained, twisting her body out of the way as quickly as possible.

Before long, the rocks at the entrance were cleared away, and it was time for the girls to face the music. Emma looked on as Ruby's Gran embraced her in a warm hug and Regina's Momma started shouting at her. She began pawing the ground, reminded that she didn't really have anyone who cared, well besides her two friends.

The Sheriff walked over to Emma, "Miss, we weren't able to locate your parents, but this nice lady over here says she knows you and that she will find you a family."

Emma looked up. Sure enough, it was the woman wearing blue from top to bottom with glasses and a big pen—a wand, she corrected herself—here to bring her to a new mommy and daddy. The problem was Emma didn't want to go this time. She wanted to stay here. She said resolutely, "That's okay, Mr. Sheriff, I'm a big girl. I don't need a new family."

Archie walked over to them, "Excuse me, I couldn't help, but overhear. I've seen this girl in the diner a few times. She's in foster care?"

The woman in blue nodded her assent. She admitted, "She's a high risk kid. A runner. It's been getting harder to find her a new placement. We'll probably have to go to the group home for a while."

"I, um," Archie spoke up, "I just got my fostering license. I'd be willing to take her, so she wouldn't have to leave her friends or go to a group home. Pongo seems to like her."

"You're sure?" The woman inquired. "Emma, what do you say?"

Emma asked, "I can see Ruby and Regina whenever I want?"

"Yes, of course." Archie answered. "You'd even have your own room."

"Really, Mr. Archie?! I say, yes!" Emma grinned, putting her hands in the back pockets of her pants. She could totally live with this.

The woman smiled, "I'll have the paperwork drawn up right away. I just have to call and make sure your license is valid."

Archie nodded, "It is. Emma, how about you meet Pongo while we wait?"

"This is Pongo?" Emma said as the dog licked her hand. "Eww."

"That means he likes you," Archie explained. "Pongo is the one who heard you girls crying for help and came to save the day."

"Thank you, Pongo," Emma said very seriously. "I coulda saved us all by myself, but the other girls were scared."

"A big, brave girl like you deserves a treat at Granny's diner. What do you say?" Archie asked.

"I want grilled cheese and French fries," Emma shouted gleefully.

Ruby's grandmother approached them, "I hear your days of filching food from my granddaughter are over. Is that true?"

Emma hid behind Pongo, so Archie answered for her, "Yes, it's true. From now on, she'll be a paying customer, and maybe she could help around the kitchen to pay for her previous meals?"

"I'm sure we can work something out. I'm just glad someone is taking her in, mischievous little imp that she is," Granny said lovingly.

The social worker returned, "It appears that your license checks out, so I will be leaving her in your care. Just sign here, and here."

Archie signed on the dotted line and held his arm out for Emma to go to Granny's diner. Somehow she knew that this was going to work out. She'd found a nice home, nice friends, and a girl that made her heart flutter, and it all seemed too good to be true for the young foster child, but for once, she had found her happily ever after.