Chapter 1: Welcome to Storybrooke
It was Tuesday, March 2nd, at the crack of dawn when she woke up, stretched all her limbs with loud groans, and smiled at the satisfied sound of her popped bones. She got up from the bed, brushed her teeth and put on a pair of yoga pants with sports bra and finished it with a red sweatshirt. Tying up her hair in a high ponytail, she went for her morning run.
Today will be her first day reporting for duty as Storybrooke Sheriff. Emma Swan was the Chief Deputy from New York City. She was one of the best law enforcement the city had but after the incidents that almost cost her life, Emma made a decision to move to a small, quiet town in Maine.
Her best friend and partner on her last job, Killian, teased her to no end on her decision. Always saying that Emma was just getting old and wanting to find a nice sweet lady to start a family, which was the reason she moved. But he knew, the last case they were on really put an impact on his best friend.
Killian used to have feeling for the blonde but along their friendship, he noticed that his partner is on the same team with him. After Emma come clean about her sexuality which confirmed his assumption, they will usually go to the bars together to flirt around and making bets on who's going to get which girl first.
Killian was a nice and sentimental guy despite anything that usually came from his mouth. The guy loves to act 'macho', as Emma would say it. They shared a dark past that only both of them knew about. Killian knew all about Emma, and vice versa. They were practically a family. Brother and sister. So the day of the incident that changed Emma, Killian too lost a piece of himself just as Emma did.
"Swan! Don't you ever forget me when you found your happy ending with a lady and some kids and a cat. Make that 10cats! Come and visit sometime yeah? I'll miss you dork!" Emma smiled at the memory of her best friend departing speech. She loved to joke about his limited vocabulary.
Reaching back her apartment, Emma went to shower and get ready for work.
It was precisely at 9am when there was a knock on the Mayor's office door. With her head low reading a report on the latest road work project, she asked for the person on the other side of her door to come in.
"Good morning Madam Mayor. Nice weather isn't it today?" at the voice, Regina finally lifted her head to greet the town newest Sheriff. Both women had met before a couple months back when Emma came for an interview. It was like hate at first sight. The blonde was indeed a charming person. With her dazzling smile and bright eyes and cheerful and friendly attitude. But she had this smug smirk that irked Regina to no end. And don't let her start on the red leather jacket. Like who would seriously wear a RED leather jacket? Apparently, Sheriff Emma Swan would. But Emma Swan was good in what she do, so she got the job.
"Good morning Sheriff. I'm sorry to cut short on this meeting. I have an emergency meeting in a few. So I just need your signatures on these papers and you're good to start your first day. Deputy David will show you around. He should already be at the station. Here's your badge. You can collect your gun from your Deputy."
Before Emma could say anything, the office phone rang and Regina excuses herself and dismissed Emma.
From their twice meeting, Emma thinks that the Major was a cold hearted bitch. Rarely smile. A woman of few words. Her face void of any emotions, which makes Emma nervous because while she's good at reading people, she just can't read a thing about her brunette boss. But from what she heard, the Mayor was well respected around town. And she's hot. Like super hot, cast iron skillet hot!
Emma's day went by smoothly. She met Deputy David who was waiting for her with wide smile and a firm hand shake. He was a tall, handsome guy. She also met Rose, the part-time deputy who was leaving for the day from her night shift.
Emma and her deputy went on rounds to familiarize the town and David briefs her on the usual hot spots for crimes and the usual affairs that happen daily. Emma can safely say that the town was indeed a small and safe town.
Before she knew it, it was 6.45pm and she began to pack her stuff for the day. She looked around her office and grimaced. It was bare and smelled like roaches. She makes a mental note to liven it up.
It was her 3rd day on job and Emma was fighting against her eyelids to stay awake. She groaned thinking 'I never thought I would miss some actions. Damn small town'. So when the station got a call at 4pm about a stuck cat in a tree, she volunteered herself before anyone can even blink an eye and was out the station the very next second.
Reaching her destination, the town's only preschool/nursery. She was met with several crying kids which pierced her eardrums with their high-pitch wailing. Mary Margaret, the teacher in charged approached Emma.
"Sheriff Swan! Whoa you're here yourself. I'm Mary Margaret by the way but you can call me MM. I'm so sorry to disturb you but one of our student's cat got stuck in the tree." She said in a cheery voice while extending her hand.
"Nice to meet you MM. I'm Emma. May I ask why all the kids are holding some sort of animals?" gesturing to the kids while rolling her sleeves, getting ready to climb the tree.
"Oh! Well today is bring your pet to school day" the teacher said and the rest of her sentence was unheard by Emma as she grunted while climbing the tree. Every time she neared the cat, that damn animal will climb higher. She can feel her palms scratched by the rough tree. After about 20minutes back and forth with the cat, Emma finally outsmarts the animal and got him safely on the ground.
A brown hair boy came and took a firm grip on the cat and looked up at her with wide red rimmed eyes "Thank you Shewiff". Emma squatted at his level and patted his shoulder.
"Not a problem kid. What's your name?"
"I'm Henry" he said in his tiny squeaky voice and extending his hand, ever the gentleman and Emma shook his tiny hand.
"Hi Henry. I'm Emma. How old are you?" Henry tried saying her name under his breath a few times before replying her.
"I'm gonna be thwee!" the boy shouted his age while extending 4 fingers towards Emma. Almost poking her eyes. She laughed at his adorableness and bent one of his fingers, holding up only three in the air. She gave a grinned at the boy and poked at the boy's cheek playfully, and the famous Emma Swan doesn't like kids but somehow, Henry had charmed her.
"You got a cute but smart cat there. What's its name?"
"His name is Fiffy. Wanna pet him?" Emma nodded and patted the cat's head several times before Henry spoke again.
"Emma?" "Yes Henry?"
"You new Shewiff mommy told me bout?"
"Yes I am. Today is my third day working" she leaned near his ear and whispered "I'm new here and I don't have any friends. Would you be my friend Henry?" and leaned back to looked at him.
Henry bounced on his spot and loudly whispered back an excited yes. Before they can continue their conversation, a husky voice called for Henry and before she knew it, the kid was running around her to the voice. She turned around, still in her squatting position and was met with someone's knees. Looking up, she saw none other than the Mayor herself with Henry tugging at the side of her dress.
"Mommy! Shewiff saved Fiffy from tree! See. His saved now!" showing the cat to his mother Lion King style.
Regina looked at him adoringly while running her fingers through his dark hair and with a soft voice that Emma never thought she would hear from the cold Mayor "I see baby boy. Did you thank the Sheriff?"
"Yes! I said 'thank you Shewiff' and we friends! Can I play with Emma and Fiffy?"
It was then Regina looked at her and all the soft and adoring look in her eyes was replaced with blank emotions before she turned back to Henry and all the emotions was back "I'm sure Sheriff Swan is busy baby. And it's getting late. We should get you home so I can start dinner. Are you hungry sweetheart?" she said while poking the boy's tummy gently.
Henry all but dragged her towards the car while muttering that his so hungry that he wants to eat the dinosaur. Regina turned to Emma and gave her a curt thank you before buckling Henry in his seat and drove away moments later.
Emma just stared at the retreating car until she was lightly tapped on the shoulder by MM. "Are you okay Sheriff? Would you like me to clean the cuts on your hands?"
Emma ignored the questions and replied with her own question "The Mayor has a son?"
MM looked at her confusedly "Yes. Henry is her son? Why?"
But Emma just stood still with a frown "Sheriff?"
"Oh I'm sorry. Have a nice day MM. It's nice to meet you." She waved at the teacher before jogging back to her cruiser and left the preschool.
MM muttered to herself "Have a nice day too Sheriff" before shrugging and went back inside to pack her things for the day.
It was 3days later that she met with Regina again for their Monday meeting. "One last thing Sheriff, the animal shelter will be organizing a small carnival this coming Saturday and Sunday and I need you and your staff to be around the area of the event in case anything comes up. I'll e-mail you the details by lunch time and I would appreciate for you to e-mail me back your action plans for the carnival by tomorrow."
"Yeah, sure. I'll get back to you by tomorrow"
"That will be all. Thank you" Emma stood and walked to the door but stopped and turned facing Regina again.
"Will Henry be there?" Regina was caught off guard by the random question and looked at her confusingly. So she repeated her question "Will Henry be at the carnival this weekend?"
Regina was silent for some moment and just looks at her, trying to figure why was the town Sheriff asking about her 3years old son but finally answering the question, "Yes, Henry and I would be there. May I ask why you're asking about my son Sheriff?" she asked back with a stern voice while narrowing her eyes at Emma.
Emma's face broke into a grin hearing that Henry will be there. "No reason. I'm just excited that I can see him again" and gave Regina a slight nod of her head before she left the office, leaving a very confused Mayor.