Disclaimer: I do NOT own Once upon a time or any recognizable characters.

A/N: So, I did it. I really did it, holy crap :D
I started - or tried at least - writing in English. And, surprise surprise, it's a Swanqueen. Well, to be honest, it's an old story of mine, which I wrote in German once. So I tried to edit a part. What do you think about it? Worth a shot?

A/N2: Please don't judge me, English is actually my third language, so please try and ignore the mistakes. If I'm really going to do this, I could probably use a Beta reader. PM me, if you know someone, who would do it!

This is an AU, set in Storybrooke with slightly magic. I really hope you'll enjoy the story. Feel free to give me feedback, let me know what you think, please! I'm a writer, I live from reviews and followers :D

Rated M for violence and language.

Chapter 1

„Emma, come on, wake up," her mother yelled.

Ugh, she hated Saturdays. There were barely time to breath during the week – thanks to all the school stuff – and not even on the weekends she could relax in peace. Emma put her head under her pillow and tried to sleep. Just a few seconds later, however, she heard the door of her room open. Then, a breath later, her mother jerked her blanket away. Hugging her knees to her chest, the blonde narrowed her green eyes – damn light!

"Mom, please, just a little more," she begged.
"No, get up, now. Your uncle is coming over," Mary Margaret didn't let go.

Blinking, she opened my eyes. "Uncle James?" Emma asked. She nodded, smiled, and then left my room. Well, at least none of my stepfather's family, Emma thought. Uncle James was the twin brother of her Dad, who had passed away a long time ago. He had his own farm, was happily married and had two charming little sons. The blonde loved spending time with her uncle, even though, he reminded her so much of her Dad.

Emma got up and dragged her tired body into the bath, then tied her long blond hair into a pony tail and washed her face. Back in her room she slipped in a pair of pants and a tank top. She rarely applied make-up, like the other girls in Storybrooke did. She didn't find it necessary. The blonde was glad to have a pimple free face with her 18 years. And that was enough for her.

Of course, her mother thought she didn't need any make-up. For her, Emma was the most beautiful girl in the entire Kingdom, Storybrooke included. Typical mothers. Even though, Emma was a casual girl, she had the same dream like almost any other girl – a white wedding and a loving spouse.

Once she was downstairs in the kitchen, eating breakfast, her younger stepbrother Bae sat beside her and stared at her like an idiot.

"What do you want?" she asked annoyed.
"Where were you yesterday after school?"
"None of your business," she snapped.
"I'll tell Dad you have a boyfriend."
"What the hell is wrong with you?" the blonde hissed angrily.
"I've seen you, with this stable boy," he laughed.

Emma was fuming. She went up to him and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. "You little shit, that's Ruby's boyfriend. And he's not a stable boy, he works for Queen Cora. Grow up and mind your own business." Her voice was low, she didn't want Robert, her stepfather, to overhear the conversation.

What the hell was he thinking? He was a kid, a 14 year old stupid kid. And it seemed like all he wanted to do, was making her look as bad as possibly in Papa's eyes. With success, Emma thought, clenching her teeth. Bae was her enemy. Funny way to think of her brother, she knew that. But the way he acted, the way he tried to hurt her. That's the way an enemy would treat you, not your own brother.

Bae pushed Emma's hand aside and lifted his finger. "I'm watching you."

She almost laughed out loud and sat down again. How ridiculous! "How about you find some friends, instead of gossiping around, you idiot. And I mean real friends, not your Ps4 online buddies."

"Shut up!" he hissed.
"Or what? You're going to hit me?" Now the blonde just couldn't hold back that laugh.

"What's going on here?" a voice interrupted them. Emma raised here head and saw Neal standing at the doorway.

"Good morning, brother," she beamed happily.

"Morning, Princess," he replied, kissing her head. Her big brother, who was also her best friend. Emma loved him deeply, he was simply the best. With him, the blonde was able to talk about everything without fear that Papa might find out. He was 21 and would marry in three months.

"Emma has a boyfriend!" Bae said proud. He was beaming, as if he had shared a states secret. Emma's hands curled into fists but Neal held her back.

"So what?" Neal growled angrily. Bae's eyes grew wide. He couldn't believe that Neal was defending her. He stared at his big brother, as if he had lost his mind. "Leave," Neal said.

"But –", he started, but Neal cut him off.

"Out!" Bea stood up, and was already at the door, when Neal shouted out. "Oh, one more thing. You better keep your mouth shut. Not a word to Papa, understood?" Hate glistened in Bae's eyes as he glanced at his sister. Emma, on the other hand, couldn't hide her shit eating grin. His jaw muscles tensed, before he nodded and turned around without saying another word.

"He's so cocky," the blonde said to Neal, while she grabbed another plate and put it before him. She filled it with cereal and milk, and took her seat next to him. Neal reached immediately for the spoon and began eating. He was always hungry and could eat so much. Like, really much.

"I don't understand", Emma said. Neal looked up, spoon in his mouth. The blonde laughed. "I really don't understand, how the heck you're not fat? How do you do that?" Neal finished his plate, leaned back and smirked. "It's magic", he said.

"What? You know very well, that magic isn't allowed in Storybrooke." In fact, it was illegal. Doing magic in Storybrooke was classified as a crime. He knew that. Everyone knew that. The portals to the enchanted forest were guarded, one couldn't just go through them. Besides, there weren't that much people here, who could actually do magic. The nuns, the creepy Miss Z, and Mr. Gold – her stepfather.

"Calm down, Emma", Neal laughed. "I was kidding." The blonde scowled and punched him in the shoulder. "Ow!" A pout replaced his grin, and he held his hands up in mock surrender. "I know, I know, it's not funny. I shouldn't have said that, I'm sorry." Neal grabbed the cereal and filled his plate – again. Emma looked at him as she shook her head in amusement. Ah, there it was, the grin, back on his face. "Gym. A lot of Gym", he said, mouth full, and very pleased with himself. "So?" he asked, when he finally seemed full.

"What?" Emma was texting with Ruby, they wanted to meet with Lily at Granny's – the best Diner in town. Well, there weren't that much options. But she loved the grilled cheese and her hot cacao with cinnamon. Ruby and Lily were her best friends, she knew them her entire life.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" he asked. Emma stopped typing and glanced at her brother. Then she laughed. Neal flinched, looking confused. "What? What's so funny?"

"Are you serious? There's no one who would be with me … voluntary," Emma replied, still laughing. Now it was Neal's turn slapping her shoulder.

"That's bullshit and you know it, Emma. You're a natural beauty, not like these girls with 5 layers of make-up. Everyone would be proud to have you," Neal said.

"Ugh, how mushy," Emma teased. Yet, she was very grateful for his words.

The following hours passed quickly. After lunch, they all found themselves in the big living room. Emma had a great time. She'd missed her uncle, and felt a painful ache in her chest, as she sat beside him. The blonde was only four, an innocent child, when her world began to crumble. One day her Dad, David, didn't came home from work. Work accident, they had said, as if a four year old was supposed to understand that. She didn't. Even now, after all this time, she never understood. A Sherriff couldn't just fall dead, could he? Heart attack, a frigging heart attack. He was 32 back then, for God's sake!

Emma tried to push the thoughts away, and focused on the conversation. Drinking tea, and chatting with her uncle, soon a sigh of contentment escaped the blonde's throat. Then, her phone vibrated – loudly. She took it from her pocket, Lily had texted her. While Emma read the message, she felt Papa's gaze on her.

"What's going on?" he wanted to know.

Emma swallowed hard. Her brain searched furiously for an answer. "It's a friend, we're supposed to learn together. She's waiting for me," Emma lied. She didn't even know why she choose to lie. Her gaze wandered back to the message: 'Granny's, now! Deadly important!' Emma stood up and apologized to her uncle.

"Where do you think you're going?" Robert asked.
"I just said that-".
"Your uncle is here, and you just want to leave?" he asked angrily.

"Let her go, Robert", James interrupted. "I was leaving anyway. I've promised the boys a trip to the woods." As Emma shot him a grateful look, he winked and smiled at her. She ignored Papa's furious expression and went off. As she slipped into her shoes in the hallway, Neal came and handed her his car keys. Her face lit up.

"Eager now, are we?" Neal laughed. Emma shrugged but couldn't hide her smile. "Be careful, rookie."

Just a few minutes later she parked in front of Granny's and hopped out of the car. She ran the short distance to the diner and headed straight to the booth, as she spotted Ruby and Lily sitting there. "What happened?" Emma asked, completely out of breath.

"She didn't want to talk until you were here, too," Ruby muttered.

Lily head was titled towards her lap, eyes shut. She said nothing. "Lil, you're scaring me. What's wrong?" The blonde asked. She was lost, and had no idea what was happening right now. She threw a worried look at Ruby, who shrugged. Lily finally raised her head and looked first at Emma, then at Ruby. Holy crap, the silence was heavy, the air thick with tension. Slowly Lily opened her mouth and ran her tongue over her dry lips. Then she took a deep breath.

"I'm pregnant," she said, barely audible. Ruby and Emma's eyes met, both holding their breath. Had they just heard right? Lily noticed the shocking faces of her friends, she looked at them with a painful expression, and then broke out in laughter. Her laughter was so contagious, the confusing lasted just a few seconds, before Emma and Ruby joined her.

"You're an idiot", Emma chuckled. "Next time, I'll threw you against the wall."

"Such a bitch. You do realize I could get a heart attack, right?" Ruby said grinning.

"Sorry not sorry. Seriously though, I could easily win an Oscar, right? Stupid town borders." Shaking her head, Emma grinned at Lily. Sometimes, she felt envy. Lily's life was so different from hers. She lived to the motto: "Enjoy your life, you only live once." Learning was a rarity for her, she was the typical party girl. Loved to celebrate and had already a few flings here and there. Her parents were so ... modern, one could say. They weren't mentally stuck in another realm. They were just like any regular American parents.

Parties were never a thing for Emma and Ruby. They worked hard for High school graduation and were waiting for the right one. Well, Ruby found the one a few months ago. Graham, her fiancé, was a deputy, who worked for Queen Cora in Storybrooke. Although Lily was so different from them, they loved her. For years the three of them went through thick and thin.

"Thanks to you I broke all speed limits," Emma muttered. "I even had to fight Papa." The blonde sipped her cacao and looked at Lily, frowning. "He's going to kill me."

"He's creepy, sorry", her friend apologized. "But I had to! You wouldn't make it today, if it wasn't for my tiny lie," she laughed. Tiny lie, of course. They drank their coffees and cacaos and talked about girl's stuff. Ruby's cell phone rang, it was Graham her fiancé. He was 22, had brown hair and tanned skin. They fitted perfectly together. Emma liked him. Most importantly, he loved Ruby very much.

"Okay, babe. Love you, see you later." Grinning, Ruby hung up. Everyone could see how happy she was.

"Oh babe, love you too, darling, honey, sweetheart," Emma and Lily mocked her friend.

"Stop it!" Ruby crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Just wait, when it is time for both of you, when you'll find the right one and fall in love head over heels. These butterflies in the belly are indescribable," she gushed. Emma and Lily exchanged a look. Without saying a word the two decided, that Ruby has gone crazy. Even as they were paying and leaving, Lily couldn't stop laughing at her.

"I'm really glad for you, Rubes," Emma said. "But love is overrated." She didn't know, that all too soon, she would regret her last sentence. Oh, and how she would …

As the girls walked a bit through Main Street, Emma kept looking at her watch. Somehow, she couldn't shake off the feeling, that Papa would get mad once she was home. The blonde hoped he wasn't drinking tonight. "Oh, come on, don't freak out. He won't get angry", Lily said to her.

"Don't pretend you don't know him." Emma replied.
"He always exaggerate."

"He does. But well, we can't have all parents like yours, can we?" the blonde said. Lily cut her a grimace that made her laugh. Emma said goodbye to her friends, and ran over to her car.

"Hey, Blondie", Ruby shouted, as Emma crossed the road. "Give me a call once your home."

"Will do", she shouted back and threw her a kiss. As she turned around, she slammed full force into someone. Cursing, she stumbled a few steps backwards, before she finally landed on her butt. Oh, great, just great, Emma thought. The stranger held out a hand. She took it and was pulled up.

"Sorry, my mistake", the stranger said. That voice … it sounded like music to her ears and hit straight to her heart. She was still busy fumbling on her clothes, as she lifted her head and looked into those gorgeous chocolate brown eyes …