A/N: I had this idea a few months back and I decided to go with it. For this to work you need to pretend the season return did not happen it's set between 3x11 and 3x12 with a few key differences. SWAN QUEEN

SUMMARY: When Regina gave Emma and Henry new memories and a new life a few pieces she didn't plan we're added into the mix. So when Emma and Henry leave New York for a fresh start in Storybrook, The Savior and her son are in for a shock when one of the town's residents is someone they remember from their life in New York. Swan Queen. (3x12 didn't happen here)

Disclaimer: I do not own once upon a time or the characters. It's Adam and Eddy's sandbox, I'm just playing in it.

Chapter 1

The shrill sounds of Emma's alarm woke the blonde from her favorite dream. A dream that had at one time been a reality but was ripped away far too soon. A year ago today. She sat up on her side of the bed and glanced over at the photo on her nightstand. It had been taken on Henry's eight birthday, a large cake in the shape of a race car sat with lit candles on a table and three faces crowded around it beamed up at the camera. Emma placed her head in her hands, trying to hold back tears as she began to speak to the air in a hoarse whisper.

"God I miss you. Henry still cries at night sometime, he doesn't know I can hear him, but I always can. I used to try to talk to him when I'd hear him but he clams up as soon as I walk in. I guess he got that from me. Today's moving day, You said you wanted us to move on and be happy but we can't do that here. Everywhere I look I see you and I get stuck in that memory and it feels so real that when I'm pulled out and realize you're gone, that you were taken from us...I can't breathe. One of new york's finest and I couldn't even protect my family from a drunk driver. I'm trying to be strong for Henry but all he has to do is look at me and I know he sees right through me. Just like you used to, You may not have given birth to him but I swear to god he is your son. I went to the Henry's school and talked to his new principle-Professor Goulde I think his name is-to talk about switching the Kid's school, he actually had a pretty good recommendation. It's a small town in Maine called Storybrook, I made some calls and we're all set. Henry will start school on Monday, we have an apartment lined up and I have an interview at the sheriff's station after I drop Henry off Monday morning. It's just the kind of change we need. We'll never forget you but maybe...maybe if we get away from it all we can start to heal. I love you-I love you so much Sweetheart and there is no amount of distance or healing that can change that. I remember how we met, you called me your savior, I just wish I could have saved you when it mattered. I wish I had bee-"

"It's not your fault." Emma whipped her head up to see her son standing in the doorway. He was fully dressed as he was an early riser-a trait he had picked up from his other parent. He walked over to Emma and took her left hand is his, he stared down at the gold band on her finger before meeting his mother's eyes. "There was nothing you could have done. You know that, all the doctor's, all the other cops, everyone told you that you couldn't have known what was going to happen and there was no way you could have stopped it. She wouldn't blame you for what happened and you know she wouldn't want you to blame yourself."

"You're right Kid. When did you get so smart?" Emma stood up and embraced her son who was almost as tall as she was now. She held him there for a moment and pulled back to brush hair out his face with a weak chuckle. "You must have gotten your mom's brains because it sure as hell wasn't from me."

"Definitely from mom, no offense Ma but there's a reason she was in charge." Henry looked around the room, everything was boxed up except for a few odds and ends, the rest of the apartment was the same. He looked down at his shoes trying to figure out how to word what he wanted. "Ma do you think-since we're leaving today...do you think we can visit her? Before we go to the airport?"

"Of course Henry, that was my plan anyway. So how about you make sure all your stuff is ready for the movers and I'll do the same in here and then when the movers are finished we'll go. How does that sound?" Henry nodded and walked out into the living room. Emma sighed heavily and started getting ready for the big day they had ahead of them. Two hours later all of their worldly belongings were packed up in a truck and heading to Maine. Emma conducted one last check and when she was certain they had left nothing behind she and Henry gathered their luggage for the flight and left the apartment.

Henry scrunched up his nose at the rental Nisan that was waiting for them where Emma's Bug normally sat, but he got into the car without protest. Ten minutes into the journey he was squirming on the seat. "I miss the bug, these seats are so stiff, I can't get comfortable."

"The bug is on it's way to the airport in Maine so we don't have to get a taxi when we land. But don't worry you'll see it soon." Emma smiled at her son. She missed the bug too, there were a lot of memories in that beat up old bug. "You know you said your first words in the backseat of that car?"

Henry turned his attention from the flowers in his lap to his mother, a small smile playing at his lips. "Tell me the story again?"

"Well really it was more like your first two words. You were about one year old, and I had only been a cop for a little over seven months-if you remember I met your mom when I was working-but anyway your mom and I had been dating for a while and I decided it was time for her to meet you and since it was fall we all went out to the orchard to pick apples. I was so nervous about whether you two would get along but you and Regina took to each other immediately and you wanted her to hold you more than you wanted me that day. I was so happy. On the way back Regina was sitting next to you in the back-you cried when she tried to climb in next to me and wouldn't stop until she was next to your baby seat-and she was using this apple slicer thing she had bought and handing you little bite sized pieces. She stopped feeding you for a second to scold me for swearing while you were in the car when a driver cut me off and you started to babble at her but when she didn't stop reprimanding me to pay attention to you you took in as big a breath your little body could hold and yelled "'Gee-na!" We were so shocked we couldn't even speak and when she looked at you you held out your tiny hand and said "Gee-na Ada-ple." There have been less than ten times that I've seen her smile like that. The first time we said I love you, the first time you said you loved her, The first time you called her mommy, when I asked her to marry me, our wedding, your first day of school and that day are just a few examples. That's still one of the happiest days of my life." Emma pretended that she didn't see her son wipe at his eyes when she finished.

"You still wear it. Your wedding ring." His eyes were glued to her left hand as it steered the car. "Why?"

Emma glanced down at the cool metal band on her left ring finger before returning her eyes to the road. "Because your mom was my soulmate and and nothing can change that. And no matter what happens she will always be my wife."

"Will you ever take it off?" Emma could tell Henry was nervous from the way he fidgeted with the flowers in his lap.
"No I don't think I ever will. I don't know if this is what you want to hear but your mom was it for me. At our wedding I promised to love her wholly and completely until the moment I die and I know she would want me to try and find someone else but I don't think I will. I love you and her so much that there isn't room for anyone else and if I ever dated anyone else I would compare the to her and they would never match up. Besides I like wearing it, it's a reminder of her, but a happy one. It reminds me of our love for each other and for you, our perfectly little family. It reminds me of her laugh, of the look she gave me when I did something stupid. It reminds me of the first time you had a nightmare when she stayed over and how you climbed into bed between us and snuggled down and she sang you back to sleep. It's part of me now, I don't think I could take it off if I tried, Kid. Does that bother you?"

"No...no, I was just wondering. I guess I wanted to make sure that..."

"Look at me Henry, nothing in the universe could make me forget your mom, okay? You and her are hard wired into my heart and soul." Henry nodded and looked out the window as Emma pulled up to the familiar cemetery. "Do you want a few minutes alone or do you want to go together?"

"Together please." Henry grabbed the flowers and climbed out of the car. He took his ma's hand and the two made their way over to the familiar grave marker. Henry placed down the flowers in front of the marker that read "Regina Swan-Mills August 22nd 1980-March 13th 20013 Beloved Wife and Mother".

"Hi Mom." He sat down and reached out to run his finger's over the letter's of his mother's name. Emma sat down net to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I love you. And I miss you a lot, but I know that's not a bad thing. We're moving today to a place called Storybrook, it's small but it sounds great. I just wish you could see it." Henry leaned against his blonde mother as he continued to talk. Emma and Henry spent the next few hours there, Henry finding solace in having the chance to feel close to both his mother's again-spiritually if not physically. A few hours later it was time for Henry and Emma to head to the airport.

As they stood to leave Emma bend down and placed a single white long stem rose on the grave. It was the same type of flower Emma had given to Regina on their first date and since then it had become something she often did for the brunette throughout their years together. She turned to her son who was wiping his eyes on his sleeve. "Ready to go, Kid?"

"Yeah, I'm ready." He took his mom's hand and the two of them walked back to their car and took off in the direction of the airport and their new home.

A/N: So there's the end of chapter one. I hope you like it and can take a second to drop a review and let me know what you think :)

I'm going to try and crank one out every few days and update as rapidly as possible but I do have a lot going on in my life so if they're not going as fast as you want I'm sorry.