Second Chances
Chapter 1
It had been a couple of days since Regina was last seen. It had been the second day that Emma found herself standing at the former queen's doorstep with a lump in her throat growing bigger everyday at the guilt she felt from destroying Regina's happiness yet again. Knocking loudly, Emma sighed annoyed at herself.
"Regina come on please open the door! I'm just gonna keep on coming back until you do!"
Standing on the other side of the door, Regina found herself staring intrigued at how long the blonde was going to stand there knocking. Unfortunately for Emma, Regina was about to open the door when the sheriff started to shout at her. Dropping her hand, Regina folded her arms in defence.
"Miss Swan I suggest you leave right now! You know very well what I am capable of and what punishment I bestowed upon your 'dear' mother the first time round. You on the other hand did this out of spite. What was it miss swan? You saw the evil queen and wanted to yet again play the god damned hero?!"
Wanting to explain face to face Emma instinctively grabbed the door handle although knowing it won't open.
"No! I saw you only it was the old you and not you you and I just had to stop you! I knew if you could see what you were doing in the past you would want it stopped too! You don't hurt people anymore Regina I-"
" no that's your job now sheriff"
"I couldn't let her die I swear to you I had no idea who she was if I did ..well I still would of saved her but I would of sent her somewhere else...Rumplestilskin said she had to come...this is all Gold's fault!"
Rolling her eyes hearing the blonde rant and try and wriggle her way out of it, Regina drops her arms and walks away from the door.
"Good day miss swan!"
"Regina no! Don't...walk away.."
Sighing Emma leans against the door mentally kicking herself. Hearing her phone Emma looks down to the caller I'd before answering.
"David?...no..I'm at ..no it's not important I'll be right there"
Hanging up Emma looks up at the door one more time before heading off to Gold's shop and in.
"This better be good if you think I'm going to listen to you"
Gold walks over behind her and places the closed sign on the door.
"Still no Regina?"
"I didn't tell her no point worrying her if it's nothing and she probably wouldn't come and listen to either of us anyway"
Walking back to the counter. Gold drops a necklace on the counter.
Peering over Emma frowns.
"See something familiar dearie?"
"Where did you...have you been in my apartment?"
"No I can't say I have why would I?"
"Because that is my necklace that I've kept from a baby which should be in the closet"
Glaring at him Emma watches him pick it up again.
"You see dearie I got this off of a young girl ..who you apparently brought forward ..or in her case back with you through Zelena's portal"
" the only person I brought back was Marion who you told me too"
Gold smiles and holds his hand up.
"And can I ask miss swan did you check that the portal was closed before running off for a reunion with your parents?"
Emma looks at him and goes to argue her case before sighing.
"No...no I didn't I thought they closed on their own once the people who used it came out"
"Except at the exact point you did use the portal, someone else was also opening a portal at the same location...just different time"
"What time?"
"The future"
Emma looks at him eyes widened.
"The...future?"
"17years to be precise"
"And...who.."
Hearing the curtain to the back room go Emma looks over at a young brunette girl no more than 16.
"Me..."
The young girl looks at Emma and smiles slightly. Emma looks back raising an eyebrow finding her familiar.
" right...you..got a name kid?"
"Chloe"
Emma nods watching as Chloe shoves her hands in her jean pockets stepping up and down on her feet feeling awkward.
Gold who had been observing the situation decides to pick this as the time to butt in.
"Nervous dearie?..our miss swan does that when she is nervous"
Emma blinks and glares at him before looking back at the girl.
"..who are you?"
Chloe bites her lip taking her hands out of her pocket.
"...your daughter"
Emma looks at her puzzled then at Gold figuring it out.
"Yea nice try kid..whatever Gold here is paying you..you shouldn't toy with people's lives"
"Well you'd know that very well miss swan"
Looking over with a glare at Gold's remark, Emma holds her hands up in surrender of the conversation.
" whatever how about next time you come to me, you come with a real 'end of the world someone's going to die' problem"
Reaching over to the counter, Emma grabs the necklace only to have a hand grab a wrist.
"That's mine!"
Chloe looks at Emma with a pleading look desperate for the necklace.
" please I got it from-"
"Chloe!"
Looking back at gold, Chloe bites her lip at the warning to not give away too much and then slowly looks at Emma.
"I...someone gave it to me..it's not yours"
"How about we let miss swan go and decide for herself?"
Looking at gold sadly, Chloe let's go of Emma's wrist allowing her to keep the necklace and nods. Emma looks at the young girl recognising the sad look similar to her own when she was younger. Feeling a little overwhelmed, Emma heads to the door and out leaving Chloe looking very lost.
"When can I tell her?"
Walking over placing a hand on her shoulder gold looks at her.
"You can never tell her otherwise the course of the future will change and it might not be a future you'll want"
"Because my life is so great at the moment"
Chloe states with sarcasm, another trait from Emma. Shrugging off Gold's hand, Chloe returns to the back of the shop.
"This is crazy...there is no way that...it's like history repeating itself ..and gold...well it's obvious if he's in on it it's not true..this is...crazy"
Hearing her mumbling daughter enter the apartment, Snow looks over from the Moses basket having just put the little prince to sleep. Looking totally confused she gets up to follow Emma who has not even acknowledged her into her room. Standing in the doorway watching the blonde rummage about her closet, snow bites her lip wondering if she should interrupt the still mumbling Emma.
"This is ridiculous there's no way ..I mean that would be a year's time when would I find...no..it has to be gold there is no way that I've got a ..."
Freezing at the closet door, Emma slowly steps back sitting down at the foot of the bed. Looking down at her hands at the now two identical necklaces both with the same little indent at the back, Emma concludes her sentence unaware of her mother's presence.
"..I..have ..a daughter..."
At almost a whisper but for enough for snow to hear, frowning she walks over and places herself next to the blonde on the bed.
"What did you say..."
Running a hand over the necklace thinking about how Chloe acted and her very green eyes like her own, Emma slowly looks over to her mother.
"..there was a girl..in Gold's shop..from the future...she's..she's my daughter.."
Finally coming to believe and reassuring herself with the last few words.
" I gotta go"
Shooting up and walking out the room, Emma shoves the necklaces in her jacket pocket. Snow having witnessed the whole situation gets up from the bed and a slight state of shock and follows Emma out the room.
"Wait!..you can't just tell me this and walk out expecting me to process..what you just said!"
Looking back at her mother, Emma looks at her guiltily.
"I'm sorry but I don't understand it myself. When I do or at least find out more information I will tell you everything...please I have to go back to her"
Snow nods understanding until she takes in the second part.
"She's still here?!"
Sighing Emma nods knowing she's going to get the third degree and that snow will suddenly want to meet her new 'granddaughter'.
" is she still with gold?"
"As far as I'm aware yes..why?"
Taking in her mother's sudden worried look. Emma waits for a response.
"With everything that's just happened ..my guess is ..get her away from gold..he's bound to cause trouble and tell a certain mayor who's currently out for your blood..trust me I know when Regina plots revenge she will stop and nothing...you ruined her happiness..."
Noticing Emma look down, snow rubs her arm reassuringly.
"Not intentionally...but she will ruin yours ..she did it with me and I had to give you up...don't let her take her"
Realising what she means, Emma nods and heads out quickly and back to Gold's shop and nearly having the bell off its hinges.
"Ah..miss swan..back I see"
"Cut the small talk gold..where is she?"
Gold smiles at her wit and gestures to the back and watches her walk through and back out again.
"Seriously ..your games are getting old..where is she?!"
Frowning himself, gold checks the back.
"She was here..she didn't come back out I guessed she was reading some of the books I gave her"
Sighing Emma glares at him and walks straight out again to find her.
Staring at the large door that her mother had a few hours earlier, Chloe looked around to see if anyone is looking before she knocks and waits making sure she looks presentable. Hearing the knock from inside, Regina heads over to the door and stops to wind the saviour up.
"Two visits in one day now I see miss swan...you really are as naive as your mother...do you want me to rip your heart out?!"
Looking at the door eyes widened slightly scared at the remark, Chloe gulps and takes a breath.
"I'm...sorry..I..I don't mean to disturb you...I..I appear a bit lost.."
Knowing full well where she is, Chloe cannot think of another excuse to see the mayor. Hearing the door unbolt and open, Chloe looks up slightly at the older woman standing in front of her. Looking at Chloe confused to where she has come from, Regina takes in her appearance and raises an eyebrow.
"Lost did you say?"
Chloe looks at her only able to nod feeling intimidated by the way the woman is looking at her. Watching the mayor step aside Chloe looks inside then at her.
"You better come in"
Giving her a smile, Regina gestures for the girl to come inside. Closing the door, Regina again gestures for the young girl to follow her to the kitchen. Watching the young girls reaction to the house, Regina frowns slightly at her expressions.
"I'm sorry have we met before?"
Chloe stops looking around and shakes her head shoving her hands in her pockets again due to nerves.
"Are you sure ..you look familiar...are your family here in Storybrooke?"
"..erm..well..I...it's complicated..."
Regina nods sitting down at the island.
"Everyone in this town is complicated dear"
Gesturing for her to sit, Regina retrieves the teapot she had made before the arrival of her guest. Sitting down, Chloe looks at her knowing she's taking a chance.
"Really?..what's your story then?"
Regina looks slightly taken aback at the girls sudden bravery of asking her of all people her business.
"Do you not know who I am? ..your new aren't you.."
"Well..I know your mayor..and sort of..I-"
"Then we have a slight problem because I know everyone in this town inside out and if your new so must be your family ...I usually consider this to be a threat"
Looking at her worried for what she may do Chloe shakes her head.
"No..no I'm not a threat ..nor is my family..they already live in Storybrooke..I..just...I wasn't living with them...because I..well ..I don't come from...here"
Taking in all the young girl had to say Regina sighs noticing the signs.
"Please don't tell me your another adopted child of our current grade one teacher?"
Regina asks leaving out the magic side unaware of the girls knowledge.
"No..."
Biting her lip knowing the reaction will not go down well.
"...more along the lines of ..the granddaughter of the teacher...in question.."
Regina frowns connecting the dots and widens her eyes looking at her.
"Your mother...is..."
Chloe nods knowing she's figured it out and completes her sentence for her.
"Emma swan"
Regina looks at the girl for a moment then smiles.
"Would you just give me a moment?"
Chloe nods confused at why the mayor seems happy at this revelation unaware if the current situation that is going on.
Walking into the hall, Regina smiles to herself picking up the phone and dialling.
Having walked around the majority of the town or place that a 16 year old would go, Emma sighs placing herself down on a bench having reached the harbour, hearing her phone go off, Emma answers quickly hoping for some news on her newly found daughter. Frowning at the voice in the other end.
"Regina?..what are you..."
"I believe I may have found something that belongs to you miss swan"
Standing up Emma looks worried.
"You have Chloe with you?"
"If that is her name yes...might I also offer some 'friendly' advice?"
Raising an eyebrow peering in at the young girl currently helping herself to the tea, Regina smirks.
" you really should take better care of what belongs to you ..who knows what hands they could fall into.."
"Regina..whatever your thinking of doing...don't..this isn't you!"
Hearing the dead tone, Emma curses herself before starting off on a fast sprint to the mayors house.
Placing the phone down, Regina walks back through to Chloe.
"Do you fancy going for a walk? ..I can tell you a bit more about myself if you like?"
Chloe smiles hoping that unlike her blonde mother she might be able to get somewhere with the brunette one.
Author's note: bit of a long opening but hope you enjoy! :)