Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon a Time or any of its characters.

Author Notes: I'm baaaaack! I know, I know, more than a month without a chapter. I apologize for the lengthy wait. I had a lot going on lately, with work and some family issues that, thankfully, are settling down, thus giving me the time and the inspiration to keep this story going. I was supposed to post this a few days ago and the stupid computer went rogue on me. I lost part of the chapter I had already finished and I had to rewrite it again.

Enough complaining though, the important thing is that I'm back and I'm not abandoning you guys. So, without further delay, enjoy the chapter!

Previously

"Citizens of Storybrooke, we are pleased to announce that all the votes are in. They were counted four times, each time bearing the same result. It's my honor to announce that our new Mayor and Sheriff are…"

Present

"Regan Mills and Emma Swan, congratulations!" was announced, shocking Snow and David. They had been so sure they were going to win that this possibility didn't even occur to them. They watched in disbelief as people applauded and cheered in joy, giving their beaming new leaders a standing ovation.

Regan and Emma hugged tightly and shared a chaste kiss before separating, taking turns shaking Jefferson's hand. He had been a huge help in how to present their political platform. As a peasant in the Enchanted Forest, he was privy to the issues of the common folk. In a world controlled by royalty, their problems were rarely given much thought, until King Regan arrived on the scene. Here on this world, people had more rights as citizens and they were not in a hurry to lose that, specially by getting into a conflict that had nothing to do with them.

Regan stood behind the podium and tapped his microphone a couple of times before speaking "First of all, I want to thank you all for this incredible honor. I was king for a few years and mayor for much longer, but this is the first time I've been willingly and formally elected and it's incredibly humbling for me, considering my dark past and the things I put some of you through. I can promise you right now that Emma and I will do our very best to keep our town safe and prosperous." He assured them, smiling when people cheered again.

"Like I mentioned before, I will be forming a council to keep things under control and to avoid one person having too much power. Representatives from all branches of the town's administration will be included. In addition to that, we will hold a weekly assembly where city officials will present relevant updates regarding their work and where citizens will have the chance to issue any complaints or grievances they may have in regards with the town or its management. It is our belief that an open dialogue will go a long way to help in the city's administration. The first assembly will be held a week from now, and you are all welcome to attend. Now, I believe our new sheriff wants to say some words." He smiled, stepping to the side to make way for Emma.

The blonde smiled as people applauded for her and waited until the noise died down. "Thank you everyone. I believe I'm not as well versed with public speaking as our illustrious mayor, but nevertheless, it is an honor to be elected to keep our town safe. I know it is an adjustment for you now that you all have your memories, given that law enforcement works differently here than in the Enchanted Forest, but I hope that with time, you come to trust me and my deputies as your protectors. Starting tomorrow, I will be holding interviews for those interested in being a deputy and everyone is welcomed to apply. Just be aware that it requires a lot of physical and weapons training and that night shifts are mandatory. More information will be given during the first town's assembly, and we will do our best to answer any question you may have. Thank you." she finished with a smile and stepped away.

Regan stepped up again "Before we all go; I want to thank you once again. I know many of you are still wary of me and I don't blame you at all. The things I did, even if they resulted in a positive change for most of us, weren't the actions of a leader. But whatever else you may think of me, you can be sure that I really care about this town and its citizens. Things will not be perfect. Mistakes will be made along the way, and some decisions will be made that you may not agree with, but I ask you to always remember that my work will always be aimed at making Storybrooke a better place" He said with conviction. "In the spirit of starting our first official term in a positive way and honoring the traditions of our land, I want to invite you all to a ball that will be held 4 weeks from now, both to celebrate a new start and as a birthday party for the love of my life and mother of my child" He announced, grinning at Emma's surprised face.

Since they met each other, birthday celebrations have been on the tamer side. They considered doing something big for Henry's birthday last month, but with recent developments and his family still at odds, what with their turbulent past and the whole thing with the election, they opted for a small affair, just the three of them. First, they took him to the stables where he had been presented with his very own horse, a beautiful purebred stud he named Chestnut. He had immediately asked to ride him and the joy in his face was unlike anything they had seen before. Afterwards, they took him to Portland for a movie and a visit to the arcade. He had never been before and he was fascinated with everything he saw. Regan made a mental note to look into getting those things in Storybrooke.

Excited murmurs filled the room. Even Snow and Charming looked interested, though they acted as if it wasn't a big deal.

No one bought their act.

"It will start at 8:00 pm, the night of the 22th of October, at Storybrooke High's gym. Formal clothing will be required. Whether you want a modern or a traditional Enchanted Forest style will be completely up to you. A variety of outfits and gowns will be available in Madam Bordeaux's shop or you can contact Mrs. Gosling for tailored alternatives. A few classrooms will be opened up to babysit children, with a few teachers on rotation ensure they are well taken care of but still be able to enjoy the festivities. Now, without further ado, I declare this election officially closed, thank you." He finished with a nod, smiling when people applauded before dispersing.

Snow and Charming walked over to where their daughter and her other half where standing. Jefferson, not wanting to be present for any kind of family drama, cleared his throat. "Well, I'm off. I promised Grace I would take her out for ice cream. Regan, I'll call you later, ok? We still need to discuss that whole council thing."

"Sure, Jeff. I'll let you know when it's a good time." He said, subtly gesturing to the two idiots, as he referred to them in his mind, and rolling his eyes in annoyance. Jefferson nodded his understanding and quickly fled the scene.

"Congratulations, Mr. Mayor," Snow said with forced civility. Her pride had taken a hit today, when most of Storybrooke had elected Regan Mills over her. Now there was nothing they could do to kick him out of office, since this whole election thing had been her idea in the first place and by her own words, the loser had to respect the result.

"You too, sweetie. I'm sure you will both do a great job." She added, her smile less forced as she aimed it at her daughter.

"Thanks, Snow. It was a good race." He answered politely, wishing he could act all smug and superior but knowing Emma would be displeased with him or worse, withhold sex. No amount of gloating was worth that tragedy.

"Charming, just because you didn't win as Sheriff doesn't mean you can't be a deputy. The department could use someone with your combat skills, especially now, since deputies won't be able to carry firearms for now" He suggested with a raised eyebrow, wanting to see if his pride would win over his desire to look after his people and be closer to his daughter.

David was torn. As loathe as he was to admit it, Regan had a point. It wasn't a bad idea. After all, the whole thing of running for sheriff was to show a united front as Snow ran for mayor. But he was also aware of the kind of views his wife had. She would find it scandalous and improper for him to be working as their daughter's subordinate. It was a bit disconcerting to be passed over in favor of his child, but he had to admit that Emma was better equipped to handle the job, since she had a better understanding of the workings of this world, and it would be a chance for him to become closer to her, being in close proximity during the day.

"I'll definitely think about it. I would need to find a replacement for my spot in the animal shelter, but I think it's doable. I'm curious though, you mentioned deputies wouldn't carry firearms. How are they supposed to defend themselves if something were to happen?" he asked, furrowing his brows.

"Tasers; believe or not, those are very effective. I used them a lot when I was a bounty hunter in Boston. They're not too expensive and can incapacitate a fully-grown man in seconds without being lethal. Also, each deputy will carry a baton, just in case. Once we are able to leave town to get firearms qualifications, we will upgrade. Besides, we are not really expecting a lot of crime. All of that is mostly as a precaution. I do hope you consider joining though, it would be nice to do something together." she said with a shy little shrug. That pretty much destroyed his reservations.

Snow on the other hand, couldn't believe their words or that her husband was actually considering their offer. She knew things were different here, society was less patriarchal than back home, and it was not all bad. But still, a man being his daughter's subordinate? That was just wrong. If Emma had been raised properly, she would have understood just how unnatural that was. She wouldn't go as far as saying that a woman's place was merely taking care of the household and having children, but there were appropriate jobs for women, such as teachers, nurses and cooks and the like. Law enforcement? Not so much.

Regan could see Snow's uneasiness and he loved it. Really, sometimes he thought she was like a mild-mannered version of Cora. Set in their ways, only when it suited them, of course. Snow had a problem with Emma being David's boss, but she herself had no issue with being her husband's boss, which would have happened if she had won the election.

Still, he had to play nice with these idiots. As much he was annoyed by their stupidity, they were, after all, his true love's parents "We need to get going. We promised Henry we would spend the rest of the day with him. Why don't you two join us for dinner Sunday night? We can talk about it then and you two can officially meet Henry," he suggested, resisting the urge to sigh.

He and Emma felt that trying to mend bridges between them during the campaign would be pointless. It would be an awkward and painfully tense situation already without adding Snow's competitive nonsense and David mindless following. Really, it was like Snow kept the man's balls in her purse or something. But now the election was over and there was no time like the present.

Snow and David were surprised by the invitation. They were still against their relationship but as long as their daughter was determined to stay with Regan, it was better if they at least tried, for her sake "That sounds lovely," Snow said with false cheer "We'll definitely be there. You won't mind if we buy Henry some stuff, will you? We have a few years' worth of presents to make up for," she said with an overly innocent smile.

Regan was not fooled by it but acquiesced, whatever it took to leave "Sure, whatever. We'll see you then," he said, barely staying calm "I'll be in the car," he mentioned to Emma and briskly walked away.

Emma just gave her mother a disapproving stare "Please play nice. This is for your grandson. I don't want your petty rivalry to affect Henry or make things difficult" she lectured in a warning tone. Snow deflated and nodded "Sure, sweetie. Anything for you and that little cutie. We'll behave as long as he does," she comprised, and Emma knew that was the best she would get.

After saying goodbye to her parents, she joined Regan in his car and kissed his cheek "Thank you for behaving, babe. Just for that, I will give you a little reward tonight" she murmured in his ear, playfully nipping the lobe before pulling away. Regan threw her a smoldering look that almost made her come on the spot. "I'll hold you to that, beautiful," he husked and winked at her before starting the drive to the daycare.

They picked up Henry and they all went to Granny's for a celebratory lunch. When they arrived, a lot of people congratulated them, including Granny herself and Ruby "Dessert is on the house today for the Mills clan. Now, what can I get you?" she asked with a wink and a smile.

They all ordered their usual, plus as a special treat, Regan let Henry order a milkshake with his food since he and Emma were getting one too. It wasn't usual for Regan to indulge in sugary drinks, but he was in a very good mood and they were celebrating after all.

Afterwards, they went to the park to let their son burn off some of the sugar he had just consumed. Regan and Emma sat on a bench and watched him run around, snuggling together and sharing the occasional kiss. The comfortable silence was broken by Emma.

"Do you ever think about giving Henry a little brother or sister?" she asked, biting her lip.

Regan looked down at Emma curiously, a bemused smile on his face "I have thought about, more than once to be honest. What about you?".

"Not until recently. For a while, I thought he would be the only child I'd ever had. But after we got together, I found myself wondering what it would be like to raise a child with you, from the beginning" she confessed.

"We could…" He trailed off "In about a year or two, let things settle first?" he added hopefully.

Emma smiled wide and nodded "Sounds good. Maybe we could get married before we add to our family though" she commented, this time she was the hopeful one. She was aware that he had been married before, not willingly, so that might be something he doesn't want anymore.

Regan stayed quiet for a moment and contemplated her words. After a couple of minutes, he smiled and nodded "We could. Henry would make a cute ring bearer, don't you think?" he mused and grinned at her.

"You read my mind" Emma chuckled and kissed him again, passionately, sighing happily as she felt him respond in kind.

"Don't you think this gets you off the hook, mister. I still expect to be proposed to," she warned, nipping his bottom lip sharply.

"Mm, don't you worry, Princess. I will deliver a proposal that will knock your panties off," he said confidently.

"Don't you mean that it will knock my socks off?"

"No, I meant panties," he smirked, laughing as she pinched him in retaliation.

They were interrupted as their son ran back to them, all smiles and rosy cheeks "Mommy, daddy! Can we go home now? Buttercup is getting sleepy," he said with a tired pout, gesturing to his stuffed horse that he always took with him when he went to daycare.

"He is, uh? Well, we better go home so he can take a nap then," Regan said, indulging their precious boy. Henry grinned and rested his head on his father's shoulder as the former king picked him up. With his free hand, he took Emma's hand and together, they walked out of the park.

Smut Scene Alert

Heavy groans filled the room as Regan sat on the edge of their bed, head thrown back in agonizing pleasure as Emma kneeled between his legs, her lips wrapped around his hard cock and doing all sorts of wonderful things to him as she put her mouth to good use. If this was the reward for being good, he was going to be a fucking saint.

Not that they didn't indulge in each other at every available opportunity, but Emma going down on him was always a treat. Since he was aware of her awful experiences with it in the past, he never pressured her for it, content with letting her initiate it on her own if she wanted to.

"Fuck, Emma. That feels amazing." he breathed, pushing her golden hair away from her face, gripping it in a makeshift ponytail. They made eye contact and she deliberately moaned around him as she bobbed her head back and forth, her pace increasing as she sucked him harder, intent on making him lose control.

He tried to hold off for as long as he could, not wanting to act like a horny teenager when a pretty girl sucked him off for the first time. It was futile though, Emma knew his body from top to bottom, what made him weak and breathless and she had to problem using that to her advantage. She may be the one kneeling, but she was the one with the power.

Emma was pretty pleased with herself as she stared at the desperate mess above her. No else could have the Evil King at their mercy like she did, no one else would see him unravel like this. He was hers and no one would ever take him from her. Her possessive thoughts fueled her motions, wrapping her hand around him and stroking him firmly, in sync with her mouth.

That was all it took to make him snap like a twig.

"Holy fuuuuck!" he moaned, closing his eyes tightly as his body spasmed in sweet release, trying to push Emma's head back in a feeble attempt at being considerate and avoid finishing in her mouth. It was no use though, just as he loved the taste of her when he made her come with his talented tongue, so did she. Not that he was complaining. Watching Emma suck every last drop of his essence was one of the hottest things ever.

Emma kept her mouth on him until he literally had nothing else to give and then she let him go with an obscene pop, licking her lips sensually as she winked at him. He growled and pulled her up, playfully smacking her behind as she wrapped her arms around his neck "You're going to be the death of me, Princess," he husked, kissing her deeply. He could taste himself on her and found it a bit weird, though not unpleasant.

"You just wait. Once I recover, I'll wreck your sweet little pussy," He promised her with a dark smile, making her shiver in anticipation. He was usually so eloquent and formal when he spoke, no one would ever believe the kind of filth he was capable of saying.

"Promise?" she asked with a taunting smile. She knew she was playing with fire but if she was honest, she enjoyed when he let the king out to play.

She had learned over the course of their relationship that he was a man of many layers, and that translated in the bedroom as well. Their lovemaking could either be sweet and gentle or fast paced and passionate depending on their mood. But sometimes, she wanted to be fucked seven ways to Sunday, plain and simple. She never doubted his love for her, but she could tell that when the evil king took over, he was following his deepest, most basic instincts and she couldn't get enough.

His darkness enticed her own, called to her in a way she never thought possible. She had lived through enough shit to understand that sometimes, darkness didn't mean evil. She had seen true evil, witnessed atrocities committed by people with not even a smidge of Regan's power, over petty stuff like money, lust, or just simply because they could get away with it.

Everyone had darkness inside, including her. No one could live the kind of life she led before Storybrooke and get away completely unscathed, but one could learn to live with it, to learn not to be ruled by its seductive pull. However, here in Regan's embrace, she wasn't afraid to indulge in it every once in a while.

She yelped in surprise when she found herself on her back, hands above her and her legs spread wide apart with magic. She was locked in place and she felt a gush of arousal as Regan's dark gaze swept over her naked body "Mm, I love you like this. Ready and desperate, helpless to escape," he husked, smirking as he leaned down to kiss her hard.

His tongue was relentless, exploring her mouth hungrily. He pulled back a bit and latched to her neck, sucking and nipping her sensitive skin. He would leave bruises no doubt, but she didn't find it in herself to care. Once he was satisfied with his handiwork, he trailed lower and took a rosy nipple in his mouth, his fingers pinching and pulling at its twin with just the right amount of force.

"Regan…" she panted, moaning as he bit her nipple between switching to the other, teasing her. He knew what she wanted but he was taking his sweet time, no doubt in retaliation for her taunting. Finally, after what felt like centuries, he trailed lower, mouthing her flat abdomen. A part of him was really looking forward to seeing her growing with his child when the time was right, an experience he missed the first time around.

Becoming impatient, he laid down on his stomach and dove right into it, spreading her lower lips with his fingers as he devoured her with gusto. Emma bucked her hips and cried out in surprise, not expecting him to just get on with it. She really wished she could hold his head, her hands pulling at their invisible restraints as he ate her pussy like it was his last meal.

Regan loved how wet she was for him, how she wasn't afraid of his darker nature. He sucked her clit hard, two of his fingers thrusting inside her without resistance. Her inner walls pulsed around his moving digits, coating with the evidence of her arousal. He looked up and enjoyed the sight of her struggling, her face flushed with frustrated pleasure.

He took pity on her and liberated her hands, which she immediately buried in his messy hair as she held his head in place "More, my king. Please, give me more" She pleaded, pulling at his hair. He complied and worked a third finger inside, setting a punishing pace. He curled his fingers, massaging her g-spot expertly.

Emma arched her back and nearly sobbed in relief as she orgasmed, instinctively trying to close her legs but unable to do so. The pleasure was sharp and intense, her eyes rolling back while she gushed all over Regan's hand and the sheets bellow her. She sighed at the loss when he pulled his fingers out, her heart hammering in her chest.

She opened her eyes to find her King in all his glory kneeling between her still spread legs, his eyes nearly black with lust and smug smirk in place. He was sporting an impressive erection, more than ready to claim her. Her eyes widened, reading his intent easily. She didn't think she could take more pleasure.

"You don't think we're done, do you?" he asked her amusedly.

"You're going to kill me," she murmured, though she knew it was futile. If she really didn't want to, she would tell him so and he would back off. But as it was, just looking at him was making her hot all over again.

"No, just fuck you," He growled, getting in position. He leaned down and covered her body with his own, maintaining eye contact with her as he entered her smoothly. He bit back a groan at how tight she was, her walls clenching around him, refusing to let him go.

Emma just moaned as he filled her, gripping his back as he started to move, his forearms resting on the mattress to keep some of his weight off her. He felt amazing, his pace increasing little by little until he was literally pounding her into the mattress.

"Tell me how it feels, Princess." he commanded, spurred on by her moans of pleasure. Their bodies were slick with sweat, the sound of their skin slapping together filling the room. He could tell neither of them would last long, they never did when they did it like this, all hot and desperate.

"Amazing, my King. Fuck me harder, please. Fuck my pussy until I can't walk anymore," She goaded, knowing that he enjoyed hearing her talk dirty. They were both perverts like that, but they didn't care. This man was her true love, he knew he most inner desires, her kinks and fantasies, and she trusted him completely.

Regan nodded and complied, unlocking her legs and feeling them wrap around his waist as he fucked her like a man possessed, feeling her pussy clench hard around him as she came with a scream, giving a last sharp thrust before he came deep inside her, groaning her name.

Emma keep him in place with her legs, feeling the way his body shook as he finished right after her. They stayed like that for a while, still joined intimately and sharing languid kisses as their hearts settled and their breathing slowed down. Regan pulled out slowly and rolled onto his back, pulling her on top of him.

"Holy shit" he murmured, and she nodded in agreement. The scent of sex was heavy, along with the residual magic that was always discharged when they made love, a combination of dark, light and true love magic. If they could bottle that, they would power the town for months, years even.

They were that powerful.

There was a bit of comfortable silence, just them basking in the afterglow. He gently ran his fingers up and down her spine "How are you feeling? I wasn't too rough, was I?" He asked in concern.

Emma lifted her head to look at him and smiled, kissing him softly "Nope, you were great, baby. I would tell you if it hurt, ok?" she assured him,

He sighed and nodded "Ok. Shower?" he suggested. She groaned but nodded, watching as he got up, naked body on display. She eyed him appreciatively and smirked to herself. He raised an eyebrow at her not so subtle ogling and lifted her from the bed without warning, making her squeal as he held her over his shoulder while he walked to their bathroom.

End Smut Scene

Afterwards, having changed the bedding, they were cuddling in bed while they discussed the upcoming ball "I won't have to wear a frilly dress, right?" she asked with a scrunched-up nose. She liked wearing dresses on occasion, but she had her limits.

"No, babe" He assured her, shuddering as he imagined her wearing one of those pastel monstrosities Snow was so fond of "You don't even have to go Enchanted Forest style if you don't want. A nice, tasteful dress from this world will do," he offered.

Emma shook her head "No, I want to compliment your outfit," she insisted. Regan was wearing his formal clothes from when he was the King "I'm sure we can find something nice. I mean, not everyone dresses like my mother, right?" she asked worriedly.

He just chuckled "No, Princess. Frankly, I don't know where she even found those horrid things. Don't worry, we will talk with Mrs. Gosling or Madam Bordeaux, and I'm sure either one of them will be able to make something to your tastes," he said confidently.

She grinned and nodded, cuddling back against him happily.

The first official town meeting was fairly uneventful. With the election over and most people going back to their old routines, things were pretty calm. There was an issue on Mifflin Street, mainly with some nobles demanding better accommodations. They saw his mansion and though that they could bully him into giving them something similar. He quickly reminded them who they were talking to and that he could have made things so much worse for them.

They remembered where Snow White lived and that pretty much shut them up.

Then there was the issue of the dwarves wanting to work on the mines to produce fairy dust for the fairies. He acquiesced with the condition that they would give accurate reports of how much dust was produced and by whom, which he would personally verify, and the fairies would also need to report its use to mother superior and in turn, to him. Blue accused him of wanting to control them.

"May I remind you that the magic that gave you authority over your fairies doesn't exist here, Blue? A fairy may decide to go their own way at any given moment. Do you want them with a wand and unrestrained access to fairy dust to do whatever they want outside of your jurisdiction? Or them granting wishes left and right without thinking of consequences and without you knowing? Not even mentioning the fact that no one has absolute authority in this town. If I have to give reports of my management of this town, you will do it too, especially regarding something as dangerous and unpredictable like fairy dust," He retorted, leaving no room for arguments and his meaning clear.

If I have to explain myself to these peasants, so will you.

Blue begrudgingly accepted and that was that. Citizens were pleased that they were being included in some of the decisions regarding the town and with the people that Regan had selected to be on his council.

"Representing the Sheriff Department is Emma Swan. Kathryn Midas from the District Attorney's Office, Claude Black from the Fire Department, Mary Margaret Blanchard from the Education Department, Florian Stone from Infrastructure, Blue representing the fairies, Eugenia Lucas representing small business owners, plus Jefferson Hatter representing citizens as a whole. Any objections?" he asked as he looked over at the assembled people.

There were some murmurs, but no one objected, thus the council was established "Council members will meet with me once a month, to discuss the day to day management of the town. Regular budget decisions will still fall to me as Mayor, like hiring new personnel, upgrading equipment and payment rosters. However, major decisions, like building new infrastructure, new legislations and such, will be made with the whole council, by putting up a vote. The Mayor and each council member will have one vote each and the final decision will be not rescinded under any circumstances. However, it may be put up to a new vote at a later date. I think that pretty much summarizes the council's role" Regan explained, pleased that everyone was on board with his idea.

Emma gave a more detailed explanation of the deputies' roles within the Sheriff's department, as well as some of the guidelines and training they would have to follow. She already some applications for the vacancies, including her father's. Snow was not happy about it, but David was firm on it. A huge part of his decision was based on building a relationship with their daughter, though there was also the fact that he was getting a bit bored at the animal shelter and wanted in on the action, minimal as it was.

Regan took the podium once more "Before we end this meeting, I want to report on the progress that Emma and I are making with the barrier issue. As you know, the goal is to be able to leave town without losing one's memories, but that also means that the town will be open for outsiders. On one hand, this could be a good thing for Storybrooke, but on the other hand, we need a way to ensure that our magical nature is not revealed to the rest of the world. Rest assured that we will find a solution soon, so we ask you to be a little patient. You will be informed once we are successful. Now, if there's nothing further, I declare this town meeting, officially over," He said with a bang of his gavel.

People dispersed quickly after that, content with the current state of affairs. Regan was thankful that they had the Maleficent's expertise on their side or they wouldn't be making such amazing headway.

Originally, they were going to go to Rumplestiltskin for help with the barrier, but Regan wanted that to be their very last option. He knew him well enough to know that he would demand something in exchange, and more often than not, the price was steep. The former king didn't want to risk it, he had Emma and Henry to think about and he wanted them as away from the imp as humanly possible.

Maleficent, on the other hand, was an expert in dark magic, perhaps more of a true dark one than Rumple himself. Her draconian lineage was as ancient as it was powerful, from a time when the line between light and dark was blurred and morality was not as two dimensional as it was in current times. Dark magic as such wasn't considered evil, but users were cautioned of its seductive pull, for it could be addictive and it could be used in a more destructive way than light magic. It wasn't long before regular humans, acting in both fear and jealously, aimed to control magic, branding the dark spectrum as evil and unholy. Their ignorance and narrow-minded views spread, and it caused magic to be divided according to their erroneous concepts. Dark magic practitioners were hunted along with any magical creature that didn't fit their definition of light. Entire species disappeared and the few that managed to survive lived in isolation and distrust of men.

Given that the curse, and the barrier, were created with dark magic, the dragon was of great help. Her magical knowledge was unparallel. Emma, who had started her magical training with Regan during his campaign for mayor, learned a lot from her, both in theory and practice. Even the King himself leaned a thing or two from his old friend. Though he trained with her for a time in the Enchanted Forest, Rumple had been his main teacher.

She had been able to create a potion to tear down the barrier, thus eliminating the memory loss problem. However, that meant that they would be completely exposed. She had an idea for a solution, but it would take a bit of time to create the necessary potion and spell work. Basically, a new barrier would be put in place, which would act like the original. The difference was that it would only affect outsiders, meaning, people not from the Enchanted Forest. That was the tricky thing about the whole affair, marking the distinction between people from their land and people from this world.

If successful, the townspeople would be able to come and go as they pleased, and the town would be open for tourism and services. If an outsider were to witness something that may relate to magic or their fairytale identities, they would lose those memories upon leaving town.

Maleficent estimated that it should all be taken care of in a few weeks. If everything went according to plan, they would announce the good news at the town meeting immediately following Emma's birthday ball.

Emma's birthday- Night of the Ball

Storybrooke High's gym was unrecognizable. Given the nature of the ball, Regan didn't hold back, regardless of expense. Money was no issue for him. Given his sizeable fortune, first as a noble and later on as a monarch of a flourishing kingdom, which then was converted to the local currency upon arriving with the curse, he was worth a lot. Not even mentioned his salary as mayor for 28 years or the smart investments he made during that time.

The space was decorated tastefully, giving the place a simple yet elegant look. There were a few tables with food and drinks, catered from Lumiere's and from Granny's, for variety. Some people, who didn't mind not attending the ball as guests, were hired for the night, such as waiters, bartenders, a DJ and security guards. Of course, the pay more than made up for it.

Most of the guests opted for a mix between modern and traditional style clothing, figuring that it wouldn't do to spend a lot of money for an outfit they would just wear once or twice. Of course, nobles and royals attended in full formal garb.

Amongst those royals, were Snow White and Charming.

Like usual, Snow was wearing a puffy dress with frills all over the place while Charming was merely wearing a replica of his old uniform, displaying their family's crest proudly. Both of them, like most of the others of similar status, were wearing a tiara and a circlet respectively.

While Snow didn't have power of decision over anything for the ball, she took the liberty of hiring a herald of arms, for any person of high birth to be announced properly at the ball if they so wished. Of course, the real reason was that, after being passed as mayor in favor of Regan, she felt that the masses needed a reminder of who their sovereigns were. In other words, she was being petty and self-centered.

Nothing new there.

She was feeling extremely pleased with herself, until Regan and Emma arrived and her trick backfired. If there was one thing she hated above all, was to be reminded that, even if she was a queen, it wasn't of the kingdom that should have been hers by birthright, the kingdom her parents had left her and was taken by the man she both loved and hated.

"Presenting his Majesty, King Regan of Misthaven and his consort, her Royal Highness, Princess Emma of the western region of the Enchanted Forest" the herald announced loudly. Technically, all the Enchanted Forest was called Misthaven, but over time, the Northern kingdom, as the biggest one, adopted the name to set itself apart from all the other, smaller kingdoms.

Regan and Emma walked in, arm in arm, their outfits complimenting each other's perfectly. Regan was wearing his old formal uniform. Black, form fitting jacket, with a red mandarin collar, red shoulder caps with gold tassel details and red cuffs, leather gloves covering his hands. The trim and buttons in the middle were also gold, crossed by a red and gold sash that displayed his family's crest and a black belt that circled his waist. Underneath the jacket, he was wearing a white dress shirt. Further down, he had on tailored black pants and expensive black boots. The look was finished with the impressive jeweled, golden circlet he was wearing atop his styled, medium length black hair. All in all, he looked every bit the dark king he used to be portrayed as by many.

Emma, on the other hand, literally looked like a princess, without resorting to her mother's over the top tendencies. She was wearing a champagne colored ball gown, with a strapless, sweetheart bodice covered in a stunning display of iridescent rhinestones, giving it a striped effect. The full-length skirt fell down in waves, creating a timeless and classy ensemble. Translucent, elbow length gloves and high heeled shoes same color as the dress completed the look. Like Regan, she was wearing a tiara atop her golden curls.

They looked like something out of a fairytale, which was ironic, all things considered.

They walked over to where Snow and Charming were standing. The former shepherd gave his daughter a warm embrace and kissed her forehead "Happy birthday, Princess. You look beautiful," he said with a smile. Snow did the same, hugging Emma before cupping her cheeks lovingly "Look at you, so brave and beautiful," she cooed, making the blonde blush at their praise.

Regan was pleased. As idiotic as he considered them to be, there was no doubt they loved their daughter and Emma deserved all the love in the world. She may not need them anymore, but she wanted them in her life all the same and Regan would do anything to make Emma happy, even getting along with her annoying parents.

Snow turned to Regan "Thank you for doing this for Emma. You did a great job," she admitted reluctantly. He accepted the praise gracefully, not wanting to ruin the moment by being sarcastic "Anything for my love," he said and kissed Emma's cheek.

Regan suggested they look for a table while he went to get them some refreshments. When he found them, David and Emma were deep in conversation about fighting techniques and comparing the virtues of a gun versus a sword. He just rolled his eyes and smiled indulgently. When a particularly slow waltz started playing, Regan cleared his throat "Sorry to interrupt, but I would love it if the Princess indulged me in a dance or two?" he asked smoothly. Emma nodded and took his hand.

If Snow had any doubts before, they were promptly put to rest in that moment. She had never seen Regan smile as wide as he did while he twirled Emma around, both of them lost to each other and the music. She finally understood that her role in his life was merely to provide his true love and no matter what she had tried, no matter how much she had loved him and longed for him to love her back, or how even now a part of her mourned what it could have been, he would have always belonged to Emma.

Regan took hold of her upper arms and smiled at her sweetly "Snow, listen to me. Love, true love is magic and not just any magic, the most powerful magic of all. It creates happiness and some day, when you find the person destined to be yours, you will see that I'm right and maybe then you will understand why I must follow my heart" he told her with a bright smile. She nodded and smiled back at him, before he ran back to Danielle.

In the end, Danielle wasn't his true love, yet his words always stayed with her. At the time, she foolishly believed that maybe they could apply for the two of them, but now she knows better.

She took Charming's hand, her own true love, and smiled at him, feeling her heart soar and break at the same time. He met her gaze and grinned, kissing her knuckles. The both of them turned back to the dance floor, just in time to watch as Regan and Emma kissed, the kind of kiss only two people madly in love can share.

True love's kiss.

Since most of the citizens were at the ball, no one witnessed the lone, beat up car that drove into town. Inside, was a man that thought he was getting back that which he had let go of, not knowing it was never his to begin or that he was too late.

'I'm here, Emma. I'm finally home and soon, we will be together again, this time forever' He thought to himself, driving towards Main Street, high on hope.

To be continued.

Well, there you have it, folks. We get our first glimpse of our first antagonist and I'm sure most of you already know who he is. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and stay in tune for the next one.

Don't forget to review!