10 years ago (Senior Year)
"You kissed her, you cheated on me! And now you're telling me you're just gonna up and leave without talking to me?" Regina shouted, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"I didn't kiss her, Regina! She kissed me. Then I pushed her away. I swear!" Emma yelled desperately trying to salvage their relationship.
"So why didn't you tell me!? Why did you keep it from me?" Regina asked.
"Because I didn't want to fight about it and I knew you would think I cheated. I didn't want that." Emma stated, clenching her fists together angrily.
"So that's it? You're leaving me?" Regina asked quietly.
"Yes, you know I don't have a choice Regina but there's more out there than storybrooke." Emma voiced confidently.
"Because your dad found a better job!? You can still stay here with me…" Regina said, with hurt in her voice.
"And do what Regina? Live happily ever after?" Emma calmly said before trying to reach for Regina's arm to comfort her, Regina yanking back with no hesitation.
"There's more out there in the damn world than storybrooke Regina. But your mother is too far up your ass for you to realize it!" Emma yelled before storming out of Regina's room.
10 years later*
"Henry hurry, you're going to be late for school!" Regina called from the kitchen as she pulled his lunch from the fridge. Setting it on the counter.
"I'm coming!" Henry called out running down the stairs before quickly putting his shoes on.
"What have I told you about running in the house? We don't need you hurting yourself…again." Regina lightly scolded handing him his lunch box.
"Sorry, mom." He said, hanging his head sheepishly.
"Did you grab your homework from the living room?" She asked as she grabbed her keys from her purse.
"Yup," he nodded as he made his way out to the car.
Regina locked the door then took Henry to school, before heading to the office right after.
She took over for her mother as mayor after she graduated college. Though it was a struggle finishing her schooling while being a single mother, she was able to get through with the help of her parents.
Well with the help of her father mostly. Her mother... well she didn't want much to do with her after the news of her all that mattered to her was Henry. As long as he was happy, she was happy.
Emma Swan's thumbs tapped repeatedly against her steering wheel. All of her belongings were packed into her small yellow bug. She was going back home, her stomach was in knots just thinking about it, but she had to go back. She needed to see Regina. To see how good of a life she had without her.
With that thought, Emma started the car and began her trip to the small town of Storybrooke, Maine. After moving with her father in the city, the new job he had didn't last very long. He started drinking his sorrows away and soon her mother was fed up with his erratic behavior and divorced him. They didn't have enough money for Emma to go to college so she gave up on that, though she wasn't that passionate about going anyway. So she worked a few jobs helping her mother with the bills while also saving up money to get her own place.
After a few years she got hired as a bail bonds woman. She made sure her mother was taken care of, always sending her enough for whatever she needed, despite her mothers protest.
After a few hours of driving, Emma finally made it. Since she left a bit late in the afternoon, she thought she deserved to stop by granny's to get something to eat.
If it was still open. She hadn't visited for 10 whole years. She thought Granny had finally kicked the basket and left the dinner to Ruby. But to her surprise, she was wrong.
She walked into the diner and old memories came crashing back. Memories like her coming here after school with her friends and raiding granny's kitchen, only to get whacked upside the head by granny when she caught them.
Emma took a seat at a booth in the back scanning the diner, seeing a few new installations since the last time she was here. Along with a few new additions to the menu.
"Emma is that you?" Ruby said, rushing up to the blonde.
"Ruby?" Emma asked with wide eyes.
"Where the hell have you been? Ten years not one call!" Ruby stated, smacking Emma on the head with one of the menus.
"There was a lot going on before I left, and I was pissed at you for a short time." Emma explained.
"Why?" Ruby questioned sitting down across from the blonde.
"Because before I left, me and Regina broke up. She found out that some girl kissed me when we had gone to that graduation party and got drunk, and she said she found out from you. But after that we had a big fight about me leaving and I said some hurtful things before I left." Emma sighed.
"I didn't think you two would break-up. I thought you guys would talk about it, probably laugh about it, then be back in love. You two were so in love with each other, It made me sick" Ruby joked.
"But the night you left, she called me. I'd never heard or seen Regina like that ever. Not even when we were kids. She didn't leave the house for months and she didn't talk to anyone. But after Henry things started to get better." Ruby stated letting the secret slip.
"Henry died?" Emma asked, shocked.
"No, not her father, her son." Ruby stated before covering her mouth with wide eyes. "Shit, she's going to kill me." Ruby sighed. Ruby knew Regina would tell Emma about their child on her own terms.
"Regina has a son-"
"He's adopted!" Ruby cut in making up the lie, trying to save her own ass from Regina's wrath.
"Ok… I have to get back to work, go ask granny for a room key and get settled in." Ruby said before going to the back and calling Regina.
Ruby was happy Emma was back, maybe her and Emma could be happy together again just like they were in highschool. But she wondered if Regina ever planned on telling Henry about his other mother.
"Ruby, why are you calling me this late? Is something wrong? I swear to god if you're drunk again I'm not taking you home I'm going to drop you in the damn woods." Regina threatened.
"No, no i'm not drunk. But I will remember that next time. I have some news. Emma's back and I might've accidentally let it slip that you had a son… but before she could guess the origin of Henry's other parent, I said he was adopted." Ruby added quickly.
"Jesus Christ, Ruby! One job. You had one job!" Regina sighed.
"Regina, it's been ten years! I was excited and it slipped." Ruby whined.
"I understand your excited Ruby but Emma is Henry's other mother. Just please be careful next time." Regina irritably.
"No problem, alright goodnight." Ruby as she ended the call.
Regina sat her phone down. With a sigh she got out of bed, putting on her robe. She knew now she was definitely not getting any sleep tonight and after that tall glass of cider was calling her name.
Emma got the key to her room before heading up and putting her things away.
She still had some cash saved up but she needed to get a job. She had grabbed a newspaper on her way up. Seeing in the paper that there was a deputy needed at the station. She laid down on the bed sighing. She would fill out an application in the morning, right now she needed rest.
Regina couldn't seem to get any sleep. She sat in her office sipping on a cider through the night. Pacing and watching the sun come up.
Once six o'clock hit she went to the kitchen and started making Henry some breakfast before preparing his lunch.
"Goodmorning mom."
"Good Morning dear, how did you sleep?" Regina questioned sitting his plate of breakfast in front of him as he sat down.
"I slept ok." He mumbled tiredly as he dug into his food.
"You sure don't sound like it, which means someone was staying up reading their comics again…" She stated as she poured herself a cup of coffee.
"How do you always know when I do that?" Henry groaned.
"I'm your mother Henry I will always know." Regina smiled as she ruffled his hair with a small chuckle. "Alright you got twenty minutes. I'll drop you off today before I head into the office." Regina said as she left the kitchen.
"Ok!" Henry nodded as he quickly devoured his food before rushing to get ready for school.
Emma groaned as she rolled off the bed, slowly making her way to the bathroom. She had a long day ahead of her and she knew her top priority right now was to get a job.
—
Emma sat in her yellow bug still trying to get herself to fully wake up, a cup of granny's famous coffee in one hand, topped with whipped cream and cinnamon, a bagel in the other. She took a bite and then a sip, satisfaction took her over. Granny's homemade bagels and famous coffee had not changed a bit, only got tastier. She pulled off from Grannys and made her way to the sheriff's office to apply for a possible job there.
—
Graham started the day early at six am with his usual cup of coffee, two packs of sugar with a hint of caramel flavoring, just before going into the station and finishing up some reports for the mayor.
He was finishing up his last few reports when a blonde woman walked in. "Um hello madam, is there something I can help you with?" He asked with a heavy Irish accent.
Emma gave Graham a slight smile. "Hi, are there any openings? I'm um…new to town and looking to have a position of leadership."
"Well if you think you're prepared, shall we start the interview?" Stated Graham trying to seem as tough and professional as possible, but it wasn't hard to read through him. He was like a book with pictures.
"So tell me about yourself, why did you decide to apply for this position?" He questioned curiously.
"Well my previous occupation I was a bail bonds woman. So I think I have a lot of experience, enough to do this job." She answered.
"And for how many years did you work as a bail bonds woman madam?"
"It's Emma-Emma Swan." She corrected, not liking the use of madam, it sounded too proper.
"Well , I'm going to ask you a few more questions. But I will not be the one deciding whether or not you're fit for the job." Graham explained.
"Then who's going to do that? I don't see anyone else here." She said as she glanced around the station for the second time.
"Well the mayor will. She's made a lot of improvements since she won her first election five years ago. She will come and ask you a few more questions and we will give you a little background check, and personally in my opinion I see you to be fit for this job ."
Graham called the mayor and in seconds she arrived due to the fact that Storybrooke wasn't much of a big town.
"Graham, I assume you have finished those reports I asked for?" Regina questioned as she walked into the station. Her eyes fixed on him before slowly glancing over to the blonde sitting across from him. Silence filled the room as Regina and Emma stared at each other with pale faces as white as snow.
Regina quickly cleared her throat. She knew they would see each other eventually but she didn't think it would be this soon.
" , it's been a long time." Regina greeted with a tight and obviously fake smile.
"Regina? I-mean madam mayor." She corrected, clearing her throat as well.
"Madam mayor, here would like to apply for the deputy position." Graham explained before quickly handing the brunette the finished reports.
"Is that so..." she hummed as she leaned against the desk, her eyes scanning over the reports making sure everything was done to her liking.
"I don't think she's fit for the position. Find someone else." Regina said leaving no room for argument as she put the files in her bag.
"I'm pretty sure I'm more fit than anybody else in this damn town Regina." Emma glared standing to her feet as well.
"Well guess what, it isn't your town. It's mine, which means I get to decide whether or not you're good for this job. And I decided you're not." Regina stated in a calm demeanor.
"You can't base that decision off of our past Regina, it isn't fair!" Emma growled.
"Life isn't fair ! And its madam mayor too you." Regina said, taking a step closer to the blonde. "And you're the last person I want to hear giving me a lecture about fairness. Don't even go there unless you want a very rude awakening." Regina threatened glaring at the blonde.
"I think she should be given a chance, it's only me working at the station and I need extra help around here. I will take responsibility for her." Graham stated, quickly standing to his feet.
Regina took a step back sucking in a breath. "Fine but I expect you to teach her how things are done around here." Regina stated, with annoyance, before storming out of the station.
Both Emma and Graham released a sigh of relief at the mayor's departure.
"Well congratulations you got the job." Graham smiled.
—
