A/N: I'm sorry, I'm a terrible person for not updating sooner, however I had SO MUCH work to do for Uni and went a bit crazy for a while. But I'm back now and under much less stress so hopefully I'll be getting the chance to wrote more often.

Feel free to find me on Tumblr if you're that way inclined - anempirealso.

Emma was awoken by a soft rapping on her door at seven o'clock on Monday morning. It was the same way Mary Margaret - who she'd been instructed to call 'MM' - had woken her the previous day too.

"Emma, are you up?"

Emma, only semi-conscious, responded with a, "ugnhh" still trying to work out why she was awake so early and what the hell her guardian thought she was playing at.

MM chuckled, her new ward was certainly not a morning person. "Okay, well when you're ready there'll be breakfast downstairs for you. We're having pancakes. I'd like to be heading out the door at about half eight though, I'm going to drive you too school since it's your first day."

Emma sat up at that. She'd forgotten all about school after what turned out to be a pleasant time shopping with her new foster mother. The familiar dread set in as she rolled out of bed and pulled her towel from the hook on the back of her door, making a move for the shower. She felt a bit better when she tripped over one of the shopping bags that littered the floor, smiling when she realised that this first day wouldn't be the same as her other first days and that she'd be showing up to school in new clothes for once, clothes that were bought specifically for her.

When they'd gone shopping, they had a shaky start when Emma had been a little apprehensive about pointing out the things she liked until MM explained to her that they were there to shop, and that she wanted Emma to choose what she wanted. Eventually Emma started to loosen up and enjoy the excursion. She could tell that MM, bless her heart, really hadn't liked the style of anything Emma picked out, if the wistful glances over to the pretty pale pinks and blues in every shop they entered were anything to go by. But she held her tongue, seemingly intent on letting Emma choose on her own. Jeans, jerseys and plaid weren't really MM's thing, but Emma did concede and let MM buy her a nice, soft, pastel green cardigan that Emma swore she would only wear around the house - even if she wasn't going to tell MM that. She had even been bought her some new boots after MM learned that the only footwear Emma owned were the scuffed sneakers she showed up in.

Towel drying her hair as she returned to her room after her shower she decided she would wear her new dark blue jeans and her new thin but incredibly cosy ivory sweater, hoping it would get the MM seal of approval. Perhaps looking like at least an approximation of what MM considered 'presentable' would give her more confidence for her first day.

Heading down the stairs after getting dressed, hair still drying and curling softly around her shoulders, she saw MM look up and smile at her. She guessed she'd chosen her outfit well.

"Woken up a bit?" asked Mary Margaret.

"Yeah" Emma laughed.

"I made apple pancakes, is that okay?"

"Sure." Replied Emma, a smile stretching across her face.

She sat down at the table as she watched MM bustling around the kitchen, preparing what looked like two packed lunches. During dinner on Saturday night Emma had learned that Mary Margaret worked in the local elementary school, teaching third grade. She had also learned that MM liked to take her lunch with her to work so that she could sit in her classroom and catch up on her marking while avoiding contact with the other teachers. The way she'd described them was 'funny'. 'Not funny haha though' she'd clarified, 'funny weird'. The way she whispered it as though they could hear her speaking about them had made Emma snort into her food.

MM caught what she was looking at, "One of these is for you. I know taking a packed lunch with you might not be the coolest thing, but I'd really rather you were prepared. You don't have to eat it, I'll give you lunch money too. This is just in case."

Emma felt the same warmth spread through her as she'd felt when Mary Margaret had insisted on buying her those boots. It was so different to have someone who seemed like she cared, worried about how she was going to get on during the day. Emma just nodded and picked up her fork to eat the still warm pancakes that had been placed in front of what was becoming her chair at the kitchen table.

Regina was awake, watching the second hand of the clock tick round. She waited, three…two…one. Just as it struck six thirty she smacked her hand down on top of the alarm button before it could make any noise. She'd been awake for a good half an hour now, though she refused to get up before it was absolutely necessary.

With a sigh she rolled herself out of bed, with a lack of grace that had her mother been there to witness it she would have scolded her for, and dragged herself into her en suite.

She knew not to expect breakfast as she made her way, fully dressed, down their shiny wooden staircase. Her mother had told her she'd be leaving for City Hall at half seven, to terrorise some unlucky board member nice and early, to make sure they were really out of their comfort zone, Regina supposed. Her mother was nothing if not effective.

Regina tucked her hair behind her ears and set about making herself today's breakfast, a bowl of muesli. The need for her to use the food scales to weigh out an appropriate serving was long gone, having mastered the skill to do it by sight years ago.

She picked up her glass of orange juice, placed her spoon in her mouth to free up her right hand and collected the bowl that was now heavy with milk and cereal before shuffling back up the stairs to eat and finish her hair.

The ride in MM's little blue two-door to school was tense, and Emma's butterflies had returned.

MM parked the car in the school parking lot and walked Emma to the office just like she'd told her she would.

"Hi!" said MM brightly, to the surly looking girl behind the desk. Her long dark hair was streaked with red and just from where Emma was standing she could tell that the girl's skirt was in no way regulation length. "This is Emma Swan, she's new." she continued, when the girl made no attempt to greet them back.

Recognition suddenly flashed over her face. "Oh right, yeah! They mentioned you'd be coming. I think I'm supposed to take you up to the principle's office." She said, looking around for confirmation. When she got none she shrugged and skipped round the side of the desk. "I'm Ruby." The smile she gave Emma was wide and toothy, but seemed sincere.

Emma turned to Mary Margaret, hoping that she might change her mind and come with her to meet the principle.

Mary Margaret just smiled at her. "Okay, will you be alright on your own?"

Emma nodded, although she felt like weeping on the because she'd been the new girl more times than most didn't mean she enjoyed it.

"Right well, I'll be here to pick you up at four. You can tell me all about your day then." MM looked like she wanted to give her a hug, but thought better of it last minute, ending up giving her an awkward shoulder pat instead.

Ruby snorted, but Emma was grateful. She liked the woman, but she wasn't sure that she was ready to start hugging her just yet.

After Mary Margaret left, Ruby curtsied for Emma, "If you'll follow me, m'lady"

Emma let out a snort that was accompanied by an eye roll and Ruby seemed pleased with the reaction.

"So," began Ruby "what year are you in?"

"Junior" replied Emma.

"Cool, me too. We might have some classes together. If we do then you can sit next to me if you like." Emma looked across at her and the girl was smiling back.

"Thanks."

She swiped a key card outside a door, it beeped and she pushed through into a glass stairwell that looked out onto a grassy courtyard. "These are the teacher's stairs, they make us bring all the newbies up here. It leads straight to the principles office." Ruby explained.

"So you work in the office then?" asked Emma as they began to climb.

Ruby laughed "Well, duh."

Emma chuckled at herself, too.

"It's actually part of this 'work-experience' class I take, so I get paid in school credits. My real job is at my grandmothers diner. I'm a waitress there. The pay's bad, but a job's a job, right? Plus I live with her, so I couldn't really get out of it if I tried." Ruby laughed again as they pushed open the door at the top of the stairwell.

Ruby guided her over to two doors, side by side and knocked on the one that said 'Principle'.

"There you go," she said to Emma as she turned to leave. "I'll see you around, Swan." Ruby saluted before disappearing back into the stairwell they'd just emerged from and Emma laughed again. She liked Ruby, she decided.

"Come in." said a male voice.

Emma pushed open the door to what was a rather large office, with a rich, dark wooden desk at one end with a slight man with longish, brown, middle parted hair perched behind it. He smiled, and Emma noted one gold tooth.

"Miss Swan, we've been expecting you." Emma looked around the room, there was no other 'we'. Way to not be creepy. "Welcome to Storybrooke High, I'm Principle Gold."

There was a sharp clicking of heels to be heard from the corridor, followed shortly by a light knocking on the door Emma had just entered through.

The door was pushed open and a brunette head popped in from outside.

"You sent a note, Mr Gold?"

"Ah yes, Regina, how nice of you to join us."

Emma watched as more of the new person appeared round the corner. A slim, incredibly well dressed body wrapped in a floaty white blouse and a skirt whose length she was sure was just as code breaking as Ruby's had been, stepped into view.

Mr Gold cleared his throat, Emma's eyes snapping away from their journey down Regina's legs. "Regina, this is Emma Swan. A new junior. It's your job to show her to her classes today."

Emma watched Regina barely contain an eye roll. She started blushing, this was just unnecessary attention.

"Mr Gold, it's okay really. I don't nee-"

"Nonsense, Regina here is Class President and you are today's only new upperclassman. She'll be happy to help you find your way around."

Emma turned her head back to Regina, who was looking the blonde up and down in a way that made her feel like she was calculating her worth. Emma had assumed she was a teacher, or at least an office aide or an assistant from the way she was dressed, because who wears a blouse and skirt to school?

The brunette rolled her eyes. Emma was pretty sure that showing her around was at the bottom of what was probably a very long to-do list packed with things she wasn't important enough to fathom.

"Principle Gold, I'm very busy today. Can't someone else do it?" Regina huffed.

"No, Regina. I asked you specifically."

Regina rolled her eyes again, this time so hard that Emma was surprised when they managed to remain in their sockets. "Come on then, Swan. Where are you going first?" She asked, a hand held out waiting for what Emma expected was her schedule, not even attempting to hide the disdain in her voice.

"Just hold on a minute, Regina." interrupted Gold. Two pairs of eyes flicked back to him. "I asked you, because I have another favour to ask of you."

"Which is?"

"Miss Swan here is missing a couple of her school credits," Emma knew that. It was the result of being shunted from school to school so often and rarely getting to complete any of the classes she enrolled in. However, her schedule was already packed and there was no room for her to make them up this year. "and I was thinking that she might take on an after school project to pad them out a bit."

"And you need me for this conversation, why?" Regina asked haughtily. Emma was wondering the same thing, she knew her shortcomings and didn't necessarily want them blabbed to anyone and everyone her principle decided to tell. She couldn't tell if that or the being spoken about as though she wasn't in the room, was annoying her more.

"I do remember you put in a request to start a new after school group, the community initiative one?" Regina nodded, watching him warily. "Well, I've decided to grant permission for it to go ahead, on the condition that you allow Miss Swan to get involved." Nope, now she knew. Definitely the second one.

Regina regarded him for a moment before hissing out, "But. She's. Not. Even. A. Senior. The community outreach initiatives are always seniors only. It's not fair she take up someone else's space when she's not even apply to colleges until next year"

Emma stood looking between the two of them trying to get her mouth to engage with her brain and insist that being forced to join an after school activity was definitely not something that she wanted to be doing, whether it got her the credits or not. Mostly because it seemed as though Regina was ready to throw a fireball at her head for the mere suggestion that she spend any more time with her than had already been ordered.

"I'm making an allowance, and Miss Swan does need these credits. If you do not find this deal suitable you could always do what last year's seniors did, I'm sure the nuns would love help selling all of those candles again. I'm sure you'll do very well." Gold smirked and lowered his head, not breaking eye contact.

"Fine!" She spat. Emma wondered briefly, whether all the students got away with this much attitude.

Gold brightened considerably. "Very good. Now, Emma has Miss Potter in English first. Will you manage showing her the way there?" Regina growled before stalking forwards and snatching Emma's proffered class schedule out of his grasp.

"Anything else?"

"Nope." Gold was smirking now. Regina huffed once more, turned on her heel and stalked out of the door.

Emma jumped as an exasperated voice came from the hall, "Swan, are you coming?!"

Gold chuckled and looked to her. She opened her mouth to explain that No, really. She did not need this. But Gold just waggled a finger and quietly said "Please, shut the door on your way out."

All Emma could do was close her mouth comply.

A/N: I totally wrote the 'Regina getting out of bed bit' while listing to Mariah Carey's Fantasy, so it was playing like a 90s movie intro montage in my head.

I hope you liked it, and if not then feel free to tell my why :)