The next day

Boston.

"I caught him stealing a bottle of vodka and he ended up wrecking my entire alcohol stand and stabbed my nephew!" A middle aged man shouted, clearly upset as he gestured to his stand which was toppled over and there was smashed bottles of alcohol on the floor with mixed in blood.

"Can you give a description of the man, sir?" Emma said, glancing outside and seeing two police cars and officers keeping people away.

"He was a kid, must of been around seventeen...he was Caucasian and was wearing a black hoody saying dope and blue jeans," the man put his hand to his head and shook it.

"Have you seen him before in your store?" Emma then asked, watching the man.

"No," The man stared at the mess on the floor, his eyes watery.

"We'll do our best to get the person, who did this sir?"

The man cursed under his breath.

Fifteen minutes later, Emma and Smith got in the car that was parked not far from the store.

"What is this city coming too?" Emma asked, looking to her partner who was putting his seat belt on.

"Every city has its problems Emma," he said sadly.

Emma then leaned back and her phone beeped, she pulled it out not expecting it to be Regina.

She looked at the screen confused, it is an unknown number.

Hello dear, How is work going? This is Regina by the way.

Emma's face softened.

She actually messaged me, she thought.

Emma: Hey Regina, you messaged :) and at the right time too, just attended a crime scene!

Regina: Are you okay? was it bad?

Emma smiled, she thought the Regina's message was full of concern.

Emma: I am alright, although there wasn't a good outcome for the victim days like this are tough.

Regina let out a breath.

Regina: Sounds like your having a tough day.

Emma: Yeah and still got a couple of hours to go :( how are you and Henry doing?

Regina: Good, I've been quite busy around the house, boring I know but it has to be done and Henry has been playing video games and moaning that he's bored.

Emma smiled and shook her head amusedly.

"There he is," Smith suddenly snapped and Emma shot her head up to see the boy walking down the side of the pavement causally and when they pulled up to him, he looked at them and then ran off, causing Emma to pocket her phone and her and Smith went in pursuit of him.

Three hours later

Emma was sitting on a hospital bed, getting her ribs checked out. The boy had hit her hard in the ribs trying to push her away to escape as she and Smith tried to apprehend him in an alleyway.

"You have bruised ribs officer Nolan," the doctor told her.

"Thanks, this is all I need," she huffed.

"Can she leave doctor?" Smith said, standing near the bed.

"Yes, a few painkillers should ease the pain and a there should be a three to four week recover period."

"Thanks doc," she stood up and grimaced while walking out of the ward and out of the hospital. And an hour later, she arrived back home and pulled her phone out to see a text message on her screen, she clicked on it.

Regina: Is everything okay?

She smiled, her pain momentarily forgotten.

Emma: Sorry, we saw the suspect and flew into action, got bruised ribs for the trouble though but I'm fine.

five minutes later, Regina replied worriedly, whilst standing in her kitchen.

Regina: Are you sure your okay?

Emma smirked and sat herself down gently on her sofa.

Emma: Yeah, I'm strong.

Regina: You don't have to pretend with me dear, I hope your taking it easy.

Emma smiled.

Emma: I am, got sent home and am currently sat on the sofa.

Regina: Good, you need to rest those ribs.

Emma: Yeah, I know, geez relax Regina, your worse than my parents, I'll be okay.

Regina: Do your parents live near by?

Emma: Nope, they live up in Maine have done for about 8 months now. They call once a week.

Regina froze upon reading that message.

MAINE! THEY LIVE HERE!

her eyes darted over her kitchen, she hadn't told Emma she lived in Maine. but then she thought there could be another Maine and thought shed ask further.

Regina: Parents are like that dear and which Maine are you talking about?

A minute later.

Emma: A place called Storybrooke. why you ask?

Regina put a hand to her mouth in shock.

I must know your parents, she thought to herself and couldn't believe such coincidence and it took a few minutes to reply to Emma, as she was shaking her head and staring at the message.

Regina: No reason dear, I am just interested that's all and have you visited there?

Emma: No, as I said they have lived there for around 8 months now. They want me to visit but I just haven't got round to it.

Regina swallowed thickly.

August 15th 2007

Storybrooke

Regina took Henry to work with her and he sat reading his book in her office, while she tried to forget the fact that Emma's parents lived in her town but she couldn't.

She kept thinking Emma surely would visit her parents here in Storybrooke at some point and what would happen if she saw her; it excited her and terrified her at the same time, which she couldn't understand.

"Madame Mayor your, 11 o'clock appointment is here," Sidney said, breaking Regina out of her musings.

"Send him in," she said and asked Henry if he could go outside for ten minutes while she had her meeting.

And ten minutes later, she found herself unable to concentrate on the man's proposed plan for a new playground when he left. She decided she would go mad if she didn't talk to someone about this latest revelation and the only person she felt she could talk to was her sister.

"Regina? Is everything okay?" Her sister's voice said down the phone.

"I really don't know, that's why I am calling you," she replied.

"Okay."

"It's about Emma," she tapped her fingers on her desk.

"Oh" Zelena smirked as stood in her bedroom.

"I found out something."

"Right and what did Emma tell you?" She chuckled.

"It's not funny sis and you're not going to believe this." She ran a hand through her hair,\ while she sat at her desk.

"Just tell me already," Zelena snapped impatiently.

"It turns out, her parents live here in Storybrooke."

There was silence.

"Zelena?"

"Your joking?" she said in disbelief.

"No, I told you it wasn't funny."

"Does she know you live in Storybrooke?"

"No, we kept to no specifics, even though I know she's in Boston," Regina sighed.

"Do you know who her parents are?"

"No, but I must have meet them," she tapped her hand on her desk again.

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't know, that's why I am calling you."

"I'm your sister Regina, but I don't know what you should do, however it shouldn't change anything should it? So what if you know her parents…"

Regina tilted her head and stared at the door to the office.

"What happens if and when she comes to visit them?"

There was a pause.

"Then your most likely meet her and won't that be nice," she smirked to herself and picked up a dress that was on her bed and looked it over.

Regina didn't say anything.

"Would you like to meet her?" Zelena asked.

"I haven't thought about it."

"But you like her don't you?"

"Yes."

"It's the next logical step, maybe you are meant to meet."

Regina scoffed.

"No, listen, someone told me everything happens for a reason and maybe you were meant to find each other in that chat room and meet when she comes to see her family. It's like a romantic movie or something."

Regina's eye's widened.

"Who said anything about a romantic movie? She is a friend," she snapped but was clearly flustered, and she moved papers around her desk hastily.

Zelena rolled her eyes.

"Enough of this she's only a friend act Regina," Zelena said seriously sitting on her bed and bringing one leg over the other.

"What is wrong with you?!" Regina snapped back.

"No, what is wrong with you?! Why act like this if she's just a friend? It shouldn't bother you like this if she's just a friend."

"She is just a friend."

"Ugh, your impossible," Zelena moaned.

"Thank you dear," Regina replied sarcastically.

"Maybe you should find out who these parents are and then your know if you like her parents or not," Zelena chuckled.

"I don't think they can be any worse than our mother," Regina replied seriously, now fiddling with the edge of a piece of paper.

"You have a point, if Emma can deal with mother, she's a keeper."

Regina found herself nodding and then realized what she was doing and she sighed.

"Why are we even having this theoretical conversation? Emma will never meet our mother and I most likely won't meet Emma." She picked up the piece of paper from her desk and stared blankly at it.

"Yes you will sis, I think it's just a matter of time."

Regina swallowed thickly.

"We'll see," she replied lowly and added. "Okay, well I better get back to my work."

"See you soon, sis," Zelena replied standing back up and they ended the call.

Emma, meanwhile, was at her apartment and wondering around her lounge until her phone started ringing.

She was told to take a few days off before returning to the station for desk work until she could move around freely.

"Hey dad," she said answering her phone and she grimaced at bending over to pick her boots up.

"Emma, its mom, how are you?"

"Hey mom, I'm...I'm good."

"You don't sound too sure, what's happened? Is it work?"

Emma sighed.

"I'm good really, just got some bruised ribs from chasing a bad guy, perks of the job," she tried to joke.

"Oh, honey."

"I'm good mom."

There was a pause.

"I don't know why you took that job in Boston ,honey."

"You know me, always on the move," she joked.

"You should move here. It's a nice place, I am sure you could get a job with your father at the sheriff station."

Emma rolled her eyes.

"Mom," Emma moaned, sitting on her sofa.

"Will you come visit for your birthday then?"

"I'll think about it...How is dad?"

"He's good, currently out on patrol, he misses you."

"I miss him too mom, listen I'm going to go have a bath, I'll phone you soon."

Mary Margaret sighed.

"Okay honey, take care okay."

"I will."

"Bye Emma."

"Bye Mom."

She then ended the call and made her way slowly to the bathroom.

Next chapter spoiler - Emma goes to Storybrooke :D