A/N: Sorry for the long wait. Life has been absolutely crazy. Our adoption was not only finalized, but we have a prospective child. A little girl. She's come home to us. It's been an adventure. :D So I have had no time to write.

Oh and what is going on with our show lately. I almost left the fandom. Ugh I need hope! OQ is killing me. I can handle CS, but I love Regina and this "affair" is just sooo wrong.

Also: So I'm not sure how to handle the chapters. I'm trying to do a mix of New York and the Enchanted Forest. Let me know if it's too confusing to go back and forth and I will separate them into different chapters.
Also you might recognize some tidbits from episode 3x12 and 1x01

Well here is an update. I am not going to abandon this story. No worries about that.

Chapter Seven

Present Day

Manhattan

New York

The blaring of an alarm sounded throughout the room, and while Emma could readily ignore the sun streaming in through her window, the alarm demanded attention. She hit the clock, and turned over and pulled the blanket over her head. Five more minutes and then she'd get up.

"Come on Ma!" she heard less than 30 seconds later. "I have to get to school on time, we have presentations today and I want time to prepare with my team." Emma groaned and flung a pillow at her 12 year old son. She often wondered just whose child he was, because she was definitely not a morning person, and from her brief tryst with Neal, she knew he wasn't either. Neither of them were particularly responsible or keen on keeping things in order, but Henry was. The boy was up with the sun like clockwork, kept his room organized and excelled in all he did, especially school. Unlike Emma, who often did things on the spur of the moment, Henry was a careful planner. If she hadn't given birth to him, she would have sworn he wasn't hers.

"Kid! Give me a few more minutes." Emma pulled the duvet closer to her head and heard an impatient scoff. Henry left her bedroom mumbling something about irresponsible and who was the actual parent. Emma ignored his sarcasm and exhaled roughly. There was a reason she didn't start work till 10 am.

By the time Emma pulled herself from the bed, Henry was in the kitchen and fully dressed. She jumped up and down, stretching out her limbs before making her way to the kitchen and pulling out ingredients for breakfast. It was going to have to be a quick one this morning, eggs, some toast and sausages.

"You have your homework?"

"Yes Ma," he said shaking his head.

"Notes for your social studies presentation?"

"Yes Ma."

"Did you get your lunchable out the bottom-"

"Ma. I have everything. Since when do you worry so much?"

"Well I'm just trying to be a…what was it you said….an actual parent?" She narrowed her gaze at him, causing him to swallow loudly. "Yeah, I heard that."

"Uh—well,"

"Go water the plants while I fix breakfast." Emma grinned. Despite his often snarky comments, he was a genuinely sweet boy. It hadn't been easy for the two of them. She had almost given him up. 22, jobless and fresh out of prison; even her social worker had tried to encourage her to give up her parental rights, as his foster family wanted to adopt him. 'Give him his best chance' her worker has said. And Emma almost did that. But something had stopped her. Sure he would have had a nuclear family. A stay-at-home mom, a hard working dad, a house in the burbs. But he wouldn't have had her.

Emma herself had been without a family, and should wouldn't risk that for Henry. As long as he was with her, she knew he'd be safe. She would give him all she could.

Henry was barely four months old when she got him back. She had found a decent job as a waitress and an okay place to live. It was hard to get her G.E.D while working fulltime and being a mom but she did it, for her baby boy. She ended up as a secretary for a bail bonds office and after a while, the owner noticed that she had a strong skill in finding others. She found minute clues in the most unlikely of places and never rested when he asked her to find some form of paperwork. He gave her a chance on a small score, and she landed him. It turned into a career and within a few years she was able to afford a nice place for her and Henry to settle down. Decent schools and good parks. She had her son, her job and her career. There was nothing else she felt she needed.

"So, you going out with Mike tonight?" Henry said as he started shoving eggs in his mouth. That was one thing he did get from her; his eating habits.

"Yeah I am." Henry jerked his head up and smiled brightly. "Why are you so excited?"

"No reason," he said. She gave him a suspicious look. "Well…that means I get the TV all to myself for most of the night and I will most likely be eating pizza." He smiled briefly before swallowing every drop of orange juice in his glass.

"Ok, if you say so." Emma threw on her coat and scarf over her t-shirt and pajama pants. "Come on, let's get you to the bus stop."

"Seriously? You're not even going to change?" he said. "You're going out in public like that?"

"Sometimes I wonder if you're my child."

[SQ]

Emma patted on her stomach as the waiter placed an ice cream sundae down in front of her. After a nice sized filet mignon, mashed red potatoes and asparagus, dessert just seemed like too much to try.

"I didn't order that," she said.

"I did," Mike broke-in and waved the waiter off. "Go ahead, dig in."

"I couldn't eat another bite if you paid me," she laughed, "But you're welcome to it."

"Come on, remember our first date," he beamed. "I bought you here for lunch, because you couldn't do dinner, and you ordered an ice cream sundae, although it wasn't on the menu. I bribed the chef to make it for you."

"Yeah I remember. I was nervous then and right now, I'm full." She smiled at the memory, but her grin fell off her face as Mike took her hand in his. He wasn't often a serious guy, but right now she could see he was changing the humorous mood.

"Will you at least look at it," he said softly, using his free hand to turn the plate around. Sighing loudly for effect, Emma glanced down. In between the strawberry sauce and caramel, in a circle of fudge, was a diamond ring.

Her breath caught in her throat. Mike stood up, pulling the ring from the plate and then got down on one knee.

"Emma, I…I am trying not to freak you out, but I didn't want to wait. I love you. I love Henry and I love our lives together and I…I want to make that permanent." He took her left hand and held the ring to her finger. "Emma Swan, will you marry me?"

She knew she was doing this all wrong. She was supposed to be giddy, excited and possibly even crying, but she was none of those things. The logical part of her mind was telling her to say yes. He was perfect for her. A nice guy, great job and he got along well with Henry. He was caring, attentive and everything a woman could want in a husband."

So why couldn't she say yes?

He smiled at her as he waited, on one knee in a restaurant full of people. No doubt he assumed she'd say yes. What woman wouldn't?

"Mike…I," she started. The smile was slowly falling from his face as she found herself speechless and not in a good way. "I have to go!" Emma jumped up from the table, barely managing to grab her coat as she ran out door on to the sidewalk. She ran her hands through her hair and down her face.

This was not how this night was supposed to go. He was not supposed to ask her to marry him. It had barely been 8 months. Who the hell marries someone they have known less than a year? They weren't living together. He didn't know her annoying habits, her stubbornness, her lazy ways. He didn't know that she never hung up for coat, or that she left the TV on most nights or that she would leave her shoes in the middle of the floor.

But what bothered her most was that it all seemed wrong. There was something hitting at her in the back of her mind telling her to say no; screaming at her that Mike was not the one. The thought of saying yes filled her with a sense of guilt.

"Emma!" he called out before she could hail a cab. "Wait, please!" She shook her hands, attempting to remove the anxiety that was flowing through her veins.

"Mike…this is so fast!"

"I know, I know. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." He smiled.

"How could you possibly know you want to…marry me? I mean you can't know."

"I've known since the moment I met you Emma," he said taking her by the shoulders. "And I am not trying to make you get married next week, next month or even six months from now. We don't have to get married immediately. But I want you to know that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Even if that means we don't get married till we're 60 and you have grand kids."

"But-"

"You don't have to answer me right now. Please…just think about it." Emma nodded her head, but she knew there was nothing to think about. She couldn't marry him. As she looked into his dark eyes…she knew that those weren't the chocolate eyes she wanted to see every morning.

Present Day

Fairy Tale Land

Enchanted Forest

The grand hall was filled with allies of the Enchanted Forest. The golden room was covered in white flowers and sheer drapes hung from the ceiling. A large pedestal had been placed in the center of the room, on which sat Queen Snow White and Prince David, holding their infant son. With the death of their daughter, it had been assumed that they were the end of her father's line, but the fairies had blessed them with a child once more.

Snow White stood, holding her son in her arms as she walked forward. It had been over 30 years since she and David had done this, named an heir to their kingdom. As she stepped forward, her mind went back to the day she held a blond baby girl in her arms. Tears pricked the side of the Queen's eyes. With this presentation and coronation it would make it real; make it permanent. Emma was no more.

The fairies flew over to the Queen and her son, waiving their dust over the infant, blessing him.

"Tell us Queen Snow White, what is his name?" Blue said.

"People of the Enchanted Forest and her allies," the Queen began. "I present to you, Prince-" The White Queen was stopped as the doors to the grand hall flew open, drawing all eyes to them.

"Sorry I'm late," Regina said. Startled gasps circled throughout the grand hall. The sorceress had a saccharine smile on her face, her lips painted a blood red, in contrast to the black outfit she wore. She glanced around briefly before making her way towards the Queen and Prince Consort. As she walked, though she moved with such speed and grace that she seemed to float, guests moved out the way, forming a make shift aisle.

Several of the white guards drew their swords to hold off the Dark Princess, but with a flick of her wrist, the guards were thrown aside, hitting the massive columns that decorated the room. Murmurs of fear flew through the room as guests turned their head to avoid meeting the Dark Princess' eyes. All knew of her crusade against the Enchanted Forest. For 13 years Valentia had raided and burned the outskirts of the White Kingdom, seeking to take the throne. The White Queen's forces had kept the Dark Forces from entering the major villages but all still feared her. Her magic had become legendary, even more so than that of her late mother.

Charming frowned as he took in Regina's appearance. He hadn't seen the girl up close in over a decade. Well, she was clearly now a woman. Though still as stunning as the day of the wedding, stress lines were visible on the princess' face. Where even Charming had once seen warmth, her eyes were hard and cold.

"Strike her!" Snow called out to the Fairies who were still in the air.

"Wait! There is no need for bloodshed on this day." Charming said, raising his hand to ward off the magical creatures. He turned to the Dark Princess, seeing the hurt behind the anger in her eyes. "You are wasting your time here Regina. Our dealings with Valentia are over and you will not ruin our son's , Emma's brother, coronation day."

"Ruin? Oh no. I'm not here to ruin my little brother's day. In fact, I'm giving him a gift. Well….a gift to the entire family."

"We need nothing," Snow said. "You have done enough, or have you forgotten the sins of you and your army."

"Oh you may not need anything, but you will have it my dear mother-in-law." Regina smiled and bowed in false respect. "My gift to my dear brother is this day; this glorious coronation day on which you shall forever replace my late wife in the history of this kingdom. Enjoy it. All of you. For tomorrow, my real work begins."

"Reg-" Charming started. He was promptly ignored.

"You took away my happiness…so now I'll take yours." She walked around the pedestal, circling the Queen and her husband. She stopped directly in front of the White Queen, glaring into the green eyes that were so similar to those of her lost wife. "Soon, all you love, all you hold dear will be taken from you. The joy that you feel on this great day will turn to ashes. And only when your suffering reaches its peak, will the debt be paid."

"What are you planning Regina. This…this is not just! The Prince Consort screamed.

"If you think I simply want justice after what was done to my Emma, then you still don't know me." The smirk she wore the entire time fell from her face, her eyes turning even colder as she faced the Queen. "I will destroy your happiness if is the last thing I do."

Turning on her heel, Regina walked back to the door, not sparing a single glance for any guest in the room.

"Hey!" Snow screamed as the woman reached the doors. "You can't do this, the council will not accept it. Not even from the Dark Princess."

"Oh didn't you know," Regina narrowed her eyes. "The Dark Princess is dead…long live the Evil Queen."

A/N: there will be no flying monkeys here. Mike is not a monkey. He is just a guy