My fantasy has no limits. I already have so many ideas for new au stories and don't know where to start, which one to write first. This story was inspired by the famous movie Titanic. I don't follow all the facts about the ship and the tragedy, I only use it as an inspiration. I hope you will enjoy reading it. Let me know what you think. I don't expect this fanfic to be popular but at least writing it takes my mind of things I don't want to think about.

Long live the SwanQueen.

The Iceberg

„Dear diary, I am Emma Swan and I am about to marry a man I am not in love with." was the first sentence Emma Swan, a rich woman from London, wrote into her little notebook which she carried with her everywhere she went. This time it wasn't any different. On the solid ground and also on the wild waves of the ocean she was about to sail her little diary kept her company. She was very cautious that nobody could get to it and read the most intimate things she shared with her paper friend. Crowds and crowds were boarding one of the biggest ships ever built for its first journey between London and New York. Emma was in her cabin, taking her clothes out of the luggage and putting it into a little wardrobe. The journey is going to take a few days and she always likes her things to be placed nicely on the shelves. Emma heard a gentle knock.

„Come in," Emma invited the visitor in. When she saw it was her husband-to be, her heart saddened. Neal was a kind man, very handsome and as rich as she was but her heart didn't find its way to his. Actually she wasn't sure if what she felt for him was or wasn't love. She has never been in love before. She was still young and her parents were very strict when it came to dating men. School and education was always the most important thing for them so Emma has never been allowed to attend any celebration or a party no matter how many times her friends and classmates invited her.

„Hello Emma, how are you settling in?" Neal asked and went to his fiancé. Emma was standing in front of a mirror preparing herself for dinner they were invited to. Neal hugged Emma from behind and placed a soft kiss on her neck.

„You look amazing, dear," he complimented her. Emma smiled and continued working on her hair. As much as she was excited for this journey she wanted to run away, run away from Neal, from all the restrictions she was constantly getting from her parents. She wanted to be free.

„I will be ready in few minutes," Emma said and pulled away from Neal pretending she needed more space for her hands to move around her head.

„I am going to join our parents in the dining room. Come when you are ready," Neal informed her wife to be and left the cabin. Emma exhaled heavily. She would rather be home, all alone, with her diary and with no snobby events to attend. This wasn't the life she dreamed of. She finished making her hair, checked her dress and left the cabin to join all the rich people for dinner.

When Emma was eating her delicious and probably a very expensive dinner, Regina Mills was painting a picture of a little kid and a kitten playing with a ball on one of the lower decks of the ship. Regina was on the way to try her luck in a bigger city. She wanted to draw, paint pictures and make money for her living. She wasn't as lucky as Emma. She wasn't born in a rich family. Her family was poor and barely managed to have food on their plates at least once a day. Her hand moved over the paper with grace and with every single touch there was a new line appearing on the paper, revealing more of the picture. With the last line of the pencil she finished the picture and decided to go for a walk. She was curious about this brand new ship which was also the biggest ship ever made by people. She left the lower deck and climbed the stairs to the main deck. The wind was stronger up here so it ruffled her hair. Regina decided to stay by the railing and observe the ocean.

Regina was deep in her thoughts about how free she felt, how her life was going to change and what opportunities will New York offer to her. On the other side of the deck Emma Swan climbed the stairs and searched for a place where she could be alone. She had enough of this life. She couldn't be herself, she couldn't live her own life. She didn't even know who she was because she always lived up to someone else's idea. All the buried emotions started to come out and it was overwhelming. They clouded her mind and it seemed like there was no way out of this hell. Emma climbed over the railing ready to jump and end this misery. Tears soaked her cheeks and her sobs reached Regina's ears. Thankfully. Regina turned around to see where the sound was coming from. When she saw the blond woman standing at the edge of the deck , hanging from the railing she panicked. She knew she had to stay calm not to scare the woman and cause her fall involuntarily. Regina took a deep breath and started moving closer to the woman, taking calm steps towards the desperate soul who was trying to end her own life.

„What a beautiful evening," Regina decided to start the conversation. Her voice was gentle and calming. She tried to come up with what to say next while she waited for the blond woman to answer.

„Oh, sorry?" Emma didn't expect anyone to be out and she most certainly didn't want to talk to anyone. She turned her head towards the woman who just spoke to her.

„Yes, it is," she added and kept staring at Regina. What a beautiful woman, she thought. Suddenly she didn't want the mysterious woman to see her cry. Emma wiped her tears away with one hand, using the other hand to hold onto the railing.

„So you are going for a swim?" Regina tried to change the approach. It somehow felt right to lift the mood and joke a little bit.

„It's the ocean, it's cold. Very cold," she added and patiently waited for Emma's reaction.

„It doesn't matter," Emma said like she was ready to give up. Her body moved towards the ocean, her hands slowly letting go of the railing.

„What made you come to this point?" Regina wasn't ready to give up that easily. She took few light steps towards the other woman so she was closer to her in case she needed to react quickly and catch her.

„My life. Well, my life is not even mine," Emma answered. One of her hands let go of the railing and she was hanging above the sea ready to say goodbye. Regina closed the distance between them and caught Emma's hand.

„Life is a gift and it's not given to be wasted. You can always change your life and live according to your own rules," Regina answered, summoned all her strength and pulled the blond woman back to the ship deck. She laid her on the ground, breathing heavily. Relief filled her body. Her hand reached Emma's and with a little pull Regina helped Emma to stand up.

„What do you know about life, hm?" Emma asked. She felt betrayed and sad that she couldn't finish what she started.

„I know more than you might think I do," Regina answered, bent down to pick up her painting set from the ground. One of the paintings fell out and flew to Emma's feet. Emma picked it up and looked at it curiously. It was Regina's last painting of the boy and the kitten.

„This is beautiful," Emma exhaled and couldn't take her eyes off the picture.

„You?" she asked if Regina was the one who painted it.

„Yes," Regina answered sheepishly. She blushed. Emma offered Regina the picture and when Regina took it their hands met in a light touch, they brushed against each other and both of the women felt something. They knew that this evening wasn't the last one they would be spending together.

„Maybe you could draw me one day?" Emma asked Regina while walking down the stairs from the upper deck.

„It would be my pleasure," Regina answered giving the blond woman one of her wide smiles.

„I don't even know your name," Emma asked her saviour.

„I am Regina. And yours?"

„Emma," the blond woman said returning a smile. This was all that Regina needed to know now.

The End