"Miss Swan?"

Emma jumped and looked up at the brunette standing next to her desk. When the bell had rung, she had remained in her chair, still trying to get nerves under control. She didn't do well in school, but she really wanted to try here. Mary-Margaret, her latest foster parent, was nicer than she could ever have hoped given her record, and she wanted to prove she was worth it. That meant no more skipping classes, bad mouthing staff or vandalizing school property when something, or someone got on her nerves.

"Are you ready?"

She nodded vigorously, scrambling out of her chair, grabbing her bag and papers.

"You don't have to look quite so terrified, Miss Swan," smirked Regina at the girl's behaviour. "I'm not going to kill you."

Emma's nerves didn't lessen. The brunette standing next to her was perfect. So well put together, the picture of class and intelligence. Standing next to her, she felt every bit the worthless foster child she was. "Sorry."

"No need to apologise, Miss Swan," said Regina, finding herself softening her tone so as not to further startle the young woman. "You haven't done anything to warrant it quite yet."

"It's Emma," the blonde practically whispered.

"What?" asked Regina.

"My name," said the blonde. "It's Emma."

"Very well, Emma," smiled Regina, finding the girl's nerves rather adorable. When green eyes flicked up to meet her own, she found that despite her having the disposition of a rabbit caught in headlights, there was no fear in her eyes when she looked at her. It made a welcome change from many of her fellow students. "Shall I show you where your next class is?"

"So where did you transfer from?" asked Regina as they walked, wondering what place would be so bad that they would relocate to Storybrooke and consider it a good move.

"Boston," replied Emma, her eyes darting around the corridor as they walked.

"Boston?" Regina repeated. "Why on earth would you move here from Boston?" She watched as the blonde's face fell. It was an expression Regina was all too familiar with. Apparently, the move was something she wasn't comfortable discussing. "Sorry, I didn't mean to pry."

Emma shrugged. "I just…I don't really like talking about it. The move, it wasn't something I really chose."

"Your parents?" Regina almost winced at the expression this brought out on Emma's face, somewhere between pain and anger.

"It's complicated," said Emma, looking sideways at Regina. She sighed in relief when the brunette simply nodded, accepting her answer.

"Well, this is you," said Regina as she came to a stop outside of the geography room. "I'll be back at the end of class to show you where you're going after this."

Standing awkwardly scuffing the heel of her shoe against the floor, Emma's gaze fell to the floor. "Thank you. You know, if you'd rather not come back I wouldn't mind. I'm sure I could probably find where I'm going, and even if I'm late, I'm used to getting in trouble."

Regina waited patiently for Emma to look back up at her eyes. The way she spoke was a girl who never thought she was good enough. Regina recognized the tone, the defeat in her voice. Speaking to her mother, it was one she often employed herself. "I'll be back for you at the end of class," she said, her voice as warm as she could make it. Walking off, she turned back so that she walked backwards. "And Miss Swan, if you don't have lunch plans, I sit outside, on the bench near the apple tree with a couple of friends."

"Take a little detour to corrupt Storybrooke's newest student?" grinned Ruby as Regina slid into the seat next to her, their history teacher not even bothering to ask why she was late.

"Really, Ruby, you expect me to defile her in the corridor?"

The brunette snorted. "I'm just saying, you could use some, and she's pretty."

"I'm not just going to jump on her," scoffed Regina. "I have more class than that."

"But you don't deny she's pretty…"

Regina refused to acknowledge her friend's statement. Who she was and wasn't attracted to had always been somewhat of an issue for her. Her mother wanted her to marry a nice gentleman, preferably one involved in politics. Regina, however, found the idea of being attached to a man repulsive. The pleasing curves of the female form were more to her taste. It was something that her friends knew and accepted, but not something she flaunted, dreading if her mother were to ever find out. "What do you think she eats?" asked Regina almost absent mindedly.

Ruby frowned at the slightly left of field question. "What?"

"Miss Swan." Emma, her mind provided, with the memory of the shy smile that had accompanied the blonde telling her. "What do you think she eats? I told her if she had no lunch plans she should join us."

The other brunette grinned. "Barely here an hour and you've invited her to lunch?"

"You'd only annoy me if you seen her walking around on her own," snapped Regina. "Now, do you think you could text Granny and add something to our usual order for her?"

Ruby's mouth dropped in disbelief. "You're buying her lunch? You barely even buy me lunch! You keep this up and people are going to think you're going soft, Mills."

Regina snorted. Hardly likely. "Are you going to text Granny or not?"

Smirking, Ruby silently reached for her phone. "Burger and fries?"

"Whatever you think she'd like."

Ruby smiled wolfishly. Oh yes, she'd find out what a certain Miss Swan liked, because she was pretty sure Regina liked her more than she was willing to admit.