I don't own these characters; Disney/ABC does.

A/N: this story was a request by Evie. I hope I did your story justice. I had a good time writing this, so I hope you have a good time reading it.

A/N the second: I have no beta, as usual, so expect plenty of mistakes. And, this story is in the omega-verse, in case that sort of thing isn't your thing. It's also an AU.

As always, special shout out to the folks that push me to keep writing: Katie K., Mel, nyrdqueen, 2bears2023, Knzi, Eris_zilEira, Jodi G., Angel S., N, Evie, Lauren S., Persephone the dreaded one, jelli_tots, JoLeen, MaxximumRide666, HR..., Jennifer B., Starkitty23, 88WWitch, Kael D., Susie, Sally C., Sketchy Raccoon, Mary, MamaSaucy, Katherine L., Nick K., Reimarbles, EchoJuliet, and Matts. These folks keep this Lunatic writing more than I would if left to my own devices. You're all awesome and I truly appreciate you.

It's Like a Fairy Tale

1: Welcome to Storybrooke

Emma sighed as she pulled up to the curb in her yellow Bug, parking in front of the little, light blue cottage that would now be her home. As the air escaped her, her body was lighter. It was like weights had been lifted off her shoulders and a vice had been loosened from her chest. Chains were unlocked from her wrists and ankles. She was free. She was out here on her own, in the little town of Storybrooke.

She had never heard of Storybrooke, Maine, until recently, which was ideal. No one would think to look for her here. After all, who would have heard of this place, especially in Boston? Hopefully, she would not be here forever, but for now, it was more than likely the best place for her.

It was quiet, as promised by the realtor who helped her find and rent the cottage. The town was small, or so it appeared the first time she came to check it out. It was definitely out of the way. She was almost surprised she did not have to drive down a dirt road to enter it, but that was the city girl in her being uppity, she supposed. Not a city girl anymore. Time to be a townie and get used to small-town living.

The town had a vibe to it, which she picked up on as soon as she passed the "Welcome to Storybrooke" sign. The main street was quaint, lined with shops with names she did not recognize. Probably owned by locals rather than companies. Everywhere she passed was clean. People strolled down the street like they had all the time in the world. It was a huge change from the hustle and bustle of the big city.

"I'll definitely be able to do some writing here," Emma muttered to herself as she stepped into the yard.

It was the largest yard for someplace she lived in her adult life, but nothing compared to the houses around her. It did not matter. This was her mansion, as it was hers. She did not need much and the tiny house was cute. It fit her style, in her opinion anyway.

The cottage might have started life as a guesthouse for one of the larger houses it was stuck in between, but this was more than enough for her. In fact, it was a grand palace as far as she was concerned with a wonderful front yard, which included a little garden of budding plants that hugged the front of the one-story house. She did not know anything about flowers, but she had no problem learning.

A stone pathway led to the elevated small porch and sandy-colored front door that a window took up half of. The window was divided into fours and blocked by a curtain. Natural light probably poured in when the curtain was open and it was the right time of day.

Emma stepped inside, closing the door behind her. Inside the safety of the small house, Emma almost collapsed under the realization this was it. She was free. She was free and safe. She could get on with her life, alone, on her own, and live the way she wanted.

For the first time in forever, her life was her own, with the means to take care of herself. She damn near sobbed, but held the tears in. She had cried so much already, both tears of sorrow and joy. Now was the time for action.

What to do? Well, beyond unpack. She did not have much. She needed to buy certain things, like living room furniture. Hell, like bedroom furniture. Well, even like a bed. But, she had blankets and she had slept on the floor before. She would be fine.

"More than that, I have my freedom," Emma said, aloud, to remind herself of this amazing thing. This place might be little and have little, but it was hers. She would start over, be herself, and live her life in the manner she saw best. In that instance, it had everything.

She unpacked her meager belongings, starting with the duffle bag full of clothing she managed to escape with, but more importantly, it had her laptop. It was old and the screen was cracked thanks to someone with anger issues, but it was the most important item she owned, as it held her manuscript. She now had a chance to finish her book.

It had been over a year since she started the damn book and had made almost no headway in it. Life got in the way. Now, that life was behind her and a new life was ahead of her. A better life. A better life with her book.

-8-8-8-8-

Regina hated that she was the unofficial welcome wagon. It was irksome, even though people did not move into the neighborhood very often. But, honestly, once was more than enough. This was her fourth time having to do this since she moved in over a year ago. She had to go out of her way to prepare a basket of goodies and explain the ins and outs of Storybrooke. She was not the best when it came to dealing with people, which was a pity considering her job. Of course, the job and her somewhat antisocial nature were also why she did this.

She had been pressured into being the welcome wagon by her friend, neighbor, and Storybrooke district attorney, Kathryn Midas. Kathryn loved to point out that it gave people a chance to have a positive and lovely experience with a high-ranking town official. It also softened Regina's image, which she did not think was prudent, but Kathryn insisted it was important for people to see the chief of police was not a hardass. She would much rather be seen as the hardass.

But, she would like people to have a positive experience with the top of the police force, so they would trust the police department a little more. It was not a huge department, and most of the deputies were well-known in town, but every little bit counted. Therefore, she would play this game.

The welcome basket was prepped, and her "welcome to town" speech was practiced once, even though she knew it by heart at this point. She was ready to go. Thankfully, she did not have to go too far. The newcomer was now her across-the-street neighbor.

The cottage-style house was cute, but somewhat out of place in the neighborhood of mega-mansions. She had never paid too much attention to it, as it was swallowed by the houses and gardens surrounding it. It probably started as a guest house on the property of one of the houses to its side, and at some point, it was transformed into a more proper home.

She was not sure who rented or purchased the cottage, having not bothered to snoop. Eventually, one of the other neighbors would force her to listen to any gossip they learned of the newcomer. She would dread the moment. Town gossip was the worst, but she paid attention as it might help with law enforcement in some way.

She checked herself out in the mirror, making sure her suit was crisp. She had been scolded about doing this sort of thing in a business suit, especially a three-piece suit, as it was not seen as friendly, but she needed to do this in some manner as herself or she would go mad. No one would have a fun time then, except maybe Kathryn, who thought it was funny when Regina went all "Evil Queen" on people as Kathryn liked to put it.

She grabbed the massive basket, wrapped in translucent red plastic, from the table by the door and made her way into the spring day. It was chilly, but not enough for her to bother with her coat since she would not be out for too long. The cool air nipped at her ears as she rushed across the wide street void of traffic. Storybrooke was larger than most guessed, but still behaved like a small town, so there were moments where it seemed like everyone was inside, tending to their home lives. If only. Her life would be much easier if that was the case.

The sound of her heels against the pavement echoed through the quiet until Regina hit the sidewalk. She pushed open the idyllic white picket fence and made her way up the stone walkway to ring the bell. She glanced over at the flowers, checking that they were coming in well. They would be a mark of beauty around the small blue house eventually.

There was a long moment of silence before she heard what might have been a box crashing, followed by plenty of swear words. Clumsy and foul-mouthed. Charming.

"Who is it?" A feminine voice with a rude cadence asked through the door. Well, at least she did not swing the door open, just trusting the town was safe.

"I'm Regina Mills. Technically, the neighborhood's welcoming committee," Regina replied, doing her best not to sound annoyed. She assumed she had failed. She typically did when she tried not to be irked by something bothersome. Why me?

"Welcoming committee?" The voice was puzzled, and the door opened, revealing a lithe blonde. She was dressed in tight, skinny jeans with her boots still on despite being in the house.

Regina tried not to judge. A faint scent of vanilla and jasmine tickled Regina's nose and she wiggled her nose to rid herself of it. It stuck to the roof of her mouth and she almost flicked her tongue against the top of her mouth, but caught herself. She needed to make it through this nonsense without adding to it.

"Yes, welcoming committee." Regina held up the epic basket full of fruits, candies, candles, and homemade baked goods, made by her.

The blonde's intense hazel eyes narrowed on her and she folded her arms across her chest with her hip cocked out to the side. Her scent got sharper, attacking Regina's senses. Regina focused on how the blonde looked her up and down to keep her attention on the woman, not the smell. The woman glared daggers at her, making it obvious she was not welcome. The nerve.

"You're the welcoming committee?" Why was this said so sarcastically?

"Yes," Regina snapped. "You think I just walk around with baskets and knock on random doors?" The idiot was implied, but this fool more than likely missed it.

An eyebrow arched. "Maybe. A nosy alpha sniffing around at the new omega in town."

Regina scowled. "Quite the assumption. I didn't even know you were a person, let alone an omega." Of course, it was odd for an alpha to be the welcoming committee in any town, but worse yet here since Regina was often described as "prickly." Of course, to know she was such, there needed to be more than five seconds of interaction and her introducing herself.

"Uh-huh." Hazel eyes rolled. "I'm sure that's the case. Why don't you take your welcome basket and shove it up your ass?"

"Careful or I'll shove it up yours," Regina said.

The blonde stood up tall, shoulders squared. "I'd like to see you try."

Regina growled, ready to do such work, but it would look quite abhorrent for the police chief to assault the new omega in town. It would be worse since she was an alpha. She did not need that sort of bad press.

So, she did the next best thing. Took her hard work — the stupid welcome basket — and flung it to the ground with all of her might. It crashed against the porch, but she did not take her eyes off the blonde. Real mature. She stormed out of the yard like a tornado, wishing she could rip up the ground as she exited.

-8-8-8-8-

Emma watched the damned alpha — Regina Mills was it? — tear out of her yard. She glared down at the basket, tempted to pick it up, and toss it at the back of Regina's head. No way she would hit her with the whole thing at this range, though. Instead, she went to slam her door with the hope Regina would hear it, but the damned basket blocked the doorjamb.

With a frustrated growl, Emma kicked the basket and somehow her foot hooked around it, so as she pulled her foot back, the basket ended up in her living room. Making it worse, she tripped and stumbled, yet again. It was the second time in under five minutes.

"Goddamnit!" Why was this her life? She could not even enjoy her freedom for a damn hour. At least she could slam the door now, not that it mattered. Regina was nowhere in sight, so she definitely would not hear it.

Emma let loose another curse as she slammed the door for the hell of it. It did not make her feel better. She turned back into the house, ready to put her fist through something. She could not escape stupid, arrogant asshole alphas no matter how hard she tried. With luck, Regina would leave her the hell alone, even though she was certain she could take Regina. She was perhaps the tiniest alpha Emma had ever seen.

"She comes over here with this damn lie about being a welcome wagon. Who the hell lets an alpha welcome anyone anywhere?" Emma grumbled. Alphas should barely be allowed to be outside. They were always the worst, no matter what was happening.

She stepped deeper into the house and almost tripped over the damn basket again, having forgotten about it that fast. Another curse escaped her as she saw contents spill out onto the floor. How had this day gone so bad so fast? I just want to enjoy my little piece of fucking freedom!

She bent down to gather the probable decoy basket, just a way for a pushy alpha to force her way into Emma's space and ruin her day further. The translucent, red paper wrapped around the basket was torn, explaining why items escaped it. It was probably filled with some cheap pieces of crap, a way to distract her, and have her to let her guard down. Never again. She would never give another alpha a chance to treat her like she was worthless.

Her train of thought was derailed as she took in what was on the floor. Cookies. Big, round cookies. She picked them up and smelled them. They were oatmeal cookies by the smell of it and they were warm, fresh, and maybe delicious. Regina brought her a basket of cookies? That was not expected, but it did not mean it was not meant as a distraction.

She shoved everything back into the basket without looking at any of the other items. She pushed it into the corner when she was done and went back to unpacking her meager belongings. She did not make it too far in the chore before the doorbell went off again. If that was Regina again, she would really give her a piece of her mind to make sure that alpha kept a wide berth of her. She did not have the patience for these damned entitled alphas anymore.

Going to the door, she found herself staring at an elderly couple standing on her porch. Holding in a groan, she opened the door. With luck, they were not there to complain about the swearing or the little blow-up with Regina.

"Hi, can I do something for you?" Emma asked, doing her best to sound normal, even friendly. She was certain it did not work, as the couple paused for a moment.

"Hello, dear," the tall, elegant older woman replied once she gathered herself. She was dressed in a long, purple dress with long sleeves and a giant, expensive necklace hung from her long neck. Her white hair was pinned up. "I'm Adelaide Bonfamilie, and this is Georges." She motioned to her shorter companion. "We're your neighbors to the left." She pointed to the house.

Georges tipped his top hat. An actual top hat. What was this neighborhood? Oddly enough, Georges was adorable, but it might have been the hint of gentle lavender from him. A soft scent of a fellow omega. "We thought it would be proper to introduce ourselves after seeing our esteemed welcome wagon already stopped by."

Emma tilted her head. "Welcome wagon?"

"Regina," Adelaide filled in.

Oh, shit, Regina was legit. "You guys seriously send out a lone alpha to welcome people to the neighborhood?" What kind of ass-backward thing was that to do?

Adelaide chuckled. Even her laugh was rich. "Well, she makes the best baskets. She loves to include baked goods and cider, all of which she makes. Plus, it's good for people to meet the chief of police, just in case."

Emma blinked. "The what?" Did she really say the chief of police? Emma cursed out the damn chief of police? This just gets better and better. Well, Emma usually did not fuck up by half, so all of this tracked for her.

"The chief of police. I know she's a little young for such a job, but she's improved the town since she took the position… last year I believe it was. Anyway, we like to pop up once Regina does her thing to smooth over any misunderstanding, as Regina can be an acquired taste," Adelaide said with another snicker.

"Some of us are still trying to acquire it," Georges remarked, but he smiled as he said it.

"That's an odd choice in welcome wagons," Emma commented, unable to wrap her mind around why anyone would send an alpha to make someone feel welcomed. Alphas were notorious for their awful attitudes and Regina certainly lived up to that reputation.

"Again, she makes the best baskets. Make sure you try the banana bread if she included it. It's all homemade," Adelaide replied.

Georges laughed and rubbed his round belly, mussing his Oxford shirt. "Have it with the cider. She makes it herself, too."

Emma was not sure what to do with this information, but she was starting to feel like an ass for some reason. "Um… which house is Regina's again?"

Adelaide pointed right across the street. "Right there. You've got the best house considering no one would even consider robbing you with the chief of police right in view."

Emma let out an awkward chuckle. "Yeah, I guess." She was not sure how she felt about having an alpha right across the street from her, but it was better than having an alpha in her face. She was also not sure how she felt about having a police chief across from her. Her interactions with the police were not as wonderful as they seemed for her neighbors. If she never saw another cop again, it would be too soon.

"Oh, dear. We shouldn't keep you. You more than likely have so much to unpack and set up," Adelaide said. "There are a number of young people around who might help you if you need it."

Emma shook her head. "No, I got it. Thanks for stopping by. Oh, I'm Emma Swan, by the way." It only seemed right to introduce herself. These two were helpful and polite. They seemed like they would be great neighbors.

"It was a pleasure. Please, don't hesitate to stop by once you're settled. I enjoy company and always have tea at the ready," Adelaide said.

"And Regina keeps her in a rich supply of cookies and cakes to go with the tea," Georges added.

Emma gave another awkward laugh and with that the… couple?… she was not sure, but they were gone before she could work the information out of them. She went back into the house and glanced at the basket. Best baskets, huh? Full of homemade things, huh? Fine. She would check it out, but it did not mean anything.

So, there was the banana bread, like Adelaide mentioned. Six cookies similar to the ones she saw earlier. A couple of apples, for whatever reason. Three scented candles. Also three muffins. Some kind of small candies, wrapped in red foil. A bottle of what was probably the cider Georges had spoken of. Gift cards for local businesses it seemed. Even several brochures, highlighting areas in Storybrooke a newcomer might want to explore. It was nice. Damn.

"I gotta apologize, I guess," Emma muttered, rubbing the back of her neck.

Regina had been being friendly and she bit her head off over other issues. This would involve more than swallowing her pride because she had to make sure the apology was high quality… just in case. After all, who knew what an alpha in such a high position of power and authority might do to her should they have a real problem.

She needed a plan. What could she do to drive home she was truly sorry and she had been out of line without appearing weak or inviting? What the hell did alphas like? Well, submission, which she sure as hell was not about to do.

"What do good neighbors do when they have a misunderstanding?" Emma scratched the top of her head. She did not know anything about being a good neighbor. She had barely been allowed to interact with neighbors the past few years. Before that insanity, she had not really been on decent terms with neighbors when she had them, as they had always been intent on ignoring each other since she tended to live in sketchy areas where people made it a point to mind their business.

There had to be something. What would happen in a TV show if this happened? They would more than likely have a terrible dinner where Emma embarrassed herself and dug the grave a little deeper before they came to some understanding the next day. Good thing life was so unlike sitcoms.

She did not have any better ideas, so she would try to apologize, invite Regina to dinner, and apologize more. It might work.

"Do I really want to have a strange alpha in my house, though?" Not really, but she would have home-court advantage and she would be more justified if something happened. So, that was settled. Not that it would matter if something happened since she's the chief of police. Emma shook that thought away.

She needed to stop thinking that all alphas were the same. After all, Regina came to her in kindness and she was the one to bite first. Time to try to course correct.

-8-8-8-8-

Regina was curled up with a glass of wine and paperwork, set to ruin her weekend. But, it was this or household chores and the laundry would keep until tomorrow. A knock at the door disrupted even that.

She groaned. She was not expecting company. The peons of this town knew better than to disturb her at home. She did not want to do any socializing after what happened earlier. She wanted to put her unpleasant interaction with her neighbor across the street — Emma Swan, according to Adelaide — out of her mind. Adelaide had come over to check on how things went between them as Emma seemed worked up when Adelaide went to introduce herself. Regina had begged Adelaide off, citing work, which she was trying to do.

She went to the door and was surprised by who she saw through the eyehole. "Well, if it isn't the worst neighbor," Regina commented as she opened the door with a smirk.

Emma made a show of wincing. "Okay, I deserved that. I'm here to apologize for my behavior earlier."

Regina arched an eyebrow. "Go on." She loved to watch people eat crow, after all.

"You don't make things easy, do you?"

"I don't make it a point, no."

Emma's face tensed, like she had to chew that crow good before she swallowed it. It was a beautiful thing to see. Regina waited. Emma would either keep going or blow up again. Neither bothered Regina now.

"I'm sorry for the way I acted earlier," Emma said through gritted teeth, like she had to grind broken glass between her molars. She then took a deep breath, composing herself. "Look, I mean it. I'm sorry I was an asshole. I'm…" She shook her head. "Not gonna offer any excuses. I messed up."

"Yes, you did," Regina agreed, reveling in this moment.

Emma's nostrils flared. Her scent spiked once again. Regina had to resist the urge to rub her tongue on the roof of her mouth or inhale deeply. No, she would hold onto her righteous indignation and delight in the fact this clearly proud reprobate had to humble herself before Regina.

"Right, and like I said, I'm sorry. Maybe I can make it up to you," Emma said with a tense smile. She had to know she appeared demented.

This was not something Regina wanted, but she was curious about what Emma thought might be worth her time. It would be interesting to discover how Emma would humiliate herself further to drive home this apology.

"I was wondering if you'd come by my place for dinner. Since your basket was packed with so much food, I figure I could kinda give back," Emma said.

Regina should decline. She could and did cook her own meals whenever she had the time for it. She enjoyed working in her kitchen, actually, and did not eat everyone's food. She had no idea how Emma kept her kitchen, what seasonings she used on food, or if she had animals in the house, which could impact her handling of food.

"Do you really want to host a guest while you're in the process of moving in?" Regina asked as if questioning Emma's intelligence.

Emma shrugged. "I don't have much and you already know I'm moving in, so you probably won't have high expectations."

"I wouldn't have had them even if I didn't know that," Regina replied.

Emma scowled, but swallowed whatever she wanted to say as a pained smile carved its way onto her face. There was another spike in her aroma, but not quite like before. "You coming over or what?"

Regina sighed. There was no way out of this with the invitation out there and Emma not taking the excuse. Of course, it was possible that she pressed on because Regina insulted her. So, once again, her mouth got her in trouble. Such is life.

"I suppose. I mean, how can I ignore such a lovely invitation," Regina replied, somehow keeping the heavy sarcasm out of her tone.

"Cool. Tonight. My place at seven."

Regina let loose a groan. There went the rest of her night. She had to learn to control her mouth one day. Or maybe just get out of being the damn welcome wagon. Emma frowned once again, having heard Regina's reaction. This would make for an interesting dinner and Regina did not want interesting.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Emma and Regina get along in a way that's expected.