Once Upon a Time 1. Chapter 1

_To: Your Anonymous Friend_

_From: The Queen's Shadow_

_I don't know why I'm doing this. It's a stupid thing to do, honestly. I don't even know who you are and I'm expected to open my closet and invite you in to have tea with my skeletons and myself? Have a nice chat while we're here? God. This has to be the stupidest thing I've done. I don't know what I was thinking when I looked this site up…it's just that, I overheard a couple of the girls in the locker room talking about it and I just thought…why not? I've never had a friend, a true friend, that I could just talk to about everything I keep locked up inside. But that's what your for, right Stranger? Look I'm not…good at this whole feelings thing. I mean, I'm not use to having them or rather, expressing them. Normally I just push them so far down they never see the light of day again because that's what I have to do, it's what my mother taught me. Anyway, I heard that this site is legitimate and actually works. I don't actually expect this to work but…I need to try something before I go insane. For some reason, your name is what struck me so here we are. I don't know if you can help me, Anonymous Friend, if you can relate to my problem, but I hope you can offer me some kind of advice. God, if my mother knew what I was doing I think she'd kill me. Asking for help, that is so beneath me. But the truth is, Anon, I do need your help. See the thing is Anon, I'm gay. I'm gay and your the only person on this earth that knows. In my small town, being gay is intolerable and unheard of. Not to mention that the mayor would absolutely despise the idea of a gay mucking up her perfect town. She doesn't like things that do not fit into her views of perfection. And she's my mother Anon. I just don't know what to do anymore. I feel like I'm going crazy inside my own head. Outside, I remain a picture of undisturbed beauty but inside I'm a splatter painted canvas of crazed thoughts and I just can't find the real art in it. There's something wrong with me Anon. Help me fix it so I can be what my mother wants me to be-what she needs me to be. Please, if you can, get back to me as soon as possible. It's imperative you don't dally._

Regina's fingers hovered over the send button, a daring red with bold white outlining the daunting word. Her phone shook in her hand because of the trembles coursing through her muscles. Oxygen stopped flowing into her lungs, her teeth held her lower lip, and she pressed her thumb down into the glass touch screen. A ding indicated that the message had been sent off to 'Your Anonymous Friend' from the _Teen Counselors _website. The way it worked was simple and safe for the users, Regina had been sure to look deep into it before even considering using it herself. There was a page with lists of names, none real names, and if one should click on a name then they could easily message a stranger though the site referred to them as a 'teen counselor'. Someone of your age that was going through the same problems as you could lend a metaphorical hand to one another in the time of need. Regina had heard Kathryn talking about it with a few of the other girls after cheer practice yesterday and, while Kathryn had been saying how helpful it can be to get stress out, Regina had been hiding behind a locker listening. At first, she had dismissed as folly of a high school drama queen but later that night, as she sat uncomfortably straight at the dinner table across from her mother, the usual niggling feeling of loneliness reminded Regina of the site. Politely, so as not to infuriate her mother over poor manners, Regina had excused herself with a washy claim of not being hungry and gone to her room to search for this site. She found it easily enough and after a few hours, she felt she had researched all there was to know about it still she refrained from actually getting on the _Teen Counseling _site herself. Something about it was daunting. Yet she had managed to last through the school day the next day until she found herself where was now, seated on the floor with her back propped against her bed frame, and shaking terribly with the knowledge that she had just shared her deepest, darkest secret with a complete stranger over the internet.

It had been terrifying to write but at the same time it had also felt wonderful. For so long, Regina had been a living, breathing lie walking around in her mothers shadow. Atheistically, she was absolute perfection and everyone knew as did she. Part of the reason she had soared to popularly in school was attributive to her flawless looks. The way the pleats of her cheerleading skirt swished when she walked, flashing her olive toned thighs, kept boys drooling at her feet and her cold, calculating smile made damn sure females knew to back off. Regina was her mothers daughter in that aspect, emotionlessly evil, caring for no one and nothing but themselves. Or at least, that is what Regina portrayed in school to keep her status but at home, behind doors, she was just like every other 17 year old girl. She had dreams, she had crushes, she had favorite bands, and most of all, she desired to be loved. The only problem was, Regina desired to be loved by the wrong people, the wrong gender, and her mother would never approve. Cora would sooner throw Regina on the street after disowning her than except who her daughter really was, who her daughter wanted to be and Regina knew this. So she stayed quiet, she played the role Cora had assigned her. Straight, 4.0 GPA, head cheerleader, star athlete in all sports played, school president, and the very most popular girl at Storybrooke High not to mention the most desired teenage female out of everyone within her age range. Truly, all the attention and the work it took to achieve such status was tiring for Regina and she hated every moment of it but like a good daughter should, she took her suffering in silence for her mothers favor.

However all the pain she was feeling only amplified with each passing day that Regina held it within and now, she was at her breaking point. She needed someone to know, she needed a real friend she could talk to about everything she felt inside. Someone that would just be there for her despite what she had to tell them. Gripping her phone just a little tighter as a tear tracked down her cheek, Regina hoped and prayed that this person could be her savior. She had nothing else left.

"Regina, what are you still doing awake? Don't you have school tomorrow? And why on earth are you sitting on floor?" Cora stood on Regina's doorway, a permanent scowl on her face. Choking a little on the air she was breathing, Regina scrambled to her feet and stuffed her phone under the mussed duvet covering her bed before Cora could notice the device.

"I'm sorry Mother, I was just-"

"Regina. How many times have I told you, sleep is beneficial to a good morning and mornings are essential to having a good day. You'll need to know this for when you become the mayor." Cora sighed despondently and strode into the room, casting a disproving glance towards Regina's cheerleading outfit that lay draped over her desk carelessly. She reached a hand out to tuck a lock of short brunette hair behind Regina's ear, ignoring the way her daughter flinched away from her hand.

"Why don't you understand that Regina?"

"I'm sorry Mother. It won't happen again."

Cora smiled without any actual warmth, dragging her nails across Regina's cheek lightly, "No. It most definitely will not. Tell me Regina, where did you go after school today?"

Panic shot up Regina's spine, emitting jolts of shivers to run freely through her tight muscles but she concealed it well behind a cool mask of aloofness. Calmly she tilted her head to the side as if in thought and hummed in the back of her throat.

"To cheer practice Mother. You know that. I have it after school everyday from four to six. And then I have a 5 hour long Saturday practice. I always have Sundays off."

Cora nodded, already having had this information stored away in the recesses of her mind, but then she paused and lowered her brows in contemplation, "Where did you say you were? After school I mean."

Fear buzzed around Regina's brain, warning her against continuing with her lie but Regina foolishly thought she could out act her mother, "Cheer practice Mother."

Cora's lips twitched into a sneer, a vehement maliciousness burning bright behind muddy brown eyes, "Is that so?"

"Yes."

"So you weren't at the little ramshackle, excuse of a house your father built for himself when I threw his worthless behind out of our lives?"

Regina's stomach bottomed out, leaving behind the bitter taste of bile in mouth. Of course Cora knew. She always knew everything. Regina shouldn't have even bothered trying to lie. Submissively, Regina dropped her chin to her chest.

Cora tutted, "That's what I thought. What did I tell you about visiting your father Regina Mills?" When Regina said nothing Cora gripped Regina's chin in a bruising vise and yanked it up, locking eyes with the widened and fear filled ones of her daughter.

"What did I tell you!?"

"Not too Mother, I'm sorry."

Cora sneered at Regina and cast her away, snapping Regina's head hard to one side and drawing a small pained whimper from the teen, "As you should be. Not only did you disobey me but you lied to me about it as well. When will you realize it's easier to obey me than to fight me Regina?"

"I'm sorry Mother."

Cora sighed again and shook her head, not once looking away from Regina's bowed head. Softly she placed her hand atop Regina's head, curling small wisps of brunette hair around her fingertips. Regina hardly responded to Cora's gentle touch outside of tensing up as if expecting another shove or an impromptu slap.

"I'm sorry dear but you've left with no other choice but to punish you. Give me to keys to you car."

Regina snapped her head up, knocking Cora's hand away, and stared at her mother through wide and, embarrassingly, tear filled eyes, "No Mother please, I'm sorry I won't-"

"This isn't up for debate Regina Mills! Do as I say!" Cora hissed, holding out an expectant hand.

"But how will I get to school Mother?"

Cora shrugged, eyes narrowing dangerously every second she had to wait for Regina to fill her palm, "You'll walk."

"Walk!? But Mother! That's at least 2 miles-"

"Are you questioning my authority Regina?" Immediately the teen slunk back inside herself, turning into the mask laden husk of a being who would forever be submissive in her mothers presence. Without a word Regina dug the keys to her Mercedes out of her jeans pocket and dropped them into Cora's awaiting palm. The older woman nodded and turned on her heels to stride towards the door, somewhat hesitating to cast a strange look towards her daughter, before striding the rest of the way out. A few moments of silence rang in Regina's ears before her hurt and fear that Cora always instilled turned into pure rage and she stormed towards her door. In a temper, she wrapped her fingers around the white painted wood of the door and pulled on it the slam the door shut. A loud boom rang through the hall outside and echoed inside her head but it hardly could drown out the hard thumping of her cracking heart.

A sob ripped from her throat and another followed until free tears rolled down her cheeks and Regina had to cover her mouth in an attempt to stifle the sounds of anguish coming from her. Not only would Regina have to get up early to make the 2 miles to school and still be on time but now, without a means to get there, Regina wouldn't be able to visit her father. Henry Mills, the man Cora Mills had divorced the moment she had become the official Mayor of Storybrooke, was Regina's only light in this hell she was living and now he had been taken away from her as well as the car he had bought her. Why couldn't Cora just let her be happy? What was so wrong with it?

A buzzing noise startled the sobs right out of Regina. Bemused, she turned back towards her bed and noticed a swatch of fabric was lit, the light orientating from beneath the duvet. She walked to her bed slowly and sat on the edge, flipping her duvet over to see her phone screen lit up with a message from _Teen Counseling_. Your Anonymous Friend had replied to her message. A nervous trembling wracked her already tense body, the tear stains on her cheeks showing up when the light of her phone washed over her face.

_To: The Queen's Shadow_

_From: Your Anonymous Friend_

_First, I'd just like to say that I'm really glad you chose me. Let me just put it out there that you couldn't have picked a better person for this particular issue you are struggling with. I, myself, happen to be gay as well. So truly, I can relate to you. However, the first thing you need to know is that is absolutely _nothing _wrong with you Queen. Just because you don't have the urge to date the opposite sex doesn't mean there is something wrong with your character or your mental health. You are perfect the way you are. However, I would just like to say, that there is a problem with the fact that you feel too scared and unsafe with where you are to come out. What I'll help you with, Queen, is to teach you to accept you and be more comfortable with you because then you'll see that where you are isn't where you belong. You need to be somewhere you can be happy and be excepted. Does that sound alright with you? I'll be here whenever you need me Queen. Just a click away._

She cast a glance at the closed door, half expecting Cora to come back in and take this away from her too but it remained stoic. Cradling the phone to her chest, Regina used one hand to shuck her jeans off and climbed up her bed. She used the same hand to shut her lamp off, casting the room in darkness, and pulled her duvet up to her chin before finally opening the message.

_To: Your Anonymous Friend_

_From: The Queen's Shadow_

_That sounds nice Anon. Maybe we can start tomorrow? I've had a very long day and I'm exhausted. I have school tomorrow and Cheer practice after school, but we can talk after then. Goodnight. _

_To The Queen's Shadow_

_From: Your Anonymous Friend_

_Sure sounds good Queen. I'm going to be busy most of the day tomorrow anyway. Sweet dreams. _

Regina neglected to notice the small smile that accompanied the warm flutter of happiness blossoming in her chest. Never before had someone wished her sweet dreams. Occasionally her father would sneak in to wish her good night but never for sweet dreams. Sighing quietly Regina tucked her phone beneath her pillow and burrowed under her blankets. Tomorrow would be a good day.

**Xx xX **

A few blocks down the road from the glorious Mills Mansion, Your Anonymous Friend was just powering off her phone for the night when her mother killed the engine to the moving van. The large U-HAUL was stuffy inside the cabin where Emma sat and the seat between she and her mother was littered with various sorts of junk food that was nearly depleted after their long journey from Tallahassee to Storybrooke, Maine. Every item they owned was carefully packed and stacked in the back of the U-HAUL, awaiting unloading and unpacking. Yet Emma remained in the passenger seat of the vehicle, staring out into the mostly dark streets of Storybrooke, wondering what this new place would bring for her and if it would be any good. This was their fifth move just this year and the fourth one done without her father, David. Her mother, Snow, was a restless woman without her husband by her side and was constantly needing a new place to lay down at night less the previous place dredge up memories of her husband. It wasn't as if David was lying in a grave somewhere. Quite the contrary, he was alive and well but only if he could keep up his luck it seemed. Currently, her father was overseas fighting in a war that had begun long before Emma had even been born. Sergeant David Charming of the Marine Corps had been deployed to Afghanistan 3 months ago and Emma would be lying if she were to say she didn't miss her father but she kept herself together for her mothers sake. Snow was sensitive to the topic of her husband so Emma remained quiet about the issue unless her mother brought it up. What Snow didn't know, however, was that in the latest letter she had received from her father, David had told Emma that he would be coming home within the next few months but it was to be a surprise for Snow so she had to keep quiet about it. And she had, even when Snow had told Emma that she had found a teaching job in Maine and suggested they move there for it.

"Emma?" The teen turned her head away from the window towards her mothers shining aqua-sage eyes. Snow White (she had decided to keep her last name instead of taking David's in commiseration of her late father) was beautiful even when she was encroaching on her late 40's. The short pixie cut of hair that lay mussed atop her head didn't hold a single strand of grey in it and her milky complexion remained relatively untouched by wrinkles save for the faint lines webbing from the corner of her eyes and mouth. She still held her muscle well, little fat made up her body at all, and all without hardly needing to do any sort of muscular excursion daily. A trait Emma had inherited as well as Snow's seamlessly effortless beauty and her facial structure.

"Yeah Mom?"

"Don't worry about unpacking anything yet. Why don't we just sleep tonight since it's late already and your first day of school is tomorrow. We can work on getting it done after school alright?" Snow glanced around the cab of the vehicle with a tilt of her lips, an obvious display of her being uncomfortable, "As long as you don't mind sleeping in here. I can set the alarm on my phone-"

Emma smiled smally and reached across the sea of junk food to lay a hand on her mothers forearm, "It's cool Mom. Don't worry about it." Then, with little care for the upholstery, Emma did a single sweep of her arm to knock all the junk food from the seat onto the floorboards. Snow made a disapproving sound that fed Emma's mischievousness yet the stewing mother gave her child no reprimand. Smirking, Emma pulled a few blankets from under the seat and threw one to her mother. The other she wrapped around herself and sunk into the seat, resting her head against the window.

"Sweet dreams Mom."

"Sweet dreams Emma."

With a soft yawn, Emma finally allowed her body to relax and closed her eyes. Sleep hit her instantly and didn't let her go until an annoyingly perky ring tone woke her. She stumbled out of the U-HAUL with a drawn out yawn and, after saying goodbye to her rousing mother, slammed the door shut before stumbling down the road in the direction her GPS said the high school would be.

She had been walking for nearly 15 minutes when she had finally stumbled upon the high school. It was nothing grandiose like her old school had been but it was nice in a homey, small town kind of way. There were already groups of kids standing around the parking lot, leaned against cars laughing or making out, when she got there and, once they spotted her, she immediately heard whispers floating around as she passed. Luckily, Emma had experience at being the new kid so she remained with her chin up, head high, as she moseyed through the front doors.

The halls were congested with bodies that reeked of far to much Axe body spray and the ones who didn't use body spray at all. Chattering blocked out almost all sounds except for the clamor of hundreds of students walking around or slamming their lockers shut. Emma fought to squeeze though the throng with the small slip of paper containing the email the school had sent her containing her schedule information and her locker number. By the time she had made it to her locker, her glasses had been knocked of twice, her ponytail was disheveled as she was, and she had begun to smell like Axe from rubbing against so many bodies coated in it. With an annoyed sigh she pushed her glasses up with the bridge of her palm and quickly spun her lock combo in, popping it off with ease, and began unloading her measly amount of school supplies. Pencils, pens, and a couple packs of college ruled paper as well as her handful of folders she had personally decorated during the ride here to pass the time. Just as she was about to close her locker and try her hand at finding her first period class, her phone beeped in her pocket.

Taking it out, she smiled at the screen upon seeing that her new friend had messaged her.

_To: Your Anonymous Friend _

_From: The Queen's Shadow_

_I have a serious problem Anon! I need your help, I'm not sure what to do. I just found out from a friend of mine that there is a new girl at school today and I just saw her walk past me. Anon, she's adorable. Kind of dorky looking but adorable. The thing is…I think I'm attracted to her Anon. I need to figure out how to fix this! Please find time to message me back on this ASAP. _

Emma smiled even as she shook her head. This one was going to be a tough one to break. She was so wrapped up in her disillusions of the way the world had taught her to be. With a disapproving cluck of her tongue against the roof of her mouth, she leaned against her still open locker as she replied.

_To: The Queen's Shadow_

_From: Your Anonymous Friend _

_Relax. We've talked about this remember? There is absolutely nothing with you being attracted to girls (I am assuming that because you said your attracted to 'her', then you too are a girl). If you like her, go talk to her. Try to befriend her. What do you usually do when you feel an attraction towards a girl?_

_To: Your Anonymous Friend_

_From: The Queen's Shadow_

_Ignore it. Make out with my Ex boyfriend, Graham, and then make her life a living hell. It makes not liking her a lot easier if she hates me. Or fears me. Either or works for me. It had worked for me thus far. _

_To: The Queen's Shadow_

_From: Your Anonymous Friend_

_O…kay. Well, don't do that this time. The first thing you need to do to except yourself, is except your attraction to woman. Go talk to her. I'm not asking you to come out to the whole school or fuck her in the hallway or anything, just talk to her. Be friends. And whatever you do, don't go use some guy to bury your feelings okay Queen?_

_Keep me updated._

Emma tucked her phone into her back pocket where it had previously been, feeling fairly giddy. She loved helping people with their problems but only if the person didn't know it was her. She didn't like the recognition or the glory of a savior, she liked old fashioned helpfulness done out of the honesty of a good heart, not someone looking for a pat on the back. And this girl use all the help she could get.

Slinging her bag back over her shoulder, Emma shut her locker and after locking it turned around to head to class only to come face to face with one of the most beautiful girls she had ever seen. Fathomless dark brown eyes stared at her in a blank way, carefully hiding whatever lie beneath them. A soft to touch but sharp in contour face was framed by perfectly styled brunette hair so dark it was nearly black, wisps of curls making the bangs flair out near the ends. Expensive clothes hugged the trim, toned body of the slightly shorter girl who was obvious an athlete born from money. Just looking at her made Emma feel cheep and unworthy. Gulping, Emma reached up to push her glasses up with the bridge of her palm only to find they didn't need it and she had done it as a nervous tick. Silently she berated herself.

"Ah…hi. I mean, hello. I'm Emma. Emma Swan Charming. But you didn't need to know my middle name…ah…" A bright red flush crawled up Emma's neck and settled in her cheeks, setting her whole face on fire. Even if her last name was Charming, she was about as smooth as sandpaper when it came to the ladies. The girl hardly blinked an eye at Emma's nervousness, merely tightening her lips into an almost frown.

"Regina Mills. Nice to meet you." Regina hesitated for a moment before reaching her hand out for Emma to shake. The blond eagerly intercepting the hand after wiping her own sweaty palm off on the backside of her jeans. A flutter in Emma's chest made her heart murmur when their skin pressed together, palm to palm, for the first time. Silky, satin skin rubbed against the calluses decorating her palm and, it could have been Emma's own imagination, but she was sure that Regina drug her fingertips across the entire length of her palm plus her fingers slower than normally excepted when they ended the handshake.

"Ah, right! Nice to meet you…too. Regina. Pretty name. I mean, not to be weird or anything! Not that I'm going all gay on you cause I mean, I am gay, but I'm not hitting on you that is. Not that you aren't pretty enough cause you are. Your super hot-fuck. I'm gonna stop talking now." Emma bit into her bottom lip and shook her head, trying to convey her apology through silence. Regina's brown shot up and her eye twitched slightly.

"Your…a lesbian?"

Emma nodded, "Yeah."

Suddenly the air around them ignited with something vicious. Regina's blank face morphed into that of an angry, offended woman. She stepped forward to poke Emma in the chest, effectively knocking the blond back against her locker and trapping her there between cool metal and hot brunette.

"Listen, if you think for one second I'm interested in you and you go around telling people that Regina Mills is interested in _you, _I will destroy you. Do you understand?" Emma gaped like a fish as she stared into the angry face in front of her but a part of her couldn't ignore the small spark of terror that had flashed in those captivating brown eyes briefly when Emma had said she was gay.

"I didn't-"

"Good. This is over then." Regina stepped back and smoothed out the wrinkles in her black pea coat, casting a look over her shoulder at a gaggle of girls watching the interaction between the two of them, "Have a good day Emma Swan."

"Ah, actually it's Charming-"

Regina looked Emma over with something that almost resembled a teasing smile, "Oh? Is it? Because you look more like an Ugly Duckling to me."

And with that, Regina walked away to join the girls that had been spectating. Emma watched them look at her as Regina spoke before they shared a simultaneous laugh and walked away. The blond remained standing their in a stupor, still pressed against her locker, confused about what had just transpired until the bell rang, signaling first period. She was late. Great.

Her phone buzzed.

_To: Your Anonymous Friend_

_From: The Queen's Shadow_

_I panicked and verbally attacked her. She told me she's gay-in the middle of the hallway-like it was no big thing and I got scared because part of me was thrilled to find out. I messed up. I'm sorry…she definitely won't be my friend now. _

_To: The Queen's Shadow_

_From: Your Anonymous Friend _

_Don't worry about it. I'm sure she'll forgive you. You still have time Queen. Don't give up on yourself. You did good, I'm proud of you for stepping out of your comfort zone to try. I'll help you beat this self-homophobia if its the last thing I do. I have class now Queen but feel free to message me if you need me. _

**Originally, I had planned for this story to be a one shot but as it turns out I don't really have time to sit down and write a 16,000+ worded one shot. So I'm going to split this up into three or four chapters. As always, I love feedback so don't hesitate to leave me a review. I'm off to cook dinner, do well all you internet strangers! **


	2. Chapter 2

**Important message here. Hello to everyone who is still tuned into this story. If you follow any of my other stories then you'll have noticed a message in one that I'm about to repeat. Recently, due to complicated reasons, I have not been able to use any type of computer to write any updates for any of my stories. Consider it digital lockdown. However I now have a way to write therefore I am able to create things again! So, with any luck, I'll be able to get things moving again. I apologize for the long wait and I can understand if some of you gave up hope and no longer read this. Thank you to those who are. Now, with that out of the way, on with the story yes? **

Emma kicked a pebble off the sidewalk into the street with the tip of her scuffed Nike as the only way to vent her frustrations she knew how short of punching a random passerby in the face. A cloud of gloom seemed to be hanging overhead after her long and horrible first day of school. After her first meeting with the oh so perfect Regina Mills, Emma's day had steadily gotten worst until everything added up to sixth period. Most of her classes, Emma had discovered much to her dismay, was shared with Regina and in each class the girl reveled in making Emma miserable. In Chemistry Regina purposely knocked a beaker full of vinegar water over to spill clear across all of her work though feigned innocence when questioned by the teacher afterwards. In PE Regina had used her popularity and her sway as a jock to get the larger football players to pelt her with rubber balls during dodge ball and leave massive red spots all across her. Thankfully none hit her face and broke her glasses for she knew her mother could not afford to replace the ones she had now. During her study hour Regina had tripped in and sent her sprawling into a row of books promptly knocking loose each book and sending them topping onto her head. Yet all of that was mere child's play compared to what happened in sixth period health class. Unfortunately for Emma since she was starting her first day halfway through the school year all of the teachers were already midway through their lesson plans for the year and that meant Emma had come into a project all the other students had already started on. This project it seemed had to do with safe sex as each student was given an STD to study and write a report about then present to the class. The project, she discovered, was in its premature stage therefore no one was even done with the reports let alone ready to present. They were still learning about from the teacher and, this particular day, the teacher was giving a presentation about prophylactics and other ways to have safe sex. Emma, for her part, mostly stayed tuned out as the teacher droned on considering most of the information being doled out didn't pertain to her in anyway therefore did not notice what Regina was stirring up. Her entire focus was on the scribbles she was doing in her notebook of a little stick figure knight being burnt to a crisp by a lopsided dragon with a drooping wing on one side. It was until she heard Regina's sharp voice cut through the room that she realized the trouble being stirred. Brilliantly Regina had somehow guessed just from the 5 minutes she had been speaking to her that Emma was a naturally shy person who didn't enjoy being shoved into the spotlight. She, loudly, announced to the classroom that her _good _friend Emma shouldn't be subjected to this because she was in fact of the homosexual variety therefore needed an entirely different tutelage to ensure she fornicate safely. The teacher's eyes had shined with glee at the change and jumped directly into ways homosexuals, lesbians in particular for Emma's sake, can and should have protected sex. What was worst was that the teacher spoke directly to Emma and called complete attention to her when he used examples such as "when Emma and her girlfriend chose to be intimate they should do this to be safe…" and so on. Naturally of course that wasn't the end of it. The teacher left the last 20 minutes of class for his students to work on their reports and Regina, having already known this, used that time to rally a flock of peers. With her flock she swooped in on Emma's desk and they proceeded to hammer Emma with derogative comments about her sex life, her sexual orientation, and a mixture of the two. By the end of class Emma felt belittled and the sting of tears threatening to fall. The moment the bell rang Emma bolted from the room and fled from the school premises with a quickness that couldn't be fast enough.

She was shamed to find herself shed a few tears on her walk home but didn't try to stop it because it felt kind of nice to let it out. After she was finished she felt somewhat better, almost happy again, aside from the massive gloom cloud still hanging above her head. This was only her first day and it had been absolute torture. What was the rest of her year going to be like?

Emma sighed as she turned the corner onto her street, clenching her fingers around the straps of her back pack. She had already expected her mother to be home before her so she wasn't surprised to see her mother bustling around the moving truck in her pastel blue sundress, wedges clapping against the sidewalk with each hurried step. What she didn't expect was to find three strangers intermingled with her mother, helping her lift boxes from the back of the truck to the sidewalk waiting to be carried upstairs into the apartment.

One of the strangers was an elder lady with a mess of white curls perched atop her head, seeming to defy gravity thanks to the magnitude of hairspray applied to it. She wore a pair of brass rimmed bifocals that made her look like the grandmother from The Waltons come to visit Storybrooke. She was short but stocky and dressed in a white patterned dress protected by a frilly embroidered apron. There seemed to be a permanent scowl on her face that oddly came off friendly though she wasn't entirely sure how.

Alongside the elderly woman were two teens that looked to be around her own age. One was tall with legs that seemed to go on for miles, stretching out from beneath the scrap of red cloth barely passing as shorts. Her brunette hair was long, and glossy, cascading clear down to the underside of her breasts with streaks of red all throughout it. Matching the red scheme of things was the brilliant shade of red lipstick coating her plump lips and the thin red suspenders she wore over an overly tight white v-neck. Her green eyes sparkled just like her large white smile did. She gave the other teen a jovial shove towards the truck, nearly sending the girl sprawling onto the pavement but the teen seemed to have ninja like reflexes because she caught herself just before collision could occur. Emma could hear the answering laugh from the taller girl in red clear to where she stood.

The other teen that had been shoved was darker skinned, as opposed to the other girls pallid complexion, and appeared to be of Asian decent or perhaps Hawaiian. Emma couldn't truly tell. Unlike the other teen, this girl was dressed much more conservatively in a nice pair of black skinny jeans with matching converse. Black, just like the color of her long straight hair that had been thrown up in a messy ponytail and with her bangs pinned back to make a rather large bump atop her head. She wore a nice button up shirt, white and pressed free of any wrinkles, paired smartly with a black silken vest and a black skinny tie that strangely didn't deter any from her femininity. She was a bit shorter than the other girl but more muscular, something clearly honed from hours of physical practice. She must be into sports.

Cautiously Emma approached the scene with her fingers still clenched tightly around the straps pf her back pack. She instantly caught the attention of the three strangers and Emma felt a nervous blush heating her cheeks from it. The elder woman grunted in her direction before she shoved another box into the arms of the darker skinned teen. The taller red clad one raised her hand in a kind salute but Emma chose to ignore more because she wasn't sure how to react rather than actual rudeness. Snow poked her head around the truck and sent her daughter a cheeky smile.

"Hello dear! How was school?" Snow hopped down from the truck after wiping the dust from her hands onto the lower hemline of her dress and hurried over to give her daughter a hug.

"It sucked. Who are these people?" Emma pulled away and pushed her glasses up with the heel of her palm. Her mother always managed to knock the askew when she hugged her.

Snow let out a delighted hum and clapped her hands together, twirling towards the strangers who had, by now, stopped their task to stare at mother and daughter, "These are our new neighbors who were kind of to come help me when they saw me struggling." Snow flounced over to stand between the teen and the elder woman. To each she placed a gentle hand on their shoulders and gave them a soft kind smile.

"This is Eugenia and this is her granddaughter Ruby who lives with her, right across the hall from us."

The older woman grunted and gave Emma a once over from over the top of her bifocals, "You can just call me Granny, Pint Size, since I seem to be taking care of everyone's children these days. These blasted kids go around making babies and don't even have the don gon stomach to raise 'em. Pathetic. Just pathetic."

"Granny, don't call her that, you'll give her a complex," Ruby spoke up, her voice high but not annoying and sweet with a tinge of innocence that didn't match the way she dressed, "Sorry, she's kind of….intense. Hi." Ruby gave another small wave and this time Emma waved back though with obvious shyness.

Snow moved from between them over to the other teen and placed a hand atop her shoulder just like she had the others, "And this is Mulan. She lives on our floor."

Mulan gave a stiff nod, cutting a glance at Ruby who was encouraging her with a nod, "I am usually at Ruby's apartment though."

"See? Told you. I am like the neighborhood grandmother. Damn kids gotta stop goin' 'round makin' kids." Granny grumbled with her arms folded in a rather intimidating fashion.

"That's not the best part though," Snow went on, excitement making her voice practically vibrate, "You three go to the same school so now you can get a ride with them! They already said they wouldn't mind. Isn't that great?"

Brief images of her day flashes through her minds eye reminding her of just waited for her everyday from now on. The endless bouts of teasing and bulling from Regina for whatever Emma had done to offend her and now an awkward ride to school every morning with people she didn't know. For all she knew these two could have been some of the mass who had laughed at Regina's jokes about her or when Regina had done something horrible to her. Emma repressed her sigh and forced a smile onto her face for her mother's sake.

"Sounds great Mom." Emma saw her mother sag with relief and how her smile brightened considerably. She clapped her hands together and glanced at the pile of boxes on the sidewalk.

"All we have left is what's there and a few bigger things in the back," Snow tilted her head the way she did when she was thinking of something, "I was thinking after we finish I could buy dinner for us all. As a thank you for helping Emma and I. Would that be alright?"

Granny grumped, as Emma was starting to notice was pattern for the older woman, "Sounds like I don't have to cook and that's always a plus. Girls?"

Ruby turned her head from where she stood in the doorway, a large box in her arms, "Yes please. Thank you." Then she skipped inside whistling a happy tune.

Mulan shifted the box she had just bent to retrieve onto her hip and gave a curt nod, "That would be nice. I'm a vegetarian, is that okay?"

Snow gave Mulan a dismissive wave, her phone already in her hand so she could wrack the internet for suitable feeding troughs located in Storybrooke, "Of course it is. Oh! There is a nice Italian place that just opened up that looks like it could be good. How's that sound?"

Mulan nodded mutely and went on to carry two large boxes inside. Emma gave a sigh and went to help wordlessly. Sometimes she wished she had her mother's ability to be so personable and charismatic. It seemed that all Emma was good at was pissing people off and getting herself into trouble somehow. Usually it was making friends with kids that liked to do bad. At her last school her best friend, Neal Cassidy, had actually managed to get her caught in a position that nearly got her arrested. Before that Emma had been friends with a guy named Killian who made her think he was her friend but was secretly stealing things from her behind her back. When those items were found on a notorious drug dealer and were traced back to Emma she nearly had a heart attack. As it nearly did her parents. After some very careful explanation everything was straightened out and they traced everything back to Killian who actually went by Hook as an alias. After that Emma kind of gave up on trying to make friends and putting herself out there. Regina was a good example of why putting ones self out there was a bad idea. Emma had only had one simple conversation with her and that had blown up in her face.

She pushed the door open to her new home with her shoulder and stumbled inside. She wasn't sure which box it was she was carrying so she just set it down beside the couch that had, apparently, already been moved up. Instead of sitting down like her tired legs wanted her too she decided to look around. The kitchen bled into the living room but was much smaller than the living room was. It was only separated by a thin wall with a huge square cut out of it and a bar table top implanted in it. Emma was quite fond of it already. She tossed her back pack on it to continue her search with less weight dragging her down. Off to the side of the kitchen was a hallway that had a large floor to ceiling glass window overlooking the street that she now lived on. There were three doors down the hall. One she suspected led to her mother's room since, when she peeked in, she saw her mothers ornate headboard leaned up against the wall. The second door was the door to the bathroom and it was a nice bathroom too. She would definitely enjoy taking a shower in the tall glass paneled shower later. The final door was the door to her bedroom and that's where she found Ruby and Mulan in. Her room wasn't overly large but it wasn't small either. Her bed was already inside, pushed against the wall with the window in it with a nice healthy view of a fire escape right outside of it. Her closet was nothing more than an indent in the wall that had a mass amount of empty coat hangers piled on the floor. Boxes of what she assumed to be her things were stacked up against the wall adjacent to the door, propped against her dresser and her vanity mirror. Ruby was sitting on Emma's bed, bouncing up and down with her hands under her thighs, to preoccupy herself. Mulan was arranging the boxes so they wouldn't tip over and Emma's things wouldn't be broken inside the box.

"You ah, you don't have to do that. It's alright." Emma mumbled from the doorway, alerting to the two teenagers to her presence. Ruby smiled at her and Mulan didn't but she did stop messing with the boxes. Then they were quiet, just looking at her. Emma again couldn't help but wonder if they had been present during all of Regina's tormenting and if they were laughing right along with the others. She sighed and moved into the room, closing the door quietly behind her.

"You also don't have to drive me anywhere. I can walk just fine."

Mulan glanced at Ruby who was looking up at Emma like she had two heads instead of just the one. Emma fidgeted under the intense stare she was received and dropped her eyes to her favorite scuffed up Nikes.

"Why would we do that? We wanna give you a ride." Ruby cracked a grin and patted the bed beside her. Emma obeyed quietly but was sure to keep a foot of space between them.

"Why? Didn't you see what happened today?" A sigh came from her lips uninhibited and noisy. She ran her hands up and down her thighs in a nervous way to keep herself from crying again as her day flashed through her head.

"We have PE with you. We saw what Regina did." Mulan spoke in her quiet no nonsense tone, leaned back against the wall with her arms crossed and one ankle crossed over the other.

Ruby's thin brows furrowed and a small look of ire flashed through her eyes, "Yeah. That wasn't cool. Are you okay?"

Emma shifted uncomfortably, unsure of how to take their obvious concern for her well being. She hadn't expected to be kind decent human beings who would treat with her just the same. She rubbed against her shoulder where a ball had hit her extra hard and was already starting to bruise.

"Yeah I guess."

Ruby laid a hand on Emma's forearm, "If it makes you feel better I had Mulan throw the balls at their faces."

Mulan shifted her gaze outside the window, clearly uncomfortable with showing any kind of emotion in regards to the situation, "Yeah. What did you do to piss her off so much?"

Emma dropped her eyes to the floor, brows pinched, and caught her lip between her teeth, "I dunno. She seemed to like me well enough when we were talking this morning until I told her I was gay. Then she went ballistic."

Ruby's eyes widened and her jaw fell slack. Mulan brought her eyes back to Emma only narrowed now and scrutinizing as if she were sizing Emma up.

"Well there's your problem there." Mulan huffed out, shoving herself off the wall and coming to sit on the other side of Emma.

"What is?"

"You told Regina Mills you were gay." Ruby answered for Mulan. She still had an awed look in her eyes, wide with the stuff, and was now gripping Emma's arm tightly like she might drift away if she let go.

Emma let out a slow breath, "Are you telling me she hates me because of _that_?"

"Yep," Mulan spoke, distain lacing her every word, "When she found out I was gay she had her goons stuff me in the dumper behind the kitchens and put boxes of scrap metal from metal shop on top. It took me three periods to get out."

Ruby's eyes flashed dangerously with a protective sheen of ice that made even Emma shiver seeing it, "She'd be stupid to try it again. I'd kill her."

Mulan smirked and reached across Emma to shove Ruby lightly, "Not to mention that I have 6 black belts and I could literally break anyone who tried to put their hands on me."

Emma held her hands up to stop the conversation between the two, her brows low in confusion, "Hold up, lets jump back a second. You're gay?" She pointed a finger at Mulan who nodded mutely. Emma made a noise in the back of her throat and gave a short nod of confirmation. She hadn't expected to find anyone else in this tiny town who was of the gay nature let alone move into a building across from one. A slow smile spread across her face. Maybe this move wouldn't be so bad.

"Ruby is too."

Emma whipped her head in Ruby's direction to inspect her face. The teen gave an embarrassed shrug, a faint blush dusting her cheeks. She released Emma's arm to begin running her fingers through her hair, specifically the red streaks that she pinched between her forefinger and thumb.

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"What did Regina do to you?"

Ruby sighed and dropped her hands into her lap to fiddle with the clips of her suspenders, "Well I actually use to be best friends with Regina. She…she's a complicated girl and let's just say her home life isn't the best. Her Mom is a right bitch. I use to hang out with her every day when we were in middle school but when I told her about my…preferences, she just stopped talking to me. She acted like I didn't exist for about a week until I got fed up and confronted her about it. She just burst into to tears and started screaming at me, blaming me for ruining our friendship yada yada. She told me to never talk to her again and I haven't. Sometimes I wonder how she's doing but you know, that's to be expected I guess. At least, that's what Granny tells me."

"Oh. I see," Emma glanced between the two girls sitting on both sides of her and swung her finger from one to the other, "Are you two like an item?"

Ruby let out a joyous round of giggles, tugging on her suspenders as she rocked to and fro from the force of her laughter. Mulan huffed and folded her arms across her chest, glaring at the wall in front of her.

"No." Mulan grumped.

"No way. Mulan isn't even close to my type. Besides, I love her to death like a sister. Dating her would be so supremely awkward. And Mulan has a secret girlfriend anyway."

Mulan snorted and shot a glare at Ruby, "She's not my girlfriend. I just like her."

Emma smirked and leaned back on the bed until her back was resting against the wall, "Who is it?"

Ruby leaned back too, her shoulder touching Emma's though strangely Emma didn't find it uncomfortable nor disconcerting, "Aurora Scoldfeild or as Mulan fondly refers to her as, Princess. One of the cheerleaders on Regina's cheer team."

Emma thought she spotted a blush on Mulan's cheeks but the girl was quick to duck her head allowing her ponytail to cross her face, "I don't call her that."

Ruby bumped Emma's shoulder, grinning madly, "She so does."

"I think I saw her today walking around with Regina and her crew. Is she the pretty one with auburn hair?"

Mulan tilted her head to catch Emma's eyes, "Kind of short and has the prettiest blue eyes you've ever seen?" Emma nodded and Mulan smiled for the first time since Emma met her, "Yeah that's her."

Ruby giggled again and reached across Emma to slap her friend on the shoulder, "You should ask her out M. You guys would be cute together. If she's the Princess, you could be her cute short little Warrior." Ruby made ninja sounds and chopping motions in the air to exemplify her point. Both Emma and Mulan laughed at Ruby's antics.

"What about you Ruby? Do you have a girlfriend?" Emma pushed her glasses up and pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs and resting her chin on her knees.

Ruby waggled her eyebrows, "Why do you ask? You interested?"

Emma gaped, floundering for an answer that didn't come off insulting or inviting. She clenched her hands around the denim of her jeans while she opened and closed her mouth rapidly.

"No," She finally managed to croak out, "Not that there is anything wrong with you, your very pretty, it's just I ah-"

Ruby giggled and shoved Emma into Mulan who growled in protest at being used as the body stopper, "Relax. I was just messing with you."

"Oh." Emma let out a controlled breath and pulled herself off of Mulan. Mulan huffed and straightened out her vest and tie, having to unclench it and retie it because it got knocked crooked.

"I don't have a girlfriend."

"She only wishes." Mulan mumbled with her head ducked down to keep an eye on her hands while she fixed her tie.

Ruby let out a dreamy sigh and flopped down onto Emma's bed, emitting a wistful sigh in the process, "I do. There's this girl Emma. She's the cutest thing ever created."

Emma smiled at Ruby's theatrics, finding an easy camaraderie with these two girls despite only having just met them, "Does she go to our school?"

"Yeah," Mulan cut in after having finished her task, an amused look on her face and a warm lilt to her voice that bled friendly loving affection for Ruby, "She's the library aide during 5th period study hour. Belle French."

"Belle French." Ruby repeated in her dreamy, wistful tone. She reached over and grabbed at one of Emma's throw pillows to hug to her chest as if it were Belle.

"I remember seeing her earlier. She was really pretty. And short," Emma chuckled and poked both of the girls, Mulan on her bicep and Ruby on her knee, "You two seem to like the same kind of woman. Dark hair, blue eyes, and short."

Ruby giggled, clutching the pillow tighter to her chest, "I think if I found a girl taller than me she'd have to be a professional basketball player."

"Aurora is taller than me." Mulan mumbled. Ruby let out a loud peel of laughter and threw the pillow at Mulan but the girl ducked and dodged it.

"Everyone is taller than you M. You're small but mighty!"

Mulan, Emma could tell, tried to remain impassive to the comment but Emma noticed to small tilt of her lip upwards, "Well you got the mighty part right."

"Girls," Snow poked her head through the door and caught all three sets of eyes as they turned to her, "The food is here. Come on out."

Ruby jumped up from the bed and bolted out of the door past a bewildered Snow like a frightful beast was on her tail. Emma raised an eyebrow and look over at an amused Mulan.

"She likes her food." Mulan rose more slowly with the straight spine of a trained fighter and, after adjusting her clothes, strode past Snow, giving the older woman an acknowledging nod. Snow glanced over her shoulder at the retreating forms before entering the room and sitting beside her daughter. She eyed Emma closely then threw an arm over Emma's slender shoulders, toying with the loose wisps of curls at the nape of Emma's neck.

"Are you upset that I asked them to stay for dinner without talking to you first?"

Emma sighed but shook her head, toying with the frame of her glasses sitting perched on her nose, "I think I might actually make friends with them. They are really nice and pretty cool. And not criminals." Emma gave her mother a playful smile that Snow laughed at and squeezed Emma's shoulders.

"Well that's a relief. If you bring one more of those home, I may have to send you off to the military with your father you little delinquent." Snow prodded at Emma's side, in a particularly ticklish spot, that sent her into a fit of loud giggles. Snow continued to do it with the smile on her face being fed by her daughter's boisterous laughter. Eventually Emma pulled away from her mother and stumbled out of her bedroom to head for the kitchen where the delicious smells of pasta were wafting from. Her stomach rumbled from it and she doubled stepped into the kitchen, finding everyone piled around the island bar sitting on mismatched stools Emma and Snow had picked out at yard sales on the road trip to Storybrooke. Mulan was flexible enough to be sitting criss cross atop the stool while also balancing her plate of vegetarian tortellini on one hand and using her fork with her free hand. Emma was quite impressed by the sight of it. Ruby was happily munching on bits of breadstick while stealing bites of her grandmother's spaghetti and also eating her own fettuccini. Mulan wasn't kidding; Ruby really did like her food. Emma wondered how she managed to stay so thin when she ate like a beast. Not that it mattered. Emma took Ruby's proffered plate of fettuccini, not her own plate but another plate she had apparently dished up for Emma, and took the stool opposite Mulan. Mulan handed Emma a fork without needing to look and Emma gave her a quiet thank you before she began stuffing her face full of the delicious food.

"You're lucky you came in before Ruby ate you out of house and home Emma." Granny grumped, pulled her plate out of Ruby's reach and threatening the teen with her fork. Ruby stuck her tongue out at her grandmother but didn't try to snatch anymore of her food. She must have known her grandmother really would shank her with a fork if she tried.

Snow entered the kitchen at that moment, absolutely beaming, with her phone pressed to her ear and Emma knew there could only be one person who could make her mother smile like that. Her father. She perked up and swallowed the bite of food still in her mouth. Her eyes tracked Snow's progress across the kitchen towards the box containing their plates, noting that her mother just stayed quietly smiling as she listening to whoever was speaking on the phone. When she laughed and began to babble a string of words into the receiver she knew it had to be her father. A small wistful smile crossed her face and her hands twitched to reach for the phone so she could hear her Daddy's voice, the small child in her longing for his deep voice saying her name just like he use to but she held herself in check, knowing how her mother needed this more than she did. She felt a poke to her side and glanced over at Mulan. The teen raised a questioning brow and nodded her head towards an over excited Snow.

"It's my Dad. He's a Marine and he's over-seas right now fighting. He only gets to call every once and a while and when he does my Mom gets like this."

Something in Mulan's entire demeanor changed before Emma's eyes. Her eyes both softened and glazed over with a dark, deep sadness Emma couldn't guess the meaning behind. Her shoulders tensed and her back grew impossibly straight as she drew herself up like she was about to brace an extremely heavy weight on her shoulders. She nodded sadly and dropped her head, playing with her food with her fork.

"My Mom too," She spoke so quietly Emma had to scoot her stool closer to catch her words and noticed the closeness made Mulan flinch slightly, "She wasn't frontline riflemen or anything because you know woman aren't allowed. She drove the hummers and worked on them and built the turrets on them. She was my hero, is my hero," Mulan let out a shaky breath and met Emma's eyes, "She was killed a few years ago. She died saving one of her comrades or at least that's what they told us. She shielded his body from shrapnel with hers when a building exploded. It's been really hard on my Dad. He drinks a lot now and is hardly ever home. He's about to loose his job and he spends all of our money on booze anymore. That's why I've got two jobs so I can pay our bills and buy my school stuff. And why I spend most of my time with Ruby and Granny. He's hard to be around." Mulan dropped her eyes back to her plate and poked at the food on it, a sullen expression encompassing her otherwise kind face. Ruby seemed to sense what they were talking about because she drug her stool over until it was touching Mulan's and threw an arm around her friend, laying her head atop Mulan's without a word needing to be said. A tiny lifeless smile threatened Mulan's sullen expression just before she stuffed a forkful of food into her mouth.

Emma reached over to lay a tentative hand on Mulan's knee, squeezing it lightly, "I'm sorry. That's rough."

Mulan shrugged but Emma could see the small spark return to Mulan's dark eyes from Emma's comfort, however pathetic an attempt it had been. Mulan's forefinger brushed Emma's hand on her knee as her silent way of thanking Emma. The blond gave the knee one more squeeze before she returned her hand back to supporting her plate while she ate.

"Emma, would you like to talk to you Dad?" Emma snapped her head up and zeroed in on the cellphone Snow held out towards her. In a flash she deposited her plate onto the bar and snatched the phone up

"Hello? Dad?" Emma stood from the stool and ran to her bedroom, closing the door behind her.

"_Hey Girl. How was your first day of school?" _Warmth flooded Emma's system just from hearing her father's voice and she was shocked to find that tears were welling in her eyes. She didn't realize how much she missed him up until this moment. She clenched her fingers around the phone, holding it with both her hands against her ear like it was the very thing keeping her alive. She had to suck in a few deep breaths to steady herself before she could will herself to answer her father.

Still her voice came out hoarse, choked with floods of tears she hadn't yet let loose, "Let's talk about something else. Like you. How are you Dad? Are you okay? You haven't been shot or anything have you?"

David's warm low laugh sounded through the phone and filled Emma's ear and her heart, "_Emma. I'm fine. I am safe because I want to come home in one piece to you and your mother. I want to hear about my daughter. Tell me everything." _

Emma ran her thumb across the smooth back of the phone and she chewed on her bottom lip as she contemplated whether or not to tell her father the truth about the bullying. She knew what he would most likely say but then again she wasn't looking for comfort. She wanted to use this precious time talking about happy things with her father not her teenage troubles. Still he wanted to hear everything and she knew if he were here in person and she were over there, he would want to know regardless.

"There's this girl," She began, her voice trembling only slightly, "Her name is Regina. I met her today before first period and she was really nice until I told her I was, you know, gay. Then she was horrible to me, I have like a real life bully now! She tripped me and had a bunch of big guys throw balls at me and then she got an entire class to make me feel like shit about being gay. I just…I don't what to do…" Emma let out a trembling breath and removed her glasses with shaking hands so she wouldn't get any of the tears in her eyes on them. Quickly she pawed at them with her closed fist before they could fall and sucked in a huge breath, her cheeks flushed with shame and anger.

On the other end David made a soft cooing noise that most wouldn't expect to come from a tough Marine, "_Oh Em…" _

"I don't even know what it is that set her off so much about it Dad! What do I even do in this situation?"

"_Well Honey, did you think that maybe she isn't doing this to hurt you?" _

Emma pushed her glasses back on and sighed, "What do you mean?"

"_Well think about it Em. You said she only started being horrible after you told her you were a lesbian so maybe she's reacting on that." _

"Yeah because she hates gay people."  
_"No because she hates herself because she herself is gay. It makes since if you really think about it. Is she mean to anyone else who is gay?" _

Emma thought about what Ruby and Mulan told her before and wondered if maybe her Dad was onto something, "Yeah…"

"_Well there you go. Maybe, before you start hating her for what she's doing to you, you should try to understand her reasons. Not everyone has excepting parents like you Emma. I think she's angry at you because you can be free to be who you are and she can't." _

"Well," Emma huffed, "That's bullcrap. It's not my fault her life sucks."

David laughed again and Emma slumped in relief at hearing it, "_I know, I agree but that's the way life is sometimes. You're a smart girl Emma, you'll figure out what to do I'm sure,"_ There was a collage of voices hollering her fathers name in the background and Emma heard her father swear under his breath, _"Em, I have to get off the line but I love you and I'll call you again as soon as I can okay?" _

Tears were stinging at Emma's eyes for an entirely different reason this time but she held them at bay, "Okay Dad. I love you. And I miss you. See you soon okay? Be safe."

"_I will. Promise. Put your Mom back on real quick so I can say goodbye please?" _

"Sure, okay Dad, gimmi a second." Emma raced out of her room back into the kitchen and gave her Mom the phone. Snow jumped from her seat and went into the living room so she could say goodbye to her husband in private. Emma threw herself back onto her stool with a weight on her chest that hadn't been there before while also feeling much better about her Regina situation. A poke at her elbow reminded her of her company and she turned to catch Mulan's and Ruby's questioning eyes.

She smiled, "I'm okay." Mulan smiled softly and nodded, dropping her eyes to her lap to fiddle with the end of her tie. Ruby tilted her head, a sparkling smile lighting her face, and hugged Mulan around her shoulders though it was only in place of hugging Emma because they didn't know one another well enough yet for physical friendliness. Granny was over near the sink doing dishes for whatever reason, humming a rather angry sounding tune to herself while she worked. By the time Snow came back into the kitchen Granny had finished and was wiping her hands on her apron with her grandchild and her pseudo-grandchild were standing at her elbows.

"Dinner was lovely Snow but I should go put these hellions to bed," Granny prodded at Mulan and Ruby's sides, earning a squeak from the taller of the two, "We'll talk soon I'm sure. Have a good night."

Snow smiled warmly though Emma could see the definite ache in her mother's eyes, the longing for her husband to be at her side, "Thank you Eugenia. Have a good night."

"Night Emma! We'll be over around 7:30 in the morning to make sure your getting ready okay?" Ruby spoke through a smile, tapping her watch as she did so.

"Yeah," Mulan nodded along, her arms folded across her chest, "Don't make us late."

"I won't. Night guys. Thanks ah," Emma scratched at the nape of her neck and scuffed her foot along the linoleum flooring, "Thanks for what you did in PE today."

"No problem." Mulan shrugged as if either way it didn't matter to her but Emma was beginning to understand that wasn't entirely true when it came to her. Ruby giggled and threw an arm around Mulan's shoulders.

"We got your back Charming."

Emma smiled, stilling her fidgeting, "Thanks. Sweet dreams."

Snow had an arm around Emma's waist as they waved goodbye to their guests who were politely waving back up until Mulan closed the door behind them. Long after they left mother and daughter still stood there. Emma rested her head on her mothers shoulder and closed her eyes briefly, just enjoying the warmth her mothers body gave off and the way it grounded her.

"It was nice to hear from your father wasn't it?" Snow's voice broke through the quiet filling the room. Emma nodded, her cheek rubbing against the soft skin of her mothers shoulder as she did so.

"Yeah," She lifted her head and looked into her mother's eyes, "Are you okay?"

Snow gave Emma a shaky smile and squeezed her hip lightly, "Yes but I think I'm going to go take a long bath before bed. Are you gonna be okay?"

"Yeah definitely but let me go brush my teeth and stuff first."

Snow waved her hand and walked off to find a book to read while she bathed. Emma hurried into the bathroom to do her nightly routine of brushing her teeth, cleaning her face, and gurgling a huge mouthful of foamy mouthwash. When she was finished she moved to her room to dig through a few boxes until she found acceptable sleep shorts and a tank top that she quickly changed into. She was just folding back her comforter to crawl into bed when her phone buzzed somewhere in the room. With a furrowed brow Emma first had to locate where she placed her glasses before she could find her phone. She had nearly forgotten about messaging with the stranger she decided to help what with all of her own recent drama until she spotted a new message on her screen. With a deep breath Emma scooped up her phone, crawled into bed, and opened the message.

_To: Your Anonymous Friend _

_From: The Queen's Shadow _

_I really messed up today Friend. I feel horrible. I know I told you earlier that I freaked out on her and made her feel bad and you told me to just be myself and to apologize because it wasn't too late? Well instead of doing that I made her life hell. I bullied her and was hateful. God, what's wrong with me? Instead of telling her I like her I basically punched her in the face. _

Emma could relate, sort of. At least she could relate from the girl's point of view that Queen liked. She pushed her glasses on before she attempted to reply.

_To: The Queen's Shadow_

_From: Your Anonymous Friend_

_I didn't expect you to change in one day Queen. But you know the only way to change is to step out of your comfort zone. I know you want to change otherwise you wouldn't have looked up this site and messaged me to help you. If I am going to help you then you are going to have to help yourself and I know that's cliché but its true. Step out of your comfort zone and do what's right. First thing tomorrow seek this girl out and apologize to her. Keep in mind she doesn't have to except your apology, you just need to make it known you are in fact remorseful for what you did, and don't do it again. Ever. That will be the first step to winning your girls heart and to accepting yourself. Do you think you can do that?_

It was a long while before Emma received any type of response from The Queen and it astounded Emma that she received such a small message for such a long wait. The Queen must have really been fighting with herself to find the honest answer to Emma's question.

_To: Your Anonymous Friend_

_From: The Queen's Shadow_

_ I can do that._

Emma smiled at her screen.

_To: The Queen's Shadow_

_From: Your Anonymous Friend_

_Good. I'm proud of you. Let me know how it goes okay? I'm going to head to bed. I have to get up early for school tomorrow. Sweet dreams Queen._

_To: Your Anonymous Friend _

_From: The Queen's Shadow_

_Good Night Friend._

Emma tucked her phone and her glasses beneath her pillow with a barely stifled yawn. She so hoped things worked out for her new internet friend, she was a big fan of happily ever after. That was her last thought as her eyes drifted close and she fell into a deep sleep, neglecting to remember to set her alarm.

When she woke in the morning it wasn't to the annoying chirping of her cellphone, it was instead to the feeling of someone poking her in the face and to frantic whispering. Groggily she tried swatting at whatever was touching her and for a moment it worked until she felt a full hand slap the back of her head. Instantly she snapped awake and jerked her entire body in one direction which happened to be off her bed onto the floor. Her hip and elbow collided roughly with the floor and pain blossomed in that spot in such a way Emma knew it would bruise before she even left her house. Blinking slowly she lifted her eyes to find Mulan glaring down at her and Ruby buzzing around the room like a bee on crack. Before she could ask what was going on Ruby threw some clothes at her face and ordered her to dress as quickly as possible. That was when her sleepy brain began to wake up and she remembered that she had school and she had forgot to set her alarm before she went to bed last night. Her eyes flew open and she scrambled to her feet, clawing at her shirt to tear it off her body. Never mind that Ruby and Mulan were still in the room. She barely bothered to notice what Ruby had chose for her to wear until Ruby thrust a red leather jacket into her hands and ordered her to hurry. Scrunching her brows together she glanced down at herself to find herself dressed in a skin tight white tank top and equally tight skinny jeans. Both items, including the jacket, were things Emma knew she owned but were never things she actually wore up until this point. Briefly she considered changing but Mulan clapped her hands loudly and ordered her to hurry so she instead slipped her arms into the jacket, conceding to the outfit choice. Somehow in the rush to leave her backpack was shoved into her hands, her glasses shoved on her face and her phone was in her pocket. When they were ushering Emma out the door Snow stopped them to give Emma an apple for breakfast and a kiss on the cheek that she blushed from receiving in front of watching eyes. Eventually they made it outside onto the sidewalk in front of Ruby's red Camaro that she was shoved into the backseat of. A fuzzy red velvet covered seat that had little black wolf patterns in it. The wolf patterns seemed to match the glass blown wolf ornament hanging from the rearview mirror. Emma hugged her back pack as she yawned and tried to wake up a little before they got to the school.

"I thought I told you not to make us late chick." Mulan asked from the passenger seat where she was sitting, doing her hair in the mirror inside the sun visor. Today she decided to braid it off to one side before she placed a trucker hat on her head. She wore a plaid button up shirt over a white v-neck though she left it unbuttoned and a pair of baggy camouflage cargo pants. She looked nice. Emma tugged at the lapel of her leather jacket self consciously. She hoped she looked half as nice. She knew she didn't though; she didn't even manage to run a brush through her hair before she was pushed out of the house. All they gave her time to do was brush her teeth.

"Sorry I forgot to set my alarm."

Ruby laughed in that sweet way she always did, "It's okay. We aren't actually going to be late for school. Mulan is just worried about being late to our appointment." Ruby, it seemed, had decided to dress more tactful today. She wore a loose fitting neon red tank top with a white half jacket to match the cloth skirt that flowed clear down to her knees. And a nice pair of dark leather boots. Emma was wearing leather boots too but she wasn't really sure where they came from because she couldn't remember owning them. They were tight and chafed against her heels but she liked the way they looked.

"Appointment? What appointment?"

Mulan twisted in her seat to catch Emma's eye, "Ruby and I get coffee every morning before school at this tiny coffee place that isn't really famous even though the coffee there is exceptional."

"We call it an appointment," Ruby flicked her blinker on and glanced at her mirrors before taking a turn, "and we get very upset if we are late to it for any reason. You got lucky today Em but make sure you set your alarm because you _don't _want to make us late."

Emma sunk into her seat and hugged her back pack tighter to herself, "I won't. I'm sorry."

Mulan rolled her eyes and reached back to slug Emma in the knee, "Don't worry about it. Geeze you ask like we will kill you or something."

Ruby gave Mulan an affectionate glance, "I fully believe you would kill her and me too if you didn't get your coffee M."

Mulan chuckled as she straightened herself in her seat, "Maybe."

Emma smiled but stayed quiet as silence fell over the car except for the low purr of the engine as Ruby drove and the outside noises. Flashes of scenery and buildings Emma hadn't yet seen flew by the window as they drove. Tall buildings covered in windows, small one story buildings bustling with activity, a playground here and, as Emma leaned closer to the window, she saw the ocean. It didn't look very swim-able but it looked pretty with its churning and constant swirling of angry blue water. She made a mental note to come check it out when she had a day off. Finally they pulled into a parking lot up alongside a shed sized building. Through the window Emma could see the barista lean through a window to take Ruby's order. The brunette rattled off what sounded like a complicated drink to make and the woman smiled as she nodded along, mentally keeping the order in her head it seemed. That or she had it memorized by now. Ruby turned to ask Mulan what she wanted but instead Mulan leaned over Ruby, bracing herself with a hand on Ruby's thigh, to sprout her order. Again the woman nodded with a smile and didn't write down the order. Then both Ruby and Mulan turned to look at Emma who shrunk into the seat self consciously with wide eyes under their gaze.

"Do you want something Em?" Ruby asked politely.

"Um…" Emma glanced at the barista through the window, "I dunno. You don't have to-"

"It's okay I'll pay for it Emma." Mulan offered. Emma tweaked her nose to one side and nodded slightly.

Ruby smiled and turned to order another complicated sounding drink and a bear claw since Ruby had stolen Emma's apple and ate it.

"Thanks." Emma mumbled.

"No problem." Mulan supplied with a nonchalant shrug.

"I'll, um, pay you back."

"Sure you can buy me coffee some other time." Mulan turned to give Emma a half smile that Emma returned. While they waited they made idle chit chat that Emma found herself enjoying. Mulan and Ruby were pleasant company and their camaraderie didn't feel forced rather it came easy and it was fun. Ruby was hilarious but also kind and warm while Mulan was snarky and grumpy even while she was gentle and very, very loyal. Emma already found herself to be quite fond of the both of them and sincerely hoped that a strong friendship would be bonded between them. Mulan offered to talk to her boss for Emma when she had mentioned that she wanted to get a job while she lived here and Ruby told her that she would show Emma around this weekend. They were doing a wonderful job of making Emma feel welcomed and complacent in this new town; this new life.

When the barista appeared at the window again her arms were laden with tall cups that had plastic dome lids on them and a small bag Emma assumed her bear claw was in. She handed the drinks over to Ruby who dulled them out accordingly and tossed Emma the bag that she fumbled to catch with a drink in her hand. Before they drove away Ruby blew a kiss to the barista who blushed as she laughed out Ruby's name. Emma smiled around the straw pressed between her lips but remained otherwise quiet about it. The coffee, as Mulan had said, was exceptional right down to the whip cream garnishing it. The bear claw too was absolutely delicious and Emma thanked Mulan profusely for buying it all for her. The dark haired teen had waved it off since she was to busy using her lips to suck coffee from the straw to answer Emma with words.

Not long after the coffee stop did they pull into the school parking lot. Emma wasn't exactly eager to start another day here when she feared what Regina had planned for her today but when she got out and felt Ruby link arms with her and Mulan's steady presence at her other elbow she felt empowered. Maybe today wouldn't be so awful when she had friends like these. They ushered her all the way to her locker and promised to catch up with her in their shared PE class before they left to go to their separate ways. Emma watched them go with a sadness that she powered through by taking another long drink of her delicious coffee. She was pulled out a book she would need for class when she felt a presence behind her that she assumed was going to be one of her new friends who doubled back to talk to her about something. She was wrong. When she turned around with a smile and some witty remark on her tongue she instead found Regina Mills fathomless brown eyes staring back at her and the witty remark died before it could even leave her mouth. She backed herself against her locker, hugging her coffee to her chest, and cast furtive glances right and left to check for any of Regina's larger, stronger goons. There were none. Regina had come alone.

"Hi." She said in her low sharp voice that always came out sounding so attractive despite her vicious personality. Emma didn't respond. She was afraid too. What if she said something else that would set Regina on a frenzied war path that would end up making her time here worst than it had been yesterday? She wouldn't take the change. Regina shifted from one foot to the other, the heels of her boots making a scraping sound on the polished linoleum flooring. She twisted her hand into the fabric of her pea coat, yanking on it them smoothing it out all while she continued to silently stare at Emma. This went on for a good solid five minutes until Emma tried to skirt away from between her locker and Regina. The brunette's eyes flashed with a sudden bright fear and her hand reached out to stop Emma but it stopped an inch shy of her wrist. Curiously Emma watched something she couldn't understand play across Regina's admittedly beautiful face.

"Wait Emma, please just…wait." Regina breathed out, her eyes cutting from side to side to check for anyone who may be watching this confrontation. No one it seemed was very interested.

Emma hugged her coffee and pushed her glasses up as they began to slide down her nose, "Are you going to punch me or something? Cause if you are can you please let me take my glasses off first? I can't really afford to replace them right now."

Regina's lips parted slightly and her brows pinched together but she didn't say anything for a few moments. Instead she just stared at Emma with her arms hanging loosely at her sides, her fingers twisting into her pea coat again which, Emma realized, was a nervous tick.

"No," She at last spoke, enunciating the word by drawing it out slowly, "I'm not going to hurt you."

Emma's shoulders fell in relief, "Oh. Good."

Regina was still looking at Emma so strangely, "You would have just let me punch you in the face?"

Emma's cheek flamed instantly and she tugged on a crazy ringlet that had been resting on her shoulder. She shrugged at Regina but couldn't quite bring herself to meet her eyes, focusing instead on the minute scar on her upper lip that was strangely very appealing to Emma.

"I guess. If you let me take my glasses off first. I'm not much for confrontation unless it's absolutely necessary. My Dad told me violence should be a last resort, not a first option. "

Regina's lips turned up into a tiny smile, "You're an interesting person Emma Swan."

Emma huffed and looked away, glaring at a student passing by instead of at the girl who had spent the better part of yesterday tormenting her, "I told you, it's Charming. Besides why are you even talking to me? I thought you like hated me or something. Isn't that why you were being awful to me yesterday? I'm still sore from the stunt you pulled in PE by the way. I have bruises all over."

Regina flinched and dropped her eyes to the floor, fingers tugging and twisting at her jacket so hard Emma feared she might actually manage to tear the expensive thing. She began shifting from one foot to the other again, her eyes once more roving to and fro.

"Do you have to pee or something?"

Regina stopped moving entirely to give Emma a blank look, "What?"

The blond pointed at her feet, "Well your bouncing around like you have to pee."

Regina blinked and shook her head, her perfectly styled hair brushing her cheek but not musing in the least, "No. I suppose I'm just nervous. Forgive me."

Emma pursed her lips and furrowed her brows at Regina, "Why are you nervous? You don't think _I'm _going to punch you in the face do you?"

Another tiny ghost of a smile appeared on Regina's face, "No I don't but after the way I treated you yesterday I would understand if you did."

Emma's blond brows shot up and her mouth fell open slightly in her shock, "Oh."

Regina met Emma's green eyed gaze and took a step forward into Emma's personal space so that she could lower her voice for only Emma to hear, "Emma I am truly sorry for the way I behaved yesterday. It was awful of me, your right, and I feel horrible for it. I honestly have no qualms with your sexuality or you. I'll understand if you don't forgive me but I just wanted you to know that I am sorry and I won't do it again. I'll make sure that you are not be targeted by anyone in this school. This is a safe place for you. I'm sorry I made you feel like it wasn't. That's all. I'll let you get on with your day now." Regina ducked her head and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She took a step back and paused only to give Emma that strange blank look again before she was lost in the bustle of the hallway. For a long time Emma remained rooted in her spot to fully process what had just happened. Strangely a part of her felt connected to what had just happened personally but she couldn't fathom why. She was just grateful that the bullying, however short it had been, would stop. Regina's apology had been far too heartfelt to be a lie. She felt with every fiber of her being that Regina had been telling the truth.

The buzzing of her phone in her back pocket startled her back into motion. She slammed her locker shut and locked it up. Her back pack hung loosely over one shoulder as she pulled her phone free to check who had messaged her so early in the morning. She furrowed her brows when she saw that it was from The Queen. Vaguely she recalled talking to her last night and asking her to message Emma with the results of her apology but the irony of receiving that message just after having her own bully apologize to her was unsettling. She shuffled through the doorway of her first class that she just so happened to share with Regina. The beauty sat two tables in front of her to the right and Emma stared at her for a few moments. No. It couldn't be. The idea of it was just preposterous. And yet…

Emma looked down at her cellphone cradled in her palm, the icon of a new message flashing in the center of her screen, almost taunting her. She gave Regina one more glance before she pressed her thumb into the icon and opened the message.

_To: Your Anonymous Friend_

_From: The Queen's Shadow_

_ I apologized like you told me too. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. She didn't yell or insult me. She was actually very sweet about it and cute too. She didn't actually say she forgave me but I didn't really give a chance too since I walked away before she say anything. I don't know if I can ever face her again Friend. That was nerve wracking as it was. Though…I'll be honest, I feel much better now that I've apologized so thank you for that._

Emma made sure that teacher wasn't looking before she attempted to respond to the message.

_To: The Queen's Shadow_

_From: Your Anonymous Friend_

_No you did good Queen. I'm proud of you. And you can face her again. You have to if you ever want to get a date from her like I know you want too. Besides your not going to truly feel better about yourself until you hear her say that she forgives you. You know?_

After she sent the message Emma didn't take her eyes off of Regina. It was ridiculous to thin that Regina could be The Queen's Shadow but an inkling part of her nagged at her told her that it was possible. She didn't want to believe. Wouldn't believe it. Didn't believe it.

Until Regina jumped from her phone vibrating in her pocket and stealthily removed the devise from her pocket to check it. Emma's stomach dropped out. Shivers ran up her spine It was possible that it wasn't from Emma though. Maybe a friend texted her at the exact same time that Emma messaged The Queen's Shadow. It was entirely possible. Regina's fingers flew across her keypad, typing out a response to whatever message she had just received because Emma refused to believe it was hers. It couldn't be. It wouldn't come through to her—

Her phone buzzed. A new message alert popped onto her screen. From The Queen's Shadow. Regina had put her cellphone away and was waiting for a respond from Your Anonymous Friend. From her. Because Regina was The Queen's Shadow. And that could only mean one thing. Emma was the girl that The Queen's Shadow liked.

Regina liked Emma.

Fuck.

**Well that's it for this chapter. I apologize for grammatical errors and the like. I hoped you enjoyed this installment. Feel free to drop a review if you'd like. Have a lovely day or night where ever or when ever you are reading this. I'm off to bed. Lates! **


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