Chapter Text
the one where a boy makes some friends
“Get out of my trash, you street rat!” A large broom swatted at the boys behind, causing himself and the trashcan to dump over and onto the street of the alleyway.
The combination of hundreds of car and bus motors along with the constant chatter of those walking along the streets of New York City created a constant hum in the air. The scraggly, 10 year old boy scrambled up from his place on the ground, his clothes torn and grimy. “I-i’m sorry, sir. I just have nothing to eat.”
“Well, dig in someone else’s trash will ya?” The man swatted the broom at the boy again, but the boy was quicker this time, curving his abdomen to avoid the blow.
With the turn of his heel, the young boy was off, his worn out sneakers clopping down the alleyway. He turned left, dodged the two men spray painting the brick wall, narrowly avoided an empty trash can, and turned right at the large building with the grey fire escape that had a small yellow potted plant two floors up. His hands wiped down his frayed jeans that were still a little big for him. He had lost weight since the spring.
His mother and father had sent him to school one morning, and when he walked off the bus later that afternoon, his apartment was emptied, only a note on the counter, telling him to leave his key with the man at the desk downstairs. Beside the note, his parents had left him a twenty dollar bill. Like that would get him anywhere.
His parents were gamblers, and had constantly spoke of moving somewhere they could gamble all day, running from casino to casino. Where they didn’t have to bring their son along.
The boy cried for a couple days, staying in the apartment those two days before putting what what left of his belongings in a backpack and heading onto the streets. Within his bag he carried his $20, a reusable water bottle, one pair of jeans, a shirt, underwear, and a pair of socks. All of the other items he had owned had been taken to who knows where. He spent his $20 too quickly on food he didn’t need.
After that? The boy scavenged. He tried finding work, but no one would hire a little homeless orphan. Many told him to go to the orphanage, but he had heard too many stories from the old man who let him sit by his fire at night.
The old man had helped him, telling him what he should do, where the best food would be found, and what streets to avoid, and where to never go after dark. The old man had been living on the streets for 30 years, he told the boy one night. His ex-wife spent his entire life savings, he lost his job to a new intern, and he was booted out on the streets because he couldn’t pay rent. The brunette boy felt bad for him, but he was thankful for the big coat the man wore that he always found wrapped around him when he woke up.
However, the old man, whose name he never knew, told the boy it was time to go look for food. When he returned, the old man had been beaten and left for dead.
The boy ran again. His feet taking him blocks down where he wouldn’t have to see the old man’s body, broken and dying. He ran until his feet were numb and his lungs burned. He ran until he saw a dog curled up on the street corner. The pure black dog had dirt coating his fur and matted hairs along his back. The dogs pointed ears made it look like a german shepard, but by the curl of its tail, the boy knew it wasn’t. It was a strong and well cared for dog by the way its ribs didn’t stick out like his own. What was it doing out alone? The boy ventured closer, stooping down to the dogs level.
“Hey, boy. Why are you all alone?”
The dog cowered at his words, its eyes glossed over in fear. The boy reached out his hand, palm upwards, offering it for the dog to smell. He knew it wasn’t an old dog by any means -- probably a year old.
The dog sniffed the boy’s hand and pressed his nose into his palm.
A smile broke onto the boy’s face and he began running his hand over the dog’s head. “What’s your name? Should I give you a name? You and I can be pals, yeah? Like in The Jungle Book. I will be like Mowgli, and you can be Baloo!”
The boy heard someone across the busy street yell, “Hey! Be careful with that mutt, boy.”
-- -- about a year later -- --
the one where the pals find a home
The boy and his dog had been on the streets for almost an entire year together, so that meant the boy had been on his own for about 15 months. Though the winter was harsh, it was Spring time once again, and the boy and his dog didn’t have to scavenge through ice to find their meals. The boy’s birthday had come and gone, but he felt much older than just thirteen. The dog beside him had grown some too, now reaching the boy’s hips. Slowly, the two had been able to find a new restaurant down the road from where they called their home. The restaurant often tossed out large helpings of food at 8:30 pm, and Baloo was always sure to have his boy there right when they took out the trash. The two were always the first ones to find the food, filling their bellies with lukewarm, but delicious foods.
While the two were picking food out of the trashcan, a tall, blonde woman walked over, causing Baloo to raise his haunches and let out a low, threatening growl.
“Woah, kid, can you call off your dog? I’m not here to take your food. I just want to ask you a few questions.” The woman had sweet, sparkling eyes, her demeanor was soft, but she looked like she could knock even Joe, who often tried to take the boy’s food, down.
“Shh, Baloo. It’s okay.” The boy stuck out his hand, and his dog quickly retreated to the boy’s side, his muscled demeanor was threatening next to his owner.
“Oh, okay, thanks. Uh… Hi, I’m Emma Swan. What’s your name?” She crouched down, now a little above eye level with the dog. Emma smiled, her hand open and reaching towards the boy. “Do you live on the streets?”
The dog leaned into his owner, but the boy’s hand soothed his dog’s worries. “Henry. My name is Henry. I-I live down the road… In the alley.” His eyes wouldn’t meet the woman’s, a soft blush taking over his cheeks.
She raised her eyebrows and nodded, “okay, Henry. I have an apartment just a few blocks down, what do you think about going with me? We can get you all cleaned up, your dog, Baloo -- I think it is, can come too. If you don’t want to stay, you can leave whenever you want, but you are welcome to come stay with me for a little bit.”
-- -- four years later -- --
the one where they go to storybrooke
Henry, Emma, and Baloo were in the small yellow Volkswagen Beetle that Emma cherished, on their way to a tiny town.
Emma had heard many things about this town, mostly from an ex boyfriend who left her for some hot red-head.
The town, though mild mannered, was rather traditional in its ways. Men were superior to women, and no one dared overstep. Much like the town in which Emma had lived in just outside of Boston. She had taken in Henry and the dog, Baloo, 4 years ago. They had become inseparable in the course of those short months. At first, Henry was nervous around the woman, until she told him that she used to live the same way. That she, too, ran from place to place after her parents passed away, and that began their friendship.
Emma legally adopted the boy at age eleven. They had taken Baloo to the vet to find out that he was actually a dog breed called Canaan. Neither had ever heard of such, but the black dog had been ever faithful to them, and was like family.
Baloo had kept Henry safe and warm during the frigid nights on the streets where many other homeless folk joined around a small can they lit on fire.
However, in less than a year, Henry’s life had completely changed. Emma had enrolled him back in school in New York, and he was a bit behind, but caught up easily with Emma sitting with him every night at the dinner table. Baloo went through a formal training program, and Emma was working as a bail-bonds person.
Together, the small family unit grew close. One of Henry’s favorite memories was Emma moving the couch and coffee table out from the center of the living room and wrestling with him, teaching him basic self defense, and dancing around with him. They had a long day, and it had been the day marking Henry’s parents leaving. Emma made sure to put the boy in the best mood possible before bed. That night, he had crawled in with Emma in her bed, Baloo not far behind, and cried, wrapped in her arms. Just before he had fallen asleep that night, Emma had heard him utter the words, “thank you, ma.”
To say in the least, they loved deeply, and Emma, though the rest of the world taught differently, taught her son to love truly, honestly, and to respect others no matter what.
Many men she had met in her life made her realize how awful the world could be to women, so one of the first things this instilled on her boy was that he was to respect women and honor them no matter what, but to also to never take someone’s shit.
When her friend Belle French invited her to come down to Storybrooke for the first few weeks of summer break, Emma couldn’t refuse. She hadn’t seen Belle since college and missed her terribly.
Hours later, the three passed the sign, ‘Welcome to Storybrooke’, and they two in the front seat broke into a smile.
“Can you believe it, kid? We’re here!” Emma shoved Henry’s shoulder and he laughed, Baloo barking at the two of them. The motioned to the window. “Roll down the window for him. He needs some window time.”
The window slowly went down as the boy cranked it. The dog jumped at the motion, landing in his favorite person’s lap, and stuck his black, furry head out of the window.
“Baloo, you’re crushing my bladder.” Henry winced, his hands trying to push his best friend’s paws off of his full bladder.
“We’re almost there, kid. Just down the road, and we can stop at the hotel Belle mentioned.”
Not to far from the city was a clearing to the left of the road, a few horses roamed the lush green grass field. Emma smiled, her heart thumping as memories of her late mother surfaced. “I wonder who owns those. Have you ever ridden a horse, kid?”
“Uh, I grew up in the middle of New York City. I rode a horse to school every day. No, I haven’t ridden a horse, ma.”
“Drop the tude, Henry. It was an honest question.” Emma laughed, her eyes rolling.
The smiles on their faces gave them away even if their tones were a bit snarky. Their facial expressions matched, making the two laugh.
Needless to say, Baloo loved Storybrooke. The moment the car door opened, he was in the grass, sniffing everything in a matter of seconds. Henry and Emma walked inside and used the restrooms before talking to the old woman at the counter about a room.
The woman was plump, with light curly hair. Her glasses sat low on the bridge of her nose, but she was rather kind when offering Emma a room. “However, if that dog poops in there, there will be a cleaning fee.”
“Oh, Baloo would never! He’s a great dog, ma’am.” Henry perked up, his seventeen year old voice cracking just a bit. “I promise, you will love him.”
Henry smiled at Emma when she ruffled his hair, pulling him into her side with the same arm. “That’s enough, kid, let’s eat.”
The small diner was more spacious than Emma would have assumed from the outward appearance. The small tables outside seemed more fitting for them compared to the red booths and tables inside. After ordering two hamburgers and a large order of onion rings, the two sat outside at a table, Baloo finding himself tucked under the table at Henry’s feet, they ate.
Baloo was quite an intelligent dog, even when he seemed to do the weirdest things. Emma often found the dog jumping into the shower with Henry, lying belly up on the couch with his legs spread, or sitting in a chair, slumped on his side much like Henry sat. The boy and his dog were unbelievably close, but Emma loved that about them. They both had gone through more than the woman could imagine, but still they remained as a lifeline to the other.
Emma pulled her phone from her back pocket to dial Belle’s phone number when Henry had finished his burger. “Hey, Belle. We’re at Granny’s.” After speaking on the phone for a few minutes, the two threw away their togo wrappers and headed towards the library down the road.
“So the library is the clock tower too? That’s so cool! Can we go up there? Can Baloo come in?” Henry’s hand was linked with Emma’s, swaying wildly as he spoke animatedly about all he saw.
“That’s something you, sir, have to ask Belle. I don’t make that decision. Baloo could pass as another kid, I’m sure.” She joked and the black dog rose his snout, his tongue poking out to lick Emma’s hand. “Gross.” She laughed, petting the dog with her free hand.
Baloo had been trained well enough that they only carried a leash with them, but never had to put it on him. The training they had put him in when Henry first moved in definitely paid off.
Henry clicked his tongue and the dog returned to his side, careful to walk around the two. Emma looked around as they neared the library, scoping out the various shops and buildings around. She smiled at a sign on the lamp post about a horse sanctuary. She hadn’t ridden a horse since she was younger. Her mother loved horses, and passed it on to Emma. However, when her mother grew sick, they sold the small country home in turn for a home closer to the city where they could visit the doctor more easily.
-- -- -- --
the one where the kid meets belle
“Oh, Emma! It’s so good to finally see you again!” Belle’s accent is thick as she enveloped the blonde in a tight hug. “How have you been? This is Henry! Oh, you are so big! And the dog? You send me pictures of them constantly. I need to meet this Baloo.” Belle pulled Henry into a hug, squeezing him.
“Well, we didn’t want to just bring him into the library. He is sitting at the door, waiting.”
“I guess I can go to him then. Why don’t you introduce us, Henry?”
The boy nodded his head and pulled Belle to the door. Once the door opened, Belle smiled, bending down at the knees so she can look at Henry’s best friend. “I found him on the streets. We were best friends almost immediately. He has saved my butt a few times.” Henry laughed, his hand roaming over the black fur.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you both. Now, I can lock up any time and I’ll give Ruby a call. How about a mini tour of the town?” Belle walked back over to the main desk to grab her purse and keys. Her blue top making her eyes seem to glow as she turned back around. “Shall we?”
Belle lead the way out the door, only stopping to make sure the library doors are locked. Her keys are dropped into the confines of her purse and she motions for the three to follow her. “Ruby had to drop by the sheriff’s station for a little bit. She had some paperwork to turn in.”
“No problem, we can meet her there, and start the tour from there.”
Baloo walked close by Henry, his ears perky and tail curled up, touching his back. Henry kept his hand filled with the rope leash in case anyone had a problem with Baloo loose.
Ruby walked out of the station, her long dark hair curled. She smiled, wrapping her wife in a hug and placing a kiss on her lips. “Hey, Emma!” Ruby and Emma shake hands, and greet one another. Henry smiled, introducing himself and his dog.
“He is so proud of Baloo. It was almost impossible to send the kid to school without him. It took me an hour to convince him the night before that his dog would be okay for a few hours without him.” Emma rolled her eyes but ran her hand over Henry’s brown hair, even if he was as tall as she was.
Emma walked with Belle down the streets of Storybrooke, finding the quaint little town absolutely darling. The roads and buildings were well taken care of, and she missed the small town life. She remembered living in a small country style home when she was younger. The small town lifestyle wrapped itself around her. She preferred the small town rather than the big city, but that was something Henry had never experienced.
-- -- -- --
the one where we meet madam mayor
Regina Locksley (Mills), Mayor of Storybrooke, Maine, wife to Robin Locksley and daughter to Henry and Cora Mills. The town meeting was running smoothly, Regina sitting at the head of the table. Her posture was poised and regal, but demanded attention. The woman in her black pencil skirt and red silk blouse had her legs crossed, and her pen was scribbling down notes in an elegant cursive font as the Chief of Fire spoke his piece. As Regina’s eyes crossed the table, they fell on the principle of their school, Mary Margaret, a short woman, pale as snow, with dark black hair chopped into a pixie cut. The woman’s husband sat to her left, stand in sheriff, his broad shoulders and chiseled jawline that he thought were so charming were angled forward.
Her eyes looked onto the man’s bright eyes and blonde hair. Typical ‘Prince Charming’.
To the other side of Mary Margaret sat THE Ava Blanchard and her husband Leopold Blanchard, parents to the one and only Mary Margaret. Ava sat as the elected representative for the people of Storybrooke, and her husband was a realtor. Alongside them was Mr. Robert Gold, another rival realtor that often butted heads with the man taller than him sitting to his left. Leopold was a tall but hearty man. He laughed loud and loved his wife and daughter to the ends of the earth. His greying hair was thinning on the top of his head, but his eyes were full of life. His wife beside him looked much like their daughter with piercing eyes and thick hair. Robert Gold on the other hand was a frail man, power hungry, and rich. His leathery skin reminded Regina that of a crocodiles which is what many called the man behind his back. He had a limp and walked with a cane, but it never stopped him.
Regina rolled her eyes as she felt her phone vibrate in her lap. As she peaked at it, she saw a text from her husband, notifying her that he would be out with Killian Jones for the night. They were heading to the Rabbit Hole, the local bar in town.
She replied with a simple, ‘okay, love you.’ And locked her phone, knowing she wouldn’t receive a response. It was barely noon and Robin had already made plans to leave her on her own in their home for the night. It wasn’t rare that the man left for the night, drinking with Killian and the other ‘merry men’ as Regina called them. They were a bunch of drunks, and the mayor often wondered whether her husband even batted an eye her way.
She loved him, though. They married fresh out high school with the honeymoon phase still ringing in their ears. The rose colored glasses were fading, and reality was shining a large light at Regina’s marriage. They are happy, she swears it.
The two had never had a child due to Regina not being fertile, so they never talked about it other than bringing up adoption on a rare drunken occasion. Robin never let her get far with the whole ‘child’ thing. He claimed he wasn’t ready to be a father, but she more than ever wanted a child to call her own.
Her mind raced through their marriage as she sat at the head of the conference table. Who would have thought that 3 years into marriage and she was less of a person than she had ever been? No one could tell by physical means. Regina styled herself to perfection daily, never daring to allow a stray hair to affect her appearance.
Regina was a strong woman on her exterior, but she often felt a shell of the woman she had once been. She didn’t enjoy life as she had when she was in high school. Her life had consisted of riding and training horses with her father after finishing her homework, spending night curled up in the living room with her mother and father as they talked about their days and upcoming events. They were a family full of love and happiness. They depended on one another in the hard times and shared their joy in the happiest of times. Regina had always longed for a love as true as the one her parents had. She assumed she had it with Robin, and sure, they fought and weren’t deeply in love anymore, but they loved one another. Regina knew it. They would get over this, and it would be fine.
“Mayor Mills.” A nudge to her foot from her Secretary had her eyes focused back onto the topic at hand.
With the clearing of her throat she pursued her lips, “yes?”
“If you would allow, the meeting is finished unless you have any last comments.” Sidney Glass nodded towards the woman with a soft smile on his lips.
“I have no further questions. We will meet again in two weeks. Thank you all for coming.” After the dismissal, Regina walked everyone out, trying to buy more time until she had to go home in her lonely house. Of course, she still had a few things she could do in the office to buy her time, but it wasn’t the same knowing she would return to an empty house once more.
Her hands finally pushed the office door closed and she walked to the large black desk, sitting in the soft chair behind it. Brown, coffee colored eyes fell on the windows that were behind her desk. The large array allowed her to look out at Storybrooke and onto the apple tree growing in the lawn of Town Hall. She spotted vibrant blonde hair paired with a tacky red leather jacket, a small brunet boy walking next to the woman with a black dog at their side. Belle and Ruby French were walking next to them, seeming to show them around the town.
The bright blonde hair stuck in Regina’s mind, and her thoughts cease when the woman turned around. The angles of the woman’s face were soft enough that they were almost angelic, but angular enough to make Regina wonder what it would be like to run her lips along her jawline. Her face was so lively and happy, the mayor craved to be as happy as this nameless woman was.
She shook her head and took a deep breath, pushing away the thoughts of the woman.
The mayor rose from her chair, deciding to eat take out versus making herself a dinner because her husband was vacant from their household tonight. It was just after two in the afternoon when Regina finally left her office to pick up her burger and fries that Granny always put in a different container as to make everyone think the mayor was eating another salad.
— —
the one where they meet
Regina walked down the sidewalk to Granny’s, phone tucked away in her pocket, long forgotten as she spots a yellow volkswagen beetle. Who on earth would drive such a car? Her question was soon answered as she entered the small diner, spotting the bright blonde curls sitting at the bar. The strong jawline caught Regina’s eyes, but she quickly pulled them away as a teenaged boy next to the woman. His deep brown, puppy dog eyes met Regina’s and she felt a surge of longing fill her veins.
She longed for a child of her own.
“Hi! I’m Henry. You can sit by us - It’s just my mom and I.” The boy, whose name she know knew as Henry, smiled up at her from his seat.
“Henry, kid, you can’t just-” The stunning blonde had a pair of piercing green eyes that seemed to breathe the life of nature. The vivid greens reminded Regina off the rolling pastures and thick forests she used to ride through when helping her father at his sanctuary. Her breath caught in her throat as she let her eyes take in the dark lashes and soft pink lips. “I-I’m sorry. He loves new people. I’m Emma, Emma Swan.”
Two forces within her conflicted, one telling her to go home and drown her sorrows in a new bottle of wine or to stay here and sit with these visitors.
“Regina Locksley, and please, don’t apologize. I would love to sit with you. I have nothing that needs done immediately.
Her dinner was soon transferred onto a plate by Granny, and a smile struck the old woman’s face. Regina rarely stayed to eat, and Granny seemed to have an idea up her sleeve.
Emma smiled and thanked Regina for staying. “He is on summer break from school now, and I thought we would come visit an old friend from college.”
The dazzling green eyes were sparkling in the yellowing light inside Granny’s. Regina nodded along, listening to how Emma managed to meet Belle French in a college class when Emma stumbled in late and made a fool of herself.
Her food was long gone as was Emma and Henry’s as they sat talking about Regina becoming the mayor at only age 20. “I am the youngest elected mayor. I have been mayor for almost ten years now, and I hope to be elected again. My parents have always been more than supportive in all of my choices. Well, minus my husband, Robin. He came from a different background and family life than I did. My parents don’t always agree with him, but we married young. We fell in love in high school, married right after.” Her eyes drift to Henry who is now sitting in a booth against the wall, reading a book. “What about you? How old is your son?”
Emma laughed which pulled a furrowed brow from Regina. Why would Emma be laughing? “Oh, no. He isn’t biologically my kid. He’s almost seventeen now. I found him living on the streets when he was thirteen. He and this dog were scavenging through my friends restaurant trash, and I offered him a place to come clean up and sleep if he needed. We became best friends almost immediately. Henry is the sweetest kid. He may as well be mine, but no. I’m single and my sole focus is on giving Henry his best shot at life. His parents abandoned him to move to Vegas. They left him a note and a twenty dollar bill. He had a backpack when I found him. It was old clothes that didn’t fit him and a reusable water bottle. When I saw him, I knew immediately that he was supposed to be in my life. I knew he needed me just as much as I would need him.”
Emma brushed back her hair and took a deep breath. “He’s been the best part of my life for four years now. I picked him up on May 7th and he stayed with me a few months before I legally adopted him. I mean, he was just abandoned and the courts don’t really care up there. So, we’ve been family ever since. And his dog. That damn Baloo, like in the Jungle Book, he is just like a kid. Henry and Baloo are almost inseparable.”
The love that filled Emma’s words was inspiring to Regina. She could feel in her own heart how much the blonde cared for her son. He was the most important person in her life, and Regina felt a hollow ache form in her chest. She wanted a child to love like that, but it just didn’t seem to be in the cards for herself and her husband.
Regina nodded her head and smiled once more, “you are very lucky, Miss Swan. As is he. He seems to have a great woman to call his mother.” As the mayor checked her watch, she realized that it was growing late, and she had been in the diner for two hours.
“Oh, my. It’s growing rather late, I’m sure you need to get settled for the night. Thank you for keeping me company over dinner, Miss Swan.”
“And thank you, Madam Mayor. I enjoyed it. Maybe I’ll see you again while we are here.” Emma reached out her hand as to shake Regina’s, so the brunette clasped the woman’s hand, shaking it slowly.
As the mayor left the small diner, smelling of grease and fast food, her hand grew cold where it had touched the blonde’s. She peeked back inside the window as she passed, walking to where her black Mercedes was parked, spotting Emma pull Henry out of the booth and walk to the back where the rooms were located.
-- -- -- --
the one where we meet the mills
Henry smiled as Emma pulled him up the sidewalk and to the large cabin looking building. The sign at the front had a large mustang cut out with the name ‘Mills Horse Training and Sanctuary” above it. Emma smiled down at her son as they walked to the front desk where an older woman with red hair sat.
“Hello, dears! How can I help you?” The woman flashed a brilliant smile, her eyes sparkling as she spoke.
“Hey, I’m looking to see if my son and I could ride here? I know you guys have horses. This kid has never ridden before.” Emma motioned to Henry next to her, the woman’s eyes fell upon him.
“Never ridden? My, boy, well, it’s your lucky day because my husband is working with some horses today and could use your help. Let me take you to him. I’m Cora by the way. Cora Mills.”
The woman stood from her seat and motioned for them to walk with her as they walked through the large building and put the back door to a large paddock with a barn not to far to the right. An older man with salt and pepper hair was leading a horse back into the barn. “Henry, dear!”
“Oh, my love, yes? Who are you two?” Henry grinned wide, his hand that was holding the lead was wrinkled and calloused from hard work. He reached out his free hand to the young boy first. “Henry Mills, and you are?”
The younger Henry reached out his hand, shaking the man’s hand firmly. “Henry Swan, Sir.”
“Henry? Well, what an excellent name, and please, don’t call me sir. It makes me feel older than dirt. And you must be his mom.” Henry’s caring eyes met Emma’s and the look he gave her reminded her much of how her father once looked at her. It stuck an emotion deep within her and she swallowed before taking his hand in hers.
“Emma Swan. It’s nice to meet you, Henry.”
“The pleasure is mine! I see you’ve met my beautiful wife, Cora. I’m still not sure how I hooked her.” Henry winked to Emma, but laughed before continuing, “well, what can I do for you two today? Are we riding or would you like to be out to work?”
“We hopes to ride today, but if you would be willing to let me work for you while we are down for the next month that would be fantastic.” Emma looked around at the vivid green pastures and the start white contrast of the wooden fencing. It was a beautiful property and she doubted the two did this by themselves.
The horse next to Henry was growing impatient as it moved from side to side, the large muscles beneath its skin rippling with each movement. “Shh, boy. Well, let’s go saddle some horses for you folks and I can let you ride for as long as you’d like. We have quite a bit of land, and the perimeter is outlined in fencing. You can’t get too lost.” The man smiled and offered the lead to the younger of the Henry’s.
“Me?” The boy took a hold of the lead and smiled. “Do you have one that would fit me?”
“Well, young man, we have plenty of horses here. I’ll let you choose any you like.”
The older man walked back with Emma as Henry practically skipped just a few paces to the side of the two. The horse walked easily with the boy, acting as though it trusted him completely.
“We started this sanctuary a few years after we married. I’ve always loved horses as does my wife. We saw too many horses being mistreated and abandoned in the surrounding areas so we took them in, raised them and trained them. All of our horses are rescues or donated to us. We’ve bred a few, but those are rare cases. You both could definitely help us out around here. I can have Henry working with Cora part time and me the rest of the time. You can come in during the mornings to help muck out stalls and various chores. We will find things for you folks to do.” Henry patted Emma’s arm. “Now, tell me where you two are from?”
“New York, but I grew up in a small town like this until my mom grew sick. Henry grew up in New York City, but I adopted him when he was just thirteen.”
“Oh? Well, I’m glad there are caring people still in the world, Emma. Now, let’s pick you out a horse.”
The barn was just as nice as the rest of the property. Each stall had a horse and it’s name on a plaque on the stall door. Emma gasped as she looked at all the horses. Various sizes and colors were in their own stalls. “Ma! Look at this one!”
Henry took the lead from the younger boy, taking the horse into its stall, and patting her down before removing its harness and closing the door.
The mare that Emma’s son was now looking at was a smaller Appaloosa mare. It’s mane was thick, and her colors were warm like caramel. He looked back at his mother expectantly. His hands reached out to pet the mare, her snout pulling away before allowing him to pet her nose.
“That is Karma. She’s a sweet old momma. She’s older, but just as lively as she was as a young foal. She would be perfect for your first ride. Let me show you how to saddle her up.” Henry senior opened the stall door and rubbed the mares strong neck, whispering to her. “Go ahead and find one for yourself, Emma.”
Emma smiled at the interaction of her son and this man. The older of the two harnessed the mare and had the younger lead her over to where he kept the saddles. Together, They placed a small blanket and then a saddle on her, tightening it just right. “Be sure you tighten this enough or else you’ll slide off. She is good about it and will let you know if it’s getting too tight.” The boy was soon on top of his horse, clutching the horn of the saddle as tight as possible. His poor knuckles were white and Emma couldn’t help but chuckle. “She’s the safest mare we have around here, my boy. Don’t worry about a thing. She will show you how it all works. Hold on to the reigns like this and you can rest your hands here. If you want her to go, you tap her sides with your heels right here. To turn, pull her reigns to the side like so.” The older man demonstrated everything to Henry and checked with him multiple times to be sure he was okay with being on the horse.
Emma strolled down the stalls, petting and examining each horse. She felt a surge of sadness fill her chest as she saw a beautiful white steed, his large stance reminded her much of her mother’s old horse. She swallowed the ball forming in her throat as she pet the horse, slowly.
//
“Emma, I’ll race you to the stables!” Emma’s mother smiled wildly as she shook her reigns, squeezing the sides of her horse.
Emma giggled madly, her hands flying to her reigns, snapping them, and sending her horse into a run. Emma’s mother had long dark hair that fell in soft curls, her piercing eyes were bluest of blues, and Emma could see the smile that paired with the rosy cheeks.
Her mother turned over her shoulder, her eyes catching Emma’s, “Come on, slowpoke!”
The brilliant white steed thudded beneath her mother and her own horse, dark black, it was her father’s. The white horse breathed heavily, its muscles rippling as it pushed, loving the game.
Her mother had bought the horse and raised it as her own. She loved it like it were her own child.
\\
Her eyes fell upon the next horse, chesnutt with a blaze of white down its snout. The name beneath it was Rocinante. His eyes were a deep, puppy dog brown, and her heart smiled.
“Rocinante. He is my daughter’s horse. We have raised him since he was just a colt. You are welcome to ride him.” The owner stood beside Emma now, his hand brushing the white steed to the right of them
Emma shrugged, looking down the aisle. “Come, I think I have the horse for you. This is Luce. He is a Dun.” Henry walked down the aisle a few stalls, stopping in front of a reddish brown horse with a darker brown mane and tail to match. Between his mane and tail was a small line that ran down his spine. His eyes met Emma’s and she could feel a connection with the horse. That was something her mother swore by -- connecting with your horse.
She broke into a smile and allowed her palm to reach toward him, allowing him to meet her halfway with his snout. “Hey, Luce. What does that mean?” He nudged her palm, and flipped his lip up at her playfully.
“It means ‘light’. He was a rescue from an awful, overrun home. He was beaten before he came here. With much love and patience, he is a magnificent horse. Luce, here, isn’t great with kids nor men, but you two have kindred spirits. You will get along perfectly.”
Henry Sr. opened the stall for Emma, and she led the large horse to where she would saddle him. Her hands ran over his soft mane, soothing her worries. “What do you say? Let’s go for a ride.”
The horse snorted, and she stuck her foot in the stirrup, pulling herself up and onto the saddle. Her hands took hold of the reigns and she gave the steed a good rub on his neck.
“Look at you! You are a natural, my dear.” Cora Mills had returned from inside and was standing at the edge of the barn, her husband standing next to her.
“Yes, ma’am. My mother loved horses.” The blonde licked her lips and edged her horse forward. She allowed him to grow used to her as they walked across the paddock and near the pasture. “Alright, Luce. Let’s see what you got.”
With another swift nudge, the horse was storming down the pasture after Henry. Henry and his horse seemed to be having a blast. Both of their hair was flying in the wind and her son’s giggles were nonstop.
Emma smiled as she saw just how happy her son was in a moment like this. They needed this vacation.
Together they slowed their horses and walked down the path, her horse mindful of how close they were to Henry.
“We aren’t due back for a while, ma, let’s go all the way around.” Henry grinned up at her, her horse a bit taller than his.
They walked all the way down the beaten path, down to the small lake, and back through the woods. By the time they returned to the barn, the sun in the sky was beginning to lower and Henry sat with Cora out on the back porch of the building.
“Back so soon? How was it, my boy? You will be sore in the morning.” The man laughed, his hands waved them in. “Brush them and cool them down for me, Emma. I will be there after to make sure everything is put up.”
“Yes, sir.” Emma dropped from her horse, helping Henry lead the horses into the barn.
They brushed down the horses after removing their saddles. The water was replaced, and the horses were put up. Emma wrapped her left arm around her son and he laughed, leaning into her. “You stink, kid.”
“Hey, you don’t smell any better!” Henry wrapped his arm around his mother and they stumbled up the steps to where the Mills were watching them, smiles illuminating their faces.
“Would you like to stay for drinks or are you in a rush?” Cora pulled them to the table, pushing glasses of lemonade to them.
“We are in no rush. I would love to stay if you don’t mind the smell.”
“I hope she doesn’t mind it, I’ve been married to her for ages.”
-- -- a week later -- --
the one where emma goes to the bar
“Oh my god, you aren’t an old soccer mom!” Emma pulled down the hem to her red dress that seemed to crawl dangerously close to the swell of her butt. Ruby stood, long legs on show, fawning over Emma.
“Are you sure this looks okay?” Thick blonde curls framed a pale face. Her green eyes were smokey and dangerous when paired with the light gloss upon her lips. She looked young, lively, and ready to kill.
“Oh, Emma.” Mary Margaret, wearing a black dress that was more modest and could easily be worn to teach kindergarten children, wrapped her arm in Emma’s.
“Okay, can we go now?” The attention was causing blush to rise to Emma’s cheeks, luckily covered by the layer of makeup she applied.
A neon sign -- The Rabbit Hole -- glared down into the darkening street. Street lights were on, and the sun was completely set as they walked into the bar. A few pool tables were off to one side, and on the opposite side were a few tables and booths. At the far end, past the bar, was a dance floor. Various lights loomed across the wooden floor, and the speakers boomed even from their far distance.
Emma could easily get caught up in this environment. Yeah, easily. Ruby pulled Emma through the entryway, muttering something about no hesitating tonight and cutting loose. They found their way over to a table closest to the dance floor, but still tucked off to the side. A few regulars were at the bar, some people playing pool, and others on the dance floor, strutting around.
A round of shots were placed in front of them, thanks to the one and only Mary Margaret. The blonde would have never imagined the principal to be such a fun sort. Her eyes glanced toward the doors that opened once again, revealing a tall redhead with bright eyes and a dark green dress that Emma barely pulled her eyes from. When she finally did, the warm lights from above cast a glow upon a face that had been sculpted by a goddess, with pools of warm coffee colored eyes, sharp eyebrows that arched perfectly as though they were thankful to be a part of the woman’s face. A sharp jawline led down to a pair of crimson red lips that oozed sex. The small scar above the red devil’s kiss seemed to attract the green eyes back to them. The tight black ensemble that the woman wore pressed up her cleavage, accented her legs, and hugged every curve -- Emma knew too well. Shoulder length locks hung in curls to frame the woman’s face. Her dark eye lashes and smokey eyes finally glanced over Emma, and she felt her heart stop beating. It was the mayor.
“Emma. Earth to Emma.” Ruby was snapping near the blonde’s face, “Swan!” She finally pulled the woman from her trance, her green eyes no longer fogged over with hazy thoughts.
“Yeah?” Emma smiled, her cheeks feeling rather hot as the tall redhead extended a hand to the blonde.
“Zelena, dear, and you must be Emma.” Her smile was wide and toothy, she would be the fun friend, Emma could already tell. “And this is my sister, Regina.”
Emma smiled and extended her own hand, shaking Zelena’s and Regina’s. “We met, briefly.” As if an almost two hour conversation had been brief.
“Ooh, shots! Let’s get to know one another, shall we?” Zelena slid in close to Emma, leaving Mary Margaret and Ruby to her right and Emma to her left. The booth was in the shape of a ‘u’, and Regina sat herself next to Emma.
“Alright, everyone, shots.” Ruby slid one to each person and raised her glass. “To girls’ night.”
“Please, I would rather stab my eye out with a spoon.” Regina muttered under her breath, pulling a chuckle from the blonde next to her. They all clinked shot glasses and downed the brown liquid.
“Oh, God, Mary Margaret, what the hell did you order?”
“I just told the bartender to keep the rounds coming. David offered to fund girls’ night tonight, so drinks are on me!” the woman smiled and waved to the bartender.
“So, Emma, tell us how you came about stumbling into Storybrooke. No offense, sis, but its not a well known town.”
Regina shrugged, her eyes rolling over Emma’s tight red dress. She wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol or the way those green eyes slowed at the bottom of her neck that make her feel so warm in the booth. “Oh, uhm, I knew Belle from college, and so she invited Henry and I down for the summer. Henry is my son, well adopted son, but he’s just my kid.” Emma pushed her hair from her eyes, the breathing patterns in her lungs was far from normal.
As they chatted, the cleavage hoisted up between the dip in Regina’s dress was catching more attention from a certain blonde before Zelena requested more drinks.
“Whiskey, neat.”
Once the drinks returned, the conversations flowed smoothly, Emma and Regina loosening up with the others in the group, talking and laughing alike. Emma felt Regina brush up against her arm as Ruby told a story of Belle chasing a feral cat from their living room. Regina, more than a few drinks in, rose from the table, her hand cupping her drink carefully. Despite her heels, her balance was perfect and she took a deep breath. “Let’s go dance.”
Zelena let out a whoop of excitement as she pushed Emma from the seat, urging the others to follow. Soon, they were all walking towards the heavy bass music, other bodies moving and dancing in the changing light. Emma felt her hips begin to move without her permission as the beat echoed within her chest. Her green eyes darkened at the sight before her, the mayor’s thick hips moving around as she danced around her sister. They laughed and pulled Ruby in with them. Mary Margaret, was more than a little tipsy, and it showed in her dance moves, or was she just a bad dancer? Emma wasn’t for sure.
Her hands reached out to Ruby, pulling her into her bubble. “So you and Regina seem to be hitting it off, champ.” Emma rolled her eyes, but couldn’t fight the blush that rose up her neck.
“Emma! Dance with me.” Zelena swaggered over, her body in time with the music as she began dancing on the blonde. The blonde curls were pushed to one side as Zelena whispered into her ear. “Give it a minute, pet, she will come steal you from me soon.”
Zelena’s hands were on the blonde’s hips, pulling her closer. Emma allowed herself to enjoy the moment until she felt a hot gaze attack her. Her eyes opened to see the dark curls and deep red lips come towards her. “You can thank me later, pet.”
Emma’s hands hesitated none as they pulled the sculpted hips into her. Regina danced closer to Emma than she could have imagined. The only space between them was where their lips and chests didn’t quite meet. Their foreheads pressed together as the visitor smiled wickedly. “It’s about time you come and dance with me, Madam Mayor. I didn’t think you ever would.”
“I couldn’t allow my sister to waste such a good dancer. What kind of mayor would I be to not take in a newcomer?” Her eyes were much darker now, filled with a haze from the alcohol.
The black dress soon turned around and the scent of apples filled Emma’s senses as Regina’s hair pressed against her shoulder. A shapely rear ground its way against Emma’s front, eliciting a soft gasp. “Madam Mayor, careful now.” Her own hands were on the hips covered by soft black material.
And that is how they danced for more songs than they could count. Ruby and Mary Margaret found themselves back at the booth, drinking from various glasses they ordered, soon finding Zelena with an evil smirk, stumbling from the dance floor with another drink in her hand.
Emma and Regina finally parted ways as another song ended, pulling them back to where their friends sat.
After far too many more drinks, Emma felt her teeth go numb and her inhibitions disappear. Ruby was snapchatting away, recording videos of them all singing to various songs and laughing as they told idiotic stories. Mary Margaret fawned over Zelena’s red curls, and Regina couldn’t keep her eyes off of the blonde. Maybe it was the empty bottle that sat between the two, or something more, but the blonde swore there was a reason she saw Regina tonight.
Zelena pulled the two from the booth and towards the door. “Time to go.” Mary Margaret and Ruby both lived in the same direction as Zelena, so they all walked out into the warm summer night, stumbling towards their homes. Emma linked arms with Ruby and Regina, swaying back and forth as Ruby sang them a song. Emma really didn’t feel too drunk, but Ruby was a different story. Ruby had downed more shots than she could keep track of, as did Mary Margaret. Apparently, they had been shot buddies, and they were both delirious. Mary Margaret held on to Zelena’s waist, her hands squeezing the taller woman.
“I know you love me, but Mary Margaret, I don’t think David wants me included in your marriage.” Emma rolled her eyes, giggling a little more than she should have.
Regina squeezed her arm with a soft smirk. “Let’s get them home, shall we?”
Mary Margaret stumbled up and into her home with the help of Zelena. Once the woman was transferred into the hands of David, they walked to Ruby’s home. Here, they were extra careful not to wake up Henry who was asleep in the guest room. Finally, Zelena pulled the two remaining women out and back into the summer night.
“We are going to my house! I don’t think either of you want to a. Be home alone or b. Listen to a drunk Ruby all night.”
-- -- -- --
the one with the empty bottle
Emma and Regina found themselves in a small, warm home. “The kitchen is up there, you both will be in the guest room. I’m going to shower and go to bed, feel free to shower in the other bathroom. Don’t eat all my food.” Zelena waved her hand and locked the door before walking down the hallway and shutting her door. “Goodnight.”
Emma walked to the kitchen and opened the fridge, finding a small take away of pasta and took ahold of two forks. She saw Regina rummaging through a cabinet across the island, and she walked out to the back porch, finding a small hammock attached to a stand just a few feet from the edge of the porch and she grinned. She sat down within it, pulling the lid to the pasta open. Regina found her way back to Emma, sliding in next to her, the hammock squishing them closer. It was wide enough for more than just the two of them so they adjusted themselves to sit parallel with it..
Emma handed Regina a fork and she happily took it, stabbing a few noodles. “You didn’t heat it up?”
The blonde shook her head, her mouth full of pasta. Regina rolled her eyes and pulled a bottle from the ground where she had sat it. “Here, open this.” Emma took the chilled bottle and untwisted the top, taking a small drink. It burned as it slid down her throat, but it felt better than letting her mind grow too fond of the woman pressed against her side.
Regina’s body was flush against her side as the woman took a drink of the bottle. “Tell me, Miss Swan. What is your wildest dream?”
“Living happily. A life of contentment. I’ve always wanted a happy life. One that brings me joy. Ideally it’s with a spouse at my side and my son on the other. Most people run once they discover the whole kid thing, but if they can’t love him -- I could never love them.”
Regina hummed in agreeance, “I’ve longed for someone to look at me the way my father looks at my mother. I want to love someone as deeply and unconditionally as they do each other.”
Emma felt the woman next to her still as they both looked up into the clear night sky. The deep midnight blue color was sprinkled with bright starts that seemed to be placed one by one. Each one had its own view on life, on love, and on them. Emma wondered what they were thinking in that moment. Her father had always told her that the stars were past lives. Ones like her mothers. There was one star, three to the left and up 4 off the top of the Big Dipper that they had seen appear after her mother’s death. He claimed it was the brightest and most beautiful star he had ever seen, and Emma couldn’t argue.
The woman’s death had been hard on both of them, but Emma’s father never allowed it to impact his parenting skills.
“What are you thinking about, dear?” Regina’s sultry voice purred in Emma’s ears.
“My mom and dad. They used to take time to go sit outside before bed in the warmer months where they would just sit and look at the stars. They would talk about their days and unwind. It just made me think of them.” Emma smiled, taking a long drink of the no longer burning liquid.
“My mom used to tell me that when we lost loved ones, they went into the stars to become one of their own… She told me that when my father lost his brother.” Regina laid her head on Emma’s shoulder, leaning further back into the knitted fabric of the hammock. “They’re up there watching out for you, keeping you and Henry safe.”
Emma felt her chest constrict and she turned to the brunette. Their eyes met, and Emma swallowed hard. “Tell me about you, ‘Gina.” Emma’s voice broke, skipping the first few letters.
And as the two talked, Emma felt her chest loosen, but her heart ache as the woman before her opened up about every heartbreak and highlight in her life. The blonde found herself enthralled with this brunette beauty that laid next to her. The way she laughed with her eyes, and her sparkling white teeth that had a terribly contagious smile, made the woman feel as though her insides were mush. She felt warm, safe, and happy talking to Regina. The light in Regina’s eyes was like a fire, and even as she talked about random policies she had enforced in Storybrooke, it blazed. Emma couldn’t help but lean in closer.
“I feel like I’ve known you my entire life, Regina. I-i feel like I was supposed to come to Storybrooke…”
“You were, Emma. You were meant to find me in this tiny town.”
Emma leaned forward, her eyes following the shimmering of the stars in the other woman’s eyes before closing them. Regina pushed forward, their lips meeting in a tender embrace. It was like a cold drink of water on a hot day, or a warm coat wrapped around your shoulders when it’s freezing out. It was like a breath of fresh air. Their lips pressed forward more, deepening the kiss. Neither allowed their fear of the unknown overtake them as they slowly took hold of one another, Emma’s hand on Regina’s hip, and Regina’s hand on the other’s cheek, keeping her close. It was like a new beginning, or a shipwrecked crew finally being rescued. Maybe it was the alcohol. Maybe it was fate finally telling Regina that it was right. Maybe it was the world illuminating. Maybe it was meant to be. Maybe their souls had finally found their other half. Or something like that.