A/N: Hey everyone, this is my first stab at both fanfiction and swan queen. The story is an AU with a loose interpretation of the characters from Once Upon a time, though I own nothing! Phew got that out of the way. (This is what I'm supposed to be saying here, right?) I decided to use what I imagined to be a younger, more carefree version of Regina who was molded individually by her experiences in this story. Hope you enjoy!

Every turn seemed to produce another, resulting in a never-ending strip of zigzagging road. Regina stared straight ahead as she leaned into each turn, her right hand resting on the leather stick shift, her left loosely directing the steering wheel.

"Mommy, can you open the window? It's hot in here." Her daughter, Alexis, interrupted Regina's daydreaming.

"Sure, baby" she sighed, exhausted by both the heat and the lengthy trip. As she lowered the window down she spotted the green sign she's been waiting to see for the last 204 miles Welcome to Storybrooke. She breathed a sigh of relief as Alexis shrieked.

"We're here! We're here! Mommy we're here!" bouncing up and down, her brownish-blonde strands of hair shaking back and forth. Her car seat shifted around as she wriggled and fidgeted, face flushed with excitement. The sight of it was adorable enough to force Regina out of her detached state. She glanced back through the rearview and allowed her lips to pull back enough to reveal perfectly white teeth in a wide smile, one only reserved for her daughter.

The trees opened up and the town seemingly sprung out of nowhere. The stores lined the street adorned with flowers and flags. As Regina continued down, making a right, a left, following the directions the GPS called out. She finally entered a neighborhood with similar looking tall houses standing on either side of the road in true suburban fashion. The houses stood, for the most part, structurally identical but each had its own quirks, some shutters, a wrap around porch, a balcony. The wind breezed through the sleek black car's windows and against Regina's face, her dark chocolate hair flying around with the wind. She delicately tucked a fallen tress back behind her ear as her lips pursed in concentration. Scanning the houses for 108 her eyes darted back and forth. 94, 96, 98…. For every number that passed by on her right, her shoulders seem to relax a quarter inch, a relaxation that could only be accompanied by a sense of freedom. She would have a house to her own, a house free of her nagging, lazy, alcoholic ex-boyfriend Daniel, A house where she and her perfect daughter could live without the constraints that had been holding them down for the past five years. She finally spotted 108 Mifflin Street and turned into the driveway, pulling up to a white house with blue shutters. The wooden porch at the front had a double swing and the front yard stood immaculately groomed.

"Mommy…Is this it? Alexis cautiously asked, conflicted by the stopped car in the driveway, and the fact that her mother remained motionless in the front seat.

"Yes Alexis this is it. What do you think? Wanna go look around?" Regina answered as she turned around to see Alexis's face plastered against the window as if she pressed her face harder, she would see more of her new home. Alexis nodded so hard it was a feat that she didn't break her neck. Regina, responded by getting out her seat and opened the back door as she unbuckled Alexis from her car seat, lowering her down just enough for her already moving feet to take her off towards the front door.

As Regina was halfway to the door, Alexis was already swinging on the porch swing, The front door of the house burst open, a tall blonde appeared in the doorframe.

"Regina! Alexis! You made it!" Kathryn raced out from the doorway, gathering Alexis in one arm and extending her other to envelope the slim, beautiful women with a surprisingly powerful sweep. Even with all the uncertainty she was feeling, Regina couldn't help but laugh freely in her best friend's arms. She and Kathryn had gone to college together, and had become inseparable ever since. Even when Kathryn moved to Storybrooke five years ago, they never ceased communication, usually calling each other several times a day.

Kathryn stepped back and took a long look at her friend. It had been at least a year since she'd seen her. During that time, when Regina had just left her rotten boyfriend, she had been a mess, but judging on her appearance, the woman seemed to have picked herself up and made a 360-degree turnaround. She wore dark, designer made jeans, leather boots with heels, and loose cotton white t-shirt that seemed to accentuate all the right places. Her hair fell down around her shoulders soft waves, not quite curling around but bending here and there. Most noticeable though, was the healthy glow that accompanied the olive skinned woman. Kathryn smiled in satisfaction, oh yes I will be able to find her a man quite easily. She smirked mischievously as Regina slapped her shoulder.

"I don't even want to know what you're thinking. But whatever it is, don't start getting any ideas"

"I have no idea what you're talking about!" Kathryn feigned shock while placing her hand exaggeratedly over her heart. Regina only shook her head, knowing full and well what her friend was capable of.

"Well come on, lets get unpacked!" Regina grabbed Alexis from Kathryn's arms and headed back to the car. Replacing a large and quite heavy box into the arms previously holding Alexis with a knowing smirk on her lips.

The next day Regina stood in front of her mirror. Putting on her makeup slowly and deliberately as not to have an ounce of it out of place. She was nervous to say the least; it was her first day at her new job at the major law firm of Storybrooke. Considering she had previously been a high-class lawyer in New York City, it hadn't been a problem landing a decent job at the smaller, suburban firm but the fresh start still had her on edge. She wore a silky plum blouse tucked into her charcoal slacks, which of course, were tailored and fitted. Finishing off her makeup she threw her hair up into a tight-slicked back ponytail, a look both professional and intimidating. With one last look she took to Alexis' room where the girl was doing just as her mother was moments before. Alexis wore her jeans and pink sparkly shirt that she had gone school shopping for. She was very proud of the outfit she had picked out on her own and was so busy admiring herself that she didn't hear her mother standing in the doorway.

"You look very pretty" Regina said with a soft smile. Alexis twirled around, smiling and laughing. Regina laughed at the silly girl and grabbed her backpack "Come on honey, we don't want to be late. Let's go." After stopping in the kitchen to grab Alexis' lunch Regina dropped Alexis off at school and proceeded to work.

After a long day of work Regina learned in her doorframe as she watched the school bus pull up and her daughter jump down the steps and sprint to her, knocking into her with a hug.

"Mommy, mommy, mommy I have the bestest teacher!"

"Best teacher," Regina corrected lovingly while hugging Alexis into her side. "So why do you have the best teacher?"

"Because she's really fun and she showed me how to write stories and she's really pretty and.." Alexis practically shouted while she looked up from her mother's side.

"Okay, slow down. What did she do that was so fun?" Regina said as she kneeled down to be at Alexis' eye level.

"Well I told her I liked to write stories so she read my story during lunch and gave me new ideas and helped me write more!" Alexis' excitement was so infectious it seemed to be radiating off of her in waves as she practically jumped up and down. Now Regina's attention was caught. Alexis was always a bundle of joy to her and Kathryn, whom she had known her entire life, but was usually very shy to strangers. Regina had received plenty of notes from teachers, concerned about Alexis' intelligence because she often behaved like a mute in front of a classroom of other kids. So for a teacher to be able to open Alexis up to her enough not only to talk to her, but also for Alexis to show her precious stories she was always working on made Regina wonder what trick this new teacher had up her sleeve.

"What's your teachers name, Alexis?

"Her name is Miss Swan" Alexis was winding down from her excitement from school and she began to walk, pulling her mother's hand behind her as she made her way to the kitchen for her afternoon snack. Regina caught on, and began to make Alexis' snack of celery sticks and peanut butter as Alexis continued to chatter on and on about her first day of 1st grade. Regina was in the process of trying to keep up with Alexis when the phone rang.

"Hey, so how was your first day!" Kathryn's voice sprang loudly from the telephone the minute that Regina picked it up.

"It was good, what I would expect, a lot of orientation, meeting of the firm members, the usual."

"Oh good I'm glad. So there's this gym I go to where the hottest men in town also happen to go. Do you want to join me tonight? They have babysitting for Alexis." Regina looked over at Alexis who seemed to be talking to herself about a princess and a prince.

"Yeah I'm sure I could fit that in tonight. I need to workout desperately though for the record the hottest men in town have no influence to what gym I go. "

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Whatever you say. You may be fine living with your adorable daughter but I need myself a man to keep me warm at nigh-"

"Okay I get it! I'll be there. " Regina answered and paused, weighing whether or not she should ask, "Do you know anything about a Miss Swan? She's Alexis' teacher"

"If by Miss Swan, you mean Emma Swan, then yes I know her. So does that rest of the town, although not as well as they wish they did I'm sure. "