here's a new one for y'all

this is pretty emma centric for a while. emma in this story is VERY different than show emma. keep that in mind.

mommy!Emma

eventual SwanQueen

beta fabulous RowArk! there's a sister story of mommy!Emma, little!zelena on her profile entitled Little Green. check it out

EZEZEZEZEZEZEZEZEZEZEZ

There was no destination in mind. Emma had woken up feeling anxious and extremely upset. She had no one to talk to here. Even though she was determined to set roots up here, she'd yet to really establish a relationship with anyone that she could just go talk to them about all that was going on. Belle was bonded to Ruby who was loyal to Snow. Ashley was busy with her new baby. Ariel and Archie worked for Regina. Kathryn and Tink were Regina's friends. Lydia had become her friend, the only one not in line with Regina or Snow, but she was pregnant, had her own things to worry about. With no one to go to, she did what she did best, ran.

She'd started her run twenty minutes ago. She hadn't known how else to deal with her emotions, so she ran. No one would be surprised if they knew. It's what she did. She'd been labeled a runner after her third foster home by age six. Emma ran. If something upset her, if something bad happened, if things seemed to be going too well she ran. The only difference this time is that Emma wanted to stay. She finally felt at home. Her son was here. Her parents were here.

She still couldn't get past the fact that Snow-freaking-White and Prince Charming were her parents. Parents that abandoned her to ensure their safety and the safety of the entire kingdom without any thought to her well being. Parents who treated her like a toddler instead of a fully grown woman, who refused to accept her for who she was. Emma was never going to fit the image they'd made up in their heads about their perfect daughter.

Emma had been on her own, in her new three bedroom rental house, for a week now. Her parents' place had gotten too small, especially with the announcement that Snow was pregnant. They were so elated about getting to raise their ideal child. Emma just couldn't take it anymore. The house was closer to Henry and not far from the park. She'd hoped to have Henry over more, that Regina would see this as a responsible move.

Now Henry was upset at her. He was upset at Regina. So his mother was the former Evil Queen. Emma had never really seen anything evil about her. Yes, she was intense and intimidating as hell, but not evil. Regina was hurting and misunderstood. Emma knew hurting and misunderstood well. She'd seen truly evil things in the world. Regina was not one of those things.

Henry's pleading and whining plagued her mind. The boy simply was the epitome of a spoiled prince.

It had been Emma's day with Henry yesterday. She'd walked him to school and made sure to be on time to pick him up. Being the sheriff in a town full of magic and fairytale characters was unpredictable at best since the curse had broken. Something was always coming after the town. The residents seemed stuck in the past and kept going after each other for past problems. She'd had to take him to haul a drunk Leroy and a sober Whale back to the jail cells. It was well past dinnertime when Emma brought Henry back to her apartment.

Regina was pacing her front hall. Emma should have brought Henry home twenty minutes ago. Another fifteen minutes went by and she couldn't take it anymore. A million and one scenarios rolled into her head about where they could be. She didn't expect to poof to Henry and find the saviour and her son cuddled together asleep on the couch. Dirty bowls on the coffee table in front of them as the TV played some movie she didn't know. It was almost cute if it had been any other child.

"Miss Swan!"

The brunette's shout startled both Henry and Emma. Regina was surprised when a shield surrounded Henry. Green eyes slowly blinked open. "Regina? What the hell?"

"Language! It's an hour after the time you were supposed to have Henry home. I see you've fed him junk again. I'd appreciate you keeping your irresponsible habits away from my son."

"He is my son too. We just fell asleep. There's no harm done. Calm down. I actually fed him-"

"I don't want to hear what form of processed garbage you fed Henry this time. Our agreement in your seeing Henry was on the condition you could abide by the terms. You've proven your failure yet again. Perhaps this was a bad idea until you've proven more responsible."

"Mom!" "Regina!"

Regina held up her hand for silence. "I'm his mother. He may have fetched you from Boston, but he is my son. You're graciously allowed to see him because I allow it. You've done nothing but prove your incompetence in the year you've been here. He's eleven, still impressionable, and I'm tired of you sullying all my hard work. Ask me in a few weeks once if I feel this can resume."

"But Mom!"

Emma sighed. This week really couldn't get any worse. "Go on, Henry. Your mother is right. I'll be around if you need me, but you need to listen to her." She was tired of fighting with Regina. Tired of proving she didn't want to steal Henry from her. Tired of having to prove herself over and over to these people who could give a damn about her. Maybe it was time to start living for herself. No more saviour. No more sheriff. She just wanted to be Emma again.

"Ma, you know-"

The blonde cut him off, hugging him. "I know, Henry. She is your mother though. You have to listen to her. I'm not going anywhere. It's past time you go to bed."

Alone on her run Emma really wished that she had someone to talk to. Her only friend was heavily pregnant and preparing for her baby. She couldn't bother her with her problems. Lydia had been so great to her since Emma had first stumbled into the arts program that ran every day after school for children and on weekends for adults. Emma had taken to it immediately, missing art since coming here.

Art made Emma happy. It'd been the one constant she had being bounced around from home to home, state to state. She was never without her sketchbook. Lydia quickly encouraged her to take up being a co-instructor with the program. She was encouraging her now to apply for Lydia's position at the high school teaching art after learning Emma had busted her ass after getting out of prison to get a degree in fine arts.

Being a bail bondsperson was a way to survive. Finding people was something she was good at. It wasn't her end all be all. She'd busted her ass after getting out of prison to get a degree in fine arts. There were always criminals though which meant she always had a paycheck. Henry had interrupted her job offer at the private school up the street from her old place being an assistant to the art teacher.

'I bet people will be surprised the sheriff becomes an artist.' Emma pondered aloud, not realizing she was headed into the woods now. Frankly it was time Emma did something for herself, started living for herself again.

Emma wondered if anyone here would actually like her if they knew the real her, if they just gave her a chance as Emma Swan and not Princess Emma or Savior Emma or Sheriff Emma.

The townsfolk only cared about her if she was running to the rescue at every given turn, for every little problem. It she wasn't at their service, they were gossiping about her and judging her every move. Emma was tired of being the savior. She didn't choose this role for herself. She didn't choose to be the uncouth princess. The only thing Emma enjoyed right now was the arts program that offered an after-school program for children and weekend classes for adults. It was the only time Emma felt truly valued for herself rather than some ideal people had of her.

She and Regina had broken the curse when Henry stole and ate a poisoned apple from Regina's vault to show everyone the curse was real. She'd saved Regina from being massacred. She'd brought Rumple his son, even if he'd split right after the reunion. Rumple followed, much to the town's relief. She had saved Henry and Archie from the collapsed mines. She'd brought her mother, Mulan, and Aurora back from the Enchanted Forest after falling through the hat to save Regina once again. She'd managed to trick Cora back to Wonderland instead of harming anyone while they were in the forest.

It had been a crazy nightmare of a year since Henry had brought Emma to Storybrooke. The moment she'd set foot here she'd lost her own identity in expectation of being a walking doormat for everyone else's needs. It was time to be Emma again. Yup, she was going to apply for that teaching position. If she didn't get it, maybe she'd offer to take the program over from Lydia, open up her own little shop.

Frankly it was time Emma did something for herself, started living for herself again.

SQSQSQSQSQSQSQ

Emma stopped running when water soaked her shoes. Looking down she realized she was standing in water, more specifically the lake where they'd found an unconscious David all those months ago. She was about to turn around and run back when she heard whimpering.

Searching around, it didn't take long to find the source of the noise. Emma gasped, causing tear filled bright blue eyes to look up at her. Standing a few feet from her was a little girl, no more than two or three, with a mass of wild bright red curls. Her little white dress was soaked from the lake. Her tiny feet were bare and she was dragging a basket in one hand and a mint green hand knitted blanket in the other. Emma approached with caution.

"Hi sweet one, I'm Emma. Are you lost?"

The little girl just stared at her. "I bet you're pretty cold. Is it okay if I pick you up and take you to get some dry clothes?"

Emma took the silence as permission to pick the girl up. She wasn't wearing a diaper so perhaps the toddler was older than two. She held the girl close and made it back into town, stopping at the children's store for some clothes. The clerk, Madison, allowed Emma to dress the little one in the clothes before paying for them. Emma brought the girl to the sheriff station, ignoring David and locking them in her office.

"Okay peanut, let me turn up the heat for you. Are you cold?"

Curls bobbed in agreement. It was better than nothing. Emma cranked the heat before poofing her blanket to her. The girl didn't seem shocked by magic, just staring intently in curiosity at the blanket. "I have a blanket just like you. We could be twins. Mine has my name on it, see, Emma. Does yours have your name on it?"

The toddler took Emma's blanket and examined it closely before clutching it to her, handing Emma hers. Emma examined the green blanket. Sure enough on the corner, in emerald green ribbon, was the name. "Hi Zelena. Do you know where your mommy and daddy are?"

"No. Lady put me in bassett and row down watuh. Long time then you. No mommy. Just Emmama."

Emma's eyes widened in surprise. This little one was an orphan? She studied the girl more closely and recognized herself in the girl, the yearning to be close to someone, the fear, the lack of love. Without thinking, she scooped the girl up into her lap. "Well that just won't do. I'll take care of you. I was an orphan too. You stick with me and we'll never be alone again."

"Emmama?"

The name was adorable. It warmed Emma's heart. Emma had encountered hundreds of orphans in her life. She'd seen countless since becoming an adult. With the purchase of her first apartment, Emma had taken classes to get her foster license. Knowing Regina, it was the only thing going to allow her to keep the girl with her.

"Yes, baby?"

"Mine!" Zelena wrapped tiny, chubby arms around her neck.

Mine. It was a simple word, but one Emma had never heard before in regards to herself. Here this little one wanted her. She didn't even know her, and yet she trusted Emma and wanted her. She didn't want the savior or the princess. She just wanted Emma. Honestly her heart had never felt so jovial.

"Yes. How about you come with me to see my friend and then we go get you some more clothes?" There was no answer, just questioning blue eyes so she stood up after printing off the paperwork she'd need for Kathryn.

"Emma, who is that?"

She turned to look at David, trying to juggle the toddler, her basket, the blankets, and the paperwork. "I assume she came from the Enchanted Forest. I don't know how or why, but she's here. I'm going to see Kathryn about it. Why?"

"You're going to take care of a toddler? What about Henry? Perhaps your mother-"

"Perhaps you should mind your own business, deputy. Henry is not my son. He's Regina's. If you'd bothered to get to know me at all, you'd know I've been a licensed foster parent since I was twenty-two. She's staying with me. Where exactly are you going to put a toddler, David? Your wife is extremely hormonal and very pregnant. You're barely capable of handling her on your best day. I'm not giving you a toddler to add to the mix."

Emma walked to Kathryn's office, not daring to take her car. This toddler didn't seem fearful of things in this realm, but she didn't want to spook the girl if she really wasn't from here. The lake connected to the Enchanted Forest. How Zelena got here she didn't know, but there wasn't a way to get her back. There wasn't anything to send her back to. Emma thought it best to introduce things slowly.

"Emma? This is a surprise. How can I -where? Who? What?"

The younger blonde laughed at Kathryn's sudden loss for words. "Somehow she got here from the Enchanted Forest. I can go around asking people if they know her, but my guess is someone sent her here for a reason. Her name is Zelena. She said she's an orphan. I know since you're a lawyer, I was wondering if you'd help me."

"You want to foster her? It's hard to create paperwork on a child that has absolutely no documents, but we can work on it. Let's go into my office."

Emma followed the woman into her office and waited to be told to sit before setting the girl in her lap. "This won't be a problem will it? With Regina I mean?"

"I know how hard living amongst these people is. I honestly much prefer being Kathryn than being Abigail. Abigail was a snob. At least with Kathryn I can be who I want and do what I want. Regina may be my best friend, but this is my job, Emma. The two aren't influenced by each other. In fact, I've been meaning to ask if you would like to have coffee sometime, get to know each other. We're family after all."

Both blondes laughed, the slight tension instantly gone. They got down to business on the paperwork Emma had printed out. It took a few hours to get everything in motion.

"I know you know better than anyone here that adoption takes time to go through officially, but in a few days I should get the paperwork for you to officially be her foster mom beyond emergency care. It's not like anyone can actually contest since you exceed all the qualifications of a foster parent and there's no one else to claim her. She seems so attached to you already."

"Emmama mine!"

"This may be a bit too forward since we don't personally know each other well, but I'd love to come help you do some shopping for her."

Regina found the trio coming out of children's store, laughing and looking far too chummy for her taste. "Kathryn, I've been trying to call you for a half hour. I didn't believe your assistant when she said you were with her."

"My phone was off. I've been busy. What did you need?" Emma was impressed the woman didn't apologize or jump away from her.

"The budget reports for your office, I was seeing if they were done yet. I was thinking you could come over for dinner. Clearly you're busy."

"Regina, don't start. Emma is family. I would have thought so even without the curse. David and I became great friends when he freed me to be with Frederick. This isn't a competition. Your curse made her my daughter too. We were just getting the newest addition to the family everything she needs."

For the first time, Regina noticed the little girl Emma was holding. She was clutching tight to both a green blanket and the blanket Emma always had with her. "Who is this? Where did she come from?"

Emma smiled down at the toddler and Regina didn't know if she'd ever seen the saviour smile like that before. "This is Zelena. She's my foster daughter."

EZEZEZEZEZEZEZEZ

as you can see, my emma is fairly different than the show. she's got more backbone. she's more mature. she's how i wish show emma would be in a way.

who is excited to see emma's journey to get back to herself, to live for herself? who is excited to see mommy!emma?

sister story Little Green on RowArk's profile. check it out