Chapter 1

Storybrooke (Present Day)

It had been several weeks since the final battle between the Savior and the Black Fairy had been fought. Fortunately, Emma and the rest of the Charming family were victorious and the Black Fairy had been banished back to her realm. Since then, Rumple had found and returned Gideon's heart and he is now on the path to redemption. Henry is back in school and David had returned to the Sheriff's station. Emma and Killian are in the midst of planning their wedding. Zelena, as well, is on the path to redeem herself and has reconciled with her sister. Said sister, Regina, has settled back into the daily routine of mayor. Which meant paper work. Lots and lots of paper work.

'I swear if I have to look at one more botched up budget report, someone is getting a fireball thrown at their head,' the former evil queen thought to herself. It had been a stressful day in the mayoral office. Thanks to the final battle there had been property damage all over town. The repairs were going slowly, but at least they were underway. Regina glanced up from the budget report on her desk to the ticking clock.

' If I can just finish this report, then I can...' her thought process was interrupted by the ringing of her phone. Without bothering to look at the caller I.D. Regina answered the phone.

"Mayor's office."

"Regina. It's me. I need you to come down to the school right away."

"Snow? What's happened?"

"I'll explain when you get here. Just please come, it's important."

"Alright. I'm on my."

And with a puff of purple smoke, the Mayor's office was empty.

The Enchanted Forest (Before the Dark Curse)

There were many villages across the kingdom. In one lived an orphaned girl. Of course, parentless children were not uncommon in the Enchanted Forest, but this little girl was different. She had magic. The child had been brought to the orphanage has a newborn babe. A nameless child swaddled in a blanket. She displayed her power at an early age and since then the villagers have called "The Little Witch." Due to the Evil Queen's reign, magic was seen as a thing to be feared and so the little girl was feared. Since the day her magic had made itself known, the locals have been frightened of the little witch. The girl too, lived in fear. Fear of the day when the villagers would decide to burn her. She was right to have such a fear, for that day was nearing. The villagers had locked her in a cellar and from her prison she could hear the building of a pier. Her pier, on which she was to burn at dawn.

Hours had gone by and the villagers now slept. All except for the little girl. Through a crack in the cellar door, she could see the starry night sky. One star, a blue star, shone brighter than the rest. She had heard the legends of the Blue Star. The legends said that if you wished on it and your heart was pure, your wish would come true. Never before had the girl wished for anything, not even her parents. Her magic granted her dream visions and through these visions she knew her father was dead and that her mother's heart was to full of darkness to love. That night, before the morning of her death, the girl wished on the Blue Star.

"I wish for a new life. A life far away from this village. One where I could be loved."

From her cell, the little girl saw the star grow bigger and brighter. Until in the cellar, stood a winged, brunette woman dressed in blue.

"Who are you?" The little girl asked.

"I am known by many names, but by most I'm called the Blue Fairy. And I have heard your wish child."

With hope in her eyes, the young child asked, "Can grant my wish?"

"There is a realm where stories remain unfinished, untold. In this realm, you can escape from your fate here. However, you will remain frozen at the age of nine, until it is time for your story to continue."

"How will I know when it's time?"

"You will know little one." From thin air, the Blue Fairy conjured a wand. "This wand will open a portal to the realm of which I spoke, but you must act quickly your fate is fast approaching."

The Blue Fairy spoke the truth. The little girl could hear that the final preparations for her execution were underway. Quickly, she grabbed the wand from the fairy's outstretched hand. The fairy vanished and in her place a portal opened. The little girl took a deep breath and stepped into The Land of Untold Stories.

Storybrooke (Present Day)

Regina Mills appeared in a plume of purple smoke in front of the double doors of Storybrooke Academy. Passing through the threshold, she could hear the quickened footsteps of Snow White. Her former nemesis approached her and took Regina by the arm.

"Thank goodness you're here. Follow me," said Snow as she began leading Regina down the school corridor.

"Snow, what's happened? Is Henry alright!?" Snow nodded her head. "Yes, Henry is fine. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you."

"Well, if there is nothing wrong with Henry then why am I here?"

"There's been a ... um ... magical incident."

The mayor raised a slender eyebrow at the school teacher. "What kind of 'magical incident' could have happened at a school?"

Snow White stopped in front of a door. The door had a plaque which stated that behind the door was the principal's office. "A student took another student's heart."

Regina looked at Snow with shock written on her face. "That's not possible. No child could possess that kind of magic."

"See for yourself."

Snow opened the door and the two women stepped through. Once inside, Regina could clearly see a heart resting on the principal's desk. Standing nearby was a young boy, about the age of nine or ten. He had sandy blond hair and anxious green eyes. His eyes were glued to the glowing and beating heart. Fear was clear on the boy's face. Sitting at the desk was a balding man whom had not paid attention to the ladies in the doorway. Instead, his glare was fixed on a figure in a corner of the room. Regina, by an unknown force, was drawn to the child. A girl with long dark hair, same age as the boy, with a familiar face. Regina found it difficult to tear her eyes away from the little girl. She was so familiar, why? Shaking her head slightly, to clear her thoughts. Regina focused her attention on the middle aged man.

"Principle Smith, why have I been called here?"

Pointing to the girl, smith spoke angrily. "This little witch took the heart of young Cody here. With the intent of crushing it."

"That's not true!" The little girl spoke defiantly.

"Silence witch!"

Ever the peacemaker, Snow White stepped forward. "Alright that's enough. Regina, we asked you here to return Cody his heart and to speak with Danielle."

When Snow spoke the girl's name, Regina looked at her once more. 'Danielle. So similar Daniel. She does look so familiar...' Regina halted her musings before they could continue. There were more important things at the moment. "I would be happy to return Cody's heart." Regina gently took the organ in her hands and kneeled before the frightened child.

"This will hurt a bit, dear."

As carefully as she could, Regina placed the organ on Cody's chest and let hand and heart sink through. Cody squirmed in discomfort. He thanked the mayor as she retracted her hand and stood.

"Of course," Regina said with a small smile on her lips.

"Cody. Why don't you run along now? Your mother is waiting for you," Snow said. The blond headed boy quickly ran from the office. Principle Smith stood from his chair and walked around in desk.

"What do you intend to do with the witch, Madame Mayor?"

Regina glared at the ageing man. "I am going to speak with Danielle. No doubt she has been frightened by this whole ordeal and has questions." Regina kneeled once again and motioned for Danielle to come forward. Danielle stepped towards the mayor hesitantly.

"It's alright dear," Regina said. "There's no need to be afraid. I just want to hear your side of the story."

In a quiet voice, Danielle told the story of how she mistakenly took Cody's heart.