Author's Notes: This story contains no magic, no curse, and is solely a product of my imagination, and I'm only using the characters to twist and weave into an angst-filled love story. The story will be filled with flashbacks as it progresses in "present" time, just as an added zest to the plot itself. Please review if you like what you've read, it'd be much appreciated as I continue to dip my toes into the SwanQueen fandom :)

Emma Swan laughed as she chased her best friend down the maze of streets, dodging oblivious pedestrians as she tried to catch up to her quick-footed friend. Their first summer after graduating high school had started just hours ago and with promises of a party a few blocks from the apartment building the two had grown up in, Emma knew that this summer would be filled with nothing but amazing memories she'd remember for the rest of her life.

"Ruby, wait up!" Emma yelled out as she almost lost sight of the tall, thin brunette up ahead. "Come on, Rubes!"

"It's not my fault you're not keeping up, Em!" Ruby laughed as she slowed her steady pace and came to a complete stop at the corner. "We're gonna be late for the party!"

Emma panted heavily as she finally caught up to her best friend. "It's barely seven! I've gone to enough parties with you, Ruby Lucas, to know that no respectable party kicks off until at least ten."

Ruby slung an arm around Emma's shoulders and laughed. "This party we're going to just isn't any party," she said, beaming her dazzling smile at Emma before the crosswalk changed and she guided Emma across the busy street. "Jefferson invited me to this party and you just know it is going to be absolutely crazy there tonight!"

"What?" Emma recoiled from the grip Ruby tried to keep on her. "Ruby, is this the same Jefferson who is a senior at Columbus University? The same one who played you at the last party of his you were invited to?"

"He apologized."

Emma rolled her eyes. "I'm sure he did."

"Come on, Em!" Ruby pleaded as she held on to her arm, refusing to let her turn around and go home. "I really don't want to go to this party alone. Besides," Ruby said, flashing her dazzling smile at Emma again, knowing she wouldn't be able to refuse, "you promised me you'd come tonight, no matter what…"

With a heavy sigh, Emma gave in, completely unable to come up with a plausible excuse to back out of their plans now. At least this time if Ruby was played by the charming university senior, she'd be right there to defend her best friend at all costs. Besides, she'd been more than curious to know just who this Jefferson was and what had Ruby so enamoured about him. It wouldn't be the first party on the Columbia campus either of them had been invited to, but it was the first they were going to together as adults, no longer high school students, but full-fledged adults.

Emma let out a surprised squeal as Ruby grabbed her hand and led her in the opposite direction of the campus. She wasn't too familiar with Manhattan and the subway ride from the Bronx had only made her a tad bit more nervous than excited about the party even before she knew exactly where they were going. As they stopped at a corner, waiting to cross, Emma looked down at her clothes and frowned.

"I can't go there like this!"

"Why?" Ruby asked, barely casting a glance at her. "You look fine, Emma."

Emma pulled a face as she pointedly waved at her own body. She wore cut off shorts that were rather short, exposing more thigh that she was used to and a tight black tank top that Ruby convinced her to wear and the flannel long sleeve shirt she tied around her hips was almost customary for her throughout the last year of school. She knew she would stand out in the crowd at the party like a sore thumb, no doubt already hearing lingering comments about how she didn't belong and not just because she was only eighteen years old.

Ruby was dressed in a short and stunning black dress that hugged her slight curves and unlike the worn Converse that Emma was wearing, she wore a pair of red heels that gave her an extra couple of inches and definitely made Emma wonder how she could've ran so quickly ahead of her before. To put it simply, Ruby was stunning, but she always was and she always knew it.

"You look fine," Ruby repeated as she eyes swept up and down Emma's in a way that would've made anyone else blush. "Really fine, Em. Come on, we're almost there."

Emma grumbled under her breath, allowing herself to be pulled down the street by a rather impatient Ruby. After they walked another block, Ruby came to a stop and pulled a small piece of paper out of the small purse she carried.

"Do you even know where we're going?" Emma asked her as Ruby's face scrunched in confusion. "Ruby?"

"He just gave me an address."

"And is this it?"

"Looks like it," Ruby said as she handed Emma the piece of paper with the address haphazardly scrawled in pen. "You ready"

No, Emma thought as she handed the paper back to Ruby and allowed herself to be led inside the front doors of the building. They walked freely through the second set of doors that had been propped open by a brick and walked towards the elevators on the far end of the large lobby. Already, Emma felt completely out of her element with the gleaming, polished marble floors and the twelve foot high floor to ceiling mirrors that lined the walls. She stuffed her hands in the front pockets of her jean shorts and watched as Ruby jabbed a freshly manicured finger at the single button on the wall beside the elevator doors.

Emma stumbled back as the doors slid open and two couples, laughing and oblivious to their presence stumbled out of the elevator. Ruby motioned for Emma to follow her and she did, shuffling her feet as she stood beside her in the elevator, her nerves rising as the doors slid shut abruptly.

"Relax, it's going to be fine, Em," Ruby said gently. "We're just here to have a good time and it's not like we weren't invited."

"You were invited, I wasn't."

"So? You're my guest," Ruby replied pointedly. "Jefferson won't mind. He actually specifically told me I was more than welcome to bring a guest or two tonight."

Emma shrugged, wishing her nerves weren't making her feel like a complete mess. She was never like this, not ever, usually full of the very same confidence Ruby was displaying as she promptly checked her makeup in the mirror-lined elevator. As it came to a slow stop and the doors opened, sounds of music and lively chatter from inside could be heard from beyond one of the handful of doors in the long, wide hallway.

By the time they made it down to the last doorway to the left of the elevator, the sound of the party grew louder beyond the door and it did nothing to help calm Emma's frazzled nerves. Ruby seemed oblivious with how she was truly feeling, pushing open the door and entering the large loft apartment with her head held high. Emma hesitantly followed her inside and watched as a man with ridiculously goofy looking hair approached Ruby, both of them exclaiming excitedly as they made a scene of dramatically kissing each other's cheeks.

"Emma, this is Jefferson," Ruby said as she waved her over. "Jefferson, this is my friend Emma I was telling you about earlier."

"A pleasure," he smiled as he reached for her hand and delicately kissed her knuckles. His attention, however, was quickly torn from the two as he disappeared in the crowd of people.

"Come on, let's go and get ourselves something to drink," Ruby smiled as she grabbed Emma's hand and led her through the crowd to where the kitchen was. The island countertop was lined with over two dozen bottles of alcohol and a keg sat to the left side of the counter.

Emma watched Ruby made them both a drink, a very strong drink, before they moved to find a seat near one of the ceiling to floor windows that lined two walls of the loft. As she nursed her drink and looked around at the people thoroughly enjoying themselves, Emma started to feel a little more at ease and not at all as intimidated and out of place as she had previously thought she'd be. One drink turned into another and before she knew it, she was left alone on the leather couch, watching Ruby as she slinked and danced her way around a crowd of much older men.

Of course, this was always a regular occurrence whenever the two went to any party together, especially during their last year in high school. It never bothered Emma, not in the least because at the end of the night they'd stumble home together no matter what transpired throughout the night. But for some reason, she didn't want to be left alone for long and it did bother her. She rose from the couch slowly, her legs sticking to the leather and she grimaced as she nearly spilled the last of her drink as she stumbled forward.

"Damn it, Ruby, why'd you have to make my drinks so much stronger than what you know I can handle?" Emma muttered under her breath and she shook her head, laughing as she started to weave her way through the dancing crowd to the other side of the large, wide-open room.

The line to the bathroom was long, but most people waiting seemed to be unfazed by the wait and stood about, mingling and drinking and laughing with those around them. Emma fiddled with the knot of the shirt tied around her waist as she kept her eyes on the red cup she held in her hand.

"Why must these lines be so ridiculously long?" A soft, husky sounding voice said from behind her and Emma turned to look at the woman that stood behind her. "It is almost as if everyone decides at one given time during that they must all use the restroom at once."

"Huh?"

"How long have you been waiting?"

"Who me?" Emma asked as she dumbly pointed at herself and it made the woman laugh, the sound of it sending chills throughout her body.

"Yes, you," she chuckled and she casually held out a hand which Emma awkwardly took in her own and found herself on the receiving end of a rather strong handshake. She chuckled throatily as she let go of Emma's hand and stepped closer to her, leaning in so she could speak over the loud, throbbing music. "I'm Regina."

Emma stammered as the woman leaned back, a brilliant smile dancing over her lips as she cradled a half-empty wine glass in her left hand. Now, Emma had never been rendered speechless by another woman before, not like this and definitely not by someone as stunningly gorgeous as Regina.

Another laugh erupted past Regina's ruby red lips as Emma couldn't help but let her stare linger for a moment too long. She felt the blush creep up her neck and settle on her cheeks and she looked back down at her drink in her hand and noticed the small tremor she suddenly had.

"What is your name?" Regina asked as she leaned in close again.

"Emma."

Regina smiled, not moving to stand as far away as she had been before. "A pleasure to meet you, Emma. What brings you here to Jefferson's tonight?"

"A friend dragged me here," Emma replied lamely. "We're kind of uh, celebrating."

"Celebrating what, dear?"

"Graduation."

"Oh?" Regina tittered as her eyes swept up and down Emma's body. She suddenly felt completely self conscious about what she was wearing since she was considerably dressed down for a party like this. Even Regina wore a tight fitting red dress and expensive looking black heels. Her jewellery sparkled in the colourful lights that shone and spun around the room. "What was your major?"

"High school," Emma whispered and yet Regina still heard heard her over the loud music. She rose an amused eyebrow at her, turning her attention away from Emma as someone called out her name. "Lame, I know," she muttered under her breath and moved a few steps as the line moved forward slowly.

Emma froze at the sudden warm hand splayed on her bare shoulder and the laughter that followed filled her senses and knotted her already frayed nerves even more. She swallowed thickly as she turned to look into warm, brown eyes that were reaching to meet her wavering gaze.

"Congratulations are in order," Regina smiled what felt like a genuine smile as she raised her wine glass towards Emma's red cup she clutched tightly in her trembling hand.

"T-thank you," Emma stammered as she accepted the gestured toast and gingerly sipped at her too strong drink.

"Perhaps, after we made it through this ridiculous line, would you like to dance?"

"With you?"

"With me."

"Why?" Emma asked with a raised eyebrow and it elicited a throaty laugh from the brunette beside her. "Why do you want to dance with me?"

"Because I would like to, Emma."

"Okay, sure," Emma replied, her nervous smile dancing over her lips as she raised her cup and took another sip of her strongly mixed drink. "If we ever make it through this line, that is."

"Of course, but I'm sure we'll find a way to pass the time, won't we?"

Emma gulped as she nodded her head, noticing at that moment that the stunning brunette's hand had easily found it's way back to rest on her bare shoulder. Emma was definitely no stranger to being flirted with, especially not with other woman, but those other women had been girls she went to school with, inexperienced girls who were usually drunk when they made their attempted advances on her.

With every movement the line eventually made and the closer they came to the bathroom door, Emma found herself easily falling into a light conversation with Regina. She wasn't even remotely aware of how much time had passed or the hundred or so people who were there all around them. She was enthralled by Regina, by the way she laughed, by the way her eyes shone in the sparkling lights, by her enchanting smile and succulent lips that almost begged Emma to surge forward and claim with her own. She had forgotten about Ruby, and she had forgotten how strong her drinks had been as the deep buzz settled into her core and helped loosen her tongue.

With only three people left in line behind the door, Emma was feeling antsy and impatient, but she was enamoured by Regina and wished she hadn't come across as such a nervous mess when Regina first introduced herself. She turned to face Regina again, completely away that their faces were just mere inches apart. She swallowed thickly as she clenched her empty cup in her left hand, her right one blindly reaching for Regina's hand and she deftly intertwined their fingers. It made Regina smile and Emma's heart flutter for a moment and she found it impossible to look away from the brown eyes that were locked with hers.

She felt herself come undone when Regina leaned forward and softly pressed full lips against hers. Emma felt a tremor rumble through her entire body as her eyes flew open in surprise, but as Regina kissed her more fully, she gave in to the pull she felt brewing deep inside and she kissed her back, the alcohol flowing through her veins giving her far more confidence for that moment that she expected to have.

"Regina?"

Emma pulled back away from the brunette abruptly as another woman called out Regina's name from near them. Regina smiled as she let go of Emma's hand and idly wiped at her slightly smudged lipstick to face the woman who was quickly approaching them.

"What is it, Kathryn?"

"Daniel is looking for you."

"Distract him."

"I tried! He knows you're here."

"How unfortunate," Regina replied, a bitter laugh escaping past her lips. "Be a dear and save my spot in line, Kathryn? It's due time I've dealt with him."

Emma stood rigid as she watched Regina storm off and disappear into the crowd while the other woman stood in her place. Emma took one glance at her and shook her head as she turned to face towards the front of the line, moving as the wait became one person less. And then one more until she was next in line, waiting patiently and trying not at all to think of the beautiful brunette she wished was still standing there in line behind her and not the blonde-haired woman who had struck up a conversation with the man behind her.

Finally the door opened and Emma slipped inside. She barely had the door locked when it was nudged open forcefully and it threw Emma completely off guard.

"What are you doing?" She hissed at Regina as she watched Regina fumble with the lock on the door. "Regina?"

"Hiding from my extremely clingy ex," she replied breathlessly. "You don't mind, do you?"

"I-I kind of needed to use the bathroom…" Emma trailed off as she noticed the rather predatory look that settled across Regina's features. "I guess I could…wait?"

This time the kiss was hard and deep, a ferocious passion behind it as Emma found herself backed up against the door, the thud making her wince since anyone outside the door would surely know what was happening inside now. As Regina slipped a hand between their tightly pressed bodies, she moaned into the brunette's mouth as a strong hand cupped her over her jean shorts rather possessively.

And Emma did nothing to stop her, her whole body responding in such a delicious way that she didn't even have it in her to stop, to think, to push her away and figure out just what the hell was going on between them.

She wanted this. She wanted Regina, and there was no way she was going to let this chance slip through her fingers that easily.

Her fingers slipped through Regina's short black hair, kissing her harder and deeper, succumbing to the growing passion that ignited between them. Emma bit back a moan as Regina's lips moved to her neck, sucking and nipping at her pulse point as her fingers moved to pull at the shirt that was tied around her waist. Neither stopped as the pounding on the door started up, someone trying in vain to stop what was happening between them.

They were far too consumed in each other and had let the rest of the world flutter and fade away. But their moment ended far too suddenly as Regina pulled her lips away from Emma's neck, both groaning quietly as they pressed their foreheads together, breaths coming out in heavy pants as they stood unmoving.

"Perhaps we should…"

"Maybe, yeah…"

"I'll slip out first, leave you to do you business," Regina whispered against her lips, both of them groaning as she cupped her roughly and possessively through her jean shorts. "I'll be waiting for you. I do believe you've promised me a dance, Emma."

Emma inhaled sharply, her hips rolling into Regina's hand and she let out a shuddering breath as Regina backed away from her slowly, smiling salaciously as she smoothed her hands down her dress and quickly glanced in the mirror to wipe at her smudged ruby red lipstick.

Emma's faced burned hot, not from the embarrassment of the catcalls Regina received as she strolled confidently out of the bathroom, but from the thoughts of where the night would eventually lead between them.

Emma strolled out of the bathroom a few minutes later, securing her long-sleeved flannel shirt around her waist as she searched through the crowd looking for Regina. When she found her, she couldn't stop the smile from curling over her lips, nor could she stop herself from readily being welcomed into the arms of the older woman.

Emma groaned loudly as her alarm clock went off, yet she had been lying awake for the last hour thinking about the night she'd first met Regina Mills that summer, eleven long years ago. It wasn't unusual for memories—both good and bad—of her spontaneous relationship with Regina that had lasted only three months to invade her mind at the most unlikely times, but today was that day, almost an anniversary of sorts without the actual celebrating part.

Emma muttered under her breath as she placed her hands over her eyes, blocking out the warm morning sunlight that streamed in through the open window. Eleven years later and she still hadn't forgotten about Regina Mills or the time they'd spent together that summer. It had become a whirlwind romance and coincidently it had been the first time Emma had ever truly fallen in love and she'd given her whole heart only to ruin it all because of one stupid little mistake.

A mistake she was reminded of every day. Her son. Henry.

She loved Henry with all her heart, of course, nothing would change that, not even the fact that he was the product of a mistake that had cost her the love of her life. She wouldn't trade Henry for anything in the world, even during those times where things were hard, money was tight, and her heart would break over and over again as memories of her time with Regina came back to her, piece by broken piece.

And it was days like today she'd rather not think about the mistake she'd made that pushed her true love away from her. She'd rather think of happier moments, like the night they first met and how that night had changed her entire life. The spontaneous, whirlwind relationship with the older woman had given her some of the best memories of her life, the best summer of her life, and some of the worst. The heartbreak still lingered inside of her, day in and day out, and it made her wonder if her heart would ever mend itself. She had told herself a long time ago she just needed time, but how much time did it take for a broken heart to heal?

"Mom?" Henry called out as he knocked on her bedroom door. "Are you up yet?"

"Yeah I am, kid."

"What time are we leaving?"

"We're gonna be on the road shortly before ten," Emma replied and she cast a glance at the empty suitcase that sat on the floor beside the overflowing closet.

She still had yet to pack. Furrowing her brows, she stood up from her bed and smoothed down her t-shirt as she padded over to the closet and started to pull out some of her clothes and tossed them on to the bed behind her. What was she going to take with her for the two months away from home? She only had one suitcase and limited space in the back of her Bug.

"Yo, Em, you awake yet or what?"

She smiled at the voice of her best friend calling out for her. She grabbed a pair of baggy grey sweatpants on the floor and pulled them on before she headed out to the kitchen. She found Ruby helping herself to a bowl of fruit loops while Henry sat at the cluttered kitchen table eating from his own bowl.

"Morning, Em," Ruby smiled at her. "I ran out of milk. And cereal. And I figured with you leaving today, you wouldn't want anything to go to waste around here while you're gone."

"It's fine," Emma smiled at her and moved to the coffee maker, dumping out yesterday morning grounds before replacing the filter and making a grab for the can of coffee on the open shelf above.

Emma leaned against the counter and watched Ruby and Henry flick bits of fruit loops at each other, both laughing and giggling and enjoying the last of their time together for the next few months. She and Ruby had been the best of friends since they were kids and Ruby was like family to her and it was something that would never change. Even throughout the years Emma had went from one foster home to the other, they remained friends despite the distance between them most of the time. When Emma was sixteen, she was tossed out of a hellish situation and onto the streets and if it hadn't been for Granny and Ruby taking her in, giving her a home, she had no idea where she'd be in her life now.

She'd forever be grateful to have the two of them in her life and in Henry's too. They had shown her what a real family was like and what unconditional love felt like. They were a family, even if they weren't bound by blood, they were tied by love and love alone.

All around the small, cluttered two-bedroom apartment that had been her home since a month before Henry was born, the signs that they were packing up their lives and heading out of town for two months were everywhere. From the dozens of DVD's and board games packed up in small boxes, ready to be loaded in the Bug, to Henry's suitcase that had been packed for weeks sitting by the door, to the few bags of garbage of food that would spoil while they were gone that still had yet to be thrown out, right down to the not so friendly reminder she still had yet to pack up herself.

Emma's spontaneous decision just two weeks ago to take Henry for his first real vacation had surprised all of them, Henry mostly since he hadn't expected it at all. Emma had been secretly planning the trip for months, not deciding where they would go until a thoroughly random conversation she had with Granny about the place she'd grown up a long time ago. Storybrooke, Maine.

Henry needed to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and she needed needed the vacation as well, the stress of her job as a deputy taking a heavy toll on her over the last couple of years. The Chief had been understanding when she asked for two months of unpaid leave, and he completely supported her decision when she'd gone to speak to him that dreary Monday morning two weeks ago, agreeing she more than deserved a well needed break.

"I'm gonna miss you, Rubes," Henry said through a mouthful of cereal. "Why can't you come with us?"

"Because if I did, I'd lose my job, and Granny really needs the help right now since she had her heart attack last year, remember?" Ruby replied with a frown. "You know I would come with you if I could. Right?"

"I know. I'm really gonna miss you."

"I'm gonna miss you too, Henry."

Emma chuckled as they made such an overly dramatic show of affection, blowing kisses through the air as they flicked bits of fruit loops at each other. The two had such a special bond and had since the day he was born. It always warmed her heart to know that Ruby loved him like he was her own, treated him like a little brother and spoiled him rotten like a doting aunt.

She was going to miss mornings like this for the next couple of months, that went without saying, but she had a whole new adventure ahead of her and two serene months of rest and relaxation in a sleepy seaside town in Maine were waiting for her and for Henry.

Emma reached for a clean mug and slowly poured herself a hot coffee, enjoying the sounds of laughter that filled the kitchen. She smiled as she wrapped her hands around the warming mug, watching Henry as he flicked more soggy wet pieces of fruit loops at Ruby before the two broke out in a run, chasing each other around the kitchen table. Henry tried to stifle his giggles and failed as Ruby picked out the pieces of soggy, mushy fruit loops out of her long brown hair.

"Oh!" Henry squealed as Ruby made a move to go around the table to reach him.

"Scared, Henry?"

"Terrified!"

"You should be because I will get you if it's the last thing I ever do."

"Mom!" He shrieked and laughed as they circled around the table again. "You gotta help me, Mom! Save me!"

"I gotta, do I, kid?"

"Yes," he said quickly and squealed again as Ruby faked to the left before going around the table to the right of her. "You gotta save me, Mom!"

Emma chuckled as she sipped her hot coffee and shook her head. After a few more minutes of this, Ruby threw her hands up in defeat and grabbed the white tea towel from where it sat on the counter and waved it, surrendering as Henry whooped and ran around the table and jumped into her arms.

"I always win, Rubes."

"Always."

His smile faltered as Ruby set him back down on his feet and ruffled his shaggy brown hair. "I'm really gonna miss you," he whispered and she nodded, frowning as she wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug as she glanced over at Emma. "Promise you'll try to come visit for a week?"

"Henry, you know I can't—"

"Please? Can't you try, Rubes, for me?"

Ruby sighed as she cupped his face and made him look up at her. "I'll try, Henry, okay? But I can't promise you anything."

Emma sighed as she watched Henry cling to Ruby with all that he had, burying his face into her stomach as he tried to hide his tears from both of them. She was definitely going to miss Ruby, clearly not as much as Henry would. And it wasn't like they weren't ever coming back.

This was and always would be their home. Nothing would ever change that.