Prologue-

Brown eyes watched the little blonde haired girl from across the room, she seemed strange. She was laughing happily to herself, and coloring away like she didn't have a care in the world. An odd concept to the young brunette, one that she had yet to grasp. As she continued to watch, she noticed one of the boys from the group in the corner of the classroom make his way towards her, a devious smile on his face. She knew that look all too well, something was going to happen… and it may very well make the little blonde cry. She didn't know what exactly to do, so she just remained sitting in her spot away from the other children.

The boy said something to the girl, a grin crossing his face while tears did fall from the girls face. A frown scrunched up the brunettes face before she decided to cross the room and take action. Making her way over as calmly as possible, when she reached them she asked the boy what he said. Peter, as she later found out it was, had told her that she didn't have any friends because only four year olds color, and they were five. The girl promptly kicked him in the shins and told him that he was just mad because the girl had a brain and he didn't. He cried. When the teacher came along to ask what happened, she glared at him until he said that he had accidently kicked the table.

When the teacher walked away, the brunette looked to the blonde, who had tears leaking out of bright green eyes, at a much slower pace, an awed expression making its home in pale facial features. The brunette cleared her throat, before again making eye contact, allowing herself a moment to breathe before speaking.

"I'm sorry that he hurt your feelings… It's okay to be younger than the other kids, I understand. I… I hope you feel better soon."

She started to walk away, her attempt at kindness for the day spoken for. After all, she may be her mother's daughter, but her heart was pure gold, and her mother had said to always make people love her.

"Hey wait! Thank you, er… what's your name?"

"Regina, Regina Mills."

"My name's Emma Nolan." A smile lit up the younger girl's features, all puppy-like in her overabundance of joy.

"Pleasure to meet you Miss Nolan."

"Please call me, Emma, and… I'm not really four, I'm five, he was just bein mean… but can we be friends?"

"Age doesn't matter Miss, um… Emma, I'm five. But that's not why we can't be friends."

"Why then?"

"My mother wouldn't allow it, she's the mayor."

"How do you know she wouldn't allow it?"

"Because you're Emma Nolan, which means your mother is Mary Margaret, my mother's enemy. So even though I like you… we can't be friends, my mother wouldn't allow it."

"Oh… I'm sorry."

A frown settled on Regina's face, no one had ever really apologized to her before, and she didn't really understand why she was being apologized too.

"Why are you apologizing?"

"Because, it must suck real bad to have a momma who won't let you make friends."

This just furthered the brunette's confusion; did her mother really stop her from making friends? Thinking on it, she didn't really have friends, all of them had been deemed too low on the social scale to be allowed. Sadness seeped into her veins like acid, causing a numbness to spread over her and the confusion her face to turn to one of pain. The type of pain five years should never be subjected too, and that they didn't truly understand, but it was there nonetheless.

"I didn't mean to make ya sad, do you want a hug?"

All Regina could do was nod, and in seconds she was engulfed in long gangly arms, and a whirlwind of curly blonde hair. At first she was stiff, and then she allowed herself to melt into the embrace, craving the affection her mother so often denied her. Brown eyes glittered with tears in the dull classroom light, yet she felt… safe in that moment, and decided she was going to be friends with this girl.

"Emma?"

"Yeah?"

"I wish to try being friends."

The blonde just smiled and hugged her tighter…

Their friendship lasted two weeks before her mother found out. Two weeks of hanging out at the playground, giggling at the books they read, eating lunch together, and sneaking around together after school. It was the best time Regina could ever remember, and one of the few times Emma felt like someone truly understood her. Their happiness blossomed in leaps and bounds; it seemed to be never ending, up until the day that Cora Mills caught the sight of a little brunette holding hands with a green eyed blonde, skipping towards the diner.

Her name was called, and she turned around making eye contact with fierce brown eyes. She knew it was over then, and that it would never be the same.

"Come here, this instant."

Was spoken across the nearly empty parking lot, and she knew better than to disobey, even though it was clear she thought about running in the other direction. Making eye contact one last time with the blonde, she whispered an apology, and gave one last hug.

"I hope someday… something spectacular happens and we become friends again Emma Nolan. It's been the best time of my life, and I'm so sorry."

As she made her way towards her mother, she heard a whispered agreement, and turned in time to see large tears falling down the other girls face. Her arm was grabbed, and she was dragged into the car, staring out the window as her mother lectured her, and spoke of her now missed meeting. All she could do was let the sadness sink in, and watch the forest filter by…

Her mother switched her classes around, and she wasn't allowed out by herself anymore. All she did was go to school and come home, and when summer rolled around, she was sent to a summer school program to expand her knowledge. Soon, she forgot about the girl with the bright blonde hair, and mossy-green eyes, and instead she focused on school.

Three years went by before they saw each other again...

And by then…

So much had changed…

A/N: I realize that it's somewhat strange to suddenly add a prologue, but it's what popped into my head and I hope you all enjoy it, truly I do. I'm hoping it'll add more to the story and allow more room for things to expand. Thanks for reading!