A/N - So this story goes slight AU right after Emma brings Marian home from the past, and kind of develops from there. Any mistakes regarding alternate spellings or information of the cities are my own (I'm an Aussie) I hope you can all enjoy it !

Disclaimer: I do not own any of OUaT or its amazing characters.

Chapter 1 - Two Years

The opening bass-line of their song filled the arena and the crowd screamed impossibly louder. She looked anxiously to her left and caught the mischievous eyes of her best friend, reflected a pure-sapphire in the under-stage lighting.

Emma's outfit was simple; high-waisted, black leather shorts, a loose fitting, sheer white blouse, black bra and floral printed jacket, which would have clashed with Ruby's much simpler maroon skirt and black cross-strap bra-let if they weren't so naturally in tune with one another. The blonde sported her usual Maton EM225C and head mic where the brunette held her favourite – unsurprisingly – ruby red microphone. Both women wore insanely high stilettos – Emma's ankle boots, and Ruby's strappy – and were well accustomed to performing in them.

Veronica, their costume designer, and Karli, their make-up artist stood off to the side, ordering teams of people as they moved about in the hustle beneath the catwalk. A woman applied yet another coat of red to Ruby's lips, while another feathered a brush hastily over Emma's cheekbones. Somewhere in the distance, she saw Marian swiftly pushing a trolley full of costume changes into their dressing rooms. Veronica shouted something inaudible in the noise of the now raising platforms and Emma felt a straw-patterned trilby pushed rapidly upon the very crown of her head, the movement rustling her hair and tickling the very tops of her shoulders.

As soon as the first heads of the audience came into Emma's view, she began strumming the melody of the song – the acoustic thrum neutralising the previous thunder of the bass. The crowd cheered louder, almost drowning out the music entirely. Both women rose from their squat as the platform reached the surface of the catwalk, Emma smirking at the audience as Ruby sent a wink just off to the side to where her screen's cameraman sat.

"Hello Sydney." Emma's voice was smug; it always was when she spoke on stage. She assumed it was some sort of nervous side effect. She chuckled upon receiving a few overly-enthusiastic 'hello's' back from the crowd, but managed to keep her smirk firmly on her face. "I'm Emma."

The introductions weren't necessary, but it was something the two agreed upon early in their career. Almost like an acknowledgement of the past – of the struggles they faced to get where they were, a promise not to forget. Plus, their fans claimed it was one of the many things that made them unique.

"I'm Ruby." The brunette husked. Ruby was the seductive on stage; all innuendos and sultry tones. This, with the way she dressed, established her as the duo's (self-proclaimed) sex-appeal. The amount of rumours circling the tabloids of a secret love affair between the two was ridiculously profound.

"And we're Enchanted Forestry" Emma had that line bagged. She had come up with the name herself; the idea being far too ironic for them not to take on (though they were both drunk and had never really reconsidered). The audience went insane once more, and Emma giggled as she caught sight of a girl in the very front tearing up. Her fingers glided through the opening chords of the song in series, building the venue's anticipation with every repetition. She played the progression through once more, building the final chord in a crescendo before barring her guitar – the entire stadium falling silent as the bass dropped out.

"Welcome to Neverland."

"Nice work guys!" Emma puffed out between gulping breaths. The second half of their show always took it out of her, but she wasn't complaining - she enjoyed it far too much. Though she could maybe admit that jumping around on stage like an 18 year old at a rave was starting to do bad things to her joints (just not out loud). Ruby slung a sweaty arm over her shoulders and laughed loudly as Veronica mentioned someone in the crowd who'd passed out in the midst of the second half, which wasn't uncommon as it was purely electronica. The blonde flicked the very ends of her hair out of the vice of her partners arm to splay over it and allow meagre puffs of air to reach her skin. Who'd of thought two 30 year olds could reel in such a crowd?

Backstage, the hallway to the dressing rooms was packed with band members and concert crew who were hastily packing instruments and sets for their next - and final - show, home in New York. When the crowd dissipated, Ruby and Emma finally made their way to their room.

As soon as the door was open, a thigh-high ball of energy smashed into the blonde's legs - almost taking her down with its force. Looking down, she couldn't help but smile as she found herself looking straight into the huge, sugar-fuelled, hazel eyes of Marian's five-year-old, Roland.

"I think someone got into the candy again... What do you think Auntie Ruby?"

The brunette detached her sweaty arm from Emma's shoulder and picked up the boy, squeezing him tightly and revelling in his disgusted laugh when he quickly became covered in sweat, "I agree, Auntie Emma"

The blonde laughed as Ruby took off with him out the door, the boy screaming in delight as his kidnapper no doubt weaved dangerously through the foot traffic that still lingered in the hall.

"I swear. We need better crew. This is like the third night in a row Karli's given in to him and bought him a packet of candy. He won't sleep until 5am at this rate."

Marian had changed exponentially since they'd left Storybrooke. Emma and Ruby had never planned on taking her with them, but it just so happened - by pure coincidence - she'd been planning on leaving town for a while. About as long as Emma, really (this occasionally happens when two people get together, and one has a wife). They'd bonded instantly, drunk in a hotel room, over broken hearts while her son slept soundly in the bedroom, but nevertheless. It was unsurprising she became their manager when they were randomly signed. The surprising part was just how well she adjusted to her new job.

"You love her though."

Marian smiled, "I do."

They'd both cut their hair the very week of leaving; a huge 'fuck you' to the couple that had broken their hearts. Well, they'd both needed a change, and agreed it was easiest to blame it on those who weren't there to defend themselves. Marian's hung straight and long-layered in a way that framed her face perfectly, the ends a caramel toned ombré (a look she simply loved when she'd seen it on a girl in the city). Emma, on the other hand, had gone for the much more common method of simply 'chopping it off'. Her once long, luscious curls ended just on her shoulders - a cut the blonde fell in love with the moment she got it. Ruby wasn't much for a haircut, but she celebrated the women that night and they'd all swore to never again pin their happiness on fleeting hopes.

Emma sat in a stool beside Marian and began the tedious task of removing her makeup. The latter watched curiously, eyebrows drawn in deep thought.

"Did you ever think we'd get here?"

The blonde stilled momentarily, mulling the question over, before standing and beginning to change, "Here as in Australia concluding our first world tour or...?"

The brunette rolled her eyes, unconsciously throwing out the used remover pads her friend forgetfully left on the bench, "You know what I mean."

Emma slipped on her boots and pulled on her leather jacket, almost reaching back to free hair that no longer existed from the back. She always got like this when they talked about that stupid town.

"No. But I never thought I'd leave Storybrooke until I did. I guess it just happens."

"I guess. I'm glad it did though."

Ruby returned then, carrying a completely unconscious 5 year old and mentally grasping whatever remaining strands of her own energy as she placed the sleeping boy on the sofa and collapsed into the same stool Emma just vacated, "Rollie passed out around lap 5. I did another just to make sure. I tell you what though, Australians are persistent!" The words came out slightly muffled as she wiped away her red lipstick, "there's still a tonne of them still waiting outside hoping to see us leave."

The women laughed heartily, Australia was her favourite country so far. Everyone was welcoming and their fans seemed extra excitable tonight in the crowd - though that could have been second hand with it being their final international show. She'd even bumped into someone in a Sydney mall and they'd apologised. Plus, Bondi beach was one to quickly top her list.

Emma poured three glasses of wine, mindful of their dwindling free-time but knowing their travels weren't quite complete without their post-show ritual. Each women took a glass before toasting in unison, "here's to a land without magic and a life not planned entirely by Rumplestiltskin."

The flight back home had been hell. 14 hours of horrible turbulence and shift-napping to ensure Roland, who was scared of flying, wouldn't be left alone. Once they'd landed in New York, things hadn't gotten any better. Coming off the flight, they were informed of a annoying number of paparazzi flooding the arrivals terminal, which meant that, to keep not only themselves but Roland safe, they would have to travel in a single file. This, once more, provided an abundance of Emma/Ruby relationship candids published everywhere with numerous colourful headlines like "Enchanted Forestry or Bedded Forestry" and "Welcome to Neverland tour concludes with whirlwind romance!" when the blonde returned to her apartment that night.

It wasn't that the rumours bothered her it's just that it seemed to be the only thing the media had to really push about them for some time, and it had become a legacy of sorts. Apparently two women, who may have even the slightest affiliation with the same sex at any point in their life, that hang out are definitely dating. It's like, science or something... Right? It probably didn't help they found it hilarious to taunt them about their... relationship or that it was entirely plausible. Tabloids were never really the woman's thing, but it was hilarious waking up to find out her night in last night was actually spent partying hard. Or so the media said, thus it must be the truth.

Though Emma was absolutely exhausted, she forced herself to stay awake as she waited to receive her timetable for the next week off of Marian. She had to give it to the woman, she was damn good at her job. They'd landed less than two hours ago, and already she had gotten onto their record company and organised a string of interviews all which would take place before their final show at Madison Square Garden the following week. A quick shower, a mug of hot cocoa and one episode of 'I Love Lucy' later, her phone jingles with a message and she all but cries with joy. Crawling into bed she clicked onto Marian's attachment and skimmed over her schedule for the week. Tomorrow, they had an interview with E! News which wasn't really a big deal. She could sleep in. The next few days were filled with meetings with agents and other important people they'd need to deal with. And Monday they had... what!

Sitting up ramrod straight in bed, Emma clumsily thumbed through her contacts until she found Ruby's name and tapped to call, surprising herself when she didn't smash her screen with the force of the jab. The brunette answered on the last ring, her voice sleepy and disoriented.

"Em? What the hell, it's like 2am"

"Have you seen this weeks' schedule, Rubes?"

"What? No. I was asleep."

"Look at it now!" The blonde's heart was buzzing in her chest. She was gonna freak.

"Fine, shit. Calm down."

There was a rustling as Emma assumed the brunette put her phone on speaker and thumbed for her message, "Em, If you called me because we have a bunch of meetings with head offic- holy shit."

"Yeah."

"HOLY SHIT EMMA."

The blonde burst into laughter as she heard the brunette scramble around her bed, heavy breathing as she rolled out of it and grabbed her phone. There was a series of dial tones, and a ringing and before Emma realised just what was happening, there was an answer.

"Hello?"

"Hi Maz." The blonde could still here Ruby's heavy breathing, and assumed the other brunette could as well. The former was probably the biggest fan Emma knew of the show, and somehow she figured this was going to be hilarious.

"Emma, is everything oka-"

"HOW LONG DID YOU KNOW WE WERE GOING ON ELLEN WITHOUT TELLING US?"

Regina sighed as she switched off the television for the third time that night. The news programs all over the networks were babbling on about Enchanted Forestry and their stupid world-wide tour. If she'd wanted any information on the duo, she'd simply walk upstairs and ask Henry (and forget a time when she would know more about his other mother's life than him). Why Emma Swan had to leave town and become internationally famous, she had no idea. Perhaps the question should be how everyone has tolerated her for so long, she mused.

She tried to ignore the fact she had multiple EPs and their first solo album (Deluxe Edition) saved to her brand new iPod.