She wiped her sweaty palms on her dress, kept her head down and carried on moving. Dusk was no time for a young woman of wealthy class to be roaming about alone...To be fair it wasn't her fault.

"Katherine please hurry up! The show is over now. Over."

"Oh Regina, can't you leave without me?" She giggled. Quite unlike herself.

"What?" She was confused, and a little upset, that katherine, her dearest friend of twenty years would abandon her to speak to an unknown gentleman.

"Katherine. You can't do that! Where's your chaperone?"

"I don't have one." She said shrugging her shoulders.

Regina frowned. This was wrong. How could she leave the woman there to do goodness knows what with a man they had just met.

"Katherine... what would your father say? This isn't how a young lady should behave!"

"Regina listen." She placed her hands on the uptight womans shoulders. "I have met this man before. I will be fine! I'm just going to sit with him in the Regal Believer, which is only down the road from here."

"The Regal Beliver?" She was shocked. "That's a pub!"

"Yes it is."

"Katherine!" She shook her head in disbelief. You can't go to a pub!"

"I can. And I will." She winked and hugged her friend. "Thank you for coming to the theatre with me. Take this shilling. It should be enough for a cab home." And she walked off leaving Regina staring after her in disbelief.

So that was how Regina Cora Mills, innocent lady of class found herself navigating the filthy streets of London, trying to find an honest cab driver to take her home. So focused she was on her mission, she didn't notice all the beggars that were lying on the side of the cobbled, winding streets. Until she tripped over one.

"Shite lady watch where you're going!"

It was a rough, scratchy, female voice that had spoken. The speaker clearly hadn't drank anything for a while. Regina straightened up slowly and looked to see who she'd tripped over.

"I beg your pardon, I did not see you."

"Yeah well." She muttered. "Nobody does."

The woman seemed to be in her thirties. She had scraggly long blonde hair, and she was as thin as a rake. The most noticeable thing about her though, were her eyes. They were a clear emerald green, they seemed to shine right into her soul.

"What's your name?" Regina asked.

"Emma. And this is my son Henry." She gestured to a small shuddering figure curled up next to her.

"Henry." Regina breathed. "That's my fathers name."

Emma stayed silent.

It was then Regina noticed the boy was rather pale, very scrawny and extremely unhappy.

She crouched down as best she could in her full, hooped skirt and corset, mindful of the puddles of -rainwater? Sewage?- And asked if he was alright.

"No." Emma replied quietly.

"What's wrong?"

"He's... really sick." Tears filled her bright eyes. "And not only is he sick, he's lying on the cold street, without having had any food in the past two days."

"You haven't eaten in two days?" She frowned

"He hasn't eaten in two days." She shrugged. "I haven't eaten in three."

"Emma... if you don't eat... you're going to starve."

"I know. But I have no food. And no way of getting any."

"Noone has helped you?"

The woman chuckled wrily. "Noone cares enough to help."

Regina stared down at the ground.

"It doesn't matter miss..."

"Mills. Regina Mills. And what do you mean it doesn't matter?! Of course it matters."

"I'm going to die eventually anyway. I just... don't care if its sooner or later."

"You... you want to die?"

Emma gazed up at the woman. "I didn't say that. I said I don't mind when it happens. And why should I? What have I got going for me?"

"Henry! You can't leave your son! He won't survive by himself!"

"He's not going to survive anyway. Just look at him." Emma choked out. "I'm such a shit mother, I can't even care for my child."

"That's not true. You're NOT a bad mother!"

"He's dying!" She raised her voice. "How have I looked after him, helped him in anyway?!" She started to cry. "You don't know me, you don't know anything about me, yet you're saying I'm a good mother?! Tell me how I am good mother?!"

Regina felt tears pricking her own eyes.

"You love him."

"That doesn't make me a good mother." Emma whispered.

Regina sighed and tried to change the topic.

"Do you know what's wrong with him?"

"How the bloody hell would I know what's wrong with him!? Does it look like I can afford a doctor to look at him?!"

"I'm sorry." Regina soothed.

At that moment the child let out a hacking cough.

And then it started to rain.

"Oh fuuuuckkkking hell." Emma groaned.

Regina tried not to gape at the womans language. She had never heard someone speak so fouly.

She was brought out from her thoughts by the boy letting out another series of coughs.

"Listen. Emma. You need to find somewhere to go. You and your son can't stay out here."

"Where am I meant to go?!" She gestured to all the other homeless people sitting on the road. "If there was shelter, do you think there'd be this many damn beggars out here?!"

Suddenly Regina surprised herself. "Come home with me."

Emma shot her head up.

"What?!"

Regina gulped, but nevertheless carried on speaking- for better or for worse.

"I said come home with me."

"I heard you... but... what?"

"You can come stay at my house."

"Why would you let a stranger into your house, into your perfect life?"

"Trust me it's far from perfect..."

Emma looked at her quizzically.

"Don't worry about it. And anyway. I can't just leave you out here."

"Are... you sure?"

"Yes. But. Only on one condition."

"Miss mills..."

"You have to stay in the cellar."

"What?"

"I live with my parents. And my mother would be far from pleased to know I let a..."

"Beggar." Emma put in helpfully.

"Yes. In her house."

"Well... of course. Thank you. Thank you so much."

"Its okay. Now come on."

"Wait!" Emma put her hand out. "Only if Henry comes!"

"Well of course? What did you think? I was going to leave him alone without his mother? What kind of person do you take me for?"

"I'm sorry... its just..."

Regina shook her head.

"There's no need to explain yourself to me. Are you coming or not?" She scooped the boy into her arms easily- he was as light as a feather- and helped Emma up.

"Let's find a cab. And you two can get clean. And have food. Then tomorow I'll see if I can find out what's wrong with Henry."

"Thank you. Thank you so much Miss."

"Please Emma. Call me Regina."

I hope you like this idea! If you read this please review. If you don't like It please still review and tell me why, as I'd love the feed back xx