AU: the curse never happened, Regina didn't kill her father and also for the sake of this story Rumpelstiltskin was never imprisoned, but has been trying to find his son all this time. Hooks just come back from Neverland with a way to kill him, and Emma's grown up with her parents though now is looking for something/someone to stop a certain person :P There will be some flashbacks and the story focuses on captain swan :D with little bit of Snowing

The sunlight seeped through the trees as the hooves of Emma's stallion, the colour of hazelnut pounded against the mudded floor, her blonde hair flying behind her against the wind, looking cautiously behind in case one of the evil queen's men was still following her after her lucky escape.

With no sight of a horse or carriage Emma finally sighed in relief, pulling on the reigns of her horse signalling for it to stop.

"Good boy" She smiled patting her horse proudly as they pulled to a halt, before hopping down off him and looking across at the long dirt track ahead of her. Not knowing exactly where she was going and dropping her head in defeat.

"Ah, there you are dear" A sudden sickening voice sounded behind her and Emma swerved around quickly pulling out her sword as she did so and pointing it out threateningly "There's no need for that" With a wave of her hand the sword disappeared, and Emma bit her lip nervously with no weapon against her magic.

"You should learn now that there's no use running from me, as your dear old parents say I will always find you" The Queen twistedly smiled before frowning "Where are you parents Emma? Or should I say Swan? A good cover name I must say, but I am no fool. It was a simple trick, one I won't be misled into again"

Emma stayed silent as the two circled each other, and if looks could kill the queen would most certainly be dead.

"Not talking dear?" she asked, her head tilting slightly "We'll see about that" unexpectedly raising a hand "What is your charming family planning? Tell me! Why are you not with them? Why have you run?"

Emma began to choke, unable to say a word, desperately trying to breathe, her hands reaching out, squinting her eyes shut.

Concentrate Emma, Concentrate She mentally told herself Its about feeling it, not thinking it remembering what the blue fairy had told her about magic.

"I hate you" She managed to choke out before a burst of light erupted from her causing the Queen to disappear in a puff of purple smoke.

Emma fell forward, her hands clasping around her neck taking in deep breathes.

"What the hell" She sighed in disbelief, gasping at the stop where the queen had just stood "I need a drink"

28 years ago

"Maybe I can help" Regina's father said.

Regina looked into the flickering fire, her eyes beginning to well up with tears "I have to cut out the heart of the thing I love most"

Silence followed, which only told Regina that her father knew what she was talking about, that she was planning on killing him, to finally have her happy ending. Was it worth it all to lose him as well?

"Me" he finally said followed by Regina's slow and sombre nod, closing her eyes desperately trying to think of another way out but no bright idea came. There was no other way to inflict this curse without his heart.

"Daddy I don't know what to do"

"My dear, please, you don't have to do this" he began to plead, stepping forward, their eyes meeting with the same sad thought.

"I have to do something"

"You move past this" He stated, as though it was the simplest thing in the world, it was easier said than done "I know this may self-serving but you don't need to enact the curse"

"But I can't keep living like this" Regina gestured around the dark room, what kind of life was this? Her sudden hate for Snow seeping through, remembering what she did, what about Daniel? "What Snow did to me, what she took from me, its eating me alive daddy. Her very existents mocks me. She must be punished"

She began to walk away, wishing she could hold the heart of Snow White in her hand, not having to take her fathers instead.

"If the price is a hole that will never be filled, Why do it?" He called behind her, and Regina couldn't help but think about the time that she was happy, when there was no Snow White, a time where she didn't have to live as the evil Queen "stop worrying about Snow White and start over, we can have a new life"

"But what kind of life? All I've lived for, all I've worked for will be gone, my power will disappear. They already think I'm nothing"

"Power is seductive, but so is love. You can have that again"

Her eyes searched into his, he meant every word. She fell into his arms, tears forming down her face "I just want to be happy"

"You can be" He replied "We can find happiness, together. But the choice is yours"

A moment passed by, with her head against his shoulders, tears streaming down her face she decided on one thing, a lesson her mother had taught her; love was weakness, a weakness she couldn't afford.

"I think you're right, I can be happy" He smiled and gave a sigh of relief, his face relaxing "Just not here" She added, her face darkening.

She begun to push her hand into his chest with an aim, to get the heart of the thing she loved most, but stopped suddenly.

She wouldn't be able to live with herself, the curse may bring Snow White suffering, but it wouldn't be an end to hers "Oh daddy, I don't know what to do"

Present day

Emma strolled up the harbour watching as the ships docked and loud mouthed pirates and sailors ordered their crew around. It wasn't the exact place that Emma wanted to be, she could mentally hear her father yelling at her for even going near the place, it's not place for a princess, but despite that it was the perfect place to overhear gossip and business talks, which was exactly why she was here; information.

Pushing the bar door open, Emma was greeted by a sight of burly men drinking tankards and tankards chatting away and gambling. She shivered but carried on forward, ordering some rum and sitting down keeping her ears listening to the conversations around her.

The rum was sharp and burned the back of her throat, but it was addictive and she carried on sipping at it.

The door opened again, revealing a man covered up in leather, blue eyes that Emma could see from a great distance.

Pirate, Emma thought.

He walked deeper into the bar keeping a hand on the hilt of his sword, slamming down some money on a nearby table.

"Where is he?" he harshly whispered into a bearded man's ear.

"Who?" The man said a little too quickly, earning a glare from the pirate.

"Rumpelstiltskin" Emma only just managed to hear but her eyes lit up. She had heard many stories of Rumpelstiltskin and all of his power, though fortunately had never crossed paths with him, if anyone was able to stop Regina then it was him.

Maybe she could make a deal with him.

"oh, him" The man swallowed "I have absolutely no idea"

Lie

"Now, now, we both know you do" The pirate spoke again leaning in closer "I have gold" He rattled the bag of money underneath his fingers.

The man stayed quite staring intently at the gold in-between the pirate's fingertips greedily.

"Don't keep me waiting, I've had a long journey from a far of Realm and you will tell me where my crocodile is"

A moment went by before the bearded man spoke again, gulping back "I really don't know"

Lie.

The pirate looked down sighing "I'll be back again, mate"

He went to leave and Emma made her move, cautiously waiting until the pirate left through the bar door and she was satisfied he was out of sight she moved up to the bearded man, who had suddenly pulled a hood over his head, sitting down in front of him.

"Who are you?" He roughly growled like a bad behaved dog, he even smelt like one.

"That is none of your concern, I need to know where Rumpelstiltskin is" She went straight into the business, narrowing her eyes at the man waiting for his reaction.

"Why?"

"Why does it matter?"

The man looked her up and down, sizing her up "Why?" He repeated again roughly, gritting his teeth together.

Sighing aloud, she swallowed "I want to make a deal with him, alright!"

Suddenly a smile broke out onto his face, a twisted and crooked one showing off all of his yellow stained teeth "Alright, what's your price?"

"What?"

"Well don't I get something in return?" He added hungrily staring off at the necklace around her neck, something she treasured dearly, her hands clasped around it protectively.

"No" She suddenly shot at him.

"Then no telling where or how to contact him"

Screwing up her face in anger, she groaned "Fine" pulling it off from around her neck and slamming it into his hands as he placed it into his pocket "Where?"

The man once again smiled and told her where to go, it wasn't long from where she was, it would simply only be a few hours until she reached it by horse, but what was she going to say when she got there?

Satisfied she got up and left, but not before pickpocketing her necklace from his pocket and reattaching it around her neck, smirking, quite proud of herself.

Once again she walked up the harbour, aiming towards the stables where her horse was kept until a hand grabbed her, pulling her into the shadows of some alley.

"What the hell!" She burst out going towards her sword, but with a jolt of fear realized she had lost it with the Queen.

"Calm down, love, I won't hurt you just tell me what the man told you"

The bloody pirate

"What man?"

"You're an awful liar" He leaned in closer and Emma could smell the scent of rum "Just tell me where Rumpelstiltskin is"

"Why do you wanna know?" Emma questioned relaxing a little "What does a pirate want with him?"

"You need not to know the details, lass, just tell me where the crocodile is, he and I have some unfinished business to attend to" The pirate explained, though Emma got the feeling that wasn't quite how his encounter with Rumpelstiltskin went.

"Your hand, what happened to it?" She asked, her eyes not leaving his "I feel like there's more to this business you have with him"

He looked down, with sad eyes that only told Emma the man had a long passed. His eyes, as blue as they were spoke something that his face wouldn't, that he was lonely.

"How did you hear? I checked you were out of sight before I spoke to him?" Emma questioned, curious about the man.

"Pirate love, we hear everything"

"Who are you?"

"Killian Jones, though I've been known to go by another name; Hook"

"As in Captain Hook?" Emma opened her mouth in disbelief; of course she had heard of the pirate, everyone had heard the story of how Rumpelstiltskin had cut of his hand, though why he would do that, Emma had no idea.

"Ah, so you heard of me" He smirked, his handsome features showing, but he quickly turned dark "Now enough of chit chat, lass, where is my crocodile?"

"Sorry, I don't trust pirates" clenching her fists, sword or not, Emma punched him, knocking him straight out cold.

Before she left she made sure to steal his sword, not wanting anymore crossings with pirates or queens without a sword at hand.

First chapter done :D whoo! I've been planning this story for ages and have finally gotten around to doing it. Read & Review.

Obviously I don't own ouat :D