One Call Away

Chapter 1

"Welcome to Storybrooke."

I read the sign as I drove my yellow punchbug into the small town in Maine. "Guess I'll be crashing here tonight," I murmured. Given my lifestyle, it was pretty typical for me to find random towns to stay in while I recuperated, getting gas, stocking up on gas station foods and whatnot. But little did I know, my stay in this town would be unlike any other.

I was 21 at the time, and I'd been living in cars and hotels since I moved out of my foster center at 18. It'd been close to a living hell, but I'd dealt with it. I peered out the windshield. It was late at night, probably close to midnight, and the streets were empty, illuminated only by streetlights and store window lights. I looked for a hotel, but none were in sight. On my drive, I passed by a large white house, probably the biggest one I'd seen in the whole town. "Dang, I'd love to know who lives there," I murmured to myself. I finally found a hotel called Granny's Bed and Breakfast about a mile from the house. I quickly gathered the bag of what little clothes I'd brought with me and walked inside. An older lady at the front desk was arguing with a teenage girl who was dressed scantily and had a red streak in her hair. "...and you knew your curfew was 11 sharp, so I don't understand why-" The girl's eyes diverted over to me, thus compelling the lady to turn around. "Uh, hi," I said softly. "Could I get a room?" The lady quickly threw open a record book and smiled, lowering her glasses over her nose. "Of course, of course." She glanced angrily at her girl. "My granddaughter Ruby can't seem to meet her curfew." The girl, Ruby, crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. "I'm going to bed," she huffed and stalked away. "I'm Mrs. Lucas," the lady introduced herself. "But most people just call me Granny." I half smiled and nodded. "We don't get many visitors in Storybrooke," Granny went on. "But they're always welcome," she assured me. "You said your name is Emma Swan?" I nodded. She handed me a room key. "Room 103. Have a nice night, Emma." I thanked her and took the key, tucking it in my jeans pocket. I went back out to my car to grab my phone, when I saw some commotion across the street. It appeared to be a car broken down near an alley. I walked cautiously across the street, no traffic to avoid. It was a vintage black car, with the hood up and a brunette woman inspecting it. I also noticed a young boy sitting in the backseat. My feet dragged against the pavement, and the woman jumped, hitting her head on the hood of the car. "Oh!" she gasped, laying a hand on her head. She glanced over at me. "Who are you?" she demanded, putting her hands on her hips. She had short brown hair and wore a black and white pantsuit with black heels. "I, uh, my name is Emma. Emma Swan. I'm new in town and I didn't know if you needed any help." The boy in the backseat craned his neck to look at us. "Well, Emma Swan, I'm doing just fine on my own. And anyways, my boyfriend's on his way now." I gulped. Boyfriend. Somehow this girl didn't seem like the girl-who-has-a-boyfriend type. "Ok, well, sorry to bother you," I said carefully. "Yes, I'm sorry you did too," the woman scoffed. I narrowed my eyes and crossed my arms. "Who are you, lady?" She pursed her lips. "I'm the mayor of this time. My name is Regina."