The Past is in the Past (AU)

2

"You know if you're gonna do that you should probably not be so obvious."

Emma turned at the sound of the voice who had caught her stealing a file from the principals office, "So what? You gonna go tell on me now?"

"Now why would I do that? Mother always says to use your leverage before you hand it over," she replied with a smirk.

Emma rolled her eyes at the brunette. Regina Mills was the principals daughter. Principal Mills was as strict as they come. She expected 100% perfect attendance, nothing below a B, and participation in as many extracurriculars as possible. She held her daughter to the highest regard with these standards. Regina Mills was a straight A student, spoke 3 languages, was president of the jr student government association, winner of the spelling & geography bee, and captain of the Brooklyn Science, Language, and Arts International School's junior equestrian team. She accomplished all of this in just the 5th grade. With this in mind, Emma clearly wasn't the principals favorite student. She was a 4th grader with a D average at best (not for lack of intelligence just lack of motivation), she wasn't in any clubs, she only knew English and some Spanish, and she refused to join a sports team. But dear old Principal Mills had no choice but to keep her enrolled as she was the poor orphan girl. And you couldn't just expel the orphan, it would look terrible on her reputation. They always thought about their reputation, never Emma.

"Are you trying to blackmail me? I'm 9 Regina. There's not much for you to use. And if the ultimatum is you telling your mother, well I really don't care. Worst case scenario, I switch schools again. Best case scenario, I switch schools finally."

Regina stood back dumbfounded, never before had someone ever had the audacity to standup to her before. She wasn't necessarily a bully, but she took crap from nobody and expected respect when it was due. And in this situation where she caught a thief, and was offering salvation, she expected much more.

"Excuse me? You do realize I could tell my mother and we could have the cops here in 10 minutes for you stealing student files."

Emma shrugged and shut the file cabinet as she waved a folder in the air, "Not files, just a file. My file. My personal property that no one should have permission to possess or distribute without my approval."

Regina snatched the files from her hands, "You are a student at my mothers school, this is school property."

The blonde balled her hands into fists, "Give it back."

"No," she replied with a smirk as she flipped through the file.

The blonde lunged at the older girl and tackled her to the ground, "I said give it back!"

The two girls wrestled on the ground and a few punches were thrown before Principal Mills came in.

"What is the meaning of this?!" she said pulling the two apart.

Regina straightened out her uniform as she wiped away the saliva from a bite that happened mid fight, "I saw her walk into your office while I was going to the bathroom. She was trying to steal this," she handed the file over to her mom and smirked at the scowling blonde.

Principal Mills looked towards Emma, "Is this true Emma?"

She crossed her arms and looked towards the floor, "I don't see why you need it, if I'm just gonna move again anyway."

"You did well Regina. Go back to class dear," she said as she stroked her daughter's hair.

Regina smiled as she turned to walk back to class.

"As for you Emma Swan, you get detention. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Tears started to fall from the 4th graders eyes, "I don't want to be here. Why am I even alive?"

She ran out of the office and to the girls bathroom. She ran out so fast she didn't even notice Regina eavesdropping from outside her mothers office. Regina was 10 and had never heard anyone mutter any words like that. It made her uncomfortable knowing someone was so upset with their life that they didn't want to be alive anymore. Her life wasn't the best but she certainly never thought like that.

"Regina! Why aren't you in class?" Her mother scolded as she told under the door frame of her office.

Regina turned to face her mother as she played with her fingers, "I still have to use the bathroom."

"Well go," her mother scoffed, "Top student and can't even use the common sense to go to the restroom."

Her mother walked down the hall as she quickly ran to the bathroom. Once inside she could hear whimpers coming from the furthest stall. She tiptoed over and knocked on the door, "Are you ok?"

"Go Away!"

"I just wanna make sure you're ok."

"Yeah, could've fooled me," she replied trying to hold back tears.

Regina leaned against the stall and sighed, "Look, Emma was it, I saw you sneaking into my mothers office. What was I supposed to do?"

"Mind your own business!"

"You were stealing school property!"

The door slammed open revealing a thoroughly upset blonde, "It's my life and not every new grown up in my life needs to know it! Including your evil queen looking mom!"

"My mother is not ev- you know what? I won't indulge in this child's play any longer. I was just worried about you, but I guess-"

Emma stomped her feet, "Stop acting like you're a grown up. You're a grade older than me! Stop being a Mills and maybe then you'd understand why I wanted my file! How would you feel if every move you've ever made, since birth, was recorded and kept as data for some government program? Every mistake I've ever made defines who I am to every new place I go. I'm 9 and everyone already sees me as the bad kid. I just wanted to clear my name so that people would stop thinking I was bad because I ran away from my first group home when I was 5, or because I stole a pop tart from the store when I was 7! I know I shouldn't have done it, but I'm not a kid anymore. I'm 9 years old!"

Regina wasn't sure what to do. It sounded bad, sure, but her mother had always judged every move she ever made. Regina did know she didn't like it when her mother did it, so Emma must not like it when others did it to her either. She hugged the younger girl in front of her, "I'm sorry for what I did today. Maybe we can be friends?"

Emma was confused, never before had someone offered up their friendship and a hug, especially after she picked a fight with them. She had to admit, she didn't hate the feeling, especially that of a hug. She hesitantly circled her arms around Regina and gave her a slight pat on the back, "You want to be my friend?"

Regina separated herself from the hug and smiled at the 4th grader, "Yeah, sure. I promise I won't judge you if you promise not to judge me because of my mother. Plus, you were kinda sneaky back there. If it wasn't for me you would've gotten way with it. Maybe you could help me sneak around my mom more often."

Emma smiled, "I'd like that."

Regina smiled back and reached out her hand for Emma to take, "Come on, lets get back to class and maybe we can sit together at lunch. I think 4th grade has lunch with 5th? My friends will love you."

Emma searched the brunettes eyes for any hint of malice, but instead was met with a unique glisten. She didn't know what it meant, but she somehow knew it wasn't anything bad. Before she could answer she saw Regina smile at her again, she probably sensed her hesitation.

"What do ya say? Lets begin an adventure?"

With an enthusiastic nod of her head Emma took her hand and walked back to class.