Chapter 8

As morning approached, Emma's dreams were plagued with memories best left forgotten. Of being ignored, of going to bed hungry, of being yelled at for things she didn't understand, of other less than pleasant things. But mostly she dreamt of being given back over and over and over. She dreamt of aching loneliness. Of not knowing what it felt like to be loved.

She woke cold and confused before the sun had even begun to rise.

She shuffled around, searching for Elliot's warmth. When she didn't connect with his warm body, her hands finding only cold sheets, her eyes blinked open, her body shooting up into a seated position, her posture rigid, as her eyes darted side to side, her heart hammering rapidly in her chest.

It came back to her all at once. Lily. Regina. The hospital. Mal.

Elliot wasn't here. Here was Regina and Lily and Mal's house.

The hammering of her heart slowed as she slipped out of the bed and moved over to the window seat, climbing up and drawing her knees to her chest, leaning her head against the glass and staring out into the darkness, thinking about everything that had happened yesterday.

She sort of liked it here. Regina and Lily and Mal were nice. But nice didn't mean much. Nice people could become not nice people. All it would take was for her to screw up. And then they would leave her just like everyone else had.

Elliot though, he would never leave her like all of those families she'd dreamt about. Elliot loved her and she loved him.

Soon she would be back with Elliot. She was going back to the forest today. It would be okay. Even though she would never see Regina or Mal or Lily again, it would be okay. She didn't care. She didn't even like it here that much. She didn't even like them. Those were lies, that last one especially, but she repeated them over and over again in her head, as if that would make them true.

xxxxxx

Regina woke just after the sun had risen, rolling over and placing a soft kiss to a still sleeping Mal's cheek, before slipping out of the bed and padding down the hall. She poked her head into Emma's room, surprised to find the child not only awake but sitting on the edge of the bed dressed in yesterday's clothes.

"Morning," Regina smiled as she entered the room, "You're up early...and I see you already dressed yourself." She bit her lip to hide her amusement at the fact that Emma had put the shirt on backwards and inside out. She'd intended to give Emma fresh clothes but she supposed it didn't matter.

Emma looked down at the clothes she was wearing and then back up at Regina, nodding her head seriously. "Can we go to the forest now?" she asked, her words just as serious as the expression on her face.

Regina's brow furrowed at the sullen, serious, expression on Emma's face. This was not the same child she'd tucked into bed last night. Something was off, although she couldn't quite figure out what it might be. She forced herself to smile, to keep her tone of voice cheerful, "Well, I think we should have breakfast first. And Mal and Lily are still sleeping, so we'll have to wait for them to wake up."

"Oh," Emma's shoulders slumped.

"Come on," Regina held out her hand, "You can help me make pancakes. I think we might even have some chocolate chips to put in them."

Emma eyed the hand a long moment before she nodded her head and hopped off the bed. Her expression still sullen as Regina's fingers laced with hers and they headed down the stairs.

xxxxxx

"What do you think is wrong with her?" Regina whispered to Mal as they headed out towards the car a few hours later. Emma's mood hadn't improved at all over breakfast. The only brief glimmer of pleasure coming when Regina had handed her her compass, insisting that Emma take it. Emma had smiled briefly as she slid the chain of the compass around her neck, her fingers touching the metal almost reverently, before she seemed to realize what she was doing and she'd wiped the pleased expression away, replacing it again with her blank one.

"I don't know," Mal's lips pursed as she considered it a moment, "Do you think maybe she's figured out that we're not just going to leave her in the forest? Maybe she's upset about that?"

Regina frowned. Could that be it? She hadn't considered that they might want to keep Emma but she might not want to be kept by them. She shrugged as she pulled the car door open, telling Mal with her eyes that she really had no clue what was going on.

xxxxxx

The drive to the forest was a mostly quiet affair. Lily chattered some at first but when Emma didn't respond, she eventually gave up, choosing to stare out the window instead.

Regina parked the car when they reached the area of the forest Zelena's crew had tried logging in yesterday. She spun around in her seat and eyed Emma, "Is this where we should stop?"

Emma pressed her hands to the window and studied the dense forest a long moment before she looked back at Regina, "Yes."

"Okay," Regina nodded, offering Emma a smile before spinning back in her seat to pull the keys out of the ignition.

Emma clambered out of the car behind Lily and immediately took off, running towards the forest without so much as a glance behind her.

"Shoot," Regina grumbled, semi-panicked eyes darting to Mal's quickly, before they both took off, trying to catch up with Emma, Lily following them.

They barely managed to keep up with the blonde head darting between trees and by the time the child finally slowed, Regina could hear Mal panting for breath beside her. She slowed to a stop as she looked around. Her eyes widened in awe of the large tree with several platform like structures mounted in it. There was also a small teepee, made with sticks, set up near the entrance to a cave. Had Emma made all of this? It was impressive to say the least.

"Elliot! Elliot!" Emma was yelling at the top of her lungs, "Elliot I'm home!" Her head spun around, searching, "Where are you?"

Just when Regina was starting to wonder if maybe they'd been wrong. Maybe Elliot actually wasn't real. Maybe Elliot really was a figment of Emma's imagination. The ground shook slightly and then, seemingly out of thin air, the dragon with shaggy green fur appeared.

"Elliot!" Emma cried again, this time in relief, the sullen expression that had graced her face all morning suddenly replaced with a wide grin as she lunged at the dragon. Her arms wrapped around the head that bent down to greet her, the expression on the dragon's face just as thrilled as the one on her own as she nuzzled into his fur. They stood like that for a long time until Elliot made a low keening sound, and Emma followed his large eyes to where Regina and Mal and Lily stood stock still, eyeing them carefully. "Oh," she pulled back, looking between Elliot and the trio, her expression becoming serious again.

Lily was the one to break the spell of silence, taking a few shuffling steps forward, "So this is Elliot? Can I pet him?"

Elliot took a half step back as Lily took a step forward and Emma took a deep breath as she tried to decide what to do. "It's okay," she finally whispered to Elliot, "these are…" she wasn't sure how she was supposed to describe them, "they're nice people." For Lily, she spoke louder, "You can come here."

Lily didn't need to be told twice and she bounded forward excitedly. "Hi!" she grinned up at Elliot, who studied her carefully a long moment before lowering his head like he had for Emma earlier and she grinned even wider, her hand reaching forward to stroke his cheek. "Wow," she practically whispered, before her head whipped around to look back at where her mom and Regina were standing, "He's so soft!" she called to them, "Come see!"

Neither Mal nor Regina moved at Lily's beckoning, both looking to Emma instead, waiting for permission to come forward. They could tell that Elliot wasn't so sure about people, and they did not want to startle him, did not want to do anything that would make him, or Emma, doubt their intentions.

Emma's eyes widened, first in confusion when they didn't move and then in surprise as she understood. "You can come," Emma called softly to them, "It's okay. He just...might not want you to touch him."

Mal reached for Regina's hand, squeezing it once and then tugging her forward. They moved slowly until they were standing in front of the dragon. Mal eyed the creature with wonder and awe and he stared back at her. Something about the way he was looking at her made her certain that he remembered their encounter all of those years before, and the words spilled from her lips, "We've met before."

"What?" Emma looked between Mal and Elliot, completely confused, "Really?"

As if to answer, Elliot took a half step forward, his head moving so that it was inches away from Mal. In response, Mal lifted her hand slowly, fingers brushing gently against Elliot's nose, a soft smile tugging at the corners of her lips, "I knew you were real."

A tender smile graced Regina's face as she watched the moment unfold. The moment was broken, however, by the snapping of twigs, and then sudden, unmistaken, sound of gunfire. Regina's posture immediately stiffened, her eyes darting wildly as she tried to find the source, tried to assess whether they were in danger or not.

Everything happened so quickly.

Zelena, Robin, and the rest of the logging crew appeared as if out of nowhere.

"Move back!" someone shouted as more gunfire sounded and Elliot reared back on his hind legs. "Get out of the way!"

"NO!" Emma was screaming, "STOP! STOP! STOP!"

Mal was reaching frantically for Lily, trying to pull her out of the way of the struggling dragon.

Two more shots and Regina realized that it wasn't bullets they were firing but darts. Tranquilizers.

"STOP!" Regina added her own voice of protest to Emma's, her legs moving forward, her arms reaching out to grab for the child who was scrambling around Elliot, in severe danger of getting hit by one of those darts if these idiots didn't stop firing, "Zelena! You're going to hurt someone!" Her hands finally connected with Emma's arms and she lifted the struggling child, "Emma! We have to move!"

"NO!" Emma kicked her legs, trying to get away as Regina lifted her into the air, "No! ELLIOT! ELLIOT!" A sob tore out of her throat, "STOP! They're hurting him!"

It took all of Regina's strength to keep ahold of Emma and get them backed far enough away from Elliot to be out of danger. She wanted desperately to stop what was happening to Elliot but Emma, and Mal and Lily who were already a safe distance back, had to be her first priority. Elliot would survive being hit by these tranquilizer darts, she couldn't be sure the same could be said for Emma should one of them accidentally hit her. "It's going to be okay," she tried to soothe Emma and she wasn't just saying so to be placating. She might not be sure how but whatever Zelena had in store for Elliot wasn't going to happen on her watch.

Emma was sobbing, a horrible, desperate sound, escaping from her, as Elliot finally fell to his knees and then crumpled unconscious on the ground. Regina just wrapped her arms tighter around the child.

xxxxxx

Regina handed Emma off to Mal, who immediately smoothed the child's hair and began rubbing her back, trying to soothe her as she watched Regina storm towards her sister.

"What do you think you're doing!" She demanded, her arms crossed over her chest, fire in her eyes.

"Calm down Regina," Zelena rolled her eyes, watching as her men worked to get Elliot into the hoist they'd brought.

"Calm down? Calm down? You want me to calm down?" Regina sputtered, "You could have gotten someone killed."

Zelena rolled her eyes again, "You're so dramatic. They're just tranquilizers. And everyone here has good aim. Besides, it's not as if we knew you would be here."

"You didn't know we would be here is not an excuse," Regina shook her head in anger, "What are you doing to Elliot anyway?"

"Elliot?" Zelena looked confused a moment and then she snorted, "Wait. The dragon has a name?"

"Yes, he has a name," Regina's teeth gritted together, "And whatever you think you're doing with him, just forget about it. Or else."

"Or else what?" Zelena's own arms crossed.

"You'll regret it," Regina spit out.

"Calm down," Zelena recycled her previous line, "We aren't going to hurt him. He's going to make us rich. Think about how much people will pay to see him."

Regina actually felt physically nauseous as Zelena's plan became clear, "He's not leaving the forest."

"And who's going to stop us? You? Maybe Mal? Or perhaps that little blonde girl. She seems pretty feisty," Zelena scoffed, her tone conveying that she knew she'd already won, "There's ten of us and four of you. You won't be able to stop us."

Regina mashed her teeth together hard, glowering at her sister. Zelena wasn't wrong. What exactly was she supposed to do here? Especially with an unconscious dragon. It wasn't as if Mal and Lily and Emma and herself would be able to carry him away to safety. She needed time to make a plan. Unfortunately the only option she could see right now was letting them take Elliot back to town.

They'd launch a rescue mission from there.

She just wasn't sure how she would explain that to Emma.

xxxxxx

As expected, Emma didn't take it well at all. When Regina told them quietly that Zelena and crew were taking Elliot back to town, Emma tried to claw her way out of Mal's arms and it took both Mal and Regina to hold her in place.

"No, no, no, no, no," Emma repeated over and over and over as she tried everything she had to break free.

Lily watched the whole thing with horrified eyes.

"Emma, Emma, Emma," Regina tried to get her to pay attention, "Listen to me. Sweetie. I'm not going to let anything bad happen to Elliot. I promise. Okay? I promise, I promise, I promise. But we have to let them take him right now. We'll follow them. And then we'll rescue Elliot. I promise. They aren't going to keep him. I won't let them. But, right now, right now that's what we have to do. It's the only option. Do you understand."

At first Emma clearly wasn't listening, still squirming in their hold, but as Regina just kept talking, kept explaining over and over and over again, Emma finally stilled. Pained green eyes studied the gentle brown ones fixed on her and her whole body sagged. "Promise?" It was a whimpered plea.

And even though she'd already said so a half dozen times, Regina repeated the word again, firm and certain, "Promise."

"I promise too," Mal repeated with just as much certainty.

"Me too," Lily confirmed, because she wasn't going to be left out.

xxxxxx

Elliot was loaded onto a flatbed truck and driven back to town.

By the time Regina pulled their car into her sister's property, the truck was already hidden out of sight in a large barn. A crowd gathered outside of it.

"Did she call the entire town?" Mal hissed, the disdain in her voice evident.

Regina shook her head in disgust, "Sounds like her."

Mal slammed her car door as she got out. Turning to carefully eye Lily, who was climbing out of the backseat of the car, "Lily, you and Emma stay back here, okay?" They still had no real plan but she had a feeling this might get messy and she didn't want the girl's to be in any danger. Plus, she had a few, or more than a few, choice words she wanted to say to Zelena, and they weren't the kind of things she wanted her daughter to overhear.

Lily scowled but she nodded at her mother, watching as Regina and Mal disappeared into the crowd, before turning to face Emma. The other girl was rocking on the balls of her feet, looking entirely uncomfortable. "Come on," Lily said, already moving.

"Where?" Emma asked but she was already following Lily.

"We're going to free Elliot," Lily said certainly and Emma actually smiled.

xxxxxx

Emma and Lily avoided the crowd, heading undetected to the back of the barn, and slipping in through some loose boards.

Emma whimpered at the sight of Elliot, still passed out cold and tied down to the flat bed truck. She sprinted over to the vehicle, pulling herself up and onto it. She tugged at the ropes, finding where they were connected and undoing them, loosening them until they were completely off of Elliot. Then she moved over towards Elliot's head, rubbing her hand gently against his fur, whispering in his ear, "Elliot you've got to wake up. Please Elliot wake up." There was no response. She looked around trying to find where Lily had gone - maybe she would have any idea of what they should do.

Lily was over by the main door to the barn, listening to the crowd outside. Her head spun back to look at Emma, "I think we have to hurry."

Emma's eyes dropped back to Elliot, her hand still stroking his fur, "Come on Elliot," she pleaded, "You can do it, I know you can. Just open your eyes."

And he did.

xxxxxx

Outside the barn, Sheriff Humbert and Deputy Nolan shoved their way through the crowd.

"What is going on here?" Graham asked looking between Mal and Zelena who were practically standing toe to toe.

"Please tell me you're here to arrest her," Mal sneered.

Graham rubbed the back of his neck, "For what exactly? We got a call about crowd control. What is going on?"

"These two," Zelena motioned between Mal and Regina, "Are having some issues with the concept that if you catch something, it's yours."

"No. Zelena is having problems with the concept that you can't just take the things you want," Mal spit back, "Some things are not meant to be owned. Somethings can't be owned."

Graham frowned, confused, "What?"

"I caught a dragon. He is mine. And nobody else has any rights to him," Zelena's hands landed on her hips as she eyed the Sheriff expectantly, "You tell them."

"A-a d-dragon?" Graham's eyes widened in surprise, "Umm...you better show me."

xxxxxx

"Emma," Lily hissed worriedly, running over to the transport to stare up at Emma and Elliot, "We have to hurry they are going to come in."

Emma looked worriedly between Lily and Elliot, "He can't break free yet, he's not awake enough."

"You have to do something," Lily insisted.

Emma's forehead scrunched up as she thought hard, "I've got an idea," she finally mumbled.

xxxxxxx

When Zelena pried the doors to the barn open, a hush instantly fell over the crowd.

The silence was finally broken by Zelena's shriek, "WHERE DID MY DRAGON GO!" She turned sharply, angry eyes directed in Mal's direction as she pointed a finger, "You! You did this dragon lady. What did you do with my dragon."

"Don't be stupid, Zelena. I've been standing here this whole time, how could I have possibly done anything with the dragon," the sneer on Mal's face was almost comical, "Are you sure you even had a dragon in the first place? Sure you didn't just hallucinate the whole thing?" The taunt was so similar to things Zelena had told her once upon a time.

Zelena just scowled, anger practically bubbling out of her, but before she could say anything, there was a low rumble as the flatbed truck rumbled to life and began to move forward. "What the hell?" she frowned.

As the vehicle crashed through the side of the barn, wood splintering and going flying in every which direction, Regina caught sight of a blonde head, barely tall enough to see over the steering wheel. She caught site of brown hair too. "Shit," she cussed under her breath and moved as quickly as she could. Before anyone in the crowd could stop her, or get a similar idea themselves, she was pulling the door to the flatbed truck open and motioning for Emma and Lily to slide over. Taking over control of the vehicle, she slammed on the gas and peeled out of Zelena's property before anyone else could climb up onto the vehicle..

"Are you okay? Where's Elliot?" Regina asked, her eyes darting frantically over to Emma and Lily.

Emma looked out the back window, as Elliot's invisibility started to fade, he still wasn't quite awake enough for it. "He's here," she said, although it wasn't necessary, Regina could see him now through the rearview mirror. That wasn't the only thing Regina could see through the rearview mirror. A convoy of vehicles were following them, the leading vehicle was gaining on them quickly, it was one of the lumber company trucks and she could make out both Zelena and Robin in the vehicle. She pressed harder on the gas pedal.

Emma crawled over Lily so she was on the passenger's side of the vehicle, instead of in the middle seat. She leaned her head out the window to look at Elliot, screaming, "You have to fly, Elliot! You have to fly!"

Elliot was trying to stand now, rising on shaky legs but collapsing back onto the bed of the truck.

The truck with Zelena and Robin in it sped passed the flatbed as they approached a bridge, spinning so that it was completely blocking the road.

"Shit," Regina whispered as she pulled her foot off the gas, moving it over the brakes when nothing happened her eyes widened in horror. She slammed harder on the brakes but to no avail, the flatbed just kept moving forward.

"Stop!" Lily cried, terrified, as they got closer and closer to the truck, "Stop!"

Zelena and Robin realized just in time that the flatbed wasn't stopping. They were still lying on the ground, having literally jumped out of its path as the flatbed smashed into the truck and the truck was pushed to the side and then over the side of the bridge as the flatbed finally slowed to a halt.

"Are you okay? Are you okay?" Regina was looking over at the girls, trying to assess the damage, even as they were already climbing out of the vehicle, unharmed.

Elliot, meanwhile, had finally gotten his footing, and his wings flapped once, twice, three times, until he was up in the air, and then perched on the top of the bridge structure.

The convoy of vehicles were still approaching, the first vehicle in line now was being driven by Mal. Regina could just make out the frantic look on her girlfriend's face, the other woman surely worried about them, when the first shots of fire descended from atop of the bridge. Suddenly awash with a wave of fear, she sprinted across the bridge towards Mal's vehicle.

"Elliot! No!" Emma screamed, horrified, "Stop! Stop!"

Fire continued to melt asphalt and steel away.

Regina had just made it to the vehicle, ripping the door open, and starting to help Mal out of the vehicle, when the bridge gave a shudder and the steel structure collapsed in on itself. As if in slow motion, the vehicle, Mal, Regina, and Elliot all fell down down down, surrounded by a sea of steel and asphalt and cables, until they were out of sight.

"Mommy!" Lily sobbed from one side of the bridge.

"Regina!" Zelena screamed, looking remorseful on the other.

Emma just stood still. Unmoving. Her heart hammering loudly in her chest.

One minute and then another passed. And then suddenly there was movement and a large green dragon appeared out of the dust, flying up up and up higher. And on his back where Regina and Mal.

Emma breathed out the breath she hadn't known she was holding as Elliot touched down on their side of the bridge, kneeling so that Regina and Mal could slide off his back.

Lily took off instantly, running towards Regina and Mal, who were running too, towards her, as soon as their feet were on the ground.

Emma was running too. She was faster than Lily and she passed her but she didn't stop when she reached Regina and Mal, she just kept running past them, throwing herself at Elliot, who scooped her with his front paws and brought her close to his chest. She clung to him tightly, tighter than she'd ever held on before, relishing the feel for a long moment, before she was whispering at him. "Go, go. We have to go."

With her arms wrapped around both Lily and Mal in a comfortable sort of group hug, Regina watched as Elliot started flapping his wings. No. "Emma!" She called, her arms sliding away from Lily and Mal as she took a step towards Emma and Elliot, "Emma wait!"

Her words didn't matter. Emma didn't even look back at them as Elliot took flight, disappearing towards the forest.

Mal stepped forward and placed a hand on Regina's shoulder, squeezing.

xxxxxx

Elliot touched down in front of their cave, letting Emma down. Emma looked around frantically a moment, trying to ascertain whether or not they were safe. When she finally decided that they were alone, she looked back at Elliot. "We can't stay here," there was a franticness to her voice, but a sadness too, "We have to go, Elliot. Further. Far away from here. They're going to come looking for you. They'll find us."

Elliot eyed her, his head tilting at her panic, but he shook his head, and then he made himself invisible. He waited a moment before he made himself appear again. Wagging his tongue at her, knowing she would get what he meant.

Emma just looked sad, "But I can't disappear. It isn't safe here."

Elliot's forehead scrunched at his girl's expression. He didn't like sad Emma, not one bit. He trotted carefully into the cave, picking their book up gently with his mouth and bringing it out to her, setting it down in front of her. He tapped it with his nose.

Emma touched the cover and then looked up at Elliot, "Now's not the time for reading, Elliot. We have to go before they get here. We have to go."

Elliot tapped the book again, insistently and then settled into a lying down position in front of it.

Emma sighed but she dropped to the ground, sitting cross-legged across from Elliot as she started flipping through the pages. She didn't actually read it. She didn't feel like reading. It was weird looking at these pages now, knowing how the story actually went, so different from her telling of it. She continued to flip pages until she got to a picture of the boy and the girl and their parents sitting by a campfire. Elliot dropped one of his paws down onto the page, stopping her from turning any further. He nudged the page again, his paw rubbing against the picture of the family, his expressive eyes looking directly at Emma.

Emma frowned, "I don't have a family, Elliot. Only you. Me and you. We're a family."

Elliot's head tilted and then he leaned forward, catching the chain of the compass around Emma's neck between his lips and tugging on it gently, letting it drop back against Emma's chest.

Emma's fingers reached up to grasp at the metal, her serious expression studying Elliot. After minutes of silence, she sighed quietly, letting go of the compass, "They aren't my family, Elliot. They...they're nice. Really nice. And maybe they'd keep me...for a bit. But then…they'd leave me like everyone else. I don't need them, only you."

Elliot shook his head, his serious expression matching Emma's. He nudged the picture of the family again and then bumped his head gently against the compass hanging from Emma's chest. He was insistent.

"Elliot…" Emma's eyes were getting watery, "Why do you want to leave me? Why don't you just want me to stay with you?"

Elliot shook his head. He didn't want to leave her. Of course he didn't want to leave her. He loved her. But he wasn't what was best for her. Couldn't she see that? He nudged her chest again, and then nuzzled her cheek gently.

"I love you," Emma whimpered, her tears spilling over as she climbed up onto Elliot and burrowed herself into his fur, her arms wrapping around him as she howled pitifully and he just held her the best he could.

xxxxxx

Emma's tears had stopped but they were still lying the same way when Regina and Mal finally showed up.

It had taken time to get themselves to a vehicle with the bridge down and the entirety of the Town on the other side of it and then they'd had to drop off Lily. Lily hadn't been thrilled about that part but they were rather insistent. They weren't sure how long it would take to find Emma. They weren't sure they would find her at all. And if they did find her, they weren't sure what kind of state they'd find Elliot in. He might not be thrilled to see other humans. And if that was the case, they wouldn't blame him.

Elliot sensed their presence first and it was only the stiffening of his body that alerted Emma to the fact that they weren't alone. She sprung up immediately, her posture tense and defensive.

Regina held up her hands, "It's just me and Mal. We came alone and nobody followed us. I promise." It was an easy promise to make. Her sister had been pale and shaking and had even hugged much too tight when the rescue vehicles had finally made it round to their side of the bridge. There hadn't been apology, not one with words because that was not Zelena's way, but Regina knew her sister enough to know that she actually was sorry for her actions. Sorry enough that she would behave - at least for now.

Emma relaxed but only a fraction, shuffling closer to Elliot.

Regina glanced at Mal and back at Emma, speaking softly, "I'm glad we found you. We were worried you wouldn't be here."

Emma's forehead scrunched up in confusion, "Worried?"

Mal was the one to nod, "Yes sweetheart, we were worried. We were worried that we wouldn't find you, that we wouldn't know whether or not you were okay...and we…" she glanced at Regina, wondering how to broach this subject and wondering who Emma would accept the explanation from better.

Sensing Mal's hesitancy, Regina jumped in, "and we...well we..." she stopped, rubbing her chin and then trying again, "See the thing is, Emma. We know you have Elliot. We know you love Elliot and he loves you. But we thought that maybe...maybe you'd let us take you home. That way we wouldn't have to worry, wouldn't have to wonder if you were okay, we would know. That way we could take care of you."

Emma glanced over at Elliot who nudged her shoulder slightly and then she tilted her head back in Regina and Mal's direction. Her thoughts raced, conflicting emotions flashing across her face. "You don't actually want me," she finally said quietly.

Regina frowned, taking a step closer to Emma, "Sweetheart, that's not true. We do want you. Very much so."

Mal moved closer too, "It's true Emma. I know your life hasn't been easy. And that this must be very scary for you and confusing. But, I promise, it's true. Tell me how to make you believe me, we'll do whatever it takes."

There was a flash of something that looked like hope but it was quickly replaced with pain as Emma mumbled out, as her eyes dipped to the ground, "You want me right now...but you won't later...when…"

"When what, Emma?" Mal prodded in the gentlest of voices.

"When I do something to make you mad," Emma mumbled, her eyes still on the forest floor.

Mal and Regina shared a long meaningful look. Proving to Emma that they were serious, that they wouldn't give up on her, wouldn't toss her aside when things were something other than easy, would be difficult. It wouldn't happen today. It would take time for them to really earn her trust. She'd clearly been rejected too much in her short life. It hurt Mal's heart to think about it.

"Emma," Regina's voice was so soft, the name was nearly whispered, "Could you look at me, please?" Slowly wide green eyes tipped up to stare at Regina, "I know promises probably don't mean much to you, so I'm not going to promise you that if you come with us, it will be for as long as you want. Or that we won't ever stop wanting you. Even though both of those things are true. And I know they are true because when you flew away from that bridge today, when I thought I might not get to see you again, I really couldn't think straight. All I could think about was finding you." She moved a couple of more steps forward and carefully placed her hand on Emma's shoulder, squeezing gently, "I'm not going to bother making promises...but I'm going to say this...what I told you last night...when I said you're the bravest girl I've ever met, that was the truth. So what do you say? Could you be brave one more time? Take a chance and come home with us?" Regina's heart thumped rapidly and she held her breath, her eyes fixed firmly on Emma while she waited for an answer.

Emma blinked slowly staring at Regina in silence until Elliot bumped her shoulder. She turned her head to look at him and he gave her a look full of encouragement. Looking back at Regina she nodded her head. "Yeah, okay," the words were quiet, hesitant, but after she said them, Emma smiled, a sweet, slow smile, filled with hope.

Regina smiled right back, her expression full of tenderness. She didn't have to look at Mal to know the other woman was smiling too. "Do you think I could maybe hug you now?" Regina smiled a little wider, hopeful.

Emma nodded and Regina closed the remain distance between them, wrapping her arms tightly around the child.

Mal moved closer too, Regina making room for her as she added her arms to the mix, her head dipping to place a kiss to the crown of Emma's head.

Over the top of Emma's head, Regina's gaze caught Elliot's. He looked down at Emma and then back at her and Regina could have sworn he smiled at her. 'Thank you' she mouthed to him and she didn't just mean for saving them today. Emma was going to be theirs, they were going to give her a home and love, they would become her family, but Emma had been Elliot's first. Regina wouldn't forget that. Elliot was her family now too as far as she was concerned.