AN: Okay so please don't hate me. Simply put life got in the way but I'm back and I promise to update as soon as I can, don't want canon coming and messing up my story… Before I blab forever, enjoy. All the usual disclaimers apply.

Somewhere warm. That's where she'd go… somewhere warm.

Regina, Snow, Charming and Emma were in Snow and Charming's apartment seated around their dining table. Regina held baby Neal in her arms and cooed to him every so often. Emma couldn't help but imagine this is how she must have been with Henry when he was a baby.

She quickly looked down as the guilt that had plagued her since she brought back Marian reared its ugly head again. She wondered how she could have ruined the life of the woman who had loved and cherished their son when she couldn't, who'd done her damndest to change…

Snow looked at her daughter feeling for her, knowing just how she felt. It wasn't an easy thing knowing you had ruined someone's happiness.

"So Regina, you were going to say something?" Charming prompted, sensing the shift in the atmosphere. Regina reluctantly tore her attention away from the baby not really wanting to say it but she knew she needed to.

Snow looked at her as she sipped tea from her cup, a feeling of dread settling in her tummy as Regina took a deep breath.

"I'm leaving Storybrooke," she said, her voice low. On any other day the looks of shock on their faces would have drawn at least a smirk out of her but not today.

"But Regina you can't leave," Snow started but the pained look on Regina's face as she focused on her cut her off. "What about Henry?" she asked softly reaching out a hand to grasp Regina's.

"I can't stay Snow," she started, brown eyes glistening as so many emotions flashed through them; guilt, pain regret, determination. "Maybe he can come visit when I'm all settled," she said the statement, really a question as she looked to Emma who simply nodded. "I need to leave for some time, it's time I focused on me for a change."

"Do you have anywhere in mind yet?" Charming asked, the shock having been replaced with curiosity.

"No not really, I was thinking I might go somewhere warm, maybe it'll be just the change I need." As she had been thinking about where to go, she'd thought of the times she'd been happiest and she found that she could associate each and every one with warmth. So it'd seemed the right thing to choose somewhere warm to go.

"Why aren't you taking Henry with you?" Emma asked, finally having the courage to let the words out.

"He needs to settle down; he's been through so much already; Neverland, New York… He needs to be normal and he needs his family, well most of it. I can't go dragging him across the country with me, it wouldn't be fair."

Emma visibly relaxes because she's sure that she would not have put up a fight if Regina had wanted to take him. The sheer weight of the guilt she felt made her throat close up sometimes when she was talking to her.

She couldn't even explain the tears fighting to pour out because Regina hadn't chewed her out or anything. She just seemed so tired; drained. Emma felt like a veritable wraith; seeming to have succeeded where the first one could not.

Regina is looking at Emma with a puzzled look on her face; sometimes the way that the blonde underestimated her love for Henry shocked her. She rolled her eyes not able to keep her irritation with the blonde safely tucked away for even that.

Emma smirked, well at least there's a bit of her left she thought having caught sight of the familiar action.

Across town at the docks, Henry was with Hook or Killian as his Mom now insisted on calling him. They had become close ever since they started spending time together before his memories returned.

First thing in the morning today, he had asked to go see him and Emma had allowed him to; understanding that what he needed was not her in that moment. He needed just a friend.

Hook was teaching him the different types of knots today. The focus he needed to get them right was helping clear his mind. He didn't want his Mom to leave but he also realised he couldn't be so selfish as to beg her to stay. He knew she would if he really, sincerely asked her to.

He had been looking forward to telling her all about New York and making up for the lost time.

As he finally mastered the knot what he had to do was suddenly very clear to Henry.

"Mom, do you wanna go to Mary Margaret's for dinner?" he casually asked, trying not to give himself away.

AN Numero 2: I know it's short but I promise the next will be longer.