A/N: Finally, after for-fucking-ever, here is the epilogue of My Safest Place. Sorry about the delay, real life has been demanding.

EPILOGUE

The sound of the alarm awoke Emma Swan from her less than peaceful slumber; the loud beeps from her cell phone pulled her out of a fretful dream about witches, kings and magic, and Emma groaned as she moved over to turn it off, blinking blearily against the morning sun streaming in through the curtainless windows.

She stilled, pausing for a moment as she came to it. Henry's low snores could be heard from the mattress next to her, and she felt her stomach do a flip as she realised what day it was.

It was her 28th birthday!

Emma sat up in bed, quickly pushing her hair out of her eyes as she took in the almost bare apartment around her. Their things were either packed or sold, everything ready and prepared for this exact morning; a morning they had been counting down for – together – since Henry was big enough to understand.

She reached out to shake her sleeping son, grabbing his leg and squeezing it lightly as she shook him awake. "Hen, Hen, c'mon, time to get up," Emma urged him in a murmur, and when she heard him moan something beneath his breath, she knew he was waking up, and so she rolled out of the bed and grabbed her jeans from her open bag – the last one that was not yet packed for their trip.

It was only 06:30 AM, but the sun was shining down on them, as if it knew exactly what day it was.

Emma buttoned her jeans and moved to their bare kitchen; she heated water for cocoa and coffee, and quickly whipped together a breakfast of the last items remaining in the fridge; eggs, bacon, bread with butter and jam. Excitement bubbled inside of her, so much that she was almost dizzy with it; nerves combined with years of yearning and hopeful longing. It had been tough for the first seven years, but the last one year? It had been absolutely painful. For Henry and her both.

Her son padded across the floor, dressed in his jeans and a patterned shirt, especially chosen for this exact occasion. She thought he looked handsome, although his shirt was crumbled, his hair dishevelled. "Are you ready, Ma?" he asked her, as he pulled his backpack across the counter, then unzipping it.

Emma took a sip of her coffee and placed a piping hot cocoa in front of him. "Yeah, you bet I am," she replied, although it felt like the words were getting stuck in her throat. "It's finally now, yeah?"

"Yeah," Henry replied as he pulled out the worn and faded parchment from his backpack. "Oh, and happy birthday, Ma."

Emma grinned. "Thanks, Kid," she said as she stuck a piece of bread into her mouth and pushed Henry's plate across the counter. "Eat up. We could have a long drive ahead of us."

Henry nodded dutifully and forked a mouthful of eggs and bacon into his mouth. He munched away, unfolding the parchment on the counter. "Can't believe it's finally happening," he said, as he carefully stroked a finger across the picture painted there. "We're gonna find you today, Mom. I promise."

Stopping behind him, Emma squeezed his shoulder and stared down at the painting, too. "She's gonna be so happy, Kid. You don't understand how much she loved you."

Henry stared up at her, green eyes shining. "Do you think she'll look much different?"

Emma shrugged, her eyes trailing over the painting; their smiling faces, the three of them captured together by some unknown artist from the Enchanted Forest. Regina looked happy, as happy as Emma remembered her from their last year in the cottage. Her hair was long, braided back in a practical up-do, and her brown eyes practically shone. "Perhaps she'll have shorter hair," Emma mused, a finger trailing over Regina's face. "She always did want that."

"I hope she'll recognise me," Henry eagerly said.

"I think she'll know immediately, Kid," Emma assured him as she moved across the floor to grab the old satchel from where it was seated on top of Henry's box of belongings that still needed to get stocked in the back of their black Volkswagen Beetle. The colour had reminded Emma of Regina and Rocinante when she had first seen it; then she and Henry had bought it on the spot a few weeks after his fifth birthday.

Henry grinned and stuffed his face with a few more forkfuls of food. "Are we gonna do it now?" he asked next. He was eager, of course, just like Emma herself.

Emma drew in a careful breath as she sat the old satchel down on top of the counter. She ran her fingers over its worn leather, soft with time, and it reminded her of the man who had given it to her, offered her something to carry her mere belongings in when she had nothing else to hold onto. Thank you, Daniel, she mused as she opened the clasp. Sometimes she still managed to convince herself that it smelled like forest, like home, even though it was probably just her imagination.

Pushing his plate away, Henry eagerly folded his legs beneath himself on the barstool and leaned over. "So how are we going to do it?" he asked. His excitement was palpable. Emma thought it was nice, he didn't appear nervous at all, he had complete and utter faith in her and her plan, even though she wasn't even sure if she could do this.

"With these," Emma breathed as she reached into the small front pocket of the satchel. There, dried and shrunk with time, were the five berries from the lake. Emma remembered vividly what these berries were supposed to do to you, how they could help; she remembered what Mulan had told her, and how Regina had asked her not to eat them because she didn't need to. Emma knew there wasn't much magic in this land, mostly because people didn't believe as far as she remembered, but that was the difference with her – she did believe. Wholeheartedly. She just needed to be showed the way.

Henry breathed out in amazement. "The berries from the lake," he said. Because of course she had told him all about that, she had told him all about everything. She had wanted him to grow up with stories of his mother and his home land, with stories about magic and true love, with stories of where he was borne from. She might not still understand it all completely, but she knew that Rumpelstiltskin had been right all these years ago, and that she was borne from there as well. She still wasn't sure how everything connected together, but she suspected that she would soon find out.

Emma offered him a dopey smile. "Sure thing, Kid," she said. And then she reached into the satchel where she had stored a map of the United Sates. She unfolded it with the help of Henry, putting plates and cups in the different corners to keep it down, and then she stared down at where she and Henry were currently located; Boston. She then stared at the berries inside of her palm; wrinkly, but probably still filled with magic, they'd have to do the job. "You ready?"

Eagerly nodding his head, Henry asked, "How do you even know she will be in the United States? In this land even? Weren't there many others to choose from?"

"There was," Emma hesitantly said. She remembered the map fondly; staring down at it as Regina taught her about different realms and different parts of the Enchanted Forest. She had been eager to learn, and even though there were plenty of other realms to choose from, Emma was certain that Regina would have chosen this one. "But I just do," she elaborated, glancing down at him. Because she had told Regina so much about the Land Without Magic, about how Emma had never been able to find happiness and safety here, so if Regina had made a Curse that Emma were to break – she was pretty sure that she would be just within reach. Regina had undoubtedly wanted to come to the Land Without Magic; to feel closer to Emma and Henry perhaps. Or to get as far away from her mother and magic as possible.

With a deep sigh, Henry said, "Makes sense." He tapped his foot against the counter, "Well. What are you waiting for then? I wanna see my mom again!"

And I want to see the love of my life again, Emma thought. But she didn't say it aloud, she fisted her hand around the berries and bumped it against Henry's. "Cheers," she joked, before she tilted her head backwards and dropped the berries into her mouth.

The taste that immediately overtook her sense was sour, like she had suspected really old berries would taste, and she chewed them slowly, eyes watering. They were not juicy or delicious, but chewy and gross, and Emma forced herself to swallow even if she mostly wanted to stick out her tongue.

"There!" Henry eagerly said, and Emma followed his line of sight.

A red moving dot was hovering just upon the map, buzzing slightly as it lingered over Boston. Emma could see that it pretty much waited right above where she and Henry had to be, and she dropped her finger to the map. "Regina," she said, and she felt the magic deep within her; a feeling she had not experienced for eight years, ever since she and toddler Henry had stepped out of a circular portal from the King's dungeons into a back-alley in Manhattan. The magic had left her as soon as the portal had closed behind her, and she had quickly realised that it would be no easy feat to access it in the Land Without Magic, that she'd have to do without it.

Henry gasped, "It's moving!" and if it wasn't so. The dot formed a path from Emma's finger, leaving in its wake a red line; it moved from Boston and up north, following the coastal line towards...

"Maine?" Emma questioned. With a furrowed brow, she leaned down closer to take a look. It passed a city named Bangor – she had never been this far up north, so she wasn't familiar with the towns there – before it hovered awkwardly, buzzing like a little bee, in the middle of nowhere. Suddenly, Emma felt a jolt and she was pushed backwards, almost as if hit by electricity, and as she closed her eyes, a picture sizzled its way firmly into her mind.

An old-timed sign with cursive and bold letters greeted her Welcome to Storybrooke with dark letters on a white background, and Emma gasped as she opened her eyes to find Henry peering worriedly down on her. She had not even realised she had fallen to her butt by the sheer force of it. "Storybrooke," she told him, and he reached a hand out to help her up. "She's in a town called Storybrooke." She turned to the map once more then, and saw that the path was still clearly mapped out, except where the dot had before hovered, there was now written, in red letters: STORYBROOKE.

Henry grinned, not able to contain his excitement. "I guess we're going to Storybrooke?"

Emma pulled him to her, hugging his small body to hers and pressing a kiss to his mop of brown hair. "I guess we are," she promised him, and suddenly, her own fingers were vibrating with excitement, because they were finally going home. Home to Regina, no matter if it was in the Enchanted Forest or a town called Storybrooke. "Pack the last of your things. We're dropping the keys off and then we're going," she said to him, before they both moved into action.

Zipping up his bag, Henry questioned, "So how long 'til we see her?"

"I'm guessing eight or ten hours, depending on the traffic," Emma replied as she washed off the last of the dishes before placing them away to let their subletter handle the last as per their agreement.

Henry stood there, ready quicker than he had been in his entire life, with his backpack on his shoulder and his jacket across his arm. "I can't believe we're finally going to see her," he whispered, and his voice almost cracked with emotion. "I'm finally gonna have my mom."

Emma stuffed the map into the satchel and grabbed her keys. "Yeah, Hen, you're finally gonna have her," she replied, before they rushed out of the apartment and downstairs to their car.

The drive up north was a long one, even if they didn't stop for many bathroom or food breaks. Henry was a champ in the seat next to her, although he chatted away and was getting impatient. He had been trying to read in his comic book, occasionally exclaiming whenever something awesome happened, and Emma zoned out of it as she drove, her eyes firmly trained on the road, and an impatient churning in her stomach.

Henry eventually grew tired of Captain Marvel and he closed the comic book, sighing loudly as he leaned against the door, tilting slightly in his seat as he continued to stare at her.

Emma side-eyed him. "Uuuh, yeah, Kid?"

"Tell me again what happened!" he begged, and who was Emma to say no to that?

Her fingers tensed even further around the wheel and she bit her lip as her eyes turned to the empty road ahead of them. "What exactly do you want to know?" There were so many things to tell, and she'd probably already told them all, but if Henry wanted more, he'd get more. It might be nice to pass the time like this.

"I don't remember her much," Henry murmured, chin jutting out.

A fond smile appeared on Emma's face easily. "She was amazing, Kid. The most kind and loving person I have ever met. She loved us both so much, and I know she still does, even if we have been away from her for many years." She knew Regina would have never stopped loving them, because she cared furiously, with her entire being, and it was not in her nature to simply stop.

Henry nodded, listening with rapt attention as he had always done whenever she spoke of Regina or the time in the Enchanted Forest. He'd always loved imagining how it would have been like to grow up there, and they had played pretend knights and witches in their various homes; Emma pretending to blow magic out of her hands as Henry fought her off with a wooden sword. "What was it like that day?" he softly queried next, "Leaving her?"

He had never quite phrased his question like that before, and Emma wasn't, at first, sure how to answer. She hummed, stalling for time as she rolled down the window to let in some air in the small car. "It was... it was absolutely heartbreaking," she replied in a murmur, gazing at him briefly, before her eyes turned back to the road. "The guards came, as I've told you before, because your grandma Cora, she wasn't a very nice person."

"Not to you or to Mom," Henry nodded in agreement.

"Nope," Emma said, "she wanted your mom to be Queen with no regards to what she wanted, and that's why she let the guards take us with them. She was prepared and everything," Emma explained. She had never wanted to give too many horrible details about what had ensued, because she didn't want to frighten Henry too much, but the actions that had occurred had not been nice.

Henry made a thoughtful face. "And they put the cuff on you, didn't they?"

Emma hummed in agreement. "They sure did, Kid. Which meant that I couldn't fight back at all and protect us." She remembered the horrible feeling of powerlessness and how she had tried to no avail to make magic with her hands. At first, she hadn't understood why she couldn't do her magic, but the guards had laughed of her and informed her that the cuff was supposed to stop her magic.

"And so what happened?"

"They took us to the Castle's dungeons. Cora must have enlisted the help of the King, so they put us there," she explained as she stared at the road. They were nearing a small diner now, which was a nice break from the otherwise monotone road. Perhaps they ought to take a small break to pee and stretch their legs; she knew they needed it, even though her eagerness to see Regina and break this infamous Curse pushed her to keep going.

Stretching his arms above his head, Henry looked thoughtful for a moment, before he said, "And when did you use the magic bean?"

Emma grinned. "We were tossed in there – I had to cradle you to my chest so you wouldn't be hurt – and as soon as they left, I knew we had to get out of there. I'm sure they'd have hurt us if we didn't run, Kid, and I just-" she stopped talking, not sure how much she should add to this.

"They would have killed us, wouldn't they?" Henry questioned, and he looked grown and young at the same time. Innocent, but with so much knowledge of a time and place that he barely remembered.

Gulping, Emma continued, "You don't get this, Kid, but in the Enchanted Forest? Things were different. People hurt each other a lot, and thieves and poor people got killed. It's not like this place at all."

Henry's eyelids fluttered as he closed his eyes briefly, probably imagining – for the billionth time – how it would have been like to grow up there. "And Mom wouldn't have been able to get us out, would she?"

Emma shrugged. "Perhaps. Maybe. I dunno." Emma had thought about it before, for sure, if Regina could have fought for them. But she's pretty certain that Cora would have lied to her about where they were, perhaps even told her that they were killed. And regardless – she had known at this point that they would have to leave Regina to basically save their own existence, and even though it was still hurting her, Emma had seen this moment as a better option. She could leave Regina and make it seem like it had not been her choice; they could let her go on the foreseen path and not be the bad guys for leaving without a reason. Still, she'd have to tell Regina everything now of course. They'd probably fight about it, Regina would probably be hurt, but she knew they could work through it.

She was the Saviour, meant to break the Curse and give everybody their happy endings. That included Regina, and just like Tinkerbell had seen, Regina would get her happiness and True Love. Emma would make sure of it, because she and Henry were Regina's happy ending.

"Ma?"

Pulling herself out of her thoughts, Emma said, "No, Hen, I don't think she would've." She licked her lips, adding, "So I used the bean that Rumpelstiltskin gave me to get us out of there. That way everything could happen as it should."

Humming, Henry smiled. "I see."

Emma didn't know what more to say.

"Hey Ma?"

"Yeah, Kid?"

"Can we stop at the next diner and get some fries?" Henry asked.

Emma glanced down at him briefly, before moving to change lanes. "Sure thing, Kid."

—-

It was just around 6 PM when they drove past the Welcome to Storybrooke sign. They had been cruising down an empty road with trees on both sides and no street lamps, staring straight ahead at nothing while Emma had muttered and cursed beneath her breath because the map said that the town was supposed to be right there, when suddenly the sign had appeared and there had been light from lamps and houses in the distance.

Clearly magic, that was for sure, and Henry who had been dozing off in the passenger's seat suddenly lived up and pressed his nose to the window as he stared out in awe.

They drove down what was clearly Main Street in the small coastal town. Emma slowed down, trying to figure out how to go about finding Regina in this place. She had no idea who all these people were and if they were magic, but she wanted to proceed with caution. The sun was slowly setting, and it was clearly dinnertime, because the streets were basically empty except for a red-headed bespectacled man who was walking his Dalmatian.

The excitement was now alive and well inside of her once more. Emma was certain that this was the right place, and that knowledge made her practically buzz. She had not been this close – physically and probably also emotionally – to Regina in over eight years, and it was messing with her head. She'd missed her so much, not a day had gone by where she hadn't thought of her, longed for her. The years had been lonely, filled with mindless one night stands, where Emma had always imagined a different person in the bed next to her. She'd longed for dark eyes, and long hair, tan skin with full breasts and a gorgeous bottom. She had searched out women that looked like her, reminded her of Regina, but it had never been the same, not even close to measuring up. There had been no faint scar upon their lips, and not enough snark in their words,

Yes, Emma had been incredibly lonely sometimes, but she had never been able to move on. Not knowing that there was a magic Curse to break and that she'd eventually see Regina again someday.

Henry pulled her out of her thoughts.

"Where will we go?" he questioned. The window was fogged from his breath, and he raised his fist to wipe at it.

Emma scanned the street and saw a red, blinking sign reading Granny's Diner, and she figured that they might as well. "There," she said, and then she drove up to the curb and pulled the car into park. As soon as the engine was off, Henry was out of his seatbelt and out of the car. Grabbing her keys and wallet, Emma quickly rushed after him; she locked the door and moved to place an arm around his shoulder as she steered them towards the entrance to the diner. "Ready?" she asked.

Henry nodded, and Emma saw movements behind the closed glass door; saw how the diner appeared to be full of patrons eating their dinner, and a small bell jingled as they entered the space. It was like every head turned towards them, and Emma felt her stomach churn as they approached the counter. She could not see Regina in here during her quick and not very thorough scan – and that would probably have been too easy – so she smiled at the old woman behind the counter.

Probably Granny, Emma mused. "Uhm, hello?" she asked.

"Can I help you?" the woman brusquely answered.

Henry chimed in, "We're looking for Regina!" His excitement was so evident, he was practically bubbling with it.

A woman on the barstool two stools over spluttered. "You're looking for Mayor Mills?" she asked, and she looked like that was the most crazy thing she had ever heard.

Emma regarded her; something about her round face with the pale skin and the dark hair appeared entirely familiar, but Emma wasn't sure how. "Yeah," she said, placing a hand on the counter. "Regina Mills, I guess."

The woman furrowed her brow. "She's not here. She never eats here." She dapped at her mouth with her napkin before sticking out her hand to greet them. "I'm Mary Margaret by the way."

Shaking her hand, Emma said, "I'm Emma. And this is Henry." She squeezed his shoulder.

"Hi!" he eagerly said.

"Hello," Mary Margaret smiled, fond. Her eyes shone, and they were a particular shade of green that Emma was quite familiar with by looking in the mirror. It was unnerving, but she tried to shake it off, because she did not have time for this right now. Regina awaited them. "So why are you here to see Regina? Town business?" Her eyes were quizzical, beseeching as she studied them both.

Henry smiled. "Regina is my mom-!"

Emma cut him off with a hand on his mouth as she grinned. "Mom's friend," she said, eyeing Henry, whose eyed had widened in his excitement, "Regina is my old friend from uh, back in the day."

Mary Margaret nodded. "I didn't realise she had any friends from outside of town." She paused, brow furrowed. "Or many friends at all really."

"What are we talking about?" a woman questioned as she hopped onto the barstool next to Mary Margaret. She was dressed in a blue police uniform, and there was a shining badge on her hip. "Hi Mary Margaret," she added, and Emma practically felt her jaw drop as she stared at her. The familiar hair, the certain voice. It was- it was- it was Mulan. "Granny, can I get a coffee to go?"

Granny smiled warmly at her. "Of course Sheriff Smith, it's coming right up!"

"Mulan?" Emma breathed as she leaned slightly over, eyeing her old friend. She was sure it was her; she was older, of course, but it was unmistakingly her. It was in the way she carried herself, her back straight, and definitely the quiet timbre of her voice.

Mulan turned around on her chair, her brow furrowed up in annoyance. "What did you just call me?" she questioned, just as Granny placed a coffee to go on the counter in front of her.

Emma immediately sensed that something was amiss, that this was definitely not the same Mulan she had said goodbye to back at the estate in the Enchanted Forest. There was no recognition in her eyes, although Emma recognised her completely. She withdrew however, not wanting to cause drama when she was not certain of how things worked here. "Sorry," she replied, pulling back slightly and squeezing Henry's shoulders. "I thought you were another old friend of mine."

Mulan eyed her, still not entirely convinced. "Another old friend?"

"Emma and Henry are here to visit Mayor Mills," Mary Margaret quickly explained, and just as if that was the magic word, Mulan's entire demeanour changed and she softened up completely.

"You're here to see Regina?" she wondered aloud as she spun around on the barstool and stared warmly down at Henry. "She didn't mention that she was getting any visitors." She sipped her coffee, and Emma thought that the police uniform really suited her. However this Cursed had worked its magic, Emma definitely thought that it had done right by Mulan.

"She's my ma's old friend!" Henry excitedly chimed in.

Mulan's eyes then turned to Emma, and she regarded her the same way she used to when Emma was younger; the way that made it seem like Mulan could see right through her. "Really?"

Emma forced out a tense smile. "Yes. We just weren't sure which direction to go."

Taking another sip of her coffee, Mulan took her sweet time answering as she swallowed. "Go straight ahead past the clock tower. Take a right down Mifflin. It's number 108, and you won't miss it." She then hopped off the barstool and scurried towards the entrance.

"Say hello to your wife from me!" Mary Margaret called after her, and Mulan waved at her as the door smacked closed behind her.

Emma nudged Henry then. "Let's go, Kid," she told him, before she glanced back at Mary Margaret with a curt smile. "Thanks. I'll see you around," she mumbled, because she was quite certain that she would, and Mary Margaret smiled eagerly, as Emma steered herself and Henry towards the door as well, following right in Mulan's footsteps.

They made their way to the car silently, Emma quickly unlocking the doors and slipping in behind the wheel. Her heart beat wildly, untamed, because that had been Mulan. Mulan. Regina was definitely getting closer.

"Was that really Mulan?" Henry breathlessly asked as he buckled up in the seat next to her.

"Sure was," Emma confirmed as she turned on the engine and set off towards the clock tower in the distance.

Humming, Henry questioned, "Why do you think she didn't recognise you?"

The entire confrontation had been tense and weird on Emma, but she was pretty sure that Mulan just didn't remember her, just didn't remember herself. "It's probably the Curse," she told Henry, because that was the only thing that made sense. If all went well, if Emma broke the Curse and really was the Saviour that Rumpelstiltskin had told her she was, then Mulan would remember it all soon enough. Emma still wasn't sure exactly how she was supposed to break said Curse, but she figured that she'd have to improvise as she went along. As soon as they found Regina, Emma was certain that the rest would work itself out.

They drove past the clock tower that appeared to show the wrong time, and as they turned right down Mifflin, Emma felt her heart all the way up in her throat; the quick beats, the feeling of almost choking as she couldn't breathe properly. She was pretty sure that she was breaking a sweat.

"Is it that white house?" Henry eagerly questioned as he pressed a finger to the window to point out the biggest house on the entire street; it was white and majestic, the complete opposite of what they had lived in together in the Enchanted Forest. It was odd, but it was definitely number 108 Mifflin.

For the first time ever, Emma started to worry about who she might run into on the other side of the door. Sure, it would be Regina, but would it be her Regina? So many years had passed for her, probably around forty, at least according to Rumpelstiltskin, and that was a very long time to stay the same. Emma had no doubts that she would love Regina regardless of what had happened and what she might have done, but suddenly the entire thing appeared so scary.

Henry was dashing up the path to the front door, and suddenly Emma couldn't breathe at all. What if Regina was also affected by the Curse – just like Mulan – and she wouldn't recognise them either?

"Henry!" she firmly called, and her stomach was twisting itself into knots.

Henry stumbled to a halt on the porch as he turned around to look at her; eager and almost there, this close to seeing his mom for the first time in eight years. "Ma?" he asked. He looked almost disappointed, worried about what might interfere with his plans.

Emma clutched at her chest, feeling too hot in her leather jacket. "Henry, just- give me- I need a-" She wasn't sure what she was saying, and before she could manage to even figure it out, the door behind Henry was forcefully pulled open.

And there was Regina; older, yes, more intimidating than Emma had ever seen her, with shorter hair and a tight mayoral dress, but definitely Regina.

And Regina was mad. "And what exactly do you think you're doing here!? It is private property, and I will call the police. I'll have you know, Sheriff Smith is a very close personal friend of mine, and – Emma?"

She halted in her high heels, stopping on the path as she had brushed by Henry in her fury to get to Emma. But her eyes showed a mix of recognition and disbelief as she took in Emma's form. Her eyes widened, her jaw tensed, frozen.

"Hi," Emma softly replied and offered an awkward wave.

Regina was quiet for a moment more. "Emma," she eventually breathed, and her entire face shifted from one of anger to one of pure shock. "Emma, I can't- are you really here?"

Emma tentatively stepped closer. "I'm here," she gently offered, and she was surprised to learn that there were tears trailing down her cheeks as she watched Regina; Regina who was in front of her for the first time in years. "I've, we've – we've found you."

Regina whipped around at that, her dark eyes zoning in on Henry who grinned awkwardly at them from the steps to the porch. "Henry," she whispered, and she visibly drew in a shaky breath, "Henry, is that you?"

"Mom!" Henry cried, and then he was off the porch as he flung himself into Regina's arms with a soft cry.

Taken aback, Regina hugged him tight. She embraced him with all of her worth, burying her face in his hair. Emma could hear Henry cry softly, and she stepped closer herself, not wanting to miss a second of this important moment.

"I've missed you, I've missed you, I've missed you," Henry repeatedly said, his voice muffled by Regina's tight embrace.

Regina softly whispered, "And I've missed you, my little prince."

It felt like Emma's broken heart was finally beginning to mend itself as she watched the sweet embrace, something she had imagined inside of her head many, many times. Regina was looking at Henry so tenderly, with such pure love, and she brushed back his hair, ran her hands over his entire form as if to check him for injuries. There were tears glistening in her eyes, and Henry was purely crying.

"Mom, I can't believe we're finally here. We've been waiting forever," Henry whispered as he ran a hand over his face to wipe his cheeks.

Regina chuckled. "Eight or nine years by the looks of it," she replied. "Look how much you've grown."

Henry puffed out his chest. "I'm ten!" he proudly said.

"I've missed so much," Regina breathlessly whispered, and she pulled him to her side, holding him tight. She looked at Emma then, a nervous smile flickering across her lips. "And you, you're… you're not wearing glasses."

Emma awkwardly grinned as she stuck her hands into her back pockets. "And you cut your hair," she just replied, because she wasn't sure what else to do or say. She longed to touch Regina once more, to breathe in her scent and hug her close, but something was holding her back – she wasn't sure quite what to do.

Regina gingerly touched her shorter locks. "Yes, I… I always wanted to."

A small silence emerged between the three of them, and Emma scuffed her boot against the ground. Awkward, that's what it was.

Henry, thankfully, knew just what to say. "Can we go inside?"

Regina lead them inside, up the small path and through the fancy front door. When they came inside, Regina showed them to a formal sitting room and asked if they wanted something to drink.

"I need the bathroom," Henry said instead.

"Just down the hall and to your left," Regina replied. She was rigid, her motions almost stiff, and Henry beamed at her, before he was off, rushing down the hallway in this unfamiliar house. She turned to look at Emma then, her cheeks pale and her hands trembling. "How… are you here?" she breathlessly asked, and for a moment, Emma didn't see an intimidating grown up woman, but she saw her 16-year-old girlfriend. "I thought you died."

Emma's shoulders sagged. "I know. I'm sorry," she quickly replied. "It's a long story and I'll tell you it all. But the guards didn't execute us, we escaped to another realm instead."

Regina's lips trembled. "You left me?"

"Long story," Emma softly repeated, and she did not like the way everything felt so awkward between them, the way Regina somehow put a distance between them.

Turning her eyes downward, Regina started fussing with a throw pillow, and Emma let her – for a moment – before she stepped closer, limiting the short distance between them. "Regina," she murmured, and her voice cracked. She reached out, her hand enveloping Regina's to get her to stop fussing, and as their fingers touched, Regina gasped and dropped the pillow to the ground. A spark appeared, and Emma withdrew her hand.

Regina turned her head, and suddenly they were nose to nose. "I can't believe you're here. Am I dreaming?"

"No," Emma whispered, and she cupped Regina's cheek.

Tilting her head, Regina met her touch with closed eyes and a trembling mouth. "I've missed you for forty years," she cried, and she sounded so, so small.

Emma drew in a shaky breath. "And I've missed you for ten," she murmured, and Regina's eyes snapped open. "It doesn't make sense right now, but I promise it will. The important thing is that we're here. We love you, and we're finally here."

Quivering, Regina said, "And I love you," before she lunged forward and pressed her lips to Emma's in a desperate kiss. As soon as their lips touched, Emma was jolted awake; not only by the spark it created, but also by her own body as it responded to Regina's kiss. Their lips moved against each other, their hands lingering on bodies, and Emma moaned against Regina's mouth as she held her close.

It had been so long, and her body ached.

"Baby," Emma whispered, and as they pulled back, their foreheads resting against each other, their chests heaving.

Regina was outright crying as she ran her hands over Emma's hair. "I love you still," she murmured.

"And I love you still," Emma gently whispered back.

"Moms!"

They were pulled out of their tight embrace by Henry, who was back from the bathroom. He had a shit-eating grin on his face as he stood there, happier than Emma had ever seen him. He'd definitely caught the tail-end of their sweet embrace, and he appeared quite pleased with it.

"Yeah, Kid?" Emma questioned. She did not dare pull away from Regina quite yet.

Henry continued, "Did you feel that? The entire earth shook and there was a blast!" He was eager, his eyes round. "I think it was magic!"

Regina pulled back at last. "Magic?"

"It was the Curse," Henry continued, eagerly joining them, tugging at their hands, "I – I think you broke it."

Emma gasped as Regina's fingers tightened around hers. "You think?"

Regina eyed her, mouth agape. "You… you're the Saviour meant to break my Curse?" She did not let go of Emma's hand, but it was sweaty inside hers. "You're… but of course you are." She softened at that, as realisation dawned on her, and now it was her turn to cup Emma's cheek. "You've always been so good."

Their eyes locked, and Emma softened even more. There were many things to talk about, many years to catch up on, but she was sure that it was going to be alright. No matter what, they were going to be fine, because they finally had each other again, and nothing could change that. Tinkerbell had said many years ago that Regina would find her True Love once more – after further trial and tribulation – and finally she had. There was not a doubt in Emma's mind; they had just broken the Curse with True Love's kiss because that was what they were.

True Loves.

"So have you, my darling," Emma whispered and pressed a kiss to her temple, "you've just never had the chance to truly show it."

Regina swallowed loudly and glanced towards the closed door. "They're going to come for me now, you know." She tightened her hold on Emma at that, folding into her side.

"We'll keep you safe!" Henry quickly volunteered, as if that was the easiest thing the world. And to him, it probably was.

And really, Emma thought so, too. After everything they had been through, the next part was going to be quite alright. She was sure of it, because they had each other – finally – and the rest was going to work itself out. "Yeah, we will," Emma promised her with a tentative smile.

She was finally back in Regina's arms, and nothing would be able to tear them apart once more.

Her safest place.

Together, the family of three walked towards the front door, ready to face the rest.

A/N: I was so concerned about which note to leave this on and where to end it, but I hope this made sense. I just wanted to leave it open; they finally have each other once more and the future is going to be alright. Dealing with the after march of the Curse was not really a priority as you can all imagine what happens next; they deal with Snow, Mulan and the other townsfolk, and they have their happily ever after.

If all goes well, there will be a supernova fic from me in the fall, but other than that, I'm not sure if I will post any more fics. So I just wanted to thank everyone who has read and followed my work. Thank you. /Stessa.