LYRICS FROM 'WHAT HURTS THE MOST' BY THE RASCAL FLATTS. I KNOW I NEED TO UPDATE ONCE UPON A TIME IN A LAND FAR FAR AWAY, AND I WILL. JUST NEEDED TO GET THIS OUT OF MY SYSTEM.

What hurts the most

Was never knowing

What could've been

And not seeing that loving you

Is what I was trying to do

Snow and James look at Emma from afar, not sure if they should approach. Neither of them want to intrude on her and Henry's private time.

"She's beautiful." Snow whispers, afraid that everyone will hear, namely her daughter.

"Just like her mother." James smiles, and places a tender kiss to his wife's lips. "We should go to her."

"What if she doesn't want to see us?" She asks.

"She's been searching her whole life for us." He doesn't need to explain much more. They walk hand in hand over to their daughter, grinning ear to ear. Sensing people behind her and Henry, Emma turns around. The three of them stare at each other uncertainly, all the while tears falling from their eyes.

"Emma." Snow gasps, as if it isn't real. Still, she wraps the blonde in a hug and feels as though she'll never let go.

"Mom?" Emma chokes out. James joins in, and soon Henry does as well.

"Do you blame us?" Snow asks.

"No." Emma pulls back, looking her parents in the eye, desperate for them to understand. Snow seems just as desperate.

"I'm so sorry, Emma. If I had just kept my mouth shut when I was a kid, none of this would've ever happened. I can help but wonder…" She's cut off by the savior.

"No." She says again, this time more firmly. "Don't go there, it doesn't matter."

"We were just trying to protect you, baby girl." James says, embracing his daughter again. He places a kiss on her forehead. For some reason, that has a profound effect on her. Now she's practically sobbing.

"You did that when you put me in the tree." Emma says between shaky breaths, trying to get a grip of herself.

"You remember that?" James asks.

"Yeah." She says slowly, still uncertain that she hasn't gone completely mad. "I remember you fighting when you were carrying me. I remember being taken out of Mom's arms…" And suddenly she's crying again. Henry looks between the three of them, unsure if he should intervene. He decides on giving a similar speech he gave Emma when he found her.

"I'm Henry, and I'm your grandson."

"I know." Snow smiles.

"It must be so weird to finally meet your parents. I was so afraid you'd reject us." Snow says.

"You wouldn't believe how weird my day has been. I'd say that fighting a dragon beats meeting you guys." She adds as an after-thought, "No offense."

"None taken." James smiles.

"It's been a long 28 years. Let's go back to the apartment, and you can fill us in about yourself." Snow says. Emma's not too fond of the idea but agrees nonetheless. She grasps Henry's hand, and the four of them walk off into the sunset

TBC…