"Stop the car!"
Henry slammed his foot on the brake, causing both present to lurch forward only to be held back by their safety belts. The vehicle skidded to a screeching halt.
"What the hell, Mom?" he exclaimed, panicked.
Ignoring him, the woman clicked off her seatbelt and exited through the passenger-side door. Henry sighed to himself as he watched his dark-haired mother vanish into the woods through his mirror.
After taking his time maneuvering the car over the side of the road, Henry followed the woman's trail. It didn't take long for him to track down his mother, the man having known exactly where to find her.
Leaves crunched under the weight of his boots as he slowly approached the now sobbing woman, who was seated at the base of a wishing well.
"Hey, Mom," he said, wearing a sympathetic look. The woman's head lifted up to meet her son's gaze with tear-filled eyes.
"She's gone," Regina breathed out, her voice shaking, unable to hold back another sob.
Henry wrapped his strong arms around his mother's fragile form, hoping to bring even the slightest dose of comfort to her. Slender fingers grasped onto the sleeve of his jacket in response, as if holding on for dear life.
Regina nuzzled her nose against her son's chest before breaking the contact.
"I'm sorry, Henry. How did you get stuck with such an old, decrepit mother like me?"
The man shushed her in a light tone before taking the woman's hand in his own. "Don't say that, Mom. I love you." He leaned forward and placed a light kiss to his mother's temple.
After he moved away, the two began their walk back toward the car, side-by-side.
A few steps in, Regina let out a small snort of amusement. "I'm sure if your mother were here, she'd still be out slaying dragons."
Henry's boots dug into the ground. When his mother turned back in confusion, her expression fell into a frown as a single tear trailed down her son's face.
"Oh, honey!" Regina exclaimed, throwing her arms around the boy.
Ever since his birth mother's passing three years prior, Henry had managed to remain strong in front of his adoptive mother. But, like all façades, his performance couldn't last forever.
"I miss her so much," Henry sobbed out, clutching onto his mother as tightly as she had done with him. It was a bittersweet feeling Regina had in that moment. Once again, she had her little, ten-year-old boy back in her arms.
"I miss Emma, too." Regina's voice cracked at the woman's name.
They finished their walk back to the car, each taking a seat on their respective sides.
As the door shut closed behind Henry, he turned to his mother and asked, "Would you mind if we…?"
"Of course," Regina nodded, not needing him to finish.
After paying a visit to the woman's grave, the two Swan-Mills' devoted the rest of their day to honoring the savior's memory. They began by ordering grilled cheeses for lunch at Granny's and then ended the day by having an Indiana Jones marathon–Emma's favorite.
Although their special day did nothing to lessen their grief, Regina and Henry's relationship grew stronger by addressing what they've lost. And they knew that whatever obstacles were to come their way–so long as they had each other–they'd find a way to get through it together.