To A Cavern Shaped Like Home

Hallo. This is a One Shot that was previously titled 'A Disconnection Between What We Know and What We Do'. It is not canon, probably a parody or crack...? Nevermind, I'll dub it a cheesy angst I suppose. The idea has been in my head since I knew Emma has magic but I've only gotten around to write it after the 'Zelena's Defeat'.

Warnings/Tags: Peter Pan is still alive. I don't ship Emma with anyone anymore, but I wrote this when I ship them very enthusiastically, so if you're not an Emma/Peter fan, it's going to be cringe-worthy. There will probably be some grammar issues. Hmm... I can't think of anything else.

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"But- But why?" Henry cried silently. The Queen only watched, giving her son some space. She also never thought it would come to this. This outcome is just too unexpected.

"I've had this cancer years ago, even before you were born-" Emma coughed up blood, she had been doing that a lot these past few days everyone was worried. "I... used magic.. to prevent it.. in Neverland..." Regina never felt so proud at her student able to prevent cancer on first few basic lessons and angry that she had been kept out of this condition. She didn't actually had a right to know but it's still not good in her book. "And when Zelena took my magic..." there was nothing left to say about that. It was clear. With her magic gone, the cancer spread. And it had to happen right on the middle of the day, in the same day they fought Zelena together, in the same day Snow White's baby boy is born.

But Hook took it as personal failure, a horrible horrible failure. Zelena casted the curse on his lips, sure, but he was the one who had been caught in Crocodiles magic and Emma just had to be the Saviour and kissed him. He didn't even know Emma had cancer. Or anyone really.

Just so you know, I can keep a secret. Yeah... you really do can. You bloody woman.

"I.. guess I'll see your Dad now, kiddo" Emma whispered, attempting to make.. a really really awful joke. She is lying on the hospital bed, Henry's previous bed when he was under the Sleeping Curse.

Your Dad was a fireman. He saved some poor souls in a burned building... He was a hero.

"Mom.."

"It was.. a closed... adoption, I gave up that right.. Y'know? " Emma's eyes was already blurry, but no tears came. Instead of looking at her only son, she instead looked at Snow, and the baby, her... way younger brother.

You're pregnant?

"This isn't how happy ending's supposed to-"

"The price of being the Saviour is to never have a happy ending. I give people that, I gave up mine already a long time ago.." She thought, reminiscing about how she had given up Henry. There's no use thinking the What ifs.

Every magic has a price. I'm the Savior.. my price... I don't get a day off.

"The only thing I have ever wanted.." she gasped for air, "is parents."

Where's my Mom? Where's my Dad? Where are they? Did they really just left me... on some.. some freaking sidewalk? They didn't even bother to leave me in a hospital?

She tore her eyes off her mother and little brother and looked at her son with gratitude, "I never felt so happy when you said I still have my mother.."

You're saying Snow White is my mother... and that guy is supposed to be Prince Charming?

She eyed the one she mentioned, "I shouldn't be surprised.. I'm being replaced again.."

Hey Kid, meet your new uncle.

Snow and her husband couldn't find the strength to say No, because deep down, they know it's true. They are replacing their first daughter. If this is the pain her daughter has been hiding, keep being bottled up, she could only imagine how her daughter felt when she confessed her darkest secret at the Echo Cave.

What is there to talk about? There's nothing to talk about. I just need a rest on a good bed. Just leave me for now, Mary Margaret.

"I'm just another broken old doll tossed aside again.. like I always have.." Henry who had his hands on her chest, could feel her breath going away. "But that's what hero... Real heroes are.. ...right? ...R...i..gh... t?"

It was such a fickle thing. Dying. You don't have to do anything to die. You just have to stop doing all the things you've been doing. In this case, it was to stop breathing, stop coughing up blood, just stop moving. She was so still, she already died. And Henry just witnessed the life, the usual fiery spark waiting to snap at anyone in his birth mothers eyes dimmed, leaving dull, green eyes half open, staring at nothing.

The room had never been so deafening, full of Henry's screaming, yelling for his Mother to wake up, believing with all his heart his Mom is still there, believing his Mom is only giving up and not left already. The young boy was held by Hook, the hook was carefully set in an angle that won't harm him, and Henry sobbed on him. Regina stayed in the back, putting an impassive face, but was inwardly sad. She'd never thought Emma would ever die, sure she'd die eventually, but she always thought it would be in a better circumstances.

Thinking Emma Swan died in wonder of real heroes endure this... fate... was sad, even for her.

Then a whip of wind alerted everyone present around Emma's deathbed, they didn't even had to look behind when Peter Pan just marched over.

But it was unexpected. He's yelling. He's yelling Emma's name in desperation. He's marching to Emma and he's yelling her name as if.. as if she was precious to him.

"EM-"

"The bloody hell are you-" Hook, and everyone present was froze by Peter, who didn't even taunt them like he usually would and kept yelling. Their frozen eyes watched the unfamiliar scene.

"Emma! Emma! You don't just go over there right now! You came back you don't get to leave! You hear me?! Come back here, Emma! You PROMISED!" Pan shook Emma's shoulder, yelling at her at the top of his lungs, daring to hope that fire will lit up again in her cold half lidded eyes. "You promised! We don't break promises remember?! Emma! You promised you won't die! Don't die on me now, come back! You said even if Emma Swan die Little Emma's still here! With me! You don't get to leave ME! Where is she?! EMMA! Dammit!" Pan cursed. Hook had never heard Pan curse before, ever. The devil himself said cursing is a grown up thing. And he said it while blowing raspberries. Hook felt something is going to happen and he won't like it.

He didn't approve of it at all.

That bloody Pan kissed Emma.

As if that stunt Peter Pan had pulled, there just had to be another discovery. The wave of powerful, pure magic force washed over them, washed over the whole place, the whole town. It even broke Pan's own stunning spell on them.

Emma gasped, "...Peter?"

"You don't get to leave my side... Ever." Pan smirked, "Welcome back, Little Emma."