Note: it's been a very long time since I've written anything, but the 100th episode inspired me to write.. whatever this mess is. Takes place after Souls of the Departed. Thank you for reading. :)

Solid Ground

It starts in the cemetery and her father's arms around her. It starts with her son meeting his grandfather for the very first time and the unadulterated joy on her father's face, with her heart bursting at the seams with love for two of the most important people in her life.

It starts with forgiveness, and it leads to the quiet understanding that love is not and has never been weakness—that it will always be her strength.

It starts when the broken clock on Main Street ticks just once after her father goes to a better place, one where he is forever free from the burdens of his life (and after life).

That is where this starts—but this comes after the initial draw she felt toward the woman standing on her front porch with her runaway between them and hi and you're Henry's birth mother? This comes after a land where children never grow up, after a missing year and magic and oh, the magic they've made together… This comes after hatred that becomes necessary cooperation and reluctant friendship and finally this thing between them now that is nearly tangible in its intensity.

This comes after she watches through a haze of darkness as the savior approaches her and takes the Dark One's dagger in her hand and willingly sacrifices her very soul so she could hold on to the happiness she had worked so hard for. This comes after she watches her personal savior, her savior, becomes entirely consumed by evil and she wishes for anything but this—not Emma, don't do this Emma, there has to be another way Emma, stay with me Emma.

This comes after hi and maybe we are and I made you a promise I intend to keep and you've worked too hard to have your happiness destroyed and the wild beating of her blackened heart, a sledgehammer against her ribcage, the savior's name damn near imprinted on her fragile organ…

Em-ma.

This comes after I love you and her distraught pirate forced to watch as she turns away from him to save her.

Em-ma.

This comes after a meeting of eyes (her savior's always so bright, even in this moment) and the rising of lips. This comes after acceptance. This comes after the Darkness devours her savior.

Em-ma.

This comes when the only thing that remains is the dagger, the name Emma Swan etched into the blade, and fierce determination fueled by every beat of her heart calling out to her savior.

Em-ma!

This comes after desperation and the pirate being subject to a fate even he did not deserve. This comes after the Darkness is stripped from both and one is dead. This comes after a foolish trip to the Underworld and the commencement of Operation Firebird. This comes after peace is brought to many of the broken souls wandering through the eerie realm that so mirrors the town she created. This comes after unfinished business and confrontation with the bloody crocodile that ends with two dark souls being drawn into the fiery pit deep beneath the surface of the Underworld.

This is being tossed onto the grass beside the lake where the ferry to the Underworld first appeared. This is kneeling in front of the broken savior and knowing better than anyone how anger and guilt can consume a person. This is feverish skin beneath her palms and wiping tears with her thumbs and we helped so many people and you can't save everyone and you did so good Emma, so very good and let us help you now. This is trembling fingers wrapping around her own and her son standing with a hand on each of their shoulders and breathing in deep and the walls of her home surrounding the three of them on the exhale.

I don't know what to do now.

You heal.

How can I do that after everything? After… everything I did, Regina?

You forgive yourself, and you heal. We will help you.

This is her knowing exactly what her savior needs. This is the firm press of lips against her forehead, it's a sweet touch that brings a pulse of light and hope and provides reassurance when she promises that she and their son will be there to help guide Emma out of the darkness she still finds herself immersed in even now.

This is healing, a search for solid ground, and it starts with forgiveness.