It took almost everything in Emma to not turn left at Appletree Drive and take the second right into the enclave of her court, where her house was situated, third down on the right side of the park. Her navy blue house, with its white picket fence and its lawn that always looked a little too close to being overgrown. The house Henry and Hook had picked out for her in Camelot. The first place that ever felt completely hers.

This Emma had never gone to Camelot. She had never become the Dark One. And she had had no reason to stop living with Mary Margaret. No son she shared custody of, no dashing husband. Just two single ladies approaching their mid-thirties. Emma continued along Main Street until she reached Saffron Avenue and turned into the backstreet parking lot of Mary Margaret's apartment.

Her mother was hunched over the kitchen countertop when Emma came in. In front of her was an array of lose papers and highlighters which had stolen the school teacher's focus. She jumped up when she heard Emma drop her bag though, allowing Emma to get a good look at the woman and take in all the ways in which she differed from the mother she knew.

Mary Margaret's eyes were wider, or maybe her face was just more relaxed. Something about her was softer, and lacking the spark that Snow possessed. Snow was kind and polite, but underneath the niceties there was the ever present threat that if something went wrong, if the people she loved were harmed, this woman could mess you up. Mary Margaret did not have that. She was sweet and timid and everything about her seemed to beg you not to hurt her or else she would cry. She was a woman whose only defense to the cruel world was her constant vulnerability.

"Emma, you're home. I wasn't expecting you for a while. Thought I might squeeze in some lesson planning before dinner." She nodded towards the table. "I'll clean this mess up. You look like you need to talk."

Emma smiled, unsure of how to respond. The teacher handed Emma a mug filled with hot chocolate and then sprinkled a little cinnamon over the top.

"Thanks, mo-oum." She coughed to hide her slip up. "Thanks, Mary Margaret." She correct herself, smiling and sighing with relief when Mary Margaret didn't seem too concerned with the mistake.

"So, tell me what's wrong. Is it August? Is he still calling you and begging to get back together?"

"No. Um, I-I haven't spoken to August since we broke up." Emma his her mouth with her mug, and tried to follow Mary Margaret's line of conversation.

"Well, that's good. I know things between you two didn't turn out the way you wanted them to. I hope he didn't sour you off relationships for too long, Emma. Not every guy is like that and you deserve to be happy."

Mary Margaret stared at Emma with big wide eyes and Emma knew that these words were just as sincere as is if they had come from someone with all of their memories.

"You know I missed this."

"Missed what?"

Emma ducked her head, surprised at how she had messed up, but still wanting to take the opportunity to speak candidly to the first friend she had had in years.

"You and me. This." She waved her hands between the two of them. "You know, I don't know if I ever told you this, Mary Margaret, but before I came here I hadn't had a friend in years. In the end, You've been more than just a friend to me. You're my family. And no matter what happens in the future you will always be the first person in this town who took a chance on me when they didn't have to."

Emma watched Mary Margaret through the blurry reflection of the tears welling in her eyes. She could see that Mary Margaret was clearly confused by the normally closed off blonde having such a public display of emotion.

"Emma? What has brought this on?"

Emma shook her head to clear her thoughts and bring her back into the room. She couldn't tell her mother the truth. The woman in front of her couldn't possibly believe it, but if this was one of the last moments they shared before the end of Emma's life she wanted to leave things as close to honest as possible

"I took the day off and I went to see Henry."

MM's head shot up in surprise.

"Oh, how is he?" She asked, unconsciously hovering her hand over her now aching heart.

"Bad. Fiona – She wants him to undergo a procedure, one that could have permanent consequences."

"Can she do that?"

"I am not going to let her."

"Emma, I love Henry too but she's his mother-" Mary Margaret stopped when Emma's hand slammed on the table.

"I'm his mother and I can't let her hurt him." Emma's eyes squinted with steely determination.

Mary Margaret fell silent for a moment, considering what her roommate had told her. She looked into Emma's eyes and, finding a strength in them that she had to respect she nodded her head.

"Whatever you have to do, Emma, I'll be there for you."

Emma smiled.

"I know you will. You're a good person, Mary Margaret. You deserve good things and I'll never stop fighting for you to get that."

"Just once I wish I could be the one fighting for you."

Emma chuckled dryly at that. She rose out of her seat and walked over to Mary Margaret, who echoed her movements. They met on the side of the counter, and Emma enveloped Mary Margaret but in her mind it wasn't her roommate who she was hugging, it was her mother. She just hoped that when she died and the curse broke, Snow wouldn't beat herself up too harshly for not doing more to stop her.

"You don't know how much you already have." Emma whispered into the stiff emptiness behind the woman.