6 months ago.
It was Regina's birthday, Snow and Charming had already informed the former queen they would be throwing her a birthday party, the brunette accepted the gesture and simply smiled to herself, but she couldn't help wondering if Emma was planning anything for the after party.
The party was happening at dinner time on Granny's, and when Regina arrived she was surprised with the amount of guests that were there for her, people hugged her and wished her a happy birthday, she felt happy already but couldn't help the feeling that something was wrong, but deciding that it wasn't nothing, she simply smiled to her guests and laughed at some joke Charming had made about their past.
Later that night Henry also couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, and the fact that it had been 3 hours since the beginning of the party and Emma still hadn't showed up made him become quite certain that something must have happened. The boy looked around the room for his brunette mother and found her sitting by the window, staring at the street. Henry swore he could feel his mother's heart breaking, so he decide to take matters into his own hands. He went to his grandparents and told them he would go looking for Emma, Snow agreed and told the boy it was a good idea, but also asked David to go with him, just in case.
As they were preparing to leave, Snow stepped closer to Regina, sitting with her and starting a conversation, just to keep the brunette distracted. When Henry and Charming left, they first went to Regina's house, but found all the lights off, and seeing that Emma's bug wasn't in the driveway they became quite sure the blonde wasn't there, so they went to what they figured must have been the only other possible place she could have been, her house. When they arrived at the street, they stared at the empty garden, the house that once occupied the whole terrain wasn't there anymore, Charming stared at the scene and couldn't help but feel something in the pit of his stomach, as he stared at the boy on his side, he knew Henry was terrified.
So they went to the apartment, and there they finally found the bug, as they ascended the stairs they could feel the inevitable coming each step closer. As David started to unlock the front door Henry could feel his heartbeat increasing.
As the door opened, the first thing they saw was the blonde laying on the couch, a container of ice cream on her hand and a movie on the television.
"Emma, oh my god… You had us so worried!" Charming said, feeling quite relieved to see his daughter was safe. "Why aren't you at Regina's birthday party?"
"Nice joke David" Said the blonde, giving him a fake smile and turning to Henry. "Hey kid, wanna see a movie?"
"Mom, are you serious? Momma is waiting for you, she has been with that disappointed look for hours." Answered the boy, quite worried. He knew Emma would never let his mom down, especially on her birthday.
"What are you guys talking about? We are not even friends! And have you guys seen Mary Margaret? I have to ask her about where she put all my stuff." The blonde responded, not paying much attention Henry's and Charming's expressions. They were horrified.
"Emma, are you okay?" Asked David.
"Sure David, but you guys are acting really strange." Answered the girl. "Is something wrong?" Asked the blonde.
"Yeah… well… Emma… Could you, well, come with us?" Asked David.
"Sure thing, what are we doing? Do you need any help at the shelter?" The blonde started to get up, closing the lid in the ice cream container and storing it in the freezer.
"Emma… I haven't been working in the shelter for years…" And that was when both Henry and David realized something was wrong with Emma.
"What?" And suddenly everything went black for the blonde, as she fell into the ground neither her father or son were fast enough to catch her before she hit the ground.