Emma was trying to let her mind go blank. She heard her name being called out, but from who? Where was it coming from? She was trying to come to terms with the fact that she was going to die.

She felt arms surround her and pull her close. She was confused, but felt her body relax when she smelled the perfume, the scent of honeysuckles. Regina was the first person she thought of. Of course this would be fitting. She would be thinking of Regina, the woman she loved and had abandoned before stupidly falling off a cliff.

Fucking brilliant, Swan. Emma thought. There were so many things left unsaid. She felt like she had no way out, but the reality was, that she did. Regina had been there for her through it all and was still with her after this whole ordeal.

Emma locked eyes with Regina, who she believed to be an illusion that her mind was causing her to see. "I'm sorry, Regina…"

Regina put a finger to her lips, "Don't talk, Emma."

As much as she would have refused, she listened. She didn't want her last moments to be arguing with this fake Regina. The blonde felt comforted as she saw purple smoke, Regina's magic.

To Emma, it represented how Regina's love for her was always around her body, comforting her when she was at her weakest.

The truth was that Regina had actually wrapped her arms around Emma and there was purple smoke enveloping the both of them. She had barely reached Emma in time before she hit those sharp rocks at the bottom.

The two women collapsed at the top of the cliff and the Charmings helped them up. Snow had tears in her eyes as she clutched tightly onto both women. Emma was still not fully aware of her surroundings, but she did feel something wet falling on her face and warm bodies pressing against her.

"How could you just risk your life like that Regina?" Snow was softly scolding her as she hugged her too. Regina felt a bit awkward that Snow was so close to her. She would've untangled herself from the embrace if she wasn't the reason why Emma was able to hold herself up.

"I would do anything for Emma, Snow, you know that."

All the anger that Snow had felt toward Regina had vanished in an instant. Charming looked very relieved at the sight of the three women. He cleared his throat, "We should get Emma home." Regina tried to reassure herself that everything was okay. She had just got Emma back, she didn't want to let her go.

Regina reluctantly let Emma go and Charming carried Emma in his arms as if she were a little girl. He held her protectively against his chest as Regina and Snow followed behind him. The fireballs were still lit, so they followed it.

The former Evil Queen started the car and headed back to Snow and Charming's apartment. She kept glancing in the rearview mirror to keep an eye on Emma while Snow kept quiet despite wanting to scold Regina for taking her eyes off the road.

Charming was out of the car before Regina could put the emergency break on. He made it inside the apartment and laid her down on his and Snow's bed. He stayed out of the two women's way as they rushed to her bedside. Regina gently placed her hands on Emma's injuries and healed them.

After everyone knew that Emma was safe, Snow made hot cocoa for all of them. Regina wasn't the biggest fan of hot cocoa, but while drinking it, she felt a bit closer to Emma. She glanced at Emma, who lay still on the bed.

Was Regina jumping off a cliff dangerous?

Yes.

Was she not thinking at that time?

Yes.

If she hadn't, Emma would be dead instead of lying safely in the bed before her.

Snow and Charming looked at Regina as the three of them sat on the island in the middle of the kitchen.

Snow was the one to speak first, "Regina, I want to apologize for shouting at you before."

Regina nodded while taking a sip of her hot cocoa.

"If it wasn't for you, Emma would be…" Charming couldn't even finish the sentence. He cleared his throat as he tried not to cry.

"Yes, but Emma is safe now and that's all we need to think about."

Snow sat next to Regina and did something so out of character for her. She reached over to hold Regina's hands in hers.

"I know that you and I never have really seen eye to eye."

"You mean before or after you killed Daniel?"

"Regina…"

The former Evil Queen sighed, "I apologize, it's been very rough for me."

"Our daughter almost died, so it's been rough for us too."

Regina bit her lip, "She's my True Love, Snow., my happy ending. I can't live without her the way that you can't live without Charming."

"As much I wished that it weren't real, it is. I just have to come to terms with that."

"Emma's a grown woman, Snow, she can make her own decisions."

Charming sat in silence still drinking his hot cocoa as though as he was worlds away from his little kitchen.

"I want her to stay here for now, Regina. I feel better knowing she's with her family."

Snow paused a moment, "I mean, a part of her family. You and Henry are her family too."

Regina did her best to keep herself in line. It was the first time that Snow referred to her as part of the "family".

"I'm going to call Dr. Whale and see if anything can be done."

Regina walked outside of the apartment to make the phone call and Dr. Whale came over a few minutes later to look over Emma.

Dr. Whale finished looking over Emma, "Well, she has been through an ordeal. I don't even have to ask what happened to know that she's beyond exhausted. You said she was injured before…?"

"Yes, I healed her minor injuries with magic."

Dr. Whale nodded, "Good, that saves me a lot of time with bandages and the like. She needs a lot of fluids and rest. I'll be back in a few days to check up on her."

"Thank you, Dr. Whale."

He put a hand on Regina's shoulder before leaving the apartment.

Regina pulled a chair over to Emma's bedside and sat in it while holding her hand.

Snow and Charming did their best to stay by her side as well, but they eventually went to bed.

Regina, on the other hand, remained where she was. There wasn't a chance that she was going to leave Emma again. She watched the clock on the nightstand and did her best to remain awake, but sleep overtook her.

Hours had turned into days. All three of them were trying to busy themselves and once Henry found out, he didn't want to leave Emma's side either. They had to transfer Emma to the hospital, so she was lying in a hospital bed surrounded by tubes. This always made Regina uneasy because it reminded her of the time that Henry was in Emma's place.

"Henry, you need to go to school."

"NO!"

"Henry, please…"

"No Mom, I can't leave Ma now. She needs me."

Regina sighed, "Henry, she would also want you to get your education. You know how important that is to her."

"Why do you get to stay here? You run the town!"

"I'm going to work and Charming will be here watching her. She's safe."

Henry squeezed Emma's hand, "Ma, I'll be back as soon as I finish classes. Please don't wake up before I get back!"

Snow was leading Henry out the door and Charming sat down next to Emma's bed in an uncomfortable chair. Hospitals made him feel uneasy since he had woken up in one and Snow was the reason why it was bearable.

"I'll call if anything changes, Regina."

Regina gave one long lasting glance at Emma before going to work.

She had just arrived when she stared at the stack of papers on her desk. What was the point in her filling out these papers if there wasn't her Sheriff to fill them out and screw them up like usual? It wasn't the same without Emma.

Yes, Emma was the type to drive her nuts when it came to her job, but she was also very good at it. She didn't want to admit that she loved seeing Emma in her "uniform". She kept expecting the blonde to walk through the door in her hideous red jacket and have that beautiful smile on her lips.

Regina kept replaying the conversation they had together in this very office only a few days ago. Each time, she wished she had done something more than just let Emma shut herself out. She would reach out to the chair where Emma had curled up in. The vision of Emma sitting there had vanished and all she saw was an empty chair, reminding her that Emma wasn't there.

Emma was completely lost in the darkness. She was able to hear voices around her and couldn't identify them. It was as though they were all muffled. She wanted to shout and tell them that she was there, alive, in her body.

As the days had passed, the voices were becoming clearer and she could hear her mom, dad, Henry, Dr. Whale, and Regina. She wanted to tell Regina how sorry she was for running away like that. She wanted to tell her how much she loved her and wanted to spend the rest of her life with her.

Regina couldn't take it and told everyone that she would be on temporary leave until Emma woke up, if she ever did. She walked down the hallway of the hospital and reached Emma's bed. It was time for visitors to leave.

The Charmings had been there all day and it was time for them to leave. They brought Henry with them no matter how much he protested. He was tired and yawning, but still fought until he gave up.

The former Evil Queen sat down in a comfier chair that she had used magic to put next to Emma's bed. Nobody would dare to tell Regina to leave even though visiting hours were over. They knew Regina would've complied, but under the circumstances, that rule didn't matter.

She held Emma's hand in hers and stroked her hair. She leaned in close to Emma so that she was the only one that could hear what the older woman was about to say.

"You're such a foolish woman! You should've stayed and talked it out with me instead of running away. What was running through that head of yours as you ran? Do you know how worried you made all of us?"

She inhaled sharply, " I'm so sorry that our last conversation went the way it did. I don't want you to think that I don't love you because I do. Oh how I love you! I even love your deathtrap of a car and that hideous red jacket of yours."

There was a pause before she talked to Emma in her Evil Queen "voice", "Now you listen to me, Emma Swan, you wake up this instant! You need to stop making everyone worry about you. Henry misses his other mother, you parents miss you, and so does the entire town. As your Queen, I'm commanding you to!"

Regina knew there was no point in saying that, but she hoped that it somehow reached Emma, wherever she was right now.

She tucked Emma's hair behind her ear and looked at her longingly.

She laid her head on Emma's stomach and started to sob as she clutched onto the blanket on Emma's body. It was as though everything she held in was finally coming out all at once. All the anger and pain she felt was finally releasing itself through her tears.

As she wiped her eyes, she looked down at Emma's face. She looked peaceful. What was the last thing on Emma's mind before Regina rescued her?

"Come back to me, Emma."

She bent forward to kiss Emma and the soft touch of Regina's lips on hers was supposed to awaken Emma immediately.

That was what was supposed to happen, but for some reason, it didn't.

Emma felt the kiss that Regina gave her, but didn't understand why she couldn't wake up.

Was she meant to suffer like this?

She was willing herself to wake up.

Regina needs you!

"Why didn't it work, Emma? You're my True Love."

Regina felt her shoulders slump. She wanted to kiss Emma until she woke up.

Did this mean Emma wasn't her True Love?

No, how could she doubt herself at a time like this?

Something was wrong.

Emma was furious that she had to watch Regina doubt that Emma didn't love her.

"What the hell is going on? I am Regina's True Love. I love her more than I love myself. I'm supposed to wake up!"

The blonde was shouting into the dark abyss. She didn't want to be alone anymore.

She saw a bright flash of light that nearly blinded her and then she felt a tug on her jacket. She looked down with a confused expression on her face as she realized that it was a younger version of herself.

"If this is some kind of joke…"

"It's me, silly." The little girl giggled. It was as though she was playing hide and seek.

"I have truly lost it."

"Emma you need to let go, that's why you can't wake up your holding onto many grudges you haven't fully forgiven, yourself, Regina, your parents, your past life you haven't fully forgiven or accepted it. You need to let go and you will wake up."

"I have let go!"

"If you had, then you would be awake by now."

An image of Regina appeared, she was looking so...broken.

Another image showed her parents by her hospital bed. Her mom was reading her a story with her dad. Henry was there too and telling her about what he did in school. Before he left, he asked her to wake up.

"I forgave Regina!"

"Out of fear of dying. You didn't know she was real."

Emma scowled. "That's not true."

"I'm you, so I know."

The blonde folded her arms and kept her eye on the little girl.

"I was angry at them for a long time. Mom and dad are trying to make up for lost time, but I still wished they could've found me. I wished they could've saved me from everything I experienced!"

"Don't blame them, they did what was best for you. They love you, Emma. You remember that this is exactly what mom did when she found dad in the hospital. She didn't know who he was, but she stayed to spend time with him. Your parents are doing the same thing. They do love you."

"I know it wasn't their fault." Emma laid a hand on the image of her parents reading. She wanted them to know what everything was going to be okay.

"Remember what mom always says?"

"I will always find you."

"And she did, didn't she?"

Emma nodded and felt her heart become a bit lighter.

"And Regina?"

The blonde's hand touched the image of Regina.

"I can't do this."

"There you go, running away again."

"I'm not running!"

"Then face your fears."

"I'm scared that she's going to leave just like all the others do eventually. If I left her first, it wouldn't be as painful or so I thought. I love her more than the oxygen in my lungs. Sure, she drives me nuts sometimes. Why hasn't she left? I kept pushing her away and she still chased after my dumb ass."

"You know the answer."

"How can she love me after what I did to her?"

"She forgave you."

"She didn't have to."

"But she did."

Emma was searching Regina's face and locked onto her eyes. There was a deep sadness in them. She slowly fell on her knees.

"I want to go home."

"There's one more person to let go of."

"Who?"

"You."

An image of herself appeared and took the place of Regina's image.

Ever since Emma had lived in Storybrooke, she was learning about happiness and love. She saw it every day when she looked at Regina, her parents, and Henry.

She gave up her old life and there was no regrets. She had a family, something she wanted all of her life. She finally found what she was searching for.

The little girl disappeared and a white door appeared before her.

"It's time to go home."

The instant she walked through the door, her eyes fluttered open.

"Oh thank the gods!" Snow said as she put the large book of Fairytales down. Charming rushed to Emma's side.

"Knock knock, I'm home." Emma said whispered.

Her parents were gushing all over her.

"You have the rest of your lives to do this."

Regina came into the room and almost spilled her coffee. She didn't look like herself with her disheveled hair and wrinkles in her clothing.

Snow and Charming left, giving them some time alone.

"Hey." Regina said.

"Hey yourself." Emma said weakly.

Regina went and sat on the edge of the bed as Emma sat up with a little difficulty.

"Looking good, Madam Mayor. You might set a trend."

"Emma, be quiet for a second." Emma tried to speak, but stopped herself when Regina held her hand up.

"I thought I lost you, for good this time. The moment you left my office...I thought we were done. I can't live without you, Emma Swan. I will put up with that hideous jacket of yours and that yellow monstrosity of a car. Please be mine again."

Regina leaned in close and their foreheads were touching.

"I never stopped being yours, Regina."

The kiss they shared was one of True Love.

This was something that only happened once in a lifetime.