So here we are; the final chapter! :( I realise it's much longer than other ones but there was just so much to do! Thank you all so much and I hope you enjoy the final installment…

I do not own OUAT.

Now Regina stood tall as the ruffling became louder and more distinct. Whatever it was –whoever it was- was getting closer. In a rather motherly move, she swept Henry behind her and clenched her fist in anticipation for what was to come but what appeared was possibly one the last things she or Henry expected.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded, her eyes the size of saucers.

The slap of his cane against the mud as he sauntered toward them provided the ominous, foreboding backdrop to the already spooky atmosphere of the shadowy woods. "Well, that's certainly not the way to greet one of your oldest friends is it now, dearie?" Even in the pale moonlight, Rumplestiltskin's grin still had the power to send shivers down Henry's spine. Though knowing him mainly as Mr Gold, which in itself was altogether creepy, Henry couldn't hide his uneasiness in his presence and was thankful for Regina's firm stance in front of him.

"We are not friends," hissed Regina, her breathing loud and deliberate as if trying to warn him off from making another move.

Accepting her warning, Rumple rooted himself a few feet away from her, the palms of his two hands resting on the top of the cane. He was still dressed in Gold's clothing; black suit and shirt with a blood-red tie to add a splash of colour into the mix. "Aren't we? Two people with as much…history as us surely have struck up a friendship over the years. Or are you forgetting the roles you and I have played in one another's lives for what feels like…forever? Why, we have been practically joined at the hip on several occasions. Perhaps, even confidantes may be the more accurate term to describe what you and I have."

"I don't care much for your trip down memory lane you conniving little ba-"

"Ah, not in front of the child," he scolded, cutting her off.

"What do you want?" she repeated with more fire, feeling the fibres in her muscles tighten.

He pursed his lips and moved the top of the cane in a circular motion, picking up clumps of dirt on the process. "Originally, my plan was to show up and exact revenge for what you did to me and my Belle; to demolish any chance you had of regaining a sense of happiness – and, I have every reason to do that. But fortunately for you, I've had a moment of enlightenment," he explained, fixating his gaze on Henry. "You see, I've had my eyes opened and it's all thanks to Miss Swan. I've rediscovered something that I thought I had lost forever; something that you – actually – told me was gone: my Belle." Regina gulped, fearing the worst. His tone was calm, conversational and yet, underneath all that was a subtle hint of disgust. "Why did you tell me that, dearie?"

Regina remained mute, not because she was afraid of his reaction or because she didn't want to reveal her intentions, but because she didn't really know why. She could chalk it down to her need to destroy everyone else's happiness just so she didn't have to be subjected to it and in turn, subjected to the piercing truth of her own loneliness, but perhaps that wasn't it. Perhaps it was something that ran much deeper. Either way, she had no answer.

"Now I have a fresh new perspective on life; a new lease you might say. Now I have a renewed sense of purpose. I am no longer driven by lust or want; I'm driven by the most powerful thing man has ever known – love." He took a few more steps forward but halted when she began to curl her lips into a snarl. "And that's what makes the world go round, isn't it? It makes us do crazy things and drives us insane when we are without it but ultimately, it is the one thing that links us all. The desire to love and be loved courses through our veins and becomes our motivator; it shapes and moulds all of our actions, and sometimes it tricks you into thinking that what you're doing is the right thing. Ring any bells there, Regina?"

She raised her chin, clutching Henry's arm. "What exactly are you getting at?"

"Oh, I think you know," he whispered back. "Take for example…this." He used a hand to point at her defensive crouch. "I'm not sure what you're trying to achieve or prove here but this isn't the way to do it."

She didn't want to let anything he said get to her, but she was livid. Who was he to show up and run his mouth off about what she was doing? He, of all people, did not have the right to say a single word to her! If she was any way confident in her own power, she would have made him disappear with one swipe of the hand. Maybe that's just what he needed; to be taught a lesson. But before she could flinch, he spoke again, his voice droning in her head.

"I know, I know, what do I know, right? Well, trust me when I say that the separation between a child and their parents is, well, it's the worst thing imaginable and whatever good you think you're doing won't add up in the long run. It leads you down a dangerous path."

"Since when are you the voice of reason?" Regina spat, charging at him, pausing when she was close enough to feel his breath.

He narrowed his eyes and smiled wickedly. "I told you; I'm a changed man. I have someone to steer me clear from precarious roads and bad decisions. Someone to tell me not to give into my hate and exact revenge even though I have every reason to do just that!"

"You think you know it all? Henry is my son! And I am entitled to be with him!"

"Yes, well he's also your…" he turned his gaze toward the sky in thought, "step-great-grandson. Or have you forgotten that teeny tiny detail?" he laughed huskily, inching backward. "Think about that before you do anything you'll end up regretting, my dear. Family is strong bond that can never be broken." And with that, he vanished back into the forest, leaving nothing behind but the stench of his cologne.


Family is a bond that can never be broken…

That was a phrase Regina hadn't expected to come out of Rumple's mouth. Usually, he was spiteful and mocking, without a good bone in his body and yet, he came to meet them just so he could persuade her to do the right thing. It was all so bizarre but Regina couldn't fight the voice inside her head that kept repeating that phrase. Technically she was related to Henry in a twisted way considering how young she was and felt – she did definitely did not look like a ten-year old's great-grandmother – and there was some solace to be found in that truth but that could not diminish the fact that she loved him like he was her own.

Still, because of that, it was as if her maternal instincts were jumbling together and screaming at her to rethink whatever plan she was putting into practice. As a mother, a huge chunk of her knew that being on the run and constantly looking over their shoulders was no way to bring up a kid and that no matter how hard she desperately tried to remove herself from the prison that was Storybrooke, Emma and Snow and James would find her and wouldn't stop until she was defeated and they were victorious. Suddenly, her idea wasn't so sharp or bright after all.

Suddenly, life with Henry this way was not feasible. Not in the current situation.

Henry was shaking; partly to do with Rumple's visit and partly because the freezing night air was settling. Regina was pacing frantically, biting her bottom lip and clenching and unclenching her fists, seemingly oblivious to the sub-zero temperature. The boy zipped up his brown jacket to the top, buried his chin into the material and curled his arms around his body, taking in the frozen air only when absolutely necessary. Trying to block out the cold, he let his thoughts drift to Emma and his grandparents, wondering what they were doing at that particular moment. Were they looking for him? Of course they were. He knew that. He prayed that he would get a chance to see them again, despite the circumstances he faced.

Unexpectedly, Regina clamped her feet down and spun to face him. Her face was serene but her eyes told a different story. They were conflicted, hurt, upset…all the emotions associated with misery. She bent down to stroke his cheek with the back of her hand and placed a soft kiss on his forehead.

This was it; this was the moment she was building up to. He'd never see his family again.

"Remember, Henry, that I love you so much," she murmured, crying now.

Instinctively, Henry brushed her cheek with his hand, wiping away the tears.

"I always will, and I'll see you again," she promised, backing away and standing straight.

"What?"

She ignored him, twirling around with her arms out wide, purple smoke getting thicker as she sped up.

"No, wait!" he called and Regina let out a searing cry that echoed off the trees. The purple smoke gathered for the last time and exploded in a loud, ear-aching blast, sending Henry flying backward, landing on his back.


"Henry," Emma breathed, dashing over to her son, slapping away any purple residue that got in her way. "Henry, are you okay?" She dived to her knees, ignoring the damp mud in the process, and pulled the boy into a long hug. "I never thought I'd see you again," she wept, allowing the reality of the moment to overcome her usually strong hold on life.

"Me neither," Henry choked out, still puzzled and upset over Regina's disappearance. "I'm okay."

"What happened?" Snow asked, rubbing James's back, noticing his lop-sidedness. The effects of that knock earlier exacerbated by the hike.

Henry broke away to take in his family – well, most of them. He filled them in on the conversation he had with Regina and then Rumple's visit, culminating in her decision to go away for now. "I guess she listened to what he had to say," he shrugged, still shaking because of the weather.

"That doesn't make much sense," Emma remarked in her usual sceptical manner. "That doesn't sound like anything Rumple or Regina would do."

"Not at all," Snow concurred.

"You didn't hear him; he was pretty convincing and, well, my mom wasn't all bad; I think she understood that taking me away wasn't the answer," he said, embracing Emma again, just happy that he could see her again. But as he held her tighter than he thought possible, the blonde let out a series of bone-crunching coughs, falling onto her back as each breath sucked the energy out of her like a vacuum. She felt as though she had been holding her breath for the entire trek only now to remember that breathing was absolutely essential for survival; and that, coupled with the illness she was still wrestling with, wasn't pleasant.

"Emma, are you alright?" Snow, as always, was quick to her side to assist in any way. This time she was using her fingers to brush bits of wet hair and damp earth off her face.

"Yeah, it's just cold out here and I don't think I'm fully recovered yet."

"Of course not. We need to get you back to bed," James said, helping her back up in spite of his hindrance.

"So, what, we just go home as normal and pretend none of this happened tonight?" she asked incredulously.

"I'm not saying we forget it, but from what I hear, right now, I don't think we have much to worry about except for your health if we don't get you back home as soon as possible." For once, Emma didn't argue. The emotional turmoil of the past few hours was enough to drain her of her resources used when arguing a point and at this stage she was just too tired and sick to disagree. And, if her father believed that they were safe for now, then so should she. Pulling Henry close to her, Emma began the descent down the hill and out of the forest towards home.


The heat of her blanket sent shivers of delight through Emma as she snuggled further down in her bed, finding the perfect spot to stay for what was left of the night. The walk home had been brutal and if it wasn't for the knowledge of having son beside her, Emma was pretty sure she wouldn't have made it. Her chest throbbed erratically every time she inhaled, her coughs were becoming more consistent and Snow was more than happy to shovel her spoonful after spoonful of the pink medicine that Emma loved so much…

Just when she was about to droop her eyelids and swim into slumber, the creaking of her door alerted her to Henry's presence. He stood by the doorframe with a small smile on his face. "Hey, kid."

"How are you feeling?"

"Let's just say I won't be running a marathon anytime soon," Emma deadpanned, gesturing for her son to come over. "How are you feeling? You had one eventful night."

"That seems to be happening a lot lately," he laughed lightly.

"You got that right. I mean, I'm all for adventure but the past while has just been crazy! For everyone." She pushed a little bit of hair behind his ear.

"But I'm…okay, I think. I don't really know how to feel. I know she was evil and tried to kidnap me but she still meant something to me; I'm just glad that she didn't take me away."

The blonde sighed at her son's obvious confliction. "You know, in her own twisted way Regina did do what was best for you – even if it took a bit of persuasion from an unlikely source."

"Are you actually defending her?" Henry gasped extravagantly.

"I know; I think I'm sicker than we all thought," she chuckled. Stretching his arms over his head, Henry let out an enormous yawn and struggled to stay standing. "You should get some sleep," Emma advised taking in his drunk with fatigue state.

"Yeah," was all he said, hopping over to give her another hug. "Love you, mom."

"Love you, too, kid."


The boy was only gone literally a few minutes when James bounded through her door, a fist-full of energy and sprite which made zero sense as far as Emma was concerned. Did he not realise how late it was? It was practically morning!

"Have you taken your medicine?" he inquired, shaking the bottle up and down.

The blonde reluctantly moved from her cosy position and strained to turn on her side to face him. "Yes, as soon as I got home and it was as tasty as ever," she replied sardonically.

"Well good because you're due another round soon," he responded with extra zeal.

There was something so calming about how easy her dad interacted with her now, especially when compared to the early days of their reunion. Now, it was like there had never previously existed any kind of awkwardness or hostility between them. And that was the way she liked it. She loved being able to chat to her dad and be completely unmindful of the absent age gap or the truth of his identity. No longer was he Prince Charming or James – a man the same age as her; he was just her father.

Just Dad.

"Where's your head at, Em?"

"I was just thinking about…about how happy I am that you're my dad."

That seemed to catch him unawares – in a good way. "Really? I was just thinking about how lucky I am to have a beautiful, smart daughter like you." He gave her a whimsical, lopsided grin.

"Yeah, you're so lucky!" Emma tittered in between coughing…again.

"Yeah, yeah," he laughed back. "But I'm serious; I couldn't ask for better."

"Me neither." She broke his look briefly, facing her mound of covers. "What are we going to do if she comes back?"

James looked at her affectionately, regarding the wrinkle in her forehead that only seemed prominent when she worried. Now that he thought of it, Snow had the same wrinkle. "We're going to do what we always do; stick together and face it head-on." He said it with such strength and belief that Emma couldn't help but be reassured by his words.

"That's what I hoped you'd say."

"Medicine time!" Snow suddenly exclaimed, appearing in the doorway and joining the party in her room. Didn't any of them know that she just wanted to sleep? It was taking all of her willpower to stay conscious.

"That's my cue to leave," James said, kissing Emma on her forehead. "Sleep tight. I love you, Princess."

This time, when she heard it, she didn't object because it felt…right. "I love you, too, dad."

Even though she had been saying it for a while, the word 'Dad' still lit up his face in a way nothing else could. And it was with that mood he exited her room.


Emma turned her attention to her mother who, in the blink of an eye, turned into somewhat of a nurse checking her temperature, fluffing the pillows and giving her medicine. Maybe it was the events of the night or maybe it was the mixture of illness and exhaustion but Emma found herself in awe of Snow. Just the way she handled anything that was thrown her way with such clear-headedness and elegance was something to be desired. The way she willingly went with Regina - even though she believed it meant certain death – in order to save her family was so incredible and so noble that Emma wished that one day she'd possess even a slither of that selflessness.

And as Snow went about her business making sure the blonde was comfortable and feeling better – as she had done since the day they had met – Emma found that stillness she had experienced when she was just friends with Snow. That stillness held the promise of never feeling alone again; it meant that there would always be somebody there for her no matter what. It meant that she had a family and that emptiness that ate at her all through her childhood would cease into nothing because she knew she would never feel that ache ever again.

"Okay so is there anything else I can get you? A drink? Food? Something to read?"

"No I think you covered all of the bases."

"Alright, well I guess I better let you sleep." She went for the door, picking up a sweater, folding it neatly and putting it on the locker as she went.

"Wait," Emma said, reaching out her hand. "Wait, mom."

Sensing a tone she was unfamiliar with, Snow immediately stopped in her tracks and moved back toward Emma. "What is it, honey?" Reflexively, she began running her fingers through her daughter's locks, feeling closer to her than ever before.

"I just wanted…I just wanted to let you know that I love you. I know I don't say it or show it often enough but I can't tell you how much it means to me having you and dad in my life. I realise I never made this situation easy and that I wasted precious time together being bitter and resentful, but no more. If tonight taught me anything it's that family is so important; it's what matters most and the bond between family members is something that can never be broken. You guys and Henry are the most important people in my life and nothing and no one will ever come between us. I wrote that Mother's Day card years ago never expecting for my mother to actually read it but when I saw your reaction…it just snapped everything into perspective. I love you, mom and I just want you to know that."

Snow stayed quiet through her daughter's speech, welling up every time she saw the raw emotion written on her face and heard the utter sincerity in her words. This was the moment she had been waiting for; the moment when Emma would drop all of her defences and speak from the heart, not letting anything stand in her way. Now was the moment where she connected with her daughter on all levels. "Oh, Emma; I know you do and I love you, too. More than you will ever be able to comprehend. And that's how it will always be, don't you ever forget that. And I'm sorry for everything you've been through but just know that you will never have to face anything alone again, and that wherever our paths take us, your father and I will never leave you. Ever. We love you so much, sweetie." She bent down to kiss her forehead.

Emma wiped away the tears that streamed down her face and nodded in agreement. "Goodnight, Mom."

"Goodnight, precious Emma."

And as the light was turned out, Emma knew that everything her mother had said was true; that nothing will ever get in the way of the Charming family again. They were stronger than ever before, and they would always stick together – until the very end.

Okay so that's it! God, thank you all so much for all of your reviews, follows, and favourites – thank you to everyone who read it! For something that started off as a five chapter thing, it ended up being 28 chapters long and mainly due to all of your suggestions and reviews so thank you all for letting me continue this story as long as I have! You all rock :D

I hope you liked the way it ended; I know it was very long but I just couldn't leave anything out, you know?

As always, please review and let me know what you thought of the conclusion. I hope I didn't ruin the whole story with the ending :/ haha

Until next time…