Next chapter! Henry's reaction. Don't cry. One of you said you'd have to sign up for therapy, and I might have to now as well... Enjoy!

Chapter 29

They didn't talk the entire way back. That's how she knew that he was still angry and broken. He didn't want to hear her complain about she was so useless when he felt pretty damn useless himself. Emma knew just how useless he felt, and it hurt her to know that she caused him that much pain. The silence that filled the ship left her alone with her thoughts while it sailed back towards Storybrooke, the terror in her heart growing more and more with every passing second. She knew that Mary-Margaret had told her David and Henry, but that didn't help. It just felt like those were two more pity glances she was going to get.

The ship docked, and Killian didn't say anything. No goodbye, no charming smile to make her feel better about what was waiting for her.

She climbed over the railing and walked down the ramp onto the dock. She waited five minutes before she looked back, but now it was worse. Instead of tinkering with the ship in some way or another, Killian wasn't on the deck at all. He was probably so fuming mad at her that he was in his quarters. Emma blinked back tears and continued walking towards the apartment.

She put on a brave face when she went through town, because no one left her alone. They were all smiling and waving at her. Emma wanted to slap all of them across the face. Don't you get it?! She wanted to scream. But if being a princess taught her anything, it was politics, and the importance of privacy. She didn't want this getting around, not just yet. Emma needed time to recover herself, because no doubt Regina would see this as another way to get Henry back. Emma needed to be ready to defend her – only – son from his adoptive mother.

Emma walked up the stairs of her apartment building, dragging her feet. She unlocked the door, and there was Henry, Mary-Margaret and David sitting on the couch.

Great. Emma said. Now I've got another ability. Horrible timing.

"Mom!" Henry said, got up off the couch and hugged her. He didn't know yet, she could tell. By the happiness in his voice, she knew that he hadn't been told anything devastating.

"Hey, kid." Emma said and ruffled his hair like she always did. Right now, it was needed. She turned to Mary-Margaret and David. David knew, that was for sure. Judging by the look of concern he gave his daughter, he had known and had time to think about it.

"Why weren't you here this morning?" Henry asked as he looked up at her.

"I'll tell you once you go sit down." Emma replied, and Henry plopped back down on the couch. Emma sat next to her son, and looked him dead in the eye. "So, you know how I'm supposed to be having twins, right?"

"Yeah." Henry said. "I was actually going to ask you if we were going to get any sleep once they were born. Because I would be fine. I know Regina wants me to stay with her, and I don't want to."

"When did she talk to you?" Emma flared, her protective side coming out. If Regina got anywhere near Henry, Emma might just tear Regina apart. He was all Emma had now, and she wasn't going to let that get contaminated.

"After school a few days ago. Anyway, you were going to tell me why you were in the hospital." Henry pressed.

"Um… yeah. Kid, something was wrong with them." Emma admitted, and bit her lip. Henry connected the dots, and his eyes widened. He was twelve. He must've known what was going on at this point. "The babies aren't coming anymore, Henry."

"What?" He asked in shock. Emma could see the light drain out of his eyes. The happiness that made Henry who he was had faded, if only for a moment. His jaw clenched, and Emma saw his eyes get watery. He tried to blink it back, just like Emma had done all her life, but Henry wasn't as good at it. A single tear slipped down his cheek, and Emma reached over and hugged him.

"Henry, it's going to be alright." Emma tried to soothe her son. "We're all going to be fine."

"Not the babies." Henry pointed out, his voice slightly thicker than normal.

"Yes, Henry, even them." Emma promised, saying the thing that she had been thinking all day. "It just wasn't right. But they'll be okay. We have to focus on who is here."

"I guess." Henry replied, and Emma looked at her parents behind Henry's back. They were hugging, too, and Mary-Margaret was shaking silently. That made Emma want to cry, too, but she knew that she couldn't. She had to stay strong for Henry. She didn't need him worrying about her any more than he, obviously, already was.

"Mom?" Henry broke the hug asked. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, kid." Emma said, trying to not let her voice betray her. "I always am."

Henry looked defeated. That was the only word to describe the look on his face. Emma wanted so badly to make him feel like there was still something worth fighting for, but she knew that there was nothing. She knew that look well enough to know that it means you are inconsolable. She'd seen it in the mirror whenever she went to a new foster home. Emma had done everything in her power to make sure Henry never got that look.

Henry ran off to his room, and Emma got up to follow him.

"Kid wa-" Emma started, but then felt Mary-Margaret's light hand on her shoulder.

"Let him go." Mary-Margaret said, her eyes rimmed with red. "Give him time."

And Emma did. She sat back down on the couch for half an hour before she went down the hallway and knocked on Henry's door. It was unlocked, and Emma pushed her way in to find Henry sprawled out on the bed with his fairytale book open to the last page. A baby, cartoon version of herself stared up from the page, held by Charming.

Henry might've heard Emma, he might not have, but what was important was what he said while she was in the room.

"But good always wins." Henry said.

"Sometimes bad things happen to good people." Emma tried to explain, though it seemed impossible. It wasn't something that could be told. It had to be experienced, lived. That was the only way you could truly learn that lesson.

"But it shouldn't have happened to you." Henry continued. "You finally got your happy ending."

"Henry," Emma said, shaking her head. "this just means my story isn't over yet."

A/N: See? SEE? "But good always wins"! I fucking sobbed. Sorry. See you next chapter!