Just when Henry looked as though he might accept this answer, he asked, "But if she loves us, won't she do what you did and get better?"

This made Emma freeze as she stared at her son.

"Henry..." she started nervously. "I need to tell you something."

"Mom... Mom, don't... Don't say that you..."

"I made a mistake, Henry. I slipped up and had a few drinks a little while ago. More than a few..."

"But why, Mom? Why did you do that? I thought you were better."

"Now, you know that I told you it would always be a struggle for me. You know that. And I'm very sorry that I disappointed you... but I'm only human. I'm not perfect, Henry, and I never will be. I hope I get to the point where I never drink again. I really do. And I have no intentions of doing it anymore. But someday, I might mess up again, and I need you to understand that it doesn't mean I don't love you. It just means that I'm weak, and imperfect. I'm trying though. I promise you I'm trying."

"You're not weak. You're strong, and you've always taught me how to be strong, and when Amelia grows up, you'll teach her too. I know you can beat this. And I forgive you. I just want... I want to believe that Mom can beat her stuff too."

"Everyone has demons they have to face, Henry. Everyone. But not everyone's demons put your safety in jeopardy. I just don't know if I can take that chance again."

"But I want to see her!" the boy finally cried. "I want to see Mom! And I want you two to stop fighting!"

Emma sighed, exasperated by her son's pleas.

"Not yet. Not until I'm sure you're safe."

"Ma, please!" he begged. "I want to see Mom."

Neither of them had noticed that the one-year-old had woken, but they both turned their heads when the girl managed, "Mmm... Mama."

This brought tears to their mother's eyes, but she wiped them away quickly before Henry could see them. Still, she felt a knot in her throat as she tried to speak.

"I'm sorry, Henry. I just can't risk your safety until I'm sure."

Before he could protest, Emma stood, walked out, and shut the door, leaving her son alone with his sister. Had she known he was going to cry, however, she probably would have stayed, but the boy was so quiet that she didn't hear him, and stayed out in the living room with Belle and Ruby.

"He wants to see her," Emma told them. "Badly."

"I'm sure he does," Belle said, nodding her head.

Ruby, on the other hand, asked, "Why? She fucking hit him! Isn't he scared of her now?"

"She's his mother, Ruby," the blonde sighed. "He loves her."

"That doesn't change what happened, though."

"No. And it also doesn't change how he feels about her. He obviously forgives her, but I think, more than that, he wants to see her to prove to himself that she still loves him too. I think he's desperate to feel that from her again, because he hasn't in a while."

"I think you're probably right," Belle agreed. "But you should be sure before you-"

"I know," Emma cut in. "I know that. I'm working on it. I'm-"

Her phone rang, cutting her off as the ringtone went off.

"It's Regina," she told her friends, looking down at the screen that displayed a picture of her wife's face where the woman smiled brightly at the camera - and Emma, who had taken the photograph. "Do I answer it?"

Ruby shook her head, but Belle nodded, so Emma slid her finger across the screen to answer the call.

"Hey," the blonde said flatly, then waited to hear why the woman was calling.

"Hey. Um... Did you tell them?"

Emma paused, deciding on whether or not to be truthful, then finally answered, "No. I didn't tell them what you said."

"Emma, why? Can't you just-"

"Because I don't want to confuse them. I assured him that you love him, but I didn't tell them that you actually said that."

"But, I-"

"Regina, what do you want?"

"I want you to tell my kids that I love them!"

"Look... Why don't I..."

Emma paused.

"Why don't you what?"

"Why don't I swing by tomorrow?"

"With the kids?"

"No. Alone. Just to talk."

"Can't you just bring them? Just for a little while?"

"No, Regina. Do you want me to come by or not?"

"Yes! Yes. Please come by. I miss you, Emma."

"I gotta go."

With that, Emma hung up the phone and leaned back against the couch, her eyes filling with tears.