The Promised Neverland AU

By: FunahoMisaki

(A/N: I own nothing and read last chapter)

"Is everything okay Emma? You're looking rather pale." Mama asked confronting Emma when she had seen the girl with her hand on the wall where Connie's picture had been. Where all the pictures the children drew as children were hung up with care.

"You also weren't your usual cheery self today. Is something wrong?" Mama asked and she was holding Emma's face in her hands, her fingers checking the tracker in Emma's ear.

Emma knew that Norman was frozen and scared just around the corner of the wall, she couldn't blame him.

"I'm fine Mama…I just…" Emma looked away, towards the pictures then and her eyes quickly found the one she had drawn of her and Norman and Ray all holding hands…with Mama in between Norman and Emma holding their hands. All four of them were drawn with smiles on their faces.

"I guess I just realized that I'll be turning twelve next year and…I know it's almost a whole year away but it seems like it's so soon as well. I just…I realized that I'll be leaving soon." Emma said and Mama's face softened a bit.

"You really like it here don't you Emma?" Mama asked and Emma smiled at her, jumping forward a little to hug Mama around the neck.

"I love it here and I love you too Mama!" Emma said cheerfully and she felt Mama's arms circle around her as well, Mama hugging her back.

"I'm glad to hear it Emma. I love you too." Mama said softly and Emma could hear the truth in her words. She was glad to hear that Emma loved it here and loved her, and she did love Emma back. Mama loved all of her kids…but…hearing Emma say that she loved it here…that probably gave her some hope that Emma would choose to become a Mom candidate instead of choosing to die.

"I just can't help but wonder what all of my siblings are up to when they leave…they never write and it's like they forgot about us entirely." Emma said softly while still hugging Mama who gave a sad smile and hugged Emma just a little bit tighter.

"I'm sure they haven't sweetie. They're probably just busy with their own families now or being considerate of their foster parents." Mama said but they both knew the truth. Almost all of the siblings that had left were dead. Certainly all of the boys were, and most of the girls were as well. There had only been three that Emma knew of that could have become Mom candidates.

"I promise that when it's my turn to leave…I'll come back one day. I'll come back and help you take care of and protect all of my siblings." Emma said and Mama's eyes widened a bit, her arms tightening around Emma even more as she hugged the girl. Emma would really do that? She would choose to live? She would choose to live and come back to Grace Field?

"That would make me very happy if you did Emma." Isabella said and her voice was soft, but her mind was in turmoil. She still hadn't had a chance to consult the list of information she had from Grandma yet. She still wasn't sure if it was Emma or Gilda who was her daughter…but either way right now at this moment Emma was the only one she could save.

Emma…who might be her baby girl…who would choose to live and become a Mom candidate and come back to Grace Field. Emma who was going to be so utterly heartbroken and devastated when she learned the truth.

Emma who might be her daughter and if she chose to become a Mom candidate she would end up going through the same things that Isabella herself had which she wouldn't wish on anyone. Especially not this sweet loving girl with a heart as big as the sky.

"I'll try my best Mama even if I don't know how I'd do it!" Emma said pulling back a bit with a bright smile on her face and making Mama pull back a little as well to give her a soft warm smile.

"Don't worry Emma. I'm sure I can help you with that. Becoming a Mom isn't as bad as some people think or as hard as some people make it out to be." Isabella said and she knew she was telling the truth as she saw it. The tests hadn't been that hard, not when they had been given ample time to study for them. The training had been easy for Isabella and would be even easier for Emma given how strong she already was. The most Emma might have trouble with that part was the sewing part.

And…when becoming a Mom…it was generally painless and easy. None of the other Moms had gone into labor so suddenly like she had with her baby girl after all, so usually the baby was removed from them painlessly. It would likely be that way for Emma too…the hardest part would be the constant aches and the emotionally attachment she had built up with her unborn children.

"Really? That means that you weren't always a Mom?" Emma asked her eyes wide as if the thought had never occurred to her before that maybe her Mom hadn't always been a Mom. Isabella gave a soft smile that was both sad and fond. Remembering back before she had been a Mom. Back when she had just thought she was another orphan in a normal orphanage being raised by a kind loving woman that she had happily called Mom as well.

"Want to know a secret Emma? A special secret just between you and me?" Isabella asked deciding to share something with the younger woman, something to give her hope when the time came that she could indeed become a Mom.

"What is it Mama?" Emma asked tilting her head slightly to the side curiously, much like the small children did when confused or curious.

"You're right that I wasn't always a Mom." Isabella said undoing the top button on her collar and pulling it down enough to show Emma the numbers on Isabella's neck.

"I was once an orphan in this very same house, I was once just like you Emma." Isabella said and Emma's eyes were blown wide. Sure she had known for a long time that Mama had the numbers on her neck and had once been one of the cattle children as well…but…knowing about it and seeing it were two different things.

"Wow…" Emma seemed stunned and half amazed as she stared at the numbers on Mama's neck, committing them to memory.

"Mhm. But when it was my turn to leave I chose to become a Mom so that I could come back and help out at the orphanage as well. I took over for the woman I called Mom just a single year before you came along and joined us here." Isabella said as she redid her button.

"That's so cool! Instead of going to the outside world you decided to become Mom and stay here! You really love it here Mama!" Emma said hugging Isabella again and earning another soft sad smile from Isabella and a loving hug.

"I do. I love it here with all of my adorable children." Isabella said and her voice was sad but honest. She really did love her children, each and every one of them.

"Good cause we all love you too Mama! I wouldn't want to call anyone else my Mom…I'm glad you're our Mama, Mama." Emma said and she truly meant it. Even after everything that had happened…all of the Grace Field children had loved their mother and they had all been heartbroken when she had died.

"I'm glad I'm your Mama too Emma." Isabella said softly as she held the young girl close for another minute before the ringing of the dinner bell interrupted their moment.

"Dinners ready." Ray said standing there with the bell in hand, causing the little kids to come running from their rooms to go to the dining hall.

"Thank you Ray. I'll be right down." Isabella said and she made sure she gave her son the same soft loving smile that she gave Emma.

Ray stared at her for a minute until Emma gave him a pointed look, and then he gave a soft smile in return.

Hmph.

It kind of broke his heart how Mama's entire face lit up simply because he smiled back at her.