'Oh Emma…' Snow holds on to her daughter's trembling hands. 'Whatever it is, we can fix it, we will fix this.'

Emma's still looking down at her hands, feeling entirely drained and not herself.

'Emma, will you look at me? Will you please look at me?' Snow's heart breaks for her daughter. If she'd known Emma's going through all of this, she could've done something. Help her. How in the world can her daughter be so convinced of the fact that she's a burden to everyone, that that is why she has to go through everything alone?

Emma hears her mother's pleading, but she can't bear herself to look up. To face the pitiful eyes of Mary-Margaret. Compassion is something she doesn't deserve, not after everything that's happened. Her walls are crumbling down, but it's not intentional. She wishes she could build them right up again. Higher and thicker than ever before. Run away and never look back.

A tear escapes from Snow's eyes and runs down her cheek, falling onto their joined hands. The underlying reason for her daughter's current mindset is clear. It's because of them that Emma feels this way. It's because she and Charming left their daughter to fend for herself for all those years. Because they abandoned her. That does something to a person. And even now, 29 years later, Emma still seems to have that inner voice telling her not to trust anyone. To suffer alone in silence.

The blonde's startled by her mother's tear that touches her skin. 'There's nothing to fix,' she whispers suddenly. 'I created this mess myself to begin with.' She still can't bear to look her mother in the eye, but feels the need to explain suddenly weighing heavy on her.

Snow feels a giant ball of weight in her stomach, making her almost physically sick. 'Oh honey, why would you say that?'

Emma's head snaps up. Why is it that Mary-Margaret seems truly oblivious to the reality that presents itself to her so clearly? 'Because it's true! The little magic I've I can feel slipping away from me and I won't ever be able to learn it properly anyway. I've never been strong. I've never been the Savior. I might have had luck on my side this one time, but that's it.' Her mind drifts back to all the horrible memories that haunt her daily. 'If you haven't noticed, everyone I love around me dies. Graham, Neal, even Walsh! I don't want to lose any of you too.'

Snow tries to intervene, to stop her daughter from hurting herself even more, but Emma suddenly holds a firm grip on her arms.

'Listen. We are so different from each other. You always face every challenge you come across. You put everything aside, give up everything, in order to save others. You risk your life without giving it a second thought. You and David both do. Don't you understand? I'm not like that. You guys won't ever run away from anything. I'm the one doing that practically all the time. And you know why? It's because if I don't and allow someone into my life, they die. It's as simple as that.'

A sudden gust of wind makes them both look up.

Snow waits until she's certain that she can hold Emma's stare and shakes her head. 'No sweetheart, you get that all wrong.' She pauses, trying to phrase what she wants to say in her head before saying it out loud. When she feels she's ready, she scrapes her throat. 'I understand that you're having a hard time to see all the good you've done, all the challenges you have faced which led to success. The bad things always overshadow the good things. But there's plenty. You fighting for your son over and over again. You made the hardest decision a mother could make when you gave him up when he was born, only to give him his best chance. You came with him to Storybrooke and stayed here, for him. You didn't run away then. And let's not forget all the times that you fought for him like a lioness to save his life. All those things show remarkable strength.' She pauses to take a deep breath. 'Thát Emma shows your true powers.' When she notices the darkness in her daughter's eyes clear ever so slightly, she curls up the corners of her mouth into a soft smile. 'You are so much more like us than you can ever imagine. Believe it or not, you inherited the good ánd the bad things. The running away thing for example. Well…' her soft smile turns into a wide grin. 'What do you think my Bandit years were all about?' She holds her breath, afraid for the reaction that will follow, and her heart flutters when her daughter lets out a chuckle.

'Right, well I guess I never thought of it that way,' Emma admits and lifts up her shoulders high before letting them go again, some weight literally being lifted off of it. She still doesn't exactly feel like herself, but her hands have become less shaky. At least it's something.

Snow feels the irresistible urge to hold her daughter and decides to take the risk, bracing herself for the inevitable rejection that will follow. 'May I?' she stretches out her arms and is pleasantly surprised when Emma leans in and lets her head rest on Snow's shoulder.

Her arms follow suit and wrap around her mother's upper back. Letting out a deep sigh she melts into Mary-Margaret's embrace.

'Hi David, where's Emma?' Henry looks around like he's expecting his mother to be jumping out from the shadows.

David puts up a brave smile for his grandson and puts an amicable hand on his shoulder. 'Your mom is out with Mary-Margaret for a bit and she has asked me to pick you up from school.'

'Is she alright?'

The worry in Henry's voice makes David's heart sink. Of course, the boy's worried about his mother. He had seen what she'd been through for the past few days and although he doesn't fully understand what's going on, knowing that his mother is in danger is bad enough. He kneels down in front of the boy so that he can look him straight in the eyes. 'Your mom is absolutely fine. She just had to deal with some stuff and will be back at the flat soon. Don't you worry about her, okay?'

Henry's nod is uncertain.

'You know what, why don't we go for lunch at Granny's and get us some hot cocoas to take back home with us? I'm sure your mom and Mary-Margaret would love a surprise like that.'

This suggestion seems to do the trick, as Henry lets out a more enthusiastic, 'yeah, good idea!'

While they're walking towards the diner, David looks at his phone a couple of times to see if he has any missed calls or messages. His mind is wavering between the immense worry for his wife and daughter and his responsibility in keeping a straight face for Henry. And the longer he doesn't hear from Snow and Emma, the harder the latter becomes.

Besides the few familiar faces who send them a worrying glance in passing, Storybrooke hasn't changed one bit since last year. It's still the same sleepy old town it once was before the curse, and if David didn't know any better - Emma and Henry have consciously spent one year in New York and his wife being eight months pregnant being the most obvious clues - no time has passed at all. He lifts his hand to greet Belle as they pass by Gold's Pawn Shop. His heart goes out to his friend who has lost so much.

When he's once again checking his phone, he notices that Henry looks him over curiously. He knows his grandson and realizes that it will be hard to avoid some of the questions he can't give an honest answer to. Surely enough it takes only a few minutes before the first of such questions arises.

'How did you and Mary-Margaret meet? I know my mom and Mary-Margaret were cellmates in Phoenix, but did you already know her at the time, or did you two meet later?' Henry confidently raises his chin like only he does and awaits the answer in full anticipation.

David, Snow, and Emma didn't exactly make time to align their stories yet. Against better judgment, he, therefore, tries to keep things vague. 'Oh wow, well that's years ago… We knew each other from before Mary-Margaret's time in prison.' He hopes this answers his grandson's question sufficiently.

Henry raises a suspicious eyebrow. 'So... did you go to school together or did you meet somewhere else?'

David fully comprehends that there's no easy way out here, his grandson is just too smart for his own good. He has no choice but to tell him more. There's the option to make up a simple story about a boy meets girl in high school, but he hates having to lie to Henry. Therefore, he decides to stay as close to the truth as possible. Quickly he makes a mental note to fill in his wife and daughter about the version of the story he's about to tell his grandson. 'Well, Mary-Margaret actually hit me in the face when we first met.' A smile creeps upon his face when he thinks back about the moment Snow had hit him with a rock. He lowers his head and points at the scar on his chin. 'Look, this is where she hit me.'

Henry's eyes become as big as saucers when he notices the scar. 'Wow! Why would she hit you?' he asks in awe.

'You sure you want to hear all of this? I mean, it's a long story…' David teases. Henry's eager expression and enthusiastic nod give him the answer. 'Well, it all starts with a wedding ring she stole from me.'

Just when he starts the story, they arrive at Granny's.

He pauses and gently pushes the boy inside. 'Take a seat over there, I'll go and order us some food and I'll tell you everything,' he promises his grandson.

Over two plates of grilled cheeses David tells an amended version of how he and Snow met. The trolls from the real story are replaced by dangerous mob criminals and the fairy dust that transformed the trolls into bugs and saved Charming's life are replaced by excellent fighting skills on Mary-Margaret's side. 'So that's how we got my wedding ring back!'

Admittedly, the real story is much more exciting than this version of it, but Henry's jaw almost drops to the table. 'And then the two of you ended up being together and lived happily ever after?' he asks.

'If it only were that easy…' David sighs. 'Remember, I was still engaged to Abigail. So, after the fight with the criminals who had my wedding ring, Mary-Margaret and I went our own separate ways. You have to understand that in those days, separating in such an advanced stage of a relationship caused major… family-issues. Abigail's father threatened my family if I'd call off the wedding.'

'No, he didn't? That's horrible! So you told them about Mary-Margaret? What did Abigail say?'

Red walks over to their table to collect the empty plates and winks at David who gives her a teasing smile in return.

David focuses his attention back on his grandson and answers his question. 'At first, I did not tell Abigail about Mary Margeret. Her father only found out, because he thought my behavior was odd.' He continues to tell Henry that despite the clear warning from his father-in-law, he wrote the letter to Snow anyway, asking her to meet him so that they could run away together. 'She came to meet me, but unfortunately, she told me that she didn't love me and that I would be better off with someone like Abigail.' He swallows back the lump in his throat thinking about that moment.

'She broke your heart…' Henry concludes somberly. 'But she did love you, I'm sure she did! All that she did for you, getting that ring back and everything. Putting her life at risk for you.' His eyes drift and he stares into the distance, a sad look upon his face. 'She must have thought she wasn't good enough for you because she was a bandit… It's a little bit how my mom always sees herself because of her past. She never thinks she's good enough.'

It never stops to amaze David how perceptive his grandson is. He himself has never seen this parallel between his wife and daughter, and now his grandson is painfully pointing it out to him. 'Well Henry, I can only say that Mary-Margaret and I are the living proof that things can change for the better. As I'm sure it will for your mom too.'

'Mary-Margaret changed her mind?'

David nods and he smiles gently. 'That she did. We found each other in the end.'

The answer doesn't seem to be enough to convince Henry as a deep frown appears on his face. 'And you stayed with her the entire time, even when she was in prison?'

'I won't ever leave her,' David answers in all honesty. 'Especially when times get rough it's important to be there for each other. Besides, I could never leave her, she's my True Love.' Of course, the boy had been referring to how his own father ratted his mother out to the cops and left her in prison. If he only knew the real story… He takes a deep breath. 'I'm sure Henry, I'm sure that there's someone like that out there for your mom too. Someone who doesn't judge who she is or was and someone who will never leave her. Someone she can rely on and someone who loves her and you unconditionally.'

Suddenly his phone, which is lying between them on the table, lights up indicating that he has a message.

'Is it from my mom?' Henry asks.

David takes the phone and opens the text that was sent. 'No, it's from Mary-Margaret, but she says that they both just came home.' A sense of relief washes over him. 'What do you say, let's get those hot cocoas to go and get out of here?'

'Sounds like a plan!'

When Henry orders four hot cocoas to go at the counter, David stands behind him and looks at him like only a grandfather could. Proudly and full of love. He won't let anything happen to his grandson. He will do his utter best to keep his family together. Whatever it takes.

Unknowingly to him, the story he had just told Henry could bring that goal closer to reality than he realizes.