Part 3: 12 years later

After graduating high school, Henry Mills went out into the world to find himself. He crossed realm after realm. He would visit home as much as possible. As long as he found a magic bean or a portal. A few months after meeting, Henry and Ella married. Two years later, they had a baby girl. Henry had been away from home for seven years and his family had no knowledge of the young man's marriage and fatherhood. His wife and daughter had finally convinced him to go home twelve years after graduating, seven years after getting married, and five years after becoming a father. Henry, Ella, and Lucy arrived at the Mills home. "I don't know if I can do this?" Henry said.

"I'm right here beside you," Ella said

"It's been so long and they haven't even met you or Lucy."

Ella knocked unable to wait for her husband to be ready. A tall blonde answered the door, "Henry?"

"Hi, mama," the young man wrapped his arms around his birth mother.

"I can't believe this."

"I'm so sorry for not coming home."

"Hey, you're here now."

"Mama, this is my wife, Ella," the two women hugged.

"Wife?"

"Yeah, sorry about that," Henry turned to his daughter, "this is our daughter, Lucy."

"Hey, kid," Emma knelt down, "I'm so excited to meet you."

"Me too," the little girl said, "what should I call you?"

"Well, let's ask the vain one first," Emma joked. She showed the little family into the house.

"You literally haven't aged," Henry said.

"Did you forget about magic? Besides, we all took an immortality potion. Only magic can take us down now."

"Who is 'we all'?"

"Your grandparents, your siblings, me, and mom. Ella, could you and Lucy wait here until Regina sees Henry?"

"Sure, that's no problem."

The two sat at the dining table and Henry followed Emma to the kitchen. "Honey, we have company."

"I gathered that from the knock at the door."

"You could turn around."

"I could, but why would I?"

"Hi, mom," Henry said.

Regina froze for a moment before slowly turning around, "Henry?" she whispered. She kept her hand on the counter while she moved towards her son. Her cane left behind. Henry rushed to take his mother into his arms before she could fall and hurt herself. Regina broke down and cried in his arms.

"I'm so sorry, mom."

"I'm just so glad you're back. Please don't ever leave again."

"Honey," Emma spoke up, "you should probably sit down."

Regina nodded and Henry helped her to a chair. "How have you been?"

"Great," Henry smiled, "would you like to meet your daughter-in-law and granddaughter?"

Regina was speechless so she just nodded. Henry got up to get his family and Emma sat facing her wife. "Are you okay?"

"It's just a lot to take in right now."

Henry walked in with Ella and Lucy. Ella hugged Regina and then Henry introduced his mom to Lucy. "Emma said we had to wait for you to decide what I should call you both," the little girl said.

"Actually, mama said the vain one."

Regina glared at Emma who just smiled, "tell me I'm wrong," the blonde challenged.

"Well, Emma's mother is grandma and my mother is gigi. Lucy, do you have any suggestions?"

"Emma is nana," she said, "and you are grammy."

Emma looked at her wife, "you okay with this?"

Regina smiled, "I'm thrilled."

"So where are my brothers and sisters?" Henry asked.

"They don't live in Storybrooke anymore," Emma said.

"Why not?" Henry noticed the change in his mom's mood.

"They live in the Enchanted Forest. Your grandparents live there too. Mostly everyone does."

"Then why are you two still here?"

"Well, we couldn't leave and not tell you," Emma said.

"I can't go back," Regina said.

"Why not?" Henry asked.

"I'm not strong enough to make it through the portal."

Emma sighed and looked at her son, "we're still trying to find a way."

"I'll help in any way I can."

"First things first," Emma walked to the cupboard and pulled out a vial. "You three should take this."

"Is it the immortality potion?"

"Yep," Emma said and made sure the three took it. "This will work if you have more children as well since it's in your blood now."

Lucy looked at Regina and then back at Emma, "grammy is really sad."

"Yeah, she misses the rest of our family. I do too, but it's been a lot harder for her. Probably because she's stuck here and I've been working night and day to find a way to get her to the Enchanted Forest. At least I've had a distraction. You three should go get settled."

"Emma," Regina called for her wife.

The blonde walked over to her, "what's up?"

"I need my cane."

"Oh," Emma grabbed the aid and handed it to her wife. Regina shakily got to her feet, "where are you going?"

"I just need some air." Regina slowly made her way to the back door and outside.

"This is my fault," Henry said.

"No, it's not," Emma insisted.

"We shouldn't have eloped and I should have been home sooner."

"I'm sure she's just overwhelmed. I'll go check on her." Emma walked out and found her wife sitting on the ground against the house, "Regina!" She rushed to the woman who was sobbing. Henry, Ella, and Lucy appeared in the doorway. "Honey, are you hurt anywhere?" the brunette nodded, "where?"

"My heart," she choked out.

Emma held Regina as she cried. After a moment she stood and walked over to Henry, "why don't the three of you head upstairs to get settled?" Henry nodded and took his wife and daughter upstairs to their rooms. Emma walked back over to her wife.

"You all need to go," Regina said.

"Go where?"

"The Enchanted Forest."

"We will once we figure out how to get you there."

"No, you need to go without me."

"That's not happening."

"Emma, it's no use. We haven't found anything in the past year. Anyone who could help is already there."

"I won't leave you behind. Look, you are very capable and all, but sometimes you need help. Who's going to help you if we're all gone?" Emma asked as her wife turned her head away from her, "oh my God! You're going to kill yourself."

"Emma..."

"No, don't Emma me. I can't believe you would do this to me. To our family. Do you realize how selfish that is?"

The two women were unaware that Henry, Ella, and Lucy were by the doorway. They could hear everything. "It's also selfish for me to expect you all to stay here with me when the majority of our family is in another realm. You were separated from your parents for twenty-eight years because of me. I can't let you be away from them any longer. You're right about my needing help. There's no one here to help me and if I'm gone then there's nothing keeping you all here."

Emma was furious. Without saying a word, the blonde stormed away from the house. Henry and his family walked outside, "mom, are you alright?"

Regina was silently crying, "I'm fine."

"You want to kill yourself."

Regina was shocked and looked up to face her son. She hadn't realized he'd heard her. It broke Henry's heart to see his mother's tear-stained face. "I don't want to but your mama won't leave if I'm still here."

"We're going to find a way to get you through the portal." Henry bent down and helped his mother off the ground.

"I wish I could believe that." Regina looked at Lucy who now had tears running down her face. She reached out for her granddaughter, but the little girl turned and ran out of the house. Ella went after her.