Trying to convince Henry that he was not allowed to come on their trip was definitely harder than expected. They wanted him to stay behind so he would stay safe, but he knew that something was up with Emma and he wasn't willing to let them go that easily.

"You're staying with Snow and David and that's final," Emma said, closing her suitcase and zippering it shut. "I'm not going to keep arguing about it."

"Then I'll just ask Mom," Henry threw back at her.

"Mom says the same thing," Regina said, coming into the room from downstairs; Snow and David trailing behind her.

Emma snorted. She and Regina had been a unified front for too many years for Henry to seriously think that he could get one mother to contradict the other. Then again, he was desperate.

"We're going to have lots of fun," Snow tentatively added to the conversation.

Henry rolled his eyes. "I'm not interested in fun, I'm interested in going with Mom and Ma on whatever trip they're going on. And before you say 'just a vacation' I know that something is going on. You've been sad lately."

"You should go into psychology if this whole Author thing doesn't work out," Emma joked, pulling him in for a hug. "But you're still not coming."

Henry groaned, causing the whole room to laugh. "Go pack," Regina said. She nudged him towards his bedroom, closing the door behind him as he left. For good measure, and because she knew her son, she put a silencing spell around the room so he wouldn't hear anything.

"Do we get to know what's going on?" Snow asked. She had heard from David how different that Emma had been for a while and was as worried as Henry was.

Regina and Emma shared a glance, seemingly having a whole conversation without actually talking to one another. Snow and David watched as they continued looking at each before Emma sighed.

"I'm fine," Emma started, smiling when Snow and David rolled their eyes. "Really, I am. I'm getting better."

"You were throwing up at work," David protested.

"I had the stomach flu," Emma fired back. Regina snorted, but wiped the smile from her face at a glare from Emma.

Snow watched Emma for a second, putting two and two together. "You knew Avery."

David caught on as well, remembering the random person who came forward with information regarding Avery and her abduction. "You're remembering things. You knew about her and the details of her abduction."

Emma looked back and forth between her parents before looking and Regina, who only raised an eyebrow. They had figured it out themselves, it was up to Emma how she wanted to handle things from there.

Emma sighed, before nodding. "She was my best friend. I've been remembering things slowly, and that's why we're going on this trip. To find out more and stop this guy."

There was a moment of silence before Snow slowly came forward and wrapped Emma in a hug. Emma smiled before hugging Snow back, knowing the embrace was something that both of them needed.

"We'll watch Henry for as long as you need," Snow said, wiping her eyes as she pulled away from Emma. "You guys do what you need to."

Emma nodded, reaching behind her and grabbing Regina's hand. "Thank you."

"I'm surprised you agreed to take this car," Emma said. She put their suitcases in the trunk of the bug before shutting it and getting into the driver's seat.

Regina shrugged before getting into the passenger seat and closing the door. "For old times' sake I suppose."

Emma looked at her in disbelief. "You hate this car."

"True," Regina agreed. "But it offers comfort for you."

Shaking her head and smiling, Emma leaned over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too. Now get this coffin on wheels going before I change my mind."

Short but sweet one because I want to give the road trip its own chapter. I want to have them drive the route instead of flying because heck yeah. So, here's the deal. They're driving from Maine to California which is a two day trip(ish). The route they will take goes through Toronto, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, little southern tip of Nevada, and then finally California. So if you live in any of those states hit me up with ideas of things that they can do in those areas!