Forget everything that happened after Neverland.
The rising sun cast the kitchen in a strange light, making it seem a lot warmer than it was. Or maybe Emma still thought her entire night had been one long nightmare, and she was back in her tiny apartment. There were no conversations had the night before, Emma's mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion written on her face the moment she stepped foot into the house. Henry politely sent her to bed and promised they would talk in the morning. Emma refused up until her head hit the pillow. But sleep was as easy to come by as answers, so Emma was up and ready to go by six a.m. despite getting no more than four hours of actual sleep. She went into the kitchen and discovered the only person awake was Jefferson. The former thief had buzzed down his hair and sported a jagged-looking scar over his left eye. It made him seem tougher than his bright pink pajama pants implied. There were a few scars on his shoulder, little lines that zig-zagged across his back, and Emma swallowed down the questions bubbling in her chest. She sat at the massive kitchen table, giving Emma an idea of how many people lived in the house, and she dropped her head on the top. She didn't realize she'd fallen back asleep until Jefferson placed a cup in front of her and touched her shoulder. Emma sat back in her chair and rubbed her eyes.
"I'm sorry," she said.
"Don't be. I can't even begin to imagine what you're going through. But I made you some tea. It's Chamomile, so I hope that's okay?"
Emma didn't have the heart to tell him that she hated tea, so she took the cup and gave Jefferson what she hoped was a genuine smile.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome. Do you need anything else? I'm no cook, but I can make a mean slice of toast."
"Why are you being so nice to me? You hate me."
The question was out before she could catch it, and Jefferson hesitated before he said, "I know things are weird for you. I might not know the specifics, which is fine because that's your business, but I know that you think two years isn't enough time for things to change as drastically as they have. But where we're from, things like this were a common occurrence. The Enchanted Forest was always changing. Many of us grew up knowing that adjusting to the Forest was the best way to survive. When rumors of your," he paused, "death reached my ears, and Regina was arrested for the crime, I knew what would come next. Grace and I were some of the first to come here and make it our home. So to answer your question, I've made many mistakes in this lifetime. Some of which were directed at you, and I am sorry for everything I have done and said to you. But the truth is, after your death, I realized that I treated you awful for something you had no control over. You didn't choose to be the Savior or Snow White's daughter. You didn't choose to come here and break the curse. All you have been and forever will be is yourself. Even when things are confusing and complicated, you've always been Emma. And now that you're here, alive and still as confused as you were the first time you came to Storybrooke, I'm trying to do something different. I'm not being nice to you out of guilt. I'm being nice to you because you deserve an ally with nothing more to give you than common decency and a crap cup of tea. You're safe here, Emma. And I refuse to make you feel otherwise."
Emma ducked her head and sniffed, trying not to cry. Again. Jefferson's words hit a little too close to home. He squeezed her shoulder and left without another word. Everything was turned upside down. Someone cleared their throat, and Emma looked up at the redhead – Zelena – leaning against the door frame. Zelena pointed to the chair next to Emma, and Emma gestured for her to go ahead. If there was anyone who Emma desperately needed to talk to besides Henry, then it was Zelena.
"Rumple informed me last night that you do not remember who I am," Zelena said.
"I remember coming home from Neverland," Emma sighed.
"That's it?"
"Yep. That's it."
Zelena hummed and sat back, glancing out of the window. Several emotions crossed her face before she settled on resignation.
"Guess I have to be the one to give you all the bullet points," she said.
"You don't have to. Henry-
"-only knows what he knows," Zelena interrupted. "Your son was left out of many conversations and events due to how tumultuous things were after Neverland."
"Meaning?"
Zelena pointed to herself with a dry smile and said, "I showed up in town the day you all came back hellbent on getting everything Regina had. Unfortunately, I had no idea Regina didn't know who I was until I kidnapped her. After that, it came down to me forming a relationship with a stranger who had the life I thought I wanted. But the more I got to know Regina, the more I realized Regina's life was never hers to live in the first place. Cora used us both as pawns and placed us in situations where we exhausted ourselves trying to stay sane and alive. My journey to becoming the Wicked Witch-
"Holy shit, no way," Emma exclaimed.
Zelena's eyes twinkled as she said, "You had that reaction the first time too."
"Of course I did! I loved that movie growing up."
"Yes, I know. You made me watch it with you," Zelena laughed. "And I hated every bit of it. But you were happy, and I was trying to make Regina happy. Small sacrifices. But my point was that Regina becoming the Evil Queen and me becoming the Wicked Witch ensured our happy endings were ruined before they started. It wasn't until we got here did we have our second chance. So we took that opportunity and ran with it. Once we got past the awkwardness and frustration, we had a lot in common. Regina and I made it work."
"How do I fit in?"
Zelena took time to answer that, and Emma assumed it was because she was trying to figure out the best way to say what she needed.
"You can just say it," Emma added. "I prefer the band-aid method."
"No," Zelena said, rubbing her temples. "There are aspects of your friendship with Regina not even I know about. Something happened between you two in Neverland, and neither of you was particularly chatty about it."
"That may be because Regina wanted to kill me while we were there."
"What? No, she didn't."
"You're joking, right? Regina hated me that entire trip! She always argued with me, Killian, my parents, and Neal. Wait, where is Neal?"
"Downtown."
When Zelena said nothing more, Emma took the hint and brought the conversation back to where it was.
"Anyway, Regina and I only became friends after."
"Is that what you remember?"
"That's what I know, yeah."
Zelena pursed her lips and tapped her nails against the table.
"I think it is safe to say your memory is unreliable."
"You weren't even in Neverland to make that argument."
"No, but Regina and Killian were. And their stories match up. Yours, however, does not."
"Then I want to hear from Killian what happened."
Emma saw a flash of hurt cross Zelena's face before it, and she was gone. Zelena returned with Killian in tow. He blinked sleepily at Emma and Zelena, and Zelena gestured at Emma.
"She thinks Regina hated her in Neverland and wants you to tell her the truth because my word is not good enough."
Killian gave Zelena a look before turning to Emma and sighing.
"Regina did hate you for all of ten minutes. But while we were on the ship, something happened. One day, you two were at each other's throats. Then the next, you two were being nice and cracking jokes. It was like night and day, and it carried over into Neverland. You two were always together. You slept together, and you partnered up each time we needed to look for food and water. Snow and Charming tried their best to pair you with me and Neal when he came along, but you always chose Regina. Always. It was you two versus the rest of us. Even Rumple knew better than to try and separate you two. And when you found Henry, your attention turned to him. But you two were more friends than enemies." Killian's mouth twitched before he added, "I would go as far as to say you two liked one another."
"Killian," Zelena warned.
"Can I go back to sleep now?"
Zelena waved him off, and Killian shuffled back to where Emma presumed he was sleeping. His words made no sense, but Zelena made a point. Emma's memory was unreliable, and she was starting to wonder what was real and what wasn't. She leaned back in her seat and frowned.
"What am I missing?"
"Beyond the obvious, everything important."
"Does that include why you were so hurt I didn't believe you about Regina and me?"
Zelena pushed back from the table and went to the other side of the kitchen. She didn't meet Emma's eyes for several minutes, but when she did, Emma saw why. Zelena wiped at her face and folded her arms.
"It is ridiculous to be so affected by your lack of memory."
Emma stared at her for a moment before asking, "Who am I to you?"
"A pain in my ass," she said. "But it took a minute for you to trust that I wasn't here to hurt Regina or Henry. So I did something dramatic to prove my efforts were genuine." Zelena rolled down her sleeve and showed Emma a mark on her wrist. "I vowed to never deliberately hurt Regina, Henry, or you. I vowed to honor, respect, and protect the three of you for however long I lived. And I promised to step in if ever there was a moment where you or Regina couldn't be there for Henry. Which is what I have done for the last two years. As for who you are to me," she paused and clenched her fist, "you were my best friend. You helped me get a job at the greenhouse because you knew how much I loved plants, and you helped me get into architecture courses. You got me art supplies and sketchbooks so I wouldn't be bored on my days off. You stepped in to take me out to lunch if ever Regina had a meeting she couldn't get out of. We had our version of movie marathons where you showed me all the popular movies you grew up with. You took me to the library and showed me the books you read as a kid. Whenever you went to the grocery store, you brought back my favorite tea because you knew I always forgot to get more. You were there for me when I was too scared to tell Regina about my nightmares. You were the only one who got my sense of humor and gave me a bucket full of water as a gag gift. We went out one night and tried all these famous cocktails to the point Regina had to come and get us. We were so wasted, and she was so angry. She spent the entire drive home screaming at us for being idiots. We did all the shit together that you didn't do with Regina. When you went missing, Regina and Henry led the charge, and I scoured every book in Regina's vault to get a better spell. You wouldn't just up and disappear. You promised you would stay, and you never broke a promise. Not to me, not to Regina, and not to Henry. So when they found your body, it felt like my world was ending. And then Regina was arrested for the crime. In a matter of days, Henry and I lost two people we loved more than life itself. And now you're here, alive, and you don't know who I am. You don't remember anything about our friendship."
Zelena stopped when her voice cracked, and she cleared her throat.
"It matters very little if you remember," she said. "And should you never recall those details, it will be for the best."
"Bullshit. It matters to me because it matters to you. Our friendship is important to you, and it will not be for the best if I can't remember what your favorite tea is. I look at you and feel nothing but confusion because if you are my best friend, if I did love you enough to get your art supplies and show you my favorite books, then that fucking means something. I don't do that shit with anyone! I feel like nothing in my mind is real, and this is the most real conversation I've had in months. So don't you fucking stand there and pretend it doesn't matter when it's the one thing that does right now."
Zelena muffled the sob that broke free and turned her back on Emma. Her shoulders shook from her silent cries, and Emma got up from the table. She turned Zelena around and wrapped her arms around her. Something inside her heart clicked into place. Emma knew instinctively to rub the left side of Zelena's back because the right side was sensitive after one of Cora's punishments. She used her free hand to cup the back of Zelena's head, something her father used to do before he passed. It made her feel safe, and Emma sighed in relief when Zelena hugged her back.
"Listen, I may never get my memories again," she murmured. "And that is scary. But that doesn't mean I won't be there for you. That doesn't mean we can't make new ones. I don't care if it's just you and me watching the Wizard of Oz or going for a walk in the woods to talk. Some part of me knows that you're telling the truth, which means you are my best friend too. I can tell that we're each other's lifelines. And that means even though I'm drowning, I know you're with me to keep me afloat. I need you, Z. Please don't pull away from me now."
Zelena backed away and stared at Emma in shock and excitement.
"You called me Z," she said.
"That's your name, isn't it?"
Zelena barked out a laugh and covered her mouth, pushing Emma back.
"You've said that a few times, yes."
Emma grinned and grabbed her hand.
"Come on. You have to finish giving me the bullet points."
Zelena used her sleeve to wipe her eyes and followed Emma back to the table. They sat next to each other, and Emma was sure not to let go of Zelena's hands.
"You haven't asked about Regina."
"Probably because I'm scared to know."
"Well, Mal and Lily are asleep and recovering from their injuries. The damage to Lily's face and throat will be hard to fix, but Rumple has some potions that should help with the scarring. We're not sure she'll ever be able to talk again, but we will try. Regina's," Zelena paused, "a challenge. She hasn't eaten in a while, and her magic's running on empty. Her health timeline isn't so linear, and it may take her longer to recover. But if I know my sister, she'll prove us wrong."
Emma chewed on her bottom lip and thought about the best way to ask the question burning at the back of her mind.
"Band-aid method," Zelena said, tapping Emma's lip. "What are you hesitating to know?"
"Are Regina and I dating?"
Zelena inhaled and released it.
"You are – were – engaged." Emma didn't know how to react, and Zelena gave her a sad smile. "Henry wondered if it was wise to tell you, but I knew it would kill you to learn another way. It took you five months to decide you wanted Regina for the rest of your life, five minutes for her to say yes, and five days for you to tell Henry. You told me seven months after the fact, but we ignore that for the most part. Rumple found out because he's Rumple."
Five months, five minutes, and five days.
Emma frowned and said, "I have 555 tattooed on my ankle and couldn't figure out why."
"Yes, you and Regina both have the tattoo. Except hers is behind her ear. Literally on the back of her ear. If you aren't looking for it, you can't see it."
"So does Regina. But hers is behind her ear, and if you aren't looking for it, you can't see it."
"I have a fiancée."
"You do. The family figured it out too, so you might get a few sympathetic looks."
"Family?"
"Everyone here is considered family. And we are one, you know, borne out of circumstance and shared experiences. After everything, the people here are committed to standing by one another until death. Evil has touched us all through association. We bonded because of that."
"I can tell." Emma shifted in her seat and added, "Henry seems to have found his tribe. Though I'm not too sure how I feel about him having a rifle."
"That would be Mulan's doing. Henry thinks a bow and arrow reminds him too much of Snow. He liked guns more. I tried to talk him out of needing a weapon, to begin with, but. Stubborn is as stubborn does."
"He gets that from Regina."
"Of that, I do not doubt."
"Wait, Mulan is here? The actual Mulan?"
"Oh, right. You haven't met the warrior yet. Yes, to answer your question. Initially, in this house, it was Jefferson, Grace, Tinkerbell, Henry, and me. Rumple stopped by but rarely stayed. Fred and Kathryn stay in a house down the road. After Rumple, Mal, and Lily were arrested, Killian showed up with Nick and Ava. He said Tinkerbell told him to come here if he ever needed help. Nick and Ava were bruised and injured, so I took them in. They stay with Fred and Kathryn now. But Mulan showed up after that, then about three of Regina's former guards from the Enchanted Forest, and now, you, Mal, Regina, and Lily. The space is becoming tight, but we'll make it work."
"None of this explains why Henry needed a gun."
"He wanted to protect the family he had left," Zelena said, squeezing Emma's hand to take the sting out of her words. "It was hard being without his mothers, and he grew up much faster than any child should."
"Tell me about it. Every time I look at Henry, he's a reminder of what Blue stole from me. I missed two years of his life after missing the first ten. There's only a year of memories in my mind."
"Henry is still your kid. Don't let the gun and hardened look he has going on fool you. Just yesterday, he, Nick, Ava, and Grace were having a mud war in the backyard. You just have to adjust with the changes like everything else."
"Sounds easy for you to say."
"But it isn't." Zelena sighed and stood, grabbing Emma's hand. "Come on, Swan," she said.
Emma stood and followed Zelena down the hall to the room where Henry and Regina were. She poked her head inside and tightened her grip on Emma's hand, almost as if she sensed Emma was about to make a run for it, and pulled her inside. Henry was fast asleep on the bed, his hand clutching the hoodie Jefferson found for Regina, and Emma's heart lurched in her chest. Regina had a ring on her finger that wasn't there before, and Emma's eyes glazed over.
"Marry me?" Emma asked, down on one knee in the living room.
Regina's eyes welled with tears, and she gave a short nod.
"Yes," she said.
"Good," Emma sighed in relief and slid the ring on Regina's finger. "Because I may or may not have already lost the receipt."
Regina laughed and cupped Emma's face, kissing her on the nose.
"Idiot," she whispered.
Emma blinked and was back in the room, noting that Henry and Zelena stared at her in concern. Henry's face was twisted in sleep, but Emma could see he was fighting it to check if she was alright. Emma touched her face, feeling the tear that slipped free, and cleared her throat.
"Sorry," she said. "I didn't mean to wake you."
"You didn't. You okay?"
Emma felt that familiar heartbreak again and said, "I missed you."
"I missed you too, Ma."
"Why are you so old?" Emma whined, wiping at her face again. "Where did my baby go?"
Henry sighed and looked at Zelena, who nodded and squeezed Emma's hand before releasing it.
"Get some rest," she said. "I'll see you later."
"Thanks, Z."
Zelena kissed her cheek and left the room. With Zelena gone, Emma was alone with a family she barely remembered. Henry patted the spot behind him, and Emma kicked off her shoes and shirt. She came over to the bed and laid beside him, feeling equally relaxed and nervous. Henry turned and faced her.
"I see you figured out who Zelena was to you," he said.
"Yeah, she's affectionate."
"She's the only one, minus me and Mom, who can get away with it. Your friendship gives Mom gray hairs."
"Everything gives her gray hairs," Emma muttered without thinking.
"You're not wrong." Henry reached up and tugged at her hair. "You look the same but different too," he said.
"Tell me about it."
Henry's face fell the longer he stared at her, and Emma held her breath.
"I tried telling them Mom didn't kill you without breaking my promise."
"What promise?"
"You had me promise I wouldn't tell Snow and Charming that you proposed until you were ready. You were scared of their reaction."
"Guess I had a right to be, huh?"
"Yeah." Henry rubbed his eyes and yawned. "But Snow and Charming refused to believe me when I said Mom loved you. They kept telling me I was blinded by Mom's magic, that it would fade with time, but it was more than that. It was why I moved back in with her. The Evil Queen was a character in a storybook. Mom is a lot more complicated, and she wanted someone to stand by her side. You did that, even when you didn't understand what was happening. You stood by her and protected her. And I felt guilty for not doing the same. Our family fell into place, and then Aunt Z showed up. That nearly broke us, but you didn't let it. You were the glue that kept us together. And then you died, and I lost Mom. I was so alone –
His voice cracked, and suddenly, her baby boy was there again.
"I thought you were dead," he cried. "And now Mom might be dead too."
Emma pulled him into her arms and kissed the top of his head.
"Don't say that. Your Mom is strong, alright? You know that better than most. She's got a lot to live for, and we will remind her every day until she wakes up. Deal?"
Henry sniffed and nodded without lifting his face. Emma kissed his head again and looked at Regina asleep beside them. She reached over and grabbed Regina's hand.
"We're going to be okay," she whispered. "I promise."
Zelena entered her bedroom and closed the door. She warded it for silence and turned to Rumple. Killian, still half-asleep, hovered in the corner with a glass of water, and Jefferson sat in the chair, nursing a cigarette. He left the window open for her sake. She leaned against the wall and clicked her teeth.
"We all see it, right?" she asked.
"Absolutely," Jefferson murmured.
"But how did it happen?" Killian asked. "Sorry for the crudeness, but Emma came out of Snow White."
"Magic can make things appear to be one thing when they're another," Zelena said. "But we all see the version of Emma in that room is not Snow's daughter."
"We see a lot more than that," Jefferson said pointedly.
"And we cannot interfere," Rumple said. "We need to let this happen as organically as possible. It is more than Emma's life at stake."
"I agree."
"What about her memories?" Killian asked. "Emma genuinely has no recollection of where she's been for eighteen months."
"I think I know." Rumple winced and rubbed at the cuff still on his body. "There was a fourth cage in the mines," he said.
The room went silent as theories ran wild, and Jefferson released a long exhale before lighting his cigarette.
"Are you saying what I think you're saying?"
"Until we know for sure, no one's saying anything," Zelena said. "As Rumple said, it's not just Emma anymore, and we have to be prepared for anything once they all wake up."
"Not just that," Jefferson said, blowing smoke out of the window. "They'll know by now the bodies are gone. Blue will be out for blood."
"I will worry about that gnat when she becomes an issue. My concern, for now, is the four women who are about to have their lives rocked from hell to kingdom come."