August still looked at him as if he could burn a hole straight through him. Emma avoided him as if her life depended on it and while The Captain could take a guess or two at why, August seemed to understand every silent gesture she made. He hoped Emma would eventually just tell him what was going on, but he didn't expect the silent treatment from August as well.

Instead, the other man left a photo on the table in the galley. Emma and a man he'd never seen, smiled at each other in the photo. Bloody hell she was young. There was no tension or unease in her expression; just a young woman in love. The only thing written on the back was Portland 2016. He set a course for Storybrooke.

Emma hugged her aunts and disappeared into her room. The Captain was surprised by the silence that communicated everything between the family. Ruby spared him a glare that some species may have used to set him on fire. He scrubbed a hand over his jaw.

"Belle?" I've, uh, got some maintenance that needs done. I'll be back." He was worried about his Swan.

"Do you know who had to tell Emma her parents weren't ever coming back?" Belle asked him as she stepped closer to him. "I've had to break her heart enough, Captain. If you're going to be one more, you're on your own."

The Captain walked back to where he'd parked the Jolly. There was more going on than any of them felt he deserved to understand. "Alright, I know you're mad at me too." He said once back at the console. "I know I need to apologize. For more than just France. What do you suggest?"

The Jolly landed roughly. His ship's irritation with him grew with every passing moment. He needed to fix this. Fix them before his beloved TARDIS mutinied against him. In all his years traveling, he'd never tried finding his companions in an entire city. His rubbed his chest as the thought pained him. Emma was more than a companion. She was his friend, wasn't she?

She was more than that. This regeneration had been all about her. Both hearts focused on what could make her happy. The way she'd looked at him…

The Jolly sent the mental equivalent of a slap to his head. His previous self hadn't explained regeneration.

Bloody hell. I'll talk to her. Why are we here? He asked the Jolly.

He rolled his eyes just like Emma always did at his ship's silence. How was silence so bloody deafening? He checked his device to note the date and place. Emma's goading was the only reason the ridiculous device existed.

You never check the ship first, you just walk out and blow someone's day out of the water.

Just proves you shouldn't run off, love

Whatever helps you sleep at night, Captain. We both know running off is part of it. This would make sure you don't forget the vital part of history, like when the planet is due to explode for the next freeway.

Bloody hell. Are you reading Douglas Adams again? I told you it was a joke at a pub with Darillion rum.

The reading made his stomach tighten -

Earth

Portland, Oregon

22 Oct 2016

He found a library where a girl stood outside with her plaid dress, denim jacket, and combat boots fidgeting with her phone as she adjusted her glasses. She seemed oblivious to the way men stared at her. He tapped down the instinct to protect her. This Emma didn't know him.

Her phone lit up and she smiled for a moment before she read the text. It was like watching her heart shatter. One moment and the shining innocence that burned so brightly in Henry was snuffed out.

Something clattered from her pocket and landed on the ground. She stared at it before storming down the street heedless of the tears running down her face. He walked over and picked it up. The plastic piece seemed familiar, but he couldn't place it.

It smelled of chemicals, plastic, ammonia and hormones. Bloody hell the hormones. He pulled out his sonic and fiddled with it until he got a reading. Pregnant. Emma was… that was when she found out about Henry.

It took him longer than he expected to find her. She was in one of the giant box stores that carried almost everything.

You humans! Why do you need one store?

Sometimes you don't know what you need until you're staring at it.

What does that mean?

It means, that some nights you're alone and don't know if you need a drink, medicine, ice cream or a freaking stuffed sloth.

He found her sitting in the aisle by herself staring at a collection of things - ice cream, alcohol, ginger soda, and an open box of cookies - as she stared at a colorful box. She placed it beside her and picked up a book of baby names. Tear streaks shone on her face. Her timelines splintered and he understood the weight of what this moment was.

She looked up at him and started to say something when she clamped her mouth shut and looked panic stricken. He rushed over and helped her to a nearby trash can.

"Everything alright, lass?" He asked pulling her hair back from her face.

"Do I fucking look alright?" She sobbed.

Don't use science when women are crying. "No, lass, you don't. You look like you've had a terrible night." He walked back to get the bottle of soda and the ice cream.

"Liquor is quicker." She quoted. "Do I want to know where this spoon has been?"

He hated seeing her eyes so full of tears. Some day, she'd want to know everything. Some day, she'd go through everything in his pockets. "It's clean and, uh, bloody hell, lass I can go get one from a box if you'd prefer. I panicked."

"You panic when strange women cry in store aisles?" She sniffled and took a bite of the ice cream.

"Yeah I do. Any man in his right mind panics when a woman cries." He stammered and scratched behind his ear. The only time he recalled panicking when a woman cried was when it was her. Only her. "Do you want to talk about it?"

She gave him the same side eye he loved now. "Do I want to talk about why I'm crying into ice cream in the back of the store? With a stranger?"

"If it's so upsetting you're not ready to discuss it on the phone with those closest to you, why not a stranger?" He shrugged. How had it always been this easy with her?

Taking a deep breath, she turned and looked at him. "So pretend you're my family?" He nodded and tried to hide it as one of his hearts broke for her. "You were right. He was an asshole who didn't really want me. He found someone…better. But it's okay because he's never coming back for me and I'm stuck 3000 miles away, I stole a soda and ice cream, puked on a stranger and I'm pregnant." She put the ice cream down and hugged her knees as she started sobbing again.

"Come here, love." He whispered and opened his arms. She threw herself into his embrace and cried like her world had ended. "It's going to be alright, love. It's brilliant that you're having a baby."

"But I'm all alone." Her voice cracked.

This was the feeling he'd been trying to avoid. This feeling of falling apart without her to put him back together. It's why he pushed her away. She was the one person who could utterly destroy him. And he knew he would destroy everything for her.

"You don't have to be." He told her. "I bet any child you have will be bloody brilliant."

"Maybe I should do better with my stranger danger conversation?" Her laugh was watery, but it sounded lighter. "No idea what to name him."

"Him? You can so soon?" He brushed a hand over her hair.

"No, but I'm already calling the little starfish him." She admitted shyly.

He opened his mouth and closed it. "Any names you like?"

"My father was David. His brother was James. They were twins and shared the middle name Henry." Her voice was barely a whisper.

She spoke of so much loss so young. He knew about her parents, had met them even. But now he was holding her wondering where the other people in her family were. Grandparents? Uncles? Cousins? Was it any wonder she risked so much when she met her family?

"If you'd like to call your family, I'd be happy to let you use my phone." He said not wanting to let her go.

"You don't have to do that." She pulled back a little. "I mean I puked on you, yelled at you, and got snot on your coat."

He chuckled and pulled his phone out. "It'll all wash, love."

She sat there for a moment and dialed the number. The Captain thanked the TARDIS for making sure it went through the right timeline. After a moment, she started crying again. He held up a finger to let her know he'd be right back. He picked up her ice cream and soda and went to find a register.

A stuffed sloth sat on a shelf across from where he stood. He ran over and picked it up before paying for everything. When he returned, she ran over and hugged him. "Thank you! They're arranging for me to come home. For both of us."

"That's fantastic, love!" She looked confused at the sloth. "Uh, here! It's for Henry." He stumbled over his explanation.

"Henry?" She tilted her head at him.

"Isn't that what you said?" Oh bloody hell. The timeline wavered in front of him. Both hearts thundered in his chest as he watched it snap into place when she smiled.

"Henry David." She rubbed her stomach nervously. "I like it."

The Captain watched her leave in an Uber for the airport. The TARDIS was already yelling at him to get back to her. His phone rang with an unknown number.

"Hello?" He asked.

"Hey, I wanted to thank you again."Emma told him.

"It was my pleasure, love." He closed his eyes. "Lass? Some day soon, you'll meet a man who will be so crazy about you and your boy, that he'll do something stupid. Give him hell, but try not to give up on him. At least yet."

"And when will I meet this idiot?" She giggled.

"You'll know when you see him." He promised. The Jolly ended the call and sent him back to Emma. I miss her too.

He opened the door and found the stuffed sloth in front of the door. His hands shook as he picked it up. "You're an idiot." She told him from the doorway.

"Aye." The Captain scratched behind his ear. "I told you you'd meet an idiot."

Her eyes flickered down to the sloth. "I slept with that thing every night of my pregnancy. It was the only thing that calmed Henry when he was a baby."

He took a tentative step closer. "Some nights you need a stuffed sloth."

She snorted a laugh and took the sloth back, hugging it. "You hurt me."

"I know, love." He whispered. "I could apologize in every language I know," she inhaled sharply. Right. Humans are stupid except for Reinette. "But outside of standing here for hours, it wouldn't change how I made you feel. The truth is, you scare me." That surprised her. "I'm scared of how far I'd go to keep you with me or what I'd be capable of if I lost you."

"There's a word for that." She told him.

"Not for Time Lords." The Captain sighed.

Emma cupped his cheeks. "You're an idiot." His eyebrows hit his hairline. The contact gave him a fleeting view of her thoughts - anger, love, hurt, desire, amusement - but just beyond that were the golden eyes of Bad Wolf.