A/N: Hello everyone, I hope you are all having a decent 2021 so far. I'm sorry it's been so long, but 2020 wasn't a great year, as I'm sure many of you feel. This was a better than usual week and I felt like I needed to do something while things were going well! I promise this story won't go on for ever, and I do plan to finish soon. Thank you to everyone who is still here for this, I really appreciate it.

~ Chapter 108 ~

Snow and David were left to unpack and settle into the guest room. Once Regina had told Henry to go study in his room for a bit, she grabbed Emma's arm and pulled her into their own room, closing the door firmly behind them. Emma misunderstood and went to pull Regina close, but then she noticed the expression on the brunette's face and backed off.

"Emma. You couldn't have warned me you were going to spring it on them the moment they walked in the door?" Regina asked, folding her arms and striding towards the window. She wasn't angry exactly, she had just been thrown off.

"What do you mean?" Emma asked. "Telling my parents about us?"

Regina refrained from rolling her eyes as she turned to face Emma again. "Yes."

Emma gave Regina an apologetic shrug. "Look I'm sorry. I just didn't want to lie to them. I thought it would be better to have everything up front from the start. And come on, you have to admit David gave me the perfect opportunity. Regina I thought it went really well. They're happy for us! What more could we want?"

Regina dropped her stance and took a few steps closer to Emma, nodding in resigned agreement.

"Isn't it easier now?" Emma asked. "We don't have to worry anymore about how they'll react."

"Well…" Regina searched for a response. "The next time you decide to reveal information about us on that level… give me a heads up first will you?"

Emma grinned a little. "Sure. Next time we fall in love I'll let you decide when to tell my parents."

Now Regina did roll her eyes, but she was smiling softly. "You know, when I realized what you were about to tell them it nearly gave me a heart attack."

"Why?" Emma asked, bewildered.

"I don't know its just… we were having such a good first few moments with them. I didn't want to spoil it by telling them their darling daughter was smitten with their sworn enemy."

"Former sworn enemy." Emma corrected her. "But they took it well. That's a good thing right? It means you had nothing to worry about."

"I hope that's what it means."

"What? You think they were pretending or something?"

"No, they seemed sincere to me." Regina responded, looking puzzled. "I guess I just didn't expect them to be so supportive right away."

Emma shrugged. "David said Mary Margaret guessed something was up weeks ago. I suppose that means they've had time to mull things over. If there was any initial shock and outrage I think it's died down by now." She grinned, reaching for Regina's hands.

Regina gave a small smile. "Maybe."

"It went really well Regina." Emma repeated. "Honestly you have nothing to worry about. Trust me."

The brunette's eyes softened. "You're probably right." She leaned forward to share a gentle kiss with Emma.

Everyone was seated around the dining room table later that night, apart from Henry who was perched on a stool at the kitchen counter. Emma, Snow and Henry each had a steaming mug of hot cocoa in front of them, while David and Regina had opted for herbal tea.

"So now that we're all here in Boston, who is looking after Storybrooke?" Regina asked. "With both the mayor and acting mayor gone – as well as the sheriff and acting sheriff – have we just abandoned the town to a round of survival of the fittest?"

"Not exactly." David responded. "Kathryn is keeping an eye on the town hall, and Ruby and Granny have temporarily stepped in for the Sheriff's Department."

"Granny?" Emma asked, her eyes raising in disbelief.

"She's tougher than you think," Snow patted Emma's hand. "Together they'll be able to handle any misdemeanours. And Regina, Kathryn wants you to know that she has no intention of staying in office for long. She really wanted to make sure you didn't think she was after your job."

Regina shook her head. "I didn't think that at all. She'll do well I believe. Kathryn's had a bit of diplomatic experience in the Enchanted Forest and she would likely be ruling her own kingdom by now if I hadn't made everyone leave." Regina rolled her shoulders a little, avoiding eye contact. "I'll be sure to call her and thank her for looking after Storybrooke on our behalf."

"She'll like that." Snow agreed. "She misses you Regina. She actually wanted to come with us but we couldn't find anything of hers from the Enchanted Forest to use as her talisman."

"That's a shame, I would have liked to have seen her." Regina's eyes saddened.

"Me too." Emma agreed. "But at least with Kathryn still there it means all hell won't break loose in our absence. Or at least, I hope it won't."

Regina nodded. "Did everything still seem relatively calm when you left? When I wanted to leave Storybrooke, the town thought I meant to keep them trapped there… I worry they felt the same over your departure. There were no riots once people discovered you were leaving to help me were there?"

"No." David responded. "I mean, yes everything was calm, but no they didn't believe we were abandoning them. Remember, once that rain spell washed over the town, everyone could see a little more clearly. They no longer believed that you were faking your illness."

"But let me guess, they don't want me to return either do they?" Regina asked bitterly. "I'm sure they much prefer having Snow or Kathryn in charge over me and are secretly hoping I'll die out here."

"Regina," Emma winced.

"What? You know it's probably true." Regina responded a little quietly, the thought of it was clearly bothering her too.

Emma didn't respond. She gritted her teeth inside her closed mouth and fidgeted with the mug in front of her, accidentally sloshing a bit of cocoa over the side in the process.

"I have a question." Henry spoke up. "But it's not about Storybrooke. It's about the hospital."

All of the adults looked over to him, almost having forgotten he was there.

"Yesterday Mom said that even if one of you is a match for her, you won't be able to have the surgery." He said to his grandparents. "Is that true?"

Snow and David looked confused. "What do you mean?" David asked. They both turned to Regina.

"Oh, well, it's just because of the curse around the town line." Regina explained. "If the barrier goes back up you won't be able to take these off." She lightly touched Snow's ring. Snow, who was seated next to Regina gave a look of understanding.

"Oh… yes of course we haven't told you." The younger brunette said, also touching her ring fondly. "If either of us happens to take our ring off, and if the barrier happens to go back up around Storybrooke, all you have to do is give us a sip of this potion…" Snow stood up from the table and went to the closet. She withdrew a stoppered glass bottle from the inside pocket of her coat. "Should anything happen, it will restore all of our memories of Storybrooke and the Enchanted Forest."

"When the fairies enchanted the rings for us they also gave us this potion." David explained. "We have our wedding chalice packed in my suitcase. Like Snow said, if something happens, all we have to do is drink this potion from that cup and all of our lost memories will be returned."

"How do you know that will work?" Emma asked dubiously, her eyes wide as she stared at the bottle which Snow had placed in the middle of the table.

"Because it's already been tested." Snow responded. "Do you remember how they discovered the barrier on the town line in the first place?"

Regina nodded. "One of the dwarves crossed over and lost all of his memories of the Enchanted Forest."

"I remember that." Henry said. "It was Mr. Clark from the pharmacy… Sneezy."

"Yes." Snow answered. "The fairies were able to restore his memories using this potion. They gave him a dose in his old mug from his days in the mines. It needs to be an object that meant something to the person from before the curse, much like the talismans do."

Regina shook her head, giving a discontented sigh. "But if one of you loses your memories in the hospital how are we supposed to give you this potion with doctors and nurses monitoring you?"

"It won't be hard, just work quickly. Besides, they wouldn't be putting us under major watch if we do. We wouldn't be acting crazy or anything, we'll just think we're Mary Margaret the schoolteacher or David from the pet shelter. Our cursed personalities shouldn't raise any alarms to the staff of the hospital."

"Until you start freaking out wondering how the hell you ended up in a hospital in a different city." Emma pointed out.

"As I said, if something happens, just make sure you work quickly."

Regina was still frowning. "I don't know… I really do appreciate you wanting to help me but I don't want either of you taking such risks for me. Let it be enough that we were able to all see each other again? I can wait for a donor from the hospital."

"Regina," Snow's eyes rounded sadly.

"Mom!" Henry actually looked a little angry.

"I mean it, it's not worth the risk." Regina insisted. "What if the magic doesn't work out here so far away from Storybrooke? We still don't fully understand the way magic works in this realm."

"Regina we came here to help you." Snow responded softly. "It's worth it to us if we can help save your life. The potion will work, trust me."

Regina looked uncertainly at Emma.

"Regina believe us," David said, "if something happens and our memories are affected, this potion will bring us back. Trust us. We've seen it work before."

Emma raised her eyebrows at Regina, silently asking what the brunette thought.

Regina looked around and could tell that she was the only one who thought it was a bad idea. She breathed a heavy sigh, shaking her head. "Alright." She gave in.

It was early the next morning and Snow had just woken up. She smiled when she looked around the modern room in her daughter's new apartment; it was nice having her family under one roof again. Snow checked the time and saw that it was only just after six o'clock. She considered trying to get another hour or two of sleep in, but she knew her internal clock likely wouldn't let her fall back to sleep. Instead she decided to get up and figure out how to use Emma's coffee machine. Yawning as she gently closed the bedroom door behind her, she made her way towards the kitchen. When she was crossing through the living room she saw that she was not the first one up.

"Morning," Emma mumbled, waving sleepily and putting her phone down.

"Good morning. You're up early." Snow said quietly, moving around the couch to sit across from Emma.

"Yeah… I woke up around five and haven't been able to fall back to sleep. I didn't want to wake Regina so I came out here. What about you?"

"I'm still used to getting up for school so…"

"Yeah." Emma agreed quietly. "I don't think Henry or Regina will be up for a while. Regina's sleep schedule is all over the place and Henry has just gotten used to sleeping in."

"I was just about to make some coffee, would you like some?"

Emma yawned, nodding as she moved to get up. "I can make it. I'll show you how to use the machine."

…

Once the coffee was brewed, Emma and Snow returned to the couch and watched the morning sky gradually lighten as they talked.

"So tell me honestly," Emma asked quietly, "are you and David really okay with me and Regina being together? I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled, but like… Regina is worried you might be hiding your real feelings?"

Snow gave a soft smile. "Yes Emma… we're really okay with it. Like I said last night, we just want you to be happy. And maybe this sounds strange but I want Regina to be happy too."

Emma relaxed a bit. "Really?" She asked hopefully. "Even after what she did to you guys?"

"Yes. Regina has done some things in the past… but I also know that she was in deep emotional pain. Years ago when she threatened us with the curse, it was supposed to be some hell on earth or something… but truthfully? All she really did was wipe our memories. Yes David was in a coma for twenty-eight years, but I don't think that was necessarily intentional. David was unconscious when the curse hit, that was true… but I don't think Regina planned for him to be in a coma for so long. And honestly if she wanted to really hurt me she would have just ended his treatment and let him succumb to the coma. I think it would have been worse if she had let us keep our memories."

"How would that be worse?"

"Because if we were kept from seeing each other but remained aware of it, that would have stung a lot more than having us forget each other."

"Maybe she didn't realize it wouldn't hurt as much if no one remembered each other." Emma said.

"I don't know. I think deep down all she really intended was to make us forget who she was. She wanted a fresh start. I haven't forgotten about what she did to our stories… like how David and Kathryn were supposed to be married… but I also know she could have just killed us instead. Her actions were less than admirable but I don't think she's the complete monster we all believed her to be. Honestly? I think Regina ended up more miserable than any of us were. All she's ever wanted was to be happy, and that's why I've chosen to forgive her for casting the curse. It's why I believe in her now. I'm going to trust that when she does get better, she won't turn on any of us again. At least not those of us who aren't out to harm her in return." Snow grinned, reminding Emma a lot of Henry.

"You really think she's changed?" Emma asked, fearing that her mother was just trying to appease her.

"Yes. I think now that she knows we'll stand by her, she won't throw it all away now."

"Throw what away?"

"Her chance for happiness and a real family." Snow explained. "When she cast the curse, Regina wanted to leave her past behind her. I think she wants the chance to be someone else. To have a normal family, a normal life. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure she still wants the respect of the people but… I think she wants them to want her to be their Queen. Their mayor. She never really hated the people of our kingdom. Okay, a part of her did hate me. But for everyone else she just wanted them to be loyal to her, rather than have them wishing my father was still around instead. It must have been frustrating for her. They never knew him the way she did. He was kind and fair to everyone… except for her."

"What do you mean?" Emma asked, not entirely sure she wanted the answer.

"She doesn't know that I know this, but they never loved each other. I know he never really cared for her and at times could treat her quite badly. It's like he blamed her for taking my mother away. When I was a child I didn't really understand, but now I do. In truth he could never move past his feelings for my mother. Even though he was the one who proposed to Regina, he did it for me, not for her or for himself."

"When you say he treated her badly–?" Emma asked, feeling a wave of dread.

"He locked her in her chambers sometimes, when she'd displeased him. When I was a child he sometimes told me she had barred herself in her rooms and didn't want to be disturbed. I think it was actually my father who did that to her. I asked her about it a few weeks ago… and I don't think she was honest with me…"

"Honest about what?"

"I asked her if she used to hide away in her chambers because she was tired of my brattiness, and she said no… but I could see it in her eyes, those memories hurt to think about. I knew there must have been more to the story. Whenever my father told me she had locked herself in her chambers I would go to her anyway and pound on her door, begging and ordering her to come out. She always told me she was sick or wanted to be alone. But I think the truth was that she couldn't leave until my father decided it had been long enough."

Emma gritted her teeth. She wouldn't admit it to her mother, but if Leopold wasn't already dead she was sure she would track him down and kick his ass.

"When my father died I realized that Regina finally began leaving the castle grounds on her own… I'm not sure but I think he might have also forbade her from leaving without him too. I wish I had known when I was younger. I used to get angry with her for ignoring me. I'm realizing there was a lot that was kept from me, and I think Regina never said anything because she wanted to protect me."

"Did he ever hurt her?"

Snow frowned, shifting uncomfortably. "I don't know. I hope not, but I really don't know anymore."

"She'd probably want to know." Emma said. "That you're aware your dad wasn't just an innocent victim in all this. I'm thinking it wasn't just what happened with Daniel that turned her against you. Because she saved your life from that horse, she ended up having to marry your father."

"Maybe… it's hard to talk about even with you. Emma… I haven't told you this but there was a time when Regina came to me, back in the Enchanted Forest. Her plan had been to kill me, but then she was injured. She was disguised as someone else at the time and it's a long story, but I nursed her back to health. She had many a chance to kill me and yet, she didn't. At one point she actually asked me if I would let her back in, if we could be a family again, and do you know what I said to her?" Snow asked, looking disappointed with herself. "I told her there was no way I could ever forgive her. Not long after that she cast the curse. Emma I won't make that mistake again. All she's ever truly wanted was real love and a real family."

Emma gave a small smile, wrapping her arms around herself as she thought of Regina. "Well, from where I'm sitting it seems like you've both forgiven each other." They both sat in silence for a few moments until Emma spoke again. "Speaking of love, how did you know?" She asked quietly. "About me and Regina? How did you see it when even we didn't?"

Snow sighed, thinking. "It happened gradually I think… but what really made me consider it was when we had just rescued Regina from Whale. She didn't want to come to Boston anymore because she wanted to spend her remaining time at home. Rather than accepting that, you were prepared to abduct her, and risk hurting her even after what she'd just been through, just so she could have a chance to live. I realized then just how terrified you were of losing her. Only people who are deeply in love do crazy things like that for people they care about. At least in my experience. I suspected it was more than just friendship you felt for her. Also… the way you look at her is a dead giveaway." Snow smiled at her knowingly, kicking Emma's leg gently with her socked foot.

Emma groaned a little. "I wish you'd have told me. I didn't know what the hell I was feeling. Well, maybe I did but just didn't want to accept it."

"Why not?"

"I don't know. I guess because it would have been too painful. Being in love with someone who doesn't love me back, at least not in that way."

"But she does." Snow responded softly with a smile.

"Yeah but I didn't know that. As far as I knew she was still in love with Daniel."

"Love is complicated, I won't argue with that." Snow agreed. "David and I parted ways several times before we acknowledged our feelings."

"Yeah but from the beginning you guys both knew how you felt. There were just… other obstacles in the way. Like… David's wedding." Emma said, grinning briefly.

"I suppose so…"

Emma frowned, dropping her gaze. "What if neither you or David is a match for Regina either?"

Snow's shoulders sagged a little. She didn't know what to say.

"I can't lose her." Emma said. "Not so soon."

Snow felt tears in her eyes at seeing her daughter in pain. Instead of responding she just pulled Emma into her embrace.

"Mom…" Emma's voice trembled.

Snow gasped softly from hearing the unexpected word, and to her surprise, Emma turned fully into her arms.

"I love her." Emma whispered. "I love her so much."

...

A/N: Thank you for reading, please leave a review! Take care xx