The leaving party

A guest asked for a oneshot of a leaving party for Henry. Emma is having a hard time saying goodbye to her son.

This couldn't be right. My little boy wasn't a grown-ass man who was about to travel the realms. Not even the world. I didn't even have the luxury of the occasional phone call, or even a facetime if I was lucky. No, my son had to go the extra mile and leave this whole reality! No, this couldn't be right. It couldn't be time for me to say goodbye to him for heck knows how long. I stood outside in the cold night air of Storybrooke, the party going on in Granny's behind me. I pressed my back to the wall and closed my eyes. I breathed in and out slowly. I had to calm myself down. If I was a wreck, what was Henry going to be like? I was the parent in this situation. I had to be calm. Even if I felt like there was a herd of elephants stampeding through my stomach.

"Mom?" My head snapped up. I forced myself to smile even though it hurt.

"Hey kid." I croaked. I laughed weakly. "I guess I can't really call you that anymore." Henry laughed and came and stood in front of me.

"You can still call me it, I don't mind." He told me. An awkward silence hung between us. Neither of us willing to say what needed to be said. Eventually, Henry was the one bold enough to begin.

"I'll miss you too, you know." He told me. I looked up to get a good look at him. Now I could see the darkness under his eyes. The paleness of his skin. "I'll miss you all like crazy. But this is just something I've gotta do. I'm the Author, whether I like it or not. Even if I'm absolutely terrified. I've got a job to do."

"I know." I sighed. "I just wish it wasn't my son that had to go traipsing across the realms. I worry about you, kid. I always will."

"I know." Henry responded, grinning. "It would be weird if you didn't. You just need to trust me. I promise mom, when my job is done, I'll come home." He bridged the gap between us and wrapped his arms around me.

"I know." I sighed. "That doesn't make it much easier." I grumbled. Although I knew that Henry was right. Although this was a difficult time for all of us, as well as extremely exciting, it had to be done. More than that, I knew that my boy, one day, would come home.