This chapter is for Charm420 with the prompt: "Ava gets upset about Henry going to college. Potentially brings up some abandonment issues that Henry and Emma help her sort through."

Ava watched from the doorway as Henry packed up some boxes. He was leaving for college in the morning, and only had a few more boxes to pack.

Regina had tried to get him to go to college close to town, but Henry had ended up getting a full-ride to a college in California. About as far away from the town as possible. But then again, if you wanted to work for Disney, that was the place to go.

Emma had laughed when she heard what Henry wanted to go to college for, but she was determined to be supportive. After all, he was the Author. If anyone knew how to create stories, he would be the one to do it.

"You just gonna stand there, or give me some help?" Henry teased.

Ava just shrugged before turning and going back to her room. She brushed past Regina and Emma and slammed the door shut.

"What was that about?" Regina asked.

Emma shrugged. "No idea. But she came from Henry's room."

They walked down the hall together and into Henry's room, but didn't see anything out of the ordinary. "Do you guys know what's going on with Ava?" Henry asked. "I asked her to help me pack boxes and she just left."

Realization suddenly hit Emma. "I'll be right back." She quickly walked down to Ava's room and opened the door, her heart breaking slightly at the hurt look on Ava's face.

Emma shut the door behind her and sat on the edge of Ava's bed. "He's not leaving forever."

"I know that," Ava said. "But he also doesn't have to leave at all. Like everyone else."

Emma winced. She knew that feeling all too well. She wished that Ava hadn't had to experience the foster system, but they hadn't found her in time.

"I'll be back as often as I can," Henry said from outside the door.

Emma rolled her eyes and got up before opening the door. Henry smiled guiltily. "It seemed like a conversation I needed to hear anyway."

"You promise you'll come back as often as you can?" Ava asked.

Henry smiled at her. "I promise. And we can even Skype if you want to. I'm not leaving forever. And even if I was, you would always be my little sister."

Ava smiled and jumped off of the bed before hugging Henry tightly. Emma smiled at the moment before slipping out of the room and going downstairs. She began picking up Henry's boxes and taking them out to the truck, not even noticing how heavy they were.

"You know what she's feeling," Regina said, coming down the stairs as Emma reached to pick up another box.

"Of course I do," Emma said, standing up straight. "I'm just glad we found her before she spent her whole life in the system."

"Like you," Regina said softly.

Emma winced. "Yeah, I guess. I understand what it feels like to see everyone else get families and lives and you're left behind." She shrugged. "But my experiences helps Ava with what she's feeling."

"And yet it hurts you at the same time," Regina countered.

Emma sighed. "I can't change the past, Regina. But I can use it to help shape Ava's future to make sure she never feels the way I used to."

Regina smiled and walked forward, hugging Emma tightly. "You're amazing, you know that?"

"I know," Emma said. "But feel free to tell me that as often as you want."

Regina just rolled her eyes and laughed.