It felt like years had passed for Henry because maybe they had. All he knew was that he stood outside and stared at the same spot before school, after school, and right before bedtime, but she never came.

The innocent little boy had grown up and was now seventeen years old and about to get out of high school.

He was leaving the house when he heard a voice.

"Hello, Henry."

He turned on his heels as quickly as he could before hugging the woman known as the Evil Queen.

"Mom!"

"I think your parents might be jealous if they heard you call me that."

"I don't care. Where have you been? I have waited every night!"

"I had to make things right in my kingdom. Happiness has been restored. I was able to turn back time enough for loved ones to not have died by...me. It only helped in my realm, not here."

"So Ma…"

"Yes, that hasn't been erased. Henry, if I changed that, then we would've never met. I'm not saying that I wouldn't want to take back what unforgivable sin I had committed because I would in a heartbeat and I swear on my Father's life. We both know that magic always comes with a price."

"Is that why you had to wait?"

"Yes. In order for all those agonizing years to be reversed, I had to remain in my land for that many years."

"They talk about you, you know."

"I have no doubt that they do."

"They actually...miss you."

"That's impossible. Don't put words in their mouths, Henry!l. I hope you didn't learn that from your parents."

"Come on Mom, you know I would never do that!"

"Why do you call me "Mom" when I'm not really her?"

"You're a part of her, so you are my Mom too."

"You may call me, Regina. I love being called "Mom", but I am not your Mother."

"Okay. Regina. That just sounds weird."

"I am still used to having you for a son."

"Did you find an Emma and a version of me there?"

"Unfortunately, no."

Henry heard a sadness in her voice.

"Well, I'm always here for you, except when I leave."

"Leave?"

"I am going to college soon."

The Evil Queen frowned, "You cannot leave, I have only arrived!"

"I'm not leaving now, just in a few months. College is a place where you learn more than you could in your own town."

"Where is this...this college?"

"It's a few hours away."

"Henry, I wish to accompany you at this...college."

"Why?"

"My education stopped earlier than I had hoped. My education was shifted from academics to being a Queen."

"Maybe Mom and Ma can help teach you the basic stuff. You can always visit me there!"

"I don't believe that it's possible, Henry."

"Why not?"

"I don't belong here, Henry. I can't live in this world too long or my world may disappear completely."

"Does everyone just cease to exist? Like they never existed?"

"Yes and I cannot do that to my people, especially due to all that they had been through already!"

"You can still visit me once a year, right?"

"Of course."

"Want to walk me to school?"

"I can't, at least, not dressed like this."

"You will not walk around in my town wearing that." Regina said.

"Regina."

"Your Majesty."

The two of them had a standoff and Henry got in between them, "Moms, let's be civil, okay?".

Emma walked outside, "We'll come with you."

"You...you would accompany me? But why?

Even after all these years, the Evil Queen was still suspicious of kindness.

"Because what Henry had said long ago about forgiveness is true. How can I heal if I can't forgive you? I will never forget what you had done though, but you have to live with the guilt, I don't."

The Evil Queen could only nod.

She deserved this and much worse, but Emma was showing her mercy, something she did not show her.