Now that Zelena was gone for good, and everyone who'd been turned into a monkey had been restored to their normal selves, Emma finally had the opportunity to put together a meaningful farewell for her first love. By no means had the town calmed down since the Witch's downfall. If anything, it was even more hectic for the sheriff and mayor. They couldn't go out in public without being hounded by curious, and rather nosy, citizens. Everyone wanted to know what Zelena had done, why she'd been after Regina, what happened to Emma, and why— just why Regina had kissed her. Neither of their reputations had been kept intact. Yes, news escalated through the small town at an alarming rate. Any attempts by the Charmings, Hook, and the few other allies they had to maintain Emma and Regina's privacy were futile.

After Henry's memories were retrieved, Emma thought it best that Regina bring him home to the mansion where the two could catch up with each other. Aside from that agreement, the two ladies had said very little to each other about that night. In the meantime, Emma decided to stay at Granny's Inn— for real. There was no way she was going to crash at the mayor's home, and there was definitely not a chance that she would bunk with her parents, not when they asked the same stuff everyone else did. Just because they didn't follow her everywhere she went, didn't mean their own interest wasn't irritating. Emma had to find somewhere neutral, somewhere she could just… be. Granny's, and all of it's current repairs, was the only logical answer. She didn't want any visitors except for Henry, not even Hook, who was deeply worried about his friend. She just needed time to think, that was all.

With her son back, really and truly, Regina should have been ecstatic. Of course, she was utterly thrilled that he remembered her and their life together, but something about it all didn't feel right; it didn't feel complete. For two days, she and Henry shared every meal together and filled each other in on their last year. Regina told him about how the Forest had changed in some ways, but stayed the same in others. She said very little about Zelena, but spoke highly of the castle and the way it had endured decades without its owner. She never talked about a man named Robin Hood, the same man she'd been avoiding like the plague.

Henry let her know how school had been going and about the friends that he'd made. He expressed his adoration of New York, but confided that he preferred Storybrooke. He wanted to ask his mother about Emma, but knew better than to pry. Everything that he'd said and heard before regaining his memories was still there; his new ones and his old ones cohabited without a problem.

Mr. Gold experienced no remorse for getting rid of Zelena. If anything, he was seen as somewhat of a hero for destroying the monster by some of the residents. Belle neither condoned nor appreciated what he'd done, but she didn't guilt him for it either. Out of everyone, she was the one person who'd always seen the good in him, even when others couldn't. That didn't change just because his status in Storybrooke was beginning to. And, neither of them dwelled on the wicked woman, as Gold was finally given the chance to mourn the loss of Neal.

It was a hectic time for everyone. All of the heroes seemed to be treading through murky territory, just barely keeping their heads afloat. Loved ones had been lost, a town had been partially dismantled, a new heir to the Charming throne was still growing, and a budding romance was being overlooked by the two parties involved. Nothing was going the way anyone would have planned.

Neal's memorial service was held that Wednesday at eleven in the morning. Thanks to the preservation spell, he looked just as peaceful as Emma had last seen him. Per Gold's request, they dressed the man in the clothes he'd worn back int he Enchanted Forest, an eternal reminder of where he'd come from. No one objected to the wish, including Emma. She'd stopped fighting Neal's past and started to accept it.

There was no rain and there were no storm clouds above. But, there was no sunlight or blue sky either. It was a cool, early spring morning in the land; not warm enough to go jacket-less, but not cold enough to need an entire fleece. Intermittent winds waltzed through the burial grounds and swayed the trees in all different directions. Squirrels and chipmunks played a game of tag up and down tree trunks, a rather odd pairing. A flock of geese waddled through the grounds in search for their moist homeland, and a watchful hawk surveyed the area for breakfast. All traces of flying monkeys had vanished.

Emma was the first to arrive. She'd woken up at nine thirty, alone in the empty rental room. The weight of the day already crushed down on her as she slipped into black pants and a black, collared shirt. She wore the necklace that Neal had given her all those years ago; it'd been found along with his other possessions, which had been stuffed in a plastic bag at the hospital. Fond memories accompanied the elegant piece of jewelry, and that's just what Emma needed on a day like this. Zipping up her black parka, she slinked out of the Inn inconspicuously and walked to the cemetery. It was already 10:20 when she'd reached the pre-dug plot. This gave her some time to be with Neal before everyone else showed up.

There were no chairs to sit on, no programs printed out, and no lavish vases with flowers. It was a simple service, just as she was sure Neal would have wanted. Emma didn't know how many people were going to come, but she had an idea there would be a fair turnout. Since bringing him to Storybrooke, Neal was cordial to everyone, and he'd reconnected with old friends. He rarely rubbed anyone the wrong way, and most people had known either of him, or knew him personally. He had his own reputation, one that he most definitely had lived up to.

The mahogany casket was already on the green belts that would lower it into the ground. The only decoration in the entire area was the bouquet of white roses that sat on top of the lid, tied together by a blue ribbon. They'd been freshly summoned by Gold, who had given them to Marco— the man behind the creation of the coffin— to put on the cover. Other than that, there was very little color at the site.

Pulling of her gloves one finger at a time, Emma took cautious steps towards the crate. It was as though she were walking on air; the ground below her felt nonexistent and with every inch that she gained, she wanted to turn and run away. When she landed right beside the wooden chamber, Emma peered down at the coffin silently. No words came out of her mouth as she stood, lost in her thoughts.

On the other end of town, Henry and Regina were just packing up to go. The boy had been relatively somber the evening before and had stayed as such after waking up. Regina didn't blame him for any of it; he was about to bury his father— a father he hardly got to spend much time with. He was bound to be upset today. In a new suit and tie, Henry sauntered through the front door and waited on the front steps for Regina. He played with the buttons on his sports coat absentmindedly, totally checked out of reality.

Finally, his mom appeared out of the front hallway in a charcoal dress and a black blazer. She wiped the milk mustache off of Henry's upper lip and fixed the out-of-place strands of hair, much to his own chagrin. It wasn't like people had seen it; he was in the clear. Still, being teenaged boy who's mom still licks her thumb before cleaning a smudge on your face was embarrassing. Finishing up, Regina locked the door, dropped her keys into her clutch and put a hand on her son's back. It was time to go.

They were supposed to meet the Charmings at their place and go together. Whose idea it was, Regina didn't actually know, but she had to admit, it wasn't a bad one. She was hoping it would make things easier for Henry to be surrounded by family. She just wasn't looking forward to being bombarded with more inquiries from David and Mary Margaret. She had a feeling Emma hadn't told them anything, and Regina definitely didn't want to be the one to break it to them.

As she and Henry traveled down the open sidewalk, Regina caught sight of Robin in Granny's Diner. He was sitting right by the window, drinking a cup of coffee; his profile revealed by the blinds. Henry didn't notice the man, but all the mattered was that Regina did. Almost as though she slammed on a car's breaks, the brunette halted sharply and glanced down at the confused kid. "Henry, why don't you continue to your grandparents'? I'll be there in a moment."

"You sure?" he frowned.

"Yes, it's all right. Go ahead," Regina ushered him on after kissing the top of his head. She watched as he moped up to the apartment doors. Then, she looked back at the thief in the window and braced herself for impact. Using all of her willpower, Regina open the door to the restaurant and walked up to the man. "I take it you're not going to the service?" she wondered shyly, motioning to his food-filled plates.

Burning his tongue on the scalding liquid, Robin shot out of his chair and dried his mouth with his sleeve. He'd been waiting as patiently as he could to see her again, to talk to her, to hear her voice. So many rumors had been floating around and he wasn't used to so much gossip. Robin didn't know what to believe anymore. Had she found her True Love? Did Regina really not love him? Standing there across from her after several days without any sort of contact, he was almost speechless. "I take it that you are?" he countered, eying her formal attire.

"He was Henry's father," Regina said, as if that were the only reason. She was finished with running away, she'd decided. No more excuses, no more hiding. It was time that she told Robin the truth; she didn't want anyone else getting hurt who didn't need to be. "Robin, here's the thing…" Oh God, it's contagious, she thought to herself. "It's, um, may I?" she asked, pointing to a chair. Instantly, Robin slid out of the table, pulled the chair back for her like a gentleman, and sat back in his spot. Before letting her nerves steer her in the opposite direction, and taking a quick inventory of who was around them, Regina kept it short and to the point. "Many things are being said by many different people, and I know that not all of them are flattering; a pity of the contagious hearsay of this world. I am sorry that I haven't reached out to you, it- it all happened so fast." Listening with nonjudgemental eyes and attentive nodding, Robin made it even harder for Regina to make it to the finish line. "Things are complicated right now, you see. I… I've realized a lot in the last few days and… well…" Fishing out the ring she'd been carrying with her, the mayor pressed it into the palm of the man's hand. "You've given me more than anyone has in a very long time, and I want to thank you for that. I also want to apologize. You deserve find someone who can be what you need, Robin. You and Roland deserve your own happy ending." There. She'd said. Regina had finally done it.

Staring at the silver band and then up at the woman, the thief rubbed his forest-brown beard and pursed his lips together into a thin line; his green scarf hung loosely over his chest. Regina was expecting a shouting match, though she didn't know why. Robin wasn't the type of person to lose his temper or make a scene, especially not with her. She saw the contemplation in his face, as well as the disappointment. It was the same look Emma had the day Regina refuted her feelings towards her.

After a grueling few minutes, Robin gave Regina the ring back. "You keep it," he said purposely. "I gave it to you; you are its rightful owner."

"But, it's an engagement ring. I can't—"

"It means whatever you want it to mean, Regina," Robin cut in. He observed the brunette's stunned expression and even now, he still found it enchanting. "You should get going," he said. "For Henry."

The two adults stood in unison and lingered awkwardly. Neither of them knew what else to say, but Regina knew what she wanted to do. Resting her hands on his shoulders, she reached up and placed a ginger kiss on his scruffy cheek. "Thank you."

Regina was the last one to show up; she ended up teleporting to the courtyard after her interaction with Robin. Only close friends had gathered together to remember Neal, and in a way, Emma preferred a smaller group to a large entourage. There was only so much human interaction she could handle right now, less was more. The two people she wanted most to be there, Henry and Regina, were right next to her. Others gawked at the trio, but none of the targets paid any attention to it. The three of them were together again. That was all that mattered.

Once everyone had settled, silence engulfed the grieving individuals. No one had prepared a eulogy, mostly because no one had thought to. They'd all expected Emma to say something, a favorite poem of Neal's or favorite song lyrics. But, there were no words shared from either her or Gold. Not even Hook had anything he wanted people to know. This was a personal process, and they wanted to keep it like that.

When Neal's casket was lowered into the earth, Rumplestiltskin numbly moved forward and shoveled the first clump of dirt over his son. He wore Baelfire's blanket around his shoulders like a shawl, the last bit of his boy that he had. Belle went next, then the dwarves, Granny, Red, Archie, Blue, and Tinker Bell. One by one, they all released the clay over the encasement and returned to their spot in the clump. The Charmings went next, followed by Regina. Hook sullenly used his only hand and picked up the saturated dirt without the gardening utensil; he wanted to feel his last goodbye with his flesh and cherish this moment.

After saluting Neal with a pirate's adieu, it was Henry's turn. Emma pat his shoulder blades and nudged him forward, as the young man had zoned out into the last time he'd seen his father. Gripping the wooden stick, Henry scooped up small crumbles and sprinkled them into the abyss. "Bye, Dad," he lamented.

Finally, after everyone had gone, it was Emma's turn. The heat of Regina's gaze was the reminder that this was really happening; she really wasn't going to see Neal again. Henry gave his mother an encouraging hand squeeze, which propelled Emma forward. Making sure that her chain was still clasped around her neck, the blonde collected the last pile of soil, held it above the opening, waited just a moment. Tipping the spade over the grave, Emma let the contents slide down the trough. "Goodbye Neal."

When the sheriff resumed her spot and Henry's hand slipped into hers, another tsunami of silence concluded Neal's sendoff into the unknown. Guests began dripping out and were on their way back to town. Gold and Emma shared a tense second of eye-contact, more out of emotional duress than any disagreement. He and Belle disappeared through the rest of the cemetery, along with the other half of the attendees.

David and Mary Margaret gave their daughter comforting hugs, and while it made Emma want to cry even more, she managed to stay composed. "I'm sorry, Emma," her father said sincerely.

"Thanks," she mumbled.

"You know we're right here for you," her mother stressed. Her protruding abdomen created a fair amount of distance between her and Emma, one that Snow wished she could close. Having witnessed Regina's agony with Daniel, Mary Margaret feared that her daughter would succumb to the anguish all together. But Emma proved her wrong.

"Yeah, I know," the Savior said feebly. After promising she'd call them later and assuring them she'd be fine with Henry, Emma waved to her parents as they drove away in the truck.

Regina and Henry were standing under a blooming oak tree, contentedly chatting away, and Emma found solace in the fact that he knew who Regina was again. No more sugarcoating and no more guessing games. Henry knew everything that he used to know, plus a little more.

"Swan," Hook bowed amicably, forever in his black, leather gear. From his slightly swollen eyes and the faint trace of rum on his breath, Emma assumed he'd been drinking. Luckily for Hook though, he wasn't in too deep of a stupor to ruin the event. "How are you?"

In all of the excitement of the preceding days, it seemed as if people had asked her everything but that simple question. How was she? It was a valid question, but it was also one Emma didn't have an exact response to. "I'll let you know when I land," she mused.

"Fair enough." Hook peered over his own shoulder and saw the way Regina and Henry acted with one another; the only thing that was missing was his other mother. "Listen, love," the pirate began, turning back to Emma, "I'm not going to pretend that I understand what's going on, but I stand by my oath to you: I will fight whoever or whatever to keep that heart of yours protected. Just promise me one thing?"

"What?"

"Make sure it's not a flying monkey," Hook said with a coy smile.

Before she could stop it, a hearty laugh escaped and rang through the somber space. She hadn't laughed in days, not like this. This was real laughter, the kind that took her away from her problems and worries, even if just for a second. "You got it, 'mate,'" Emma confirmed. "Thanks."

"My pleasure, Swan." Hook offered his hand, but instead, received a hug. In all of the time he'd been pursuing Emma, aside from the kiss in Neverland, they hardly even brushed shoulders. And now? Now he was getting the royal treatment, so to speak. "Go," he said as he tilted his head sideways. "Be with your family."

"Actually, do you mind taking Henry to Granny's? We'll be right behind you."

"Of course," Hook nodded.

Emma watched the way Regina lit up around their son, the way she beamed with pride at the young man. Likewise, Henry's recognition of the brunette was evident in his relaxed manner. On the outside, it was as if neither of them had ever been separated. Emma supposed that's how she knew Regina had been a good mother.

"Hey Kid," Emma beckoned. Henry said something to Regina before galloping up to his other mom. "Are you ok with Hook taking you to the diner? We'll meet you there."

"Uh, yeah, ok," Henry said.

"Great. You did a good job today."

"All I did was dump some dirt," the Truest Believer shrugged.

"Come on, you know you did more than that. Remember what I told you?" Emma combed his bangs to one side. "Neal never loved anyone as much as he loved you, I'm sure of it."

With Hook on one end of the yard and Regina on the other, Henry went into maturity mode. "He loved both of us, Mom." Stealing one more glance at the mayor before leaving, Henry got onto his tiptoes, cupped his mouth, and spoke in Emma's ear. "Are you going to tell her?"

Although she felt her face go hot, Emma replied calmly. "I think she already knows."

"What do you say, young man? Are you up for a race?" Hook called out to Henry, an effort to give the women the space to talk.

Giving Emma a peck on the cheek, her only son ran after the pirate, who was already losing. She and Regina joined in simultaneous giggling as they watched Henry beat the crap out of Hook. Regina's throaty guffaw is what brought Emma back to reality. Her legs acted of their own accord and carried her towards the Queen, never minding that her brain was telling them to stop. "Hey," Emma breathed.

"Hey yourself." Suddenly aware that it was just the two of them, Regina automatically went on the defensive.

"Look—"

"Emma—" they started at the same time. As if they were teenagers on a first date, they blushed and looked away.

"I know what you're gonna to say, but before you do, I wanted to tell you something," Emma sputtered.

"Actually, I don't think you do," Regina said nervously.

Not letting the woman explain, Emma trudged on. If she didn't say it now, then she never would and she'd have to live with the fact that she never told Regina how she really felt. Almost as if her engine had just been turned on, Emma let it all come pouring out. "I know that this all just sort of happened, and I get if you're freaking out because to be honest, I'm freaking out too. I mean, there's so much going on right now, you know? Like, breaking the curse together, finding out the Wicked Witch is real and that she was your sister, Neal… dying, you getting tossed around like a human wrecking, getting cursed again, and you waking me up. And I know neither of us said it before that night and we haven't seen much of each other since then, but I meant what I said, which is crazy because you're the Queen and I'm the Savior and you're engaged and—"

"No, I'm not," Regina cut off the hyperactive woman.

"And he seems like a cool guy and everything, so that's— wait… what?" Emma was panting heavily as her heart started doing backflips. "You're… you're not engaged?"

"I'm not engaged," the brunette repeated slowly. Emma immediately checked Regina's ring finger and was pleasantly surprised when she saw that it was empty. "I talked to him this morning. I didn't tell him about… whatever it is that we have, but I told him that he and I wouldn't work."

"And he just… what, he was ok with that?"

"It'll take some time, of course, but eventually, I hope so." Regina and Emma were just several feet away from one another, and with every second that ticked on, the gap closed by a centimeter. They earnestly took turns closing the rift that separated them, as if that rift were a metaphor for the rest of their lives.

Feeling as though an entire galaxy had been lifted from her back, Emma almost toppled over. But, there was still more she had to say. "Regina," she exhaled, "I… I love you, ok? Ever since I got back to this town and saw you in Granny's, I can't stop thinking about you. Even through everything that's gone down, I've never been more sure of this," she gestured between them. "I know it's probably a shitty thing to say at your ex-boyfriend's funeral, but I can't go another day without you knowing." She took two more steps towards Regina, who's jaw was hanging just slightly. "But," she said; Regina had anticipated as much. Emma enthusiasm abated as she forced herself to say this. "I love you because of who you are- the sassy, sarcastic, intelligent woman- not because some pixie dust told me to. And I don't want that to be the reason you feel like you have to be apart of this or love me back. I want you to love me for who I am, and not for some tattoo."

A million and one thoughts were blasting through Regina's mind as she absorbed Emma's lengthy confession. She figured, however, that if she already knew, it didn't exactly count as a confession. Regina hadn't realized just how much she'd wanted to hear Emma say that until the sentiments had been shared. Channeling the blonde's infamous boldness, she was able to form a thorough response of her own. "You waltzed into this town two years ago with Henry, who I thought had been kidnapped. You chainsawed my apple tree, caused mayhem among the residents, brought my mother to this realm, broke a curse that wasn't mean to be broken, leapt off a pirate ship and got yourself knocked unconscious, you have absolutely no regard for authority— the list goes on!" Emma felt as if she were shrinking down to the size of a goldfish as Regina rattled off her biggest imperfections; she took all this to be a rejection. "But," it was the brunette's turn for a "but." "Most importantly, you made me love you. I... I have no idea how, but you did. I thought Henry was the only one I had room for. You brought laughter back into his life, Emma. You gave the people of this town hope, and most of all, you showed me that redemption was possible." The mayor took two steps inward until she and Emma were less than an inch away from each other. "I don't love you because the dust told me to, Emma. I loved you- the courageous, witty, and somewhat arrogant stranger before I even met Robin Hood, before I cared about that sign. I never thought I could feel anything like this again, and yet, here you are, showing me that it is possible."

"So… what are you saying?" Emma asked, rocking on her heels restlessly.

"You're a smart woman, Emma. You figure it out," Regina teased.

The two locked eyes intensely and they both knew; just like that, they knew what they were. Emma held Regina's face and their lips collided against each other's like a high tide crashing against boulders. The Savior's hands traveled down to the Queen's waist and Regina hugged the woman as close to her as she could until Emma's pulse shook both of their bodies like an earthquake.

With Emma, there were undeniable fireworks. There was a whole neon light show that emanated from their kiss. Sparks were ignited like a bonfire and soothed the women's anxiety until there was none left. They felt the warm tingling in their chests that people had described, but had never believed to be true. Neither of them had ever experienced anything like this; it was extraordinary. It was right.

Although their lips parted, neither Emma nor Regina let go of one another. It took them this to finally do this, they weren't in any hurry for it to end. This was what True Love felt like. It really was magic. The world around them faded into a white backdrop and nothing else mattered except for this, right here and right now. This was their time. They were finally one.

Pressing their foreheads together, they smiled with closed eyes, content with they way they were. "I love you, Regina Mills," Emma whispered.

As if those five words were her oxygen, the mayor sucked in a breath and tugged on the sheriff's outer layer until they couldn't be any closer. "I love you, Emma Swan."

Giving Regina another passionate kiss, Emma took the mayor's hand and squeezed it affectionately. "Let's go see our son."

Together, they walked through the open, undisturbed land; their footsteps matched in time with the other's. The sun finally made its long overdue appearance and beamed at the two women as they gracefully ambled through the yard. They weren't thinking about tomorrow or next week, they were hardly thinking about tonight. All that they could think about was right now, the fact that they just were. The future was a mystery to them, but one thing was certain: wherever their destinies took them, Emma and Regina were positive they'd be doing it as a family. Nothing could sever the bond that they all shared, not even another curse. And, if by some twist of fate they were separate again, the love that Swan-Mills family had could never been taken from them. Emma and Regina would always, always have Storybrooke.

A/N - And that concludes "We'll Always Have Storybrooke!" I hope that you all enjoyed this story! As I mentioned before, I'll be taking a week or two off from publishing, but I'll be back in a little while. Thanks for all of your kind reviews! They really mean a lot to me! Cheers, dearies!