Chapter 2

Where's Emma ?

Regina gathers up her keys and cell deciding that phone calls simply will not do.

"Henry, I am going to…run a few errands." Not exactly a lie but very close. Looking for Emma may take a while and I don't know what I will find out.

"Are you going to look for…um….Ma?" Henry asks as he steps out of his room, controller in hand. "Because I wanna come too!"

"Henry, let me try to find her first. When I do I will call you, ok?" If she left with that pirate, Henry will be devastated.

"Yeah, ok Mom. But can you call with…I dunno…updates or something? So I know where you are?"

"Yes, that is a good idea. I intend to be back around lunch time. Would you like something from Granny's?" I want to talk to Ruby, her nose might come in handy.

"Burger & fries? Please? "

"Yes, alright." Quickly giving in with a tilt of her head and a short nod Regina continues "But we will be eating a healthy dinner, young man."

A quick drive to Granny's reveals a mundane main street. Lets drive around back. Well she didn't drive away at least. Parking next to the Bug, Regina tries to decide if it looks any different. Same death trap on the outside. Getting out of her Mercedes, Regina wonders Would Emma willingly leave without her car?

The driver's door is unlocked and nothing seems out of the ordinary in the Bug, either. Okay, lets check their room.

A quick wave defeated the door lock, revealing a standard if slightly messy room. It was obvious which bed was Henry's-made to Regina's standards. The other twin had been sat or laid upon, the comforter not flat and smooth, the pillows scrunched up at the headboard. But not like there had been a fight. Standing in the middle of the room, turning around slowly Regina did not see any blood, or any evidence that things were not as if Emma and Henry had just left. Nothing glaringly missing, either. So, if something bad did happen, it did not happen here. The nightstand, chest of drawers appeared undisturbed.

The tiny bathroom held the usual personal hygiene items.

Deciding to check the nightstand next to Henry's bed, Regina sees something peeking out from under a pillow. Reaching slowly for the pillow, holding her breath without knowing why, Regina's fingers brush across it's an envelope, strange. Pulling it out from under the pillow, it is marked For Henry in Emma's scrawl. Ok. A letter or at least several pieces of paper. And something else.

Sitting down on the bed, Regina just holds the envelope, staring at it with dread. For Henry. Gods, what is this? Should I read it? That will make Henry angry. But I need to know what is in this. It may tell me where Emma is. Lets open it.

Opening the envelope, out falls the keys to the Bug startling Regina. Leaving them on the floor, unfolding several pieces of paper, the top one also in Emma's handwriting:

Dear Henry,

I did not know when I gave you up that you would grow up to be such an amazing, wonderful, caring person. I had hoped (begged, pleaded to whatever god would listen) that you would not end up like me, bounced around, but to find yourself in a warm, loving HOME.

And it turns out that you did. Regina, despite her past, is a terrific Mom. One you should be eternally grateful for. I won't bore you with all the material things I had to do without, they don't really matter anyway when you weigh them against love. You have to know by now, with everything that has happened, that Regina loves you so fiercely and yet so tenderly that if it could be placed on a scale the weight of the Earth could not displace it. You are so lucky to be her kid.

It really was your best chance to be away from me. I was not ready to be an adult, much less a mother, and you would have suffered, I would have failed.

Having had some time to grow up a bit, you found me. Looking back now, it was the best birthday present ever. I know you think you found me to break the curse, but I think it was to save me.

Because of you, Henry, I got to meet and get to know you. And my parents. And lots of fairy tale characters/people who turned out to be much more than what was written about them. And last, but not least, I got to meet and get to know your Mother.

You are so important to me that I have decided to give you, with your Mother's permission, the Bug. The keys should be in here with the title (all legal now). Of course this means you will have to learn to drive a stick shift, but what better car to learn on than the Bug!

With all my love and hugs and kisses,

Emma

The other papers are the insurance, registration and title documents. Nothing else. She left her beloved Bug to Henry! No hint as to why she left or to where or how to contact her. Why no contact information? Maybe she doesn't know where yet and will call Henry when she gets there. Maybe.

Looking around the room again, Regina searches for Emma's cell phone, wallet. Something she would normally not leave without. But neither are here. What does that mean? Does it mean anything?