A/N I adored the season finale, but this was written before it aired. I've been debating with myself if I should post it, but here it is. Again, this was not a happy story as 3x20 left me in a very serious and sad place.

Emma's POV

He's gone. Just like everyone else. They always leave. At least he had the decency to tell me good bye. Even as he sailed away, I knew that I had the power to make him stay, but I just couldn't do it. He'd be miserable in New York. What would a centuries old pirate do there in the modern, bustling metropolis of the world anyway?

I convinced myself that letting him leave was the best for everyone. I didn't allow myself one tear over it. I couldn't get rid of the heartburn. I had to get something for it. The Tums just weren't cutting it even after I finish half a bottle and was still picking chalk out of my teeth.

Henry was angry about it though. He didn't get it and when I tried talking about moving back to New York as soon as the baby was settled, he blew a gasket. He kept insisting that Storybrooke was where he belonged and that I couldn't just tear him away from Regina or his grandparents to a place they couldn't even visit without major consequences.

He also kept complaining that Hook was gone. Like Henry really needed to learn how to sail a boat and cheat at dice anyway.

When I finally put my foot down about how I was his mother and I knew best, Henry had fought back saying "Yeah, but you abandoned me once by choice. All those memories of me growing up, of you taking care of me, those where my memories of Regina not you!"

He then ran out on me and had been staying in his old room with Regina. Henry is safe there and I decided to give him some time to cool down. I thought a couple of hours would be enough, but it has been 3 days and he still hasn't talked to me. Even Regina tried to mediate, but she couldn't even pretend that having Henry move back to NYC would be a good thing. Therefore, it didn't turn out too productive.

Then one night, David called us all to the loft saying he had special news. He was still on a giddy high from defeating Zelena and getting his son back. Since he and Mary Margaret had been debating back and forth on the name, I figured this was probably what the "news" was all about. So I made sure Gold was still secure in his cell, where he had willingly stayed after admitting that he stabbed Zelena even after she was deemed powerless, and headed over to see then. Henry, Regina, Red and quite a few others were there when I arrived.

David greeted me with a comforting hug, whispering "He's still angry, but he's safe and he will forgive you."

I went to wait with Red who was one of the few people in the room who wasn't mad at me. She kept asking light-hearted questions about fashion trends in the city while just about everyone else glared at me for even thinking of taking Henry away from here. I remember well the feeling of being alone in a room full of people and although it hadn't happened in a long time or maybe because it had been so long, I was having real trouble with the emotions.

Finally a smiling Snow came into the room with the baby boy, who I had been calling "the fuzzball" for lack of a name. She greeted everyone as David drew our attention to the side of the room where it looked like he had a blackboard covered in a white cloth hanging on the wall.

"Thank you everyone for coming tonight. We certainly have a big surprise for everyone." Mary Margaret beamed. How did I end up with a mom whp loved high drama, I'll never understand. All this to tell us the fuzball's name. Sheesh.

David dramatically removed the sheet. I was stunned. It wasn't a blackboard, it was a silver trimmed magically TV screen?! There in front of us, was a waving Ariel with Eric next too her. She was keeping her hand in front of her mouth, presumably to keep from giggling.

"Hi everyone." She finally was able to say in between giggles. "You should see your faces. Oh Snow, you where right, this was fun." Her voice came out clear as a bell.

"She can see us?" Leroy asked still in disbelief.

"Two-way mirror correspondence." Regina stated. "This magic has been lost of centuries. How did you get it?"

"That would be me." Hook said appearing behind Eric. "My old king used to use these to correspond with his naval captains. Extremely useful in war, but when I turned pirate, it was the first thing I stole from him. Now, it seemed like it was good time to bring them back out."

Everyone seemed to have questions at once after that. I couldn't pick them out, but between questions asking how he found Ariel and Eric and how the mirrors worked, I picked out Henry's hurt voice asking why he left.

Henry went right up to the mirror and point-blank asked him again in a loud voice. "Why did you leave?"

Everyone grew quiet. Ariel and Eric moved to give Hook room to get a better view.

"Henry, you know I would never leave if I thought you were in any harm or danger, right?" Hook's voice was quiet as if he was trying to get a scarred puppy to come out from under the bed after a thunderstorm.

"Yeah, I thought I knew that." Henry peevishly replied.

"Well I had other people that could use my help. I wasn't needed in Storybrooke, but I could do some good back on my ship. Besides, I didn't just up and leave without giving your good old granddad a way to get a hold of me."

"Hey, I'm not that old." David piped in, while everyone else laughed.

"I haven't broken any promises, Henry" Hook continued. "I'm still 'part of the team'. I just can't be in Storybrooke right now."

"But your coming back, right?" Henry asked hopefully.

"Of course, I told you I would teach you to sail. One of these days, when your mothers say its alright, I'm going to take you out and make good on that promise, if you still want to."

"Of course I'll want to," Henry returned Hook's smile.

The view of Hook began to dim.

"Sorry, we are out of time. The mirrors can cross realms, but they can't indefinitely."

"Good bye" Waved Ariel from the side them.

Everyone else in the room waved and good-byed back before the screen flicked away.

I heard Mary Margaret telling everyone to grab a plate of food before they left as this was a surprise worth celebrating. Everyone milled around saying how wonderful it was for Ariel and Eric to have found each other and to no longer be marooned alone.

I fled the room. I want up to the loft where I had previously had my room. Everyone downstairs was happy, enjoying each others company.

I cried.