"Ouch!" Esme screamed as she was flung from the windy portal and onto the harsh, unrelenting pavement.
"You okay?" Regina asked as she rubbed her neck; she had landed on all fours and her neck had jolted awkwardly and painfully following being flung from the portal.
"Oh yeah, don't worry. It just hurt a hell of a lot more that time," Esme said as she attempted to joke. When she and Regina looked at one another; they giggled for a moment. They didn't really know what exactly they were laughing at, but they laughed nevertheless. As their giggles slowly started to distegrate, Esme slowly got to her feet. The tunic she had worn while in Messene offered her delicate skin absolutely no protection; so there were now two gory looking bleeding scrapes on her knees from where they had impacted with the rough concrete. Regina saw that she was in pain, and bolted to her feet before she offered her arm as support; she helped Esme get up. Esme could see that her mom was alarmed at the blood that slowly trickled down each of her legs, but she reassured her that she was fine. As they stood up, practically holding each other up, Esme slowly began to drink in Storybrooke. The musky smell, carried by the wind, of the forrest after it rained. The gentle yellow glow of the street lamps, the lights in homes and, finally, the infamous clock tower. This was home. Esme knew that. She could feel it in her bones; this is where she was meant to be. With that realisation came an overwhelming sense of relief. She did it. Regina was home safely, Robin was with the boys so they were fine and she had made it home.
"You sure you're okay?" Regina asked as she put her arm around Esme's shoulder and gently kissed the side of her head. She had watched Esme for a few moments and her heart soared; Esme had this beautiful glint in her eye. Regina would go to the moon and back a million times just to see that in her eyes once more because that glint showed that she was happy; totally and blissfully happy. Esme turned to look at her mom and smiled. She wasn't quite sure why, but she was happy and so a smile spread across her face.
"Oh, i'm fine," Esme laughed. Regina smiled and hugged her quickly but whenever she began to pull away, Esme pulled her closer.
"Thank you," Esme whispered as she buried her head into her mothers neck. Regina hugged her daughter even tighter. There had been nights when she had dreamt of this; Henry used to do it when he was sad too.
"Oh sweetheart. What else would I have done," Regina said and kissed her daughter once again on her head. Esme had always known that Regina would never have left her there, but she hoped she wouldn't put herself at risk. Now she was covered bruised and exhausted. Esme breathed in Regina's sweet perfume, rested her head on her mothers shoulder and relished in the comfort and safety of a hug from her mom.
"Now, much as I would love to stand her, I think there are three boys back home that are dying to see you. So what do you say?" Regina said as she slowly pulled away and extended her arm for Esme to take .
"Lets go home, mom," Esme said and as she linked her arm with Regina's, she saw a smile spread across Regina's face.
"What's that smile for?" Esme laughed as the two began to walk slowly down main-street.
"Nothing," Regina protested but when she was quickly shot a look, she new that Esme wasn't quite going to accept that. Esme was many things, but stupid was not one of them.
"I just… I just like hearing you call me mom, that's all!" Regina explained to which Esme smiled.
"Umm.. yeah sorry! Sometimes it's Regina, sometimes its mom. I dunno I can't explain it," Esme tried to explain but she quickly stopped talking when she saw the smile gradually disappear from Regina's face. She had intended to downplay calling Regina mom because she wanted to try and avoid any and all awkwardness. However she knew that what she had said came out an awful lot more harsh that she had intended.
"No no! I don't mean I don't think of you as mom… I'm not explaining this very well. I just mean, you're more mom, than Regina now?" Esme tried. She hoped that it would work because she didn't know how else to explain it; thankfully Regina held Esme's hand, the one that was linked with Regina's arm.
"That's good enough for me," Regina smiled. As they approached the clock tower, Esme heard the gentle jingle of the bell from granny's ring behind them.
"Regina?"
As Esme and Regina turned around, they saw Snow emerging from Granny's with baby Neil bundled up in her arms. Esme looked at Regina for guidance as to what to do; Esme liked Snow, but there was nothing she wanted more than to see the rest of her family now. Regina, however, began to walk back towards Snow, and so Esme began to walk alongside her. When Snow met them in the middle, she wrapped her free arm around Regina, who awkwardly hugged her back, and then Esme.
"Oh sweetie, it is so good to see you. You look awful!" she told Esme.
"Umm, thanks?" Esme joked. Esme knew Snow didn't mean that quite the way it sounded; she also knew that she did, in fact, look awful.
"No, I didn't mean- I just meant i'm glad you're home. And I know those brothers of yours will be too!"
"That's actually who we were just going to see! Would you mind if we catch up tomorrow?" Esme asked.
"No of course not but, sweetie, you were going the wrong way," Snow explained, however the confused looks that were etched into Regina and Esme's faces encouraged her to continue.
"They are in Granny's," Snow explained. With that Esme could feel the excitement bubble up inside of her; her heart began to flutter and a smile spread across her simply at the thought of seeing the rest of her family again. With this excitement came a tinge of nerves; would they be angry? Was Robin still angry she sent him away? Regardless of this, before she knew it her feet began moving almost independently and she promptly arrived at the door of Granny's and waited. Behind that aged, wooden door was her father, two brothers and a whole lot of people from a town she now called home. In front of it, Esme was independent but she knew that the second she stepped through, she would need all of those people in order to be happy, just as she knew she needed her mom, and for some unfathomable reason that actually scared her.
"You okay?" Regina asked as she placed her gently on Esme's back, thus promptly breaking the day dream she was in.
"Oh, yeah," she said as she smiled at her mother and quickly opened the door. As always, there was a loud jingle from the bell and, just as Esme feared, all eyes were on her. She was met by stunned silence; everyone slowly began to stop the conversations they were in or stopped eating their food and just stared. She stood uncomfortably in the door way, feeling desperately exposed and waited for a couple of seconds; she wasn't really sure about what to do.
"Ummm, hi everyone?" Esme said as she awkwardly waved to the people that were staring at her like she was some foreign being. She looked around and although she didn't see her family, nobody seemed to mind, for within seconds they came running at her. There was a chorus of 'Esme!'s before she was engulfed by arms wrapping around her waist and neck. She tried to return the hug to everyone, but there were so many people that she wasn't sure who the arms belonged to. Once the gang of people had gradually began to disperse, she attempted to answer all of the "where have you been?"s and "how are you?"s as best she could. That is until people stopped asking. Initially, she was confused as to why. That is until she noticed that the huge mob of people that had surrounded her with love and support had turned her around so that her back was to the back of the diner. During her questioning, Esme hadn't really noticed however whenever everyone went silent, she slowly turned around and saw three very surprised people standing at the bathroom door.
"Sissy!" Roland screamed as a smile beamed from his face. He escaped from the grip of Robin's hand and lunged straight at her. He jumped straight into her arms and gripped her neck so tight that he almost choked her; but she didn't care. His long floppy curls smelled of the woods and dirt and his tiny shoes were covered in dirt; nothing had changed. Within seconds of Roland jumping onto her, Esme felt another set of arms wrap themselves tightly around her waist; Henry. He was almost her hight and so when he rested his head on her shoulder, she was able to hear his whisper.
"Thank you."
Esme bumped Roland to her hip and wrapped her free arm around Henry before she replied.
"What for?" she whispered back.
"Going in there for Mom and Robin," he explained, all the while continuing to cling tightly to her.
Esme couldn't answer; she wasn't sure if it was because she was surprised that that was the first thing that Henry had said to her or that she was too happy to even form a sentence. Either way, she couldn't answer, so instead, she kissed both of her brothers gently on the head. There was one person who was missing in the picture perfect embrace and that was Robin. Instead of running to her like the boys had done, like she had wanted, he remained at the exact spot he had emerged from. Also, as opposed to looking elated like her brothers, Robin looked horrified. He knew that she had been locked up and he had had to come to terms with that while he and Regina fought to return to her, but he wasn't expecting her to look the way she did; battered and bloody and ill. She was ghostly pale, she had lost weight and she was covered head to toe in bruises and scratches. Esme knew that he was concerned; he had the same look on his face now as he did when Regina was in hospital. So, as she eventually escaped the clutches of her brothers, she began to walk towards him. As she got closer, she saw that his eyes were glistening.
"I'm fine," she said as she slowly walked towards him; she walked tentatively, as if se was worried that any sudden movements would startle him.
"No. You're not," he said and with that, he buried his face in his hands. Esme immediately went to him and wrapped her arms around him, desperate to comfort him in some way.
"It wasn't your fault, okay? None of it was your fault," she soothed as she gently stroked the back of his head and continued to hold him tight. Robin removed his face from his hands and looked Esme in the eye.
"I am your father. It is my job to protect you and I am so so sorry that I didn't. Please… please forgive me," he pleaded.
"I don't need to" Esme explained and with that Robin wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. Her head rested firmly on his broad shoulder and with the comfort of his arms around her, she sank into chest like it was home.
"Alright, alright, let the rest of us see her!" Granny ordered and seconds after Esme pulled herself form the comfort of Robins embrace, she was firmly in the arms of Granny. Granny rubbed Esme's backwash so much force, it was somewhat painful as her hands ran over her aching and bruised ribcage. This, however, was Granny's signature, and right after she made Esme delicately recoil in pain, Granny kissed her cheek.
"I'm glad you're home," Granny whispered into Esme's ear. Esme smiled at the sincerity and love with which she said it; she found it funny that woman who pretended to be so strong was actually such a mush. And she loved it. She had missed it.
"Glad to be home, Granny," Esme whispered in response and with that, Granny broke free of Esme's grip and hurried back to the kitchen.
Esme smiled as everyone immediately circled around her again, and as much as she appreciated their love and support, she was exhausted. There was nothing that she wanted more than a mug of tea and sleep.
Henry and Roland muscled their way in through the crowd and quickly attached themselves to her hips again, while Robin and Regina stopped beside her, attempting to answer some questions for her. She was getting bombarded.
"Leave the girl alone now everyone!" Granny barked as she emerged from the kitchen once more. Esme laughed as everyone immediately obeyed; they hugged and kissed her, told her how glad they were that she was home and either returned to their original places or left the diner for the evening.
"Regina!" Granny called and waved her hand; gesturing for Regina to join her at the counter, which she rolled her eyes at before she begrudgingly obliged. Esme watched as Granny handed her two huge, large dishes that were all wrapped up in foil, and handed her a little piece of paper. Regina smiled at her, genuinely, thanked her and then walked back towards her family. Robin immediately took the heavy dishes off Regina before giving her a confused look. Regina simply smiled.
"Granny said we are to take you home. She said she's made you some of her lasagne and some cobbler," Regina explained to Esme. Esme looked over at Granny and although Granny gave her the warmest smile she could muster, Esme wasn't quite content with leaving without thanking her. She walked to the counter, wrapped the older woman into a hug and thanked her.
"You get home safe now, you hear me?" Granny ordered, a demand to which Esme smiled.
"I hear ya," she said and after Granny puled her in for one last embrace, Esme turned to find Regina standing behind her.
"How about we get you home?" Regina asked as she stroked Esme's hair; although she intended for it to be an affectionate gesture, Esme's hair was so matted that her fingers got caught in amongst the tangles.
"And maybe a bath?" Regina continued.
"Well excuse me! Hygiene wasn't big over there," Esme laughed, as she ran her hands through her hair to see what the fuss was about; after which she quickly agreed with Regina.
"Come on," Regina laughed.
"Yay! Papa are we taking sissy home now? I want her to read me a story," Roland asked.
"They didn't read you stories when I was away?!" Esme asked dramatically and comically. She of course knew Regina did; she always did.
"They did but Gina doesn't do the voices as good as you," Roland laughed. Regina opened her mouth in mocked offence, which sent Roland into a fit of delightfully childlike, innocent giggles.
"Well just for that little guy, you are gonna get an extra long bath tonight!" Regina said and with that Roland ran out the door, with Regina close behind him. Robin laughed and put his arm around Esme's frail shoulders and, with Henry continuing to cling to her hand, the three said their goodbyes and walked out the door.