I am very excited to share this chapter with you. I hope that it is everything you imagined :) This is only the first interaction, so I felt that it deserved a chapter of its own. The heartier conversation will take place in the chapter that follows. I look forward to reading your reactions and any ideas/hopes you may have for Chapter 18.
"Are you sure we're in the right place?"
They family opted to park and ride into the city, since they were already coming from New Jersey, rather than deal with the hassle of traffic. Though, Emma is no stranger to driving in the city, having lived here before, she knows that the congestion is a tremendous source of stress for Regina. Storybrooke is, after all, the result of the brunette woman's own paranoia and need for control over her surroundings. Honestly, the blonde woman is relieved that she doesn't have to deal with the frustrations of traffic on top of her splitting headache and upset stomach and overall agitated state. Emma is completely in tune with the psychosomatic reactions inside her body, that she recognizes the link between her headache and nausea, and the nervousness she feels about seeing her son again. However, she can't help worrying that the nausea is indicative of something more.
"Where's Henry?" The little girl inquires as to the whereabouts of her brother. It is entirely understandable why this child is growing impatient. Her parents are just thrilled that she managed to keep it together this long.
Regina is relieved that she decided to carry Charlie this whole time rather than risk a chance of the child breaking away from her grasp and getting lost in the crowd, the thought of which nauseates the queen. The brunette woman fishes her phone out of her purse to reread the latest text message from her son. "He said he'd meet us at Port Authority. I assumed, near the entrance." Recognizing the younger woman's agitated state, Regina checks-in. "Are you alright?"
"How are we going to find him in this sea of people?" The exasperation in her voice is evident.
Suddenly, Regina spots her precious boy. "There he is," she announces, pointing toward the 8th Avenue entrance. Apparently, Henry was running a little late and had just entered the building.
A sudden wave of terror crashes over the already agitated blonde. She is in full-blown fight or flight mode, and in this moment, flight sounds like a more appealing option.
"Henry," Regina calls out. "I think he sees us," she happily informs.
"Regina, I can't do this." The blonde woman is unable to stand still; the urge to flee is too strong.
Thankfully, she is with the one person who has always had the ability to reach her in those moments when she feels like she is drowning. With three simple words, Regina chases away all the demons of the past, currently haunting Emma's recollection. "Yes you can."
Her heart stops racing, her body stills. And, in the relief, she feels sadness. "What if he rejects me?"
Regina grasps the younger woman's hand in her own and holds Emma's gaze so she understands the sincerity of her words. "Your son loves you. He wants you to be a part of his life."
Whether she believes it or not, Emma timidly nods her understanding.
"Go," Regina quietly urges.
The blonde woman begins to walk the thirty feet, which feel more like a mile, toward the son she abandon more than once. Even though she's convinced she may vomit if she opens her mouth, the blonde woman tries to speak anyway. "Henry?"
The young man remains closed off. He is, after all, his mother's son.
The right words escape her, so she decides to make an innocent observation instead. "You're taller than me now."
It's obvious how hard it is for the boy to remain stoic against his mother's gentle advances. He averts his eyes for fear of letting his mother see just how much he missed her. He firmly believes that if he lets her back into his life too easily, she might one day abandon him again.
"Henry…" She cannot breath, breathing is impossible. She falls apart and, if she didn't know better, she would swear she is having a heart-attack.
Okay, that's punishment enough, the young man decides. This woman is way harder on herself than he could ever be. He wraps his arms securely around his mother's trembling frame. "Mom."
The woman is crying so hard that she is choking, but she still manages, "I'm so sorry."
The young man's tears are flowing freely now, he feels like the ten-year-old boy who was just reunited with the woman who put him up for adoption. "I'm sorry, too."
Nope. There is no way she is about to let her son accept any of the responsibility for her mistake. The strength of her conviction is stronger than the flood of emotions overtaking her. "You have nothing to be sorry for. Not a thing. Understand?" Even though he is much more grown up now, he will always be her baby boy. She holds his face in her hands to make sure that he understands the weight of her words. He nods his understanding. She hugs him again. "Not a day went by, when I didn't think about you." Subconsciously, one or both of them begin to rock each other. "I'm sorry I left. I'm sorry for everything I put you through."
She feels her little boy hug her tighter in response.
"I missed you so much," Henry quietly mutters.
"I missed you too, kid. I'll make it up to you, Henry, I swear. I love you."
"I love you, Mom."
Once mother and son have calmed, they break the tender embrace. "I can't believe how much you've grown." The young woman is practically beaming and, most importantly, she feels it.
"Yeah," Henry replies, bashfully.
"I'm so proud of you." She smiles at him in adoration.
"Thanks. Mom," he genuinely responds. In this moment, he is just grateful to have his mother back. "Where's Mom?" Henry searches the perimeter for signs of his brunette mother. Unfortunately, she is usually wearing mostly black, so finding her is going to be a challenge.
Luckily, the brunette woman had been watching this scene play out from a respectable distance and approaches the pair once she realizes that mother and son have had adequate time alone to address the separation. The blonde woman's heart erupts with joy when she spots the woman she loves making her way over with their little girl tucked safely in her arms.
"That's Henry," Charlie confidently announces, pointing through the crowd of commuters.
"Yes, honey. I see him." Regina acknowledges, attempting to calm the overly animated child, with her voice.
As Henry watches the pair approach, he starts to connect the pieces of the puzzle. "Mom?"
Keeping her eyes focused on the approaching woman and child, the blonde woman involuntarily voices the words playing in her mind. "Now you know why I left." There is a hint of sorrow in her voice, which her son recognizes immediately.
"Is she-?"
"Mommy," the little girl cheers.
"Come here, baby girl," the blonde woman responds, scooping her daughter into her arms. She is automatically comforted just by holding her precious angel close to her heart. "Charlie, this is your big brother, Henry."
Recognizing that her little girl has suddenly become shy, Regina encourages, "Can you say 'hi' to Henry?"
"Hi," Charlie timidly greets.
"Hi, Charlie," Henry eagerly reciprocates, smiling wildly at his sister in an attempt to keep the tears at bay.
"Do you have something for Henry?" Emma reminds her reluctant daughter.
"Mm-hm." Charlie, without any further prompting, hands her brother the somewhat crinkled piece of paper that she had been clutching. She had somehow managed to complete the drawing in the car ride from Sylvia's.
"Is this for me?" Henry enthusiastically responds, accepting the offered drawing. He immediately examines the illustration and instantly recognizes its premise.
"Can you tell Henry what that's a picture of?" Regina is only too eager for her children to bond.
"Our family," the intelligent child informs.
All three grown-ups smile in approval.
"Is that me, right there?" Henry points to the only figure with short brown hair, even though his stature is a little squatty compared to the other figures on the page. It's not an accurate representation, but Henry quickly dismisses the oversight. He is only too thrilled that this little girl identifies him as her brother.
Charlie nods excitedly, appreciative of Henry's recognition.
"It looks just like me," he adds, to which the little girl responds by giggling. She is obviously already enamored by her brother. "Good job, Charlie!" Henry holds up his hand, waiting for his sister to high-five him.
The mothers' hearts swell with joy, watching the first interaction, ever, between their children.
Just then, the blonde woman has a brilliant idea. "I think Henry looks like he could use a hug," Emma gently suggests.
"I think you're right. Henry looks like he needs a Charlie hug," Regina encourages.
Without hesitation, the little girl throws her arms around her brother's neck and kisses him on the cheek. "Thanks Charlie. I needed that." Henry beams at his baby sister. He only wishes he could go home, to Storybrooke, with his family and spend quality time with the little sister he never knew he wanted, until this moment.
"Charlie gives the best hugs," Emma informs, gently tickling her little girl's side with her index finger. Charlie is even more precious when she is laughing.
"I have to agree. That was the best hug," Henry confirms.
The little girl is practically star-struck. Not only has she just met the brother she had heard stories about, but he is clearly a fan of hers as well. "Mommy." The child wraps her arms around her blonde mother's neck and buries her face in her shoulder.
"She's going to be shy now," Emma recognizes. Instinctively, she begins rocking her little girl. The day has been so full of excitement, she thinks; the baby probably needs to relax for a little bit.
The joyful young man turns his attention toward his brunette mother. "Mom."
"Sweetheart." Regina holds her son firmly in her embrace.
"I missed you so much," the young man admits. He is not even embarrassed to say it.
"I missed you too." She hugs him tighter. "How was your first week?" She immediately examines her son upon breaking the comfortable embrace and instantly worries that he is not getting enough to eat.
"I really like it here, but I miss home," Henry confesses.
"Well, home misses you too," Regina confidently states. "Don't let me forget to give you some money before we leave." Regina makes a point to mention this now, for fear of forgetting in several hours. "I don't want you to go hungry."
"I'm fine, Mom," the boy whines, sounding more like his baby-sister rather than a grown-up.
"I know. You're a college student now. You can take care of yourself." The brunette woman fakes offense. "You don't need me anymore."
Henry never would have imagined, seven years ago, that he and his mother would one day reach this level of comfort with each other. "I will always need you, Mom," Henry emphasizes, wrapping his mother in loving embrace and lifting the petite woman off the ground, with ease.
Mother and son share a light-hearted laugh at their silliness.
The ever observant mother points-out, "You look happy."
"So do you." Henry smiles in approval. "She looks just like you," he adds, referencing his little sister.
"I should certainly hope so," the queen matter-of-factly responds. The queen of sass is back in her element.
"Hey!" The younger woman fakes offense.
The chemistry between his parents is unmatched. "I missed you, Moms."
Regina adopts a tone of sincerity. "Thank you for always believing in us."
"I knew you two would figure it out some day." He can't help but feel a little smug in this moment.
More buses must have arrived, the crowd thickens. "Why don't we go somewhere less crowded?" the blonde woman suggests.
"Okay," Henry agrees. "Where would you like to go?"
"Are you hungry?" Regina cannot stop herself from fussing over her grown-up son.
"You know me. I could always eat," he responds and shrugs his shoulders.
"You are definitely my kid," Emma proudly confirms.
Regina revels in utter delight at witnessing the interaction between her favorite people. She missed this for so long. "We can go anywhere you'd like, I'm treating," she informs her son.
"Awesome! I know a great place and its close," Henry replies, enthusiastically. "Follow me." He begins to lead the way.
The once calm little girl begins squirming in her blonde mother's arms and whining, possibly indicating sudden discomfort.
Becoming alarmed, Regina inquires, "What's wrong, sweetie?"
"Henry." The little girl begins to cry.
Emma instantly attempts to soother her daughter. "Henry's right there baby girl, we're going with him."
"Henry," she continues to cry.
"Hey, kid," the younger woman calls out, over the crowd. Henry turns around immediately and quickly makes his way back, through the mass of commuters. "Would you mind carrying your sister?"
Henry crouches down, as if he is about to share a secret with his little sister. "You want to ride on my shoulders, Charlie?" Henry makes sure to keep his voice low, so his brunette mother won't protest her children's idea of fun. His eyebrows automatically lift at the proposition and the tiny child brightens. She absolutely adores her brother and the thought of sharing a special secret makes her love him even more.
"Yeah!"
"That sounds like fun." Evidently, their blonde mother approves. Henry crouches down so he is significantly shorter than his blonde mother. "I've got you kiddo." Emma helps her daughter find a comfortable position on top of her son's shoulders.
"Please be careful." The queen agonizes over unwelcomed images of her baby girl falling that begin invading her conscious thoughts. Her level of anxiety is growing by the second.
"I've got her Mom, don't worry." Henry assures, rising from his stooped position, holding his baby sister's legs securely.
"Don't worry, Mom," Charlie calls back, following her brother's lead.
"Yeah, don't worry Mom." Emma follow suit and casually wraps one arm around the older woman's shoulders. Regina just hides her face in her hand, in exasperation. She didn't realize until this moment that she has three children.
"Just hang on tight, Charlie," Henry instructs.
"We'll be right behind you," Emma calls out. She quickly turns her attention to Regina and makes a startling realization. The older woman is noticeably crying. "Hey, are you okay?"
"Our children are together."
Emma secures both of her arms around the crying woman, who relaxes in her embrace. "Our family is together."