Season five will officially be the death of me. Sunday nights episode was heartbreaking for many. I do not love how things were approached and done, but I have faith in the writers. Let's all stay strong and get ready for the season finale this Sunday. They have yet to disappoint us with a finale.

Review Responses-

Andria-If Emma did not run away, things would be so much simplier. But, Emma is still Emma-

paupaupi-Isn't Henry just the best! He's just getting so big now and I do not know how to handle it. Stay tuned for more Regina and Emma tension!

Chapter 24:Fight, Flight or Fright

Once upon a time, Emma thought that maybe for once, things would go her way.

But knowing her life, that probably would never happen.

It had been a week since her confrontation with Regina at Henry's school. Since than, things had only gotten worse. Every time Regina saw Emma, she would give her distasteful looks, only offering a sneer in her direction. Someone anonymously sent rotten apples to her desks, apples that resembled the ones coming from the tree of the mayor's tree in her backyard and countless other antics on Regina's part in a pursuit to drive Emma mad.

Worst of all, Regina restricted Henry more than ever.

At one point, Emma couldn't take it anymore.

The result was her, standing in the middle of her apartment, throwing her few items into suitcases, with every intent of leaving town. Regina could not terrorize her if she did not know where she was. This was not letting Regina, she rationalized, it was doing what was best for her and for Henry.

Packing was an activity with which Emma was too familiar. As a child, she could pack up her few belongings several times a year, sometimes several times a month. She would simply put all of her things into a garbage bag, the black plastic starting to tear and give out, and move on to the next home, just to repeat the cycle. Emma had so desperately hoped that Storybrooke would be the end of the cycle. But some things never change for a lost girl.

Her entire life was just moving from one temporary home to the next and that was a fact that would never change.

At her core, she was still a foster kid, just looking for a home to call her own.

She moved a shirt into her suitcase before a knock at the door removed her attention from the task at hand. Instinctively, she ran a hand through her hair. No one was supposed to come over tonight-no one ever really came over. If she was going to see Mary Margaret or David, they normally opted for their place and Ruby, well Ruby opted for the Rabbit Hole.

She went to the door, not caring about the mess left inside her apartment, and swung it wide open, revealing Killian on the other side, a white pile of cloth bunched under his right arm, a cup from Granny's in his hand. He was dressed casually, his normal dark jeans and black tshirt with a leather jacket to shield him from the evening air.

"You forgot your sweater at the station. Dave was going to drop it off, but I told him I would run it by." He offered a nervous smile, awkwardly trying to remove the sweater with his prosthetic.

Emma reached for the sweater, now hanging from his left arm. "Thanks, Killian."

They stood there, her one on side of the threshold and his on the other, in silence for a few seconds before he said "I got you a hot chocolate. I haven't seen you at Granny's in a few days and thought you might enjoy one." He offered out the drink, which she took with a slight smile.

"Thanks. That's sweet."

"Emma, I-"

"Please." She cut him off, resisting the urge to talk with her hands while she held the drink. "Don't give me some speech about me avoiding you. Because that's not what I'm doing." Emma knew she was being unfair. Ever since that day at Killian's cabin, she had been giving him mixed signals. One day she was all for them starting a relationship and other days, like today, she was trying to rush him out the door with no explanation of what was going on.

"Than what are you doing, Emma?" He pleaded. "What are we doing?"

Emma opened her mouth, but no words came out. If she was honest with herself, she had no clue what she was doing. Five minutes ago she was ready to leave Storybrooke and forget everyone except Henry with the hopes of giving him a better life. She could not deny that she and Killian shared something, but maybe they were never actually meant to be together.

When she did not answer, Killian looked past her for just a second, then turned his attention back to her. "You're packing." He whispered.

"Killian-"

"You're leaving." He whispered again.

"It's not like that." She stated simply.

"Than explain to me what it is."

Emma did not respond, instead turning around and pacing inside her apartment, leaving the door open for Killian as she hoped he would get her silent invitation. It took a few seconds, but he finally entered her apartment, slowly, closing the door as he walked in.

"I just-I have to get out of here. I can't take it anymore." She vaguely stated and set her drink down on a table besides her.

He took a step closer to her. "Are you really willing to leave Storybrooke? All of your friends? Henry?" Emma only offered him a knowing look in response, resulting in him sighing and rubbing his forehead. "You aren't leaving Henry, are you?"

"Regina is awful to him-"

"Emma you can't take him!" His voice rose. By the look on his face, he could tell that he had startled Emma. He quieted when he said. "You know you can't do this."

"I don't want him to grow up like we did. I want him to have a family."

Killian shook his head. "Emma this is not the way. I more than anyone understand that you do not want anyone to have the childhood we did, but all you are doing is setting him up for more heartbreak and landing yourself in a cell."

Emma looked up at him at the mention of a cell, not sure if she should laugh or immediately sensed her tension. "Emma, I did not mean-"

She waved her hands, muttering "I know". She did not know what else she could say.

"Emma, please don't do this. Don't take him." He begged. "Don't leave."

"There is nothing left for me here." She bit back her emotions. Emma Swan did not cry.

"That's not true, love."

She shook her head roughly, walking over to a suitcase to distract herself with packing. "If I can't be with Henry then what's the point."

He moved to stand in front of her. "Running doesn't solve anything."

She shoved something into her bag before looking up at him. "It's worked in the past."

"It might remove you from the situation, but when has it ever made you happy." He challenged her.

Emma looked back at her packing. "Happiness is not in the cards for me."

He reached for the article of clothing that she was holding, taking it away from her to get her attention. "You know that's not true."

She moved from behind the suitcase to see him better. "When has anything ever gone well in my life?" She was on the verge of yelling. "My life has been a joke. My parents abandoned me and I was tossed around from one home to another. Than I finally get out of that life and I go to jail. I get out of jail and I get robbed. I come to Storybrooke, with the hopes of starting a real life, and I've got the mayor threatening me and trying to drive me out of town. Tell me where in there I got a shot at happiness?"

He took a step towards her. Now only inches separated them. "Now."

"Really?" She rolled her eyes angrily. "You chose now to talk about-whatever we are!?"

He sighed. "That's not what I was insinuating, lass. Sure, we might be something in the future, but there is a lot more than one relationship for your happy ending. But this town is good for you. Don't let one person ruin it for you. The Emma Swan I know does not give up so easily."

"I'm not giving up." She gritted through clenched teeth. "I'm trying to protect him."

"Kidnapping him is not how you protect him. You can-" The ringing of her cell phone cut him off. She gave Killian one final look before reaching for it.

"Hello?"

"Miss Swan." The voice on the other side was frantic.

"Regina?" She looked over to Killian,whose confused expression matched hers.

"Henry's gone. He ran away!" Emma's face dropped. She hadn't yet told Henry of her plans to take him to New York, to give him a new life.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course!" She yelled, ever the bitter mayor. "He never came home from school. I called them and they said never even showed up!"

Emma moved to grab her keys, motioning for Killian to follow her as she walked out of the apartment. "I'm on my way." She hung up before Regina could argue.

"What's going on, love?" Killian was on her heals.

"It's Henry. He's gone."

Several hours later, in the dark and cold of Storybrooke, Henry was found. He had not wandered far, hiding himself away by the old abandoned mines. Regina and Emma, paired with Killian, David and a friend of David's who had been at the sheriff station at the time of the call and specialized in tracking, Robin, were eventually able to find the boy around 9 at night.

Regina had rushed to him first and Emma let her. She straggled behind, waiting a few moments before approaching the boy and his mother. When he saw Emma, he tensed a bit, saying by his mother, but slipping out of her embrace.

"Henry." She kneeled so she was at his height. "I was so worried."

Henry looked down at the ground. "I just missed you." He muttered and she could tell he was holding back tears.

Emma looked up at Regina before whispering to Henry. "I missed you too,kid. But you can not just run away."

"I know." He whispered again.

Regina stepped up, breaking up their conversation. "I believe I may be partially responsible." She breathed out. It did not sound like she thrilled to be admitting this. Henry looked up at her, a bit of hope twinkling in his eyes. "I've turned into my mother. I've completely neglected you and focused on making you something. I love you, Henry. I will make more time for you, I promise."

He smiled a bit, still staring at his mother until she sighed. "And I shouldn't have stopped you from seeing Miss Swan. She only wanted to help you."

Henry's face lit up like it was Christmas. "Does that mean I can see Emma again?"

"I'm sure something can be arranged. After your punishment." Regina stated, sounding much more like her old self.

Henry's face dropped and his mother reached for his hand, leading him to her car. Emma could overhear part of the conversation consisting of Regina telling Henry how he would have no video games for a while. She smiled a bit to herself as she stood up, brushing the dirt off of her knees, looking over to see Killian making his way to her.

His good hand and prosthetic were both in his pockets, as he turned from looking at Regina and Henry to Emma. "You saved the day, sheriff?" He teased.

"You eavesdropping?" She laughed.

He shrugged. "So, all is well with the boy?"

Emma nodded. "He's going to be okay.

Killian nodded. "And you?"

"I'm not going to take him." She ran her hand through her hair, then placed her hand on her hip.

"Are you going to stay?" He asked her quietly.

Emma looked right up at Killian. "Why did you help me today?"

"I care for the boy. And for you if I haven't made myself clear yet."

"But you didn-"

"I did have to. He shouldn't have to fend for himself." Killian stated.

"You barely know him, Killian." Emma pointed out.

He took a step closer. "I know you. He's important to you. And you're important to me. But even if it were not for you, I would not leave a child to the streets. 'Tis no way to grow up."

Emma took in his words. No one had ever fought for her, let alone fought with her for something that was important to her. Killian did not think her relationship with Henry was foolish or tell her to give it up when Regina made it clear she was not welcome around the boy. He instead stood by her, encouraged her and fought with her.

He stayed when no one else did.

He knew so much about her, and yet he never left, willing at least. He stayed with her, helped her and fought for her. He fought to break her walls down, to make his way into her heart and into her life, to get her to trust him.

He succeeded.

Emma raised herself on her toes to press a quick kiss on his cheek before whispering "thank you."

He blushed and Emma had to admit to herself she loved how he looked when his cheeks were bright red. "So, Swan, you're going to stay?" His voice was a strange mixture of hope and doubt.

Emma gave him a shy grin. "How could I leave? I've got my friends here. Henry. You."

His eyes widened. "Me?"

Her grin grew larger. "I told you I wanted this. I meant it. It took me a while, but I want this. I want us."

Killian wasted no time in surging forward to meet her in an overdue kiss. His arms wrapped around her, bring her as close to him as he could. Emma raised herself on her toes again, meeting him in anticipation. The kiss seemed to last forever and yet not long enough. It was only when Emma remembered where they were did she pull away from him, slowly with hesitation, but he kept his arm around her so she could not run, resting his forehead against hers.

"Go out with me?" She gave a breathy whisper.

He chuckled. "Shouldn't I be the one asking you out?" Emma raised her eyebrow and he gave her a full out laugh. "I'd be honored, love."

They stood there, holding each other, probably longer than was appropriate, but neither cared. For once, something went right in Emma's life. She had Henry. She had Killian. She had finally found a home, somewhere she belonged.

Maybe happiness was in her deck of cards after all. She just had to keep dealing the cards to find it.

Please review! Two more reviews before we reach 100! I would love to make 100 before the season finale! Thank you so much for reading!