Chapter 13

This was unbelievable. Mia couldn't wrap her head around it…Emma had a kid – a kid that was her age – her twin apparently. Who did that? Who had twins and only gave one away? She could almost understand if Emma had given them both away…almost. She still would have been angry, but she wouldn't have been this…hurt. She knew Emma was a teenager when she had Henry…and apparently her - a teenager who had been in jail. But to keep Henry and only give her away - like she wasn't good enough…it made her feel like she didn't matter to Emma at all. It was a horrible feeling.

Mia didn't want to be there anymore. The hospital room felt too small for her and her birth mother. She didn't want to see her and she didn't want to talk to her. She was almost out the door when she felt Emma's hand on her arm. She tried to pull away, but Emma just tightened her hold. She gave up fighting against her after a few seconds and just stood there, barely hearing what the woman was saying to her.

"No, it's not okay. Let me go. You did it once before…it shouldn't be that hard to do it again." Mia thought Emma would let her go then, but she didn't…she said she wasn't going to let her go again.

Mia just wanted to be alone, but she realized quickly the only way she was getting away from Emma was if she went to Mary Margaret's...like she needed a babysitter - more like a warden. She finally agreed to go to Mary Margaret's just to get out of there and away from Emma - and the painfully awkward conversation they were having. She had more questions, but…she didn't think there was anything Emma could say that would make her feel better – and she was afraid the woman would say something that would actually make her feel even worse than she already did – if that was even possible.

Neal tried to give her advice before she left. He thought she hated them, but he didn't want her to walk away from this chance to have a family…a family with Emma and Henry. She didn't hate them. She couldn't. But she didn't know if she could forgive them either.

"I don't hate you…I could never hate you," Mia whispered. "But...I don't forgive you…I don't know if I ever will. I'm sorry."

"That's okay…you don't need to be sorry. You, uh, think I can have a hug before you go?"

Emma finally let go of her. She walked over to Neal numbly and let him pull her against his chest. She was stiff at first…but it wasn't like when Trey held her. For starters, Neal's hands were a lot higher and they were nowhere near her butt. And he smelled like a strange combination of the woods and hospital instead of beer and cigarettes. She tried to relax and actually enjoy the feeling of being safe in her father's arms…for once. She knew it was a goodbye hug. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying not to cry. He was kind of a jerk, but he was still her dad…and that meant something to her. It was why she couldn't hate him…no matter how much she hated what he did thirteen years ago.

"You're gonna be okay, kid. I'll be watching over you from somewhere. Sorry it took so long, but you've got a home now for as long as you want one. Family is forever."

Mia kept her head down as she walked back toward Emma. She didn't want her to see the tears that had formed in her eyes. She felt the woman's hand on her shoulder and immediately shrugged it off.

The woman kept annoyingly close to her as they left the hospital…she probably thought she'd run. Every instinct she had was telling her to run before Emma hurt her any more than she already had. But for the first time in a long time, her heart was saying something different. Mia didn't know what she was going to do.

The car ride to Mary Margaret and David's apartment was completely silent. Mia did not want to talk to Emma - and Emma knew it.

Zelena ignored the distrustful look the Savior gave her and busied herself in the kitchen where she could hear everything the Savior and Snow White – or Mary Margaret here – were saying, but it wouldn't look like she was listening in. She did have to strain to hear because Emma and Mary Margaret kept their voices low, but she managed to catch the gist of the conversation.

"What is she doing here?" Emma asked with a not-so-subtle glance in Zelena's general direction.

Mary Margaret frowned. "I called her. I was worried about the baby."

Emma shifted uncomfortably and looked away. "Can you watch Mia for me?"

Zelena followed Emma's gaze to the little girl who was sitting on the couch. She knew the Savior had a son…the little boy her own sister adopted, but she didn't know who this girl was. She had seen her the first time she spoke to Mary Margaret, but hadn't paid her much attention at the time.

"If Mia's as much like me as I think she is, she'll run if she has a chance," Emma warned Mary Margaret in a low voice. "Don't give her one."

"I don't understand…why would she run?" Mary Margaret whispered.

"Because…she knows she's my daughter."

"You told her?" Mary Margaret said excitedly.

"About me – yes. She knows who her parents are and that Henry is her brother."

Zelena studied the girl in question detachedly…she did have an uncanny resemblance to her sister's adopted son.

"She doesn't know who you are. I don't know how to explain that her grandparents and I are the same age," Emma continued.

"Oh, Emma…I thought she'd be happy she found her parents."

Well, that was certainly interesting…the Savior had a long-lost daughter…one who apparently wasn't very happy to be found. This had possibilities…

"She's not happy. She's scared – scared I'll leave her again, scared I'll hurt her…just scared."

Zelena decided she'd heard plenty. She slipped over to the couch and gestured to the cushion next to the Savior's daughter. "May I?"

The little girl eyed her warily, but eventually shrugged. Zelena took that as an invitation to sit down. She didn't let it bother her that the girl wasn't in the mood for company. "I don't know if you remember me…"

"Zelena, right? Mary Margaret's…midwife or whatever."

"Yes. Forgive me…I don't think we've been properly introduced. You are…?"

"Mia," the girl said shortly.

"So…how do you know Mary Margaret, Mia?"

"She's babysitting me," the girl said with a surprising amount of bitterness in her voice. Oh, she was angry indeed – and she did not seem to think she needed a babysitter.

Zelena tried to look sympathetic and understanding. "You do look a little old to have a babysitter."

The girl looked at her in surprise, apparently not having expected her to agree. She seemed glad to have someone agree with her and warmed up the tiniest bit, venting her frustration. "I know, right? I'm almost thirteen. I've been a babysitter."

"Really? And your mother still won't leave you home alone?"

"Oh, she's, uh…she's not…um-" The girl glanced over her shoulder at Emma and Mary Margaret and then turned back to her with a small sigh. "Did Mary Margaret tell you Emma was my mother?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I just assumed."

After dropping Mia off with Mary Margaret, Emma and Neal were back in the woods. They were where they had been last time…when Neal turned into Gold.

Emma gave Neal a questioning look. "So what was that…back in the hospital? I thought you didn't want her to think you were a jerk."

"I know…I didn't, but I don't want her to think you're a jerk either. If knowing what I did back then helps her understand why you gave her up…" Neal shrugged.

"You didn't have to do that."

"Yeah, I did. She needs you, Emma. She needs a family. Don't stop fighting for her…even if she fights like hell against you."

"Mia and Henry need you, too. Are you sure you want to do this?" Emma knew she didn't want to.

"Yeah…they need me to do this so you can save them."

"I've never done anything like this before…not this big," Emma said uncertainly.

"Do it to save you and Henry and Mia. Do it. Please."

Emma grabbed his hand and squeezed it tightly. She closed her eyes and thought of Henry and Mia…of the life they could have in New York after she found the wicked witch. Her magic only worked when it was motivated by emotion – usually her overwhelming need to protect her family…the family she hadn't had for twenty-eight years. She felt that now…and she felt her magic working.

Neal cried out and fell to the ground again…just like he had last time they were in the woods.

Emma felt a strong tug on her hand as he dropped to the ground. Her eyes flew open and she stumbled slightly as she was pulled down next to him, never once letting go of his hand. "Neal!" She maneuvered him into a more comfortable position where his head was resting in her lap and she was holding him. "Neal, are you okay?"

"What have you done?" Gold demanded. He had appeared outside of Neal…which meant her magic worked – Neal was separated from his father…and he would die.

Emma couldn't hold back her tears…she had just found him and she was losing him – again. It was too hard…it hurt too much – this was why she wouldn't let herself be with him.

"It's okay, Papa…I told her to." Neal tried to defend her.

"But why?" Gold questioned.

"So you can tell her who the witch is so you can defeat her," Neal explained.

"Zelena," Gold answered immediately.

Mary Margaret's midwife was the wicked witch…what? Shit, that would be the same midwife that was in the apartment with Mary Margaret and…Mia. Oh, shit… "What? What does she want?"

"What she doesn't have." Okay…that was not helpful, but that was Gold…he almost never gave real answers. But she would have time to figure that out later. Neal didn't have time.

Emma looked down at Neal…his face was so pale. "There has to be some way you can save him, right?"

"It's too late, Emma," Neal said. It sounded like he had already given up.

"Just hang in there please. You never even had a chance to see Henry…for him to remember you." Emma hoped he would fight for Henry if not for her.

"It's okay. I just want him – them – to know that in the end I was a good father. I saved this for you to give to you again. Take it." Neal withdrew a silver chain from his pocket slowly…it was the swan keychain he gave her that she'd worn as a necklace. "Go find Tallahassee…even if it's without me…"

Emma felt her heart breaking all over again. "Neal."

"Hey, I'll be watching over you guys from somewhere. Promise me - just promise me you guys will be happy."

Emma leaned down to rest her head on top of his. "I promise."

Mia was taking a nap in the loft bedroom at the apartment and Zelena was nowhere to be found. The witch had gone out the bathroom window…she must have known they were on to her. Regina was putting a protection spell up around the apartment so she couldn't come back.

"Speaking of magic…any luck replicating the memory potion?" Emma asked.

"No. There was nothing left to replicate after my last attempt."

"Oh. Want to put on a magic show for Henry?"

Regina narrowed her eyes. "Why?"

"I want to tell him the truth about everything, but he'll never believe it if he doesn't believe in magic," Emma explained.

Regina arched an eyebrow. "Everything?"

"Yes…you, his life here, Mia."

Regina eyed her suspiciously. "Why the sudden desire to tell the truth? Last time I checked, you were getting good at lying."

Emma sighed. "Yeah, well, lies have a way of coming out. Mia kind of figured out that I'm her mom. I need to tell Henry he has a sister. He deserves to know. And besides he knows something's up. He's been asking questions about Storybrooke and the people here."

"I didn't raise a fool," Regina said with a little bit of pride in her voice.

"No, you didn't. He's smart. But this isn't like last time…last time he believed. I didn't. I thought the curse was crazy."

"How did you believe?" Regina asked.

"I didn't…not until Henry ate the apple turnover you gave me."

"Not one of my finer moments," Regina acknowledged. "And not an option this time."

"Right. But this is still Henry we're talking about. And he's still the truest believer. It didn't take a poisoned apple turnover for him to believe. He believed because of the book…the storybook."

"The storybook was swept away by the last curse. It's not in his room anymore. I already looked. I do have something that might help though," Regina mused.

"What?"

"Pictures of his life with me from the moment I adopted him to the moment the two of you crossed the town line. I have pictures of every birthday and every Christmas. It may not prove the existence of magic, but it will prove that he had a life here that he doesn't remember."

"Hey, kid. How was it?" Emma asked as Henry buckled his seatbelt.

"It was awesome. We should take more fishing trips when we get back home. Hey, where's Mia?"

"Mia's…with Mary Margaret."

"She doesn't like fishing, huh?"

"It's, uh, not that…it's – I needed to talk to her about something, and she needs some time to deal with it."

"Did you find her parents?"

Emma stilled. "What makes you think that?"

"I know you're looking for them…and you wanted to talk to her alone. It's the only thing that makes sense."

Emma nodded slowly. "I did actually."

"Then…why is she with Mary Margaret? Why isn't she with her parents?" Henry questioned innocently.

"It's complicated, Henry."

Henry frowned. "They didn't want her…did they?"

"No, it's not that. It's like I said…she just needs some time to deal with it. You trust me, right?"

Henry nodded. "I trust you, Mom. What's this about?"

"You were right - I haven't been completely honest with you about this trip. I'm going to tell you everything, but it's going to be hard for you to swallow. It's…a lot to ask anyone to believe in. You're going to need proof. Will you come somewhere with me?"

"Of course."

Henry recognized the large white house Emma parked in front of. "Why are we at the mayor's house? Mom, what's going on?"

"You'll see. Come on."

Regina was waiting for them and opened the door before they even made it to the front porch. "Henry…hi," she said nervously. "Come in."

"Hi," Henry said politely though he eyed Regina a little suspiciously.

Regina led the way into the living room and they all sat down. They had agreed that they should tell Henry together, but Emma was the only mother that Henry remembered and she had to be the one to start the conversation.

Emma looked at the thick leather-bound photo album on the coffee table. Regina inclined her head slightly…it was the photo album they had talked about. Emma picked it up and gave it to Henry.

Henry stared at it. "A book? Why are you giving me this?"

"It's actually a photo album and it has pictures of you in it," Emma told him.

"Yeah? Why does the mayor have it?"

"Because you were with her when these pictures were taken."

Henry glanced at Regina and then turned to Emma. "I don't understand. Did I know her when I was a baby or something? Is she another old friend?"

"Kind of, but it's more complicated than that."

As Henry flipped through the photo album, confusion washed over him. "Mom? Why aren't you in any of these pictures?"

"Because I wasn't there."

Henry looked a little frustrated. "You're not making any sense right now."

"I know." Emma looked over Henry's shoulder…it looked like he was about seven or eight in the picture the album was open to. He was wearing a long-sleeve shirt with a reindeer on it and red and green flannel pajama pants. He was opening Christmas presents with a big grin on his face. "I know you don't remember any of this, but it happened. The pictures are real, Henry…it's your memories that aren't real."

"What are you saying?" Henry asked with frustration in his voice. "Whatever you have to tell me, just tell me!"

Emma took a deep breath, hoping Henry believed in her enough to hear her out. If either of her kids were going to believe, it would be him. He believed in the curse when no one else did. He was the truest believer. "Do you believe in me?"

"Yes, of course I do, but I know you've been lying to me since we got here…and I know there's something you're still not telling me."

"I'm sorry I was keeping things from you. You were right – you deserve to know the truth, but I need you to believe in me…and I need you to believe in magic."

"Magic?" Henry said skeptically.

Emma nodded. "Magic is real. It would...be easier if Regina showed you."

"Showed me what?"

"Magic," Regina answered. "Look at me, Henry."

Henry turned to Regina reluctantly. He watched as a puff of purple smoke appeared over the woman's right hand. When the smoke cleared, there was a red apple in her previously empty hand.

"Cool trick," Henry acknowledged. "But-"

Regina shook her head. "It's not a trick." The woman disappeared in another puff of purple smoke and reappeared right in front of the couch. She knelt down in front of Henry. "It's magic. You have to believe."

Henry's eyes went wide. He backed away from Regina, instinctively moving closer to Emma on the couch.

Emma wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "I know how hard this is to understand, but magic is real, kid. You thought it was weird that I have all these old friends I never mentioned. Well, I didn't remember them until a week ago, but I know them…and you do, too."

"I just don't remember them?" Henry still didn't sound like he believed.

Emma's heart sank…she needed him to believe. "No, you don't. There's a reason why Regina has all these pictures of you and I don't have any pictures of us that are more than a year old."

"The fire," Henry said.

"No. That…wasn't real. The last year in New York was real, but the rest of your memories - they're not real. Regina – she gave both of us fake memories." Emma tried to explain.

"Why would she do that?" Henry demanded. "I'm not saying I believe you…but if it's true, why would anyone do that?"

"A curse was coming. You and Emma were able to escape it. I…wanted you to be happy," Regina said with a sad smile.

"But why?"

"Because that's what mothers want for their kids," Emma told him. "You know I had you when I was in prison? Well, I gave you up…and Regina adopted you. You're her son, too."

Henry looked from Emma to Regina. "If that's true – if you're really my mom, you would know things about me."

"I know everything about you. Your name is Henry Daniel Mills. Henry was my father's name…he was the person I loved the most in the world. And Daniel – Daniel was the name of my first love. Your birthday is August 15th. You've always liked to read. You like games…board games, video games – any games really. You were always the dog when we played Monopoly. You've always loved animals, especially dogs. You asked for one for Christmas when you were six. Santa brought you an enormous stuffed dog," Regina said with a fond smile. "Your favorite color is blue."

"The room upstairs – the one with blue walls? Was it…mine?" Henry questioned.

Regina looked a little surprised, but nodded. "It is your room."

Emma looked at Henry with hope in her eyes. "Does that mean – do you believe?"

"I believe in you…both of you." Henry turned to Regina. "You knew what I liked when you gave me and Mia a tour. You knew my favorite ice cream was Cherry Vanilla and you knew I like Marvel comics. I may not remember any of this, but you do, don't you? I can tell you care about me."

"I do," Regina said softly.

Henry glanced at Emma. "Is it okay if I spend some time getting to know my other mom tonight?"

"Yeah, but there's, uh…one more thing I need to tell you. Mia's your sister…your twin sister. I didn't know that when I brought her home. I just thought she was in the system like I was when I was a kid and maybe I could help her. I didn't remember having a daughter until I got my memories back a week ago. That's when I figured it out."

Henry frowned. "If you've known for a week, why are you just telling me now?"

"It would have been easier to tell you and Mia everything when you get your memories back, but it was wrong to keep it from you guys as long as I did. I'm sorry."

Henry blinked. "How do I get my memories back?"

"I'm not sure, but I'm-" Emma glanced at Regina. "We're trying to find a way to get your memories back."

"If there's a way, you'll find it. I believe in you. Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me the truth," Henry said.