At the café, Gen and Emma sit at the table they had made a habit of frequenting. Emma smiles as the barista approaches the table, but that smile quickly turns to a smirk when she notices the woman leaning over Gen's shoulder to set down the mugs. She holds back a laugh as Gen discreetly licks her lips trying to maintain her composure with the woman's breasts against her shoulder.
Gen pulls a twenty from her pocket and holds it in front of her chest. She grins playfully at Emma while she lightly wags it for the barista to take. When the barista is leaned across her, Gen looks up, their faces close to each other. "Thank you, dear," she says seductively.
The woman blushes and barely gets out, "Any time." She grabs the twenty and slips it out of Gen's fingers but lingers for a moment, staring at Gen.
Gen winks causing the barista to blush again. Clearing her throat, she straightens up and excuses herself from the table, shuffling back to the interior of the café.
Once she is out of earshot, Emma busts out a laugh. "You just dominated that girl. She thought she had the upper hand there for a good solid thirty seconds."
Cockily, Gen raises an eyebrow and shrugs just one shoulder. "Baby gay. She will learn. That was bold, however."
"I'd say." Emma shakes her head as a few last chuckles leave her.
"Want to talk about last night?" Gen picks up her espresso and settles back.
Grabbing her own cup, Emma slouches in the chair and crosses her ankles. "What's to talk about?"
"Henry, for one."
"Kid has to learn to mind his own business."
Over her cup, Gen watches Emma swirl her coffee. "You feel this is the best way to encourage that change?"
Emma shrugs. "Sure. Why not?"
"Why feed the beast?" Gen watches Emma sit tightlipped. "You do understand what he thinks at this point, correct?"
"All he knows is what he saw. Should I really be all that concerned what he thinks about it?"
"You are being rather crass."
Emma rolls her eyes. "What does it matter?"
Gen sets down her mug and folds her hands in her lap. "Tell me what you are getting out of this." When Emma's only response is clearing her throat and nursing her espresso, Gen continues, "You have some sort of expectation here. What are you hoping is the outcome?"
With a frustrated groan, Emma rests her cup on her stomach. "Maybe I'm hoping he can't keep his mouth shut."
Gen picks up her cup again. "You want him to tell Regina. That is certainly an interesting tactic."
Emma runs her finger around the rim of the mug. "I want her to care. Or hurt. Or something. Anything really."
"This may not be the best way to do that."
Lifting her eyes, Emma asks, "You don't think us sleeping together would hurt her?"
"Emma, we didn't sleep together."
"Well, I know that, but Henry doesn't. That's exactly what he assumed and I didn't deny when you came out of the room last night."
"I am aware." Gen takes a long sip of her drink. "Hurting her is not going to make her care about you. Perhaps you need some time away. You may consider reminding yourself who is Emma Swan."
Emma looks back down into her mug, just staring as if she will see more than the black liquid sloshing a bit from her shaking hands. "I miss her."
"A sentiment we share," Gen says more to herself than Emma. Gen straightens up and sets down the mug. "Emma, the settlement is over. You will have the pay in two weeks. There is no reason for you to find a new job for quite some time unless you feel so compelled. I recommend you take time to yourself: no Henry, no Regina, no Storybrooke, and possibly no Atlanta."
"What the heck am I supposed to do then?" Emma glances up at Gen.
"Be Emma Swan, and consider traveling along the journey." Gen stands and gathers her things. "You have my number should you need me. Good luck, Ms. Swan."
Emma furrows her brow when Gen turns to enter the café. "Where are you going?"
Gen smirks. "Teach a baby gay a thing or two." She winks and saunters towards the counter where the barista watches her with wide eyes.
Emma chuckles and shakes her head. "She's gonna kill that girl." She finishes her drink with one last swig, slams the mug on the table harder than necessary as she stands, and then, with one last glance at Gen leaning against the counter, turns to leave.
Pulling out her phone, Emma texts Henry: Hey kid. Meet me at home after school. Got some stuff to talk about. Love you.
Almost immediately, she receives a response: Whats going on? Is mom ok?
Emma rolls her eyes at herself for sending a vague enough text to freak out Henry. She's fine kid. I'm fine. Youre fine. No stress. Just wanna chat.
Henry responds quickly: Be home in an hour
On her way to the apartment, Emma plays the last few hours over in her head again: Gen's advice to find herself; the settlement with work; her next steps in life now that she is officially unemployed yet somewhat well endowed.
Once inside, she plops on the couch and looks around the apartment, absorbing her surroundings, contemplating what leaving really means. The apple on the counter catches her eye. She turns on the couch and rests her head on her hand, staring at the apple.
The door swings open, causing her to jump. She looks up to see Henry. "I thought you said an hour."
Henry glances at his phone. "I mean, it's been like fifty minutes. That's pretty close. Need ten more minutes or something?"
Emma furrows her brow then pulls out her own phone to verify the time. She narrows her eyes at the apple then looks back to Henry. "Come on in, Kid. I want to talk."
Slowly dropping his backpack, Henry keeps his eyes on her as he moves toward the chair catty corner her. "What's going on? Did something bad happen today? Something wrong with Gen? Mom? You?"
Emma puts up a hand to stop him. "Henry, relax. Everyone is fine. Today went as well as possible for me. Here soon I really don't have to worry about things."
Henry nods slowly. "Okay, that's good. Is that what you want to talk about?"
"Not entirely."
Henry groans. "Would you please just tell me what the hell-"
"I never slept with Gen."
"What?"
Emma looks in his eyes. "Henry, Gen was using the restroom last night after we had a drink here. I never slept with her."
Henry stares at her, confusion slowly setting in. "But why did you let me believe that you…"
Emma shrugs. "I was being foolish. Part of me was testing whether you would uphold your promise while the other half was hoping you would spill to your mom."
"Seriously?" Henry shifts in his chair and huffs, trying to fight off his anger.
"I'm sorry, Kid. That wasn't fair of me."
"So that's what you wanted to tell me?" Henry glances at her from the corner of his eyes, but focuses mainly on the wall ahead of him.
"Partly." Emma waits for him to turn, but he refuses to look at her fully. "Henry, I'm going to take off for a bit."
That gets his attention. He snaps his head around. "What?"
"I need to get away. I need some time to myself."
"What about me?"
Emma offers a small smile. "You're 19. Think you can handle the apartment by yourself for the rest of the semester?"
Henry stares at her then slowly looks around. "I mean, I guess, yeah. When?"
"Soon. I'm not entirely sure. I haven't gotten that far yet."
"And Mom?"
"Your grandmother said she's being released soon. She promised to keep an eye on her. You'll be going back in a couple of weeks to visit. Just call a cab. Your ticket will be waiting on you."
"So…" Henry fidgets with his fingers. "Should I get a job or something?"
Emma laughs. "Think I'm gonna leave you broke, Kid?" She laughs again when Henry shrugs. "Don't worry. We will make sure you are well taken care of. You're almost done with the semester. No need to have the undo stress of adding a job. You really want to work, get a job in Storybrooke over the summer."
Henry nods. "When are you coming back?"
"I don't know. When I feel ready. I have a lot to work through, and so does your mom."
Nodding slowly again, Henry gets up and moves next to Emma. "I'll miss you."
"I'll miss you too." She wraps him in a hug.
They lightly hug each other, chins on the other's shoulder, and stare in opposite directions, thinking about the suddenly wide open future lying in front of them.