A/N: ***Trigger warning: This chapter contains self harm***

Chapter 20

"Hey, Mom…" Emma said quietly when she heard her mother answer the phone. She had woken up the following night and decided she needed to let her mother know what was going on.

"Emma. I didn't expect to hear from you for a while. How are you doing?" Mary Margaret said, not hearing the sadness in Emma's voice.

"Not good," Emma said, not hiding her true feelings. "Something happened."

"Emma? What happened? Are you okay?" Mary Margaret said, her voice changing from lighthearted to filled with concern and fear.

"I'm fine…well, physically I'm fine now. They found out I was a Vampire at work a few nights ago. And it didn't go over well," Emma explained. "There was a dumb Fledgling when I got back, and even though I told him he needed to be careful, he wasn't. And when someone found his packet of blood, he threw me under the bus to take the heat off himself."

"Oh Emma."

"They beat me, Mom," Emma whispered, tears welling in her eyes as she thought back to that night. "I really thought I was going to die," she cried, thick red tears trickling down her face.

"Oh Emma!" Mary Margaret said, waiting for Emma to calm down before continuing. "Where are you now?"

"I'm in a motel just past the Minnesota border."

"Okay, good. Stay there for a few nights before you move on. Rest."

"I want to go back to New York. I want to hide in the forest again, Mom. I can't live in mainstream society anymore," Emma cried.

"You can't give up, Emma."

"I was nearly beaten to death for being a Vampire, Mom. I can't live in society anymore."

"Not everywhere is like that, Emma. Give it some time. You'll eventually find your place in the world," Mary Margaret said, trying to convince Emma not to give up.

"I DID find my place in the world, MOM . My place was with Regina! And she's GONE!" Emma screamed into her phone, and somehow, she felt better.

"I know it's hard…"

"No you DON'T know, MOM! You have your Mate! You have no idea how I feel!" Emma screamed, taking her anger out on her mother through her phone.

"You're right. I don't know. I can't even imagine what you're going through," Mary Margaret said, trying to calm Emma down. "But what I do know is, you can't give up now. Give it some more time, Emma. You'll find your place."

"Fine. Whatever. I'm going to go. I'll talk to you later. I'll tell you where I end up," Emma snapped, hanging up before Mary Margaret could answer.

Emma knew her mother was right. She knew she couldn't give up, even if she was terrified. She allowed herself to remain holed up in the motel room for three more days, giving herself extra time to recover from her attack until her hunger got too strong. She knew she needed to eat something, remembering the torture Regina endured at the hands of The Agency. She quietly asked the woman at the front desk for a recommendation of a place where she could buy some blood, getting directions to a small shop just a few blocks away.

She made her way to the shop the receptionist had recommended and bought a pint of blood. She didn't want to go back to her room just yet, knowing if she did, she would likely never leave. She walked a few more blocks and found a small park with a few benches. She took a seat and started drinking the blood she had just bought, enjoying the fresh air, when she noticed a dark-haired woman walking in her direction.

Emma immediately started to panic.

What if she's coming to hurt me? What if she's a hunter and she's coming to kill me? What is she going to do to me when she realizes that, for some reason, I can't seem to die? she thought as she watched the woman walk toward her. It wasn't until she was a few yards away did Emma realize the woman was another Vampire, which allowed her to calm down slightly.

"Mind if I join you?" the woman asked, pointing to the seat next to Emma.

"Uhh…no, go ahead," Emma said, adjusting her posture to close herself off slightly from the woman.

"I'm Belle," she said, offering her hand to Emma.

"Emma…" Emma said quietly, tentatively taking the stranger's hand, shaking it slightly.

"Nice to meet you, Emma." Belle smiled. "I hope this doesn't sound too forward of me, but can I ask, are you alright? You look distraught," Belle said.

"I'm…ummm…I'm…" Emma started to stutter. She thought for a moment, before something inside her told her it was alright to trust Belle. "No, I'm not actually. I had to flee my home after my employer discovered I was a Vampire. The rest of my coworkers attacked me and almost beat me to death until they were satisfied." Her voice sounded shaky as she unloaded all her current problems onto the stranger.

"That's horrible, Emma. I'm so sorry," Belle said. Her eyes looked at Emma, and she could sense there was more to the story. She waited patiently for Emma to continue. "And…I…" Emma sighed, having trouble getting the words out. "I…I miss my Mate," Emma finally said, red tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

"Where are they? I'm sure they'll be back soon," Belle answered.

"She's dead…" Emma whispered, one of the tears falling from her eyes. Emma wiped it away before anyone could see it was there.

"Oh…I'm so sorry," Belle said in a soft voice. "For how long?"

"Twenty years…" Emma whispered. Belle didn't say anything, just placed her hand softly on Emma's, joining her in a moment of silence for Regina.

"Do you have a place to stay?" Belle asked after a few moments.

"Not really. I've been staying in a motel for the last few days. I'll probably stick around for another day or two and then move on. Might end up going back into isolation, to be honest," Emma said, not sure why she was telling this stranger so much.

"Listen. I have a house not far from here. I live there with a friend of mine. We are both in a kind of similar situation, sort of. If you're looking for somewhere to stay, you're welcome to come stay with us. For as long as you like," Belle said, pulling out a business card, scribbling something on the back. "Here's the address."

"Thanks," Emma said, accepting the card, flipping it over to read the front. "Belle French" was written under the Uber logo. "Why are you being so nice to me?" she asked as Belle started to stand.

"I know how it feels to be without your Mate. You shouldn't have to go through it alone, no matter how long it's been," Belle said, smiling at Emma before standing and walking away.

Emma sat in the park for a little while longer, sipping her blood and staring at Belle's card, thinking about the idea of maybe having some company. She wished Regina was there to tell her what to do. But she didn't need to hear her voice to know what Regina would want her to do. Regina would want her to move on, to be among people. To live her life.

The following night, Emma checked out of her motel and followed the GPS directions to Belle's house, which turned out to be a very nice two-story home. Small and cozy. There were two cars already parked in the driveway, and there was just enough room for a third car to fit nicely. Emma pulled into the driveway and took a deep breath before climbing out and walking up the front path to the front door, ringing the doorbell. She could hear footsteps approaching right before Belle answered the door, a smile reaching across her face.

"Emma, you came. I'm so glad. Come in!" Belle said, opening the door wide for Emma to step inside. She followed Belle into the living room, where another young woman was sitting on the couch, sipping a mug of blood. "Emma, this is my roomate, Marian." She pointed to the woman on the couch. "Marian, this is Emma. The woman I was telling you about last night," Belle said.

"Oh gosh yes, Emma. It's nice to meet you." Marian stood and rushed over to Emma, offering her hand to shake. "I'm so sorry to hear about your Mate," Marian said, her eyes filled with sympathy.

"Umm…thanks…" Emma said sadly, shaking Marian's hand.

"Emma's going to stay with us for a while," Belle said.

"Of course! The more the merrier." Marian smiled. "Are you hungry? I can heat you up some blood if you want. We were just settling in to watch a movie and hang out. You're welcome to join," Marian added.

"I…ummm…you don't…" Emma started to say, but stopped, reminding herself she was supposed to be embracing change. "That sounds great, thanks," Emma said, managing a small smile. Marian smiled as she rushed off to the kitchen to heat up blood for Emma while Belle showed her to her room, telling her to join them when she was ready.

She sat on her new bed, surveying the room, trying to process everything that had happened. A week ago, she was living a quiet life in Chicago, keeping to herself while still technically being a part of society. And suddenly, it was all over in a flash, and that part of her life was over. She wanted to trust Belle and Marian, because deep down she didn't want to be alone. She just didn't know how to trust people after what happened. She stayed in her new room that night, apologizing for her rudeness when Belle knocked on her door to deliver her a mug of warm blood.

"Don't be sorry. You've been through a lot in the last few days. Take your time. When you're ready, we'll be here," Belle said with a smile before leaving Emma's room, closing the door behind her.

Emma kept to herself for the first couple of days, not entirely sure she could trust Belle and Marian. After what happened in Chicago, she didn't know if she could truly trust someone else, Humans or Vampires alike. But after a week of staying with them, Emma decided to take a chance and joined them when they invited her to hang out with them.

"Emma, I'm so glad you joined us tonight," Belle said, making room on the couch for Emma to sit while Marian rushed off to the kitchen to get Emma some blood.

"Thanks," Emma said shyly, accepting the mug from Marian before the woman settled into one of the arm chairs around the coffee table. Belle turned the TV off in front of them, giving Emma their full attention.

"So, we've been thinking," Belle said, turning her body to face Emma. "We know you must be scared and afraid and don't know who to trust. So we thought, if you knew a little more about us, then maybe you might trust us and open up as well. When you're comfortable, of course."

"Thanks," Emma said shyly, taking a sip of blood.

"So, I know I told you we both are in kind of the same situation as you are, being without our Mates. So we thought, maybe we could tell you what happened to ours, to show that we do understand what you're going through," Belle said, looking between Emma and Marian.

"I…uhhh…I think I would really like that," Emma said shyly. She wasn't lying.

"I'll go first." Belle smiled at Emma. "My Mate went by the name 'Rumple'. He was my Sire as well, and we dated briefly before he turned me and we became Mates. Rumple was an Elder. He swore he was one of the original Vampires, around since the 1600s. I knew he was old, but I never believed he was that old." Belle chuckled. "We lived together for a long time, until he started to change. Talk of Vampires joining mainstream society started, and Rumple was one of the first to get on board with it. Rumple wanted power, so he began to build an army, planning an attack against the Humans. I begged him to stop, I warned him that it wasn't a good idea, but he wouldn't listen. He was power hungry and in the end, chose power over me. He left me to focus all his efforts on building his army against the Humans. He led the very first rebellion against Humans and was one of the first to perish in the fight. By then our bond had been severed, so I didn't feel the effects of his death, thank goodness," Belle said, her eyes becoming wide instantly when she realized what she said. "Oh shit, I'm sorry."

"It's okay." Emma smiled, letting Belle know everything was still fine.

"My Mate was named Robin and I'm pretty sure he never really loved me," Marian started to say after a few moments of silence. "He said he loved me, but I'm not sure he ever really did. I don't think he was capable of loving anyone beside himself. It felt like love at first sight, and we both pursued each other. Before I knew it, he was asking if I wanted to become a Vampire so we could spend eternity together. I was so enthralled with him that I agreed, and the next night he was turning me. We became Mates when I woke up. But once all the dust settled, Robin turned out to be a completely different person than the man I had met. He was rude and verbally abusive toward me, but I just kept telling myself that every couple goes through a hard time."

"Did he ever hit you?" Emma asked, suddenly very concerned with Marian's safety, even if it had been decades since these events.

"No, he never did. It never got to that point because two months after we became Mates, he left me. He told me I was too boring for his taste after all. He left and our bond was immediately severed. I heard not long ago that he died in a small rebellion about fifteen years ago somewhere in Canada," Marian explained.

"My Mate's Sire did a similar thing to her," Emma said, talking about Regina for the first time. "I think his name was Robin too, now that I think about it."

"Maybe it was the same man. I had a feeling he had done that to a lot of women," Marian said sadly. The three women fell into a slightly uncomfortable silence as they gave Emma the opportunity to open up if she wished.

"My Mate's name was Regina," Emma said after a few minutes. She wanted to tell her new friends about Regina, but she wasn't sure she was ready to tell them the whole story. "She died to save my life. But in the end, I think I died with her that night as well. It's just taking me longer to turn to ash." A stray tear fell down her cheek. Belle handed her a tissue to wipe it away before it fell and stained her shirt. "Everyone keeps saying it'll get better over time. That the pain I feel without her will fade. That it'll get better. But it's been over twenty years, and the pain hasn't subsided, in fact it gets worse every year. And I don't know what to do anymore." She instantly regretted divulging so much personal information.

"I know we've only known each other for a few days, but please know, we are here for you. If you need anything, anything at all, we are here. You don't have to go through this alone anymore. You are amongst friends," Belle said, offering Emma her hand for comfort and support.

"Yes. We are here for you. And we always will be," Marian said, reaching to offer Emma her hand as well.

"Thanks." She reached for their offered hands and received squeezes of reassurance from her new friends, offering a shy half-smile. "I don't know what to say," Emma said after a few moments.

"You don't need to say anything." Belle smiled. "Now, let's talk about something more fun. Who is your favorite character on Sex and the City?" Belle asked, a wide smile across her face.

"I've…never seen it…" Emma admitted shyly, receiving shocked looks from her roommates and new friends.

"Oh honey, we need to change that, IMMEDIATELY," Marian said, reaching for the remote to turn on the TV, cueing up the first episode of Sex and the City.

"One of these days I want to visit New York and see if it's like it is in the show," Marian said as the show started on the screen.

"I used to live in the city, both before and after becoming a Vampire," Emma said, taking a sip of her blood.

"I KNEW I liked her!" Marian screamed, smiling at Emma.

Emma was starting to finally feel at home.

After living with them for a couple months, and after dozens of phone calls with Mary Margaret, Emma finally decided she was going to stay with Belle and Marian. She liked living with other Vampires, especially ones who understood her need for privacy. Belle and Marian didn't try to pry into her life. They understood her boundaries and respected them. Once she decided to stay in Minnesota, she realized she needed a job. Marian worked the overnight shift as a cook in a twenty-four hour diner and offered to keep her ears open and put in a good word for her if there was an opening as a server. In the meantime, Emma looked into becoming a driver for Uber like Belle was, but Emma's car was too old to meet the corporate requirements. Instead, she started driving for a few take-out delivery companies, making just enough to afford to buy blood and keep gas in her tank. She tried to pay Belle some rent for allowing her to live with her, but Belle wouldn't accept it, knowing that Emma was working so hard to rebuild her life. She insisted that Emma focus on herself, and once she was back on her feet, they would talk about rent. Emma was grateful for her generosity and insisted on stocking the fridge with blood when she could, as a way of giving back.

Emma continued to work for the different delivery companies and even took up jobs shoveling driveways when the harsh Minnesota winter hit. Time began to fly by and before she knew it, almost a full year had passed. Everything was starting to shift to the positive for Emma, until she received a call from Mary Margaret, informing her that she would not be able to make it for their yearly trip to Upstate New York for Regina's anniversary. Emma was devastated, because the anniversary had been a little easier on her since Mary Margaret started spending them with her. Without telling anyone, Emma hunkered down in her room the day before Regina's anniversary, dreading the next night. As always, she woke up crying the following night, trying as hard as she could to keep her sobbing quiet so her roommates didn't hear her.

Unfortunately, she failed.

"Hey Emma, you okay?" Belle asked as she knocked on her door while Emma was performing her yearly ritual, just before she added a new tally mark on her arm.

Emma kept quiet, hoping Belle would get the hint and leave her alone. She was wrong. Instead, Belle continued to knock, eventually grabbing Marian for back up. Emma kept quiet, once again hoping they would leave her alone. Once again, she was wrong.

"Emma, hey, let us in. We just want to make sure you're alright. I heard you crying and I just need to make sure you're alright," Belle said, panic rising in her voice. "We just need to know you're alright then we'll leave you alone."

Emma took a deep breath. She knew that if she was going to continue living with Belle and Marian she needed to be completely honest with them, and that included her annual night of mourning. She got off her bed and quickly unlocked her bedroom door, making her way back to bed as Belle and Marian opened the door slowly. They were instantly stunned when they walked in to find Emma sitting on her bed with a silver knife in her hand, her face stained red from tears, with a bloody rag on the bed next to her.

Belle instantly rushed over and tried to take the knife from her, only to be stopped by Emma, showing her new friends her arm.

"Emma, what did you do?" Belle asked, rushing over to her friend to tend to her arm.

"Tonight is the anniversary of Regina's death," Emma explained sadly, tears rushing down her face. "Every year on the anniversary of her death, I cut myself off from the world, and add another tally mark on my arm, to signify another year without her." Emma showed her roommates her upper arm full of tally marks. "I retrace the existing scars as well, to ensure they remain throughout the next year. But also…" Emma stalled, collecting herself. "…I do it to recreate the pain she felt at the final moments of her life."

"May we join you while you do this?" Belle asked, knowing Emma shouldn't be alone that night.

"If you want," Emma whispered. Belle settled on the bed next to her, Marian making her way to sit on the other side, each placing their hand on Emma to give her support and strength.

Emma didn't say another word and she continued her work, adding the twenty-first tally mark to her upper arm, before tracing over Regina's name on her forearm, drawing blood instantly. Once her skin was healed, Emma collapsed onto the bed, crying her heart out, her tears staining her dark blanket.

"Emma…" Belle asked after a few minutes. "May we stay with you tonight? I don't want you to be alone." Emma nodded as the tears continued to fall.

"Thank you…" Emma whispered after a few minutes. She continued to cry, eventually crying herself into a light sleep.

When she woke up a little while later, Belle and Marian were still there with her, each holding one of her hands, letting her know they were still there for her.

"How did Regina die?" Marian asked, not sure if Emma would be willing to tell them the story.

"She…she stepped in front of a hunter's bolt to save me," Emma said, fresh tears running down her face. "We didn't know it at the time, but the bolt was dipped in nightshade. She was poisoned trying to save me." Her new friends remained silent for a few minutes, waiting for Emma to finish her story. "She suffered for a full month. Each day, the pain grew stronger and her body became weaker. Eventually, not even my blood was able to dull the pain. She died in my arms. My heart stopped when hers did. But a second later, mine continued to beat, and her body turned to ash."

No one spoke for the rest of the night. Both Belle and Marian had lost their Mates, but had long since severed their bond when both of them had died, so neither of them had to endure their final moments. It was in that moment when they both fully understood Emma's need for privacy and difficulty letting people close to her. They understood Emma Swan more in that one night than in the entire year she had been living with them.

Belle and Marian stayed with Emma for the rest of the night, sitting in silence as Emma continued to cry, eventually falling fast asleep from exhaustion. Only once they were sure Emma was sound asleep did Belle and Marian finally leave, retreating to their rooms just in time for the sun to begin to rise.

Ever since the night of Regina's anniversary, Emma began to feel completely comfortable with her new friends, letting them into her life unconditionally. She felt so grateful to have them both in her life, and once again, things were starting to look up for Emma Swan.

"Hey Belle, what's up?" Emma asked as she answered her phone one night as she walked down the walkway away from her recent food delivery.

"Hey Emma, Marian just called. She's going to be stuck at work for a little longer, and won't be able to pick up our blood order. Could you swing by and pick it up for us? I would do it myself, but I'm on my way to pick up a fare to the airport, and I'll just make it home before sunrise," Belle said, over the phone.

"Of course! Yes, yes, of course!" Emma said, starting her car again. "I'll stop by on my way home. I'm going to try and pick up a few more deliveries before I head home."

"Great. It should already be paid for, but in case Marian forgot, I'll pay you back when we get home," Belle said.

"Nonsense. It's on me, don't worry," Emma said, happy to be contributing to the house.

"Great. I'll see you later!" Belle said. Emma could hear the turn signal clicking in the background, indicating Belle was already driving to pick up her next fare.

"Drive safe! Let me know if you're not going to make it home and need to stop at a hotel. Be safe!"

"Will do!" Belle chuckled, hanging up the phone.

As she said, she picked up a few more deliveries before all the local restaurants closed for the night, leaving only Marian's diner open for late-night food choices. As she pulled up in front of the small blood shop, an idea formed in her mind. She raced home and pulled out her computer, frantically searching the internet as her idea began to grow. By the time Belle and Marian made it home and the sun was starting to rise, Emma had formulated a plan. She went to sleep that day excited for something for the first time in twenty-one years.

The next night, she rushed downstairs to find her roommates, a pile of papers and her laptop tucked under her arm. She was grateful that Marian was off that night, so she could talk to her friends without any of them obligated to leave.

"Hey, someone's excited about something," Marian said as Emma rushed into the kitchen where her roommates were sitting.

"I am. And I want to talk to you guys about it, actually," Emma said, settling in at the kitchen table, ready with her Power Point presentation.

"What's up?" Belle asked, sensing Emma's excitement.

"I had a really good idea last night, when I was picking up our blood order. What would you guys think about starting a blood delivery service?" Emma asked, her eyes darting between her roommates.

"Like Doordash and Uber Eats?" Belle asked, trying to understand Emma's idea.

"Yeah, kinda. But this would be exclusively for blood deliveries. How many Vampires do you think are living in secret and have a hard time finding blood without anyone knowing who they really are?"

"Probably more than we realize," Marian said, delivering mugs of warm blood.

"We would be able to provide them with blood so they could continue to live in secrecy. We could partner with local small blood distributors, so we can support the local businesses as well. It's a win-win for everyone," Emma said excitedly. "Plus, I looked online last night, and there is nothing like this out there, so we would be the first. We could patent the idea and everything."

"That sounds….AMAZING!" Belle said, her excitement matching Emma's. "I'm in!"

"Me too! I'm really good with numbers and accounting. I can keep all the books while you guys take care of the rest," Marian said.

"Perfect! I'm going to go reach out to the local distributors now, see how many are interested before we take the next steps," Emma said. She rushed out of the house faster than any of them had ever seen her move, eager to get the ball rolling on her new business.

With the help of her friends, Emma developed her blood delivery business, teaming up with local blood distributors to deliver blood to local Vampires as a way to help conceal their identities. She understood firsthand the importance of keeping your true identity a secret, and used her business as a way to ensure so many Vampires remained safe while allowing them to stay fed and healthy. Her business took off instantly, and before she knew it, she and Belle had to hire a few more drivers to keep up with the demands of local Vampires. They all worked together and continued to build their business, always vowing to take one night a year off to mourn Regina's passing together.

As the years continue to pass, Emma started to notice things changing between her roommates. At first, it was only a glance in each other's direction that lingered a little longer than usual, or a touch that seemed a little more intimate than it should between friends. Eventually, she began to catch Belle sneaking into Marian's bedroom just before sunrise almost every morning, and tip-toeing down the hall just after sunset every night. Not to mention she is pretty convinced she interrupted something intimate happening on the couch a few times when she came home from work. They were always supportive and always there for Emma when she needed them, but it was clear to Emma that there was something budding between Belle and Marian, and obvious they were well on their way to becoming mates. She never told them that she knew about their budding romance, respecting their privacy the way they always respected hers, trusting they would come to her when they were ready.

"Hey guys, do you have a second?" Emma asked one night shortly before sunrise.

"What's up, Em?" Marian asked. She was sitting very close to Belle on the couch with a blanket over both their laps, their hands hidden underneath it. They were clearly holding hands.

"So…tomorrow is the thirtieth anniversary of Regina's death," Emma said with a deep sadness in her voice.

"Yeah," Belle said. "And we'll be there by your side the whole time."

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. I think I'm going to spend the night alone this year," Emma said, causing both women to look at her in shock.

"Are you sure? Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, everything is fine. I just realized that I need to start coping with her death alone. I've leaned on you both for almost ten years, and had my mother to help me cope for ten years before that. I think I need to start doing it on my own now. I don't want to be a burden anymore," Emma explained.

"Emma, really. You're not a burden," Belle said, her voice very supportive.

"You've never been a burden," Marian chimed in.

"I know. It's just…" Emma started to say, trying to figure out what to say next. "…I think I need to learn to cope on my own. I don't expect you to take care of me forever," Emma added, only lying slightly. She really did need to learn to cope on her own.

"Okay…" Belle said, still sounding a little concerned. "We'll be here if you need us."

"Thanks." Emma smiled. She was already starting to slip into her deep depression that was associated with Regina's anniversary. She tried to ignore it a little longer so she could spend a little more time with her roommates before locking herself in her room for twenty-four hours.

The following night, Emma sealed herself in her room as she always did and mourned three decades spent without Regina. She could hear Belle and Marian outside her door, listening to her weep all night but respecting her privacy the entire time.

The thirtieth anniversary was even harder than the rest, and Emma knew it had more than just the fact that she was alone for the night for the first time in twenty of those years. Even for a Vampire, thirty years is still a significant amount of time, and it still felt like she was slowly dying the entire time. This time, it took Emma almost three weeks to recover, spending most of that time alone in bed. She knew she needed to get up and go to work, but she just couldn't bring herself to do so. And she knew Belle would step up and make sure all the deliveries went off on time.

A month after Regina's anniversary, Emma sat Belle and Marian down once again, this time to drop an even bigger bomb.

"So, I want to talk to you guys about something pretty important," Emma started to say as her roommates looked at her with curiosity.

"Emma, is everything alright?" Belle asked, fear in her voice.

"Yes, everything is alright. It's just…" Emma said, taking a deep breath. "…I'm going to be leaving in a few weeks."

"For how long?" Marian asked, sadness filling her voice. She already knew the answer, but wished she was wrong.

"Indefinitely," Emma said softly, knowing she was breaking their hearts.

"Why?" Belle whispered. "Was it something we did? I thought you liked living here."

"I do! Oh I do. I love you guys! So much," Emma said, tears welling in her eyes. "It's just, I think it's time that I move on."

"You don't have to leave, Emma. This is your home, and it will always be your home," Marian said, trying to convince Emma to stay.

"I know, but I feel that…you both…need to be…alone…now…" Emma said, not wanting to embarrass her roommates.

"Emma? What are you talking about?" Belle asked.

"I know…about you two…" Emma said. A blush spread across both Belle and Marian's faces. "And I think it's wonderful! You both deserve each other. And you both deserve to be mates!"

"We didn't want to hurt you, that's why we never told you," Belle said, feeling guilty about being happy when Emma was still so miserable.

"I know, and I appreciate that. That's also why I'm leaving. You deserve to be together and not feel like you need to hide your love because of me," Emma said, reaching for their hands, giving them both a loving squeeze. "I love you both, and I want nothing more than your utmost happiness. You've given me so much over the last ten years, this is the least I can do."

"Where will you go?" Marian asked, a stray tear falling from her eye.

"I'm not sure yet. Maybe I'll see what California is like. I've always wanted to walk down Rodeo drive."

"Like in Pretty Woman?" Marian asked with a slight sniffle.

"Yup. Exactly like Pretty Woman," Emma said, letting a tear fall down her face as well as she smiled at her friend. "I'll find that boutique from the movie and send you a picture of it." Emma chuckled.

"I'm going to miss you," Belle said, joining her friends in tears.

"I will too. This isn't goodbye forever. We'll see each other again. We all have eternity, remember?" Emma chuckled. "You can't get rid of me that easily."

Three weeks later, Emma loaded up her car with her things and handed Belle her set of keys to the front door.

"Keep them. That way you'll always be able to come home when you want," Belle said, tears already streaming down her face.

"I can't thank you both enough for what you've done for me. You saved me," Emma said, struggling to hold back her own tears. "I was so broken when I met you. And you brought me back to life." She lost control of her emotions at her own words, causing tears to spill out of her eyes.

"Promise to keep in touch, Emma. I mean it," Belle said, struggling to speak.

"I promise." Emma smiled. "Promise me you'll both start the mate bond tonight. You've both waited long enough."

"Promise." Marian smiled, reaching for Belle's hand. "Let us know where you end up, please."

"I will. I'll call you once I get settled somewhere," Emma promised. She slowly turned on her heels and walked down the front path, climbing into her Bug and starting the engine.

She pulled out of the driveway slowly and waved at her friends as she drove away.