Coming home
Lots of people have asked for a oneshot of a follow up to "You can only run so long" where Emma and Henry return to Storybrooke.
People stared as the familiar yellow bug rode through the town. Emma did her best to ignore them as Henry pulled his collar up.
"Dad, why are all these people staring? Have they never seen a bug before or something?"
"It doesn't matter Rueben." Henry told his older son. His wife had been unable to join them due to work commitments, but Emma insisted that he take the boys. Despite having not driven through Storybrooke for twenty two years, the road to her parents' house was as familiar as always. As she suspected, they were all standing outside of the house, waiting. It suddenly hit Emma when she saw them how long it had been. They looked…old. Hair beginning to grey, wrinkles beginning to form. But then she was beginning to get old two, she was a nana. They were great grandparents. So much time had passed. Emma was so nervous, she wanted to just turn the car round now and head back. But she had promised her brother and after twenty two years she owed him one trip. Emma stopped the car as Henry turned and nudged his younger son's- Joseph's- leg to wake him up. He had his own reasons for being nervous. As well as his biological family, his adoptive mother was there. He hadn't seen her since they'd left. Since she'd decided to turn evil once Marian came back. The family got out of the car. Snow, Charming and Regina resisted the strong urge to run forward and hug them, they were finally home. Emma put her hands on Rueben's shoulders as Henry did the same with Joseph. They had explained the situation as best they could to the boys. Obviously eliminating magic from the story to stop them thinking their dad and nana were crazy.
"Hi." Emma said nervously.
"Hi." Snow and Charming replied. They'd waited a long time for this reunion. Emma hadn't so much as written to them since she left. Neal was the only one who didn't look at all nervous. He was grinning from ear to ear. He knew how much this meant to his parents.
"These are your great grandsons. Rueben and Joseph. Say hello boys." The little boys mumbled nervous hellos. Regina couldn't take her eyes off them, her grandsons. She'd wasted all this time. She had changed again since Henry left. Determined to be the woman he always wanted so should he ever come back she would be deserving off him. Now he was here, and the hardships she went through felt worthwhile.
"Why don't you come inside?" Charming suggested. "We have some presents for you all. And some hot cocoa…with cinnamon." Emma gave a small smile.
"That sounds nice." The family made their way inside the small house. They couldn't really make up for the time lost, but that was one of the Charming family's strengths. Picking up the pieces and moving on together.