A/N: Thank you all for the love on this new story! I really appreciate it. After uploading this chapter, I shall take a small break to catch up on some reading and then I shall continue with my writing- yes working on other stories as well- to update to you all. :) A little trigger warning, this chapter is a bit of a tear-jerker so get those clinex ready. Happy reading, all! And happy weekend. Stay tuned for more! This chapter was changed to my own creativity and I hope you enjoy it.

Please, don't forget to review as it fuel's me to write more.

Dear Swan,

Here's another batch of apple turnovers. Hide them from my brother. Hide them well. No, I'm not kidding. He's a shameless thief when it comes to these. It's our mother's recipe, well, really our grandmother's recipe, and he's an addict. After we lost our parents- our father in Iraq and our mother in a car accident a month later, I'm sure he's told you- these were always in the kitchen, waiting after school, after one of us got our heart broken, after football game wins and losses. They're pretty much like home to him.

And now you have a piece of my home with you.

You asked me something in your correspondence. You asked what it was like to be the center of someone's universe. I must confess, I wasn't quite sure how to answer that, but I think I've figured it out now.

I'm not the center of anyone's universe, honestly. Not even my son's. Henry is fiercely independent, and pretty sure he has been personally placed in charge of my safety. His quietness can often be mistaken by shyness, but a fun fact about Henry: He's not shy. He's a ridiculously good judge of character and can spot a lie a mile away. I wish I had the same ability, because if there's one thing I can't stand, it's a lie. If Henry doesn't talk to you, it doesn't mean he's waiting for the right moment to do so- it just means that you aren't worth his time. If he does talk to you, he will like you for the rest of your life. He believes in second chances, third ones, even… you get the picture.

I can honestly say that he gets that from his uncle, because I can admit that I've never been able to give second chances when it comes to hurting the people I love. As embarrassed as I am to admit it, I still haven't forgiven my father for leaving us- for the look in my brother's face when my father chose to divorce my mother instead of the army.

It's been fourteen years and I still haven't forgiven the officer who gave the order that got him killed- and for breaking my mother's heart a second time. I really hate that about myself. Yes, Henry definitely gets his soft heart from my brother, and honestly, I hope he never loses it.

At just nine years old, my son is already a better person than I will ever be, and I'm ridiculously proud of him for that.

I only hope that heart of his continues to do as good as it has been. My son was diagnosed with ASD, and has been battling it ever since.

But I'm not the center of his universe. I'm more like his gravity. Right now I've got him locked down tight, his feet on the ground, his path obvious. It's my job to keep him there, close to everything that keeps him safe. But as he gets bigger, I get to loosen up just a little, stop tugging so hard. Eventually, I'll get to set him free to fly, and I'll only reel him in when he asks, or he needs it. Funny how I'm twenty-six years old and sometimes I feel that even I need to be reeled in. That feeling, it honestly makes me not want to be the center of anyone's universe, though. Because what happens when that center doesn't exist anymore?

Everything… everyone falls out of orbit. At last, that's what happened to me. So I'm good with gravity.

After all, it controls the tides, the motion of everything, and even makes life possible. And then when Henry is ready to fly, maybe he will find someone else that will keep his feet on the ground. Or maybe she or he will fly with him.

I hope it's a little bit of both.

So do I get to know why they call you Swan? Or is that a secret as your picture? I'm afraid that when my brother talks about you, he hasn't even given me a description.

-Regina.

Emma finds herself smiling a little as she reads that letter for the sixth time today while on board on a chopper, onto their next mission. Nala sat patiently between her knees. She wasn't a fan of chopper rides, but she was relatively calm on this ride.

"Hey, Swan!" Johnson asks over comms, nodding toward the letter. "You want to share what's got your spirits all up in the sky?"

"Nope. I don't think I will." She folded the letter back up, already knowing every crease of it, tucking inside of her breast pocket.

"You sure?" Johnson teased, his smile bright.

Emma grinned, keeping that letter her deepest and most treasured secret. Even August didn't get a glimpse of it. She hid those apple turnovers well, taking Regina's warning into careful consideration. No one out here was getting her letter or an apple turnover. Emma had no intention in sharing any part of Regina. She was the first person who had ever been only hers, even if it was just through letters. And that wasn't a feeling Emma wanted to part with.

"Leave her alone, Johnson," August said from the next seat over. His eyes landed on the letter, peeking out of Emma's breast pocket. "I told you she'd be good for you."

Emma would argue with him, but the truth was- August had been right. He had given her a gift, that wasn't just Regina's friendship, but a window to the outside world- outside of the only world- that Emma has come to know for the last ten years.

"Ten minutes out," Calloway called out over the comms.

"What's it like, Aug? Storybrooke." Emma asks, her curiosity gaining the best of her. Her mind trying so hard to picture the town August had grown up and where Regina currently lived.

"It's beautiful." August looked out the window, into the distance- into the nothing as he spoke of home. "In the summer it's lush and green. In the fall, the town looks like it's been dipped in gold… like right now. In winter, it's so white it almost blinds you, but it's so peaceful and quiet. It's always peaceful and quiet. Tourists come in and out all the time, but it still remains our own personal town. It's home.

"You miss it." Emma points out.

August nods, "Every day."

"Then why are you still here? Why did you leave?"

August flashes a sad little smile, "Because sometimes you have to leave so you can know what it is you left. You don't really value something until you've lost it."

"And what if you never had it to begin with?" Emma was the least person to understand any sort of attachment or what it felt like. She had never stayed more in one place enough to know what that felt like. To know what a real home ever felt like. Or maybe she wasn't capable of such a thing.

August's smile turns bright, "I'll tell you what, Swan. You and me. Once this deployment is over, let's take some leave, and I'll show you around Storybrooke. I know even you can use a vacation. We'll hit a night up on the town and hit some bars. I might even let you meet Regina, but you'll have to get through Henry first."

Emma grinned, feeling her lips split almost instantly. Usually she would protest against a little down time, but lately… with Regina's words to look forward to and more of those delicious apple turnovers- Emma's need to meet her was far more than she could bear. She wanted to see Regina, to talk to her, find out if the woman who wrote these letters really existed in a world that wasn't paper or pen. "I'd like that." She answered softly.

August had offered countless times to take Emma up to Storybrooke, but every time she had refused. Her acceptance was so shocking that his eyebrows shot up past his hairline. "Is that a yes because you are interested in the town or Regina?" He grinned.

"Both," Emma answered truthfully.

August nods, allowing the five minutes to pass and then waits for the chopper to make its landing before he leans into Emma. "Hey. You two would be good for each other. If you ever let your feet stand in one location long enough for something to grow. That's the place to do it. Trust me."

Emma shook her head, "I'm not good for anyone, Aug." Before she could give a chance for August to argue with her, she checked on Nala's harness to make sure she was strapped on tight before opening the door to the chopper and helping her down.

Gravity could be a bitch. But it was then- now more than ever- that Regina's words came to her mind on the subject of gravity. Ever since Regina's correspondence, Emma often found herself wondering: What would it be like to have someone ground you? Would it be like the best feeling in the world or would it suffocate her to no end? Was it the type of force you relied on or the type you fled from?

Did people really stick around to be considered that dependable? If there was, Emma had yet to meet someone like that. That's why she never did relationships. Why would anyone invest themselves in someone else who ultimately would tell you that you were too full of flaws, not perfect enough to have stick around or be considered dependable?

Even her friendship with August was limited to Emma. She knew that if anyone dared to cross Regina, or hurt her in any way, they would have to answer to him.

"Hey," August's hand lands along Emma's shoulder, a grin splitting his lips as soon as their feet touched the ground. "After this, you and me, Swan. We'll be going home."

Home. Emma couldn't remember any palace she's ever called home.

Regina,

Thank you for the apple turnovers. Your brother attempted to steal some off me when my back was turned and I found myself in the shower, but I took your word under advisement and hid them well. With all the other apple turnovers he ate, you would think he would weigh about a hundred pounds by now.

I thought about what you said about gravity. I've never really had that- anything tethering me anywhere. Maybe when I joined the army, but really that was more about my offinity for the unit than it was for anywhere or anyone. Until I met your brother, and they started pushing us through selection.

Unfortunately, I am overly fond of him, as is most of our unit. It's only unfortunate because sometimes he can be a real pain in the ass.

Why do they call me Swan? It could be because that's my name. Well, last name. As to how I obtained it, well… that's a story for another day. Maybe I'll tell you about it someday.

You mentioned in your last letter that Henry has ASD. Atrial Septal Defect, right? Is he currently seeing a good doctor? What has been the diagnosis? If he ever finds himself out of breath- emergencies only- and you find yourself running out of options. A little tip: give him ground coffee. It'll help open his airways. Just don't give him too much.

I'm sorry you have to deal with that on your own, but I have no doubt in my mind that you are the type of woman who can handle anything that comes her way. However, if we're being honest pen-pals… if I could have one wish today. I wish I could be there with you.

As for a picture of me… I'm sorry to inform you that I don't have any. But let's leave my identity a mystery for when we meet. What do you say?

Gotta go, they're rounding us up for our next mission, and I want to make sure I get this letter mailed out to you before I am a thousand feet up in the air.

Stay safe,

-Swan.

"Wow," Ruby's jaw hangs open as she turns to Regina, who is pulling out another fresh batch of apple turnovers from the oven. "And you say this is not a love letter?"

"It's not." Regina sighed, tiring of hearing that notion from Ruby for the tenth time since her and Emma started writing to each other.

"Regina," Ruby chuckles. "I hate to break it to you, but it is. The woman took her time to find out what ALS was-"

"ASD." Regina corrected, going ignored by her friend.

"She cares. Somewhere, deep down that brick wall of a heart of hers, she cares. She even apologized for not including a picture of herself, and talks about coming to see you!" Ruby motions to the letter that is soon snatched from her grip by Regina.

"She did not say that." Regina folds the letter carefully, placing it inside the envelope and tucks it away along her back pocket.

Ruby rolled her eyes, following Regina around the bakery, "She doesn't have to, Gina. It's called 'reading between the lines.' She is obviously intrigued by you, if not she wouldn't have written."

Regina frowns as an unsettling feeling settles in the pit of her stomach.

"How long has it been since she's written, anyway?" Ruby asks, helping Regina stalk up one of the trays with baked goods.

"Four months," Regina sighs. "I wrote back, but haven't received anything in the mail. As much as I try not to worry, I worry. Because I know August is out there with her. What if something happened to him? What if something happened to her?"

"Gina, relax," Ruby grabs a hold of her friend's shoulders. "If anything happened to August, the military would have shown up at your front door. Have they? No. Which means they have to be fine. Right? I'm sure they're just unable to communicate right now, but you'll see. This Swan will write as soon as she's able and she will tell you that everything is fine." She grins.

"I hope so." Regina's attention is pulled at her ringing phone. "It's the school. Hang on," she answers, placing her phone right to her ear. "This is Regina Mills."

"Ms. Mills, this is the school nurse. I'm sorry to call so early in the morning, but-"

"No, it's totally fine. What happened? Is my son okay?" Regina's heart jumps to her throat.

"I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, Ms. Mills, but Henry had an asthma attack and I'm afraid he collapsed in his classroom this morning."

"What?"

"What's going on?" Ruby whispers, her body on alert.

"Henry collapsed at school," Regina answered quickly, going back to her phone call. "I'll be right over!"

"No, ma'am. He is actually at the hospital, just outside of town. We made sure to contact Dr. Whale, he should be with him now."

"Thank you." Regina hangs up and as quickly as she hangs up the call, she reaches for her keys. "They took him to the hospital. He was taken to the hospital, Ruby and I wasn't there!"

"Okay, relax, I'm sure everything is fine. Whoa, whoa- hey-" Ruby runs behind her, blocking the door by standing in front of it.

"What are you doing? I have to go see my son, he needs me."

"What do you think I'm doing? I'm coming with you, but there's no way you are driving out of town like this. Not under my watch," Ruby holds out her hand. "Give me the keys."

Regina hands over her keys and turns the lock to the shop before racing out of the door.

Regina raced in through the automatic hospital doors forty minutes later, which seemed like an eternal trip. "Please! My son!" She breathed heavily, her hands landing flat on the desk causing the receptionist in colorful scrubs to stare at her wide-eyed. "My son, I have to see my son, he was brought in today."

"What's the name, ma'am?" The receptionist asked calmly, hands positioned along her keyboard, ready to type away.

"Henry. Henry Mills. He's nine years old. Please."

"Regina," Dr. Whale calls out, walking up to the reception desk.

"Victor! Thank God!" Regina runs to him without a second thought, her eyes completely glossed over. "Where is he? Where's Henry?"

"He's fine, he's okay." Whale promised. "He just took a little spill at school today."

Regina sighed, "Can I see him, please? Can I see my son?"

"Follow me," Dr. Whale nodded at the receptionist, his hand hovering over Regina's back as he guided her through the building.

The first thing Regina's eyes saw was Henry's smile as she burst into the door, "Mom!"

"Henry!" She breathed, rushing over to be at her son's side, her arms enveloping him into a tight hug. "Oh, Henry." Her lips pressed along the top of his head again and again, until they found his cheeks.

It was a nightmare for any mother to see her nine-year-old son strapped to cables and monitors that allowed her to hear the beating of his heart. Regina wouldn't wish it on anyone.

"What on earth happened? Huh?" Regina waited for an explanation.

Dr. Whale he stood nearby cleared his throat, "If I may… Henry here told me that his class were all preparing for a field trip and he got a little too excited." He smiled a little. "Isn't that right, Henry?"

"A field trip?" Regina breathed, her eyes blinking at her son's smiling face.

"Yeah, mom, don't you remember? I made you sign a permission slip last week. We were all going to New York, to visit a museum. You said I could go." Henry frowned.

Regina had honestly forgotten about said field trip. How could she forget? She had fought with Henry, reluctant to let him travel four hours out of town- even if it was for a day- unless she went with them, and how she caved in the end.

"Right, of course," Regina nods, blinking a couple of times as she turns back to Victor. "Will I be able to take him home?"

"Not today," Victor frowned apologetically. "I figured while we're here, I can have that CT scan I've been wanting him to get, and I will have someone come in to do an EKG on him. Which unfortunately means," his eyes turn to Henry. "No field trip today, Hen. I want you up and at 'em before you can go on any field trip first, okay?"

"Okay," Henry frowned, his little shoulders sagging.

"I'll come back to check on him later." Victor smiled, walking toward the door.

"Um, Victor…" Regina called out. She turns to Ruby, "Stay with him, please."

"Of course." Ruby promises, moving alongside Henry.

Regina stepped outside with Victor, shutting the door to Henry's room. "All these tests you want to do on him-"

"They won't hurt him a bit. I promise."

"No, it's not that," Regina shook her head. "It's just… How much money is this going to cost me?"

"Don't worry about that right now, Regina." Victor placed a hand along her arm in comfort. "I have talked to the hospital to let you pay it in parts. So you can have enough time to gather up what you need. I know it's a lot, but I would really feel better if I ran these tests on him while he's here and not just rely on what we have back in town."

Regina nods, seeing no choice in the matter.

"Don't worry," Victor smiles. "He's a tough kid. If he's anything like his mother, he will survive this. I know it."

Regina attempted for a smile that couldn't manifest right now.

"I'll be back soon."

"Thank you, Victor." Regina entered her son's room for today, putting on her best encouraging smile. "What are you guys watching?" She looked over at the television, seeing one of the Harry Potter films play out. She hadn't even noticed there had been a TV in the room.

"Harry Potter," Ruby and Henry said in unison as they are soon joined by Regina.

Soon after, there was a knock at the door. Two men in uniform entered, standing up straight, looking dashing as military men tended to look the part. "Regina Mills?" One of them called out.

"Yes?" Regina's heart stopped once again, that she was sure she would need to stay another night in this hospital. This could not be good news.

Swan,

If you're reading this, then that means you've made it out. And I unfortunately did not. If you're reading this, then you know the last letter drill. Get your ass off the guilt train, soldier, because I know you, and if there were any chance you could have saved me, you would have. If there were any way you could have changed the outcome, you would have. So whatever deep, dark hole of guilt you're wallowing in, stop.

And listen up. I need one thing from you: Get your ass to Storybrooke. I know your ETS date is right with mine. Take it. No questions asked.

Regina is all alone now. Not in the alone way that she has been, but really, truly alone. Our grandmother, our parents, and now me. It's too much to ask her to endure. It's not fair.

I know she's probably already told you about Henry's condition. So, here's my condition- as a fallen brother- be there for my sister.

If I'm gone, that means I can't get home at the end of February like we'd planned. I can't be there for her. I can't help Regina through this tough time, or hold Henry or play with him like I had been dreaming of doing when I was alive. But you can. So I'm begging you, as my best friend, go take care of my sister and my nephew for me. Do whatever you can for both of them.

It's not fair to ask; I know that. It's against your nature to care, just like it's against your nature to not accomplish a mission, but I need this, Emma. Henry needs this. Regina needs this- needs you, though trust me when I tell you that she will fight tooth and nail before she ever admits that to herself.

Help her even when she swears she's fine. Don't make her go through this alone. Promise me that, Emma. Promise me that you'll watch over her. Like it or not- you are a part of our family now.

Until then… I'll save you a seat on the other side, sis, but take your time. Take every single second you can. You are the only sister I had out here watching my back and you did a hell of a job, which is why I can't trust anyone of those other goofballs with this mission that is far more important than anything other mission we have ever done together.

Like it or not, Swan, you are blood of my blood. And just in case no one has ever told you- you are worthy. Of love. Of family. Of home.

So while you're searching for those things, please make sure Storybrooke is where you hang your helmet. At least for a little while. Give it a chance, Swan.

Give yourself a chance.

-August.

P.S. Because I know you would be reluctant to accept this mission without tormenting yourself a little more about what happened. I have already purchased your plane ticket, and bus ticket that will take you directly to your destination. Don't fail me, soldier. I'm counting on you, and I will always be there to guide you.

Emma's hand trembled as she read through August's last letter once more. Her eyes bloodshot from having shed all of the tears she could muster for that asshole. August wasn't supposed to die that night. She was. And if he hadn't gotten in the way to save her from that explosion, she would be the one he would be mourning right now. Not the other way around.

But Emma was nothing, if not a woman of honor. And a soldier's last letter was sacred. Everyone knew that. It was respected.

She turned her head to her bag that had already been packed, then turned to Nala, who lifted her head up from resting along her leg. A week after August's death she had to stay behind, because Captain Calloway said she was too valuable to let go just yet, but Emma knew the truth. It wasn't her at all. It was Nala. Truth was, she was a damn good service dog. But she belonged to Emma's and wherever Emma went she would take Nala with her. Give her that peaceful life she promised her once this was all over.

Reaching out, she scratched the top of her head, "How about it girl… Would you like to go see Storybrooke?" She asks, watching as Nala's ears perked up along with her head just a little farther than before.