A/N: Late update, but I didn't want to go to bed before uploading it for you all, since work will be busy tomorrow that I won't update on this story again until Friday. But, this is another chapter I am proud of, and I hope you all enjoy it until then. :) Happy reading!


Chapter 21: Into The Past


"Welcome to Boston!" An attendant with her amber colored hair picked up in pins greeted Emma with the friendliest smile as she walked off the boarding bridge. With her two carry-ons, one in each hand.

"Thank you." Emma smiled, giving the woman a curt nod before continuing her walk along the airport. Her meeting at Locksley Inc. wasn't until tomorrow afternoon, so it gave her enough time to relax and mentally prepare. It also gave her time to feel a little more casual toward her style of clothing and not so professional, settling on a pair of brand new blue tight jeans, a black belt, a dark gray long sleeve shirt tucked into her waistline, under a casual black blazer, unbuttoned. The weather was agreeable for her loose hair to remain loose.

Walking among the crowd, Emma's eyes caught sight of a man about her height but an inch shorter. He wore an all ray business suit with a matching tie, knock perfectly tied at his throat. His hair was a mix of black and gray specks, giving it that salt and pepper look. Short length that matched well with his round face. He had friendly eyes and an even friendlier smile. He held up a sign that read Ms. E. Swan, spotting her out instantly.

"Good evening, Ms. Swan," he greeted her, extending his hand and shaking Emma's firmly. "I am Sidney Glass. Mrs. Page gave specific instructions to drive you around as much as you needed."

"Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Glass." Said Emma.

"Just Sidney, ma'am." Sidney smiled.

"Well, just Sidney, if I am allowed to call you by your first name, what do you say you call me by mine?" Said Emma, giving a nod.

"Very well." Sidney nodded. "But I would still like to respectfully use the term Ms, if you don't mind, so how about Ms. Emma?"

Emma's smile grew as she hesitated only for a second. "Deal."

"Let me get your bags for you," Sidney tucks the sign underneath his arm and quickly reaches for both sets of luggage's from Emma's hands. "Follow me, please, Ms. Emma." He nods.

They walked through the rest of the airport until they reached the parking garage, where Sidney popped the trunk to a silver 2024 Lexus IS to on-load Emma's luggage. Once he did, he hurried over to the passenger back door before she could reach for it herself and held it open, giving her a curt nod with a smile. No matter how much time has passed, she sometimes still couldn't believe that doors were now held open for her, and she was able to afford the best apartments or even a house if she wanted.

"Where to, Ms. Emma?" Sidney shared a look with Emma through the rear view mirror as he drove out onto the city.

Despite Emma's eyes targeting the city she swore she would never return to, there's a small nostalgic smile lifting at the corner of her lip as she said, "Keep driving, I'll instruct you as you go." At her command, Sidney nods and willingly drives. Soon after, Emma reaches for her ringing cell phone, seeing Lily's name flashing along the screen before pressing the call button. "What's up, Lily?"

"What is this I hear you going to Boston just as you got back from Europe?"

"Work never sleeps, Lily, you know that." Said Emma.

"More like you never sleep, Emma," Lily snorts. "I think turning into my mother is an understatement. You're worse than my mother."

Emma grins, "I'll take that as a compliment."

"Well, I'll watch your apartment until you get back."

"I'd appreciate that."

"Any idea how long you'll be staying?"

Emma instructs Sidney to take an exit and where to turn before she answers Lily's question, "Not as of yet, but I shouldn't be more than a couple of days. Maybe less." Her eyes glared out of the car window to already a familiar spot that looked out toward the beach.

"Well, I hope it's less. I sure would love to treat you to dinner once you return."

"Dinner sounds great. You'll be the first to know when I fly back to New York."

"Great in business, but still lousy at lying. Some things never change."

Emma grins, "I gotta go now, but we'll be in touch."

"Bye."

"Turn here, Sidney, please," Emma instructs, tucking her phone inside of her pocket. She silently watches the city flash on by, her memory a jumble as she forces it to quickly shut down. Five years later, and she still knew her way home.

Sidney pulled the Lexus over onto the side of the road, exiting quickly to pull open the passenger door for Emma, where her eyes quickly took the apartment building where she once grew up. It looked different, but exactly the same. Exactly how she remembered it.

"Are you certain, you don't want me calling for a hotel room for you?" Sidney asked, looking up at the apartment complex in awe. Probably wondering why Emma would want to stay here.

That made her smile, "No. I'll be fine," she reaches for her luggage handles in each hand. "I'm sorry I can't offer you to stay. The apartment only has two rooms and I won't have you sleeping on the floor."

"Don't worry, Ms. Emma. Mrs. Page arranged it for me to stay at a hotel nearby, so if you need me I can be back here in a flash." He smiled. "I'll go check in while you do the same."

"Thank you, Sidney," Emma nods. "Rest up today. Tomorrow will be a brand new day with lots to do."

"Yes, ma'am." Sidney nods, getting back into the vehicle and driving away.

Emma waits until the vehicle is no longer in sight to look back up at the apartment building she knew her father was still in. It was early and he still wouldn't be home, but no matter how much time passed, Emma kept the key to their apartment and used it to settle herself in, placing the luggage inside of what used to be her bedroom. The room is intact, just as she remembered it, with the same rundown bed along the wall near the single window. Her fingers ran along her small writing desk where she would spend most of her time studying.

She opened up her closet, hearing that familiar creak of the sliding door that would become stuck as it reached halfway. Her fingers traveling through her old clothes, reminiscing on a time where achieving what she had now seemed almost impossible and too far of reach. Moving over to her bed, still made with the white sheets and blue covers, Emma perched at its edge, her fingers running along the pillow. A tiny smile lifting at the corner of her lip.

The sound of the lock to the front door clicked and it lifted Emma up to her feet. She moved along the small hallway until she reached the living room where the sight of her much older dad entered with a bag of groceries in each arm. His back to her as he locked the door back in place. Emma smiled at the sight of him. Still wearing that old brown reversible coat of his, his flannel shirts that had seen better days, and his hair all disheveled from a rough day of errands, his boots rundown and coated with dirt along the edges. She thought carefully about allowing him to turn until he saw her standing there, but the last thing she wanted to do was surprise his way into a heart attack.

"Dad," Emma announced, her voice soft.

David's entire body paused at the sound of that familiar voice. His keys remained in his hand, too frozen to be put away. "Emma?" He said, whirling around with eyes wide and glossed over. The two grocery bags were forgotten as they collapsed out of his arms and onto the floor. One on each side of him.

"It's me," Emma breathed, feeling her voice croak as a knot formed on the inside of her throat. She stood still as David met her across the room, walking up to her as if she were something so exotically beautiful that if he moved too fast, she would run away, never to be seen again. Her own green eyes glossed over once David was close enough. He was still the same 'ol dad she remembered, except older and with a few wrinkles along the corner of his eyes. His hair was still that ember color but it had grown darker and with a few specks of white.

David's eyes took her in, observing her from head to toe and back again. His hands, which looked older than she remembered, reached out to rest along her shoulders. She could hear his breath hitch as he breathed through his parted lips that soon stretched out into a smile she honestly never thought she'd see again. "Emma," he breathed, his own voice an earthquake.

Emma's smile grew as she reached up to grab onto her father's own arm as his hand now cupped the side of her cheek. And before they both knew it, they were tangled in an embrace that Emma didn't realize how much she needed until it happened. Her eyes shut tight, fighting tears of her own as David's entire body shook with muffled sobs.

"I can't believe it's you," David cried, his face buried deeply along the shoulder of Emma's blazer and part of her hair. He lingered there for another minute until he cleared his throat, and faced her again. His eyes glossy but displaying a wave of endless happiness as he took in her appearance. "Look at you! You're so different! So-" he shook his head, his tongue attempting to find the right word.

"I know," Emma smiled.

David sighs, "Did you get taller?"

Emma chuckled, "Nah, it's the shoes. Look at you, though," she takes a step back, wiping at the corner of her eye with the back of her knuckle. "You're looking good for an older guy."

"Nah," David waved a dismissive hand. A blush settling along his cheeks.

"No, you do. You look like you could still dance a step or two." Emma laughed.

David pulled her into another hug, savoring the moment he never thought would come.

"Dad," Emma's eyes fell on the two neglected bags of groceries by the door. A few items already scattered about. "We should probably pick those up." She nodded as they parted.

"Oh, damn," David rushed over to the door and reached for one of the bags, picking up an orange that scattered away. Emma was quick to move, reaching for the other bag before anything had a chance to drip along the floor, like milk. "Come on. We'll set these up in the kitchen." He jerked his head with the biggest smile stretched across his lips. "Have you eaten?"

"No," Emma said truthfully. She couldn't stomach anything down with the thought of returning here.

After Emma helped put away all the groceries, they settled into the kitchen. A familiar kitchen that Emma felt right at home in after not being here in years. She watched her father as he prepared them both a bologna and cheese sandwich with lettuce and tomato, setting them in two separate plates. Despite his eyes looking tired, he still looked to have some fight in him.

"Sorry," he said while setting down a sandwich in front of Emma and taking a seat at the breakfast table. "My cooking skills haven't improved since you left. I'm sure you're used to different types of food and all." His eyes quietly observed her clothes.

A small smile tugged at the corner of Emma's lip, "This is perfect." She picked up the sandwich with both hands and took a bite. A sandwich always tasted better when someone else made it for you. As if your taste buds didn't know what to expect.

David sat there, quietly observing Emma, memorizing her as if he were seeing her for the first time. She looked the same, but at the same time so different. She was no longer the Emma he had said goodbye to that morning.

"What?" Asks Emma, stopping mid-chew.

"Nothing," David shakes his head. "I just can't believe you're sitting here. Eating a terribly made sandwich," he chuckled along with Emma. "Just like old times. Only… you're different."

"Different good?" Emma hoped so.

"Yeah," David's smile gave Emma that hope. He reached out to cup her hand with his larger one. "Very good. I mean, look at you, Emma. New clothes," his eyes rake over her in one quick motion. "Your mannerisms are different. How you express yourself about yourself, your job, your boss. You have a company named after you. You really did it."

"Yeah," Emma smiles, rubbing her thumb and forefinger together to rid them of breadcrumbs.

"I'm proud of you." Said David.

"Thanks, dad. I honestly would have never achieved anything if it wasn't for your sacrifices."

"Oh, stop," David blinked back tears that threatened his eyes as he sat back.

"I'm serious." Emma's smile grew.

David shakes his head, quickly looking to change conversation. "So, now that you're back… can I ask how long you're back for?"

"You may," Emma nods. "And the plan is for a couple of days. Five at the most, but I'm trying to get it out of the way quickly. It's just business, really, but, I figured while I'm here I could stay with you?"

"You don't even have to ask that," David smiled. "Your room is still intact. Ready for you." He chuckled, "Boy, Ruby and Graham are going to be surprised with your return. They sure have missed you."

"I sure have missed them. All of you." She squeezes her dad's hand in return as they share the last smile of the night.

Emma changed into a pair of pajama bottoms and a t-shirt to sleep in. Her hair picked up into a messy ponytail for more comfort. And as she entered her old bedroom it was as if she had gone back in time. Especially with returning to Boston. Ever since she stepped off that plane on her arrival it had felt as if she had exited out of a time machine into her past. It wasn't all bad, being back where she grew up, except for the one thing that tormented her since she set foot on that airplane.

Sliding off of her bed, Emma walked over to her closet, enduring that scraping the sliding door made along the floor. She should fix that door. She places that thought in the back of her mind come morning. Pushing it a little further, Emma reaches for an old blanket that had found its way along the top shelf of her closet, tossing it along the bed. Further back as she feels around, her fingers finally make contact with an old blue shoe box. Her hand slowly brushes along the top, never thinking that she would see it again.

Moving back to sit along her bed, Emma placed the shoe box before her, slowly removing the lid. Her eyes taking in the contents within. Her hand reaches inside and pulls out a single ticket. It was from her first concert with Regina. Then there was her pocket knife, which she decided to treasure all the more after Regina had used it, followed by her bus pass that she never wanted to throw away. Lastly, she pulled out a piece of folded paper that still had that crunch as she skillfully unfolded it, revealing a drawing with Regina's signature at the bottom corner.

"Alright, close your eyes." Regina smiled as she watched Emma follow instructions before turning her back on her to reach inside the drawer of her desk, inside of her studio. "Keep them closed." She said, reaching for a single sheet of paper.

"I am." Said Emma, sharpening her hearing senses to try and determine what Regina could be doing around the room.

Regina walked up to Emma. "Now, hold out your hands." She said, placing the single sheet of paper along pale palms.

"Can I look now?" Emma asked, holding onto the sheet of paper.

"Go ahead," Regina grinned.

Emma's eyes fluttered open, falling along a drawing of them sitting along Mary Margaret's roof, cuddled together, watching Titanic along the projector screen. But the drawing had been made as if Regina had been watching it happen like a dream, standing right behind herself and Emma, so all you could see was a part of their shoulders, the back of their heads, bodies snuggled together.

"That's Mary Margaret's home theater!" Emma beamed.

"Do you like it?"

"I love it," Emma nods. "You captured everything." Her eyes lock onto Regina's. "It's beautiful."

"That was one of the best dates ever. One that I'll always remember." Regina smiled. "It was when I knew I loved you, and one day… I will re-create this into a much bigger portrait and someone will have it hanging along their wall. But I wanted you to have the original copy."

"Thank you. I will keep this forever." Said Emma, meeting Regina halfway in a passionate kiss.

Emma took the drawing and held it up, ready to rip it down the middle but stopped herself. Even if the best thing was to rip it, she couldn't bring herself to do it, resulting in her tossing the drawing back into the box. And that's when her eye caught something else. She reached in and held onto the same engagement ring she had made for Regina five years ago. "Regina," she murmured, placing everything back along the box, except the ring, which she placed inside of her nightstand drawer.


Regina sighed as she stood from sitting in front of her vanity mirror. She walked across the room, dressed comfortably in her silk nightgown, until she reached her walk-in closet. Reaching for a pair of clothes, removing them from their compartment, she set them aside and reached further inside for a small wooden box. Pulling the lid open, her eyes drank in everything she had kept throughout the years that were now memories of Emma. Her eyes stinging with tears as a smile slowly lifts along the corners of her lips. "Emma," she murmured, running the tips of her fingers across each content.

Two pounds along the door startled her, followed by the rattling of the doorknob to the bedroom door. "Regina?" Robin's voice called from behind the door, rattling the door knob a little more. "Are you in there?" Two more knocks.

"I'm coming!" Regina quickly shut the box and stuffed it back in her closet compartment, stuffing it with her clothes before marching over to the door and twisting the lock.

"Why did you lock the door?" Robin asked, his eyes looking inside the room as if expecting to see someone in here.

"Bad habit," Said Regina. "Sorry."

Robin stared down at her as if seeking the real answer behind her eyes. "Were you crying?" He asked, seeing traces of a gloss along her eyes.

"No," Regina furrows her brow as she whirls around to walk back inside the room, settling along the edge of her side of the bed. She could feel Robin's eyes trained on her the entire time.

And as Robin shuts the door to their bedroom, he asks, "Are you sure? You seem troubled."

"Well, any woman would be troubled being married to you, Robin." Regina throws a look over her shoulder before turning back. She dabs some lotion along the palm of her hand and begins smearing it along her legs.

Robin removed his suit jacket, laying it carefully along one of the chairs in the room. His hands worked next to loosen his tie. "You know, I was thinking… since I had to work today. Maybe I could take the day off tomorrow and we could go somewhere. Anywhere you'd like."

Regina snorts, "Don't you have a lunch meeting tomorrow?"

"Who told you that?"

"Your father." Regina lifted a shoulder. "Honestly, I don't know why he bothers keeping me up to day-to-day on your schedules. It's not like I ever cared before." She places her lotion back inside her night table drawer.

"Well, maybe he's hoping for us to spend some time together." Robin's eyes move along Regina's legs. "He's been anxiously wanting to be a grandfather." He walks up to her. "I know for certain, your father would like that."

Regina looks up at Robin as he stands before her. "And you think you're ready to be a father?"

"I most certainly am," Robin kneels before Regina. His eyes locked onto hers as his hands began to travel up her calf. "Nothing would make me happier, Regina."

"Robin, stop," Regina moved, quickly standing from the bed. "I'm not in the mood for this. Not tonight."

Robin's jaw tensed as he stood. His hand reached out for her, forcing her to turn. "Regina, when is this act of celibacy going to end?"

"Who said it was an act?" Regina's brow lifts.

His hands tighten along her arms. "I will not stand for this behavior much longer, Regina. I want a child. From you. From us."

Regina yanks her arms free. "Well, I don't!"

Robin pulls her right back to him a little rougher this time. His eyes glaring into hers menacingly. "You enjoy this, don't you? You enjoy making me suffer, day by day?"

"You do that yourself, Robin." Regina challenges. "You could have saved yourself a lot of suffering if you hadn't forced me to marry you. You want a solution? Then divorce me."

"No, don't say that!" Robin seethes, his eyes growing wider and angrier than before. "Don't you ever say that because I will never divorce you. Ever. You're my wife, the woman I love and I will not be made a fool of."

"Robin," Regina chuckles, freeing herself from his grasp to move along her side of the bed to reach for a pillow. "You're already the laughing stock among all the people that know you."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Regina moves over to her vanity, reaching for a newspaper and tosses it along the bed for Robin to see. In the newspaper there's a picture of Robin walking hand in hand along an art museum with another brunette that clearly isn't Regina. "At least it wasn't my sister this time. Although, I will give you a tip. Next time you attempt to make a move on me, shower first. You reek of her perfume and frankly, that just sickens me."

"Regina," Robin breathes, attempting to control the anger boiling inside of him. "None of this would happen if you just gave me a little bit of your affection."

"Why do you need my affection? You seem to have plenty of it right there," Regina motions to the newspaper in Robin's hand. "Honestly, Robin, if this was a way to cry for help and hope that I would give you my affections? You have to try a little harder than that. But do yourself a favor and try to be a little more incognito with these things. Not for me, no," she chuckled. "But for you. Your image is important to you after all, isn't it?"

Robin's lip curls as he watches her head toward the door. "Where the hell are you going?"

Regina looks over her shoulder, holding the door ajar, "I'm going to sleep in the guest room. Again, you reek of Zelena's perfume, which also tends to give me a migraine so have a good night."

"Regina… Regina!" Robin shouts, not caring if the entire house hears him. But as Regina shuts the door, not caring about him either, he crumples up the newspaper in his hands and tosses it across the room.


"Oh, Emma!" Mary Margaret beamed as she hugged Emma tightly. "It's great to have you back! Let me look at you!" She said, wiping at the corner of her eyes with the back of her knuckles. Her hands rested along Emma's shoulders, "Turn around. Let me see you."

Emma chuckled but did as she was told, giving the older woman a full view of her appearance in a pair of black pressed pants, her ankle high boots, a light blue button up and her black blazer. Her hair loose and curled at the ends.

"You look so different!" Said Mary Margaret.

"You sound like my dad," Emma said. "But thank you."

"Sit down, come on in." Mary Margaret shut the door as Emma entered, joining her along her kitchen table. "New York did you good, huh?"

"It did." Emma's head bobbed. "But I see you haven't changed. Still as beautiful as always."

"Oh, please," Mary Margaret waved a dismissive hand. "You're one to talk! I hardly recognized you. Are you hungry? I can fix you up something."

"No, thank you. I had breakfast with my dad earlier."

"Your dad?" Mary Margaret snorts, standing up from the table. "You need a proper breakfast, then." She moved along her kitchen, reaching for two eggs, some spinach and mushrooms. "I'll make you an omelet. Just the way you like it."

"With extra mushrooms?" Emma smiled, already feeling her stomach rumble.

"Of course." Mary Margaret grins, turning her attention back to her pan and stove, turning down the heat to give it a chance to heat up while she chops away at the mushrooms.

"Do you need any help?" Emma stands, willing to help.

"Absolutely not. I will not have you get yourself all dirty because you helped me." Mary Margaret glared. "You sit back down and tell me, how long are you in Boston for? I mean, I assume you're going back to New York."

"You would be correct," said Emma. "I'm just here for a few days on business." She pauses, looking down at her watch for distraction other than the time. "Actually… I didn't want to say anything to my dad, but… I'm here to do business with another company."

"Sounds promising." Mary Margaret sprinkled the mushroom and spinach bits onto the egg.

"Yeah," Emma murmured.

"Something in your voice tells me that you aren't as thrilled as you should be." Mary Margaret's eyes narrow over her shoulder, giving Emma a pointed look. "Why is that, I wonder?"

Emma grins. "I still can't hide anything from you, can I?"

Mary Margaret poured the omelet onto the plate and placed it in front of Emma, handing her a fork. "Tell me," she takes a seat. "What's on your mind?"

Emma picks up her fork but doesn't make any sudden movements to eat it just yet. Instead she sighs as her eyes meet with Mary Margaret's. "Well… the company I'm about the become a part of and help," she chuckled. "Belongs to Robin Locksley."

"Robin Locksley…" Mary Margaret's eyes widened. "The man that Regina-?"

"Married," Emma's voice hardens as does her frown. "Yeah." She brings a piece of omelet to her mouth and chews.

"How on earth did you become a part of this? I thought the whole point of you moving to New York was to get away from everything that had to do with Regina?"

"Life had other plans, apparently," Emma murmured.

"Well, you can't do it."

"It's not that simple, Mary Margaret," Emma shakes her head, stabbing at another piece of omelet.

"Emma," Mary Margaret continues firmly. "You're talking about doing business with the man who is married to Regina."

"I know," Emma rolls her eyes. "But, I'm not sticking around, anyway. I'm just here as representation to my boss, and as soon as I close the deal I'm flying back to New York. I won't even have to run into Regina."

Mary Margaret's eyes give another sharp look. "And what if you do run into her? What then?"

"What do you mean?" Emma shrugs. "Nothing. I'm over Regina."

"Oh," her brow lifts. "You're over her, huh?"

"I am." Emma gives a pointed look of her own.

"Alright," Mary Margaret lifts her hands. "But Emma, you have to consider that if life brought you back here after five years, it's for something."

"Yeah, business."

"Or unfinished business." Said Mary Margaret.

"It's just business, Mary Margaret."

"Say what you will, Emma. But you can go and grab that man by the balls in today's meeting," she continues through Emma's slight smile. "But if the universe wants you and Regina to see each other again, it will happen." She pauses, studying Emma's empty eyes. "Are you prepared for something like that?"

Was she? Emma didn't have an answer for that. But then again, Regina shouldn't be anywhere near today's meeting between her and Robin Locksley. Her husband.