A/N: Despite going through constant interruptions today, I was able to finally finish up this chapter. It didn't turn out how I originally planned because I actually feel that for a story that's intended to be a romantic/slow burn, it turned out SO MUCH better! I am very happy with the result and I have to say, despite it's sadness, it's one of my top favorites. Stay tuned, however for the update that you all have been waiting for (if you're reading this story). Emma and Regina finally will come face to face. ;) Happy reading!

Chapter 23: The Promise

"Well, thanks to both of you for letting me know that Emma was back in town!" Said Ruby. Her fist delivered a hard punch right along Graham's arm as he joined them at one of the tables in his bar with three glasses filled to the brim of beer.

This was a sight that Emma missed most of all, even when she had no plans of returning. Spending time with Graham and Ruby, catching up and laughing about old times and new.

"Hey, don't blame me, okay?" Graham rubs his arm, already feeling a bruise settling. "Emma here wanted to surprise you." He grinned.

"Well, I'm surprised," Ruby grinned, her eyes looking directly at Emma. "I can see New York has been treating you well."

"It's been fine." Emma nods.

"Fine," Graham snorts, hovering his glass near his lips. "Says the one of us who actually got out of this place and comes back with her own personal bodyguard." He nods his head toward the silver Lexus parked just outside along the parking lot. Facing the establishment.

"Sidney is not my bodyguard," Emma clarifies, taking a sip of beer.

Ruby's eyes flick toward the car outside, seeing the headlights on. "Driver- bodyguard- the guy looks like he could kill you where you stand." She said.

Emma's throat vibrated with laughter as she shook her head.

"Why doesn't he come in?" Graham looks at the figure sitting inside of the Lexus. "Have a drink?"

Emma shakes her head, "He doesn't drink. He likes the quiet from inside the car."

"So, how much do you pay him, anyway?" Ruby asked. "Like a hundred an hour?"

Emma smiled. "That's Mal's department. Not mine. She hired him to drive me around while I'm here."

Ruby's brow arches, "She's paying for him to drive you around?" She looks at Sidney. "Are you sure he isn't some secret assassin waiting to take down whoever messes with you? What if he kills one of us?"

"Does he know where we live?" Graham's eyes turn wide.

Emma chuckles, "Yes, he knows where you live."

"Does he sleep at your house with your dad?" Ruby asked.

"How about we not talk about Sidney for a minute?" Emma sets down her glass along the table. Her eyes focused on Ruby and Graham. "I'd rather talk about you guys. Catch up."

Ruby snorts, "There's not much to tell, Em."

"Yeah. Same 'ol, same 'ol around here. You know how that goes." Graham finished.

"Well," Ruby's eyes dart to Graham. "Except Graham here, dating a girl who is way up his standards." She grins. Clearly she was over the fact that her and Graham would only remain in the friend zone.

"Knock it off, Ruby," Graham frowned.

"What? Like she isn't?" Ruby shrugged.

"Ruby," said Emma.

"I'm just saying," Ruby lifts up her hands. "Look at what happened to you, Em. I thought Regina was good, too, but I was clearly wrong." Her eyes move to Graham. "I just don't want you going through the same heartache and leaving for good."

"Hey, she's back, isn't she?" Said Graham.

"Not forever, dumbass."

"Knock it off, Ruby," said Emma. "Besides, I know Kathryn."

"Like you thought you knew Regina?" Ruby snorts, catching sight of a glare being thrown her way. "Hey, I'm sorry, but it's the truth, isn't it? Even Graham would agree with me on this one."

"Kathryn isn't like Regina." Graham shakes his head.

Emma had enough. She dug inside of her suit jacket pocket and slammed the invitation, which she had retrieved out of the trash bin, hard along the table. Ending her whim in a long drink from her glass.

Ruby and Graham's eyes fall along the invitation as they remain silent. Emma's green eyes meet with theirs. She watches Ruby be the first to reach for the invitation to study it up close.

"Where did you get this?" Ruby asked, her blue eyes staring widely into Emma's.

"From Robin's father," Emma murmurs into her glass. "I am cordially invited to celebrate Mr. and Mrs. Locksley's fourth year wedding anniversary." She finishes her beer, slamming her glass down along the table. Her eyes glued to the invitation which Ruby was still holding.

Graham stared in horror, not really knowing what to say.

"Shit. Talk about a kick in the gut." Ruby's eyes looked up at Emma. "Are you going?" She finally asked.

Emma hesitated but ultimately shook her head. Truth is she had been beating herself up, debating whether to attend or not.

"I don't get it," Graham said, walking back to their table with refilled glasses of beer, setting Emma's down first. "Why would Regina's husband want you there to celebrate something that would ultimately destroy you? Emotionally, I mean."

Emma gulped down another sip, so hard it hurt her throat. "It didn't come from her husband. The guy is so full of himself, he wouldn't care to invite me," she chuckled.

"Do you think Regina had anything to do with this?" Ruby asked.

"Don't be stupid, Ruby. Regina doesn't even know Emma's back in town." Graham retorted.

"He's right," Emma finally said. "She doesn't. Not to my knowledge, anyway."

"She could," Ruby murmured, taking a sip of her beer. "But, why invite you?"

"Yeah. I mean, what if this is ultimately a trap against you?" Graham asked.

"It's not." Emma shook her head.

"How can you tell?"

"Because the invitation came personally from Robin's father. And when I spoke to him on the phone, the man sounded sincere. He's very different from Robin, that's for sure." She muttered that last bit before taking another sip.

"How can you tell?" Ruby asked.

"I just can." Said Emma. "Anyways, this isn't up for discussion. I'm not going."

"Are you sure about that, Em?" Ruby asked.

"Why would I lie?" Emma's eyes glare in Ruby's direction.

"Well, you hesitated. For a moment, but you hesitated. But hey, if you aren't going, I think that's better. I mean, what will you do if you go and you see her there? One exchange glance from across the room or something and those familiar feelings come rushing back?" Ruby asked, shaking her head. "Don't give me that look, Em. I haven't talked to Regina since she decided to marry that golden mine of hers, but she's been around and she hasn't exactly gotten any different from the last time you saw her." She reaches for her glass to take a sip and stops, realizing that not only Graham's but Emma's eyes were pinned directly on her. As if the world paused for a moment.

"She's been around?" Emma asked, her eyes narrowing toward Ruby. Her breathing stopped. "What the hell does that mean, Ruby?"

Graham's eyes look angrily at Ruby. His head was shaking from side to side.

"Graham?" Emma's green eyes pin to Graham next. "What is she talking about?"

"Nothing." Graham attempts for a smile, but the glare in Emma's eyes forbids him. "Ruby's drunk." He nods his head toward Ruby, who glares in his direction accusingly.

"Hey," Ruby speaks up, holding her hands up defensively. "Don't shoot us, Em. If you really want to blame someone, blame Mary Margaret. Okay? I'v had it. She's the one who's been having Regina over for tea and chats behind your back."

"Ruby!" Graham seethed.

Emma's eyes darken as her body turns tense in the blink of an eye. "What?" She looks to Graham, who just bows his head, keeping silent.

"Yeah," Ruby continues. "Mary Margaret still sees her. On occasion. She made us promise not to tell you if you ever came back here again, but damn it. I can't keep anything from you, Em. I mean, you're my best friend. And I don't think it's right."

"They just talk, Em," Graham finally said, meeting with Emma's cold stare. "That's all. No harm done."

No harm done? Emma couldn't accept that. Not from Mary Margaret. Without another word, she stood up from her chair, dug out some loose dollar bills from her pocket and threw them on the table before exiting the bar like a raging storm that threatened to destroy everything in its path.

"Emma!" Ruby shouted, defeatingly sinking back into her chair.

"Why did you have to open your big mouth, Ruby?" Graham whispered as if Emma could still hear them through the walls.

"I'm sorry! It slipped out!" Ruby whispered back.

Emma yanks the passenger door open, sinking into the leather seat. "Drive," she orders Sidney.

"Where to, Ms. Emma?" Sidney waits.

"The apartment." At her order, the gear shift is changed from P to D and the car begins to slowly exit out of the parking lot and onto the road.

Mary Margaret pulled the door open, her eyes fluttering not so much at the sight of Emma, but at the sour look on her face and the way her lips thinned out into a straight line. "Emma? What's going on? What's that look about?"

"Is it true?" Emma pushed her way inside the woman's apartment, hearing the door shut behind her before she whirls around.

"Is what true?" Mary Margaret asked.

"You know what I'm talking about, Mary Margaret." Emma's fist glued to her hip.

"No, I don't know. I've told millions of times, Emma, my mind reading abilities only go so far-"

"Oh, Mary Margaret- will you cut off the jokes for one minute, please, and just tell me what I want to know?" Emma walked further into the apartment until she reached the kitchen.

"Well, why don't you stop talking to me as if I know what you're talking about and just tell me what you want to know?" Mary Margaret's hands land on her hips, her body mimicking Emma's stance right in the middle of her kitchen.

"You and Regina." Said Emma. "I was just with Ruby and Graham, and they told me that you have been in contact with Regina. Not only that but that you've been receiving her in your home. Now, is that true?"

Mary Margaret's eyes rolled to the back of her head as she sighed. "And people think I am unable to keep secrets around here," she muttered, shaking her head.

"So it's true?"

The older woman lets out another sigh- heavier this time. Her shoulders deflating in the process. "Yes. Yes, it's true." She continued as Emma's head continued to shake. "I didn't want to tell you because you never really want to talk about Regina, and honestly, I didn't see anything wrong with that."

"You should have told me!" Emma's jaw clenched tightly. Her eyes displayed anger. "How could you do that to me?"

"Hey, now wait just a minute," Mary Margaret gave her a pointed look. "Don't look all betrayed here, Emma. You left, remember? It wasn't like you were going to run into Regina if she came by here every once in a while to talk about her feelings, too!"

"Feelings," Emma scoffed out a chuckle. Her eyes pinned to the color of her boots for a moment.

"Yes, Emma. Feelings. Just like you clearly need to vent about yours, Regina has feelings of her own that have been hurt, too."

"Oh, come on, Mary Margaret!" Emma shakes her head, willing her feet to walk past the older woman who surprises her by grabbing onto her arm, preventing her from leaving.

Mary Margaret's eyes are pinned on Emma's as she says, "A coin always has two sides, Emma."

"What the hell does that even mean?" Emma's brows furrow. She waits, hoping to gather an answer from Mary Margaret, but gets nothing. Instead she watches as Mary Margaret walks up to one of her chairs belonging to her breakfast table and takes a seat. "Well?"

"What?" Mary Margaret looks up at Emma. "Well, nothing. Do with that what you will."

"Oh, again with the riddles!" Emma rolls her eyes, turning her back on the woman as she begins waking out of the kitchen.

"You won't listen to a damn word I say, Emma!" Mary Margaret stands. "Because you're stubborn. You always have been and you always will be. You want to be angry at me for lending a listening ear to Regina- go ahead- be mad. But don't make me out to be the bad guy in this story of yours that clearly isn't finished yet, because I am not the bad guy. I'm not the one who stormed in here like a raging lunatic." She stood straighter, ready to have a stand-off with Emma.

Emma drew in a breath. "Let me make something clear to you, Mary Margaret. I don't have an unfinished story with Regina. I'm over it."

"You're over it?" Mary Margaret chuckled, crossing her arms along her chest. "You might want to tell that to the vein along the middle of your forehead." She points to the very visible vein and continues despite Emma's eye roll. "Let me ask you something, Emma, what's it to you that I talk to Regina? Why do you care so much?"

"I don't care."

"Really? Then, why did you come back to Boston? Why after all these years- when you swore you would never set foot here again? Why agree to work for her husband and his company?"

"Because I didn't have a choice. It was me or it was me- and when it comes down to business, you can't turn your back on it." Said Emma.

Mary Margaret smirked, not afraid to show it. "Business? Yeah… keep telling yourself that."

"Look-" Emma took a step forward, halting at a knock that pounded on the other side of the main door. Her eyes flicked toward the door and back. "Are you expecting someone?" She asked more calmly.

"No." Mary Margaret walked out of the kitchen, into her living room and marched right to her front door. She thought about peeking through her peep hole, but decided on, "Who is it?" She asked through the door.

"Mary Margaret, it's me. Regina. Can I come in for a while?"

Emma's eyes turned a little wide, her hand quickly bringing her index finger, pressed against her lips as her attention remained focused on Mary Margaret.

"Uh-" Mary Margaret's throat bobs, "Just a minute!" She turns back to Emma who is quickly running into the hallway, and into the bathroom, shutting the door. After Mary Margaret is sure that Emma is hiding, she rushes back into her living room and pulls open the door. "Regina?" She frowns. "Oh, you look awful."

"I'm sorry to bother you, but I really needed to talk to someone. And since Kathryn is out on a date with Graham, I thought-"

"Don't even worry about it, come on in," Mary Margaret motioned, stepping aside so that Regina could enter. "Come on in. I'll put on some tea."

"No, it's okay. I really can't stay long." Regina followed Mary Margaret into the kitchen, her eyes shifting toward the hallway as if she was expecting to see someone. "I didn't bother you, did I? I thought I heard voices coming from here."

"Oh, no. That was my TV. Sometimes I like to play it loud to block out the noise." Mary Margaret smiled, feeling her heart jump into her throat. "Are you sure you don't want that tea?"

"I'm fine. Thank you." Regina shook her head, taking her usual seat along the kitchen table.

"What's on your mind, Regina?" Mary Margaret's eyes shift over the brunette's shoulder, looking to the hallway as she joins her to a seat.

Regina sighed, her body hunched over, the same position it had taken up since the day Emma left. "I'm sorry, I… I just had to get out of my house. You know, with the dinner preparations for this anniversary, the house is in complete chaos." She runs her hands along her face, her face appearing not only physically exhausted, but mentally.

Mary Margaret's brow lifts, "That's tomorrow? Your anniversary." Her eyes shift over to the hallway where Emma peeks out from the corner, but retracts back once Regina lifts her head in a nod. "Now it all makes sense," she mutters.

"What does?" Regina asks.

"Why… you are the way that you are." Said Mary Margaret.

Regina sighs deeper this time, "And somehow Robin has programmed it into not only my mother, but my father's brain that we need a baby around the house!" She scoffs.

Emma's brow furrowed. She could feel anger bubbling up inside of her as she remained glued to the wall along the hallway.

"A baby?" Mary Margaret's eyes flicker toward the hallway before they are back on Regina. "And, what do you think of that, Regina?"

Regina shakes her head, her eyes filling up with tears. "I can't do it. I can't. That will only…" tie her to Robin even more, but she doesn't choose to use the words Mary Margaret already knows well. "Complicate our lives right now." She chuckled, reaching for a tissue from the tissue box that was left in the middle of the kitchen table for her. "It would be chaotic to have a child now."

"That's understandable. You'll know when you're ready." Mary Margaret chooses her words very carefully, reaching for Regina's hand. "But, this isn't just that. Is it?" Her eyes pin on Regina's brown, glassy orbs.

Regina's eyes turn glassier as she shakes her head again. Her bottom lip trembled. "I just can't help but think how different my life would have been had I left that day with Emma." Her voice cracks.

Emma's head jerks, almost wanting to peek out but she refrains. Listening by the wall.

Mary Margaret nods, giving Regina's hand a gentle squeeze. "I should have gone." She listened to Regina's cries. "I should have defied all odds. I should have never turned my back on her." She cried.

"Maybe…" Mary Margaret speaks softly. "Maybe it's not too late…" her eyes flicker to Emma, who is now peeking from around the corner. "Maybe you can still make things right. Both you and Emma."

Emma's frown deepens as she shakes her head at Mary Margaret before hiding back behind the hallway wall.

"Of course, Emma is so damn stubborn, she probably won't listen to reason. So you'd be wasting your time." Mary Margaret seethes purposefully.

Regina's eyes take an even glossier appearance, allowing a single tear to escape her cheek. One that she is quick to wipe dab away with her tissue that she clutched in her hand

"Tell me, Regina…" Mary Margaret goes on. No longer looking over Regina's shoulder for Emma. "What would you do if Emma ever came back? Would you talk to her?"

Regina breathed out a chuckle. "I don't know. I can't imagine Emma ever coming back. But if she did… I'd like to think that I could work up the nerve to talk to her. But you didn't see her that morning, Mary Margret. When I left her." Her eyes appeared distant as if living inside of that very memory. "They changed. They were no longer the soft eyes I came to know and love. They were… angry." Another tear escapes her. "I couldn't stand it if she ever looked at me like that again."

Emma froze, her head leaning back along the wall as her eyes shut tight. She knew she should leave. Lock herself in the restroom until Regina left, at last to not have to listen to anymore of her lies, but she couldn't.

Mary Margaret gave Regina's hand another squeeze. "Everything will be alright, Regina. And you know that no matter who opposes to the idea of you needing a friend. I'm here."

"Thank you." Regina nods. "I know. You've been the only one out of Emma's friends who will even bother with me." She gives a sad smile, giving Mary Margaret's hand a squeeze in return.

"Well, listen I don't know if this will do you any good to hear this, but…" Mary Margaret pauses. "I have a feeling… that Emma… might be a little closer than you think."

Emma's body jerks forward but not enough to expose herself as Regina's teary eyes lock onto Mary Margaret's. "Why do you say that? Do you know something that I don't, Mary Margaret? Is- is Emma back in Boston? Is that it?" Her breathing turns rapid.

"No, no, I did not say that." Mary Margaret shakes her head.

"But, you said-"

"I simply meant that if Emma still loves you, and I want to believe that she does…" Mary Margaret holds tightly to Regina's hand. "It can prevail this test that you both were unfairly put through. That's all. Emma… she will find a way back to you. Soon enough."

"Oh." Regina's shoulders deflate. Her lips thinned into a frown.

"Well, don't tell me I've made you feel more miserable now." Said Mary Margaret.

"It's not that." Regina chuckled, wiping away her tears, rubbing at her eyes with the balls of her hands. "Oh!" She sighs heavily. "It's just that for a minute I was hoping Emma was actually back and that she was maybe coming to find me." Her head shakes. "But, I guess that's just a silly dream."

Mary Margaret's head cocks to the side, "Dreams aren't a bad thing to have. Sometimes, for many of us, dreams are our only way to a little bit of happiness." She smiles.

"Anyway, I'm sorry for showing up unexpectedly," Regina stands, disposing of the tissue paper she had balled up in her hand. "I'll leave now or Robin will wonder where I am."

"Of course," Mary Margaret accompanied Regina toward the door, pulling it and holding it open for her.

"Thank you, Mary Margaret. For everything that you do."

Mary Margaret smiles. "My door is always open to you, Regina."

"You wouldn't want to come to my dinner tomorrow evening, would you? Besides, Kathryn I could really work up the courage to get through it if you were there." Regina stifles a small laugh, shoving it in the back of her throat. "This might sound silly, but having you there would almost be like having Emma there, too."

Mary Margaret chuckled at that. "I appreciate the invitation but… I'm afraid I have an engagement that I can't back out of. I promised to read to the children who are attending evening mass tomorrow night."

"Of course," Regina nodded. "I understand. Have a good night, Mary Margaret."

"Good night, Regina." Before shutting the door, she offered Regina another friendly smile before heading back through her living room and into her kitchen. "You can come out now, Emma. I know you've been listening."

Emma stepped out on queue, her eyes trained on Mary Margaret.

"Now I see why you came storming in here like a raging bull. You were invited to that party, weren't you?" She chuckles as she sees Emma nod in response. "Well, what are you going to do about that, Emma?" Her arms crossed over her chest.

"What do you mean?"

Mary Margaret's eyes rolled to the back of her head, "For someone so brilliant you are also slow. Do you have a dress or… attire of your choice for this thing tomorrow evening?"

"No. I'm not going." Emma continues despite the woman's groan. "I'm leaving for New York, Mary Margaret."

"New York," Mary Margaret waved a dismissive hand. "Please, if you would have wanted, you would have already bought your plane ticket the second you set foot here, Emma."

"What's your point?" Emma glared.

"My point-" Mary Margaret glared back. "Is that no matter how much you build that wall around your heart, you are afraid that seeing Regina will mean that she will tear it down again."

Emma shakes her head, "That's not true."

"The hell it isn't." Mary Margaret's hands land on her hips. "If I'm lying, then why didn't you face her now that you had a chance? Why haven't you gone back to New York? Why are you still here when Robin Locksley already signed that deal with your boss?"

"I'm here, because I missed you. Despite everything that happened, I missed you, my dad, Graham, Ruby… Eugenia." Emma's own eyes glossed over, but she refused to shed one tear. "I'm here because I couldn't believe that you, of all people, out of everyone I love the most- would betray me."

Mary Margaret took a step forward, her eyes glued to Emma's which were no longer glossy but angry again. "No, Emma. I'm not betraying you anymore than you are betraying yourself."

"Look at me very well, Mary Margaret." Emma's eyes turn a shade darker as if to prove her next choice of words. "I. Feel. Nothing. Nothing. For Regina. Whatever love I had for her, she destroyed that morning I left. And I can never forgive her for that."

Mary Margaret's eyes never left Emma's even as she shook her head. "Well, then. If you feel nothing. I suggest you stop hiding and face her once and for all, so that Regina herself can see that. Put her out of her misery if that's what you want, but stop being a coward and face her! Face everyone who did you wrong that day, but do something. Get it out of your system so that you can stop wallowing in your own self-pity."

Despite it being her home, Mary Margaret whirled around and retrieved herself to her bedroom, slamming the door shut, leaving Emma to turn in the direction of the front door and march right out, slamming that door in place.

Like it or not, Regina's words, whether they'd be a lie, and Mary Margaret's pounded inside of her mind, louder than the pound that took over once she slammed her bedroom door shut.

"Emma?" David's voice pounded outside of the door, along with a few knocks of his own before entering. "Emma?"

"What?" Emma almost barked, her eyes shutting in place as she attempted to control her anger before exploding on the wrong person. She remained with her back given to David, not daring to turn. Her eyes focused on an old crack along her ceiling.

"Are you alright?" David took a step inside, but remained perfectly still.

"I'm fine." Emma blinked, counting down from ten inside of her mind.

"Was there a problem at work?"

"No, dad." Emma spoke more firmly, looking over her shoulder to catch a glimpse of a small frown along her father's lips. "I'm fine. I promise, I just…" she slowly rotates her body until her eyes meet with David's. "I had a very draining day, and I'm just exhausted. I think I'm going to get to bed early and mentally prepare for tomorrow." She tries for a weak smile, but it is enough to masquerade the anger building behind her eyes. At least she hoped so.

David never liked to hover. It wasn't in his nature, and he wasn't about to start now. "Well, okay, then. I guess I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah." Emma nods, trying for a better smile, feeling it tug at the corner of her lips this time but not reaching her eyes. Finally, she sighed once David shut the door, leaving her alone. "See you tomorrow," she muttered.

Emma plopped along her bed, near her old nightstand and slowly pulled open its drawer. She reached inside and pulled out the engagement ring she once had made for Regina, placing it on top of the nightstand where the light of her lamp struck down on it, willing her eyes to stare at only the diamond that still glistened as the same day she had it made. Next, she reaches inside of her suit jacket pocket and pulls out the wedding invitation that she had retrieved from Graham and Ruby's before storming out of the bar. Her fingers expertly un-folding it. Suddenly, her ringing cell phone, vibrating inside of her pocket startles her, willing her to answer once she sees the name that's flashing across the screen.

"Hey, Lily. What's up?"

"Not my mood since you left," she can hear a chuckle erupt from Lily's throat. "And given that you haven't given yourself the time of day to call me to let me know that you're alive- I thought, what better way to know you're alive and kicking than to call you myself?"

Emma's eyes close, her fingers squeezing along her phone, "I'm very sorry. I've just been very busy with what Mal has me doing over here and you know how it goes."

"I know. Work, work, work."

"I'm really sorry, Lily. I promise to make it up to you just as soon as I fly back."

"So you are coming back?" Emma can hear a smile through the other end of the call.

Emma stares down at the invitation, settled beside her. "Yeah."

"When? I want to know when to expect you."

"The day after tomorrow. I'll catch an early flight out, you can even pick me up from the airport." This makes Emma smile a little. "I just need to take care of one last thing first before I head back home for good." Her eyes darken as they land back along the invitation.

"Great! In that case, I'll have a surprise waiting for you, for when we get back to your apartment. It's been empty without you."

"Lily, you know I hate surprises." Emma chuckled, running a hand through her hair in exhaustion.

"Oh, come on. You love mine. Admit it. You can't wait to come back home to see me."

Emma's smile grew a little, "I can't wait to get back home." She said. "And fine, you can surprise me, but don't go overboard, okay? Please."

"Sure, sure. Whatever you say, Em. I hope that whatever else my mother needs you to do on her behalf isn't as exhausting as today clearly was. You sound awful."

Did she really sound that bad? Emma hoped not. Truth was, her day wasn't as mentally exhausting as seeing Regina again, even if it was behind a wall. "I'll be fine," she promised. "I just need some good sleep to recharge that's all."

"Are you sure?" Lily hesitated. "Emma, you really don't sound that great. I know you hate it when I insist, but you know you can talk to me about anything, right?"

"I know."

"Do you want me to fly out to Boston to meet you? We can fly back to New York together-"

"No." Emma said firmly, retracting her tone of voice to a much softer octave. "No, I… I appreciate it, Lily. I really do. But, I'll be fine. Really. It's just tomorrow and then I'll be home. For good."

There was silence, which could either mean that there was a bad connection or that Lily found it a tad hard to believe what Emma was telling her. She hoped the latter. "Well, okay. But if you change your mind and you want me there, call me. I'll be there faster than you can blink."

"You got it." Emma smiled for good measure, as if somehow Lily could see her through their phone call. "I gotta go, okay? But I'll call you as soon as I board the plane."

"You better. I'll be waiting."

"Bye." Emma hung up the call, placing her phone along her nightstand where her eyes caught sight of the engagement ring that she had kept stored inside an old shoe box for five long years. Her fingers hovered from her phone over to the ring, hooking its loop along her index finger to bring it up for a closer inspection. Not that she needed to see it for lack of memory. "Tomorrow," she muttered, eyeing the ring. "The chapter on our story closes, Regina. Tomorrow, a new Emma Swan will introduce herself to everyone you love, and she will be living proof that my love for you is no more. I promise you that, or my name isn't Emma Swan."