(I Know) About Us

Chapter 1: Leaving Storybrooke

Regina stared at the fog slowly surrounding her beautiful town and sighed. They'd just come back from Neverland a few days ago and here she was; getting ready to say goodbye to her life's work. It wasn't enough that she and Emma had just barely managed to rescue their son from Pan's evil plans, but now she had to lose him anyway.

She hadn't told them yet; not Emma and Henry, not Mary Margaret and David. She was still trying to figure out how to say the words. All she had told them – told everybody in Storybrooke – was that they should prepare themselves to return to the Enchanted Forest. Henry had looked so excited at that, and Emma had wrapped an arm around him and said well Kid, doesn't matter if it's Storybrooke or the Enchanted Forest, as long as we're all together, right? And Henry had looked so happy at the thought; both of his moms, getting along, and the words had somehow gotten stuck in Regina's throat.

Regina knew she had to say it soon, it was only a matter of time before Emma needed to pack her Bug with things she couldn't leave behind; Regina had already packed everything for Henry and was ready to magic it to Emma's car as soon as she had told them. She couldn't bear that this was the way it had to go. Not after three decades, of her curse being broken, of surviving Mother and the Home Office and even rescuing Henry from Neverland. Not after Emma, Emma Swan with her ridiculously golden hair and green eyes, Emma Swan who had somehow managed to claw her way into Regina's scorched heart by simply being Emma.

She sighed wistfully and glanced around the front hall of her intimidating Storybrooke home. All these memories that would just get lost; Henry's first everything had been inside these walls and now they were going to disappear just as easily as they had appeared thirty years ago. She couldn't even bring anything with her, only the memories inside her heart, and those she would cherish forever.

Regina ran a hand down the doorframe where they'd marked Henry's height as he grew up. This doorway was supposed to hold many more numbers, but now it would just go into smoke. She rested her head against it, a finger trailing the Henry, age 11 written in her neat cursive handwriting. Emma had been right next to her as they'd measured that one. Henry had beamed up at them; childish eyes bright and shiny, and Regina had loved, loved more than ever before, because her curse might have been broken, but at least it was true, and the two people next to her chose to be by her side regardless of that.

"Henry," she called up the long stairway as she reached for her peacoat and slipped it on, "we have to get going!"

Henry trotted down the stairs, shoes thundering against the wood, and Regina didn't have the heart to scold him for it. Instead, she tucked an arm around his shoulders as they made their way towards the loft in the other end of town. They walked together, Regina relishing the last sight of her beautiful town, created by powerful magic and the biggest sacrifice she'd ever had to make – until now. Once more, she'd have to sacrifice the thing she loved the most. Wasn't it the way it always went for her? Never was she allowed to be happy, to have peace, and she should probably feel pleased about the fact that she had managed some semblance of happiness the last 12 years since she got Henry.

They made it to the loft where Mary Margaret and David were running around, trying to get everything ready for the departure. Once they returned to the Enchanted Forest, Regina assumed they'd want to reclaim their castle and try to rule their old kingdom. Everything would appear as it had been, just slightly older and undisturbed. Regina couldn't imagine what the nursery at the White Castle – the nursery that was supposed to be Emma's – would look like now.

"Regina, there you are," Mary Margaret breathed happily, "Is everything ready? Do you have the scroll?"

Regina patted her coat where the scroll was tucked neatly into her inner pocket, "I have the scroll," she confirmed, just as Emma made her way down the stairs, taking the steps two at a time.