Thanks for the Memories

Chapter 1

Thanks for the Memories

Chapter 1

They arrived at the town line too quickly for her tastes. Emma's yellow bug awaited to carry her and Henry out of their lives forever.

"Mom..." Henry called. Regina looked down and felt her once black heart cracking inside her chest, as she hugged her son.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too..." she said, as she reluctantly released him and watched him run to the Charmings. They were hugging Emma and Charming put his arm around the boy, pulling him into their family hug, even as tears streamed down his and Snow's faces.

They looked positively broken and there was a time when Regina would have relished their suffering. She had caused most of it, after all.

"I just found you..." Emma cried into Snow's shoulder.

"I know..." Snow sniffed, trying to keep her knees from buckling under the grief. She couldn't fall apart...not now. She and Charming had to put on a brave front. The falling apart would come later in each other's arms when they were alone. She knew they both would cry themselves to sleep tonight.

"You'll be okay though...you are so strong," Snow said, her voice cracking.

"Gramps..." Henry said softly. Charming knelt down and hugged him tightly, as Henry threw his arms around his neck. Regina felt her breath hitch in her throat.

Until Neal showed up, Charming had been the only positive male influence in Henry's life and if she was honest, she much preferred the prince's influence over his biological father's. She knew Neal loved Henry, but if she was honest, she much preferred Charming as a role model for her son.

"Hey...it's going to be okay..." he promised.

"I don't want to forget you," Henry whispered. Charming felt like he was going to choke from the lump that was forming in his throat. He swallowed thickly.

"I know, but even if you forget me and your Grams, we'll always be here," he said, pointing to the center of Henry's chest.

"Not even a curse can take away true love and that's what this family has," he added.

"Will you and Grams be sad?" Henry asked.

"We will...we'll miss you and your mom every day. But we'll cherish our memories of every moment we've spent with you," David replied.

Regina felt Henry's grief consume her. She had ripped this family apart once and she couldn't let it happen again. Part of her wanted to force Snow and David to share her misery with her...but she knew sending them with Emma and Henry was possible if she made it so.

"It's coming...you have to go," Charming urged, as his daughter threw her arms around him. He felt like he was breaking inside, as he was once again sending her away to save her.

"I love you Daddy," she whispered. And the dam broke inside him, as tears streamed down his cheeks. He had waited to hear her call him daddy since the moment he knew she existed inside her mother. She had called him dad once and he had thought that was as good as it would get. And now, she would forget him.

They finally broke apart and he swiped the tears from her face. She slowly backed away from them, intending to get in the bug and drive away forever. But a voice stopped her.

"Wait..." Regina called.

"The curse is almost here, Regina," Emma pleaded. As much as it hurt to leave her parents, she couldn't let Henry end up alone.