Finding You Always

Out Into the World

Finding You Always

Chapter 33: Out Into the World

Snow promised herself she wouldn't cry, but as David loaded Emma's luggage in Regina's car, she was failing miserably. Their beautiful daughter was going off to college to experience the world for herself. Snow wanted that for her. She and Charming had always wanted to give her the world. But leaving the safety of Storybrooke also scared them to death.

As the last of it was put in the trunk, Emma bent down to hug the twins. Eva sniffed and Leo's bottom lip trembled.

"Hey...no sad faces. I'm gonna call all the time and I'll be home for Christmas break," she promised. They nodded, as she clutched the brown leather bound book to her chest.

"This book is very important. Can I trust you two to look after it for me?" she asked, as they held it between them.

"We'll keep it safe," Leo promised. She smiled and then stood before her parents.

"We have a couple things for you," Snow said, as she handed her an object wrapped in cloth.

"You guys have already given me everything," she replied, as she unwrapped the cloth and found one of the unicorns from her mobile that hung in her childhood bedroom. It had been attached to a keyring.

"Oh...I love it!" she said in awe.

"And it's enchanted with fairy dust, so you never have to worry about it breaking," Snow mentioned.

"Thank you," Emma said.

"That's not all we want to give you," David said, as he handed her a small canister. She quirked an eyebrow and smirked.

"Pepper spray, daddy?" she asked.

"Humor me. I can't send you out there with a sword. But pepper spray is deemed acceptable...and I just need you to be safe," David said. Emma smiled and hugged him.

"I love you Daddy," she whispered. Charming swallowed the lump rising in his throat.

"I love you too, princess," he choked out, as he cradled her head. Emma moved to her mother and Snow cupped her face in her hands and then hugged her tightly.

"I love you so much Emma," Snow sobbed.

"I love you too Mom," she replied, as they finally parted.

"Thank you Regina," David said. The former Queen nodded, as they got into the car and slowly drove off.

After Regina took her to the airport in Boston, Emma had boarded the plane, which had been an experience in itself for her. Upon landing in Portland, she got a cab and found her dorm building. She found her room easily enough and walked into find two other girls. Roommates...she should have suspected, but she was still caught off guard. She wasn't used to being alone anymore. She has had this wonderfully perfect little family for the last ten years and gone through the twins' grabby hands stages where they'd run off with her stuff. But this wasn't Storybrooke. She was alone out here. It was both terrifying and liberating at the same time.

She'd known she would miss her family, but damn, she didn't expect it to hit her so soon. She'd go to bed tonight without warning the squirts to stay out of her stuff, she'd eat dinner without her family, in which she would have endured her mother's prodding to divulge details about her day and her father's terrible dad jokes.

She'd miss the nightly rolling of her eyes at them when they'd find a way to make doing the dishes romantic, side by side, with hands touching and making gooey eyes. She'd go to sleep tonight without secretly listening in on the twins' bedtime stories that she'd say out loud that she was far too old for.