Wait for Me

CHAPTER ONE

Ding Dong, the Wicked Witch has been...caught. Now, that just didn't have the right tone to it, now did it? There was something about keeping Zelena alive that didn't sit well with Emma. She was responsible for Neil's death and, if given the chance, would have easily killed Henry as well to get the revenge that she wanted. Emma knew that Regina loved Henry just as much as she did and at first wanted to question why she opted to keep Zelena alive. Why keep her alive to put anyone else at risk? Wasn't it obvious? Zelena was the only family that Regina had left. Evil or not, she had to at least give her sister the chance to redeem herself. Where would they be now if Regina had been killed after her antics had been stopped? Could it be that the evil queen herself was beginning to believe in second chances? Second chances or not, Emma wasn't willing to put Henry into any more harm's way. They were happy in New York. They could be happy again. More importantly, Henry would be safe. With Zelena captured and under watchful eye, Emma didn't see the reason to stay in Storybrooke any longer. She did what she was supposed to do. Could anybody blame her for planning to give Henry a normal life?

All right, Emma. Go in here. Celebrate, and then get the hell out. She agreed in silence as she sat in her yellow Volkswagen Beetle staring at herself through the rearview mirror above. A loud sigh escaped her lips as she pushed the door open to get out of the car. Her hands brushed over the jeans that she wore with her usual white tank top and red jacket. Flipping her hair out of the collar of her jacket, she made her way toward the front door. Already, she could see the people inside gathered in celebration over their well-deserved win over evil. This time, unlike all of the other times before, they were gathered around a dark-headed beauty who laughed and smiled right along with them this time around. Emma stared quietly outside in the dark at Regina who had her arms wrapped tightly around Henry. She was so happy to have him back in her life. It had to have been the hardest thing that she could've done, giving Henry up for his own happiness. Would she be willing to do it again? This truly was the best thing for Henry. If only anyone had been able to see how happy he was in New York. Even still, Emma couldn't help but to feel the guilt building inside of her at the sight of Regina and Henry holding so tightly to one another. Making her way into the diner, she smiled to the crowd as they turned toward her.

"Emma! We were wondering when you were going to get here! Where have you been?" Snow asked, stepping up to wrap her arms around Emma's shoulder for a hug.

"Sorry. I was...getting ready," she said with a small, hesitant laugh. To be the person who could tell when someone was lying or not and to stand there lying to an entire group of people, Emma felt like the biggest hypocrite ever. None of them would take the news of their departure well. How was she going to tell them that she'd been packing and preparing to head back to New York? The only one who had any idea that she was planning to leave was Hook, and she intended on keeping it that way.

"Like mother, like daughter," David teased, playfully nudging Snow while bouncing their newborn in his arms carefully. Despite Zelena's powers having been taken, nobody wanted to let their guard down just yet. Emma smiled just a little at them before her gaze traveled back over to Regina and Henry. They were so happy and there was a warmth in Regina's eyes that returned when she got her heart back earlier that day. It was hard not to feel the guilt creeping into her own heart when looking her and Henry in the face.

"Mom. I was going to stay with Mom tonight, if that's okay with you?" he asked, his smile spreading entirely across his face. How was Emma going to say no when he looked so unbelievably happy? Her hand reached out to him to ruffle his hair, eyes lifting to Regina's gaze for a moment. She didn't want to insult Regina by playing more of Henry's mother when it was Regina who had raised him from birth.

"Yeah, buddy. That's fine. I need to talk to you tomorrow though, okay? I'll pick you up after breakfast."

"What do you want to talk about?" he asked, and Reginna interjected herself into the conversation as well.