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.
"Ma!" Henry greeted, and Regina couldn't help the surge of fondness that crept up her spine as she watched the blonde woman tuck a beanie onto her head. "Are you going to be living with Grams and Gramps or with me and mom at her castle?" Henry wanted to know.
Emma reached a hand out to ruffle his hair, "We'll have to see about that, Kid. Hopefully you'll like fairytale land. There's no indoor plumbing."
Henry wrinkled his nose at that, "Ew."
David laughed, "There are certain things I'm going to miss about this world for sure. Like electricity and soda."
Laughing along with her father, Emma said, "And bearclaws, don't forget bearclaws!" She turned to shoot at stiff smile at Regina at that. "So when are we doing this thing?" There was a certain look in her eye, like maybe she was apprehensive about leaving this world behind for good, and Regina thought she might be slightly relieved – although sad for leaving her parents, of course – that she wouldn't have to in the end. It made sense, after all, Emma wasn't from the Enchanted Forest, she wasn't part of the curse that originally created Storybrooke, and Henry wasn't either. There was no getting around that, even if Regina had tried her hardest to find a loophole. Loopholes never really had worked out for her, they had always been much more Rumpelstiltskin's thing.
"Actually," Regina said next and motioned for all of them to take a seat around the kitchen table, "there's something we need to discuss about this."
Mary Margaret took a seat by the end of the table, at once a concerned look in her eyes. "Did something happen?"
Regina let her eyes travel over all of their faces, lingering slightly longer on Henry's worried eyes and then Emma's upturned lips. When it came down to it, all of Storybrooke didn't really matter that much, what mattered most was two of the people gathered inside this room with her. That was the paradoxical thing about it; they mattered most, they were why she was doing this, yet she wouldn't get to have them with her. It was always her, Regina Mills, former Evil Queen, who had a cross to bear.
Henry reached a hand out and gently placed it next to hers. "Mom?"
She pulled out the scroll with a deep sigh and begun to explain. "I didn't tell you everything before," she started, and she saw David stiffen out of the corner of her eye, "For this scroll to work, for me to take back the curse that I cast, I'd have to do what I did back then – sacrifice what I love most."
"But what you love most is Henry," Emma quickly interjected, and her green eyes swept to their shared son who sat in between them.
"Yes," Regina hoarsely confirmed. Henry among other things. She bit her lip. "Which means that you two can't come with us." She paused, locked her eyes to Emma's in hard determination. "The only way for this to work is if I never see Henry again. Someone has to stay with him, and you're..." she trailed off, gaze going soft as she stared at Emma, almost afraid that the tears in her eyes would make themselves known to the other people seated by the table, "you're his mom."
Henry turned to her then, his eyes – such a mirror of Emma's – filled to the brim with tears. He'd already been through so much in his young life, and Regina hardly thought that this was fair to him, but it was the way it had to be. "But I don't want to leave you," he pouted.
She leaned forward and cupped his face, palm resting against his round cheek as she tilted his head upwards. "I know, my little prince. But you're going to have to."
Biting his lip, Henry jutted out his jaw in defiance.
Mary Margaret said, "Regina, are you sure this is the only way? I mean, we've always found other solutions before."
"Of course I'm sure it's the only way, you imbecile," Regina retorted with a scoff, hand dropping from her son's face. "Do you really think I'd willingly give up my son if I hadn't examined every other option?" Sometimes Snow White was really rather insipid, which was why Regina still found it so difficult to deal too much with her, even in the form and shape of Mary Margaret. So much of Snow White shone through, especially after the curse had been broken.
Emma pushed her chair back, legs scratching against the wooden floor, and stood up with a jolt. "I call bullshit on this," she spat, and she had turned on her heels and was up the stairs to her bedroom before anyone could argue with her.
Regina sighed and turned to look at the others. "Henry, why don't you spend some time saying goodbye to your grandparents, hm? I'm going to have a talk with your other mother."
Henry nodded obediently, and Regina stood up from her chair as well and slowly followed in Emma's footsteps. She had known beforehand that it wasn't going to be easy to make Emma accept these turn of events, but the blonde woman simply had to see reason. There was no other way; if everyone inside Storybrooke wasn't going to be swept up in Pan's evil curse, then Regina would have to undo everything, absolutely everything. Emma just had to realise that.
When she came upstairs, she found Emma angrily throwing her few possessions into an open duffel bag on the bed, and Regina carefully closed the door behind them, not wanting Henry – or even David or Mary Margaret – to overhear what they were going to talk about. She sneakily cast a silencing spell around the room as well, just to be on the safe side in case Emma decided to raise her voice.
"Emma," she started, but the blonde Saviour was quick to write her off.
"Nope," she hissed, not looking up from where she was hastily folding an old sweatshirt, "I am not talking to you. Not when you're going to give up on Henry, on Storybrooke, on, on this," she motioned at nothing, and Regina wasn't sure if she meant them or the family in general, "so easily."
She daintily took a seat on one side of the bed and tried once more, "Emma," she whispered as she placed a hand on the duffel bag to keep Emma from her frantic packing, "Emma, please listen to me."
Shaking her head, Emma turned to look at the shelf behind her, undoubtedly pretending to contemplate which belongings to pack – which was foolish, in Regina's opinion, because all of these things appeared to be Mary Margaret's as they somehow all had something to do with birds or other forest creatures.
Regina fisted her hand and tried again. Her patience was running low, because they really did not have much time; especially not for Emma's childish emotions. "Emma."
"No," Emma harshly said and spun around on her heel. When she looked at Regina, the brunette was surprised to see that there were tears brimming in her eyes. "Regina, you can't just-" she cut herself off, foot tripping against the floor.
Reaching a hand out to tug Emma slightly closer, Regina said, "I promise you I have examined every possibility, Emma, every each of them. This is the only way. I have to sacrifice what I love most." It pained her to say it, more than anything had ever pained her, but this was the way it had to be.
Emma let her hand un-fist and carefully tangled her fingers with Regina's. "But's it's not fair," she murmured, and she still sounded like a petulant child, but Regina could forgive her for that – just this once, when she was being petulant for her sake, even if it was tiring.
"It seems that I'm never meant to find a happy ending," Regina whispered as she tilted her head back to look up at Emma with shining eyes, "It's okay, I can live with that, as long as you and Henry are safe."
"But I'm gonna miss you so much," Emma said next, and her lip was quivering slightly as she gazed down at Regina. The tears were falling freely now, making their way down her pale cheeks – dotted with tiny freckles – and onto her neck. "What like, how am I even going to raise Henry without you?"
Tucking the other woman closer, Regina wrapped her arms around her midsection – such a show of intimacy that they rarely shared, at least not like this, not in the open air of daylight – and pressed her cheek to her stomach. "You won't remember," she whispered into the white fabric of Emma's tank top, "it'll be like you've been together all along."
Emma's hand came to rest in her hair. "But how?"
"My gift to you," Regina whispered, still not looking up from where she had practically, shamelessly, buried her face in Emma's body, "is good memories. It'll be like you never gave him up. You'll have always been together. You and Henry." She breathed the scent of Emma in through her nose and tried to commit it to memory; the connection she felt as she sat there, the bare need to have her cheek pressed exactly where it was. "It's the only way."
The hand in her hair tightened, "But it can't be."
Regina pulled away at that and tilted her head backwards to stare up at Emma, who was gazing down at her with so many conflicting emotions marring her face. She looked beautiful still; all open and honest like that, and Regina felt her heart ache at the thought of never seeing those green eyes looking at her like that again. "I wish it wasn't."
"Me too," Emma whispered, before she fell to her knees in front of Regina – sitting there, hands resting on the bed on either side of the brunette – and closed her eyes tightly.
Not able to stop herself, Regina reached a hand out and brushed a piece of golden hair behind Emma's ear. "Em-ma," she whispered and the need to do something, something completely foolish and all together stupid considering the turn of events, was very big. "About Neverland," she begun, and her heart beat faster at that, at the mere thought of Neverland and Emma and so many emotions.
Emma stiffened in front of her, her eyes turning slightly wide as they flickered from side to side, regarding Regina closely. The silence between them was electric, and Regina tried to read what was fleetingly present there. Emma's breath hitched in her throat. "Regina, don't," she whispered, and there was a desperate lilt to her voice, "I can't talk about this, not when you're gonna-"
Regina nodded. Her throat was suddenly so very dry and her skin so very hot. She let her hand fall to Emma's and gave it a long, hard squeeze. "Just," she licked her lips, eyes focused entirely on Emma's open face, "just know that I do, okay?"
There was a squeeze back from the other woman, fingers clammy inside Regina's own. "I know."
They stared at each other at that, brown locked on green, and breaths slightly ragged. There were so many other things Regina had prepared herself to say, other things she had needed to make clear, but she guessed that everything truly important had been shared between them anyway. She leaned forward at that and pressed her forehead against Emma's, relishing the feeling of having her right there – for the very last time. She closed her eyes and breathed in; Emma's hands were in her hair at that, nails raking across her scalp, and she let her own hands travel to Emma's face, too; she cupped her high cheekbones, thumbs stroking across the skin there. She let herself enjoy it for just ten seconds more, before she pulled back, reluctantly.
"We have to get a move on," she murmured, eyes flicking up to lock on Emma's once more. "You and Henry have to get to the townline in your car."
Emma breathed out through her nose, "Meet you there in fifteen minutes?"
Regina lifted her hand and nodded at Emma – her sweet, wonderful, sometimes so charmingly infuriating Emma – before disappearing in a fog of purple smoke. She landed in the downstairs kitchen, where she wasn't surprised to find Henry being smothered by his clingy grandparents, and Regina's heart warmed at the sight – despite her dislike for Mary Margaret and David, Henry was their grandson, and they loved him, just as he loved them.
"Mom?" Henry questioned as he pulled away from David's tight embrace.
"Let's walk together to the townline," Regina said, and she wrapped an arm around Henry's shoulders to guide him slowly out of the apartment. "I talked to Emma, and all of your things are in her car now. I went ahead and packed for you, hm?"
Henry nodded dutifully, clearly not concerned with material things at the moment, and the two of them set off towards the edge of town on foot. Regina wanted to savour these last precious moments with him; savour his closeness and his warmth, her little prince, the one thing that made her believe in love again. Their relationship hadn't always been easy, and there had been yelling, cursing and grounding, and a stubborn Henry who sneaked away to New York, but there was love there, always love, and Regina felt it so painfully inside of her as they talked and walked together.
"Promise me you'll be good for Emma, okay?" Regina said to him. The 'Leaving Storybrooke' sign was visible in the distance, even through the fog, and Regina knew that time was running out. "And be good in school, always do your best," she clutched him closer, pressing his body against hers as they walked. "And be happy, Henry."
Henry looked up at her with a concerned expression on his childish face. It was a long time since he'd looked so young; the last weeks had aged him, being stuck in Neverland in Pan's claws had aged him, but right now he was her little boy; sweet and innocent. "You be happy," he ordered. So sweet and innocent, and yet he said something like that.
Regina didn't know how she was ever going to be happy without Henry and his childish other mother, but she didn't tell him that, she didn't want to concern him more than necessary. She looked at him and said the only thing she could say if she had to be just a little honest with him, "I'll try."
"It's not fair," Henry shook his head, and she was reminded of the way Emma had uttered those exact words just thirty minutes ago in her bedroom at the loft. "After everything you've done to try and be good, you don't get to be with me. Was Ma mad about that too?"
Coming to a stop not very far from the invisible line that marked the end of their town, Regina turned to Henry and placed both hands on his shoulders. "Yes. Your mother was very mad about that, too. She tried to convince me that there had to be another way."
Henry's eyelids fluttered as he looked up at her. "There's really not?"
With a breaking heart, she said, "No. No, there's really not, my sweet little prince."
Blinking away tears, Henry flung himself at her and buried his face in her peacoat. She let one hand cradle the back of his head and the other curl around his back, and she hugged him, hugged him tight as she tried not to imagine what could have happened if she had stayed here, if this curse hadn't swept over their town. She'd been so sure – for just one glorious moment as they took Henry home on the Jolly Roger – that this was now the end, that she was finally going to find that happy ending she'd worked so hard for. Sure, it was a lot different from what she'd initially imagined it to be, but it was there, just within her grasp.
But now it was becoming abundantly clear that villains don't get happy endings. And if there was one thing she was certain of – it was that she was a villain in this piece.
The sound of the Bug coming closer pulled Henry and Regina apart, and she pressed a kiss to his forehead before they walked the rest of the way to the townline. She could hear sombre chatting in the distance; people were coming to say goodbye, and Emma parked her car right next to the sign and climbed out of it. Her red leather jacket was visible through the foggy smoke, and Regina let it guide them as everybody arrived and gathered together.
She didn't say anything; she simply watched as everybody – everybody important anyway – was saying goodbye to Henry and Emma. Mary Margaret and David were teary-eyed, and Neal was hugging Henry goodbye, saying he'd miss the son he'd barely gotten to know. Ruby was hugging them both farewell as well, pressing kisses to Emma's cheek and ensuring her that she'd do great by Henry in the outside world.
Emma was in a three-way hug with her parents, and as Henry moved to take over her spot, Regina and Emma walked slowly to the Bug, while the magic fog slowly crept closer, soon enveloping the entire town in its tendrils. Regina reached for Emma's hand and tugged it to herself, palming it between her own, and with a serious look in Emma's eyes, she said, "Are you ready?"
Emma nodded, a determined clench of her jaw visible, and Regina let the magic flow between their two bodies; she poured everything she had into this exchange, the made-up magic of a normal life in a metropolitan city fusing with her own memories of raising Henry; of first words, first steps, of late nights crying and food splattered across the kitchen counters. She thought of the first day at kindergarten, first day at school; of fights, of hugs, or summer days and winter nights. She mixed it with memories of a life in New York, of a pregnancy and picking Henry up after an ended prison sentence, and of friends, a job, and so much love, and she wished with all of her heart that they would be happy.
"There," she whispered as she dropped Emma's hand again, their eyes still locked in a tight hold, "once you leave the townline, you and Henry will have a happy life."
Green eyes were soft as she said, "Yeah, but... you're not gonna be there, so what's the point?"
Regina lowered her gaze, "It won't matter. You'll not even know I'm gone."
Emma's lips were pursed slightly, "Regina-"
This time it was Regina's turn to cut her off, "No, Emma, don't, I'll just..." she swallowed loudly. Her heart was thudding madly in her chest, and this, this was the part that was so unfair, because she wasn't going to be as lucky as Emma and Henry. "I'll remember," she finished, and then she did something that she probably shouldn't do, but she simply couldn't help herself. She stepped closer to Emma and raised to her toes to place a chaste kiss to her lips. "Take care," she breathed, because that was the safest thing to breathe of any.
"Regina," Mary Margaret's shaky voice broke through, and Regina didn't turn to meet her eyes, not daring to do so, not wanting to see the look in her eyes after what she'd just done, "you have to do it now."
Regina pressed a kiss to Henry's temple. "I love you, my little prince," she told him.
"I love you, Mom," Henry whispered back, and he was putting on a brave face, but his eyes were clouded over with tears, and his legs were shaking as he made his way to the passenger seat of the Bug. She swallowed back the bile in her throat as she watched the door smack closed behind him.
Emma had a hand on her open door when she turned to give Regina one last look. The determination was clear on her face, and such was the heartbreak, too. She offered Regina a curt nod before she bent her head and slipped into her car. Regina could see them both through the back window; she watched as Emma turned on the car and pressed her foot to the speeder.
Then she didn't watch anymore; she bent her head and pulled out the scroll from inside her coat. She unfolded it, murmured the words and watched it burn, just as the Bug drove past the invisible townline and the fog spiralled around them.
15 months later - New York City
The sound of her own personal alarm clock pulled Emma out of a dream-filled sleep; a dream of green forests, glowing hearts and burning brown eyes, and she rolled over in her queen sized bed and fumbled awkwardly on the nightstand after her cell phone to check the time. 7:23am, rather great for a Saturday, Emma mused to herself.
She sat up in her bed and immediately pulled her long hair out of her face by tying it in a bun on the top of her head. She found her glasses on the nightstand and put them on, all the while she could hear the familiar sound of crying from the small room attached to her own – the nursery. She'd left the door cracked open last night like she always did, and she groaned as her feet hit the cold floor of her bedroom.
Stretching, she got her mind ready for the day ahead of them; family-time, homework, groceries, a trip to the park. Just as she was about ready to face her crying daughter, the cries faded out, and she heard the low murmurs of her son whispering in the next room.
She crept across the floor silently, peeked through the door and watched Henry as he cradled his baby sister in his arms. "Don't worry, your big brother Henry is here, sis. I've got you. Ma is pretty tired, so you'll have to do with me for now, yeah?"
Alba gurgled happily, her big brown eyes staring up at Henry. She was probably hungry; it was right on time anyway, and she'd slept rather late this morning. When Emma decided to have another kid about two years ago, she knew it was going to be tough and hard work – a soon-to-be teenager and a infant as a single mom? – but she'd wanted it so badly, she remembered, and when she'd broached the subject with Henry, he'd been really excited.
She knew it wasn't the most conventional way to continue their family, but when had anything with her ever been? An orphan, no family, a jail-sentence at only seventeen. A birth in prison which resulted in her coming out to an infant son that she simply hadn't had the heart to send into the system; the system she herself had suffered through, never feeling wanted. For a long time, she'd dreamed of finding a partner to share Henry with, and a possibility for more children, but she never found the right person – man or woman - to share her life and her son with. The desire to have another child though? It had never faltered, and that was why she'd ended up deciding to do it on her own.
"I'm making Ma breakfast in the kitchen," Henry continued to coo down at Alba, his nose so close to her little nose. It warmed Emma's heart; both his words and what he was doing for her, but also the sight of the only two people she loved in this world. "Do you want to come help your big bro?"
Emma couldn't stop herself as she pushed the door open, pulling her children out of their little bubble, "I'm up, Kid," she murmured as she stepped into the room and gently took Alba out of Henry's arms, "I think someone's hungry," she added and pressed a kiss to her daughter's dark hair and breathed in her baby scent. They'd started on solid food now, but the first meal of the day was usually breastmilk.
"Awesome, I made you food," Henry proudly smiled, and Emma pressed a kiss to the top of his head as they made their way towards their open space kitchen. Something smelled absolutely wonderful, and Henry served himself hot chocolate and Emma a cup of decaf coffee, before pouring eggs and bacon and toast onto their plates.
Emma watched him move helpfully around the kitchen – how she had raised such a good and wonderful boy was still beyond her on most days – as she let Alba latch onto her nipple to feed. She nibbled at her toast and sipped her coffee, and Henry sat down opposite her and took a large gulp of hot chocolate.
He scrunched up his nose, "Forgot the cinnamon," he said and quickly slipped off his chair to grab the dispenser.
Brushing Alba's hair back, Emma smiled warmly at him. "So what do you wanna do today, Kid? You've got a lot of homework?"
Henry hummed, "I have my science project that I need to meet with Troy for, and then I have my essay for English – I'm still not sure what to write on that, so I might do it tomorrow." He scooped some eggs into his mouth and chewed slowly before continuing, "What do you want to do?"
"I was gonna take Alba to the park, get some fresh air. It'd be great if you joined us." Emma replied as she transferred Alba to the other breast. It wasn't always that Henry was interested in joining her for their walks anymore, he was busy with his friends and school, and she was okay with that; she just loved it when he did go with her.
"That sounds cool. Maybe we can go to the comic book store?" His eyes shone hopefully, and Emma couldn't deny his request.
Her lips curled around her mug as she said, "Sure thing, Kid."
"And then after you can walk me to Troy's so we can finish the project," Henry confirmed.
Emma said, "So what's your project about?" which made Henry launch into a long story about their project for school and Troy's idea, and Emma listened and hummed in the right places, while she finished nursing Alba and burping her. Once they were done eating and chatting, she'd have to get her changed and ready – and herself too, of course, although that was hardly the most important thing these days – and then they could stroll to the park and enjoy the early Saturday weather.
"...anyway," Henry finished as he pushed his chair back and moved to gather their plates, "I should probably have a quick shower." He pressed a kiss to the top of her head – such a grown-up thing to do, which was a habit he'd acquired while she was pregnant with Alba – and rushed down the hallway to their bathroom.
Emma stared down at Alba and said, "Do you need a new diaper, baby?"
Alba gurgled back at her, and not for the first time was Emma amazed at how beautiful her daughter looked. She remembered Henry when he was this age; he hadn't been nearly as alert, and their features were so different. Where Henry had ended up with her green eyes and light complexion, Emma was pretty sure that Alba was mostly a product of the donor's DNA. Of course she saw resemblances of herself and Henry in Alba already – that nose was definitely a Swan-nose – but her hair was darker; already growing wildly at her age, heck she even came out with some, and her brown eyes were so big and round, a far shade from her own. Her daughter was beautiful, Emma could see that, and she always got coos from random strangers in the park or on the street, telling her that 'her husband had to be Latinx'. Emma always made it very clear that she did not have a husband and that she had no idea about her donor's background.
She couldn't even really recall what made her choose this exact donor in the first place. Actually, whenever she thought too much about Alba's conception and the decisions leading up to it, her mind went a little foggy. She assumed it was because she'd been so nervous about her decision, frightened that it might not be the right choice for her and Henry.
Emma was pulled out of her train of thoughts by the sound of a knock on her door. Henry was clearly in the shower already, she could hear the water running, and she wondered if it might be some of his friends – he had so many in this building, and even just on this street – who had come by to pick up something they forgot or to ask Henry if he wanted to play video games. She pushed her chair back and adjusted Alba to rest comfortably against her side and slipped down the hallway. Pulling the door open, Emma did not see one of Henry's friends from school in front of her. Instead she saw a woman – a beautiful, well-dressed woman with dark hair and striking features - and the woman's face lit up as her eyes landed on Emma's face.
"Em-ma," she breathed, and Emma felt her eyes turn wide at the familiar way her name slipped across those dark red lips. Why did she feel such a sense of familiarity at those words? Why did that throaty voice remind her of something?
She clutched Alba closer and shifted on her feet, "Yeah?"
The stranger's eyes swept from Emma's face and instead landed on the baby in her arms. Brown eyes – such familiar, familiar brown eyes – turned wide and she took a step back, away from the door. "No," she murmured, and before Emma could say anything, the stranger had turned on her heel and fled down the hallway.
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