Part 5

"Do you have to go?" Killian whined, trying to grab her hand and pull her back into bed. Emma sighed in exasperation and fled to the far corner of the bedroom, hastily searching for a T-shirt and jeans.

"Yes. I go to work every day, Hook."

"Just because you don't want to have other things to do. If we..." Her husband began, but she quickly beat him to it.

"This is not the time to have a baby. Not all at once." She snarled at the loss of her patience when the subject came up at least twice a week, except in conversations with her mother, where Snow almost insisted that Emma try to get pregnant, until Emma finally replied that if she wanted to, she should have the baby herself with a pirate. This silenced Snow White for good.

Emma headed for her dilapidated car and to the police station. She was supposed to replace her father.

"Another night shift?" David asked as she opened the sheriff's office door.

"There are two of us, so since you've been sitting here all day, now it's my turn." She replied in a casual tone.

"Emma..." David stopped and walked over to her, putting his hand on her shoulder. "You know you can talk to me, right?"

"No, I can not." The blonde replied angrily, moving away from her father.

"Why?" he asked in surprise.

"Because you'll run to mom right away and tell her everything."

David looked at her for a moment, then sat down on the desk.

"Speak. Let it out. I swear it will stay between us."

Emma was silent for a long time, not knowing what to do. But the truth was, she had no one to talk to. Most of all, she wanted to talk to the person she avoided in every way. And she wouldn't be surprised if, after the way she acted, Regina didn't want to talk to her at all.

"I am unhappy." She said looking at her father's reaction. However, he showed no emotion. He just nodded.

"Do you know the reason why?" David asked matter-of-factly.

"Do you know about Regina, Snow and the potion?" Emma asked instead.

David nodded again. Mouth pursed slightly.

"What do you think?" Asked the blonde sitting on the other desk opposite.

"It's not important what I think about it. What matters is what YOU think and feel."

"Dad... I think it's terribly unfair that mom hid this from me just before the wedding. I had my doubts about Killian even then, but you guys were so happy..." Emma mumbled.

"You know, I will never like any partner of yours. I will always think that none of them are good enough for you." David said seriously. Emma grinned, but then turned serious again.

"What should I do? Mom wants me to be with Hook, she wants to have grandchildren... I agreed to this because she wants me to be happy. And I don't want to hurt Hook..."

"And where are you in all this?" David asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I don't know..."

"What do YOU want?"

She wanted to say something else, something more up to her parents' standards, but only one word came to mind.

"Regina." She said aloud, for the first time since she felt the feeling growing towards the brunette, which she repressed and explained in all ways, so as not to call it love.

David nodded, with a slight sigh.

"You're disappointed, aren't you? Just like mom, she told me she didn't believe I was even considering this possibility..." Emma mumbled, tears filling her eyes.

"No honey." David came over to her, hugging her, and Emma fell apart. "You'll never be a disappointment. And I know..." He said and pushed her away, looking her straight in the eye and holding her shoulders tightly. "I share your mother's heart and I know she feels the same way. I think she was wrong to keep from you the conversation with Regina and the possibility that Queen is your true love. But..."

Emma raised her eyebrows.

"But... your mother is worried about you. You have to understand that she's known Regina the longest, she's afraid that if you chose a queen you might suffer... Emma..." David looked at her carefully, "You know Regina from here not from the Enchanted Forest. You haven't seen the things she did with dark magic. She could slaughter a village if one villager didn't bow low enough."

"She is different now. She has atoned for her actions." Emma replied fiercely.

"Not everyone thinks so, and I think even Regina herself isn't sure if her transformation is complete."

"You don't know anything about her." Emma snarled, losing her patience and backing away from her father. "She still thinks she's not worth happiness. You don't know me either. You don't know anything about me! I was an orphan for 28 years. Until my own son found me and brought me home. You don't know what I was doing to survive or what was being done to me. And you claim to rule my life."

"Did Snow force you to marry Killian, to distance yourself from Regina and try to live a married life?" David asked simply, ignoring Emma's words, though the pain in his eyes was almost palpable.

"She made it clear what she wanted.... Mom said..." Emma began, feeling like a child caught up in not being able to answer clearly.

"What do you want? That's all that matters, Emma." David said firmly.

"I don't want to disappoint anyone." She said quietly, remembering the feeling of being sent to another foster family every now and then. Because she was bad at math, or stepparents were finally expecting a long-awaited child, or she was too tall or too saucy.

Until Emma learned to accept the fact that she would never be enough.

"And I just want you to be happy." David said. "And honestly, I'd rather it be with someone other than Evil Queen, however..."

"You do not have to worry." A grim voice came from behind Emma. "I'm the last person who would... or even want to... make the Savior happy, whatever you're talking about..."

Emma turned quickly enough to see Regina's stiff form staring straight at them with disgust and... pain in her eyes, but that impression quickly passed, replaced by anxiety.

"We have no time to waste, Miss Swan. Henry has contacted me." Regina said, and Emma quickly jumped away from her father and approached her.

"Henry..? But how..that mirror?" she asked quickly.

"Yes. He said he was being hunted and he was asking for help."

"So let's go." David said and immediately put on his jacket.

"Sorry Charming, but my son asked for my help, not you. Anyway, someone has to keep an eye on these oddballs here. No, I just came to tell Miss Swan. I'll be away for a while. I hope the giant still has magic beans." Regina said matter-of-factly, not even giving the blonde a glance. Emma could sense the wall she had begun to build around herself to protect her hurt feelings.

"Dad, Regina is right." Emma said to her father, who was already opening his mouth to argue. "Get the beans, we'll take care of the rest."

David gave her a dubious look, then relented and left, passing Regina in the doorway, who also turned to leave.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Emma asked, grabbing the brunette's hand.

"I'm going to pack, I guess that's clear, Miss Swan." She replied tartly, impatiently, shaking Emma's hand off.

"I'm leaving with you." She said right away.

"I don't think so." Madame Mayor winced slightly. "I have no desire to save my son and presumed granddaughter in the company of a drunken pirate and you."

"Who said I was taking my husband? And what granddaughter are you talking about?" Emma was annoyed. "Couldn't you tell me honestly what you're planning for once and tell me all the information I need? You have to dose it to me like to a child?"

"Maybe when you stop acting like one, I'll take you seriously." Regina replied, also losing her patience and continuing the discussion. Emma immediately remembered all their previous arguments and scoffed.

"Yeah, treat me with sarcasm instead of openly admitting you're mad at me. Regina! You didn't even hear the whole conversation!"

"Does it matter? You know I don't care what people think of me, especially your parents."

"Not at all. And don't try to lie, because I know you inside and out."

"Funny." Regina said tartly. "I don't have time to deal with this Miss Swan. My son needs me."

"Our son, as we established long ago." Emma admonished her. "Tell me everything about how the conversation went and then we'll go pack. I'm going with you and you won't tell me otherwise."

The brunette looked at her, but seeing the familiar stubbornness in the Savior's eyes, she sighed resignedly.

"Henry contacted me through a magic mirror. I didn't recognize him at first because he looked like he was only a little younger than us. He said time flows differently there. He was asking for help because someone is after him and for me to save Lucy - his daughter. That's it."

"wow." Emma said slowly, analyzing the information. "wow..."

"What a rich vocabulary."

"We have a granddaughter... that means we're grandmothers!" Emma exclaimed, clapping her hands, but seeing Regina's face, she elbowed her playfully. "That's right, we're too young and sexy to be grannies."

"You're forgetting yourself, Miss Swan. Henry needs us. If you want to go with me, I'll be at the dock in an hour. I'll pick up beans from the giant on the way."

The brunette said and left.

And Emma hurried home with a slight smile on her lips. She was going on an adventure... and with Regina. And she had the opportunity to see the Henry she missed.

All she had to do was talk to Killian and her smile faded.

She opened the door and headed to the bedroom to pack her backpack. It was the middle of the night and she almost tripped over a rum bottle in the hallway. Cursing under her breath, she opened the door. Her husband was lying in the middle of the bed in his boxers. He hadn't even changed clothes in the few hours she was gone.

She only packed a few clothes and pants. She grabbed a red jacket and walked over to the man, lightly touching his arm.

"Killian? Killian... wake up, we need to talk."

"Now? Bloody hell is the middle of the night." Hook snarled as he jumped away from her, his eyes flicking open.

"Killian, listen. Henry is in trouble. I'm going to leave with Regina to find him and help him."

"Wait... what?" he asked, rubbing his eyes and rushing off the bed. "I'm going with you."

"No, you're not going." Emma objected. "Look, he's our son, mine and Regina's, we've got to handle this ourselves."

"I want to help." he said loudly. "Why should Regina go with you?!" He raised his voice and the blonde thought to herself that she already knew what the brunette felt talking to her moments earlier. It was no fun talking to an angry child.

"This is a matter that I have to deal with alone. Anyway, we don't know what awaits us there, we wield magic..."

"Come on, Swan, I can be of use to you. I know the Enchanted Forest." Killian spoke while getting dressed.

Emma felt helpless, but she wanted to stop him at all costs.

"No. Not this time, Hook. Stay here and take care of... the house. My parents are staying too. You can help David at the station."

"Don't schedule my time like a spoiled brat." The man growled. "I'm a guy and I have my responsibilities. You're one of them. I have to keep an eye on you."

"I'm not going there for a fan, just to help my child!" Emma screamed, blushing with anger. "You stay here!"

She said and ran out of the room, glancing at her watch. She had about ten minutes to get to the port.

"Even in a situation like this you can't be punctual?" Regina scoffed at her. Emma gasped for a moment as she stared at the woman leaning against the harbor railing. She was wearing jeans and a jacket. However, after a while, anger at her husband returned and she did not want to continue the argument. She'd rather not talk to anyone, just get to work.

"Do you have beans?" she just asked.

Regina looked at her carefully, but only pursed her lips and nodded.

"Let's go then."