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The only noise in the otherwise silent apartment was a ticking clock. Emma sat on her unmade bed, just listening to the ticks go by. She couldn't believe she had let this happen again. Pregnant and alone. And although she wasn't technically alone, she had her parents and her son and probably most of Storybrooke, she didn't have him. She didn't have Neal.
That night in Neverland probably should never have happened. After the cave incident, emotions were high. She couldn't believe Neal was actually alive, but he was. He truly was standing in front of her, totally and completely alive. And of course they had to go for a walk in the forest to "talk." And of course that talking had led to something more. And of course, twelve weeks later, here she was, left with his unborn child, and Neal wasn't here. He wasn't going to appear in a cave again. He wasn't going to come back this time. He was buried in the ground. Gone forever.
Suddenly, she heard the door open and a voice she loved more than anything called out her name.
"Mom? Are you home?"
Quickly, Emma wiped away any stray tears as she stashed the pregnancy test underneath her pillow.
"In here, kid." she called out, attempting to sound as normal as possible.
Henry pushed open the door and his million-dollar smile faltered as soon as he saw the state of his mother.
"Mom, what's wrong? And please don't say nothing. Because even though you can tell when people aren't telling the truth, you're an awful liar," Henry asked, as he walked over to sit next to his mother.
Emma sighed. Because as much as she didn't want to burden her son with this news, there was honestly no one else in the universe she wanted to tell first.
"Hen, you know how much I love you right?" She knew this was probably a silly question to ask, but she had to be sure.
Henry replied with a silly grin on his face, "Of course I do. You woke me up with true love's kiss. You can't fake that, right?"
"Well, here's the thing. When we were in Neverland looking for you, your dad and I," as soon as Neal was mentioned, the grin on Henry's face slowly dissipated, the grief of his father's death still running deep, "-we sort of, well, got together. Away from the group. You know. The two of us. By ourselves."
Emma stumbled on her words, not wanting to be so blunt with her son about the happenings in the forest, but still needing to explain that her and Neal had been together.
"Um, mom. I'm sort of confused. And kind of grossed out. Why are you telling me this?"
At that moment, Emma decided that she needed to just rip the band aid off.
"I'm pregnant, Henry. With Neal's-," she took a breath, "-with your dad's kid. You're gonna be a big brother. "
Henry sat in silence for a few moments before replying in a monotone voice, "Oh."
Emma waited in silence as she attempted to read her son's reaction.
“I know this is a lot to take in. I'm scared too. Terrified, actually. But you gotta talk to me, okay? We're a team. I need you to talk to me."
Henry looked up at his mother, with a face she had never seen before. He looked so small and so much more childlike than she had ever seen. Her heart ached, as she looked into that face, yearning for a life with him she never got- a life that maybe she'd get with this new baby.
"Please, Henry. You can tell me anything, you know that."
Henry's face grew tougher as he replied, "I'm angry. I know I shouldn't be. But I am. This baby- this baby will get you from the beginning. You're going to keep it, right?"
Whatever Emma had been expecting, that certainly wasn't it. Suddenly she remembered what Snow had said in the caves, about how she wanted another baby. And in that moment, she understood her son.
"Oh, kid." She noticed his eyes growing glassy with tears, and before she said anything more, she grabbed Henry and held him close to her.
"Yes, I'm keeping the baby. But Henry, you have to know how much I love you, and you could never be replaced. Not in a million years. You have changed my life for the better, and even during the years I didn't have you in my arms, not a day went by where I didn't think of you. I always thought about where you were and what you were doing that exact moment. Hell, every single year on your birthday, I lit a stupid candle on a cupcake, and I made a wish. Do you know what that wish was?"
"What?" Henry mumbled into his mother's chest.
"I wished that you were happy, wherever you were. That's all I ever wanted for you. I wanted you to be happy. And you were. When I was seventeen and damaged and broken, I don't know if I could've made you as happy as you deserved to be. Because, Henry, if anyone deserves a happy ending, it's you."
Henry was silent for a few moments, and as he finally lifted his face from his mother's chest, he gave a small smile as he spoke, "I love you, mom."
Emma sighed deeply as she hugged Henry for a second time, kissing his forehead this time. Most days she wasn't one for hugs, but in that moment, she felt as if she never wanted to let her baby boy go.
Suddenly Henry sat up, a frown appearing on his face again, as if something had just dawned on him.
He spoke just one word, "Dad."
Ah, yes. Emma had been waiting for that tiny little fact to come into play. She nodded her head as she brushed some hair away from Henry's eyes.
"I know, kid."
Henry looked into his mother's eyes as he spoke, "He would've been so happy, mom. He would've been there for us this time. I know it."
"I think so too."
"You don't have to be scared this time though, mom. You have your parents and you have Storybrooke. And you have me. I'm gonna be there for you. I promise."
Tears formed in Emma's eyes, and she didn't even attempt to wipe them away. Later she could blame it on her hormones.
"Kid, do you know how cool you are? Like, you're definitely the coolest person in the whole world. Seriously."
"I probably get it from my parents," Henry stated with a grin, "because I don't know if you've met them, but I have the best genes ever."
Emma chuckled as they sat on the bed together for a few silent minutes. Eventually, Henry broke the silence.
"I'm happy, mom. I really am. But I'm still sad. I'm sad that dad isn't here."
"I know, Hen. Me too. But sometimes-" Emma murmured, "-sometimes happiness hurts. It’s not going to be easy, I know that from experience. We're allowed to be sad, I think. Even though we're happy. I won't lie to you, I'm terrified. And devastated. And about a million other emotions that suck. But this baby- I love this baby so much already. He or she is ours, Henry. I think your dad gave us a gift in this mess of a life we have going on. And we're allowed to be happy, even if it hurts."
"Who are you and what did you do with my mom?" Henry smiled. "All this talk about happiness, I'd say your Charming genes are kicking in."
"I think you might be right, kid. But I couldn't do any of this without you. You are the one that brought on this stupid Charming family crap." Emma laughed for a moment, but then turned serious once more, "And I'm so glad you did."
As mother and son hugged once more, a noise interrupted the tender moment.
"Uh, mom. I think the baby is hungry."
Emma chuckled, "Nope, totally me. I can't even blame that one on the baby. I'm starving. How about pizza? Dinner of champions."
"That sounds perfect, mom."
As Emma made her way downstairs, Henry called out to his mother.
"Mom? I know you don't think you could have made me happy enough by keeping me, but I think you're wrong. You may have thought you were broken, but you weren't. Not really. You would've loved me enough to make me happy. And you're going to make this baby so happy too."
Emma glanced back as she tried to take in Henry's words. It's true; maybe she would have been enough for Henry. Her fears regarding the baby were endless, but she knew that if there's one thing this kid will have, it's an endless supply of love.
"Love you, Henry."