A/n: This was originally a prompt but I went so far off prompt that I'm going to make a story LIKE this that is on-prompt. Side note THIS IS SOFT AS FUCK! I reacted physically to this so many times oh my goodness lmao

Arms wrapped a round me and I gasped, a smile lighting up my face as I spun around. "Henry," I cooed. My arms wrapped around his neck and his arms rested around my waist.

Henry pressed his lips against my forehead and my eyes closed. A sigh of content escaped me. "Hello," he greeted warmly. I beamed at him, my hands coming forward so that my fingers could wrap around his collar, pulling him down into a kiss. His lips rested against mine a second before they moved, kissing me passionately. I hummed, smiling as my hands went back behind his neck again, pushing into his hair a little. His arms tightened, holding our bodies against each other. His head turned and I pulled back.

"Woah," I croaked. "Hello there."

My boyfriend chuckled. "Sorry. I just have this feeling, you know? Or maybe I really like kissing you."

I rose an eyebrow, one of my hands moving once again to touch his cheek. "Are you okay, Ree?"

He nodded, smiling softly. "I... just like kissing you, I guess."

A giggle slipped from me. "Okay... You know you can tell me anything, right?"

"Of course I do," he confirmed.

Letting it go, I nodded. "Okay. As long as you know." He kissed me again, quick and brief this time. Chaste. 'I love you' sat on the edge of my tongue. Our eyes locked and there was a tension as I couldn't help but feel that he wanted to say it too. I sucked breath in and he perked as my lips parted, eyes scanning desperately as I went to say it. "I-"

Unfortunately, I was interrupted. "Are you guys ready- Oh.... Sorry." We both looked up, tangled and lovey dovey heart eyes and all, to see Emma smirking in the entry way to my room. Her eyebrows were raised and under her gaze, I went to awkwardly pull away. Henry, in reaction, pulled me back again. I shot him a surprised look, but he avoided my gaze. Usually he squirmed under his mothers' gazes. He was always shy about affection around them. After a second, he did let me go and I was unsure how to feel. Emma seemed to sense the awkwardness she'd just created between us and shot me an apologetic look. "Dinner's ready. Do you need another minute?"

Brushing Emma's look away, Henry shook his head. "No," he assured. "We're coming." He smiled at me and I smiled back, and then he lead me as we made our way after Emma who nodded, turned, and then began walking away. I sighed, wondering what in the world was going through Henry's head. He was acting weird... Eh, I'd ask after dinner.

Too bad I'd never get to finish dinner.

-

"I have to use the little lady's room," I said around my laughter, pulling my napkin off of my lap. "Be right back." I kissed Henry's cheek and then turned to use the bathroom. I went inside... But I didn't come out. A hand wrapped around my mouth, an arm around my waist and green smoke exploded and swirled around us. I fought and screamed but no one heard it. And suddenly I was gone. Everything was gone. When I opened my eyes and the smoke cleared again, I was in a dark room. I spun around but everywhere my eyes landed was darkened and empty. "HELLO?" I called, fear rising in me slowly but steadily.

A dark chuckled echoed in my ears and I gasped as I spun around again so see light skin and red hair. "Hello, My Pretty," an unfamiliar voice cooed. The voice was smooth and female and she whispered something else before she placed her finger on my forehead. Instantly my knees gave out and my body went limp and I fell, down. Into fuzzy haze that swallowed me whole. Into blank bliss that burned and hissed on my skin and against my brain. Into more green smoke laced with darkness that curled around my very soul like a caging blanket and suffocated me into nothing.

-

My feet wouldn't stay under me as I moaned very quietly. The moonlight fell against me as I raised my hand, massaging my temple. I leaned against the building, my hands reaching out to catch myself as I fell for what seemed the millionth time. The world spun and my feet stung and I couldn't seem to get enough air into my lungs. There was a gasp other than mine and someone raced up to me and then reached out for me. "Oh my go-"

Stumbling away as I felt a hand come in contact with me, my head whipped up, eyes wide as my wild gaze settled on an unfamiliar face. Short, black hair and cold brown eyes. A stranger with red lips and pale skin. She was older. Maybe in her late twenties? Early thirties? Somewhere around there? "Don't touch me," I hissed, on guard.

She tilted her head as if she was not unfamiliar with people cringing away from her, but was unfamiliar with it coming from me. "Sweetheart? It's me? You come over every Saturday and Sunday night for dinner. It's only been two weeks, surely you haven't forgotten me in that time?" The woman chuckled but my face remained blank and and guarded. She paused, her eyes narrowing. "You... really don't know me?"

Relaxing just a centimeter, I shook my head. "Should I?"

The woman pursued her lips. "Do you... know... Henry? Henry Mills?"

I cocked my head. "I'm sorry. I don't. Look- I'm really confused and I'm lost and I- I don't know who I am." My voice started to crack as my fear and doubt crept in again. She held her hands up in defeat, showing me that she wasn't going to hurt me and I cut off, calming a bit. There... was something familiar about her. Something warm and safe and motherly and wonderful. Something like Home in the way she looked at me, and suddenly her brown eyes weren't so hard and cold but more like churching hot chocolate after a long day in the snow while you sipped it, sitting by the fire. The flames warmed your skin but the cocoa warmed your insides. That was the real comfort.

She stepped forward and I slouched, finally giving in to exhaustion. She caught me and pulled me into her hold, against her. "Hush, darling. Don't worry. Just sleep." My eyes closed and I melted into her. My body grew light and I seemed to float. Up, into a grey cloud of sleep. It was a comforting contrast to the suffocating darkness of before and this time I nestled into it without fear or hesitation. I smiled and I heard her softly chuckle. "You always did like that." The words ran over me without me recognizing them and I kept my eyes closed, laying peacefully in my little cocoon.

It seemed that almost no time later, my body regained weight and I was being brought to total consciousness again. I opened my eyes to see I was still in the woman's arms, but now we were somewhere new. My arm was around her neck and she helped me walk into a... my eyes flickered up through the night's darkness. Gold's Pawn Shop. Huh. "What- what's your name?" I asked. I trusted her. I didn't know why... but she had saved my life. She could have let me die or taken advantage of my weakened state but instead, she hadn't. I knew she hadn't. I just somehow knew. This woman cared for me, and with my missing memory and blank spaces of things I couldn't conjure since I'd woken up in the middle of a wooded nowhere, a small town the only sign of life in sight... Well, I was going on pure instinct here.

She chuckled quietly, breathily. "Regina," she told me. "My name is Regina. The boy I mentioned earlier. Henry. He's my son."

She knocked on the door. "And... I know you? Don't I?" She paused, tilting her head to look at me. "I don't know how but, I know. And Henry. Do I know him too?" My knees grew weak again. She caught me, mumbling surprised words as I groaned.

Her eyes looked around and she knocked again. No change. "Stop trying to recall your memories. For whatever reason, the more you try the weaker you get. Just rest for a second." I nodded weakly. The problem was, my eyes were almost closed and she was all but completely holding me up on her own. I was practically limp next to her. Regina huffed. "This is going to be confusing. I'm sorry." There was a poof and purple smoke billowed up and swallowed us.

Purple smoke exploded and swirled around us. I fought and screamed but no one heard it. And suddenly I was gone. Everything was gone. When I opened my eyes and the smoke cleared again, I was in a dark room. I spun around but everywhere my eyes landed was darkened and empty. "HELLO?" I called, fear rising in me slowly but steadily.

A dark chuckled echoed. I gasped as I spun around again. "Hello, My Pretty."

I blinked quickly and screamed, pushing away from Regina. I stumbled and fell. "What the- What are you doing? Are you okay?"

We were in some kind of apartment building, outside a door. A few doors. In a hallway. My focus was on Regina though. I screamed, kicking to get away from her. I tripped over the rug on the floor in my scuttling and slammed against the wall. "STAY AWAY!" I screeched. Regina stepped back, hands up and eyes wide, face twisted in pain.

A door slammed open and more people entered the hallway. "What the hell is going on?" A tall woman with long blonde hair insisted. Regina motioned to me, covering her mouth with her other hand. The blonde looked at me and then froze, going stiff as her eyes shot wide. "You're okay." She smiled and went to come to me but I whimpered, shrinking into myself. Did everyone know me? What had happened? Why couldn't I remember? The blonde looked at Regina. "What's wrong with her?"

Regina threw her arms up and then dropped them with a slap against her leg. "She doesn't remember. Anything. Anyone. She keeps flinching away from me."

The blonde gave Regina a pitying look and then turned to me again. "Do you know who you are? Your name?" I looked at the other faces. A man, blonde with a pretty face. A woman with black hair even shorter than Regina's, skin fair and white and eyes dark but a smile that was so warm, she looked a soft kind of beautiful, instead of the headstrong passionate beauty that Regina held.

My eyes moved back to the blonde. I didn't want to admit that I didn't know. I didn't know anything. "What's your name?" I croaked.

Her smile turned shaky. "Emma. This is Mary Margaret and David," she followed up, pointing to the other two I didn't know. I nodded. "We're your friends."

I shook my head. "You're friends with Regina. I- I remember. Purple smoke. When- when I forgot. A woman, a laugh. And- and purple smoke." I was shaking, my face sweaty. "She made me forget."

"Whoa whoa whoa," Emma insisted. "Regina has a thing called magic. You know what that is?" I nodded. "So you remember basics. How to talk. How to walk. You've just forgotten memories that are personal to you. Well, let me tell you, this woman? She's good. She's a good person and magic isn't evil in every hand it touches. I swear to you." I blinked, looking into her eyes and searching deeply for any trace that she was lying. She was sad and exposed and honest and I relaxed, finally nodding briefly. "Let me help you inside and into bed. You're sick. Let us help you. I don't want you to die."

My blood ran cold. "Okay," I whispered. She waved Mary Margaret forward and the both of them helped me inside. The apartment was quaint and adorable and quite nice. They sat me on a bed, waking the person in it. A boy sat up, blinking his eyes tiredly. About my age. Dark hair and eyes. Handsome.

Emma spoke to him quickly and quietly, trying to block me from his view while she explained. The second he realized who I was though, he scrambled out of bed and around to me, kneeling in front of me. "You're back," he whispered, joy wiping the sleep from his face. His hands went to my face and, despite being in front of the others, he leaned forward to-

Jerking back, eyes wide and head spinning, I breathed, "What the HELL do you think you're doing?" He- He- he was trying to-

His eyebrows came together. "I don't-"

Pulling him slowly away from me, Emma looked at me for a second before pulling him to her. "Henry... she..." her voice faded as the two walked away. Oh. So that was the Henry I'd heard about so much. Wait... why had I heard so much about him?

He'd tried to kiss me...

My head spun faster and I flinched. "Why don't you lay down and get some sleep?" I looked over to see Regina. Her expression was soft. I smiled at her and she relaxed, seeing I was done freaking out. For now. I let her guide me to where Henry had been sleeping before, even though I regretted taking his bed. Where would he sleep? "Don't worry about Henry," Regina added, as if reading my thoughts. "He likes sleeping on the couch." She chuckled at my expression. "Seriously. Get some sleep. I'll heal you as much as I can and we'll try to get your memory back."

She gave me the no-argue mom look and I settled into the bed. But the second I closed my eyes, the memory from earlier flashed through my mind again. But this time clearer, not muddled with reality as it had before. I sat up straight very suddenly, grabbing onto Regina's arm and making her jump in surprise. "Green," I rushed. She relaxed, confused. "The smoke. The magic. It was green. Not purple. Not- not yours. I- I'm sorry..."

A bewildered expression smeared onto her face but she forced a smile. "I... am glad you're remembering. Don't worry, sweetheart. Try to sleep. Really." I nodded and lay back down again. I melted into the warm bed, a familiar scent hitting my nose. The woods, pine and dirt. And something else too. Perhaps someone's cologne. Instead of asking any more questions I closed my eyes and fell into it, falling asleep.

-

I'd been adjusting to Storybrooke again for about a week now, getting reacquainted and refamiliarizing myself with my surroundings. Henry had been hovering but he was sweet and thoughtful and I didn't mind him being around. Even with the wistful stares and the times he sat absentmindedly, going to touch me but then catching himself or offering his open palm but then remembering that I wasn't going to take it and tightening his hand into a fist. Little things he seemed to think I was missing.

Long story short, I wasn't.

One day, seeing the heart broken look on the boy's face got to be too much. "Henry, how can I make this stop?" He looked up at me, surprised. "You know what I mean. We dated, I'm guessing?" There was a dull throb at the back of my head. We'd found out that the more new things I learned or remembered, the more pain I'd feel as a punishment. Didn't stop me from finding things out though. Seems I have a high pain endurance. "The stares. The pain. The holding back and the sadness and the awkwardness and the thoughtful breakfasts or little things you know about me- Please tell me how to stop the ache you're feeling." There was something heavily clouded that tugged at my brain and it was so frustratingly close that I kneeled between Henry's legs, grabbing his arms in desperation. I found that whenever I got close to him, my memories tugged. One night I'd stayed up into the late hours thinking about him and an entire memory of me and Regina having dinner, laughing, popped into my head. It was the most amazing thing I'd ever experience and I'd been ecstatic.

Henry paused only a moment before he leaned forward. "Kiss me."

My eyes shot wide, but I couldn't say that I didn't want to. He was sweet and adorable and amazing. A true Prince Charming straight from the story books. (How ironic that comparison was...) I hesitated a second, but as his face fell from the hope he'd gathered after suggesting it to me, I leaned up, my fingers wrapping around his collar to pull him down to me. Our lip met and something... exploded.

No longer able to control myself, I found myself in an out of body experience. I tilted my head and he touched my cheek and the kiss deepened as he reached for my waist, pulling me closer. I moved from between his legs onto his lap, straddling him. He didn't even hesitate to respectfully rest his hands on my hips, soft and gentle, his thumb rubbing little up and down motions on my waist. My vision went white as his tongue ran across my bottom lip. My lips parted and I could feel his tongue begin to explore my mouth but I couldn't see anything.

The kiss was intense. Without breaking the kiss, he maneuvered over me instead of next to me like he was before. I licked his bottom lip and he grinned, his lips parting. His tongue went into my mouth, though, and I moaned in surprise. My hands rose to his chest and sides. My right hand slipped under his shirt, my fingers tracing the bare skin of his back.

He sat back, taking off his shirt before he leaned down, our lips meeting again. The House was empty and I was sure it would be for the next hour or two, if Emma had been right in the estimation of how long everyone would be gone.

Henry touched me gently and he kissed me with a burning loving passion that made my head spin. He pressed more firmly against me, laying between my legs. His hand ghosted my waist, fingertips barely brushing the exposed skin where my shirt rode up. He leaned back. "I- I can stop. If you want." He looked suddenly really nervous and we both paused, unsure.

Warmth spread through me as I looked at his brown eyes. Something in me told me - this one. I would marry him. He was it. I'd heard the stories about Snow and Charming. From the book. From them. From others. What I felt for Henry... hm...

But should we do this now? I'd be up for doing this with him, of course, but... should we wait? My eyebrows came together as I brushed my fingers through his hair. "What do you want? This is your decision too."

Henry grinned. "I'd love to." He chuckled. "Trust me I would. But, um..." he blushed, looking to the side. "Maybe not yet?"

I pulled his chin so that our eyes met. "Sounds fantastic." He leaned down and kissed me again. Slow and loving and calm and long. The door opened and we parted, unable to move away from each other as Emma and Mary Margaret walked in. Our eyes went wide. All four of us. We just looked at each other, exchanging shocked looks.

Emma spoke first. "We... came home... early."

Horrible laughter busted fiercely out of me and I hid under Henry, covering my face. Henry was blushing terribly and Emma griped something about 'too young' and 'we need to talk' before the two women left the room with Mary Margaret shouting a last, "We'll be back in five minutes! Be prepared to explain!"

My eyes locked with Henry's, both of us blushing but amused. "At least we can tell them it's not what it looked like."

He smirked. "Well... it almost was." We both busted up laughing again. Yep. This boy. That's all I needed forever and onward...

Leaning away from him, my eyes widened. "Henry...."

His eyes widened with hope. "Yes?"

My heart broke. "I... remember loving you. Seeing a future with you. I remember when Mary Margaret and Emma walked in on us on the bed- when we said 'not now'..." he smiled at the memory, touching my face gently.

He saw my agonized look and dropped his hand. "But you don't love me."

My voice was small. "I'm sorry. It's like- like a dream. Like another person. I know that I loved you, but I don't know how or why or when. Just that I did. Like opening the story book to the middle part and getting a peek at the romance without any context."

Nodding, he looked away. "It's okay. I'm... the True Believer, and I'm prepared to wait. However long it takes. Even if I have to make you fall in love with me all over again and make new memories."

I deflated. "You're wonderful."

Gently guiding me next to him instead of on his lap, he sighed. "You always thought I was." He smiled. "Does that mean you at least have a crush on me?" He grinned as a huge sigh escaped me. This boy was... a lot. Man I was about to have my hands full.

-

"HENRY I SAID STOP!" I screeched. He was teary eyed and looking at me like I'd slapped him.

Voice weak, he barely whispered out, "I'm sorry."

Turning away from him, I blinked hard and stumbled. I fell against the wall heavily but held my hand up to keep him back as he rushed to help me. He had to stay away. "No you're not," I snapped. "You're not sorry. All you can think is getting your little girlfriend back. Forcing me to remember. Okay. I get it, you love me. But it HURTS, Henry. It HURTS." He seemed surprised to hear me scream and I looked at the door. I booked it, throwing it open and racing into the  hall. He called for me but I didn't stop. I just kept running. Running as fast and as hard as I could. I ran out of the diner and past all the shops. I was shocked at how far I went before my body began to protest. I got to the ocean, only somewhat out of breath. Water lapping at my toes, I breathed hard and let my mind just spin in chaos. I wanted to remember. I wanted to be myself and be fixed. It had put Henry though serious pain. It was putting Henry through serious pain. Putting everyone through it.

Frustration built up inside of me. No. Anger. Boiling and raging anger that twisted through my body and mangling my insides. My eyes went wide. "Remember," I ordered myself. "Remember. Remember remember remember REMEMBER!" I started smacking the base of my palm against my head. My body tensed and I fell to my knees, shaking with sobs. My forehead touched the sand and I closed my eyes tightly. "REMEMBER!" I screamed as loud as I could.

Just as I demanded that, my vision went a sharp, painful white that seared my brain with complete agony. I heard screaming, loud and skin crawling and terrifying. But it faded as memory after memory hit me, fitting piece after piece of the mostly missing puzzle around the shards I'd already collected. I was remembering... but... IT HURT!

In real time, my body was confronted with the throbbing pain that seared in my brain and slowly moved through me in pulsing waves of sharp agony. In my mind, though, I was overwhelmed with the memories filling my mind that were causing the pain.

Hands touched me and my eyes flew open. "What's wrong?" A familiar voice begged. It was a woman. Her voice was raw with emotion and desperation. "Tell me what's wrong! Let me fix it! What's wrong?!"

"IT HURTS!" I screamed in response.

The hands started shaking. "Where?" Her voice was gentle now but my vision, though no longer white, was still blurry and sparking with random color. I couldn't really see her.

Just then I realized I was crying. "Everywhere," I sobbed. The woman pulled me into her lap, against her chest, rocking me. "It hurts everywhere." I groaned, shaking. But then... suddenly it was less. A little less. A little less. I gasped. The pain was lessening. It was fading and my vision was returning to me. As my mind calmed, a dull throb in the back of my skull was the only thing left of the searing pain that had plagued me only moments before. I blinked and tried to gain awareness of where I was and with who. My eyes landed on warm, watery brown eyes wide with unsure fear. Dark hair. "Regina," I whispered, my voice raspy. She smiled a little. "Thank you."

Her head tilted. "For what?"

My gaze narrowed. "For... for making the pain go away. With your magic."

Regina shook her head. "I didn't do anything sweetheart."

This confused me. But then- then I realized. My hand came up to Regina's face, my fingers touching her cheek. "Regina," I whispered even more quietly.

My touch softened her. "Yes, it's me."

No. She didn't understand. "I- you don't get it," I insisted. "You. You. I know you." I moved to my knees, taking her face in both of my hands. "I... I remember you. Saturday preparation for epic Sunday dinners. Sleepovers. You took me in after the curse. After my... my friendliness towards Henry. You're like my mom. You're- Regina."

Understanding slowly dawned on her face and hope swallowed her emotions. "You... remember remember?" I nodded my head very quickly, excited now. We stood, her supporting my weight. A grin light up her face as she wiped tears and mess away from her features. "I knew you could do it," she proclaimed, tilting her head to enunciate 'knew'. I smiled as she pulled my arm around her neck, wrapping her arm around my waist. "Come on. Everyone will want to know."

Purple smoke, ever familiar and comforting, billowed up around us and we were inside the Sheriff's office. I felt dizzy and Regina helped me gingerly into a chair. She then yelled for Emma, who burst into the room with wide eyes and parted lips, ready for trouble. Hook was just behind her shoulder, looking in to see what was going on. Emma saw me and my weak state and the blonde moved to me, assuming the worst. "Are you okay?" She asked, her hands feeling around for any bad wounds. "Does it hurt where I'm touching? Here? How about here?"

Trying not to laugh, I caught her hands. Her eyes moved to search mine and she looked into my face, pausing as she saw the happiness where she looked. "I'm okay, Emma," I whispered, my tone dripping with joy. "I'm totally okay." I leaned close. "I remember."

No words could express to her what I really meant. I could go on and on and on about how I REMEMBERED and it could still not register. I watched her face morph to one of relaxed joy as she realized faster than Regina had. "You... you're back?"

I did laugh at that. I nodded my head. "I am."

Regina placed a hand on my back and Emma offered a proud, closed lipped smile. "I..."She looked at Regina. "We knew you could do it." She winked and then gave me a small nod of recognition and my heart soared.

"What's all the commotion over here? Hook demanded. Emma stood next to him and Regina moved to her side. Hook and I had gotten surprisingly close right after Henry and Emma had forgotten Storybrooke and we all returned to the Enchanted Forrest. While everyone else was going crazy about the Wicked Witch, Hook took me off with him. I left everything that reminded me of Henry behind and Hook and I went out to forget the boy and his mom together. We bonded over the heart break.

When we came back, Hook was always really weird. We were the only ones that remembered the forgotten year and worked together to protect Henry and fill in the missing pieces. And then something with me and Henry clicked and I got him to remember everything. There wasn't really time for True Love's KISS though as Regina and Emma came in right about then. Not that at thought Henry and I had a love like Snow's and Charming's. That was somewhat of a scary thought. Regina saved my butt though and broke the spell for everyone else for me.

With everyone finally caught up on what was going on, Zelena went into major hiding in waiting for Snow's baby to be born. Henry and I had two precious weeks reunited again before... before I forgot... however I forgot.

Hook was with me every step of the the way though. If Regina was like my mom, Emma was like my mom's friend, both hovering and protective and into my life. Hook, weirdly enough, was like my best friend though. Despite the obvious age difference, the last year Hook had officially declared me a proper pirate and under his care I wasn't just a random village girl with nothing going for her. I was part of a crew. I was someone doing something. Having adventures and sword fights. Hook had even taken me sailing on his ship for a while. Until... Well, anyway, as I looked at him now, I saw a friend. A brother. "Captain,"I whispered, straightening up and nodding firmly.

He stepped back, looking to Emma with a small smile and bright eyes. Emma nodded and he looked back at me. "Welcome back," he whispered. "I've missed having my right hand." He held his hand out and I took it. He pulled me from the chair and into his arms and we hugged.

"As happy as this is," I said, pulling away from my Captain. "We really do have to tell Henry. Snow. David. They're going to want to know too."

Regina laughed. "Hands in," she joked. Smiles were briefly exchanged as smoke engulfed us again. Purple and pretty. I was floating, weightless and soft. Then my feet touched down again and gravity settled over me. When the smoke cleared, we were in Snow and Charming's apartment.

Snow was at the table, her face serious as she touched her stomach and looked out the window. Probably had both her baby, her grandson who was in emotional pain somewhere, and the girl said grandson loved who had run off somewhere else. She looked up when we appeared, surprised. Our eyes locked and she shot to her feet, pregnant and all. She waddled to me and grabbed my face. "You're back?" She demanded breathlessly, eyes wide and searching mine.

This shocked me. "H-how did you know?"

Her grin was painful to look at. "You looked at me. Searched me out. You met my eyes and I saw respect and love. You looked through me when you forgot. The last time I saw that look... It's you."

This touched me. "Yeah. It is. I... I'm so sorry, Your Majesty, I-"

She laughed, her eyes watering as joy seeped from her in waves. "Never apologize," She shushed. "Not for something you did without really knowing. I mean, you only saw me pregnant and defenseless. You never saw me in my prime." We all laughed at this. "It never hurt me. The way you looked at me. What I knew you thought. It never hurt, because I knew you would come back to us. I knew some way or another you would remember. I knew that look wasn't you and it wouldn't last. I never once doubted you. You're strong. You came back and I knew you would. So it's okay. It's okay."

"We both knew," David said, appearing through the doorway into the other room. A small smile started and grew on his face, his blue eyes shining. He walked up to us, putting an arm around his wife. "It's good to see you."

My response to him was cut off as my weak body reminded me that I wasn't strong. My knees gave in and I groaned briefly as my eyes fluttered. Hook stumbled forward, catching me from behind. "Whoa there, Sweetheart." He put me in a chair, his hand on my back. Everyone looked worried. I waved them off and Hook put his arm out, forcing everyone to give me room. I'd changed a lot in the past year. I needed more space and was far more independent. I really only needed Hook when things got bad. I'd had a mere two weeks to let everyone get to know this new me and I hadn't readjusted to being able to have Henry when I wanted him.

Now though, I could only think of that one person. "Henry," I croaked out. "Henry."

"Where is the lad?" Hook asked those around me.

There was a noise and everyone moved to make room as a shorter little man walked in. My vision was messy again but it cleared as it had before and I could see Henry. "What's all the...?" His eyes met mine and we both froze. There was some kind of tension between us. I remembered. He knew. I knew he knew. He knew I knew he knew. And yet,  the past while that I had been struggling with my memory after realizing it had been Zalina who had put me under whatever she had to make me forget the personal memories that mattered so much to me.

She had done it as a diversion, knowing I was maybe one of the only people who could get Henry to remember and ruin everything she was taking advantage of with the curse. She had not realized though, that we had already gotten Henry to remember. She hadn't  been keeping track of where Henry was with the memory thing as it was something that happened to be a thing she enjoyed rather than a thing that was vital and part of the plan she'd so meticulously put together for so long.

She'd made me forget for no reason really, but she didn't care. The new memory loss from the new person kept the diversion she wanted... but it didn't help. She was still defeated and we'd still won and now had the repercussions of my memory loss to deal with.

And now here we were. Despite wanting him and all the happiness from before, I felt... hesitant. I thought back to the argument that had made me run out before...

Henry Mills was the type of boy that was very hard not to fall for. At least for girls like me. I was feeling all these feelings, calm and collected but real and passionate and pretty. I wanted to hold his hand and cuddle with him. Maybe... maybe kiss him. I'd remembered everything since before the first curse and I didn't know how to feel about Regina. Everyone else I was cool with.

Realizing I liked him was exciting though. I was ready to admit it and I knew it would excite him, so I ran to the living room of the apartment to give the good news. Voices stopped me.

"I know she's going to come back. We all do," Mary Margaret insisted. "But for now she isn't back. She's someone else. And messing with who she is now to try and get back to who she was before is... wrong, Henry. She's still a person and she still has feelings, even if they're not the feelings you know she has locked up somewhere inside of her. Somewhere she can't reach. When I forgot Charming, I-"

"NO!" Henry shouted, shooting to his feet. "I'm telling you I know I can wake her up. I know I can make it better. I'm getting her back. No matter what!"

Quiet fell only a second before Emma spoke up. "If you push her too far, Henry, she may not want to be with you when she remembers. You're pushing her too far. You might just push her away."

Henry's hands moved through his hair. "She'll remember. I know it. I know she will. I'll get her to remember. I'll-"

"Is that ALL you care about?" I demanded, stepping where everyone could see me. My hands were balled into fists and I was shaking, my law locked crookedly so I could still speak and my eyes wet with yet to be shed tears. Henry was on his feet in a second. "How can you expect True Love's KISS to work, Henry? I. Don't. Love. You. And you know what? You don't love me either. You love who I used to be. You're treating me like an enemy. Something to GET THROUGH to get to the girl you love. I want to remember too. I want to love you, too. But this? This hero mentality you have? It SUCKS, Mills! It really freaking SUCKS. I'm going to remember WITHOUT your help." He went to protest but I stepped back. "NO! STOP!"

He stepped forward anyway though. "You- you don't understand. I- I love you and I just want us to be together again! I miss you! Seeing you like this kills me. I don't know how you did it I... Please don't be mad at me. Please just let me-"

"I SAID STOP!" I screamed.

The memory of the argument echoed in my mind a few seconds more. My eyes watered and my shoulders sagged. I didn't know how to feel about this anymore. He hadn't really done anything wrong, other than refused to believe that I could do this. That I could remember, by myself. Or at least to accept that bare minimum, this was a team effort. But he could have gone about this differently. I did. I respected his feelings. His need of distance. I'd taken things slow and kept myself under control. His only crime was loving me too much and controlling himself too little and yet... it felt like I should be mad at him. Yet, I wasn't. A smile light up my face. I was tired of distance. I'd ached for this boy for so long and I was DONE with the pain. "Ree," I whispered, stepping closer to him.

The wall shattered like glass and he raced towards me, a smile growing in his eyes rather than on his lips as he spoke. "You remember..." he moved to me, scooping me up around the waste as my arms wrapped around his neck. In front of everyone, our lips pressed together and I kissed him. Because of prior mentioned audience, it was sweet and fairly short. We leaned away, chuckling quietly with our eyes closed and our noses touching.

My thumb moved back and forth between the ends of the small hairs at the back of his neck and the skin at the very top of the space between his shoulder blades. "Of course I did," I whispered. "I could never really forget you. And I could never stop loving you. I will always be yours."

I will always be yours.

Just as Snow and Charming had their "I will always find you," promise, Henry and I had ours. Maybe it was a mark of true love. A binding promise.

Things were over for now. We'd climb another mountain and made it to the other side. And, no matter what, I was not losing Henry ever again. Everything else we could figure out later.