"I don't want you to go, Daddy."

Emma Cassidy- Cassidy, hm- folded her arm across her chest as she leaned against the wall outside of her four-year-old son's bedroom. Hearing Henry's small sleepy voice as he pleaded with his dad broke Emma's heart. But there was nothing that she could do about it.

He was too young to understand that his dad was leaving and wouldn't be back to see him in tomorrow. He wouldn't be there to pick him up from preschool and have that special time when it was just the two of them before she made it home from work. And it would be a long time- too long of a time for a child his age- before he was able to travel across country and even see him again.

Henry wouldn't understand what divorce was or why it was. The only thing that he would understand was that it meant separation from the people he loved. And that wasn't easy for him.

So even though she knew he had to be tuckered out by The Amazing Henry Day that was all about granting every single wish and fulfilling every single dream he had in the span of an evening, she also knew that he was in no rush to see it end. He was in no rush to be rid of his father.

"I know, Henry."

Emma could hear the deep soothing rumblings from her now ex-husband, Neal, as he tried to be as gentle as possible.

"I don't want to have to go either."

"Then stay!"

Emma heard the springs of the bed, indicating that the tired kid had jumped up. It was with hesitation that she turned then, sneaking a peek inside the room so that she could only check to make sure…

"Henry."

He was in Neal's arms, only the mop of brown hair and arms that were wrapped tightly around Neal was visible. Four years old.

Emma swallowed the lump that was stuck in her throat, holding back from any other emotion from rearing its head. She listened quietly while Neal tried to persuade their small son to lie back down in bed. She listened as he tried to explain to him that everything was going to be just fine. And she listened the Henry's whimpers as he shook his head at Neal's words.

There was a part of her that wanted to go into that bedroom and take Henry into her own arms. She wanted to be the one to assure him that, over time, everything was going to be okay and that he didn't have to cry over the decisions that the adults in his life had made.

But she didn't go into that room. Neal would be out of Henry's life for at least a few months while he got settled. Tallahassee was nearly a full day's drive by car from Boston, and only five by plane. That's when cost came into play, and so many other details. So, until he got settled…

Emma leaned back against the wall, taking in a deep breath and holding it.

When she'd said yes to his proposal at the age of eighteen, it never crossed her mind that it would end in divorce six years later. She hadn't thought it would be all rainbows and happiness, but what she did believe at that time was that having a successful marriage and family were things that they both wanted to work hard at achieving.

And they had been achieving. Until life… separated them. When paths diverged and they were no longer on the same path that they'd began, and no longer on a path together.

So now, with a son who was taking the split the way a four-year-old would take a split, she was a divorced woman who was trying to do right. She was a woman who had to figure out how to balance this life and forget the other one.

The voices inside the room became more hush and quiet. It seemed as if Neal had finally exuded the magical touch that was needed, quieting Henry down and getting him back into bed.

It wasn't until she heard the movements again, the squeaking of the bed while losing the weight of Neal.

Emma waited there, her body flushed against the wall and her eyes closed.

It wasn't the divorce that was draining her. That had been a mutual decision. It wasn't the fear of no longer having the security that the two of them had created for not only them, but for Henry as well. No, it wasn't those things.

It was the fact that she had failed in the one thing that she had wanted most out of life. She had failed in making a lifelong partnership with the one man who she could love for a lifetime. And she had failed hugely.

Emma watched as Neal moved into the hallway, her eyes trained solely on him. She pictured Henry with that same look of sadness that he carried. His head was bowed as he walked passed her.

"Hey."

And he probably hadn't even noticed her until she had said that.

It was then that his head popped up. He stood in front of her, and they each took in the other's reaction to the night.

"How did he do?" Emma whispered.

The raise of his eyebrows and the puckering of him mouth wasn't a good enough answer.

"He'll be okay," she assured him.

She assured him. Because she had to. Because she knew that in time Henry would be okay. Even if the adjustment period would be longer than this night here.

"He's asleep now," Neal whispered in answer. His eyes slid back towards the bedroom that he had just come out of. "I don't know, Emma. I don't know if this is the right thing to do or not."

She knew he didn't mean them. Because that was over and done with a long time ago.

She knew what he did mean though. And Neal's wariness only brought another sadness to the surface for her.

"You're doing the right thing, Neal," she told him, trying to keep from rolling her eyes. It shouldn't be her place to make him feel better about the decision to move more than thirteen hundred miles from his son. It wasn't her place to make him feel innocently about leaving her to be the single parent to their child. But she did it.

"Children are resilient," she continued softly, her gaze falling to the floor in front of her. "He'll get used to the arrangement. And when you come back to get him this summer, he'll be ecstatic to have you for all that time."

Emma looked back at him then. She saw that he was trying to be what he was supposed to be: strong and sure and confident in their decisions. It didn't make this any easier.

"Listen, Emma."

He was going to apologize. She absolutely hated when he tried to apologize for this.

"Please." She huffed out a small laugh and shook her head. "Please don't do it."

"I'm leaving, Emma," he reminded her. And his eyes begged for hers to meet his. "This is real."

"It's been real for months now, Neal," she reminded him, feeling the need to go tit for tat.

He paused, just staring at her as if there was a need for recognition. As if she had been the singular one to change. When it had been the both of them. Not just her.

"I don't want to leave on bad terms."

"I don't want you to leave on bad terms either, so why are you trying to begin an argument with me?"

"I'm not trying."

Maybe it was just her emotions. Maybe it was the totality of the whole situation that was trying to make her blood boil. Because it wasn't him. He wasn't attacking. So she needed to get a grip on things.

Emma took in another deep and steadying breath.

"You're leaving," she finally said softly. "You have a plane to catch in a couple of hours. And the last time we see each other for at least a couple of months should end as civilly as it began."

When she made herself look at him again, he was still staring just as intently.

"I know you don't want me to say it, Emma."

He knew it, but apparently it didn't matter to him.

"I'm sorry that this didn't work out."

At least it was sincere. And Emma knew instinctively that it was, because she was equally sorry that her six-year marriage had ended while leaving her a divorcee at the ripe age of twenty-four.

Her eyes squinted on his, wanting to hold his gaze firmly.

"I'm happy that we got out before hating each other and effecting Henry because of it."

Neal was silent for a moment. He watched her intently, taking in her words and her body language.

She had said it because it was true. She had said it because she could. In reality, things could have been a lot worse than an amicable divorce that tore their family miles apart.

Neal was slow to nod.

"Okay, Emma," he murmured. "I'm going to head out of here."

She felt the need to hug herself. What did that mean, when her ex-husband stood right in front of her, but she only wanted the comfort that she herself could give her? What it didn't mean was that her loneliness that seeped inside her was any better.

"Let us know when you get there safely," she whispered. The itch was growing stronger. So maybe he should leave now.

Neal nodded one more time. "Goodbye, Emma."

It was swift and clean after that. He turned around, heading down the hallway. Heading away from everything that had been them.

They had decided on the divorce together nearly a year ago. They had been apart for only half of that time. Emma knew that his opportunity to move up the ladder in his career had was leading him back to Florida. And the fact that he had family there had only sealed the deal for him.

The custody agreement had been as easy to figure out as anything else. Henry would go with Neal during the summer months. That way he could be in school when the time came with her. Simple. Cut and dry.

So it wasn't that. It wasn't necessarily Neal that had her heart breaking in that moment as she pressed herself once again to the wall.

She heard the door. She heard the way the hinges creaked in protest (and that wasn't a sign). She heard as the door click closed from somewhere far away from her.

And she felt the instantaneous strain of her heart. And she knew where it had come from.

Emma hadn't cried throughout the last year. Not over the loss of Neal or the loss of her marriage. It wasn't… that. No…

She felt that pain and that sadness traveling throughout her, because…

She had failed at the one thing in her life that had meant the most to her. She had failed at the one thing that made her whole.

She was now a twenty-four-year-old divorcee. She was now alone.

A career couldn't make up for the loneliness in her heart. Friendships could only console parts of her. Even Henry's love couldn't fill the void.

Emma had failed at finding love and partnership. She had failed in life. And nothing was going to change that fact.