Author's Note: For Mike that made me a picture with Henry and Michael Myers entitled the babysitter for Halloween. Happy Halloween everyone :o)
The Babysitter for Halloween
"So you have all my contact info," Regina sounded like any worried mother would. Not so weird either as it was the first time she left Henry alone for three days. She had been there every since her young boy was born.
"I do, don't worry, we'll be fine, won't we Henry?" Ruby looked over at Henry and smiled.
"Uh huh," he nodded eagerly.
"And no scary movies," she said in a very strict tone. More to her eight year old boy, he was always begging her to see those, however as she felt he was too young she did not agree. After all she did not want him to have nightmares.
"Of course not," Ruby shook her head and smiled at the Mayor.
"You will be back for Trick or Treating, right?" Hope in young Henry's voice as he looked at his mother.
"I will try my best, Henry, you will behave while I am gone, right?" she said and smiled at him.
"I will," he nodded eagerly once more, smiling brightly back at her.
"Very well, can I have a hug before I leave?" she said, looking at him with wondering eyes. He ran over hugging his mommy tight. He did not do this often, making it more special for her. As he broke free he said, "You will drive safely right and be careful."
"I will and I always am," she answered, moved by the concern in his voice. She ruffled his hair and took her suitcase before she left the two of them. Henry looked at Ruby grinning saying, "So which scary movie shall we watch first?"
It was not many that knew about the fact that young Henry was born on Halloween, not other than his adoptive mother, Red, Granny and Mary Margaret, they were usually invited to his birthday party. He had not many friends his own age as he found the rest of the children was not like him. They didn't age like him, they for some reason stayed the same. His mother was like that too of course, but he didn't think much of that, after all she was an adult and they tended to age slower than children. Or didn't they?
At the moment the young boy was however longing for his mommy, watching scary movies had not been such a good plan after all. Now he saw ghosts everywhere. He looked at his phone, should he call his mommy, and say what that he had disobeyed her direct orders. She had called earlier in the night to wish him sweet dreams. A soft wind blew through the open window, making the curtain move. Henry crawled under the cover, hiding, shivering, and knowing he should have listened to his mommy. Hearing the door to the closet squeak back and forth he knew he couldn't care less that his mother got upset. He made a run for it, bolting for the door, he could hear Ruby on the phone downstairs. He ran down fast, making her look up saying, "Henry what's the matter, I thought you were asleep. I'll call you back MM."
"I had a really bad dream, ghosts…everywhere," he looked down.
"So the movie did scare you after all?" she frowned. He had seemed okay earlier, he had even laughed about it. She put the phone she had been holding in her pocket.
He nodded, blushing, making her go over and hug him tight, hiding his head in her shoulder. She sighed saying, "You know ghosts and those things in the movies aren't real right, it is made up."
"But magic is real, why isn't ghosts?" he asked confused.
"What are you talking about, there is no such thing as magic," she said, looking at him.
"But there is, I've seen it, mom she uses it," he argued against it. Surely she had seen how she could make a book come out of its shelf, or make the dishes clean themselves when he was not looking.
"I think you must have been dreaming, your mother is just like any other woman, and she does not use magic and there is no ghosts," said Ruby in a firm, but soft tone.
"But she isn't, I want to call her, can you do that please, I'm really scared," he begged her.
"Okay, okay, I knew this was a bad idea," he muttered, dialing Regina's cell phone number. She soon heard the older woman say, "Ruby, is all okay, is everything alright with Henry?"
"He…no," she handed the phone over to him with a sigh.
"Henry, what is going on?" Regina's voice sounded overly worried.
"We watched a scary movie and I should have listened, I'm so sorry," he said, tears now shining in his eyes.
"You had a bad dream?" she asked, her tone softer than expected. Ruby would so pay for this later.
"Yes, ghosts they were everywhere, they were coming to get me," he said with a heavy sigh.
"Henry, listen, there is no such things as ghosts, they are just in the movies," she said, also sighing.
"But why is magic real, when ghosts isn't, magic is real right?" he was testing her.
"I don't know why ghosts are not real Henry, even if magic is," she answered.
"You are sure about this, no ghost can take me?" he asked, better to be on the safe side.
"No one can take you, not a ghost or anything else, not as long as I am there and the house is well protected," she answered.
"You put a spell on the house?" he wanted to know.
"Maybe, but for most a good alarm system," she said with a small laugh.
"Good, please be home for Halloween, safer with you here," he said.
"Awwwe Henry, I am glad you feel that way, now go to bed and no more scary movies," she said firmly.
"I'll never watch them again I promise, I'm sorry I even watched this one," said Henry, feeling bad about it.
"Tell you what I will watch one with you on Halloween and sleep with you so you won't get nightmares, how does that sound?" she said.
"You're the best mom ever, I love you," he said excitedly.
"I love you too, Henry, now go to bed," she said with a small laugh.
"I will," he said and hung up, giving the phone back to Red, that said, "So?"
"Ghosts are not real, but magic is and she cast a spell on the house, see told you mom was magical," said Henry in a matter of fact way. He raised his head high and walked up and back to bed in a very Regina like way. Ruby just shook her head.
It was a few days later, in fact it was the morning of Halloween and Henry's birthday. Regina had started on her ride back very early, just to get a head start. After all she had been away from her little boy for about three days now and she missed him like crazy. That and she were going to give Ruby Red the lecture of her life about letting her son watch the sixth sense. What had she been thinking?
She sighed she had called Henry the night before to make sure he was alright; he was having so much fun. The question about magic had worried her though. Did he know who she really was? Who any of them were?
No she shook it off. He couldn't know, no one except her did. She looked over at the passenger seat, his birthday presents, and even with her eared she had bought them. She never forgot his birthday. It was odd though considering they never celebrated her own, then again she was now in her early fifties so not much to celebrate in her eyes. Her looks would never give it away though.
She sighed, picking up the phone, calling home. She heard Henry's ever cheerful voice say, "Mills residence, how may I help you?"
"Henry it's me, I just wanted to wish you a happy birthday," she spoke, a smile on her lips. Her little boy was growing up so fast.
"Hi mom, are you on your way back?" he asked her.
"I am, so any plans today, birthday boy?" she asked, after all it was Saturday so he didn't have school.
"We're going to Granny's for breakfast, then going to play ball in the park, Ruby got me a brand new football," he said excitedly.
"Sounds like fun," she said wishing she was there with him.
"Would be more fun if you were with, will you come to the park and look for us if we aren't there when you get home?" he asked her.
"Of course I will," she promised.
"Cool, I so got to go," he said and hung up on her before she could say anything else. She put her phone aside, a glimpse on her background a picture of Henry smiling at her. He had in his younger years been happy and content, at least how she saw it. Then a few days ago came the question of magic. Should she tell him about it or tell him magic was for Fairy tales. How could she when to her, even how little it was all quite real. She decided that if he believed in magic and for now it was fine, he would grow out of it. After all it was no harm for him to believe in it as long as he did not suspect anything. She was after all the one who had taught him about the famous Fairy tales, to her knowledge people in this world did use to read Fairytales for their children when they were young, why shouldn't she.
She stepped on the gas only to reach the border of her town an hour later. Regina groaned seeing her Halloween decorations were not on, then again why would they be when she was not there. She used her focus making sure all was up and about as she drove through town to her mansion. If it was one thing you could say about Regina Mills it was that she was always perfection down to her fingertips, even if that was to use a little magic to get what she wanted. Luckily for her no one but her knew that, not even her son. She smiled pleased by her work as she parked the car and carried Henry's presents inside, calling out for him. He was not there, then again she suspected as much. She ran upstairs, took a quick shower and went through her closet finding a witch costume and put it on, smiling seeing her pointy black hat and her robe, it still fitted as always. She hurried back down and drove downtown walking towards the park where she saw her young son playing football with Red. She smiled by the sight of him. He was just so perfect, the most perfect she had ever made she concluded. As if he could hear or sense her presence he came running towards her yelling, "Mommy, mommy you made it!"
"Of course, did you ever doubt I would?" she said, opening her arms so he could run into them.
"You are my favorite witch in all the lands," he said, hugging her tight.
Regina giggled saying, "It is sweet of you to say considering you have only lived in this land and I was nice person back where I grew up."
"I know, but I made you better," he said wisely.
She frowned and said, "Yes you did, so can I play as well?"
"You wanna play football in high heels?" he said surprised.
"For once I wouldn't mind," she nodded. A bright smile spread across his face as he took her hand and dragged her over to Red. For once Regina would allow herself to get dirty knowing she could not afford not to do so, after all her little boy was growing up fast, too fast, he was getting smarter. Soon he would get just how all was hanging together; he was most likely already questioning why no one but him got older, how long until that question was directed at her. And when that day came should she deny it and tell him he was imagining it or be honest...No she couldn't he would hate her. She kicked the ball hard, smiling at the other two, figuring she would take that day when it came.
It was the same night after mother and son had been trick or treating watching a horror movie that he snuggled up close, she realized just how much she would miss this. He looked at her thoughtful face asking, "Something wrong, mom?"
"No, it is all fine, Henry," she said in a soft tone.
"You sure?" he asked.
"Mhm, so tell me is this scaring you," nodding towards Michael Myers on the screen.
"A little, but mom?" he wondered, looking away from the screen and into his mother's dark eyes.
"Mhm," she said smiling at him.
"Can I be him next Halloween?" he asked her.
"Of course, just remember that as Halloween as in life you can be everything you want," she said.
"So if I want to be a Prince and rule a kingdom I can?" he asked her.
She laughed, saying, "You already are a prince and you do rule a kingdom."
"I do witch?" he asked, his eyes shining with excitement.
"You're the prince of my heart," she said, blushing.
"Awww mom, I love you too," he said, hugging her tight.
"And I you for forever and always," she whispered.
It is safe to say Henry would have bad dreams that night, but it wouldn't matter, because this time his mommy was there protecting him. As he fell asleep in his arms he hoped she would always do that, because under her protection he knew he would always be safe. When it came to Regina she knew she would never stop loving the little boy that was right now sleeping, holding on to her. To her that would be impossible, as for Ruby Red she would receive her punishment for letting Henry watch a scary movie soon enough.
Thank you so much for reading, feedback is always appreciated :o)