1.

A sound echoes in the darkness pulling Emma from her restless sleep, the smell of crisp apples lingers in her thoughts. Sitting up straight, letting her blanket fall around her waist, she strains her ears against the silence. The sound of feet dragging the carpet outside her bedroom door jolts her to her feet. Heart pounding in her chest, she fumbles silently with putting her pants on. She quickly makes her way to the door. Slowly she turns the knob. Green eyes, her eyes, look up at her in shock when she swings the door open.

"God, Henry what are you doing?!" she pants searching the boy's face.

"Oh, Mom." He half giggles after jumping back a few paces. "I was thirsty." A sideways grin crept on his face, as he lifts the glass of liquid to her face as evidence.

"Kid, it's like three in the morning. You scared the shit outta me."

"Sorry." He said smiling up at her. "I live here too ya know." He said with a matter of factly tone as he shuffled down the hallway to his door. He shot her one final smile before disappearing into his room.

Emma, heart still pounding, threw her hands in the air dramatically. "Good night Mom, I love you!" she shouted down the hall at him. A faint 'Love you' crept through the walls as she shut her door and made her way back to bed.

That kid, he's got an attitude on him. She thought to herself shaking her head. He didn't get that from me. Picking her blanket off the foot of the bed, she slid underneath it and settled back onto the giant pillow that lives beneath the headboard. With an over-exaggerated sigh she closed her eyes. In no time at all, she was back to sleep.

Panic ran through her body as a woman fell to the ground in front of her, a purple light shot from the falling brunette's chest. Emma calls out but there is no sound. Her eyes grow wide as she tries again, calling out to the woman. Nothing. Strangers circle around them, as Emma stoops down next to the unconscious woman. Henry, at her left, franticly shakes the woman, horror taking control of his features as he looks up at the blonde. All Emma can hear is white noise, static, it is deafeningly loud in her ears. Closing her eyes she tries to regain her focus. Suddenly, the roar is gone and the woman under her shoots up, grabbing the blonde's hand.

"Emma."

The woman's dark eyes fixed on Emma's. A burning sensation spread from Emma's chest and engulfed her body. She couldn't breathe. Holding onto the stranger, she steadied herself as the roar in her head began once more. Head spinning, the blonde closed her eyes. When she opened them again, she was staring at the darkness that was her bedroom. A single tear ran down her face as she turned to see the time. Once she realized that she had only been out for a little over an hour she took a deep breath and took again to staring into the darkness.

Who is she? For as long as I can remember, it's been the same dream, the same woman. Pulling her blanket back up to her chin, she sighed once more and closed her eyes. Her mind was reeling. All she could see behind her eyelids was the woman's face. She thought hard about the woman's dark caramel eyes, her look of desperation and regret as the woman held tight to Emma's hand. Her mind drifted to the woman's deep red lips as she spoke. In realization, Emma's eyes shot wide open.

"She said my name." she whispered into the darkness. The burning feeling in her chest began again but slowly turned to a tingle as it spread. After all this time, I finally heard her. Hot tears filled her eyes as her thoughts drifted back to her dream. She let them spill onto her pillow as she wept silently, not understanding why she was so emotional. She closed her eyes tight, in an effort to halt her crying and then slowly drifted off to a dreamless sleep.

"Mom, are you up yet?" Henry squeaked as he slipped into her room.

"mhmm." Was all she could muster as she fought sleep to open her eyes.

"It's nine." He said as he lay down next to her and slung his arm over her waist in a hug.

Taking in the way she jerked at the sudden contact, Henry searched her face. Her features were swollen and her eyes were puffy. "You look like crap, Mom, are you okay?" he said slightly shaking her as she made no reply.

When she opened her eyes at him, he took in a sharp breath. Her eyes were bright green and her pupils were dilated. This shocked him a bit and instantly his thoughts were of a cat that that he has seen after she narrowly avoided death by motor vehicle. "Your eyes are super green right now. Like… I have never seen them so green."

"Whatever you say kid." She smiled down at him.

"What do you want for breakfast? Since obviously you are sick of something, I will cook. My treat."

"Cute. I'm not sick Hen…"

"Oatmeal and coffee it is then." He sang at her as he rolled off the bed. "Stay in here, I don't want your germs!" he called as he bolted out of the room, leaving the door cracked a little.

"Hey kid, you're the coolest."

"I know!"

Lying back down, Emma let her mind run laps. She could smell the coffee brewing in the kitchen and it brought her lips into a small smile. I sure am lucky, she thought. She let herself drift back to sleep, knowing Henry would be a little while with her breakfast. In no time at all, she was fast asleep. There was nothing in her mind, just the black of dreamlessness.

Darting around in the kitchen Henry had the coffee poured in a tall mug and the oatmeal on the stove. He danced around to a random beat in his head. A song, a flute solo that was shortly joined by a soft beat from primitive drums. He couldn't place the song but he continued to bounce around while he waited. It wasn't his first time, in fact it had become a kind of ritual for him. Every morning he awakened with the tune in his head and he was perfectly content with it. It kept his spirit up, he noticed. After a final stir, he decided that the oats were done. Adding a splash of maple syrup and a pinch of brown sugar, he then ladled the goop into two bowls. He danced over to a drawer next to the door and withdrew two spoons, he swung one around wildly in front of himself and mimicked the sounds of a dual, of metal on metal, as he made his way back to his creation. Jabbing the spoons down into the bowls, he one in his hand and grabbed for the mug as he tip toed back to Emma's room. He noticed right away that she was asleep again. Setting his gifts down on a bedside table, he sat down next to his mom. "mom" he whispered, wiping long strands of blonde waves off of her face.

As she was coming out of her sleep, Emma caught whiff of the same crisp apple scent from the night before. Her heart beat quickened as she heard her name being called. It's her. She slowly opened her eyes and was met with the same dark brown as in her dream. She tried to sit up but a gentle hand pushed her back against the pillow. The woman looked down at Emma and smiled. Running her fingers through the blonde's hair, the woman leaned down and rested her face against Emma's cheek.

"Soon Emma." She whispered, her lips grazing the blonde's ear.

In shock, Emma began blinking away the image of the woman before her. The smell lingered for a moment and dissolved into what was unmistakably the smell of coffee near her face. In the woman's place, Henry sat, staring at her with confusion written all over his features. "You fell back asleep. Are you sure you're okay?"

With a nod, Emma sat up and grabbed her coffee, taking a big swig into her mouth, she almost choked as a knock came hard on the front door. She got up and walked into the living room, Henry fresh on her heels.

"Stay." She mumbled and pointed to the couch.

He slumped down onto the cushion as commanded and Emma made her way through the kitchen and to the door. Without really thinking, she threw the door wide open. She jumped a little at what she saw. There stood a rather haggard looking man, no older than she was. His dark hair fell messily across his forehead and he had a look that said 'I haven't showered or shaved in weeks'. He was in a black leather coat, and he was beaming at her like he found his best friend.

"Can I help you?"

"Ello Luv." The man darted forward and took her head in his hand, pulling her into a simple kiss. Instinctively, she threw a stiff knee into the man and slammed the door shut, locking the dead bolt. Swinging around to rest her back against the door, she was met with shocked green eyes glaring at her.

"uh… what was that?"

"I have no idea, Henry. I thought I told you to stay in there." She pointed to the living room door.

"Wha?! And miss that craziness? Please. No way." He laughed at her.

"Miss Swan, please." The man called through the door. "I must speak with you, your family is in danger and they need your help!"

With a rather dumbfounded look on her face she called back to him, while looking down at Henry "My family is here with me. There is no one else, man. Get lost before I call the police."