Sequel to my Oneshot- 'Bye'
Hope you enjoy!
Once Upon a Time
For Now
Something snapped Henry from his daze when Emma's car disappeared from view. The thought of having to be apart from Emma made the ten year old angry.
Dropping his walkie talkie into his back pack, Henry then swung the strap over his shoulder and ran through the woods, heading towards the big white house on Mifflin Street.
XOX
Hurrying inside, Henry climbed the stairs quickly to his mother's office, swinging the door open and saying, "Why did you do that?"
"Henry, what did I say about speaking to me in that tone," the Mayor said, her attention on some paperwork lying on her desk.
"She's my real mom! You can't take her away from me!"
Sighing, the Mayor looked up and said, "You're not a little boy, Henry. You're too old to be throwing a tantrum like this. Now, go to your room and do your homework."
"No! I hate you!" Henry screamed before turning around and running from the room.
Standing to her feet, Regina yelled for Henry to come back. She hurried from her office to find Henry on the first floor, his hand on the door- knob.
"Henry, you leave this house and you are grounded for a month! Do you hear me?"
Slamming the door shut behind him, Henry took off into the night.
XOX
Mary Margaret was standing over a boiling pot of water with a box of spaghetti in her hand when the phone rang. Quickly, she slipped the pasta into the pot, and then raced around the counter to grab the phone and say, "Hello?"
"Hello, Miss. Blanchard."
"Regina?" Mary Margaret questioned, her brows furrowed.
"Yes. I'm calling to inform you that I believe my son is on his way to your Apartment… to see Miss Swan."
"Oh," Mary Margaret answered while looking up to the guest bedroom where Emma had been since she'd come home not ten minutes ago.
"When he arrives, I would appreciate it if you could send him home. I'd come for him myself, but my son and I aren't seeing eye to eye right now, and 'dI hate to have to drag him home kicking and screaming like he's a two year old."
"Oh, um, yes, of course I'll bring him home."
"Thank you, Miss. Blanchard.
"You're welcome," Mary Margaret said, a drop of confusion in her voice as she hung up the phone.
Before she had the chance to put the portable back to its cradle, there was a knock at the door.
"Henry?" Mary Margaret questioned while going to the door and swinging it open.
"Hi. I'm sorry to bother you so late, but is my-is Emma here? I really need to talk to her."
"Yes, she's upstairs, but Henry-"
Before Mary Margaret could finish, the boy moved passed her and ran up the stairs to the loft.
Emma was sitting in on her bed, her face in her hands as quiet tears spilled from her eyes when heard footsteps rumbling up the stairs followed by a familiar voice calling her name.
Quickly, Emma stood from the bed while frantically wiping the tear streaks from her face. When she opened the door, there was Henry, taking the last stair before he nearly knocked her to the floor with a fierce hug.
Sighing, Emma wrapped her arms around the boy while resting her chin on the top of his head.
"Henry, you can't be here," Emma said in just above a whisper.
"She's evil. I don't want to stay with her."
"Henry-"
"Please don't make me go back," the boy begged.
Emma closed her eyes tight for a brief second. When she opened them, she untangled Henry's arms from around her back and guided him to her bed, where together, they sat on the edge of the mattress.
"I know you don't like the situation. I hate it too. But, Henry, we have to be apart right now. I thought you understood that."
"No, I don't. You're my mom. Why should I have to be apart from you? That isn't fair."
"I know it isn't fair, but-"
"I don't love her and she doesn't love me. I want to be with you."
"Oh, Henry," Emma sighed while looking away from the boy's pleading green eyes.
"I know you love me. You're just too scared to say it. You think you shouldn't be allowed to love me because you gave me away, but that isn't true. I'm not mad at you for giving me up for adoption. I know you were trying to do the right thing for me… I love you too, even if you can't say it yet."
The words brought a fresh round of tears, the water clouding Emma's eyes as her lips curled to a smile.
"You're too smart for your own good, you know that?"
Henry simply nodded.
"Henry, your mom-"
"No, you're my mom," he argued.
Shaking her head, Emma said, "Whether you or I like it or not, Regina is your mom too. Yes, you and I are genetically linked, but Henry, for ten years she's taken care of you. I know you're not happy with her, but she's been a mother to you when I wasn't. When I couldn't be. The Mayor may not be my favorite person in the world, but she's still your mom, and we have to listen to her, especially right now."
"But-"
"No," Emma interrupted firmly. Her voice softer, she then said, "I hate this too, Henry. You have no idea. You're the only reason I'm in this crappy town. I've gotten to know you and I just… I can't leave you. I need to be here. But Henry, if you don't do what your mom asks, then she can make it so we'll never see each other again. If I keep pissing her off, she'll make it legal and I'll have no choice but to leave you."
"No, please, you can't leave," Henry begged as tears fell from his eyes.
"Oh, Henry," Emma murmured while wiping the teardrops from the boy's cheeks. "Don't cry. It's gonna be okay. I'm not leaving. I made a promise to you, remember? We pinky swore."
"But what if she makes illegal for you to see me?"
"She won't," Emma assured him. "Not if we do as she asks."
"How long will we have to be apart?"
"I don't know, Henry. But I promise, I will find a way back to you. We just have to play by Regina's rules for now. Okay?"
Reluctantly, Henry nodded.
"Emma?" Mary Margaret interrupted cautiously while standing in the doorway.
"You want to take me home, don't you?" Henry guessed.
"I wish I didn't have to," Mary Margaret said honestly.
"I understand," Henry said.
"I'll let you say goodbye," Mary Margaret said before turning for the first floor.
After Mary Margaret disappeared, Emma stood from the bed as Henry followed suite.
"I'd take you home myself, but I don't think it's a good idea."
The boy nodded in understanding.
"No more running away, okay? Promise me."
Henry held up his pinky and Emma couldn't help but laugh while locking her finger around his.
"I pink promise, no more running away," Henry vowed.
"Good. I don't want to have to worry about something happening to you."
"I'm sorry."
"Oh, kid, don't apologize. I'm the one who screwed up."
"You were just trying to help me."
"Yeah, but I went about it the wrong way."
"It's okay."
"No, it's not okay. I didn't play by the rules, Henry, and this is what happens when people don't play by the rules. So we're going to do the right thing from now on. You're going to go home and stay with your mom while I make up for my mistakes. And when I do, I will see you again. Deal?"
"Deal," Henry agreed.
"Okay," Emma said while taking a breath. "Mary Margaret's waiting for you."
"Just one more for the road," Henry said while putting his arms around Emma's middle and tucking his face to her stomach.
Emma embraced her son while kissing the top of his head.
"I'll see you soon, okay?"
"Okay," Henry said while reluctantly letting go.
"Bye, Henry."
"Bye," the boy murmured sadly before taking the stairs.
With water drops falling from her eyes, Emma whispered the words, "I love you, Henry," to the quiet room.
The End
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