And Henry, too
Once Upon a Time
Emma / Hook
Season 3 finale, if Henry had been with Emma and Hook when they found the time portal. Having seen the finale is important because I go over some facts very quickly when they're the same as in the show. Very few changes in Emma and Hook's adventures.
"I'll talk to her." Hook told everyone after Emma ran out of Granny's, not willing to face everyone about her need to leave Storybrook, to run away once more.
"Wait for me, I'll come with you. And the book, we'll need it to remind her where she comes from and who she is." Henry added after David nodded at the pirate, knowing that he could trust him when it came to Emma.
Henry put the book in his backpack and he followed the pirate out the doors.
"How do you know which direction mom took?" Henry asked him after Killian guided Henry to their left first and their right next.
"I'm a pirate lad, I know how to find treasure and your mother is the most precious treasure any realm has to offer. I'll always know where to find her." Killian smiled, making Henry smile as well as they jogged in the direction of the park.
Henry liked Killian, not only because the fact that he was a pirate made him cool, which it did, but also because he could feel that he truly loved his mother and would be good for her. He could make her happy.
They found Emma sitting on an isolated bench, looking lost. She turned her head in their direction when she heard them coming. Henry was behind Hook so she didn't see him right away. All she could see was Hook right now.
"I don't want to talk about it Hook." She sighted.
"Well, if you don't want to listen to me, then at least listen to your boy." Hook replied, revealing Henry standing behind him, a concerned look on his face.
.
While Henry and Hook tried to convince Emma that her home was in Storybrook and that running wasn't necessary anymore, David, Regina, Robin, Gold and Belle were faced with the fact that Zelena had killed herself and triggered the time portal.
Well, they weren't sure if she really killed herself because it all looked strange but they at least knew that she was dead. If she had killed herself or had been murdered didn't really matter right now because it had triggered her time portal either way.
On his way back to the party for his newborn son, David left a message on Emma and Henry's phone to warn them, hoping they wouldn't try to stop it one their own but fearing that it would be exactly what would happen.
.
"I learned something a long time ago, Henry. It's that you don't have a home until when you leave it, you just miss it." Emma said to her son and Hook, trying to convince them that she had a right reason to leave town and go back to New York.
She didn't want to hear their argument that she couldn't have missed Storybrook for the past year because she didn't remember it.
"Who's the idiot who ever told you that?" Henry exclaimed, making Hook smile.
"Your father." Emma replied, shaking her head.
Suddenly, she realised that Henry was looking up behind her and when she turned around, she saw the bright ray of light in the sky.
"Where are you going?" Hook asked her when she stood up.
"I need to check this out." She replied.
Of course, they both followed her, Henry putting the book back in his backpack as they ran to catch up with Emma.
"David just left a message on my cellphone. It's Zelena's time portal. Somehow she died and triggered it." Emma informed them when they arrived in front of the barn doors.
"We should leave." Killian suggested, making sure than Henry was behind him so that he stood between Emma's son and the danger.
"I need to check it out, try to turn it off. We can't just leave it like that, in the open." Emma shook her head walking closer before Killian caught her arm.
"Mom don't!" Henry exclaimed.
"Do you have your magic back?" Killian asked her, raising his voice to be heard above the noise of the portal.
"No." Emma shook her head.
"Then you're not messing with any of this. Let's go!" Hook told her and he could see that she was going to listen to him, for once, when the barn's doors broke and the three of them were sucked inside, towards the light.
Soon Killian found himself on the ground, his hook the only thing that maintained the three of them in this time and realm. Henry was holding onto him around his waist while Emma held on to his wrist.
"Hold on!" Killian yelled.
"I can't!" Emma cried out.
"Mom!" Henry yelled, looking behind to see his mother.
"Hook!" Emma yelled when she finally let go and fell through the portal.
"No mom!" Henry exclaimed.
Henry loosened his hold on the pirate's waist to try and catch his mother but ended up sucked in the time portal as well.
"One of this days I'm going to stop chasing this woman." Killian shook his head before he let go to follow the woman he loved and her son through the portal, hoping that whenever they landed wouldn't be filled with unknown dangers he wouldn't know how to fight.
.
Emma stood up, brushing the dirt off her clothes, and looked around to find Henry and Killian slowly getting up as well.
"So, where and when are we?" Henry asked cheerfully.
The young boy looked like falling in the time portal was the best thing to have ever happened to him.
"The Enchanted Forest." Hook replied after a quick glance around, obviously not too happy about that.
"Yeah... I got that too... And I think I know when we are." She added, showing them her mother's WANTED poster.
"Awesome!" Henry exclaimed.
"We really have to work on your sense of awesome, kid." Emma shook her head.
"I guess it's better than what could have happened. We could have landed in the middle of the ogre wars or in the belly of a whale." Hook replied.
"When I was falling, I was thinking about the story Henry was reading at Granny's." Emma explained.
"If time portal work like other portals, it would explain it." Killian replied.
"So, What now?" Henry asked.
"We need to find a way to get back home. Swan, any ideas?" Killian asked her.
"How would I know how to go back to the future? What do I look like, Marty McFly?" Emma snapped at him.
"Who was he? Some kind of wizard?" Hook asked her.
"No, he..." Emma started to say but was interrupted by her son.
"Maybe what we need is a wizard... We should try to find grandpa." Henry suggested before his mother could explain to Hook who Marty McFly was.
"Your grandfather? I don't think David could help us much here kid." Emma replied.
"Not this one, Rumpelstiltskin." Henry replied.
"He's right." Killian nodded.
"Okay, let's go." Emma replied as horses were heard and Killian pushed her and Henry against a tree.
"The black knights!" He exclaimed as he pushed them to the side, reflexes from before the curse resurfacing.
Once the knights were away, Henry decided he wanted to see more and ran in the direction the horses had taken.
"Might as well, it could give us a more precise time indication as to when we are." Hook suggested.
.
The three of them ended up hidden in the bushes as they watched Regina terrorize a bunch of peasants, which included Gepetto and Pinocchio.
"Wow, she really was evil..." Henry realized.
"That's the Evil queen lad, not Regina." Hook told him to try and help the boy.
"Where does she find clothes like that? Please tell me that it's not what's in fashion here because if it is, then for the first time I'll be glad I was abandoned in another world." Emma whispered while Regina threatened the people and showed her prisoner off.
"The Evil Queen has her own sense of fashion love, don't worry." Killian smiled.
"Can't we help this woman?" Henry asked, pointing to his future adoptive mother's prisoner.
"I was wondering the same thing. Wait here." Emma whispered.
She was about to leave the bushes that hid them when Killian caught her and reminded her that she couldn't interfere with anything or she could drastically change things, maybe even erase herself and her son from existence.
"Fine, but we better go now and find Rumpelstiltskin before we change too much." She replied.
Of course Killian had something else on his mind and he quickly went to steal a dress and everything that went with it for her to change. He had good arguments and so she did as he asked, smiling with amusement at his flirtatious comments. She didn't want to admit it but the fact that he liked how she looked in this clothes made her happy.
"What about Henry? He needs to change too, doesn't he?" She asked Killian after he put the hood on her head.
"Nah, I got him a cloak, it'll be enough for him." Killian replied, shaking his head while Henry put his 'borrowed' cloak on.
After that, the three of them were on their way to the Dark One's castle while Killian explained the best way he could how things were in this realm and in this time.
"I'm so excited, this is great! I hope we end up in the book when we get back home." Henry exclaimed.
"Really? We didn't notice your enthusiasm kid." Emma chuckled.
They were now coming near a fallen tree across the road.
"I hear some horses, it could be the Queen again. Come on, we need to hide." Killian exclaimed, leading them both to the side where they hid behind a fallen tree on the floor.
After a few minutes, it was obvious to Emma what was happening and she couldn't help the smile forming on her face. She was about to see her parents meeting and the little girl inside her was eager to see a side of her parents that she had been denied for so long.
"That's Grandpa!" Henry whispered.
"We should go." Killian added.
"Not yet. Look." Emma said, pointing up to Snow White being hidden in the higher branches of the tree.
Unfortunately, Emma didn't pay attention to where she was putting her hand and she ended up breaking a small branch, which distracted the Princess thief who fell from her tree, allowing David, aka Prince James, to go back to his jewels and Princess Abigail.
"No! What did we do?" Henry exclaimed.
"What is it?" Killian asked, confused.
"We just interrupted my parents meeting... We really need to find Rumpelstiltskin." Emma shook her head, knowing that even though she said "we", she knew that she was the only one to blame for stopping her parents's first encounter.
.
"Wow, he really has a big castle." Henry breathed out as the three of them watched the Dark One's castle from afar.
"Maybe you shouldn't say anything right away Henry, let us speak first." Emma suggested.
"Actually, it might be best if I stay behind. The Dark One and I have a bit of history and I'd wager he'd want to kill me on sight." Hook told her.
"Oh, I'll take that bet!" The Dark One said from behind them before he used his powers to chock to life out of the pirate Captain.
"Stop!" Emma yelled, panic leaking from her voice.
"This doesn't concern you dearie. Leave now before I change my mind and kill you too." The Dark One replied.
"No you can't!" Henry exclaimed, forgetting that his mother had asked him to keep quiet.
"And why's that?" The Dark wizard asked with a smirk.
"Because if you do, you'll never see your son ever again!" Emma exclaimed.
That was enough to convince Rumpelstiltskin to drop Hook and listen to what they had to say. Emma then explained that she was the savior, that they came from the future and that they had accidentally changed things and needed his help to change things back to how they should be and to go back home. When it came to Henry, she simply said that he was her son, leaving the other half of his family tree out for the time being.
The Dark One guided them to the inside of his castle and after meeting Belle and figuring out what they needed to do, Emma found herself faced with a dilemma. She didn't want her son to follow them and to be in danger. He needed to be somewhere safe where he wouldn't change too much things.
"I... Rumpelstiltskin, would it be possible for Henry to stay here until we've fixed things? I just don't want him in danger and we don't know how things are going to go so..." Emma asked.
"Here? I'm not exactly the first choice when it comes to choosing a nanny!" The Dark One looked truly shocked that this woman who seemed to know so much about him would trust him with her son.
"Right, you don't know... here's the thing... I said Henry was my son, and it's true, but you're also his grandfather. Your son is his father." Emma explained.
"My son? You and Bae?" Rumpel asked, emotion in his eyes.
"I... It's in the past... I mean, we reconnected and were friends but we're not together anymore... I mean..." Emma didn't know how to explain things.
"Yes, Swan and Baelfire were together at some point and Henry here is his son, your grandson, your family." Hook intervened.
"But I want to go with you and Hook mom! I want to go on an adventure, to save grandma and grandpa..." Henry protested.
"Things could get dangerous Henry and I don't want you in harm's way. Your grandfather will be able to protect you and I'm sure you'll have plenty of fun here. Your grandfather has magic, he can show you things he hasn't had the time to show you in the future because of everything that was going on..." Emma tried to convinced her son.
"I'll make sure you have fun while staying safe Henry." Rumpelstiltskin told the boy, seeing this as an opportunity to be close to his son, in a way.
"Fine... But on the next adventure, I'm participating!" Henry finally agreed.
.
"So, do you already know how to recreate the portal?" Henry asked his grandfather.
"I do but it's going to be complicated. I have a wand that can recreate any magic that's been wielded but the person who uses it would need to be someone who took the portal. I know the pirate doesn't have magic..." Rumple replied.
"Mom does! I mean she did, then Zelena took it away from her but when we vanquished Zelena, all of her curses were broken so mom should have her magic back. Killian thinks that she's so sure that her life would be better without magic that she's blocking it in some way. He thinks that she still has it but that she needs to believe in herself somehow." Henry explained quickly.
"Well, the pirate might be right... If all she needs is to want to use it, then telling her that having magic is her only chance of going home might be enough..." The Dark one nodded.
"Good, so, what do we do next?" Henry asked him cheerfully.
"Well, I need to make a forgetting potion for me and Belle so we don't remember seeing any of you but that can be done quickly. I guess we can do anything you want." Rumple told his grandson.
"Cool! Can you show me great things around here without changing anything?" He asked.
"Well, I can make us invisible and make us appear anywhere you want. What would you like to see?" Rumpelstiltskin asked, feeling like he was growing closer to the man he used to be with Henry's presence.
"Can you show me where Dad grew up?" Henry asked.
"Of course, but it's nothing special, just a small house in a dirty village..."
"I know, I've read it in the book. It's just... I grew up without my dad because he left my mom before she knew she was pregnant and I only recently found him, only I didn't get much chance to spend time with him because of his evil fiance who kidnapped me and... Anyway... I just figured you could show me this... Then we could... I don't know... Find something to do together, you know, like a normal grandfather and his grandson..." Henry suggested.
"As you wish then." The happy grandfather nodded with a smile, trying not to pay attention to the fact that his son hadn't gotten to raise his own son.
Maybe the apple didn't fall very far from the tree after all. He had abandoned his son like his father had done him and his son had left his son before he was even born... Maybe it was some sort of family curse...
"By the way, since you're going to forget everything anyway, you'll be happy to know that you killed Peter Pan, your father I mean. You vanquished him and saved everyone, especially me since he wanted to kill me." Henry told his grandfather on the way before he added "I thought you'd like to know."
"I do... Thank you for letting me know." Rumpelstiltskin smiled.
.
"I hope Henry's fine." Emma said as Killian guided her to the tavern he knew he would be finding his younger self in.
"I'm sure he is, Swan. As much as I dislike the Dark One, I know he'll protect the lad, because he's his blood and blood is everything to the Dark One." Hook reassured her.
"You're right... So, what's your plan?" She asked him.
"We need to locate him, I mean my past self. Then you'll make sure he stays busy while I go to the Jolly Roger and arrange for your mother to steal the ring." Killian explained.
"Okay, I can do that, I think." She nodded.
"Don't worry, as long as you keep him drinking, he'll blame everything he might remember later on the alcohol." Killian reminded her.
"Blame it on the alcohol... Reminds me of a song." Emma chuckled.
"Really?"
"I'll make you listen to it when we get back to Storybrook." Emma told him.
"With great pleasure, Swan." He smiled.
.
"Why is it empty? I mean, you've been gone for a long time now... Why didn't other people go inside to live in it?" Henry asked his grandfather as they looked around the small home.
"Because of me I think, they fear it." He replied.
"They think it's haunted or cursed or something? That because the Dark One lived in it, it would bring them bad luck?" Henry asked him.
"Exactly." Rumpelstiltskin nodded.
They stayed in the small house for a couple of hours while Gold told Henry stories of Bae's childhood.
"Now, you must be hungry. Let's get back to the castle. Belle will surely have our food ready by now. Then I'll let you explore my castle freely." The Dark one told Henry with a kind smile.
"You mean you won't go with me?" Henry asked him.
"Not at first. I have something to do after we eat, something I can't put off without risking changing things. But don't worry, you'll be safe and I'll join you as soon as I'm done."
"Okay... Do you have secret passages?" Henry asked him cheerfully.
"A few... Tell you what: for each secret passages you find in my castle, you'll be able to get a reward from me." The dark wizard seemed to be having fun, to be enjoying himself.
"What kind of reward?" Henry asked.
"Anything you wish, as long as it doesn't change history."
"How will we know?" Henry wondered.
"We could simply wait for you to get back to the future before you asked me." He suggested.
"But you're going to take a forgetting potion..." Henry frowned.
"I can make the antidote and give it to you. Next time you see me in the future, all you'll have to do is to give it to me." Rumpelstiltskin suggested with a smile.
"Cool! I can't wait! I mean, a big castle filled with magic... It's going to be great!" Henry exclaimed, making his grandfather chuckle.
When they arrived, dinner was ready and so they started to eat, in Belle's company who had been brought to date and agreed to drink the forgetting potion too.
"Hey Grandpa, do you have a way to spy on mom and Hook? You know, to see how they're doing?" Henry asked and his grandfather nodded and made a glass ball appear.
Inside, Henry could see his mother and Hook. His grandfather moved his fingers and they also had the sound.
. What Henry and Gold see in the Glass Ball.
"So, I'm over there. Very dashing, don't you think? All you have to do is to keep me... I mean, him, occupied. Keep him drinking and he'll blame any lasting memory on the rum." Killian told Emma.
"Okay, I can do that." Emma nodded as she started arranging her dress so it'd show more.
"What the hell are you doing?" Killian asked Emma.
"Making sure he remains occupied! It shouldn't be too difficult, you and I both know: I'm his type!" Emma smirked.
"Swan, that man over there: you don't know him." Killian warned her.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were jealous..." Emma smirked.
Killian frowned and left, looking to be pouting a bit.
. Back in the Dark Castle.
After that, Henry and his grandfather kept eating and watched as Emma met and flirted with Past-Hook, how the pirate of the past seemed mesmerized by Emma and how she managed to get him drunk while avoiding drinking all together.
Then they witnessed Emma and Past-Hook going to the Jolly Roger (and laughed when the drunk pirate couldn't say the name of his ship properly, something Henry promised himself he'd remind the man later).
When Emma found herself kissing Past-Hook to allow future Hook to escape the room, they all watched, wondering how she'd escape the situation and they were surprised when future Hook punched his past self in the face and claimed that he had deserved it before hurrying Emma out of the ship.
"Hook loves your mother..." Rumpel declared after sending the Ball away when it was clear that Emma and the pirate were on their way to the gold castle of Midas.
"I know... It's so obvious... I think she likes him a lot too... She's not ready to admit it yet but the fact is that he's always come back for her and that he always has her back, even when it means getting her angry. There's no way she'll ever get back with my dad anyway so she might as well be with someone that makes her safe and happy." Henry explained, not telling his grandfather that his father was dead.
"Well, if he's smart enough to see how infuriating his past self is, then I guess he has changed." he smiled as Belle cleaned the table.
"So, what now?" Henry asked his grandfather.
"I have a couple of things to handle but you can go and explore the castle. I'll come and find you once I'm done. Don't worry, you'll be safe. Here, take this whistle. If you get lost, blow in it and you'll find yourself back in this room. If you get too tired before I get back, call for Belle and she'll get you to your room."
"Tired? Here? Fat chance. It's all too great! I'll sleep when I'm back in Storybrook!" Henry exclaimed, making his grandfather chuckle.
"As you wish Henry. I'll be back soon. Do you want to go with me when I help your mother and her pirate go to the ball to help Snow White?" He asked his grandson.
"I'd love to!" Henry replied.
"Good, I'll come and get you when I go. Should be in about an hour. They'll have arrived to King Midas's castle by then." The Dark One replied before he vanished in a small cloud of magical smoke.
Smiling, Henry went to explore the castle with the whistle safely in his hand. It was very fun and he enjoyed himself. He found two secret passages and was covered in dust when he arrived in the library where Belle was reading. She showed him to a bathroom and gave him new clothes (new to Henry, they were actually old ones that used to belong to his father) so he could clean the dust off before his grandfather came back, which should be soon.
.
"Don't worry Swan, your mother will have no problem breaking in and stealing the ring." Hook told Emma.
"And we're just suppose to sit here and wait? I don't like leaving things to chance..." Emma replied before Henry said from behind them:
"That's why we're here!"
"Henry! What are you doing here? Is everything okay?" Emma asked.
"Everything is great! You're going to the ball!" Henry exclaimed as he handed his mother the invite his grandfather had handed him before they came here.
"Really?" Emma asked, looking at the Dark One.
"Here you go." The Dark wizard said, waving his hand to change Emma and Hook in the appropriate clothes.
"Wow, you look stunning mom! You too Hook!" Henry exclaimed as he used his cell phone to take a few pictures of the couple.
"What if someone recognizes us? I thought we weren't supposed to stand out?" Emma asked.
"Don't worry, everyone will see you differently. Now go and don't forget to have a bit of fun too." Rumpel told them as he placed one hand on Henry's shoulder.
"Don't worry mom, I won't go to bed too late." Henry called out to her, while crossing his fingers behind his back.
"I saw that." His grandfather whispered to him with a smirk.
"She didn't." Henry replied.
"Smart boy." The amused grandfather nodded as they appeared in his leaving room.
"So, what now?" Henry asked him.
"Well, it depends on you. You can watch your mother at the ball or you can explore the castle with me."
"Could we record mom being at the ball or something? I'm sure her parents would love to see it... Then I'd take that with me and watch it with them. We'd be free to explore and have fun together..." Henry asked the older man.
"I can do that... I'll give you a special glass ball later. Now come on, there are a few rooms I'm sure you'll love around here." Gold smiled at his grandson, feeling younger, better, than he had felt in a very long time.
He felt like he was in the enchanted castle from the Beauty and the Beast Disney movie. There was magic and mystery everywhere and he was fascinated by everything his grandfather showed him.
Henry didn't go to bed until well after 3 in the morning and his grandfather had to insist that the boy needed his rest. When he woke up the next morning, Henry blew in his whistle and found himself in the dinning room where his grandfather was spinning.
"Good morning Grandpa'." Henry said brightly.
"Morning Henry. Did you sleep well?"
"I did, thanks. Any news from mom and Hook?" Henry asked him.
"I didn't check on them yet, I was waiting for you. I did however put the images, and sound of course, of Emma's first ball in a crystal. You'll be able to activate it and get it to play on any wall you wish. I cut it after your mother saved Snow's life and allowed her to escape. I put it in your back pack with the book. We'll check on your mother and her pirate while we eat our breakfast. Belle should bring it any moment now." Rumple replied and Henry nodded.
Belle arrived with a tray for them and they thanked her while the Dark One prepared his glass ball to look for Henry's traveling companions.
"Well, that's odd... They're not together..." Rumple frowned.
"Something must have happened... I hope they're okay..." Henry whispered.
"Hook is traveling with your grandparents, on their way to free Emma because she's the one with the ring Snow was supposed to steal. Your mother..." He stopped.
"What? Where is she? Is she hurt?" Henry asked.
"Not yet... She's prisoner of Regina and will be executed tonight if she's not rescued..." Gold frowned.
"She'll be okay then, Hook will save her." Henry smiled reassuringly, brushing it off like it was no big deal.
"You're not worried?" He asked her.
"Not at all. I know Hook will save her, he always does. You can't intervene anyway because it could change too much... Can we see mom?" Henry replied and his grandfather focused the ball on Emma who was talking with a woman.
"Who's the other woman?" Henry asked.
"I recognize her... I've only seen her once, from afar. She's Robin Hood's wife... her name is..." He started to say but Henry but him off:
"Marianne? Mom is in a cell next to Marianne? This is very bad!"
"Why?" Rumpelstiltskin was confused.
"Because in the future Robin is a widow and he moved on... Mom will want to take Marianne with her when she escapes and this will have very bad consequences... I mean, I wish she could survive so Roland could be with his mother but it would be very bad for everyone else..." Henry explained, keeping for himself the fact that Regina would be the one suffering the consequence of Marianne living.
"Well, I could try and do something to keep her in her cell... Make her fall asleep, have her feet hurting so badly that she can't stand and walk, make the lock of her cell rusty and hard to open..." Rumple suggested and Henry nodded.
"It would be best I think because mom will try to save her..." Henry added and his grandfather nodded, flicking his wrist.
"So, do you have anything special planned today?" Henry asked him.
"Well, since your mother and Hook will probably manage to fix everything by tonight, I need to prepare the forgetting potion for Belle and I. Other than that, not too much. We can do whatever you want." Rumple told the boy with a smile.
"I don't know... We should do something together than we won't be able to do in Storybrook..." Henry suggested.
"Well, it can't be anything too dangerous for you and we have to be careful not to change the future too much..."
"You're right, even going fishing could change the past... We could catch a fish that should have been caught by someone else and because of us he'd starve... I think we should stay here." Henry nodded.
"I have plenty of powers to entertain you Henry, don't worry." Rumpelstiltskin smiled at his grandson.
"Well, I still want to help you make the potion, and the cure so you can remember everything when I get back home." Henry replied.
"Let's get to work then." The Dark One smiled.
A few hours later, it was starting to get dark outside and Henry was once again eating dinner with his grandfather, to whom he felt much closer now. They had spent the entire day together, save for 15 minutes during which Rumpel had to deal with something important and dangerous. They had really bonded and Henry had had lots of fun.
"It looks like Hook and your other grandfather are about to rescue your mother with a wolf." Rumpelstiltskin told Henry, showing him the action taking place in the same glass ball they had been using the entire time.
"That's Ruby, or Red here. She's Snow's best friend." Henry replied.
"Your mother looks suddenly hopeful... Let's see why..." Rumpelstiltskin said as they watched Emma trying to open the lock of the cell.
"Thank you Neal." Emma whispered as the lock finally opened.
"Who's Neal?" The Dark One asked.
"Dad. Baelfire. Neal is the name he chose when he got to our world." Henry replied.
"He taught your mother how to break locks?"
"And so much more. They met when they stole the same car. Mom broke into it and started driving it and dad was already sleeping in the back seat of it. They lived by steeling for a while until..." Henry stopped, not sure if he should tell the truth.
"Until what?"
"Dad kind of betrayed her. It was for good reasons, it was best for her but she didn't know that until last year. She went to jail and he never tried to contact her again... Then when they found each other again, when we went to find your son and she found out that it was my dad... There was trouble coming and he didn't believe her, he didn't trust her... Anyway, I don't want to tell you too much..." Henry shook his head and Gold nodded.
They went back to watching Emma. She tried to open Marianne's cell, like Henry had planned but it was so rusty that it was impossible for Emma to get it to open up. Marianne was asleep anyway and had been complaining about a growing pain in her feet so Emma resigned herself and left alone. They watched her rejoin Hook, giving the ring to her father and after a few minutes, watching Snow being set on fire by Regina.
"No! How could she do it! Snow can't die, everything will change!" Henry exclaimed.
"Relax Henry. I'm not sure how it happened but Snow has to be alive, otherwise you and Emma would have vanished from existence. I'm sure she's alive and that your mother will figure it out soon." The grandfather kindly reassured Henry.
Henry nodded, seeing the truth behind his grandfather's words and watched as the group made camp and Hook soothed a crying Emma. Then Snow confirmed Rumpelstiltskin's assumptions when she turned out to have changed into a bug. Blue came to change her back and if no one else but Hook did, Henry noticed the look on his mother's face as Snow ignored her and went to hug Red.
"They'll stay there for the night, we won't see them before tomorrow." Henry guessed and his grandfather nodded.
That night, Henry and his grandfather traveled (in the blink of an eye thanks to the magic) to a small town, at the edge of the Enchanted Forest, where a celebration with fireworks was being held. Henry wouldn't remember the reason of the celebration, only the great time he had had with his grandfather.
When his grandfather put him to bed, Henry had a huge smile plastered on his face and it got the Dark One thinking about what he had become.
The past couple of days with Henry had made him happier than he had been since he lost his son and since he became the Dark One. Maybe being the Dark One wasn't the best solution. Instead of looking for a way to get rid of the dagger, maybe he should look for a way to get rid of the Dark One's curse and become a man once more. He would still have his knowledge and he would still be able to perform magic, only less powerful one.
"Are you okay?" Belle asked him when she found him so thoughtful.
"I'm fine, you can go. I'll give you the forgetting potion tomorrow after they leave." He replied, unwilling to open up any more to the servant that already knew too much about him.
Belle nodded and retired to her room, leaving the Dark one to his thoughts and his spinning.
.
The next morning, Henry didn't use the whistle, he managed to find his way to the dinning room on his own and his grandfather already had their breakfast ready. They checked on Emma and Hook and were just in time to see them watch Charming and Snow parting ways. Emma was crying from the emotion of it all and after a smile exchanged with Hook, they were on their way.
"They'll be here in a couple of hours." Rumple announced.
"Grandpa... I just wanted you to know that I really enjoyed these past few days with you. I'm glad I finally got the chance to get to know you better." Henry told his grandfather.
"So am I Henry and know that once I have my memories back, the cure is in your bag by the way, you're welcome to come by anytime you want."
"I'll definitely do that." Henry nodded happily.
Henry decided to use the time he had left in this time and place by touring the castle once more with his grandfather and taking a few pictures. He was going to miss this place, he knew it. It was everything he had dreamed about.
"It seems your mother is back Henry, let's go before she worries too much." The Dark One told his grandson when he felt his mother approach.
After Henry's nod, sign that he was ready, Rumpelstiltskin transported them both back in the main hall, right in time to see Emma and Hook come back.
"Mom! Are you okay? Regina wasn't too mean, was she?" Henry asked her as he rushed to hug her.
"I'm fine, don't worry kid. I've handled worst coming from her." Emma smiled reassuringly.
"Is everything fixed then?" Henry asked his grandfather.
"You can always check in your book Henry but I'm sure it's all fixed. Now all we have to do is send you back to your time." he smiled at his grandson.
"You figured how to do it?" Hook asked him.
"Kind of... You see, I have a wand that can recreate any magic, and it definitely could open your portal again and get you back home but there's a small problem with that."
"What is it?" Emma asked.
"The one who uses the wand has to be the one who took the portal." Rumple replied.
"You can do it mom!" Henry exclaimed.
"No I can't, you know that Zelena took my magic." Emma shook her head.
"Of course you can do it Swan. You just need to believe in yourself, to want to go home." Hook said.
"I can't!" Emma shook her head.
"Yes you can Swan. I know that not having magic makes it easier for you to just forget about everything that's happened and go back to New York but it's in you, it's who you are. You can do it." Hook insisted and Henry exchanged a smile with his grandfather as they watched the couple argue.
"You think I still want to leave? Of course I want to come home. After today... When I thought my mom was dead, and then she was alive again and I hugged her and she looked at me like I was just some stranger... I've been doing that to her ever since I met her and I want to go back and make it better. Neal was right..." Emma shook her head.
"About what?" Henry asked, reminding his mother that they weren't alone.
"You don't have a home until, when you leave it, you just miss it. Storybrook is my home, I know that now, and there's nothing I want more than to go back." Emma replied.
"See grandpa'? I told you that Killian was right. Mom didn't have her magic because she didn't want it." Henry smiled.
"What?" Emma asked.
"Look at your hands dearie." Rumpelstiltskin chuckled and Emma saw that her hands were shining.
"Looks like we're going home after all." Hook smiled at Emma, erasing the single tear that had dropped from her eye.
The Dark One waved his hand to change Emma, Hook and Henry back in what they were wearing when they arrived and gave Henry his bag back, with the remembering potion while he gave Emma the wand.
"Belle and I will go to the Library to take the forgetting potion. Just throw the wand back behind you before you jump in the portal." He informed the savior who nodded, looking at the wand.
"Goodbye Grandpa. I really enjoyed spending this time with you." Henry told his grandfather, hugging him.
"So did I Henry. Remember to give me the potion when you get back, so I can remember that I owe you three rewards." The grandfather said before he gave Henry a kiss on his forehead and disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
"Let's go before we screw more things up." Emma declared, concentrating on the wand and opening the portal in a matter of seconds.
Holding Henry's hand in hers, Emma let Hook jump first before she followed, dropping the wand on the ground before she did.
.
Once they landed in the barn, Emma was helped up by Hook, then she helped her son up.
"I hope we're in the book." Henry said with a smile before he started leading the way to town, making Hook and Emma smile.
"I'm sure we'll be." Killian replied.
"So Killian, how was it to punch yourself?" Henry asked the pirate with a smile.
"You saw that?" Emma asked.
"Grandpa allowed me to check up on you once in a while... You really should know the name of your ship Killian..." Henry shook his head.
"What do you mean lad?" Hook asked him.
"Ask mom." The boy replied with a smile.
Emma shook her head with an amused smile on her lips before she replied:
"Past you was drunk and when he took me back to his ship he... well, he messed up the name of the ship." Emma replied.
"The Rolly Joger." Henry chuckled.
"Well, can you blame anyone for loosing heir mind in front of such a beauty?" Killian replied, obviously speaking about Emma, which made her blush.
.
Once they entered Granny's, Emma rushed to hug her parents, calling them mom and dad as she did so, while Henry explained to everyone where they've been and what happened in the past. He didn't waste any time in giving Gold the memory potion and soon, Henry was being hugged by the Grandfather he had just left.
Belle could see that with just this small amount of time coming back to his memory, her Love had changed. He looked more peaceful, less tensed. Happier. She wasn't worried anymore that he'd try to go back to being evil after being manipulated by Zelena. Somehow, spending time with Henry in the past had been enough to give him hope.
Charming used the opportunity to thank Killian for going after Emma and for helping her come home. He knew that the pirate had saved her on several occasions now and the prince couldn't deny Killian's love for his daughter. He had to accept it, especially since Killian had gotten him to approve of it back in the past.
Later, Emma and Killian found themselves together outside, kissing, after he revealed to her that he had given up his precious and beloved Jolly Roger to be able to come and save her. It wouldn't be easy but they would find their way to each other, Henry was sure of it.
Until then, the young boy showed his grandparents, and anyone who wanted to watch, Emma's first ball with Killian and how she saved Snow's life.
"It's better than reading it in the book. I figured it was one moment you'd want to have." Henry explained when it was over.
"Thank you Henry, it's perfect." Snow replied with a smile through her tears.
"Hook was right, Emma's a natural at this. Put it back to the beginning please." Charming asked his grandson, who smiled and did as he was asked, his mind already imagining all the fun he'd be able to have now that his other, magical, grandfather was close to him.
Henry was glad he had fallen through this portal with his mother and Killian. He had learned a lot about the grandfather he didn't know and even got to be invited to his wedding, which happened that night. Emma let him go with the promise that Archie, who was officiating, would drive her son back home.
Before he left, Henry saw Regina, Robin and Roland sitting in a booth together, like a family and if he felt a bit guilty at having stopped Emma from saving Marianne, he knew that it was for the best. He had protected Regina's much deserved happy ending. He was a hero.
I know that it could have been longer, but this is how I chose to do it... Maybe I'll make it longer later, or simply add more scenes... We'll see.
As you can guess, this is part of my 12 fan-fictions of Christmas.
Review please?
I hope you're all enjoying your holidays!
Lorelei Candice Black