Hey, so this story is directly during season 3 of Once Upon a Time. All of the characters are alike, but so incredibly different in their own ways. I'd appreciate any constructive criticism or ideas; you may have.

Additional Information: I know not many people will read this, but if you are, I'll keep this short. In this story Henry doesn't get kidnapped by Greg and Tamara; Storybrooke is saved from getting destroyed and everyone is currently okay with one another. Oh and Storybrooke is still open to the public. I don't own any recurring characters. The only character, I actually own is Leo and he's eight years old.

Chapter 1: Little Sorcerers

"I miss you, Mama."

Tears press against the walls of eight year old, Leo's blue-green eyes. He gently runs a finger along the portrait his beautiful Mama. Oh god, he misses her so much it hurts. Mama was a truly amazing person; she was magnificent. Actually, her name was Maryse and she had light brown curls with gorgeous green eyes. After her passing two summers ago, Father Isaiah painted it for him as a way of always remembering her. It was amazingly accurate too.

"Boy, get out here." The eight year old winces at his stepfather, John Buford's enraged tone and shrinks deeper into his corner beneath the stairway. The sandy haired little boy doesn't even understand why he's getting shouted at. "If you know what's good for you, you'll get your arse out here, boy."

John doesn't particularly like his stepson very much. Leo has reasoned it to the fact that he isn't John's natural child. Not like his baby sister Seraphina was, but she and Mama died together during her arrival. Mama was the only one who could keep John's awful temper at bay, but since her demise; Leo's had to rely on his perceptive skills. The little boy has grown accustomed to determining John's mood; if he sold everything Leo robbed, he comes home singing. If he hasn't, he comes back with a vengeful glare in his muddy brown eyes.

Leo can't remember how old he was exactly, when John taught him how to steal. It had to be when he was around three or four. Yes, four, sounds about right. 'Don't look suspicious' Leo thought the repeated phrase John barks at him. As a rule, though, they had to keep it a secret from Mama; she didn't approve of thievery. Leo knows his family's income relies mainly on him and his ability quick hands.

The eight year old watches John pace back and forth, strap in hand. Fear flashes through Leo's glimmering blue eyes like lightening and his breath catches. The last time, John really strapped him; he couldn't walk for two days. Thank goodness, Father Isaiah took him to the church and with the help of nuns; nursed him back to health.

"Leopold," the man bellowed, his murky brown eyes glistening wetly. He reeks of booze and may be a little tipsy, but the brat deserves a good whipping. John can't be certain as to why, but…he's an awful child. "You best get out here or I can promise you this, your back will be bloodied for a fortnight."

The blonde haired little boy pokes his head out from his hiding place, meeting his stepfather's cruel eyes; he shakily walks over to him. "You're about to get a brutal lashing, unless you confess what you've done" John demanded sternly, his fist clenched with hesitant fury in his eyes.

"B-but, sir…I haven't done anything wrong." Leo's tone is precarious. He doesn't believe; he deserves a brutal thrashing, he hasn't done anything bad. He behaved himself for Father Isaiah during school time and did all of his chores.

John scoffed indignantly, "Lies." He grabs the child by his mangy dark blonde locks and callously deposits him over the wooden kitchen table.

Leo cringes as the hard table connects with his ribcage. Tears start to swell up in his hazel eyes, this is going to hurt; Leo knows that for certain. The child glances upward, praying for his Mama to save him. If she were here, he wouldn't be on the receiving end of an unjust whipping. He prays to leave this horrid home and find something better. Magic would be able to help him, whether it's good or bad; it could help. Leo wishes to escape. And be safe.

The boy looks over his shoulder and watches in horror as John raises the strap; he squeezes his eyes shut tightly, waiting for the first lick to fall. Precipitously, a pale blue mist appears surrounding the little boy and whisking him away.

Leo isn't certain how long he's been slumbering. It must have been quite some time, because it feels as though, he's in a bed. Perhaps, John beat him too soundly and he fell unconscious due to the severity of the whipping. Oh no, this can't be good, John isn't going to be pleased of his inability to have the strength to withstand a punishment. He'll get whipped, for sure.

"F-Father?" Leo croaked in a whisper, wincing as the light hits his twinkling blue-green eyes with great force. He glances around the hospice room in one swoop for his deceased father's best friend. But, he cannot find him. Where's Father Isaiah?

A tall blonde man, who is not Father Isaiah, wearing a lab coat strides over to him with a nurse following close behind. "No, I'm not your father. What's his name? I'm sure he and your mom are really worried about you" Dr. Whale said attempting to calm the child down and pump answers out of him at the same time.

Feeling frightened in this strange, room which reeks of medicine. Leo doesn't particularly like medicine. Their town hasn't had it in years; therefore Leo doesn't feel it's a necessary remedy. The boy closes his eyes and rests his head on the pillow, feigning slumber; it's a trick he learned from a boy in his village who wished not to do his chores. In the end, it worked quite marvelously, that is until half the village's children performed similar pranks.

Emma worriedly paces back and forth; Ruby found the adorable boy passed out in the forest and carried him into town. The Charming family saw her and they agreed; taking the child to the hospital would be the safest bet. It was there that Whale wrapped the boy's broken rib and tried every remedy in the book to wake him up. At the moment, Emma's deeply considering giving ole Mother Superior a call for some sort of explanation.

Her thoughts are interrupted when Dr. Whale, strides into the waiting room looking annoyed and mildly preoccupied; he has other patients to deal with as well. "How's the kid?" Emma demanded causing Whale to lick his lips, tensely.

Whale rocks on the heels of his feet. "He was awake," he explained to the Savoir and Sheriff of town, who frowns uncertainly. Whale's honestly a little frightened of Emma Swan; she's rumored to possess powerful magic now and not to mention, her parents are the brave Snow White and Prince Charming.

"What?" Emma's eyes are wide; she hopes this kid didn't see anything. Lately, everyone's been a little too loose with magic and she doesn't want another Greg incident to occur.

"He was awake and now he isn't," Dr. Whale informed the group, this feels like the Greg incident all over again. Only, this time, their problems' are arising with a small child; one Dr. Whale predicated cannot be older than seven. "Being in unfamiliar surroundings caused him to fall back asleep, but he'll wake soon."

David asked incredulously, "Can't you just wake him up?"

"If I attempt to wake him, he could go into shock which could lead to a coma," Dr. Whale informed the group looking rather exasperated. "I'm not willing to risk putting a child in a coma, especially one that could be from this land. Are you, your highness?" His tone is mildly condescending and full of resentment.

"No," David scowled stomping over to the chair with Leroy following. Snow glances at her husband and daughter with worry flickering in her eyes. David's been itching to return home and Emma's been acting pretty strange since Greg and Tamara.

Ruby catches her best friend's grimace and pats her shoulder. "I'll talk to him, Snow" she promised striding over to a perplexed David.

"Tell us when he wakes," Emma stated seriously trying her best to sound friendly. Ruby is after all, dating him and she doesn't want to come off like a complete bitch. Not until, Whale gives her reason to.

Whale starts to leave, but Snow stops him. "Wait, did he say anything?" Snow asked her maternal instincts coming into play.

"Something about his Father," Whale murmured shrugging. His own family shunned him, long ago and he has no intention in giving them a call.

"The poor kid probably misses his parents," Snow gushed sadly; there are times, when she misses her parents as well. Her mother passed when she was so young and her father was murdered when she was barely eighteen years of age.

"How come there isn't an Amber Alert out?" Emma wondered, her brow furrowing with underlying concern and aggravation. "If he has parents, how come they aren't even worried about him?" Throughout her childhood, Emma has encountered many parents who only pretend to care for the children they fostered.

Snow has a feeling where her daughter may be going with this. "They probably think, he's just playing and lost track of time" the mother answered patiently.

Emma wondered softly, "But, shouldn't his parents be looking him, by now? It's late and the kid doesn't look older than seven." Growing up, in the foster care Emma's always had more than a little trouble understanding family dynamics.

"They'll come. Parents always protect their kids; it's an instinct," Snow explained her eyes shining a bit, had she and David raised Emma; their daughter would've known that.

The blonde nods understandingly at her mother, if Henry got lost in another town; she'd be there in a matter of seconds. Henry's her world. Emma only wishes she never gave him up, but she only wanted to give him, his best chance. She was eighteen years old and resided in a nice county jail. What kind of life is that for a child? Emma glances around the hospital having brief memories of Henry's birth feeling queasy.

Ruby sits down beside David, who runs a hand through his blonde hair. She waits until his breathing has calmed to the point of normalcy, before giving him a reprimanding look of concern. "What's going on?" the lupine woman demanded sternly.

"What do you mean?" Charming plays dumb, he doesn't want to come off as weak; not with everyone depending on him. It's not easy promising everyone they'll return home, trying to keep Regina at bay, and oh yeah being a parent to a twenty nine year old, when he's barely thirty, himself.

"I mean, what's going on? You snapped at Whale. I know you don't like him, but he is trying to help us, you know" Ruby pointed out; quick to defend her sort of boyfriend. She isn't exactly sure what she and Whale are, it sounds like friends with benefits, but…that's too modern even for her.

David sighed miserably, "I know. I'm just exhausted…I thought this Greg and Tamara thing was over and now that there's another kid. I don't know, Ruby. I just want to go home."

"We all do," Ruby answered kindly. The Charming's have been under a lot of stress lately, especially David and Emma. The two are trying to police a town, whose magic runs amiss and there're old rivalries between various families.

"Not Emma."

Ruby suddenly gets it; both Snow and David want to return to the Enchanted Forest. But, they never thought that their daughter may not want to accompany them home. What nobody else will ever know is…Ruby gets it. This place is much more freeing than the one in the Forest, everything feels safer here.

"You don't know that," Ruby's known Snow and David for a long, long time. She knows David and Snow would never consider the possibility of having a life without Emma in it. They'd never give her up twice. Never, they still feel guilty for sending her in the portal.

Leroy rubs his chin, contemplating the facts. "Do you think the kid saw anything?" he asked squinting seriously as Ruby and David glance at Leroy in exasperation.

"What's to see?" David asked curiously.

"Well, Ruby did find him in her…wolf form," Leroy answered honestly. "Maybe that's why he fainted. I don't blame the kid."

A thunderous look casts over Ruby's eyes; she glares at the former dwarf with warning in her eyes, as though to say watch it. "He was passed out, when I got there," she answered looking mildly annoyed with his unspoken accusation.

Leroy holds up his hands and answered, "I'm just saying, if he did…I think we should, consider the possibility of drugging him."

"What?" David's eyes become wide; of all the crazy plans he's heard from Leroy…this has to be the stupidest one yet. Even Snow wouldn't like it and she considers the Dwarves her family.

"Well, not drugging him, just telling the kid, he suffered head trauma while playing. It was probably what he was doing anyway" Leroy said nodding at his brilliant plan. The kid would most likely believe them too, he is a child after all.

Ruby stated seriously, "We aren't doing that."

"He's a child, Leroy" David replied shaking his head. A child…Snow's been hinting at them having another kid. David isn't exactly keen on the idea. They have Emma, but she isn't a baby. Snow wants to really raise an infant and he gets that, he does, but David doesn't want to make Emma feel bad. They love her. They'll always love her.

"It was just a suggestion. I don't hear you guys coming up with anything" Leroy grumbled under his breath causing Ruby and David to share a look.

Leo's eyes flicker open as he realizes, he's finally alone. What an odd place this is, he mused thoughtfully; his eyes studying every detail of the hospital room with apprehension. This is not his home, at all. Nope. He must be dreaming. Leo pinches his arm, trying to wake himself up from this strange dream.

The little boy slides out of bed, his feet land hard on the floor; a pins and needles sensation arises in each foot. Leo dances from one foot to another. He slips into his bedroom's lavatory, undetected by the bizarre bed-maids. They put the mirrors too high, causing the child too leap onto the sink and stare at himself in the mirror.

He appears to be sporting an outlandish gown, a dress of some sort. How odd. These garments are most defidently for girls. But, Leo knows better than to make a fuss about them. This attire could be all this place has and he needn't want to seem ungrateful. Leo sighs, wondering if John's even the least bit worried about his disappearing act. He guesses not. Though, nonetheless he must return home. Father Isaiah is probably wonder where he is and scouring the woods for him.

From what Leo remembers, magic brought him here; he doesn't know where specifically, perhaps if he wanders around this land a bit; it'll come back to him. Hopefully, he can return home today and this will all be, but a dream. The dark blonde frantically searches for his old clothes, he discovers them at the bottom of a hamper. The eight year old quickly sheds off the gown and tugs on his thin white shirt, worn brown pants, and cloak. Within ten minutes, Leo climbs out the window and leaves the hospital.

Dr. Whale strides into his youngest and most adorable patient's hospital room, to find the bed empty and window, wide-open. "Damn kid," he muttered sourly as he jogs to the waiting room feeling like a fool for getting tricked by a little kid.

Emma quickly strides over to Whale, looking hopeful. "Is he awake?" the blonde asked with a trace of worry in her tone. The doctor nods, scratching the back of his neck, his eyes are averted. "Well, when can I talk to him?"

"Umm, well, he isn't exactly here anymore" Dr. Whale shifts from foot to foot looking uncomfortable with this news; he has an entire staff of nurses and yet, they cannot control a small child. It's embarrassing.

"What are you saying?" Emma asked frowning slightly.

"I'm saying, when he fell back asleep; he must've been faking."

David doesn't know what to say, Whale's always been a competent surgeon, but how could he let a small boy just disappear? The thought just seems too insane to comprehend. "A kid tricked you?" the father asked raising his eyebrows incredulously as Snow chews on her lower lip, worried about the scared boy's safety.

Whale nods guiltily, handing Emma the boy's hospital gown for Ruby to get a scent off of. Emma quickly hands the gown to Ruby, who sniffs it. "Got the scent?" David asked as Whale exits the waiting room, he does have other patients to tend to.

Ruby takes another whiff of the gown, once more and nods. "Sweaty," she remarked causing her brow to become contort with concern; poor boy is probably scared out of his mind.

"Just find him and bring him back," Emma ordered rationally. "If the kid's parents come searching for him, we need to stretch the truth."

Snow's eyes become wide, being a mother herself; she wouldn't want anyone lying to her about her daughter's whereabouts. "You want us to lie to the boy's parents? Emma, we can't do that" the raven haired woman asked incredulously.

Emma rephrased, "No…not lie, just leave out a few things."

"Maybe, the kid didn't even run. Maybe, he was scared and wanted to go home," Snow's tone is full of hope and apprehension as though, she wants to believe her words, but doesn't.

"I don't think so," David stated folding his arms over his chest. "If the kid wanted to go home, he would've waited for his parents."

Snow asked worriedly, "Do you think something's going on at home?" Now, she isn't certain they should inform the other town's police department. If the child is being abused, there's no way, they're sending him home.

"We won't know, until we find him" Emma cautioned seriously, she knows how her mother is and she doesn't want Snow getting charged with anything, without valid evidence to back her up.

"Ruby, get going" Emma stated seriously. "Bring back…whoever that kid is," Ruby nods and quickly walks out the door in search of the child.

Leo wanders to the docks; he has always fancied ships, especially ones with heroes. He touches the frame of a wooden paddle boat, wondering if this is how he can escape. Glancing from his left to right, Leo starts to untie the knots. He can't stay in this outlandish town; it feels peculiarly different. A gnawing guilt tickles his insides; Mama didn't approve of thievery, but John certainly did. Anyway, Mama's dead…It's not like she can scold him.

"Hey kid," Ruby shouted seriously, struggling to sound like Granny does. It must come with age or something, but nevertheless she can sense the boy's nervousness. "What do you think you're doing?"

The dark blonde haired little boy glances back at the lupine woman, he remembers her. Well, he vaguely remembers a dark haired woman carry him into the hospital. It might've been her or maybe it was some blonde lady, he can't remember too well. "G-go away, please" he pleaded desperately, if these people catch him. They'll surely whip him severely.

He licks his lips tensely, starting to climb into the boat, only to have the woman dash over to him as quick as lightening and grip onto his collar.