He runs like he was told to. He runs past the frightened horses; he can hear their nervous neighing. He runs out of the stables, across the big court, straight to his grandpa's truck which was parked there in a haste; at least it looks like it with all the doors wide open and the key still in the ignition. Henry climbed on the passenger seat, slumping against it, trying to get his breathing under control.
What was going on? Who was that man? Henry wasn't scared at first; the man looked lost and a little out of place with his old clothing, like he came from another world. He wanted to help him, wanted to calm him down, but apparently raising his hand just made it worse. Henry moves his hand to his neck which still stings a little. Who is that man? Is it even a man? Why did he attack him?
David is coming from across the court towards the truck, putting his gun back into its holster, a deep frown on his face.
Something's not right.
Why is he coming back alone? Where's his mom?
'Mom!', he thinks suddenly, making his way out of the car again, but David stops him, closing the door, "No Henry, stay in the car, we're driving back."
He cannot believe it. "But no! What about my mom? We can't leave her here! This man is dangerous! Please, David, please!", he begs his grandpa who is walking towards the other side of the truck.
"That's how she wants it, Henry." David says as he slips behind the wheel and closes his door as well.
"But she's in danger. We have to help her!"
"She doesn't need our help." David states in a low voice. He starts the car with a sigh and slowly rolls off the court.
Henry looks through the back window to the stables, wondering what is happening there right now. Eyes still fixed on the flat building where his mom could be in danger, he asks "Who was that man?"
He can hear David taking in a deep breath and some moments go by until he responds quietly, "This was Daniel. Someone from your mother's past."
He's tearing through his book, the book with all the fairytales which are more real than anyone would imagine. David dropped him off at the loft because he had to go back to the Sheriff's Station to sort some things out. Henry wonders if it has something to do with the man with his hands full of blood.
'Someone from your mother's past.' He has to be in this book if he's someone from her past. He has to find out who he is and if his mom is okay; Henry still feels bad for leaving her there a couple of hours ago. He's worried; she might have been the Evil Queen, but she's also his mother and so he's worried. But he's not supposed to leave the loft, David has told him not to.
He's still flipping through the pages of his storybook when he hears a soft knock on the front door. He stands up slowly from his seat at the dining table and cautiously opens the door only a crack to see who's on the other side.
"Mom?"
She doesn't look well, she has been crying and she looks sad, so sad.
Something's not right.
He opens the door wider for her to come in. She hesitates for a moment before stepping into the room, scanning it at the same time. "David's not here?"
"No, he's back at the station. Mom, are you okay?"
She hasn't moved from her spot in the middle of the room, her gaze on the storybook on the table. "Yes, I'm fine." she says very quietly. He has to step closer to her to make out the words. The movement makes her look at him and she says a little louder and stronger now "Everything's fine."
"You don't look fine." She really doesn't.
"I'm sorry, Henry." She sits down right in front of the book and repeats "I'm really sorry."
"For what?" he asks as he sits down next to her.
She turns towards him and admits sadly "I used magic".
"For Daniel?"
She looks at him surprised, probably not expecting her son to know the name of the man who just attacked him. "How - I mean, yes, for Daniel. But how - how do you know?"
"I asked David, but he only told me his name and that he's someone from your past."
She looks away from him, must be thinking of the past, looking deep in thought when she says gently "Yes, that he is."
"Who is he? Why is he here in Storybrooke now? I've never seen him before." Henry really wants to know. But he also can see that it is hard for Regina to even think about it. She closes her eyes for a brief moment before saying softly "Daniel was my fiancé." and after a pause "He died a long time ago."
Henry is confused. "But...how?"
She continues "Dr. Whale has his own sort of magic, he did something; it doesn't matter now anymore. But he - he brought him back." She smiles sadly at this.
Henry's eyes widen. You can't bring people back from the dead. It's a rule, it's not possible.
Something's not right.
Regina takes his hand in hers and looks at him. "I know what you're thinking. 'You can't bring people back from the dead.' and it's true. Whale tried it before, back in the Enchanted Forest, but it didn't work. And now I wish it wouldn't have worked this time either. But it did."
Henry has so many questions, but he already knows that he won't get answers to all of them. "Where is he now? Daniel, where is he now? Did he hurt you?"
He can tell that his mother tries really hard not to cry in front of him. Her fiancé came back. Back from the dead. She should look happier, shouldn't she? She looks so in distress.
Something's not right.
Hurt comes to her features when she says "He's gone. Again. He can't hurt you anymore. He can't hurt anyone anymore, including himself."
He doesn't think about it when he launches forward in his seat and hugs his mother. Her arms come around him and she hugs him back tightly, her chin resting on his head. Tears fall into his hair and he can feel her shaking just so slightly.
"I'm so sorry, Henry." she says again in a choked voice. "I really want to change, for you. And I promised you not to use magic again, and I failed. I'm so sorry, Henry. I'm so sorry."
"What did you do?" She leans back a little to look at him questioningly. So he tries once more "You said you used magic. What did you do?"
Tears spring into her eyes again. "I…I wanted to…he came on to me, and…and I just wanted to protect myself. And he seemed to be in so much pain. And I…I…" she can't say it. Henry sees the pain and regret in her eyes.
So he says it softly for her "You killed him." She nods, looking away from him, trying to keep her feelings in check in front of her son.
Henry doesn't understand everything in this world, and he's probably too young to understand this adult world anyway. But right now he only sees his mom and she looks hurt.
He hugs her again. "It's okay, Mom, it's okay. You helped him. He didn't look right, something was wrong. You helped him. He isn't in pain anymore. It's alright to use magic to help people."
She looks at him again and cups his face in her hands. "My little prince. Someday I'd like to be able to see the positivity in this world as well. Like you do."
He smiles at her. "You will, Mom. I believe in you."
A/N: So this was my very first little story. I want to thank Anastasia again for helping me :)
