Summary: Jenna is no stranger to surprises; she was surprised when, instead of calling the police, Emma and Henry Swan took her in after she broke into their apartment. She was surprised when Emma asked her to be apart of their family and she was surprised when Henry called her his sister for the first time. However, finding out that your family thinks they're the children and grandchildren of fairytale characters is one surprise that Jenna can't handle.
So, I've been working on this story forever and I can't believe I'm finally getting it published. Jenna is an OC I've been toying around with a lot recently. I mean, I just found the concept I've surrounded her with to be so intriguing.
I found it so weird that Emma and Henry left New York without anyone thinking it was strange. I mean, didn't Henry have friends at school? Emma was supposed to be a normal mom, so weren't there other people who noticed that she was gone? Well, all these questions will be answered.
I do not own Once Upon a Time because if I did, the plot holes mentioned earlier would be answered.
It's still magic, even if you know how it's done. - Terry Pratchett
Shrill beeping is what awoke Jenna from her short sleep.
"Ugh..." She groaned as she slowly began to wake and became aware of the light shining in from her open curtains. "Go away, sun." Rolling over, Jenna wanted to scream when she realized that there was no chance of her going back to sleep now that she was fully awake. "Okay, I'm up!" Quickly unplugging her alarm like she did every morning, Jenna threw the covers off of her body before getting up and leaving her bedroom.
Over the past nine months that Jenna had lived with Emma and Henry Swan, they had all fallen into a routine of sorts; Emma was up every morning at six so she could start making breakfast, but it was Sunday so she didn't wake up until eight. Henry and Jenna were up about half an hour later to do their assigned tasks; Henry watered the many plants in the apartment while Jenna went and got the mail from the mailbox on the first floor. When she had first moved in, she had gotten dressed for the day before going to get the mail, having been embarrassed by her choice of sleeping clothes. Now, she wore her oversized Wibbly-Wobbly, Timey-Wimey T-shirt with pride.
"Two bills and another Victoria Secret catalogue since the other one mysteriously disappeared." Jenna announced as she re-entered he apartment and eyed Henry whow was watering the plants by the balcony door. He gave her a little glare as she passed the mail off to Emma.
"Hey, mom" Henry said and her eyes narrowed at his tone. It was the same one he used every time he was about to say something he knew he shouldn't. "What did Ms. Johnson say when she call you yesterday?"
Jenna's eyes widened, but Emma just looked confused. "She didn't call me." She said as Jenna made a slicing motion across her neck, ordering Henry to knock it off. "Why would Ms. Johnson call me?" Emma asked.
"Oh, no reason really." Henry began all to casually. "Just that she caught Jenna and Ashley Goodman making out in the janitors closet." Jenna's mouth fell open and she saw a small look of fear go across Henry's face when he saw the look she was giving him.
"You're dead." Henry rushed to hide behind his mother, using her as a shield when Jenna went after him.
"Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!" Emma held her hands out, keeping the older of her two children from killing the younger. "No one is dying anytime soon. You, stop tattling on your sister." She said gently pushing Henry towards the table. "And you, no tryng to kill you brother. We made a rule about that after your last incident." She reminded as she pushed Jenna towards the table.
"Hey," Jenna began as she sat down. "I apologized for that." Henry looked incredulous.
"You dangled me off the balcony by a sheet becuase I played a little harmless prank on you."
"I said I was sorry!" Jenna reminded loudly. "And you tased me with moms stun gun while I was asleep! That prank was far from harmless!"
"And I apologized for that." Henry said, using her own words against her.
"You are such a-"
"Alright, quiet!" Emma commanded as she sat a plate in front of the two. "There's no need for you guys to keep fighting because I already knew all about Ashley Goodman." She said going back to the counter to grab two of the three cups of cocoa. "His mother called me about half an hour after Ms. Johnson called and screamed at me for about three hours before I finally hung up on her." She sat the cups on the table before looking to Jenna. "How'd you keep the call from going to my phone?"
"All it takes is a few buttons to block a number." Jenna informed the blonde as she picked up her cup and took a sip. When she pulled the mug away, she left a line of white cream on her upper lip. "And you forgot the cinnamon."
Suddenly, there was a loud banging from the front door and all three of the apartment's occupants turned their heads to face it.
"I've got the door." Jenna said as she got up.
"I've got the cinnamon." Henry called as he left his seat. Not knowing what to do since her children had taken both options, Emma just retrieved her plate from the counter and sat down at the head of the small table as usual.
When Jenna opened the door, she expected to find the landlord or the little girl from 5B trying to sell her Girl Scout Cookies again. She never expected to find a man with a hook for a hand who looked as confused as she did.
"Apologies." He said in a slight Irish accent as Jenna took in his all black, leather outfit. "I think I have the wrong door. I was looking for Emma Swan."
"No, you got the right place." Jenna said, wary of the mans hook. "Emma!" She yelled, not taking her eyes off of him. "There's a guy with a hook for a hand asking for you!"
"Jenna, don't say things like that." Both Jenna and the stranger heard after a moment. "That's rude and- Oh, you weren't kidding." Emma said with wide eyes as she looked at the hook. "Uh...Uh, Jenna go finish your breakfast."
"Who was it?" Henry asked when Jenna got back to the table.
"A guy with a hook for a hand." She reiterated as she picked up her fork. Seeming to accept it, Henry shrugged and and went back to eating. After only a few moments, both brunettes turned their heads to the door when they heard a loud thump and then the door slam.
"What happened?" They both asked, immediately once Emma came into sight. She flushed, confused and disturbed all at the same time.
"Nothing." She said, sitting down in her seat and said nothing more. She did, however, noticed that they were waiting on an explanation. "Everything's fine." She assured them. "Now hurry up and finish. You guys have to be at the center in less than an hour."
"What do you really think happened between mom and the hook guy?" Henry asked as he and Jenna left the building.
As usual for the two on Saturdays, Jenna and Henry had their respective activities. Emma would drop the two off at a rec center they had memberships at and Henry would head off to the ice rink where his ice hockey team practiced while would go to the gym to start her gymnastics training. It wasn't anything serious; Jenna wasn't trying to go to the Olympics or anything, she just enjoyed doing it.
Now it was almost three and, like usual, Jenna was tasked with getting herself and Henry home safely.
"I don't know." Jenna admitted as they went down the large concrete staircase. "I'm pretty sure that she hit him, though."
"What'd he look like?" She shrugged.
"Like one of those stereotypical bad boy guys completely with a leather jacket and a bit of beard." Jenna answered. "Just...a hook where one of his hands should've been, but I don't want to talk about that today." She said and Henry raised an eyebrow. "I know Walsh asked you if he could marry Emma." She informed him. "He asked me too when we were painting your volcano for the science fair."
"What did you say?" Henry asked.
"I told him yes, but only if you said yes."
"I said the exact same thing." Henry nodded. "But then I reminded him that mom had the final say."
"Will she say yes to the dress?" Jenna asked in a fake commentators voice, using her balled up fist as a microphone. "Or will this be the end of Wemma?"
"You're such a nerd." Henry laughed with an eye roll, but Jenna just threw her arm over his shoulders.
"I know." She grinned. "Isn't it great?"
"What part of 'save your healing potions' don't you understand?"
"Um, I did save them! I had to use them because you suck at defense!"
"I wouldn't have to defend you if you didn't take so long!"
"I wouldn't be taking so long, if you'd defend me while I'm vulnerable! It's the least you could do considering I traded in my level twenty nine shield for a map so you wouldn't be walking into the goblins castle blind!"
"So, this is why Mrs. Cuse said you two have been screaming all night."
Neither Jenna or Henry turned at the sound of Emma's voice, they just continued on playing their game.
"We wouldn't be yelling if Henry knew what defense meant." Jenna said as she pressed the A button and slashed an enemy goblin with her scythe. Sure, she was a Banshee, but that didn't mean she couldn't have weapons. "So," She began when Emma plopped down on the couch next to Henry. Jenna sat in the chair that she turned towards the flat screen. "What'd you say?"
"What?" Emma asked, looking confused.
"To Walsh." Henry continued as he decapitated a goblin. Emma's eyes widened as she looked from Henry to Jenna and back to Henry again.
"You two knew?" Henry scoffed.
"He asked me weeks ago."
"I'm the one who helped him pick out the ring." Jenna added before stealing a glance at the blonde. "So, what'd you say?" Emma said nothing and both Jenna and Henry knew what that meant.
"Poor guy." Henry shook his head. "Did you let him down easy?"
"Did he cry?" Jenna asked.
"I didn't say no." Emma informed them. Henry looked at her.
"If you didn't say yes, I stand by my 'poor guy'."
Jenna nodded in agreement. "And I want my question answered."
"I told him that I had to think about it." Emma defended, ignoring Jenna's statement altogether. "It's a big step and we've got a good thing going here; just the three of us."
"We'd still have a good thing." Jenna said, her eyes flicking to Emma and then Henry before returning to the screen where she blocked a lightning strike. "There'd just be four of us."
"I mean, think about it." Henry began. "It was just you and me before Jenna came along and she just made things better-"
"Thank you."
"Even if she is the sister from hell."
"Bite me."
Emma looked to Henry knowing he made a good point. "So, you think Walsh is worthy of joining our little family?"
"He's okay." Jenna shrugged. "I mean, he's no me but, lets face it; who is?" Noticing that Henry's character was no longer moving, Jenna paused the game and turned her body toward to see that Henry had taken Emma's hand. Not wanting to be left out, Jenna stood and fell onto the couch on the other side of Emma.
"Not every guy is like my dad." Henry said and Jenna looked down. She knew the story of Henry's father; He and Emma had met when he helped her steal her yellow beetle and they had fallen in love...or, at least, Emma had. After a couple of months, he sent Emma to pick up some stolen watches he stashed in a locker at the train station and left her to be caught by the police. He had skipped town before Emma even got a chance to call him from jail and tell him she was pregnant. "Not every guy is just gonna leave you."
"He didn't just leave." Emma reminded him. "He set me up to take the fall for his crime and left me in jail. He doesn't even know you exist."
"And that's a good thing." Jenna put in. "If you and him had raised Henry together, you probably wouldn't have met me. Plus, do you really want someone like that in either of your lives?"
"Jenna's right." Henry said. "And Walsh isn't my dad and he wants to be with you- with us. All of us. He wants this to be his home."
"Not to mention the fact that you lurv him." Jenna teased with a grin. Emma looked at her.
"And how do you know that, smarty pants?" She asked tapping her on the nose and Jenna swiped her hand away.
"Because, out of every guy you've ever dated, Walsh is the only one I've met." Henry explained. "And, somehow, he wasn't scared away the first time he stayed here and Jenna 'accidentally' burned his pancakes black." Jenna shook her head in disbelief.
"I still can't believe he ate them." Emma admitted quietly before looking to Henry. "When'd you get so wise?" Henry grinned, grabbing his controller and Jenna quickly grabbed hers.
"Somewhere around level twenty when I became a knight."
Emma couldn't believe how much everything had change in just five seconds.
Just earlier that day she had been a regular woman with a job she loved, a man she loved and two children that she loved more than anything. She was a woman who had survived so many things in her life, but now...she was just a woman who had survived a bunch of different things; an evil Peter Pan, losing and finding her son-
Oh, God. What about Henry? How was she possibly going to explain everything to him- To Jenna!
As if reading her mind, Hook put down his glass. "So," He began. "What's with the lass?" He asked. "The one who opened the door yesterday?"
"Her name is Jenna." Emma told him. "A few months after Henry and I got settled in New York, she broke into our apartment. She was just so small and scared and sad...I just couldn't call the cops on her. I knew what they would've done; they would've thrown her in juvie and I couldn't let that happen."
"So you took her in." Emma nodded.
"Her parents abandoned her a long time ago, so when I took her in I had to become a registered foster mother. I officially adopted her two months ago." She sighed. "And now I have to figure out how to explain this to her and Henry...she's going to think we're insane." Looking at Hook, Emma picked up her glass. "Guess I better start figuring out what to say."
"Emma." No sign that she heard the voice. "Emma." Still nothing. "Emma." Nothing. "Mom!" The managed to pull Emma out of her own head and she turned to see both Henry and Jenna sitting at the small island with matching worried glances. "You're hurting the eggs." Emma looked down to see that she had nearly whisked the eggs into a puree and stepped away from them with a sigh. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." She lied before turning back to the eggs and pouring them in the pan. "Can I ask you something?"
Jenna looked at Henry who shrugged. "Ask away."
She had to approach this gently and rationally. "Do you believe in magic?" Smooth.
"Of course." Henry answered and Emma felt surprised with a tinge of hope. If Henry still believed without his memories of Storybrooke and all they had been through, Jenna might believe too. "And the tooth fairy and Santa Clause and the Easter Bunny. If it gets me a present, I believe." Jenna shook her head at him.
"I believe." She said and Emma had just a bit more hope.
"You do?" Jenna nodded.
"I believe in magic." She repeated before continuing after a beat. "The magic of money that is." And all of Emma's hope was gone. "Speaking of that, I saw these amazing pair of boots on my way home from Jillian's this morning-"
"My purse is by the door." Emma gave as an answer. Maybe bribery would work until she could get Jenna to Storybrooke. Seeing was believing when it came to the teen.
After retrieving a twenty dollar bill from her mothers purse, Jenna returned back to the kitchen and grabbed her coat from the back of her chair. "Alright, time to go." She announced. "School's ready and waiting for us." Henry got up from his chair as Jenna shrugged on her coat, but Emma stopped them.
"No school today." She informed them and Jenna raised a brow in confusion. "How about we go on a trip?" Now Henry and Jenna both looked confused, but she didn't blame them; she rarely permitted skipping school. In the last nine months, Jenna and Henry had only missed one day and that was because the pipes in their school had burst and flooded the entire building.
"Like a vacation?" Henry asked.
"Like..." How could she explain it. "I have a new case. It's in Maine and it might take a while and I want us all to go. Kind of like an adventure."
"No school?" Jenna asked and Emma nodded. "I'm in."
"Me too." Henry said immediately after. Emma smiled.
Step 1) Get them to Storybrooke; Check.
"Good, because I already packed."
"When do we leave?" Henry asked.
"As soon as Jenna goes and gets her amazing boots." Henry turned to look at his sister with an expression that clearly told her to hurry before he sat back down in his seat.
"Alright," Jenna continued buttoning up her coat. "I'll be back in half an hour."
The walk to the small shop where Jenna first saw her boots wasn't that long, only a couple of minutes and they still sat in the same spot she had seen them earlier that morning; sitting on a display in the window. Jenna was just about to go and ask the saleslady if the store had a pair in her size when something else caught her eye.
It was slipped onto a mannequin head stand and it wasn't anything special, but Jenna fell in love with it the moment she saw it.
It was just a simple beige, beanie-like, crocheted cloche hat with a medium sized beige, crochet bow that was on the side. No, it was definitely nothing special, but Jenna fell in love with it all the same.
The small tag on it labeled the hat at only two dollars and thirty-five cents, making it possible for Jenna to still buy the knee high black suede wedged boots. The saleslady had even said that Jenna was lucky because they were planning on throwing the hat out because- after five months of being on display- no one had wanted it.
A great hat, amazing boots and a trip with her family? Jenna left the store feeling that there was nothing that could ruin her day.
Hook was waiting in front of Emma's apartment building when he spotted her; The girl Emma had taken in.
She was simply walking down the street with a great big smile on her face a if she hadn't a care in the world and it had him wondering what kind of person she was. By the way she had spoken about her the night before, it was obvious that Emma cared a great deal for the lass and Hook wondered how heartbroken Emma would be if she decided that she didn't want the life that truly came with Emma and Henry.
She spotted him as she neared the building with one hand in the pocket of her coat and the other holding a shopping bag, but her smile didn't falter. That gave Hook the feeling that she had accepted whatever Emma had told her about where they were going.
"What's up, Captain Hook?" She asked as he eyes flickered down to the hook that replaced his hand and Hook's eyes widened slightly. He honestly didn't think that Emma would tell the lass the truth about who he was. "Come back for another hit?"
"So Emma told you?"
"About the trip?" She nodded. "I'm kind of excited, actually; We've never gone on a trip before." Hook nodded. "Are you coming?"
"Of course." He told her. "Someone's got to help Emma with everything." He stared at her for a bit before continuing. "I know you've been with them for a while and I'm glad that you're...accepting all of this; the magic, the curse and all. It says a lot about you and your love for Emma."
Now she was looking at him strangely. "I have no idea what you're talking about." She admitted and Hook began to backtrack. Maybe Emma hadn't told her everything..., but then why would she call him Captain Hook? "What do you mean magic?"
"I..,um...see-" How had Hook landed himself in this mess?
Fortunately, the door to the building opened and Emma walked out. She was, justifiably, confused when she saw Hook and Jenna together.
"Jenna." She said, getting the teens attention. "Why don't you go upstairs and get something to eat before we go?" She suggested, but it was like Jenna didn't even hear her.
"You were talking about magic earlier." She remembered looking to Emma, then back to Hook and then to Emma again. "Something weird is going on- did you join a cult?"
"No." Emma assured her as she continued down the steps and took her daughter by the shoulders. "Things are just...don't worry about the things. Just focus on the trip."
"Emma, what's going on?" Jenna asked as she looked at her mother with wide eyes. "I'm starting to get really weirded out and I know there's something you're not telling me-"
"Jenna," Emma cupped the brunettes face and tried to calm her down. "Nothing is wrong. You just need to trust me; do you trust me?" She asked and Jenna nodded. "Okay, good. Now...just go upstairs and help Henry with the bags, okay?" Jenna nodded again as Emma let her go and disappeared into the apartment building, but not without another glance at Hook.
Once Emma was sure that Jenna had gone, she turned and immediately punched Hook in the shoulder. "Ow!" He complained. "What in the Gods name was that for?"
"You freaked her out!" Emma hissed as Hook rubbed his shoulder. "I don't know what you said to her, but you need to stop. Jenna is a lot more sensitive and perceptive than she looks; if she even gets the tiniest inkling that I'm lying to her, she will get paranoid and the last time she got paranoid, she ran away! You cannot scare her off, Hook."
"I wasn't trying to!" He defended. "She called me Captain Hook, so I assumed you told her." Emma rolled her eyes.
"Of course she called you that!" She exclaimed. "You've got a hook where your hand should be and she grew up on Disney movies. Matter of fact-" Emma grabbed his wrist and held it up before twisting off the hook.
"Hey!" Hook protested as she shoved it in his pocket.
"Wearing a hook in public is probably not the best thing to do." She reminded him just as the doors to the apartment building opened once again and out exited Henry who carried two suitcases. "Hey, kid." Emma greeted putting on her 'calm mom' voice. "Where's Jenna, she's supposed to be helping you?"
"She hasn't come back from the store, yet." Henry said as he pulled the bags toward the trunk of the Beetle and Emma's eyes widened, but she kept her voice calm. The last thing she needed to do was scare Henry.
"She's not upstairs?" Henry shook his head and Emma looked to Hook who stared back at her with an apologetic expression.
Jenna had no idea how long she had been on the roof of the library.
After leaving the apartment building through the back door, she hadn't hesitated before running away and making her way to the library. It was the only place in New York that never closed...that Jenna knew of. She used to go to the library every day when she was a kid because everyday at three o'clock the old woman who worked in the back room would come out and read to any kid who sat down on the alphabet carpet and listened.
Jenna hadn't stopped going to story time until she was ten and she was put in a foster home six miles away from the library. She ran away after three weeks, but it had still been a while since she had been back to the library.
It was dark by the time that Emma found her, but Jenna didn't try to run again. She simply stayed sitting on the edge of the roof because she knew that Emma would simply find her again.
Jenna didn't say anything when Emma sat down beside her and both just sat here looking out at the buildings and people who walked the streets before Emma spoke.
"I have never lied to you." She began, but Jenna didn't move. "Some of the things that I told you about my and Henry's past isn't true, but I never lied."
"I was seven the first time I was taken away from my mother." Jenna said. "Child Protective Services put me with this nice family; they were older, probably twice your age, and they had a dog. They took me out for ice cream, we went to church together and they read me bedtime stories every night. They were perfect...At least, I thought they were."
"I had been living with them for six months when I accidentally broke an ashtray while I was playing in the house. They said it was okay, but...but then my foster dad grabbed me and shoved me in this dark, tiny closet in the hallway. They knew I was claustrophobic and they said that it was my punishment. I kept screaming and crying for them to let me out, but they didn't. I was so loud that the neighbors heard and called the police." Emma could see the tears in Jenna's eyes, but she refused to let them fall. "You and Henry are just like them; you were too good to be true."
"Jenna-"
"No," She interrupted as she looked over at her mother. "You're crazy, Emma. I don't know how I didn't notice it before, but today...I realized that you and your friend- that hook guy- are crazy and that sucks because I love you. Henry is my brother and my best friend and you are the mother I always wanted, but now..."
"Hey," Emma said sharply causing Jenna to look over at her. "Have I ever lied to you?" She asked, but got no answer. "Have I?" Jenna shook her head. "Have I ever hurt you or made you feel like you weren't as much as my daughter as Henry was my son?" Jenna shook her head again and Emma took her hand. "That's because I love you and I'm not crazy. I will explain everything to you right now, but you have to remember that I'd never lie to you, okay?" It took a few moments but Jenna eventually nodded.
And that's how Emma told the fourteen year old everything.
She held nothing back; She told Jenna about how she had been born in a different world, that her parents were Snow White and Prince Charming, how the Evil Queen was Henry's adoptive mother and the truth about Henry's father. She told her about the curses put on Storybrooke and its many residents; Cinderella, Rumpelstiltskin, Belle, Granny, Red Riding Hood and she told Jenna the truth about Hook.
By the time she was finished, Emma felt as if a giant weight had been lifted off of her chest. She hadn't realized how much she had been holding back or how she had desperately needed someone to talk to.
Jenna was staring at Emma as if she didn't know what to make of her and Emma had to admit that it was scaring her a bit. Jenna had become a vital part of her little family and she had no idea what it'd do to her or Henry if Jenna decided it was all too much for her.
After a couple of minutes of silence, Jenna finally spoke.
"Does Henry know?" She asked and Emma didn't know how to answer that.
"No," She decided after a moment. "He did, but Regina took away his memories so that we could have a life without worrying about them."
"And now you want us both to go with you and Captain Hook to the town full of fairy tale characters so you can help them?" Emma nodded and Jenna took a deep breath before letting it go. "Okay. I'm in."