I
It's times like these that Snow wishes Henry didn't live with her, Emma and Charming. When he has nightmares and won't let anyone in.
"Are you okay, kid?"
Henry looks up at Emma with watery eyes and it's in that moment that Snow sees the familial resemblance between the two of them.
"I'm fine," he lies. His voice is shaky and feeble, so Emma gives him a look that says she doesn't believe him for a single moment. "You won't be able to make it better," he mumbles a moment later, linking his hands together on top of the duvet.
"Why not?" Emma asks, slightly affronted that he'd say such a thing to her. She's his mother, she should be able to comfort him. Snow knows that's how she feels, because Snow has felt that many times. Especially when they were in Neverland, which is precisely what Henry has nightmares about.
"Because only my mom knows how to make me feel better after a nightmare."
Emma's face crumples then and Snow feels her heart ache. Automatically, her hand goes to her daughters shoulder and she squeezes. Her chest tightens almost painfully when she feels Emma slightly relax underneath her grip. That's progress.
"Emma, honey," Snow says soothingly, "can I just talk to Henry for a moment…alone?"
Both Emma and Henry look at Snow with the same expression, wondering what Snow would have to say to Henry alone.
"Yeah, okay." Emma gets up off the bed, but not before leaning over and kissing Henry on the forehead. He leans more into the mattress, as if the small touch was lulling him into security. Maybe it is. A smile pulls at Snow's lips as Emma briefly touches Snow's arm on her way out of the room.
Snow sits on Henry's bed, taking his hand in hers. She starts humming a lullaby, her voice soft as the pad of her thumb traces across the veins on the upside of his hand.
"My mom used to sing that to me when I was sick or had bad dreams," Henry tells her, looking at Snow warily. He sees Snow's small smile and he gets it immediately. Clever boy. "How'd you know?"
"She used to sing it to me too, when I was younger," Snow explains softly. "It worked like a charm, had me asleep in mere minutes."
Henry looked confused for a moment, a crease forming between his eyebrows." But she hated you," he murmurs.
"Yes," Snow says sadly, "but she was always kind to me when I was a child. She'd soothe me when I was sick or had a nightmare, she'd make me feel loved; make me feel safe. That lullaby… she'd sing it to me nightly when my father was away and had to leave me behind." Her eyes well up with tears. "She was a good mom to me. I couldn't of asked for a better person, other than my own mother, to raise me."
"Do you still love her?"
It's a loaded question, Snow knows it. But she doesn't know how to tell Henry that it's a complicated situation, because like her, he's probably just as frustrated and confused about everything in regards to Regina.
"Yes. I do."
Henry looks down at their hands. "After the curse broke, I thought it was bad that I still loved her after what she did…" He looks back up at her under his lashes. "Is that normal?"
"Of course, Henry." Henry grips her hand tight and Snow sees that just as hers were, his are filled with tears. "She raised you, made you the boy you are. Taught you things. It's only natural that you'll always love her."
"Did she teach you anything… grandma?"
Snow thinks, trying to decide whether or not to share things with him from her and Regina's past. She purses her lips. "Yes. She taught me a very important lesson."
"What's that?" He tilts his head to the side and looks so much like Emma.
"She taught me about love. She… she taught me about true love. She's the reason why I knew it existed."
Love, true love, is magic. And not just any magic, the most powerful magic of all. It creates happiness.
The quote runs through her mind and Henry squeezes her hand. "My mom taught you about love?"
And hate. "Yes," she whispers. Her voice is thick with unshed tears so she clears her throat once, twice. Three times. It won't go away. "She really loves you, Henry. She's trying to change for you, and that's not an easy thing for her to do."
Henry nods and they're silent for so long that she thought he fell asleep until he murmurs sleepily, "she loves you too, you know." And then his eyes drift closed.
This time she lets the lone tear fall, breaking through the barriers. She doesn't bother to stop it, it's not like he'll be able to see it.
"She did. Once upon a time."