A.N First off, I'd just like to say a big thank you for all the favorites, follows and especially those of you who took the time to review. They certainly brought a smile to my face and lit a fire in me.

Secondly, I realise this chapter has very little SQ interaction… Possibly even none depending on how you look at it. I had intended to have the ending continue on into actual SQ but the chapter was getting out of control so I cut it where I did. The positive thing about this is that the next chapter is already 95% hand written and just needs to be typed up then go through my editing process and… It's pure SQ. I promise. The bad news is I go back to work tonight so the next update may not be as quick as this one but I'll try my best.

Again, thanks for reading! I hope you enjoy!

WaywardCharlie


Chapter 2

Henry barged into the sheriff's station. He stopped, dragging in deep breaths while scanning the room for his birth mother. He spotted his Grandfather instead, and panted out, "Where's Emma?"

David, who had looked up as the door had swung open smiled, "And hello to you too, Henry. What brings you all the way down here? I thought you were supposed to be with Regina tonight."

"Sorry, Hey Gramps." Henry shuffled from foot to foot, "I was, but…" He shook his head, "Where's Emma?"

David studied his Grandson, taking in the still labored breathing, his sweaty face and anxious movements, "She's out on patrol. Why do you need to see her?" He paused, carefully watching Henry's face. "Is everything ok? Is Regina ok?"

Henry hesitated, needing to tell someone. He didn't like the thought of his Mom alone but this was about his mother and the only person he felt he could trust with this was his other mother. "Nothing's wrong. Mom just asked if I could spend a couple of days with Emma and I wanted to check if that was okay."

Charming looked at Henry who was almost bouncing with his agitation, "Are you sure?"

"Positive." He felt bad lying to his Grandfather but he knew that Regina would hate the man knowing something was wrong with her. "When will Emma be back?"

David sighed, realising he wasn't going to get anything out of the boy. "I can radio her now and get her to swing by, if you like?"

"Excellent! I'll just wait outside for her." Henry went to dash outside, hesitated and ran back to give David a hug. "Thanks, Gramps."

"Any time, Henry." David watched as the boy left and picked up the radio, "Emma, you there?"

"Yeah, David."

"I've got Henry down here at the station and he's looking for you."

"But I thought Regina had him tonight. Don't tell me I messed up the days again. She's gonna kill me."

David smiled at the worried tone that had seeped into his daughter's voice. "No, you got it right. It was Regina's night but she sent Henry to ask if he can stay with you for a couple of nights." He listened to the static silence as Emma processed that news.

"She sent him to ask? That's… Weird."

He could hear the frown in her voice, "My thoughts exactly."

"Alright, I'm on my way. ETA about three minutes."

"He's waiting outside for you."

Kid really is keen to see me."

"You could say that. Let me know if there's an issue."

"No worries, will do. Over and out."


Emma swung the patrol car around and headed back to the station. She let what her father had said roll around in her mind. Why would Regina send Henry to ask if he could stay? She wouldn't. She'd just call. She grinned wryly. Any chance at messing up my plans is something she wouldn't pass up. Could she and Henry have had a fight and the kid had run away? She bit her lip in thought, That's more likely but then Regina still would have called, if only to blame me for whatever thing she could pin on me. Whatever the reason… "She wouldn't have just sent him to ask." She muttered to herself. She continued to mull it all over on the short drive and when she pulled up outside the sheriff's station she was no closer to figuring it all out. She spotted Henry rushing towards the car and he had the passenger door open before she could even undo her seatbelt. "Hey kid, what's up?

Henry threw himself into the seat and slammed the door, "Operation Apple Tree!" He declared it, like that would clear everything up.

"Operation Apple Tree?" Emma turned to look at him, her face crinkled in confusion. "Need a bit more info than that, kid. And why aren't you with Regina? David said…"

"Come on, Emma. Operation Apple Tree." Henry rolled his eyes in a perfect imitation of his adoptive mother, "I thought it was pretty obvious. Something's wrong with mom and she won't let me help her. Probably won't let anyone help her so that's why we need Operation Apple Tree. She keeps saying she's fine."

"Then maybe she is." Emma frowned, wondering if Henry had misunderstood whatever had him so worried.

"She's not!" Henry shouted in frustration, tired of being dismissed. "I know her. I know her best and she isn't okay! She's not eating, she's hardly sleeping and when she does, she's crying out in her sleep and the lights get all weird and flicker." He dragged in a ragged breath, "She thinks I don't know. That I don't see what's going on but I do! She hasn't been the same since you guys stopped the trigger. It did something to her." He looked at his blonde mother, his eyes begging for her to believe him. "Something is wrong and you have to help her. You're the only one who stands a chance. You're the Savior."

Emma's face grew concerned at her son's outburst, she didn't even flinch at him calling her the Savior. "Woah, Kid. Slow down. I get it, she had a rough time a few days ago and that's… Going to take some time for her to recover. I don't think destroying the trigger did anything to her. I'm fine and we did that together. She was…" Tortured. She finished in her mind, not wanting Henry to know that fact. "Maybe she just needs a bit of peace and…"

Henry impatiently cut her off, "Wait! That's not all. Today, when I got home from school, there'd been a fire in the kitchen. I could smell the smoke before I even got in the house. Mom tried to tell me it was just a faulty wire in the kettle."

Emma shrugged, "Well that can cause a fire. There was this one time when I lived…"

Henry stuck out his hand and covered his mother's mouth. He ignored her scowl and let go when he was sure she was going to be quiet. "I'm not finished. She called it a small fire but when I managed to get into the kitchen…"

Emma snorted, "Managed to get into the kitchen? She just let you wander in there after a fire." She grinned at the blush that spread across her son's face. "I thought so. I bet she called you my son for that."

"She didn't. She just got angry at me and told me to go spend a few days with you." Henry huffed and folded his arms across his chest. "You're not taking me seriously!"

Emma reached out and nudged his shoulder, "Sounds like a reward to me and I am taking you seriously. I'm here, listening…" At her son's pointed look she held up her hands. "Okay, okay. I'll let you finish."

Henry gave her a small smile, relaxing his arms. "Maybe. But the fire, this small fire. It took out half the kitchen, Emma. Half the kitchen was destroyed!"

Emma frowned, her concern level rising again and waited to see if Henry had finished talking. Once she was sure she wasn't going to interrupt him again, she spoke, "Destroyed? Are you sure?"

Henry looked a little sheepish, "Well I only got a glimpse but trust me, it was bad."

"Hmmm, "She pursed her lips, "Ok, so I get that things aren't great but I'm not hearing anything that Regina can't handle on her own. You're not selling me on Operation Apple Tree, she just needs a little more time to recover and we both know that she can fix any fire damage with her magic."

Henry shook his head in exasperation, "You're still not getting it. There is something wrong with her. Think about it, even if you can ignore all the other stuff I've told you, which you really shouldn't," He frowned at her, "She sent me to you. She didn't call, she didn't ask. She willingly gave up her time with me… To you... When has she ever done that?"

Emma stared at him, running everything Henry had told her through her mind. She felt unsettled. Despite all efforts to the contrary, she did care about the other mother of her son, cared what happened to her. Henry was right, Regina would never willingly give up time with him. It was the same conclusion she had come to on the drive here but she had so hoped she was wrong. She ran a hand through her messy waves, "Alright. You've sold me. I'll risk your mother's wrath. What's another screaming match to add to the list?" Secretly, she loved arguing with the former Mayor. Enjoyed getting under her skin. It was just what they did, what worked for them. "Head over to the loft. Mary Margaret should be there. I'll swing by your mom's and check in on her." She smiled at Henry despite the uneasy feeling solidifying in her stomach and ruffled his hair. "I'm sure everything is fine…"

"It's not."

Emma carried on like Henry hadn't spoken, "But I'll go make sure. Because, apparently, that's what a good Savior does."

Henry smiled at her, relief flooding through him. If anyone could help his mom, it was Emma. After all, she'd already saved her life at least two times that he knew of. He leaned over and gave her a hug. "Thanks Emma."

Emma returned the favour, inhaling the sweet scent of her son. Her nose wrinkled at the slightly smokey smell of his clothes. "Ok kid, scoot so I can get this over with. You know she's gonna be pissed at me for turning up."

"Probably, but she won't stay mad at you forever, and she needs help, no matter what she says."

Emma chuckled, "She won't? You sound sure of yourself there, Henry."

Henry smiled a knowing smile, "She won't. She never does. She just doesn't let you know that."

Emma's eyebrows shot up as her stomach dropped, "Really?"

Henry just smirked and opened the car door, climbing out. Just before he shut it, he leaned back in and said, "Really."


Regina was still sat by the door. She knew she should move, should try to do something about the kitchen but she just couldn't summon the energy or desire to do so. Her tears had run dry for the moment and she was still trying to make sense of everything that was happening. The nightmares she could understand, the trauma she had suffered at Greg's hand was enough to give anyone nightmares, even the Evil Queen. It was the other things that had her worried. She suspected her magic was to blame and if that was the case, it terrified her just how bad things could really get. Her only relief was that she was the only one here, the only one who could get hurt and it was probably what she deserved. But if this was only the beginning… She shuddered, unable to finish the thought.

She heard a car door slam, the noise in the quiet of the house loud to her ears, then came the familiar footsteps of the bane of her existence. Liar. Her traitorous mind whispered. She shook her head, cringing as pain shot though her skull. So much for being alone. Just what I need... Damn it, Henry.

The footsteps stopped outside the door and then a fist pounded on the door. "Regina?" She heard another knock. "Come on, Regina. I know you're in there." She could picture the blonde's hand running through her hair in annoyance. "Look, Henry's worried and I promised the kid I'd check on you."

Maybe she'll just go away if I don't answer the door. She heard feet shuffling and then more pounding on the door which reverberated through her brain making her wince. "Regina! I'm not leaving until you open up." She heard a foot bang into the bottom of the door, the vibrations traveling through her back. She rolled her eyes. Apparently not.

"Are you seriously gonna just leave me standing here on your front doorstep yelling for anyone to hear? What will the neighbors think, your Majesty?" Now she's just intentionally trying to annoy me. It is her favourite pastime after all. Let's see how quickly we can piss Regina off today. She thought snidely, listening as the blonde paced back and forwards. "Damn it, Regina! I'm going to break your door down if you don't open up."

Regina snorted, the image of the Savior barreling through her door, like some white knight in shining armor, to save her from herself causing an unusual warm feeling in her belly that she quickly quashed. Unfortunately, quite out of her control, it flared back to life at the whispered words that followed. "I'm worried too. Come on… Open the door, Regina." She couldn't keep the frown off her face that those words also created. Emma barely tolerated her so why would she worry? She didn't get to finish that thought process as the blonde's next few words sunk in.

She was yelling again. "That's it! You're not giving me any choice. You hear that, Regina? This! This is not my fault. Don't say you weren't warned. On the count of three, I'm breaking down your door."


A.N It's only a little cliff hanger...