i'm sorry for the long wait! this is a crazy week at school... :/

Emma sat at the table with a silent Henry. She nervously looked at her parents, who shrugged. They had expected tears or anger from the young boy. But he had just listened to what Emma told him with quiet intensity.

"Henry? We are going to get your mom back, okay?" Snow knelt down to be at Henry's eye level.

"Do you think she will be okay?"

Emma and Snow exchanged worried looks.

"Yes, she will. She is very smart, Henry. She can protect herself." Charming answered for them.

"But what about Cora? My mom is scared of her, I can tell."

"Cora may be dangerous, but I don't think she will hurt her daughter. We will be having a meeting at town hall soon to discuss how to proceed. Are you going to be okay here?"

Henry nodded. Emma smiled and gave him a hug. "Everything is going to be okay, kid."

The three adults reluctantly left Henry. They headed to Snow's car.

"Do you honestly believe Cora won't harm Regina?" Emma asked.

Her father sighed as he pulled the car into drive. "I don't know. I think she honestly believes she is helping her daughter. Hopefully, Regina stays on her path of redemption while she is with her. Although something tells me that will not be easy."

Snow nodded in agreement. Emma sat back in her seat. Hopefully Cora didn't persuade Regina into doing something she would regret.

Henry stood at the window and watched Snow's car drive away. He waited a minute before grabbing his backpack and running out the door. He had a few things to check off while his family wasn't around.

The first stop was the hospital. Henry walked there quickly, thankful that Storybrooke was a small town. He made his way through the brightly lit halls and easily found the room he was looking for. He pulled open the door and stared at the room's lone occupant. The man lying in the bed was covered in bruises. Henry smiled. Meeting a new fairytale character was never going to get old. Especially one as awesome as Captain Hook.

"Who are you, lass?" The pirate turned to look at him.

Henry moved a chair closer to his bedside and sat on it. "My name is Henry."

"Ah, Emma's kid."

"Emma and Regina's kid actually."

Hook raised his eyebrows. Cora had told him that Regina's son would hate her if he thought she was guilty of murder. That was why she framed her for murder. But here the kid was, proudly explaining his relationship to the Evil Queen.

"I know my mom didn't hurt Archie because he is alive. He escaped and found us. Cora tried to turn my mom back to the dark side, but Emma stopped her when she said Archie wasn't dead. My mom got mad at her mom and she stood up to her and told her to leave. But Cora pulled her into a portal to the Enchanted Forest. I need your help to get her back."

"What? They are gone? But how am I supposed to help?"

"You got here, didn't you?"

"I used an old magic bean. The restorative waters of Lake Nostos fixed it and created the portal."

"Do you think there are magic beans here?"

"I don't know, lass. I'm sorry, but I don't know how to help."

Henry just looked upset. He turned to leave.

"Henry. Cora's heart isn't in her chest. I don't know if that helps."

The boy smiled and thanked him before leaving. He wasn't sure if that could help him get his mother back, but he thought it might be important in the end.

His next stop would surely have the answers that he needed now. Henry hurried to Mr. Gold's shop. He checked his watch to make sure he was making good time. As much as he loved Emma and his grandparents, he knew they would be upset that he snuck out. He hoped Mr. Gold wasn't at the meeting.

The bell rang as Henry stepped through the door. He looked around the shop and waited to see if Mr. Gold was in the back. When he didn't come to the front of the shop, Henry poked his head through the curtains.

"Mr. Gold?"

The older man turned, slightly startled by the boy's presence. "Henry, what are you doing here?"

"I need your help. I have to open a portal."

Gold chuckled. "Why would you want to do that?"

"Cora pulled my mom into the Enchanted Forest with her. I have to save her."

Gold just stared at him. Henry had never seen him at loss for words before. He found it unsettling.

"According to Emma and Mary-Margaret, there are no magic beans left. They used the compass and the fairy dust to get back here. I searched for many years to get to this land, but the Blue Fairy made me realize the only way was to cast a powerful curse."

Henry got an idea. He glanced at his watch as he ran out the door. He yelled "thank you!" to a confused Mr. Gold behind him.

Two minutes later, Henry stood in front of the former convent as he paused to catch his breath. He walked up the stairs and knocked. Astrid answered.

"Can I talk to the Blue Fairy please?"

The young fairy nodded and disappeared. She returned with Mother Superior a minute later. The elder fairy nodded for Henry to follow her to sit in chairs on the lawn.

"What can I help you with?" Mother Superior asked softly.

"You told Mr. Gold, or Rumplestiltskin, that the only way to get here was through the curse that my mom cast."

"In a matter of words, I suppose. Why are you asking?"

"I need to know if that is true. Is there any other way?"

Mother Superior looked across the lawn. She quietly thought about her answer. She had heard about what happened to Regina and her mother, but she wasn't sure if she could help so she did not go to the meeting at Town Hall.

"If two people that practice magic share the same blood, their magic can transcend many barriers. If they use their magic together, it intensifies. That is how Regina and Cora were able to open the portal."

"So anyone related can open it again."

"Yes, but it is very dangerous. You may be able to open the portal, but you cannot be sure that Regina will come alone. Cora could make sure she remains in the Enchanted Forest."

"We have to find a way to make sure only my mom can come back."

"I'm sorry, Henry but I cannot help you." She paused, wondering how to tell the boy how she feels. "I think that Regina and her mother being in a different land is a good thing. We can-"

Henry shook his head angrily and stood. "No! I won't leave my mom there. She has changed and she is trying to be better! Her mom will change her back into the Evil Queen! I can't let that happen. So I will bring her back, even if no one will help me."

He took off, ignoring Mother Superior as she called after him. He raced home and threw himself on Emma's bed. He tried not to cry as he thought about how mean he was to his mom. She had raised him when Emma couldn't and he thanked her by running away and telling her that she wasn't really his mom. Henry felt horrible for being so cruel to her. What if he could never apologize to her? He covered his face as the tears began to fall.

He sat up when he heard someone knock on the door. He wiped his face and opened the door.

"Mr. Gold? What are you doing here?"

Mr. Gold held up a small mirror. Henry took it from him and studied it. The mirror was silver with beautiful flowers carved around it and on the handle.

"This will allow you to communicate with your mum. Just think about her as you hold it. She has always had a…connection with mirrors, so she should show up."

Henry gave him a hug. Mr. Gold was surprised, but he returned the hug. Henry distractedly thanked him so Mr. Gold let himself out.

Henry stared at the mirror as he thought about the last time he saw his mom. Suddenly, he could see her standing in some kind of workshop. In front of a tall bookcase there was a table of assorted jars and vials. It seemed to be some kind of dark castle.

"Mom?"

Regina spun around and looked at him. "Henry!?"She stepped closer to the mirror.

"Mom! Where are you? Are you okay?"

"Oh, Henry. I'm okay. I'm in Rumple's castle. I had hoped he had another mirror like the one I sent my mother through, but I'm afraid he doesn't."

"The Blue Fairy said that you were able to open the portals with your mom because you are related and your magic is stronger together."

"Right. I had heard that before. I wasn't sure if it was possible until I tried it with my mother."

"Do you have any family there? Someone that could help you open a portal?"

"I'm not sure. My father was an only child and his father is dead. I don't know much about my mother's family. I could ask her…"

Henry could tell she was getting lost in thought. He hoped it meant she had an idea. "Where is your mom?"

"She left as soon as we got here. I don't know where she is, but I can't imagine it is good. I'm sure she will find me soon, but I can return to Briar Rose's palace and wait for her."

"Then you will ask her about your family. If she says you still have someone, you can find them and get them to open a portal! Then you can come home!"

Henry watched as his mom smiled at his enthusiasm. "I may not have any family left, Henry. I don't want to get your hopes up."

"I know you will find your way back, mom. I believe in you!"

"Thank you, sweetheart."

Henry smiled. "Mr. Gold said I can talk to you this way whenever I have this mirror and I think about you. So I can talk to you later on and you can tell me if you found anyone."

"Okay. Just be careful, Henry. You know that all magic comes with a price."

"I know, mom. I know you have changed. Please don't let your mom ruin that. I have to go. I love you." Henry heard the door opening. He waved at his mom quickly before shoving the mirror under his pillow. He didn't want Emma to know about it just yet.

David stepped through the door holding Mary-Margaret's hand. Emma looked tired as she walked behind them.

"Hey, guys. How did it go? Did you find a way to bring my mom home?" Henry said hopefully.

"I'm afraid not. There isn't much we can do. We are in the same situation as we were a few months ago." David said, the frustration in his voice clear.

Snow gave him a look. She didn't want to disappoint Henry. "But we will find a way. And I'm sure she is looking too, just like we did. Plus, she knows more about magic than we do."

Henry nodded. Emma looked confused. It seemed like a hopeless situation, but yet he was calm. She wondered if she should take him to Dr. Hopper. She didn't know what to do.

Snow cleared her throat. "Why don't we start dinner?"

The three adults began making dinner as Henry pulled out his homework. He found he couldn't stop thinking about ways to help his mom, so he just decided to watch his family. He couldn't help but laugh as they tried to work together.

He felt a pang of guilt as he remembered refusing to help his mom bake before Christmas. Every year, they would bake all kinds of cookies together. They had done it since Henry was old enough to walk, but after he found Emma he refused. Now, he missed being able to bake with her. Those were some of his best memories. He decided that he would ask her to teach him how to bake as soon as she got home.

Hopefully that would be soon. Henry crossed his fingers and hoped his mom had family left in the Enchanted Forest.