Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time
AN: As always, I want to thank my incredibly wonderful beta, GranddaughterOfCaskettAndTivia. You are the best! ~ XOXO MAS
This is your favorite kind of day, it has no walls
The next day, Leroy stopped by her room when she didn't expect it. "You've got a session, sister," he told her.
Her head fell to the side. "A session? Right now is Elsa's session," she protested.
He shook his head. "You're not with Dr. Jones anymore." He sat down beside her to unlock her cuffs.
She felt all the blood drain from her face. "What?" She whispered.
"You're with Dr. Locksley," he told her, helping her stand up. "Let's go." He tugged at her elbow.
She felt sick. She may hate seeing him, but she hadn't since he promised her he'd find Henry. Now she was afraid she'd be kept from him entirely. Gold must've found out. If that were the case, then finding Henry was a threat. The sick and twisted imp enjoyed watching her suffer by knowing Killian, but not having him far too much to separate them. Unless, that is, it somehow threatened this world they were in. Perhaps Henry was the only one who could change it.
She was struck by a sudden thought as Leroy opened the door to Robin's office: could Henry be the next Author?
"Sister, it's okay, Locksley's not a bad guy," Leroy murmured quietly. "Go ahead." He lightly pushed her forward.
"Ah, Ms. Swan, I was just getting acquainted with your file." Robin stood up and held out his hand to shake hers. "Please come in."
Emma reluctantly shook his hand. She hadn't spent any time with him in this world, but it was so odd to see him and not get a hug from him. He'd told her once that he owed his happiness to her. If she hadn't helped Regina (and according to Robin, she and Henry were the only ones to really draw the darkness from her), then the two of them wouldn't be together. And he knew that she was his true love, his happy ending.
She felt her heart shatter just a little bit more as she sat on the edge of his couch.
"So," Robin sat in his own chair, "how are we feeling today?"
"Don't." She held up her hand. "Don't do that."
He frowned and set her file on the table. She'd always wondered what was written in it. She assumed the history Gold had created for her was noted, Killian had told her what that was. It was another reason she wanted to fucking strangle the man. "Don't do what, Ms. Swan?"
She growled at the use of her surname. "Don't use that collective 'I' bullshit, don't say 'we'. We do not feel anything together. I feel things and you feel things, but we don't feel the same things. Don't act like you actually want to understand me. If you did, then you'd believe me. I know what I've said is written in there, just as I'm positive you've discussed it with Killian and I'm assuming that you think I'm crazy."
Robin watched as she took a small breath, clenched her hands into tiny fists and set them on her lap. He'd be buggered, but Killian was right. She didn't appear to be crazy at all. She seemed to be different from every other patient in the damned facility. Actually, she seemed more sane than most of the people who worked here. He may even have to include himself in this. No wonder Killian believed her about Henry.
"Tell me about Henry," he finally requested.
He watched her controlled expression morph. She nearly folded in on herself at that. "He's my son. He's fourteen. He's..." she took a breath. "I have no idea where he is." She chewed her lip for a moment. "All I can keep thinking is that he's out there," she gestured to the window, "in the rain, on the street alone. I've been there. I never wanted that life for him. It's why I gave him up for adoption to begin with." She sighed. "And I'm so glad I did. Regina may not always be the nicest person, but everything she's does is for Henry. And she regrets nothing in her life because she has Henry and she loves him. Believe me, I know. Regret almost cost us all our lives once, but not Regina. She saved everyone, including Henry, because she doesn't regret anything that's led her to him. And with all she did, that's saying something." Emma smiled softly. "And you know, I don't regret giving him up. Because if I hadn't, it would just be us. I doubt I'd have met a man that I could love, so Henry would never have a father. Now, because I gave him up, he's got two moms, two men who act like fathers to him, a boy who's like a brother to him, he knew his real dad briefly before Neal died, he's got my parents and my brother, at times he's even had Neal's father. He's got an entire town of people who love him. We're all this big family and everyone protects him and loves him and it's more than I could ever ask for."
Robin didn't know what to say to any of that. She was quite convincing, quite emotional. It seemed like even the most delusional of people couldn't feign that kind of emotion over a land they'd created in their mind. There had to be something to tether her to that. "So Regina is his other mother, what happened to his father?"
A shadow of pain crossed Emma's face as she answered. "He died. He saved his father's life, and then he saved our lives," she answered simply. "And then he died in my arms. We'd only just found him, and we almost lost him. Then we found him again, and then we lost him. Forever." She brushed tears away. "Henry handled it very well though. Killian helped, a lot. He knew Neal and could tell him stories. And then, somehow along the way, you and Killian seemed to take over that job. The two of you have stepped up. You take him camping and you've shown him how to shoot a bow and arrow. Killian takes him sailing and has shown him how to sword fight. Between him and Dad his sword fighting skills will be the best in any realm; and between you and Mom he will be one hell of a shot with a bow and arrow." She chuckled.
Robin cleared his throat. "So you think I'm-"
"Robin Hood," she finished. "Yes, you have a son named Roland, Marian died some time ago, it's a complicated disaster with Zelena, but we've worked it out, you have the best Merry Men possible, and one woman." He raised a brow at that, "Her name is Mulan. She joined your ranks after you met Neal for the first time." She chuckled. "Our dynamic is a bit complicated, but it's wonderful." She sighed. "Of course you don't know any of this, though."
A knock at the door sounded, indicating it was time for Regina's session. He stood up. "Have a good day, Ms. Swan."
She nodded. "Thank you, Dr. Locksley, you should as well."
When Regina entered the room, she paused. "Emma?" She asked.
Emma stopped and smiled. "How are you?"
The woman sighed. "I miss Henry."
Tentatively, Emma placed a hand on her shoulder. "We'll find him. I promise."
Regina's body crumpled and she pulled Emma into a hug. "I miss seeing you in the recreation room," she whispered. "And I wish Henry were here."
Emma rubbed the woman's back soothingly. "I know, me too," she agreed.
When Leroy escorted Emma out again, Robin picked up her chart, jotting down the recommendation that Emma Swan be moved out of isolation. She was helping Regina cope, it would benefit Regina to see her once a day.
OUAT
The next morning, Leroy opened Emma's room door early. Emma looked up. "What's going on?"
The man grinned at her. "You're breaking free, sister. You're going back up to your room. Dr. Locksley's orders."
Emma brightened. "Really?"
Leroy knelt down in front of her. "Really."
Her smile wavered. "I'm going to miss seeing you, though," she admitted.
He chuckled. "I'm sure we'll run into each other a time or two." He winked. "Come on, I'll take you upstairs."
They were silent until he reached her room. "Thank you for everything, Leroy." She patted his arm. "And enjoy your time with Nurse Astrid."
He took her hand gently. "I will, you enjoy the luxury of up here. I'm sure Mary Margaret and David will miss seeing you in their windows," he whispered. When he saw an orderly approach he grinned. "This is Walter, he's your new guy. Don't let him fall asleep on you." He stepped back, nodding to her newest orderly, Walter (Sleepy in her world).
When the door closed, she opened her palm. That sneaky little bastard had given her one of the skeleton keys. She could get into any room in this place.
OUAT
Emma kept the key hidden in the cup of her bra at all times. She was so afraid that a member of the staff would find it and and throw her back in isolation. Or that it would be connected to Leroy and he'd be fired. She also secretly thought he had her assigned to Sleepy so it would be easy for her to get in and out of her room. She wondered why he trusted her so much, why he was treating her this way. There must be something in his subconscious that knew they trusted each other, were friends and allies even.
Her next step was to get Elsa, Tink, Regina, Ruby and Whale at the same table in the recreational room and to tell them about their lives. Something may spark their memories. There may be some shrivel of hope for them to latch onto that would allow her to bring them onto her side. She needed a team of people willing to defy Gold, willing to question what they were told was reality. She had been making headway with Killian, who knows where he stood now. She thought she saw a glimmer of interest in her story in Robin's eyes, but she wasn't convinced that was true.
As she stood in the doorway of the recreation room, she nodded to Sleepy. "Thank you, Walter." The man yawned and shrugged going to sit next to Doc, who was cleaning his glasses again. The man never knew the prescription in the glasses was wrong. When Walter promptly fell asleep, she stood up and knelt down by Elsa's chair.
"Hi, Els," she whispered softly. "My name is Emma. I was hoping you'd come sit with me." She motioned to the sitting area that was empty. She thought about all of the things Elsa loved. "Perhaps, we could talk about Anna?"
The blond braid nearly whacked Emma in the face. "You know Anna?"
Emma nodded softly. "I love Anna, she's very sweet."
Elsa's eyes sparkled with tears and a small smile tugged at the corners of her lips. She stood up and without another word, took a seat in the rocker in the sitting area. One down.
Pulling up a chair by Tinkerbell, she picked her own leaf off the tree. "Hey, Tink."
Tink looked up. "Emma." The blond nodded.
She bit her lip. She and the fairy weren't that close back home. She was more Killian's friend. "I was wondering, do you want to come sit with Elsa and me?"
The blond's eyes snapped up. "Why? I'm better off alone."
Emma swallowed hard. "I don't know. It can be nice to have friends sometimes," she offered.
"What will make you leave me alone?" She hissed.
"Sit with us. Just this once," Emma bargained.
The woman glowered. "Fine." She stood up and at in the chair furthest from Elsa's, the leaf still in her hand.
There's two. She rested her hand on Ruby's shoulder. The wolf growled lowly before looking up. "Come on, Ruby." She nudged the woman to a standing position. "Come over here." She tugged her wrist, ignoring the near feral growl ripping from her throat before Emma shoved her into a chair.
Whale was easy to convince. He saw Ruby sitting over there and when Emma made the offer he nearly tripped over himself to get to a chair close to her. When she sat down at the table next to Regina, she saw a picture of Henry staring up at her. "Come on, Regina, we're going to talk about getting Henry back," she offered her hand to the brunette.
Cradling the picture against her chest, Regina nodded and stood up. Within moments, the small group was staring at each other, a tense silence hovering above them.
Elsa broke it. "Do they know Anna?" She asked.
Ruby snarled and Whale jumped. "Who?" Tink snapped.
"I thought we were getting Henry back," Regina questioned.
Emma sighed and realized this was likely much more difficult than she thought. "I want to tell you guys a story. I know you don't want to hear it, but you need to. So just be patient with me," she requested carefully. When no one objected she started from the time Henry showed up on her doorstep. She told of the curse and how she broke it. She told of her trip back to the Enchanted Forest where she met Killian. She told of their subsequent quest in Neverland to save Henry. She told of going back in time and bringing Elsa to Storybrooke. She told Gold's revenge on the heroes and how they were thrown into this world by the Author re-writing their story.
And she was met with silence.
Tink rose with an eye roll, muttering about absurdities, but when Elsa asked, "Then why am I here? I wasn't living in Storybrooke," she spoke as if it were fact.
Emma shrugged. "Perhaps the Author wanted to pay homage to Hans."
"But he could hurt Anna," Elsa cried.
"At least it seems Anna is in Arendelle," Regina snarled. "Henry could be out in that rain."
"Oh, for all you know, your kid is back in that mythical land all alone," Tink snipped. "Not that he exists. You two are insane." She pointed between Emma and Regina.
Emma paled. She hadn't considered the possibility of Henry being in Storybrooke all by himself. She hadn't considered him being in their reality at all, or waking up on a highway and Storybrooke ceasing to exist at all. She'd assumed he was here, just not in the institution.
She closed her eyes. She felt like a fool.
OUAT
New York City
Henry leaned back in his seat, continuing to read. There was still another four hours before the event. He'd already cased the building and he knew how to get into the back where he could get to Isaac alone. The perks of having a former evil queen and a former thief for his mothers, a former thief for a father, and a former thief and former pirate for almost-step-fathers. And a grandmother who used to be a bandit, now that he considered it.
His family tree was bizarre even to him at times.
He scowled as he angrily flipped the page in the book. The author was evil. He was purely evil to take people who were innocent and put them in an institution like Misthaven. He really hoped his parents were planning to wring his and Gold's neck when they got out of there.
If they even remembered him.
He swiped at a tear that had no place on his cheek. He needed to keep his head clear and figure out how to get into the book so he could change it. The only question was how, and the only one who could answer that was the Author. And Henry was determined to make sure he answered that particular question tonight.
OUAT
With the book tucked in his bag (it was technically Killian's bag. Henry had swiped it when he went searching for cash and car keys. He was also wearing Robin's scarf and the gloves that his father had left behind. He needed the little pieces of hope to remind him never to give up), he pushed his way through the crowd in the lobby of the big library Isaac was speaking.
Standing in the back of the room, he listened as the man glorified villains like Gold and Zelena, and lamented the fact that heroes (so every person in his family) never got what they deserved.
Biting his lip to keep from seething, he left the room, moving towards the back of the library, where offices where located. Kneeling down, he shoved one of his mother's bobby pins into the lock. He listened closely, just like Robin and Killian had taught him to do, until he felt the tumblers click. Pumping his fist in the air, he shut the door and started his search of the room.
It didn't take him long to find the Author's bag. Digging through it, he found his copy of the book and his quill. Shoving the quill in his bag, he opened the book, flipping through it.
"Hey! What are you doing there?" Isaac yelled, slamming the door shut. "What is that? No, kid, you have to be careful, you don't want to get sucked in."
Henry shook his head. "I'm finding my family and I'm fixing what you broke," he stated firmly, opening to a random page with a door. Using the key, he was immediately sucked inside of it.
The Author watched as Henry disappeared and cursed. Grabbing up the book, he snatched his bag and tossed it over his shoulder before stepping into the book himself.
OUAT
Henry ran the moment he got into the book. He ran because he knew the Author would follow him and it was pouring rain and freezing cold. Why the hell did Gold want to go here?
Isaac found him standing under an overpass, studying his own copy of the book. "Kid, we shouldn't be here, we need to leave." He tried to snatch at Henry's book.
Sidestepping him, Henry shoved it back in Killian's bag. "No, I need to find my moms," he protested.
Isaac shook his head. "Trust me, you don't want to do that, kid, you don't want to be here for very long, because once the book ends..."
Henry's eyes widened. "What happens when the book ends."
"Everything here will cease to exist," he answered.
OUAT
Misthaven Institution
"Ms. Swan," Walter yawned. "It's time for your session with Dr. Locksley." He yawned again and held her door open.
She hopped down off of her bed, scowling. As appreciative as she was for what Robin did for her in getting her out of solitary, she didn't want anymore sessions with him. She wanted to see Killian again. She wanted to know how his search for Henry was going.
When she was seated in his office, she took her place on the sofa, and stared at him.
"How are you today, Ms. Swan?" He asked cheerfully.
Emma didn't respond.
"I didn't use the collective 'I,'" he pointed out. "So why won't you respond now?" He asked.
She continued to stare at him.
"Emma, I'm going to need you to speak to me," he told her slowly. "If you don't-"
"You'll put me back in isolation?" She finished archly.
"No, but Gold could," he pointed out.
She didn't respond to that.
He sighed. "Let me guess, you really didn't want to speak to me the last time you saw me, but you were upset and it just spilled out. You want to talk to Killian. You want to know how his search for your son is going." He paused as her face morphed into more than that. "Oh, I see, you really do love him."
She clamped her hand over her mouth to stifle the sob and Robin felt his heart break. Not because she was slightly insane for loving a man she barely knew or because she was crazy, but because somehow it made sense that she loved Killian. He held up his hand, motioning for her to wait a moment.
She continued to rock back and forth, tears spilling down her cheeks as he left her.
He was back a moment later. "Emma?" It was Killian's deep voice that drew her attention. "Oh, Emma." His heart clenched and he was next to her on the couch a moment later. Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, he drew her into his side. "What happened, darling?"
She turned and curled into him, his other arm coming to wrap around her. She fit against him so perfectly. It was like they were made for each other. Turning her head, she took a deep breath. His scent was still the same. It reminded her of home and it made her heart ache, another sob tearing its way out of her throat.
He glared up at Robin as he pulled Emma onto his lap entirely. "What did you do to her?" He snapped.
Robin was shaking his head as he watched Killian rock her. He held her like he'd done so a thousand times, like they were meant to be together. "I didn't do anything. I was trying to get her to talk and I made a comment about her wanting to see you and her loving you and she just started crying." He scratched the back of his head. "Bloody hell, Killian, what's going on with you two?"
Emma swung her head out. "There's nothing going on with us because we're stuck in this land where you all don't remember who you are and I am all alone," she snarled. "Do you know what that's like? To have this wonderful family and amazing friends and someone you love and then have it all ripped away from you? To be the only one left and-"
"Okay." Killian cradled her closer to him. "Take some breaths, love, please breathe for me," he murmured. "Just breathe," he whispered. "We'll figure it out," he promised her.
She shook her head. "I don't think so anymore. I'm all out of ideas. Now all I can do is miss everything and worry about Henry."
"I told you, darling, I'm looking for him," he promised.
She shook her head again. "It may not be enough, what Tink said-"
Robin and Killian both straightened. "Tink remembers Henry?"
Emma sighed and pushed herself into a sitting position, still on Killian's lap. "No, but she said he may not even be here." She felt another sob shake her and she realized she hadn't cried like this since she found out her parents expelled her darkness and nearly destroyed Lily in the process. "And she's right. I didn't think about it. Elsa wasn't in Storybrooke and she was dragged here, what if the Author left Henry there? What if he's all alone? He's only fourteen, he can't be on his own. It's not right for him to be alone. We have to do more than find him. We have to save him," she sobbed.
Holding her closely, Killian stroked his hand through her hair and down her back, trying to calm her. Ten minutes later she was asleep, her head on his shoulder. Gently, so as not to wake her, he stretched her out on the sofa, her head in his lap and he finally looked up at Robin. "I have no idea what to do, mate," he admitted.
Robin shook his head, scrubbing his hand over his face. "I can't say that I do, either," he admitted. "You love her, don't you?" He asked quietly.
Killian shook his head. "It's crazy, right? To love her? I don't really know her, but it's like..." he paused. "It's like my body and my heart remember her, like they belong to her in some strange way." He combed his fingers through her hair. "Like I remember how her hair feels, how it feels to run my fingers through it, to play with the tips, to tug at it." His eyes shot up. "That's crazy, though, right? I can't possibly, I mean that would be saying that what she's said is true, that we don't belong here that-"
"She's a patient in a mental institution-" Robin began.
"I know!" Killian growled.
Robin held up a hand. "I'm not finished. She's a patient here, but I swear, when she talks, I'd think she was more sane than I am," he admitted.
Killian sighed. "It was easier when you just thought she was crazy."
Chuckling, Robin leaned forward, his fingers lightly skimming over Emma's forehead. "She does seem familiar in some way," he admitted. "Like I've known her in another time."
Killian's head fell to the side. "They all do."
Leaning back, Robin agreed, "Yes, they all do. Perhaps it's time for us to really delve into finding Henry. To go at this from a different angle. Perhaps Emma's right, perhaps we should be considering that we may need to look outside of this place for him."
"You mean like another country?" Killian asked.
Robin shrugged. "According to Emma, it sounds like another world."
"That's insane, there are no other worlds," Killian protested.
"I guess we'll find out. I also think that you should be the one to see her. I don't want to see her give up like this anymore. I think you're one of the only people she has to hold onto. I wouldn't want to take that away. I will tell Gold that's my medical opinion and I'm sticking to it."
Killian continued to stroke her back. "Thank you, Robin," he murmured. Glancing at the clock, he sighed. "I'd hate to wake her up."
"Her and her orderly. Walt's out there fast asleep," Robin grumbled.
Killian smiled. "She's close to Leroy, perhaps, he could help us?" He suggested. Robin nodded and moved to the phone.
Five minutes later, Killian was cradling her sleeping form in his arms, disregarding the gurney Nurse Astrid brought up, letting Leroy lead the way down to her room. "She really just fell asleep on you?" He asked.
"We didn't drug her, Leroy, there's no need to get overprotective," Killian grumbled. "We would never do that."
"Well, I know you wouldn't," he pointed out.
Killian gently set her on her bed, slipping off her shoes and tucking her under the covers, she curled up on her side and Killian pushed her hair off of her forehead. "I know Gold would, I know he has." Killian straightened. "Despicable, isn't it?"
Leroy nodded in agreement. "Particularly for someone like Emma." He led Killian out and shut the door. "If you ever need anything, you know where to find me," he told the doctor. Nurse Astrid, who was standing behind him, nodded her agreement with a beaming smile.
Killian smacked his back. "Thank you, Leroy."
"No problem, Doc." He turned and led the nurse back down to solitary.
OUAT
XOXO
MAS