14 years ago

Henry sat in his study and read a book as he heard knock on the door. He stood from his chair and walked to the door opening it and saw a newspaper laying on his porch.

Finally, he thought as he smiled and took it before walking back inside. He walked to his kitchen where his breakfast stood ready and brought the tray back into the dining room. He started eating his breakfast as he read his newspaper.

After a couple of articles, he stumbled on a certain article about a boy. He was young. Very young. The picture of the boy showed no happiness. It was just a single profile picture of him, not smiling at all. There was a little information about the boy and then a little amount of text about his life.

Henry noticed the article was from the orphanage in the underworld. Henry looked up at thought through his thoughts. He has been dead for many years now. 14 to be precisely. It could be good with some company as he didn't expect neither his daughter nor wife to be death any time soon.

He finished his breakfast and decided to go to the orphanage to visit the little boy. He drove off to the orphanage and when he finally reached it, he noticed a familiar man in a grey suit and a child and a couple behind the little boy. He parked his car and got out walking towards the man and the family.

"You are going to love it. And you know we are all gonna miss you", the man said and smiled at the little boy. He felt approaching and turned to Henry who now stood beside him.

"Mr. Mills. I see your driving skills have improved", the man says as he notices the elder mans car.

"I'm not dead yet, Mr. Jones", Henry half joked and Liam laughed at the joke. He turned to the family and smiled.

"I guess this is a goodbye. Take care alright?"

"Thank you sir", the little boy said and waved at the man and walked with his new family. The two men watched as the family drove away and then the god turned to the man.

"Mr. Mills. What can I do for you?"

"Yes Mr. Jones, I uh... I noticed the article in the paper... About the boy"

Liam's face lit up and smiled.

"Ah yes. Robert. He's a lovely child", he said and motioned for Henry to following inside the building and closed his blazer. Henry smiled and walked with him.

"How long has he been here? In the orphanage?"

"All his life really. He was left on the porch when he was just a newborn"

Henry's face saddened at the thought of being left. But then his face turned into confusion as the mans words registered.

"What?"

"Hhmm?", Liam let out turning to the man.

"You said he came he when he was a newborn? He's growing?"

Now the elder Jones understood and stopped as they reached an office door. He opened it motioned for Henry to walk in.

"Yes. He's sort of... Different", Liam said walking in himself and walked to the desk and opening his blazer before sitting down.

"How?", Henry asked sitting in one of the chairs in front of the desk.

"He... He's not dead Mr. Mills"

"I'm afraid I don't quite understand sir"

Liam sighed and stood from his desk walking to a coffee machine.

"Coffee Mr. Mills?"

Henry shook his head but in gratitude.

"No thank you Mr. Jones. I just had my own"

"Alright", Liam said and poured a cup for himself before walking back to the desk sitting down.

"Robert. When we got him here, our first thought was of course his cause of death. And we thought about so many causes. Poison, war, fire. So we accepted that he was going to be a newborn for the rest of his life. But he just started to grow. And now so many people wants to adopt him, because they feel they can get a new change, a new start with a child"

Henry nodded as he listened to the younger man. He sighed as he suddenly felt the feeling of loss. He knew he could never compete with the families that had everything ready for a child to grow up in.

"May I see him? Robert?"

Liam smiled and stood from the chair closing his blazer again.

"Of course. Let me show you", Liam said and smiled walking to the door and opening it for the elder man to walk out before following suit. They walked down a hallway and stopped at a window to their right. They both turned and Liam nodded towards the little boy in the corner. He was sitting by himself, his back front towards the corner, with nothing but a crown on the top of his head and a little toy in his hand.

"May I?", Henry asked and nodded towards the boy. Liam smiled and nodded and walked to the door walking in. The two men walked to the little boy who still sat with his front towards the wall.

"Robbie?", Liam quietly said and squatted in front of the boy. Said boy turned around looked up at the familiar man.

"Liam", the boy said and smiled a little at the man. Henry who stood behind the man smiled at the boy and walked closer.

"Robbie, someone's here to meet you. His name is Henry"

Robert turned to the elder man and eyed him for a couple of seconds before crawling closer to Liam, burying his body into the mans form. Henry smiled at the boy's shyness and Liam smiled at him apologetic. Henry held out his hand indicating his understanding.

"Robbie, Mr. Henry would like to meet you. He wants to get to know you"

Robert buried his face in Liam's shirt and played with his tie as he kept quiet. Liam smiled and decided to try a different strategy. He took the child into his arms and stood turning to the elder man.

"Robert, this is Henry. Henry, Robert"

Henry smiled at the little boy, but said boy just turned and brought his arms around Liam's neck. Liam smiled another apologetic smile at the elder man and could immediately feel the heaviness as the boy fell asleep in the mans arms.

"What about you come tomorrow and we can try again. He's had a rough day"

Henry smiled and nodded before going home, while Liam put Robert to bed.

The next day Henry went back to the orphanage and went to Mr. Jones office but when he knocked he didn't receive any answer he sighed and turned just in time to see another employee.

"Miss. I'm sorry Miss", Henry quickly called out and the employee turned to him smiling at him.

"Hello. Are you here to adopt?"

Henry smiled and nodded.

"Yes. I had an appointment with Mr. Jones about Robert"

The employee smiled and nodded.

"Ah yes. The growing boy. Yes, Mr. Jones isn't here at the moment, as he's at a meeting, but he will be here shortly. But he told me you would be here. He told me to assist you to Robert so you two can get to know each other", the employee said smiled at the man as she followed him to a little room where the boy subject sat on the floor, his front against the wall, the crown on his head. Henry smiled at the employee silently thanking her and the employee smiled at him and walked away leaving the boy and elder man alone.

"Robert?", Henry quietly called out the boy and said boy's head turned to the man in a fast motion. Fast enough for the elder man to worry.

"Be careful with your neck. We don't want you to break it already"

Somehow that made Robert relax a little and fully turned his body towards the man. He sat and stared at him with curious eyes and Henry began to feel like a criminal in interrogation. He decided to walk towards the bed and gently sitting on it, noticing the boys eyes following his every step.

"It's a nice room you have"

Robert kept looking at the maybe new man in his life.

"How old are you?"

The boy smiled a little and held out 3 fingers.

"Three? You're getting big"

The boy smiled wide and nodded. Before Henry noticed, the boy crawled towards him and stopped right in front of his feet looking down at them as he silently began to play with them, the crown still on his head. Henry used the opportunity to really get a good look on the boy. He had very hard features. His cheekbones were very visible for a 3 year old. He had medium light brown eyes and his hair was black. Henry noticed a scar on the side of the boys head. It was long and deep. Probably something that would never heal into place. After a couple of minutes in silence, the door opened and Liam Jones stepped inside. Robert's head turned towards the man, and a smile instantly spread on his small beautiful face.

"Liam!"

"Hey big boy. Are you talking to Mr. Henry?", Liam asked squatting as the boy crawled towards him with the he biggest smile Henry has ever seen. The elder man could clearly see how close the boy and Liam was.

Robert nodded to the man and smiled. Liam smiled back at the boy before turning to the man.

"Mr. Mills. I have spoken with the owner of the company. Turns out he wants you to take care of our little Robert here"

Henry's eyes widened and eyed the man.

"Really? Who's the owner?"

Lain shrugged but gave the man a knowing look.

"A man nobody know the name of", he said and laughed nervously. Henry smiled at him, knowing fully who the man was talking about. He nodded and turned to the toddler.

"I guess it's you and me then, Robert"

Robert smiled at him and brought his arms out for the elder man to take him into his arms. So he did, and Henry already loved him deeply. He turned to the man in charge and smiled.

"So. The paperwork?"

Liam smiled and nodded.

"Yes follow me"

Henry did as he held Robert in his arms and soon they were in Liam's office once more. Henry sat in the same chair as the day prior with little Robert on his hip.

"So. As a single parent, we have a some special requests. Of course we have requests for a two-parent family as well; do they live in a child-safe place, do they have what it takes to take care of a child. Do they know what to do in different situations. But as a single parent, we have a couple of more statements. Do you have time to take care of the baby, and If not, can you make time for him, do you have a good income and enough to to take care of the child alone. But our owner told me you fulfill all the requirements, so you're accepted. I just need you to sign here", Liam said pointing at a papers lower area.

"Here", he said again and Henry signed.

"And... Here", he said once last time, and Henry signed all the thinks he needed to.

"Alright. And one last question"

Henry turned to him and waited.

"Do you wish to let the boy keep his name or would you like to rename him? The new name will be on his birth certificate"

Henry turned to the smiling boy and suddenly noticed the crown on his head.

A prince. A king

"Rex"

Present

Rex laid in his bed in his room, bored out of his mind. It had been two days since he and Regina's encounter in the diners backroom. They had spoken a couple of times, but nothing big. Like she was avoiding him. It hadn't gone very well with Killain either. He hasn't thought of any idea on how to get rid of him, without getting the blonde in the way. They were always together. In and out. You could clearly see the nervousness in the blonde as they were out. She looked over her shoulder all the time, making sure nobody was there to take Killain away from her. And every time he saw the look, Rex went further and further away from wanting to destroy the blondes beautiful heart.

Rex sighed and leaned is head back bringing his face into his palms. He turned to the nightstand and toon out the tv remote from the drawer and turned on the tv. A couple of minutes later he heard his phone ring and he sighed before turning off the tv and answering the phone.

"Hello?"

"Rex", a very small voice said and Rex almost didn't recognize the voice, but after a couple of seconds, he knew who it was.

"Henry"

"What are you doing?"

Rex chuckled and looked around his room.

"Nothing really. Why?"

"Great! Wanna eat breakfast at Granny's with me?"

Rex furrowed his eyebrows at the boys question.

"What about your mothers? Aren't you eating with them?"

"No. They are busy with some town stuff. So they asked be take care of it myself, but it's boring to eat alone, so I thought why not?"

Rex smiled and titled is head to the side and back in an 'of course' manner.

"Well then...", Rex stopped looking at his watch on his wrist. "Let's meet in 20 minutes alright?"

"I'm already there. You can just come when you're ready"

"Alright. I'll be there in ten"

"See ya", the boy said and hung up. Rex smiled to himself and stood from the bed, beginning to dress. And as e promised, Rex was at Granny's in 10 minutes. As he walked through the door, he immediately spotted Henry at a booth. He smiled a she walked over to the booth and sat at the opposite side of the table.

"Hey kid"

"Hey Rex, I've already ordered"

Rex smiled and nodded. But it suddenly came to his mind that the kid has been calling him by his first name since the call.

"Uhm... Henry... How-how do you know about my name? I mean nickname?"

Henry grinned and nodded towards Ruby who stood behind the counter, talking to Belle. Rex turned and saw the brunette and rolled his eyes at his stupidity.

"Of course. And let me guess. She was also the one who gave you my number"

Henry laughed and nodded.

"Yeah. Ruby is cool"

"That she is", Rex agreed as he and said brunette suddenly made eye contact and the brunette smiled wide, adoration in her eyes.

"What did you order?", Rex asked curiously and Henry smiled.

"Pancakes with syrup and a hot cocoa for me and eggs and bacon and a black coffee for you"

Rex widened his eyes and smirked at the boy impressed by his memory of nature.

"I'm impressed"

Henry smiled and shrugged.

"I only know it because that's what my mom always order"

Rex smiled as he thought of the woman. They had many things in common.

"I don't doubt that", he said and smiled at the boy. Soon after they both got their breakfast, Ruby smiling wide at Rex and touching his shoulder in a flirty way on her way back.

But after only two minutes of eating, Rex' mobile rang and he noticed Emma's name on his phone.

"It's your mom"

"Which one?", Henry asked with a smirk and Rex shook his head as he laughed.

"Blonde. Green eyes. She wants me to meet her at the station in a little less than 20 minutes"

"Well i guess we have to eat quickly then"

11 years ago

Henry walked inside his house, when he heard a tv on and he smiled before walking to the living room where he found his son and his babysitter in the couch. They both turned around and saw the man.

"Daddy! Look me and Daniel are watching cartoons", Rex exclaimed happy as ever. Both Henry and Daniel smiled at the boy and Henry walked to his son taking him into his arms.

"That good my son. Have you eaten yet?"

Rex shook his head and turned to Daniel. Henry furrowed his eyebrows and turned to the babysitter as well.

"I figured you wanted to eat with him, and you told me you would be home earlier than normal, so I waited for you to come home", Daniel explained as he stood from the couch, turning off the tv.

"Alright. Thank you Daniel. Please join us for dinner"

"Oh no, I couldn't. It's your one of your only family times and I don't want to intrude that"

"You don't intrude, because I'm offering. That's the least I could do, since you're taking such a good care of my son"

Eventually Daniel gave up and smiled in gratitude.

"Of course. Thank you Mr. Mills"

After the dinner and Daniel had went home, Henry carried sleeping Rex to his room and gently laid him in his bed and let him sleep. Just as he walked down, he heard a knock on the door and he sighed as he went to open it. When it opened, it revealed none other than the God himself, Hades.

"Henry. My dear friend", the God said and smiled as he walked in without permission. Henry rolled his eyes as he closed the door and turned to the man.

"Sir. How can I help you?"

"I simply wanted to know how it goes with you and Robert. Oh it's Rex now, right?", Hades asked pointed a finger at the newly father.

"Yes. His name is Rex. Though I kept his former name as a middle name"

Hades smiled a fake smile and looked around the mansion.

"I've always loved this house. It's big. It had a great yard. And a great view of the town"

"I can't say I disagree sir", Henry said walking to his dinner table before sitting down. Hades follows the man with his eyes and sat beside him.

"Well I do hope you enjoy it. So how are things going?"

Henry kept silent, looking at the man. Henry knew the god was never up to anything good.

"Aw come on Henry. Of all the families that wanted little Robert to a part of their family, I chose you. And this is how you're gonna pay me?"

"No. I payed you by the huge amount of money I gave you, when I adopted him", Henry said and stood from the table, walking to the door opening it gently.

"We will talk soon Mr. Hades. But right now, both my son and I are very tired, and we would very much like to get some sleep, so if you may please", Henry said motioning with his hand for the God to walk out of the door.

"Of course", the man said and stood from the table before walking to the door, stopping in front of the father.

"But you're right. We will talk soon"

And with that the man left and Henry sighed as he closed the door and walked upstairs.

Present

Henry walked to his study, only to find his wife sitting at his table. She was currently sitting with her elbows on the desk, her face hidden in her palms. Henry immediately became worried.

"Dear? Is everything alright?", he asked walking to his wife. Cora sighed and removed her hands from her face, looking up at her husband.

"I'm fine dear. I just needed to clear my mind"

Henry nodded and smiled sadly at his wife.

"Don't worry darling. Our children will figure it out. Together"

Cora shook at the last word and once again the disturbing image came to mind.

"Please don't remind me of what we have seen Henry. They have to know who each other are before it comes too far"

"I know my love. And they will. You've seen Regina the last two days. She's ignoring him. Which is good. She doesn't know what to do. She's conflicted"

Cora nodded at her husbands attempt to calm her down.

"You're right Henry. You're right. I just need to...", Cora trailed off, but Henry nodded in understanding.

"Of course. Take all the time you need love. I'll be downstairs making dinner"

"Thank you dear", Cora said as she stood and kissed the man softly on his lips. Henry smiled and kissed her back one more time before walking out. Cora followed her husband with her eyes as he left and sighed as the door finally closed behind him.

She walked to her mirror and flicks her wrist, an image of Rex and her grandson eating breakfast together. She could see her sons smile and she immediately smiled at the sight and felt a tear rolling down. She missed her son terribly. She had come into his life so late, but he still took her in and accepted her as his fathers long lost wife with open arms, and she couldn't thank her son enough to for giving her this new change. Her change to show how good a mother she can actually be. She owed him death.