Disclaimer: I own nothing.


Henry walked into his little sisters room that morning, a storybook tucked under his arm as he approached her crib with a smile.

"Good morning birthday girl," he murmured, leaning forward to press a kiss to her forehead, grinning when she responds with a little gurgle and squeal, green eyes meeting his own.

"Our mom's are going nuts downstairs with all the preparation for your party," he explained softly, setting the book down and carefully lifting her from the crib. "You'd think they were planning your coronation."

"Pince! Hi, pince.." Abbi babbled happily as Henry shifted to sit in the rocking chair. Abbi had been trying to say everyone's name and his was on the top of the list. She could almost say it, though when she did it sounded more like "Hin'wee".

For now, he'd been dubbed "Pince" because Abbi had mimicked Regina's nickname of 'little prince' for him and it had stuck.

"Hi princess," he greeted softly, pressing a kiss to her cheek and letting her do the same to his (something recent she had also learned) before sitting her on his lap and reaching for the storybook he'd brought with him.

"I brought you a present," he starts off, opening the book slowly and watching as Abbi's little fingers trace the smooth pages. "I know how much you love stories, and this one, well this one is yours."

Henry opens the book up to the first page which featured a picture of Regina as the Evil Queen, the day she'd taken the potion that would stop her from ever having children. He felt his throat tighten a bit and cleared it, taking a deep breath.

"Mamma!" Abbi squealed, placing her chubby little hand on the picture of Regina.

Henry smiled and nodded. "That's Mamma, and that day she was sad because she never thought she'd be able to have a baby," Henry explained softly, his heart aching in his chest as he took in the pained expression on his mother's face in the picture.

He quickly turned the page, smiling at the next picture of his mom, the day Whale had told her that she was pregnant with Abbi. "This is the day Mamma found out she was going to have you! She couldn't believe it." This one had made him laugh because his mom looked both completely shocked and enraged.

He was positive that Whale had almost been incinerated that day.

Turning the page, Abbi tilted her head up at Henry slightly. "Mamma?"

Henry smiled and nodded, looking at the picture of both of his mothers smiling happily at each other. "This was the day Ma found out that Mamma was going to have you," he explained softly, pressing a kiss to Abbi's head. "They were so happy Abbi."

"Happy!" Abbi squealed, smiling up at him and melting his heart.

"Very happy," he repeated, skipping forward a bit to the day his mom's had brought Abbi home from the hospital. This part featured one of his favorite pictures of Abbi and him. He was holding her as he sat in the middle of his mom's and they were all looking down at her with so much love.

"Pince!" Abbi exclaimed, turning to kiss him on the cheek and Henry smiled. "Yup. That's the first day I met you. You were so little. And very, very beautiful."

"Abbi 'n' Pince," Abbi replied, little hand placed on the picture.

"You and me together, forever hermanita," Henry promised softly as he turned the page once more. He told Abbi about the day she took her first step, the day she said her first word, their first trip to Granny's and to the park. The book featured every single moment, every tear, every kiss, every first.

"And now today," Henry said as closed the book, "today we're gonna start another chapter. But you wanna know something Abbi?" He looked down at his sister who was tracing the big golden letters with her tiny fingers, babbling as she went.

"No matter what, no matter how your story turns out, the one thing that will never change is how much you are loved," Henry murmured, pressing another kiss to Abbi's head.

"Lub you Pince," Abbi replied with one of her glowing smiles and Henry couldn't help but to smile just as big.

"I love you too princess," he replied, standing from the chair and spinning around, chuckling when Abbi squealed and giggled.

"Now how 'bout we get you ready for your party?"


"What are you two up to in here?"

Henry turned his head to smile as his mom before turning fully to reveal Abbi in his arms, dressed in the lavender and light yellow dress his mom's had picked out for her. "Dressing the Princess of course," he replied with a grin.

"Mamma! Dwess!" Abbi squealed, squirming to get out of Henry's arms. Henry crouched, setting her down gently, and watching as she took a few steps to steady herself before walking over to their mom.

"¡Qué bella te ves mi amor!" the brunette exclaimed, scooping Abbi up and covering her face with kisses until they were both giggling. "Are you ready for your party my love?"

"¡Sí!" Abbi replied with a big smile making both of them chuckle.

"And you my little prince?" his mom asked, smiling warmly at him and walking over to press a kiss to his forehead and cup his chin. "Ready?"

"Ready mom," Henry replied, basking in the happiness he could feel radiating off of his mother and little sister, in all the love that surrounded him.

His family had been through a lot, especially his mom's, and to see them like this was a the best happy ending he could hope for.

And when the party was over and the cake had been eaten and Neal, Robin and Abbi had effectively spilled juice all over the place (and themselves). When the presents had been opened and the floors had been cleaned and Abbi had been given her bath and put to bed, Henry sat in the den and wrote, watching the words and pictures appear in Abbi's storybook, filling its pages with all the love he felt for her and his family.

And when he was done for the night he closed the book, laying his pen in its box before slipping upstairs into his sisters room once more, watching her sleep peacefully.

"I love you hermanita," he whispered, rubbing her cheek with his knuckle. "I love you and I promise that you will keep your happy ending. But... only if you promise me, you won't grow up too fast. Deal?"

He watched her sleep for a bit more before pressing one last kiss to her forehead. As he walked away quietly, he turned at the door to take one last glance at her.

"Happy birthday, my little princess."


Thank you, as always for reading and for the wonderful feedback on this story. Knowing that you all enjoy reading this series as much as I've enjoyed writing it is inspiring!

~C.A.