Chapter 10

Unwelcome Guests

It was a sad day and the children stayed close to their parents as Mary-Margret spoke in front of the coffin. "Some of us knew him as Archie, others as Jiminy, but we all knew him as a true friend. Though he may not be gone he's still with reminding us to be our best selves, to do what is right and always fight for what we believe in. We shouldn't think of today as goodbye, just Archie we'll be listening". Henry was holding Pongo as the service ended. Marco took Archie's umbrella and lay it against the tombstone "Goodbye my friends, at least you're in a better place now".

Tally asked "mommy, how is being dead being in a better place"?

Emma said "well, if you've been good in life like Archie was when you die you go to a place called heaven. Heaven is a beautiful place where the good are rewarded after death and become angels. Up there they're free from all pain and suffering and watch us, proud when we use their memory to make good choices in life".

Later at the wake Neal just got off the phone with his dad Emma asked "who was that"?

"My dad, he said he thought if we took a little trip with him pass the town line we could have a vacation and catch up properly. Maybe with Archie's departure now is the best time for that trip".

"I thought you said no one can cross the town line without losing their memories"?

"He said he's been planning a solution to the town line issue for a while and has now found one. I told him I would have to think about it before he had to leave. Apparently Belle called him on another line and needed his help at the library".

"Maybe we could use a little vacation; looks like Henry could use the distraction".

Neal followed Emma's gaze to Mary-Margaret's room where Henry was just staring out of the window. "The fourth and most natural stage of grief, best to let the process run its course, if he wants to talk he'll say so".

"I'll just get him something to eat".

"Good idea".

When Tally saw her mommy go over to Henry she asked her daddy "why is Henry so sad"?

Neal replied "It's Dr Hopper's funeral, today is a sad day".

"But mommy said when good people die they go to a beautiful place and are rewarded. Shouldn't we be happy he's in such a nice place".

Neal smiled reassuringly and replied "of course we should, but we're still going to miss him".

"I don't feel as sad as Henry, does that make me a bad person".

"Oh No Sugar Plum, Henry just knew Dr Hopper better than we did so it's natural for him to feel more sad than we do. Never think you're a bad person just because someone's feelings are stronger than yours right now. You're a very good person, one of my favourites and always will be".

Emma went over to Mary-Margaret after leaving a discouraged Henry a Pop-Tart. Mary-Margaret said "you're doing all you can do".

"That's what makes me feel awful".

Leroy came over and asked "Ladies, the dwarves having been talking and we have to ask, when do we go back"?

Emma asked "back, where"?

Leroy replied "the enchanted forest, our home".

Mary-Margaret asked "you want to go home"?

Emma commented "we fought really hard to get here".

Leroy said "yeah, but with what Regina did to Archie Storybrooke isn't as safe as we thought".

Emma said "we're going to find her, there's only so many places she can hise".

Mary-Margaret added "we've dealt with her before, we'll do it again".

"It's not just her" said Leroy "the curse is broken. There's a whole world full of people beyond the town line who don't know who or what we are. Ever think what might happen if one of them were to come pay us a visit"?

Neal asked "would that be so bad, what's the worst that could happen"?

Leroy said "people from our world know about magic, it's a part of life. Here magic can't be explained and when people see things that can't be explained it makes them scared and hostile".

"He's right" said Ruby "what if they were to see, you know magic. Like a girl turning into a wolf for example. Folk weren't exactly understanding back in our world".

Emma said "let's not worry about what ifs. No one is here"

"Yet" interjected Leroy "maybe they come, maybe they don't. It doesn't change the fact that although we may enjoy things like Penicillin we're still a bit homesick".

After the wake while Emma was talking to Marco they noticed Henry on the phone. They lifted the receiver on the other phone and heard Archie's answering machine. David went over and sat on the bed next to him. "It's okay, things will get better, you just need to hang in there".

Henry replied "it doesn't feel that way".

Just then Pongo came in and padded over to Henry causing a little light to refill his eyes.

Mary-Margaret asked "how did he get in here"?

"I brought him" answered Emma. "Me and Marco had a chat, Archie knew how much Henry loved this dog, we decided he should have him" then she called over to Henry "that is if you're up for taking care of him Henry".

Henry replied "yeah I am".

They then noticed the muddy paw prints Pongo tracked into the loft "Henry why don't you take Pongo outside and clean him up".

"Okay, come on Pongo" said Henry taking him outside and Tally followed him.

Emma looked at her parents and said "all right, I know there's a lot to figure out logistically, but"…

"No" said Mary-Margaret "I think giving Pongo to Henry was a great idea. It's just six people and a Dalmatian in this tiny apartment, things might get a little"…

Emma finished "cramped. We'll get creative".

Neal said "like a time-table or… ".

Mary-Margaret suggested "or me and David, we could find our own place".

Everyone said "you want to move out"?

"Woah, it was just a suggestion"

Emma asked "after twenty-eight years isn't this what we've all been waiting for, to be together under the same roof"?

Mary-Margaret said "yes, I just imagined a bigger rood, with turrets".

David mentioned "I don't think we'll find any in Storybrooke".

"I know, but that doesn't mean there will never be, until then we can be happy just living in the same town".

Neal said "we can be happy living in the loft".

Mary-Margaret said "It's just living here in Storybrooke we have a chance at a fresh start, let's take it".

While Mary-Margaret and David went house hunting Henry started making plans. He had drawn out the loft and made changes they could make if Mary-Margaret and David really did move out. "Planning your escape from Shawshank kid"? Emma asked.

"No, they're blueprints, I had some ideas for what we could do if Mary-Margaret and David moved out, look".

Emma took a look at his plans "you want to turn Mary-Margaret's room into an armoury".

Neal said "if they move out you and Tally would be taking their room so, sorry but no armoury".

Tally asked "can we make it pink"?

Emma said "it would be yours AND Henrys room and I'm not sure he's a fan of pink".

Henry said "but we need weapons and stuff, to protect us, from Regina".

Emma knelt down to be eye-level with Henry "she's not going to hurt you, I won't let her".

Neal said "me neither buddy. As your parents we will never let anything happen to you".

Tally asked "or me"?

Neal smiled "or you Sugarplum. You two are the most precious people in the world to us so we will do whatever we can to protect the two of you forever".

Henry looked mournful "she hurt Archie, what if she wants to take me back"?

Neal said "so what if she wants to take you back? Doesn't mean she'll get you back, she is aware she is outnumbered and if confronted could be overpowered".

Suddenly there was a knock at the door Pongo whined and barked at the door. Emma opened the door and saw the most implausible sight she could imagine "Archie"?

"Hi"

Everyone came over and saw Archie alive and a little battered Emma asked "what happened to you"?

"It was Cora, she kidnapped me".

"Archie" said Henry.

Archie chuckled and hugged him "Henry, oh, oh it's alright. I'm fine. I'm fine".

Emma felt terrible "we were wrong, Regina didn't do it".

Tally said "I'm glad she didn't, I was starting to like her".

Henry said "we should tell her".

Neal said "first we have to find her, then the hard part telling her that it was her mother. She kidnapped Archie all the way from the enchanted forest".

Archie said "oh no, she's here"

"Here" Emma asked "as in Storybrooke".

Archie nodded "yeah, and a pirate, he wanted to know if the dark one had any weaknesses".

Neal asked nervously "what did you tell Hook"?

"He threatened to dissect me so I blurted out Belle" and with that Archie. "But last I saw she was fine and I told Mr Gold where she is".

"How did you know his name"? asked Emma.

"We met when I was fourteen, but I didn't know straight away that he was my step-father".

That night after the kids were asleep the grown-ups were talking. Mary-Margaret said "we check her vault, or maybe she's hiding at home thinking we won't check there".

David added "she never lost her memory so maybe she left town".

Emma said "I'm more concerned with Cora and Hook being here then where Regina might be hiding out".

Neal said "circumstances being what they are, I do think finding Cora and Hook should be our first priority. Regina's not likely to terrorize the town with her quest for redemption. Cora and Hook on the other hand" he looked over at his kids then back at the other "I don't want to imagine what might happen if either them got near my kids".

Emma cast her eyes down and suggested "maybe we could get out of town for a few days, you said your father wanted to have a vacation with us".

David said "our family isn't one to run away, we fight for the safety of our people".

Mary-Margaret replied "actually I'm tired of fighting, that's all we ever do. I think Emma's right".

Emma said "plus Neal has a point, I might be the saviour but I still have my children to think of. I'd rather they out of danger right now, I mean Regina I can trust not to hurt them, especially Henry. But neither Cora nor Hook seem as child-friendly as she is.

Just then the phone rang, as Emma went to answer it Mary-Margaret said "Regina could help with defeating them, so we should try to find her, firstly to apologize, profusely, and then ask, or maybe even beg for her help".

Emma said "Hook's been spotted, heading towards the town line, and something tells me he's not planning to leave before he gets his revenge".