Title: Son of a Woodworker
Chapter Title: Bystander Syndrome
Setting: Post 2x18 AU

Author's Note: I don't necessarily have much to say on this one, but for a story that's been all about August and Emma's points of view, I wanted to take some time to see how Henry was handling it (while moving us to the last of the plot points). It always bothered me that he didn't seem to be bothered by what was happening to August, and I don't think he'd just blindly accept Pinocchio. I know I was way too smart at that kid's age. Music Recommendation: Slightly different vibe, but there's a band from my high school days that I used to absolutely love, and this was one of those songs that would stick with me. Painting, by Blindside.

Also, read, review, tell a friend, favorite a chapter, I am always desperate for a bit of validation. But, seriously, at this point, I'm finishing it because I feel like a heel for not finishing it, and I like the story I'm making, and I want you to hear it.

How much pain can one person take?

At first, Henry tries to look at it like a puzzle to be solved, or a technical, hypothetical question. Like those kids in YouTube videos who do stupid things. They crack their heads, they fall and hit concrete, and they just get back up and everyone's laughing. Seems simple enough.

But August doesn't.

Sitting in one of the armchairs in the observation room, Henry feels a little turn in his stomach as he pulls his jacket tighter. He knows he's supposed to call the kid Pinocchio, and to his face, that's what he says. But, he knows that's not really who it is. Somewhere in there, he always knew August had to be in there.

No one listens to the kids, but Henry knows. He's always known that August was supposed to have his happy ending, that the Blue Fairy should have been able to fix him. Instead, there's Pinocchio, and while Henry knows that August was Pinocchio, this kid doesn't act like August. There's no awesome stories about faraway places, and August was always so smart, he knew what everyone needed all the time.

Instead, Henry can't help but wonder if Marco's okay with August being a kid again. Henry knows his mom wishes she could have been there for all those years when he was younger, but she says she wasn't ready.

The whole thing makes his head hurt, and so he sits there numbly, watching the ginger boy in bed across from him take one breath, then another. They're so shallow, he thinks. The blood's been cleaned up from his nose and mouth - Dr. Whale wouldn't let Henry see him until then - but he listens. He hears what everyone's saying about him.

He hears his mom shouting at the Blue Fairy that somehow - August is still in there and he can't stay Pinocchio. It's not right.

"Henry, you shouldn't be in here." Regina's voice makes Henry jump a mile, and he quickly turns to look back at the doorway. He doesn't want to see her, he knows she's done terrible things, but... but, she looks upset, too. He's just not sure if he can trust her anymore. He's been told to stay away from her by everyone, even when they've tried to be nice to her.

"I wanted to be here when he wakes up." Henry finally manages after a moment, searching for an excuse that doesn't get him in trouble. "Someone needs to look out for him, because everyone else is busy out there arguing about whether or not he's August or Pinocchio."

Regina's face shifts to one of sympathy, the kind of look he's associated most of his life with broken toys or tough homework assignments. Now, he's not sure if he can trust those anymore. She walks over towards him, but when Henry shifts away from her, she stops. If it fazes her, he can't tell. "I don't think it matters one way or the other, Henry. He's your friend and I know you want to be there for him, to help him... but I don't think he can be helped."

Henry swallows, searches her face for if she's trying to trick him. But, she sounds pretty convinced. He's not. "Well, then I guess it's a good thing you're not a doctor." He says, probably a bit more harsh than he intends. But, it feels good to remind her that she doesn't know what she's talking about. "He's going to get better. Mom will figure it out. Even Neal's trying to help."

"Not everything can be fixed simply by wishing it could be." She crouches down to be level with him in the chair. "All magic comes with a price, and maybe this time, the price was too high. The Blue Fairy did everything she could and it just didn't work out - "

"No!" Henry stands up and moves to the other side of the room. "You don't know everything! You think you do, but you didn't know that your mom was trying to kill Rumplestiltskin, or that August was still in town! And you say you want to be good, but you're giving up on him! Good people can make good things happen. If you want to help, then fix him!"

She doesn't answer him, she just stands there with her arms crossed. She doesn't even care! It takes him a few seconds to realize that he's huffing and he's let his anger get the best of him. But, he doesn't know what else to do.

"Do you feel better?" Regina asks quietly, and for a second, he hears the woman he used to think of as his mom. "Have you been able to talk to anyone about this?"

Henry looks at the floor, not sure how to answer. He knows he's been keeping all this to himself, and while he could talk to his mom, or maybe even Neal, he can't. His mom keeps a smile on her face every time she sees him, and it's a fake one, but he doesn't want to ruin it. And Neal just crack jokes and says everything will be fine.

"I'm sorry, Henry. Clearly, being here waiting for Pinocchio -"

"He's August, too - "

Regina sighs. "August, then. Waiting for him to wake up is taking a toll on you. Why don't you go take a walk with me? We can go down to Granny's, get you some ice cream, just like old times."

Henry rolls his eyes. He knows this game and he doesn't want anything to do with it. "You're just trying to get me to leave with you. You don't care about August at all."

"It's true that August and I have never been friends, but I do care about you, Henry. You're still my son and I love you. I don't want to see you like this." The way she says that makes his skin crawl, but also somehow makes him want to believe her.

Henry shakes his head and looks over at the young boy in the medical bed. "I don't want ice cream. I want August. Not Pinocchio, either. I want August back." Until he says it out loud, Henry hasn't really let himself think that. He keeps telling himself that he really just wants what would make August happiest. But, he knows the truth. "It's not fair. I liked August. August trusted me, and he never lied to me. And I believed him, I tried to help him when he was turning to wood. He never pretended that he knew better than me. Like all of the other adults always do!"

Regina takes a long time before she speaks again, and Henry wishes she'd leave with every second that passes. He just wants mom to come in and tell them that she's figured everything out. Or for the Blue Fairy to come inside and say "This is all a terrible mistake! I'll fix it now!" And instead, it's just quiet.

"Henry, you need to accept that August might be gone forever. And he wasn't the spic and span friend you thought he was. He was a very broken person who made terrible choices and he couldn't atone for them."

Henry doesn't hesitate to turn around and level a glower at the woman he'd once thought of as his mother. "So what's that say for you? You're the Evil Queen. You've done far worse than he ever did. So why are you here instead of him?"

For a fraction of a second, he feels a twinge of guilt for what he's said, like any kid mouthing off to a parent. It's that moment when he would expect to be grounded. But, then he remembers that Regina doesn't have power over him anymore.

"Because I am your mother, Henry, and one day, you will understand that everything I've done, I've done for you."

There's something about the way she says that, her eyes glance back at the boy in the bed, and Henry feels his stomach drop unpleasantly. "Everything you've done? Like what?" He looks back at Pinocchio, then back at Regina, and the flicker in her expression just makes his stomach twist more. "Did you do this? Did you hurt him?"

Regina shakes her head, utterly shocked by the suggestion. "Henry, no. Pinocchio's a boy, I'd never try to hurt him."

"You know I meant August! Did you do something to August?"

"Everything all right in here?" He hears Mary Margaret before he sees her, but the moment he can see her in the doorway to the hospital room, he knows he has to warn someone.

"No! Regina did something to August! She's responsible for this!"

The two women face off, as he can sense his grandmother go immediately on the offensive, but Regina's already starting to deny it. "Mary Margaret, that is ridiculous. I haven't seen August in months. How could I hurt the man if I didn't know where he was?"

Mary Margaret narrows her eyes. "Hold on a minute. Your mother tried to us, and almost succeeded."

Regina's jaw sets. Henry feels more like a spectator than a participant in the argument that's brewing. "Yes, I remember. And I also remember that someone killed her before she could get the chance. Any chance you know anything about that? Or is your memory still foggy on that subject?"

Mary Margaret's hand clenches at her side. "Oh, no, I know exactly what I did. And I don't regret it." There's a darkness in his grandmother's voice, and Henry debates going to get his mom. "She deserved what she got."

"That's a different tune than the one you were singing before." Regina takes a step closer, sizing the other woman up. "You're admitting that you did it, then?"

"Mary Margaret, maybe you should go get mom - " Henry starts, trying to stop the fight that he's now inadvertently started. He wants to help August, but there's something really wrong with his grandmother. He can feel it. And even though everyone acts like Henry's just a kid and doesn't know anything, he's seen the way she argues with his mom, and how she's been so upset since August turned back into Pinocchio.

"No, Henry, I'll handle this." Mary Margaret continues on undaunted. "August warned me to stay away from you, just before he died. Why would he do that?"

Regina scoffs. "How would I know what that paperweight wanted? Probably some demented rambling of a puppet losing his magic."

"How do you know he was wooden again, Regina? You said you never even saw him." Mary Margaret turns to Henry. "Go get your mom, now."

"Henry, don't you move!" Regina shouts, and the door to the hospital room suddenly slams shut behind Mary Margaret.

It all happens so fast, he's not even sure when or how Regina's hand is suddenly in Mary Margaret's chest. Henry can hear the terrified shout that he knows is coming from him, but it sounds like it's someone else. He tries to rush forward, but with a wave of her free hand, Regina keeps him in place. Quickly, she tugs and Mary Margaret's heart comes free, pulsing in the other woman's hand as a spider web of black seems to wrap around the otherwise red gem.

"Look at how the darkness has grown…" Regina mutters, and Henry is so horrified he can't move even if he wants to. He tries to scream, but his mouth won't work. Is it the magic, or is it the fear? For a half a second, he wonders if this is why Neal ran so far from his dad. "This is exactly what I need to fix things." Regina turns to look at Henry, an odd mix of desperation and sympathy - towards who - on her face. "I didn't want you to see this, Henry. But it's for the best. I'll show you."

No matter how Henry wants to scream, all he can do is stare with hot tears streaking down his cheeks as Regina comes closer. Her hand closes around his wrist and Mary Margaret collapses on the ground with a slight squeeze to her heart.

"When we're alone, I promise to tell you everything."