CHAPTER 35

Archie pulled up at the exact same time as Emma. She was grateful for that. She knew confronting Henry could go bad fast but he and Archie had a relationship that went back so far. If anyone could get through to him, it was Archie.

"Thanks Archie. I'm really grateful to you. For this and – everything."

Archie smiled at her. "Well thank you. You and Henry are both very special to me. I've watched that boy grow up," he smiled wistfully.

"You just left Regina's?" At his nod, Emma continued, "How is she? And the girls?"

"She had to be tranquilized. I can't explain what a traumatic experience coming face to face with an attacker is to survivors."

Emma didn't need him to. She had seen her face and the way she trembled when she realized Henry was right behind her. She wished she could wipe it out of her mind. She swiped her hand across her forehead.

"As for the girls," Archie continued, "they're fine. Shaken up and worried about their Mum. But they'll be fine," Archie squeezed Emma's shoulder and smiled at her. "Shall we?" He swept his arm forward for Emma to lead the way.

They walked into the house and David, Snow and Neal were in the living room. The latter looked like he was going to be sick and was looking for a way out while David and Snow were resigned. They had been dealing with Henry long enough that nothing surprised them anymore. They just needed to get through this as a family.

"Archie," David shook his hand. "He's in the bedroom. Did you want to talk to him alone first or - ?"

"I think I'll have a small chat with him first, if you all don't mind. Then we'll come and talk together." With that, Archie made his way into Henry's room.

"Maybe I should - ," Neal started to say. Emma shot him a death glare and he slowly sat and didn't say another word.

"You told Henry you were going to be here for two weeks. If you leave on him, he's not going to take that well."

Neal nodded but still pouted like a petulant child.

Emma began pacing back and forth with her arms crossed over her chest. David sat with his arm around Snow's shoulders while they waited.

"How're Regina and the girls?" Snow asked to fill the screaming silence.

Emma sighed. "Archie gave Regina a tranquilizer. The girls were upset but they'll be okay." Emma hated to think how this madness would affect her girls in the long term. Dealing with Henry was already more than she could take at most times. She stopped pacing and her eyes began to burn from holding back unshed tears. "She wants to take the girls and leave."

Snow jumped up. "What!? She can't do that! Those are our girls!"

"She's their Mom," Emma dropped her head. She could really only focus on one crisis at a time. "I don't know what's going to happen with Henry. But as long as they're safe, I guess that's just a sacrifice we have to make."

Snow shook her head violently and stomped over to Emma. "Over my dead body! She will not take those kids away from us." Emma stood watching while she stomped out of the house. She wasn't worried though. With Regina's protection spell she wouldn't be able to cause any damage.

Her father rose up and went to chase after his wife. He stopped and turned and said, "I'll be right back. I'm just going to go and check on her."

Emma nodded. That left her and Neal alone.

They didn't really spend much time together. Neal gave excuse after excuse of why he couldn't be there until Emma had to threaten him to pay Henry the smallest amount of attention. She understood this was overwhelming for him. It was the same for her. This was definitely not how she saw her life nor her son's life turning out. But it was what it was.

"How you doing?" she asked just to fill the void.

Neal ran his hands through his hair leaving it to stand on end. "How often does this happen?"

Emma sighed. "I let you know everytime he's hospitalized. It's just with Regina actually here, things are different."

Neal shook his head and Archie and Henry walked out into the living room at around the same time that David walked back in.

"Hey Henry," he said brightly.

Henry just ignored everyone and sat in his recliner.

Archie began to speak. "Henry needs to get a few things off his chest. He's asked that you all not interrupt him until he's done. So, if you'll have a seat," he gestured to Emma and David to join Neal on the sofa while he took the opposite recliner.

Henry sat forward in his recliner. "I need to see my Mom. And I don't need you two," pointing at Emma and David, "jumping on top of me all of the time. I know what I'm doing. What you did was wrong."

David and Emma exchanged a look. Emma took the lead. She knew that her getting emotional would lead to catastrophe so she did her best to reign in her emotions and just stay on topic.

"Henry, you're aware that there's a protection order. It's so that Regina could feel safe with her kids. When you violate that it doesn't help make anyone feel comfortable."

"You didn't even give me a chance to talk to my own Mom!" he shouted. "I have a right to talk to her. She's my Mom. And I'm her little prince," Henry sneered at her. "You're just angry and bitter because she left you. You had your chance and you blew it!"

Emma didn't bother pointing out that Henry was a big part of her losing her chance. Her allowing him to drag her back to his Grandparents apartment when Regina was trying to make the three of them a family unit was her fault. She knew she was to blame. But she wasn't solely to blame for that situation. And she was the one who'd missed out on two kids that she already adored and her one true love who she would do anything for.

She tried keeping her voice calm and steady though her emotions were all over the place. "I know that I blew things big time with your Mom. But we're dealing with here and now. You are not allowed anywhere near her, her kids, her house, or her job Henry. You know that. We need to be able to trust that something like this will never happen again."

"Whatever!" Henry jumped up and looked at all of them. "You don't get it. You got your happy ending," Emma looked around at him wondering what the hell he could be talking about. "You were supposed to bring back everyone's happy ending and you didn't! No one here's happy and you don't even care. I'm not happy. My Mom's not happy. You ruin everything!" He ran into his room and slammed the door.

They could hear him beating against the wall and kicking the door. Emma knew right now wasn't a time to bother trying to disturb him. She looked over at Archie bleary eyed.

David was the one who spoke up. "Should we get him ready for the hospital?"

Before Archie could answer Snow stormed into the house. She was followed by a little mouse of a man. He was unbelievably short with a pot belly and deep saggy wrinkles that practically hid his eyes. He looked just like a Chinese pot belly pig.

"This is Andrew Pettigrew," she introduced him while he stood wheezing and trying to catch his breath. "He's here to explain the papers that are being drawn up." She turned and looked at him.

Everyone waited to hear what this was about. He took a deep breath, "I am having the custody papers drawn up as we speak for the two girls Zoe Emery and Alexis Emerson Swan Mills. Then we will go to the courthouse and put in an injunction so that their Mother will be unable to take them from here." He turned to Snow and gave her a nod.

Snow nodded back and crossed her arms. She looked extremely pleased with herself.

Emma rose to confront her. She couldn't believe that her mother would go to these lengths behind her back. "Snow! They are my kids!"

Snow shook her head. "Explain it to her."

"Grandparents also have rights too," was all that Andrew was able to wheeze out.

"We're going to take Regina to court and fight for custody and visitation," Snow nodded proudly.

Emma breathed in through her nose and slowly out through her mouth. "Snow, these are MY children. You cannot do this."

"I am not going to let her take those kids away from me. We barely know them. And she never lets us spend any time with them. Now she has no choice."

Just then, Emma received an emergency phone call. "Sheriff Swan?" she said through gritted teeth. She used her free hand to massage her temples. "Fine! I'll be there in about 15 minutes."

She threw the phone down on the sofa. Then she picked up a throw pillow and screamed into it.

"Are you okay Emma?" Archie asked alarmed.

"DO I LOOK OKAY?!" At everyone's started looks, "My kid's lost his mind. My mother is about to start world war 3 when she has no business to and now I have to go off and deal with this!" Emma grabbed her phone and stormed out of the house slamming the door along the way.

She knew she was being childish. But honestly, she actually preferred having to deal with a local scuffle instead of dealing with her family.

She drove along with her mind reeling. It was times like this that she hated that she had given up drinking.