This one-shot is based in the same universe as chapter 1. This is based when Henry is 6, its Halloween, the first for the family all together put the poor kid is sick.

I do not own OUAT or its characters just my imagination.

Chapter 44: a different Halloween

Henry had been looking forward to Halloween for weeks; this was the first year the kid was really into it. He had chosen to be Jack Skeleton from The nightmare before Christmas, the night before they carved pumpkins, and to top it all off Halloween landed on Saturday this year. But then at 3 am Henry woke up running to the toilet, to empty his stomach, the kid was devastated to say the least. Thankfully, both Emma and Neal had off work that day, they planned on spending the day together as a family, they were going to spend the day doing Halloween activates, now they were spending the day at Emma's apartment with their sick son.

Emma had planned on starting the day off with the pair's favorite breakfast of pancakes, and she was going to make them shaped as pumpkins and ghosts, instead she had to make Henry toast, she found a pumpkin cookie cutter and used it on the toast trying to salvage the day. She takes the toast to Henry on the couch "Here kid, here's your toast, eat up" handing him the plate then sitting down by his head, he scooted up to use her lap as a pillow.

Neal walks in the apartment after going to the store "I'm not hungry mom" he says sadly both parents hated seeing him this way, it was so not Henry.

Emma brushes her fingers through his hair "I know kid, but you need something in your stomach."

"And bud, I went and got your favorite flavor of Gatorade for you to drink" said Neal hoping to cheer him up.

Henry was still just bummed "I don't want it dad, I just want to have Halloween."

Emma pulls the boy into her lap, wrapping her arms around him for a hug "Aww kid, I know" she places a kiss on his temple, and gently rubs his arm "we can still have a fun day inside ok?" he gives her a whatever kind of look "On tv there's Halloween movies all day, I saw on Pinterest last night some activities we can do, that we have the stuff for here. How about that kid?" as she places another kiss on his head.

Henry looks at Neal "Dad are you going to stay too?"

"You bet Henry, I'm not going anywhere unless you want me to, I can stay all day."

He look back and forth between his parents "Ok, I guess if you're both here it won't be too bad."

Emma and Neal look at each other over Henrys head, giving each other a nod and they both tackle the kid, tickling him, and covering him with kisses. Once they finally got Henry to eat his toast, they sent him for a shower, after his shower he put on the Halloween pajamas she found for him, he was going to wear them that night. So the family settled in for their day at home. Emma turned on the tv and found a movie on for them to watch, Henry resting between the two of them, leaning more into Emma's side, for the kid nothing was better when he was sick then snuggling up with his mom.

Once the movie was over Emma decided on doing one of the crafts she saw, it was a luminaire that looked like a mummy. The three sat there for a little bit, between the three of them they made enough to put a couple on each of the windows, making it look more festive.

After they continued watching movies, wanting Henry to rest, thankfully he hadn't thrown up since that morning, when Emma took his temperature, it was still up, but had stayed the same relieving her.

Throughout the day Emma and Neal managed to keep the kids spirit up. Once 6 pm came, trick-or-treat time, Henry started to get bummed out again. Neal quickly lit the jack-o-lanterns and found his and Emma's favorite Halloween movie on, Hocus Pocus and Henry had never seen it. So while the other kids where out, they sat and watched the movie.

"So kid, what you think of the movie?" asked Emma.

"Yeah buddy, how was it?"

Henry couldn't help but laugh at his parents sounding like kids. "It was good, is it on every year?"

"Yep, they play it multiple times Henry. I think it's on again next." As if on que the movie started up again "See?"

But then Henry yawned "Yep."

"Ok kid, time to lay back down, so if you need to fall asleep you can."

"But I'm not sleepy" he said followed by another yawn.

Henry climbed over onto Emma's lap, leaning his side into her front, his head resting under her chin. As they sat and watched the movie again Emma gently rocked the little boy, like she would when he was a baby, and not even a half hour in he was asleep. Neal glances over seeing Henry asleep "Want me to take him to his room?" he whispers.

"Yeah, I will come with you" giving him a smile.

Neal gently lifts Henry off Emma's lap, and taking him down the hall to his room. Emma goes in first moving back the sheets, as Neal lays him down and steps back. Emma pulls the sheet and comforter up to cover Henry "Happy Halloween Henry, goodnight baby feel better" she whispers and gives him a kiss and a rub to the cheek with her thumb.

Then Neal steps back up to his bed "Hope you feel better buddy, happy Halloween" and kisses his check.

The pair walks out his room and shut the door. "Neal I hope we never have to spend Halloween like this again, the poor kid was so excited" she says leaning into Neal's front.

"I know babe, but we got through it, Henry may not have had the Halloween he wanted, but you made his day good. Mommy saved the day."

Tears brimming her eyes "I don't know about that, I tried."

"Well I think you did, he seemed to enjoy himself anyways."

"Having his dad hear helped to you know."

"Maybe, but I'm telling you Emma, that little boy in there, is all about you, he may have asked if I'm staying but it's you he wants around always."

"Calling him a mama's boy?"

"Sort of, but in a good way." The two kiss, and then turn to finishing the rest of the movie, hoping next year will be better.

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