Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time. Just Ally and Rose.
12- The End of the Beginning
After the exoneration of Mary Margaret things started spiraling out of control rapidly. A new story showed up in the Fairytale book about Pinocchio even though Emma didn't believe the kids, and Rose didn't either. Rose just left it at Pinocchio being in all the fairytale books and we had just looked over it before. Ally couldn't understand how dumb people were being because she had read through every page of that book for months and Henry even more so, and both of them had never seen anything about Pinocchio in there before.
Henry's mom the Evil Queen who framed Snow White for the not murder of Katherine Nolan tried to move Henry out of Miss Blanchard's class, luckily it didn't work out because they lived in a small enough town that there weren't enough kids to warrant another teacher.
That's how Henry and Ally found themselves alongside August lurking across the street from Mr. Gold's Pawnshop. Operation Cobra was back in full swing and personally Ally and Henry couldn't wait for it all to finally be over with. They could get the happy ending they've been wanting and finally be done with it all.
"It's almost nine. You all set? You know what to do?" August says once again turning to the two friends with a serious look on his face.
Ally nods solemnly but Henry looks a little more hesitant.
"Operation Cobra is always ready. I just…" Henry trails off nervously glancing back at the pawnshop. Ally reaches out her hand and quickly squeezes Henry's.
"You just what?" August prods glancing at the shop as well before settling his gaze on Henry.
"I don't understand what this has to do with getting Emma to believe." Henry says. Ally blinks seriously thinking it over.
"Sometimes, other priorities assert themselves. Can you handle a little improvisation?" August prods. Henry straightens up and nods his head.
"Yeah. Can you?" Ally fires back.
"We're a go." August says firmly. Not giving themselves a second chance to look back Ally and Henry race across the street and push open the door to Mr. Gold's shop. Ally has to suppress a shiver once she's inside. Not only does the man himself creep her out when he's around town, but his entire shop just radiates something powerful and dark that Ally can't explain that makes her hair stand up.
"Hey, Mr. Gold." Henry says greeting the broker behind the counter. Ally just raises her hand in a wave.
"Good morning Henry, Ally. What can I do for you?" Mr. Gold asks leaning forward to get a better look at the two kids. Ally focuses her eyes on the multitude of stuff littered around the room.
"We want to get a gift for Miss Blanchard." Ally says quickly, remembering that she has a part to play in this whole gimmick as well.
"Oh, I see." Mr. Gold says.
"Since, she didn't kill that woman." Henry adds happily. Ally really had to give it to Henry he really was a great actor.
"Good thinking." Mr. Gold say with a nod. Henry and Ally wander around the shop naturally falling into light banter with each other about what to actually get Miss Blanchard. They couldn't afford something big like the cuckoo clock, but they didn't want to get her something as lame as a book. The pair come to a stop by a display of small silver bells.
"Are these bells? Cool." Henry says picking up one of the smaller delicate ones.
"She might like that." Ally adds peering closely at the bell.
"See anything you fancy?" Mr. Gold asks suddenly appearing beside the kids. Ally jumps startled, while Henry starts haggling on the price with Mr. Gold.
After getting a cheaper price after some haggling with Mr. Gold the two kids leave the store, hoping that they managed to buy August enough time to get what he was looking for.
"I hope he knows what he's doing. Messing with Mr. Gold isn't smart." Ally says glancing back at the shop with a shiver.
"August is the only adult who believes in the book and Operation Cobra truly. We need to trust that he'll be okay." Henry says as the two make their way back to their secret base so they can prepare their gift for Miss Blanchard.
That night is the welcome back party for Mary Margaret. Her and Emma's apartment are filled with people from Storybrooke all except the Mayor of course. Emma is talking quietly with the teacher by the punch bowl. If anything Ally thinks that her teacher looks more overwhelmed if anything. She watches as her Granny goes and welcomes Mary Margaret back.
Henry suddenly grabs Ally's hand and drags her to the other side of the room so that the two of them can talk to August who is leaning against the wall there. The kids watch the man as he watches Mr. Gold from afar.
"How bad was it?" Ally asks already knowing that it must have ended badly.
"Getting caught in his office? Not bad. I played it off." August says dismissively.
"What were you looking for? Did you find it?" Henry asks, excitement practically vibrating off him.
"Nope. But I have a feeling that it's going to find me." August says scanning the crowd. "There she is. Why don't you give her your present?" He gestures in the direction of Miss Blanchard.
Henry nods his head and the pair starts off for Mary Margaret and Emma.
"We got this for you." Henry says handing the small box and large card to Miss Blanchard.
"Well, thank you." Miss Blanchard says smiling at the two kids. Emma is also smiling at the pair. Slowly the teacher open the card and shakes her head in bewilderment at it.
"We're so glad you didn't kill Mrs. Nolan…" She reads.
"It's from the whole class, and Henry and I got you the bell." Ally explains flushing a little. Mary Margaret pulls the small bell out of the box and smiles at the two kids.
"Thank you both. Tell the class that I'll be back soon." She says giving both Henry and Ally hugs. The two smile at her finally happy to get their old teacher back and get rid of the stinky substitute that they've been saddled with.
"Okay." They say. Emma glances at her watch and then at the two kids.
"Hey, Henry, we should get you home before you mom finds out. That won't be pretty. You can come along Ally." Emma says ushering the kids to the door of the party.
Before they can leave though David Nolan stops them at the door.
"Hey Henry, Ally. Going home early?" He asks the two kids.
"Yeah. Got to go home and do homework." Henry says with a disgusted look.
"Math." Ally says sticking her tongue out.
"She's kind of tired. I think if you just give her some time…" Emma starts.
"I just wanted to—" David is cut off.
"Hey, Henry, Ally. Why don't you go home with David?" Emma says still giving the man a hard look. Ally sighs realizing the adults are using them again, and rolls her eyes.
"Okay." Henry says.
"Fine by me." Ally agrees.
"Sorry." Emma says kind of to everyone.
"Okay." David says with a sigh leading the pair of kids outside the apartment and down the stairs.
"You two don't really have homework do you." He says glancing at them.
"Why would I lie about math?" Ally demands giving David a wild look.
"Don't get her started." Henry says giving his best friend a small push.
Things had grown hectic over the last few days. The adults had been so busy with their own problems that they had left the kids with a significant lack of supervision. That's what leads to Henry and Ally laid out on Rose's bed as the teenager prepares to go out with her friends.
The storybook is open in front of the ten-year-olds and Rose keeps casting suspicious glances at the book.
"So… any life altering stories in there today?" Rose asks nonchalantly trying to seem disinterested in the book.
"Something's not right…" Ally mutters flipping a few pages in the book.
"We lost the book for a while, but now we have it back, and there's now a new story in there!" Henry says excitedly glancing at his older sister excitedly. Rose sets down her hairbrush on her dresser and crosses the room to the two kids.
She moves the book around so that she can see it.
"Pinocchio? I thought that all books had this story in it?" Rose says. Ally shakes her head.
"Not the way this one goes." She says solemnly.
"This book didn't have a story dedicated to Pinocchio directly before. When we got the book back it was like the section was added. We have to let Emma know." Henry says with a nod.
Rose bites her lower lip giving the book a cursory look over. If everything that the kids were spouting was true then that means that everyone in the town were fairytale characters including her. That would also mean that the woman she believes to be her mother is actually an Evil Queen who took her from her real family, whoever they were.
If any of what they say is true then both of them would be in a lot of danger, and no matter how annoying she may find them on some days, Henry was still her little brother, and Ally the closest thing to a little sister.
"Just— be careful you two. I don't want anything bad happening to the pair of you. If you need help, my phone will be on okay?" Rose says finally staring hard at the two kids until they nod their heads in understanding.
"Good. Now get out of my room. I have to get changed." She says shooing the kids out and closing the door firmly behind her. Rose sighs, hoping that she's not making a big mistake by letting the pair of them go on their own.
The next day before school Henry calls Emma over the walkie-talkie's citing an Operation Cobra emergency. Henry and Ally sit in their favorite booth at Granny's diner waiting for Emma to show up. A minute later Emma comes into the diner and slides into the booth across from the kids.
"Hey. What's the emergency?" Emma asks.
"Shh! This is sensitive!" Henry hisses glancing around the half filled diner.
"If it's sensitive, then why are we at Granny's, out in the open?" Emma questions.
"We're hungry. Who else knows that we hide the book at the Sheriff's station?" Ally asks interrupting the bickering that is sure to come up between Emma and Henry.
"No one. Why?" Emma asks confused as to where this is going.
"Someone changed it. There's a new story in it." Henry says half upset and half excited.
"Why would someone add a new story?" Emma wonders looking confused.
"Why not add a new story?" Ally counters.
"Duh, to tell us something we need to know about the curse." Henry says glaring at the other two.
"And what would that be?" Emma says sounding less than convinced.
"We don't know. The story isn't finished." Ally says glaring at the table like it offended her personally.
"Why would someone go to so much trouble to add another story, then not finish it?' Emma asks.
"That's what's weird. The story's about Pinocchio. Everyone knows how that story ends." Henry says with a frown.
"Well maybe that's why it was left out." Emma says shaking her head.
"Or, maybe there's more to it." Henry says with a gleam in his eye.
"Henry, Ally, you're going to be late for school. Let's go." Emma says sliding out of the booth and gesturing for both kids to do the same.
Ally hates that Emma is always so easily willing to dismiss all the new ideas that they've come up with. She peeks up and sees her mom emerge from the back. Quickly, she scrambles over to give her a hug. Ruby smiles down at her girl, and gives her a kiss to the top of her head.
"I've got them today Ruby. No need to worry." Emma calls out from the door gesturing for Ally.
"Thanks Emma. Be good Pup." Ruby says, and Ally smiles before scampering off after the rest of Operation Cobra.
The walk to school is filled with Henry battering Emma trying to get her to believe that the story of Pinocchio is not some useless lead that they've come across. Once they arrive at school there is the usual morning chatter and kids running around the playground.
Henry and Ally stay closer to Emma though, happy to see that Miss Blanchard is back at school. They had had enough of their substitute teacher to last a long time.
A few minutes later the kids notice that Regina, Henry's mother is talking to Miss Blanchard. Concerned the two make their way over to their teacher.
"There's Henry now." says Miss Blanchard looking relieved that the kids interrupted that conversation.
Miss Blanchard leaves leaving the kids alone with Regina.
"What are you doing?" Henry asks his mother.
"You forgot your lunchbox." Regina says holding out the box.
"Thanks?" Henry says taking the box looking even more confused.
"Hi Miss Mills." Ally pipes up trying to save her friend.
"Good morning Ally. Henry, it's time for a change. I think it's time to transfer you to a new class with a new teacher." Regina says shocking both the kids.
"Why?" Ally sputters.
"Why do you want me out of Miss Blanchard's class, away from Ally? Is it because you framed Miss Blanchard?" Henry grinds out, his anger beginning to get the better of him.
"Henry! Do you really believe me capable of something that horrible?" Regina says a hurt look flashing across her face. There's something about the look though, that looks phony.
"Of course. You're the Evil Queen." Henry says simply. Ally decides to keep quiet and let the family play this out themselves.
"Enough those Fairy Tales aren't real. Miss Blanchard should have never given you that book. She should be grateful that I'm not trying to get her fired." Regina growls.
"Go ahead and try. It won't work. Snow White will have her happy ending. She and Prince Charming will be together. The curse will end. Good will win, and I'm not transferring classes." Henry says grabbing Ally's hand and pulling her away from his mother.
"Henry… are you okay?" Ally asks softly. Henry glances at her, and sees the worry in his best friend's eyes. Ally really has always been there for him.
"No. This needs to end. We're breaking the curse one way or another. That way we can both get back the mother's we deserve." Henry says firmly. Ally smiles at Henry and wraps her arms around him in a quick hug. She only hopes that it will be that easy.
Ally had thought that everything was going to be okay. She and Henry were going to help Emma break the curse and everything was going to get back to the way that it was supposed to be. She should have known better. Good things like that never happen to Ally. Her life is always going to stay the way it always has.
Her mom is going to go back to feeling trapped in this town, and that's going to start up the fighting with Granny. They will fight over her Ally knows it. She'll be stuck in the house with nowhere else to go, and no one to talk to. She won't even have Henry anymore.
Ally had woken up in the middle of the night to her walkie-talkie going off. Ally could tell that she wasn't meant to hear what was going on.
"Code Red. Code Red. Henry?" Emma's voice had crackled.
"Emma, what's wrong?" Henry's sleepy voice had replied.
"I need to talk to you." Emma had said.
"About Operation Cobra?" Henry had asked.
"No, about us. Meet me outside." Emma had said.
There was nothing more after that. Ally had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach though. She just knew that Henry was gone. That Emma had taken him. That meant that Ally was all alone again, and this time it wasn't going to change.
The fact that Henry hadn't even said goodbye hit her the hardest. So Ally had curled up into a ball in her bed and sobbed into her pillow, cursing the fact that the Evil Queen was winning in her own twisted way, ruining Ally's life. At least Henry would be happy… at least he had his mom.
Ally was miserable. That much anyone could see. Both Granny and Ruby were at a loss of what to do. The pair had decided to keep Ally home from school that day. It wouldn't do the girl any good, and they wanted to keep a close eye on her. Ally had her head on the counter of Granny's diner and was sadly staring out the door of the shop, hoping that Henry or even Emma would come walking through the door.
All she wanted was for her family to be happy, that seemed like such a small wish, but in the end it turned out to be insurmountable. Now the only good thing she had going in her life was gone. Henry was gone. Ally wasn't sure how she was going to go on without her. It seemed like no one had noticed that he was gone yet either.
As soon as Regina found out though, the whole town would know, and there would be hell to pay. Ally was sure of that. Ruby passed by her hurting child, and ran her hand through Ally's hair hoping to comfort her daughter.
Ally didn't even move, and Ruby sighs. This was worse than she thought. A few minutes later or it could have been hours for all that Ally knew, the door to the diner opened and a familiar figure stepped through. Ally thought that she was seeing an illusion, because there was no reason why Henry should be standing in the diner at this moment.
"Ally." Great now the illusion sounds like Henry as well.
"Ally?" Henry says again giving her a worried look.
"H-Henry?" Ally says timidly not sure if she should be indulging in this illusion.
"Why are you crying? Are you okay?" Henry asks concerned. He climbs onto the stool next to her, and puts his hand on hers. At the touch of his hand on hers Ally jolts up from the table.
"Henry!" Ally cries laughing forward and wrapping her best friend in an iron grip.
"A-Ally… c-can't breathe…" Henry gasps, and Ally lets go, giving him a watery smile.
"I-I thought that you were gone." Ally admits. Henry sighs and glances around at the grownups around them.
"Not here. Come on." Henry says. Ally gets out of the stool to follow him, and glances back at her mom worriedly. Ruby looks up from her customer to see Ally and Henry together holding hands. Relieved she nods her head, allowing the kids to leave. At least she won't be crying anymore hopefully.
Henry pulls Ally out of the diner and they start down the street. "Emma did take me. We almost made it out of Storybrooke but I may have crashed the car. She can't leave. We both can't leave. The people here need us, and I can't leave you. I made a promise." Henry says smiling at Ally.
Ally lets out a relieved smile as well. Henry would never leave her, even if his real mom wanted to take him away. That relieved her, but worried her as well. She wanted Henry to have what he always deserved.
"Where are we going?" Ally questions worriedly following behind Henry.
"To August. We need help to convince Emma to stay." Henry says, turning into the inn. Ally nods her head leads Henry into her inn/house and up the stairs to where the guest rooms are.
Once at the door Henry knocks.
"Hold on." August grunts out from the other side. When August answers the door, Henry pushes into the room and Ally follows in behind him.
"August, please. I need your help. Emma wants to leave." Henry says desperately.
"What? Slow down." August says trying to keep up with the frantic boy.
"Y-You were going to make her believe. You have to." Henry says.
"I know Henry. I'm sorry… I failed." August admits with a sigh of defeat.
"Failed?" Ally says not liking the sound of that.
"I tried to show her. At first it was my legs, and now… take a look, at the unvarnished truth." August says pulling back a sleeve of his shirt.
Where skin should be is wood. His arm is made out of wood.
"It's wood." Henry says.
"Yes." August sighs. Henry and Ally blink at each other confirming that they both saw the same thing.
"All of this… I was right— we were right. The curse… is real." Henry breathes. Ally almost can't believe the proof that she's seeing in front of her.
"You're both smart kids." August says with a pained smile.
"And you're Pinocchio." Ally says almost fascinated.
"What gave it away?" August says with a grimace.
"But, why are you turning back into wood? Your story… you should be real." Henry says confused.
"I'm changing back because… I haven't exactly been a good boy. And… well… if the curse doesn't break… this doesn't stop." August explains.
"So, we show Emma you're turning back into the puppet you were, and then, she has to believe." Henry says.
"And when she does, she can break the curse." Ally says excitedly.
"I tried that. She doesn't want to see so she doesn't. There's nothing more that I can do. I-I'm getting tired. It's hard to ride, and it's hard to walk. Soon, it's going to be hard to breathe." August grimaces. Ally winces in sympathy and reaches out to hold his wooden hand. August gives her a sad smile, and she returns it.
"So, we have to do something fast." Henry says resolvedly.
"There's nothing to do. And with what little time I have left, I want to spend with my father." August says sadly.
"Marco." Ally says just as sadly.
"Told you, you guys were smart." August says.
"So, everyone's given up." Henry says with a frown.
"I'm afraid that I don't have a choice. I'm sorry but I'm out of Operation Cobra kids. It's up to you two now." August says sadly seeing Henry and Ally to the door. Once in the hallways Ally and Henry share an anguished look. This isn't looking good for them.
Henry and Ally mope around the fort that they have near where their old castle used to be for a few hours.
"This is getting us no where. Since when have you ever given up on a fight?" Ally demands looking at her best friend determinedly.
Henry lifts his head up from his hands, and Ally can tell that he's been crying.
"What's the point anymore Ally. Emma's going to leave, and everything's going to go back to being as it was. We'll have done all of this for nothing." Henry says.
Ally shakes her head at her friend's pessimism.
"Come on Henry. You're Emma's son. She'll listen to you. After a while all mother's listen, sometimes they just need a— nudge." Ally says. Henry stares at his best friend for a second before nodding.
"Okay… yeah— you're right. We're not done yet. We still have a chance! Come on, let's go!" Henry cries. The two kids start running back to town.
"This year… I'm asking… for a bike… for Christmas…" Ally huffs getting tired of running everywhere.
"Agreed." Henry puffs.
A few minutes later the two kids show up on Mary Margaret's doorstep. Henry pounds on the door, hoping that they weren't too late.
Emma opens the door, and there's a weird look on her face. She holds the door open and lets the two kids in. She has since stopped worrying about the closeness of the two friends.
"Hey Emma, are you okay? You don't look so good." Henry says concerned.
"Oh, um… No, I'm okay. Just, um… Yesterday, when I tried to take you away, you were right. I can't take you out of Storybrooke. But I can't stay either." Emma struggles saying.
"What?" Henry says looking heartbroken. Ally can't quite believe what she's hearing either.
"I have to go." Emma says looking sick as she says so.
"Go? You mean leave Storybrooke?" Henry says shakily.
"Yeah. I spoke to Regina, and we made a deal. I'm still going to be able to see you, just not… Every day." Emma explains.
"No! No, you can't trust her!" Henry cries.
"I have to. It's my only choice. It's what's best for you, Henry. Every time I fight her, someone else gets hurt." Emma says beginning to sound desperate.
"No, no, no! You're just scared. This happens to all heroes. It's just the low moment before you fight back." Henry says.
"Henry! This isn't a story. This is reality. And things have to change. You can't skip school, you can't run away, and… You can't believe in curses." Emma says.
"Y-you really don't believe?" Henry says softly, and both kids feel their hearts plummet.
"I… This is how it has to be right now. I made a deal, and I used my superpower. She's telling the truth. She's going to take really good care of you." Emma says trying to make Henry feel better. Ally shakes her head at this.
"Yes, but she wants you dead." Ally finally breaks in. This is ridiculous. Emma sighs.
"Come on, guys!" She cries.
"You're the only one that can stop her. Not us!" Henry says.
"Stop her from what? All she's ever done is fight for you. It just… Got out of hand. I'm sorry." Emma apologizes. Henry tackles Emma in a hug, and Ally watches on sadly.
Suddenly Henry stiffens in Emma's grasp.
"Where did you get that?" Henry demands. Ally glances over at the counter and see a turnover in a container.
"Regina gave that to me." Emma says. Henry and Ally exchange a shocked look.
"Apple!" They both exclaim at the same time.
"So?" Emma questions.
"You can't eat that. It's poison." Ally explains almost rolling her eyes at the dumbness of that question.
"What?" Emma sputters.
"Don't you see? The deal… it was a trick to get you to eat that, to get rid of the savior!" Henry exclaims.
"Henry, come on. Why would she do that when I just told her I was going to go?" Emma asks exasperatedly.
"Because as long as you're alive you're a threat to the curse." Henry says.
"Henry, you've got to stop thinking like this." Emma cries.
"But it's true!" Ally argues. Emma rubs at her forehead.
"It is the truth, and you leaving isn't going to change that." Henry agrees with Ally.
Emma grabs the apple turnover.
"I'll prove it to you." She says raising the turnover to her.
"No!" Henry cries snatching it out of Emma's hand. Ally looks on worriedly. This is not going well at all.
"Henry… what are you doing?" Ally asks nervously. This wasn't a part of the plan.
"I'm sorry it had to come to this. You may not believe in the curse… Or in me. But I believe in you." Henry says, before taking a bite of the turnover. Ally pales, and watches her friend, as nothing happens for a second.
"See? You want to have some ice cream with that? And then we can go back to talking about…" Emma says but is cut off.
Henry collapses to the ground. Ally drops down to her knees next to him.
"Henry?" She asks worried.
"Henry… Henry! Henry!" Emma cries dropping to her knees on his other side when Henry doesn't respond.
Ally raises her tear stained face to Emma.
"Do you believe now?" She cries.
Ally feels like she is officially living in a living nightmare. She's following along behind Emma, Dr. Whale, and some nurses as they wheel Henry into the hospital. Emma hadn't been able to get Ally to go home earlier so now she was stuck with the girl as a tag along, a very loyal one at that.
They get him into a room, and Emma starts to freak out.
"Henry, can you hear me? Come on, Henry. Wake up, please. Come on, Henry. Come on. You can do it." Emma says smoothing down the hair on his head. Ally bites down on her lower trembling lip as she watches on. This wasn't how the plan was supposed to go. Ally can't protect Henry from this. Why did he have to do that?
Why couldn't he just let her protect him, and not do anything idiotic?
"Ma'am let me take you—" A nurse tries to pry Emma away but it doesn't work.
"No, I'm not going anywhere!" Emma cries.
"There's no pupil response. What happened? Did he fall? Hit his head?" Dr. Whale asks. Ally suddenly remembers the bag she's carrying.
"He ate this. It's poisoned." Ally says holding up the apple turnover in the baggie. Emma cuts a look to Ally with the rest of the adults.
"We think it's poisoned." Emma corrects.
"His airway's clear. Did he vomit? Any convulsions? Disorientation?" Dr. Whale questions.
"He took a bite of that, and then he just collapsed. So, run the test for arsenic, or bleach, or Drano, or whatever could've done this to him!" Emma growls.
"The boy is showing no symptoms that would suggest neurotoxins. So, whatever's going on, this is not the culprit." Dr. Whale disagrees.
"Well, what else could it be?" Emma hisses.
"I don't know. That's what I'm trying to find out." Dr. Whale shoots back. Ally can't believe that the adults aren't getting what's right in front of them. She's never met people this stubborn before. It's the poisoned apple in this turnover!
"He's going to be okay though, right?" Emma says sounding very scared.
"Right now, we just need to stabilize him, cause he's slipping away. Is there anything else that you can remember? Any little detail?" The doctor presses.
"I already told you everything! Do something!" Emma shouts. Ally takes a step closer to Henry, and freezes at how pale he's become. Some part of her deep down is revolting against the sight. Its strong and primal, and most important wounded. Ally can't stand seeing Henry in this position, and she doesn't understand the feeling deep inside— it's like she needs to slash— kill— get these people as far away from her injured friend as possible.
Ally clutches her stomach and backs a step away. Okay that is definitely not normal.
"Look, I understand you're frustrated, Miss Swan, I do. But I need something to treat. And, right now, there is no explanation. It's like…" Dr. Whale trails off.
Emma dumps out Henry's backpack on a table and the storybook falls to the table.
"Magic." Emma breathes. Ally shoots her eyes over to her. Could it be, could Emma actually believe? Emma looks like she's seeing something very far away, but Ally takes that as a good sign.
Suddenly a panicked Regina comes bursting into the room.
"Where's my son!" She cries. Emma snaps out of her trance, and glares at Regina.
"You did this!" She shouts. Ally takes a step away from the two women and closer to Henry.
Emma grabs Regina and drags her away to a storage room. It's silent for the first time. Ally turns back to look at Henry, and grimaces and it looks like he's sleeping. Something like a whine breaks from her chest, and Ally startles. This is definitely beginning to freak her out.
Dr. Whale looks at the two kids worriedly. "We'll do everything for him Ally." He says. Ally nods her head, but she's not so sure that she believes him.
This wasn't how this day was supposed to end.
Emma and Regina don't return to the room for a good hour or so, and when they do, there is a sort of solemn air about them. Ally jumps to her feet from the chair she's been sitting in.
"You believe don't you." She says before either of the adults can speak. Regina glares at Ally, but the girl focuses on Emma.
"Yes… I'm just sorry that it took this for it to happen." Emma says remorsefully. Ally glares at Henry's blond mother.
"Save him. Don't apologize." Ally growls, and she pushes past the two women, giving them a moment with their son. Ally doesn't know what's going on with her, but her protective instincts are acting up like crazy.
A few minutes later both women leave the room, and Ally goes back inside. She gets back in the chair and curls up by her best friend's bedside. If the roles were reversed Henry would do the same for her. Ally's sure of it.
A while later there's a knock on the door, and Ally's head shoots up to see Mary Margaret comes into the room. "Hey Ally. I was wondering if I could sit with you and Henry. Is that okay?" She asks softly. Ally nods her head, feeling like if she opens her mouth that she's going to sob.
Mary Margaret gives the girl a sad smile and pulls up another chair next to her at Henry's bedside, and grabs the book of fairy tales.
"I think we should read him his favorite story, shouldn't we?" She asks softly. Ally cracks a tiny smile, and nods turning her gaze back to Henry as their teacher starts reading the story of Snow White and Prince Charming.
"And, yes, she was beyond hope. Beyond saving. This was her end. When Prince Charming saw his beloved Snow White in her glass coffin, he knew all that was left was to say goodbye. He had to give her one last kiss. And when he did, true love proved more powerful than any curse. A pulse of pure love shuddered out and engulfed the land, waking up Snow White and bringing light to the darkness." Mary Margaret reads.
"Henry… When I gave you this book, it was because I knew… I know life doesn't always have a happy end. But I thought…" Mary Margaret chokes, her voice husky.
Suddenly the machines and monitors around Henry start beeping frantically and angrily. Ally and Miss Blanchard jump to their feet looking at Henry frantically.
"What's going on?" Ally shouts, panic beginning to flood through her.
"What is it? Dr. Whale?" Mary Margaret calls frantically.
Dr. Whale and some nurses run frantically into the room.
"Nurse! Get them out of here now!" Dr. Whale yells.
"What is it? What is it?" Ally cries.
"His heart is failing." Dr. Whale replies tersely. Ally's face pales, and her blood runs cold. No, no, this can't be happening! Not Henry! Henry!
She and Mary Margaret are shuffled out of the room and into the hallway.
Ally couldn't believe it. It couldn't be true. It had to be wrong. It just couldn't be possible. Henry couldn't be gone. That was wrong. Someone like Henry just couldn't be suddenly gone. Every fiber of Ally's body rejected that very idea. There was no way that Henry Mills was dead. Even if she was staring at his body in front of her. It probably wasn't right for the adults to just leave her in here alone with Henry, but they didn't seem to care anymore.
Ally could tell the exact moment that Emma and Regina came back in, by the heartbreaking sobs that sounded. Ally couldn't tear her eyes away from Henry though. Her best friend was dead. There was nothing in the world that could make that right, nothing in the world to make her not hate Regina with all her might.
That horrible twisted feeling in her stomach roars to life again. Its like all the molecules in Ally's body are vibrating, trying to break free. Henry wouldn't want that though. As much as he might hate Regina she's still his mother and that counts for a lot.
Now Rose is here as well, crying. She can't bear to go closer to him, unlike Emma. Rose has wrapped her arms around Ally, trying to keep both of them together, because now it's just the two of them not three. There's no more three amigos, or two little twerps annoying her.
"No… no…" Regina says in the doorway of the room shaking her head in disbelief.
Emma is right next to Henry smoothing down the hair on his head, and tears are running down her cheeks.
"I love you Henry." She says, and with that she leans down and kisses his forehead. Suddenly a pulse of magic rushes out from the pair and rushes out to the town. Ally and Rose stagger back a step at the power of it, and Rose tightens her grip on the younger girl.
Suddenly Henry gasps, and sits upright in his bed. Ally can't believe her eyes. Henry's alive! He's awake and alive, and everything's going to be fine!
"I love you too. You saved me." Henry says looking up at Emma with love in his eyes.
"You did it." Regina says sounding like she almost can't believe it. Slowly a crowd starts to gather in Henry's room. Ally has a suspicion about what just happened.
"Henry… what's going on?" Emma asks looking at the growing crowd.
"No…" Regina says looking around with wide worried eyes.
"The curse." Ally says suddenly. Henry glances at his best friend and sister, and his smile grows in size.
"I think you broke it." Henry says to Emma his smile the biggest its been in a long time.
"That was true love's kiss." Mother Superior says from her place in the room.
"No… no… no." Regina chants looking even worse.
"If I were you, Your Majesty, I'd find a place to hide." Mother Superior says again this time with a hard look in her eye. Rose glances worriedly at the woman who has been her mother for so long, but can't help but feel that she's gotten what's coming to her.
"Henry, Rose, … No matter what you think, no matter what anyone tells you, I do love you." Regina says her voice breaking. With that she turns and runs out of the room.
After a few minutes of silence Emma finally breaks it. Ally and Rose run over to Henry and tackle him with hugs.
"Henry, Ally… what's going on here? If the curse is broken why didn't they go back?" Emma asks the kids confused. Ally freezes. Huh, she hadn't thought about that.
"I-I don't know." Henry says beginning to look worried himself. A nurse drops a tray staring horrified out he window. Emma turns and pales herself.
"What's going on?" Rose asks worriedly.
"What is that?" Emma mutters. A huge dangerous billowing purple cloud is descending over Storybrooke.
"Something bad." Henry says.
"Mom! Granny!" Ally cries trying to get up to get to them, but Henry grabs Ally so she can't go anywhere. Nothing looks safe anymore in Storybrooke.
The End
(For now…)
