Chapter 3

I am Emma Swan

Summer finally arrived and Henry and his mom are packing their things for another summer in Maine, his favorite place in the entire world, Storybrooke. His mom had been bringing him every summer since he could remember. As soon as school let out, they packed up and traveled the coast and made their way to the little island to their summer home.

It was so quiet and peaceful, and Henry loved it even though his friends would rather stay in the city because there was so much more to do there. A small island in Maine seemed boring to them but not to Henry and his mom, Regina Mills, a successful writer who enjoyed the quiet life as well to concentrate on her writing. She had written five top selling novels in the last eight years and found she did her best work when she was in Storybrooke.

So, the end of June found the Mills' family driving to their summer home with smiles on their faces. Henry was excited to see his friends and catch up with everything since they left last August. Some of the kids thought he was strange because he had more adult friends than he had of kids his own age, but Henry got along better with adults and didn't care what the kids thought.


The two arrived in Maine early afternoon and found their way to the small causeway to take them to their home for the next two months. Usually, Regina would call ahead to let their dear friend Archie Hopper know when they would be arriving, and he would have their home aired out and ready for them, but he emailed her several weeks before to let her know he was out of town on business and would not be back for some time. His lack of explanation made Regina a tad bit curious, but she knew that Archie was a little eccentric and figured he was fine and looked forward to seeing him upon his return.

Once they unpacked the car, Regina and Henry made their way to the little town to buy food and supplies they would need to make dinner. The corner market always had the freshest fruits and vegetables, and the local butcher knew how to cut a nice steak.

"Mom! Mom! Look!" Henry yelled from across the street as Regina put the groceries into the trunk of her car.

She shook her head and then closed the trunk and walked over to her over-excited son, "Henry, there is no need to yell like that. We're not in Boston now, Mister."

"Sorry, I just saw this cool kit and I wanted you to see it."

"A kit?

"It's a science kit, Mom." He told her.

"A science kit?" Regina questioned giving him a look.

"Well, it's Spy Science Kit for detectives like me!"

"Is that so? A detective, hmm?"

"Yeah, like the characters in your books! That's what I want to be when I'm older."

"A writer? Oh Henry, you've made me the happiest…" She pulled him into a hug and squished him.

"MOOOM!" He practically whined as he squirmed out of her arms, "I want to be a detective and catch bad guys!"

"Oh, I see well then I guess we'll have to get you this spy science kit so you can be the best detective ever."

"I knew you would see it my way and I know the best person to help spy with me! This is gonna be epic! Thanks Mom!"

Regina comically rolled her eyes at her son. "You're very welcome, Henry. Now let's get this kit and get back home so I can make dinner."

"Can we have a BBQ?"

"I guess we can, what would you like, Chicken, Burgers…?"

"Hot dogs and burgers please!" He said as they went into the shop.

The duo made their way back to their home and Henry ran up to his room with his Spy kit while Regina began putting the groceries away. Once the kitchen was back in order, Regina went out back to check the BBQ and the propane. After a little cleaning she went back into the kitchen to make her famous wicked Mills burgers as Henry called them. She peeled some potatoes to make a potato salad and then tossed a garden salad to go along with the hot dogs and burgers.

Just as Regina was about to start the BBQ, Henry ran out to the patio with a troubled look.

"What's wrong Henry? Did you call your sidekick?"

"Yeah, but no one answered the phone which seems a little weird. I haven't heard from her in a long time. She never replied to my text when I told her we were coming."

"Well, didn't you say she didn't really have use for a cell phone and texting? And we did just arrive, she could be busy or off the island even, you're partner in crime will get in touch, I'm sure. Don't fret."

Henry rolled his eyes at his mother then went to steal a slice of cheese from the plate.

"If you eat that now you won't have any to put on your burger."

"Yeah, yeah. When will they be done, I'm staaaaarving?"

Regina turned back to her son with a quirked eyebrow.

"Um right, ehh what can I do to help Mom?"

"That's better." She told him.

After they finished eating Henry was loading the dishwasher when Regina's phone rang which she took to the other room. It was probably her publisher; he was always calling and complaining she wasn't writing fast enough. Henry finished with the dishes and went up to his room to set his kit up so it would be ready for investigating this summer. He couldn't wait until Archie got home too; he works with private detectives so he might know a few tricks to catch bad guys.

Now if only his best friend in the whole world would contact him, he could show her the crime kit and they could go snooping. If he didn't hear from her soon, he would just have to go to her place and see what was going on.


Emma sat in the rocking chair; eyes glazed over staring out at the sea from her bedroom window. Visions of a short angry man and a grungy bar evade her mind, but they seem like a dream. Her memory is fading, she knows Judith isn't her name but maybe it's her middle name and her family call her by that instead. She shook her head; she didn't have a family at least she didn't think so.

They keep serving her tea and she knew she didn't like it, but she drinks it because they said it's her favourite. Maybe it is, but wait no she likes coffee. What happens when you have a nervous breakdown? How can something like that make you forget who you are or what food and drinks you like? It doesn't make sense. She feels like she's two people living in one body.

"Good afternoon Mrs. Cassidy," Mary Margaret greeted her charge with a tray of refreshments. "I'm so glad that you're up and out of bed, it mustn't be comfy laying all day. Speaking of, now that you're up and at 'em, I'll change your sheets and fluff those pillows up for you. I love a freshly made bed, don't you?"

Mary Margaret placed the tray on a table nearby and poured a cup of tea and placed a few finger sandwiches on a plate and took them over to Emma. "Here you go Mrs. Cassidy, eat up. The doctor said last evening that you weren't eating enough but I'm going to make sure that you do and bring you more snacks throughout the day. I made cherry cheese and asparagus sandwiches Eugenia said they were your favourite."

Emma looked down at the plate, what the hell are cherry cheese sandwiches, and she was almost sure she didn't like asparagus anything, but Mary Margaret stood there with the plate held out for her to take with her sickening sweet face and her sickening sweet smile. All Emma wanted to do was to smack the woman, but she knew that wasn't her and if her mother-in-law said these were her favourites, they must be right? No…but maybe they are, she's no longer sure.

Emma took the plate and placed it on the stand next to her. She picked up one of the sandwiches and slowly started to eat one.

She grimaced and placed it back on the plate. "I don't think I can eat this Mary Margaret. Could I have something else?"

"Of course, Mrs. Cassidy what would you like?"

"Um, I think, uhh I think I would like a cheese sandwich, I mean a grilled cheese, yes I think those are my actual favourite."

"Are you sure, Mrs. Cassidy?"

"Yes, please I would like a grilled cheese sandwich and coffee, please Mary Margaret those are my favourites, I'm almost sure." Emma replied to the maid trying to convince them both.

Stormy dark eyes watched the two women from the room next door, closing the viewing window; Neal growled and stormed out of the room.