A/N: Heya! This week has been a bit crazy for me! Like, today (Friday) I don't have XC practice because its so damn hot! It's almost 100 Fahrenheit here.

This chapter is from a new POV, and I hope you all like it! I can't remember how old Henry's supposed to be, but I made him around 13. Also, I know almost nothing about comics, so I just made up stuff.

Here we go!!!

Henry's POV

Everyone said he was a good kid. A respectful young man with a bright mind. They are right, of course. But for some reason, they all seemed to believe this made him obedient, not crafty. Someone who would do exactly what his guardians wanted. They are wrong about that, of course.

With that in mind, he started an operation: Fox. It would take a lot of management, but he knew he could do it.

Stage One: Get the target alone.

He started with grandma (for she was the easiest to trick). He 'borrowed' her phone and sent out a text, then He slipped it into his pocket. They chatted for a few minutes, and He told her that Mom needed her to get some ingredients. Grandma believed him, and she went on her way.

Like stealing candy from a baby

After that, He had to convince Grandpa: he was less naive than Snow, but he also trusted Henry. Grandpa's phone had been left on a nearby surface, and was easy to snatch. He was sent to the opposite side of town.

Last, but never least, was His mother, Regina. A Queen who had much practice seeing through deception, but whose weakness is that she gets a bit spacey when focused on work (He would have to help her get out soon, as well). The texts he had sent from Grandma's and Grandpa's phones were easily believed. Thus Mom was off to another corner of StoryBrooke.

Operation Fox was now in Stage Two: Extraction.

Henry walked outside to the front yard, and stood right beneath Emma's window. Making sure that no one else was around, he started stage two.

"Ma! Ma! Help me!" He cried out, then gave a yell of pain. He only had to continue like that for a minute, before Emma came rushing out the front door, worry etched all over her face. Her momentum carried her over to him, and once there she started looking him over frantically, "Where are you hurt, Henry?"

He let that go on for a few seconds, happy with the attention, then tried to stop her. "I'm okay mom, there's nothing wrong."

Emma pulled back confused, and seemingly even more worried, "That wasn't you yelling?" Her voice cracked. Henry had to pull back, because her grip became too tight, "It was me… It's just that I wanted to get you outside. I'm not hurt."

Her eyes narrowed, realization filling them, "You were trying to trick me."

Henry, shuffled, uncomfortable, "I just wanted to get you outside, so we could hang out. We haven't been out together in a while," Then, for extra measure, "I miss you."

Emma stood up fully, staring down at him, "Oh, Henry…" She pulled him into a hug, "I'm sorry. This situation has been hard on everyone. You deserve to just be a kid and have fun, not having to worry about your mother."

Henry hugged back, "Ma, would you please hang out with me, just for today."

Emma didn't move, "Henry… I don't— I don't want to hurt anyone, you most of all."

Indignation filled Henry, and it made him pull back to look his mother in the eyes, "You're not gonna hurt anyone Ma!" He spoke forcefully, "You're too good! Plus, you could never hurt me, you love me!" He only briefly thought of the incident a few days ago, but quickly pushed it out of his mind.

Emma's head jerked slightly at his last words, and she glanced to the side for a long moment. She took in a shuddering breath, then turned back to hold his gaze, "You're right Henry. I do love you. A lot." She stood up and grabbed his hand, "Where'd you like to go first?"

Henry smiled and squeezed her hand, "How does ice cream sound?"

Emma smiled back at him, "It sounds perfect."

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Getting ice cream was a pleasant and uneventful experience. Henry got two scoops of chocolate, while Ma got the coffee flavor (yuck). They talked while walking around, mostly about Henry's school, but also about some story ideas he wanted to write eventually. Ma spaced out once in a while, but not for too long. Once they were finished eating, Henry wanted to go check out the comic store. He was so completely focused on talking with Ma during their walk, that he almost ran into a pole, which they both laughed at.

Once they got there, it was like letting a child lose in a candy store. Henry rushed around, gazing longingly at every volume, and picking up newly released volumes with an excited look on his face. Ma followed behind him, constantly glancing around the store.

"Ma! Look at this one!" Henry turned around and showed her a comic book, "This one is a pretty rare copy! The Avengers fight the X-Men!" He was practically vibrating with excitement at the discovery. It wasn't everyday that you found something rare! He waited patiently for Emma to turn and look at him. She was staring intently down at a nearby shelf of comics, almost angrily, utterly oblivious to him. Henry quickly stopped smiling, and looked down. She was ignoring him. It seemed to be happening all too often the past few days. Taking in a deep breath, he tried again, tugging her shirt this time.

"Ma, look." He told her. Finally Emma turned and looked, "What's this?" She asked, albeit distractedly. Henry just sighed and told her the same as before.

"That's cool!" She agreed, "Do you want it? How much does it cost?" Henry smiled once more and looked at the back of the comic, already dreaming of having it in his collection. 'Oh, no…'

"Almost 70." He muttered sullenly, dragging his foot across the floor. Of course it had to be expensive. Just great. Once he finally looked up, he caught Emma looking contemplatively at him. Gently, she coaxed the comic from his hand, "Well, it's not like we get out every day like this. Just make sure to clean your room extra well this week. Okay, kid?"

Henry bounced forward, wrapping her in a hug, "Thanks, Ma!" She was stiff as she chuckled and patted his back. "Of course, Henry." She pulled away all too quickly.

They walked up to the counter, and bought the book. He quickly grabbed the comic after, barely catching sight of the cashier. This day had turned out quite well. He pulled Emma away from her staring contest with the wall (he wasn't sure why his Ma had to be so weird sometimes), and made quick work of pulling her down the street. The air was filled with his hyper chatter. Henry was just getting into the implications of Wolverine beating Captain America when a voice he knew all too well sounded out.

"Henry!" Mom yelled, grabbing his arm and pulling him into a hug. Grandma and Grandpa came to a stop next to them, looking uncomfortable.

Operation Fox has been found out.

"Emma! What the hell were you thinking? Going off alone? With Henry of all people!" Regina turned on the blonde, panic filling her voice. Ma's eyes widened, and she stepped back, "I… I—" Henry interrupted her, "Mom! It's not her fault! I'm the one who convinced her to leave."

Regina spared him a glance, "You are a child, she is an adult. But trust me, we will be having a conversation."

Snow stepped forward, stuck between trying to comfort her child and reprimand, "Emma, what were you thinking? What if something had happened?" Her voice was soft, but Henry knew that even while soft a mother's voice can be just as forceful. He watched silently, guilt choking him up, as Ma's face darkened. It was so different from how he'd always seen her.

With her white-white hair and too pale skin, the look on her face was downright otherworldly. When she spoke, it sent shivers up his spine, "You think that I would ever hurt Henry?" She stepped forward. His Mom must have also been feeling the same as him, because he was quickly pulled behind her. Grandpa stepped forward as well, "Emma, it's not that we believe you'll hurt him. It's that you are under the influence of a powerful curse. We don't want anything bad to happen."

Ma growled fiercely, and gestured at Henry. "He's my son! You can't take him from me!"

Confused, Henry could feel the air grow thick with tension. No one had said anything about taking him, right? Or was there some subtext to this conversation he had missed out on? The urge to rush over and hug his Ma was growing with every heartbeat, but Mom's arm over his chest stopped him.

Mom reached out a hand placatingly, "Emma, please, just take a moment to calm down. No one's trying to take Henry away from you."

It was quiet for a few seconds. Henry watched as Ma did not, in fact, calm down but become more panicked. Out of the corner of his eye, Henry noticed a small crowd of people growing. None of them looked calm either. They all watched with nervous fascination, like they were about to watch fire consume an empty building.

Ma's voice brought him back to the current conversation. It was so small, almost getting lost in the wind, "So, all I have to do is mess up once? That's all it takes?"

The adults surrounding him shuffled, glancing between Ma and themselves, obviously unsure what she truly meant with her words. Henry felt his heart ache. Ma was hurting, and once again he could do nothing but watch. It was like the few hours they'd shared together hadn't happened.

It startled all of them when Ma took off. She raced down the street and was out of sight before any of his family could take action.

"Ma! Wait!" He called out, taking a few steps before he was stopped.

Mom looked at him with watery eyes, and her face was pinched slightly. He remembered that look well from when they were always fighting.

"Mom?" He asked, voice coming out too shaky for his liking.

She bent so they were face to face, "Henry, please go back home. Let me handle this. I promise, Emma's going to be fine."

He really didn't want to say 'yes'. Ma was hurting, and he needed to help, in any way he could.

"Henry. You need to go home now." Mom said again, sternly.

He looked down at the comic book in his hands. Tears jumped into his eyes. Why couldn't Operation Fox have gone as planned?

"I just want to help…" He whispered to Mom, who's face softened at his words.

She hugged him, "I know you do. You've been helping a lot. Just please, let me handle this."

He nodded slowly this time. It wasn't easy. 'But maybe…' He thought, 'Maybe I can make something at home to cheer Ma and Mom up again.'

Mom stood up and gave him a gentle push in the right direction, "I'll be back home soon. I promise."

He let his feet carry him home, thinking of things he could make that his moms would like.