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Title: Relatives
Summary: They need to talk after this latest incident.
Notes: Post Keep Them On a Leash. So, I have no excuse. But we are finally moving the plot forward again! I know it won't seem like it too much, but trust me.
Instead of staying in their room, Emma had dragged Graham out as soon as she saw his face.
Henry was with Maggie in her room so he allowed it, even if the idea of being out of his comfort zone of their family was a little off-putting.
She led him to the trees and dragged him near the spot he'd brought her when she'd needed to release her magic after Neal's death. It was a small clearing, the tree canopy making the dusk seem darker.
He said nothing when he finally collapsed onto a fallen log, his head in his hands. He took a moment to draw in a deep breath, and then reached out for her. She came easily, and he wrapped his arms around her waist, burying his face against the swell of her stomach.
She wasn't stiff, but he could tell she was holding back. Even when her hand came up, tugging through his hair soothingly, there was a hesitancy.
He looked up, blinking when her face was blurred. "I'm sorry."
She sighed and shook her head.
He grimaced and rested his cheek against her stomach again. The baby moved against him and he closed his eyes briefly. "I'm sorry," he repeated, lowly, to their little one as well.
She placed her hand on his cheek until he moved back. She sat next to him instead and gripped his hand. "I love you."
He kissed her forehead then rested his own against hers. "I love you."
She took their hands together, rings clinking as she twisted their fingers. She swallowed. "I know she was seeking you out. But I can't explain how much I want to snap her neck whenever I hear she's close to you."
"I know," he replied quietly. Her voice was shaky, and he could hear the rage behind it.
She gave a pointed look. "Especially when I hear that you put yourself in harm's way again."
He shook his head. "Maggie pulled a gun. I would have been happy to let her use it if I didn't know that it would be meaningless."
She looked away. "Mags failed to mention that part," she murmured. "And you're right: Regina could have hurt her, killed her with her magic. But, Graham, you have no better defenses."
He pressed his lips to the corner of her mouth, getting her full attention from the images he could practically feel vibrating in her mind's eye. "I at least know the risks. Maggie thought she had the upper hand. At least I knew I didn't."
She shook her head. "And I told you. I can't—" her breath hitched and she looked down, two tears falling down her cheeks in a slow trickle. "I can't lose you."
He hugged her to him, wrapping her close. Bile rose in his throat at the thought. "I'm not running towards the danger. I promise. But I will keep you all safe. I have to."
She grabbed his hand and pressed it over her belly button. "We need you safe, too," she reminded.
He cupped her stomach and nodded. His heart tugged. "I watched Henry growing up from afar. I promise I want to see this one grow up right up close." Not just for the newbie, but for Henry and Emma, too. He wants to see their family flourish.
She offered a sad smile. "You'd better," she said gruffly, the threat of more tears behind her tone.
He closed his eyes and thought through what had happened. "Regina only threatened. She didn't touch me, physically or magically," he reassured.
She shuddered and leaned in to kiss him gently.
He rubbed her shoulders soothingly as they broke apart, wishing they could just forget and leave. His head throbbed, the threat of a migraine once more. "She said that the Wicked Witch—it's her sister. And Zelena wants to hurt anyone Regina 'cares' about, for lack of better motivation." He shook his head, remembering Regina's words. Anything I own. Rage piqued again. "Henry'll be a target."
She shivered and buried herself into him. "We need to get back, then." She made no move to get up, though her eyes turned to the old home peeking through the trees.
He nodded. "I think he'll be okay with Maggie. At least up in her room, with Granny and Red downstairs."
She nodded and pulled back to swipe at her cheeks.
He leaned in. "Maggie, though … she'll be yet another target since she's in the way. I– having her here is great, really, but it makes me worry for her."
She sighed. "I know. It makes me worry, too," she admitted. "She loves us all so much, and she's … well, Maggie. She won't stand idly by, especially when she doesn't understand the real danger."
"Exactly," he said, feeling relief that she understood. Maggie was family, and he couldn't leave her ill-prepared. The only reason he'd agreed to leaving them alone now was that the Bed and Breakfast was still in plain view, and there was at least a werewolf and an armed and protective Grandmother to keep watch. "I might have told her the scar from when I was a kid was from Regina," he said.
She found the two worst sites even without looking, her hand covering his side and the other cupping at his neck. He pressed the hand on his stomach, answering her unspoken question. She focused on the area, thumb rubbing lightly. "At least it'll get across what she's like," she murmured. "Though I'm worried these half-truths we've been giving her won't hold up after a while."
He hesitated, and held her closer. "I might have also started to tell her about the other thing," he said, his tongue feeling heavy. "The one she really did."
She looked up at him and let out a stuttered breath. She turned a pale sort of green, and swallowed thickly. Her skin started to flicker slightly. After a long beat, she said, "she'll be fiercer, then."
He carefully turned her, directing her hands over the ground. A small shower of magic specks fell from her fingertips, glowing faintly before extinguishing. He nodded once, glad she was letting it out. "I didn't even mean to," he continued. "It just … I was trying to list her crimes in a real-world perspective and it just—it just came out."
"It's not a small thing, Graham," she said, and pressed a hand to his jaw. Her expression was stricken, tears swimming in her eyes.
Her skin was still sparking, and he moved his hands over her arms to soothe her. His hair began to stand on end, like static electricity. Strangely, he wasn't put off by the feeling. Ever since she'd healed him, there was something calming to the feel of her magic. At least when he knew it was coming and had time to deal with it like this, on his own terms. It was also a nice distraction from thinking beyond the words he'd told Maggie, from thinking about the years of Regina's commands. "Being here just brings up all the past again," he admitted, feeling the claw of it despite his attempts.
"I should learn how to use this," she said softly. "So I can protect Henry. The baby. You."
He swallowed thickly. "Please don't try on my account. If you can use it safely, fine. But I won't have you putting yourself or him on the line for me," he demanded gruffly.
She bit down on her lip, shook her head in denial. He relaxed, but she tensed further then pivoted out of his embrace to let a flare of electricity out of her veins into the ground, lighting the forest in a pale golden glow. The details came to light, and he suddenly found himself struck. He knew exactly where they were.
"I think I buried someone out here," he said suddenly and rose. Something familiar about this part of the woods, a flash of vision behind his eyes.
"Huh?"
He glanced side to side, fist clenching as he tried to remember one of the early days of the curse. "She snapped his neck. I thought she'd have me do it; she made me do everything else. But there was a man whose child got away from her grasp, so she snapped his neck and made me bury the body."
She shook her head and buried her face in her hands. She breathed heavily a few beats, trying to get under control. She darted out and grasped his hand, tugging him closer. "When?"
He studied the trees, trying to recall. "Maybe a week or so into the curse. Very early on. They weren't from the Enchanted Forest. I think it was a mistake that they were able to find this place." He shook his head. "Unlucky for them."
"And the kid?" she asked. Her eyes were red-rimmed and hard.
He shrugged helplessly and turned to her. "I never saw him again. He made it to the outside, past the town line, and disappeared after that. His name … I think it was Owen. The father was Kurt. Maybe we can look him up."
She nodded and rose to cross over to him before burying her face into his shoulder. "I am so sorry you have to relive these things," she said thickly.
His lashes flicked across his cheeks and he shook his head. "It's better than it used to be," he said.
She brushed her lips against his bicep, an apology nonetheless. "Why?" she asked. It was obvious she was not referring to his state.
He closed his eyes. He remembered greeting them, remembered the boy's inquisitive look and the man's sincere smile at his son. "She wanted the boy. To what end … I don't know. But she was furious that he escaped, that he rejected her."
She shook her head. "She doesn't do well with rejection," she murmured, and pressed a hand over his heart. He shuddered, the reminder firm in his mind. If you ever disobey me, if you ever try to run away …. She placed a kiss on his chest, and he was brought back. "Not good for Henry, then."
"Exactly," he said, and wrapped an arm around her. He kissed the crown of her head, idly wishing he could pull her closer to his body as the baby inhibited that. He placed his hand on her stomach again, rubbing absently. "I got the danger Regina poses over Henry across to Maggie, at least. She'll keep him safe, too."
"As will David and Mary Margaret. And Killian. Red, Granny. And Belle, to an extent," she said. She blinked a few times. "I suppose there is a good group here that will help, huh?"
"No one threatens quite like Regina, though," he mused.
She nodded and rocked her forehead against him. "Zelena … she's got enough self-preservation to hide away after she strikes. It makes it harder to defeat her and leave in a timely manner," she said thoughtfully, a hint of bitterness to it.
He pressed harder against her stomach. "It must have something to do with the twins. And your brother. Why else pose as a midwife?"
"Not twins," she said through a strained air of playfulness. She remained in his arms, thoughtful. "Mary Margaret and I looked through a bunch of books on spells including newborns. Mary … she thinks it has something to do with children of … well, the thing we are."
He warmed slightly at the thought, and then he had a wash of cold. "You are as magical as you are because of that. Our baby …," he trailed off. They had talked about this new person often; what he'd look like, what traits he'd get, what they wished for. They never discussed the idea that this child of True Love, just like her, would have that boost of power. The truth of it had never really struck them, or perhaps they both ignored it. He knew that the baby made her powers grow, but only quietly considered that it was because of his potential for his own magic once he was born.
Now he couldn't help but acknowledge that even the potential for magic in either child was something these villains would strike at. He pictured Ashley a moment, and shuddered at the reminder that villains would trade for these little ones readily. Zelena, Regina, any number of being they didn't know about yet … they wouldn't be as subtle about it.
The part of him that was the man he was before reacted violently to the idea. It was everything he had grown learning of humans, their disregard for life if it brought them what they wanted. Defenses reared up within him, snarling from that place in his soul.
He pulled her into him and breathed deeply, tempering to the smell of her.
She nodded into his shoulder. "Mary Margaret … she's due almost any time. My brother," she winced at the term and then forged ahead. "He's the one in the most danger right now."
"Agreed," he said, and moved his hand soothingly. His little son moved with him, following him. He felt a spring of tears behind his eyes, how much he loved him already. "But we can't be caught unprepared, just in case."
Her eyes snapped open and looked beyond him. "Like now?"
He turned, whiplashing toward the direction she was looking and immediately pulling her behind him in the same action. His heart thundered even when he saw the flash of white and grey, the slow movement behind a bush. He chuckled in disbelief, realizing why he hadn't picked up on another presence. "I think this 'unprepared' is more welcome," he said as the wolf came into view.
His brother moved around the green, red eye piercing through the darkness. He was silent as he cocked his head, examining the couple.
"In laws," Emma muttered.
He smirked and crouched down, ducking his head slightly in deference. "'Bout time you had to deal with any," he joked lightly. He smiled, awe collecting within him. He had missed this family. He was truly a reprieve from the dark worries, another protection against the evils of this town.
The wolf padded forward, but stopped a few feet shy of approaching. He continued to appraise them, silent but not tense.
Emma moved to press a hand between his shoulder blades. "I remember him from that night," she said, voice strained.
"He tried to help," he said and held out a hand.
His brother snorted and ducked his own head before bridging the distance. He pushed into his hand once then turned to Emma, whining slightly as he flattened to the ground in front of her, eyes trained up on her.
He blinked in surprise. He had never been this submissive, even with him. "I think he recognizes the baby," he said, and laughed in disbelief. "He knows you're pregnant."
She smiled and crouched beside him, hand out cautiously. "Good to meet you, too," she whispered.
The wolf suddenly hopped to his feet and spun around, growling to the distance as he backed up into Emma. She let out a noise of surprise as he pressed into her.
"Speaking of protection," he murmured and grabbed for the gun at his hip.
A flash of blonde drifted through the trees, and the ice cream shop owner finally turned into the clearing. She startled in surprise to see them, but did not tense at the sight of the wolf. She only smiled gently. "Oh, I am sorry to bother you. I didn't realize anyone would be out here."
The wolf's jowls peeled back, snapping towards the woman.
"Ingrid, right?" Emma said, and reached out an uncertain hand towards his brother.
He whistled low through his teeth, and the wolf steadied back into a low growl of disapproval. There was something about the woman that made him uneasy, but the reminder of how she could get Zelena to back down those days ago was fresh in his mind. "You startled us," he finally said.
Ingrid smiled thinly, chin raised as she glanced at the animal without a trace of fear. "Indeed. I can understand that. I was just out for a walk."
The light in the woods was strange at dusk, he decided, because he could have sworn her hands were blue just a second before. He shook his head.
"You probably shouldn't be out here like this. You know about the threat, right?" Emma asked, and then very delicately placed a hand on the wolf's head. His brother licked his teeth and settled, ears dropping back and tongue lolling out as he stared up at her.
"Magnificent animal," she said, ignoring Emma's question. "You are lucky to have his trust."
Graham stiffened. He wasn't sure if it was just because any stranger would set him on edge right now. "He does well defending his family," he said, barely concealing an idle threat.
Ingrid raised smiling eyes to him. "I am sure that's true," she smoothed her hands over the hips of her trousers. She looked too immaculate for a walk in the woods. "I should let you be on your way?"
Emma turned her eyes to him, brow furrowed in confusion. She gave a short, barely perceptible shake of her head, a refusal to push things. "Yes, we should head back," she said simply.
Henry. She's right. Even if this woman was sketchy, the priority would be getting back to their son. The wolf trotted alongside Emma as she started walking, his good eye trained on the woman. Ingrid made no move toward them, and the wolf seemed to grudgingly accept that she wasn't an immediate threat.
"It was good to see you again, Emma," Ingrid said, and there was a fair bit of warmth in her voice. "I hope there will be no further trouble for you."
Graham's head shot up, meeting the icy blue of her gaze. He squeezed Emma's hand in his, and shifted to cover her.
Ingrid only smiled before turning her back on them. "There will be a free cone next time I see you," she promised with a look over her shoulder. "I would be glad to see your family around again."
The wolf waited until she was gone and then turned dark eyes on them. His head bowed and he scampered away as lightly as he had come.
He turned back to Emma, confusion and unease still filtering within him. Her brow was furrowed, but she seemed more puzzled. "She's familiar," she murmured, then shook herself. She looked back up at him. "Let's go to Henry, okay? We can figure out the motives of all these shady characters later."
He nodded his agreement and leaned to press his forehead against hers. "Sounds like a plan."
He couldn't shake the nagging feeling that he had missed something nonetheless.