"THE CLOCK TOWER! ITS TICKING!"
My moms screech made me jerk out of my sleep. A groan slipped its way past my lips as I pressed my face into the pillow harder. "You're a little late mom, it started ticking last night and plus it's too early for this." My words get muffled by the pillow. "Henry called." My mom says nonchalantly but her words make me jolt into a siting position the pillow falling off my head and onto the floor. My mom stood at the end of her bed tapping her fingers away at her mug.
"He wanted to make sure you were still stopping by his house before school." My mom says a sneaky smile flushing her lips. I throw back the covers and hop out of bed. "Okay thanks mom." I say brightly while pacing into my closet. I start pulling my school uniform on as I hear my mom sigh dramatically. "Well I guess your too cool to stay in and have some hot chocolate with your mother." I instinctively roll my eyes as I start to adjust and fiddle with my tie and trip over my own feet walking out of my closet. "No it's not that mom really it's just me and Henry want to learn some more about his mom." I say simply running a brush through my honey blonde curls. The curls kept falling in my face so I finally just pushed half of my hair up in a pony tail and left half of it down.
When I turned around my mom was giving me a pointed look and I exhaled, I really did not know what to say to not reveal all the fairytale mumbo jumbo Henry was talking about.
I shoved on my combat boots and walked forward pecking my moms cheek and swinging my book bag over my shoulder. Then I got out of there as fast as possible.
The trip to Henry's didn't take that long and I enjoyed the good mornings the people of Storybrooke sent my way and the small ticking of the unfrozen clock that always was at the back of my mind. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw Henry waiting for me outside of his gate, good then I didn't have to face Aunt Regina. My stomach dropped however when I looked past Henry and saw her briskly picking apples from that tree of hers in the front yard.
"Your mom's picking apples again." I whisper shakily and feel Henry's hands guide me down the path instead of looking at Regina's stiff figure.
"You know how I hate it when she picks apples!"
He gives me a nod of understanding. "I'm less worried about the apples more worried about who she's planning on giving them too." Henry responds and then nods in the direction of granny's. I bite my lip looking over in that direction to see the back of Emma's head as she walks into Granny's. I don't even have time to reply before I'm chasing after Henry and entering the warm smell of Granny's diner. Ruby bustled past us but Henry caught her by the arm. "Hey Ruby give that girl over there a hot chocolate, just how I like it." Ruby winks at him, "Alright little man." Before floating away her hips swaying. I exhale raising my eyebrows at Henry. "Henry what are you-" I started but he cut me off.
"You told your mom you were meeting me to find more info on Emma right?" He rocks on his heels looking on edge. "Well yeah." I shrug but let out a small gasp when suddenly he grabs my hand lacing our fingers.
"And that's what we're doing c'mon." He says exasperatedly pulling me toward a booth.
I drag my heels hoping it would annoy him but he proves impassive and just yanks me down in the booth beside him. I stumble at the last moment and almost roll off the booth and onto the floor but Henry catches me at the waist pulling me up right. A blush creeps up my cheeks as I scoot away from him and set my eyes in front of us, trying to avoid his gaze.
"I think Gram's flirting with your mom." I whisper narrowing my eyes.
Henry tenses up beside me as his head jerks up. "I sent the hot chocolate!" He announces jumping to his feet and sending me reeling back. He could have at least given me the opportunity to stand up. He gives me an apologetic look as he finishes stumbling out of the booth hitting my knees as he went. He inclines his hand toward me and I place my hand in his as he tugs me up and I place my feet firmly on the ground. "You two are like the creepy kids that are everywhere in that one scary movie." Emma comments drifting toward us.
I roll my eyes, could she be a bit more specific? "In that one scary movie." I say my voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Don't you two have school?" She asks giving us an incredulous look. "Yeah we're eleven, and thirteen of course we go to school." Henry replies as if it were obvious. He lets my hand drop back by my side as he walks past Emma, wanting her to follow. "Walk us."
Emma doesn't even get a chance to respond and I sent her a shy smile before trudging after Henry, her on my heels. The cold air hit us as I regained my place on Henrys side and Emma met his pace at his other side.
"So what's the deal with you and your mom?" I watch closely as she bounces an apple between her hands and my thoughts wander to where she got it from...
"It's not about my mom, It's about her curse and I'm already working on a plan to stop it." My eyes zoom back on henry as I refocus on the conversation. "Step one. Identification, I call it operation cobra." He says brightly but once the words are out of his mouth I double over laughing.
"Operation Cobra? But that has nothing to do with fairytales!" Emma points out throwing him a weird look. I regain my composure but still grin, "Yeah why can't it be operation owl?" Emma nods with approval in my direction and Henry sighs. "You guys don't get it do you?"
I snort, "Clearly."
He comes to a stop as I look wearily at the clock tower, we were gonna be late and my mom was gonna kill me. An anxious feeling starts to creep over me. "By calling it that were throwing the evil queen off our trail. It's something she wouldn't suspect." I nod slowly, that did make sense. "So let me get this straight you're saying everybody in this town is a fairytale character including me and Blair." Emma states slowly motioning between me and her. "Yes." Henry replies simply and I smirk. "Why don't they remember anything?" Emma asks with a frown and I chew on my lower lip wondering this as well.
"The queens curse put them in a haze and froze time. Time just began again when you and Blair drove into the town together."
My chest tightened when Henry said that and I cast Emma a nervous look. "So these people in this town have been walking around for years not knowing you they really are, in a haze not aging..." Emma infers bringing the apple to her lips. "Knew you'd catch on." Henry says cheekily.
"Where did you get that apple?" I blurt out and cringe when I see she's about to bite it. She pulls it hastily from her lips, "Henrys mom." Desperation tugs at my heart and I snatch the apple out of hands. "Don't eat that!" I exclaim tossing it behind me. Emma looks at me like I'm crazy and I just shrug while Henry continues not even noticing our confrontation.
He fishes something out of his pocket and unfolds it to reveal some pages from his book. Two pictures lay cleanly on the page.
One was of a woman with dark ringlets laying in bed as tears fell from her eyes while she clutched a baby to her chest. Henry pointed to the baby, making sure he had our attention. "That's Blair."
His words sent shivers up my spine. His finger trailed down to the other picture and I saw a man that had a gash in his shoulder cradling a baby with 'Emma' embroidered on the blanket. "And that's you," Henry breathed.
I stepped back shoving my hands in my pockets as I began to feel a tug at my navel. Henry was just so sure of himself. "Your parents are Snow White and Prince Charming, well not Blair's parents because she was left in the woods but that's another story for another time." My heart beat sped up as I nipped at the end of my hair shakily with my fingers. "Your the reason why Blairs powers have been flaring up!" Henry insists looking at Emma with excitement. I clench my jaw as Emma turns to me, I could have killed Henry right there. "You have powers?"
I flex my fingers as a tingling feeling rises up my arms. "No. No powers." I say giving Henry a stern look.
They both were staring at me now and I couldn't take it so I stalked off and into the school grounds. I spot my mom talking warmly with a parent and duck my head down trying to go past her. She catches my wrist, "Hey how was breakfast with Henry?" My stomach growled when she mentioned food because I hadn't had any all day. "Fine just fine." I force out in a harsher tone then I would have liked. Her face falls and she pulls back, guilt washes over me like a tidal wave but all I wanted to do was be alone right now. I swallow hardly before setting off into school.
Henry was the only one I told about my powers and I thought he would keep it a secret.
When I get into the classroom I plop down at my usual desk and throw my book bag on the ground as I start to massage my temples. The throb in my head was more of a hum now. I was so deep in my own thoughts I didn't hear Henry calling my name. Not until he placed his hand on my shoulder making me jump at the contact. He flinches and I set my lips into a scowl. "I don't want to talk Henry." I grunt, he looks hurt and I hated pushing him away. I keep my eyes on my desk but Henry squats down on his knees trying to meet my eyes. "Why do you feel so ashamed about your powers? They make you special." He says softly, my hands fall from the sides of my head and I grip the desk.
"They don't make me special they make me a freak." I say firmly.
Henry goes to grab my hand but I lean back in my seat making him sigh. "How many times do I have to tell you. You're in the book! You're a fairytale character, magic is apart of you!" My mind was in so many places, him saying that just made anger rush through my veins. I was sick that whole fairytale thing, why couldn't I just be normal, with a normal best friend! "I'm sure that's what you like to believe but I don't okay!" His eyes grow wide and my hand flys to my mouth.
I did not mean to say that.
He scrambles to his seat as the bell rings and I shrink further into mine. I feel his eyes on me but I can't seem to meet his. I felt horrible.
What kind of best friend was I?
_
I had managed to avoid Henry for the most part even though he was never too far away. We never fought and since Emma it seems like now all we do is fight. A sigh escapes my lips just thinking about it as I try to focus on my mom at the top of the class. We were all seated outside in the crisp autumn air. My mom liked to be outside a lot, it was something we had in common. I tucked a strand of my honey curls behind my head and tilted my head seeing Regina's tense figure walking with purpose towards our class. My mom shuffled and let her text book drop out of her lap as she straightened her skirt and met Regina.
I narrowed my eyes as I saw their rushed conversation. I shuddered seeing the hateful look Regina was sending my mom. She then pushed past my mom shoving her shoulder and my fists clenched at my sides. Henry instinctively stood up a ways away from me and walked briskly up to his mom. My breath caught in my throat now trying to decipher what they were saying.
Henry spun on his heel and instead of going back to his seat, he crashed to his knees next to me. I look straight forward trying to keep my face impassive and I flinch when I feel Henry lean my way. "Look I know you're mad at me and I'm mad you but my moms in trouble." I gulp, I really did like emma. I close my eyes briefly whispering, "What kind of trouble?" He pauses, "She's in jail."
This time I do incline my head to him and arch one eyebrow. He rolls his eyes, "Obviously she's not guilty but I was hoping you could talk to your mom..." His eyes plead with me and my defenses melt. I turn forward and see my mom darting me a stern and curious look. Stern because we were talking during class and curious because she really wanted to know what was going on. I pressed my lips into a thin line and she instantly shut her book. "Class dismissed." All the students around us cheer and jump to their feet taking off in all directions. My mom strides towards us. "What is it?"
"Mom, Henry needs your help, with his mom." I tell her clasping my hands in front of me so I resist the urge to reach for Henrys. My mom puts her head in her hands in aggravation.
But without much more convincing my mom had driven us to the station and Henry was rushing inside. I ran after him and saw Emma having her mug shot taken. I bit my lip suppressing a smile, It was kind of funny.
All I kept thinking was, Mom wars.
"Henry, Blair, Ms. Blanchard what are you doing here?" I opened my mouth to reply but Henry cut me off grinning broadly at Emma. "Brilliant! I would never have thought of gathering entail for operation cobra!" I suppressed a grimace and Gram just looked utterly confused. "I'm lost." He mutters and I shoot him a sympathetic look. Henry turns to him the happiness never leaving his voice, "Sorry Sheriff it's need to know, and all you need to know is Mary- Margaret's gonna bail her out." Emmas cuffs jingle as her eye widen and I felt a smile lace my lips at her shock. "You are?"
I look over my shoulder seeing my mom fiddling with her bag, "I trust you..." She stammers. Emma shrugs smirking at Gram and hoists her cuffs toward him. "Well if you would kindly let me out there is something I have to do." When Gram unlocked her cuffs she got a glint in her eyes and brushed past us.
"Emma what are you doing..?" I ask slowly heading after her.
My blonde curls bounce around me as I pick up the pace to match Emma's long strides toward the mayors house. Leroy's truck is sitting out as Emma makes her journey and his signature chainsaw is resting in the bed. Emma hurtles over the side yanking the chainsaw up and dragging it toward the mayors house. I stopped to catch my breath and then broke out into a run and arrived at the gate just when Emma was tugging the ignition and the chain saw let out a loud roar.
Emma put the blade to the branch of Regina's tree and I gasped loudly.
I didn't have a chance to do anything else because Henry clamps onto my hood yanking me down to the ground and covering my mouth with his hand. My eyes are wide as I turn to look at him our faces inches apart.
'I know' he mouthes to me.
I place my hand on top of his and move it away from my lips trying to get a good look at what was going down. Regina had come out of the house now. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" She screams at the top of her lungs as the chainsaws loud roar dies away. Emma throws the chainsaw to the ground distastefully.
"Just getting even, playing the game." She taunts but the words sound like venom. She takes a menacing step toward Regina, "Now stop getting me arrested because honey you have no idea what I'm capable of." A glaze of water sheens over Regina's eyes as Emma walks away.
"Your move."
I stare open mouthed at Henry, my heart pounding with anxiety at what just went down. "I'm officially calling it, it's the mom wars." I remark. Henry doesn't even seem to hear me as I brush off my skirt getting to my feet. I roll my eyes holding my hand out, "c'mon you're staying with me since this is now a war zone."
He seems to snap out of his daze and doesn't take my hand but goes off toward my moms car. I close my eyes briefly turning on my heel and following him. Storybrooke was now filled with two raging mothers both after the same thing.
If they keep doing this, it will really hurt Henry.
And as usual I was right, Henry stayed absolutely silent on the ride back to my loft and all through out dinner. My mom tried her best to make conversation but it always just died off into awkward silence. Which is why I wasn't surprised when I got a call from Archie saying that Henry was at his office the next day and he was upset. I told my mom briefly about it before rushing to Archie's office. She simply nodded in understanding and that was one of the things I loved about my mom. I practically burst through the door and saw Henry sitting glumly on the couch. He looked up but didn't stand up, I clasped my hands in front of me still wrapped up in my purple and grey scarf identical to henrys. I sat quietly down next to him and leaned my head against his shoulder my hand hesitantly snuck behind his back as I started to rub soothing circles there.
"She thinks I'm crazy." Henry says softly.
I didn't respond, didn't say anything just hoped the comfortable silence draped around us made him know that I was his best friend and I was here for him. After a few more minutes I felt his head lay on mine and felt some of the cool droplets of his tears fall into my hair. I didn't know how much time passed before my mom called wanting me home. I snaked my hand around Henrys back and gave him a reassuring squeeze before reluctantly leaving.
I groaned upon opening the door to my moms loft as a a glare formed in my eyes. Emma sat with my mom calm and collected. "What is she doing here?" I ask coldly. Emma winces and a twinge of guilt spikes in me but I'm still royally mad about what's happening to Henry. Emma slips off her stool and walks toward me, one step at a time.
"Blair do you know where Henry is?"
I give a curt nod of my head. "Can you please tell me?" She pleads. I stare at her long and hard and feel my moms gaze piercing into me. "He's with Archie." I finally fess up. She doesn't miss the cruelty in my voice. Emma moves past me but I catch her wrist. "I'm coming with you." I state.
She glances at me, flashing me a smile that warms my heart. "I would love that."
My mom makes no objections as I head out the door with Emma. I swing my arms anxiously the whole way to Archie's office and Emma taps her foot nervously as well. As I expected once I opened the door and Henry saw Emma he jumps to his feet. "Why did you bring her here?" He asks in exasperation.
Emma curls something in her hands I hadn't noticed before. "Henry I'm sorry!" She says sincerely staggering forward. I fall into the couch and Henry follows suit grunting, "I don't want to talk to you." I pull one of Archie's pillows into my lap and squeeze it watching the confrontation before me. Emma pulls a chair over and drapes her legs over it. "Henry none of those things I said to your mom were true." Henry snorts pushing himself up into a sitting position. "Yeah right. You called me crazy."
Emma closes her eyes briefly and sighs. "Isn't that the whole point of operation cobra?"
I arch my eyes brows blinking a few times. "And the biggest way to throw the evil queen off our trail is to make her believe that we don't." Emma muses and a smile plays on my lips. That was actually really smart... Henry jolts up his glum look withering away to a happy and excited one. "Brilliant!"
Emma pushes herself off the chair and heads toward the fire. "I read the pages and your right they are dangerous so the best way to get rid of the is to-" She trails promptly tossing the papers into the fire. I sit up that tingling feeling coursing through my veins. I look down shakily to see the faded glow start in my fingertips.
I swear under my breath and dig my fingers into my wrist willing it to stop.
Henry hurtled himself toward Emma and catches her in a hug. Me and Archie share awkward glances as Emma whispers into Henrys hair, "It's gonna take a lot more to bring operation cobra down." Emma looks at me and offers a smile as she hooks her finger at me. I sway onto my feet and feel the warmth of both of them as I place my arms around them and enjoy this one moment of happiness in what will go down in history as The Mom Wars.
