A Year In Review
This next chapter is in January. Flashbacks are italicized.
"Hey Henry, did you study for our spelling quiz tomorrow" asked Henry's friend Joshua as they walked through the halls of Storybrooke Elementary.
"Yeah I did, I'm not too worried" replied Henry as they entered into the classroom.
"I feel sick to my stomach" mentioned Joshua. As soon as they were settled in their seats, and the rest of the children filed in, Mary Margaret began to speak:
"As most of you know, there's a spelling quiz today. It's not too long, and it shouldn't be difficult if you studied for it."
"Ugh" groaned Joshua as he turned to look at Henry.
"Don't worry Josh, it'll be fine. Just please don't throw up on me" replied Henry.
Joshua laughed as Mary Margaret came around with the quizzes. Once the quizzes were placed on the boy's desks, they flipped them over and started writing. Eight minutes into the quiz, Joshua heard a strangled cough coming from behind him, and turned around to see Henry Mills throw up into the aisle between the desks.
"And I thought I was sick to my stomach" said Joshua.
"Ew that's gross" said a girl on the other side of the room.
"Henry!" exclaimed Mary Margaret as she ran over to him. "Joshua, why don't you take Henry down to the office, I'll call his mom and let her know."
"Alright, c'mon Henry lets go," said Joshua as he stood up to walk Henry out of the class. They arrived at the office and Joshua told the secretary that Henry's mom had already been called. Then they sat together and waited for her to show up.
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Emma Swan arrived at Storybrooke Elementary 10 minutes after she got the call from Mary Margaret.
"Henry! How are you?" she said as she walked up to where he was sitting with his friend.
"Bye Henry, hope ya feel better," said Joshua as he left to go back to class.
Henry waved at him before replying to Emma. "My stomach hurts and I have a headache, why are you here?"
"Mary Margaret called me and said you threw up in class"
"Oh, because she said she was going to call my mom," said Henry as he looked down at his feet.
"Crap, sorry kid. I don't really know what to do though so I was going to take you to her anyways." shrugged Emma.
"Really?" asked Henry as he stood up.
"Yeah, lets go," said Emma as they walked out of Storybrooke Elementary.
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Regina Mills opened her door to see the blonde sheriff anxiously swaying back and forth on the porch.
"Well, well, Miss Swan, did you forget my threat? Or did you come here with the intention of getting killed?" said the brunette as her lip curled up into a snarl.
"Regina cut it out, Henry's sick and I don't know what to do. He fell asleep in the car on the way here and I didn't want to wake him up" explained Emma. Regina gasped as she ran out towards the yellow bug.
"Should we wake him?" asked Emma.
"No, I'll just transport him," said Regina as she gave a flick of her wrist and the three of them found themselves in Henry's bedroom. Henry was laid down on the bed and Regina went to go sit beside him as Emma stood awkwardly in the doorway.
"Henry dear, can you wake up," said the brunette in a hushed tone as she gently tapped his shoulder. The boy's eyes slowly fluttered open before he responded in a croaky voice. "Hi mom"
"What happened?" asked Regina as she placed her hand on his forehead.
"I was fine, then I felt really sick. I'm hot too" coughed back Henry.
"Okay, I'm going to go get you some ginger ale and a cold cloth, I'll be right back." Regina stood up and walked downstairs to the kitchen as Emma followed behind her.
"Is he going to be okay?" asked Emma as she leaned against the counter.
"Yes, he just has a stomach flu, it should be gone in about a week. " replied Regina as she opened the fridge and grabbed a can of ginger ale. "How come I wasn't called to the school?"
"Uh, Mary Margaret told the secretary that she was going to call Henry's mom but I guess she didn't specify which one."
Regina's grip on the can tightened before she took a deep breath and exhaled. "I see. Well thank you for bringing him to me."
"No problem" shrugged Emma. "I had no clue what to do anyways. Usually when I'm sick I just stay home and eat chicken noodle soup. "
"If you would like to help, you could grab a cloth from the drawer beside the sink, and wet it with cold water" mentioned Regina as she popped open the can and poured it into the cup.
"Okay" said Emma as she got the cloth and ran it under the tap. "What's it for?"
"He has a fever, so it will help cool him down" explained Regina as she took the cup and walked back towards the staircase. Emma followed behind her and reached Henry's bedroom to find the bed empty. They then heard a vomiting sound coming from the bathroom. They opened the door to see Henry sitting on the ground near the toilet. Emma gave a look of disgust as Regina kneeled down beside him.
"Sorry" meekly responded Henry.
"It's okay dear," said Regina as she ran her hand through his hair. Henry leaned forward towards the toilet again and when he was done, he went to go sit against the bathtub. Regina moved over to where he was and sat beside him.
"Do you think you can handle some fluids right now?" gently asked the brunette as she held out the cup of ginger ale. Henry nodded as he took the cup from her hand.
"Uh, do you need this?" said Emma as she walked over to where they were and gave the cloth to Regina.
"Yes, thank you Emma." said Regina as she took the cloth and laid it against Henry's forehead. Emma stood and watched the scene for a minute. She would have given anything to have mother who treated her like this. She also felt a pang of guilt.
"I hope there is no misunderstanding here. "
"I'm sorry?"
"Don't mistake all this as an invitation back into his life. "
"Oh, I…"
"Miss Swan, you made a decision 10 years ago, and in the last decade while you've been… well who knows what you've been doing. I've changed every diaper, soothed every fever, and endured every tantrum. You may have given birth to him but he is my son."
"Do you love him?"
"Excuse me?"
"Henry. Do you love him?
"Of course I love him."
She looked at the way Regina leaned into him and felt ashamed she had ever asked that question. She felt ashamed for trying to pull Henry away from Regina when she had first arrived here. She let out a sigh as Henry and Regina got up from the bathroom floor.
"You should rest for a bit now Henry" said Regina as they walked back into his bedroom. Henry nodded as he climbed into bed and Regina tucked him in. She gave him a kiss on his forehead and shut the lights off as she walked out and closed the door behind him.
"Uh, could we talk Regina?" said Emma as they walked back down the staircase.
"I appreciate you bringing him here and helping him out but the only reason I didn't incinerate you is because I needed to put Henry first. My threat still stands. Now please, get out of my house," said Regina in a sharp voice.
"Regina, please. I'm really sorry but I need to talk to you. Can you listen to me for once?" pleaded Emma.
A fireball appeared in Regina's hands as she spoke again. "Miss Swan, I do think it would be in your best interest to get the hell out."
"Fine, okay. Keep deflecting. You can't just keep avoiding a subject; it just grows into a bigger problem. If you want to act like a child, go ahead Regina. I don't want to play games with you anymore," said Emma as she waved her arms and disappeared in a cloud of grey smoke. Regina let out a frustrated growl as the mirror behind her shattered.
Thanks for reading! Reviews are always greatly appreciated!
