Author's note: I do not own OUAT or Wizard of Oz (that belongs to L. Frank Baum) I have to slip this little part in because I thought of it on the way home and I just love Emma/Henry moments and it might come into play later on…
The Wizard of Oz
A few blocks at the Swan residence Emma and Henry settled down for story time. Henry snuggled up next to his mother in her bed and handed her the book. Emma wasn't much for books but as of late had become quite good at reading to her son and even did some voices for the characters as well. This fact though was kept a close guarded secret between mother and son for if word got out Emma swore Henry would be grounded in both worlds until he turned 18.
"So who are all these characters?" Henry asked looking at the cover of the book.
"I still can't believe you never heard of this book. It's classic, well at least in this world. Dorothy is in the middle. I guess you could say she's the princess or heroine of this story. On her left is the Scarecrow, and the Tinman next to her, and then on her right is the Cowardly Lion. Huh" Emma said putting a little bit more emphases on the Cowardly Lion part.
"What?" Henry asked curiously as she flipped the book open to the first page.
"It just hit me why Baelfire carries this book with him. He came back to town to help his father, right?" Emma asked Henry.
"Yeah?" Henry answered wondering what his mother was getting at. He was excited that his mother seemed to be finally embracing the magic and believing.
"Mr. Gold left him. He let go of him. He's the Cowardly Lion" Emma said plainly explaining to her son.
"Yeah!" Henry agreed thinking that made perfect sense in his mind. "Does the Lion redeem himself?" Henry asked his mother wondering what happened to the lion in the story.
"We'll have to wait and find out" Emma said with a smile as she started to read…
"Dorothy lived in the mistof the great Kansas prairies, with Uncle Henry, who was a farmer, and Aunt Em, who was the farmer's wife. Their house was small,for the lumber to build it had to be carried by wagon many miles. There were four walls, a floor and a roof, which made one room; and this room contained a rusty-looking cooking stove, a cupboard for the dishes, a table, three or four chairs, and the beds. Uncle Henry and Aunt Em had a big bed in one corner and Dorothy a little bed in another corner. There was no garret at all, and no cellar—except a small hole dug in the ground, called a cyclone cellar, where the family could go in case one of those great whirlwinds arose, mighty enough to crush any building in its path. It was reached by a trap door in the middle of the floor, from which a ladder led down into the small, dark hole…"
After about an hour of reading Henry's eyes were getting tired. He begged his mother for more but Emma said they would continue another night.
"Bedroom now" Emma said to Henry as she shut the book and put it on her night stand.
Henry followed Emma's instructions and lazily went to his bedroom and hopped into bed. Emma followed shortly behind him to say goodnight, another new tradition between mother and son.
Emma kissed the boy on the forehead like she had done in the hospital and every night since then.
"I love you Mom" Henry said as he closed his eyes. Mom. It was still a new word for both of them but each was getting more used to it every day.
"I love you Henry" she said with a smile as she made sure he was tucked in tight.
Emma got up and started to walk out of his room stopping at his door to look back at her son.
"You're Bae's Dorothy" Henry said very sleepily as Emma turned off his light.
"What?" Emma asked not really sure if she heard Henry's words properly but it was too late and her son was fast asleep dreaming of fairytale land.