A/N: I do not own OUAT/Oz/Disney, Tron, or Monopoly! Thank you all for the story alerts and reviews please keep them coming! This one is a little short but I wanted to break it up before the next big part, so enjoy :)
Henry, Tron lunchbox in hand and backpack on, ready for school walked down the street with his mother towards town. He loved the new morning routine meeting David and Mary for breakfast, and then walking to school with Mary. This morning Emma had been rushing him out of the house wanting to be early for breakfast. "I just want to get a good table" his mother had said shutting the door as they stepped outside. Henry smiled; Baelfire was coming to breakfast today. He liked the man very much and part of him hoped that Bae would be around for a long time. Wednesday was show-and-tell at Storybrooke Elementary; sadness appeared on Henry's face as he realized his object was back on his nightstand. "I forgot Oz at home, we have to go back" Henry said as they walked down the street. He turned his head looking back towards the house.
Emma could see Mary and David up ahead. "Too late now kid, how about I grab your storybook from the station and meet you guys at the diner. Go with Mary and David and I'll meet you there" she said looking down at Henry.
Henry wasn't happy about taking his normal storybook instead of the new story, but something was better than nothing. Mary wasn't about letting him slide on school work just because she was his grandmother. "Ok" he agreed making his way to the corner. Henry greeted Mary and David with a hug and a charming little smile as they watched Emma turn the corner.
Emma entered the sheriff's station. She pulls a key out of the pocket of her red jacket and opens the desk and pulling out Henry's book. She slips the key back into her pocket and turns beginning to walk out the station when she catches a whiff of sweet red roses in the air. The smell stops her in her tracks. She was never the kind of girl that paid attention to flowers but these were special. Baelfire had brought them, and she had to admit to herself the smell was intoxicating. Emma put the book down on one of the other desks and walked over to the vase of flowers sitting on desk. She lifted the vase up at first checking for a bug and set it down lightly. She ran her hands over the dying wildflowers, their color changed from bright yellow to a dank brown and then she pulled out one of the red roses. Emma brings the rose up to her nose, bewitched with the flower. She inhales the smell, it made her dizzy, light headed, and happy.
She smiled holding the rose. It was beautiful, the perfect shade of rose red. She held the rose tightly in her hand, too tight. Emma pricks her finger on one of the sharp thorns. The pain shoots up her arm. She releases the rose. "Ow" the pain brought her back to reality as she held her finger up to see a spot of blood. She stares at the spot for a long time. She should get it wrapped up and go back to the diner. Henry is waiting, her parents are waiting, and he is waiting. The pain is replaced by a light feeling, making her have a spout of vertigo. The sense of calm rushes over her as her knees buckle and she falls to the ground. Emma blinks, she can see the walkie-talkie a few feet away from her on the counter, red light flashing, but she's too tired to reach it now. Henry. Emma closes her eyes and falls asleep.
"Five hot chocolates with cinnamon on top" Ruby said placing the drinks on the table "Five drinks... thirsty?" She asked before moving on to Clark and Walter at the next table over.
"Yeah, why did we get five, Henry?" David asked looking over at Henry.
The snow princess had a slight smirk on her face. "We get to finally meet someone who disappeared from our kingdom a long time ago. Mr. Gold's son, Baelfire. I wasn't so nice to Emma yesterday, and she wants us to give him a chance, so that's what I'm gong to do"
Henry smiles at his grandmother, happy to give everyone a chance "he's great but he's late, and she's taking to long getting the book, what if he shows up and she's not here"
David and Mary exchange a glance as they hear their grandson. Henry was the little cupid, wasn't he? Henry pulled the walkie-talkie out of his backpack and clicked it on. "Momma cobra come in? Baby cobra to Momma cobra, come in?" He wanted to use the nicknames during Operation Cobra but she wasn't ready yet. The talkie makes a static noise but no response from the other end. He tried again without any luck. The static crackled white noise.
"Maybe we better go check on her" Mary said thinking it was a bit strange it was taking her so long. The trio got up from the table. They walked swiftly out the diner.
"HEY!" Ruby said "A tip would have been nice" she called out watching them walk out.
Mary called out Emma's name as the trio walked in to the sheriff's station. "Emma" she called out again looking around. The patrol car was still parked outside, so she didn't go anywhere, but where was she? Mary wondered. David walked into the office to check if she was in the back room.
"Mom?" Henry called out behind Mary. He saw his storybook on one of the desk and walked over picking it up. He turned his head staring at the vase a bit perplexed seeing the dying flowers and then the fresh roses. Henry turned picking the book up off the desk his foot hit the edge of a hard object. He looked down in horror as he saw his mother lying on the floor. The red rose next to her head.
The next few minutes froze in time as Mary and David bent down next to Emma attempting to wake her up. She was alive, thankfully, but not responsive. David ever so gently picked his daughter up and began to carry her in his arms like the sleeping princess she was. Once upon a time he carried Emma this way as a baby to save her life; he put her in an enchanted tree. But, they were all out of magic trees at the moment.
Mary held the door open as David carried her outside. "We have to get her to Doctor Whale"
Henry dropped his backpack. His grandparents should know better than anyone that's not what she needed. "No not Whale, the flowers were poisoned didn't you see? She needs magic! I know what to do!" He took off towards Mr. Gold's house running as fast as his feet could take him. He heard Mary call out after him, but he didn't care, he kept running.
Two children sit at the card table in the study of Mr. Gold's estate. The seven year old girl, her blonde ringlets of curly hair bounced around her head as she placed the hat token down on what appears to be a modified monopoly board game. All the places were fairytale names or characters, and there was a small ceramic castle in the middle of the board.
The thirteen year old boy puts a spinning wheel token down next to the girl's hat. His smile grew as he looked across the table at the girl. They both laugh as their hands touch reaching for the dice at the same time. He lets her go first. "Why the hat?" he asked her as she rolled the dice.
The girl giggled thinking the question was very silly. She moves the piece three spots. "Hats take you places. Why the wheel?" She looked at the shiny gold spinning wheel token.
The boy, his deep brown eyes set on the board speaks boastfully as he rolls the dice and moves the token four spots. "It's my father's, he spins gold."
"Is he rich?" The little girl questions him as she leans over, her little red jacket brushing against the table as she grabs the dice. She rolls and takes a card.
There is a twinkle in his eye as he speaks about his father, the expression of a boy that looks up to and respects the man with all his heart. "He has me; I'm worth more than gold." He rolls the dice and moves up a spot.
She smiles, the sincerest look in her face "remember that. You got dragon eyes... roll again"
The boy rolls the dice and moves the spinning wheel token to the dungeon spot. "I lost a turn" he says sadly.
The little girl puts the card with a picture of a tree key on the table in front of the boy. "Here you can have this key card to get out the dungeon"
"Won't you need it?" He asked taking the card. The tree key card absolving his piece from the dungeon spot.
The little blonde curls bounced back and forth as she shakes her head. "No, I have you." She rolled the dice and moved the hat landing on the troll bridge spot.
A rumble noise could be heard from somewhere far away as the room started to shake. The little tea set clanked on the desk next to the table. The cup on the end falls off and brakes. The girl screams out afraid. The two children duck under the table and wait for the noise to end. The boy shields the girl from the debris as the pieces of ceiling start to fall around them.
Baelfire opens his eyes, awaking to a pounding knock on the door.