A Lunchtime Parley
"Look, Henry, I know you miss Em - your mother, but you can't use her disappearance as an excuse to skip school." Killian tries to sound simultaneously understanding and stern, knowing that Emma's prolonged absence has taken quite a toll on all of them, including her son. Still, truancy was not something to be encouraged, and he knew Emma would be very distressed if she found out that Killian knew Henry was skipping class and did nothing.
"Finding Mom is way more important than stupid school, Killian, I thought you would understand that." Henry had turned up on the Jolly around lunchtime with a bag of Granny's food for the two of them (he had told her that he had forgotten lunch that day and had run over from school quickly, and the older woman had thought nothing of it) and the idea that the two of them would put their heads together for the afternoon to find a way to bring Emma home.
"I do understand, but I also know your mother, and she'd be furious if she found out," Killian insists as Henry pushes through him into the little cabin.
"We can't abandon her! We have to work on Operation Swan." He sets the food out on the wooden counter, grabbing his own plastic fork and knife and digging in as Killian flounders, trying to think of what to do.
"Henry, no one is abandoning her, believe me. David and Mary Margaret and I are doing everything we can to find her, but no one knows where she might have gone, not the damn Crocodile, not even Regina."
"Mom thinks it's all her fault," Henry confides, his eyes falling to the food in front of him as he talks, and Killian sits down opposite him with a sigh, feeling like they might be getting to the real root of the issue. "The darkness, she thinks it was after her. She's miserable. She barely even looks at Robin now, she feels so guilty."
"It's not her fault," Killian assures the boy, feeling his own wave of guilt wash over him.
"I know that. But she won't stop punishing herself until we find Mom." Henry gives him a look Killian knows very well, having used it a fair few times himself - puppy dog eyes.
"We'll find Emma, I swear. But you can't skip school anymore. You can come over afterward in the afternoons, but class is important. Especially if you want to learn to be a good writer to fulfill your duties as the Author." Killian gives him a wink, knowing that he's making progress and Henry groans.
"But -"
"Listen carefully, Henry," Killian says in a quiet, intimidating voice, "I don't really want to tell Regina that you've been skipping school, but believe me I will if I have to. So, starting tomorrow, lad, you will attend a full day of classes, or I let your mother know what's going on, and I don't think she'll be very pleased. And don't think you can bail without me finding out, I'm a bloody pirate, I know everything. You understand?"
"Starting tomorrow?" Henry asks, giving Killian a nervous smile.
"Aye, well, you did bring my favorite lunch, and I there's work to be done, or am I mistaken?" Killian grins warmly as he opens the container of Granny's food meant for him and Henry's whole face lights up as he pulls his book out of his backpack and drops it onto the table, talking nonstop.