Chapter 2: You Know What to Do

The next morning Emma watched as Henry's bus drove away. It pained her that she had to send him to school. Part of her wished she could just home school him and she had even suggested as much to her parents but then it was all agreed that Henry needed some normalcy in his life and that he shouldn't have to live in fear.

Regina could try and get to him all she wanted but even at school he would be protected.

Fredrick for one; Despite everything that had happened with David and Katherine, now that the truth had been revealed they had let bygones be bygones and though it was still somewhat awkward between David and Katherine, Fredrick had agreed to look out for Emma's son given all that she had done when Katherine had gone missing. He owed her a debt of gratitude for that.

As the bus rounded the corner Emma took a deep breath. There was one place she needed to go and the sooner the better.

The door chimed and Mr. Gold looked up with a smile.

"Ah Miss Swan, to what do I owe the pleasure? You're not here to accuse me of something I didn't do now are you?"

"Not this time, no." Emma looked at Gold, defeated and with a sadness in her eyes. "I need your help with something."

"I'm all ears."

"It's Henry, he's been having nightmares."

"Now are these the same nightmares as the ones he has when he goes to that netherworld or something else entirely?"

"Something different," Emma replied. "I know I'm probably just worrying over nothing and that they probably just are nightmares. I mean all kids have them right?"

"True but Henry isn't just any kid, he's your kid. With your family tree you should know that. You're his mother now Miss Swan. You have to make your boy feel safe, secure."

"At what cost, magic?"

"You're the one who came to me dearie. If you didn't want my help then why bother at all?"

"I was hoping you could help me without the use of magic."

Gold smiled, "Well in that case you don't need my help at all. You all ready know what to do Miss Swan."

"How do you know that?"

"How do I know a lot of things? You're not the only one who is good about reading people sheriff. Think back to a few days ago when you first came in here accusing me of Dr. Hopper's death, you'll find what you need in those memories."

Emma fell back on her bed and looked up. She was grateful that David was covering the sheriff station. She loved both her jobs, being sheriff and being a full time mom to Henry but right now he was her only focus and David understood that.

It was slightly different for him. Though he and Mary Margaret were trying to get the hang of parenting themselves, it was different because Emma wasn't a child. David had taken care of Henry while she was away for which Emma was grateful and now it was her turn. So even though David and Mary Margaret were there for Henry, at the same time they knew they needed to step back sometimes and let Emma do the parenting, they couldn't do that part for her.

Emma was determined to find a solution for Henry's nightmares. Not a magical one but one to help calm his fears, one to help trap his nightmares. And then it hit her. Gold had said the solution would be in her memories and it was.

Getting up from her bed Emma walked over to her dresser. She opened the top drawer and underneath some clothes she pulled out the old box where she had kept her necklace. Emma took a deep breath and opened the box, looking at the content inside.

Later that evening as Henry got ready for bed Emma emerged from her room with the box.

"What's that," David asked.

Emma took a deep breath and looked at the box, her hands running over it like a delicate shell.

"Something I haven't needed in a long time," she replied. She looked up at her parents. "I'm hoping it will help Henry."

She made her way upstairs not bothering to explain more.

Emma knocked before entering and when Henry gave her the go ahead she turned the handle and made her way inside.

"Hey kid, how you holding up?"

Henry just shrugged. Emma could tell that he was afraid of going asleep. Though she had stayed with him last night, Henry had gotten scared a couple of times. Emma had tried everything- reading him a calm bed time story, putting on some soft music, even getting him some chamomile tea. They had all failed.

Emma sat on the edge of Henry's bed. "I've got something for you," she said placing the box in front of her so that Henry could see it.

Henry leaned forward from his sitting position so he could have a better look as Emma opened the box.

"What is it?"

Emma pulled out a medium sized dream catcher. It was yellow and very similar in detail to the one she had shared before only smaller. She had gotten it shortly after getting out of prison back when her world was a jumbled mess. Though the dream catcher itself was a constant reminder, for the most part it had helped to keep her own nightmares at bay.

"It's a Native American dream catcher. It's supposed to keep all the nightmares out and only let the good dreams in."

Henry looked at Emma, "It's flypaper for nightmares?"

Emma froze for a moment. As hard as she tried to ignore it there were times when Emma saw a lot of Henry's father in him. Though he had certainly inherited traits from her side of the family, he had also inherited some from his other side as well, his often mannerisms, habits and word choice as well.

Emma shook her head, shaking away her thoughts.

"It'll help, I promise," she said reaching over to hang the dream catcher on the bed post.

Henry looked over at the dream catcher and then at Emma.

"Did it help with your nightmares," Henry asked.

Again Emma was caught off guard but his question made total sense. Why keep a dream catcher for nightmares if you didn't have any?

Emma let out a small smile, "It did for a while. It kept them at arm's length anyways so they were easier to deal with."

"What were your nightmares about?

Emma looked at her son. He wasn't letting up tonight. Emma took a deep breath.

"My past is pretty messed up. I got thrown around from foster home to foster home, got into some trouble. My situation was anything but easy. Sometimes at night those memories merge and turn into nightmares." Emma took Henry's hand and had him look directly at her, "But Henry that's all they were, that's all they are, they're just nightmares." She looked to the side and then back at him, "I know in our newfound reality some nightmares can hurt but there are others that can't. I'm sure of it. The dream catcher will protect you and keep the nightmares at bay, I promise."

Henry smiled and nodded. He then looked down for a moment before slowly glancing up. "Can you stay here tonight, just in case it doesn't work?"

Emma smiled, "Sure kid, I can do that."

Emma stood and walked over to the other side of the bed, stretching herself out on it. She wrapped her arm around him as Henry scooted in.

"I'll be here when you wake up," she said placing a kiss on top of his forehead.