"Friends of Henry's," Emma's voice sounded slightly confused. "Regina said he didn't have friends." The words were relieved now, as if a burden had just lifted off the mother's shoulders.
"Yeah. She doesn't like me very much," Paige confided.
"I'm not even sure she knows I exist," Brenna admitted.
Emma almost had to concede that point. The Mayor had deemed the dark-haired girl beneath her notice as she lingered in the room even after everyone else had left.
"Well, that's the Queen's loss. She always underestimates the best people. Look at what she thought of Snow White and the Huntsman," Paige said putting her arm around Brenna's shoulder.
Emma took a deep breath. These were Henry's friends. Of Course they would believe the curse nonsense. They had most likely spent days trying to identify everyone. And was it really an easy enough game of pretend.
Even Emma could admit that during her childhood in and out of all the different foster homes, she wished she was a princess and for that life of ease and happy endings with a family. Absolutely ridiculous. It was a daydream all too enticing. It was no wonder her son had gotten these young girls to believe in his "curse".
"Do you know where he is?" Emma finally asked.
"My guess is the Castle, I mean since he's not here and Granny's is too public right now," Paige offered.
"And because Madame Mayor's sure to check your house first."
"Yeah that too. I can take you there if you like," Paige gave her a hopeful smile.
Miss Blanchard interrupted before Emma could respond. "Paige you still have school."
Paige faked a cough. "I was out in the rain last night looking for Henry. Mom said I could go home if I wasn't feeling up to it. The Castle's just on the way."
"Paige," Miss Blanchard's voice warned.
"You can call and ask her. I mean. She might want to come pick me up, but then she'll have to come home from work. I'm fine just tired. I can walk home," Paige added willing Miss Blanchard to give in.
"I'll make sure she gets home," Emma added. It might do her some good to talk to one of Henry's friends to see how bad the situation with his adoptive mother actually was.
"This is silly."
"You're getting engaged. How is this silly?"
Anna pouted even if her sister couldn't see her. "They're pretending like you don't exist. I shouldn't be the one getting betrothed first."
"They're doing what they've always done, what's best for the kingdom."
Elsa smiled as she heard her younger sister stomp her foot. "That doesn't mean it's right. Arendelle isn't going to fall to pieces if I'm not betrothed now."
"Mama and Papa are just preparing for the worst. Trade has always been difficult. We're almost entirely surrounded by mountains. Just the one small port at the Capital." Elsa had studied every book and map she had ever seen of Arendelle so intensely. They may be her only ways to learn anything about her country. "If that freezes, we're stranded. And the winters just keep getting worse. Soon-"
Anna interrupted her. "It isn't your fault."
"What isn't?"
"The Winters."
Elsa let her head fall against the locked door. "You don't know that. The room is supposed to keep all the curse's magic inside."
"I think it's getting stronger."
"Is that even possible?"
"I don't know. Some days it's fine just the occasional flurry in here, but others-" Elsa shuddered. She tried not to think of the days when she doesn't speak to Anna, the days when she thinks she's going to go mad all alone in the room. Those were the days when she lost all control, when she finally acted like the monster she is.
"That still doesn't mean it's you."
"Can we talk about something else?"
"Like what?"
Elsa smiled and decided that teasing her baby sister would definitely make her feel better. "Like your tall mysterious stranger."
Anna laughed. "Well you're right about the mysterious part. I'm not even going to meet him for a few more years."
"You're sixteen Anna. I'd be worried if you were meeting him. He'd marry you on the spot."
"Stop it."
"He would. His heart would melt and his eyes would go wide. He'd get down on his knee and sing some sickening serenade. It wouldn't even be a day before he was asking for my blessing."
"Your blessing? Papa already gave his. I think it's a guarantee."
"But you see, my blessing is much more important."
"What do you mean?" Anna was exasperated and Elsa couldn't help but let her smile grow.
"I'm scarier."
"Are not!"
"Are too!"
"You don't get to hide behind your ice powers and pretend you're scarier."
"That's not it, sister dear," Elsa's tone was over the top teasing but she still meant every word. "I'm your big sister. It's my job to look after you, and if Prince Hans so much steps a toe out of line, I'll make him regret it."
The walk wasn't too long to the playground. Emma almost wished she had a few more minutes with Henry's friend. Emma still didn't feel like she knew much about her friendship with Henry, or even Henry in general. Her son was a complete mystery to her still. (Although she added in her head, that was probably a good thing. She couldn't risk getting attached. She was leaving Storybrooke.)
"He says I'm Alice," Paige shrugged. "I'm not sure that's right though. It just doesn't fit. I think a name should just feel right. They have all sorts of power. Plus we haven't found Alice yet. I mean not everyone's in the book. And we haven't finished it yet. It focuses on Snow White and the Evil Queen, but there are others. We just haven't looked at those as much. Those won't help us break the curse." Paige said very quickly in a matter of a fact manner.
Emma couldn't help but groan a little. "There is no curse."
"That's what the Queen wants you to think."
Before Emma could reply to that crazy idea, Paige had scampered ahead, her scarf and blonde hair flying behind her. She practically flew up the playground steps and hugged the little boy waiting there.
"I was so worried."
"Why? You knew exactly where I was."
"Well, when Graham showed up I thought something bad had happened."
Henry offered a smile. "I'm fine. Better than fine actually."
Emma took the moment to step forward and offer the purposefully forgotten book. "You left this in my car." She watched the way he clutched the book tightly. "It still hasn't changed, huh?"
"I was hoping that when I brought you back, things would change here. That the final battle will begin." Henry was ever the optimist.
The two females responded at exactly the same time.
"Um, Henry I don't think she's ready."
"I'm not fighting any battles kid. I'm not in any book. I'm not a savior."
Henry turned just slightly to look at Paige. "What do you mean?"
"You know how I said the best people are crazy," She paused slightly waiting for his nod. "Well, that's just because we think big. Have bigger ideas than anyone can ever imagine. She doesn't believe in the curse yet. "
"But, Paige-"
"No it's fine. I've been cursed for twenty-eight years. A little longer won't kill me," She began walking away. When she reached the edge of the wood chips, she turned back around. "That doesn't mean I'm giving you permission to not listen to him. I'm just warning him that these things take time."
Gerda was not used to the idea of being alone. She never had to be. She had always been part of a pair, an unbreakable set.
Gerda scoffed at that. All it had taken to break them a part was a woman in a pretty dress, who had appeared out of nowhere. That definitely didn't qualify their friendship as unbreakable.
The woman had approached them timidly almost as if she was scared of them despite her obvious wealth and power.
"I'm looking for someone to help me."
Kay responded in that flippant attitude he'd had ever since he had gone up to the castle. "Well, you might as well leave. There's no one worth even talking to in this smelly poor excuse of a village."
The woman stood straighter, more confident all of a sudden. "Well, aren't you a pleasant child."
Gerda tried to stand in front of Kay. "I promise he doesn't mean it. He just hasn't been himself lately. He's probably just sick or-"
He shoved her out of the way into the snow bank that seemed to have grown in the few moments they had been with the woman. "I'm only sick of you and your need to always be in my business."
Gerda stood up, grimacing. She just wanted her Kay back, the one that smiled and laugh and made her life easier instead of harder.
The woman despite her cold nature had offered a small smile. Gerda hoped it was for her but she wasn't sure.
"Some people never just can never understand certain things." Her words were a riddle just like her smile had been. "Some things can't be helped."
The woman gestured to herself. "However I am in the need of some assistance. Something important but for once, I am sure that one of you will be able to help me."
"You're obviously talking about me. I couldn't be Miss Worthless over there."
Gerda bit her lip. Her Kay would have never called her worthless.
"Yes. I think you'll do just fine."
And with those parting words, the woman disappeared taking Kay with her. It was so fast, almost like she had disappeared with the snowfall. Suddenly Gerda was alone.
"She's staying."
Those were the first words Paige heard when she picked up the phone.
"Really?"
"Not because of the curse, but because of me."
Paige sighed. "Of course it's because of you. Now that she's met you she's never going to leave again."
"Well that's what I'm hoping for," Henry's voice was very timid, nearly impossible to hear.
"Henry," Paige attempted to reassure.
He took a deep breath. "I just thought it would be easier."
Paige remained silent, allowing him to continue.
"You know with both of them here. I just thought I'd know."
"Know what?"
"Know who my family was," Henry took a deep breath as if it was painful to admit. "Know who I am."
"What do you mean who you are? You're a hero. You're helping break a curse. You're smart. Much smarter than me. Than anybody. You just understand things. Understand people. You might not see it yet, but I certainly do. I hope one day, you'll see it too Henry."
"Just because you can say nice things, doesn't mean they're true."
"Well, you're just going to have to trust me on this one. It's my job to say true," she emphasized the word. "Things about you when you're feeling down. I am your best friend."
Author's note: Well I'm back and just in time to finally finish the pilot. Thank you so much to Lynnie76296 for posting when I was just unable to (Internet is always odd in unfamiliar environments) and Thank you so much for putting up with me this summer. I've had so little time to write; I thought I was going to go mad. Well that's what school in another language can do, double the stress.
I swear I'm trying to push Elsa and Anna along, but whenever I write those two they decide to act so cute and innocent (just like some other people I know *cough*HenryandPaige*cough*). The Gerda flashback is just one viewpoint of the event. Elsa's will appear later once you know a bit more. (I had even planned for Gerda's to be later too, but she was pushy and Maggie was stubborn. So here you go) I want to cover as much as I can before the glorious return of the show shatters everything I've been doing with The Snow Queen. Oh well I'm already AU.
I know Mary Margaret just letting Paige leave early might ring a little fishy, but Storybrooke never seemed to follow any real rules. Because she is a good person though, Mary Margaret did call Paige's mother to double-check.
Leanne: I'm always overjoyed to read your reviews. I'm so sorry I forgot to respond last chapter. Hopefully my partner in crime had some things to say. Brenna and Henry will bond. They just need a little time. Not everyone's as outgoing as Paige is but hey she gets that from her Papa.