Sorry for the delay, everyone! I had some assignments due. Thanks for all the reviews - they were really encouraging.
A big thanks to Pinkqueen for all her help so far!
As always, I don't own OUAT.
Chapter 2:
Regina Mills was having a bad day. She glanced at the ruined town sign once more. No, she was having a bad week.
His mother. Regina grimaced. After all these years, why did he want her now? He had been acting strangely for the past couple of months – even Killian didn't know what was going through that boy's head, and Dr. Hopper had yet to stumble upon a breakthrough. Was this all because of her?
Regina's mind wandered back to his mother. Emma Swan.
She remembered how headstrong she was, not caring that she ruined the town sign. She just sat in Graham's chair, arms folded, lips pursed in a thin line. Oh how Regina wanted to knock some emotion into her! Before she could properly interrogate her, Dr. Whale had turned up to check for injuries. It was then that Graham took her aside and explained to her who this woman was. She was so shocked, she told Graham to handle Ms. Swan, and left the building as soon as she could.
Where the hell had Henry picked up that woman? And how on earth did she manage to make it across the town line?
Regina narrowed her eyes at the sign.
Something was not right. It was time to call Sidney, and then pay a visit to Gold.
The shrill sound of a school bell snapped Emma out of her reverie, and she scrambled to her feet. She had been lounging in the park that faced Henry's school (also the only school in town. Jesus, this place was tiny) and she didn't want to miss him.
She gripped the book tightly. She had read it, but she failed to see why Henry thought this book was so important. It was just a bunch of fairy tales that the author (whoever that was) had added twists too. She did have to agree that the drawings did look like some of the inhabitants of the town, but that was more of an opinion than a fact.
She tried to pick out Henry from the mass of kids that rushed out of the building, but it was a little difficult. The swarm of kids in their identical uniforms reminded her of a herd of zebras.
Finally she saw him. He was one of the last, being walked out by a petite woman. She was cute, Emma noted. She had elfin features, a pixie haircut and a kind face. Before Emma could walk over through, she noticed that Killian Jones was striding towards his son. Emma quickly sat down, tucked her hair into her beanie and pretended to read the book while glancing up every now and then.
Henry seemed upset, probably because he expected Emma to be there, but allowed Killian to lead him away. Emma watched them walk away, and she wondered how she was going to get the book back to Henry, and wondering if Killian Jones knew more about what his son was up to than he let on.
"Emma, right?"
Emma looked up startled. Pixie Haircut was standing next to her. She was even cuter in person. She stuck her hand out. "I'm Mary Margaret. Henry's teacher."
Emma stood up and took her hand.
"Erm, hi. I'm…" Emma trailed off, not quite sure what to say.
Mary Margaret smiled.
"You're Henry's mother."
Emma stared at her.
"You know..?"
"Yes. Henry was having some personal problems, and I gave him a book to give him some hope. He came back to me with news about how he found you."
Emma blinked.
"You gave him that book?"
Mary Margaret blinked confusedly.
"He's shown it to you?" she asked.
Emma snorted.
"That's a weird ass boo-oh sorry!" Emma said, glancing around.
Mary Margaret grinned and waved it off.
"Truthfully, I'm not sure where I got it…I think I've just always had it…but I thought he might like it."
Emma considered the woman in front of her, the woman who had basically encouraged Henry's delusions. She didn't mean to, Emma knew. She was a kind schoolteacher (and boy, did she look like one) who was looking out for a student.
"You know he thinks this whole town is under a curse, and that everyone is a fairy-tale character, right?"
Mary Margaret had the decency to blush.
"Yes, well, I didn't realize he had quite the imagination."
"No kidding." Emma deadpanned. Then she glanced at Mary Margaret thoughtfully.
"Who does Henry think you are?" she asked out of curiosity.
Mary Margaret blushed further.
"Oh…he thinks I'm Snow White."
Emma left the blood rush into her ears. This was the woman who Henry claimed was her mother? She did have similar eyes, thought Emma. Then she banished the thought. She couldn't really be considering the crazy notion that this was her mother. It was next-level crazy.
Mary Margaret blinked at her.
"Who does he think you are?"
Emma faltered, not sure whether she should tell this lady that Henry claimed that she was apparently her daughter. She decided against it.
"Oh, I'm not in the book."
Mary Margaret nodded understandingly.
"I think it's just the townsfolk that he sees in there." She offered as a means of an explanation.
Emma nodded, not really listening.
"Yeah, maybe."
Then she had an idea. This woman knew Henry. She knew his issues. And she didn't seem to hate Emma. 1 out of 3 wasn't so bad.
"This might seem a little sudden, but do you think we could meet sometime to talk about Henry?"
Mary Margaret smiled.
"Yes of course! I'm free tomorrow night, if that works for you (Emma nodded in agreement) you must have so many questions."
You have no idea, Emma thought.