A/N: Alright, first chapter after the interlude is ready. This also introduces the story's subplot. The only things I own in this chapter are Eva Nolan and James Davis, and of course the plot.

Chapter Six: Travels and Trials

Emma sat in the office watching as the doctor flipped through the forms. Her eyes drifted to the window, outside of which sat her son. She could imagine what he was doing. If he wasn't lost in the world of his headphones, he had his nose in a book, or a pencil flying over his sketchbook. His foot would probably be tapping erratically as he watched the clock waiting for the time to dwindle and praying that the two old friends would get lost in their talk.

"The best advice I can offer," Dr. Archibald Hopper steepled his hands, bringing them to his mouth almost in silent prayer, knowing already the firestorm his words would create. "Is to give Henry an outlet, something to put his energy into."

As Emma opened her mouth to protest, Archie held up a hand.

"Something else." The man's eyebrows knit together. "Without your um… company?"

"Are you saying that I spend too much time with Henry?"

"Well…" Archie bit down on his tongue before he resumed speaking. "He's a teenager Emma. Space is something that is important. In Henry's situation it's sometimes better that he spend time with others, find a mentor of sorts like he has with Peter, but maybe an adult in town, to ground him a bit in reality. Maybe try finding him an after school job?"

Emma nodded as she recalled her son's best friend. She had had her reservations at first, but Peter quickly proved himself a good friend and good company for Henry. But maybe an after school job could provide something else that neither she nor Peter could.

"Considering Henry's affinity for history, there's always Gold's Antiquities. Try talking to Aiden."

Emma shook her head. "No."

"Emma… it's a good idea."

"Not Aiden Gold."

The psychologist sighed. "Miss Swan… he is Henry's grandfather." He cleared his throat. "It could help him having that connection to his father."

Emma turned away staring at the clock on the wall, five minutes before Henry would knock on the door for his scheduled time with Archie, but could she really convince Dr. Hopper not to bring it up to him? The more she thought about it, the more, despite her kicking and screaming, that what he said seemed to make sense. That, more than anything, infuriated her. "Why do you always insist on pulling your psychobabble crap with me?" She groaned. "Fine. I'll talk to Gold."

"You'll see." Archie smiled as the knock sounded right on cue. "Good afternoon Henry."

Emma placed a hand on Henry's shoulder, flinching only slightly as he squirmed. "I'll be back in an hour Kid."

"Okay Mom." Henry's voice was soft, his gaze urging her away. She pulled her hand back as she retreated from the office, closing the door behind her with a gentle click.

As she walked out of the practice onto the street, she thought of Neal, back to the beginning of their relationship.

"You know, it's been three months." Emma stirred her hot chocolate, looking at Neal playfully.

"Three months, has it really been that long?" Neal said. "Is there some sort of anniversary I forgot? Is this like a big deal?" He put his hands up as Emma flicked her spoon in his direction sending whipped cream flying onto his nose.

"It is so a big deal!" Emma laughed. "You're such a… oh my god!"

"Alright, I get it. Lay off Em!" Neal grinned. "So, what should we do?"

"Well," Emma twirled a strand of hair. "You met my brother, you met my mom, you even met Regina."

Neal's expression wavered. "What's your point?"

"How come you never mention your family?"

She saw his gaze growing steely. Neal looked down, suddenly hyper focused on the coffee in front of him. She saw his grip tighten on the mug as he released a sigh. "It's… complicated."

"Seriously?" Emma scoffed. "That's all you're gonna tell me? You better give more details or so help me Neal Cassidy…"

"What are you going to do?" Neal smirked.

"Truth." Emma leaned across the table as her eyes glowed with mischief. "You walk me home, and the whole way, you can't tell one lie. Remember, I'll know." She raised her eyebrows holding out a hand. "Deal?"

As the two teens faced each other, something in the atmosphere changed for both of them. For Emma, a taunt, a game was suddenly realized to be something much more serious. She could see it in his eyes. As for Neal, he suddenly realized that this round of truth would involve a complete leap of faith, something he hadn't allowed himself to take not since… a long time, and he didn't care in the slightest. Because for once, he was allowing himself to enjoy someone's company without expectation and it was fantastic.

"Deal."

During that walk, she'd learned so much more than she had ever wanted to know, and it had ended with a visit to Gold's Antiquities, right where she was now as a matter of fact. The sense of deja vu was revolting. Only this time, Neal wasn't with her. The ding of the little bell above the door sent her heart to her throat. Now or never. For Henry, this is for Henry. She told herself. All she had to do was remember that and she'd be able to survive this visit.

"How is your week so far Henry?" Dr. Hopper watched him. It was unsettling. Henry liked Dr. Hopper, he really did, but it was still forced conversation. He held the notebook tighter, paging through as he tried to keep it away from the doctor's prying eyes.

"Same as always." Henry shrugged. "School, Granny's, home."

"How's Peter? Have you seen him at all?"

"Yeah. He's alright." The sketchbook fell open to Henry's latest work, a group of boys around a great bonfire burning ten feet tall, stretching far beyond the tops of the trees that littered the jungle. They were in motion, dancing. The lines of the sketch captured each smile, each leaf, each blade of grass. Henry could tell by the doctor's change in expression that he had been caught.

"Is that new?" Dr. Hopper pointed to the page as he adjusted his glasses. "It's… really very good. May I?" He held out a hand.

Henry nodded, his expression unchanging as he relinquished the sketchbook. He waited for the words, the words he knew would come almost as certainly as he knew that today was Wednesday. He was never asked directly, not by anyone that mattered. For his mom, the words, the question itself was forbidden ever since that day he came home from school after he had fallen asleep during an exam, talking about a trip that had never happened. In a way, these Wednesday sessions were as much a catharsis as they were a sentencing.

"You visited recently?" Dr. Hopper's voice was jovial, welcoming. It was at these points in the session that Henry felt what everyone else was, but wouldn't say. He was nuts, but was it also wrong that despite the absurdity of the question, in talking about it normally, Henry himself felt the most normal?

"Last night."

"And did you make any progress?"

"Not really." Henry sighed. "I tried to talk to her… after… well, after I came back." he tugged on his shirt sleeve. "Pan's right. They don't care." These last words were a whisper, but Dr. Hopper heard them. Henry could tell by the way he closed the sketchbook gently leaning forward.

"Pan?" Henry had never mentioned names. It was something new. He'd talked about his visits, about the boys, about adventures, but there was never a name. "As in…"

And just like that, Dr. Hopper saw the window close. Henry's lips pursed, he leaned back as his arms crossed over his chest. "Take your best guess. But yeah, they could care less. No matter how many times I ask."

"Henry," Dr. Hopper said. "There is one way you could find out." He knew he was taking a risk, assuming that Emma's conversation with the man would go well, that she would talk to him at all, but it was his job as Henry's therapist to provide an opening. Sometimes the families he worked with just needed a nudge in the right direction. As he explained, he saw Henry's mouth twitch, a small sign, but a sign nonetheless, and he felt hope.

"Rise and shine Princess." Neal felt a pillow hit him in the head. "Come on get up! You're coming with me today." He sat up, pushing the pillow to the floor, only to be greeted by August who was somehow, already dressed, as he kicked an open suitcase toward him. "Pack."

"Mmm…" Neal rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. "You gonna tell me what this is about, and why a suitcase is involved?"

August didn't answer as he clicked the box that held his typewriter shut. "You gonna tell me why you're still asleep at 11:00?"

"We can't all be journalists." Neal smirked. "Speaking of which, why do you still bother writing for that asshole anyway?"

"We can't all be moochers either." August rolled his eyes tossing Neal a button down from the closet. "It's called work, you should try it sometime."

"Sydney Glass is a bastard, there's a reason nobody reads that paper. It's trash." Neal walked to the bathroom shutting the door behind him as he shouted through. "You could be a Times reporter."

"Not everyone is a stick in the mud Cassidy. Now do you want to hear why I gave you the suitcase?"

Neal stayed silent as he began brushing his teeth. August would tell him anyway. He didn't have to answer.

"Missing kids."

Neal almost choked as he rinsed his mouth. "Isn't that a little...uh I don't know hard for the Magic Mirror? Last I checked you didn't write a crime blotter."

"That's not the point." August said. "The point is where."

Neal splashed his face walking out of the bathroom. "Alright I'll bite. Where?"

"Storybrooke Maine."

He froze. Storybrooke of all of the places where kids could vanish? "I can't come."

August sighed. "I had to practically lick Sidney Glass' shoes to get permission to do this story. There is no way that I'm letting you bail on me."

"You know, normally, I'd be totally on board for a road trip, but I can't go to Storybrooke."

"You never told me why you left in the first place." August said.

"I did. Emma kicked me out." Neal shook his head.

"That's not what I meant and you know it."

"Okay." Neal grabbed the suitcase. "I'll come."

August watched his friend as he walked back and forth between the closet and where the suitcase sat on the bed. Neal was complicated, a puzzle in his own right. They'd been roommates for nine years, and August was no closer to understanding him then when they'd first met as teenagers. He hadn't understood the man's aversion to his hometown then, and still couldn't understand it now. He couldn't understand how he could be completely cut off, but still receive a phone call after more than 17 years. He couldn't understand how his effort to help could have led to 17 years of silence. When he'd heard about the strange occurrences, no more than rumors, from Graham, he figured it would make a good story: just the sort of thing that could get him back in Glass' good graces, a story with just enough mystery and intrigue to get people to read his shit rag. Then he had heard about where it happened, and knew he had to drag Neal along.

"Good, 'cause I need your help."

David looked at the file. A grinning child with brown hair stared back at him. Couldn't be older than five.

"Roland Locksley…" David ran a hand through his hair. He was one of Mary Margaret's students. He hadn't shown up for class. His father had come into the station panicked yesterday evening, and it was a mere two hours away from the 24 hour mark.

"This is the third case this month Dave. Are you sure you aren't any closer to finding a connection?" George asked. George was the chief, rarely came in, rarely did more than handle paperwork. Storybrooke was so small that David and Graham were able to handle most things on their own, but this, this was nothing like their usual robberies at the pharmacy.

"They're all boys, they all live in the area, but other than that…" David shook his head. "Roland Locksley, the O'Neil triplets, and James Davis have nothing in common. Different ages, different interests. They didn't even know each other. Other than attending Storybrooke elementary and high schools respectively, there's nothing linking them."

"Dig harder." George sighed as he sunk into the chair. "God damn it!"

David nodded as he heard his cell phone go off, with the familiar Disney melody: Eva. "Sorry, I have to take this."

"David, no personal calls…"

But he'd already walked into the office. "Hey sweetheart, everything okay?"

"Mommy says you gotta be home. Aunty Emma and Henry are coming over remember?"

"That's right." David sighed. "Is Mommy there Evie?"

"Uh-huh." David could hear Eva running. "Mommy, Daddy wants to talk to you."

"David?" Mary Margaret's voice could be heard down the line.

"Hey Mary Margaret, I'm going to be home a little later than I thought. It's just this case… there's no leads, George is breathing down my neck. I'm sorry."

"It's okay." Mary Margaret said. "I'm sure Evie and I can manage to keep them busy until you get here. Just… don't stress yourself out."

"Easier said than done." David groaned. "There has to be something we're missing."

"You'll figure it out. I love you."

"Love you too. I'll see you soon."

A/N: Alright, so I'm almost certain this chapter led to more questions than answers. I know it did for me, and I came up with the story in the first place, but answers will come I promise. As for the next chapter: more with Henry and the Swan/Nolan family, more with Henry at school. We will also meet Henry's teacher, another familiar face, who assigns a special project as Gold considers Emma's proposal and Killian arrives in Storybrooke. Also a word about Eva. She is a replacement for Prince Neal in this universe, and is a bit of a composite of both Neal Nolan and how I imagine Emma would be as a little girl, but she is solely an original character of mine. Any eagle eyed Oncers who can remember where the name Eva comes from?