Take Me Away

Chapter Two

I sighed, shutting my locker and making my way to the elementary wing of the school. I arrived at the classroom of Ms. Mary Margaret Blanchard just as a bunch of ten year-olds were set loose for lunch. I stumbled into the door-frame as a familiar little brunette slammed into me, arms coming around me in a hug. I looked down to find Henry Mills grinning up at me.

"Hey Shorty. Somebody slip you a caffeine pill or what?" I asked with a laugh.

"Today's just … a good day," he explained. "Can't you feel it? Everything's about to change."

"Is that so?" I asked lightly, feeling a chill run down my spine. I was never a fan of change. "Tell me more about it when I pick you up after school. Now go get some food in your stomach!" I sent him off with a smile, watching the door swing shut behind him. I made my way over to my older sister's desk, pulling up a chair and taking a seat.

"I made pasta," Mary said with a grin. She popped it in her little microwave and took a seat in her chair.

"How was your day so far, Mary Marshmallow?" She shook her head at the use of the nickname I'd given her so many years ago.

"Just great, Seabiscuit," she smirked. I rolled my eyes, a blush coloring my cheeks at that. The microwave went off a minute later and she served me my pasta. I picked at it, slicing a meatball in half and pushing my spaghetti around.

"So its nice out today," I said casually. Mary Margaret tilted her head slightly, looking at me closely.

"Mari, what's the matter?" she asked softly. I shook my head.

"Just another weird dream is all," I muttered. "He said he would always find me – and I don't mean in that cutesy 'if ever you're lost I'll find you' way. He said it in the 'you're mine' possessive type of way."

"Why'd he say that?"

"I offered to play hide and seek. If I won, he'd take me back to you. If I lost, he could have whatever it was he wanted. And when I was running, he said don't think I won't find you, Marisol! I always do."

"Mari, relax, you're safe," she said softly. I looked at her in confusion until I realized I was shaking. Oh.

"No, no, I'm fine. Just … yeah, no, I'm fine. Don't worry about me," I said with a shake of my head.

"I'm always gonna worry about you," she said with a smile. "You're my sister."

"I love you," I said with a nod.

"I love you too."

We ate the rest of our meal with small talk and a really nice peaceful feeling. Mary Margaret told me about how the head doctor and the hospital she volunteered at had been flirting with her recently, and I told her about my flunking physics. Clearly, I got scolded for "letting" my grades drop (as if anyone understands physics), but otherwise all conversation was light and pleasant. At one o' clock the bell rang so I said goodbye to my sister and made my way to my next class. I was ready to finish the school day before going to pick up Henry and take him with me to work.

Granny's is a nice little diner that everyone in town goes to. I work with Granny's granddaughter Ruby, spending my days as a waitress. It's pretty fun, too, considering she's my best friend and all. My shift starts at four and lasts until closing time at midnight. Henry and I would pop in before my shift and have lunch together, or in my case dinner, sharing hot chocolate with whipped cream and cinnamon on top for dessert. It was a weird little quirk I'd passed onto him in our time together. Henry really liked spending the day at the diner, despite the fact that I forced him to do his homework the minute I started my shift, and he wasn't a fan of going home but I would take my break at seven since that's when his mom wanted me to take him back to their place.

I sat through trig and English, waiting for the two-thirty bell that would signal my freedom. When it rang like the music to my ears that it was, I was the first one out of the classroom. I made my way to my locker, swapping my unnecessary books with the necessary ones, grabbing my coat and locking the locker again. I made my way out of the building, heading to the tree where Henry would wait for me. I got there at two-forty like I always did, but Henry was nowhere in sight.

I waited five minutes, but Henry was still a no-show.

Five more minutes and all I was getting was no Henry and the beginnings of a panic attack.

Swallowing hard, I made my way back inside and headed to my sister's classroom. Sometimes Henry liked to stay behind and have a chat with her about his day, or what they learned, or whatever was on his mind. I was praying to every god out there that this was one of those days.

My hopes were dashed when I bumped into Mary Margaret halfway to her classroom. Henry was definitely not with her.

"Hey Mari," she smiled. "Aren't you supposed to be on your way to the – what's wrong?"

"You haven't seen Henry around have you?" I asked thickly. My stomach felt like it was practicing for a gymnastics tournament and my throat felt as tight as one of Ruby's outfits.

"No … why do you ask?" Mary Margaret asked slowly.

"He wasn't at the tree. Oh my god what if he's been kidnapped? But nobody would screw with the mayor's kid. What if he snapped and finally ran away? What if he got hit by a car and he's in the hospital? Oh my god what if he's dead? Henry's dead!" I cried, turning around and making to dash out of the building. Mary Margaret grabbed my arm, yanking me back before holding me by my shoulders.

"Okay, Mari, listen to me," she demanded. "Henry is not dead. He probably wasn't feeling well and went home."

"Without me?" I cried. "Oh my god Regina's going to kill me. I lost her son. Oh I'm so fired. Dammit she pays so well too."

"Marisol! Get it together! Henry is not lost," Mary Margaret snapped. I flinched, thinking she might smack my dumbass-self across the face. I took a breath, nodding at her.

"So what do we do?"

"We just go searching for him. We check all of his spots, like the castle, the diner, the park, and if we don't find him, we call Regina."

"Right … Regina. Oh man, I'm so gonna lose my job," I murmured.

"Yeah, that's enough of that," Mary Margaret decided. Hauling me out of the school, we set off to find my little lost boy.

Two hours later, we still had no sign of Henry. We had checked just about everywhere, including his house. I dialed Ruby, listening to the phone ring twice before she answered.

"You're late," she grumbled.

"Yeah, hello to you too," I mumbled. "Uh, I don't think I'll be coming in today."

"What? Why not?"

"Because I'd rather not bathe the diner in my blood," I croaked. "You see, I lost Henry, and when she finds out, Regina's going to kill me."