Still Small Voice

Emma and Snow arrived at their new home, having just received their keys and carried the few belongings they brought with them on their trip.

"It's a walk-up," Emma said, a slight frown on her face.

"It's charming," Snow replied, walking ahead of her daughter.

"Well, I sure hope it's furnished because I am not lugging anything heavy up those stairs," Emma declared, following with her duffle bag and a box.

Snow smiled at her daughter, placing her own box at her feet. "You got the keys?"

"Are you going to stop being so judgy?" Snow reached into her pocket and pulled out a key, extending it to her daughter. "If you're going to be a part of this community, we have to make it official."

Emma took the key and placed it in the lock. The moment it turned, there was a sudden boom, and both women looked at each other, startled.

"I'm going to talk to the Sheriff and see what's happening," Emma said.

"Good idea," Snow replied, and they pushed their belongings into the apartment. Emma left to speak with the Sheriff while Snow continued to unpack.

At the department, Emma found Graham, who was rushing toward the cruiser. "What's going on?"

"Please, Dr. Swan, I don't have time for this right now," he said, jumping into the cruiser. Emma, not wanting to be left behind, hopped in too.

"I just want to know what's happening. That was too brief to be seismic," Emma said, and the Sheriff peeled off.

Graham explained, "There was an explosion at the mines. Please, stay out of my way."

As they drove to the mines, Emma observed the town's residents in a state of confusion. She noted the number of cars heading away from the outskirts of town and parked on the roadside, their occupants appearing bewildered.

Upon arriving at the mines, Emma got out of the cruiser and joined the other citizens. Ruby and Marco stood nearby, looking at the smoking rubble.

"Is that a crater?" Ruby asked.

"No, there were tunnels. Old mines, something collapsed," Marco explained.

Regina, who had just arrived, took charge. "Sheriff, set up a police perimeter." She turned to Emma. "Ms. Swan, this is now official town business. You're free to go."

Emma corrected, "It's Dr. Swan..." She looked at Graham. "And I actually rode over here with the Sheriff, so..."

Regina's eyes fell on Emma with a hint of annoyance. "I see. Then why don't you make yourself useful and work with crowd control?"

Emma took on the task of managing the crowd alongside Ruby and Marco. Regina addressed the crowd, offering words of hope and promises to ensure the area's safety, with the exception of one concerned citizen.

Henry, Regina's son, approached his mother. "Pave it? What if something's down there?"

Regina responded, "What are you doing here?"

"What's down there?" Henry inquired, speaking quietly so only Regina could hear.

Regina replied, "Nothing. Now, step back." She then stood up and spoke to the crowd, urging them to keep a safe distance from the area. As she walked away, she noticed a charred piece on the ground, evidence of the curse. Regina discreetly pocketed it.

Henry whispered to Emma, "What was that?"

Emma, with the yellow police tape in hand, followed Regina with her gaze as the Mayor worked alongside Graham to keep people safe. Behind her, she heard Henry talking to Archie, the therapist. She turned to see the man approach her son and decided to keep a close eye on her sneaky boy.

Henry brought Archie closer to Emma, and she paused to listen to what he had to say. "This requires all of Operation Cobra. Both of you," he whispered.

Archie looked perplexed. "I didn't realize I was in Operation Cobra."

"Of course you are; you know everything," Henry said before turning to Emma. "We can't let her do this. What if there's something down there?"

Emma asked, "You think they collapsed because I came? Do you think she was keeping something hidden there?"

"You're changing things," Henry stated. "You're weakening the curse."

Emma pondered the implications of her actions. She considered discussing this with her mother. Nonetheless, an exploration of the mines seemed necessary, as long as it didn't result in further collapses. "Or these could just be old mines," she suggested aloud to discourage any further exploration by her son.

Henry remained serious. "Emma, I'm serious. Did you do anything today of significance?"

Emma thought of the magical moment when she placed the key to the door. Before she could answer, Regina approached them. "I told you to wait in the car," she said to her son. Henry frowned and headed back to the car.

Emma turned to Regina and said, "Dr. Swan, Sheriff, please cordon off the area."

With the yellow police tape in hand, Emma watched as Regina worked with Graham to manage the crowd and maintain safety. She wondered how these unexpected events might impact the town and the curse that seemed to hold it captive.

Emma and Regina locked eyes for a tense moment, their silent standoff carrying a weight of unspoken words. Then, Emma decided to return to what she was doing, while Regina turned to Archie. She requested, "Dr. Hopper, a word, please?"

Archie turned back to face her. Despite his typically meek demeanor, he didn't seem intimidated at all. Regina imagined he might be if he truly knew who she was. "Okay, we're done with this," Regina stated firmly.

The therapist, still bewildered, inquired, "Uh... Excuse me?"

Regina clarified her concerns, "My son. We need a new treatment plan. Everything I do, he thinks it's part of some horrible plot. I can't close up a safety hazard without him thinking I'm hiding something. How am I hiding something terrible in an old mine? How is this logical to him?"

Archie, trying to see the bigger picture, shrugged and offered, "He's got an amazing imagination."

Regina's frustration grew. "Yes, that you let run rampant!" She reminded him firmly. "Well, I think it would be wrong to rip away the world he's constructed," Archie explained.

Regina's patience was wearing thin. She reminded him of his role, saying, "Sometimes I think you've forgotten. You work for me. You're an employee, and I can fire you." She then lowered her voice to a menacing level. "This is my town. You will lose your office. Lose your house. I can cut you down to size until you're a tiny shrunken little creature. And this..." She held up his umbrella for emphasis. "Will be the only roof over your damn head."

Archie understood the depth of Regina's desperation and switched to therapist mode. "What would you have me do?" he asked.

Regina's demand was clear, "You take that delusion out of my son's head." With that, she walked away, leaving Archie to contemplate her request.

On the other side of the situation, Henry was eager to talk to Archie in his next session. He had a plan and was determined to get his therapist's help. Henry dressed in his comfortable clothes and made his way to Archie's office.

Upon arriving, he noticed Marco leaving Archie's office. Henry greeted him with a smile and quickly entered the room. "Hey, Archie!"

"Henry," Archie replied. "Come in."

Henry placed his backpack on the brown leather couch and turned to Archie. "Are you recruiting Geppetto for Operation Cobra?"

"You think Marco is Geppetto?" Archie asked in response.

"Sure, he's Jiminy Cricket's best friend, and Marco is yours," Henry explained.

Archie sighed, realizing that Regina had spoken to Henry about his beliefs. "Henry, look, we really need to talk about this, okay?"

Henry remained confident. "I know you're not convinced, but I know where I can get proof," he said, bringing his backpack forward and opening it.

Archie peered inside the bag. "Flashlight? Candy bars? Oh wait... Henry, you do not want to go down there."

"Emma's here, and things are happening," Henry insisted. "I have to look at it."

Archie reached out to Henry. His touch was frantic and desperate, something he had never done before. "Henry, stop. Stop," he urged, shaking the boy slightly. "There is no proof! All of this is a delusion. Do you know what that is?"

Henry was confused but answered, "I think so."

Archie continued, trying to help the boy understand. "It's something that's not real and not healthy. And I thought that you'd outgrow this. But, Henry, you know. Now it's turned into a psychosis. Do you know what that is? That's when you can't tell what's what anymore. And if you keep going like this, they may institutionalize you. Henry, this has to stop. You have to shake it off for your own good."

Henry was certain that his mother had influenced Archie. He listened silently to the only adult he could talk to and decided to venture into the mine alone. He got up and ran out of Archie's office, determined to tackle this alone, just as he had always done.

At Storybrooke Hospital, Snow and David sat together, sharing conversation and jokes. Snow kept him entertained in the hours when Kathryn wasn't around. David still didn't remember his wife, Kathryn, and Snow understood why. There was a distinct lack of concern on his part about recalling his life with her. They were essentially picking up where they had left off, with familiar feelings carrying them through their days.

Yet, Snow was hesitant to try and bring his memory back. She was now middle-aged, looking good for her age, but undeniably aged. He, on the other hand, still looked as beautiful as he had at thirty. This made her contemplate the age gap between them. She was now closer to his age than when they were together. When she had Emma at eighteen, he was twenty-seven.

When she was with him now, time seemed to lose its grip on her. However, she was fearful of trying to rekindle his memories due to the stark contrast in their physical appearances.

Kathryn walked into the hospital room as Snow and David played Hangman. Snow stood and greeted her, "Mrs. Nolan! Nice to see you again."

Kathryn replied, "Have a good day, Mrs. Swan," and then turned her attention to David. "Hi, honey, I have some pictures. Maybe you will remember."

David smiled at his wife, but his gaze involuntarily followed the beautiful, older woman who had just exited his room.

After her hospital visit, Snow returned home and enjoyed roasting marshmallows with her daughter. Now that she no longer needed to hide, she contemplated applying for a position as an elementary school teacher at Henry's school. She expressed her desire, saying, "I just need something to do other than fawn over your father all day."

Emma chuckled, "He is kinda cute."

"Are you kidding? He is fine as hell," Snow said, and Emma laughed.

"Gross!" Emma exclaimed, taking a bite of the s'more in front of her. "You just need to figure out a way to snatch him away from the gilded princess."

"It would be so much easier if she weren't so... nice," Snow began and paused, searching for the right words. "She's a genuinely good person."

"You're nicer, I'm sure," Emma remarked, pulling her briefcase closer. She retrieved her glasses from the bag and started arranging her texts on the table. "Don't mind me... I have a lesson plan to revamp."

Snow nodded and continued, "Yeah, how about you? Any ideas on how you're supposed to break this curse?"

Emma explained, "I've had theories for years. I think it lies with me because I am made from true love. But... I have never been in love, so I am going to have to figure out what my love has to do with any of this." She pulled up lesson plans centered around fairy tales and continued, "Meanwhile, I think I'll just be waking people up little by little until I can break things."

"Good luck with that," Snow said, kissing the top of Emma's head as a knock sounded at the door. "I'll get it." She opened the door, and a tearful Henry stood there. "Henry?"

Emma turned to face them, concern etched across her face. "Kid, what happened?"

Emma was seething with anger. That cricket, Archie, had given her a treatment plan for Henry, and then seemingly crushed her son's heart with his words. She couldn't let this go without a confrontation. Racing to Archie's office, she knocked loudly on the door, calling out, "Archie!"

Archie remained silent, not responding to her calls. Emma decided to try the doorknob, and to her surprise, the door was unlocked. She pushed it open and stormed inside. "What did you do?" she shouted. "You told me not to take the fantasy away from him, and I agreed, as it's based on sound psychology. And now you tell the kid he's crazy and we need to lock him up?"

Archie attempted to explain, "When a course of therapy stops working, you adjust it."

Emma, now frantic and infuriated, questioned, "Is it her? Did she threaten you?" She advanced towards him with a menacing presence. "What could be so powerful that it drowned out your own conscience?"

Archie stood his ground, insisting, "I don't need to defend my professional decisions to you, Doctor."

Just then, Emma's phone rang, displaying Regina's name on the caller ID. Emma answered, her tone laced with sarcasm, "Well, hello, Madame Mayor."

Regina got straight to the point, "Are you with him?"

Emma replied, "Yes, I'm with Dr. Hopper, and guess what? You left your fingerprints all over him when you..."

Regina interrupted, "Not him, Henry. Is he with you?"

Concern filled Emma's voice as she responded, "I dropped Henry at your office an hour ago."

Regina's tone became anxious, "Well, he's not here."

Emma's worry deepened, "I don't know where he is..."

Archie suddenly interjected, "I do."

Across town, Henry was determined to uncover what his mom, the Evil Queen, was hiding in the mines. While Emma was focused on trying to win over Regina, Henry was resolute in his quest to prove his theory. Armed with a flashlight, he crossed under the caution tape and ventured into the dark depths of the mines.

His determined mother, Emma, was not far behind. She and Archie, along with Pongo, had been searching for the boy. They called out his name, but received no response. Pongo picked up the first clue, a dropped candy bar at the mine's entrance.

Meanwhile, Henry continued deeper into the mines, oblivious to their calls. He discovered a shard of something unusual, and as he picked it up, he unintentionally triggered a cave-in. Archie managed to get into the shaft, but Emma was left outside, anxiously waiting.

She had called the sheriff and the mayor right after Archie got trapped inside the mines. Inside, Archie located Henry and attempted to convince him to leave, but the determined boy was fixated on uncovering the mine's secrets and ran further into the depths. Archie searched the shafts, eventually finding Henry peering into a deep hole.

"I see something shiny," Henry said.

Archie, increasingly concerned for their safety, urged, "Henry, we have to go."

"Do you think it means something?" Henry inquired.

"Henry, I'm frightened for your safety!" Archie emphasized.

Frustrated, Henry turned to him. "Because you think I'm crazy?"

Archie clarified, "No! Because we are trapped underground in an abandoned mine, Henry. And there's no way out."

It was at this moment that Henry realized the gravity of their predicament. He understood why everyone had warned him not to enter the mine shafts. Now, he and Archie were both in danger, and he couldn't help but worry about his dog, Pongo, his mom, Regina, and Emma. Maybe, just maybe, breaking the curse could save them all.

Outside, Emma supervised an excavation while Regina watched helplessly. The ground trembled again, and Pongo barked frantically in the background. Regina screamed, "Stop, stop! You're making it worse!"

"I need to get him out of there," Emma said frantically, her maternal instincts in full force. Henry was her son, the child she had carried, nurtured, and loved for nine months. The shield she had wanted to keep but had to give up due to the dangers of Storybrooke. Her baby, who had ended up entangled in the complex web of her life. She finally had him back, and she couldn't bear to lose him now. "You know why he went in there in the first place? Because he felt like he had something to prove."

"And why does he think he has anything to prove?" Regina retorted. She only wanted someone to love, and Henry was that someone. She couldn't bear the thought of losing him. "Who's encouraging him?"

Emma shook her head, defending herself, "Do not put this on me."

Regina's frustration and fear spilled over as she exclaimed, "Oh, please, lecture me until his oxygen runs out!" Both women stared at each other, their frantic concern for their son evident. Emma felt the weight of her past traumas and the thought of losing Henry all over again. She knew she would need Archie after this.

Though they couldn't see it amidst the blame and anger, both women shared a profound sense of despair and heartache. They understood the pain each felt, and maybe they should have comforted each other, but the depth of their despair kept them apart.

Emma sighed and took a step closer to Regina. "We have to stop this. Arguing won't accomplish anything."

Regina turned to face Emma, her expression one of defeat and fear. She hadn't seen her this scared, no matter what challenges they had faced in Storybrooke. Their ongoing battle over breaking the curse was taking a toll on their son. In that moment, Regina knew he was both of their son. Emma's heart had never given up on the child she had given birth to. "No, it won't," Regina replied, facing Emma.

Emma asked, "What do you want me to do?" She deferred to the mother who had raised her son, acknowledging that despite being the birth mother, Regina had nurtured him just as deeply.

"Help me," Regina tearfully implored. "We need to find some way to... punch through the ground. We need something big. This is not like one of your archaeological digs."

"So, what could we use?" Emma inquired.

"Explosives!" Marco suggested from behind them. The two women turned to look at him.

Inside the shaft, Henry and Archie paused as they heard a familiar noise. "Henry, do you hear that?"

The boy looked around. "Pongo!"

"Follow the noise!" Archie exclaimed and led the way. "There's a ladder over there."

Henry looked up at the strange apparatus. "What is this thing?" he asked, intrigued.

"It looks like an elevator shaft," Archie replied, examining it more closely. "It seems to go all the way out, which is why we can hear Pongo."

"Can we use it?" Henry asked eagerly.

"We can certainly try," Archie said. He located the wheel that would turn the elevator pulleys and began to twist it, causing the elevator to ascend through the shaft.

Outside, the rescue team set up their explosives. Emma wasn't entirely sure if the explosives would improve the situation or make the cave-in worse, but she couldn't stand idly by. Everyone took cover, and Graham gave the order, "Okay, we're all clear."

"Blow it," Regina commanded. The team detonated the explosives, causing an explosion. Once the dust settled, Emma rushed to the scene where the explosives had been placed. When she returned, her eyes showed even more fear. "It didn't open," she said.

"What did it do then?" Graham inquired. They needed to come up with an alternative plan.

Snow headed to the hospital, this time for employment purposes. She needed to undergo medical tests to become a substitute teacher at the elementary school. As she was leaving, David spotted her and called out, "Hey!"

She looked at him and smiled, replying, "Hey."

David asked, "Where are you going?"

"Home, I'm done for the day," she answered, but then she realized he needed rest. "Shouldn't you be resting?"

He informed her, "Actually, Dr. Whale wants me to start physical therapy. I'm supposed to walk thirty minutes on a treadmill or outside in the courtyard, but they are short on people that can walk with me because of that thing that happened at the mine."

Snow nodded and agreed to take a walk with him. As they walked, she took out her phone, which had several missed texts from Emma. She cringed, realizing she had been ignoring them in her haste to complete her testing.

Snow read the texts:

Emma: Henry snuck out to the mines, going to look for him with Archie

Emma: There was a cave-in, Archie had gone in after Henry and now they are both stuck.

Emma: Mom!

Emma: My baby… Oh my god, Mom, I can't take it.

Emma: Regina's here now.

Emma: Mom, if she gives me one more smug look, I swear I will invoke parental rights.

Emma: I am having them excavate… Mom, please tell me he'll be okay. I need you.

Emma: Okay, I think… She's hurting just like me.

Emma: Mom… Please… They want to use explosives, do you think that is a good idea?

Emma: It didn't work… : (

Snow was overwhelmed with worry and frustration. She desperately wanted to be with her daughter and help, but she had already promised to walk with David, and it was only a half-hour commitment.

She walked with David, who tried to remember his surroundings. He said, "I'm trying to remember this place. It's like I woke up in some strange land."

Snow asked, "Is anything coming back?"

He looked at her blankly, unable to recall anything.

Snow pressed further, asking, "What about when you were with her? You remembered your dog."

David admitted, "Yeah, I lied. She's just so loving; I didn't want to disappoint her."

Snow chuckled, "None of it makes sense. None of it… none of it feels real."

David continued, "The only thing that feels real is you."

Snow understood that she and Emma were the only elements of his world that felt genuine. He mentioned Emma and then whispered, "Kathryn."

This revelation sobered Snow. She realized that David had recognized his wife, Kathryn, just as they were about to share true love's kiss. The curse was working against them, and Snow understood the power of the curse.

Then another text from Emma arrived:

Emma: We don't know what to do now.

Snow needed to be with her daughter. She said to David, "If you two will excuse me… I have to go. I leave you in good hands." She rushed off toward the mines.

"Snow?" David called out, "See you tomorrow?"

She turned, smiled, and replied, "Tomorrow," before continuing her journey to find Emma.

Inside the shaft, the explosion had rocked the area, causing the elevator car to fall a few stories. Despite the shock and the drop, both Henry and Archie survived the incident. Henry shined his flashlight upward, trying to create a beacon of light.

He sighed and sat in front of Archie, feeling the weight of the situation. "I'm really, really, really sorry," Henry said to the older man.

Archie reassured him, "It's all right."

"I just wanted to find proof," Henry explained.

Archie shook his head, "It's really alright, Henry. I'm sorry too. Look, I don't think you are crazy. I just think that you have a really strong mother who has a clear idea of the path she wants you to be on, and when you step off that path, she gets scared. And that's natural. But it's also natural for you to be free to think the things that you want to think."

After an aftershock, Archie continued, "Anyway, I didn't mean the things I said, and I am sorry I said them."

"Then why did you?" Henry asked.

Archie reflected, "I guess I'm just not a very good person. I'm not the man I want to be."

Henry offered his perspective, "I think you can be him. I think you can be a good person. I mean, you're Jiminy Cricket."

Archie accepted the compliment, saying, "Henry, I'm neither a cricket nor a conscience."

"But before he was that, he was just this guy who took a long time to figure out the right thing to do," Henry replied.

Archie nodded, acknowledging the similarity, "That sounds like me."

Henry reassured the man, "Now it's just harder for you to hear that voice that's inside of you, to be who you want to be." Another aftershock shook the shaft, emphasizing the urgency of their situation.

Archie asked, "Why do you think it's so important that this fairy tale theory is true?"

Henry explained, "It's not a theory; ask Emma. Because... this can't be all there is."

Archie understood Henry's drive and said, "I understand."

Henry further confessed, "I thought if I found proof, but I didn't find anything."

Archie countered, "That's not true."

Henry was surprised and asked eagerly, "You mean... you remember?"

Archie clarified, "No, I don't remember. But I do remember the kind of person I want to be. I just gotta listen harder."

As they conversed, gravel started falling from overhead, and they both wondered what was causing it.

At the dig site, Emma and Regina were frantic, with Regina running toward the demolition expert in a fit of anger. She exclaimed, "What was that? You could have killed my son!"

"Madame Mayor," Emma said, chasing after Regina, "This isn't helping." Meanwhile, Marco was devising another plan of attack.

Emma noticed Pongo, Archie's dog, trying to get someone's attention, so she went over to him. She realized the significance of the situation, as Pongo might have sensed something.

She released Pongo from the firetruck and watched as the dog led her to a patch of grass. Emma spoke to the rescue team, "He's Archie's dog... he's found something."

As they began paying attention, Emma pointed out, "Look, this is where they must be." She spotted a grate on the floor and examined it closely. "What is that?"

The sheriff explained, "It's an air shaft."

They decided to use a tow truck to lift the grate and inspect the air shaft. As they peered down, they saw nothing but darkness below. Regina inquired, "What now?"

The tow truck driver secured a harness to the end of the truck, and the decision was made to lower someone down the shaft to retrieve Henry. Regina volunteered, stating, "Lower me down."

Emma disagreed, shaking her head and taking off her leather jacket, revealing her tank top and jeans. "Oh, no way I'm going," Emma asserted.

Regina countered, "He's my son."

Emma retorted, "He's my son too," speaking in a soothing tone. "Plus, our son isn't the only one down there, and you've been sitting behind a desk for the past ten years."

Regina stepped closer to Emma, feeling deep gratitude for her bravery. She wanted to express her affection with a kiss but restrained herself. She couldn't want the evil queen; she was supposed to defeat her. How could she do that if she fell in love with her? Yet, her heart had its own agenda. In that moment, Emma realized she wanted Regina Mills. She sighed and nodded before walking toward the shaft, accepting the challenge.

"What's that?" Henry asked when he saw a beam of light above.

"I think it's a rescue," Archie replied.

"Are you guys okay?" Emma asked, shining her flashlight down.

"Yes, we're okay," Archie answered.

"Hang on, Henry," Emma said and reached for the walkie-talkie. "Okay, that's good, stop."

She opened the grate at the top of the elevator car, and Archie lifted Henry into his mother's arms. "I got you, Henry." But then the shaft began to shift.

"What's happening?" Henry asked aloud.

"It's going to fall," Archie stated.

"Archie, I'm sorry," Emma said, looking at the therapist with an armful of boy. She couldn't save them both.

"It's okay," Archie reassured her. He spotted the harness hook and wondered if he could reach it. As the shaft continued to shake and the light beam shifted, Archie reached blindly with his umbrella and hooked onto something. He held on as the car fell into the abyss, and Henry and Emma screamed his name.

But Archie didn't fall; he was safe on the harness hook. The three of them were elated, and Emma called for them to begin pulling him up.

As Emma emerged with her son safely in her arms, Regina couldn't have been more elated. She cautioned them to be careful with Archie, who was clinging to the harness. Once they pried the boy from her hands, she reluctantly let go.

As soon as Archie was taken from her, Regina held on to her son and moved him away from Emma. She walked up to her mother, who held Emma to comfort her. Snow knew that her daughter needed her support. She had seen Emma cling to her son and understood the pain she would feel once she had to relinquish him again. So she took Emma home, wondering how long the depression would last this time.

Regina, relieved to have her son back, approached Archie. "Thank you, Dr. Hopper."

Archie had something to say, and they walked away from prying ears. "I am going to keep treating Henry, but I am going to do it my own way."

"Having saved my child changes nothing," Regina stated. "You do as I say, or..."

"Or you'll do your worst?" Archie said defiantly. "Because I will always do my best."

"Don't test me," Regina warned.

"Oh, I will because someday, Madam Mayor, you may find yourself in a custody battle," Archie declared. "And do you know how the court determines who is a fit parent? They consult an expert, especially one who's treated the child. So why don't you think about that and allow me to do my work the way my conscience tells me to."

With that, he walked away from her, knowing the kind of man he wanted to be. It was as if he had been awakened, and Emma's effect on him was vibrant and raw.

In another scene, Emma sat at her window at home, her head tilted against the windowpane. Snow came up the stairs and knocked. "Hey, you've got some visitors."

Emma shook her head, not really in the mood for visitors. However, the pitter-patter of little feet roused her, and Henry hugged her tightly. Archie had also come to visit. "Just came to say thank you for the rescue."

Emma smiled and replied, "You are one lucky cricket."

Henry leaned out of the window and said, "Hey, listen..."

They paused, and the sound of crickets began to chirp. Emma hadn't realized that the sound had been missing before. "Oh yeah," Archie said.

"The crickets are back," Henry pointed out. Emma hadn't noticed the absence of the sound before, but it seemed like things were changing for the better."