Chapter 60 [Vault]

Title - The Blessed Swan and Her Evil Queen | Chapter 2

___________________________________________

[3rd POV]

As those words escaped the kid's mouth, Emma’s face paled slightly. ‘Wha-no no no no, it can’t be him’ Emma thought, breathing in deeply as she looked down at what might be her son. The one she had given up years ago.

Emma couldn’t let out a word as he slipped into her apartment. “Hey, kid, kid, kid?” Emma said, as Henry ignored her and walked through her apartment.

“I don’t have a son” Emma said, lying to both him, and herself. She could tell just from looking at him, her magic acting as a way of verifying it. This was her son, even if she herself, didn’t want to admit it.

“Where are your parents?” Emma asked.

“Ten years ago, did you give up a baby for adoption?” Henry asked, which Emma went silent at, causing him to continue “That was me”

Breathing deeply, she looked at Henry, as her son. ‘Occlumency, don’t fail me now’ Emma thought, as she began to get her emotions under control.

“Do you have any juice?” Henry asked as he walked over to the fridge, and opened it.

“Oh, never mind, I found some” Henry said before Emma could speak.

Looking at Henry, Emma watched him drink some orange juice, before he spoke “You know, we should probably get going”

“To where?”

“I want you to come home with me” Henry responded, smiling at the idea of it all.

Emma had the thought to call the cops, but she also knew that wouldn’t go well. That, and this was her son, she knew it for a fact, her magic telling her that much.

“And where is home?” Emma asked, looking at Henry.

“Storybrooke, Maine”

“Storybrooke? Really?” Emma asked, raising an eyebrow at the interesting name. She hadn’t ever heard of it before, which also meant she’d need to do some research in the future.

“Mmhmm” Henry nodded.

“Alright then, let’s get you back to Storybrooke”

________________________________

After getting her red leather jacket, and hiding some books in a space expanded pouch she had, the two had set off for this “Storybrooke”.

“What’s with the book?” Emma asked, glancing at the large book in Henry’s hands. He had complained about food, which she promptly satiated with a small bag of checks mix.

“I’m not sure you’re ready” Henry responded, causing her to raise an eyebrow.

“Not ready for some fairytales?” Emma asked, as the continued to drive.

“They’re not fairy tails. They’re true. Every story in this book actually happened” Henry responded, sounding serious and believing what he was saying.

Emma glanced at him, her inner “Lie Detector” not going off. ‘He’s telling the truth, or at least he thinks he is’ Emma thought, before responding “Just because you believe in something, doesn’t necessarily make it true, kid”

“That’s exactly what makes it true. You should know more than anyone”

“And why is that?” Emma asked, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye.

“Because you’re in this book” Henry said, causing Emma’s heart to practically skip a beat. Mostly because of the thought that it could contain details on her magic, the magic she had come to love and enjoy so very much, the secret she didn’t want to ever reveal.

“You’ve got some interesting…issues, kid” Emma replied with a sigh, causing Henry to just nod.

“Yep, and you’re gonna fix them”

________________________________

The rest of the drive had been rather peaceful, as Henry took a small nap, and mostly read his story book.

Eventually, Emma noticed the “Welcome to Storybrooke” sign.

Driving into the center of the smalltown, Emma began to speak, ignoring the fact that the streets were almost entirely deserted.

“Okay, kid. How about an address” Emma asked, having still not gotten one.

“44th, not telling you street” Henry responded, causing the car to skid to a halt.

Getting out of the car, she sighed “Alright kid, it’s been a very very long night, and it’s almost…”

“8:15? That clock isn’t right, is it” Emma asked, trying her best to ignore the weird sensation she had felt ever since entering the town. As if something was trying to tether her magic, trying to lock it away. She didn’t like the feeling…not at all. It wasn’t working of course, not even slightly, but still.

“Nope, hasn’t moved in my whole life. Times frozen here”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Emma asked, looking at Henry with more and more disbelief.

“The evil queen did it with her curse. She sent everyone from the Enchanted forest here” Henry responded.

“So the evil queen sent a bunch of characters here, to Storybrooke Maine, where they’re stuck in time?” Emma asked, raising an eyebrow at the kid.

“It’s true” Henry said with a nod.

“And why hasn’t anyone left yet?” Emma asked, growing slightly interested in what he was saying.

“They can’t. If they try, bad things happen”

Emma went silent in thought, wondering if Henry’s story was only a story. He seemed so…adamant that it was real. And considering the way her magic was reacting to this place…the town definitely wasn’t normal, that’s for sure.

“Henry?” A voice sounded out, causing Emma to turn and find a man standing there. Glasses adorned his face, a dog on a leash walking beside him, and brown hair colored his head.

“Is everything alright?” The man asked Henry while glancing at Emma.

“I’m fine Archie” Henry responded, placing a name to the unknown man.

“Who’s this?” Archie asked, looking at Emma.

“Just someone trying to give him a ride home” Emma said.

“She’s my mom, Archie” Henry answered, telling Archie what Emma did not want to tell him.

“Oh, I see” Archie said in slight surprise.

“You know where he lives?” Emma asked, trying to get the conversation away from what this man was about to talk about.

“Yeah, sure. Just right up on Mifflin street. The mayor’s house is the biggest one on the block” Archie answered.

‘Mayor…he’s the mayor’s kid’ Emma realized, wondering why the hell he would run away from a home like that. As she had long since taken a look at the kid with magic, making sure he wasn’t running away for any other reason, only to see that he wasn’t harmed or abused at all. If anything, he was pretty healthy for his age.

“You’re the Mayors kid?”

“Maybe” Henry said, avoiding Emma’s gaze.

“Where were you today, Henry? Cause you missed our session” Archie asked, crouching down to Henry’s level. Making Emma realize who this man was.

‘He’s his therapist…why does Henry need a therapist? He’s 10’ Emma thought, trying not to show her frown on her face.

“Of, I forgot to tell you. I went on a field trip” Henry responded, glancing at Emma.

“Henry. What’d I tell you about lying? Giving into ones dark side, never accomplishes anything” Archie said, causing Emma to blink.

‘Okay, this town is either not normal, or this guy is a nutjob’ Emma decided, before speaking.

“Oookay, I think I really should be getting him home” Emma cut the man off, not entirely comfortable with the man giving a literal 10-year-old, such a talk.

“Yeah. Sure. Well, listen, have a good night, and be good, Henry” Archie said with a smile, before walking off.

“So he’s your therapist? Doesn’t seem very cursed to me” Emma said.

“He is. And he’s the one who needs help because he doesn’t know”

“That he’s a fairy tale character?”

“None of them do. They don’t remember who they are” Henry responded, as he made his way back into the passengers seat.

“Alright then, who’s he then?”

“Jiminy Cricket” Henry responded as he got into the car.

“Are you pinnochio then?”

“No, I’m not pinnichio” Henry said with a slight huff, causing Emma to just chuckle before starting the car. Ready to get him back to his parents, or parent.

________________________________________

After driving for a couple of minutes, they made it to the Mayor's house. Which was quite impressive, definitely bigger than the other houses in the neighborhood.

“Please don’t take me back there” Henry begged, as they began to walk to the front door of the house.

“I have to. I’m sure your parents are worried sick about you” Emma responded.

“I don’t have parents. Just a Mom, and she’s evil” Henry responded, which Emma inwardly frowned at. He was acting sort of ungrateful.

“Evil seems a bit extreme, kid”

“She is. She doesn’t love me, she only pretends to” Henry responded, causing Emma to struggle to hold back her frown.

“Kid, I am 100% certain that is not true” Emma said, wholeheartedly believing it. Her instincts were telling her that much.

Emma couldn’t continue as a woman opened the door and walked out. A very very very attractive woman.

‘Holy fuck…’ Emma thought in slight awe of the woman that was hugging Henry. She was…well, she sort of pushed all the buttons Emma wanted in a woman. Something Emma herself didn’t really realize she wanted until recently, when the realization that she definitely preferred women, sort of became clear to her. She could also feel something…special about the woman.

‘Magic…she has magic? Or at least a tiny amount of it’ Emma thought, beginning to think Henry may have not been entirely wrong.

“Where have you been? What happened?” The Woman asked, worried for her son. Genuinely worried.

“I found my real mom” Henry said with a small scowl, before running off into the large home.

“You’re Henry’s birth mother?” The woman said, looking at the taller blonde in shock.

“I’ll just go check on the lad, make sure he’s alright” A man said from behind Henry’s adoptive mother. Emma glanced at him as he walked off.

The woman also ignored the man, and instead controlled herself. Stopping the tears that were threatening to break lose.

“How would you like a glass of the best apple cider you’ve ever tasted?” The woman asked, which Emma blinked at.

“Got anything stronger?”

________________________

Back inside the large mansion, the two were now conversing.

“So…how exactly did he find me?” Emma asked, watching the woman get two glasses of bourbon.

Alcohol barely affected her anymore, if at all. So she wasn’t really worried about driving.

“No idea. When I adopted him, he was three weeks old. Records were sealed. I was told the birth mother didn’t want to have any contact” The woman said.

“Well, that would be right. I-I didn’t have the things necessary to take care of a kid, much less a newborn” Emma responded.

“And what of the father?”

Emma snorted at the thought of him, the thought of Neal. She wasn’t very fond of him, not anymore. Not after realizing that guys were definitely not her speed, and after realizing that Neal was…not really a good partner…like at all.

“There was one. But you don’t need to worry about him. He doesn’t know about me having a kid. And I’d prefer it stay that way” Emma responded. Knowing that Neal, the Neal she remembered, would not be a good influence on a young kid like Henry.

“And do I need to be worried about you, Ms Swan?” The woman asked, handing her a glass.

“Madam Mayor, you can relax. Other than being a tired little boy, he’s fine” The man that had a sheriff’s badge on, said.

“Thank you, sheriff” The Mayor said, before the sheriff walked off.

“I’m sorry he dragged you out of your life” The mayor said, causing Emma to blink and follow her.

“He didn’t drag me out of anything, really”

“Ever since I’ve become mayor, balancing things have become…tricky. And you have a job, I assume?”

“Not anymore, no. But I’m…well off” Emma responded.

In actuality, she was filthy rich, as in, billionaire filthy rich.

Magic made it easy to win the lottery, just as it made it easy to win in various casino’s, bets, and basically everything else that could make a LOT of money.

“Well, being a single mom is like having two jobs, instead of one. But, I’ve learned to push forward and adapt. Am I strict? I suppose. But I do it entirely for his own good, I want Henry to excel in life. And I don’t think that makes me evil, do you?” The mayor asked.

“Not really, no. As long as he can still enjoy his childhood and all. It can’t be as evil as he makes you out to be, with that fairy tale thing of his” Emma responded, causing the woman to blink.

“What fairy tale thing?”

“His book, how he thinks everyone is a fairy tale character. Like how his therapist is Jiminy Cricket” Emma said, causing the woman’s face to tighten.

“I’m sorry, I’ve got no idea what you’re talking about”

‘Wow…she is not a very good liar. I don’t even need magic to know she just lied to my face’ Emma thought, seeing very cleary through the lie.

“Uh-huh. Well…I should be heading back. He is your kid, and…you seem to genuinely love him. Even if he doesn’t seem to realize it. He’s lucky to have you…” “Regina” “He’s lucky to have you, Regina” Emma said, finally getting the name of the oh so beautiful woman.

Regina on the other hand, was taken aback by the genuine response of Emma. She can’t remember when another person had said something about her, in such a genuine way. Much less in regards to her being Henry's mother.

“I know I would have killed to have a mom like you, back in my foster days” Emma replied with a chuckle, causing Regina to once more, look surprised.

“You were a foster child?

“Oh yeah. Bounced from house to house for most my life. Henry has it lucky. I’m sure he’ll realize that fact sooner or later. He just seems to be in that phase of life” Emma responded with a smile.

She had good instincts in regards to people, and her magic even more so. And everything was telling her that Regina truly did love and care for Henry. More so than just about anything else in the world.

“I-thank you, Ms Swan”

“None of that formal crap. Just call me Emma, since I can call you Regina” Emma responded with a smile as she was slowly led to the door.

“Thank you…Emma” Regina said, not entirely sure how she was feeling in regards to Henry’s birth mother.

She wanted to curse her, and send her away. But the woman was…kind, really, really kind. She seemed…understanding, not only that, but she even supported it. It seemed that she knew just how lucky Henry actually was, unlike most others in Storybrooke.

Hearing those words, Emma just gave Regina a final smile, before walking off. Emma had only one final thought as she walked back to her car.

‘Sorry Regina, but there is no way in hell I’m leaving. Not until I figure out just what this place is…and who you truly are’