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(no subject)

Who: Henry Mills, Regina Mills, Neal Cassidy, + You
Where: Running through the mansion
When: March 8th, late evening, probably about 10, 11 p.m.
Rating: PG at the most probably? Will edit if needed
Summary: Henry returns post 4x12 - spoilers for the most recent OUAT episode
The Story:

Regina

There was no memory of Wonderland in Storybrooke. One moment Henry was heading to bed in his room at the mansion, the next he was standing outside of 108 Mifflin and demanding Regina let him inside. He was convinced now, all that she needed was for someone to not give up on her, and it became pretty clear that he could be that person when Robin couldn't. Except Henry really liked the way Robin made his mom smile, and he liked Robin himself, and Roland. So needless to say, when they left Storybrooke forever because of Ingrid, it sucked for lack of a better word. He felt for his mom, wanted to be there for her and was more determined than ever to find something to help. Was he supposed to be trespassing in the big mansion he couldn't remember ever seeing before? Probably not. But something in his gut told him that the answers were all here. And when he finds shelves and shelves of blank books just like his, he knows he's hit jackpot.

But, there's school to go to, more birds to learn about apparently, and for a while, things are just normal. He likes normal. He likes working with Regina, he likes hanging out with Emma, visiting his grandparents and getting to play favorite uncle to baby Neal. Or something - was it uncle? He has no idea. In any case, it's normal and nice.

And then the two biggest jerks he's pretty sure he's ever met make it into Storybrooke. Cruella De Vil just seems...a little unhinged, and Ursula he isn't sure about yet. But he instantly doesn't like them for the things they say. He leaves when Regina asks him to, knowing she wants to protect him. When he steps outside of the diner again though, it's back into Wonderland. For a second he freezes, just looking around a little until it all clicks into place again. The Queen of Hearts and Alice and mirrors and Jabberwockys. But more importantly, his family. And he remembers Regina left and came back so he takes off running to find her, not even bothering to knock before he bursts into her room. He doesn't even bother to think about the fact that it was dark outside or what time at night it might be.

"Mom? Are you here?"

Neal

After his mom is filled in, when he finds out Emma left about the same time he did, he's not worried. Now that he's experienced it himself, and he knows all of Emma's stuff is still here, he knows it's all okay. But he knows his dad is still here, and there's a twinge of guilt at forgetting him, even though it definitely isn't his fault he did. He's also more aware of the time now and this time knocks on the door, waiting to be let in. He can't wait to tell him about everything that's happened, and Elsa and Anna, and everything.

Everyone else, other family and friends

And now he's starving. He never did get those chocolate frosted donuts for breakfast, and now it's even way past dinner. He makes his way up to the diner, relieved when he finds it still open, then makes his way back down and kind of around the mansion, looking to see if anything had changed, but being wary of anything he doesn't recognize right away just in case it turns him into something. He's not ready to be muppet-ized again or something.

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She watches him with a careful eye, expecting him to explain the demon and instead he comes out with that. It isn't what she expected, but given the already apparent discrepancy, she has to commend him for checking the facts first.

"I do." Regina frowns, though she's glad somebody else finally knows. While she's been keeping it a secret to ensure Gold doesn't find out, it's nice to have someone to talk to. Something in her head clicks, as she has a realisation, "Does that have something to do with the demon?"

He nods and holds her gaze.

"Gold trapped all of the fairies inside, and when you and Emma figured out how to get them out, something else came out too. A...Chin...Cher..." Crap. He can't remember exactly what it was called, hence, 'giant demon.'

"Chern-something. It was huge and was kind of like a giant gargoyle. I'm pretty sure it was going to eat people. But you took care of it," he adds quickly, just as a reminder. "Everyone's safe."

The frown only deepens when he explains exactly what happened. As glad as she is that they stopped it and that everybody is okay, the fact that something like that came out of the hat is incredibly troubling.

"You said 'a lot,' - the last thing I remember is finding the Author's library, how long ago was that for you?" Did Storybrooke at least get a week without some evil force besieging it?

Henry grins. She's going to be so glad that it's even longer.

"Six weeks. I went to school, we had a lot of donuts, and you taught me how to make lasagna."

It was productive, and he lightly bumps her shoulder. "And it's still okay. We're okay."

He means that in more ways than one, but she remembers the Author's library, so she remembers saying goodbye to Robin. And she's okay.

"Something else...is kind of happening, but I left before I could really find out what it means." He pauses for a second.

"So...you know Cruella de Vil and Ursula?"

Six weeks without anything waging war against Storybrooke is enough to leave her speechless for a moment. Granted, it's all ruined when he mentions Cruella and Ursula, but for that one brief moment, she's happy. Happy enough to put an arm around his shoulder and pull him into one of those half-hug things, as she presses a kiss to the top of his head.

"It's about time you went back to school."

He mentioned it, so he has to be chided for it. Even if it wasn't his fault. With a frown, she continues.

"I do. I take it they're in Storybrooke?"

There's so much wrong with that she doesn't know where to begin.

"Yeah. And...they're not very nice." Just from the five seconds of conversation he put together, he's pretty sure they're kind of jerks. But:

"You and Emma let them in at the town line. You haven't told me why yet. Or how." He has no idea how, since he thought anyone who left or wasn't there could never get inside.

Okay, it's one thing if they managed to find their way into town on their own. It's another entirely if they she let them in. On the other hand, it means they have a way to get people back into Storybrooke.

People like Robin.

"It can't be anything good," she admits, "but there isn't much we can do about it here."

"I'm sorry I don't know more. We were getting donuts and going to your office to work on Operation Mongoose stuff when I came back. But - we did figure out something."

He grins now, excited to fill her in, to tell her what they found out. "The author and the sorcerer aren't even the same person."

"But the library is in the Sorcerer's house. That doesn't make any sense."

While she's glad for the information, it doesn't add up. Even a little. Though one thing gets her, "How did you find out?"

"You found out," he says with a proud smile. "You talked to Mother Superior after you got all of the fairies out of the hat. She said no one's seen the author for a really, really long time."

He almost forgets the most important part, but when he remembers, he immediately lights up. "Oh! And we can for sure keep working on Operation Mongoose here! She said the author left all kinds of clues in my book about who he is."

"Wait, the Blue Fairy helped?" That is... actually genuinely shocking, even if the reason why followed that up immediately. The Blue Fairy is the last person she ever expected to help find her happy ending, even after everybody else in Storybrooke. She's just so.... good.

It's good to have proof that the Author exists, but if he hasn't been seen for a very long time, how does that bode for her happy ending? She isn't going to let it stop her, but it's a dark thought amidst the hope Henry is bringing her. "Did she say what kind of clues? Or are we looking for a needle in a haystack?"

"She didn't get a chance to," Henry says almost apologetically. "She was about to and then...there was the huge demon thing, and then Cruella and Ursula. So, we didn't really get to that part. But if there are clues, then I just have to look for anything that I maybe didn't notice before. Like...where's Waldo, maybe. We've got this mom."

He's so confident and sure, with no doubt at all that they're going to find what they need.

"It's okay. I know you can figure it out. You found the library, you can find the Author." If there is one thing she knows, one thing that rings true no matter what realm or land they're in, it's that Henry can do this. That isn't to say she won't be helping every step of the way, but this is more his thing than hers.

"So, Cruella, Ursula, this... demon, did anybody else show up?"

Say, a certain thief?

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know who Regina hopes might be in Storybrooke again, so he picks his words carefully.

"Not yet. But the important part is now you know how. With the scroll that Ingrid had. All you have to do is toss it over the town line, and the person on the side reads it, and then they can cross over. Which means...all you have to do is call him, mom."

Because there's no doubt in his mind Robin would come.

That is the third greatest thing she's heard today. Right behind Henry's voice and the news about the Author, respectively. It isn't what she wanted to hear, but she'll take it. It's more than she had before.

"If we can find him." Honestly, she just wants to know he's okay. Getting him back to Storybrooke is a whole different set of challenges that Regina can't do, not yet. That's why she needs the Author. "But this is all great news Henry, I'm so proud of you."

Henry grins a little and hugs her. "We're getting close, I know it. And Robin's still here, right? I mean, he never left or anything?"

He likes Robin, a lot, they spend a fair amount of time together, and he looks up at Regina. "Before I left, we had that memory thing, and the feeling each other's emotions part, too. I...know how much he misses Roland, so I want to try and hang out with him as much as I can. I know it's not the same, but maybe it helps a little."

She answers his questions with a nod, before pressing another kiss to his temple. "We're lucky in that regard."

'We' here means not only Robin and herself, but Henry too. She knows how well they get along, and how much Robin cares about Henry as if he was his own. Henry's right, it isn't the same, but the fact that he wants to is enough to fill her heart with warmth. "I think he'd like that. Now, I'm sure you want to go see Neal, so we'll talk more about Operation Mongoose later?"

"Yeah," he replies with an eager nod before hugging her again tightly. He gets up to go, but pauses and looks back at her, giving her a bright smile.

"Love you, mom."

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