Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Henry!” Izzy Morgan calls as she skateboards down the streets of Storybrooke with her twin brother, Miguel Morgan, riding his bicycle not too far behind her and their father, Adrian Morgan, following on foot with their three-legged golden retriever, Brizo almost dragging the human after the fraternal twins. When Henry hadn’t shown up at the Jewel of the Realm after school, Adrian had called the boy’s mother to see if everything was alright. After that, the mayor made a few calls and they quickly discovered Henry was missing. Adrian and the twins have been running around town looking for the boy ever since. Minus the half an hour Izzy and Miguel wasted grabbing one of Henry’s jackets and gave to Brizo to see if she could track the boy down, which she did not.

Henry had been coming down to the Jewel to learn about sailing since he was five years old. The lad had been curious about ships and Regina was in need of a babysitter, and the Morgan family had been quickly charmed by the energetic 5-year-old, so it worked out.

“Henry!” Miguel calls, the teen has been feeling guilty since he learned Henry was missing. The Mills boy had recently declared that his adoptive mother is an evil queen and he wanted to get away from her. Miguel finding the woman to be strict and completely terrifying hadn’t done as much as he should of to rid the 10-year-old of the notion and had also reminded the lad that he will be able to live as far away from her as he wants when he’s old enough. Now that Henry is missing, he fears the barely preteen had decided not to wait.

“Izzy! Miguel! Stop!” Adrian calls slowing down so he can answer his cell phone. “C’mon Brizo, heel.” The dog stumbles to a stop still trying to pull the bartender after the fourteen-year-olds. He manages to move Brizo’s leash from his hand to his wrist, Adrian manages to pull his phone out of his pocket with a whining Brizo still trying to pull him along. He flips it to open it as soon as he sees his children fully stop and turn towards him and Brizo. “Hello?”

“Hey, Adrian, I saw Henry.” Archie quickly fills them in.

“Archie saw Henry!” Adrian calls to the twins. The two instantly start racing towards their father and Brizo finally stops trying to drag him around. “Where? Is he alright?” The bar owner quickly questions the therapist.

“He’s okay,” Archie reassures him. “His biological mother is bringing him home.” The sailor froze in shock. Out of every single situation, he thought Henry could have gotten into, finding his birth mother was not one of them.

“What?” Adrian manages to croak out. Adrian knew Henry was struggling after finding out that he was adopted, Adrain, the twins, and Henry’s therapist, Dr. Archie Hopper, have been trying to help him process it, but they weren’t having the best of luck.

“Is Henry okay?”

“Where is he?” The twins asking two questions at the same time.

“He went to find his birth mother; she is bringing him to the mayor’s house.” He fills in his children, before turning away from his now stunned fourteen-year-olds and whispers into the cell phone. “You’re sure he’s okay and on his way home?” Who knows if the person he found was actually his birth mother or has good intentions? She brought him back to Storybrooke from wherever Henry found the woman so that’s a good sign, but Adrian is very experienced in how cruel the world can be.

“Henry wasn’t telling her where he lived so I gave her directions.” The therapist calmly informed the panicked bartender. “Before I called you, I called the mayor to tell her I saw Henry, and someone was bringing him home.”

“That’s good.” Adrian sighs, some tension leaving him, now that he knows Henry isn’t out wandering around alone in cold. “You didn’t tell Madam Mayor that it was his birth mum returning the lad, did you?”

“No… I um,” Archie stammers out. “She was already distressed enough about this whole ordeal that she hung up on me after I confirmed that Henry was safe and on his way home and before I could inform her who is bringing him home.”

“You’re terrified to tell the mayor aren’t you?” Adrian smirks. Even Adrian could admit he was afraid of a pissed off mayor. He thought that when the Mayor was enraged she was the equivalent of both a shark circling a piece of bloody meat and a starved, rabid wolverine when someone gets between it and its food.

He could hear a loud knock and the echo of a voice from the other end of the line. Adrian couldn’t quite make out what was being said or recognize who the voice belonged to.

“Um, I have to go.” Archie stumbles out. “I have a client. I hope you and the twins have a pleasant evening.” Dr. Hopper hangs up before his friend can respond. Adrian doubted someone would make an appointment past 11 at night, but Dr. Hopper did take walk-ins and he wasn’t exactly known for his lying capabilities.

“Can we go see Henry?” An exhausted Izzy mumbles out as she tries to stave off a yawn. The small family had been running around town looking the Mills child sense they learned he was missing at a quarter to five they had barely stopped to eat or use the restroom.

“We should probably get home, you two have school tomorrow and it is almost midnight.” Adrian states with regretfully. He’d rather be able to make sure the lad was okay with his own eyes, but his twins were dead on their feet, and once they get home he can call Regina to see how the lad is and they will be able to check on the lad in-person tomorrow. Regina may on occasion be a fire breathing dragon, but she was a mother and she would take care of her child, now he needed to take care of his twins and their faithful dog, Brizo.

“Papa.” Miguel groans.

“We’ll call Mayor Mills and check on him.” Adrian offers as a solution, reminding himself that Regina is Henry’s mother and perfectly capable of taking care of her son.

“Papa.” Izzy whines, drawing some teenage angst Adrian just knows he’ll be seeing more of when she gets deeper into her teen years.

“We’ll be able to check on him tomorrow.” Adrian offers, reminding himself that Sheriff Graham has been with Regina in case she got a ransom call and to look for any leads to where Henry might have gone or been taken.

“Dad!” The fraternal twins snap in unison.

“We’re going home.” Adrian half heartily orders. The entire Morgan family cared about the boy. They had known Henry for five years, but it was more than that. When Henry was 6 he asked Izzy and Miguel if they could be his big brother and sister.

When Henry was 7, he and the Twins had stumbled upon a dirty, shivering, scared three-legged Golden Retriever wandering around near the playground they call Henry’s castle. Within the hour the three had gotten the dog to the vet and were in the waiting room begging their respective parental if they could keep her.

Adrian had never told anyone this but once a few years ago when Adrian was bringing the lad back to his mother. The boy was half asleep and had tiredly called him dad. It had felt like the first time Miguel and Izzy had called him that.

“After we quickly check on Henry,” Adrian admits defeat, none of the Morgans would be able to rest until they saw Henry was safe with their own eyes. Brizo starts tugging on Adrian’s arm as soon as the twins take off.

“What are you waiting for? Come on!” Izzy shouts already state boarding towards the Mayor’s house, Miguel passing her on his bike as he picks up speed. The father chuckles, as he jogs after his kids with Brizo practical dragging him into a run.

Chapter Text

October 23, 2011

“How did he find me?” Emma finally asks the question she’s been wondering since Henry found her in Boston. She has met the boy she had given up for adoption. She has finally seen the baby she gave birth to while handcuffed to a hospital bed in prison. The baby that if she had held, that if she looked at, she wouldn’t have been strong enough to give him his best chance. She might have kept him when she had no money, no shelter, no job when she had and could give him nothing. No way of making sure he was fed, warm, or even safe. Emma gave him up so he could have a better life and he has a mother with a good job, living in a nice house, who’s capable of putting food on the table and clothes on his back. Now after all these years she has confirmed that she did the right thing.

"No idea," Regina admits in annoyance as she grabs two tumbler glasses. “When I adopted him, he was only 3 weeks old. The records were sealed. I was told the birth mother didn’t want to have any contact.”

“You were told right.” Once she decided to give him up for adoption it was an easy choice for the blonde, she didn’t want to drag the kid down. She knew that he would better off without the woman who wasn’t fit to be his mother in his life.

“And the father?” The frosty Mayor uses tongs to drop a few ice cubes into each of the glasses.

“There was one.” The bail bondswoman tries to evade talking about the man who ripped her apart and left her to build her walls up higher and stronger than they ever were.

“Do I need to be worried about him?” Regina interrogates the woman who shares blood with her son as the liquor floods into the tumblers.

“Nope. He doesn’t even know.” If Emma has her way he never will. Never giving him the chance to break Henry’s heart.

“Do I need to be worried about you, Ms. Swan?” The brunette struts towards Emma with liquor in each hand, looking ready for war. A wrong word and Regina would eat her alive. Emma wasn’t sure if she could blame her, she’s a stranger and the Mayor was just protesting her child after all.

“Absolutely not.” Emma submits, accepting the drink.

“Madam Mayor, you can relax.” The man with a law enforcement badge on his belt swaggers down the stairs. “Other than being a very tired little boy. Henry’s-” A steady knock begins echoing on the front door. “Henry is fine.” Another round of pounding occurs. “Are you expecting anyone?”

“No, I’m not. Who would come over at this hour-” A barking joins the rather urgent knocking, recognition solidifies on the Mayor and the lawman’s faces. “Let them in.” Regina orders, her face tightens as if she’s sucking on a lemon. Emma glances between the Mayor who looks ready to take a frying pan to someone’s head and the chuckling officer of the law. Two teenagers fly through the door mid knock the second he opens it. He manages to catch the flailing teens, preventing the kids from faceplanting.

“Thank you, Sheriff!” The dark-haired boy in the jean jacket greets as he manages to stumble to his feet.

“Nice save, Cracker!” The girl in elbow and knee pads over her pants and jacket stomps upright almost pulling the man over in the process. Her praise revealing, she and the boy share the same crisp, lilt British accent.

“Izzy, Miguel.” The Mayor’s stoic address reveals the teenagers’ names to the blonde. Izzy adjusts the pink beanie containing her umber waves while her brother removes his hockey helmet to soothe a slight itch on his right temple.

“Lovely evening isn’t Madam Mayor?” The boy respectfully and nervously asks before a look of complete panic covers his face. “Not that today was a good day, I mean, weather-wise it was, but with Henry-”

“Hello, Mayor Mills." The girl greets, interrupting the boy from his nervous spiral.

“Mr. Morgan.” Regina snaps at the dark-haired man, standing in the front doorway. He’s only wearing one glove on his stiff unmoving left hand and holds the leash for the golden retriever that is missing its right foreleg in his right hand. “What are you three-” The golden retriever barks, as if offended at her lack of acknowledgment. "Doing here?"

“We’re sorry to barge in so late Mayor Mills, but Archie called us and told us we could stop the search because Henry was on his way home and we wanted to come and check on the lad." The Morgan man explains with the same drawl as the teenagers. Emma couldn’t find a trace of deception from him. “Make sure he’s alright.”
Her heart swells knowing that the kid has people who care enough to run around for hours to find him, to make sure he’s okay. Something Emma has never had.

“Of course, he’s up in his room.” Regina is barely able to finish the sentence before the teens and dog are charging up the stairs like a herd of elephants with the dog’s leash hitting each step like rapid fire from a nail gun. “But it is late so be quick!” Regina yells, the only reason the adults know the teens heard her is because Izzy throws them a loud “Okay!” and Miguel yells “Got it!”

“Don’t worry we’ll be quick, Madam Mayor," Morgan reassures as he strolls towards the staircase, spotting the blonde he’s never seen before, he stops. “Am I correct in assuming you’re the person who brought Henry back?” Bright sapphire eyes meet emerald, recognizing something of themselves in the other, she nods trying to remember to breathe. “Adrian Morgan.”

“Emma Swan.”

“Thanks for bringing him back safely, Love.” Adrian smiles, tearing his eyes from the bail bondswomen, and jogs up the stairs to Henry’s room. “See you tomorrow Humbert!”

“While I should be on my way.” The Sheriff announces, standing at attention as if waiting for permission to leave.

“Thank you, Sheriff.” Regina nods, dismissing her ever-loyal lawman. “Shall we, Ms. Swan?” Regina leads her towards the sitting room as the Sheriff gently closes the front door.

Misthaven Before the Curse

“You’re sure the Evil Queen will hold up her end of the deal?” Mateo Jones paces as the tide rocks the enchanted wood of the Jolly Roger. Josefina watches from the crow’s nest, looking for anything out of the ordinary. The Evil Queen had informed the Jones family the curse that would rip them to another land was coming soon because of the bargain Captain Hook made.

Josie had already been spiraling when Killian Jones, Salt, and Smee returned from their five-day journey to retrieve the prisoner who had worked for and lived with the Dark One. She had lost it when the Captain informed his children that they would have safety in the new land because he made a deal with that wretched witch. The twins have heard the tales of her cruelty and even seen some of the grotesque aftermaths of her massacres.

“I made sure she understood the benefit of having me on her side.” If Captain Hook had been anyone else, he wouldn’t have asked some important questions when she explained the Crocodile would be without magic in this new land. Her majesty had tried to dodge his queries and use her sexuality as a distraction, but the pirate was eventually able to snake rather important details about the curse out of her. Once finding out about curse altering their memories, Killian played on her doubts and the heroes lucky streak. Reminding her that she would be without magic in the new land and that the heroes may not be able to stop her from casting the curse, but that doesn’t mean they won’t put things in place so they can break the curse. Hook bargained since he wouldn’t be able to slay the Crocodile in this new land that instead she could reward the Captain by allowing him and his twins to be together and have a decent life under the curse and that the good captain would do whatever is necessary to help keep the curse intact. The woman would be rid of her mother and have a sleeper agent to help protect the curse, it didn’t take her long to agree.

After all, he would still be under the curse's effect until she gave him his memories back if or when someone began trying to break the curse and she was willing to ignore the vague threat that if she didn’t hold the deal when she woke him up, he would help break the curse instead.

With Cora deciding not to murder Regina when Killian brought the witch to her daughter he had to make the tough decision of either his twins being taken by the Dark Curse or trusting the Queen of Hearts to protect them from the most powerful and darkest curse in existence. With the Evil Queen, he had some type of leverage; with the Queen of Hearts he had nothing on her, and the woman has a deranged look in her eye that could rival that of Peter Pan himself. Regina could be manipulated and or negotiated with; Cora is most likely to take his heart or use his twins to turn him into her slave at the very least if she got bored.
Killian Jones chooses the lesser of two evils.

“Hey.” The Captain pulls his son into his arms, Teo’s arms snaking around his papa’s waist, the father resting his chin on the lad’s head. “We’re going to be okay. You, me, and Josie are going to be together. We’ll be okay.”

"You don't know that," Mateo mutters, fear flooding his voice. "You don't know that she'll hold the deal. Who knows what she'll do to our memories?" Ever since Mateo found out that they couldn't escape the coming curse, that it would cross realms and they what no idea where or if anywhere is safe for its reach. The fourteen-year-old has been drowning in fear, anxiety gripping his heart. While Josie buries her fears and sadness through anger, sarcasm, knife throwing, and death threats, Teo wears his emotions on his sleeves. Josefina and their father have been the lad’s rock, making the thought of losing his family even more petrifying than Mateo believed to be possible.

“Something’s coming!” Josefina shouts upon spotting the menacing wave of purple fog swallowing all in its path. The lass grabs a rope, propelling down from the crow’s nest, her long skirts rippling through the wind as she swings down to join her twin and dad on the deck. “Looks like there’s no escaping it now.” She forces a laugh to hide the crack of fear in her voice, knowing her brother has been trying to convince their dad to take favor with the Queen of Hearts for protection from the curse. The twins have met neither of the Queens, Cora’s offer sounds better to Teo because there isn’t the risk of his family being ripped apart. Josie isn’t willing to trust either witch because she knows that dark magic doesn’t end well. Rumplestiltskin and Peter Pan taught her that the hard way. She’s willing to follow her father’s decision, he would never allow anything horrible to happen to them. After all, Josie and Teo are his whole realm.

“We’re going to be fine.” Killian insists trying to convince himself as well as his kids, wrapping his hooked arm around his daughter, pulling her to his side.
The thunderous cloud racing towards the harbor town the Jolly Roger’s crew had gone to explore as the Jones family stayed behind on their beloved ship.
“I love you both with all my heart.” Killian hugs Teo and Josie to him as if he could shield them from the coming storm, praying that Evil Queen holds their deal.

“I love you too Papa," Mateo whispers against his father’s chest, his arms tightening around his family, a tear rolling down. “I love you, Sis.”

“I love you guys," Josefina mutters, a tear leaking from her closed eyes. The fog of dark magic taking the harbor town, slithering towards the Jolly Roger, and finally its toxic touch surrounding the Jones family and crawling into their minds.

“What the bloody hell were you thinking?!” Izzy shouts, bursting into Henry’s room like a swat team using a battering ram, minus the broken door. Miguel stumbles into his twin almost taking them both down to the wood floor.

“Izzy?” The boy’s head pops off his pillow, his covers falling revealing the clothes he’d been wearing all day.

“We’re so glad you’re okay!” The British Latino cries out, pushing off Izzy and all but tackling the lad to his bed.

“Miguel!” Henry croaks out as the arms around him tighten into a nearly crushing force on his ribs. The loyal hound bolts around the sister’s legs, jumping on the bed with the boys and starts enthusiastically licking the 10-year-old. “Brizzy!” Izzy joins the boys and hound on the bed, wrapping her arms around her brothers and their dog. The concern and fear the twins had been drowning, begins to lull in Miguel, while Izzy’s begins to boil and thunder.

“You scared the crap out of us!” Izzy shouts releasing the three.

“Wait, you are okay, right?” Miguel asks, removing his hold to examine the lad for wounds.

“Do you have any idea what could have happened to you?!” Izzy pounces off the bed and starts wearing a hole into the floor as she rants.

“Yes. I’m okay.” Henry answers Miguel hoping that it would also help soothe the raging fury circling his floor.

“What were you thinking?” Miguel calmly questions the boy who almost has Brizo’s tongue attached to his cheek.

“You could have bought it!” Izzy smoking pouring out of her ears.

“Bought what?” Henry asks, looking like an adorably confused puppy being bathed by its mother as Brizo licks him.

“Izzy," Adrian calls as he charges into the room. “Calm down, sweetheart.” Izzy has always been one to leap before she looked and follow her emotions without a second thought, while Miguel put a little too much thought into things and needed a medium-sized kick down the staircase to take a risk, which his twin sister is more than happy to provide.

"Hey, Adrian." The young Mills boy greets as the man pulls the lad into a gentle hug.

“Hello, Henry.” A calm washes over Adrian, one he hadn’t felt in a long time knowing that all three of the kids and their hound are together and safe. “I’m glad you’re okay, lad.”

“Glad?!” The girl snaps. “Where’s the punishment?! He could have popped a clog!” Henry mouths the words ‘popped a clog’, gazing at Miguel and Adrian with confusion in his eyes.

“Izzy.” Adrian chastises. “Let calmer heads prevail.” He knew all too well how letting negative emotions take the reins can cause mayhem and pain not only to others but to themselves.

“Fine.” Izzy grunts, joining the humans and golden retriever on the bed. Adrian shoots Miguel a questioning look, wondering if he too would let his distressed feelings turn into a raging storm and captain the ship.

“I’m good.” Miguel lays back on Henry's pillows allowing his muscles to relax.

“Now, Henry are you okay?” Adrian moves off the bed, crouching down so he's at eye level with the child.

“Yeah, I’m okay.” The boy nods.

“Why did you run away?” Adrian asks, knowing the lad had gone to find his birth mother.

“I had to find her so she can break the curse.” Ever since Henry has gotten the storybook of fairytales he has been convinced that Regina Mills is the Evil Queen and has cast a curse that created Storybrooke and that everyone in the town is a fairytale character that the curse gave them false memories.

“Why would she be able to break the curse?” Adrian asks, deciding to follow the fairytale path to an answer that makes sense.

“Because she’s the Savior. She’s gonna bring back the happy endings.” Henry explains as if it was obvious. Some fog around Henry's actions starts to clear up a little bit. Henry has already been a little down in the dumps since before finding he was adopted after he found out it got worse. Some of the light returned to Henry’s eyes when he found the book, but this book caused his imagination to grow wild.

“I know you and your mum are having issues right now,” Adrian starts honestly, not knowing what to say to a child to help their relationship with a parent when he didn’t have any positive experience with his parents to speak from. His father abandoned him and his brother, he can barely remember his late mother, and he is on the other end of the parental relationship with his twins so wasn't sure how to help. “But you can’t just run away from your problems. You can’t just run away to find someone you don’t know-”

“But she’s my birth mom-”

“But you’ve never met her before, and you had no way of knowing if you even found the right person.” The bartender explains, deciding to focus more on the danger the lad put himself in than the boy’s issues that Adrian doesn’t know how to help Henry deal with or make better. “Or what could have happened when you went to… where did you find Emma?”

“You met her?” Henry’s head pops up like a jack in the box. The twins look at their father in surprise they were so focused on Henry they barely paid any attention to the blonde downstairs; they hadn’t even given her a second thought.

“Aye, and don’t dodge the question.” Adrian sternly orders. The little boy focuses on petting Brizo, muttering something under his breath. “What was that m’boy?” Henry squeaks out the answer once again.

“Little bit louder lad.” Miguel tries to get Henry to meet his eyes. The Mills boy barely turns up the volume.

“One more time.” Izzy puts her hand to her ear to act as an amplifier. “With feeling.”

“Boston.”

“You ran away to Boston?! You’re 10, how’d you make it Boston?!” Izzy yells as Miguel screeches. “Boston?! You left the state! You could have ended up in some perverted wanker’s basement?!”

“Ahem.” Adrian coughs giving the twins a look silencing them before turning back to Henry. “You traveled to another state, by yourself, someone could have hurt you, Henry."

“But I have to break the curse and save you guys, to save the town.” The ten-year-old whines.

“And you terrified your mum in the process.” Adrian once again tries to get the topic off the curse. He didn’t know how to talk to Henry about it and he needed Henry to know the danger he put himself in, especially because he won’t listen to Mayor Mills when she tries to explain it because she is ‘evil’. “Do you know why?” The lad just shrugs. “She may not be your birth mother, but she does love you. So, when you went missing and we didn’t know what happened to you it scared her. It scared the bloody hell out of the whole lot of us.” Adrian admits that terror he and the twins’ felt. Not knowing if one of his kids was safe or even alive is one of the worst agonies he’s ever experienced, and the man was conscious when he lost his hand.

“But you guys aren’t scared of anything.” Henry looks at the Morgans as if the thought that they felt fear was the most insane thing he has ever heard. Henry had read the story of Captain Hook and his twin children Josefina and Mateo Jones, he knows them as their cursed selves, both versions of those three would punch the devil and spit in his eye.

“Yes, well when your baby brother goes missing it tends to hit you like a bus.” Miguel jokes forcing a laugh.

“Looks like you finally did it, you scared the crap out of us.” Izzy chuckles. “It’s not even Halloween, so it doesn’t count, and you don't win the bet," Izzy explains, poking the boy in the chest, referencing the bargain they made when Henry tried scaring the twins a few Halloweens ago. The twins claimed to be completely unscareable and the seven-year-old had decided to put it to test. When his attempts started causing problems at school a few weeks after Halloween, they came to the agreement that Henry could try and scare the crap out of them as much as he wants but only in the week of Halloween and it can’t be at school or when their working at Mr. Ahmed’s bakery.

“I didn’t want to scare anyone.” Henry sniffles, eyes swelling with tears. “I just want to save you guys.” Warming the Morgans’ hearts and cracking them at the same time. The young boy had put himself in danger because by Henry’s logic he was protecting them.

“Henry, a magic curse isn’t the worst thing someone can do to you.” Adrian tries to explain to the child without revealing how horrible the world can be, but still have him understand the danger that he put himself in. “The Evil Queen isn’t the only villain out there. Running away, to another town, to another state, was dangerous and you could have been hurt.” The ‘or worse’ is left unspoken, but all the Morgans hear it. “Henry, please promise me you won’t do it again.”

"I promise I won't do it again," Henry swears, wiping the salty tears from his eyes.

“I get that you and your mum are on bad terms and if you need to get away you can stay with us.” Adrian doesn’t think Regina would ever intentionally hurt Henry, but they have known each other for as long as he can remember and they’re not close. He’s pretty sure they have never called each by their first names. Adrian doesn’t understand Henry’s fairytale thing, but for some reason, the lad thinks that Regina is a villain and will hurt people, so if Henry feels like he’s in danger because of her, Adrian wants Henry to know that he will always be safe at the Morgan’s home.

“Yea, maybe when you’re ungrounded we can have a movie night.” Miguel offers, wanting to make his little brother stop crying.

"I'm not grounded," Henry states, not understanding why Miguel thought so.

“You ran away to Boston," Izzy explains, giving a comforting pat on the lad’s shoulder. “Trust me Hennie, your grounded.”

“Stop calling me Hennie. I’m not five anymore.” Henry whines, he loved the nickname when was five. It was the first nickname he had gotten from someone aside from his mom, but for a preteen, it has lost its appeal.

“I’m older than you I can call you whatever I want.” Izzy ruffles his hair.

“No, you can’t.” Henry shoves her hand away from his head.

“Aye, I can, it’s a sister's right," Izzy explains as if it’s a known fact.

“A sister’s right?” Miguel repeats holding in a chuckle. “Whatever you say… Icky.” He finishes with the nickname he knows drives her up the wall.

“Shut it, Mimi.” Izzy snaps with the nickname she uses when she wants to call him something particularly crude but can’t because children or her father are in hearing range.

“It’s time we all got some sleep.” Adrian interrupts to stop the kids from going to war right before bed. “We’ll see you tomorrow Henry.”

“Night Hennie.” Izzy ruffles the groaning boy’s hair as he tries to shove her off the bed.

“Night Hen.” Miguel uses the nickname the lad likes as he pulls his twin off the boy’s bed and drags her towards the bedroom door.

“Good night Icky, night Miguel.” Henry sass as he tries to flatten the fluffy mess she made out of his hair.

“Sleep tight, lad.” Adrian pulls Henry into a strong hug. “I’m glad you’re home safe.”

"Me too," Henry whispers before breaking the hug. “N’ght Adrian.” Adrian pulls the blankets over the lad as he gets comfortable in his bed.

“Come on lass," Adrian calls to the golden retriever laying beside Henry. The faithful canine whining at the thought of leaving her now found human. “Brizo, we’ll see Henry tomorrow.”

“Bye Brizzy I’ll see you soon.” The boy explains giving her a good quick scratch behind the ears.

“Come on Brizo, we're going home," Miguel calls from the doorway, the whining dog reluctantly jumping off the bed and trotting towards the twins.

“Bye Morgans.” Henry waves, adjusting to a more comfortable position.

“Sleep well, lad.”

“Bye Hen.”

“See you tomorrow Hennie.” The Morgan family calls as they leave the lad’s room, Adrian closing the door behind them.

“Henry is going to be okay, right?” Miguel asks as the family patters down the staircase.

“I’m sure if something bad happened on his little trip he will tell us.” The father tries to reassure his son.

“We mean his whole curse thing.” Izzy corrects.

“Is he going to be okay?” Miguel asks once again. Adrian doesn't know what to say, he doesn't know how to help Henry with his whole fairytale thing, and he doesn’t understand any part of it. But he isn’t going to give up on Henry, you don’t abandon the people you love, especially when they need you.

“He has people who love him and are going to fight for him. We aren’t going to give up on him.” Adrian promises. After all, if you aren’t willing to fight for something or someone how is anything going to get better. “He’ll be okay.” The Morgan family is more than willing to fight for Henry.

October 24, 2011

After a fitful night’s rest, Miguel pulls a half-asleep Izzy, rolling her on skateboard towards the Mayor’s home. Izzy was too wired to fall asleep last night no matter how tired her body was, she didn’t succumb to exhaustion until after 3 am while Miguel was out the second his head hit the pillow.

Izzy tries to cover a massive yawn as Miguel rings the doorbell. The twins have been walking Henry to school since he was in the first grade.

The door flies open, Henry quickly bolts out, locking it behind him.

“What’s the hurry, Speedy?” Izzy mutters lifting her head from her twin’s shoulder.

“I just don’t want to be late for school.” The 10-year-old lies as he almost sprints ahead of the twins. Izzy grabs the back of Miguel’s bookbag as he jogs to keep up with the lad, using him as a sled dog as she balances on her skateboard.

“Hen, school doesn’t start for…” Miguel checks his old wristwatch. “50 minutes. We have time.”

“Relax.” Izzy groans, leaning to move her skateboard down the sidewalk ramp and avoid the gutter. "There's no need to rush unless you’re trying to avoid something or someone.” The lad’s eyes go wide as he trips over his own feet.

“Henry.” Miguel groans, there’s only one person Henry has been avoiding, and after running away it's only going to make things worse when he finally talks to his mother about it.

“Did you talk to your Mum this fine morning?” She asks, trying to wake up a bit more, this is going to need her full attention.

“No.”

“Trying to avoid getting punished?” Izzy guesses having pulled the disappearing act herself to avoid her sentencing just a little while longer. Maybe she’s not the best influence on Henry.

“This morning couldn’t have been that bad.” Miguel tries to get Henry to disclose what happened with Regina. Watching the lad’s reaction, as he tries to look anywhere but the twins, almost as if guilty. Miguel remembers how Henry was out the door the second he rang the doorbell, almost as if waiting for the twins to arrive. “You did see your mum this morning, didn’t you?”

“Um, yea… we… um.” The lad murmurs, biting his lip as he is unable to even look at the twins.

“Henry, tell me you didn’t.” Izzy groans, slapping her forehead with one hand, the other tightening her grip on her twin’s backpack.

“No, I didn’t see her this morning.” Henry sighs, knowing he has been caught. Even when they're exhausted he couldn't get anything past the twins.

“So, you snuck out this morning?” Izzy drawls, releasing her hold on Miguel, skating ahead to Henry’s side.

“She’s going to think you ran away again.” Miguel heaves as he matches pace with Izzy and Henry.

“But I didn’t.” Henry quickly assures, he never meant to scare the Morgan family when he went to get his birth mother, he only meant to help free them from the curse. As Henry got older, he noticed he aged and went to different grades, while his former classmates and friends stayed the same and forgot about him. On his first day of first grade when all his old friends had forgotten about him and his mom was taking him to the harbor for his sailing lesson he was preparing himself for the Morgan family's lack of recognition, but they remembered him. No matter how much he grew, year after year they always remembered him, they were always there for him. “I won’t. I promised I wouldn’t. I just... I don't want to face her. She’s the Evil Queen.” To remind them, but also to remind himself who she is. She may be his mom, but he couldn’t forget she is a black-hearted villain.

“Henry, she’s still your mother.” Miguel pulls the boy to stop on the sidewalk.

"She loves you," Izzy reassures. The twins have known the Mills family since Henry was 5 years old. They have seen Regina interact and even play with Henry, her Little Prince, she may be cold and scare the crap of the teens, but they know she loves him.

“Do you know if Emma stayed in town?” Henry asks, trying to change the subject. It’s easier to deal with the curse if he just thinks of Regina as the Evil Queen and not his mother. As a villain and not the woman who soothed his nightmares. As the person who tried to kill his grandmother instead of the person who played with him when he pretended to be Iron Man and Captain America. As the woman who terrorized her kingdom than the one who took care of him when he was sick.

“No, I don’t know.” Miguel states, wondering if she stayed, she probably had a life to get back to after all and she did Henry up for adoption.

“She has to stay.” Henry winces. If she isn’t in town, then she can’t break the curse. “She can save you, she’s gonna bring back the happy endings.” The twins look at each other trying to see if the other had any idea what to do or say. The twins don’t understand Henry’s fairytale thing, but since they had never met their birth mother, they can understand wanting to have some knowledge about her. But after what their friend Lakia learned about her birth mother, their curiosity was sated. While Miguel’s was anyway.

“I got an idea.” Izzy sighs, knowing this might be a bad idea, but it will keep Henry from running away to Boston again. For some reason his birth mother is a part of his curse theory, so he might try and find her again and next time he might not make it back safely. “But when it comes to this curse thing you have to promise me you won’t try and do anything stupid without talking to us first.”

“I promise.” Henry nodding, knowing Izzy has a mind for mischief, she’s a crafty little prankster.

“This ends with us getting grounded, doesn’t it?” Miguel sighs, knowing if he wasn’t involved he wouldn’t be able to rein her in, and Henry doesn’t even know that Izzy needs to be stopped from going too far so there’s no way the lad can do it.

“Oh, most definitely.” She truly is a horrible influence on the lads. “Who’s ready for an adventure?”