32 - MIRROR MIRROR
The sky was cloudy and the weather was cool as Emma Swan and Alice Lidell walked through the cemetery together. Neither of them knew why Regina had called them, but they had made the trip regardless, curious about what kind of developments had been made in their research to defeat the Evil Queen and Ravenna, and cure Snow White and David of their sleeping curse. And, of course, find a way to bring Teresa's memories back and restore her soul.
"So, do you know what Regina called us here for?" Emma asked. She walked with her hands stuffed in her jacket pockets and her boots trekking through some light mud from the rain that had come through earlier that morning.
Alice shook her head, "I was hoping you might know."
The Savior sighed, but she didn't say anything else. Instead, she reached out, opening the gate to the Mills crypt. She let Alice enter first and closed the gate behind them. Walking down the hidden flight of stairs, they came into Regina's vault, where the woman kept all her magical objects, potions and grimoires for safe keeping.
With a deep exhale that told her lover she was troubled, Regina Mills closed a set of maroon curtains, covering a massive mirror hanging on the wall. She looked at Emma first, who seemed more exhausted than usual, which was to be expected considering half the time she was the only officer in the entire town with David being cursed now. Killian was helping out at the station, of course, but he wasn't exactly deputy material.
"How are your parents?" Regina asked.
Emma sighed as she leaned up against the stone wall. "I can't stand seeing them like this, so please tell me you have something. I spent the whole day calling New York trying to track down the Dragon, but, no luck."
"Well, that's a hell of a long shot."
The Savior shrugged. "That's all I got. He helped August. He has magic in a World Without Magic. Maybe he can break my parents' curse . . . of course, it would help if he had, you know, like, a name."
Alice placed a hand on her shoulder. "We'll find a way to save your parents, Emma. There are still plenty more leaves to turn over. We'll find the solution to their curse soon enough."
Regina nodded in agreement. "I actually think there's a way that can buy us some more time to figure all of this out."
"Seriously? Well, what did you find?" Emma asked, desperate for a solution that could bring her parents back together. She couldn't stand seeing them in such a way anymore.
"I had a dream last night, and it gave me an idea." Regina crossed the room, opening a small chest and pulling out a hand mirror with gold trim. "Now, we can't hurt the queen, but maybe we can trap her."
"In a mirror?" Emma asked in disbelief.
A chill rushed down Alice's spine as memories resurfaced in the back of her mind, and Regina noticed the expression on her face, though she fought the urge to walk over and pull the blonde into her arms. "Not in the mirror, Emma. In the world behind the mirror."
"There's a world behind mirrors?"
"Yes," Alice replied, her voice shaking. "I used to be imprisoned within a mirror. Cora, she . . ."
"Why would Cora trap you inside of a mirror?"
"Because of me," Regina sighed, a pained expression on her face as she remembered what happened that day in the Enchanted Forest. "She knew how much I cared about Alice and wanted to punish me, so she took her, imprisoned her inside a mirror. I tried saving Alice, but my mother shattered the mirror right in front me. I had thought . . ."
"That I was dead," Alice finished for her. She offered Regina a comforting smile, knowing very well the pain she had felt back then. "But, I wasn't dead. Cora had made a duplicate of the mirror in which she imprisoned me. She knew that Regina would try to free me, so she hid the real mirror somewhere Regina would never find it. When we came to Wonderland, Cora released me from my imprisonment and trained me to use dark magic." She laughed humorlessly. "She told me it was the only way that I would ever reunite with Regina, and I was foolish enough to believe her."
Emma furrowed her brows. "How are we supposed to trap the Evil Queen in a mirror when it's possible she could escape?"
"I wasn't able to escape," Alice clarified. "The enchantment on the mirror could only be removed from the real world, not from within. I only got out because Cora released me. We, however, won't be releasing the Evil Queen."
Regina nodded along with what Alice was saying. "All we need is a mirror. I can enchant it to imprison her. If we're lucky, we can even trap Ravenna the same way, and then siphon Teresa's soul out of her and restore it."
"We have to find them first," Emma said.
"So, we dangle out bait," Regina shrugged nonchalantly. She already had everything planned out since this morning and arranged everything before contacting both blondes. She just hoped Emma wouldn't give her too much trouble for what she was about to suggest next. "Something she cares about."
"Like what?" Emma asked.
"I can do it," Alice volunteered.
"No, it can't be you," Regina immediately turned her down. "The Evil Queen would know it's a trap if we use you as bait."
Alice crossed her arms. "I can handle myself, Gina, you know that."
Regina gave her a look. "I never said that you couldn't. And besides, that's not even what I'm worried about. If you contact the Evil Queen out of the blue, she'll know something is up and either not show up at all or flee before we even get the chance to trap her inside the mirror."
"Who are we supposed to use, if not the woman that even the Evil Queen loves?" Alice asked.
"Me."
Emma and Alice turned around when they heard his voice, watching as Henry Mills entered the vault with a determined expression plastered across his face. The Savior immediately shook her head, "No. Absolutely not. Are you crazy? It's too dangerous!"
"She's not gonna hurt me," Henry reassured. "And, anyways, I need a distraction today."
"From what? From school?" Emma questioned. '''Cause school tops this."
Henry shook his head. "The fall formal. Grandma's making me go. She says we need to get back to normal. Or, well, she was making me go. But, I don't know if I'm going anymore."
Emma's expression softened. "That's what you're worried about, a school dance?"
"I was supposed to go with Teresa," Henry sighed, "and now she doesn't even remember that we were planning on going tonight. Grandma helped her pick out a dress, and Grandpa and Killian helped me plan everything out for tonight. But none of it matters now because we won't even be going anymore."
Emma blinked. She had no idea that the man she loved had been secretly helping her son make plans for a school dance for almost a month now. "Killian never told me that."
Alice frowned as she looked at the troubled teenager standing before them. "I know that it's been hard for you, just being friends with her, but I thought things were going really well between you and Teresa? I mean, you two and Violet have been spending so much time together recently."
"Yeah, they were . . . until Teresa realized that we were all lying to her and she forced the truth out of Grandma," Henry revealed. "Now she won't even talk to me anymore."
"What?" Emma's eyes widened.
Regina groaned. "Snow wasn't supposed to say anything! We all agreed that we were going to protect Teresa from the truth until we got her soul back from Ravenna."
"It's kinda my fault," Henry winced. They looked at him expectantly, causing him to sigh and elaborate. "I took Teresa out into the woods the other day and she started asking me all these questions⎯⎯"
"Hold up. You went into the woods?!" Regina exclaimed, wide-eyed. "Are you insane? What if you two had been attacked out there? Even with her powers, Teresa wouldn't stand a chance against the Evil Queen or Ravenna. They're too powerful for her!"
"Teresa has fought the Evil Queen before," Henry defended. "And besides, Alice helped me plan everything out. She said that we'd be fine going out there by ourselves."
Alice let out a sigh as both Emma and Regina turned to look at her with equally shocked expressions. "Okay, now, don't get angry with me," she spoke calmly. "Yes, I told Henry that he could go out into the woods with Teresa, but only because I knew that they would be safe. The Evil Queen would never hurt Henry, and she would never let Ravenna go anywhere near him either. And Teresa already had her soul taken away by Ravenna, so what more could they possibly be planning on doing to her?"
"I tried not to say anything," Henry continued, drawing the attention away from Alice. "But, apparently, Aunt Zelena said something before we left for the woods. All I told her was that we used to date and then she got mad at me. When I went there this morning to talk with Teresa, Grandma said that she told Teresa everything else and that she needs some space right now."
"Why would she tell Teresa everything?"
Alice looked at her lover. "Because she deserves to know the truth, Gina. Put yourself in Teresa's shoes and tell me you wouldn't want to know what secrets we were keeping from you as well."
Regina opened her mouth, prepared to argue, but no words came out. She sighed, knowing that Alice was right. If she was in Teresa's position, she'd want to know everything as well. Still, Snow could have let them be part of that conversation with Teresa. It might have gone differently if everyone was there.
"Without the bond, without her memories, things are just different between us now," Henry frowned. He cast his eyes to the floor, trying to hide his emotions, but they could see how much this was breaking him. "I don't even know if Teresa loves me anymore. I don't even know how to act around her anymore."
"You act like yourself." Henry looked up, meeting his birth mother's gaze as she spoke. "Never compromise who you are. Got it?"
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
"And this whole soulmate bond thing?" Regina placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "None of that matters, Henry. It never mattered to begin with. The prophecy never mentioned anything about falling in love with each other. That is something you both did all on your own."
"You don't need some bond to be with Teresa," Emma agreed with Regina. "If you still love her, all you have to do is show her that. But never change who you are just to make someone else happy. Teresa fell in love with the person that you are, not the person you try to be around her. Do you understand, Henry?"
"I understand," he nodded.
"Good," Regina smiled. "Now how about we go defeat a queen? Hmm? What do you say?"
。。。
Their plan was to have Henry lure the Evil Queen out into the open, and when the time was right to make themselves known, Alice was going to take Henry and leave, using her magic to teleport them away to safety while Regina and Emma stayed behind on the beach to trap the Evil Queen inside the enchanted mirror. But, it had been almost ten minutes now since Benry contacted the Evil Queen, telling her that he wanted to talk, and she had yet to make an appearance. Emma wondered if she would even show, but Regina knew she would. After all, it was Henry, and the Evil Queen would never miss a chance to talk with him in private. That's why he was the perfect bait and Alice wasn't.
Finally, just when Emma's doubt began to resurface, a cloud of purple smoke appeared and the Evil Queen emerged from it with a smile. "You wanted to see me, Henry?"
Even though he was listening to music, to the song that reminded him most of Teresa Holmes, as he waited for the evil counterpart of his adoptive mother to show up, he still heard her voice as clear as ever. Removing the earbud, he paused the song and turned to face her.
"Let me guess," the Evil Queen continued. "You're upset about your grandparents."
"Of course, I'm upset," Henry said.
"Well, someday you'll understand it, what it means to make hard choices." The Evil Queen smiled tentatively before looking around them at the sun peeking through the clouds, at the seagulls squawking above, at the ocean crashing against the rocks nearby. "Do you remember when I used to bring you here?"
Of course he remembered, but Henry wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of reminiscing on those happy memories right now. "We'd feed the seagulls."
The Evil Queen chuckled as she remembered those days. The days where she was happy, the days where her son was happy, the days where she could be with Henry without people constantly standing in her way. "You were always so afraid of them. And I wondered, 'How did I raise such a scared little boy?'"
"Well, guess what. I'm not scared anymore," Henry's words caused her to smile proudly, but he didn't share the same emotions. He was here for one reason, and that was to help trap her, not to reminisce about the good old days. "Certainly not of you."
Before the Evil Queen could say another word, Alice teleported both herself and Henry far away from the beach of Storybrooke. They landed safely in the comfort of the Mills home, where they unintentionally frightened Zelena, who had been walking down the stairs after putting Robin down for a nap in the guest bedroom.
The Evil Queen could sense that she wasn't alone, and she didn't have to turn around to know that it was Regina and Emma. Her heart burned with anger as she faced them. "Now, that is a new low, using my own son against me."
"Henry is not your son."
"That's exactly what you used to say to Emma."
Regina and Emma shared a brief look, before they turned back to face the smirking Evil Queen. Their magic buzzed in their fingertips, a tingling sensation rushing up their arms as they silently prepared themselves for the plan.
"You both fought so hard to be Henry's mother, but neither of you got the job done."
"This conversation is over," a confident smile crept onto Regina's face as she spoke, "and you're about to go on a very long trip."
With a grin, Regina lifted the enchanted mirror and held it up in front of her body. The Evil Queen could see her reflection staring back at her in the small mirror, but nothing happened. The spell didn't work. Their well-thought-out plan had ultimately failed them, leaving both Regina and Emma confused as they stood there, waiting for something to happen.
The Evil Queen couldn't hold back her amusement any longer as she watched their confusion, a grin appearing on her face. "Sorry. But that's not the mirror you enchanted." When the purple smoke which had enveloped her hand cleared, a mirror was left in its place. And it was identical to the one Regina was now slowly lowering out of shock. "This is."
"You switched them," Regina breathed.
"Anything you can dream up, I've already dreamt it," The Evil Queen smirked wickedly as she thrust the mirror forward. A stream of blue smoke poured out from the glass, enveloping Regina and Emma completely before pulling them within. She turned the mirror around so it was facing her and chuckled. "Oh, I hope you're proud of your handiwork, because you're going to enjoy it." Using magic, she cracked the mirror, trapping them forever. "For the rest of your life."
。。。
Worry had consumed Alice Lidell ever since she left the beachside of Storybrooke, Maine. Her knee was bouncing up and down and she gnawed on the inside of her cheek, her eyes flicking from the front door of Granny's to her ticking pocket watch, waiting for the moment that Regina and Emma would walk through the door. Killian and Henry were sitting across from her, both worried yet calm at the same time, unlike herself.
"You haven't even touched your cocoa," Henry pointed out, breaking the woman from her worrisome thoughts.
Alice looked down at the table and found an untouched cup of cocoa sitting in front of her. Truthfully, she had forgotten she ordered it until now. "Oh, right." She took a sip.
"I'm worried, too," Henry admitted, hoping to calm her nerves by making conversation to pass the time until both his moms returned.
She offered a reassuring smile. "I'm sure everything is fine."
"They're probably taking that bloody mirror back to the vault," Killian suggested.
"Maybe," Henry nodded.
"So," Alice breathed as she leaned forward, taking another sip from her cocoa. "The fall formal, huh?"
"Yeah."
"You really don't want to go anymore?"
Henry shrugged. "I didn't, at least not at first anyway. But, then I asked Teresa to go with me and I got excited. Killian and Grandpa helped me plan everything." The pirate nodded in confirmation. "And Grandma helped her pick out a dress. It was supposed to be perfect and now everything is ruined."
Killian exchanged a saddened look with Alice before patting him on the shoulder. "Cheer up, mate."
"Maybe it doesn't have to be ruined."
Henry's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"
"I know she doesn't have her memories, but why should that change anything?" Alice elaborated. "I say you go over there and ask Teresa if she wants to go somewhere to talk. Apologize for keeping the truth from her, tell her stories about your relationship, and maybe, just maybe, she'll be willing to attend that dance with you tonight."
"I don't know . . ."
"What's stopping you?"
"The lass is right," Killian chimed in.
"She doesn't want to talk to me," Henry frowned. "Teresa said so herself."
"Many lasses didn't want to talk to me at first either," Killian said. "Emma being one of them. But I can be rather persuasive."
Alice gave him a look. "Seriously?"
"What?"
She shook her head at the pirate before looking at Henry again. "I know that she is upset, that she is hurt, you would keep everything from her. But don't let everything that has happened recently tear you both apart like this. You have something rare and beautiful, Henry, and you should fight for it. Fight for Teresa, because we both know that girl is someone worth fighting for."
Henry knew she was right. He couldn't let everything that has happened tear them apart. He shouldn't be sitting here drinking cocoa and wallowing in his own self pity. No, he needed to go out there and fight for the girl he loved with every ounce of his heart and soul.
"So, what are you going to do, Henry?" Alice asked, watching as the boy was deep in thought.
Before he could reply, before he could say that he was going to fight and not stand on the sidelines and watch as everything crumbled around them, the door opened and Regina Mills walked inside. Or, at least that is who they thought. Really, this was the Evil Queen in disguise.
Alice leapt from the booth, the woman's name falling from her lips in a whisper. Her eyes swept across Regina's figure to make sure she hadn't been hurt. There wasn't any sign of injury, though, much to her relief. Before she could say anything else, Regina ⎯⎯ the Evil Queen ⎯⎯ crossed the distance and closed the space between them with a spontaneous kiss that knocked the air right out of Alice's lungs.
When they parted ways, Alice was left breathless and her cheeks were flushed, for almost everyone in the diner was staring at them now. "What was that for?"
"I'm happy, that's all," was her response.
A vibrant smile stretched across Alice's face, and it warmed the Evil Queen's cold heart.
"Did it work?" Henry asked.
"It worked. Alice, Henry, it worked." The Evil Queen was smiling as she glanced between the two people she loved most in the world. And even though it was killing her to be impersonating her lighter half, she meant every word. Because, finally, she was free of her weaker counterpart and the Savior. Finally, she could be with the people she loved. "And I cannot tell you how good it feels. It's like . . . I'm finally . . . free."
Happy tears glistened in Alice's eyes. "Oh, Gina, I'm so proud of you."
"I knew you could do it," Henry smiled and stepped forward, hugging his mother.
"And Emma," Killian said worriedly, "is she alright?"
The Evil Queen nodded, quickly coming up with a lie she hoped they would believe. "Oh, yeah, she's fine. She's driving to New York to look for the Dragon."
"By herself?" Killian exchanged a confused look with Henry and Alice. "Why?"
"She left you a voicemail," the Evil Queen pointed toward his cellphone, which was left on the table at the booth. But, she wasn't just pointing, she had used magic to make a false message appear. And, as if on cue, the cell phone beeped and the pirate played the message loud enough for them all to hear.
The Evil Queen's heart raced as the message played out, and she prayed that they would believe every word. If her cover was blown, what then? How could she be with Henry? With Alice? With Zelena? With Robin? She'd be all alone again, forced to watch as the people she loved lived happily without her.
"Hey. It's me. The queen's gone, so I'm going to New York to find the Dragon. I might be away for a few days. Please help my dad and fill in as sheriff, okay? Keep everybody safe. See you soon."
When the message ended, Killian tucked his phone into his jacket pocket with a sigh. He believed every word. They all did. And that caused a huge weight to lift off of the Evil Queen's chest. But, she tried to conceal those emotions, for she knew Alice could read her like an open book. She had to be careful now, especially around the woman she loved.
Alice put her hands on her hips. "Well, now we have one less thing to worry about. Hopefully, Emma finds something in New York that can help Snow and David. In the meantime, do you have another mirror we could use for Ravenna?"
"We'll worry about Ravenna another day," the Evil Queen dismissed. "Right now, we have someone else to worry about."
"Who?"
"Don't tell me another bloody acquaintance from your villainous past has shown up," Killian groaned.
"No," she rolled her eyes. "I was referring to Henry. Well, Henry and Teresa."
As much as the Evil Queen despised Teresa Holmes, she knew how much the girl meant to her son. She couldn't deny Henry such happiness, so she was going to help him win the girl's heart back if it was the last thing she would ever do.
His brows furrowed. "Me?"
"Yes, you," the Evil Queen chuckled. "You have to get dressed for a dance."
"Well, about that . . ."
The Evil Queen frowned. "You're not going?"
"Not exactly. I actually have a better idea," Henry said, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Something that Teresa might like better than the dance. But, I'm going to need your help." He looked at each of them. "All of you."
Alice was grinning. "Count me in."
"Of course we will help you, Henry," the Evil Queen reached out, caressing his cheek. "I'm going to make sure everything works out for you tonight. Just tell me what I can do."
。。。
The sun had vanished beyond the horizon, replaced by a gleaming moon and a night full of shimmering stars. There wasn't a cloud in sight, a good sign in Henry's book that this was going to be a perfect night. But first came the hard part, which left his palms sweaty and his heart racing as he stood on the front porch of his grandparents' home with a bouquet of winter flowers.
After messing with his tie one more time, he reached out and knocked on the door. He could hear footsteps and a voice shout something on the other side. A moment went by before the door opened up, revealing Teresa Holmes herself. Neal was hoisted on her hip, chewing on a teething toy as drool cascaded down his chin.
She let out a sigh upon seeing him, "What are you doing here, Henry?"
"I wanted to apologize," Henry began.
"It's a little late for that, don't you think?"
She started closing the door, but he quickly reached out and stopped her. "Teresa, wait⎯⎯"
"I don't want to talk to you right now, Henry," Teresa interrupted sternly. "I need some time to think things through. Please, just leave." She paused. "Unless you're here to see your grandparents or Neal, then I'll go upstairs and let you spend some time with them."
"I'm sorry for keeping the truth from you." Henry's voice was soft and sincere, and he meant every word. "I know that I hurt you and anything I say won't change that, but please, just listen for five minutes. That's all I'm asking. Please."
Everything was still, and for a moment, Henry thought she was going to close the door in his face, but she didn't. Instead, she sighed and gave him a silent nod, which encouraged him to keep speaking, a smile now on his face.
"You're my best friend, Teresa," Henry went on. "And you have been since the moment you came to Storybrooke. You were always there for me in a way nobody else was. But then things changed, and I started feeling things that I've never felt with anyone else before. I didn't love you like a best friend anymore, I loved you more than that. And I still do. I'll always love you, Teresa, with or without your memories. And if you come with me right now, I'll tell you everything. I'll show you memories of us. Memories of you."
Teresa was confused. "I thought there wasn't a way to get my memories back?"
"There isn't," Henry said. "They're my memories, and I can share them with you. It's called a dreamcatcher. It lets you capture a memory and watch it however many times you want. So, if you're willing to spend just an hour with me, I'll show you whatever memories you want and I'll tell you anything you want to know."
Teresa stood there in silence for a moment, gnawing on the inside of her cheek, and the longer she thought about what he said, the more nervous he became. Of course she wanted to see the memories in the so-called dreamcatcher and learn more about their relationship. But on the other hand, she was still hurt that he had kept everything from her for so long.
She sighed after another moment. "Okay."
"What?" Henry wasn't sure he believed what he was hearing. Had she really agreed to come with him or did he imagine that just now?
"Okay," Teresa repeated. "I'll come with you. But, I have one condition."
"Anything."
"You can't keep any more secrets from me," Teresa negotiated as she adjusted Neal on her hip. "I know what you look like when you're lying to me now, and if I see that you are, I will leave. Please, just be honest with me from now on."
Henry smiled softly as he looked deep into her cerulean eyes. "I'll never keep anything from you ever again. I promise."
Teresa eyed him carefully, trying to see if she could detect the lie. But she didn't see anything. He had meant every single world. "Okay. Where do we go to watch this dreamcatcher thing?"
"Meet me at Granny's in half an hour," Henry told her before turning around and heading towards his car. Halfway there, he realized he was still holding the flowers and quickly turned around. He rushed up the steps and extended the bouquet towards her, but she hesitated to take it. "Oh, and, uh, these are for you. They are your favourite."
Teresa stared at the bouquet in confusion. "What kind of flowers are those?"
"They don't come from Storybrooke, they're from the Enchanted Forest," Henry explained. "You used to tell me how your mom would make them bloom just for you when you were younger. They're supposed to only bloom in the winter, but, uh, I had my mom enchant them for you. They don't need water and they won't wilt either. You can have them forever."
Her heart fluttered, and she took the bouquet with a smile, making sure to keep them out of Neal's reach. "Thank you, Henry."
"You're welcome."
。。。
Half an hour later, Henry Mills sat alone at a booth in Granny's. His leg was bouncing nervously and he was tapping his fingers against the table. Every time the door opened up, he would perk up, expecting Teresa to walk through. But she never did. It was just more kids from his school showing up to have dinner before the fall formal. He sighed, beginning to worry that she had changed her mind about meeting him.
After glancing at the clock on the wall for the hundredth time, Henry eventually got up from the booth he was sitting at and walked into the back hallway. He stopped at the mirror by the bathrooms and sighed at his reflection, proceeding to fix his hair. The mirror shook at one point, but he didn't really make anything of it and just kept fixing his hair and straightening his tie.
"Henry, are you back here?"
The sudden voice startled him, and he quickly stopped fixing his hair out of embarrassment. "Uh, yeah." He cleared his throat as his adoptive mother approached. "Hey, mom."
"Hey," Regina ⎯⎯ The Evil Queen ⎯⎯ echoed softly. "I thought you might need to talk." She could sense something was bothering him and frowned in concern. "Tell me, what's wrong? Does this have anything to do with Teresa?"
Henry nodded.
"Well, what is it?"
"I don't think she's going to come tonight."
"Why would you think that?"
"It's been over half an hour now and she still hasn't shown up," Henry frowned. "What if she changed her mind about coming because she decided that she doesn't want to be with me anymore? What if . . . what if I'm not good enough for her anymore?"
The Evil Queen reached out, placing both her hands on his shoulders as she looked him dead in the eye. "You listen to me, Henry, and you listen well. Teresa might be a nice girl, but she is just an ordinary archer, and she should be lucky to have a prince like you in her life. If she doesn't show up tonight, well, she is making a grave mistake letting you slip through her fingers."
"Teresa isn't ordinary, and she isn't just some archer. She is so much more than that. And, technically, she is royalty, too," Henry corrected, causing his mother to give him a look.
"Yeah, well, Ingrid renounced her claim to the throne a long time ago," she said matter-of-factly. "Teresa doesn't have a claim to any throne anymore. Arendelle belongs to Elsa and her heirs now. You, however, will always be a prince."
"I'm not a prince . . . I'm just a middle schooler wearing Grandpa's tie."
"Now, don't sell yourself short, Henry. Never do that," she told him sternly. "You will always be royalty, no matter what world you live in. And who knows?" A smile spread across her face. "Someday, we might go back to my castle. And you might be king. And, if she makes the right choice tonight, Teresa could even be your queen."
Henry chuckled, "I kind of think I need to finish high school first."
The Evil Queen sighed and forced a smile onto her face. "Well, of course you do," she said. "But acting royal isn't about castles, Henry. It's about the way you carry yourself. It's about a strength of character . . . and conviction. People notice these things." She lifted her hand, revealing a white flower she had conjured with her magic. "Girls notice them."
A bell suddenly chimed, and Henry perked up when he heard it, for that sound could only mean that someone had just walked through the front door of the diner. Then he heard Granny greet Teresa, and his heart skipped a beat.
She had showed up, after all.
"Now, go out there, and act like the prince you are."
He took the flower. "Thanks, mom."
"And stop slouching, Henry," she scolded as he turned around and walked away. "Posture is self-respect."
Henry froze at her words, his entire body tensing up and his eyes widening. There was only one person he knew that would ever tell him to stop slouching and posture was self-respect, and that person was the Evil Queen. She had always wanted him to go back to the Enchanted Forest with her, to live in their castle where he could be a prince and, eventually, king. But how was this even possible? How did the Evil Queen overpower both his moms? Most importantly, what did she do with his moms?
Unbeknownst to Henry, Emma and Regina were watching him at this very moment, for they were peeking into the real world through the mirror hanging on the wall. And if he had only paid attention before when he saw the glass move, he could have possibly heard their voices desperately shouting out his name for help. But he had been too nervous at the time.
Before she would suspect anything, Henry relaxed his shoulders and turned around to face the Evil Queen. He nodded, acknowledging what she had told him with a forced smile before turning around and walking out into the diner, where he found a nervous Teresa Holmes fiddling with her hands. She was wearing the dress that his grandma had helped her pick out for the dance, and her platinum hair was pulled back into a ponytail. She looked beautiful, and the sight of her made his heart race.
Henry was so happy that she decided to come, but that happiness quickly morphed into guilt, for he knew that he wouldn't be able to show her any memories or tell her any stories about them tonight like he had planned. There was something far more important that they had to take care of now. She just hoped he would forgive her for ruining the night.
"Hey, Teresa," he greeted breathlessly, giving her the flower, which she took with a smile and lifted to her nose to inhale the delicate scent. "You, um, you look really beautiful."
A faint blush coated her cheeks at the compliment, and she looked down at her feet, smiling. "Thanks. You look really nice, too." She cleared her throat and then glanced at an empty booth nearby. "So, um, do you want to sit down?"
Henry glanced over his shoulder and found the Evil Queen watching them from afar. She flashed him a smile, but he didn't return it. Instead, he turned back around to face Teresa, stepping forward and taking her hands in his own with a guilty expression. "Teresa, I'm really sorry, but none of that matters anymore."
Her face dropped slightly, and she moved to pull her hands from his, but he only held them tighter, keeping her in place.
"Don't let go of my hands," Henry told her quietly, making sure to keep a smile on his face so that the Evil Queen, who he knew was still watching them, wouldn't suspect anything. "And don't look away from me either. As much as I would love to share some memories of us with you tonight, there's something much more important happening right now, so whatever I say, just keep your eyes right on me and smile, okay?"
Teresa was beyond confused, but she knew that he wasn't lying, she could see the urgency in his eyes and hear it in his voice as well. Something was obviously wrong. So, she brushed her thumbs over his knuckles, relaxed her shoulders, and smiled as she looked into his brown eyes. "Okay. Tell me what's going on, Henry."
"The woman behind me, that's not my mom," Henry revealed and, thankfully, Teresa listened and kept smiling while staring into his eyes. "That's the queen . . . the evil one."
"What happened to your mom?" Teresa asked.
"That's what I⎯⎯we are going to find out," Henry whispered back. "But she's watching us, so you have to come up with a reason for us to leave."
"Why me?" Teresa asked. "Can't you come up with a lie?"
"She knows everything I planned out for us tonight," Henry replied. "You have to do it otherwise she'll be suspicious of me."
"What am I even supposed to say?"
"I don't know. But you have to think of something, and fast. We need to get out of here and find my moms."
"Uh, okay," Teresa nodded, nervously biting her lips as she tried to think of a quick lie. Once she thought of something, she dropped his hands and spoke loud and clear this time so that the Evil Queen could overhear their conversation. "It's a lovely evening, isn't it?"
"Yeah, it is," Henry agreed.
"Would you like to go for a walk?" Teresa asked with a forced hopeful smile as she twirled the flower around in her hand, giving off the impression that she was nervous. "Come on. Please? It's such a lovely night."
"I'd like that," Henry nodded, and Teresa beamed brightly at his response, keeping up their ruse and making sure that she looked like a smitten teenager. He glanced over his shoulder where the Evil Queen lingered in the hallway and let her know where they were going, "Back in a few. We're gonna go on a walk around the block before I show her the dreamcatcher."
The Evil Queen smiled at them, "Have fun!"
Together, the two teenagers walked out the door, and once they were outside, Henry looked at the platinum blonde and smiled, "Nice work."
Teresa nervously glanced behind them as they hurried down the sidewalk. "Do you think she bought it?"
"Definitely," Henry nodded. "You're an excellent liar. Now let's go find my moms."
。。。
Fifteen minutes later, Teresa Holmes found herself walking through the cemetery in the middle of the night. She struggled to keep up with Henry in the uncomfortable shoes that Snow White made her wear with the dress, but he didn't seem to notice. He was too focused on finding something. What that was, she wasn't sure. But, she was going to find out.
"I thought you said we were looking for your moms?"
"We are."
She raised a brow. "In a cemetery? At night?"
Finally, Henry stopped walking, and he gestured with his hand toward the Mills crypt that was just up ahead. "That is my mom's vault. It's where she keeps all her magical stuff, including a really big mirror. That is what we're here for."
Teresa was confused. "What does a mirror have to do with your moms?"
"I'll explain inside. Now come on!" Henry reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling her forward with him. She gasped, stumbling on her feet, but somehow managed to not fall on her face in the process. She held onto his hand, butterflies erupting in her stomach at his touch, which she tried her best to ignore.
Teresa followed him into the dark crypt and down a flight of hidden stairs, which opened up into a massive vault with multiple rooms. There were books and potions and all sorts of magical objects scattered all over the place. She looked around in awe of everything.
"Over here," Henry said, guiding her towards a wall and dropping her hand so that he could pull open up a set of maroon curtains, which revealed a massive mirror.
Her hand felt cold without his, but she ignored that feeling, focusing on the situation and gazing up at the mirror curiously. "Why is this mirror so important again?"
"We came up with a plan this morning to trap the Evil Queen," Henry explained. "I lured her out into the open and then my moms tried to imprison her inside this hand mirror that they enchanted."
"So you think that they're inside the mirror?"
"It's just a theory," Henry shrugged. "I mean, if the Evil Queen is still out here, that means their plan never worked. But if it never worked, then why didn't they show up and say anything?"
It all clicked in Teresa's mind as she turned to look at the mirror. "Because the Evil Queen trapped them instead . . ."
"Exactly," he nodded. "But, again, it's just a theory because of what I saw at the diner."
"Wait, what did you see at the diner?"
"I was really nervous while waiting for you to show up, so I started fixing my tie in this mirror outside the bathrooms," Henry began to explain, and she bit down on her lip and looked away when he mentioned being nervous, for she had felt the same way. "And then all of a sudden, the mirror began to shake. I didn't think anything of it at the time, but now it all makes sense."
"Maybe it was your moms trying to make contact with you," Teresa theorized, nodding along with everything that he was saying.
"There's only one way to find out," Henry sighed, turning to face the mirror. He then spoke directly to his moms, hoping they would be able to hear him if they really were trapped in the world behind the mirror. "Moms? I hope you aren't in there, but I saw something in the mirror at Granny's, and if the Evil Queen's out here, then I'm worried the tables have been turned. So, if you're in there . . . please say something."
Nothing happened for several moments, causing the teenagers to frown. Before Henry could try something else, footsteps echoed through the vault, causing them to whip around. Their eyes widened as they watched the Evil Queen enter the room they were in, the woman shaking her head as she looked at them. "It's not like leaving a voicemail, Henry. Mirrors are much more complicated than that."
Henry cautiously stepped in front of Teresa as he spoke, "You trapped them in there. Didn't you?"
The Evil Queen sighed, eyes gleaming with disappointment as she stared at her son. "I thought I taught you better than this, Henry. A gentleman never lies. And he certainly never ruins the plans he worked so hard to make so he can drag his date to the cemetery in the middle of the night to chase a ridiculous theory."
"Henry didn't drag me anywhere," Teresa defended him. "I came willing."
"Oh, well, isn't that just sweet," the Evil Queen said mockingly, placing a hand over her heart.
"We know you aren't really our Regina," Teresa went on. "So answer his question . . . did you trap his moms inside the mirror?"
"See, that's where you're wrong about me." The Evil Queen looked directly at her son as she spoke. "Do you remember the second grade when you were afraid of the monsters under your bed, or the dark . . . or that old creaking oak tree? Who made you face your fears? Who didn't tolerate your crying . . . and toughened you up?"
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"That was me," the Evil Queen said. "The one with a spine, not that weak-tea version. All I want is for you to be great." She grinned. "You can be king. You can have everything you want, but not if you're always hiding behind Emma and my lesser half, always dealing with their problems, but never given any real decisions."
Henry shook his head, "Nice try, but you can't Darth Vader me. I'll never join you."
Teresa furrowed her brows, not understanding the reference. Who is Darth Vader?
"Oh, Henry," the Evil Queen sighed as she stepped forward, reaching out to embrace him. But he moved away from her, pulling Teresa with him with a hand securely wrapped around her wrist. A pang of hurt twisted her features but she quickly masked those emotions as she looked at him. "We watched those movies enough to know that Darth Vader wasn't so black and white. Now, was he?" She turned her back on them. "And, I'm not really evil . . . despite the name."
Teresa scoffed at her words, causing the Evil Queen to turn around.
"You know, Teresa," the Evil Queen smiled tightly as she stared at the platinum blonde. "My son loves you. For some reason that I will never fully understand, you of all people make him happy, and that is all I have ever wanted for him. But, recently, I've realized that you aren't good for my son. All you do is hurt him, make him doubt everything about himself. He deserves better than you."
Henry's jaw clenched, "Don't talk to her like that."
"Or what, Henry?" The Evil Queen raised a challenging brow. "You can't hurt me. You can't hurt anyone. Emma and Regina made you weak. But, I hope to change that. I can make you strong. I can make you a king."
"I don't want anything from you."
"Very well," the Evil Queen clenched her jaw, nostrils flaring. She turned away from them, walking over to a neatby table and reaching into one of the boxes, pulling out a glowing heart. It belonged to the Dragon, who she had trapped inside the world behind mirrors in New York. Just by touching it, she could see that the Dragon was currently helping Emma and Regina come up with an escape plan. They were trying to put the pieces of a broken mirror back together.
"Who's heart is that?" Henry asked, but he didn't receive an answer.
Teresa nervously shifted on her feet from beside Henry. She remembered Snow White telling her that people with magic are capable of ripping someone's heart from their chests. And whoever held that heart was in full control of the person it belonged to. They could make them do and say whatever they wanted.
Instead, the Evil Queen leaned down, a smirk tugging at her lips as she began to talk into the heart. The Dragon repeated every word she said to Emma and Regina, who stopped shuffling through pieces of broken glass to look at the Dragon. "Enjoying your little puzzle? Oh, don't worry. Henry is safe with me. In fact . . . he is better off."
"It's you." The Evil Queen grinned at Regina's words, which neither Henry or Teresa could hear. Only she could hear Regina, for she was holding the heart. She was the one in control.
"The queen," Emma said, wide-eyed.
"Ding, ding!" The Evil Queen smirked wickedly. "I may have put his body in the mirror. But I kept his heart." She then lifted her hand, causing the mirror to reveal the world behind the mirror.
Henry and Teresa looked at the mirror and their eyes widened when they saw Emma and Regina standing on the other side, surrounded by ruins, mirrors and broken shards of glass. Henry had been right, the Evil Queen did trap them inside the mirror and has been impersonating Regina all day, telling them lies and making them believe that Emma had left town to find the Dragon.
"Henry? Teresa?" Emma gasped as both she and Regina rushed over to the mirror. They started banging on the glass, trying to break it."
"Mom!" Henry exclaimed, dropping Teresa's hand and rushing over to the mirror.
"It's alright," Emma reassured him. "It's gonna be okay!"
"We're coming to get you, Henry," Regina said.
"Are you sure about that?" The Evil Queen waved her hand and smoke began to suddenly consume the mirror.
Henry's eyes widened when he couldn't see them anymore. "No! Mom!"
Teresa frowned at his concern, wishing more than anything she still had her powers so she could help. But alas, she was useless now. There was nothing she could do but stand there and helplessly watch as he shouted for his moms.
When the smoke cleared, Henry calmed, for he could see his moms again. But something was wrong. The Dragon had stumbled backwards, hunched over against his knees, face twisted in pain as he tried to resist what was happening to him right now. But he couldn't. The hold the Evil Queen had over him was too strong to resist.
"What's wrong?" Emma asked, looking at the Dragon in concern. "Did she hurt you?"
The Dragon held out his hand, stopping them from getting any closer. "No, don't come any closer. I'm sorry. I . . . I don't want to do this."
Both Emma and Regina stared at him in confusion, but before they could ask what he meant by that, red smoke enveloped his entire body, which rose higher and higher above their heads. And as the smoke cleared, they found him in his natural dragon form. He towered over them with a menacing roar.
"Kill them," the Evil Queen whispered to the heart in her hand.
Teresa's eyes widened at her words, and she looked at the mirror, watching as the dragon suddenly leapt into the air and did a few circles before swooping down and breathing fire at Emma and Regina, causing the two women to duck behind some pillars for shelter as they avoided death.
Henry whipped around to face the Evil Queen, shaking his head. "Stop . . . why are you doing this?"
"Because unlike them, Henry, I'm giving you a choice," the Evil Queen explained. "You may not have magic . . ." She waved her hand, conjuring a weapon that resembled a hammer into her hand, "but this does, and you can save them with it . . ." She thrust the weapon into his chest and then forced him to turn around and face the mirror as she placed the glowing heart on a table in front of him, "by smashing The Dragon's heart."
Teresa's eyes widened and she shook her head while staring into his brown eyes, silently pleading with him to not kill an innocent person that had no control over what he was doing. She may not have her memories, but she knew that wasn't the kind of person Henry was. If he did this, it would change him forever. And she didn't want him to lose who he was like she did.
A pained expression twisted his features as Henry stared at the glowing heart. "But . . . but The Dragon's an innocent person. H-He did nothing wrong." He turned around, voice hardening around the edges as he glared at her. "Darkening my heart, it won't make me yours."
The Evil Queen forced him to face the heart again, leaning close and smirking near his ear as she spoke, "But you'll be that much closer to understanding who I am." They could hear the dragon growling from inside the mirror, which caused Henry to look up from the heart, a pained expression twisting his features as he watched his moms struggle to stay alive. "Your mothers need you, Henry."
"Henry, look at me," Teresa pleaded. He looked at her, brown against blue, and shook her head at him. "Don't do this. It's what she wants. We can find another way to get them out, okay?"
"There is no other way," the Evil Queen snapped, turning to glare at Teresa over her shoulder. "Now be quiet," she seethed, "unless you would like to join them inside the mirror."
"But if Regina dies, so do you," Henry realized, his face dropping. "You're connected."
"That's how certain I am, you'll make the right choice," the Evil Queen said, reaching up to caress the back of his head almost soothingly.
Henry stood there, silently going over every possible outcome in his head. If he smashed the Dragon's heart, then he would never be the same way ever again. His heart would darken and the Evil Queen would get exactly what she wanted. Sure, he would save his moms, but the cost? He wasn't sure he could pay it. However, if he didn't smash the heart, the Dragon would kill them and the Evil Queen would die with them because she was connected to Regina.
Teresa saw the tears building up in his eyes as he struggled to make a decision, and her heart broke for him. Tears of her own began to blur her vision, but she pushed them back and called out to him again, hoping she could convince him to do the right thing. "Henry, please, don't do this. You're a good person. Don't let her do this to you."
The Evil Queen shot her a warning look.
The three of them turned back to face the mirror as the dragon swooped down, breathing fire at Emma and Regina, who just barely managed to jump out of the way in time. The bright flames shone against their faces and the Evil Queen grinned, leaning down close to her son's ear, "Tick, tock, Henry. Tick . . . tock."
"If you are my mom," Henry cried, "please, don't make me do this."
"Well, as my own mother proved, sometimes all you need is a little push." The Evil Queen stepped away from her son and glanced at Teresa, who was staring at Henry with tears in her eyes. She walked over, coming to stand in front of the platinum blonde. "Maybe this will help make your decision easier."
Before Teresa could even react, the Evil Queen thrust her hand out and jammed it into the teenager's chest. She gasped, her face twisting with pain, and the Evil Queen smirked as she removed her heart. A tear fell down Teresa's cheek as she stared at her glowing heart, before she collapsed to her knees.
"Teresa!" Henry shouted.
The Evil Queen turned around to face him, her features hardening. "Make a decision, Henry. Either you smash The Dragon's heart, save your moms, and become who you are meant to be. Or, I smash this one, and you watch as Teresa dies. Only this time, she won't be coming back to life."
"Please, don't," Henry pleaded, a tear cascading down his cheek.
"Do it, Henry."
Henry glanced at Teresa and then his moms, watching as three of them remained in danger because he couldn't decide what to do. He closed his eyes, shaking his head.
"Look at me," Teresa said, her voice full of pain. He opened his eyes and looked at her, another tear falling down his cheek. "It's okay, Henry. Let me go. You need them more than you need me." She managed to send him a small smile despite the pain she was in. "I'll be okay. I promise."
"I can't lose you again," he said, voice cracking.
"You won't lose me," Teresa cried with him. "I'll always be with you, Henry."
The Evil Queen felt her heart clench inside her chest as she looked between them, but she pushed those feelings away. She lost Daniel, Alice and Robin and managed to survive all three times. Henry could survive the same. She squeezed Teresa's heart, erupting screams of pain from the platinum blonde as the teenager crumbled into a ball on the floor, holding her chest.
The sound of her screams made Henry flinch and close his eyes, his heart breaking. More tears fell down his cheeks as he fought to make a decision. But, how was he supposed to choose between his moms and his soulmate?
"Do it, Henry. Do it now or she dies!"
Henry opened his eyes, took one last look at Teresa, and then he made his decision. He turned away from her as she continued to scream and cry in pain, and then he pulled the hammer back. But he didn't smash the heart. Instead, he smashed the mirror, surprising them all.
The mirror was cracked, and the three of them watched as the center of it began to glow a soft gold. Then they watched as the Dragon breathed fire at Emma and Regina, the flames striking the mirror and causing those cracks to glisten with fiery embers. The mirror and the room began to shake, and it was then they realized that the dragon fire was about to come through.
Henry's eyes widened and he reached out, quickly grabbing The Dragon's heart from the table by the mirror so that it wouldn't be reduced to ashes. He then leapt out of the way as he heard the glass shatter and felt heat against his back. Falling to the ground, he crawled over to Teresa and shielded her from the flames with his body.
As the flames died out, Henry glanced down at Teresa. "Are you okay?"
"I think so," she replied.
Henry helped Teresa up from the ground, steadying her as she stumbled slightly. She grabbed at her chest, grimacing at the dull pain that resided there. "Teresa?" he said worriedly.
"I'm okay," she reassured.
He nodded and then they looked across the room, watching as Regina and Emma got up from the ground. The two teenagers ran over to them, and Teresa stood off to the sidelines as she watched the mothers and son reunite with hugs and smiles.
"Are you both okay?" Regina asked, glancing between the teenagers with a worried expression.
"Not exactly," Henry shook his head. "She took Teresa's heart. I managed to get the Dragon's heart back from her, but she still has Teresa's."
Regina sighed. "Don't worry, we'll get it back."
The Evil Queen had gotten to her feet at the point, and she watched them with flared nostrils. "You!" She clenched her fists in anger while looking at Regina. "You made him soft!"
"You stay away from our son," Regina warned.
The Evil Queen sighed as she looked past them and right at Henry. "Hiding behind your moms again, I see."
Henry stepped out from behind his moms, his jaw clenching. "I'm not hiding. You may not see it, but I'm strong, because my moms taught me that family makes you stronger than you'll ever be by yourself. And that's something you'll never have . . . because you'll always be alone."
The Evil Queen was visibly hurt by his words, as they watched tears glisten in her dark eyes. "I wanted to give you a choice. But it appears you weren't ready yet." A sigh escaped her lips as she held up Teresa's heart, causing their eyes to widen in alarm. "I did warn you, Henry. Either you smash The Dragon's heart or I smash this one. Looks like you made your decision."
Teresa gasped in pain as the Evil Queen began to squeeze her heart. She clutched at her chest and her knees buckled, but Henry rushed over and caught her before she could fall and end up hurt. He helped her down to the ground, holding her in his arms as she screamed and cried. It was breaking his heart to see her in so much pain.
"Teresa!" Emma gasped, dropping to her knees beside them.
The Evil Queen was killing her slowly, squeezing the glowing heart just a little bit harder each time, wanting not only Teresa Holmes to suffer, but for all of them to suffer as they watched her slowly die right before their very eyes.
"No, stop, please!" Henry tearfully shouted, fear rushing through his body as he held Teresa close.
"You have only yourself to blame for this, Henry," the Evil Queen told him. "You couldn't make a simple decision on your own, so, I'm making it for you. You better say your goodbyes while she can still speak."
Then, suddenly, Teresa's pain came to an end and there was a loud crash. For a moment, Henry thought Teresa had died because she stopped screaming, but then she inhaled air back into her lungs and he let out a sigh of relief. Looking down the hall, he saw that Alice had thrown her body into the Evil Queen's, knocking them both to the ground and causing her to drop Teresa's heart.
Much to their surprise, Killian was Alice's back-up. The pirate was quick to cross the room and roughly pull the Evil Queen off the ground, threatening her with a hook to the throat as Alice got up from the ground, holding Teresa's heart. "I suggest . . . unless you like the feeling of hook piercing flesh, you shove off, Your Majesty."
"I'm your mother, Henry," the Evil Queen said as she looked down at her son, who was clutching Teresa close to his chest. "And I only want what's best for you."
Henry shook his head in disbelief as he stared up at her. "If that was true, you would haven't tried to make me kill an innocent person. And you wouldn't have tried to kill Teresa. If you really loved me, you wouldn't have done any of those things."
Silently, the Evil Queen teleported out of the vault, disappearing in a cloud of purple smoke.
Now that she was gone, Henry looked down at Teresa, easing her into a sitting position as she caught her breath. "Are you okay?'
"Yeah, I think so."
Henry smiled in relief and got up from the ground. He then held out his hands, offering them to her, and she took them gratefully. He helped her onto her feet as Alice walked over, holding the glowing heart in her hand.
"I believe this belongs to you."
"Thanks," Teresa said, reaching out and taking her heart into her hands. She looked down at it with furrowed brows. "This is . . . really weird. I'm literally holding my own heart right now."
The others laughed.
"Can someone please put this thing back inside my chest already?" Teresa asked.
"I'll do it," Regina offered.
Teresa nodded and gave the woman her heart before instinctively reaching out and grasping Henry's hand tightly. She never experienced this before, or at least she couldn't remember, so she wasn't sure if it would hurt or not and he was her only source of comfort at the moment. Henry smiled softly and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.
"Ready?" Regina asked.
"Yeah."
"On the count of three."
"I'm ready."
"One . . ."
Ending it there, Regina lurched forward and slammed the glowing heart back inside Teresa's chest, and the teenager gasped at the feeling that spread through her body. It hurt, but only a little. She then looked at Regina, "What happened to two and three?"
"Did it hurt?"
"Just a little."
"Well, that's all that matters," Regina said. "You were expecting it to happen on three. This way you didn't know when it was coming and it wouldn't hurt as badly."
Teresa nodded in understanding as she rubbed her chest. "Thanks."
"You're welcome."
"Anyone up for some cocoa?" Alice asked randomly, hoping to lighten the mood after everything that happened today.
"Do you even have to ask?" Henry smiled.
"I could use a cocoa," Teresa shrugged. "And some food, too. Almost dying really makes you work up an appetite."
"Tell me about," Alice said.
With that, they left the vault and somehow managed to squeeze themselves inside Regina's car, which Alice and Killian had used to get to the cemetery. They drove to Granny's, got themselves a booth, and drank hot cocoa and ate french fries until their stomachs hurt and they got tired. And Teresa and Henry didn't separate leave each other's side, even as the night came to an end. He spent the night at his grandparents' house, the two of them falling asleep on the living room floor after watching Star Wars, for she was still confused about the Darth Vader reference he had made earlier.
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
a/n: Wow, this was my longest chapter yet. Seriously, this chapter has a word count of 10693! And I'm actually very happy with how everything turned out and I hope all of you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!
Despite how much I didn't like season six and am taking my time writing it, I always did enjoy this episode. It was a really important one for Henry and his character devopment, as he struggled with many things throughout the episode and showed some true strength in remaining good and standing up to the Evil Queen.
Bạn đang đọc truyện trên: Truyen247.Pro