CHAPTER TWELVE
THE FUNERAL

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Dressed entirely in black, the van Helsing family made their way from their home in the direction of the church for Frank's funeral. Nicholai was notably absent, not because he didn't want to attend the funeral, but because his status as an unholy being meant he could not enter the church where the funeral was being held. In the planning stages they had offered to have the funeral held someplace Nicholai could attend but he had insisted on keeping it at the church. Frank was a devout man even if he didn't get to church every Sunday, he would have wanted his funeral to be held there.

Seeing as they had helped to arrange the whole thing, the van Helsing’s were the first to arrive at the church. With how absent she'd been in the planning, Josie was relieved to see the church was not only familiar to her, but Father Gabriel waiting there for them.

Father Gabriel had known Josie for her entire life. She'd been baptized in this very church, as had Tori, and he was the one who supplied them with their holy water. He'd even helped them with an exorcism once and when Abraham was hunting the nightmare demon when Josie was a child — the very same one she'd helped him with — it was Father Gabriel who had assisted and reassured him. And, though it was a rare occurrence, when they needed a place to shelter someone who some unholy creature was after, Father Gabriel was the first person they thought of and he was always willing to help out someone in need.

After the van Helsing family, it was Snow White, David and a baby Josie vaguely recalled to be their son, though his name escaped her as, with all the chaos of the two worlds coming together, he'd been watched over by someone else who Josie didn't know. She couldn't blame them for keeping him out of it. With Marian having been taken, she could more than understand the desire to keep their son somewhere they knew was safe. Snow and David approached Abraham and Luella, greeting them before moving into polite small talk.

While others began to make their way into the church — residents of Nightmoor who knew Frank and residents of Storybrooke who wished to show their support — Josie mostly stayed silent, staring straight ahead with a blank expression as she stood next to her parents and sister, only answering questions when they were posed to her directly. She didn't cry, as tempting as it may have been. Not only did she know that Frank wouldn't have wanted her to waste her tears on him, but she had to be strong. She was a van Helsing, after all. How would anyone believe she was strong enough to do her job if they saw her acting so weak?

It wasn't until she saw Henry enter that she cracked a smile. He came in with Regina, Robin, Roland and Teresa, all of them dressed in black. When he saw her, he gave her a smile and a small wave and she couldn't help but give him a small smile in return as she waved back. Not a moment later, his attention was pulled away by something Regina was saying to him and Josie looked down.

She leaned down to her sister. “You stay here, alright? I'll be back in a minute.”

Tori made a sound of protest as Josie tried to pull her hand away, tightening her grip instead. This day was confusing to Tori, Josie knew. She had never met Frank with how the rest of the family had decided to keep her out of the hunting world. Even Luella had only met him maybe once or twice, truly only knowing him through what Abraham and Josie told her. But Tori knew they were at a funeral, knew it was supposed to be sad. And she knew that her father and big sister were sad, as much as they tried to hide it from her. Josie knew it had to be confusing to think she was supposed to be sad and not understand why.

“I'm just going to say hello to Henry, it'll only be a minute,” she tried to assure her sister.

“Don't go, Josie,” Tori said, pouting at her and looking truly hurt at the idea of not being able to keep holding her sister's hand.

“Why don't you come say hello to Roland, then? Or would you rather stay here with Mother?” she asked.

Tori pondered this for a moment before deciding on going with Josie and letting go of Luella’s hand. Josie quickly explained to her mother where they were going and led her sister over to where Henry and his family were standing, talking with Emma and Killian, who had arrived in the meantime. Henry caught sight of her as they approached and gave her another smile she couldn't help but return.

“Thank you for coming,” she said. “I was worried about the turnout, Frank wasn't exactly… he didn't have many friends, that is.”

“Did he have any family?” Henry asked.

“No. It'll be just my family in the front pew,” Josie explained. “Well, James, Oliver and Eugene will be sitting on the other side of the aisle, but he didn't really have anyone else.”

“I'm sorry.”

“Thank you,” Josie said again, not knowing what else to say.

“Where's Nicholai?” he asked.

“Outside. He can't come into a church. As much as he doesn't have all the weaknesses most of his kind do, this is one they all share. Hallowed ground and unholy creatures don't go together well.”

“No, I guess they wouldn't.”

“He'll be listening though, from outside. That's why we left a few of the windows open, so he'd be able to hear. And he'll meet us in the cemetery when we lower the coffin,” she explained.

Feeling suddenly overwhelmed by trying to maintain eye contact, Josie looked down at where her hand was still joined with Tori’s, who had walked towards Roland but still refused to let go of Josie's hand. Both children were smiling, which made Josie smile a little as well. It was good to see Tori in better spirits, even if only a little and for a short while.

“How are you holding up?” Henry asked.

Josie looked back up at him, a little surprised by the question. Though, she realized a moment later, she had no reason to be surprised. Of course Henry was asking her how she was. Anyone would. She was the one who knew Frank, after all and they'd both been there when he'd died. Of anyone in Henry's family, he would be the one to understand. He was the only one who'd really seen her interact with Frank.

She opened her mouth to answer him when their attention was pulled away by Father Gabriel announcing it was time for the funeral to start and everyone should find their seats. Josie bid Henry goodbye and pulled Tori back towards their parents and where they were sitting down in the front pew on the right side. Abraham sat down closest to the aisle with Luella next to him and Josie made sure Tori sat down between herself and their mother, leaving her next to the empty second section of the pew they were sitting in.

Father Gabriel began the ceremony as soon as everyone was settled. He conducted the ceremony with exactly the kind of grace she had expected him too, not shying away from the fact that Frank had a checkered past but not dwelling on it. After all, he knew Frank from whenever he'd come into church. He knew Frank's heart better than perhaps most people did.

In fact, he handled it with such grace that as the ceremony went on, it got harder and harder for Josie to keep her composure. Tears gathered in her eyes and as much as she tried to push them back, one eventually slipped down her cheek and she was quick to wipe it away with her sleeve, hoping no one would notice. But once one had fallen, it got harder to hold the others back. Her lip trembled and she turned her gaze upwards, taking a deep breath as she tried to keep herself calm. She wished Nicholai was here. She could use his support right now.

Her brow furrowed when she heard Regina hiss Henry's name from the row behind them, confused about what he could be doing to cause his mother to scold him. Of all people, she didn't expect him to cause a disruption of some kind, not when Father Gabriel was doing such a wonderful job.

She got her answer when he silently slid into the spot next to her and reached over, grabbing her hand and holding it securely. Immediately, she felt herself relax a bit and she gave his hand a squeeze, looking over at him and mouthing ‘thank you’. He simply smiled back at her before they both turned their attention forward again and back to Father Gabriel.

When it was time for everyone to head outside to the cemetery, it was Josie and her family who were the first to follow the coffin. As they stood up, she expected her hand to fall from Henry's as he remained behind to leave with his own family but he stood with her, never letting go of her hand. The show of support was grounding for Josie, especially as Tori’s hand slipped from hers as Abraham picked her up and carried her down the aisle towards the doors.

The cemetery was next to the church and it was only a short walk to get there. Nicholai was waiting next to the hole in front of the simple headstone which bore Frank's name. Though the cemetery should have been hallowed ground the same as the church, its status had always been dubious. They'd seen newly turned vampires rise from their coffins or chased one back here on more than one occasion. And, of course, when they'd finally found the cemetery, there had been headstones and even entire mausoleums they didn't recognize. If it had been combined with the cemetery in Storybrooke and that one hadn't been hallowed ground, well it was even less likely to be now.

Nicholai seemed surprised to see Henry walking with the van Helsing family instead of his own until he spotted how he was holding Josie's hand. Having seen this, Nicholai said nothing, simply took Josie's free arm when she stepped up next to him. She appreciated this. She didn't want to speak right now.

They watched Frank's coffin be lowered into the ground, four roses laid upon the top of it, one for each member of the van Helsing family. Abraham was the first to step forward and pick up the shovel which was left sticking out of the pile of dirt next to the coffin, shoveling some of the dirt onto the coffin. Josie went next, grateful for the support of both Henry and Nicholai when she stepped away from the grave again. James, Oliver and Eugene went next, each throwing a shovelful of dirt onto the coffin. Josie was surprised when David stepped up next, followed by Robin, Emma and Killian. At that point, Father Gabriel wrapped things up by announcing a small lunch would be held at the White Lion, though he quickly corrected himself and referred to it as Granny's for the newcomers among them.

“I'll see you at Granny's,” Henry promised her, giving her hand one final squeeze before heading back over to his family.

Nicholai wasted no time.

“How scandalous,” he teased her. She didn't respond as she usually did to his teasing but she appreciated it nonetheless. “Holding hands with a boy, whatever will people think.”

“I don't have it in me to do this with you today, Nicholai,” she said, her voice betraying how drained she truly felt. “You can tease me tomorrow.”

He took her arm again as they followed after her parents and sister. “I shall hold you to that.”

“I wouldn't expect anything else.”

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Spirits had lifted by the time everyone was gathering in the White Lion/Granny’s, with laughter and smiles aplenty on those who had decided to join them for the small lunch there. There were small sandwiches and cookies and a delicious citrusy punch Josie couldn't get enough of. Despite finding it much easier to smile and converse with those around her, she still felt drained. Something about today was getting to her more than she'd expected. She hadn't expected it to be her who was in such a state but rather Nicholai. The kinship he had always felt with Frank due to their checkered pasts made it seem, at the time of his death, that it would be him who was more deeply affected.

Tori sat in Josie's lap at one of the smaller tables while Roland sat across from her and Teresa next to him. The two of them were colouring with some crayons which were of a much better make than anything Josie had seen before, including the ones Tori had at home. Josie chatted idly with Teresa, getting to know her fellow archer better.

After a while, when Luella sat down next to her daughters and Josie's drink ran out once again, she took the opportunity to excuse herself. She went out of the dining hall, heading down the hall and turning a corner where she found a set of stairs. These, like the rest of the building, were strange, with every stair alternating in what it was built out of. Josie sat herself down on one of the familiar, well worn steps of the White Lion, letting her head fall into her hands. It was quiet here and it allowed her a moment to catch her breath.

“Hey, you okay?”

Josie looked up in surprise at the sound of a voice and noticed it was Henry. She hadn't even heard him approach, she was supposed to be better than that.

“Yes, thank you,” she assured him. “I just needed a moment to myself.”

“Mind if I join you?” he asked.

“Not at all.”

She moved over so there was room for him to sit down next to her. He didn't say anything after sitting down, letting a comfortable silence fall over them. The sounds of all the people who had gathered were distant and with it, the pressures of what those in attendance expected of them.

“You never answered my question from earlier,” Henry pointed out after a few moments of silence.

“What question?” Josie asked.

“How are you holding up?”

“Did I not answer that a few minutes ago when you found me?” she asked.

Henry shook his head. “You can be okay but not holding up well. Plus, I think you were lying about being okay.”

“Why do you think I'm lying?”

“Because you're hiding from everyone back here.”

She laughed. He was right, of course. She had been lying when she told him she was okay. How had he gotten so good at reading her so quickly? Or was she really just that obvious today?

“You are correct,” she admitted, fiddling with her silver ring. “I'm not okay. But I was taught to remain strong and not to let people see me weak. They have to believe I am strong enough to protect them from the monsters of the night and they might not believe I can if they see me crying.”

“Crying wouldn't make you look weak. My grandmother taught me that it's a sign of strength. And you are strong, Josie,” Henry assured her.

“Thank you.”

“Is that the only reason you're hiding back here? Or is there something else bothering you?” he asked.

“I wish today wasn't necessary,” she said. “I wish we didn't have to take time out of our hunt for Morgana to hold a funeral for someone who shouldn't be dead. It isn't fair that Frank is dead simply because he knew my father, knew me. He may have done some bad things in his life but he wanted to make it right, that's how he knew us and now he's dead.”

When she saw Henry reaching towards her, she thought for a moment, hoped perhaps, that he was going to take her hand again, offer her support in that way. Instead, he simply offered her a handkerchief and, though she took it to wipe the tears which had gathered in her eyes, she found herself oddly disappointed.

“It's my fault,” she declared.

“Josie, it's not your fault.”

“But it is. My father would have never allowed it to happen, he would have known what to do and say, how to get around the curse Morgana put on him. He wouldn't have let his best informant die. He protected his people. And when he was gone, I let Frank die. His death is on me.”

“You didn't let him do anything,” Henry assured her. “He was under Morgana’s control. Her spell was so strong that not even my mom was able to sense something was wrong. You couldn't have known, Josie.”

“My father would have. He always knew. I let him down and I let Frank down.”

“Did your father say that?”

“No, he did not—”

“Then it's not true. Your father is proud of you, Josie, anyone can see that. You’re only sixteen and he trusts you more than anyone else he's hired,” Henry told her, his tone firm but gentle.

“And yet he didn't even trust me enough to tell me about Elsa Bloodstone,” she scoffed. “Someone who seems to have trained him.”

“Maybe he was trying to protect you,” Henry offered. “Or there's something you don't know about her or them.”

“There seems to be a lot my father doesn't want me to know…”

This time when she saw Henry reaching towards her, he did take her hand and she felt grounded with the contact, taking a deep breath to try and calm herself.

“Parents always keep secrets,” Henry told her. “Sometimes they're bad but sometimes it's for the best. You wouldn't believe the secrets my parents kept from me.”

“Are they related to the complications with your mothers?” she asked.

“Some of them,” he answered. When she still looked confused, he continued. “We never got a chance to explain that, did we? Emma is my birth mother, but Regina adopted me as a baby. Then when I was ten, I found Emma and brought her to Storybrooke to break the curse.”

“Curse?”

“A long time ago, my mom— Regina, wasn't always so good. They used to call her the Evil Queen. She cast a curse to bring everyone here so their happy endings would be ruined and she'd get hers. And then my other mom, Emma, was supposed to stop her.”

“They seem to be quite amicable now,” Josie pointed out.

“They are. After the curse was broken, things started to change. My mom didn't want to be evil anymore and everyone eventually came around to trusting her. Then she met Robin and he was her True Love so she got her happy ending after all.”

“You say true love in such a strange way, like it is something fated not chosen.”

“Because it is,” he said, with the kind of determination and belief that left no room for questions. “True Love is the most powerful kind of magic there is. It can break any kind of curse and even undo potions. It doesn't just have to be romantic, though, like my mom and Robin or Snow and David. Emma broke the curse in town when she gave me True Love’s Kiss. It even woke me from the sleeping curse I was under at the time. And Regina restored my memories with True Love's Kiss once.”

“I wonder if such a magic existed in my world. I've never heard of anything like it,” Josie said.

“Don't you have fairytales?” Henry asked. Josie nodded. “How does the prince wake the princess at the end if it's not by True Love's Kiss?”

“I know of no such fairytales.”

Henry's brow furrowed. “What about Sleeping Beauty? Or even the Little Mermaid?”

“I know a story about a sleeping beauty, but she wasn't woken from her enchanted slumber by a kiss. When the prince found her, he was immediately captivated by her incredible beauty and fell in love with her right then and there. He fell to his knees before her and that's how the spell was broken. When she sat up and looked upon him, she fell in love with him at first glance as well.”

“Huh,” Henry said. “That's very different. What about the Little Mermaid? How does she break the sea witch’s spell on her prince in the end?”

“She does not. That one does not have a happy ending. The prince was under no spell, he simply fell in love with another woman. The mermaid was heartbroken and wanted to return to the ocean. Her sisters tell her that to get her tail back, she must kill her prince with a dagger given to them by the sea witch who gave the mermaid her legs and when his blood dripped on her feet she would have a tail again. But the mermaid could not do it, in the end. Instead, she throws herself off the ship and she becomes sea foam.”

Henry blinked at her for a moment before laughing, just a little. “That's also very different from the one I heard. We'll have a Disney marathon after we've defeated Morgana.”

“You sound very sure we will succeed.”

“Of course, I am,” Henry told her with another of his infectious smiles. “The heroes always win in the end.”

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an. gosh is this chapter about a funeral or how cute Josie and Henry are, am I right?