page six

[fantasies]

[September hasn't been kind to Henry. First Snow, sent back home just to be cursed, and now he wakes up to find their (his, now) room is completely, terribly empty.

Alone. Again.

It's a long while later, but when he speaks into the journal, his voice is composed (if very, very small).]

The castle sent my mom home. Emma Swan. [a pause] I just, I dunno. I thought you guys should know.

[He knows he should be happy, that this means Emma can go back and break the curse like everyone at home needs her to. But he started out in Paradisa with his family whole and intact, and now....

And now he's just right back where he started.

He drags his sleeve at the corners of his eyes, and writes in a filter.]

[ Prince Charming ]

Do you wanna.... [He hesitates.] Can we get dinner?

----

Comments

[amiable]

A tree? So you grow your own fruits? Do you have a garden?

[fantasies]

No, it's just the tree. It's kind of my mom's thing. Apples, I mean.

[amiable]

So you don't really like apples?

[fantasies]

[He stares down into his drink.]

They're okay.

[It's his mom he doesn't like, and what she did (does) with the apples.

And that right there makes him realize he should probably clarify.]

Oh, uh, she's not my real mom. The one who-- left is. She adopted me.

[amiable]

[ Uru's about to take a bite out of her donut and stops, her brow furrowing in deep thought. She remembers what he told her when he first arrived. ]

You said an-- [ evil ] a queen was your mom. That she put a curse on everyone where you're from, too.

[ Her voice is low and laced with pity. It must be hard to have family who harms others... ]

[fantasies]

Yeah. That's her.

[He resolutely does not look up.]

My real mom, Emma. She's the one who's going to stop her.

[amiable]

[ She observes him closely, as if waiting for him to show any sign of discomfort or anger. ]

Have you ever met her?