Chapter 2

“Do you hear that?”

“Sounds like a baby crying.”

“A baby by itself in the woods? Are you sure you’re not hearing things, honey?”

“No, listen closely.”

“Wahaha!”

“You’re right. I hear it now. Let’s go check it out.”

Two hikers follow the sound until they find two babies, lying side by side. One is wrapped in a blanket labeled “Emma.” The other is bundled in a similar blanket, but with no name.

“We should take them to the marshal. He’ll ask around, see if something happened to their parents.”

-28 years later-

Alex pov

“Listen, Alex, I have a lead on my prep. I won’t be back until late, so don’t wait up for me.” said Emma.

“Okay.”

As soon as the door shuts, I spring into action. Popcorn? Check. Beer? Check. Blanket? Check. Remote? Check. Tonight is all about me, myself, and some quality screen time.

“Deadpool or Deadpool 2?” I muse out loud, plopping on the couch. “Let’s go with 2.”

Just as the opening credits begin, there’s a knock at the door.

I groan and drag myself up. When I open it, I blink in surprise. There’s a kid standing on the welcome mat, backpack slung over one shoulder.

“Can I help you, kid?”

“Are you Emma Swan?”

“Depends. Who’s asking?”

“I’m her son.”

I stare. “Okay, what now?”

Before I can respond, the kid marches right past me into the apartment and heads straight for the fridge.

“Okay, seriously, you can’t just barge into a stranger’s place!” I follow him. “Shouldn’t you be with your parents?”

“I am. When Emma gets here.”

“Okay, clever. But I mean the people who actually raised you.”

He ignores me completely. “If you’re not Emma Swan, then who are you?”

“I’m her sister. And don’t dodge the question. Where are your parents, kid?”

“First of all, my name’s not ‘kid.’ It’s Henry. And they’re in Maine.”

“Well, I’m calling the police to take you back to them.”

“If you do that, I’m telling them you kidnapped me.”

I blink. “What?”

He shrugs and makes himself comfortable on the couch.

I sigh and flop beside him. “Fine. You can stay here. But just until Emma gets back.”

“Deal.”

“You any good at Mario Kart?”

Henry grins. “Only if you like losing.”

A few hours later, after some intense Mario Kart matches, we settle into Deadpool 2.

The sound of the door unlocking catches our attention.

“Alex, I’m back! The guy was so easy to catch—” Emma freezes when she sees Henry. “What’s a kid doing here?”

I pause the movie. “He says he’s your son.”

Henry stands. “Did you give up a baby for adoption ten years ago?”

Emma just stares. I almost laugh at the expression on her face.

“Give me a minute,” she mutters, disappearing into the bathroom.

Henry looks at me. “Is she okay?”

I glance toward the bathroom door. “She’s fine. Just needs a sec. In the meantime, want to finish the movie?”

He nods, and we return to Deadpool.

Eventually, Emma comes out, face pale.

“Um… look, ah—”

“It’s Henry. We should really get going.”

“Where?”

“I want you to come home with me. You too, Alex.”

“Listen, kid, you can’t just barge in here demanding things.”

Emma picks up the phone. “Look, kid, I’m calling the cops.”

“Em, I already tried that,” I tell her.

“If you call them,” Henry adds, “I’m saying you kidnapped me.”

“And they’ll believe him,” Emma says slowly, reading him. “Because I’m your birth mother.”

She studies him closely. “One thing you should know about me, kid, is I know when someone’s lying. And you? You’re not.”

“Please don’t call the cops. Just come home with me.”

Emma wavers. I see it in her eyes.

“Where’s home?” she asks.

“Storybrooke, Maine.”

I grin. “Road trip, then.”

Emma glances at me. “Are you sure you want to come?”

“Of course. Where you go, I go.”

Outside, we head to the Bug. Henry tries to climb into the passenger seat.

I grab him by the backpack. “No way, kid. Back seat.”

“But—”

“No buts. Kids in the back, adults in the front.”

Emma snorts. “You realize you act like a kid half the time, right?”

“Whatever. Just drive.”

As we pull out onto the road, I glance at Henry. He’s digging through his bag.

“What you got there, kid?”

“Not sure you’re ready for it.”

Emma notices. “What is it? Some fairy tales?”

“They’re not just fairy tales. They actually happened.”

I raise a brow. “Seriously? So what, you think the Tooth Fairy is real too?”

“I’m telling the truth. Emma, you can tell I’m not lying.”

Emma frowns. “Just because you believe in something doesn’t make it true.”

“That’s exactly what makes it true,” Henry insists. “And you’ll believe me. Because you’re in the book.”

“Kid, you’ve got some serious issues,” I mutter, shaking my head.

“And you’re going to fix them,” Henry replies, undeterred.

“I’m too tired to deal with any more of this kid,” I say, reclining my seat. “Wake me when we get there.”

I jolt awake as the car jerks. “You okay, Alex?” Emma asks.

“Yeah, what the hell was that?”

“We need Henry to tell us where he lives.”

“It’s 42 Second Street. Never going to happen,” Henry mutters defiantly.

I groan. “Okay, listen, kid. You interrupted my me-time, which I highly value, to carry your butt home. So you’re going to tell us where you live.”

“Alex, chill,” Emma says. “I’m just going to drive around until we find someone to point us in the right direction.”

As we circle the neighborhood, we spot a man walking a dalmatian.

“Hey, could you tell us where Henry lives?”

“Oh heavens, Henry! Your mother’s been worried sick. Just go down this road and look for a big white mansion. Can’t miss it. It’s the mayor’s.”

We follow the directions, pulling up to the house. As we step out of the car and walk up the path, the front door opens. And wow.

The most stunning woman I’ve ever seen rushes out.

“Oh, Henry, where have you been?”

“I found my real mom,” he says, pushing past her.

She stumbles, but I catch her before she falls.

“Thank you, dear.”

Before I can answer, a man who looks like the sheriff offers to check on Henry. The mayor watches us, trying to figure out which of us is Henry’s birth mother.

Given my outfit—Crocs, basketball shorts, and a Harry Potter t-shirt—I can guess who she’ll assume.

“You’re his birth mother?”

“Hi,” Emma says.

I notice the mayor’s body language shift instantly.

“How would you both like a taste of the best apple cider you’ve ever had?”

“Got anything stronger?” I ask, earning her raised brow.

She vanishes inside, leaving the door open.

Emma and I exchange a glance.

“Was that an invitation?”

“Think so.”

She reappears. “Well, are you just going to stand there like statues, or are you coming in?”

Inside, after the sheriff leaves, the mayor invites us into her study.

“Make yourselves comfortable. I’ll grab some glasses.”

Emma nudges me. “Stop daydreaming about the mayor.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Yeah right. Don’t think I didn’t see you checking her out.”

“Fine. I was thinking about the mayor. Happy?”

She returns with two glasses and a juice box. She hands Emma a glass and gives me the box.

I frown. “What’s this?”

“Sorry, dear. I don’t give children alcohol.”

Emma snorts.

“But I’m not a child.”

“Oh? Could’ve fooled me.”

“Not funny,” I mutter.

“It’s a little funny,” Emma teases.

“How did he find me?” Emma asks.

“No idea,” the mayor replies. “I adopted him at three weeks. Birth mother said no contact.”

“You were right. The info was sealed.”

“And the father?”

“There was one. He doesn’t know.”

“Should I be worried about you, Miss Swans?”

This is better than reality TV. Wish I had some popcorn.

“No need to worry, Madam Mayor.”

“I’m sorry he dragged you both out here. I don’t know what’s gotten into him.”

“Kid have it rough,” Emma says. ” I can barely manage this one.” She nods at me.

“Hey! I can take care of myself. I’m not a child.”

“Got a job then?”

“Yes. I help my friend out with his bar/restaurant “

The mayor smiles. “I may be strict, but that doesn’t make me evil.”

“No, that just makes you a mom,” I say.

Her smile softens.

Emma adds, “I think it’s all because of that storybook of his.”

“What storybook?”

“You know, the one that claims everyone here is a fairy tale character. Like that guy walking his dalmatians.”

“Sorry, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Emma stands. “We should get going.”

“Yeah. I want to make it back in time for the Gravity Falls season finale.”

The mayor smirks. “If you want to stop being called a child, maybe don’t admit that.”

I gasp. “Excuse you! Gravity Falls is for everyone. It’s a masterpiece.”

She chuckles softly. “I suppose it is.”

We walk to the car. As Emma opens the door, she glances up and sees Henry watching her from a window.

“Come on, Em. Let’s go.”

She hesitates. “I don’t know. This whole place… it just feels off.”

“What, your spider senses tingling?”

She shoots me a serious look. “Something’s not right.”

“I’m sure everything is fine.”

We get into the car and drove off.

When we get near the storybrooke sign, I spot Henry’s storybook in the backseat.

“Well, looks like we have to turn back.”

“What? Why?”

“Kid left his book in the car.”

Emma scowls. “That sneaky little bastard.”

Then I look up.

“Emma, the road!”

She swerves to avoid the wolf that appears out of nowhere—and we slam into the sign.

Everything goes black.

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a/n:Not going to lie this took me so long to right kept on deleting stuff then I got distracted but final managed to finish this chapter for you guys.If you guys can give me some feed back that would be great. I might end this book on season 4 or 5 but mostly likely 5.

What was your guys favorite cartoon as a kid? For me it was Gravity Falls and Adventure time.

-Doc