Once Upon a Dream:

Page 16: Selfless, Brave, and the Truth Will Set You Free:

Meanwhile, Greg Mendell was walking into his room at Granny's Bed and Breakfast on a phone call. He did not waste time hanging the call up when he saw someone was waiting for him. 

"You know, I'm all set on towels if that's why you're here." He said, sitting his keys and phone on the small accent table by the wardrobe. "I air dry." He added.

"I'm here because I realized why you looked so familiar to me," Regina said, turning around to look at Greg. "It's because we have met before, haven't we? Owen." Regina said when she held her hand up, showing two red and green keychains. One that Owen gave her thirty years ago and another one that was left for Dream to find. "I kept this all these years as a reminder of our time together. The other was something my daughter had, asking questions that I did not understand until now... You were just a boy when you gave this to me. Now, look at you. All grown up." Regina said, walking closer to Greg or Owen. "No wonder I didn't recognize you." She said, moving her hand up to his cheek, but he moved his head away from her.

"Yeah, but I recognized you. Because you look exactly the same, Regina, it's as if no time has passed for you." Greg said to her, making her smirk.

"Monthly juice cleanse. Does wonders for the skin... Would never want people thinking that I'm Henry's grandmother..." Regina said, coming up with an excuse. "You could have come to me, Owen... Instead of trying to get my daughter into whatever game you had. You could've told me who you were and why you're here." She continued to say to him.

"I think you know why I'm here." Greg corrected her.

"I honestly don't." She shrugged at him.

"I'm looking for my father," Greg told her when Regina pretended to play dumb. 

"Your father? He left shortly after you did. I never saw him again." She told him, keeping a calm face, making Greg scoff at her. 

"I don't believe you."

"Be that as it may, it's the truth." Regina insisted, only making Greg more upset.

"People don't just disappear, Regina."

"Scared little boys tend to have overactive imaginations--" Regina tried to tell him. 

"Well, I'm not a scared little boy anymore, Madam Mayor. It's taken me a long time to get back here. I'm not leaving without my father." Greg said, trying to threaten her, but Regina just smirked at his threats. 

"I'm afraid you are. Because he's not here." Regina said before moving around Greg to walk to the door that was still open. 

"I'll let Granny know that you'll be checking out tomorrow," Regina said, making Greg turn to look at her.

"Or what?" Greg asked her.

"Contrary to what you might think... people can just disappear. Especially when they try to involve my children." Regina said, handing Greg one of the keychains before leaving.

After an event day of trying to find August, he died, turning back to wood, only to be turned back into a little boy for being selfless, brave, and true. Emma vowed to learn who August was trying to warn them about. A "she" that was trying to destroy magic. Tamara watched, finally believing Neal, and at the same time, Mary Margaret finally told David what happened with her heart at Regina's.

Greg, still in his room at Granny's, got a phone call from "her." "Hey. Why haven't you called me back? Where are you?" He asked the person over the phone before hearing a knock at the door. He opened the door, smiling to himself. 

"Right here." The "she" said, holding her phone up to her ear, too.

They both turned off their phones when Greg smiled at Tamara. 

"Sorry, I'm late. It's been a heck of a day... I don't have much time. Neal's in the shower. I only have a few minutes." Tamara said, stepping into the room. 

"Then let's not waste them," Greg said when he pulled Tamara into a passionate kiss before shutting the door behind them.

~season 2, episode 18: "Selfless, Brave, and True"~

~686 words~