Once Upon A time - season 1

The Thing you love the most

Storybrooke. Present. The Mayor's House, Henry's Room.

Henry Mills stood by the window, his gaze fixed on the clock tower that loomed over Storybrooke. The town, with its quiet charm and eerie stillness, had always felt like a place frozen in time. Yet today, something was different. As he watched, the large, brass clock hands shifted ever so slightly, the minute hand inching forward from 8:15 to 8:16. It was a small change, almost imperceptible, but to Henry, it was everything. His lips curled into a triumphant smile. Hope stirred in his young heart, a hope that something was about to change.

Outside, the town began to stir from its slumber. A montage unfolded, capturing the citizens of Storybrooke as they awoke and began their day. Mary Margaret Blanchard, her kind smile as she fed her birds; Emma Swan, her brow furrowed in thought as she sipped her morning coffee; Archie Hopper, walking his dog Pongo with a hint of worry in his step; Mr. Gold, standing silently in his pawn shop, his eyes filled with secrets; Ruby and Granny, bustling around the diner as they prepared for the morning rush; and Sheriff Graham, his uniform freshly pressed, walking through the quiet streets with a purpose.

Storybrooke was waking up, but beneath the surface, there was a tension, a sense that today would not be like any other day.

---

Storybrooke. Present. The Mayor's House.

In the elegant confines of her home, Regina Mills sat in her immaculate living room, flipping through the pages of a weathered, old book. The spine was cracked, and the pages yellowed with age, but the illustrations were vivid, bursting with color. She paused on a page that depicted a grand, royal wedding. There, in striking contrast to the happiness of the scene, stood the Evil Queen, her face twisted in a mask of malevolent glee as she interrupted the union of Snow White and Prince Charming. A sword, gleaming and deadly, was frozen mid-flight, hurled by Prince Charming toward the intruder. Regina's eyes narrowed, her jaw tightening as she stared at the image that had haunted her nightmares for as long as she could remember.

She turned the page, only to find that the last several pages of the book had been ripped out, leaving jagged remnants clinging to the spine. Her fingers brushed over the torn edges, her expression darkening. Something stirred in her—an emotion she seldom allowed herself to feel. Fear.

Her heels clicked sharply against the hardwood floor as she marched up the stairs to Henry's room. She found him by the bed, pulling on his jacket, readying himself for school. His back was to her, but she could sense the defiance radiating off him. "The missing pages," Regina demanded, her voice low and controlled, though her eyes betrayed her frustration. "*Where are they?*"

Henry barely glanced at her, his tone dismissive. "It's an old book, stuff's missing. What do you care?"

Regina's brow furrowed as she stepped closer. "I care because you think I'm some evil queen," she retorted, her voice softening just a fraction. "And that hurts me, Henry. I'm your mother." She reached out, her fingers brushing tenderly against his cheek, seeking a connection.

But Henry flinched away from her touch, his expression hardening. "No, you're not."

The words struck Regina like a physical blow, but she kept her composure. "Well, then, who is?" she asked, her voice taking on a sharper edge. "That woman you brought here? I don't like what she or this book is doing to you. Thankfully, both are no longer an issue." She watched as Henry looked down at the floor, shuffling his feet, his silence telling her more than words ever could.

Just then, the old clock tower chimed, the sound echoing through the house. Regina's head whipped toward the window, her eyes widening in shock. The tower... it was moving. How could that be? It hadn't moved in decades.