The Forest (sequel to The Docks, a Once Upon A Time Fanfiction)

Chapter 5

Henry sat in the corner of the sheriffs office with his book on his lap. From across the room he watched his Grandparents and Ruby whisper nervously. He tried to listen in but he couldn't make out what they were saying. All he knew was that Corey was missing and that his Mom couldn't figure out what had happened. . . . . Yet. He knew she would figure it out. He opened his book and started to flip through the pages. He was looking for anything that might give him a clue as to where she went or more importantly who would want to hurt her. At first Henry thought Mr. Gold was the one who did it but, he and Belle were at Granny's the whole time. Henry continued to flip through the pages but then something caught his eye. One of the pages was peeling apart. As he looked at it more closely he noticed that he could see a small corner of a picture. He carefully pulled the two pieces of paper apart. Making sure not to rip them. He stared intently at the new page. It had a picture of Snow White and Prince Charming standing in front of a group of grown men surrounded by guards. But what really caught his eye was a girl who looked about thirteen or fourteen. She stood boldly in the middle of all the men with a look of defiance on her face. Henry more closely examined the men surrounding her. He noticed one man in particular the one standing directly behind the girl. . . . . . The one with the Hook. Henry went to read it but the years of being stuck together had taken its toll on the writing and the words were too smeared to read.

"Hey! Come look at this!" He called across the room. Next thing he knew his Grandparents and Ruby were huddled around him and were peering over his shoulder. "The words are smeared so I don't know what it says but, look.."he pointed his finger at the girl. And then at the Hook on the man behind her. Snow gasped.

"I remember that! They were caught trying to break into the palace treasury! I totally forgot until now." Snow said as she looked at the picture more closely.

"Could you tell me what happened?" Henry asked. Snow and Charming pulled up chairs beside him.

"Well," Snow said with a sigh. "Where do I begin?"

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Snow sat quietly at the table while Charming rambled on about something to one of the guards. She glanced down nervously at her stomach. In another week or two she would start to show. She twisted the ring from Charming's mother nervously around her finger.

Could she handle being a mother?

How would she know how to be a good Mom if she barely could remember hers?

Questions swirled around her head like a tornado. But on top of it all was Regina's warning. It echoed through her head constantly.

When the baby did come would she even be safe?

KNOCK KNOCK

Snow was ripped away from her thoughts and thrown back into her Queenly duties.

"Come in." Charming said. His voice was so reassuring. When he spoke she felt all her worries begin to melt away. The doors were thrown open and a group of soldiers shuffled in. Once the doors closed behind them half of the men moved aside to reveal a fourteen year old girl with her hand tied behind her back. Her hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail with strands falling out in the front. But two bright blue eyes shown brightly from behind the hair in her face. Snow was appalled that they were treating the girl like a criminal.

"Why is she tied up?" Snow demanded.

"My majesty, She was caught trying to steal from the palace treasury." A solider said. Snow examined the girls face trying to see if it was true but, the girl kept the same unwavering ice cold stare. Her face was completely emotionless.

"Leave us." Snow said. The soldiers looked at Charming who was looking at Snow with concern in his eyes.

"Are you sure?" He asked. Snow nodded.