Forest of Fireflies

Chapter 53

(3rd Person POV)

Henry didn't know what to do. He looked on as his grandpa dragged his mom out of the hospital. He tried to think of her as the Evil Queen, as a villain who didn't have feelings; but he couldn't. Shaking his head, he was brought back to reality when a nurse handed him his flanel shirt. He put it on and got out of the bed with Emma's help. Whilst Snow was reuniting with her daughter, he trudged over slowly to Daniella. He had seen everything that occurred between his mom and his sister, but there was something that didn't quite add up. "Emma, what happened before you woke me up?"

"I'm sorry?"

He looked worriedly between Snow and Emma and stuttered, "What happened? Why was Regina screaming at you?"

Emma looked down. She didn't want to answer the question. However, Henry's tears insisted, "What happened? Why is she dead?!"

After giving a guilty glance at Snow, Emma bent down and answered, "Regina told me that once the curse breaks, Daniella would die-"

"Then why did you break it?!"

Emma reached for Henry but he shrugged away. "Kid, I needed to save you!"

"But you killed my sister!"

There was an immediate pause. Emma took a breath and answered, "Henry, I-, I...I didn't think that Regina was telling the truth."

"Yeah you did!"

"Henry, don't blame me for what happened. I couldn't let you die!"

Henry took a step back and came up to Daniella's bedside. Then, he whispered through falling tears, "I thought you guys were meant to be the heroes."

Snow gave a pained glance at her daughter and wrapped her grandson into an embrace. "Henry, the curse was destined to break. We couldn't have prevented this-"

Henry spun around and asked angrily between stuttering breaths, "How did this happen anyway? Why did Dani die once the curse broke?"

Emma was curious too. She looked at Snow for an answer but the princess didn't seem to want to answer. 

Henry began, "Miss, Bl-Snow...grandma?"

Snow gave her grandson a small smile before saying, "I think that question is best left for David."

Henry didn't seem satisfied. He turned to Daniella and prodded at her stiff body. For minutes, they waited like that, until David came back. When he walked into the room, Henry immediately ran up to him. "Snow said that you knew the answer to this; why was the curse keeping Dani alive?"

The prince was a little taken aback by his grandson's questioning. He slowly put his hands on Henry's shoulders and gave his wife a look. Snow however, responded, "I think you owe me this explanation too. What did Regina mean when she said to me that you had gone behind my back?"

The prince was cornered. His eyes darted between the members of his family in the room so he had no choice but to answer cautiously, "There was an assassin-"

Snow screamed, "There was a what?"

"I hired an assassin."

Whilst the expressions on Emma and Henry's faces showed shock, Snow scowled in disgust. She frowned and said to her husband, "But we agreed that we won't kill her."

The prince sighed and gesturing to Emma, said, "I wasn't going to let her threaten the future of our child! Besides, my intention was never for the Queen's heir to get hurt. I merely ordered the assassin to kill Regina."

Whilst Henry gulped at the mention of his mother's name, Snow softened her frown. She crossed arms and replied, "You better fix this. Are you telling me now that the curse was cast because of a mistake you made?"