The Secrets Her Heart Keeps

Chapter Sixteen

One grueling week. Seven days that seemed to be never ending as she waited for Emma Swan. She swears the woman was abducted during that time, because not once did she ever spot a red leather jacket bustling around town. Normally, they would run into each other when grabbing an extra caffeine rush during the day at Granny's. Other times, she would see those golden locks during drop offs and pickups with Henry. At least once a week she would find the Savior lingering around her office with either paperwork from the sheriff's station or when the woman would claim to be bored and would bring lunch for them to share at Regina's desk. But none of that occurred the past week.

She was almost tempted to ask Henry if she should alert the authorities of a missing person, either that would raise some concern or at least bring the sheriff out from hiding to laugh in her face and remind her that she's the sheriff and is okay. Even Henry had stayed at the mansion all seven days, never once even suggesting that he visit his other mother, so Regina assumed Emma had warned him to stay away, anticipating the fights to come with her husband.

Emma laid low and Regina was in a frenzy, stressing over the assumption that in the end, she decided her marriage deserved another chance. Even Snow and David were scarce around town and that only increased the pang of guilt weighing down on the her heart. Maybe they all decided to keep a safe distance from the Evil Queen because of the damage she caused to Storybrooke's most popular married couple.

"Hey mom, can we talk?" Henry asks the moment his feet reach the bottom of the staircase and just like that, her heart plummets, assuming the worst. "It's kind of important."

And she swears she's going to be sick, jumping to conclusions once again that this conversation has everything to do with his two mothers.

"Oh, of course, honey. Take a seat," she instructs, lightly patting the couch cushion beside her while faking her best smile.

Nervous energy is buzzing off her son like little electrical shocks as he enters the living room and claims the seat she suggested. He's clenching and unclenching his fists in order to force himself to calm down, but it doesn't help. The moment he sits down beside her, his knees start bouncing involuntarily and her heart breaks knowing that whatever he is about to say is going to kill her in the end.

"Are you alright?" She softly inquires, dipping down to meet his eyes, but he's very interested in the coffee table that has been decorating the room for well over thirty years now.

"Yeah, I just-I need to be honest...but it's hard and I don't want to hurt you-"

"Honey, you could never-"

"Or disappoint you."

"Henry," she sighs heavily, reaching between them to latch onto his pointed chin and demand his full attention. "You could never disappoint me or hurt me. Just please, be honest," she implores, even though she's certain she doesn't want to hear anything he's about to say if it's going to ruin her future, yet again.

"Okay, please don't be mad," he begs, his dark eyes swelling with fear.

"I promise."

"I want to travel to different realms to find my story," he blurts out, like the words have been burning his tongue his entire life and if he didn't just spew them out, he would burst into flames.

Her hand reflexively slips away from his chin from pure shock, provoking him to stiffen out of fear from what she might rebuttal. She swallows thickly, cringing inwardly at that awful bitter taste crawling up her throat.

"Please listen," he rushes to say while she blinks back at him. "I've brought back everyone's happy endings here. There are hundreds of stories, each story having another version depending on the country and yet, I'm not in any of them and I'm the author," he stresses bitterly. "My story is out there and I want-no mom, I need to find it. There has to be so much more to my life than recording other people's happily ever after's, and I need to go out there and search for it because I know in my heart it's not going to find me here in Storybrooke."