We Could Happen (OUAT SwanQueen)

White Lies

Emma dropped her keys while she was trying to open the door knob. Her hand was still shaking from anger. For the nth time, she felt betrayed.

She was picking up the keys on the floor when Henry opened the door. She totally forgot that she left Henry at the diner.

"Hey, mom."

"Hey, kid. How are you?"

"I'm okay but I could use a little explanation," he responded while crossing his arms.

"Sorry, what?"

"Mom, I've been trying to reach you but you were not picking up your phone. What happened with your investigation?"

She stood up and they entered the room.

"I'm tired Henry. Can we talk about this tomorrow?" Emma says, sounding pissed more than exhausted.

"But mom!" Emma gave her a disapproving look and with that, Henry knows he crossed the line.

"Okay."

Henry turned off the TV and went straight to bed while Emma sat on the couch and staring at the empty screen of the TV. What she saw a while ago kept replaying in her mind but when she closed her eyes things got worse. Happy memories with Regina came rushing back to her and then she suddenly remembered all the pain she's feeling inside.

Next morning, Henry gets up and sees his mother drinking coffee. He didn't say a word thinking his mom is still mad at him.

"Good morning buddy," says Emma.

"Hey mom."

"How's your sleep?"

"Fine. Uhm, mom?"

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry about last night." That cute little dog puppy eyes made Emma weak in her heart.

"I'm sorry too okay, I was just so tired."

"So..." Henry started off, trying to gauge his mom's mood.

"You won't let this go, will you?" Henry shook his head smiling. "Fine. Sorry, I had to turn off my phone. Yesterday wasn't much of a good day since I wasn't able to get much info. I'm sorry it took a while," she tries to explain but Henry knows it's not the truth. He acquired her talent in knowing whether a person is lying.

"Okay... Mom, can I ask you something?" he asks.

"Of course, kid. Shoot."

"Why are we here?" His question startled his mother she almost spilled the coffee onto herself.

"What do you mean? I told you I'm working on a case," she says as she places her mug on a coffee table beside her.

"Why are you lying to me?"

But before Emma could come up with another lie, Henry bombarded her with questions.

"Why does it feel like all the people here know me? I can feel them staring at me all the time. Have we been here before? Can't you just tell me what we're really doing here?"

She held up both of her hands as if surrendering to an interrogating officer. "Whoa, whoa, kid. Slow down!"

"Awhile ago, the waitress gave me a free cocoa."

"What's so unusual about that?"

"It's free. Plus, it has cinnamon on top!"

Emma laughed at the boy, trying to bluff. "Maybe she was just trying to be nice to a newcomer? I suppose it's just some welcome drink. You've been thinking too much, kid."

The boy got a bit pacified by his mother's explanation but he didn't buy everything. He knew there was something deeper and he wanted to know what it was.