Chapter Text
Even though Henry won’t forgive Regina —Mom— at the moment, be it for the last few years upon him realizing the curse’s existence and the ‘kidnapping via threatening magic on everyone’, Henry’s gut tells him Mom truly meant it she wants to redeem herself in his eyes.
A pre-curse breaking Mom will never say she wants Henry to go back living with her on his free will and choice, and not by force and magic. A pre-curse Mom would never admit to lying to Henry, admitting she realize Henry felt he didn’t know who he was for years. A pre-curse Mom would definitely have never told David the truth about where Emma and Snow White…Mary Margaret —two people the Evil Queen hate, one she hates in two worlds— were sent too.
They’re small steps, if Henry thinks about it more. But they’re small steps Mom is willing to take. While Henry can say their relationship is a giant mess now, he can also remember a time when he and Mom were close and happy with one another. Those pre-“Evil Queen trying to ruin everyone’s lives to keep her happy ending” days can’t happen again. There’s no way possible.
But Henry won’t say he’s objecting the idea he and Mom could re-build everything again. It’ll take time, but he’s certain they can start anew. But he isn’t ready to re-build their relationship now. He and David have too much to worry about that’s more important at hand.
They really got to start thinking about Operation “Enter Cool Animal Here” and getting Emma and Mary Margaret…Snow White back from the Enchanted Forest. But first, Henry needs to actually think of a cool animal. Henry and David are only going to have a few minutes to talk about their plans before Henry gets onto the school bus.
Henry is torn between Scorpion and Viper. Scorpion sounds cooler, and it has three syllables. Operation Viper seems almost like a re-hash of Operation Cobra. Hopefully, by the time Henry finds Jefferson, Henry will come up with an official name.
“You’re Jefferson, right? The Mad Hatter? I need your help,” said Henry.
Jefferson’s expression on his face looks rather similar to the one Uncle August had when he was telling Henry he and Neal were giving up. Jefferson’s eyes were tired, and his mouth wasn’t in the mood to smile. “Look, I already told your grandfather I can't do anything.”
“…I know,” admitted Henry sheepishly, taking a seat next to Jefferson. “But there must be something we can do.”
“I'm the wrong person to talk to, kid,” answered Jefferson. He doesn’t sound like he’s in the mood to speak any further. “Magic's not my thing. Try your mother. Maybe she's got something in that vault of hers she can help you with.”
Even though Henry suspected a while back Regina regaining her powers back means her vault in in Storybrooke, he still feels a chill hearing the confirmation itself. “Vault? Her vault is here?”
“It's none of my business. Seriously, just go talk to her.”
Henry honestly doesn’t want to go back to that house again for the time being. As much as he wants to save Emma and Snow…Mary Margaret, Henry really doesn’t want to go back to that place. Maybe not without David keeping an eye on them, but–
Henry spotted the folded piece of papers. The face wasn’t one Henry knew well —the girl was actually in a different class than him— but he seen her many times enough to know who it is. “Your daughter's looking for you, isn't she?”
“What do you know about it?” asked Jefferson coldly.
“I've read your story. I know how the two of you were separated,” answered Henry. “Why are you here then? She's at school, you know.” Like how he should be in school. Henry hopes David won’t flip his lid too much when getting the concern call from the principal.
Jefferson stood up from the bench. “I got to go home, kid.”
Henry thinks about Marco and August, about how August always wanted to see his dad, but always chickened out of it at the last second. Henry can’t help but thinks the two are similar when it comes to family. Henry stands up from the bench, and he runs as fast he can, hoping to get in front of Jefferson and cut him off from his escape route.
“She probably wants to see you!” shouted Henry.
“Get out of my way,” said Jefferson sternly. “I don’t want to repeat myself.”
Henry ignored Jefferson’s reply. “You’re her parent! Her father! Why aren’t you going to find her! What got you acting so—”
Jefferson suddenly crouched down, and he grabbed Henry’s shoulders. He looks like’s torn between yelling at Henry or cry right in front of his face. It could be both honestly. But regardless of how Jefferson is going to react, Henry feels as if he should have brought David along in case anything bad was going to happen him. Henry truly underestimated how much he can do alone.
“It’s because I left her!” answered Jefferson, with his voice cracking. “I promised her I would come back, and I didn’t! I know she'll hate me for breaking my promise! And I know Grace will hate me in more than one way!”
“How do you know that?” Henry quickly removed Jefferson’s hands off his shoulders.
“It’s…it’s because of the curse itself. I was on my way to return with Grace, but then…something bad happened to me. No doubt your mom would take in some pleasure at my misery.”
Henry takes a quick breath in upon hearing one particular word. “My mom? What does my mom have anything to do with Grace possibly hating you? Did she do something terrible on purpose!? Did she used magic on you to—”
“It’s nothing like that,” interrupts Jefferson, giving Henry a sad smile. It’s a sad smile that reminds him of Uncle August’s. “What she did is indirectly and subconsciously. I’m certain your mother never foresaw this happening when the curse broke, in part because she’s certain it will never be broken. You say you know my story, right?”
“Yes. You left Grace with the neighbors, promising to come back. And you didn’t, but it’s not your fault. That’s all because of my mom.”
“Do you know your mother’s story then? Or have some knowledge of it.”
“I know some details about it. The book doesn’t go into details. All I know is that Snow White took away the Evil Queen’s happiness. It happened before she was even evil, back when she was just…Regina. At least it’s not missing, unlike another story I know of, about a wooden boy.”
“I’m not surprised that the book left stories and details out. The author must have been playing favorites on whose story got told.” Jefferson gives out a sigh as he shakes his head. “Well, you’re correct that Snow White took your mother’s happiness away. What the book left out is that there was a chance she could regain it…and I help it made it impossible.”
“Why?” Henry blinks as rapidly as possible.
“Back then, I didn’t care much for other people’s feelings, especially if it didn’t benefit me. Your mother was one of those poor persons who got the blunt end of my cruelty.” Jefferson’s avert his eyes to the ground, and chokes out a sob. “Even though the curse is broken, I’m still curse. I’m curse to be that person. A person I know Grace will hate, if she doesn’t hate me already for leaving her. It’s better if I never show myself around her again.”
Jefferson soon stood back up, and started to walk away. Henry clenched his fists together, keeping back the tears in his eyes. Hearing that Mom had a chance to be happy and it got ruined, knowing Jefferson wasn’t the devoted man the book made him out…everything is more complicated than Henry even thought it would be.
But that doesn’t mean Henry thinks Jefferson shouldn’t give up on his chance to rebuild everything with Grace.
“I think you should!” Henry shouted at the top of lungs, and watched Jefferson stop in his tracks. “If you don’t go back to Grace, she’ll just spend her whole life wondering why you never return! She’ll never know if you’re alive or dead! I think her not knowing is worse than hating you for the rest of her life! At least if she knows, she’ll be spare of the pain from knowing nothing! I know, because I’ve been left too.”