ETERNALLY ⇢ HENRY MILLS [2]

chapter twenty-six

3RD PERSON

Henry and Brooke were sat in the kitchen, talking about Storybrooke and what they missed when Mary Margaret ran in with key. She smiled and handed it to Henry.
"Where's Grandpa?" Henry asked, Brooke looking over her shoulder to see if he was behind.
"He has to stall Cruella, making her think he's James."
Brooke bit her lip, wondering how that's working out for him before nodding. "Okay, we better go find Regina and Emma."

***

Henry and Brooke ran into Granny's and the minute Emma heard the bell ring, signalling someone had walked in, her head snapped to that direction.
"Moms!" Henry said, out of breath. "Grandma found the key."

***

"So the mansion is here. I guess old whitebeard was telling the truth." Hook said as he, Liam, Henry, Regina, Brooke and Emma walked up onto the patio of the mansion.
"Do we have the key?" Liam asked.
Hook held it up. "We have it. But there's a protection spell on the door. It could be dangerous to open it."
"Well I suppose I should do the honour." Liam said, stepping forwards. "I've been dead the longest I'd say I have the least to lose."
"You always were the noble one, weren't you?" Hook grinned, handing him the key.
Liam walked past the group and put the key into the keyhole. To the group's surprise, nothing happened and they walked in without a problem.

"Wonderful. I like what they've done with the place." Hook said, sarcastically.
"We should split up, move fast." Liam said.
"Uh, yeah. I guess." Emma mumbled. "Henry, Brooke, you guys stay here."
"But this was my idea, I'm not gonna stand behind and do nothing." Henry protested.
"You're not doing nothing. You're the lookout-"
"The lookout?" Henry scoffed.
"Don't argue with your mother." Regina defended.
"But-"
"Or your mother." Regina cut him off. Brooke found that somewhat amusing and had to stop herself from sniggering.

With that, everyone walked off, leaving Brooke and Henry alone. "That's the last time they leave us behind." Henry gritted his teeth. "Alright, pen. If you're in here, give me a sign!" Henry said, walking towards a corner of the room, beginning to search for it, with Brooke in tow.

Henry lead Brooke into a room full of blankets over objects, one in particular seemed to be glowing. Brooke lifted up the blanket, revealing a lamp. Henry looked underneath lampshade and his eyes lit up once they came across the pen. He took it out and stared at it before Brooke looked underneath and took out the pot of ink and handing it to her boyfriend. Henry and Brooke smirked at each-other when they heard Emma and Regina call out their names and walked into the main hallway, hiding the pen and ink.

***

Later that afternoon, Henry and Brooke were sat on Henry's bed in silence. Henry wasn't in the mood to talk and she understood that.
David then walked into the room. "Emma told me you were being moody, emo, teenagers. You guys need some time together or...?" David joked. Brooke shook her head. "Do you wanna talk to Henry?"
David nodded and gave Brooke a smile as she walked out and downstairs.

Brooke entered the kitchen, where Hook, Emma, Regina and Mary Margaret were stood.
"You two okay up there?" Regina asked, raising an eyebrow.
Brooke laughed. "Why does everyone always assume that? No, I could tell Henry wasn't in the mood so I just kind sat there with him in silence."

Soon enough, Henry came downstairs with David and the pen. Henry sighed, placing it on the kitchen table and putting his arm around Brooke.
"The author's pen? I thought you destroyed it." Regina said, staring at it.
"I did. But that just brought it here. The Apprentice told me where it was and I thought if I used it's power, I could be a hero." He explained.
"Henry how many times have I told you, you are a hero." Brooke sighed.
"What made you think you needed to do this?" Regina asked.
"At first, it was Cruella. She wanted me to use it to bring her back to life."
"Why would you help her?" Emma questioned.
Henry paused for a moment before continuing. "To help you."
"She said you have all this guilt about killing her and that's when I realised I have all this power and I ignore it. I just live in everyone's shadow - I wanna be the hero instead of the one the heroes rescue."
"I can understand that. But that's not the way to do it." Emma replied.
"I know and that's why I'm telling you now! I finally understand what The Apprentice meant. I'm gonna write the stories as they are, and I'll start with Hades. I'm going to use the pen the correct way; to recreate his story."
"Hades went through a lot of trouble to keep us from learning his story." Mary Margaret grinned.
"Which means we're onto something." Regina said.
"The question is, what is Hades trying to hide from us?" David asked, with his hands on his hips.