Rewrite the Stars ★ Henry Mills

Chapter Ten

"You have to come inside, Alex. I can't leave you in my truck." Hayden said, sighing. They needed to buy more bandages and peroxide for Alex's wounds, but Alex didn't want to go out in public with her scarred arms. Since they didn't have any bandages, she was forced to leave them open for the world to see, along with a particularly nasty cut that went from her cheek to her chin along the side of her face. She had forgotten to take out the trash.

"Why can't you buy it later?" She asked, looking up at him sadly.

"Because he'll be home later, and I'm not risking that." Hayden said, shaking his head. Now get out of the truck so we can get this over with.

Alex sighed, hopping out of the truck and walking into the store with her older brother. They grabbed what they needed, and went to check out the items, causing Alex to let out a breath of relief when they didn't run into anyone they knew. At least she thought so.

"Hey, kid." Emma's voice rang out, causing Alex to turn her head with her eyes wide.

"Hey, Emma." The two chorused, both giving her a small smile. Emma went to say something but stopped, examining the girl's scarred arms and face, and the small bruise on Hayden's chin (which he had gotten for defending her the night before.)

"What the hell happened?" She said, her gaze turning hard.

"Fell down the stairs outside my house." "Biking accident." The two said, before turning to each other with wide eyes.

"What we meant is that we were wheeling our bikes down the stairs outside our house, when Alex slipped and knocked us both over...." Hayden said quickly. Emma turned to the girl with raised eyebrows.

"Do you want to tell him, or should I?"

Alex groaned. "Emma can tell when people are lying."

"Look... Emma, no offense but you have much more important things to do then worry about a couple of kids..." Hayden said, before glancing at his watch. "I'm so sorry, but my dad's going to be home soon, so we have to go..." He said, guiding Alex out of the store. Emma stared at the two as they got into Hayden's truck. Something was definitely wrong.

★★★

"You can't tell me!?" Henry said in disbelief, a hurt tone to his voice. "We're best friends, Lex. You can tell me anything."

"Not this though, Henry. Not right now at least."

"Lexa you have a big scar on the side if your face! That doesn't just happen!"

"Well sometimes it does. Not everyone's life is as good as your, Henry." She said before the bell rung and she walked away.

★★★

(Enchanted Forest)

Laney was spending the week in a small village, just another stop on her journey to escape her mother. She watched as some children her age played with a ball in the street. It was all going well until the ball was knocked into the street. One of the boys went to grab it, and Laney gasped at his oblivion to the donkey cart going down the street. She shot up, pushing the boy out of the way as the cart stopped in front of them.

"Hey. Hey! What are you doing in the middle of the road?" The man asked the two angrily.

"I'm sorry. I-I..." The both stuttered, but the man looked at the boy, seeming to realize something.

"Hey, I know you. It's fine. It's fine. It was the donkey's fault. You want a chicken? Or some eggs?"

The boy shook his head, and Laney wondered why he was so nervous. "It's alright, no. I should probably just..." And that was when he appeared.

Rumpelstiltskin, someone Laney knew because of her mother, appeared out of thin air. "What's going on?" He said in a voice that gave Laney shivers.

"It's nothing. It was my fault. I wasn't looking where I was going. But, he says he's fine! The both of them are fine!" The man defended. It was then that Rumple noticed Laney, only glancing at her for a moment though before turning back to the boy.

"I'm fine, Papa. Really." Papa? This was his son?

"Are you sure, Bae?"

"Yes. I'm fine." The boy confirmed, turning to look at the girl beside him.

"Well, I suppose it won't happen again."

"It won't." The boy said, seeming to get more nervous.

"No. No." The man said, shaking his head.

"What's that?" Rumpelstiltskin said, pointing to his son and Laney's matching skinned knees.

"It's nothing." The boy said quickly, and the man nodded.

"It's nothing!" The man agreed, and Laney whispered her agreement.

"Don't. Bother." In a puff of purple smoke, Rumpelstiltskin had magically transformed the man into a snail. Laney, the boy, and the rest of the villagers watched as Rumpelstiltskin went to crush the snail.

"No, Papa. No. Please, Papa, don't. No, Papa! Papa!" The boy plead, but it was too late.

After the commotion stopped,the boy turned to Laney. "You saved my life." He said smiling.

"I just did what anyone else would've done." She said, shrugging.

"Not anyone." He said, looking down. "Most people can't stand me because of my father."

Laney smiled. "I know the feeling. They think you're evil because you're parent is."

He looked at her, giving her a small smile. "I'm Baelfire."

"Laney." She replied, smiling.

"Well, Laney, I have to go... but will I see you soon?"

"How about tonight." The girl suggested. "Meet me here, tonight."

And that was the start of a wonderful friendship and maybe even something more.

★★★

"They found Kathryn Nolan!" Hayden exclaimed, causing Alex to shoot up in surprise.

"She's alive!?" Alex exclaimed, her breath hitched in her throat.

"Yes! Ruby found her in the alley behind Granny's."

"You know what this means... Ms. Blanchard isn't guilty."

And just like that there was a little hope.