Lonely Hearts Fall The Hardest *Henry Mills Love Story*

Chapter Twelve ❤️❤️❤️

"P-pardon?"

"MOM!" Henry yells.

"What! We can't keep going around this, Henry. Now I suggest you help your girlfriend stop choking and dying so she can answer the question." Regina orders as a few snickers are heard in the background.

"N-not girlfriend." Nora stutters, eye wide as she wipes her eyes. "I mean not dating- I mean" If Nora was a ostrich her head would be buried so far in the dirt that her grandchildren would be able to taste it.

"So what are you two? Special friends, close friends, best friends, friends with benefits, well 13 year old benefits." Emma says, listing the possibilities.

"Mates." Hook adds with an amused facial expression. Nora sinks lower in her seat, her hair a curtain blocking her embraced face.

"Do you want a straight answer?"

"Yes." Regina says more demanding. Nora pulls herself together, sitting up straight. She pushes her hair from her face and lets out a long breath. Though her face is still as red as a stop sign. Henry, obviously embarrassed, stands near, just as eager to hear an official answer as everyone else.

"Well, Henry is the closest friend I've ever had, not to mention my only friend. So yes I care about him a great deal, and no we are not dating or any synonyms you can think of to go along with that." Nora tilts her chin up, maintaining her dignity some what. "Now If that's all-"

"I've got something important that's due tomorrow, so I've got to go." Henry says, a blank expression on his face as he heads for the door.

"But-wait-um." Nora says standing.

"Goodnight." He says as the door shuts. Nora tries to go after him but Emma stops her.

"Let him be. He's got a lot on his mind and he needs to be alone. I mean you basically friend zoned him, hard so..." She says awkwardly and Nora steps back.

"Well I wasn't going to make a declaration of love right in front of his entire family and Hook over there." Nora says throwing her hands up.

"Hey! I'm the devilishly handsome and mandatory pirate mascot." Hook says with a smirk.

"Yes. Haven't you noticed that everything relationship wise in this family is shared and supportive. He wanted a sincere answer and you obviously let him down." Mary Margaret explains and David steps up.

"We are an open family, Nora." He says.

"As you can see I'm terrible under pressure and very uncomfortable with admitting any of my feelings no matter how rudimentary. I honestly wish you hadn't put me on the spot like that, but if this is some wacked out version of sister wives I guess you had no choice." Nora sucks in a breath, and tucks her chair in.

"Well you said ask questions, and that was the largest one in the room. I don't know what else you expected." Regina mutters. Nora rolls her eyes.

"I'm pretty sure we all know that Henry has pretty big feelings for you. I can't say you do in return... But you could just say yes or no... If that makes it simpler." Emma says, pushing her further.

"I don't know." She says, still avoiding it. Everyone sighs in annoyance but Nora doesn't care. "Now I'm going to go somewhere, that's not here, and do something hopefully productive." And with that she finally exits the situation. A thousand different emotions roll through her in waves. One being annoyance, don't they know what subtlety means? And then they blame her?! It's not like she has experience with any of this. What was obvious to them was not to her seeing as she didn't even know what to look for. The next being regret. What if that was her chance to tell Henry that she didn't quite understand her feelings herself. Now he's going to be not only pissed but awkward. What if he doesn't even talk to her anymore?! As she walks down the street, she wraps her arms around herself. Then you have self loathing, a little joy, and a whole lot of what the fuck. (A/N This would be where you listen to Won't say I'm in love from Hercules XD)

Nora groans sitting down on a bench outside the apartment building. She watches couples walk by, families, friends, cars zoom past her and she can't help but feel like once again she is missing out. Missing out on friends, on love, on family, on being able to express your emotions in a healthy fashion. She chuckles humorlessly as her hair is tossed around in the wind. They just had to ask the question she had no answer to, didn't they? Or don't you? The little voice in Nora's head rings out. She shakes her head as she rubs her forehead. No. Let's say she did like him like that- just for instance of course- It would never work out. She's well a monster who doesn't even know what she's capable of and he's- Henry. He doesn't deserve to be dealt her and all her baggage. It'll just cause him more trouble in the end. Like almost dying again when he came to save her from Zelena. If she was smarter, stronger she would disappear. It would be the best thing to do for everyone, but she's not and she finds herself craving his affection even more. Stretching out on the bench she finds herself wondering if she just has a thing for ending up on benches.

Henry walks down an empty street, with no plans on where he's going. All he can focus on is Nora. Did she really friend zone him? Did she only see him as a close friend, just because she has no one else? Had he read everything wrong? He could have sworn their feelings were on common ground. Did she really want no more than a friendship? Well a pretty damn deep one. Does she think they have no future? No chemistry? But how could she think there is nothing more between them. Maybe he doesn't understand what she's been through or how she read the signs and it's not like he asked her out, but he couldn't help but feel crushed. Remembering the panic that flickered through her eyes when he went to leave, remembering the way she reached out to him as if desperate to keep the only thing right she had in her life, he feels a twinge of guilt and confusion. How must she be feeling right now? His family cornered her into answering a question she wasn't ready to and like any cornered animal she lashed out. He cringes internally. Had he just compared her to an animal? With a large sigh he kicks a rock down the sidewalk. He had to talk to her again, be honest himself, but he couldn't see himself doing that anytime soon. How could he?! He walks back towards the apartment building, it was getting dark out and he didn't want to say out too late with Zelena running around. Speak of the devil and she shall appear. Lying, asleep, the bench outside the apartment is Nora, her hair splayed out behind her head, and curled into ball to conserve warmth. Her cheeks, nose, and the tips of her ears are rosy from the cold. Henry stops in front the bench, unable to fight the small smile that found it's way to his face. He slips off his jacket and lays it over her, taking his scarf of and bunching it up before carefully putting it under her head as a makeshift pillow. She groans in her sleep, a small frown on her lips as she mutters something under her breath.

"Sorry- Didn't mean- Henry-" Henry sighs and tucks his hands in his pockets.

"I know, Nora, I know." He whispers before heading inside.

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Hehehehehehehe okay so if you haven't noticed I like cheesy, corny, and all things romantic XD And Im not going to apologize for that- much. Sorry if you hate corny, cheesy, cute romance but I love writing it, like a lot so brace yourself for more of that. On another note thank you to all 18 of you that voted, you mean the world to me <3 Continue to read, comment, and share this story with others! Thank you so much for all support and have a wonderful day, our faithful flying fans! **Alliteration is the best :) **
-Xox
Claire and Alona