Lonely Hearts Fall The Hardest *Henry Mills Love Story*

Chapter Twenty-One ❤️❤️❤️

The next day, Elsa, Emma, and Killian leave out early in the morning to handle whatever it is that they need to handle. Nora only knows this because of the noise she heard of them leaving while she was half asleep. A few hours after that, Nora finally awakes to see Henry putting on his coat and scarf.

"Woah, where are you off to?" She says, hopping up to join him, not remembering her hot pink tank top and short sleep set that isn't really winter weather appropriate.

"I'm going to try to go talk to my mother." Henry says, and Nora stops in her tracks, realizing that this is not an event she should join in on.

"Oh. Well good luck. And remember, she loves you, Henry, no matter what." Nora says, returning to the couch hesitantly. Though, she offers him a smile none the less.

"I know, I know. I'll be back soon. Bye, Nor." Henry says exiting and Nora waves at him. She really hopes that his mom talks with him. Regina can't conceal herself from her family, like, well Elsa. Nora chuckles at her reference. Looking around the apartment no one else is up yet, so she decides to hop in the shower. After grabbing a change of clothes, she heads to the bathroom quietly.

As the scalding water runs over her shoulders and down her back that's scattered with thin pale scars as well as other assortments of shapes and sizes. She hums quietly to keep her mind off of the memories that littered her back. Some people sing in the shower because they like to, because it's fun, but Nora sings in the shower to distract herself from letting her mind wonder. That's why when her mind starts to sink to thinking about the missing years and 'what if' this and 'what if' that she started to quietly sing 'Hotel California'. There was a reason she didn't answer Henry when he asked about her years with Zelena and there was a fairly simple answer to why not, and that is she was scared. Scared that if she told someone the memories that made them real and unchangeable, and that reliving them through words would send her into a downward spiral. So what better way to pretend they never happened than just not thinking about them. That's why she sings in the shower, even with her terrible voice, why she cooks, why she reads book, why she was so dependant on Henry.

Nora doesn't like feeling codependant. She likes self sufficiency and being independent but that all changes when Henry saunters into the big picture. He not only cared for her, wanted to be around her, and liked her for who she is, he also was an escape from her past and a swirling portal that takes her to her future, that for the first time since she can remember holds things besides darkness. With a few hums to fill beats of silence Nora's song morphs into 'Fancy'. Unbeknownst to her, David and Mary Margaret start to wake up to her off key singing, both confused at first until they realize who it is. Nora. Though a smile finds it's way to Mary Margaret's face David scowls, not happy to be woken up by Nora's singing.

"She's adorable." Mary Margaret says as she gets up to get dressed for the day.

"Yeah." David says sarcastically as he rubs his forehead. Though by the time Nora got out of the shower even they had left. Major duties and all. For some strange reason, the empty house makes Nora's heart ache just a little. Something like even though she doesn't have a life to live doesn't mean others don't. Now dressed in a cute lace burgundy dress and brown leather jacket, Nora goes to the kitchen to eat some of the cut fruit for Breakfast. Sitting on the countertop and swinging her boot clad feet back and forth, she pops a strawberry in her mouth. Maybe she should explore town today? Stop by the Library maybe? Go on a hike? Nora briefly wonders if she should ask someone about school... Nah... Finishing her fruit, she pops the tupperware back in the fridge before downing a quick glass of milk and heading towards the door. Before heading out into the frigid weather she puts on her favorite gray wooly scarf and matching beanie style hat.

Now walking down the street she looks around, a hike sounds nice enough. It's not too cold out and the wind isn't too strong, perfect. Walking with an extra bounce in her her step towards the green lively forest. What Nora doesn't know is a lot of trouble awaits in the forest starting with a man that goes by Will Scarlet and ended with an Evil Snow Queen, as if she hadn't had enough of them in this lifetime.