Storybrooke
Gracie placed a drawing on the tray belonging to a hospital patient. Mary-Margaret had taken her class to the hospital, she thought it would make the patients happy to have some cheerful kids around. The patient picked up the drawing, it was a small dog sleeping on a couch.
"This looks just like my little guy," the patient smiled, "did you draw this?"
"Yes, sir, I did!" Gracie said, "Last time we were here you were talking about him and showed me a picture. I thought it would make you happy to have a new picture of him."
"You have a talent, little one," the Patient said, "not only can you draw but you can make anyone feel better in the blink of an eye."
Gracie flashed her bright smile. She kissed the man's hand before moving on to the next patient. Her classmate scurried around placing flowers and drawing everywhere. The hospital was bright, the patients loved it. Gracie spotted Henry and her teacher in a sectioned off room. They were standing before a man, the name tag on his bed read John Doe. Gracie had always seen him every time she went to the hospital. He always remained in the same spot, not moving or anything. She always wondered where he had come from, and who he was. Maybe he had a loving family, or maybe he was all alone.
Henry followed Mary-Margaret out of the room. She shut the door behind him and smiled down at Gracie.
"How's it going?" She asked, looking around at the rest of her students.
"Wonderful!" Gracie bounced on her toes, "People love my drawings!"
"Of course they do," Mary-Margaret said.
She walked away from Gracie to help another student hang a poster. Gracie felt her wrist being tugged, and nearly fell as she was dragged to the sectioned- off room. Henry had been the one pulling her, and he was now staring through the glass into the room.
"You know who he is?" Henry sounded excited.
"Let me guess, he's someone from your storybook?" Gracie asked while crossing her arms.
"You know me too well," Henry smiled, "he's Prince Charming!"
"Yeah, okay," Gracie responded, walking away from the window unamused.
"You and Emma are so stubborn!" Henry shouted to Gracie, then mumbled to himself, "It must run in the family."
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Gracie sprinted towards Henry's castle, her hair falling out of her pigtails and jacket half buttoned. She spotted Henry and Emma up on the castle.
"We have to get her to read the story to John Doe," she heard Henry say, "then, maybe he'll remember who he is."
Gracie jumped up to the top of the castle, startling both Emma and Henry.
"What are you talking about?" Gracie asked while straightening out her jacket.
"We're going to have Ms. Blanchard read the storybook to John Doe," Henry told her, the said storybook opened on his lap.
"And what happened to you Gracie, it looks like a bus hit you," Emma said while retying a bow in Gracie's hair.
"I had to sneak out of the house," Gracie rolled her eyes, "Mother didn't want me to go out, but I never listen so here I am."
"Okay, but are we going to go through with the plan?" Henry asked, his eyes were wide as if begging for Emma to say yes.
"Okay, yeah, we'll do it," Emma finally said, "but, we'll do it my way. Let me ask her."
"I can't believe you're actually doing this," Gracie crossed her arms, "it's a silly book! It's not real!"
"Give me one week and I'll make you believe," Henry stood up and faced Gracie, "just one week."
Gracie stared at Henry, contemplating wether or not to get involved in the storybook nonsense.
"Fine," she sighed, "you only have a week."
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Gracie stood in the kitchen with her Mother, they were baking a few of Gracie and Henry's favorite treats. Regina though of this as a way to bond with Gracie, but Gracie thought of it as a way to make Regina happy so she could do what she wanted afterwards. Gracie stirred a bowl of chocolate and a dot of flour was stuck on her nose. Her clothes were filled with flour as well.
"Gracie you've got flour all over you," Regina laughed, "here let me take this bowl."
Gracie smiled, she didn't dislike Regina and she did enjoy spending some time with her, but she also didn't love Regina like a daughter should. She didn't feel the mother-daughter connection between them. When Henry came that connection seemed to disappear almost completely.
Gracie was distracted out of her thoughts by Henry barging into the kitchen.
"Hey Mom can Gracie come with me to play some games?" Henry asked, and by the way Henry was bouncing on his toes made Gracie realize something was up.
"We were just in the middle of baking," Regina said, "maybe she can later."
"Please Mother?" Gracie looked up at Regina, her eyes wide as if she was begging with them, "We can bake again another time."
"Alright, fine, I can't say no to those eyes," Regina sighed as she watched her kids take off.
Gracie shot Henry a quick smile, as if to say thank you for getting her out of the house. They rushed down the side walk and around the corner. Emma and Mary Margaret stood by a stop sign waiting for the kids.
"What is going on?" Gracie asked as she walked up to the two woman, "If Mother sees me out here with either of you I'll be in big trouble!"
"John Doe, he's waken up," Mary Margaret answered.
She began walking towards the hospital, followed by Emma and Henry. Gracie stood there shocked. She couldn't believe Henry's plan worked, but had Mary Margaret really pulled him out of the coma? Or was it just a coincidence? Gracie pushed her thoughts aside, there's no way Henry's storybook could be real. She ran to catch up to other three where they stood in front of the hospital. They all stared at the hospital doors, scared to find what condition John Doe was in. Henry pushed through the front doors causing the rest of his group to follow.
"What's going on?" Mary Margaret asked Sheriff Graham as they barged in, "Is it John Doe? Is he okay?"
Gracie pushed past Henry and Mary Margaret to get a peek into the room where John Doe was usually laying. However, when she saw who was standing there she wish she hadn't. Her Mother stood beside the hospital bed with an angry look upon her face. Gracie tried to shrink back behind her teacher, but it was too late. Regina began walking over and she clearly was not happy.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Regina sternly said while grabbing Henry and Gracie's wrist, "And you, I thought you were at the arcade. Now you're lying to me?"
"I had no clue what this was about," Gracie snapped back, ripping her hand out of Regina's grasp.
"What happened to John Doe?" Mary Margaret asked, "Did someone take him?"
Gracie couldn't focus on the conversation, she was too distracted by the stern look Regina was giving her. She gave the look right back to her, trying to look confident and not terrified as to how she'd be punished. Regina flicked her eyes over to the seats. Gracie got the message and went to sit down with a sigh. Her head hanged down as she fiddled with her hands.
Where could John Doe have gone, she thought. He had been in the hospital for years and suddenly he got up and left? It didn't make any sense to her, but then again nothing in this town ever made sense. Gracie jumped when Regina grabbed her wrist, pulling her out of the chair and out the door. The car ride home was silent, the two kids said nothing and neither did Regina. The look on Regina's face said it all. She was not happy.
As soon as the three of them entered the house Henry ran off to his room. Gracie was left to receive Regina's wrath. She grasped the edge of the counter to keep herself from getting angry.
"You are never leaving my sight ever again, unless you're going to school," Regina yelled, "I thought I could trust you!"
Gracie looked up and met Regina's evil glare. Her own eyes glowed with anger. She was sick and tired of arguing with her Mother, but even more tired of always getting in trouble for every little thing.
"I had nothing to do with this! You always blame me for everything! Have you ever stopped to think that maybe, just maybe, I'm trying my best to be this perfect daughter? No you haven't, because no matter what you keep pushing me and I'm sick of it! You think your protection me but you're doing the complete opposite!"
Gracie's sudden outburst threw Regina back. She had never risen her voice like this at her. Regina wasn't sure how to react.
"I'm hard with you because I know you're capable of so much more," Regina stated calmly, "I can't be this hard with Henry, he's more fragile. He needs more love and reassurance. And since I'm your Mother I expect more from you."
Regina bent down to Gracie's level. She hoped what she said would make Gracie forgive her. What she said was true, Gracie was mentally more strong than Henry. Regina reached out her hand to put it on Gracie's arm. Gracie shoved her hand away and took a step back.
"You're wrong, and you'll never be my Mother!" Gracie screamed at Regina.
The lights flickered around her and Gracie's necklace flickered. The light from the necklace lasted a second more disappearing again. The lights startled Gracie, but she regained herself and ran up the steps. She stopped halfway to turn back to Regina, who looked like her heart was just ripped out of her chest.
"And if you were a good Mother you'd know Henry was out in the woods looking for John Doe right now."
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A/N Okay so I said in the previous chapter my updated may not be frequent. Well I found out I will indeed be getting surgery, however I don't know when yet. So I will try my best to update at least once a week but I will be busy with hospital stuff. Thank you for your patience!