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CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
OPERATION MONGOOSE, PT. 3
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AFTER HIS MOTHER HAD DITCHED HIM TO DO HER ROBBERY, HENRY HAD MADE HIS WAY THROUGH THE WOODS IN HOPES OF COMING ACROSS A VILLAGE. His luck was good as he soon found one. And not only did he find one, but he spotted a flash of dark hair and Teresa's clothes, which mean it was his mother. "Mom!"
Regina rolled her dark brown eyes. "You have to stop calling me that. How do you keep finding me anyway?"
"I figured if my plan worked, you would be in Sherwood Forest with Robin Hood."
"I hate to break it to you, but Robin's already found his true love. And they're getting married today." Regina gripped his shoulders and shoved him toward the window of the tavern she had previously been in.
Henry's lips parted in shock as he watched his Zelena kissing Robin. He shook his head and took a step back. "No, no, no, no. This is all wrong. That's Zelena, your sist — " Henry furrowed his eyes when he turned away from the window and found she had left. He quickly jogged after her. "Wait, you have to listen to me!"
"I heard enough. I don't have a sister. My mother abandoned me when I was a baby."
"No, your mother abandoned Zelena. Everything's flipped, this must be Zelena's happy ending."
"Look, I have to go," Regina snapped. "And you should too, Snow White's and her hitwoman are looking for you."
Regina tried to walk away, but Henry jumped in her path. "Look, you can't tell me that you didn't feel anything when you met Robin Hood." Regina doesn't respond, but Henry knows his mother all too well and recognizes her expression immediately. "See, that's proof. He's your true love."
"No. It's proof that I'm not the kind of person who gets a happy ending. I'll never have true love." Her saddened expression is quick to turn into one of anger as she faces the annoying boy named Henry. "But you. You gave me the worst thing you can give anyone — hope. Now, I'd like to get far enough away that I don't have to hear Robin and Zelena's wedding bells proclaim their love."
Henry's eyes widen as he remembered what Isaac had told him. I know because I wrote it. And I know how it ends — with the loud tolling of bells at sunset. When you hear that sound, it'll mean we've reached the last page. The book will end, and everything will remain exactly how I wrote it.
He quickly jumps in her pathway before she can leave. "Wait, did you say wedding bells?"
"Yes. Now please, let me be."
Once again, Henry blocks her as she tries to walk away. "Bells! From the end of the book. That's what he was talking about. Those bells, this wedding — it's our last chance to stop this from becoming real forever!"
"It already is real," Regina said frustratingly.
Henry shook his head. "Not yet. We have to stop this wedding!"
"You seem like a nice boy. And clearly you believe all this...nonsense." Regina paused. "Didn't you say I was your adopted mother? That you have another mother somewhere, named, uh, Emma? If you want help, maybe you should start by finding her."
"I tried," Henry replied. "She wasn't in the book. And if she were, believe me, you'd know. She's the most powerful sorceress there is."
"The only sorceress in this land is Snow White."
"She's more powerful than her. She has, uh," Henry paused, a smile pulling onto his face. "...special magic."
"Special magic?" Regina questioned with a raised brow.
"In our world, she was called the Savior."
Regina paused, her eyes slightly widening. She knew the name through rumors. "Never heard of her," she lied straight through her teeth. But Henry seem right through her lie as he yet again jumped in front of her path.
"Mom, no. I know that face. What aren't you telling me?"
Regina sighed. "There were rumors once of woman who called herself that. The Savior."
Henry's eyes widened in realization. "Isaac lied. He couldn't write her out of the story. Where can I find her?"
"You can't," Regina replied. "Snow White locked her up years ago. No one has set eyes on her since. The prison she's in is impenetrable. Now, can you move so I can get out of here before I'm spotted?"
"Wait!" Henry pleaded. "Just one more question!"
"Fine," Regina sighed. "But be quick about it."
"Where'd you get Teresa's bow?"
Regina snorted. "This is my bow, not Holmes'."
"Do you know where I can find Teresa?"
"Trust me, kid, you don't want to go anywhere near her. You know that hitwoman I was telling you about? Well, that's Teresa Holmes. She's the deadliest hitwoman in all the realms. And I'm her target, and I'm sure you are too. I'd watch my back if I were you. Good luck finding your mom, Henry."
Regina then moved past him, leaving him to watch her leave with several emotions plastered on his face. How the hell am I supposed to find my mom with Teresa after me?
"Perfect," Henry muttered with a sigh.
➳
It didn't take long for Henry to gather information on where Snow White had locked away Emma. After gaining all the information, he knew exactly who could help him.
Henry stepped on board the Jolly Roger with a tiny smile. "Ahoy! Is anyone here?"
Much to Henry's relief, Hook emerged from the captain's quarters below deck. "Careful, boy. No one steps aboard the Jolly Roger's decks without permission from its captain first."
"Are you gonna make me walk the plank?" Henry sarcastically asked.
"All depends on why you're here."
"I need a ship to take me to the Bottomless Sea."
Hook raised a brow, wondering why a young lady who need to go to such a place. "Those are treacherous waters. There must be something of great value to be worth taking the risk."
"Someone," Henry corrected him. "Her name is Emma. She's my mom, and she was put there by the Queen." Henry handed him a map to to location.
"Well then, I'm sorry for you. But even it wanted to, I can't help you."
Henry's eyes widened. "Why? You're a captain! Can't you take your ship wherever you want?"
Suddenly, another pirate walked on board, barking with laughter. "A captain? Is that who he says he is? I thought I told you to be done swabbing the decks when I reutrn."
Hook's gaze fell to his feet. "Sorry, Captain Black Beard."
Henry looked from Hook and to Black Beard the pirate in shock. "Wait, he's the captain?"
"Indeed." Black Beard had a smug look on his face as he stared at Henry. "Unless deckhand Hook wants to keep playing pretend. What do you say, Hook?" He draws his sword. "Beat me, and the Jolly Roger is yours. Or are you still a one-handed coward."
Henry stared at Hook, waiting the fearless pirate to unshesth a sword and fight for his most prized possession, but instead Hook only gave a frightened look and ran off to clean the decks.
Henry walked after him in disbelief. "What are you doing? Stand up to him! You can beat him!"
"I'm afraid you don't know me very well. I'm sorry. I can't help you."
Henry gave a frustrated groan before turning away from him. He picked up a sword and walked across the deck, cutting a rope. "Then I'll have to help you"
Hook watched in shock as the rope the young lad had cut down a weight which then knocked Black Beard unconscious. "What the bloody hell are you doing?!"
"Getting you your ship back," Henry said, as if it wasn't already obvious. "Come on, let's dump Black Beard and go."
"You think it's that easy? I can't sail the Jolly Roger alone."
"I can help."
"How do you know how to sail a ship?" Hook questioned as the pair struggled to lift Black Beards body.
"I had a great teacher," Henry replied with a smirk. "You."
➳
Much to Henry's surprise, it didn't take them long to sail to the Bottonless Sea where soon a tower appeared in the telescope Henry held to his right eye. He couldn't help the relieved smile that pulled into his face.
"Look!" Hook moved toward him and peered through the telescope. His blue eyes found the tower, and solider of the Queen standing guard. "We found it!"
"There's a Black Knight standing guard," Hook stated.
"Only one. We can take him out."
"Well, perhaps you haven't noticed, but I'm a deckhand, not a soldier."
Henry but his lip as he thought of a quick plan, he was always good at thinking on his feet. "Then maybe we don't need to fight," he said after a few moments.
Hook gave him a confused look, wondering just what was on this boys mind.
➳
Hook walked up to the tower with his grip firmly on Henry's arm. On Henry's head with a sack, his hands tied out in front of him. The guard perked up as they neared.
"I'm here on official business from the Queen delivering a dangerous prisoner from the kingdom of Kashyyyk."
The knight stepped forward and removed the sack from Henry's head. As soon as it was off, Henry had Hook's sword in his grip, which he then used to know the guard unconscious.
Hook raised an eyebrow, impressed. "Well done, lad."
Henry smirked. "Wookiee prisoner gag. It always works."
"The what?"
"Never mind,' Henry said with a shake of his head. He leaned down and claimed the knight's keys, tossing them to Hook. "Lock the guard in the cell. I'll be back with my mom as soon as I can."
Before Hook could protest, Henry was already running down the dimly lit hallway and up the flight of many stairs.
When he reached the door, he unlocked it with the key next to the door and barged in. Laying on the ground, shackled, was his mother. Her blonde hair was tangled and a complete mess, and her clothes were filthy.
Henry walked over to her with a smile. "Hi, my name is — "
"Henry?" Her voice was weak, but full of relief as she stared at her son.
"Mom?"
Emma weakly worked her way into her feet as she stared at him through her curtain or messy blonde hair. "Henry."
"You...you remember."
"I knew you'd find me." Emma grinned and outstretched her arms. Henry welcomed her embrace with a smile.
"I don't understand," he said after pulling out of her hold. He takes the keys from his pocket and began to unlock his mother's chains. "How come you remember when no one else does?"
"Must have been part of Gold's plan," Emma replied. "My punishment in this world is that I know the truth but I'm powerless to do anything about it. In this world, I'm no longer the savior. I've got no magic."
"That's alright," Henry replied. "I think I know what to do. Now come on." Henry took her wrist and began leading her down the fight of stairs.
When they got to the bottom, they crashed into Hook. Quite literally for Emma. Hook caught her around the waist to keep her from falling.
Henry smirked at the immediate loving gaze shared between them. "Killian, this is my mom. Mom, Killian."
Hook nervously chuckled and extended his hand for her to shake as he took a step bsck. "Um, uh yeah. Pleasure."
Emma frowned, wanting to kiss him instead, but now wasn't exactly the time for that. Plus, this Hook didn't know about their relationship back in Storybrooke. So Emma shook his hand, sparks shooting up her arm at their touch. "Yeah. Right. We need to...get going. We've got a wedding to stop."
➳
After defeating a dragon that turned out to be Lily, Henry, Emma and Hook had made it back to the village. Once Henry had found something to eat since Emma was partially dehydrated and needed food and water in her system, Henry made his way back to where they were waiting for him.
As he rounded the corner, he froze. Standing before his mom and Hook were his grandparents, Snow and David. Their clothes resembled that of an Evil Queen and a Black Knight. Lily was also with them, no longer a dragon.
Snow smirked when her eyes landed on Henry. "My, my. I am going to enjoy watching him die in front of his mother."
Henry's eyes widened. He watched his mom and Hook exchange a few quiet words before Emma rushed in front of him for his protection.
A battle then engaged between the Black Guards and Hook. Hook kicked over some heavy bags of flour, knocking out Lily and her fellow soldiers, which then left just him and David.
"Is she worth your life, pirate?" David sneered.
"I'm willing to find out."
They engaged in a duel, which soon David gained the upper hand in. He neatly cornered Hook, but Hook pressed hard enough to send David's sword flying out his grip. He then pushes the Black Knight to the ground with a chuckle. "What do you know? I'm a natural."
Snow stepped forward, causing Hook to raise his sword. "Hey! What about you, Your Majesty? Shall I make it quick while — "
It happened so fast that not even Henry or Emma could shout a warning. David had stood up from the ground, picked his sword, and stabbed it straight through Hook's back.
Henry's eyes widened, whilst Emma felt as if her heard was also stabbed. "NOO!"
"I never did like pirates," David sneered in his ear.
As his life was vanishing with each passing second, Hook made sure to hold eye contact with the beautiful blonde woman next to her son.
Emma attempted to step forward, but Henry is quick to stop her by gripping her forearm. "Mom," he said pleading, as he began to drag her away.
But she remained frozen, watching in horror as her father's sword dug further into her loves chest, killing Hook.
"Mom! We have to get out of here! Mom!"
Emma finally snaps out of her shocked state as a fireball conjured up by Snow White is launched toward them.
A/N: Did anybody else die the first time they heard Henry make that Star Wars reference?! 😂