Who: Henry and Emma What: The tale of Henry Mill's adventure in Neverland, and more importantly, his return to Storybrooke. When: Well, it recaps everything Henry's been doing since the finale but the bits with Emma take place just after sunrise Where: Mary Margaret and Emma's apartment Warnings: Feels? LOTS OF FEELS?
Finger tips had already been pressed tight against his arm as he was yanked through town. His attempts to dig his heels into the ground, to prevent his legs from moving, had all but failed and yet he had still tried with each step. It was uncertain as to where Greg and Tamara were taking him but it couldn't be somewhere good. The pair had been intent on destroying Storybrooke and they had their plans stopped by both Emma and Regina. Henry would have expected recourse of some kind, any kind actually, but then he was told that it was himself that had been important all along. If he was important in their eyes, after they were willing to slaughters hundreds of lives, where ever they were going simply couldn't be good.
The flash of green was like nothing he had seen before. Eyes were focused on it, gazing on the emerald hues, and just as he heard the voices of what remained of his family, the leap was taken. Greg's fingers dug deeper into his arm, yanking him down, and for a moment he felt a sense of utter terror. Through the portal, any rational thought was gone, as he felt like he was sucked through a vacuum, air impossible to catch. His lungs tightened and he felt like perhaps he would explode at any moment, until it all stopped, with the pair vacating the portal followed shortly by Tamara. Eyes opened and all Henry could see was bright blue sky with the smell of fresh salt water on the wind. Paralyzed momentarily by the entire event, it took Henry several seconds before he was able to catch his mind up to it all, but once he had he was stumbling backwards. Unable to get to his feet, he kicked rapidly, twisting and turning his body to put distance between himself and Greg and Tamara. His arms lifted and he brought his teeth down upon the rope that bound his hands, trying to loosen the knot, while his eyes remained on the pair that were now beginning to stir. He needed to get to his feet. With a frustrated growl, he dropped his hands from his mouth and pivoted his body, pressing his elbow against what felt like wet stone, and kicked with all his might to try and get standing up right. His shoes slipped against the surface and he groaned, but did it once again, until he was able to stand fully. Once he was too his feet, he didn't look back, only rushing off in a run.
He needed to get away.
Sadly, in that initial arrival, he had been unable to do so. It wasn't long before Greg was back on his feet as well and his hand was grabbing hold of his arm. His grand plan of escape was sabotaged in the early efforts.
The isle of Neverland was vast, with miles to go it seemed till they reached the destination that Greg and Tamara appeared to be seeking. Henry did all in his power to slow the journey. It could never be stated that Henry wasn't determined. For the good part of a week, he gave Greg and Tamara utter hell. Initially, they thought they could sleep at the same points as Henry, only to find on the first night that he had taken to fleeing by foot in the middle of the night. Of course, they caught up, but it was enough to put a crimp in their plans. Any chance he could take to try and escape from them, he did. And any aspect to upset them was used. Constantly, he would dig his heels into the sand, or demand they stop so he could use the bathroom, or beg for food, or simply complain. He was out to make their lives hell, yes, but more so to slow them down. Maybe it was foolish, but he truly believed, maybe, just maybe if he bought enough time, someone would come to the rescue.
All the delay he could do, however, wasn't enough to stop the inevitable. As he was shoved out in front of Pan, he gave his first true scream of utter terror, finding the phantom to be horrifying.
He wasn't able to figure out what was wanted of him. No, his focus turned to escape even more once he had seen the monster. By the third week, and trying to block out his fear, Henry had managed to creep off during a thunderstorm. Thunder masked the sound of his feat running against the sand and Henry did, perhaps, a very foolish thing. Though the water was raging, so violent it could bring down a vessel, he put his back to the waves, holding on tight to rock face, climbing down closer to the edge of the sea, and further away. Luck had it that a cave was nestled against the mount of rocks and he forced himself inside. Water was present, and it grew with the tide, but he went to the back of the cave and upon a ledge that was far above the currant. He kept a watchful eye upon the situation for an entirety of a day, making sure the water wouldn't get too high and trap him, and once he knew it was safe, he slid down, using the ledge as barrier to hide inside his cave shelter.
From that point on, he knew he was being sought after. Rarely did he sleep, rarely did he leave. When he did chose to leave the cave, it was only to find food, and this he only did at night. It was never much more than fists full of sea creatures. Crawfish, shrimp, anything that he could easily pull from the water. On occasion he managed to catch a fish or two. His fingers bled as he tried to pry the scales away to get to the meat. Fires were hard for him. He never had a chance to learn how to make a fire, how to fish properly, how to do anything of this sort; but he tried. The day he found the washed up coconuts along the base of the cave was just as good as Christmas morning.
He didn't know how long he had been away from Pan by this point. It felt like several days. He had slept a little, not by choice, and that messed with his sense of time. He was just dropping down onto the rocks outside the cave, with the sun still trying to come up, when suddenly it all seemed to change. The sensation of being pressed tight grasped hold of him again and for a moment he didn't know what was going on, until he realized it was the same feeling he had when he went through the portal. Elation filled Henry. He didn't want to assume this meant he had been found but it meant he was getting away. And when the portal dropped him down on all familiar concrete street of Storybrooke, he laid in the midst of the street for several seconds, in a massive awe.
And as it hit him that he was in Storybrooke, he scrambled to his feet, and he couldn't help but to just burst into a full on run. His legs were sore, and he was covered from head to two in all matter of grime, but he still ran like the wind was on his back. Sun was just coming up in Storybrooke too and he navigated the streets without any hesitation. Home. He was home.
The door was tossed open to the apartment of Mary Margaret and Emma, with Henry bounding up the steps, shouting at the top of his lungs. Sleep, be damned. "Mom!"