Chapter Text
The walls of the author's house felt ominous. Its walls lined in shelves with blank books that may or not determine their histories. However, inside the moment was bright, these books might change a destiny.
Emma looked at Regina’s beautiful smile. They had done it. Henry, Regina, and Emma had found a clue to find the elusive author. Now they just had to find out how. It was no longer a mystery without a clue.
Sure it wasn’t much to go on. A bunch of blank storybooks that looked like Henry’s old book, but Emma was excited. This was exactly the thing they had needed. A clue to get them past Gold and the Queens of Darkness, Maleficent, Ursula, and Cruella. Finally, a plan to find the author.
They all stared at the books until Henry the one who had led them to the books in the first place spoke up, “Do you think the author is in Storybrooke? Why would he abandon all these books?"
“While if he is hiding somewhere, I will find him,” Regina stated with determination.
“No, We will find him,” Emma replied reminding Regina they were in this together.
“You’re right, we need to find this author he’s manipulated my life enough.”
“Woah what did you just say?”
Regina looked on confused. Emma continued talking, “was it something that begins with a y and ends with an our’e right.”
“Elegant as ever, Emma.”
“I try.”
Emma noticed Henry looking at them confused. She wondered what he was thinking about momentarily but quickly brushed it aside. For she was to wrapped up in Regina.
Henry chimed in, “So what should we take one of the books, I doubt he’d notice?”
“Good idea, stealing sounds great.”
Regina glared playfully at Emma’s wording.
Emma blushed before saying, “I mean stealings bad, don’t ever do that...except now.”
Regina looked at her in amusement. Before they all walked closer to the books scanning them for a book that looked significant or out of the ordinary.
After a few minutes, they all began to spread out searching. Emma continued looking through the books, that was until she saw a book to off to her left. It wasn't particularly special, but something about it called to her.
Emma walked closer to the book. She wrapped her hands around then turned it around. On the front was a big embroidered swan with what looked like a crown placed on its head.
Emma called, out “Guys I think I found something.”
Regina and Henry rushed over. Regina carefully examined the book as Emma held it up for her and Henry to look at.
“Well, what are you waiting for open it.”
“Okay, Henry.”
Emma slowly opened it and found the first-page blank. She flipped through the rest of the book before stating, “While that was disappointing.”
“What do you think it means, Ma?”
“I don’t know, but it’s a start right.”
“How is an emblem going to help us, we need something concrete,” said Regina looking like she was thinking about something. Then she continued talking, “I’ll check the book for traces of magic.”
“Good idea,” Henry exclaimed.
Regina waved her hand over the book. She looked at the book glumly and frustrated, “Nothing it’s like it’s blocking my magic.”
Emma put her arm on Regina’s upper arm. “It’s okay, will find something soon.”
“Hey, Henry, How did you even find this place?” Emma questioned to caught up in the adventure to ask until now.
“While we were looking for the author,” Regina recalled cheerfully.
Then Henry chimes in, “We called it Operation Mongoose."
“I like it it’s got style, I’m in."
“You are?”
“Definitely, I made you a promise I intend to keep. Everyone deserves their happy ending.”
Regina looked at Emma a smile of hope once again shining in her eyes, while Henry nodded silently agreeing with Emma. Emma looked over at him and noticed him yawning.
“Okay, I think we all need a break...you tired, kid?”
Henry sheepishly said, “A little.”
Regina looked over at him with concerned then said, “Well, it has been a rather long day, let’s take the book and go home.”
“Okay, I’ll just be going then, see you guys later,” Emma stated.
Regina and Henry left with the book and took Regina’s Mercedes home. It was, after all, Regina’s week with Henry staying and sleeping at the mansion.
Emma left walking after them. She continued walking to her Volkswagen bug, got in and drove to her house. Once at her house she walked up to her bedroom to go to sleep.
When she got to her bed. She couldn’t help but feel alone in the quiet house. However, one thought remained in her mind before going to bed, she hoped they would all find some sort of happiness.
Emma’s feet echoed off the pavement. She darted to the left and started running down Main Street. Emma had woken up from a restless sleep an hour ago.
Although Emma had fallen asleep fairly easy, she had woken up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night. She was used to this recently.
Almost every night she would have the same dream. A car retreating from her view as she stared at it in disarray. In the dream, one of her many foster families had just abandoned her on the side of the road.
The part that haunted her about last night’s dream was instead of a foster family is in the car this time Regina and Henry were in the car. Seemingly, ignoring her behind them.
Emma was no stranger to feeling alone, however, she had desperately needed to shake the dream off. Hence the run.
Normally after a dream like this, a run cleared her mind. This time her run just seemed to remind of her day's longing for a family.
Even though she had a family now and a lot of friends, she still felt somewhat alone. It was not that she thought Regina, Henry, or her family and friends would leave her. Emma just didn’t think she could handle if she lost any of her current relationships. Especially Regina's friendship. If it transformed back to how distant their relationship was when they were fighting over Henry Emma would be crushed.
Emma pushed herself even further into her run. She sped up and rounded the corner on the sidewalk that led to Granny’s Diner. Slowing down she continued thinking about Regina and her thoughts drifted back to Operation Mongoose.
The mission was all about Regina’s happiness. She thought about the author did he really control Regina’s fate? The thought of someone controlling Regina’s or her destiny frightened her.
They needed to find the author soon. If he thought he could get away with controlling all of their lives he had another thing coming for him.
Emma stopped running as she reached the sign outside of Granny’s. She caught her breath before walking into Granny’s.
It was still early and the diner was sparse. Emma didn’t even have to look for a seat before sitting behind the counter. Once she was there she waited for Ruby as she had seen her with a customer a minute ago.
Once Ruby had finished with the customer Ruby bounded over to her. After Ruby was behind the counter she looked at Emma sympathetically before saying, “long night?”
“Is it that obvious?”
Ruby looked at her again before saying, “Maybe not to someone who didn’t know you, but I can see through this. What’s wrong?
“Don’t wanna talk about it.”
“You sure?”
“I don’t know” Emma replied grimly. Ruby waited for her to continue, “it’s just sometimes… I wonder,” Emma stopped before going ending her sentence, “ if I’m really needed around here anymore.”
“Emma, so many people need you, we all love you.”
She looked at Ruby unsure, but responded, “Thanks, Ruby. I’ve had a rough night.”
Ruby seemed placated and must have noticed how uncomfortable she looked because Ruby then asked her, “So one hot chocolate extra whip cream with cinnamon, right?
“Yep, you're the best,” Emma replied
Ruby winked and said, “I know,” before preparing her cocoa.
When Ruby was finished making her cocoa she gave it to her and left to go give the same customer as before another refill of coffee. Emma stared at the cocoa despondently before looking around the diner and noticing a few more people had entered.
After Emma noticed there were more people around she tried to put on a happy face. She was the savior, after all, the one who had broken the curse. It was kind of expected of her to be content all the time, but today she anything but happy.
As she faked a smile she barely even noticed someone sitting down beside her. Until a curious voice said, “Why are you up this early?”
Emma instantly recognized Henry’s voice. She turned towards his chair. Not wanting to explain herself she asked, “Well, Why are you?”
“You first.”
Emma sighed, “I was up late last night. Nothing to worry about.”
“Okay,” Henry said sounding unconvinced.
“Well, why are you up, kid?”
“I didn’t want to wake up mom, but I wanted to get an early start on Operation Mongoose.”
“Did you find anything?” She asked.
“Not yet, but I was going to look through the book again now,” Henry stated.
As Henry flipped through the book she thought about how distant she been lately. Emma had been closing herself off from a lot of people including Regina, Henry, Ruby, and her parents. It was mostly because of her recurring dream.
However, another thing had been bothering Emma on top of this. She felt all her emotions were unusually amplified. These strong emotions scared Emma. Sometimes out of the blue she would feel angry, sad, or guilty. Her emotions had always been something she ignored, yet now they felt like they were about to bubble over the surface. She felt different somehow and she wasn’t sure she liked the change.
“Ma, Ma.” Henry called out, “ Did you hear me? Look at this,” Henry said excitedly.
Emma felt bad for zoning off so she stated, “Sorry kid, what is it?”
Henry looked happy at the change in her mood. He flipped through the pages and turned over the very first page, “look its mom.”
“Where?” Emma stated only seeing a blank page.
“Right there. It's obvious she’s looking into a bar don’t you see her.”
“Are you joking, kid? I don’t see anything.”
Henry looked at her in contemplation, before saying, “Maybe it’s just you who can’t see it let’s go show it to mom.”
Emma and Henry both hurried towards the door wanting to get to the mansion quickly. Emma really hoped Henry had found something.