Chapter Text
“Shall we play a game?”
Ridiculously, he thinks of Saw- and Billy the Puppet. It almost bugs him that Rumplestiltskin doesn’t say the proper quote, but he figures it doesn’t really matter.
It had started off badly, and had only gotten worse. They had been celebrating Henry’s birthday party in Regina’s house (What with it being so spacious) and had accidently been transported into the past. Henry had sworn it was nothing to do with him, but eventually admitted he’d found a device that seemed to send one back in time for only 3 hours, before returning them. When he’d tried to activate it, it hadn’t worked and he had eventually given up- tossing it behind him in the garbage. Evidently it had been on some kind of delay because here they were all sitting around Rumplestiltskin’s table in his dark mansion. He hadn’t officially tied them down with magic, but Henry assumed if he tried to get up he wouldn’t be able to.
Rumplestiltskin waved his hand and a dice appeared on the table. Henry looked up opposite him at his mom –His saviour one- and raised an eyebrow sceptically. He didn’t feel all that worried; he was surrounded by people who would sacrifice everything for him. Family, he thought with a smile.
“This dice,” Rumple began, “Is marked with the words ‘Physical’, ‘Emotional’ and ‘both’. We’ll take it in turns to roll the dice, and either relive our worst emotional pain, or our worst physical! Or both!” He let loose another ridiculous giggle. “Sound like fun?”
Rumple pushed the dice toward Henry, who was sitting next to him.
“You first, dearie,” Henry looked at his mother- both of them- for permission. Finally Regina scoffed.
“Rumple don’t make Henry do this, he’s too young,”
“He’s gone through pain enough,” Rumple replied, snapping his fingers as Regina opened her mouth to retaliate. “Wait your turn, dearie,”
Henry sighed and rolled the dice- there didn’t seem to be much of an alternative. He watched it land next to him – emotional. Typical.
Before he could blink he was no longer around the table, but standing on the town line of Storybrooke. He looked up into the teary eyes of Regina.
“If I had never gone to get Emma,” The words just seemed to spill out of his mouth, like he had no control. He didn’t, actually. “If I had just lived under the curse with you,”
The pain of losing his home, his family, his whole life, hit him suddenly. He would never see his grandparents again, his father, his mom! He threw his arms around Regina. She didn’t deserve this; and nor did he. He knew he got to keep Emma, but even then something about that wasn’t right. It wouldn’t be real. H would lose all his memories with her. He would lose her too.
When he got into the car he made an effort not to look behind him- or to break down in front of his mother. He tried not to think about all the things he’d miss; hot chocolate at Granny’s, countless adventure’s, even school! Maybe school. He blinked away a tear, and then they crossed the town line.
Henry came back to the table with a thunk, picking his head up like he had just been asleep.
“Henry! Are you alright!?” called panic voices from all around him. He wiped his eyes, praying nobody would notice.
“F-fine,” He mumbled “I’m fine,” Rumplestiltskin’s giggle cut through everyone’s thoughts.
“The boy’s brave,” He chuckled, “He could work on his acting, though,” Henry looked at his hands resting on the table and sniffed as quietly as possible. With trembling fingers, he passed the dice to Mary Margaret…