One Big Happy Family?

Human Exhibits Exist Too Part 1

Everyone had a quick breakfast because Henry was not about to let the day pass them by and miss the chance to see all the animals he just knew would be there waiting on him. So after scarfing down a bowl of his favorite cereal while the adults had their choices of coffee, toast, eggs and bacon, the munchkin shot upstairs and put on the outfit Regina let him put together last night.

At first, Cora tried to convince her to let him wear a safari jacket and hat but she refused to let her son dress like he was a Charming. It was bad enough that he had their tendencies. Before 11 a.m. rolled around, the lovely big family were dressed and ready to go. "I'm driving!" Cora shouted, running to the driver's seat first. "NOPE!" Rumple answered immediately, holding his hand up. "Pft, aye, former cripple. Do you think I give two shits about what you say?" Face palming, Emma kindly shooed the old woman away from the door, "I am driving. I don't trust you not to scare the shit out of everyone. Now. You may sit in the front passenger's seat if that suits your fancy." Pouting like a child, Cora stomped around the car to the passenger's side as everyone else got inside and buckled their seat belts. "Zoo, zoo, zoo, zoo, zoo..." Henry sang to himself as he was strapped in, Snow, Neal and Hook joining in. "Zoo, zoo, zoo, zoo, zoo...."

Groaning, both Emma and Regina rolled their eyes. "I have a cookie for whoever can stay quiet during the entire duration of the drive," The mayor said with a wide smirk, releasing a relieved sigh when the car got so quiet that it was almost as if no one else was in it. Looking up into the rearview mirror, she saw Emma mouth a 'thank you' and Regina nodded in acknowledgement. Needless to say it was so quiet throughout the ride, everyone could hear each other breathing, Emma and Regina basking in the peaceful silence. At least until they pulled into the parking lot of the zoo and Henry, along with Cora, Hook, Neal and Snow simultaneously shouted, "Cookie!"

All of them holding their hand out to the mayor, who promptly scoffed and laughed, "You all lose because the drive isn't over yet." Cora was the first to express her displeasure, not only with words but by turning a passing civilian into a balloon, which she tied to Henry's wrist. "I don't care how pissy you get, mother. The trip doesn't end until Emma turns the car off. Therefore you all lost. Thanks for playing, we'll see you next week on The Quiet Game. Sheriff, tell the folks what they'll be going home with."

Parking the car and turning around, ignoring the glares, she chuckled, "Well Madame Mayor, our lovely players will be going home with wisdom. Next time they'll pay more attention, also they'll have acquired some new knowledge about the animals we're about to visit at the zoo. Let's go." That was all Henry needed to hear before climbing over all the adults and managing to get out of the car first. Just as he was about to run toward the cotton candy stand by the front gate, he felt an additional weight be added to him and when he turned around, he noticed a backpack had been slipped onto him and his mothers were wearing the same smirk.

"What's this?" He asked, admiring the fact that it reminded him of a monkey. "A way for us to ensure you don't go running off," His blonde mother answered, the monkey's tail, which was actually a leash, being held tightly in Regina's grip, thwarting any plans of causing mischief with his grandmother. "Oh let the munchkin have fun! It's not everyday that he gets to visit his relatives on the Charming and Gold side..." Cora retorted, snorting as she headed toward the ticket booth. With a wave of his hand, Rumple had conjured a muzzle on her face, "Right, because we know if he intends to visit your relatives, we'll have to take him to the pound." There were a few snickers, mostly from Snow and Hook, only serving to fuel the old woman's passion to wreak havoc.

"I swear, if you all don't act like a normal family today, I will do things to you that you would never have even dreamed of being tortured with. Gold, take that thing off of mother and mother," Cora narrowed her gaze as she looked at Rumple, "let it go and I'll buy you a souvenir." Judging by the excited clapping, that seemed to be enough to fizzle out whatever revenge she was concocting. Emma paid for the tickets while Charming, Snow and Hook admired the people wearing face paint. "I want to be a lion!" Snow squealed, grabbing her husband's hand before taking off toward the booth.

"Wait for me! I quite admire the turtle look!" Hook shouted, running behind the Charmings. "Can we go off to the aquarium, Rumple?" Belle asked, clutching onto his arm while batting her lashes. Fish weren't on his list of favorites thanks to the sea witch and Aqua-Man, and she knew that but when he rolled his eyes and sighed, she knew her sweetness had helped her once again.

"We'll be with the fishes," he grumbled as his wife gleefully pulled him along in another direction from where the Charmings and Hook went. "That leaves us, then," Cora smirked, glancing down at her grandson and winking. "Not today, Cora. We're here to have a nice family outing, not cause chaos," Neal pipes up, ruffling Henry's hair as his mothers wore smiles of agreement. "Fine, losers. Let's go visit the zoo, even though there aren't any unicorns or actual interesting animals."

Regina and Emma walked beside each other with Henry in front, still on his child leash, and Neal behind them keeping a close eye on Cora, "I swear on all that is evil, if you keep looking at me like you're feeling froggy, I will toss your ass in the lion exhibit and tell everyone you ran in there due to taking drugs." His eyes widened at the threat and after deciding to not take his chances, he eased up with his intense glaring and earned a pat on the back from the old women, her daughter and hopefully future daughter-in-law unsuspecting of what was going on behind them as they discussed the various animals they passed on the way to where the lions were.