FROSTBITE | HENRY MILLS [2]

XV. lost

Chapter Status: Edited.

Regina sits beside her son, looking down at his pale face with her hand tightly gripping his. She knows he will survive, but how he will live if Tahlia were to die, she has no idea.

"Regina, you should go home, it's getting late," Dr Whale says softly.

She looks away from her son's face and stands up slowly, she then turns to face Dr Whale. It is then he sees her bloodshot eyes, her cheeks stained with tears, but there were very few left to see. She does not say anything as she walks past him and leaves the building.

Dr Whale sighs and looks at Henry, "you better wake up kid, I don't know what's going to happen to your mother if you don't."

He looks away and turns off the light, having no idea what is going on inside of Henry's head.

Dancing, howling, screams of joy. Neverland has never been so alive, celebrating the awaited return of their saviour, and her companion. This group of boys do not like Henry that much, considering that he is the reason that Tahlia had left last time. But if Tahlia likes him, then they are not going to complain.

"Do they do this every night?" Henry questions curiously.

"You've been here before, more than twice, you should know," Tahlia replies, her eyes not leaving the boys in front of her.

"Tahlia!" Fletcher shouts as he runs over to her.

Tahlia smiles at the very sight of her favourite lost boy.

"Come play the drums with us," he begs.

She looks at Henry, and he smiles lightly, telling her she can go. She smiles back, not noticing the sadness on his face as she stands up and follows Fletcher.

"She really likes it here, you know?" Jamie says, sitting down where Tahlia had previously been seated.

"You don't need to remind me," he mumbles grumpily.

"We're not trying to take her away from you, but you know if she does decide to stay."

Jamie does not need to finish for Henry to know what he is thinking.

"Why would she want to stay? Her whole life is back in Storybrooke, her friends, her family," he reminds him, yet the confliction upon his face is evident.

Jamie sighs, "I'm not saying she's going to stay, but Neverland has been her home longer than Storybrooke has. The lost boys are her family, and she's been thinking about coming back," Jamie explains softly.

"That's if she wakes up," Henry hisses.

Jamie looks at him with pity, "you don't have much faith in her, you were once the boy with the heart of the truest believer," Jamie frowns.

"Of course I have faith in her, I just don't know if she's going to make it this time. And if she dies and I live I..." he looks away. "I don't know what I'll do without her."

"You love her, I get it, but Tahlia always survives, good always wins, remember that."

And with those words, Jamie stands and walks away.

"Henry!" Tahlia hugs him from behind and he instantly smiles, "come join us!"

Henry stands and follows her over to the drums, Fletcher, Kane, and a few of the younger boys stand and sit around three large drums. Tahlia sits behind the drum in the middle and Henry sits behind the one to her right. Tahlia grabs two of the sticks and begins to drum to the beat of the others that sit on the other side of the fire.