Chapter 12: Operation Holmes
Henry loved spies.
Ever since he was a little boy, he wanted to be a secret agent. He had Regina buy him walky talkies, a tuxedo, and other crap that he thought would make him a super spy one year for Christmas.
Operation Cobra probably started in part because of his James Bond fascination.
When Emma moved to town he couldn't be happier. She was a cop. She knew how to do operations. It made Henry feel a bit like Robin to her Batman—or Batgirl he guessed.
Though, Henry didn't wear tights.
And Emma didn't have a Batmobile.
But he enjoyed the fact that his birthmother fed into his spy fantasy for a bit. His mother, Regina, never did (save for the Christmas presents).
It wasn't that Regina discouraged his obsession with all things spy, but it wasn't like she encouraged it either. Or when she did play along, well, she just wasn't Emma.
That didn't mean that Emma made the better mother. He still considered for all intents and purposes that Regina was his mom. Yes, he knew she had done some awful things and that he by all intents and purposes her mom card should be revoke, but she had been the only mother he had for the past eleven years.
He really couldn't tell this to anyone though. Not even Emma, who probably would understand. She'd get too upset though. And Grandpa and Grandma Charming, well, they thought Regina was the devil.
Which while probably true, she was still his mother.
Henry sighed as he took out a notebook from his bag. It probably wasn't the best idea to take notes—real spies didn't do that—but this was Storybrooke. And besides, this was Operation Holmes and Sherlock Holmes took notes.
Well, one of the versions of him on TV did. Or maybe that was Watson.
Would Henry be more of a Sherlock or a Watson?
He'd use Watson for now, since he was the one taking notes. Besides, Emma was trained as a detective.
But back to the notes:
Operation Holmes: by Henry Mills (aka, code name Watson)
Target: Just Harry. Agent Holmes says he's a mysterious stranger in Storybrooke. According to Holmes, Just Harry is short, has curly hair, and looks like someone we know in town—not that observant, but she has a lot on her mind. Also, has noticeable limp. Was found walking near all those Victorian mansions—a.k.a. where people who didn't piss Mom (that much) live.
Goal: Find out who Just Harry is, so that Agent Holmes will stop compulsively eating all the Break and Bake cookies. Note, Holmes's ridiculous attempts at using Google and Wikipedia have been eliminated from the record since Watson does not wish to embarrass her.
Status: Unresolved.
Case Status Updates:
1) Watson and Homes went to the library. The librarian, Belle, seemed not that receptive in Watson's interest in The Hounds of Baskerville. It probably didn't help that Watson thought there were explosions in said novel and was told otherwise. Holmes, meanwhile, didn't find a single thing in past records of The Storybrooke Mirror.
2) Holmes asked Hook about having a kid. Hook was asking her out and stared at her butt. This did not go out well. Though, personally, Watson thinks that maybe Homes should give Hook a chance if purely for shallow reasons. He might be creepy, but the eyeliner is sort of hot and so are the leather pants. Then again, he is a villain.
3) Holmes and Watson are discussing whether to allow the town's villains (Watson's mother and Mr. Gold) in on this operation. They know everything, but is allowing them in really a good thing? Will they even help?
Strategies:
1) See if anyone's acting suspicious.
2) Look up who has a house in the fancy snotty neighborhood.
3)See if Just Harry pops up.
4) Ask him.
5) Order another cookie.
His list wasn't that great. It showed him just how pathetic his investigation with Emma was going, but it did help him get his priorities straight. Like, getting another cookie.
"You're going to ruin your dinner."
Henry inwardly groaned when he turned around to see his mother. Regina looked…weird.
Relaxed almost.
He hadn't seen her wear jeans since before he brought Emma to town.
He took a big bite of the cookie just to get a reaction.
Regina laughed. "The Charmings are going to love that."
"Hello, to you too, Mom."
Regina smiled. "Mind if I have a seat for a minute?"
He shrugged. He really didn't know if he wanted her to sit there or not. A part of him wanted her there. She was his mother after all and he missed her, but she was the Evil Queen.
Regina sighed. "How's everything going?"
"You haven't called." Henry said.
She hadn't. Not in the past three days. It was weird. Usually she called everyday.
Regina sighed. "Mayor stuff. You wouldn't believe how many problems a couple of drunk dwarves can cause."
Henry rolled his eyes. She had to be lying.
"I'm not lying." Regina said.
"I didn't say anything."
"You're rolling your eyes."
Henry sighed. "There's always been drunk dwarves in Storybrooke."
"True," Regina said. "So, what's with the notebook?"
"It's just a journal." Henry said. No reason to get his mom involved in Operation Holmes.
"A journal?" Regina asked.
Henry nodded. "It helps, you know. Writing down things."
"I thought things were getting better."
He sighed. In truth they were better. Now that the curse was broken, Henry felt like he could finally deal with the issue at hand—it helped that no one argued with him that they've been cursed and that he was just a crazy little kid when he said his mother was evil. That would probably hurt Regina's feelings though. So, Henry just shrugged and said. "It's different."
Regina nodded. "Very different. I miss you Henry."
She sounded like she meant it too. Truth be known, Henry kind of missed her too. While he was mad at her—she had cursed his grandparents and an entire town of people—he did miss coming home to one of her famous dinners. Regina knew how to cook, even if it did seem to always involve apples.
Regina could make cookies, Henry thought, with a grimace on his face as he thought about Emma's less than stellar cookies.
"What's wrong?" Regina said catching the not so happy look on his face.
"Nothing's wrong," Henry said.
"Really, Henry." Regina said. "I'm your mother. I know when you're upset."
He sighed. "I'm not upset, Mom."
She looked as if she was about to say something when Granny came over. Henry wondered to himself what the woman's real name was. Surely, she had to have a name besides Granny.
"Here's your cider." The woman barked at Regina
Regina nodded her head and muttered thanks.
"Meeting someone?" Henry asked.
"Just Sidney." Regina replied. "We're doing a new awareness campaign for Storybrooke."
Henry raised an eyebrow. "Over what? How to survive being cursed."
"I have to go," Regina said. "Don't spoil your dinner."
Henry just nodded taking a bite out of his cookie.
There was something odd about the whole visit. He couldn't place it though. And was still thinking about it when Emma came into the restaurant—well, when she got done dealing with the latest dwarf crisis when she came into the restaurant.
Emma shook her head when she saw the cookie. "I could kill for one of those."
No mention of dinner at all.
Henry smiled. "You'll have to order your own."
She shook her head. "No time. Mary Margret and David want us home for dinner in about thirty minutes. Hey, you probably shouldn't be eating that cookie now that I think about it."
Henry shook his head.
"Oh, yeah." Emma said remembering she ruined dessert for the week. "There's ice cream though."
"I'll have some later."
Emma shrugged. "I think I should be saying something about you having too much sugar."
"But you're not." Henry said.
"No." Emma said. "Because you're clearly upset about something else."
Henry sighed. "Mom…Regina was here."
Emma groaned. "How did she torment you this time?"
"She didn't torment me. She was just weird." Henry said, "She was eating dinner with Sidney."
"The reporter?" Emma said. "I thought he went to that place where unnecessary characters hide for a season and a half."
Henry rolled his eyes. "You meant left town."
"Yeah," Emma said. "I thought he left. Though, I guess that was sort of stupid since you can't leave Storybrooke. Well, not like a normal person."
Henry sighed. "Well, apparently they're doing some big mayoral project together. What if she's dating him, Emma? I'm sorry, but gross."
He had images of Regina and Sidney kissing in his head. Sidney trying to act like the dutiful stepdad. It wasn't exactly what Henry wanted to think about. Because Sidney was creepy, it sort of went with the former genie turned magic mirror territory.
Emma shook her head. "Sidney doesn't seem like Regina's type. I think you're fine, Henry."
"Something wasn't right with her." Henry said. "She seemed not so grumpy."
"Well, that is a miracle." Emma said.
"Now what's with the notebook?"
"It's for Operation Holmes." He said. Something then hit him. "Mom ordered cider!"
"What?" Emma sounded completely clueless. Maybe he should've labeled her as Agent Watson.
"Cider!" Henry said, "Just Harry was trying to order cider, remember? What if Mom's meeting Just Harry?"
"Henry." Emma said clearly thinking he was over reacting.
"Emma, it makes sense!" Henry said clearly excited. "If we follow Mom, I bet we'll find Just Harry."
Emma didn't look like she bought it. "It's quite a stretch. I still think if I Google the right thing—"
Henry shook his head. Google wasn't going to help. No matter what combination Emma typed in, she wasn't going to find that kid. He was sure there was some connection with Regina. And he was going to prove to her that she was right.
"I got to go." Henry said.
"Go?" Emma said. "I thought that we were going to go home. David said he was making ribs. I like ribs."
"It won't be long," Henry said. "I have to check out something."
Emma shook her head. "Can't it wait?"
"I just have to grab a book I left at the library. You can wait here."
"Are you sure?" Emma asked.
"Yeah," Henry said. "Get yourself a cookie?"
That worked. Emma liked cookies just about as much as he did.
He only now felt slightly bad about lying.
Henry sighed as he walked towards City Hall. All he was going to do was take a sneak peak in his mother's office. If she was telling the truth she was going to be there. Not a big deal. If she wasn't…well, then he was right.
But what would she want with Just Harry?
"Excuse me," Henry turned around startled as he looked to see an older looking woman smiling at him.
Okay, she wasn't that old. But she was definitely older than both of his moms. She wore her dark hair a little past her shoulders and was dressed in a dark pantsuit that resembled one of Regina's. The one thing that stood out about her were her shoes, bright red and pointy they matched the same shade of lipstick she used.
"Do you need any help?" Henry asked.
"Actually, I do." She said. "I wanted to meet my grandson."
"Grandson?" Henry said. "You mean Just Harry?"
"Just Harry? Is that a name?" The woman asked.
"Um, that's what we call him." Henry said. "I'm sure he has an actual name, but—"
The woman smiled as if whatever he said was cute. It wasn't. He was just babbling. "It's okay, Henry."
"You know my name?" He asked.
"Of course, I know the name of my own grandson." The woman said before giving him a big smile.
Grandma?
Operation Holmes was quickly forgotten.