Operation Flight

Henry was beginning to loose track of time in the Underworld. It was bad enough that it looked like a dreary version of Storybrooke but being surrounded by everyone who could not move on made his heart ache. He hoped Emma would find Hook soon. The bright side was that they had helped people like Herc and even Cora move on but they still had to worry about Hades. He loved their adventures but things had gotten out of hand recently. First, Emma contracted the Dark One's powers and to get rid of them had to kill Hook. He just had to come back with them. Henry wanted his mother to be happy. She had already lost hid father and she could not loose him to. He had grown to like Hook himself even if things were a little weird right now.Henry had decided he needed to step away just to think. Emma had to give him permission to walk the streets of Under-Storybrook so long as he stay away from the river and not wander too far, however far this went, and look around. Henry dragged his feet on the sidewalk and watched people go by. Everyone looked scared or angry, two people in hoods looked down and shuffled away. Several people made eye contact but no one stopped to talk to him. Henry promised himself he'd help someone move on, but who. Something strange happened then, within seconds a small crowd shoved him into the street, had a pair of hands not dragged him out he would have been hit by the oncoming car. "Thank you." Henry said. "Are you alright?" The voice came from his rescuer. He looked young, about fifteen but very tall and handsome. He had dark hair, dark eyes, and tan skin. "Let's get out of the way. You would think the cars would be nice enough to stop. I haven't seen you here before. Wait you have a pulse. You're alive! How are you here?" The boy quickly led himself and Henry to a less busy part of the sidewalk. "My name is Icarus." He extended his hand and Henry shook it. "My name is Henry." "Nice to meet you." They both said.

After they made their way to the dock to speak staying away from the water. Henry explained everything. When he was finished Icarus told his story. His father, Daedelus, was a proud inventor who was banished to a place called Crete after failing to save his nephew from falling out of a tower. He made a life there, married a woman who later had Icarus. Crete had a problem though. A Minotaur was on the hunt. King Minos ordered Daedelus to build a labyrinth to keep the beast contained. King Minos, however would take children like Icarus to the labriyth where they met their doom with the Minotaur. Finally, a hero named Theseus slayed the beast and freed the children inside. Daedelus knew he and Icarus had to leave. Daedelus decided the way to leave was to fly. He made wings out of wax and feathers from birds who perched on the windows of his study. When the wings were done he ordered Icarus not to fly too high or too low. In flight, Icarus had too much fun and flew high until his father looked like a dot. Daedelus called but Icarus flew too high towards the sun. The wax wings melted and Icarus fell to his death by drowning in the ocean. "Oh my." Henry said. Icarus sighed in his chair. "Why didn't I listen?" Henry looked at his sad face and spoke up. "I will help you move on. I promise."

"Henry, are you sure he's telling the truth?" Regina paced around the room. He figured out you were alive. We have to be careful. He could be in business with Hades for all we know." "I've considered that." Henry said offering Regina a seat. She sat down. "He still is just a boy who needs our help. He wants to move on just like everyone else. He needs us. Mom, think about Daniel." Regina knew he was right. At that moment Snow White and Icarus came out from the back smiling. "This place is huge and so nice. Thank you for the tour." Icarus said grazing his hand on the counter top. "You're welcome." Snow said putting a gentle hand on his shoulder. "We need to help him." Henry said. The next minute a noise blared from the kitchen as Icarus turned on the blender. Henry ran over and shut it off. "Sorry about that." Icarus apologized taking a seat at the kitchen table. "It's quite alright." Snow said joining them while Henry followed. Icarus looked up at Henry and smiled. "Thank you for helping me. I have almost forgotten what it's like to have friends. The people here are pretty dead." Everyone laughed. "Excuse me a moment." Henry said and went in the back to the Charming's room. He picked up his book and focused before opening it to the right pages. There in plain sight, was the Icarus's story word for word as he had told Henry. Everything from the labyrinth to his broken wing floating in the water appeared on the pages. It was clear then that Icarus was telling the truth.

The three found Emma, David, and Rumpelstiltskin and told them everything. "And now we need to find his unfinished business and help him move on." Henry said. "He has been here to long. We agreed we would help people and we need to help him go to a better place. He deserves it." Emma spoke up. "Well then it's settled. We help this kid out of this dead town...literally." "Thank you." Icarus said with a smile. "Where is your mother?" David asked. "You didn't mention her." Icarus lowered his head at the question. "I don't know. She kind of went missing after my fourth or fifth birthday. She didn't fly away with us. Crete was her home. She made a life there long before my father and myself. I don't blame her for wanting to stay. I don't even remember her name. My father always said I looked just like her." "We won't give up." Henry chimed in. "We are getting you out of here today. Operation Flight is now in pursuit." Regina pressed Rumple for help. "Unfortunately like I said before I cannot help since I have no powers. I can only provide assistance. No. I know nothing about the boy's mother but we all remember who to ask."

The group brought Icarus to Granny's where the blind witch was on her lunch break enjoying pancakes and hash browns. They still kept their guard up around her. Even though she was dead she still desired the taste of children. Icarus inhaled the delicious scents of the diner. The blind witch looked toward his direction. "I know that smell anywhere. Hello Charmingsss." She hissed. "Hello yourself witch." Regina shot back. The witch gently moved her head and clouded white eyes in the direction of Icarus. "I've never smelled this child before. Is he new? Here for the first time?" "Don't even think about it!" Henry snapped which caused the witch to shutter and sigh for a brief minute. "You heard the boy. Back off!" Rumple spoke up surprising everyone. The witch complied. She was aware Henry was the author and did not know where she would pass on so she made do with everything. "Very well." Regina spoke. "We need to find a woman. Did anyone come here who left a son behind?" The blind witch finished her food and picked up the dishes to return to the kitchen. She then gracefully stepped out from behind the counter towards Icarus. David intercepted. "Relax." The witch said after realizing the path was now blocked. "I need to smell him if you want me to find his mother. I sense a broken heart. Worry, pain, he left his father behind all alone. You want me to reunite him with someone he loves." Icarus motioned for David to move so he did reluctantly. "Go ahead." The witch smiled and grabbed Icarus by his shoulders and ran her hands down his arms. "Strong." She smiled. She then sniffed his neck and chest. "Wax, feathers, water. You tried to fly with your own handmade wings. The sun melted the wax and you fell into the sea and drowned. You woke up here confused but you've accepted your fate. Icarus shuttered at her touch. "I smell another woman with your scent. Same blood. Same dark eyes and dark hair. A match. She is in the cemetery." The witch stepped back. "You're welcome." She said.

The group headed to the cemetary. Many stones were turned to the side while others were crumpled on the ground. The turned stones meant passed on while the crumpled stones meant a place worse than that. Rumple said people begged for death in the Underworld despite already being dead so there was no knowing what lay beyond this when people finally passed on. Henry checked every grave they passed looking for Icarus's name. They didn't need the witch to tell them where the woman would be. They knew who's tomb she's be visiting. Davis pulled Snow aside knowing something was going on with her. "Are you alright?" He asked taking her gently by the hand. "WE have been through so much in such a short time it's scary. We came to find Hook and now look at everyone here. I just feel the need to save everyone." David spoke. "We were heroes before we fell in love and you more than anyone strive to be one everyday. You rubbed off on everyone you've ever met. Henry feels the same way. He found Icarus and knew we had to help him. We'll resude everyone and get back home to Neil." They shared a passionate kiss before continuing on their way. After a while they reached the top of a small hill. They looked down and a woman had her back to them facing a standing stone marked 'Icarus' looking sad. "Go on." Henry motioned to Icarus. They embraced. "Thank you Henry." He rushed towards the hill where the woman stood and inched closer. "Mother?" The woman turned around and looked up in the direction of the voice. "Icarus! My beloved, darling son!" She screamed and ran up and hugged him.

The Charmings led Icarus and his mother, Naucrate, to the same bridge where it would be decided where they pass on. "Thank you all for reuniting us. Naucrate said. "Thank you Henry for finding me." "You're welcome." After one last embrace Icarus and Naucrate joined hands. They stood on the edge and waited. A shimmer of light shone on them while a bridge emerged in front of them. Hand in hand they crossed the bridge smiling. "Goodness."

THE END