While most of the kids ran chaotically around the hospital, Henry and I watched Charming. His name was John Doe, he was in a coma.

        "McKinley, Henry. We could really use your help with decorations," Ms. Blanchard calls.

        "Is Mr. Doe going to be okay, Ms. Blanchard?" Henry asks.

        "His name's not John Doe, honey. That's just what they call people when they don't know who they are."

        "But he's a boy," I argue.

        "What?"

        "A doe is a girl deer, right? Why would a boy be a doe?"

        She hummed in thought. "I don't know." It took her a moment of pondering to answer.

        "Okay, then what would you call a girl?"

        "Jane Doe."

        I threw my arms up in exasperation. "Well, that just doesn't make any sense!" I exclaim.

        Henry pat my back as a calming gesture. "Do you know who he is?"

        "Nope. Just bring him flowers on my rounds."

        "What's wrong with him?" Henry continued. I would've helped but I was still getting over the fact that a boy could be a female deer.

        "I don't know. He's been like this as long as I've been volunteering."

        "Does he have any family or friends?"

        "No one's claimed him."

        "So, he's all alone."

        "Yeah, it's quite sad."

        "You sure you don't know him?" Henry asks suspiciously.

        She chuckles at his tone. "Course, I'm sure. Come on. You shouldn't be in here."

~

        After school, Henry and I met Emma at the castle.

        "We found your father - Prince Charming," Henry told her.

        "Henry. . . "

        "He's in the hospital, in a coma. See he scar? He has one too," I say, pointing to the picture of Prince Charming in the book.

        "So? Lots of people have scars."

        "In the same place? Don't you see what this means? The Curse is keeping them apart with the coma. Now, they're stuck without each other. We have to tell Ms. Blanchard we found her Prince Charming," Henry argues.

        "Okay, Kid. Telling someone their soulmate is in a coma is probably not helpful. Not having a happy ending is painful enough, but giving someone unrealistic hope is far worse."      

        "But what if I'm right? We know who they are. Now they have to know."

        "I have to agree with Emma this time, Henry. People don't believe us anyway. Ms. Blanchard isn't going to try to wake up a coma patient on the theory of a couple of ten-year-olds. Besides, how would we wake him up in the first place?"

        "By reminding him. We have to get her to read their story to John Doe. Then, maybe, he'll remember who he is."

        "Okay," Emma agrees.

        "Okay?" Henry questions, not believing her faith in his idea.

        "Yeah, we'll do it. But we'll do it my way. Let me ask her."

~

        The next day, we met Emma at Granny's diner. We waited for Ms. Blanchard to come in and tell us how her story telling went.

        "Thanks for the shirt. Hey, is this your mother's?" Emma asked Henry.

        "She'll never notice," Henry assured her.

        "Where does she think you are, anyway?"

        "Playing Whac-A-Mole."

        "She believes that?"

        "She wants to believe it so she does."

        "And Graham?"

        "He thinks I set up a study session with Ms. Blanchard to ace a test. I'm still grounded, so it had to be school related or I wouldn't have been able to leave the house."       

        "Aren't we supposed to be the heroes? Why is the pirate lying?"

        "It's not technically lying. I can talk to Ms. Blanchard about the test later. It may be a brief, but I will get around to it."

        She chuckles at my reasoning as the door bell jingles. MS. Blanchard comes in and looks for us.

        "She's here," Henry mumbles excitedly.

        "Hey, don't get your hopes up. We're just getting started, okay?" We nod in understanding as Ms. Blanchard sits down. You could tell she could barely contain her excitement.

        "He woke up," she told us. Our jaws all dropped and Henry smiled brightly.

        "What?" Emma asked shocked.

        "I knew it," Henry bragged.

        "I mean, he didn't 'wake up' wake up, but he grabbed my hand," she explained.

        "He's remembering!" Henry exclaimed.

        "What did the doctor say?" Emma inquired.

        "That I imagined it, but I'm not crazy. I know it happened."       

        "Believe me, we know the feeling," I assure her.        

        "We have to go back. You have to read to him again," Henry declared.

        "Let's go," Ms. Blanchard agreed. We all got up to go back to the hospital.

        "Wait, wait, what?" Emma stopped Mary Margaret.

        "Henry, we could actually convince her. This is our chance to finally make her truly understand. Now, she'll believe us!" I whispered anxiously.

        "I know!"

        "Come on, slow pokes! Prince Charming won't wait forever!" I yell, earning me dirty looks from the people in the diner. "Or maybe he will. . . I don't know that much about comas," I admit, causing the two adults to chuckle as they lead us out.

~

        When we get to the hospital, Dad and Regina are already there and John Doe's bed is empty.

        "You're right - he's waking up," Henry says.

        "McKinley, you should stay back. You too, Henry," Graham advised.

        "What's going on? Is it John Doe? Is he okay?" Ms. Blanchard questioned.

        "He's missing," Dad informed us. We notice Regina in John Doe's room. She sees us and approaches with obvious anger.

        "What the hell are you doing here?" Regina demands. "And you - I thought you were at the arcade. Now you're lying to me?" She asks Henry.

        "I thought you were studying," Graham scolds.

        Before I could stop myself, a lie spilled from my lips. "All done. Ms. Blanchard said I could take the test Monday. She even said she'd give me some practice sheets."

        "What happened to John Doe? Did someone take him?"

        "We don't know yet. His IVs were ripped out but there's no sign for sure there was a struggle," Dad fills us in, which I could guarantee Regina wasn't okay with.

        "What did you do?" Henry asks Regina accusingly.

        "You think I had something to do with this?" Regina questions in surprise.

        "It is curious that the mayor is here," Emma agrees.

        "I'm here because I'm his emergency contact."

        "You know him?" Ms. Blanchard inquires.

        "I found him. On the side of the road years ago with no ID. I brought him here."

        "Mayor Mills saved his life," Dr. Whale concludes.

        "Will he be okay?" Ms. Blanchard asks worriedly.

        "'Okay'? The man's been on feeding tubes for years on constant super vision. He needs to get back here right away or, quite honestly, 'okay' might be a pipe dream," Dr. Whale informs us.

        "Well then, let's quit yapping and start looking," Emma suggests.

        "That's what we're doing. Just stay out of this, dear. And since I clearly can't keep you away from my son, I guess I'm going to have to keep my son away from you. Enjoy my shirt, because that's all you're getting. Sheriff, find John Doe. You heard Dr. Whale. Time is precious." Regina takes Henry and leaves.

        "Doctor, how long between your rounds since you last saw him?" Graham questions.

        "Twelve hours or so," Dr. Whale answers.

        "Then that's what we need to account for," Dad decides.

        "I agree. I've seen a few crime shows and I know we should check the security cameras," I add. They all look at me funny. "What? You're telling me the hospital doesn't have security cameras?"

        "You're not helping with the case," Dad denies.        

        "Why not? I grew up with a cop, specifically a sheriff. I know exactly what to do."

        "You're what - ten? You're a kid," Dr. Whale scoffs.

        "Yeah, and this ten year old is the perfect height for kicking you in the nads!" I warn with a scowl.

        "McKinley!" Graham exclaims, scolding me.

        "What?" I ask, genuinely curious about why he was frustrated.

~

        We made our way to the security room, where Walter and Leroy were already waiting for us.

        "What's the kid doing here?" Leroy asked with his usual scowl.

        "Would you like to try fighting with her? She's scary, mate."

        I smiled innocently at Walter and Leroy. "I want to help solve the mystery. Like Scooby Doo!" I declared happily.

        "You're really gonna let an innocent little girl like her help with this case?" Walter questioned.

        Graham sighed. "Why don't you tell them who you really want to pretend to be?"

        "Special Agent Gibbs from NCIS," I confessed.

        "Don't let her fool you. She is not innocent. Her favorite superhero is Deadpool, she can quote the whole movie," Graham assured them.

        Walter shrugged and pulled up the footage. It was boring to say the least.

        "You two were the only employees on the floor last night. And you saw nothing," Graham stated questioningly.

        "Not a thing," Walter replied.

        "Did anyone walk by?" Emma continued.

        "I didn't see nothin'," Leroy told us.

        "Miss Blanchard, was there anything unusual you saw during your trip with your class?" Graham asked for the millionth time.

        "I don't think so," she answered yet again.

        "We're looking at the wrong tape. This is the ward where Henry's class put up decorations. If this was really the tape from last night, we'd see the banners the kids hung," Emma pointed out.

        Leroy scoffed. "You fell asleep again," he told Walter.

        "You selling me out?"

        "I ain't getting fired for this."

        "At least I don't drink on the job."

        "Gentlemen, enough. Where's the real tape?" Dad intervened and they changed the tape. The skipped forward until they saw movement. John Doe just got up and walked out the door.

        "He walked out alone. He's okay," Ms. Blanchard sighed in relief.

        "Four hours ago. Where does this door lead?" Emma asked.

        "The woods," Leroy stated grimly.

~

        We followed Dad through the woods searching for John Doe. Graham is an excellent tracker. It was getting fairly chilly out and I became appreciative of Graham forcing me to dress warm on a daily basis. I adjusted my mint green beanie to cover my ears and kept my hands in pockets as often as I could. On the hills I held onto trees to steady myself, barely noticing the small fuzz that was pulled from my glove and stuck to the trees.

        We came to a steep decline and Dad turned around and picked me up. I was old enough to walk myself and didn't need to be carried but Dad paid no mind. He adjusted my scarf so it covered more of my face. He looked at me lovingly as he pulled stray leaves out of my hair. He held me on his hip with one arm and held onto trees to slow down the descent. I looped my arms around his neck and tried to wrap my legs around him, so he didn't have to work so hard to carry me. Once we reached a flatter surface, he set me back down on the ground.

        I understand that I am old enough to do these things myself now because I'm not a baby anymore but it's still comforting. I enjoy those moments when he treats me like a little girl. It makes him feel better about how old I am too. He knows that as kids get older they start to drift away from their parents, become more independent, which I am. But I also know that I only have one parent. There's only Dad. I know that I won't always have his help but I want to keep it for as long as I can. I don't want him to be taken away like Killian. I want to know that i cherished what we had if he does. Whether I find Killian or not, Graham will always be my Dad. He's treated me better than Killian ever did.

        Emma's voice pulled me from my thoughts. "What is it?" She asked as Dad came to a stop.

        "The trail runs out here."

        "You sure? I thought tracking was one of your skills," she stated surprised.

        "It is. he was a huntsman in the Enchanted Forest," I reminded her.

        He ignored me. "Just give me a second. This is my world. I got it."

        "Right, sorry."

        "What does he mean, 'his world'? Isn't finding people your thing, too?" Mary Margaret asked.

        "Sure. Just, people I find usually run places like Vegas. Not a lot hit the woods."

        "That's an interesting job - finding people. How'd you fall into it?"

        "Looking for people is just what I've done. As long as I can remember."

        "What made you start? Your parents? Henry told me that your. . . Th-that you were from a similar situation to his own. Did you ever find them?" Mary Margaret stumbled on her words, trying not to upset Emma.

        "Depends on who you ask." We hear a crack behind us and turn to see Henry running down the hill.

        "Henry!" Ms. Blanchard gaped.

        "Henry!" I exclaimed with much more enthusiasm, obviously excited to see my best friend.

        "Hey, Mick," he replied tiredly.

        "Boy, do I feel loved," I remarked about his lack of excitement. He smiled back.

        "Did you guys find him yet?"

        "No, not yet," I answered.

        "You shouldn't be here," Emma warned him.

        "I can help," Henry adds. "I know where he's going."

        "And where's that?' Ms. Blanchard inquired.

        "He's looking for you. You're the one who woke him up. You're the one he last saw. He wants to find you!"

        "Henry, it;s not about me. I just . . . I think he's lost and confused. He's been in a coma a long time."

        "But he loves you! you need to stop chasing him, and let him find you."

        "Henry, as much as I agree with you, I also agree with Ms. Blanchard. He did just wake up from a coma, in a place he's completely clueless about. He's not going to be able to find her on his own," I reasoned. But Emma had different plans.

        "Kid. You need to go home. Where's your mom? She's going to kill me and then you. . . and then kill me again."

        "Oh, me too. She doesn't like me very much. She thinks I'm a bad influence. She called me 'Spawn of Satan' once. As well as that describes me, I don't think she was kidding." My anecdote forced a small smile to appear on Henry's face.

        "She dropped me at the house. Then went right out."

        "Well, we need to get you back immediately," Emma argued.

        "No!" Henry refused.

        "Guys!" Dad called, interrupting their argument.

        "Hold that thought. You may continue your bickering after we're done. Dad's about to crack this case wide open!" I exclaimed gleefully. When Dad didn't react to my energetic joke with even the slightest smile, I knew something was wrong. Then, I noticed what he was looking at - John Doe's bloody hospital bracelet.

        "Is that?"

        "Blood," Emma confirmed for Ms. Blanchard.

        "Awesome! This is like a real episode of NCIS!" I exclaim excitedly. They all looked at me shocked, except for Henry. His eyes were widened, eyebrows raised, and his lips were closed tight, trying to hide his smile. "I mean. . . poor guy. . . Hope he's not too badly hurt. . . " I corrected awkwardly.

        We finally came to the Toll Bridge, the last place Ms. Blanchard read about.

        "Where is he? Can you see him?" Ms. Blanchard questioned worriedly.

        "The trail dies at the water line," Dad notified her. Even though it's very dark, we managed to see John Doe lying in the water.

        "Oh my God!" Ms. Blanchard cried repeatedly.

        Dad pulled out his walkie. "I need an ambulance. At the old toll bridge, as soon as possible."

        Henry and I stay back as Emma, Ms. Blanchard, and my dad drag John Doe to the shore.

        "No, no, no. . . " Ms. Blanchard pleaded. "I found you."

        "It's going to be okay," Emma assured her.

        "Help's coming," Dad added.

        "Is he okay?" Henry asked.

        "Henry. . . " Emma warned.

        "Is he going to be okay?" Henry pressed.

        "Henry, don't look. Okay? Don't look."

        "It's okay, Henry," I soothed and turned him away from the scene.

        "Come back to us. Come back to me," Ms. Blanchard begged as she began CPR. To help Henry, I faced away from them as well. We heard a cough and turned back to see John Doe coughing up water.

        "You saved me."

        "She did it," Henry mumbled, then realized what happened. "She did it! She woke him up!" He exclaimed, grabbing my shoulders and pulling me in for a hug.

        "Yeah, Kid. She did," Emma admitted.

        "Thank you," John Doe sighed.

        "Who are you?" Mary Margaret questioned.

        "I don't know. . . " John Doe replied.

        "It's okay. You're going to be okay."

~

        John Doe is brought back to the hospital and we joined him to make sure he's okay.

        "Watch your back. Coming through!" A nurse warned as she passed by.

        "We got it from here," Doctor Whale assured us. We watched him from behind the glass as Dr. Whale and the nurses worked on him. Suddenly, a skinny, blonde woman bursted in and dashed straight toward John Doe's room, sitting by his side.

        "David! David, is that you?"

        "Excuse me, ma'am?" Dr. Whale interrupted.

        She ignored him and continued fretting over John Doe. "Oh my God."

        "Ma'am, you can't be in here. Please, you can't be here right now," Dr. Whale urged.

        "David. . . "

        "You can't be in here, ma'am. Can you wait here for a second, okay?" he continued.

        "Who is that?" Mary Margaret asked.

        We didn't notice Regine until she spoke. "His wife. His name is David Nolan. And that's his wife, Kathryn. And the joy on her face, well, it's put me in quite the forgiving mood." She looked at Henry. "We'll talk about your insubordination later. Do you know what insubordination means? It means you're grounded."

        Kathryn left David alone for a minute to thank Mary Margaret. "Thank you. Thank you for finding my David."

        "Um, I-I don't understand. You didn't. . . You didn't know that he was here in a coma?"

        "A few years ago, David and I were not getting along. It was my fault, I know that now. I was difficult and unsupportive. I told him, if he didn't like things, he could leave. And he did. And I didn't stop him. It was the worst mistake I ever made."

        "You didn't go look for him?" Emma asked shocked.

        "I assumed he'd left town all this time. And now I know why I never heard from him. Now I get to do what I've wanted to do forever - say I'm sorry. Now we get a second chance."

        "That's wonderful," Mary Margaret sighed, obviously lying. Whether Kathryn noticed or not, she never got to say because Doctor Whale came in.

        "Well, it's something of a miracle," Dr. Whale said

        "He's okay?" Kathryn inquired.

        "Ah, physically, he's on the mend. Um, his memory is another issue. It may take time, of at all."

        "What brought him back?" Mary Margaret asked, eager to know if she truly contributed to his awakening.

        "That's the thing. There's no explanation. Something just clicked in him."

        "He just got up and decided to go for a stroll?" Emma asked in disbelief.

        "He woke up and was delirious and his first instinct was to go find something, I guess."

        "Someone," Henry corrected.

        "Can I see him?" Kathryn asked hopefully.

        "Yeah, of course," Doctor Whale answered. She immediately retreated back to David's room.

        "Henry, let's go," Regina ordered.

        "Wait, my backpack." He grabbed it then whispered to Mary Margaret. "Don't believe them. You're the one he was looking for."        

        "Henry. . . " She began.

        "He was going to the Troll Bridge. It's like the end of the story."

        "Henry, he was going there because it's the last thing I read to him."

        "No, it's because you belong together."

        "Henry," Regina pressed.

        "Regina?" Dad called out. "Could McKinley stay with you and Henry tonight? I'm gonna take my time to make sure everything's in order. I don't want her to be up all night waiting for me."

        She sighed hesitantly before nodding and holding out her hand for me to take. I accepted her hand and we leave the hospital. Emma managed to catch us before we get into the car.

        "Madame Mayor!" She called.

        "Wait by the car," Regina ordered Henry and I. We did as we were told and wait for Regina in the car. We discussed what we would do when we got to his house. We decided to read comic books until Regina caught us and forced us to go to sleep.

        Regina finished her conversation with Emma and joined us in the car. Once we arrived at the house. Henry and I changed into our pajamas. I come over so often because of cases like this that Regina always keeps spare clothes around for me. Henry and I carried out our plan -though Regina never caught us- and read until our eyes grew tired.