Having grown up in a home for orphaned girls in Boston, Emma really hated that day when her phone rang, and the head master of the local elementary told her that her son was a bully and that she needed to go to meet him and the boy to clear things up regarding a particularly bad incident.

Henry had been reported by a PTA parent; apparently, the ten-year-old had not been doing very well with other kids and had even beaten up a couple of other children, but hadn't even taken their lunch money or anything.

This time, the affected party was a little girl. It was her infuriated father that had demanded a meeting with Emma Swan.

She couldn't blame the guy.

Damn you, Neal. Damn you, fuck you and to hell with you. This wouldn't be happening to our son if you were here.

Her thoughts were ablaze as she marched that morning to the school, her large purse dripping with her work uniform and her hair, blonde and curled, haning and bouncing up and down with every frantic footstep she took. She had to call her boss that day and had taken some verbal abuse for asking permission to be late (being a waitress and holding two shifts to sustain, feed and properly cloth and shelter her son was trully a gruelling lifestyle) and that had really not helped her emotional state any.

Henry used to be a sweet kid. But he had been a bit of a handful ever since... well…

If his father hadn't abandoned them a year earlier...

As she paced up the stairs into the school and turned to the left towards the headmaster's, she was met with the fiery glare of her son, sitting grounded on the chairs outside the office. He looked like he would kill anyone who dared speak to him at all.

"We will see whether or not you get to keep your x-box and PSP after I'm done with this, Henry Cassidy…" she hissed. "Because so help me, if all these things they're saying about you are true and you are going around beating the little kids and girls up, then I swear you'll be grounded till kingdom come." She unfurled the pashmina around her neck and shoved it in her back as she slumped her self next to her son.

The boy didn't even look up or even flinch.

Emma turned to him with a heave and a wide eyed glare. "Did you even hear me at all, kid? You are in deep, deep trouble!"

He shrugged. "What-e-verrr."

Emma shook her head.

And then made another mental fuck you note for Neal.

Where the hell was that asshole, anyway?

The principal's door opened and Mr. McIntyre, the headmaster, stepped out with a kind grin. "Mrs. Cassidy?" He grinned with his hand held out.

Emma stood up and smiled as best she could, meeting his handshake. "Actually, Miss Swan. Never married. You must me Mr. McIntyre." She shook her head. "I'm sorry I'm a little bit late, my car broke down weeks ago and I haven't managed to get it repaired."

"That's quite all right, ma'am." He looked at Henry. "Well, Henry, please follow your mom and I into the office, Megan's dad is already here."

Henry looked up and shrugged as he followed the two adults into Mr. McIntyre's office.

Emma and her son sat smack in front of the little girl and her dad. Emma's heart nearly broke when she saw that the child was an adorable girl, her dark hair hanging loose and straight under a single headband.

She then rolled her eyes up to look at her father. He seemed to be staring off into a blank spot between Emma and Henry, but it wasn't the blueness in his eyes that caught her attention, nor was it the fact that he was probably the handsomest man she'd ever seen…. It was the sadness, the complete absence of emotion that seeped from his distant glare into nothing.

She felt like she was sitting in front of a mirror.

She had no idea why.

"Ok, let's just… get this done. Mr. Jones? Care to tell us why you wanted to have this meeting?"

The dark and mysterious looking Mr. Jones finally made eye contact with Emma, licking his lips. "Aye." He sighed. "I am most terribly sorry to inconvenience you, Miss… Swan, was it?" Emma nodded. "Listen, my daughter came home yesterday with a bloody nose, no thanks to your boy. Now, I am not here to cause either you or your son any unnecessary grief, but I would appreciate it if your boy left her alone; we've dealt with enough as it is…"

Dealt with enough?

Emma turned to Henry, who was staring down at his own hands, lips pressed hard together.

"Henry… you didn't…"

The boy shrugged. "I might have… head-butted her to make her shut her big gap…"

Emma gasped.

Megan whimpered and leaned against her dad.

Mr. Jones sighed and wrapped his arm around his little girl.

Mr. McIntyre shook his head and removed his glasses. "Seems we have a pretty serious problem in out hands…" He said, pinching his brow. "We won't abide for this kind of behavior in Storybrooke Grammar. Miss Swan?"

"What the hell! Henry!"

Henry snapped. "Ok, look: She was just… going on and on and on about, 'My daddy this! My daddy that!' Like, who the hell gives a crap about her daddy, anyway!? And when I told her to shut the hell up, she just said that I was just jealous because I don't have a dad! So, I just shut her up! Ok? Happy, all?"

Emma shook her head, more horrified than angry. "This is NOT the child I raised! Seriously, why did you even…?"

"What do YOU care, anyway?!" Henry barked back at his mother. "You're never even home! Is that what you call 'raising'?" He grabbed his school bag and swung it over his back. "No wonder dad left you!"

And he stormed out, the door clashing shut as he exited.

The overwhelming silence in the room was broken only by Emma's soft sobs, as she covered her mouth with a single hand.

And it was at that moment that Killian's gaze changed; he no longer seemed to be glaring past her, but rather, 'at' her.

Mr. McIntyre sighed deep and shook his head. "Miss Swan, I'm afraid that in view of the circumstances, I have no other choice but to expell Henry from the school."

Both Mr. Jones and Emma snapped their heads to Mr. McIntyre.

"No! Please!" Emma stood and approached the desk pleadingly. "I work two shifts, I can't… I don't really have the time to take him to the school in the next town and get back in time for me to get to work!" She fidgeted. "I'll talk to him, he's really a good boy, it's just that… well, we've had to adjust since his father left us both and… Please! I don't want him out in the streets!"

Mr. Jones started looking at Emma with a sympathetic glare.

So was Megan.

"Miss Swan, I understand your predicament." Mr. McIntyre shook his head. "I really do. But the boy is unruly and rude. Our school advisor's off on pregnancy leave, we have our hands full. I know it must be tough… but he's already gotten more than just a heads up regarding his behavior, and honestly, from what I've just seen here…" He shrugged. "I really don't have a choice; If I did, it would be unfair to Mr. Jones who kindly refused to press any charges against you for your son's attack on his little girl." He huffed. "I truly, truly am sorry."

"No, please!" Emma sobbed. "He's just a kid, I…"

"Sorry, Miss Swan. My final word." He shook his head and heaved apologetically before he walked out, leaving a very distraught Emma, one hand on his desk and the other over her mouth, tears running down her face.

Mr. Jones spoke to Megan. "Darling, could you wait outside for a bit? I'll be over in a little while."

Megan nodded and carefully paced out, knowing fully that if Henry was outside, she could expect retaliation… but walking out nonetheless.

He stood and walked to Emma. "Miss Swan?"

Emma sniffed and turned swiftly, not even looking at the man before her. She shook her head and reached for her bag. "It's ok." She sobbed, her nose and eyes red and dripping as she tried hard to focus on finding her son and (oh, dear god, this was going to be a fucking nightmare!) taking him with her to work because he was no longer welcome.

"I didn't know, I… I never meant to…" He stammered apologetically.

"Look, I get it, ok?" Emma snapped at him. "Your kid got thumped in the face, it's fine. I'd probably do the same and want the little asshole kicked out." She shrugged as she pulled out her scarf. "I guess it's just not quite the same when you're on the sticky end of the lollypop."

"Miss Swan…"

"No, just… don't, ok?" She held a hand out. "Just… leave me alone. I'll be fine…. I just hope my son has the same luck."

Mr. Jones exhaled, following Emma with his eyes as she walked out of the office.

She was stumped to find Megan sitting next to Henry. His head was hanging low and she was able to see the tears falling from his eyes to the floor.

"I'm sorry I said that." The little girl was saying to him. "I swear I didn't know about your daddy, Henry." She sighed. "I know what it's like. I lost my mommy too. And I am angry too."

Henry sniffed and didn't even look up, but spoke softly spoke loud enough to be heard by his heartbroken mom. "I'm… so sorry I hit you."

Emma heard a breath behind her left shoulder and found Mr. Jones staring at the same scenario. She studied his face, the same vacant look in his eyes she had seen a few minutes earlier. The words 'Dealt With Enough' suddenly made sense.

Geez… this guy's a recent widower.

It was no wonder she had felt like she was staring at her mirror image. He was also feeling the whiplash of suddenly being alone with a child to raise.

Ha… but she probably had no choice, unlike my dickhead ex…

With a sigh, she went up to her son. "Henry?" She spoke bluntly. "You've been expelled. You're coming to work with me until we figure out what the hell to do. Go get your things from your locker. I'll wait outside."

Henry looked up at his mom. He didn't say the words, but her eyes knew her son's… and they spoke a very loud "I'm sorry" as he stood up and shuffled to the locker room, his head hanging down low.

Emma turned to look at the little girl and sighed. "I am so sorry he attacked you, Megan."

The child reached out and took Emma's hand, before letting go and grabbing her schoolbag, walking to her dad for a goodbye kiss, and heading down the hall to go into her class.

Sad faced and with defeat written all over her demeanor, Emma turned and was walking out to leave when Mr. Jones stopped her by the forearm. "Miss Swan, please…" She huffed angrily and looked at him. "Look, I never expected this to…" he trailed off and closed his eyes before resuming his speech. "Listen, I may know someone who can help Henry, I… My brother, Liam, he's a child therapist. I could put in a good word for you and he could maybe provide…"

"Listen, Mr. Jones…" Emma turned her face to him. "I know my kid aggravated yours and I am grateful as hell that you won't press charges, but I already tried to finish this kindly and it seems the message didn't quite make it through your head, so this time I'll be blunt: I don't need OR want your help, ok? I've had enough with trusting guys for shit. I'm done! He's MY son; I'll figure out a way for us to make it through this, we always do. Don't need his douchebag dad OR your guilt-ridden charity, ok, pal?" She pulled her arm away violently and sighed. "I don't know WHAT you've gone through, but I can see that it's been enough for you to get me and understand where I'm coming from when I say this: Leave me… leave US the hell alone." She looked away and walked out of the school.

Mr. Jones closed his eyes and sighed as he looked at the floor.

She was right: He knew.

And when minutes later, Henry's voice made him look up, he felt even worse. "Mr. Jones?" The boy sniffed. "I'm so, so sorry I hit your daughter."

And out he walked to join his mother.