Sometimes you have to lie to find the truth [locked to its_notluck]
Henry was in one of his stubborn moods in his session with Archie. "She has to be," he said, his arms folded in front of him. Archie sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he regarded his young friend. Henry had continued to come to him, even after he started living with his mother. It was something stable in his life, something to give him some sense of continuity.
"Henry, not everyone is going to be in the book," Archie pointed out, leaning forward to look at him. "Out there, there are some, well, normal people."
"But what if she isn't? What if she is from another land?"
"Henry. She's from Texas. Here. On Earth. Not from the Enchanted Forest, or Wonderland, or anywhere like that."
"You like her, don't you?" The question disarmed Archie, and he frowned slightly.
"Like her...?"
"I overheard Ruby and Belle talking," Henry admitted. Archie just flushed slightly. What were they talking about, he wondered, but then he decided he didn't really want to know.
"I... She's a good friend," he stammered slightly. "Yes, I like her." He liked her more than a little, truth be told. "But she's still just from the normal world, Henry. You're not going to find her in the book."
Henry slumped back in his chair, the book to one side of him. "But... it would be great. Oh, I've got to go, I'm meeting Grandpa, and he's going to help me groom the horses." With a flurry he picked up his things - though not the book- and ran out of the door, leaving Archie to shake his head and smile in his way. Sometimes that boy reminded him of the other boys he'd helped to raise.
"Henry, not everyone is going to be in the book," Archie pointed out, leaning forward to look at him. "Out there, there are some, well, normal people."
"But what if she isn't? What if she is from another land?"
"Henry. She's from Texas. Here. On Earth. Not from the Enchanted Forest, or Wonderland, or anywhere like that."
"You like her, don't you?" The question disarmed Archie, and he frowned slightly.
"Like her...?"
"I overheard Ruby and Belle talking," Henry admitted. Archie just flushed slightly. What were they talking about, he wondered, but then he decided he didn't really want to know.
"I... She's a good friend," he stammered slightly. "Yes, I like her." He liked her more than a little, truth be told. "But she's still just from the normal world, Henry. You're not going to find her in the book."
Henry slumped back in his chair, the book to one side of him. "But... it would be great. Oh, I've got to go, I'm meeting Grandpa, and he's going to help me groom the horses." With a flurry he picked up his things - though not the book- and ran out of the door, leaving Archie to shake his head and smile in his way. Sometimes that boy reminded him of the other boys he'd helped to raise.