Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide

There's significance in the wisdom of a child, even more in one like Henry. It's no small matter that Archie Hopper's moment of illumination came at the bottom of a mine shaft where they both could have died.

And above all, there's the very real significance that he's stood up to the one person in Storybrooke, outside of perhaps Mr. Gold whom he only associates with when absolutely necessary, that could crush him like a bug.

Yet, once Marco has bid him goodnight he and Pongo return to the office and a stack of files. And mostly full bottle of scotch, leading to a tumbler of scotch... and quite naturally a belly of scotch as he considers the decisions he's made.

[ooc: Episode tag to 1x05, finding my feet so to speak. Feel free to tag in.]

Long Ago, and Faraway...

Jiminy works his way through the crowd unnoticed, as always, his fleet fingers finding a fat man's purse strings and liberating the coin as he barely brushes against the man. "Oh, excuse me, sir..." He mutters under his breath, his shoulders sloped heavy with guilt and not the pride his father and mother will have when he delivers the prize.

It's a slim crowd, not many easy baubles to pocket, and trying hard only made him feel worse about his deception - some part of him able to justify the theft when it's obvious.

"Pardon me, sorry..." He pushes through another clutch of hearty farmer's wives - his fingers liberating a small loaf of bread from one of their unnoticed baskets and an apple from another.

Disgusted, but hungry, he finds his way to the edges of the crowd watching his parents' hawk Elf Tonic to cure all that ails them - slipping past the edges toward a slowly running creek. Finally alone, he sits at the edge and doffs his worn shoes to cool his feet in the water as he eats.