(Trying my hand at a bit of angst, I suppose. I'm excited for the idea of working on this story and The Long Game at the same time. I do not own the characters; and I apologize now for any and all mistakes. I am terrible at editing my own writing. This story is rated M for later chapters because, yeah gotta have them hooking up. There will be some rather dark upcoming chapters as well. I will be sure to provide the appropriate trigger warnings. One more thing: I think I suck at incorporating magic into my stories, so for the time being I will treat all my stories as though the curse never existed and that magic is not really an element or even a remote consideration in the characters' daily lives. I have an idea for a story with magic that I will try out once I finish these two stories. Thanks!)

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Chapter One: Cracks In The Foundation I

"Alright, that's enough!" Emma's voice boomed through the town hall, bringing an immediate end to their overlapping protests.

"Look, you're the sheriff and his mother! You need to do something!"

Regina and Emma stood shoulder to shoulder behind the table at the front of the town hall. Emma could almost taste the hatred brewing under the mayor's skin. She and the brunette held their ground as a united front against the attendees but Emma knew Regina wouldn't last much longer.

"Look, we're all friends here."

"Speak for yourself, sister," someone yelled from the back.

"Shut it, Leroy!" The sheriff snapped.

"That boy of yours, that you two love to coddle, is a goddamn pervert!" Granny leaned forward in her chair and pointed her finger at the two women at the front of the room. The chubby woman frowned at the two women over the rim of her glasses, clearly disgusted with what she perceived to be two fine examples of failed parenting.

In an effort to calm the storm she felt forming next to her, Emma placed her hand on the small of Regina's back. She knew a ticking time bomb when she saw one, and if the mayor's clenched jaw was any indication, the entire room was mere moments away from going boom. There were only two things in the entire world that meant anything to Regina Mills: her authority, and her son, Henry. It was a well-known fact that Regina would just as soon see Storybrooke burned to the ground than to have either of her prized possessions threatened.

"The boy needs a father figure and a firm hand," Dr. Whale added.

"No one's touching Henry," Emma spoke quickly. She hoped that if she displayed enough outrage and was vocal enough that it would aid in relaxing Regina. She needed Regina to know that they were in this together and that the brunette did not have to shoulder these attacks alone. "When we first called this meeting, we did it in good faith to try to put our heads together and get some answers. You can't turn this into a witch hunt against a twelve year old boy!"

"That twelve year old angel of yours is breaking into people's houses! My little girl woke up screaming because your son was in her room with his penis out!" Jackson stood and kicked his chair back. "Why?! Huh? Why would she lie about a thing like that?"

"You need to calm down. I'm not saying Grace is lying, Jackson. But can we take a beat and consider that she is mistaken about who she saw?"

"Un-fucking-believable," he muttered as he threw his hands up.

"Is my little girl mistaken too?" Came one voice from somewhere in the crowded room.

"Yeah, or my son," shouted another.

The symphony of overlapping voices filled the room—each person simultaneously attempting to share their horror story of how Henry reportedly crept into their homes at night to expose himself to their unsuspecting children. It was sickening. Emma felt the bile rise in her throat as she scanned the room to study the town's people. They were repulsive. They were nothing more than a repugnant lynch mob salivating over the idea of persecuting a little boy.

When the white noise of their collective voices finally died down, Emma tried once more to appeal to the people she still considered to be her friends. "Everyone, please. Let's think about it, okay? Not one parent has seen Henry in their house. How? Hm? How is he getting in? So far in every report I've filed, the windows and the doors are always locked. This isn't making any sense." Her green eyes pleaded with the room in a futile attempt to get them to understand the pure logic of what she was trying to convey.

"I don't know. The little bastard is lucky is all I can say. 'Cause if I ever see him lurking around, I'll—"

"What?" The mayor finally spoke. "You'll do what, Jackson?" The mayor enunciated every syllable slowly and let the snarl etch deep into her features before she stepped away in order to walk around the table and stalk toward the crowd. In a reflex, Emma grabbed Regina's arm to prevent her from further advancement. The brunette whipped her molten glare to the pale fingers enclosing her upper arm and immediately the digits retracted as if burned. She flicked her boiling gaze up to the blonde's worried green eyes before turning her focus back to the man who thought he could threaten her son and live.

No one moved. A quiet blanketed the room and rested on the shoulders of the residents as Regina took her time sauntering down the main aisle to reach Jackson's row. Each click of her heels reverberated off the walls of the room like gunshots—nothing good would come from this. Emma watched as the attendees stiffened and cowered as Regina passed each of their rows. He had forgotten himself. It was the only explanation. They had all forgotten themselves and more to the point, they seemed to have forgotten who the hell they were dealing with. In the heat of their bloodlust these backwatered unimpressive buffoons had forgotten that Regina would scalp the whole damn town and piss on their brains just for the thrill of it. It seemed to have slipped their small minds that nothing—nothing—was more detrimental to one's life expectancy than a pissed off Regina Mills.

The three men sitting next to Jackson and blocking Regina's access to him scurried out of the way. She didn't bother to acknowledge them. She had one focus: Jackson. She didn't care if the tip of her heels pierced through their feet as she traveled along her path. The brunette would be more than happy to leave a trail of blood in her wake and top off the masterpiece with Jackson's scrotum as the finishing touch. Regina's furrowed brows deepened and her lips twitched with an untamed hatred that crawled through her veins and settled in her hands.

Emma knew that look. She had been on the receiving end of that look once upon a time and she did not envy Jackson his position. Grateful as she was, Emma knew she had to get Regina away from the irate father. While it may not have occurred to Jackson to strike Regina, Emma had no doubt that Regina would not hesitate to put her hands on the dark haired man. Two years ago, the blonde learned first-hand that Regina was not opposed to physical force if properly provoked. Now, as sheriff, and knowing Regina's propensity for such altercations, she couldn't stand idly by and let the older woman assault another citizen. She moved from behind the table to make her way toward the two parents. She cursed herself for not being quick enough, for not eating up enough of the distance in time. Emma should have known better. She did know better. She knew—knew— the minute Regina's shoulders squared what was coming next. The brunette's left arm stretched so far across her body that her thumb gazed the right side of the back of her neck. The follow through was nothing if not glorious.

SLAP!

A collective gasp swept the town hall.

Well, damn.

Regina ignored the itching pain that spread across the back of her hand. Her knuckles screamed their disapproval as she towered over the collapsed man with one perfect brown arched in utter contempt. She had cut her knuckles on his teeth. The blood dripped from her hand as she inched closer to the man who was sprawled over his toppled chair. His incredulous stare wavered as Regina took yet another step. The fear and hatred in his hazel eyes met Regina's crazed black glare. She lifted her leg in order to press the tip her heel into his open thigh. Just as the point of her shoe made contact with the fabric of Jackson's slacks, she felt two strong arms wrap around her waist and half pull, half carry her into the aisle.

"Madam Mayor," Emma spoke urgently into Regina's ear, remembering even now that it was best to use the brunette's title. "I can't let you do this," the blonde pleaded against her earlobe. Regina tried once more to lunge back down the aisle. Emma pulled her further away until Regina was a safe distance away from the horrified man still lying on the floor.

Jackson's quaking hand touched the corner of his stinging mouth and he gasped when his fingers returned with blood. "You psycho bitch," he hissed as if the revelation had just dawned on him. "Is this how you run your town?"

"Keep talking and you won't live to find out," she challenged.

He looked past her and eyed the blonde who was still holding on to the mayor. "I plan to file a complaint."

Emma's head fell back as she sighed and closed her eyes tiredly. Damn it, Regina.

"Jackson, let's just all calm down. Some things were said—"

"Said," he shrieked. "She attacked me and was going to stomp a hole in my thigh!" He picked himself up from the floor. "I am pressing charges and I want her arrested," Jackson spat through clenched teeth and winced as his saliva filled the cut on his lip.

"I can't do that Jackson." Emma met his gaze with a dead stare. Regina was certainly in the wrong, but her attack was not without provocation.

"Why," he screamed. "Huh?! Because she's your friend now? Because she made you toe the line like she does everyone else in this fucking town!"

"You need to calm down, Jackson," Emma repeated sternly.

He shook his head in amazement as he stared at the two women. "She's abusing her power and you're letting her get away—"

"No," Emma spat. "You threatened a child! My kid. What if someone in this room had threatened Grace, Jackson?" She needed him to understand.

The three stood there in silence and the defeated father hung his head. He heaved a trembling sigh before raising his head to meet his adversaries head on. "I want . . . her . . . arrested." The short man crossed his arms and stood his ground. The town's people gaped as though spectators to an invisible arena with front row seats to a marvelous and frightfully terrifying show.

Regina leaned forward in her strained position. "Touch my son, you spineless coward, and you'll need new legs and teeth." Regina's eyes scanned the room; she turned as best she could to address the entire crowd. "Make no mistake, mayor or not, if anyone touches my son, a closed casket funeral will be your only option." Regina pried the sheriff's reluctant arms from her body and stormed out of the hall, slamming the double doors forcefully against the wall on her way out.