Disclaimer: I unfortunately own nothing that you recognize.

A/N: Thank you to everyone who submitted a review last time. I am very blessed to have so many people enjoying this story! This set of vignettes is all based on 1x17 (the Mad Hatter episode), which was a treasure trove of MM/Emma inspiration. I know I promised arrest vignettes, and those are coming, I promise, but this set just begged to be written! I think this is my favorite set so far, so I really hope you enjoy.

Thanks to Melissa, my brainable beta, for her always braintastic work.


i.

I'd rather lose my job than my friend.

Emma repeats the words she said to Mr. Gold over and over in her head as she drives into the woods. She knows she means them, a hundred times over, but she cannot help feeling betrayed. After she asked – practically begged – Mary Margaret to trust her, Mary Margaret had fled.

Emma understands fear, she understands fight or flight, and she knows how compelling the impulse to run can be. She knows she's done enough of that for a lifetime. And she's not judging Mary Margaret's decision to escape (though how that happened, she still isn't sure), but she is hurt that she wasn't at least given a head's up.

She tries not to think about Henry's warning about the curse. As much as she wants to believe someone could leave Storybrooke unharmed, she cannot help but think about Kathryn's attempt to leave, or even her own attempt to leave so long ago. Of course Mary Margaret knows nothing of the curse, about what happens to people who try to leave Storybrooke, but Emma is afraid of what she may find.

I'd rather lose my job than my friend.

But she might die if she loses both.

ii.

Emma pushes the door open slowly and peers out into the hall. The coast seems to be clear, though she doesn't know how they're going to get out. She looks back at Mary Margaret and urges her forward in a whisper.

She holds Mary Margaret's arm as she steps out into the hallway. She can feel her shaking with fear, one hand over her mouth, perhaps to keep from crying out. As Emma pulls the door shut behind them, she changes position so that she is standing in front of Mary Margaret, shielding her. She's not even sure why she's doing it – instinct, mostly. Even stripped down to a tank top and jeans, sans gun or any other form of protection, she still feels like her training as a bounty hunter or a sheriff should count for something.

The click of the gun causes her to freeze. Full of dread, she turns toward the source of the sound.

"I see you found Spot." Jefferson does not sound surprised.

"I've already called for back-up," Emma says with confidence she does not feel. "Be here any second."

"No, they won't," Jefferson replies smugly, "you haven't called anybody. For the same reason you didn't tell me about her. You don't want anybody to know you're here. Which means, nobody does."

Emma considers her options, though they're clearly limited. He's holding a gun, she has nothing. Plus she has Mary Margaret, and she cannot bear the thought of him hurting her. Which is why his next words cut through her like a knife.

"So now tie her back up."

iii.

She hates herself. All she can think, all she can feel, is hatred radiating through her body as she fumbles with the knots. She hates Jefferson for putting her in this situation, she hates this situation, but most of all she hates herself for what she's about to do.

Emma tries to look anywhere but at Mary Margaret's scared face. She has felt Mary Margaret's eyes on her the entire time. She's ashamed of what she's doing, but she knows she has no choice. She cannot explain now, but she hopes that Mary Margaret will understand. Somehow the fact she has no choice doesn't make her feel any better.

She keeps her touch soft around Mary Margaret's neck as she ties the gag as gently as possible. Ever conscious of Jefferson's looming presence in the doorway, she realizes that it's time. She stares at Mary Margaret, trying to communicate comfort, hope – anything but fear. She's not sure the message is coming across, but knows she can no longer delay the inevitable. Carefully she pulls up on the gag, but Mary Margaret's whimper stops her.

"Emma."

She can feel her own heart pounding as she whispers, "It's going to be okay."

She knows her words do nothing to alleviate Mary Margaret's fear. Tears do not fall, but she suspects they are coming. If she were being honest, she would allow herself to feel her own tears brimming. But she keeps them back because she doesn't want Mary Margaret to be afraid, because Emma wants her to trust that she is going to keep a straight head and get them out of this.

She wants to be someone Mary Margaret can count on. She has to be.

Perhaps her words are comforting because Mary Margaret opens her mouth obediently to accept the gag. Emma slips it between her teeth and Mary Margaret bites down. Their eyes are locked as Emma slides her hands behind Mary Margaret's head to adjust the gag. She tries to leave it as loose as she can so it will be as comfortable as possible. It's the least she can do.

She holds Mary Margaret's gaze for a long time and then forces herself to stand up and turn away.

"Your telescope," she says to Jefferson. "You've been watching me. Why?"

He moves toward her and grabs her arm. "I need you to do something for me." He tightens his grip around her arm and practically drags her from the room. She doesn't protest because she doesn't want to make it worse, but her body tenses at the sound of Mary Margaret's cries.

Even through the gag, her words are clear. They increase in volume and pitch as the door swings shut. And as Jefferson marches her down the hall, she has to try even harder to keep her tears at bay because Mary Margaret was screaming aloud what her heart had been protesting the entire time.

No, Emma.

iv.

Jefferson's face is inches from hers when he asks, "You believe?"

She doesn't know what she believes at this point. Grace or Paige…Jefferson or the Mad Hatter…or both. All she knows is that she's finally figured out how to get them out of this.

She stares at him. "If what you say is true, that woman in the other room is my mother."

As soon as she says it, Emma realizes it's the first time she's said these words aloud. Not even when she told Mary Margaret that Henry thought she was Snow White's daughter did she explicitly call Mary Margaret her mother. As unprepared as she was for this moment, she's even more unprepared for the sudden wave of emotion that comes over her. She hasn't intended to tell Jefferson anything more than that, but suddenly she finds herself saying things she's never told anyone before, let alone admitted to herself.

"And I want to believe that more than anything in the world."

v.

She's relieved to find the keys on the front seat of her car because the idea of being stranded out here at this creepy mansion is less than appealing. But as she walks back to where Mary Margaret is waiting, she realizes that this is it. The keys mean she has a way to get back, and an obligation to take Mary Margaret back with her. And although she doesn't want her to run, Emma cannot help but think that she wouldn't be a true friend unless she helped her escape.

Mary Margaret catches sight of the keys in her hand. "Well, Sheriff, I guess you'll be taking me back now."

She makes the decision in the split second it takes for her to toss the keys to Mary Margaret. "Here. Go."

"You want me to run?"

"No," Emma answers. "But it's your choice." She thinks about everything she would have told Mary Margaret, if she'd known about the key under the pillow. She was upset before because she did not have the opportunity to influence this decision, but now she does. "Just know something," she begins. "Running ain't easy, I've done my share of it. And once you go, there's no stopping."

"Emma, everyone thinks I killed Kathryn-"

"Mary Margaret, you have to believe me. You have to trust me!" Emma insists. "I know it seems impossible, but I can get you out of this."

"Why's it so important to you what happens to me?"

"Because when Regina framed me, and you bailed me out, I asked you why and you said you trusted me." The words come quickly now, her stream of consciousness voiced aloud. She's been asking herself that same question over and over, but only now will she finally allow herself to answer. "And then when I wanted to leave Storybrooke because I thought that's what was best for Henry, you told me I needed to stay because that's what's best for him. I realized all my life I have been alone. Walls up." She chokes back tears, forcing herself not to cry. "Nobody's ever been there for me except for you. And I can't lose that, I can't lose my family."

Mary Margaret stares at her for a moment, and then whispers, "Family?" There is no mistaking the hopeful smile that breaks across her face.

"Friends," Emma quickly amends, averting her eyes."Whatever. You know what I mean." She's never been good at confessions, so she brings the conversation back to a more practical concern. "Wouldn't you rather face this together than alone?"

Mary Margaret considers this, and then extends her hand. As Emma reaches for the keys, Mary Margaret's hand clasps down around hers. She can feel the warmth radiating between them, the unspoken promise and commitment. Friends, family, it's all the same to her, because Emma knows it's all she has.

And as Mary Margaret smiles at her, Emma thinks that maybe, just maybe, one day she'll believe that she's truly meant to be a part of Snow White's family, too.


A/N: Please review, I'd love to know what you thought! The next chapter will be the arrest vignettes, which I have already started writing. I hope to have them posted before or around the time when the next episode airs.