Chapter Six: An Ugly Suit, A Mine, Stress, and The Cricket Man.
Seeing Emma hold up the uniform, Skyler suddenly realizes just how ugly it is and scowls at it as Emma asks Graham about it, seeing if he is actually serious.
Hearing him talk smack about their leather jackets, Skylar narrows her eyes at the man, daring him to keep talking like that.
Refocusing on the conversation, she sees him toss a badge to Emma and herself. Seeing Emma's smug look, she knew that they could keep to the leather jackets. Beaming she stood next to her twin. Glancing at each other and nodding, they both click them onto their belts at the same time.
"Holy crap!" Shouts Skylar as a loud boom echoes out, shaking the floor under their feet, sending them smack into the nearest desk for balance.
As the phones start ringing like crazy, dogs start barking, and car alarm's were going off, both sisters look at their badges before staring at each other, having a really odd feeling that the 'curse' is weakening.
Graham runs by them, picking up his own jacket, telling them to follow as he darts out of the station, saying something about a mine collapsing.
After the quick stand up against Regina, Emma went to go grab the yellow tape. When Henry tried to ask his mom what was in the mines, and how she ignored him, Skylar noticed the glass shard, and as Regina went to place it in her pocket, she darted forward, bumping into the Mayor and using quick fingers to grab the shard and slip it into her own pocket as she righted herself and the woman, apologizing for her klutzy fall as she stepped away and walked over to Emma as Regina stepped forward and made Henry go wait in her car.
Seeing him look around suspiciously before hoping back out of the car, she snuck off as Regina ordered Emma and Graham to tape off the area. Losing sight of him for a moment, she is relieved to see him near the police cruiser, gesturing her to join him, Archie, and Emma.
Listening to the talk of operation Cobra, Skylar kept watch as they debated. Nudging Henry, calling out 'Mom Alert at your three', as she looked to her left and Henry's right, slipping away quietly to bank around and follow Henry to talk to him as Regina walked up and then started talking to Emma.
Getting a call from Henry the next day, Skylar hears him crying lightly as he begs her to meet him at the mines. Without even asking why, Skylar says that she is on her way, and will do her best to help him with whatever it is. Hearing him ask her to 'Hurry', she puts her phone away, mounts her bike and takes off at a breakneck speed and reaches the mines in no time.
"Henry! There you are!" She says, jogging up to him, "What's going on little man?" She asks, kneeling in front of him.
"We have to go in the mines, the Evil Queen is hiding something in there, and we need to find out what it is... it could change everything!" He said, looking at her pleadingly.
Staring him in the eyes for a moment, and seeing unwavering belief, she nods firmly, "You got it Henry. Do you have a flashlight?" At his nod she continues, "Then let's go, but we'll need to be careful, okay?"
He beamed at her, hugging her tight before pulling her to her feet and leading her into the mines, being careful about where they stepped.
A few minutes later Skylar decided to kick up a conversation, "Hey Henry, what do you think could be in here? Since it's a mine, and based on the book, the dwarves probably mined in a place like this... could something of Snow White's be in here?" She asked, thinking about the glass shard in a locked box, hidden in a loose floorboard at the apartment.
Staring at his aunt for a moment, Henry looked lost in thought, before nodding his head, "It would make sense... and if there was ever the possibility of it being found, all the Evil Queen would have to do, is collapse and cover it in concrete, and it would never be found..." He trailed off as his eyes caught sight of someone in an indent in the mine wall in front of them, near another turn.
Moving quickly, he went and picked it up before turning to Skylar and holding it up a good sized chunk of glass, saying as she took it and placed it carefully in an inner pocket of her jacket and buttoning the top of the pocket closed, "Maybe even a piece of her glass coffin..."
Before she could say anything to him, a rumbling sound started off low and quickly gain in volume as the mines started shaking again. Grabbing Henry's hand, staring as the wall they were just looking as starting collapsing, she pulled him before pushing him ahead of her nervously saying, "Maybe we should get moving... like... right now! Now! Run Henry, Run!"
As they bolted back down the tunnel, Skylar kept Henry on his feet as they ran full tilt, trying to get back to the entrance.
When the mines stopped rumbling, they heard a voice softly call out for both of them, recognizing it as Archie, they share a look before turning a corner, seeing him using a match for light. Hearing Archie check on Henry, Skylar looks around nervously, having a bad feeling about what might happen next.
Feeling Henry grab her hand and tug her down a different path in the tunnel, she followed, know that if she didn't he would just go without her. Hearing Archie call out for them, knowing he was following made Skylar feel relieved as she didn't have to worry so much about keeping them both out of danger without help.
Moments later, Henry was looking around near the wall they previously found the huge glass shard at, seeing a hole near the floor, she gets Henry's attention. Pointing to the hole, she takes the flashlight and looks. Seeing something shining when the light hit it pretty far down, she calls Henry over, handing him the flashlight and gesturing for him to take a look as well.
Hearing Archie right before seeing him walk over, Skylar sent the man a small reassuring smile, muttering how she'd rather be here with Henry the entire time, than him running in here without her.
Stepping aside to let Archie try to get Henry to understand that they need to leave, she starts looking around, trying to think back to if she saw another way out than the front entrance that ended up collapsing.
Seeing that Henry finally realized the danger they were in, they followed Archie as he muttered something Skylar couldn't quite catch. Seeing two thin sheets of metal covering a doorway, the blonde quickly helps Archie move them out of the way.
"An old elevator..." The man said before describing what it was used for.
Walking inside, Skylar pulls Henry in with her as Archie steps out to grab his umbrella and moves to join them.
When Archie pulled a lever, the elevator bounced for a moment, showing that it was now able to move. Skylar moved forward, desperate to get the two to safety, her stubborn nature kicked in as she forced the wheel to turn faster and faster. Suddenly, a loud boom echoes through the mine as the group is jolted, Skylar barely hanging on as Archie pulled Henry close. Turning around, the tall blonde held her head, when she pulled her hand away, it had a bit of blood on it, apparently she hit it pretty hard when the elevator dropped.
She heard Henry start apologizing to Archie and herself as he sat down next to the therapist. In return, Archie apologized to Henry and they had a heart to heart. Suddenly, the elevator stuttered again, causing Skylar's side to slam into the metal of the elevator. Looking around, she figured that they only had a few more moments before the elevator just gave out completely.
Turning her attention back to the other two stuck with her, she leaned against the side, crossing her arms as she watched Henry's words hit Archie hard. A loud and quick rumble happened again as the elevator shook. Sharing a glance with Archie and sharing a nod, they both knew that they would do whatever it takes to get Henry out safely.
Looking around the elevator, she starts seeing if there is a way to keep the damn thing from moving as Archie and Henry start talking again. Hearing gravel falling, and seeing a light as she looked up, Skylar got both of their attentions, and pointed up.
"Are you guys okay?" A voice that Skylar nearly cried with joy at hearing, called out.
Hearing Archie answer her, Skylar lifts Henry up by his waist after the metal grate above is moved, passing Henry off to Emma. Feeling the elevator start rocking badly, Skylar knew she'd have to do something stupid that might get her killed. Hearing Emma cry out to them, but knowing she could do nothing, she apologized. She smiled weakly up at Emma and Henry, pushing Archies umbrella into his hands and shot a quick glance at the hook on Emma's side. A split second later, as the Elevator was falling, Archie hooked the umbrella handle on and kept a tight grip as the elevator disappeared from under his feet. Emma glanced down, feeling a slight weight and sees Archie hanging on by his umbrella, before realizing that she couldn't see her sister.
"SKYLAR!" Emma suddenly screamed out, about to start freaking out until a voice below Archie called out.
"Jesus Emma, not so loud, we don't want another freaking cave in." Skylar snarked as she poked her head around, showing that she had her arms and legs wrapped around Archie, thankful the man held on to her hand after the elevator fell motioning for her to hang on to him as he swapped to both hands on the umbrella.
Happy laughter rang out as Emma called the others above to pull them up, via walkie talkie.
"You know, if I never go into another mine in my life, let alone a collapsing one, it will still be too soon." Skylar muttered to Archie as they were both pulled up by a spare rope a few seconds later. Giving a short, tired laugh in agreement, he nodded before they were pulled out of the hole and onto solid ground.
Stumbling to her feet, she turned around and immediately helped pulled Emma into a tight hug, trying with all she could to not cry. When Emma felt Skylar's frame shaking a bit, they both hugged tighter, letting out a slight sob, thankful that they were both okay. As they welcomed Henry to join their hug, the poor little guy was tugged away by Regina.
Helping Graham unhook her sister from the crane of the truck, she followed as Emma went to go check on Henry. Seeing the woman push her sister away from her nephew and how broken Emma looked for a moment, she went to stand by Emma, allowing her sister to lean on her to get her bearings for a moment.
Watching closely as Archie pulled the Mayor off to the side, she saw him glance at her. Giving him a firm nod of reassurance, proud that he gave one back as he straightened up and started talking to Regina, but now with a backbone of steel.
Later, Skylar is finally able to get away from the determined doctors that wanted to check up on the three, and were stubborn about at least stitching her head closed. Now with eight brand new stitches and a patch on the side of her forehead, she booked it over to where she caught sight of Emma and Henry sitting and talking while watching Archie talk with someone. Sitting next to Emma, she was suddenly punched hard on her left arm.
Reeling from the pain for a moment, she turns to Emma, giving her a 'what the hell?!' look as she rubs her arm.
"That, was for scaring the hell out of me!" Emma said, before hugging her twin tightly and saying in a now shaky voice, "And this is for coming out of there alive and making sure Archie and Henry did too."
Hugging back just as tightly, she nods slightly to the two men as they walk up, "Hey, you okay?" She asks Archie.
Nodding, he laughs out, "Never better."
"Hey!" Henry suddenly said, grabbing their attention and motioning them to be quiet. "Do you guys hear that?"
Hearing a low chirping noise, Archie says what they all realize it is, "Crickets..."
"They're back. Things are changing." Henry said, slowly turning to look at Emma as Skylar reached around a high fived him, cheering.
Moving to stand, and pulling Emma and Henry up as well, Skylar motioned them to follow so they can all enjoy chilling with the others by the fire truck.
Emma smirked at her twin when she caught eye of none other than Ruby waving her sister over, holding up a second bottle of beer.
"Well look at that," Skylar started off before turning back to the group and pointing over her shoulder with a thumb, "my duty as a knight in leather and a badge calls... gotta go save the maiden from how boring the people around her seem." She finished with a cheeky grin, turning on her heel and jogging over to the waitress.
Emma turns to the other adults and covering Henry's ears for a moment as they walk together to the front driver side of the fire truck, groaning, "See what I have to deal with? A total modern day horndog Romeo."
Pulling her hands away from Henry's ears as the two older men start howling with laughter at her plight. Emma grins as they all get comfortable near the truck, joking around and just enjoying the company. Glancing at her sister, seeing her and Ruby leaning really close together, obviously flirting like crazy. She then looks around at everyone else thinking, 'Huh, maybe it wouldn't be so back to stay here for the foreseeable future...' She thinks, turning back to Archie and Marco, hugging Henry close. 'Not bad at all...'