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Chapter Seven: The Heart is a Lonely Hunter

Storybrooke

It was 4 in the morning when Connie got home. She was met with Regina having waited up for her in the dining room. Connie groaned, she didn't want to deal with her sister right now. "What are you still doing up?" she irritably asked her sister "you know I usually crash in my old place when…"

Regina nodded "I do know that… but I also know that you had an… unexpected drop in."

Connie took a deep breath and then dropped her keys on the counter in the foyer, before looking at her sister head on "I was informed by Graham that Emma had been told of his relationship with us… because I told him it would be smart to tell her… now sister dear… why do I get the feeling you went behind my back and told him not to bother?!"

Regina stiffened "It's none of her business."

Connie closed her eyes as though asking for patience "So once again, my opinion means nothing next to the wonderful Regina Mills'… you know what never mind." She said as she saw her sister open her mouth to argue. "I'm too drunk, angry and hurt to do this with you tonight Regina."

With that she walked past her sister and to her own room.

Graham was throwing darts at Granny's, at 8:00 that night.

After he did two dead center shots in a row he heard Sidney Glass behind him say "Nice shot, chief."

Graham looked at Sidney who continued with "I bet you twenty bucks you can't do it again."

Ruby came up with the shot he had ordered and he downed it before turning back to the dartboard and hitting the image of the deer right on its nose.

Graham turned back to Ruby and told her "Next round's on him."

He turned back to the dart board again as Emma came around the corner.

Ruby asked "Emma, what can I get you?"

"Nothing." Emma said quickly making a bee line for the door.

Graham felt a surge of irritation at her for avoiding him so he turned and threw the dart so it landed near her face."

She turned to look at him angrily while the whole diner went silent. "What the HELL?!" she asked "You could have hit me."

"I never miss." He said comfortably. "you've been avoiding me, since last night when you saw me-"

"With Connie?" Emma whispered under her breath so the rest of the dinner wouldn't hear, louder she said "I'm not avoiding you Graham, I just have no interest in having this conversation. It's your life, and I really don't care" she said with finality as she walked out.

Graham hesitated for a moment before going after her "If you don't care, then why are you so upset?"

"I'm not upset." Emma said

"If that were true, you'd be at the bar with me, having a drink and not running away."

"It's none of my business. Really."

"Can we please talk about this?" Graham begged. "I need you to understand."

Emma sighed "I do understand. Connie is a sweet woman. What I don't understand is Regina, but like I said it's not my business."

"You don't know what it's like with Regina. I don't feel anything. Can you understand that?"

"A bad relationship? Yeah I can understand a bad relationship, I just don't want to talk about yours."

"Look I know you and Regina have your own issues, and Connie was right I should have told you about my relationship with both of them before you took the job." Graham stated

"Yeah, why the secrecy? We're all adults. You can do whatever you want."

"Because I didn't want you to look at me the way you are now."

"Why do you care how I look at you?!" Emma exclaimed.

"Because…" Graham started but then he decided that there had been enough words. He took Emma's face in his hands and kissed her.

He didn't expect a vision to flood his mind, a vision of a wolf.

Then Emma pulled away and the vision was gone "What the hell was that?" she demanded angrily.

"Did you see that?" Graham asked

"How much have you been drinking?" Emma demanded "That was way over the line!"

"I'm sorry, I just…"

"What?! You What?"

"I need to feel something."

"Listen to me Graham, you are drunk and full of regret. I get it. But whatever it is your looking to feel, I can tell you one thing, you're not getting it with me!" Emma stated as she once again walked away.

Graham knocked on Regina's door, he knew Connie wouldn't be willing to see him and he needed something.

Regina answered the door and was surprised as he practically assaulted her with a kiss.

The Enchanted Forest

Irene stood to the side as Regina comforted Snow over the loss of her father. Irene's hands were on Leila's shoulders, as they watched the scene. When Snow pulled away from Regina she turned to look at Irene and Leila and smiled before extending her hand to Leila as Regina left to go to her rooms.

Leila walked over to Snow. In her hand was a sprig of snow bells. Snow smiled down at the flowers and gently nudged Leila to King Leopold's coffin.

Leila approached the coffin and placed the snowbells next to Snow's white rose. Leila hesitated before looking over to Snow. Snow smiled and said "Tell him whatever you need to sweetheart, he's listening."

Leila turned back to the coffin. "Thank you for being like a father to me." She then turned back to Snow and walked over to her, Snow took her hand and lead Leila to one of the courtyards.

Irene approached Leopold's coffin "Thank you Leopold… for letting me keep my daughter, she is the light in my world. And with that in mind I make you a promise about your own daughter; she will always have a friend in me, no matter what happens."

Storybrooke

Connie went over to Mary Margaret's for their usual Wednesday morning coffee, and walked in to find Emma throwing away flowers.

"Those… were mine…" Mary M. told Emma.

Connie raised an eyebrow "Please tell me not from David. Morning, Emma"

"Morning, Connie." Emma greeted.

"No." Mary M. said in response to Connie's question "Doctor Whale."

"Why would Doctor Whale…" Emma started to ask, only for Mary M. to give her a look.

"Are you serious?" Emma and Connie asked in unison.

"I know it's a disaster" Mary M. said.

Connie fixed herself a cup of coffee while Mary M. and Emma talked about Mary's one night stand and Emma's wall. She decided to stay out of it, though she did have to fight back a scoff at hearing Emma say she didn't get emotional over men. Finally Mary M. said "That you have feelings for Graham."

Connie, who had taken a sip of coffee, coughed at that. Emma looked over and a look of sympathy for Connie crossed her face. "I'm not the only one, though, Mary Margaret."

Mary Margaret looked at Connie a little horrified "Oh Connie!"

Connie waved her hand "Okay let's get one thing straight right here right now! Whatever feelings I may or may not have for Graham, or that Emma may or may not have for him, they don't matter, we shall remain friends no matter what." She looked at Emma before saying "Right?"

Emma smiled "Chicks before Dicks!"

Connie and Mary M. laughed at that.

Connie continued where their conversation had left off. "Now regarding Emma's wall-"

"There's nothing wrong with being cautious." Emma said firmly.

"Oh true." Connie stated

"Very true." Mary M. continued "But, Emma that wall of yours… it may keep out pain-"

Connie had a slightly sad look in her eyes as she finished with "But it may also keep out love."

Leila waited for the end of the school day, and then when she saw Graham enter the classroom at the End of the day to speak to Mary Margaret, she knew she had to act. She pulled Henry to the side once they reached the outside of the school. "Do you trust me?" she asked.

Henry looked confused "Of course."

Leila nodded "Go home without me, I'll catch up later, if mom asks, I'm helping Mr. Gold in his shop."

Henry looked confused, and Leila sighed "I need to do some work for… Operation Cobra." She said with a snort. Henry rolled his eyes but let her continue. "But I can't let you know what I'm doing until it's completely done."

Henry bit his lip. "You'll tell me when it's done?"

Leila smiled. "Absolutely."

Henry nodded and headed home.

Leila swallowed as she reached the crypt for her grandfather. She pushed aside his coffin before whispering "I'm trying grandpa… I hope you know that."

With that she walked down the stairs that had been hidden underneath her grandfather's coffin.

Regina walked into the Sheriff's department to see Emma throwing darts at a dart board "Our tax dollars hard at work, I see."

"Graham isn't here." Emma told Regina "I assumed he took a sick day with you, because Connie out delivering her tinctures."

"I know that you know about the three of us, Miss Swan, Connie filled me in. in fact that's why I'm here. Because I'm also aware of your relationship with him."

"I don't have a relationship with him." Emma stated

"Oh? So nothings ever happened between the two of you?" Regina pressed "You forget Miss Swan, I have eyes everywhere."

"Nothing that meant anything." Emma said coolly

"Well, of course not. Because you're incapable of feeling anything for anyone. After all, there is a reason you're alone isn't there?" Regina said smugly

"All due respect, the way I live my life is my business." Emma stated firmly.

"It is until it infringes on my life." Regina stepped closer to Emma. "Stay away from Graham, you may think you're doing nothing, but you're putting thought's in his head, thought's that are not in his best interest. You are leading him on a path to self-destruction. Stay away." With that she turned around.

"Are you aware your sister is in love with him?!" Emma called

Regina stopped in shock and turned to look at Emma. Emma leaned against her desk. "I wasn't going to say anything, but Connie is my friend and for her I have to speak up, she is in love with him, and I don't think she has fully accepted that yet, because she loves her sister as well." Regina remained stony faced though this "So if you want what's best for Graham, maybe consider letting him decide what that is."

Emma turned her back on Regina then and Regina stormed out.

Leila had just finished reorganizing her trunk when the doorbell rang. She ran downstairs as Henry answered the door; Graham was on the other side.

"Hey, Sheriff." Leila greeted.

"Neither of our mom's are here." Henry stated

"Actually… I'm here to see the both of you. I was hoping you two could help me."

"Help you with what?" Henry asked confused

"It's about your book, am I in it?" he asked.

Henry turned to look at Leila. Leila smiled and said "You've got this right? I have a few more things to do."

Henry nodded and Leila went back up to her room. She reached under her bed and pulled out a medium sized box and opened it, inside were several little vials, she pulled out three and then reached under her bed again, and grabbed the piece of glass coffin that she and Henry had taken from their trip into the mines. She broke of a small piece from the larger piece and went to work.

The Enchanted Forest

Irene had seen the black knight who had gone out with Snow on her walk return without her so she followed him to the entrance of the queen's chamber's and hid.

"I see your still in mourning." She heard a man's voice say (she assumed the black knight)

"The time for mourning is over." She heard her sister say. "I simply found that black suits me. Now tell me, is Snow dead?"

"The young girls heart, as you requested."

Irene had to fight to hold back a gasp. No! Snow couldn't be dead!

"First there is something I must do." The man continued

There was silence for a moment and then her sister's voice asked "What's this?"

"The girl wanted you to have it." The man stated.

"Read it to me." Regina commanded.

As the black knight read the letter, Irene heard Snow's voice in every word

"Dearest Stepmother,

By the time you read this I will be dead. I understand that you will never have love in your life because of me. So it's only fitting that I'll be denied that same joy as well. For the sake of the kingdom, I hope my death satisfies your need for revenge, allowing you to rule my father's subjects as they deserve, with compassion and a gentle hand. I know what you think your doing is vengeance, I prefer to think of it as sacrifice for the good of all, with that in mind, I welcome the end, and I want you to take my last message to heart.

I'm sorry, and I forgive you."

With that Irene quickly fled.

Storybrooke

Leila went to Henry and said "I need you to do me a big favor."

Henry looked confused but said "Sure, what do you need?"

Leila handed him a small vial. "Keep an eye on the clock, when the time is 8:15 put this in a glass of water and give it to my mother, she'll fall asleep instantly."

Henry looked like he wanted to protest, but Leila shook her head "I don't have the time to explain what it is right now Henry, you said you trusted me."

Henry paused but then nodded, Leila smiled "Good, once mom is out, call both Emma and Regina telling them that she collapsed."

Henry nodded again "Anything else?"

Leila shook her head. "I'll be back at 8:30"

Leila hid in the interrogation room. And focused on what was happening in the room beyond, where Emma and Graham were. Within seconds she could see it clear as day as though she was in the room with them.

Emma stood up and looked at Graham, "I like you." She suddenly said "a lot, but I also know that Connie likes you. So, I'm going to kiss you one more time, and then you need to figure some things out." And without even waiting for him to respond Emma kissed him, a kiss which Graham responded to.

With that kiss came all of Graham's memories back. And he pulled away a little in shock once they were all there. He remembered everything. But before either of them could say anything Emma's cell phone rang.

"Hello?" she answered. There was a pause for a moment before "whoa whoa, slow down kid- what happened?!... I'll be right there, don't move."

Emma left without looking at Graham and Leila knew it was time.

Once Emma passed the room Leila was hiding in she went into the Sheriff's office as Graham was putting on his jacket to follow Emma, but he saw Leila and paused.

"Don't worry Huntsman, everything is fine. I just needed to make absolutely certain that we wouldn't be interrupted by my aunt."

With that she pulled a box out of the backpack she had carried here. And Graham knew immediately what was in the box.

"Where did you get that?"

Leila smiled up at him "unfortunately we don't have time for questions." She set the box down gently and opened it up. Inside was a bright red heart she picked it up gently and walked over to Graham. "I'm sorry." She said "but this is going to hurt." And with that she shoved his heart back into his chest.

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