The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter
The next night at Granny's, Graham was playing darts. There was a large picture of a deer in center of the dartboard. He hit the deer in the chest with two darts. Sidney Glass, the editor of the local paper was sitting at a near by booth, "Nice shot, chief," Ruby walked up to Graham with a shot for him, "I bet you twenty bucks you can't do it again."
Graham drank the shot and then threw another dart and hit the deer right between the eyes, "Next round's on him."
Just then Emma walked in from the back door, "Emma! What can I get you?" asked Ruby.
"Nothing," said Emma. Then she headed to the front door when all of the sudden a dart flew past her heads and landed in the door frame, "What the hell?" she said, as she turned toward Graham, "You could've hit one of me!"
"I never miss," Graham as he walked up to Emma, "You've been avoiding me since last night, when you saw me-"
"Leaving the Mayor? And yes, that is a euphemism. I'm not avoiding you, Graham, I just have no interest in having this conversation. It's your life – I really don't care." Emma then walked out of the diner and stared walking down the street.
Graham followed her out, "If you don't care, then why are you so upset?"
"I'm not upset," said Emma.
"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."
"Look, can we please talk about this? I need you to understand." said Graham as he caught up to her
"Why?" asked Emma.
"I don't know. Maybe so I can understand?"
"If you need an analysis, go talk to Archie."
"I want to talk to you. Emma," said Graham.
"Well, your bad judgment is your problem – not mine," said Emma as she started back down the street.
"You don't know what it's like with her. I don't feel anything! Can you understand that?"
"Bad relationship? Yeah, I understand a bad relationship. I just don't want to talk about yours."
"Look, I know you and Regina have your own issues and… And I should have told you about that before you took the job." said Graham as he got her to stop.
"Yeah, why the secrecy? We're all adults. You can do whatever you want."
"Because I… I didn't want you to look at me the way you are now."
"Why do you care how I look at you?"
"Because."
"What?" then Graham kissed Emma. Graham then started to see a vision of a wolf with one red eye and one blue eye. He broke the kiss and Emma asked, "What the hell was that?"
"Did you see that?" asked Graham.
"How much have you been drinking? 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 you are looking to feel, I can tell you one thing – you're not getting it with me." Emma then walked away.
The next morning, Travis was at the bar in the loft, eating a bowl of Raisin Bran, when he heard his sister walked down from the second floor, "Morning." He said.
"Morning," she answered back. Then she saw a large bouquet of flowers, "Really?" Then she headed over to the garbage can.
Both Travis and Mary Margaret, who was walking out from her bedroom area, tried to stop her, " Oh. Hey." said Travis.
"Wait, what are you doing?" asked Mary Margaret as the flowers hit the trash can.
"If Graham thinks flowers will work on me…" Emma started.
"Emms, those flowers were Mary Margaret's." said Travis.
"Oh. From David?" asked Emma.
"No. Dr. Whale," said Travis with a smile.
"Why would Dr. Whale," Emma started then Mary Margaret gave her a look, "Are you serious?"
"I know, it's a disaster," said Mary Margaret.
"No. That's amazing. You're getting over David."
"First of all, there's nothing to get over. And second of all: just one-night-stand."
"Not according to those flowers," said Travis.
"Yeah, maybe I shouldn't have called him," said Mary Margaret.
"You called him? That's definitely not a one-night stand."
"O-Okay, I'm still learning. I- I never had one before. I felt guilty."
"Why?" asked Emma, "There's nothing wrong with what you did. Trust me. One nighters is as far as I ever go."
"That's because you're-"
"Because I'm what?"
"Never mind."
"Yeah. Tell me. What do I do?"
"You're just protecting yourself. With that wall you put up."
"Just because I don't get emotional with a man."
"You don't get emotional with a man? The floral abuse tells a different story."
"What story is that?"
"The one that's obvious to everyone - except apparently you. That you have feelings for Graham."
"Come on."
"There's a wall."
"That's not a wall," said Emma.
Mary Margaret picked her flowers up out of the garbage can and put them in a vase, "Really?"
"There's nothing wrong with being cautious."
"Oh, true. True. But, Emma. That wall of yours, it may keep out pain. But it also may keep out love."
Later that day, Travis and Emma were at the Sheriff's Department. Graham hadn't been in all day. Luckily nothing major had happened. Emma dropped a file on her desk and picked up a dart. She threw it at the dart board on the wall and missed by a mile. Travis laughed, "Nice shot…"
"Our taxes always hard at work, I see," said Regina as she walked in.
"If you're looking for Graham isn't here," said Travis.
"We assumed he took a sick day - with you," said Emma.
"Oh, so you're aware of us?" asked Regina, "Good - that's why I'm here. Because I'm also aware of your relationship with him."
"I don't have a relationship with him."
"Oh? So, nothing's ever happened between the two of you? You forget, Miss Swan, I have eyes everywhere."
"Nothing that meant anything."
"Well, of course not. Because you're incapable of feeling anything for anyone. There's a reason you're alone, isn't there?"
"Wait a minute," said Travis as he stood up.
"Trav," said Emma, "I've got this…" Emma looked back at Regina, "All due respect, the way I live my life is my business."
"It is until it infringes on my life. Stay away from Graham. You may think you're doing nothing, but you're putting thoughts in his head. Thoughts that are not in his best interest. You are leading him on a path to self-destruction. Stay away."
Emma and Travis then went out to see if they could find Graham. They tried calling him but didn't get any answer. They went to his apartment and found it empty. They talked to Mr. Gold at his pawnshop and he told them that he saw Graham in the woods while he was talking a walk earlier that day. He said that Graham was looking for a wolf, which was odd because there were no wolves in Storybrooke.
The twins then went over to the ice cream shop and talked to Anna and Elsa. They said that they saw Graham walking down the street but he looked kind of out of it.
Then, they went over to the school to see Mary Margaret. She told them that Graham was there. He was talking about possibly knowing her in another life. She told him about Henry's book and also, he looked like he was possibly running a fever. She told him to go home and rest.
Emma and Travis then headed over Regina's house to see if Henry had heard anything from Graham. When they got there they saw the patrol car outside. They sat in the Bug and waited for Graham to come out. After a few moments, Graham came out, "Hey!" said Emma as they got out of the car, "We hear that you're having a rough day."
"Who says?" asked Graham.
"Pretty much everyone," said Travis, "Maybe you need to go home and get some rest."
"I'm fine."
"No, Graham. You're not fine. You just went to see a 10 year old for help."
"He seems to be the only one making sense."
"What's going on?" asked Emma, "What's...really going on?"
"It's my heart, Emma," said Graham, "I need to find it."
"Okay. So how are you going to do that?"
"I just need to follow the wolf."
"What wolf?" asked Travis.
"From my dreams," said Graham, "He gonna help me find my heart."
"I'm sorry. I...thought we were talking in a metaphor here. You really think that you don't have a heart?"
"It's the only thing that makes any sense. It's the only thing that explains why I don't feel anything."
"Listen to me, Graham," said Emma, "You have a heart. I can prove it." She placed her hand on his chest and felt it beat, "See, it's beating. It's real." She grabbed his hand and placed it on his chest, "Feel that? That is your heart."
"No. It's the curse," said Graham.
"You can't really believe that's true." said Travis. Then he looked down street and saw a wolf, "um guys…Is that what I think it is,"
Graham turned around and saw the wolf. He looked back at his deputies and then ran after it. Emma and Travis ran after him. They chased the wolf into the Storybrooke Cemetery , "Graham!" called Travis.
"Graham be careful!" called Emma as they caught up to him and the wolf was just a few feet away.
"It's my friend. It won't hurt us," said Graham. The wolf howls and then it ran away. They went to follow it and found themselves in front of a burial vault. Graham kept staring at it.
"What is it?" asked Emma
"It's my heart. It's in there. I have to look in there."
"Oh, no. Stop, stop." said Emma and Travis together as they got in front of him.
"I have to get in there. Please."
"Graham, come on. You really think that you're heart is in there," asked Travis.
Graham nodded, "Okay. Let's find out," said Travis. He walked up to the door and found it locked. "Emma…"
Emma stepped up to the door and kicked it open. The three of them went inside, "It's got to be in here. Somewhere." said Graham as he started to look around, "There's got to be a hidden door. A lever," then he tried to open an urn, "Something."
Emma went up to him, "Graham. Hey, Graham. There's nothing in here."
"There has to be. If there isn't, then-"
"It's okay. It's going to be okay."
Then they heard a voice call from outside, "What the hell do you think you're doing?" They looked outside and saw Regina outside.
"What are you doing here?" asked Emma as the three of them walked out of the vault.
"Bringing flowers to my father's grave," said Regina as she held up a bouquet of flowers, "Like I do every Wednesday."
"Don't blame them," said Graham, "It's my fault. I wanted to look in there."
"Really? Why? What were you looking for?"
"Nothing. It was- uh, nothing. It was nothing."
"You don't look well, dear. Let's take you home." Regina took his hand and started to pull her way.
Graham put his hand away, "Regina, I don't want to go home. Not with you."
"Oh, but you'll go with her?"
"Hey, this is between you two," said Emma, "Leave me out of it."
"She's right," said Graham, "It's between us. And things have to change."
"And I wonder, why that is, all of a sudden," said Regina.
"It has nothing to do with her. I've realized that I don't feel anything, Regina. And I know now, it's not me. It's you."
"So, you're leaving me for her."
"I'm leaving you for me."
"Graham, you're not thinking straight."
"Actually, for the first time I am. I'd rather have nothing than settle for less. Nothing? Is better than what we have. I need to feel something, Regina, and the only way to do that is to give myself a chance."
"Graham."
"I'm sorry. It's over."
Regina looked at Emma, "I don't know what I ever did to you, Miss Swan, to deserve this. To have you keep coming after everything I hold dear."
"I told you, it's not her," said Graham.
"None of this happened until she got here."
"I'm sorry," said Emma, "Did you ever stop to think that maybe the problem isn't with me, but with you?"
"Excuse me?" said Regina.
"Henry came and found me. Graham kissed me. Both were miserable. Maybe, Madam Mayor, you need to take a good hard look in the mirror and ask yourself why that is. Why is everyone running away from you?" Regina then punched Emma in the face. She fell into Travis and Graham knocking all three of them to the ground.
"Regina!" shouted Graham.
Emma quickly recovered and before Graham and Travis could stop her. She jumped up and punched Regina back. Then, she grabbed the mayor and pushed her against the side of the vault. Graham and Travis went over to Emma and tried to pull Emma off of Regina, "Stop! Stop! Stop!" shouted Graham.
"Emma! Stop!" shouted Travis.
They got Emma off of Regina and pulled her away. Regina went and picked up her flowers off the ground. Emma walked up to Regina and said, "Not worth it."
Travis followed Emma. Regina walked up to Graham and said, "Graham." He turned and followed Travis and Emma out of the cemetery.
The three of them headed back to the Sheriff's Office. Travis walked in with an ice pack. Emma was sitting on one of the desks and Graham was getting the first aid kit, "Are you sure you're going to be OK?" asked Travis, as he handed Emma the ice pack, "I'm sure Elsa would understand if I called off our date to take care of you."
"No… Go…" said Emma, "I'm fine." as she put the ice pack to forehead.
"Okay…" He looked at Graham, "She might say she's fine but she's not…"Emma rolled her eyes, "I might not be able to tell when others are lying like she can but.. I know when she is lying… Take good care of her."
"Will do," said Graham.
Travis looked at Emma, "See you later…"
"Bye," said Emma.
Then Travis walked out of the office. Graham looked at Emma, "I don't know what came over me. I kind of lost my mind."
"It's okay. You were tired. And feverish. And heartbroken," said Emma.
Graham put some iodine on a piece of gauze. Emma had a small cut over her left eye, "I don't know why I let myself get caught up with her."
"Because it was easy. And safe. Not feeling anything is an attractive option when what you feel sucks," Graham walked over to Emma and gently started to clean Emma's cut. Emma winced and smiled, "Felt that."
A few moments later and Graham was done, "All better." he said.
"Yeah." Emma just looked at Graham.
"What?" Emma stood and slowly walked over to him. Then she leaned in and kissed Graham. As they kissed Graham started to remember his life in the Enchanted Forest.
He was the Hunstman. Regina had hired him to kill Snow White and bring back her heart. But he couldn't do it. He let Snow White go and tried to fool Regina with the heart of a stag. But, Regina was not stupid. She knew it wasn't Snow White's heart. So she took his heart and made him her personal pet.
Graham broke the kiss and she looked at him, "Graham? You okay?"
"I remember," said Graham.
"Graham?"
"I remember."
"You remember what?"
Graham slowly walked up to Emma and cupped her face with his hands, "Thank you," Emma smiled. Then they to prepared to kiss again.
But, what they didn't know was that Regina was in her secret lair under the burial vault. She opened a drawer in the wall and inside was a small box. Inside that box was Graham's heart. She held it in her hand, looked at it and just as Emma and Graham got ready to kiss again she squeezed his heart.
Back in the Sheriff's Office, Graham doubled over in pain and fell to the ground, "Graham! Graham! Graham!" called Emma as she tried to revive him. Regina just kept squeezing his heart until it turned to dust. Emma sat on the floor holding Graham in her arms sobbing, "Graham! Graham! Come on, Graham! Graham!" desperately trying to bring him back but it was no use.
AN: So I know there wasn't a lot of Travis and Elsa in this chapter. That's just the way it is sometimes. Honestly if Graham wasn't killed at the end of this chapter I might have just skipped this episode but you kind of need it for the story to go forward. But, I've got some plans now that Travis and Elsa are a couple to get Elsa in the story more. Remember if you like this story. Review, Favorite and Follow. It gives me motivation to keep going. And since the view counter is not working right now. It's the only way to let me know if people are still reading this.
