Ultimatums
David awoke the next morning to an empty bed and the sounds of his wife in the kitchen. He got up and went to go investigate what she was up to. He caught sight of her as he entered the doorway, but she failed to notice him there. He stood there, leaning against the doorframe, watching her as she poured a cup of coffee. It was a picture perfect image, her standing there as the morning sun came in through the kitchen window, its rays of light illuminating her beauty. He could have stood there all day watching her.
Her face broke into a smile when she noticed him. "Good morning, Charming."
He moved into the kitchen and sat at one of the counter stools, taking a sip from the cup she had just poured. "It is a good morning, except that I was hoping to wake up with my beautiful wife next to me, so I could take her in my arms and wake her up with kisses."
"Well, I was hoping to serve my handsome husband breakfast in bed."
"I have an idea. How about you bring breakfast and join me back in bed?"
"That is a great idea. Unfortunately I have discovered there is nothing here to eat. I guess we should have gone back to my apartment last night. All that's in your refrigerator is some curdled milk, half of a pastrami sandwich, and a bottle of beer."
He raised his hands and shrugged his shoulders. "In my defense, this was a bachelor pad until just yesterday."
"She moved to stand in front of where he was sitting and placed her hands on her hips. "Lucky for you, it's my job to change that. It's obviously a miracle that you haven't starved yourself to death."
He pulled her closer, until she was standing directly between his legs. He brought his hand to her under her chin. "There is no doubt it's a miracle I ever survived without you," he said before officially kissing her good morning. As they continued to kiss, he reached down to loosen the tie of her robe, until they were interrupted by the sound of the doorbell.
She stepped back quickly and retied her robe. "Are you expecting someone?"
He grabbed for the belt to her robe and used it to pull her back to him, untying it again in the process. "No, and I'm not answering it," he said as he attempted to kiss her again.
She put her hand up to stop his advances. "You have to. They know we're here. They'll wonder why we aren't answering."
"It's the day after our wedding, they'll know exactly why we aren't answering, and they'll be right." He went in for a kiss again, but was greeted by empty space as she stepped back and crossed the room.
"David, answer the door, now!"
"Okay, okay," he laughed, gesturing for her to calm down as he made his way to the door. When he opened it the only thing there was a white box tied with a piece of string and a note attached. He picked it up and brought it into the kitchen where Mary Margaret was waiting for him.
"Who was it?"
"Whoever it was is gone. They left this box. I don't know what it is, but it smells delicious." David opened the note. "It's addressed to you," he said and proceeded to read it aloud to her.
Dear Mary Margaret, if I know my son, he never has anything in the house to eat, so I had Granny send over this box of breakfast pastries. I would love to have dinner with the two of you tonight before I take the train back to Boston if you're available. Love, Mother."
Mary Margaret opened the box. Inside were fresh baked cinnamon rolls, bear claws, and a variety of fruit filled danishes. "I love my mother-in-law." She pulled out a cinnamon roll and took a bite, taking the rest of the pastries to the table.
David smirked as he grabbed the cups of coffee and they sat down to breakfast. "Personally, I think her timing stinks."
Halfway through breakfast, David reached across the table for her hand. "I want to talk to you about something."
"This sounds serious."
"It's just that you mentioned earlier about going back to your apartment. Snow, I don't want you going back to that apartment except to pack up your things. You're not going back to work at The Pawnshop either."
She pulled her hand away and stood up from the table. "What are you saying, David? What if I want to go back?"
"Do you?"
"That's not the point."
"What is the point then? This hold that Gold has on you isn't right. Whatever kind of deal that you have with him, we are breaking it. I don't want him in control of your life, or your finances, anymore."
She stood there for a long time, staring at him, unsure of what to say. He stared back in confusion. He could tell that she was upset but for the life of him he couldn't figure out why. Her voice took on a dark tone. "Are you asking me? Or is this an ultimatum?"
He got up and began walking around the table towards her. "I don't understand what you're getting at. I'm trying to help you here."
She put up her hands in a gesture that stopped him. "Because if this is an ultimatum, than is our situation really all that different than the one I have with Mr. Gold? Because you sound a lot like him right now. Am I just trading one deal for another? Is this whole relationship really just you trying to be the hero? I don't need another hero, David."
The second the words left her mouth she regretted them. She wanted to take them back. She had opened her mouth to do so, but one look at David and she recognized it was too late. He looked as shocked as a deer caught in the headlights, only this deer wasn't desperately looking around for a path to safety. He looked more like he wished the car would just run him over and take him out of his misery. David didn't even look at her as he quietly left the room, leaving her standing there.
What had she done? David was a good man and he didn't deserve such comparisons. The look on his face before he had walked out devastated her. David believed in her. He was fighting for her. It was time for her to believe in herself. She had to make this right.
She found him sitting on the bed looking for all the world like a lost puppy. He didn't acknowledge her presence in the room. She sat next to him and took his hand in hers, grateful when he didn't pull away. His eyes still remained focused away from her.
"I'm so very sorry."
"I know," he answered quietly.
She sat there for a moment, waiting, but he didn't say anything else "David, I love you more than anything."
"I know," he simply stated again.
He still hadn't looked her way. She was getting a little desperate. She got down on her knees if front of him and placed a hand on each thigh. "It was an awful thing to say and I didn't mean it. You're nothing like Mr. Gold."
Finally he looked up at her, his eyes still full of hurt and questioning. "I don't get it. Do you want to work for him?"
"Oh, honey, that's not it at all."
"Then what is it? Help me understand."
"We've had this conversation before. He helped me out when I didn't know what else to do. When I had nowhere to go he was there for me. Honey, I was so scared that night, and in the days after, when I was trying desperately to remember what happened."
"And like I said before, that doesn't mean you owe him your life?"
"Maybe I do. He risked himself to help hide a murder. Then he gave me a job and a place to live because he understood that I could never go back home and face Regina. I'm not sure I could have survived all this without him."
He shifted on the bed to be able to face her. "First off, I seriously doubt if when you asked for help, you actually meant for him to dispose of a dead body. Secondly, when people are sincerely helping you, they don't ask for anything in return. He used his help to coerce you into doing his bidding. He forced you into doing things that made you uncomfortable. I shudder to think where that could eventually lead if you stay in that position. And now that you've been arrested and charged with the murder, his help is no longer a benefit to you. So I can't understand why you would still insist on working for him."
David, I wasn't working for him to only protect myself. If it was just about me, I would have run off a long time ago. He involved Graham in the cover up. Then he used that involvement to force him into looking the other way about activities going on at the docks. I tried to leave once. He threatened me with Graham's safety. I wasn't going to run off and leave Graham here. That's why I was stealing the money. I thought if I could save up enough, that I could convince Graham that we could get away and make it on our own."
"Sweetheart, that's blackmail. That's illegal. We can have him arrested."
"Where's your proof? Graham won't talk. If I say something now people will see it as a desperate attempt to shift the blame from me. I think our only hope is for me to remember what happened that night. That's why I've decided I'm going to go talk with Mr. Gold."
David jumped up from the bed at that, and held her by the arms. "Absolutely not!"
Though slightly angered by his reaction, she forced herself to remain calm. She knew he just wanted to protect her. She kept her voice calm, but in a tone that begged him to understand. "I need to ask him about that night. I need to hear his side of things. I've always been too afraid to ask him before. Too afraid to hear the truth."
"Trust me, Mary Margaret, whatever he says, it won't be the truth."
"Maybe not, but maybe it will be enough truth to trigger something in my own memory. Maybe the fact that I'm feeling strong enough to handle it now will help the memories come."
"I still say no. He's too dangerous."
She stood up then and replied quite adamantly, "I don't need your permission David."
He remained silent for a moment trying to control his emotions. He thought back to the joking conversations they had while she had been in jail about how stubborn each of them could be. She was certainly making a good case for herself. "Okay," he reluctantly agreed. "But I'm coming with you."
"No, you're not. I won't let you. He's not going to hurt me, but he's already proven that he will hurt you. I won't take that chance."
David put his foot down. When it came to her safety, he was determined to outlast her stubbornness. The tone of his reply allowed for no argument. "He's dangerous. When backed onto a corner he could hurt anybody, even you, and I won't take that chance. You are not going alone. I am going with you...and that, my dear, is an ultimatum."
Mary Margaret looked at him, her mouth opening and closing like a fish as she made several attempts to respond, but thought better of it each time. The look on his face told her she had no chance. As much as she hated the thought that something might happen to him, the fact that he wanted so much to protect her made her heart do flip flips in her chest.
"Okay," she relented, "you can come. But you have to promise to let me do all the talking."
"I can live with that." He leaned in and cupped her cheeks with his hands giving her a quick kiss. He kept his hands in place and gazed intently into her eyes.
"Snow, before we end this conversation, I need to make sure you understand one thing. I need you to know how much I love you." She opened her mouth to respond, but he placed his finger on her lips, not allowing her response just yet. "I will admit there is a similarity between me and Gold, because there is a selfish side to my motives for helping you. Your love has become my everything. I'm so afraid that if we lose this fight, you will try to push me away. I don't want to live without you. I want to be your hero, Mary Margaret. Not because I have some hero complex that I'm trying to fulfill, but because I love you."
He kissed her then, tasting the saltiness of her tears as he did. She grabbed his shirt collar and held him tight to her deepening the kiss. When they finally broke free, she moved her hand to behind his neck and looked up to meet his eyes.
"You are my hero Charming. You have already saved me, by loving me, by believing in me, by giving me hope."
She stepped up on her tip toes and kissed his cheek before gracing him with her beautiful smile. She turned then, and walked towards the bathroom before being pulled back by another tug on the belt of her bathrobe.
"Hey, where are you going?"
"I can see that I'm going to need to get rid of this belt," she laughed as she tried, unsuccessfully, to pull the tie from his hand. "I need to get dressed, so we can go see Mr. Gold."
"But we've just had out first fight." He unknotted the belt and wrapped his arms around her.
"I wouldn't really consider this a fight Charming. It was just a brief moment of disagreement, and we've worked it all out now."
She made a move to leave the room again, but before she could get too far he picked her up and flipped her onto the bed behind him. "Whatever you want to call it, I think some making up is in order." Her attempt at a response was muffled by his mouth enclosing over hers, the feel of which soon had her agreeing that making up was a good idea.
The sound of the radio crackled in Robin's patrol car.
"Car 42, What is your location?"
"I'm out on country road 108 heading toward the Misthaven Estates for a follow-up interview with Regina Mills."
"We've been asked to relay a message to you from your private detective buddy, Nolan."
"Go ahead"
"He wants you to know he and his wife aare headed out to the Pawnshop Nightclub to meet with the owner Mr. Gold. He requests that if he hasn't reported back in an hour, that you check to see if assistance is needed."
"Affirmative. Tell him I have received the message and will be waiting to hear from him."
Robin pulled up to the house just as the radio call ended. He rang the bell and the door was promptly opened by the butler, Jefferson.
"What can I do for you officer?"
"I am here to see Regina Mills"
"Is she expecting you?"
"She is not. I just have a few follow up questions from the interview we conducted with her."
"Her mother is not here at the moment."
"That's okay, I'm not here to speak with her mother."
The butler maintained his aloof demeanor, but Robin heard the nervousness in his speech. "I'm sure that her mother would prefer to be present during any questioning."
"She is an adult. I don't need her mother's presence or permission to talk to her."
"Well then, I believe she's in the gardens. If you'll come in, I'll see if I can find her."
"That's okay, If you just direct me to the gardens, I'm sure that I can find her myself."
Jefferson pointed around the left side of the house and Robin tipped his hat as he went in search of her. She wasn't hard too find as she stood among the roses. He watched her as she tended to them. It was a side of her he didn't expect to see. She was casually dressed in pants, wearing work gloves, and a sun hat. She had on only light makeup and there was a smudge of dirt across her cheeks. Robin thought she looked so much more beautiful like this. There was a softness to her femininity that one didn't normally see. It was a part of her that she obviously kept hidden, but that Robin found himself extremely attracted to. He took his hat off as he approached her, nervously twirling it in his hand.
"Ms. Mills."
She looked up, surprised at his presence. "Officer Locksley, what can I do for you?"
"I just wondered if I might talk to you for a minute?"
"Yes, sure." She began to take her gloves off. "If you will just let me put these things away and clean up a moment, then maybe we could sit down in the sun porch."
"Oh no, please keep working. What I have to say will only take a minute." Robin stood there still twirling his hat, while she looked at him expectantly. "These roses are certainly beautiful," he said, looking for a conversation starter.
"Yes, well thank you, but I don't usually have much to do with them. It's just that the gardener has disappeared and my mother is furious, so I'm trying to help."
"The gardener has disappeared. Aren't you concerned about him?"
"No not really. He cut off Cora's prize roses and gave them to Ruby to use in Mary Margaret's wedding. My mother threatened to chop his head off just like he did her roses. I don't expect we will see him back for a while."
Regina went back to work pruning the rose bushes. An awkward silence settled over the couple while Robin tried to gather up the courage to say what he came here for.
"Officer Locksley, You're staring at me."
"I was just thinking how your natural beauty compliments that of the roses." He caught the brief smile as it crossed her face "You should smile more. Your smile is lovely."
His comment had her blanking her features as her walls came firmly back up. "Officer Locksley, What did you come here for?"
"Please, call me Robin."
She hesitated a moment before responding. "Okay, Robin, what did you come here for?"
"I wanted to see if you were okay"
"I'm fine," she stated tartly.
He could tell that while she may say that she is fine, her words and her attitude were at odds with each other. He softened his voice and made eye contact with her, so she would know he meant it when he spoke.
"Regina, the person who was partly responsible for destroying your happiness got married yesterday. It's okay to say what you're really feeling. I don't expect you to be fine, that's why I'm here."
"Why do you even care?"
"Because you don't deserve what happened to you, and I don't want to see you throw the rest of your life away because of it."
Regina was stunned, but quickly recovered. "Thank you for your concern, Officer Locksley, but I'm fine. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get back to work.
She turned and walked to the garden shed, shutting the door behind her. Her only thought had been to get out of there before she started to cry. She hated crying in front of people. She hated crying period. Robin wasn't giving up that easily, though. He followed her into the tool shed. The second he entered the door his nose was assaulted by the most horrendous smell, drawing his attention.
"What in the world is that awful stench?"
"It's the special recipe rose food the gardener makes for my mother. It's apparently the secret to her roses." Regina pointed to the workbench where there were various bottles laying around. "With him gone she's been in here all morning making batches of it up herself."
"It doesn't smell like it would help anything to grow."
Robin glanced around the area of the workbench where it was obvious Cora had been at work. He was positive that the bottles she was using were identical to the one he had picked up at the toll bridge the other day. Robin wanted to inspect the bottles and the concoction they contained, but Regina was standing in between him and the bench. He didn't want to give her any reason to be suspicious of him, or not trust him. He was brought out of his thoughts by her voice.
"Most people would have taken my walking away as a hint to leave."
Robin decided it was now or never. "Yes, but you didn't let me finish what I came here to say. I care about you Regina. I would like to get to know you better, and maybe if you'd give me a chance, to help restore your heart."
"I'm sorry. I'm afraid that when Daniel died, he took my heart with him."
Robin approached her gingerly, trying to convey his sincerity. "That's not true. I've seen glimpses of it. I see it when you talk about him. I saw it when you realized that maybe your mother had manipulated all this. It was there when you made the decision to give Mary Margaret her mother's necklace."
He invaded her space, his face inches from hers. He reached for her hand. "I don't expect you to trust me right away. Just give me a chance."
He was so close that she could feel his breath. It made her own breath seem to come in quick bursts. She took a step back in an effort to gain control again. "My mother would not approve."
"All the more reason to say yes."
"Most people are afraid of my mother."
"I'm not most people. How about I pick you up tomorrow night around eight? Do you like Tony's?"
Regina placed her gloves and pruning tools onto the work bench. "How about I walk you out to your car?" She opened the door to the tool shed and held it open, waiting for him to follow her out.
Robin hesitated, he wanted to grab one of the bottles from the bench, but with Regina's eyes on him he couldn't risk it. Reluctantly he followed her as she led him out to her car.
She held out her hand to him to shake. "Goodbye, officer Locksley."
He took her hand, but did not shake it, he held on to it. "You never answered my question."
"I thought you would be smart enough to understand that my escorting you out is my answer."
"I'm smart enough to know that if your answer was really no, you wouldn't have hesitated to say so, rather emphatically I'm sure. Nevertheless, if that is your answer, I will accept it, if you will make me a promise."
"I don't really do promises?"
He gazed at her beauty, resisting the temptation to reach out and wipe the dirt from her face. "Don't stop living just because Daniel did. He would never want that. Give love a second chance, even if it's not with me."
Robin kissed her hand and got into his patrol car. He started the engine and put the car in reverse. Regina could feel her heart, the heart that she thought was gone, beating heavily within her chest. He turned his head to look behind him and slowly left off the brake. The car was already rolling backwards when he was startled by banging on the window.
He slammed on the brake and rolled down the window. There was a moment of hesitation before her heart won out over her head. "Tony's at eight tomorrow, but I'll meet you there."
He smiled and his blue eyes lit up. He sat there for a minute debating whether or not to get out of the car, but decided against it. He would take things slow so he didn't scare her off. "Okay then, I will see you tomorrow," he said before once again backing the car down the drive. He turned around one last time to look at her, only to find that she was already gone. He did notice the butler standing on the front porch watching him drive away.
David and Mary Margaret were led to Gold's office by Tiny, who acted as if they were best pals. The Giant of a man congratulated them on their recent nuptials, making no mention of the fact that the last time they saw each other he had played fe-fi-fo-fum with David's face. As they entered the office, Mr. Gold rose and came around his desk to hug Mary Margaret congratulating the both of them on their nuptials. She could read him well enough to tell that both the hug and the congratulations were insincere. He gestured for them to take a seat, returning to his own seat behind his desk.
Mr. Gold tried to pretend that his feelings were hurt, but his snide, sarcasm came through as he addressed the couple. "I was rather shocked to hear of the wedding ceremony last night. The two of you have known each other what, a few weeks?
Mary Margaret answered him confidently, letting him know that she was not bothered by his condescending tone. "When you have true love, why wait?"
"You know Snow, I must admit that I entertained thoughts that you might one day ask me to walk you down the aisle, so to not even be invited...well that hurt."
David threw his sarcasm right back at him. "Why would she ask you to walk her down the aisle? You're not her father."
Mary Margaret put her hand on his knee and squeezed, a warning for him to remember their deal. "I apologize that you were not invited. Remember I was in jail. Ruby handled all the details, including the guest list."
"Well, I suppose I can forgive you." He motioned toward the clock on the wall. "You're here rather early tonight. I do hope that you're not here to ask for time off. I understand that you're newlyweds, but you've already been off for two weeks. I have several customers who have been waiting for you to be back. They plan on being here tonight for your return."
David opened his mouth to respond, but she tightened her grip on his leg and shook her head no at him. She knew that if she angered Gold by telling him she wouldn't go back to work for him, he would refuse to tell her anything.
"I...We came early hoping to get a chance to talk to you. I need your help again."
"Of course, Snow. I'm glad to see that your marriage hasn't changed your need to come to me for help. What can I do for you?"
She heard David growl deep in his chest as his hands clenched into fists. She was squeezing his leg so hard that she wouldn't be at all surprised if her nails drew blood, even through his pants. He was losing control. She was sure that if Gold said one more derogatory thing, he and David would come to blows. This is exactly why she didn't want to bring him. She met his eyes in an effort to communicate her thoughts to him. I love you, but please calm down. He's trying to rile you up, that's what he wants. I need this information from him, so please don't let him win. He shook his head, as she read in his eyes that he understood her.
"I need you to tell me what happened the night that Daniel was killed."
"I'm afraid, dearie, that only you can answer that. Daniel was already dead when I got there."
"But you told the police that I did it. How do you know if he was dead when you got there?"
"Because you told me you killed him."
"What! When? Why don't I remember that?"
"You're a liar!" David shouted at him "She would have never said that, and certainly not to the likes of you."
Gold stood up at his desk "I will not sit here and let you yell and make derogatory comments. Mr. Nolan, I shall get Tiny to escort you out. Your wife's final set is at midnight. I will have someone escort her home after that."
David stood up to respond, but his attention was quickly drawn to Mary Margaret, who began to hyperventilate. He crouched down in front of her and placed a hand on her knee, rubbing gently. He forced himself to calm down, while telling her to calm down and take deep breaths. He could not stand what this whole thing was doing to her. The not knowing was torturing her. He strengthened his resolve to do whatever it took to get to the truth.
When her breathing finally returned to a normal state, he swallowed his pride and turned to Gold. "I apologize. Please, will you tell us what you know about that night?"
Gold returned to his seat. David tried to ignore the satisfied smirk on his face, sitting down next to his wife and putting his arm protectively around her.
"I'm not sure how much help it will actually be. I was not lying when I said I came to the scene much to late. I had let Daniel use the car that night. I was expecting him to return it to me at the club. It was nearing closing time and I still had not heard from him. I asked Graham about it and he informed me of what had gone on earlier between you and Regina and Daniel. I called the Mill's house, and when that insolent butler finally put me through to Cora, I was informed that Regina was home and she didn't care where you were. Graham and I went looking and found you still at the toll bridge. Daniel was dead, stabbed multiple times. I thought that you were too at first. You were covered in blood and holding a knife tightly to your chest with both hands. I later recognized it as an antique dagger that your father had purchased from me. I bent over you to see if you were breathing, or if I could find any wounds. When I touched you, your eyes shot open and you began screaming hysterically. I asked you if you were okay and if you could tell me what happened. You started screaming, 'I killed him, I killed him, I killed him' over and over again. Graham couldn't stand it anymore and he begged me to shut you up. I slapped you then...hard. That stopped the screaming. Instead you curled up into a ball and began shaking. Graham and I tried to get you to respond. You were staring at us, but it was like you weren't actually seeing us. The only thing you would say was please help me. Every question I asked it was just please help me. I wasn't sure if you would even survive if I called the police. At the very least you would end up in the psyche ward. So I made the decision to help you. We put you in the back seat of Graham's car and we drove to dispose of the body, then I took you back to the club and cleaned you up. You slept in my office that night. When you woke up you could only remember bits and pieces. You remembered fighting with Regina. I asked if you remembered killing Daniel. You didn't remember details, but you remembered the body, and the knife, and the blood. You know the rest. I told you that Graham and I had taken care of it, and you didn't have to worry about it anymore. I gave you a job, and an apartment, and a bank account. I saved your life that night."
David decided he had remained silent long enough. "That's the biggest load of crap I've ever heard. You didn't save her life that night, you destroyed it. If you had called the authorities they might have been able to solve this case. Instead, you destroyed all the evidence and by the time anyone even knew there was a murder it was already cold."
"I risked everything to help her."
"You risked everything to help yourself. I think you hid that body to cover up your own criminal activities. As a bonus you added Mary Margaret and Graham to your list of blackmail subjects. I bet you know who the real killer is and you're blackmailing them too. Or maybe it's you."
Mr. Gold nonchalantly opened the top drawer to his desk and pulled out a gun pointing it directly at David. "I've had enough of playing the nice guy. I tried to help. It's unfortunate that you had to blow a fuse and force me to defend myself. I'm sure the cops will understand seeing as they were witness to our last encounter, when you tried to attack me inside the police station."
Mary Margaret jumped up and screamed, but David reacted quickly, putting his hand up to stop her and placing himself in front of her. He remained completely composed and looked Gold directly in the eye, so there would be no doubt about the truthfulness of his statement.
"Do you think I was stupid enough to come here without backup? Right now, there are about half a dozen officers waiting for my wife and I to walk out those doors. I told them to give to give us about an hour, so by my reckoning, if the two of us don't walk out of here in the next five minutes they are going to be busting their way in. So go ahead and shoot me if you want."
David took Mary Margaret by the hand. They were at the door when he turned back around. "One last thing. Whatever deal you had with my wife, consider the debt paid in full. She will no longer be working for you, or living in your property. And if I ever hear you call her Snow again, it just may be the last thing you say." With that the two of them walked away.
They left the nightclub and walked into town without saying a word. They were two blocks from Granny's before Mary Margaret stopped in her tracks. David had been waiting for this. He braced himself imagining that she was going to ream him out good. It caught him completely off guard when she backed him up against the streetlight and kissed him. The kiss was sloppy and hard. It was a kiss intermingled with the emotions of fear, desperation, and relief. He tried to meet her passion, to give her the reassurance that she needed. He broke apart from her to look in her eyes.
"Snow, honey, it's okay."
She slapped him then. He reached up to his cheek in shock. "No, it's not okay. What were you thinking, David? He had a gun! He could have killed you! Where are the cops you were talking about? You don't bluff with Mr. Gold. What if he had called you on it? What was your plan then?"
"It wasn't completely a bluff. I did tell Robin what we were doing and asked him to check on us."
"He still could have killed you. Don't ever put yourself in danger like that again. My heart can't take it."
David cocked his head slightly to the side and smiled. "Is that an ultimatum?" His attempt at humor was not appreciated by Mary Margaret, who looked like she might just slap him again. He pulled her into his chest and wrapped his arms around her, running his hands down her back in an effort to comfort her. It did very little to quell her fears. She knew firsthand engaging with Gold was a very dangerous game.
They broke the embrace when the sound of a siren assaulted their ears. The car pulled up to the curb, and Robin got out. "Guess you two don't need rescuing."
"You almost did have to come rescue us. David very nearly antagonized Gold into shooting him."
Robin rolled his eyes. "I'm always warning him about his temper. So what exactly happened with Gold?"
"Besides the fact that he threatened to shoot me, not much. He still claims that his involvement with the murder was after the fact. He says that Mary Margaret admitted to him that she killed Daniel, but she doesn't remember telling him that."
"I'm surprised that he's sticking to his story. He knows that we are likely to charge him with accessory after the fact if Mary Margaret is convicted, but he doesn't seem bothered by that."
"Maybe because accessory is a whole lot better than first degree murder. There's one other thing about his story that bothers me. He said he discovered them that night by the toll bridge, but Mary Margaret told me that she remembers regaining consciousness on the overlook."
Robin looked at Mary Margaret. "Is that right?"
"Yes. I'm pretty sure that I woke up on that cliff. The first thing I can remember clearly after fighting with Cora, is waking up and hearing the waves crashing on the rocks below. Then I felt something wet and sticky all over me. When I sat up to look what it was, the knife fell into my lap. That's when I saw Daniel was dead and began screaming. I don't remember Mr. Gold or Graham being there right when I woke up. I don't remember telling them that I killed him, but I do remember seeing the blood all over me and thinking that I killed him."
David sighed, "Without solid proof it doesn't matter anyway. Gold and Graham have the same story, and Mary Margaret has admitted amnesia. No one will believe anything she says without proof."
"I may have a lead. I was hoping you might be able to go on a little reconnaissance mission with me tonight after dark."
David put his arm around his wife. He didn't want to leave her after what happened with Gold and her reaction. "I don't think tonight is really a good night. I think maybe it's better if I stay home, besides we had dinner scheduled with my mother."
"Already feel the tightening of the apron strings, huh pal," Robin joked.
Mary insisted, "No, David, you should go, especially if it's to investigate a possible lead."
"The lead will still be there tomorrow."
She looked at him full of sincerity. "I'm fine. I think you should go. Besides, it will give me an opportunity to spend some time getting to know your mother." She gave him a teasing smile. "Maybe, I can get her to tell me all your childhood secrets."
Robin interrupted, "sounds like you're going. I'll come by and pick you up later." Robin got back in his patrol car. Just before he left, he rolled down the window. "Hey, Mary Margaret, if you want some really embarrassing stories about David, just ask. I've got plenty that I'd love to share." They could hear him laughing as he drove off.
"Sounds like I'm going to have to plan a lunch date with Robin sometime soon," she said with a smile and a wink.
"No way am I letting that happen. I know a lot of secrets he doesn't want out either."
"So you're willing to resort to blackmail to keep him quiet?"
"Absolutely."
"Well, then I'll just have to get you to reveal your secrets to me yourself."
"And how do you propose to do that?"
Her eyes twinkled as she assured him, "oh trust me Charming, I have my ways."
He laughed at that. "I have no doubts that you do." He took her hand and kissed it before lacing it through his arm. Together they walked to Granny's so he could drop her off to spend the evening with his mother.