This chapter contains a mentions of violence, so you know...
As always, all mistakes are mine.
A few days had passed since the talk between Emma and Regina at the waterfall, and the brunette decided she wouldn't tell Emma about her brother being in town unless that was really necessary. Until then she would take care of keeping the blonde safe from him. She had found out about the incident with her brother and Killian and in her mind she knew exactly who had caused it, but as the boys stated that they couldn't see the face of the aggressor she decided to wait for the right moment and would take her brother alone to talk about that. Regina was leaving her room and met Emma at the hallway. The blonde opened a smile at the sight of Regina and walked towards her, hugging her and placing a quick kiss on her lips. They go downstairs, finding Mary, David, and Tinker in the kitchen.
''Good morning family!'' Emma smiled as she approached her uncles, kissing each other and sitting next to her cousin.
"Looks like someone woke up in a good mood today." David says mockingly.
"I'm always in a good mood, Uncle. People don't know how to appreciate it sometimes.'' Emma laughed as she took a slice of sweet bread.
"And hungry, too." Mary laughed at the blonde's face when she heard that statement.
''Did anyone saw Ruby?'' Emma asked as she took a sip of milk.
"She left early, she said she was going to get some things at the police station.'' David replied scratching his chin doubtfully.
The coffee passed with light and casual conversations, everyone's laughter and a few jokes about the blonde's appetite.
(...)
Robin paced back and forth in the living room of Ingrid's house, annoyed that the money the blonde had given him was not enough to do what he wanted. He still had some bruises on his face and back, a result of the blows he had taken the day he attacked Killian and Graham. He walked over to the woman who was sitting in the chair turning another dose of the cheap whiskey and caught her by the chin making her look at him.
"I hope the bank is the way you told me or you'll pay the consequences." Robin buried his nails in the woman's jaw.
''I told you. Today is a great day for you to assault that dump.'' Ingrid said taking his hand away from hers. "Take the girl as a hostage and everything will work out."
''I hope so.'' He stepped back and took a glass from the coffee table, filling it with the whiskey and pouring a generous sip. "As for my beloved sister, how is she?"
"Your beloved sister doesn't look for me any more." Ingrid said bitterly. "Now she walks with that outsider up and down and seems to have forgotten me.''
"And the stranger... she is beautiful?" Robin asked mischievously.
''Does it make a difference?'' Ingrid gets up staring at him.
''Of course it does. If she's beautiful, I'll make sure my sister knows she'll lose it to me too.'' Robin replied smugly.
"If I were you, I would worry about the bank now. Leave this outsider for later.'' Ingrid replied by pouring a generous sip of whiskey into the man's glass.
(...)
Dorothy had been avoiding Ruby since the day the brunette had contacted her about them and the new outsider. The thought of sharing Ruby with someone else bothered her, but not having the brunette bothered her even more and she didn't know what to do. It was true that she hadn't given a chance to meet the redhead and she always knew that she and Ruby had nothing serious, exclusive. They had never talked about feelings or about making a commitment and that at any moment it could happen, but when that actually happened, she couldn't deal with it. She got ready for work and headed for the bank. Today was payday and the place would be full so the sooner they got there the sooner they would finish the shift.
Upon arrival at the place Gold requested that she prioritize the payment of the merchants and then proceed to the others. She nodded and went to her post organizing the place while the first customers entered. Almost at the end of the day a young man entered the room in dark leather pants and a cloak that went down to his feet and with a hood that covered almost his entire face and in the part of his mouth he wore a tied handkerchief. He quickly approached the station where Dorothy was leaning his gun on the brunette's rib.
"If you do what I ask, perhaps I'll let you leave alive."
Dorothy nodded and looked around for something she could do to stop the man from completing his plan. There was nothing within reach at the time and Gold was in the back room where he was keeping receipts for the payments made on that day. When the man came back to the front of the bank and saw such a scene he grabbed his cane and hit the thief's back as best he could but ended up getting unbalanced in the process and fell. Robin glared at him and kicked the man's ribs and another on his face leaving him unconscious. Dorothy took the distraction from the blonde and took the cane from Gold using it to hit the thief again, this time a little stronger. The blonde bent a little with the pain, clenching his jaw and then raising and firing without even aiming and with that ended up hitting Dorothy's leg, advancing towards the woman who had retreated a few steps still with the cane in her hand, now using it to support her because of the pain she was feeling. As she saw the thief approaching her, she didn't hesitate and tried to hit him again with great effort to overcome the pain and maintain balance, however the man was faster and held her arm tightening and preventing her from continuing the attack. He made a quick move that disarmed her and then hit her with the butt of the revolver, leaving her unconscious as well as Gold. He took some of the remaining cash from the cashier and left them both behind.
(...)
Ruby spent the day lost in thought remembering the words the redhead said a few mornings ago and also remembering the words from Dorothy the day she had looked for her on the bank to talk. She couldn't take it any more, she grabbed her horse and stalked toward the bank, strangely arriving on the spot and facing the open doors. She came down from Amarok without even bothering to tie him up so he wouldn't get out of there and ran inside looking around and despairing to see the brunette unconscious beside Gold. As she approached, she noticed that there was a bloodstain on the floor and she soon realized that it was from Dorothy. Ruby lifted the brunette's dress and was relieved to find that the shot had just been scraped and was nothing serious. She took it carefully and placed her head on her lap, letting some tears fall silent on her face as he stroked the other woman.
''Come on my love, wake up.'' Ruby said as she ran her fingers over the woman's face. "I need to get you out of here, but I need you to wake up for this."
Gradually Dorothy began to show signs of waking up with a grimace of pain and bringing her hand to the head where she had taken the butt. Looking at Ruby the girl had a smile on her face and then bent down to kiss her.
(...)
Robin left the bank satisfied with the amount he had made although it was not all he needed, that would help in his plans. He went to Ingrid's house where he was hiding and kept the money there by putting in his room under a loose board near the bed. He set aside some of the money for later and went to the bathroom. The blond switched on the shower and left his clothes on the floor letting the water wet his hair as a malicious grin crept into his face as he thought of the next step in his plans. When he got out of the bath he went to the room where he kept Kathryn and brought a meal for her and told her she was going to leave, but she did not try anything waggery because the house was being watched.
He then made his way to Sherwood, a dubious bar that was north of the city. There he took a dose of whiskey and sat watching the place. Some men were drunk enough to not even find their way home, others intoxicated to the point of their presumption to blind them and others were more concerned with the girls who entertained them. After a few doses Robin approaches a table where some men play poker and asks to join the game by sitting down with them.
(...)
After Dorothy and Gold woke up Ruby put her on her horse with Gold's help and asked him to go to the police station so they could talk about what had happened. He nodded and locked the bank then went home as the brunette headed off in the opposite direction, arriving at the inn in a few minutes.
When they stop in front of the inn Emma and Regina were coming together and Ruby asked for their help to get Dorothy down and take her inside.
''What happened?'' Emma asked looking at the wound on the woman's leg. "Gina, please, ask Archie to take Amarok into the stable." She kissed the brunette's forehead and turned to Ruby again.
''Apparently it was an attempt to rob the bank probably those men who go to Sherwood again.'' Ruby said with a grimace of disgust.
"I'll go there later to see if I can find something. These men are stupid enough to always boast about things like that.'' Emma says sulky and helping Ruby to accommodate Dorothy in the chair attracting the attention of David who was on the counter.
''Ems, be careful you know that those men do not care about many things.'' Ruby warned her, going to get things to do the dressing on the brunette's leg.
"Dorothy, did you see the face of the man who tried to rob the bank?" Emma asked as she carefully lifted the woman's dress.
"No, Emma. I'm sorry.'' She blushed slightly.
''No problem. I'll find out who it was.'' The blonde turned to David who was standing by the fireplace. "Uncle, can you get me a bowl of warm water, please?"
Ruby came up with some cloths, an ointment and a liquid to clean the wound by taking the brunette's leg and placing it on her lap. Soon David brought the basin with water and placed next to Emma moving away so that they could take care of the brunette's leg. After finishing the dressing, Emma got up and went to Regina who was standing at the door looking with an apprehensive expression.
"You seem more apprehensive than I do with what happened." Emma hugged the brunette to her. ''What's wrong?''
"I'm just worried about Miss Gale.'' Regina responded by returning the blonde's embrace.
Emma said nothing, just took the brunette's hand and led her into the kitchen, finding Mary and Tinker preparing dinner and kissing her aunt and cousin's hair. She fumbled in the pots proving something here, another there and laughing at her aunt to scold her so she headed into the room next. After dinner the sheriff took her things and went to the stable, taking Andromeda and leaving in silence.
(...)
Robin had been at the bar since early evening drinking and gambling and taking advantage of the drunkenness of the other men to rip them off more money than what was being wagered and cheating every round.
"It seems like today is in my favor!" He said smiling as he won another poker game by drawing angry sighs from the men at the table with him.
"Lucky fellow, boy.'' One of the men at the table said turning a beer mug over.
At that moment the sheriff entered the place discreetly trying not to draw attention to herself and walking between the tables when she saw an abrupt movement in one of them approaching cautiously so she wasn't noticed.
"Listen here, you old bastard.'' Robin said taking the man by the collar of his shirt. "I'm not a beginner. The bank robbery you'll hear about tomorrow was my doing.'' He pushed the man back in his chair and stood up smiling, opening his arms and turning to the others in the room. "Whoever wants to join me... I have great plans for this city! And to my beloved sister!''
Emma felt her legs weaken, her blood drain, and every lump of her body shiver as she saw the man who was speaking. He was older, he wore a sparse beard, his hair a little darker than a few years ago, but still the same size, the same smug tone in his voice...
"Robin..." Emma said in a whisper and turned to leave the room, bumping into a few men standing to listen to the blonde's speech.
She picked up Andromeda and dashed off aimlessly through the city. A whirl of thoughts mingling in her mind. Her brother was in town, he had hurt Dorothy and now he would come after her. Her fear wasn't for him to come after her, but for him to use the people she loved to hit her because that's how he and their father always were. They used the people that others liked to inflict pain and suffering on someone.
(...)
Ruby had taken Dorothy to her room with David and Regina's help and laid her down on her bed sitting down next to the brunette. She brought her hand to her face, caressing and smiling as the other did not recoil at her touch.
"I was so scared when I got to the bank and saw you unconscious and the blood around you.'' Ruby said, letting a few tears fall silently down her face. ''I thought... I...''
"Shhh..." Dorothy put her index finger to the brunette's lips, silencing her. ''Listen to me. Please. I've been thinking about the things you've told me since our last meeting and what happened today made me realize that I can not be without you. When I saw that man entering the bank I knew something bad would happen. My only thought was you. As he approached me with the revolver and pressed it against my rib, I thought I would never see you again because I knew he would not hesitate to kill me, but when Gold attacked him and distracted him I saw an opportunity and grabbed it. Then he shoot in my direction and I just prayed that his aim was worse than yours.'' She laughed weakly, holding the brunette's face gently. "I'd rather learn to live with someone else with us than to have to be without you. Without your smile, your jokes, your good mood. Besides, I think maybe the redhead deserves credit, after all, it's not anyone who catches you like that.''
Ruby laughed through the tears and threw herself into Dorothy's arms, forgetting the bruise on her leg, pulling away quickly as she heard the other mutter in pain.
"I couldn't lose you. I couldn't bear to lose you. I really don't know what that redhead has. It must be family stuff since Emma's fallen for Regina and Killian for Graham, but I don't know how to be without you. I don't know if this will work or how it will work, but I need the two of you in my life.'' Ruby kissed her with passion. A kiss full of affection, longing, fear. "I love you, Dorothy.''
Ruby pulled her into another kiss, hugging her awkwardly because of the bruise on her leg and smiling through the act, sinking her face into the woman's neck.
(...)
Emma arrived at the inn late at night, her face wet with tears. Her body trembling slightly. She left Andromeda in the stable and silently entered the inn by the kitchen door trying not to make a sound and thanking everyone for seeming to be asleep. The sheriff went straight to the bathroom leaving her clothes on the way and turned on the shower, letting the hot water relax her body at least a little. After the bath she went into the room not bothering to wear something. She just lay down and pulled the thick blanket over her body as thoughts racked her mind without permission.
"Emma was walking through the city when she found herself standing in front of her old house looking all dark. The peeling walls here and there, the toys still scattered on the porch. She walked slowly to the bench on the porch sitting and looking around. Emma looked up at the sky and the moon shone brightly like the day she was there with Regina. A smile formed involuntarily on her face remembering the moments she had had with the brunette and a relief took her thinking that the brunette was well with her away. It was better that way, she told herself. If he does not know that I feel something for Regina, Robin will not approach her. Emma thought and now she was not smiling anymore. After a few minutes in silence and lost in thought she heard a chuckle that made every hair of her body shiver. It couldn't be. He was dead. Her father had died years ago on that precipice. And then another laugh joined the first one leaving her on alert. Emma turned her head from one side to the other holding her breath and trying to find out where the sounds came from. Other sounds were heard. This time it was the sound of something being kicked, broken, shattered. Emma got up with her hands in her holster and grabbed her revolver as she walked slowly around the house. The sounds seemed to come from within. She walked to the kitchen where she could hear her father's voice clearly.
''Tie that bitch well.'' James said with a laugh. "You know I don't like them moving around without me asking."
Once again Emma felt her legs weaken, her body trembling, her hair completely peaked. She steadied the hand that held the revolver and waited for the man to come out of the kitchen without making a noise and heading toward the sound of the men's voice. She had heard her father tell Robin to tie someone - a woman probably - for what he had understood, but strangely she didn't hear the woman try to ask for help. No matter how suddenly she had her mouth tied, some sound she might try to emit, but that was not the case.
Emma was slowly approaching, and she felt it spin as she saw the scene in front of her. Regina was tied to the bed, gagged. There were cuts on her face and her breasts. She could see the brunette's chest rise and fall quickly, yet she didn't cry. Her gaze was filled with hatred. She noticed that the brunette was still dressed from the waist down and this brought her some relief. Emma couldn't move. It seemed that something was preventing her from walking, so she just watched the scene in front of her. It was as if her feets were pinned to the ground. Her father approached the brunette with a dagger in his hands while Robin watched as he took a generous sip of whatever the drink was in the glass. Emma couldn't believe he was really there. She was sure the man had died when he fell on that cliff. When she saw him sit on the brunette's legs directing the dagger to her chest again and laughing cruelly it was as if something inside her woke up. She aimed the gun at her father and fired. He collapsed, dropping his body from the bed. At that moment Robin got up with a revolver in his hand and pointed at Regina.
"I was waiting for you, little sister.'' Robin smiled at her approaching Regina pulling her hair and lifting her face. "Now I'm going to kill this bitch and then I'm going to kill you."
She didn't have time to respond. She heard only the shot of her brother's revolver, firing her own instantly against him. The blonde fell to the side of the bed and Emma ran to Regina. The brunette's chest was bathed in blood, her eyes half closed, her breathing weak.
"Shhh... don't say anything. I'll get you out of here. I'll take you to the hospital, you'll be fine.'' She said, holding the brunette in her arms.
Emma woke up sweating, and as she brought her hands to her face, she realized she was wet with tears. It took her a few seconds to realize that she was in her room and that it was a terrible nightmare. She took a few deep breaths, letting her breath catch.
She went to Regina's room, opening the door slowly, just to make sure the brunette was asleep.
Emma entered the room in silence and placed a kiss in the brunette's hair.
"Sorry, but I can't let him hurt you.'' She said in a whisper and then left to go to her room again.