"Graham, what are you…"
"What are you doing here?" Emma helps her now handcuffed mother finish those words, both certainly eager to know what the man was still doing in his old office.
"Shouldn't I be asking you that same question My Quee…" He stops himself; Emma slightly relieved knowing now what those words truly meant when she was that wreck of a teen.
"I'm here because…" She can see Regina look down, her beautiful regal face contemplating, something Emma had seen far to many times in her lifetime, something she'd helped cause practically her whole lifetime.
"Because, the Queen is getting what she deserves Graham," Her mothe… Snow answers him sternly, as to not break what they'd all agreed upon.
Her fists automatically clench, she knows Mary Margaret's words aren't true but hearing her say them… she didn't like it.
"Emma, your mother…" It was grahams turn to contemplate.
"Her mother is right here Graham." Snow now stands directly by my side; she can feel Regina's free fingers graze her hand that held her confined ones.
Even if these cuffs were all for show, she did not like this, she did not like placing her mother in her yellow bug in those terribly uncomfortable chains, in the backseat, like a criminal.
Those stares, those smiles, those familiar friendly faces happy to see she'd returned but also happy to see her mother being brought to the sheriff's station and being put behind bars.
And now, now he was here, her childhood obstacle, the man who made her feel so unworthy, so envious… still, somehow.
She squeezes Regina's hand gently in return, assuring her that no matter what Snow said, whether true or not, no one would replace the memories Regina gave her; the only true memories this town had truly had.
Graham steps forward and directly in front of his once Queen, so close that she could see Regina flinch, she finds her arm reflexively go around Regina's waist, tugging her closer to herself, closer to safety. No one was going to make this woman feel any more pain… not anymore.
She wouldn't, she couldn't let that happen.
"You do love her…" Graham whispers, his eyes now on hers.
"She is my mother after all." Emma confirms what he'd asked her earlier, not caring if her biological parents were right there, right next to her and surely in pain as well.
"Then why cuff her if?" He raises an eyebrow, accusing her of the obvious.
"Isn't this what you want, what they all want?" Emma grinds her teeth, accusing him in return.
"It's what I want… to want." He faces her mother once again.
"Regina…" His frown unmistakably forms a hint of a smile.
She sees her mother's majestic smile almost appear.
"I followed your every order, your every need, no questions asked…. always." He adds.
"And I Graham, am never going to deny those things." Her mother assures him.
"You kept me as your huntsman's, no memories but that of obedience…" Regina shows him what she'd only showed Ruby and Granny, shame.
"I did." she hears her mother's monotone rugged voice agree.
"You're wondering why I am still here." He doesn't ask, he just states as if he knew Regina more than anyone in this room; more than her.
She can see her mother sternly wait for a reason, one they both did not see reason in.
For Emma, part of that reason she hoped wasn't that he loved her more than she'd always questioned.
"Your little knight," He whispers.
Emma's eyes shoot up, her glaring eyes now wide.
"I'd never seen you here nor there… the enchanted forest I mean, I remembered," He breathes out gently.
"You'd never smiled, never worried, never loved, not until I saw you adopt that child, the child you so lovingly called your little knight, that child you never stopped looking for… the child I would never stop looking for." He outstretches his strong arm and squeezes her mother's shoulder kindly but stern.
"You did what you did but I… I did what I did for you because you loved her. You loved her and I saw nothing in my life, nor there nor here that I wanted to do more than help you… because I once knew of love, and now… now that my heart has been returned… I hold no hatred for you."
He lets go, his squeeze but a ghost.
"I must go as promised, but I had to find you and let… let you know, let you and let myself know… you are not as evil as everyone believes."
He looks behind us both, staring directly at a now embraced Snow and David.
"Protect her, she truly loves the Sheriff." He tells them sternly, looking directly into my eyes, a small smile evident as he acknowledges that that is what I am from here on out, the towns Sheriff.
He says no more and swiftly walks by them all, not looking back again, now surely truly leaving this cursed place.
…..
Graham had gone, he'd truly gone and all that remained was these chains that contained her, that and her beloved knight...
Her eyes grow wide and unnoticed. Since when had she added those words, those words meant for a man she'd long lost years ago, those words meant for someone you caress and hold and kiss, those words meant for…
Beloved.
"Emma."
"Yes my quee…" She can see Emma's mouth shut tight. Surely Grahams speech had made her repeat such words; words she did not dare let Emma say, not ever again, not in front of…
"Yes Mom?" Emma lays her hand gently on her shoulder, where Grahams had only been a few moments ago. Regina looks quickly and away, noticing the not so different strength they had in their hands. Emma had come back, and she was so…
"Lock me up." She cuts her own thoughts.
"It's time Emma." She adds with reassurance.
"I… I know." Emma sternly replies, taking a hold of her restrained hands and guiding her to her temporary cell.
"I, I love you." Emma mutters from behind her.
She cannot help but shudder at her words, those last words Emma whispered sweetly before closing and locking those bars behind her; those words she'd long to hear again for so many years without her.
She refuses to look back, she refuses to look back into Emma's eyes and stays still, head now down as she looks at nothing but the dirty cement floor she now stood upon.
"Regina." Emma calls her name, something she'd already gotten used too since she'd arrived, something that she thought had upset her, but oddly filled her heart just the same.
She refuses to turn, not now, not when her head was doing so much. She could not show Snow or David any of it… her fear, her contemplation, her pain, she refused to let them see her defeated and in this cell.
…
"Emma, honey let her be..." Snow knew Regina at some point, some time, she new her before she was Mayor and before she was evil.
She could still so easily tell when her stepmother needed space, needed to be alone, yes she was angry… so angry, but some part of her fairy tale heart could so easily feel a hint of care for the woman who'd saved her life so many years ago.
Her friends, Graham… the things they'd said.
The Evil Queen she had known would have never… she'd never cared for anyone the way they all had spoken of, not even for her when she'd been that child she'd eventually call her daughter.
Her daughters eyes turn anxiously to see her own.
Emma had truly always been concerned for Regina, always so anxious to make her happy.
Always protecting her…
She couldn't remember a day in school that Emma did not mention Regina. That was unless she was writing or asking her what a word meant and how to properly end her run on sentences.
"Oh Emma." She soothingly responds, the way she'd always console her back when Emma was just a 7th grader and so confined.
Snow knew even than, Emma was special… so special, and now… now that she knew why she'd felt that spark, that connection, the young Emma she once knew, the young Emma she wished she'd gotten to know so much more of was undeniably an adult and… the way she was now, the way she protected Regina, Snow didn't know if it was even possible for Emma to love her the way she loved Regina, the way she always dreamt of it.
…
"Mary Margaret." She responds looking down; feeling that distant but familiar warmth Mary Margaret had always offered her as a kid.
The only thing missing was her diary hidden behind her back.
"Emma maybe Regina needs to be alone, just to collect her…"
"I told you both, that isn't going to happen…. I can't Mary Mar,"
"Snow." She corrects herself, now causing a flinch on not only Regina, but also Snow now as well.
"She needs clothing, a blanket, some food, maybe we can…"
Emma realizes she hadn't thought about the obvious, she needed Regina to be as comfortable as possible yet she'd forgotten to bring her the obvious.
"I…." She's stays silent unable to decide.
She suddenly hears the familiar sound of heeled footsteps coming towards her.
She feels Regina grasp her hand through the steel bars and firmly look at her, letting go instantly and take hold of the bars instead.
She sees her mother gently press her forehead tiredly against the bars.
"Emma, my love please."
"Regina how could you ask me to…"
"Please go, and… the white sheets, those white bed sheets that were once… bring it to me, it's all I really need to help the days go on faster."
"I.." Emma is speechless, unable to stop herself from debating.
"It did the trick before." She hears Regina add, immediately making her chest ache and undeniably convincing her to quickly please the woman she loved.
…
David can see his daughter's eyes glisten with unshed tears, Regina already convincing her to leave her be.
But seeing Emma in so much pain, seeing his daughter in so much ache, he just… he couldn't stand it no matter how desperately he wanted Emma's time all to themselves.
"Snow and I can go." He walks towards the deer caught in the headlights that was now how daughter.
"We made a deal didn't we." He smiles, a smile he'd only ever given his mother and wife.
"David…" Emma rubs her eyes quickly and eagerly walks towards the office desk nearby.
She grabs a hold of something he had seen graham place down on the desk as soon as they'd walk into this place.
"Take this." She throws in softly into his hands.
"It's a sheriffs badge, people will listen to you more once you have it on you." She smiles genuinely.
"Yeah, alright." His eyes begin to dampen; feeling like everything would be okay between them after all.
"Snow lets go, I think they both need some time alone."
"Charming but…" He places his lips on hers sweetly.
"It's okay, she will always be our daughter, and remember… good always wins." He winks sincerely, encouraging her to relax her heart and to trust him.
"What else will you need." Snows adds, that strong hopeful smile he fell in love with present again.
"You'll find everything you need in the kitchen to the left of the entrance and… upstairs, second room passed Emma's…" Regina's undeniable low voice partially responds.
"The white sheets on her bed." Emma finishes.
"Got it Emma." He hears his wife almost ignore Regina and stares adoringly at our daughter instead.
"Hey!" Emma stops them before they could step outside the station.
"Be safe you two."
"You to honey." They both say in unison as they painfully leave their daughter behind.
…..
It was Regina and her alone again; she slowly turns to face her, the words already coming out her lips.
"Regina, why were you trying to,"
"Graham," she cuts her off sharply.
"Why did you want to be sheriff Emma?" her mother suddenly asks, so sudden, so…
"You know why." She can feel her knuckles turn white.
"You don't get to ask me that, not when..."
"When I won't love you the way you want me too?" Regina's finishes, her low and stern voice instantly making her heart ache and feel the fire, slightly making her tremble under her stare.
Emma is now silent, unable to push further, unable to complicate things further for this woman she loved so painfully clear.
"Graham." It was Emma's turn to say his name, her chance too…
"Did you ever love him." Her fists tighten more than before, ready to say more than she ever had before.