Bit of a time jump. Not too long though.
After the last couple of days, everything has been silent, and Bella's getting antsy. She knows something is wrong, feels it, but she can't pinpoint what. Bella spins around in the chair while Regina filters through the paperwork.
"Sweetheart, do you see anything over there that mentions budgets or town finances?" Regina asks.
Bella spots what her mother's looking for, and she picks up the folder. She rolls the chair to the couch and places it on the table.
"Thank you. I know you're ready for lunch, but I promise I'll be ready to go in a moment. I'm just a little confused on something."
"It's no problem. But what are you looking for?"
"Your girlfriend mentioned several days ago about inconsistencies in the etiquette club and the town's budget. I had forgotten with everything going on, but I found a document that doesn't make sense."
"How?"
Regina puts down the folder and rubs her temples.
"Snow purchased several items she felt were necessary to enhance the etiquette club experience. The problem is there's no actual list to account for what she spent. Just numbers."
"Let me see."
Regina passes the paper to Bella, who looks over it with the intensity Charlie used whenever he looked over her homework. Bella figures it out with little effort, and she re-arranges the numbers into letters in her head. It's rudimentary, but if Regina didn't know it was a code, then she wouldn't be able to spot it. Bella moves from the chair to the couch. The sentences don't make sense to her, but she figures her mother would know.
"The items aren't numbers; they're codes. The test was successful. Beans will be ready in three weeks. Awaiting your decision." Bella shrugs and passes the document back. "So basically, Snow was writing a message to whoever looks at the documents. Other than you, who has access?"
"These files are public," Regina admits. "At least, to anyone who asks. It was a condition of my reinstatement as the town wanted to be aware of everything I was doing. What's the date on that paper?"
"Well, it was dated three weeks ago," Bella says. "So-
The phone begins to ring, and Regina gestures for her to hold on. She goes over to her desk and frowns when she sees the caller. Before Bella can ask what's wrong, Regina answers and puts the call on speaker.
"Good afternoon, Sheriff. How may I assist you this afternoon?"
"Madam Mayor, I'm glad I caught you before you left for the day."
"Yes, well, I have an early lunch prepared with my daughter, so any business you have for me will be taken care of tomorrow rather than today."
"I see. Will you be eating at Granny's or at home?"
"Neither. Is there a reason for this call other than to be in my business?"
"Sorry. I'm calling to tell you that Snow White and Prince Charming were bailed out this morning."
Regina stares at the phone for a moment before she asks, "By whom?"
"Mother Superior used some of her personal savings to, and I quote, fix an egregious error made by an emotionally compromised Sheriff. She also submitted a formal inquiry into my state of mind to determine whether I am fit to remain in position."
"I see. And when will this document arrive on my desk with the necessary signatures?"
"Please hold." The call goes silent, and Regina flicks lint off of her shoulder. Minutes later, Emmerson returns and says, "The document was just faxed to your secretary with the necessary amount of signatures. Starting immediately, I have been relieved of my duty on behalf of the council."
"I take it they enacted the Snow White clause," she says.
"Yes. I have until the end of the day to prepare the deputy for the promotion."
Regina points at Bella and motions for her to start cleaning up the office. Bella does as she's told, but her attention is firmly on her mother and the phone call.
"I understand. Please pass along a message for me."
"Okay?"
"Tell them that if this is how they wish to do things, then I will gladly play along."
Regina ends the call, cutting off Emmerson's response and picks up her coat. She flicks her wrist, and whatever paperwork Bella didn't finish putting away vanishes. In fact, the entire office clears out minus the furniture, and Regina snaps her fingers. Bella blinks when she sees anything that remotely resembles her mother's style transforms into something mundane, and Regina buttons her coat.
"Are you going to explain what that was about?" she asks.
"In a moment. Come along."
Bella jumps up to follow her mother as they leave the office, and they approach the secretary, who has her bags already packed. She holds out the document, and Regina scans it.
"It would appear most of the town is on board for Emmerson's removal from office," she says. "I wonder what Snow fed to the people to make them question Emmerson's duties to the town. Have you already submitted it for processing?"
"Yes, Madam Mayor, and I have also turned in my resignation."
"Oh, that is-
"We both know they wouldn't have let me stay regardless," she interrupts. "I'm loyal to one Queen."
Regina smiles gratefully and incinerates the paper in her hand. She dumps the ashes on the desk and gestures to the door.
"Shall we?"
"After you."
Bella bites her tongue to keep from unleashing the multiple questions growing in her brain. Once they get outside, the secretary curtsies to both Bella and Regina.
"It is a pleasure to serve you both," she says.
"We appreciate your faithfulness. I hope you and your husband find your way safely."
"You as well, your Majesty."
Bella feels like another conversation is happening before her. She waves awkwardly at the secretary, and then lets Regina direct her to the car. Regina unlocks the door, and Bella gets in the passenger seat. She faces her mother, who smiles apologetically and starts the engine.
"I apologize, Monkey. After you killed Maurice, Emmerson and I discussed a failsafe of sorts. That was why that phone call sounded a bit awkward. We were communicating without communicating whether he needs me, if he's okay, or if we need to get to the family first. He was unclear about it, so I'm going to call Red and have her check on Emmerson to make sure everything's fine. Emmerson and I knew Blue would retaliate, and we knew it would happen quickly. So, I need to inform Jax and the others to pull all of my allies to Miller Heights for their safety."
"I- okay. Can you explain the bean thing?" Bella asks, reeling from the information.
"Ah, they're portals, technically."
"I'm guessing to the Enchanted Forest?"
"Correct."
"Okay, but what is the deal with removing Emmerson from office? I thought he was their Savior."
"With most of the town signing that document, it proves they have either lost faith in Emmerson or never believed in my change of heart. To top it all off, if Snow or Blue announces that there are beans ready for transport, it will make things very chaotic. Especially if they inform the town I had the document in my possession and did not inform the public. Regardless of whether I could read the code or not, some of the town will feel I kept it a secret because I wanted to keep everyone trapped here. With Emmerson believed to be compromised by me, his influence-
"-is worthless," Bella finishes. "This all sounds very political."
"Yes, well, it's also how they did it in the Enchanted Forest. Discredit someone in power, manipulate the masses, and then make the changes by letting the public think it was their idea all along. I've done it, as have every other monarch in existence."
"Fuck. I knew something about today was off."
"The unfortunate thing is that it's just getting started." Regina turns toward the house and adds, "Do me a favor, call Vincent and tell him to activate protocol Ignis."
Emmerson messes with the cuffs around his wrists and ignores the voices growing closer from outside of his makeshift cell. He hoped he wouldn't be back, but he should have known not to hope for any type of miracles. Emmerson bends over to scratch his nose. Part of him fears Regina more than he does whatever nonsense Snow and the others have planned. He didn't exactly follow the rules when it came to the failsafe. By the time Emmerson hung up the call, Blue and the others were waiting with cuffs. Now he's in the same damned factory with no way to contact Regina or Isabella. Or his vampires. He was essentially screwed. The door opens, and Emmerson looks up. He sighs when he sees who it is.
"Hello, Neal."
Neal steps to the side, and Emmerson rolls his eyes when he sees Henry. Several months ago, he would have smiled in relief. Amazing how things changed.
"What do you want?" Emmerson asks.
"They want to know her plans."
"Who?"
"Regina."
"That depends on the day."
"Why do you keep protecting her?"
"You say that as if she's planning something."
"Isn't she?"
"No."
"Why are you defending her, then?"
"Because I love her."
"You loved me once upon a time too."
"Not at all."
"What?"
"I never loved you."
"How-how can you say that?"
"Easy, actually. It just flows off the tongue, doesn't it?"
Neal clenches his jaw and asks, "So you're saying you regret having Henry?"
"I'm saying I'm glad Henry was raised by Regina and not either one of us."
"We would've been great parents!" Neal exclaims.
"Oh? Before or after you abandoned me?"
Neal doesn't have a response, and Henry hides behind Neal's leg. Emmerson shifts in his seat and tries to ignore the buzzing sound in his head.
"Why can't you forgive me? I made a mistake."
"So did I. I should have never gotten involved with you, I should have never opened that goddamned door in Boston, and I should have sent Henry back on the same bus he came on."
"Mom!" Henry shouts.
"I am not your mother!" Emmerson shouts back. The room gets deathly silent at that, and Emmerson glances down at his cuffs. He stares at them for a moment before he looks at Neal. "You motherfuckers," he whispers.
"I- we thought-
"No, I know what you thought. You thought putting me in cuffs and dousing them with a truth spell would help you figure out what's wrong with me. You thought it would give you answers. Newsflash to you and everyone else watching, I never wanted to be a fucking Princess! I barely wanted to be the Savior! Every morning it was something wrong or someone that needed saving. Fuck, it was exhausting. And you know what? I'm glad I'm not the Sheriff anymore. I'll even go as far as to say I hope you idiots have a safe fucking trip to the Enchanted Forest. I really do but let me tell you a secret."
Emmerson leans forward and looks Neal in the eyes.
"I am not your Princess. I am not your Savior, and I am not your Emma. There's your truth, now get the fuck out."
Neal puts his hand on Henry's head and asks, "What did she do to you?"
"Love me unconditionally for who I am," Emmerson answers.
"We all love you," Neal argues.
"No. You want to own me, control me, and put me in a nice little box to fit the family picture I was never a part of."
"What? You were always part of it!"
"No, Neal. I wasn't." Emmerson glances at Henry and adds, "You don't even realize how good you had it, kid. Regina was the best thing for you, and you threw it away for what? Empty promises?"
"They kept their promise!" Henry exclaims.
"Yeah, sure. Whatever you say, kid."
Neal sees what Emmerson is doing a little too late, and he says, "Wait, Henry, don't-
"They found more beans! They're going to take us all back, and then you'll see. You'll be Emma again, and the Evil Queen can be locked away so she won't hurt you anymore."
Henry runs out of the room, and Emmerson turns to Neal with a cocky smile.
"Guess I still got it."
Regina thanks Emmett as he loads the last of her boxes into the back of Bella's truck. Her cellphone rings, and she answers it automatically.
"Hello?"
"Your Majesty."
"Jax?"
"The men have rewired the security system around the gate, and Princess Abigail and her husband sends their regards."
"Who else is there?"
"Captain Hook and Adella, Granny and Belle, and a few others. Red has not been in contact, but the others are armed and ready to move on your word."
"Hold on, what do you mean Red has not been in contact? I sent her to check on Emmerson thirty minutes ago."
"I apologize, your Majesty, but there has been no word from either of them. I've also gotten no reports about them arriving at the city."
Regina spots Vincent running up the driveway, and she tells Jax to hold on. Vincent bows once he gets close and takes his formal guard stance. That tells Regina all she needs to know.
"Where is he?" she asks.
"I went to grab Red to help us locate and extract Emmerson, but I found her unconscious behind the diner. The damage done to her was extensive, your Majesty, and it- someone went out of their way to cause her pain. I called for backup, and she is on her way to Miller Heights as we speak. There was also news from the hospital. Without a reason to keep him any longer, Dr. Whale released Neal into Snow White's custody. Henry was checked out of school by Mr. Cassidy, and the two of them have disappeared. We believe they are wherever Emmerson is."
"Not those damn zombie guards again," Emmett says.
Regina puts the phone back to her ear and says, "The moment Red arrives, she gets the best help. Place her somewhere safe, and I will be there later to help. Change the protocol to Umbra and prepare my safe house."
"Aye, your Majesty," Jax says.
Regina ends the call and says to Vincent, "You heard the protocol change. Get to Miller Heights, now, and lock it down until I arrive."
"Yes, your Majesty."
Vincent runs off, and Regina pinches the bridge of her nose.
"Regina."
Bella and Regina both turn to Rosalie, who has a grimace on her face as she steps outside with Alia.
"Ten minutes," she says.
"For what?" Bella asks, confused.
"Are you sure?" Regina sighs.
"Yes."
"What are you guys talking about?" Bella exclaims.
Regina clenches her jaw before she puts her finger against Bella's temple. Bella's eyes roll to the back of her head, and Emmett catches her before she hits the floor.
"Please put her in the car," Regina says.
"She's going to be so pissed," Emmett grunts.
"That is an understatement," Regina mutters.
"I'm sorry," Rosalie says. "But she can't get between this. If she does-
"There is no need to explain a second time, Miss Hale."
"What are you going to do about Honeycomb?" Alia asks.
"Save him."
"You promise?"
Regina steps closer to Alia and puts a hand on her face. She says, "You three need to remember you're dealing with my world now, my rules, and things are going to happen faster than you are probably expecting. Trust me to handle this." Alia, Rosalie, and Emmett nod, and Regina looks at Rosalie. "The moment that barrier goes down, you end it, and you get your ass to Miller Heights. I will not be explaining to my daughter why I had to knock her out or why her mate is in pieces."
Rosalie gives a short nod before she, Alia, and Emmett disappear. Regina huffs in annoyance and makes another phone call.
"I apologize, but have you and your husband left yet?" Regina sighs in relief. "Good. I have one last favor to ask of you," she says.