Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time, only my OC.
Storybrooke
Alator sat in a booth at the diner, sipping a cup of iced tea, watching Graham hit a bullseye on the dart board.
Nice shot, Chief." A drunken Sidney raised his glass mockingly. "I bet you twenty bucks you can't do it again."
Graham drank another shot and threw another dart hitting the exact same spot as he had before, "Next round's on him." he told Ruby just as Emma exited the restroom.
Alator raised an eyebrow at the expression of disgust that flashed over Emma's face when she saw Graham, what had he done to receive such disdain from her?
"Emma, what can I get you?" Ruby asked.
"Nothing." Emma answered shortly before she made a beeline for the back door. Her exit was stopped when Graham threw a dart that embedded itself into the wood right next to her head. "What the hell?" Emma demanded loudly, "You could've hit me!"
"I never miss." Graham said with a slight slur in his voice, "You've been avoiding me since last night when you saw me."
Emma's voice was a low, harsh whisper. "Leaving the Mayor? And yes, that is a euphemism." She snapped before pulling back from him. "I'm not avoiding you, Graham, I just have no interest in having this conversation. It's your life – I really don't care." With that, she turned on her heel and stalked out of the diner.
'Ah, so she knows about him and Regina. Well, that explains it,'
After a moment's pause, Graham took off after her. Shaking his head, Alator got up to follow them, to make sure that Graham didn't do something he would later regret the next morning.
Unfortunately, he was too late, as he saw Graham pull Emma into a kiss.
"What the hell was that?" she demanded.
"Did you see that?" Graham asked.
"How much have you been drinking?" Emma demanded," That was way over the line."
"I'm sorry. I just...?"
"What? You what?" asked Emma angrily.
"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 stated as she once more walked away.
The next morning, Emma walked into the diner and found Alator sitting in a booth with a cup of tea, glossing over a newspaper.
"Hey." she greeted as she approached him.
"Good morning, Miss Swan." Alator replied.
"So, you saw me and Graham last night." Emma said, getting to the point.
Alator blinked, momentarily taken aback,"I followed you last night, yes, to make sure nothing preventable happened."
"Thanks." said Emma dryly, "So did you know—?"
"Did I know that he and Regina were 'involved' with each other?" Alator finished. He sipped his tea before replying, "Yes, I knew."
"Well, if you knew, then why didn't you warn me about it? " Emma asked.
Alator steepled his fingers, and gazed intently at Emma through his glasses, "It wasn't my place, Miss Swan, and besides you would have learnt of it anyway, either when Graham told you himself or when Regina decided to flaunt it at you."
Emma grimaced, "Sounds about right." she agreed, "Though I would've preferred either of those instead of watching him climb out her window the other night."
'Hmm, so that's how she found out. Hmm, well it certainly gives meaning to the phrase; in bed with the sheriff's department.' Alator thought in amusement.
"By the way, have you seen Graham?" Emma asked, "Mary Margaret called earlier and told me he's been wandering around town looking sick all day."
Alator shook his head, "No, I haven't. He might be at the animal shelter, doing his rounds, or perhaps he's gone to see Regina. I think he might break it off with her soon." he surmised.
"You think he might be there?" Emma asked.
"It's possible, I suppose."
"As long as Regina's not there, then that's where I'll head first. Are you coming?"
"I can't, I'm afraid, I have work to do. Feel free to contact me though, if anything happens."
"Will do, thanks." Emma said as she left the diner.
Watching Miss Swan go, Alator pulled his phone from his pocket and quickly dialed Gold's number, "Gold? We've got a problem, I think Graham's remembering."
"So what does it mean?" Alator asked, leaning on the counter of Gold's shop.
Gold was rifling through several books, "It appears that that kiss might have had a profound effect on Graham. It must have awoken something in his subconscious." he surmised.
Alator nodded, "Well, with her presence in town, the Curse is slowly weakening, but he shouldn't be able to regain his memories. You and I managed it because we had the Savior's name, how did Graham manage it?"
Gold shrugged, "I think it might have something to do with the fact that his heart wasn't in his chest, when the Curse was cast, it was with…"
"Regina!" Alator exclaimed in realization, "If Graham's remembering his previous life, he may remember who possesses his heart! And he might try to retrieve it!"
He straightened abruptly, the need to find the Huntsman had become even more urgent. If Graham had remembered that Regina possessed his heart, he would undoubtedly try to reclaim it, but he doubted Regina would simply give it up and let him go free, and even if Graham did manage to get his heart back, then there was a chance something could go wrong, since the heart was enchanted, and there was no magic in this land.
But if he could stop him; convince him to wait until after the curse was broken…
He grabbed his cane, and was making ready to leave the pawnshop, when his phone rang; either a business call, or Miss Swan was contacting him.
"Hello?" he answered, cautiously.
It was Emma, it sounded like she was crying on the other end, "Mr. Indigo," Emma said through her tears, "It's Graham, he-he's dead!" she sobbed.
"Hold on, I'll be there soon, Miss Swan." Alator said to the grieving woman, promptly hanging up, he looked at Gold and shook his head sorrowfully.