Paulaa90: yep, going with Graham and Emma. I hate how early he was killed in canon too, especially since he never got any justice for his death.
MerlockVonBaron: thanks for the review and the fave and alert.
Graham hid his heart in his apartment, underneath a loose floorboard. It felt like such a cliche and wasn't going to work for long. Regina had her skeleton keys and could search the place when he left for work. He considered getting a safe but he didn't want to leave his heart while he looked for one and he wasn't comfortable with the idea of walking around with it outside, it felt too much like tempting fate and the fact that it would look like a giant gem to anyone else besides him and Regina didn't help.
Outside his apartment he could hear the wolf howl but he didn't have the energy to chase after it. Is there more that you can help me to find? he thought. If the wolf could somehow hear his thoughts he wouldn't be surprised. How did the wolf get here? Did other animals come with the curse? The birds here still migrate, don't they? If I could turn into a wolf, would I be able to leave? God knows where I would go though.
Graham went to the bathroom. He found himself staring at his reflection in the mirror. It was no wonder that Emma and Lacey had thought that he was sick. His complexion was pale and sweaty and his eyes were bloodshot with bags under them. Most of all he looked like a completely different person though nothing about him had changed physically. But I know that I'm different. He tore his eyes away from the mirror and undressed.
He turned the taps and stuck his hand into the water so he could feel when the water warmed up. Did the other world have running water? How often could I shower as a huntsman. I must have smelled like a wolf. Graham chuckled to himself. Smelled like a wolf. Good one.
The water had started to warm up so he swung his arm to his side and stepped under the shower head. By the time he started to get out of the shower the water was cold again. His body was less sore but his mind was still running over everything, trying to pick apart every detail and trying hard to remember any new details even though the thought of remembering his time with Regina made him feel sick. If kissing her unlocked my memories, why didn't it unlock all of them? Do I have to kiss her a certain amount of times? I can't imagine her letting me do it again. If I could get my heart back in would I remember?
He grabbed a towel off of the shower screen ran it through his hair before putting it around his waist. When he got out of the shower he caught his reflection again. He still looked like someone else.
Somehow he managed to stay awake long enough to put on his PJ's pants. That night he dreamed that while wearing his Huntsman clothes he had driven the police car through the town sign.
In the morning he called in to the station.
"Sheriff's station," Emma answered. "Deputy speaking." It felt like ages since he had heard her voice even though it was only since last night. There was so much that he wanted to tell her but he didn't know how.
"It's Graham. I won't be coming in to work for a few days." Or weeks, or months. Maybe I won't go back at all. But even he as he thought it he knew that he couldn't abandon his job and leave Emma to deal with Regina alone. "I feel terrible." It wasn't a lie exactly, he had still felt ill when he woke up. Maybe the fear and stress was making him sick. He also hadn't slept much since that weird dream, drifting in and out of sleep all night.
Silence. Graham licked his lips, his throat felt dry. Was she going to hang up on him? Perhaps this was the last straw, he had acted unstable all day yesterday then from her perspective he had made her and her friend complicit in grave robbery.
"Okay. Take all the time you need. I can handle things here."
"I know you can. Thank you. And I'm sorry."
"For getting sick?"
"No. For the kiss. It was highly inappropriate." This was an apology that should be done in person but he didn't know if he was ever going to see her again. Right this moment Regina could be looking for another way to kill him. Perhaps she would hire a hit man. Could his heart even be placed back or was death the only way to remain safe from Regina? It would be something if it turned out that he couldn't die with it separated.
A pause. He could hear her breathing on the end of the line. "Yeah. I know you weren't exactly in the right frame of mind. Would you do something?"
"Anything," he said with the certainty that he would walk through fire for her.
"Talk to Archie."
Damn. I should have expected that. "I'll consider it." Small town, if he did start going to therapy it wouldn't be long before everyone would know. He isn't sure that lying about going to therapy would work and besides he didn't want to lie to her if he could help it.
Emma made a sound that was somewhere between a sigh and a groan. "I'll see you in a few days." She hanged up.
He put his cellphone to charge on his night table. He had been so tired that he had completely forgotten about it. Graham fried some bacon and eggs and thought about how in another life he must made countless breakfasts over a campfire. After breakfast he flipped through the TV but his mind kept wandering so he turned it off.
Not knowing what else to do Graham decided to do some cleaning. He washed, dried and put away the few dishes that were in the sink. Then he looked around his apartment for something to do. The apartment was spacious but there wasn't much to look at. His police degree and an article about him organizing a charity function adorned his wall. There was a trophy on top of his TV. Those three things were the only decoration.
There was a worn out armchair by the TV but no couch. Two chairs by the kitchen table even though he only ever used one. Needlessly large apartment. A chair for a guest that I never have over. No reason to have more than an armchair. Proudly displayed achievements with no one around but me to see. It's like the curse wanted to remind me that I'm lonely.
He opened his closet, pushed through the clothes and found a box in the back. The box contained a small roll of leather and some walkie-talkies. He took the walkie-talkies out, getting an idea.
He put the walkie-talkies on his night table. He walked over to the window and looked out at the street. I never would have thought that I could be so terrified and bored at the same time. I don't think I ever fully appreciated what this town means to me. Graham closed his eyes. Or is that all a lie? What would I think if I were still the Huntsman? Would I even care for Henry or is that part of the curse as well? Am I friends with Lacey despite or because of the curse?
He opened his eyes and watched a random citizen cross the road. He almost missed being unaware of what was going on but it was worth it to be free of her control and if there was any chance that he could help defeat her then that was all he needed to get through this. Freedom was so close, if only he knew how to put his heart back.
He moved away from the window and laid down on his bed, feeling very tired. The next thing he knew his doorbell was ringing. For a few moments he continued to lay there drowsy and confused.
"Graham?"
Lacey? He walked to the door and opened it. It occurred to him that no one ever saw him in his PJ's. She stood in the doorway holding a container of what looked like soup with a brown paper bag on top of the container.
"I went to the station to check on you and Emma told me where you were. I don't have long. The kids are on their lunch break. I got you some soup and grilled cheeses from Granny's. I would have made you something but if I didn't have time this morning. And I was too tired to do it last night after I..."
"Thank you." He exactly what she was talking about. She had helped him move the coffin. He moved back out of the doorway to give her space to step inside. "Come on in. Just set it down on the kitchen table." They walked over to the kitchen table.
"Nice place you have here."
That's a lie. This is the most boring apartment you will ever see. "Thank you."
Lacey set the food down and pressed a hand to Graham's forehead. "You still have a fever."
"But I definitely feel better."
She gave him a warm smile. "That's good. Remember to eat well and drink plenty of fluids. I have to get back."
"Thank you really. For everything." He hoped that she caught his meaning. He didn't think that she would be comfortable discussing grave robbing.
"You're welcome. I hope you get better soon."
He had a feeling that she didn't just mean the fever. She still thought that he wasn't right in the head and he couldn't blame her. He would give his right arm for her to believe him though.
After Lacey left and while he was halfway through his soup his doorbell rang again. Lacey's back again? Or maybe it's Mr. Gold, though I don't think the rent is due yet. Maybe it's Emma. It would be a miracle if she ever wants to see me again after everything. When he answered the door Regina stood there.
Jumping out the window occurred to him. Shooting her also occurred to him but then he would be sent off to some prison outside of Storybrooke. The cells in the police station were only intended to be temporary holding places.
"What do you want?"
"What do I want?" Her voice was dripping with false sadness. "Graham, I heard you were sick and you weren't answering my calls so I came to check on you."
"My phone died and it's just a fever. I just have to wait it out." Graham tried to close his door but Regina stuck her foot in the doorway.
"You haven't been acting like yourself."
Or I've finally been acting like myself. "I've been doing some soul searching lately. This isn't going to work out."
"What?"
"Us. We aren't going to work out."
Regina grabbed his hand and he took his hand back fast as if stung. "You don't know what you're talking about. You aren't well. Let me take you to see Dr. Whale."
"I know exactly what I'm talking about. I'm finally starting to see things clearly and I want you to leave."
Regina huffed and glared at him. She put her hands on her hips. "Is this about Miss Swan?"
"No. This is about you and me. I don't feel anything with you, I never have. I want to feel something."
She pointed a finger at him. "You will regret this. Mark my words." Then she stomped off down the hall.
That night Graham heard the wolf's howl again. He got dressed and made sure not to forget his keys, he took his heart as well just in case the wolf led him to a solution. Graham ran out of his apartment barely remembering to lock the door in his haste. He ran downstairs, out the door and into the forest searching for the wolf. He found it deep in the forest. The wolf stared at him and then walked off leaving Graham to follow after. They walked for hours.
The wolf finally stopped at the town line. Graham stared at the wolf before things clicked into place. This was the one place Regina would never expect his heart to be. No one came to the town line, everyone had a natural inclination to avoid it as if something terrible would happen if they left the town. The wolf began to dig. Graham knelt down beside the wolf and started to dig alongside it using only his hands. Eventually they had a pretty deep hole. Graham took the heart out of his jacket and dropped it down the hole. Then he put the earth back to where it had been.
Graham reached over and pet the wolf. "Thank you." Somehow he knew that the wolf understood him.
Graham set a pair of walkie-talkies down on Emma's desk. She looked up at him from her seat.
"What's wrong with the ones we already have?"
"Nothing. They're for you and Henry to play with."
"Thank you." Emma grabbed the walkie-talkies and put them away. She met his eyes evenly and he waited for what she had to say. "Regina was over here looking for while you were sick."
Graham's face turned white. "What did she want?"
"Just to know where you were and to accuse me of ruining everything as if it's my fault you got sick."
Graham rubbed his head. "I'm afraid that she might blame you for what I do even more now. I broke up with her."
"Congratulations."
He chuckled. "Thank you."
Later Emma found Henry at his playground castle. She brought the walkie-talkies with her. She sat down next to him and handed him a walkie-talkie.
"Brought you something. Thought we could use them together for Operation Cobra."
"Thanks. Did Graham regain his heart?"
Emma sighed. She hadn't wanted to do this. "Henry, Graham isn't well."
Henry swung his legs back and forth. "He's missing his heart but he'll get it back."
"People can't live without a heart, kid."
"I think it's like symbolic of his heart or something. Magic is weird like that. He survived but she has control of him."
"She doesn't have control over him. Not anymore anyway."
"He must have found his heart. But she won't stop trying."
That's what Graham thinks happened too. "What do you think she's going to do?"
Henry shrugged. "I don't know. Something big."
Mr. Gold was covering a piece of cloth with lanolin in the back room of his pawn shop. Graham entered through the front door.
"Mr. Gold! Are you here?"
"Well, it is my shop," Gold muttered to himself.
Graham walked into the back room.
"What is that?"
"Oh, this is lanolin - used for waterproofing."
"It smells like livestock." The smell felt familiar to him somehow. It must have something to do with his time as a huntsman.
"Well, it is the reason why sheep's wool repels water."
"Was there a reason that you called the Sheriff's Department?"
"Yes. Did you find what you were looking for?"
Graham rubbed his neck. "Yeah. I'm just not sure what to do with it."
"Perhaps I can help you," Mr. Gold said. "It would be wise for us to work together. Regina can be a tricky foe."
Graham raised an eyebrow. "No offence meant Mr. Gold but I don't think that this is something that you can help me with."
Mr. Gold smiled. "I think you'd be surprised at what I can do."
Graham stared at him curiously. "Just what do you mean by that?"
"I think you've realised that there's more going on in this town than people realise. But with the way things are going they'll know soon enough."
The curse. But how would Mr. Gold know about that? "I want to be sure that we're talking about the same thing."
Mr. Gold gave him a knowing smile. "All in due time, sheriff. All in due time."
Emma throws her keys on her desk at the station. Regina entered the room.
"Where's Graham?"
"I don't think he wants to see you."
Regina glared at her. "When you see him tell him that he's fired."
"On what grounds?"
"Having a mental break down. The mayor has the right to replace the sheriff when she feels he's become unsuitable for the job."
"So I get his job? I know you broke up but I would thought that you would hate that idea more."
"I've elected a more suitable candidate."
"So, who's it going to be?"
"After due reflection – Sidney Glass."
"Sidney from the newspaper? How does that even make sense?"
"Well, he's covered the Sheriff's Office for as long as anyone can remember."
"And he'll do whatever you want him to. You just cannot stand the fact that things have been getting better around here, can you?"
"Better? Are you referring to Graham's mental decline as 'better'?"
"He just had a fever. He's fine now."
"He was perfectly fine before you showed up, Miss Swan."
"You can't just replace him!"
"Actually, I just did. And Miss Swan, you're fired as well."
At Lacey's apartment, Emma was trying to pry open a toaster with a knife. She had music blaring and a half empty bottle of whiskey on the table. Lacey came home and saw what Emma is doing. She turned off the music.
"Toaster broken?"
"It wasn't when I started with it. Pretty sure it is now. Just needed to hit something."
"What's going on?"
Someone knocked on the door.
"Maybe I just want to beat her."
Emma answered the door and Mr. Gold stood in the doorway. He has a large binder under his arm.
"Good evening, Miss Swan. Sorry for the intrusion. There's something I'd like to discuss with you."
"I'll let you two talk."
Mr. Gold watched Lacey walk out of the room.
Emma moved aside. "Come on in."
"Thank you. I, uh… I heard about what happened. Such an injustice."
"Yeah, well, what's done is done."
"Spoken like a true fighter."
Emma rolled her eyes. "I don't know what help I can be. She's Mayor and I'm, well, me."
"Miss Swan, three people with a common goal can accomplish many things. Three people with a common enemy can accomplish even more. I've offered to be Graham's benefactor."
"His benefactor?"
"You mind?" He gestured to the table and both he and Emma walked over to it and sat down. He put the binder on the table and opened it.
"Shouldn't you discuss this with Graham?"
"Oh, I will. But I don't think he's made his mind up about accepting my help yet, and I assume that you'll be helping him in his campaign since your job is riding on this on this as well. So you could convince him."
"You'll have to convince me first. What does it matter to you if Graham keeps his job?"
"The good of the town matters to all of us." Mr. Gold walked over to the table and set his folder down. "You know, it really is quite shocking how few people study the town charter."
"The town charter?"
"Well, it's quite comprehensive. And the Mayor's authority?" Mr. Gold smiled. "Well, maybe she's not quite as powerful as she seems."
Regina, Sidney, and several news reporters are gathered in Regina's office. Sidney and Regina stand by her desk while the reporters keep back.
"Everyone deserves to feel safe in their own homes. That's why Sidney Glass is my choice for post of Sheriff. This man has put the needs of Storybrooke above his own for as long as any of us can remember as chief editor of the Storybrooke Daily Mirror. Please welcome your new Sheriff!"
Regina pinned the Sheriff's badge on Sidney, when Graham and Emma entered.
"Hang on a second," Emma said.
Regina put her hands n her hips. "Oh, Miss Swan, Mr. Humbert this is not appropriate."
Oh, I'm Mr. Humbert now, Graham thought wryly. "Actually it is," he drawled.
"The only thing not appropriate is this ceremony," Emma said. "She does not have the power to appoint him."
"The town charter clearly states the Mayor shall appoint-"
Emma cut Regina off. "A candidate. You could appoint a candidate. It calls for an election."
"The term 'candidate' is applied loosely."
"Like hell it is. It requires an election. I'm running."
Regina sneered. "Fine. So is Sidney."
Sidney looked at her. "I am?"
Regina turned around and gave Sidney a nasty look.
"I am," he agreed.
"With my full support. I guess we'll learn a little something about the will of the people."
"I guess we will," Emma replied. She stormed out of the office with Graham right beside her. The press snapped photos of them as they left.
Mr. Gold was sitting in his pawn shop staring at the flame from a lighter. Regina entered and he put the flame out.
"Regina."
She flipped the sign on the door to the 'closed' side.
"Shall I move some things? Make a bit of space for your rage?"
"You found that loophole in the town charter."
"Legal documents – contracts, if you like. Always been a fascination of mine."
"Yes, you love to trifle with technicalities."
"I like small weapons, you see. The needle, the pen, the fine point of a deal. Subtlety – not your style, I know."
"You're a bastard."
Mr. Gold smiled. "Really Regina you're taking this far too personally. I'm just thinking about the good of the town. Sidney's lovely but he's hardly qualified."
Regina snorted. "As if you care about anyone but yourself. Are you really going up against me?"
"Not directly. We are, after all, both invested in the common good. We're just picking different sides."
"Well, I think you picked a really slow horse this time. It's not like you to back a loser."
"He hasn't lost yet."
"He will."
"You shouldn't underestimate him or who's helping him." He knew that he didn't need to say Emma's name, Regina would pick up on who he meant. "Never underestimate someone who's acting for their child."
"He's not her child. Not legally."
"Oh, now who's trifling with technicalities?"
Henry was sitting at a booth in Granny's Diner and reading a newspaper. Emma entered and sat down next to him.
"How was school?"
"Okay."
"You're reading that paper pretty hard."
"Sidney wrote it."
Henry passed Emma the paper. On the front page, there was an article titled Ex-Jailbird – Emma Swan birthed babe behind bars.
"Is it a lie?"
"No."
"I was born in jail?"
"Yes. These records were supposed to be sealed. Tell me you're not scarred for life."
"I'm not. Well, not by this."
"Good. Then, let's throw this out and we will get our news from something more reliable. Like the internet."
"My mom plays dirty. You have to be prepared for that if your going to beat her."
Emma's lips curled into a smile. "I have a new ally that can help me prepare for that. Mr. Gold said he's going to help."
"Mr. Gold? He's even worse than she is. You already owe him one favour. You don't want to owe him any more. Find another way."
Emma entered Regina's office with the newspaper in hand. She slapped the paper down on Regina's desk.
"This was a juvie record. This was sealed by court order. I don't know how you got it, but that's abuse of power and illegal."
Regina stood up from her desk. She walked towards the door. "Oh, I'm sorry. You didn't want people to know you cut his cord with a shiv?"
"I don't care what people know, but this hurts Henry."
"He would've learned eventually. We all lose our heroes at some point." Emma and Regina walked out of her office and continue through the building.
"Do you care about him about all? He needs hope. He's not in an okay place."
"He's fine." Regina switched the light off.
"He's not fine. I mean, think about it. Watching his adoptive mother throw an illegal smear campaign against his birth mother? You don't think that would be upsetting?"
"All I did was expose him to the truth. And as for the legality – I did nothing wrong."
"Bullshit!"
"But Sidney and your boy toy Graham will have a chance to get into all that at the debate."
"Debate?" She followed Regina down a staircase leading to the building's front door.
"Yes, Miss Swan, there's a debate. They can talk about jail time and juvie records and maybe even your new association with Mr. Gold. He's a snake, Miss Swan. You need to be careful who you get into bed with."
"I'm not getting into bed with anyone. I'm just fighting fire with-"
Regina opened the door and an explosion is set off, setting the next room on fire. Emma and Regina were thrown back by the blast. Regina checked her ankle and realised that it was crushed by a piece of debris and immobilised. Drats. If I still had my magic I could just teleport out of her and leave her to burn. It would certainly solve one problem.
Emma moved the debris off of Regina.
"Alright, come on – let's go! We got to get out of here."
"I can't move! You have to get me out. Help me!"
Emma went to leave, but Regina grabbed her arm and stopped her.
"You're going to leave me, aren't you?" Damn her. I should have known. This was supposed to be my happy ending.
Emma struggled free of Regina's grasp and went into the next room that was also on fire. Regina tried to get up on her own, but Emma came back with a fire extinguisher. She sprayed the fire extinguisher until the fire was under control and she had cleared a way to the exit. Emma threw the fire extinguisher aside and went back to Regina. She put her arm around Emma's shoulder and the two walk out of the building. Once outside there was a flash from a reporter's camera and they could hear sirens. Emma moved Regina's arm off of her.
"Oh, ow, ow! My ankle! Set me down gently!"
"Seriously? You're complaining about how I saved your life?"
"The firemen are here. It's not like we were really in danger."
"Fine. Next time I'll just… I'll just… Ah, you know what? Next time, I'll do the same thing. And the time after that because that is what decent human beings do. That's what good people do."
Emma walked away from Regina, towards the crowd that had formed outside. She saw some familiar faces.
Henry by the fire truck, talking with a firefighter. "Did Emma really rescue my mom?"
Regina was on a stretcher with an oxygen mask. She overheard Henry and threw off the mask in anger. The last damn thing I need is my son thinking she's some sort of hero.
"Enough!"
"Regina," the paramedic said.
"I'm fine."
Sidney ran up to Regina with a camera and took a photo.
"Nice shot of the victim?"
Regina glared at him. "Sidney? What the hell are you doing? Are you trying to hand this election to Graham?"
"But it's news."
"She's working with the competition, you fool."
Emma and various people from town had formed a group.
"Did you really rescue Regina?" Graham asked. It felt silly to ask but the question had just come out without him thinking.
"She did!" Henry exclaimed. "The fireman said it. They saw it."
"You are a hero," Ruby said.
"We should see if they have a picture of the rescue," Lacey said.
"We could make campaign posters," Granny said. Graham managed to keep his face straight.
"Oh, people would love that!" Archie said. "That's a great idea. Wait, so…"
If they remembered what she did, they would be calling to burn her instead, Graham thought.
The group walked away as they planned the new posters, leaving Emma, Graham and Henry alone.
Emma smiled at Henry and it warmed Graham's heart (a term that Graham thought was funny in a dark way, given his circumstances). Henry finally had the motherly influence in his life that he deserved. Now that he wasn't controlled by Regina he could see how controlling she had always been.
"This is how good wins," Emma said. "You do something good and people see it, and then they want to help you."
Henry smiled up at Graham. "Soon everyone will have their happy ending."
Emma noticed something in the corner of her eye. She looked over at the pile of debris and saw the same fabric that Mr. Gold was preparing in his shop when she spoke with him.
Mr. Gold is wiping off his hands with a rag when Emma and Graham entered the pawn shop. She held the fabric from the fire in her hands.
"Loads of visitors today. Do hope you're not going to break my little bell."
"You set the fire," Emma stated.
"I've been right here, Miss Swan."
Emma stuck the fabric in Mr. Gold's face. "Take a whiff. It smells like your sheep crap oil. Turns out it's flammable."
"Oh. Are you sure? There's some construction working on at City Hall at the moment. There's loads of flammable solvents used in construction."
"Why did you do it?" Graham asked. "Why do you even care if I win?"
Mr. Gold looked at Graham. For a moment Graham couldn't read his face, then Mr. Gold looked nonchalant. "'If' I did it. If I did it, that would be because you cannot win without something big. Something like, uh… Oh, I don't know. Proving that you weren't wrong about your deputy by having her be the hero in a fire?"
"How could you even know I'd be there at the right time?" Emma demanded.
Mr. Gold shrugged. "Maybe Regina's not the only one with eyes and ears in this town. Or maybe…I'm just intuitive – were I involved."
"I could've run and left her there."
I wish you had, Graham thought.
"You're not the type," Mr. Gold answered confidentially.
"I can't go along with this."
"You just did. This is just the price of election, Miss Swan."
"A price I'm not willing to pay. Find another sucker."
"Okay, go ahead – expose me. But if you do, just think about what you'll be exposing and what you'll be walking away from." Emma and Graham walked towards the door. "Oh, yes. And, um… Who you might be disappointing."
As Graham followed Emma down the street he was reminded of the fateful night that he had regained his memories.
"Emma," Graham said. He jogged after her. "Wait!"
She looked back at him. "What?"
"What are you going to do?"
"I'm going home and-" Emma stopped walking and threw her hands up. "Then I don't know."
"I have to win. Regina's going to have complete control of the town without the two of use around."
"I-I have to think." She walked off and this time he didn't follow after her.
People are outside of the Town Hall. Above the entrance, there was a banner that read Debate today – Sheriff's election. Lacey was stapling posters promoting Graham on the bulletin board. She bumped into David, who was also putting up posters. She caught a look at his posters.
"David! Hi."
"Hi Lacey."
"I was just putting up posters."
"Yeah, yeah. Me too."
"How are things?"
"Okay. Oh, I got a job. Yeah, I'm working at the animal shelter."
"That's great!"
"Yeah."
"So why Sidney?" She nods to the poster David is handing up.
"My wife is friends with Regina, so…"
"Oh, right. How is Kathryn?"
"Good. She's meeting me here later."
"That's wonderful. Well, I'm all out of posters. I'm going to go get some more."
Behind the curtains of the Town Hall stage Sidney was getting ready for the debate. Archie was there practising his opening speech.
"Citizens of Storybrooke. Uh, we welcome you to, uh… Welcome, citizens of Storybrooke, uh… Uh, we welcome you, citizens of Storybrooke. Welcome, uh…"
Graham sat at the podium. Emma stayed near the curtains. She drew back the curtains and saw Henry sitting in the audience. He smiled at her. Lacey approached them and handed Graham some papers. As he took the papers, Lacey handed him a bottle of water and held another out to Emma. Emma took the water bottle.
"Thank you."
"What's wrong?" Lacey asked.
"Graham isn't going to win."
"What are you talking about? Everyone's talking about what you did in the fire. And Graham is a fixture in this town. He's been here for as long as anyone can remember."
Emma shook her head. "We can't beat Regina at this. Not the way she fights. Watch and see."
"We've gotten this far," Graham said. "Remember who we have on our side." Lacey gave Graham a confused look but he ignored her. "We can take her."
"Is this really about beating Regina?" Lacey asked.
"If Sidney's elected he won't care about anything but doing what Regina wants," Graham stated even though he felt like she wasn't really asking him.
Emma drew back the curtains again to get another look at Henry. "It's just-"
"Henry."
"I wanna show him that good can actually win."
"That's why you want to win it for him. But why do you want to win the election for yourself?"
"I'm not part of the election."
"In a way you are. You reflect on Graham, hiring you was his decision. One the mayor didn't approve of. She tried to slanderize you."
Emma looked back at Graham. "Graham is a good man. He cares about this town instead of just being Regina's puppet and damn it. I care about this town too." Graham smiled at her fondly. Somehow his election had very quickly become not about him but it still meant more to him than he could say that Emma believed in him.
"And," Emma continued, "I want to show Henry that a hero can win. And if I'm not- If I'm not a hero and I'm not a savior - then what part do I have in his life? Okay, there it is. There it is." Emma drew back the curtains a third time. She noticed that Mr. Gold had entered the Town Hall.
Archie was giving his opening speech to the audience while Graham and Sidney were sitting on either side of him.
"Uncertainty has brought us here, this town is changing and now we are faced with this decision. And now, we ask only that you listen with an open mind and to please vote your conscience."
Emma walked up the podium and leaned over to speak into the mike. "I have to make an announcement." Archie moved at her way so she took his place at the podium. "You guys all know I have what they call an uh- troubled past. But, you've been able to overlook it because of the um, hero thing. But here's the thing: The fire was a setup."
The audience murmured and became noisy. Graham turned white, he couldn't take his eyes off of her. It was too late to ask her to step down, that would look suspicious and Regina could use that against him, not that he expected Emma to listen to him at this point. He had thought that he had convinced her outside of Gold's shop but clearly Lacey had changed her mind.
"Mr. Gold agreed to support Graham in this race, but I didn't know that that meant he was going to set a fire. I don't have definitive evidence but I'm sure. And the worst part of all this was- The worst part of all this is I let you all think it was real. I'm sorry." Mr. Gold stood up and left the Town Hall. Emma stepped down from the podium. Archie went back to the podium.
"Uh, Mr. Glass – your opening statement." He stepped aside to make way for him.
Sidney walked up to the podium. "I just want to say, that if elected, I want to serve as a reflection of the best qualities of Storybrooke. Honesty, neighbourliness, and strength. Thank you." Sidney went back to his seat.
"And Graham Humbert." Lacey let out a cheer. She blushed when people stared at her.
Graham walked up to the podium. "What Emma," he gestured to her as she was still on stage, "told you is true. We can't prove it but we have good reason to believe that it was him. I have been the town's sheriff for many years, my entire life it feels like." There were a few chuckles from the audience at this. "And I have always striven to uphold the laws and values of this town. Uh, thank you."
Emma and Graham were finishing off drinks at Granny's Dinner. Ruby was behind the counter.
"Another?"
"Oh, hell yes," they said in unison.
Ruby took their glasses and went to get them more drinks when Henry entered the dinner. He sat down next to Emma.
"Hey, Henry."
He pulled a walkie-talkie out of his book bag and slide it over the table to Graham.
"I gave this to your mother for you and her to play with, Henry." Graham smiled at him. "Thank you but I don't need it back."
"It's largely symbolic. You stood up to Mr. Gold. It's pretty amazing. I think you're ready to be part of Operation Cobra."
"Well," Graham said, "he did something illegal. I should have stood up to him earlier."
"That's what heroes do – expose stuff like that. I knew that you could be a hero." Graham blushed not used to the praise.
Regina and Sidney entered the diner. She glared at Emma. "I thought I might find you here. With a drink. And him. And my son."
"Here to card us, officer?" Emma asked Sidney.
Sidney grimaced. "Well, not at all. In fact, I think I'll join you."
"Here? I don't know. I think they're setting up a back room for the victory party."
"Oh, well, you'll have to tell me what that's like."
Regina glared at Graham. "Congratulations. …Sheriff Humbert."
Regina pulled out the Sheriff's badge and placed it on the counter.
Henry stared at Regina. "Wait, what?"
The townsfolk started to file into the dinner.
"It was a very close vote," Regina said, "but people really seem to like the idea of a Sheriff brave enough to stand up to Mr. Gold."
"Are you joking?" Graham asked.
Sidney while looking more miserable by the second said, "She doesn't joke."
"You didn't pick a great friend in Mr. Gold, Miss Swan, Mr. Humbert," Regina said, "but he does make a superlative enemy. Enjoy that."
Emma and Graham were at the sheriff department. Graham entered the Sheriff's office and then Mr. Gold walked in.
"I'm armed," Graham warned him.
Mr. Gold chuckled. "It's all part of the act, my dear. Political theatre in an actual theatre. I knew that no one was going to get over Emma's past and your decision to hire her unless we gave her some kind of extraordinary quality, and I'm afraid saving old Regina's arse from the fire just wasn't going to do that. We had to give her a higher form of bravery. Then they had to see you defy me, proving to them that you could serve them as sheriff as well as you always had – and they did."
Graham shook his head. "You planned it out just like that?"
"Everyone's afraid of Regina, but they're more afraid of me. By standing up to me, Emma won them over thus invalidating Regina's attempts to say you made a bad choice. It was the only way."
"You knew I'd agree to your help. Did you really think that you needed to convince Emma first?"
"It didn't hurt. She was always going to get caught up in this and you seemed to have a lot on your mind lately. Why not make the choice a little easier? I know how to recognise a desperate soul and two are better than one."
"Why did you do this?"
"I made a deal some time back with Miss Swan. We established that she owed me a favour. I know that can be a bad feeling – owing someone. Now that her position is secured Sheriff, I'm sure her and I can find some way for her to pay back what she owes me. It doesn't hurt that now you owe me as well." Mr. Gold walked past him and out of the Sheriff's office. "Congratulations."
There really does seem to be leather in Graham's box in canon. I have no idea what it's for, just looking at it I feel like it's for sewing but there's not enough there for him to make anything. It doesn't look like a belt either.
I guess Lacey got his address from Emma or maybe she's good enough friends with Graham that she knows where he lives. Or does everyone know where everyone else lives in a small town? I've never been to a small town.