Emma took assessment of her current predicament with Henry in the hospital. They weren't safe here, there were too many openings that Regina could have in order to get them. The town was still very much under her control, Henry didn't want to touch the food they gave him, nor did he want to sleep again.

He didn't say it, but he was scared. So, Emma asked, no, outright demanded for his release as soon as possible. He was coming home with her. There was some pushback, they wanted Regina there since she was his guardian. Emma stood firm, he was a victim of a poisoning and since she was the sheriff, she taking him into protective custody while an investigation was underway.

"But there was no evidence of a poisoning," Whale had protested.

"You just glanced in his throat," Emma snapped "Call me about how wrong you were when the test results come back."

Rumple had promised her he would doctor the results. All she had to do was play nice and cooperate with whatever agenda he was really planning.

And Emma would. For now. Because Henry needed her to.

Her mom was there too, Emma was still trying to work past that. Mary Margaret was Snow White and Snow White was her mother. Which meant that her mom and dad had put her in the wardrobe to save her when she was born.

She waited for the anger to go away, and for the understanding to set in, but it didn't. They put her in a tree. She still grew up in horrible conditions, abused by everyone. And for what? So she could be a savior and save them.

Would they see the daughter when they looked at her? Or would they see the savior?

Would the curse even break?

"I just don't understand why we're going to Mr. Gold's to stay," Mary Margaret said

"It's just for today," Emma said as they drove.

"But the mayor-."

"The mayor poisoned Henry," Emma whispered and glanced back towards Henry as he slept….or pretended to sleep. Emma knew he wasn't breathing regularly, he was listening in.

Mary Margaret just stared at her in shock, "You're sure?"

"I"m sure, she was trying to poison me and Henry ate it."

Mary Margaret watched her and obviously tried to put it all together, "But you were leaving!"

"Yeah, I wish I'd taken him and run off now."

Because she was trapped here with a role she never asked for, a scared child, and was under Mr. Gold's thumb in order to defeat someone that JUST tried to kill her. And here she was trying to pretend she still didn't believe anything Henry said.

She didn't ask for any of this. She just wanted to be Henry's mom.

"Why can't we go to the house?" Mary Margaret asked.

"Because I want to make sure it's safe."

"Emma-."

"Henry got poisoned aimed for me," Emma whispered again, "I'm going to put you guys with Mr. Gold because he'll keep you safe, get some things from Henry's room and check on David Nolan."

"Why David?"

"Because he's someone you love and Regina might go after him next."

"Emma, I think you're sounding a little paranoid," Mary Margaret told her, "Regina isn't going to kill everyone and their loved ones that she doesn't like. Besides, David's gone."

Emma slammed on the brakes, "What?"

"MOM!" Henry said.

"Where?" Emma demanded.

"He left town a few hours ago."

Emma immediately turned the car around and took off for the town border.

"Emma!" Mary Margaret exclaimed.

"It's fine."

"We're going after him?"

"Just- just checking on him."

She sped through the streets. She never knew what would happen if one of the townsfolk reached the border. Nothing good, that was for sure.

But that was her dad. She remembered the picture in Henry's book of him putting her in the wardrobe. She knew the story, he fought soldiers with her in his arms just to get her to the portal. She couldn't fail him by doing nothing for hours while he was leaving.

What if he was dead?

Had she failed being a savior to her own dad on her first day of really accepting it.

Her heart was racing wildly in her chest as she sped towards the town border. She'd have to stop before reaching the 'Leaving Storybrooke' sign, so Mary Margaret didn't get the same fate David might have.

"Emma!" Mary Margaret exclaimed and grabbed her arm for her attention.

Emma saw it. David was limping along the side of the road, holding his arm.

He looked like crap, Emma pulled alongside the road and barely put it in park before she was out, "Are you okay?! I thought you were-."

She stopped. She had to rein herself in before they started catching on that she was sounding crazy.

"David?" Mary Margaret got out of the car.

"Hi Mary Margaret," He smiled but her mom frowned and looked away.

"What happened?" Emma asked, "I heard you left hours ago."

"A wolf ran out in front of me, I crashed into the sign."

Emma blinked, the memory running through her mind of her first night here where it happened.

What if nothing bad happened? What if something just got in the way to prevent them from leaving?

"You're holding your arm."

"Yeah, I was out for a few hours and then I woke up in pain, I think it's broken."

"Okay," Emma gave a nervous glance back to the car where her mom and son were. He needed a hospital, they were going to have to to go back there.

What if Regina went after him?

Emma was going to need help beyond Rumple-friggin'-stiltskin's ability.

00000000000000000000000000000000

They dropped David off in the hospital. Her mom sat in the back with Henry and refused to even LOOK towards the front, she stared at the passing world outside the window.

Mr. Gold's house was an eyesore, it gave Emma a headache just LOOKING at the salmon monstrosity. Emma wondered what Rumple did to Regina in the past to earn something as hideous as a huge pink house that only he lived in with green trim.

Gold was waiting for her, leaning on his cane as all three of them climbed out of the car.

"It's about time," he called, "You told me you'd be here in ten minutes. Well, I looked at the watch, dear. It's far past ten minutes."

"We had a stop to make," Emma said and gave him a pointed look, "David Nolan tried to leave town."

Gold stopped and frowned, "And he's-."

"He crashed."

Relief briefly crossed the Dark One's face, "Good."

"I just need you to watch them for a couple of hours," Emma said

"Of course," Gold smiled at Henry, "Hello Henry! How you are you feeling?"

Henry shrugged. Emma wrapped a protective arm around him and pulled him close.

"If you like, there's fresh lemonade in the refrigerator and ice cream. I even figured out the TV for you."

"Thanks."

"It's just for a few hours," Emma said again.

"Well, there's nothing wrong with being a good host," he moved backwards, "Come in, please."

Mary Margaret shouldered her purse and walked in.

Emma knelt in front of Henry, "Hey."

"Hey," he looked down.

"I'm not going to be gone long. I'm just getting some of your things and then I'll be away from her."

"What if she fights back?"

"She doesn't have much magic, she won't hurt your mom," Gold promised him, "And she knows I"m on Emma's side now. She wouldn't dare lift a finger against her without risking my wrath."

"I'll call you before I get to the house and after I leave. That way you know I'm safe, okay?"

He fiinally nodded.

Emma pulled him into a hug, "I love you."

"I love you too."

Emma let go and nodded her respect to Mr. Gold.

"I'll let you know if anything happens."

"Thank you," Emma turned around, gave Henry a last look before she left.

"She hasn't left me since I woke up," Henry muttered.

Gold put his hand on the boy's shoulder, "She'll be okay."

"I hope so."

"She knows what Regina will resort to now, she'll know to be on her guard."

He led Henry inside. Mary Margaret was just inside the door, staring at Belle who was covered on the couch asleep.

"Sorry dear," Rumplestiltskin said, "She fell asleep there."

"I don't think I know her," Mary Margaret whispered.

"This is Belle, she's someone you don't need to concern yourself with for the moment" he whispered, "Please, perhaps we can take this somewhere else while she rests."

"But I thought she was dead," Henry muttered, "It said it in the book."

"It says a lot of things in the book," Gold pushed them gently towards another room of the house

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Emma knew Rumplestiltskin wasn't enough, she knew they'd need help as much help as possible. Regina had 28 years of memories on them, and she was emotional. When she was emotional, she would react and Emma needed to have things in place for when that happened.

The drive was one Emma had promised herself she would not make after the kidnapping and attack had happened. The ONLY reason Emma hadn't taken him in was because she worried it might get out at why Emma had been up in the house in the first place.

She had been up there because Mary Margaret fled her cell.

The door opened before Emma even knocked.

"What do you want?" Jefferson hissed.