A/N: Hey, whatya know? I could dance around the kids in this episode! I was thinking about skipping this episode until I got hit in the head with the old idea stick which led to the chapter you see before you now. Though the next episode, Hat Trick, will definitely be centered around the kids, especially the teenagers and you'll see what I mean when you get to that chapter, but for now, enjoy Heart of Darkness.
Remember the bad thing I had mentioned that was a lot worse than how our last adventure had ended? Well, it turns out that while the kids were busy with their own misadventures, Ruby was helping Emma uncover a mystery before finding a box that had a human heart inside of it covered in fingerprints. David then suggests and asks about being arrested, though Emma told him that the fingerprints weren't his and that they actually belonged to Ms. Blanchard of all people. The arresting of Ms. Blanchard left many of the young people in town to be very grim and unhappy, but no one was as grim and unhappy as Henry and Evie who had a fond and family-like relationship with Ms. Blanchard, especially Evie who had grown to see the woman as a family member rather than just a mere teacher. Nearly all anyone could talk about in school was what had happened with Ms. Blanchard. The spread about the story was enough to make Evie physically sick to her stomach and she soon decided to go home for lunch that day as she couldn't take it anymore and was soon in the hallway on her way home after getting permission from the principal to head home for the afternoon, but would have to make it back around 1:00 in time for her afternoon classes.
"You seem troubled," A voice said behind Evie, startling her and prompting the girl to look behind her to see the source of the voice. "Greetings."
"Creepy Claudine? I-I mean... Claudine?" Evie blinked, seeing Storybrooke High's resident goth and gloomy girl.
"That's what they call me, you don't need to church it up," Claudine replied. "You seem to be having a lot of adventures lately, Evie Mills."
"Well, yeah..." Evie nodded. "You probably heard about my brother and how he thinks that everybody in Storybrooke is a cursed fairy tale character and that we're their descendants."
"I'm quite familiar with your brother's theory... He has a very powerful aura..." Claudine remarked. "You should listen to him more."
"Well... Thank you and I'm trying," Evie said before nodding. "I think I might be going home for lunch right now though because-"
"Because of Ms. Blanchard... I know... It's all over your soul." Claudine replied mysteriously as always.
"Erm... Thank you?" Evie replied, shrugging as she wasn't sure whether that was an insult or a compliment.
"Just know that when the call to adventure rings, you should answer and not hang up or ignore the call," Claudine advised. "Your belief is almost as powerful as his own and he needs his sister for guidance."
Evie stepped backward a little before her cell phone then suddenly started to ring.
"Sounds like your call to adventure right now." Claudine then said.
"Erm... Yeah... I better get that..." Evie smiled bashfully before taking the call and looking curious. "Storybrooke Elementary?" she then asked before answering the call. "Hello?"
"Hey, Evie, it's me." Henry's voice said on the other line.
"Henry?" Evie blinked in surprise while Claudine had a manic grin on her face. "What're you doing on the phone?"
"I think I have to come home for lunch," Henry replied. "I have a lot on my mind. Can we have lunch together?" he then asked hopefully.
Evie looked soft before smiling a little. "Well... Okay," she then said. "I guess we could both use a break today. I was thinking of going home for lunch as well."
"Great! I'll see you outside of my school then?" Henry then asked.
"Yes, I suppose that would be just fine," Evie said before looking curious. "So wait... How are you on the phone? You don't have a cell phone."
"I'm using one of the school payphones," Henry explained. "The teachers say that this is what kids used before using cell phones to go home early. I told Mr. Goose, the new teacher until Ms. Blanchard comes back, that I had an upset stomach."
"Henry Daniel Mills..." Evie sighed as her brother had lied just to save himself.
"You'll thank me for this later and easy with the 'Henry Daniel' stuff, okay?" Henry then said.
"Because Emma's going to save us all," Evie then said. "I know. I know."
"You'll see, Evie! You'll all see!" Henry insisted.
"Okay, kid," Evie said with a small smirk. "I'll see you in about five minutes or so."
"See ya then," Henry nodded before he would then hang up. "Over and out."
Evie nodded, then hung up. "Well, Claudine, I guess you were right," she then said before looking over. "All I needed was to answer the call to-"
However, Claudine was suddenly and mysteriously gone, disappearing almost like a ghost.
"...How does she do that?" Evie muttered to herself before shaking her head. "I wonder about the kids in this school sometimes..." she then said as she decided to go and meet up with Henry for lunch at home since they both had permission, though she knew deep down that her brother was using this as more plans for his spy mission.
The Mills siblings were soon finishing up having lunch at home and were on their way back to school, only for Henry to protest as he had a better idea in mind.
"Evie, we have to help Ms. Blanchard," Henry told his sister despite needing to go to school. "We can't just sit around and do nothing."
"Henry, we have to go to school." Evie reminded.
"I think this is a little more important than our education," Henry said. "Do you think Ms. Blanchard would kill anyone?"
"Well... No... But-" Evie replied with a small frown.
"Neither would I," Henry interrupted strongly. "So we can't just sit around and let her get in trouble."
"Let me guess then; you think that Mom tried to get her in trouble?" Evie guessed based on Henry had been behaving lately.
"Doesn't everybody have a motive in a mystery like this one?" Henry defended. "Mom is The Evil Queen and Ms. Blanchard is Snow White. Why else would Ms. Blanchard get in trouble for something you and I both know she would never do in a million years."
"...I guess that's possible." Evie shrugged.
"And I know Emma wouldn't think Ms. Blanchard would do this either," Henry replied. "We should go and see her while we have the chance."
Evie sighed. "...I just know I'm gonna regret this," she then said as she stepped over. "All right, Henry. I'll help you, but if we get in trouble with Mom, you have to take the fall too."
"You got a deal," Henry promised as he shook his older sister's hand. "You'll thank me for this later."
"I just hope it gets better..." Evie sighed. "I'm not sure if we can fully do this alone though."
And at that, there was suddenly a rapid knock on the door.
"And that would be our help." Henry said.
"How do you know?" Evie asked him then.
"Sometimes a kid like me just knows." Henry smiled innocently.
Evie rolled her eyes slightly before she answered the door and looked surprised to see who had been behind it. "Ben?!" she then gasped.
"Erm... Hi, Evie... Hi, Henry..." Ben said with a small smile to the Mills siblings.
"Did you invite him?" Evie asked Henry almost suspiciously.
"No, Evie, I swear." Henry said innocently.
"Actually I was just in the neighborhood," Ben shrugged. "Can I come in?"
"Well, I guess so, but don't you have to go back to school?" Evie replied as she stepped aside to let her childhood best friend come inside.
"I have a lot on my mind actually and not just school." Ben said as he walked into the Mills household.
"You mean about Ms. Blanchard?" Henry asked.
"Yeah," Ben nodded. "I might have been in her classroom since I was a kid, but I know she wouldn't do anything horrible like killing someone like Mrs. Nolan."
"You know that and we know that," Evie admitted as she shut the door behind him. "Henry thinks maybe Mom framed her somehow."
"Or worse than that," Henry added as he nodded in agreement. "Because Mom's The Evil Queen and Ms. Blanchard is Snow White."
"Right, right, and I'm the son of Rumplestiltskin," Ben agreed. "...You really think he could be my dad though, Henry? I mean... Isn't Rumplestiltskin hideous and ugly?"
"And besides, Ben's not that ugly." Evie added with a small smirk.
"Wow... Thanks, Evie..." Ben narrowed his eyes slightly.
"You're welcome, Ben." Evie giggled innocently.
Ben rolled his eyes and shook his head then.
"Let's just say that you take after your mother." Henry then said to Ben.
Ben flinched slightly since he didn't even remember anything about his mother, so he wasn't sure how to react to that. Especially since he, among many others in Storybrooke believed that Henry's fairy tale theory was just a story, but he decided not to say anything about it to hurt the younger boy's feelings.
"So, what's up, Ben?" Evie then asked. "You came over just to say hi?"
"Yeah, I had to get away from school and work for a while, though... I was feeling kinda lonely without Dad," Ben sighed. "Seems like he and your mom are up to something, but I don't know what."
"I might already have an idea." Henry mumbled to himself a little.
Evie glanced at Henry slightly as she overheard that and knew what he was probably going to say.
"So... What's up with you guys?" Ben asked the Mills siblings.
"Nothing much," Evie said with a sigh. "Just devastated about Ms. Blanchard."
"Even though I was thinking of a way to help out with Emma and everyone else in Storybrooke." Henry then piped up.
"Henry, please, not now." Evie said softly and wearily.
"Oh, yeah?" Ben asked Henry, now sounding a bit intrigued. "And what would that be?"
"Depends on if I can trust you or not to take Operation: Cobra seriously, Ben," Henry said before walking over to the teenage boy. "You and Evie used to be best friends when you were little. You were like a best friend brother to me until you two started to drift apart somehow. Evie says it's just natural for teenagers to do that, but I think you two can still be best friends if you try hard enough like me and my best friend in school, Dee Dee."
"Operation: Cobra, huh?" Ben asked.
"It's a long story," Evie told Ben with a small smile. "Like our operations to get extra cookies at my house after Mom let us bake them and we hid them in her flower vase before we broke it."
"Don't even get me started about that," Ben said as he started to laugh a little bit before looking back at the younger boy. "Well, okay, Henry. Whatever this Operation: Cobra is, you can trust me."
"Do you promise?" Henry asked.
"I promise." Ben nodded before he held up his right hand.
"Cross your heart?" Henry then prompted as he leaned in a little.
Ben then crossed his heart with his right hand. "And stick a cupcake in my eye." he then said.
Evie chuckled softly as that was a little funny to her.
"All right then," Henry said before shaking hands with Ben. "I just want you to know how serious this is for everybody in Storybrooke and not just Emma being The Savior."
"I understand completely," Ben reassured. "You can count on me and I won't say anything to my dad."
"Ooh... Good luck with that." Evie advised.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ben then asked.
"Well, no offense, Ben, but you're not the best liar and your dad... Well... Your dad's Mr. Gold," Evie replied with a small shrug. "When we were kids, you used to say you would get a tummy ache whenever we had to keep secrets from my mom or your dad."
"What? That's ridiculous!" Ben scoffed with a small smirk. "I'm a lot more mature than I was when I was a kid."
"Okay..." Evie shook her head and rolled her eyes. "I'll be putting that to the test then, Benjamin Gold."
"Okay. Okay. Should we get going then?" Ben then suggested.
Evie then looked over at her little brother to see what he would say.
"Yes, we should go right now while we still have the chance," Henry nodded to both of the teenagers. "We better be quick like Jack B. Nimble and the candlestick."
"Well said, little brother," Evie smiled. "Come on, Ben. It's time to commence more of Operation: Cobra."
"You got it, Evie." Ben nodded with a small smile back, excited to be hanging out with Evie again after so long.
And at that, the three young people soon left the mansion and rushed right away to go and see Emma to help her out about the mysterious case of Ms. Blanchard and the heart in the box. Of course, that just made Evie and Henry think of The Huntsman who Henry believed to be Graham when he took the heart of a pig to fool The Evil Queen that he killed Snow White on her command.
Meanwhile, Emma was soon at Ms. Blanchard's apartment and investigated it. She was soon checking the locks on the doors and windows before she was suddenly met with a rather young company.
"Guys. What are you doing here?" Emma asked once she saw Evie, Henry, and Ben. "Why aren't you in school?"
"We have to help Ms. Blanchard." Henry replied.
"And we're here to help Henry and you help Ms. Blanchard." Evie added.
"Don't tell my dad I'm here, okay?" Ben replied as he looked a little nervous before Evie smirked playfully at his fear.
"I am helping her," Emma told the younger ones. "That's why I'm searching the apartment, but you gotta go home."
"Miss Swan, you know as well as I do that Henry isn't gonna go anywhere." Evie piped up with her hands on her hips.
Emma gave them all a look while Henry just had a rather impish smirk on his face. "...Just stay out of the way." she then told him with a defeated groan.
Henry nodded as he came inside with Ben and Evie.
"Promise you won't tell my dad?" Ben asked Emma, almost sounding paranoid.
"Okay, okay, I won't tell your dad," Emma told him. "Nice to see you getting some fresh air for a change, kid."
"Yeah... My dad likes to see me busy..." Ben sighed and rolled his eyes. "At least me working in his shop will look good on my college application before I take over his store."
"At least you have your life all figured out." Emma muttered before she continued to investigate.
Henry followed Emma as Ben and Evie looked around as well. "So, what are we looking for?" he then asked the blonde woman.
"I'm trying to see if maybe, someone broke in," Emma replied as she took a closer look like a detective. "Looking for busted door jambs, broken glass, muddy boot prints. That kind of thing."
"Do you think maybe someone set Ms. Blanchard up?" Evie suggested.
"It's the only thing that makes sense," Emma replied. "The only problem is, nobody's got a motive."
"Our mom does." Henry disagreed.
"Regina?" Emma asked.
"She hates Snow White," Henry defended until Emma gave him a slight look. "Hey, you wanted a motive." he then added.
Emma sighed. "Well, I don't think 'she hates Snow White' will hold up in a court, Henry." she then told him before looking around the room with Henry and the teenagers.
"There's gotta be something, right?" Ben asked.
"Hopefully." Evie said before looking at the woman's desk and finding her pictures there.
Ben nodded before he looked around with them. Emma then suddenly flopped down on the bed and there was a noisy sound suddenly heard.
"What was that?" Evie flinched nervously.
"Probably just a heater." Ben guessed as he looked around with them.
Emma soon looked around for the noise before shushing the teenagers for a moment. She then continued to look around before looking to the floor and saw the heating vent in the room. She then took the grate off of the vent and decided to reach inside as she seemed to probably find a clue.
"Did you find something?" Henry soon asked.
Emma's only response was pulling out a hunting knife wrapped in a cloth.
"...Whose is that?" Ben asked with wide eyes.
"And where did it come from?" Evie added in equal shock.
"I'll meet up with you guys later," Emma soon said. "I have to do some questioning."
"But we wanna help!" Henry pouted.
"This is grown-up business," Emma replied. "Besides, what if your parents were to find out?" she then added, putting in extra emphasis on "parents" as she glanced at Ben and Evie as she said that.
Ben flinched and his face paled slightly. "Ya know, she might have a point about that." he then said nervously.
"Oh, for goodness sake..." Evie sighed and shook her head as Ben acted rather cowardly.
"What? My dad would totally kill me if he knew I was helping you guys against your mom!" Ben defended.
"I know, Ben," Evie sighed. "All right, Emma. We'll get going, but don't think that we're done here."
"Of course not, I know you'll be back soon anyway." Emma said as she knew very well how Henry and Evie could be by now.
"You're darn right we will." Evie smirked.
Emma just smirked back at them before they then split up away from Ms. Blanchard's apartment for the time being. Soon, Evie and Ben decided to take Henry to Granny's as a distraction.
"Good day," Granny greeted the trio. "What will it be?"
"Hot chocolate." Henry said with a bit of a sigh.
"Hmm... I guess some ice tea." Ben shrugged.
"That sounds good," Evie replied. "Make that two."
Granny nodded and soon walked off as they decided to sit at the bar counter of the diner as Henry was still down in the dumps about his teacher being in trouble.
Soon, the three had their drinks as Henry was still sulking while Ben and Evie tried to cheer him up, but it was rather hard. They soon talked among themselves as they drank their ice tea and Henry stared at his mug of hot chocolate.
"So, are you going to that Teen Night?" Evie asked Ben.
"Oh, you mean The Hell-Raiser?" Ben replied.
Evie looked a bit wide-eyed and nervous. "Is THAT what they call it?" she then asked.
Ben nodded in silence.
"...But it's at the church?" Evie replied. "Shouldn't they call it a little something more... Appropriate? I mean... That just sounds very much the opposite of what nuns would be about."
"Well, maybe that Carlos kid who's hosting it suggested that name," Ben shrugged. "Guess it fits since his name's Hellman, but everybody calls his place 'Hell Hall'."
"You guys are cursing." Henry mumbled even if he wasn't fully invested with what was going on around him right now.
"Sorry, Henry, we'll try to keep it down next time." Evie then said softly.
Henry just nodded as kept staring down his hot chocolate.
"So anyway, are you going to that... Uh... Thing for teenagers only?" Ben asked Evie.
"Yeah, I think so," Evie nodded. "...Even if I'm a little bit scared."
"Scared?" Ben then asked her. "What're you scared of?"
Evie sighed and pouted before answering him. "I'm a little nervous of running into... Uh... Well... Mal Draconis. She kinda seems to hate me for no reason." she then explained softly.
"M-M-Mal?" Ben repeated bashfully and nervously before shaking his head to calmly console his friend in need. "Erm... Uh... She just probably needs to blow off some steam. You should go to the party either way though?" he then suggested. "It might be nice for you to... You know... Hang out with other teenagers?"
"...That does sound nice while I do like hanging out with my favorite special little guy and little brother... But... I'm worried about running into her." Evie said softly.
"...We'll go in together," Ben then said before he blushed. "Maybe I can protect you from her and maybe... Well... I dunno... You could try to get her to talk to me?"
Evie sighed before looking over with a tiny smirk. "Well, I can't guarantee it'll be too pleasant... But maybe once she meets you... She might go easy on me?" she then replied. "Best friends for life after all."
"Best friends for life... So glad you decided to admit it this time." Ben said with a small smirk back.
"Hm... Yes, it sounds rather nice, doesn't it?" Evie chuckled warmly.
"It really does." Ben nodded as Granny brought them their drinks.
Evie then decided to lift her glass to him. "Cheers to best friends." she then said
"Cheers." Ben nodded before they clinked their glasses and soon drank their drinks together.
Henry was still not budging though even if he got his favorite drink. Soon, a mysterious stranger who was known to be August W. Booth roamed over to come and see the kids, though mainly Henry.
"I don't think that hot chocolate's going to drink itself," August spoke to the boy before he decided to join them. "...You're upset about your teacher, aren't ya?"
"She didn't do it. Why can't anyone see that?" Henry replied with a sulk.
"Because most people just see what's right in front of them," August replied. "And I don't think you're going to find the answers you want at the bottom of that mug."
"Then where?" Henry asked.
"Henry, I'm not sure if we should be talking to this man." Evie whispered in concern.
"It's okay, you can all trust me." August reassured.
"Who are you, really?" Evie demanded.
"Let's just say I'm invested in all of your futures." August replied.
Ben shook a chill down his spine of something about that sentence that reminded him of his father.
"That a book in your bag?" August then asked Henry before looking eager again. "You know I'm a writer. So, I'm partial to finding my answers in the literary form."
Henry gave a small shrug at that. "It's just a book." he then said.
"Is it?"
"Yeah."
"I think we both know that that's not the case," August replied before he saw Ruby and Kiara coming by then. "Can I get a water, please?"
"What do you know about Henry's book anyway?" Ben asked.
"I know it's a book of stories." August replied.
"Aren't all books?" Henry retorted.
"Stories... That really happened." August clarified.
Evie and Ben looked a little wide-eyed before looking at each other and then looking back over again.
"You think my book is real?" Henry then asked August.
"As real as I am." August replied.
"What does that mean?" Evie asked suspiciously.
"Nothing mean, I assure you." August smirked and winked at her.
"How do you know?" Henry then asked August.
"Well, let's just say that, uh, I'm a believer," August explained calmly and casually. "And I want to help others see the light. That, my friend, is why I'm here."
"But we already believe," Henry said, referring to himself and his sister. "Right, Evie?"
"Erm... Uh... Yes?" Evie smiled bashfully.
"Right." Henry then nodded.
"Oh, I'm not here for you guys," August then told the Mills siblings. "I'm here for Emma."
Henry blinked in surprise. "So, you want to get her to believe? Why don't you just tell her?" he then asked the mysterious man.
Evie still looked very suspicious of August while Ben looked very curious.
"Well, there are some people, like you and me, we can go on faith, but others, like Emma, they need proof." August explained.
Henry sighed in slight misfortune. "Last time I tried to find proof, I got trapped in a sinkhole." he then said.
"There are less dangerous places to look." August replied as he tapped Henry's book before he mysteriously left.
Henry glanced at August before he soon opened up his book to look for maybe an answer to what was just said to him.
"...Who was that guy?" Ben then asked Evie.
"I have no idea!" Evie replied with a shrug. "I saw him the other day with Henry though."
"So you think maybe he's someone mysterious in Storybrooke?" Ben then asked.
"...Obviously," Evie said to her friend. "We just can't figure out who exactly."
"Well, I guess he's just some guy from out of town," Ben replied. "Didn't he say he was from Nepal or something when he was trying to flirt with Ruby?"
"Then what's he doing here, I wonder?" Evie pondered thoughtfully before she caught herself and shook her head. "Aw, great. Now I'm starting to sound like Henry."
"Well, what's wrong with that?" Ben smirked a little bit. "I quite like this Operation: Cobra stuff even though it might cost me my life if Dad finds out."
"Well-" Evie paused only to be cut off suddenly as Henry told them something rather urgently.
"Guys, I think I have another clue!" Henry told the teenagers before he turned his book over on the other side for them to see and slid it closer over to them.
Ben picked up the book and took a look. "Keys?" he then asked.
"Not just any keys... Skeleton keys... I've seen those in Mom's office," Henry explained. "See? Mom is up to something, Evie!"
"I can't believe she would do something like that..." Evie sighed and frowned. "I worry about Mom sometimes."
"Come on, we gotta get back to Emma and show her those keys." Henry said.
"Am I gonna like where this is going?" Ben asked Evie.
"Well, where's your taste for adventure, Beasty Boy?" Evie smirked playfully.
"Hey! Watch it, Princess~" Ben smirked back.
The two teenagers laughed together at their playful nicknames with each other until Henry suddenly gasped and looked inspired. "Beasty Boy and Princess can be your codenames!" he then suddenly suggested.
Ben and Evie just blinked in response before Evie gave Henry a small smile.
"Uh, we were just kidding around, Henry," Ben replied. "You don't have to-"
"Just go with it, Ben," Evie told her friend. "It'll help calm him down a little."
"Oh..." Ben said softly and lowly before looking around and then shrugging. "...Well, all right. Beast Boy and Princess it is."
"Good," Henry said with a firm nod. "Now let's get back to the mansion and get those keys from Mom's desk before she has a chance to get them first."
"Oh. Okay then." Ben said softly.
"Well, come on, Princess," Evie playfully told Ben, using one of the codenames. "We got some work to do now."
"Hey! Who're you callin' Princess?" Ben snickered as he brought out his wallet to pay Granny for their drinks.
"You, Princess," Evie chuckled. "You pretty much own Storybrooke High even though my mom's mayor and your dad owns the town."
"Very funny, Beast Evie..." Ben rolled his eyes with a small smirk before he hopped down from his stool to give Henry his book back.
Evie then stuck her tongue out and chuckled in response.
"Oh, yeah. And I'm the immature one sometimes, Evie." Henry rolled his eyes slightly.
"Ah, don't be in such a hurry to grow up, Henry," Evie said playfully as she ruffled up his hair. "It's all in good time, ya know."
"Hmm... If you say so..." Henry paused before shrugging as he took his book back from Ben and soon put it in his bag.
And so, the three then left the diner after Ben left a tip for the drinks as they went to do as Henry suggested: getting Regina's skeleton keys in order to help prove more of Ms. Blanchard's innocence. Also luckily for Henry, the keys were quite easy to find. Once they found the keys, Henry suggested they wait for Emma back at the Blanchard apartment, knowing the blonde woman would come back for further investigation to save her friend.
"We have proof," Henry told Emma, holding up a ring of skeleton keys. "This is how our mom got into your apartment. This is how she framed Ms. Blanchard."
Emma looked rather incredulous. "Did you steal these from her office?" she then asked him.
"Yeah. The book said they could open any door." Henry nodded.
"Maybe that's how Rumplestiltskin knows where everybody lives." Evie said with a small smirk.
"Sounds about right to me." Ben chuckled.
"There's no way they'll even fit in the lock." Emma said about the keys.
"Well, there's only one way to find out." Evie replied.
Henry then turned around and tried to open the door with multiple keys, but he seemed to be unsuccessful so far. Evie, while still slightly dubious, was now more hopeful for Henry being able to open the door.
"See? What'd I tell you?" Emma sighed and shook her head.
"Now, now, this is just one of many keys, Emma." Evie spoke up.
"Come on, guys," Emma rolled her eyes at the younger ones. "I know you want to think the answer to everything is in Operation: Cobra-"
"It is!" Henry interrupted her with heavy insistence.
"But, sometimes the real world needs to come first." Emma then continued, still in very strong denial.
Henry frowned as he kept a firm hold on the keys. "Just try one more. Please." he then pleaded.
Emma gave him a long look.
"Come on," Ben spoke up softly. "What have you got to lose?"
Emma looked over at Ben before sighing. "Okay, one more, but then we're done." she then said.
Evie nodded as she looked at her brother. "Okay, Henry. Try the key." she then said, very hopeful for him.
"No, not my job," Henry shook his head before he brought out the keys to Emma. "You do it. This one." he then suggested.
Emma looked soft before she gave in and took the ring of keys. "Okay." she then said as she tried to the key he picked out before her eyes widened as the door unlocked and creaked open slightly.
"...What the-?" Ben muttered with wide eyes in shock.
"Do you believe now?" Henry asked innocently.
Emma just looked shocked at what just happened before looking at Henry and then Ben and Evie.
Soon, it was time for even more investigation, but it looked like with Ben, Evie, and Henry's help that it was going to run a lot smoother from now on. At least, they hoped so.
"Well, hopefully I can help Ms. Blanchard out a little more," Emma said to the young ones. "Thank you so much for your help."
"It was our pleasure," Evie replied. "Just remember... This moment never happened the next time you see Mom."
"Of course, Evie." Emma nodded.
"Thank you, Emma." Evie said with a small smile.
"And, uh, if you happen to see my dad-" Ben began to add.
"I know, Ben, I know," Emma told him with a smirk. "I won't tell your dad you had anything to do with this. I promise."
"Thank you," Ben nodded before he checked the time on his wristwatch. "Ah, that reminds me. I think that I should get going."
"This was kinda fun, Ben..." Evie smiled. "Playing 'Detective' with Emma and Henry like when we were kids."
"Yeah, it was pretty cool actually," Ben replied. "Maybe we could do it again sometime?"
"I just might have to take you up on that offer," Evie said before hugging her childhood best friend. "See you later then, Ben."'
"See ya later, Evie." Ben nodded as he gently patted her on the back.
Evie smiled and then let go of Ben once they broke out of the hug and he went to head back home before his father would start to miss him, knowing his father would be at work by now.
"Come on, Henry. We better head back home." Evie then said to her brother.
"Yeah," Henry nodded. "Maybe we can do something a little later."
"That sounds nice, Henry, just remember to be patient," Evie said as they headed back home while Emma smiled fondly at the two of them. "Then we can probably watch a movie later."
"I'd like that very much, Evie." Henry replied with a hopeful smile.
"You know what? I think I would too." Evie then said, smiling back at him.
Emma smiled fondly as she watched them go.
"Oh, Emma," Evie then said before suddenly stopping and then looking over at the woman. "Are you going to see Ms. Blanchard in the morning?"
"Yeah, most likely." Emma nodded.
"...Could I maybe see her with you real quick?" Evie then asked softly as she came over. "I'll try to make it quick, but let me just see her?"
"...Well, okay," Emma then said. "As long as your mom doesn't find out."
"I'll make sure that everything in my power prevents that." Evie promised.
"Okay," Emma said with a nod. "You'll just have to be quick."
"I understand," Evie replied before looking at Henry. "Do you wanna see Ms. Blanchard too tomorrow morning?"
"Uh... I don't know if that's a good idea," Henry replied. "Might attract unnecessary attention and we'll both definitely get busted. Tell her that we miss her and that we said hi, okay?"
"We?" Evie asked. "As in you and me, or...?"
"Well, yes, you and me, but I also meant in class," Henry then explained before Evie nodded once she understood what he meant by that. "Dee Dee especially... She's like a mother to a lot of us kids. She's Emma's mother after all."
Emma just looked bashful as she happened to overhear that part.
"Well... Okay," Evie nodded. "I will definitely tell her that."
"Thanks, Evie," Henry smiled as he hugged her instantly. "You're the best big sister in the whole world."
"Hmm... I don't know about that, but thanks..." Evie blushed and beamed as she hugged him right back.
"You do seem to be like a very good sister, Evie," Emma said to the teenage girl. "I don't know what I'd do without a brother or a sister, heck, sometimes I wish I had a younger sister so I wouldn't feel so alone until I met you guys."
"I'm sure you would've been a nice big sister too, Emma," Evie replied. "We'll see you later, okay?"
"See you guys later then," Emma nodded. "And thank you again so much for your help today."
"No problem." Henry beamed.
"It was really no trouble at all." Evie added.
Emma nodded as she smiled at them. "Well, you better get back home," she then suggested. "I'll talk to you later."
Henry and Evie smiled back before they hurried on back home themselves.
Meanwhile, as Ben was getting home, he was sure he would be safe and without getting into any trouble for today. He took out his key and unlocked the door instantly. Once he did that, he closed the door behind him, unaware that someone stepped from downstairs leading up to his room. Once he got his shoes off and took his blazer off and was about to head upstairs, he suddenly stopped and bowed his head once he saw who was up there and suddenly stepped down a bit, looking rather anxious all of a sudden.
"...Hi, Dad..."
"...Sit on the couch, Benjamin," Mr. Gold said a bit sharply as he came down from the steps. "We need to talk."
Ben sighed before he went to put his blazer down and went to sit on the couch before Mr. Gold made his way over and sat down across from his son.
"Where were you?" Mr. Gold demanded. "I thought you and Chad had some practice plays?"
Ben swallowed thickly. "W-W-We did..." he then said, trying not to sound scared, but it was very hard to when you had a man for a father like Mr. Gold.
"But you did not go to that, did you?" Mr. Gold asked.
"...How do you know?" Ben asked with a weary smile.
"You just told me." Mr. Gold then said, making Ben flinch as he felt his stomach turn at that.
"O-Oh... Okay then..." Ben said as he looked like he was going to be sick.
"Benjamin, it's not like you to skip class," Mr. Gold replied. "Not to mention you left school before lunch."
"I... I just had a lot on my mind, okay?" Ben defended with a weary shrug.
"That's no excuse to cut school, Benjamin." Mr. Gold sighed and shook his head as his hands firmly grasped his cane's handle.
"Well, sorry, but I did what I had to do." Ben replied.
"Oh? And what was that?" Mr. Gold sternly demanded.
Ben breathed with wide eyes, about to answer, but he turned away with a frown.
"Well?" Mr. Gold asked his son. "What is it?"
"I-I can't tell you that..." Ben said softly. "I promised not to tell."
Mr. Gold looked sharp-eyed before he relented a little. "Fine... Keep your secrets," he then said. "Parents don't like being lied to though, Benjamin. You ought to know that by now."
"Yes, sir... I do..." Ben replied. "I'm very sorry about cutting class and school, I promise that I won't ever do it again."
"Don't make promises you can't keep, Benjamin." Mr. Gold tutted and shook his head.
Ben sighed as he felt like he had probably deserved that. "Sorry, Dad..." he then said in defeat.
"Let's hope that you're honest about that at least." Mr. Gold replied.
"Does this mean I'm not allowed to go to the Teen Night party?" Ben then asked.
"Ah, yes, that..." Mr. Gold replied. "...Let's see how the rest of the week goes and we can discuss. You have to make up for what you did and learn about the consequences of your actions. Do you understand?"
"Yes, sir." Ben then said with a nod.
"Very good," Mr. Gold nodded in return. "Let this just be a lesson to you to not pull the wool over your father's eyes. I can smell a lie faster than a predator can find its prey."
Ben nodded as he could understand his father being a bloodthirsty predator in this situation while he, though his father's son, was the very meek and innocent prey in this situation.
The next day, still in her cell, Ms. Blanchard began to make her bed. When she tucked in the sheets, something suddenly fell out and clinked on the ground. The object turned out to be one of Regina's skeleton keys prompting the woman to take the key and try the key in her cell door and it seemed to be able to open it which made her smile hopefully until she heard someone coming and quickly went to hide the key, shut the door, and sit down to act like nothing just happened.
"Hey. Breakfast." Emma said as she came in with a bag of food with Evie beside her.
"Thanks," Ms. Blanchard replied before seeing the teenage girl and then nodding to her. "Hello there, Evie."
"Hello, Ms. Blanchard," Evie smiled softly. "It's good to see you, I just wish it were under better circumstances."
"Oh, believe me, me too." Ms. Blanchard nodded, still enjoying Evie's company regardless of the situation, however.
Emma then stepped over. "I know Mr. Gold doesn't want us to talk, but I thought you should hear this from me," she then told the woman before looking at Evie. "Don't tell this to anyone in your school, okay?"
"Who would I tell?" Evie shrugged in response.
Emma then nodded at her before she looked at Ms. Blanchard. "The test results came back on the heart and the DNA was a match for Kathryn. She's dead." she then informed, but she sounded regretful in what she was telling the other woman.
Evie's face paled as she frowned, but she still refused to believe that Ms. Blanchard would murder someone in cold blood.
"I'm sorry... For a lot of things, but now that we have proof of the death, we have enough evidence to move forward with a case against you," Emma then said to help comfort both Evie and Ms. Blanchard about the situation. "It's going to happen. You know I do believe you, right?"
"Yeah." Ms. Blanchard said softly in response.
"All this evidence tells me one thing for certain; that you are being framed and I think Regina's behind it." Emma then said to help try to cheer up Ms. Blanchard.
Evie silently nodded to herself as she would actually believe her mother would try to frame someone even if it made her a little unhappy that her mother would even stoop so low.
"Then why am I still in here?" Ms. Blanchard demanded to Emma. "Why don't you confront her?"
"Because belief is not proof." Emma said with a sigh.
"Emma..." Evie murmured then with wide eyes.
"But you just said-" Ms. Blanchard started.
"If I don't do this right, things will end up worse for you," Emma interrupted. "Every time I've gone up against Regina, she's seen it coming, and I've lost." she then warned.
"So, what makes this time any different?" Ms. Blanchard then asked as Evie bit her lip nervously.
"Because she doesn't know I suspect anything." Emma replied.
"Why would she do this to me?" Ms. Blanchard asked with a pout.
Evie wanted to tell Ms. Blanchard about Henry's story, but decided not to for the sake of everybody's sanity.
"I don't know, but I'm going to find out," Emma promised Ms. Blanchard. "And I promise, I won't stop until I expose what she's up to."
"And how are you going to do that? This is her town." Ms. Blanchard then asked in concern.
"I'm working on it. I have faith in you. And now, I need you to have faith in me," Emma replied calmly and courageously as she took the other woman's hand on the bar. "Can you do that?" she then asked.
Ms. Blanchard looked soft before trying to be confident. "Of course." she then said softly.
Emma nodded and then began to take her leave.
"We know you didn't do it by the way," Evie spoke up before she stepped over to the woman behind bars. "Henry misses you a lot in school. Dee Dee too and a lot of the others in his school."
"Oh... I miss them too..." Ms. Blanchard said softly before nodding. "Their little smiles just really brighten up and make my day."
"We'll get you out of here, Ms. Blanchard, one way or another." Evie smiled.
"Thank you, Evie," Ms. Blanchard smiled back. "I wish that your mother could be more like you."
"Me too, Ms. Blachard. Me too." Evie nodded before she then went to leave before her mother would catch her there.
Ms. Blanchard smiled before sighing and then looked down at the key in her hand as Emma and Evie left her alone. One had to wonder what she would do next.
"So, did you talk to Ms. Blanchard?" Henry asked.
"Yeah, I sure did," Evie nodded as they walked off together. "Is your new teacher any good at least?"
"You mean Mr. Goose? Forget about it!" Henry replied. "He's so boring and sounds like he takes a horse to work instead of a car!"
"Hm... Guess he's an old-fashioned teacher." Evie chuckled.
"Yeah, I guess you could say that." Henry nodded as they walked off together, completely unaware of what was going to happen to Ms. Blanchard after they last saw her.