Chapter 5: The Thing You Love Most Pt. 2

Dawn left to watch Henry's school, intending to tail him again. Buffy and Faith had also left in search of their own answers. But with the townspeople having no knowledge of the curse or the supernatural in general they could find out nothing. That left Henry and Emma. So, Buffy and Faith decided they would watch Emma in shifts.

Across town Regina was at her office doing paperwork. The door opened at that moment and Sidney walked through. "I have information on Faith Lehane, Buffy and Dawn Summers."

"Well?" Regina said, impatient.

"Faith Lehane has been in and out of foster homes most of her life. She grew up in Boston. Her mother was an alcoholic and drank herself into an early grave," Sidney said. "She was in and out of Juvenile detention till her last foster parent was killed. From what I can find Faith was right there when it happened and as a result she ran away. The next thing anyone knew she was in Sunnydale, California. Where she ended up in jail for murder. She escaped three years later and then just a few months ago she was pardoned by the President himself." Sidney said. "Faith now lives in Cleveland where she works for an international organization known as the ISC."

"And Buffy and Dawn Summers?" Regina asked.

"Dawn Summers is the legal ward of her sister, Buffy. Their mother died due complications from surgery. Their father Hank has been estranged from them and they were unable to locate him so guardianship fell to Buffy. Dawn had some trouble in school after her mother's death," Sidney said. "Buffy Summers has more an interesting life than her sister. She burned down the high school gym of the school she attended in Los Angeles. She was committed for two weeks in a psychiatric hospital because she claimed that there had been vampires in the gym. She eventually recanted her story and was released."

"Two years later she was charged with murder but the charges were dropped when witnesses gave witness statements to the police saying it was someone named Drusilla who actually committed the murder," Sidney continued. "A year later her high school burned down just after the graduation ceremony. It was reported to be a gas leak that had ignited. A year ago, the town they were living in, Sunnydale, fell into an undiscovered sinkhole. All that is now left of the town is a crater. Buffy then moved, with Dawn, to London where she and a man by the name of Rupert Giles founded the ISC."

Regina nodded, "Anything else on Ms. Swan?"

Sidney shook his head, "I haven't found anything else yet. But I am still looking though."

After Sidney had left Regina thought back to the women, "Maybe I was wrong in thinking it was them. It's probably just a coincidence." She then called Graham, "I need four women arrested. Three of them accosted me this morning. The other stole files from Dr. Hopper on Henry. No, I don't want to press charges. Just let them know that they should leave town or I will press charges."

Later at Granny's bed and breakfast Graham walked up the stairs. He saw Buffy standing in the doorway to her room. "Ms. Summers?"

Buffy looked at Graham and nodded. "Yes?"

"I'm afraid I am to place you under arrest. Is the rest of your group here?" Graham said.

"On what charge?" Buffy asked.

"That will be explained at the station," Graham said. "Is the rest of your group here?"

"Faith is sleeping. Dawn isn't here, she's exploring the town." Buffy said.

"Would you wake Ms. Lehane, please. She's under arrest also." Graham said as he walked over to Emma's door and knocked. Buffy walked over to Faith's door and knocked.

"Hey there," Emma said as she opened the door. "If you're concerned about the 'do not disturb' signs, don't worry. I've left them alone."

"Actually, I'm here about Dr. Archibald Hopper. He mentioned you got into a bit of a row with him earlier?" Graham said.

"No…" Emma said.

"I was shocked too. And given your shy, delicate sensibilities… He says you demanded to see Henry's files and when he refused, you came back and stole them." Graham said.

"He gave them to me." Emma said.

"What's up, B?" Faith asked as she finally opened her door.

"Alas, he's telling a different tale. May I check your room? Or, must I get a search warrant?" Graham asked.

Buffy pointed toward Graham, "We're under arrest. He hasn't told me the charges yet."

Emma let Graham inside her room. Papers from Henry's files were strewn everywhere. "This what you're looking for?" she asked as Buffy and Faith stood in her doorway.

"Well, you're very accommodating. I'm afraid, Miss Swan, you too are under arrest. Again." Graham said.

"You know I'm being set up, don't you?" Emma says.

"I'd almost bet if she's being setup so are we," Buffy whispered to Faith who nodded.

"And whom, may I ask, is setting you up?" Graham asked.

Across town Regina walked down the street to where Henry, Mary Margaret and his class were. She Dawn standing across the street watching Henry.

"-water, synthesize." Mary Margaret said as she was in the middle of teaching a lesson.

"Ahem. May I speak with my son?" Regina asked.

"We're in the middle of a lesson. Is it important?" Mary Margaret said.

"Do you think I'd be here if it wasn't?" Regina said as she walked over to Henry. "Henry, sweetie, I have some bad news. The woman who you brought home – she's been arrested. She broke into Dr. Hopper's office and stole his files. She's a con woman. She's trying to learn about us in order to take advantage of us. That's why she's sticking around. I'm sorry."

"No, you're not." Henry said.

"I know you think otherwise, but all I'm doing is trying to protect you. This is going to be good for us. You'll see. Things will be better." Regina said as the school bell rang.

"I got to get back to class." Henry said.

Regina watched as Henry, Mary Margaret and the class go back inside. She then walked across the street toward Dawn. "Your still here?" she asked.

"What are you talking about?" Dawn asked, confused by the question.

"I thought when Graham arrested you three, he made it clear you're not welcome in town." Regina said.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Dawn said. "I haven't been arrested."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

At the jail, Graham was taking Emma's mugshot. He had already finished with Buffy and Faith and had put them in a cell.

"You know the shrink is lying, right?" Emma asked.

"To the right, please. Why would he lie?" Graham asked.

"The Mayor put him up to this. She's got to have something on him. He's terrified of her like everyone else in this…town." Emma said.

"To the left. Regina may be a touch intimidating, but I don't think she'd go as far as a frame job." Graham said.

"Are you sure of that," Buffy wondered. "I'm fairly sure that's what she did with us. We never accosted her."

Graham looked at Buffy, "She says differently."

"How far would she go? What does she have her hands in?" Emma wondered.

"Well, she's the Mayor. She has her hands in everything." Graham said.

"Including the police force?" Buffy asked.

It was at that moment that Henry followed by Mary Margaret and Dawn came through the front door. "Hey!" he said.

"Buffy?" Dawn asked wondering if her sisters were okay. "Faith?"

Buffy smiled, "I'm okay, Dawn."

"Five by five. Though I never expected to see the inside of a jail cell again." Faith said.

"Henry! Henry, what are you doing here?" Graham asked.

"His mother told him what happened." Mary Margaret answered.

Dawn nodded, "She did and then she came across the street wondering why I was still in town when we were supposed to be told by you to leave."

"Of course, she did," Emma said. "Henry, I don't know what she said-"

"You're a genius," Henry interrupted. He looked at Dawn and winked.

"What?" Emma asked.

"I know what you were up to. You were gathering intel for Operation Cobra." Henry said as he noticed Dawn roll her eyes.

"I'm sorry. I'm a bit lost." Sheriff said.

"It's need to know, Sheriff," Henry explained. "And all you need to know is that Miss Blanchard's going to bail her out."

"And I am here to bail out Buffy and Faith," Dawn said. She had called Giles immediately after seeing Regina and explained that Buffy and Faith had possibly been arrested. He had wired the money so Dawn could bail them out.

"You are? Why?" Emma asked as she looked at Mary Margaret.

"I, uh, trust you." Mary Margaret says.

"Well, if you can uncuff me, I have something to do." Emma says.

"As do I," Faith said.

Later was sitting at her office at home when she heard the sound of an ax hitting wood. She got up and looked out the window at the apple tree and saw Emma and Faith cutting the tree down. She rushed outside to confront them. "What the hell are you two doing?"

"Picking apples." Faith said.

"You two are out of your minds." Regina said.

Emma shook her head, "No, you are if you think a shoddy frame job's enough to scare me off."

"Or me, Buffy and Dawn." Faith said.

"You're going to have to do better than that. You come after me one more time, I think my new friend will be more than happy to help me come back for the rest of this tree. Just as I will do the same for her and her friends. Because, sister, you have no idea what we are capable of." Emma said.

"She's right you have no idea what I am capable of," Faith said. "You stay away from me, B and little D." She and Emma started to walked toward Emma's car.

"Your move," Emma said.

Faith and Emma return to the inn and went to head up to their rooms when Granny came up behind them. "Miss Swan. Miss Lehane. Oh my, this is terribly awkward. Uh, I need to ask you both to leave. I'm afraid we have a 'no felons' rule. It… It turns out it's a city ordinance." Granny said.

"Let me guess – the Mayor's office just called to remind you." Emma said as she glanced at Faith.

Granny nodded, "You can gather your things, but I need to have your room keys back," she said as Faith and Emma handed over the keys.

Emma and Faith went upstairs. Emma left Faith at the door to Buffy and Dawn's room. She opened the door to tell them what Granny had said when she saw them packing, "I gather she told you two the same thing."

Buffy nodded, "Yes. Dawn called a real estate agent and the only place available is a mansion next door to the Mayor's. So, we called Giles and the ISC has bought it. We'll be moving in there."

An hour later Regina watched as Buffy drove the rental car up the driveway of the mansion next door and frowned. "How did they afford the place?"

That evening there was a knock on the door and Dawn, being the only one home as Buffy and Faith had gone out shopping for furniture, answered the door and found Henry there. "Hello, Aunt Dawn," he said.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

The next morning Regina was cleaning up the damage to her apple tree as Mr. Gold walked toward her. "What a mess," he said.

"Not for long," Regina said. "What could I do for you, Mr. Gold?"

"I was just in the neighborhood. Thought I'd pop by. Lovely to see you in such high spirits." Mr. Gold said.

"Well, it's been a good day. I just rid the town of an unwanted nuisance." Regina said. "And tomorrow I will have the rest of them gone."

"Emma Swan. Really?" Mr. Gold said.

Regina nodded, "Yes. I imagine Ms. Swan's half way to Boston by now."

"Oh, I wouldn't bet on that. I just seen Ms. Swan strolling down the main street with your boy. Thick as thieves, they looked." Mr. Gold said. "And seeing how Miss Summers bought the only vacant house in Storybrooke I have my doubt she, her sister or Miss Lehane will be either."

"What?" Regina asked.

"Perhaps you should have come to me. If Miss Swan, Miss Summers, her sister or Miss Lehane are a problem you can't fix, I'm only too happy to help. For a price, of course." Mr. Gold offered.

"I'm not in the business of making deals with you anymore." Regina said.

"To which deal are you referring?" Mr. Gold asked.

Regina glared at Mr. Gold, "You know what deal."

Mr. Gold nodded, "Oh, right. Yeah. The boy I procured for you. Henry. Did I ever tell you what a lovely name that was? However, did you pick it?"

"Did you want her to come to town? You wanted all this to happen, didn't you? Your finding Henry wasn't an accident, was it?" Regina asked. "What about the other three? Their names are so similar to the children I lost. Did you give them some kind of motivation to get them here?"

"Whatever do you mean?" Mr. Gold wondered.

"Where did you get Henry? Do you know something? Where did you find those three women? Do you know something about that?" Regina asked.

"I have no idea what you're implying." Mr. Gold said with a shrug.

"I think you do. Who are these women?" Regina asked.

"I would say you think you know exactly who they are. I really must be going." Mr. Gold said as he started walking away from Regina.

Regina ran ahead of him blocking his path. "Tell me what you know about them."

"I'm not going to answer you, dear. So, I suggest you excuse me. Please." Mr. Gold said as he walked around Regina leaving her standing there in seemingly shock.