Chapter 18 Fighting Fire With Fire
Being in the Mayor's office was the last thing Regina wanted. Designing campaign posters with Sydney was worse than just simply having lunch with her husband. The man was a creep and she didn't miss his not too subtle eyes sweeping over her body whenever Leopold wasn't looking. They were both working at the conference table while Leopold worked on some paperwork at his desk. He was a bit short-tempered today and seemed to be nursing his head. She suspected a hangover. Serves him right for drinking as much as he did last night when he was supposed to be a recovering addict. When he wasn't looking, she put the ringer on the landline to the highest volume and enjoyed watching him cringe each time it rang loudly throughout the office.
She despised having to spend her lunch hour here instead of meeting Emma at the cafe as they usually did. Emma was a bit disappointed as well, but there was nothing she could do. Leopold ordered her to be at the office, and it was a fight not worth having if she declined, especially when he was in a foul mood.
She turned her laptop over to Sydney a bit roughly, showing several basic designs and a lack of a creative slogan. He was busy working on his own laptop, although somehow she got the feeling he was working on something else.
"I don't care if you don't like it," she hissed. "I'm sending these to you and then I'm done with this nonsense."
"It's a bit boring," he tilted his head, reading the generic different versions of the slogan Vote for Sydney Glass.
"I don't care," she sneered, slamming her laptop close and wondering why he can't just do this himself. "I have to go." She stood and started gathering her things. If she was lucky she would be able to grab a cup of coffee on the way back to campus. Unfortunately it wouldn't be with Emma, but she needed the extra caffeine after last night.
"Where do you think you're going?" Leopold was suddenly looking at her from his desk with a disapproving expression.
"I'm done," she said with an air of finality. "It's up to Sidney to print the posters and get them up. I need to get back to campus."
He stared at her, his gaze hard and calculating as if he were trying to think up of a reason to get her to stay. Instead, he tapped his cheek and she grimaced at what was expected. She approached him on the other side of his desk and tensed as she leaned to give him a quick kiss on the cheek.
"I expect you back here after work."
"But Henry…"
He raised his hand and she immediately fell silent.
"He will go to his session and then we will pick him up after. I have a lot to do and I need you to finish these reports." He grabbed a stack that had been accumulating on his desk since the morning. "Here, take some of these with you and bring them back completed."
She took the papers, silently fuming and if he saw the anger in her eyes, he didn't comment on it. Instead, he waved her away. How the hell was she supposed to complete his reports when she was supposed to be lecturing?
She walked out of the office and just as she was leaving city hall, Emma was approaching the building, probably coming back from her own lunch break.
The blonde sheriff smiled so brightly at her, that for a moment she froze in her tracks just right outside the main entrance as Emma closed the distance between them. Why was she so affected by her smile? And why did that beautiful smile remind her of the sun, all big and bright and glowing? She shook her head as if to clear the intrusive thoughts and focused on the woman standing before her.
"Hey, are you ok?" Emma asked, frowning a bit in concern.
She gave her a small assuring smile and nodded.
"Yes, I just didn't expect to see you," she admitted and then quickly looked over her shoulder just in case Leopold or Sydney had followed her out. Emma must have sensed her uneasiness, because she was suddenly taking her hand and leading her down the walkway away from city hall.
"Can I give you a ride to campus?" she asked and Regina found herself nodding in acceptance. She really did miss her this afternoon. Emma led her to the yellow bug and once she was sitting in the passenger seat she started looking through the documents Leopold gave her. Emma got behind the wheel as she was shoving them into her briefcase.
"Ugh, more reports?" Emma asked, glancing at her before pulling out of the parking lot.
"He wants me to come back after work," she explained with a frustrated sigh.
"So you can fill out more?" Emma asked heatedly and Regina nodded at that.
"It's never ending," Regina practically growled. "Are you busy this afternoon?" she asked, looking at her in realization.
"Mmm, not really."
"Would you be ok with taking Henry to his session with Archie after school? I worry about him walking alone."
"Of course, I'd be happy too. Do you want me to stay with him until you pick him up?"
"That won't be necessary. We'll arrive just as he's finishing up."
"You got it," she smiled with an affirmative nod and then asked, "Should I be worried about those campaign posters?"
"Definitely not," she said, a small sly smile curving on her lips. She made Sidney's campaign poster designs as generic and boring as possible on purpose. After all, why would she help the competition? Speaking of…
"Have you talked to Gold yet?" she asked, her voice suddenly hard and detached as she remembered Emma's decision last night. There was a sudden heaviness between them, the memories of last night not lost between them, but Emma broke through the tension after a moment of silence.
"I have and we've come to an agreement," her green gaze glanced over at her real quick before focusing back on the road. They were almost there, the campus already visible in the distance.
"Emma, I'm not gonna tell you what to do here, but please be smart about whatever decisions you make with him." Emma nodded in response, staying silent as she seemed to contemplate those words. She pulled into the student parking lot closest to the political science building.
"Thank you," Regina said softly, her words heavy with much more meaning then it should have held for just a simple ride to campus. She was thanking her for last night. For being there for her, and willing to go at her own pace instead of just confronting Leopold herself. She could see how much the blonde sheriff was holding herself back from beating the crap out of him and giving him a taste of his own medicine.
"I will," she nodded, looking into her eyes and Regina saw nothing but the truth in her words. She gave her a small accepting nod and then exited the bug.
Emma was waiting right outside the school the minute the bell rang. She searched through the crowd of students as they emerged from the building until she spotted her son with his fairytale book under his arm. He ran up to her the moment he saw her.
"Emma! What are you doing here?" Henry asked.
"Your mom had to help your dad at the office so she asked if I could walk you to your session. Want to get some ice cream first?"
"Sure," he shrugged, not at all enthusiastic as she thought he'd be.
"What's wrong kid?" she asked as they started walking towards Grannie's diner.
"My dad is trying to get rid of you," he stated. "What if Sydney wins? What if you…" He didn't finish that last sentence but Emma could hear it just beneath the surface. He was afraid of her leaving.
She stopped walking and knelt down to his level.
"No matter what happens, I'm not going anywhere, ok. Even if your dad is running a campaign against me."
"Did you see this?" he asked, moving his backpack in front of him so he could pull out the morning's paper. She had been so busy she didn't have a chance to read it. The front headline immediately caught her eye and she grabbed it and opened it up, scanning over the words in shock.
Ex-JailBird - Emma Swan birthed babe behind bars
"Sydney wrote it. Is it a lie?" he asked, and she had to swallow her anger for the creepy reporter that followed after the Mayor like an obedient puppy.
"No."
"I was born in jail?" he asked, exasperated.
"Yes. These records were supposed to be sealed. Tell me you're not scarred for life?" she asked.
"I'm not. Well, not by this," he sighed.
"Good," she said, crumbling it up. "Then, let's throw this out and we will get our news from something more reliable. Like the internet."
"This is what I've been trying to tell you… good can't beat evil, because good doesn't do this kind of thing. My dad plays dirty… that's why you can't beat him. Ever."
"I have a new ally. Mr. Gold said he's going to help."
"Mr. Gold? He's even worse than he is. Don't do this Emma."
That look of disappointment in his eyes absolutely killed her. It wasn't the fact that she had given birth to him in jail, it was the fact that she was working with the villains, because apparently in his world that wasn't what heroes did. He was losing hope in her, just like he had lost hope in Regina.
She had promised Regina she wouldn't confront Leopold, but this was a different matter. She needed to open his eyes about how this campaign was affecting his son at the very least. She knew he had a hand in releasing that article and he had done so without even thinking how it might affect Henry.
So she found herself showing up to city hall later that evening. She had caught both Leopold and Regina in the office still as they were packing up to leave for the day. Regina was shuffling through papers at the conference table while Leopold was clearing up around his desk. Regina's eyes widened when she saw her and she didn't miss the fearful glance she shot at her husband.
"Miss Swan?" He looked at her questionably as she held up the crumpled paper she took from Henry.
"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."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I wasn't aware you were keeping secrets from the town," he smirked as Regina approached her and took the crumpled paper from her hands, suddenly not caring if her husband reprimanded her for interacting with Emma. She seemed to be too concerned about what Emma was referring to.
"Leopold!" she snapped. "How could you let Sydney publish this with the risk of Henry reading it?"
He gave her a hard look and a fire of anger ignited deep within Emma when Regina submissively lowered her gaze and headed back over to the conference table. She threw the paper into the garbage where it belonged.
"I don't care what people know, but this hurts Henry," she practically growled at him.
"He would've learned eventually. We all lose our heroes at some point, maybe this will even shake the silly delusions out of his head," Leopold shrugged as he and Regina gathered their things and started to head out. Emma followed them as Leopold locked up the office and started walking through the building
"He doesn't need to lose anything more. He's depressed. He doesn't have any… Any hope. Don't you see that?"
"He's fine."
"He's not fine. I mean, think about it. Watching his adoptive father 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," Leopold said without an ounce of remorse.
"But at what cost?" Regina spoke up from behind them and Emma didn't miss the way his eyes grew cold.
"Politics are messy, but you and Sydney will be able to get into all of that at the debate," he said to Emma, completely dismissing his wife.
"Debate?"
"Yes, debate," he smirked as he led them down the stairs. Emma rolled her eyes and followed after them. She caught Regina's gaze as she fell into step beside her. The fiery brunette shook her head in disbelief at her husband's actions. She could see the silent anger in her brown eyes. "You two could get into juvie records, scams… whatever. Even your new association with Gold."
"Wait, how did you know about that?" she asked, suddenly feeling a rush of heat. She wasn't sure if it was from frustration or…
"I have eyes everywhere," he said as he opened another door and the next thing they knew all three of them were violently pushed back. Flames licked at their feet and for a moment all they could do was stare at the burning doorway in shock.
Leopold cried out in pain, and Emma, who had scrambled away from the flames, barely even registered the large piece of wood that had fallen on his leg. She was looking for Regina who had flown back and hit the wall. She lay crumpled up on the floor, unconscious.
"Regina?" she crawled over to her, turning her to her side and seeing a cut on her forehead. She was the one closest to the wall and must have hit her head. "Gina…" She shook her until the brunette was opening her eyes and looking up at her.
"Emma?" She was a bit disoriented.
"Come on, we have to go," she urged her to get up. She took her hands and helped her to her feet.
"Hey!" Leopold was suddenly yelling. "I'm stuck! Help me!"
At that moment Regina seemed to have froze, her eyes fixated on her husband. A darkness fell over those brown orbs, a kind of darkness that sent shivers down Emma's spine. Was she considering leaving him here? Emma didn't even waste another moment pondering that further. She turned and ran up the way she came and grabbed the fire extinguisher she remembered seeing on the way down. She could hear Leopold asking, "You're gonna leave me here, aren't you?"
Emma definitely wasn't leaving anyone behind but she scoffed at the audacity he had to ask the wife that he terrorizes, to save his life. She was sure Regina wouldn't leave him, but at the same time she couldn't help but think that this could be the perfect out for her. So would she leave him and save herself? She wasn't sure.
She was back within a second. Regina hadn't moved as she extinguished the flames licking at the doorway that blocked their path.
"Regina!" she yelled, snapping her out of whatever dark thoughts were swirling in her mind. "Help me with this!" She threw the extinguisher to the side and started moving the heavy wood off of Leopold. "Regina! Now!" she snapped.
The harsh tone must have snapped her out of her dark thoughts because she was suddenly rushing over and helping Emma push the debris off of her husband. Leopold yelled out from the pain.
"Let's get him up," Emma urged her, grabbing him by his arm and getting Regina to do the same. Leopold grunted and hoisted himself up with their help. Each woman held him up with each of his arms around their shoulder as they guided him out of the burning building. The smoke inhalation was making her lungs burn and Leopold's weight was making it harder to breathe. Regina seemed to be struggling too. Her breaths were labored and blood was rolling down from the wound on her forehead.
They made it out through the burning building and the moment the fresh air hit them, Emma took a deep breath and immediately started choking. She fumbled while setting Leopold down as she coughed. Regina was coughing too, except, instead of gently settling him down, she pushed him away from her hard enough so he was landing on his ass.
"Careful! Set me down gently you fool!" he yelled and Emma, not knowing if that was aimed for her or Regina, immediately snapped back.
"So you're gonna complain about how we saved your life! You know what maybe next time we should have just… No, you know what. I would do the same because it's what decent people do!"
She didn't even stick around to give him a chance to respond. Instead she let the paramedics tend to his injured leg.
"Did you really have to push him?" Emma asked, leading Regina away from him.
"Well if I can't leave him in a burning building, it's the least I could do," she snarled, bringing a hand up to the cut on her forehead and wincing.
"Would you?" she asked, remembering the dark look in her eyes as she froze back there.
Regina didn't answer. If Emma were in her position, being abused by her husband and then facing the choice of saving his ass or leaving him in a burning building, she'd be conflicted as well, but in the end she would have saved him because it's exactly what she had spat in the bastard's face. It's what decent people did.
"I don't…" Regina started to speak before a medic came up to her and she immediately fell silent. Emma guessed she'd never know as she watched the medic ask Regina questions as he treated her head wound.
"Mom!" Henry was suddenly yelling and Regina suddenly switched her focus to her son as he rushed over and hugged her. She seemed to be surprised for a moment that Henry was hugging her and then allowed herself to melt into it. "Are you ok? Did you really help Emma save dad?"
She nodded slowly, almost as if she were afraid of saying anything but yes. She was afraid of losing him any further than she already had, and in that moment Emma knew she would have saved Leopold, not only because she was a good person, but because she wouldn't risk losing her son.
"Wow!" he exclaimed, pulling away and looking at Emma with a glimmer of the hope he had lost. "You're both heroes."
Regina scoffed at that and then looked at Emma. "It's what decent people do, Henry."
Those dark eyes looked into her very soul as she said those words, chilling Emma to the bone. There was a kind of darkness in the other woman that for some reason thrilled her. Would Regina
have left her husband to burn in that building, or would she have saved him? She'd never know, what she did know though, was that someone had started the fire, because not long after Regina, Leopold, and Henry had left, Emma was searching around the rubble of the burnt building.
Graham had combed the area for a few hours and after finding no evidence of foul play, he headed back to the station and just when she herself was going to call it a night, she suddenly found a piece of burnt cloth deep underneath the rubble. She kicked the burnt pieces of debris with her boot and stared in shock at the roped cloth she had seen just earlier that morning. It was the foul-smelling lanolin Gold had been making in his shop.
She had grabbed it, making sure no one saw and drove straight to Gold's shop. If this was his way of winning her election, then she had fallen into his trap. He wanted her to look good by saving the mayor's life. This was fighting fire with fire. This was the line that Regina and even Henry warned her about.
"Gold!"
She banged on his door, not caring that it was late into the night by now. She needed answers. She needed to know if he was the one to set town hall on fire.
"Open the damn door you slimy imp!" she yelled, not even considering the possibility of someone over hearing. It was dark, the streets were empty and if anyone was around to hear her banging on Gold's shop, they'd think she'd have a death wish.
The lights flicked on inside, and soon the door was being pulled open so hard, the hinges creaked. Gold stood in his robe, his face livid for her disturbance in this late hour.
"What is the meaning of this Miss Swan?" he hissed.
"We need to talk," she said, pushing past him uninvited. She was past pleasantries with this man. He closed the door and turned to face her.
"You set the fire, didn't you? Is that your way of beating the mayor? By killing him? Regina was in that building too! And you're lucky Henry wasn't with them!"
"I have no idea what you're talking about." His eyes were cold, and his tone was empty. Emma rolled her eyes at him.
"I found that stinky sheep crap! Don't tell me it wasn't you!"
He let out a slimy chuckle, his grip tightening on his cane. Emma's eyes fell to his grip, suddenly fearing he might hit her with it to keep her silent. A hand lingered on her belt, close to where her service weapon used to lay.
"You agreed to work with me, and if you don't approve of my methods then that'll be a problem."
Emma shook her head in disgust, her lips curling into a snarl.
"Burning buildings and risking lives is not the way. We're done! Deal is off!"
"Well then, you don't get information on the mayor."
"I'll find a way!" she snapped as she pushed past him to the door, hand on her pistol. "I should have listened when Regina told me about working with imps like you."
The campaign had been brutal throughout the week, and Emma wasn't sure she'd win the town over. Leopold was loved by the people for some reason, and if he nominated Sydney Glass, then people were going to vote for him. Emma didn't stand a chance, not even with Mary Margaret leading her campaign, or even the political advice Regina gave her. Henry seemed to lose more and more hope as the debate arrived sooner than later. He was starting to believe that good couldn't win when villains like his father had the upper hand. She wasn't sure how to convince him otherwise as she peeked out from the curtain on the makeshift stage that was built in city hall's recreation room.
He was slouching in his chair, looking so solemn and defeated. Poor kid. Regina sat beside him stiff as a board, the cut on her forehead healing and looking so much better. She's been distant this entire week, more so than she usually was. Emma wondered if it was because Leopold was getting more and more agitated as the debate drew closer and she was afraid of him catching them together, or if it was because Regina had driven out in the middle of the night to see her. They haven't really talked about what had happened that night, or the bruises she had shown her in Mary Margaret's bathroom. They haven't even talked about the fact that Regina had frozen in the fire. She felt like she had somehow lost all progress she had made since they had that fight in the cafe bathroom.
The cause of Regina's tense posture was sitting right beside her. Leopold was scanning through the debate pamphlet, looking like a smug son of a bitch. His ankle was in a brace. He had sustained a sprained ankle from the heavy wood that had fallen on his leg.
She smiled softly at Henry, the concern increasing with each moment. She barely even noticed Mary Margaret coming up to her.
"Are you ready?" she asked, her voice forcing Emma to move away from the curtain.
"I'm not going to win," she sighed. "I can't beat him. Leopold plays dirty."
"But everyones talking about how you and Regina saved him from the fire…"
"But why would they vote for me?" she asked. "Over the mayor's candidate?"
"Is this really about just beating the mayor and Sydney?" she asked, and Emma let out a defeated sigh at the question.
"No…" she admitted. "I just want to show Henry that good could win."
"And why do you want to win this for yourself?" she asked.
"I just want to show him that a hero can win. I want to show Regina that I could take the station back from Leopold's control… and that I can get her away from him. If I don't win, then what am I? Not a hero. Not a savior. I'm not strong enough to help Regina without getting her hurt. What part do I have in their lives?"
"Their lives?" Mary Margaret questioned with a curious tilt of her head.
"Henry's," she amended quickly just as Archie was announcing Emma to the stage. She hadn't even realized Sydney had finished giving his speech. She took a nervous breath and tried to control the trembling in her hands.
"Good luck," her friend whispered, putting a hand on her shoulder before letting her walk outside to the stage.
Emma had confessed the truth, explained her alliance with Gold and how she was sure even without definitive proof that he was the one to cause the fire. She didn't even stick around to hear the results. She took off to Grannies the moment she got off the stage. She needed a drink and so she found herself sitting at Grannie's bar with a beer.
"Another?" Ruby asked when she had drained the bottle, her blue eyes full of concern.
"Hell yes," she replied, sliding the empty bottle towards her so she could replace it.
"Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?" Ruby asked, handing her a fresh one.
"What's there to talk about," she sighed. "I lost."
"You don't know that," she threw over her shoulder as she walked away. Emma rolled her eyes, taking a sip of her drink just as Henry was suddenly taking a seat beside her.
"Henry, what are you doing here without your mom?" she asked, surprised and hoping he didn't just take off. She knew how much that freaked Regina out.
"She sent me ahead. She knew you'd be here. She didn't want me to be bored while the ballads were being counted."
"Hey, I'm sorry I didn't win."
"You don't know that and besides you stood up to Mr. Gold. Heroes do stuff like that," he smiled at her, a glimmer of hope shining in his eyes. She smiled back, her eyes watering. His hope was coming back despite the fact that Emma might not even win the election.
"Don't give up on Operation Cobra, kid," she said, not believing her own words that were coming out of her mouth.
"I thought you didn't believe in Operation Cobra?"
"It's real for you," she nodded. "It gives you hope, whether it's real or not."
"I thought I might find you here," Regina and Graham were suddenly behind them. She turned and tried not to grin at the raised eyebrow. "With a drink. And my son."
"Here to card me officer?" She looked at the sheriff.
"Actually, we're here to join you," Graham said and then nodded at Regina.
"Congratulations… Deputy Swan," she smiled, holding up her old badge and then pinning it on her jeans. Emma wasn't sure if she froze from the news or the fact that Regina's hands were on her belt.
"Wait, what?" Henry asked the question that Emma couldn't bring herself to ask out loud when Regina's fingers had brushed against her hip and those brown eyes were fixated on her own.
"It was a very close vote," she said softly, taking a step back after fastening the badge. "But people really seem to like the idea of a deputy brave enough to stand up to Mr. Gold."
"Are you joking?"
"She doesn't joke," Graham spoke up at Regina's annoyed expression.
"You didn't pick a great friend in Mr. Gold, Miss Swan, but he does make a superlative enemy. Be careful." Those last words were said with such deep concern she was touched. Since the fight in the cafe bathroom and then the fire, feelings between them have been tense and this was the most she has seen Regina let down her walls since then.
"Come on, Henry," Graham must have noticed the tension between them. "Let's go join the party and let your moms talk."
"Where's Leopold?" Emma asked. "Does he know you're here?"
"He's at city hall licking his wounds," Regina scoffed. "He'll be here soon."
"Shots?"
Regina nodded, taking a seat on the stool beside her and smiled at her student who was grabbing two shot glasses and the bottle of whiskey behind the counter. She set down the glasses in front of her and filled them.
"I'll leave you two alone and I'll shoot you a text if Leopold walks through the door."
"Thanks Ruby," Emma said and once they were alone they both toasted their glasses and downed them. Emma set her glass down just as Regina was doing the same.
"What now?" she asked, looking at her with uncertain brown eyes.
"Well now, he lost control of the sheriff's station."
Regina fell silent for a moment as if she were actually regarding what that really meant. The next time the station got a call from him requesting medical services, Emma was writing him up. Regina would be sent to the hospital if needed and he would finally have a record. She'd even arrest him if she could. This was the beginning of Leopold's abuse finally being exposed. Those dark eyes seemed to have lost their light for a bit, and Emma could see her getting lost in her fears. So she placed a hand on the shaking ones that were buried in her lap.
Regina snapped out of it and looked up at her, her eyes now shining with unshed tears. Some kind of indescribable emotion washed over her, something Emma couldn't quite read, but Regina removed one hand from Emma's grip and gently placed it on her cheek. She looked right into her eyes and Emma froze when she leaned in and placed a sweet kiss on her cheek.
Her brain must have short circuited for a moment because either that kiss lingered for a second too long or she was processing it too slow, because it felt like an eternity that Regina's warm lips were on her cheek, her apple and cinnamon scent washing over her until the beautiful brunette finally pulled away.
"I'm sorry…" Regina was blushing with embarrassment and Emma couldn't help thinking how adorable she was. Of course she would never admit it out loud.
"Hey, it's ok," she grinned, a hand going to her cheek for a moment in awe just as Regina stood from her seat.
"I better go before Leopold arrives."
Emma nodded, already missing her company as she joined the gathering party in the back room. With Leopold around they wouldn't be able to talk. She thought about just taking off for the night, but she couldn't exactly skip out on a party that was meant for her. She finished her beer and then joined the celebration.
