Chapter 35

"So you two already bought a house and moved in together," Anton asked sitting at the VIP table in the back of the club?

Emma laughed, "I know, it's a little fast."

Killian shrugged, "I don't know, maybe not. I mean, I've never seen you this happy."

The blonde smiled, "I've never been this happy." She cleared her throat filling a little silly talking about this with the guys. She wasn't ashamed, but sharing her intimate feeling was new to her.

Emma glanced around the empty club, "How are things going around here?" There were still a few hours before they opened.

"Good, actually. We had some sales drops after the investigation. I'm sure no one wanted to come to a club to get drugged." He chuckled lightly, but she knew he meant no harm. "Things have picked up in the last few weeks though. Sales are starting to go back up and Anton has increased security to make our patrons feel safer."

Emma's phone went off. She held up a finger to the guys, "Hey kid, what's up?"

"Are we still getting to have a sleepover at the new house," the boy asked. They hadn't moved into the house just yet. They were waiting for all of the big renovations to be completed, so they weren't in the way. Regina did, however, make time to go out to the house every single day to check on Rocinante.

"We sure are. The contractor called earlier to say they were done with all inside projects," Emma grinned.

"I thought we were going to paint and stuff," His voice sounded disappointed.

Tink walked in with a tray, "Here you go Em, an ice-cold ginger ale."

"Thanks," Emma said taking the glass from the blonde.

"Who is that," Henry asked.

Emma took a sip of her drink as the short haired blonde headed back towards the bar, "Oh it was Tink bringing me a soda."

"Tink? As in Tinker Belle," Henry asked slowly?

"Yeah, why are you asking," Emma sat her glass down in front of her?

There was a small hesitation from Henry before he asked, "Does she have short blonde hair?"

"For God's sake yes, Henry. How many people do you think named their child Tinker Belle," Emma laughed?

"She's the one that was always at my dad's house," he said. "Emma, she's the lady that's been spying for him."

Emma's expression sobered and her eyes landed on the waitress across the room, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I recognized her voice. And like you said, how many Tinker Belle's are there," Henry confirmed.

Emma tensed as she made eye contact with a confused Killian, "I'm going to have to let you go kid. I'll be home in a little while. Love Ya."

She didn't give the kid time to respond. She ended the call and turned to her two friends, "We have a problem."

Anton raised an eyebrow, "What kind of problem?"

"Henry just told me who our leak is," Emma said, slipping her phone into her pocket.

"Who," Killian leaned closer?

Emma nodded her head in the oblivious short haired blonde's direction. She was drying tumblers and placing them under the bar.

"Who, Tink," Anton asked? "That's not possible, she's always with Killian."

Emma and Anton turned to look at the pirate, "Henry has to be mistaken. I'm not always with her, but she wouldn't do that to me." He frowned staring across the club.

"Look, I'm not dogging you Killian, but I trust Henry with my life. The kid wouldn't make it up. He knew her voice and her full name and said she stayed at Robin's house," Emma explained.

Killian's eyes watered, but he cleared his throat, "Well, I guess its time to have a little chat with her." His voice was strained as he clenched his teeth.

All three of them stood and headed in the direction of the bar, "Tinker Belle? Can we have a word?"

The blonde smiled back at them, "Sure, you guys not happy with your drinks?"

Killian flexed his jaw, "How long have you been seeing Robin Locksley?"

Her eyes widened, "W-what are you talking?" She gave a short laugh, "I'm not seeing anyone, well, besides you."

"Cut the shit Tink," Emma rolled her eyes. "Answer the question honestly."

The smile fell from the short blonde's face, "I, um." She looked from Killian to Emma, "Okay, I was seeing him, not since he got locked up."

"Bloody hell," Killian hissed. "How long?"

Tink sighed, "Ever since Will opened the club."

The pirate grabbed the sides of his head with both hands, "You've got to be fuckin' kidding me."

Emma felt for her friend but now wasn't the time for him to fall apart. She gestured towards Anton and he knew what she wanted. He guided Killian away from the two blondes.

"What was the end game," Emma asked watching her giant friend console the club manager?

Tink let her eyes fall to the ground, "I didn't have one."

Emma turned to study the other woman's face, "You had to be getting something out of this. How much did Robin Locksley pay you to rat out Will?"

Tinker Belle's eye shot up to meet Emma's, "What? It wasn't like that."

Emma pursed her lips as she stared at the woman. Her temper was beginning to swell in her chest, but she was fighting to keep it down, "I'll ask you one more time. What did you get in return for rating out my brother?"

Tink's eyes teared up, and she shook her head, "He told me he loved me and that we would be together if I spied on Will during business meetings. I didn't know they would shoot him."

Emma furrowed her eyes, "You knew who shot Will?"

Tink shrugged, "I didn't see the whole thing. I went to get Robin and Neal drinks when they went up to the office for a meeting. When I got up there, Neal was swearing at Will. Robin told me to leave and when I got back downstairs I heard the gunshot."

Emma clenched her fist at her sides. Everything in her was telling her to grab this woman and choke her for all she was worth. And she would have, but an image of Regina and Henry popped in her head.

"You witnessed a murder. My brother's murder and you did nothing," Emma asked raising her voice a few octaves?

Anton and Killian made their way back over to the women. Ruby joined them from the other end of the bar.

"Like I said, I didn't see it happen," Tink said densely.

Emma turned taking a deep breath. She looked at Killian and then to Anton. Both of them were just as shocked as she was learning this new information. This bitch had been a rat for the entire time.

Emma glanced back at the short haired blonde, "Did Robin talk about it in your presence? I mean obviously, you knew who shot him."

"Well, yeah. Neal was bragging about it when he had Mr. Nolan's guys were taking care of the body," the woman said nonchalantly.

"Mr. Nolan's men took care of it," Emma took a step closer to the woman?

Tink swallowed, "Yeah." She let out a nervous laugh, "I thought you knew about that?"

Emma snapped. She grabbed the woman by the neck, "YOU FUCKIN' BITCH!"

Everything Emma had thought she'd let go when it came to David Nolan was now rushing back to her. There was only one reason his men would help get rid of a body. That was because he told them to. This idiot in front of her had known all along. She lied and manipulated all of them. The part that was working Emma the most was that she didn't seem to think there was a problem with what she had done. Nor did she see a problem with the lies she had kept.

Emma tightened her grip on the woman's throat. Tink fought to get the younger woman to release her hand, but it didn't work. Emma watched as her face turned red and the veins were bulging beneath her skin.

"EMMA," Regina's voice shouted!

Emma immediately turned toward her girlfriend but didn't release her grip.

"Emma, dear, you don't want to do this," Regina said trying to calm her own voice.

The younger blonde noted that Regina's cheeks were flushed and her hair a little wind-torn. She let her eyes fall back to the woman struggling to breathe, "She knew who killed Will all along. She knew my fa... David Nolan participated."

Regina was closer now. She was only a couple of feet from her girlfriend. Her eyes darted from Emma to the waitress, "Come on baby, she's not worth it." She glanced at Anton and then Killian, "Why are you not stopping her?"

"The bitch deserves whatever she gets," Killian said crossing his arms over his chest.

Anton shrugged, "I got her back."

"Really," Regina huffed?

Regina was now in Emma line of sight. She gently touched the younger blonde's arm, "Emma, listen to me. If you care anything for Henry or me, you'll let her go."

Emma flexed her jaw muscles as she glared at the blonde in front of her. With a growl, she shoved the woman back, releasing her hold, "You just got lucky."

Regina let out a relieved sigh. Emma could feel her eyes on her, but she couldn't make eye contact. She was angry, but she also felt ashamed of herself. Would she have actually killed her? She didn't know. Chances were, yes.

The brunette stepped in front of her. She wrapped her arms around her, "It's going to be okay."

Emma closed her eyes. Before she knew it, she was sobbing loudly in the crook of her girlfriend's neck. Regina tightened her embraced and kissed the blonde on the head, "Everything is going to be okay."

SQSQSQSQSQSQS

"How's Henry," Emma asked staring out the window of Kathrynn's apartment.

Regina watched her girlfriend warily, "He was disappointed that we wouldn't be able to have the sleepover tonight, but he understands."

Emma nodded, but kept her eyes trained outside the glass, "I'm sorry."

Regina poured some wine into her glass, "Emma, it's not your fault. You didn't know. How could you?"

Emma sighed, "Do you think he's mad at me?"

The brunette sat her glass down on the island and looked over at her girlfriend, "Who?" She wasn't sure if the younger woman was referring to her brother or David Nolan.

"Henry," She said, her voice cracking.

Regina smiled. Of course, she was thinking only of Henry. She picked up her glass and walked the distance of the room to the piano bench Emma was seated at, "No. Henry understands that things happen. Don't confuse his disappointment with anger, there is definitely a difference."

Emma brought her fingers up to the keys and began a slow melody, "I don't want him to ever look at me like he looks at Robin or how I looked at my fa... David."

Regina sat down on the black bench, her back against the piano, "You're not like either of them. You are an amazing person who my son and I fell madly in love with."

A smile crossed the younger woman's lips, as her finger continued to play, "I just don't want to mess this up. You and Henry are everything I could ever dream of, but I don't know how to keep it."

Regina furrowed her brows, "What do you mean, keep it?"

Emma shrugged, "I mean, you got to witness the love between your parents, and you know what it's like to be loved and." Emma stopped, her finger falling from the key back into her lap, "You have family traditions and things. I don't know anything about that. All I have is this little voice telling me not to be like them."

The brunette turned and sat her drink down on the top of the Baby Grand. She climbed into Emma's lap, squeezing herself between the blonde and the piano, "Do you know how those family traditions started?"

The blonde shrugged, but rested her hands on Regina's hips, "They're passed down from generations?"

"In some cases, yes, but they all have to start somewhere. Let's start our own traditions. You and I can start new traditions for Henry to pass on to his kids. We get to choose what happens in our lives." Regina explained.

Emma's managed a half smile at that, "I just want this to be over."

Regina leaned forward and kissed the blonde gently on the lips, "It will be one day. Until then, we," She gestured with her finger between them, "will deal with it together."

Emma nodded wrapping her arms around the woman and pulling their bodies close together. Being in the younger woman's arms was Eureka. She honestly had no clue how she had been able to live life without this. She couldn't imagine not having it. She kissed the woman again. This time it was more intense.

Emma threaded her finger through thick dark locks, holding their bodies close. Regina's senses felt so sensitive, so alive. She could smell the rose scent from the shampoo Emma had used on her hair. Even though it was the same shampoo Regina uses, it had its own unique smell when it mixed with Emma's. The feel of Emma's hands gripping her hips and the softness of her lips was intoxicating. She could possibly kiss this woman for hours without tiring.

"Ahem," Someone cleared their throat across the room.

Regina and Emma whipped their heads in that direction. Zelena stood next to a familiar heavyset man with a sharp pointed nose. Regina reluctantly removed herself from the blonde's lap and they both stood to join their new guests.

"Why is he here," Emma asked, not amused?

Regina looked at the man in question. She didn't know him personally, but she was aware that he was a lawyer. She had been to many banquets with her ex-husband. All of those get-togethers were built around powerful men. With powerful men came their attorneys.

"Hear me out," The redheaded Brit said putting her hand up. "Because of certain situations in the past, I can't represent you. This is Mr. Neely. He is a great attorney and a friend."

Regina watched Emma shift in her stance, "He's Gold's lawyer. What do you mean friend? When Gold came here, you never said a word." Regina could sense the tension and Emma was only growing angrier.

"Okay, let's stop for a minute," Regina said stepping between Emma and Zelena. She turned to the redhead, "Why does Emma need an attorney anyway?"

"She may not, but it's better to have a backup plan. With Tinker Belle testifying against Robin with new information, he'll go away for a long time," Zelena explained.

Emma crossed her arms over her chest, "Why am I sensing a, but?"

Zelena looked apprehensive, "Well, you see, we need a confession from David Nolan or from Robin for that to happen."

Emma snorted, "Oh yeah, hang on while I ring one of them up. I'm sure they'd tell me all about it over tea."

Regina understood her girlfriend's irritation, but she would not allow her to get worked up again. She placed a reassuring hand on the blonde's arm as she spoke to Zelena, "How exactly do you expect her to get these confessions?"

Zelena looked at the heavyset man beside her and then back to the two other woman, "Tinker Belle is confident she can get one from Robin, but the case would be a hole in one if we could get David Nolan's."

Emma ran a hand down her face and sighed. She turned and walked back across the room to stare out the window. Regina looked at Zelena in disbelief. How could she ask Emma something like this? After everything. Regina's biggest fear was Emma losing her temper again. She herself wasn't afraid of the woman, but David Nolan should be.

"I'm still a little confused. What do you want her to do? Go and confront him? This is one of the most powerful men in the state," She let her mind run wild. After finding out that Emma wasn't his, he wouldn't want her there. She couldn't see how Emma would even be able to get close enough to him.

"We would work with the detectives and set up a small sting operation, similar to the one they ran at the club when Neal was shot," Zelena tried to explain.

"Not on your life," Regina heard herself snap. "Do you understand what you're asking her to do? How dangerous it is?"

"I'll do it," Emma said from across the room.

Regina spun in her direction, "No, you won't."

"Regina, I have to. If I don't they will get away with everything," Emma said making her way back to her girlfriend.

"Do you remember the last operation she's talking about? If it hadn't been for Anton, who knows what would have happened. The cops didn't even come in until after," Regina was losing her cool.

"It won't be like that this time," Zelena began.

"Bullshit! She will be on the 15th floor of a very secure building. No one will be able to get in without being noticed. She will be alone with him. If something happens no one will be able to get to her," Regina eyes watered and a lump rose in her throat.

Emma took the brunette's face in her hands, "Hey." She pulled the older woman into her arms and whispered in her ear, "It's going to be okay. We will figure this out and work on a plan."

Regina couldn't speak without fear of crying. She just held tightly to the blonde. It wasn't supposed to play out like this. It was supposed to be an open and shut case. Of course, it wouldn't be that easy.

SQSQSQSQSQSQ

"Did I do something wrong," Henry asked his grandfather.

Dr. Mills chuckled as he sat the fast food tray down in front of Henry, Peter, and Felix, "No, of course not."

Peter and Felix took their burgers and containers of fries and started to eat. Henry slowly took his, "Why did mom get so upset when I told her about Tinker Belle?"

"Well, Tinker Belle knows things that will help in Emma's brother's case," Dr. Mills said biting one of his fries.

Henry stared down at his wrapped burger, "Mom was afraid she'd hurt her, wasn't she?"

Dr. Mills nearly choked on the fried potato, "I'm sure that's part of it."

"She would give anyone a beat down if they deserved it," Peter said nonchalantly.

Felix raised his eyebrows, "That's no lie. What does it matter if she beat up someone who deserves it?"

"Because violence is not the answer," Dr. Mills scolded the older boy.

Peter looked up at the man, "But if she wouldn't have beat up our dad, he would have done worse to us."

Henry saw the discomfort the conversation was causing his grandfather, but he wanted to know. If it wasn't okay to use violence against people who were using violence, then what were you suppose to do?

"Are you saying that self-defense isn't a reason to use violence," Henry challenged.

Dr. Mills let his eyes move from each boy and then back to Henry, "Okay, look." He wiped his hands off on a napkin, "Self-defense is a different situation. Of course, you should be able to defend yourself. What Emma did to your father, wasn't right." One of the boys went to protest, but the doctor continued, "Do I believe he got what he deserved, yes, but he didn't attack Emma. It wasn't self-defense. I am a doctor and it is my job to help people and to heal people. Agreeing whether or not it is okay to hurt someone is against my ethics."

The boys exchanged looks and Henry quirked an eyebrow, "So if someone hurt me, you wouldn't do anything about it?"

The doctor looked around the empty restaurant, "We're not talking about me. We were talking about Emma assaulting their father."

"She was protecting us," Felix said.

The old man rubbed the back of his neck and let out a sigh, "Yes, she was." He looked at Henry, "Yes, I would assault whoever was hurting you, but that doesn't make it right. As far as Tinker Belle is concerned, Emma's problem is her anger. She would attack the woman in anger. It would not because she was protecting someone, or that she herself was in danger. Assault is illegal and your mother doesn't want Emma to wind up in jail. Do any of you?"

All three boys shook their heads. Why did everything have to be so complicated? He sighed, "When are Emma and mom coming home," He asked unwrapping the foil wrapper from his burger?

The old man shrugged, "Later, I'm sure. They had some things to take care of."

Henry looked down at his watch. It was after 8 PM and he frowned, "Do you think she's mad at me?"

"For what," His grandfather asked popping another fry into his mouth?

"Ruining our sleepover," he answered. Emma had been just as excited as him about their weekend in the new house.

The doctor chuckled again, "Not a chance."

A few minutes of silence passed over the table. Peter looked at Henry, "So I guess we have to change our plans for Mrs. Hatter."

Henry shot the boy a warning look.

"Who is Mrs. Hatter," Dr. Mills asked.

"She's the senior English literature teacher," Felix answered with a mouth full of burger.

Dr. Mills took a sip from his soda, "She's at the high school, right?"

The three boys all nodded their heads in unison.

"Why are junior high boys having trouble with a high school teacher," he asked.

The boys exchanged glances and Henry answered, "We're not. Emma is."

Dr. Mills quit eating and looked at Henry, "What kind of trouble?"

Henry sighed. There was no backing out now, "When Emma and I went to see Dr. Hopper a couple of months ago, mom met us there. When we were leaving, we bumped into Mrs. Hatter in the parking garage. Emma wasn't happy to see her. Emma even got in the woman's face. She said her name was Lily and started accusing Emma of killing Neal Gold."

His grandfather slowly closed his eyes, "That girl just can't catch a break, can she?"

"You know Mrs. Hatter," Henry asked?

The doctor nodded, "Unfortunately." He opened his eyes and looked at the boys, "What exactly did you all plan to do to this Mrs. Hatter?"

The boys exchanged another round of looks and Henry said, "Not much. Maybe cut the brake line on her car."

"HENRY DANIEL MILLS," His grandfather shouted causing even the fast-food worker who was sweeping the floors to jump. "I better never hear of you doing something so malice. You could kill someone doing that. Is that what you want?"

"No, we just wanted her to leave Emma alone for a while," he said. "She keeps coming over to our school and harassing her."

"That does not make sabotaging someone vehicle okay," He boomed. "Do you even know where the brake line on a car is?"

Peter and Henry pointed to Felix, "Well, um, I watched a video online that showed where they were."

"Yeah, well, erase it from your minds now. You will not act like hooligans and you most certainly will not be murders. Do I make myself clear," The old man asked, clearly upset?

"Yes sir," The boys answered together.

"Emma could tell Mr. Gold, but she doesn't want to evolve him," Henry looked up at his Grandfather, "I know Emma used to date Lily, but why does she hate Emma so much?"

The old man took a deep breath. Once he had calmed some he shook his head, "I don't know Henry. Emma certainly doesn't deserve it." He looked at the faces of the boys he had just scolded publicly, "I'll take care of it."

Henry smiled, "You will?"

"Yes, but this conversation stays between the three of us. And you three stay away from Mrs. Hatter and her car, am I clear," the doctor asked?

All the boys nodded their heads. Henry had no idea what his Grandfather thought he could do to get the woman to leave Emma alone. But he was happy he was going to try. He watched the doctor stand up.

"I'm going to the restroom to wash my hands. You guys sit tight till I get back," He said leaving the table.

Once he disappeared into the men's room, Henry turned to his friends with a huge grin, "Told you it would work."

"Man, I don't ever want to piss your grandpa off. He is pretty scary," Peter said.

"How did you know that would work," Felix asked wadding up his burger wrapper?

"Because my Grandpa loves Emma like his own. He can be a very persuasive guy when he wants to be," Henry said cockily.