Unexpected Love

Files of criminal's photographs covered the wooden table at the station. Emma sighed deeply as she examined Mary Margaret's facial expression for the umpteenth time. The results were the same; none of them were the man they were looking for. "No, I'm sorry but none of these men are him." The blonde didn't know if perhaps her roommate had hit her head really hard to forget or the light was poor when she stared him down in the dark of night. She wanted to capture the guy more to interrogate him for information to pinpoint the whole charade on Regina Mills. An apologetic Mary stood from the seat she was sitting in. "I'm going to the hospital. Good luck." The brunette was gone. Emma sighed again as she gathered the papers from the desk and placed them inside one of the metal cabinets. To make sure that Mary was safe, the blonde had made a deal with the hospital that she would stay until Mr. Gold healed, since Mary's condition wasn't severe to be a patient.

Mary Margaret had helped around the hospital, attending to the needs of patients, either by reading to them or assisting them from walking to point A to point B. She didn't mind doing the tasks, and it also let her have her room that she first woke up in. Knocking lightly on the door to room 202, she heard a 'come in' and walked inside of the room. Mr. Gold was sitting up in bed. His face was healing quickly within a week. The bump on his head had vanished, his fat lip returned to normal, he could now open his left eye, but there was still a faint yellowish color to the bruise around the eye and cheek. "Good afternoon Mister Gold." Mary greeted the man with a smile. "How are you today?" She sat down in the chair that faced the bed. The teddy bear that she had brought him was still sitting upon the night stand and he had thanked her for it. Visitors still didn't arrive to this room, only for the doctors and nurses to check on his condition, herself and Emma who only questioned him for information about the man that had assaulted them. "I'm feeling fine, just waiting to be discharged." She nodded in acknowledgement. "I wanted to thank you…for that night." Mr. Gold's lip curled up. "I have already told you dear, once was enough." She couldn't help but thank him everyday, she didn't know how else to pay him back for it, especially since he was harmed. "I know, I'm sorry, it's just-" She was cut off. "It's alright Miss Blanchard, what happened to me was not your fault. You're welcome." The doctor that had been treating the pawnbroker for the last week walked into the room. Mary rose from the chair and stepped out of the room to give the men privacy.

Finding an unknown was becoming more difficult than she had anticipated. There were too many variables and there weren't enough of her to go around. For the past few days, the blonde scouted out bars, liquor stores and even the club she had brought Mary to, but there wasn't anybody that fit the description of the person she was supposed to be looking for. The situation wanted to rip her hair out of her follicles. The stress was piling up, she was the sheriff, her duty is to serve and protect. Sitting in the cruiser, she decided to go home. A hot bath would do her good, perhaps ease her mind. Finding a parking spot on the street, she locked up the vehicle and made her way up the stairs of the apartment. The door to her home was ajar. Noticing the latch on the door was broken; she held her gun out and opened the door slowly with her foot. The floor was covered with items; the room had become a vortex of entropy. She checked every room; all were a mess but didn't find the culprit. "Damn it."

Emma hurriedly drove to the hospital. She checked Mary's room but found it empty. She checked the bathrooms, she wasn't in them. Then she decided to peak in every room on the floor. She finally found the brunette in room 202; Mr. Gold's. Opening the door, she called over to her roommate, who then came to her. "Is everything alright?" Mary nodded. "Yes, Mr. Gold is getting released today." Emma tried not to show her worried stature; now that Mr. Gold was leaving the hospital, Mary Margaret had to depart also. "The apartment had been raided." The brunette's eyes widened as she placed her hand over her mouth. "I don't know if it was a robbery or if that guy is messing with you. But I feel it wouldn't be safe for you to return there. At least not alone." Mary walked back inside the room and sat down in the chair, her face blank. Mr. Gold noticed the girl's expression. "What is it dearie?" Emma sighed walking in, she didn't' want him to hear. "The apartment was trashed. Had to of been the brute that attacked you guys." The man stood to his feet from the bed and balanced upon his cane. He was fully dressed in his usual business attire. "If Miss Blanchard is in danger, perhaps she could stay at my place." That statement took Emma aback. She hadn't expected such a suggestion from him. Her eyebrows knitted together. What was his angle? There had to be something in it for him, or he would not have offered. Mary Margaret held the same expression. "Why would you do that?" The blonde felt the need to ask. "Well, if you plan on placing Miss Blanchard at the Inn, that would mean she would not be able to roam the town for very long, not be able to work, not be able to receive pay." There it was. Emma knew there was a catch. Pay; Money. Meaning… "She can stay at my home in exchange for work." You mean enslavement, Emma thought to herself. "So I would be cleaning your house?" Mary asked as she stood up. "Precisely." Mr. Gold answered. Emma was not fond of the idea. Mary Margaret would be Mr. Gold's maid. Didn't he already have one of those? He owns the town, he's wealthy, and wouldn't he already have personnel lined up? She couldn't think of a better alternative, except if Mary followed her all day, but there would be no check for her. "I will accept." The brunette offered with a smile. Emma almost shook her head, but held her tongue of the negative remarks. "Mary, we should get going to get your things." The brunette nodded and followed the blonde out of the hospital.

It wasn't until they arrived at the apartment that Emma finally expressed herself. "I don't think it's a good idea to stay at Mr. Gold's." The brunette was more occupied at the mess of her home, than her statement. "Why?" Mary tried not to step on breakable objects. "Because, it's odd that he would need a personal maid to live with him." They finally mad their way to Mary's bedroom. "He's doing me a favor. Actually, a second one. I'm grateful for his offerings." Finding a suitcase, she started to go through the clothes on the floor to pack. "Yeah, but it doesn't seem like him. I don't know, I just don't trust him." Mary stopped what she was doing and looked at her roommate. "What else can I do? I still don't have my job. I could beg for it back from Regina." Emma sighed, they could possibly plea for Mary's career, but that wasn't a one hundred percent chance because most likely, Madam Mayor would have Mary owing her also. They stayed silent as the brunette continued packing. Once she was done, they settled in the cruiser and Emma drove in front of Mr. Gold's house. "The sooner you find the guy, the faster I am out of here." Mary said as opened the door and walked away with her suitcase. Emma sighed again. If I can find him. At that last thought, the blonde drove back home to straighten up her apartment, leaving her friend alone with a man she does not trust.