prompt: Graham takes Henry Christmas shopping for Emma and then picks out a gift of his own
prompted by: la lisboa
"Sheriff Graham!" Henry's voice comes from the entrance of the station. Graham comes out of his office just in time for the boy to run in, a worried look on his face.
"I need help!" Henry says, looking up at him with an adorable set of puppy-dog eyes he knows he won't be able to say no to.
"What's wrong, Henry?" he asks, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder.
"I need to get Emma a Christmas present," Henry says. Right. There's two weeks left until the holiday… And Graham hasn't gotten his deputy/girlfriend anything either. It's not that he hasn't been trying – it's more that the Huntsman-Sheriff hasn't found anything worthy of the Savior-Princess.
"Okay," Graham nods, "We can go shopping right now; any emergency call will go to my phone if I don't pick up here. Where do you want to go? Gold's?"
"I guess," Henry doesn't look pleased at the prospect of going to Rumplestiltskin's shop, and Graham can't blame him. Those puppet things the man has on display are terrifying.
"Come on, then," Graham grabs his coat. Even though it's not a long walk, they take the cruiser. There hasn't been any snow yet (there's never been any snow in Storybrooke), but the temperature has dipped below freezing for the first time in Graham's memory, and he has no desire to be walking in that.
The bell on the door chimes as they enter the shop, and Gold comes out of the backroom.
"What can I do for you gentlemen? Hunting for anything in particular?" the man says – sometimes Graham gets the feeling that Gold has his memories back, and knows that he has his as well, but he's never entirely sure.
"Just browsing for a present for Emma," Graham says, not sure where to start looking.
"Let me know if you need any help," Gold nods, heading back into his office.
Graham looks around the shop a bit more slowly than Henry, taking his time. When he reaches a glass display case with jewelry, he intends to move past – Emma is not the jewelry type, and this stuff must have had owners back home in the Enchanted Forest who would want their frippery back when the curse was broken – when a piece catches his eye. On a golden chain so fine one would think it was thread (something Graham knows the Dark One specialized in) is a golden, heart shaped pendant adorned with rubies.
He knows without doubt that this is what he wants for her; he's not sure how, but he knows she got his heart back, and this piece… It is perfect. A symbol that he will understand – and someday, when she believes, and the curse is broken, and she knows just how much she did for him, she will understand as well.
"Gold?" he calls. The man comes out of the back room.
"This necklace, with the ruby heart – I don't suppose it has an owner that will be coming back for it?"
"That pendant," Gold smiles, "Was your mother's. I suppose that even means I can afford to give you a discount on the price."
Graham's eyes narrow at Gold's declaration. Graham's human mother… Well, he didn't even know who she was. And the mother he had memories of from the curse had never set foot in Gold's shop. Still, he knows this is what he wants to give Emma.
"I'll take it," he agrees, before he can change his mind, "Henry, have you found anything?"
"Yeah," Henry holds up a paperweight-sized statuette that appears to be a swan on a lake with a wolf sitting on the shore nearby. Graham smiles at that.
"Don't suppose you gift wrap?" he jokes to the other man.
"No. But I can get you each a box."