"Dang, why did Ruby have to be so fast?" asked Charming, driving 20 miles per hour over the speed limit.
"This is pretty dangerous!" screamed Belle holding onto whatever she can to keep herself steady in Charming's truck.
"It's not as bad as fighting a dragon just to put a shiny golden egg inside it," Charming said, dryly.
"Wait, what—LOOK OUT!" screamed Belle at the top of her voice.
Marian was in the middle of the road watching Ruby in wolf form race down main street. Charming honked the horn and Marian whipped her head back and watched in terror as her life flashed before her eyes. Belle ducked her head to her knees and closed her eyes ready to feel the impact of Marian's body hitting the front of the truck. Charming jerked the car avoiding Marian with the help of Robin coming in and rescuing her. Belle rose and looked in the rear view mirror seeing Marian shaken up but completely okay. Belle sighed in relief.
"That's the second time I almost seen Marian and Robin die," mumbled Belle.
"Wait, what?" asked Charming, curious.
"Oh, look Ruby turned back into a human!" announced Belle, avoiding a long and boring story she would have to retell.
Ruby was back into her human self. She was still sniffing the air in front of the ice cream shop all the kids and Mr. Gold loved. Charming stepped on the brakes and the strong momentum jerked Belle and Charming. Belle almost hit the dash board with her forehead. Charming asked, with strong concern influenced by fear, "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm alright. A bit dizzy though," confessed Belle. She rested back on the seat and breathed slowly to lower her adrenaline.
Charming sighed and said, "Alright, don't get up yet. Just stay in here until you feel better."
Belle did not want to stay inside but she nodded and obeyed. She did not want to push herself.
Charming handed her a convenient bottle of water on his door then headed towards Ruby stretching out her arms and legs.
"Woo! I can never get tired of running! I was super fast!" exclaimed Ruby. Then she saw Belle was still in the car, slowly sipping down some water in the passenger seat. She whispered to Charming, "Is something wrong with Belle?"
"Oh, uh, no I just told her to wait in the car," said Charming as he was pulling out his walkie talkie. He pressed the button and called into it, "Emma, Emma. We found it.
We are in front of the ice cream shop. Get here soon!"
"ROGER THAT!" said Emma through the bulky device.
Charming put it back in his utility belt and pulled out his gun. Ruby asked eagerly, "Should we go in there now? He's still in there."
Charming looked around and noticed Belle getting out of the truck. She wobbled a little from the height of the truck but managed to steady herself. She walked out in her heels towards them and Charming answered, "No, we can wait for Emma. We could need back up."
"I'm your back up," insisted Ruby as if it was obvious. "I was once a deputy."
"You were?" asked Belle.
"Oh, yeah. It was around the time during the first curse," answered Ruby.
"Even so, I can't risk getting either of you hurt," denied Charming.
"We're not a sack of potatoes, David," corrected Ruby.
Belle and Ruby were glaring at him. Charming sighed and apologized, "Forgive me for being protective. Alright you can be my back up. Belle how good are you with a gun?"
"Oh, I, uh, held one before. But I never actually pulled the trigger," Belle pointed out.
"Well, don't let whoever is in there know that," said Charming. He slipped out a gun through one of his holsters and handed it to her. Belle nodded and took the gun and felt the familiar hold on it. The last time she held a gun was when Hook was her enemy, and that was so long ago.
"Alright, let's do this," said Ruby. Her wolf eyes lit up. She was ready to take this criminal down.
Ruby and Charming walked into the ice cream shop like ninjas and Belle followed behind them holding the gun tight in her hands. The ice cream shop was normal with unsupervised tubs of ice cream. Except for the cash register open and empty.
There was a sudden chuckle in the back room of the shop. Charming signaled to Ruby and Belle he would be the one to go in first. The two stay put until Charming turns his back on Ruby, then Ruby sneaks out the door. Belle looks back wondering what she is doing. Then flips her head back to Charming when he stepped inside the backroom and said, "Freeze."
Charming was pointing his gun at a man with a black leather jacket and really short black hair. He was in the middle of taking a spoonful of mint chocolate chip ice cream. He was sitting on top of a table and with a bag opened with money. The man spoke confidently even though he was shaking, "Would you like some ice cream before we do this?"
"Do what?" asked Charming stepping forward.
"This part." The man threw his ice cream bowl at Charming's face. The spoon hit his forehead and the ice cream stuck to his shirt. Charming flinched then slipped on the ice below him and the man grabbed his loot and ran towards the front room exit. He stopped on a dime when he saw Belle. Belle had the gun pointed straight at him.
"Don't move. You are under arrest!" roared Belle. She could fool anyone that she was fierce but somewhere deep inside she was scared of what he might do. Hopefully not see through her façade. How could she shoot someone if he resisted?
The man chuckled and said, "Aren't you the bloody librarian? You got to be kidding me?" Then, just as fast as he stopped, he ran back into the back room and jumped for the window.
Belle shot a bullet and it hit through his calf.
The man groaned in pain already half way through the window and he drops down on the other side with a huge thud. Belle drops the gun and it goes off again and shoots a whole through the ice cream glass. Charming got back up on his feet and walked towards Belle. "Belle, what happened?"
Belle was horrified at herself for harming someone. She always assumed he was dead if it wasn't for his loud groaning outside the window. "I, uh, shot him. Is he, is he dying?"
Charming sighed and said, "Only one way to find out. Come on."
Charming and Belle ran outside around the corner to the back of the shop and found Ruby handcuffing the man. Ruby got him to his feet. The man leaned awkwardly on her trying to put no wait on his weak leg. "Nice, shot Belle. You just nicked him for him to not be able to run away from me. Made it a lot easier for me to pounce on him."
"So, I didn't hurt him?" asked Belle examining the man's jeans cut from the bullet. There was no sign of blood coming out of the wound.
"WELL OF 'COURSE IT BLOODY HURTS!" exclaimed the man.
"Ah, he's just a whiny baby. He'll live," assured Ruby.
Emma rolled him in her police car a few moments later. Emma stepped out of the car with Hook. "Hey, so did you catch the trouble maker?" asked Emma.
The man was leaning against the wall, sulking about his escape. Charming replied, "Yup, his name is Will Scarlet. He apparently was the one who trashed the office."
"Hey, there's like five bloody sheriffs in this town that's not fair!" complained Will. "And two of them are a waitress and librarian. This town is bonkers."
"Well, he seems charming," sassed Hook.
"Oh you wouldn't believe it," said Ruby sarcastically.
Charming pulled up Will and lead him towards the car. "Take him to the station. We can ask him more about his actions when he is behind bars." He opened the back seat and helped him inside.
"Why thank you, my dashing prince!" jested Will.
"The pleasure is all mine, princess," jested back Charming before slamming the door on Will's head. Will's moans about his nose were muffled out.
Belle and Ruby were amused.
"Hey, so, we are gonna take the fool downtown. Thank you for your help, guys," said Emma.
Belle smiled and Ruby scoffed, "It was no big deal. He didn't put much of a fight anyway."
Emma laughed and said, "So Belle, why don't you and Ruby head back to the office. Pretty sure Gold fixed up the place for you to work in now."
Belle nodded and said, "Yeah, oh and sorry if we called you only to bring the car."
"Oh it's alright. It's my job."
Belle smiled. She admired Emma, even though she was technically younger than her. She was brave, smart and daring.
Ruby took the keys from Charming and Ruby called to Belle, "Hey, let's go Mayor Belle. I'll drive."
Belle turned her attention towards Ruby and started to skip happily behind her to the car.
Will watched Belle get inside from the backseat.
Is everything going according to plan?
An echoed voice came from the chest pocket of his jacket. It was a small shard of a mirror glowing dimly as it spoke. Will replied back to it softly, so no one else could hear, "Yes. But I didn't expect for it to be this painful to get myself arrested."
I saw everything. It was only a scratch knave.
"Don't call me that. It's Will."
Whatever suits you. Do you remember what to do once you get inside the station?
Will swallowed. He whispered, "Yes, but will the blond be any problem?"
Don't worry. Everything will go smoothly as I planned.
"And will I…," he paused for a moment to rethink his sentence, but the voice answered his unspoken question.
Yes, as promised, if you help me, I will free her and you will be reunited with her.
Will smiled and ducked his head when Charming got in on the other side of the car. "Hey, I am your riding buddy for this trip."
Will's smile vanished and sighed, "Oh bloody Hell."
