As Emma fiddled with the lid on the fingerprint powder, she recalled her rather successful visit to Dr. Hopper. Not only had he revealed the location of the ward (with some minimal prodding on her part), but he had offered his services for the foreseeable future. If—when she got Isabelle out, Archie would meet with her to write Isabelle a clean bill of health so long as she agreed to sessions with him bi-weekly for the first few months. Emma didn't know what Regina had done to piss him off, but she was loving it.
Luckily not many people hung round the hospital after visiting hours, so dusting a keypad for prints wasn't attracting the attention it deserved. When she finished running the fine brush over the keys, she removed the portable black light from her pocket. Archie hadn't known the code, but he did say it was only four digits, and that one of the numbers repeated.
When she shined the light over the keys exactly three numbers boasted heavy prints: 1, 2, 0. She sighed. That doesn't really narrow it down. As she stared at the numbers, Emma couldn't help feeling that they looked awfully familiar. Hmm 1, 2, and 0…what significance could those numbers possibly hold for Regina? She looked across the hall and spied something shining through the glass door of one of the private rooms. It was one of the colorful birthday balloons you could buy at the florist and—Birthday! Emma, you idiot! Those numbers are Henry's birth year! Emma hurriedly punched the numbers into the keypad 2-0-0-1, and was rewarded by the sound of a shifting lock. She'd done it! Now she just had to survive the trip down into Regina's special dungeon.
As she made her way down the cement steps, Emma steeled herself for the unknown danger waiting ahead. She'd worked hard to get in here, and she didn't plan on leaving empty handed. When she finally reached the bottom Emma found herself face to face with a very shocked nurse.
"Who are you?" The woman demanded. Emma moved forward quickly without answering. "Miss," the nurse's voice had risen, her tone turning shrill, "you can't go back there!"
Emma's patience was worn thin. She ripped the badge from her belt and shoved it in the woman's face. The warrant she'd acquired earlier also made its appearance. "I'm the sheriff, and I have reason to believe you are unlawfully holding someone down here." She shoved her identification back where it belonged before continuing. "And I'm going to find them."
The nurse looked toward the phone with the eyes of a nervous animal. Emma lunged for the cord and ripped it from the wall before the other woman moved. "You won't be calling Regina before I finish what I came to do." Emma growled. "Now, take me to the girl you're keeping here."
The nurse nodded nervously and gestured for Emma to follow her. Emma felt a little guilty as she realized this woman would probably lose her job for her part in the escape, but she quickly shook the feeling. What kind of person took this sort of job anyway? They turned a corner leading to another grey hallway and the nurse stopped before the second door on the left.
"You better be telling me the truth." Emma warned.
The woman scowled. "Look through the peephole if you don't believe me." She gestured to the little box carved into the door.
Emma moved to open it, but grasped the handle instead. Too late to chicken out now. She took a deep breath and slowly drew open the heavy metal door. When she stepped inside, a huddled figure was waiting for her. It was a girl. Her long brown hair was matted, and her figure gaunt, but the eyes that looked back at her were full of fire. Two small lanterns filled with azure flame.
Emma waited for the girl to break the silence, but she only continued to stare. Ah, so they were to do things the hard way? Emma gathered her courage and crashed headfirst through the barrier of silence."Hi, I'm Emma. I've come to take you home, Isabelle."
"Home?" The girl queried as her shoulders slumped forward in defeat. "I don't have a home."
Emma blanched. "You do if you want one. I'll help you find one, or-" What am I doing? "you can stay with me." She wasn't sure why she'd thrown in that last bit, but it was too late to turn back now. The girl- Isabelle Emma reminded herself- took a tentative step forward from her corner of solitude.
"With you? And why should I trust you? How do I know you aren't working for her?" They rage attached to that pronoun could only be directed at one woman.
Emma spread her arms in an attempt to placate the girl. "I know that Regina put you in here, but I'm here to take you out. I may be sheriff, but she doesn't control me. I won't let her keep you here against your will." She looked Isabelle in the eye before continuing in her sincerest tone, "I'm ready to fight this battle."
At her declaration, Isabelle stumbled forward and Emma dove to catch her. As she lowered Isabelle to the ground, Emma felt two hands grasp the front of her leather jacket tightly.
"Do you mean it?" Isabelle gasped as she pierced Emma with her blazing blue gaze. "Will you really fight for me?"
"I wouldn't be here if I wasn't, Isabelle." Emma replied seriously.
"I'm Izzy," the girl gasped before she collapsed in Emma's arms.
Emma held Isabelle as she shook silently. She could only imagine what this girl was feeling right now. Emma knew what it was like to have the price of freedom dangled in front of her before it was snatched away. A gentle hand on Isabelle's shoulder pulled her back. "Can you walk?"
Isabelle frowned. "I don't think so. Staying in this room for so long has made me pitifully weak."
Emma nodded before removing her heavy winter jacket. It was bound to be freezing when they got outside, and she didn't want to risk stopping for longer than they needed. After ensuring Isabelle would not freeze upon their arrival outside, Emma swept the girl into her arms. She scowled when she realized Isabelle weighed next to nothing. "I swear, once we're out of here Regina won't touch you." Emma growled as they swept back through the cell door.
A somber figure nodded to them from the corner on their way out, and the now frantic nurse was silenced by one fierce look from Emma. Isabelle tightened her hold around Emma's neck as they walked through the silent hospital. A little bit of planning ensured no one would be around to get in their way, but Isabelle was still wary.
When they finally emerged outside, Emma made a beeline for her trusty yellow Bug. She set Isabelle down gently on the hood as she fished for the keys in her pocket, and placed her in the front seat after swiftly unlocking the door.
Emma hopped into the driver's seat and began the short drive to Mary Margaret's. She would be waiting in the kitchen with hot cocoa on their return, no doubt. Emma had told her to head to bed-the less she knew the better-but Mary Margaret had refused.
It was Isabelle that finally broke the silence. "Why are you doing this, Emma? What could you possibly gain from setting me free?"
Emma's hand tightened on the leather wheel. Still suspicious, of course."You mean aside from the fact that Regina will be royally pissed when she finds out?" Emma grinned. "I know what it's like to feel trapped and alone, Izzy. No one should have to suffer that way. No one."
Isabelle turned glassy eyes back toward the window and the remainder of the drive passed in companionable silence. True to her word, Mary Margaret was waiting at the kitchen table with two steaming mugs-and an even warmer smile- when they arrived. "Emma," she breathed as she rose to meet them. "Thank goodness you made it back alright! Did everything go smoothly?"
Emma set Isabelle down at the table before accepting her mug gratefully. "Yep, oddly enough. I ran into a bit of trouble with the nurse, but we sorted things out pretty quickly."
Mary Margaret turned to the silent figure sitting next to Emma and approached cautiously. "Hello, I'm Mary Margaret and this is my home—your new home if you'd like it to be, Miss?"
"Isabelle," she supplied quickly. "Isabelle French."
Mary Margaret's eyes widened-everyone knew that particular story-but she managed to keep her calm. "Welcome Isabelle, we're happy to have you." She placed the second mug on the table in front of her. "Let the cocoa warm you. It must be freezing out there."
Isabelle nodded silently before leaning down to sniff the mug cautiously.
Emma couldn't keep the lop-sided grin from her face. "It's not poisoned, Izzy."
Isabelle stared at her blankly before attempting to raise the mug to her lips. She struggled and the mug tumbled from her trembling hands and toward the floor.
"Shit Izzy, look out!" Emma lunged forward and pulled Isabelle from the hot liquid's path.
"I'm so sorry." Isabelle was shaking in Emma's grasp. Her eyes glued to the mess on the floor.
Mary Margaret grabbed a rag from the counter before attending to the mess. "No worries, Isabelle." She smiled. "Simply an accident. It's just a cup." All hell broke loose.
Isabelle buried her face in her hands and began to cry. Emma looked around frantically. She was out of her element. Crying females were never her thing. She took Isabelle's hands and smiled nervously. "Aw come on Izzy, some glue will fix that right up. It's only chipped." Izzy only buried her face in Emma's chest and cried harder. Emma looked at Mary Margaret helplessly. "Fuck, Mary Margaret! What did I do?"
"Why don't you take her to bed," Mary Margaret suggested. "She's likely exhausted. You can put her in my room and I'll take the couch."
Emma scoffed and hoisted Isabelle into her arms. "She'll take my bed, and I'll sleep on the couch." There was really no arguing with Emma when she used that tone.
"Alright." Mary Margaret agreed before throwing the sopping rag into the sink. "Call for me if you need anything. I'll be in my room."
Emma gave her a thumbs-up before beginning the journey up the stairs to her room, careful not to jostle her distraught companion. She took a seat on the bed and patted Isabelle awkwardly. "Shh Izzy, it's okay. You're safe now and we aren't going to let anything happen. You've got this nice, warm bed waiting, and Mary Margaret and I are here to take care of you until you're feeling better. Chin up, kiddo."
When her cries began to quiet Emma sighed in relief. The speal the foster people used to give her seemed to work with Izzy. Possibly because she actually meant what she said.
Emma slowly untangled herself from Isabelle and reached for a tissue from the nightstand to give Izzy when she remembered the fiasco in the kitchen. Better do this herself. She gently wiped Izzy's eyes before drawing back the covers. "Why don't you get some rest, you've gotta be exhausted."
Izzy sniffled once more before slowly slipping beneath the cool sheets and comforter full of soft down. Emma tucked her in with another weak grin before turning to leave. What a night. As she moved forward, however, a hand closed weakly around her left wrist. "Stay," Izzy whispered as Emma looked at her in shock. "I…I don't want to be alone anymore," her eyes pleaded. "I don't want to wake and find only darkness."
Emma nodded. She understood that fear better than anyone. She tossed her jacket on the armchair before climbing on top of the covers and flipping the switch on the bedside lamp. As she lay there contemplating the situation, a hand slowly curled around her own. "Goodnight Emma," Isabelle's soft voice whispered in the darkness.
Emma smiled. "Night, Izzy. Rest up, we're making waffles in the morning."
That small hand squeezed gently in response as the room fell into silence. That's how Mary Margaret found them later as she walked in to check on them. The savior and her lost princess sleeping soundly, fingers entwined.