Snow felt crushing guilt for not saving Graham. They'd saved him in the Enchanted Forest…or as well as they could without being able to find his heart but in the end…in this place Regina had him again and he was reduced to being her sex slave for 28 years.
It'd all been for nothing.
They brought Emma home that night…Emma kept trying to be hopeful. She whispered that maybe the hospital could save him, it led to dubious looks between Snow and Rumpelstiltskin in the front. They both knew better, they knew he couldn't be saved.
His heart was dust now.
Snow made sure Emma was in bed before she went downstairs and made herself some hot chocolate. No alcohol, though it was tempting. Snow didn't want to take that temptation tonight….or any night.
Rumpelstiltskin leaned on the mantle of the fireplace in the den and watched the fire burn.
"He was a good man," Snow whispered.
"Being good doesn't protect you against evil," Rumpelstiltskin muttered.
"Yes, I think that's a lesson we're all aware of," she said bitterly and tried to fight tears. He died because he spared her once…over thirty years ago and his life had been in Regina's hands ever since. He died because of her.
He shifted and then looked at her. Any grief in his eyes was gone now, "Tell me something, dear….in your….mission to clean our house top to bottom, do you recall where you put the town charter?"
"Why do you need it?" Snow asked tiredly. It'd been such a long day…surely he just wanted to go to bed.
"I need to see something," he looked over to her, "We'll need to secure your daughter her sheriff's position which should automatically fall to her. I need to make sure that she'll get it no matter what Regina tries."
"I trust this isn't for the goodness of your heart….Emma getting a memory of Graham and all that."
"She needs a position of authority to stand up to Regina," he took a small sip of his scotch, "But if it's how I believe it is…there must be an election."
Snow was too tired to plot with him, "People will vote for Emma, she's a deputy and she has experience in dealing with-."
"She has experience in dealing with bail jumpers, dear. Those aren't that prevalent here," he looked back at the fire, "No….they won't vote for her, she's still a stranger and they're utterly terrified of Regina."
"They're more scared of you. Tell them to vote for her."
Rumpelstiltskin looked amused, "Then she'll look like just look like my patsy as opposed to whoever Regina's would be. We need to show the town that she's a leader; that she's strong…otherwise how will they follow her once the curse is broken?"
"So what…? You want her to stand up to you?"
"They've seen her stand against Regina…it's time they see her stand against me."
Snow scoffed and laughed bitterly.
"Is something wrong, dear?"
"So that's it, then? A man is dead and it's just business as usual?"
"A lot more will die before this is over; will you stop everything and mourn for them too? Or the ones you felt you failed?"
Snow cringed.
"Regina could strike at any moment. We need to be ready," he told her a bit more gently, "The time for grieving will be later."
Snow stood, "Tell that to Emma."
She left her mug on the table and went upstairs to check on her daughter. He was right; she knew Regina would try to hit them when they were down. She'd certainly done that to Snow. Snow hadn't even been allowed to grieve properly over her father's death. She had been forced to fend for her life. Maybe that's why a part of her was rebelling at him wanting to charge ahead.
Snow knocked on Emma's door softly and opened it. Emma's back was turned to the door, "Emma?"
She saw Emma shift and she knew Emma was awake.
"You feel like talking about it?"
"No," Emma said without turning around. Snow could hear the grief in her voice.
Snow faltered. She didn't know what else she could do if she couldn't talk it out with Emma, "You want to be alone?"
"No," Emma whispered in the darkness.
Snow closed the door behind her. She went to lie next to Emma on the bed. She couldn't comfort her as a mother could. Emma would never allow it.
But at the very least, Snow could be here for her.
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Two weeks passed, Rumpelstiltskin waited with baited breath but nothing happened. Whatever Regina was planning, she certainly wasn't in a hurry to get it done.
Graham's things were brought to him, but most of it could be thrown out. They couldn't be used for what he needed them for. Emma wouldn't have any use for his clothes or his furniture.
Well, he kept the jacket. She might like that. He tried it on, it was quite warm. HE also kept some of the newspaper clippings that told of things that Graham never actually did and some gadgets. Nothing else was any use and he threw it out. The garbage man glared towards the store when he saw the pile waiting for him.
Rumpelstiltskin should've sent a note to burn his mattress in Regina's yard.
When the trash was collected, he called Emma and asked her to come down. She told him she was busy at the moment…but would be by later.
So, he sat down and started preparing for a later phase of his plan. People needed to see a strong leader in Emma, but they also needed to see her as a hero. As she stood up to him in public, which he knew she would because she had that personality…they needed to already be fancying the idea that Emma saved lives. This lanolin was the key to that and it would show her as a savior to the town.
Or blow her and Regina to kingdom come.
He hoped it wasn't the latter. Regina's death wouldn't be so bad but Snow would never forgive him if Emma got hurt.
Not that he cared.
It was around noon when he heard his front door open.
"Gold?"
He smiled when he heard her voice. He enjoyed Emma's spirit and insistence of being a good person despite her upbringing. She was caring and compassionate but hardened and tough. Snow visibly cringed when he jokingly called her his stepdaughter but in truth he wished he'd had a daughter like her.
He had a son though…look what he'd done to him.
"You in here?" Emma called again.
Rumpelstiltskin fought the urge to roll his eyes, "Well, it is my shop."
Emma came into the back room and he looked up and smiled in greeting.
Emma stopped and recoiled back as if she'd been hit, "Whoa! What IS that?"
He looked down. He forgot that some weren't used to the smell. Not everyone grew up in on a farm in this world, unfortunately.
"Oh, this is lanolin – used for waterproofing."
"It smells like livestock!" Emma choked out.
"Well, it's the reason why sheep's wool repels water."
"It stinks!" Emma protested. It almost sounded childish and that amused him, "Um, if there was a reason you called the Sheriff's Department…if you want to talk about that quickly-."
"Yes," he grabbed his cane and pulled himself up.
"Or outside…"
He made no move to go out the door at first, "I just wanted to, uh, express my condolences really. The Sheriff was a good man."
"After two weeks and you're just now getting to this?" Emma asked with an eyebrow raised.
"Yes."
"We live together," Emma reminded him, "This never came up?"
"Would I ever get the chance to speak to you alone with the way you and Mary Margaret are joined?" he asked. Ever since Graham died…ever since the funeral, Emma and Snow had leaned on each other. He barely saw them apart until they went to bed…and he couldn't exactly follow Emma into her room to speak without getting shot by either of them, "I'm a very complicated man when it comes to emotions Deputy Swan…sometimes it takes me a bit to process them and work through them in order to express how I am to act."
"Geez, can't imagine that," Emma sarcastically muttered.
He smiled at the barb and made a show of looking at her badge, "You're still wearing the deputy's badge.
Emma's hand went to protect the badge and she watched him with caution.
"Well, he's been gone two weeks now. I believe that after two weeks of acting as Sheriff, the job becomes yours. You'll have to wear the real badge."
A brief look of panic crossed Emma's face and she looked down at it.
"Yeah, I guess. I'm just…not…in a…hurry. So, um, thank you for the kind words…."
Emma awkwardly turned to leave and Rumpelstiltskin followed her. He wondered if that attempt at bonding went well or not. Sometimes he couldn't tell, "I have his things!"
Emma stopped, "What?"
He walked over to the box that he'd placed on the counter, "The Sheriff; he rented an apartment that I own. Another reason for my call, really. I wanted to offer you a keepsake."
Emma tensed as she stared at the box. Rumpelstiltskin wondered how much loss and death she'd seen in such a short lifetime, "I don't need anything."
"As you wish," he shrugged and slipped right into his manipulative mode, "I'll give them to Mayor Mills. Seems like she was the closest thing he had to family."
An angry look crossed Emma's eyes, "I'm not sure about that."
Rumpelstiltskin had her, and he smirked, "No love lost there, I see. Look, I feel that all of this stuff is headed to the trash bin – you really should take something."
He pulled out the jacket, "Look – his jacket."
Emma looked almost interested, but the loss was still too near for her. And she didn't want to look weak in front of him. She hadn't trusted him after the whole 'Ashley's Baby' incident. She always seemed to think he was plotting something!
Emma shook her head, "No."
"Well, look," he dug in the box until he found some walkie talkies, "Your boy might like these, don't you think? You could play together."
"I don't-," Emma started.
"No," he told her gently, "Please. They…they grow up so fast."
Bae…
"Thanks," Emma whispered.
"You should enjoy these with your boy," he told her and tried to ignore the pain of his lost son. After so many centuries, the pain felt fresh and raw still, "Your time together is precious, you know? That's the thing about children – before you know it, you lose them."
Emma looked hesitant. Like she knew she was intruding on something important
"I'll wrap these up for you," he told her.
"Um…there's no reason," she took the walkies; "I'll take them."
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Snow worried that this career day was going to end in disaster with the way that Jefferson was staring at Grace from his chair
She was making a big risk bringing him here. Henry had told her that Regina wouldn't show. She never did to things like this, she was too busy.
What exactly did she do all day? Snow just figured that Regina never bothered with what Henry wanted unless it was to spite someone else.
Jefferson had met with Rumpelstiltskin in the shop every night for a week. Jefferson was going to pretend he was a lawyer. Snow thought that was going to be extremely complicated to get right, but then again…who would notice? The only other lawyer in this town was King George.
But Jefferson wanted to get it right; he wanted to look smart for his daughter.
The way he was looking at his daughter in a mix of love and loss though…Snow knew that look. Snow thought he'd forget everything he was supposed to say now that he was focused on his daughter. Snow usually did when she looked at her child.
Henry sat on the front row and watched Jefferson with a mixture of confusion and curiosity. He'd never seen Jefferson before, but Jefferson had seen him grow up.
Snow tried not to think how he'd seen that.
Jefferson cleared his throat and straightened his cravat. He was to go first. He started to speak…and it was so well thought out and eloquent that Snow listened to every word. It might not all even be right. He might even be making it up but he was so confidant in what he was saying his old job was that no one would've ever known.
And Snow smiled as something seemed to click in Paige's mind and she hung on to every word too.
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"Thank you….so much for what you did for me today," Jefferson told Snow later at lunch. She didn't eat, she wasn't hungry. They sat across from each other in the classroom and casually talked. Snow wanted to come up and see him and spend some time with him so he wasn't lonely. Rumpelstiltskin had cringed when she told him. He told her that he wasn't called the Mad Hatter for nothing and urged caution.
"It was nothing," Snow told him, "You needed to see your daughter."
"I won't forget this," he promised.
"There's no need to-."
"I mean it," Jefferson told her and took her hands. Snow tensed when she felt his hand trap hers, "No matter what happens….if something happens to Rumpelstiltskin…or Regina finds out about you….you can come to me. I'll look after you. That's what friends do, right?"
She saw the desperation there…he wanted a connection, he didn't care from who.
"Yes," Snow told him, "That's what friends do."
Jefferson gave her a handsome beaming smile and kissed her cheek, "I should go."
"Already? I thought we were going to have lunch."
"The wife of the most powerful man in town having dinner with a strange man will generate gossip in this small town," Jefferson put his hand on her shoulder, "We can't let certain people know."
Snow felt her shoulders sag, "I'll come see you on the hill."
He smiled again, "I think that would be nice."
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Snow's good mood was ruined the minute she walking into the house and heard music blaring, a half opened bottle of whiskey on the counter, and Emma; hair in a messy ponytail, trying to pry something out of what USED to be the toaster.
Kids these days. How was Emma supposed to hear if her ears were ruined?
She turned off the music. Emma jumped and turned towards her.
"Toaster broken?" Snow asked.
"It wasn't when I started with it," Emma said guiltily, "Pretty sure it is now. Just needed to hit something."
There were plenty of pillows in the house.
"What's going on?"
"Regina fired me so she could put one of her own puppets in as Sheriff," Emma said angrily, "It's MY job."
Rumpelstiltskin had told Snow to expect this. But even then, she felt fear for her daughter's safety and anger at Regina for sinking this low.
"I've never heard you so passionate about it before. What happened?"
Emma shrugged, "I don't know. I just….I know I want it back."
"There must be a reason," Snow told her.
Emma sat at the table and laid her head down, "Maybe I just want to beat her."
Snow looked up as Rumpelstiltskin limped into the room with a rather large binder in his hands. Looks like he found his copy of the charter after all, "Good evening, ladies."
"Hi honey," Snow greeted and kissed him for show. As the weeks had passed, the idea didn't disgust her as much as it used to.
"Hmm," Emma muttered from the table.
"Sorry for the intrusion Miss Swan," Rumpelstiltskin put the binder on the table in front of her, "There's something I'd like to discuss with you."
Emma looked up, her eyes searched for Snow.
"I'll let you two talk," Snow excused herself and left the room but she wasn't out of earshot or view.
"I heard about what happened," Rumpelstiltskin sat down across from Emma, "Such an injustice."
Emma averted her gaze, "Yeah, well, what's done is done."
Rumpelstiltskin was quiet for a minute, "Spoken like a true fighter."
"I don't know what chance I have," Emma said, "She's Mayor and I'm, well, me."
And Emma just inadvertently played in his hands.
"Miss Swan, two people with a common goal can accomplish many things. Two people with a common enemy can accomplish even more."
Snow felt every muscle tense up. A long time ago…it felt like a lifetime ago, Snow had sworn to raise her daughter in such a way to where she'd NEVER need the help of the Dark One. And here she was helping the Dark One control a situation enough so that Emma was manipulated into getting a job that she wanted.
"How would you like a benefactor?" he asked.
"A benefactor?"
Rumpelstiltskin put his hand on the binder in front of him, "You know, it's really shocking how few people study the town charter."
"The town charter?" Emma asked carefully.
"Well, it's quite comprehensive. And the Mayor's authority? Well, maybe she's not quite as powerful as she seems."
From her position, she saw Emma start to smile at Rumpelstiltskin who was smiling back.
And Snow realized, with a very guilty conscience that they had her.
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The news of Emma deciding to run against the Mayor and her candidate (Mostly the Mayor) spread through the town like wildfire.
And Rumpelstiltskin was satisfied. So few people paid attention to their local politics. He wanted everyone to know that an authority change was coming.
And it was going to happen soon. Everything was in place for Emma's spectacular rescue attempt. No one used the back entrance of City Hall unless Regina didn't want to be seen and when Emma went to confront her over the mudslinging that was sure to follow Emma announcing that she was running, then Emma would get her moment.
Or Regina would die. Either way, it was a win.
He played with the lighter in his hands and stared at the dancing flame. In all his years, he'd never seen anything as beautiful, hypnotic, destructive, and cleansing as fire was.
The door opened and the bell rang. Rumpelstiltskin looked up to see the queen dragon herself walk in, "Regina."
Regina turned around and flipped the sign from 'open' to 'closed'.
Oh, she had that angry strut, he was in trouble now.
"Shall I move some things? Make a bit of space for your rage?"
Regina glared at him in a way that would turn lesser men to stone, "You found that loophole in the town charter."
It wasn't exactly a loophole if it was there in black and white.
"Legal documents – contracts, if you like, always been a fascination of mine."
He was baiting her, but she was too busy in the middle of her temper tantrum to care.
"Yes, you love to trifle with technicalities," she sneered.
Rumpelstiltskin examined a knife display, "I like small weapons, you see. The needle, the pen, the fine point of a deal. Subtlety – not your style, I know."
Regina huffed and called him an illegitimate child of unwed parents. Rumpelstiltskin laughed. Oh, if she only knew how close that'd come for her own conception. But fortunately, he had been able to avoid being her father the minute Cora ended it.
He lucked out. Poor Henry.
"I think the grief's getting the better of you, Regina," he told her with a bite, "Shame what happened to Graham."
Regina stormed over, "Don't you talk about him! You know nothing."
Oh, he knew everything of her sick game. He knew what she did to him for over thirty years. And he knew what she'd done to himself and Snow by proxy for almost 30 years and he still felt disgusted and like he could've fought it somehow.
"What is there to know?" he played ignorant, "He died."
Regina faltered, he saw the confusion as he neither confirmed nor denied remembering, "Are you really going up against me?"
"Not directly," he smirked, "We are, after all, both invested in the common good. We're just picking different sides."
"Well, I think you picked a really slow horse this time," Regina told him, "It's not like you to back a loser."
"She hasn't lost yet," he told her confidently. He knew Emma could do it with his backing…and once she did…well; there was nothing this town wouldn't give her.
"She will," Regina told him.
"Never underestimate someone who is acting for their child," he warned.
"He's not her child," Regina challenged him, "Not legally."
As if Regina was one to talk.
"Oh," Rumpelstiltskin mocked, "Now who's trifling with technicalities?"
Regina stopped and glared. Rumpelstiltskin held her gaze until Regina stormed out.
"Goodbye," he whispered and flipped on the lighter, "Your majesty."
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Snow had been having dinner with Jefferson up on the hill when the fire started. Jefferson had been entertaining her with stories about his daughter and using the company as an excuse to brag about her. Snow listened until a distant yellow flame shot up into the sky. Jefferson frowned and rushed to the telescope, "Regina's office is burning!"
"What?" Snow rushed forward and looked through the telescope.
Jefferson looked victorious, "Guess someone had enough."
Snow felt her heart stop when she watched for a few seconds and saw Emma help Regina through the door, "Emma's down there!"
"Emma?" she heard the dread in his voice.
Snow grabbed her coat, "I have to get down there!"
"Snow! Wait! It's too dangerous!"
But Snow was already out the door.
Rumpelstiltskin had been talking for two weeks about raising Emma's status up in the eyes of the town. Was he responsible for this? Oh, he had to be, Snow knew deep down that he'd probably done something.
He put her daughter's life on the line. If he honestly did that, how was he going to justify it to her? It was something he HAD to do? Or was he hoping Snow would be ignorant to a fire he possibly started.
When she got there, Emma was surrounded by Archie, Ruby and Granny and some other onlookers. Regina was being seen to by an ambulance. Henry was excitedly talking to one of the firemen. He was probably hearing all about how his mother was a hero.
Snow rushed over. Other than some soot and singed hair, Emma looked safe. It was everything she had to hug her right there, "I heard someone talking, Did you really rescue Regina?"
Henry ran over, "She did! The fireman said it! They saw it!"
Ruby stared at Emma in awe, "You're a hero!"
Snow had to think of a way to capitalize on this quickly before Regina found a way to disperse them. She didn't want to. She wanted to make sure her child was okay but she needed to get this under control or else it would've been for nothing, "We should see if they have a picture of the rescue."
Granny looked over, "We could make campaign posters!"
"Oh!" Archie and the others started walking away, "People would love that!"
Snow trailed behind the others and she looked behind her. For the first time in two weeks, Henry looked excited. He looked happy as Emma knelt in front of him, "This is how good wins. You do something good and people see it and then they want to help you."
Snow gave a warm smile.
Henry stared at his mother in what could probably be seen as a new layer in hero worship, "Maybe you're right."
Emma gave the largest grin that Snow had ever seen on her, "You see, Henry? We don't have to fight dirty."
She saw something in the ashes. Whatever it was made Emma stop. Snow turned away and walked faster down the street. She wouldn't be able to hide her guilty face if Emma confronted her about it.
When she was around a corner, she dialed the number to Rumpelstiltskin's cellphone.
"Hey! Snow!" he sounded jovial.
Snow rolled her eyes, "You could've killed Emma!"
There was silence, "But I didn't. She's alive."
"That doesn't negate the fact that she COULD have died!"
"I did what I had to do."
"By nearly giving my daughter third degree burns?"
"Oh stop, she's fine. If people want to see her as a hero and savior, then it had to be a big situation that she was placed in! No one's going to care if she saves an old lady by helping her cross the street."
"No, you listen to me," she told him, "You will NOT put my unknowing daughter at risk again. Because if you do, then all bets are off. All deals are off. I WILL protect my daughter and if I have to take your cane and beat you with it until you realize that she's a person who suffered because of decisions we all made and not just a puppet for you to control then I'll do it. Am I clear?"
He was quiet, "Of course, dear."
Snow's hands shook. Did she just-?
"But make no mistake," he continued, "I understand you're protecting your child. But don't dare to think that that threat will get you progress in anything else."
"I wouldn't dream of it," Snow said, continuing her defiance, "Because I try not to use people like that."
"Oh Snow," she practically heard the eye roll, "Really dear?"
"I'm reserving a room at the inn tonight," Snow said, "I'm too angry at what you did to look at you right now…but don't worry, it'll sell the idea that I'm against what you did as well. That's the only way I can get through this without losing Emma."
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It didn't bother Rumpelstiltskin that Snow was sleeping away from the house tonight. He knew she'd be angry and she had every reason to be. She'd even found her spine and threatened him when he was a threat to her daughter.
Well, now he was going to have to tread carefully. He wasn't about to tell Snow that he planned to send Emma down to the mines to fight Maleficent.
He wiped off his hands. Emma would be furious too; at least he could spend a quiet evening in his house.
The door opened as he cleaned his hands with a rag. He looked up to see Emma. Oh good, she figured it out.
"Loads of visitors today," he said sarcastically. So, it was like…two people that came. Still far more than what he was getting when the curse weakened.
Emma slammed the door.
Rumpelstiltskin cringed at the sound, "Do hope you're not going to break my little bell!"
"You set the fire!" Emma accused.
Rumpelstiltskin scoffed, "I've been right here, Miss Swan."
She held up the rag that he'd planted earlier, "Take a whiff. It smells like your sheep crap oil! Turns out its flammable."
Rumpelstiltskin feigned shock, "Are you sure? There's some construction work on at City Hall at the moment. There's loads of flammable solvents used in construction!"
Emma stared him down, "Why did you do it?"
Rumpelstiltskin chuckled and leaned on his cane, "IF, I did it. If I did it, that would be because you cannot win without something big. Something like, uh….Oh, I don't know, being the hero in a fire? "
"How could you even know I'd be there at the right time?"
"Maybe Regina's not the only one with eyes and ears in this town," he said but made no effort to tell her that her own mother was his spy, "Or maybe I'm just intuitive….were I involved."
"I could've run and left her there."
"Not the time," he confidently said.
Emma shook her head, "I can't go along with this."
"You just did," he smirked, "This is just the price of election, Miss Swan."
"A price I'm not willing to pay," Emma threw the towel down, "Find another sucker."
She turned to walk away.
"Okay, go ahead – expose me. But if you do, just think about what you'll be exposing and what you'll be walking away from."
Emma headed to the door and Rumpelstiltskin couldn't resist a final dig, "Oh yes, um…and who you might be disappointing."
Emma gave him a seething glare before she shut the door. She headed in the direction of the Inn. Rumpelstiltskin watched and smiled as soon as she was out of sight.
This was all going wonderfully!
And he got the whole house to himself tonight.
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The next morning, Snow bought some new clothes when the store opened so that she didn't have to go home. When she left the Inn, she'd seen that Emma had reserved a room as well. Granny apparently took pity on her and dropped the 'no criminal' rule or something.
When she got to town hall, Archie shoved a bunch of posters in her hand, "Hang these up."
Snow looked down. They showed Emma practically dragging Regina out of the fire. Well, that was fast. Snow was sure they'd worked all night to get these out on time.
She walked over to the bulletin board in front of Town Hall. Election was supposed to be tonight; she wanted to make sure everyone saw what Emma had done before it was time to vote
She circled around to post another one (or maybe two or three) and saw David standing there.
She hadn't seen him really since he told her he was choosing Kathryn. But just seeing him again now…
"David," she said awkwardly but smiled, "Hi."
"Mary Margaret," David greeted, "Hi."
"I was just, uh….," she gestured to the bulletin board.
"Yeah, yeah. Me too."
"How are things?" Snow asked.
"Okay," he trailed off and then looked at her with pride on his face, "Oh, I got a job. Yeah, I'm working at the animal shelter."
"Really?" Snow asked.
"Yeah."
Snow looked at the poster he was hanging up and cringed at Sidney Glass. Of all people…
Well, Regina DID want a puppet.
"So, Sidney," she started.
David looked embarrassed, "My wife is friends with Regina, so…."
Snow tensed and cordially asked, "Oh right. How is Kathryn?"
Snow didn't really mean for him to tell her, she was just being nice but David was oblivious, "Good. She's meeting me here later."
"That's wonderful," Snow tried not to sound condescending but she wasn't sure she did a good job. She shoved more staples than what was necessary into the poster she was putting up, "Well, I'm all out of posters, I'm going to get some more."
But she didn't. She went inside and went to look for her daughter.
Emma was peeking out from behind the curtain when Snow found her. She reached into her purse and pulled out a bottle of water and some cards, "I thought you could look these over…you might find something useful."
"I'm not going to win," Emma muttered.
Snow smiled at her daughter, "What are you talking about? Everyone's talking about what you did in the fire!"
"No," Emma said, the defeat was already creeping into her voice, "Henry's right – I can't beat Regina at this. Not the way she fights. Watch and see."
Snow had a suspicion that this was really about Henry and his depression and the way Emma said her son's name cemented it, "Is this really just about beating Regina?"
"It's just…." Emma trailed off.
"Henry," Snow offered.
"I want to show him that good can actually win."
Snow nodded, they all needed that assurance after what happened to Graham.
"That's why you want to win it for him but why do you want to win the election for yourself?"
Snow wondered if Emma had ever even wanted to get something for herself without fearing having it ripped away from her.
"That IS why," Emma told her, "I want to show him that a hero can win. And if I'm not….if I'm not a hero and I'm not the savior, then what part do I have in his life?"
She stopped and smiled, "Okay, there it is."
"There it is," Snow smiled and put her hand on Emma's shoulder.
She was trying to find a purpose in her son's life. She was slowly moving to wanting to be a mother. It was slow, but it was progress.
The debate was about to start. Snow found that Rumpelstiltskin saved her a chair. She sat beside him and interlinked her arm with his for the benefit of those watching.
"You coming home tonight?" he asked.
"Depends," Snow said.
"On what?"
"On whether or not you endangering my daughter's safety circles around to winning her the election," Snow said simply.
The curtain was pulled back, Emma's eyes widened as she stared at everyone in front of her and she looked like a deer caught in the headlights. Sidney looked like he was checking his teeth with his tongue.
"Tragedy brought us here," Archie started, "But we are faced with this decision. And now, we ask only that you listen with an open mind and to please vote with your conscience.
Rumpelstiltskin chuckled. Snow elbowed him in the ribs.
"So, without further ado, I'd like to introduce you to the candidates- Sidney Glass and Emma Swan," He stopped, "Glass. Swan. Sounds like something that a decorator would make you buy."
No one moved.
"Wow, crickets," he said in embarrassment, "Uh, Mr. Glass- your opening statement."
Snow glowered at her father's murderer. After everything her father had done to make him feel welcome in the palace and he let Regina trick him into taking his life!
Rumpelstiltskin placed his hand on hers. Snow looked down and realized she was about to wring his arm off.
"Sorry," she whispered.
"I just want to say, that if elected, I want to serve as a reflection-."
Rumpelstiltskin chuckled again.
"-of the best qualities of Storybrooke. Honesty, neighborliness, and strength. Thank you."
He took his seat.
Archie went to the podium, "And Emma Swan."
Emma stood up. Her little baby girl that she only held in her arms for a few minutes. Rumpelstiltskin's hands tightened on hers.
Emma watched all of them, "You guys all know I have what they call a, uh….troubled past. But you've been able to overlook it because of the, um….hero thing. But here's the thing….the fire was a setup."
A beat passed everyone started looking around and mumbling to themselves.
Snow did her best to convey shock.
"Mr. Gold agreed to support me in this race, but I didn't know that meant he was going to set a fire."
Rumpelstiltskin feigned annoyance and disappointment in Emma's decision to rat him out. Snow faked an accusatory glance at him and he squirmed just a little bit more so that Emma knew that Snow had NOT been a part of this plan of his.
"I don't have definitive evidence, but I'm sure," Emma continued, "And the worst part of all this was – the worst part of all this, is – I let you all think it was real. And I can't win that way. I'm sorry."
"Stay here," Rumpelstiltskin whispered and made a show of standing up. Snow moved her feet so he could leave and made sure to glare at him the whole way.
And it was done. He got what he wanted.
And Snow hoped that he got the same results.
00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000000
Snow sat in front of the fireplace and flipped through a magazine without really looking at it. She heard the door behind her open. Rumpelstiltskin walked through, "Well, my dear. Voting is about done. I trust you made your vote?"
"Yeah," Snow tossed the magazine on the table, "Did you?"
"But of course," he want and sat in his chair with a tired sigh, "I believe things went well today."
Snow glared at the fire burning in the fireplace.
"I'm sorry for nearly harming your daughter."
"You should've told me."
"You would've never allowed it."
"And WHY do you think that is?" She demanded. "Your plan could've ended VERY badly."
"But it didn't."
"This time," Snow said angrily, "But your luck will run out."
"Well, it hasn't run out yet," he sneered, "I'm still here."
"You're not stupid enough to think good luck thus far will save you from later troubles," Snow told him. He frowned but didn't protest, "I just ask that next time you don't endanger my daughter's life and if you're plotting with me, I know all of the plan. We're allies. Not communicating with each other is how we fall apart.
Rumpelstiltskin was quiet, "I don't handle trust very well."
"The street goes both ways when it comes to you," Snow told him honestly, "But you know we have to.
Rumpelstiltskin took a small drink and nodded, "Very well. I won't make a move in breaking this curse without consulting you first."
Now was that so difficult?
"Thank you," Snow stretched out on the couch.
From her position, she saw the yellow bug pull up into the driveway, "Emma's home."
Rumpelstiltskin stood.
"You don't want to hear how it went?"
"Oh, I'm sure if I come downstairs in the morning and find more of my appliances destroyed, I'll know," he leaned forward, "Emma's paying for a new toaster."
He went upstairs, probably to take a bath before Snow and Emma hogged all the hot water.
Emma came in. There was a stunned look on her face.
Snow stood up, "So?"
"You weren't at the victory party."
"My husband was accused of setting fire to town hall and he probably did it. I'm not sure I'd be welcome if I-," Snow stopped, "Victory party? You won?"
Emma broke out into a smile, "I won."
Snow rushed forward and hugged her daughter, "I'm so proud of you!"
Emma was so happy that she didn't question Snow's embrace. She just hugged her back and laughed.
"Come on," Snow wrapper her arms around Emma's shoulder, "We'll make a nice dinner."
"Actually," Emma pulled away, "I think I need to talk…to him."
Snow frowned. Not now. They were going to celebrate!
"I have to," Emma said before Snow could dissuade her, "If I'm going to live here, we need to get this done."
00000000000000000000000000000000
It was Rumpelstiltskin's house, he wasn't hurting anything when he went into Emma's room and placed the gift on the bed and went to the hall bathroom to get clean towels. He WAS going to get to the shower first and he was going to relax in his nice hot bathtub. These past couple of days were VERY trying on his nerves.
When he came out of the bathroom, he saw Emma standing in her doorway, looking into her room.
He stepped into the hallway, 'The Sheriff's jacket - I thought you might want it after all."
Emma jumped at the sound of his voice and immediately stood straighter, "You do know I'm armed, right?"
Rumpelstiltskin smiled and walked closer, "It's all part of the act, my dear. Political theatre in an actual theatre. I knew no one was going to vote for you unless we gave you some kind of extraordinary quality, and I'm afraid saving old Regina's arse from the fire just wasn't going to do that. We had to give you a higher form of bravery. They had to see you defy me – and they did."
Emma tried to piece it all together in her head, "No way. There's no way you planned that."
Oh, he'd planned far more complicated schemes over the years, "Everyone's afraid of Regina. But they're more afraid of me. By standing up to me, you won them over. It was the only way."
Horror dawned on Emma's face as she realized she played right into his hands, "You knew I'd agree."
"Oh, yeah. I know how to recognize a desperate soul," he echoed the same words he could still hear plain as day. They'd been told to him centuries ago by an old man disguised by evil incarnate. Funny how it all came full circle.
"Why did you do this?" Emma asked.
Rumpelstiltskin leaned on his cane, "We made a deal some time back, Miss Swan. We established that you owed me a favor. I know that can be a bad feeling – owing someone. Now that you're Sheriff, I'm sure we'll find some way for you to pay back what you owe me."
Dread was in Emma's gaze now. She'd been played; she hadn't achieved a victory at all. Not completely. In trying to keep from being Rumpelstiltskin's pawn, she had inadvertently become one and there was no getting out of it.
She realized she was dealing with a puppet master of significant proportions.
Rumpelstiltskin walked past her with the towels in hand, "Congratulations."