"The point is that everyone has their place and choice and they are all important, even the smaller characters in the story" Henry said opening the gate to the Mansion.
"Whatever, I'm allowed to not like Pippin, whether he saved Faramir or not" Emma argued, closing the gate behind them behind them.
Henry gave her an eye roll that Regina would have been proud of and rang the bell. Their discussion continued until Robin opened the door.
"Hey" Emma said, almost jumping to the sight of him.
"Hey Robin" Henry said, and he walked into the house. This whole situation didn't seem to be affecting him at all, Emma noticed.
"Can I come in?" Emma asked
Robin hesitated and Emma considered just walking in, since this wasn't even his house, but her gut told her to wait. It wasn't like Regina needed any more drama.
"Yeah" he said "of course" and stepped back.
She walked in and up the steps into the hall.
"Regina here?" She asked in the most casual voice she could muster
"Yes, upstairs" Robin replied "Coffee?"
"You bet" Emma replied following Robin into the kitchen. She felt conflicted. The three days that Regina was out they were both beside themselves. They had been each other's support and she kind of missed him.
She turned back to see Henry hopping up the stairs. He looked back and gave her a look that said "oh well" which she did not have time to interpret. A couple of awkward moments later and Regina was in the kitchen with them.
"Good morning" she said, putting the back on her earring as she entered.
"Hey" Emma said "sorry I thought you wouldn't mind having him back early, I have some leads to follow up on the-"
Emma's stomach turned over as she realised she was just about to bring up what -she assumed- was the root of all her problems with Robin.
"Sleeping curse" she finished "I wondered if I could look at the needle?"
Regina looked at Robin "where did you put it again?" She asked. She wasn't cold but she seemed distant.
"It's locked away in the office, shall I get it?" He said, equally distant.
"Please" Regina said.
Robin left and Emma put her coffee down.
"Sorry" she said
"What are you apologising for now?" Regina asked
"I didn't think he would be here, last night what you were saying, it sounded pretty final, and I thought he didn't like sleeping inside" Emma said, trying to explain her intrusion away.
"He didn't-" Regina began
"Oh!" Emma shook her head "I don't need to know about the crazy make-up sex you had"
"Emma!" Regina was visibly shocked but at that moment Robin returned before she could say anything else.
"Thanks" she said as Robin passed her a leather pouch that contained the poisoned needle. "I've got to get started, see you" she left the kitchen with a glance at Regina, whose face had not altered from the surprise of Emma's comment.
Henry was in the hall.
"You got the needle?" he asked
"Yep" Emma held the pouch up before tucking it into her pocket.
"You want some help doing research?" He asked hopefully.
"Sorry Willow, you're staying here" she smiled apologetically, kissed him on the head and left.
"You summoned me, Swan" Killian said at the bar of Granny's.
"Yeah" Emma said "If you want to call it that. How are you doing?"
"I'd be better if it wasn't taking all bloody eternity to get something to eat." He spat. Ruby, who was serving other customers raised an eyebrow. Emma got the distinct sense her hackles were up.
"Ok" Emma said "why don't we sit over there? Ruby, can I get a grilled cheese?"
"I already ordered that for you" Hook said. "About 30 moons ago" He added under his breath.
"What's going on?" Emma asked as they sat.
"I haven't found much to help your investigation" Hook said
"That's not really what I meant" Emma said "what's up with you?"
He shrugged and looked around. Emma sat back and crossed her arms. She could wait.
"It's this distance, Swan." He said eventually "You've asked for space and I've given it to you. How much more do you need?"
"Oh. Well I'm pretty busy with the curse right now" Emma hedged.
"That's not an answer" he said
"I know" Emma said, though she didn't have a better one. Ruby brought their food over. Emma thanked her.
"No problem" she replied, then glared at Hook.
"So have you found anything out?" Emma asked
"It's more than a bit dangerous spying on a crocodile" Killian said
"But we know no one new has come into the town" Emma said "he's the first person we need to rule out if we're going to take this seriously, which I am!"
"I know, I know" he said "look this is all I know, he spent a couple I nights in his cabin. The hooded vagabond-"
"-that's rich, pirate" Emma interrupted, before tucking into her food.
"Has been to see him a number of times" he continued
"I wonder why" Emma said
"Maybe he's doing the same thing you are" Hook said "Aren't you on the same side?"
"Yeah" Emma replied, unable to voice the other suspicions that rose in her mind. At that moment Henry entered the diner.
"What are you doing here?" She asked "where's your mom?"
"She doesn't know I left" he said
"Henry!" Emma pulled out her phone and found Regina's number before Henry had time to take a breath.
"I already texted her. When they're done arguing and realise I've gone she'll check her phone and know I'm with you" he said
Emma's thumb hovered over the picture of Regina. She looked deeply unimpressed at having her picture taken for a phone contact. "It's a pretty small town, Emma, you could start by committing a few names and faces to memory" she had said at the time.
"Ok" Emma said "have you eaten anything?"
Henry smiled, his favourite question.
He was finishing up his extra fries when his phone buzzed. He wiped his hands and answered.
"Hey mom" he said "it's ok...I know..."
Emma tried not to listen in. Henry looked at her.
"Yeah her and Hook. Do you want to talk to her?"
He passed the phone over.
"Hi" Emma said and stood up.
"I seem to be ruining all your plans of late." Regina said "I'm sorry if I ruined your date"
"It's not a date" Emma said quickly "and you didn't do anything." She looked back at Hook and Henry talking. They couldn't hear her.
"We were trying to figure out who cast the curse" her mind flicked to Robin and Gold in the cabin.
"I see. Shall I come and collect Henry?" She asked
"He seems happy enough doing this. Are you ok?"
There was a pause. "I'll be fine" Regina replied
Emma hummed, unconvinced. "I'll have him back by dinner"
After a long spent the day researching with Belle and drinking hot chocolate the pulled up to the Mansion for the second time that day.
"Do you think Robin will be here?" Emma asked as they pulled up to the house.
"I don't think so. They were arguing but not like on TV. It wasn't angry, it was kind of sad" Henry said.
Emma felt sad for Regina, felt guilty for causing friction and like she was intruding on her privacy by constantly interrupting them.
"I just don't understand, you know?" Emma said
"I know" Henry said "I really tried not to hear them. Mom sounded sad. Robin said he felt emancipated"
"What?!" Emma asked, turning to him.
"Umm" Henry thought
"Do you mean emasculated?" She asked
"Yeah!" Henry said "what does it mean?"
"Emancipate means to free something, emasculation is...kind of the destruction of a social construct of masculinity you don't need to worry about." Emma evaded and climbed out if the car.
"Hey" Emma said when she saw Regina "how are you? God something smells good" she couldn't help saying before she corrected herself. The last time she ate was now hours ago.
Henry hopped past them into the house. Regina smiled at Emma
"Do you want to stay for dinner?" she asked
She seemed happier, Emma couldn't help but accept, if not just to see her like this for a bit longer. She followed Regina into the kitchen.
"Would you care for a drink?" she asked, like that was a normal way to offer someone wine.
"I shouldn't, I haven't really eaten" Emma replied.
Regina held the bottle still hovering over the empty wine glass.
"Does that mean no?" She asked
"Erm" Emma watched her, waiting on her reply. It wasn't an argument, or a criticism, it was just the two of them being normal and she dragged it out as long as she could.
"Maybe I will have some" she said. Regina filled the glass and passed it to her.
"What are we going to toast to?" Emma asked
Regina tipped her head and looked up at the ceiling
"How about a time when things are less complicated?" She asked
"Yes" Emma said raising her glass. "and no more curses"
Regina smiled "no more curses" she repeated and clinked her glass with Emma's. Emma drank and thought she could sense Regina watch her over the rim of her glass, but she couldn't be sure.
Emma flicked her pen against her pad repeatedly, looking for the answer that had so far evaded her. Who poisoned Regina? The feel of her cold hand against her lips filled her mind. Why would someone poison her? Who would benefit from that? The image of Gold's smug face flashed into memory. Was it part of a plan or a random act of revenge?
"You know, that's pretty annoying" Grumpy said from the cell opposite.
Emma put her pen down and walked over to the bars.
"Yeah? So is locking you up every week for disorderly conduct" she replied "and you ruined the first home cooked dinner I've had in a while"
"I was getting merry" Grumpy snapped
"You tried to assault Archie" Emma replied
"You should have heard what he said about my mother!" He shouted
"He was quoting Freud, god knows why, and you don't even have a mother." Emma said
"Yeah well" Grumpy rolled over in his cell bed. "If I hadn't, Robin Hood would have" he said
"Robin was there? I didn't even see him" Emma said, trying to sound casual
"I hear he has a history with sheriffs." Grumpy replied
"Yeah" Emma said, remembering the wolf from the movies and trying not to be offended. "Why was he going to hit Archie?"
"Archie, Robbie, Gold, whoever. Dude's angry." Grumpy said, still facing the wall
"About what?" Emma asked
"How should I know? I was drunk" He said
"You seem to remember why Archie deserved a kicking pretty well" Emma sighed
She got up from the desk she was leaning on to go back to her own.
"What's say you let me out of here and I'll tell you?" He asked rolling over
Emma laughed "how about you tell me, I'll see if it checks out and if it does I'll let you out on the proviso you leave Archie alone"
Grumpy grumbled something in audible.
"What was that?" Emma asked
"He was going to pay Gold a visit, said something about being tricked and how he wasn't the powerful Dark One here"
That was something new. She grabbed her jacket and was out of the door in a flash.
As she approached Gold's store she noticed the glass of one of he windows was cracked and the door was smashed.
"Wow, someone's really got it in for you" she said as the bell rang over her head as she entered.
"Mere reckless vandalism" he said
"Is it?" Emma asked. There was a pause while Gold weighed her up.
"Do you have any more information on who stole from me, Sheriff?" He asked, changing the subject.
"I have some ideas" she said. She crunched over the glass that hadn't been swept up yet. He didn't react as she tracked it further into his shop.
"Anything else missing?" She asked
"If it was, I would have reported it" he said. Emma nodded
"But not mere reckless vandalism?" She asked
"If you have something to say, Sheriff, please go ahead"
"Why is Robin Hood so angry with you?" she asked
"Well. He has to be angry with someone doesn't he? You stole his love away and now he has no one to turn to" Gold practically sneered
"Hmm, that doesn't add up." Emma said "for one, I haven't stolen anything and the rest, I don't think I need to share with you"
"What other explanation do you have?" He asked
'You screwed him' she thought 'like you screw everyone, let them think they'll get what they want but you ruin it for them'
"Just theories right now" she said
"Well, that all seems to add up to a pretty pile of nothing. Now if you wouldn't mind, I have some clearing up
To do" he gestured to the door.
Emma was more certain than ever that Gold was behind all this. Poor Robin was out in the cold and Regina was in the middle of it all. She pulled her phone out to text Regina.
The day you were poisoned, did Robin do anything weird? x
"Shit" she hissed. She sent a kiss without meaning to.
Nothing that I can think of. You don't really suspect him..?
No kiss on Regina's reply.
I just have a hunch he's involved. I think he might have done a deal with Gold. Something went wrong and you got caught up in it.
Her thumb hovered of the x button. She put kisses on messages to friends. They were friends now, right? She added the kiss and sent it.
That is possible. We should discuss this in person. My schedule is full today, can you come to dinner again tonight?
Do I have to wear "proper" clothes? x
She wondered if Regina would get the reference to the other night.
Suit yourself, just don't scare Henry.
Emma laughed out loud and put her phone away.
"About time sister" Grumpy said as he saw Emma.
"Your intel checked out" she said, unlocking the door. "You're good to go"
"Lucky me" Grumpy said, though Emma could see he was more relieved than he let on.
"Now I just need to find Robin" she said
"You don't have to look far, he's probably back at the Rabbit Hole" Grumpy said
"No way" Emma said
"Way, sister" and he stomped out.
"I didn't even know they opened this early" she said to her now empty station.
"Hey buddy" she said from Robin's side
"Hello...buddy" he said pointedly without looking up.
She hadn't expected a hug on arrival but she hadn't expected hostility either.
"You mind if I sit with you?" She asked, sensing this wasn't the time to pick a fight.
"What's mine is yours, Sheriff" he took a drink. Emma thought it might be water in a highball glass, or a least she hoped. He didn't seem like the vodka in the morning type, and that reassured her though he still hadn't looked up at her.
"What did Gold promise you?" She asked
She got the reaction she wanted. Robin was shocked, he finally turned to look at her.
"How do you...?" He began
"I know you don't like Sheriffs, but some of us are actually good at what we do" she said
He stared at her incredulously. He had a couple of days stubble but he didn't seem drunk. Maybe he found comfort in the Rabbit Hole because he wouldn't come across Emma or Regina here. Maybe he didn't want to go back to his empty camp in the forest.
"I didn't know what it would do" Robin said eventually
Emma didn't speak, recognising that she was about to learn something new.
"He said it would take us away, it was supposed to be a surprise and all four of us could leave but then..."
Realisation came smashing through Emma's mind. Gold tricked Robin into using the curse on Regina. That explained a lot. Maybe Robin was trying to save face by leaving her, too guilty to go on with her, too ashamed to tell her, too embarrassed that he wasn't the one to wake her.
"Leave Storybrooke?" Emma asked. He didn't respond.
"What did he want from you in return?" She tried again, pushing her loud thoughts to one side.
"He said I could owe him a favour" Robin said, looking away again.
"Shit" Emma sat back "why would he want to take Regina out? What can he do if she's out of the picture?"
"Henry?" Robin asked. Emma shook her head
"Not if I'm still around" she said.
Her mind raced. The mayorship? Gold didn't need a political position for power, he played outside the system and still had plenty of that. What else did Regina have? The same thought occurred to them both.
"The vault?" Robin asked
"Isn't it sealed by blood?" Emma asked
For a moment they stared at each other. In a second they were both up, racing for the door.