The one duty Regina had that Emma couldn't take over was motherhood. Henry was staying with Archie, the listed emergency caretaker, until Regina got out of the hospital, but Emma hadn't given up on getting Henry back.

It would have been a lot easier if she could have actually found the adoption records, but they were missing. Regina probably had them very well hidden. Until then, Emma was going to study every single law in the books to see if there was some loophole, some other way she could help Henry get away from Regina.

She sat in the diner most mornings, eating her pancakes while hunched over the giant copy of the town charter. Most people knew not to bother her while she was reading, but then again, Mr. Gold wasn't anything like most people.

"Well, would you look at that?" he said, startling her into knocking over her cocoa. The liquid immediately began soaking into the book, and Emma swore loudly.

"What the hell, Gold?" she shouted, trying to mop up the brown stains on the pages with the flimsy disposable napkins. "That's a library book!"

"Then you know about the library reopening," Gold said, handing her a slightly more absorbent handkerchief. "I should have known the acting mayor would have had a hand in that."

"Yeah," Emma said, examining her work. "Hired the new librarian too…she's going to kill me when she sees this."

"I did startle you, Sheriff. Surely our new librarian would understand if I explained this."

"I don't think so. Rosie didn't even want to let me take the book out of the library." She put money on the table and packed up the damaged book. "I'm on my way to the library now, so if you could just tell me what you wanted…"

"Curious coincidence, Sheriff, but I'm also on my way to the library," Gold said, clearly indicating that he would like to walk with her. "After all, I've yet to meet my newest tenant."

"Save you the walk," Emma said, pointing over his shoulder to Rose French standing at the diner counter. "She's right there."

Gold turned, ready to make some snide remark, but he shocked her by dropping his cane and then freezing in place. She was about to ask if something was wrong, but the look on his face told her she had better not pry. When she left the diner, Gold was still standing frozen, staring at Rose as she ran over to pick up his cane and hand it back to him.

A week later, Emma opened the door to find a manila envelope on the doorstep. When she opened it, she found Henry's adoption records and several other documents detailing adoption laws, some of which were highlighted. It was everything she needed.

Emma sat down on the floor in shock and glanced at the envelope again. There was no address on it. She turned it over and shook it. A small note fell out. Emma unfolded it and read it.

"This should be everything you need to get started. I'm picking this battle."