Once Upon A Time: Deal With The Devil, Part Three
By Rebekkalee Mouri-Hibiki
Emma pulled to a stop in front of the pawn shop. She got the vase of flowers from the floorboard and got out of the car. She walked to the door and opened it, the tiny bell ringing as she did. Mr. Gold was standing behind the display case that ran along the back of the shop.
He smiled, " Ah. You got the flowers. "
" I did, " Emma walked up to the case and set the vase down.
" They're just beautiful, aren't they? " Mr. Gold said. He gave her that smile that made her heart melt just a little more each time she saw it. " You know, flowers have their own language. "
" Yeah, " Emma said. " And Mary-Margret told me exactly what these are saying. "
" Oh? " Mr. Gold looked surprised. " Miss Blanchard knows about flowers? "
" Yes, " Emma said. " She told me what they meant. "
" Well then, " Mr. Gold said. " I suppose I don't have much to say if that's the case. "
Emma frowned, " So you picked these on purpose? "
" Everything I do has a purpose, my dear, " Mr. Gold said and started to walk down the display case. He came out and stopped next to Emma. " I was hoping you would get the message. "
Emma turned to face him, her heart pounding in her throat as their eyes locked. " So you meant it? " She whispered.
" Every single bit of it, " Mr. Gold brought his left hand up to her face, brushing the backs of his fingers across her cheek. He then leaned in, taking her lips in a gentle kiss. She gasped when he slid his hand to the back of her head to cradle it. They broke for air for a brief moment before he seized her lips again.
She grabbed his arm as he deepened the kiss, gently prying her lips apart with his tongue. She allowed him in, meeting him as the kiss went from gentle to downright torrid. Finally, they broke, clinging to each other tightly as they gasped for air. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, his breath prickling her skin.
" Emma? " He whispered.
" Yes, Gold? " She breathed.
" I think you need to leave or we may do something we may both regret in the morning, " Mr. Gold whispered.
Emma felt her heart sink, " Would you regret it? " She asked.
Mr. Gold took a shuddering breath, " I would cherish it. "
Emma took a sharp breath, a tear slipping down her cheek. She took another one when Mr. Gold came up from her neck and took her lips in his again. When they broke for air, Emma gasped then asked, " Where? "
" Upstairs, " Mr. Gold murmured. " If we can even make it that far. "
Emma didn't know how they would. The way he held on to her made her feel like he was never going to let her go...
" Emma? " Mary-Margret's voice brought Emma back to consciousness.
Emma lifted her head from the desk, blinking as she looked around. She frowned, " Damn it. I fell asleep, didn't I? "
" Yes but only for a little bit, " Mary-Margret said. " I didn't say anything because you needed the rest. "
" I do, " Emma sighed, looking at the flowers. She recalled the deal she had made with Mr. Gold to take better care of herself, realizing she was failing miserably. ~ I have to get some help, ~ Emma thought to herself.
" Emma? " Mary-Margret looked at her.
" Yes? " Emma said.
" You aren't mad at me for hiring Mr. Gold, are you? " Mary-Margret asked. It was the first she had spoke of it since Emma had returned from letting him talk to her. She had shooed her out, not giving Emma a chance to question him about the flowers.
Some things that had her worried were Regina's allegations that she and Mr. Gold were romantically involved and how it would look if he handled the case. Emma was doing her best not to act on her feelings but the kiss he had given her was making her resolve thin. She wondered just what she would be risking if she acted on her feelings like Ruby had been urging her to. She didn't want to jeopardize her friend but she didn't know how much longer she could continue to deny something was there.
" It's your choice who you hire as a lawyer, " Emma said finally. She was still apprehensive about the decision. She was still shocked that his probation had been cut short. She still needed to look into how that had happened.
Hiring Mr. Gold as legal council effectively stopped Emma's ability to speak to Mary-Margret about the case so they hadn't talked much since she got back. All she could really do was sit in her office and do nothing, probably the reason she had fallen asleep. She looked out the window, finding it was dark. She sighed, furrowing her brow as her cell phone started to vibrate.
" What's wrong? " Mary-Margret had noticed the perturbed look on Emma's face.
" My phone, " Emma pulled it out of her pocket. She furrowed her brow, " It's a text from dispatch. "
Mary-Margret furrowed her brow, " Something's happening? "
" Yes, " Emma read the text. " There's a prowler down at Granny's. He assaulted Ruby. I have to go check it out. "
" Oh no, " Mary-Margret gasped. " Is she alright? "
" It doesn't say, " Emma said.
" Go, " Mary-Margret said. " I'll be fine. "
Emma quirked her mouth, " You sure? "
" Yes, " Mary-Margret looked around. " It's not like I can go anywhere. "
" Don't, " Emma said as she got up and grabbed her jacket. " This shouldn't take long. "
" See you when you get back then, " Mary-Margret said.
" Alright, " Emma nodded then headed out the door. As she walked towards the front of the police station, she was surprised to see David coming in. " What are you doing here? "
" I need to see Mary-Margret, " David said breathlessly.
" What's wrong? " Emma asked. " You seem a little agitated. "
" Please let me see Mary-Margret, " David said.
Emma glanced towards the office, " Sure. You can go see her for a little bit. I have to go check something out. "
" So I can see her alone? " David asked. " I really need to see her alone. "
Emma shrugged, " I don't see why not. "
" Thank you, " David said and took off for the office.
Emma shook her head then walked out to the police car. She got in and started it. She drove down to Granny's and parked the car. The ambulance was there, Ruby sitting in the doorway of the vehicle.
Ruby was cradling her left arm to her chest as one of the paramedics checked her over. Much to Emma's chagrin, it was Rick that was tending to Ruby's injury. He had been rather obtrusive when Emma had been injured at Mr. Gold's shop, blatantly staring at her when she had her sweater off. Mr. Gold had managed to get him to stop but it still left her feeling more than creeped out.
" What happened? " Emma asked as she walked up to them.
" I went out to throw out some garbage and there was this... big guy lurking out by the dumpster, " Ruby said. She sounded like she was in pain.
" Did you get a good look at him? " Emma got out her notebook.
" Not really, " Ruby said. " I scared him and he knocked me down as he ran off. I fell backwards and tried to break my fall with this arm. I broke the heel off my shoe too. "
" Are you okay? " Emma glanced at Rick as she spoke to Ruby. He had yet to speak to her.
Ruby shook her head, " Rick here says my wrist might be sprained pretty bad but nothing's broken. "
" Is that so? " Emma looked at Rick.
He didn't look at her as he said, " I fear so. "
Emma thought it odd that he wasn't even looking at her. It made her wonder just what had happened between her getting bit and that very moment. " So are you going to take her to the hospital to make sure? "
Rick nodded, " Yes. "
Emma sighed, " Alright. Make sure your report is flawless and have it faxed over to the police station. "
" Sure, " Rick nodded.
Emma walked away, still puzzled by Rick's weird behavior. He usually became an enamored mess whenever Emma was around, able to do nothing but stare at her. She walked down the alleyway that ran alongside Granny's until she reached the dumpster. There was a bag of garbage laying on the ground, probably where Ruby had dropped it.
She got out her cell phone and snapped a few pictures before taking a more detailed look around. She found the heel that had come off of Ruby's shoe but not much else. She frowned and went back to the front of the cafe. Rick was helping Ruby up and Emma went to her, " Was anyone else back there? "
" The cook came to see what the commotion was about but the guy was long gone by then, " Ruby said.
" Oh. Never mind then, " Emma said then looked around. There were curious onlookers gather but she was rather certain they had gotten there after the fact. She turned back to Ruby, " I guess you didn't see which way he went. "
" He turned right but that's all I saw, " Ruby said.
Emma frowned, " That doesn't help me much. "
" I know and I'm sorry, " Ruby said.
" It's not your fault. You get to the hospital and get taken care of. I'll do a sweep of the area and see if I see anyone suspicious. "
" He was a big guy, " Ruby said. " At least six foot four and built like a brick wall. "
Emma sighed, " That's not much but I'll look for someone like that. "
" Wait here, " John told Robin as they stopped in the moonlit forest. " I have to let the others know we have company. "
Robin nodded then watched as John walked away. As he waited, he heard a noise above him in the trees. He looked up just in time to see a dark cloaked figure falling towards him. In a second, he was on the ground.
" What is the meaning of this? " Robin gasped as he tried to push the figure off. A hood concealed the face of the assailant. The cloak obscured their body but there were some definite feminine attributes to it, the largest of which pressing into his chest as they struggled.
" Who are you? " It was a woman's voice but she had the strength of three men.
" My name is Robin, " He said. " I'm not a foe. I'm an ally. Rumplestiltskin... "
The woman grip lessened a bit, " You... you're the one? "
" The one that's going to help? " Robin guessed what she meant. " Yes. "
The woman got off of him, " Pardon me. I thought you were one of Rothwell's men. They've been getting uncomfortably close to camp the last few nights. "
" Oh, " John had returned with a torch. " I see you've met Marion. "
" So this is she, " Robin replied. He recalled how John and Rumplestiltskin had spoke of her at the tavern like she was to be feared and respected. Now, he saw why.
" Yes, " John said. " Let him up, woman. The others are waiting. "
Marion dismounted Robin, getting to her feet then offering him her hand. " Let me help you up since I knocked you down. "
Robin hesitated, afraid he'd pull the woman down if he took her up on the offer. He took her hand and she jerked him to his feet rather deftly. " You are quite strong, madam, " Robin tried not to sound too shocked.
" When you run with nothing but men, you must be, " Marion looked at him from under her hood. All Robin could see in the firelight was a delicately shaped chin and plump red lips. He wondered what the rest of her face looked like and why she chose to hide it so.
" Come, " John said. " We must get to camp. We risk much being out here like this. "
" Right, " Robin said. He followed John and Marion through the woods towards a cave. They walked in, Robin surprised to see seven men sitting around a fire. He smiled sheepishly at the six highwaymen and a friar that looked hideously out of place in such company.
" So this is what the demon brought to us? " The friar sneered. " A murderous coward that LET Rothwell steal his land? "
" Shut it, Tuck, " John snapped. " He's here because he wants it clear his name and get his things back but he can't do it alone. "
" I told you I do not approve of any plan that involves that devil, " Friar Tuck said. He stood, revealing that he was even shorter than the imp he spoke of.
" Need I remind you the sword Rumplestiltskin wants would be better off in his hands than Rothwell's? Don't you know it's the source of Rothwell's wickedness? " John said calmly.
" The demon doesn't need to get any more wicked though, " Friar Tuck countered, standing up and slamming his fist into table.
" It will still be better off in the hands of a man who can handle the power and won't be driven mad by it! " One of the men stood up and got face to face with Tuck. He was a bit taller than Tuck with dark hair and dark eyes. He work a black outfit and had a bow slung across his back.
" He's already mad, Much! " Tuck yelled back.
" But Much is right, " John interjected. " Since the madness has already seized him, the sword will not affect his mind like it has affected Rothwell's mind. At least, we can hope. "
Marion removed her hood, Robin catching his breath at her face. She had crystal blue eyes, long dark burgundy hair and her beauty that rivaled most of the royalty he had ever met. " I say we let the demon have the sword. If we want everything back Rothwell has taken, we have to do it! "
" But, " Friar Tuck started.
" Don't you want your church back, Tuck? " Marion said sharply. He blue eyes were filled with determination... and something that frightened the clergy man.
Friar Tuck backed down, " I do. "
" Then we must take back what is our, regardless of who is helping us do it. We have much to gain, Rumplestiltskin just wants a sword, " Marion said. " We must defeat Rothwell. That is the cold hard truth and we must do it. "
" Well said, Maid Marion, " John said. " So, is there anyone else who has an issue with what we're doing? "
The other men at the table shook their heads, all muttering 'no'. John smiled, " Good. Now let's get to work. "