Chapter 13: A Sheriff's Heart
The door to the pawn shop opened with intensity as Regina made her way to the counter gold was standing behind.
"It's being reversed and I want to know why!"
"Why whatever do you mean," asked Gold.
"You know exactly what I mean Rumple. Everyone's cursed selves are fading while the people they were before are more prominent. I want to know why!"
"If you don't know you're a worse student than I thought."
"It's because of them! Who the hell are they?"
"You've seen the interactions around here, take a guess."
Regina thought back for a moment and her eyes widened in fear. "No- it's her!"
Gold smiled. "Kind of ironic isn't it. Not too longer ago you came to me asking for me to get you the thing you wanted most."
"And then you rescinded that offer and you never explained your reason behind it," Regina said, her distain for him and again thought, "but that's because you knew whose baby you wanted to get didn't you?"
"Aye yes but then it seemed fate had other plans. They came here instead so that child you wanted won't be happening not while I have anything to say about it."
Regina laughed, "Why would you have a say in any of that? I could very well take the child for myself."
"You'd be willing to share custody with the savior? Doubt it. And you see Regina there is no way I would let you get near that infant," Gold said as he leaned in, "You see that child Miss Swan happens to be carrying is my grandson."
Regina backed up, "That's not… that's not possible."
"Oh but it is. Fate is a very funny thing. I can predict a lot of things but I certainly never predicted that so if you go near Miss Swan, my son, or my grandson I promise you will have me to answer to. Have a nice day dearie."
"I want them fired!" Regina said storming into Graham's office at the sheriff's station.
"Who," asked Graham.
"Who do you think: Betty and Barney. So help me if you don't get rid of them now, you won't like the next place you're going."
"So let me get this straight: you're threatening me if I don't get rid of Emma and Neal? Good luck with that."
"You think this is a joke?"
"Kind of, yes," Graham answered, "Do you even realize the good they've done since they got here? Emma helped find our John Doe, Neal got Mr. Gold to reconsider taking Ashley's baby, they found the father to a set of twins who were stealing just to get by, and they've been helpful in a number of other cases."
Graham got up from his desk and walked to the file cabinet to put some files away.
"I'm not going to fire two of my best hands based on your say so."
Regina walked closer and placed a hand on Graham's back rubbing it softly. "You're not thinking clearly."
Graham pulled away from Regina, "On the contrary I've never seen things more clearly."
Regina backed off angry that he had pulled away. "She's changing you just like she's changing ever other god damned person in this town."
"It's not her."
"Really, I think it is." Regina laughed, "She's never gonna want you. She's engaged, she's pregnant for crying out loud!"
"It's not like that!"
"Then tell me sheriff what is it like? Does she make you see the light or are you one of those sick perv's who gets off on only pregnant women when you're incapable of planting the seed yourself?"
"Why are you so threatened by her?"
"Ha please you think I'm threatened by that teenage breeder?"
"I know that you are otherwise you would just mind your own business and stay out of hers."
Regina took a step forward, "Fire them."
"Not gonna happen. Either I go or Emma and Neal stay."
Regina backed off and nodded, "Fine if that's how you want to lay it then I guess they're gonna stay. It was nice knowing you sheriff. I'll send a recommendation to Boston PD."
"I'm not going to Boston."
"Oh yes you are. I'm having you transferred effective immediately. Have a nice day sheriff."
As Emma and Neal were coming downstairs from their monthly appointment later that evening they could hear and see the commotion on the first floor.
"Out of the way, out of the way," people were shouting.
A gurney was being rolled in and on it was Sheriff Graham. Dr. Phil Morris, also known as Dr. Joshua Sweet from Atlantis was handling the case as Dr. Whale continued to be involved as Emma's OBGYN.
"Graham, Graham!" Emma called out.
"I need you to please step back Deputy Swan and let us do our jobs," said Dr. Morris taking Graham into the ER trauma room.
"What happened," Neal asked one of the nurses.
The nurse, though rushed, stopped to answer his question. "Car accident near the town line," she answered, "Must have run off the side of the road, fallen into an embankment. I'm sorry I have to get back."
Neal nodded.
Neal turned to Emma, "I'm gonna go check out the scene. I'd invite you to come but-,"
"It might not be safe for me or the baby?" Emma answered.
"Sorry," Neal said genuinely.
"No it's fine go. I'll stay here and wait for an update on Graham's condition."
"I'll call you if I find anything. If you don't hear from me, I'm either working on scene or at the office."
Emma nodded and kissed Emma on the lips before leaving.
With him gone Emma took a seat in the waiting area. She folded her hands over her twenty-five week baby belly.
The waiting seemed to go on for a long while. Graham had been given the works: everything from x-rays to an MRI and head CT. In that time Neal had been the one to call David and Mary Margaret who now sat with Emma s they waited.
Graham was then taken in for surgery.
After several hours Dr. Morris headed to Emma's direction and Emma cautiously stood. David and Mary Margaret stood as well.
"Deputy Swan," he said acknowledging her, "I'm sorry I wish I had better news."
Emma swallowed, "Just tell me, how bad?"
"Sheriff Graham came in with a fractured leg, a few broken ribs and a punctured lung. Upon impact he also suffered a traumatic brain bleed. There was some heavy swelling and we went in to reduce it as much as we could but I'm afraid he's still in critical condition.
This was a bit too overwhelming for Emma to handle. "How critical?" she asked.
"He's in a coma. We're not sure how long it will last. Could be a couple of days, could be months, truth is we just don't know. I am sorry."
Emma nodded not being able to find her voice.
"Thank you doctor," Mary Margaret said for her young friend.
Emma seemed to shrink in the background as she took a seat.
"Emma," said David taking a seat next to her.
Mary Margaret did the same, "We are so sorry."
"We were just joking this morning," said Emma. "Neal and I were telling him how we wanted him to be David Henry's godfather," she said having found out the sex of their baby weeks ago, "He was praising Neal for being involved in the pregnancy and said that if he ever had a kid of his own how he hoped to be the kind of father that Neal was turning out to be."
David had taken Emma's left hand and Mary Margaret had taken Emma's right hand, neither of them knew what to say and there was nothing to say.
The entrance doors opened and the three of them turned to see Neal rushing in. Emma stood and walked over to him, hugging him tightly. Both, though Graham was albeit alive in a sense, had lost their boss; deputies without a leader. At least his heart was still beating on its own but with the punctured lung Graham had needed a tube to help him breathe and there was still the matter of what the brain injury had done. There was just no telling how long Graham would in a sense be in a vegetative state.
Author's Note: I am no doctor. I tried to do some research but came up empty so I appologize if I'm off on the injuries or the medical case.