Elijah Mill's was no stranger to grief during the few decades he had been alive. He had lost friends, lover's, and his parents. The death of Sheriff Graham had hit the young Principle harder than her originally thought as he tried to fight through the wave of guilt, he felt for not trying harder to stop his sister from crushing his heart.
Even more so when he caught the glimpse of the Acting Sheriff Emma Swan passing by whenever she drove past him on an early morning run. Henry had requested not to see her, which greatly disturbed the principle as he tried to encourage the boy to see her, only to make his excuses.
But he would have to carry on as usual, like he always did, with his head down and his mind set on his main goal. His sister's redemption. But whatever he could do wouldn't be good enough. His final promise to his father was so far out of reach now, it seemed impossible as he recalled the look on her face that night in the cemetery.
He couldn't help but think of what Emma had told his sister that night, that he was terrified of her. In someways he was. He was terrified of what his sister could do, who far she was willing to go to get what she wanted.
"Elijah" her voice distracted him from the book he was trying to read in the study by himself. Looking up from his place in his favorite high backed leather armchair the principle saw his sister stood in front of him with a look on her face that told him she needed something from him. Again.
"Yes dear sister" he breathed looking back down at the hardback book in his lap.
"I need you to be the new Sheriff".
At least she got straight to the point of the conversation. Silently closing his book on his lap the youngest Mill's sibling looked up to his eldest sister with a straight face as he tried to contemplate whether she was joking or not. But then he remembered, she never joked.
"Forgive me, but if this is an attempt to humor me. I'm afraid it hasn't worked" he deadpanned to his sister from his place in his chiar.
"Elijah" she started with a hand on her hip.
"Regina" he quickly replies in the same tone losing his patience with her "What about my job?" he asks her.
"What about it?".
"I seem to recall telling you I liked it. Quite recently in fact".
"We'll find a replacement" she brushed the issue off with a sweet smile thinking he was agreeing with her plan.
"There is only one person in this town that is remotely qualified for that job, and she's been doing it for the past two weeks" he pointed out to her.
"Graham made a mistake making her, his deputy" she griped to him.
"And yet he made it. All by himself" he argued with her "Without either of us intervening, perhaps, that was the first sign something wasn't right".
"Fine" she huffed at him "If you're not going to help me. I'll find someone who will".
Turning to leave the eldest Mills sibling headed for the door as her brother thought of the pro's and con's of his sister's bid to keep the Sheriff's station in under her control. His pro's included being able to see her sister's dirty little tricks from a mile away, his one con of letting it go to someone else, is not even he would have any power over them like he did with Graham.
He wasn't sure how it would end but he dam well knew he wasn't going to wear that uniform.
"If I must" her brother's voice made her stop from leaving "I'll do it on my terms. No smear campaigns with Sidney Glass, no dirty deals or tricks, just a plain and simple transition of power. And I choose my own successor for Principle".
His sister smirked to herself in triumph knowing full well she had her the station back in her control, even if it was through her little brother. But that wouldn't be a problem for her.
"Deal" she accepted her brother's terms, before leaving him to himself. She couldn't wait to tell Miss Swan.
Returning to the station after being blown off Operation Cobra by Henry at him castle, the acting Sheriff of Storybrooke found the gold colored Sheriff's badge on one of the desks outside the small office. Picking it up, the blonde smiled to herself before going to pin it to her red jacket only for a voice of her least favorite person to stop her.
"Oh, I'm sorry" the Mayor voices to the blonde making the latter turn to see her there "That's not for you" she tells her plainly, pointing to the badge in her hand.
"It's been two weeks. Promotion's automatic" she told the woman behind her.
"Unless the Mayor appoints someone else within the time period" the Mayor corrects her stepping further into the bullpen "Which I'm doing today".
"So, who's it going to be?".
"After due reflection, Elijah Mills" she tells the blonde.
"Elijah?" Emma blinked at the Mayor "Your brother Elijah. The school Principal? How does that even make sense?".
"Well, he's trusted member of the community, with many ties within it. Not only that, he been the mastermind of many of the towns community initiatives, but he was also close friend within the Sheriff's Office for years, he knows this place possibly better than myself".
"And he'll do whatever you want him to" the blonde finished for her not believing that he would just nod along to her wishes still "You just cannot stand the fact that things have been getting better around here, can you?".
"Better?" she questioned the woman's choice of words "Are you referring to Graham's death as 'better'?".
"No".
"He was a good man, Miss Swan" the Mayor tells her as the blonde places the badge back onto the desk "He made this town safe, and forgive me for saying it, but you have not earned the right to wear his badge".
"Graham picked me to be Deputy" Emma reminded her standing her ground with the woman.
"He was wrong" Regina states to the woman.
"No. He knew what he was doing. He freed this office from your leash. You're not getting it back".
"Actually, I just did" the Mayor tells her with a hint of a smirk on her lips "Miss Swan, you're fired" at that the Mayor snatched up the badge in her hand and turned to leave the now unemployed Emma Swan.
Upon entering her apartment Mary-Margaret Blanchard was greeted with the image of her roommate prying open the toaster with a knife as loud rock music blasted from the speaker on the breakfast bar, next to a half empty bottle of whiskey with a half full glass next to it.
Furrowing her brow's in confusion the pixie haired teacher closed the front door behind her before approaching the car to turn the music off, making the blonde look up to see her as she continued to use a knife to pry the toaster open.
"Toaster broken?" she asks eyeing the appliance in her roommates' hands as she rounds the other end of the bar to start unpacking her groceries.
"It wasn't when I started with it" the blonde tells her "Pretty sure it is now. Just needed to hit something".
"What's going on?" the teachers asks further.
"Regina fired me so she could put one of her own puppets in as Sheriff. It's my job".
"I never heard you so passionate about it before. What happened?".
"I don't know, I just… I know I want it back" she sighs out in frustration.
"There must be a reason" her friend tells her as a knock is heard from the front door.
"Maybe I just want to beat her" Emma tells her before leaving the broken toaster behind to answer the door to see the man that was taking her job as Sheriff in his signature suit and tie stood before her.
Speak of the she-devil, her brother appears in a suit.
"Miss Swan" Elijah greets the blonde with a knife in her hand "Am I interrupting something or are you free to speak for a moment".
Stepping outside the apartment the school principle and the former deputy stood opposite each other in the hallway outside the apartment. While the blonde stood leaning against the railing with her arms across her chest, the former deputy waited for whatever the Mayor's little brother had to say for himself after two weeks of silence from the man in the suit, only seeing him on occasion when he was out for his early morning run or when he took Henry to and from school.
"Firstly, I feel like I should apologize for not expressing my sympathy on Sheriffs Grahams untimely death sooner to you".
"You don't need to" she quickly brushes his concern off. Not wanting the man's sympathy.
"Right" he nods before continuing "Then I should apologize for taking this long to speak to you again. The past two weeks have been difficult, for all of us".
"Is this you or the Mayor talking?" she asks him.
"Me, Miss Swan. Graham was a friend. Although I sometimes prefer my own company from time to time. I did enjoy our conversations despite his relationship with my sister".
"Really?" she questioned him with a raised brow.
"Really. Our discussions varied from the weather, to the book I had just read, and more recently he had been speaking about you".
"Then why are you here Elijah?".
"I expect the Mayor has informed you of her intention of replacing the open Sheriff's position".
"She sure did. Congratulations by the way" she drawled out with a tight lipped smirk making the man grimace in displeasure of being called the Sheriff as he nervously straightened his tie against his chest.
"It's not a decision I made lightly".
"Then why take it?" she impatiently shrugs at him "I thought you loved your job. And don't give me that 'Family Above All' bull-crap".
"I do love my job. Nothing brought me more joy than the look on a students face when they learn something new" he tells her with a proud smile on his face "None more so than the moments when I've been able to see the look on Henry's own face"
"Then why give that up" she asks him with a soft gaze, not understanding why he would give that up for something his sister clearly wants.
"Miss Swan, I haven't always been a good man" he admits to her "There are things I deeply regret doing that have hurt the people I care about the most in the past. If there is one thing I have learned during that time, is that a second chance is always around the corner. One just has to see it to be able to take it" he says as they were interrupted by Mr. Gold making his way up the stairs with a binder under his arm.
Stopping at the landing the older man see's the woman he needed to see stood opposite the Mayor's younger brother.
"Good Evening Mr. Gold" Elijah greets' the older man with a polite smile and nod.
"Mr. Mills" he replies with a sharp nod "Have you thought about my offer on your ring" he asks the younger man.
"I'm afraid there's none to be had" he tells the pawnbroker as the Principle fidgets with his fingers on his right hand where a simple silver ring sat on his middle finger with a small stone the blonde didn't recognize.
"Shame" he tells the man "Lapis Lazuli is such a rare find".
"Mmmmh" he hummed to himself with a tight lipped smile before looking at Emma "I'll take my leave. Goodnight Miss Swan" he tells the former deputy.
"Night" she tells him with a sad smile before he turns and walks down the stairs to leave the apartment building leaving her with the pawn shop owner.
"Good Evening Miss Swan" Mr. Gold greets the woman he needed to speak to "Sorry for the intrusion. There's something I'd like to discuss with you".
"Come on in" she sighs out before leading him back into the apartment.
He hated having his photo taken, especially if they were going in the local newspaper. He didn't even have a single photo of himself in the home, always the one to take them of either his sister or Henry over the years. The only picture of him would be in the canvas that had stayed hidden in his room for nearly thirty years.
So as bright white flashes went off from the camera's in his face the man tried to grin and bare it for as long as he could as he stood next to his sister being introduced as Storybrooke's new Sheriff. Sidney Glass, Chief Editor of the Daily Mirror took great delight of covering the story.
"Everyone deserves to feel safe in their own homes" the Mayor began with a wide grin "That's why Elijah Mill's is my choice for post of Sheriff. This man has put the needs of Storybrooke above his own as Principle of Storybrooke Elementary, educating our young children on how to be valued law abiding citizens for as long as any of us can remember. Please welcome your new Sheriff".
The mayor goes to pin the gold Sheriff's badge on the breast pocket of her brother's suit only for a voice to stop her.
"Hang on a second".
Looking to the door those for the new Sheriff's unveiling present, part ways to reveal Emma Swan stood in the doorway in her red leather jacket.
"Oh, Miss Swan, this is not appropriate" the Mayor tells her.
"The only thing not appropriate is this ceremony" the former deputy tells her as she lets herself into the office "She does not have the power to appoint him" she adds glancing at the taller man behind the Mayor.
"The town charter clearly states the Mayor shall appoint-".
"A candidate" Emma interrupts her "You could appoint a candidate. It calls for an election.
"The term 'candidate' is applied loosely-" Regina tries to argue but for the blonde not to put up with her.
"No, it's not" the blonde defiantly tells her "It requires a vote. And guess what, Madam Mayor? I'm running".
"Fine. So is Elijah" Regina retorts much to her brother's chagrin at the whole situation she had landed them in for not remembering her own Town Charter.
"Regina" Elijah sighed in annoyance not wanting to be dragged into this drama. Looking behind her, she gave her baby brother a look that told him he couldn't argue in the matter.
"Fine" he sighs knowing it was better to go along with the whole charade that to fight it "I am" he states to his opponenet.
"With my full support" Regina chimes in "I guess we'll learn a little something about the will of the people".
"I guess we will".
With the election called for the role of Sheriff, Elijah had to go back to his day job, which now consisted of going through the candidates that his sister had put forward to replace him. He knew she would use the loophole he gave her. He would choose who would replace him, he just didn't get complete choice in the matter.
He was stuck between three that wouldn't completely ruin the work he had put into the school for the past twenty-eight years when a knock was heard on his closed office door.
"Enter" he called out to the person on the other side. The door open and closed quietly as the he continued to read the mediocre resume's in front of him.
"Principle Mills" she greets the man making him look up to see her stood at the other side of his desk.
"Miss Blanchard" he greets her with a hint of a grin on his lips as he leans back in his chair to address her "How can I help you. I thought I heard the last bell go a while ago" he says glancing down at the clock on his desk that told hi it was well past 3.
"You did. I was just wondering if you saw the afternoons paper".
"I'm afraid I haven't. I've been stuck in here since coming back from the Mayor's office. Why?".
"Um" the pixie haired teacher nervously hummed as she places the newspaper with the bold headline that accompanied the same mugshot from the previous article about her.
EX-JAILBIRD
EMMA SWAN BIRTHED BEHIND BARS
Sidney Glass
"For heaven sake" was all he could say in front of his friend as he read through the words the Editor had printed for his sister. This wasn't what he wanted. But Emma had played her hand by challenging her for the Sheriff's role. And now Henry would pay the price of knowing where he was born.
Looking up he saw the disappointment on his friends face as he tried to explain that he had nothing to do with the headline.
"Mary Margaret-" he started only to be interrupted.
"I know, you said we said we were friends" she started to scold the man "But Emma's a good person, trying to fight for something she believes is rightfully hers, she doesn't deserve to have her past exposed for everyone to see. No-one does. And I know you know that too".
"I do" he meekly nods to the teacher "I assure you I had no idea Mr. Glass was going to print this, if I had. He certainly wouldn't be able to type anything a for very long while. I can make this right. I give you my word".
"Thank you" she replied before the man left his desk to leave his office and find the one responsible for the article.
Finding his older sister easily in her office, the youngest Mill's sibling entered her office without invitation as crossing the black and white tiled floor to her desk to throw the newspaper on her desk in front of her face as a angry finger appeared on the article.
"We had an agreement" he started without missing a beat as she looked up with a dangerous look on her face "No smear campaigns, no dirty deals. We would do this my way".
"'Your way' brother" she started pushed his hand and finger away from the newspaper "Went out the door when Mr. Gold found the loophole in the town charter and gave it to Miss Swan".
"And you didn't think to check your own Charter before giving me the position!" he angrily yells at her.
"Don't you dare, raise you voice at me" she warned him.
"I will damn sure do as I like because this hurts Henry" he says pointing to the article again.
"He should know who she really is" she tried to argue.
"He's a child" he simply tells her "We both know that this election is a waste of time and money. I am starting to run out of patience with you to end this vendetta you think you have with Miss Swan. Because in the end it will only hurt one person" he points out to her making her void eye contact with the man in front of her "I don't care if you have to make Sidney Glass to make a retraction or a statement, just do something".
At that he snatches the newspaper from the desk to turn and leave the office before she could say anything differently.
He didn't get far from town hall before he doubled back from the fire trucks that blazed past him back towards the town hall. Walking through the gathered crowds the Principle saw his nephew speaking to a firefighter as he saw other milling around after extinguishing the fire that had broken out in the building. He knew some renovation work had been going on, but he never thought the construction workers would be reckless.
"Did Emma really rescue my mom?" he heard Henry ask the fireman as he saw Emma covered in soot like she had been inside the building as it burnt, while his sister on a gurney with an oxygen mask on her face and a fireman's jacket around her shoulders.
"Enough!" he heard her yell throwing off a oxygen mask from her face "I'm fine" she dismisses the fireman seeing to her away as she see's her brother walk up her on the gurney.
"I heard Miss Swan saved you" he greeted his sister with a straight face.
"Barely" she scoffed at him.
"Neither the less" he tells her "It's good to see you unharmed" leaning down the man places a gentle kiss on the top of her head that his sister accepted. Only for a camera flash and voice of the owner of the camera to interrupt them.
"Regina! Nice shot of the victim and her brother?" Sidney Glass asked the pair as he took a photo of the as the flash made the pair of siblings flinch as Elijah stopped himself from snatching the camera from the editor himself and throwing it across the square.
"Sidney. What the hell are you doing?" The Mayor chastised the reporter "Are you trying to hand this election to her?!".
"But it's news" he meekly replied to the Mayor before she angrily took a hold of a handful of jacket and pulled him towards her.
"She's the competition, you fool" she reminded him before pushing him away.
Leaving his sister in the trusted hands of the paramedics as she was checked over once again, Elijah ventured to the small crowd that had gathered around Emma that consisted off her roommate, Dr. Hopper, Ruby and her elderly grandmother, waiting for an opportunity to speak to the former Deputy herself.
"Did you really rescue Regina?" Mary Margaret asked her roommate.
"She did!" Henry announced to the group as he ran over to his birth mother "The fireman said it. They saw it".
"You are a hero" Ruby declared to the blonde.
"We should see if they have a picture of the rescue" the pixie haired teacher voiced out load to the others as Elijah listened on to their plans to build on the former deputy rescuing the Mayor from the fire.
"We could make campaign posters" Granny suggested to the group.
"Oh, people would love that!" Archie preached to the others as they walked away to leave Emma and Henry alone.
Emma: This is how good wins" Emma tells her son kneeling in front of him, taking his hands into hers "You do something good and people see it, and then they want to help you".
"Maybe you're right" he shrugs at is birth mother after voicing his concerns about continuing Operation Cobra.
"You see, Henry? We don't have to fight dirty" she tells him with a smile on her face she stand on her feet to see Elijah stood behind his nephew.
"Miss Swan" he greets her the usual way making the ten-year whirl around to see his Uncle stood there with gentle smile on his face, having heard what she told him.
"Looks like I have some ground to recover in my own campaign" he joked with her.
"Hey kid, give us a minute" doing as he was told the ten-year old walked past his Uncle as the blonde slowly approached the man in the suit and dark knee length coat.
"Thank you" he starts breaking the silence between the rival for the position of Sheriff "For saving my sister. Not many people in your position would have".
"I was just doing what any good person would do" she tells the man in front of her.
"I know" he states "And I know you may not believe me, but I had no idea about the article. I only knew about it this afternoon. I'm ashamed to say that I wasn't able to stop him before he could print it in the first place".
"I know" Emma tells him.
"Is he okay?" he was asking about Henry. He knew he must've read it somewhere.
"Yeah I think so" she tells him with a small nod.
"Good" he replied. "Then I guess the next time we'll see each other will be at the debate. Good Luck Miss Swan".
The former deputy didn't get a chance to reply as the man turn and left her to find his sister and nephew after an eventful day. Only her's hadn't quite ended as she found ropes of wool in the debris from the fire, that she remembered as a the same fabric was preparing in the back of his shop earlier that day.
His third grade class could've written a better speech than the one that had been written for him to say in the debate.
Sat up on stage for all to see, Elijah couldn't help but to glance over to his opponent sat on the other side of the podium in the middle of the stage She was nervous, this wasn't her natural habitat in sense. He was used to being front and center as his job required him to address a room full of young pupils at any one time. But then she had the article that everyone had read about.
"Tragedy has brought us here, but we are faced with this decision" Dr. Hopper opened the debate to those in he crowd "And now, we ask only that you listen with an open mind and to please vote your conscience. So, without further ado, I'd like to introduce you to the candidates – Elijah Mills and Emma Swan. Mills. Swan" the therapist voiced to the audience "Sounds like a start of a bad joke" his tried to jest with the audience only to be met by silence as it fell flat "Wow, crickets. Okay, uh… Uh, Mr. Mills – your opening statement".
With confident strides up to the podium the Mill's man oozed confidence in his fitted brown suit with a red neatly folded handkerchief poking out of his breast pocket with a matching tie, the same red his sister was wearing below him as she waited for him to make the brief statement he had been made to say.
"If elected, I want to serve as a reflection of the best qualities of Storybrooke. Honesty, neighborliness, and strength" he listed as he saw his sister mouthing the words along with him from the front row of the audience "Thank you".
His speech was met with enthused applause as his sister look up at him with pride lacing her smiling lips. Sitting back down his seat Dr. Hopper retakes the podium to call Emma forward. "And Emma Swan".
She looked the opposite that her opponent did when she stood in front of the podium as she looked down at the crowd nervously before starting.
"You guys all know I have what they call a, uh… Troubled past" she starts as Elijah listen intently behind her "But, you've been able to overlook it because of the, um… Hero thing. But here's the thing – the fire was a setup" she announces to the crowd making the man behind her furrow his brow as a murmur washed over the shocked audience.
"Mr. Gold agreed to support me in this race, but I didn't know that that meant he was going to set a fire" she went on "I don't have definitive evidence, but I'm sure. 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".
A quiet murmur yet again swept over the crowd as Elijah saw Mr. Gold stand from his seat and quietly leave the town hall, leaving the younger Mill's with more questions than answers over the last few days.
Sat alone in Granny's after exposing 's attempt to sway the election towards her, the former deputy of Storybrooke waited for the news of Elijah and Regina's sweeping victory to make the former the town's new Sheriff. The thought of the woman gloating made her take the last swig of the amber liquid in her glass before placing it back down onto the counter.
"Another?" Rub asks her from the other side of the counter.
"Oh, hell yes" she answers the waitress as the bell above the door rings out and Henry walks in to find his birth mother at the counter.
"Hey, Henry" she greets the young boy as he stops in front of her and opens his backpack to give her a walkie talkie from the set she tried to give him the other day.
"What's this for?" she asks him holding the radio in her hand.
"You stood up to Mr. Gold" he shrugged before climbing up the stool next to the blonde "It's pretty amazing".
"Well, he did something illegal" she tells him.
"That's what heroes do – expose stuff like that" he tells her as Ruby returns with a glass of milk for him and a replacement for the blonde before he leans over and over's his mouth with his hand to hide it from Ruby "I shouldn't have given up on Operation Cobra" he whispers to her.
The bell to the door rang out once again as Regina led her brother into the diner, finding Emma at the counter with Henry.
"I thought I might find you here" the Mayor greeted the woman as she and her brother joined them seeing the glass of alcohol on the counter "With a drink. And my son" she adds.
"Here to card me, officer?" Emma asks the man behind his nephew.
"Not at all" the man in the suit tells her as he button his suit jacket together "In fact, I think I'll join you" Elijah says catching Ruby's eye to silently order his usual drink from her.
"Here? I don't know" she mused to the man "I think they're setting up a back room for the victory party".
"Oh, well, you'll have to tell me what that's like" he tells her as he slides in behind his nephew to stand at the counter to wait for his drink as Regina hold the Sheriff badge in her hand before placing it in front of the blonde woman.
"Congratulations. …Sheriff Swan" The Mayor of Storybrooke reluctantly congratulates the woman.
"Wait, what?" Henry asked his Mother and Uncle in disbelief as the door opened and other residents including Mary Margaret enter to see the Mayor give Emma the badge.
"It was a very close vote, but people really seem to like the idea of a Sheriff brave enough to stand up to Mr. Gold" she reports to the new Sheriff.
"Are you joking?" Emma questioned the woman.
"Trust me" Elijah deadpanned "My sister doesn't joke".
"You didn't pick a great friend in Mr. Gold, Miss Swan, but he does make a superlative enemy " she warns the blonde Sheriff with a wide smile "Enjoy that" she tells her.
Leaving the counter to find a table for her brother to join her with Henry following close behind with his glass of milk in his hand allowing the youngest Mill's sibling to perch himself on the stool next to the newly elected Sheriff as his drink was placed in front of him by Ruby. Giving the waitress a grateful smile before walking away to take orders.
"Mr. Gold finding that amendment in the Town Charter just in time was certainly helpful".
The sentence made the blonde Sheriff take a second look at the man next to her as he stood tall with the clean glass of amber liquid in his hand and a hand in the pocket of trousers.
"How do you know that?" she lowly asks him.
"Like I said the other day" he said looking straight at the woman next to him "I love my job, Sheriff Swan. I'm not afraid of ruffling a few of my sister's feathers to get what I want, even if I have to make a deal or two behind her back".
"You-" she was only answered as the man send her a quick wink of his eye she almost missed. He set up Mr. Gold coming to her with the Town Charter to make sure he didn't get the Sheriff's job.
"Congratulations Sheriff" the man tells her clicking his glass against hers on the counter as she sat frozen as she tried to gauge how she felt about the man her like that "I know you'll do a better job that I ever could".
Leaving the woman at the counter to find his sister the man left her to celebrate her small win of over the Mayor because it will be short lived before the Queen got her way.
Walking into her office Storybrooke's new Sheriff Emma Swan stood in the threshold as she took a moment to enjoy her victory knowing it was long overdue.
Stepping into the office, the Sheriff stood behind her desk placing her things including a framed picture of Henry onto the surface when she notices a brown leather jacket on the coat rack in the corner. Graham's Jacket.
"The Sheriff's jacket" Mr. Golds voice makes her jump as she sees the older man in the suit in the doorway of her glass paneled office. She wondered if Elijah and he had some sort of bet with the suits they wore "I thought you might want it after all".
"You know I'm armed, right?" she reminds him.
"It's all part of the act, my dear" he tells her welcoming himself into the office to speak to the woman he had a hand of getting where she was stood "Political theater in an actual theater. 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".
"No way" she argued "There's no way you planned that".
"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. And when Principle Mills came by my shop to have a ring of his appraised, he just so happened to leave the charter behind with the loophole highlighted. I saw an opportunity".
"You knew I'd agree" she states to him.
"Oh yeah. I know how to recognize a desperate soul".
"Why did you do this?".
"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. Mr Mill's would know as he and I go back a very long time" he says as a smile tease to appear on his lips.
"He owes me more favors that you do. Now including the one to inform you of the amendment in the Town Charter" he goes on seeing the look of concern on her face at the mention of the Principle. Now that you're Sheriff, I'm sure we'll find some way for you to pay back what you owe me, just like he will" heading for the door the pawn shop owner parted ways with the new Sheriff with one word "Congratulations."
AN: Couldn't wait to get this chapter written! Skipping a couple of episodes. Hoping to return with Fruit of the Poisonous Tree soon!.
Thanks for reading again. Hope you enjoyed it!
Remember to:
Follow/Favorite/ Review/Comment