Henry, Emma, and I went grocery shopping for Granny's welcome-back party. When we returned to Emma and Mary Margaret's apartment, Mary Margaret and David were still in bed.
"Hey! Guess what? Taco shells were on sale." Henry said.
"Apparently, tacos? Not a big item in the Enchanted-" I started to say but Henry cut me off.
"What are you guys still doing in bed? It's the middle of the afternoon." Henry questioned.
I had to hide my expression because Emma and I both know what they were doing or were going to do.
"The trip back was tiring, and I needed to rest." Mary Margaret replied.
"And I needed to… help her rest." David added.
I couldn't help the snort that came out because watching them try to lie to Henry was too funny.
"Uh, let's… let's go make the tacos. We have to make a lot because there's going to be a ton of people at Granny's welcome back party tonight." I said as I ushered Henry into the kitchen.
"We thought you were going to be back later." Mary Margaret whispered to me and Emma.
"Yeah, well, we weren't." I started.
"So maybe next time, you could put a tie on the door, or send a text, or… You know what? We're… We're… going to go make some tacos." Emma said before we went to go help Henry.
We finally got everything ready and headed to Granny's. Everyone was happy when we walked in, but in my opinion, they were more happy to see Mary Margaret than me and Emma. I can't blame them though, but they could be a little less obvious.
"Tacos. I cannot tell you the relief of cooking something that I didn't have to kill first." Emma told Granny.
"Don't I know it. Meatloaf back home? What a bitch." Granny said before Emma handed the tacos to one of the dwarves.
"I just wanted to, uh, thank you all for joining us tonight. Mary Margaret and I - we have a saying… That we will always find each other. And, while I believe that with all my heart, I'd like you all to raise your glasses and join me when I say… Here's to not having to look for a while. To Mary Margaret, Emma, and Hazelle." David said.
Everyone clinked glasses, and then Regina walked in.
"Sorry, I'm late." Regina said.
"What is she doing here?" Leroy asked while grabbing a knife.
"We invited her." I replied.
Mary Margaret and David pulled me and Emma aside.
"We're celebrating today because of Regina. She helped us get home. No matter what she did in the past, we owe her our thanks now." I told them.
"Didn't you think to tell us about it?" Mary Margaret questioned.
"We did, but you two were a little busy this afternoon." Emma replied.
"Emma, Alycia, she tried to kill us, yesterday!" Mary Margaret argued.
"No, she didn't. She's trying to change for Henry." I started.
"He believes in her. And, right now, that's enough for us. We couldn't have changed if we weren't given a chance, so… She gets one, too." Emma finished.
Mary Margaret and David exchanged glances before nodding their heads at us. Emma and I gave them smiles before heading toward Henry and Regina.
"I'm glad you came." Henry said to Regina.
"Me, too." Regina said.
Leroy walked up and Regina handed him a plate.
"Oh, I made lasagna." Regina said.
"What's the secret ingredient? Poison?" Leroy asked.
"Red pepper flakes. Gives it some kick." Regina replied.
I'm so proud of her for that response. At least she put Leroy in his place because I was just fixing to.
Everyone had split off into different groups, and when me and Emma saw Regina leaving, we followed her out.
"Archie made a cake. You don't want to stay for a piece?" I asked.
"I'm fine, thank you." Regina replied.
"Okay." Emma said before we turned to head back inside.
"Thank you." Regina said.
"You just said that." I said as we turned back around.
"F-For inviting me." Regina specified.
"Henry wanted it. We're glad that you guys got to spend some time together." I said.
"Me, too. I'd like to see him more. Maybe you'd consider letting him stay over sometime. I… I have his room just… just waiting for him." Regina said.
"Oh… I'm… I'm not sure that's best." Emma hesitantly said.
"Because you know so much about parenting in the five minutes you've been with him. Talk to David. At least he took care of him while you were away. Like I did, during the ten years you were away the first time." Regina growled.
Emma and I shared glances before I let Emma handle the situation.
"Okay. Thanks for coming." Emma said before we turned to head back inside.
"No, wait. I'm sorry. I… I'm… I'm sorry. Snapping at you- I shouldn't have done that. Will you accept my apology?" Regina asked.
"Okay. You're right. Archie said you were trying to change. And, well, you are." Emma replied.
I almost smacked my head because I can't believe she just told Regina that Archie told her about what Regina said to him.
"Dr. Hopper said I was trying?" Regina asked confused.
"He said you came to see him. That you're trying not to use magic, that you're trying to be a better person. You understand I was hesitant to invite you. I asked him, and he thought it was a good idea." Emma replied.
"Thank you. It was. I should be going." Regina said before walking away.
Emma and I shared looks before going back inside. After a little while longer, we headed home, and I told Emma and Henry that I would meet them for breakfast. I got home, showered, and went to bed. It was nice to sleep in my own bed again. The next morning, I got up, got dressed, and headed to Granny's to meet Emma and Henry.
"So, what was it like?" Henry asked Emma and me.
"Well, let's see. There were ogres, the dead rising, people trying to kill us, and more ogres." I replied.
"Awesome." Henry said.
"Kid, we got to work on your sense of awesome. Come on. It's time for school. And we'll walk you to the school bus." Emma said.
"It's okay. I can go on my own." Henry said.
"We know that you can. That doesn't mean that you should." I said.
"David let me." Henry said.
"Well, we're not David." Emma said.
"You used to let me." Henry said.
"Well, I am not me. We're walking you because that's what mothers and aunts do. And we're doing it." Emma said.
As we walked out the door, Pongo came up to us.
"Hey, Pongo. It's okay. It's okay." Henry said as Pongo kept barking.
"Where's Archie?" I asked Emma when Archie didn't come around the corner.
"Emma, something's wrong." Ruby said as she bolted out the door, and went to Pongo.
"How do know? Never mind. The wolf thing. You know what? Eleven is old enough to walk to the bus stop. I'll pick you up later." Emma said to Henry.
"Okay." Henry said before walking off.
Pongo then ran off and Emma, Ruby, and I followed. He led us to the office.
"Archie?" Emma called out as she knocked on the office door.
We entered the office and Emma spotted Archie on the floor.
"Archie? Oh, hell." Emma said as she checked his pulse.
"What? What is it?" Ruby and I asked together.
"Archie…." Emma said.
I could tell by Emma's expression that Archie was gone.
"No… No…" Ruby said in disbelief.
"Who would do this?" I asked.
"I think I know." Ruby said.
Regina was brought to the police station. Emma and David went to interrogate her, while Mary Margaret and I watched from the window.
"Glad to see the Sheriff's station's now a family business. Why am I here?" Regina asked.
"You know why you're here. Because of Archie." Emma replied.
"Oh, it's now against the law to get into an argument with someone?" Regina asked sarcastically.
"It is when you go to their office later that night and kill them." David replied.
I know I should call him dad, but I'm still getting used to that fact.
"Archie's dead?" Regina questioned confused.
I knew right then that she had no idea about Archie being dead.
"Stop it, Regina. Ruby saw you going into his office last night." David said.
"Then she's lying. I was home all evening. After everything I've done to change, to win Henry back, why would I toss it all away now? And, if I did and was going to kill Archie, you would never know it. The fact that he's dead and you caught me shows sloppiness." Regina said.
"You've been caught before. Come one, Emma. Who do you think's lying- Ruby, or her? She's incapable of change, no matter how many times we've given her the chance. Why should this time be any different?" David questioned.
Emma and David then came back into the room that me and Mary Margaret were in, and I knew this conversation was going to be good.
"So what do we do with her now?" Mary Margaret asked.
"Lock her up." David replied.
"We can't lock her up, because she didn't do it." I said after Emma and I shared a look.
"You really believe her?" David asked.
"I watched her, and so did Hazelle when we told her that Archie was dead. She didn't know." Emma replied.
"Emma, Hazelle, I know that both of you want to believe Regina can change for Henry, but-" Mary Margaret said.
"I know what we saw. Look at her in there. The old Regina would've reduced this building to ashes. That's a woman who wants to change. She just wants everyone else to see it. We know that look. We know her. We believe her." I said.
"With all due respect, you don't know her like we do." David said.
"Maybe that's the problem. I know in your kingdom, she was the Evil Queen. But here, she's Regina. And I'm still the Sheriff, and I say she's innocent until proven guilty." Emma said.
"So… Uh, what do you suggest we do?" Mary Margaret asked.
"Let her go." Emma started.
"Emma, sh-" David went to say.
"We let her go, and then we find the truth." I finished as I also cut David off.
We then headed to Archie's office and started looking for clues. Emma and I were looking through things on the couch, Mary Margaret was looking through stuff on the desk, and David was looking through the filing cabinet.
"Huh. Regina's file- it's empty." David said as he showed us an empty file.
"So she did it. She killed the kindest soul in this town. A man who only cared about helping." Mary Margaret said.
"I promise we'll find whoever did this." I said.
"Isn't it time you admit we already have? Regina had a fight with Archie, Ruby saw her outside last night, and now, her file is empty. That's… that's a lot of evidence." David said.
"Maybe that's the point." I said.
"What do you mean?" David asked.
"Well, I don't know how it is in fairy tale land, but in the real world, it's usually hard to find evidence. But this has been way too easy. Unless someone wants us to find evidence." Emma replied.
"What? So you think she was framed?" Mary Margaret asked.
"Well, it wouldn't be the first time that happened in this town." I replied.
"Who would want to frame her?" David asked.
"That's a long list, present company included." Mary Margaret replied.
"Yeah. But there's only one name on that list that would resort to killing to get what they want." Emma said.
We then headed to Mr. Gold's shop to have a talk with him about this situation.
"Ah… Nothing warms the heart more than a family reunited. You have your mother's chin, Miss Swan, Miss Evans." Gold said.
"We know you killed him." I said.
"And your father's tact." Gold said.
"Someone's dead?" Belle asked.
"Dr. Hopper." Emma replied.
"Why on earth would you think I had anything to do with that?" Gold asked.
"Because all the evidence points to Regina." I replied.
"And she's not possibly capable of doing something so vile?" Belle asked.
"It's a frame job." Emma replied.
"It wouldn't be the first time you used someone to try to hurt her." Mary Margaret said.
"Nice to see your memory's still intact, dearie. But this time, I'm afraid I'm going to have to disappoint you. It wasn't me." Gold said.
"Why should we believe you?" David asked.
"Because I can prove it. Ask the witness." Gold replied.
"No one was there." Emma said.
Well, that's not strictly true now, is it?" Gold asked.
David then went to go get Pongo and brought him into the shop.
"Hey, boy. Good boy. Good boy, good boy." Gold said as he loved on Pongo.
"I, uh… I didn't know you were such a dog person." Belle said.
"Well… A long time ago, in another life, I got to know a sheepdog or two." Gold said.
"That's fascinating. But unless you speak dog, how is Pongo going to tell us anything?" Emma asked.
"Through magic, of course. It won't allow us to communicate, but it will allow us to… extract his memories." Gold replied.
"Extract?" David asked.
"You don't have to worry. He won't feel a thing." Gold replied.
"Why should we trust you? Couldn't you just as easily use magic to fool us?" Emma asked.
"Because I'm not going to be the one using magic- you are." Gold replied as he looked at me.
"Me? How?" I asked.
"You have it within you. Told me so yourself. You witnessed it, didn't you?" Gold replied before asking Mary Margaret questioned.
"Alycia, you don't have to do this." Mary Margaret said.
"If it tells us something about Archie's death, then so be it." I said.
Gold takes a dream catcher out of one of his many cabinets, and held it up for all of us to see.
"Do you know what this is?" Gold asked.
"A dream catcher." Emma and I replied together.
"Well, It's capable of catching so much more." Gold said.
Gold then ran the dream catcher along Pongo's back, and the dream catcher started to glow yellow.
"What is that?" Belle asked.
"Memories. Now, Miss Evans. You show us how." Gold said.
"How? It's just a jumble." Emma questioned.
"Will it. Will it, and we shall all see." Gold replied.
I took the dream catcher and tried to will the dream catcher, but it wouldn't budge.
"I can't." I sighed in frustration.
"Yes, you can." Gold said.
I took a deep breath and tried again. The jumble image started forming into an actual image. It was showing that Regina entered Archie's office.
"Hazelle… You're doing it." David said in amazement.
"Regina." Emma said.
When then saw Regina killing Archie and I let the dream catcher go in horror.
"You were right all along." I said.
"I'm sorry, Hazelle." David said.
Emma and I rushed out of the shop with Mary Margaret and David following us.
"Emma! Hazelle! Wait. Where are you going?" David asked us.
"To get Regina." I replied.
"Well, can we talk about this?" Mary Margaret asked.
"What's there to talk about? She killed Archie, now she's got to pay." Emma replied.
"Emma, Alycia, how do either of you plan on doing that? She has her powers back here." Mary Margaret said.
"Yeah, well, you just saw what happened. So do I." I said.
"Yeah. You have something, but you didn't even know what the hell to do with it. And now, both of you are going to go take on the most powerful woman in town?" David questioned as he lightly grabbed my arm and turned me around, which caused Emma to turn around as well.
"Excuse me. Weren't you both the ones who've been pushing on the 'its Regina' kick the whole time? You should be happy you were right." Emma said.
"We may be right, but I also know that going after her without a plan is a mistake." Mary Margaret said.
"So what do we do?" I asked.
"Even if the dwarves construct a cell to hold her, we need a way to contain her magic until then." David replied.
"Fairy dust. Leroy said they were processing a new batch of it." Mary Margaret said.
"Will that stop her power?" I asked.
"It has before. The problem is, she'll see us coming." David replied.
"Leave that to us. Trust me- we're locking her up." Emma said.
We then headed to Regina's house, and I was ready to finally put her in her place.
"Miss Swan, I assume you're here to apologize." Regina said as she answered the door.
"We saw you do it." I said.
"What?" Regina asked.
"We saw it. You choked the life out of Archie." Emma replied.
"What are you talking about? How is that even possible?" Regina asked confused.
"Magic." David replied.
"You-" Regina went to say.
"We saw what happened, and it was you." I said.
"Gold. He helped you. You're going to trust him, of all people, when he's probably the one behind this?" Regina questioned.
"We didn't trust him. That's why Alycia used magic instead." Mary Margaret replied.
"You can use magic… Well, I can only assume he warned you, then." Regina said.
"About what?" Emma asked.
"That magic always comes with a price." Regina replied.
"Yeah? Well, that's a price the three of us are going to pay." I said.
"How's that?" Regina asked.
"Henry. He believed in you. His heart's going to break. That's both our prices." Emma replied.
"No. I will not let you poison Henry against me." Regina said.
"It's an interesting word choice since you already did." I said.
We started to leave and I knew that this was fixing to turn into a fight.
"I want to see him. He deserves to hear my side of the story! He's my son!" Regina called out as she followed us.
"He's not! He's mine! And, after this, you're not getting anywhere near him! Do it!" Emma growled before calling out to the Blue Fairy.
The Blue Fairy threw fairy dust at Regina, but she caught it.
"Did you really think that would work again?" Regina asked Mary Margaret and David, who were semi-behind me because I was a little off from Emma.
"You… You will not keep my son from me." Regina said before using magic to toss Emma backwards.
Mary Margaret and I went to help Emma up as Regina walked up to us.
"So much for fairy dust. Maybe some of Hazelle's newfound magic can save you now." Regina said.
"We don't need it. We already won. There is no way Henry will swallow your lies about Archie now. You can pretend all you want, but we know how you are, and who you will always be." I said.
Regina glanced at me before looking around her. Regina then used her magic and disappeared.
We went to the bus stop and waited on Henry because Emma needed to tell him what happened before Regina tried to spin her story.
"Henry's bus is going to be here any minute." Emma said.
"You can do this." Mary Margaret said.
"Tell my son that someone he loved was killed by someone else he cares about? I don't know if I can. Yeah, I don't think I can do any of this. This is like real parent stuff. How can I be a parent if I never was one?" Emma asked.
"I know. I've been asking myself the same question." David said.
"Oh, no. You guys don't have to… It-It's different." I said.
"No, it isn't. And yes, we have to. We can figure it out. So can you." Mary Margaret told Emma.
"You don't know me or Hazelle. You don't know what I was before Storybrooke. And trust me, I was not parent material." Emma said.
"Yeah, but we know who both of you are since both of you have been here." David said.
"What if I revert? Regina did." Emma questioned.
I can tell that all of this is really bothering Emma, and I wish that I could do something.
"You're not going to. And the Emma I know was great with Henry." David said before I could.
"I was his parent for five minutes." Emma said.
"And I was yours and Hazelle's for five minutes, too, but things are different now- for all of us. We don't have to go through any of it alone. We're family." David said.
Emma and I glanced at each other before I gave her a nod. She went to get Henry. I stood with Mary Margaret and David while Emma told Henry everything that's happened so far. I watched as Henry hugged Emma, and it broke my heart to see him crying. But something isn't sitting right with me about this whole thing. My gut is telling me that we're missing something, but I'm not sure what. I guess everything will work out the way it's supposed to.
Hazelle's Outfit: pin/553731716705513224/
Hazelle's Outfit 2: pin/553731716705513665/