Elijah Mill's was always one for any sort of social gathering when he was younger, however the social gatherings he was used too involved a lot more than casual polite conversation and finger food as he stood in David and Kathryn Nolan two story home for the Welcome Home party the latter had organised to celebrate the safe return of her husband from his coma.
Taking note of Mary-Margaret Blanchard's absence from the party after making idle chit-chat with her roommate and his nephew near the stairs, the Principle excused himself from the pair when David Nolan arrived to find his sister in the small kitchen with Kathryn Nolan quietly conversing as he leaned is shoulder against the threshold to listen to the quiet conversation as he nursed his drink.
"I lost him once, now I have him back" Kathryn tells Regina "But it's like I still don't have him back. You have no idea how that feels".
"Actually, I do" the Mayor tells her "I lost someone once, too".
"Really?".
"Yes. But the love I lost – there's no bringing him back. You have a chance here. Go to him" she urged the blonde.
"You're right" the blonde tell her making put down the paper plate in her hand to to leave the kitchen to find her husband only to stop and turn back to the woman who was trying to help her "And Regina – thank you. Thank you for being such a good friend. It's been so lonely. I'm not used to having one".
"Neither am I".
"Well, like it or not, you have one now" Kathryn tells her before leaving the kitchen to find her husband, leaving the Mayor to think over what she just said.
Smiling to himself the principle quietly turned back around to re-join the party to leave his sister to enjoy her moment of making a friend instead on another enemy. But he wouldn't jump for joy just yet, she still had a long way to go. but neither the less; it was progress after all.
The next day came as normal for the youngest Mill's sibling as he found himself back in the familiar routine of a workday at the local school. Stepping out of his office the young Principle walked it's halls shortly before the bell rang to signal the end of morning recess, ready to encourage his students back into the classroom for their lessons like he usually did as he found himself nearing Mary-Margaret classroom as he heard voices coming from inside.
Stopping just outside, the Principle strained his ear to listen-in to the conversation in the classroom.
"Tell me you didn't leave your wife because of me? I do not want to destroy your marriage" he heard his friend say.
"You're not. It's me" he heard David Nolan reply "I don't want to hurt her either, but the most hurtful thing to Kathryn would be me pretending. She needs someone to feel about her the way I feel about you".
"I'm really trying hard to stay away from you. To do the right thing".
"Why is that the right thing?" he argued
"Because you already have a life" she retorted as the bell rang out and students filed into the classroom from the hallway.
"With someone I didn't choose. The man who chose that life, whoever married Kathryn, is gone".
"You really have to leave me alone" Elijah heard Mary-Margaret tell the man as he peaked around the corner to see the teacher push him out of the classroom.
If Principle Mill's saw him, she would be in trouble that she didn't need right now.
"Is that truly what you want?" David asked her as he stopped himself from leaving by catching himself on the door.
"Go" she insisted, weary of her classroom full of children behind her.
"Meet me tonight. At least think about it. I'll be at the bridge where you found me at 8:00. Think about it until then and then decide. If you don't show, I'll know. And I'll never bother you again. But if you choose this – if you choose us – you know where I'll be".
Turning to leave the man froze when he and Mary-Margaret saw Principle Mills stood there in his dark suit and tie as he looked straight past the man to meet his teacher's gaze. And by the look on his face, he heard everything David had said.
"Mr. Nolan" Principle Mill's turned his hard gaze on the man in the checkered shirt and jeans "I wasn't made aware you had a child that attended this school" he continued as he fastened he buttoned his suit jacket before slowly making his way towards the 'visitor'.
"I uh, don't-" he stuttered as he saw a whole different side to the man that had visited him in the hospital.
"Then you're here for a tour" he guessed "Although, I don't think there is one scheduled for a while and I don't see your lovely wife with you" only for the man to remain silent as the principle waited for an answer from him. In lieu of an answer the principle continued his questioning of his presence in his school.
"Which begs the question Mr, Nolan, of your presence here during school hours".
"Elijah-" he started to explain only for the Principle to quickly stop the man from speaking further.
"Sh,sh,sh,sh" he quickly shushes the man with a finger on his lips as he slowly approaches the man making the amnesic man back himself up against the hallway wall next to the classroom as the pupils inside sat unaware of what was going on outside.
"Show a little respect" Elijah sternly tells the man in front of him tugging the jacket of his suit down "I am the Principle of this school and you will address me as such while inside these walls".
The corner of the Principle's lips twitched at the way the man squirmed under his authoritative gaze. But he'd be lying to himself if he told himself he wasn't enjoying making the man who'd become a thorn in his and his sister's side suffer just a little bit as the man in the suit took a hold of David red flannel shirt to straighten it across the mans chest.
"Now, seeing as you have no business being in my school. You have two options in front of you;-"
"Option one; You leave quietly and I won't have the Sheriff and the new deputy throw you in a cell overnight for trespassing on school property without cause and for the harassment of one of my finest staff members".
"Or Option two; I conduct a citizens arrest, and we can wait for the Sheriff to come pick you in front of the entire school. And in the event I feel that you are resisting your detainment, I won't be afraid to add a concussion to your current list of ailments".
" will it be?" the principle states to the blue-eyed man in front of him. Without giving Mary-Margaret a second glance the man turned and headed towards the exit as the teacher and principle watched the man's retreating form disappear as he lets himself out of the school.
"Good choice" Mary Margaret heard the Principle say to himself before he turned to face her with a look that told her she was in trouble as well
"Miss Blanchard" he addressed his teacher "Please return to your class" at the man turned and walked back down the hallway towards his office.
Later that evening, after seeing David Nolan off towards the pawn shop under his sister's direction. Elijah headed for the diner to find the result of David Nolan's memories coming back to him in the form of Mary-Margaret stat at the bar in Granny's absentmindedly turning a silver ring on her finger as she stared at nothing in front of her as silent tears fell down her face.
Silently taking the stool next to her, the Principle reached up to the top of his shirt and unbuttoned the top before pulling his tie away from his neck, taking in a deep breath that filled his lungs.
"I should apologize about my behavior earlier today" he started to apologize to the woman next to him "I've been told I can come across as..brutish when I see something i don't like".
"It's okay" Mary-Margaret sighed out as she continued to turn the ring on her finger.
"Bad night?" he asks pulling the handkerchief from his top jacket pocket and handing it her.
"Don't feel like talking" she tells him taking the handkerchief from him. But instead of using it to wipe the tears away she just ran the cotton materiel between her fingers as she continued to let herself feel the heartbreak from the man that got her hopes up.
"Sometimes, it's easier to talk to someone that won't think less of you for speaking their mind, no matter how hard the subject may be to talk about".
"You ever walk into a situation, where you know exactly what's going to happen and then you go into it anyway. And then, when what you're afraid of happens, you kick yourself. Because you should've known better. But that's just who you are. It's like you're punishing yourself".
"No" he answers shaking his head at her.
"How do you do that?" she asks the man beside her, scrunching the handkerchief in her hand as she look at him.
"By never knowing what's expected. Keeps life interesting" he tells her with a gentle smile "Can I buy you a drink?".
Pausing the teacher thought about his question as she put all doubts she had about the man in front of her as she took a chance she would second guess on another night.
"You can buy me two" she confidently tells the man next to her.
Enchanted Forest
Years Ago
Overlooking her late husband's, stone coffin. The Queen stood solemnly from her balcony as she watched her step-daughter place a white rose on her father's coffin as she feigned her grief for the recently passed monarch.
"Sister!" The Queen was taken out of her thoughts by her younger brother's voice filtered in her ears from behind her as footsteps approach her from behind as she turned to see her younger brother join her.
"Where have you been?" she snipes at the younger man "You were meant to be here hours ago" she scolds her younger brother.
"Apologies, Lord Wotton took us on a detour" her brother smoothly replied as he approached his sister, taking her hand into his, he plant's gentle kiss on the Queen's knuckle to greet the monarch.
Yes, she knew the good Lord Wotton well. He was the reason for her brother's downfall to the man that stood in front of her. His natural curled brown hair sat un-combed on his shoulders and think stubble covered his jaw and cheeks.
He was a mess, not the son of a Duke or a brother to a Queen he was meant to be. No instead he was wasting away in whatever establishment Henry Wotton had taken to that evening, and yet he looked and acted like he didn't drink his weight in whatever he could get his hands on, eat whatever food that had come from another realm, and bed whatever wench stupid enough to give him a second glance.
"I'm sorry for your loss sister" he tells her "Or should I say congratulations. I'm not sure these days" he adds as she smells the drink coming from his breath.
"You're drunk" she snaps at him, snatching her hand out of grasp to put some much needed distance between them.
"Celebrating" he quickly corrects her as he seeks out the nearest tray of drinks in the room.
"Celebrating?" she questioned him "Your supposed to be here to comfort your fiancee, , what the hell could you be celebrating" she yells at him gesturing to the drink he poured into his glass.
She needed to keep up appearances. That meant her brother needed to comfort his wife-to-be Snow White. Her plan was coming together, she couldn't let her wayward little brother get in the way. Not now.
"My broken engagement sister" he grins at her holding ups his full cup to her "The King is dead. Mother is gone. There is no-one to push for the marriage to happen. And you, Your Majesty, are a step closer you what you've had your eye set on for these past few years. That is cause for celebration if I must say so".
Finishing his 'speech' the man gulps the wine that he had served himself, before he found his his goblet thrown across the room and his face grabbed and pulled forward by a slender hand as he found his sister's face inches from his own, sneering at him.
"Go change and sober up. Now" she orders the man pushing him towards the open doorway as fear etched his face at his sister's roughness, that reminded him of their own mother. It was moment's like this he would see her in his sister. It was never a good look, one he never wanted to be on the end of again as he made his way towards the door to carry out her request.
Red rose petals covered the lid of the stone coffin that held her father King Leopold in his state of rest in the castle they called home. Dressed in black, the Princess approached the coffin place a single white rose where his head would be
"Goodbye, Father" Snow White wept out before she felt a hand on her shoulder, making her turn around to see her step-mother behind her.
"I'm so sorry, Snow" The Queen Regina tells her step-daughter.
" I loved him so much" she sobbed to her step-mother as fresh tears left her eye's. Stepping forward the Princess sought comfort from the older woman as she wrapped her arms around her and held her close as Regina mirrored.
"So did I, dear. So did I" she tells the Princess rubbing her back in comfort before the younger woman pulled away holding her hands in hers "The loss I feel for my husband must be nothing compared to the loss you feel for your father. If there is anything I could do, please, let me know. I may only be your mother through marriage, but I'm here for you, dear. Truly and forever" she promises her step-daughter as they embrace again.
Hearing a pair of footsteps behind her, she knew it was her brother doing what he was told as she pulled the young woman out of her arms to affection ally wipe the tears from her fair skin of her cheeks.
"You know I will always be there for you, but I know someone else who would to see you".
"Who?" Snow asks her stepmother before the Queen moves to the side to reveal her younger brother stood at the bottom on the stairs looking straight at her.
"Elijah!" she gasps seeing her friend and fiance stood there after some time away.
The man a year or two older than her stood with his hands behind his back, dressed in black with his long brown straggly hair tamed and tied behind his head only for his stubble to remain, giving him some maturity to his young looks.
He had done as he was told and cleaned himself up, finding a dark tunic and matching trousers ready for him to change into in his chambers in the palace.
"Princess" he states in greeting with a hint of a smile seeing the young Princess he met as a young girl.
"You're here" she breathed out in relief as she ran down the stairs to practically leap in his taller structure, his strong arms that easily catching her as she buried her face into his shoulder to continue her sobs of grief.
Burying his nose and face in the crook of her neck the young man held onto the woman in his arms as her tear soaked into his tunic as he held her as close as he could, placing a comforting kiss to the crown of her head.
"I am so sorry Snow" the Queen heard her brother tell the Princess before the girl pushed herself off the man to hold his hands in hers.
"Oh Elijah, it's been horrible" she weeps to her fiance.
"I know. How about we get some fresh air. A walk in the garden perhaps, and you can tell me all about it".
"I'd like that" she tells the man with a shaky smile "Thank you" she sighed in relief knowing he would listen to every word she would say to him.
Pivoting on his foot the man offered his bent elbow to her that was gratefully taken by the Princess as she was escorted out of the castle with a guard of two following them, leaving the Queen to watch her brother the role he was needed for at that moment.
Returning to her chambers the Queen was escorted by her guards, the Queen entered her chambers to be greeted by her Magic Mirror.
"Congratulations" the genie stuck in her mirror greeted her "Your revenge is almost complete".
"One down, one to go" she tells it walking to her vanity table.
"She has no idea, does she?" the mirror asks the Queen from a picture frame sat on her table as she takes a seat.
"That I'm responsible for his passing? She sought comfort with me. Sickening. I could've ended her miserable existence right there. Believe me – it was tempting".
"It would have sated your soul".
"The kingdom's still loyal to her. They would turn on me. They don't know the wretchedness inside her as I and Elijah do. They don't know what she did to me. We must be delicate in this next phase. Her demise must be handled with care".
"Your Brother,Your Majesty?" the mirror suggested to her.
"No!" she angrily snaps at the genie only to take a breath to calm herself "Not him" she softly adds "He can't be anywhere near this".
"Perhaps, one of your knights?".
"No. I need someone adept at murder. Bereft of mercy".
"Someone with no heart" he goes on.
"Now you understand" she tells the mirror.
"Well, in that case, you need a huntsman".
The morning after the night Emma found out about Graham's ongoing affair with the Mayor and the kiss on the street, Emma Swan walked down the metal stair from her bedroom upstairs the small loft to find a bunch of flower left on the kitchen table.
"Really?" she sighs out in disbelief as she picks them up from the table and heads for the trashcan as Mary Margaret walks in from her bedroom to see what the blonde was doing.
"Oh! Hey, wait!" she hurry's to stop her only for the blonde to throw them stem first into the trash can "What are you doing?" she asks her roommate.
"If Graham thinks flowers will work on me…".
"No, those were mine" the pixie haired teacher corrects her eyeing the flowers that stuck out from the trash.
"Oh" the blonde says puling on a dark hoodie over her shoulders "From David?" she questions her.
"No" she quickly tells her "Uh… Elijah"
"Why would Elijah-" the blondes question is answered as the dark haired room turns and gives her a look. One that told her what she had done with the Mayor's younger brother. "Are you serious?" her roommate asks her lowly as she stares at the woman in front of her.
"I know. It's a disaster".
"No! That's amazing. You're getting over David. But isn't he your boss?".
"First of all, there's nothing to get over and second of all, it's just a one night stand we agreed it wouldn't effect are working relationship" she tells her friend making her way to the breakfast bar to make some coffee for herself.
"Not according to those flowers" Emma teased the woman as she took a jug of orange juice out of the fridge.
"Yeah, maybe I shouldn't have called him" she meekly admits to the blonde.
"Oh my god! You called him? That is definitely not a one night stand".
"Well, okay – I'm still learning I never had one before. I felt guilty".
"Why? There's nothing wrong with what you did. Trust me. One-nighters is as far as I ever go."
"Well, yeah" she shrugs to herself "That's because you're-"Mary Margaret went say only to stop herself.
"Because I'm what?" the blonde asks her.
"Never mind" the teacher brushes her off, going back to making her coffee.
"No, tell me – what do I do?".
"You're just protecting yourself. With that wall you put up".
"Just because I don't get emotional over men-".
"You don't get emotional over men?" the teacher questions the blonde "Uh, the floral abuse tells a different story" she points out to her.
"What story is that?".
"The one that's obvious to everyone except, apparently, you – that you have feelings for Graham".
"Come on!" she protests to the woman's assumption.
"There's that wall" Mary-Margaret quickly adds as she goes to save her flowers from the vase.
"That's not a wall" Emma continued to argue.
"Really?" she questions the blonde again saving the flowers from the trash can giving the blonde another look.
"There's nothing wrong with being cautious" the deputy voices to her roommate as the latter put the bunch of flowers in a glass vase.
"Oh, true. True. But, Emma, that wall of yours? It may keep out pain but it also may keep out love".
The day carried on as usual for the Principle of school as he made his rounds down the various hallways and classrooms. He refused to be a principle that shut himself in his office all day, expecting his children to follow his rules when they get in trouble.
He wanted to be a friendly face they would be able to speak to if they wished to. One that would listen to what they had learned that day. Someone to respect when they find themselves in his office for their behavior and take their punishment seriously.
An involuntary smile pulled in his face as he neared Mary-Margaret Blanchard's classroom as the fresh memories of the night they had spent together came to The front of his mind. She was nervous when they woke up in a bed together in a room in the Inn, agreeing that it would be a one time thing, only for her to call him again.
The flowers he picked out himself that morning in Game of Thorns reminded him of home and he remembered some of her favorite flowers from their numerous walks in the castle gardens. He wondered if she still like them.
Walking into her classroom, he expected her to be alone only to find Sheriff Graham in the room with her.
"Sheriff" he greeted the man with a hint of surprise lacing his voice making the man whirl around to see him stood in the doorway "I didn't know you were visiting today".
Looking around he was met with the image of Elijah Mill's behind him in his suit in tie only to see flashes before his eye's of something that was impossible. Blood red eyes, with protruding dark veins under his eyes and as sharp canine grew from his mouth.
"Ah!" the Sheriff screamed out in fear "Demon" he shuddered out loud as he scrambled backwards into the smaller woman as he held out a protective arm in front of her like he was trying to keep the principle away from the woman as the woman looked at the man in the suit in concern.
"Excuse me?" Principle Mill's asks the man in confusion as more flashes of the demon appear before him making his way towards him as thick red blood covered his mouth and jaw as he felt the pain of two sharp needles piercing his neck, wrist and arm feeling the his energy being drained from his body each time it happened.
"Stay away from her!" he yelled at the principle as the latter narrowed his eye's at the man, seeing his pale skin and covered in a thin sheen of sweat.
"Graham" the principle softly calls out to the man as he slowly entered the classroom, holding the Sheriff's erratic gaze, holding his hand out to how the man he meant no harm to him or Mary Margaret behind him.
"Graham you are unwell" he tells the man "Whoever it is you think I am. I'm not" he adds taking a step closer to the Sheriff only for the man to panic taking Mary Margaret further away from him.
"No!" the man protested "You'll hurt her".
"Elijah!" the teacher called out to the man for help.
"Not her" Elijah tells him "Never her. She is my friend. I give you my word Graham".
Watching the man he saw the he meant every word as his eye's softened, no longer seeing the demon he saw on his face.
"I'm sorry" Graham breathed out, letting out a shaky breath "I should go".
"I think that's for the best" Elijah tells his friend as he steps out to the side to let the erratic Sheriff leave the classroom, shutting the door behind him, he left the principle and teacher behind as the former quickly closed the distance between him and his friend to see any visible injuries from the man's manhandling.
"Are you alright?" he asks the woman in concern.
"Is he?" Mary Margaret asks the taller man.
"What were you talking about before I came in?".
"Uh, about past lives, and Henry's story book-".
"His story book?"he interrupts the teacher as his voice lowers in concern.
"Yeah, But it makes no sense" she voiced to him shaking her head to her.
"Of course it doesn't" he tells her straightening his posture to make sure he kept up his appearance in front of her "Let me handle this Miss Blanchard" he tells he placing a tender kiss to her cheek and reassuring smile before turning and leaving her in the classroom as he dialed a number he was getting too familiar with.
"Elijah?" Emma answered her cell phone.
"Deputy Swan. I'm in need of your assistance. Meet me at the house" he simply tells her before hanging up, he needed to get home.
Speeding home, the school principle made it just in time to see EMMA Swan pulling up in front of his home he shared with his sister and nephew as he parked behind he blonde deputy as she waited for him to appear at the house
"Elijah" Emma called after the man as he headed straight for his home.
"Sheriff Graham seems to be on some sort of mental break. I need you to escort him off the premises".
"Elijah, I can't just go in there and get him".
"Yes you can!" he snaps at the woman whirling around to face her "He's in there with my nephew and I will not have him spreading vile stories about me to him".
"Elijah, you need to calm down" following the woman's advise the principle made himself take a breath as he took a step away from her and towards the yellow bug that was parked on the side of the street "What stories?" she asks him.
"He-" he started before choking on his own words as he recalled the word his friend call him "Called me a demon. He thought he was protecting Mary Margaret from me, telling her that I would hurt her".
"Have you? Hurt someone I mean" the blonde asked. She needed to know more about the guy her friend had a one-night stand with.
But the question took the man by surprise as his mind took him straight to Sybil. Poor innocent Sybil that had fallen in love with a monster that broke her heart, enough to think she couldn't live in a world where he couldn't love her.
"I give you my word, I have never touched a woman I care about, and nor would I. I would-I would never hurt her" he tells the blonde leaning himself against her yellow bug like he was physically retraining himself from storming into he house and dragging Graham out himself by his hair as her so called 'superpower' didn't kick in like she thought it would, he was telling the truth.
"Why didn't you call Regina?".
"Trust me, when I say Miss Swan. My sister does not possess a delicate touch in these kinds of matters" he tells her turning his head to look at her "That's why I called you. If there is a way to get through to the man, it's you".
"Not even when they've been sleeping together" the sentence made the an grimace in disgust as she would assume it would when you told someone's brother what they were doing in being closed doors.
"Please refrain from saying my sister's name with the Sheriff's in the same sentence in that context in the future".
"You know" it was more a statement than a question as the man turned lean his back against her car as he shrugged to the blonde, not knowing what else to say when someone discovers his sister's habits.
"She has her hobbies, I have mine" was he could say on the matter of her long-term 'affair' with the Sheriff. The answer made alarm bells go off in her head at what he had said.
"Is that what Mary Margaret is to you then? A hobby?" she questions the man. She needed to know if he was going to end up hurting her friend.
"Never" he tells her truthfully "She's been my friend for a very long time" he tells her with a gentle smile.
And she had. He never had any romantic feelings for her when they were engaged back home, and it was the same here. She was kind to him when everything started to fall apart. And in return he let her pay for his mistake. And the other night was just that. One night.
The blonde accepted his answer as she made herself comfortable sat in the open door of her bug as they waited for Graham to come out of the home.
The pair waited in silence with the principle leaning his back against the side of the yellow bug and the deputy sat on the edge of her car seat as Graham finally merged from the larger white home to head for his car only for Emma to stop him as she stood from her place in the yellow bug.
"Hey. Hear you're having a rough day" the blonde tells the Sheriff.
"Who says?" he says looking straight at man in the suit that stood on the sidewalk with Emma.
Glancing towards the principle, the man looked at the man with a hard look on his face before walking past him to head into his family home to let the blonde deputy to deal with the man herself.
"Pretty much everyone" Emma supplies as she seeing's Elijah's form disappear into his home "I think maybe you need to go home and get some rest".
The Sheriff and Deputy had left by the time the principle looked out the window of his nephew's bedroom. They could carry on as normal with the evening as the Principle joined his sister like he did every Wednesday to lay flowers on their father's grave.
Approaching the crypt, the pair of siblings stayed in conformable silence as the elder of the two noticed that he was unusually quiet for himself as the man pulled his tied down from his neck as he thought about the days' events. Hopefully Emma should've dealt with the man.
"What's wrong?" she asks her younger brother.
"Nothing" he tells her "Although it seems Miss Swan knows about your...liaison's with the Sheriff" he says making her roll her eye's at his words as they continued towards the crypt "I'm also aware he made a visit late last night".
"Like your late night visits to Miss Lucas in the Inn, brother?" she rebutted with a raised brow pointed his way as an amused smile tugged at his lips. At least she didn't say Mary-Margaret, now that is something he would never live down.
"Touche" he replied "However I don't bring my pets home, while my nephew is sleeping down the hall" he tells her as the approach the crypt only to see the door open on the locked doors that secured their father's resting place.
"Oh for heavens sake" he mumbled o himself as he saw the blonde deputy and the sheriff in the open doorway of their family crypt with a flashlight.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Regina called to the trespassers of their family crypt. The pair had to look away as flashlight were flashed in both their faces as Sheriff Graham and his deputy stepped out of the mausoleum.
"What are you doing here?" Emma asks the pair of sibling outside the mausoleum.
"Bringing flowers to our father's grave like we do every Wednesday" she snaps at the pair as her brother stands silently beside her.
"Don't blame her" Graham steps up to face the Mayor himself "It's my fault. I wanted to look in there" he tells them.
"Really? Why? What were you looking for?" she suspiciously asks him.
"Nothing. It was, uh… It was nothing" he struggled to answer the woman as she see's his sickly complexion, while Elijah see's Emma step down to join the Sheriff.
"You don't look well, dear" she observes out load "Let's take you home" she tells him grabbing his arm to lead him away only to break himself free of her grasp.
"Regina, I… I don't want to go home" he protests "Not with you".
"Oh? But you'll go with her" the Mayor says looking over to the blonde.
"Hey. This is between you two – leave me out of it" the blonde tells the Mayor making the latter look at her in displeasure.
"Miss Swan, I recommended to keep quiet" Elijah sharply tells the blonde woman that had managed to get herself tangled up in this mess, giving her a stern look to go with his words "I won't ask again" making her look at him in surprise.
"She's right" Graham interrupts the principle "It's between us. And things have to change".
"And I wonder why that is all of a sudden" she voices to the man.
"It has nothing to do with her. You know, I've realized that I don't feel anything, Regina. And I know now it's not me. It's you".
"So, you're leaving me for her?".
"I'm leaving you for me" he corrects her, making the blonde and other man present look at him
"Graham, you're not thinking straight" she tells the Sheriff, stepping closer to the man as Elijah kept his distance from the scene before him.
"Actually, for the first time, I am" he sternly tells her "I'd rather have nothing than settle for less. Nothing is better than what we have. I need to feel something, Regina, and the only way to do that is to give myself a chance".
"Graham-" she says reaching out to touch his chest only for the man to step away from her.
"I'm sorry. It's over" he tells her before looking over to Emma.
"I don't know what I ever did to you, Miss Swan, to deserve this" the Mayor send towards the blonde deputy "To have you keep coming after everything I hold dear".
"I told you, it's not her" the sheriff continues to defend her trying to keep her mouth shut as per Elijah's request to stay out of it.
"None of this happened until she got here" she accused the blonde.
"I'm sorry" Emma spoke up, ignoring the Mayor's younger brother's 'order' "Did you ever stop to think that maybe the problem isn't with me, but with you?".
"Excuse me?".
"Sister" Elijah tries to call out to his sister only for it to go unheard as she zeroed in on the blonde deputy. This was going downhill quickly.
"Henry came and found me" she points out to the Mayor, circling behind the Sheriff as she continued her point "Elijah called me. Graham kissed me. They were miserable. Your own brother is terrified of you" she points out to the woman as she looks up to see the man looking straight back at her with a questionable look.
Ever since she had met him, he'd been following her like a lost puppy when she called. He was scared of her. Plain and simple. It was no way to treat a someone you loved, let alone a family member.
"Maybe, Madam Mayor, you need to take a good hard look in the mirror and ask yourself why that is. Why is everyone running away from you?".
The blonde was met by silence as a dark smirk twitched up on the Mayor's lips, before lashing out and punching the deputy straight in the face.
"Regina! Emma!" Graham and Elijah yelled out respectively as the blonde to was sent into the sheriff's waiting form in the momentum. The principle wasn't able to reach his sister in time as the blonde quickly recovered from he right hook to punch Regina back int he face, sending her into her brother's arms as the flowers they had brought were dropped onto the ground.
Not giving the Mayor a second to breath the blonde in the red jacket grabbed the Mayor by her shoulder to drag her out of her brother's arms as the blonde pushes her up against the stone crypt, only for a pair of strong arms to physically pick the blonde off the ground and take her away from his sister.
The blonde yelled in protest as she struggled in his arms before he practicably threw the woman to the Sheriff before turning his back on the angry deputy to see his sister smiling at the way her brother had dealt with the woman.
"ENOUGH!" he firmly yells at her making the smirk on her face disappear "Control yourself" he tells her before turning around to see the blonde back circling around the Mayor as her brother snatched the bouquet of flowers from the ground to shove back in his sister's hands as the blonde approaches the pair again.
"Emma" Elijah warns her again in a low tone not wanting to witness a second round between the women.
"Not worth it" was all Emma told the Mayor before the blonde walks away from them with Elijah following close behind a few steps before stopping.
"Graham" Regina called out the man, stepping towards him, only to go ignored as he follows Emma out of the cemetery to leave the siblings behind.
Seconds stretched into seconds as Elijah watched Emma and Graham disappear in the distance before he made himself look back at his sister to see a look in her eye that he hadn't seen in years. The look he feared to be on the receiving end of ever since she became Queen.
"No" begged his sister seeing the look on her face "No. Don't do this" he begged as he felt his legs become heavy beneath him as the fear of losing his friend became all too real in that moment, and his promise to his father becoming a distant dream yet again.
"Think this through" he tried to reason with her as he felt his eye's sting from the fearful tears that threatened to fall "We can fix this. I-I can fix this. I give you my word".
But his plea's went in through one ear and out the ear as she snapped around not giving her brother a chance to catch up to her as she headed towards the crypt to do what she needed to do to punish the man from attempting to run from his cage.
"Leave him alone!" he yelled at her as a he ran towards the door to stop her only for the door to close in his face as he reached it, hearing his sister lock him out as he was left to continue his desperate plea's for his friends life to the Evil Queen.
"Don't do this!" he yells through the door trying to open them "We can fix this! We can fix this. I promise. I give you my word!"
"REGINA! REGINA!" he continued to yell as he beat the doors with his fists, trying to put every ounce of strength he had "Please! Please" he whimpered resting his head against the locked doors as the tears finally fell from his eye's.
Loud sobs leaving his mouth as he felt the muscles finally gave in to the fatigue he felt knowing it was no use. His friend was going to die and there was nothing he could do stop it. She was going to delve further into the darkness than he thought possible.
"I hate you" he whimpered to the door as he gave it another hard push "I hate you!" he yelled the woman behind the door that had taken his sister before pushing himself off the door to stare at the door with streaks of tears staining his face, tired pants left his lungs as stared at the doors.
"I'm sorry" he gulped out to his father in the crypt "I'm so sorry. I'm trying. You have to believe me".
So much for progress.
AN: The Shepherd covered in this chapter then Heart is a Lonely Hunter. Poor Graham, sorrows. Prayers..anyway! HAHA
Hope you enjoyed the chapter.
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