VIII. "I hate the woods."
With all the drama going on the last few days with Mary Margaret, David, and Kathryn, everything has calmed down a little, at least not with all the whispering and gossiping about them. It ramps up a little with the news of Kathryn's car crashing by the Storybrooke sign on her way out of town.
Leroy is eating breakfast at the counter in Granny's Diner. Mr Cark and Walter enter, wanting to sit together, but Leroy is taking up a spot with two chairs on either side of him. "Uh, excuse me, Leroy. Uh, do you mind scooting over a seat so Walter and I could sit together?" Mr Clark requests, looking at the man.
"If I wanted to sit there, I would've sat there," Leroy retorts. "You want this seat? Try dragging your sorry asses out of bed a little earlier."
"You're a real ray of sunshine as-," he remarks before sneezing all over Leroy's breakfast, making him.
"Congrats – just lost my appetite. Seat's all yours," the grumpy man sneers, getting up to leave as Mary Margaret walks into the Diner.
"Excuse me. Can I have everyone's attention, please?" Mary Margaret requests, and the Diner goes silent. "I'm sorry to interrupt your morning, but I just wanted to remind everyone that a very special occasion is upon us – Miner's Day. As always, the nuns of Storybrooke are hoping that everyone will get involved, and will help sell their exquisite candles. All we need are a few energetic volunteers. So, who wants to join me?" Everyone ignores her and goes back to what they are doing. Leroy heads to the door, which Mary Margaret is still standing in front of. "Leroy, you want to volunteer?"
"I want to leave, sister. You're blocking the door," Leroy tells her, making the teacher look at him.
"Of course. Uh, you know, if you wanted to help, it could really be a-," Mary Margaret mutters.
"Oh, yeah. Right. Quite a team we'd make – town harlot, town drunk," Leroy grunts. "The only person in this town that people like less than me, is you. If you're coming to me, you're screwed." He leaves, and after a moment, Mary Margaret leaves, too.
(BLESSING)
Emma follows her outside and walks along with her, passing Landon, who is going to meet his girlfriend, and the couple joins the sweet teacher. "Hey. Mind if we join you?" Emma asks but doesn't get a reply. "So, what the hell is Miner's Day, and why are you beating yourself up over it?"
"It's an annual holiday celebrating an old tradition," Landon replies. "The nuns used to make candles and trade them with the miners for coal."
"Coal? In Maine? If they were mining for lobster, I'd understand," she remarks, smiling.
"Look, I don't know. Now, they use it as a fundraiser. It's an amazing party – everyone loves it," Mary Margaret argues, smiling a little at the fond, foggy memories.
"It doesn't seem like everyone loves it," the SheriffSheriff says, looking at her boyfriend and roommate.
"It's not Miner's Day – it's me. Last week, I had ten volunteers. This week, they all dropped out," the teacher huffs, feeling the betrayal of everyone in town.
"You think this is about what happened with David?" Emma asks.
"Oh, I know it is. A few of them told me as much. I've never…been a home wrecker before," she sighs.
"It's going to blow over," the blond woman assures her. "You made a mistake with David – it happens. But, you don't have to do charity to try to win people's hearts back."
"I have to do something, and this is the best I can do. Love ruined my life," the raven-haired woman grumbles, and Emma's phone rings.
"Sheriff Swan," Emma answers. "Yeah. I'll be right down." She hangs up. "Well, apparently, duty calls. Hang in there. And, if there's anything I can do to help, I will. I will try to swing by Granny's for lunch."
"I know. Thank you," Mary Margaret replies.
"So will I," Landon tells her; they quickly kiss before Emma rushes to her car to get to the station. "Now, do you still need volunteers?" He smirks, and Mary Margaret smiles at the generous offer.
(BLESSING)
Later in the day, the citizens of Storybrooke set up for Miner's Day, prepping booths and hanging lights. Leroy walks past a ladder when something similar, looking like fairy dust, falls on his head. He angrily looks up and sees Astrid, whose grumpy glare changes to a softer smile. "Oh, I'm so sorry. It just slipped out of my hand. I…" Astrid apologises.
"No problem at all," Leroy assures her, smiling at the beautiful nun as she climbs the ladder.
"I really am so sorry," she says again. "I… I was so busy trying to get the lights to work that I didn't realise I was about to knock it off the ladder."
"Let me take a look at those lights for you," he says, climbing up the ladder. "Here's your problem – you're overloading the transformer. You kept messing around with these lights, the whole thing could've blown up on you."
"Oh. Then I guess that makes you my hero," the nun retorts.
"I'm nobody's hero, sister," the grumpy man argues.
"Oh. You can just call me Astrid," she tells him, waving her hand dismissively.
"I call everybody sister. I'm Leroy," he replies, tinkering with the lights, which turn on.
"How did you do that? Are you an electrician?" Astrid asks, looking around at the beautiful fairy lights.
"I'm in the custodial services game," Leroy informs her, climbing the ladder and joining her again.
"That's… Wonderful," she says, trying to find the right word.
"No, it's not," he argues. "What I really wanted to do was sail. I even bought a boat. It's a real clunker. I was going to fix it up, sail around the world, say good-bye to this hellhole. I'm… I'm sorry, sister."
"It's okay. You know, someone once told me, you can do anything as long as you can dream it," the sweet woman retorts, smiling.
"You really think so?" The grumpy man questions.
"Sure. Look how easily you fixed those lights. I bet you could do anything. I should, uh, get back to the Volunteer Center. Nice to meet you, Leroy," Astrid says before leaving Leroy alone as he watches her go.
(BLESSING)
Meanwhile, Emma investigates Kathryn's crashed car, looking for more evidence or clues on her whereabouts. Sidney arrives on the scene with a camera. "You mind if I take a look, too?" Sidney asks, raising his camera.
"What for?" Emma questions, looking at the disgraced former journalist.
"Well, just because I got fired from The Mirror, doesn't mean I can't do a little freelance reporting. So, what do we got here?" He wonders, looking at the crashed car.
"Gym teacher found this thing on the side of the road abandoned. Engine running, no one around. Registered to Kathryn Nolan. She's MIA," she replies, listing everything she has so far.
"Kathryn Nolan, whose husband very publicly left her?" Glass retorts. "I mean, the story writes itself. If I get a scoop like that, The Daily Mirror would have no choice but to take me back."
"Calm down, tiger. You don't work for Regina anymore," the Sheriff argues, knowing Landon won't take Sidney Glass back even if his sister begged him. "Kathryn got accepted to law school in Boston. Maybe, after David dumped her, she decided to leave town. Car broke down, she hitched the rest of the way. That's what I would do if I was running away from my problems." Emma opens the car drunk and finds a suitcase still inside.
"And, uh, would you leave your clothes in the car?" Sidney wonders, looking at the blond woman.
"Time to pull Kathryn's phone records and find out who she spoke to last," Emma concludes.
"Yeah, you know, if you go through the Sheriff's Department, it'll take you days to get those. I've got a contact over at the phone company, who used to help me out when I was at the newspaper. I can get those in a couple hours," he offers, wanting in on the investigation.
"I don't think so. Landon said he'd help me out with getting my hands on those phone records," she replies, making Sidney look at her in shock when David's truck pulls up along the side of the road.
"There he is," Mr Glass announces, watching David.
"Time to break the news," the blond woman retorts, sighing.
"You really think he doesn't know?" Sidney asks, looking at the SheriffSheriff.
"I'm about to find out," Emma says, walking over to David as he gets out of his truck.
(BLESSING)
At the Volunteer Centre, Mary Margaret fills out forms at a table in the corner when Leroy enters. "Where can I sign up?" Leroy asks, but Mary Margaret just ignores him. "What? I want to volunteer to sell candles."
"No, you don't. You made that very clear this morning at Granny's," Mary Margaret argues.
"Well… Maybe, I saw the light," he retorts, making the teacher look at him. "I mean, maybe somebody showed it to me. What difference does it make, sister? It looks like you can use all the help you can get."
"Okay, I need help manning the candle booth," she tells him. "No swearing, no drinking, and I get to call all the shots." Astrid and Mother Superior talk in hushed voices on the other side of the room.
"You ordered how many tanks of helium?" Mother Superior asks the younger nun.
"I-I meant to order twelve," Astrid replies, embarrassed about the scolding and mistake.
"You ordered twelve dozen. Return them," she orders.
"There are no refunds," the sweet nun informs her.
"We needed that money – you knew that. You know how he feels about us. You fix this, Sister Astrid. You fix it now," Mother Superior tells her before leaving. Leroy, who overhears the exchange, walks over to Astrid.
"Hey. What's the problem?" Leroy asks the nun.
"The problem is, I'm an idiot," Astrid replies. "We get a stipend each year for expenses, and it's all carefully budgeted except for the part where I spent it all. On helium. And now we can't pay our rent."
"So, you'll make it up when you get your next stipend," he argues, shrugging, not seeing the problem.
"Which isn't till next month. The rent is due next week. And the only income we have are these candles," she tells him, shaking her head in defeat.
"Well, so how many do you need to sell?" The grumpy man asks, wanting to help her.
"Like, a thousand," the sweet nun replies sadly.
"How many did you sell last year?" Leroy wonders.
"Forty-two," Astrid says.
"Ask your landlord to cut you a break," he suggests.
"Mr Gold doesn't offer much leeway," she argues, and he nods, knowing the man doesn't give anyone second chances.
"Mr Gold's your landlord?" The grumpy man gasps.
"If we miss a payment, we're out," the nun explains. "And then they'll reassign us, and we'll have to leave Storybrooke."
"No, you won't," Leroy tells her. "You know why you only sold forty-two last year? Because you didn't have me. This year, we're going to sell all of them."
"Wow! Leroy, I guess you really are my hero," she beams.
(BLESSING)
David and Emma still need to talk about Kathryn at the crash site. "She's just gone?" David asks, looking at Emma in shock, and she isn't sure if it's genuine or not.
"You really don't know anything, do you?" Emma wonders.
"I-I don't… I don't understand. What happened?" He questions.
"I don't know. I'm trying to find out," she replies. "What can you tell me? When was the last time you spoke to Kathryn?"
"Yesterday afternoon," Nolan answers, thinking about it.
"Okay, look. I know there has been lies and deceit, and I'm really not judging you, but is that the truth?" The SheriffSheriff asks, needing answers.
"Yes. I haven't spoken to her since we… I ended things. And I came home yesterday, and all her things were gone. I assumed she was going to Boston. That's what she told me. Am I a suspect or something?" David wonders.
"No. I know when people are telling the truth, David, and you are. She hasn't even been gone twenty-four hours. She's not even technically missing. But, if she is, trust me – I will find her," Emma promises him.
(BLESSING)
Regina is sitting in her office at the town hall when a fax comes through. The fax is two pages of Kathryn's phone records. She grabs her phone and dials a number. "Hello, Sidney?" She says, smirking. "Those phone records you wanted - I have them. And I think you'll find them quite helpful."
(BLESSING)
Later that day, in the centre of Storybrooke, and the Miner's Day festival begins, Mary Margaret and Leroy try selling their candles at their booth. "Buy your Miner's Day candles here! Handmade by Storybrooke's very own nuns! Light your way to a good cause! By buying a candle…" Mary Margaret tries selling, but everyone ignores her. "This isn't working."
"You're right. We should pack it up," Leroy agrees, shrugging.
"Now you're quitting?" She asks, looking at him.
"If the customers won't come to us, we got to go to them – door to door," he argues, coming up with another idea.
"If they hate us here, what makes you think they'll like us in their homes?" The teacher wonders.
"Exactly. They'll pay us just to leave," the grumpy man retorts, smirking, and they grab some boxes and head out into the town.
At another booth at the festival, Landon stands at the ring toss, watching Sidney drunkenly play. Emma walks up to them, looking at Sidney, but turns to Landon, smiling. "Well, hello, there, care for a game?" Landon asks, kissing Emma, who smiles into the kiss.
"What the hell are you doing?" Emma asks, looking at Sidney.
"What's happening?" Sidney asks, turning to her.
"I just got off the phone with Kathryn's school in Boston. Registration was this morning, and she never showed up," she informs them, and Landon looks at them.
"Something did happen," Landon declares.
"It looks that way," the Sheriff agrees. Mary Margaret and Leroy rush past, but she stops when she sees Emma.
"Oh, Emma! Help me out! What's more sympathetic. Um, scarf or no scarf?" Mary Margaret asks, showing her.
"Sc-Scarf," Emma replies, looking at her friend.
"Okay," she says, smiling.
"Come on – we're on a schedule," Leroy shouts, looking back at her.
"Oh, uh, thank you. Got to go," the teacher replies before running off with Leroy.
"That's something I haven't seen before," Landon remarks.
"Why didn't you say anything? You're looking for a suspect. Someone with a motive. Pixie cut over there has got one a mile high," Sidney comments, earning looks from Landon and Emma.
"She had nothing to do with anything. Trust me," Emma snaps, glaring at him for accusing her roommate.
"But she's the one-," he argues.
"Trust me – I know her," she replies and turns to Landon. "Just get me those phone records."
"Yes, ma'am," Landon smirks, quickly kissing before she heads out. "Now, Sidney, another try?"
(BLESSING)
Mary Margaret and Leroy go to their first house with a man who eats a carrot and answers the door. A woman then appears beside him. "Hi," Mary Margaret greets him. "We're selling candles for Miner's Day."
"We're not interested," the woman snaps, slamming the door. Mary Margaret and Leroy try several more houses, but the door slams in their faces whenever they try to sell their candles.
(BLESSING)
Astrid picks up the fruit she accidentally dropped when Leroy enters the Volunteer Centre. Mary Margaret watches from the other side of the room. "Sister Astrid?" Leroy asks, looking at her.
"Hi," Astrid replies, smiling.
"I have to talk to you. See, I have some bad news," he tells her.
"Oh, no. What is it?" She asks, turning to him, and he looks at her and can't tell her the bad news.
"The bad news is, that… That… You nuns are going to be real busy making candles, cause me and Mary Margaret just sold them all. You're not losing the convent. You're not going anywhere," the grumpy man tells her, lying through his teeth. Astrid hugs Leroy happily. Afterwards, Mary Margaret pulls Leroy aside.
"How could you tell Astrid that we sold all those candles? That is five thousand dollars, Leroy. Five thousand dollars that we don't have," Mary Margaret snaps, glaring at him.
"Don't worry about it, alright? I got a plan," Leroy assures her, though he hasn't yet.
"What plan? A plan like going door to door and having everyone in town laugh in our faces?" She questions, frustrated.
"Just give me till the end of the day. I'll figure something out," he promises her.
"And why is this so important to you?" The raven-haired woman asks.
"The nuns… They're going to have to leave," the town drunk informs her, and it clicks for Mary Margaret.
"Oh, my God. You like her! She is a nun, Leroy. Could you possibly pick anyone any less available?" Mary Margaret gasps, looking at him in shock.
"Says the girl who went after a married guy?" Leroy retorts. "At the end of the day, you're no better than I am. You got your reasons for being here, I got mine. And when I say I'm going to get that five thousand dollars, I'm going to get that five thousand dollars."
(BLESSING)
Leroy heads down to the docks with Mr Gold, trying to sell his boat to help the nuns. "Now, I know it's a bit of a fixer-upper, could probably use a new coat of paint, a few spritzes of Febreze here and there, but you can't tell me that five thousand's not a reasonable price for this beauty." Leroy tells him.
"Three thousand, I think," Mr Gold replies, looking at the boat.
"I need five," he argues.
"You need five? To what do we owe the specificity?" Gold wonders, looking at the man.
"Trying to help out a friend," the grumpy man replies.
"Oh, I see," Mr Gold muses, smirking.
"Look, you don't even have to pay me anything. Just forgive one month's rent for the nuns," Leroy bargains.
"The nuns?" He asks.
"You can have the boat. They'll pay you back eventually. It's a good deal. You get everything," the town drunk argues, wanting to help Astrid.
"So, that's what this is about," the Dark One says, smiling.
"Come on – you're a rich guy. You can afford to give them time to make up one month's, right?" Leroy retorts.
"You're right – I could," Mr Gold agrees.
"So, great," he replies, smiling, but it doesn't mean Mr Gold agrees to the offer.
"But I won't. I have a fairly specific rental agreement. If they miss a payment, I'm within my rights to evict," Gold tells him.
"Oh, come on. Why don't you-," the grumpy man argues, snapping at the town's most powerful man.
"And, quite honestly, it's going to be a great relief to be rid of such distasteful tenants," Mr Gold retorts.
"You don't like nuns? Who doesn't like nuns?" Leroy wonders, getting off track.
"Oh, I have my reasons. And they're mine. Let's just say I have a long and complicated history with them and leave it at that," he replies, leaving. Leroy briefly goes into the boat cabin when Astrid arrives, and he comes back outside and sees she has a pie.
"Hello?" Astrid calls out, making him look at her.
"Astrid!" Leroy exclaims, smiling at her.
"Mary Margaret said I might find you down here," she explains. "I… I made you a pie. It's the least I could do after all your help. Oh, this boat is great! It's going to be amazing when you get it out on the water. I can't even remember the last time I was on it-" Astrid sees the boxes of candles underneath the tarp, realising he lied to her. "What… What's this?" She pulls back the tarp. "If you sold all the candles, why are they still here, Leroy?"
"I didn't sell them all. I tried to, but nobody wanted to buy them from me. I was going to tell you the truth, but I was afraid of letting you down," he replies, explaining everything.
"So, you lied," the sweet nun concludes.
"I'm sorry, Astrid. I guess you believed in the wrong guy," the town drunk replies, and she storms off, leaving Leroy to sulk a little.
(BLESSING)
At the station, Emma looks at pictures from the crash site on a bulletin board when Landon enters with a folder. "You find something?" Emma asks, looking at her boyfriend, who hands her the folder.
"Kathryn's phone records. Every call she made the day she crashed her car. Including an eight minute call between her and David within an hour of the accident," Landon replies, smirking. However, he doesn't realise that Sidney had swapped the folders back at the Miner's Day festival when he was distracted by a call from his sister.
"That's not possible. He said he didn't speak to her that day," she replies, looking through the folder.
"Then, he's lying," he argues, shrugging. "It happens."
"No. I know when someone is lying, and David-," the Sheriff retorts.
"It's right here on paper, Em. Phone records don't lie – people do. And our friend David does it better than most. Don't beat yourself up over this. You're not the only person David fooled," the Historian tells her. "Though, if you want to keep looking at other people, it won't go amiss. Em, you need to remember that if he did do something to his wife, he's dangerous, I don't want something happening to you."
"I won't let anything happen to me, I promise," Emma assures him.
(BLESSING)
Mary Margaret sits in Granny's Diner, having a drink, when Leroy comes in and sits beside her. "I'll have what she's having," Leroy says to Granny, who looks at the pair of them strangely.
"Well? Did you get it?" Mary Margaret asks him, knowing he was trying to talk to Mr Gold earlier.
"What do you think?" He snaps.
"I think you're right. I was dreaming if I thought the town harlot and the town drunk could accomplish anything," she grumbles.
"Yeah. Just dreaming," the grumpy man replies, and they sit drinking for a little while longer.
"Leroy, you understand that a relationship between you and Sister Astrid can never happen?" The teacher asks him.
"Yeah, yeah. My whole life people made it their business to tell me what I can't do," Leroy says. "She was the first person that said I could do anything. Who believed in me. I didn't want to disappoint her."
"But there are consequences to following through when the world tells you not to. I mean, look at me. I am a pariah in this town," Mary Margaret retorts, shrugging as she holds onto her drink.
"What about your good memories?" He asks.
"What do you mean?" She wonders, looking at him.
"Didn't you have moments with him that you love? Do you regret them?" The town drunk asks.
"No, of course not," the raven-haired woman replies.
"Isn't that what life's about?" Leroy wonders. "Holding on to your good memories? All I wanted was a moment with Astrid. One moment to give me hope that any dream's possible. You've had all that, Mary Margaret. So, stop feeling sorry for yourself and enjoy it. Because I haven't."
"Well, if I had the dream, I'm sorry to say, it wasn't worth it," Mary Margaret argues, thinking about everything with David.
"And sitting here drinking won't end this pain," he argues.
"What will?" She asks.
"I can only think of one thing," the grumpy man replies, smiling.
(BLESSING)
Leroy returns to the Miner's Day festival, grabs a pickaxe, and goes onto the roof of one of the buildings to find the transformer. "Perfect," he mutters, smirking. Mary Margaret also climbs onto the roof, trying to stop him.
"Leroy! What are you doing? Please, don't do it!" Mary Margaret shouts.
"I'm not going to jump," Leroy snaps, shaking his head.
"You're not?" She questions, looking at him in relief.
"No, are you crazy? I could hit someone. You know how much damage I could do? I'm solidly built," he retorts.
"Leroy, what are you doing up here?" The teacher asks, looking at him.
"I'm going to get my moment," the grumpy man replies, smiling.
"Wait! Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! What?" Mary Margaret shouts.
"You might want to duck," Leroy warns her, hitting the transformer with the axe, causing the power to go out at the festival.
"What are you doing?" She shrieks, looking out at the dark festival below.
"I'm selling candles, sister," he retorts, and they head down to the Miner's Day festival, where they get mobbed by everyone wanting to buy a candle. Mary Margaret soon notices that all of the boxes are empty.
"Leroy. We sold out," the sweet woman declares, and the two hug excitedly. They spot Astrid standing with the other nuns across from them. "Well, go on – give her the news. Have your moment." Leroy takes the money box and brings it over to the group of nuns.
"Excuse me," Astrid says, moving away from the other nuns and leaving Astrid and Leroy alone.
"Five thousand bucks. Piece of cake," Leroy informs her, sharing a smile with the lovely nun.
"You sold them all?" She questions, looking at the money box.
"I had a little help," he replies, glancing at Mary Margaret, who waves at them.
"You made it happen," the nun remarks, beaming.
"You have no idea," the grumpy man retorts, thinking about the pickaxe on the roof.
"I don't know what to say," Astrid says.
"You're welcome. Listen – that boat of mine? I'm going to fix it up. And, well, maybe you could be my first passenger," Leroy suggests, wanting to see her again.
"I'd like that," she replies, smiling at him and wanting to spend time with him too.
"Well, then, that's what we'll do, sister," he says.
"Oh. It's beautiful, isn't it?" The sweet nun asks, and they look around at the festival and see everyone holding their lit candles.
(BLESSING)
Emma looks through Kathryn's phone records at the station, missing out on the night's festivities. The name' D. Nolan' is highlighted. "If this is about the blackout, I've got the guys from the power company down there working on it," Emma assures Regina, seeing the Mayor walking into the Sheriff's office.
"That's not why I'm here," Regina argues, already knowing it's being sorted, so she can't snap at the blond woman. "It's been twenty-four hours since my friend, Kathryn, went missing. Have you found anything?"
"I found something. I just don't know what it means," she replies, looking up from the phone records she got from Landon, who has a lot of connections.
"Well, what is it?" The Mayor demands.
"At this point in the investigation, it's best I don't divulge that information," the SheriffSheriff tells her, not wanting a Witch Hunt going on around Storybrooke.
"If you're covering for someone, if you're not doing your job, Sheriff Swan, I'll find someone who will," Regina threatens her.
(BLESSING)
Not much later into the night's celebrations, Mary Margaret makes a 'sold out' sign and puts it on the counter of her candle booth with a smile, feeling happy about the night's events. She walks to her car, which still has the word 'TRAMP' spray painted on it, though it's not as eligible now. She stares at the word momentarily, then decides to return to the festival, wanting to enjoy herself no matter what anyone else says. Granny stops beside her and relights Mary Margaret's candle, showing her a bit of kindness after everything. David watches Mary Margaret pass him as Emma arrives at the festival, but it's not for the event, but for him as she approaches him. "Emma," David greets her.
"David, we need to talk," Emma replies grimly.
"Did you get a hold of Kathryn?" He asks, looking at the blond woman.
"No, I'm afraid not," she tells him, feeling bad about what she's about to do.
"Then, what is it?" Nolan wonders.
"I need you to come to the sheriff's station with me and tell me everything," the SheriffSheriff informs him.
"I'm sorry. I thought I already did," David argues, not understanding what's happening.
"So did I," Emma retorts and leads David out of the festival and to her squad car, putting him in the back seat. Mary Margaret looks on worriedly about David, her feelings for him still holding on strong.
(BLESSING)
Emma and David sit in her office at the Sheriff's station the following day. She hands him a mug of tea for his nerves. "Thank you. I hope Kathryn's somewhere warm, not out in the cold," David comments, taking the cup.
"David. I think you need to start worrying about yourself a little bit more here. Your wife is missing. You are in love with another woman. There's this… Unexplained phone call," Emma explains, showing him the phone records.
"I know, I know. I just… I can't explain why it says that. I didn't do anything to my wife," he argues.
"I'm pretty good at spotting a liar. And, honestly, liars have better material. Now, go home," she replies, shaking her head.
"I can go?" Nolan asks.
"We don't even know if there was a crime yet. So, get some sleep," the SheriffSheriff tells him.
"Thank you," David replies, standing up to leave.
"And, David? Maybe… Get a lawyer," Emma suggests, wanting to help him.
(BLESSING)
At Granny's Diner, Ruby flirts with August, who sits at one of the tables, enjoying some breakfast. "You can't be serious. A whole year without a roof over your head?" Ruby asks, leaning against the table.
"Well, you get used to it. Plus, I had the motorcycle. So, if I didn't like a place after a while…" August replies, and Granny sees them, growing annoyed.
"Ruby?" Granny calls for her granddaughter.
"I've never even been out of Storybrooke. What was your favourite place?" Ruby wonders, wishing for bigger things and adventure.
"Nepal. Best people. They have these prayer temples carved into mountains that are overrun with lemurs," August replies, smiling.
"What's a lemur?" She asks, never seeing one before.
"Ruby!" Granny shouts.
"Just give me a sec!" The red-clothed woman yells back at her grandmother.
"They're little animals. And they have these eyes that reflect light. So, at night, it looks like they glow," August tells her.
"Ruby! Stop flirting and get over here!" Granny shouts, calling for Ruby again over the counter. Ruby finally goes to meet Granny at the counter.
"I can't believe you did that. That was humiliating," Ruby snaps at her grandmother.
"I want you to start working Saturday nights," she informs her granddaughter, who looks at her in shock.
"Come on – we have an agreement about Saturday night," the young adult whines.
"I want to start training you to do the books and the reorders. Business is booming lately, and, with more money comes more paperwork," Granny argues, wanting to pass everything on to her granddaughter.
"Yeah. None of that sounds good," Ruby retorts, shrugging, not wanting any responsibility.
"It's got to be done," she tells her.
"Is this a punishment for talking to that guy?" The red-clad woman wonders, glaring at her.
"If I wanted to punish you, I'd have better reasons," Granny argues. "For one thing, you were late. For another thing, Liza, you dress like a drag queen during Fleet Week."
"And you dress like Norman Bates when he dresses like Norman Bates' mother," Ruby grumbles.
"Ruby, you're a grown woman. You can't keep acting like some kid," she sighs, wanting more from her granddaughter.
"You just want me to act like you until I turn into you. Well, I am not a fossil yet, Granny. I should be out there having adventures with lemurs!" The young woman snaps.
"Well, as long as you work here, you are going to listen to me," Granny yells.
"I didn't ask to work here," Ruby growls.
"Well, then what's keeping ya?" She snaps.
"Nothing! I quit!" The red-clothed woman shouts, storming out of the Diner and slamming the door behind her.
(BLESSING)
Mary Margaret runs to catch up with Emma on the street after the Sheriff stayed at Landon's for the night. The two of them walk together. "Is he okay?" Mary Margaret asks, earning a look from Emma. "David?"
"Oh, yeah. He's a little shaken up, but he's headed home. He's fine," Emma assures her.
"Any word from Kathryn?" She wonders, hoping for some good news.
"Nothing new," the SheriffSheriff replies.
"Did you check with Boston again?" The teacher asks.
"She's not there, Mary Margaret," Emma argues, shrugging.
"So, we have no idea what happened to her?" Mary Margaret questions.
"All we know is that she found out about you two, gave you a well-deserved slap, and then disappeared." She retorts, earning a look from the teacher.
"Well-deserved? Do you really believe that?" The raven-haired woman asks, looking at her in disbelief.
"No. I'm just preparing you for what everyone else is going to think," the Sheriff argues, looking at her. "You two are going to look bad until we figure the truth out."
"You mean David?" Mary Margaret says. "Th-That people are going to think in order to… Be free with me…"
"Some are. And, he's not doing himself any favours. So, if there's anything you could think of to pin down his whereabouts that night-," Emma suggests, trying to help her roommate and David.
"He wasn't with me. We really are through," she says, and the two women come across Ruby, who is waiting at the bus stop, and Dr Whale, who is talking to her.
"Sorry. No, don't need a ride," Ruby declines, waving Dr Whale off.
"It's awfully cold out here," Dr Whale argues.
"I'm fine – really," she snaps, wanting him to leave her alone.
"I can carry your bag. Where are you headed?" He asks, ignoring the dismissing attitude and words of the young woman clad in red.
"Dr Whale?" Mary Margaret says, making him look at the two women.
"Mary Margaret. Emma. Hello there," the doctor greets them, smiling with his slimy grin.
"Hey," she replies.
"I was just having a talk with Ruby here. But, I should, um…" Dr Whale stammers, looking embarrassed,
"Yeah. Yeah, you should," Emma retorts, glaring at him.
"Yeah…" he mutters, scurrying off.
"Was he bothering you?" Mary Margaret asks, looking at Ruby.
"The day I can't handle a lech is the day I leave town. Which this is, I guess," Ruby tells them.
"You're leaving?" Emma asks, looking at the suitcase at Ruby's feet.
"I had a fight with Granny. Quit my job," she informs her friends.
"You quit? Where you going?" Mary Margaret wonders.
"I don't know. Away," Ruby replies, shrugging.
"Yeah, well, buses out of town don't really happen. And, you might want a destination first," Emma argues.
"Hey, if you need a place to figure things out, you could always come home with us." Mary Margaret suggests.
"Yeah, uh. Yeah. Just for a little while," she agrees, smiling.
"Come on," the teacher encourages, and Ruby smiles at them, grabbing her suitcase.
(BLESSING)
Mary Margaret later drives her car along the road out of Storybrooke and pulls over just before she reaches the sign. She gets out and goes into the woods. A short way into the forest, she hears a rustling sound. Suddenly, David appears through the bushes. "I-it's you. You okay? You're looking for Kathryn, too?" Mary Margaret asks, looking at him.
"I'm looking," David replies.
"She knows you didn't do anything," she assures him. "Emma, I mean. She can tell when people are lying, so… She knows. And I'll stand with you. I'll tell everyone this isn't possible. She's going to turn up somewhere. That's why we're out here, right?"
"I'm looking," he repeats, and Mary Margaret notices that David isn't quite all there as there's a look in his eyes.
"David?" The raven-haired woman calls, but he doesn't listen as he begins wandering back into the woods. She yells after him, calling his name, but David doesn't seem to hear Mary Margaret. "David? David!"
(BLESSING)
At the station, Henry sits in Emma's office with Ruby and his uncle, Landon, both adults seated on either side of him as they use the latest newspaper and look through ads for new jobs for Ruby. The phone on the desk continuously rings. "Want to be a bike messenger?" Henry wonders.
"Bike messenger?" Ruby asks, looking at the boy.
"That's about taking things to people in a little basket," he explains.
"Nope. Yeah, see, I know she's not any good at bike riding," Landon remarks, earning a glare from Ruby.
"How about taking things on foot, to people, in a little basket?" The Mills boy suggests, earning a look from Landon, who smirks.
"I'm not so sure that's a real job," Ruby argues, and the phone rings again. "Why do the phones keep doing that?"
"Oh, the non-emergency calls go to a machine when Emma's busy," Landon explains, and the phone rings again, but Ruby has enough and answers.
"Sheriff's station. How can I help you?" She answers. "Mmhmm. I'll get her to return. Thank you, too." She hangs up, and another call comes through, answering it. "Sheriff's station. Hey, Miss Ginger. Uh, no, that's not a prowler. That's Archie's dog – Pongo. Throw him a vanilla wafer. He'll quiet down. Did you still want to talk to Emma? Great. Glad I could help." Emma, who overhears Ruby on the phone, walks into the office.
"How's it going, you three?" Emma asks, looking around the room.
"Great. Except I can't do anything," the red-clad woman retorts, smiling.
"I'm sure that's not true. I just saw you on the phone. That was good," she argues, gesturing to the phone.
"That? That's nothing," Ruby says, waving the compliment off.
"No. No, it isn't. I actually have some money in the budget if you want to help out around here," the SheriffSheriff tells her.
"Yes! Thank you! Yes," she agrees, ecstatic. "Um, I could answer phones and help out. Um, is there anything else that you need done? Organise files, cleaning up? Please – I want to be useful."
"I'm swamped with the Kathryn Nolan thing. If you maybe want to grab us lunch, I would never say no to a grilled cheese." Emma retorts, smiling and sitting at her desk.
"Done. You want anything?" The new employee asks, turning to the Mills boys.
"Um, two chocolate chip cookies, an apple pie, and a hot dog," Henry asks, and Emma and Landon look at him.
"He ate at school," Landon tells Ruby. "But I won't say to a grilled cheese, too."
"Hey!" He shouts.
"Get him a chocolate chip cookie," the older Mills boy tells her, and Ruby goes to leave; Mary Margaret comes inside.
"Hey! Lunch, Mary Margaret? I'm getting for everyone," Ruby tells her.
"Uh, no. I'm not hungry," Mary Margaret declines, and Ruby leaves the station. "David's in the woods. There's something wrong with him. He looked right through me. It's like… It's like he was a different person."
(BLESSING)
Ruby returns to Granny's Diner and walks up to the counter to order, seeing her grandmother. "I need a couple of grilled cheeses. I'm working over at the Sheriff's station now. Oh, and a chocolate chip cookie," Ruby says, and Granny looks at her.
"Ah," Granny muses, looking at her granddaughter.
"Sort of like a… Like a Deputy, you know? I guess sometimes, your fate finds you," she remarks, shrugging.
"Seems kind of like you're doing the same thing you always done," the diner owner argues.
"Plus so much more," the red-clad woman says.
"Those will be right up," Granny announces.
"Yeah," Ruby mutters, rolling her eyes.
"Tony has to unwrap the cheese slices," she replies, rolling her eyes back at her granddaughter.
"I help solve crimes," the young woman grumbles.
"I'm sure you do. I hope you're finding what you're looking for," Granny says, walking away.
"I am," Ruby mutters, feeling hurt a little by her grandmother's words.
(BLESSING)
Emma, Landon, and Henry are at the station waiting for their food and Ruby's return. Emma gets ready to leave while Henry tries hiding his book. Landon flips through his newspaper. "Okay, kid. Don't mean to kick you out, but I got to go see if David's in some kind of trouble out there." Emma tells them.
"It's okay. We're supposed to meet my mum," Henry assures her, locking his book in one of the desk drawers. "There."
"Nice," Landon laughs, folding the newspaper.
"You know, you can let Ruby do more. She's Little Red Riding Hood," he tells them, looking at his uncle and biological mum.
"With the little basket? Yeah, she seems like a badass," Emma muses, and Landon smiles, thinking of the badass Red from the Enchanted Forest.
"She is. She just doesn't remember how cool she is or what she's capable of. But it's true," the Mills boy argues, and Ruby returns with the food as Henry leaves. "Hey, Ruby."
"Hey, Henry. Got your grilled cheese and cookie," Ruby announces, handing him the bag with her order.
"Thank you. You all right?" Emma asks, looking at Ruby as she hands the adults their food bags each.
"I guess. I mean, this is something I know how to do. So, yay," she retorts, faking her joy.
"Okay, let's pack these back up, and we can eat it in the car. I need to do a little wilderness search, and I need your help," the Sheriff suggests, trying to cheer Ruby up.
"I'm pretty sure I'm just going to screw it up. I mean, I'll screw it up with flair, but…" the new employee argues, shrugging.
"No, you won't. Come on – you can do this," Emma assures her, smiling.
"I don't do the wilderness," Landon announces, making the girls look at him.
"You're coming too," Ruby declares. "If I'm going, then so are you."
(BLESSING)
Emma and Ruby search through the woods with Landon slowly behind them. "This place is massive. How are we supposed to find one guy?" Ruby wonders, looking around.
"Hey, shh. We might be able to hear him," Emma tells her.
"It's massive," Landon argues, looking at his dirty shoes. "I hate the woods."
"I'm following the path because there are boot prints, so just stay close," she replies, ignoring her boyfriend's moaning.
"I shouldn't even be here. I'm just going to screw everything up. Oh, wait," Ruby says, stopping, and Emma bumps into her, almost slipping, but Landon catches her.
"Hate the woods, yet?" Landon questions, earning a glare from Emma.
"Ruby?" Emma asks, moving towards her.
"I hear him," Ruby announces.
"Really?" The couple ask, looking at her.
"Yeah, really. I hear him or…something. I… I know where he is. Don't you?" She asks, taking off through the woods.
"No. What are you doing?" Emma wonders as she runs through the trees, leaving the couple behind.
"He's over here!" The red-clad woman shouts, and the couple follows her.
"Ruby! Ruby?" They shout, and Emma and Landon find Ruby standing over a bleeding and unconscious David. Emma kneels beside him, trying to shake him awake.
"David? Oh, god. Come on! David, come on! Wake up! David, wake up!" Emma yells, and David groggily wakes up.
"Emma? What? Ruby? Landon?" David questions, looking at the others surrounding him.
"Do you remember where you are?" She asks him.
"No, I… What the hell? I was… I was in your office. Did you bring me here?" He asks, looking at the woods.
"You don't remember anything since you were in my office? Last night?" The Sheriff wonders, shocked.
"No, I don't," Nolan replies, and Emma shares a look with Landon and Ruby.
(BLESSING)
Emma and David are at the hospital, where he is being treated by Dr Whale. "Well, he's bruised, scratched up, a little dehydrated. What'd you expect," Dr Whale asks, looking at the Sheriff.
"He's got a cut on his head," Emma argues, glaring at the doctor.
"It's superficial. I can refer him to Dr Hopper for a mental health eval, but, it's my opinion, that whatever caused this blackout, is the same phenomenon we observed when he came out of his coma. Moving around, acting out, not remembering it later," he replies.
"We will figure it out," she says.
"It's so strange. I can't even believe it happened," David remarks, looking around, confused.
"How functional could he be during one of these episodes?" The Sheriff wonders. "I mean, he talked to someone."
"Well, people in similar states, even under sleep medication, do all sorts of things. Cooking, talking, driving a car," Dr Whale explains.
"You want to know if I could've made that call. Or more. You… You want to know if I could've… What, kidnapped her? Killed her?" David questions, glaring at Emma.
"Now, take it easy there. No one's saying you did anything bad, David," he assures the man, who tries to get off the bed.
"No, but it would explain why it didn't seem like I was lying. I wouldn't know," Nolan argues, and Regina quickly storms into the hospital room.
"Stop talking, David," Regina demands. "What are you doing here? Why doesn't this man have a lawyer present? Have you even read him his rights?"
"No, because he's not under arrest. We're just talking," Emma assures the Mayor.
"Right. Just talking," she mutters, rolling her eyes.
"Careful, Gina, your eyes will get stuck like that if you keep doing it, mother wouldn't like it," Landon teases his little sister, who glares at him.
"Shut up, Landon," the Mayor snaps as he enters the room.
"What are you doing here?" Emma asks the twins.
"Mayor Mills is still Mr Nolan's emergency contact," Dr Whale informs the SheriffSheriff.
"You have to be kidding me," she mutters, glaring at the Mayor.
"I thought that changed to Kathryn?" David wonders, looking at Regina.
"Well, Kathryn's currently unavailable," Regina argues. "Some people haven't found her yet. Stop trying to place blame and just find her."
"There's a whole lot of Maine to search, Regina," Emma retorts, not wanting Regina to tell her how to do her job.
"Well, you covered this room. I suggest you branch out," she snaps, and Emma looks at Landon.
"Regina, enough," Landon mutters. Emma looks at her boyfriend, who smiles. "Stop sticking your nose in police business."
"Landon!" The Mayor hisses.
(BLESSING)
Ruby stays at the station after finding David and wants to return to staying inside and answering phone calls. "Sheriff's station, thank you for calling. How may I direct your-," Ruby asks, and the caller turns out to be Emma, who is still at the hospital waiting for everything with David.
"Hey, stop. It's me. Here's the thing – the last time David went for a dream walk, he went to the Toll Bridge. You know the one? It's a crazy hunch, but I want you to take my bug and go and see if he was there." Emma asks her.
"No, I could get somebody else to," she argues.
"Ruby, you were great out there," the Sheriff tells her. "I still don't know how you found him. You can do this."
"I don't know," the red-clad woman says, not wanting to go back out there again, especially alone.
"It's going to be dark out soon. David's going to be let out. If there is something there, we've got to get there first. We don't have time to argue. Can you do this?" Emma asks her. "I'll have Landon go with you."
(BLESSING)
Ruby sits in the passenger seat of Landon's car as he drives to the Toll Bridge, muttering about Emma using her girlfriend card on him. He parks, and they get out of the car, still on the phone to Emma, who lets her boyfriend grumble and mutter about her, knowing he's only venting and doesn't mean anything. "I mean, what are we even looking for?" Ruby asks Emma, keeping the phone to her ear.
"Anything out of the ordinary. Something that doesn't belong there," Emma explains, and Landon and Ruby head toward the river bank flowing under the bridge.
"And…if I find something?" She wonders, glancing around for something out of place as Landon holds the flashlight.
"Just follow your instincts," the Sheriff tells her, and Ruby finds a board near the water. She flips it over, revealing a patch of sand underneath it. Ruby puts Emma on speaker and places the phone on a nearby rock.
"You… can't give us a clue what we're looking for?" Landon asks, grabbing a stick and placing the flashlight on the ground, helping her big until they hit something hard. Ruby brushes the sand away with her hand. The object turns out to be a small jewellery box.
"Anything of Kathryn's," Emma replies, and Ruby lifts up the jewellery box. "Ruby? What's going on? Landon? Did you find something?" Ruby opens the box but abruptly drops it. Landon pulls Ruby away, covering her eyes as she screams. "Ruby? Ruby? Landon? Ruby?!"
(BLESSING)
Landon takes a silent Ruby back to the station, where Emma meets them. They stare at the opened jewellery box sitting on the desk. "Is… Is that what I think it is?" Ruby asks, glaring at the box.
"Yeah," Emma answers, not moving her eyes from the box.
"I can't look," she mutters, turning around, and Emma shuts the box lid.
"You okay?" Landon asks, moving to block Ruby's view.
"I don't know what I am," the young woman says, shaking her head.
"It's going to be all right. We can figure out what happened now. Ruby, you did good," Emma assures her.
"This, is doing good?" Ruby asks.
"Yeah. It's amazing. First, you found David, and now, this. I know you say you don't know what you are, but, whatever it is, I got to say, I'm impressed." She retorts, shrugging.
"Don't be. I'm… I'm scared out of my mind," the red-clad woman says, shuddering.
"But you did it anyway," Landon assures her, smiling.
(BLESSING)
The following day, Ruby thinks a lot about everything that happened yesterday. Ruby comes into the Diner and finds Granny at the counter. "You look good," Granny comments, looking at her granddaughter.
"Thanks," Ruby replies.
"Want something for the Sheriff?" She asks.
"No," the younger woman says.
"Ah…" the diner owner hisses, grabbing her arm in pain.
"Your arm okay?" Ruby asks, noticing her grabbing her arm.
"Same as it is every full moon," Granny replies, shrugging, showing the same scar from the Enchanted Forest visible on her arm. "What are you doing here, Ruby? You here to tell me more about your fine new job?"
"I want to come back," she confesses, hating being away from her grandmother.
"Why? You were pretty mad," the older woman argues.
"I wasn't mad," the red-clad woman retorts.
"Looked like mad from here," Granny replies, shrugging.
"Mmhmm, yeah. Here's the thing – um…" Ruby tells her. "You were talking about having me do all this stuff, and I… wasn't sure. I-I said that, you wanted me to turn into you, but… What I meant was, I don't know how to be you. You're a tough act to follow."
"Oh," she mutters, understanding what her granddaughter was going through.
"And then you wanted me to take on all this extra responsibility, and I… Guess I just got scared," the younger woman explains.
"Don't be. You shouldn't be," the diner owner argues, not wanting to scare her granddaughter.
"Well, I am. But, it's okay," Ruby assures her. "I can do it anyway. I sort of found someone in myself that was more than I expected."
"What about adventure? What about lemurs?" Granny asks, tilting her head.
"Emma was my lemur. Did that, found out I could do that, and also that I don't want to. I don't want a job where a good day means ruining someone's life. I want to do something that makes me happy. Somewhere I love," she explains, smiling.
"Look – just so you know, I wanted you to do the books and everything, so you could take over when I retire. Own the whole place," the older woman informs her, and Ruby looks at her in shock.
"Own it?" The red-clad woman questions.
"Sure. I mean, who else would I give it to but someone who loves me back?" Granny argues, and the two hug. "Proud of you."
"What was that?" Ruby asks, pulling back to look at her grandmother.
"You heard me," Granny replies, smiling proudly.
(BLESSING)
Mary Margaret and David go to the animal shelter to talk after everything at the hospital, needing to talk. "David, it's going to be okay," Mary Margaret assures him, wanting to soothe his nervousness about everything that's been going on.
"Really? How do you know that? Because, I honestly can't say anything about my actions anymore," David argues, feeling hopeless.
"Well, there has to be an explanation," she tells him.
"You're right. But the problem is, I don't think it's a good one," he replies, and Emma walks into the shelter. "What is it? Did you find her?"
"We found a box," Emma informs them.
"Wait… Wait… What does that mean?" Nolan asks, looking at the SheriffSheriff.
"We think it… We think that she…" She says, trying to explain to them what she's found.
"What?" David demands.
"There was a human heart inside it," the Sheriff tells them.
"Oh, my god," Mary Margaret gasps, and David breaks down into tears, thinking the worst.
"No. No," he mutters, shaking his head as tears fall.
"We're going to send it out for some tests, but there aren't any other missing people." Emma informs them.
"Maybe you should go," Mary Margaret suggests.
"There's more," she tells them.
"What?" David snaps, looking at Emma.
"There were fingerprints inside the lid of the box. I ran them through the records of everyone in town, and there was a match," the Sheriff explains.
"Arrest me," he states, holding his hands out to Emma.
"No. David!" Mary Margaret exclaims, jumping up onto her feet.
"Arrest me, Emma. Do it!" Nolan shouts.
"David, the fingerprints weren't yours," Emma tells them.
"What?" David asks, calming down.
"They were Mary Margaret's," she says, and the pair look at them.