AN - And here we are, a good 2 years later, with the next chapter. I have since learned that I shouldn't make promises when it comes to fanfiction chapters. I always end up breaking them...

Chapter Two - Desperate Souls

Walking into Mr Gold's pawn shop at some early hour in the morning was not something that Emma wanted to do. In fact, walking into this place at any time of day was something she wished she could avoid. Unfortunately though, due to an unreasonable amount of paperwork, Graham had been stuck behind his desk, and so, as deputy of Storybrooke, it was her duty to answer calls and make the rounds.

Not that the paper backlog had anything to do with her…

"Gold?!" she cried out, the front empty from the strange man's presence, "Y'in here?"

Looking around, she noticed the fabric that covered the entrance to his office was slightly pulled back. Making her way over to it, Emma side stepped several different artefacts before she pulled the offending cloth to the side. As she had expected, Mr Gold was sat behind his desk, wearing his usual suit, with an additional pair of gloves and an apron, and doing something which looked suspiciously like painting a piece of fabric. Taking a few steps towards him, she recoiled as the most abominable smell hit her nostrils. "Whoa! What is that?"

"Oh," he replied, pausing momentarily as he looked at her, "this is lanolin; used for waterproofing."

Emma wrinkled her nose. "It smells like livestock."

"Well, it is the reason why sheep's wool repels water," he explained condescendingly.

"It stinks. Um, if there was a reason you called the Sheriff's Department…" she said, hoping to get away from the odious paste, "If you want to talk about that quickly-"

Mr Gold began to pull his gloves off, getting up from his seat. "Yes."

"Or" preferably "outside…"

"I just wanted to, uh," Gold said, moving to lean on the front of his desk, "ask after our Sheriff. He seemed a little… confused the last time we spoke."

Emma frowned. "He's fine."

Mr Gold gave her one of his signature grins, and she had to suppress the shiver that ran up her spine. "That's a relief. I was worried."

She raised her eyebrow. Since when did he worry about anyone? "Well, if that's all you wanted to say…"

Escaping from the office, she began to make her way back to the front door, looking forward to breathing the fresh air again, but it seemed that it wasn't to be.

"I have something of his."

Turning back around, she gave him a questioning look. "What?"

Walking over to the counter, he pulled a wooden box out from under the glass. It was about ten inches long and three inches wide, with a brass clasp keeping it shut. "I've been keeping hold of it for him for some time. But something tells me he might be wanting it back. Another reason for my call I suppose."

"He hasn't mentioned-"

"It must have slipped his mind," the shop owner interrupted, holding the box out to her.

Slowing walking back, she glanced warily at the man as she pulled the item from his fingers.

"Much obliged," he said, smiling after her as she left.

She didn't know what it was, but there was something about him that made her skin crawl.

Pulling up next to the sidewalk, Graham turned the patrol car's ignition off, taking a breath before stepping out onto the tarmac and looking up at the cloud filled sky.

It had been two weeks since he had taken his heart and his freedom from Regina's clutches; two weeks of work, secrets, and the emerging of painful memories.

After the initial joy of his reawakening, the feeling of being used and violated encompassed him, forcing him to destroy that wonderful moment he and Emma had been creating. Although it felt like the best thing that had ever happened to him, he could still feel her on him, her stench sticking to his skin, infecting his lips. He knew it would take more than a shower to get her off of him.

Emma, being the goddess that she was, had accepted his hesitation and his explanation of feeling 'unclean' and agreed to take things slowly with him, for which he would be forever grateful. He wasn't ready for anything more than stolen kisses and prolonged moments of contact, plus the fact that they were building their relationship over time made it easy to separate it from what he'd had with Regina, which had been little more than visits to bedrooms.

Ever since he had rescued his heart from Regina's clutches, the Sheriff had found it surprisingly easy to hide what he knew from everyone, including his deputy. He knew this would not have been the case had she asked him about what he had meant that night – the night he remembered – as she had this ability to tell when someone was lying, but she seemed to have dismissed it as a sign that he had grounded himself back in reality.

As much as he wanted to tell her who he was, that the curse was real and that she really was the daughter of the woman she was living with, he knew that if he just bombarded her with that information, she would snap and think him crazy, maybe even leave the town. And that was something that couldn't happen. So instead, he remained Graham Humbert, Sheriff of Storybrooke and volunteer at the Storybrooke Pet Shelter, his past life remaining hidden from all.

That wasn't the only thing he was hiding though.

Ever since their passionate kisses in the station, both he and Emma had been incredibly careful about showing how they felt about each other in public, keeping to a strict business relationship when anyone was around, or when they weren't certain that they could be spotted. News travelled like wildfire in small towns, and this one was no different. Unfortunately, due to the laws of the land, without the consent of those higher than them – in other words, Regina – they were not legally able to be in a relationship, as one was an employee of the other. Knowing that it would be next to impossible to get that permission, their relationship ended up hidden in storage rooms and basements.

He had never had a rebellious period in his life, and the only parents he'd ever had were the wolves he'd grown up with in the woods, but he gathered that the feeling he got when they were able to steal those small moments together was somewhat similar to that.

Along with his growing connection with Emma, he'd been steadily growing closer to her son as well.

He'd managed to get a moment alone with Henry a few days after that night, disguising his quick talk with him as a chance to drop him home from school, which he used to do every so often anyway. When the boy found out he remembered, he immediately recruited him into 'Operation Cobra' and asked him how it happened. When he explained that they'd kissed, he immediately put it down to true love's kiss, but Graham tried to put that idea to rest by explaining that, though he did have feelings for her, they were not that deep – not yet at least – and that if it were, then the curse would have been lifted. Henry, however, was not convinced, and kept saying that Snow and Prince James didn't love each other at first, that it needed time to grow.

This, of course, had been before Graham had handed him his most prized and sacred possession to him, effectively silencing him for the rest of the journey. Seeing as neither he nor Henry knew how to return it to its true home without magic, the only thing they could do was hide it. As far as he knew, his heart now lay safely in its casket within a shoe box at the back of Henry's closet, underneath a small pile of comics; right under Regina's nose.

"Hey Sheriff!"

Blinking, Graham looked up to find Henry waving at him from his seat on the wooden castle, a big smile on his face. Waving back, he opened the back door of the car and pulled out a small paper bag.

"Hey there, Henry," he replied, tucking the package under his arm as he made his way over, "I thought I might find you out here."

The boy glanced at the bag, eyes full of curiosity. "Did you want to talk about something?"

"Yes, actually," he said, "I was wondering if-"

"Hey guys!"

Looking up, the sight of a very familiar blonde greeted them.

"Emma!" Henry cried as she pulled herself onto the platform next to him.

"So what were you two plotting?" she asked, a mischievous smile gracing her lips, "I hope you weren't thinking of kicking me out of 'Operation Cobra'."

"We would never do that!" her son exclaimed, his face scrunched up in a look off disbelief, "You're the most important part of the team! Without you, the curse will never be broken!"

"I was only messing with you," Emma grinned as she ruffled his hair, "So what were you up to?"

"Well," Graham started to explain, opening the bag he had brought, "I was going to ask Henry if these," he pulled out two walkie talkies, smiling when the boy gasped in surprise, "would come in handy for the Operation."

His eyes shining and mouth forming an open mouthed smile, Henry looked up at him in awe. "Wow! These are perfect!"

Emma grinned at her son as he began to fiddle with the radio device, laughing a little when he jumped as the sound of static suddenly emerged from the speaker. Oh how he wished he could show how much he appreciated her smile… But even in places like this, there was no certainty that their secret was safe.

"I thought you might like them," he said before screwing the paper into his pocket. Staying with the two of them in such close proximity made it difficult to keep his feelings at bay, so he knew he had to leave, "I've got my own here," he motioned his belt where the black radio sat, "so we can talk when something comes up. But right now I have to go finish some paperwork which someone forgot to do, so I guess I'll see you guys later."

Smirking at Emma's apologetic look, he walked back to the car, opening the driver's seat door as Henry yelled a farewell. Turning back to wave, he was surprised when he saw Emma jogging towards him, a wooden box held in her hands.

"Wait!" she exclaimed, waving the box a little to gain his attention, "Mr Gold wanted me to give you this." Holding out her hand, she placed the item in his waiting hand.

Frowning, he glanced down at the… gift. Mr Gold? But why would Rumpelstiltskin give him something without a price? Giving Emma a wary look, one which she also bore, he unclasped the lid and opened it. What was inside made him pause.

It was his knife; the dagger he'd used for hunting, and the same one he'd almost used on Snow, its curved edges still sharp and shining, and the wood of the handle nicely polished. Sat snugly underneath it was the leather case he had made from some spare deer skin, the quality poor, but it had done its purpose.

Looking back up at the woman's face, he let a small smile break through. "I thought I'd lost this… years ago."

Emma returned his smirk. "Well, now you have it back."

He nodded, closing the lid again and putting it on the passenger seat as he slid into the car. "Thanks Emma." Closing the door, he turned the key in the ignition. "I'll see you back at the station?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I'll see you there."

Driving off, he looked in his rear view mirror to sneak a quick look at her before turning towards town. There was someone he needed to talk to.

Granny's Diner was about as busy as usual when Emma entered, Henry close behind her; a few people sat at the tables, one or two leaning against the counter, nursing hot coffee or, in Leroy's case, an alcoholic beverage. Ignoring the fact that it was far too early for such a drink, she shuffled onto the seat next to him, leaving the remaining seat on her other side for her son.

"Hey Emma," Ruby said, coming over to greet them, "What can I get ya'?"

"One hot cocoa with cinnamon, and two coffees on the go," she replied, motioning at Henry for the cocoa, "You know how we like them."

Giving her a smile the waitress nodded. "Coming right up."

Once she'd gone to make the drinks, Emma turned back to her kid when she noticed a familiar charcoal haired woman making her way towards her. "Mary Margaret!"

The teacher smiled at her, but it didn't reach her eyes. In fact, it seemed to hide an expectant and somewhat fed up expression behind. "Good morning Henry. Emma." The deputy winced at the way she said her name. Maybe avoiding her wasn't such a good idea… "Can I talk to you for a second?"

Henry looked around, a little uncertain of what's going on, but getting ready to get off his stool anyway. "Um, sure."

"Actually," Mary Margaret said, a full smile on her face now as she looks at her student, "it's just Emma I need to talk to."

Still frowning, the boy slowly nodded. "Okay. I'll wait here for the drinks then."

Pulling a few notes out of her pocket, Emma handed them over to him. "Cheers kid. I'll be right outside if you need me." Slipping off of her stool, she gives him a quick grin before following her flat mate out onto the street.

Eventually, they make it to a small alleyway, where Mary Margaret stops and turned on her, folding her arms across her chest, mouth pressed into a line. "You've been avoiding me."

Emma moved her weight onto her right foot. She had not been looking forward to this chat. "It's not like I did it on pur-"

"Don't give me that," she said, shaking her head, "We live in the same apartment. The only way we could possibly miss each other is if one of us did it intentionally. And it sure wasn't me."

For some reason, it felt as though she was a kid again being told off for taking the last cookie by the only foster parents she'd ever liked, the sudden urge to grind her toe into the ground and hang her head only making it worse.

"Why are you hiding from me?" the teacher continued, "Is it because you don't trust me?"

"No!" Emma exclaimed, shocked that she could even think that, but from the way she'd been acting, it wasn't exactly surprising, "Of course not!"

"Then what is it?" Mary Margaret demanded before letting her arms hang by her side, eyes gleaming in sudden realisation, "It's because of me, isn't it."

The blonde frowned. Now where the hell would she get that idea? "What?"

"I pushed you too far. With the wall thing." She closed her eyes and covered them with her hand. "I should have seen it before with the way you two were acting towards each other."

"What are you talking about?"

Shaking her head, 'Snow White' smiled sadly. "You and Graham. You've been acting so distantly towards one another recently. It's because I told you about the wall, and now I've ruined everything."

Emma blinked. That was what she thought it was? "No, Mary Margaret-"

"I'm so sorry Emma! I thought he liked you!"

"He does like me!" She practically shouted, inwardly wincing at the way it came out. So much for it being a secret.

The teacher's mouth hung open for a moment, her eyes wide in shock. "He… he does?"

Taking a deep breath, Emma nodded. "Yes. And uh… I like him back."

It took a moment, but her words soon sunk in, and Mary Margaret's face lit up as she squealed in delight, throwing her arms around the now startled woman. "Oh my God, Emma! That's wonderful! I'm so happy for you!"

"Well, I wouldn't celebrate just yet," Emma said, pulling herself carefully out of the embrace and stepping back, "We're not allowed to be in a relationship unless we have permission, since he is my boss after all, and I don't think Regina will be very willing to let that happen."

Mary Margaret frowned. "Why not?"

Me and my big mouth. "Um…"

"Hey Emma! The coffees are ready!"

Turning around, the pair found Henry standing across the street from them, a cardboard cup holder in his hand, and the deputy couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. He had perfect timing. Giving her flat mate an apologetic look, she headed back towards the diner. "I'll tell you about it later."

Leaving her friend behind, Emma caught up with Henry who held out the two coffees for her. "What was that about?" he asked.

Taking the cups from their slots, she took a sip from the one marked with her name and sighed. "I don't really want to talk about it now. Let's just get back to the station, shall we?"

Mr Gold's shop looked the same way it always did – plain and unassuming on the outside and filled with mysteries and wonders on the inside – but it was only now that Graham realised how familiar some of the items in the cases and on the shelves and walls were. He recognised the lamp that had sat in a dusty corner in the Evil Queen's castle, occasionally spoken of by the mirror that had been Regina's only companion apart from her father, resting on one of the glass display cases. And in a stand on the main counter sat several wands, though he doubted any of them held any magic any more.

But it wasn't any of these items that had brought him here. It was the one held tightly in his hand.

"Gold!" he cried, searching the shadows for any sign of the town's owner.

The familiar tapping sound of a cane on wood brought his attention to the cloth hanging over the door behind the main counter. A moment later, the fabric was swept aside to reveal the man he'd been looking for, a look of faked surprise pasted on his face.

"Sheriff!" he said, pausing momentarily before slowly making his way around the display cases to stand in front of him, "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Graham scowled. He knew exactly why he was here, and he didn't have time to play these little games. "You told Emma to give me this." He raised the box, keeping his eyes fixed on the man before him. "Why?"

Mr Gold grinned. "I found it amongst my wares the other day and I thought you might want it back. It is yours after all."

Gritting his teeth together, the sheriff lowered his arm. "What do you want?"

"Oh, I think you misunderstand me," the shopkeeper said, taking a step forward, "It's not something that I want, but what you want."

Graham blinked. "What are you saying?"

"Well, it's come to my attention that you and our young Miss Swan have become somewhat… distant over the past few weeks," he said, leaning on his cane, a strange look in his eye, "Now I find that rather odd, considering how well you two were getting along before."

The sheriff gulped. He knew. The one person who could possibly be worse than Regina, and he'd been caught like a deer in headlights.

"Of course," the man continued, "I suppose it was going to have to happen sooner or later." He walked over to the mobile, making a show of examining the crystal unicorns. "It is such an injustice, that the law can prevent what the heart desires. But we all knew that our lady mayor would never have allowed such a relationship to occur."

Regina. Graham could feel bile rising in his throat at the thought of that woman. She had kept him as a pet for thirty years, using him as her own personal slave to do as she bid, in every sense of the word. She could rot in hell for all he cared. "She doesn't control me. Not anymore."

The smug smile he received almost made him shiver. "Be that as it may, she still has power over your station as an upholder of the law."

Graham sneered. "She wouldn't dare."

"I think you'd be surprised at what she could do, Sheriff."

He shook his head. He knew exactly what she was like. He'd been forced to endure her every whim for three decades, been her guard, her assassin and general dogsbody. Though he'd never been privy to her plans, he had been force to enact them, and sometimes, sharing a bed could reveal more than what lay under her dark clothes.

"Less surprised than you might think, Mr Gold. She's not as powerful as she seems." he replied before turning and walking out of the shop.

He didn't see the victorious grin spread across the older man's face as the door shut behind him.

Pulling up outside the station, Graham noticed that Emma's bug was in one of the spaces and smiled. The talk with that sleazy deal maker had not been what he had been expecting, in fact, he was almost certain that he'd been made a fool of, but that was the past now, and all he wanted was to have his coffee and finish his work.

As he walked through the station's hallways, he began to imagine what things would be like once the curse was broken, how he would be able to talk to her without having to hide who he-

"Good morning Sheriff."

Graham froze, his smile vanishing as his hopeful thoughts vanished, the curved form leaning against Emma's desk far from the one he'd been expecting. Crossing his arms, he continued to make his way into the room. "Madam mayor." He stopped when he still had a desk between them and stood his ground. Scanning the room quickly, he realised that neither Emma nor Henry had made it back yet, and he wasn't sure whether he should feel relieved or vunerable. "What are you doing here?"

Regina smirked. "Maybe I should be asking you that question."

He frowned. "Excuse me?"

"Sheriff," she said, standing up as she became the image of professionalism, "was it before or after asking Miss Swan to be your deputy that you realised you wanted to sleep with her?"

Graham's jaw tightened. He had always known it would only have been a matter of time before Regina discovered their relationship, but it felt like too much of a coincidence for both her and Gold to admit their knowledge in the same hour, let alone the same day. However, he had to focus on how he was going to get them out of this situation before he could think more on that.

"Now, as you well know," the Evil Queen continued, "I do not allow relationships of any sort other than that of a professional, business kind, to take place within the work place, so I'm afraid that you're going to have to let Miss Swan go." Her eyes flashed. "Or I'm going to have to do it for you."

Though he was sorely tempted to make a comment on their relationship, hard pressed as he was to use that word to describe what had been between them, Graham knew it would only have made things worse. He shook his head. "You can't do that Regina."

"Of course I can!" she exclaimed, frowning at his insubordination, "She's as much my employee as she is yours, and I want her gone."

"I won't let you," he growled, "You have no right."

"I have every right!"

Suddenly, the sound of two sets of footsteps interrupted their 'conversation', but Graham refused to look away from his rival. He didn't trust Regina to even let her out of his sight for a moment.

"Mom?"

Regina blinked, surprised at the sudden appearance of her son. "Henry? What are you doing here?"

Before the boy could get a word out though, he could hear a distinctly feminine huff. "You took the words right out of my mouth."

Even without looking, Graham knew Emma would be in a similar stance to his, but from Regina's indifferent reaction, he knew it wasn't enough to unsettle her resolve. Then again, he doubted much would. Instead, she had the audacity to grin.

"Miss Swan! Just the person we were discussing."

Emma hummed. "I thought my ears were burning."

One of Regina's eyebrows rose, but she ignored the comment, turning to look back at him. "I believe Graham has something he would like to say."

He narrowed his eyes at her. So she wanted to do this? Alright then. He knew how to play this game. "Yes." He turned to face his deputy. "Emma, I want you to run for sheriff."

Almost immediately, three pairs of eyes were focused on him, eyebrows lost in their hairlines.

"What?"

"No, you can't-"

"Emma's going to be sheriff? Cool!"

Unfastening his badge, Graham, held it up in front of Regina's face. "I quit." With that he slammed it down on the desk, the metal almost scratching the varnish on the wood. "I'm not going to let you back me into a corner with blackmail. And I'm not going to let you take her job without a fight."

Emma's eyes widened. "She was going to fire me?"

Once again dismissing the deputy's remark, Regina glared at him. "You can't do that," she sneered, "She can't be the sheriff! I won't allow it!"

Graham shook his head and couldn't help but laugh a little. It felt good to watch her struggle. "You have no say in this, Regina. The sheriff is an elected official, one brought into power by the members of the community. If a vote isn't cast, or is inconclusive, after a period of two weeks, Emma is instated as sheriff by word of law."

"You know, I would have appreciated it if you had warned me earlier."

Graham ducked his head in guilt for what felt like the thousandth time.

It had been a few days since he'd handed in his badge, and though Emma had been more than happy to run for Sheriff against Sidney Glass, who had suddenly appeared for the role (though there was no doubt in his mind that Regina had something to do with that), she hadn't been one hundred per cent happy with the fact that he had practically thrown her in the deep end. As a result, she had more or less ignored him since then, only talking to him to ask for tips in the upcoming election. This had to be the first time since he'd quit that they'd had a proper conversation, and it only seemed appropriate that it was at the booth where they'd first met in Granny's Diner.

Though he hated being separated from her in such a way, the time alone had given him a chance to get a more permanent job at the Storybrooke Pet Shelter. Sure, the pay was lower than what he had been earning as sheriff, and it was only part time, but it was enough to pay for his apartment's rent and the basics he needed for day to day life, with a little left over to do with as he pleased (not that he didn't have twenty eight years' worth of savings to help if he needed it). It also gave him a little time to think about a few things a little more clearly; namely what had happened to who had once been his only companion.

There had been no sign of his wolf brother since that day over two weeks before, and though he hadn't really been looking (for which he had been begrudging himself once he'd realised), no one had reported anything. After a while of worrying though, he reckoned that, since he had survived twenty eight years on his own, the wolf would be fine for a little longer.

"I know," he said, rubbing the back of his neck, "and you have every right to be mad at me, but it was the only thing I could do without you losing your job." Looking up at her, Graham found her giving him that disbelieving look he'd come to know so well.

"So, losing your job was so much better," she stated sarcastically.

He winced. "I got another one."

She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "And what's to say that I couldn't have done that?"

"The fact that Regina has everyone in this town on her beck and call."

Emma made to answer, but then she paused and bit her lip, making him smile. She looked kind of cute when she did that. As she sighed in defeat, she picked up her mug of cocoa and took a sip. "This doesn't mean you've won."

He laughed and raised his own mug. "If you say so."

For a short while they sat in silence, simply looking at each other. It wasn't one of those awkward silences where you felt nothing could be said, or one of those silences where you felt something had to be said – it was warm and comfortable, and Graham felt as though he could had sat there for eternity.

Unfortunately though, it was not to be.

The bell tower began to chime the hour – three o'clock – pulling them out of their moment.

"Oh, jeez," Emma said, moving to collect her coat, "I should probably get going. I promised I'd meet Henry after he'd finished school today."

Grabbing his own jacket, Graham slid out of the stall and dropped a few notes on the table. "Well, let me walk you." Holding out his hand to her, he smiled at her surprised look. "I don't think there's much point in hiding any more, do you?"

Pursing her lips, she considered it for a moment before joining him on her feet, gently weaving her smooth fingers through his. "I suppose you're right," she whispered with a smile, planting a quick peck on his cheek, "Shall we?"

"We shall," he replied, leading her through the diner and out onto the street, ignoring the astonished, yet happy looks they were getting from the corner of his eye.

They found young Henry sitting on the bench just outside of the school's main doors, his nose almost touching the day's edition of the Daily Mirror. It was unusual for him to be so interested in anything other than his book or 'Operation Cobra', and Emma wasn't sure whether she should be pleased or concerned.

Waving a quick farewell to Graham who had to head back to the Pet Shelter before his break was over, she sat down next to her son. "How was school?"

He didn't say anything for a moment, so intent on his reading, but when he answered, he didn't even turn to look at her, and she couldn't help but feel a little hurt. "Okay."

What could he be reading that could make him act this way? "You're reading that paper pretty hard."

Flipping the paper over so she could see the main headline, he passed it over to her. "Sidney wrote it." Her eyes widened when she saw the text. 'Ex-Jailbird – Emma Swan birthed babe behind bars'.

She felt like she was going to throw up. How did he get hold of this information? How could he have done something like this to her? To Henry?

And then it clicked.

Regina.

"Is it a lie?"

For a moment, Emma considered telling him that it was, that it was all something that Sidney had made up and that he shouldn't believe anything in this paper… but she couldn't bring herself to stoop to such a level. "No."

"I was born in jail?" he interrogated, still refusing to look at her.

She felt herself nod. "Yes." Looking down at him, she noticed that Henry was smiling at her a little. "These records were supposed to be sealed. Tell me you're not scarred for life."

This time, when he smiled, it was a full blown grin. "I'm not." He shuffled a little nervously, glancing down at his feet for a moment. "But… I'm just wondering how you're going to win this."

Emma frowned. "What do you mean?"

Letting out a deep sigh, Henry turned back to face her. "My mom play dirty. Evil always plays dirty. But good can't; it's not what good people do."

"Henry…"

"I know you're going to win," he stated, a determined look in his eyes which made her wish she had his optimism, "but I'm just wondering how."

Smiling at him she stood up and pulled his bag off the seat beside him. "Well first of all we're going to get rid of this," she waved the newspaper in the air, making him giggle, "and then… we're going to get you home."

"Aw, what?" he complained grabbing his bag from her, giving her a disbelieving look.

"We don't want the Evil Queen to get any more ideas, do we," she said, watching as he shrugged.

"If you say so." Shouldering the rucksack, he moved towards his home. "Have you and Graham made friends again?"

Smirking, she ruffled his hair. "Yeah kid, we have."

How dare she? How dare she bring something like her past into the picture? And against federal law as well!

Walking into the disgustingly colourless office several hours after dropping Henry back at his house, Emma held the offending article towards the woman who had tried to imbue doubt into the people of Storybrooke, including her own son. "This was a juvie record. This was sealed by court order. I don't know how you got it, but that's abuse of power and illegal."

"Oh, I'm sorry. You didn't want people to know you cut his cord with a shiv?"

At least she didn't deny it. "I don't care what people know, but this hurts Henry."

Standing behind her desk now, Regina finished packing away her things, her eyes emotionless and calculating as she glanced at the deputy. "He would've learned eventually. We all lose our heroes at some point."

Emma watched as she made her way around both her and the table. "It's lucky he's such a forgiving kid, otherwise this could have been incredibly harmful for him. What's happening because of this," she waved the paper again as she followed Regina out the door and along the corridor, "is damaging to his stability."

"He's fine." Regina replied, ignoring her completely.

"He's not fine!" How could this woman not see that her own child was going to be a casualty in this war if they weren't careful? "I mean, think about it. Watching his adoptive mother throw an illegal smear campaign against his birth mother? You don't think that would be upsetting?"

"All I did was expose him to the truth." The mayor stopped, turning to look straight at her for once. "And as for the legality – I did nothing wrong." She wasn't lying. She could see it in her eyes, but the whole thing reeked of false pretences. "But you and Sidney will have a chance to get into all that at the debate."

She blinked. "Debate?"

"Yes, Miss Swan, there's a debate." It wasn't so much what she said that made her want to punch her again, but the patronising tone she used. Instead, she simply rolled her eyes as Regina began her descent down the stairs. "You two can talk about jail time and juvie records and maybe even your relationship with the previous sheriff." Regina scowled. "He may have chosen you, Miss Swan, but a lot of people won't forgive you for taking him away from them."

"I'm not taking anyone away from anyone, I'm just fighting fire with-"

Before she could finish her sentence, the door exploded inwards and a wall of hot air hit the both of them, pushing them both down onto the stairs, debris flying everywhere and knocking a loose railing onto Regina's leg. It was obvious from the way it had been caught that it had been crushed, and it was doubtful she would be able to put any weight n it any time soon.

However, there were more pressing matters to attend to.

The room was burning, the flames spreading quickly, much faster than Emma thought they could have as she heaved the wood off of Regina's leg, and she knew they wouldn't have much of a chance in escaping if they didn't leave soon.

Rising to her feet, she began to back up the stairs and held out her hand, eying the exit. "Alright, come on, let's go! We got to get out of here."

"I can't move!"

Even though Emma was expecting it, that didn't stop her heart from falling as the desperation and fear filled Regina's voice, hand reaching towards her.

"You have to get me out. Help me!"

Staring at her, Emma considered her options.

The pet shelter had been rather quiet, which was not exactly surprising considering how quiet the town was, and so Graham had seen no harm in stepping outside for a few moments, pouring the content of a small Pixie Stix packet into his mouth (why he still ate the damn things, he had no idea).

It wasn't too difficult, working in the shelter, and it was wonderful knowing that he was still able to help others, even if they were significantly smaller and hairier than his previous charges. Taking the dogs for walks was always his favourite task, as it reminded him of the time before, when he had been able to run at his brother's side, free and unburdened by responsibility. Life had been simpler, but he wouldn't give this one up for anything now that Emma had walked into his life.

Swallowing the last of the sour sherbet, he took one last breath of the cold night air before turning back to finish his…

A cold nose dug into the palm of his hand, pulling him from his thoughts.

He knew that nose. He would recognise it anywhere.

Turning around, he found the familiar mismatched eyes of his brother staring up at him, a look of fear and worry held within their depths as he nudged his hand again before loping down the road.

Knowing his brother would not have risked being seen without good reason, Graham ran after him, trying not to think of what could have caused such distress for his brother to have asked for his help.

It didn't take long to decipher what was wrong though.

The thick ashy smell of smoke soon made itself known, and after a number of corners, its source was soon made apparent.

Flames licked the lower walls of the City Hall, blackening the yellow paint as smoke poured out of the windows and doors. The firemen were busy tackling the flames, but it was the sight of the blonde haired woman stood next to the red truck that caught his attention.

Passing his brother by, along with a small crowd of curious bystanders, Graham jogged up to her, frowning at the dark patches of ash on her clothes.

"Emma!"

It took her a moment, but when she finally turned to meet his eyes, it seemed like her entire face lit up. "Graham."

Wiping his thumb over her cheek, smudging some of the ash on her skin as he did so before moving his hand down to her arm, he looked her over with a worried gaze. "What happened? Are you alright?"

She shrugged. "Nothing I couldn't handle."

"I don't doubt it." He smirked. "You seem to have a way of finding trouble, so you must have plenty of practice."

"There you go again with your corny jokes." Emma said as she rolled her eyes, but a grin played on her lips.

Graham felt his smile growing, but as he glanced over her head to take in the scene once more, his grip on her arm tightened a little as he wondered what would have happened had Emma not been who she was, before his wondering eyes returned to hers.

"Graham." She rubbed his arm. "I really am okay."

Giving her a tight lipped smile, he simply nodded and let her pull him into a hug, letting himself relax into her arms as he closed his eyes, savouring the moment.

Suddenly, he felt Emma tense, her fingers digging into his back. "Uh, Graham?"

He felt no desire to move away from her, so he simply made a noise to let her know he heard her.

"I think… I think your wolf friend wants you."

Pulling away from their embrace, he turned around to find his wolf brother sat patiently on the side walk, head tilted slightly to the side as he looked at them, seemingly unnoticed by anyone other than them.

He was surprised he was still there. The only times he had seen his brother since arriving in this world had been when he had wanted to lead him somewhere, or to warn him about something. Now that he was here, warned of the danger and Emma was safe, Graham had expected his brother to leave; but there he was, sitting on the concrete, looking rather smug.

As their eyes met, his brother seemed to take it as a signal of some sort, as he rose and trotted over, stopping a several feet away.

Graham felt his shirt tighten around him as Emma wrapped her fingers in its fabric and he found himself wrapping an arm around her waist, though he didn't take his eyes off of his brother, who had once again leaned his head to one side, confused and curious as to why she was so scared.

A few members of the crowd had noticed the wolf's presence, and were beginning to get a little nervous, which, in turn, was making his brother nervous, made all the more obvious by the sideways glances he kept sending them.

Crouching down so he was closer to his brother's eye level, Graham held his hand out, trying not to think too much about how his shirt was no longer covering his whole body from the way that Emma was still holding on to it, and waited.

It took a moment, but it wasn't long before his brother's nose was nudging his hand and his tongue lapping at his fingers.

"I missed you too," he murmured, moving his hand so he could stroke behind his pointed ears.

As the tongue began to loll from his brother's mouth, Graham found that Emma's grip loosened, and by the time the wolf had settled, she had released his shirt entirely, one of her hands resting on his shoulder instead.

"He's beautiful," she whispered, and he felt her slowly lower herself down to his side. "Does he have a name?"

He shook his head. "Wolves don't have names," he explained, running his hand over his brother's rough fur, "Giving him one feels like I'd be trapping him, calling him a pet. But he's not."

At that, his brother got up from the ground again and trotted off towards the other side of the street, stopping on a patch of grass away from anyone else and settling down again, resting his head on his paws as he watched the scene.

Graham smiled at how at ease he was. It had been a while since he had seen him so relaxed, and the both of them more than deserved it. "He's meant to be free. Not confined to the will of others."

Feeling Emma's hand move down his arm to his own, he turned to smile at her before pulling her up with him as he stood.

There was a small cheer from behind them, and they found that the flames had been completely smothered, the last of the smoke drifting from the windows as some of the fire men began to check the building for instability.

Sighing, he shook his head. "As hard as it is to imagine, this used to be a quiet town."

Emma giggled, leaning into him. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Planting a kiss on her forehead, Graham tightened his grip on her hand and pulled her over to the small group who had just arrived, knowing they'd want to talk to her.

"Graham!" Ruby exclaimed, noticing the two of them approaching, "Why aren't I surprised to find you here?"

He couldn't help his grin when Granny rolled her eyes and Archie suppressed a chuckle, or the slight flush he felt rising in his cheeks, but he refrained from saying anything, content with just standing there with Emma on his arm.

Mary Margaret smiled at the two of them, eyes lingering on their joined hands for a moment before meeting Emma's gaze. "Did you really rescue Regina?"

Graham blinked. She saved Regina? That was news to him, though he shouldn't have been completely surprising knowing that she worked late sometimes.

Suddenly, they were pushed apart by a rather energetic child.

"She did!" Henry exclaimed as Emma put her hand on his shoulder, "The fireman said it. They saw it."

Ruby shook her head. "You are a hero."

Mary Margaret smiled. "We should see if they have a picture of the rescue."

"We could make campaign posters." Granny suggested, her eyes growing wide in excitement.

"Oh, people would love that!" Archie continued, turning to follow Ruby and Mary Margaret who had already begun to make their way over to the photographers nearby. "That's a great idea. Wait, so…"

All Graham could do was stare after them, complete bewilderment numbing his senses as he mulled over what had just happened. It took a few moments before he noticed Emma had knelt down in front of her son.

"This is how we're going to win," she said, "You do something good and people see it, and then they want to help you."

Henry smiled. "I knew you could do it. Good always wins."

Graham smiled as Emma nodded, rising to her feet again. "We don't have to fight dirty." She turned to face the hall. "Good doesn't fight dirty…"

Concern rose as Emma's voice tailed off towards the end, and it only increased as she moved closer to some of the debris to toe a piece of knotted fabric as she placed her hands on her hips.

"Graham?"

"Yes?" he replied, stepping forwards.

"Could you keep an eye on Henry for a bit?" she asked, leaning down and picking up the odd rag. "I… need to check something."

Frowning, he simply nodded and watched as she headed off towards the centre of town.

Feeling a tug at his shirt, he found Henry looking up at him with bright eyes. "Don't worry Graham. She'll be okay."

He smiled. "Of course she will," he said, patting the boy on the shoulder, "Now, there's someone I'd like you to meet…"

The ever cheery bell that hung over the shop entrance was all but a distant echo when Emma entered Mr Gold's establishment, her thoughts centred only on that rag she had found outside of the city hall.

Though she had no proof, she knew, with every ounce of her being, that it had been Gold. It was Gold who was the one who had started the fire, the one who had caused a terrifying and dangerous ordeal and risked both her and Regina's lives.

And there he was, handkerchief in hand, rubbing at his nails, no doubt removing any evidence that could have held him in court, only gracing her with a short glance as he smiled haughtily.

"Loads of visitors today," he said, continuing to rub at his nails. Emma slammed the door behind her, watching as he winced slightly and turned back to face her. "Do hope you're not going to break my little bell."

Taking a step forward, she held out the rag like an accusing finger. "You set the fire."

Mr Gold smirked. "I've been right here, Miss Swan."

She continued to approach, shaking the rag in front of her. "Take a whiff. It smells like your sheep crap oil. Turns out it's flammable."

"Oh. Are you sure?" he sneered, looking down at the stinking mass in her hand like it was nothing more than an abandoned shirt found on the side of the road. "There's some construction working on at City Hall at the moment." He pointed back towards the door. "There's loads of flammable solvents used in construction."

He was doing it again – what he always did in these situations – pointing out that she had nothing on him. That there was no way she could put him away, no matter how much she wanted to. He was rubbing it in her face, and there was nothing she could do about it.

"Why did you do it?"

The corners of his lips curled up in a way that made Emma feel like he was congratulating her for finding him out, but his eyes spoke of a warning; one she was more than tempted to push.

"'If I did it," he said, using his cane to make his way around the main counter, "If I did it, that would be because you cannot win without something big. Something like, uh… Oh, I don't know." He held his hand up with a dramatic flair. "Being the hero in a fire?"

Emma frowned. "What reason do you have to go to such lengths to make me sheriff? And how could you even know I'd be there at the right time?"

"Maybe Regina's not the only one with eyes and ears in this town. Or maybe…I'm just intuitive – were I involved." He smirked at her again, his smile reminding her of the grin she'd always imagined the Cheshire Cat would have. "And let's just say… I'm protecting an investment."

"I could've run and left her there," Emma retorted, trying to catch him out in his own game, but his smile didn't even waver.

"Not the type."

She shook her head. "I can't be a part of this."

"You were and you are." Gold regarded her for a moment, letting his words sink in, though she wished to the world she'd never seen that stinking rag now. "This is just the price of election, Miss Swan."

"A price I'm not willing to pay." She tossed the useless 'evidence' on the counter between them. "Find another sucker."

As she began to turn away, she felt the shadow of triumph within her, but like all the good things she was ever given, it wasn't to last.

"Okay, go ahead, expose me." The shop owner said, his features losing all the playfulness they had recently held. "But if you do, just think about what you'll be exposing and what you'll be walking away from."

Finally having enough of the man's riddles, she made for the door. He wasn't going to give her any straight answers, and though she wanted to expose him for what he truly was…

"Oh, yes. And, um… Who you might be disappointing."

Letting the door slam on her way out, Emma cursed every moment she'd spent in that shop, knowing full well that the sleazy bastard was right.

The fire that had plagued the City Hall had done much less damage than anyone who had seen it would have suspected. Sure, there was no doubt in anyone's mind that it would call for more than just a new coat of paint in some areas, but the building was still structurally sound, and the debate that had been arranged to be held in the hall had been given the go-ahead by the fire department.

Now the only outward sign of the disastrous event was the scorch marks that had stained the windows to the right of the main entrance. A deep red banner had been hung above the open doors, currently being adjusted by a worker, and several lights inside showed that people were hard at work preparing for the event later that day.

However, Mary Margaret was completely oblivious to this as she stapled Emma's posters on the bulletin board, lost in the mindless, menial task.

Ever since she had heard of what Emma had done, she had felt this unexplainable feeling of pride welling up inside her, and she wanted to do anything she could to help such a wonderful and selfless woman. Putting up posters seemed like the least she could do.

Making her way around the stand, she paused when she noticed the familiar form before her, similarly stapling things to the board.

"David!" she exclaimed, unable to hide the smile that seemed to come to her lips in his presence. "Hi."

David turned to her immediately, his own face lighting up as he too her in. "Mary Margaret. Hi."

She could feel the butterflies spreading their wings in her stomach at that look. Returning to her task, she removed her eyes from his beautiful blue ones. "I was just, uh…" She stapled the corners to the board, covering several other notices.

"Yeah, yeah," he said, copying her with his own posters, "me too."

As much as she wanted to just throw herself into his arms, she knew she couldn't. Small talk. Keep things simple.

"How are things?" she asked as she finished, glancing at him for a moment before checking her work.

"Okay," he replied before his head turned back to her again. "Oh, I got a job." Powerless to help herself, the smile returned. "Yeah, I'm working at the animal shelter."

"Really?"

"Yeah." He nodded his head. "Graham said that they needed some help there, so…"

Mary Margaret nodded. Graham had always been such a giving man and it was only now, after he had made such a huge impact on both her and Emma's lives, that she realised just how fortunate the town had been to have had him as their sheriff. They were all lucky to have him.

It was also the reason why Emma could still lose the vote, as several blamed her for Graham resigning, especially now that their relationship had become public knowledge. Mary Margaret could never blame him for following his heart though, and she knew that he would have been in a constant state of heartache had he remained where he was, and after his impromptu visit to her classroom, his eyes full of confusion and an emptiness that made her heart shiver, she never wanted to see him, or anyone else, look like that ever again.

Pulling her focus back to the bulletin board, she noticed the familiar face of the Daily Mirror's most well renowned author staring out from the paper. "So," she motioned towards the sign with her stapler, "Sidney."

David nodded. "My wife is friends with Regina, so…"

The teacher winced as she held her last poster against the board. "Oh, right." How could she have forgotten that? In fact, why was she even talking to this man who she knew was married when she felt so attracted to him? "How is Kathryn?"

"Good. She's meeting me here later."

She gritted her teeth. Of course he was meeting her! How could she have been so stupid that… No. No, she was not going to continue that thought. "That's wonderful," she said, stapling the notice as fast as she could. "Well, I'm all out of posters. I'm going to go get some more."

Sending him a quick smile, Mary Margaret left David dazed and confused as she made her way inside.

When he had been approached to introduce the two candidates who were battling to replace him, Graham had outright refused. At first, it was out of spite, as it had been Regina who had asked, then, after the second attempt, it was because he knew he was too biased towards Emma to do anything like that. Now, as he watched Archie practising his opening speech, he realised it was also because he knew he wouldn't have been able to stand the scrutinising eyes that would have been staring at him the entire time.

After the night's escapades and introducing Henry to his brother (he had never seen the boy so excited about anything other than curse-related things), he had ended up finishing his shift at the Pet Shelter early and walking home. The wolf had refused to leave his side the entire time and had made some of the animals a little nervous, which was no doubt the reason why Doctor Thatcher had let him go so soon, but it was only when they had stood outside of his apartment that he realised that his brother was not going to vanish as he had done before.

Setting out a blanket and bowl of water had been the logical thing to do, as his brother had to sleep somewhere, and there weren't any streams anywhere nearby for him to drink from, but his brother had given them a quizzical look before settling down by the side of his bed, completely ignoring them. Graham had shaken his head and gone to the kitchen, making himself a quick omelette for dinner while picking out the steak he'd been meaning to use for the past few days.

His brother had been more than happy with the food he'd been given, and waited patiently for Graham to finish his meal.

That night, for the first time in decades, he had fallen asleep with someone he called family lying next to him.

Unfortunately, 'pets' were not allowed in public buildings, and so he had been forced to convince his brother that he could not come in, though it was clear that the canine was reluctant to be parted from him. This confused Graham to no end. Why would he want to remain so close to him now when he could have been by his side for all those years, or at least the past fortnight?

Shaking the thoughts from his head, the former sheriff looked around the shadowed stage area as the murmuring from behind the curtain grew.

Sydney was busy practising his smile in front of a mirror while swapping between two ties, Archie was still pacing, and Emma was deep in conversation with Mary Margaret who had arrived shortly before with a piece of paper (no doubt the speech Emma would make) and a bottle of water.

Smiling slightly at how nervous she obviously was, he began to make his way towards the blonde haired woman, knowing she would need some extra support. As he stepped closer, he managed to catch the whispers being passed between the two of them.

"-to show him that good can actually win." Emma was saying, staring out through the gap in the curtains she was making.

"That's why you want to win it for him," Mary Margaret retaliated, "but why do you want to win the election for yourself?"

Emma frowned down at the podium she was leaning against. "That is why." She paused for a moment before raising her eyes again. "I want to show him that a hero can win. And if I'm not… If I'm not a hero and I'm not the saviour, then what part do I have in his life?"

Though Graham couldn't see the teacher's reaction, he could tell from the way he felt, how he felt so proud that Emma was willing to fight for her son, that she would feel the same, if not more so.

Emma smirked. "Okay. There it is."

"There it is," Mary Margaret agreed with a nod.

He continued to watch for a few moments, examining Emma as she gazed out at the growing crowds beyond the curtain, how she seemed to tense at whatever she saw, and how Mary Margaret remained to give her that much needed support. He knew in that moment that he needed to be there, to be the one to keep Emma grounded, to let her know that she was safe.

Closing the distance between them as swiftly as he dared, he placed a hand on her back, forcing her to drop the curtain and turn towards him. As soon as her eyes met his, an overwhelming look of relief passed over her and she relaxed into his touch.

Wrapping his arm around her, he simply held her, trying to convey his trust and confidence in her without saying a word.

One of the things you learn growing up in the system is that getting noticed is a bad thing. Not that she'd been very successful at getting by in the background, but sitting on a stage in front of a crowd was not exactly Emma's forte. Having all those eyes staring up at her was enough to make her heart race. However, having Graham in her corner, supporting her with his gaze from behind the curtain, was enough to keep her focused.

"I hope that we can all welcome the new sheriff, whomever that may be," Archie was saying, bringing his welcoming speech to a close, "And now, we ask only that you listen with an open mind and to please vote your conscience. So, without further ado, I'd like to introduce you to the candidates – Sidney Glass and Emma Swan. Glass. Swan. Sounds like something that a decorator would make you buy." Emma inwardly cringed. The tension in the air was thick, so she couldn't blame him for trying, but she couldn't help but feel sorry for him at the resounding silence. "Wow, crickets. Okay, uh… Uh, Mr. Glass – your opening statement."

Stepping away from the podium, Archie allowed Sydney his moment.

The man smiled as he stood, rearranging his suit jacket – a nervous tick, Emma was sure – with a plastic smile. "I just want to say, that if elected, I want to serve as a reflection of the best qualities of Storybrooke. Honesty, neighbourliness, and strength. Thank you."

Short, sweet… yet somehow a little too rehearsed. Emma gritted her teeth as the crowd applauded and stole another quick glance from her corner.

Graham looked suspicious, and it was a comfort knowing she wasn't the only one who felt that way, but when he caught her gaze, he sent her a blazing smile and closed his hand into a fist. The small nod he gave was enough to make her smile, if only a little.

As Sydney returned to his seat, Emma found another set of eyes upon her; Mr Gold.

His words had haunted her ever since she'd confronted him, twisting the thoughts in her head during the hours before this very moment. She wanted so desperately to show Henry that good didn't have to fight dirty – that she was a good person – but she also didn't want to lose this fight. The guilt that was building inside was going to have to come to a climax.

"And Emma Swan," Archie introduced.

Her time was up. She had to make a decision.

Standing behind that podium, with all those judging faces looking at her… Emma took a deep breath. For Henry. "You guys all know I have what they call a, uh… Troubled past. But, you've been able to overlook it because of the, um… Hero thing." Just think about… who you might be disappointing. "But here's the thing," she turned to Henry. This was for him. He needed to know, "the fire was a setup." Whispers rose, and Henry's face dropped, like the weight in her stomach. "Mr. Gold said he was going to support me in this race, but I didn't know that that meant he was going to set a fire. I don't have definitive evidence, but I'm sure. And the worst part of all this was – the worst part of all this is – I let you all think it was real. And I can't win that way. I'm sorry."

The pawnbroker rose from his seat and left as swiftly and with as much dignity as he was able, but all that mattered was Henry, and the way she drove the hope out of his eyes. It hurt, God did it hurt, but she wasn't going to lie to him. Not about this.

Seeing Emma like this, so quiet and disappointed with herself… it was a sobering sight, but Graham knew that she needed this moment of silence. He had tried to tell her that what she'd done was a good thing, and she seemed to believe him, but for now he would be there if she needed him – a shoulder to lean on – her moral support.

What she had said today had been shocking, and it was difficult to wrap his head around the fact that Gold had done something like this for her. But Emma had risen above him. She'd told the world of his involvement, and he couldn't have been more proud of her, even if it meant she lost the vote.

As she knocked back the last of her drink, Ruby returned with a sad smile. "Another?"

"Oh, hell yes."

"Graham?"

He shook his head. He'd barely touched his own, and he didn't really want any more, considering what happened the last time he had too much. Nudging Emma with his shoulder, he gave her a small smile, one that she barely returned, but she gave him a playful nudge back.

The door slammed shut, and Graham turned to find that Henry had walked into the diner.

"Hey, Henry," he said with a nod. The boy just smiled back at him and took a seat next to his mother.

"Hey, kid," she shifted in her seat so she could face him.

Henry pulled himself up onto the seat next to her, dumping his bag on the floor before reaching over and giving her an awkward hug.

Emma blinked. "What's that for?"

"You stood up to Mr. Gold. It's pretty amazing."

Graham grinned. Trust Henry to get through to her when he couldn't.

Emma shrugged. "Well, he did something illegal."

He held back a scoff. Gold was synonymous with 'illegal'. His back hand tricks and deals were almost always on the wrong side of shady, not to mention what he'd done for the past few centuries back in the Enchanted Forest. He wouldn't trust that imp with anything.

"That's what heroes do," Henry continued, "expose stuff like that."

The two of them smiled at each other as Ruby set a milk and Emma's whiskey in front of them, but they quickly fell away as the next two guests entered the establishment.

"I thought I might find you here," Regina snipped, Sydney following on her tail like a lost puppy, "With a drink. And my son."

Graham frowned. This wasn't what he was expecting of a victorious Evil Queen. Nor was it even a vindictive one. No, she seem too… sombre.

"Here to card me, officer?" Emma asked, looking up at an equally disappointed looking reporter.

Oh. They didn't win. Regina's plan failed!

"Well, not at all. In fact, I think I'll join you," he replied, and it was enough to make the corners of the former sheriff's lips to curl.

"Here? I don't know. I think they're setting up a back room for the victory party."

"Oh, well, you'll have to tell me what that's like."

Regina held up the badge, eyes flashing in a moment of rage before returning to her usual mask of spiteful indifference. "Congratulations… Sheriff Swan."

The badge scraped against the counter as she placed it in front of the new sheriff instead of pinning it on her jacket as was appropriate, but Graham couldn't care less. She'd done it! She was the head of the law in Storybrooke Maine, and there was nothing Regina could do or say against it.

Henry's mouth fell open. "Wait, what?"

The door opened and the people of Storybrooke began to file in; Mary Margaret, Archie…

"It was a very close vote," the Mayor was saying, "but people really seem to like the idea of a Sheriff brave enough to stand up to Mr. Gold."

Emma seemed to be in shock. "Are you joking?"

Sydney shook his head. "She doesn't joke."

Emma looked back at him to confirm and he gave her a short nod. The relief in her eyes made the world brighten.

"You didn't pick a great friend in Mr. Gold, Miss Swan," Regina warned, much to Graham's surprise, but by the smile on her face he knew she thought she'd won something, "but he does make a superlative enemy. Enjoy that."

With that, she retreated further into the diner, but Graham could feel a chill rising up his spine. As much as he hated it, she was right.

Emma entered the sheriff's office, arms full of files and a smile on her face. The celebration had been wonderful; she'd been congratulated by countless people, been able to spend time with her son, and even kissed Graham in public for the first time (to many cheers and whistles). He could still feel him on her lips…

Placing the files down on the table, she looked over at the coat hook where Graham's coat usual hung while he was here. She was going to miss working with him, but having a relationship within the office would never have worked out. This was for the best. He promised to meet her here later, but he went home to change first – he'd said something about smelling of dog (which he did), and she was thoroughly looking forward to it.

"Good show today."

Emma jumped, her hand automatically rising to her holster before she could think, but when she caught sight on Mr Gold, she couldn't help but smirk. "You do know I'm armed, right?"

He returned the sentiment and stepped into the – her – office. "It's all part of the act, my dear. Political theatre in an actual theatre. I knew no one was going to vote for you unless we gave you some kind of extraordinary quality, and I'm afraid saving old Regina's arse from the fire just wasn't going to do that. We had to give you a higher form of bravery. They had to see you defy me – and they did."

What? "No way." That's impossible. "There's no way you planned that."

"Everyone's afraid of Regina, but they're more afraid of me. By standing up to me, you won them over. It was the only way."

All the pieces were beginning to fit together now, slotting into place. Why else would he have been so blatantly obvious with the sheep crap? "You knew I'd agree."

"Oh, yeah. I know how to recognize a desperate soul."

And she'd played right into his hands…

"Why did you do this?"

"We made a deal some time back, Miss Swan," he said, making his way back to the door, "We established that you owed me a favour. I know that can be a bad feeling – owing someone. Now that you're Sheriff, I'm sure we'll find some way for you to pay back what you owe me. Congratulations."

Exiting his apartment, Graham breathed a sigh of relief. His hair was still damp from his quick shower, but feeling clean and wearing fresh clothes made him feel alive. It had never bothered him before, back in the Enchanted Forest, but living in this world for the past twenty eight years, with habits built up and fresh running water at your fingertips, it was hard not to take advantage. Of course, it was little more difficult with his brother lounging next to his drawers, but he got there eventually.

Pulling his keys out of his pocket, he made to lock his door when he noticed what looked like a piece of paper on the floor. It hadn't been there before, so it must have been dropped there while he was changing.

With a frown, he picked it up.

And then his breath caught in his throat.

It was thinner than he thought it would be – almost like grease-proof paper – but it wasn't that which caused his pause…

Wolf Man,

You're not alone.

The hatter on the hill.

Graham looked around hastily, looking for any signs that the person who left the note could still be around, but there was nothing.

Who could have left the note? And what did they want?

AN - There we have it guys! Not quite as long as the last on, but I did knock out all of the Enchanted Forest bits, and that was because the word count would have been up in the 20k department, which I don't really want to be honest.

So, I believe some apologies are in order... To those of you who have stuck with this story since it was first conceived or published back in October 2012, I owe you the largest apology for making you wait for so long, along with anyone else who's since found this. And I'm going to have to say sorry again, along with anyone who starts following this because of this new chapter, because I don't doubt that it's going to be some time before I get around to the next one.

Right, moving on...

One thing I've noticed in several Gremma fics is how quickly Graham seems to get over the fact that he's been raped for thee past 30 years (even if he wasn't aware it was as such during most of that), which I find a little too unrealistic, so I'm going to attempt a slow relationship between them. Also, a lack of Graham's wolf brother (which I am not going to name, so don't ask), so I thought I'd remedy that. Any other questions about what I did or why, please feel free to leave them in a review or PM.

Not too happy about the note (or the story's summary in all honesty), so if anyone has any ideas, suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

No music today per-se (mostly because I had a lot of interests over the past 2 years), but I've been watching a lot of Marco Polo and Da Vinci's Demons... both of which I recommend (Marco Polo's on youtube if you want).

And with that, I shall say farewell for now, and I hope to see you again, whenever that may be :)