Twice Upon A Time {reader x once upon a time}

The Stranger - Part 1

Thursday, April 2

Mary Margaret, Emma and Angie where watching August as he finished installing a deadbolt on Mary Margaret's front door

"No one, is getting through that" he said, closing it and opening it again to make sure it worked

"Wow, when are you installing the torture chamber?" Emma teased him

"You don't like it? I call it 'medieval chick'" he teased back

"I don't care what it looks like as long as it keeps Regina and her skull-keys out" Mary Margaret said

"You're pretty handy for a writer. Where did you learn how to do this?" Angie asked August

"Wood-shop, 8th grade" he replied

"Oh, speaking of school, I have to get going" Mary Margaret said, gathering her things

"Are you sure you're ready to go back?" Emma asked concerned

Mary Margaret chuckled "After staying behind bars, how tough can a room full of 4th graders be? Besides, aren't you the one we need to be worried about?" she asked back

"Her? Why?" wondered Angie confused

"Right, I forgot to tell you" Emma said, looking to her sister "I'm hiring Mr Gold to help me build a case against Regina to take Henry back" she explained

"How the hell did you forget to tell me something so important?? And when did you decide that?" Angie asked her sister

"After Sidney 'confessed'" Emma said

"But, you do know what happens if you win?" Mary Margaret asked her friend

"Yeah" Emma replied

"And you're ready? To be his mom?" Angie insisted

"Yeah" the blonde repeated

"Code red, code red" Henry's voice came in through the walkie-talkie

"Hey Henry, what's going on?" Emma answered it

"Meet me at Granny's, just you and Angie. It's an Operation Cobra emergency" the kid replied

Angie grabbed the walkie from her sister and said "We're on our way"

Emma and Angie were on their way to Granny's when August caught up with them

"Hey, wait up!" he called out for them

"You heard the kid, Operation Cobra calls" Emma replied, not stopping

"I didn't think you believed in all that" August commented, falling in step with the twins

"Oh I don't, but sometimes it's the only way to get through to Henry" the blonde confessed

"You know, a custody battle against Regina isn't going to accomplish anything" he told her

"What do you mean?" Angie asked

"Emma needs to look at the big picture" he explained. Then, he grabbed Emma's arm to stop her "That's the only way you're going to understand what you're up against, that's the only way you'll know how to beat Regina" he told her

"Okay, new guy, how's that?" Emma wondered

August smiled "Take the day off, come with me and I'll show you" he said

"And where exactly will we be going in this magical mystery tour?" Emma asked, crossing her arms

"If I told you, you would never come" August chuckled. Unimpressed with the answer, Emma continued walking