A Tale of Two Sisters

The Plot Thickens

One week ago

Regina stood in front of her desk in her office, facing the window as she fingered an engagement ring, about to lose it when she heard footsteps behind her.

"Remembrance of things past?" Mr. Gold asked.

"What do you want?"

"I need a favor."

"You need a favor from me?" Regina asked, turning to him.

"Well, as you know, there are battery charges pending against me, I don't want to waste any more time locked up in a cage. Now, someone with your influence, can make the DA realize, how flimsy of a case they have. Isn't that right, Your Majesty?" Mr. Gold grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl that was on the long table in Regina's office.

"What do I get out of it?" Regina asked, going behind her desk.

"Help with your Mary Margaret problem. You see, I've noticed that no matter how hard you seem to try to stop them, she and her charming friend just keep finding ways to be together."

"What are you suggesting?"

"If you want to inflict pain," Mr. Gold sat down across from Regina, "then you must inflict pain. If something tragic were to happen to David's wife, and if Mary Margaret should take the blame . . ."

"She'd be ruined

"And you would have victory at last."

"A trial could be very messy."

"A trail. Now, who said anything about a trial? Now, once Miss Blanchard has been incarcerated, you can plant one of your skeleton keys in her cell. And when she tries to leave Storybrooke, well, well, we all know what happens to people when they try to leave town."

"Give me one good reason why I should trust you."

"Because I always honor my agreements. Do we have a deal?"

* * * * *

Storybrooke Maine, present day

"A pretrial interview with the prosecution? Explain to me how that is a good idea," Emma said with her arms crossed to Gold as she, him, and Reagan, stood outside of Mary Margaret's cell with the accused in her cell.

"The DA merely wishes to ask Miss Blanchard a few questions," Mr. Gold explained.

"She's done answering questions, and why are we kissing up to the DA? Why aren't we going after Regina, she's the one setting up Mary Margaret."

"And what proof do we have of that, Sheriff? Just because you found the mayor's skeleton key in the cell doesn't mean we can prove she put it there."

"So what's your plan?" Reagan asked.

"I believe our best chance of winning this case is to employ our most valuable asset."

"What's that?" Mary Margaret asked.

"Well, that's you, dear. A sweet, kind, elementary school teacher. Doesn't exactly fit the prototype of a killer now does it?" Mr. Gold asked.

"That's how you're going to get her acquitted? By using her personality?" Emma asked.

"Perception is everything, Miss Swan–not just in the courtroom, but in life. As such, I'm sure you can imagine how the jury would perceive Miss Blanchard, if she agreed to cooperate with the District Attorney. These things engender trust. It shows the jury she's at least trying–"

"Emma?"

They all looked over to see Sidney standing in the doorway with a vase of flowers, "Sorry to interrupt, I just, uh, came by to drop these off. I thought they might brighten the place up."