A Tale of Two Sisters

The Return and an Escape

 "You broke our deal," Regina said to Mr. Gold as she and her youngest daughter stood in his shop the day after Kathryn was found.

"I broke one deal in my life, dear, and it certainly wasn't this one," Mr. Gold replied.

"Kathryn was supposed to die, and Mary Margaret was to get the blame."

"Yeah, murder seems so much worse here, though, doesn't it? You can't just turn someone into a snail and then step on them, can you? You didn't say 'kill her'. We agreed that something tragic should happen to her. Now, abduction is tragic."

"The intent was perfectly clear."

"Oh, let's not talk about intent. Intent is meaningless."

"Intent is everything."

"Please."

"This is going to raise all kinds of questions about where she was and how the results were fake."

"Oh, yeah. And, um . . . Who put the key in her cell."

"It's all going to lead to me, isn't it? You bastard. This doesn't make any sense. You and I–we've been in this, together, from the start."

"Oh, have we?"

"You created the curse. The curse that brought us here, and built all this."

"Yeah, it's about time you said thank you."

"Why did you do it?"

"Well, you're a smart woman, Your Majesty. Figure it out."

Not that far up the road, in Mary Margaret's apartment, there was a welcome home party for her return from being in jail. Her apartment was filled with many people from town, including Granny, Archie, Leroy, Henry, Reagan, and August.

"All of these people . . . Just to welcome me home?" Mary Margaret said to Emma and Reagan, looking around as Emma poured drinks for Mary Margaret to pass out.

"You've got a lot of friends," the ravenette replied.

"Didn't feel like that yesterday," Mary Margaret said before going to some guests, giving them drinks and talking with them for a moment before Henry gave her his gift. "Thank you." She opened the card and read it, "'We're so glad you didn't kill Mrs. Nolan'."

"It's from the whole class. And I got you a bell," Henry replied, shaking the present he got her.

"Thank you. Tell everyone I'll be back soon."

"Henry, Regs, you should get home before your mom finds out. That won't be pretty," Emma said, pushing the kids to the door. She opened it to find David right outside.

"Hey. Hey Henry, Reagan. Leaving already?"

"Yeah. Gotta get home and do homework," Henry said.

* * * * *

The next day, Reagan and Emma went to the sheriff's station for work, only to be greeted by Regina sitting on one of the desks waiting for them.

"Congratulations, Sheriff Swan," the mayor said. "There's about to be a big break in your case. You just got yourself a confession. But, I want you to listen to the whole explanation, so you understand why this happened."

"I'll hang on to every word you say," Emma replied.

"Sidney, you can come in now," Regina said, surprising the saviors.

Sidney came in from behind the girls. Emma and Reagan looked at him in shock as he said, "It was me. I confess. I abducted Kathryn, and I held her in the basement of an abandoned summer home by the lake. I bribed a lab tech to get me the heart from the hospital, and I used the same person to doctor the lab results."

"And the other thing?"

"I . . ." he paused " . . . Borrowed the skeleton keys from Regina and . . ." he paused again, " . . . Planted the knife in your apartment."

"My keys. I can't help but feel personally violated by that part," Regina said.

"And we're supposed to believe you did this for why now?" Reagan asked Sidney.

"I was going to find her after the conviction, be a hero. Then, get the inside scoop on the biggest story to ever hit this town. I'd get my job back, plus a novel, and a movie, and . . . I don't know."
"I don't know about crazy. But false, yes," Emma said.

"I have maps to where the house is. You'll find chains in the basement. Lots of fingerprints. I'm sure–hers and mine, but I didn't hurt her."

"The man has obviously suffered some kind of mental break. He clearly hasn't been himself for a while," Regina said.

"Yeah. It's like his words aren't his at all," Reagan glared at her.

"Wow. You are so sold on your own rush to judgment that you can't even see the truth anymore."

"A word in the hallway please," Emma said before storming out, Regina following her shortly after.

* * * * *

A few nights later, Reagan and Henry were in Henry's room, the latter asked Reagan about the Enchanted Forest when his walkie talkie went off.

"Code red. Code red. Henry, Regs?" Emma's voice said.

Henry grabbed the walkie, "Emma. What's wrong? We're both here."

"I need to talk to the both of you."

"About–Operation Cobra?"

"No, about us. Meet me downstairs."

The kids looked at each other before rushing downstairs, going outside to see Emma sitting in her car. Reagan opened the passenger door and pushed the seat forward so Henry could crawl into the back. Once he was settled, she got in and closed the door.

"If our mom sees us out here talking to you, she'll get really mad," Reagan said.

"Henry, Reagan, I need to ask you something very important. Do you want to get away from Regina? Do you want to come and live with me?"

"More than anything," Henry said whilst Reagan nodded.

"Okay. Then buckle up. You ready?"

"Eh–why? Where are we going?" Reagan asked.

"We're leaving Storybrooke."