𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐈 𝐃𝐎 ─── 𝘩. 𝘥. 𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴

15. bonding with the bail bondsperson

act one chapter fifteen
﹝BONDING WITH THE BAIL BONDSPERSON﹞
season one episode four
❝ good morning, miss emma! ❞

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the next few days fly by. marie's father had signed the permission slip allowing her to stay at practice until eight in the evening at the latest and she spent her afternoons in the gym of storybrooke elementary.

william had joined her once or twice, helping out with the props or doing his homework on the bleachers. today was marie's only rest day for the next two weeks and she planned on doing absolutely nothing for the entire day.

and she was doing that - at least until henry showed up on her doorstep at ten in the morning.

"henry?" marie opens the door to stop his incessant knocking. "what are you doing here?"

"i was thinking we could hang out. you, me, and my mom."

marie blinks and leans against the door frame. "which mother?"

"emma. regina's at a council meeting."

"she doesn't know you're out of the house, does she?"

"and we can keep it that way until five."

marie checks the time on her watch and sighs. "hen, it's been a long week. i was just going to watch disney films on blu-ray and lounge on the couch all day."

"oh, come on. it'll be fun!" he looks up at her and pouts. "you've been so busy lately. i don't get to see you anymore."

not the guilt trip. marie bites her lower lip and looks behind her. "fine. but only for a few hours. will's with dad at work and he'll go bonkers if he finds out he wasn't invited."

henry grins. "fine by me. i'll wait out here."

marie sighs again and pushes herself up off the door frame before turning around and walking upstairs to ditch her shorts and change into leggings. after grabbing her keys and slipping into a pair of black converse, she walks outside and shuts and locks the door behind her.

when he hears the sound of the door lock clicking behind him, henry stands up from the porch steps and walks down the path to the sidewalk with her. "where are we going?" marie inquires as she ties her hair up in a ponytail.

"well, we have to go ask my mom to hang out with us then we can do what i have planned."

"you mean, she doesn't know you want to hang out with her today?"

"it'll be fine!" henry dismisses. "plus, i think it'd be good for you guys to get to know each other. my best friend and my birth mom bonding. the three b's!"

marie chuckles and turns a corner with him. "why do you want me to get to know your mother?"

"i have two moms now. one of them is the evil queen and the other is the saviour. i figured i could share the saviour with you."

even though she didn't believe in the fairytale nonsense, marie could see regina as the evil queen. marie glances down at her friend and realises where he was going with this. "henry, you don't have to do that. it's okay. i'm fine."

"but your mother-"

"died. and that's fine. i've gotten closure over the years. you don't need to worry about the mother figures in my life, okay? you suddenly having two is what you need to worry about."

henry eventually drops the subject when they reach the door to mary margaret's apartment. "okay. here goes." before marie can knock, henry opens the door and walks inside. "hey, emma, i was thinking we-" he cuts himself off when he sees mr. gold.

"hey, henry. marie." the girl waves in his direction. "how are you guys?"

"okay...?" henry answers for both of them.

"good. give my regards to your mother, henry."

the boy smiles and adjusts the strap of his backpack.

"and, um, good luck, miss swan." gold walks past the two tweens, closes the door, and heads downstairs.

henry follows emma further into the apartment while marie stays in front of the door. "do you know who that is?" he asks emma.

"yeah, 'course i do."

"who? 'cause i'm still trying to figure it out."

"oh, i meant in reality."

"is that... all you brought?" henry inquires upon noticing the very small amount of belongings on the floor in front of his bio mum.

"henry, what are you doing here?"

"my mom's gone till five. i thought we could hang out."

emma looks over his head and marie waves. "good morning, miss emma!"

"hey?" the woman looks back at her son and shakes her head. "aw, kid, i wish i could, but there's something i gotta do."

━━━

"please let me help." henry clasps his hands together as he walks between emma and marie.

"no, no. it could be dangerous."

"the pregnant maid is dangerous?"

"she assaulted mr. gold!"

"cool," the two darker-haired kids remark in unison with excited grins on their faces.

"this isn't a game, you guys. she's desperate." the three of them cross the street and walk over to emma's yellow bug.

"how do you know?" henry questions.

"because i know."

"such a grown-up thing to say," marie mutters under her breath as henry and his mother start arguing about whether or not they were going with her.

"i'm just trying to be responsible here!" emma exclaims exasperatedly.

"and i'm just trying to spend time with you. get in the car, m."

looks like henry wins this round.

"oh, that is really not fair."

the two females get in the car, emma in the driver's seat and marie in the backseat.

"so, the maid," henry starts, turning to look at emma. "what's her story?"