Enchanted Adventure

VIII. Desperate Souls

"Henry, Aubree..."

Henry cut her off. "Good loses -- good always loses. Because good has to play fair -- evil doesn't. She's evil. This is probably best. Bree and I don't want to upset her anymore."

Henry and I gave Emma back the walkie talkies and left.

Third Person POV:

Emma made her way back to the station and threw her keys on her desk. The Sheriff's badge was there. Emma was about to put it on.

Regina entered and said, "Oh, I'm sorry. that's not for you."

Emma frowned. "It's been two weeks -- promotion's automatic."

"Unless the Mayor appoints someone else within the time period, which I'm doing today."

"So who's it going to be?"

"After due reflection -- Sidney Glass."

"Sidney from the newspaper? How does that even make sense?"

"Well, he's covered the Sheriff's Office for as long as anyone can remember."

"And he'll do whatever you want him to. You just cannot stand the fact that things have been getting better around here, can you?"

"Better? Are you referring to Graham's death as 'better'?"

"No."

"He was a good man, Miss Swan. He made this town safe, and forgive me for saying it, but you have not earned the right to wear his badge."

"Graham picked me to be Deputy."

"He was wrong."

"No. He knew what he was doing. He freed this office from your leash. You're not getting it back."

"Actually, I just did. Miss Swan, you're fired." She took the Sheriff's badge off the desk and left.

Emma made her way to Mary Margaret's apartment.

Mary Margaret came in, seeing Emma trying to pry a toaster open with a knife. Music was blaring and there was a half empty bottle of whiskey on the table.

She turned off the music and asked, "Toaster broken?"

"It wasn't when I started with it," Emma replied. "Pretty sure it is now. Just needed to hit something."

"What's going on?"

"Regina fired me so she could put one of her own puppets in as sheriff. It's my job."

"I never heard you so passionate about it before. What happened?"

"I don't know, I just... I know I want it back."

"There must be a reason."

There was a knock on the door and Emma said, "Maybe I just want to beat her."

Emma answered the door, seeing Mr. Gold. He had a large binder under his arm.

"Good evening, Miss Swan," Mr. Gold greeted. "Sorry for the intrusion. There's something I'd like to discuss with you."

"I'll let you two talk," Mary Margaret said before leaving the room.

"Come on in." Emma ushered.

"Thank you," Mr. Gold answered. "I, uh... I heard about what happened. Such an injustice."

"Yeah, well, what's done is done."

"Spoken like a true fighter."

"I don't know what chance I have. She's Mayor and I'm, well, me."