Chapter Text
“Dad?” Her eyes squint the more she approaches.
“Hey,” David breathes. It gives Emma relief to hear his familiar voice, just like it gives David relief to hear the only daughter he’s ever had still refer to him as dad. “Sorry if I scared you, I was… I wanted to talk to you.” His hands dig inside of his coat pocket. A cloud of cold puff of air leaves his parted lips that Emma could clearly see. “I feel that there are some things that still need to be said between us, and I would like to set that straight. If you don’t mind.”
Emma walks past David, her keys jingling in her hand. There’s a click as she inserts the main key into the lock of her glass door. Her arm reaches inside until her fingers are able to flick a switch that powers the lights that illuminate the front of the house.
For a moment, David’s shoulders slump, thinking that Emma is just going to step inside without even considering talking things over. “Come on in,” He then hears, taking one step in front of the other and stepping inside of the house.
“Wow,” David breathed as the lights in the house were turned on, leaving him speechless. “The place looks great, Emma.”
“You’re surprised? When you practically grew up in a mansion in your past?” Emma frowns.
David’s face falls as he sighs. “I left that life a long time ago. But I never wanted to deprive you from anything and everything you could have accomplished for yours. And you have accomplished so much.”
Emma walks to her kitchen, pulling open her stainless steel fridge and retrieving two waters, but not before tossing her keyes along a glass bowl she had along one of her kitchen counters. David watched her as she walked back, and held a bottle of water before him.
“Thanks.” He said, accepting the refreshment. He followed Emma to her dining table, pulling out a chair to take a seat beside her. There was a moment of silence David used to take a drink, clearing his throat after. “Mary Margaret told me that things went better than expected between the two of you. That’s great. You can’t imagine how tormented she lived by not being able to tell you who she really was.”
“Did you?” Emma asks, taking David by surprise. “Did you ever feel tormented… by what you couldn’t do?”
A frown takes over him. “Every day.” His voice deepened. He took another drink. “Look, Emma… Your mother- Mary Margaret- and I…” He didn’t know how to start. “We both agreed to take on this role for you. You have to understand, she sacrificed so much-”
“I understand that.” Said Emma, her eyes staring at David’s. “What I don’t understand is how, after everything you two had, could you turn your back on her?” Her lip curls. “Why did you leave her alone to fend for herself?”
“You don’t understand what it was like, Emma-”
“Then make me understand!” Emma demands, her fist tightening along her bottle of water. “I mean, according to her, she was once the love of your life.”
“She was. Is.
“Then, how could you abandon her? How could you not trust her word over your own brother’s?”
“The same way you couldn’t trust Rgina’s!” David’s eyes hardened as they glare at Emma but soften rather quickly, realizing the weight in his words. “Shit,” he muttered. Emma’s eyes widened in silence. “I’m- I’m sorry. I’m sorry, I…” He sighed. “Look, kiddo. I know you’re angry, and believe me when I tell you that I’ve been more angry than you could possibly be with me. I hated myself for what I did or… didn’t do. Your father…” His eyes find Emma’s glaring again, retorting him. “My brother. Samuel. He always had his eye on Mary Margaret. I knew that, however, I could never confront him about it.”
Emma watched David as he focused on his calloused hands.
David breathes a sharp breath, “Every time I did, he would always find a way to intimidate me. I was his little brother, and as the older brother he had far more leverage. He never did like that, I attracted favoritism. Our parents-” his eyes look up at Emma. “Your grandparents- they had higher expectations for me, you see. A life in London, businesses, expensive suits, the whole package. But that was never for me. I never wanted that life.”
“But Samuel did.” Emma finished.
David nods, his head bowing. “Everything was always a damn competition with Samuel. Worst part was, he could lie through his teeth and make the world believe his word over anyone else’s. So, he made it his mission to destroy the one person I loved the most, in order to bring me down. Because that’s the type of man he’s always been. Samuel Locksley would take what I wanted the most, tarnish it, and masquerade into something that he knew I would run from.”
As Emma watched David’s eyes turn red, and water instantly. There was no doubt in her mind anymore. If Samuel was like this, and masquerade it well. Then that could only mean that Robin was far worse.
“I feel like an absolute coward, and your mom was right to brand me one because honestly there is no other word for what I am.” David shook his head, running his hands along his tousled hair. “Which is why, when I left, I decided that if I was going to start over the way I always wanted to live, I would start with a new name.” There’s a tiny smile pulling at the corner of his lip. “Helen’s favorite bird was always a swan. I never knew why, but it gave me the idea for a new name. And yours.”
David could have taken his mother’s maiden name. Nolan. But ultimately, he decided against it, feeling like her name alone made him an easy target for Samuel to find. When he left, leaving the last name Locksley behind. David left it with the goal of never looking back.
“I loathed the name Locksey and that’s why I decided to erase it from my life for good. And I knew Mary Margaret, she didn’t want you tarnished by it either, like it did her, so… I had to do what I had to do.” His upper lip quivers as he’s holding back tears. Not a single one escaping past his cheeks. “Please, say something, Emma.” He said, after a minute’s silence.
Emma slowly inhaled through her nose, her hands along the table. “You want the truth about how I feel?” Her voice was low. As David nodded, she took another minute until providing him with an answer. “I like Swan better.”
Relief washes over David as a tiny smile settles along Emma’s lips. He wants to reach out and hug her, but also feels that may be too soon of an action. “It is a great last name.” He settles.
Emma blinks as she smiles a little more. Mary Margaret’s words playing in her mind. “It is. And it’s because of you that I have it. Honestly, I couldn’t have asked for a better last name.” She stares into David’s eyes. Her dad’s eyes. “And a better father.”
David breathes, his body almost giving up as he leaned forward in relief. His eyes produced the tears that they couldn’t before.
“Mom made me realize that, it was because of you that I am what I am. Ever since I found out that Robin Locksley…” her jaw tenses. “Is my brother… I couldn’t help but think to myself, what if I was exactly like Samuel and Robin.” She looks down at her hands which remain in front of her.
“You could never be like them, Emma.” David shakes his head. “Far from it.”
“I know that now.” Said Emma, her eyes staring at David. “I’m like you, and my mom. Mary Margaret. And it’s because of you, both of you, that I’m smarter. And Robin will come to learn that,” her voice drops. “But not just Robin… His father will, too. And most of all, he will pay for what he did to my mother. To you.”
David catches a glimpse of something in Emma’s eyes that he can’t quite decipher. He could see what Mary Margaret was talking about. Slowly, he reached to take his daughter’s hand, giving it a firm squeeze. “You’re my daughter, Emma. Our daughter. And no last name will change that.”
“If this is a way of trying to talk me out of it, dad-” Emma shakes her head.
“No,” David mirrors her action. “It’s a fatherly way of telling you to be careful. Emma, you don’t know what you’re dealing with here.”
“Neither do Robin and Samuel.” Emma’s eyes darken with anger. “Dad, both of them took what we loved the most and burned our lives to the ground. It’s time we take it back. They like to fight dirty, but we’ll fight smarter and ten times more.”
____________________
Samuel’s eyes look up from paperwork to his son entering his office. His chuckle comes out dryly, “Robin Locksley arriving early to a day’s work. That’s a new one, son.”
“I’m glad I can still surprise you,” Robin sits before his father’s desk.
“What are you doing here this early?” Samuel gives his attention back to his paperwork.
“What else? I’m here for the meeting.”
Samuel’s brow wrinkles. “Meeting?” His fingers release the papers. “What meeting?”
“The one you organized.” Robin scoffs out a chuckle, “Don’t tell me you’re developing amnesia, father? That’s so unlike you.”
“Don’t talk to me like that, and I didn’t organize any meeting. If anything remotely happened inside this company, I would know about it. Now, what the hell are you talking about?” He demanded, standing from behind his desk.
Both turn to a knock at the door. “Mr. Locksley,” Samuel’s secretary peeks in. “Sorry, sir, but they're waiting for you in the boardroom.”
“Who?”
“Ms. Swan, oh and Mrs. Mallorie Page.”
“What?” Samuel’s mouth drops but clamps shut as marches out of his office door with Robin trailing behind him. And just as they burst through the doors, their eyes fall on Emma and none other than Mallorie Page, waiting at the table for them.
“Ah, Mr. Locksey…” Mal grins, standing to her feet. “What a pleasure to see you again, despite the circumstances. How are you, Samuel?”
“Mallorie Page…” Samuel moves along the table, stopping short. “What a pleasant surprise. I had no idea you had moved to Boston. Last I heard you were stationed in New York.”
“Oh, you heard correctly, my dear, Samuel.” Mallorie smiled. “I’m simply visiting. Emma,” she glances at Emma and the back. “Has been keeping well informed of how things have been marching here, and I decided to see for myself.”
“Well,” Samuel chuckles, sharing a glance with Robin. “All good things, I’m certain.” He pulls out his chair.
“On the contrary, Samuel,” said Mal with a frown upon her face. “It’s been brought to my attention that a few of our machines over the last couple of months have been red flagged. It seems someone,” she glances at Robin. “Had them thoroughly checked. And after they were checked, that’s when the problems began.”
Robin’s eyes narrow at Mal. “I hope you aren’t looking at me with accusation.”
“It’s not accusation, Mr. Locksley, it’s a matter of distrust.” Mal’s lips press tightly. “I don’t trust you, and frankly, neither does Ms. Swan.”
“Ms. Swan has yet to learn what trust really implies.” Said Robin, standing next to his father.
“I know what trust implies, Mr. Locksley,” said Emma. “It’s something that you will never gain from me. Especially when you can’t even be honest with your own father.” Her head tilts.
Robin’s brow furrows as does Samuel’s. “Be clear, Ms. Swan,” said Samuel. “What are you talking about?”
Emma looks to Mal, who searches around her briefcase and pulls out a manilla colored envelope. “What Emma is talking about, Samuel…” She drops the folder in front of Samuel. “Is this.” She moves back over to where Emma is sitting.
While Samuel read over the document that’s presented to him. Emma and Robin endured in a staring contest, but not exactly to see who blinked first.
Robin is surprised that very folder is shoved along his chest by his own father.
“What is the meaning of this, Robin!” Samuel shouts, standing from his chair. He stood so fast that the chair knocked against the wall.
Robin quickly read through the file, his eyes angrier by the second, fire daggers straight into Emma’s. “You-” he seethed, slamming the folder shut and tossing it along the table. “You did this!” He marched along the table.
Emma stood to her feet, facing Robin head on. “Ah, Mr. Locksley!” Mal surprised him by standing in front of Emma, her palm preventing him from moving any further. “I do hope you think twice before acting on your stupidity.” Her eyes glared into his menacingly.
“Robin,” Samuel called to his son with an anger lingering behind his throat.
Robin’s eyes pierced through Emma’s as he slowly stepped down. Emma’s fist, which had balled in, relaxed instantly. “Whatever she told you,” he pointed to Emma over Mal’s shoulder. “She’s lying! You can’t blame me for something that falls under your responsibility!” He shouts at Emma.
“Mr. Locksley! I advise you to sit down.” Mal demanded, lifting her chin. She waited until Robin moved back to be at his father’s side. “This is your signature… under the dotted line, is it not, Mr. Locksley?” She holds up the single sheet of paper. Robin’s signature at the bottom. “You may not have been here at the time these machines started to malfunction, as I was well aware of, thanks to Ms. Swan’s information. But it was you,” she points a finger. “Who hired a maintenance crew all on your own before your participation in this company was revoked.”
Samuel glared at his son, knowing perfectly well for this piece of information to be true. Robin did hire a maintenance crew of his own, after he convinced Samuel to allow him to do the task.
“You can’t prove that it was me.” Robin’s eyes moved to Emma. “You probably hired them to do a faulty job just to have it turn on me. You had me sign that document under blind pretenses!”
Emma chuckled at that, her arms crossed over her chest. “Trust me, Mr. Locksley, had it been me who hired that maintenance crew, we wouldn’t be having this discussion right now.”
“Do you have any proof of what you’re saying, Mallorie?” Samuel asked.
Mallorie scoffed as she held up the paper with Robin’s signature on it, sliding it across the table to him. “Is this not proof enough for you? Read the document, Samuel. But read with your eyes, don’t allow your… fatherly love for your son blind you.” Emma holds back a smile. “Robin’s rights may have been revoked, but it is clear that he hired that crew. Who’s to say he didn’t pay them to malfunction that equipment that Emma spent a lot of money on. Just to make her look bad.”
“I did no such thing,” Robin seethed.
“Are you going to deny wanting to throw me out of this company the moment you met me?” Emma spoke, her eyes staring directly at Robin. “Everyone around here knows it. Even your father knows it.” She regards Samuel now, masking her voice to a softer tone. “I do apologize, Mr. Locksley. I can’t imagine the disappointment you must be feeling.”
Samuel’s jaw works as he stares down at the document in front of him. “Robin is no longer with this company, but I promise you Mallorie…” he mutters, glaring at his son. “He will pay every cent back to Ms. Swan. With interest.” Robin’s features harden, his eyes wider in anger. “I give you my word on that. I will make sure of it myself.”
Mal purses her lips. “Very well,” she nods in agreement with Emma. “I will trust your word, Samuel. But be sure that I will be more on top of things than ever. Emma will report back to me with any slip-ups, and if I find a single one. She has my absolute authorization to pull the plug on this contract with Locksley Incorporated, and then, it’ll be you who pays the interests.”
“Gentleman,” Mallorie reaches for her briefcase from Emma’s hand as she stands. “I must run, I have other important matters that require my attention. Emma,” she turns to Emma. “Walk me out?”
Emma responds with a smile and a nod. Her eyes stare directly into Robin’s as she reaches the door. She lingers, but leaves after a few seconds.
Robin’s jaw tightens as he slams the door to the board room. He marches over to his father who is motionless in his chair. “She planned this! I know she did. She must have set up that document herself, slipped into my files somehow-” his cheek along with the left corner of his mouth stung. His skin was already irritated from where Samuel’s ring had made a small red cut along his lip.
Samuel’s jaw tightens, matching his son’s. “I am so sick of your shit!” He hisses. “Do you realize how you made me look in front of the most important name in all New York? In front of Ms. Swan? You made me look like someone who can’t even manage a fucking company!”
Robin’s thumb rubs away at the pearl of blood tickling the corner of his mouth. “This is the last time…” he murmurs angrily, “That you raise a fucking hand at me.”
“And this is the last time,” Samuel lifts a finger in front of Robin’s face. “That you try to pull this shit over on me, Robin. You don’t think I know of your strategies when you want to fuck someone over? You can lie to everyone, but you can’t lie to me.” He scoffs. “I knew better about lying before your fucking mother decided to have you.”
Robin’s eyes widened in anger as he towered over his father. For a moment, he could see a bit of fear in Samuel’s eyes. “Don’t you ever… talk about my mother. Don’t you do it. You don’t know me as well as you think you do.”
Samuel glares into Robin’s eyes, “Instead of wasting your time talking through your teeth, use it to think about how you’re going to pay back every cent you owe to Emma Swan!”
Robin’s breathing quickens as his father takes his leave. “Emma Swan…” He breathes, wiping at the corner of his mouth again. “You have no idea the monster you’ve just unleashed.”
Mal’s laughter was a rich sound to Emma’s ears as she walked her toward her Lexus, Sidney happily holding the door open for her as he patiently waited. “Did you see the look on their faces? Ah…” She sighs. “Had I known coming to Boston was going to be this fulfilling, I would have visited you sooner.”
“Samuel and Robin are probably down each other’s throats by now. That construction crew we hired really worked fast, and that document you had constructed, not to mention foreign his signature…” Emma chuckled as she handedMal’s briefcase back. “Thank you, Mal. For everything that you do, I can’t thank you enough.”
“And you’ll never have to.” Mal smiled. She took a moment to observe the hidden message she could obviously direct behind Emma’s eyes. “I don’t know why you did it, Emma. You’ve never played dirty before…” her eyes narrowed. “Why are you choosing to go against someone like Robin Locksley?”
“Because you needed someone who isn’t afraid to get their hands dirty,” said Emma. Her lips split into a secretive smile. “And besides, he owed a couple. He’s lucky I only stopped there.”
“No…” Mal patted her palm along Emma’s cheek. “There’s something else behind those eyes of yours. You have a lot of determination, Emma, but you also have a lot of anger bottled up inside of you.”
“Sometimes you have to bottle up that anger and channel it into something constructive.” Emma lifted her chin. “You taught me that, Mal, remember?”
“A cool head travels galaxies. A hot one shatters them.” Mal grinned. “You’re flying high, my darling, Emma.” She mounts the car, looking up at Emma as the door shuts. “Oh, Emma?”
Emma turns on the balls of her feet.
“Next time you want to do a little constructive anger… be sure to call me.” Mal winks as Sidney drives her away.
____________________
“Uh-uh,” Regina snatches the bill from their lunch out of her father’s hand before he claim it. “In your dreams… there’s no way I am letting you pay for lunch this time. You paid for it last time.”
Henry chuckles, “Last time, you also paid the check, remember?”
“So, that just means I am allowed to spoil you, too.” Regina reaches for her wallet, searching it for her credit card.
Henry’s laugh vibrates, “Spoil me? My darling, you spoil me by just existing and giving me the pleasure of your company.”
Regina grins. “Then, perhaps next time I’ll let you pay for our meals. But for now, why don’t you bring the car around while I take care of this?”
“That I’ll do,” Henry slides out of his booth. “I’ll meet you out front.” He walks away, exiting the restaurant.
Regina walks over to the front podium, greeting and smiling at the girl behind the register as she hands over her card. “Thank you,” she takes her card back after it's given back to her along with a copy of her receipt. And just as she turns toward the double glass doors, she hears screaming, followed by an impact of metal and the screech of tires.
Robin winces as the bourbon from his glass stings away at his bloody lip. His body straightens as his cell phone rings, alerting him of a call he was waiting for. “It’s done.” A voice comes through.
“Was my wife with him?”
“Yes, sir. She saw the whole thing.”
“Good work. My wife might be a little hysterical after such a traumatic event. Watch her. Make sure she doesn’t do anything else she might later regret.” He hangs up the call and takes a sip of his bourbon, handling the burn better this time.
____________________
“Hey, are you sure you don’t want me waiting here? This place could be a little dangerous for a lady.” The cab driver looks behind him over to Emma.
“I’ll be fine. Thank you.” Emma pulls money out and hands it to the driver. “Keep the change.”
The driver checks the money that was given to him before his eyes widen. “Whoa! This is more than your fair!”
“Keep it.” Emma shuts the passenger door as she stands before an old brick building. The ground was covered in snow, but there were still people out and about. Some wore thick, torn coats, while others kept warm by bon fires that were created inside of tin trash cans. Eyes were on Emma as soon as she dismounted the taxi that had already driven away.
People in this side of town weren’t used to rich people. Money drew attention. Especially around these parts.
Emma popped the collar on her trench coat before marching forward. Her boots crunched beneath the snow that stuck to the ground as she walked. Heads turned in her direction, following her every move. Eyes narrowing at her appearance. She could hear faint murmuring but it would take more than that to phase Emma. The last thing anyone wanted to show around these parts was fear.
She crossed the building like Graham had instructed and marched onto another part of the neighborhood with two more buildings. There was a park before you reached them, and it was filled with not only people sleeping on the streets, but of working girls, attempting to earn a living and possibly a warm bed.
One in particular, a tall brunette, wearing a long fur coat and large hoop earrings, about Emma’s stature. A foot taller in heels, smiled at Emma as their eyes met. “Hey, there, gorgeous… you looking for some company tonight?” Her voice took a flirtatious tone.
Ask for Veronica. That’s what Graham had instructed. “You Veronica?” Emma asks, keeping her eyes locked on the girl’s at all times.
“I’m whatever you want me to be, honey.”
Emma reached into her coat, carefully, and pulled out a hundred dollars. “I’m gonna ask again. Is your name Veronica?”
The girl’s eyes lingered on the hundred dollar bill, she was oozing the numbers off of it. “Depends… You a cop?”
“No.”
“And I’m supposed to trust you?” She chuckled.
“You don’t have to if you don’t want to, but if you don’t trust me enough to at least give me your name, you won’t earn this hundred dollar bill.” Emma holds the bill up a little further.
The girl’s eyes look down to the money and back at Emma. “You’ll give me a hundred dollars just for my name?”
“Two,” said Emma. “I’m looking for someone and I was told you could tell me where he is.”
“And you say you’re not a cop?” She snorts, snatching the bill from Emma’s hand and securely depositing it between her breasts. “I’m Veronica.”
“I’m looking for a guy named August. Heard of him?”
“Auggie? What would you want with him?”
“You’ve heard of him?” Emma repeats.
Veronica observes her a little before she nods to one of the buildings. “He’s over there. If you hurry, you might be able to find him.”
“Thank you.”
“Hey,” Veronica reaches for Emma’s arm, a sultry smile stretched across her lips. “You sure you don’t want some company later? My rates are good.”
Emma’s eyes flicker as Veronica pops her coat open, exposing a fair amount of cleavage. She smiles kindly at the offer but declines it as she removes Veronica’s hand from her arm before marching across the park, slowing her steps as she approaches another abandoned brick building. This one had a few walls busted in, and didn’t look like it offered much shelter.
Two men in torn jackets and beanies step out from the shadows of the building. “Who are you?” One of them asks.
“I’m here to talk to August.” Emma stares.
Both men exchange looks before they turn back to Emma. “Who’s asking?”
“A friend.”
“August doesn’t have any friends.” The other one says.
“So, what does that make you guys? His bodyguards?” Said Emma.
One of them takes a step forward, looking down at Emma. “Why don’t you just turn back and forget you ever found this place?”
“I’m not leaving here without talking to August.”
Both men exchange another look and the one with the red beanie proceeds to pull out a handgun. Before either of them knew what was happening, Emma’s hand wrapped along his wrist, pulled him by the back of his neck with her free hand, and kneed him in the face. She scooped up the gun from the snow covered ground while her free arm held the man with the busted nose in a headlock. The barrel of the gun pressed against his head. “Drop it!” She warned the other, seeing his hands tremble as he aimed his own weapon at her.
“Shoot her! She’s a fucking cop!” The man with the red beanie hisses, wincing as Emma presses the barrel of his own gun further into his temple.
“Let him go!” The other guy demands with a tremble to his voice.
“Just shoot her!”
“Shut up!” Emma looks forward. “I just wish to speak to August. That’s all.”
“Shoot her!”
“Tell him, Emma Swan is here and she’s not leaving until she sees him.”
“She’s a cop, Kenny! Shoot her!”
Kenny’s hands shake, his eyes widen in a panic as his mind can’t process on what his body should do. But before he could even consider the possibility of pulling the trigger, a voice emerges from inside the building. “Don’t shoot, Kenny. She’s not a cop.”
There’s silence, before Emma’s body relaxes at the sight of August stepping out onto the snow. Her arm released red beanie guy as he coughed up a fit. “August,” she curtly nods.
He looked much older than she remembered him. Or maybe it was the beard that now adorned his face. His jacket looked like it had seen better days but judging from August’s stance, he didn’t seem to mind the cold much. He definitely looked taller than she remembered him, and possibly built up more muscle than he had ever had in his life.
“Holy shit. Emma fucking Swan.”