happy endings | ouat (slow updates)

desperate souls

s01ep08 - desperate souls 

WARNING FOR GRAHAM DISCUSSION CONCERNING REGINA'S PAST MANIPULATION AND RAPE OF HIM 

(it's kinda a recurring theme from here on and i refuse to gloss over it)

Graham had enough experience with her to know that, by nature, Regina was not a patient woman. Every time he had seen her (and there had been sixteen instances in total) since Henry had stood up to her, she had looked so hounded that if he hadn't known better, he would have thought she was ill. Bloodshot eyes spoke of restless nights, and there had even been a cold sore on her upper lip. So from the moment he walked into the station to begin the first shift of the day and found Regina sat on his desk looking perfectly manicured as if the past few weeks had never happened, he stopped dead on his feet.

She smirked, as if the world had been handed to her on a platter, and Graham remembered another thing he knew about the heartless queen. She was more observant than anyone else he'd ever come across.

"Graham," she said, voice more like poison than honey, "I've been waiting for you."

Every instinct in his body told him to turn around and run away. Instead, he took a slow and measured step forwards into the doorway of his office. "That's Sheriff to you."

Her eyes flashed dangerously, like a predator spotting prey. "No. It isn't." She rose off the desk with her eyes still trained on him. "Not anymore. You're hereby relieved of your duties, Mr. Humbert. Badge, please."

When he didn't respond immediately, she huffed in mock annoyance. "Come on, Graham. Really, you're just making it harder for yourself. The sooner you start to listen to reason, the better. If I were you, I'd run off somewhere with Emma Swan and hide in a hole because- and believe me when I say this- your days are numbered. Both of you. And then, Henry will be back where he belongs with me and he won't ever consider running from me again because killing the pair of you will break him . Do you understand me?" He shook his head mutely, and she laughed blackly. "You may have had your little victory, but those memories in your head change nothing. You have and always will be a coward, and when I find your heart and crush it, I will prove it to you. In time, Henry will know I did what was best for him. And with you dies whatever feeble flaming hope you're counting on from Ms Swan, because that woman will not be breaking my curse. So don't waste your breath, and give me your badge."

Voice still caught in his throat, Graham took a staggering step backwards, which Regina used to gain on him. She held out an expectant hand, purple-painted nails looking sharp enough to draw blood. He unclipped and handed her his badge without really thinking about it and she visibly relaxed. "I expect you out of here by noon."

Then, with a sharp turn of heel, she left the station without looking back. He made it a few steps before collapsing into the chair at his desk with an ashen expression, shoulders hunched. There was no one else there for him to be strong for. Only himself.

She didn't know about magic being back. That was the important thing. Graham took several deep breaths, before flinching at the sound of someone at his office door.

"Graham?"

Emma.

Before he could really register it, she had a hand on his shoulder and was looking anxiously at him. He managed a weak smile, the gesture half-fake and half-relieved to see her. "Hey."

She spoke softly, her blue eyes lingering on his face. "Want to talk about it?"

"I... I got fired." He swallowed numbly. "Regina... I didn't even have the energy to ask her why, I just let her threaten me and gave her the badge. She said... she said she was going to find my heart and kill me. To break Henry. Said you wouldn't break the curse because of me... and then she'd kill you too." Once he started talking it all came tumbling out, like the pressure of it had burst the mental dam. "It was just like it used to be. In the forest. Except back then, after she told me who she was going to kill and why and how, she'd get me to do it... for her. And I could never stop myself. Always tried, never could. Had to do everything she wanted from me. I don't want to die, but I never want to be her Huntsman again."