Gold

{14}

I WALKED downstairs to see Mary Margaret wearing a cute outfit with a beanie and holding a stack of fliers. She saw me and grinned. "Good. You're awake. Help me hang these up?" She asked me and I nodded.

"Anything for Em." I said, flashing a smile at Emma, who was watching us from the table. "Thanks." She told us.

Mary Margaret and I made our way to the huge notice board in front of the town hall and I grabbed a pile of the fliers. I gave Mary Margaret a wide eyed look when I saw David also hanging up fliers.

"Mary Margaret! Hi." David said, a huge goofy grin on his face. I fought the urge to roll my eyes. "I was just, um-" Mary Margaret trailed off, holding up a flier and stapling it.

I grinned as I saw the photo on the flyer was Emma carrying Regina from the burning building.

"Yeah. Me too." David said and I sent him a glare when I saw his posters were for Sidney Glass. "How are things?" Mary Margaret asked him. "Okay. I got a job. At the animal shelter."
David told her. "Really?" Mary Margaret asked, her face lighting up. They stared at each other for a second before I cleared my throat.

"So, Sidney?" I asked him accusingly and he looked sheepish. "My wife is friends with Regina so.." David trailed off and I could have sworn Mary Margaret's eyes flashed.

"Oh right. How is Kathryn?" She asked. "Good. She's meeting me here later." David said and I couldn't believe they were chatting about his wife of all people.

"That's wonderful." Mary Margaret said, stapling the posters rather aggressively. "Well I'm all out of posters! I'm going to go get some more!" She said and hurried off. I turned to David with a glare.

"What are you mad at me for?" He asked me incredulously and I rolled my eyes at him. "You promised me." I reminded him harshly and then stalked off after Mary Margaret.

I found her at one of the tables we'd sat some posters on. She looked a little upset, like she might cry.

"Mary Margaret? Are you okay?" I asked her and she sighed and nodded. "Why wouldn't I be?" She asked. "Right. Forget him." I told her.

The rest of the day passed quickly with Mary Margaret and I hanging fliers. Later that night, we hurried to catch a seat in the town hall for the debate.

Mary Margaret And I went backstage to see Emma. She was looking out of the curtain at Henry. "Here." Mary Margaret said, handing Emma her notes and a water.

"I'm not going to win." Emma told us. "What are you talking about? Everyone's talking about what you did in the fire." Mary Margaret said hopefully.

"No. Henry's right. I can't beat Regina at this. Not the way she fights. Watch and see." Emma told us. "Is this really just about beating Regina?" Mary Margaret asked and Emma looked back out of the curtain.

"Henry?" Mary Margaret asked. "I want to show him that good can actually win." Emma told us. "That's why you want to win it for him. But why do you want to win for yourself?" I asked her and she turned to look at us.

"That is why. I want to show him that a hero can win. And if I'm not a hero, and I'm not the savior, then what part do I have in his life?" Emma told us and Mary Margaret And I both glanced at her.

She wanted to be a part of his life. "Okay. There it is." Emma said with a laugh. "There it is." Mary Margaret repeated and I laughed at the two of them. "Listen to me, Emma. Whether you win this or not, you will always be a part of that boys life. He loves you." I told her and she smiled at me. "Thank you." She said.

Mary Margaret And I went then to sit in our seats. I glanced back and gave Gold a smile. He grinned back as Archie started to talk.

"Tragedy has brought us here, but we are faves with this decision, and now we ask only that you listen with an open mind and to please vote your conscience. So, without, further ado, I'd like to introduce you to candidates, Sidney Glass and Emma Swan." Archie said.

"Okay, Mr. Glass, you're opening statement." Archie said and walked off. Sidney walked up to the podium. "I just want to say that if elected, I want to serve as the reflection of the best qualities of Storybrooke. Honesty. Neighborliness, and strength. Thank you." Sidney said and I forced myself to clap.

"And Emma Swan." Archie said and Emma walked up to the podium. "You guys all know I have what they call a troubled past. But you've been able to overlook it because of the hero thing." Emma said.

I knew then she was going to go through with it and expose Gold. "But here's the thing. The fire was a set up." Emma said and immediately there was mutterings all around the room.

"Mr. Gold agreed to support me in this race, but I didn't know that that meant he was going to set a fire. I don't have definitive evidence, but I'm sure. And the worst part of all this was I let you all think it was real." Emma told everyone. I'd never felt more proud of her.

"And I can't win that way. I'm sorry." Emma said before walking off the stage. I looked back to see Gold walking out.

I turned to Mary Margaret, who seemed stunned beyond belief. I hurriedly cast my vote for Emma and went to Golds shop, where I knew he would be.

I opened the door to his shop and saw him standing behind the counter as usual. "She did it. I knew she would." I told him and he smirked. "Now we only have to wait and see if she wins." He said. "She will." Gold told me and I smiled at him. Just then, my phone rang. "Hey?" I asked and I heard Emma.

"Claire! You won't believe it! I won! I'm Sheriff!" She said happily and I laughed. "I knew it!" I said. "Are you coming to the after party?" She asked and I glanced at Gold. "Actually I'm with Gold. Don't wait up for me." I told her. "Okay. Be safe." She said over the phone and I rolled my eyes as I hung up.

"So I take it she won?"
He asked, stepping closer to me. "Yes. And I think it calls for a celebration." I told him and he grinned, pulling me back to him.