{ storybrooke }

21. { an apple red as blood }

Winter crosses the street, her mantle coat softly waving in the air. The brunette had just finished another therapy session with Archie and went to pick up some books from the library. She wanted to surprise Mr. Gold, who had been working at the shop all day long, with some home made muffins from Granny's and heads over towards the back entrance of the shop.

She closes the door softly behind her. Winter had expected Mr. Gold to be in his office, but he was not there. Her small eyebrows furrow in confusion. For a moment she wonders where he was, but then she hears voices coming from the front. Did Mr. Gold have a customer?

Winter was about to enter the shop when Mr. Gold speaks. What he said caused her to stop and stay hidden behind the curtain dividing the two rooms.

"Your Majesty, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

She freezes onto her spot, her hand barely holding on to the paper bag with muffins. Her heart starts thundering, her mind in a war between her insatiable curiosity and fear of what she was going to see.

It was the curiosity that won. She pulls slightly on the curtain, revealing a sliver of the other room. It was enough to see that Mr. Gold was in the company of Mayor Mills, who had her back turned towards the office. 

Winter could see her holding up a rotting apple. She seemed agitated by it. "My tree is dying. Why?" Mr. Gold looks up, not bothered by the Mayor's anger. "Perhaps it's your fertilizer," he responds very seriously. 

Regina leans forward over the desk, asking him if he thinks this is funny. She didn't allow him to respond as she rages on. "Well, I'll tell you what I think. I think it's a sign of the curse weakening because of Emma."

The hidden brunette frowns. A curse, and it was weakening because of Emma? She couldn't be serious. Unless.. they were speaking in code, much like Henry does whenever he talks of 'Operation Cobra'. It was the only explanation that did not make her lose her mind.

She pushes down a gasp of surprise when she hears the sound of Mr. Gold's cane on the floor. She fears he was heading her way, discovering her hiding in the office, but luckily he didn't. 

He was walking away, but Winter could see Mayor Mills following him around the shop. "But do you care," Regina asks, "No. You're content to just sit back and do.. whatever it is you're doing, while all my hard work burns."

"That's not all, is it? Come on. You might as well get everything off your chest," Gold remarks.

Regina scoffs. "I don't know what you're talking about," she responds, crossing her arms defensively before her chest. But.. over the last few years Winter has gotten to know the Mayor. Which is why she knows that she does not raise her voice, unless there is something bothering her.

Mr. Gold, who has known her longer than Winter did, must know that too. He also knows well enough what the reason for Regina's frustration must be.

"Henry. Ms. Swan wants him," he states calmly. The dark haired woman scoffs again. "She'll have that boy over my dead body."

Gold faces her calmly. "The curse was meant to take away Snow White and Prince Charming's happiness. Perhaps you giving up Henry is just the price to keep the curse unbroken," he rationalizes.

Winter could barely believe what she just heard. They were talking about curses and fairytales as if.. as if they are real. Perhaps Henry's obsession with that storybook of his was turning the town into a madhouse.

"I think I'd rather just get rid of her," Regina responds. Mr. Gold moves around in the shop again, exhaling deeply. "Well, well. You're gonna have to be quite creative. We both know the repercussions in killing Ms. Swan."