I Know The End || Killian Jones

𝟶𝟼 - 𝚍𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚕𝚢 𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢

storybrooke, maine

— BEING THE OWNER OF THE TOWN'S BEST CAFE, AJATRI HAD THE SCOOP ON PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING. She didn't particularly care, as she wasn't much of a gossip, but it always made her days more interesting, at the very least. It was because of this that she knew about Mary Maragret's secret with David Nolan, the pair having come together despite all the drama it may or may not cause in the future. She also knew about most of Emma's problems with Regina, Regina's problems with Emma, and not to mention the rest of the freaking world too.

Aja felt bad for her friend, but Regina was acting more impulsively and angrily the more time went by and she was losing allies quickly. Like, for example, Sidney Glass.

After having lost the election for Sheriff and being fired from the paper by Regina, he was in quite a state. Usually had a drink in hand, always bitter and grumbling. When he appeared in the cafe, she kept a close and cautious eye on him as he made his way to where Emma was sitting, enjoying her coffee and bagel. She didn't catch all of the conversation, but she understood the gist. Sidney was angry, wanted revenge on Regina via helping Emma expose her. Once he'd stumbled back out, Emma made her way up to the counter, brows raised.

"Well that was something."

Aja mirrored her expression. "Sure seemed like it."

"Do you think he meant it? About wanting to get back at her?"

She made a face. "Oh, please tell me you wouldn't actually consider his offer. Sidney Glass is a snake. An icky snake, at that. You don't necessarily have to take the high road, but believe me, if he's not completely useless, then he'll sell you out at the first shot of getting something he wants from Regina."

"Well... what about Gold? He said he'd help me and... I guess in a roundabout way he kind of did. And he's even worse than Sidney, from what I gather."

"They're two different kinds of bad entirely." Aja replied. "Gold is sneaky and clever. He's good with loopholes and whatnot, but when he says he'll do something, he does it. Sidney is a liar and a sneak. Simple as that. Trust me, you don't want his help."

Unfortunately, Emma got desperate. The closer she tried to get with Henry, the more pushback and criticism she received from Regina, and so despite both hers and Aja's better judgement, she recruited the help of Sidney Glass. Eventually, as Aja had predicted, things fell through. Shockingly, it had nothing to do with Sidney being malicious, and everything to do with his lack of brain cells. The information he'd helped Emma retain using... illegal methods... turned out to be useless. And once Regina found out they'd bugged her office for what they found, she was quick to use it, threatening Emma to stay away from Henry if she didn't want a restraining order filed against her.

Even still, Emma seemed a little relieved to have at least one more ally – even if it was an incompetent one – and Aja was happy for that at least. One would think that allying with someone like him would mean you've hit rock bottom. Anyone from Storybrooke would, seeing as nothing bad happened in a town like this, but apparently things were changing, for better or for worse. Of course, Henry would insist it was the curse weakening. In truth, Aja thought he wasn't far off. Regina was someone who liked to be in control, but there came a point where complete peace and quiet turned into suffocating stillness. And as Emma began to pull the town from the Mayor's iron fist, life felt almost like it could finally move forward. Even the rusty old clock above the abandoned library seemed to have sorted itself out and started ticking again since Emma moved into town.

Soon, Mary Margaret and David's secret relationship came to light, unwillingly becoming public knowledge. Suddenly, Ms Blanchard was a harlot and her flame was a deadbeat in the eyes of the town. And that was before Kathryn Nolan went missing. Personally, Aja thought it was all a bunch of crap to be so worked up over it, but she knew it wasn't over nothing but rumours when Emma officially declared David a suspect in the investigation. He couldn't be held without real evidence, but he'd probably need to think about hiring a lawyer if he wanted to really be safe.