Once Upon A Time ~ Book 1

Chapter 12 - The Frame Job

Archie sat in his office reading through his files, until he heard a knock on the door and Emma walked in.
"Hey." she said.
"Emma Swan. I was just reading about you." said Archie standing up and picking up the paper on his desk. "Let me guess. You're here for help with a little post-traumatic stress?" he chuckled. "That diagnosis was free, by the way."
Emma chuckled. "No, I'm here about Henry."
"I'm sorry, I really shouldn't....." he started.
"I know. I'm sorry, I just..... Just tell me something. This fairytale obsession. What is causing it? I mean, he thinks everyone is a character in his book. That's crazy."
"I hope you don't talk that way in front of him..... The word crazy is quit damaging....... These stories...... They're his language...... He has no idea how to express complex emotions he's translating as best he can.... This is how he communicates...... He's using this book to help deal with his problems."
"But he got the book a month ago. Has he been seeing you longer than that?"
"Um, yes, he has."
"So it's Regina, isn't it?"
"His mother is a very complicated woman...... Over the years, her attempt to try and bring Henry closer have only backfired."
Archie walked to his drawers.
"Why don't you take a look at the file." he said taking a file and handing it to Emma. "Um, you'll see what I mean."
"Why are you doing this?" asked Emma.
"He talks about you a lot. You're very important to him."
"Thank you." said Emma, taking the file.
"Just see that I get it back. Okay?" Archie then held the door open for her and Emma left.
"Miss. Swan? For the sake of the boy, be careful how you handle his believe system...... Destroying his imagation would be devastating."
Emma nodded and walked away.

Once Archie closed the door, he walked to his desk and picked up his phone and dialed a few numbers. The phone rang.
"You were right. She was just here." said Archie.
"Did she take the file?" said Regina's voice on the other end of the line.
"Yes." said Archie. "How did you know she was gonna come here?" "Because I'm the one who gave her the idea."

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Emma sat on her bed in Granny's Bed And Breakfast. She was reading through Henrys therapy files, until she heard a knock on the door.
She got up and opened the door. On the other side of the door stood Graham.
"Hey there." said Emma. "If you're concerned about the do not disturb signs, don't worry, I've left them alone."
"Acually, I'm here about Dr. Archibald Hopper. He mentioned you got into a bit of a row with him earlier." sais Graham.
"No." said Emma.
"I was shocked, too. Given your shy, delicate sensibilities. He says you demanded to see Henrys files and when he refused you came back and stole them."
"He gave them to me." said Emma, a surprised look on her face.
"Alas, he's telling a different tale. May I check your room or must I get a search warrant?"
Emma sighed and opened the door wide. She walked over to her bed. "Is this what your looking for?" said Emma.
Graham picked up a sheet from the bed. "Well, you're very accommodating." he put the sheet back on the bed. "I'm afraid Miss. Swan, you're under arrest. Again." he said taking out his hand cuffs.
"You know I'm being set up, don't you?" said Emma as he ajusted the cuffs.
"And who, may I ask, is setting you up?"

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Mary Margaret sat with her class, outside, under the shade of the trees, next to the school.
Regina walked swiftly and quickly down the path towards the class. She cleared her throat, interrupting Mary Margaret class.
Mary Margaret closed her book my got up and walked towards Regina.
"May I speak with my son?" said Regina.
"We're in the middle of a lesson, is it important?" asked Mary Margaret kindly.
Reginas face changed quickly. "Do you think I'd be here if it wasn't?"
Regina walked towards the children.

"Henry, sweetie, I have some bad news." said Regina. They stood a little further away from the group. "The woman who you brought here, she's been arrested. She broke into Dr. Hopper's office and stole his files. She's a con woman. She trying to learn about us in order to take advantage of us. That's why she's sticking around. I'm sorry."
"No, you're not." said Henry.
"I know you think otherwise but all I'm doing is trying to protect you. This is gonna be good for us. You'll see. Things will be better.
Suddenly the school bell rang.
"I gotta get back to class." said Henry and he ran off leaving Regina standing alone and unsuccessful.

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Emma stood in the sherifs office with the sherif, as he took the crime photos of her.
"You know the hiring it lying, right?" said Emma.
"To the right, please." said Graham as he took the polorude photos from the camera. "Why would he lie?"
"The Mayor pit him up to this. She's got to have something on him. He's terrified of her. Like everyone else in this town."
"To the left." he pointed to the left. "Regina may be a touch intimidating, but I don't think she'd go as far as a frame job."
"How far would she go? What does she have her hands in?"
"She's the Mayor. She has her hands in everything."
"Including the police force?" she pressed.
"Hey!" said a boys voice from the door. Henry walked into the room followed by Mary Margaret.
"Henry?" said Graham. "Henry, what are you doing here?"
"His mother told him what happened." said Mary Margaret.
"Of course she did." said Emma. She walked towards Henry. "Henry, I don't know what she said......." she started.
"You're a genius." said Henry.
"What?"
"I know what you were up to."
Emma looked at him, perplexed.
"You were gathering intel. For Operation Cobra." he hinted.
"I'm sorry, I'm a bit lost." said Graham.
"It's need to know, Sherif. And all you need to know is that Miss. Blanchard is gonna bail her out."
"You are?" said Emma, looking at her. "Why?"
"I....trust you." she said.
Henry smiled at Emma.
"Well, if you could uncuff me, I have something to do." said Emma, holding up her hands to Graham.

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Regina sat at her desk, in her office, signing some papers.
Suddenly she her a motor whirring and a defining sound came from her garden.
She got up and turned to look out her window, to see Emma, with a chainsaw, cutting a branch from her beloved apple tree. She looked at her in shock, as the branch fell to the ground and Emma looked up at her window.
Regina walked quickly down the stairs and outside. "What the hell are you doing?" she shouted at Emma, as she neared her.
"Picking apples." said Emma, the chainsaw in her hand.
"You're out of youp mind." she shouted.
"No. You are, if you think a shoddy frame job is enough to scare me off. You're going to have to do better than that. You come after me one more time, I'm coming back here for the rest of this tree." she went on. "Because, sister, you have no idea what I am capable of."
Regina, smiled visously, a look of discuste in her eyes.
Emma walked away, leaving the chainsaw behind her. "Your move."