I Believe In You [Once Upon A Time] {1} *rewriting*

Sheriff

  It was the Sheriff election. Regina and I sat in the front row. I saw Mom looking out the curtain. I grinned at her and she grinned back. Then the curtain closed, soon it opened again and I saw her looking at me.

Soon the election started and Archie spoke, "Tragedy has brought us here, but we are faced with this decision. And now, we ask only that you listen with an open mind and please vote your conscience. So, without further ado, I'd like to introduce you to the candidates Sidney Glass and Emma Swan. Glass. Swan. Sounds like something that a decorator would make you buy."

He laughed a little, but no one else did. "Wow, crickets. Okay, uh... Uh, Mr. Glass – your opening statement," Archie said and then walked away and Sidney took his place.

"I just wanna say that if elected I wanna serve as a reflection of the best qualities of Storybrooke: Honesty, Neighborliness. And strength. Thank you," Sidney said and everyone clapped.

Archie walked back up to the podium, "And Emma Swan," He said. Mom got up as Archie moved and she took his place. "You guys all know I have what they call an uh- troubled past. But, you've been able to overlook it because of the um, hero thing. But here's the thing," Mom said and looked at me, "The fire was a setup," She said.

The whole crowd started to talk quietly and Mom looked back at the crowd. "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," She said and looked at me again.

"And the worst part of all this was ..." She said and looked back at everyone. "The worst part of all this is I let you all think it was real. I can't win that way," She said and looked at me and I looked at her. "I'm sorry," She said. Someone then left, but I looked at Regina, who had an evil look on her face.

After the election, I went to Granny's and saw Mom there, "Hey Rose," She said as I walked in. I reached into my backpack and pulled out a walkie talkie and gave it to her. "What's this for?" She asked.

"You stood up to Mr. Gold," I said as I sat down in front of her, "It's pretty amazing," I said. "Well, he did something illegal," She said. "That's what heroes do. Expose stuff like that," I said.

Then Ruby brings Mom a drink and places a glass of milk in front of me and smiled, then she walked away. I leaned closer, whispering in Mom's ear, "I shouldn't have given up on Operation Cobra." Mom smiled a little.

Then the door opened, "I thought I might find you here," Regina said. We looked at her as she and Sidney walked over. "With a drink. And my daughter," She said. "Here to card me, officer?" Mom asked Sidney.

"Well, not at all. In fact, I think I will join you," Sidney said. "Here? I don't know. I think they're setting up a back room for the victory party," Mom said. "Oh, well, you'll have to tell me what that's like," Sidney said. I have to say, I'm pretty sure that Mom was also confused like me, when Regina showed a badge. "Congratulations," She said and she placed it on the table, "Sheriff Swan."

"Wait. What?" I asked. "There was a very close vote," Regina said as others walked into Granny's. "But people really seem to like the idea of a sheriff brave enough to stand up to Mr. Gold," Regina said. "Are you joking?" Mom asked.

"She isn't joking," Sidney said. I smiled at her. "You didn't pick a great friend in Mr. Gold, Miss Swan, but he does make a superlative enemy," Regina said then she smiled. "Enjoy that," She said. Then she walked away. I spent a couple of hours at the party then I went home.