Her Dark Heart

Chapter 2

A/N: Thanks for the love on this story! I'm really glad you guys are enjoying. Also, to clear up some concerned questions about Roland, he *spoiler alert* is NOT dead. Robin is only cursed into thinking he is. Marian is gone, but Roland is alive and well. We will see him when the curse breaks!

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Robin glanced down at his watch. It read 8:15 AM. Henry was to meet him here at Granny's Diner at any moment. As Ruby approached to see if he was ready to order, Robin put his hand up.

"I'm waiting on someone," he said with a smile.

She flashed him a big grin and walked away. Robin noted the way she swung her hips. She liked flirting with him whenever he came here, and everyone else for that matter. Robin was not interested though, she was not his type and too young anyhow. However, it was quite impossible not to stare when she wore her clothes as provocatively as she did.

Turning away with a roll of his eyes, more amused than anything, he scanned the menu. Moments later, the little bell above the door rang, announcing that someone had just entered the diner. Robin glanced up and saw Henry hurrying over, his storybook clutched against his chest.

"Good morning, Henry," Robin said as the boy scooted into the seat across from him and laid his book to the side.

"Morning, Robin!" he replied cheerily.

Ruby came over almost instantly with a pot of hot coffee to refill Robin's mug, and to finally take orders. She flashed Robin a look, as if to ask what he was doing with the mayor's kid. Robin just shrugged at her.

"The usual, Henry?" she asked Henry after shrugging in return at Robin.

Henry nodded and smiled. "Yep. And don't forget the hot cocoa with cinnamon," he added.

Ruby laughed. "No way could I forget that, little dude," she said. "And how about you, Locksley?"

"I'll have the biscuits and gravy, side of bacon," he said. After scribbling on her notepad, Ruby was off to place their orders and take care of other customers.

By this time, Henry was already frantically flipping through the pages of his book. "Okay, down to business," he was saying as he paused on a picture of a man sticking a baby in a wardrobe. "Has Emma mentioned Operation Cobra?"

Robin laughed. "Woah there, lad. Hold your horses," he said. Henry gave him a look that meant business so he gave him. "No, she's not mentioned that."

If he were being quite honest, he hadn't crossed paths with Emma much. They'd spoken on a few occasions and she seemed to like his dedication and hard work well enough to give him the deputy badge (at least until the election), but all of their chats had been professional. Henry had never come into the conversation.

"Well, at least she's keeping our secret," Henry said and sighed. "I couldn't talk much about it in the car with my mom there, but I've done some thinking and research and... I think you'd be a valuable member of Operation Cobra."

"What is Operation Cobra?" Robin questioned. He was all for playing along with Henry's games but he would like to know all of the details before agreeing to things.

"Well, you know how I mentioned that everyone in this town is a fairytale character and you're all cursed?" Henry asked. Robin nodded so he continued, pointing to the picture of the baby. "That's my mom."

"Mayor Mills?" Robin asked.

"No! My birth mom," Henry corrected. "You see..." he flipped through the pages again to a picture of a dark-haired woman and a man wrapped in an embrace. "Emma is the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming. She is the savior that's supposed to break the curse."