Dark Hearts | Once Upon A Time

XX. Dinner Date

Storybrooke. Present day.

"NO-ONE IS GETTING through that" August stated as the lock slid into place

"When do you work on the torture chamber?" Erica jokingly asked to which August replied with a mocking gasp and trailed his fingers along the side of his wood creation and shake his head in mock disgust 

"You don't like it?" He mockingly asks 

"It seems a little old don't you think?" Emma agrees with her sister

"I like to call it medieval chic" August argues to the twins and it causes Erica to crack a smile 

"It doesn't matter" Mary Margret cuts through the jokes and the banter as she shakes her head "As long as it keeps Regina and her Skelton keys out, I don't mind how it looks" There were mummers of agreements as they walked over to the kitchen and the counter 

"How did you learn how to make stuff like that?" Emma asked August trying to make conversation, Erica's eyes widened at the question as she wasn't expecting it but luckily August was able to play it off cool

"You know wood shop. Eighth Grade" He shrugs, giving Erica a sly wink when nobody was looking because Emma was focused on the lock and Mary Margret had a puzzled expression of her face before it brightened up as she remembered where she was supposed to be

"Speaking of wood shop and school. I better be going" Mary Margret tells them 

"What?" Erica asked laughing quietly "You going to teach forth graders how to make Skelton keys using wood so they can break out of prison if they're ever convicted of a crime?" Everyone in the room burst out into laughter at Erica's comment and she felt a sense of pride swell in her chest but it quickly went away when she realised that Emma was the only one not laughing and having a good time for those few fleeting moments "Em, what's wrong?" She asked the frowning blonde 

"Are you sure your ready to go back?" Emma asked her friend, concern lacing her voice 

Mary Margret took it all in her stride however and breezily answered "After a stint behind bars? How bad could a room of forth graders be? And don't forget Gemma will be there to help me out if I needed it and besides who do you think took care of the children while I was away? Gemma may not want to be a teacher full time but when I needed it, she stepped up"

Emma, having nothing to argue against dropped it, but Erica knowing her sister as well as she knew herself knew there was something else on the blonde's mind and so spoke to her in a soft tone, a tone that usually allowed her to coax Emma out of her shell a little bit more (even if it was just for a while) "Emma what aren't you telling me?"

"I said to Regina that I was going to take Henry off her last night after you texted me that you had arrested Sydney I went to go see her in her office and I told her that I was going to take Henry off her because he's mine --"

"Emma we talked about this!" Erica sighed

"I've already hired Mr Gold to build a case against her!" Emma argued firmly

Seeing the growing argument between the two sisters the raven haired women decided to insert herself into the conversation using a calming voice and her sweet personality to her advantage "And are you sure you're ready for that?" Mary Margret asked her

"I am" Emma says, ever the stubborn one

"And you know what happens when you win?" Mary Margret gently pressed

"I do" 

"And you're ready?" She repeated "To be his mother?"

"I am" Emma replies again, this time she sounded slightly offended but the slight crackle of a Walkie Talkie coming to the life shut off all conversation for the time being as Emma picked up the Walkie Talkie beside her and pressed the little button on the side that allowed the other person to talk to her and the voice of ten year old Henry Mills crackled through