Emma and company race to find Ashley, Ruby tries to be a good friend, meet Mulder and Scully 2.0, and no one is a fan of how Mr. Gold does business.

***

The group started at the diner, questioning Ruby about Ashley's disappearance. A tow truck near them on the street was putting down Ruby's car slowly.

Emma sighed, running a hand over her hair. "So, this boyfriend of hers, you don't think he was involved in her disappearance?"

Ruby raised her eyebrows. "Uh, that would mean that he was involved with her at all, which he isn't. He left her in the lurch right after they found out they were expecting. Hasn't spoken to her since. Like I said, he's a - " She cut off when the tow truck dropped her car onto the street. "Hey, hey!" she shouted, narrowing her green eyes in fury. "Billy, be careful! You almost shattered my wolf, Billy. It's good luck!"

Billy shrugged apologetically. "I'm sorry Ruby, but look, it's fine!" He pointed, and sure enough, the figurine dangled from the rearview mirror of her car without a scratch or a ding on it.

Newt cleared his throat, regaining the waitress's attention. "Ruby, what about her family?"

Ruby frowned, thinking. "Oh, um... she's got a stepmom and two stepsisters that she doesn't talk to."

Henry, from beside Harry and Emma, spoke up. "Wait, stepmom, stepsisters, and she's a maid?"

Emma shook her head as Harry shushed him. "Henry, not now."

"Look, I don't know what you've heard, but it's wrong." Ruby turned, her hands on her hips. "Everyone thinks she's not ready to have this kid, but she's trying, taking night classes, trying to better herself, trying to get her life together. Can you understand that?"

Emma nodded, looking down at Harry softly. "Yeah, I can," she sighed.

Ruby breathed out. "Then maybe you should just stay out of it. She's been through enough already."

"I've been through it, too, Ruby, and I can help her," Emma looked at her pleadingly.

Ruby sighed. "Then try her ex."

Queenie smiled thankfully at her. "Where can we find him?"

Ruby sighed again. "He lives with his dad."

***

Ten minutes later, Emma pulled up her car to a large three-story house, getting out when she saw the Herman name on the mailbox. "Boys, stay here with Queenie. Newt, with me!" she told them matter of factly, and each of them knew not to argue with her.

Sean opened the door when Emma knocked. "Hello? Can I help you?"

Emma smiled serenely. "Sean Herman?"

Sean nodded, leaning against the doorway. "Yeah. Who are you?"

"I'm Emma Swan," she answered. "This is my brother, Newt Scamander." Newt gave a charming smile in response to his name. "We're looking for Ashley Boyd," Emma continued. "She's in trouble. We just thought maybe she came to see you."

"My son doesn't have anything to do with that girl anymore." The pair turned to see an older man in a knit cardigan walk up the sidewalk to them, his eyes narrowed. "So whatever trouble she's in, I am sorry for, but there's nothing we can do to help you."

Newt narrowed his eyes. "Are you the reason he broke up with her?" he asked.

"Absolutely," Mr. Herman nodded. "I'm not gonna let my son throw away his entire life over a mistake."

Emma bristled, green eyes acidic. "So you just told him to leave her?"

"Well, what were they going to do?" Herman scoffed. "Raise the child in the backseat of a car?"

Emma shook her head in disgust. "Some people only have the backseat of a car!"

"Well, they're to be pitied," Herman shrugged, stepping past Sean into the house. "I'm not letting that happen to my son."

Sean frowned. "Dad, maybe we should help them look."

Herman shook his head. "It's a waste, Sean."

"Sean," Emma leaned forward. "If you want to come, come. Stop letting other people make decisions for you. If Ashley runs away with this baby, she's gonna be in some serious trouble."

Sean's eyes widened. "She's running away with the baby?"

"Yes."

"Sean." His father appeared behind him, eyes narrowed. "Inside. Now." Sean looked between his father and the siblings, then he disappeared inside the house. Herman folded his arms and turned to the pair. "Look . . . believe me, if I knew where she was, I would tell you. I went to a lot of trouble to get her that deal."

"Deal?" Newt raised an eyebrow. "What deal?"

"You don't know?" Herman asked in surprise. "Ashley agreed to give up the child, and she's being paid very well to do so."

Emma's jaw dropped. "She sold the baby?!"

"You make it sound so crass," Herman sighed. "I found someone who's going to find that child a good, proper home."

"What gave you the right to decide if Ashley is capable of providing that?" Newt scowled.

"Look at her!" Herman huffed. "She's a teenager, and she's never shown any evidence of being responsible. How could she possibly know how to be a mother?"

"How does any first-time parent know how to be one?" Newt retorted, ice in his voice.

"Maybe she's changing her life," Emma nodded.

"Everybody says that," Herman shook his head. "Now look, I found someone who's going to pay Ashley extremely well, someone who is going to see to it that everybody's happy."

Emma could only think of one person who fit that description, and it certainly didn't sound like the good mayor. "Mr. Gold," she deduced.

Herman tilted his head. "Well, isn't that why you were hired? To bring him the baby?"

***

"You can't make her double-cross Gold!" Henry sputtered as Emma drove back to the diner. "No one's ever broken a deal with him!"

"There's always a first time for everything," Queenie shrugged.

"If Ashley wants to have this baby, she should have it," Emma nodded, fingers tightening on the steering wheel. "Anyone who wants to be a mother should damn well be allowed to be one." Her eyes flicked to the rearview mirror and met Harry's Killing Curse green ones. "No matter the age of the child or the mother."

Harry smiled brilliantly in return, and Emma pulled up next to the diner. "I'll help you this time, hon," Queenie told her.

"Thanks," Emma unbuckled her seat belt. "Probably better to do this with just ladies, anyway." She strode into the diner with Queenie on her heels, and she marched right up to Ruby, who was standing at the counter. "Why didn't you tell me she sold the baby?"

"Because I didn't think it was important," Ruby answered, rounding the counter and heading to the kitchen window.

"Really?" Emma huffed. "Considering that's why she's running away?"

"Look, Ashley's my friend," Ruby sighed as she took plates from the window. "I don't like the idea of people judging her."

"We're the last ones who would," Queenie said absently, then she frowned and picked up a glass figurine from the window. "Why did you take this out of your car?"

Emma spun around to check out the window. "Better question," she narrowed her eyes. "Where is your car?" Ruby pursed her lips, then walked past them and back to the counter. "You didn't send us to Sean to find her," Emma realized. "You sent me there to give her a head start."

"Look, I'm only trying to help her!" Ruby huffed.

"Yeah, so are we," Emma snapped. "Ashley's in more trouble than you know, Ruby. Where is she? Don't make her deal with Gold without us."

Ruby looked around, nails clicking on the countertop, and she sighed. "She left town," she admitted. "Said she was gonna try Boston. Thought she could disappear there."

"How long ago did she leave?" Queenie frowned.

Ruby bit her lip. "About a half an hour."

Emma nodded and headed back out the door. "Thank you," Queenie gave Ruby a quick smile before hurrying after Emma.

Newt was leaning against the bug, watching Emma return. "Where is she?" he asked.

"Boys, get out," Emma ordered.

"What?" Harry frowned as he climbed out of the bug. "Why?"

"Ashley's heading to Boston," she answered as Queenie rounded the car. "You two can't come."

"You can't go to Boston!" Henry's eyes widened. "She can't leave! Bad things happen to anyone that does!"

"Henry, I don't have time to argue with you over the curse," Emma shook her head. "We're on a clock here, and we need to catch up with Ashley." She looked between Newt and Queenie, worrying her lip between her teeth. "Stay with them?" she asked Queenie. "Considering Newt's experience . . . "

While Newt's eyes widened, Queenie nodded. "Of course."

"I've helped creatures give birth!" Newt hissed to Emma as Queenie shepherded the boys towards the diner. "I'm not a doctor, Emma!"

"Well, that's better experience than none," Emma pointed out.

Newt sighed and headed for the passenger seat. "Alright."

"Call us when you find her," Queenie requested.

"We will," Emma nodded and shut the driver's door.

***

"So," Newt held out as Emma drove towards the town line. "Are we going to discuss the elephant in the room?"

Emma sighed. "We're trying to find a nineteen-year-old girl before she has her baby, and you want to talk about this curse?"

"Well," Newt shrugged. "Henry's been pretty on the nose so far. And we know there are spells that keep people in one place."

"Those are spells, Newt," Emma scowled. "What kind of curse could do what Henry's describing?"

"The curse he's describing apparently comes from another world," Newt pointed out.

"Oh, my God," Emma's hands clenched the wheel. "Do you hear yourself?"

"Do you hear yourself?" Newt countered. "Emma, to this day, it seems like witches and wizards just scratch the surface of what is capable with our magic. Is it so hard to believe that other kinds of magic exist?" He turned to look at her. "Or are you just scared that after all this time, you may actually find exactly what you've been looking for?"

"I have what I need, Newt," Emma shook her head. "I have you, Harry, and Queenie."

Newt sighed and sat back in his seat. "And what if you could have more?"

Emma opened her mouth to answer, then her eyes widened. "Oh, my God . . . that's Ruby's car!"

Newt gulped. "Right at the town line."

An uneasy feeling made Emma's stomach churn, and she quickly pulled to the side of the road. Newt was out of the car faster than her, his coat flapping behind him as he ran to check the car. "She isn't here!" he called.

"Ashley?" Emma called.

"Here!" Ashley's broken voice called in return, and Newt looked over the guard rail. Ashley was curled in a ball on the slope, her arms wrapped around her swollen stomach. "My baby," she whimpered. "It's coming!"

***

"Thanks, Queenie," Newt said into his phone, and he hung up and leaned on the seats to speak in Emma's ear. "OK, she's taking Henry and Harry to the hospital. The staff will be ready when we get there."

"No, no, no, no!" Ashley gasped, eyes wide. "Take me to Boston! I can't go back there!"

"Oh, no," Emma shook her head. "We don't have four hours. Trust me, I know."

"I can't go back there, please!" Ashley cried, eyes glassy with tears as she clung to Emma's arm. "He's gonna take my baby!"

"We won't let that happen," Emma promised. "But do you know what you're asking for? If you keep this child, are you really ready?"

"Yeah," Ashley nodded urgently.

"Are you sure?" Emma looked at her. "Because I wasn't."

Ashley looked at her in shock. "You weren't?"

"Nope," Emma shook her head. "If you want to give this kid its best chance, it's gonna be with someone who's ready, so know what that means. Your whole life is gonna change, and once you decide that it's yours, this running away can't happen. You have to grow up, and you can't ever leave. Understand?"

For the first time since Emma had met the young maid, Ashley's demeanor changed from meek to determined. "Yes," she nodded. "I want my baby."

***

At the hospital, Emma, Harry, Henry, Newt and Queenie waited for news about Ashley. Emma knew she wanted her baby. Emma had seen that same expression on her own face the day she met Harry, no matter that her son was seven when she got custody of him.

Emma turned to Harry and brought him closer to her, hugging him close. "I love you, kiddo," she whispered.

Harry smiled up at her, "I love you too, Mum."

Henry looked over at the two of them, sighing. "You know Emma, you're different."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"

Henry turned to her, arms crossed. "You're the only one who can do it."

"Break the curse? Yes, I know. You keep telling me that." She ran a hand through Harry's hair, and sighed.

Henry shook his head. "No, leave. You guys are the only ones who can leave Storybrooke."

Emma looked down at him. "You left and came and found me in Boston."

"But I came back," Henry pointed out. "I'm ten. I had no choice, but if anyone else tried to go, bad things would happen."

"Anyone, except us?" Newt asked.

Henry shrugged. "Emma's the Savior. She can do whatever she wants. She can go . . . and you're able to go with her."

Harry nearly flinched at the word savior. He'd been called that fair too many times by the witches and wizards at Hogwarts, and he hated it. He didn't want to be the savior of the Wizarding World. He wanted to be a normal eleven-year-old kid. He turned into Emma as the Ashely's Obstetrician walked toward them, smiling.

"Ms. Swan, the baby is a healthy six-pound girl, and the mother is doing fine," she told them, and watched as Emma hugged Harry closer to her.

"What lovely news." The oily voice made them turn, and Mr. Gold had a smug smirk on his face as he joined them. "Excellent work, Ms. Swan. Thank you for bringing me my merchandise."

Emma scowled at him. "What a . . . " She trailed off before she could finish her sentence, and she growled low in her throat before gently handing Harry to Newt as she stormed after Mr. Gold.

Newt chuckled. "Ten Galleons she punches him."

Queenie hummed as she rocked on her heels and peered out the window of the hospital. "No bet."

"Galleons?" Henry frowned in confusion.

When Emma finally caught up to the pawnbroker, Mr. Gold turned towards her with a smile. "Well, well. Must be my lucky day. Care for a cup, Ms. Swan?" he asked as he grabbed his own cup of coffee.

"A baby? That's your merchandise? Why didn't you tell me?" Emma snarled, all but frothing at the mouth.

Mr. Gold shrugged his shoulders. "Well, because at the time you didn't need to know."

Emma crossed her arms. "Really? Or you thought I wouldn't take the job?"

Mr. Gold turned toward her, taking a sip of coffee. "On the contrary. I thought it would be more effective if you found out yourself. After seeing Ashley's hard life, I thought it would make sense . . . to you. I mean, if anyone could understand the reasons behind giving up a baby, I assumed it would be you."

"You're not getting that kid," Emma growled.

Mr. Gold smirked. "Actually, we have an agreement. And my agreements are always honored. If not, I'm going to have to involve the police, and that baby is going to end up in the system, and that would be a pity . . . " He paused and turned to her with a sickly-sweet smile. "You didn't enjoy your time in the system, did you Emma?"

"It's not gonna happen."

"I like your confidence," Mr. Gold chuckled. "Charming, but all I have to do is press charges. She did, after all, break into my shop."

He started walking back towards the rest of her family, and she huffed. "Let me guess . . . to steal a contract?"

All Mr. Gold did was shrug, causing her to narrow her eyes. "Who knows what she was after."

Emma smirked as she came to stand beside him, watching as her family slowly started coming towards them. "You know, no jury in the world will put a woman in jail whose only reason for breaking and entering was to keep her child. I'm willing to roll the dice that contract doesn't stand up. Are you?" Gold narrowed his eyes as she continued. "Not to mention what might come out about you in the process. Somehow, I suspect there is more to you than a simple pawnbroker. You really want to start that fight?"

Mr. Gold folded his hands together. "I like you, Ms. Swan," he decided. "You're not afraid of me, and that's either cocky or presumptuous. Either way, I'd rather have you on my side."

Emma smirked. "So she can keep the baby?"

Gold shook his head. "Not just yet. There's still the matter of my agreement with Ms. Boyd."

"Tear it up," she deadpanned.

"That's not what I do," Gold denied with a shake of his head. "You see, contracts, deals . . . well, they're the very foundation of all civilized existence, so I put it to you now. If you want Ashley to have that baby, are you willing to make a deal with me?"

Emma crossed her arms. "What do you want?"

Mr. Gold shrugged nonchalantly. "Oh, I don't know just yet. You'll owe me a favor."

Emma leaned against the wall nearest her, sizing Mr. Gold up. "Fine." Mr. Gold walked away, and Emma walked back to her family, eyes watching Gold until he left her sight. "Ashley can keep the baby." That was all she said since she didn't want her kids knowing what had actually happened and she knew Newt could read her face and Queenie could read her mind.

"Yes!" Henry called quietly.

As Emma headed back into the hospital rooms, Newt turned to see Queenie was staring in the direction Mr. Gold had departed, and he leaned down to whisper in his ear. "What did you hear?" he asked quietly.

Queenie took a deep breath and looked up at him. "All magic comes with a price."

***

When Emma reached Ashley's room and knocked on the door, she saw the new mother's sweaty face smiling as she held her baby girl. "Hey, Ashley."

"Hey, Emma!" Ashley turned her head to nod to her. "Come on in!"

Emma smiled as she walked toward the bed. "So, what's her name?"

Ashley beamed down at her daughter. "Alexandra."

"That's pretty," Emma complimented, peering down at Alexandra.

Ashley smiled and nodded. "Thank you for getting me here."

Emma nodded. "Mr. Gold was outside. I took care of it. She's yours," she told her.

Ashley's face lit up in happiness before her smile turned to a confused frown. "She is? But what did you do?" she asked.

Emma shook her head. "Nothing big. Just made a small deal with him."

"Thank you, Emma! Thank you so much!" Ashley cried.

Emma shook her head again, placing her hand on Ashley's arm. "Don't worry about it. I know how it is to be a mom not wanting her kid to be taken from her."

Ashley smiled, and then raised her head at another knock. This time Sean walked in, holding a gift bag. Emma nodded at him. "I'll see you later, Ashley. Congratulations." She walked out of the room and back to her family. She looked down at her watch, the watch face saying 4:45 on it, and turned to Henry. "Hey kid, it's almost five. You gotta get home."

***

Emma was standing beside her car at the diner, and she dialed Sheriff Graham's number, waiting for him to pick up.

"Hello?" He answered.

Emma grinned. "Graham, it's Emma. I was thinking maybe some roots wouldn't be so bad. That deputy job still open?"

"Absolutely." Emma could hear the nod in his voice.

Emma smiled. "Then I'm in. Regina gonna be okay with this?"

Graham's voice sounded like he was shrugging. "I don't care, it's my department. I'll see you Monday morning."

Emma smirked. "I'll see you then," she hung up and looked toward the clock tower, which read 5:04 and she smiled menacingly. You will not win, Regina Mills, she silently declared as she walked back into the diner.

Ruby waited inside the door with a big mug of her favorite cocoa, a wide yet apologetic smile on those red-painted lips. "Everything's on the house for your family tonight," she said. "Thank you for helping Ashley . . . and I'm sorry I got in the way of your work."

"You were helping your friend," Emma smiled as she took the mug. "No need to apologize."

Ruby grinned in relief then pranced back to the counter. Emma sipped the cocoa as she crossed to the back of the diner, where her family had congregated in the booth they now considered theirs. "Did you beat the clock?" Queenie asked.

"Just in time," she nodded as she sat. "And you are looking at Storybrooke's new deputy."

"We're staying?" Harry's eyes lit. "We're really staying?"

"Yeah, kid," Emma nodded, tugging Harry to her side and kissing the top of his head. "We're staying." She rested her forearms on the tabletop and smirked at her siblings. "And it's time to make sure all that work going into being Lady Regent Peverell, Potter, and Slytherin is put to good use."

As Queenie grinned widely, Newt laughed and held up his tea in silent toast. "Let the games begin!"

***

Mr. Gold . . . all I can say is if you think it's good to have Emma on your side, you should really meet the rest of the family over in Britain.

I'm really looking forward to the next episode, because on the one hand, brother bonding! On the other . . . well, that would be spoiling things.

"That Still Small Voice" comes next!

~ Miss Moffat