Emma brings out a title she has yet to use, and Queenie learns there's a dangerous player in their game.

***

Emma bit her lip and looked around the stairwell, not finding what she was looking for. She approached the wall of fire then winced when Regina grabbed her wrist. "You're going to leave me, aren't you?" she accused, a tinge of fear in her voice.

Oh, Emma was so tempted, but Harry didn't get his Gryffindor tendencies just from James and Lily. She shook Regina's grip off, and she jumped past the flames. She slid her wand down her sleeve and took a deep breath. "Accio fire extinguisher!" she called.

She heard a crash from nearby, and she fumbled to stick her wand in her boot so she had both hands free to catch the fire extinguisher tumbling through the air towards her. When it was in her hands, she sprayed it over the flames, extinguishing them enough to clamber to Regina and haul her to her feet. She slung one of Regina's arms around her shoulders and guided her to the front door, which she kicked open.

The flash of a camera temporarily blinded her, then two sets of hands were guiding them out of Town Hall. "Emma?" Newt asked worriedly, checking the blonde over for any injuries.

"I'm fine, Newt," Emma shook her head. "But the mayor - "

"Easy," Queenie assisted Regina to the cobblestones. "It's your ankle."

"I know it's my ankle!" Regina snapped, waving Queenie away from her. "Your sister didn't help!"

"Seriously?" Emma glared at her incredulously. "You're complaining about how I saved your life?"

Regina huffed and pointed to the approaching fire engines. "The firemen are here. It's not like we were really in danger."

"Fine," Emma rolled her eyes. "Next time, I'll just . . . I'll just . . . " She growled in annoyance. "You know what?" she folded her arms and glared at Regina. "Next time, I'll do the same thing. And the time after that, because that is what decent human beings do. That's what good people do."

Newt patted Emma on the shoulder, giving Regina a dirty look as he guided Emma away. "How are your lungs?" he asked.

Emma coughed and wrinkled her nose. "I feel like that time I helped you when that Norwegian Ridgeback lit its enclosure on fire."

Newt chuckled. "So lots of water."

"Yes," Emma nodded enthusiastically.

"She's fine!" Queenie's voice called.

Emma turned just in time for two boys to slam into her. She grunted in surprise, then she wrapped her arms around her sons. "Are you OK, Mum?" Harry looked up at her worriedly.

"We could see the smoke from the diner," Whale nodded as he joined them, the doctor's eyes looking Emma up and down. "How are you feeling?"

"She's fine," Newt assured him.

"Did you really rescue Regina?" Mary Margaret asked, eyes wide.

"She did!" Henry nodded rapidly. "The fireman said it, and Aunt Queenie saw it!"

"Well," Emma held out.

"You are a hero," Ruby gushed with a grin.

"We should see if they have a picture of the rescue," Mary Margaret suggested.

"There was a cameraman on scene," Newt provided.

Granny grinned. "We can make campaign posters."

"Oh, people would love that!" Archie nodded enthusiastically. "It's a great idea! Wait, so, I'll get the photo, and then - "

Archie, Mary Margaret, Ruby, and Granny walked away and planned rapidly, leaving Whale and David to look at Emma in amusement. "You're sure you're OK?" Whale asked.

"I'm sure, Dr. Whale," Emma nodded. "Thank you."

Whale nodded and jogged after the group, and David shook his head. "Nice job, Emma," he told her. "Though I wouldn't have blamed you if you left her to burn."

"Yeah, because that would be a good look for my campaign," Emma said dryly. David rolled his eyes fondly as the children giggled, and Emma crouched to look Henry in the eye. "This is how good wins," she told him. "You do something good and people see it, and then they want to help you."

"Maybe you're right," Henry nodded.

"You see, Henry?" Emma grinned. "We don't have to fight dirty."

Newt experimentally sniffed the air, then he choked and covered his nose. "What the bloody hell?"

"Yeah," Queenie joined them, gingerly holding something away from her. "I found this among the debris."

David sniffed as well, and he immediately covered his nose. "What is sheep oil doing here?"

Emma narrowed her eyes. "I think I know."

***

Mr. Gold didn't appear surprised when Emma stormed into his shop that evening. "Loads of visitors today," he noted as he wiped his sooty hands with a rag. Emma shut the door behind her, and Mr. Gold gritted his teeth at the harsh jingle. "I do hope you're not gonna break my little bell."

Emma got straight to the point, not in the mood for any more games. "You set the fire."

Mr. Gold snorted and gestured to his shop. "I've been right here, Ms. Swan."

Emma narrowed her eyes and held out the fabric she had taken from Queenie. "Take a whiff," she told him. "It smells like the lanolin you were using earlier. Turns out it's flammable."

"Well, are you sure?" Mr. Gold tilted his head. "There's some construction work going on at City Hall at the moment. There's loads of flammable solvents used in construction."

Emma narrowed her eyes. "Why did you do it?"

Mr. Gold raised an eyebrow. "If I did it," he told her, dropping his rag and walking around the counter. "If I did it, that would be because you cannot win without something big. Something like, I don't know . . . being the hero in a fire?"

Emma shook her head in disbelief. "How could you even know I'd be there at the right time?"

"Regina's not the only one with eyes and ears in this town," Mr. Gold smirked. "Or maybe I'm just intuitive." He shrugged. "Were I involved."

"I could've run and left here there," Emma argued.

Mr. Gold snorted his opinion of that. "Not the type."

Emma shook her head. "I can't go along with this."

"You just did," Mr. Gold pointed out. "This is just the price of election, Ms. Swan."

"A price I'm not willing to pay," Emma spat, throwing the fabric onto the counter. "Find another sucker."

"OK, go ahead," Mr. Gold shrugged. "Expose me. But if you do, just think about what you'll be exposing and what you'd be walking away from." Emma walked back towards the door, only to pause at his final words. "Oh, yes . . . and who you might be disappointing."

Emma glowered at him and slammed the door shut behind her just to piss him off in retaliation.

***

"Purposefully setting the fire to make you the hero." David whistled lowly as he folded his hands on his knees. "That sounds like Rumplestiltskin."

"And what can we expect from the Queen in response?" Newt asked.

David scoffed. "Nothing good. Ever since she came into power, she's done whatever it took to keep it."

"Including play dirty," Emma murmured and ran her hands through her hair. "I can't win like that. I won't win like that."

Queenie giggled. "You sound like a Gryffindor."

"Well, maybe Harry didn't just get those tendencies from the Potters," Emma huffed and stood to pace around the room. "I can play dirty, yes, but I know enough people who have dirtied their hands to keep the power they have. That's not me. Not in this world."

"Then don't be a Gryffindor," Newt told her. Emma looked at him, and Newt smirked. "You hold the mantle of Lady Regent Slytherin, Emma. You've played Lady Regent Peverell, and you've played Lady Regent Potter. Show Regina what it means to be the Lady Regent of the House of the Cunning and the Ambitious."

Emma stared at her brother, and when Newt arched an eyebrow expectantly, the witch's emerald eyes hardened.

***

As the town hall began to fill up with people, Mary Margaret approached Emma and handed over note cards and a bottle of water. "I don't think you ever really said," the teacher said softly. "Is this really about beating Regina?"

Emma sighed and shook her head. "No," she admitted. "Not entirely. It's about Henry. Harry, too. Harry has seen it before . . . but I want to show Henry that good can actually win."

"For your kids," Mary Margaret smiled warmly. "But why do you want to win the election for yourself?"

"That is why," Emma insisted. "I want to show them that a hero can win. And if I'm not . . . if I'm not a hero and I'm not the Savior, then what part do I have in Henry's life?" Mary Margaret gave her a knowing look, and Emma smiled sheepishly. "There it is."

"There it is," Mary Margaret nodded knowingly.

She patted Emma on the shoulder and left backstage, barely giving Sidney a glance as he joined them. Archie drew back the curtain and gestured to the chairs, and Emma sat on one side, Archie the other. Archie cleared his throat at the podium, and the assembled townsfolk quieted. "Tragedy has brought us here, but we are faced with this decision," Archie began, and Emma caught sight of Mary Margaret quietly joining David, Ruby, and Whale in their row. "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." He paused and gestured between them. "Glass, Swan. Sounds like something that a decorator would make you buy." He chuckled nervously, but no one else laughed. "Wow, crickets." He cleared his throat uncomfortably. "OK, uh . . . Mr. Glass, your opening statement?"

He backed away from the podium, and Sidney buttoned his suit jacket as he stood at the podium. "I just want to say that if elected, I want to serve as a reflection of the best qualities of Storybrooke: honesty, neighborliness, and strength. Thank you."

Regina, after mouthing along with Sidney, led the applause in response. Henry, by comparison, barely even made a peep. "And Emma Swan," Archie gestured to the blonde.

Emma took a deep breath, then she stood from her chair and took off the peacoat she had worn. Only Newt, Queenie, and Harry had seen the outfit she had chosen for the debate, and she had the pleasure of seeing eyes widen all over the crowd, and even Sidney couldn't hide his stunned expression as she stepped up to the podium. Her satin blouse was of emerald silk and cinched at the sleeves, and the silver flare pants she wore showed off the strappy heels she wore. She folded her hands pointedly atop the podium, the leaning position showing off the silver serpent she wore around her neck, its emerald eyes glinting in the light. Even her hair resembled a serpent in its braiding, coiling around her neck like it was ready to choke her.

Really, it was worth dressing like this to see Regina look like she swallowed a sour lemon. "Everyone here knows, thanks to Mr. Glass, that I have what you call a 'troubled past,'" she began, her air quotes making Sidney squirm in his seat. "I also know everyone here is overlooking that because of the fire that took place. But here's the thing: that fire was a setup." Startled murmurs started all over the crowd, and Emma fearlessly met Mr. Gold's warning gaze. "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. The worst part of all this was that, until this moment, I let you all think it was real. I'm not going to win that way." She turned to look at Sidney. "That doesn't mean I want my opponent to win because of the article he wrote about me. It sounds like a conflict of interest to me, after all, that my opponent himself wrote the article with evidence that was sealed by a court order."

The murmurs shifted that time, and Regina fumed in her seat as Emma turned back to face the crowd. "In other words, I don't think this campaign should be about what has happened since the election was announced," she continued. "Forget about the fire. Forget about the article. I acknowledge Mr. Glass has been a member of this town long before I ever arrived. I acknowledge he knows everyone here better than me. But in the short time I've been here, I think I've done a hell of a lot to prove myself." She glanced at David, who was watching her with a proud smile. "I helped find a man who left the hospital." Her gaze slid to Ashley, who was giving her a happy beam. "I showed a girl that all it takes is a little belief in yourself to make your own decisions." She took a deep breath. "And while Mr. Glass has written about the sheriff's department in his paper, I have worked for the department," she said as she looked around. "I was in the station when Sheriff Humbert died. I couldn't save him from natural causes - " She forced out the words, and she looked at Henry as she spoke her next words. "But he chose me to be his deputy. If you vote for me to be your sheriff, I promise I will do everything in my power to keep the people he served safe."

Unlike after Sidney's opening, silence hung in the air as Emma retook her seat, and she smoothed out her pants as she sat as if on a throne, her head held high even as whispers started to swirl. When Mr. Gold stood and left, a stony look on his face, she merely smirked and folded her hands in her lap, waiting for Archie to retake the podium.

***

"Added to my list of things to do," Newt smirked as he swirled his drink around in his glass. "Send a memory to Lucius so he sees the monster he's made."

"Hey, you told me to show off Lady Regent Slytherin," Emma reminded him.

Queenie snickered on Emma's other side. "Narcissa will be so proud."

"Draco's going to love it," Harry chimed in helpfully.

Emma rolled her eyes and knocked back her drink. "Well, as long as I looked confident."

"Oh, you definitely did," Ruby assured her as she walked up and assessed their empty glasses. "Another round?"

"Oh, hell, yes," Emma nodded in agreement.

Ruby nodded and collected their glasses. As she left to refill them, the door to the diner opened, and Harry grinned as his brother entered. "Henry!"

"Hi, Harry," Henry smiled wider than they had seen in a while. "I got something for you."

Harry tilted his head, then he grinned when Henry dug through his backpack and handed him a walkie talkie. "Really?"

"For Operation Cobra," Henry nodded. "And guess what?" He pulled out another walkie and handed it to Emma. "It's a set of three."

"For me?" Emma grinned as she examined the radio.

"You stood up to Mr. Gold," Henry told her, and as Newt moved to the next seat, Henry jumped up and sat next to Emma. "It's pretty amazing."

"Well, he did something illegal," Emma shrugged.

"That's what heroes do," Henry smiled. "Expose stuff like that." Ruby returned with their drinks, putting an additional glass of milk down for Henry, and he lowered his voice. "I shouldn't have given up on Operation Cobra." Emma smiled happily, and as Ruby left them, Henry looked her up and down. "Hey, aren't those Slytherin colors?" he asked Harry.

Harry laughed loudly as Newt snorted. "Your mum's the boss Slytherin, remember?"

"Oh, my God," Emma dropped her face into her palm, making Queenie laugh into her drink. "Newt, I swear to God - "

Newt plowed straight ahead. "Remind me one day to show you a few memories of her working with family friends - "

"Newton Scamander, if you don't shut your mouth right now - "

The diner door opening stopped their words in their tracks, and they turned to watch Regina and Sidney enter. "I thought I might find you here," Regina told Emma, a small frown on her face as she looked at the group. "With a drink. And my son."

Emma shrugged and looked at Sidney. "You here to card me, Officer?" she asked sarcastically.

"Well, not at all," Sidney smiled thinly. "In fact, I think I'll join you."

"Here?" Emma raised an eyebrow. "I don't know. I think they're setting up a back room for the victory party."

Sidney gave a scornful smile. "Well, you'll have to tell me what that's like."

It took a few seconds for the words to sink in, then Queenie gasped. "Does that mean - ?" Harry looked hopefully at Emma.

Regina's smile was forced as she brought the sheriff's badge from her pocket. "Congratulations," she told Emma as she placed the badge in front of her. "Sheriff Swan."

Emma's jaw dropped in shock. "Wait," Henry looked at Regina in awe. "What?"

Regina nodded as the door opened. "It was a very close vote," she told them as the townsfolk swarmed into the diner. "But people really seemed to like the idea of a sheriff brave enough to stand up to Mr. Gold."

Emma sputtered in shock as she picked up the badge. "Are you joking?"

"She doesn't joke," Sidney shook his head.

"You didn't pick a great friend in Mr. Gold, Ms. Swan, but he does make a superlative enemy," Regina told her with a warning smile. "Enjoy that."

She turned away and walked through the throng of people, Sidney following behind her. "So," Emma swallowed hard. "That victory party?"

"Is yours," Mary Margaret grinned widely.

"To the new sheriff!" David whooped with glee.

The flood of cheers in the diner following that statement made Emma blush, and Newt threw his arm around Emma's shoulders. "You can't keep the good citizens waiting, can you?" he asked.

Emma looked down at the badge in her hand, then she took a deep breath. "Well, in that case." She put her hand on Newt's shoulder for balance, and she climbed onto the top of her stool. "If any of you ruin this party by making me arrest you, I'm not going to be a happy sheriff!" she announced. The laughter that followed made her grin widely, and she lifted her drink. "Let's party!"

***

It took two hours for the party to die down, and it was only after people were more than tipsy enough to not notice her that Emma slipped out of the diner and made her way to the station. Her station, she mentally corrected as she looked up at the building.

The soft click of heels on concrete was followed by a hand slipping into the crook of her elbow, and Emma couldn't help but lean her head on the shoulder of the woman with her. "The Huntsman is smiling wherever he is, hon," Queenie said quietly, squeezing her arm comfortingly. "You'll do him proud."

"I hope so," Emma sighed.

The blondes stepped into the station, and Emma flipped on the lights to look around the empty station. Queenie hummed thoughtfully as she perused the building, and she watched Emma step into the sheriff's office. "He had a deputy," she reminded her.

Emma snorted. "You offering?"

"Oh, heavens, no," Queenie giggled and shook her head. "I'm happy to watch you run around and be the hero of the story, Emma. Besides, I already know you have a few ideas."

Emma made a face. "That superpower of yours is a little annoying. Has anyone ever told you that?"

Queenie's laughter was interrupted by the gentle tapping of a walking stick on the floor, and the women sharply turned as its owner entered. "The sheriff's jacket," Mr. Gold said as he walked up to Emma and held up Graham's jacket. "I thought you might want it after all."

Emma eyed him warily as she took the jacket from him. "You do know I'm armed, right?"

Mr. Gold chuckled. "That's all part of the act, my dear. Political theater in an actual theater." He stopped across from her and rested both hands on the handle of his stick. "I knew no one was going to vote for you unless we gave you some kind of extraordinary quality . . . and I'm afraid saving old Regina's arse from the fire just wasn't going to do that. We had to give you a higher form of bravery. They had to see you defy me . . . and they did."

Emma looked incredulously at Queenie, who looked impressed. "No way," she shook her head, looking at Mr. Gold in shock. Sure, David had warned her all about Rumplestiltskin . . . but that was back in the Enchanted Forest. How could Mr. Gold be that good? "There's no way you planned that."

"Everyone's afraid of Regina," Mr. Gold smirked. "But they are even more afraid of me. By standing up to me, you won them over. It was the only way."

Emma swallowed. "You knew I'd agree."

"Oh, yeah," Mr. Gold nodded. "I know how to recognize a desperate soul."

Emma took a deep breath and rested her hands on the back of the chair. "Why did you do this?" she asked.

Mr. Gold tilted his head. "We made a deal some time back, Ms. Swan."

"Looks like you made a deal you didn't understand. I don't think you're gonna do that again."

Queenie gasped inaudibly and looked at Mr. Gold in shock, but he didn't notice as he looked at Emma. "We established that you owed me a favor. I know that can be a bad feeling, owing someone."

"Magic always comes with a price. And now it's yours to pay."

Queenie watched with wide eyes as Mr. Gold rounded the office to return to the doorway. "Now that you're sheriff, I'm sure we'll find some way for you to pay back what you owe me." He gave her a smile that looked more foreboding than comforting. "Congratulations." Emma swallowed and watched him leave the office, and he paused in front of Queenie. "Ms. Goldstein," he nodded.

"I know how to recognize a desperate soul."

Queenie swallowed hard and numbly nodded in acknowledgement to his words. Mr. Gold tilted his head curiously, but he said nothing more as he walked out of the station. As soon as the door shut, Queenie let out her breath in a rush and slumped over the deputy's desk, her face draining of color. "Queenie?" Emma rushed out of the office to reach her. "What is it? What happened?" Queenie looked at her with wide eyes, and Emma froze. "What did you see?"

"I didn't see anything," Queenie shook her head. "But what I heard . . . "

Her expression was all Emma needed, and she reached behind her to make sure she sat on a surface and didn't fall flat on her back. "He's not just Mr. Gold, is he?" she whispered.

Queenie shook her head miserably. "That's Rumplestiltskin," she croaked. "He remembers."

***

Lady Regent Slytherin is as cool as a cucumber, isn't she? Poor Regina, having no idea who she's pissing off.

And oh, Rumple . . . there's a few people who now know you're not just Mr. Gold.

Next time isn't another episode. We're due for some original content, and boy are we going to have fun from here on out!

~ Miss Moffat