Dark One's Daughter *Book One*

Fruit of the Poisonous Tree

💛 Edited--02.07.2020 💛

"Don't let my feelings cloud my judgement? That's all Regina ever does," Emma complained, as she, Mary Margaret and myself sat in Granny's having brunch.

"She's just upset that you and Henry have a special place," Mary Margaret replied, taking a sip from her tea. "When well... she doesn't."

"How'd she find out about the castle in the first place?" Emma asked.

"Regina knows everything about this place; she's the mayor, it's her job," I told Emma, taking a bite of my cheese omelette.

Mary Margaret's phone then started to buzz beside her. Emma and I shared a glance knowing who it was from. I know I probably should have, but I haven't told Emma about what I saw yesterday. Although form the looks of things, Emma didn't need to know that to figure out who the message was from.

"Everything okay?" Emma asked.

"Yeah, I just have to go," Mary Margaret said, quickly getting up. "Look, if it makes you feel any better, I think you're right. I see the effect she has on Henry."

"I wish everyone else did," Emma muttered.

Mary Margaret left Granny's, just as I felt the table wobble slightly as someone new sat at our table.

"I can grant your wish," He said, holding up his drink.

"Oh, Sydney," Emma groaned.

"Is he drunk?" I asked Emma.

"No, just delusional," Emma replied. "You want a side of bacon with that whiskey?" She asked.

"You want to show the town who the mayor really is?" Sydney fired back. "I can help."

"It's gonna be kinda hard to do from inside her pocket," I remarked.

"The mayor and I are done," Sydney snapped back.

"Sure you are," Emma snorted.

"She got me fired from the paper. She made a fool of me in the election. So I started working on an expose on the mayor's office. And I found something she didn't want found," Sydney smirked.

"Okay, you're right. He's drunk," Emma whispered to me. "Sydney, you're drunk. Go home. Sleep it off. Be grateful that you don't have to answer to her anymore," Emma said, finishing up her drink while I ate the rest of my omelette.

"Call me," Sydney said, handing us both a card with his number on. "Storybrooke deserves to know the truth about her."

Emma glanced at me before taking the card and getting up to leave. I got up a couple seconds later and followed Emma out of Granny's. As we left, I chucked Sydney's card in the bin; no way was I getting involved with him.

"How was he already drunk?" I asked Emma.

"The dude's in a bad situation, I'm surprised it took so long," Emma replied.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You did what!" I yelled down the phone at Emma, who had just informed me of her decision to team up with Sydney. "He was clearly drunk when he asked you to join him."

"I know, I know. It's just she tore down Henry's castle and now his book's also missing," Emma defended.

"Be careful what you wish for, Emma. Sydney could just be playing you," I warned her.

"I'll take the risk if it brings Regina down a notch or two," Emma replied.

"I guess but don't come to me when you get played because I warn you, I won't be sympathetic," I told her, while I tapped away at some random buttons on the till.