Ch.32: The Cricket Game
It was a beautiful day, as Snow and Charming still layed in bed together.
Suddenly, the door opened and Henry walked in, Katherine trailing behind him.
When Henry saw that they were still in bed, he asked them, “Hey, what are you guys still doing in bed? It’s the middle of the afternoon.”
Katherine went to stand by him and knew what they’d walked in on.
“I needed to rest,” Snow answered.
“And I needed to, uh, help her to rest,” Charming said.
“Let’s go make tacos,” Katherine told Henry. “We have to make a lot, because there’s gonna be a ton of people at Granny’s welcome back party tonight.”
Henry walked towards the kitchen.
“I thought you were coming back later,” Snow half-whispered to her.
“Yeah. Next time why don’t you put a time on the door or send a text,” she replied to her. Not wanting to continue the conversation, she said, “You know what? I’m gonna go make some tacos.”
That night, Katherine entered the diner with Charming and Snow White and Henry.
Ruby came over, seeing her, and hugged her.
“I was worried.”
“I can tell,” Katherine replied.
Hopper from behind her, said, “Oh, we all missed you.”
Katherine turned around to see him and they hugged.
“Tacos. I can’t tell you how relieved I am to cook something that I didn’t have to kill first,” she told Granny, standing in front of her.
“Don’t I know it? Meatloaf back home would’ve been a bitch,” Granny replied.
Charming stood in the middle of the diner and got their attention by clanging a little on his drink that was in a mug.
“I just want to thank you all for joining us tonight. Mary Margaret and I. We have a saying. That we will always find each other. And while I believe that with all my heart, I’d like you all to raise your glasses and join me when I say here’s to not having to look for a while.”
Everyone laughed and raised their glasses, and Katherine knew he was talking about Snow but also about herself, since this town had been worried about whether or not they’d see her ever again. She couldn’t remember the last time anyone had ever been happy to see her so much.
Everyone clanked glasses and then sipped their drinks.
A moment later, Regina walked in.
Everyone turned to look at the former queen.
“Sorry I’m late,” Regina apologized, a pan of food in hand.
“What is she doing here?” LeRoy questioned, unhappy.
“I invited her,” Katherine said, looking at him.
Everyone was silent.
Regina put the pan on the counter silently.
Snow came over to Katherine.
“We’re celebrating this because of Regina,” Katherine said, before Snow could say anything. “She helped me get home. Whatever she did in the past, we owe her our thanks.” She said that last sentence, looking at Charming.
“You didn’t think to tell us about it?” Charming asked.
“I did, but you two were a little busy this afternoon.”
“Katherine, she tried to kill you yesterday,” Snow reminded her.
“Yes, but she’s trying to change for Henry. He believes in her and that’s enough for me. I couldn’t have changed if I hadn’t been given a chance, so she gets one too,” Katherine told them.
They just nodded in understanding, not knowing what to say.
As Regina put food on a plate, Henry whom was seated at the bar on a stool, looked at her.
“I’m glad you came.”
Regina smiled at him.
“Me too.” She looked at LeRoy. “Oh, I made lasagna.”
“What’s the secret ingredient? Poison?” LeRoy replied.
“Red pepper flakes,” Regina replied. “Gives it some kick.”
She handed the plate to him and he took it.
As everyone else was eating, Regina was seated at a booth, alone, and then, after a moment, decided to leave.
Katherine saw her leave and decided to follow her out.
“Archie made a cake. You don’t wanna stay for a piece?”
“I’m fine. Thank you. Thank you for inviting me.”
“Henry wanted it,” she replied. “I’m glad you guys got to spend some time together.”
“Me too. I’d like to see him more often. Maybe you can let him stay over. I have his room just waiting for him,” Regina replied.
“I don’t know if that’s best.”
“Because you know so much about parenting.”
“A little, yeah. I do.” She turned to leave. “Thanks for coming.”
“Wait. I’m sorry. I’m sorry for snapping at you. I shouldn’t have done that,” Regina apologized.
Katherine turned around to look at her.
“Will you accept my apology?” Regina asked.
“Yes, I will,” she replied. “Archie said you’re trying to change, and you are.”
“Doctor Hopper said I was trying?” Regina asked.
“He said that you came to see him and you tried not to use magic. That you’re trying to be a better person.”
“Thank you for once.” Regina turned around to leave. “I should be going.”
As Regina walked down the sidewalk, she was unaware that Cora was watching from a nearby rooftop.
The next day, Regina was walking, when Hopper greeting her with a good morning.
Regina stopped.
“Why should I answer you, bug?”
“Because I’m making friendly conversation?” he replied.
“That you’ll repeat to anyone living here. You told Miss Pierce about our sessions.”
“I was simply trying to help you,” he assured her.
“By betraying my trust?”
“I mentioned only that you had come to see me as an example to a commitment to change.”
“I came to you in confidence,” Regina reminded him. “How am I supposed to prove to people I’ve changed, when you’re the chirp in their ears to remind them of my past?”
“I said nothing specific. I would never betray a doctor patient confidentiality.”
“Doctor? Doctor? Need I remind you of your PHD from a curse?” she questioned him.
Ruby was jogging, when she saw them, so she jogged over to them.
“Hey. Is everything okay here?” she asked, looking at Hopper.
“Private conversation. Go take yourself for a walk,” Regina suggested.
Ruby was silent, before jogging away.
“I can be trusted,” Hopper assured her. “I assure you.”
“You’re lucky I’ve changed.”
He watched, as she walked away.
That night, Cora, looking like Regina, went to Hopper’s office and took Hopper, faking Hopper’s death.
The next day, Henry and Katherine were at Granny’s in a booth, Katherine telling him about what it was like in the Enchanted Forest, upon Henry’s request.
After Henry went off to school, Pongo came bolting over to Katherine and Ruby. Ruby told her that something was wrong and Pongo led them to Archie’s office, where they found his body in his office.
Later, Katherine and Charming walked into the interrogation room, where they had Regina at.
“Why am I here?” she asked Katherine.
“You know why you’re here. Because of Archie.”
“Oh, it’s now against the law to get in an argument with someone?” Regina countered.
“It is if you go to their office later that night and kill them,” Charming interjected, leaning against the wall by the glass window.
“Archie’s dead?” Regina questioned, and was clearly surprised by the news and also sad about it.
“Stop it, Regina. Ruby saw you going into his office last night,” Charming said, not believing her.
“Then she’s lying. I was home all evening,” Regina replied. Regina looked at Katherine, whom was seated on the table by her. “After everything I’ve done to change; to win Henry back, why would I toss it all away now? And If I did, and if I was going to kill Archie, you would never know it. The fact that he’s dead and you called me, shows sloppiness.”
“You have been caught before,” Charming reminded her. Charming looked at Katherine. “Come on, Katherine. Who do you think is lying? Ruby or her? She’s incapable of change, no matter how much you’ve given her the chance.” He looked at Regina. “Why should this time be any different?”
Charming and Katherine left the room to join Snow White whom was watching.
“So, what do we do with her now?” Snow White asked.
“Lock her up,” Charming replied.
“We can’t lock her up, because she didn’t do it,” Katherine interceded.
Snow and Charming looked at her.
“You really believe her?” Charming asked her.
“I watched her when we told her Archie was dead. She didn’t know.”
“Katherine, I know you want to believe that Regina can change for Henry, but—,” Snow began.
“I know what I saw,” Katherine interrupted her. “Look at her in there. The old Regina would’ve reduced us to ashes. That’s a woman who wants to change. She just wants everyone else to see it. I know that look. I know her. I believe her.”
Charming looked at Katherine.
“With all due respect, you don’t know her like we do.”
“Maybe that’s the problem. I know in your kingdom, she was the Evil Queen, but here she’s Regina. And I’m still the sheriff, and I say she’s innocent until proven guilty.”
“So, what do you suggest we do?” Snow asked.
“Let her go.”
“Katherine, she—,” he began.
“We let her go,” Katherine interjected, and gave him a look. “And we find the truth.”
Charming, Snow, and Katherine were at Hopper’s office looking for clues, when Charming informed them that Regina’s file was empty.
“So, she did it. She killed the kindest soul in this town,” Snow said, standing up from the chair at Hopper’s desk. “I mean, he only cared about helping.”
Charming walked over to Snow.
“I promise, we’ll find out who really did this,” Katherine said, determined.
“Isn’t it time you admit we already have?” Charming asked. “Regina had a fight with Archie. Ruby saw her outside. Now her file is empty. That’s…that’s a lot of evidence.”
“Maybe that’s the point,” Katherine assumed.
“What do you mean?” Charming asked.
“I don’t know how it is in fairytale land, but in the real world, it’s usually hard to find evidence. But this has been way too easy. Unless someone wants us to find evidence.”
Snow walked over to her.
“So you think she was framed?”
“Well, that wouldn’t be the first time it’s happened in this town,” Katherine reminded her.
“Who would want to frame her?” Charming asked.
“That’s a long list, present company included.”
“Yeah,” Katherine agreed. “but there’s only one name on that list who would resort to killing to get what they want.”
Katherine gave them a look.
Charming, Snow, and Katherine entered Gold’s shop, where Rumple and Belle were with a picnic basket.
“We know that you killed him,” Katherine stated to him.
“Someone’s dead?” Belle asked.
“Yeah. Hopper,” she informed Belle.
“Why on earth would you think I’d have anything to do with that?” Rumple asked her.
“Because all the evidence points to Regina.”
“And she’s not possibly capable of doing something so vile,” Belle said, and went to stand by Rumple.
“And it’s a frame job,” Katherine said.
“It wouldn’t be the first time you’ve used someone to try and hurt her,” Snow reminded him.
“It’s nice to see that your memory’s still intact dearie, but this time I’m going to have to disappoint you,” Rumple told Snow. “It wasn’t me.”
“Why should we believe you?” Charming asked.
“Because I can prove it,” Rumple replied.
When he told him where he was, Katherine said, “No one was there.”
“Well, that’s not entirely true.”
Charming brought out Pongo on a leash.
Rumple knelt down and Pongo came to him.
“That’s a good boy.”
Belle watched them.
“I didn’t know you were such a dog person.”
“A long time ago in another life,” Rumple informed her. “I got to know a sheep dog or two.”
“That’s fascinating, but unless you speak dog, how’s Pongo going to tell us anything?” Katherine questioned.
“Through magic, of course,” Rumple told her. “It won’t allow us to communicate, but it will allow us to extract his memories.”
Rumple got to his feet.
“Extract?” Charming questioned.
“You don’t have to worry. He won’t feel a thing,” Rumple assured him.
“Why should we trust you?” Katherine countered. “You could just as easily use magic to fool us.”
“Because I’m not the one that’s going to be using magic. You are.”
“Me?” she inquired.
“You have it in you. Told me so yourself,” he said, going to a cupboard.
“Katherine, you don’t have to do this,” Snow assured her.
“If it tells us something about Archie’s death, then so be it.”
Rumple brought something out and walked towards her.
“Do you know what this is?”
“A dreamcatcher.”
“Well, it’s capable of catching so much more,” he informed her.
After seeing through the dreamcatcher, the events of Archie’s death, they all left and went to see Regina.
After Katherine accused her of killing him, Regina magically through her away from her and then disappeared.
Later, Katherine informed Henry of what had happened, as Regina watched from her car across the street.
That night, Cora returned to the dock, satisfied that she’d broken her daughter’s heart. She informed Hook that she left someone in the cargo of his ship and showed him Doctor Harper, telling Hook that he was the key to all of the secrets of Storybrooke, including Rumpelstiltskin’s.
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