Collaboration between YoshiSkittlez and Ghost Shadow 
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The candle plight seemed to go from utterly impossible to now relatively hopeless. They had't sold any so far, but Henry's skill with words and persuasion definitely helped in more ways than one - not to mention Mason's youthful appearance and disposition being a helpful leverage. 

As the trio continued to walk past the town square, nearing the end of the most swollen part of the hub, both Mark and Henry noticed David Nolan browsing between the different stalls nonchalantly. 

"Afternoon, David." Mark greeted simply, though his tone became slighty more conversational as he spoke. "Want to buy a candle?" He asked in a...halfhearted manner (earning yet *another* outlandish look from Henry, who was surprised the fireman knew how to sound even [i]remotely[/i] lighthearted.)

David turned at hearing his name being called and grinned at seeing the three of them before him.

"Mark, Henry...Mason!" He put his hand into a fist and playfully jabbed Mason in the jaw, causing the kid to laugh in response. David then returned his fist to a relaxed hand position and stuffed it into the pocket of his worn blue jeans. "A candle huh? You mean the ones the nuns sell every year?" He asked, eying the box in Mark's posession.

"Indeed. Mr. Gold's doubled the rent on the nuns - only way they can afford to stay open is by selling all the candles." Mark replied in an almost bitter tone, though more directed at the pawnbroker than anything else. 

"Of course he did..." David couldn't help but to roll his eyes at the heartlessness of the town Pawnbroker.

"If we can't sell a thousand by tonight, there's no way that Gold will let the nunnery stay open." Mark said, grinding his teeth slightly. 

"Want to make it nine-hundred-ninety-nine?" Henry asked David cheerily, a wide grin on his face. 

David couldn't help but to let out an airy, awkward laugh, and then having his eyes scan around the area while he scratched the back of his head wondering if the subject matter was even appropriate to laugh about. Regardless, he reached into his back pocket and pulled his leather wallet out and procured three different five-dollar bills.

"Make that nine-hundred and ninety-seven." He said handing the money over to Mark. "When you're a bachelor like me, you'll do whatever it takes to cut down on your electric bill." He mused with a smile. "I'm also not a man above charity." He added on, making sure to look down at Mason now with his cheeky smile.

Mark took the money with a genuinely warm smile from his friend, handing it to Mason; who promptly and eagerly stuffed the bills into the money box. 

"You're a good man, David." Mark commended approvingly while handing the three candles over to David.

Henry, on the other hand, smiled - but it was hollow. He didn't see the veterinary assistant before him, but Prince Charming. The very Prince Charming who would be hopelessly in love with Snow White, [i]his[/i] Snow White. Henry remembered promising her all those years ago that he would never leave her, never part ways from her. And now...to set her free he would have to do just that. 

It was all he could not to simply just look at the man with disgust, but Henry knew how to keep a poker face - and looked as cheery as usual. 

David returned the leather wallet to his back pocket and took the three candles (if a bit awkwardly from their sheer size) into his hands.

"I'd better get these home. I'm starting to realize why women carry around purses. I'll see you guys later, and hey...good luck." He gave mainly Mark a nod of encouragement before heading off down the street, whether he was headed to the vetrinary booth just down the ways or the pet shelter in itself was unclear, but neither Mark nor Henry would have much time to think on it.

"Charming." A voice from behind them came, close enough that he needn't shout. Mr. Gold leaned heavily on his cane with his right hand, looking at the three with what almost looked like an amused expression on his face, having whitnessed the entire thing.

Both Mark and Henry turned quite suddenly as the undeniable voice of Mr. Gold caught their attention. Both men gave the pawnbroker a nasty expression, though for different reasons: Mark's over doubling the rent, and Henry's over Gold's little jape with the word "Charming". 

"What do you want?" Mark asked not-so-politely, his tone cold and direct. 

Mr. Gold made a quiet noise from his throat, a mixture of a laugh and being hurt at Mark's cold tone with him.

"It's just...I noticed the nuns were getting a bit more help this year than normal." He replied to Mark with his tone even throughout, as if he had no idea as to what the nuns were really going through. He instead then turned his attention to Henry, the corner of his lip twitching into a half-smile. "Remarkable women, the nuns. Have you met them all during your stay here Mr. Carlyle? One in particular reminds me of you, actually; if you weren't just a visitor, one might think the two of you were...related..." 

He let the final word hang in the air as his smirk only grew. Mr. Gold knew something that Henry didn't, that much was clear.

Mark remained silent at Mr. Gold's little observation about the influx of volunteers, but gave the man a venemous look. 

Henry on the other hand, seemed to shift through a large number of emotions in a split second: impatience, confusion, formulation, and then finally...shock. His mouth was quite literally agape, unable to pick up the pieces of his usually so obedient expressions to show indifference. "Wh--" Henry stopped to swallow, "What?" He asked shakily, unable to say or think anything else. 

Both Mark and Mason looked at Henry with disarray, unsure what to make of his sudden discombobulation. 

"Mr. Carlyle, what's wrong?" Mason asked Henry innocently, having to look straight-up to meet his teacher's gaze. 

Mr. Gold seemed to be the only one that didn't react to Henry's reaction, nothing more than an audible smirk coming from his throat. His brown eyes then happened upon Mason, a sense of knowing coming over his face if but for a brief moment before looking back up to Mark, and then back to Henry. If anything, the man looked like a vulture sizing up it's free meal.

"But of course that would be ridiculous, wouldn't it?" He answered Henry at last. His attention then seemed to be pulled to the overhanging lights that the town square had been decorated with. They weren't on now, but one could only imagine the light they would put off once the sun had begun to set.

"I do hope you stick around long enough for the sun to go down." Mr. Gold then said to Henry, ignoring the man's look of stupor on his face and continued to look at the unlit lights. "They say these lights make the evening that much more...magical." He finally lowered his gaze to look upon the three boys and gave them each a polite nod as he gripped his cane, ready to walk off. "Best of luck. You'll need it." He added on, now looking at the boxes of candles in their posession.

Neither Mark nor Henry said anything back to Mr. Gold, either unable or unwilling to vocalize as the older man walked away from them.

"Close your trap, you'll catch flies." Mark told Henry curtly, blissfully unaware of what the not-so-newcomer had heard - its significance. 

"Uh..yeah." Henry said quietly, shuddering slightly as he could feel the start of tears sting the corner of his eyes. In a lapse of willpower, a single one trailed down his cheek, his eyes had a clear visible sheen of moisture over them - but he said nothing on the matter, and kept his composure. 

"I think we best try door-to-door now." Mark informed Henry, looking at his leather banded wrist watch. 

"Sure, that's fine." Henry replied, sounding distant...sad. 

Without saying another word, the three of them moved across the town until the first house came into view. 

"Alright, Newcomer, go give them the spiel." Mark ordered Henry, motioning to the front door with a crane of his neck. 

Henry nodded wordlessly, doing a quick fix-up of his person to make himself look as presentable as possible as he stepped up to the front door and rapping sharply on the wooden surface. 

As Henry dealt with most-likely another "No", Mark figured now would be the best time to talk to Mason...specifically about the mines. 

"Hey there, Bud." Mark began, squatting down once again and ruffling the boy's hair after first putting the boxes he was carrying on the ground. 

"Hi, Mister Doo-, umm...Dofrezz--" Mason began, trying in vain to pronounce Mark's last name. 

"Let's just stick with Mark." The fireman responded with a small chuckle. "I'm sorry we're taking this long to find your mom. We're trying to juggle a lot of other things, too. But don't worry...I haven't forgotten." Mark reassured sincerely, earning a small nod from Mason, who was currently rocking himself forward and back on his feet. 

"But, I did want to ask you a few things...about the mines. Is that okay?" Mark asked politely. 

Mason replied with a simple, "Mhm!" As he was becoming slowly distracted by the fallen leaves that blew this way and that in the wind. 

"Alright, great. I wanted to ask you...did you see anything down there? Any treasure?" Mark asked, trying to make the question slightly more enticing with the word "treasure". 

Mason shook his head quickly, finally looking at Mark straight-on. 

"Oh, alright, wasn't sure..." Mark said finally, sounding as if he was thinking over something - only half-paying attention. As soon as he saw Regina and Henry make their way to the mine collapse, he saw her pick something...small and shiny off the ground, yet couldn't get a good enough look at it. 

Then, he remembered seeing her drop something in one of the fault lines when he left with Knox, Ruby, and Mason...then suddenly order the mine sealed up [i]immediately[/i]. Could the mayor possibly be hiding something? Mark made a mental note to investigate this further if necessary. 

"What the [i]hell[/i] are you doing?" Regina stormed over to the small group on the porch of Mrs. Shoemaker, eliciting such a startled reaction from the older woman that she slammed the door shut on Henry, clearly no longer interested in buying candles. The mayor's eyes weren't on the old widow, however, but on Mark. She didn't stop her hurried gate, not at all hindered by the high-heels she wore, until she reached Mason and took him by the wrist gently, pulling her over to him where she put her hands on his shoulders protectively as she spun Mason around to face her, her hands then wandering all over his dirty face attempting to wipe it away and make sure he was okay.

"I thought I told you to stay put while I took care of some things?" Regina said licking her thumb to better her chances of getting the dirt off of his nose, though her tone to him was levels below the practically screamed obsenities directed towards Mark.

Mark turned to give a hard look at Regina as she approached, lacking any visible sign of fear or submission that nearly all the other citizens did. 

He rose to his feet slowly, dusting off his shoulders in the process. "The boy was scared and alone at a large town gathering, we were trying to find you." He informed, the first part of his sentence sounding almost like an accusation - but his expression was hard as stone. 

Henry, in the meanwhile, could only look at the door with a dumbfounded expression, saying the word "What" about three or four times as he had to come to speed with what just happened before him. 

Regina's eyes inflamed as Mark's answer as she looked over to him, a heavy scoff coming from her throat.

"Looking for me...really...at Mrs. Shoemaker's place? Yes, there's nowhere I'd rather be." If Mason wasn't around, she would have added onto her bitter sarcasm with a rude gesture, but her hands stayed planted firmly on the boy's shoulders. "Look, next time you're just 'trying to help'...don't. My [i]son[/i] wasn't scared, were you Mason?" She asked, looking down at the boy.

"I-"

"See? He was fine." Regina made a point of turning Mason back around so that she could dust off his shirt, mumbling under her breath about how boys got so dirty.

"Yes, I can see that." Mark said dryly, eyes cold and determined. "Just so you know: the next time I find him alone and he doesn't know where you are - I'm taking him to Sheriff Leland." Mark stated firmly, no question in his voice that he wouldn't go through with it. 

Regina's already straight posture seemed to grow in size, her pupils dialating and her nostrils flared.

"How dare you..." She replied in a chillingly neutral tone, however she stepped in front of Mason to get closer to Mark, only stopping until they were just a foot or so apart. "How DARE you threaten me, in front of my son. You have NO right." She kept her calm as she spoke, only raising her voice at certain words, but her eyes locked on his spoke volumes. Loathing, disgust, absolute distaste...

"If I find you anywhere near my son again..." She began to threaten, but her anger was boiling up too hot inside of her for Regina to even come up with an end to that sentence.

"You'll...[i]what[/i]?" Mark spat back, eyes narrowed to match hers. "You may be mayor of this town...but you can't go around threatening people the way you do...others might take it - but [i]not[/i] me." He finished defiantly, his voice keeping neutral in tone, quite an amazing feat for words so rebellious. 

"Your [i]son[/i]--" Mark began, using the word "son" loosely, "was left behind and wanted his [i]mother[/i]. I think a simple thank-you would suffice." Mark finished, hardly aware of the words he was saying right now. Under normal circumstances, he'd have brushed Regina's threats aside as he usually did...but for some reason...when it came to Mason, he felt himself grow...protective, [i]angry[/i]. 

During this whole altercation, Henry could only stand back, hoping not to get burnt by the fiery argument. 

Regina dared to take a step closer, shortening the gap so much that their chests were practically touching and the need for Regina to crane her neck up to keep her eyes glued to his.

"You'll do well to remember that I [i]am[/i] Mayor of this town, and being Mayor, I have the power to get you fired. [i]Then[/i] how will you pay for those painkillers you've become so addicted to?" She looked intently into his eyes, the infuriated flames smoldering down to that of confidence once again as she then turned to face Mason and extended her arm out to him to lead him away.

Mason oblidged, giving a quick look over to Mark and Henry, braving a small wave goodbye before Regina turned him around and the two made their way back into the heart of town to see what was left of Miners Day.

Mark watched the two leave with a piercing look not dissimilar to a falcon before finally sighing, rubbing his temple with both hands. 

"Well....[i]that[/i] was interesting." Henry piped from Ms. Shoemaker's yard before joining Mark's side. "Good on you, Mate - standing up to the Mayor!" He commended, patting the older man on the back. 

"Need I remind you that [i]you're[/i] the one who decided to sleep with her?" Mark stated bluntly as he looked at Henry with an almost disgusted look. 

Henry looked slightly surprised for a moment, but went along with it. "You're telling me you haven't gotten a look at those assets of hers?" He said cheekily, slightly emphasizing the 'ass' part of the word with a mischievous glint in his eyes. 

"No." Mark replied coldly before moving to pick up the candle boxes that he had placed down moments before Regina showed up. "Mr. Carlyle, I learned a valuable lesson at a young age, and that was the phrase 'right time, right place'." Mark began as he hoisted the boxes up. 

"I'm not your 'pal', your 'mate', or your 'friend', I do not spend my spare time staring at the Mayor's curves or kissing coma patients. We have a job to do and I would [i]like[/i] to get it done. Now get moving to the next house." He ordered, slightly harsher than he intended. 

Did his confrontation with Regina rile him up [i]that[/i] badly? Mark shook his head to clear the thought before following the suddenly-silenced Henry.