I am interested in why you think Rockford would, "take the politics offer to try and make incest legal?"
That's something new and I don't think anything in the AVN so far suggests Rockford would even contemplate such a thing. Is it impossible? No. But it would take really uncharacteristic behavior from Rockford [as he now stands] and uncharacteristic apathy from those seeking to propel him into office to go down that path.
LeavingDNA is NOT an AVN one should simply apply typical AVN porn logic to.
If Rockford/Emmeline were to even contemplate moving forward with an intimate relationship, where do things stand from what we know about the characters so far?
1. How would Emmeline feel about it? That we don't fully know, but by the end of Epi 4, her reaction is negative. We do know that she holds some traditional values about family, in the sense she wants nothing more than having children and a reliable, monogamous man to raise them with. But how far is she willing to go to achieve this? There is a large difference in Emmeline's reaction to the cliffhanger revelation, depending if she and Rockford are just friends, if she had sex with Rockford, or if she's possibly impregnated by Rockford. The thought of impregnation after the revelation CLEARLY horrifies her. So, under what circumstances would Emmeline go forward with an i-relationship with Rockford? Among the considerations are her position on abortion [if impregnated], especially given her strong desire to birth children, and/or how "head over heels" in love with Rockford she is. With the former, she may carry a baby to term no matter what. With the latter, her emotions might result in irrational behavior that compromises her belief system. EDIT: Emmeline also carries the shame of being a rape victim. What would the latest revelation do for her self esteem, especially after sex/impregnation?
2. How will Rockford feel about it? Everything about Rockford so far indicates he values the sanctity of biological family ties - something he's never had - above all else. He has also expressed his views on the i-subject [note - this comes up in a conversation on the Aghavni path, but the assumption is that Rockford's beliefs are consistent across all the routes], and he strongly believes if he had a sister, he'd feel like he was their protector. He'd never want to do anything to make them feel uncomfortable or afraid, such as sexually exploiting them. This is apparent in his inability [up to the end of epi 4, at least] to see Jamie as anything other than a "little sister," despite no real biological connection. Rockford seems against the i-subject in general. It feels like Rockford would have to change a lifetime of ingrained behaviors and beliefs and overcome his traumas to continue down the i-path - he has to confront and deny the demons that cause him to shut down and pull away from people to avoid intimacy for fear of abandonment. He would have to completely change his belief in the sanctity of biological family. Emmeline is now his real "little sister," not just a surrogate little sister like Jamie, or a mistaken little sister like Colleen. He would have to bend/abandon his beliefs in doing what's morally right and the sanctity of the law.
3. What are the legal, social, and professional implications of Rockford/Emmeline going forward with an intimate relationship? This would depend if they can keep it hidden. However, Aghavni knows, but the DNA test result is part of an official police investigation. Marriage is clearly out of the question, and I would venture that Rockford continuing a relationship with Emmeline would be both illegal, potentially compromising Rockford's legal career as an ADA, and would kill any political ambition he may have in the great state of California. His political opponents would bury him. Would Rockford and Emmeline want to bear the burden of the social cost/stigma? Let's not forget that Rockford is a public figure and minor celebrity. We all know how tabloid journalism works, especially with really juicy and salacious gossip... How much does Rockford adore the public adoration, even privately? Does that adoration affect his self-image and self-esteem?
3. How will the others react, and how will this affect Rockford and Emmeline's decision-making going forward? We have Robert Jamison (potential reaction unknown), Malena (potential reaction unknown), Jamie (her feelings/position are well known and it could potentially derail her friendship with Rockford), Aghavni (someone who still harbors romantic feelings for Rockford and is on the side of the law), and Senator Carrington/Cassie (who see Rockford as a pawn to further their own political goals. Sen. Carrington also has family and political reputations to uphold... would he cut Rockford loose, meaning the Carrington family ostracise him?).
If Sen. Carrington/Cassie found out about Rockford continuing an i-relationship, I highly doubt they would take the risk of having him run for office, let alone allowing Rockford to grandstand on the i-issue if he did get elected.
So, these are just some of the things that could affect the Rockford/Emmeline path going forward. Impious Monk has thought this through and he has repeatedly stressed he has a specific story to tell - one that's grounded in the mechanics of real life relationships and traumas, not some AVN fairyland.
