Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT.

1

Lacey finished up her fifth shot of Jack Daniel's.

"One more please." She snapped her finger to signal the bartender when a man took the seat next to her.

"Hey gorgeous." The man smiled at Lacey, and then took out a five-dollar bill from his pocket and handed it to the bartender. "Let me get you this one."

Lacey took a side glance at the man. The man wasn't bad looking. Brilliant smile. Friendly. She smiled at him, "Sorry, not my type," and turned away.

"Well, you can't know what type I'm already," the man said, "maybe we could—"

Suddenly another man came up to the bar and whispered in the first man's ear, "Are you crazy? She's Mr. Gold's girl!"

Lacey's mouth dropped open.

"She's what?"

"Mr. Gold's girl!" The second man replied urgently. "Keith touched her and he's still in the hospital. Leave now you idiot!"

The first man looked like he'd been punched. "I-I…" he turned to Lacey and stammered, "I'm sorry, uh…you…please don't tell Mr. Gold about this. It won't happen again." Then he scurried away with his friend like a frightened animal.

Still shocked, Lacey gaped at the door where the men had just left. Mr. Gold's girl?

Lacey's face burned, she was not sure whether it was from the alcohol or from the memory of Mr. Gold.

The last time she saw Mr. Gold was two days ago, when they had had their disastrous first date. She had always thought of Mr. Gold as some nice, boring guy who visited her in the hospital. A man who was hopelessly in love with his Belle—who wasn't her.

Their date had gone as she expected: painfully dull. What she had not expected was to find Mr. Gold bludgeoning Keith to death for touching her—which she had initiated.

The sudden rush of exhilaration had been palpable.

"You really are as dark as people say."

"Darker dearie, much darker."

The Mr. Gold she had seen that night exuded power, confidence and darkness. Suddenly he didn't seem so boring after all.

The memory sent a shiver down Lacey's spine and made her knees weak. Mr. Gold's girl. She rather liked it.

X X X

Mr. Gold flipped the shop sign to CLOSED and began to place all the antique items back into the showcase. He was heading to the door when he paused, and then turned back to the cupboard, from which he took out a chipped cup.

Mr. Gold sat down on a chair and held the cup in his hands. He felt exhausted and lost. He'd always sought Belle's guidance when he was lost, but now he'd lost that too.

Mr. Gold hadn't seen Belle in the past two days. He needed the space and distance. He did not know how to face this Belle, this new Belle—Lacey.

When Lacey had found him taking his frustration out on that foolish man who had dared put his hands on Belle's body, she had urged him on, giggling with excitement and delight while he mercilessly hit the man.

He had seen it on her face. Admiration and awe.

Lacey was apparently attracted and drawn to him for the power and darkness that he had displayed.

But Lacey was simple-minded. She craved power and darkness without knowing the true danger of it. Like a silly moth.

Mr. Gold grunted in distaste. Childish. Unsophisticated. Vain. Nothing like his Belle.

Perhaps Belle was never coming back…

Mr. Gold gripped the cup harder.

Even so, Lacey's face popped into his mind. Her pale blue eyes, high cheekbones, sensual red lips…Who was to say she was not Belle?

It was comforting to hear that Keith's unfortunate incident had seemed to discourage men from approaching Lacey. It had given Mr. Gold time to clear his head without having to worry about men taking advantage of Lacey.

Belle would never want anybody else to touch her. He had to win her heart.

Mr. Gold's train of thoughts was interrupted when his doorbell jingled.

Lacey walked into his shop in a half-drunken state, her face flushed and her steps unstable. She slowly walked up to Mr. Gold and rested her elbows on the counter.

Mr. Gold kept his expression neutral. She was wearing her usual provocative outfit, and drunk again. His heart ached for Belle. Belle would never do that to her own body.

"Hi, Mr. Gold," Lacey drawled, the little smirk tugging at her lips not very Belle-like.

Mr. Gold put the chipped cup away. He smiled at Lacey courteously. "Lacey, nice to see you again."

"Uh…I just left the Rabbit Hole and wanted to come and say Hi." Lacey shrugged nonchalantly.

"I'm glad you came." Mr. Gold poured a glass of water and pushed it towards her. She looked up at him.

"It helps prevent a hangover," he explained.

Lacey's heart warmed. There weren't a lot of people who genuinely cared about her.

She took the water. "Thank you." She took a sip. "Um…uh, the men at the Rabbit Hole…"

Mr. Gold looked up sharply. Those men had better not harm her, or else—

"They say I'm your girl." Lacey bit her lip and smiled mischievously at Mr. Gold.

Mr. Gold laughed. "I heard." Truth be told, he was greatly pleased by the rumor.

"So…am I?" Lacey asked, "Your girl?"

Mr. Gold paused for a moment. "That depends on you, dearie. Is that what you want?"

"Well." Lacey put down the glass and walked around the counter. She looked up at Mr. Gold and said in her thick accent, "I think I like you, Mr. Gold."

Mr. Gold's face broke into a smile. Belle still wanted him even when her memory was cursed. Perhaps there was hope. He tucked a strand of curly hair behind Lacey's ear. "Then the feeling is mutual."

"Hmm…" A small smile played on Lacey's lips as she regarded Mr. Gold. Then something crossed her mind and she cleared her throat. "Belle…"

Mr. Gold's heart jumped at the mention of Belle.

"What happened to you guys?" She continued.

Mr. Gold's heart twisted. "I lost her," he said quietly.

Lacey looked into Mr. Gold's eyes. "Will you…go back to her, if she comes back?" Her hands gripped the counter, waiting for his answer.

There was a long silence. Mr. Gold did not expect the question, but he knew what he had to say. "She won't come back." When she does, you won't know it.

"That's good to hear," Lacey wrapped her arms around Mr. Gold's waist and rested her head on his chest, "'cause there's only me now."

Mr. Gold put his arms around Lacey. He kissed the top of her head and closed his eyes, letting her embrace ease his torment. Belle…

Lacey relaxed. She was in the most powerful man's arms. She felt safe, warm, and loved…

It felt like home.