Archie lowered himself into the library seat and gazed out the clear glass window to his left. At times, the library served as his own therapy session away from other peoples' problems. Not that he minded helping people, quite the contrary actually. It gave him true purpose.
But it was a place for reflection and conscience confiding. He rubbed the weathered paperback in his right hand with his left thumb before setting it on the table and closing his eyelids.
Regina watched him from behind a bookcase in minor frustration. She had hoped he would have gone directly to Henry and had a session with him right after the mine incident. However the therapist had headed to the library instead. His natural habitat she thought with a smirk.
A steady clacking noise caught her attention and she turned her head to see Mr. Gold approaching. He gave her a polite nod as he passed, heading for Archie's table. Regina didn't return it of course. She merely fixed her sight on him, staying in her hiding place.
Six minutes later Archie heard the creak of someone taking a seat nearby. They made a soft beat of page turns as they read in the silence. It was a welcome sound to focus on.
"Am I bothering you, Mr. Hopper?" the soft Scottish accent of Gold made Archie open his eyes immediately and get out of his chair. Grabbing his book instinctively, he blushed and started out of the area. "No, no, not at all Mr. Gold I was just umm resting and I have an appointment coming up an-"
"Forgive me for scaring you Mr. Hopper. You just looked in pain for a moment. Please sit." Gold gestured with his right hand to the seat Archie had blotted from. After a hesitant smile, Archie adjusted his glasses and sat back down.
"Something troubling you?" Mr. Gold closed his leather bound book, revealing it to be a Grimm fairytale volume. His hair remained in place as he tilted his head in concern.
"Sometimes the lines between good and bad choices are blurred," Hopper mumbled under his breath, more to himself. "My mother once said best make a bad choice if you're unsure of what to do because at least you know it's bad...as if that makes sense." He looked up at the elder gentleman. " What I mean to say is following your conscience isn't as easy as...as stories make it out to be."
"I see your dilemma. "
Gold looked down at his book. "I see good and evil a tad...differently."
Archie patiently waited for Gold's explanation.
"Everyone has good and bad in them. Imagine a pond with equal amounts of oil and water. There are occasional ripples but for the most part there is a balance." He gestured his hands accordingly. "In a few people's lives however there are certain events that make us pour thick black oil into our very souls so there is only a small drop of water in the pool left to feel the pain, suffering and sorrow of our struggles. We coat our wounds in oil rather than rinse them in water."
Archie nodded, deep in thought as Gold continued.
"Such a self-inflicted curse of black oil can reversed, all curses can be broken in fact. But it takes time and patience to wash it away. To add more of the water to your pond again. To shrub at the oil stains and infections in your wounds. It's not an easy task. Best not to get too much oil in the first place."
"The human balance of yin and yang...in a way," Archie stammered, feeling to need to speak.
Gold's fingers stroked the handle of his cane as he got up from his chair. "A good comparison. But what makes us human, Mr. Hopper?"
Archie fidgeted a bit under the direct question. "Our consciences...our compassion..."
"Compassion for each other, yes. To feel someone else's or some other being's pain. But with such a small drop of water, one might find it hard to feel, to care...to love. One might find it hard to be human."
A small pause.
"It's not impossible of course. As I said all curses can be broken." Here he smiled. " But I would be careful as to how much oil you let in your pond, Mr. Hopper." He began to hobble away, not giving Archie a chance to reply.
As Gold strolled out of the library he could feel a pair of female eyes drilling into his back. The tapping of Regina's stilettos grew louder and more violent as she neared him. She remained silent as she roughly bumped his shoulder on her way out.
"Not even a drop of water in your pond is there dear?" He remained steady on his feet as the mayor slowly turned her head.
"The same could be said about yours." Her eyes shot daggers.
The pawnshop owner just smirked. "A price we pay for power one could say." He didn't wait for a response and left.
AN- My first Once Upon A Time fanfic ...It's kinda...bleh. Ah well I tried. This was written before Skin Deep so sorry for no mushy broken heart-ness with Gold. Also Archie's rattled so he's not in therapist mode. I hope you enjoyed this. Reviews are love.