Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon A Time; ABC does. I also do not own the characters of Emma and Gold—they are wonderfully portrayed by Jennifer Morrison and Robert Carlyle respectfully.
A/N: Since it's nearing the holidays, I had the urge to do something Christmassy and fun for Once. So, I came up with this little fic. It's just a light, fun story and I hope everyone enjoys it. Takes place after the 7th ep, but before "Desperate Souls." Happy holidays!
All I Want For Christmas
Usually a quiet little town, Storybrooke came alive during the holidays. An enchanting layer of magic staked its claim, nearly erasing the misery and ruin the curse had enacted. Nearly.
The nuns did their spirited caroling outside, raising charity for poor, desperate souls. The snow had fallen, glittering in patches over the streets and windows. Christmas lights glowed from the diner's window, blinking red and green. A wreath decorated the door and even Ruby wore a satin red ribbon in her hair that jingled with silver bells as she flitted around filling orders.
The light-hearted Mary Margaret Blanchard, clad in a modest white dress embroidered in green trim, was satisfied with a cinnamon-sprinkled hot cocoa and hid a secret smile as she peered over the rim at David a few tables away. Archie Hopper and Henry were submersed in theories about the boy's fantastical stories over chocolate chip pancakes and glasses of egg nog.
Oh, yes, everyone's spirits were quite filled with comfort and joy. And more than half of them owe me money by the end of the week, Mr. Gold mused as he limped through the diner's entrance.
The little golden bell above announced his formidable presence and almost immediately the roaring chatter decreased to a dull murmur. Mr. Gold matched the flickering gaze of every person he passed. As expected, each pair conveniently lowered to the ground. Honestly, you'd think I was Ebenezer Scrooge's long-lost twin.
The moment he settled onto an empty stool—with few people flanking his sides—Ruby popped up behind the bar with a cup of coffee in hand. The wisps of steam curled into the air, heating his face.
"Decaf, cream, one sugar. Got it," she recited proudly off the top of her head.
The curse didn't allow for deviation enough. Ruby knew every person's order like the back of her paw; er, hand. Mr. Gold dipped his head gratefully, placing a bill on the counter. Ruby snatched it up instantly, as if he were planning on ripping her off.
"That'll be all, dearie," he advised tersely as she lingered before him, waiting. Usually she didn't do that—she was all too happy most mornings to leave him to his demons. "And just a reminder: the rent is due—"
"Due this week, Friday, December 24, Christmas Eve, eight o'clock sharp, 20:00 hours military time. No exceptions, even if we're lying on our deathbeds," Ruby finished for him smartly. Mr. Gold stared back at her, unimpressed.
"No exceptions," he repeated in a snake-like hiss.
He brought the coffee to his lips and took a generous sip. At least Ruby made an exquisite brew, he'd give her that. And she was still standing here. Practically bobbing in place and clicking her red nails on the bar. Each fingernail was decorated with blue snowflakes. Cute.
"Is there a problem?" Did she defile his coffee again?
"Would this be a bad time to try to convince you to lower the rent for the holidays?" Ruby clasped her hands under her chin and her ebony eyes widened with hope. Any moment now and she'd be batting her extra-long eyelashes. Gold gestured his coffee cup in her direction.
"You're a clever girl. What do you suppose my answer will be?"
"Yes, because I've been working long hours this month and it hurts your heart to see me suffer?" Judging from the darkening seriousness clouding Gold's expression, that was completely the wrong answer. Ruby gave up the act. "Come on! I still have to get my Christmas shopping done!"
Pouting childishly, Ruby rested her elbows on the counter. Mr. Gold shrugged carelessly. The lack of luxuries among the townsfolk weren't his problem nor did he lose a wink of sleep over it.
"I heard Mr. Clark's general store is very reasonable in terms of prices," he mocked her. Ruby's mouth dropped open in disbelief. He shifted away on his stool; she was getting no sympathy from him.
"Reasonable? You can't be serious!" Gold was hardly chuckling. "Shopping at Mr. Clark's is like willingly getting the flu. Every time I reach for my bags, he sneezes all…over…them! What ever happened to goodwill towards men?"
Ruby huffed, blowing a red-dyed strand of hair from her eyes.
"Unfortunately, I'm not that kind of man," Gold flatly replied. His offer stood. Ruby glared fiercely, but it held no candle to those of the Mayor.
"Clearly," she shot back angrily. The bell tinkled again, but the string of sneezes gave away the customer's identity. Ruby groaned obnoxiously and looked ready to bang her head against the counter. "Speak of the germ!"
Mr. Clark, a wad of damp tissues in hand, stumbled up to the bar. His short black hair was frosted with early morning snowflakes and his nose was raw and chafed from nonstop rubbing.
"H-hey, Ruby," he greeted in a nasally voice. "Achoo! Can you get me—Achoo! Can you…A-achoo!" Ruby grimaced as spittle flew onto the counter and she whipped her hands away before any of it could make contact with her skin. She rolled her eyes and tossed him a couple more napkins.
"Yeah, yeah. I know. A small coffee and a blueberry muffin. Coming right up," she muttered listlessly, dashing away. Mr. Clark's body shook violently as he sneezed, his head jerking forward.
"B-but make sure it doesn't have any ingredients I'm allergic to! Ruby!" Halfway to the kitchens, she spun on her heel.
"You are allergic to everything! That's it—I'm buying you Claritin for Christmas. From your own store!" Ruby bellowed over her shoulder and half the diner's patrons turned their heads to notice the commotion. This town was starved for good entertainment in the morning.
"But that was Leroy's gift last year," Mr. Clark complained, but it fell on deaf ears. He tilted his head toward Gold, who was paying strict attention to the task of finishing his coffee so that he could be free of this crowd. "Morning, M-Mr. Gold," Clark miserably stuttered.
Mr. Gold gently brushed off his impeccable suit and inched away on his seat from the allergy-infested man. The last thing he needed at this time of year was falling ill. People would use his suffering as an excuse not to pay their rent.
As he quietly sipped his coffee, his earth-brown eyes scrutinized the bustling crowd. Each of them shared a glazed, hollow gleam in their irises that was only noticeable if you knew what to search for. No doubt Henry knew, but the boy had yet to bombard him with probing questions.
He was only half-aware of Ruby's heels clicking across the tiled floor and the crinkle of paper as she thrust Mr. Clark's food in his face. The diner door was opening again, bringing in a gust of wind that blew right through the silky material of his suit.
Emma.
The used-to-be Deputy, his precious curse-breaker, the town's savior.
Head bent low against the chill of the wind, she entered the diner with a stride that was confident, proud, swift. Emerald eyes shining in the light, she peered around with the scrutiny of one expecting battle before she spotted Henry. Immediately, a soft grin spread over her wary lips, a rare occurrence for her. He devoured it with undue eagerness.
She was the only one that interested him anymore in this town. A fresh challenge, unafraid of the measures he was capable of doling out. If he was being truthful, she had entranced him and amused him since that first meeting in Granny's Inn.
Somehow, he could not remove his eyes from Emma even as she crossed the diner to take a seat next to Henry. The back of her blonde head faced him, the waves shimmering golden over her shoulders. Henry's little face lit up like the star on top of a Christmas tree for his true mother.
Two little rays of sunshine, indeed.
"Ooh…Emma has an admirer," Ruby's chipper, caramel voice taunted in his ear.
When he turned his head around, he noticed her staring pointedly at him and lifting her eyebrows suggestively. He had an ill feeling in the pit of his stomach that the rumor mill would be churning today.
"I have no romantic interest in Miss Swan whatsoever," he brusquely denied, his accent thicker in his irritation. Didn't she have breakfast to serve? Ruby's red lips curled into a menacing smirk and a wicked flash of understanding danced in her eyes.
"If you say so, Gold. What I heard in that denial?" Ruby cupped her hands to her chest and a pink blush rose to her cheeks. "Oh, Emma…please, let me hold you! Just one night, Emma! So I can die a happy man!" His teeth gritted behind his lips and he slapped a palm down on the counter, interrupting her little show.
"You are walking on very thin ice," he warned. His lips barely moved in his fury. He only hoped Emma did not catch that stage-play or else he would never live it down. No, those loose waves still faced him.
"I'm just calling it like I see it," Ruby said, pointing a sharp nail at him. His eyelids narrowed.
"Perhaps you should have your eyes checked," he shot back.
Ruby picked up a gray rag and began wiping down the counter. She must have sensed Granny somewhere nearby—if she was slacking off on the job, Granny would let it be known. It also meant she wasn't leaving anytime soon.
"Back to my Christmas shopping dilemma—" Gold rolled his eyes in utmost annoyance. The girl was a stubborn one, indeed. Never knew when to let matters rest.
"My answer remains the same, dearie. No." He easily downed the rest of his coffee and placed the cup on the counter.
Grunting against the discomfort of his bad leg, he rose to his feet and anticipated the moment where he was safely away from this diner. He tried not to glance at Emma one last time, but it was too much to resist.
"It's three days until Christmas!" Ruby harped at his retreating back. He waved a gloved hand back at her, reveling in her unsatisfied demeanor. "I'll bet the only reason you're so careless and cold is because you've never even received a present from anyone."
On that note, he paused a foot or so from the bar. He knew he should have kept walking away, just ignored Ruby's ongoing complaints and return to the security of his shop. But for some reason that barb hit harder than the others and he spun back on his heel.
"I assure you that is not true," he said softly.
Why, there was the time…and the year when…and…His mind drew up blank. For one thing, he'd never invested in Christmas, even under the false identity of Mr. Gold. Not even Milah…but then, the only gift she had ever given him was Bae. Ruby nodded, silently gloating.
"Prove it," she challenged as he lingered near the bar, neither going nor staying. "I'll bet you couldn't get even one of these people to give you a present on Christmas."
Ruby scanned the generous crowd of townsfolk and some part of him knew she was right. Not one sane person in this town would chip in a single dollar toward his name. David? No. Whale? Definitely not. Mary Margaret? Maybe, but only if she felt sorry for him.
But the notion of such a bet triggered some form of interest in his mind. He was always one for a bet.
"And what would the official terms of this bet be?"
The young waitress perked up as she realized he was biting on her hook. She straightened considerably, smiling with anticipation. A thoughtful look crossed her face as she chose her words carefully. Clever girl.
"Hmm…it's three days until Christmas. I'll select a candidate. That person will need to willingly offer you a present by Christmas Eve. That means no bribery, no threatening about rent, no using any owed favors to cheat." It was clear to him that Ruby was trying to fill in all the holes that could undermine the bet.
"And who shall this candidate be?"
Ruby patiently glanced around at each person, discarding them with her eyes. Finally, she made it all the way around and settled on one golden head. The width of her smile was bright enough to suggest she might have won the lottery.
"Emma Swan." Immediately, his eyes traveled to where Emma lounged with Henry, her body hunched over his fairy-tale book. He arched an eyebrow inquisitively. Definitely a challenge.
"And what is it you want should I fail to receive a present from Miss Swan?" Unlikely, but he might as well hear her out. Though, he could practically taste the words already peppering Ruby's lips. Still, she touched a finger to her chin for effect. Oh, out with it already, you silly girl.
"If I win, you agree to lower the rent on our diner and inn," she proposed. It was a good thing he knew the logic and art of loopholes. Ruby herself was blissfully unaware of any mistakes or pitfalls she'd given him reign to enforcing.
"Very well," he agreed. "Now, should I win this little bet, I'm afraid you will agree to share Christmas dinner with…" Gold hastily took note of the crowd, searching for his own candidate. Ruby's muscles tensed, much to his satisfaction. No, no, no. Whale? Perhaps. Or…ah, yes. Bingo! "With the fabulous Dr. Hopper."
Gods knew Archie had been inviting him over to his place for Christmas dinner for the last several years. He always assumed Hopper simply viewed it as a chance to dig inside the mind of the town's most feared resident. Either that, or he was starving for company.
Ruby gaped at him in shock, the weight of her end of the deal sinking in. She eyed Archie suspiciously, sitting alongside Henry and sneaking small glances at Emma with the trained eye of a therapist.
"Are you kidding? The guy keeps crickets as pets! And he's a therapist! Every time I ask him to pass the butter or peas, he'll probably ask me some mind-seeking question like how does that make you feel?"
Mr. Gold inclined his head sharply and extended a steady hand.
"Do we have a deal?" Ruby stared down at it hesitantly as if the hand was going to bite her. She glanced at Archie, then back to Gold's hand. Sighing, she determinedly clasped it, which was surprisingly warm. Warm hands, cold heart?
"Deal. Three days, Gold," she stated. Mr. Gold started for the door, pausing only once to glance back at Ruby.
"My agreements are always honored, Ruby. And I never lose." The bet was on.
…..