"Lucy?" Rumple's knuckles tapped on the young girl's room door with hesitation. He already had an awkward conversation with Jacinda – Ella, Henry told him she liked to be called Ella- at the door. Lucy wanted to see him apparently and her mom, as well as him, couldn't possibly fathom why. Henry didn't know either, in fact he learned his daughter's wishes from him but he had quite a different reaction than her mom. "Lucy knows what she's doing Rumple. She's one of the strongest and smartest kids I know and I'm not saying that because she's my daughter. It's true. We wouldn't have broken the curse if it wasn't for her in the first place. So if she wants to see you, she has her reasons" Rumple remembered how his grandson's eyes gleamed when he spoke of her. They reminded him of his son. He hoped his own eyes would have the same spark when he spoke about his beloved Baelfire, it would be the least he could convey to the world of how much he loved his boy that remained always in his heart.
"You came!" Lucy exclaimed upon opening the door in a hurry. She grabbed his hand and pulled him inside, telling him to sit on her bed while she closed her door. Turning around she found Rumple sitting in a sort of a stiff position on her bed and looking at her in a perplexed manner. She anticipated as much so she decided to get right to the point as she sat across him at her desk chair "You are my great grandfather and yet we haven't spoken all this time" Rumple nodded in agreement. "Well that needs to change. I have something to show you" The girl opened her desk drawer and pulled out a piece of paper. It seemed like a drawing, yes, it was definitely a drawing Rumple's mind remarked when she extended her arm to offer it to him. "It's…."
"It's a crocodile" Lucy smiled proudly. Not so much for her artistic capabilities, she was younger when she drew that anyway but she knew Rumple would at least be intrigued enough to relax around her. "You see, I never had the chance to tell anyone with the curse going on and my dad having all those troubles. But when I was reading his book day in and day out all those years, I found that my favorite character out of it was Rumplestilstkin. You." Rumple lowered the crocodile sketch he was holding and after a short stunned pause he narrowed his eyes and smiled a crooked smile at her. "Your dad told me that you were a smart girl and I'm glad I can see that with my own two eyes. Flattery will get you everywhere. What do you want little pawn?"
Lucy smiled and retorted "Pawns might be small and short but with the right moves they can become the most powerful piece on the chess board" As Rumple crooked his head a little bit and raised his eyebrow as she continued "I know how to play chess too granps, you're not the only one" That made him chuckle. He felt mirth, a feeling that hasn't crept up on him for a long long time and that little girl was certainly gaining his interest and attention more and more by the minute. "I can see that. Interesting. You haven't answered my question though little pawn. What do you really want?"
Lucy stood up and then merrily sat right beside him on the bed. "You always assume trickery in others. Fair enough, I have read so much about you that I'm not surprised one bit. I am honest, grandpa. You really were my favorite character. I just want you to know that you are loved, even if you can't see that right now." While uttering the last sentence, Lucy's hand rested on his with such care that Rumple almost jolted back. He wasn't used to such displays of affection, pure affection, especially coming from a child. It was such a long time ago since his Bae was that age and Gideon was a restless bugger during his childhood, his affections to him were shown in different ways, awkward hugs and beaming laughs mostly. But Lucy's touch was emanating warmth, leaving an almost healing sensation behind. "Staying true your name I see, the Light child" he said trying to diffuse the tension he felt inside. Lucy looked at him straight in the eyes and smiled "I take after you it seems, you were the Light one once, weren't you?" The way that child looked at him, full of belief in him, unsettled him. She didn't even know him and yet she was peering through his soul. "That was an alternate universe little pawn. I thought you lived and breathed that book of yours. My grandson must have written a lot of inaccuracies to make it sellable" Lucy's eyes widened with glee and she responded full of happiness "He didn't, he didn't! I wanted to check myself and I brought it to grandma, she read it and told me that everything he wrote was true. It could easily be a history book! Our family's history book. Dad told me so as well, I was right to believe that everything in it really happened"
Rumple saw the pride and pure joy Lucy felt when she was talking about their stories and her family. Which included him and his stories. A fact that didn't sit well with him, not because he didn't want it to be true. On the contrary. But ever since he lost Bae, his story always felt running in parallel with the stories of the other people in her family, even his grandson. They would interject from time to time but his real family, his own family was with Belle. It has always been like that. And now he was left all alone. His expression must have betrayed his thoughts because he felt Lucy squeezing his hand tight to make him face her "I know you must feel very alone right now but that's why I wanted to talk to you grandpa" she said earnestly with her soft voice. "You are not. I wasn't kidding when I said you are loved. You must think that we don't know each other but I went night after night to bed with your stories. Do you want to know why you were my favorite character? Because no matter what you never gave up. You knew you would find your son again and you did. When I was feeling low during the curse, when no one believed me, besides my grandma Snow, it was you the one who inspired me to persist. You believed and you did anything in your power to succeed. And you did. Even if you made mistakes along the way"
"That's what you took away from the story?" Rumple scoffed. "I… I was clearly the villain in that story little one. Even if my intentions were good. Intentions are meaningless. Don't follow my example. Follow my wife's. She's the good one" he said while almost tearing up and pulled his hand away only to cross it together with his other one and let them fall on his lap while he was staring blankly in front of him. "Hey" he felt a sting on his arm, Lucy slapped him. "I'm the one choosing who my favorite character is; don't think I can't tell what's what!" Rumple was surprised seeing her turn into a little spitfire but he mostly was taken aback on how much she resembled Regina when she got angry so he didn't have the chance to collect his thoughts in time and argue back. "You were born the Savior for a reason and that's the strength of your heart. I always saw it and I will always see it. Even in your darkest hours that always shined through. Judging from what I have read, we both know you should change your reactions to things" she paused to see if he was offended at all but Rumple didn't show any signs of that "Nevertheless most people you have wronged have forgiven you in one way or another and a lot of them truly care for you, I don't know why you can't see it."
The girl's voice carried through a tone of disappointment, Rumple detected. She believed what she was saying. "I know for a fact that my grandma likes you very much" she stated in a matter of factly tone, as if that would persuade him of the validity of her sayings. "I'm very fond of her as well", Rumple responded in a soft tone. Lucy's efforts were touching and he started to feel for the girl, partly admiring her unwavering belief. "So why would you want to lose that?" her voice almost cracked. "I want to spend time with you too, we never had the chance when I was younger and it doesn't matter to be honest. I know we can be even closer now that I'm older. We'll play chess if you want. You can teach me so many things! Oh, you will get to see Alice and Robin together as well, maybe they'll have a baby of their own some day, I know how much you are fond of Alice!" Lucy's excitement almost turned to pleading but that unsettled Rumple, he knew something was behind it all.
"Lucy" It was his turn to cup her hand tenderly now "Why is this so important to you?" The little girl's eyes watered and two tears that could not be contained run through her cheeks. "Because….because I don't want you to die, please don't die, please don't die!" she launched herself into his arms and sobbed on his shirt while holding him tight. Rumple never expected that kind of reaction from anyone, let alone a girl he barely knew in reality and yet his heart clutched and he felt the air leaving his lungs. "Who….who told you that…?" he managed to let out in a barely audible manner as he felt his body being shook by the girl's cries, a state which he wished with all his might she would never be in, especially not because he had caused it in one way or another.
Lucy backed away from his shirt and sniffled before answering, trying to stop her tears. "I figured it out. Adults don't tell me much but dad has included your story while you were away from us in the book. I've noticed you are avoiding us since the curse broke, you always seem sad… Please don't die. I'm your family too!" Lucy grabbed Rumple's hands and looked him in the eyes pleading. He never expected that, he didn't know what to say, decision making on the spot wasn't his forte. He widened his eyes and released one hand from her grip in order to place it gently on her reddened cheek. He used his thumb to wipe off her tears and then proceeded doing the same thing to the other side. He ended up framing her little face and said "I'll make you a deal little pawn. I won't do anything rush, how does that sound?" It was vague enough to buy him time in order to think his next steps carefully and calm her down for the time being, as it did. "It sounds like a deal" she said with her semi-broken voice and extended her hand for him to shake. He smirked and followed her example, sealing the deal like a gentleman.
A knock on the door was heard and Ella opened it, standing like a curious mother there, watching them "Is everything all right here?" she said in a cheerful and slightly inquisitory manner. Lucy had her back to her but Rumple faced her with a polite smile –as much as he could manage one- saying that everything was perfect. Lucy agreed and after Ella preceded being a good house hostess, offering Rumple something to drink, she closed the door after his decline and left them as they were. Lucy had calmed down a lot, her cheeks were now pinkish and her eyes had dried up. Rumple stood up "I hate to leave you kid, you are a good company you know, but I have to be back at the station. Even without the curse my newfound job never stops" He was terrified. Lucy was getting to him and that oddly felt like a betrayal to his promise to Belle. But mostly, the terror came from a little nagging part of him that kept telling him she was right and he didn't want that to be true. Because then his whole quest would have been in vain. He would have been wrong. That….was never an option. Or was it? He decided to take his inner turmoil away from Lucy so he went for the door.
"Hey!" Lucy stopped him on his tracks "Before you go I want to ask you something. Is the story of Regina using the potion that Dr. Jekyll invented on herself true? I mean….everything that the Evil Queen did afterwards?" If the Dark One could ever come close to an embarrassed state, that would be it right then and there. "It's…I….I haven't read that part but….I assume it is. If everything else is" he cleared his throat wishing this conversation would be over sooner than later and secretly hoping his grandson had spared the details while writing it. "Then I think you have another reason to stay with us" the little girl smiled sweetly but Rumple was more perplexed than before. "Why is that?" "Well" Lucy continued, delving in the matter of analyzing the book just like an expert would analyze their field of expertise "the book said that the Evil Queen was all the parts of Regina's personality and desires that she hid from the world. You knew that already, you basically named the original, Mr. Hyde. You wanted to do that to yourself once" Rumple nodded, not liking where the conversation was going. He hasn't spoken about this matter even with Regina herself after all these years so he sure wasn't going to have a heart to heart about it with his pre teen great granddaughter.
Lucy noticed his discomfort and said "Look. I know that I'm not supposed to meddle with adult stuff and I don't really want to. My dad or Regina didn't tell me almost anything when I brought the subject up and I know you won't either. It's okay, that's not why I'm bringing this up." Rumple's facial features relaxed except his eyebrows which still remained clutched together. "I just wanted to say that…what I understood from the story was that you and grandma have a very close relationship. One that hasn't broken all these years and if the Evil Queen showed any form of…. affection towards you back then it was because Regina felt it already" Rumple huffed and his whole body stiffed, she could see she was about to be scolded so she uttered her ultimate point in a hurry "I'm not telling you what to do I just think both of you care about each other more than you admit!" Lucy almost yelled the last part, trying to get her point across quickly and maybe make him stay a bit longer.
Rumple was still standing at the door, seemingly having no reaction to the matter. When he turned to face Lucy he saw the Light child again in front of him: full of hope and belief, a beaming star. He could never fathom that a pure belief such as this would involve him in any way ever, much less involving his relationship with Regina. He expected all kind of reactions about the relationship those two have had over the years, anger, disgust, jealousy, intense questioning but never….pure hope over it. His instincts told him to downplay her and her belief in the book but that would be a blatant lie, he couldn't be persuasive anymore, not when he had been pressuring Henry himself to believe her all this time. So he opted to assume his "no comment" attitude so he could finally leave before things got out of hand "Noted. I really have to go now little one." Lucy stood up and went close to him. She wrapped her arms around his waist, looked him straight in the eyes and said "I want us to play a game of chess this week. Promise me you'll make it. After school, I hang out at Roni's so you'll find me easily. Or text me. I'll get your number from grandma" The rapid and eager manner Lucy spoke amused him and unnerved him at the same time. He placed his hand on top of her head and stroked her hair gently. "I'll see what I can do little pawn" he smiled. Lucy hugged him tighter, placing her cheek on his stomach "The pawn will make you proud my King" she said sweetly and crooked her head so she could see him "You are clearly the King on the chess board, don't think I haven't figured that out" That girl had too much faith in him, Rumple thought. She wasn't wrong, his strategy could indicate that he placed himself in that position but every chess master does, don't they? That's the whole point of the game. "Plus you have your Queen there to always protect you and have your back" she mumbled right across his shirt but it was clearly audible. He ignored it and stroked her hair slowly one last time "All right, let me go now Lucy. I'll come by Roni's sometime, I promise" She seemed satisfied enough because she released him and then simply placed her hand –the one she had just kissed- on his cheek for goodbye. "Bye" she chuckled in glee.
Rumple left the apartment in quite a different mood though. His heart was heavy and his mind felt full of thought worms, trying to penetrate places they haven't been before, maybe places they didn't belong. The harder he tried to shake them off, the deeper they rooted so he just stopped probing. He walked like a zombie to the station, greeting no one and went straight at his desk. Rogers eyed him sideways but he was busy at the moment with some booking technicalities he couldn't put off. The only thing he eventually saw was Weaver –ahem, the crocodile, um, Rumplestiltskin- leaving his office with a full bottle of Scotch at hand, heading for the exit in a hurry.
Lucy's words cut deeper than he could ever admit.