Chapter 1: Pilot

Once upon a time...

A handsome young prince lived in beautiful castle. Although he had everything his heart desired, the prince was selfish and unkind. He taxed his village to fill his castle with the most beautiful parties. And his parties with the most beautiful people.

Then one night, an unexpected intruder arrived at the castle, seeking shelter from the bitter storm. As a gift, she offered the prince a single rose. Repulsed by her haggard appearance, the prince turned the woman away. But she warned him not to be deceived by appearances. For beauty is found within.

When he dismissed her again, the old woman's outward appearance melted away...to reveal a beautiful Enchantress...

Piercing emerald green eyes watched him with an intimidating but beautiful gaze that saw straight into the prince's heart, raising fear in the prince's chest. A large spiked shimmering golden crown sat atop long, light golden curls that cascaded like a waterfall down her back and over her straight, pushed back shoulders. Her presence was intimidatingly regal, yet enchanting and desirable.

The prince begged for forgiveness, but it was too late. For she had seen that there was no love in his heart...

As punishment, she transformed him into a hideous beast. And placed a powerful spell on the castle and all who lived there. And the rose she had offered was truly an enchanted rose. If the prince could learn to love another and earn her love in return before the last petal fell, the spell would be broken. If not, he would be doomed to remain a beast for all time.

Some might say the Enchantress' ways were cruel; however, she knew better than anyone of love and beauty, pain and tragedy. These elements were not to be meddled with, nor taken for granted. Never would she go farther than a person deserved.

She believed that there was beauty within all things, and love in accordance with that beauty. If she despised one thing it was selfishness and vanity. Yet she believed there was hope. This was her purpose.

Inside every beast, there is beauty. But then again, inside beauty is a beast. She knew that better than anyone. And she would push others to this realization as well, no matter the cost. Others had to see the good.

After all, good wasn't born. It was made.

The thick book shut with a loud, sudden noise. The intruding noise in the room of peaceful silence was certainly something that catches one's attention.

Henry sighed as he looked down at the cover of his book, his hand resting over the hard book. The title's letters held his gaze.

Once Upon A Time.

Sitting at one of the few tables in the small bakery he found himself in, the 10 year old boy studied the brown book. He remained quiet and in his own world, completely unaware of the attention he had gained in his loud movement of closing the book.

A woman watched with a brow raised as she kneaded dough on a long counter just on the other side of the small bakery. She watched Henry for a second more before raising her brows and returning her eyes to her work.

"Is something bothering you, Henry?" she asked, the slightest accent sweetly coating her words. It wasn't often that she saw this amazing little boy in such a down, gloomy mood. Her voice seemed to penetrate Henry's thoughts, and he turned his head to look at her from the other side of the room. He offered her a small smile.

"No. I'm ok, Anne. I was just thinking," he told her. Anne, not pausing in her kneading, looked up again and offered the boy a smile.

"Oh? What about?" she asked, her smile even reaching her dark green eyes. Henry smiled now, too.

"I think I know who you are," he said, his brown eyes full of thought. Anne smiled.

"Well, yes. I would hope you'd know by now," Anne laughed, her eyes twinkling teasingly at her young friend. "You've been around me long enough, haven't you?"

It was true. Henry had found a friend in this woman. Anne Marie Dole. She was a baker in the town of Storybrooke—the best, Henry insisted. Anne rented her little bakery, Anne's, from Mr. Gold, perhaps against her better judgement. But she was famous among the many residents of the town for her baking. Henry spent a lot of time at Anne's. It was where he went when he didn't want to go home to his mother, the mayor.

"No, Anne," Henry said, pleading with her to listen. "I mean I know who you are."

To emphasize his point, Henry lifted his large fairytale book to show her.

"Ooooh," Anne said, nodding in understanding. As she did so, a piece of her blonde hair fell from her high ponytail, and she quickly blew it from her eyes. "The fairytale thing."

Henry nodded.

"Ya. I found your story."

Anne smiled sweetly at the boy, giving her his attention. She couldn't help but humor his idea that everyone in the town was unknowingly a fairytale character. Henry's imagination was a wonder, and he was so innocently happy with his fairytales. They gave him hope.

"Really? Who do you think I am?" Anne asked as she prepared to put multiple loaves of bread in the oven.

Henry stood from his seat across the room, grabbed his backpack and book, and ran around the display and checkout counter, to the kitchen counter she worked at. He quickly pulled up a stool she had laying around and climbed onto it. Finding a clean portion of the counter, Henry opened his book to a picture of a golden-haired woman in an emerald green dress. Atop her beautiful head was a gold crown, shining as brightly as her hair. The woman was looking over her shoulder as if she heard something behind her, yet there didn't seem to be fear in her green eyes.

"It's just a theory right now..." Henry said, tilting his head and squinting his eyes as he looked up at her. This made Anne smile. He had such a pure heart and was such a sweetheart. "But she looks like you. And look."

Anne looked down to see Henry pointing at a red rose in the woman's left hand.

"Your favorite flower," Henry smiled, tapping the rose on the page. Anne looked at the picture for another second, noticing the slight similarities. But when she looked up, she just smiled, her heart warming at what he had said.

"That is my favorite flower," she nodded with a large smile, happy that he remembered. "So who is she?"

"Queen Annora. The Enchantress," Henry answered. "I haven't finished her story yet, though," he added quickly, wearing a worried frown, and he looked away from her eyes, picking at the page corner thoughtfully.

"Well, you'll just have to, won't you? And tell me," Anne said with a chuckle, ignoring his unusual behavior.

"Yeah, I started her story, but..." he trailed off, unsure how much he should tell her about her past.

Anne smiled and went to the ovens just behind her. Inside one were loaves of bread and in the other batches of cookies.

"Is she interesting?" Anne asked, taking two red oven mitts out of a drawer and putting them on. She quickly and efficiently removed the finished baked goods from the oven and replaced them with the ones she had just mixed.

"Ya. She is really brave and strong. She uses her magic to change people's hearts for the better. She can see their hearts and know if they're good or not. And then she teaches them a lesson if they need to change," Henry said, watching as Anne flitted around her kitchen.

"Oh. You mean like Beauty and the Beast?" Anne asked as she began boxing the freshly baked items. She had to deliver them soon.

Henry crinkled his nose.

"Basically. But the movie is just Disney's way of telling it. There's always more to the stories," he explained. Anne glanced at him and smiled as she finished boxing the last food item.

"There always is, dear," she agreed, closing the box she had just filled. Wiping her hands on her apron, Anne glanced at the oven clock, her eyes widening at the time.

"Henry, it's nearly 8:00! You're going to miss the bus for school!" Anne exclaimed, rushing around the counter to a specific drawer. She whipped it open and pulled out a plastic bag, bumping the drawer shut with her hip as she walked away.

"You're right," Henry said, jumping off the stool and unzipping his backpack, putting his book safely inside. As he zipped his bag up again, Anne returned to stand in front of him, holding out a bagged chocolate chip cookie. Henry looked up at her and grinned, taking the bag from her.

"Thanks, Anne!" he said excitedly. He loved her cookies. Anne smiled and nodded before ushering him towards the door.

"Go on, now. Have a good day!" Anne called as he neared the front door. When he reached it, Henry turned around to face her and used his back to push open the door with some difficulty. Anne frowned at her door as Henry rammed into, finally pushing it open.

"Bye, Anne!"

And then he was gone; however, the door didn't shut, it bounced away from the frame. But he left just in time, for there was the school bus, coming down the street.

With a smile, Anne returned to her work at hand. She quickly walked to the sink just hidden from view of the main room, and washed all the flour and dough from her hands. Grabbing a blue dish towel, she dried her hands and hung the towel on its rack. Quickly, her nimble fingers untied her apron and hung it up as well.

With that, she returned to the front counter, grabbing her black overcoat on the way, as well as brushing off her dark jeans and white blouse.

'I wonder if Granny would like an extra box of cinnamon rolls for this morning,' Anne thought to herself as she pulled her coat on. It late October, and Storybrooke had seen a lot of rain. She wasn't entirely complaining though, the showers were refreshing and she didn't have to water the few flowers left still blooming that blanketed the front of her shop; however, it did make business slow.

Carefully, Anne picked up the stacked boxes of ordered baked goods that she was to deliver to Granny's. The boxes rose just above her head, blocking her view; however, she maneuvered gracefully around her kitchen counter, passing the front counter on her way to the door, which softly creaked as a breeze blew it.

Balancing the boxes in one arm, she took the handle and pulled the door open, slipping outside into the wet air of Storybrooke. With a firm tug, Anne pulled the door toward her to close it, but the door merely bounced away, its glass window vibrating slightly.

Anne let out an irritated sigh, frowning as she reached for the handle to attempt to close the wooden door again. She gripped the handle firmly, pulling even harder to slam the door closed. Just as she slammed the door shut, she felt the boxes in her arm sway unsteadily, and her heart stopped. Letting go of the handle, Anne quickly tried to steady the towering boxes, but she knew it was in vain.

She felt the first couple boxes begin to tumble from her arm, and reached her free hand around them in one last desperate chance to save them. Suddenly, the boxes stilled in their swaying, and Anne felt a warm hand touch hers, another appearing near her face as they stilled the boxes. In the hand nearest her, she saw a black cane with a gold top, and she immediately knew who had come to her rescue. Her breathing came to a stop. Sure that the boxes were stabilized, Anne slowly peered around the tower in her arms. And then her rescuer came into view.

"Mr. Gold!" she exclaimed in a breathy voice, her green eyes wide. Mr. Gold smiled warmly at her. Mr. Gold? Warm?

"Good morning, Miss Dole," he spoke, his Scottish lilt carrying in his speech. "Is your door giving you trouble, dearie?"

Anne opened her mouth to speak, it seemed her speech was delayed in his presence, her mind slow to produce any coherent answer.

"No, no, no," she quickly recovered, shaking her head before glancing at her door and smiling softly. She returned her gaze to his to find his lips quirked up in a slight smirk, causing her heart to stutter. "Well, perhaps a little bit," she admitted. "It-it's only just recently began doing that."

It was then that Anne noticed Mr. Gold still had his hands placed on her boxes, and he seemed to realize it as well, retracting his hands. As he did so, she felt his warm skin brush against her hand hidden behind the boxes.

"Oh, well, I'll have someone come to look at it. Do you need any help?" Mr. Gold asked, nodding at her load of deliveries. Anne quickly shook her head, but offered him a small smile.

"Don't worry about me or the door," she told him softly, nodding her head at her door, which was surrounded by bright flowers in pots and hanging baskets. Mr. Gold frowned and shook his head. He would not take no for an answer.

"I will take care of the door," he said in a voice that left no room for argument. "Now for you. Are you sure you do not need any assistance, dearie?" he asked, watching as Anne balanced her load in one arm again and reached into her pocket to retrieve her keys. She quickly locked the door, noticing she had left the sign turned to read 'open' just as she removed her key from the lock.

Mr. Gold watched in amusement as she glared at the sign, sighing resignedly as she turned to face him again.

"Thank you, Mr. Gold. Um, I've just got this delivery. I don't need any help with it. Thank you," Anne said sincerely, but also a bit awkwardly. This man was an intimidating, much-feared man in the town. He owned nearly the entire town, including her bakery.

"You're very welcome, Miss Dole," he said with a soft smile as he leaned on his cane. "Now, I have business matters to attend to to this morning. Have a good day."

Anne could only smile and nod in return, and she watched as the man limped away towards his shop just down the road. He limped, yet he stood tall and walked confidently, authoritatively, powerfully.

Anne huffed a long sigh, finally able to breath again and her heart was able to return to normal. There was just something about that man. Something both familiar and mysterious. Slightly exciting, but she would never admit that.

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she took her eyes from Mr. Gold's retreating form in embarrassment. Blushing, she glanced around. It wouldn't be good if someone saw her staring and began rumors. Such a thing had already happened once before. Apparently she wasn't the only person to notice Mr. Gold's slight favoritism and flexibility when it came to her and her loans.

Sighing, Anne took a step onto the rain soaked sidewalk, heading the direction for Granny's Bed & Breakfast. It was awkward, the way she had to crane her neck to see anything, so luckily the walk wasn't terribly long.

The smell of pancakes and bacon filled Anne's nose as she pushed open the door of Granny's diner. Her stomach growled in anticipation of breakfast. It wasn't every day that she ate at Granny's, but she allowed herself the indulgence every once in a while.

"Anne!" Ruby called, waving slightly as Anne entered the diner. Anne smiled gratefully at her friend as Ruby ran up to her and took a couple of the boxes from the top of her stack.

"Thanks, Ruby," Anne sighed in relief as the load lessened significantly and she could see in front of her.

"No problem. Let's take them into the kitchen and Granny will pay you," Ruby said with a red-lipped smile.

As the two women neared the kitchen, Granny appeared from behind the kitchen door.

"Hello, Anne," the grey-haired woman smiled, her notepad in hand.

"Good morning, Granny," Anne replied, returning the elderly woman's smile. She set the boxes on the counter next to her. "I've got everything here for you. Bread, cookies, pastries, cinnamon rolls, and donuts. The big haul this time around," Anne laughed, leaning slightly against the counter and putting her hand on her hip. Granny let out a chuckle as she pulled an envelope from her apron, handing it to Anne.

"Yes, it's the monthly orders in bulk today, plus the fresh boxes daily. I believe I keep you quite busy," the older woman chuckled. Anne smiled and looked to her left at Ruby.

"She loves it though," Ruby told her grandmother, winking at Anne. "Hey, we need to plan a girls night soon. So don't get too busy, 'kay?"

Anne laughed aloud, seeing the excited twinkle of mischief in Ruby's eyes.

"Alright," Anne said, still chuckling. "Hey can I get some breakfast while I'm here? I just cannot pass up the most delicious pancakes in the world."

Ruby and Granny laughed. Ruby nodded and took out her notepad.

"Of course. Coming right up," she said before walking to the kitchen to deliver Anne's order.

"Thanks again, Anne," Granny said with a smile, beginning to walk away. Anne returned her own white smile.

"You are very welcome. Talk to you later," she said, moving her fingers in a small wave.

As Anne waited for her breakfast, she glanced outside to see Mr. Gold and Marco walking down the sidewalk towards her bakery. Her brows furrowed in confusion. Business matters, huh?

Leaning forward in her seat at the counter as far as she could, Anne watched Gold until she could no longer see him.

"Whatcha doing?"

Anne jumped and fell from her seat on the stool, gripping the edge of the counter for support. Turning with a look of surprise and embarrassment, Anne saw Ruby standing beside her.

"Ruby, can I get my breakfast to go, please?" she asked quickly. "Mr. Gold and Marco are going to the bakery to fix the door."

"Mr. Gold?" Ruby asked with a raised brow, searching Anne's face for any clues or hidden emotions. Anne frowned, glaring at her friend.

"Those rumors were finally put away, Ruby. Please don't bring them into the light again," Anne pleaded with her friend. There had been a slight scandal when the town realized that Mr. Gold, the man who owned the town, favored the beautiful Miss Dole. It had hurt her business terribly, but that was now in the past.

Ruby tilted her head and gave her a look.

"Sorry. But you probably shouldn't stare at him if you don't want rumors to fly through town," Ruby said, her eyes showing concern. "And I really hope you are careful around him. He's dangerous, Anne."

Anne nearly scoffed at that, but then she remembered that most people in town had that opinion of the man.

"I know, Ruby," Anne said, her eyes straying from Ruby as another waitress came out with her order of pancakes. "Can I get a to-go box, please?" Her eyes then returned to Ruby. "And you have nothing to worry about. There's nothing there, no matter how hard you squint at it."

Ruby studied her friend's face to detect any hint of a lie. She didn't find one, but she was still slightly anxious over the subject.

The other waitress returned with a to-go box and Anne quickly transferred her breakfast from the plate into the box.

"Ok. I'll see you later, Anne," Ruby said, finally offering a smile.

"Bye, Ruby," Anne returned with a sweet smile. Despite the irritation of being questioned so intensely by Ruby's perceptive gaze, Anne found Ruby's concern sweet. She was a good friend and her heart was in the right place.

Anne quickly took her box and left the diner, the door left swinging behind her before closing. She walked down the street towards her bakery, checking for cars before crossing the road.

Anne smiled. There in front of her flower decorated bakery stood Mr. Gold, leaning on his cane, watching as Marco examined the door.

Mr. Gold looked up when he heard footsteps approaching. A smile graced his lips when he saw the beautiful Miss Dole approaching.

"Ah, Miss Dole. What a pleasure, twice in one morning," he said, standing straighter as he shifted his weight off of his cane. Anne smiled brightly.

"I believe the pleasure is mine. You are taking time from your 'business matters' to help mend my door," she said with a laugh. Mr. Gold smiled happily at the sound of her laugh, such a familiar sound, though from memory not recent occurrences. Memories from long ago...memories she did not possess. One day she would remember.

This thought brought an even bigger smile to Mr. Gold's face.

"My business matters can wait," Gold said, causing Anne's brows to raise in surprise.

Anne smiled slightly though, glancing at Marco and her door. The grey haired man stood from his crouch and turned towards her. She smiled warmly.

"What's the verdict, Marco?" she asked softly.

"The piece that makes the door click shut," he began in a way she would understand, "needs to be replaced. But that's all, nothing major, and I can have that done this afternoon after I pick up the parts."

Anne smiled pleasantly, pleased that it wasn't serious.

"Sounds simple enough. Thank you, Marco," she said cheerfully. Anne then turned to face Mr. Gold, reaching her hand out towards him.

"And thank you, Mr. Gold."

Gold glanced at her hand before returning her gaze, taking her hand in his with a smile on his lips.

"My pleasure," he answered, but instead of shaking her hand, he brought it to his lips and gave her knuckles a soft kiss. This caused Anne's mouth to fall open slightly, words unable to come out. And she couldn't even begin to analyze the shock that traveled up her spine and throughout her body.

"I'd best be going now. Don't fret about your door or paying for it, dearie," Mr. Gold said with a slight smirk, realizing the surprise he gave her. "Have a nice day, Miss Dole."

"You too," was all she could manage.

And with that, the man walked away, leaving a confused, yet pleased Anne in his wake.

The remainder of the work day was uneventful and quite dull, she spent most of it sitting at her counter reading. The rain kept most customers at home, and the weather had only worsened as the day unfolded. But just as Anne was finishing cleaning the bakery, she heard the rain atop her roof stop. She smiled in relief, now she could walk home without becoming soaked to the bone. Unfortunately, she had forgotten her umbrella in her apartment, so luck was with her today since the rain had stopped.

Anne smiled as she once again thought about her day and Mr. Gold's visits. She absently pulled on her white overcoat and wrapped her forest-green scarf around her neck. Why did her mind continue to return to the thought of that man? Why had her body tingled magically when she saw his face and felt his touch?

A thought gradually began to form in her mind as she approached her door. Did she have feeli—

Suddenly, the door opened, nearly hitting her, and ringing the bell loudly.

Stepping back in a quick attempt to avoid being hit, Anne looked up into the face of the intruder.

She relaxed when she saw the familiar face before her.

"Graham," Anne smiled brightly at the sheriff, but her smile fell slightly as she inspected Graham's face.

"Hello, Anne," Graham began, closing the door behind him. Anne glanced at the door to see it close effortlessly. "Sorry about the inconvenient time..."

"It's fine. What's the matter?" Anne asked, folding her arms and listening. Graham shifted uneasily, his brows furrowed.

"Anne. Henry is missing."

Anne's mouth dropped open, and her arms fell to her sides. Words tried to come out, but her lips moved silently.

"Wh-what?"

"I'm sorry, Anne, but you were the last person reported to have see him. I need to ask some questions," Graham said calmly, watching Anne's green eyes begin to tear up in sorrow and fear for her young friend. "Can you tell me when you saw him last?"

"Of course. This morning, just before the bus arrived to pick up the school kids. I saw him run to the bus stop...but I didn't watch him get on," Anne answered, her brows furrowed in great concern. Graham regarded the beautiful, worried woman.

"Did anything seem off about him? Did he say anything peculiar?" Graham asked, watching Anne fold her arms again and run her arms in self-comfort. He frowned in concern. It was a mystery to him, as well as everyone else in town that knew her, how Anne was not married. She was a lonely, gorgeous woman who had to comfort herself in times of grief and fear.

"He was unusually quiet this morning, but he never said any—"

The front door suddenly swung open, banging against the wall and ringing the bell madly. With irritation for the newcomer, Anne peered around Graham with a frown. And the person she saw made her frown even deeper.

Graham turned to look towards the door.

"Regina," he said calmly, reaching out as Regina stormed towards Anne.

"Where is he?" she demanded, slapping Graham's hand away. "Where's my son?"

"As much as a I wish I might, I have no idea, Regina," Anne said with the confidence and conviction she could muster, putting her hands on her hips.

Regina stepped closer, putting a threatening finger in Anne's face.

"If you know anything, you will tell me. My son is missing, do not test me! I will ruin you," Regina hissed, her brown eyes lit with a blazing fire.

Anne held her ground and kept the mayor's gaze without flinching.

"Henry. His name's Henry. Madam Mayor, I haven't seen him since early this morning. Now you chewing into me with all your wrath, is not going to help you find him," Anne ground out, her voice firm and confident. She didn't show any fear towards Regina. Unlike the rest of the town, she was more than willing to stand up to the queen—mayor of the town. She didn't know what it was, but something inside forced her to hold her head high. Regina sneered at her, and pushed Graham away once more as he tried to intervene.

"Regina, come on. This isn't helping Henry," Graham tried to reason with her. Regina turned her head and issued a dangerous glare, effectively shutting the man up.

"Yes, Regina. Leave my bakery and go do something to find your son," Anne said, glaring at the dark haired woman before her. "If you won't, I'd like to. So please...leave," Anne ordered, walking to the door and opening it. Regina glared murderously, shaking her head as she approached Anne with a glint in her eyes that actually made Anne slightly nervous and second guess her decision to provoke Regina. Standing up straighter, Anne held her ground and glared at Regina.

"Madam Mayor," came a slightly mocking voice from just behind Anne. Both women jumped at the sound, Regina stopping in her tracks and Anne whirling to see who had snuck up on her. Just a couple feet away, on the porch of her bakery stood Mr. Gold.

"Is there a problem here, ladies?" the man asked, sauntering up to them until he was an arm's length from Anne. Regina glared at Gold, then glanced at Anne, an evil smirk appearing on her face.

"The people of Storybrooke should be kept in line, Gold..." Regina whispered, aware of Graham's presence. With a knowing smirk, Regina took a step towards Gold and the door. "Consequences may follow...and you know what I am capable of."

"Of course. But have you forgotten who I am, dearie?" Gold responded with a smirk, leaning in slightly, threateningly. Anne watched with confusion and slight awe, her eyes on Mr. Gold.

"Now," Gold said with a slight sneer. "Will you so kindly leave Miss Dole's bakery so she can lock up?" He leaned in conspiratorially. "Please."

Regina frowned deeply as those words came from the man's mouth. But without another word, she exited the bakery, holding Gold's gaze with a deadly glare as she passed.

As she walked passed him, Mr. Gold looked down and smiled smugly before turning to Anne.

"I'm sorry, Anne," Graham apologized, catching her gaze before following Regina. Anne let out a long sigh, shaking her head as she watched her two visitors' retreating forms.

"I wish I could say that her bark is worse than her bite," Mr. Gold said, breaking the silence. Anne's gaze snapped to his, and she smiled weakly.

"Oh, it's nothing I can't handle, I'm sure," she said, her smile growing as she looked up at him. Gold's grin met her green eyes and her heart sped up in her chest.

"She won't do anything now," he said with a smirk that sent a thrill through her body.

"And why is that, Mr. Gold?" Anne asked, tilting her head as she looked up at him through her lashes with a matching smirk. Gold swallowed hard, his eyes studying her intently. If only she remembered.

"Well, I..." he paused with a smile, shifting from one foot to the other, leaning heavily on his cane. "I believe my wish for you to be left alone will be enough, dearie."

He winked at her, causing her smile to grow as she laughed and glanced towards the ground.

"One more question..." she began, looking up apologetically. "Why did you come to my rescue? Not once but thrice today, if you count both door incidents."

Mr. Gold smiled as she chuckled, wanting desperately to lean in and kiss her full lips. The way she liked him to...when they were in their world.

"You are always so kind to me," she further noted.

"Some say beautiful women have that effect on men," he answered, gazing affectionately into her green eyes. "I'm afraid subtlety isn't my specialty, dearie." He saw the shock appear in her beautiful eyes, and her smile slipped slightly.

"Have a good night, Miss Dole," he said with his smug smile, nodding once and turning to walk away. She watched him leave, feeling an instinct to go after him. She didn't know why she did, she had been warned about this man. As he took another step, Anne quickly shut the door behind her and locked up her bakery. Turning on her heels, she jogged the couple feet after Mr. Gold.

"Mr. Gold, wait!" she called softly, and he turned in slight surprise to face her. His smile was still in place as she stopped in front of him.

"Thank you. For everything today," she said with a smile, putting her hands in her pockets. "Whatever your motives, I appreciate everything you do for me. I just thought I should tell you," she said softly. Gold stood still, gazing into her mesmerizing green eyes. "You're a good man."

Mr. Gold's face fell slightly at that comment, both surprise and sadness filling his mind. All he could do was offer a weak smile.

And then, with nothing more to say, Anne took a step backwards, offering a goodbye smile, and turned to walk away.

Gold watched her retreating form with longing and sadness as memories clouded his mind. And then he turned, limping slowly to his car with a heaviness in his heart. She saw the good in him, just like she always had. But how far could her grace extend towards him?

Mr. Gold sighed as he climbed into his car. She was the goodness in him, always had been. He had been a monster before her. Now what had her absence done to him in the last 28 years?

Anne walked alone in the dark of night, down the wet sidewalk, with her hands in her pockets and her nose buried in her green scarf. Her interaction with Mr. Gold weighed heavily on her mind. She absentmindedly made her way down the sidewalk, her eyes glazed over and her mind elsewhere.

She could vaguely still hear the sound of drops running from the roofs and dripping from signs. And then she could hear footsteps, footsteps getting very close. Looking up, Anne saw Archie approaching with Pongo just in front of him.

"Goodnight, Anne," Archie said with a smile and a nod. Anne returned the smile and words as she passed him.

"Goodni—"

A loud screeching sound caused both Anne and Archie to stop and turn towards the street. In the center, was parked a little yellow bug.

Confused, Archie and Anne glanced at each other.

Suddenly, the driver's door swung open and a blonde woman stepped out into the chilly air. She turned to face a silhouette in the passenger seat, which quickly followed her out of the car. It was a little boy. And she knew which little boy it was.

"Henry," Anne whispered. She looked up at Archie, who had his brows furrowed in confusion.

"What? What's going on?" Archie asked. Anne shrugged and, without another thought, began walking quickly towards the stopped bug.

"Henry!" Anne called out, gaining the attention of both the boy and the woman he was with. The blonde woman turned to face her with pursed lips.

Henry stepped towards Anne and she stopped just short of him, crouching to look into his eyes. She immediately began to check him over, to his slight annoyance.

"Where the heck have you been? Your mother is so worried," Anne said with a frown, dropping her hands from his face to grip his arms.

"I'm fine, Anne," Henry assured his friend with an assuring smile. In that moment, Archie walked up to them, along with Pongo.

"Henry! What are you doing here? Is everything alright?" the red haired man asked, looking on in concern.

"I'm fine, Archie," Henry answered again, moving away from Anne to pet Pongo.

"Who's this?" Archie asked, looking at the blonde woman beside the yellow bug. Anne had completely forgotten about the woman that accompanied Henry. She pushed off of her thighs to stand up from her crouch. Looking over the woman, Anne didn't feel any negative feelings that hinted that this woman wasn't to be trusted.

"Just someone trying to give him a ride home," the woman answered, looking between Anne and Archie. They apparently cared about the kid.

"She's my mom, guys," Henry offered without hesitation, looking up with a smile. Anne was sure the boy saw the surprise painted all over her face. Glancing at Archie, Anne saw her reaction mirrored in his own face.

"Oh...I see," Archie spoke, unsure what else to say. Anne turned her attention to the woman once more, studying her actions and emotions.

"Your his mother?" Anne questioned. The woman seemed to feel awkward, embarrassed, and slightly overwhelmed. But she seemed like a good person.

"You know where he lives?" the blonde woman asked, avoiding Anne's eyes. Archie started at that question.

"Oh. Yeah, sure, just uh, right up on Mifflin Street."

"The Mayor's house is the biggest one on the block," Anne added, finally offering the woman a friendly smile. Even though she looked slightly annoyed as she turned to Henry.

"You're the mayor's kid?" the woman asked. Henry looked down, avoiding the woman's gaze but glancing up to see Anne wearing a small frown.

"Uh. Maybe," he answered, looking down from Anne's slightly accusing gaze.

"Hey. Where were you today, Henry? Because you missed our session," Archie asked the boy, peering down at the boy from behind his glasses.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you. I went on a field trip," Henry answered quickly. Anne frowned and narrowed her eyes, crouching down again to look at him, eye to eye.

"That's funny. Your mother and the sheriff came into the bakery this evening, very worried about you," she told him, her eyes accusing. Henry looked down, caught.

"Henry, what'd I tell you about lying?" Archie asked him kindly, his eyes showing that he really did care for the boy. "Giving in to one's dark side never accomplishes anything."

Even Anne had to furrow her brows at that odd phrase, but the doctor was still right. And she could tell Henry knew it too. The boy nodded his agreement.

"Oo-kay!" the woman leaning against the yellow bug piped up, her eyes staring at the odd doctor. "Well, I should be getting him home."

"Of course!" Anne exclaimed, quickly standing up. "Would want your mother to curse us if she knew we were keeping you!"

Anne winked at Henry, who smiled and let out a small laugh.

"Yeah. Sure," Archie said awkwardly, shuffling his things in his hands as he pulled on Pongo's leash. "Well, listen—have a good night, and uh, you be good, Henry."

Archie walked away, giving Henry and the two women a smile.

"Are you two good, then?" Anne asked, ready to leave as well. The woman nodded in answer and Henry smiled up at his friend.

"Alright then. I'll see you tomorrow, Henry," Anne said with a loving smile, ruffling the boy's hair softly. "And uh," she continued, turning to look at the woman beside the car, "I'm Anne. If you ever need anything and you happen to see me, don't hesitate."

The woman nodded.

"Thanks," she said with a polite smile, turning and opening her door and climbing in. Henry watched for a second before turning to Anne and giving her a quick hug.

"See ya, Anne!" he called as he hurried to the passenger door.

"Bye, Henry!" she chuckled, waving at the sweet boy as he shut his car door. With that, Anne turned and walked back onto the sidewalk.

She was ready to be home. It had been a long, interesting day, which was odd for Storybrooke.

It seemed things were changing.