It had been weeks since the Jolly Rodger had landed in Storybrooke. Since Jane had been rescued, since Mulan had been abandoned. Aurora awoke the same as the past weeks days. Groggy, sad, and alone. She had Jane of course, and she couldn't be happier. But the other half of her heart wasn't with her, the woman that would wake up beside her every morning of each day. Mulan.
Aurora tried to busy herself in the kitchen of Granny's, while Ruby scurried along tables busting them and taking orders. It was a cold day out, again, and many of the townsfolk wanted somewhere to get hot beverages and food. Aurora was brewing more coffee as the sound of the bell chimed out. "I'll be with you in a bit!" Aurora called quickly setting the coffee grinds into the pot to begin a fresh brew. "Where would you like to sit?" Aurora asked not looking up until she came closer to the bar table. "Would you like-" Then she froze in her spot. Not knowing if she was feeling furious or depressed. She didn't know which was wanting to come first. "My usual spot, Deary." The sly voice of the twisted Imp spat out like wildfire. Aurora watched as Rumple made his way to his favorite table, a few tables away from the counter. "H-how did you get here?!" Aurora asked hastily feeling the anger beginning to boil. He was the reason everything was turning out like this. He agitated the situation even further and Aurora wanted none of it. "I prefer to walk across the street for starters." Rumple slyly smirked patiently awaiting for Aurora to serve him. Aurora stood processing his appearance then asked more rigidly, "Where is Mulan?" It seemed her teeth began grind from all the tension that was building up. Rumple looked at Aurora like she asked a dumb question replying, "She hasn't come back yet?" Aurora furrowed her eyebrows her breathing hitching with annoyance and shock. "M-Mulan can come back...?" She whispered out only for herself to hear. "What do you mean that she isn't here?!" Aurora practically yelled out having the whole diner go silent as fast as a candle light being blown in a dark corner. People turned in their seats watching the commotion that was beginning to explode between Aurora and Gold. Ruby poked her head out from within the kitchen only to witness that Rumple and Aurora were the issue of the silence. Red immediately tries lightening up the atmosphere not wanting customers to leave. "I-I'm sorry! I'll have this sorted out right away. I will be giving everyone a cup of coffee, free." Ruby smiles tensely giving the eye toward Rumple who had suddenly appeared. The taller woman scurries across and joins in on the banter. "I don't care why you're here Gold, but it better be a good explanation or I'll-"
"You'll what Deary? Kill me?" Rumple chuckled in his little boasting attitude. Red gritted her teeth feeling the jaw clench tightly with anger. "I was just telling Princess Aurora that her Warrior would be coming back shortly." Gold shrugged standing up briskly beginning to walk away with nothing else. "How?" Red asked with disbelief. She didn't want to jump to conclusions, especially when it involved Gold. "With a deal I had made with her." Rumple smirks now turning away not wanting to give any more information out. He walked out the door like it was nothing. Aurora looked over to Red seriously and eagerly, "Mulan is coming home! I can't wait to see her! Maybe I can-"
"Woah, woah! Maybe we should think this through?" Red said pulling on Aurora arm to guide her into the kitchen where no one could impede and watch. Red continued as they got into the kitchen, "I mean, a deal with Gold? Those are never good..." Red replied wanting Aurora to think the situation out. "It doesn't matter how or why she made a deal! It's that she's coming home!" Aurora smiled happily still not comprehending the severity of the situation, but Ruby wasn't going to argue with her. Yet. She just smiled along, hesitantly, with the woman cheering up in front of her. Aurora was happier than a kid in a candy store, or even a toy store. And all Red could do was watch from the sidelines and nod with agreement.