Like I mentioned in the summary, this is going to be eventual Rumbelle, probably towards the last two chapters of this story. And it'll be angsty in the sense of they not talking, avoiding each other, thinking that the other was better off without the other.

Enter Henry and my OC to fix that little problem.

Chapter 1

Regina eyed the phone as the call had ended. She didn't know what to make of the conversation she had just be honest, she was a little disappointed. After all, Rumplestiltskin was, as she considered, her oldest friend.

The girl she had spoken to had asked for the Sheriff's number and Regina didn't want to simply give it up without any sort of explanation but the conversation proved to be enlightening until she heard Rumple's voice in the back and the phone being taken from the girl.

"Sorry to bother," came the abrupt voice she had missed for the past five years and luckily Regina had snapped out of her surprise to call out to him.

"Gold wait!" she practically screamed at the receiver.

"Why wait Regina?" came the hiss and Regina couldn't help but step back a little even though the man was practically on the other end of the country. No wait, the number that registered was international...he wasn't even in the same country as she was.

"Look there's a reason why your-," she cut herself off. She didn't know exactly who the girl was. She had sounded younger, maybe a couple of years older than Henry but definitely not in the same age as she was, or even Belle.

"Daughter!" came the shout from the background and Regina's eyes widened. "Well step-daughter but you get the picture."

The girl sounded just like Gold, hint of an accent. She could just imagine Gold glaring at the girl on the other end of the phone. She heard another scuffle and the girl telling Gold to behave.

"You're on speaker now Mayor Mills," added the girl. "As I was saying before Papa rudely interrupted-"

"Well you should be minding your own business," came the retort.

"He's my step-brother and no way are you going back there without any reinforcement."

The mention of Neal made Regina swallow the growing lump in her throat. The exchange reminded him a little of how she had used to talk to her mentor, even how the bookworm had talked to the almighty Dark One.

"As I was saying," began the girl anew. "I wanted Sheriff Swan's number because I wanted to discuss with her about moving my step-brother's remains from your town to our town."

"Where is that exactly?" asked Regina, keeping her voice moderate.

There was a pause and Regina could just picture the glare that the girl was aiming at Gold before finally the man sighed and replied, "In Glasgow. I've moved to Scotland, Regina."

She was glad she was sitting down because that news would have floored her. Gold was in another country, let alone another continent. How the hell did he manage that?

"How-?"

"I hardly think I owe you that explanation Your-"

"Papa!"

Regina couldn't help but smile. The girl did have the same will as Belle and certainly Baelfire, not that she had any interaction much with the father of her adopted son. Still, she would have preferred to deal with that man than the pirate who still followed the Sheriff like a lost puppy.

"We've been leaving here for three years Regina," said Gold after a while.

"Why now?" asked Regina. It's been five years since the blasted thing with the sorcerer's hat and the dagger and the entire thing blew up in everyone's faces.

"Because it's been five years since my father has last seen the grave of his son," came the other girl's reply. "You seem like a reasonable woman, Mayor Mills. I just want to give a heads up to the Sheriff and if you people put on a fight, it'll give you enough time to hire a lawyer and we'll be taking you to court."

"I don't-"

"And by court I mean this realm's court not your biased band of hypocritical royal heroes who think themselves above everyone else and only have time for themselves."

Regina's day was just full of surprises wasn't it.

"You told her?"

"She already knew," was the reply. Again, wasn't there a quota for surprising news in day?

"How in the worlds did she know?" came Regina's reply, albeit it sounded harsh even to her ears but she didn't care.

"Don't worry Your Majesty," began Gold, Regina noting how he all but spat the title. "Your town is safe. It appears the Land Without Magic just appears to be so."

"You have your magic?" asked Regina, she should probably write everything she's discovered today. This was surely going to be a lengthy conversation with the Charmings later today.

"Technically," came the girl's voice. "Mr. Yao said that he can still-"

"Emily," came the warning and Regina knew that tone of voice and she wasn't surprised to hear the silence came from the girl in question. At least Regina finally had a name to go with the step-daughter. Mr. Yao? Wasn't that the person who Booth stole the research on the Author from?

"Regina, maybe that topic can be discussed further if I make my way back to Storybrooke."

"That sounds like a mighty big if, Gold," replied Regina.

"Oh he's going," replied Emily. "Whether he likes it or not, I am going to drag him screaming and fighting to the plane back to the United States. So the number Madame Mayor?"

Regina sighed, she wanted Gold to return. Frankly, it may give her the closure she wanted to have with her mentor and long time...friend? Was he really her friend? Well he was a confidant that was for sure.

"Regina?"

The call of her name got her out of her reprieve and she sighed again. "If it's alright with you, I'll speak to Emma first and then I'll call you."

"I was hoping for an aswer today because right now we're at a crossroads," came Emily's explanation. "I'm not going to harass her or anything Madame Mayor."

"It's not that," replied Regina and her tone of voice may have betrayed her because it was Gold who spoke up next.

"What's going on back there Regina?" asked Gold, his voice surprisingly concerned over the Saviour. "Has anything happened?"

A lot, Regina wanted to say out loud but like he had said about his magic, it was a tale best said in person and not over the phone.

"I'm heading over to the Sheriff's station now if it gives you a peace of mind," began Regina, as she closed all the files on her desk and grabbed her coat and keys. "I have your number. I'll call you when I get there."

She didn't want to argue the point any longer and just ended the call. She needed time to digest everything she had learned and frnakly, a couple of minutes wasn't enough.

Rumplestiltskin was alive and had magic. He had a step-daughter and was living on another continent. Frankly, Regina could hear that he had a good life. It was no wonder he didn't contanct any of them for the past five years. He didn't have to. Everything he got his happy ending somehow...well maybe except for his True Love.

To be honest, she wasn't worried that Emma would stop Gold from taking Neal's grave from Storybrooke. She wasn't worried that anyone would stop him from doing so...she was worried at how it would affect her 18 year old son.

Henry had grown so much for the past five years, physically and mentally. The events of the past few years had thrusted upon the boy responsibilities that she didn't dare wish upon any other teenager.

Maybe seeing his other grandfather would help...but Regina knew that the only person that would really help her son was his father. The only problem was, Baelfire was dead and she couldn't do anything about that.


"That went well," grumbled Rumple as he paced the study of his daughter. "I told you I'd take care of it, Emily."

"No," came the reply from his 21 year old step-daughter who had sat behind her desk already and was working on her laptop. "If she won't give me Sheriff Swan's number then I'm just going to be figure it out on my own."

"I don't think-"

"Come on Papa, I highly doubt these people update their phone numbers," said Emily as she worked on her laptop. "I'm pretty sure they're busy learning magic of keeping people out of that little town of yours."

"Emily," began Rumple but Emily ignored him.

"Papa, you said we would work on it after I graduate," said Emily, finally looking at him. "Well I've graduated, I don't care for the ceremony so we're doing this."

He caved when she looked at him like that. It was a powerful gaze but it also hinted at the sincerity behind it.

"Alright," began Rumple, finally settling on one of the lounges inside her study. The room was maybe just a quarter of the size of the library on the lower floor where his own desk was located. But she was also welcome to study and work there. "Just remember, these people rarely do anything for my interest."

"Yeah well tough," replied Emily as she got her cell and dialled the number. "He's your son and my step-brother...the only person who would have any say at all would be your grandson and I doubt a court would rule in favor of an 18 year old."

Rumple sighed as he thought about Henry. He would be a grown man already and he missed out once again on the life of someone from his family. He missed out on Baelfire, on Emily and on Henry...maybe that was the story of his life.


Emma was just about to head out and get something to eat. The day was slow and uneventful...which she was very grateful for.

She had her coat already when her cell rang. She was surprised to see it was an unregistered number and an international call at that. Who on Earth would be calling her from another country?

Curiosity got the better of her and she answered. "Hello?"

"Yes, I'm looking for Sheriff Jones?"

"It's Swan, not Jones actually," came the instant reply and Emma didn't know why she just blurted that out.

"Oh?" came the reply, a young woman? Sounded like a teenager if Emma was being honest. "Here I thought you'd already marry the pirate after 6 months since my brother's death since you were already moving on just weeks after."

"That's none of your-wait your what?"