This is a story that doesn't follow the TV series at all, except for Mr. Gold's weaknesses, past and inclination to evil.
"Mr. Gold, Mr. Gold!" A little girl shrieked, bounding into the shop and making the bell jingle on the door. She stood before the counter and called,
"Mr. Gold, sir! Come see what I caught!" You could tell she was trying to obey commands and stand still, but she was so excited she was hopping from one foot to the other as she waited for the elderly man to come out. At last she heard the click of his cane and his slow tread, and she bit her lip in excitement. Mr. Gold smiled kindly at the sight of the little eight year old girl, trying so hard to stand still, and failing miserably.
"Well well, what is it you've caught, dearie?" He greeted, bending down to her eye level. The little girl gave him a jar, and he looked at the contents.
"I found them floating around in the forest, so I went and got a jar, and I caught the snowflakes!" She explained and bounced up and down as Mr. Gold scrutinized the mini snowstorm swirling around inside the jar. He smiled at the little girl and held out his arm for a hug.
"That's wonderful, my little dearie. You're clever with magic even at eight." He hugged her close, and the little girl climbed into his lap, carefully holding the jar and watching the snowflakes flurrying around with big eyes. Mr. Gold eased himself into a cross-legged position and he held the little girl in his lap, explaining how the magic worked to eagerly listening little ears.
"Mr. Gold?" She asked after a while, leaning her head on his chest.
"What is it Rose?" He replied.
"Why do tho many people hate you? You're so nice." Mr. Gold sighed and leaned his cheek gently on her black hair.
"I didn't used to be nice, dearie. I was evil and wicked." Rose lifted her head to look up at her guardian then looked down again.
"Even if you turn evil, I'll never leave you, papa." Normally Rose called him Mr. Gold, but he preferred it when she called him papa, so he smiled to hear her say it.
"Well, I'll hold you to that promise if ever I turn evil again, dearie." Rose giggled softly, then set her jar down and leaning her head against his chest, curled up to watch the snowflakes dance and glitter in the sunset. She fell asleep at twilight, and Mr. Gold carefully carried her to her little bed, tucked her in, then went back into the store's main room and picked up the jar of swirling magic, then murmured to himself as he set it down on Rose's nightstand,
"This is going to be a lot of fun, training her to control her magic."