'Twisted Tales' (PART ONE) By: Eliana Robinson © Once Upon A Time Fanfic.
START
Rumpelstiltskin was in hell! A deserving hell perhaps but a hell none the less. Belle couldn't remember who he was and he honestly didn't know what to do.
Drawn from his frantic thoughts he turned at the sound of the shop door bell.
Charming hesitantly walked in and panic slammed into Rumple's chest.
"What happened? Is Belle-"
Charming held out a calming hand. "She's fine, she's resting."
Rumple exhaled in relief. Feeling light headed with the effort. He placed more weight on his cane and struggled for composure.
"So..." He said, attempting small talk. Something he'd never really enjoyed much, and didn't do so now.
Silence stretched on between the pair.
"What can I do for you Charming?"
The young man before him looked a little uncomfortable. His expression and silence filling in the blanks.
"You're checking up on me. Making sure you know where I am, that I'm not off conjuring another soul eating demon to finish off Hook."
Charming shrugged, regaining his usual controlled stance, his hands resting on the waistband of his jeans. "Well... yes." Charming stated frankly.
"Look, just give us some time ok, Emma and the rest of us will handle it, alright?"
Rumple laughed without any humour to it. "The woman I love doesn't remember who I am, and the man who did that to her is laying protected in hospital, I think it's fair to say everything is far from alright." Rumple gritted harshly through clenched teeth but Charming wasn't angered, he simply looked upon him with understanding and sympathy.
Turning away Rumple busied himself needlessly with some objects on the countertop.
The silence drew on and as it did he was constantly drawn back to the very precious chipped cup that sat on the countertop. Each time he looked over at it, the pain ground it's way deeper into his battered soul.
The past few hours had been nothing short of a waking nightmare. He could concede that for all he'd done he deserved this but Belle...no. She didn't deserve any of this.
"I don't know what to do." Rumple said, a world of pain and misery in his tone as he turned to face the man in his shop. The words having seemed to slip from his mouth unaided.
Charming shrugged, sympathetic but without enlightenment.
"Well, I don't know maybe, you could try true loves kiss?"
/
She was here, with him. Wasn't that enough? But even as the thought occurred, he knew the answer was no. There had to be a way to restore her memory, to remind her of their love. Taking her hand gently he gazed down at her hand held in his, noticed the soft small features that were in such contrast to his large and scarred hands.
Looking into her eyes, his heart pounding, he leaned in and kissed her. Abruptly that sweet gentle hand he had been holding pulled from his and landed with a sharp decisive smack to his face, the sound seeming to vibrate around the shop. For a second she stared at him; a startled and sad look in her eyes as he rubbed the red mark on his cheek, he gazed upon her with a mournful look. Then silently she walked passed him and out the door. For a second he thought he'd seen tears welling in her eyes, or maybe it was his own blurred vision.
/
Rumple jarred from the vision as if he really had been smacked across the face. Looking up at a perplexed Charming, he shook his head as he limped passed his somewhat 'friend' and over to the counter, tears toying at the corners of his eyes.
"No, I don't think that will work; do you?"
Silence met his query and a lonely painful loveless existence fell down over him like a cloak. He was alone in the darkness once more.
There was nothing he could do. He'd lost her and his son. All magic comes with a price, he'd learnt that lesson the hard way a long time ago, but when he'd used that potion to cross the town line he never thought the price would be Belle's love.
Once Charming had left the shop Rumple stood alone, staring endlessly at the chipped cup in front of him. Actually thinking over the notion of true love's kiss.
Could Charming be right? Could it bring back Belle's memory? He'd seen it work for Snow and Charming countless times, it had started to work on him the first time Belle kissed him. Rumple hung his head and sighed. He'd been such a fool. If he'd only believed her then things would have been so different.
What was he to do? Carefully he picked up the cup and placed it gently in the safety of the glass cabinet. He felt like a vice was crushing his heart, he couldn't think and he sure couldn't breathe without her. Rumple growled in resentment, slamming the lid down on a nearby box. His temper was rising as it often did when he felt caged and choice-less.
"Love is weakness."
Rumple's head shot up at the chilling sound of Cora's voice. Standing in the doorway was the stunning dark haired woman from his past.
Rumple's expression grew cold.
"Cora." He drawled in disdain. He really should have expected this, but he'd been distracted with all that had happened in the last twenty-four hours. Cora's inevitable appearance had been buried deep within his mind.
"So tell me, what do you want, Cora?"
The cold woman laughed the hollow sound echoing off the walls. "To the point as always Rumple." She strolled towards him. "So I'll be as brisk. I want my daughter."
Rumple raised an eyebrow. "I see, and how exactly do you think I can assist you with that? You framed her for the murder of a man who is not even dead. I think you've made your bed with that one." He paused, leaning in till their faces were mere inches apart. "Lie in it." He growled.
Cora laughed briskly unperturbed by his words. Her eyes alighting with mischief.
"Only if you'll lie in it with me." She sweetly drawled. Then she stood on tiptoes and pressed her lips to his.
For a moment Rumple closed his eyes, enjoying the sweet taste of a woman's lips, but his mind could not help but think of Belle. There was something poisonous to Cora's kiss where Belle's was pure and endearing.
Stepping back he removed himself from Cora's embrace, disdain coating his expression.
"Get out." He softly said. Though command and fire behind each word demanded obedience. But Cora didn't move.
"You're still hung up on that little chit of a girl in the hospital, I get it."
Rumple's anger flared at the insult towards Belle and fear chilled him to learn Cora knew about her. Before he could do a thing, Cora vanished into nothing her haunting laugher the only thing left in her wake.
Rumple didn't hesitate, he rushed to the door and headed straight for the hospital.
/
A sigh of relief escaped Rumple's lips when he saw that Belle was safe and alone in the hospital bed, sleeping soundly. Every bit his precious Angel.
He stood there gazing sadly upon her. His mind turning back to Charming's words.
"...maybe, you could try true loves kiss?"
Could it work? Would she remember him if he woke her with a kiss? Or was it just foolish to hope?
Time slipped by, uncounted minutes and second as he stood by her bedside his mind lost in a haze of memories and thoughts. He couldn't forget the look of fear and confession in her eyes when she'd looked up at him on the side of the road.
"Who...who's Belle?..."
Her frightened, words echoed off his mind, cutting at his soul.
"What are you!?..."
Rumple squeezed his eyes shut.
"...get him out of here!"
"Belle? What's happening..."
He fought against the agonizing memoires. The rush of echoing voices in his head. The confusion that had filled the halls of the hospital when they'd arrived in emergency only seen fit to terrify Belle more, his presence hadn't helped and the Royal family had demanded he leave. It had only been the look in Belle's eyes that had made him concede to their demand. But he couldn't stay away forever, and like a moth to a deadly flame he was drawn to her once more, heedless of the danger he was in.
Around him, all that could be heard was the beeping of the machines monitoring Belle's steady, precious heartbeat, but inside the noise of haunting voices was deafening.
"Who...who's Belle?..."
"...get him out of here!"
"What are you!?..."
"...try true loves kiss?"
Before he could stop himself, because he couldn't reason himself out of it, he stepped closer to the bed, leaning over he brushed a hand to her arm, leant in and laid a gentle loving kiss to her lips. All his love, all his hope poured into the action, but fear and doubt soon crept in. Drawing back, he knew even before she awoke, and screamed in horror, that it had not worked.
He was a fool. It was hopeless. She was gone.
"I'm sorry." He whispered, tears choking the strength from his voice. He back away for the door as two nurses rushed in to comfort Belle. Hurt, devastated, bleeding inside from the look in her eyes he reached out for the doorhandle and disappeared from the room.
Out in the early morning air he tried to control his breathing, tried to stand firmly on his feet, he tried to stop the shaking but it was pointless. It was all pointless!
Then like always, his hurt turned to anger, to rage.
Tuning back to the hospital he snuck up artfully to Hook's room. Unnoticed by the staff.
"I don't think that's a good idea. Do you?"
Rumple turned, unsurprised to find Emma stepped from the shadows of the darkened room.
Hook lay asleep undisturbed, unaware how close he was to death.
Rumple bit back a growl.
"He hurt her." He said emphasis laid upon every word as if that explained everything. For him it did, and with the sympathetic nod Emma gave as she stepped forward, he knew it did for her too, but she was bound by the rules of the law to protect all. Even if she disagreed with who deserved to be protected. She was indeed her father and mother's child. Honourable and irritatingly noble to the end.
"You're not going to let me do this are you?" He asked already knowing the answer.
"Killing him won't make Belle remember who you are."
Rage built so fierce in him, and his hand gripped tighter on the top of his cane till his knuckles went white. He could get passed her, he could kill her, it wouldn't bother him.
"...there's still good in you, I see it, I've always seen it, please show me I'm not wrong..."
Belle's voice once again echoed in his mind and with a painful effort he turned from Emma and stormed out the door.
/
Emma watched Gold leave with a sigh of relief. She could understand the man's position but she couldn't justify the murder of a man handcuffed to a hospital bed, not even a worthless one like Hook.
Turning away as the door swung closed again, she settled down on the edge of the bed to wait.
She didn't need to wait long until the pain stirred Hook from his sleep, a groan of discomfort creeping from his lips.
"Where's Cora?"
"What?" Hook attempted to move but found his good hand cuffed to the metal bar of the bed. "Again? You're really into this aren't you?"
Emma smiled, without merit.
"Oh, that hurts."
Standing Emma spoke without sympathy. "Told ya, cracked a few ribs. Where's Cora?"
Hook ignored her question and turned on the charm. "You look good I must say all 'where's Cora' in a commanding voice, chills."
Emma rolled her eyes not falling for any of it. "You have all sorts of sore places I could make you hurt." Then she swiftly poked him on either side of his badly bruised ribs, taking a small bit of pleasure in the gasp of pain he gave out. Emma smiled smugly.
"I have no idea where Cora is, she has her own agenda."
Emma looked closely at him. Unsure if he was lying or not.
"Although there is something I'm interested in, my hook. May I have it back?" Hook paused for a moment a lazy smile curving his lips and a glint sparking in his eyes. "...Or is there another attachment you prefer?"
Emma didn't take the bait. "You're awfully chipper for a guy who just failed to kill his enemy..." Emma pursed briefly. "Then... got hit by a car." She said with moronic emphasis.
Hook kept smiling. "Well my ribs may be broken but everything else is still intact."
Emma fought not to roll her eyes at his sleazy suggestiveness.
"Which is more than can be said for other bad days I've had." Hook shifted awkwardly on the bed gritting his teeth against the pain as he continued to speak. "Plus I did some quality damage to my foe."
Emma bristled. "You hurt Belle!"
"I hurt his heart! Belle's just where he keeps it."
Emma was beginning to understand what had happened.
"He killed my love. I know the feeling." He softly explained.
Emma had heard enough. Leaning in on the edge of the bed she sarcastically smiled down at him. "Keep smiling buddy, you're chained down, he's on his feet. Immortal, has magic and you hurt his girl." Hook showed no real effect at her words. Sighing she continued. "If I were to pick dead guy of the year, I'd pick you."
/
Rumple tossed his cane clear across the room the moment he stepped into his store, uncaring of the damage it did to a shelf of goods. With a rage filled sweep of his hand he knocked a bunch of things from the counter-top. His rage screaming for freedom. He wanted to kill Hook, he wanted to squeeze the very life from the rotten cur with his bare hands. But his anger was also incited by Emma and her whole family. How dare they protect Hook from him! They should have protected Belle from Hook. Instantly his rage died and he slumped into the nearby chair in the corner. He should have protected her.
Covering his face with his hands he let the sobs rip through him.
This was all his fault. He'd promised he'd protect her and he'd failed.
"What's you've done cannot be undone."
"Now you're finding out how it feels."
"Why were you so miserable?"
"Because I never loved you."
"You might have power now but you're still a coward!"
"There's still good in you, I've seen it. I've always seen it!"
"Why haven't you given up on me?"
"I learnt a long time ago when you find something worth fighting for you never give up."
"You're not a monster..."
"I'm so sorry it's chipped..."
"It's just a cup..."
Rumple raised his head, his blurry vision focusing on the chipped cup in the glass cabinet across the room.
"You still have it...my chipped cup..."
/
"What are you doing here?" She jumped back as the strange man who'd kissed her earlier stepped into her room. He had been the one with her on the side of the road too, the one who'd done something to her, used...magic... or something, she didn't understand anything. She was so confused so scared...
"Please, I mean you no harm." She looked closer at him and something eased the fear within her. Relaxing slightly, she stared up at him. "What do you want?"
A hazy look passed over his eyes as he held out a small china cup with a slight chip in it. Confused she looked form the object to the man.
"I just wanted to give this to you." He said.
Angered by the frustrating confusion and darkness fighting her mind she rejected the offer. "I don't-"
"Please."
She looked at the sadness in his eyes and breathed out slightly.
"I know you don't remember. But just indulged me, please." He gently held out the cup to her and she looked at him blankly. Sighing she took hold of the empty chipped cup he handed her.
"Be careful with it." He urged.
"It's a cup. It's..it's damaged."
"Just look at it. Focus." He insisted gently.
Obligingly, she did so. But all she saw was a chipped cup. Nothing more. What was it she was meant to see?
"It's your talisman." He said tapping the cup gently.
Agitated she rolled her eyes. "It's a cup." She told the strange man adding emphasis to each word.
"You dropped it in my castle,"
Castle? And she thought she was crazy. This man was clearly insane.
"You were afraid you'd angered me."
That's it. "Ok you need to go, and take your cup."
She tried to hand him back the cup but he refused to take it.
"No, I.. I charmed it."
Charmed it? Okayhe was crazy!
"If you focus it will work."
She stared at him.
"It's magic." He whispered.
"Ok, just go away! Stop talking about magic, and take your cup!"
She forced the cup back at him, desperate for him to go away desperate to escape the confusion and fear clawing at her. Magic, castles, who was this man, who was she, why was everyone calling her Belle, why couldn't she remember anything?
Refusing the cup he pushed it back into her trembling hands. "Just look at it."
Infuriated that he wouldn't take the blasted cup she tossed it across the room smashing it into a dozen pieces on the floor.
Glaring up at the man beside her, she could see her actions had hurt him. The devastated look on his face for a moment made her regret what she'd done. But the darkness and confusion plaguing her was to overwhelming, she couldn't think, she couldn't breathe! "Just go," Her hands were trembling, her breathing rapid and her heart was racing. "Just go away!" She cried in distress.
"I'm sorry." He softly whispered before walking to the door, casting one last look at the broken pieces of the cup scattered on the floor.
In the lonely silence of the room that fell upon her in his wake, she sat there on her bed trembling violently, raking her hands through her tangled hair. What was happening to her? Why couldn't she remember who she was? Who was that man...
And why did he want to give her some silly chipped cup...?
/
"You were out all night. Where were you? Granny wouldn't tell me anything. Did I miss it all?"
Emma walked up to her son as Henry bounded down the stairs in his pyjamas.
"Cereal? Ok?" Charming asked from the open planned kitchen.
"Yeah."
Emma drew her boy close nodding to her father as she lead Henry to the breakfast bar where Snow was making tea.
"Rumpelstiltskin and captain Hook had a fight and someone got hurt." Snow informed him.
Emma turned to her son as he sat down on a stool. "We weren't sure if Dr. Frankenstein could fix him but he did."
"Doctor?...wait ...ohhh so that's who Whale is."
Emma smiled at her son as she too took a seat. "Yeah, but without the neck bolts."
Henry looked at her. "The monster had the neck bolts not the doctor." He informed her with a slight shake of his head.
Emma nodded. "Right, but either way, for some of us having know him, ...it's weird." She said with a smile looking up at her mother through the top of her eyes.
"It's not weird, we're passed it. We were cursed." Snow declared heartedly.
Henry looked confused. "What are you talking about?"
"Nothing." Emma's father interjected placing two bowls on the counter for them.
Emma looked from one of her parents to the other uncomfortably, sinking a little lower on her stool.
"...wait." Henry said as he ignored his breakfast.
"Really it's nothing." Snow insisted as she finished with making the tea.
Henry bounded up off his seat and raced across the room to his back pack coming back to the breakfast bar with the fairy tale book. "Frankenstein's not in here, it's not even a fairy tale, that means it comes from a different land. With different stories."
Tired, Emma placed Henry's breakfast bowl down in front of him on the book as Snow handed out the tea. "Eat. I really want to go to bed."
But Henry wasn't deterred. "If the curse went to places with other stories. Then who knows who else is in this town."
Exhausted, Emma let her head fall onto the counter top as her son continued talking. Then abruptly there was a swift knock on the front door.
Emma stood to answer it but the door swung open before she got to it.
A volatile Mr. Gold strolled in with a dangerous glint in his eyes.
"Gold, we've all had a long night-"
"You remember that favour you own me, Miss Swan?"
Suddenly on guard. Emma nodded hesitantly. "...Yeah-"
"I'm cashing it in."
The rest of her family came to stand around her, their stances protective and concerned. Some of them knew what this man had been through in the last few hours but they all knew how dangerous he could be.
"It's not a good-"
"You do honour your agreements don't you? I need to find someone so we're leaving today, pack a bag."
"Leaving?" Snow exclaimed.
Henry's worried query swiftly followed. "Where?"
Emma's eyes were focused on Gold. She'd once had a similar request from the man before, which had lead her to finding an innocent expectant mother who'd been blackmailed into giving her child to him. "Find someone? Who?"
Gold pursed for a moment. Before affectionately replying. "My son."
Surprise filled the room at his words.
"It has to be today, because every minute I'm here is a minute closer to me killing Hook." The man added his tone turning cold. "So it's really best for all concerned if I leave...and you're goanna come with me." He commanded with a swift point in her direction. After their encounter at the hospital Emma knew his words of hostility toward Hook to be very true. "Oh and...we have a long history," He added his tone growing darker with each word. "So know this and know it to be true." A coldness fell upon the room as he continued. "If any harm comes to Belle while I'm gone..."He pursed. "I'm killing all of you."
Emma pulled Henry close to her, anger and fear racing through her at Gold's menacing cold threat.
"I'll see you at noon." With that he was gone.
/
"I will go with you..."
"Why did you want me here?"
"I'm so sorry it's...it's chipped..."
"You're not a monster..."
"There's still good in you...I see it, I've always seen it..."
"I believe he's changed, because his heart is pure..."
"I'll be here waiting for you..."
"You can't keep us apart!..."
"I'll never stop fighting for him..."
With a violent start she awoke from the haunting dream and echoing sound of her own voice. For a moment she sat tangled in the hospital bed sheets, unsettled and disorientated.
"It's your talisman."
"It's a cup."
"It's magic."
"Go away!"
"...Just go away!..."
She shook her head to rid the voices, the...memories? from her mind.
Around her was quite except for the distant sound of machines beeping and staff rushing around out in the corridors. Looking up she could see the tiny shattered tea cup on the floor across the room. Surprised to see it was still there, she looked around her again this time confused. How long had she been asleep? Surely it had been longer than a few minutes?
Tentatively climbing form the bed, she let the coolness of the floor seep into the soles of her feet as she walked the few steps to the broken cup.
Bending down, she touched the largest piece with the tip of her finger. Strangely intrigued, she picked it up. Holding it in the palm of her hand she studied it and the curious little flower design that was on it.
"I will go with you..."
"You can't go with this...Beast..."
"I'm so sorry it's...it's chipped..."
"Well, it's just a cup..."
"You're not a monster..."
"Why did you want me here?"
"The place was filthy..."
"I think you were lonely..."
"You trust me to come back..."
"Oh no, I expect I'll never see you again..."
"True love's kiss will break any curse..."
"Why did you come back..."
"Something changed my mind..."
"This means it's true love..."
"Now you've made your choice, and you're going to to regret it! Forever..."
"There's still good in you...I see it, I've always seen it..."
"I believe he's changed, because his heart is pure..."
"I'll be here waiting for you..."
"…Who….Who's Belle?…."
"…..What are you?..."
"It's your talisman."
"It's a cup."
"You can't keep us apart!..."
"I'll never stop fighting for him..."
In a flash of bright light Belle looked up from the cup her heart racing as sheer joy swept through her, a wide smile alighting her face in the dawn of clarity and comprehension. Happily she exclaimed…. "I remember…."
"Belle?"
Looking up at the sound of her name, a name she now recognized completely, she saw the inquiring bright smile of a little boy, a boy she recognized to be Henry, the town sheriff's son. Everything was so clear, in a spectacular moment of magic, generated from the chipped tea cup all her memories returned, all but screaming at her to be the first heard. She remembered, she'd been by the town line with Rumple, he'd found a way to cross the line, a way to go and find his son.
"I'll be here waiting for you…."
Then Hook had shot her, the force of it propelled her across the town line and everything had gone black. Then slowly she began to recall the car, the sirens and arriving at the hospital. She remembered Rumple kissing her awake, and she remembered the horrified way she had reacted, terrified because she didn't remember who he was, and then came the crushing memory of the last time he'd been in her room.
The moment when she'd smashed their chipped cup.
Looking down at the broken pieces her heart broke. Tears welling in her eyes.
She had to see him, she had to tell him she was sorry. "Where's Rumple?" She asked of the boy. For a second the boy looked confused then he gave a short little laugh.
"Oh, you mean Mr. Gold?"
Brushing a hand to rid her eyes of the moisture she leant over to retrieve the broken prices of the cup, unable to stop the joy brisling inside her. "Um, yes, Mr. Gold, do you know where he is?"
The sweet smile on the boys face vanished and for a moment he looked sad. "They're gone. He and my mom left Storybrooke about an hour ago."
Belle's heart slammed to a halt. Shocked and heartbroken…he'd left her…?
Then she looked at the broken bits of the cup they'd both cherished so much and understood all too clearly why he'd left.
Like the shattered pieces of the cup in her hands their relationship was in ruin and she was the only one who could fix both.
/
Emma had just about had it! It had been Six weeks since they'd left Storybrooke. Six weeks and 42 states and the closest they'd come to a lead was some town in West Virginia.
"How do you even know he's in America? I know I'm new to all this stuff but you know the portal could have dropped him somewhere else. Like Europe or... Canada." She said her words trailing off as she looked around at the millionth motel room that they'd stayed in.
As often was the case, Rumple was silent. She cast a look over her shoulder and waved her hand absently through the air. "Forget it, 'magic'. I know."
She wasn't game enough to ask why then if he had magic couldn't he find out exactly where his son was. Or even why, if he had all this magic, did he need her to help find his son? It had been a long long day she was tired, and honestly didn't care anymore. She missed Storybrooke, she missed her son, and her parents. Somewhere along the way Storybrooke had become her home and all the people in it her friends. She passed a glance at the man standing across the motel room. Well...almost all of them.
Feeling so attached to people and one particular place was a strange feeling for a woman who had bounced around from one place to another, never really staying anywhere long. Sinking down on the end of the large chair at the small rickety table she rested her head in her hands, her elbows resting on her knees. This was hopeless.
Sighing she gazed up again at the man who was dragging her on this forced road trip across the country. He was studying the same old book he'd had been the whole journey, paying no attention to her. He'd been fixated on the book since they'd left Maine. A few times on the long highways, boredom had led her to ask about the small hardcover book, but the infuriating man had simply sent her one of those stares and uttered the word, magic, then turned back to the book. He wasn't a big talker. 42 states and he'd said maybe a total of 20 words, often simply repeating the word 'magic' whenever she queried him on something.
This journey was exhausting, and concern for her family plagued her mind. Would he really kill them all if something happened to his girl? Sure he would... Said a plaguing voice in the back of her mind. She remembered that first time she'd met Belle in Mr Gold's shop, she recalled being stunned by the warm affection and sincere love she'd seen in the man's eyes when he'd looked at the girl.
She stared back up at the man standing across the small motel room and thought, whatever his sins, he was a man in love and she knew that made him more dangerous than ever.
/
"Gold, you can't just break in!" Emma exclaimed in a strained whisper as he opened the lock on the front door of the house with a lock pick.
"Come come now Miss Swan, no saints here." He said cunningly with one of those haunting smiles before turning to walk through the door of the run down house in the quiet suburb of West Virginia. He hadn't said how he'd found the place and she hadn't bothered asking. Last night when he'd been asleep, she'd stolen a look at the book he'd been reading the whole trip and found it had a safe-guard spell on it, all the pages where blank.
She didn't understand any of this, but what choice did she have? She couldn't leave him here alone, even if she was foolish enough to believe he'd let her go. He was a very determined and ruthless man, someone had to protect the rest of the world from him.
So casting a discreet look over her shoulder, she followed him into the house, closing the door behind them.
"So what are we looking for, Gold?" She asked of the irritable man who was looking around at the rather messy house. A dark leather worn couch sat by a window in the far corner. A black olden-style TV sat on a table lined with papers. Emma flicked absently through a few sheets, noting nothing that added their quest or even told of the person who lived here. There were no family photos on the wall, no homely touches just stacks of books everywhere and hordes of papers lined every available surface. Emma looked through the open-planned house to the kitchen, actually stunned to find it spotless. The only room to be clear of all mess and papers.
Emma had seen enough places like it in her time but there was something off about it, she couldn't place what. Then again, she thought, if this was indeed the home of the person they were looking for, who knew what he was into, he could very well be every bit his father's son.
"Wow, what a mess." Both Emma and Rumple spun round to face the door.
"Henry, what on earth are you doing here?" Emma exclaimed in horror at her son, who stood in the now open doorway. "Is Mary Margret and David alright?"
Emma paused, feeling Mr Gold's fear and worry blistering off him like heat from a radiator.
"Has something happened to Belle?" She asked holding her breath for his answer as she knew Gold was.
Henry beamed up at her with his usual angelic little smile on his face. "No, everybody's fine."
Emma sighed, as did Rumple as Henry pulled off his backpack. "I have something important to give you." He started to say as Emma stepped up to her son, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"Henry-" Emma began but tensed as a tall man with shoulder length hair and dark brown eyes stepped over the threshold. She knew the instant she looked up that this was Baelfire, Rumpelstiltskin's son. The resemblance was hard to miss. So was the look of disdain on his face as he looked at his father. Emma placed her son behind her, bracing for what she now knew was going to be a difficult reunion.
"What are you doing here?"
Rumple looked upon his son, trembling inside. He never believed this day would come. When the book lead him to this house his heart had hoped, but years of waiting and countless disappointments had him believing the lead would just be another dead end. But here they were, standing face to face.
"I came to find you." His voice cracking under the emotion.
The man before him raised an eyebrow as he turned to close the door. Placing down the bag of groceries on the nearby desk under the window. Rumple didn't know what he'd expected, he hadn't truly believed until now that he would find his son. He'd just needed to get away from Storybrooke, away from the hurt and pain that was tearing through him, the loss of recalculation in Belle's eyes cut him too deep, he was bleeding inside and he couldn't stand it. He didn't blame her, he blamed himself, but he didn't know if his heart would ever be whole again. It was in more pieces than the chipped cup he'd cherished so much and she had smashed both into nothing.
They both needed some time.
Staring up now at his grown son he was amazed at the changes, gone was the sweet young boy he'd last seen, in his place was a tall, well built young man in his mid thirties. A hardened look to his features, but the eyes, it was the eyes that held his attention the most. They looked haunted and they held the same kind of dark, tormenting hurt in them that he'd seen in Belle's eyes. Tears welled in the corners of his eyes as he gazed at his son. 300 years of hurt choking him with a vice-like grip around his heart.
"Bit late don't you think?" His son's words cut him deep, slicing through his thoughts, drawing him back to the conversation and the dark glint in his son's troubled eyes.
Rumple closed his eyes fighting back the tears. He'd expected this. "Bae, son, I understand you have every right to hate me, I was a coward." He took a staggered step towards his son. "I am a coward." Wasn't that why he was here? Finding his son when he should be back in Storybrooke with Belle? Forcing aside the agonizing thought, he focused on his son, on not losing him again, on not losing another person who might still love him. "I'm so sorry Bae. I wanted to go with you I swear-"
"Then why didn't you?" Bae thundered, the sudden outburst vibrating throughout the dishevelled and oddly empty house. "You think it's been easy for me, in a strange land without my father? I was a child! You have no idea what I've been through! I gave up everything for you, for us, and you abandoned me, you left me just like mother did!"
Bea's words cut like a knife to his heart, Rumple hung his head knowing what he said was true. Ashamed, Rumple opened his eyes to reason with his son, shock rendered him motionless when he saw the gun Bae had grabbed from the desk drawer. He heard the sharp intake of Henry and Emma's breath but he could not move. He knew the gun couldn't hurt him, but the fiery hatred he saw in his son's eyes cut him to his core and burning hot tears blurred his vision.
"You're in the real world now, there is no magic here."
"Bae, Please, son-"
Bae's hand was steady as he stared down the barrel of the gun at his father.
"Don't! I don't want to hear any more lies or hollow promises. I've been through every level of hell because of you. I figured you'd find a way here somehow, but to be honest I'm surprised you bothered to give up magic and find me. You sure couldn't be bothered 300 years ago."
"Bae," From the corner of his eye Rumple saw Emma take a tentative step forward, her steady stance every bit the sheriff he knew her to be.
"Emma don't." Rumple commanded. For a second he turned to her, and shook his head. "Don't," he whispered gently. Then turning, he faced his son. What happened next shocked them all.
"No!" Henry let go of his backpack and stepped out from behind Emma.
"Henry don't!" But it was too late.
A gunshot split apart the air and Henry fell to the floor at Rumple's feet.
"Henry!"
Emma fell to her knees by her son, tears streaming down from her eyes.
Rumple staggered backwards in shock. Looking up at Bae. His son looked horrified that the bullet meant for his father had hit an innocent boy then regaining control of his senses he turned swiftly for a nearby phone and began to call for an ambulance.
"Do something Gold!" Emma cried, as she gathered her son close, blood soaking her white shirt and jeans.
"Gold!" She screamed but the sound only echoed off the hollow walls of the house as Rumpelstiltskin stood frozen in shock.
END
Eliana Robinson
29/1/13
CREATION DATE - 18/1/13
PUBLISH DATE – 29/1/2013
PART TWO COMING SOON!
TWISTED TALES – DISCLAIMER
TWISTED TALES (PART ONE)- Is a fan fiction of 'Once Upon A Time' I do not own the characters Rumpelstiltskin, Belle, Cora, Regina, Emma, Ruby/Red, Hook, Snow/Mary Margret, Charming/David, Henry or the original plotline.
Plotline:Rumpelstiltskin and Emma set off in search of his son after all his attempts to restore Belle's memory fail and she pushes him away. Rumpelstiltskin and Emma journey across the states of America with little to guide them but a magical book only the Dark One can read. Meanwhile back in Storybrooke; after having had her memory return Belle tries to put back together the broken prices of the chipped cup, while Henry discovers a new stage of operation Cobra to contend with and sets out to bring all the destined Happy Endings back to the fairytale Characters of Maine. This fan fiction story has no real standing in the show 'ONCE UPON A TIME'.
This story is NOT for official publication or for profit.
TWISTED TALES (PART ONE) is the first instalment of my 'ONCE UPON A TIME' Series and is meant purely as entertainment only.
CREATION DATE - 18/1/13
PUBLISH DATE (on ) – 29/1/13