Traces of Gold

AU: Here's the deal, please read: The following story will be from Rumplestiltskin's/Mr Gold's point of view, except for the Prelude.

The main pairing will be GoldxEmma.

But: I left all Rumple's lovers intact. This means there will be Rum/Gold x Belle, but also x Ruby, x Goldilocks (the semi-oc), x Regina, (possibly also x Ariel), and the mentioning of his former wife. His sons will feature in this story too. Emma and Mr Gold will form the main pairing as they will be the characters who will have the chance to grow closer in this fanfic. This story was purely written to get to grips with the pairings I love but will never become canon, the canon pairings I do not love and the awesome theories we don't know are true yet. That, plus the fact I wanted to give Mr Gold to all his potential lovers at the same time.

Warning: Semi-OC insertion, Gold vs several lovers, adult material, Dark, Angst, open mind needed.

PRELUDE

Mr Gold was seated behind his workbench, glue at his side and broken violin at the other, a small smirk was plastered on his face. He did not want to be reminded of what had happened to him in the past but it seemed like there wasn't any escape to it. Memories of his previous lives floated back to him and haunted his mind like terrible ghosts that would not allow him a minute of peace. Valentine's day was coming nearer and also the day that Moe French had to pay his debt. And how could he forget her?

As he squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed his temples, making circular motions to try and ease the pain the memories brought him, he could see her again. He could hear her giggle. He could see her smile. He could smell her skin. So near. So far away.

His brown eyes opened to find a reflection of himself in a nearby mirror and he quickly covered it up. The mirrors reminded him of another, a woman who he had tried to cast out of his life but had failed to do so. With a frustrated sigh he continued his work and was only distracted when he heard his little bell chime and footsteps as someone entered. He didn't need to look up to know who it was.

"Mr Gold, are you in here?"

He smirked. Miss Swan, the new town's sheriff. A woman who had come here because of his doing. Without answering he could hear her footsteps approach and hear her talk close to his ear. She had come to stand behind him and watched what it was he was doing.

"Mr Gold. We need to talk." The man smiled and looked up from his work. His hands were placed flat onto the table. "Of course," he softly whispered his reply. "We'll talk."

Belle looked up, startled to find another girl's face meeting hers. She blinked and tried to look around the mirror, and saw it worked. Was this the woman Rumplestiltskin had been talking to, she wondered? She grew wary but forced a smile. "Hello." She said, feeling a bit awkward. In all her time spent at the castle of the beast she had only seen a guard once, no one else. She had heard her master speak on several occasions, but had not seen to whom. She had figured it must have been to the mirrors he usually kept covered. But perhaps she'd been wrong.

She was dusting the place when she came face to face with the other girl, smiling as she sought the frame that was to surround her. But then the girl flinched and she knew she was mistaking. "Oh," Belle gasped, "You're real? I thought you were stuck in the mirror."

The other girl smiled wryly and took a step forth. Just like Belle she had long brown hair falling in curls down her back. Her dress showed simplicity. In her arms she carried a basket. "I'm sorry," the girl said with a smile. "I'm Goldilocks. I need a place to stay."

Belle frowned. "How did you get in?" She asked, hands on her hips.

"You left the door open."

"Did I, how clumsy!" Belle hesitated, turning a different shade as she realized what could have happened had her master found out she had opened the door. It had been necessary for her spring cleaning, to get rid of all the dust, but still it was an unforgivable mistake. What if he would think she would have tried to run off. "I'll close it now." She quickly said, hastening past the other girl.

"Don't," Goldilocks said, stopping the girl with a gesture of her hand. "I closed it behind me. I figured in such a great house there must be valuable things. They mustn't be stolen." She smiled at Belle and her smile was returned.

"And you're not a thief yourself?" Belle asked, wisely. Goldilocks Let out a soft laugh. "You can trust me to find out for yourself. I promise you I won't take anything with me. I just need to spend the night somewhere. Anywhere. Preferably here as it'll be miles before the next town." She did look rather tired and Belle started to feel compassionate.

"Just for one night." Goldilocks said, her voice a soft whisper.

Belle smiled. "I'm certain my master wouldn't mind. We've got so many rooms. Just make sure he doesn't see you."

Belle led her to one of the empty rooms, large and majestic, and gesture for the other girl to enter. "You can spend the night here. It'll be fine."

"Thank you," Goldilocks replied. "I appreciate it very much." She stepped into the grand and richly decorated room and gasped. The young girl wasn't used to such splendor.

Belle rushed over to one of the windows and tugged at the curtain. It didn't move. "Here," She said, opening the right bottom of it with force. Part of the window had become visible. Belle opened it. "Some fresh air." Goldilocks glanced at the curtains. "Can't you open them fully? Can't you take the curtain down?" Belle shook her head, apologizing. "I fear we'll have to leave it like this."

Mr Gold watched Emma as she moved away from him. His brown eyes traced her form. "I've offered you my help." He said to her, seeing her come to a halt. "You'd be wise to accept it." Emma, with her back still turned to him, hung her head. "We've talked about this before, Mr Gold." She glanced at him from over her shoulder. He just returned an awkward smile and she glared in response. As she stepped out of his pawnshop she gritted her teeth and whispered. "Right now my money's on Sydney."

Mr Gold had heard her.

"So, why are you here?" The girl who had claimed to be called Goldilocks asked. Belle smiled as she sat down next to the girl on the bed. She toyed with her own hands, nervously placing her fingers in her lap. Her bright eyes found those of Goldilocks, the color practically the same. A light hue.

"My father was losing the war again against the ogres and to save my people he gave me to my master as a prize, as a maid." Belle glanced at the other girl who listened with interest. Goldilocks never ceased to smile. "And no, not like that." Belle quickly added, guessing the girl's thoughts by her grin. "Just to clean up the house, tidy the place a bit and keep him company." Goldilocks's smile had grown. "Company?" She repeated in a way that implied she had certain thoughts about it. For the second time Belle snapped at her. "Not /that/ kind of company. Just someone to bring him his tea and to talk to." Her cheeks had gotten a bright pink color and Goldilocks couldn't help but smile as she scooted closer to the girl. She took her hands in her own.

"You love him. Is that what I see?" Belle's color deepened. "Is it that obvious?"

Goldilocks let out a small laugh. "It is. But I can't judge whether that's a bad or a good thing. I don't know your 'master' yet and I don't think I ever will."

Belle shook her head firmly. "No, you shouldn't. Not now. Perhaps one day. If he found you here God knows what he might do to you. He isn't exactly used to having visitors and he isn't very tactful around most people either. He likes to think of himself as 'no man'." Belle's dreamy look at this caught Goldilocks' interest. "He isn't a man?"

Bella was taken out of her daydream and smiled at the other girl. "No. He looks like one. Sometimes he acts a bit like a child. But to me he is a man. Perhaps even more." Her cheeks colored again. "But a man like no other I've ever met." She whispered.

Goldilocks grew silent, still holding Belle's hand.