Disclaimer: Once Upon a Time and its characters belong to ABC and by extension Disney. I'm just playing with them.
A/n: This is my first Once Upon a Time story. It's a Rumple one, because he's the most interesting character. And I wanted to get this up before episode 8, since some of Rumple's backstory will be revealed and that will probably... affect this story one way or other, probably by making it AU.
With Eyes Wide Open
He could remember very clearly the first time he saw her. He'd been working in his shop, in his office in the back, when he heard the front door of the shop, open and shut. He paused on what he was working on and shut the leather-bound ledger, before picking up his cane which rested beside him against the large desk.
In a smooth move, he got to his feet, and limped subtly over the threshold of his office and stepped past the curtain into his shop. Through the mire of objects and counters, his eyes quickly assessed the trio in his shop. A pretty little red-head and a brunette stood at one of the display cases, in which he had locked up tight some of his most valuable objects. Both girls were so delighted in pointing at the different extensive china tea set, that they didn't seem to notice him.
However, what caught his attention was the third girl, whose straight black hair fell in layers half-way down her back. Unlike the other pair, she seemed quite content to be alone, and her hair was not held up at all, but rather allowed to hang loosely. Mr. Gold found her wardrobe just as interesting. Though she wore a purple t-shirt with a black vest, what most intrigued him was the tutu-like, black skirt that she wore.
Walking silently, and trying to attract as little attention to him as possible, Mr. Gold made his way over to the girl. As he stepped closer, he saw that what caught her attention, was something he'd recently acquired.
"How can I help you, dearie?" he asked, with a slight genial smile as he stood behind the counter, both his hands resting on the top of his cane.
The girl looked up at him, with the biggest and darkest green eyes he'd ever had to pleasure to see. For a moment, her eyes were wider than the norm out of her surprise. However, at the sight of him, her expression changed to one of slight bemusement. She turned her stunning green gaze away from him, and back to the lavender instrument which rested on the counter that stood between them. Her long-fingered, elegant hands rested on the wood surface, as if itching to touch the guitar.
"How much is it?" she asked bluntly, looking up at his eyes. He found her eyes to be beautiful and her unyielding gaze, which held not even a hint of fear, enchanting.
"I'm sorry," he said regretfully, though his eyes continued to gleam wickedly. This was a game he had played to perfection. "But at present, I'm afraid it is not for sale. You see, it's in need of significant repair," he said, motioning with one of his hands. "You understand."
Unexpectedly, the girl's green eyes, which he discovered had flecks of gold, started to glint with an amused expression. Her pretty, raspberry lips quirked into the most charming, lopsided smirk. "Course. You could reap more from it once its fixed, right?"
Mr. Gold almost laughed. However, he merely contrived to smile, showing off his dimples and a few golden-capped teeth. "I am a businessman."
"Lucy, we're going," the brunette, who looked a considerable amount older than the red-head and the black-haired beauty, called suddenly. Mr. Gold didn't bother to look away from the beauty before him.
He watched as the young, dark-haired girl cast a glance over her shoulder to her companions. She nodded her head in assent, before turning back to Mr. Gold. If she was disturbed by the fact that his murky gaze was fixed on her intensely, she did not show it.
"Well, perhaps I'll come again," she said, casting a longing glance to the guitar before turning on her heel and gracefully walking to the door.
Mr. Gold smirked knowingly, as he watched the slender girl taking her leave. His gaze was drawn to the back of her milky, firm thighs, which the tutu showed a fair amount of. "I don't doubt it, Lucy," he said in a near whisper, savoring her name like a fine wine; however, she had already gone.
Mr. Gold felt keenly aware that he had just stumbled across a unique and valuable treasure, which his being longed for with a thrumming that would not let him rest. He HAD to posses the girl, all of her. And he felt that just maybe, fortune had already acquired for him the necessary bargaining chip.
With a malign smirk and a greedy spark in his eyes, Mr. Gold looked down at the broken electric guitar. With one of his hands, he caressed it's cracked neck gently, and chuckled at his unparalleled luck.
XX
It was weeks, before she wandered back into his shop. At the time, Mr. Gold had been busy, straightening a few new items. At the sight of her, a dimpled smile broke out on his face. "I thought perhaps you'd lost interest in the instrument, dearie."
With a frankness that he was starting to think was usual for her she asked him if the instrument had been repaired. As she walked up to him, he took the opportunity to study her form. She was a very fit girl. Though she was shorter than he was, and very slender, he could see the pulling of muscles in her legs as she walked. Her stride was full of power.
He was starting to think that her legs, were one of her finer features. They were long, and today covered in black, ripped stockings. Over them, she wore black, very short, shorts. She wore the same sneakers as she had on the other day, and a purple, spaghetti-strapped shirt. Like the first time he saw her, her long hair was loose and fell in silken black strands, touching her pale shoulders.
"Yes, wait here," he said, with a smile before disappearing into his office. It wasn't long before he was back, standing in front of her. He held out the instrument for her to take and she did, not seeming to really notice when his hands brushed hers as he handed it off.
"So how much do you want for it?" she asked as she studied the repaired neck, which was replaced with well polished and waxed, mahogany wood. She fingered the replaced strings, which were stretched taut all across. She noted that on the body, there were a few nicks and scratches that had not been able to come off, but that didn't matter to her. She felt that they were part of the instrument, and belonged there.
"Taking into account the high quality of the new neck," he replied, leaning against the counter. "Fifteen hundred."
He saw her face fall with a small amount of glee in his heart. It was out of her price range. He watched as with regret on her face, she handed the instrument back to him. He took it gently from her, and set it on the counter beside him. Her eyes, never seemed to leave the guitar.
"So, do you want it?" he asked.
"It is not a question of want, but means," she replied dryly, as she lifted her dark green eyes to him. For a moment, she studied him before opening the enticing bow that was her lips. "Would you accept a trade for it?" she asked.
For a moment, Mr. Gold studied her youthful face thoughtfully. He wanted nothing more than to make a deal with her, but even he knew that some laws were unbendable. And she looked a bit underage, and he knew well any kind of contract could not be entered by someone under the age of adulthood.
"How old are you?" he asked carefully, hoping she was eighteen.
"Seventeen," she replied shortly, quick to dash his hopes. Mr. Gold felt a line of fire blaze inside him, as he railed furiously inside his head. However, he merely stared coolly at the girl.
"Trade? What do you have in mind?"
"This," she said, lifting a hand to touch the center of her sternum. Mr. Gold's eyes greedily followed the trail of soft skin to see what she pointed to. Nestled over her sternum, was a pendant in the shape of a drop. The drop itself was purple, and lined with stones. "It's Amethyst, and these are real diamonds," she said, tracing the line around the tear. "Its worth at least-"
However, they were suddenly interrupted when the door of his shop was thrown open. Both occupants of the shop, turned to look towards the doorway, where a girl with brunette curls in a pony-tail had just burst through.
"Adelaide?" Lucy asked with her brows furrowed, at the sight of the brunette's face, who looked panicked.
"It's Daphne, you must come! She's done it again! I told her not to but-"
"I'm sorry Mr. Gold, but we'll have to do this again," Lucy said, turning to look at Mr. Gold. For his part, Mr. Gold was rather annoyed to be interrupted, but the sound of his name coming from her lips, dazed him for a moment. He nodded his head, and watched as the girls left his shop in a rush. Picking up his cane, he walked over to the door of his shop and stood outside, watching as the girls rushed across the street and were met by the red-head he had seen with Lucy the last time she was in his shop.
He watched in interest as Lucy grabbed the red-head by the arms, looking very vexed. He saw her poised stance as she turned to the brunette who still looked panic, and gave her orders that he could not hear before pushing the red-head at the brunette who now looked a bit confused. "Hurry, Adelaide," Lucy shouted when the two girls merely stared at her confusion.
The sound of sirens, alerted Mr. Gold to the approach of the sheriff. The red-head and the brunette had just disappeared into Granny's, when the cop car turned the corner. Mr. Gold watched with slight amusement, as Lucy crossed the street back to his side, and started walking nonchalantly with her hands stuffed in her pocket.
The Sheriff Graham stopped in front of her. "Miss Davenport," he called as she was walking down the side-walk, every step bringing her closer to Mr. Gold's so he did not have to strain to hear.
Lucy stopped and turned to the Sheriff, offering him a small smirk. "Hello Sheriff, what brings you around here on this beautiful saturday," she said sarcastically, as the day was overcast. Mr. Gold smiled in amusement, shaking his head briefly at the girl's antics.
The Sheriff looked sternly at the teen. "Where's your sister, Daphne?" he asked, closing the door of his car and walking over to her, putting his hands on his hips.
"At home I should guess, but I'm not entirely sure. I'm not her keeper, you know," she replied coolly.
"You know it's against the law to lie to an officer."
Lucy shrugged her shoulders. "If you don't believe me, that's your problem. Daphne is home, she's grounded you see. If you don't believe me, you are more than welcome to call my sister Minerva and ask her."
"I got a call, saying one of the Davenport girls was once more taking things that do not belong to her and trespassing on private property."
"You don't say, and what might that have been?" she asked curiously, suddenly pulling a bright red apple from her pocket and taking a bite of it. However, after a moment she spit it out. "You know, I think Madame Mayor may use too many pesticides on her tree, this tastes awful," she said cheekily, tossing the apple over her shoulder. Mr. Gold once more couldn't keep from smirking.
Graham sighed suddenly. "Lucy, you're going to have to come with me."
"Oh, come on Graham. It's a freaking apple. Hardly warrants this degree-"
"The law is the law, Lucy. And even you have to abide it," he said, pulling out his cuffs and taking slow steps to approach her.
"Really, you think the cuffs are necessary? Are you afraid of little ol' me?" she asked with a smirk, even as she extended her hands to be cuffed.
Once more the Sheriff heaved a sigh, "One day, Lucy, you're going to have to learn to take life more seriously," he said, looking down at her eyes, as he cuffed her. Mr. Gold didn't like the way the Sheriff stood so close to his newfound little treasure.
"I don't think so. Life is a joke, you have to laugh at it, or else it will crush you," she retorted as he led her to the car and opened the door to the back for her.
TBC...
A/n: For now, that is it. Please tell me what you think! Cookies, if you guess what Fairytale characters the girls are. Hint, the protagonist of the Fairytale is not the protagonist of this story.
