AN:/ Okay, this is part two, it's shortly after the first chapter...which already has a review? What? Uhh, okay, I'll properly reply to that shortly ^_^
Chapter Summary: Henry is a month old and Regina still isn't used to taking of a baby and doing her mayoral duties. So she decides she needs a few hours to herself. But who would she trust with such precious cargo? Why, none other than the most powerful man in-town. Of course, Rumplestiltskin has never done something for nothing.
The pawnbroker was in the middle of one of these such arguments with himself when the decision was made for him. "Madame Mayor...to what do I deserve your presence this early in the day? Were you considering the charming unicorn mobile for your boy, perhaps?" Let it not be left unsaid that the former spinner adored teasing people. Especially when it came to rubbing a bit of history into the most definitely beloved Evil Queen's face.
And of course, Mr. Gold made sure his face was bewildered and utterly innocent when she glanced at the mobile before snarling at the pawnbroker. "No...I'm here for another reason. Gold...you had a family once, I assume. I mean, it's not that hard to see guess from the ring you're always fiddling with."
"Aye..." He nods and lowers his head as he waits for his fake memories to inform him just what happened to his family according to the Curse. "A wife and a boy of my own. But I lost them both in the accident that I escaped with nothing more than a bum leg." As his fake memories assault him, he forces himself to not shake. They may not be real to Rumplestiltskin, but they were still Gold's memories and were terrible.
"Forgive me, Madame Mayor...it's been a very long time since I've thought about my boy and my wife. It's harsh memory...especially since ones responsible were never caught."
"Yes...well...how tragic. I trust you wouldn't be getting near any cars if I left Henry with you for a few hours?" Regina's lips twitch, perhaps in sorrow, perhaps in joy at his perceived tragic past. Gold liked to think it was in sorrow, but Rumplestiltskin knew better.
"I'm sorry? Mayor Mills, am I right to assume...you need a babysitter?" The imp inwardly giggled and started asking himself which story to start with. Perhaps the tale of the Dark One before him? Or maybe of the Devil's Three Golden Hairs? He considers starting with a kinder tale with not as much danger, such as the Little Match Girl. Oh, wait...the girl dies in the end of that particular story. Rumplestiltskin assumes he'll have to invest in a book of, what did they call them in this world...right, fairy tales.
"You assume correctly, Mr. Gold. I simply want to ensure my child is safe at all times, and since you're the second most powerful person in town, it's safe to assume that no one would dare bother you. Especially since hardly anyone ever seems to come into your...lovely shop. So you would have more time than myself to devote to Henry today." She plasters on a grin as she struggles to hold the baby correctly, trying not to show that she has no idea what she's doing and simply needs a break from dealing with a squabbling babe.
Mr. Gold decides to pity the former queen for a little while. He rests his cane against the counter and holds his arms out for the child, "if I may?" Regina practically drops Henry into his arms and the pawnbroker quickly rearranges the boy in his arms before leaning on the counter for some extra support since his cane isn't in-hand. Henry, who had slowly gathered the air in his lungs to cry, quickly abandoned that pursuit now that he's being held correctly. "While it's not my place to question what could be more important than a child, I do hope, Madame Mayor, that you're passing him off to him because you still need time to adjust. And not because you wish for me to return him to the hospital he came from."
He keeps his eyes on the mewling babe and so misses the angry look he's certain the former queen was giving him. After a few minutes of Regina going back to her car and gathering the baby bag before depositing it on a free space on one of his cluttered counters, she finally speaks, albeit rather stiffly. "It's only for a few hours. I'll be back by 3 o'clock. No later."
On her way out, she stops at the door and finally asks the question that had been on her mind since she first saw Mr. Gold fiddling with a wedding band a few weeks after they came to Storybrooke. "Mr. Gold...your son...how old was he when you lost them?"
"I lost my wife's love long before I lost her life. But I lost them both when my boy was barely becoming a man." He closes his eyes as he tries to separate the truth from what supposedly happened. "He had his eye on a neighborhood girl, Mary was her name. I had convinced him to ask her out when we came back from the cruise we won. My brave boy...he went up against the pirates to keep his mother and meself safe."
"I see...well, have a good day, Mr. Gold."
"Please, one moment, Regina. I just want to make one thing perfectly clear. A child is a gift. If you can promise me that you will always do what's best for your boy, then I'll watch him for you whenever you need me to." He doesn't look up, but he gives a smile when he realizes that his first use of the Please Clause, was to ensure Henry had the best the queen could give him.
"Of course."
"Then have a pleasant day, Madame Mayor. I'll see you at 3 o'clock." Only after the mayor had been gone for a few minutes did Mr. Gold allow Rumplestiltskin free reign for that story. "Now...Henry, I believe the first story I'll tell you, is of Snow White and her Prince Charming. But this won't be like the tale you'll hear in school. Oh, no, you see, this version, is true. The only question is...where should I start? Ah, yes, we'll start where all the best tales start, once upon a time..."
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