I do not own Once Upon a Time.

Off to visit Gold and get some answers. Oh, and new scene with a new introduction for a character. Quite proud of this.

Amelia woke up the next morning and opened the curtain to see total destruction in the town. Whatever was unleased last night left quite a mess.

She quickly got dressed and met Neal in the kitchen. He handed her a travel mug with coffee. "So why are you going to my father again?"

"Because of the very few magical people in this town, I trust him, which sounds so weird. But there is no way in this world that I would trust Regina. So it's to your father we…go?" She tried.

"No, not yet." But I'll come with you around town." He stepped closer. "You sure still need to go through with this?"

"I made deal; I never go back on my word." Amelia rested her forehead against his. "Give it time. I'm not forcing you, even if he threatens me."

"He had better not threaten you, that wouldn't reunite us any sooner." He pulled her closer for a kiss, which she gladly returned. It was nice to have a real relationship, one that wasn't started by greed and lust, though this was started with lies. But they had fixed it and moved on. It was perfect, Amelia just didn't want to say it out loud, in case the universe heard and threw a wrench at her.

They were out on the street later than she had planned, that kiss got a little carried away. One day, it was really going to lead to something better

There was a crowd gathered outside the town hall. Ruby and Mother Superior were trying to calm the crowds, handing out blankets and offering counseling.

"Hey, what happened?" Amelia asked Ruby.

"Gold sent a wraith last night. And because the curse is broken, everyone remembers and now we are just trying to help and also trying to reunite families. Anyone we need to help you find?"

Amelia shook her head. "I found my adopted family yesterday."

"Good, one less person we need to worry about. Can you help out here? I think we are in over our heads."

"Aren't we always in over our heads?" Amelia attempted a joke. She saw Nathan across the lawn and was confused by his actions. She tried to read his lips. 'Behind you…'

Her skill must seriously be lacking because she did not realize there was someone advancing up behind her. Then Amelia was punched square in the jaw. She stumbled back and now her bounty hunter instincts kicked in. Amelia whirled around, fists ready. But she when she realized who it was who punched her, she just lowered her fists.

Ruby was holding Lucy back from taking another shot. "Lucy, what is wrong with you? Why would you punch Amelia?"

"She knows exactly why I did that. She hasn't changed a single bit. She's still just a heartless bounty hunter." Lucy growled.

"Yeah, I deserved that." Amelia said softly, tasting blood in her month. Neal was already at her side, confused.

"You bet you deserved it." Lucy spat at Amelia's feet. Then she noticed Neal. "Be careful, she might stab you in the heart when you aren't looking."

"Go take a walk now, Lucy." Granny told the girl. Lucy looked like she wanted to say something else but the glare she got from Granny changed her mind.

"Thanks." Amelia said, trying to move her jaw. She wasn't excepting to have people side with her so soon after the curse was broken.

"Anytime. I'll get you an ice pack." She turned to Neal. "Have her sit down."

"Yes, of course." Neal led Amelia to bench and she sat on the table part. He smiled and joked. "You really like sitting on things that aren't chairs, don't you?"

"It's an old habit." Granny came with the ice pack then left them alone, realizing they needed a moment.

He touched the ice to her jaw. "So what was that about?" Neal asked quietly.

"Someone from the past. There's bad blood there." She winced a bit.

"I got that fact, what's the whole story?"

"You really want to know? It's not pretty." Amelia didn't meet his eyes.

"I care about you and I want to know everything, even the bad stuff. You're my girlfriend and I want to understand you." His hand was comforting on her shoulders.

That word made Amelia look up at him, between shock and confusion. "You called me your girlfriend…"

"Yes, back home that's not exactly the term but here it works. So who is she?"

Amelia took a deep breath before she began her story. "I fell in love a long time ago, his name was Benjamin. We were planning a future but Theresa or Lucy here in Storybrooke, followed him around like a love sick puppy. I trusted him completely so that wasn't the issue. One day I was approached to be a contacted killer because a man needed the object of his daughter's love who wasn't her intended husband out of the picture. I took the job because I needed the money. I didn't know who I was killing until his hood fell and I already had the arrow notched…" There were no tears, no voice breaking. She was numb now.

"It was him…" Neal breathed. "How did you do it?"

"Arrow to the stomach, knife to the heart. He died right in my arms." She held her breath. This was it, Neal was leaving her. He found what a horrible monster she was and he was leaving. Whatever made her think he could accept that? That scared her more than the murder itself.

Amelia didn't have to feel bad for her action, and he needed to know that. "I know I should be ashamed of myself. Let's be clear I'm not, but I should be. Yes, my life fell apart at that moment, but it made me into the strong and capable person I am now." She got a bit defensive.

But instead of running, Neal placed a kiss on her forehead. "Thank you for being honest with me. Sometimes I forget how hard your life was. You had to make hard decisions and it wasn't always a good outcome. Yes, they made you into a capable and remarkable woman that is able to build herself back up."

Amelia stared up at him, she had never been so grateful in her life, he understood. And it did not look like he was running. As much as she did not want this moment to end, she still had to meet with someone.

"Stay here and help Ruby. I have to see your father." She pulled herself off the table. Neal nodded. Amelia quickly walked down the street and entered the pawn shop. Gold was behind the counter, busy with paperwork. "And all of a sudden this place is Grand Central Station." He commented and didn't look up.

"So you had a wraith messing up the town last night?" She greeted him.

He looked up at her. "Who said it was me, dearie?"

Amelia raised an eyebrow at him. "Really?" Did he think she was stupid? "Who did you send it after?"

"Our wonderful mayor."

"And you didn't ask if I wanted in on your fun? You don't include me in anything." Regina deserved a wraith; Amelia touched her bracelet, thinking about Derek.

Then someone walked into the front room Someone Amelia hadn't seen since the Enchanted Forest.

"Belle?"

The woman's face had a blossom smile on it. "Bernadette."

Gold's gaze went between the two women. "You two know each other?"

"Thank you so much for the herbs. You have no idea how fast a manor goes through them." Colette was saying to an uninterested Bernadette.

The bounty hunter only nodded. She hated when customers made small talk with her. She wasn't there to make friends and she certainly wasn't going to talk about her life.

"Let me go get the money for these." Colette set the basket down and disappeared into the hallway.

Bernadette stood there alone in the large library and she took in her surroundings. She had never seen so many books. Her eyes scanned the tiles, most of them were history books.

Then she saw a familiar word and carefully pulled the book from the shelf.

When Colette returned to the library, she was greeted by an amusing sight. Bernadette was a few chapters deep into a book. She walked up and looked at the book of choice. "You're interested in that realm?"

Bernadette jumped back and slammed the book shut. She would keep her secret. "All the realms actually." That seemed like a safe answer.

Colette just nodded. "I will need more herbs next week. The book will still be here."

Bernadette didn't miss the invite in the woman's voice. Was she really welcomed back? "Thank you."

"I believe this is for you." Colette handed Bernadette a small pouch of coins. "I'll see you next week.

Bernadette did come back the following week and the week after that and the week after that. She usually saw Colette first, as if waiting for silent permission to go to the library.

Today she sat behind a pile of books, her brows knitted together as she read the passage. Well, now she knew what to avoid, she did not want skull crushing headaches. Who knew being her came with limits?

Suddenly Bernadette heard a throat being cleared, she lifted her head, expecting to see Colette.

But instead there was a different woman standing there. She looked like a younger Colette.

"You must be Bernadette. I'm Belle. My mother thought you might be hungry." Belle held a tray of food, which she placed on the table.

"Thank you." Bernadette said, feeling the need to be polite.

Belle didn't look like she had any intention of leaving. Belle sat down and began to read a book.

An odd silence fell over the women. Odd because it somehow felt comfortable. Like they were two friends spending a rainy afternoon reading.

"Why do you do it?" Belle asked suddenly. Bernadette looked at her confused. "Be a bounty hunter,"

Oh. "It's a job. It keeps a roof over my head and food on the table. Keeps me away from more dangerous things." Bernadette told her.

"Does it allow you to travel?"

"To a degree, see new places, meet interesting people who you want to forget right afterwards. Life is never boring."

"Life is boring here." Belle sighed.

"Then I hope you find adventure in the great wide somewhere." Bernadette told her and kept the 'be careful what you wish for' comment to herself. She raised the glass to Belle and took a sip. She half choked, it was only punch.

Belle kept her chuckle to herself.

Bernadette returned a week later and almost walked in on an argument between Colette and her husband.

"Do you have any idea how uncomfortable I am with that woman in this manor?" That woman, did he mean her? "She's a bad influence on our daughter. What if Belle gets ideas and starts killing people and ruining lives?"

"Belle is smart and Bernadette doesn't talk about her job. She isn't dangerous. She is a lost girl who needs a mother figure." Colette defended her.

Bernadette took a step back. No one ever defended her. She had heard enough; she wasn't completely welcomed here anymore. So she did the only logical thing, she headed for the door.

She was so wrapped up in her thoughts she didn't hear Colette come up behind her. "Bernadette?" And she touched her shoulder.

Before she was able to stop herself, Bernadette had a dagger in her hand.

The two women stared at each other, no one spoke.

"Maybe I am dangerous. Sorry, force of habit." Bernadette slid her dagger back into her belt.

"You are only dangerous when you need to be. There is good in you, you just need to find it. Forgive yourself and let the past go." Colette touched Bernadette's cheek. "I hope you find everything you need to be happy."

Bernadette couldn't believe she was actually tearing up. She did nod. "Thank you."

"Bernadette used to use our library. My mother took care of her for a short time." Belle informed Gold.

"It's Amelia here in Storybrooke. Where have you been all these years?" Amelia asked. She raked her brain, she has not seen Belle at all.

"You two can catch up while you shop." Gold said then pulled a credit card from his jacket and handed it to Belle.

"Shopping?"

"Yes. Belle didn't get Regina's 'Welcome to Storybrooke' lecture twenty-eight years ago. You are taking her shopping."

What had Amelia turned into? "I keep an eye on your son, I take your …" Amelia wasn't exactly sure what Belle was to Gold. "You know what, I don't want to know."

"Let me get a coat." Belle said before walking into the back room again.

Gold looked at Amelia "What happened to your jaw?" There was a hint of concern in his voice that was not something Amelia ever thought would happen.

"Someone from my past wasn't happy to see me." Amelia shrugged it off. "No big deal. Though I did think my days of getting beat up were over. Well, a girl can dream, can't she?"

Belle came back out and kissed Gold on the cheek before walking to the door.

Amelia stood there speechless and blinking. "I'm charging some brain bleach to your card, alright?"

"You found Rumple's son? He's here?" Belle walked besides Amelia as they headed to the corner store. It should be a one shop stop.

"Yeah, Neal is here and not talking to his father at the current moment. It's understandable given their history."

"Are you with him?"

"Neal? Yes, no, sort of, maybe. I don't know, it's too early or complicated at the moment. What about you? Are you with the Dark One?"

Belle was quiet, trying to figure out her answer. "Can I steal your answer?"

"Sure. But how did you end up with him?"

"I made a deal to save my village and I saw good in him. Now we are back together."

"Well, that is certainly a story to tell people. So your father runs the flower shop, but I don't remember ever seeing your mother in town."

Again Belle was silent. "Mother died shortly after you stopped coming by. Ogre attack."

"Oh, I am so sorry." And she really did feel sorry. "She was always looking for the good in people." Amelia said then turned to Belle. "Is that what you are doing with Gold?"

"Yes, it is."

"Then I wish you the best of luck." No matter what, the Dark One unnerved Amelia.

They returned to the pawn shop about an hour later. They had stopped for lunch. Gold was waiting for them still behind the counter. "Did you get everything you needed, dearie?" His question was directed at Belle.

"Yes and we caught up on everything." She said and kissed his cheek. Then she walked into the back room.

This left Gold and Amelia staring at each other.

"You look like you want to throw a fire ball at me." Amelia suddenly felt uncomfortable under his gaze more so than she ever did.

"And what would you do if I were to throw a fire ball at you, dearie?" Gold asked, gauging her reaction.

"Duck." She responded as if it was the most logical answer. And it was, in this realm.

They continued to stare at each other, trying to figure out what the other one new.

Amelia was not ready to give up that part of her soul, especially not to Gold. Her secrets would remain her secrets for as long as possible. It's not like she could prove anything. Yes, she had tried, multiple times last night after Neal went to sleep. But nothing happened.

So, she knew Belle. I knew I wanted Bernadette to know a lot of things, just wasn't sure how she would. Which had me thinking who had a library? So, the throwing the fire ball comment, Gold had suspicions that Amelia is much more than she appears. Do we agree with him, on this one?

Reviews?