Author's Note: This is the first chapter, you got some mild fluff in here but well worth the read. Enjoy!
Again I do not own OUAT, if I did Rumple would be with someone else.
~Present Time~
Grace heads home then goes to one of the bare rooms, smiling she flicks her wrist which changes the room into a reading room. Grey magic comes out and swirls around, she cries in fear at seeing this because it means that her efforts were in vain, she shakily grabs her cell from her pocket and calls the only other person she knows that's struggling with darkness too.
Hearing his voice Grace sighs in relief then says, "Oh thank you, I need to talk to you, it's urgent. Can you meet me here at my apartment?" Silently she hopes he does, she's loved him since she was 16. It's only gotten worse over the years, "I can in a little bit dearie. I am in the middle of something, could you possibly tell me over the phone?"
She thinks it over, she trusts him but she's afraid of his reaction, "I can but it's something I need to show you, I have yet to tell anyone but I've used magic since I was a child. It's always been light magic until my father came into my life. I love him dearly but he's insane and I believe my magic has been trying to take some of it away. I moved out in order for it to stop but now it's getting darker."
She hears Gold's breath hitches and she knows she has his attention, "Alright, Grace I'd rather you meet me at the shop and show me. I just finished everything and would rather get it checked here." Grace is disappointed slightly but is happy to have him check it all for her.
Walking into the shop she sees Gold helping Hook with something, she waits patiently for him to leave then follows Gold to his office. He offers her a seat and then asks, "Now start at the beginning dearie, what is going on with your father?"
She scoots forward and says, "As you know, from so long of just watching me as a child and not being able to deal he slowly went insane. He's still himself but sometimes he just doesn't act right, I found out at a young age that I could do magic. I fear my magic has been taking some of the insanity from him, it's been getting darker which is why I moved away from him. But I don't think it has stopped and now it has me scared."
Looking at her and thinking he gets up and opens a drawer then pulls out a bottle with a clear liquid in it. " I unfortunately am aware of your father's condition and the cause of it. But right now the question is if you can trust me test your magic?
Reluctant at first to have this man near her magic, it's such a large part of her but she remembers his struggle with darkness and realizes if anyone can help it's Gold. "What do you need from me?" Pulls out the items needed to test her blood he states, "A drop of blood into this potion, if you are going dark it will show it. The other option would to check your heart and I'd really rather not do that to you Grace." Rumple wasn't sure if he could do it. not just because of his problematic magic but because he couldn't see himself doing that to someone he cared about.
Reluctantly she steps back, "I'm not comfortable giving anyone my blood Rumple. Blood can be used in many things and I just don't like the idea, however I do give you permission to check my heart." Closes her eyes and braces herself.
"No Grace, I can't and won't put you through that." He steps up to her and touches her shoulder as a show of comfort but a shock goes from her to him, she doesn't seem notice but for Rumple it was bizarre.
Grace tries to ignore the heat coming from his hand, "And what are your plans after you're finished with my blood?"
He smiles at her intelligence, not many would ask that question, "What will happen is I will put a drop of your blood in the vile and once we see what happens I will give you the needle to dispose of how ever you want." She decides to trust him and holds out her hand, "Alright, I agree."
He pricks her finger then heals her wound so she doesn't feel the pain too much, he then drops the blood into the bottle. He hands her the needle and puts the stopper on it, shaking he watches as the contents turn a light gray.
"So what does it mean?" Rumple looks at her and states, "There is a darkness in your magic but for now it's on the fringes. You are still part of the light but you need to be careful of your actions dearie. It does look like that your father's madness has colored your magic but so far it hasn't tainted it too much."
She sighs while conjuring a baggy for the needle then asks, "Why is it getting darker then? Is my magic still taking from him?" Rumple is afraid to say but knows he needs to be honest, "It is possible, blood magic is very powerful and with the bond being paternal it could be what's causing this. If you can trust me then I can give you a charm to block the madness seeping in."
Looking away she thinks over his offer, this was a man who has dealt with darkness. He's also the man she has slowly fell in love with since she was 16 but watched in silence as he stuck with a woman who just wasn't right for him, but just then she realized something, "I know you never do anything without making a deal, what do you want in return?"
Again he grins at her intelligence of the situation, "I just need you to keep something safe for me dearie, hide it somewhere. Don't tell anyone, not even me where it is. Only when I ask for it back do you tell me." Confused by this but willing to do anything to stop this she states, "You got a deal Rumple."
He goes into the back for a moment and grabs two item: a bracelet with a small horse charm and an old silver coin. The charm was a copper running horse attached to a braided silver bracelet and the coin appeared to be an old roman coin, "The bracelet is for you to wear."
He has her hold out her wrist and gently he clasps it on, once again feeling the slight shock that makes his whole body tingle, he holds her wrist longer than needed just to feel it once more. Realizing he was taking longer than necessary he pulls back and states, "It will keep your magic from becoming more tainted by your father, but you have to work at leading a light kind of life in order to remove the rest of the darkness dearie. The coin is what I need to have hidden and please no playing with it, you have a curious mind. I do ask ask though that you try to control that curiosity."
Touching the bracelet she sees the horse, it looks like its actually running. "I love it, thank you Rumple." The she takes the coin and looks at both ends. "Its a double headed coin. May I ask why you need it hid?"
Rumple chuckles lightly, "Lets just say I'm annoying an old friend." She laughs with him, "Fair enough." Pulls out the baggy with the bloody needle she decides to trust him in return. "Take this, I'm trusting you to keep it safe."
Shocked that she'd trust him with something as valuable as her lifeline he tells her, "Don't worry Grace, I will keep it safe for you." Deciding to change the subject he asks, "Now, how are you holding up with Jefferson the way he is? It can't be easy for you." While he waits for her answer he puts the needle into his safe knowing that very few would even dare to go in there.
Tears fall but Grace lifts her head high, "He's better than he was, but he's losing all sense of reality and I just couldn't deal with it all. I love him but I have no clue how to help except continue to take the insanity and watch while the man he used to me disappears. " It finally hits her that her father would never be the man he was and falls in a heap to the floor crying.
Kneeling on the floor Rumple pulls Grace into his arms and gently rocks her, "That's it dearie let it out. You don't have to try and handle this alone, it would be too much for anyone, you're too young to handle this by yourself."
Glares slightly at him, "Rumpelstiltskin, don't treat me like a child! I haven't been one since I finally got my dad back. I'm 18 and living alone just so I don't go dark and harm people, so I beg you of all people to treat me as the adult I've had to become, no one else will. Please, its all I ask for." Bursts into tears once more for the loss of her childhood and the feelings she can never express for Rumpelstiltskin.
Holds onto Grace tightly while trying to ignore the way her body molds into his perfectly, "Forgive me Grace. You're right, you are know longer a child but even adults need to know that they have a safe haven from the storm in their hearts. If you are willing my dear, I can offer that kind of shelter to you. And if you want I can see what is happening with your father, I have a nice perspective on that sort of thing dearie. If you need help with a place to live or work all you have to do is ask." He holds her knowing if she asked for his death he'd give it to her, he tells himself that it's only because he hates to see her so broken and he feels the need to fix her.
"I have my apartment but it's temporary. I hate being alone but its safer just in case, I can't stand the idea of harming others. I work over at the animal shelter but it gets so quiet sometimes."
She looks up into his beautiful eyes and her hearts starts skipping beats, she tries to get her heartbeat under control before he feels it too, she's 18 and he's married so she has to stop having these thoughts anymore. She gets up and puts some distance from him otherwise she knew she'd do something to ruin this moment. "If you have another place I could stay and pay rent that be great, I actually haven't seen my dad since I moved out about 2 weeks ago so I have no clue how he's doing."
Rumple gives Grace her space reluctantly, "Grace my dear, I have a room downtown in my home with Belle that isn't being used and I would like to offer it to you for a reduced rent on the condition you find a way to follow your dreams. Your ideals are admirable and this will give you the space you need and a permanent place of your own while you get yourself on track."
Squeals and gives Rumple a big hug, secretly enjoying the way he feels against her. Knowing it will never be she stands back with a smile on her face, "I promise anything! Thanks you! I do ask one favor? Can I work her on the days I don't work at the shelter?"
He smiled fondly at Grace, the feel of her was making a certain part of him stiff. Rumple had to remind himself she wasn't a child what with all that happened to her but the fact was she's 18 and too young for him. He was also married to Belle who was his true love, so he vowed to try to control himself around Grace. "I could use a shop helper so long as you're here when I need you.'' he replied with a small flourish of his hand and a double meaning to his voice that even he didn't realize was there until after he said it.
Remembers her previous question about him being so kind to her, "Rumple why are you so nice to me? You're never nice to others without an ulterior motive yet I sense you still want to help, I hope your not still seeing me as a child, because I'm far from one."
He laughs considering his manhood agreed that she was definitely not a child, "You're right my dear, you're not a child and I won't treat treat you like one. I am trying to change, to be the man Belle sees in me." Belle's name deflates him and makes him remember the reason he was trying to be a good person.
For Grace, the name of his wife snaps her back into focus, she smiles softly yet forcibly, "I see that, thank you. When can I move in and start work?" He thinks, "The room is available immediately at your convenience and I could use some help on Wednesday."
"Alright, I'll go start packing." Gives him a hug once more and notices her body reacting to his touch. She knows she has to let these feelings die or she could end up hurt or hurting others but she just wants to feel something for once. So she takes a risk and kisses him softly on the lips, he immediately reacts and deepens the kiss.
His tongue exploring her mouth while his hand reaches down to cup her bottom, he breaks the kiss and nips her neck. She sighs in pleasure which snaps him out of it, he steps back in shock and surprise that he so easily gave into her. Before he can say anything she runs from the shop, he runs his tongue over his lips to get one more taste of her before he pushes her to the back of his mind. This could never happen again, he was a married man and she deserved far better than him.
I do hope you liked this, I plan to try to have regular chapters. This story will remain Grace/Rumple so please no flames about that, if you have some positive criticism I'm all eyes for it lol. Again reviews are the cookies that keeps me on my high.
