CHAPTER ONE: ROSALIE

"Rosalie!"

Rosalie briskly walked towards the pick-up counter and gathered two trays into her hands. She carried them to the table with a man and woman and set it down with a smile. They nodded at her with gratitude before she was on her way to deliver the next order.

"Rosalie!" She looked over and saw Ruby grinning widely at her.

Rosalie smiled and waved back.

"Let's take our break together! Granny can take care of it while we're gone." Before Rosalie could reply, Ruby pulled her towards the door. "Come on! Granny, going on our break!"

"Ruby!" Granny's frustrated voice was cut off by the door closing.

Rosalie tugged shyly back at Ruby, but the other girl just laughed.

"Ruby!" Just half a block away was a blonde in a red leather jacket. "Hey! Going on break?"

Ruby smiled at her. "Yeah. Emma, meet Rosalie. She's the other newcomer. Odd, though, we never ever get newcomers and when we do, they come in pairs! Both blonde, too."

Rosalie smiled shyly at Emma who greeted her with a handshake. "Good to see you." Emma waited for a response, but there was none. "Okay..."

Rosalie looked to Ruby for help.

"Oh, right. Rosalie can't talk and... her name probably isn't really Rosalie, but she doesn't have any memories."

There's a look of understanding on Emma's face. "Sorry. Must be hard."

Rosalie nodded at her. It was difficult adjusting, but everyone in town had been extremely nice and understanding. All except the mayor. Rosalie had the misfortune of bumping into the beautiful brunette who glared at her and looked at her with such disdain that she thought the weight of the cold eyes would squish her like a bug.

It seemed like the mayor was going to sprout into an angry rant, but a man stopped by and whoever he was seemed to have distracted her enough for Rosalie to sneak away.

Later that day, the man who introduced himself as Mr. Gold. She gave him a smile, which he curtly returned and she was on her way.

"Hey, Rosalie! Lost in thought, again?" Rosalie gave Ruby an apologetic smile. "We should probably go back to Granny's before she gets an aneurysm."

...

Rosalie was glad to finally be home. Granny's seemed busier than usual. Word had gotten out that there had been another newcomer and everyone wanted to see. They stared and whispered about her as if she was a circus attraction. Never had she wished she could speak and yell at them as she did then. Why couldn't they just mind their own business? Who cares if someone new was in town? It wasn't as if she looked different from any of them.

She sunk her face into the cushion. It was so soft... and comfy...

The sound of the door opening brought her out of her doze. She peeked up from the cushion and saw him hobble in. She grinned widely and waved.

"I see you've returned safely, today."

She smiled sheepishly back at him. Just last night while she was returning home, someone had attacked her. If it hadn't been for Mr. Gold strolling down the street at that time, she wouldn't know what would've happened to her.

"Have you practiced sign languages as I told you to?"

She shrugged noncommittally. After returning home from work every night, she was too tired to concentrate on anything else. All she wanted was a warm bath and a soft bed. Mmm...

"Go upstairs to bed, dearie."

She pouted and complied.

Mr. Gold watched her slowly shuffle up the stairs. He walked over to the couch and plucked a gold strand of hair from the cushion. He brought it to his face, twirling it in his hand, before walking downstairs to the basement. He opened a box and placed the strand of hair into the collecting pile.

...

"Papa, why are we stuck here? Why can I not leave?"

The tall man who was standing in front of the window looked at her. "They don't understand you like I do." He walked over to the girl when she gave him an annoyed look. "Ma belle fleur, You must stay here. Madeleine will stay with you and keep you company." As he made to leave, the girl gripped on to his sleeve.

"Non, papa! I do not want Madeleine! I want you. I want to spend some time with you, papa. Please."

He shook his head and gently pried her tiny hand from his sleeve. "I have work to do. Be a good girl and stay in here with Madeleine."

Hopelessly, she watched him walk away and close the door, leaving her room in darkness.

...

Saturday didn't come soon enough. It was her first day off and she was going to take full advantage of it. She wandered the streets of Storybrooke, looking at everything with wide eyes filled with curiosity.

She looked into store windows and ended up standing in front of the library. It was closed. She peered through the white wood that sealed the doors and windows shut. She could see all the books in there, but there was no way for her to get in. Too bad. There wasn't a lot of places to find books in this town and she didn't have enough money to buy her own. Maybe Mr. Gold had some stored away?

She jumped and turned as someone cleared their throat behind her. She stared into the dark grey eyes of the sheriff. Had she done something wrong? Was this a crime scene? She hoped that he wasn't going to arrest her.

"Do you like books?"

She nodded.

"Maybe we can go get coffee? I know a bookstore near Granny's."

She raised her eyebrow at him and pointed at his patrol car.

He shrugged. "Well. Not much happening in Storybrooke and my deputy can take care of it. You know Emma?" She nodded. "She'll take care of it."

She shook her head and let out a silent laugh. He was such a flirt, but she agreed, nonetheless. He was very cute and his accent... Well... She found that she liked accents.

"Come on. I'll take you there in the patrol car."

Sheriff Graham was unbelievable polite. He had opened the doors and paid for her, but when she looked into his eyes, he looked... sad. She took out her writing pad and quickly scrawled on it. Are you sad?

He shook his head and smiled. "Why do you say that?"

You look sad.

He sighed before looking down at his hands. "I just... I can't... I feel like I can't love. I just want to feel something when I kiss a woman or when I hold her in my arms." He sounded as if he was about to cry.

Maybe you just haven't found the right woman, yet?

"Are you suggesting something?" he teased her. His previous mood gone and she wondered if he had a bipolar disorder.

No. What would I be suggesting? Maybe she was feeling a bit flirty, too.

He leaned in and she followed him. "I don't know. What are you suggesting?"

Their lips were only inches apart.

"Sheriff!"

They jerked apart. Rosalie's face flared up as she noticed that it was the mayor who came through the doors. The brunette didn't look happy, at all.

"Sheriff, I am not paying you to flirt with little girls," the mayor snarled while pulling Graham out of his seat. "Get back to work."

Graham gave Rosalie an apologetic smile before stumbling out the door with the mayor dragging him. She smiled back at him. There was nothing he could've done and she had a wonderful afternoon.

"Snatched up a good one." Ruby had materialised beside her.

Rosalie fervently shook her head and waved her hands side to side. She quickly scribbled a few words and showed it to her. It's not like that, at all!

Ruby laughed at her. "Don't worry. I won't tell Granny. You know how she'll react if she finds out you have a boyfriend! She thinks of you like a granddaughter and I think of you like a sister. I'll have to give him the speech. You know. The one where if he hurts you, I'll kick his ass!"

The blonde shook her head again and thrust the notepad to her face, showing her the same message as before. The red-streaked brunette brushed the paper to the side before walking away, laughing. "Whatever you say!"

Why did Ruby have to be so infuriating sometimes? She smiled. Just like an older sister or maybe a younger one... She squeezed her face between her palms and sighed. They said she looked to be in her later teens.

She gathered up her things and disappeared through the door. It was late afternoon and the sun was already setting. She pondered whether she should return home or go on a stroll. There was still so much she wanted to see. Maybe go to the dock or into the forest.

She walked down the street, still pondering, when she accidentally bumped into someone. The child fell and the contents of his bag laid scattered on the pavement. She quickly knelt beside her and patted him to see if he was hurt.

"I'm okay! I'm okay!" he said, looking up at her. "Do I know you? You're new, right?"

She nodded.

He reached out to an enormous book, ignoring all the other fallen objects on the ground. "What's your name?"

She took out her notepad. Rosalie, but I don't know my real name.

"Oh! You can't speak." He flipped fervently through his book.

She peeked over and saw that it was a book of fairytales. What are you doing?

"I'm trying to figure out who you are."

She frowned. How? Am I in the book?

He looked at her with a serious expression. "If I tell you, promise that you won't tell anyone else."

She nodded. Can't really speak, anyway.

"Oh, right." He managed to find a page that he liked and scrutinised the picture and then looked at her face. "You're probably not Ariel. Her hair was red." He began to flip through the pages, again. "Everyone in this town is in this book. They're all originally from the Enchanted Forest, but an evil witch cast a spell on everyone. She cursed them and brought them to Storybrooke. Time stopped until you and Emma came into town. She also made it so that no one would remember anything."

Time stopped? What was this boy talking about?

"Do you believe me?"

She looked indecisive and couldn't answer him.

"Henry! Henry, where did you go?"

Rosalie started. The mayor?! Was he the mayor's son?

"Henry! Are you okay, Henry?" The mayor glared at her. "What did you do to my son?!""

Rosalie shook her head and waved her hand around, trying to explain.

"Mom, she didn't do it!" Henry quickly told her, while gathering his things back into his bag. "I wasn't watching where I was going and bumped into her. It's my fault!"

The mayor walked up to her and leaned in. "If I ever see you near my son, again. I will make sure that no one could protect you - not even your Mr. Gold."

She shakily turned around after the pair had disappeared out of sight. Why did the mayor hate her so much? What had she ever done to think that she was a threat?

With haste, she made her way back home and checked the lock several times. She leaned her head against the door and sighed. Maybe she should leave town. Why was she even here?

"Did something happen on your way here?"

She jumped and twirled around. Her hand was on her chest, over her racing heart. She waved her hand around in frustration, knowing that he probably didn't even know what she was trying to tell her.

"Your notepad?"

She grasped blindly at it and quickly began to write her tale.

Mr. Gold leaned back. "You don't have to worry about her."

She sounded as if she was going to kill me. She underlined the word several times. What is wrong with her? Why does she hate me so much?

"It's not you," he told her. "It's her. She's in this... delusion of hers." He stood up. "Now, go shower and head off to bed."

She rubbed her face to try to get rid of all the tension. What was wrong with everyone in this town?

...

"There's a monster in there!"

She peeked through the window and could see the torches and pitchforks.

"Burn it! Burn it!"

"Madeleine. Madeleine, what do we do?" she whispered to the woman who was pacing in front of her. "They are coming for me. How do they know? How do they know?"

Madeleine opened her mouth, but closed it again. She turned to the young girl and gave her a sad look. "I'm so sorry."

The girl's eyes widened. "You did not - "

"Of course, not!" Madeleine quickly intervened. "I - I meant..." She twisted the fabric of her dress. "Oh, ma cherie... It's your father."

The girl shook her head. "No... No! Papa would never!"

Madeleine knelt beside the girl and placed her hands on the girl's shoulders. "He was the one who told you to come here."

"We were going to spend some time together! He said he'd finally take time off work. He's going to come today."

The look of desperation in the girl's voice broke Madeleine's heart. "And where is he, now? Night has fallen and he is nowhere in sight."

"Maybe he couldn't get here because of those people! What if they attacked papa?"

"And you don't think his knights would protect him? His knights could easily defeat them all."

"Please... It cannot be. Tell me that he would not do this to me."

"Oh, ma cherie." Madeleine embraced her. "Don't worry. I'll protect you, I promise. I promise."

...

Rosalie couldn't find it within herself to get out of bed. Her dreams were leaving her tired. Why did she always dream about the little girl? Was were they?

"Not going to work today?"

Rosalie jerked up and looked at Mr. Gold who was standing by her door. She shrugged noncommittally. Work was... tolerable, but it was boring waiting tables day in and day out. She had only been doing it for a week and already, she was sick of it.

"I've told you before that if you didn't want to work, I can provide for you."

She shook her head. That wasn't what she wanted, either. She wanted to be able to do things herself. She couldn't just rely on Mr. Gold, all the time.

"Stay in bed. I'll inform them that you're sick." He turned and walked away.

She quickly jumped out of her bed, grabbed her stationary, and ran after him.

Why are you doing this?

"Why not? he replied with a glance, but didn't stop walking.

Because nothing is free. Everything comes with a price. I know that and I've heard you say it. What is the price of this?

He finally stopped and turned to look at her properly. "Let's just say that it is at my own best interest to keep you safe, so with that in mind, you can be rest assure that nothing will happen to you."

I don't understand. Why is it so important to keep me safe?

"I'm sure you've heard that no newcomers ever arrive in Storybrooke and now we have two."

Is this about the fairy tales?

"Where did you hear about that?"

Rosalie made to answer, but stopped when she remembered that it had to be kept a secret. Does it matter? You didn't answer my question.

"Go back to bed. You're not feeling well." He began to walk away, once more. "Oh, and... you won't be working at Granny's anymore. I don't quite like you there, so your new position is at the pawn shop. You work five days a week; eight to five." With that, he was gone.

She stomped her feet in annoyance. Why did they all seem to hide things? The only one who told her anything was Henry.

Henry! Maybe she would be able to bump into him today and he could tell her the rest of the story.

She grabbed her coat and ran out the door. Where would a little boy be on a Sunday afternoon?

She walked to the school playground and travelled around until she arrived at the beach. The breeze was nice here, but it looked as if it was going to rain soon. She sighed and was about to turn around and leave, but a familiar small figure caught her eye.

With a grin, she ran towards him, waving her arm in the air. He didn't notice her until she plopped down beside him on the sand underneath the castle.

"Rosalie!" He turned and grinned at her. "Do you believe my story?"

Maybe. She ran her hand through the sand. I spoke to Mr. Gold, this morning.

Henry stared at her in alarm. "You didn't tell him about it, did you?"

No, but is there a reason I shouldn't tell him?

He flipped through his book and stopped at the page with a green man. "Mr. Gold is Rumpelstiltskin. He's evil. Never ask him for any favours. He always wants something in return."

Rosalie bit her lips. I didn't exactly ask him for a favour, but he's helping me, right now. He's offering me a place to stay and he just got me fired at Granny's, so I could work at his shop, instead. Rosalie paused with her writing. Not sure if the latter is a favour.

"Maybe it's your price," he said, shrugging. "You working for him doesn't seem too bad. Unless there's something that you can do, but no one else can." He scratched his head. "I still can't figure out who you are. Maybe you're Aurora... or Cinderella."

Maybe I'm not in your book? Is Emma in your book?

"Mom? She's Snow White's daughter. Look!" He pointed at the picture of the baby. "She's also the saviour who will break the curse and make everyone remember, again!"

How do you know all of this is true? And she thought the mayor was Henry's mother.

Henry looked at her. "Because it has to be. You've got to believe me!" He closed the book and looked down sadly. "Because no one else does. They all think I'm crazy!"

Rosalie took his hands into hers and looked him in the eyes. She smiled at him and mouthed three words: I believe you.

"Thank you!" He hugged her. "Thank you! No one has ever believed me before."

She patted his back.

"Come on!" He stuffed the book back into the box and buried it.

Where are we going?

"To prove to mom and Emma that it's all real!"

He still hadn't told her his destination, but she followed him all the same. Wherever he was running off to, she hoped that it was safe.

When they finally stopped, they were in front of an abandoned mine. "There has to be something here!" He ran towards the taped off opening. "Mom wanted to blow it up. There has to be a reason. There has to be!"

She silently yelled for him to stop, but he had already disappeared through the small opening. She wrung her hands. What should she do? Call for help or follow after him?

With one last look around her to see that no one was nearby, she ran in.

"Rosalie? I'm here!"

She ran towards the source of the light and quietly followed after him.

There didn't seem to be anything particularly special about the mine. It was extremely dark and rocky.

"Look! There's something here!"

Rosalie watched as he reached into a crevice and pulled something out. Immediately, the entire mine trembled violently around them. She grabbed Henry back just before large pieces of rock plunged down where they had been standing.

She turned him around so that he could look at her before pointing at the entrance. They had to go. The mine was coming down.

"No! Not, yet!" He threw the white shard of glass that he had found in frustration.

"Henry?"

They both turned at the sound of a man's voice. "Henry, where are you?"

"It's Archie!" Henry whispered at her. "He didn't believe me, either, so I'm going to prove it to him!"

Rosalie bit her lips and shook her head. She tugged him towards the entrance.

"No!" Henry shook her hand off. "There's something here and I'm going to find it! If you don't believe me, then go!"

Conflicted, Rosalie opted to follow him. She couldn't allow a young child to wander off by himself and she would lose sight of him if she went off to find Archie. Why were people from Storybrooke so irrational?

Fortunately, Archie could them, but Henry continued to resist. The boy was so convinced that there was something in the mines. Even if there were, it couldn't possibly be worth his life.

She tugged at Archie, telling him that she wanted for them to all leave. He looked sadly back at her. "We can't. The entrance is blocked."

Rosalie shook her head in disbelief. They were trapped?

"I'm sorry, Rosalie," Henry whispered from beside her, taking her hand. "I didn't mean to get us trapped here."

She gave him a small smile and patted his head. She couldn't blame him. He was only a child.

"Hey, look!" Archie jogged over to a door. "This... This is an elevator that miners used." He carefully took off the metal grated door, revealing the little elevator space. "Come on. I think we can probably get this to work."

They stepped in and looked around for a switch. Eventually, Archie managed to find out to go up, but it was going to take a very long time. Perhaps time that they did not have.

Inch by inch, they cranked the wheel.

"We can do this," Archie encouraged them.

Rosalie tried to smile back at him, but she was so tired. Her arm felt like noodles.

Another great tremor shook through the entire mine. The elevator came crashing back down to the floor they had just been on.

All three of them shared a look. There was no hope left. They were tired with no energy. They were hungry and thirsty. The air was tainted with dust and it was getting harder to breathe.

"It's all my fault..." Henry whispered. "If I hadn't gone into the mines..."

"It's alright," Archie tried to comfort him.

Rosalie nodded and smiled at the boy, showing him that she, too, was on his side.

Henry shook his head. "I just wanted to find proof!"

"You know, it's really alright, Henry and… I'm sorry, too. Look, I… I don't think you're crazy. I-I just… I just think you got a very strong mother who's got a clear idea of a path that she wants you to be on and when you step off that she… She gets scared and, you know, it's natural, but it's also natural for you to be able to be free to think the things that you want to think. So, anyway. I… I didn't mean those things I said and I never should have said them."

The sound of someone yelling down at them caused them all to look up. It was like staring into heaven.

"Henry!" Emma called down to them with a wide smile on her face. She had a rope harness around her.

Archie lifted Henry up into Emma's arms before looking at Rosalie. "You're next, okay?"

Rosalie nodded.

Before Emma could even tell the others to help her up, the elevator shaft shook violently and the elevator came crashing down to the very bottom.

Rosalie really thought it was over for her, but somehow, Archie managed to grab her hand before she could follow in the same path as the elevator. The man, himself, was only able to hang on with the curve of his umbrella handle. Despite the near death trauma, they all managed to smile as they were brought back up.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

And here is the first chapter! I hope it's alright. I am... having trouble with line breaks. I hate the one that is supplied by fanfiction, but I can't seem to use ANY symbols (ie. underscore, dashes, asterisk) and it's kind of frustrating. Any suggestions?

EDIT: I'm going to use an ellipsis until I find something better.

My appreciations to:

Guest: I don't know who you are, but thank you so much for reviewing!

Thank you everyone else who has read, followed, and/or favourited this story!

Love interest poll:

1.) Graham

2.) Hook

3.) Peter Pan

4.) Rumpel = 1

5.) Other?

6.) Permanent Triangle? (I've never/rarely seen a story actually end with the main character having both romantic interests. Since it's a fairy tale, I think I have a little more freedom in terms of morals and laws.

See you soon!

Echo