It was probably rude of her to finally pass out thanks to blood loss before answering his questions, but then again she didn't feel as though there was much she could do about that. The Dark One didn't seem to agree with that counter argument though, as she was eventually brought back from her unconsciousness by the sounds of snapping fingers over her face and a rather annoyed voice telling her to wake up. She didn't open her eyes fast enough apparently though, since the next thing she got from him as a welcome back from the unconsciousness was a sudden splash of water to her face.

Some of that rather generous splash of water managed to get up her nose and in her ears of course and she was left to sit up and try to cough it all out of her system via body reaction. The rightfully named 'Mister', after finally seeing that she was awake again, had walked off to do something else that she couldn't really see at that moment because her eyes were watering thanks to her forcible coughing and the fact that having water in her nose and ears was very painful. When her nose and eyes were once again clear though, she could see plainly enough that wherever this was, it certainly wasn't the forest anymore.

"Now that you are awake dearie, I've held up my side of the bargain, it's time for you to do the same,"

This place new place was rather nicely furbished room, polished wooden floors with clean rugs on the floor, certainly a room that must have been part of a very wealthy household. She noticed however, a slight smell of mustiness in the air, and a fine layer of dust. Obviously this was not a wealthy household that was well cared for. The girl was lying on a similarly well furbished bed, again a little neglected due to the slight and almost unnoticeable smell in the pillows. It took a few moments longer than usual to really process what The Dark One had said, which also had to be coupled with remembering what was supposed to be a rather painful injury on her leg.

But as soon as that did process, the girl pulled back the ragged pant leg , expecting to see a rather gruesome sight of a bloody mess and basic bear trapping injuries, but instead saw spotless (apart from the freckles of course) skin, there wasn't even any scars. She spent a few moments inspecting the skin even closer, hoping that it wasn't just her imagination or something tricking her in some very terrible way. But no, it was completely clear of injury, or any kind of sign that she had even been the victim of a bear trap. She moved it around a little, and felt no pain.

"Completely healed…it's almost like-"

He cut her off, turning back and gesturing in the rather grand way that he always seemed to do. He seemed almost childlike in his constant glee, smirking and giggling. He was acting as though this was all in good fun in some way. She wondered if he felt this was all a game, something to entertain himself whilst bigger things were in mind. But what could really be bigger and more important than most of the dangerous and interesting dealings he could make, or had been a part of? (Dealings that she had heard mostly from rumors but nevertheless…)

"Magic? Dearie if you don't believe in the power I hold, than you seeking me out is rather confusing. No one seeks out old Rumplestiltskin without something of magic in mind,"

The girl looked back up at him from her woundless leg, sensing that he was doubting her want to seek him out, or at least how seriously she was taking his abilities. Sitting up a little more, she tried not to look as indignant as she felt by his suggestion, but it was a little hard to do that when her mind was still somewhat muddled by the fact that there was a pain she was supposed to feel. The sensation reminded her of the old soldiers of the Ogre battles, sitting around the pubs at night and rubbing at the amputated parts of their bodies, muttering under their breaths that they could still feel it.

"I am seeking your help Mister Stiltskin; I was just surprised is all,"

"Just Rumplestiltskin dearie," He replied, then paused, walking back to the edge of the bed and looking down at her, another strange giggle following after he spoke, "Then tell me, what is it you seek from me?"

She bites her lip for a moment, wondering if she had it in her. It was one thing to think of it as an idea, a whole other to actually finally say it aloud and put it into action. But, the thought had fueled her this long, had pushed her to make the choices she had made. It had to be worth it, it was worth it. Her hands were still rubbing slightly at her uninjured leg, the action reminding her again for the power he must have truly have. After all, a wound like that would have made her incapable of walking on it ever again. He had to be able to help her; he had to be powerful enough.

Otherwise, she had no options left, not that there were any in the first place apart from this. She takes in a small, almost unnoticeable breath and finally manages to pull words out of her thoughts; even if it was only one word from the many she could chose. Thankfully it wasn't one she had to further elaborate upon, a single word that could say so much more that the other words in her mind ever could. The anger, the grief and shame spat out one word only.

"Revenge,"

Rumpelstiltskin seemed unfazed, as if he had seen this sort of reaction in the people that sought him out all the time. But then again it would make some sense that people would find him for revenge, since anger fuels more than just the mind, just like it was doing for her in that moment. Since he was so powerful that he could heal what should be irreparable damage, why shouldn't he be sought out to deal such damage to others? He cocked his head to the side again but looked as though he was barely interested in what she wanted from that point. But her answer certainly got his attention back again.

"Hmm, and on whom do you wish harm?"

An idea unrealized can be wiped out and unnoticed, a word spoken is heard forever.

"The Queen,"

"It seems we have a deal, and when will the mother of the child come to sign the other half of the contract?"

It had taken a while before the name and face were sampled into Lydia's mind so she remembered who they were, and as soon as she did, it was certainly a bit of an issue with her. The rather condescending football star's parent turned out to the parent of Shaun, who she remembered being the boyfriend of her friend Ashley, who was now pregnant. This meant, because it always took Lydia a moment longer to put these things together, that Ashley was going to give her child away. To Gold, of all people in this town, it had to be Gold that was going to find a 'better' home for the child.

Lydia watched the events transpiring while hiding in the back room, and felt a slight tinge of anger in her chest, the usual that she would get when someone or something annoyed and/or upset her. And this was certainly no different from those occasions; it just didn't really involve her was all. That didn't stop her though; some things barely ever did when she was mad. But of course, like the good little shop girl she was meant to be while on shift, she said nothing and continued on cataloging. When the man left however, as in right as the tinkling of the shop's bell went as the door was closing, was when she finally got the time to strike.

"All due respect, Sir, it's not even his child this can be an official deal," The teenager managed to hiss out as she turned back to her legal guardian, who looked a little to use to her outbursts. He just shrugged his shoulders slightly and moved on; taking the small almost finished document that would go on to mean so much to so many lives if the mother signed it, and walked to the small safe he had hidden behind the painting. Lydia watched him from her side of the room, annoyed that of all the places in the shop, he was almost deliberately deciding to put it in there.

The safe was the only part of the shop that she didn't know like the back of her hand. Lydia grew up in that store, she knew it so well she could say all the names of the porcelain dolls that lined the wall closest to the window in the back room, but she had no clue was what was in that safe. She didn't even know the numbers, and it was quite obvious to her that that was done intentionally by her parent. He was hiding something from her in that safe, she knew just as well as she knew the shop.

"I'm afraid it can be when the mother agrees as well. It isn't my job isn't to be the conscience of other people dearie,"

Gold closes the safe, placing the picture back over it, his voice sounded its usual bored in major tone, but at the same time there was a subtle pretense for her to drop the issue. Since if there was apparently one thing he didn't like having, it was an argument with her. He turns back to her, his ever present cane still in his grip as he tried to end the conversation. But she wasn't going to let it end here, because unlike some of the other dodgy deals that he had made in the past (at least the ones she had been aware of), it never really went to this level.

"No, you just write up the deals that their consciences tear themselves apart for accepting,"

He shakes his slightly bowed head, and she didn't miss the slight smirk on his face. Gold looked almost amused, as if she didn't understand what she was actually saying. This always annoyed her, the thought that he seemed to have that she didn't have the ability to fully grasp situations because of her age. It was just another one of those issues that was unsaid between them, one in a long list of silent arguments hidden in looks and subtle actions. That was probably why there was always so much silence in between them. Whether they were speaking to each other or not, there was always an underlying fight that for whatever reason neither of them brought out to the open.

"Everyone has their own desires Lydia,"

Using her name meant he defiantly wanted her to drop it and move on. But she wasn't going to this time; despite whether or not he was actually getting angry at her now, which this was really the only way to tell. Lydia had seen him furious before (even if it had been a select few times), and despite how much she would prefer not going back to that kind of emotion that he clearly did a great job in holding back in any other case, this was too important to just let drift off like every other slight tiff that managed to make it to the speaking level.

"And when did the lives of innocent children become prices for it?"

She wasn't given an answer, which wasn't unexpected. What was different on this occasion from nearly every other that was in every conversation the two had ever had, was that he was no longer amused, and in fact looked rather displeased, somewhat actually close to anger in fact. At least as far as she could see in the corners of his blank expression, which he wore so often it took some time for her to read anger in it, and she wasn't totally sure of that either. Feeling suddenly uncomfortable at this pause in their rather enlightening debate, Lydia subconsciously, for the sake of doing something other than just standing there and being slightly frightened, held her still injured hand in the other, feeling the rough material of the bandage as she rubbed at it.

However, it was because of this action that the silence was thankfully and mercifully broken. Gold walked around the desk and to her side, quickly taking her hand and unwrapped the rather shoddy job she had done in bandaging the injury. When the cut was freed from the material imprisoning once more, it certainly looked different from when she had been bandaging it, since it looked rather red and more swollen than last time (then again there was blood so she wasn't exactly noticing it at the time if it was like that). Lydia hissed and tried to jerk her hands away in reaction as when his finger gently prodded at it.

There was no talking for a while as she was led to the back of the shop, where a better job of first aid was done by Gold. Lydia meanwhile just sat and watched him, well apart from the times when she hissed slightly at the disinfectant that was dabbed onto the cut but managed to not pull her hand away again. This quiet moment between them wasn't too terrible to bear, if anything it was straight up comfortable to be in, which didn't happen as often as it should. Her hand was soon bandaged back up, properly this time so it wasn't too awkwardly uncomfortable on her skin. Some more time was passed quietly, the two sitting in the back room since there weren't any customers awaiting them or anything.

"You were cataloging the swords and not be careful again weren't you?"

Lydia bit her tongue as her fingers tapped gently on the wooden table's end.

"Not really, it was a bear trap this time," She stood up from her seat, pointing out the somewhat rusted and definitely old iron animal weapon, which was now sitting somewhat alone in the shelves. It was thankfully shut so wasn't really able to do more damage than it had. Gold stood beside her as she walked closer to the animal trap, being careful not to touch it again, since she didn't want to risk it even if it was shut.

"You can go now dearie; your shift is over,"

She didn't bother wasting time to question it, and instead left without saying another word.

"Hmm, not interested, you can go now,"

Rumpelstiltskin replied after mulling it over, and then with a sharp toothed grin and a wave of his hand, the door of the room opened in reaction to his will. The girl however, did not seem to play along in time with this action, as instead she didn't move from her spot on the bed for a time, taking on the expression of looking very confused and somewhat upset in place of doing anything. It wasn't supposed to happen this way, at least she was hoping that she would be heard out more than that and then kicked out on her own. If she didn't do something quick then her chance would be gone forever.

"You can't just deny me like that,"

"Oh yes I can dearie, and just like this. I'm not interested in revenge on the Queen. Another day perhaps, but not today. Bye-bye,"

With the last of his words he gestured a shooing motion to her, then turned away and acted as if she were never there. But of course the girl decided that she wasn't going to leave. She couldn't, since exactly where was she going to go where the chances of death weren't completely obvious and immanent. So despite herself and all the rumors she had heard from those that had made dealings with this Dark One in the past and managed to live to tell the tale, the girl stood up to this and continued to plead her case for him to help her, but decided to take a different path to it.

"Wait! There was something else I needed from you, and you still don't know my name,"

The last of her plea was more an add on so he wouldn't force her out of what was most likely his residence, since she did remember that he was at least a little bit interested in what her name was, for whatever reason that she didn't really care to think too much on. Apparently this plea had done some kind of wonder for her, since whether or not it was the fact he didn't know her name or that she wanted something else from him, she still hadn't been kicked out of the room and residence as a whole.

"Go on,"

She was getting somewhere at least, so she built on that.

"If I can't have revenge on the Queen, then at least I want back what she took from me,"

Rumpelstiltskin turned back to face her, as if accepting again that she was and had always been there, which only seemed to motivate her more to the thought that he might just help her. He continued his strange dramatic actions of hand gestures and strange giggling while they continued to talk, almost as if he were trying to give the impression that he still didn't care, but she could tell that he was somewhat interested and at least listening to her now.

"What's your name again dearie?"

There was another pause of embarrassed silence before she answered back.

"Goldilocks,"

"Hmm," he moves closer again, and flicks one unruly curl of her hair, "cute,"

It was a little uncomfortable to have him standing so close to her and touching her hair, the last time he did that not counting since she was rather occupied at the time with a bear trap. All the same, the girl made an effort not to show it, since she was so close to finally getting the help that she wanted, in some way at least. She tried to stand a little straighter, wanting to think that since she was being heard she should look more serious about the matter. The Dark One seemed to notice this little gesture, and so continued on with finding out more on the issue of what it is she wanted.

"And what is it you want from the Queen, other than a chance to have revenge of course? Didn't take your heart did she?"

"No, something even more precious,"

She had being trying not to get emotional, she thought she could tuck in the vein and keep it in. It had been years and she had thought the pain would dull to the anger, but she was wrong. A bite to the lower lip stopped it trembling, but nothing seemed to make her breath coming up short. This physical reaction felt humiliating to her, and she tried to bow her head away so the redness of her eyes couldn't be seen. She wasn't going to cry, or at least she wasn't going to let him see that. Still, this apparently worked in her favor, as she could see in his reply.

"Well I can certainly see that you feel it more precious to you than your heart. What was it then? A family member, a friend?" She shook her head at his questions, suddenly feeling a little worse about herself, especially since she knew that the thing that was taken from her wasn't a person. It made her feel like she was materialistic, but her pride didn't matter; it was still more precious to her than her heart and getting it back was important, at least on the same level of importance as getting the Queen back for hurting her like she had.

"No? You're going a bit far for a bauble dearie, ever tried getting a new one?"Another shake of the head was the reply; the blonde curls bouncing wildly at the movement as her head was still bowed.

"I already told you it's more important to me than my heart, I can't simply replace it. And even if I could, I don't want to," He circled around as she spoke, like a spider seizing up a fly would be the better description of how it felt. Especially since she was opening up like this, something she barely ever did before, because there never was anyone to open up to in the first place. After two laps around her he finally spoke up again, amusement still in his attitude.

"And you want me to get it back for you?"

"Not exactly," She fiddled with her hands now, feeling a little embarrassed that she didn't think of his question as an option beforehand. But still, she had her own plan in getting the precious item back, and was going to stick to it no matter how many easier paths presented themselves to her. She had to stick to the plan, and then she knew she could get her item back for certain, and possibly also get her chance of revenge at the Queen if the moment presented itself. Another breath seemed to give her courage to keep talking and she stopped fiddling with her hands, looking this strange man (was he a man? She wasn't certain…) in the eyes instead.

"I want to steal it back for myself, just so I can know for certain when I hold it in my hands, that I got her back in some way for what she did to me,"

"So where do I come in to your little plan?" More deep breaths, more courage. Goldilocks tried to keep a mantra in her head to block out any doubts or wants to just run from this, because he was rather terrifying if she was going to be honest with herself. More breaths, more courage, more breaths, more courage. Holding her breath from the uncomfortable fear she was getting at that moment would do nothing to help her get what she wanted from him; she had to at least keep somewhat an appearance of being calm and collected in the situation.

"The Dark Palace isn't an easy place to break into; the Queen's chamber's being even more guarded than anywhere else. I can't do this alone, not like I am now," Goldilocks hoped she wasn't being too subtle in her way of talking, and could pick up on what it was she was suggesting. Thankfully it seemed she wouldn't have to worry about that, as he figured it out well enough. That, and Goldilocks was sure she should be thankful that he wasn't able to read thoughts and how she was worried he might not find subtly in words. Offending him would only get her in a bigger situation than she had on her hands already.

"Ah, so you want me, to help you be a better thief," Rumpelstiltskin pointed to himself then back to her as he replied, somewhat pleased with himself that he finally knew what it was that she wanted from him. She nodded in reply, not wanting to trust her words anymore since now it was out in the open, he needed to think on what she wanted from him. Any answers needed to be heard, and now it was turn to listen to him, that and wait for the answer. Her palms were sweating, she could feel that from the pressure and the fear that she would be denied once again from what was possibly the only help that was left for her to find in the land.

"What would I get in return? You don't get something for nothing after all dearie," Here it was, the only real thing, apart from being denied, that she had been worried about. Payment was something that the rumors of the Dark One were mostly based around, specifically the fears of what would happen when someone who made a deal with him would try and turn back on it and deny him payment. That wasn't in her plan whatsoever, what was scaring her was that she had nothing to give him at that moment, and nowhere to go if he denies her once again because of this issue.

"Yes, I've heard how your deals are done. I have nothing to give you right now and I know that. But-"

"Tut tut dearie, don't worry your little head about it then," Rumpelstiltskin gently patted the top of her head before continuing, "We'll worry about that portion of the deal later, for now I have a proposal to build on this deal,"

The strange man waved his hand again, two chars and a table appearing where they hadn't been before. He gestured for her to take a seat, which she quietly complied. A contract was lying on the table, the parchment old and the ink long dry. However when she picked it up in her hands, she could clearly see from the writing that it was almost specifically written for this deal. She continued to read it, skipping over most of the paragraphs in search of what it was that he wanted to add to the deal, finding quickly, and reacted to it just as fast, looking back up at the strange scaly man with a raised eyebrow.

"You want me to stay here while you're teaching me?"

"Well do excuse me if I'm reading into something that's not there dearie, but you don't seem like a girl that has a home to go back to, I saw the mark on your hand after all," Goldilocks pulled her hand off the table and held it against her, looking away from him in shame. The mark he was referring to, a cut from the tip of her middle finger to the center of her palm, was something she had thought she hid from his sight, and hoped that this wouldn't interfere with the deal in some way. Or at least, that if it did, he wouldn't sell her out to what the mark meant.

"Don't worry dearie, I won't be revealing your escape to them if that's what you're worried about, but I am curious as to why you would want revenge on the Queen, instead of those that gave you that mark," That would be a good question to someone who didn't really know her past that connected to the mark on her hand. In fact anyone else that had the mark like she did, would wonder as to why she wasn't going out at that moment and doing anything that would hurt those that gave this to her. But those people weren't important to her; they were just ingredients of the continuous pain that was brewed, by her.

"I don't care for them as much as I do getting my item back, and hurting the Queen like she hurt me," And that was the end of that part of the conversation, as instead it was apparently now time to sign the contract and accept that the deal was now ready to be finalized and put into action. She bit her lip again as she held the quill in her hand, but not because of fear or upset like before, but because she was suddenly so unsure of herself. It was a momentary issue in her mind as she looked back up at Rumpelstiltskin, and decided that the best way to get rid of that unsure feeling was to double check with him.

"So, if I sign this you'll help me be a better thief?"

"Of course dearie, so do we have a deal?"

"Ashley we need to talk,"

Lydia had decided to spend the time that she would have for the rest of the day before her curfew to go and talk to the mother of the child that she and Gold had argued about beforehand. Perhaps the worst way to decide to start the conversation of climbing into the room via the window (so she wouldn't be caught by the owners of the diner in which the room belonged) shouldn't have been the way the teenager went about it. But still Lydia felt as though she needed to talk to the pregnant teenager about the situation (also she was very lucky that Ashley was her friend and wasn't going to call the police or anything for breaking and entering, even if it was for a good cause).

"You're so lucky I don't have my mace on me right now Lydia, you scared the crap out of me," The pregnant teen sighed before returning to her work, her rather exhausted visitor, who was mostly tired because it had been a while since she climbed through a window, moving to assist her in piling the bed sheets into the washing machine, just to be at least helpful at the same time that she was bugging her friend with questions. It was while Lydia was taking the bed sheets out of Ashley's hands that she noticed exactly how far along she was in her pregnancy.

"Oh wow," She breathed, looking back up to smile at Ashley, who nervously smiled back as she continued "Sorry, it's just… Didn't think it would happen so soon,"

The teenager pushed the last of the table and bed sheets into the washing machine, feeling a little embarrassed by her reaction. Certainly Lydia felt terrible for not being there for her friend during most of her pregnancy as emotional support when her boyfriend left her, at the time thinking that she would only harm instead of help Ashley in any way and that Ruby would do a better job. The blonde teen now hoped to be able to make up for that lack of support she could have given, by trying to give advice in this deal that she was apparently ready to accept. Speaking of, Ashley seemed to be opening the conversation up to that issue.

"Doctors say it could be any day, and… I don't think I'm ready,"

While the washing machine was churning away and they got a small break, Lydia finally decided to answer back to that statement, since it did annoy her more than she liked to admit. Ashley had always been someone who was easily influenced by others, even when she, Lydia and Ruby were kids. It took the other two to stop people from walking all over her while they were at school and even after. Lydia remembered how she had thought that Ashley's boyfriend Shaun would have made her more confident to stand up for herself, especially to her stepmother and stepsisters.

But of course that didn't turn out anything like Lydia thought it would, and now had no respect for him. Sure, she knew that he was being leaned on by his father (Who never made a secret on how much he disliked Ashley for getting pregnant, because of course she did it 'intentionally', so it wasn't that hard to think that Shaun's father had something to do with their sudden breakup right after they found out,). But she had no sympathy for him for walking out on a pregnant girl that was also her friend, even though she knew that his issue was a lot like the one that Ashley had.

"You don't think, or have people been telling you that?"

It might have been in the tone that she used when saying that, but it seemed that Ashley had picked up on what it was that Lydia had actually come to talk about. But then again the curly haired teen didn't make a habit of crawling through the window unless the conversation she was going to have had to be important. Ashley shook her head slightly, her hands gently resting on her stomach as she finally acknowledged the deal that she was about to make with Mr. Gold and apparently Shaun's father. The condescending parent and a man who she wasn't sure knew how to actually parent, and he was meant to be her father.

"You know about the deal,"

"Hard not to when they talk about it rather openly and loudly in Gold's shop. But I'm not here to talk about how I know, I wanted to talk to you about it, and make sure you were sure with your choices,"

"I am, I… they're right, I'm not ready for something like this,"

Lydia bit her lip, wanting to go off on a tangent about how Ashley shouldn't accept the judgment of other people as truth, but held herself back because, she wasn't exactly sure if they were completely wrong. After all, she and Ashley were around the same age (by at least two years difference), and as far as maturity went based on past actions, neither of them were really standing up to the level that someone would trust a small human being with. Then again, Lydia had heard from others on how Ashley was trying to change and better herself, taking night classes and working to support herself, so it was obvious that she was trying, but trying didn't mean that she was totally ready for the experience either and…

Really Lydia just didn't know how to voice her opinion on the matter, especially since the only experience she ever had with children was babysitting, before she started doing stupid reckless behavior and such. So she tried instead to find level ground that wouldn't prove those people right, but at the same time wouldn't give Ashley the inclination that she was completely ready for this, because really no matter how prepared anyone is for these sorts of things they seem to be caught by surprise nevertheless. Lydia turned back to her pregnant friend, trying not to let her eye move down to the life that was being kept alive under her apron, the life that could be completely screwed over either way, and she tried to word it best she could.

"Ashley, you can't let your opinion of this be manipulated by everyone else that are only judging you for the sake of dragging you down. If you accept them as true, you're only going to prove them right. I'm not saying that you're completely ready for this, no one is. But you can't just give up when other people say you should. This deal you've made… I can't tell you it isn't something you shouldn't accept because; I haven't been in your position and I don't know what it feels like,"

Lydia was relieved to see that despite the fact that Ashley was older than her and therefore could ignore her opinion if she wanted because just like the younger teenager had said, she didn't know what it was like to have it happen to her. No, instead of blocking her out, she was listening very earnestly, and looked somewhat relieved when it became obvious to her that Lydia wasn't going to impose judgment like everyone else, and was instead going to give her actual advice. Feeling a little more confident in what she was saying, Lydia continued talking about the one thing that she knew best of this situation, the one thing that she could give actual advice about.

"What I can give you advice though, is when you make a deal with Mr. Gold, he isn't going to rip it up and he most certainly won't forget about it. So before you sign that dotted line and make that decision, just be sure it is what you want, because you can never take it back as soon as you make that decision. Whether you sign that contract or not is not up for me to pose judgment on you for, but I will be judgmental on someone who signs a deal with him without being absolutely sure that that is what they want,"

The youngest of the two smiled somewhat sadly before she continued on, moving from the advice that she knew best, to what Lydia really felt on what other help she had given to her friend's situation, that help being absolutely nothing.

"I'm sorry I haven't been around to help as much as I should have before this point, I don't have an excuse other than the lamest one. That being, I felt like I wouldn't be to good enough of an influence for you, and it certainly wouldn't have helped the people judging you to know that I was being your moral guidance… I'm building on the excuse… sorry, just… I'm really sorry," Lydia finished lamely, looking away with slight embarrassment. Ashley however, wasn't annoyed with her or even angry with her for bringing up the issue of how she had not been there to help her.

"It's alright Lydia, and… Thank you for not judging me, but I'm sure with my choice,"

Lydia looked at her more seriously.

"Are you? Absolutely?"

Before Lydia could get an answer however, the owner of the diner entered into the back room where the two teenagers were talking. The older woman took one look at the situation, gave a glare towards Lydia, and it became almost apparent without her even saying a word that she wanted the seventeen year old to leave. Lydia couldn't exactly blame the owner, whom her friend Ruby fondly referred to as Granny, for not wanting her in the back room, especially since the teen didn't have that much of a reputation in good behavior. It was while she was being marched through the front of the diner back to the front door that she was being informed by Granny that she should have entered through in the first place, that she even attempted to defend herself to the older woman.

"I just wanted to be sure she knew what she was doing Granny, I didn't come here to cause trouble I promi-"

The door was shut in her face before she could even finish her sentence, and the teen was left outside, the other patrons of the diner having forgotten by that point that she was even there. Lydia turned to leave, and bumped right into another person.

"Ah, sorry," She quickly apologized, looking up to see who it was that she had walked into,(hoping that it wasn't Leroy, since she just wasn't in the mood for him today), but was instead surprised to see someone that she had never met before. Storybrooke was a rather isolated town after all, barley any visitors came here, and they left pretty soon after arrival, apparently it something to do with the atmosphere that made them leave sooner than they planned. This woman though, for whatever reason Lydia felt was different. She definitely wasn't a tourist; the teenager could see that from the red jacket and rather serious expression that she seemed to always wear.

"It's alright," This stranger replied, before walking into the diner, and leaving the teenager outside alone again before she finally walked off, any thought about the strange woman disappearing from her mind as she thought more instead on the situation with Ashley, not knowing what else to do than give advice, which she had done. So, she was left to sort of wander around, having nothing to do since her shift for the day was over and she certainly wasn't going home. Not only was there nothing to do there, but Mr. Gold might be there to, and she didn't really feel like talking with him anymore than she had that day.

Eventually Lydia decided to go off into the forest that surrounded the edges of the town, feeling the need to just go off somewhere that no one would see her and bother her with their annoying judgments of Ashley and herself as well. Plus, there wasn't much else to do in the forest than there was anywhere else, but at the same time it was better than just sitting around in town, where she could cause any kind of trouble and get into a 'behavioral incident', no need to go to Juvie at the moment, especially when her friend was in trouble.

So, eventually Lydia was left lying on a random log in the middle of the forest, looking up at the sky as the clouds slowly passed, the hours passing just as gradually according to her cell phone, which was also loosing battery power. Spending these moments alone was usually the only time the teenager felt somewhat peaceful, even if she was also somewhat bored. Sure, human interaction was nice, and mostly also necessary to somewhat get through a day, but there always seemed to be something about people that throw off Lydia's enjoyment of things being just… okay. People had their own thoughts and feelings that got in the way; some say that makes things interesting, but Lydia often found she disagreed with others opinions anyway.

And yet, despite how much she tried to relax as the atmosphere usually did whenever she came here, her mind was always back to Ashley. There was nothing more there that she should have been able to do to help, she had given advice on deals and was thankfully not ignored, so it wasn't as if she could say much else to help Ashley in her situation. After all, it wasn't as if she could try and talk to Gold to not accept the deal, nobody could tell him to do anything, the least of all herself. All Lydia could do now was hope that her advice had left some kind of effect and that whatever decision the teenager made, would be the right one that she wanted to make, and not lead on by everyone else.

Her worried thoughts still didn't stop her from falling into a somewhat relaxed nap (despite the fact that she was on her own and in a forest, lying on a log), that took a little while for her to wake up from. A really long time in fact, since it was obvious that more than just a few hours had passed when consciousness managed to make it back to her after her nap. Lydia sat up from her lying down position, and frowned at the sudden darkness that surrounded her. The sun had defiantly set, but because her phone's battery had finally died she wasn't sure exactly what time it was. Nevertheless, Lydia was sure that it was either past her curfew, or very close to it.

Deciding that that was probably the best time to get up and go home with the hope that she hadn't stayed out over her curfew, Lydia started trying to find her way through the darkness of the forest, which mostly meant not tripping over unforeseeable tree roots or her own feet. It was strange that despite how peaceful the teenager found the forest during the day, being there at night did nothing to make her feel better about her fear of the dark, as childish as it was. So after quite a few trips over roots and such, half of which got her to be acquainted with the ground, Lydia eventually made her way out of the forest and back into the streets of Storybrooke.

After a small portion of walking and trying to remember exactly what part of the town she was in (it was dark after all), Lydia eventually decided to first seek out Mr. Gold's shop, just to make sure if he was there, and not waiting for her at home with the Sheriff as guest. So as soon as she found herself on the mina street of Storybrooke, Lydia slowly but surely crept up to the windows of the store, trying to make sure that she wouldn't be seen by him during her little attempt of espionage. However it was just as she was going to breathe a sigh of relief, since she had seen a figure in there much like her legal guardian, that she suddenly heard signs of a struggle and the figure falling over.

Without really thinking about it, Lydia jumped up and ran into the store, the door being thankfully and yet strangely unlocked. The sight that befell her was certainly not something she was expecting. Mr. Gold was unconscious on the floor, a small cut on his head being evidence that it wasn't without reasonable force that he fell, and standing by the safe, the only part of the shop that Lydia didn't know what was in there, was Ashley. The teenager had o blink a few times to assess what it was that had happened here, before she found words to speak.

"Ashley, what have you done?"

Please review, constructive criticism always welcome.