Chapter 1

*Inspired by "All's Fair in True Love and Curses" by OctoberStar*

-Memories-

Red Riding Hood knelt beside Rumpelstiltskin as he spun more straw into gold. She loved watching him work; it was the only time she saw a glimpse of the old Rumpel.

Red had known Rumpel before he had become the powerful Imp he was now. Often times Granny would need help with chores around the cottage and she would hire Rumpel's son, Baelfire. Rumpel would sometimes accompany his son and then the four of them would have dinner together. Red used to look forward to the days when Rumpel would come by. When other people saw Rumpel, they saw a coward.

But, when Red looked at him she saw a compassionate man who would do anything for the people he cared about. It didn't take long for Red to fall in love with Rumpel. Rumpel had also fallen for Red, but he insisted they only fell for each other because she was looking for someone to be the father figure she never had and he wanted someone who could replace his wife. But, they both knew Rumpel's reasoning was just him being afraid of truly falling in love again.

Now that Rumpelstiltskin was the Dark One, he was a different man. At least, he acted like a different man when other people were around. When it was just the two of them, Rumpelstiltskin was more relaxed and wasn't trying to put on a show. Red was the only person who completely knew Rumpel inside and out.

Rumpel suddenly stood and Red looked up at him.

"What is it?" Red asked.

"I must go," Rumpel said.

Red stood up. "Go where?"

"Belle's father has asked for my help and I am to make a deal with him."

Red nodded. "All right. I'll just tidy up around the castle a bit while you're gone."

"No!" Rumpel said sharply. "I no longer need your services, Red. Please be gone by the time I return."

Red couldn't help being offended by his cold attitude towards her. "What have I done wrong?"

"As part of our deal, I will be bringing Belle back here as my new caretaker," Rumpel replied.

"I thought I was more than just your caretaker," Red said.

"We can't keep this romance going any longer, Red. We're both fooling ourselves pretending this is real love." Rumpel turned to leave.

Red cut him off and put her hands on his face. His expression was arrogant, but his eyes were pained. His fear was taking him over again. What they had was real love and he knew it. But, now he was running from it. Red went to kiss him, but he turned his head. Since he became the Dark One, he never kissed Red anymore. Red didn't know why, but she knew it had to be the same reason he ran from their love.

"Good bye, dearie," Rumpel said in his fake, mocking voice.

Red cringed at the sound of his laugh as he left. Rumpel had been distant from her lately, but he had never been cold towards her. Red balled her fists as anger overpowered the sadness she had felt moments ago. How could he do this to her? How could he just cast her out and bring some other woman into his home?

Why was he betraying her like this? Red noticed a tea set on the table and she picked up one of the cups, preparing to throw it against the wall. But, she stopped herself. Breaking the cup wouldn't make her feel any better; it would just make a mess. Tears sprang to her eyes.

No matter how cold Rumpel acted, Red knew she could never stay angry at him. She let the cup fall from her hands, and then she sank to her knees as the tears fell from her eyes. Stop crying, Red told herself. You'll get him back. You're meant to be together and no princess can change that.

Red picked up the cup and rose to her feet. As she was setting the cup back on the tray, she realized she had chipped it. Oh well, she thought, picking up the broken piece and sticking it in her pocket. Rumpel will probably think he did it himself or perhaps he'll blame someone else. I needn't concern myself with a chipped teacup.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

When Red heard Rumpel had let Belle go, she thought it was because he wanted her back. Red was so happy, she immediately made her way to Rumpelstiltskin's castle. When she arrived, a dark silence had fallen across the castle

"I knew Belle would fall in love with you," Red told him as she entered the room slowly.

"You don't know anything," Rumpel muttered, his strained teeth bared at her in a snarl.

Red stepped toward him her head tilted slightly, it had taken her a few days to return but, she knew there was no way he could forget. "It doesn't matter. Now we can be together again. Just like you wanted."

Rumpel stopped suddenly and glanced at Red's fair face. "What I wanted?"

"Yes," Red replied. "Isn't that why you let her go?"

Rumpel didn't move just kept watching her. "I let her go because I love her. She came back because she loves me." He laughed. "I take that back. She came back to trick me-to kill me. I thought she loved me, but no one could ever love me. I'm a beast."

Red stared at Rumpel in disbelief. "I love you. I always have. And what do you mean she came back to kill you?"

"True love's kiss will break any curse," Rumpel stated solemnly.

"What are you talking about?" Red asked.

"I kissed her."

Rager swelled up inside her gut. "You won't kiss me, but you'll kiss her?"

"I may not be an ordinary man, Red, but I am still a man," Rumpel said. "I have physical desires just like everyone else."

"Then why not express them with me?" Red questioned.

Rumpel slammed his hands against the table beside him. "Weren't you listening? True love's kiss will break my curse."

It Red a moment to understand what he was saying. "So, if you and I had kissed, you would no longer be a powerful Imp, but just an ordinary man?"

"Precisely!" Rumpelstiltskin said in his mock voice. "But, I was wrong. It seems Belle is my true love. Not you."

"How... How is that possible?" Red asked, more to herself than to Rumpel.

"When we kissed, I could feel myself changing back," Rumpel said, picking up the cup Red had chipped. "Doesn't matter now, though. She is gone for good and all I have left of Belle is a chipped teacup."

"What?"

Rumpel longingly ran his finger over the chip. "Belle chipped this the first day she was here."

"No, Rumpy, I'm the one who-"

Rumpel abruptly turned away. "Leave me."

Rumpel started walking towards his spinning wheel but Red quickly reached out and grabbed his hand. She pulled him back towards her and kissed him. She sighed as his lips finally caressed hers. It had been so long since she had last tasted him.

Rumpel briefly ran his tongue over hers before quickly breaking the kiss. Red stared at him, hoping to see him change proving she was his true love. But, nothing happened. Rumpel smiled at her, and then waved his hands while laughing.

"Your kiss can't break the curse," Rumpel breathed. "Now we can be together and I don't have to be afraid of my feelings for you."

"What feelings?"

"I love you, Red. But, this isn't true love, so I can let my guard down knowing you won't be my undoing." Rumpel's high-pitched, sing-song voice made Red's skin crawl.

Rumpel pulled Red in for another kiss, but she pushed him off her.

"I never want to see you again!" Red spat. Tears sprang to her eyes and she ran out of the castle before he could see the drops fall.

Rumpel sighed, turning back to his spinning wheel he sat down.

"Stupid girl," he whispered in a single tortured breathe.

"I do hope, you weren't talking about poor Red."

Looking up from the wooden spinning wheel, he caught a glimpse of her majesty, Regina, standing there gloating over him. He snarled, upon seeing her smiling down on him as she helped herself to a cup of his tea.

"What is it to you?" Rumpel asked not even bothering to stand up for their conversation.

"Oh, I just know a little something about the girl and what she is to you."

Rumpel froze, raising an eyebrow at the thought, "Well, what is that exactly?"

Regina grinned a bit satisfied I the knowledge that she knew something the deadly imp did not.

"She is your one true love," she stated simply, setting the empty tea cup back on the table.

"No she's not…" Rumpel laughed at the thought that Regina had really tried to use that against him again, "True love's kiss can break any curse, and she couldn't break mine."

"True..." Regina sneered taking a few steps toward his wheel.

"True love can break any curse, but… only if both lovers wish it as so."

Regina laughed at his sudden expression change, "… and you thought Belle loved you."

Her deep, dark laugh pulsed throughout his veins as he slammed her against the wall knocking his wheel over I the process, "You're lying."

His assault threw her off guard for a moment, and his snarl felt hot against her cold flesh, "Am I?"

It was the question that she always asked him, and the answer was never the same.

XStorybrookex

Ruby smiled lying safely in the arms of the only man that she would ever trust. He was a mystery wrapped in darkness, a puzzle that would never be solved, and that is what made him dangerous. She loved the danger, the thrill. He drew her ever deeper in every night they spent together, and he had been the first to fall. Her seduction was more powerful than the north wind, and they both shared a secret.

The secret of a common mission, and a common goal. Yet; more importantly a single name that needed to be extinguished.

"Oh, lover…" Ruby teased as her man made a move for the door soundlessly, "… you forgot something."

He froze granting her a devilish grin, "Why, what's that?"

She chuckled at his question before finally granting him an answer, "Your hat."

She held it out to him, and gracefully he flipped the hat back onto his head.

"How could I ever forget that?" he grasped her swallowing her mouth in a viciously passionate kiss.

In moments they had fallen back upon the bed, his hat was once again forgotten being strewn on the table next them. A soft breeze blew in from an open window, and the hat shifted ever so slightly revealing the faded photograph of a man. A man, a man with a cane and an impish smile; on whose photograph was a target, and the name Rumpelstiltskin written within a steel blade that curved like a serpant.