Once Upon A Time: The Devil's Journey, Part Two

By Rebekkalee Mouri-Hibiki

Emma fidgeted on the front porch of Mr. Gold's house, waiting for him to answer the door. He had invited her to dinner at his house, a private welcome home for just them. She had dressed nice for the occasion, wearing a white gauze blouse with long sleeves and black jeans. On her feet, she had had on the ballerina flats he had given her for their first dinner together.

Oh God, she was nervous that night but not as nervous as she was at that moment. She had been away for a month, still not sure what had happened while she was away. She had been afraid he would run back to Belle now he knew she was still alive. It seemed he hadn't, disappointed he could not kiss her when they had been in the shop together.

He had cautioned her against it, saying there were people in the next room who would just not understand. It was true and she really wasn't quite ready to make their relationship public. Sure, there were the rumors but coming out as a couple and validating those rumors was something else entirely. She really wasn't that concerned about what the town would think... She was worried about how Henry would feel.

She reached for the doorbell again, hesitantly pressing it again. " Come on, Gold... " She muttered as she wondered what was taking him so long. Finally, she could hear the tapping of his cane nearing the door. She took a deep breath as she heard the lock scrape open and watched the doorknob turn.

The door swung open, a shiver running through her when his eyes met hers. A sweet smile graced his lips, " Emma, my darling. You look radiant. "

" Thank you, " Emma returned the smile. He looked really nice himself. He wore a black pinstriped suit, a dark purple dress shirt and matching tie that had a thatch pattern to it. He looked genuinely happy, his features not etched with old pain for once.

He put his hand out to her, " Come inside, darling. Dinner is on the table. "

Emma took his hand and walked into the house. When she cleared the foyer, he closed the front door before turning to her again. He looked into her eyes for a long moment before leaning in and giving her a gentle kiss. Emma returned it, her cheeks heating as he flicked her lips with his tongue and put his left hand in the small of her back.

She parted her lips, bringing her hands up to cradle his face as he pressed his tongue into her mouth. She met him with hers, his kiss telling her just how much he missed her and her hoping her reciprocation was doing the same. He pulled back, panting for air as she gasped as well. She chuckled, " What about dinner? "

Mr. Gold smiled, his eyes locked with hers. He gave her another brief kiss then smirked, his eyes smoldering with passion, " Why don't we work up an appetite first? "

The smell of cooking eggs and bacon roused Emma from her dreamy slumber. After coming home, she had taken a nice long shower then crawled into her own bed. She found her pillow missing but it soon turned up. Henry confessed to sleeping with it since she had been away in order to feel closer to her.

She also found out that he had been sleeping in Mary-Margret's bed to be close to her as well. David had taken to sleeping in her bed for a little while but ended up on the couch first then sleeping in a chair next to Henry once the nightmares began. She could only imagine the anguish and worry the two of them had gone through, not knowing if they would ever see them again. They said they had faith that they would return but Emma couldn't help but think they had considered the worst in addition to thinking the best.

She rolled over from her right side onto her back, stretching as she yawned. She hated to leave her bed but she had to. She had promised Henry she would take him to his placement testing and she had plans for the four hours he would be tied up. She ran her hands through her still damp hair, scrunching it in her fingers.

It had gotten so much thicker in The Enchanted Forest, a side effect of being pregnant. Instead of hanging in loose curls, it now hung straight from the weight. She entertained the thought of cutting it but decided against it. She would just leave it be for a while and enjoy it.

She was also enjoying the fact that she wasn't feeling sick. For about a week, she hadn't been waking up nauseous and she was holding onto the hope her morning sickness was going away. It had lasted longer than it had with Henry but she figured it had something to do with having twins. It was something she would have to ask Doc about when she saw him.

" Emma? " Mary-Margret called from downstairs. " Are you awake? "

Emma took her hands from her hair and sighed, " Yeah. "

" Come down, " Mary-Margret sounded amused. " You have to see this. "

Emma furrowed her brow and sat up, throwing the covers off before swinging her legs out of the bed. The wood floor felt so good beneath her bare feet. She had seldom taken her boots off while she was away, just long enough to bathe, wash out her socks and let her tired feet air out. Once she had returned home, she threw both the boots and the socks away, the month she had worn them pretty much killing them.

She stood up, pulling her tank top down from where it had ridden up during the night as she walked to the stairs. She went down, " Why are you even cooking? You should be... " Emma stopped halfway down the steps when she looked towards the kitchen. David stood at the stove, working on the food and Mary-Margret stood next to him.

Mary-Margret turned around, " Relaxing? That's what your father said. "

" But he's a disaster in the kitchen, " Emma finished walking down the stairs, her eyes still fixed on David. " He burns things. "

" Not today, " David turned and smiled. " You'd be surprised how much I've learned since you two were gone. "

" That and I'm watching him like a hawk, " Mary-Margret chuckled. Emma moved towards the bar as Mary-Margret turned back around to look at the stove. " Okay... Okay. That smells good. Take it out. "

" What's cooking? " Henry came out of the bathroom, his hairbrush in his hand. He was dressed and ready to go in a blue plaid shirt and black jeans. The outfit looked brand new, Emma certain David had gotten for Henry while she and Mary-Margret were away.

" Bacon and eggs, " David said as he dished the food out onto the plates.

Henry moved to Emma's left side, " Wait. Who cooked it? "

David continued to work, " I did. "

Henry gave Emma a skeptical look but held his tongue. Henry was polite enough not to say it but Emma knew what he was thinking. " Wow, grandpa... Thanks, " Emma could tell Henry was trying not to sound too scared.

David turned around from the stove, two plates of food in his hands. Mary-Margret turned as well, holding the other two plates. Emma's mouth dropped open, shocked the food looked edible. She looked down at Henry, his expression mimicking her own.

David and Mary-Margret carried the plates to the table, setting them down. They had already set the table with silverware and there was toast and butter there too. They smiled at each other before they looked at Emma and Henry. David pulled out one of the chairs, " Come. Sit. You need to eat and get out of here soon. "

Emma looked at the clock on the wall, seeing she had a little less than an hour to eat and get dressed. She walked to the chair and sat down, " Yeah, I do. "

Henry took a seat next to her, " So what are we going to do after the test? "

Emma had picked up her fork to get some food but paused. She thought about Henry's question and sighed, " I don't know yet. "

Mary-Margret sat down across from them, " Why don't you go by the store and pick something up for the party? "

" Party? " Emma furrowed her brow.

" At Granny's, tonight... " Mary-Margret said. " The potluck. Ruby and Granny told us about it before you talked to Doc? "

Emma blinked, " Oh crap... I forgot. "

" It's okay, " Mary-Margret said.

Emma hung her head over her plate, " But how could I forget my own welcome home party? "

" They came up then Doc wanted to talk to you and then you talked to Archie. It was a lot to handle right after what we've been through, " Mary-Margret said.

Emma sat back, " But what can we take? "

" Why don't you think about it while you're out? " Mary-Margret replied. She reached across the table and touched Emma's left hand. " Maybe something you can make that you haven't had in a long time? "

Emma frowned, " There's a lot of things I haven't had in a long time. "

Mary-Margret pulled her hand back, knowing what she meant. She gave her a nervous smile, " Then you should have a good list to pick from. I'm sure you'll think of something. "

Emma scoffed then stabbed at her eggs, " If you say so. Pass me some toast. "


Baelfire followed Peter and Tinker Bell as they led him through the woods. He hung back a bit, watching as Peter and Tink flew. He knew it had to be magic and he wanted no part of it. He decided he would have to find another bean and go to another world just as soon as he could.

Ruel Ghorm had said there were no more beans in The Enchanted Forest but this wasn't The Enchanted Forest. He knew that there was a slim possibility more beans existed in this land and perhaps one of those would get him away from magic completely. He shivered, the night air and his wet clothes starting to really get to him. He hugged himself, wondering just how much further they had to go.

Time seemed to drag on forever before they approached a clearing, Peter and Tinker Bell stopping. Peter floated down to the ground like a feather while Tink hovered. Once his feet were on the ground, he turned to look at Baelfire. " It's up ahead, " Peter pointed to a huge tree in the distance.

Baelfire caught up to them and frowned, " You live in a tree? "

Peter smirked, " Not in the tree... UNDER the tree. "

" Your house, " Baelfire couldn't believe his ears. " It's underground? "

Peter nodded, " Yeah. Come on. "

Peter took to the air again, Baelfire following. When they reached it, he couldn't see a way to get inside. " Where's the door? "

Peter floated down, pointing to a pile of vines. " Under there. "

Baelfire watched as Peter lifted the vines to reveal a tunnel that led down. When he looked closer, he saw that stairs had been carved out of the dirt. It was dark further down though and he was wary of going inside. " How far underground? " He asked.

" Tink, " Peter looked at the fairy. " Show him the way, will you? "

Tinker Bell nodded, diving into the hole. Her fairy light illuminated the tunnel and Baelfire followed, Peter bringing up the rear. As they moved, the sound of a girl singing reached Baelfire's ears. He could also detect the sound of the gentle bubbling of a pot, like the girl was cooking.

Soon after that, he could smell food, his stomach growling. He could remember the last time he ate but he wasn't sure how long he had been blacked out on the beach. His stomach told him it had been hours though. The tunnel became lighter and he soon could see a great room at the end.

On the far side, a girl in a blue billowy dress stood at a stove. Her reddish brown hair was tied back with a ribbon that matched the dress and she wore simple black shoes on her feet. She stopped what she was doing when she hear Tinker Bell's wings and turned, " Oh Peter... " She started, her brow crinkling when her eyes fell on Baelfire instead.

She blinked, " Who are you? "

" I found him on the beach, Wendy, " Peter said before Baelfire could open his mouth. " He says he came from The Enchanted Forest... Wherever that is. Tell Wendy your name. "

Baelfire stammered then said, " It's Baelfire. "

Wendy walked over, " Well Baelfire, you're positively soaked. Tinker Bell, why didn't you do something about this? He could catch his death of cold. "

Tinker Bell put her tiny fist on her hips and gave Wendy a dirty look. Baelfire didn't think it was fair Wendy was scolding her since he had refused her help. " She tried but I wouldn't let her, " He said. " I... I don't like magic. "

Wendy blinked, " Oh. Well, I guess I have to do something about this then, don't I? "

Peter moved forward, " Do you think we have clothes for him? "

Wendy put her hand on her chin, looking Baelfire over then sighed, " Well, he looks about the same size as some of the extra clothes I have here. Perhaps we can use them until we can wash his out. "

" That would be great, " Peter said.

" And a warm bath, " Wendy sounded more like she was talking to herself at that moment as she moved across the room to a large trunk. " And I'm sure he needs to eat too... "

Peter leaned into Baelfire's right ear, " Isn't she great? I asked her to stay here to be my mother. "

" Your mother? " Baelfire furrowed his brow. " Don't you have one? "

Peter motioned to Wendy, " Yeah. Wendy. Don't you have a mother? "

Baelfire frowned, " I did... But she died. "

Peter blinked, " Wow. When? Recently? "

" When I was seven, " Baelfire replied. " She... She was taken by pirates and I never saw her again. "

Peter glanced at Wendy again then sighed, " Well, she can be your mother too now I guess. What's one more? "

Baelfire arched an eyebrow, " Wait. How many kids are there here? "

Peter had to think. He muttered the names to himself as he ticked off on his fingers then smiled, " With you... Nine. "

Baelfire looked at Wendy again. She looked like she was maybe two years older than he was, if that much. " But... She's still a kid herself. "

Peter chuckled, " Yeah but still... She's a great mother. "

Wendy turned around from the trunk. She held a pair of brown pants and a white shirt, " Now, Baelfire. I'll go draw you a bath and you can get out of those wet clothes. When you're changed, I'll give you a nice dinner. How does that sound? "

Baelfire couldn't help but give her a tiny smile, " That sounds great. "


Emma looked at her watch again. She had been at the hospital for half an hour. She had gotten there early, hoping Doc would be there so she could get her check-up over with. She hated needles so she wasn't looking forward to the blood draw and she was dreading the pelvic exam she knew she was going to have. She remembered the ones she had in jail, the doctor there being less than gentle and leaving her in discomfort for hours afterward.

She was sure Doc would be less heavy-handed but still the memories made her nervous. She picked at her black sweater for a moment then smoothed her hand down her black jeans. They were slightly tight across her stomach but not too uncomfortable... Yet. She knew that wouldn't last long and would need to figure out where to get maternity clothes without raising suspicion.

She frowned, know that wouldn't be easy. She sighed, getting up to walk around the waiting area. Her eyes were drawn to a rack of pamphlets, most of them about mundane things like acne and the flu. As she scanned the rack, she stopped at a row of ones about pregnancy.

As she perused the titles, one gave her pause. " Intimacy during pregnancy, " She muttered to herself. She looked around to make sure no one was coming before she picked it up. She thought of the dream she had that morning, wondering if things would lead to that if she had dinner with Mr. Gold.

" Emma... How long have you been here? " Doc's voice startled her. How long he had been standing behind her was a mystery to her.

" Not long, " Emma lied as she put the pamphlet back hastily. She dropped it but it fell back into the right slot.

" You should take some of those, " Doc moved to her right side. " They're very educational and could answer some questions you may not be... Comfortable asking. "

Emma froze, certain he saw what she had been looking at. She sighed, " I was just wasting time. Actually, I've been here for a while. I thought maybe I could get this over with. "

" There's nothing to be afraid of, Emma. The exam takes only a few minutes and we'll just need a few vials of blood, " Doc said. He became concerned, " Did you have a bad experience when you were pregnant with Henry? "

Emma sighed, " Let's just say I didn't look forward to my exams. "

" Oh, " Doc said. He sighed, " Well, I promise to do no more than necessary. "

Emma nodded, " Okay then. Let's do this. "

Doc walked ahead of her, " The maternity exam rooms are this way. Come along. "

Emma followed him, trying not to make eye contact with too many people. Thankfully, the walk wasn't a long one and she ducked into the exam room after he opened the door. She looked up, finding it was ready for her, a nurse finishing preparations. She had been laying out the vials needed for the blood but looked up as Doc and Emma came in.

" Oh, " She said. Emma recognized her from the recovery room. It was the blonde haired nurse that she was sure Henry would say was Tinker Bell. She wore pastel green scrubs and white sneakers. " You're here. "

" Yes, " Doc nodded. He looked at Emma, " We'll leave you now so you can change. Just poke your head out when you're ready. "

" Right, " Emma said and waited as they left the room before kicking off her ballerina flats. She moved them aside then pulled off her sweater...


Mr. Gold stared into the flame of his gold plated lighter. He was still trying to find answers to when and where Cora would appear but was having no luck at all. He closed it, deciding that Cora must have cast a spell over herself much like Regina to keep him from snooping too deeply into her affairs. He set it aside just as someone opened the door to the shop, the tiny bell announcing their presence.

He looked towards the door to find Belle standing there. He gave her a smile, " Good morning. I'm so sorry I had to run out on you like that the other day. "

" I understood why you did it. I see you succeeded in that by the way, " Belle replied. She was wearing a casual dress with blue and white flowers printed on a black background. She had a black crocheted cardigan on over it, probably to keep the chill away.

The dress stopped at her knees and she wore a pair of strappy black high-heeled shoes that looked rather nice on her. He brought his eyes back up to her face as he pondered for a moment just where she was getting her clothes from. She had taken nothing when she had left him but her wardrobe didn't seem limited by any means. He decided that she must have had some money stashed away or someone else was buying her clothes.

" Well, " Mr. Gold walked out from behind the display case. " I did what I could but yes, Emma and her mother are home safe. "

" I saw them last night at Granny's, " Belle motioned in the direction of the diner. She always got a strange expression on her face whenever Emma was mentioned. She let out a nervous chuckle, " They looked really happy to be home. "

" Indeed they were, " Mr. Gold nodded. He thought about how Emma had acted when they had talked the night prior. He could tell by the look in her eyes that she had missed him but was unsure of his feelings. He had wanted to tell her he had missed her too but there were just too many people around.

His feelings for her were private and he would only tell her when they were alone. He could not risk endangering her or their unborn children with validation to the rumors Regina had spread. With Cora most likely on her way to Storybrooke, he had to protect her to the best of his ability.

There was an awkward silence, Belle taking a couple of steps towards him as she put her hands behind her. She looked like she was going to ask him something but just couldn't find the words. She lifted her head, looking him in the eyes. She took a deep breath, " How is... Everything else? "

Mr. Gold arched an eyebrow. He knew what Belle was getting at. When they had met at Granny's, he said he would consider giving up magic once Emma and Mary-Margret were home and when he had found his son. He hadn't made any promises though.

He sighed, " I'm working on finding my son. It is rather tricky not being able to leave town but I'm working on that too. "

Belle nodded, " I see. "

Mr. Gold couldn't help but notice that she looked a little unhappy with his answers. He placed both his hands on his cane as he closed his eyes, " Belle. You said you wanted to get to know me for who I am. To put it simply, I am just a man who wants his son back and will do anything to get him back. I became what I was... What I AM to keep him, giving up myself so he would be safe. "

" But he still ran away, " Belle said quietly. She hesitated, " Because you were too much of a coward to give up your power... Even for him. "

Her words stung, like the fine edge of a razor slicing into his heart. She didn't have to remind him, just like she didn't need to remind him he was a coward. That word cut so very deep whenever anyone uttered it but it cut the deepest when she said it. Just her standing there made him feel pain when her presence once made him feel joy, something that puzzled him but was too painful to ponder.

" He did and I was but I have accepted it was my fault. Now, I just need to find him and tell him I was wrong, " Mr. Gold gripped the handle of his cane tighter. " All these years... Everything I have done all boils down to how sorry I am that I hurt him and I want to make it right. If you cannot accept that then... "

Belle stepped forward, " I'm not saying I don't accept it, Rumplestiltskin! I'm trying to say I will stand by you for as long as it takes for you to set it right. If not as your lover then as your friend. "

Her voice trembled and Mr. Gold opened his eyes to see tears in hers. She shook slightly as she stared at him, her hands clenched in fists as her sides. It looked like it was taking a lot for her to admit she would allow him to use magic though she detested it. " So you will allow me to do whatever it is I need to do? "

" That's what I'm saying, " Belle replied. She took a shuddering breath, " And if it requires magic, so be it. "

Mr. Gold nodded. He didn't know how long she could stick to such an agreement considering her feelings about magic but he would take her at her word for that moment. " Thank you. As you know, allies are rather hard to come by considering my reputation. "

" I know, " Belle relaxed her hands. She glanced over her shoulder, looking like she wanted to flee. " I guess I had better go now. I still have a lot of work to do at the library. "

" Yes, " Mr. Gold replied. He knew she was probably going to go cry in private, to let the tears flow freely. " I have work to do as well. "

Belle backed away slowly, " Perhaps I will drop by and we can talk more later. "

" Perhaps we can, " Mr. Gold nodded. How much later was anyone's guess.

Belle turned and opened the door. She glanced at him one more time before slipping out the door. He sighed, turning around and going to the back room...


Emma drove down Main Street. As Doc promised, he didn't keep her any longer than necessary at the hospital and that left her with a couple of hours to kill before she had to pick up Henry. She pulled to a stop in front of Archie's office and shut off the engine of the bug, deciding to just get seeing him out of the way first.

Archie was a great friend to her as well as her parents but it didn't change the fact she hated to talk about herself. It always made her feel like whoever she was talking to thought she was broken and needed fixing. She didn't see herself that way... Maybe knocked around a bit but not broken. She had thought she had done alright taking care of herself and didn't want to feel like she was being judged.

She opened the car door, pausing when she saw Belle going into the library building. She watched her as she slipped inside, closing the door behind her. Emma looked up, finding that a banner had been put up, saying that the library would be opening soon. It was something that must have happened while she was away and she would have to look into it more when she had time.

She got out, locking the door before she closed it. She then walked to the stairs that led up to Archie's office. When she reached it, she took a deep breath and knocked. " Coming, " Archie called.

A moment later, he opened the door. He blinked, " Miss Swan. I'm glad you decided to come see me after all. "

Emma motioned over her shoulder, " Henry had something to do that was going to take all morning so I figured I would just get all the doctor's appointments out of the way now. "

" Doctors? " Archie arched an eyebrow. " Plural? "

Emma motioned to her stomach, " Yeah. I needed to see Doc too. "

Archie looked down, " How is that going? "

" Can we talk about it inside? " Emma felt uncomfortable standing out in the hallway. It wasn't something she liked to discuss when anyone could just walk in from the street.

" Oh yes, " Archie stepped aside. " Come in. "

Emma walked into the office, Archie shutting and locking the door behind her. She walked to the couch and sat down, Archie sitting across from her in his chair. She sighed, " Where do you want to start? "

Archie pushed his glasses up, " I'd like you to answer the question I just asked you. "

" They're fine, " Emma said. She didn't want to get into her whole theory on her healing factor keeping the babies safe. She didn't want to blow Archie's mind. " Apparently, I took better care of myself over there than I thought. "

" Very good, " Archie nodded. He leaned forward, " Have you told the father yet? "

Emma sighed, " Yes. When I got home yesterday. I... I saw him and let him know. "

" And how does he feel about this? " Archie arched an eyebrow.

Emma blinked. She wasn't sure. She really hadn't talked to Mr. Gold long enough to get an idea of his feelings. He seemed happy but cautiously so.

" I don't know yet, " Emma replied. " We didn't get to talk long. There was too much going on. I'm planning on talking to him today at some point though. "

" You should. As soon as you can. It wouldn't be good for you or the children if you stress yourself over it, " Archie said.

Emma shook her head, " No. I guess not. "

There was a silence before Archie sighed, " And how is Henry handling it? Have you told him? "

" He's known for a while now, " Emma said.

" And does he know who the father is? " Archie gave Emma a serious look.

Emma shifted uncomfortably, " Not yet. He hasn't asked so I haven't said anything. "

" You need to if this man is going to be a part of your life, " Archie said. " Henry needs to accept him as well as his siblings. Your reluctance to tell him gives me the feeling that you still have some reservations about this man. "

" Speaking of Henry, how has he been since I was away? " Emma's mind jumped to her son. She wanted to know and shift the focus from herself as well. If she had reservations about Mr. Gold or not was her business and she would deal with them on her own.

Archie blinked at the sudden change of subject. " Uh, " He stammered. " He came to see me once but... "

Emma didn't like the way Archie's voice trailed off, " But? Was it about the nightmares he was having? "

" No, " Archie leaned forward. " After you left, he told Regina he wanted her to be a better person or he would never love her so... Well, she's been making an effort to be good. She's even tried to give up magic except in situations where it is the only way. "

Emma sat back, recalling how she had taken down the magic barrier meant to kill Cora. She was also pretty sure she had something to do with the sleeping curse David was put under. The way Archie had told he spoke volumes, like there had been other occasions. " Do you know of any to use as an example? "

Archie exhaled and took off his glasses, " I can't go into detail but Henry was in danger and she saved him... With magic. She was quite upset about it afterward and came to see me. I believe she's really making an effort and can change. "

Emma wanted to scoff but Archie had spoken with Regina about her want to change. Her love for Henry was quite powerful and even Emma could tell she would do anything for the boy. Emma sighed, " I guess time will tell. "

" Yes, " Archie said. " I guess it will. Now, back to what we were talking about... "

Emma frowned. Henry had some pretty strong feelings about Mr. Gold and wasn't sure how he would react. " Look. I will tell Henry when I feel like he's ready to hear it. I don't think right now will be the best time. "

" And why is that? " Archie clasped his hands in front of him.

Emma scoffed, " I just barely got home. I think he's been through enough with everything that's been going on. I would like to give him time to recover. "

" The longer you wait the harder it will be, " Archie said firmly. He then became serious, " And the worse he may react. "

Emma rolled her eyes, " I will tell him in a couple of weeks, okay? I just want things to settle down first. "

Archie stared at her for a long moment then closed his eyes, " Fine. I believe that is a sensible approach. Just don't put it off again. "

Emma stood up, " Look. I don't have much time and I still have a couple of stops to make before I go get Henry. I also need to get the stuff for the party tonight. I'm not sure if I can find it here or not though. "

" Oh yes, " Archie stood up as well. " It is a potluck, isn't it? "

" Yeah, " Emma said.

" What are you bringing? " Archie asked.

Emma sighed, " Tacos. I haven't had one since... Well, I can't remember when I had one last. "

" Good choice, " Archie said. He smirked, " I'm not sure if I've EVER had one. "

Emma chuckled as she moved towards the door, " Then you're in for a treat. "

Archie followed her to the door and opened it. " I hope so. Good day, Miss Swan. "

" Bye, Archie, " Emma said and walked out into the hall. She walked down the stairs and stopped on the sidewalk, looking in the direction of Mr. Gold's shop. She took a deep breath, walking to the beetle and getting the keys out. She unlocked the driver's side door and sat down on the seat.

She stared at the glove compartment for a long time then back down the street. She closed her eyes, reaching for the compartment, pulling it open. She opened her eyes, taking out an envelope just big enough to hold a four-by-six picture. She lifted the flap, pulling it out halfway to look at it.

She couldn't help but smile at the grainy black-and-white sonogram printout. It showed how much the twins had grown in just a month. They actually looked like babies instead of gray blobs, their heads, arms and legs mostly formed and their little bodies taking shape. The quality of the machine was horrible but she didn't care... The pictures were good enough for her.

She sighed, closing the envelope and putting it in her jacket pocket before she got out of the car again. It really wasn't that far to the pawn shop and she needed the walk. She wanted to get her head together before she faced him. She had told him but the thought of showing him the pictures made her a little nervous.

Long before she was ready, she found herself at the front door of the shop. She reached for the knob, taking a deep breath. A flash of the dream she had about Mr. Gold being with Belle crossed her mind. She pushed it away, remembering she had seen the woman go into the library.

She let the breath out, turning the knob and pushing the door open. The bell rang as she walked in, ringing again as she closed the door behind her. The shop was eerily quiet... And she could smell the faint scent of roses. Her heart sank, recognizing the scent.

She had smelled it when she came to confront Mr. Gold about the wraith but that hadn't been the first time. She had smelled it the scant few times she had been close enough to Belle to catch a whiff of her perfume. She bit her lip, deciding it was just better to leave than face what she had seen in her dream. She barely touched the doorknob when she heard the rustle of the curtain behind her.

She braced herself for a female voice, relaxing when a smooth and definitely male one reached her ears. " Emma... What brings you by, my darling? "

Emma let her hand fall back to her side as she turned, " I... I wanted to see you, " She said. " I... I have something to show you. "

Mr. Gold cocked his head to the side, " Oh? And what would that be? "

Emma opened her jacket, reaching into the inside pocket. She pulled out the envelope and held it out to him, " This. "

He furrowed his brow and took the envelope. He walked over to the nearest display case, leaning his cane against it so he could use both hands. He held it in his left hand as he opened the flap with his right. He pulled the picture out slowly, staring at it.

" Oh my, " He whispered. " This is... "

" The babies, " Emma moved so she was standing next to him.

" Marvelous, " He smiled. He looked at her, " This is much better than the picture Henry showed me. "

Emma sighed, " I was only a month along when that one was made. "

Mr. Gold looked at the picture again, " When he came to ask for my help, he brought a picture much like this. "

" I know, " Emma nodded. " He told me. "

Mr. Gold looked away from the picture and at Emma, " I have something for you as well. "

Emma blinked, " Something? For me? "

" Yes, " Mr. Gold nodded. " But it is in the back. Do you mind following me? "

" Not at all, " Emma said though the thought of going to the back of the shop with him set her heart pounding in her ears. He had brought down the bed from the upstairs apartment, something she had noticed the night before. Her dream from that morning came back to her mind, wondering if any of that was going to happen.

" Then come along, " Mr. Gold put the picture back into the envelope and held it out to Emma.

She took it, holding it and staring at it for a moment before putting it back in her jacket. She couldn't wait to show Mary-Margret the new image, knowing her mother would be ecstatic. A thought crossed her mind and she looked at Mr. Gold. She sighed, " Are you doing anything tonight? "

He frowned as he thought then sighed, " Why are you asking? "

Emma motioned over her shoulder, " Well, there's a party down at Granny's for Mary-Margret and I... "

Mr. Gold put his right hand up, " Stop right there. Though I do appreciate the offer, I don't think I will be welcome. After all, I DID take the diamonds from the mines and the dwarves aren't exactly happy about that. Add that to the general way most people feel about me and well... "

" Oh, " Emma slumped her shoulders a bit. She hadn't thought about that. She then furrowed her brow, " But you came to Mary-Margret's 'welcome home' party. "

" I was her lawyer, " Mr. Gold said. He then looked a bit sad as he said, " And if I remember it correctly, I spent most of the night in a corner... Alone. "

Emma recalled the night. It had also been the night she had accused him of having something to do with Kathryn's disappearance. She wished she hadn't brought it up, knowing she had probably brought up some pain he was trying to forget. She had been so mean and unfair to him, feeling the need to apologize when she realized the truth.

" No, darling. I believe I won't be missed if I forgo the festivities tonight, " Mr. Gold sighed. " Thank you for the offer though. It was quite thoughtful of you. "

" You're welcome, " Emma breathed. She would miss him but she couldn't say it out loud. She just couldn't.

" Now, " Mr. Gold motioned to the back room.

" Oh, " Emma understood. He wanted her to go first. She walked past him, going through the curtain as he followed her. She glanced around the back room as he moved past her to some shelves.

He had re-arranged things since she had been there last, his magic probably giving him the ability to do so. It seemed less cluttered and more organized. He returned to her, his expression serious. " Now, if I am correct, Cora may still come to Storybrooke. "

" But how? " Emma asked. She was sure Cora couldn't make it through without the compass.

" I don't know but she is resourceful, " Mr. Gold said in a firm tone. " And, because of that, I need to do something. "

" And what's that? " Emma arched an eyebrow.

Mr. Gold continued to look at her intently, " Your father had a protection spell placed on you before you left... A spell that broke when you told me you were pregnant. I believe that it would be a good idea to put another one on you to be safe... Just in case Cora is coming. "

Emma couldn't argue with that. The spell had protected her from Cora knowing she was with child in The Enchanted Forest and if Mr. Gold's hunch was correct, she would still need to be protected. " So what are you going to do? "

" Put another one on you of course, " Mr. Gold replied. " It will only take a moment and I will be the only one who can break it. It will also keep other who do not know about your condition from seeing it. "

Again, Emma could not argue. Though the babies were still small, she knew they were going to grow a lot in the coming weeks. She nodded, " I'm in. Do it, Gold. "

Mr. Gold gave her a reserved smile, " I was hoping you would agree. Give me your left hand and close your eyes. "

Emma lifted it and he took it as she closed her eyes. She could feel him cover her hand with his right and he muttered some strange words she didn't understand, probably the words of the spell. She felt a strange energy flowing through her body but it wasn't like when The Blue Fairy had placed her spell on her. This energy seemed to blend with her own, becoming part of her, a bit of it centering on her left hand ring finger.

Mr. Gold held onto her hand for a long moment before exhaling and letting her go. " It is done. You're protected from anyone who does not know. "

Emma opened her eyes, looking down to find a thin gold band around her ring finger. She blinked at it then looked at Mr. Gold. " What the HELL is this? "

He looked perfectly calm, " The physical manifestation of the spell. I have one too. "

Emma frowned as he held up his left hand, showing it was true. " Oh my God... Gold! "

" Settle down, " He still remained calm. " It is simply a promise that I'll protect you and the babies from harm. "

" It looks like a wedding ring, " Emma growled.

Mr. Gold arched an eyebrow, " And this bothers you? "

" Uh yeah, " Emma scoffed. " I never agreed to this. "

" You agreed to take my protection, " Mr. Gold was still annoyingly calm.

" I didn't know it meant THIS! " Emma grabbed the ring and tried to take it off but it would not budge. She glared at him as she pulled, " How do I get it off? "

" Have me break the spell, " Mr. Gold replied. He quirked his mouth, " But I don't think you want to do that... Not when you consider the danger you will be putting yourself in. "

Emma narrowed her eyes, " I can't do that. "

" Then it is settled now, isn't it? " Mr. Gold said.

Emma frowned, " Can anyone else see it? "

" Only those who know that you're pregnant already, " Mr. Gold shrugged. " The spell only affects those who do NOT know. "

Emma went cold, " How am I going to explain this to my parents... To Henry? "

Mr. Gold shrugged, " I'm sure you'll come up with something they'll believe. Of course, you could always try the truth. "

" But Henry doesn't know you're the father of the twins, " Emma said.

" When were you planning on telling him? " Mr. Gold asked. " He'll have to know at some point. "

Emma frowned, " When I think he's ready. "

Mr. Gold quirked his mouth, " When he's ready or when YOU'RE ready? "

Emma growled again, unable to respond in any other way. She closed her eyes, " I'm done here. I have other things to do and I have to go pick up Henry. "

" And think of a way to explain, correct? " Mr. Gold's voice had a slightly teasing edge to it.

Emma turned on her heel and walked out to the shop, too mad to say anything else...