AN: Kim tries to make the best of her situation.

The first problem Kim faced that night was what to wear for pajamas. There was a shift beneath her dress. But despite the fireplace in her borrowed room, she felt it was still a bit too cold to only sleep in that. She looked around for any spare blankets, ones that Rumple wouldn't mind being a little altered. When she found one, she grabbed some scissors and quickly set to work. She cut two medium-sized holes for her arms, and she used a tie from one of the curtains to close the blanket around her waist. She giggled over her DIY bathrobe, before crouching in front of the fireplace and placing her palms near the heat. If only her mother could see her now. Kim hoped that she was doing okay. Then, she noticed a tiny light in the corner of the room. She dismissed it at first, until she realized it was growing as it moved towards her. She smiled, and a familiar face smiled back.

"I've been wondering when you'd show up."

Penny replied, "A fairy's work is never done, I'm afraid. How are you handling things?"

"Well, I don't have hypothermia. That's a pretty good start."

A giggle was followed by, "I meant with Rumplestiltskin. I'm sure you know by now it was my intention for you to wind up at the Dark Castle."

"Yeah. That was kind of easy math. What I'm not sure of is how I fit in here. Nearly every person this man's ever known has screwed him over in some way, and he's just lost the great love of his life. How am I supposed to fix that?"

"I'm not asking you to fix it. Ultimately, he's going to have to pull himself out of that hole. But it doesn't mean you can't make things easier. Make him laugh, but not the creepy hyena kind."

"If he were a king, this would make me his court jester."

"Whatever helps you handle it. This is part of your reward, Kim. You said you like helping people. We both know how much help he needs."

She nodded, sighing as her gaze shifted to the fireplace. The next few minutes saw another impressive bit of magic from Penny. She made several articles of Kim's modern clothing appear, remodeling them into the medieval fashion with a flick of her wand. Pairs of jeans, corduroys, and khakis became skirts. Bras became corsets, and most of her shirts had their sleeves either lengthened or shortened. Only the peasant blouses were unchanged, for obvious reasons. She watched as several pairs of sneakers stretched upwards, turning into boots. Her ballet flats became not-so-flat-anymore. And of course, her pajamas were there, too. It was actually a pretty great setup. So, why did she feel so funny about it? Was it early homesickness, combined with a big dose of fear? She was unsure of how to pose the question.

There were other things, however, that she had no problem expressing her curiosity over: "So, what do I do tomorrow? He was on fairly decent behavior tonight. But I don't know how long it'll be, before that'll change."

"Well, neither do I, sweetheart. Your job is to endure every peak and valley. It's a gift you've always had. You're in a very unique position with him right now."

"What do you mean?"

Penny told her, "Cora saw only his dark side. Belle saw only his light side. Each tried to get him to focus solely on the side they liked, though I'm more inclined to side with the efforts of the latter."

A giggle was followed by, "The efforts of the latter? So formal."

"I'm serious. You're the only person who's come into his life, already knowing everything about his situation. You've seen his past, and you know what's coming in his future."

The fairy didn't know it, but the second half of that last sentence pinched Kim's heart more than it should have. She'd always felt somewhat connected to Rumple as a character. There was a lot about his personality, the reasons behind it, that she could relate to. Now, getting to know the actual man, she feared becoming too attached. Penny's words only served to remind her that everything she'd share with him would have an expiration date. Perhaps, her presence would help him deal with the nastier moments in a different way. She said a special prayer about that after Penny left, crossing herself at the close of it. As she climbed into the surprisingly soft bed, a part of her wondered if her little trip would prove to have been a dream. When she opened her eyes the next morning, she was pleased to find that wasn't the case.

She was surrounded by the same castle walls, upon which sat two pictures and a tapestry. She gave a soft whistle of awe, amazed over how much Rumple had collected. She reached for a clean shift after climbing out of bed, one that fell slightly off her shoulders and had small, puffy sleeves. It didn't take long to find something to put over it. One of her tank-tops, a dark purple one, had been extended to be floor-length and was split down the center from just under the bust. She felt the stretch as she pulled that part over her chest. A thin brown ribbon helped it fit even better, emphasizing the new empire waistline. She grabbed the brush Penny had so helpfully given her, brushing the knots from her hair and twisting it into a braid. She took a minute to study her reflection, giggling when she realized how the braid made her look.

Under her breath, she sang, "A kingdom of isolation and it looks like I'm the queen."

Wandering the corridors, she wondered where Rumple was. He should've made an appearance by that point. She would've even accepted a scrap of parchment nailed to her borrowed room's door, with the words "Get out" written on it. Glancing out a nearby window, she realized that the sun wasn't fully up yet. He was probably still in bed, or possibly gone out extra-early to begin…whatever he did on an average day. When she reached the kitchen, her stomach growled. She giggled, as she walked in. Maybe, cooking Rumple a hearty breakfast would be a fair show of thanks. It'd put her on his good side for now. She quickly set to work, grabbing eggs and dry oats from the pantry. She cut up some strawberries and threw them in as the oats softened, also spooning in some honey. She made the eggs in scrambled form, and she loved the process of making the orange juice. She became so wrapped up in cleaning the utensils she'd used, that she didn't hear the approaching footsteps. The door creaked open, and her host stepped in.

"What the hell are you still doing here?"

Kim glanced over her shoulder, nervous but still smiling.

She replied, "Good morning. Hope you're hungry."

She stifled a laugh over the look on Rumple's face, knowing that would only tick him off. She put a plate, bowl, and cup of juice in front of his seat. She leaned a hip against the table, crossing her arms.

Then, she said, "Oh, come on. Dark One or not, an empty stomach isn't good. Just enjoy it."

"Enjoy it." Those words were so foreign in the way she meant them. The confusion this girl was causing left him feeling not in-control. That just wouldn't do. Grunting, he took his seat at the small table, with no fight or snarky comments. She considered this a victory. But how was she going to fully get through to him, if he didn't talk?

She asked, "So, what's the plan for today? Making some new deals? Ripping out some hearts?"

His spoon clanged against the edge of his oatmeal bowl.

"Alright", he said, "You clearly know my history, yet you show no fear of it. Some would say that doesn't reflect kindly on your mental state."

"What about your mental state? More than some would question that."

"I ceased to care what other people think long ago."

"Well, that's a good thing. We wouldn't want the world to know you actually have feelings."

"I don't."

He didn't want her to see how easily she'd ruffled him, and for the second time this morning. He stuffed another piece of egg into his mouth, focusing his eyes out the window. It took about twenty minutes to finish the meal. As Kim stood up to clear the table, she was surprised when Rumple snapped his fingers, and each plate was instantly clean.

"How did you—why?"

"Washing is too troublesome, dearie."

The brief eye-contact they made told her what this really was—a thank you for making him breakfast, when he didn't ask for it. Aw. He actually did something sweet. He quickly left the kitchen when she smiled at him, and she followed him just as fast. She had to find ways to make herself useful, or he'd likely kick her out of the castle by the end of the day. From the corner of her eye, she spotted a glass container of brown liquid. Taking a few steps away from him, she leaned over and sniffed the container. The scent gave it away—furniture polish. Near it was a shelf, filled with small rags. She grabbed the polish and one of the rags, walking past Rumple and into the dining hall. She headed over to the mirror and, without a word, began polishing its frame.

"What are you doing?"

She was tempted to say something about the curtains, just like Belle had, but she knew that would only lead to further confusion.

Instead, she told him, "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm helping out."

"But why?"

"It's called being nice."

Nice. Yet another concept he hadn't experienced in a long while. He swallowed back the warmth this idea provoked. He snapped his fingers again. A long, black coat with feathers around the collar appeared on him.

Then, he asked her, "Do you think you can behave yourself, until I rrreturn, Miss Kimberly?"

Her breath hitched. This the first time he'd used her name And perhaps without realizing it, he was also giving her permission to stay.

She quickly schooled her face into a neutral expression and told him, "I think I can manage."

With a sharp nod, he disappeared in a puff of purple smoke. Then, upon arriving in the middle of a forest, he realized what he'd just done. He'd given that little interloper permission to stay in his home! What was wrong with him?! How was it that, in just over twelve hours, she'd gotten under his skin to this point of semi-familiarity? He cleared his throat, rolling his shoulders back before continuing on his journey. He'd deal with the girl later. She wasn't that important.

AN: As Ace Ventura once said, "Denial can be an ugly thing." (giggle) I modeled the breakfast scene on the "How do you like your eggs?" moment from the first "Shrek" movie. Where would you like to see me go from here? Please, feel free to let me know in a private message.