4 | Gold

It was nearing noon when Mary Margaret walked out of the library in disappointment. She had spent the entire morning looking through city records and censuses with Belle the librarian, keen on knowing more about her stepmother's past. All Mary Margaret knew was that she was the former mayor of Storybrooke before she went to Boston to marry her father. Having looked through every record and newspaper clipping about the woman only showed her stellar reign and nothing contrary to it.

Belle, bless her, was kind enough to entertain her every question without suspicions. Her love for books was contagious, and they have been distracted multiple times over the stories and novels Belle would remember throughout their conversation. Mary Margaret found out in the few hours she had spent with her that she was diagnosed with post-traumatic amnesia after she had been in an accident the year before. She has been trying to remember her past by being in the library most days because her father had told her she loved books since she was little. It got to the point that the former librarian retired and passed the torch over to her.

"I'm sorry I wasn't much help," Belle frowned as she walked Mary Margaret to the door.

Mary Margaret gave her a kind smile, slipping her coat on, "You've given me a start. It's better than nothing." She paused. "You mentioned your current mayor earlier. Any idea where he might be?"

"None at all," Belle replied. "Once Albert Nolan secured his position, he vanished. Mr. Gold has been governing the town ever since."

An idea popped into Mary Margaret's head just as Belle exclaimed, "Oh! You can interview Mr. Gold. He's been around forever. Maybe he might have the answers you are looking for."

"I'll certainly try that," Mary Margaret told her insincerely before returning to her previous thought. "Nolan? As in David Nolan?"

Belle smiled and nodded. "Yes. Albert Nolan is David's father."

Mary Margaret stopped in her tracks, finding herself in front of Granny's diner with a growling stomach. Mr. Gold's Pawnshop was just up ahead, but she was unsure whether or not to pursue Belle's idea. She needed answers, but she couldn't risk anyone knowing what exactly she was looking for. The library was the perfect place to be vague.

Before her mind can think otherwise, her body was already pushing the door of the pawnshop. The inside was dark. Every inch of the walls had something hung, and every glass case was filled with odd antiques. There was a small man with long graying hair behind the glass case facing the door, sorting through index cards. He looked up when he heard the bell.

"Um, hi," Mary Margaret greeted him unsurely. "Are you Mr. Gold?"

As she walked forward, she noticed that he was fighting off a smile. "Yes, indeed, dearie. What can I do for you?"

Cursing herself for not thinking the whole situation through, she tried to appear nonchalant by placing her hands behind her and looking around the shop. "I was wondering if you can tell me more about the town. I'm new here, so I just wanted to know about… stuff."

Mr. Gold was studying her with a curious expression on his face. "You have to be more specific than that. The town's history? The town's people?" He paused. "Its authorities, perhaps?"

There was a knowing glint in his eyes when he said his last words that made her uncomfortable. "People," she answered him, feeling a bit stupid after she did.

"Contrary to what you might think, there are a lot of people in Storybrooke. You have to be more specific than that," he repeated with a smile.

"Belle told me you've been around forever," she started.

He laughed. "That phrase makes one feel quite old, don't you think?"

She cracked a small smile at that, forgetting what she was supposed to say.

He regarded her for a long time before saying, "What exactly did you come to me for, dearie?"

There was no fooling this man, that much she knew from the look in his eyes. She steeled her nerves before asking, "You already know, don't you?"

The man let out a grin as he put away his index cards. "Yes, I do."

Mary Margaret watched him warily as he went to stand next to her. She then noticed that he had a limp and was leaning on a cane for support. "If you are not aware, I'm acting mayor," he continued to say. "I know who passes through the town line and everyone in this town at this very second. It's my job."

"You're certainly more efficient than the police force," she muttered.

Mr. Gold let out a laugh. "I try, dearie. So, yes. I know who you are and what you came here to do. And I have to say I admire your courage. Regina is a formidable woman."

Her name sent a painful jolt down her spine. Tears stung her eyes as she looked down at her feet. "I have to be brave," she said almost inaudibly. "She wants to kill me."

The admission tasted bitter on her tongue, and the same cold fear she felt the moment she found out washed over her again.

Mr. Gold was quiet at her words, making her look up. The man was studying her with the same curious expression on his face as before. She rolled her eyes to keep the tears at bay and began to fan them with her hands. "I'm sorry I don't know why I'm crying," she let out a helpless laugh.

"Well," he said quietly. "Having a target on one's back may be a bit overwhelming. I don't blame you at all."

Mary Margaret felt a surge of fondness for the man.

Mr. Gold limped back to where he was standing before. "As for the information you want, well, the first thing you need to know about me is that everything in this shop comes with a price. I live through deals. I give you something, and I expect something in return. I might ask for it now, I might ask for it later. Think of it as a trade."

She nodded. "How much do you want for it, then?"

He fought off another grin. "I'm not interested in your money, Miss Blanchard, although I am certain you have plenty of that." She blushed in embarrassment. "I'll think about your end of the bargain. Do we have a deal?"

Mary Margaret looked at his wrinkled hand thrust towards her for a moment before shaking it. "Deal."

He pulled back his hand with a contented smile. "There's a painting in the mayor's office that looks out of place. I've been meaning to get rid of it for a while now. Reckon you can look into it."

Confusion clouded her expression.

"Here's the key. I suggest you go at night."

Ruby was out on a date, so it was easy for Mary Margaret to sneak past Granny who was knitting in the lounge of the inn before running down the darkened streets of Storybrooke. Ruby mentioned that there was patrol roaming around until midnight. It was half past eleven on her watch, but she could not wait any longer. Ruby and Granny might get suspicious if they caught her coming home too late.

The town hall was a large white building standing in the middle of the entire town. Mary Margaret felt like her heart was about to beat out of her chest because of the adrenaline. If she were ever caught in this crime of breaking and entering, she will have the police on her trail, and she cannot risk being exposed too early.

She quickly made her way towards the back entrance and the key Gold gave her fit the lock perfectly. Slowly, she opened the door without a sound and tried to keep herself from hissing in triumph. Closing the door behind her, she saw a flashlight coming from the hallway and pressed herself against the wall behind a row of cabinets. When the danger was gone, it took an agonizing five minutes for her to find the mayor's office. Her heart began to beat loudly in her ears when she realized that Gold only gave her one key. She tried to turn the knob quietly and was surprised to find it unlocked.

She was surprised to be greeted by a modern black and white office that looked completely out of place for a small town. Storybrooke seemed too old-fashioned to have something like this. It was also surprisingly clean for a place that hasn't been used for a while. She looked around the room, trying to remember what Gold told her earlier before spying a painting of blue birds on the far wall of the room. Excitement filled her as she walked over and ran her hands through the frame. It looked innocent enough until she checked the wall behind it.

Carefully, she placed the painting down on the floor. There was a portion of the wall that was slightly deeper than the rest. She pressed her fingers against it and gasped when it popped open. She gingerly felt the inside of the opening before pulling out a ring of keys.

Before she can marvel at the discovery, she quickly pocketed the keys and carefully placed the painting back on the wall. Gold can burn it for all she cares. She made her way towards the door when she saw a shadow on the other side of the glass, freezing her in place.

"Who's there?"

Cursing internally, she looked around for an escape and ran towards the window. Without a second thought, she opened it and jumped off just in time as the light of the guard's flashlight shone into the room. Ignoring the pain radiating from her arm when she reached the bottom, she raced off into the night without a second glance at the building. Not seeing the familiar head of blonde hair popping out of the window she had jumped from.

"Whoever you are, I will find you!"

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