The Price of Gold

The Next Day, Snow was at Granny's having some cocoa when Emma came in. "Ruby, can I get a cocoa?"

"Sure," said Ruby.

Then, she sat down with Snow. "How'd your walk to the bus with Henry go?" she asked, "Did you bump into Regina?"

"No," said Emma, "But, I did bump in with Graham… He offered me a job as his deputy."

"Oh?" asked Snow, "Are you going to take it?"

"I don't know," said Emma. Just then Ruby came with Emma's cocoa, "Thanks."

Just then Regina came in and saw Snow and Emma. She walked up to them and said, "How was your walk with Henry? That's right… I know everything. But relax. I don't mind."

"You don't?" asked Emma.

"No. Because you no longer worry me, Miss Swan. You see, I did a little digging into who you two are. And what I found out was quite soothing. It all comes down to the number seven."

"Seven?" asked Snow.

"It's the number of cities you and your daughter have lived in, in the last decade," said Regina, "Your longest in anywhere was two years. Really, what did you enjoy so much about Tallahassee?"

"If you were wondering, we did find a place here in town," said Emma.

"I know. But your lease is only a year. You see my point? In order for something to grow, Miss Swan, it needs roots. And you? Don't have any. People don't change. They only fool themselves into believing they can."

"You don't know me."

"No, I think I do. All I ask, is as you carry on your transient life, you think of Henry and what's best for him. Perhaps consider a clean break. It's going to happen anyway. Enjoy your cocoa."

Regina walked away and Emma knocked the table and ended up spilling her cocoa over her shirt. "Really?" asked Emma.

Ruby walked over with a cloth and handed it to Emma, "Eesh."

"Do you have a laundry room I can use?" asked Ruby.

"Mmhmm!"

Emma looked at her mother, "I'll be back…"

After Emma came back, with her shirt cleaned, Snow and Emma headed back to Boston to get their things. The next day, they were back in Storybrooke unpacking when. There was a knock on the door. Snow answered it and was surprised to see Rumplestiltskin or as he was known in Storybrooke, Mr. Gold, "Hello, Ms. Swan. I'm Mr. Gold. I met you and your daughter briefly when you both arrived in town."

"Yes," said Snow, "I remember," Emma walked over.

"May I come in? I have a proposition for you both. I need your help. I'm looking for someone."

Snow and Emma looked at each other, "Sure," said Snow.

They let him in and he said, "I have a photo," He handed them a picture of a young woman with blond hair. Snow recognized her. In the Enchanted Forest, she was Cinderella, "Her name is Ashley Boyd and she's taken something quite valuable of mine."

"So, why don't you just go to the police?" asked Emma.

"Because, uh… She's a confused young woman. She's pregnant. Alone and scared. I don't want to ruin this young girl's life. But I just want my property returned."

"What is it?" asked Snow.

"Well, one of the advantages of you not being the police is discretion," said Gold, "Let's just say it's a precious object and leave it at that."

"When'd you see her last?" asked Emma.

"Last night. That's how I got this," Mr. Gold pulled his hair back and showed them a small gash on his forehead, "It's so unlike her. She was quite wound up, rambling on and on about changing her life. I have not idea what got into her. Please just help me find her. My only other choice is the police, and I don't think anyone wants to see that baby born in jail, now do they."

"No, of course not." said Snow.

"So you'll help me then?"

"We will help her," said Emma.

"Grand." said Gold, "Then I will leave you two to it… Good luck." Then, he left.

When Gold was gone, Emma looked at her mother, "I could tell you recognized the woman in the picture. So, who is Ashley really?"

"She's Cinderella," said Snow. Emma nodded she remembered her mother telling her Ella's story, "So, where do we start?" asked Snow, "Since we've been in Storybrooke I haven't seen Ella."

"I have."

"Where?"

"At Granny's yesterday. When I had to wash my shirt in the laundry room. She works as a maid at the bed and breakfast. She's pregnant and told me that no one thought she could take care of the baby. I told her that if she wanted people to think of her differently she had to make them. I didn't mean for her to break in to Gold's and knock him out."

"Well," said Snow, "You said she worked at Granny's. Let's go talk to Ruby then."

They talked to Ruby outside the diner. Out front a tow truck was lowering a car onto the street, "So, this boyfriend of hers, you don't think he was involved in her disappearance?" asked Emma.

"Uh, that would mean that he was involved with her at all, which he isn't," said Ruby, "He left her in the lurch right after they found out they were expecting. Hasn't spoken to her since. Like I said he's a…" The tow trucked dropped the car to the street, "Hey, hey, hey Billy, be careful. You almost shattered my wolf thing, Billy. It's good luck." Hanging off the rear view mirror was small red glass wolf.

"I'm sorry Ruby, but look, it's fine," said Billy, the tow truck driver.

Ruby gave him a flirty smile and then Snow said, "Um, Ruby." Ruby turned back to Emma and Snow, "What about her family?"

"Oh, um she's got a stepmom and two stepsisters that she doesn't talk to," said Ruby, "Look, I don't know what you've heard, but it's wrong," said Ruby, "Everyone thinks she's not ready to have this kid, but she's trying, taking night classes, trying to better herself, trying to get her life together. Can you understand that?"

"I think so," said Emma.

"Then maybe you should just stay out of it. She's been through enough already."

"I've been through it, too, Ruby, and I can help her."

"Then try her ex."

"Where can we find him?" asked Snow.

"He lives with his dad," said Ruby.

They went to the address that Ruby gave them. As Emma knocked on the front door, a car pulled up in the driveway. The house door opened and a young man around 19 opened the door, "Can I help you?" he asked. Snow recognized him as Ella's true love, Thomas.

"Sean Herman?" asked Emma.

"Yeah. Who are you?"

"I'm Emma Swan. This is my mom, Mary. We're... We're looking for Ashley Boyd. She's in trouble. We just thought maybe she came to see you."

"My son doesn't have anything to do with that girl anymore," said a voice behind them. They turned, and they saw a man walking toward the house. Snow saw that it was Thomas' father, "So whatever trouble she's in, I am sorry for, but there's nothing we can do to help you."

"You're the reason he broke up with her?" asked Snow.

"Absolutely. I'm not gonna let my son throw away his entire life over a mistake."

Snow remembered how much he had cared for Ella when she and Thomas were married. It pained her to see him like this. Then Snow said, "So you just told him to leave her?"

"Well what are they going to do, raise the child in the backseat of a car?" asked Sean's father.

"Some people only have the backseat of a car," said Emma.

"Well, they're to be pitied. I'm not letting that happen to my son," then he walked into the house.

"Dad, maybe we should help them look," said Sean.

"It's a waste, Sean," said his father.

"Sean, if you want to come, come," said Emma, "Stop letting other people make decisions for you. If Ashley runs away with this baby, she's gonna be in some serious trouble."

"She's running away with the baby?" asked Sean.

"Yes."

"Sean, inside. Now," said Sean's father. Sean went in the house and his father. Sean's father looked at Snow and Emma, "Look, believe me if I knew where she was I would tell you. I went to a lot of trouble to get her that deal."

"Deal?" asked Snow, "What are you talking about?"

"You don't know? Ashley agreed to give up the child. And she's being paid very well to do so."

"She sold the baby?" asked Emma.

"Oh, you make it sound so crass," said Sean's father, "I found someone who's going to find that child a good a proper home."

"And who are you to judge whether Ashley is capable of providing that?" asked Snow.

"Look at her, she's a teenager, and she's never shown any evidence of being responsible. How could she possibly know how to be a mother?

"Maybe she's changing her life," said Emma.

"Everybody says that," said Sean's father, "Now look, I found someone who's going to pay Ashley extremely well, someone who is going to see to it that everybody's happy."

"Mr. Gold," said Snow.

"Well, isn't that why you were hired, to bring him the baby?"

As Snow and Emma drove back to Granny's, Snow said, "Emma, you can't double cross Rumplestiltskin. Nothing good can come from it."

"He doesn't have his powers here, Mom," said Emma.

"No… But from what Granny says, he as much influence in town as Regina."

"That may be but if Ashley wants to have this baby, she should have it."

They pulled up to the diner and headed inside where Ruby was standing at the counter. "Why didn't you tell us she sold the baby?" Snow asked Ruby.

"Because I didn't think it was important," said Ruby.

"Really, considering that's why she's running away?" asked Emma.

"Look, Ashley's my friend. I don't like the idea of people judging her."

Snow saw the wolf figure from Ruby's car sitting at the pick up window. She picked it up and asked, "Ruby, where's your car?" Ruby didn't answer then Snow said, "You didn't send us to Sean to find her, you sent us there to give her a head start."

"Look, I'm only trying to help her," said Ruby.

"Yeah, so are Emma and I. Ashley's in more trouble than you know. Ruby. Where is she? Don't make her deal with Gold without us."

"She left town. Said she was gonna try Boston. Thought she could disappear there."

"How long ago did she leave?" asked Emma.

"About a half an hour."

A little while later, Emma and Travis were on the road to Boston. They got close to the town line when they saw Ruby's car. Emma pulled the Bug off the road and the two of them ran up to the car.

"Ashley?" called Emma as they ran up to the car but when they got there they saw it was empty.

"Aaah!" they heard Ashley scream. They ran in the direction of the scream and they saw Ashley sitting on a patch of grass near the car. When they reached her she looked up at them and said, "My baby. It's coming."

They helped Ashley to Emma's Bug. Snow got in back while Ashley sat in front. Then, Emma got in the driver's seat and started to head back to town, Emma glanced at Ashley, "Don't worry. The hospital isn't that far."

"No, no, no, no, take me to Boston," said Ashley, "I can't go back there."

"Oh, no we don't have four hours," said Snow, "trust me. I know."

"I can't go back there, please," Ashley started to sob, "He's gonna take my baby."

"I won't let that happen," said Emma, "But do you know what you're asking for? If you keep this child are you really ready?"

"Yeah."

"Are you sure? Because I wasn't."

"You weren't?"

"Nope. If you want to give this kid its best chance, it's gonna be with someone who's ready, so know what that means. Your whole life is gonna change, and once you decide that it's yours, this running away can't happen. You have to grow up, and you can't ever leave. Understand?"

"Yes. I want my baby."

They got Ashley to the hospital and she was taken to maternity. Snow and Emma sat in the waiting room and a short time later, the doctor came up to them, "Ms. Swan, the baby is a healthy six-pound girl, and the mother is doing fine."

"What lovely news," said a voice behind them. They turned and saw Mr. Gold, "Excellent work, ladies. Thank you for bringing me my merchandise."

A little while later, Mr. Gold was standing at a coffee vending machine. He hit it and got a free cup of coffee. Snow and Emma walked up to him, "Well, well. Must be my lucky day," said Mr. Gold, "Care for a cup?"

"No thank you," said Snow.

"A baby?" asked Emma, "That's your merchandise? Why didn't you tell us?"

"Well, because at the time you didn't need to know," said Mr. Gold.

"Really, or you thought we wouldn't take the job?" asked Snow.

"On the contrary, I thought it would be more effective if you found out yourself. After seeing Ashley's hard life, I thought it would make sense... to you," He looked at Emma, "I mean if anyone could understand the reasons behind giving up a baby, I assumed it would be you."

"You're not getting that kid," said Emma.

"Actually, we have an agreement," said Mr. Gold, "And my agreements are always honored. If not, I'm going to have to involve the police, and that baby is going to end up in the system, and that would be a pity."

"That's not gonna happen."

"I like your confidence. Charming, but all I have to do is press charges. She did, after all, break into my shop."

"Let me guess, to steal a contract," said Snow.

"Who knows what she was after," said Mr. Gold.

"You know, no jury in the world will put a woman in jail whose only reason for breaking and entering was to keep her child."

"I'm willing to roll the dice that contract doesn't stand up," said Emma, "Are you? Not to mention what might come out about you in the process. Somehow, I suspect, there is more to you than a simple pawn broker. You really want to start that fight?"

"I like you and your mother, Ms. Swan," said Mr. Gold, "You're not afraid of me, and that's either cocky or presumptuous. Either way I'd rather have you both on my side."

"So, she can keep the baby?" asked Emma.

"Not just yet. There's still the matter of my agreement with Ms. Boyd."

"Tear it up."

"That's not what I do. You see, contracts, deals, well they're the very foundation of all civilized existence, so I put it to you now. If you want Ashley to have that baby, are you willing to make a deal with me?"

"What do you want?"

"Oh, I don't know just yet. You'll owe me a favor.

Snow wanted to pull Emma away to talk to her about making deals with Gold. But, before Snow could move Emma said, "Deal."

Snow and Emma walked into Ashley's room and saw her holding her baby, "Hey…What's her name?" asked Emma.

"Alexandra," said Ashley.

"That's pretty."

"Thank you for getting me here."

"Your welcome," said Snow.

"Mr. Gold was outside," said Emma, "I took care of it. She's yours."

"She is?" asked Ashley, "But what did you do?"

"Made a deal with him."

"Thank you," said Ashley, softly, "Thank you."

"Well, we have to go..." said Snow, "Good Luck."

"Thank you," said Ashley. Then, Snow and Emma left.

Later, Emma was sitting in the upstairs area of the loft when. She reached in her pocket and took out her phone and a piece of paper. She dialed the number then the voice on the other end said, "Hello?" it was Graham

"Graham, it's Emma," she said, "I was thinking maybe some roots wouldn't be so bad. That deputy job still open?"

"Absolutely."

"Then I'm in. Regina gonna be okay with this?"

"I don't care, it's my department. I'll see you Monday morning."

"See ya." Then she hung up the phone.