Duckling to Swan: Actions Speak Louder


It was late, but to Emma time was meaningless. She had been on pins and needles since the Banquet and Rum's disappearance, but she still forced herself to remain calm. The feast itself had lasted for a lifetime- dragging out in all the wrong ways- until Emma had finally been unable to cope with it any longer. With a fake smile she had hugged Henry and nodded to Jefferson before she had stood from the table and left, with the excuse of 'being tired'. After having conquered a dragon that morning no one tried to call her out on it, though from the look Snow and Charming shared it was obvious that they didn't believe her reasoning. Then the worried princess had retired to her room to wait until dark.

That had been hours ago, and Emma was finally done waiting. It was rather late now- all of the inhabitants of White Castle were either asleep, retired to their respective rooms, or on patrol at the portcullis or walls- so the Princess quickly exited her chambers and began her journey to the West Wing.

Emma had had to delay her wandering until it was late, so that she wouldn't be ambushed by her parents or anyone from the house of Cinder. But now as her bare feet pattered almost silently across the cobbled corridors, she wasted no more time. When Rum had left the Banquet he had not been himself. Something was wrong. He'd been worried and preoccupied, and Emma wouldn't stand for it. If her best friend was in trouble she need to know.

Now as the princess stood before the door to the Dark One's Tower, she lifted her hand to rap softly on the wooden several moments she waited before she called out, "Rum it's me. . . I'm coming in."

Then with a firm resolve she opened the door and entered the familiar room.

The West Wing was dimly lit, with only a few candles to create dancing shadows, but the young noblewoman moved further into it without hesitation. Once Emma's eyes had focused in the shallow light, she looked around in search of Rumpelstiltskin- and after several brief seconds of anxious conflicting feelings she spotted him.

The Dark One currently stood with his back to her- looking out of his tower window to the dark land beyond. With but a glance, the Princess could tell two things from his posture: that he tormented by something, and that he was now aware of her presence. For sometime Emma merely stood in the center of the room, regarding Rumpelstiltskin from behind, before her green gaze swiveled to about the rest of the West Wing.

As she did so, her eyes came to rest on the imp's worktable on the far side of the tower chamber. Though it was almost barren of bottles and ingredients- something rather unusual in and of itself- there were three things upon the surface of the table that made a wave of understanding crash down on Emma. As the realization of why her best friend was so troubled filled her up, Emma closed her eyes- annoyed with herself. She had been so careless and stupid! She had been so caught up in her own little world that she had forgotten what day it was!

The Princess's heart broke as she once more returned her gaze to her mentor, before she quietly walked over to stand directly behind him. Emma approached on silent feet, but it was obvious that Rumpelstiltskin knew exactly where she was. For a soft shuddering sigh escape him- marking well the tears that he had already shed.

When the Dark One didn't turn away from the window, Emma did the only thing that she could. With a gentle touch, she placed her hand on his shaking shoulder and squeezed it tenderly, offering as much support in the simple gesture as was physically possible.

"I'm sorry, Rum. . . I forgot what today was."

Rumpelstiltskin sighed again softly and shook his head, his voice sounding wet due to his past tears. "It was not for you to remember."

"And yet I should have," Emma said as her eyes flickered to the walking stick, wool, and bloody tunic on the work table.

It was Rum's anniversary. On this same day every year, the Dark One mourned and stayed in his room. And since that night, all those years ago when Emma had first given him the rose, the Princess had made it an unspoken tradition to support her mentor. She would come and sit quietly with him while he cried, and then they would stay up and watch the sunrise together. Usually they wouldn't utter a word, but each year before Emma left, she would hand him a single white rose and kiss his cheek. It had been their ritual for years now; but somehow Emma had forgotten.

No wonder he'd seemed off at the Banquet. He'd been thinking about the past. And that was when the full truth dawned on Emma.

Rumpelstiltskin had remained strong for her. He had come to the feast to give the toast and stand by her. The Dark One had broken his yearly solitude for Emma's sake.

"You came to the Banquet?"

". . . Yes."

"But why, Rum?" Emma had unknowingly moved closer to him, so that her breath now tickled the back of his neck. "Why would you do that for me, when your need was far greater then mine?"

The Dark One shook his head again, ". . . I don't know, duckling. . . I really don't know. When I awoke this morning I wasn't . . . plagued as I usually am. . . You know that on my anniversary I can only think back on the past. But today I could only worry about you facing that dragon- if you would succeed. . . And then you did, and the pain returned."

Emma listened to her mentor silently, though the hand that still rested on his shoulder said countless things as she rubbed her thumb in a soothing pattern against the fabric of his shirt. After a moment of gathering his thoughts the Dark One continued.

"A-And then when I was here in my chamber. .. I heard your wish and couldn't stay away."

"You. . .You heard me? How? I didn't use magic-"

The Dark One finally turned around to look at her, and Emma's breath caught in her throat stopping her mid-sentence. In all her life, Rumpelstiltskin had never looked at her as he did now. He usually had restraint- even at the worst of times. But now there was no such facade. His usual mask was completely shed, and it was more than Emma had expected. There was so much pain etched onto his hawkish features; but the feelings that clouded his aura weren't to be categorized so easily. There were too many emotions- Emma felt like she was drowning as she fought to understand what they meant, and her face must have shown as much, seeing as Rumpelstiltskin's magical edge immediately grew tamer.

"Do you remember our deal, duckling," he asked somewhat breathlessly, gazing down at her with unreadable golden-gray eyes.

Emma nodded once, her voice coming out somewhat choked. "Y-Yes."

"No matter where I might be or what I am doing, I will answer you when you call to me." The Dark One's voice was affectionate and calm in that moment, despite the anguish on his face, making his words feel all the more powerful for it.

Emma green eyes shone in the dim candle light, the first signs of tears rising in them, as she felt her heart flip in her chest.

"I never called you tonight, Rum."

"You did, dearie," he whispered, almost uncertainly as he pointed a dark clawed finger to where her heart danced anxiously. "With this."

Emma felt a single tear finally leave her eye as his words struck her; knowing that it was the truth. She had wanted Rumpelstiltskin to stand by her side earlier at the Banquet. But it had never been her intention to make him uncomfortable, or to steal his time on his anniversary. It was his day, and she had unknowingly ruined it.

"I'm sorry, Rum," she whispered back as more tears came. "I know that this day is everything to you. . . I am so selfish and petty. . . I didn't mean to-"

And that was when Rumpelstiltskin cut her off; his lips quickly moving to land upon hers- stopping her before she could finish. Emma's eyes grew wide for a split-second before they closed altogether, and she melted into the contact. Though the initiation had been desperate, the actual kiss was tender, making both Dark One and Princess shaky from the effects. Rumpelstiltskin kept his hands firmly at his sides, not knowing where to put them, and Emma's single hand upon his shoulder tightened until her grip was on the verge of hurting. Not that either of them cared in the slightest.

Finally, Rumpelstiltskin pulled away from the kiss, his eyes showing just how startled he had been by the action. And when Emma once more opened her forest green eyes to look at him in a sort of daze, he lowered his head in shame. Why had he done that? Now he'd ruined everything! She'd be disgusted and afraid of him- just like everyone else.

"Emma," he breathed painfully, hoping to apologize and beg for her forgiveness. But before he could say more than the Princess's name, the imp felt Emma's somewhat calloused hand cup his face.

When his unearthly gaze was once more meeting hers, Emma smiled warmly at him. "Rumpelstiltskin."

The Dark One regarded the beautiful young woman with confusion, as she leaned in and placed a lingering kiss to his scaled cheek. Why wasn't she running away? Why didn't she hate him for taking liberties?

As Emma's lips fell away from his now warm skin, she raised her left hand and summoned magic into it. As the silver light enveloped her palm, her green eyes showed the Dark One things that he had never thought possible. There was no fear within her- only unknown feelings and untapped thoughts, curiosity and something that was foreign to them both.

Then as the magical mist faded, Emma opened up Rumpelstiltskin's hand and placed the newly magicked item into it.

A single white rose- the same gift she always presented him each year.

"Happy Anniversary, Rum," she said affectionately, giving him one last smile before she turned on her heel and left the West Wing on silent feet.

For sometime the Dark One stared at where his swan had been standing, before a small, wet smile rose to his strange face.

She had left him a rose, as she always did. He hadn't ruined their friendship. He hadn't chased his duckling away.


A/N: I have no idea where this chapter came from, lols. I honestly sat down and zoned out, and when I refocused I had this chapter sitting in my word docs. X'D

So what'd you guys think of their first kiss? I personally like the idea of Emma taking away some of Rumple's pain of Bae's death on the accursed Anniversary. What are your guys' thoughts on it? Are we all still enjoying the story?

Please drop me a PM or Review and let me know your thoughts! I love to hear everyone's thoughts on the new updates. ^_^ Oh and Happy New Years, peeps!

~Lyn