Mr Gold swallows as his wife crosses her arms. Narrowing her eyes at him, she demands, "Why do I feel like you've done something, Rumple?"
Mr Gold swallows. "I was about to tell you..."
"Tell me now," Belle states firmly.
Mr Gold nods slowly.
"Iridiana came by again," he begins.
Belle gives him a stern look. "And?"
Mr Gold heaves a deep breath. "And she asked for my help," he continues.
Belle fixes him with fierce eyes. "Why do you seem guilty about that?"
"I might have done something… questionable," Gold admits.
"What. Did. You. Do?" demands his wife.
Mr Gold sighs. "She needed help, Belle, I couldn't just-"
"Couldn't just what, Rumple? What did you do?"
Mr Gold squirms a little. "She wanted to see what happened to create the gulf between her and her mother."
Belle's mouth falls open in a little 'oh' of shock. "That's not something you show a little girl, Rumple!" she exclaims.
"Why not?" Mr Gold retorts. "If Miss Swan can tell that little girl that she wishes she had aborted her, why can't I help Iridiana come to terms with how they got in such a mess?"
"iEmma Jones/i isn't who I'm scolding right now. I'm interested in what you've done!"
"iI/i have done my best to help," Mr Gold responds.
Belle sweeps the room, not hearing any noise from the building that suggests Iridiana is around. "Where is she, Rumple?"
Mr Gold swallows, and Belle's eyes narrow again.
"She's… not here," he admits.
"Where is Iridiana?" Belle asks firmly.
"Reviewing things," Mr Gold murmurs. Belle takes a step forwards warningly. "She's… watching," Mr Gold admits reluctantly, "what happened."
"Where?"
Mr Gold takes another deep breath. "iAs/i it happens," he confesses.
"WHAT?" Belle screams.
Mr Gold recoils a little. "She wanted to understand."
"Your son's almost the same age! You should know what's age appropriate!" Belle protests. "You can't-"
"Iridiana has always been mature for her age," Mr Gold protests.
"Not emotionally!" Belle retorts, looking appalled that she even needs to point that out. "She is fragile, Rumple."
"She's strong. She needed this," Mr Gold insists. "Besides, it's not really what happened then that's the problem, is it? The problem is how her parents chose to mismanage it."
"The problem, Rumple, is that you have a little girl in the Underworld all by herself watching something that's going to provoke a breakdown," Belle snaps.
"I think it will help," Mr Gold argues mildly. "I think she wants to see so that she can process and accept things."
"She's twelve; she doesn't have that sort of capacity," Belle protests.
"I think you're underestimating the child," Mr Gold says softly.
Belle bites her lip. "Even if I am, it's not your place to give her the truth. That's her parents' call, and you're not really even her grandfather."
"Her parents are responsible for the mess she's in," Mr Gold states frostily. "If Iridiana comes to me for help I will give it to her."
"She's a kid," Belle points out. "She probably thinks if she understands the problem she can fix it. She's going to be disappointed."
"Who are we to tell her she can't try?" Mr Gold asks.
Hook is not pleased to find his daughter has not returned home at the time specified. It seems to justify the worry in his gut present since the moment that she left.
He gives her half an hour, hoping that she's merely late, then steps out into the cold night. He walks past the bus stop wondering if she's just had enough and intended to go visit Henry, but she's not there.
Which means it's going to be an uncomfortable night, going around the town to find out whose house his daughter is taking refuge in this time.
Hook decides to try Regina's door first, because Belle would have phoned, and he absolutely does not want to have a conversation with his in-laws if Iridiana has told them of his suggestion.
Of course Iridiana is not with Regina, because that would be far too simple. And now the brunette is verbally berating him as she pulls on a coat and gloves, insisting that she will join Hook in search.
"Does Emma know Iridiana hasn't come home?" Regina asks archly.
Hook gives her a resentful look. "Of course not," he responds. "Like she needs an excuse to go off on one."
"She's still a mother and she should be informed when her child's missing," Regina grumbles, stepping carefully through the frozen over slush.
"Pretty sure she's of the opinion that she only has three kids, and that Iridiana going missing would suit her just fine," Hook states through gritted teeth. The word 'missing' makes his gut clench.
"Besides," Hook continues, "Iridiana's just a bit late. That's normal for a girl her age."
Regina makes an unconvinced noise. "So where next?"
"Gold's, I suppose," Hook mutters, looking out into the empty street before them.
Regina nods and takes his elbow. Hook freezes for a moment then relaxes into the touch. It's still a surprise years later that she has accepted him not only as Henry's kin, but her own.
"Thanks for coming, Regina," Hook says softly.
She looks at him, pursing his lips. "Where else would I be, pirate?"
Hook looks away, not sure how to point out that Regina's out here looking for his daughter when Emma would explode if he even suggested she help. Hook tries to joke instead, "Curled up warm with a book and a glass of red?"
Regina's lips twitch, her breath coming out in visible plumes. "We can remind Iridiana of that when we find her."
Hook gives a small smile, glad she has said 'when' and not 'if'. They approach Mr and Mrs Gold's home and ring the bell.
The door is swiftly answered, as though their presence is expected, and Hook feels himself release the worried breath he had been holding. Iridiana is fine.
Belle pulls the door open fully, exposing her face, and Hook's emotions plummet. Belle's eyes are wide and she looks strained, flustered.
"Come in," she says quickly, and retreats inside.
"What's going on?" Regina asks before Hook can even form the words.
Belle leads them into the sitting room, when Mr Gold is standing by the fire. His jaw twitches uncomfortably.
The couple seem vividly ill at ease.
"Where's Iridiana?" Hook asks.
Belle opens her mouth to speak then bites her lip and looks across at her husband for help.
"She's… not here, but I know where she is," Mr Gold confesses.
Hook steps forwards threateningly, his every nerve telling him something is very wrong. He snarls, "Where the hell is my daughter?"
