The next morning, Gold is showered, shaven, and sharply dressed by seven in the morning. He opens the curtains to observe the weather, waking up Emma, who throws a boot at him.
As one by one, the others sleepily awake and prepare for the morning, Gold grows more and more impatient. He paces the small span of carpet between the beds and the television set until he accidentally shocks Jefferson as he brushes by. In the elevator on the way back to the car, he taps his cane so loudly that Emma has to tell him twice to cut it out, then in the car, he fidgets constantly with the seatbelt.
Emma can't park in front of the building, so she stops in a loading zone long enough for Gold to get out of the car.
"How long do you think you'll be?"
He shakes his head. "No idea."
"OK. We'll meet at Fisherman's Wharf at noon then."
August helps him out of the car and hands him his cane.
"Hey, uh, Mr. Gold?" he says suddenly.
"Yes?"
"What you said to me…when you thought I was your son?" He swallows nervously. "If you tell him that now, there's no way he won't forgive you."
Gold doesn't say anything; he knows that the man is trying to apologize, but he's not ready to dole out forgiveness just yet. He nods curtly before turning to face the Wells Fargo building. It's much more intimidating and foreboding than it was yesterday.
"Mr. Gold?" Belle touches his sleeve, and he turns just in time for her to kiss his cheek. "Good luck," she whispers into his ear.
Somehow, that is all of the encouragement he needs. He strides into the building and shows the card to the receptionist and is escorted into the elevators immediately. This time, it's real. This time, he will see his son.
He enters the office after the receptionist and shakily stands before the desk.
"A Mr. Gold to see you, Jack," she whispers.
"Is he here about a loan?"
"No…some deal you made when you were younger."
The man named Jack starts at that, frowning. "I'll see him."
The receptionist leaves, and he finally looks up at him from his desk.
They stare at each other in silence. Jack's eyes rapidly scan the man before him, confusion written all over his face, before he closes his eyes very tightly and opens them again.
"Papa?" It's a small sound, one that Gold wouldn't have even heard if he wasn't straining forward, desperate to capture every moment of his son.
"Papa, is it really you?" he asks again, stepping out from behind his desk now, cautiously moving forward, as if afraid the illusion will disappear at any moment.
"Yes," Gold whispers. "It's really me, Bae."
The next thing he knows, he's smashed up against the door as his son flings his arms around him, holding him tightly.
"Bae…my Baelfire…" He doesn't say anything else; he couldn't if he tried. Instead, he and his son both openly weep as they reunite for the first time in years.
Jack recovers first.
"How did you ever get here, Papa? You have to tell me everything!" He motions to the chair in front of his desk, suddenly aware that his father's limp has returned. "Did Reul Ghorm give you another bean?"
Gold shakes his head. "My original plan to find you failed, so I came here through a hat." He folds his hands and looks at his son; he can't help but marvel at how much he's grown. "It's a long story, Bae…perhaps we should talk elsewhere."
"Of course! What am I thinking?" Jack presses the button for his secretary and cancels his appointments for the day before grabbing his coat and practically running for the elevator, dragging his father along.
"How long have you been in San Francisco?" he asks as he raises his hand to hail a taxi. "What has happened in the village since I've been gone? Where did you get the hat?"
"Hey, mister, where'm I takin' you?" the driver interrupts.
"Fisherman's Wharf," Gold answers politely.
Jack gives him a strange look. "Why do you want to go there?"
"I'm meeting some people there," he replies, giving his son a look. "I can't stay long. I have to return home soon."
Jack's face falls. "You…can't stay here?"
"I'll explain everything when we rejoin my friends."
They find the others quickly; Belle and Jefferson are curiously watching the sea lions on Pier 39 while Emma stands aside stoically.
"Oh, good; you're here," she says matter-of-factly as Gold strides towards her. "Is this him?"
"I'm Jack; nice to meet you." He extends his hand towards Emma, who takes it without hesitation.
"You go by Jack?"
"My foster parents said I fell out of the sky, as if from a beanstalk."
Both Emma and Gold flinch at this. Gold hadn't even considered that his son would have parents here in this world, that he might have a family of his own.
"So how many others are in your party? Papa told me a little about how he got here, but I have so many questions."
"There are five of us," Gold answers.
Jack nods. "Let's go get lunch. I know a good place where we can talk privately."
Around bowls of cioppino and plates of fresh seafood, Gold explains everything about his years spent as the Dark One, about the creation of the curse, about the time spent in Storybrooke. Emma and August occasionally fill in some of the missing details.
"So now you've heard my tale," Gold finishes. "And that's how we finally came to be here."
"Wow…" Jack sits still for a moment to digest the information.
Belle, meanwhile, glances at Gold. He's shaking; at this moment, his son could forgive him everything or reject him. Anything is possible.
"I understand, Papa." He reaches his hand across the table. "And I forgive you."
"Oh, Bae…"
"There's just one problem: I can't go back with you. I can't go back to our world."
"Even if you wanted to, you couldn't," Jefferson speaks up. "Five people go in, five people come back." He shrugs. "They're the hat's rules, not mine."
"Never mind that," Gold snaps. "Bae, why don't you want to come back?"
Jack smiles shyly. "I was wondering when you ask." He reaches for his wallet and pulls out a picture. "They are why I can't leave."
Gold takes the photo and stares. A family smiles back at him; he recognizes his son, but the woman and three children next to him are unfamiliar.
"You…you have a family?"
"I do."
Emma shifts uncomfortably. "You know, it's getting late. Jefferson and I should probably scout out a hotel for the night…"
August stands up too quickly. "I'll join you. Besides, we parked in a timed zone, I think."
Jefferson adjusts his scarf. "Belle, will you join us?"
She looks at Gold. He will never have the chance to be with his son again; how could she take any of that precious time away for forcing herself in their company.
"I'll go with you," she says, taking August's outstretched hand and moving away without a second glance at Gold.
He's still so fixated on the picture that he doesn't even notice them leave.
"Do you want to meet them?" Jack asks gently.
"C-could I?"
His son smiles. "Come on; you'll spend the night with us."
When Jack unlocked his front door and called out "I'm home," Elena Shepherd knew something was different. Maybe it was the sixth sense she swore she had, or maybe it was because her husband was home four hours early from work. Either way, it didn't matter. She flies from the kitchen, almost running into Mr. Gold.
"Ay!" After she recovers, Elena registers that there is a stranger standing in her hallway and begins her questions.
"Jack? Who is this? Why didn't you tell me we were having a guest for dinner?"
"Elena, I know this is unexpected, but…" He puts his arm around Gold. "This is my father."
She frowns. "What about Ed and Nancy?"
"No, no…my real father…"
Elena looks at both men, moving her eyes from one face to the other before smiling and taking's Gold's arm.
"Right this way; have a seat." She deposits him on the couch, then, with a stern look on her face, drags her husband into the kitchen.
Gold does his best not to eavesdrop on the conversation and looks about the room. It's a well-kept home, although a few toys and stray articles of clothing decorate the couch cushions.
"Who are you?"
He looks down to see a young child with a finger up his nose, staring intently at him.
"I…I'm Mr. Gold."
The kid pulls his finger out and inspects the end before shoving it back in. "I'm Frankie. We aren't supposed to bring sticks in the house."
"Sticks? Oh, you mean my cane." He holds it out to Frankie. "I need this to walk."
"Oh. How come?"
"Frankie," Elena says as she comes out of the kitchen, a sheepish Jack behind her. "Get your finger out of your nose right now!"
The boy pulls his finger out obediently before spying his father and running gleefully to his open arms. "Daddy!"
"I'm sorry about earlier," Elena says, sitting on the couch next to Gold and patting him on the arm. "I didn't realize the circumstances of your separation. Jack told me he thought you were dead."
"Ah…" Gold is unsure how to proceed. He can't exactly say he'd lost his son thousands of years ago through a magic bean-powered portal. "It's complicated…I lost him long ago and only now have I been able to finally find him."
Elena's eyes fill with tears. "I'm so happy you did."
"Frankie," Jack says, bringing the little boy over to the couch, "do you know who this?"
"Mr. Gold," the boy answers matter-of-factly.
"Well, yes, but he's also my papa. My daddy."
The boy frowned, trying to process this. "What about Grandpa Ed?"
"He's my daddy too. He adopted me."
"So…this is Grandpa too?" A grin breaks across the child's face as he leaps into Gold's lap. "Hi, new grandpa!"
A baby cry sounds from further back in the house, and Elena excuses herself to tend to him. The front door opens, and another child comes in.
"Daddy!" he cries. "You're home early!"
"I am!" Jack answers, giving his son a big hug. "Joey, I have a surprise for you."
"We have a new grandpa!" Frankie shouts, bouncing on Gold's lap.
Joey looks at his father skeptically, and Jack explains as Elena comes out holding the baby.
"I just changed him," she says, holding him out to Gold. "He won't be fussy."
Frankie jumped off so Gold could take the infant, who looked up at him with big hazel eyes. Bae's eyes.
"So, Papa, this is my family. Elena, Joey, Frankie, and Ernie."
All of a sudden, everything registered. Gold suddenly begins to cry; this family, his family, was here with him, and after tonight, he would never see them again.
"New Grandpa?" Frankie tugs on Gold's arm. "What's wrong? Are you hurt?"
"Oh, no, lad," he answers, wiping a tear away with a free arm. "I'm happy."