When Emma turned one year old, Rumpelstiltskin had made no plans to celebrate her birthday.
He didn't understand the point really. He knew that it would be important to Emma when she was older because she was the3 only person in Storybrooke that would age and so a birthday would be a phenomenal treat for her to have, but she was one year old now. She wasn't going to understand and she wasn't going to remember. So no matter how Mary Margaret pleaded and tried to nudge him into giving his daughter a party without actually coming out and saying it, he'd refused. He didn't want a bunch of little children in his house with adoring mothers who thought he went soft.
No, he was going to spend Emma's birthday with just her; a nice quiet day where no one bothered either one of them. He hadn't spent a full day with just them at home for a while.
The day went by without any interruption. Emma babbled to herself and sometimes bounced on his stomach when he wasn't paying enough attention to her. The blonde ringlets that were starting to form would fall over her eyes and she swiped them with clumsy hands, "Daddy!"
He watched her in amusement, "I wonder if it would be too much if I bought you a horse when you're a little bit older. From what I understand, every girl in this world dreams of a little pony but I don't think it's spoiling you…not really. After all, everyone in the Enchanted Forest needs to know how to ride. Savior princesses need know how to ride well."
She cocked her head to the side and bounced again. He grabbed her sides and lifted her in the air. She squealed at the rush that the move gave her and reached for his nose. He didn't understand why but she liked to grab his nose whenever she was entertained. The affectionate move made him feel self-conscious; he knew the monster was still lurking underneath the skin. He knew that he couldn't think that way when his daughter was playing but he couldn't help it. The only reason Emma was his was because the monster had demanded her for payment.
He frowned and pulled Emma to his chest. He gave a paternal kiss to her hair and held her close. Emma hugged him as best as her little arms would allow and pressed a slobbery mouth to his cheek in her attempt to kiss him.
Finally he pulled back and rested a large hand on the side of her face, "You hungry, little one? Let's get something to eat. Your father here isn't a very good cook without magic but I imagine I can cook up something that this earth calls pasta."
It was a disaster when he actually fed her through. Emma really loved the red sauce that he made. She loved it so much that most of it ended up on her than in her.
Despite the mess he made he couldn't help but be amused by how proud she was of herself. He pulled her out of the chair and cringed when she tried to wipe her face on his shirt.
Oh, NOW she was worried about the stuff on her face.
Someone knocked on the door and he sighed in frustration as his peaceful day was ruined. OF course someone wanted to bother him on his daughter's birthday.
He just hoped they knew the difference between pasta sauce and blood or they were going to be in for a grotesque surprise.
Mary Margaret stood patiently waiting as he opened the door. She furrowed her eyebrows in shock when she saw Emma's face but realized immediately what it was and looked back at him.
"Yes Ms. Blanchard," he said. At least it wasn't the hat man or the mayor. He really could stomach Mary Margaret a lot better but he knew if one showed up then everyone would show up and he was doing his best to keep Emma's age ambiguous so he didn't have a line of people wanting to give her gifts lining up. The less attention on Emma right now, the better. Regina might suspect something at any wrong move and the hatter was watching him, he knew he was, "What can I do for you?"
Emma smiled and reached for her, "MAMA!"
The word startled Rumpelstiltskin so badly that he nearly dropped her. Even Mary Margaret seemed to be taken aback and he saw the heat crawling up her neck, "I don't know where she got that Mr. Gold, I swear!"
"I was just about to put Emma in the bath, may I help you with something."
"I'm sorry to…to bother you Mr. Gold I know that you really wanted today as quiet as possible but I brought a gift for the baby."
He tried not to roll his eyes, "Ms. Blanchard, I made it perfectly clear that Emma doesn't need gifts because she's wanting for nothing."
Like I promised you.
"No, its not-," she hesitated and held out the gift, "I've had it for as long as I can remember. I thought that perhaps you could bond with Emma even more with it-."
It was a book. A brown cover with gold etchings near the edge. In the same gold color there were the famous words that seemed to start the stories in this world
'Once Upon A Time'.
"I thought that perhaps she would enjoy these when she got older. I Mean I don't need it and I thought that I should still give Emma a gift."
"Thank you," he said and took it. He didn't know what to make of them, Emma was still probably too young but he imagined he could still read them to her. At least it wasn't clothes. He could never understand why people bought so many clothes for a baby when they grew out of them as fast as they did.
He looked up, "Would you like to come in for a bit? We're just done eating but if you'd like something to drink then I could-."
She shook her head, "No, it's okay. You need to get Emma washed up and besides, I really have to be going."
He nodded his thanks and closed the door with his cane.
"Well Emma," he said and got her attention, "It seems you and I have some new reading material."
