As the usual, I still own nothing, even from the other places I quoted on this one.
I hope you all had a wonderful holiday..
Enjoy!
"I still don't like this." He said, Autumn gave an exasperated sigh, took her newly manicured hand and grabbed his enormous on and put the gift in it.
"Who doesn't like cookies, or chocolate, or valentine's day?" Autumn said.
"That's not it and you know it, I don't like you wondering about town."
"I won't be wandering, I'm delivering gifts. First to Henry, who is over at the arcade, then to Emma and Miss Blanchard, who will both be at Granny's. But they will all leave if I still have to argue this with you. Dad says he needs you this morning."
"Who is the other set of goodies for?"
"Mr. Booth…"
'I told you to stay away from him."
"And I chose to ignore you. Now go, I'll be fine. I'm going to drop all these off and go straight home." Autumn said, Dove knew there was no winning, but she gave the man credit, he didn't go down without a fight.
"It's a long walk." He sighed "If that degenerate asks if you want a ride."
"I know, do not get on that screaming metal death trap of a vehicle. Happy now?" Autumn said.
"Well…"
"Dove!" she shrieked. "Go, I'll be fine." He relented, took his goodies, and left. Autumn caught both Henry leaving the Arcade and Emma and Miss Blanchard at Granny's. She even got August while he was coming down the stairs of the inn. She practically skipped home after seeing the happy faces of everyone who got Valentine's Day gifts. She said hello and smiled to everyone as she passed, today was a perfect day. She jumped up the steps to her house, humming as she unlocked and opened the door to her house, she took a step in, and that's when things went wrong.
A gloved hand came over her mouth and an arm went around her waist and picked her up off the ground. She tried to bite the hand but the glove was too thick. Autumn wriggled and kicked and tried to scream. She lost a shoe, and kicked a cabinet, breaking the glass and cutting up from her ankle to lower leg, she was now only in one shoe and bleeding. She fought and fought as the person was carrying her, then he lost his grip, and Autumn fell to the ground. The man, Autumn recognized him, Moe French, the florist. He was blocking the door, she bolted up stairs, trying to reach either her or her father's room. There was pepper spray in her backpack and both a gun and Taser in her father's room. Doors to both rooms locked as well. Her room was closest, but as she ran pasted the library, she saw her backpack. She almost had her hand on the can of pepper spray when she was picked up again.
"No! Let me go!" she screamed, she tried to kick the man between the legs, like her Dad always told her to do, but missed, this time the grown man bound her to a chair with plastic ties. "My father is going to bury you under the town." The man ignored her and picked up her tea cup. "No! Put that back… that was my mom's!" she struggled in the chair. She was trying to remember everything her father told her to do in an emergency situation. She began to scream as loud as she could, so hard that tears began to pool and fall. The florist began to freak out.
"Stop screaming… stop… shut up." He said, then he pulled out silver tale and secured it over her mouth. Autumn continued screaming, but the soup d was muffled and her voice couldn't continue for much longer. She could hear him downstairs, ripping and tossing things over. Then… silence. Autumn was all alone, her left bleeding, her wrists red and sore from struggling and crying. She sniffled, the only thing she had of her mother's was gone, and she just let it happen. She was there in reality minutes, but it felt like hours, until she heard glass rustling, then voices, Autumn couldn't make out the first, but the second was a woman's voice, it has to be Emma's. Autumn began screaming again, and scooting in the chairs and everything else she could to make noise.
"Autumn!" a blonde head rounded the corner into the library, Autumn was so happy she started crying some more. "Oh damn… your leg." Emma cursed, and pulled out a pocket knife, and cut her loose, then the tape from her face, but left the pieces that were stuck in her hair there. "Hot water will get that out painlessly, I didn't think you wanted a Swan haircut." she tried to make Autumn smile.
"Oh Emma." Autumn fell into the woman crying, Emma was obviously not used to this, and awkwardly hugged back, the. There was a tap of the cane.
"Autumn…" it was her father, he was the second voice, it took a minute to get up the stairs, but he was there now, Autumn broke I to full out sobbed. Her father crouched and hugged her to him hard.
"Daddy! He took my cup…"
"He took many things, but they don't matter, you are worth more than anything." He kissed her head.
"I tried to stop him, and to get away. I almost got my pepper spray. I wasn't strong enough. I let him take those things." Autumn cried.
"No Autumn, you fought, what you did was brave." Emma said definitely "Whoever did this was a coward. I'll find who did this and…"
"It was Moe, Moe French, I saw his face. He also has florist gloves with my distinct bite mark in them." Autumn said. "It's distinct because I have a cap on one of my teeth, but it's gold." She opened her mouth and pulled back her cheek slightly to show it.
"Alright, I'll go check him out, after we get that gash and your wrists check out." Emma said. Her father looked at the red mark on her wrists, them down at her leg, which had bled on his suit pants. His look darkened.
"Miss Swan, you can go. I know what was taken and who did it. I can handle it from here."
"No you don't. This was not only a robber but he assaulted and bound a child, he's a public menace. You have a daughter who needs a doctor and a dad, and you can't do that behind bars for vigilante justice."
"Indeed not."
"I'll go check him out." Emma said.
"I'm sure you will… if I don't." her father said darkly.
"What do you mean?" Emma asked, sizing her dad up.
"Bad things happen to bad people. It's an observation." He looked at Autumn, taking out his handkerchief and telling her to press it to her leg, while he called Dove to start paperwork at the hospital. When he stepped away, Autumn turned to Emma.
"You should probably find him first, if you don't, you never will." She said using the grown up to help her stand.
"I realized the threat when he made it." Emma said,
"I also promised Mr. French that Daddy would bury him under the town." Autumn limped to her father. He, to both Autumn and Emma's surprise, picked Autumn up and made it successfully down the stairs and into Dove's awaiting car. Autumn waived to Emma, "Good luck." She bid her.
At the hospital, there was a room waiting for her and Dr. Whale.
"Hello Autumn, let's take a look at you." He looked down, "Starting with that cut." He began to wipe away blood that was just on skin, not wound. When he got close he warned her of the sting, and he under played the sting, it hurt so bad tears formed again. The Doctor tisked his tongue. "That is going to need a few stitches."
"Stitches?" Autumn said frightened,
"It's okay my love, I'll be right here. Dr. Whale will be gentle, right doctor?" Gold growled at Whale.
"Of course, we're going to numb it first with a shot, you're going to feel a slight pinch." Whale put the needle in her skin and Autumn dug her nails into her father's and Dove's hands, neither man flinched. She watched, tears streaming as they sewed up her leg. It didn't hurt, just like whale promised, but she didn't like it nevertheless. He then took a look at her wrist and noticed that she would only get minor bruises.
"Daddy…" Autumn said, getting a little sleepy, her body now felt sore from fighting.
"Yes my little love?"
"Emma said that hot water will get the tape out of my hair, without having to cut it." She yawned. Her Dad sent Dove to go find some and he sat on the bed, letting Autumn snuggle up to him. She fell asleep to him rubbing hot water through her curls and humming.
She sat, focusing on a glass goblet on the table. Slowly she began to lift her hand, expecting the goblet to rise as well. It stayed still. She huffed, and stared harder. The glass began to shake and she beamed, she lifted her hand. Then the glass shattered.
"Wonderful. Just wonderful." She sighed. Then the glass put itself back together, and she turned to see her father with an amused smile on his face. "I… I wanted to try to make it float." She looked down, and blew air at a small curl that had escaped her updo and fell into her eyes. He chuckled and guided the hair back in its place. He took her hand in his and they lifted the glass together. "I'm never going to get it."
"You will… you just need practice."
"I have practiced." She began to get upset. "I always light something on fire, or break glass… or… or…" it began rain in the house, "Or that." She put her head on her arms. She felt cold touch her unseeded shoulders. "And now it's snowing." She said muffled. Her father chuckled again.
"Yes… yes it is." He put a warm, loving hand on her back. She let tears fall on her arms and she snow was making it worse. She felt magic surge, it was her father's magic. "There is only one thing to do in a situation like this." Her father said lovingly.
"What?" she sniffed, not lifting her head.
"Do you want to build a snowman?" he said, she lifted her head, he had scarves, coal, and carrots. The great hall had a blanket of snow, the better part of a foot. She wiped her eyes and ran and hugged her Papa.
Autumn woke up and only Dove was there.
"Where's daddy?" she yawned.
"Sheriff Swan found the things that man took. How are you feeling little Missus?"
"Alright, I wanna go home Dove…"
"You will soon little missus." There was a knock on the door, it was Henry, with a small box of chocolate.
"Hey Autumn." He smiled, "I brought these for you, I'm glad you're okay."
"Hello Henry. Aw aren't you the sweetest." She hugged her friend.
"They're the peanut butter cups you love so much." He smiled, then his mother entered the room.
"Henry, why don't you go buy your friend some hot coco from the machine to wash down that candy." Regina smiled, Autumn glared harder. "I am so sorry to hear what happened to you Autumn. It's just awful. Not just the robbery, but you were home… my dear my dear." She tufted and got closer, Dove stood and moved to the front of the small room to let the mayor past. "I mean the whole town knows on Valentine's Day you and your father go out to dinner. How awful he came home just as you were dear." She smirked her crimson lips, Autumn's eyes grew wide in knowing, but she couldn't prove a thing. Henry reentered and the mayor dragged her adopted son away from his best friend. A few minutes later, her father came in.
"Daddy? Did Emma find my cup?" she asked, eyes bright, her father downcast his eyes.
"No… I am sorry love." He sat softly.
"It's okay Daddy… Emma will." She smiled snuggling in here, Dr. Whale came in.
"Hello Autumn… Mr. Gold. It is time for you to go home." He smiled at her.
"Finally!" Autumn said jumping up, but her leg still hurt.
"Stay off that leg until tomorrow, so you don't pop a stitch. I'll give you a very, very light painkiller just in case." Whale said.
"Thank you Dr. Whale." Autumn smiled. Dove drove them home, Autumn fell asleep on the couch, and when she woke up again, Dove was there, and he was snacking on heart shaped cookies with pink and purple frosting. "Where is Daddy?"
"He had some things he said he had to get done. These are very good cookies little misses." Dove said lightly.
"Thank you Dove…." She was quiet for a second and looked down at a tea tray Dove had obviously set up for her.
"Something wrong?" he asked.
"No… just… that man took my tea cup… it was my mom's." she muttered the last bit, dove gave her a look of understanding. He got up and went to the kitchen and he heard him on the phone but not clearly to understand. He came back out, and sat with her. "Dove?"
"Yes?"
"Do you like to read?" she asked.
"You know… I don't. Not so much." He said.
"What do you like? I mean your favorite thing to do on a cold winter night?" she asked.
"Well… not much. I kind of… usually…" he stuttered.
"Oh come on. I won't tell anyone." She nudged him.
"I enjoy musicals." He said looking embarrassed.
"Really?" she said sitting up. "I love musicals! We have all kinds on tape. Even some Disney ones upstairs." She giggled.
"Disney? I like musicals, but I am still a grown man." He laughed. The doorbell rang, he got up to get it and came back with nags from Granny's and a drink holder.
"I like your laugh. You should do it more often." She said. "What's on the bag?"
"Dinner." He pulled out Styrofoam holders. He opened them, they were peanut butter waffles. "And hot coco." He said.
"Why Mr. Dove, I am puzzled as to a catch like you isn't snatched up and having a real dinner with a young lady this evening." She giggled, taking a large bite of waffles, he did the same.
"Because, even if I did, I would still be here for you little misses." She smiled at him. Dove's phone rang. "Hello… yes Sheriff Swan… I am.. I will… he did… yes ma'am, thank you. Goodbye." He sighed. "Looks like I am staying here with you Little Misses."
"Do I get to guess why, or are you going to tell me?" she said, still eating waffles.
"He…"
"Dove.. come on I am going to find out." Autumn warned.
"He took and hurt Mr. French pretty bad. He's been arrested." He said calmly.
"Well…" Autumn shrugged. "It sounds like Emma got to Mr. French in time."
"It sounds like she was to late actually." Dove said, continuing to eat. "he's going to the hospital."
"Mr. French hurt the most powerful man on town's only daughter, and sent her to the hospital, and stole her most priceless possession. If Emma was too late, there wouldn't be anything left for her to find." Autumn said fondly, "Actually I promised Mr. French he'd be buried under the town." Dove laughed again,
"There is the streak of your father. I'll take you to see him tomorrow afternoon. We have to go get the fixed cabinet and repaired paintings in the morning. Your father asked me to pick them up when they are ready, but this was unforeseen… and I am not leaving you alone." He said, Autumn heard the bit of guilt.
"Thank you…" she smiled, later that night he helped her onto bed and he went to sleep on the couch. She giggled as she heard him snoring downstairs. Dove was a funny man. She opened the journal to find something about her dreams, the passage with the heading Magic Lessons was a good place to start, but it was a little bit of a letdown. Rose never learned to actually wield magic, just control it, by controlling her emotions. It explained the uptight demeanor in her previous visions. Rose also could tell the future, but since she never learned to wield magic, the future came to her randomly. When she, Rose, was upset or overly happy a plethora of things could happen. Weather phenomenon indoors, broken things, turning things to gold and many other things. She just couldn't make things happen at her will.
Papa says it will happen when I figure out who I am, but I know who I am. I am the daughter of Rumpelstiltskin, the Dark One, but I still can't do it, except for a few moments.I can move things from one room to another, and I have to really focus. He says that's now all I am, but I can't think of anything else. She fell asleep. The next morning Autumn got up and ready and was able to put pressure on her foot. She made it downstairs and woke up the still snoring Dove. They ate their left over waffles and headed out. To her surprise the town was sympathetic to her, many backing her father.
"I do not have children, but if I did and a man hurt them, I would go after him too." Marco said. Many agreed with his idea as well. In the center console of Dove's car, Autumn found a camera. She snatched it up and made sure the flash was off.
"Cheese Dove!" and she snapped a picture.
"I knew I should have hid that." He shook his head amused.
"Can I play with it… please? To document our adventures of today." She batted her eye lashes.
"Alright… alright. Just don't take pictures of your dad locked up, I don't want him mad at me." He said. They pulled near the station, and a black Mercedes was in front. They mayor was in there.
"Dove… can you go get us lunch?" he looked weary. "I just want my Daddy… I don't mean to make you feel shut out, I mean I've been having fun but…"
"I understand. I just don't want someone to hurt you again." He said, Autumn giggled.
"After my father's display, I don't think anyone will. But the sheriff will be there." She smiled.
"Alright, yes." She got out of the car, sneaking the camera with her, just in case. She walked up the stairs and it seemed as though the mayor and her father were having an intense chat. That isn't what caught Autumn's eye, it was the white and blue porcelain behind the mayor's back. The little girl walked slowly up and took a picture, the camera shutter called attention to her, and Autumn didn't care. The mayor's eyes grew wide at the camera in her hands.
"Why mayor, isn't this just a lovely surprise, you have my cup." Autumn said, the earn Autumn a glare. "I am sure our mayor would love to know where you got that. And that I heard you myself saying you put Mr. French up to what he did."
"You have no proof." She hissed.
"To the contrary. This camera has video as well as regular camera functions." Autumn was lying, but the mayor didn't need to know that. Autumn marched forward, putting extra gusto on the tiny heels her shoes had to make them click, and held out her manicured hand. "My cup… if you please." The grown woman set it in her hands and stalked passed her. Autumn went and sat in front of her father's cell, and waiting until the door was closed to speak. "Hiya Daddy."
"Autumn, lying isn't good." He said, "but seeing the mayor frightened of my little girl is too priceless." He smiled, she handed him the cup, but he kept it at a distance where she could hold it as well.
"I miss Mommy." Autumn said, letting it slip.
"As do I little love." Then Autumn felt herself going into a vision, but this one was different, she was being pulled.
Her father was on his knees on a wreck that used to be a great hall. 5 year old Rose walked up to her sobbing father and offered him her small cloak to keep him warm.
"What's wrong Papa?" she asked sweetly. "If it's Momma, she is probably held up by the snow… all warm inside the dwarf tavern. And when she gets home… she'll tell us wondrous stories and give us gifts, like she always does.." she nestled into her father. "So don't cry Papa." She began to hum and sing, like her Momma would do for her. "Nothings going to harm you… no while I'm around…" her father clutched her closer.
"Little love… I just got the news… Momma isn't coming home… she…" he took a shuttering breath. "She's in the heavens my love. She's a star now."
"What?" tears flowed instantly from the little girl. "No… she's not."
"Rose… I'm so sorry."
"She went to get gifts." The little girl sobbed.
"I was just told…"
"Whoever told you that is a LIAR!" she shouted, a fire blazed to life in the giant hearth, and almost escaped. Now frightened of her own power, the little shaking bundle huddled into her father. "For gifts.." she sniffled, her father hummed and stroked her hair, handing her, her mother's chipped cup.
"Nothings going to harm you, not while I'm around."
Cute but sad ending. I just love how she melts big muscle guy Dove too. :D
