Author love: Thanks to everyone for reading! I only own Marie.
…
As she walked towards Granny's Diner, Marie glanced up at the clock tower in the center of town.
12:30
She gasped, grabbing her phone from her pocket.
12:30!
She smiled broadly and rushed to the diner. She opened the door, causing Ruby to stop reading her magazine. "Red, the clock tower is working!" Marie was purely ecstatic.
Ruby simply raised an eyebrow, and spoke through vibrantly painted red lips. "Well, Ree-Ree, that's great news." She grabbed a glass and the water pitcher and met Marie at a booth.
Marie was smiling broadly. Ruby would understand her excitement, once she explained. However, the sudden childhood nickname had over taken her. Marie hadn't been this easy going around Ruby in a while, but the tower hadn't moved in their entire youth.
"It's been a while since we talked, huh?" Marie watched as the gorgeous waitress sat across from her.
"Guesso. How have you been?" Despite the time, Ruby was quick to enjoy her old friend's company. Most girls, women, and men around town just gave Ruby dirty looks. Marie had always been a caring and compassionate person. Ruby realized how much she missed her old friend.
"Good" Marie replied.
"Really?" Ruby expected a different answer from the one working so closely with Mr. Gold, the thieving bastard.
Somehow, Marie seemed to know what her childhood companion was getting at. Ruby had been around whenever Marie met with Mr. Gold at Granny's. She was, in fact, the only one who was ever in the diner for their "business luncheons," something Marie was starting to notice.
"I mean, working for Gold isn't exactly the highlight of my young adult life…"
Ruby laughed. "Seriously. He's creepy, right?"
Marie hesitated. "He can be. He just… he doesn't play by any rules. He can be polite, but odd. It doesn't affect me too much, though. I just clean." She shrugged.
"Well, maybe you can toss out my grandmother's contract when you have a chance. I'm sure Mr. Gold would be furious!" She laughed to herself.
"Indeed he would." A chillingly smooth voice reached both women's ears. The pawnbroker stood beside the table, causing Ruby to jump a little in the booth. Mr. Gold was pleased with that response. Marie, however, froze after the initial start, her heart racing—evidenced by the rapid pulse he could see on her soft, slender neck. The real reason for his thin smile.
"A coffee, please, Ruby." The waitress stood and left in a slight panic. She desperately hoped he hadn't heard everything, for Marie's sake.
Mr. Gold took the newly vacated spot across from Marie. "I do hope you are not planning to take advantage of my generosity, Miss Dupont."
"No sir." She gulped, shaking her head. "We were just talking, idly. I… I didn't think…"
"Before you spoke or that I was listening?" His eyes darkened as they scanned hers.
"Both." She admitted.
Her honest answer intrigued him and he slowly sipped the small cup of coffee placed before him. After a few moments allowing her to think about her actions, he spoke.
"Well then, enough unpleasant talk, yes? How was your meeting with Miss Swan?" He would not let go of this so easily, but for now, he needed other answers.
"Fine, she seems nice enough." Marie was unsure where this would lead, and had the feeling that it was beyond her control. She was slowly feeling less and less in control around this elegantly dressed man.
"Regina isn't pleased." She added, drinking her water.
"Oh? And why is that, dearie?"
"She thinks Emma is out to take Henry away."
Ruby already had their lunch orders prepared, trying to erase the previous event from Mr. Gold's mind. She brought out two slices of quiche.
Mr. Gold's eyebrow lifted as he perked up in his seat, dimples appearing.
"What?" Marie stared at him, registering his giddy reaction. "I wanted to try it."
"You could have… asked for a bite." His silky Scottish voice was almost sweet to her ears.
She blushed, causing Mr. Gold to release a low chuckle. So, the thought had crossed her mind. The pair ate their lunch mostly in silence. The black-suited man would look at her between bites of his feta zucchini quiche or long drinks of black coffee. Marie hardly met his gaze, pretending to be absorbed in her lunch. She ate quickly. Once she finished, Mr. Gold set down his fork and folded his hands on the table in front of him.
Marie finally looked up at him and felt the familiar chill down her spine. His eyes were dark and set on hers. His face looked as though it was once again concealing a grin.
"I believe, Miss Dupont, we should discuss a few things in a more private setting."
Marie nodded, quickly realizing that she may indeed lose her job, her house, and her dying father would soon be out on the street, all because she spoke to an old friend about Mr. Gold.
Mr. Gold slid out from the booth, grabbed his cane in his right hand, and gestured with his left for Marie to lead the way. She hesitantly walked out of the diner, at which point he stepped in front of her towards a dirt path that led to the woods.
Suddenly all of those horror films Marie had watched, despite her father's advice, flashed before her eyes. A young, sexy woman walks into the woods, or into a dark basement, or an abandoned factory being mauled to death by some dark creature or psychopathic killer. Thoughts of little-red-riding-hood did not escape her frightened mind. The big-bad-wolf leading the way was very much a reality.
Marie gulped, but before they were even out of sight of the street, Mr. Gold turned quickly on his heel. She was relieved that he was not intent on going any further, but not too calm given his current expression.
"Miss Dupont, I am afraid I cannot tolerate such disloyalty around town. People might soon…take advantage of you…" He stepped close enough to her side that her cherry blossom scent filled his nose. He inhaled deeply. "…If they thought you could help them."
"I would never think of doing anything like that." Her tone quickly portrayed her anxiety and her desperation to convince him.
"I know, dearie." Mr. Gold stepped closer, his chest almost against her shoulder. "I know. But others… are not so certain. They might try something."
She turned her head to look up at him. His face expressed empathy, but his lips were in a fierce battle against the smirk trying to imprint itself there. She could practically hear her heart thumping in her chest. She needed to prove her loyalty before she could discuss what the working clock might mean for her future at his shop.
"I would never let that happen." She whispered.
The smirk finally won out, and Mr. Gold looked off into the woods but did not move away. "Well, I suppose I should trust your word." His eyes found hers again, and oh did he love those emerald orbs. "But if anything were to happen to my contracts, I think we would need to re-evaluate this particular arrangement."
His warm breath met her ear, and that odd tingle went down her neck.
"I understand, sir."
"Please, Marie, call me Mr. Gold." Those succulent lips were so close. What would she do if he captured them in a kiss?
"Right, sorry Mr. Gold." She gulped.
Hearing his name escape her lovely mouth almost made his breath catch. He responded in a low voice, "Back to the shop, then. I will close up tonight after I pay Madame Mayor a visit."
Marie fought her curiosity successfully for the first time; she nodded and left him near the woods.
…
"Ah, Belle my sweet, I believe we have a guest. Put your hood on, dearie, and stand in the shadows."
The golden cloak soon covered her long, flowing mahogany hair. Rumpelstiltskin raised a finger to his lips, indicating that Belle keep quiet. She nodded, waiting, trusting that she would be safe from any prying eyes.
"It's just us, dearie. You can shooow yourself!" Belle watched as a dark mouse grew into the Evil Queen she had only ever heard about in frightened murmurs around the kingdom.
Belle listened closely to the words exchanged between the two dueling evil forces in their realm. A Queen, desiring to be "happy" at the expense of everything she held dear, and her new "keeper" who was thriving on the onslaught of chaos. Her breath caught when Rumpelstiltskin grabbed the ebony haired woman.
She heard his request for comfort in the next life, and she rolled his eyes—of course he would have such requirements. Like all powerful people, he only cared for himself.
What felt like an eternity passed before Belle heard him say, "Then stop wasting everyone's time and just do it."
The Evil Queen left in a huff, and the prisoner cackled at the moral dilemma he had imposed upon her.
Rumpelstiltskin walked about his small, cave-like cell for a while, mumbling to himself. She was becoming familiar with how he plotted, and the intervals when he saw into the future. He finally paused, sensing that something had just changed. Belle felt it too.
"You thrive on even the evil queen's pain. And here I thought you were on her side."
He laughed maniacally. "Silly Belle, I am on no one's side. Although, I'd love to be near yours." He motioned for her to come to the bars and he grabbed her chin, forcing her to stare into his murky metallic eyes.
"You will be mine in that world as well, my sweet. And there… I will have no cage to stop me from claiming all that I desire." He grinned.
And as the dungeon shook and purple smoke invaded the place, Rumpelstiltskin put his other arm around her neck and pulled her into a fierce, forceful kiss. As he let out a squeal of darkest joy, he found her mouth parting to allow him further plunder. He devoured her lips as the smoke took them and their lives and memories were twisted and transformed.
And they found themselves in our world.
…
Author's note: For those wondering where the title came from… this is out of the Grimm's tale about the "Singing, Springing Lark":
But as he approached the tree, a lion jumped up from beneath it, shook himself, and roared until the leaves on the trees trembled. "I will eat up anyone who tries to steal my singing, springing lark!" he cried.
The man said, "I did not know that the bird belongs to you. I will make amends for my wrong and ransom myself with a large sum of money. Just spare my life."
The lion said, "Nothing can save you unless you will promise to give me that which first meets you upon your arrival at home. If you will do that, I will grant you your life, and you shall have the bird for your daughter as well."
His favorite daughter first greets the man when he comes home and she goes to live with the lion.