Gold's Midnight Encounters: For JuliaForADay

The door creaked and the little bell chimed to announce another guest while Mr Gold was seated in the backroom. Outside the only lights seen were those of the street lamps and the stars. Inside the shop was heated by a radiator which was deemed necessary for the cold was doing its utmost best to creep into Mr Gold's shop of antiques and nice little trinkets.

The man in question stopped polishing his silver cup ware and listened to the footsteps heading his way. His lips itched to twitch into a smile as he was fairly certain that only one person would dare to march into his shop in the middle of the night. Only one woman in this town had the guts and the attitude to do so.

"Emma," He looked up, brown eyes filling with confusion at the figure standing in the doorway. She was taller than the woman he had expected and her hair wasn't blonde but brown. He watched how she lacked Emma's curls and how her eyes were as brown as his, though neatly hidden behind lavender-colored glasses. He quirked a brow.

"I'm not Emma." The girl said shyly, a blush faintly tingling her cheeks. It was easy to see that she wasn't feeling very comfortable with her position in the doorway. It felt like marching in on someone, bothering him. "I'm sorry, " She said, and turned to leave.

But Mr Gold called after her, quickly putting the silver cup aside and reaching for his cane so he could haul himself out of his chair and onto his feet. "Dear, wait." He frowned at her as she stiffened and turned to look at him from over her shoulder. She was new in town, a stranger.

"Who are you, dear? I think we've never met."

The girl smiled at him and licked her lips. "I'm Julia, Mr Gold."

The man winced at the use of his name. "How did you-?"

"Know?" She interrupted him, and then pointed at the sign outside his shop albeit it being out of view for the both of them. "It says so."

"Oh right," Mr Gold hummed, slowly limping over to her as his predator gaze scanned her skin from head to toe. For a moment he had feared this would be another incident as he'd had in Fairy Tale Land; when that damned teleport still functioned.

He cleared his throat. "Well, Miss Julia," his voice sounded husky and deep ever still, "you must forgive me. I have never seen your face before. Are you new in town?"

She carefully nodded, locks of her straight brown hair fell in front of her eyes and she had to tug them behind her ear again. "I understand. You hardly ever have visitors in town."

Mr Gold's famous trade-mark smirk grew. "Correct."

"You never have tourists." She concluded and he eyed her suspiciously, having taken his stand next to the counter and having placed his fingertips spread on the counter-top. He gave her a pensive look and then traced the tip of his tongue past his upper lip.

"Who are you, dear?" He finally asked her, emitting a smile from the girl. Julia ran a hand through her hair.

"It seems we're in business," She told him, her brown eyes twinkling, "I'll tell you for a price."

Mr Gold hissed through his teeth as he leant back against the counter. Nevertheless the wrinkles next to his eyes and lips betrayed his amusement. "You're switching the roles around, Julia."

This time he wasn't the one whose identity needed to be guessed. He needed to know who she was; not her name but her entire being. "Fine, name your price and in return tell me all about you." He folded his hands in front of his chest and eyed her intently.

Julia peered back at the chocolate brown eyes that lay so intensely upon her

"Are you willing to go as far as it takes?" She asked him, making him grin and look away as she caught him with his own words and confirmed once more to him that she wasn't just an ordinary visitor.

"Farther." He replied, his eyes wrinkling with joy.

Julia smiled at him and took a few steps closer. "Alright," She said, "Now this is who I am, but in return I want you to," She leaned into him and whispered in his ear. His brown eyes widened at her words and his fingers flexed before gripping the counter ridge behind him.

When she pulled away and smiled down at him all he could do was catch his breath and nod sullenly. "You're a tough one to deal with." He said, voice soft.

"Just keep your word, Mr Gold."

He eyed her sternly. "You know I will."

This made Julia smile. "Good." She snapped her fingers. "I came here because I wanted to, Mr Gold. It is no magic or anything of the sort. It's not a game of the Queen," She shyly added, "or mayor," before she continued in her normal voice "and I am not just any random tourist. I came here because I wanted this favour of you. And it seems I got my way."

Her happy expression got him reeling. She had tricked him into making the deal she wanted without being any wiser himself in the end. How did she gain this talent? He eyed her suspiciously.

"Are you from the future?" He wondered in his Scottish brogue. Had she inherited these negotiation skills?

But all Julia did was smile mysteriously and claps her hands behind her back. "I should dig up that old teleport of yours. It might still function." And as she said it she started to dissolve and Mr Gold knew that said object still functioned. It took him by surprise and he had to sit down. The first rays of sun were already showing through his window.

While sitting stunned on the stool behind his counter he could hear the birds start to chirp. He leaned forth to reach for his shovel and glanced at it. He needed to dig up that teleport as soon as possible. Just as he sat up straight with the shovel in his hand the door of his shop opened and a smiling blonde woman appeared; her silhouette the only thing he could see as she stood surrounded by the first beams of sunlight. Golden. He had to remember his promise to Julia and smiled.

Luckily Gold had a thing for tall women.