This chapter was a tough one to write! Parts of it made me smile, but other parts made me cry!
As usual. I do not own any of ABC's characters or plotlines!
Enjoy!
Eliza waited anxiously. She had finally decided on a simple, belted dress that was a rich purple color, which she knew went nicely with her hair. Its long sleeves only trailed slightly, the underside coming to a point just below her fingertips when she let her arms hang at her sides. Despite all her efforts, she hadn't been able to put her hair up without it looking lopsided and ridiculous. She almost wished she had let her father bring one of her ladies-in-waiting out to the manor for this, but as she herself had pointed out to him, the girl from the swamp wasn't supposed to know that Owen had a daughter, so why would he bring a lady out to visit with his children? So Eliza had given up on her hair and merely brushed it thoroughly, leaving it to cascade loosely past her hips. She hoped it didn't look silly or childish.
She had done only a little with her cosmetics; she simply outlined her eyes, darkened her lashes, and used the beeswax balm on her lips. It was the same makeup she had worn for her masquerade six weeks ago; even though Andrew had not stayed to see her face revealed, Eliza had wanted to mirror that night in some ways.
"Are you going to kiss him?" came a voice in her ear. Jumping, Eliza whirled to find the twins behind her. It was Marcel who had spoken, but both were grinning ear to ear, loving this rare chance to get the better of Eliza. They had just turned 12 a few days ago, and were as mischievous as ever.
"That's so gross, Eliza," Mason added. "Why would you want someone's tongue in your mouth? What if he has bad breath?"
"What if you have bad breath?" Marcel said, improving on his brother's comment. "Here, let me smell," he teased, leaning closer to his sister.
Eliza shoved him away, her face bright red. "Leave me alone! Just wait until you two start getting interested in girls, I am going to humiliate you! If you don't behave while Andrew is here, you are never, ever going to be able to bring any girls home without them hearing every embarrassing story I have on you two. I'll even tell them about the –"
"Oh, look!" cried Mason, "Here he comes!"
Whirling, Eliza put her hands to her cheeks, wishing her face weren't so red. But the path was empty. She really should have known, she supposed. She thought about chasing the twins, who had, of course, fled as soon as she turned her back to them, but that would only make her look even more disheveled and unkempt when Andrew arrived. So she took a deep breath, trying hard to calm herself and bring her cheeks back to their normal color.
After a few minutes more of waiting, her father emerged from the woods. "Eliza!" he cried, seeing his daughter waiting for him.
She was so glad to see her father that she ran to him, nearly knocking him down as she hugged and kissed him. "Father! It's been too long!"
"I know," he replied, hugging her tightly. "It's hard to get out here as often as I'd like, with that swamp woman always nagging at me." He sighed. "The time is approaching when I will no longer have any excuse to continue postponing the wedding," he admitted sadly. "A few more months at most. She is already quite irate with me."
"Do not let her under your skin, Father," Eliza said, not even noticing that Andrew had emerged from the woods and was standing nearby. "You will discover her plot soon enough, and be done with her. If you must, begin some early preparations for a wedding; that might get her guard down a bit."
Before Owen could respond, Andrew cleared his throat. He didn't want anyone to think he was intentionally eavesdropping on their conversation.
"Ah, Andrew," Owen said, "I'd almost forgotten you were here." Bowing as he placed Eliza's hand into Andrew's, Owen said, "Allow me to formally introduce you to my daughter, Eliza."
"It's good to see you again," Andrew murmured, kissing Eliza's hand without ever taking his eyes from her face.
She smiled, teasing, "Yes, it's good to see your entire face this time, Prince Andrew." He was handsome.
"Please, just Andrew." He smiled, and the way he looked at her made Eliza's heart beat a little bit faster.
But she still couldn't resist teasing him more. "Would you like me to show you your room, 'just Andrew'?" she asked, not quite able to hide her smirk.
"In a moment, Princess," he said. "There are a few matters we must discuss first."
"Oh?" she asked, purposely not giving him the option to call her Eliza. If she was right about his sense of humor, he would understand that she was still just teasing him.
"I would like to extend you an invitation. My birthday is in two months, and while I'm not having a masked extravaganza like yours, there will be a ball. I was hoping you would accompany me." Before Eliza could answer, he added, "Of course, we would also like for you to stay with us for a few weeks, if that would be to your liking."
"Oh, 'tis very much to my liking. But I haven't a thing to wear to a ball here at the manor, and it would be very difficult for Father to get any of my things out here with that swamp-woman in the palace." Eliza wanted desperately to go. She had never felt this way about anyone before; all she could think about was getting the opportunity to spend time with him.
Andrew smiled. "As to that, my brother's wife has sent one of her seamstresses to take your measurements, should you wish to attend. That way, there will be a dress ready for you upon your arrival."
Eliza felt like her heart could almost burst from happiness. "Then yes, Andrew, I will certainly accept your kind invitation."
"Sorry I didn't come back last night," Mike said. "Noah and Fawn stayed a lot later than I thought they would, and I had to be at work early. They really like you, by the way. They think it's incredible that you haven't given up after everything you've been through. Noah says you're a keeper," he added, making it sound more like a joke.
Paige wanted to cry; she wanted Mike to think she was a keeper. It was nice that his brother approved of her, but if only Mike loved her, really loved her, she could handle any amount of scorn and rejection from his brother.
It's okay. Mr. Gold stayed pretty late last night, too. We…we had a lot to… talk about. Of course, it hadn't all involved talking. She knew that it was some time after Noah and Fawn had left that the conversation had finished and other things began; she only hoped Mike had already gone upstairs to bed and been unable to hear any noises that might have been coming from her dining area. It seemed like any time Gold found out that she enjoyed something, such as cooking for people, he found a way to taint it for her. Paige could never sit down at that table again without thinking of what he had done to her there. It was beginning to seem like he was trying to ruin every part of her home, leaving her with no place that was free of memories that would make her blush.
Mike noticed Paige's preoccupation, but he didn't know the cause. "So how did it go? What did he say?"
He…seemed to take it well enough. I don't know, maybe he was in shock or something, but he didn't freak out or anything. Or yell.
"You thought he would yell at you?" Mike realized that he hadn't really tried to find out why Paige was so reluctant to tell Mr. Gold she was pregnant.
It was…one possibility. We…didn't use any protection, and if he had assumed that I was on the pill or something, he might have been very upset that I didn't tell him that I'm not. Mike didn't need to know that Gold had never cared about using contraceptives. She had been afraid that he would yell at her for trying to get someone else to say he was the father, or because she hadn't gone through him to find out that she was pregnant. Of course, she had been even more worried that she would give herself away, which she had managed to somehow avoid. She wondered how much longer she could hide the fact that she remembered everything.
Mike made a noncommittal noise. He really just did not want to picture Paige and Gold together, but the image kept trying to form in his mind. Gold was so much older than Paige! Did she find him…attractive? Or was it just because he was the one who happened to be there for her? Mike couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if Noah had sat with their mother. If Mike had been holding a crying, terrified Paige, would he have done what Gold did? Would he be the one who was going to become a father? Would Paige have even needed comfort so desperately that she sought it in sex? Perhaps, if he had stayed with Paige, this whole situation could have been avoided.
He's not too happy about pretending the baby is yours, but you were right, he doesn't want to take that blow to his reputation. Mostly because he's my legal guardian and people will think he's been abusing that power, but also because of what people would say about our age difference. He definitely wants to have a place in the child's life, though, perhaps as an uncle or something, and he is willing to help out with money. You were right about that, too.
Not wanting to say he had told her so, Mike instead latched on to a different part of what Paige had said. "You could always ask Mr. Gold to be the godfather," he suggested.
I suppose. I'll have to talk to him about it, I guess. Paige didn't really want to talk to Gold about the baby any more than she had to. She might give herself away.
Mike's thoughts had turned inward, still fighting that mental image. For some reason, despite what Paige had told him, he couldn't shake the thought that she would never willingly let Gold touch her. "I still can't believe this is happening."
I'm sorry. This is all my fault. And really, it was. She was the one who had signed Rumpelstiltskin's contract in her other life. He had told her that she would get with child, and she had still signed anyway. But how could she have left her brothers to spend their lives as swans just to keep her chastity intact?
"Was he at least gentle with you?" Mike still wondered if Gold had hurt her in any way. Paige insisted that it had been her doing, but he couldn't wrap his head around the idea that she had wanted to have sex with Gold.
Still lost in her thoughts of her distant brothers, Paige answered the question without even thinking about what she was saying. It wasn't entirely a lie; if he was only asking about Gold, about this world, her answer was the truth. Always. As she finished the sign, she realized what she had said and froze, praying that Mike had been too preoccupied to catch on to her meaning. But when she turned to look at him, slowly, like one does in a nightmare, his mouth had fallen open. He was staring at her in disgust and horror.
"Sorry about my brothers," Eliza said once the manor had fallen out of sight behind the edge of the forest.
"No need to apologize," replied Andrew. "They remind me of what Tristan and I were like when we were younger. Except we never had a sister we could embarrass," he teased.
"I can't imagine what it must be like to grow up with only one brother," Eliza mused.
"Well, I find it hard to imagine having six of them," Andrew countered.
"I guess that's true of everyone," Eliza said, laughing a little. "My brothers probably can't imagine growing up without a big sister."
"What's normal to one person can seem strange beyond belief to another," Andrew said, shifting the heavy hamper to the other side. "So how far away is this place you're taking me?"
"It's just over a mile." Smiling, Eliza couldn't help but add, "Let me know if you need me to carry that for you."
Andrew chuckled; the hamper wasn't that heavy. "I think I'll be alright, but I thank you for your concern, Princess."
Eliza, carrying her violin case and a smaller hamper, said, "If you change your mind, just let me know."
"So, aside from belittling handsome young princes and playing the violin, what do you like to do with your time?" Andrew teased.
Eliza laughed. "Well, I love to cook for people, for one thing."
"And you're very good at it, too," Andrew said, remembering last night's dinner. The notion made his mouth water, wondering what she'd made for their picnic lunch today. He thoughtfully eyed the hamper he was carrying.
"I also enjoy archery and jousting," she said, watching Andrew's face out of the corner of her eye.
Not quite taking her seriously, Andrew said, "Archery, eh? You like to hunt?"
"Actually, no. I prefer to speed my arrows to targets that do not bleed." She looked thoughtful. "I don't like to take a life, no matter how insignificant an animal might seem to some. I've only done it once, when Father was ill and couldn't bring fresh supplies out to the manor. Skinning and cleaning it was gross enough, but I've done that before. No, the worst part was knowing that I was the one who killed it."
"I'm sorry you had to do something you find so distasteful," Andrew said seriously.
"It had to be done," Eliza replied, shrugging. "And that is the only life I have to look forward to," she added sadly.
"What do you mean, Eliza?"
"I am going to be Queen someday. My life will be little more than doing what must be done for my people," she said. "Even if it means sacrificing what I want for myself."
"Surely it won't be as bad as all that," Andrew said, trying to comfort her.
"A ruling Queen cannot drop everything to spend an afternoon at tilting. And a Queen is seldom able to simply walk through the forest without her retinue and a contingent of guards." She stopped walking. "A Queen sacrifices much. I'm not sure I'm ready to do that. I…I'm afraid I'll resent it."
Andrew stepped in front of Eliza and put his hand on her shoulder. "That is why a Queen needs to find someone who can help her keep as much of herself as possible. Someone who can sneak her away from her duties once in a while, and comfort her when she cannot shirk. I do not know you well yet, Eliza, but from everything I've seen, I believe you will make a wonderful Queen."
"I think so, too. That's what worries me, Andrew, that I'll be such a good Queen that I won't sneak away from my duties even when I can."
"Well, if I'm part of your life when you are Queen, I shall make sure you never lose yourself as completely as you fear," Andrew promised, cupping her face in his free hand.
Eliza smiled, her eyes brimming with tears. Without another word, she took Andrew's hand and started walking again, leading him down the path to her favorite spot in this forest.
Almost two hours later, Eliza put down her violin.
"You play beautifully," Andrew said.
"Mother was a far better player than me," Eliza said, embarrassed.
Andrew was stretched out on the blanket, digesting his meal as he had listened to Eliza's violin. "Did she teach you?"
"Yes. But just the violin, not cooking. Mother wasn't particularly talented in the kitchen," Eliza said, a fondly reminiscent smile on her face. She shivered. "'Tis getting colder," she said.
"And cloudy," Andrew noted, looking up at the sky.
"I suppose we should head back," Eliza said. "It's lucky it hasn't snowed here yet, or I never would have been able to bring you out here."
"I'm glad you did," Andrew said, sitting up. He shifted so he was closer to her. "It was nice to see a place you love so much."
Eliza's breath caught. He was so close. She trembled as he leaned even closer. He met her eyes as he tilted his head. As if by some pre-arranged signal, they both closed their eyes at the same moment. Then their lips met, and they both felt the spark. Andrew put one hand on the back of Eliza's neck, gently cradling her head, while Eliza put her fingers to Andrew's jaw. It was a fairly chaste kiss, but lingering.
When they broke apart, they kept their faces close, staring into one another's eyes. Snow was just starting to fall, thick white flakes that dotted their hair and their clothes. One caught on Eliza's eyelashes, and she licked her lips as Andrew reached up to brush it away. They kissed again, a shorter kiss, but still chaste, then Eliza said, "We should really be getting back to the manor." Her voice was breathless with emotion.
"We wouldn't want to get caught out here in the snow, I suppose," Andrew agreed. Then he thought of something. "If there's a lot of this snow, will your father be able to come back for me?"
"That won't be a problem. That's part of the magic of the manor; when father uses the ball of yarn, he can always find his way there, no matter what lies between the bridge and the manor." As she spoke, Eliza gathered everything up and put it neatly back into the hamper Andrew had carried. The empty champagne bottle, the drinking flutes, and the blanket went into her smaller hamper. Then she picked up her violin case, and they left the clearing, not talking much, but frequently locking glances.
Mike wasn't even looking at her as he paced back and forth, lecturing her. Paige took one of the accent pillows on her couch and threw it at him. He finally looked at her.
Are you actually interested in what I have to say on the matter, or are you just trying to make yourself feel like a better person by ripping my integrity apart?
"This has nothing to do with me," Mike said, incredulous. "I'm not the one throwing myself into Mr. Gold's bed. And I'm also not the one who lied about it!" Mike shuddered. "He's old enough to be your father, Paige!"
You have no say in this, Mike. You don't even want me that way. Why should you care what I do and who I do it with?
"How could you do anything with that man?" Suddenly, Mike thought of something. "Is this what you mean when you say that he's been so good to you?" When Paige's face became more guarded, he automatically assumed that it was true. "That's disgusting! How could you enjoy letting that man touch you?"
Mr. Gold knows how to make me feel good, he has taken the time to learn what I like and what I don't. At Mike's expression, she added, You know, if I didn't know better, Mike, I'd think you were jealous!
Mike felt like she had hit him with a hammer. Jealous? Him? "As if, Paige," he sneered, never even realizing how deep a chord she had struck. "You are perverted if you can enjoy having sex with a creepy old man like Gold." Mike had always felt an instinctual dislike of Gold, but his rational mind had seen how much the man had helped Paige, so he had ignored it. He had also ignored the fact that everyone else in town despised the man, assuming that they just hadn't had the chance to see his good heart. But now Mike let his disgust out; the man was clearly nothing more than a despicable lecher. "He's only taking advantage of you, Paige. I doubt he really cares about you."
So what? she signed. He's amazing at foreplay, and he always makes sure I get my pleasure out of our times together. And that's all this is about. He has no feelings for me and I have none for him. No one else wants me, so why shouldn't I find pleasure where I can?
"So what, he's your guardian with benefits?" Mike was disgusted to hear Paige talking like this. How could she really want this?
With an irritated look on her face, Paige responded, Yeah, I guess you could put it that way. He's the only man who's ever wanted me. It's not like I'm pretty, like Ruby is.
"Shut up, Paige. You're beautiful, and you know it."
Would you say that to me if you were sure you were a straight man?
Mike opened his mouth to say that he certainly would, but he stopped before saying it. Would he tell her she was beautiful if he was interested in girls? He tried to figure it out. For some reason, he felt like it was absolutely vital that he give an honest answer.
Exactly, Paige signed after a long moment of silence. You wouldn't, because you would be afraid that I would read too much into it and assume that you wanted me. Which you don't. No one does, except Mr. Gold. Gesturing to her plus-sized frame, Paige added, I guess when a man gets older, he gets less shallow.
Mike replied, "Maybe you only let him have his way with you because you believe that you don't deserve to be loved. If you had some self-respect, you would kick him to the curb and find someone who will love you for who you are. You deserve that, Paige. What if Mr. Gold only wants you because no one wants him? Oh, but there you are; you're always willing to open your legs for him." On a roll, Mike barreled on over whatever Paige was trying to sign to him. "And from how much you're blushing, it looks like you're ashamed of your little 'relationship' with Gold, so maybe you should stop."
Mike, I'm talking to a man I have feelings for, not only telling him that I'm having sex with another man, but that I enjoy it. How is that not supposed to be awkward and embarrassing? Is it really that weird that I should be blushing right now? Paige's blushes came in part because she was lying to Mike, which she hated doing, but also because she was starting to realize something. In defending her actions to both Emma and Mike, she had begun to realize that she really did enjoy Gold's attentions, especially once her mind gave up fighting the pleasure. It made her more ashamed than ever. She hoped she could keep this revelation to herself; Gold had far too much power over her as it was. It would not be easy, though, as empathetic as he often proved to be. Of course, that was assuming that he didn't already know it.
"How can you sit there and say you have feelings for me when you go running to Gold's pants for comfort? How long has this been going on? Since you were all healed up after those guys raped you?" Saying that made Mike think of something worse. "Is that what made you start doing this? I thought that was just some kind of crappy, unrealistic porno plot, the rape victim discovering that she likes being degraded by men."
You're the one standing here degrading me, Mike. Mr. Gold treats me like a woman, not a porn star. He makes sure that we both enjoy ourselves. He doesn't call me a whore, and he damn sure doesn't treat me like one. It was years before anything happened between us, and it has nothing to do with the fact that I was raped. He has been nothing but respectful. In a way, that was true, at least here in Storybrooke. While he always did something nice for her or gave her something in return for each time he had his way with her, he had always made certain that no position was too uncomfortable for her, and he made absolutely sure that her pleasure came before his. Of course, she suspected that the latter was little more than an attempt to break her habit of fighting that pleasure. Even so, it was kind of nice, in a weird way, to know that she could count on enjoying herself every time.
"That is sick, Paige. That's not respect he's showing you. It's lust, plain and simple. He is sick and twisted, and so are you."
I don't think it's sick for two people to enjoy having sex with each other. What bothers you more, that Mr. Gold and I don't have any feelings for each other, or that I'm finding sexual pleasure and you're not? When Mike couldn't answer that question, Paige went on, taking up a topic that had been irritating her for quite some time now. You always seem to think that I've got no one in this wide world but you and Gold. Don't think I haven't noticed that. When Ruby and I made friends, you couldn't believe it at first. What, you think that just because I can't talk, I'm not worth being friends with for anyone who doesn't know sign language? I'm not good enough, I don't deserve friends?
"That's not what I think," Mike protested, his own cheeks flushing as he remembered that it been quite difficult at first for him to think of Paige having friends. He had hoped that those thoughts hadn't shown, but apparently Paige was more perceptive than he had given her credit for. "I know better than anybody that you deserve so much more than the crap you've been given. But you also deserve better than a sinister old man like Gold. You shouldn't have to run to him, not when you have me."
But that's just it, Mike, I don't have you! You're my best friend, and I'm in love with you, but you don't even like girls. You probably find it disgusting that I'd much rather be having sex with you than with Mr. Gold. You don't want me the way I want you. You're my friend, Mike. Just my friend, not my boyfriend. Who I'm having sex with is none of your business.
"What, just because I'm more interested in guys, I'm not supposed to care about your well-being? Because that's what I'm concerned about here, Paige."
No it's not. You're jealous. Maybe not jealous of Gold, but you are jealous that I'm having sex with someone. You can't stand it that I know what I want in a sexual partner and that I found it. Paige was crying now; not so much because she and Mike were having this fight, but more because she had no choice but to lie to him. Maybe, just maybe, he could forgive her if he knew why she was really having sex with Mr. Gold. But if she told him the truth, she would be breaking her contract, and destroying her brothers' last hope. Paige got up from the couch, walking closer to Mike. You don't even know what you want. I mean, do you honestly believe you might be gay? Or are you just using your supposed uncertainty to hide fear?
Mike just stared at Paige, his mouth opening and closing as he failed to find any words.
You've never done anything with a man or a woman, never even kissed, so how could you know? That was only true here in Storybrooke, of course; probably as a result of the Curse, keeping the two of them from finding their happy ending. I'm a woman, Mike. I'm a woman, and I am right here in front of you. Kiss me, hold me, touch me. That's all you have to do to find out for sure. Paige held out her arms. She wanted Mike to do this more than anything. If only he would kiss her, it might bring back his memories. True love's kiss was supposed to be able to break curses. She doubted that Mike kissing her would completely break the Evil Queen's Curse, but it might be enough to give him back his true past. She still wouldn't be able to tell him the truth about Gold, but at least he would remember having loved her once.
Mike made no response; he wouldn't even meet her eyes.
But you won't, will you? What are you afraid of, Mike? The truth? Commitment? Me? What, Mike, what's holding you back?
Mike's jaw clenched. He still didn't know what to say.
We all have our flaws, Mike. But I never knew cowardice was one of yours. Paige hated the things she was saying to him, but she couldn't seem to stop herself. She was so angry right now, with him for the things he was saying, with Gold for forcing her to lie to her beloved, and with herself for not being able to control her temper.
Mike finally found something to say. "And I never knew one of yours was that you were a lying, worthless slut." With that, he stalked out the door. Paige, reeling, heard Mike's front door open. A moment later, it was slammed shut, and a moment after that, the car started. Paige ran to her door, which Mike had neglected to shut behind him. Sobbing, she collapsed on the porch as she watched Mike drive away.
Andrew's two-week stay had been over far sooner than Eliza would have liked, but knowing that he would return to escort her to his kingdom had kept her going. Those six weeks had seemed interminable, of course, but at last they were up.
King Owen had brought the governess with him; fortunately, she resided in a town between the castle and the old bridge, so he hadn't needed to worry about sneaking her out without Lilura finding out. He had begun some preparations for the supposed wedding, as Eliza had suggested, but so far, Lilura didn't seem to be appeased by them.
"I'll only be gone for about three weeks, Father," Eliza protested when Owen hugged her tightly, crying. The three weeks included travel time.
"Every time we've been apart before, you've been either at the manor or the palace. I knew you were safe." Despite wanting Eliza to fall in love, Owen was finding it hard to let her go. She would always be his little girl, and he didn't like the idea of her crossing the dangerous territory between his kingdom and Tristan's.
Andrew stepped up, saying, "Your Highness, my guard-captain and I have put together a route that we believe will minimize the danger. It will add a day or so to our journey, but we intend to skirt around the edges of the Betrayer's kingdom. We feel it will be our best option to keep your daughter as safe as possible." He put a hand on Owen's arm. "If needs be, I will give my life in Eliza's defense." Andrew met the king's eye for a long moment. "I just wanted you to know that, Sire."
Owen nodded, saying, "No words can express my gratitude. I know she will be safe with you." He laid his hand on Andrew's shoulder in a gesture of blessing. It was still hard to see Eliza go off into the unknown, but he had suddenly realized that, whether they knew it yet or not, Andrew and Eliza were in love as surely as he and Aenor had been. He could see it in the way they looked at one another.
"How are you holding up, Eliza?" asked Andrew, bringing the princess a mug of hot tea.
"I admit, I am hardly accustomed to traveling this much. I am well enough, though. Thank you." Eliza smiled as she took the mug carefully. After a tentative sip, she found that it was the perfect temperature, whether by accident or by design. She drank deeper, and sighed appreciatively. "Mother always said that hot tea was sovereign for any ill," she remarked.
Andrew chuckled. "My mother says much the same thing," he said.
"Will I meet her?" Eliza was curious; Andrew had not been very open about his mother.
He hesitated before answering. "I'm afraid not. She has…been exiled." He watched Eliza's face, not knowing why he felt so nervous about admitting this. "She – she plotted against my brother. She wanted…to raise me to the throne," he confessed. "I told her many times that I did not want to rule. What do I truly know of the common folk? A soldier I am, and they are all I know. I am not suited for the ruling of any kingdom. But Mother insisted, and even summoned…one whose name I should probably not bring up in polite company. She wanted my fortune told. And it was foreseen that I would be a king, but that I would not rule."
He did not tell her the rest; he could not know for certain yet, but what other "flame-haired" Crown Princess could exist in the world? He didn't know very much about the kingdoms on the other side of the Wolfswood, but nothing he'd heard had ever led him to believe that they had very many ruling queens. And the betrothal agreement that had been drafted certainly accounted for the prophecy that both kingdoms would grow. But he worried about Rumpelstiltskin's final comment. "Provided, of course, that you can keep anyone from getting murdered." The words echoed in his memory, and he knew he could never introduce Eliza to his mother. She would never forgive the princess for stealing his heart.
After a long moment of silence while Eliza sipped her tea, she said, "I'm sorry to hear that about your mother. I am sure she had only your best interests at heart, but she should not have plotted against her own son."
Given their kingdoms' shared history, Andrew knew exactly what she meant. "Unlike us, she is not descended from the Betrayer. She does not understand the meaning of that history as you and I do."
"There is no shame in continuing to love her, Andrew," Eliza said, putting her hand on his. He smiled at her. He didn't understand how she had seen so deeply into his heart, but her words were a great comfort to him.
[I'm sorry, doctor. Now that i'm here, i don't know if i can talk about it] Paige texted. She was glad Archie had agreed to see her on such short notice, but the pain was just too fresh.
"Maybe it would be easier to tell me what you two fought about," Archie suggested.
[He…he found out something that upset him] Paige sent.
"Can you tell me what it was?" Archie could tell that Paige was confused and devastated. She wasn't usually this reticent during their sessions.
[I … it's about mr. gold. About…the real reason i moved out.] Paige hated lying, and it felt like that was all she had done all day long. [There's a reason why he was so helpful in making sure i could live on my own… something happened. Or at least, it almost did.]
When he saw that Paige was hesitating, Archie prompted, "What was that reason, Paige?" He could sense that this was something important, some deep, dark secret that Paige had been keeping for quite some time.
She thought for a moment longer about what, exactly, to say before her thumbs started hitting the keys again. [I kinda thought that I was falling for mr. gold. I wanted… things nice girls aren't supposed to want. With him.] Paige began to wish she had never come. She felt like she had told so many lies about Mr. Gold that she would soon drown in them.
Archie swallowed. Yes, this certainly was a deep, dark secret. Paige and Mr. Gold? But it was not his place to judge. "And did you…follow up on those desires?"
[Almost. But he kept his distance. And then i started to have feelings for mike, and i was so confused.] Paige hoped Archie was not as good at detecting lies as Emma was. [So we decided that it might be best if i moved out – if i was no longer living with mr. gold. We figured it was just because he was the one who saved me, you know?]
"That does happen," Archie agreed.
[The thing is, mike didn't know about any of this. Until today…]
"And he couldn't deal with it?" asked Archie.
[He felt like he was second-best. That i only turned to him because mr gold turned me down. And he also thinks that it might even be for a similar reason, since he's the one who taught me sign language…]
"I think maybe he just needs time," said Archie. "Let him cool down, and when he comes back, try to talk it over with him. You can both come to me if you feel it will help." Feeling like he was stating the obvious, he added, "And it is possible that your feelings for him are perhaps not as genuine as they seem right now, but from what I've seen of the two of you, I'm pretty sure that's not the case here."
[If he comes back] Paige texted, her expression worried.
"I'm sure he will," Archie reassured her. "I've seen how much he cares for you, Paige. He won't just leave you on your own like this."
[I hope not. Especially not now…] As soon as she hit the Send button, Paige winced.
"What makes it so vital now, Paige?" asked Archie.
[I…wasn't planning on telling too many people just yet… I know you'll hold it in confidence, but… I wasn't ready, not yet. But you see… I'm pregnant.]
"Oh!" he exclaimed. "I… normally, I would say congratulations, but I don't imagine you really want to hear that right now." After a moment, he added, "I sincerely hope that you and Mike can get everything all worked out. And if there's ever anything I can do to help, please, just let me know."
[Thank you, dr. hopper, i appreciate that.]
Archie looked out the window. "It looks like that storm is going to hit soon, are you going to be okay?"
[From what i heard, it's not supposed to start until later. I'll make it home in plenty of time. Thank you.]
Mike didn't know where he was going, he was just driving. He had gone to some of his favorite spots, but once there, he couldn't stand the idea of being there. He found himself out on one of the access roads in the woods. There was an old cabin out this way that he and his brother had played outside of as children. They had no idea who owned it. It had always been locked, and they had never asked their parents about it. They'd been afraid that they would be forbidden to play there if they did.
But he saw two cars stopped ahead. When he got out to investigate, he discovered that the road was closed and both cars were empty. The car closest to the barrier belonged to Mary Margaret. He didn't recognize the second car, but he gave it an unfriendly look. If only this person wasn't hiking with her, he could go out and find her. He thought he could remember the path she usually took. She was always a great listener. He couldn't bear to tell her the whole truth, of course, but he felt it would help to have someone lend a sympathetic ear to what small portions of his problem he would feel comfortable discussing.
He supposed he could still go out to the cabin; Mary Margaret's normal route didn't take her too close to it. But knowing that there were other people somewhere in the vicinity ruined it for him, so he got back into his car, backing up until he found a spot where he could turn around. He couldn't imagine why anyone would go for a walk when a bad storm was coming, but it really wasn't any of his business.
Finding a secluded area, he parked his car and sat there, staring off into the woods but not actually seeing anything. Him, jealous? Of that creep, Gold? Hardly. Mike found himself considering the idea of moving to Boston. Maybe, with a fresh start in a new place, his dreams could come true. He could get a job, or two if necessary, and work to put himself through school. He could become a teacher and go wherever there was work. Anywhere but Storybrooke.
He wasn't sure he could stay here now. Aside from the fact that Storybrooke was rather conservative, the only things that had tied him here were his mother and, later, Paige. But his mother was in a home now, where she would be in good hands, and Paige had her dirty old man. Why would she need Mike now? He had taught her sign language and helped her figure out how to move out on her own. She was done with him; there wasn't anything else he could give her, not that he was willing to give, anyway.
She was right, he had never even kissed anyone yet, but just the idea of kissing girls made him uncomfortable. Kissing guys, on the other hand, seemed so intriguing. So why couldn't he stop imagining himself taking Paige in his arms and kissing her like a chick flick? For some reason, when he thought of Paige that way, it was not as bad as the thought of kissing any other girl, but it also didn't compare with how he'd felt when he had imagined what it would be like to kiss Graham.
Mike laid his head down on the steering wheel. What should he do? Could he really just run off to Boston like that? Like any new idea, it was both exhilarating and terrifying at the same time.
As she had told Archie, Paige easily made it home before the storm started. But she stood outside the house, looking up at Mike's half. His windows were dark, and his car was still gone. She couldn't bear to go back into her own living room; she didn't want to be in the place where they had fought. It would have been a long walk to Noah and Fawn's house, so Paige pulled out her phone and texted Noah.
[Have you seen mike? We... we had a fight earlier and i haven't seen him since.]
She waited, fidgeting impatiently. She thought about texting Ruby, but right now she wasn't sure she wanted the sympathy she knew Ruby would give. She had stopped crying, but if anyone showed sympathy, or, worse, pity, she knew she would cry even harder than before.
Finally, her phone went off. [No, i'm afraid not] Noah texted. Before Paige could even reply, another message from Noah appeared. [I'm really sorry, if i hear from him i'll let you know.]
[K, thanks] she texted back, biting her lips. She went back down the porch steps and headed for Mr. Gold's house. It was starting to rain. She kept telling herself that she wasn't supposed to be alone in the duplex, but the real reason, the reason she wouldn't admit even to herself, was not only that she didn't want to go back to the place where they had fought, but that she couldn't bear the thought of making the situation worse by having Gold in her house tonight.
By the time she got to Gold's, the rain was pounding down, but Paige walked slowly, as if she didn't even realize that she was getting more soaked by the moment. Her coat didn't have a hood, and the hat she wore provided no protection of her collar, so the rain was running down inside the back of her coat as well. She stood outside of Mr. Gold's house, looking at the beautiful stained glass squares set into his doors. She walked up to the bell, but couldn't make herself press the button.
Paige turned around and headed back out into the rain. She walked all the way home again, only to collapse in the yard. She couldn't go in there! She wouldn't! She sat there for several minutes, heedless of the mud that was forming all around her. When she tried to get up, she slipped, barely catching herself from ending up face first in the mud. Not knowing what else to do, she reached for her phone. But it had fallen out of her pocket, and when she found it at the bottom of a muddy puddle, it would not turn on. So she shoved it back into her pocket and began to trudge wearily back to Mr. Gold's house.
This time, she nearly rang the bell, but her hand dropped. She didn't want to be around anyone right now. Especially not Gold. She headed back down his walk, but tripped over a piece of a branch that had fallen from a nearby tree. Once she hit the ground, she couldn't make herself get up again. She was certain she had lost Mike over this, and the worst thing was that she couldn't imagine his fairy-tale self taking the news any better. In fact, it might have been worse in the world that was. That she allowed Rumpelstiltskin to take such liberties would likely have broken their betrothal, especially since the vile little imp had fathered a child on her. A child who would end up ruling her realm, unless that child was found to be unworthy or, for any reason, incapable.
Was there really any point any more? She had lost her true love. But suddenly, Paige sat up. There were still her brothers to consider. Even if her life was no longer worth living, she had to carry on for their sake. They deserved the chance for their own happiness; she could not take that from them just because her life was ruined. But she still could not stomach the thought of running to Gold, so she just sat there in the middle of his walkway.
Eliza half-stood up in her stirrups as she watched closely. She had missed only one ring, in her second round, and so far Andrew hadn't missed any. He was just starting his third and final round.
As Andrew missed the ninth ring, Eliza smiled. They were tied now, and if he missed the last ring, she would win.
But Andrew did not let his one miss distract him; the point of his lance caught the last ring, which slid down to join the other eight. Eliza watched as he turned his horse, trotting toward her. She couldn't help admiring him, especially the smile on his face. It was clear that he loved this sport as much as she did.
"It seems like we're evenly matched, Princess," Andrew said as he rode up next to her. Eliza felt a fluttering in her stomach as that smile was turned on her.
"Apparently," Eliza said, smiling back. "So do you want to try this again, or shall I unhorse you now?"
"You think you stand a chance against me?" Andrew couldn't quite tell if she was serious.
"Oh, I think I can hold my own," she said.
"You should know, I've won every tournament I've entered," he warned.
"Perhaps you should know that I've bested Sir Ryan, who has won every tournament he has ever entered." As they bantered, they guided their horses so that they were circling each other.
"And just how many tries did that take, Princess?" Andrew teased.
"We've jousted four times," Eliza said. "The first, Ryan won. And since then, I've trounced him thrice." She tried to state it as a simple fact, but she couldn't keep a trace of pride from creeping into her voice.
Although impressed, Andrew couldn't resist teasing her further. "Sir Ryan," he mused, "yes, I've met him. Not to tilt against, you understand. But he's, ah, a bit long in the tooth, though, isn't he? A man past his prime like that – did you let him win the first time for the sake of his pride? Or perhaps," he added, "it was he who let you win. Perhaps you are not so skilled as you think, Princess."
It angered Eliza to hear him belittle Sir Ryan like this, but she knew he was, at least in part, trying to make her angry enough that she would lose this verbal battle. But even though she was determined to keep her calm, her smile was tight as she replied, "What's the matter, Andrew? Afraid of being beaten by a girl?"
With a mischievous smile, Andrew countered, "I'm afraid, Eliza, that I'll be picking you up off the ground before the day is out."
On the first pass, Eliza's lance had merely glanced off Andrew's shield, while his lance-tip broke off on her own shield. But she had seen why; Andrew had rotated his torso to the left just before their lances struck. She would be prepared for that next time.
When she reached her starting point, Eliza handed her shield to one of the young squires attending her. She shook her left arm vigorously; that still stung! She and Andrew were, indeed, closely matched in skill, but she had a plan to get around that tricky little twist of his.
Once they were both re-armed and ready for their next pass, Eliza settled herself a little farther back in the saddle than she normally would. They lowered their lances and sped their horses down the field.
Andrew watched Eliza's lance, expertly judging his moment. He was taken quite by surprise when his opponent shifted forward and, clutching her horse tightly with her legs, threw all her body weight into her lance arm. Her quick movement had left him with no time to twist his shield, and he felt the jolt as Eliza's lance struck home. His own lance forgotten, Andrew struggled to keep his seat, but after a long moment of seeming weightlessness, he felt more than heard the clash of his armor hitting the ground. He had never been so grateful for the sweat-inducing layers of padding inside his metal shell.
For a time that could have been anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours, as far as Andrew could tell, he lay on his back re-learning how to breathe. Suddenly, Eliza appeared in his line of sight. She had removed her gauntlets and her helm, and was standing by his left side. Her mouth moved, but he couldn't make sense of the words. But he did understand the arm that she offered. He removed his own gauntlets and helmet before reaching across his body with his right hand to grasp Eliza's wrist. He side-swiped her feet with his left arm, pulling on the wrist he held so that her body would twist as she fell. This way, she would land on her back rather than on her side. As she crashed to the ground beside him, he noticed that he could hear the clatter of her armor. It wasn't quite as loud as it should have been just yet, but it meant that his ears were coming to their senses.
Waving away the anxious squires, Andrew unbuckled the larger pieces of his armor. Red-faced and still breathing heavily, he rolled to his hands and knees before slowly getting to his feet. He offered Eliza his hand. "I told you I would be picking you up off the ground before the day was out," he teased. The effect was only slightly spoiled by the fact that he hadn't quite caught his breath yet.
Eliza, trying to unbuckle her own armor, started laughing so hard she couldn't even find the buckles. As Andrew knelt to help her, he couldn't help laughing too. He hadn't been unhorsed since his days in training, but if someone had to figure out how to beat his trick, he was glad it was Eliza.
The wind had really picked up; Gold had heard branches cracking. He pushed the curtains aside to look out into the storm. The rain seemed to be going nearly sideways in the wind, and the trees were tossing wildly. Then he noticed a strange shape on his walkway. At first he couldn't make sense of it, but suddenly he realized that it was a person sitting there! He thought he could even make out a glimpse of red hair; what could Paige be doing out there in the storm?
He thought about grabbing an umbrella, but that would leave both of his hands occupied, and Paige, presuming it was her, might need some assistance, so he threw on a raincoat and put up the hood before heading out the door.
When he reached the figure, it was indeed Paige; her hat was lying in the mud a little distance away, as if she had been lying full out when it fell. Indeed, she was so covered in mud that it almost looked like she had been mud-wrestling.
"Paige?" Mr. Gold said, taking hold of her muddy arm. She looked up at him, but he wasn't sure she was actually seeing him. "Come on, then, let's get you inside."
Docile as a lamb, Paige let him pull her to her feet and lead her into his house.
Once their wet coats and shoes had been placed where they could dry without dripping all over the floor, Mr. Gold took hold of Paige by her upper arms. "Paige, what happened?" She simply stared off into the distance over his shoulder, her face bleak, so he shook her gently. "Tell me what happened, Paige," he insisted.
Her eyes finally focused on him, and her hands came up. Mike…we had a fight. He left. She stood there for a moment, swallowing hard. I don't think he's coming back.
"You poor thing," Gold said, trying to pull Paige into an embrace.
No, Paige signed, suddenly realizing how very wet and muddy she was, you'll ruin your suit. She tried to push him away, but he put his arms around her anyway.
"This suit doesn't matter. I can always get a new one." With that bit of kindness, Paige lost it. She clung to him, sobbing her heart out. She could no longer stand on her own, and with Gold's leg already bothering him a bit because of the weather, all he could do was try to make sure neither of them got hurt as they sank to the floor. They ended up with Paige huddled in a fetal position, leaning against Mr. Gold.
He stroked her hair and whispered comforting nonsense to her. When her sobs finally started giving way to hiccupping gasps, he said, "Come along, we need to get you clean and dry."
After maneuvering himself back up, he held out his hand. Paige took it without hesitation, and he led her upstairs to the master bathroom. He pulled out a robe that he had bought for her just before he found out that she was trying to move out on her own. Because she had left his house, he'd never actually given it to her. It was almost indecent, being just this side of see-through. "Take your clothes off and put this on," he said, "while I run you a bath. I can launder your things while you bathe."
Uncharacteristically, Paige didn't even wait for him to turn around as she began mechanically removing her clothes.
The dress Ayala's seamstresses had made for Eliza was beautiful. It was emerald green, which Andrew said he had specifically requested, since he thought it would go so well with her hair. As he had said, the ball was nothing to compare with her masquerade, but she enjoyed it almost as much, knowing that Andrew was at her side. They had danced most of the night.
Andrew had brought Eliza to the top of the highest tower, the place where he'd been taught not only astronomy, but the anatomy of a battlefield. His tutors had told him that if he could imagine what a battle looked like from above, it would be easier to see where his forces and his enemy's were weak. Maps were all very well, they had taught, but being able to picture the battle from above as it unfolded was better. This tower was where Andrew had learned some of the most valuable lessons of his life.
Tristan had given him the ring. It had originally been made for Ayala. It bore six small diamonds shaped and set as petals around a small, round fire topaz. But being a Golden Hind, Ayala had refused to wear what she called "dead gems and lifeless metals," so Tristan had a magician make a ring out of a living flower, which would thrive off the moisture in her skin. Ayala had loved that second ring.
The first ring was the one Andrew now clutched in his hand. The seamstress had taken one look at Eliza's hands and knew which finger it would fit best. The ring had been made for Ayala's right forefinger, but Eliza's hands were bigger, so the best fit would be Eliza's left ring finger.
"It's beautiful up here," Eliza said softly. Andrew could tell she was overcome by the sheer beauty of the view. The moon was full, so the land was bathed in silver.
"Eliza," Andrew started, his voice husky. When she turned to face him, he swallowed. She was so beautiful to him. Her red hair was pale in the moonlight. "I would like – what I mean, is… will you…" he stammered, before going down on one knee. He felt the need to beg for this woman's attention. "I love you. And I would be the happiest man in the world if you would have me for your husband," he said, tears welling up in his eyes as he held out his hand, the ring resting on his palm.
Eliza's eyes welled up, too. Her face was soft and open, so vulnerable, so unlike her usual self. "Oh, Andrew," she said softly. "I love you, too. I wouldn't have any other husband but you."
Andrew slipped the ring onto her finger before standing to wipe away her tears. As he did, she reached out to brush the tears off of his face. He laughed softly; after a moment, so did she. He pulled her in for a kiss, one much more passionate than any they had shared yet. He wanted so much more, but he was far too much of a gentleman to let things go that far. There would be plenty of time for that sort of thing after they were married.
After putting Paige's muddy clothes in the washing machine, Mr. Gold made a phone call, but after several rings, it kicked over to Michael's voicemail. So Gold made another call; when Noah swore that he had no idea where Michael had gone, Gold believed him. He could hear the desperate worry in Noah's voice when he said that Mike wasn't answering his phone. Mr. Gold wondered where the young man could have possibly gone, and what the fight had even been about in the first place. Michael had already known that Paige was pregnant; when she had broken the news to him, she admitted that her young man had already agreed to say he was the father.
He wondered what exactly Paige had said to Michael; perhaps she had lied about their…unspoken arrangement. If she had, and if the young man had somehow discovered the truth, that could explain this fight. He would have to see if he could get Paige to talk about it; with the mood she was in right now, she might just tell him anything he asked.
Once her clothes had been transferred to the dryer, Mr. Gold went back to the bathroom to check on her. When she didn't answer his knock, he opened the door, worried that something might have happened to her. He was relieved to see her sitting in the tub, hugging herself. But she didn't react when he came into the room, not even when he called her name. The washcloth was still sitting on the side of the tub, folded up and perfectly dry. She hadn't even tried to wash herself.
It was an enormous tub, walled in on three sides. Along one of the walls that met the open side, there was a beautiful handrail that seemed to be made of wrought iron, at just the right height where Gold could grasp it for support so he could get in and out of the tub more easily. In both back corners, where the walls came together, the tub's corners were rounded, leaving two almost triangular sections along the side of the tub. Gold had lit dozens of small candles on these corners; he always found candlelight soothing, and he hoped Paige would as well.
Checking the temperature of the water, Mr. Gold pulled the stopper and let some of the water out. Then he turned the tap on as hot as it would go, pouring in a little more of the bubble bath, and removed the silky pajamas he had changed into, as well as his boxers. He leaned over to mix the water with his hand, trying to get an even temperature throughout. Though the water was not as hot as it had been when he first ran the bath, it was close. He stepped into the water and sank down next to Paige.
First he cupped his hands to pour the warm water over Paige's hair, then washed it with the expensive shampoo he used. Once her hair was clean and rinsed, he took the washcloth and gently washed her face and her body. He was tender yet business-like; his hands didn't linger. He simply bathed her as if she were an invalid. When he had finished, he sat back against the side of the tub and pulled Paige's back against his chest, spooning her. For several moments he sat there with his arms wrapped around her.
Then he began to stroke his hands along her body, gently kneading her breasts. She didn't seem to notice at first, but when he lowered one hand between her legs to touch the sweet spot, she tried to pull away. He removed his hand so that he could hold her still, though she kept struggling.
"Just sit still, now, Paige. Tonight is for your pleasure, not mine."
She stopped resisting, but sat still and stiff in his arms. She didn't try to get away as he eased his grip, so he trailed his hand back down between her legs. As he stroked her sensitive spot, she began to slowly relax into his arms. Her breathing grew ragged, and it wasn't long before her back began to arch as she started to really enjoy his touch.
Paige suddenly thought of Gold's mouth, and how skilled he was with it. As good as his fingers felt, his mouth would be even better. She was embarrassed to realize that she actually craved the feel of Mr. Gold's tongue. Her cheeks felt hot, and she knew she was blushing. She only hoped that Mr. Gold couldn't see it, given that he was behind her.
But although he couldn't really see her face, he knew Paige, and being extremely empathetic, he could sense that she wanted something more. But even though he was being kind to her tonight, it simply went against his nature to just give her what she wanted. He lowered his hand even further, gently working two fingers inside of her, which made her gasp as her head fell back on his shoulder.
"If there's anything I can do for you, Paige," he said softly in her ear, "anything at all, don't hesitate to ask." The words themselves seemed innocent enough, but his tone was full of insinuations.
Paige grabbed his hand and pulled it away from her, pushing herself to the other side of the tub, where she hunched into the water. She pulled her legs in as close as possible, not wanting to accidentally brush his leg with hers, but the tub wasn't quite big enough for her to get that far away from him. She was trying to glare at him, but he could see the stern expression warring with her desire.
"What's the matter, Paige," he asked, keeping his face neutral.
Just leave me alone, just for once!
"You were moving your hips more than I was moving my hand, dove," he said, a faint smirk playing at the corners of his lips. "That doesn't seem like you wanted me to leave you alone."
Shut up! Paige's eyes began to fill with tears. She had always hated that crying was her body's first reaction to most emotions, including anger.
"Whatever is the matter, Paige? Are you ashamed of what you want?"
You know I am, Paige signed. She wished she could take it back as soon as her hands had finished; she didn't want to ever admit that to him.
"There's no shame in craving pleasure," Gold said, no longer able to fight his smirk. "It's perfectly natural to enjoy sexual activities." When Paige tried to hug herself even tighter, he couldn't help but add, "Don't you want me to touch you?"
Paige stared at him for a long moment before she answered. It feels like every inch of my skin is aching for it. Once again, she was surprised by what she was admitting to him.
"Then let me. Let me give you the pleasure you crave." Despite what he was saying, Gold made no move toward Paige. He intended to make her work for this. When Paige shook her head no, he asked, "Why are you so ashamed of your desires?"
I don't love you. I was raised to only…do those things…with the man I loved. But…he doesn't even want me. Tears ran down her face. This time she didn't even seem to realize that she'd said more than she ever meant to say in front of Mr. Gold.
Tucking this little piece of information away for later, Gold said, "Love is nice, but it's hardly necessary for the sake of pleasure. Lust is nothing to be ashamed of."
Why are you trying so hard to make me feel better about it? Yes, I'm ashamed of the way my body betrays me. I can't stand how you can bring me to orgasm every single time, no matter how hard I fight it. I am so ashamed of myself. But isn't that exactly how you like me?
"Whatever do you mean, Paige," Gold asked, intrigued. He had never expected her to pick up on that, especially since she refused to look at him while he had his way with her.
Why else would you say those things you say just when you know I can't fight it any longer? Paige felt at odds; part of her just wanted him to get out and leave her alone, but another part of her wanted the release he was offering.
A long moment passed while Gold digested the things he'd heard from Paige tonight. Then, moving to the open side of the tub, he reached up with one hand to grasp the bar. "I'll leave you alone with your thoughts, then, Paige," he said. He had said that tonight was for pleasure, and he'd meant it. Even if it pleased her for him to leave her alone.
But Paige suddenly realized that while he had been touching her, she'd had no room for memories of the fight, so she grabbed his other wrist as he levered himself up. Still holding the bar, Gold twisted to look at her.
As soon as she saw that he had stopped leaving, Paige took her hand back to sign, Please don't go. I... I don't want be alone right now.
Mr. Gold turned and lowered himself back into the water. "What would you have me do?"
Paige, her face flushing again, turned away from him. She saw one of the corner spots, covered in candles, and thought to herself that she could sit there while he knelt in the tub. She turned back, her face red at what she intended to say. I want… I want you to use your mouth on me, she signed. At Gold's leering smirk, Paige felt her face grow even hotter, so she turned her back on him again. She started putting the candles out, trying to collect them in her hands.
Suddenly, Mr. Gold was there taking a handful of candles from her. He slid over to put them on the floor outside the tub, then turned to take the rest of them from Paige. He was pretty sure he knew what she had in mind, so he wasn't particularly surprised when Paige seated herself on the corner. He loved the look on her face as she stared down at him, watching him settle himself in front of her. She was more ashamed than she had ever been; after all, she had asked for this! But she was also turned on.
He kept his eyes on hers as he placed one hand on each of her knees, slowly spreading her legs apart. She licked her lips nervously. But he couldn't help himself; he had to look down as her most intimate parts were revealed. He could smell her arousal, and it awoke some very primal feelings in him. When he looked up at her again, she took a deep breath at his expression. But as he lowered his mouth, her breathing quickened before he even touched her. She sighed as he began to explore her with his tongue.
If he wasn't going to get his pleasure tonight, he decided, she was going to have to beg for hers. He kept working her to the very edge of orgasm, but then he would ease up, bringing her back down again. He did this several times before Paige tried to use her own fingers to help him along. He pulled them away, saying, "Ah, ah, ah. I won't have any of that now, Paige."
Desperate, Paige signed, Please make me come. Please! When he simply flashed her a smirk before going back to what he had been doing, Paige used both of her hands to take hold of Mr. Gold's right hand, which had been resting on her inner thigh. He pulled his head back, wanting to see what she intended. Her hands were shaking as she folded back all but his first two fingers, then guided them to her opening. She pushed them in; her back arched almost to the point of making her lose her somewhat precarious seat on the corner of the tub. When she let go, Gold didn't try to move his hand or even put his mouth back on her. I'm begging you, Mr. Gold. Please! Her expression was both desperate and shamed, and he loved it.
"As you wish, dove," he leered. His tongue flicked across her sensitive nub as his fingers sought out her G-spot. He found it quickly, and it only took moments for Paige's body to convulse as she orgasmed. Her fingers scrabbled at the walls, trying to grasp something, anything, but finding nothing. As her back arched for the final time, she slid off the corner of the tub onto Mr. Gold's knees. He was so hard after all this; it would be a simple matter to take her by the hips and guide her body to where he could sate his own desires. But his muscles clenched as he reminded himself that he had said that tonight would be for Paige's pleasure.
With iron will-power, Gold moved to the side of the tub and reached up to the bar. When he stepped out of the tub, he used the thicker of the two towels he had laid out for Paige, who could not help but notice his erection. She stared at it, almost wanting more from Gold tonight, but right now she was still riding the afterglow of the pleasure she had just received, and after begging him like she had, she wasn't sure she could make herself ask for anything else even if she wanted it that badly.
"I'll get you another towel," he said, his voice husky with his own need. He would do what was necessary for tonight; tomorrow she would have to pay for this kindness. And pay she would.
Before Paige emerged from the bathroom, the power cut out. Gold had just finished taking care of his own needs; it almost seemed that he had caused the outage. Looking out a window, he thought that the whole block was probably out, but he could see no downed lines or anything.
After calling the power company, Mr. Gold lit a fire in the master bedroom's fireplace. When Paige found him at it, he said, "You're sleeping in here tonight. The power won't be back on until at least morning, they say, and it gets cold in here when there's no power." When Paige started to protest, he added, "I give you my word that I will keep to my side of the bed tonight." With a wicked grin, he added, "Unless you ask me over to your side." He carefully didn't mention the fact that when they woke up, it would no longer be 'tonight.' Paige was usually very adept at spotting his little omissions, but tonight she was hardly herself.
Alright, she signed.
After the bedroom was quite toasty, Gold banked the coals carefully. He didn't want to leave the fire burning while they slept, but they would probably want another when they woke up.
Paige had already claimed one side of the bed; without protest, Gold took the other. He smirked as she adjusted the covers, making sure that every possible inch of her body was covered. Aside from the nearly-sheer robe, he didn't have any clothes at his house that would fit her, so she wore only her panties and the thin, spaghetti-strap tank top she'd been wearing under a burn-out tee. It was a good thing the dryer had finished running before the power went out.
As they lay in the dark, he could hear Paige's nearly-silent crying. He lit a candle and moved a little closer to her, lying on his side. "What's the matter, Paige? What did you and Michael fight about?"
She rolled onto her side, facing him, so she could sign, I lied to him, and he figured it out.
"What did you lie about?" His face gave away nothing. Was it possible that she had broken their agreement? But he should have felt it if she had.
I told him…that we just… that it only happened once between us.
"Ah. So he realized that it's been so much more than once." Gold's expression was still mostly neutral, but there was a gleam in his eyes that spoke of ownership. "Did he accuse you of anything…promiscuous?"
No, she signed, there would be no reason to. We don't… Paige stopped, not wanting to continue that particular sentence. He just doesn't understand how I could let you touch me.
"What did you tell him?"
That I'm a grown woman and it's my business what I do and who I do it with. And that he has no right to dictate my choices.
Gold thought she seemed to be saying that she and young Michael weren't dating after all. It was interesting; even though Paige was clearly falling hard for Michael, they had never quite given off the "couple" vibe. Gold had always assumed that they were a couple in this world simply because of Paige's obvious feelings, and the fact that he seldom saw one without the other unless they were at work.
I said such awful things to him, she signed, crying harder.
"I imagine he said some terrible things to you, as well," Mr. Gold remarked.
Yes. We both said such horrible things. I love him, but I hurt him so bad.
Holding open his arms as best he could while lying on his side, Gold said, "Come here, dove." He half-expected Paige to back away, to remind him that he had promised to leave her alone, but instead she scooted over and snuggled into his arms, wrapping her uppermost arm around his ribs, clinging to him as she wept into his chest. "It seems like we always say the most hurtful things to the ones we least wish to hurt," he said, thinking of the awful things he had said to… her. Not to mention the things she had said to him. To think that the last conversation they would ever have was that fight…
Gold was glad Paige could not see his face right now. He held Paige close; he knew exactly how she felt. He had chosen his power over his love for Belle, and Paige, although she may not realize it in this world, had chosen her duty to her brothers over young Michael.
The fact that she had already found her true love was one of the deciding factors when he chose Eliza for his purposes. Her determination was exactly what he needed, but also, she was safe; she wouldn't fall for him just as he wouldn't fall for her. There was no danger of love between them, just the lust that began at the masquerade. He had seen her with Prince Andrew later that evening. He watched them fall in love, though they hadn't realized it at the time. He had come to truly respect this young woman, though. She was made of sterner stuff than most people. Just as Belle had been... His own expression haunted by his memories, he stroked Paige's still-damp hair as she cried herself to sleep.
A few notes:
This chapter takes place during the episode "7:15AM."
Yes, so far I am still going completely cannon with my story. I know some people don't like the relationship between Rumpelstiltskin and Belle, but I happen to think it's sweet. Besides, aside from the fact that she has no romantic feelings for Rumpelstiltskin/Mr. Gold, Eliza/Paige has already found her true love. Whether or not she can make it work out is a whole different matter, of course…
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