A/N: Please don't hate me, rather short chapter, however the next one is rather long! :)
Cora felt annoyed as she walked toward the pawn shop. Mr. Gold had a previous appointment and was unable to make it to her office making her having to accommodate the imp. The crisp autumn air blew around her making her wonder if it would snow before Thanksgiving this year. Cora opened the front door to the pawn shop to hear a voice she vaguely recognized.
"That's too big for just me and momma." Cora stopped as the door closed behind her to see Emma and her daughter at the front of the shop. "We only need a bedroom for me and for momma." Emma shook her head amused, she was sure that her daughter was asking more questions than herself.
"Unfortunately that's all I have available at the moment. Most of the homes that are two bedroom are currently undergoing serious renovations." Mr. Gold spoke looking at Emma then at her daughter. Adam Gold was more than amused at how interactive the six year old had been. She was asking all kinds of questions about the places he had available, how close were they to where Henry and Regina lived, how close to the park, and how close to the diner. He'd not been expecting the girl to ask so many questions.
"Do you know when the renovations will be done? We're not in a hurry, but we'd like a place of our own that isn't so expensive and big." Emma questioned as Mr. Gold shrugged.
"We're on the cusp of winter Ms. Swan, the homes and apartments will be on the market in mid to late spring." Emma exhaled feeling annoyed.
"Hello." Cora spoke causing the three to turn and look at her.
"It's the Mrs. Mayor!" Calliope gasped causing Mr. Gold and Cora to chuckle slightly as Emma felt her annoyance rise even more.
"Moving to our little town Ms. Swan?" Cora asked amused as she strode forward. She knew that Mr. Gold wouldn't rent her a place without her approval first.
"I've already moved, just looking for a place to live." Emma answered as Cora stared at her.
"Living out of that yellow bug of yours?" Cora inquired as Emma shook her head.
"We live on Mifflin Street!" Calliope chimed in as Cora looked down at her with interest. She knew that most of the people who lived on Mifflin Street were former royals and could afford the rent of the houses they lived in because the curse had given them good jobs.
"Really? Where on Mifflin Street?"
"108!"
"Calliope!" Emma snipped as Calliope didn't understand what she'd just done by telling Cora that they lived with her daughter.
"You are living with my daughter?" Cora questioned trying to keep her surprise and temper in check. She'd been curious as to how long the first shift in the curse would last when the savior first arrived, and now the question was how long until the next one. If the savior was living here, it seemed only a matter of time before the curse was broken.
"I, uh, um, y-yes we are."
"And Hen-tree!" Calliope added with a smile causing Mr. Gold to chuckle slightly.
"Hen-tree?" Cora repeated looking down at the little girl who nodded her head vigorously.
"He's the bestest big broder ever! And R'gina's is a better cuddlers than momma." Calliope leaned forward as if to tell Cora a secret. "It makes momma jealous." Calliope attempted to whisper as she nodded her head to make the point. Cora tried not to smile at this but couldn't help it because the little girl was not good at whispering in the least bit.
"Is that so?" Cora looked from Calliope to Emma whose face was now slightly pink.
"I—Mr. Gold, thank you for your time. Madame Mayor, always a pleasure." Emma spoke quickly as she swooped down and picked up her daughter who squealed from the sudden movement. Cora and Mr. Gold watched as they left the pawn without a second glance back.
"Is this game to you imp?" Cora sneered as Mr. Gold just looked at her amused. Little did she know, nearly everything he did when it concerned others, was a game. If he could control the outcome, it would most certainly be a game.
"I have no idea what you're talking about Cora, care to enlighten me?" Cora's lip curled slightly as she attempted to regain her composure. She would not play this game.
"You knew that Ms. Swan and her daughter were still in Storybrooke."
"I had the vague suspicion when she set up an appointment with me almost two weeks ago. She inquired about empty homes and apartments in Storybrooke. However, I was not aware that she was living with your daughter." Mr. Gold chuckled to himself at the thought. "The Savior and the Evil Queen, living together, co-parenting children. That's something I did not foresee." Mr. Gold thought on it a moment, from all the visions he'd gotten of the future, the Savior having one child, let alone two was something he'd never been shown. He wondered what had happened that had changed the outcome.
"Was there something we needed to discuss or did you just want to annoy me with the information that the Savior is now living in Storybrooke?" Cora questioned as Mr. Gold smirked.
"Well there is the matter of the second shift, the first got time moving. The second, well, you might want to keep a close eye on Snow White's Charming Prince." Cora narrowed her eyes before turning around.
"I don't have time for this."
"Just keep in mind how a curse breaks dearie."
Preview: "Why else would you offer the woman a place to stay if you weren't interested in sleeping with her? This isn't too out of character for you Regina, you were seeing that one school teacher shortly after you adopted Henry."