A/N: Oh Oncers! My brain is exploding with ideas! The muse spoke while I was out with my friends, and they all looked at me like I was a loon when I started scribbling away on napkins. But I didn't want to lose my train of thought! You all have been amazing with your reviews! I love reading them! Well, I hope you enjoy!
Chapter 14
Dark magic leaves a mark like a void in those daring enough to grasps its uncontainable nature. For Rumplestiltskin, he had been the embodiment of dark magic in the old world for countless years; it came as no shock that he would feel the out-of-place energy in this world. While he knew Regina had managed to bring a little magic to the new world, he had not expected the bitter taste it left on his lips to be so intense. This was not ordinary dark magic; it was not conjured in the way he was used to. There was something strange and foreign about it. The queen had brought something wicked and sinister back from their world of fantasy. And he was going to find out what. The surge was small, but powerful. Magic was the most seductive and addictive sensation to fill his being. And oh, how he had missed it!
"Mr. Gold?" He opened his eyes and turned to see Belle poking her head out from the back room. Suddenly, his power-hungry mindset wobbled on its axis as he found her eyes. His heart and his mind conflicted with each other the same as they had so many years ago. What did he desired more: True Love or the Darkness? "Is everything alright? I thought I heard shouting."
"Yes, yes, my dear, everything is fine." He answered. Gold needed to go and find Regina to see what malicious deed she was up to, but at the same time he knew he could not leave Belle defenseless at the shop or his home. Quickly he came up with a plan.
"Henry, I believe it's time you held up your end of our little deal."
"Trust me, she won't mind." Henry told Belle as they ascended the steps to Emma and Mary Margaret's apartment.
"Why did Mr. Gold want you to take me here?" She asked.
"Probably because he knew you'd be safer here. My mom kicks butt and she's the sheriff." He smiled brightly. Belle couldn't help but smile too.
"Yes, I met her briefly today." She told him. "And who is this Mary Margaret, again?"
"She's my teacher, but her and Emma share an apartment. She's the coolest teacher ever." He stated. "So you met my mom while she was at the shop today?"
"Yes, but I don't think she likes Mr. Gold very much. She seemed kind of shocked when I told her that I liked working for him."
"She just doesn't understand." He assured her.
"Understand what?"
"That he's your… uh, come on why are you slowing down?" Henry quickly ran up the next flight of stairs. He was relieved that he had caught himself before uttering the words 'true love'. Belle could tell he was dodging her question, but didn't press him further. She had a feeling that he'd tell her sooner or later. Instead, she allowed the subject to change.
"So Emma's your real mother, but put you up for adoption and Regina is the woman who adopted you?" Belle asked trying to keep up with Henry's interesting family dynamic as their pace slowed.
"That's the short version," he smiled. "I don't think you're ready for the whole story, yet. Plus, Mr. Gold might strangle me if I was the one to tell you."
"What do you mean?" Belle stopped walking and looked up at Henry with confused eyes.
"I think he wants you to figure it out yourself." Henry held out a hand to her and they continued up the stairs. But not in silence.
"What did you mean, back at the shop, when you said you'd bring me here, but only if Mr. Gold protected Emma? Is she in some sort of trouble?" Belle looked down at the boy.
"Well, Regina doesn't exactly like Emma. I'm pretty sure she's planning to get her to leave Storybrooke somehow." He shrugged as they neared the landing. "but that'll never happen. Emma's too stubborn to back away from a fight."
"Why don't they just talk out their differences?" Belle suggested. Henry knocked on the door.
"Because the Evil Queen would rather rip away everyone's happy ending than talk it over." He said automatically without thinking.
"Evil Queen?" Belle's brows creased as she caught Henry's words. His eyes grew as he realized what had escaped his mouth.
"Oops," he peeped. But before either could speak again, the apartment door open to reveal Mary Margaret.
"Henry, what are you doing here?" She smiled cheerfully, and then she caught sight of the young woman with him. "Who's this?"
No sooner had Regina begun to put the apple slices in the dough of her turnover did the doorbell ring. It was odd, since she hadn't even called Emma to come over yet. She dusted the flour off of her hands and onto her apron. The doorbell rang again. Regina huffed at Ms. Swan's impatience. However, her smirk fell when she opened the door.
"Not who you were expecting?" Gold sneered. Regina looked like she was about to shut the door in his face. "Please, invite me in."
The venom in her eyes was enough to kill a weaker man, but this was Rumplestiltskin she was dealing with. She opened the door wider and allowed him to enter. She grit her teeth together as she said, "Do come in."
"Why thank you, Your Majesty." Gold walked into the front room as she closed the door with more force than was necessary.
"What do you want?" she hissed. But Gold merely smiled.
"Been baking have we?" He remarked to her apron.
"Yes, but that didn't answer my question." Regina glared at him. Gold dropped his smirk to a scowl.
"I'll be the one asking questions here." He told her. "What did you do?"
"I don't know what you're talking about." She huffed as she walked passed him towards the kitchen. Gold caught her arm and spun her back around.
"Oh, I think you do, Dearie. And if you value your well being, I would suggest that you tell me the truth," Gold roared, before adding a softer, more taunting, "please."
Regina's glare could have caused a lesser man to shrivel up in fear. She hated that word, hated him, above all things right now. She pulled her arm out of his grasp and straightened her self before answering.
"I found the solution to my Emma problem." She told him confidently.
"What solution? I thought you were waiting for the custody battle?" Gold was confused.
"I was, but I bumped into Dr. Hopper today. He may have let slip that there isn't going to be any custody battle." She smirked.
"You seem awfully happy about that." Gold raised his brow.
"Well, I wasn't. That is, until a little birdy told me that Emma is planning on skipping town." Regina beamed in the most twisted way imaginable.
"A little birdy told you? I thought your little mirror was locked away?"
"Sidney isn't my only spy, Rumple." Regina grinned. "But as to this solution I have, if you will follow me."
Gold followed the Evil Queen into the kitchen where he saw all of the makings of some sort of pastry. Regina resumed folding the dough over the chopped apples. Her smile said it all.
"A poisoned apple? How original." He huffed. He walked around to the other side of the table. To imagine, all that darkness he had felt earlier had all been because of piece of fruit. Disguised as innocence, it held in it one of the most evil of curses.
"It worked like a charm on her mother," Regina said as she placed the raw pastry in the oven.
"And look how well executed that plan went." Rumplestiltskin reminded her. Regina shot him a look. "What I'm curious about is how?"
"I sacrificed what little magic I had to bring it here." She told him.
"Ah, you made magic from magic," he sighed. That would explain why it felt so different and strange. Magic had twisted and contorted until it had transformed into just enough energy to allow the Hatter's little parlor trick to work.
"So is that all that you wanted? Because it just so happens, I'm expecting company soon." Regina dusted her hands off again onto the apron before resting them on her hips.
"Oh, yes there is one more thing and I'm going to need you to listen and not interrupt, please." He emphasized the last word just to agitate her further. "Seeing as there will be no custody battle for Ms. Swan to lose on my account, I don't see the point of this lovely deal between us. Yes, I know that you've already to instructed me to hide the sheriff's body after the falls under your spell. However, let that be the extent of our deal. Now, if you would be so kind as to not ask anymore of me concerning this blind deal…. Please."
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A/N: Soooooo, I always feel giddy when Mr. Gold says PLEASE! :) I think of it as a slap to Regina's face every time he says it! So naturally, I added a few hither and thither! Let me know what's running through your mind! Review! :)