Gold made his way home. His mind racing at what to tell Bell. When he arrived home he found her sitting on the couch. She had put on the shirt he had worn earlier. She was reading a book she had found. She smiled when she saw him. " Where did you go? When I woke up you were gone." She stated.
Gold sat on the opposite end of the couch. " I know. I had some things to think about." He scooted over closer to her. He took the book from her hand.
Belle looked at him. " You look sad, what's wrong?' she asked. Genuinely concerned.
" Belle," he started." I want to apologize to you. What happened between us shouldn't have. Belle, you were a part of my life so long ago. When I thought you dead, I mourned for you. For a very long time, I was very, very alone. Recently though, I've had feelings. Feelings for someone else, and I can't just push them, or her aside."
" What are you saying? Don't you love me? I thought I was your true love? What happened between us, didn't that mean anything to you?" She asked as her tears fell.
Gold pulled her to his side " Yes it meant something, it was beautiful. I'm sorry if I hurt you, but I feel that if I let things continue I could lose something. The same way I lost you. Yes, at one time you were my love. That has been so long ago my dear, and I'm not that person anymore. I will always hold you dear, and you will always have a place in my heart, but that heart I think, may belong to someone else now."
Belle nodded. If she was honest with herself, she didn't have the same spark when she touched him. Their moment tonight had been special, but it was off. She could feel it. " I understand. I had just hoped that we would finally have our chance. I guess too much time has passed.". She reached and touched his cheek. " Don't lose her Rumple, don't spend another lifetime alone."
Gold hugged her and placed a kiss on the top of her head. " Thank you for your understanding my dear."
Belle pulled away from him and wiped her eyes. " Now, tell me about her. Let's see if I can help you get her back." Gold told her everything. From the moment her heard her speak her name at Granny's until she ran into the darkness tonight. Belle felt terrible "She was there, I remember. She ran into the rain. The woman you called after. How could you just let her go like that? You could have told me, went and stopped her." Scolded Belle.
" Well I'm sure she didn't care much of what I had to say after I kissed you." He responded angrily. ". I was just stunned, there you were, kissing me, I just reacted."
" No. Don't try to justify it. Admit you were wrong. Just tell her the truth."
" I can't. How can I tell her about what happened when I had just told her that I wanted it to be special when we made love for the first time. After I told her I wanted to court her properly. She'll never forgive me. "
"If she's half the woman you say she is, if she is your true love. She'll find a way. She'll forgive you.". Belle said, trying to be supportive.
Gold sighed, it was almost time to see her. " I have to go. You're welcome to stay."
" Thank you, but under the circumstances I think I should go. There was a nurse, she said I could stay with her. She used to be a fairy godmother. Do you know where she lives? "
" Yes, I do. Come. I'll drop you off."
They rode in silence to the house. He pulled into the drive behind the car parked there. Belle recognized it as the one se had ridden in earlier.
" Here you are." He said quietly.
". Rumple, you are a good man. You deserve to be happy. Please, fight for it." He leaned over and placed a chaste kiss on her lips.
" Thank you Belle."
She got out of the car. He watched her walk up the drive and knock on the door. After a moment it opened, with glance back at him she went inside. He backed up and drove to the sheriff's station. Belle had told him to fight for his happiness. He wanted to, but had no idea how. He pulled up in front and went inside. It was empty. He looked at the clock on the wall. It read 7:30. He hoped it wouldn't be too long until they returned. He was exhausted. He sat, playing with a pencil, trying to think of what he was going to say to her.
Aaron unlocked the door to his home and slipped inside. The clothes were gone from the makeshift line. He found Emma standing in the kitchen eating a bowl of cereal.
" Hey," she said " how'd it go last night?
" Quiet. One drunk running up and down the street yelling all is well. I just drove him a visitor around 3 this morning."
" Who?"
" Gold. He was looking for you."
" Fuck him.". Said Emma ".He doesn't get to eat his cake and have it too. I won't be played with like that Aaron."
" Look, I know you're mad at him, and you have every right to be. He told me what happened, but he also told me who the woman was. "
" I don't care who she was," she sais stubbornly.
"I'm going to tell you anyway." He told her as the walked outside to get in his truck. Once they were on their way, he told her the story of the beast and his beauty. By the time they made it to the station, Emma understood a little better why he had acted the way he did. She was still mad at him though.
" So I'm just supposed to be ok with it because of what happened that long ago?"
" No, but you could at least listen to what he has to say. Didn't he listen to what you had to say the other night?"
Aaron was right. " Fine. I'll call him later."
" I don't think you'll need to." He said, pointing at Gold's car.
" You knew he was going to be here."
" Yep."
" Asshole." She said getting out of the truck.
"Youre welcome!" He responded. " See you later!"
She slammed the door and trudged inside. Her clothes were still muddy, she needed to shower. Might as well get this over first, she thought. She opened the door to find Gold sitting in a chair dozing. She walked over to him. Thinking about what Aaron had told her. She smoothed the lines on his forehead, and ran her fingers through his hair. He leaned into her touch and then he woke with a start.
"Emma. You're here. I was so worried."
" Yeah, I heard."
"Emma, I know you're angry with me. You have every right to be. The way I acted, what I did, I know it was inexcusable. If you would just let me tell you who she was,"
" I already know. Aaron told me what happened between the two of you all that time ago. I get it. I do. It still gave you no right to do what you did. You made a fool of me. "
" You're right. I have no excuse. I was caught off guard and I responded in the wrong way. I should have went after you. I can't change what happened. I can only say that it's over between us. I told her about you. How I didn't want to lose you the same way I lost her all those years ago."
" So I'm a do over? So you can make up for what you did to her?"
" No. Not at all. Emma, if you know the story, then tell me the difference between then and now."
"I don't know, you're not green?" Emma answered sarcastically.
" No! Gold shouted," frustrated with the situation, " The difference, is that I didn't fight for her. I threw her out, I let her go,I didn't even want to try. I was too afraid."
" So you're not afraid this time?"
" Yes love, I'm terrified, but here I am. I'm here. I'm not willing to let you go. I'll do whatever I have to do to win you back. I can't lose you. Not when I've only just found you.".
" That's funny, because I'm pretty sure losing me wasn't on your mind while you were having sex with her."
Gold closed his eyes and sighed. Damn that man, did he have to tell her everything? " Yes Emma. I did have sex with her. All I can tell you is that it was a mistake and that it shouldn't have happened, but it did. I can't say it meant nothing, because that would be a lie. It was the end of something that was very precious to me for a long time. Belle will always be dear to me. You may not want to hear that."
Emma laughed and shook her head, "I don't want to hear any of this, I've heard it before. Just not from you. Men think its ok, that all will be forgiven if they say it was a mistake. Fine, it was a mistake. Live with it, because I sure as hell don't have to. Now, I'm going home to shower and change. Was there anything else? Any other mistakes you've made you'd like to share?"
Good lord he hated this side of her. So black and white. Just like her father. " I believe Miss Swan, I gave you the courtesy of hearing you out, it's the least you could do for me."
" Fine." She said falling down into a chair and crossing her arms, sighing deeply.
He sighed again " Can we please forgo the dramatics?"
" You're wasting your five minutes."
" Fine. I'll just cut to the heart of the matter then. " Gold was tired of talking. He walked to her and pulled her up out of the chair. He brought her close to him. Faces close enough to feel the breath of the other. He kissed her. Hard and possesively. He demanded entrance into her mouth. Forcing his way in. She fought him for a moment, then relaxed into his arms. He abruptly broke the kiss. She tried to pull away from him. He held her firmly against him. He kissed her again, gentler, softer. She relaxed against him. No tongues were used, just a simple sweet kiss. He ended the kiss and let her go. " Emma. I asked for your forgiveness less than 24 hours ago. I'm asking for it again. I was wrong for what I did, but I can promise you, that it will never happen again. I can't change what happened, but I can try to make amends. You are so very precious to me." Tears were welling in his eyes, he'd be damned if he cried in front of her. " I'm begging for your forgiveness, a chance to start over. To do things properly."
Emma knew he wasn't lying. Inside she knew she should just move on, but she couldn't. The way he had pushed her aside so easily. " Well, I'm sorry. Your chance to start over was yesterday. I can't," she started, her voice cracked, " I can't just pretend like you didn't sleep with her. I can't just forget about it."
Gold's heart stopped. He had lost her. " Emma," he said reaching for her hand.
She took it and looked down at their joined hands. " Gold," she said. " Sometimes, an apology just isn't enough. Sometimes words aren't enough to fix what was broken. Had it just been the kiss, I could have forgiven that. I could have even understood, but you had sex with her. "
" Emma," Gold said in a broken voice, " I know I hurt you, but let me prove to you,"
" I need time to think. I have to get over this in my own way. Just give me time. Please."
He nodded, squeezing her hand, " I understand."
She pulled him closer and wrapped her arms around his neck. He held her tightly, he didn't want to let her go. He placed a kiss on her temple. " I can't lose you Emma."
" I don't want to be lost." she said to him. Emma let him go and put her hand on his chest, his heart was beating hard and fast. " I have to go get cleaned up. I'll call you soon."
Gold watched her turn and walk away down the hall. When he heard the door close, he crumpled into a chair. He wept.
Emma went to her car that was still parked there from yesterday, she got into the driver's seat and cried. It had taken everything she had to walk away from him, but she had to. At least for now. She drove back to her apartment.
Gold sat there, letting his tears finish falling. When he was done, he left. Got in his car and went to home. When he went inside he found Angus asleep on the couch.
" Off the couch young man, you know the rules."
Angus just looked at him and rolled over on to his back. Ignoring him.
" So you're angry with me as well?"
Angus barked twice. 'Yes'
" Are you angry because I brought Belle here?"
Two short barks answered him.
" Would a biscuit make it better?"
One bark. 'No.'
" What do you think I should do then?" he asked exasperated. He went upstairs to get dressed for work.
Angus knew exactly what he should do, he should go and get his mate.
Gold dressed angrily. He put on his shirt and pants, socks and shoes. Grabbed his keys and wallet and threw on his jacket. He stormed out of the house. Angus just rolled over and went back to sleep, his human would have to figure this one out on his own. Clouds hung in the sky. Gold liked them, they matched his mood. He sped down the road. He was angry, and hurt, and it was all his fault. If he lost Emma to his own foolishness, it would be the end of him. He pulled into his spot at the shop. He noticed someone waiting outside. Walking up he saw who it was, he knew immediately why they were here.
" Step right in my dear." He said in a low tone, as he unlocked the door and opened it.
" I don't mean to bother you so early, but I can't find it anywhere. I don't know what will happen now that the curse has been broken."
Gold stepped behind the counter. " Oh, I have it. The question is, what you're willing to do for it."
Ruby looked defeated. She should have known better than to come here, but she had to have her cloak. " Ok. What do you want?"
" Well, the item you're looking for is very rare. I think that it's worth, oh, lets say you bring me Granny's crossbow. Bring me that and the cloak is yours."
Ruby gaped, " How am I supposed to get that? She literally sleeps with it at night."
" Not my problem," Gold replied in a high sing-song voice. " You want the cloak, you bring me the bow. That's the deal. Take it or leave it." He ended darkly.
Ruby's shoulders dropped. " You'll have it before the next moon." she said, defeated.
" Lets hope so dearie, I'd hate to think of what might happen to your friends should you be without it." He said while smirking at her.
" You know, when I saw you with Emma the other day. I thought maybe you had changed. " She said as she was walking out.
" Never say her name to me again. Now bring me the bow, or murder your friends. The choice is yours. Now get out." He said with a dangerous tone.
Ruby practically ran from the shop. He went into the back and busied himself until he heard his bell ring again. He walked out to find Regina there, waiting for him.
" It's about time."
Gold had to make an extreme effort not to throttle her there in the middle of his shop for what she had done to Belle. " Well, I do have a business to run. Your highness."
" Cut the crap. I know what you did, I saw the purple cloud. Tell me why."
" I don't answer to you, I never have. I never will. Now, I have a question for you. Belle. She's alive. Tell me why I should let you live."
Regina lost her breath for a moment, the look on his face, the tone of his voice. This was the Rumpelstiltskin she knew. " You know why I did it. I needed the curse."
" So you locked a young woman in your tower to get something from me? That probably wasn't the smartest way to go about it."
" Come on, that was how long ago? And from what I hear you were Swan's counterpart in the curse breaking kiss. Why do you even care anymore?"
" I care, because you hurt someone I care about. You took her life just as much as if you had killed her outright. Then to let her sit in a cell in the hospital for 28 years? All for your petty little notion of revenge? "
" Well she's free now, so you can go and make little true love babies with which ever one you want. I came here to talk to you about the cloud."
Gold was fuming, but decided to humor her for a bit, " What about it?"
" I need to know, will magic work the same as it did before."
" Why dearie, afraid of the angry villagers?"
" If you must know it's to protect Henry."
" I'm sure his mother can do that."
" I'm his mother!" she yelled.
" No, you're not. Emma Swan is. Now, please leave. At the moment I'm feeling less than generous, and it's getting harder and harder not to think of ways to kill you."
" Please, you won't kill me." she said scoffing.
Gold was out from behind the counter in seconds, his hand around her throat. " Now, your highness, I've had an extremely trying morning. I would suggest if you want to leave here with your life you do so now, while I'm still in a good mood."
Regina couldn't speak, he was squeezing her throat so tightly. She was beginning to see spots. She nodded weakly. Gold released her and turned and walked toward the back of his shop, " Good day, your highness." He called back to her, " please show yourself out." He disappeared behind a curtain.
Regina ran from the shop. Angry red marks forming where his fingers had been. She hurried back to her car and left.
In the back of his shop, Gold began to destroy everything he could reach. Tables were overturned, antiques lay broken across the floor. When his anger had subsided, he picked up a chair and sat down, put his head in his hands and just sat.
Emma made it back to her apartment. She found Davie and Mary Margaret there having breakfast. As soon as she saw her Mary Margaret rushed to her," Are you ok? Aaron called David and told him what happened."
Emma shook her head numbly, " Yes, I'm ok. I just needed to take a shower and change."
Mary Margaret hugged her daughter close, " I know how it feels. I do. Just give it time, you'll either find what you need to forgive him or you'll get over him."
" If he's my true love, how do I get over him?"
David and Mary Margaret looked at each other. " It will get easier, I promise."
Emma started to speak but a knock at the door interrupted her. She pulled her gun, " If that's Gold I'm gonna shoot him."
David opened the door and found Henry standing there " Hi Grandpa!" he said cheerfully.
" Emma! You did it! I knew you would! " he said, flinging his arms around her. Hugging her tightly.
She smiled down at him. " Yeah kid, I guess I did." She looked up at Mary Margaret and smiled, " Thanks for believing in me. Let me get changed and we can have breakfast."
" The whole family?" he asked.
" Of course. You and me, and," she looked at her parents, "grandma and grandpa."
Her parents laughed. Henry made him self at home at the kitchen counter. Emma went to shower and get changed.
" So who'd she have to kiss?" Henry asked.
David and Mary Margaret looked at each other. " Uh, well, that's kind of complicated."
Henry looked confused. " Why? The way to break the curse was true loves kiss, so I know she kissed someone."
" Look, Henry," David said, " sometimes true love isn't so easy. Sometimes it with the last person you can imagine, that makes it even harder."
Henry laughed, " Who was it, my mom?"
" It was Mr. Gold." said Mary Margaret.
" But that's Rumpelstiltskin!" Henry said. " His true love is Belle, it's in the book!"
" Henry, that was a long time ago. People change, hearts change. Mr. Gold was alone for a very long time. Emma filled the empty part of his heart. That's how true love works. You find the person that is your other half."
" Well, then why aren't they together? And why does Emma seem so sad?" Questioned Henry.
" They had a disagreement, but I think they're trying to work it out."
" True love is confusing." said Henry " Can I have some juice?'
Emma stood in the shower letting the hot water wash over her. She thought of Gold. The sight of him kissing Belle, the thought of them sleeping together. I cut her to the core. She cried for a minute, and then finished her shower. Emma toweled off and put on the clean clothes she had brought into the bathroom with her. Dressed and ready for the day she made her way downstairs. She saw Henry eating toast with her parents. ' This was her family,' she thought. Henry. She had made a mistake giving him up, she knew that now, and she thanked her lucky stars that he had found her and wanted to be with her.
" Hey kid," she said ruffling his hair.
" Emma, they told me your true love was Rumpelstiltskin. Is that true?"
" I don't know right now. He did something, that, well it hurt me."
Henry saw her bruised eye. " Did he hit you?" he asked seriously.
" No, that happened while I was trying to put someone in the cell. He, well, he made a mistake, and it hurt my feelings."
" You should forgive him. You said you made a mistake when you gave me up, and I forgave you."
" It's not the same Henry." David said.
" Why not?"
Emma looked to her parents for help. " Well," she started. " I don't know."
" If you don't know, then you should forgive him."
Emma saw the simple logic, hell she had just had the same thought about the mistake she made giving Henry up. " You know what? You're right kid. Do you mind if I go take care of something?"
" No, I've always wanted to meet Prince Charming and Snow White, and now they're my grandparents. This is so cool." He smiled. " If it's ok with them I'll just stay here with them for a while."
" Of course," smiled Mary Margaret. " We'd love to spend some time with you Henry."
" Thanks," said Emma. She kissed Henry on the head, and hugged her parents. " I know you probably don't want to, but wish me luck." she said, and left. She sped toward Gold's shop.
Gold sat there in the back, he had found a bottle of single malt scotch and had proceeded to throw himself a pity party. He was well into his second glass when he heard the bell ring. " Fuck it," he mumbled, and went back to his drink.
" Gold?" Emma called to him, " Are you here?"
He heard her voice, he was scared to death to hear what she had to say. He made his way over the broken things and tables, careful not to spill his drink. He walked through the curtain and went to lean on the glass counter. Spilling a bit of his whiskey as he sat it down."
" Well Emma, come by for round 2? Here to remind me of more of my shortcomings?"
" No. Are you drinking this early?" she asked.
" Well, one tends to do that with a broken heart my dear. If you're just here to point out the obvious, I'd rather you leave. "
Emma walked to the door and locked it and turned the sign to closed. " I'm not leaving here until we get some things straight."
" Well you came to me love, feel free to start." he said gesturing to her with his glass after he took a drink.
" I understand," she started. " I understand about how you can make a mistake so big you think no one will ever forgive you."
" Yes well, you haven't forgiven me. So I fail to see where this is going. Now if you don't mind I have work to do."
" Gold, wait." He was still walking to the back. " Rumplestiltskin, stop."
He stopped and turned around, waiting for her next words.
" I do, I forgive you. It was Henry, he made me see. I gave him up, a mistake, a mistake I didn't think I could ever be forgiven for. He forgave me. It made me see that I should forgive you. So that's why I'm here. To offer my forgiveness, I'll try to put it behind me."
Gold couldn't believe what he was hearing. He was sure she had come here to tell him that she never wanted to see him again. " So I'm forgiven? Completely."
" Completely, " said Emma. " I realized that what I was worried about was something so trivial in the bigger picture. Yes, I'm still hurt, and it may take me a while to put it completely behind me. I won't be too big on the idea of you spending time with her right now, and I'm asking that you don't, just until I can get past it, but yes. You're forgiven."
Gold was still wary, " I'm forgiven. No rehashing of the incident every time we have a disagreement?'
" Look, " she said getting frustrated, " this isn't one of your deals. This is all or nothing. I won't tell you it won't happen, but I'll try my best. Now, take it or leave it." She said , leaning on the counter.
" Deal," he said.
" Good, now that all that is out-of-the-way, I can get back to work."
" Not so fast love. I believe we should, seal the deal, so to speak."
" Really...and how would you have us do that?" she asked, flirtatiously.
He went to her, using the counter for leverage since his cane was lost in the wreckage of the back room. " Like this," and he took her mouth in a crushing kiss.
Emma melted into him the moment their lips touched. Kissing him was a drug that she couldn't get enough of. She moved to nip and kiss his neck, marking him as he had done to her. Gold pulled her face back to his and assaulted her lips once again.
" Emma, " he said when he stopped, " let me love you."
" Where?" she said, implying consent.
He took her hand and led her through to the back room. She was shocked. " Gold, what happened here?" she asked.
" A very bad man had a very bad morning." he said to her. And led her over to an undisturbed corner, where a twin bed sat. He took off his jacket and sat down on the bed and pulled her down next to him. He reclaimed her lips, his hands at her waist lifting her shirt. He stopped the kiss long enough to pull it over her head. Her hands worked on the buttons of his shirt. Frustrated she ripped it open, the sound of buttons hitting the floor could be heard over their kisses. He laid her back and hovered over her. looking down at her, he smiled.
" Emma." He said her name like a prayer. " My Emma."
He lowered his head to her breasts, which were still hidden by her bra. He simply pulled the article of clothing off of her.
" How did you?" she stared.
" Magic, love, magic." he turned his attention to her breasts, taking first one pert nipple into his mouth and then showing the same attention to the other.
Emma could barely breathe, every time his mouth touched her he lit a new fire on her skin.
Gold couldn't believe he had her here. In his arms, about to make love to her. He left her to stand up and remove his trousers.
He stood naked in front of her, Emma looked him over. Yes he was thin, but he was well muscled. She liked what she saw. She unbuttoned her jeans and shimmied out of the and her panties. Gold laid down on top of her and positioned himself over her. They kissed once again, tongues dueling, and he entered her. Slowly and deliberately. Emma was surprised at the size of him, and she gasped when he was finally fully sheathed within her. He began to move slowly, with long deliberate strokes.
" Oh God Gold. I've never. It's never felt." she tried to form coherent sentences.
He began to speed up, sliding into her over and over. He had never felt anything so exquisite. She fit him like a velvet glove. He was lost in her, the world could have exploded around him and all he would be aware of was this angel here in his arms.
Emma was getting closer, it was building, she could feel it in her toes. The feeling made its way all over her body, and finally to where they were joined. Her back arched as wave after wave crashed over her. She clung to him, riding out the waves, nails digging into the flesh in his back leaving long deep scratches, blood welled up in their trail.
" No one, Emma. No one will ever touch you like this. You belong to me. Mine." He told her as the struggled to keep from ending it too soon. " Say it!" he ordered.
" No one," Emma said between gasps, " Yours, I'm yours. I belong to you." When she said the words, a glow engulfed them both. It went unnoticed by both.
He felt her walls close around him, when she gripped him it pushed him over the edge, and he spilled deep inside her. He came with a guttural moan, and he felt her nails down his back. he collapsed on top of her his head resting in the hollow of her neck and shoulder.
She stayed there under him, holding him to her until she felt him grow limp inside her. She put her arms around him. " I've never felt anything like that. Ever."
Regaining a bit of consciousness, " Neither have I love. Never." He pushed himself up on his arms and looked down at her. " It wasn't where I wanted it to happen, but it was like nothing I've ever felt."
Emma caught her breath finally. " Don't take this the wrong way, I'd love to stay right here with you all day but I have to get back to the station."
Gold laughed. " I understand. I do have a business to run after all, and a mess to clean apparently." he said surveying the aftermath of his temper tantrum.
" If you want I can come back this evening and help you."
" No, I'll take care of it. How will I learn my lesson if I don't clean up my messes?"
The both got up and dressed. Gold put on his shirt, but it had no buttons, and it was sticking to the blood on his back from her marks. Emma found his cane lying on the other side of the room. " Here." she said handing it to him.
" Thank you, I think I may need to take a trip home to get a new shirt." he said motioning to his shirt.
" Uh, yeah, sorry about that."
" I assure I'm not Emma." he told her.
He walked with her to the door, unlocked it and opened it for her. Gold was unsure what to say to her. " I have business with the Mayor later, I can come by afterwards. Perhaps we can finally have that date?"
Emma smiled. " I think we should just stop calling it a date. It doesn't seem to work for us."
" Alright then, let's just say I'll see you for dinner."
" Good." Emma leaned over and kissed him.
He pulled her back against him and kissed her back. " I think my dear, you should go, before I drag you to the back once more."
" I'm going, I'm going." she left.
Gold watched her go, for once in his life. He felt happy, and content. Just one thing was missing. Bae.