Standard disclaimer applies, I own nothing. This chapter has been part of updating to fill holes and streamline it. All errors are mine. This chapter is short...opps.

Chapter Nineteen

Emma didn't hear the door shut when Milah left the room.

Gold touched her on the shoulder and she jumped. He stood over her, examining her like a bug. Ignoring him she shut down Henry's ipod and took off the headphones, glancing between the tiara on the mantel and the door.

She had plenty of problems of her own. Did she have to deal with the Dark One drama as well? And she did she really need to wear the tiara anymore?

"Now, now don't rush off, dearie." Rumple gestured to a chair. "Time you and I had a word."

Emma focused on the door.

"Are you ready to tell me what you've been hiding?"

Damn Dark One.

Emma thought of her time in the dark and the way people's secrets whispered on the wind. The darkness eager to find all those desperate souls.

"I'm tempted to lie to you." Emma placed Henry's things on the mantel. "But it won't work. The darkness has a nose for secrets and lies."

Gold froze and she could see the wheels turning in his mind.

"Neal told you. Our pasts, our stories have been changed."

"Yes," Gold purred.

"What more do you need to know?"

"Tell me of the giant and his beans."

Emma's eyebrows shot up. "Do you need one?"

"I think you know I'm where I want to be." Rumple caught Emma's gaze and held it. "But things change. Milah dislikes you and if I had to guess it has something to do with the pirate."

"What can I say, I'm a heart breaker."

"You're a pregnant princess with a missing husband and a newly acquired island."

"You have the dark castle."

"Miss Swan."

Emma rolled her eyes.

"Please Emma, I want to protect my family, our family."

Emma glared and picked up her tiara. He held out a hand for it. Gold still spoke in his usual cryptic manner but his plea was sincere. She offered the tiara and bent her knees to lower her head. Gold placed it carefully on her head.

"We transferred some plants to the island and harvested some from the field before burning it. There are magical items we need to ask you about but passing out the stash gold comes first. Mostly to keep people from dying trying to get to it."

"I have little use for gold or treasure," he announced. "Otherwise I am happy to provide assistance."

"You might have to store some stuff in your super-secret scary dark magic vault."

"How do you know about that?"

"I told you, our stories aren't what we thought." Emma placed her hands on her lower belly. "I'm pregnant, for godsakes."

"Fine, but that's not all." Gold peered at her as if he could see beneath her skin. "There's still something you're not sharing and I, I…" He stopped as if listening to the secrets whispered on the wind. "I don't think I want to know but I need to."

"Need to, huh." Emma huffed and fussed with the folds of her dress. "I'm sure you can imagine being separated from Belle."

Rumple rolled his hand in a go on kind of way.

"Would hanging out with all the happy people be all that when you have lost your heart?"

"No, this isn't about the island." Gold dismissed her with a shake of his head.

"You do not want to know." Emma pushed the words out through gritted teeth.

Gold grabbed her arm and hissed. "You will tell me."

"Please, don't make me do this."

His hand tightened on her arm but the pain didn't outweigh her desire to keep her secrets. Then again, maybe she could tell someone.

Someone who could keep a secret.

"Some people," she whispered as tears slowly dripped down her cheeks. "Were gone but returned when we woke up."

Gold let her go, knowing the loses were not likely to be random citizens of Storybrooke. He fell back into the chair and stared at the fire.

"I do not wish to know more," he informed her. "I am sorry."

Emma nodded but couldn't seem to regain the calm she wished she actually felt.

"You have my word," she reassured him. "I will protect everyone's happy ending."

It was a promise she kept over and over again even as it broke her heart. Every step down the stairs at her father's ball, in the home she supposed to grow up in, with her family around her while she ignored the one person she wished to have at her side. She wanted, she needed her pirate.

The Dark One was studying her again.

"Your husband isn't missing, is he dearie?" He pointed at her, waiting for an answer.

Emma returned his stare.

"I guess not everyone's getting their happy ending." Gold's hand lowered.

"Only Henry knows that people are back from the dead." She turned to leave as he nodded in understanding.

Emma stopped by the door. "There's something I'm looking for. When the first curse hit, stuff turned up in Storybrooke. Turned up in your shop because you are a collector of things."

"There have been a few interesting items that have made their way to my castle."

"I'm looking for a set of rings, wedding rings. Nothing particularly special about them, plain silver bands."

"Even I need more than that, dearie."

"Both are engraved on the inside."

"Go on."

"The larger one says," Emma replied with a shaky breath. "My true love – Death cannot separate us."

"And what did he have engraved on yours?"

Emma wiped away her tears and glared over her shoulder. "My heart belongs to you."

They eyed each other uneasily. Gold looked away first. "I will keep an eye out."

"Thanks," Emma said and opened the door.

"Thank you," Gold replied and with a raised hand saluted her. "Your highness."

Emma had had enough of being royal, of this party, and she gave in to her instinctive response to chaotic emotions.

Emma ran.