A/n: First off I want to thank Gwen and Iroquois for reviewing, and since Iroquois mentioned it, I think you'll be happy to note that there will be some Mr. Gold in this chapter. Hopefully enough to satisfy. LOL.

Also want to thank lfitch86 for reviewing. To answer some of your questions, of course Lucy's birthday will be coming up, hopefully soon, though I haven't plotted out that part yet. As for what occurred to Rumpel and Andrina... as I explained before, their encounters happened shortly before the Rumpel was captured and the curse enacted. As for what's been going on with Mr. Gold of late, read and find out, same goes as to what happened to them in fairytale land. ;)

And now onto the story!

Mr. Gold sat in his office, carefully cleaning one of the more valuable items he'd collected as he contemplated recent events and the game in play.

Kathryn Nolan was missing, and Mr. Gold knew very well who was behind it and who would be implicated. Regina wasn't anywhere near as clever as she believed herself to be. However, when he considered that it would be Mary Margaret Blanchard who she'd be contending with, cleverness was not something she'd really need. Even Emma Swan would need his aid, unfortunately the woman was incredibly stubborn and untrusting.

She needed his help, but how to get her to see that? That was the question. Considering the fact that she didn't trust him, with good reason of course, he'd need to force her hand by making Miss Blanchard seem so guilty, Emma Swan would be desperate for his help.

He'd already laid down the ground work. He'd extracted a deal from Regina to get his battery charges dropped and planted in her hands the perfect plan to get rid of Miss Blanchard. Of course, Regina would merely be implicating herself and he had enough confidence that when Miss Blanchard ran that their blonde savior would bring the wayward teacher back.

Mr. Gold paused in his task and momentarily rubbed his brow. He'd already paid a visit to Miss Blanchard and convinced her to take allow him to provide his legal services to her. That had really been far too easy, despite Sheriff Swan's attempts to dissuade her friend.

By now, he was aware that Miss Blanchard had to have found the skeleton key to her cell. This part of his plan was the only part that really... worried him. It left a bit too much to chance. Would Miss Blanchard really take the key and run? Would Emma really be able to find her before Regina noticed Miss Blanchard was gone? Would it happen on time for the arraignment?

For perhaps the millionth time, he wondered if it was all worth it. He didn't really need Miss Blanchard after all. However, he shook his head of that thought, after all he did need to generate some good will for himself from Miss Swan. Getting the woman's mother free would have to count for something in her eyes, even if the savior wasn't aware that Miss Blanchard was her mother.

Sighing, he got up from his seat behind his desk and put the small figurine back in its place before turning to the lamp he would work on next. He needed to be in Emma Swans good graces, he'd known that since the fateful night on the beach where he'd watched Andrina and spoken to her. Though he created the curse to be free of his own curse, while harboring hope that this other world would help him find what he'd lost... he'd also been aware that if he planned to be able to keep Andrina, he'd need the savior to allow it, to forgive him or rather to pardon the things he had done.

Frowning, he stared unhappily at the stupid lamp as he took it in his hands, too distracted to hear the bell of his shop.

Lucy not talking to him... doubting him; that was a set back. The gaping flaw in everything he had done. Everything he did, it was all in part for her. The rest was for Bae... even if he had no hope at all to ever even see his son again. But what good was it all, if he couldn't have Lucy anyway? He knew what it was of course... the damn curse. How could he have Lucy, or how could they have a happy ending, with the curse still intact. It needed to be broken, and only Emma Swan could do that.

"Mr. Gold," a breathless voice called, followed by harried steps. Mr. Gold only half-turned, already recognizing that voice.

"Just taking inventory," he explained, recovering his composure enough to smirk at her as he took his seat back behind his desk and taking the lamp with him. "What can I do for you, Miss Swan? Any developments in the case I should be aware of?" he asked archly once he settled behind his desk, laying his elbows on the surface and curling his hands together as he regarded the Sheriff, taking quick note of her harried appearance.

"Yes, Regina set her up!"

"And this surprises you?" he asked sardonically; though he was not amused. He was already aware of this. After all, he was the one who helped the Mayor set up this whole affair. The fact that the Sheriff was so slow on he uptake was a bit vexing. "Show me your evidence and we'll get this over with immediately."

But she had no evidence, he already knew that. He had to stop himself from smirking as the blonde placed her hands on his desk and leaned over conspiratorially. "Yeah that's the thing, there isn't any," she spouted, pressing anxiously on his desk, practically cutting across his words. Despite the fact that she was being soft-spoken, Mr. Gold could see the desperation in the Sheriff. "Anything that's court worthy," she elaborated. "But I know it now."

"Look who's suddenly become a woman of faith," Mr. Gold sneered. "Why are you here Miss Swan, to spit conspiracy theories?"

"I need help!"

"From me?" Mr. Gold asked, arching his brows, and trying to sound ironic, although he damn well already knew she needed his help. He couldn't keep from nearly laughing at that slightly, and flashing his teeth more than he meant. He was barely able to stop from gesturing too grandly to himself as he looked up at the Sheriff in amusement.

"Every time I've gone up against Regina, I've lost," she explained in a quiet rush. "Except for once, when I became Sheriff when you helped."

"As I recall, you don't exactly approve of my methods," he reminded the blonde woman, frowning at her as though this wasn't exactly what he'd wanted.

"I approve of your results. And this time I have something more important than a job. I need to save my friend," she beseeched quietly.

Mr. Gold licked his lips, savoring this moment. "Are you willing to go as far as it takes?" he asked, momentarily looking away form her as he picked up his magnifying glass for a brief moment before fixing her with an inquiring look.

"Farther," she replied, intense in her response, as if telling him she didn't take this lightly.

"Now we're talking," he grinned as he picked up his magnifying glass to inspect the lamp; he couldn't help thinking for a moment, that he wished Lucy were this easy to deal with. But then he supposed that if she were, she wouldn't be the mermaid he had fallen in love with. "Fear not Miss Swan, Regina may be powerful but something tells me, you're more powerful than you know," he said, looking up at her with a smile to make sure the point drove home before turning back to the task at hand.

Emma frowned as she straightened and regarded Mr. Gold as he went about his work. The conversation was over, and it was clear to her that Mr. Gold was dismissing her, but she still had her misgivings. She didn't understand the pawnbroker, and she certainly didn't trust him. However... he seemed to have faith in her... but for what?

XX

Lucy couldn't keep herself from looking at Daphne with disgust as they sat at the diner eating breakfast before heading over to school. Daphne was too absorbed in her book to notice the look her elder sister was giving her.

"How can you stand to read that drivel?" Lucy finally snapped irritably at her younger sister. A part of her wanted to rip the novel from her sister's hands before her sister got any stupid, insane notions about what romance and love were supposed to be. Daphne was already enough trouble as it was, she didn't need her getting any funny ideas about Mr. Newcastle and getting the poor man in trouble.

"Well of course you wouldn't like it, you're not at all roman-"

"Don't even finish that statement!" Lucy said, lifting her hand to silence her sister before pinching the bridge of her nose, aware of the bright blue eyes that were watching her. "You do know that the protagonist of that story, is anything but a role model, right? And that the relationship she finds herself in is not real love, and is anything but healthy? If you were in love with a man, and he left you, and you became catatonic, I would smack you so hard you'd wake up in another realm. There isn't anything remotely romantic about being weak; and there is nothing remotely sweet about codependent relationships."

Daphne frowned at her sister as she shut the book she was reading and set it down. "Yeah, well you also don't believe Romeo and Juliet were truly in love, and that's the greatest love story in all of history. You said that Romeo was just a poet who fell in love every other minute, and his speeches were just pretty words, he spouted on a girl who was too young to know any better."

"She was a child. Juliet was like what? Thirteen? And Romeo like 21? What the hell would Juliet know about love?" Lucy scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "It was all an illusion. The story is the greatest love story of all time because they died, and their love, if it could even be called that, was immortalized. If the play didn't end in tragedy, I bet a few years into Romeo and Juliet's marriage, he'd be stepping out and spouting the same sonnets to some other girl while Juliet sat at home playing house-wife and rearing his children."

"Why do you have to be so cynical, Lucy? Why can't you accept that love can be real, that it doesn't have to be just something in stories, or movies? You know what Daddy and Mom were like, is it so far-fetched that other's could have that?" Daphne asked, sounding genuinely upset with her sister as she glared at her.

However, before Lucy could say anything in response to her sister, both Davenport girls were distracted by the sight of Ruby at their table. "Can I get you guys anything else?" she asked brightly.

Lucy and Daphne both shook their heads as they stared at the older girl. For a moment, similar expressions of surprise crossed their faces as they took in the waitress who for once was not scantily clad. "What's with the look? I can actually see your face for once and not pounds of makeup you cake on it," Lucy commented, causing Ruby to smack her on the arm.

"Be nice, or I won't take you out anywhere for your birthday, which by the way is coming up," Ruby teased.

Lucy groaned, "Don't remind me," she muttered with a frown. Her upcoming birthday was the last thing she wanted to think about, especially as now it was coming up so quickly; two weeks to be exact. "You didn't answer my question," Lucy pointed out, not wanting to think about her birthday at all.

Ruby sighed and quickly explained the events leading to her... slight metamorphosis. By the time she was through, Lucy couldn't help frowning as her sister looked on amazed. Daphne was the first to speak. "So... Mr. Nolan is-"

Ruby shook her head. "No... they think it's Mary Margaret."

"The school-teacher?" Lucy asked, completely bewildered as she frowned thinking back to the day she ran into the woman just outside the diner and how distraught the older woman had been. "There's no way in hell it could've been her," Lucy said, shaking her head adamantly. The very idea of Miss Blanchard getting rid of anyone seemed absolutely ridiculous and laughable, despite whatever emotional duress she might've been under.

Ruby nodded in agreement with Lucy. "I know, but I think that's where all the evidence is pointing to. Mary Margaret's even gotten herself a lawyer, although considering it's Mr. Gold I think she's screwed anyway," Ruby commented, frowning deeply.

Lucy thought she felt her heart stop as Mr. Gold was mentioned. Things didn't get any easier since she had gone to visit Graham. She still couldn't get the pawnbroker out of her mind, or sort out her thoughts about him. It didn't help matters that she'd started having to avoid Minerva who was trying to talk to her about who it was that she loved. It was rather trying.

Lucy tried to keep her face neutral as she asked, "Mr. Gold is representing her?" She'd had no idea Mr. Gold was a lawyer, although, she honestly wasn't surprised. Actually, it rather made a lot of sense that he would be and only seemed logical.

Ruby nodded her head before excusing herself and moving away to help another customer. Both Davenport girls merely continued to sit, lost in their thoughts.

"Do you think Mr. Gold is really actually trying to help her?" Daphne asked, her brow furrowed in concern. Lucy merely shrugged her shoulders, finding herself equally concerned; even though she still loved the man, she was more than aware that he was not a nice man, and that he didn't do things out of the goodness of his heart. "What do you think was his price?"

"I don't know Daff, but it's probably steep," Lucy responded with a sigh, running her fingers through her long hair. She wasn't sure why, but the idea that Mr. Gold would hurt Miss Blanchard didn't sit right with her... perhaps because Miss Blanchard was simply so kind and good; it seemed too horrible that someone so pure would be hurt, when she'd never really done anything wrong. Briefly, she wondered if there was anything she could do to help the woman.

"Your hair needs a cut, it's getting nearly as long as Ruby's now. Just an inch or two short of it, I think," Daphne suddenly commented, her gaze caught on her sister's hand which was currently playing with the tips of her black hair, which were nearly frayed.

"What?" Lucy asked distractedly, snapped out of her thoughts before looking down at her hand. Her brain seemed to catch up seconds later as she shook her head. "I'm gonna keep it longer, although I probably could use a trim," Lucy responded absent-mindedly as she frowned down at her hair. She was starting to get split-ends.

"Lucy... I've been meaning to ask you. The Spring Fling Dance is coming up, Mr. Newcastle was wondering if you'd help out," Daphne started tentatively.

"Does that man have to help run every damn school event there is?" Lucy couldn't help asking, snorting in amusement as she shook her head. She already knew where her sister was going with this and she couldn't help shaking her head. "No, Daphne. I don't care what he wants me to do, I'm not helping out again. Wasn't it enough that I sang at the blasted talent show?"

"Come on Lucy! Please! You were so great in the talent show, all you would have to do is sing a couple sets. I'm going to sing some too, and he's even gotten that band that played at the bar to come! It will be fun! And you need a distraction, don't think I haven't noticed that you're still being very moody of late, and you've been completely avoiding Minerva. What's up with that?"

Lucy sighed, running her fingers through her hair in frustration. "Nothing. I just don't feel like being interrogated, like you're doing now," she said, giving her little sister a pointed look and glare.

Daphne sighed, averting her eyes. "I don't know why you have to be so secretive all the time. We're your sisters, you're supposed to trust us, know we'll always be there for you," Daphne muttered, shoving the plate of half-finished food away from her. Lucy groaned, wondering why her little sister had to pull the guilt-trip on her.

"Don't pout, that's not going to get me to help Mr. Newcastle with his new project," Lucy snapped a bit irritably as she motioned to Ruby for the tab. Daphne turned to watch as the brunette nodded before heading over to the register.

"You know... she looks like she did when she and Minnie were.. you know. I think if Min were to see her now... she wouldn't know what hit her," Daphne commented thoughtfully. Lucy tilted her head to the side, and looked at Ruby, not able to help agreeing with her sister. She did have a point; the tiny outfits Ruby used to wear that showed too much skin had never sat well with Minerva.

XX

King Triton started clapping where he stood leaning against an arched entryway into the training yard. Andrina's green eyes looked up from looking down at the ground, to a guard she'd laid flat in the sand with a spear pointed to his throat. She couldn't help smiling slightly as she removed the spear, allowing the fallen guard to rise, clearly abashed that he had just been beat by a female and a princess to boot.

"Daddy," Andrina greeted, tossing the spear at the guard before swimming over to her father, who extended his arms to receive her in a hug. Andrina immediately melted into it, burying her face in her father's long beard, which was soft against her cheek. Opening her eyes, she looked at the black strands, noting that they were slowly beginning to become peppered with silver.

"I'm not sure if I should be proud of you, or worried that one of the guard is so easily beaten by one of my daughters," King Triton chuckled, as he moved to hold his daughter at arm's length, his blue eyes taking in his beautiful little girl.

"I think if you are concerned about your guard, then you are underestimating me," Andrina replied, smiling at her father, who chuckled once more.

"Oh, I would never underestimate you," he replied, wrapping and arm around her shoulder and swimming with her around the training yard, through the halls of the castle at a leisurely pace. "I am concerned, however. Why are you in the training yard, and not at the ball?"

Andrina grimaced. They were having a ball at their palace, but Andrina was not in the mood to dance or mingle. Of late, she wasn't in the mood for much other than training, as it helped her work through some of the aggression and anger she was feeling so strongly these days. It was why she had escaped the Grand Hall and come to the training yard.

"I don't want a suitor," Andrina replied, not bothering to mention to her father that at this point, it was moot to even attempt to look for one. She'd found her mate... unfortunately she thought it unlikely that they would ever be together. Since that night on the beach, she'd gone back to those shores almost nightly, hoping against her better judgement that he'd be there, but he hadn't returned. It had ached, and pained more than she ever thought anything could hurt. "Besides, it's not really necessary for me to marry, is it? You should be more concerned of Attina, after all, she needs a future King to rule at her side and provide little royals to succeed her. Attina will rule, when you have tired of ruling-"

"Or passed," he replied, with a quiet sigh.

Andrina furrowed her brow in concern and looked at her father's slightly melancholic, handsome features. "You don't plan to abdicate soon, do you? Or... leave us?"

Taking in his daughter's concerned features, he shook his head and placed a kiss on her temple. "No, Andrina. I wouldn't leave you and the rest of your sisters; besides Attina is still too young to rule. And I would first have you and your sisters settled."

"Daddy, we don't need a merman to take care of us!" Andrina reprimanded indignantly, causing him to chuckle. A low, warm rumbling sound that came from deep within his broad chest. Andrina didn't like the idea of her father leaving them... she didn't know what she would ever do without him. She'd already lost one parent, and despite being seventeen, the idea of losing her father was completely unacceptable to her. She wouldn't part with him so soon.

"Oh no, I am quite certain you can take care of yourself and your sisters quite well. However, you know our kind are never complete without our mates, and I would like to see you all find what I had with your mother," he told her, looking at her with shining eyes. Andrina seemed saddened and looked away, her long hair he noted tied in a high bun atop her head, could not cover her heart-broken expression. "Andrina... when the time comes and your sister takes the throne, I want you to command the guard," Triton went on, changing the subject, wishing to distract her from sad thoughts and having meant to have this discussion with her quite some time ago.

Andrina looked startled by this revelation, more than by the change of subject. "Me? You want me to command the guard? But Attina-"

"I am confident when the time comes, Attina will be a great queen. However, Attina does not have your military mind, nor the certain amount of ruthlessness needed for the position. You my dear, have a certain amount of... indifference for the people and a bit of cruelty in you, that your sisters do not, a quality that is necessary for a commander, not to mention a tactical mind. Besides that, you out of all your sisters has the best control of the triton, and the power and strength wield it better. Attina does quite well with it, but it's always been obvious it answers to you best."

"But Attina will need the triton to rule as Queen," Andrina commented, still confused as to what her father wanted for them.

"And she will have it. But you will wield it as well when necessary. And this at least will ensure your lives are longer. You know that in order us to wield the power of the triton, the price is that years are shaved from our lives each time we use it. Most rulers only have lived up to 150 years, that is half the lifespan of the usual merperson. It is the price we pay for it's power."

Andrina nodded. She knew this since she was a little girl. All magic, came with a price. Even those powers those of her bloodline had to be able to use the triton, came with a price. No other could wield the triton. It would not obey anyone else. Even to remove it from it's stand one had to come from her bloodline.

"Well, there is time yet to discuss that,"Andrina commented, not wanting to talk about it now. Before Rumpel, the idea that her father trusted and had faith enough in her to put her in charge of the full guard would have thrilled her; now it just looked like another impediment.

"Yes-"

"Your majesty!" a familiar voice called out, from down the hall. Both royals stopped and turned, at the end of the hall spotting a familiar crustacean, who had once been a merman but for a curse which had reduced him to something so small. King Triton sighed.

"Duty calls," he lamented with a small smile, before engulfing his daughter in a hug and placing a kiss on the top of her head. "You know, my little Andrina, I could not have been more proud of you if you'd been born a boy."

Andrina smiled fondly as her father moved away. However, her heart still ached horribly. Taking this opportunity, Andrina quickly left the palace for familiar shores. Like that night, the sky was clear and covered in sparkling stars. However, the moon had waned, and only a crescent remained.

"Rumpel, where are you?" Andrina found herself asking as her heart constricted in her chest painfully. She was once more flooded with familiar disappointment as she found that once more, he was not there and she wondered why she kept hoping that he would. He'd made it quite clear that night, he did not want to fall in love, he didn't believe in it. Why would he come?

Feeling her eyes begin to burn and sting with tears that threatened to fall, Andrina lay in the shallows, staring up at the sky. She felt at least some comfort in the fact that crying when submerged, didn't really feel like crying. Trying to keep her body from racking with the sobs she kept tight hold over, she stared up at the stars.

She didn't know how long she lay there, when she saw something in the sky... a large cloud. Furrowing her brow, she propped herself up on her elbows and stared at the ominous cloud overhead. She knew, she could feel it, that that was not just any storm cloud rolling overhead. Turning around, she saw it was coming from the land, and spreading to cover the seas. It rather looked like green smoke, more than a cloud and felt the air becoming charged with magic, causing her to cringe as her heart started to beat rapidly. Something was very wrong.

TBC...

A/n: In case it wasn't clear, the storm cloud at the end of this chap was the one that originated form the the Evil Queens curse... when it actually worked. Next chapter, Lucy pays a visit to Mr. Gold!

For anyone interested, I've written a RedSwan one-shot, called Nurse Red. Can check it out on my profile page :)

And did anyone else notice in An Apple Red As Blood ep, when Regina was having her confrontation with Mr. Gold and she asked him about his motives, that behind him were paraphernalia related to shipping? I found that hilarious.

Other than that, please review! Oh, and is anyone interested in being my Beta for this? I'm looking for one and haven't been able to find one. All I need is someone to check on spelling and grammar?