A/N: Oh Dearest Dearies! You reviews are so overwhelmingly awesome! I can't express how much your entertainment means to me! My mind is teaming with so much Once Upon A Time goodness! As I promised the story is heating up, and I plan this chapter to be the deep breathe before the plunge. So go on
Chapter 21
Rumplestiltskin's stomach had been in knots ever since Emma and the Queen left his shop only moments ago. He could not be still. He was far too anxious to be still. He paced the room with vigor. The queen's words echoed in his mind, "If Henry dies, so does she." This was an ultimatum he could not win because he knew what needed to happen. The princeling would have to die and be awoken by True Love's kiss. There was no other way around it, that's just how that spell worked. Nothing he or the queen could do would be able to save him. And now Belle would pay with her life. It was, again, his fault she was in danger. He could do nothing. He was useless. He didn't even know where she was exactly. He could only guess that she was at Mary Margaret's apartment, but after all the madness that had transpired, he couldn't be sure. He should have strangled the heartless queen while he had the chance. His pacing was stopped as the bell above the door rang again. A tall dark figure entered the pawnshop. A long black coat flowed behind the lean figure of a man. As he walked closer, Gold caught sight of who it was that approached.
"What's this? The Hatter come to make a deal with me? I thought you were under Regina's beck and call." Rumplestiltskin smirked. Jefferson's dark glare confirmed otherwise.
"Not anymore," he said coldly. "And I didn't come to make a deal with you." Gold was puzzled by this.
"Why did you come then?" Rumplestiltskin asked. "Unless it's to purchase something from my shelves, I will ask you to leave."
"I came to help you." He said simply.
"Why, might I ask would you want to do that?" Rumplestiltskin asked skeptically. Jefferson grit his teeth.
"Regina double crossed me." Jefferson said roughly.
"Now why is that not surprising?" Rumplestiltskin interrupted.
"Yeah," Jefferson answered dryly. "Helping you assures that her plans are foiled." He explained.
"Uh huh." Rumplestiltskin raised his brow. "I don't think you quite grasp the situation here, Jefferson." Rumplestiltskin went to escape to his back room.
"I understand perfectly." Jefferson's words gave Rumplestiltskin pause. "I know what it's like to be separated from the one you love because they have no memory of you. I know how much you want her to remember everything, to remember you. It's torture." Jefferson's expression softened as he spoke. Despite the calm in the Hatter's voice, his words only angered Rumplestiltskin. He took the Hatter by his coat collar and threw him against the wall with enough force to send a few of the pictures hanging there crashing to the floor. The glass shattered at Gold's feet, for Jefferson's were no longer touching the ground. The Hatter was astonished at the unsuspected strength Rumplestiltskin possessed.
"You know nothing of what I suffer! Did that bitch put your true love on the chopping block? Did she give you an impossible ultimatum? Did she tie your dear one's fate to that of a doomed boy?" Rumplestiltskin bellowed out of despair and anger. His knuckles turned white as his grip increased. Jefferson's feet dangled beneath him as he spoke.
"Which is why you need my help," Jefferson said roughly as he struggled against Rumplestiltskin's grip. "We both know that the kid's going to die, and that little quest you sent them on isn't going to help him. We both know Belle hasn't got a hope." Rumplestiltskin's grip began to loosen. Jefferson slowly was brought done to the floor once again.
"What do you propose we do?" Rumplestiltskin asked hesitantly.
"I know where she is," he told Gold.
"Where?" He asked desperately hopefully as he tightened his grip once again.
"Well, you see, I can't exactly tell you." Jefferson shrugged. Before he could give reason, Rumplestiltskin grabbed the scarred throat of the hatter.
"If you value your life, you will tell me where she is!" he demanded.
"If I do, you'll storm down there and the second you show your face within 50 yards of her, Regina's men will move in and she'll be gone forever." Jefferson choked out. Rumplestiltskin considered what the Hatter said before releasing him altogether. Jefferson coughed as air flooded back into his lungs.
"So what are we supposed to do?" Rumplestiltskin asked.
"You may not be able to waltz into where she is, but I can." Jefferson explained.
"Go on," Rumplestiltskin crossed his arms as he listened to Jefferson's plan.
"I'll go and neutralize the threat of Regina's men, but it will take time. Time is something we don't have very much of. Especially, with Regina being ever vigilant of her plans. But that's where you come in." Jefferson saw that he was being heard out. "So, you need to make sure that Regina is unable to reach any of her men to give them the heads up."
"I can…" Gold began, but the Hatter stopped him.
"We need her alive," Jefferson interjected. Gold went to speak again, but the Hatter stopped him. "And with all of her limbs."
"Well, you're no fun." Rumplestiltskin complained.
"This way, you can get the magic from them," Jefferson told him. Rumplestiltskin's ears perked.
"How did you know about the magic?" He asked suspiciously.
"You aren't the only one who hears things in the cover of shadow." Jefferson said slyly. "I've become very good at eavesdropping at important times."
"How do I know that I can trust you?" Rumplestiltskin grew wary of the Hatter.
"You don't," Jefferson answered simply. "But what other choice do you have?" Jefferson answered. Rumplestiltskin had none.
"How will I know she is safe?" Rumplestiltskin asked.
"I'll call you, maybe, I could always send messenger pigeons, if you want." Jefferson smirked. Rumplestiltskin was not amused.
"Then will you tell me where she is?" he asked the Hatter.
"Of course," Jefferson placed a hand over his heart. "And you two can live happily ever after."
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A/N: For those of you who are big Hatter fans, I could't resist putting him in! He is kind of the captain of this ship after all ;) But anyways, it sounds too good to be true, doesn't it? With RumBelle, things are never what they seem... (OOOH crypto message!) Anywho, I hope you enjoyed and come prepared for the next chapter! R&R