Jefferson knew that seeing the imp that had practically raised him his whole life was a bad idea. It was further confirmed that this was a bad idea as soon as Rumpelstiltskin welcomed them with an open handed slap on the back for him and a rather…extended kiss on the cheek to Karenina.

But she didn't stab him in the abdomen and she brushed off his advances…Jefferson didn't push it. Karenina could handle herself. They were here to fulfill a purpose and threatening the only one that could help them wouldn't be a good idea.

"My two favorite dearies!" Rumpelstiltskin practically squealed and held Karenina's face, "Marriage is treating you well, darling! Certainly given you a flush to your cheeks. Jefferson, you probably made sure she earned her complexion well, didn't you? You little troublemaker. And Karenina, you've been too busy entertaining your new husband that you've hardly come to visit! "

Jefferson put his arm around his wife's shoulders and pulled her away. He really didn't want to imagine his wife and Rumpelstiltskin having tea together and talking about the latest monster that she'd fought, "We need your help, we're here because-."

"Yes, yes, I know why you're here," he said shortly, "Your fertility isn't in question but your ability to carry your children are…which means…I might be able to provide you with some assistance."

Without waiting for permission, Rumpelstiltskin hunched over and placed his hands on her belly and put his face close to it like he actually studying her stomach. And then he gave a 'tsk tsk' and put his ear next to her belly. Jefferson felt his lunch rise in his throat when Rumpelstiltskin pulled back and ran his hands over Karenina's stomach slowly.

Karenina just rolled her eyes and shrugged at Jefferson.

"There is good news and bad news dearie," Rumpelstiltskin said and straightened, "The good news is I can think of at least two ways to help you. One of course would be for me to use my power and heal you and give you as many children as you want…but the price is much higher that way."

Karenina tensed. She didn't like dark magic; she didn't want him to heal her body like that. It left its mark on someone and she wasn't willing to go that far, "What's the other option?"

"A potion but I have to warn you, it's not permanent," he said, "You'd carry the child to term and provided you don't do anything risky…the child will be born. And then your womb closes and you're barren after its born. One child that's all you get."

"What's the price?"

He shrugged, "You'll owe me a favor."

Jefferson looked up at the same time as his wife, "No."

"Absolutely not," Karenina said, "I'm not playing that game of yours."

"Negotiations aren't on the table dearie, that's the price."

"Then we're leaving," Jefferson said, Karenina stood up as well and Jefferson put his hand on his wife's back. They'd find something else. There were plenty of children that needed homes.

"Fine," Rumpelstiltskin said when he realized they were actually leaving, "There may be a time come when I need Karenina's services."

Jefferson didn't like the way he looked at her when he said 'services', "For what?"

"I'm in the process of…procuring the ingredients to a curse and I may need Karenina to procure the blood of a certain creature for me."

"What creature?" Karenina asked.

"I believe it's called a jabberwock."

"Oh gods," she muttered and Jefferson knew that if she was worried then he should be as well.

"I'll pay the price," Jefferson said.

"You're not a hunter dearie," Rumpelstiltskin said, "I don't want to make your lovely bride a widow before her time. It has to be her."

"When?" Karenina asked.

"When I need it to be procured of course."

Karenina averted her gaze and that was all Jefferson needed to know.

And Rumpelstiltskin knew it too, "I'll tell you what," he held up a vial, "You take it home and discuss it. Things like this shouldn't be taken lightly."

Jefferson watched as Rumpelstiltskin flaunted the vial and quickly he snatched it from him, "Let's go home."

Karenina stood and he put his hand on his wife's back.

"Hope to see a third one of you in nine months dearies!" Rumpelstiltskin yelled from behind them, "Hope you name the baby after me."

Jefferson felt his wife tense and he slipped his hand into hers. She looked up at him with a concerned look and together they walked to the carriage waiting for them.

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"Have you ever fought a Jabberwock before?" Jefferson asked later that night.

Karenina sat cross-legged on the bed across from him. The vial full of clear liquid was on a pillow between them.

"Once," she said. Her voice indicated how well it had ended.

"We don't have to do this," he said, "What's wrong with adoption? I was an orphan and I turned out alright."

"Because I want to have a baby," she said and took his hand, "I want to know what that's like. When we got married, I didn't think I wanted a child because I knew that we couldn't have on…but now we have this chance and I want to take it. I don't have a problem with adoption, darling but this is truly something I want to experience. And the price isn't so high…I've seen and fought a Jabborwock so now I know how it moves and thinks…and if Jacqueline can kill one by herself then certainly I can too!"

He looked at her and sighed, he had promised himself that he would support Karenina in whatever decision she made as long as she offer the same respect to him, "Alright, I'll support you if you take this potion but until you're back home safe from fighting this thing then I'm going to wonder if it was worth it."

Karenina nodded and took his hand, "I'll be fine."

"I hope you're right."

Karenina sighed, uncorked the potion, and drank it.

"Do you feel different?" Jefferson asked.

"Not really," she said, "Tasted horrible though."

"Well," Jefferson said and brushed his wife's hair back, "I suppose we'd better get started."

"You've been looking forward to this part, haven't you?" she teased as he pushed her backwards on the bed."

"Oh love," He kissed her, "I've been looking forward to it all day."

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Three months later, Rumpelstiltskin stopped by to see how they were doing. Jefferson watched from the window as Rumpelstiltskin diverted from his path to the door to talk to Karenina who was reading on the porch. With a smile, he put his hand on Karenina's stomach and smirked in Jefferson's direction.

And Jefferson knew the potion had worked.