A/N: Taking a break from churning out papers. Hope this is a good update. I wanted to give Mr. Gold a first name, and I came up with Aurelius. I like that name, and it means gold. It's a good, strong name, and it fits him well despite that it's a Roman soldier's name. If you get confused please comment or message me. I love reading your responses, and it makes me so happy how many people are following this story and favoriting this story. Just so you know, I appreciate and love all of my fans. Enjoy the update! Love, Joanne.

26. Recognition

"No, I just decided to swim in that mud puddle," I said sarcastically. "Of course you splashed me!"

She gave me a ruby red sneer, semi-bearing her pearly white dangerous teeth. "My apologies, I was merely rushing to pick up my son, Henry, from school. He's not feeling well…"

My stomach dropped. "Is there something wrong, Miss-"

"Belle," I said. "And no. I just realized who you are. You're the Mayor. You're Regina."

"Why yes I am," she smirked. "If there's anything I can do for you, especially since I ruined your clothes…"

"Stay away from me," I said with venom in my voice. "Stay away from me, and the people I love. I know what you are, and who you are."

"Oh, dear, I fear you might be catching something from that puddle," said Regina with a coolness in her voice. "I have never seen you around Miss Belle, and you've never met me before, I'm sure…"

"I remember everything," I said, stepping closer to the car. I dropped to a crouch to look her dead in the eyes while my hands picked up a clump of mud from the curb. "You're the one who tore us all apart, and caused everyone's misery. Well, I'm not going to be subjected to your crap. Even if you have the power, that doesn't mean I'm not going to go down fighting. I'm not like that little innocent girl you convinced to bring down a Beast anymore. I've wised up, and I'm not going to let evil win."

I smeared the mud all over the side of the passenger side door of the car, and all over the windshield. "What are you crazy?" shouted Regina.

"That was for ruining my life in fairy world," I said. "That was just a taste of what I can do. Have a nice day, bitch."

She sped out, wheels screeching and wipers on full blast, squelching as it tried to get the mud off.

. . .

"Why does this look so familiar?" asked Mr. Gold as I walked into the house after kicking off my muddy sneakers.

"Because it is déjà vu," I sighed as I peeled off my shirt and pants, throwing them in the wash. I ran to the bathroom and began to scrub the grime off. "And no, you cannot join me in the shower."

"Who did this to you?" asked Mr. Gold from behind the door.

"I think you know whose shiny, now covered in mud, Bentley did this to me," I shouted.

"Regina," he cursed under his breath. "What did she say to you? What did you say to her?"

"I told her I recognized her from fairy world," I said. "I told her to leave me and the people I love alone, and that I knew what she was. Pure evil."

Mr. Gold sighed. "She's going to pay."

"I told you," I said, stepping out of the shower, and slipping on a gold robe. "I got her back."

"She's going to retaliate, and I know she's not going to let your little stunt go. Although, it was quite genius…"

I opened the door, and he kissed my forehead. "I'm not going to let this go," he continued. "I was a coward once, but I'm not the same man I once was. She's going to get what's coming to her."

"Babe, can you please just leave her alone, and focus on our wedding?" I asked. "We're going to be married soon!"

"What day should we get married?" asked Mr. Gold.

"As soon as possible," I sighed as I fell into his arms. "I just want us to be married and happy together."

"Go get dressed, and I will try to get us an early as possible date for our wedding," he said as he kissed me.

. . .

"Please?" asked Ruby as she set down my hamburger, french-fries, and coleslaw. I looked across at Mr. Gold, who sat with me in the booth at Granny's Diner, smirking back at me and enjoying the torment I was going through.

"No," I groaned.

"Come on!" said Ruby as she slammed the ketchup down on the table in front of me after handing Mr. Gold his usual medium-well steak and potatoes. "Let me throw you that bachelorette party!"

"No way Jose!" I said with a hint of finality in my voice. "Now can I eat my lunch without acquiring indigestion?"

"I don't know, why don't you give it a try?" said Ruby, hands on her hips. "We are having that party if I have to drag you there kicking and screaming."

"Don't expect a large tip then," I joked before taking a bite of my hamburger. Mr. Gold snickered as he cut into his steak and took a bite. "Don't encourage her. You know how she is when she gets an idea in her head. She takes it, and runs with it as long as she can…"

"Darling, why don't you just go have fun with your girls?" he asked. "You are young, you should have a nice bachelorette party. And if it goes too far, I can triple her rent."

I rolled my eyes. "Please don't triple her rent," I said, feeling defeated. "Well, you do have a point. I am young, and I should have one last girls night out before I'm bound to you forever and an eternity."

"You make it sound so dreary," he said sarcastically, shaking salt and pepper over his potatoes.

We finished our meal, and Ruby came back to give us the check. "Please-"

"I give in!" I held up my hands in total surrender. "You can have your way with me!"

"Ooh kinky, but I'll let Mr. Gold take over that area," winked Ruby as she pumped a fist in the air in victory. "I promise, you won't regret this Belle!"

"I'm already regretting this," I muttered after Ruby left with the bill and her tip. I got up from the booth, and slipped my hand into Mr. Gold's as we walked out of the diner back home. "Random question, do you have a first name, other than your original name from our world? I don't find it comfortable calling my fiancé 'Mr. Gold.'"

"Here, my name is Aurelius," replied Mr. Gold.

"I like that name," I smiled, giving his hand a small squeeze. "It's beautiful."

"I do have one small request though," said Aurelius Gold. "I ask that you never call me Rumplestilzkin in public. Not many people in town know the truth about who they really are, and I wish to keep my true identity private."

"Yes, Aurelius," I said, testing out his first name on my tongue. "It's such a beautiful name, I can't believe you don't have others call you by your first name."

"No one bothered to get to know me as intimately as you did," he smiled sadly. "Plus, I'm well-known, respected, and feared by my last name."

"Well, look who has stepped out," said a voice from across the street. After looking both ways, Regina crossed the street, and began to approach us. "Mm mm, what do we have here? An old man, and a delinquent."

"You will not mock either of us," growled Aurelius. "You will show respect for me and my fiancé!"

"Well, your so called 'fiancé' covered my car in filth," Regina replied, putting her hands on her hips. Aurelius stood in front of me protectively, and I felt his hand tighten in mine.

"That may well be," he began, staring her down. "But as a lawyer, I know you have no case. A car that has been battered, destroyed, and tires slashed, now THAT has a case. But your precious little Bentley got a little dirt on it. Dirt can easily be removed."

"You think you are so clever," said Regina. "Don't forget who you are messing with."

She turned to walk away, and then turned back, and looked me directly in my eyes. "By the way, congratulations on your engagement… however long that will last…"

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked.

"You'll see in time," she smirked, her ruby red lips just as venomous as her words.