Sorry about the wait you guys, it's been and incredibly busy week and then on top of it all a pipe froze and then burst at work and our entire office flooded. So that sucked and my coworker and I spent all day yesterday on our day off moving our office upstairs. All is well though now and this chapter I pushed the boundaries a little just to play with the human side in these 'villains' :) some of you may think its a little OOC but that's alright, I like it the way it is and I hope you enjoy it :) let me know what you think!


Her hair was soft between his moving fingers and her breaths were slow and calm, her ribs expanding and contracting against him as he kept an arm looped around her back to hold her close. His other hand he had placed over hers on his chest and curled his fingers around the palm of her hand while his thumb moved back and forth over her knuckles.

They were in the foyer on the floor. He sat with his back against the wall and his legs stretched out in front of him, one ankle crossed over the other while Regina curled up against his side. Whether or not she was asleep he couldn't really say but with the things ricocheting around in her thoughts he was betting she was still awake. How long they had been sitting there he didn't know either but he didn't really care. He was just happy that she was calm.

"I'm going to go get dressed," she whispered but didn't move. She was comfortable and warm and his fingers running slowly and repetitively through her hair was incredibly soothing.

"Okay," he answered in a whisper and kissed the top of her head, "I'll be down here waiting for you," when she didn't move away he rested the side of his head atop hers and felt her take a slow deep breath against him.

...

"Here."

David looked down at the plastic card she held between her pointer and middle finger as she leaned forward, one elbow bracing her weight against the countertop while her other arm lay bent on to cool surface with her hand rested in the bend in her bracing elbow. "Why are you giving me your credit card?" He chuckled and wiped his hands on a towel before hanging it on the oven handle.

"Would you prefer to get your belongings from Snow and Emma's flat?"

"...point taken," he nodded and then shook his head at the card, "but I'm not using your money."

"Then pay me back when you get your wallet returned to you."

"Regina-"

"Quit arguing," she snapped and he folded his arms across his chest, "you can't wear the same clothing everyday. You don't have anything to your name right now as a matter of fact and I swear to god if you come back with flannel I will strangle you with it."

Biting back a laugh, David shook his head once again but stepped forward and took the card from her fingers, "fine."

"Thank you."

"Thank you," he smiled and she shrugged her shoulders a little.

"You've done plenty for me. The very least I can do is make sure you're taken care of."

David smiled a little more before he took one step closer to her and lowered his head so he could kiss her. Just a single lingering kiss before he pulled back only enough to look her in the eye, "want to come?"

Regina shook her head and he tucked her hair behind her ear, the gesture causing her heart to skip, "no. I am in no mood to be dealing with the judging masses."

"I don't blame you," he breathed out half a laugh and she looked up at him with troubled dark eyes. There was no point in reassuring her that everything would work out at some point. She had little faith in people and she would not believe his words. So he settled for the smaller things that she could start to believe in, "I'll be right back," he smiled and she nodded a little. He dropped his head one more time only this time he left a kiss on her cheek and felt her smile because of it, "love you."

"I suppose you'll have to take my car as well."

...

Regina walked across the foyer of her home with large quick strides that stopped abruptly at the knock at her front door. Who it would be she did not know and she contemplated leaving it be but she walked to answer it anyway. She opened the door to find the last person she expected to see at her door and it caught her a little off guard, "you are not exactly welcome here."

"I am here to hold up my end of a deal," he answered simply and steadily held her gaze when her brow furrowed and caused her eyes to squint ever so slightly.

"What deal?"

Rumplestiltskin smiled just a little, an honest and conflicted smile, "was it worth it?"

"Was what worth it?" She questioned without bothering to hide her irritation.

"Let me ask again," he paused and nodded his head forward before repeating himself, "was it worth it?"

Then she remembered. Her breath was taken and her heart ached in her chest, "no," she whispered and shook her head slowly.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice adopting a sincerity he hadn't used in too long, "I truly am, Regina."

"Apologies cannot fix me, Rumple," she shook her head with her quiet and frustrated voice.

"No they can't. But it is a start," he offered quietly and she stared him down with a tense jaw and hard eyes, "may I come in?"

...

"What are you doing?"

David turned toward the sound of her quiet confused voice that carried more than a hint of sorrow and heartbreak, "I'm uh...picking up a toothbrush and other...things."

"Why?"

"...because I didn't want to disturb you. I figured it would just be easier for all of us if I just got a few things to keep me going for the time being..."

Snow shook her head at him as he bowed his head and focused on the items in his basket for a little while. Her throat was tight with heartache and she fought hard to keep the tears burning in her eyes from falling, "you're really staying with her? You're really choosing her over me?" Her quiet voice cracked in to a whisper at the last word and she clenched her jaw to keep from crying.

David took a quiet breath and lifted his head to look her in the eye only to feel his chest ache at the sight of her misery. He took a careful step forward and lifted his hand to hold the side of her face, his own tears pricking his eyes when she immediately lifted both of her hands so one hung from his wrist and the other covered his on her face as she closed her eyes and turned her head in to the contact. Her face was twisted with heartbreak as she held back her tears but one escaped and rolled down her cheek when he moved his thumb softly over her cheek.

He leaned down and gave her a soft kiss on her forehead, letting it linger there before he rested his forehead against hers and whispered, "I'm sorry, Snow," and with that he pulled away. Her grip tightened around his hand and she breathed out a nearly silent cry as he stepped away. He turned from her with his head bowed and she mewed out a miserable 'no' in protest when his hand gently slipped from her grip and he walked away.

"Fuck," he whispered to himself under his breath and rubbed a free hand over his face as he focused on taking deep breaths to keep himself from breaking down in to tears in the middle of the store. Denying her and ignoring her quiet and desperate pleas for him to come back was probably the hardest thing he had ever done.

...

As David drove back up the street to the large house he was now calling home he found himself laying eyes on the vehicle belonging to Rumplestiltskin. It had him curious and uneasy and he carefully pulled in to the driveway and stepped out of the black Mercedes, taking his bags with him before he locked the car and walked up and around to the front door of the house with one more glance at Rumple's car.

When he opened the door he didn't quite know what to make of what he saw. Regina and Rumple sat directly across from one another at the dining room table speaking in a volume that only allowed for the two of them to hear. Regina's head was bowed to look at her loosely entwined fingers on the table and Rumple watched her as he spoke; the imp adopting a certain gentle sincerity that he hadn't seen in him in person before. Only moments after he had opened the door, Regina glanced sideways at him and then focused her eyes on Rumplestiltskin as the man finished.

David walked up the few entryway stairs slowly with his full attention on the pair that-when together-caused only chaos. As he placed his bags a the bottom of the main staircase, Rumple nodded his conclusion to their quiet conversation and Regina gave a nod of her own before he stood and she followed suit.

"David," Rumple nodded his acknowledgement as he passed the man but David only stared and gave a quick nod in return. "If you should need anything more, Regina..."

"I will let you know," she nodded as she stood next to David and Rumple nodded with a smirk and a wave of his fingers in self mockery that she couldn't help but smile at. Just a little. When he left and closed the door behind him she stood with David watching the door for a few seconds more before she turned without a word and started to walk away.

"Whoa hey," he reached out and grabbed her upper arm in his hand and she turned around and looked at him in innocent confusion, "what was that?"

"What was what?"

"Why was he here?"

"He was following up on a deal between us."

"What did you need from him?"

"Nothing. I had long forgotten about that deal actually."

"He said if you should need anything more! What did you agree to take from him that would have him saying the word 'more'?!"

"It's nothing of ill being to anyone," she shook her head, a soft laugh lacing her words as she shook her head a little, "why are you so on edge?"

"Because putting the two of you together is just asking for trouble!"

Regina breathed out a single hurt and frustrated laugh and she shifted her weight on to one foot, "so you see him with me and you automatically think that the world is going to come crumbling down? God forbid the imp actually has good intentions!"

"When has he ever had good intentions?!"

"He has his moments," she defended sharply with a snarl pulling at her lips at his furious and demanding tone.

"His deals are nothing but trouble, Regina, you know that! There is always a catch, always a price!"

"Not this time."

"I don't want you to get hurt!"

"He's not going to hurt me! You know how gentle he can be! I've shown you!"

"I also know how cruel he can be!"

"You also know how cruel I can be!"

"That's different!"

"No it's not! Just trust me, David!"

"I trust you just fine, it's Rumplestiltskin I don't trust! He's manipulated you before! Who's to say he's not doing it again?!"

"I'm to say! He's to say! This deal is different than the rest!"

"Then why did you forget about it?! Why is it you weren't reminded of this special deal until he showed up here to hold up his end?!"

"Because I wasn't exactly in a stable mindset when we made it and then as time went on I believed he would never have to hold up his end so I let it slip from my memory!"

"That does not sound at all reassuring to me, Regina!" He kept his voice raised and she scoffed in exasperation and dropped her head back as she let her hands fall to her thighs, "you make a deal when you're in a fit rage and then forget about it?! What the hell is this deal?!"

"I was not angry!" She yelled with tears burning in her eyes as she pushed her hand forward suddenly and forced a white memory to hit him square in the chest.

She lifted the skirt of her gown and lifted her leg so her bare foot pushed on the top of the wall, lifting herself so she stood tall with both feet on the narrow edge. Step by slow step she walked silently over the cold stone looking down the high castle walls to the ground far below. The torches and people down below looking like mere ants and fireflies under the stars and moon as she stepped up and down the crenellations on the wall with unwavering balance.

She felt absolutely empty inside. Just...empty. Nothing to live for, nothing to fight for. Even her own life she found was not quite worth fighting for anymore.

He didn't need to speak anymore to announce his presence, she always knew when he was there. He was always watching her, "do you think it would hurt?" Her voice was quiet and curious but painfully empty. She didn't bother looking behind her but rather kept her eyes down on the guards below.

"Perhaps for a moment," he replied quietly and watched rather uneasily when she lifted one foot from the cold stone wall and pushed it forward far over the edge, testing her balance and will.

"Would you catch me?" She cocked her head slowly and brought her foot back slowly and continued on her path around the wall.

"Yes."

"Why?" She whispered and a single tear rolled down her cheek but no emotion entered her voice.

"Because you are rather important to me."

"Selfish reasons then," she smiled for a split second and then cocked her head in the other direction, stepping up and over another crenellation.

"Are my reasons ever anything else, dearie?"

"No," she drew it out in the slowest of quiet whispers with her saddest smile and a further tilt of her head as a second tear rolled down her other cheek.

He pushed himself off the wooden door and carefully climbed up beside her as she pointed her foot out once more over the edge, eerily still fingers holding loose handfuls of navy blue silk as dark hair blew away from her face with the gentle breeze in the air, "I think it would feel wonderful."

"What would?"

"To fall and never have to get back up again," she closed her eyes and shook her head, her slow whisper causing her tears to fall as she smiled.

"Someday you will stand tall and no one will be able to touch you let alone cause you to fall."

"I am tired," she whispered and opened her eyes as she rose to her tip toes and pushed her other leg out further, "and what is the point of standing tall when the price is to be alone forever? Tell me Rumple," she whispered and finally turned her head to look him in the eye, trying to find the human beneath the beast as she placed both feet back on the cold stone, "is it worth it?"

He looked back and forth between her helpless brown eyes and with a quiet sigh through his nose he shook his head, "I can not say for certain whether it will be worth it or not, Regina. My journey is far from over as is yours but I can tell you this," he paused and looked over the ghost of the woman in front of him, the young innocent girl he was manipulating in to the most deadly of weapons, "when you have all the power in the world it makes it so much easier to get what you truly want and your only obstacle will be time itself."

More tears simply rolled down her cheeks but aside from them she showed no other signs of emotion, "you will be the most powerful of queens, Regina, no one will be able to take that from you, not ever. Everyone will know your name and no one will ever forget it."

Regina turned her head so she looked straight ahead of her and with a shake of her head she whispered and closed her eyes, "but will I be happy?" She already knew the answer to be 'no' but she wanted to know what he would say.

With a frown he shook his head slowly and answered gently, "I am afraid you are not going to be happy for a good long while, dearie," he watched several more tears fall down her beautiful face as it creased with the first emotion he had seen so far that evening on the wall. Heart wrenching pain and sadness as she subtly inched closer to the edge so her toes were hanging off.

"How about we make a deal?" He offered and she shook her head hopelessly as more tears fell, "one with no twists, no catches, no loopholes. A simple deal between two tired souls?"

"And what would it be?" She opened her eyes and looked at him once more finding no comfort in the way he frowned and shook his head at her state.

"If it turns out that in the end none of this was worth it, I will help you."

"Help me what?" She whispered and shook her head slowly.

"Just help you," replied with a simple shake of his head, "what do you say?"

"A deal requires an end to be held up by each party," she continued miserably and quietly, "what do I have to do for you?"

"Just step down from the wall," he instructed quietly and stepped closer so he could place a hand on either side of her waist, one arm crossing her lower back to do so as he ducked his head to try and catch her eye, "fight for your life, Regina, and I will help you in the end if none of this power was worth it."

She looked down to the ground far beneath them with a shaky breath through her teeth and tears blurring her vision as she leaned forward just a little only to have his grip tighten ever so slightly around her sides, "okay," she surrendered in a nearly inaudible whisper and allowed him to guide her backwards and help her down from the wall.

"A deal then."

"A deal," she confirmed with a nod but kept her eyes closed, turning her head in to his hand when his fingers wiped the tears from her cheeks. It was the only comfort she received during her life there.

Rumplestiltskin frowned and shook his head, lifting his other hand to hold the other side of her face and hold up her hung head, "tomorrow I shall leave a lamp on the beach and the king will bring home a freed genie," he started quietly and she silently opened her eyes, "I believe the king's death is far overdue."

"Oh my god," David rushed out the words as he wavered where he stood and brought a hand to his mouth while the other pressed against his stomach to try and calm the sickly feeling churning inside. He heard the sharp click of stilettos as she marched away but he couldn't gather himself to go and follow her and apologize. He was choking on air and trying to stop the shaking in his arms and hands and prevent his legs from giving out from underneath him for they suddenly felt like jello.

He had never felt that before. He had never felt that empty, never felt that alone, never felt that tortured, never that miserable. It made him sick to his stomach and he could not calm himself down. Stumbling again to catch himself from falling, he decided to move to the stairs. His hand gripped the railing tightly as he dropped down to sit on the stairs and once seated he placed both hands over his mouth and leaned forward so he braced his weight with his elbows on his thighs, one knee bouncing as his hands continued shaking.

His tears were falling silently as he gazed off at nothing and continued to try and calm himself down. He had pissed her off and therefore he didn't blame her for not staying around to help him come back or seek comfort in him herself. With every memory given she had to relive it as clearly as he. But he couldn't even stand let alone walk and talk.

Before the curse he had known Regina was insane. There was no other explanation for her actions as queen. But he didn't know her reasons for losing her sanity nor did he care enough to find out. She was insane and there was nothing to it. Then she had told him bits and had shown him pieces of her and he stopped solely blaming her and learned to care for her instead. But this piece was a hated memory, he could feel it in the way he lived it. There was a certain bitterness and self loathing that lingered when it had finished and it only made the effect worse. It was her very lowest point. Not once did he ever imagine the seemingly invincible queen Regina debating taking her own life. How could he imagine it? How could anyone?

And Rumplestiltskin.

He was starting to realize that every 'villain' had another side and he couldn't help but feel foolish for thinking otherwise. They were all human and they were all a hero in their own story despite their actions being interpreted as the opposite by those surrounding them.

...

"Regina."

"What?!"

Her snapped reply made him wince but he kept walking up behind her as she fought to busy her shaking hands, "I'm sorry."

"You should be!" She raised her voice and turned her head a little but not enough to see him over her shoulder before she straightened her neck and continued, "there are things that I don't want you to know about me! That was one of them! I don't want anyone to know that! But I hate it when you yell at me! I hate it when you doubt me! I asked him to try and keep everyone off your back! He is on my side now and therefore he is on yours! We are not plotting anything and I expected you to believe me when I told you that! I don't ask hardly anything of you, David! And I didn't do anything wrong! I was making sure you didn't have to go through their hatred as I have! It will ruin you and I don't want you to be ruined! You are a good man and I don't deserve you!"

David shook his head and drew in a shaky breath, his emotions still out of whack after being so completely thrown in to what misery she had lived in. "You deserve to be happy, Regina. And if I make you happy then so be it, I am more than honoured to stay at your side. You make me happier than ever but the truth is I don't believe I deserve you either. You are a gorgeous woman. You are strong and you are smart and your capacity to love is astounding. Yes you have your unfortunate past but you also have damn good reasons and unfortunate manipulations and life ruining losses. You deserve someone that will never hurt you again.

I am sorry I hurt you, I am sorry I doubted you and you had to go to such extremes and put yourself in such a vulnerable place just to grab my attention. I am sorry you had to live through that again when I'm sure you have tried so hard to forget it. I'm sorry I doubted Rumple's intentions and I can't say that it won't happen again but I will try to do better. But I will promise you that I will trust you and I won't doubt you again. I will stand by you with not so much as a whisper of proof or reasoning because you need that someone as much as I want to be it. You have lived through a special kind of hell that no one will ever understand and I don't want you living in it anymore," he shook his head quietly and her shoulders started to quiver, her head bowed long ago as she held her weight on her hands gripping the island countertop.

They remained in silence for a few moments longer before she slowly pushed herself up with a long quiet exhale. She turned around timidly with tears in her eyes and down her cheeks and as her last fingertips slipped off the counter, an apologetic frown pulled on one corner of her mouth for a moment. And then she all but threw herself at him and wrapped her arms tight around his neck, taking a fistful of the back of his shirt with one hand while the other pushed through his short hair. Her breath was hot and shaky as she turned her face in to the side of his and her small strong body still quivered in his tight grip.

"I'm sorry," he whispered against her with his face buried deep in to her neck.

"Thank you," she whispered back and another shaky breath left her parted lips.