Melanie Gold walked out of Storybrooke Public School, taking a deep breath of the crisp morning air while she surveyed the eager school children rushing into the building. A smile stretched her lips as a certain brunette launched himself into her and wrapped his arms around her middle.

"Hello darling," She murmured while slowly detaching Henry from her and looking across the sea of children to lock eyes with Emma Swan. "Head inside, I'll meet you for lunch in my classroom okay?" Henry nodded and ran inside. Melanie then crossed the space between her and the blonde, her smile still in place.

Mary Margaret beat her to Emma however, causing Melanie's steps to slow. As she crept closer snippets of the women's conversation were audible.

"It's good to see his smile back," Mary Margaret said with a soft smile.

"I didn't do anything," Emma replied, causing Melanie's eyes to roll.

"You stayed. So, does the Mayor know you're still here?"

"Oh, she knows. What is her deal? She's not a great people person. How did she get elected?"

"Wouldn't everyone love to know," Melanie thought to herself with a sneer. If there was one thing she truly hated about Regina, it was her desire for control; especially around children.

"She's been mayor for as long as I can remember. No one's ever been brave enough to run against her. She inspires quite a bit of, well, fear," Melanie scoffed under her breath while Emma rolled her eyes, "I'm afraid I only made that worse by giving Henry that book. Now he thinks she's the Evil Queen."

"Who does he think you are?" Emma asked. Melanie listened carefully while smiling at the various students that were still trickling in.

"Oh, it's silly," Mary Margaret giggled while avoiding eye contact.

"I just got five minutes of silly. Lay it on me," Emma said with her own crooked smile.

"Snow White. Who does he think you are?" Emma paled and took a step away from the brunette, much to Melanie's confusion.

"I'm not in the book. Can I ask you a favour?" Mary Margaret nodded, "Regina mentioned the kid's in therapy. Do you know where I could find the doctor?"

"Oh yes, it's Doctor Hopper's practice on Main Street."

"Thanks," Emma turned and started walking away, only to trip and fall- right into Melanie. "Oh my God I'm so sorry."

Melanie's eyes widened as images flashed across her mind and voices she hadn't heard before in years echoed in her ears. Bile started rising in her throat. Blood pounded in her ears. Her hand came up to cover her mouth as she sprinted inside the school and ducked into the first available bathroom. She gagged and retched into the toilet, her knuckles turned white as she gripped the bowl. Her stomach tightened in pain and throat burned as the contents of her stomach rushed from her body.

"Oh my God!" Mary Margaret shouted, rushing forward to pull her hair back. "Melanie, are you okay?"

The white-haired woman could barely speak as she continued to purge her stomach while memories continued assaulting her mind. "Baelfire! Baelfire no!" She sobbed as she heard her long forgotten cries and gagged again.

"Melanie, I'm going to call your husband and have him take you home," Mary Margaret whispered as she rubbed the woman's back.

"My class…" Melanie coughed as gagged again, "I need a substitute."

Mary Margaret scoffed. "Don't worry about class right now, we'll get it figured out. Now, what's your husband's phone number?" She pulled out her cell phone while still holding Melanie's hair back in her free hand.

"I can call him, it's fine," She took ragged breaths as she spoke, her fingers trembling as she reached up and flushed the toilet. "Do you, do you have gum or a mint?"

"Not on me, I'll grab some from my purse," Melanie watched as Mary Margaret left the bathroom to find her bag. She waited for a second before standing up, her legs shaking atop her five-inch heels. Her lips parted as she turned on one of the sinks and took a long gulp from the running water to rinse her mouth out. Melanie looked back up at her reflection a few seconds later, and noted the slight puffiness around her eyes and nose before grabbing her phone from inside her pocket. She held it up to her ear just as Mary Margaret entered the room with a pack of mint gum.

"Yes, yes I'm at the school," Melanie said into her powered off phone. "Okay, I'll see you in a bit," She faked pushing a button and took a piece of gum from Mary Margaret before putting it in her mouth, "He said he'll be here in fifteen minutes. Now, you need to go to class and I need to find a substitute."

"Okay, feel better!" Mary Margaret said with a sweet smile. Melanie faked one back before another thought struck her.

"Can Henry spend his lunch period with you today? I said I would, but I obviously can't now," She gestured to the cubicle with a shy smile.

"Of course, you just go home and rest," Mary Margaret replied before giving her a hug and leaving to join her class.

Melanie turned back to the mirror as soon as she left and allowed a wicked grin to spread across her lips. She reached out and touched her reflection gently.

"I'm back," She whispered. A soft laugh broke past her lips at that statement while her other hand reached up to clasp her necklace tightly. The laugh grew in volume as she turned on her heels and left the bathroom with a loud slam of the door. She pushed the entry doors open and took a deep breath of fresh air before taking off in almost a sprint down the streets.

OUAT

Mr. Gold looked up as the door to his pawn shop slammed open to reveal his wife. He smiled at her and let his eyes wander over every inch of her delectable figure, clad in a royal blue blouse and a tight pencil skirt, as she walked further into the shop. "Not that I'm upset to see you," He started, "But, I thought you had class today."

Melanie moved around the counted until her face was a hair's breadth away from his own. "Something important came up," She tilted her head to press gentle kisses on her husband's jaw, the feeling of his slightly stubbled skin causing her to shiver slightly.

"And what was this," He paused as his hands moved from the countertop to run over her clothed skin, "Important thing?"

His wife moaned as his fingers danced over her skin and leaned in to kiss his neck, her teeth grazing the flesh slightly. Her body arched into his touch and her tongue gently flicked across his skin as she kissed her way down his neck. Mr. Gold tightened his grip on her body, thin fingers digging into the soft curve of her waist as they resisted the temptation to dip below the waistband of her skirt.

"Tell me, dearie," He whispered, his voice dropping to a low snarl. Melanie shivered in his grasp and tipped her head back to stare into his eyes.

"You haven't noticed yet?" She asked while arching her back ever more to graze her hips against his. Mr. Gold frowned at her words. "Look a little closer," She leaned in until their lips barely brushed against each other, "Rumpelstiltskin."

His breath left him in a soft gasp. His eyes remained locked on hers, finally seeing the spark of remembrance in his wife's eyes. His fingers trembled as they moved up from her waist, grazing her breasts, and then her shoulders before landing on each side of her face.

"Melantha?" The pale-haired woman smiled at him wickedly as her hands tightened their grip on his shoulders.

"That's right," A low growl rumbled from her husband's chest, "I'm back, darling."

Any self restraint Rumpelstiltskin ever possessed shattered in that moment as he brought his wife's lips up to meet his own, relishing each second as they kissed with a passion that only the two of them could find within each other. Her breath escaped in soft gasps against his lips, her hands roamed his body freely as he turned and pinned her against the wall.

"It's been too long, dearie," He growled before moving his lips moved from hers to ravage her jaw with open-mouthed kisses that had the slightest hint of teeth behind them as he moved along the bone and down the elegant curve of her neck. Melantha gasped as he kissed just above her collarbone and arched her spine beautifully.

"Indeed it has, husband," She gasped out while Rumpelstiltskin wedged his good leg between her thighs. A whimper escaped her lips as he pressed right up against her little bundle of nerves and forced goosebumps to erupt on her skin. She reached one hand back to undo the zipper of her skirt while Rumpelstiltskin reached up to undo the chain of buttons on her blouse. "Close.. The curtains…"

"I'm closing the whole damn shop for you, dearie," Her husband snarled before pulling away and pulling down the blinds and turning the sign from open to closed. Melantha watched him and licked her lips as she thought of all the ways she could pleasure him. Thankfully, they both had rather creative minds that could last them several hours.

OUAT

Emma frowned as she sat on her bed back at Granny's Inn while flipping through Henry's file. Each note of his belief in the idea that everyone was a fairytale character spurred concern in her heart, until she reached a section that especially worried her. Archie had asked about Melanie and her husband, and Henry had refused to respond at all.

"Why wouldn't he talk about her? He seems to be really close with her," Emma thought while scouring more of the notes for any other mentions of the woman or her spouse. She looked up, however, when someone knocked on her door a few times. Emma stood slowly and opened the door to reveal Graham, the Sheriff of Storybrooke.

"Hey there. If you're concerned about the 'do not disturb' signs, don't worry. I've left them alone," She joked with a friendly smile. Graham sighed.

"Actually, I'm here about Dr. Archibald Hopper. He mentioned you got into a bit of a row with him earlier?" Emma frowned at his words and shook her head slowly as she replied.

"No…"

"I was shocked too. And given your shy, delicate sensibilities…" Emma raised an eyebrow at him, "He says you demanded to see Henry's files and when he refused, you came back and stole them."

"He gave them to me."

"Alas, he's telling a different tale. May I check your room? Or, must I get a search warrant?" Emma sighed and let the Sheriff enter, wincing as he noticed the papers strewn about from Henry's file.

"This what you're looking for?" She asked. Graham nodded and turned back to face her.

"Well, you're very accommodating. I'm afraid, Miss Swan, you're under arrest. Again," He stepped forward and handcuffed the blonde who merely rolled her eyes.

"You know I'm being set up, don't you?"

"And whom, may I ask, is setting you up?" Emma pursed her lips at his question, the image of Storybrooke's Mayor coming to mind as he led her out to the cruiser.

OUAT

Melantha gasped for air as her husband rolled off of her body and onto the floor beside her, both of them feeling rather sated. She turned her head to look into his eyes with a gentle smile. "I've missed this."

Rumpelstiltskin raised an eyebrow. "I distinctly remember us doing this a few days ago, don't you?"

His wife rolled her eyes and sat up, her breasts bouncing slightly as she did. "I meant as ourselves. It's been twenty-eight years since that as I'm sure you're aware."

"Indeed I am, dearie," He whispered before pulling her back down to lay on the floor, her head atop his chest and his hand tracing patterns on the milky white skin of her back. Melantha purred and nuzzled his chest gently while her fingers danced across his abdomen.

"When did you remember?" Rumpelstiltskin winced at the question.

"Yesterday, when we met Emma for the first time she told us her name," He explained. Melantha nodded in understanding.

"You always channelled your magic with names," She sighed, "If only I was the same instead of using touch."

"Hey," Melantha looked up at her husband, "It was only a day where one of us remembered. Trust me, I would have taken the necessary measures to bring you back had it been any longer than that." She blushed at his assurance and pressed a kiss to his chest.

"I know, darling, I know," Rumpelstiltskin preened at the trust his wife placed in him and moved his hand from her back to her incredibly long hair.

"I'm glad she didn't get rid of your hair," He commented as the strands wove themselves around his fingers and wrist.

"I am too, it's been rather useful for you in the bedroom," She replied with a salacious grin. Rumpelstiltskin growled and sat up, his hand still entwined with her hair as he pulled her into another kiss.

"Mm," She moaned as he moved from her lips to kiss down her neck, "As much as I would like to do another round right now," A hiss escaped her as he bit her neck harshly, "I need to," His hands moved to cup her breasts, "Oh hell."

Melantha pushed her husband onto his back and kissed him deeply as his nimble spinner's fingers squeezed her breasts firmly, kneading the flesh and devouring every sound that leapt from her lips with his own kisses. She broke their kiss a moment later to sit up, smirking down at Rumpelstiltskin as he gazed at her naked form, his hands still pleasuring her breasts.

"You are stunning, dearie," He purred while sitting himself up to stare into her eyes. Melantha's eyes glinted with pride as she rolled her hips, just barely grazing her husband's length with her dripping center. He hissed and moved one hand to tangle into her hair before yanking it back roughly. "Don't tease."

"But you know I love to tease," She replied breathily while slowly rolling her hips again. Rumpelstiltskin growled and pulled her close to press kisses upon her neck while his nails raked down her back. Melantha winced before shivering in delight as the pain set her nerves alight with more desire than she could believe possible.

"Mine," She vaguely registered the possessive snarl as she lost herself in the pleasure her husband draped her with. Deep down, she hoped it would never end.

OUAT

On the other side of town, Emma Swan was having a very different experience that she very much wanted to end as soon as possible. However, these pleas did nothing to prevent the annoying flash of the camera as Sheriff Graham took her mugshots.

"You know the shrink is lying, right?" She snapped. Graham rolled his eyes.

"To the right, please. Why would he lie?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"The Mayor put him up to this. She's got to have something on him. He's terrified of her like everyone else in this…town."

"To the left. Regina may be a touch intimidating, but I don't think she'd go as far as a frame job," Emma rolled her eyes and tightened her grip on the plaque in her hands.

"How far would she go? What does she have her hands in?"

"Well, she's the Mayor. She has her hands in everything," Graham commented before guiding Emma back into her cell and shutting the door.

"Including the police force?" The blonde griped before looking past the Sheriff as Henry and Mary Margaret ran inside the room a moment later.

"Hey!" The young boy cheered with a beaming smile.

"Henry! Henry, what are you doing here?" Graham demanded, fearing the wrath Regina would utilize if she didn't know where her son was.

"His mother told him what happened," Mary Margaret explained, her eyes filled with sympathy as she stared at Emma.

"Of course she did. Henry, I don't know what she said-" Henry cut his birth mother off.

"You're a genius!"

"What?" Emma gaped at him.

"I know what you were up to. You were gathering intel for Operation Cobra." Graham frowned at the unknown term and looked over at Emma as well.

"I'm sorry. I'm a bit lost," Emma opened her mouth to explain but Henry spoke instead.

"It's need to know, Sheriff. And all you need to know is that Miss Blanchard's going to bail her out," Graham turned to the teacher in shock, as did Emma.

"You are? Why?" She asked. Mary Margaret smiled at her hesitantly and took a few steps closer to her.

"I, uh, trust you," Emma visibly relaxed at the response and stuck her hands out through the bars while staring at Graham.

"Well, if you can uncuff me, I have something to do," She said, grinning smugly as the confused and somewhat annoyed sheriff released her from the cell.

OUAT

Regina sighed happily as she sat inside her office, sipping at a lovely cup of coffee and reached out to grab her phone. Just as she started dialing Melanie's number, a crash from outside distracted her. She stood with a dark frown and peered out the window, only to release a shout of rage and storm out of her home.

"What the hell are you doing?" Emma grinned as she hacked a few branches of the beloved apple tree in the backyard to pieces with the massive chainsaw in her hands. She turned towards Regina after turning it off, relishing in the murderous glare the brunette was throwing at her.

"Picking apples," She quipped.

"You're out of your mind." Regina's sneer only bolstered Emma's smug satisfaction.

"No, you are if you think a shoddy frame job's enough to scare me off. You're going to have to do better than that," Emma stormed over until she was barely a foot away from the incensed Mayor, "You come after me one more time, I'm coming back for the rest of this tree. Because, sister, you have no idea what I am capable of," She winked at Regina before walking off, "Your move."

OUAT

Melantha purred as Rumpelstiltskin ran his spindly fingers through her long hair while they relaxed against the wall of their cell. Her body was perfectly pliant against his own and she couldn't help but feel that there was nowhere else she would rather be. However, a certain Queen had other plans and watched the duo from her place on the ground as a mouse.

"It's just us, dearie. You can show yourself," Rumpelstiltskin drawled, smirking as the Queen transformed into her true form. Melantha smiled sweetly at the woman and waved slowly as her husband moved from under her and left her propped against the wall.

"Regina, darling, it's been far too long," She called out with a voice dripping with honeyed sweetness. The Queen shivered, remembering exactly how horrifying the owner of that voice could be if she truly desired. She turned her attention back to Rumpelstiltskin.

"That curse you gave me, it's not working," She explained coldly, glaring at the man before her. Melantha let out a soft giggle as her husband rolled his eyes and grasped onto the bars to get a better look at the Queen.

"Oh so worried. So, so worried. Like Snow and her lovely new husband," Rumpelstiltskin said, his voice lilting every so often with a distinctly false cheeriness. The Queen stiffened and her eyes darkened with fury and a delicious touch of fear.

"What?" She snarled at the two magical beings.

"They paid us a visit, as well. They were very anxious…about you and the curse," He continued as the both of them grinned maliciously at her.

"What'd you tell them?" The Queen demanded.

"The truth! That nothing can stop the darkness," Melantha shivered at the raw power and rage in her husband's voice, "Except, of course, their unborn child. You see, no matter how powerful, all curses can be broken."

"Their child is the savior. Of course, you need to actually succeed first," Rumpelstiltskin cackled at his wife's jibe at the Queen.

"Tell me what I did wrong," Regina ordered with a glare.

"For that, there's a price," He replied with a sadistic smile.

"What do you want?"

"Simple. In this new land, I want comfort. I want a good life. I want to be able to lay beside my wife," He leaned in to snarl right in Regina's face, "and enjoy her every single night."

"Fine. You'll have an estate. Be rich. Have your," She glanced over at Melantha, "Wife."

"I wasn't finished. There's more!" He shouted with a sneer. Regina rolled her eyes.

"There always is with you."

"In this new land, should we ever come to you for any reason, you must heed our every request. You must do whatever we say. So long as we say 'please'," Rumpelstiltskin explained, his grip tightening on the bars.

"You do realize, that should I succeed, you won't remember any of this," Regina pointed out, a slight bolt of fear entering her heart as Melantha moved away from the wall and wrapped herself around her husband.

"Oh, well then. What's the harm?" She asked, her teeth glinting in the torchlight as she bared them against the Queen.

"Deal," Melantha relaxed, shivering as one of her husband's hands moved to stroke her exposed skin, "What must I do to enact this curse?"

"You need to sacrifice a heart," He replied.

"I sacrificed my prized steed," Regina scoffed. Melantha snarled and lunged forward, her arm snaking out of the bars to grasp Regina's throat between her fingers. The Queen gasped and writhed on the ground, terror seeping into her veins as she stared up at the two dangerous creatures.

"A horse? This is the curse to end all curses. You think a horse is going to do? Great power requires great sacrifice. The heart you need must come from something far more precious," Rumpelstiltskin sneered as he lowered himself until his face was barely an inch away from the Queen's.

"Tell me what will suffice," She choked out from under Melantha's fingers. Rumpelstiltskin pulled away for a moment before speaking.

"The heart of the thing you love most." Regina seemed to regain some strength as an old and unforgettable rage boiled in her blood.

"What I love most died because of Snow White," She growled with a voice full of pain and suffering.

"Ooh. Is there no one else you truly love? This curse isn't going to be easy. Vengeance never is, dearie," Spit flew into Regina's face as he spoke, "You have to ask yourself the simple question. How far are you willing to go?"

"As far as it takes," Regina snarled back. Melantha looked over at her husband, who nodded at her. She pushed down on Regina's throat a split second later, sending her crashing onto the floor.

"Then please don't waste everyone's time and just do it. You know what you love. Now go kill it," Rumpelstiltskin snapped before retreating into the darkness of his cell, slightly comforted by the notion of not being parted from his lover.

OUAT

Emma walked down the street with the slightest spring in her step, only to slump at the sight of her car with a boot on it. She stormed over to it and inspected it until her phone rang and she answered it. "Yeah?"

"Miss Swan, I'd be happy to continue demonstrating my power, but am I right in guessing your resolve to stay is only growing?" A sneer curled Emma's lips at the sound of Regina's falsely charming voice through the phone.

"You have no idea," Regina sighed softly before continuing while Emma opened her car door to throw her jacket inside.

"Well then. I think it's time we made peace. Why don't you drive over to my office?" Emma slammed her car door, "Or walk, whatever suits you."

The blonde quickly hung up and stormed down the streets of Storybrooke until she reached the door to Regina's office. She took a deep breath and waited a few seconds until her anger ebbed before knocking on the door. Regina answered roughly thirty seconds later, a deeply fake smile in place as she led Emma up to her office. It was only once the both of them were situated that she spoke, playing every aspect of the worried mother to a tee.

"I'd like to start by apologizing, Miss Swan." Emma's eyes widened.

"What?" Regina sighed.

"I just have to accept the reality that you want to be here." Emma's eyes gleamed with a bit of hope.

"That's right. I do." Regina's eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly.

"And that you're here to take my son from me." Emma visibly deflated.

"Okay, let's be clear. I have no intention of taking him from anyone."

"Well, then, what are you doing here?" Regina demanded, a true spike of fear coursing through her at the thought of losing Henry. She knew she didn't show it very well, not even around Melanie, but she did love Henry deeply in her own way.

"I know I'm not a mother. I think that's pretty self-evident. But I did have him. And I can't help that he got in my head and I want to make sure he's okay," Emma winced as Regina bristled at her words, "The more you try to push me out, the more I want to be here. Especially after seeing how troubled he is."

Regina tilted her head while her brows furrowed at Emma, "You think he's troubled?"

"Well, he's in therapy. And I only got through a couple of pages of his shrink's notes before you had me arrested. But putting all that aside. He thinks everyone in this town is a fairy tale character," Emma rubbed her face with her hands as she stared at Regina, so confused and upset on behalf of her biological son.

"And you don't?" The brunette questioned, leaning in slightly.

"How can I? The poor kid can't tell the difference between fantasy and reality and it's only getting worse. It's crazy," Emma's eyes widened in horror as Henry appeared from around the corner, shattered and trembling with the sting of betrayal.

"You think I'm crazy?" Tears gathered in his eyes as he stared at his birth mom, the one person he believed in. The one person he had hoped would love him unconditionally. His jaw clenched as he stared at her for a second longer before he sprinted out of the house, a sob escaping his lips.

Henry didn't know where he was running until he arrived at the door of a large house he knew very well. He stared up at the salmon pink siding with green accents for several seconds before deciding to walk up the stone path to the door with inlays of stained glass. Right before he raised his hand to knock, he heard someone coming to the door. Henry took a step back and waited until the front door swung open to reveal Melantha.

"Henry?" She took a step outside the door, "What are you doing here, you have a session with Doctor Hopper tonight." Henry let out a soft sob and wiped his eyes furiously. Melantha sighed softly and pulled him into a hug, tears pricking at her own eyes at the sound of him crying. "Henry, what happened?"

"Can we… can we go inside?" The little boy had never sounded so lost and lonely as he did in that moment, and for a split second Melantha thought of every way she could hurt everyone who had ever done something horrible to this child.

"Of course Henry, come on in and I'll make you some tea," She paused, "Unless you want cocoa?"

"Tea please," He sniffled, holding her hand tightly as she led him into her large kitchen. Henry climbed onto one of the tall stools next to the island and watched as she prepared the kettle and set it on the stove to boil.

"Milk or sugar?" Melantha asked, trying to keep her composure around the boy as every one of his sniffles and sobs broke her heart just a little bit more.

"Both, please," Henry managed to say. Melantha nodded and prepared a sugar bowl as well as a small cream pitcher which she set down just beside him. She then poured a glass of water from the pitcher inside her fridge and handed it to him.

"Drink that," Melantha watched as he took a few sips and calmed down almost instantly, "Now, can you tell me what happened, Henry?"

Henry stayed silent for several seconds, just sipping at the water before he managed to speak. "It was my mom, she…"

"Regina or Emma?" Melantha asked gently while taking a seat next to him. Henry sniffled and took another sip of water.

"Emma. She said I'm crazy for believing in you guys being characters of fairytales," He sobbed and Melantha reached out to rub his back gently, "I'm not crazy Laney, you know I'm not."

Melantha's heart broke at his nickname for her, one he only used if he was truly and utterly miserable and hugged him tightly. "You are not crazy. I will never ever believe that, and neither should you."

They stayed like that, with Henry softly crying in her arms, for several minutes while Melantha tried every method she knew to soothe the poor boy. Her fingers carded through his hair gently, she slowly rocked them back and forth, she whispered over and over again that he was not crazy, but nothing helped. Henry still cried, and only came to a sort of halt when the teapot began to shriek with the steam of boiled water. He pulled away while Melantha left her stool to pour some of the boiling water into two mugs.

"What kind of tea would you like honey?" She asked gently while opening her tea cabinet. "I have lemon, oolong, jasmine, cinnamon, orange, or peppermint."

Henry wiped his nose with his sleeve and sniffled as he thought it over. "Cinnamon please."

Melantha smiled and grabbed two cinnamon tea bags from the box and placed them in the mugs. She walked over to the island and set them down before wincing as she heard her husband start to come down the stairs. "I'll be back in a moment, Henry."

She left the kitchen and walked over to the base of the stairs, where her husband had just arrived, cane in hand and with a slightly unbuttoned shirt on atop his pants. "Henry's here, his mom called him crazy and he didn't want to go to Doctor Hopper's office. He can't stop crying for more than a few seconds and nothing I'm doing is helping-"

"Hey, hey, hey," Rumpelstiltskin soothed while pulling his wife into a hug, "You're doing your best, Mellie. I don't mind that the boy is here, just make sure he doesn't break anything important." Melantha nodded into his chest. "Now, go comfort that boy. I'm going down to the basement for a little while, if I'm still down there when the boy is retrieved I would love for you to join me."

"Alright," Melantha pulled away and pressed a kiss to his lips, "I'll see you later."

Rumplestiltskin nodded and walked down the rest of the stairs to the basement, his cane thudding against the wood every so often. Melantha watched until he got to the bottom and then returned to the kitchen. Surprisingly, the tea seemed to have done wonders for Henry. He looked less blotchy, and a little less miserable, but he was still somewhat teary every so often. Melantha smiled and took a seat next to him, sipping at her tea and talking to him about anything that might distract him from thoughts of either of his mothers.

OUAT

Emma threw open the door to Archie's office, only to stop dead in her tracks at the sight of an empty couch and a worried therapist at his desk. A therapist who jumped at the sight of her standing there.

"Miss Swan, I'm sorry that you came all this way, but Henry isn't here," He explained, stammering every so often.

"Where is he? Doctor Hopper, I messed up and I need to find him so I can explain," Emma said frantically.

"Um, well," Archie hesitated, "I have one idea, especially if you upset him horribly." Emma nodded and gestured for him to continue. "If he's truly upset, too upset for a session with me, he's probably gone to the Golds' house."

"Like, Melanie and her husband's house?" Emma asked with a frown. "Why would he go there as opposed to here?" Archie sighed.

"Melanie and Regina have always had an interesting relationship, and they've maintained a closeness for over a decade now. It only grew when Regina adopted Henry. She was a new mom, Melanie knew her way around babies and so she helped her out with raising Henry. In a way, she's like a third mother to him on top of Regina and yourself."

"And yet he refuses to speak about them in your sessions," Emma raised an eyebrow as Archie winced.

"Yes, he claims he has no idea who she and Mr. Gold are in the story and refuses to answer any personal questions about them," He admitted.

"Doesn't that strike you as odd? What if she's hurting him?" Emma's eyes widened as Archie looked truly upset for a second.

"I can assure you, Miss Swan, Melanie would never ever hurt Henry or let anyone else hurt him. She loves him, just like you and Regina do, you all just show it in different ways. Now, I would suggest you go there and see if he is in fact with them," Archie snapped before sitting back down at his desk. Emma sighed and turned on her heel before running out of the office and down the streets of Storybrooke.

OUAT

Melantha laughed as Henry fell back onto the living room floor with a loud groan. "This is why you don't challenge me to a game of chess, Henry."

"How are you so good at this game?" The young boy asked as he sat back up and took a sip of tea. Melantha shrugged and moved the chess pieces back in place before setting the board aside.

"Ample practice. Now, what would you like-" They both stiffened as the doorbell rang. "I believe that will be your mother."

"I don't want to see her," Henry muttered while curling in on himself. Melantha sighed and moved to kneel in front of him.

"Henry, you know how I try not to tell you what to do unless it's for safety reasons?" Henry nodded and looked up at her. "Well, this time I am going to tell you what to do. I want you to hear her out. That doesn't mean forgiving her, but you should always hear people out because then you can make a truly educated decision."

Henry stared at her for several seconds before sighing, "Fine."

Melantha smiled and stood up before walking over to the door, and opened it to reveal Emma. "Hello Miss Swan, I assume Doctor Hopper sent you over here for Henry?"

"Yes, is he here?" She demanded, taking a step closer to the white-haired woman in front of her. Melantha raised her eyebrows and straightened her spine before glaring at Emma.

"Yes, he is. However, you have a lot of explaining to do for that poor boy because he only EVER comes here if he is miserable. And you made him feel that way," She snarled, satisfaction brimming inside her when Emma flinched and took a step away from her.

"I know. I know and I am so so sorry for that and I just want to make it up to him." Melantha took a deep breath and relaxed.

"I'll send him out, you two can talk out here and have some privacy," Emma nodded and watched Melantha go around the corner to her living room, returning moments later with a very tired Henry. "Alright Henry, it's time for you to go. Thank you for trusting me enough to come here and tell me what was going on."

Henry smiled and hugged Melantha tightly before running out to talk with Emma, who led him down the path towards the beach as she tried to make things right again. Melantha watched them for a few seconds before turning to see her husband standing just behind her.

"Hello, darling," She whispered before pressing a quick kiss to his lips, "What are you up to?"

"I thought we'd pay Regina a visit," He whispered with a smirk. Melantha's eyes widened before she returned it, and walked out to their car with Rumpelstiltskin joining her a few moments later before they drove off.

OUAT

Rumpelstiltskin smiled at his wife as he helped her exit the car. Melantha blushed and looped her arm through his as he led her around to the back garden of Regina's home. Their eyes widened as they caught sight of the apple tree.

"What a mess," Melantha couldn't help but to agree with her husband's words. The once flawless tree was mangled and its fruit bruised and battered as it lay on the grass. Regina sighed and turned towards them.

"Not for long. What could I do for you, Mr. Gold, Melanie?" She asked, faking a smile at the Scottish man before her, as well as his wife.

"I was just in the neighbourhood. Thought I'd pop by," Rumpelstiltiskin took a step forward, "Lovely to see you in such high spirits."

"Well, it's been a good day. I just rid the town of an unwanted nuisance," Regina picked up a less damaged apple as she spoke, a devious grin stretched across her face.

"Emma Swan. Really?" Melantha asked, raising her eyebrows at the brunette woman.

"Yes. I imagine she's halfway to Boston by now."

"Oh, I wouldn't bet on that," Regina stiffened at Rumplestiltskin's words, "I just seen her strolling down the main street with your boy. Thick as thieves, they looked." Melantha bit back a grin as Regina snarled.

"What?"

"Perhaps you should have come to me. If Miss Swan is a problem you can't fix, I'm only too happy to help. For a price, of course," Rumpelstiltskin picked up an apple.

"I'm not in the business of making deals with you anymore," Regina whispered coldly.

"To which deal are you referring?"

"You know what deal."

"Oh, right. Yeah. The boy I procured for you," Melantha shivered as she heard her husband's voice darken, "Henry. Did I ever tell you what a lovely name that was? However did you pick it?"

Regina closed her eyes as she forced the old pain down, ignoring its fresh sting in her heart as she thought of the father she sacrificed, "Did you want her to come to town? You wanted all this to happen, didn't you? Your finding Henry wasn't an accident, was it?"

Melantha and Rumpelstiltskin raised their eyebrows, but only the latter spoke, "Whatever do you mean?"

"Where did you get him? Do you know something?"

"Regina, he has no idea what you're implying," Melantha interjected softly.

"I think he does. Who is this woman, his mother, this…Emma Swan?" Regina demanded while glaring at Rumpelstiltskin.

"I would say you think you know exactly who she is. Now, we really must be going," Rumpelstiltskin turned and began to lead his wife from the garden with one hand on the small of her back instead of looped around her arm. Regina, however, had other plans and ran to stand in front of them.

"Tell me what you know about her." Melantha sneered at her, and stepped forward until they were barely a foot apart.

"We're not going to answer you. So I suggest you excuse us," Regina gaped at the poison dripping from her words, "Please."

Regina's mind went blank for a moment as she stumbled out of their way, shock coursing through her system. "How? How did they remember?" Her mind scrambled for any answers it could think of, anything at all. And then she realized, she knew exactly who Emma Swan was, even if she didn't want to believe it.

Hi guys, I'm so sorry for not updating for a few months. Everything has been so crazy lately but I am very excited to be back to this story. Please leave a review if you can, I find them so comforting and motivating!