Shortly after, Cherry had a bit of a goofy smile on her face, though her eyes seemed to be cross-eyed, since her glasses were taken off and she hiccuped a little as she grasped the covers underneath her, sweating quite a bit like a melting, burning, burning candle. Gold was laying beside her, on his side watching her caringly.
"I don't think I'm gonna be able to walk right for a week..." Cherry babbled out with a small giggle before snorting. "Oh... Esscuse meh..."
Gold chuckled softly. "Want me to ease the pain for ya, dearie?" he asked.
"You're gonna make me go numb all over..." Cherry giggled a bit. "I'll need to be carried around otherwise I'll just be boneless chicken~"
Gold chuckled, but did just enough so she'd be able to walk straight.
"Boy, I hope Belle's not bored..." Cherry suddenly said as she gasped in realization. "I forgot she existed."
"She'll be fine, but maybe we should get ready for the day." Gold suggested.
"Hmm... Oki~..." Cherry replied with a small giggle. "That was quite the work-out you gave me... And it's not even my birthday~"
Gold smirked a little. Cherry pecked him on the cheek and she soon went to get ready for the day, just deciding to brush off last night's encounter with Rumplestiltskin as just a dream since Gold didn't remember and she wished she could, but luckily today was so much fun, that she nearly had when it crossed her mind again as she went to pick out her outfit for the day. Gold went to get changed himself.
"Maybe some blue... I do like blue..." Cherry said to herself as she organized an outfit as the streak in her hair was plain and white as a sheep before she got the outfit and was about to change in private before she stopped and glanced over at him, unable to take a peek as she watched him, trying to make herself almost invisible and unheard as she spotted him.
Gold didn't seem to realize she was watching him and so casually continued to dress. Cherry just glanced over, not meaning to seem like a perv, though she couldn't help but watch him. She had changed a lot since she and Katie had first come here and she wasn't sure if this was good or bad as she leaned over, biting her lip, clutching the wall beside her, her nails digging into the surface like claws.
"Don't ruin the walls dearie~" Gold told her.
"Ah!" Cherry yelped as that made her fall backwards, but luckily landing right on a pillow that was just nearly outside the door. "I wasn't spying! I was just... Uh... Um... I wanted to know if you think blue's a good color for today?" she then covered up sheepishly.
"Blue's good, dearie." Gold nodded.
"Great..." Cherry replied. "Uh... Help me up real quick?"
Gold finished his last shirt button then came over to help her up.
Cherry giggled sheepishly as she took his hand until she was back up on her feet. "Ah, yes, um, very good..." she then said with a quick nod. "So... I guess I'll just hang out and hide in my room for a little bit... I-I-I won't disturb you."
"You don't have to hide away, dearie." Gold told her.
"I-I don't wanna be clingy..." Cherry shivered nervously. "After all, compared to you, I'm just a child you'd dress up in a bunny suit or something..."
Gold raised a slightly playful eyebrow. "Are you calling me 'Old', dearie?" he smirked.
"Maybe I am..." Cherry replied as her eyes darted around.
Gold suddenly launched a tickle attack to her sides.
"NO! Stop!" Cherry cried out before giggling and wiggling, trying to talk between laughs. "That's not cool, man! You called yourself old! You don't look a day over 60!" she then added, trying to guess his age.
Gold continued his assault for a few seconds longer then stopped. Cherry soon laughed before holding onto herself as she turned away until she settled down and suddenly got the hiccups which made her turn around and pout at him as she suddenly caught the hiccups due to the extreme tickle torture. Gold gave an innocent smile to that.
"Hmph..." Cherry pouted before she kept hiccuping and soon smirked as she grabbed her clothes and walked off to go and get dressed.
'Pretty adorable, isn't she?' A dark voice asked him once he was alone.
Gold raised an eyebrow to the sudden voice. "It's rude not to introduce oneself, dearie~" he muttered to the voice.
"Very well... If you insist... Rumplestiltskin~..." The voice chuckled before a shadow dropped down in front of him and soon, a familiar face of the one and only Dr. Facilier was shown right behind him as he grinned, coming to see the former impish Dark One.
"Hello Facillier, may I ask why you're choosing to invade my home?" Gold asked.
"I just thought I'd say hello... Visit an old friend..." Facilier smirked. "Not to mention... Check up on my little princess."
Gold gave a hum to that.
"How have you been?" Facilier smirked. "Living on the good side and no longer evil? You seemed happier when you were The Dark One and I feel like there's still a dark part of you deep down inside that wants to come out~"
"Get to the point, Dearie, so you can leave." Gold told him.
"I can sit down and catch up with an old friend," Facilier smirked as Cherry was on her way back into the room, only for her to stop and listen in a little bit in concern. "Just a dear old daddy concerned about his little girl and how much trouble she might get herself into for being around someone like you. You might scare her away."
Cherry trembled a bit as she listened in, feeling concerned.
"I wasn't planning on scaring her away." Gold said firmly.
Cherry took out the cards she was given and soon decided to check them, her imagination getting away from her as she focused on the bad that her father had to say, seeming to forget all about the good parts of her new boyfriend.
"I'm not mad about that... You can help her see her true potential," Facilier smirked. "You can still hang around her and she can see what her true destiny is... To help create a better world... For people like us."
Cherry shivered then as that made her feel even worse.
"I will not allow you to use her, nor will I use her myself." Gold narrowed his eyes.
"I guess we'll just have to wait and see, won't we?" Facilier smirked. "Especially with what's going to happen with you and the other villains if you aren't too careful by the next full moon~"
Cherry slunk away against the corridor and began to go back into her room, feeling her heart sink.
"What will happen then?" Gold narrowed his eyes.
"Sorry, but I guess I gotta go now." Facilier smirked as he went to walk away out the doorway.
Gold threw a freezing spell at him.
Facilier soon stopped in place as he chuckled. "Oh, good, it seems that my darkness has finally gotten your attention..." he then said, teasingly, despite being frozen in place.
"It's happening... It's really happening... They're gonna... Turn back..." Cherry gulped as she fell to her knees in the middle of the hallway, surrounded by the cards she was given. "And I can't do anything to stop this."
"Are you saying we'll all turn back?" Gold asked.
"Ursula and I have been doing some research for spells, poisons, and curses," Facilier smirked. "Things are going to change in your little Storybrooke... And by the next full moon, all of those who were once evil only to change will be brought back to their true forms and this time, the villains WILL get their happy endings... We'll both make sure of it."
"No..." Cherry whispered lowly and sadly.
"Yes!" Facilier continued. "Even... You..." he then said, emphasizing to him. "The worst of them all... And no one... Will be able to stop the darkness, wickedness, or evil this time... No Savior... No heroes... Only darkness and villains and this will be nothing more than an empty and heartless realm filled with broken dreams."
Gold raised an eyebrow.
"That would be an interesting story..." Facilier chuckled. "The Dark One comes to save the day in the end... Take my advice... Let Cherry follow her destiny... It's in her blood and she knows all the ways to be wicked."
"I knew it..." Cherry said softly as she flopped to the floor face-first. "My life is OVER!"
"Blood doesn't decide who we are, dearie~" Gold replied.
Cherry sat on the floor, hugging her knees as she began to feel hopeless again.
"Your parents say otherwise~" Facilier retorted to Gold. "Now... Allow me to head back home... I'll be back for Cherry later once she's said her goodbyes to you and Belle. Otherwise, it might get messy for you all."
"Cherry is not leaving with you." Gold told him.
"Looks like we're going to have to do this the easy way," Facilier smirked. "Let me go and I'll leave you alone then."
Gold hummed. "I could block all your magic..." he soon said thoughtfully.
"NO!" Cherry cried out as she ran down the hallway before stumbling and falling like a klutz and then quickly got back up and kept running. "Rumple! Don't hurt him!"
"Ah... My princess arrives~" Facilier grinned.
"Oh, it won't hurt him, dearie, he just won't be able to cause any more trouble~" Gold said.
"...Maybe I should talk to him." Cherry suggested.
"Yes... I'd like that very much..." Facilier approved before seeing Cherry with her own cuff. "Oh, dear... I don't like the looks of that."
"...I'm pretending to be Michael Jackson during his BAD era?" Cherry covered up as she bashfully hid the cuff from his line of sight.
Gold frowned a little, unsure. Cherry looked at him with big puppy dog eyes.
"Heh... I recognize that look..." Facilier chuckled. "Better let her talk to me before she starts the waterworks and I know you don't want that~"
"Fine, but he will stay frozen until I decide to let him go." Gold said, before letting her talk to Facilier.
Cherry watched him go and soon looked back at her estranged biological father. "All right, what's up?" she then asked. "That's how we say 'What do you want' in my world."
Facilier chuckled in amusement and he soon told her what he wanted to tell her. Cherry soon walked away for a moment and pulled out a chair before setting it down and she sat down in the chair, crossing her legs, sitting up and straight to show that she would listen.
"Little girl, I fell in love with a beautiful Siren for what feels like a once upon a long time ago," Facilier said to Cherry. "I see her every time you smile, laugh, or look hopeful. I've seen it ever since you were a little girl and I raised you to become a proper shadow sorceress... It was your legacy and destiny. Your mother and I had a forbidden romance... She was linked to the sea and I was linked to the land... We could never be together, even when you were born as a product of our love."
"Get to the point, please," Cherry said to him, crossing her arms. "I'm not a very patient woman."
"I apologize," Facilier then said, deciding to cut to the chase for her sake. "Don't you think you should stick to your roots?"
Cherry raised an eyebrow then.
"What I mean is, let me teach you how to control these shadows... What does Rumplestiltskin know other than being The Dark One?" Facilier explained with a small, paternal smile forming. "I helped give you life, so let me help you... Let your mother help you, especially since she's a Queen of Darkness... Don't you wanna be around where you came from?"
"...I do," Cherry admitted with a small nod. "Even if she gave me up at birth and all I knew about her were from your stories back when we lived in an abandoned caravan... Not to mention that bayou where you turned those people into frogs. You make it sound like your biggest crowning achievement."
"It was," Facilier chuckled a bit. "Princess Tiana was a very interesting case."
"I'm sure that she was, Papa," Cherry said softly. "While I agree with you about being where I come from and to make myself happy... I can't betray Rumbelle."
"Rumbelle?" Facilier asked curiously.
"That's... My pet name for Rumple and Belle," Cherry explained. "I can't betray them... They love me more than words can say. I'm not sure if I can stay with you and 'Mama'."
"So you're not saying no?" Facilier prompted, noticing slight hesitance.
"...I'm not saying no right away, but I would like some time to think about what we talked about today." Cherry decided.
"I see... You've had quite a dangerous reputation lately," Facilier reminded. "You're living in the shadow of darkness and being a young villainess-in-training. Your shadow is your inner demon, waiting to come out and express itself."
"So I've noticed..." Cherry replied. "I want time before I tell you whether I stay with you and Mama or not... You cannot interfere or meddle... Can I trust you to keep that promise?"
"...Of course you can, my dear," Facilier nodded calmly. "I won't pry or hover. I promise."
"Very good..." Cherry said softly. "Just remember, otherwise it will get ugly for the both of you."
Gold returned when he was called for.
"Rumple, you can come back now." Cherry said as she poked her head into the room he was waiting in.
Gold entered the room then.
"I'm ready to take my leave now." Facilier told Gold as Cherry came in with him.
Cherry stared at the floor, twiddling her thumbs a little.
"Alone?" Gold checked, not planning on giving Cherry over.
"Alone." Facilier nodded that time.
Cherry glanced over, watching to see what would happen between the two men.
"Very well," Gold said, unfreezing him. "However, next time you decide to drop by, use the door unless you want to get blasted to pieces." he did advise.
"I understand, it was wrong and immature of me to barge in like that," Facilier replied as he bowed loyally. "It shan't happen again..." he then looked at Cherry with a friendly smile. "Remember what we discussed, my dear."
"I will..." Cherry said. "Goodbye... Papa."
"Don't you want to give your father a hug?" Facilier asked, holding out his arms to her.
Cherry glanced over and she soon decided to step over and hug him just to get it over with, though, she felt emotional once their arms held onto each other for a few moments before they let go and he soon left as she wiped her left eye that suddenly felt itchy with tears. Gold handed her a handkerchief.
Cherry accepted it and wiped her eyes, mumbling in the insistence that she wasn't crying as her father left the scene and came back to where he came from. "Thanks for letting us talk..." she said to him softly. "I'm sorry he had to ruin our day though."
"May I know what you spoke about?" Gold asked as he wrapped his arms around her.
"Oh... N-Nothing..." Cherry said, not looking at him before she blinked and looked at him then. "...Okay, something," she then admitted before she took a deep breath. "He thought he should be the one teaching me how to control my magic because he helped give me life... I should stay with him and Ursula... I came from them and I had to agree... But I wanted to stay with you and Belle... He said I would have a week to decide if I wanted to let him teach me his ways and would come back to see if I've made up my mind, especially since things have been rough with me lately like Regina's apple tree... Or Killian's rum being switched with milk or how pixie dust was nearly stolen, killing magic in this world all because of my shadow."
"If I had become Rumplestiltskin again, you would have to follow the contract, dearie," Gold told her quietly. He knew she wouldn't purposefully break a contract so that's how he could stay calm. "But either way... Belle and I love you, dearie," he said softly. He then pulled out a wrapped smaller box for her. "Wait until we all sit to breakfast before you open it?" he then requested.
Cherry listened very closely and carefully to everything he just said before she accepted the box. "Um... A-A-Alright..." she then said with a nod. "Thank you... It's not my birthday or Christmas though, but... Thank you."
Gold gave a softer than usual smile.
"I-I-I'll get going," Cherry then said, deciding to go to her room. "I'm sure you're sick of me by now, so I'll just go play in my room quietly until breakfast."
"I rather like your company, dearie." Gold told her.
"Oh... Okay then..." Cherry replied with a small chuckle. "Well, I'll go drop this off and maybe I'll come back and help you with breakfast?"
"That would be nice, dearie." Gold nodded.
"All right, just give me a few minutes." Cherry replied before giving him a peck on the cheek as she sprung off to her bedroom.
Gold waited for her like requested. Eventually, Cherry came back, dusting herself clean as she stared all around the house on her way back over to him.
"What do you think we should make for breakfast?" Gold asked her.
Cherry paused to think about it with her finger to her lips as she stopped a bit before she thought of something she was sure he would enjoy. "How do you feel about French Toast?" she then asked.
"Sounds delicious." Gold told her.
"Oh, good, you know about it," Cherry replied. "French Toast for breakfast it is~" she then said, dashing away to the kitchen before nearly slipping, but luckily caught herself. "Come on! I'm not getting any younger or cuter!" she then called out to him.
"Whereas I am just getting more handsome by the second~" Gold smirked.
"How dare you..." Cherry gasped and whispered dramatically with narrowed eyes. "You're just more handsome than I am beautiful... You show-off~"
Gold chuckled as he came over to help her make breakfast. Cherry soon took out her phone to play some "Morning Music" for them as they went to cook and prepare breakfast, though she still thought about what was said to her and having a deadline to think about while trying to maintain her focus on the present task at hand of breakfast. Gold helped, even by making some bacon for them as a side.
"Excellent choice~" Cherry smirked once she saw the bacon as they darted around the kitchen. "You're gonna love this... After all... You seem to love the French~"
Gold chuckled. "And you too, dearie." he added.
Cherry blushed a bit from his laughter as she helped him out, focusing on the recipe and the song, swaying her hips a little to the beat of the music. Gold playfully, though carefully, hip bumped her as he stood beside her cooking the bacon.
"Oof!" Cherry yelped before glancing over with a small smirk. "Hey!"
"Did something happen, dearie?" Gold pretended innocence.
"I think you know what happened..." Cherry smirked as she got some fruit chopped and ready. "An earthquake caused by a big butt~"
Gold smirked. Cherry smirked back before she scooped up a bit of powdered sugar in her hand and blew it against his face, being careful not to get it in his eyes. Gold flinched a bit in surprise to that.
"Whoopsies," Cherry giggled bashfully before looking nervous. "Ooh! I didn't burn your eyes, did I?" she then asked in a panicky tone as that wouldn't be fun for anybody.
"No, luckily you didn't, dearie." Gold replied.
"Thank goodness..." Cherry sighed in relief then before giggling bashfully as she turned pink in the face as they went back to preparing the French Toast. "I guess I had too much fun... Now then... Sweet bread... With sweet fruit... And sugar..."
Eventually, breakfast was made and eaten up as Belle came down eventually, smiling happily to her family as they sat down to eat and it was just as great as it looked.
"Nice breakfast, you two," Belle smiled. "It was a lovely surprise."
"I'll say." Cherry agreed as she hugged her stomach as it expanded three sizes that day.
Gold chuckled. "Do you want to fetch that gift now or should I just pop it down here?" he asked Cherry.
"Hmm... Why don't you bring it down here to make it even more surprising?" Cherry suggested with a light giggle.
"We hope that you like it~" Belle smiled warmly.
Gold clicked his fingers and it appeared on the table in front of Cherry.
"Ooh..." Cherry blinked before she picked up the box. "I wonder what it could be?"
Belle smiled as she came closer beside Gold, putting her hands over his shoulders. Cherry soon opened up the box, sticking her tongue out a bit to see what this mysterious gift was. Gold put a hand on one of hers as he watched Cherry. Belle smiled warmly.
"Oh... My jeez..." Cherry whispered as her face turned pink and she looked wide-eyed in surprise and amazement as she took out a gold chained necklace with a heart shape at the end with an opal gemstone in the center of the heart. "...I-It's lovely..." she said softly, especially from the opal as that was her birthstone.
Gold smiled a bit to that. "Belle, would you go and help her put it on, please?" he requested.
"Oh, of course I will," Belle smiled back warmly as she soon walked over to behind Cherry. "My father used to tell me that a pretty girl without a pretty necklace is just a girl." she then said, helping lace the necklace on around the younger woman's neck securely and comfortably.
"How sentimental, Belle," Cherry blushed and looked down at the floor bashfully. "T-Thank you both so much... You didn't have to do that."
"We wanted to, dearie." Gold told her with a smile.
"Thank you so much..." Cherry said softly. "And I didn't get you guys anything."
"Your trust and love is enough for us~" Belle smiled before she kissed Cherry on her left cheek.
Gold nodded as he reached out and squeezed Cherry's hand warmly. Cherry giggled warmly and bashfully between the two of them. Belle then took Cherry's other hand as they kept her in the middle.
"Monkey in the Middle~..." Cherry randomly sang to herself.
"Captain's Log... Looking out into the sea... All docked out and no place to go..." Killian narrated to himself as he looked around with a periscope while sitting at the edge of his ship. "Missing the good old days when it was just the wide-open spaces of the sea... The horrible and captivating Cabin Fever if no wind was in the sails... The salty sea air being so thick you could almost taste it... Something interesting better come along before I have to throw myself overboard."
Katie luckily approached then.
Killian soon looked around with his spyglass before spotting Katie coming up before smirking. "And it appears that I've spotted a nymph of the sea~"
Katie heard that and giggled. "Permission to come aboard, captain?" she grinned.
"Hmm... Maybe... What's the password?" Killian smirked.
"Captain Killian Jones is the best damn pirate of the Seven Seas?" Katie tried with a smirk.
"Password accepted," Killian smirked back as he gestured for her to come aboard. "After you~"
Katie giggled and came up to the deck of the ship.
"Nice seeing you," Killian said as he let her sit with him. "Up a bit earlier than most folks though."
"Yeah." Katie said softly. She turned and pulled him into a gentle kiss though.
Killian's eyes widened from the kiss, but he took it as he held her closely once she was close enough as their hearts pounded for each other before he got out of the kiss with a smirk. "I do hope our wedding will be soon, Princess~" he then whispered once out of the kiss.
Katie gave a soft small smile to that, though it was tinged with slight worry.
Killian smiled back, though he could feel something wrong, even if she was trying to hide it. "Is something on your mind?" he then asked.
"You know I'll love you no matter what happens, right?" Katie checked, then told him everything that had happened from after dinner with Cherry up to that point. She made sure to also tell him that she was telling him because she didn't want any secrets between them.
Killian listened closely, trying not to get angry, though he felt surprised to hear about what had happened. "...Did you like it?" he then asked her once she was done saying everything.
Katie rubbed her arm nervously. "Yes and no..." she said softly. "No because I would never want to cheat on you, and that's what it felt like, but yes because I can't control what my body finds pleasant..." she said softly. She didn't know how she felt about Edward wanting her too though.
"...I see," Killian then said softly. "I'm not mad and I know you wouldn't cheat on me... You seem very honest and great with me... I'm not sure what we can do to solve this, we'll work our way through it somehow though, but I'm not mad and we'll find a way to get through this. I promise you." he then said, maturely, though his tone was a bit soft as he had a lot on his mind right now.
Katie gave a tiny smile and nod to that. "I-I'll just say hello to Felix then leave you to think?" she asked softly.
"Do you have to go?" Killian asked in return.
"I don't have to for an hour and a half." Katie said softly, reaching up to brush his slight fringe out of the way for him.
"All right," Killian said softly. "Just know that I'm not mad at you, I'm just a little in shock."
Katie gave a kiss to his forehead, gently stroking his hair and down his neck to his shoulders. Killian lightly growled from the pampering as he wrapped his arm around her before smirking so that she couldn't get away too easily as he hoped for more. Katie had to giggle to that, gently massaging his shoulders, and kissing the tip of his nose.
"Now what was that about you suddenly leaving?" Killian smirked playfully as he soaked in the luxury.
"Was I?" Katie asked softly, not able to help a playful smile. "I-I don't have to." she said softly. While it wasn't as good as she could do when facing his back, the massage was still rather good.
"I thought maybe you were, but you can stay," Killian smirked. "Your company makes the lonely seas all the more worth it honestly since I don't have much of a crew anymore these days."
Katie shifted so she and he would be more comfortable. "Well, how about this? I could move in three days a week, stay with my parents three days, and then Sundays will be whichever takes fancy?" she suggested quietly, but would give him time to think on that.
"Hmm..." Killian paused thoughtfully. "I suppose that would be a good arrangement... Can I think about it for a little while though?"
"Of course you can." Katie smiled softly. She gave his shoulders one more squeeze then pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek as she moved one hand into his hair and the other sliding back to his hook lightly gripping the metal, making sure he had felt her hand going down his arm so he would know her destination, showing extra that she didn't care he only had one hand, she loved all of him.
"Ah, yes..." Killian grunted and moaned a bit, taking her in with a light chuckle. "Come here... Come to your Captain~"
Katie giggled softly and moved his arm so he could watch and pressed a soft kiss to the metal.
"Nice to see you still love me regardless of my little... Instrument..." Killian said softly and bashfully, a bit insecure about his hook sometimes, especially with how he first got it.
Katie gave a soft smile. "I love all of you Killian, and while I wish you hadn't gone through the pain of losing your hand, your hook is just another part of you," she said. She then moved her hand so it was like holding it. "I can still hold it like a hand." she said softly.
"Well... You can hold it for as long as you would like..." Killian smiled back as he looked down at her warmly. "I'm glad you still see the man behind the hook though."
Katie nodded, smiling softly. "Of course I do." she said softly. She then hooked it around the back of her neck while putting that arm around him again and kissing his lips softly.
"Oh... Katie..." Killian whispered during the cuddling.
"My Killian~" Katie said softly in return as she pulled him even closer.
Killian kissed her sweetly on her lips as he held onto her during the pulling as the tone got much lighter and happier between the two of them. A happy beginning now was theirs. Katie gave a soft happy hum, glad that even on the slightly rocking ship it was hard enough flooring to keep her balance as right now he seemed to need more sweet than sexy.
"I love you..." Killian whispered warmly as he cupped her face with his right hand, lightly stroking the respective cheek.
"I love you too." Katie said softly as she leaned into his hand.
"I promise that I will never let you go for as long as there are stars in the night sky that sparkle and twinkle like your lovely eyes." Killian smiled.
"I won't let you go either," Katie decided to let him win in the dashing emotional language this time and pressed a kiss to his palm. "Well, you'll have to let me go sometime, I mean I have work and stuff and we can't be holding each other every minute~" she teased then softly, meaning about it in a physical sense.
"Aye... I understand," Killian said with a small sigh, both playful and serious. "You gotta pay your bills and eat somehow so you don't end up living in a box under Troll Bridge~" he then said with a smirk. "It won't be the same without you, that's for sure."
Katie chuckled softly and nuzzled her nose to his. "Now, I think I need to say hello to my son~" she smiled.
"Very well," Killian smiled back. "He really does love and miss his mum a lot~"
Katie smiled softly, stood up then offered a hand to help Killian up.
Killian smiled back, accepting her hand and her help before he scooched out of the seat to stand up with her. "Thank you." he then nodded in approval.
Katie smiled and nodded, though did have to playfully swing her hips a little as she walked ahead of him to find Felix. Killian smirked from that as he followed her.
Felix was shown to be in bed, though he wasn't exactly asleep as he was just staring out into the sea like Killian did, letting out a small sigh to himself.
Katie knocked on the door to announce their presence. "Felix?" she called softly but clearly.
"Huh?" Felix blinked before he soon turned around. "Oh... Hello."
"We didn't wake you, did we, lad?" Killian asked.
"I was just thinking." Felix replied bashfully.
"Can we come in?" Katie asked.
"Yes, sure..." Felix nodded as he sat up. "C-Come in..."
Killian then came inside of the room with Katie with a small smile to show Felix that he wasn't in trouble and this was just good nature all around.
Katie rushed over and almost fell over him with how quick she moved to hug him. "Oh, it feels like ages since I've seen my big strong boy~" she gushed.
Felix looked wide-eyed before he beamed and hugged Katie right back. "Mm... Toasty..." he then said with a small giggle.
Killian smiled warmly as he watched the two of them share a precious moment together.
Katie smiled warmly as she held him close in a motherly way. "Oh, I love you, Son Felix~" she said happily as they enjoyed a nice warm hug.
"I love you too, Mother." Felix whispered in the hug as he looked emotional again.
Katie smiled tenderly and kissed the top of his head while they were in the position for her being taller. Felix smiled back softly.
"This will work out just fine." Killian reassured Katie as he already felt like they were a family together.
Katie nodded. "No matter what happens I love you both, so much." She told Killian and Felix.
"And we you." Killian added.
"Are we a family?" Felix asked softly.
"I like to think so, though it will be official on paper when Killian and I marry, so both you and I become Joneses." Katie smiled warmly.
"I like the sound of that," Felix said softly. "I've never had a father before."
"Well, I've never had a son before, so it'll be a new learning experience for both of us." Killian smiled.
Katie smiled warmly.
"We'll all be so happy together," Killian smiled back. "Especially once we make a date."
Felix began to look excited about that, feeling a bit younger than he actually was, but he didn't care or mind about that.
"Hopefully in the springtime." Katie smiled.
"Spring is the season of love after all." Killian agreed.
"Can I help with the wedding?" Felix asked them hopefully.
"That would be wonderful~" Katie smiled to him.
Felix beamed in excitement then.
"We'll all have a lot of fun with it," Killian nodded. "We'll even share some cake with you if you're good."
"I'm always good from now on." Felix smirked at them.
Katie chuckled to that. Killian and Felix smiled warmly with Katie as things were going to start changing again and a lot more for the better in the near future.
Almost a week later, Katie was out of the hospital after she had taken a potion to speed her pregnancy. She had talked with Cherry, Belle, and Gold and had agreed they would take in the baby and raise her as theirs as though Katie loved the baby, she just couldn't form a bond with her. She was sitting in the park, luckily all healed up, on a blanket near the water as she threw some grains for the ducks. The ducks swam by and soon nibbled at the bread that was offered to them, quacking a bit at her as though to thank her.
Katie gave a soft smile. "You're very welcome, my friends." she said softly.
"I see you have a special touch with animals," Henry said as he seemed to come from nowhere. "Those Disney movies seem to think that my grandmother did too."
"Oh, hello, Henry," Katie greeted softly, and patted the spot next to her. "Would you like to feed the ducks too?" she asked him softly.
"Sure, Aunt Katie," Henry smiled as he soon came to sit down with her. "That would be nice."
Katie gave a small smile and handed him the bag of grain. Henry smiled back as he accepted the pieces in his hand and soon tossed them out to give to the ducks who happily accepted them.
Katie looked to him a little then. "I have been thinking of Operation: Swan Song... We need to get the one who sent her away to bring her back." she told him.
"That would be a good idea, yeah," Henry nodded. "The problem is, I can't figure out who or what could've done this."
"That creepy Isaac fellow," Katie said softly. "I'm sure it was him or at least he'll know who it is," she told Henry.
"Yeah... That makes sense... Good luck finding him though," Henry replied. "He's probably hiding where we'll least expect it."
"A tracking spell maybe." Katie said thoughtfully.
"...I might have something of Emma's that you can use." Henry said thoughtfully.
Katie looked to him at hearing that. "That would be useful." she smiled.
"After we're done with the ducks, I'll show you." Henry nodded.
Katie smiled and nodded before returning her attention to the ducks.
Henry smiled back as they enjoyed the scenery and peacefulness. "So how have you been?" he then asked her calmly as the ducks nibbled on the food they were given.
"I've been better but I'm getting to rights." Katie smiled softly. She put a warm almost-motherly arm around his shoulders.
"I wish I could help out more, but Mom and Grandma say that my homework comes first," Henry rolled his eyes. "The world could be blowing up because of beanstalks or flying monkeys or Little Bo Peep and I'd still have to solve for X before dinnertime."
"Well, homework is important," Katie did say softly. "But maybe I could spring ya a little... At least for a couple of hours, one for homework and the other planning?" she offered.
"I'd like that a lot." Henry nodded with a small smile.
Katie smiled. "Alright, give me a few days to think of how to do it." she told him.
"All right," Henry nodded. "I'll try my best to wait. Sometimes waiting is hard when you're my age... Like waiting for your birthday," he then said, trying to sound like an adult. "It never seems to come any closer no matter what grown-ups say about you growing up fast."
Katie chuckled softly. "Don't worry, when you become an adult you'll wish you were still a kid." she told him softly.
"Archie says I'm a bit above my years." Henry smiled sheepishly.
Katie chuckled. "You are," she agreed. "Now I'm getting a little cold I don't know about you, why don't we go and find somewhere to warm up?" she suggested and checked her phone to see the time and to see if she had any messages.
There were a few from David saying "I promise not to bother you... I hope you're okay, just ignore me if I'm bothering you... Please don't ignore me ignoring you".
"Well... You can come home with me... Or I can go home with you..." Henry offered. "We can get something at the diner?"
"Hmm... One moment." Katie told him softly and called her Dad back.
Henry nodded and allowed her to.
Eventually, David answered, trying to be casual. "Hello there, Katie," he said softly. "How are you?"
"Hi, Dad, I'm doing... Alright." Katie smiled softly.
"Your mother and I just wanna make sure you're safe," David said softly. "Sorry for calling you so much."
"It's okay, I'm safe... Knight Henry is protecting me." Katie chuckled.
"Then I suppose I can stop worrying then." David chuckled.
Katie chuckled. "Well, I'm going to take him for a hot chocolate to go and visit Regina a little before I come home," she let him know her plan. "But if they change, I'll let you know." she told him.
"All right," David nodded. "You have fun then. I know you're a grown woman and can take of yourself, but having these worries as a father never go away."
Katie smiled softly. "I know, Dad, I love you." she said.
"I love you too," David replied. "Also, if you happen to stumble into chocolate chip cookies, I wouldn't say no to one?"
"Alright, I'll buy some cookies." Katie laughed softly.
"Bye Dad, give my love to Mom too." Katie said, before hanging up to concentrate on Henry.
"See ya." David nodded as he also hung up.
Henry smiled at the ducks, remembering to be gentle and calm around them. "Is one of you by any chance named Odette? I wonder..." he said to the ducks, knowing they wouldn't answer back though.
Katie gave a soft look to him. "Shall we go and grab the takeout hot chocolates?" she suggested.
"Yes, please." Henry smiled at her in excitement.
Katie smiled and stood up, helping him up before grabbing the blanket and folding it up into her bag. Henry smiled back and he soon stood up beside her before they began to walk off together. Katie smiled as she walked with her nephew. Henry smiled back.
Many others were out and just enjoying their day, unaware of any trouble that might be on the way. Gold was changing the baby's diaper, luckily the kind of father who didn't mind it so much. The baby girl looked up at her new papa, having dirty blonde hair that almost looked golden-colored like a warm sun that inspired Cherry into picking the baby's new name and blue-gray eyes as she wiggled a bit during the chore.
"Okay... I have her bottle..." Cherry said, sounding a bit tired as she learned the harder part of raising a child, though it was what she wanted and she lived up to her word to be as decent of a mama as possible and luckily, she wasn't all alone in that case. "I triple-checked the temperature, so we should be good."
Gold cleaned the baby up then after putting a new diaper on her handed her to Cherry.
Cherry nodded as she took the baby girl. "Hello, Aurelia~..." she then greeted in a warm and sweet voice.
The baby girl, named Aurelia, cooed once she was handed over and soon drank some milk that was given to her.
"Drink up... Sweet little baby..." Cherry said with a small smile, slowly shutting her eyes. "Shh... Shh... Shh~..." she then shushed as she looked like she was about to fall asleep right there.
Gold carefully guided Cherry to a recliner and supported her as she fed Aurelia.
"Guess I'm a little tired..." Cherry replied as she followed him over while Aurelia suckled on the bottle with ease and grace before she sat down, giving a weary smile down at the baby girl.
"So, are we having fun being Mama?" Belle asked Cherry with a small giggle.
"I thought maybe TV housewives in cartoons were exaggerating," Cherry smiled wearily and sleepily. "At least I didn't have to go through the birth."
Gold nodded. "Tonight I'll take the night shift so you can sleep." he promised her.
"Thanks..." Cherry smiled wearily as she carefully fed Aurelia. "You're so good to me..."
"Just don't fall asleep right now," Belle advised as Cherry closed her eyes for a few moments. "This is a big responsibility... There's diaper changing, feeding, bathing, babysitting... There's a reason why people like Ashley are exhausted."
"I know... I know..." Cherry said as her eyes slowly began to shut.
"Cherry dearie." Gold said, gentle, but firm to wake her.
Cherry lightly snored then.
"Cherry!" Belle called then.
"Yes, Barney, I love you too!" Cherry cried out suddenly as that jolted her awake before she shivered nervously.
Aurelia giggled, luckily not shaken from the jolting as the bottle came out of her mouth.
"Barney?" Gold raised an eyebrow to that.
"He's a purple dinosaur..." Cherry slowly blinked. "Also a really funny guy on a TV show I like where this guy tells his kids about how he met their mother."
"We might need to schedule that night shift sooner." Belle teased her husband as Aurelia kept giggling.
"Maybe you should grab a nap, dearie." Gold suggested.
"No, no, no, it's okay... I can do it... I totally got this..." Cherry smiled sleepily and wearily. "Heheheh... We're having fun..."
Belle simply shook her head. "I agree with Rumple," she then said. "You should get some rest... You've been awake for the past three days and most of the night."
Gold held his arms out for the bottle and Aurelia.
"I'm okay... Really, you guys..." Cherry said before yawning for quite a bit before lightly groaning. "Mm... Fine... You win..." she then pouted before giving up both Aurelia and the bottle.
Aurelia lightly whimpered, not wanting to be separated yet as Belle helped Cherry give both up calmly and carefully.
"Don't worry, precious one, Papa will take care of you~" Gold cooed to the baby.
Belle smiled warmly at that as she helped Cherry get to her room and to go take a quick nap. Aurelia cooed a little at him and reached up, touching his nose a bit as she babbled at him.
"Well, that certainly is interesting." Gold agreed as if he could understand her.
Aurelia continued to babble, waving her hands a little like she was trying to tell him something. Gold listened, while not being able to understand her completely he could glean what her little mind was trying to tell him. Aurelia soon finished up before sticking her fingers in her mouth as Belle came back down after a few more minutes passed. Gold easily held the bottle to her lips with a warm smile. Aurelia looked wide-eyed before she soon settled down and gently sucked from the bottle again.
"Well, that was a bit easier said than done, but hopefully she gets enough sleep..." Belle giggled to herself before she came by. "Would you like something, dear?" she then asked her husband.
"A cup of tea woukd be grand." Gold smiled to Belle.
"Sounds good..." Belle smiled back before she walked off to take care of that.
Aurelia held onto the bottle, nearly looking sleepy too as she was almost done. Gold hummed a little soft tune. Aurelia looked like she was trying not to fall asleep, but her eyes began to flutter as she looked up at him before they slowly shut and she seemed to be fast asleep now. Gold smiled as he gently rocked her a little. Aurelia lightly snored from her sleeping, not moving as much as she was knocked out. Gold smiled, before carefully laying her down in her crib.
Belle was just about done with the tea. Aurelia soon reached out, hugging her favorite toy which was a stuffed bunny once she was put down to sleep. Gold smiled and tucked her in in a way she couldn't roll and risk stopping her own breathing. Aurelia soon nibbled on her bunny's ear once she drifted off to sleep. Belle smiled as sne poured a couple of cups of tea once it was done, sipping the one she made for herself.