paulaa90: you're right but I don't want to spoil what you're right about. The curse weakened when she took the key and it'll continue to weaken. I hadn't thought of doing Graham and Belle as a couple. It's interesting but I don't think I'm going in that direction for them.
ArianaKristine: yeah, no one commented so I put this story on the back burner while working on more popular works and doing prompts. Chapters are probably going to continue to vary in length as I'm working out how much to rewrite and what to add on an episode by episode basis.
You're welcome! You have some great work.
Oh, I'm not arguing that she didn't have a hand in the curse personalities. Just that Maleficent could have been something Rumple wrote into the curse, like his memories coming back when he hears Emma's name. I agree with you though, it does make sense given how Regina treats people. Actually it makes more sense than that being Rumple. He wanted that egg Maleficent was guarding. I had forgotten about that.
Thanks. I think I made Lacey more nervous than Mary Margaret. I was trying to make her like Mary Margaret but a bit different and I didn't realise I wrote her in a way that reflected Snow. I hadn't realised that they had more development without Snow. I have a soft spot for those relationships too. I'm glad you liked Emma's more active part in regards to David, I've had her waking David planned from the start.
barrata. jennifer: thanks! That means a lot to me. I was afraid that it might be too long compared to the other chapters.
pinkcrazyness: thanks for the alert.
The bell of the clock tower rang out above them as Henry and Emma walked down the street.
"Are you sure we can be seen out in the open?" Henry asked.
"Enough sneaking around. If your mom has a problem with me walking you to a school bus, I am more than happy to have that chat."
"Henry: You're brave. You'll need that for Operation Cobra. Speaking of, do you think we need code names?"
"Isn't 'Cobra' our code name?"
"That's the mission. I mean us. I need something to call you."
"Oh, um... well I don't..." She gave a small shrug, "you can just call me "Emma" for now."
They were right in front of the school bus now. "Okay well I'll see you later, Emma." He turned away and walked onto the school bus.
She turned away and kept walking down the street but she didn't get far before Sheriff Graham pulled in the open space in front of her while blaring the siren for the police car. "What's with the siren?"
Graham got out and walked over to her side of the sidewalk with his hands on his pocket. "It's so hard to get your attention."
"Alright, well you got it. Are you arresting me again?" Perhaps Regina was finally getting back at her for the apple tree.
He shook his head. "I'm thanking you," he sighed, "for your help finding that coma patient. We all owe you a debt of gratitude."
Emma smiled and looked him over. "Well, what do I get? A commendation? Key to the city?"
"How about a job? I could use a deputy."
"Thank you, but I have a job."
"As a bail bondsperson?" He out onto the road quickly. "There's not much of that going on here."
"I don't see a lot of sheriffing going on around here either." She put her hands on her hips.
"Well, here's your chance to see it up close. There's dental." She gave an amused huff and smiled up at him. "Why don't you think about it," he got a card out of his pocket and handed it to her, "and stay awhile."
Emma was reading a newspaper at a table next to the door. Ruby walked over to her and bent over to set down a cup of hot cocoa.
Emma looked up at her. "Thank you" Ruby set the cocoa on the table and walked away. Emma put a finger in the foam and licked it. She went back to her newspaper and heard the door open.
Regina had entered the diner. She walked over to Emma's table and pulled out a chair. "How was your walk with Henry?" She sat down. "That's right I know everything. But relax I don't mind."
"You don't?" She wasn't sure that
Regina carried on, sounding ever so smug as he talked. "No. Because you no longer worry me, Ms. Swan. You see I did a little digging into who you are, and what I found out was quite soothing. It all comes down to the number seven."
"Seven?"
"It's the number of addresses you've had in the past decade. Your longest stint anywhere was two years. Really, what did you enjoy so much about Tallahassee?"
She didn't show how much she didn't like the reminder of Tallahassee, instead giving a small smile. "If you were wondering," Emma picked her newspaper back up briefly, "I did find a place here in town."
"I know with Ms. Blanchard. How long is your lease? Oh wait. You don't have one. You see my point? In order for something to grow Ms. Swan, it needs roots, and you don't have any. People don't change they only fool themselves into believing they can."
She gave a small smile. "You don't know me."
"No, I think I do. All I ask as you carry on your transient life, you think about Henry and what's best for him. Perhaps consider a clean break. It's going to happen anyway. Enjoy your cocoa." She got up and left Granny.
Emma turned Regina's words over in her head. Then she stood up, only to spill cocoa over herself when she picked up her cup. She looked down at her ruined shirt and wet pants. "Ugh, really?" Ruby rushed over a towel.
Emma looked up at her. "Do you have a laundry room I can use?"
Ruby gave an affirmative hum and gave her directions. Emma walked into the back to the laundry room where a girl was working. She slammed her sweater down on the dryer and threw her shirt into the washer. Still angry she put some detergent in and slammed the washer closed. She reached up and took a shirt off of the clothesline.
"Oh, no, no, no, no, no!" the girl exclaimed. She took a pink sheet out of a machine and held it up.
"You okay?"
She began to fold the sheet. "The sheets, they're uh... pink." Her name tag read Ashley.
Emma buttoned her shirt. "You try bleach?" Ashley held the sheet aside, revealing that she was pregnant. "Oh." The girl put the sheet down on top of one of the laundry machines.
She ran a hand over her stomach. "Last night I felt contractions," she continued to move her hands along her belly, "and the doctor said that the baby could come any day now."
"So... that's great." Emma turned away.
A tear escaped her eye. "It's just that, um, when the... when the baby comes... no one thinks I can do this. No one thinks I can do anything." Emma looked down at the washer in front of her. "Maybe they're right." Ashley picked up the pink sheet and tangled it up.
Emma turned around. "Screw them."
"What?" She was still attempting to fold the sheet.
"Screw them. How old are you?"
"19."
"I was 18."
"When you... when you had a kid?"
"Yeah. I know what it's like. Everyone loves to tell you what you can and can't do especially with a kid, but ultimately whatever you're considering doing... or giving up... the choice is yours."
"It's not exactly what you might think it is."
"It never is. People are going to tell you who you are your whole life. You just gotta punch back and say, 'No, this is who I am'. You want people to look at you differently? Make them. You want to change things you are going to have to go out there and change them yourself because there are no Fairy Godmothers in this world."
Gold walked up to his shop door and changed the sign from open to closed, shut the lights off, and exited the shop locking the door behind him. He peered through the window and looked to the side, feeling like he's being watched. He walked away and when he was down the street Ashley appeared.
She walked over to the front door of the shop and bashed in the bottom left window pane of the door with a brick and reached in to turn the lock. She entered the shop. Light flittered through a window lighting her way past various antiques including a baby crib with a glass unicorn mobile and horrible shrunken dolls as she looked around. She stopped before a wall of paintings and swung one forward which revealed it had been covering a safe.
"Ashley," a voice asked from behind her. She spun around to see Mr. Gold standing there. He walked closer to her. "What are you doing?"
She glared at him. "Changing my life." She sprayed him with mace.
He screamed and fell back onto bookshelf behind him which propelled him forward and he knocked several small antique chess pieces off a table before landing on the floor. She walked around to where he lay with a gash bleeding on his forehead and took a moment to look at him. He moved his head to the side.
Good, he's still alive. She bent down and removed a key from his belt. She ran back to the safe.
Lacey brought was carrying two plates of egg, toast and sliced sausage. Emma was opening a box in the living room. Lacey held a plate out for her.
"I'm so glad my stuff is here," Emma said. She looked up at Lacey. "Oh, thanks." She took the plate.
"So that is all your stuff?" Lacey asked.
"What do you mean?"
"Is the rest in storage?"
"No, this is all of it. I'm not sentimental."
"Well, it must make things easier when you have to move." There is a knock on the door, and Lacey set her plate down on the table before opening the door. Mr. Gold stood in the doorway.
Mr. Gold looked away from Lacey awkwardly like he didn't want to look her in the eye. "Ms. French, is Ms. Swan here?" She looked back and Emma was already by the door. "Hi, my name is Mr. Gold, we met briefly on your arrival."
"I remember," Emma said.
"Good, I have a proposition for you, Ms. Swan. I need your help. I'm looking for someone."
"Really?" She exchanged looks with Lacey. "Um..."
"You know what?" Lacey asked. "I am going to jump in the bath." She walked away, missing Mr. Gold looking uncomfortable at her declaration. Emma however did not miss it.
"I have a photo." He handed her a photo of Ashley. "Her name is Ashley Boyd," while Emma stared at the photo Mr. Gold walked around her, "and she's taken something quite valuable of mine."
Still looking at the photo Emma closed the door. "So why don't you just call the police?" They walked over to the table.
"Because uh..." He leaned against his cane and gestured with his hand, "she's a confused young woman. She's pregnant, alone, and scared. I don't want to ruin this young girl's life, but I just want my property returned."
"And what is it?"
He looked to the side and then behind him as if someone might pop out at any moment. "Well one of the advantages of you not being the police is discretion. Let's just say it's a precious object and leave it at that."
"When did you see her last?"
"Last night. That's how I got this." He parted his hair to show the gash on his forehead. "It's so unlike her. She was quite wound up, rambling on and on about changing her life. I have not idea what got into her. Ms. Swan, please help me find her. My only other choice is the police, and I don't think anyone wants to see that baby born in jail, now do they?"
"No, of course not."
"So you'll help me then?"
"I will help her."
"Grand."
Henry opened the door and entered the loft. "Hey Emma, I was thinking we..."
"Hey Henry, how are you?" Mr. Gold said.
"Okay," Henry replied.
"Good. Give my regards to your mother, and um... good luck Ms. Swan." He left and closed the door behind him. Henry followed Emma as she went back to her box.
"Do you know who that is?"
"Yeah. Of course I do."
"Who? Cause I'm still trying to figure it out."
"Oh, I meant in reality." She took clothes out of the box.
Henry looked at her box. "Is that all you brought?"
"Henry, what are you doing here?" She bent down to pick up clothes that had spilled out onto the floor.
"My mom's gone till 5:00 I thought we could hang out."
"Aw, kid I wish I could, but there's something I gotta do."
Emma was power walking down the street, Henry was right beside her.
"Please let me help," he said.
"No, no it could be dangerous."
"The pregnant maid is dangerous?"
"She assaulted Mr. Gold."
"Cool." They crossed the street.
"This isn't a game. She's desperate."
"How do you know?"
"Because I know." She walked over to her car.
"Well, then let's find her."
"Oh no, no, no, no there is no let's." She walked over to the side of the car Henry stood at, stopping before the front of the car. "You cannot come with me."
"Then I'll look for her myself."
"Then I'll find you and I'll bring you back."
"Then you wouldn't be helping the maid," he said smugly.
Geez, what does it take to get through to this kid? "I am just trying to be responsible here."
"And I'm just trying to spend time with you." He opens the passenger side door and gets inside the car.
"Oh, that is really not fair." She walked back to the driver's side and got inside the car.
"So the maid, what's her story?"
On her wedding night, Cinderella was viewing a fireworks display on the balcony. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. Prince Thomas walked up to stand beside her. She looked sad when he looked over at her.
"What's wrong?"
Cinderella slowly smiled. "Nothing." She looked back up at the fireworks. "Every year when I was growing up, I used to watch these fireworks from afar. And I knew what they meant. Something special was happening at the palace. Now they're for me," he looked at her fondly and she looked back at him, "for our wedding." She had never thought that she would get this far. She felt a happiness that she didn't know how to put into words but she thought that he knew how she felt anyway. They kissed.
Later they entered the castle where the wedding celebration was being held. They walked down the steps, hand in hand and the crowd cheered and clapped when they reached the bottom. The crowd narrowed as they walked further onto the ballroom floor, the King, Snow White and Prince Charming approached them.
Cinderella embraced Snow White. "I'm so happy you could come," she told Snow.
"Son," the King said to Phillip. They gripped arms.
"Thank you, Father,"
"You look beautiful," Snow told Cinderella.
Before long the crowd began to dance. When Cinderella finished her dance with Phillip, the King joined her.
"My dear Ella, we are thrilled to have you join our family," the king bowed before her. She bowed before him and they started to dance, "and I hope our family will soon be growing." She giggled. He bowed again before twirling her around. He left when they finished the dance and she spun around by herself, so filled with happy energy that she could barely contain herself.
"My darling," Prince Charming said to Snow White before walking over to Cinderella. They began to dance. "Congratulations, Ella, you two are going to be very happy."
"Why thank you, James." She began to dance with Thomas again, but then Snow White grabbed her hand and pulled her away.
"Ella dear," Snow said. ""Sorry," Snow added to Thomas, not really sounding sorry at all. She twirled Cinderella and they giggled, "This is truly a night for celebration." They continued to dance. "Do you realize what an inspiration you are to everyone?"
"All I did was get married."
"All you did was show that anyone can change her life. I'm proud of you." They spun around, dancing away from each other.
Cinderella danced by herself, only to stop in front of Rumplestiltskin. Her smile quickly fell. She had thought that he would have given her more time. What are people going to think if they see us talking together like this? she thought. Still she couldn't exactly ignore him, who knew what he'd do then.
"I'm proud of you, too," he said with arm up. He put an arm around her waist and they began to dance.
"You," she stated. "What are you doing here?"
"I just wanted to make sure you were happy with your end of the bargain. You know, true love, riches," he stopped the dance, "happy endings. Did you get everything you desired?" He pushed her forward so they were chest to chest.
"Yes. Yes, I did," he moved her around slowly, "now what do you want? What's your price, my jewels? The ring?"
"No, no, dear keep your baubles. What I want is something you don't yet possess, but something I know is coming: your firstborn." He spun away so hard that he practically threw her. She stopped and watched him leave, her mouth agape.
A thunderstorm rolled outside as Cinderella packed her things on the bed. Prince Thomas entered through the open door.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
Not able to bear looking up at him she said "I thought you were hunting."
"I was, but the weather wasn't agreeing so we came back early." Phillip took off one of his hunting gloves as he walked towards her. "Are we going somewhere?" He stopped behind her. She turned around and he saw the misery on her face. "You're going somewhere."
Cinderella looked down at her feet. "Something's happened."
"What?" He took off his other hunting glove. Everything was going so well. What could have happened in such a short time? he thought.
She looked up at him, trying not to cry. "I'm pregnant."
He threw his gloves aside and walked over to embrace her. "Ella, that's wonderful." When he touched her arms she moved away over to a nearby table to pick up a small box. "Why are you upset? This is what we wanted." He walked closer to her.
She turned to face him. "There's something else. When we met that night at the ball, it wasn't my Fairy Godmother who sent me." Lighting and thunder clashed outside. His eyes widened. She took a breath. "It was Rumplestiltskin. I made a deal with him for this life. I was stupid. I didn't understand the price of magic. So I promised him something."
"What did you promise him?" Concern and upset mixed up in his voice.
"He tricked me." She walked over to the bed and packed the box away. "I thought that he'd want our gold or jewels..."
"What was it?" he demanded. Cinderella looked down and held her stomach. "Our baby?"
She sniffed. "I'm so sorry. And now I'm gonna lose it all, my...my life, you." She sat down on the cushioned table at the end of the bed.
"No." He walked over to her and lifted her chin up. I don't care what that imp said. Magic may have brought us together but it didn't create this love."
Tears welled up in her eyes. "But I made a deal. I can't break that. He's too powerful."
"Then the answer is simple. We make another deal."
Outside Granny's Bed and Breakfast a tow truck was on the street putting down Ruby's car slowly. Emma and Henry stood in front of Ruby who was setting down a customer's order.
"So, this boyfriend of hers," Emma said, "you don't think he was involved in her disappearance?"
Ruby walked away from the table she had just served. "Uh, that would mean that he was involved with her at all, which he isn't. He left her in the lurch right after they found out they were expecting. Hasn't spoken to her since." Ruby put a hand on her hip. "Like I said he's a..." The tow truck dropped her car and she looked over. "Hey, hey," she ran forward, "hey Billy, be careful. You almost shattered my wolf thing, Billy." She leaned against a chair. "It's good luck."
"I'm sorry Ruby," Billy said, "but look, it's fine." A red glass wolf shined in the sunlight and Ruby smiled.
Emma walked over to her. "Um, Ruby what about her family?"
Ruby spun around. "Oh, um she's got a stepmom and two stepsisters that she doesn't talk to."
"Wait," Henry said. Emma and Ruby looked over at him, "stepmom, stepsisters, and she's a maid?"
"Henry," Emma said, "not now." Reluctantly Henry kept his conclusion to himself and they turned their attention back to Ruby.
"Look, I don't know what you've heard, but it's wrong," Ruby said. "Everyone thinks she's not ready to have this kid, but she's trying, taking night classes, trying to better herself, trying to get her life together. Can you understand that?"
Emma gave a small smile. "I think so."
"Then maybe you should just stay out of it. She's been through enough already."
"I've been through it, too, Ruby, and I can help her."
"Then try her ex."
"Where can I find him?"
"He lives with his dad." She got out the pad she used for taking orders to write down an address and the names of Sean and his father.
A car pulled into the garage. Emma knocked on the front door and a man about Ashley's age answered it.
"Can I help you?" he asked.
"Sean Herman?"
"Yeah. Who are you?"
"I'm Emma Swan. I'm... I'm looking for Ashley Boyd. She's in trouble. I just thought maybe she came to see you." Sean's dad Mitchell Herman exited his car and walked up the front steps.
"My son doesn't have anything to do with that girl anymore," he said as he walked up the steps. He stopped beside Emma, "so whatever trouble she's in, I am sorry for, but there's nothing we can do to help you."
"You're the reason he broke up with her." She knew this man's type all too well.
"Absolutely. I'm not gonna let my son," he glanced at Tom, "throw away his entire life over a mistake."
"So you just told him to leave her?"
"Well what are they going to do, raise the child in the backseat of a car?"
Henry watched and listened from inside Emma's yellow bug. He squinted to try to see them better. This guy is a jerk, he thought.
"Some people only have the backseat of a car."
"Well, they're to be pitied. I'm not letting that happen to my son." He walked past Sean, into the house.
"Dad," Sean said, "maybe we should help her look."
"It's a waste, Sean," he said without turning around.
Emma stepped in close and lowered her voice to a whisper. "Sean, if you want to come, come. Stop letting other people make decisions for you. If Ashley runs away with this baby, she's gonna be in some serious trouble."
"She's running away with the baby?"
"Yes," Emma whispered.
Mitchell walked over to him. "Sean, inside. Now." Sean sighed and with a final look at Emma he entered the house and walked away. Mitchell crossed his arms. "Look, believe me if I knew where she was I would tell you. I went to a lot of trouble to get her that deal."
"Deal? What are you talking about?"
"You don't know? Ashley agreed to give up the child. And she's being paid very well to do so."
Emma's voice dropped. "She sold the baby?"
"Oh, you make it sound so crass. I found someone who's going to find that child a good a proper home."
"And who are you to judge whether Ashley is capable of providing that?"
"Look at her, she's a teenager, and she's never shown any evidence of being responsible. How could she possibly know how to be a mother?"
"Maybe she's changing her life."
"Everybody says that. Now look, I found someone who's going to pay Ashley extremely well, someone who is going to see to it that everybody's happy."
"Mr. Gold," she said in realization. No wonder he wouldn't tell her what the item was.
"Well, isn't that why you were hired, to bring him the baby?"
Emma and Henry were driving down the road.
"You can't make her double-cross Gold," Henry said. "No one's ever broken a deal with him."
"Happy to be the first. If Ashley wants to have this baby, she should have it. Anyone who wants to be a mother should damn well be allowed to be one." She focused on the road, missing the small smile Henry gave her. What would it have been like if I had been one? She pulled the car up to Granny's Diner, and they entered the diner and walked up to the counter where Ruby stood.
"Why didn't you tell me she sold the baby?" Emma asked Ruby.
"Because I didn't think it was important." Ruby walked down the counter to wipe the table.
"Really, considering that's why she's running away?"
"Look, Ashley's my friend. I don't like the idea of people judging her." Ruby threw the kitchen towel down onto the end of counter and walked towards the kitchen bar. She picked up a plate and walked over to a table.
Emma saw the wolf figurine that was in Ruby's car sitting on the bar and picked it up. She looked out the front window at the street. "Ruby, where's your car?" Ruby moved back to the counter, picking up the towel as she walked. Emma followed after her. "You didn't send me to Sean to find her, you sent me there to give her a head start."
"Look, I'm only trying to help her." She put the towel away, underneath the counter.
"Yeah, so am I." Emma put her hands on the counter. "Ashley's in more trouble than you know, Ruby. Where is she? Don't make her deal with Gold without me."
Ruby looked at Henry. "I can't talk in front of him. He's the mayor's kid."
"Hey," Henry said. "I'm on your side."
Emma turned to Henry and bent down. Ruby walked out of the counter, towards another table. "Henry," Emma whispered. "I need to find this woman, and in order to do that, I need you to go home, okay? So please listen to me, seriously. She's not gonna tell me anything if you're around."
"Okay."
"Thank you." She stood up and Henry left. Emma turned around to face her when Ruby came back to the counter.
Ruby put a plate on the counter and sighed. "She left town. Said she was gonna try Boston. Thought she could disappear there."
"How long ago did she leave?"
"About a half an hour." Emma walked away from Ruby.
Emma drove down the road. Henry sat up in the backseat.
"What did she tell you?"
Emma gasped and looked back. "Henry! What the hell? I am going to Boston, you can't come with me."
"You can't go to Boston, she can't leave! Bad things happen to anyone that does."
"I don't have time to argue with you over the curse. I've got to get you home." The last thing she needed was a kidnapping charge leveled against her.
"We have to stop her before she gets hurt. We're wasting time. If you drop me off, you'll never catch up to her."
"Henry..." she said, her voice reproachable.
"And then Mr. Gold will call the police, and he'll have her sent to jail."
She left out a deep huff of air and closed her eyes briefly. This kid is going to be the death of me. "Buckle up." Henry buckled up. Talking to herself she said, "Ashley, what did you get yourself into?"
While holding a lantern and a small box Grumpy opened up the door to the Dwarves' Mines. The door made a creaking sound as it opened. He entered alongside Prince Thomas, Prince Charming, and Cinderella. Prince Charming held a torch lighting away as they walked down the mine. The mine was dimly lit by torches on the wall. The mine was cold and damp, Cinderella had never imagined that she would go to such a place.
"Why are we down here?" Cinderella asked.
"We need a place to keep him," Thomas replied.
"Rumplestiltskin is the most dangerous man in all the realms," Charming said. "He needs his own special prison, so we converted the mines to hold him."
"But how will we get him here?" Cinderella asked. "He has eluded all forever."
"His strength is also his weakness," Grumpy explained. "His deals. He can't resist making them, and we already know who he wants to deal with next," Thomas looked at her concerned, "you."
"We've sent word with one of Snow's bluebirds," Charming continued for Grumpy. "He's accepted a meeting with you. You're going to tell him that Doc heard something with his stethoscope, two heartbeats."
"You're going to tell him it's twins," Thomas interjected. Cinderella looked back at him, taking a moment to memorise his face.
If this doesn't work I'll never see you again, she thought. She wanted to stop and embrace him but she didn't. She continued to look at him even when Charming started talking again.
"And if he wants both," Charming said. She looked back at Charming and they stopped walking, "which he will, you propose a new deal. Grumpy..." Grumpy opened a box containing a quill.
"A quill," she said. "I... I don't understand."
"The Blue Fairy cast a spell on it," Grumpy said. "Whoever signs with this will be frozen, their magic made impotent."
"All you must do is get him to sign the contract," Charming said. "Ella, this man is a scourge. You will be doing the entire land a service."
She took a deep breath. "Should we even use magic? Isn't that what's has causing these problems to begin with?" She looked behind at Grumpy. "What if this magic also has a price?"
"Then I will pay it." She looked up at him. "I will do whatever is needed to save you and our child." He put a hand on her arm.
"Let's go," Charming said. Thomas kept a hand on her back. They walked further into the mine, Charming opened another door that creaked. They were in a room where there was a cell. A light shined up from up above through a barred window on the top of the mine.
"I hope you like it," Grumpy said as they walked forward. "A lot of dwarf blood went into it."
"You sure this will work?" she asked. They stopped before the cell. The metal cell looked frightening in the dim light.
"Once he is in there he'll never get out," Charming said. "You'll be safe."
Thomas stood in front of her. "We can do this, Ella."
Her eyes were hard set in a look of determination. "Okay. Let's get him."
Emma and Henry were still driving, it felt like they had been driving forever and Emma was losing hope that she could get Henry back before Regina noticed he was gone. Henry pointed towards something off of the road.
"I told you," he said, "It's her car." There was a red car off the road, just before the Storybrooke border. Emma pulled up off the side of the road in front of the car. Henry ran out of the car and Emma quickly followed. He reached the window of the car before her.
"Ashley?" The car was empty. Emma looked around.
There was a yell. They walked to where the yell had come from, hearts pounding in their ears. Ashley was sitting in a patch of grass near the car, clutching her belly. "My baby." They stepped closer to her. "It's coming." She looked down at her belly.
Ashley was in the front seat groaning and clutching as Emma drove. Henry was in the back.
"Is the baby really coming?" he asked as Ashley let out short breathes.
"Oh, yeah," Emma said, she tried not to think about about when she was going through contractions herself. The situation was so different but it felt so familiar. To Ashley she said "Don't worry. The hospital isn't that far."
"No," Ashley said, "no, no, no, take me to Boston. I can't go back there."
"Oh, no we don't have four hours, trust me. I know." Memories of giving birth tied to the hospital bed flashed before her mind.
"I can't go back there, please." She started to sob. "He's gonna take my baby."
"I won't let that happen," Emma stated, "but do you know what you're asking for? If you keep this child are you really ready?"
"Yeah."
"Are you sure? Because I wasn't." Henry looked at her.
"You weren't?"
"Nope. If you want to give this kid its best chance, it's gonna be with someone who's ready, so know what that means. Your whole life is gonna change, and once you decide that it's yours, this running away can't happen. You have to grow up, and you can't ever leave. Understand?"
"Yes. I want my baby."
On the Palace Grounds a pregnant Cinderella stood waiting for Rumplestiltskin
"Well, well, well." She looked over to the side and saw him standing a distance away. "You're starting to show." He took a drink from a small flask. "A little bird told me you wanted to speak.
She walked up towards him. "Yes. I'd like to alter the bargain." She stopped a good distance away.
"That's not what I do." He screwed the lid back onto his flask.
"But I think you'll want to." She looked down at her stomach. "I'm having twins."
"Is that so?" He stalked towards, her and she stepped back. "Ooh," he waved his hands around, "let's have a look." He bent down and put his hands on her stomach and laughed. "And you would, what," he looked up at her, give "up both?" She nodded. He took his hands away and rose up slowly. "Why is that? I wonder."
She took a sharp intake of breath. "My husband... he's... he's having a hard time." She walked past him and continued to walk as she talked. "Our kingdom is poor. We're losing money. Our crops are dying." She looked back. "We can't support ourselves or our people." She stopped walking.
"And you would trade your other child for..." He slowly turned around and held up both hands, "comfort?"
"I can always have more children," she smiled but there was no feeling in her voice, "but I can't make crops grow where the soil is dead." He smiled. She walked closer to him and took a contract out of the pocket of her cloak and held it up before him. "In exchange for our other child, you will see to it that our land is once again fertile. I think it's more than fair."
"Yes!" he barked out, surprising her. "Yes, yes. It is." He stepped closer to her. "If what you're saying is true." He bent down and read the contract.
"It is," she stated, "and all you have to do is sign on the dotted line." She moved the contract down and produced a quill from her cloak.
Rumplestiltskin stared up at the quill. For a moment she wasn't sure if he believed her though she was careful to keep her face blank. He took the quill from her with a flourish and stood up. "What a lovely quill!" He studied the quill, turning it around, it was the brightest red and had the sharpest feather. "Wherever did you get it?"
"It's from our castle." She felt confident now.
"You know," he walked right up into her space and held the quill to her face, "the only way to stop me is through magic."
Cinderella gave a huff of laugher and smiled. She looked down at the quill and then up at him. "I'm not trying to stop you."
"Of course you're not. Because as we all know, all magic comes with a price," He put his hand away from her and held up one finger and then did the same with the hand holding the quill, "and if you were to use it to say..." He put his hands down and pointed at her with the quill, "imprison me," He gave a small shrug. He moved closer to her and put the quill under her chin almost touching her with it, "then your debt to me would only grow," He titled her chin up using the quill, "and we wouldn't want that now, would we?"
She turned her head away, the quill flicking her skin as she did so. Slowly she looked back at him and whispered "Just sign the contract please."
"Are you sure you're happy with this new arrangement?" Cinderella answered by holding up the contract, and he giggled. He took the contract from her. "Then so it shall be." He took his time unfurling the end of the contract. He signed it and when he gave a final jab with the quill he become frozen with a blue aura surrounding his body and the contract fell to the ground at the same time, the quill was still in his hand and his eyes were closed.
"Thomas!"
"No one breaks deals with me, dearie. No one." A carriage holding the cell approached. She looked at him in fear. "No matter where you are, no matter what land you find yourself in... I assure you I will have your baby."
Emma walked back and fourth in the hospital waiting room while Henry sat down.
"You know Emma," he said, "you're different."
"What's that?"
"You're the only one who can do it."
"Break the curse?" She continued to walk back and forth. "Yes, I know. You keep telling me that."
"No, leave. You're the only one who can leave Storybrooke."
"You left and came and found me in Boston." She stopped before him.
"But I came back. I'm ten. I had no choice, but if anyone else tried to go, bad things would happen."
"Anyone, except me?"
"You're the savior. You can do whatever you want." Emma crouched down in front of him. "You can go." She crouched down further and looked up at him. She wanted to tell him why she couldn't possibly leave but then the obstetrician approached them.
"Ms. Swan," the doctor said, "the baby is a healthy six-pound girl, and the mother is doing fine." Emma stood up and smiled. The doctor left.
"What lovely news," a voice said. Emma and Henry turned to see Mr. Gold by the check-in desk. He walked forward. "Excellent work, Ms. Swan. Thank you for bringing me my merchandise."
Rumplestiltskin was being placed in the armored carriage by Prince Charming and Grumpy.Cinderella had her hands on Thomas's chest and they watched from a distance.
"Did we really win?" she asked.
"Yes," Thomas said, "I told you we would."
"I was so afraid." She ran a hand on his shoulder. "I was so afraid that we'd fail, that..." She ran her hand against his cheek and back of his head. She peered deeply into his eyes. "I'd have to go back to that life, that... that terrible life. I was afraid I would lose you. And that nothing would have changed."
"As long as I am alive, you will never go back to that life." She held his face in her hands as they kissed while he held her arms. He pulled back and looked down at her stomach. "Now... how is our little Alexandra?"
"Alexandra?"
"Did I not mention that I picked out a name?" he asked teasingly.
"A name?" She looked down at her stomach. "That's more like a prison sentence."
"Well I like it."
"Men, you really no nothing of ch..." She bent down in pain.
"Ella, what is it?"
"Oh, it's... it's the baby. Something's wrong."
"No, no. It can't be; it's too soon. It must be the stress, the excitement."
"Oh," She nearly fell forward but he was holding her up, "I'm dizzy."
He led her over to a bench. "Sit, sit. I'll go get you water."
"Okay." She left out a deep breath.
He ran into the woods and found a well. Leaves rustled as he pulled up the bucket and he looked towards the sound. Plants moved but he couldn't see what was behind them.
Then she suddenly felt better. "Thomas, it's okay. It's passed. Thomas?" Her cold breath fogged up in the cool night air and she tried to ignore the sense of dread deep in her heart as she walked to the well. There was no one at the well when she got there. She found his cloak dangling off the well and picked it up. She looked down the well but it was too dark to see anything. "Thomas?!"
She went back to where Rumplestiltskin still sat in the cell. Charming locked the cell door. "What did you do?"
"Ella, what's wrong?" Charming asked.
"Your highness, what happened?" Grumpy asked.
Cinderella rushed towards Rumplestiltskin, holding Thomas's cloak up. "What did you do to my Thomas?"
"I haven't done anything," Rumplestiltskin said. She gripped the walls of his cell. "In case you haven't noticed I've been otherwise engaged.
"Something's happened to him," she said. "You know. Tell me!"
Rumplestiltskin leaned in, his face almost touching the bars. "I have no idea, dearie, but I did warn you." He held a finger up. "All magic comes at a price. It looks like someone has just paid." He accentuated the last word.
"Don't listen to him," Charming said, "we'll find Thomas." He moved her away from the cell.
"No, you won't," Rumplestiltskin said. "Until that debt is paid, until that baby is mine, you're never gonna see him again," Charming walked backwards, moving her further away as he did so, "in this world or the next Cinderella. I will have that baby.
Mr. Gold was standing at a coffee vending machine. He hit it twice and coffee poured out into the awaiting cup. Emma approached him and leaned against the machine, keeping her hand at the top.
"Well, well. Must be my lucky day." He took the cup and looked at her. "Care for a cup, Ms. Swan?"
"A baby? That's your merchandise? Why didn't you tell me?"
He walked forward and she followed him. "Well, because at the time you didn't need to know."
"Really, or you thought I wouldn't take the job?"
"On the contrary, I thought it would be more effective if you found out yourself. After seeing Ashley's hard life, I thought it would make sense... to you. I mean if anyone could understand the reasons behind giving up a baby, I assumed it would be you."
"You're not getting that kid."
"Actually, we have an agreement. And my agreements are always honored. If not, I'm going to have to involve the police, and that baby is going to end up in the system, and that would be a pity. You didn't enjoy your time in the system, did you Emma?"
"That's not gonna happen."
"I like your confidence. Charming, but all I have to do is press charges. She did, after all, break into my shop."
"Let me guess, to steal a contract."
He shrugged. "Who knows what she was after."
"You know, no jury in the world will put a woman in jail whose only reason for breaking an entering was to keep her child. I'm willing to roll the dice that contract doesn't stand up." He took a sip of coffee. "Are you? Not to mention what might come out about you in the process. Somehow I suspect there is more to you than a simple pawnbroker. You really want to start that fight?"
He smiled. "I like you, Ms. Swan. You're not afraid of me, and that's either cocky or presumptuous. Either way I'd rather have you on my side."
"So she can keep the baby?"
"Not just yet." He started to walk away. "There's still the matter of my agreement with Ms. Boyd."
"Tear it up."
He turned around. "That's not what I do. You see, contracts, deals," He walked towards her, "well they're the very foundation of all civilized existence," He stopped before her, leaning on his cane. He gestured at her with his cup, "so I put it to you now. If you want Ashley to have that baby, are you willing to make a deal with me?"
"What do you want?"
"Oh I don't know just yet. You'll owe me a favor."
Emma sized him up. "Deal." They shook hands and she walked away.
Emma and Henry entered Ashley's hospital room. Ashley was holding her baby and she smiled up at Emma when the two of them came to her bedside. Henry sat at the end of her bed.
"Hey," Emma said. They looked over at the baby. "What's her name?
"Alexandra," Ashley answered.
"That's pretty."
Ashley let out a breath. "Thank you for getting me here." She looked at Emma evenly.
"Mr. Gold was outside. I took care of it. She's yours."
"She is?" she asked, the words coming out in a breath. "But what did you do?"
"Made a deal with him."
She nodded. "Thank you." She smiled widely. "Thank you."
Emma turned to Henry and said "Oh, hey kid, it's almost 5:00. You gotta get home." Henry hopped down from Ashley's bed and him and Emma ran towards the door.
Emma was driving Henry back.
"Pumpkin"," Emma stated. She looked over at Henry. "My code name. I was thinking in honor of Cinderella... Pumpkin." Henry shook his head. "You got a better one in mind?"
"Yep."
"Well?"
"I'm not sure you're ready yet." They arrive at his house and Henry ran towards it.
"Henry!" He stopped and turned on his heel. "About what you said at the hospital, about me being able to leave?"
"Yeah?"
Still finding herself unable to find the right words, she gave a small smile and said, "See you tomorrow." Henry smiled at her and ran towards the house. She watched him go.
Henry ran into the house and closed the door behind him as Regina pulled up into the driveway. He lost his shoe on his way up the stairs.
"Henry?" Regina called out. She closed the door behind her. He closed his door, threw his backpack away, threw his other show away and laid down on his bed with a book. "Henry? What did I tell you?" Do not..." She opened his door and stepped inside. He looked up at her from his book, "leave your shoes lying around on the stairs." She held up his shoe. "Someone could get hurt." She threw his shoe onto his bed and left. He let out a sigh of relief and put the book down.
Sean entered Ashley's room. "Is that her?"
"Sean."
He walked towards her. "I am so sorry. I never should have left you."
"You're back?" It came out in a whisper.
"Yeah, I'm back." He sat down on her bed. "Here, I got her a present." He pulled shoes out of a gift bag and both laughed. "I don't know if they're gonna fit." He put the shoes on the baby's feet.
"They're perfect." They kissed.
Meanwhile Emma was leaning against her car. She got out Graham's card and dialed his number.
Emma was sitting on a stool at the counter when Lacey got home. "I heard about what you did," Lacey said, closing the door behind herself.
Emma blinked. "Right. Small town."
Lacy made sure the door was locked before going over the counter. "I didn't know Mr. Gold even liked babies. I didn't think he was the nurturing type but then I don't think anyone around here really knows him that well."
"I'm not sure that he is." Something seemed off about the whole thing. What had Mr. Gold wanted with Ashley's baby? Emma didn't believe that he was helping Ashley out of the goodness of his heart. He hadn't cared when Ashley changed her mind. "Anyway I wanted to tell you that I'm the new deputy."
"That's great! You're just what this town needs."
Emma smiled. "I don't think this town really needs a deputy."
"Maybe you'll be surprised. You've helped so much already."
"I hope so." Emma looked away, embarrassed by the unexpected praise. "Uh, was work good?"
"Yeah. Oh! I wonder if Ashley is going to file for maternity leave. Should I find the paperwork she has to file? Maybe I should think of a present while I'm at it."
It took Emma a moment to remember that Lacey said Ashley cleaned the library sometimes. It hadn't occurred to Emma that it was the same Ashley. What had Sean's dad been on about Ashley not showing responsibility? She had two jobs and cleaning the library didn't look easy.
"Well don't go rushing back to the library. I'm sure it can wait until morning."
Lacey looked like she might burst with nervous energy. "Right. I'm going to bed."
"Good night."