Author's Notes: A special thank you goes out to BizarreBard. She has been helping me by Betaing this story and giving suggestions on where to take things. I'm very appreciative of her help.

Chapter 9: The Price of Gold Pt. 2

Emma knocks on Sean's door as Buffy stands beside her. At the same time, Sean's father is pulling up the driveway.

"Can I help you?" Sean asks as he opens the door.

"Sean Herman?" Emma asks.

Sean nods, "Yeah. Who are you two?"

Emma smiles, "I'm Emma Swan. And this is Buffy Summers."

"We're looking for Ashley Boyd. She's in trouble. Just thought maybe she came to see you." Buffy says.

Sean's father walks up the steps. "My son doesn't have anything to do with that girl anymore. So, whatever trouble she's in, I am sorry for her, but there's nothing we can do to help you."

"You're the reason he broke up with her." Emma says.

"Absolutely. I'm not going to let my son throw away his entire life over a mistake." Sean's father says.

"So you just told him to leave her?" Buffy asks, appalled.

Sean's father nods, "Well, what are they going to do? Raise the child in the backseat of a car?"

"Some people only have the backseat of a car." Emma says.

"Well, they're to be pitied. I'm not letting that happen to my son." Sean's father said.

"Dad, maybe we should help them look." Sean said.

Sean's Father shakes his head, "It's a waste, Sean."

"Sean, if you want to come, come. Stop letting other people make decisions for you. If Ashley runs away with this baby, she's going to be in some serious trouble." Emma says.

"She's running away with the baby?" Sean asks.

Buffy sighs and nods, "Yes."

"Sean. Inside. Now." Sean's father says as Sean goes into the house. "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?" Buffy asks.

"What are you talking about?" Emma says.

Sean's father shakes his head, "You two don't know? Ashley agreed to give up the child. And she's being paid very well to do so."

"She sold the baby?" Emma asks.

"Oh, you make it sound so crass. I found someone who's going to find that child a good and proper home." Sean's father says.

"And who are you to judge whether Ashley is capable of providing that?" Emma asks.

"Look at her. She's a teenager. She's never shown any evidence of being responsible. How could she possibly know how to be a mother?" Sean's father says.

"Maybe she's changing her life." Buffy says.

Sean's Father sighs, "Everybody says that. Now, look. I found someone who's going to pay Ashley extremely well. Someone who's going to see to it that everybody's happy."

"Mr. Gold." Buffy and Emma says.

"Well, isn't that why you two were hired? To bring him the baby?" Sean's father says.

Moments later Buffy and Emma are back in Emma' car.

"You two can't make her double cross Gold. No one's ever broken a deal with him." Henry says.

"I'm 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." Emma says.

They arrive at Granny's Diner. They enter and Buffy and Emma approach Ruby.

"Why didn't you tell me she sold the baby?" Emma asks.

"Because I didn't think it was important." Ruby says.

"Really? Considering that's why she's running away." Buffy says.

Ruby sighs, "Look, Ashley's my friend. I don't like the idea of people judging her."

Emma notices Ruby's wolf charm on the counter. "Ruby, where's your car? You didn't send us to Sean to find her. You sent us there to give her a head start."

"Look, I'm only trying to help her." Ruby says.

Buffy nods, "Yes, so are we."

"Ashley's in more trouble than you know, Ruby. Where is she? Don't make her deal with Gold without us." Emma says.

Ruby sighs, "I can't talk in front of him. He's the Mayor's kid."

"Hey! I'm on your side." Henry says.

"Henry, we need to find this woman. And in order to do that, Buffy and I need you to go home, okay? So please listen to me. Seriously. She's not going to tell me anything if you're around." Emma says.

Henry nods, "Okay."

Emma smiles, "Thank you."

Henry looks to Buffy, "Bye Elizabeth." He leaves the diner.

"She left town. Said she was going to try Boston. Thought she could disappear there." Ruby says.

"How long ago did she leave?" Buffy asks.

"About a half an hour." Ruby says.

Emma and Buffy are driving trying to catch up to Ashley.

Henry, who was hiding, reveals himself. "What'd she tell you two?"

"Henry! What the hell? We're going to Boston. You can't come with us." Emma says.

"You two can't go to Boston! She can't leave. Bad things happen to anyone who does." Henry says.

"We don't have time to argue with you over the curse. I've got to get you home." Emma says.

"We have to stop her before she gets hurt! We're wasting time! If you drop me off, we'll never catch up to her." Henry says.

"Henry." Emma says.

"And then Mr. Gold will call the police, and he'll have her sent to jail." Henry says. "Aunt Elizabeth, please. I know you believe now, I saw it in your eyes."

Buffy sighs and nods, "He's right Emma. If we take him back. Mr. Gold will call police."

Emma sighs, "…Buckle up. Ashley, what did you get yourself into?"

A short time later Henry sees something ahead of them and points. "I told you! It's her car."

They pull over and rush to Ruby's car, which has been driven into a ditch.

"Ashley!" Buffy and Emma says.

Ashley is not in the car. They hear a moan and find Ashley sitting in the grass. "My baby! It's coming!"

"Go open the door for me." Buffy says. "Henry why don't you ride up front while I ride in back with Ashley." She picks up Ashley and they head back to the car. Henry and Emma get in front as Buffy loads Ashley in back and then gets in with her.

"Is the baby really coming?" Henry asks as they drive back towards town.

"Ohh yeah. Don't worry – the hospital isn't that far." Emma says.

"No! No, no, no. Take me to Boston. I can't go back there." Ashley says.

"Oh no, we don't have four hours. Trust me – I know." Emma says.

"I can't go back there. Please. He's going to take my baby." Ashley says.

Buffy brushes hair out of Ashley's face comfortingly, "Emma and I won't let that happen. Do you know what you're asking for? If you keep this child, are you really ready?"

Ashley nods, "Yeah."

"Are you sure? Because I wasn't." Emma says.

"You weren't?" Ashley asks.

Emma shakes her head, "Nope. If you want to give this kid its best chance, it's going to be with someone who's ready, so know what that means. Your whole life is going to 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?"

Ashley nods, "Yes. I want my baby."

30 minutes later Buffy, Emma and Henry are sitting in the waiting room of the hospital.

"You know, Emma. Aunt Elizabeth You two are different." Henry says.

"What's that?" Emma asks.

"You two and Aunt Dawn and Aunt Faith are the only one who could do it." Henry says.

"Break the curse? Yes, I know. You keep telling me that." Emma says.

Henry shakes his head, "No. Leave. You four are the only ones who can leave Storybrooke."

"You left and came and found me in Boston." Emma says.

Henry nods, "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, Emma, Faith and Dawn?" Buffy asked.

Henry nods, "You're the saviors. You four can do whatever you want. You four can go."

A doctor approaches them. "Miss Swan, Miss Summers. Baby is a healthy six pound girl and the mother is doing fine."

Mr. Gold has just entered the hospital. "What lovely news. Excellent work, Miss Swan, Miss Summers. Thank you both for bringing me my merchandise.

Moments later Mr. Gold is getting a cup of coffee at the coffee machine. Emma walks up next to him. "Well, well. Must be my lucky day. Care for a cup, Miss Swan? Miss Summers?"

"A baby? That's your merchandise? Why didn't you tell me? Us?" Emma asks.

Mr. Gold smiles, "Well because, at the time, neither of you needed to know."

"Really? Or you thought we wouldn't take the job?" Buffy asked.

Mr. Gold shakes his head, "On the contrary, I thought it would be more effective if you both found out yourselves. After seeing Ashley's hard life, I thought it would make sense. Do you, Emma? 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." Emma says.

"I'm in complete agreement," Buffy says.

Mr. Gold shakes his head, "Actually, we have an agreement. 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?"

"It's not going to happen." Emma says as Buffy nods in agreement.

Mr. Gold smiles, "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?" Buffy asks.

Mr. Gold shrugs, "Who knows what she was after?"

"You know no jury in the world will put a woman in jail, whose only reason for breaking and entering was to keep her child. I'm willing to roll the dice that contract doesn't stand up. 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 pawn broker. You really want to start that fight?" Emma says.

"I like you, Miss Swan. You as well Miss Summers. You two are not afraid of me, and that's either cocky or presumptuous. Either way, I'd rather have you both on my side."

"So, she can keep the baby?" Emma asks.

Mr. Gold shakes his head, "Not just yet. There's still the matter of my agreement with Miss Boyd."

"Tear it up." Buffy says.

"That's not what I do. You see, contracts – deals – well, they're the very foundation of all civilized existence. So, I put it to you both now. If you two want Ashley to have that baby, are you both willing to make a deal with me?" Mr. Gold says.

Emma looks to Buffy who nods, "What do you want?"

"Oh, I don't know just yet. You'll both owe me a favor." Mr. Gold says.

"Deal." Buffy and Emma says.

Buffy, Emma and Henry enter Ashley's room. Ashley's holding the baby.

"Hey. What's her name?" Emma asks.

"Alexandra." Ashley says.

"It's pretty." Buffy says.

Ashley smiles, "Thank you for getting me here."

Emma nods, "Mr. Gold was outside. Buffy and I took care of it – she's yours."

"She is? What did you two do?" Ashley asks.

"We made a deal with him." Buffy says.

Ashley smiles, "Thank you. Thank you."

"Oh, hey, kid. It's almost five. We got to get you home." Emma says to Henry. She looks to Buffy, "We'll drop him off first and then go get your car."

Buffy nods, "Sounds good."

Buffy, Emma and Henry both run out of the room.

Several minutes later Buffy, Emma and Henry are in Emma's car.

"Pumpkin. My code name. I was thinking in honor of Cinderella. Pumpkin." Emma says as Henry shakes his head. "You got a better one in mind?"

Henry nods, "Yep."

"Well?" Emma asks.

Henry smiles, "I'm not sure you're ready yet. Maybe Aunt Elizabeth can tell you about hers."

Emma pulls up to Henry's house. Henry gets out, but Emma calls after him. "Henry! About what you said at the hospital. About me being able to leave?"

Henry nods, "Yeah?"

"See you tomorrow." Emma says and drives away. "What was he saying about you telling me yours?"

Buffy smiles, "The world is far older than you know…"