It was 2001. He'd owned the shop now for so long he couldn't remember how long he'd been doing this same routine. Each morning he woke up, stretched, and got into the shower. He dressed in a suit, adding layer after layer to make any who felt the need to deal with him feel underdressed. That was a trick he'd learned as a lawyer. In the morning, he read the newspaper, cooked himself some breakfast, just a piece of toast today, with jam on the side. He drove to town and parked his car in the lot or on the street. He didn't live far from work, but he wasn't about to walk there. With his leg, he'd never manage, and besides, walking might give the impression he cared about something. He walked down the street every morning. Sometimes people lifted their eyes to him in acknowledgment. He never returned the favor. He barely paid any attention to Marco on the ladder as he walked swiftly by him.

As he unlocked the door to his shop, he glanced at the abandoned library on the corner across from him. It always made him feel uneasy, probably because it was becoming an eyesore. One of these days, he would file a complaint with Regina about that, but today there was too much to do.

Inside the shop, he opened the blinds and took a deep breath of the musty smell that came with age. It still felt like home, probably more like home than his pink house, which he still needed to get painted. He turned the sign behind him to "open" in case someone felt like coming in to make a deal but then escaped to the back room just like always. It was his favorite place in his shop. The spinning wheel he'd first seen when he bought the place was back here, along with a fold-away cot for nights he got carried away and just decided to sleep there. There were two tables crowded into the back that he could use to polish or repair or clean or whatever he needed to do. On the table, there was usually something old he'd set out the day before, waiting for him to appraise or repair or clean, but today his task was a bit different. He was in the pawnshop, as he usually was, but today he wasn't playing the role of a pawnbroker, not unless someone came in to buy something. No, today he was wearing the hat of "lawyer." Yesterday, he'd received a call from the grandfather of the baby Ashley Boyd was carrying. He'd asked him how far along he was in the process of getting the child placed.

He knew the girl wasn't thrilled with the idea of adoption. He knew that she'd signed the papers mostly out of pressure from the baby's grandfather and her own step-mother, but a deal was a deal; and where the law was concerned a signature was legally binding. Besides, knowing the history Miss Boyle shared with her step-family, the only family she had left in this world, and the eagerness in the grandfather's voice to see the child gone, giving the infant away when it was born was really going to be the best thing for all parties included, at least as far as he was concerned.

But he'd had the disappointing job of telling the grandfather yesterday that so far, no one had called to adopt. He had made the proper calls what felt like eons ago when the girl must have only just found out she was pregnant, he'd filled out all the paperwork, faxed the appropriate individuals, and yet…nothing. And that was a problem. The poor girl looked as though she might go into labor any day now, and he'd much rather the babe had a place to go to immediately rather than wait in the hell of foster care. In truth, he'd decided long ago it would be best to call his contacts to see if he could speed things along, but whenever he had the idea, something always seemed to come up that prevented him from doing the job. But not today.

Today the first thing he did was pull the adoption papers out of his safe. Today the first thing on his "to do" list was to study up on the details again to make informed calls. Today he was going to make those calls no matter what.

It was just another day in Storybrooke-

And it seemed the universe did not want him to make those calls.

It was mid-morning, he was looking over the adoption contract and refamiliarizing himself with the important details when the bell on his shop door let him know someone had arrived and he looked up to find none other than Regina Mills, known to him as Madam Mayor striding toward him. She was young, but she'd been the Mayor here as long as he could remember. Their relationship was a complex one. As the owner of the land she ran, he had a certain amount of power in the town that she was rather jealous of. Much of their contract said that she needed to come to him to approve anything that she wanted to present for a vote. It was his land, and he got the first say. He supposed that made him the most powerful man in town despite her election. They were cordial when they had to be, but there was always tension underneath their politically motivated politeness.

"I need a child, Gold, and I need your help."

He snorted. That was not the kind of tension he'd sensed between them. But it was one hell of a request to start his day with. If he had friends, it would've made quite the story.

"Well, I'm flattered but uninterested."

"Not like that. I spent all morning talking to adoption agencies. The waitlists are over two years long. But you, Gold, you know how to cut through red tape. And if anyone can work the system and find me a baby, it's you."

Regina…a mother. And on the same day he'd meant to call the agencies? Was he hearing her right?

"You wish to adopt?"

"Well, don't look so surprised."

"Oh, I'm not!" he insisted, looking her over. He'd known Regina for years, and he knew the way she thought and the way she worked. He knew that over the years of her being the Mayor, she'd been restless. She had her sheriff, but he wasn't the settling down type. He was a lone wolf. Men like him liked a good night of romping then the ability to return to the cave they called home and have a beer in silence. That was fine, he wasn't far off from one of those men, but Regina was. She needed something to settle her and yet something she could rule over. Marriage wouldn't suit her, but parenthood might. For the child however…he already felt sorry for whoever he found. "I'm sure you'll make a...well, a mother of some sort."

"Can you help me?"

"Of course I can, but a word of caution," he warned. If Regina wanted a child, he had no doubt he could procure one for her in less than two years. Hell, he could do it in less than a month if Ashley went into labor soon. But he did feel sorry for the child who would call her "mother," especially given his own parent's history. While it would be fun to watch Regina, he wanted no guilt in the situation that would follow. "Ask yourself if this is something you're ready for."

"It's something I need."

That was what he was afraid of. "Well, that may not be the same thing. I'll get you a child."

Regina sighed and turned on her heel, prepared to leave. Just like the way his father had left before he'd never seen him again.

"But whether or not that's helping you remains to be seen," he called after her.

Regina turned, the vein in her head throbbing, her nostrils flaring. She was ready to put this aside. He was not.

"When you become a parent, you must put your child first. No matter what."

"Find me a child, and I'll show you I can," she snapped at him.

"As you wish." He nodded, but her tone had already told him all he needed to know about the situation. Still, he'd warned her. The guilt would not be his, and he had no doubt that at least the child, whoever he or she was, would be well cared for. It was a shame the grandparents wanted a closed adoption for Ashley's baby and the infant to be sent out of state…otherwise, it might have been the answer to his prayers, if he believed in such a thing.

"Oh, and Madam Mayor, he called out before she could leave the shop. I hope you won't be using taxpayer dollars to pay for my services. Cutting through all that 'red tape' can be rather pricy. You get what you pay for with me, and nothing is ever free."

She rolled her eyes. "No one knows better than me, Mr. Gold, trust me. So why don't you let me worry about taxpayer dollars…you have work to do."

And we're on to the last bit of this ficlet with a familiar episode-3x09. As previously stated, there were really only two major episodes that contributed to this ficlet; everything else was sort of a "one-shot" that just filled in some blanks. But this episode, Gold has work to do. Even if it is Regina-centric and he's just playing a supporting role, there was busyness to be done, and I enjoyed working with it. The only downside, I wished there was a bit more wiggle room with some of these scenes, but sadly when Regina and Gold were in the room together, we often saw her enter and often saw her leave. I did manage to sneak that last little bit into this one, though.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Jennifer Baratta, Rumbelleforever, Fox24, Grace5231973, and Alarda for your reviews on the previous chapter! I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Now, sit back, relax, and let's meet the boy who makes this series possible, shall we? Peace and Happy Reading!