A/N: I just wanted to post this scene on its own. Next chapter will be child of the moon. Enjoy. :)
The sun had yet to rise, though the sky was ablaze with brilliant shades of yellow, orange and red in the cold hours of morning. James gripped the steering wheel tighter still, turning his knuckles white. The house looked even more ominous in the dark as he stared suspiciously; half-expecting it to come alive with some kind of dark magic.
"We shouldn't even be here," he argued adamantly, "we should've just taken him to the hospital."
"And what Charming, tell them Henry was burned in a nightmare?" Mary countered, her voice trembling with fear. "A hospital may be able to treat the burn, but Mr. Gold might be able to give us some answers – and who knows, maybe even stop the nightmares altogether."
His head fell back against the seat with a sigh of frustration; Henry's wide, frightened eyes pleading with him in the rear view mirror. It was all he needed to see. "Alright…" Pulling the key from the ignition, he stepped from the car into the brisk night air. Fall had descended upon their sleepy town which meant another brutal winter wasn't too far behind. James draped his arm across Henry's shoulders as they made their way to Mr. Gold's front door.
"Do you think he'll turn us into snails because we're here so early?" Henry asked jokingly as they climbed the steps to his porch.
"No, we'll be fine…" Mary assured him. With a deep breath, James lifted his hand to the door. He wasn't sure what floor their room was on, banging loud enough in hopes to be heard on all three stories. His stomach turned at the idea of Emma sharing a bed with him, hoping that they weren't interrupting…anything.
"Charming, not so loud. You'll wake up the whole block." Mary chided in hushed tones. 'Are you serious…' was clearly stated in his sharp glare as he snapped his head in her direction.
"I need to make sure he can hear us, Snow, or we can just leave now…" he stated quietly. She nodded in silent resignation as James resumed his assault of the door. Henry decided to help by ringing the doorbell.
Gold was ripped from a sound sleep by an incessant barrage of banging and ringing. He clutched Emma protectively against him if only to make sure it wasn't her. 4:30… Fear immediately gripped him, switching on the bedside lamp as he slipped from the bed. Who would be at his door so early and why? Emma shot up as the banging continued, their eyes locking briefly as he secured his robe around him.
"What's going on?" she asked fearfully.
"I don't know…" he answered softly, limping quickly from the bedroom. Henry… her fear was rampant as her feet hit the floor; no one else would show up here so early unless it was a true emergency. Disoriented and shaken by such a rude awakening, Emma looked for her clothes. It took her a moment to realize she was still fully dressed from last night. Her bare feet slapped against the cold hard wood floors, rushing to the door.
He considered getting his gun from the dresser just to be on the safe side, but decided against it. The pounding ceased when Gold switched on the light, peering out the window to see Charming, Snow, and Henry huddled on his porch. He opened the door in a hurry, locking eyes with a panic stricken Charming; Snow clutched his arm desperately as they stood behind their grandson. Though he was fully dressed, he stood shivering wrapped in a blanket.
"Come inside…" Gold ushered them into the house before anyone could utter a word.
"Henry…" Emma ran to her son, hugging him against her as she looked fearfully to her parents. "What happened?"
"I'm sorry, we weren't sure of where else to go." Mary said breathlessly as Gold locked the door behind them. Her mother's words did little to ease her rising fears, leading Henry to the leather couches. James and Mary fell to the couch on either side of them as Gold sat on the coffee table in front of them. The poor boy looked not only exhausted but frightened as well at being dragged to his house in the middle of the night.
"What happened?" Gold asked soothingly. Henry held out his hand, exposing the burn.
"Oh, God…" Emma whispered horrified. Gold gently cradled Henry's hand in his inspecting the burn closer. Looking frantically between Gold and her parents, Emma was confused why they brought him here and not to a hospital.
"He's been having these nightmares…" James explained, looking apologetically to Emma. "I thought they would go away, but I never thought he could be hurt like this."
"Wait, I'm sorry, you're saying this burn happened in a dream?" she asked incredulously. Although it made much more sense now why they would bring him here rather than the hospital; saying Henry was burned in a dream would be considered crazy even in this place.
"Henry, can you tell me about these nightmares?" Gold prodded, doing his best to hide his concern as released his hand. Henry nodded, squeezing Emma's hand as he stared wide eyed at Gold.
"It's always the same. I'm in a red room, with no doors or windows and there're these curtains and they're on fire…But I'm not alone, there's a woman and she stares at me through the flames. She screams for help like me…" Henry's breathing was reduced to quick pants as his intense fear returned.
"Alright…shh, shh…" Emma rubbed his back comfortingly, pressing her lips to his temple.
"That, young man isn't a nightmare…" Gold whispered darkly. Her heart stopped at his words. What was happening to her son?
"Then what is it?" Emma asked anxiously.
"Emma, could you be a doll and run to the basement and get the black bag from the wooden table? I'll explain when you return…" Without a word, Emma ran from the room and out the door to his gardens. She is no stranger to nightmares, or being so caught up in them that she physically acts out what is happening. But actually being scarred in reality when hurt in a dream is something she previously thought impossible.
"So you are still practicing magic…" James said with an accusatory glare.
"That was hardly a secret, Charming. I'm merely trying to lift the curse so we can leave this place with our memories still intact." Gold answered calmly.
"Any luck?" he asked, trying to sound disinterested. Gold shook his head at the hypocrisy of magic being bad until Charming heard that it could benefit him. But he kept quiet; this was hardly the time or place for that argument.
"Nothing noteworthy yet, but I'm getting there." As James nodded, Emma returned carrying the black leather bag. She set it on the table beside him, panting for breath as she returned to Henry's side.
"So what's causing this?" James asked again now that Emma had returned. Gold retrieved a silver necklace and opened a small vile of clear liquid.
"It's a side effect of the sleeping curse Henry was recently under. You see Charming, when a person falls under a sleeping curse, their soul travels to a netherworld where it resides until awoken." Emma's breathing intensified, listening in horror as Gold filled the pendant carefully.
"Now, this world is between life and death and it's very real. However, even when the curse is broken, sometimes in sleep the victims find their way back to that world. Victims like you…"
"Can you try not to scare him…?" James demanded angrily in a whisper.
"He's already scared, Charming, and he has a right to know what's happening to him."
"Henry's being harmed by this world, Mr. Gold…can you please just give him something that will prevent him from going there entirely?" Mary pleaded emphatically.
"I'm afraid not, dear. But what I can do is provide you with something that will allow him to control his actions whilst in that world." He said, handing the necklace to Henry. Perhaps it was that they were so close in age, or maybe that Henry looked more like Bae than he cared to admit, but his desire to help him only intensified.
"A necklace…?" Henry asked, looking curiously at the antique silver pendant.
"You wear this while you're sleeping; once you control the journey the fear will stop. And then you can come and go as you please." Henry reached out, letting the charm rest in his open palm as he studied it intently.
"What about this woman, Henry; can you describe her?" Gold asked, setting the black bag on the floor. His first thought was Cora, but only people who have been under a sleeping curse can make it to that world.
"No, I can't see her through the flames." Henry replied regretfully.
"Would you do me a favor?" Henry nodded silently as Gold forced a tight smile. "The next time you see her, if it's not too dangerous, ask her name. Try to find out as much as you can about her…"
"I will…" Henry promised. Gold gently cradled Henry's hand in his, healing the burn with a single wave of his hand. Emma couldn't help but smile at how intensely Henry inspected his hand, having just experienced herself what that feels like.
"Well given the early hour you might as well stay." Gold announced, standing from the table. "Would anyone like breakfast, coffee…I have spare bedrooms if you'd like to sleep?"
"Coffee, please…" James answered without missing a beat.
"Do you have hot chocolate?" Mary asked hopefully.
"I'm dating your daughter dearie, of course I do." Gold said with a bright smile. Emma thought she momentarily slipped into the twilight zone, watching the three of them interact.
"What about you, Henry are you hungry?" Emma asked, smoothing the hair from his face.
"Not really."
"Are you still tired?" Emma asked. Henry nodded wordlessly.
"Emma, why don't you show Henry to your old room…stay with him until he falls asleep." Gold suggested. While it was obvious the boy needed rest, Gold selfishly hoped he would go back to that world and get some answers. Emma clutched Henry closer making eye contact with Gold for an imperceptible moment. It was a cross between a plea and a warning and she didn't need to use words as Gold received the message loud and clear.
"Would you like that?"
"Yea…"
"Ok, come on…" Emma draped her arm over his shoulders and led him up the staircase. She knew better than anyone that there is nothing worse than being woken from a sound sleep scared out of your mind and despite being exhausted, being too afraid to close your eyes again. Emma opened the door and switched on the light as Henry stepped hesitantly into the bedroom.
"This is it…" She said, watching as he inspecting everything from the bed to the dresser.
"This is where you used to sleep?"
"Yep, and I will have you know this is the most comfortable mattress ever. You'll be asleep in no time. Come on…" she replied motioning to the bed. Henry climbed awkwardly into the full size bed, and Emma tucked him in snuggly beneath the down comforter. But as she ran her fingers through his hair, her tears once again threatened to fall. She had never tucked Henry in before, never kissed him goodnight. She cleared the tightness in her throat, placing a tender kiss to his forehead.
"Do you want me to lay down with you or just stay by you?"
"You can just sit by me…" Emma nodded silently and sat on the edge of the bed by his feet.
"Henry, why didn't you tell me?" she asked barely above a whisper. He shrugged, putting on a brave face even now.
"I didn't want you to worry; I thought they were just bad dreams."
"That doesn't matter. I'm your mother, and I need to know when you're suffering like this."
"Okay…" he whispered, clutching the pendant desperately. Emma pressed her lips in a tight line, though it could hardly be defined as a smile. It was supposed to be her who fell under the sleeping curse, not Henry. Now his soul was traveling to some world between life and death, and she was powerless to help him.
"You know, I used to have some pretty intense nightmares too; ones that I couldn't wake up from."
"What were they about?" Henry asked, sounding surprised at her sudden admission.
"Me, I'm trapped in a room with no escape; only instead of fire I'm surrounded by cold – by ice. And I'm not alone either…"
"Do you still have them?"
"I still have nightmares, but not that one…" she answered honestly. The corners of his mouth curled up in a small smile.
"Did Mr. Gold help?" Emma giggled lightly, unable to suppress her smile.
"Yea he did, he made me feel safe and they went away."
"I wish mine could go away so easily."
"They will eventually…" Emma promised. She knew nothing of netherworlds or if her son would ever stop visiting there, but for now she just wanted to give him some much needed hope.
"Now close your eyes…" She whispered softly. Henry complied without a word, his eyes drifting closed as Emma sat protectively by his side. It had been an emotionally tumultuous day and given how this one was starting, she expected today would be another. But she wanted to remain in this moment for as long as possible; watching the slow, steady rising and falling of his chest as he drifted back to sleep.
James stalked his every movement as Gold maneuvered around the kitchen, making sure his coffee wasn't being poisoned. Accepting Gold and trusting him were two very different things and as of now, he could barely accept him. It was mind-boggling to him that Emma was in love with him; a man physically disabled and three times her age. He could understand it maybe if Emma was using him for his money, but with her beat up car and the same wardrobe it was obvious that wasn't the case.
But trusting Rumplestiltskin was something James was certain was impossible. He had witnessed too many lives destroyed at the will of the Dark One, and no matter how Emma swears he's changed, he will always be leery. Rumplestiltskin was after all a master of manipulation. Until Emma trusted them enough to answer his questions; forced civility and tight smiles would hopefully suffice.
"Thank you…" James said awkwardly as Gold set the coffee in front of him.
"You're welcome…" Gold said, shifting his gaze to Mary as he sat at the table. "…your hot chocolate should be ready in a few minutes."
"Thank you…and thank you so much, for what you did for Henry."
"No need to thank me, dearie, I only wish I could do more." Gold replied, knowing he was walking a fine line. Though he wasn't using Henry in any way; he was merely taking advantage of a situation in which he already found himself. And would find himself in again every time he slept.
"So what's your price?" James asked before he could stop himself. Gold turned his gaze sharply to the prince, his jaw clenched.
"Charming…" Snow whispered in disbelief, pinching the bridge of her nose. On a normal day, he would happily put the prince in his place. The dark one may have had many flaws but making deals with terrified children wasn't one of them. But he kept his temper. These were Emma's parents; both of them had been used and manipulated by him in the past. What reason did they have to trust him; or that his motives were pure?
"It's alright dearie," Gold said softly, much to her surprise. "I don't expect either of you to trust me any time soon."
"It would help if you stopped being so secretive…." James fired back.
"What would you like to know, Charming, that doesn't pertain to Emma's past and I will happily tell you." Gold snapped. James leaned in, eagerly accepting such an invitation.
"Mr. Gold, can I ask what happened the night you were in jail?" Mary asked cautiously before her husband could utter a word. Both men looked to her with wide eyes, as Gold reclined back on his seat.
"We talked…" he answered simply. Mary rolled her eyes with a frustrated sigh.
"Yes, that's what Emma said. But what did you talk about? As far as I can tell that was when everything changed."
"Well, it did. We talked about our pasts, and beyond that I would like Emma here with me to answer that question. I will tell you it was…unexpected that we ended up in a relationship."
"But you didn't start dating that night?" Mary clarified. Gold couldn't suppress the laugh that escaped his lips.
"No, it happened over time…" Gold assured her.
"What happened between you and Belle?" James interjected. Gold released a frustrated sigh, regretting already that he made such an offer. If they were anyone else he would've told them it was none of their business and been done with it. He knew if he wanted their trust, or even just their approval, than he needed to be honest.
"She was the price of a deal I made with her father. Their kingdom was about to be overrun by ogres and they called on me for help. Belle came with me as a caretaker for the dark castle." He stated matter-of-factly.
"And nothing more…?" James asked incredulously with a skeptical stare.
"Never…" Gold growled, angered at the mere insinuation of his words. Though, it didn't surprise him, everyone assumed that Belle was to be nothing more than a toy for the dark one's twisted pleasures. "Over the months we grew closer and when I realized I was starting to care for her, I sent her away. Love was never part of the deal. But she came back that same night, and everything fell apart..."
"What happened?" Mary asked. Gold focused intently on the table, the rage he still felt toward Regina for her part in this was boiling beneath the surface.
"She kissed me, and the curse started to break. I was changing back into a man. She told me of a woman she met on the road who told her how to break my curse. I knew it was Regina in another attempt to rob me of my power. I accused Belle of working for her and in my rage I sent her away again. For good. Months later Regina returned wanting to make a deal and I denied her. That's when she told me Belle killed herself after her father had her brutally tortured to cleanse her soul of my evil." the words were whispered with malice as his voice trailed off, unable to meet their eyes as he took a sip of his coffee.
"That's horrible…" Mary whispered horrified.
"But that didn't happen…" James stated at the same time.
"Not her death, obviously. But it was Regina who held her prisoner, not her father." Gold paused for the length of a breath, hardly able to believe he was admitting all of this. "But you can imagine my shock when I discovered that she was alive, here in Storybrooke."
"And what? Now that you have Emma Belle means nothing to you?" he asked; his conversation with Belle still fresh in his mind.
"And now that you have Snow, what does Kathryn mean to you?" Gold countered sharply. The prince's arrogance was so astounding at times he marveled that he was ever given the nickname Charming. James' eyebrows furrowed in confusion, looking questioningly between Mary and Gold.
"You remember the woman that you were married to for twenty some odd years, don't you?" Gold prodded in his silence.
"Yes, of course I do."
"Do you want to see her happy?"
"Yes,"
"If she was hurt or in trouble, would you help her?"
"Of course I would…" James said in an exasperated huff of annoyance. What kind of questions were these?
"So you still care for her even though you're in love with another woman?" James didn't have to answer as his gaze drifted to Mary. Satisfied that he made his point, Gold continued.
"Belle will always be special to me. My biggest regret is robbing her of a chance for a happy ending. When I found her here, it was an opportunity to put right what I had done wrong. So, once the curse was broken, I released her from our deal to live out life she wanted before she ever met me."
"I'm sorry, if she loved you, why did you let her go?" Mary asked curiously.
"I couldn't be the man she needed me to be; I needed magic…I still do – to find someone."
"You're son…" James whispered. Gold dropped his gaze to the table in shame, nodding in agreement. This was not a topic he was willing to discuss right now.
"Listen, I'm not proud of anything I have done as the dark one and no matter my reasons or how I try to justify it, I make no excuses for my actions. I love your daughter and I will do everything in my power to make sure she is happy and keep her safe." he promised sincerely.
"I think the hot chocolate is ready…" Mary said softly, rising from her chair.
"I'll take care of it dear…" Gold offered.
"No, it's ok…I want to bring Emma a cup as well." she insisted. Gold sat back in his seat as Mary fixed the hot chocolate to their liking. In all her memories of this man as both Gold and Rumplestiltskin, she had never seen him so open – or so transparent. She remembers a time she was too afraid to say hello to him, much less feel bold enough to ask such personal questions.
She has Mary's memories of seeing firsthand how much Gold loves Emma, and even now, Snow can see it for herself. While reconciling her memories and the two extreme versions of Rumplestiltskin wasn't easy, the changes she had seen in him were awe-inspiring. And she knew that her daughter had something to do with that. Picking up the two mugs, Mary paused as she looked questioningly to Gold.
"Up the stairs, second door on your right…" he provided before she even had to ask.
"Thank you…" with that she walked from the kitchen, hoping she wasn't making a mistake in leaving those two alone.
"You know when the curse broke and I found out you were dating Emma I thought you were manipulating her…" James stated bluntly; his gaze returning to the pawnbroker once Mary was gone. Gold wasn't at all surprised at his words; it wasn't the first time Charming spat accusations at him and he had a feeling it wouldn't be the last.
"I thought that you were trying to brainwash her so that when the final battle came, she would spare you. I feared you'd try and turn her against us…" His voice trailed off with a heavy sigh, closing his eyes as he prepared to say something he never thought he would say.
"Look, I can't forget the past – I won't. I don't know what you said to Emma the other night that made her change her mind, and after what you just did for Henry…" at that he held out his hand in an offer of peace.
"Thank you," He had promised both Emma and Gold that he would give him a chance. As difficult as it was, it was time to start honoring it.
Gold stared at his outstretched hand, knowing just how difficult it was for Charming to say those words. Where Rumplestiltskin would have giggled maniacally and cheered at besting his opponent; Gold gripped Charming's hand firmly with silent respect.
"Thank you. I know that you don't trust me, but I hope you can at least believe that I love Emma. She's been looking for her parents her entire life; I would never get in the way of her relationships with you or Henry."
An uneasy silence fell over them as James sipped his coffee. "I'm starting to see that."
Emma sat against the wall, wondering if he was dreaming as she studied him. If he was in that place she'd never know by the peace that washed over his face. Perhaps by some miracle he had simply fallen asleep and wasn't trapped in an inferno. She checked his arms and hands obsessively for any magically appearing burns.
"I brought you some hot chocolate…" a soft voice whispered from the doorway. Her mother stepped into the room handing her a steaming mug overflowing with whipped cream. With a grateful smile Emma took it from her hands as Mary sat at the foot of the bed.
"Thank you…" she whispered in response. The last thing she wanted was to wake Henry when he so desperately needed rest.
"You're welcome."
"Should I be worried that it's so quiet downstairs?" Emma asked sarcastically. Though she was optimistic the silence meant that just maybe they were getting along.
"Oh, you know, Charming is just interrogating Gold, and surprisingly Mr. Gold has been rather forthcoming in his answers." Mary replied in amazement.
"Hence my concern…" she teased. Mary laughed lightly but it was strained. "So, uh, how are you holding up?"
"Pretty damn awful…" She answered honestly, licking the whipped cream from her lips.
"This wasn't your fault Emma…"
"That's debatable…" she countered bitterly. She knew the curse was real before she broke it. Henry told her, August told her, Gold told her and instead of admitting it, she ran. Had she only believed sooner, Henry would never have taken a bite of the apple turnover and they wouldn't be in this mess.
"This netherworld…what's it like?" Emma asked, suddenly remembering her mother had once been under a sleeping curse. Mary breathed deeply as she dropped her gaze. She just as soon not tell Emma if only because she didn't want her to worry more. But then, she knew that not knowing at all was just as bad.
"It's like you're, um…lost – drifting in the dark. No one to talk to, nothing to do except think about all the people you love and how you'll never see them again."
"Henry was lost in that dark too because of me… He tried so hard to convince me I was the Savior." Emma said breathlessly, fighting her tears.
"What are you talking about? No one would've believed Henry's stories." Mary whispered ardently.
"But his mother should have…" shaking her head, Emma rubbed her eyes.
"Okay, you wanna play the blame game?" came her mother's challenging reply. Emma lifted her head and met her eyes. "If I hadn't told Cora about Regina's true love, Cora never would've killed him. Regina wouldn't want revenge; the curse never would have happened. We could spend all day trying to figure out why each of should feel guilty, but it won't help anything."
Emma let her head fall back against the wall, knowing there was plenty of guilt to go around. Gold for creating the curse, Regina for enacting it; herself for not breaking it sooner. At the end of the day it didn't matter who was more at fault, she realized, all of the damage had been done. "Did you have nightmares like Henry?"
"I did…your father used to light a candle whenever I woke screaming. He told me it would capture the nightmares." Mary smiled fondly at the memory.
"You dreamt of burning rooms and he lit a candle…" Emma asked sarcastically. Mary laughed lightly at that, having had the same thoughts herself. "It's the thought that counts…I never had the heart to tell him."
"When did they stop?"
"After a few months…I think my mind started preventing from falling into a deep enough sleep to protect itself." Silence fell over them as the familiar tap-step of Gold's approach echoed louder. Emma smiled as he appeared in the doorway, not entering the room.
"I was going to make breakfast. What would –" he never had the chance to finish as Henry woke up screaming...
"They're dead; they're all dead…" Emma jumped at the sound as he shot up, hot chocolate spilling down her hand and arm. Handing the mug to Mary, she scrambled closer to Henry.
"Who's dead? What happened?" Gold asked, limping around the edge of the bed. Emma sat beside him, hugging him close as she checked his hands and arms for any new burns. To her relief she found none.
"Henry?" James called frantically, bursting through the doorway.
"Did you see her? Talk to her?" Gold prodded impatiently. Henry nodded furiously, still trying to catch his breath.
"She said everyone is dead; Cora killed them. She ripped their hearts out!" His blood ran cold at Henry's words. Gold locked eyes with Emma, wanting more than anything to let the boy go back to sleep. If Cora was truly planning on coming to Storybrooke they needed to act quickly to stop her. But he promised Emma repeatedly that he would never again put Henry's life at risk. He's also promised he would do everything in his power to protect them, and Cora would destroy everything and everyone if she made it here. What was he supposed to do?
"Ok, slow down; who told you this?" Emma asked, doing her best to remain calm.
"Her name is Aurora…she said Lancelot was out with a hunting party when Cora killed everyone in the village. They're the only ones left…" Emma could hear her heart pounding as she and Mary shared incredulous glances. She was even more disturbed by the conflicted look in Gold's eyes. A mix of fear, confusion, and sadness battled for dominance in his expression. She had only met Cora for a brief moment, but judging by the fear expressed by both Gold and Mary, Emma knew there was legitimate cause to be concerned. Her anxiety only intensified when James' phone rang.
"Did she say anything else?" Mary asked breathlessly as James left the room.
"She's going to try to find out more."
"You did a very good job Henry…thank you. Now, how do pancakes sound for breakfast?" Gold asked nonchalantly. He forced a tight smile in favor of not jumping to conclusions. Even if Cora was trying to get over here the chances of her success were slim to none. Tension was already riding high and he didn't want to add to the mounting fear. He would worry only if and when there was a reason to.
"They sound good…" Henry agreed, sliding from the bed.
"I have to go…" James announced, "That was Granny, Ruby got out last night." Emma released a heavy sigh as he excused himself from the room; the sun had barely risen and already there was a crisis. This was going to be a very long day.
As always, please review. :)