SMOKE AND ASHES

Gold has spent time slowly, respectfully, and with great affection, wooing (seducing) his dear, innocent Belle, again taking her to the heights of ecstasy, and Belle, innocent though she may be, starts on the pathway of becoming an apt pupil in the erotic arts; the two lavish attention on each other prior to joining the others at dinner. Later, with Belle's wholehearted blessing and participation, he takes the next step and becomes her lover. As they consummate, both of them think they've seen a flash of light.

Emma has mapped out an alternative plan which will involve Archie, then Jefferson, accompanying Gold to The Library.

Meanwhile, back in Asheville, Cora drops by the Shop and is greeted by Leroy. She asks for Gold to meet her at a local tea house but Leroy tells her that Gold would never be interested in such a thing. Cora leaves, telling Leroy that Gold's father will be coming to town.

A.N. A little rough language (just a word) and alittle smut in the middle of this chapter when Belle shows off a new purchase to Gold.

Chapter 22

Getting Ready

Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.

Belle was wrapped around him, lying mostly on her stomach with one of her arms and one of her legs draped over him. Her head was nestled on his shoulder. He reached up to gently stroke her hair.

What the hell had happened between them last night? Nothing, nothing he had ever experienced with any other woman approached what he had felt with her. Like a stick of dynamite going off or. . . or something . . . ? He lightly kissed her forehead.

Her eyes flickered. And she stretched.

"The most wonderful morning ever," she smiled at him.

"No regrets?" he had to ask.

"None." She rolled over onto her back. "I'd always imagined that sex would be great but . . . I had no idea. Wow!"

He couldn't stop himself and whispered in her ear "It gets better."

"For real and for true?" she asked, her bright blue eyes widening.

"For real and for true," he promised. "We'll get to know each other, what the other person likes, what's fun, what's exciting. There's a closeness that comes about."

Belle was giving him her sweet smile except now it looked hot and sensual.

"What do you see in me?" he didn't understand. He was beginning to accept it but he didn't understand it.

"You," she answered him. "You can be distant and cold on the outside, but inside there is this kind, deserving man who is funny and sweet."

He had to laugh. "Belle, you see a part of me no one else does. I don't see this person. I want to be this person. But there are still some very dark parts of me. . . very dark."

"Then we'll let the light in."

He hesitated. He had an appointment to get to. . . with Luminere and Archie. Staying in bed with Belle was certainly more appealing, but. . . .

As they dressed for their day, Gold considered. He wanted to buy her something, some flowers, perhaps jewelry, maybe a small car, hell, he'd buy her a small country if she wanted it, something to express his gratitude, his devotion, his love. But he couldn't very well shower her with gifts here. It would call attention to her and under no circumstances did he want to call attention to her. He couldn't – not if she was to remain safe.

At breakfast, Emma's sharp eyes perceived the difference through their smiles, their touching, their gentle glances. She had no doubt. Gold and Belle had finally consummated. Belle was glowing. Gold was relaxed.

She watched them. They seemed happy enough. It must have gone well. Well, no accounting for tastes. The idea of getting in bed with Gold gave her the shudders. She couldn't imagine the man as a lover - somehow she'd always figured him to be on the kinky side of things.

The groups split up according to Emma's Master Plan with Archie and Gold going off to the Library. Jefferson wanted to go off on his own, so that left Belle and Emma together. Before everyone went their separate ways, Gold pulled Emma off to the side and had a quick chat with her.

So Emma had a focus when she approached Belle. "Come on girl," she directed the younger woman. "I want to scout some things out and you can help."

The two women set off walking along the cobblestone streets. Emma had been impressed yesterday by the cleanliness of the streets and the friendliness of the city dwellers. At Belle's suggestion, they went into what she called the city's 'market area.' It was filled with a variety of little shops, including many little shops for fresh vegetables and fruits, fish and butcher shops, cheese and wine stores. In another area there were textiles, beautiful fabrics, laces and silks, ready-to-wear garments. So many smells and colors. Emma felt dizzy. Belle went through, delighting in being able to walk through one of her old haunts.

"I used to come here as a child, always with an adult or two. And they never let me touch anything. It was maddening," Belle told Emma. They had moved into one of the fabric booths. Belle picked up a rich, jewel-red silk. "This would look fantastic on you. You wear red so well."

"Yeah, like anyone's gonna get me in a silk dress," Emma scoffed. She dug through the piles of fabric and found a yellow-gold colored silk. "Now this would look so beautiful on you." The two women each fingered the luxurious fabrics, sighed and went on.

Belle was watching Emma closely. "You want to ask me about something?"

Emma pulled a face. It wasn't possible to keep anything from Empath Belle. "Yeah. It's about you and Gold."

"You don't want to pry, but you're concerned about our relationship," Belle said lightly.

Emma nodded. "I am. I mean, Belle, you're such an innocent and Gold is. . . well, he's not."

"You think he may be taking advantage of me?" Belle asked.

"I don't know. I mean, he may really care about you, but I've never known him to do anything that's not for himself. He's a master manipulator and uses people like the rest of us use. . . " Emma hesitated trying to come up with a good analogy.

"Forks?" Belle suggested. "Shoes?"

Emma snorted and Belle continued "I know it's hard for people to see the good parts of Mr. Gold. He's a very private person."

"You mean secretive?" Emma pushed.

"That too," Belle agreed. "He's got very good reasons not to trust people and it's hard for him to open up to others." Belle looked Emma in the eye. "I know this is hard to understand, but I trust him. He won't hurt me."

Emma took a deep breath. "All right. Just let the fucker know that if he does, I'll come after him."

"That's very sweet Emma," Belle was flattered by Emma's concern . She smiled brightly and led Emma off into another part of the city.

As they walked on into the city, Emma took another glance at Belle. "Now you have something you want to ask me," she said.

Ah yes Emma was a telepath, Belle reminded herself. Belle felt that she was blushing, "This is rather important, but can you help me find a doctor?"

"What?!"

Belle knew she was blushing, "I think it might be time for me to take some . . . responsibility so that I don't. . . uh. . . I don't get pregnant."

Emma looked at her for a while, "Well, I understand that. Condoms are good for the occasional one-night stand but if you're in a relationship . . . . Yeah, I can help with that. When we get back to Asheville, I know just the guy. Ruby works with him."

+ + + + Archie in The Library

"Belle seems to trust this Luminere," Archie remarked as he and Gold walked to The Library.

"Yes, she does. He's an old friend," Gold responded.

"So why don't we just tell him what we're up to? Maybe he'll help us," Archie suggested.

"And what if he says 'no'? Then where would we be? He'd put more security on the scroll than he'd put on a copy of the original ten commandments. We can't risk it," Gold said.

"I guess you're right," Archie agreed.

As they were about to enter the building, Gold turned, "You know what we need you to do here?"

"I do. I find out if where there are any battery backup systems and then I let you know where they are and then you . . . " Archie wiggled his fingers.

Gold scowled but nodded and the two men entered the imposing building.

"Mademoiselle Fifi," Gold greeted the stiff receptionist. "I was hoping you would be here again today. You were so helpful yesterday," he smiled at her.

"You have someone else with you today," the severe young woman observed without changing her facial expression.

"Yes, Mademoiselle Dupont is typing up my notes from yesterday. This is Archie Hopper, another one of my graduate assistants."

Fifi looked Archie over with apparent disapproval. She made her phone call and then handed them the badges.

Gold graciously thanked the young woman.

They went on up to the Archive Room and were again greeted by a loquacious Luminere.

"And where is the delightful young lady who was with you yesterday?" he asked Gold.

"Typing up my notes from yesterday."

"I understand. She seemed like a such a pleasant young woman. I shall be forward enough to say that she actually reminded me a bit of my princess."

Gold immediately went on alert. "Really? How so?"

"Her smile. She doesn't have the same hair or eyes, but she had the same smile as my princess."

"That's very interesting," began Archie, but he clammed up at a quelling glance from Gold.

"It is," Luminere continued, oblivious to the exchange between the other two men. "She seemed that little bit shy. And for Whisper to take to her as she did. Most unusual. A lot like my princess."

Gold who was settling in with the Taliesin manuscripts, gave Archie another meaningful glance.

"Sir, this library is so remarkable. Miss Dupont was talking on and on about it last night. Would it be. . . well, I don't want to impose . . . but would it be possible for you to give me a bit of tour?" Archie asked with his most wide-eyed innocent expression.

"But of course," Luminere responded. "Doctor Gold, you are well set up for the moment?"

"I am, thank you sir."

Luminere set off, with Archie in tow. He gave Archie the history of The Library, how the original facility was first build over sixteen hundred years ago by scholars who had fled various forms of persecution, many of them carrying some of the documents that were still housed in the facility.

"At that time there was wide spread superstitious beliefs and parts of this building were built to ward off devils and fairies and all kinds of unholy creatures. They were very careful with the placement of the doors and windows of the building so that the powers of the earth would run into it and it would be part of the defenses for the city, for the whole country."

"Interesting," Archie encouraged him. "So it was established by men of faith?"

"I would say so but they would have told you that they were men of science. Times change. Of course, now the threats to these documents are certainly more secular. We work hard to protect these materials, of course."

"Well, this is the first library I've ever been in that I had to go through a guard. You have alarms here, I presume?"

"Certainement," Luminere responded. "We have alarms, many of the doors will lock so you cannot leave until there is an all clear from the police."

"So what would happen if the power goes out?" Archie asked.

"The backup battery system would cut on and it would take over. It's in the basement, down the elevator."

"Wow. Sounds like you've got everything covered."

Luminere preened. "I think this is so," he agreed. "We have gone to some lengths to protect our facility."

"This is impressive," Archie told the man. "I know Dr. Gold was quite taken with your efficiency."

+ + + + Dinner

"Well?" Emma addressed the entire group as they sat down to supper in another small, family-owned restaurant.

"Took care of the backup battery after Archie was able to sense it out," Gold said sipping a very nice red wine.

"Excellent. Now if Archie will come with me tomorrow, we'll find the main terminal and we should be good to go by the following day," Emma summed things up.

"Jefferson?" Gold directed his attentions to the younger man.

"Practiced five times going between rooms at the hotel. Perfect. I will need to go with you tomorrow. It's easier for me if I've been to the place that I'm going to send something. Just one visit should do the trick."

"Excellent," Gold told him. "Then, as Emma has said, the following day should be right for us. I'll make sure we have a plane ready to take us out of here."

"And I'm the odd man out tomorrow?" Belle asked.

"Luminere likes you," Archie spoke up. "I think you should go with Gold tomorrow along with Jefferson."

"He does like you," Gold told her. "It's up to you, of course but I think it's a good idea."

+ + + + The Spoils of Shopping

Belle had indulged in only a single glass of wine at supper.

"I have something to show you," she told Gold nervously as they settled into what was now their room. "Emma and I walked all over town and I found something I thought you might like."

"Some pretty jewelry for yourself?" he asked.

"I'm not much of jewelry person," Belle told him shaking her head.

"Another rare book?" he asked indulgently settling into one of the chairs before the large window in their bedroom.

"Not exactly," Belle told him and she turned off all but a single light in the room and then closed the curtains.

Gold's interest had peaked at this point. "Please," he told her.

"Emma and I went shopping. We found an interesting little shop, one I didn't know about when I was a princess here. They sell . . . oh. . . specialty clothing."

Gold frowned. What? Leatherwear? Latex? He didn't think he'd like his sweet Belle in clubwear.

"Emma kinda talked me into it. She said that you wanted me to get something for myself."

"I did. I do," he confirmed. He hoped he hadn't gone wrong trusting Emma's judgment.

"Let me show you," and she smiled at him. She disappeared into the bathroom. He heard her call out. "This will take just a short moment."

"I'm not going anywhere," he promised. Hell, nothing would get him out of this chair now.

"They had a lot of different colors. Emma got herself something red and another one in black," she was still talking with him through the door.

"If it makes no difference, I'd just as soon not be hearing about Miss Swan's choices in 'specialty clothing,'" he responded. While he certainly appreciated the lovely Miss Swan, he thought of her more as a daughter than as a paramour; it did nothing for his libido to picture her in skimpy attire. . . plus the image of Emma in skimpy attire unwittingly led to another image of her and Jefferson . . . no definitely not good for the libido.

"I got something white and something blue. I thought you might want to see the white first," Belle told him and the door cracked open. She came out wearing an overlarge (white) terrycloth bathrobe.

"It's absolutely lovely," he said promptly.

She pulled a face at him. "Not the robe. This belongs to the hotel. It's what I'm wearing under it."

He had to smile and sat back. "I'd love to see what you have on under that robe, my dearest."

She looked down and licked her lips. "I find that I'm a little nervous."

"You think I won't like it? Belle, you could wear burlap and I'd find it lovely. If you're wearing something lacy or silky or filmy, I can assure you I will like it."

'Well that pretty well describes it . . . not the burlap . . . the other things," She slowly dropped the robe, turning her back to him one moment, slipping it down so that he could see little ribbon straps. Then she turned back to face him and leaned forward. If the woman had been a trained ecdysiast, she could not have done a better job teasing him.

"They called it a 'merry widow,'" Belle explained.

He found he had stopped breathing. She was wearing a white confection that pulled her waist in and pushed up her breasts. She had white stockings on fastened with garters and little silver-toned slippers. It looked like something a bride might wear.

"Well?" Belle asked after he had sat without moving, his mouth hanging open.

"Well?" she asked again.

"Mother of mercy, woman!"

"Do you like it?" she was worried she might have gone too far. Did he think it was too slutty? Too silly?

"I'm beyond liking it." He managed to walk over to her, already quite uncomfortable with the changes in his body that the sultry, sexy outfit had produced. He ran his hands down her arms and then tilted her head up to his. He began with a soft kiss.

"I was afraid you wouldn't like it," she confessed. "That it would be too revealing, too trampy."

Not like it?! The outfit would make a dead man cum! He'd never thought she'd be so forward, so brave.

"You keep surprising me, Belle. You know this type of outfit is designed to arouse a man's interest," he stated matter-of-factly.

"That's what the saleslady said."

"So you won't be surprised to find it's put me in a definite mood?"

She shook her head. And then gave him a little smile.

He reached down and picked her up. He was able to manage the three steps over to the bed where he dropped the woman onto the center of the mattress. He then moved to lay on top of her, kissing along her neck, one of his hands pushing down the top of the binding garment to grasp her breast. Belle responded wrapping her legs around him.

He looked down. "This has got little panties with it?"

"It's a thong. I've never worn a thong before. Not sure I like it," she told him.

"Well, let's take it off," he suggested making her core heat up and he reached down and drew it down her stockinged legs and over her little slippers.

"I should take off my stockings," she told him.

"No chance in hell," he told her. With one hand he reached over to the drawer to pull out another condom and then he unfastened and unzipped his jeans. He put the condom aside and slipped a hand between her legs.

"You're absolutely beautiful, Belle," he whispered, still nuzzling her. He found she was already damp and caught up in his own feelings, he pulled her legs up so that her feet were in the air and her knees were pushed back to rest nearly on the bed. He slipped on the condom and pushed into her.

Belle gasped at the force of his entry, sudden and thorough, completely expanding her, filling her. In her current position he seemed to penetrate even further than he had their first time together. He began to thrust, pulling out, then pushing back in, his pace increasing so that he was pounding, forceful and quick. It was amazing . . . good . . . . She felt engulfed by his energies, his masculinity, his sheer power. He slipped his hand between them, touching her right on her center.

"Belle look at me," he was pleading with her. And as she opened her eyes and raised them to his, she felt the coil snap and she relinquished all to him, her body throbbing and quivering. She cried out with her release. She felt him holding onto her but it was soon, so soon before he broke against her.

He collapsed onto her, breathing heavily, sweating.

She tenderly touched the side of his head, her fingers brushing through his hair. She kissed him on his cheek, just a slight touch of her lips to his skin.

Gold began to pull himself together. His eyes cleared and his breathing slowed. He lifted himself up onto his elbows. "Belle, my darling. Did I . . .? I wasn't too . . . ? Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. That was a bit different from our first time together," she observed.

"Yeah, I fell on you like a rutting goat." He pulled away from her and rolled onto his back. "I could've hurt you. I never want to do that."

"I'm fine. Apparently, I'm built sturdy." She sat up. "It was kind of exciting. You're always in control and to see you lose it . . . because of me. You couldn't even stop to take off your clothes. Makes me feel powerful."

"Not tawdry or used?" he asked. "I mean, I just dumped you on your back and had my way with you. You sure you're all right with that?"

"Well I was wearing something I was hoping would entice you. Why should I be upset when you were. . . enticed?"

He looked long and hard at her. "You say you got two of these things?" he gestured at her pretty white undergarments.

"I believe I'll hold onto the other one," she told him coyly. "I'm sure we'll find the right time."

+ + + + Family

Jefferson and Belle followed Gold into The Library for his third visit. As before Mademoiselle Fifi glared at them.

"Professor Gold, you didn't tell me that the receptionist was so gorgeous," Jefferson said in Fifi's hearing. "I would have been coming with you every day."

Fifi glared specifically at Jefferson but slowly there was the merest hint, a tiny shadow of a smile. She handed them all their badges. "I hope you enjoy your stay," she said to Jefferson.

As they walked up the stairs to the Archive Room, Gold whispered to Jefferson, "I believe you may have made a conquest. Fifi showed you more emotion in two seconds than she's shown the rest of us in two days."

Jefferson shrugged. "It's my boyish good looks," he explained.

"Well watch out for cameras. They're all over the place. Video and audio," he cautioned the younger man.

The threesome were all wanded by the bored guard and entered into the Archives. Luminere was expecting them. He greeted Belle warmly, "Mademoiselle, good to see you back. And this young man is?"

Gold made the introduction, "Jefferson. He's another one of my students."

"Happy to meet you sir. Dr. Gold and Miss Dupont have been telling me how helpful you are," Jefferson leaned in and offered his hand.

Luminere took it. Jefferson then leaned in further, "Is that your hot girlfriend out front?"

"Mademoiselle Fifi? Well . . . " Luminere waffled.

"She is one bodacious babe," Jefferson winked at him.

"She is a lovely girl," Luminere agreed. "I am a fortunate man."

"You are indeed." Jefferson clapped him on the shoulder. "Wow. I'd like to look around here some. All right with you?"

"But of course," Luminere replied.

Jefferson walked around several places, identifying the best points to practice his craft. There was a window with some light which would be an important position for Gold to take when the time came.

Belle was again being kept busy with Gold. He would have her fetch and carry for him, treating her as if she was nothing more than an unimportant go-fer. From time to time, he would catch her eye and there would be a hint of a smile or even a quick wink. She would find herself smiling back at him.

Jefferson bid them goodbye at about noon having finished up his business. Belle, with Whisper curled up next to her, was sitting in the far corner of the vault that Gold was working in when . . .

"Your Majesty! How delightful!" Gold and Belle both heard Luminere.

Belle was immediately in a state of panic. Gold raised his finger to his lips and cautioned her. He got up and went out of the vault.

"Your Majesty," Belle heard him greet her father.

"Your Majesty, this is Dr. Gold who is here from America to do some research," Luminere did the introduction.

"I am most impressed with the facilities here. This is an extraordinary place."

"Thank you. You don't sound like you're from America," his Majesty answered.

"Originally from Scotland."

"Of course. I'm glad you like this place," the king continued. "I come here for a little peace and quiet."

"A library can certainly offer solace to a troubled mind," Gold said. He looked at Belle's father. The man looked haggard, tired, almost ill. Gold could see faint traces of the same Empathy that Belle possessed but little else. "Forgive me sir, but I have heard how your daughter is very sick and this had been one of her favorite places to go. You come here because it reminds you of happier times?"

"It does." The king sat down in one of the chairs outside of the vault rooms. "I keep feeling that if I had only done things differently my daughter would be. . . well, perhaps she wouldn't be so ill. Perhaps she would be here, even now in this room, enjoying herself."

"Regret is a heavy burden," Gold replied.

"Do you have children Dr. Gold?" Maurice asked Gold.

"I did. A son. I lost him. A long time ago," Gold replied.

"Then you know. You know. It's a hurt that never goes away."

"That's right. There's a hole that can't be filled. A sorrow that cannot be assuaged."

Maurice nodded and the two men sat quietly for a moment. "She used to come here, a lot. There was a damn cat here that she was attached to. The cat and the books. I guess they gave her comfort."

Gold didn't make any response, just sat quietly with Belle's father.

"Where are you from in America, Gold?" Maurice asked him suddenly.

"A small city in the eastern United States. At least, that's where I'm living now. High in the mountains, lotsa little shops, lotsa restaurants, lotsa arts and crafts. A very pleasant place."

"Sounds like somewhere my daughter would love."

Gold just nodded. He continued to sit quietly with the grieving king. He was connected with Belle and knew she was in the back of the vault, terrified and almost certainly upset. She felt guilty for causing her father pain with her disappearance, he knew. Only by reminding herself that she had left because she could no longer tolerate the pain of living with her family seemed to help her.

It seemed like forever before the king sighed and stood. "Thank you Dr. Gold. It's nice to just sit with someone who understands what it's like to lose a child."

"You haven't lost her yet, your Majesty," Gold reminded him. "You may yet see the day she walks down the wedding aisle, even one when gives you a grandchild."

"I will hope, sir. I will continue to hope." And Maurice left.

"Luminere, sir," Gold called out to the Archivist. "Tomorrow shall be my last day here. I do hope I can get one more look at that cursed scroll before I go."

"I promise, you shall have it." Luminere beamed at him. "I think you made his Majesty feel better."

"I hope so," Gold said sincerely. He went into the vault to get his materials and, most importantly, to check on Belle.

She was sitting with tears running down her face. He used his hand to wipe her tears. "Why don't you write him a letter? We can postmark it from Paris," he suggested softly.

"Do you think . . .? That would be a good idea?" she stopped crying for the moment and perked up.

"I think so," he smiled at her. "You can let him know you're alive, and healthy, and . . . happy."

"I am. Maybe. . . maybe when all this is over, we can come back here?"

"Maybe, Belle," he told her. "Maybe."

+ + + + The House has Another Visitor

Zelena slinked into The Shop. Her mother had told her that there was only the stupid dwarf sitting behind the counter when she had dropped by. Cora had bullied her into going to check things out.

Zelena hated The House. It gave her the tingles, as if little needles were being poked into her body, all over her body. She was obviously not welcomed inside.

"Oh my, look what the cat dragged in."

Zelena cringed. It was her snotty little sister.

"Regina, darling," she managed a fake smile.

"Why are you here?" Regina asked her, coldly.

"I might ask you the same," Zelena managed to purr. "Has the job in the mayor's office not worked out? Gold got you tending his shop for what? Money? Drugs? Sex?"

"He had to go out of town for the evening and asked me to mind the store for a couple of hours. I owe the guy . . . well, everything . . . so, I said, 'sure,'" Regina answered.

"Out of town?" Zelena jumped on the information. "Where'd he go?"

"I didn't ask him," Regina said waving her off. "You know how secretive the man is . . . oh wait . . . you don't."

Zelena prickled up. "If he likes you so much, why doesn't he tell you more? Sounds like he doesn't trust you," she spoke as spitefully as she could.

"If you knew him, if you understood him, you would know that he doesn't trust anyone," Regina shrugged.

"Mother thinks he's doing his maid," Zelena shared watching Regina for a reaction.

Regina yawned. "Mother has just never been able to move on from him kicking her to the curb. She thinks any woman he spends more than twenty minutes with is his current paramour. Mother really needs to get a new hobby."

"I saw him and the maid together. He was rather protective." Zelena was flitting from one display to another, picking things up at random then putting them down.

"She's apparently a decent enough maid. I'm sure he was just trying to protect his investment."

"So who is he doing then?" Zelena leaned forward on the counter.

Regina rolled her eyes as her response.

Zelena spoke up angrily, "Oh tell me you didn't have the hots for him when you first moved in? Tell me, when he started giving you magic lessons, didn't you want some ''private" lessons from the man?"

"You . . . and mother need to get a job, get a hobby, get some kind of life. Not all of us have our thoughts in the gutter. Mr. Gold has been, is still, a great teacher. And that's all he's been to me."

"Oh pul-lease," Zelena draped herself over the counter. "You've never wanted to run your fingers through his hair, have him use those clever hands and that clever tongue on your body, push you against the wall and just take you right here in the shop? Don't you just want to get a grip on that tight little butt and take a bite?"

Regina sighed. She had had enough. "House, help me out here." She looked back at Zelena then looked up at The House. "Or should I say help her out."

She watched with some satisfaction as Zelena was propelled, jerkily and awkwardly out the front door. This time the door slammed shut behind her.

Thank you, thank you thank you to all my reviewers who are still hanging with this story as we are about to complete the second arc: OneMagician, deweymay, The Prince's Phoenix, karolprado, Robin4, Anne Andrews (Guest), RoxyMoron, EevyLynn, Grace5231973, spacecats, juju0268, Chauchi, MyraValhallah, thedoctorsgirl42, orthankg1, emospritelet (chapters 19 & 21), jewel415, cheesyteal'c, and DruidKitty(chapter 3, 4), RaFire, Erik'sTrueAngel and jaime. wan. kanobi (chapters 1,2,3 & 4)

Also special thanks to cynicsquest (who asked why they just didn't tell Luminere what they were up to – him being a nice guy and a friend to Belle) – this possibility was put forth by Archie in this chapter and precipitated a response from secretive, untrusting Gold.

NEXT: The Heist (wherein Gold and the team go after the scroll and the dagger hilt)