A long time between this and the last chapter. Here it is. I hope you are all enjoying this story so far. As you all know I own nothing of OUAT. Please let me know how I am doing.
...
Just outside Storybrooke (Day Two)
The drive back to Storybrooke was tense but luckily for Gold and Emma, Henry was sleeping in the backseat. It was a long and very exhaustive day for him. Emma's stomach was still churning from her discovery on the airplane and she hadn't built up the courage to tell Gold yet. The idea she had slept with and became pregnant by Gold and that Neal was his son made her nauseous. The very thought of that more than awkward conversation ran through her head like some demented YouTube video that one watches in the way too early part of the morning.
Neal's reaction was not surprising considering who his father was. Emma didn't know the whole story but enough to know that Neal had every right to be upset with his father. Imagine what Neal would think when he finds out what Gold did just to find him.
She glanced at Gold who was concentrating on returning to Storybrooke. There was lots of time left before he had to return before the curse took effect so his thoughts were filled with the not so good meeting with this son.
"How did you meet my son?" The comfortable silence was broken with his question.
"I stole a car he stole while he was in the backseat of the car."
Gold gave her a glance of surprise. "He was a thief?"
"We both were and were good at it too."
He wasn't sure how he felt about that but he let it slide. "Why didn't you tell him about Henry?"
"Do we have to talk about this now?" Emma was not in the mood for any questions. Neal was supposed to be a closed chapter in her life and it was now opened up again.
"Yes, this is a good time as any as I don't see you jumping out of the car to avoid the uncomfortable questions."
Emma was being forced to answer and decided to remain silent. Gold knew what she was doing and decided to stir the hornet's nest. "Is there something you want to tell me, Dearie?"
"No."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. "Then explain why I found this in the airplane lavatory. I asked the hostess and it wasn't hers."
Of all the things...she could kick herself now. She looked at the box then his face. He wasn't upset just waiting for an explanation.
"I'm pregnant."
Gold knew this already but he didn't let it show. He smiled and some of the tension went out of his shoulders. He was more than thrilled that she now knew but he also knew that Emma would find this incredibly awkward knowing that Emma also had a child with his son.
"I am very happy Emma. More happy than you can understand. I also know that this puts you in a very awkward situation."
Emma was surprised by his reaction. "You want this child?"
"Being a father is one of the best gifts that a man could ever have. I'm just sorry that you are so involved with...everything." Gold was elated that he'll be a father again. His son wouldn't be pleased though.
"Neal wasn't exactly a good candidate for a father."
Gold sighed. "He didn't have the best example to follow." Regret laced every word. "I have no intentions on making the same mistakes I did with Bae."
Emma had too many emotions at the moment to deal with and wished for a drink more now than ever but that wouldn't happen for at least nine months. "Neal will come to see Henry."
"I hope so." The worry and tension was held in every word. Emma looked at Gold and saw that he was simply too tired no depend on hope alone.
Emma started to think now that she was fully awake. The knowledge that Gold knows about her pregnancy and is happy about it brought up other thoughts that she knew would be an issue later on. "What if I don't want to go to...what if I don't want to leave this world?"
Gold knew what she was really asking and the answer wasn't something she was going to like. "That's a loaded question. You want to know if I'll force you to come or not." Gold's heart thumped painfully as he really didn't want to lose another child and a woman that would grow to love him. "Two weeks and you'll have to decide what you want to do."
Emma was taken aback. For a man that is known for being possessive he was taking her idea very well. "I don't understand."
"It's your choice."
"No manipulations?"
Gold half smiled. "Can't guarantee that. I am who I am."
"What's the price?"
He couldn't help but feel a little hurt by that but he earned that reputation for making deals no matter how personal the situation. "I'll take Henry as my son." Gold could feel heat radiate off of Emma with his words. "It would be for his protection. There are those that would harm him because he was raised by Regina and the grandson of Rumplestiltskin. Being the son of the town hero wins him very few points. Even being the grandson of Snow White and Prince Charming won't protect him. In fact that will bring on another set of enemies that were in support of Regina and others."
"Then he should stay here. Any enemies he'll have will go to the Enchanted forest, that's what you call it right?"
"I'd like to call it home, but yes. And no Henry will not be safe here. Also he may want to go to the Enchanted forest. Ever think of that? All this time and no one has ever asked him what he wants."
"I want to go there."
Both Gold and Emma were startled by the sleepy but happy voice from the backseat.
Emma turned in her seat to face Henry. "How long have you been awake?"
"Long enough to know that I'm going to have a brother or sister."
"I'm sorry Henry, I really would have liked for you to find out another way." Emma now felt guilty for something else.
Gold had a renewed smile on his face once again. "You'll love the Enchanted forest Henry. Your grandparents have the most beautiful castle in the land."
Henry looked really interested and wanted to ask more questions but was smart enough to know that it wasn't the time.
Emma sat back in her seat wanting for this day to end.
...
The road into Storybrooke was blocked off and there was only another fifteen minutes before Gold had to get past the boarder. "This has Regina written all over it." Gold contemplated driving to another entrance but there would not be enough time.
He grumbled and got out of the car and walked across the border. The magic that was denied him returned like a fresh breath of air. "I can't leave until tomorrow. But I can take care of this barrier." With a wave of his hand the barrier of wood and tires was removed. "You'll have to drive the car past the boarder.
Emma did and drove past the barrier. Gold ushered Emma back into the passenger seat again. She almost had to laugh at his reaction to her driving. It seems that even he was like any other man when it comes to their cars.
Five minutes later there was a sound of gunshots and the car came to a stop. The tires were blown out from spikes being placed on the road.
Emma wasn't too pleased. "So I guess we'll walk. How far is it to your cabin?"
"Farther than my house. It's closer to the other road into town."
"How far is the walk into town?"
Gold thought for a moment.
"Your leg, it will hurt a lot after we get to your place."
"Is that an offer of a massage?" Gold asked suggestively knowing that Henry was too occupied with kicking the spikes to the side of the road to hear him.
"Yes, you're leg would be killing you and you're hard enough to deal with when you're in a good mood. I'd hate to think what you would do when in a foul one with a sore leg."
"Then it's a deal." Gold attempted to transport them all to his house and in seconds they were taken from the road.
When the smoke cleared Gold found himself in a jail cell. He looked to see Regina with a very satisfied look on her face. "Didn't think you could leave and take my son without a price did you?"
"He's not your son." He made another attempt to unlock the door but found his magic didn't work. "There's only one thing that can stop my magic."
Regina crossed her arms in triumph. "I made a deal with Blue, I found some of the wands in your shop and gave them to her. There was enough magic in one of them to do a single spell."
Gold was furious. He should have killed Blue while he had the chance and now it passed. He looked down and noticed that the hole for the key had been removed. The door was fused shut. "I'm surprised they didn't threaten to put you in here first."
"You have done more damage to people than I, Rumple. I am no threat to anyone anymore."
Regina had tricked him and had the upper hand at the moment. This was a little too cleaver for her to come up with this plan by herself. "Who helped you? You certainly are not this creative."
Her smirk faltered a little. "Unlike you I have some loyal friends."
"Sidney Glass? That's laughable. Or perhaps King George who spends his time pining over the fact that Charming decided to have free will."
"Enjoy your time behind bars. They look good on you." Regina left before Gold could ask what she had to give up to ensure that Blue would help her.
Gold was furious and gripped the bars in anger. He spent long enough time behind bars and didn't savour the idea of spending more time behind them again. He saw bars in his future but the flash of an image was never one that seemed a possibility. It was too faint and fragmented.
Emma and Henry, where were they? "Wait! Where is Emma and Henry?"
Regina was almost out of the room. She turned around. "Oh, you tried to transport them with you? The ticket was for one passenger only. They're still where you left them. I get the feeling they are at the edge of town. It would be terrible if something happened to them so far from town."
Gold reached for his cell phone and saw it in Regina's hand. "This part was my idea." The phone started to ring. "Oh, it's Emma." Regina answered. "Enjoy the trip Emma?"
'Where's Gold and why are you answering his phone?'
"You kidnapped my son so you don't get to ask questions. But I'll humour you. Gold is behind bars. Good luck getting him out." Regina hung up and smashed the phone with the heel of her shoe. She quickly left not bothering to listen to Gold's threats.
Gold was shaking with anger and there was no way he could protect Emma or Henry. His son Bae would be in danger as well. A stranger entering town would attract attention and as soon as Emma meets him the whole town will know who he is.
An hour passed and he was calmed enough to plan his revenge. He'll get out of the cell but it will cost him and Emma. Her name calmed him some as it had that effect on him.
Another hour passed and footsteps were heard. They belonged to a man much to his disappointment and he was further disappointed when he discovered to whom they belonged.
"Mr. Glass, but that's not who you really are."
"And you are no prisoner. I helped get you in here and I'll get you out..."
"...for a price." Gold finished.
Sidney smiled and stood with more confidence than any remember seeing him. "I'm glad you understand."
...
Enchanted Forest
Synthia was rather nervous serving the hero that broke the curse and her son Henry. She tried to hold onto the memories of her old life and missed them. In Storybrooke she was more confident and was planning on studying to be a nurse. She liked the nurses at the hospital and wanted to be one of them. She was going to apply to the local college in town but then the curse broke and she remembered who she was.
She knew that she wasn't a very strong person but she wasn't clumsy. Her other world name was Amy and she was good at things. People didn't make fun of her and she could always read people well. Slowly like most she was losing her old memories and she dearly wanted to keep them.
In this world she didn't know how to write but Amy did. Each day she practiced writing in a journal. It wasn't much but it was one of the things she managed to take with her from the other world. She wrote about who she was and what she liked to do. Her writing wasn't as good at it was but it stopped getting worse. Now she was learning how to write as Synthia not as the remains of Amy.
Oh, no!
It was getting late and she was so lost in her thoughts that she forgot to sweep out Henry's room.'I wonder if he'll be upset or Emma.' She really didn't want Emma to be upset with her.
Synthia ran into Henry's room thankful that no one was there. "Good I have some time."
"Time for what?" Henry walked in behind her. He looked at her and knew she was one of the servants that was sent here. He recognized her. "You're Amy aren't you?"
"Oh, um I was Amy, now I am Synthia. I was sent here to clean but I got lost in my thoughts and now I am late with cleaning the floor of your room. I am so sorry about that I really hope that doesn't offend you. I tend to get behind with things but don't mean to and I want to make a good first impression but I am doing a really bad job of that right now aren't I?"
Henry looked at the nervous woman before him. She was still a teenager but had less confidence than he did. "Don't worry. I just came in to get a book. I just don't know where things are here yet. And please don't act all servant like. I'm not from this world."
"I am, I miss being Amy."
Henry realized that Synthia had memories left over. "You still remember your old life? I thought almost every one aside from Rumplestiltskin had lost all their memory."
"Oh, I guess it might have to do with me writing my memories down. Amy could write not me. Well now I can as I have so much practice." The thought of having something in common with the Dark One wasn't too settling for her.
Henry wondered about something else. "How did you get paper? It's not an easy thing to come by here."
"I had a journal and a few pens that I brought over with me from Storybrooke. I only have a few pages left but I can write in the dirt or on the stones with some of the soot from the fireplace as it's really easy to clean off the stone floors." Synthia was nervous as she spoke never feeling fully in place.
"Wait a minute." Henry went to the boxes that littered the floor. "I know there was some paper here someplace. I am given homework to do here and to study so many subjects and languages I never knew existed." Henry opened up a box and found some paper. "It's only about ten sheets of paper but it should do you for a while I hope."
Synthia wasn't sure what to do. "I...I thank you. I'll make sure not to waste them."
Henry nodded happy to speak to someone that remembered Storybrooke. "Do you mind talking about Storybrooke? I'd really like to as no one wants to remember the curse or how they were affected. I just don't want to forget things from that world. I acutlly miss being driven in a car and would have liked to learn how to drive one."
"I'd love to."Synthia held a large smile on her face and went to work cleaning the floor and almost tripped over her broom in the process.
...
Dr. Brooke was thrilled for the opportunity to enter the Dark Castle. He heard that Rumplestiltskin had the most comprehensive library in the realm and he wanted to take advantage of that fact. The fabric with Rumplestiltskin's blood was held in a pocket that was tied closed.
One of the fairies that worked with him cautioned him when entering the castle.
"I would rather you didn't go there. You are doing excellent work here. I have never seen anyone do so much work in so short a time. Things are not the same as the your world or the last but they are good here."
Her name was Arabelle and wore a soft sea foam green dress that matched her light blond curls very well. Her eyes were just as green and gave her a very ethereal look. He was sorry that he never met her while in Storybrooke, though she would have been a nun she would have been stunning none the less.
"I appreciate the advice I really do Arabella, but I have to understand why some are chosen to live and others not."
She shook her head. "That and you want to change a person's fate. Things don't work that way here. Just as your world held no color."
He looked down at his robes. It seems he chose grays, blacks and whites for his clothing of choice. To him it made everything else seem brighter around him. "It was a place with no color but it wasn't as cold as its made out to be. This world can be just as cold as any other world. It's just painted differently by the same artist."
Arabella had grown to respect Dr. Brooke. "Whatever you do, don't lose that rag with Rumplestiltskin's blood. If you do then you will be sealed in the castle until he lets you out. There will be tricks there to ensure that you lose it or have to use it in some way. Cut the fabric into two pieces. One for you and the other for another reason that may come up."
Dr. Brooke smiled realizing that she was correct. "I've been tricked before by him. I hope never to again. Thank you."
Arabella nodded and then went back to her work. Dr. Brooke finished his packing and made his way to the Dark Castle.
...
