The Brave Thing
This love was stronger than the powers so dark,
A prince could have within his keeping;
His spells to weave and steal a heart
Within her breast, but only sleeping.
Rumplestiltskin scowled furiously down at his books. What good was all the money owed him, the favors he'd collected if he couldn't see Belle when he wished? Regina had invited practically everyone in town to her house. Some great news she wanted to impart to everyone of importance with all the little people looking on. So of course, everyone had to go, including him. That meant he couldn't go to see Belle until tomorrow night at the earliest.
His manipulation at the hospital was bearing fruit at least, but it had taken nearly a month for all the red tape to be gotten through. Still it would be another week before Bonnie would be released. Emma had told him that Henry still saw Bonnie at her window nearly every day. The boy had taken to walking past the hospital daily in an effort to draw a response from the pretty girl who stared at seemingly nothing through her window.
The heart he wasn't supposed to have ached with the need to free her, to see sunlight on her face and joy in her eyes.
Henry entered his shop, dark eyes so like his mothers sober with worry. "Hello Mr. Gold." He walked up to the counter and looked up into the irate man's face. "My mother say's she's throwing a party tonight. She says that you'll come to it."
"She's not entirely wrong young Henry," Rumplestiltskin forced his face into the facsimile of a smile.
"You shouldn't come until you've freed her." The boy told him soberly. "My mother's too happy for anything good to be happening."
"Henry, what do you know?" Rumplestiltskin fixed the mask of Mr. Gold firmly on his face. "I'm not…angry, well not at you, but I need you to tell me what you know."
"My mother is the evil Queen. Emma is Snow White and Charming's daughter. That's Mary Margaret and David. And the girl I see at the hospital every day is your true love." Henry took a deep breath and continued. "The evil Queen cursed all the fairy tale characters to end up here, where they don't remember who they are. Ashley is Cinderella, and Ruby is Red Riding Hood, which is sorta obvious when you think about it." He started to take another breath.
"All right," Mask firmly in place Mr. Gold regarded Henry. "And the evil Queen killed Graham didn't she. Killed her huntsman when he began to remember who he was."
"Yeah," Henry sighed. "Emma doesn't really believe me, but she's trying to help anyway." He looked up at Mr. Gold. "I can't figure out who you are though."
"Well, if I'm to rescue my true love..." The Dark One smiled. "I don't think I'm really a prince."
"No, I've noticed that anyone the evil Queen really dislikes, they usually have a job where nobody notices them." Henry shook his head. "So when the curse started, she must have liked you. Maybe you did her a favor or something." He frowned. "Which means you might be as bad as she is."
"Or perhaps I was and now I'm trying to be better, because my true love…isn't dead the way I was told." Gold told him softly.
"Well if I were you, I'd get her out of there before my mother's party, because whenever she gets that look on her face its bad news for someone." Henry told him.
"Thank you Henry," Gold gripped his cane tightly. "Emma gave me a very good idea the other day and I think I shall have to use it."
"Well good luck." With that the boy ran out of the shop, no doubt trying to make up for lost time.
Rumplestiltskin took a deep breath and picked up his phone. It was time for answers.
Emma paused outside of Gold's shop. The closed sign was up and the shop was dark. The cane wielding man was no where to be seen which was unusual. Gold seemed to have a sixth sense as to when someone even approached his shop.
Before she could turn around and leave Gold came walking up, an irate expression on his face. "Mr. Gold—" Emma began and was abruptly cut off.
"I'm afraid I don't have time for the niceties Sheriff Swan. I have somewhere I need to be." He nearly snarled the words. "Regina is trying to—"
"Pull a fast one, I know." Emma interrupted him this time. "Mary Margaret just called me. She said there's a big furor at the hospital."
"Yes, according to my sources one of the mental patients attacked a nurse." Gold scowled furiously. "You can guess which one."
"And with Bonnie being already locked up they won't need a lot of proof." Emma sighed in resignation. "I didn't need Mary Margaret to tell me something was up. Regina throwing a party is enough proof."
"Yes, Henry warned me nothing good would come of it." Gold shook his head. "I've spent the rest of the afternoon trying to think of a way to get her out of there."
"What are they planning on doing?" Emma looked wary and with good reason Gold thought to himself savagely.
"A chemical lobotomy." He spat the words out. "On a girl who wouldn't harm a soul." His free hand was in a fist. "I have one man at the hospital who keeps me informed. If I wait for a more opportune moment it will be too late."
"All right then." Emma looked at her watch. "Then let's get going."
"We won't be able to get her out, I still haven't figured out how to cut off power to that ward without cutting it to the rest of the hospital." Gold shook his head in frustration.
"The hospital should have a back up generator for all the medical equipment, insurance requires it." Emma looked around. "We should get going. If we're going to do this and make Regina's party it'll be tight."
"What do you mean we?" Gold blinked in surprise.
"Do you have a chance of pulling this off alone? Or with your one guy?" She looked at him in irritation. "You need help. I'm all you've got unless you plan on dragging Henry into this."
"No, I don't want him to get in trouble." Gold blinked in surprise again. Where that charitable thought had come from he had no notion. "We need to move now though."
"Get in then." Emma gestured to the beat up yellow bug she'd driven to his shop. "I hope you aren't too attached to those clothes because they're gonna get messed up."
"I am attached to very little Sheriff Swan," Gold told her dryly. "Bonnie is more important to me than any belonging."
"Just call me Emma until we're done committing a crime," She chuckled. "I don't think Sheriff is an appropriate title when I'm about to break the law."
"So how do we cut the power?" He asked curiously. "I know a back way down to Bonnie's ward but I have no idea how to cut the power."
"First we need someone to let us in the hospital when the power goes out. Internal locks might not work but outer doors will be locked from the inside. People can get out but no one can get in." Emma told him with a grimace. "Your man on the inside good for that?"
"I'll make certain he is." Gold pulled out his cell phone and hit a button. Tersely he explained what he needed and his face grew more grim as he listened. "He says they've doped her up with something." Was all he said to Emma as he cut off the call.
"So we'll need to help her out of there." Emma nodded. "All right. Time for the big guns." She pulled out her phone and hit a button. "Mary Margaret. You know that problem the hospital was having? Yeah that one. I need that to happen again. Stuff those toilets with what ever you have to in order to flood that room. And for the love of God change into scrubs and cover your head when you do it. The last thing I need is to arrest you for vandalism."
"I'll post her bail if that happens." Gold nearly smiled. "So we both have someone on the inside."
"There's a bathroom over the main electrical room. Idiotic architecture if you ask me, but there you go. When the bathroom floods it leaks down to the room below. Apparently it flooded so badly that the hospital lost power once." Emma chuckled. "Mary Margaret is going to make it happen again."
Gold took a deep breath. "Do you really think this will work Emma? Can we really save her?"
"I don't care if I have to knock the nurse out and take her passcard, we are getting Bonnie out of there before Regina can do something else to her." Emma looked fierce enough to take the evil Queen on right there. Gold nearly grinned in spite of his worry.
"Well then, lets 'screw our courage to a sticking place'." Gold murmured.
"I've never understood totally what that means." Emma shook her head as she pulled onto the road leading to the hospital. "I mean I get screwing up your courage, working yourself up but the literal meaning? No clue."
"A sticking place was where the cord of a bow was strung." Gold told her as they slowed down. The hospital was in view and the lights were still on. Twilight was fading, full night coming on and the hospital lights still blazed. Emma had come in the back way, where the employees would go in and out, fewer cameras and fewer travelers on the road. "We won't want to be here long. How long do you think it will take Mary Margaret to—"
As he spoke the lights flickered for a moment, came on strongly and then flickered and went completely out. "That's our cue." Emma floored it and Gold cursed as he was jolted about. "Sorry," She offered as she drove right up to the door under a now dark light. "Old car." She hopped out and pushed her seat up and forward so it was ready for their return before rounding the car to help him out of the front seat.
"I know an excellent man for restoration of classics." Gold gasped as he unfolded his bad leg and limped towards the door. Two quickly paced knocks and it opened. "Jim," he greeted the orderly. "I owe you another bonus."
"We gotta be quick as we can." The orderly blinked at the sight of Emma. "They're trying to fix the problem."
"How long will that take?" Emma asked softly as they hurried as quickly as they could down the stairs.
"Considering a main water pipe burst?" Jim chuckled slightly. "Don't know how you all managed that but its going to be a while before it's fixed. The whole hospital is on lockdown because security is off."
"That's just how we like it." Gold grinned wickedly and ignored the increasing ache in his leg as they finally reached the bottom of the stairs.
"Lead the way." Emma told him as she looked out the door. She looked at Gold, "You follow him, and I'll bring up the rear."
The pace Jim the orderly set wasn't a comfortable one for Gold but they finally reached Bonnie's door. Emma leaned down to examine the lock and pulled a set of picks from her jacket pocket. "I was afraid of this," She sighed and looked around. "Check the nurse's desk and see if the keys are there. I can pick it but it'll take more time than I like."
Jim searched the desk and shook his head. "Head nurse must take 'em home." He said quietly.
"Lock that main door then," Gold pointed to the double doors at the bottom of the main stairs. "If anyone comes that'll buy us some time."
The big man's face was a study of mischief as he slid the deadbolt home. "That'll take a little time."
"Quiet both of you while I deal with this damn…" Emma nearly snarled at the lock and pulled out a bigger pick. "Multiple drops and timed releases, damn you Regina," She muttered and began working again. Finally she heard the telltale snick of the lock clicking open and pulled at the door.
The eerie moan of the hinges bore witness to how few times it had been opened. Gold didn't even wait for it to open completely before slipping inside. "Bonnie," he called softly. The soft moan he heard in reply was heart wrenching. As the door opened further, letting the dim illumination of the emergency lights in he saw her on the floor beneath the windows. "Jim, I need your help."
Emma pulled the door open wider and gestured for the big man to go in. "I'll keep the door open, you get her out and we'll all leave."
"Talk about that in a minute." Jim strode into the room and easily picked the fragile girl up. "Mr. Gold, you go on, I'm right behind you." He cradled Bonnie carefully in his arms and followed the now severely limping man out the cell door.
Emma gasped as she saw the girl's face and arms. "Oh god, they hit her." She swore as she shut the door, removing her picks so it would relock. "Let's go while we can."
Jim led them through the dark rooms to the back stairs and began to walk up them as quickly as he could. "I'll help you get her into the car, and then I've got to get back to work." He told Gold quietly. "I can explain being gone on my lunch while the power went out, but if I don't come back…"
"They'll suspect you." Gold nodded. "I understand." He watched as Emma held the door open for them. The parking lot was still dark. "Where do you go for your lunch?" He asked the orderly quietly.
"I go and sit in my car, listen to the radio down the road." Jim chuckled. "My car looks like half the cars in the lot, so ain't like someone'll notice if I'm here or not." He gently slid Bonnie into the back seat and gestured for Emma to stop holding the door. "I'll go round front and pound on the doors to get in. Let that one lock, just like it'd be if I came back from my break."
Gold pulled out a thick fold of bills and handed them to the man. "Thank you." He looked at Emma getting into the car. "I have to go, but I'll talk to you soon." He gave Jim a smile. "Thank you very much." Limping as fast as he could he threw himself into the car.
He hadn't even completely shut the door before Emma was pulling away from the hospital. Her phone was out and she was tensely waiting for the other end to pick up. "Mary Margaret?" The tension went out of her. "Are you on your way home?" A deep breath. "Good. I'll be there in a little while. Leave for the party without me if you want, tell Regina I wanted to do one last sweep of the town if she asks where I am. Tell her I wouldn't miss it for the world." She closed her phone and shot a smug look at Gold. "I'll drop the two of you at your house."
Gold had barely taken his eyes off Belle and nodded absently. "I don't want to leave her alone." He said quietly. "What if she wakes up and I'm not there?"
"Is there something you can do so she's not afraid? A note or something like that?" Emma asked softly. "Because if you don't show up to Regina's party and stay the whole time it'll be as good as a shout that you have something to do with Bonnie disappearing."
"Oh I'm very well aware," He ground his teeth together. "I'll figure something out, because there is no way I'm letting Regina take her from me again."
Rumplestiltskin laid Belle on his wide bed and covered her with one of his quilts, leaving a lamp burning on the table beside her. The note he scrawled was hurried but as affectionate as he could convey with words. To hold it in place on the bedside table he placed his cup, the most treasured object he owned. For a moment he simply sat beside her prone form, his hand cupping her cheek. In sleep her mouth curved slightly and she burrowed deeper into the quilt and pillows.
Thinking for a moment, he forced himself to rise and selected appropriate clothing for Regina's party, preparing in the guest room down the hall. As dapperly dressed as he could manage, he peaked into his room to see Belle still sleeping. The door to the en suite bath he left open and the light burning there so she would be sure to have plenty of illumination should she wake before he returned.
Finding a few of his books he thought she'd like he brought those up and placed them on the bed beside her. A more obvious invitation he couldn't think of. "I hate to leave you, but if I am absent, she'll know I'm plotting against her love." He bent and pressed a kiss to her rumpled hair. "I'll be back as soon as I can."
Frowning with discontent as he forced himself to leave Rumplestiltskin armed the new security system and locked every door and window. If Regina thought he was going to risk Belle she would have to think again.
By happy chance he wasn't even tardy for the Mayor's party, arriving along with the bulk of the crowd. He knew everyone in town of course, though there were few he actually enjoyed speaking with. Spying Mary Margaret standing across the room from David Rumplestiltskin decided he would strike up a conversation with Emma's mother. Carefully not smiling as he moved through the crowd he took up a place near the teacher and nodded politely. "Has Emma arrived yet Miss Mary Margaret?" He inquired with a half smile.
"She's doing one last round before she comes by," Mary Margaret said with a polite smile. "I expect her any minute really."
"She's been very decent to me in spite of my brush with…hmm…assault." He said quietly. "I saw her earlier in the evening and she seemed quite energetic."
"Oh Emma usually has a lot of energy even after work." Dark eyes, so like Henry's looked up at him thoughtfully. "I really think its things like this that tire her out." Mary Margaret's eyes were drawn to David again and she seemed to force them back to the man with whom she was making conversation.
"I can't blame her there," Gold smiled amiably. "Far more enjoyable to be home with a good book and a warm fire than standing about Regina's drawing room waiting for whatever news she wants to announce." He gave a sardonic roll of his eyes and was rewarded with a sweetly mischievous smile.
"I really just love to see Henry out of the classroom," She confided. "He's such a sweet boy."
"In spite of how he's been raised." Gold muttered. "It's a miracle he isn't mad or psychotic with that bitch raising him."
Mary Margaret choked a bit on the drink she'd been sipping and looked at him with wide eyes. "Mr. Gold, really that's—"
"Inappropriate I know." He slanted a wicked grin at Emma's mother. "But he's a dear boy and she is anything but dear." He leaned against the wall, hooking his cane over one arm and sighed looking around the room. "A bit of advice if you'll indulge me?" She nodded a bit warily and his grin tilted, Rumplestiltskin showing through his mask. "Don't give up."
"That's it? Don't give up?" She repeated with a frown and a shake of her head.
"Yes." He nodded as he saw Emma come in. "After all, what's giving up but a kind of cowardice really? Take it from someone who knows." Gold looked at the small woman standing next to him. "Emma just arrived. I imagine she'll come to see you and log in my whereabouts for the evening."
No sooner had he finished speaking than Emma slipped through the crowd to reach them both. "Sorry I'm late," she apologized. "Mr. Gold, I'm surprised you didn't bother to tell me you'd be here this evening."
"Sorry Sheriff Swan," He smiled and gave her a bow from his shoulders. "It slipped my mind when I spoke to you this afternoon. Do you want me to come by your office before I head home so we can adjust your little book?"
Emma rolled her eyes at him. "No, that's all right, I think I can remember you were at the Mayor's party until tomorrow morning. I'll adjust the log then."
"Ah, so glad you could make it Sheriff," Regina came slithering through the crowd and fixed her dark gaze on Emma. "We were beginning to worry."
"There was a problem at the hospital." Emma shook her head. "Generators kicked on but I wanted to be sure they were all set before I came over here especially as it's started to rain. They're working on the problem and by morning everything should be in order. I told the road crews to bring some temporary lights out there so nobody has a problem in the dark on that street."
"Well it's good that we have you on duty." Regina forced a smile. "That's actually what I wanted to talk to everyone about." She moved towards the dining room and tapped a spoon to the side of her crystal champagne flute. "As you all know, our hospital has been suffering from the economy just as everyone else has. Not long ago it was decided that the budget would have to be cut. I am happy to say this is no longer the case. An anonymous donation has made up the difference in the hospital's budget and beyond it. We'll have the chance to do more for our patients and our town."
There were pleased exclamations and Regina nearly beamed with pleasure. "Well that's the big news I wanted to share, please enjoy yourselves. Tomorrow we all go back to work."
Gold smiled and clapped along with everyone else and slanted a look at Emma and Mary Margaret. "How long do you think I should stay?" He asked quietly. "The weather is turning nasty and this isn't where I want to be."
"Leave when Mary Margaret does," Emma suggested with a faint smile. "Regina knows I despise her so she won't expect me to stay long."
"Would that we all were so lucky." Gold managed a grimace of a smile as he acknowledged the wisdom of Emma's suggestion. "Mary Margaret, I won't inflict my company on you for the entire evening, but if you'd find me when you're ready to leave I'd appreciate it."
Emma chuckled. "Mr. Gold, that's the poorest excuse for a smile I've ever seen." She shook her head. "If we don't bump into each other again tonight I'll see you in the morning." She tilted her head thoughtfully. "You appear to be limping a bit more this evening, weather getting to you?"
"I'm afraid as the cold sets in more strongly, along with the rain, my infirmity is made more obvious." Gold wondered where she was going with this odd conversation.
"Well," She looked around and saw the judge, "The judge wanted you to keep me informed as to your whereabouts, let's see how he feels about phone calls when the weather's too bad for you to go out." Catching the judge's eye she motioned him over, a tall stork like figure of a man with a shock of silver hair and bright green eyes. "Sir," she greeted him politely.
"Sheriff, Mr. Gold, Mary Margaret," The judge gave them all nods ranging from polite to amiable. "Enjoying yourselves?"
"I'm not much of one for parties." Emma shrugged. "But I saw Mr. Gold here and we took the opportunity to amend his location for the evening."
"Keeping close track are you Sheriff?" The judge bent a steely look on her.
"Mr. Gold had been cooperative and quite regular about keeping me informed." Emma nodded, "Even when the weather makes it more difficult for him to be out and about."
"The cold gets into your bones as well as mine I suppose," The judge took a drink from the glass he held.
"It does indeed sir," Mr. Gold nodded. "Hence my proximity to the wall."
"Noting this, and also noting that Mr. Gold has been extremely cooperative, and shows no signs of disregarding your order to stay away from Mr. French, I wanted to speak with you about relaxing a few of his restrictions." Emma said quietly.
"What sort of relaxing?" The judge sipped his drink again.
"When the weather is inclement, such as it is tonight, perhaps Mr. Gold could telephone me his whereabouts and plans for the morning, afternoon or evening?" Emma suggested. "Barring a few misunderstandings that first week, every time I've checked up on him, Gold's been where he's said he would be."
"So in your opinion he shouldn't have to go out in the rain to tell you he's going to his shop or going home? Just call and tell you?" The judge did not appear pleased by the idea.
"I'm not suggesting that he disregard visiting the station altogether," Emma shook her head. "But if he's at home, and the weather's bad and he needs to rest at home for the morning, it defeats the purpose of doing so if he has to come into town to inform me of it."
"Judge, I don't want to presume on your good nature, or yours Sheriff Swan, but if you wished, I'd be happy to welcome the Sheriff into my home at any time so she might ascertain that I am where I said I'd be." Gold looked at the Judge and recalled the favor owed, letting the knowledge show in his eyes. "The sheriff has been most gracious about my interruptions of her day as I inform her of my schedule. As you know I usually enjoy walking about town, but for someone like me, the rain…well, it doesn't leave me at my best."
"If the Sheriff doesn't mind checking on your whereabouts in person I suppose allowing you to phone in your schedule and locations on bad days is fine." The judge nodded slowly. "But the first sign that this is a ruse, that you're not where you're supposed to be, we'll put an ankle monitor on you."
"I shall endeavor not to disappoint." Gold put his free hand over his heart and watched the judge roll his eyes and stalk away. "The man reminds me of a stork," he commented in a low voice. "Surely I'm not the only one."
Mary Margaret, silent throughout the conversation, giggled a bit and shook her head. "I'd better go mingle," was all she said, excusing herself.
"Alone at last," Gold chuckled looking at Emma. "So what was the problem with the hospital?"
"Flood in the electrical room apparently." She rolled her eyes. "Put the power out in the whole place. They've got back up generators but those don't power the street lights so travel was pretty precarious."
"No one was hurt I hope?" Rumplestiltskin let his true nature gleam in his eyes and smile and was rewarded with Emma's wicked grin.
"No, no injuries except a few bruises from folks hitting walls and doors in the dark." She shook her head. "If the donation is sizeable enough lets hope they can do something about the problem with flooding that room."
"Well I'll bring it up at the next board meeting." Gold stood up straight as his eyes met those of someone behind Emma. "Madame Mayor, wouldn't you agree? The problem with the electrics room being flooded? Money should be earmarked for a way to prevent that?"
"Absolutely." Regina's smile was cold as a snake. "I'll look forward to bringing it before the board."
"Emma!" Henry's voice drowned out the mayor's next few words and Gold watched as the Sheriff ignored the most powerful woman in town in favor of greeting her son.
"Henry, hey," The sheriff grinned. "How're you doing?"
"I'm good. Just wanted to say hi." He looked up at Regina. "Mary Margaret offered to play checkers with me, can I?"
"May I," Regina corrected him. "You have an hour. Then bed."
"Cool." Henry grinned. "C'mon Emma, you can help Mary Margaret. She always loses at checkers."
Emma laughed a little helplessly as Henry grabbed her hand and tugged her away. "Well, see you two later," She waved as she was pulled into the crowd.
Rumplestiltskin regarded the Queen and tilted his head. "An anonymous donation to a beleaguered hospital," He said softly, the ghost of his old high pitched laugh beneath his words, "It sounds like a wish come true."
"Oh, merely the product of some careful maneuvering," She smiled again, her glee showing plainly now. "I imagine we'll be able to afford the latest treatments for some of our problem patients."
Rumplestiltskin kept his face bland and disinterested. "How very commendable," He returned her smile coldly. "But thankfully I have no one near and dear in need of medical services. If I did, I imagine I'd be beyond thankful for your efforts." He leaned on his cane and wondered if Regina really thought she could make him betray anything he didn't want known. He'd been playing the game longer than she'd been alive. He was the Dark One after all. "Now Regina, if you'll excuse me, I'd rather be speaking with any one else. Please." He added with a wicked smile.
It took effort and time, which he did not wish to waste, but he stayed at the party even after Mary Margaret left. A half an hour after the teacher had gone, and long after Emma had left he spoke with several folk who owed him favors or money, working his subtle magic or reassurance that they had plenty of time to repay him. Sometimes he even meant what he said. In short, he did nothing to arouse Regina's suspicions or to give any indication he had someone waiting for him at home.
It felt like forever but he finally retrieved his topcoat and bid Regina farewell. "I do hope you have more of these little gatherings Regina," He offered her a chilly smile. "This town could use more good news."
TBC