Warning: Will eventually contain mature material. Language. Lemons. Some spicy limes. Maybe full-blown things. ~_^

A.N. - This chappie has one of my new twists to it, mwahahaha... at the end at least, mwahahaha. From here on out the shite is gonna hit the fan, LOL.

Oh... and sorreh for the delay... the internet was down around campus for a bit and I was angry about it, LOL.

[THERE IS A NEW A.N. AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS CHAPPIE: 5-8-2012]

A Salvation Called Love

-Chapter 29-

-I AM Rumplestiltskin-

[Mr. Gold – The Following Afternoon]

Today. It was today that I was finally going to be able to see Annabelle again. It had been a long month and a half and I was tired of waiting. I'd left the office early last night and had been driving through the night so that I could arrive in time for her to get out of her afternoon classes. This time though I was going to be able to stay for a couple days instead of just one night. I'd told my secretary to move all my appointments back a few days.

The afternoon bells were just ringing to dismiss classes when I pulled up in front of Annabelle's dorm. I got out and headed towards the buildings holding the classrooms. She would have just gotten out of Musical Composition III. I knew I'd surprise her and I found myself smiling and anxious to see her. When I arrived outside the music building I took a seat on the stairs and waited patiently as student's swarmed around me leaving to head to others or back to their dorms or wherever they were headed to. After five minutes of waiting, when no more students left, I frowned and pulled out my phone. She should have come out by now. I dialed her number and put the phone up to my ear. It started to ring almost immediately but after the thirteenth ring I hung up because Annabelle hadn't answered. That wasn't like her.

I was just standing when a girl that I had seen talking with Annabelle before walked by. I quickly stood up and called out to her. "Anya!"

The girl stopped and stared at me in confusion for a few seconds before recognition showed on her face. "Mr. Gold! What are you doing here?"

I waited until she'd walked back towards me and stopped to stand. I gave a small smile and gripped my cane tightly. "I'm here to see Annabelle. She was supposed to get out of class a short while ago but she didn't come out. Have you seen her today?"

Anya frowned as she thought but after a few moments she shook her head. "No. I haven't actually. She didn't come to her morning class that we share this morning. I figured she still wasn't feeling well."

"She hasn't been feeling well? Is she sick?"

Anya shrugged. "I'm not sure. She said she'd gone to a clinic but they said she'd be fine. If she didn't come to classes at all today then she might be in her room sleeping." She shifted her bag on her shoulder and smiled. "I can take you there if you want, Mr. Gold."

I shook my head and smiled at her. "No thank you, Anya. I'm sure I know the way. Thank you for helping."

Anya nodded. "No problem, Mr. Gold. I hope I'll see you around." She turned away and headed on to wherever she was going.

I headed back towards Annabelle's dorm. If she was sick the least I could do was be there for her. I might even be able to heal her with my magic. It only took me a few minutes to get back over to her dorm and head upstairs. I ran into a few of the girls that lived there and politely said hi when they did and ignored their stares as I walked by. I stopped outside Annabelle's room and knocked gently. I waited a couple minutes before trying again. Still nothing. I tried the door handle and it clicked open. It wasn't locked. I pushed to door open and peeked inside. "Annabelle?"

The room was empty. I opened the door wider and stepped all the way in. I looked around but there wasn't much to see. Her bag was sitting on her bed as if she'd gone to classes today, but her friend had informed me otherwise. I sighed and pulled my phone back out. I dialed Annabelle's number again but just as I was fixing to put it to my ear I heard it ringing somewhere on her bed. I immediately walked forward and opened her bag, digging around past the books. When I finally found her phone I pulled it out and hung mine up. I clicked the hang up button on her phone and looked at the screen. It said she's had eleven missed calls between yesterday evening and now. All the calls but four of them were from a girl named Ashley.

My instincts told me something wasn't right. I knew Annabelle wouldn't just leave her phone in her room for this long. I clicked dial for the number of this Ashley and moved to stand outside her room. The way the dorms were set up they looked like a hotel, with outside walkways that lead to each room and floor. The view was of the opposite dorm and a part of the campus. After a couple of rings Ashley answered. "Annabelle! Finally, do you know how many times I've tried calling you?"

I waited until she was finished before speaking. "Is this Ashley?"

There was a long pause before Ashley spoke, her voice thick with suspicion. "Yah, who is this? Where is Annabelle?"

I arched a brow. She was smart to be suspicious. "My name is Mr. Gold. I'm Annabelle's lover and I'm wondering the same thing. It looks like she hasn't been in her room since yesterday evening."

I heard Ashley suck in a deep breath and her voice was a little shaky when she spoke again. "Mr. Gold. Annabelle's Mr. Gold. I don't know where she is. I'm sorry I have to go."

I growled into the phone just as she hung up and moved to dial when I heard a door slam open across the parking lot on the second floor of the dorm. A girl with dark curly hair ran quickly down the stairs until she reached the parking lot. I arched a brow as I watched her quickly walk to her car. I had an idea as to who she was. I pressed the redial button and waited as it rang Ashley's phone. The girl in the parking lot stopped a few feet from a silver car and checked her phone as it rang. She didn't answer and it confirmed my suspicion that it was indeed this Ashley that had been calling my Annabelle. And I knew that she knew something about why Annabelle wasn't here.

I didn't bother with the stairs because I knew I wouldn't make it down to the parking lot in time to stop Ashley from leaving. Instead I quickly turned and closed Annabelle's door and disappeared in a puff of smoke, reappearing down in the parking lot just as Ashley was opening her car door. She gave a startled scream and I pushed the car door closed with my cane. "You must be Ashley I presume?"

Ashley took a few steps back away from me. "Mr. G… Gold?"

I gave a curt nod before grabbing the girl's wrists and slamming her back against the car. "Aye, I'm Mr. Gold."

She swallowed nervously and tried to wiggle free of my hold. "W… what… what are you doing here, Mr. Gold?"

I leaned in close and whispered in a steady, low voice. "I was here to see Annabelle but seeing as she's missing I decided I'd pay you a visit since you didn't want to talk to me on the phone."

I watched as her pupils dilated in fear. "I… I don't know anything. I haven't seen her since yesterday. I swear."

"Then why avoid talking to me and try to run, Ashley? That smells of something suspicious to me, wouldn't you say? Now…" I paused and removed my hold on her wrist in order to wrap my hand gently around her neck. "I'm not beyond using force on a woman in order to get information so why don't you just answer me truthfully, Dearie, and you won't have to get hurt."

I felt her shiver beneath my hand and she was breathing heavily in fear. She shook her head over and over again. "I swear I don't know anything. I swear. All I know is that she was with a man yesterday. After that I haven't seen or heard from her."

I cocked my head to the side and slowly licked my lips. She seemed to be telling the truth… partly at least. "Then why avoid talking with me, Ashley? That there says you know something, even if it doesn't involve Annabelle disappearing." I slowly leaned forward until I felt her ear brush against my lips. "What do you know, Ashley? If you're truthful with me I might not have to revert to violence."

"I can't." She was shaking now and I was enjoying her fear.

"Why can't you, Dearie? It's not hard really, just tell me what you know."

She shook her head rapidly. "I can't."

I moved back so that I could stare into her eyes. "Tell me why you can't."

She was almost ghostly white by now but I didn't mind. Something inside of me that I'd hidden for hundreds of years enjoyed frightening this girl. "She'll kill my family."

I paused at that and slowly pushed away from her, releasing my hold on her neck. But I didn't move much further away, I didn't want her to try and escape. "Who will kill them, Dearie?"

She shook her head again. "If she finds out I said anything she'll kill my family and then she'll kill me. I can't tell you her name."

Something about her words flipped the right trigger in my mind and I knew instantly who she was talking about. There was only one woman who would have an interest in Annabelle and who would resort to killing people so easily. "Regina."

Ashley went whiter still, a feat that was surprising, and I watched tears start to fall down her cheeks. Her voice was choked as she spoke. "How… How did you know? No… No, how do you even know her name?"

I sighed and ran my free hand through my hair. I had to be delicate about this otherwise I wasn't going to be getting any information from her without hurting her myself, and right now I didn't feel like being like Regina. I just wanted to find Annabelle. She was my priority and if I had to play nice and offer someone my protection from that bitch then I'll do it. "Ashley." I waited to continue until she was looking up at me through her tears. Gods, why did women have to cry? "Ashley, I'm not going to hurt you, alright, Dearie? In fact I can help you."

She reached up and wiped at the tears staining her cheeks and just stared at me silently for a few moments. "You can't help me, Mr. Gold. She's more powerful than you can imagine. She's got force behind her and money and she'll use it to get whatever she wants. And if she wants me dead then I'm as good as dead. If you know who Regina is then you should know all of this yourself. You should know that I just can't say anything. I'm sorry."

I sighed again, heavier than last time, and stepped closer to her again. "Ashley, Dearie… I know who that woman is more than you do. I know her better than you because she's been my rival for more years than your pretty little brain could comprehend. I know who she is and I know what she's capable of but what you don't seem to understand is that the only person she fears is me."

Ashley's hands slowly moved upwards to press against my chest, stopping my forward movement. Her big brown eyes were even bigger now and there was a small spark of hope in them that my words were true. She had to lick her lips a few times before she could speak again. "What do you mean you're the only one who she fears?"

I smiled and I knew it was an evil smile, one built over many, many years of being consumed by magic and by murdering to protect what was mine… or just murdering in general. Regina had nothing on me. "I hold more power than she does. I hold what she wants most in this world. She wants it because she wants to be the most powerful being in this world. But the most powerful being in this world happens to be me." I grinned and stepped back with a dramatic flourish of my hands, reminiscent of my old days when I went by the name Rumplestiltskin. "If anyone can offer you protection, Dearie, it's me. And if you were smart, you'd take what I'm offering you in exchange for what you know."

She blinked up at me for a few seconds as she thought through everything. Finally she gave a tiny nod and stepped forward, extending her hand. "It's a deal, as long as you hold to your word. I want me and my family protected otherwise I won't say a word."

My grin grew until I knew it was an almost ear-to-ear grin. Deals were my specialty. I snapped my fingers and released the magic that I'd been building up inside of me. I followed the connection Ashley had to her family and transferred them to a safer place where they couldn't be touched by Regina or her minions. Ashley would be with me when I went to see Regina so she would most definitely be protected. "A deal's a deal, Dearie, and I'm not one to break one that I make. Protection for you and your family granted. Now…" I leaned forward on my cane and stared at her intently. "What has that… witch been doing behind my back?"

Ashley looked around for a few seconds before shaking her head. "Come to my room and I'll tell you."

I frowned and didn't trust her enough to follow her. I shook my head. "No. Let's go to the music hall. I have a feeling that they don't have any mirrors in there and it's probably deserted at the moment."

She paused for a moment before nodding. "I suppose it would be much safer."

I allowed her to lead the way across campus to the music hall that had been one of Annabelle's favourite places to go. It didn't take us long until we walked up the stairs and through the doors. We both took a look around to make sure we were alone before I settled into one of the soft, foldable theater seats that lined the back of the auditorium. I could see the stage clearly and a huge black grand piano was sitting in the middle of it. I could almost see Annabelle sitting there right now playing something beautiful.

I was jerked from my thoughts when Ashley flopped down backwards in the seat in front of me so that she could stare at me. "You love her, don't you?"

I slowly licked my lips and cocked my head to the side. "Is it that obvious, Dearie?"

A small smile cracked the corner of her lips and she absently flicked back a bunch of her dark curls. "Yah."

I sucked in a deep breath and held it for a few moments before slowly releasing it and running a hand across my face, my scruff making a soft scratching noise as my skin passed over it. "Such a bothersome thing that."

Ashley frowned. "Love?"

I gave a small grin. "Sort of… but mostly that it's so obvious. I've hidden my emotions for so long it's a little… unnerving for others to see it so clearly."

Ashley's soft laugh startled me and I gripped my cane a little tighter. She must have noticed because she clamped a hand over her mouth and her brown eyes twinkled at me. Seems like her fear had dissipated the second I'd offered to protect her and her family. After a few seconds of fighting off her laughter she finally spoke. "Regina wanted me to spy on Annabelle and to report everything she does. That's the reason I transferred here this year."

"And what have you told her?"

She shifted uncomfortably in her seat before speaking, avoiding eye contact now. "I told her about your visit a little over a month ago and I told her what Annabelle told me about you. And I told her recently that Annabelle was sick and that she had gone to a clinic."

I blinked at her as I allowed her words to sink in. She wasn't telling me something. The way she was avoiding looking at me told me so. I leaned forward and gripped her chin tightly, pulling her face around so that she would stare at me. "That's not everything is it?"

She shook her head and her voice was almost a whisper as she spoke. "No."

I tightened my grip slightly until I saw tears form at the corner of her eyes. "Tell me what else it is you told her."

I didn't remove my hand as I felt her warm tears run across my fingers. She reached up and quickly wiped them away from her eyes. "There was a reason she went to the clinic."

I knew that part. I sighed. "She was sick, you already told me that."

She shook her head rapidly. "No… no, she wasn't just sick."

I frowned. "What do you mean she wasn't just sick? Is something else wrong with her?"

Ashley bit her lower lip for a few seconds as she stared up at me before continuing to speak. "It's not that something was wrong with her… it's… it's just that she… she's…"

I gave a low growl of impatience. "I'm not a patient man, Dearie. Stop stumbling over your words and just tell me."

Ashley squeezed her eyes closed and spoke quickly. "She's pregnant with your baby!"

I froze and released my hold on her chin, blinking at her in disbelief. Surely I hadn't heard her correctly. "What did you say?"

Ashley slowly opened her eyes and this time she spoke in slow, strong words. "She's pregnant with your baby, Mr. Gold. That's why she had to go to the clinic and that's why I think Regina… that's why I have a feeling that the reason Anna is missing is because Regina sent someone to kidnap her."

I slowly slumped back into my seat and just stared at Ashley. "Annabelle is… she's pregnant. She's pregnant with my baby… my… my baby…" It was almost too much to hear. I hadn't though she could get pregnant. She's been on birth control for a long period of time… and I didn't think I could get someone pregnant either. I've been alive for far too long to be able to get a woman pregnant. But if Annabelle really was pregnant… if she was and Regina had her… then that would mean Regina knew that Annabelle and that baby were now the most precious thing to me. Fear spiked in me because I knew what Regina would do to Annabelle if she didn't get what she wanted. I moved forward quickly and grabbed a handful of Ashley's jacket, pulling her forward until she was almost eye to eye with me. "How sure are you? How do you know?"

Ashley reached up and tried to pry my fingers away from her jacket. "I'm very sure, Mr. Gold. She had a test done and got the results back and they were positive. The only person she's slept with was you. She told me and made sure I wouldn't tell anyone… but after she left my room I told Regina."

I slowly released Ashley's jacket and fell back against my seat, burying my face in my hands. I gave a low groan. "Dammit. Dammit all to hell, Ashley. Do you know what she's going to do to Annabelle now that she knows she's pregnant?"

Ashley gave a small nod. "She's going to torture her until you go get her."

I nodded and felt hundreds of years of anger begin to boil up inside of me. I stopped holding back my powers and let it fill me until it was spilling over. "Yes. But that's only part of what she plans on doing, Dearie. That's only part. But I'll be damned before I allow her to do anything to my woman and my child. I will destroy everything she's build up." I slowly stood up and removed my hands from my face.

When Ashley gasped and fell backwards out of her seat I knew something had changed about me. She pointed at me and struggled to find words. "Your…. Mr. Gold… Your eyes… they're… they're different… and your skin. It's… it's like you're wearing gold."

I looked down at my hands and found that she'd been speaking the truth. My skin had turned an almost dark gold colour with flecks of gold everywhere. My anger had brought back the appearance I'd had when I'd gone by my old name, Rumplestiltskin…when I was known by everyone as the Dark One. I grinned and turned my dark black and gold eyes down to Ashley where she huddled against the back of the other seats. I held my hand out to her. "I won't hurt you, Dearie. My anger is all for Regina."

Ashley stared at my hand for a few seconds before slowly reaching up and taking it. She jerked back at the touch of my cool skin and blushed when she realized what she'd done. She took my hand firmly this time and I easily pulled her to her feet. When she was steady on her feet she just continued to stare at me. She slowly reached up and touched her fingertips to my cheek. "Why is your skin like this?"

I gave a small shrug and stepped back away from her. "This is what I looked like a long time ago before I decided to become a part of the growing world."

She stepped forward and tried to touch my cheek again but I gently grabbed her wrist, holding her away from me. "Where did Mr. Gold go?"

I gave a soft giggle. "I am Mr. Gold, Dearie. But I'm also Rumplestiltskin."

Ashley gave me a slightly confused look and cocked her head to the side. "Rumplestiltskin? As in the guy who used to spin straw into gold and make deals with people?"

I gave a dramatic bow and giggled gleefully. "Yes indeed, Dearie. You guessed correctly. I am that Rumplestiltskin… except much more than what people portrayed me as. Their fairytales only told so much about me, and most of that was twisted. But in the end, I am still that same Rumplestiltskin."

I watched as a light clicked on in Ashley's head and she quickly reached out and grabbed one of my hands. "That's what you meant by you being the only one that Regina fears? Isn't it? You can really save Annabelle, can't you?"

I struggled a little to pry Ashley's hands from mine and when I succeeded I disappeared in a puff of smoke and reappeared at the end of the aisle, putting some distance in between us. I didn't like it when people freely touched me. "Yes, Dearie, I can really save Annabelle. And I intend to do so as quickly as possible because the lives of my love and my unborn child are at stake. I will destroy that woman until she has nothing left except her own misery and failures." I offered my hand to Ashley once more. "Come. I have to find where Annabelle is. I have a feeling I might now where but you're coming with me."

Ashley shook her head and started backing away, her brown eyes huge with fear again. "No. No, I can't go back there. I can't let her see me. No."

I gave a slightly annoyed growl and transported myself back in front of her. She squeaked and turned to run but I grabbed her and wrapped my arms around her waist, holding her tight against me as I transported the both of us to my house back in New York. I released Ashley and allowed her to drop to the marble floor. She wouldn't be going anywhere for a little while, I think I frightened her too much. But to be sure she wouldn't try to leave while I prepared some things I snapped my fingers and all the locks in the house closed tightly, sealing themselves so that she couldn't leave. I turned and gave her a small smile. "I shant be too long, Dearie. You stay right there and then we can go destroy that vile woman."

I turned away from her and walked up the stairs to my room. It was time I brought out one of my old outfits, befitting of my temporary change into my Rumplestiltskin form. I was going to make that bitch regret messing with me. No one takes what is mine, what I love, again and gets away with it. Ever.

A.N. #2 - Yes... I know in OUAT in the real world there is no magic... but you know what :P my story is most def. AU soooo... MAGIC IS IN THE REAL WORLD! as you've previously seen before in previous chappies... but I thought I'd just say it, kahahaha.

A.N. #3 (late added edit) - I'm sorry about the delay about publishing the next chappie... It's finals and the end of the semester so I've gotta focus on that. And I'm planning on mass writing a few chappies so that I can publish them all at once for you guys! I really hate making you wait, and I sincerely apologize! You won't have to wait for much longer if I can help it any. Then you can see the shite hit the fan! Oh... and OMG on this latest episode of OUAT! All I'm saying is the better freakin' not kill Henry... (even if it is a sleeping spell) they better not kill him... I loveles Henry tons! And Mr. Gold... looked sooo hot in that dark red shirt and tie! Uhnff!