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

A Salvation Called Love

-Chapter 31-

-Searching-

[Mr. Gold]

Some call love a curse some call love a thief but she's my home,
and she's as much a part of this broken heart.

I'd been searching for any signs of Regina for about four hours now but she'd hidden herself well. I couldn't even sense her magical aura. Ashley was currently driving us around the city, stopping here and there at places where I knew Regina frequented but I hadn't found a trace of her. We were just stopping outside of her company building when my phone rang. I sighed and pulled it out, answering it without looking to see who it was. "Yes?"

"Rumplestiltskin."

I reached over and gripped Ashley's arm, making her pull over and turn the car off. I unbuckled my seatbelt and leaned forward so that I could rest my elbows on my knees, the leather of my outfit creaking with the movement. "Your Majesty."

Regina laughed over the phone. "I'm glad you remember, Rumplestiltskin."

I found myself rolling my eyes and sighing in frustration. "What did you want, Regina?"

"I want to have a little meeting with you. It's… very important that you accept."

I growled into the phone and knew exactly why she wanted to meet me. But it seemed that she didn't know that I knew that she'd taken Annabelle. "When and where?"

Regina laughed again. "I want you to meet me in half an hour."

I gripped the phone tightly and hissed into it, my anger threatening to boil over. She was toying with me and I could be very impatient at times. "Where, Your Majesty?"

There was a moment of silence over the phone before she gave a soft laugh and spoke again. "My home, Rumplestiltskin. My home. I believe you'll be able to find it, won't you?"

I hung up without responding to her question. Of course I knew where she lived and of course that's where she would be holding Annabelle. I couldn't believe that I hadn't thought to look there first. I turned to Ashley and gave her a small, encouraging smile. She was completely frightened of what Regina would do if she found out I'd made her help her but I wanted her to know that I wouldn't let anything happen to her. She'd helped me and I wasn't that much of bastard not to help her in return. "We're meeting her in half an hour at her place. I'll have to drive."

Ashley slowly nodded and quickly unbuckled herself, stepping out and around the car. When she came to my door I quickly opened it and got out. I walked fast around the car and slid in before anyone could really take a good look at my appearance. Looking like my old self in today's society might get me a few weird looks and mayhaps a few questions… things I didn't have time for. Annabelle was priority now and nothing else.

[Half an Hour Later]

I slowly pulled up to Regina's home and put the car in park, shutting it off and quickly slipping my seatbelt. I turned to Ashley beside me and gave her a tiny smile. She was death white and shaking. I reached over and grabbed her hand. "I promised I wouldn't let her touch you, Ashley. I've only ever broke one promise in my life and I'm not going to do that again."

Ashley tightened her grip on my hand and gave a small nod of her head. "Thank you." She turned and opened her door, stepping out. I followed behind her and we both closed the doors at the same time.

By the time she'd walked around the car to stand beside me two massive guards had appeared. They stared at me up and down and one of them snickered at my appearance. I narrowed my eyes at him and raised my hand, cutting off his air with my magic. He grabbed at his throat as he gasped like a fish out of water. Seconds before he passed out I released him and he stumbled down the stairs to land at my feet still gasping. I knelt down beside him, the leather sighing with the movement and I gave a small giggle. "Someone should teach you manners, Dearie. It's rather rude to laugh at someone who your boss is expecting."

There was a sharp click of heels that drew my attention away from the pathetic bodyguard. Regina stopped a few steps above me and I watched as her eyes widened when I stood up. Her face paled just a little. "Rumple…" She coughed and quickly brushed her hands down her perfect dress suit. "Rumplestiltskin. It's a pleasure to see that you're… well."

I held my hands out and gave a little twirl to show my old self off to her. "You like it then, Your Majesty? I figured it would be a nice little surprise for the woman who has something of mine." When I stopped turning I glared up at her and started walking up the steps towards her.

She turned even whiter and backed up the stairs while I followed. "I… I don't know what you're talking about, Rumplestiltskin. I only wanted to talk about our companies."

The remaining guard that had been standing on the stairs stepped in front of me so that I wouldn't do anything to Regina. I stopped and glared up at her around the massive wall of muscle that had no hope of stopping me if I really wanted to get at Reina. "Why don't we just drop the lies, Your Majesty? I already know everything." I turned and held my hand out to Ashley. She slowly made her way towards the stairs, stepping onto the stomach of the fallen guard and up onto the steps. When she was close enough she took my hand and I tucked her in beside me as I turned back to Regina. "Ashley's already told me what she knows."

Regina's eyes hardened and she glared down at Ashley. "Oh? So you're a traitor now, Ashley? What about your family? Didn't you want them safe?"

"They are."

Regina arched a brow. "What? Speak up when you talk to me."

Ashley straightened beside me and turned her dark brown eyes up to the woman how had manipulated her for so long. "I said that they are safe. You can't hurt me or them ever again."

I grinned and gave a tiny shrug that could be barely seen around the guard who was still standing in between us. "We made a little deal."

Regina clinched her hands tightly and if looks could kill I would have been dead within seconds. "Well then, I guess we can drop the acting then can't we?" She snapped her fingers and the guard in front of her started backing up the stairs until he was standing beside her. "Please, come inside and we can discuss things."

I slowly started walking up the stairs but shook my head. "I don't plan on discussing anything with you, Your Majesty. I want what is mine and I will have it."

She held the door open and turned with a small smile. "Oh, you'll get what is yours… after we make a small… arrangement."

I stopped in front of Regina and stared up into her dark eyes. I could feel the evil in them but they'd never affected me like they'd done to others. I was older than her. I was the one that helped her become what she was. "I want to see her before we make any arrangements."

Regina stiffened beside me but gave a small nod of her head. I gave a small grin and walked through the door, Ashley's hand held tightly in mine. When the door was closed behind all of us, Regina walked passed us and headed down a small hallway by the staircase. Me and Ashley trailed behind her at a slow pace. When she stopped in front of a massive door she turned and glared at me. "She's downstairs in one of my cells. There's only one other prisoner down there so I don't think you'll confuse which one is her." She waved her hand and the door slowly opened. A light flickered on down at the bottom of the stairs and I heard chains clink. I quickly brushed passed her and made my way down the stairs.

The light was bright as I stepped off the stairs and I immediately let go of Ashley's hand as I spotted Annabelle's body laid out on the floor. I ran over and grabbed the bars. "Annabelle!" The only movement from her was her eyelids fluttering.

I turned angrily when I heard Regina's heels click off the bottom step. She was grinning like a Cheshire cat. "She's alright, no need to worry. She's just sleeping."

I clinched my hands beside me. I needed to remain calm. I could magically take Annabelle out of here if I wanted to but I needed to deal with Regina first. I wanted Annabelle safe for the rest of her life. I wanted my child to be safe for the rest of its life as well. "Why did you want her, Regina? Why take her?"

Regina gave a small shrug. "I needed a little leverage against you so that you'd listen to me."

I turned away from Regina and looked down at my precious Annabelle. I leaned my forehead against the bars and fought to hold down my anger. "Open the cell door."

"Not until we talk upstairs."

I gripped the bars tightly. "Open the cell doors now!"

There was a soft rustle of movement in the cell next to Annabelle's and I turned my head to stare at the young man who had moved over to the bars connecting their cells. His warm brown eyes stared at me with a soft pleading. "Don't anger her. Go talk upstairs and I'll make sure Annabelle stays safe."

I blinked at him for a few moments as I took in his appearance. His mass of brown waves was a little messy with a few tuffs sticking up here and there and he was tall. Taller than me. Something about him struck me as familiar but I couldn't exactly place him. I slowly moved away from Annabelle's cell and stopped in front of his cell. "Why would you look after her?"

Before he could answer Ashley walked up behind me and tugged on my sleeve. I peered over my shoulder at her. "He's the one that took her."

I stopped breathing for a few seconds as her words sank in. When they finally did my anger flared and I struck out with my magic without thinking. The young man slammed back against the far wall and groaned as he slid to the floor. As his eye's fluttered closed something inside of him sparked familiarly against my magic. I sucked in a deep breath and pulled my magic away from him before I could figure out why it was familiar to me. I turned away and glared at Regina. "I will take his life if he touches her again."

She arched a brow and gave a small shrug. "Whatever you say, Rumplestiltskin." She walked over to me and stopped a few inches away. Ashley backed away a little. Regina ignored her. "Now, let's go upstairs so that we can discuss some very important things."

I stared into her dark evil eyes for a long moment before nodding. I turned to Ashley and touched her shoulder lightly. "Please stay down here and watch her."

Ashley nodded. "I will. I'll make sure that she stays safe."

I turned away from her and brushed passed Regina. She followed behind me as we both made our way upstairs. I would do anything to ensure my lover and my child were safe. Anything.