Chapter 27 – Epilogue

3 Months Later

The cool December air was fresh and crisp with a sharp bite to it that sent multiple shivers through Mr. Gold's thin frame. He didn't mind the cold though; in fact, he relished the sensation of the icy wind that swirled against his bare head and into his eager lungs.

It held the distinctive taste of snow and freedom.

Nodding to the young guard at the gate, he quickly limped out of Massachusetts's largest medium security prison for the second time that year.

After just a few steps, he was forced to tug the overly large donated coat around his disheveled suit a bit more tightly to ward off the chill. He was almost as eager to rid himself of his current wardrobe as he was to be out of his horrid prison jumpsuit.

Orange was definitely not a flattering color.

This was without a doubt the final time he would ever wear this particular suit. The black slacks still held traces of dust from his little sojourn through the casino's ventilation system and his Armani shirt was now missing two buttons. While he had not worn a tie in almost three months, he felt practically naked at the moment without one.

The trek through the chain link alley was long and tedious thanks to the unfamiliar plastic cane that was donated to him along with the frayed coat. They would both be headed to the bin as soon as he got to his tailor's.

His light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel came in the form of his son, leaning casually against the fencing, eating from a bag of potato chips. Neal quickly disposed of his snack when he spotted his father approach and wiped his greasy fingers on the outside of his very fine wool coat. As Gold got closer, he noted the expensive three piece suit he wore underneath.

"Has someone died, Bae?" he asked half-seriously. "I do believe this is the first time you have ever out-dressed me!"

"That's not too hard to do considering the state you're in, Papa." Neal smiled impishly and held up his hands. "Let's call it a special occasion. To celebrate the last time I will ever have to pick my father up from prison."

"One can only hope, son," he said as he gave his beloved son a warm hug.

"Grandpa!" cried Henry. The young boy quickly ran across the parking lot and wrapped his short arms around his grandfather's waist.

"Hello, my dear boy," said Gold as he returned the ten year old's embrace. "You have no idea how long I've waited to hear you call me that."

"Henry!" shouted Emma crossly behind him. She made her way through the crowd of cars parked between them and arrived breathlessly by Neal's side. "You were supposed to wait in the car. Give your dad a chance to catch up with Grandpa, okay?"

"That's quite all right, Miss Swan." He held out his right hand and smiled warmly when she reciprocated the gesture. "I suppose I have you to thank for my son finally learning how to dress appropriately. How are you, dear?"

Emma placed her free hand over her belly. "Pregnant again."

"Ah! That is fantastic news. Congratulations!" Gold's heart swelled with pride and happiness as he took in the growing family. "So will the wedding be before or after the baby comes."

Neal groaned loudly and Emma rolled her eyes. "We're in no rush."

"Besides, we don't want to compete with David and Mary Margaret. They're getting married in Hawaii on New Year's Eve. We're all invited, by the way."

"Even Leroy!" added Henry excitedly. "He and Astrid are in New Zealand right now. They're taking their ship around the world."

"So I've heard. They sent me a postcard from Hong Kong a few weeks back when they eloped."

"Archie and Ruby have teamed up too, in more ways than one," said Emma. "They're working across the US in tandem now; Ruby stalks their prey and Archie makes the lift. They're making quite the name for themselves. It's kind of sweet…in a non-violent Bonnie and Clyde kind of way."

"In some ways they remind me of Emma and I in our younger years," added Neal. He wrapped his arm around Emma and raised his eyebrows conspiratorially at his son. "And speaking of young romances… Henry has his first girlfriend."

"DAD!" moaned Henry.

"Once Jefferson's house arrest was 'officially' over, he decided to use some of his share to take Grace around the world. We met up with them at Disneyworld. He and Grace have been texting each other every night ever since. He's even planning on bringing her a gift when we go to Hawaii."

"Grace is a lovely girl, Henry. She has a fondness for toy rabbits if that helps." They began to walk through the lot, slower than he would have preferred thanks to his disability, but he was enjoying hearing how everyone had been faring since the heist. "So was this a family trip? Did Granny attend as well?"

He caught a quick glance between Emma and Neal as they tried to contain their grins.

"Believe it or not, Granny has a new beau in New York," said his son.

"She's been married twelve times. That doesn't surprise me one bit."

"Yeah, well, this might: he's broke. She moved out of that horrible retirement complex in Florida and got herself a loft in Manhattan. She's currently dating her Italian handyman. It's looking like husband number thirteen might actually be for love."

"You're right. I don't believe it. And what about Mr. Booth? Has he managed to find love as well while I've been detained?"

"Nah. August found inspiration. He's been working on his new novel; one of those outrageous heist stories with lots of twists and surprises. There's already been some interest with a small publisher."

"It's about time that boy grew up and started acting like a man."

The wind picked up with an unexpected ferocity that pushed the family back a few steps. Neal removed his long scarf and wrapped it several times around Henry's neck, protecting his son from the cold Massachusetts's air. Gold was suddenly quite eager to reach the comfort of a warm vehicle.

"Which car is yours, son?" Gold asked. He looked around the crowded lot and saw a couple of high end vehicles that were likely possibilities.

Neal pointed over to the next row. "The blue one."

Very little ever caught Danny Gold by surprise but this was one of the few exceptions. He turned around to stare at his son suspiciously. "Ten million dollars and you're driving a mini-van?"

"What can I say? I blew it all on the suit," he replied teasingly.

"It's just a rental. We needed the extra space," added Emma.

Neal winked as he placed his arm around his father's shoulders and pointed back towards their ride. "Yeah, I picked up your personal effects for you. Hope you don't mind."

His breath caught in this throat as time seemed to stop all around him. Moisture threatened to spill from his eyes and he inhaled deeply to control his voice. He awkwardly cleared his throat and shot his son a quick grin. "I don't think these belong to me."

Belle had emerged from the van and was now leaning casually against the door, wearing a long navy coat over a knee length dress. She removed her sunglasses and beamed brilliantly at his approach. He barely registered the fact that Neal, Emma and Henry had suddenly become fascinated with a couple of pigeons in the opposite direction.

There were a million things he wanted to say to her but every word was lost on his tongue as he gazed upon her. This was no dream. She was real and she was standing right in front of him.

"Hey," she said.

"Hey," he replied.

She bit her lower lip shyly and ran her hand through his straggly hair. He leaned into the contact and simply enjoyed the feeling of her skin against his. She was so warm despite the cold breeze.

"I, uh, got you a gift," she said cryptically. "You know, to celebrate your release."

"You didn't have to do that," he whispered as he tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear.

"I know." She dipped her head back inside the vehicle and removed a wide, thin package. It was decorated in gold paper with a large bow in the corner. "But I wanted to."

"Hmm. It's too thin to be a book," he teased. He quickly tore away the shiny paper to reveal the front page of a newspaper, enclosed in an expensive glass and mahogany frame. An unflattering picture of Regina Mills took up most of the page with an amusing caption that read '$124M Magically Disappears!'

"The insurance company paid up so she didn't lose the Casino, but she had to make several changes to keep it afloat in the meantime. I'm afraid the museum didn't make it; budget cuts and so forth."

Gold smiled sadly and entwined his fingers with hers. "I really am sorry, dearie. Despite everything, I know how much you loved your job."

"Well, I'm far from destitute," she said, winking mischievously. "I've managed feed and clothe myself somehow."

His eyes wandered down her curvy frame and admired the expensive clothes that covered it. "I can honestly say that you look like ten million bucks, dear."

She caressed his chest and brought her hands around his neck. "Nine million actually. I'm afraid I've already spent some on a down payment for a lovely little shop in Manhattan. I've decided to give Golden Antiques another try. Perhaps a new location is all I need. I'm, uh, looking for a manager if you happen to know of anyone qualified."

"Manhattan, you say?" He lowered his head so that their lips were but millimeters apart. "Why that particular city?"

"It seems like everyone I know is relocating there," she whispered. "And I want to be as close to our grandchildren as possible."

His lips tentatively connected with hers, seeking permission. She grasped his head tightly against hers as she deepened the kiss, no longer wanting to deny themselves anymore. It was pure bliss to be back in the arms of the woman he loved and knowing that they would never have to be apart again. Nothing could possibly ruin their moment.

"Grandpa!" called Henry. "I'm freezing over here! Can't you kiss her in the van?"

Belle snorted and rested her head against his chest, laughing uproariously as he ran his hands over her back. His kissed the top of her head and turned to his family. "All right, lad. Hop in. I can't let you freeze to death or they might put me right back in my cell."

They quickly piled into the vehicle, Belle and Gold claiming the back seat while Henry took up the center row. "I'm hungry," he said to no one in particular. "Where do you want to eat, Grandpa?"

"Hmmm. I was planning on asking you out to a fancy, romantic dinner tonight," said Belle. She took in his old coat and disheveled suit appraisingly and shook her head. "But first we need to get you to a tailor!"

"Tell you what," said Gold. "Forget the fancy dinner for now. I have $22 in my wallet. I believe that's enough for a couple of hamburgers and ice tea. How about it, Ms. Gold?"

She smiled brightly and snuggled up against his side. "Sounds wonderful, Mr. Gold."

He picked up her left hand and ran his thumb over her knuckles. He looked down and frowned in confusion at the sight of a simple gold band that sat snuggly on her ring finger. "You said you sold this."

She blushed a charming shade of pink that made her look all the more beautiful. "I did say that, didn't I?"

"Liar," he whispered.

"Thief," she replied.

He brought his lips to hers once again and kissed her to his heart's content.

He had gotten back everything that had been taken from him and all was finally right with the world.

The End

A/N - Thank you all so much for your lovely reviews and support! This has been such a fun story to write. Thank you for taking the time to read it!