Chapter Three: Sloth.

Regina had just finished cooking what she considered a nice meal for Henry and Herself, she placed a plate in front of her son. She was beyond thrilled when he asked if he could spend the night with her tonight and have dinner.

"Dig in," She said said sitting down across from him.

"Can I talk to you about something?" Henry asked, taking a bite of spaghetti.

"Of course you can."

"Have you talked to Grandpa Gold lately?"

"Not since your birthday a few days ago, why?" She took a bite of food.

"He seems sad."

"Well his wife left him, that's a hard thing to deal with."

"Yeah I guess," Henry said as he began pushing his food around on his plate.

"Alright, tell me what's bothering you." She put her own fork down and took a drink, giving him her full attention.

"It's just, he hasn't opened the shop. It's been three days since he's opened. I don't know if he's even eaten anything. When I go over to work he just says 'not now Henry' and sends me home."

She took a drink of her wine, thinking about the state her mentor had been in lately. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't slightly concerned about him as well. She didn't want Henry to worry.

"I'll tell you what, after dinner I'll go over and check on him."

"Promise?"

"Promise, now you eat something."

Henry smiled at her before digging in to his spaghetti like a starved mine, she sparingly took bites of her own food. Her appetite repressed by worry for the man who taught her not to care.

She pulled up in front of the massive and dark house two hours later, she glanced at the clock in her car and saw it was around eight at night. Maybe the dark one was already asleep? No, she remembered from their lessons how much he'd loved the dark. He'd told her once that when the sunset he was finally surrounded by something that was darker than he was. She had left Henry home alone with the promise not to take long, so she'd better get moving.

She climbed from her car and walked up the sidewalk to the overbearing house, a sense of foreboding hanging thick in the air. The atmosphere itself crackled with the energy of his magic, she could feel him in ever breath she took and that could only mean he was either angry or hurting.

She knocked on the door and it swung open, she took a step inside. It was pitch black.

"Gold?"

The clock in the hall continued to tick out a simple rhythm, but that was the only sound. She walked further inside and pushed the door shut behind her, she flipped the switch closest to her and the entryway flooded with light. The house was in disarray, someone had been destroyed every piece of decoration and furniture.

"Gold!" She rushed through each room, fear for her teacher overtaking her.

When she rushed up the stairs she shoved open the door of the first room she found, Rumplestiltskin was laying in his massive bed. He didnt' have shoes or socks, no tie of jacket and his shirt was undone two buttons revealing his muscular chest, his normally perfect hair was a mess.

"Gold!" She called.

"Bloody hell, what?"

"You've been robbed!"

"No, I haven't. Are you daft coming in here like this?"

She put her hands on her hips and heaved a heavy sigh. Break ups were hard but this was ridiculous.

"I'm here because Henry sent me."

"Why on earth would he do that?" He asked, sitting up.

"He's worried about you," She began straightening things up around the room. On autopilot from having a young son that destroyed his room often. She began folding shirts and putting them away.

"Worried? About me? The dark one? That's laughable."

"You're his grandfather, you sent him home from work everyday."

"Yes, well some people like to take a break. No, don't put the blue shirts in the top drawer."

"They'll go where I put them, you can't just check out on life."

"I can do whatever I want, I'm the dark one."

"You can't use that as an excuse for whatever you want to do. You might be the dark one but you're still a human being."

"Last time I checked I wasn't much of one."

She finished with the clothes that were scattered and paused to lean against the dresser, crossing her arms and staring at him.

"I know you're hurt, but Henry doesn't understand. Can you at least call him and tell him you're sick?"

"Fine, I'll tell him I'm ill."

"Thank you."

"Motherhood suits you surprisingly well,"He commented drily.

"Is that a compliment or a criticism?"

"Take it however you like, I'm feeling generous."

"How long are you planning on laying around your house being lazy?"

"All eternity seems long enough," He said laying back down.

She watched him a second but he had blocked her out and was staring at his ceiling. She thought about leaving, turning around and leaving. She thought about it but she didn't, instead she began picking up trash and putting it in a small waste basket. She wondered why she was cleaning the dark ones room, why she cared if he lived in a pig sty, he could hire a maid if he wanted too, he had enough money too and it wasn't her damn mess.

"Are you going to re-paint while you're at it?" He asked.

"Screw you, I'm trying to be nice." She tossed the wastebasket aside.

"Not your best talent."

"You could at least be grateful that I wasted my time in coming to check on you."

"I didn't ask you to, in fact I'd prefer to be alone."

"Fine, be alone. Be lazy, I'm sure that will send Belle running back. How long has it been since you've even showered?" She scowled.

"Careful Regina, I don't have to move to throw you out."

"You don't have to throw me out, I'm leaving."

"Good."

She spun on her heel and quickly exited the room. Anger fueling her down the stairs and out the front door, which she slammed loud enough he'd hear it upstairs. She was still fuming when she got in her car and sped down the street. Why did she care if he lay in that bed the rest of his miserable life? At least there he couldn't hurt anyone or make anymore dark deals. The truth was he'd always been strong, he was the one she modeled herself after, the pick yourself up and move on attitude was one she'd envied and seeing him down over a woman, made him human.

The dark one was just another human being with thoughts, emotions and feelings. That was frightening to her, because if he was only human than so was she. All the flash and fuss about how much better she was than everyone else, was truly a lie. He was human, and so was she. She could only hope that he realized how much Henry needed him and decided to be the man she knew he truly was, a strong one.