Oh my gosh, I am SO sorry that it's been two weeks since my last upload. You wouldn't believe how crazy busy it is around here, what with getting ready for the holidays and all that jazz. It's just been crazy. Crazy with a capital C.

But, I'm back now! Thanks for being patient with me, ya'll :)

And after everything that's happened with the Rumbelle thus far in the 4th season, I thought you all would need a break from the angst and a chance to see Mr. Gold as I personally love to remember him as being... :(

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Mr. Gold tried not to be curious. He tried to keep as far away from the window as he possibly could. But Ms. French was late yet again, for the second time, since he had hired her. She had been ten minutes late yesterday. That's when she had been harassed by Mr. Stone. His teeth clenched. That better not be the reason for her tardiness today. He could care less about Ms. French's personal life, but no woman should ever be treated in such a foul way. If nothing else, Mr. Gold was, at the very least, a gentleman. But if Mr. Stone was not harassing her yet again, then where the hell was she? He didn't leave her exempt from paying her rent only for her to show up to work whenever she pleased...

The bell rang and the door opened. He tried to keep from smirking. Speaking of the devil. "Ms. French, I hope you-" He turned to look at her and he was instantly shocked when he saw the tiny creature she was holding in her arms.

"Oh, Mr. Gold," she interrupted. She sounded breathless as she rushed towards where he was standing behind his deck. "I'm so terribly sorry."

He hid his shock behind a steely glare. "Ms. French, that makes this twice that you've been less than punctual. Are you making this a habit?"

"Absolutely not, sir. It's just-"

"And I don't run a babysitting center, either." He gave a pointed look at the child in her arms.

Belinda's eyes went wide and she looked at Rose. "I know, Mr. Gold. But you don't understand. Ruby is really sick and she couldn't take Rose today, like she usually does. I don't have anyone else to take her."

"Ms. French-"

"Please," she begged. "I promise you won't even know she's here."

Mr. Gold frowned. He didn't really care for children, much less babies. They weren't much good for anything. But he could see the begging in Belinda's eyes. Not that that made him soften any. Absolutely not. But what would be the harm in letting the child stay for just one day? So, he nodded. "Fine. But I don't want to hear a peep out of her." Belinda sighed with relief and nodded her head. "And it's just this once."

"Thank you so much, Mr. Gold." That smile made his heart skip a beat. At least, Mr. Gold would've thought such a thing had happened, if he believed in such a foolish notion. He just shook the feeling off and turned to walk away, leaving Belinda to her work and Rose to...well, whatever Rose did.

"Ms. French..." he turned back around, "I'll be out for a bit. Continue as you normally would."

He heard her give a faint 'alright' before he opened the door and stepped out into the crisp, autumn day. His cane thumped upon the sidewalk as he walked. He passed several men and women, but they seemed to avoid him like the plague. He didn't mind, though, because he ignored them just as much. His head was held high, he refused to look weak because of his limp. He didn't really think that anyone found him weak anyway.

Slowly but surely, Mr. Gold eventually made it to his destination. He climbed the steps and rang the doorbell. Seconds later it was answered by the one and only Madam Mayor.

"Mr. Gold," she plastered on a smile. He knew she wouldn't be overtly pleased to see him. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

He smirked. "It's been quite awhile since we had a little chat, don't you think, dearie?"

Regina nodded and ushered him inside. He followed her as she lead him through the parlor to her office. He watched as she went to sit behind her desk. He didn't wait for an invitation to sit down. He just made himself comfortable in the remaining chair.

Then, it was deathly silent. You could've heard a pin drop as Regina took the time to pour two tumblers full with some scotch. She passed one to her guest and he took it with grateful hands.

"Thank you, Madame Mayor." He took a sip and then placed it down on the desk.

Regina didn't drink. She just set the glass down and placed her elbows on the hard surface, staring at the man across from her, seemingly gauging his every move. Mr. Gold inwardly smirked. He knew that she could never read him, which always irked her. Mr. Gold delighted in getting under her skin, so he just sat there silently, waiting for her to speak first.

"So, Gold, what do you want?"

He clicked his teeth. "Why the hostility, Regina?"

She smiled a sickly sweet smile at him. "Because I know this isn't just a social call. So, I suggest we get this done as quickly as possible."

Mr. Gold frowned at her rudeness. "If I didn't know any better, I would think you weren't very pleased to see me."

"Cut the crap, Gold. What do you want?"

He chuckled and tented his fingers together. "I want to know why you decided to close the town library."

"Well, that's easy. There simply weren't enough funds to keep it going..."

"No, let me rephrase that," he interrupted. "Why did you decide to close it without asking for my input?"

She raised a brow. "Oh, so nothing can be done without your say, is that it?"

He cocked his head. "Well, considering I'm really the one who keeps this town going-"

"No-" she began to protest but he cut her off.

"Without me, Regina, we both know Storybrooke wouldn't last. You need my funds to keep a lot of the businesses running. So, why not come to me to provide the money for the library, instead of closing it?"

Regina leaned forward. "Why do you even care, Gold? It's not like you ever go to that dump of a place."

Mr. Gold shrugged. "I'm merely in it for the real estate. If the town hall is left to rot, you know what an eye sore that would become?"

She laughed and leaned back in her chair. "I doubt you care about looks, Gold."

He smirked. "Well, maybe you'll never know my true motives, dearie." His hands idly traced the carved top of his cane. "Just let me ask you one more question. What do you have against Ms. French?"

Regina seemed taken aback. "Excuse me?"

"Oh, come on," Gold insisted stubbornly. "I think she's the real reason you wanted to close the library. We both know the funds could've been raised in a pinch. You did this so that Ms. French would be out of a job. But I'm just curious, Madame Mayor...what could you possibly have against her?"

She smirked, but it was a dangerous quirk of the lips, and he could sense a bit of warning in her eyes. "I don't think this is any of your concern, Mr. Gold. As for Ms. French...I could ask you the same thing. What could you possibly have for her?"

This time it was Mr. Gold who was startled. "What on earth do you mean, dearie?"
"Please, Gold, don't patronize me. It's the gossip of the town how you've taken that girl in."

"She just works for me."

Regina eyed him slyly. "But I'm guessing there's a price...there always is with you."

Gold leaned forward. "That's none of your business." He was whispering, but his voice was still as bold and dangerous as ever.

"Then leave me to my reasons, and I'll leave you to yours... Good day, old friend."

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Mr. Gold arrived back at the pawn shop and walked inside. He closed his eyes and groaned as the sound of crying assaulted him. He knew that Belinda must have heard the bell ring when he entered, so he expected the infernal crying to stop that very second. But it didn't. It just continued to persist.

He was a quiet man, one who had lived by himself for so very long. He wasn't used to such a sound, it was almost foreign to him. And he had specifically told her that that child had better not make a peep to invade his quiet abode. That was one thing he appreciated about Ms. French. She was quiet. Apparently, that was one thing her child had not inherited from her.

Mr. Gold stormed across the room and pushed back the beaded divider into the back room. He saw that Belinda was busy standing up on a ladder so that she could reach the top books on his massive shelf. She had a notepad in hand. Her tongue was sticking out between her lips as she continued jotting down inventory.

He cleared his throat. "Ms. French-"

She turned to look at him and her mouth fell wide open. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Mr. Gold. I figured I would just let her cry for a few more minutes. I'm just about finished with these here."

He frowned, clearly displeased. "I told you that I didn't want to hear a sound from her."

"She's a baby, Mr. Gold!" Belinda exclaimed in exasperation. "If you don't want to listen to her crying, then pick her up. Like I said, I'm almost done."

Mr. Gold didn't say anything because he couldn't. She had just stood up to him and told him no to his request. She had told him to wait. And now, he was in a very awkward position. Either he walk away and allow the child to continue its infernal screaming. Or, he could just hold her until Belinda was done. After all, she appeared to be nearly finished. He sighed as he leaned over, wincing as his injured knee stretched. He felt awkward as he lifted Rose out of her carrier and up into his arms. She was too big to cradle. So, he just shifted her in his arms so that she could look over his shoulder.

She still cried.

He inwardly cursed his fate as he began to rub her back and bounce back and forth on his two legs so that he could rock her. He cursed again, this time at a different fate. Within seconds, the child had actually stopped. Sure, that was what he had wanted. But now he was embarrassed that he, the town villain, actually had it in him to calm a wailing infant. As Rose sat there in the crook of his arms, Mr. Gold couldn't help but look down at her. Her cheeks were wet and deep red from crying. They were also puffy. He could only assume that the child was beginning to grow her first teeth. But she wasn't entirely awful, and holding her in his arms wasn't nearly as bad as he thought it would be. Suddenly, Rose turned her head and gave him a bright, toothless grin. He couldn't help but give a very small smile in return as his heart warmed just a bit.

"You're a natural, Mr. Gold," Belinda praised from up on the ladder. Mr. Gold looked over at her and blushed slightly in embarrassment.

He cleared his throat. "Yes, well...I wouldn't have to do this if you just took care of your child."

Belinda seemed unperturbed by his harsh tone. "Her name's Rose, ya know."

He groaned. "Would you just finish so that you could take her back?" He was satisfied when the woman turned back around and finished jotting down the last of the books. What he didn't see was a small smile forming across her mouth. He didn't hear the chuckle slip from her lips either. He just concentrated on bouncing Rose back and forth in his arms.

He tried to convince himself that he was relieved when Belinda took her back. But, secretly, even without really acknowledging it himself, he sort of missed the feeling of the little baby in his arms. He actually felt somewhat sorry. Rose had made him feel warm for just a moment.

"Preposterous," he muttered under his breath as he walked away and left mother and child alone.