Author's note: I am sorry about the lag of update; my computer is still dead at the moment so I apologize for any grammar errors I tried to edit everything properly but I wrote it on the Iphone so sometimes things get all wobbled around. As always I do not own OUAT or anything else! Thank you all for the story reviews and alerts!

The next morning…

Baelfire made his way slowly downstairs the next morning afraid to face his father. Mr. Gold had apparently felt the same way because the only one he found in the house was Belle in the kitchen.

"Good morning Ms. Belle" Baelfire said with the politeness of an old gentleman. He had Henry's book with him and he placed it on the table.

"Good morning, Bae. Finish the book?" Belle asked knowing she could not put it down when Henry let her see it.

"Yeah, I guess you could say I couldn't sleep." Baelfire replied sleepily. He took a cup about to pour himself some tea. "I read your story. I wasn't expecting the ending. I knew it didn't turn out good for you but it was tragic. I thought all you princesses were supposed to have happy endings." Baelfire said with sadness in his eyes for his father's princess. Sad there was nothing it seemed to be done.

"Thank you for the empathy, it was tragic in the end but my favorite part is the middle of the story. That was the good part. I see you two more alike the more I see you two together" Belle said thinking they could have killed each other the other night talking but both walked out the room alive which she thought was a small victory for now.

"I'm nothing like him" Baelfire said slamming a tea cup down on the table. The tea cup made a ding noise but did not break.

"Easy Bae, we only have three cups left. And, yes you are. Both have the same temper for one." Belle said with a little chuckle, her smile growing as she talked about Rumplestiltskin. "You may be a braver soul but do not neglect you are your father's son. He wasn't all evil. He was kind like you" Belle poured herself a cup of tea and her smile grew wider thinking about the dark castle. "He gave me a rose once, and it was the kindness gesture I ever got from any beast or prince. I am angry at myself for ever telling you about the woods because it will surely cause nothing but pain for all of us. You have to find another way" Belle urged Bae to think of another way.

"I don't want to hurt him, but I have to do something." Baelfire said in a sad tone as he calmed down. He set the tea set right again fidgeting around. "I suggest you look into getting a new tea set."

"Never, this one is from his castle." It was true, the magic had brought it over from the other world with many of Rumplestiltskin's other possessions. "Have you tried asking the nuns… fairies for help?" Belle asked trying to think of some way that would not hurt either of them.

"I'm afraid of what their answer would be, you see Belle… the magic bean is what sent me to this world in the first place" he said giving the princess the reason he would never ask them for help again. In his eyes they were just as evil as any evil queen.

Belle fixed some flowers in a vase on the table. "Then you are just alike. He hates them, but he never would tell me why, now I know." She said with some reassurance as to that being the case of Rumple's dislike of them in the other world. "Bae, what do you think of these flowers?" Belle asked changing the subject she pushed the vase towards him.

"They're nice flowers, why?" Baelfire wanted to know what she was up too. He could not say he was one to judge one flower apart from the rest, but these looked like wildflowers to him.

"They are from my father's flower shop. I asked him to bring them over this morning." Belle said with a scheming look on her face now.

"For what? Are you saying flowers can help me?" Baelfire wasn't sure what she was getting at, and he was surely in no need of flowers.

"So you can take them to the sheriff. To say thank you and maybe she could help you, find another way." Belle said with a smile. "The only cure I have found is the one he won't let me give him" she sighed. It was the truth; she had gone over every old book and found no way to get the demon out without the dagger or true love's kiss.

Baelfire left with the vase and Henry's book walking the direction Belle instructed him to towards the center of town. Belle looked out the window noticing for more than the first time a strange car parked on the other side of the street.

"He's leaving the house" the mysterious figure in the car parked on the other side of Second street across from the salmon house said "walking your way in 5!"

Regina clicked the phone off. She made her way outside, something she only risked on special occasion like today. The town was still after her and her only sanctuary had been her house. She was going to get her revenge starting with Rumplestiltskin's new house guest. Belle had not left his house since she returned but soon Regina would find a way to hurt her as well. The Charming family she wanted to save for last so they could watch everyone else in town suffer. Magic was back and although unpredictable she was prepared to use every ounce she had on Storybrooke.

Baelfire made his way from Second street to Main street turning the corner he came up to another row of big beautiful houses.

Regina, dressed in a black and red business suit with a gardening apron over it. Her hands covered in red gardening gloves; she started to pick a few of the plumpest red apples from her tree nearest the fence.

Baelfire walked past her neighbor's front yard and looked Regina's way. "Good day" Regina said waving the strange man over to her. "I'm in charge of this little town. I don't think I've seen you around before. Welcome to Storybrooke" she said with a warm welcome of a politician careful not to give her name.

Baelfire, a little cautious, made his way over to her fence. "Ace Hughes, I'm just visiting some family in town." He replied back to her not giving her too much information either. His father might be the Dark One but part of himself still wanted to protect him. She was a beautiful woman for sure but a little out of place he thought gardening in her outfit.

"Just pruning my award winning apple tree" Regina said with a cheery fake smile.

"It's a very lovely tree" Baelfire said.

The apples were ripe and large since the magic returned to town. The tree was lush and green just waiting to take life.

Regina's smile turned wicked now as she agreed and offered him a prize. "Here have an apple" she said picking a very ripe red one off the tree and handing it to him. He took the apple in his left hand and was about to bring it up to his lips as she watched very eagerly he stopped at the last moment and put the apple in the pocket of his leather jacket.

"I'll save it for later, thanks" Baelfire said with a smile not really feeling hungry at the moment.

Regina chuckled politely "of course save it for dessert, I make wonderful apple turnovers with mine. You'll have to come over one day for dinner."

She spotted Henry's book in his other hand along with a small vase of wildflowers. "Oh, what lovely flowers" she exclaimed at once making sure not to take notice of the story book.

"Thanks they are for the sheriff" Baelfire smiled a bit thinking about Emma subconsciously.

"Here allow me" Regina said walking over to her rose bush she snapped a few roses off and stuck them in the vase with the other flowers. "There perfect!" Perfect enough for Emma to prick her finger on and die.

"That does look nice" Baelfire replied again not the green finger his father had possessed but they did mess well against the wildflowers.

"Of course it does, they aren't award winning roses for nothing" Regina said a little ticked off that he would think them not look anything but amazing.

"Well I better be off, thank you" Baelfire said and then started to make his way to the sheriff's station again.

Regina waved him off with a wicked smile. It wouldn't be long now. She went back inside to make another phone call.

Baelfire found the sheriff's station easy enough. An old yellow VW Beetle was parked next to the sheriff's patrol car on the side of the building. The two cars were the only ones in the station parking lot.

He walked in and looked around. The place looked pretty empty. He suspected the Storybrooke station didn't really see that much action.

"Hello? Sheriff? You in here?" Baelfire called out placing the vase of flowers on one of the desks that looked like someone worked there. He set the book down beside it. He sat on the edge of a research table and took the apple out of his pocket. Rolling the apple back in forth in his hands he sighed. "Guess I'm just going to have to enjoy this nice juicy red apple all by myself" he called out as he slowly brought the apple up to his lips.