Chapter Two
Walking in the forrest with Rumpelstiltskin, her almost father in law. That was something Emma could never have expected. He really wasn't all that bad. He remained silent mostly as she ranted on about her troubled thoughts. He didn't criticize her in any way, but she couldn't help but bring up another subject.
"So, you and Regina's mom, huh? Mind tellin' me what that's all about?" Emma asked as they approached what seemed to be a good resting spot from their walking.
"I did protect you after all."
"That's true you did, Miss Swan, but your mother's heart is blackening because of what she did for me," Rumpel replied. That seemed like a diversion to Emma, but she wasn't falling for it.
"So? That does not mean my heart is black. I saved you, as promised. I'd like to know your issue with Regina and her mother," Emma said.
Gold explained as he sat down the beginning of his long, spinning tale that had just concluded with Cora's death. He explained that when Cora was much younger, he'd taught her to spin straw into gold so she could save herself from her own little lie to a king long ago.
"She tore out her out heart because I...was her weakness. She did not want to feel anything for me, she just wanted the glory I had taught her to get with magic," Rumpel replied.
Emma's eyes widened.
"So, wait does that mean Regina is..."
"No!" he said quickly. "No no, Miss Swan, that is not quite right. Regina is the daughter of that prince and Cora and she has absolutely nothing to do with me by blood." Emma sighed silently with relief as Gold went on to explain his little quarrel with her for leaving him on his own that night, just coming to say she wouldn't go with him. He'd walked a long way that night, wondering what exactly he had created with Cora.
Every time she'd seen him afterwards, it was the same cold stare, but inside, Rumpel knew there was a dimmed love beating in a box only she knew where.
"Whoa," Emma stated that was all she really wanted to know about the subject. "Guess you are full of love, when your not pissed off at anyone or looking for some sort of revenge."
"Emma, if there is one thing Belle has taught me, it's to be very patient with those I truly cherish," Gold said. Emma remained silent for the remainder of that subject, but she switched to Gold's limp and if he could get up to walk again. He rose to walk with her back to his home, where he invited her inside.
"Ye can stay the night if you so desire," Mr. Gold offered as he brought about hot chocolate from the stove's hot water.
"Cinnamon?" she asked meekly, not wanting to anger him in any way to make him do any more work than he wished or expected to.
Just in front of her eyes, Gold spun his wrist twice and from thin air, a wave of cinnamon came straight from his palm, blending with the hot cocoa. Emma watched with wonder.
"Okay, that was pretty cool," Emma admitted, taking her cup and Gold his own. They watched the fire for a few moments, and Gold once more brought up the matter of her staying.
"I have a room upstairs, you'd be no trouble to me," Gold said. "Bae's not coming any time soon."
"You seem a little too willing for me to stay," Emma narrowed her eyes.
"Well," Gold stood. "I'm not forcing you, but you're the savior. Seems respectful enough of me to let you stay without any hassle...besides, we're practically family."
Emma smirked, mentioning Bae was decent besides the drinking and thieving side of him that had developed over the years. Gold did not respond to much promptly about Baelfire, but she knew he was listening. It must have pained him too deeply.
"You always seem to know something, magic or not. It's as if you planned this all out. Sometimes I think you know me better I do my own self. Is there anything I should look out for?" Emma asked.
"Look out for?" Gold reiterated in question.
"Wull, yeah. Like, if I should be ready to fight another dragon or face Henry or-anything," Emma clarified. Gold smiled.
"If I told you, it would not be the same in your mind. I can't see very far right now, but I cannot see another dragon, so rest assured on that one dearie. I can only tell you what you will most likely not encounter...Once, a seer told me my future, and I took everything she said a whole other direction in my mind, and I acted based on her words to me...I don't know if I would have done things differently, but here we are," Gold explained.
"But, you know what's going to happen to me...in the end?" Emma asked.
"Parts, yes," Gold admitted. "But I could never tell you the smallest of details or leave you in riddles." Emma nodded.
"I think I'm starting to like almost being related to you," she said, setting her cup down. "You know, I think I'll take you up on that offer."
Gold smiled, glad he closed up shop early. He showed her to the guest bedroom and used magic to clean the place up a little. Emma took down her hair, figuring to sleep in her clothing, but when she looked in the drawers, she noticed a pair of pajamas, a top and bottom separate to them as well as a new outfit for tomorrow.
Emma had never worn green too often, but it looked to be her size. Hmm, a father-in-law with the most powerful magic around might come in handy some time. She removed her jacket, setting it on the edge of the bed. When she came back downstairs, Gold was no where to be seen.
She just figured he'd be back momentarily from wherever he was, so she poured herself another cup of cocoa, added the cinnamon manually this time, and sat in front of the fire, looking outside to the evening sky. One thing was certain: Gold's place was nicer than any inn. His footsteps sounded up another flight of stairs, and a door opened a little ways down from the kitchen. Right before her appeared Mr. Gold, peering at her from around the corner.
"Ah, you're out. Come here for a moment, will you?" he asked, disappearing behind the door again. Emma's curiosity led her to follow Gold into his basement where a spinning wheel was set up along with many other odd vials of liquid, all labeled as something special.
"What are you doing?" she asked, looking around the basement as she did the shop the first time she'd seen it. What an eccentric man!
"I'm making sure I do not break my promise to you," Rumpel replied. He sat at the wheel momentarily, drew out a long strand of gold and laid it on the table where some sort of solution had been prepared.
"Turn around," he told her gently. "I just want to measure your neck size. This needs to fit perfectly."
"Oh...okay," Emma turned around, feeling Gold right behind her. He extended the gold thread newly spun, and brought it just between her breast line and base of her neck. He then took it back to the table where he laid it within the solution so he glowed beneath the surface.
"What does it do?" Emma asked.
Gold stared at his work intently, but answered her question all the same.
"All you have to do is say my name...my fairy tale name. When I'm in a bit of a bad mood and have broken my promise of not hassling you and not charging a price for anything you and I may arrange, just say my name. And as long as you've got this on..." He pulled it from the solution.
"You will not get in trouble with me," Rumpel said, watching the last drop hit his table. He then clasped it around her neck, closing the clasp real tight so it would not come easily undone. "I suggest you wear it always. This will only work for you, so don't try protecting your family. This is yours."
"Why are you giving this to me?" Emma asked.
"You seem...alarmed and I know how overwhelmed you must feel about accepting everything around you. I suppose you could say...since I knew of you far longer than you of me, this evens the playing field. Cora lived for a long time, Emma, understand that, and the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, so to speak."
"Regina."
"With every generation, Miss Swan, the magic becomes more powerful. No one can take my power unless they kill me with my own dagger. Your power, Miss Swan, is another thing entirely. Only you can learn how to control its entirety."
"So, wait, are you saying my powers could be better than yours?" Emma asked, pointing a finger at him. He scoffed.
"Maybe, but you are mortal. Do know your own limitations, dearie. You weren't exactly raised in the kingdoms of your parents," Rumpelstiltskin noted.
"But, you want to help me?" Emma said. Rumpel nodded.
"Yes, at no cost to you, being the savior will bring plenty of price," Rumpel replied. "Like my curse."
"Well, thanks."
The two went back upstairs, just in time to hear a knock at Mr. Gold's door. The two met eyes directly at the knocking.
"Stay in the kitchen," he commanded as he walked up to the front door. He revealed Neal standing on his front porch, waiting for something.
"Bae," he said pleasantly. "Is there something you need?"
"You haven't seen Emma have you?" Bae asked. "It's just, well, I wanted to talk about Tamara a bit more."
"No, I haven't seen Emma today. I closed up shop early and came back here," Gold said. Bae nodded and was about to walk away.
"Bae," Rumpel couldn't help it. "I know things aren't exactly ideal between us, but I have to say, I'd like to-" A quick analysis with magic revealed a hair on Bae's shoulder that was not his nor Emma's. He took it quickly with his magic and hid it above Bae's head.
"I'd like to know what you've been up to. Perhaps when everything calms down, we could talk," Gold finished. Neal nodded, saying that possibility wasn't too out of reach before he left Rumpel's property, and he closed the door.
"Okay, you just lied to your own son for me," Emma said, raising her eyebrows.
"You didn't want to face anyone, therefore I shall see it to that you do not," Rumpelstiltskin said.
"Rumpelstiltskin..." Emma said. "You really want something from me?"
"Miss Swan, if I knew, I'd have asked already," Gold said. "If you haven't noticed, everyone in this town wants their own happy ending. That's all, but everyone's happy ending conflicts with the others'...you want your family back together, which involves my son, and to a certain extent, me. I want my true love to remember who I was and who I am, because I need her to see what I've done, so I can watch her forgiving eyes look at me and I need for her to tell me that she'll never give up on me..."
Emma remained silent at Mr. Gold's surprising rant.
"...I want my son to forgive what I've done to him, at the very least let me into his life again. But Miss Swan, I need you to remember something. Everything you get in life, you earn. The only thing you are given is your loved ones, and if you mess up with them, then you are truly alone."
Emma nodded, walking up to Rumpelstiltskin to embrace him again.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"Not screwing up," she replied. Rumpel embraced her in return. "We're family as far as I'm concerned."
"We may as well be," Gold agreed.