Snow hadn't really anticipated the problems that would come with her inviting her daughter to live with her and Rumpelstiltskin. When she had done so, she had forgotten that she was supposed to be married. She was supposed to be happily married and affectionate to her husband. That was the Storybrooke view anyway.

But they weren't affectionate. They were civil and working towards what MIGHT be a friendship…

And that didn't pass for a marriage.

"How come you sleep in separate rooms?" Emma asked one day. She was waiting for her stuff to be delivered, she'd have to go out of town to get it because the town was cloaked, but there was a small town a few miles down the road where she would retrieve it. Emma had been furious that they wouldn't send it to Storybrooke. She might understand if she just opened her eyes to the truth.

Snow had hesitated for a second, "People sleep in separate rooms all the time, Emma."

"Yeah, but not every night," Emma muttered.

"He snores," Snow had said simply and took a quick sip of her cocoa.

And now that Emma noticed something wasn't right, Snow had cornered Rumpelstiltskin in his shop and told him that they couldn't put it off anymore. They had to practice now.

The back of the shop was no place for this, but with the curtain closed and the shades drawn on the back door, no one could see them.

"I don't want to get hit or stabbed by your husband when he wakes up," Rumpelstiltskin had told her as they stood in front of each other, "So I'm not going to make you feel like I'm violating you; the kisses will be chaste but passionate enough to NOT look like an eighth grade boy kissing the girl he likes at one of the balls they have here."

"Okay," Snow shifted, "Holding hands is okay."

"What about face touching?"

"Only for when the kiss calls for it. Not like 'good morning' kisses, I don't want to wake up having you pawing my face off and running your hands through what little hair I have left."

"Which is a shame you know," he looked her over, "Your hair WAS quite lovely."

Snow touched her short hair, "Well, I guess Regina wanted to take as much of my identity as she possibly could"

He frowned, "Such a shame."

Snow cleared her throat, "What about you? What are your rules for affection?"

He shrugged, "Don't lose your mind and grope me?"

Snow raised her eyebrow, "Is that a joke?"

"Snow, I'm a man that's 300 years old. And before your Mary Margaret, the last bit of affection I had was a kiss that was approximately four years before the curse hit. I'm not against a lady's affections."

Snow smirked, "So you HAVE kissed women before?"

"Don't worry, dearie. I won't kiss you like I've kissed them. Charming would never get you back if that happened."

Snow's smirk dropped.

"Now," he put his hands on her shoulders and Snow felt a bit insulted when he looked a bit ill, "Remember that this has to be done and be a dear and remind your husband when he wakes up."

"I will," Snow promised.

Rumpelstiltskin pressed his lips against hers and she tensed. He didn't…smell bad. He smelled like old spice. Looking at him back home, one would think that with his rotting teeth and lizard skin, he might smell disgusting but she remembered her just smelled like herbs and the earth.

She wasn't sure why she expected this to be any different.

His kiss was a LOT chaste than an eighth grade boy kissing a girl he liked. This was a pitiful kiss. Snow mentally sighed to herself, grabbed the lapels of his jacket, pulled him closer and deepened the kiss.

He was…all wrong. He wasn't like Charming at all. There was no warm or love in the kiss that he gave her like there was with Charming. It was all formal. He moved differently, he didn't envelop her in a hug like Charming did, he held her hips.

Snow pulled away first. It wasn't a great kiss, even Mary hadn't seemed to like it very much or she'd have been giving advice because Snow wasn't doing her part.

"Your breath smells like cinnamon cocoa, how much of that do you drink?"

Snow frowned, "That was pitiful."

"Indeed," he straightened his coat, "Now what?"

They had to keep up the charade. If a stranger out of town noticed something was different, how were they supposed to fool those that knew them for 28 years?

Snow stepped closer, "We do it again."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

What progress they made was small. But it was enough to satisfy the Mary Margaret and Mr. Gold alternates and so they called it a day.

"We may have to start sharing a room sometimes," Snow said as Rumpelstiltskin drove up to the house on the hill. The Mary Margaret in her told her that the old house was supposedly haunted and the man that lived up there was a maniac.

According to Rumpelstiltskin, that was just a ploy that Regina used. She didn't have warm feelings for the man on the hill and she wanted to isolate him.

"Is that something you want?" he asked.

"Not really, but I can sleep on the couch."

"That's not a comfortable couch."

"The one in the guest bedroom is though, we could share that room. And Emma's room is right next to the master room, so we don't have to…bang the headboard against the wall or something"

"So we sit in your room and twiddle our thumbs?"

"I think we could use that time to strategize."

He smirked, "You're slipping into this whole undercover thing very well, do you know that?"

Snow smiled despite the situation, "If it wasn't a matter of life or death, it might be fun."

"Oh, that just makes it more exciting," he pulled up to the house and turned off the car.

This was the house? It looked more like a hotel. How was this a punishment?

"What's your story with this man?" Snow asked.

"We ran together for a while," he put his hand on the door of the car, "He and I…um…worked with Regina on a job shortly after she married your father. They worked a couple of jobs together after that and then he married and had a daughter. The woman died and he was alone raising the child until Regina came along and separated him from her and carried them both over here completely separate. He remembers, she does not…and he's spent 28 years watching her and never being able to get close."

Snow shuddered. Her complaint about her 'ending' for 28 years seemed to pale now, "How awful."

They walked up the stairs to the door. It opened right before they reached t. The man that opened the door was tall…he would be handsome if not for the sadness in his face. He had large beautiful blue eyes. Snow looked down at his clothes to see that he was eccentrically dressed. He wore a suit but it was a purplish gray one with matching vest and cravat that covered his neck.

How did he breathe?

He looked her up and down, "You're Snow White?"

"Yes."

"Mother of the Savior?"

"Yes."

He looked between both of them, "You two should've really closed your blinds for 28 years."

Snow felt her blood boil, "You watched?"

"I most certainly did not! But I got more than what I wanted to see when I was looking for my daughter," he looked at Rumpelstiltskin, "You DID tell her about my daughter, didn't you?"

"Yes Jefferson," Rumpelstiltskin said, "You two can bond over your lost children."

"I'll help you but for a price," Jefferson told Snow, "You have to get your daughter to talk to me…you have to get her to make magic."

"She doesn't think she can do that."

"Then MAKE her."

"That's not how it works," Snow said, "She's a skeptic. She believes in logic."

"Magic is logical!" Jefferson argued.

"Not here," Snow told him simply, "We don't have magic here."

"Not naturally at least," Rumpelstiltskin muttered.

"Is this world all about hat whole science, thing?" Jefferson asked Rumpelstiltskin, "Because you're going to have to deal with Victor's gloating then."

"Victor will be too drunk to care."

Snow looked at both of them, "Who on earth is Victor?"

"Never mind," Jefferson said sharply, "Can you get Emma to talk to me or not."

"Can I at least get her somehow believing in magic first? "

"I don't care, I want my daughter."

Snow matched his gaze, "And I want mine. But I can't have her yet because she doesn't know who I am and she thinks this magic thing isn't real. I'll have to work on her first."

"Then I don't help you."

He started to close the door and Snow put her foot against it, "You spent decades separated from your daughter? So did I. Don't throw away your chance at seeing her because I ask for time to work on getting Emma to believe. But if you prefer, you can leave this house on the hill and talk to Emma yourself. See where that gets you."

He hesitated and bit his thumbnail, "Okay…but if she starts believing, you send her to me."

Snow held his gaze, "Deal."

Jefferson didn't seem as satisfied with that and he let them in, "The imp's starting to rub off on you."

"Worse things have happened," Rumpelstiltskin said with a smirk.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"You'll never get rid of your alternate," Jefferson told them and served them tea, "They'll always be in your head…two conflicting personalities always at war with each other for dominance. You'll never have a peaceful moment in your own mind again."

Snow looked at Rumpelstiltskin, "Can't you do anything?"

"Magic is different here, when the curse breaks, we'll see," Rumpelstiltskin took a teacake and bit into it, "The food is a lot different here."

"To some benefits and not others," Jefferson muttered, "The tea is terrible here, the only reason I serve it is because it's hospitable to do so."

Snow put her teacup down, "If I can't get rid of her, can she at least be controlled?"

"I found a way…but it may or may not work with you like it did with me."

"Right now, I'd be willing to try anything."

Jefferson leaned forward, "My alternate personality is an agoraphobic party boy that overdosed in the big city and came here to dry out. So when I first started here, I couldn't even step outside without him screaming in my head to get back inside. The memories were so bad that it even started affecting my body; my heart would race and I would get dizzy when outside. So to solve the problem, I….started doing things that my true self would do. I read books and translated them in the languages I knew. I made hats and tailored clothes…I watched my daughter…and my true self started to get dominant…like a muscle that was hurt and needed to be exercised to be stronger."

"So…to be myself I would…need to do things that Snow White would do and not Mary Margaret?"

"I would suggest you do a lot of it because I'm up here by myself. You live and work around people and things that Mary Margaret is surrounded by."

"Huh," Snow looked over at Rumpelstiltskin. He was quiet and grim. A jolt of fear hit her…if he wanted to reclaim dominance over his mind, then what sort of things would he be doing to strengthen his own position in his mind?

Snow was really glad they didn't have magic.

"Looks like you'll be spending more time with your husband then, dearie."

Jefferson grinned, "You have a husband?"

"Yes," Snow said.

He looked over at Rumpelstiltskin, "Interesting…"

"We should get back," Rumpelstiltskin told Snow, before Regina or her cohorts notice we went up here."

Snow nodded and stood.

A flicker of disappointment crossed Jefferson's face but he didn't argue with them. He got up and followed them to the door.

Snow felt guilty that they had to leave so soon, if he was truly alone for 28 years then maybe she should find a way to get him some company; however brief it might be.

She turned and looked at him, "In two weeks the kids have a career day."

"I don't have a job," he said.

"Then make it up as you go, Grace is in my class," Snow said and looked into his eyes, "You could see her."

Jefferson gave her a tender smile that almost looked carefree and he took her hand, "Thank you, your majesty."

He pressed his lips against the back of her hand and gave her another smile.

Rumpelstiltskin pulled Snow away, "Do you realize what you've done?"

"Helped a man?"

"You've just created a loyal puppy if you plan to follow through on that promise. He'll never let anything bad happen to you."

"Well, people in our position can't afford not to have too many bodyguards, I guess," Snow said and climbed through the car door that he opened for her.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000000

Jefferson's instructions never left Rumpelstiltskin's mind the rest of that day.

He didn't have magic. He didn't have anything really. The only thing he really had were some knick knacks at the pawn shop, his spinning wheel, and Snow White. How did he strengthen his personality with just those things?

He needed to start manipulating people fast. He didn't want Mr. Gold yammering in his head about the life they used to have. The life that never existed.

Manipulating was something that Rumpelstiltskin did. Mr. Gold just conducted his affairs and wanted to be left alone with his wife.

So, who did he start dealing with in a way that didn't get him caught by Regina? Maybe he'd acted prematurely in his insistence at reminding her who had the power in this town. Now she'd have an eye on him.

He stayed up late in the shop. HE wanted to break away from Mr. Gold's schedule. He called Snow and told her he'd be home late and she was fine with it. She told him they were going to have the house alone tonight, Emma went to the next town to pick up her stuff and she was spending the night there.

He didn't mind the savior there with them, it was better that way. He could keep an eye on her and it made Snow happy. However, Emma was both inquisitive and sassy. He had to keep his basement locked to keep her from wondering down there if she got bored and finding his 'Rumpelstiltskin things'

He limped down the street. He noticed the car in the alleyway but thought nothing of it. Ruby liked driving next to his shop for some 'make out' time with the boys. It was next to his shop and no one bothered her there.

There was the sound of breaking glass. He froze and looked over his shoulder to see a very…heavily pregnant woman getting into the shop.

Was that Ella?

Oh gods, that idiot was bothering him tonight? He had a headache!

He followed her into the shop. She had found his safe, now how on earth did she know where that was?

"Ashley," he said and she turned, started. He smirked, Regina had NOT been kind to her fate, she was the maid at the inn now, wasn't she? What are you doing?"

He circled her, he wasn't sure what he was going to do but the sheriff would need to be called. Let her and her own see what it was like to be inside a cage. At least that way he could make sure she stayed still.

Ella…Ashley…or whatever her name was here tried to look intimidating; bless her heart, "Changing my life!"

Rumpelstiltskin gave her a confused look. So by changing her life, she meant getting sent to jail? "

She lifted up a container and pressed the button. Something flew out and his eyes felt like they were on fire. He screamed in pain and backed away. He lost his cane somewhere in the confrontation. He drew his hands up to his eyes and hit the back display case. Then his bad ankle rolled. He lost his balance and fell forward. He slammed his temple against the chessboard and rolled on his back. He was dazed at first, he felt her pull up his coat and grab the keys from his belt.

No! He kept Mr. Gold's contracts there!

He didn't hear much else…because he slipped into unconsciousness.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000

Snow missed Emma.

She missed having a woman here that she could actually talk to. It felt like more of a friendship than a mother/daughter relationship. Snow would take what she could get though. At least Emma was opening up to her.

Sometimes Emma would even reveal bits and pieces of her past. And while it was NEVER good things, they made Emma who they were. One day, Snow wanted to hear everything.

It was too quiet without Emma and Snow watched the fire after dinner and thought about her husband.

Not the John Doe here…who was scheduled to go home with Kathryn soon…but the man she married and loved. Mary fought at first but she settled down when she realized she wasn't going to win. Snow was determined to remember him and everything about him until every single hair on his head was accounted for in her memories.

The door to the front opened, "Snow?"

Snow felt alarm at the weak way Rumpelstiltskin called her name. She stood and raced over to the door. He was leaned on his cane. His head was bleeding and bruise was starting to form, "What happened?"

She reached out to touch the bruise and he pulled away, "That little guttersnipe that I gave everything to attacked me?"

"Ella?" Snow asked and helped him inside, "You got beat up by a pregnant woman?"

"I got attacked in the dark by a woman carrying mace, and I'm crippled," he snapped.

Snow ran to the bathroom and grabbed supplies, "Are you nauseous?"

"I don't have a concussion!" he snapped, "I checked."

"I can't believe Ella would do this," Snow said, "She was always so meek."

"Yes, it's hard to believe that the girl who had your husband and her husband fight her battle might spring out of nowhere and attack me," he muttered sarcastically.

"What was she after?"

"The contract for the child, I imagine," he winced when she started wiping the blood away.

"The Deal still carries through?"

"Well, she has a debt to me, now doesn't she? Stealing the contract won't do a bit of good, that child is mine."

"Not legally."

"So call a lawyer," he said bitterly, "Oh wait, I'm the only one in town besides your good friend King George. I'm sure he'll be MORE than willing to help Ashley out."

Snow rolled her eyes at his anger, he didn't scare her, "Maybe if you hadn't made a bid for a child, this wouldn't have happened."

"Maybe if you're stupid little friend had taken the time to read the contract, then she would've known what was expected of her."

Snow stopped, "She said you tricked her into signing that contract."

"She signed it of her own free will after she said she'd do anything to get out of servitude. And when you agree to give 'anything', 'anything' will be required of you."

Snow hesitated, "What are you going to do?"

"Relax Snow White, I won't call the sheriff, this is an opportunity for your daughter."

Snow bristled at the idea of him involving Emma, "No it's not, don't you dare involve her in this!"

"Would you rather I take the child then?" he said angrily, "Perhaps you can mother a child after all."

Snow hit him hard in the arm, "You're just trying to make sure your personality is the dominant one!"

"In a way to where I don't get caught, yes. Don't worry dear. I don't really want the child. I never wanted the child; I just designed things in such a way that I would be imprisoned. I would appear weak and helpless and all of you would come scampering to me with your questions. All I wanted in return was Emma's name so that I would wake up as soon as I met her and put her on the road to breaking the curse. Now, you sit back and let me do that…and you don't have to worry about a child being raised by us. A deal IS a deal after all."

"And what will be required of Emma?"

"She'll owe me a favor."

"What favor?"

He smiled, "Not telling."

He wasn't using her daughter the way he used her! "Then I'll tell Emma what you plan to do."

"Dearie, I'm not looking to hurt her! She has far more value to me than just her breaking the curse."

Snow didn't like the sound of that, "What value is that?"

"Trust me, dearie. Maybe I'll tell you in time."

"I DON'T trust you though. Not when you won't tell me everything."

"Maybe that's smarter," he shrugged, "But still…this is best for that baby. Two people barely making ends meet that are both idiots are probably far better parents than what I would be."

There was something in that sentence…something that was deeper than what it should be taken at face value.

Snow wanted to ask what but Rumpelstiltskin pulled away and stood, "Please don't interfere, Snow. You'll get your answers, but please let me get my chess board lined up first."

He didn't give Snow the chance to argue, he moved away from her, "I'm taking a shower."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00

Emma was back early that morning, Snow had to step over boxes to get to the kitchen to make breakfast, and when she was done, Emma was already unpacking, "Thanks."

Snow looked over the few boxes. There wasn't much here, but this was her child's life, "Is that all your stuff?"

Emma was hesitant, "What do you mean?"

It meant that even when Snow and Rumpelstiltskin went their separate ways, Snow's belongings were about half the house. That stuff was her's and she had barely been alive two weeks. How did Emma have such few things? Is the rest in storage?"

"No, this is all of it," Emma pulled out a box and looked at it, "I'm not…sentimental."

Snow heard the sadness in Emma's voice and wanted to know more, but that would be prying…so she just thought of something quick to say, "Well…it must make things easier when you move."

Snow heard the creak of the stairs and looked over her shoulder. In the time that Emma had lived with them, she hadn't interacted with Rumpelstiltskin that much. Snow made sure to keep them separate and Emma came and went as she pleased. She took dinner in her room but made sure to return and wash the dishes when she was done. However, most of her time was spent with Henry, where it should be.

"Is Miss Swan here, yet?" Rumpelstiltskin said, but Snow knew that he knew she was, "I must speak with her."

"Yeah," Snow leaned on the bannister of the staircase, "She's here."

Rumpelstiltskin smiled at Emma as she came into the room. They'd interacted, but just barely. He'd always managed to keep it civil, "Hello Miss Swan, I trust you had a safe journey?"

"Can't complain," Emma said hesitantly.

"Good, good," he kept his gaze on her, "I have a proposition for you, Miss Swan. I, uh….I need your help. I'm looking for someone."

"Really?" Um…"

She turned to Snow, and Snow realized that Rumpelstiltskin was giving her a look that told her she needed to leave, "You know what? I'm late for my errands."

She moved past Rumpelstiltskin and exited the door.

She told herself that his was better. They didn't need a baby in the house right now, it was too dangerous.

Emma would be safe, she could take care of herself and Rumpelstiltskin had promised Snow that Emma wouldn't get hurt in this favor she owed him.

Rumpelstiltskin always kept his word.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Rumpelstiltskin had done his own research on Emma, he had known enough about her to know how to play this.

Ashley was a pregnant woman about to go to jail; Emma was a pregnant woman about to go to jail. Emma had walls but she wasn't cold. She had compassion, and she would connect with this young woman, "I have a photo. Her name is Ashley Boyd. And she's taken something quite valuable of mine."

He didn't tell her what. If she knew it was the baby, she would shut down and refuse to help. She'd probably drive Ashley out of town if that's what it took.

He thought the woman was stupid, but she didn't deserve to cross the border for falling easily into his plans.

Emma looked at the photo, something like recognition dawned on her. Well, that made sense, he supposed. Emma had been in the inn for a very short time, "So, why don't you just go to the police?"

"Because uh…," Oh, now to play this…, "She's a confused young woman. She's pregnant. Alone and scared. I don't want to ruin this young girl's life. But I just want my property returned."

He didn't like referring to a child as his property but that was hardly his fault. Ella turned her daughter into property the minute she signed her away

"What is it?" Emma asked.

Rumpelstiltskin didn't falter; of course she would be curious, "Well, one of the advantages of you not being the police is discretion. Let's just say it's a precious object and leave it at that."

"When did you see her last?" Emma asked.

"Last night," he said and pulled back his hair. He'd been sure to hide it just for shock value, "That's how I got this."

Emma was quiet; she raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

Rumpelstiltskin had had a feeling that Emma had inspired this…Ashley wouldn't do it any other way, "It's so unlike her. She was quite wound up. Rambling on and on about changing her life. I have no idea what got into her. Miss Swan, please help me find her. My only other choice IS the police and I don't think anyone wants to see that baby born in jail now, do they?"

He thought he'd shown his hand a little too much, but Emma didn't realize that he knew. She looked disturbed and crossed her arms, "No, of course not."

"So, you'll help me, then?"

"I will help, her," Emma offered.

"Grand," he nodded. He could work with that.

The front door opened without anyone knocking. Henry came in, "Hey Emma, I was thinking we-."

Henry hesitated when he saw Rumpelstiltskin standing there. Usually he didn't step foot in this house, Emma went to go find him. He did wonder what Regina would do if she knew Henry was here with her three greatest enemies.

"Hey Henry," he greeted with a large smile. He liked Henry, Henry reminded him of Baelfire, "How are you?"

Henry looked like a deer caught in headlights, "O…kay."

Rumpelstiltskin shrugged, "Good."

He gave the boy another warm smile and started to leave, "Give my regards to your mother…and um…good luck, Miss Swan."

He closed the door behind him. Let the boy have time with Emma, they never knew when they'd be alone.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

It hadn't taken a day before Rumpelstiltskin's spy at the hospital told him that they brought Ashley in. The first thing he did was jump in the Caddy and head to the hospital.

He didn't know where Snow was, he hadn't seen her all day. That was better; he didn't want to have to manipulate Emma in front of her mother. As heartless as he could be, he did respect Snow enough that he didn't want to hurt her."

He didn't have to look very hard for Emma; they were in the waiting room. He overheard the doctor tell them that the baby had been born.

He limped towards them, "What lovely news."

Emma paled when she saw him.

"Excellent work, Miss Swan," he said, he knew that she was aware that the baby was the property now; she had to know, "Thank you for bringing me my merchandise."

He left Emma there and went to the coffee machine. They would need to clean the baby up and he supposed he could let Ella hold her once, just in case he did have to follow through on the contract.

The machine dispersed a cup but nothing else. Rumpelstiltskin slammed the side of his hand into the machine and the disgusting brown liquid came out. He didn't have a taste for it, but his Mr. Gold did.

Emma stormed up to him. Good, she was going to fight, "Well, well. Must be my lucky day. Care for a cup, Miss Swan? "

He never got to buy his step-daughter nice things after all.

He probably also shouldn't say something like that in Charming's presence when he remembered.

"A baby?" Emma held his gaze, "That's the merchandise? Why didn't you tell me?"

He was honest, "Well, because at the time, you didn't need to know."

"Really?" Emma sneered, "Or you thought I wouldn't take the job?"

Eh, maybe both.

"On the contrary, I thought it would be more effective if you found out yourself. After seeing Ashley's hard life, I thought would make sense. Do you? I mean, if anyone could understand the reasons behind giving up a baby, I assume it would be you."

Emma's eyes darkened at that. Good, she wanted a fight. He hadn't had one of those in well…28 years, "You're NOT getting that kid."

"Actually, we have an agreement. My agreements are always honored. If not, I'm going to have to involve the police and that baby is going to end up in the system. And that would be a pity," he saw her reluctance and went straight in for the kill, "You didn't enjoy your time in the system, did you, Emma?"

He saw something akin to fear in her eyes, but she quickly stood straighter, "It's not going to happen."

"I like your confidence. Charming," he tried to hint at her with her father's name but it went right over her head, so he just played the game, "But all I have to do is press charges. She did, after all, break into my shop."

"Let me guess- to steal a contract?"

He shrugged mockingly, "Who knows what she was after?"

"You know, no jury in the world will put a woman in jail, whose only reason for breaking and entering was to keep her child. I'm willing to roll the dice that contract doesn't stand up. Are you?"

Oh, she was a sassy one. She had her mother's spunk and her father's temper; he really liked that in a lady.

But of course, the courts looked down on a mother who made a contract like that in the first place and then changed her mind and attacked a middle aged cripple.

Then again, getting Emma and getting rid of the contract was why he was here.

"Not to mention," Emma continued, "What might come out about you in the process. Somehow, I suspect, there is more to you than a simple pawn broker. You really want to start that fight? "

He made sure to draw out his hesitation. She really thought she was outsmarting him, did she?

He smiled, "I like you, Miss Swan."

Emma smirked.

"You're not afraid of me, and that's either cocky or presumptuous. Either way, I'd rather have you on my side."

"So she can keep the baby?" Emma asked.

"Not just yet," he limped around. This old mortal body was too calm…to…still. He missed being able to move about like he did as Rumpelstiltskin; the Dark One, "There's still the matter of my agreement with Miss Boyd."

"Tear it up," Emma offered.

He chuckled, "That's not what I do. You see, contracts- deals-."

Another subtle hint…another statement that Emma was oblivious to.

"Well, they're the foundation of all civilized existence. So, I put it to you now. If you want Ashley to have that baby, are you willing to make a deal with me?"

Emma was hesitant, "What do you want?"

"Oh, I don't know just yet."

"I won't do anything that'll ruin my friendship with Mary Margaret."

He cringed, "As exhilarating as I find out little battle of wits, you're much too young for me and I don't much care for blondes. Besides, I wouldn't do anything to ruin my relationship with my wife either. So how about…you'll owe me a favor."

It wasn't a good deal on Emma's part. She knew that. He saw it in her eyes but she still held his gaze. She stepped forward and extended her hand, "Deal."

He shook her hand, "Grand."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000

"You're going to have to talk to me eventually."

Snow played the part of the wife. Her feet were in Rumpelstiltskin's lap but she wouldn't look at him.

"You manipulated my daughter."

"You could've told her," he shrugged, "You didn't. This is best for everyone."

"How is it best for Emma?"

"She breaks the curse faster if it continues to weaken and she gets the parents she desires so much."

"How is this best for you?"

He hesitated. There was a part of him that wanted to tell her about Belle and Baelfire but he didn't know why. She wasn't a friend…she didn't even really seem to like him all that much. The only way that he could figure was that it was the Mr. Gold side of him that wanted to tell his wife everything.

He had done something that Rumpelstiltskin would do and he still felt Mr. Gold tugging on his consciousness.

Rumpelstiltskin didn't answer her question, he just stared at the fire, "Your husband…and Ella's husband imprisoned me because I wanted to take a baby that Ella willingly signed on to me."

Snow looked back at the fire.

"You stripped me of my powers, threw me in a dungeon, and fed me rotted meat. I had no chamber pot and no bed. Yet when Regina, who had tried to kill you multiple times, was captured, you stopped the execution and let her go back to her magical castle with her men. Some of which were employed willingly, plenty of those that were not. She slaughtered villages full of people that protected you and you let her live with just a slap on the hand. Why was her punishment less than mine? It hurt my feelings, dearie."

"Because I didn't know they'd captured you until it was too late," she said simply, "I was pregnant…and Charming didn't want to tell me because it would create more stress. I hadn't had a night's sleep since Regina made her threats at my wedding."

Rumpelstiltskin didn't say anything. The less she knew about his part in that, the better their home life would be.

"If I'd known-."

"You'd have stopped it?" he challenged.

"Maybe," Snow admitted.

"Perhaps he didn't want to tell you what he'd done because he didn't want to worry you, maybe he was scared that you'd stop it," he pointed a finger to her, "I helped you two get together and that's how he thanks me?"

"You did it for your own agenda."

"Yes," he admitted, "But I did a whole lot of good for you in getting that agenda done. That Neanderthal husband of yours owes me an apology because the guards that he was so careful to employ were horrible. You'll never know the misery they inflicted."

Snow didn't look away, "Is that one of the things you'll tell me?"

"No," he leaned back, "Some things, a lady shouldn't know."

They both heard the door open. They looked back to see Emma come in.

"Emma," Snow greeted with a smile, "How was your day?"

Emma shut the door, "Fine."

Rumpelstiltskin smirked, "Ashley get situated?"

Emma glared at him and walked up the stairs to her room.

"That wasn't nice," Snow scolded.

"What? All stepdaughters go through a rebellious phase."