Dagian finished work on the next edition and sent it in and Jefferson drove her home at four in the morning.
"Such a gentleman," Dagian smiled. She left her car near Archie's. She should go back and grab it but she was just too tired to drive.
"My mother taught me well," he told her with a warm tired smile of his own.
"Would you drive me home at four in the morning if we ever eloped?" she asked half seriously. She supposed that she should treat this issue with a bit more respect but she was mostly talking from exhaustion.
"If I had something nice to wake up to."
Dagian blushed, "Oh Jefferson."
"I meant breakfast in bed," he said with faux innocence, "I don't know what you're talking about."
She smiled at his casual flirting, "Maybe one day."
"Maybe," he agreed and groaned when they both saw her ex-husband's car pulled into her driveway, "And there he is."
Dagian tensed as well. Several scenarios played in her mind at what this could possibly be about. Either he wanted to talk civilly or he was going to try and take the baby after declaring he did it to keep her safe. Both possibilities didn't end well for her.
Jefferson pulled the car to a stop and they both saw that he was asleep, "We could just keep driving."
"I have to face him sooner or later."
"Who says?"
"Whoever decided that confronting the people you were mad at in a civil manner made you a bigger person?"
Jefferson bit his thumbnail, "Would you like me to go in with you?"
"No," she said and rubbed his arm absentmindedly, "I don't want you in the middle of this anymore than you already are."
"And you honestly think you can handle him? After what he did to you?"
Dagian felt her throat close up in the fear of being alone with Rumpelstiltskin but she knew her options of bringing Jefferson in with her weren't good. If he was there then they couldn't really talk because Rumpelstiltskin would be on his guard and would routinely mock Jefferson out of pettiness and if he was here for Lily then Jefferson risked getting hurt.
"No," she said, "But he'll listen to me better if no one else is there."
"He hardly ever listens to you."
"And if you go in then he'll close off completely and I can't have that."
"Are you sure?"
"No," she whispered. Really, she felt safer if Jefferson was there but he also had a daughter to care for that Dagian was supposed to meet in three hours, "But I think…it'd be best if I went ahead and did this."
"Call me afterwards," he told her, "Let me know that you're safe."
"I will," Dagian nodded and kissed him. Jefferson helped her get Lily of the car seat in the back and he kissed her goodnight…or good morning one more time before reluctantly driving off.
Lily settled back on her mother's shoulder and went to sleep. Dagian drew a couple of breaths and knocked on the window of her ex-husband's car. HE jerked awake and ran a hand through his hair. For a second, he looked disheveled and not in control…which was refreshing, she had to admit.
He opened the door slightly and looked tense and she realized that perhaps he wasn't in control of this. Perhaps he dreaded her reaction just as much as she dreaded his.
"You want to talk?" she asked a bit more harshly than she should've, "Come in"
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Rumpelstiltskin sat with his hands clasped in his lap as Dagian stared tensely back at him. Each one waited for the other to start.
"Would you like some tea?" she finally asked.
"No," he told her and looked around the small living room, "You should probably get to sleep soon and I have to go to bed as well…in an actual bed."
"If I knew you were in my driveway, I would've come home to talk."
Rumpelstiltskin smiled wryly, "I feared you would've moved elsewhere if you knew I was waiting for you."
"I was working," she said, "You could've come in, you have the keys."
He might've taken that as a welcome if he didn't hear the resignation in her voice; she expected him to do whatever he wanted, "It's still your house, I respect your space."
She fought to urge to roll her eyes and he couldn't say that he blamed her, "Why are you here, Rumpelstiltskin?"
"Why do you think?" he demanded, "I want to make it right."
Dagian looked down, "Darling, what's the point of making it right if we just keep hurting each other?"
"Perhaps one day it'll stick."
"We've been tormenting each other for 400 years. I don't think it'll change."
"Well, you were asleep for most of those."
"You had to take care of me," she said with a bit of humor in her voice and then she became serious, "I'm not your puppet or your pawn anymore Rumpelstiltskin."
"I know."
"I have…been doing better…after the things that we've done to each other. I've been working on getting my confidence back up and getting some esteem going and…I have a job and a boyfriend that I care about because I want to take control of my life instead of being the victim to be used and abused thanks to people like you, Zoso and August. I got my memories back and I went to you to watch Lily and I confided in you…and then five minutes later I'm on the ground asleep because it was the easiest way for you to deal with me not wanting you to risk killing Emma and Snow."
"I had to protect our family from Cora. The fact that I worry about her should be reason enough for you to be," he replied in an equally calm voice. He knew this was hard for her to process; she'd spent centuries believing he was the most powerful being in their world and now that title was being challenged by someone that had once been human. When Rumpelstiltskin was telling her everything, he'd kept the time spent with Cora as vague as possible. He didn't want to revisit those memories, "I regret what I did to you, but I don't regret what I did in the grand scheme of things. It may not have been the right thing but when looking at the bigger picture…it was the thing to do. Can you understand at least where I'm coming from? I know that I jeopardized everything we were building in our shaky relationship when I did that. And I'm sorry."
She looked conflicted, much like she always did when he was trying to justify himself, "It's not just that, Rumpelstiltskin."
He nodded and waited for her to continue.
"You knew that I wanted to come back," she said simply, "You knew as the Dark One that I was trying to return to you only for Zoso to stop me by putting me with that pirate and erasing the memories. I understand why you were angry that I left but the malicious treatment you gave me because I chose not to return…I didn't deserve that. I didn't deserve to be mocked by you when you knew all along that I'd wanted to come home and you didn't even give me my memories back-."
"I couldn't."
"Yes you could."
"It would've been messy. It would've hurt you…far more than my barbs ever could've. Dagian, I waited…so long for you to return and you never did. I know that wasn't your fault. I tried looking for you out there because I wanted to get you back and because I loved you. Your true love even promised that he'd bring you back. It made what I believed to be the betrayal all that much worse when I never received word and I thought the two of you had just run off together…I told Bae that you were dead. When the curse hit me all the feelings I had toward you were increased. I'm not excusing myself for how I've treated you because I regret it every single day and I know that you regret the things that you've done. I'm just…explaining myself. I was angry and the anger intensified and I felt you were the target to take it out on. And then you took the sleeping potion and I felt the need to do it again. As you know, it wasn't until I was stripped of my powers that I was no longer angry with you
Dagian listened quietly, "We can't keep doing this…"
"What do you suggest we do?" he asked. The moment that he was dreading was there. She was going to take Lily from him and while he told himself that he would respect that and try to earn her trust again…to be honest he wasn't sure how he would react.
Dagian ran a hand through her hair, "I won't…take Lily from you. I know that you do love her…and you haven't hurt her even though I question your actions when you wish to protect her. The motive…I can understand. What you did to me…I think is going to take a bit of time to forgive."
He understood that, "Then what will happen for us?"
"I think that unless our conversations have to do with Bae or Lily then we should…work on cutting off our communication."
It felt like a blow nonetheless. No matter what they went through…other than Belle, he still counted Dagian as one of his best friends. He had gone almost 30 years knowing that no matter how horrible he was or what he resorted to...she and her second personality would always be there to just…talk to.
But she had to have a breaking point and he felt like she gave him more than enough chances. He would have to earn her trust back, "I think that would be best."
Dagian looked down awkwardly, "Yeah."
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Dagian didn't sleep that night. She knew that she probably should be grateful that she was breaking away from Rumpelstiltskin for good but…he had such a way of looking at her and talking to her as if she had done something wrong for not wanting to put up with him.
One energy drink later, Dagian walked to the diner and met an energetic and nervous Jefferson and Grace; who looked a little scared.
"Hey," he greeted and pulled a chair for her.
"Hey," she responded and he kissed her cheek…probably the chastest kiss that he'd ever given her.
"Dagian…this is Grace…although I'm not sure why I'm introducing you two because you've met…"
"Hi Grace," Dagian greeted.
"Hello," Grace said meekly but watched at Dagian with an unblinking stare.
Dagian set the baby carrier down in the fourth chair, "Jefferson…why don't you get us some napkins?"
He seemed to read her intentions quite clearly and stood up, "I'm sure Granny's has some…somewhere."
When he was gone, Dagian turned to her, "I've been looking to meet you for a while."
"Then why haven't you?" she asked. It wasn't accusing…but just curious.
"Because your papa wanted to make sure that he and I were at a place where he felt comfortable for me to meet you."
Dagian wasn't sure Grace even blinked, "And are you going to be my mom?"
Dagian bit her lip and tried to figure out how she should proceed, "Alright Grace, I should tell you right now that I'm not trying to replace the mother that you had. The woman that gave you birth will always be your mother. And if you're nervous or leery of me being with your father because you miss your mother then I understand that. I don't know if your father and I are going to work out enough for me to become your stepmother. Some of that relies on how you like me and if he thinks I'll be a good fit for it. Other things rely on us trusting each other and ourselves…due to us both having kids and our…previous histories….it's a bit more complicated than just spending time and falling in love quickly."
"I understand," Grace said, "Just…don't hurt him."
"I won't," Dagian promised and tried not to think about the time her 14 year old son begged her not to do the same after she and Rumpel had…resumed marriage activities while he was the Dark One.
Grace smiled slightly. They weren't anywhere near a mother/daughter relationship but they were at a bit of an understanding. Which was more than what Dagian expected.
"Would you like the hold the baby?" Grace looked unsure but Dagian was already lifting her out of the carrier and picked up a bottle, "You can feed her if you like."
"I won't know how."
"I'll teach you," Dagian offered and gently handed her the baby, "Support her head…there we go…."
"Good news!" Jefferson told them triumphantly, "Apparently the napkins are in the dispensers on the table."
"Wonderful, so nice that they thought to do that," Dagian told him with a smile. Jefferson kissed the top of his daughter's head and rested his chin on it, "So what did you two talk about while I was gone?"
"Oh, you know," Grace started as Lily ate hungrily, "Girl stuff"
Jefferson gave Dagian a genuinely sweet smile which she returned. She didn't move when she felt his foot brush against her calf teasingly.
Well that was one test passed…
An ambulance siren screamed as the vehicle drove by. Dagian craned her neck to see what was going on…Jefferson turned as well and then gave her a concerned look.
Dagian's phone buzzed and she grabbed it and saw that it was one of her reporters.
They just found Jiminy dead.
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The funeral was such a lousy turnout and frankly Dagian felt that Dr. Hopper deserved better. Mostly the royal family and friends of theirs showed up and listened solemnly while Snow gave her speech.
Dagian should be recording this but the pencil was just…numb in her hand.
She couldn't…Jiminy was her friend…Archie was one of the few that Dawn considered a friend when they were both cursed. He was always there to listen and he never judged. Dagian had spent most of the past two days crying…like many members of the town. A cloud of depression had settled on the town now…what did they do now that their conscience was gone?
Jefferson stood next to her, he held Lily so that she could take notes. It was all for naught though, she couldn't…focus.
Emma had talked to her since she had been one of the last to see Jiminy alive and she had confirmed Red's story that Regina had gone in there after them. And with careful questions, Dagian had gotten answers about what was going on that just…angered her.
Jiminy didn't deserve to be murdered and Dagian hoped that Regina got what was coming to her.
Grace stood between Jefferson and Dagian and stared on. She wasn't as close to Jiminy as several in the town had been…her father had been helping her deal with the duel personalities and identities and so Grace didn't really need him like Dagian and others had.
Finally, she just shoved the notepad in her pocket and let the tears fall.
Someone grabbed her hand and she looked over, expecting Jefferson's gloved hand to be in hers but she saw that it was Grace lending the comfort. Jefferson noticed it too but said nothing to give his thoughts away. Dagian tightened the hold and drew a shaky breath.
I'll be better, she promised him, Like you taught me.
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When Dagian got him from the funeral, she put Lily to bed and cleaned her room…she wasn't due to come into the office for a few hours and until then she had promised herself that she would catch up on housecleaning.
But the bubble bath sounded tempting.
Dagian heard the door downstairs open and she straightened and tensed. The only person it could be was Rumpelstiltskin and he'd only just told her that her house was not his to walk into.
Perhaps he had a change of heart.
She walked to her bedroom and picked up a bat. Perhaps it was nothing…that door came open when she didn't shut it well enough.
And her phone was downstairs. She kept an eye out as she crept down the stairs but nothing seemed out of place….the door was open though and Dagian felt some relief when she saw that it was just Pongo coming to look for treats. He must've pushed it open.
Dagian knelt down and scratched Pongo's ears. She pulled out a vanilla wafer out of her purse for him and gave it to him. She should call the animal shelter though; she wasn't sure where he was supposed to go.
"Come on boy," she shut the door and led him to the backyard. At least here she wouldn't have to worry about him getting hit by a car.
As long as he didn't jump over the gate…
"Such compassion."
Dagian froze at the voice. It sounded familiar and she felt her heart start to hammer in her chest when she straightened up and saw that Killian had left the coat closet and was now standing in the doorway of the kitchen.
"Hello ice queen…I take it you remember me."