Dagian sat next to her son in the hotel lobby and took a sip of her tea, "You know the one thing I miss in the old world?"

"What?" Bae asked.

"How much better everything tasted," she put the tea down in disgust. Rumpelstiltskin often made cracks about the diner but sometimes the food wasn't TOO bad. All bets were off with this though; it seemed that Granny couldn't make a decent cup of tea to save her life.

"Have you talked to your father yet?"

"No," Bae told her, "He's practically disappeared."

Dagian sighed. Leave it to him to ruin lives for 400 years, get his son back, and not have the courage to face him afterwards, "Perhaps that's a curse and a blessing for you."

Bae was quiet for a second, "Has he changed?"

Dagian looked at her son. She could lie to him, and give him hope. She'd lied about what exactly her and Rumpelstiltskin's relationship truly was when she was cursed and she could lie about this…

But what good would it do?

"I think….," she started, "That he wants to. But everyone that can influence him…he's been separated from through one cause or another and I think that after running amuck with unlimited power for 400 years….will probably mean that it takes time for him to figure out how to reign himself in.

Bae played with the untouched cup of tea in his hand, "I'm…getting married."

Dagian tried to feign surprise, "To whom?"

Bae gave her an incredulous look, "We're playing this game? Really? I know you know."

Dagian pursed her lips and shrugged, "I was told in confidence."

"Emma."

"She needed someone to talk to," Dagian forgot herself temporarily and took another sip of her tea before she was brought back to that harsh reality, "Her son was angry, you were Rumpelstiltskin's son and the father of her son and Rumpelstiltskin was dying and Storybrooke was going to implode on itself because of Cora. Tamara's introduction may have seemed minor compared to everything but it's usually the little things that break the camels back so to speak."

Bae watched her carefully, "You'd rather I be with Emma, don't you?"

"Far be it from me to give someone relationship advice," Dagian muttered wryly, "Especially if it's with someone that you were with over a decade ago."

Bae noticed she didn't answer his question, "You think it might be best for Henry."

Dagian narrowed her eyes, why was he trying to get her to admit something that he would obviously disagree with? "Sometimes staying in a relationship and trying to make it work for the kids can be successful but you and I also know personally that that's not always the case. Your father's and my relationship collapsed under its own weight the minute we lost you. Would that mean the same for you and Emma? Perhaps. Perhaps not. But that's not my decision to make and that's not my place to judge. But I would suggest that you make sure that Tamara is truly who you want and you're not staying with her out of obligation to a ring you put on her finger. While a marriage can be dissolved a little too easily in this world, the emotions that come with it aren't. At least for most people."

"Yes," Bae said, "I'm also very aware of that."

They both looked up as the lobby door opened and Henry and Emma came in. Dagian saw that Henry was carting around the large book that he'd been practically inseparable with last year.

"Hey buddy," Neal greeted and stood. Henry gleefully ran into his arms. Bae returned the embrace and pulled back, "How are you?"

"I'm good," he held out the book, "I brought this, I thought you could tell me what it was really like over there."

Dagian raised an eyebrow. She was sure his grandparents had told him all about it because she knew that she had once he figured out that she remembered. But of course Henry would want to hear it from his father's own mouth as well.

"Sounds great," he reached into his pocket and pulled out some money, "I'll tell you what, why don't you run to the diner, get us four hot cocoas and we'll dive in."

Emma immediately looked uncomfortable. Things were still a bit tense between her and Bae. Dagian was confident that they'd work through it, but probably slowly, "I'm…going to have to take a rain check, I have to go to the station and take care of some things."

"Can it wait?" Bae asked, "There's a couple of things I want to talk to you about. Tamara went to my place to get some of her stuff."

"Okay," Emma started.

Bae continued, "Her bags…were in the storage room but Hook wasn't."

And then that old fear came to Dagian. He wasn't there. He wasn't in the storage unit; he could be out there somewhere…headed back to Storybrooke. To home.

"Lucky," Emma noted.

Dagian didn't roll her eyes but she honestly wanted to; what was Hook going to do? Innuendo her to death? He only went after women to hurt them if he was paid to or if it fit his revenge plan.

"Yeah, but now he's out there," Bae said.

"I'm not sure how much trouble he can cause anyway," Emma muttered.

And now she just jinxed it, Dagian could imagine a whole lot of trouble that psychopathic pirate could still cause. Dagian made note to ask who gave the Charmings that wooden lock on the odor because she was ordering those kinds installed for all her doors and if there were ones similar for her windows too.

"The second…thing I want to talk to you about," Bae said awkward, "The reason Tamara was g-getting her stuff is that she's on her way here."

"Here?" Emma demanded, "As in Storybrooke?"

"Yeah," Bae moved away, "She should be here at Granny's any minute now."

"What are you thinking?" Emma demanded again.

"What do you mean?" Bae asked

"I mean what are you going to tell her when she sees a giant or a werewolf run past her on Main Street?"

Dagian stepped in slightly, "She's his fiancée Emma, if she's going to be in his life and Henry's going to be in his life then she needs to be aware of what's going on."

Emma looked at both of them, "Between Greg Mendell, our food obsessed tourist and your fiancé, this town is turning into a theme park!"

"Our town was ALWAYS a theme park," Dagian muttered.

"Maybe I didn't think it all the way through, I'm sorry! I-I need her."

And then it was quiet. Dagian studied Emma's face for her reaction. She wondered if that look in Emma's eyes was defeat over Tamara's place in his life or because she understood how he felt…and she wished she had someone that she needed when she was in this oversized funhouse.

"I'm sorry," Bae relented, "I didn't mean it to-."

"You don't have to apologize to me," Emma said, "I'm not the one you're lying to."

"Who's lying?" Bae asked.

"Does she know who you really are and where you're really from?" When Bae hung his head and didn't answer, Emma continued, "Take my advice, don't let her find out on her own. Tell her the truth. Tell her everything."

Because that had worked when Henry tried it all of last year. Dagian really felt bad for Tamara when she got here because it was going to turn her entire world upside down.

Bae's phone beeped, "It's her, she's ten minutes away."

Emma turned to leave. Dagian was surprised she dind't race out the door.

"Why don't you stay and get to know her?"

Bae was about the only one who didn't realize how awkward that would probably be. It was bad enough that he was going to turn her world completely around but it probably wouldn't help that his son's mother would be there as well.

"I really should be going."

"I know, but we're all connected," he pleaded, "It really would be nice for you two to talk."

Emma didn't say anything but they could tell she was faltering.

"Just…stay here and say hello," he offered. And when Emma didn't verbally agree, "She's bringing bagels."

Emma raised her eyebrows.

"Stay Emma," Dagian pleaded, "Henry's going to have to meet her too. And if she's going to be in his life then it'd be best you two at least tried to get along in front of him."

Emma sighed and shoved her hands in her pockets. She didn't like it but soon enough, she plopped down beside Dagian.

"Thank you," Dagian whispered.

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Emma averted her eyes when Tamara came into the inn with Bae. Dagian noticed it immediately as did Henry. The room was plunged into an awkward silence as soon as the two women laid eyes on each other.

"Tamara," Bae started, "You remember Emma."

"Yes," she gave an easy smile that seemed trustworthy and extended her hand. Emma rose and shook it with a forced smile.

"And this is Henry, my son," he looked down at the boy with pride in his eyes. Henry looked far more uneasy than Emma did and he didn't respond to Tamara's smile so Bae turned to Dagian, "And this is-."

"Dawn," Dagian lied and held out her hand and Tamara shook it.

"My mother," Bae said.

Tamara looked at her incredulously and Dagian knew she had to cover for her son in order to explain why they looked exactly the same age wise, "Step mother. Former step mother actually."

"Oh."

Bae gave her a hurt look but she just brushed it off. One thing at a time. First he had to convince her magic was real. Then he could convince her that Dagian was over 400 years old when she just looked 35.

When Dagian heard that Tamara was going to bring bagels, Dagian hadn't counted on Tamara bringing a whole bagel kitchen with her.

They sat quietly for a few minutes, eating breakfast. Dagian was itching to ask Tamara wall kinds of questions but it wasn't the right time. Not in front of Emma.

Henry had no such qualms, "So…how did you guys meet?"

"Um…" Tamara started, "Well, I was super late to work, rushing like crazy, guzzling my when this guy…crashed into me."

Bae gave her an affectionate smile and Tamara continued, "My coffee soaked my blouse, there was no time to change so…Neal gave me his scarf to hide the stains and he said I could keep it or call him if he wanted to return it. I've decided to call and well we've been together ever since"

Dagian wondered if that was the way they flirted out there outside of Storybrooke. She was surprised that worked. And then she wondered where Bae learned to flirt because it certainly wasn't from his parents. She and Rumpelstiltskin just got married the day they realized they cared about each other as more than just friends or host and recovering house guest. He'd been too shy to flirt and she'd been recovering from the ogre massacre so where on earth did Bae learn to talk to women?

Emma looked like she'd rather choke on her bagel than hear any more of that story, "Sounds like fate."

Dagian watched as Bae gave Emma a look and Dagian wasn't sure exactly what it was.

"I have to go drop Henry off with his grandpa."

Dagian checked her watch, oh gods she was running late, "Yeah, I have to go too, my daughter spent the night with her dad and I better pick her up."

"It was nice meeting you Tamara," Henry said.

Bae pulled out the book, "Here ya go, man."

Henry got that crafty look that he got when he was manipulating someone, "Why don't you hold onto that."

"Okay," Bae shrugged.

Dagian nodded her farewells and followed Emma and Henry out the door, "You might wanna keep an eye on that crafty streak he's got in him, Emma. He certainly picked that up from his grandfather."

"I'm not sure that's genetic," Emma said and stopped Dagian at the base of the stairs, "What do you think?"

"About her?"

Emma nodded.

Dagian shrugged, "He seems happy."

"He does," Emma said and Dagian saw a small glint of pain in her eyes that told Dagian exactly why she was asking, "But what do you think about her?"

Dagian looked back toward the inn, "To be honest Emma, it's going to take a lot more than an awkward bagel breakfast to know how I feel."

Emma looked at the car where Henry was waiting, "Yeah, I know."

"Let's take a step back and wait to see how she deals with this magic thing," Dagian said, "And from there we'll see how we feel

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Rumpelstiltskin sat with the silver on one side of the table and the polish on the other side and Lily in the middle where she held the center of his attention. She thought the silver he was handing was some sort of toy. She kept reaching for it and giving a cry of dismay when he wouldn't let her have them.

He wished he'd remember to bring some of her toys from the house but he kept forgetting. She was staying awake longer and craved his attention. When he couldn't give it, she needed to be entertained.

The bell rang and he waited a few seconds until Dagian stepped through the curtain, "Hey."

"You're late," he said.

"Like you care," Dagian muttered.

Lily smiled at him from her carriage and Rumpelstiltskin gave a small smile back to his daughter, "You're right. I don't."

Dagian gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek and lifted the carrier, "I must be going. Lots of things to cover in the newspaper. Seems most people come out of hiding when two witches are reduced to one."

"One day, it'll be reduced to none," he promised, "And all our enemies will be dead."

Dagian tensed and looked at him, "That reminds me…Bae just told me that Hook got out of the storage unit."

He frowned when he saw the fear in her eyes, "He won't hurt you again."

"You don't know that."

He didn't, and Hook would probably come back but now that Dagian and Rumpelstiltskin were waiting for him, he couldn't even think of attacking them unawares.

"He failed. I'm alive and he can't kill me while I have magic. He won't show his face here again," he promised and gave her an affectionate kiss on her forehead, "I'll see you out?"

He followed her out to the front door and saw some woman that he didn't recognize storming down the street. And that was odd because he knew every face in this town, "Who in the name of the gods is that?"

Dagian looked uncomfortable and he knew that she knew, "That's Tamara, Bae's….fiancé."

He scoffed. That was impossible. Bae loved Emma.

"Hm," he narrowed his eyes. He couldn't put his finger on it but he didn't like her, "There's something off about her."

"Well she smiles a lot," Dagian said, "Maybe you don't like her because she's normal."

"No one," he said, "Is normal."

"You should meet her."

"Why should I waste my time?" he asked, "For something that won't last?"

Dagian rolled her eyes, "For Bae."

"I prefer investing over someone that he will end up caring for," Rumpelstiltskin said, "And I can't meet fiancés, I'm too busy keeping an eye on Regina.

"Excuses," she scolded him, "You know, you're going to have to face him sooner or later."

Rumpelstiltskin felt a pang in his chest. He was healed now…he was himself again. He could he face Bae like that? "Let him get invested in Emma, Lily, you and Henry as a reason to stay. Then I'll talk to him."

"He'll see right through that," Dagian told him.

"Maybe," he said, "But I'm not going to waste my time with someone I don't trust."

"You always waste your time with people you don't trust," Dagian told him, "Why should she be different?"