Ok, I am so sorry this took so long. I have a good reason though, I lost my flash drive, the one with an almost complete 4 chap for this story, and an almost complete chap for Rumpelstiltskin's strangest deal. So instead of working on it whenever, I am confined to my home computer, so it took a lot longer to retype. I'll try and get the next chap of RSD up soon, but because this chap won the coin toss, I worked on it first.
A big thank you to onceuponafairytalefan and beverlie4055 for the reviews.
And to UMMMM for the review, now I realize my spelling is not the best, I proof and have spell check but I'm not perfect, if anyone knows of a good Beta, please share, PM works or Review to tell me, or you canuse review to tell me how much you love the story.
And congrats to Guest who came up with the best (and only) name for chap 2. I'll be changing it, probably done by now, so yeah.
Now last but not least, I'm wondering, I'll try and update more regularly on both stories, but I'm wondering, do you want shorter chaps and faster updates, or longer chaps and slower updates. Please Review and tell me.
Emma slept at Gold's house last night, not because she was starting to like Gold she told herself, it was just that the bed in his room was so darn comfortable, and warm, and the fact that it smelled pleasantly of Gold's cologne, which was a wonderful smell, had nothing to do with it. Besides, if she had gone home, Mary Margret would be asking her every ten minutes, "Are you all right", "Do you need anything", "Are you sure", and so on. Yep, not becoming attracted to Gold at all.
'Why Emma, I had no idea you were such a bad liar.' Said a voice in her head that sounded suspiciously like her husband's.
"Shut up Gold, I don't like you; I'd have to be crazy to like you."
'Said the crazy woman talking out loud to a voice in her head that sounds like the man she all but forced to say "I do.'
"Shut up, you can't win here because I don't love you, I mean I don't love Gold, or, you know what, I just going to shut up now."
'That's probably best.'
"Oh would you just stop, I don't love him." Emma said, feeling a since of victory for winning the argument against Gold, or herself, or herself pretending to be Gold, or is Gold pretending to be her.
'You know, maybe you should just stop thinking about how you lost an argument with yourself, if that's possible.
"Oh and how did I losses exactly?"
'I never said you loved Gold, you came up with that one on your own.' The Gold voice said, and Emma could have sworn she felt him smirking.
"Arrogant bastard, would you just shut up." Emma yelled at no one, or at least she thought she had.
"You know, usually I have to say something before I get yelled at like that." Emma was sure she was losing it, she was hearing him, his cain, and heard the door shut. "Of course, normally it's only the Mayor who is stupid enough to actually say it to my face. But I must say, you are the first one to yell it at me with your back turned instead of mine."
By the time Emma realized that the real Gold was in the room, she was turning a lovely shad of beet red. "You're out of the hospital already, how did you get home?" She said as she tried to look busy drinking coffee.
"I had Dove drive me."
"So he's also your chauffeur."
"He's my personal assistant, chauffeur, bodyguard, and assassin."
Emma looked up at him. "You know, most wives don't need to ask if there husband is joking about a personal assassin."
"Yes, but ours is not a relationship like most couples."
"Depends, counting Nevada or not?" Emma said laughing at her joke while Gold looked like he had no idea what she was saying. "Never mind."
"Now are you done yelling at the walls, or would you mind bringing that coffee and the phone into the living room?"
"No, just give me a sec." Emma said. 'Why am I acting like a stupid school girl with her first crush?'
'It could be that you LOVE Gold, and you want to kiss him, and hug him, and hold him, and tell him how much you love him.' Ok, what is the girl from Miracle on 34th street doing in my head?
Gold went into the living room, and when Emma came in, she had to do a double take on the large chest in front to Gold's chair. It was beautiful, hand carved if she remembered anything form shop class, mahogany, with horses carved on the side and a solid lid with gold thread that must have taken hours to twist together. 'Unless Rumpelstiltskin spun it.' And now Henry was in her head to.
"This is Merlin's Chest." Gold said.
"I'm sorry, what?" Emma asked.
"The chest you're starring at, it's called Merlin's Chest. It was built in the 15th century, and was supposedly owned by Merlin himself."
"I thought Merlin was a myth."
"The magical powers are a myth, but King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table were real, Merlin was a druid. And as a druid, he supposedly made this magic chest." Gold said. He then pressed on the side of the lid, and the once thought to be solid wood had a small door at the top open. Gold then removed what was inside, pocketed it, and closed the door. "The legend said that Merlin, afraid that others might try to steal magical artifacts from him, made the chest. He enchanted a small mirror in the lid." He said, opening the lid to reveal a small mirror built into the underside of it.
"He put gold and magic jewels in it, and so if a thief tried to get in, they would see the treasure, and then become trapped when they looked into the mirror. And any of his magical enemies who would want to steal from him, would be fooled into thinking it was a trap for a common thieves, believing that the magic they sensed in the box came from the mirror and jewels alone." Gold then went on to press on some of the carved figures on the inside and outside of the box. "Little did they know that Merlin had made a false bottom." He then removed the inside of the box, revealing a second bottom. "And if anyone looked all they would see was a solid block of wood." He then pressed on the side again and part of the block opened, revealing a small golden broach that looked like a beetle.
"When I was younger I would spend all my free time trying to find all the hidden compartments, I'm still not sure if I have, it's almost like it's bigger on the inside."
"Like the T.A.R.D.I.S." Emma said, but all Gold did was look at her without the faintest idea what she was talking about. "Never mind, so why are you showing me this?"
"Because like Merlin, I hid something important inside the chest." And then Gold reached into his pocket and brought out what he had gotten out of the lid's secret compartment.
When Emma saw what he had in his hand, she was in shock. There in front of her were 4 gold rings, each one with a rather impressive diamond. Two of the rings had royal blue sapphires around the bottom of the diamond, and what she thought were half pearls in the band. "What are those?"
"These are the wedding rings from the two women who raised me after I lost my parents. They were sisters, and although their husbands were killed and had their rings looted, they made me promise I would give these rings to the woman I married."
In truth the rings were from his kindly adoptive mothers, and like many things they had owned, the true power of the objects were a mystery to all but the truly knowledgeable and powerful mages of the realm. He had searched long and hard for the rings after becoming the Dark One, having believed Millia's 'captors' had sold them after she was 'taken'. He had added the sapphires and the pearls to two of them latter, to give them a fraction of the worth they had in his heart.
"I can't possibly accept something like this, one of the sapphires alone is probably worth more then everything I have, times ten."
"Which is why I'll make you a deal, you where them as long as we're married as a sign of the fact that you like me, or at least doesn't hate me completely, and I can remember the rings as being worn by a woman who liked or at least tolerated me."
Emma was in shock, Gold was giving her his mother's rings for lack of a better term. "You think I could think about it? May talk it over with someone."
"I would be shocked if you didn't, Emma."
Emma walked to the front door, annoyed at the fact that he was being nice and agreeable, and worst of all that she didn't hate him, she might even lov-Like him, she liked him, yes that was it, she Might like him, and only a little bit. "Oh and Emma." Gold yelled before she left. "If Mary Margret asks why you didn't come home, you could always say we had five rounds of passionate make up sex." And the worst part about that joke, was the fact she wasn't sure if she would mind if that was true.
Gold on the other hand was having a wonderful day, all things considered, and was sure that the phone call he was going to make could only make it better.
Ring… Ring… Rin- "Hello?"
"Yes, Regina, could I please speak to Henry?"
Granny's
When Emma got to Granny's she wondered if maybe she did have a subconscious desire to harm herself, considering she walked right in even though she saw Mary talking with Ruby at the bar, and more importantly, the cover of the Mirror.
Gold Saves Mayor's Son
Local pawnbroker, Mr. Gold
Saves Henry Mills from
Being hit by a car.
"Hey Emma." Ruby yelled when she saw her. "How you holding up?" She asked when Emma had sat down.
"Ok I guess, Gold got released this morning and is apparently feels fine."
"And how would you know that Emma? You weren't at the hospital all night, and I know you weren't at home." Mary said, trying to sound as angry at Emma as she could.
"I stayed at Gold's last night."
"What." Mary and Ruby both looked at her with wide eyed amassment.
"He's not forcing you to stay there, is he? Cause if he is, I do own a crossbow." Granny said, coming up behind Ruby.
"No, I stayed there because I didn't want to have to lessen to the phone ringing all night because people wanted to know what had happened, and I didn't want Mary asking me every five seconds if I was all right."
"Emma, I wouldn't have done that." Mary Margret said, but the look the other three women were giving her said 'yeah right'. "Ok, maybe I would have, but can you blame me. So what did you guys do when he got home?"
"Five rounds of passionate make up sex." Emma said the same way you would discuss the weather, but the looks on her friend's faces were priceless. "That was a quip dearie, not serious." But the fact she did a Scottish accent with one of Gold's lines made their reactions even funnier.
"So, you are joking, right?" Ruby said.
"Yes Ruby, but Gold did do something unexpected when he got home."
"Oh and what was that?" Mary asked.
"This." Emma said, taking out the rings, she then explained what they were and what they meant to Gold, and the deal he offered her.
"So, basically he offered you his mother's wedding rings." Granny said.
"In a nut shell, yes." Emma said. "What do I do? I don't know whether I should feel honored or horrified."
"Well, when it comes to Gold, I'd say be horrified." Granny said before heading back into the kitchen.
"And when it comes to how cute those rings are, I'd be honored." Ruby said before going to take orders.
"Well?" Emma asked Mary.
"Emma, now please take this with a grain of salt…or maybe a whole bag, the last relationship I had was probably when Clinton was in office."
"Don't worry Mary, so was mine and I'm sure it ended worse than yours, so I think your advice will be better than mine."
"Well, guys usually only give a girl their mothers rings if they either really like them, or their cheap. Now considering Mr. Gold is the richest man in town, I don't think he would give you something so valuable unless he really did like you."
"And you don't think this is some evil plot?"
"I think that's more Henry talking, and do you actually think he has an 'evil plot'?"
"He said yesterday that he married me because he was feeling guilty that Henry was unhappy because he helped Regina adopt him. But something tells me there was more he wasn't telling me."
"Well, as Archie would say, guilt is a powerful thing. But did you ever consider that maybe he was shy. And the real reason was he likes you."
"You realize that you're talking about Mr. Gold, right. The scariest son of a… you get my point in town, or the east coast."
"Yes, he is, but he is also a man, and men, even scary ones, get scared of pretty girls, and when you consider the fact that I have never seen Gold out on a date in all my years of living here, and no one else has either, that maybe he's a stupid male who didn't know how to ask the girl he has a crush on out."
"You realize that he did a little more then ask me out, right?"
"I know that it's not a too scale argument, but I'd say it's still valid."
"So tell me, oh wise one, what should I do about the fact that my shy crush offered me his mothers, worth more than both of us, wedding rings?" Emma said, bowing to Mary MArgrets wisdom.
"I'd say, you're already married, so really what do you have to lose? The rings would look good on you, and it would make Gold happy, so that's a win-win."
"And what do I tell the Regina voice in my head saying get a divorce?"
"I'd say, stay married, try and enjoy yourself, and see if it works out." Mary said raising her hot chocolate glass. "And besides, since when do you lessen to Regina?"
Emma and Mary Margret then began to laugh, but then they heard a very girly scream. "AAAAAHHHHHH, THE HORROR, OH, THE HUMANITY!"
'Was that Leroy screaming?' Emma thought.
"RUN, REPENT, PRAY TO THE LORD THAT HE MIGHT TAKE MERCY UPON US, ARMAGEDIN IS UPON US!" 'Yep, that was Leroy.'
"Remind me never to send Leroy to one of Mother Superior's AA meetings again." Emma said.
"No kidding, he always comes back the next day preaching about how alcohol is important in religion. Jesus drank, but he never got drunk." Ruby said as she refiled their coffee. She looked up to see two very shocked friends. "Granny once forced me to go to church, confessional, and help at an AA meeting after a really bad night at the rabbit hole."
"Just once, normally Granny a can stay madder at you for longer." Mary said.
"The guy that took my confection begged Granny never to send me again." And with a big smile, Ruby went back to serving coffee. Just in time to spill some on Sidney when Leroy came screaming.
"EVERYBODY, RUN, FLEE, THE END IS NEAR, OUR WORST NIGHT MARE HAS COME TRUE, WE ARE ALL DOMED."
"Leroy, if you don't stop yelling and tell us why you are yelling about the end of days, I will personally see to it that you don't need to worry about living long enough for it to matter." Granny said, pointing her cleaver at Leroy.
"It was horrible, just horrible, it was, it was, it was that!" Leroy said pointing at, Gold.
"Oh heavens, how will we survive, Mr. Gold, he has come to collect the rent, it is the most terrifying thing I have seen since, last mouth. Why are you screaming?" Ruby said, pausing after every word.
"I think what your friend is screaming about, is the fact that because of resent injuries, I'm not alone." Gold said, and then stepping to the side, he revealed, the monster.
It was horrible; it's walk, the look, everything about it. It was the monster that all parents had nightmares about, the thing the Sunday church goers prayed would never come, the beast of which made up the bulk of the town original horror stories. An unstoppable monster, known as, the MINI-GOLD.
Slowly he made his way toward the register, and with out stretched hands said those horrifying word. "Rent please Granny, and two chocolate chip cookies." Henry said, dressed exactly like Gold, right down to the Gold tooth and smirk.
A very stunned Granny went and got the money and the cookie, and giving it to Henry said, "It's all there."
"I'm sure it is dear." And then turning around, Henry walked toward Mr. Gold, stopped, handed him the money and a cookie. "Here you are sir."
"Thank you." Mr. Gold said. And then turning around, they walked in perfect unison, each putting on their identical sun glasses in perfect unison and then continued walking out the door.
"I need a drink." Leroy said.
"I think I'll join you." Granny replied.
"Get me one to." The entire dinner said.
"Emma, you are going to stop this, aren't you?" Ruby said, looking genuinely afraid. "Because our only hope is for Gold to die childless with no one to collect rent."
"Well then, maybe next time a drunk girl is talking with him, you'll stop her from marrying him. Which reminds me, I have to get going, I don't want to be late."
"Late for what?" Mary asked.
"I have to stop by the hospital, been feeling weird, almost as bad as when I had Henry." Emma said, causing Ruby, and everyone else, to drop the shot glass they had. "Oh don't worry; I'm just going to pick up Gold's meds." And going to the door, Emma watched as everyone relaxed. "You hope." And with that she was out the door. And the funny thing was, she didn't mind the idea of having Gold's children, she almost smiled.
As Emma walked she thought about everything. 'Henry likes him, a plus. He looks good, plus. He's smart, plus. Wealthy, plus. Tried to take Ashley's baby, a minus, yes, and then he saved Henry's life, three (hundred) pluses. The last guy I kissed died, and if I kiss him he might die, and I'd be a town hero and inherit all Gold's wealth, not the worst fate.'
Yes, Emma had made up her mind. And so when she finally got to the station after getting Gold's meds, and having a dozen nurses tell her people call to ask if she was pregnant. She took the rings out of her pocket and put them on.
Somewhere in town
As Gold was doing his rounds, he felt a hair stand up on his neck, and knew Emma had put the rings on. "Henry, why don't we stop by my friends Michal Myrddin's house?"
"MR. MYRDDIN'S HOUSE, REALLY!?" Henry said.
"Yes, it's nearby, and I thought you might like to see inside the home of Storybroke's honorary grandfather." Gold said as he walked toward the large old house and rang the doorbell.
When Madelyn opened the door and saw both of them, she screamed and then ran. "AHHHH, Michal, it's Gold, again. Twice in two days, we're cursed I tell you, and poor little Henry, he's so scared he's dressed like Gold, probably lost a bet, he looks so ugly and old." She said as they entered the study
"Remind me why it is I let her live after she insults me." Gold said, even though he was smiling
"Because good help is hard to find, look at me, I'm still looking. Now why don't you go and give Henry a tour of the house, I need to talk to Gold." Michal said. After Henry and Madelyn left, Gold brought over the chess board to the table, it looked like they were in the middle of a game. "We should bring in the last player."
"I agree the black queen has already killed a knight." Gold said setting a black knight on the side. "But maybe we can elevate a pawn to the role."
"Make a queen appear a knight, that could work well, or it could kill us, painfully."
"Not if done right, and if the black queen and her last knight are busy playing with the white royal couple, then we can win."
"Yes, but how?"
"The black king and a white knight will be gone, so the black rook and the other white knight can watch what the queen dose while they are away.
"And maybe that knight can push the black queen to focus on the white queen and king, very clever. But what about the white bishop and her accursed pawns." Michal said.
"I doubt we could kill them, but maybe we can box them in, make them nothing more than a worthless pawn that can't even move."
"I'd prefer to kill them all; even a pawn can become a queen at the worst time. But I suppose your right. So are you enjoying having a son again?"
"Henry is not my son; he's helping because I promised him five percent of the rent."
"Yes, and I'm William Shakespeare. The boy likes you you idiot, and you're the closest thing to a father he's got so you might as well act like one. God forbid you actually might enjoy yourself for a change." Michal said smiling.
"You and I both know I don't deserve it." Gold said.
"Maybe not, but he does. And besides, we discussed this, you know what would have happened had that harpies' plan succeeded, you should feel lucky you didn't fall into that vortex. You know what would have happened, wht you would have become."
"Yes, but I would have had Bea for longer…"
"And lost him even worse, one day you're going to realize that what he did to you was for as much your benefit as his. And on day Bea will forgive both of you for what happened that day, you know that, but until then, we must be focused on the now. And right now, you need to go and have fun with Henry, he's your stepson now, and you are doomed to fall in love with him."
"Another prediction, funny considering you don't have foresight until the curse breaks."
"No, this is an old friend who remembers what happened last time. Now just do us both a favor and don't fight it this time."
"I'll kill you later; I need to finish the rounds." Gold said. And as he got up to leave he said. "I'll meet you there tonight at the third strike, at the gnome pasture."
"Good, by the way, did you give Emma the rings?"
"Yes, and she put them on right before we came."
"Good, the plan is moving smoothly."
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