Sorry for the delayed update, but I hope everyone enjoys it all the same.

R

P.O.V. Change

Gold barged into Regina's office, letting the door bang against the wall.

"What have you done with Belle?"

Regina looked up from the paperwork she was dealing with.

"I'm sorry, do I look like a one handed pirate with a pistol? You know who shot her" she stated casually, letting her eyes fall back to what she was doing.

"Stop playing games, she's gone. And now she's someone else!" he said forcefully.

"Oh, you mean, she has her memories back" Regina said with a smile as she finished what she was doing and put her pen down "You're welcome"

She stared at him reproachfully as she stood and moved away from her desk.

"Not her memories. Her curse memories"

"Yeah, from the curse you gave me" she pointed out as she moved by him to the rest of her files, picking up another that was in the 'IN' tray.

"You see, all I did was jog things back in place"

"Well, undo it. Bring her back" Gold insisted

"You know I can't. She crossed the Town Line. Her old self is gone. These curse memories she has now are real" That smile of hers was back in place as she waltz past him "Lacey is here to stay"

"Any curse can be broken, dearie. Now you are gonna help me-"

She cut him off.

"Or what? You'll kill me?" she sat down in her chair again "No you won't"

That smug smile of hers kept disappearing and reappearing like a white rabbit in a magicians hat.

"Oh, won't I" he threatened.

"You're on your best behaviour because of your son" she stated 'as-a-matter-of-factly'

"You don't want him to know who you really are, now, do you? So I suggest you get used to Lacey"

She rolled away to do something nearby, effectively finishing her side of this infuriating conversation.

"Alright. I'll find a way" he sat down in the chair in front of her.

"Finding a way isn't the problem, dear" Regina stated, not looking up from what she was doing "We both know what is"

"Yeah, true love's kiss" he stated knowingly.

"And I don't think our new resident feels the same way about you as you do her" she didn't look up from her work but gave a small shake of her head, as a sort of acknowledgement.

"Then I'll make her" Gold said a little too loudly.

"Now, there's the charm that should easily woo a young lady" Regina replied sarcastically with a smile as she looked at him.

"She'll most certainly fall in love with you at first sight" she continued.

Gold looked away awkwardly and Regina chuckled.

"Oh, wait, that didn't happen, did it?" she taunted.

Gold stood abruptly and lent across the desk to look down on her angrily.

"She will. Or, I promise you, there will be suffering" he said, voice dangerously low.

Regina looked seriously her tone even and just as deadly "Finally something we both can agree on. Good luck Gold"

Gold turned and began to walk out of the office, but not before Regina had her final say.

"Oh, and give my best to Lacey"

He knew she was trying to rile him up, and it was working, but he also had his ammunition. It becoming even more dangerous as he looked over to the side of the room and saw the broken floor and doorway.

"What happened here?" he asked.

"Pipe line" was the reply that he got and that didn't sound too convincing.

"Tell your sister I said get better soon" he threw over his shoulder.

He exited the office leaving Regina staring after him, wearing the same look he was.

P.O.V. Change

Watcher had entered the diner with Mary-Margaret a few hours ago and had yet to leave.

She was scared to go home. Scared to see Regina. Scared what the reaction would be when her big sister found out she was now a Werewolf.
Watcher felt if she stayed at the diner with Ruby and Granny she could at least monitor the situation...and maybe look out for her friend when Regina came running to kill her.

Leroy and David had come in to get something to eat for the other Dwarfs, while they and Anton slaved away on their little 'landscaping' project...read Magic Bean Crop.
Of course, Watcher was the only one in town who knew the truth, but she thought it better not to let on.

Granny had just handed over the Chilli, excluding beans, and they were having a nice little chat on the counter when Mr Gold entered, un-noticed by all except Watcher.

Leroy left after a mild confrontation and Gold sat down, looking a little worse for wear. Granny went back to what she'd been doing before, berating Watcher for not leaving.

"I'm sure my Granddaughter has told you I don't like customers who just come to sit" she said gruffly as she sat down in the booth across from Watcher, groaning as she did so.

"A piece of advice; don't grow old, it's no fun"

Watcher smiled "I'll take that into consideration" she joked.

Granny stared at her for a bit but Watcher didn't make eye contact.

"What are you still doing here child?"

"Don't wanna go home. Don't know if I even have a home to go to. Don't wanna leave Ruby unprotected" Watcher told her honestly.

"Ruby can take care of herself" Granny returned quietly, just as honestly and with a hint of a smile, thinking that this girl was very different to the other Mills women. In this instance the apple was thrown from the branch by some unknown force.

Granny placed a tender hand on Watchers "Ruby's still to come on yet, hang around a little longer. She'll be glad to see you"
She smiled widely before pulling herself out of the booth and back behind the counter.

David and Gold were still talking even when Granny got there.

After about half an hour Ruby appeared, though had yet to see Watcher sitting nearby.

Ruby sat down on one of the stools at the counter still looking extremely depressed. Granny placed a milkshake down in front of her and told her something, pointing to the tables.

Ruby grudgingly stood and picked up the beverage, making her way over to the booth where Watcher was, not really seeing that the younger girl was sitting there.
When Ruby did eventually look up she dropped the heavy glass, letting shards explode and fly across the floor, catching the attention of the other customers in the small diner.

"Ruby!" Granny shouted, but Ruby wasn't listening.

She stepped and skipped over the remnants on the floor and all but pounced on Watcher squeezing her in a tight hug.

"Oh my God! Oh, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" she was now on the verge of tears "I didn't know it was you! I swear I didn't!"

"Ruby it's fine, I forgive you" Watcher laughed.

"But I think you might be breaking my bones" she managed to wheeze out.

Ruby instantly let go, wiping away a few stray tears. Watcher still laughed at her.

"Ruby" Granny called gently "I'm glad to see you're feeling better, but you'll need to clean up the mess you made" she stated sternly but kindly.

"Allow me" said Rumplestiltskin and with a wave of his hand the floor was magically clean again. Then he was on his feet and making his way across to the two girls in the booth.
The rest of the diner went back to eating and talking. David and Granny watched the scene carefully.

"Miss Watcher, I believe you had a proposition for me? I'm ready to listen" he stated

Ruby didn't move from her seat and Watcher indicated for him to sit.

"You were right when you said it was a deal, it is of a sort" she stated "I just wasn't sure how to word it at the time"

"Well I'll help you with the wording if you're in need of it" he said with a small, kinder looking smile.

Watcher let out a chuckle, not fooled by him at all "I need something. But knowing you, you'd want something in return"

"Well what do you need?" he asked her.

Ruby sat there looking between the two, cautiousness evident in her eyes.

"I need a hood...like Ruby's"

"What?" he asked confused.

"I need a red hood of some sort, similar to Ruby's, that has the same spell placed on it"

Ruby was staring at Watcher, now ready to cry again "I didn't?!"

Watcher took the other girls hand and placed her head on Ruby's shoulder.

"I did!" Watcher heard her say.

Ruby placed her elbow on the table and her forehead in her palm, a few stray tears ruining her mascara.

"How could you be so stupid?!" Gold hissed at her.

"It was an accident 'Stiltskin" Watcher snapped.

Gold breathed in and out for a minute and then looked to Watcher "Does Regina know?"

"No"

"Oh God!" Ruby mumbled.

"So you need a hood like the Werewolf's, I can do that. But what do I get in this deal?" Gold asked.

Watcher leaned back in her seat eyeing him, her game face on.

"You get me"

Both Ruby and Gold looked at her confused.

"What would I possibly want with you?" he questioned.

"You been to Regina's office yet?" she stated in question form.

He too leaned back "I take it that wasn't a usual pluming problem"

"I need to learn control" Watcher said.

"That's obvious. What exactly were you doing at the time?" he questioned.

"Trying to break Cora's force field. And I succeeded, with some consequences. Like a broken floor and an angry sister"

"That sounds like a very one sided deal to me" Gold stated, starting to get up from his seat.

"Take it or leave it. It's entirely up to you. But I wonder how you'll feel if I accidentally bite your girlfriend? Or one of the two newbie's in town?"

Gold ignored her and began to walk to the exit, knowing she was all talk and no action.

"Or are you worried I'll be more powerful than you?" she called.

That stopped him. He turned and walked back to the table observing her scratching her nail polish off.

She didn't look up to him as she spoke again.

"I know for a fact you taught Cora and my sister, why not me?"

"Well, it's not because I'm worried" he said scathingly "I just don't have the time"

"Because you're trying to get Belle back?" she asked, feigning interest.

"Obviously you would know that"

She finally looked up to him "I still need that hood though"

"Consider it free of charge" he spat back and went to puff away like a ninja, only to find that he couldn't. A small cloud of magic appeared and disappeared around his hand.

People were watching again now and he could feel embarrassment creeping in like ice.

Watcher had thrown up her hand in protest and whatever she had done it prevented him from using his teleportation magic.
He looked at his hand and down and around himself, wondering why it hadn't worked. He looked back over to Watcher quizzically.

"How did you do that?" he asked her, genuinely concerned and impressed.

"Do what?" she was confused beyond anything at his question "All I did was say 'wait' and go to grab you"

Gold stared at her a bit longer, letting everything that had been said and happened roll though his brain. He then came to a decision.

"Why don't you want Regina to teach you?" he questioned her firstly.

"I want the best for a teacher. Is that so hard to comprehend?"

It was a good answer and gave his ego a great boost.

"Fine. Miss Watcher Mills, I believe you have yourself a deal" he said holding out his hand to shake with hers, which she did so happily.

"Be at my shop tomorrow morning at nine o'clock sharp. Or I may reconsider"

Gold turned away again and went back to David at the counter and they exited the diner together.

'Obviously to try and win back Belle...maybe I should go see her. I'll be seeing a lot more of her anyway now that I'm his student"