Chapter Four: The Price of Gold

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A/N: The Jurassic World reference is: "I was with the navy, not the Navajo!" -Owen Grady. "I'm a sheriff, not a Navajo!" -Graham (a.k.a. The Huntsman)

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"Do you think we need code names?" Henry asked on the way to the bus.

"Isn't 'cobra' our code name?" Killian asked.

"That's the mission," Henry explained. "I mean us. I need something to call you."

"Captain Hook is fine for me I'd say," Killian said lazily. "It's who I am right?"

Henry grinned. "What about you?" He asked Emma.

"Well, why don't you just call me Emma or mom or whatever for now?"

Henry grinned. "Okay. Well then, I'll see you later, Emma or mom or whatever." Henry got on the bus which leaves and Graham's cop car pulls up next to Emma and Killian.

"What's with the siren, officer?" Killian asked.

"It's so hard to get your attention, Emma."

"Well, you got it. Are you arresting me?"

"No," Graham shook his head. "I'm thanking you. Both of you. For your help finding that coma patient. We all owe you a depth of gratitude."

"Well, what do I get? Accommodation? Key to the city?"

"Just stay a while."

Emma stared after Graham as he walked away. "I'd forgotten," she said softly, "Graham had a crush on me when I went though it the first time."

"Did he, love?" Killian raised an eyebrow.

Emma rolled her eyes. "I don't like him anymore," she said swatting at Killian. "I got over that relationship after he..." Her eyes widened. "After he died," she finished. "He won't die this time through though. Regina won't kill him this time, so it'll be a new round. You and Graham rather than..."

"Baelfire," Killian finished.

"Excuse me?" A soft voice from behind said.

Emma and Killian spun. Emma almost fainted when she saw Mr. Gold.

"Baelfire?" He asked in a calm voice laced with anger. "What ever do you mean by Baelfire?"

Emma gulped. "Nothing," she said barely stammering. "Absolutely nothing."

"No, see, I don't believe you, Miss Swan," Gold said quietly. "Who is Baelfire?"

"Emma?"

Emma turned to see David. "David!" She said. She smiled.

"Have you seen Mary Margaret?" David asked. His jaw muscle tightened at the sight of Rumplestiltskin.

"Yeah, she was heading to Granny's when I left to take Henry to the bus," Emma answered.

David nodded his thanks and rushed off to meet the ex-Snow White.

"I'll ask again. Who. Is. Baelfire?"

Emma stared into Gold's eyes. "I told you no one." She swung at his face.

The elderly man toppled into Killian's waiting arms.

"What is going on here, Swan?" Regina'a voice came from behind.

Emma met Regina's eyes. "Get the dagger," she said. "And while you're at it, grab Ashley Boyd's contract with him. I'm not in the mood for a deal with Gold right now."

Regina nodded and turned on heel. She walked purposefully towards Mr. Gold's shop.

"Granny's," Emma said turning to Hook. "You coming?"

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Emma and Killian sat at Granny's Diner. Ruby served their a cocoas.

"Thank you," Emma said.

Regina entered the diner in a hurry and sat with Emma.

"Oh, hey!" Emma said alarmed. "I didn't expect-"

"I got it, Swan," Regina said handing Emma a long, thin box. "And one contract as per request." She handed over the document.

"Where are we hiding it?" Killian asked in a low voice.

Emma sighed. "Well, unless one of us can cast a bibbity bobbity boo, I doubt we can hid it from Gold unless we have it on us at all times." Regina shifted uneasily. "What?" Emma snapped.

"One of us may have magic."

Emma stared in shock. "How?" She asked amazed.

"Our souls came back, correct?" Regina asked for confirmation. At Emma's nod she continued. "Well, my soul was fully capable of using magic as was yours, Swan. So my theory is that since our souls were already affected by this curse-"

"-that they can't be re-affected. Regina that's brilliant!" Emma exclaimed. Everyone stared. "Go back to whatever!" Emma snapped. She turned to Regina. "So I can-?"

"Yes."

Emma stands up and spills her cocoa over her shirt. Ruby walked over and handed her a cloth. "Oh! Really?" Emma yelled.

"Eesh," Ruby commented.

"Do you have a laundry room I can use?" Emma asked sighing.

"Mmhmm!" Ruby said with too much enthusiasm. She points to the back.

"Later, Swan," Regina called as she walked out of the diner.

"Come on," Emma said to Killian. "You get to hold the package."

They enter the laundry room. Emma took off her shirt and threw it in the washer.

"Oh, no, no, no, no!" Ashley Boyd cried in frustration.

"You okay?" Emma asked.

"The sheets. They're uh… They're pink."

"You try bleach?" Killian asked.

Ashley put down the sheets and it became obvious that she's pregnant.

"Oh."

"Last night," Ashley said, "I felt contractions and the doctor said that the baby could come any day now."

"Well, that's great," Emma said.

Ashley shook her head. "It's just that, um, when the… When the baby comes, no one thinks that I can do this. No one thinks I can do anything. Maybe they're right."

"Screw 'em," Emma said.

"What?" Ashley asked confused.

"Screw them," Emma repeated. "How old are you?"

"Nineteen."

"I was eighteen."

"When… When you had a kid?"

Emma nodded. "Yeah. I know what it's like. Everyone loves to tell you what you can and can't do, especially with a kid. But ultimately, whatever you're considering doing or giving up, the choice is yours."

"It's not exactly what you might think it is."

"I know exactly what it is," Emma said. She grabbed the document from her pocket. "I took, well, Regina took this from Gold. As Deputy Sheriff, it's one of my jobs to make sure everyone in this town is happy and safe. I'll make sure you keep your baby. And I know exactly how."

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Emma stood in the forest with Regina.

"Okay, so why am I levitating a tree branch again?" Emma asked.

Regina rolled her eyes. "Because your body isn't use to magic. I nearly collapsed from exhaustion. My body hasn't done magic in twenty eight years, but it has actually done magic before. For you, I suspect one binding spell and you'll be gasping for breath, so you will start small."

Emma sighed and focused on lifting a particularly heavy branch. The branch shot up ten feet before steadily rising, but slower each second.

Regina raised her eyebrows. "Impressive. How do you feel after this."

"Like I'm going to be sick," Emma groaned as she lowered the branch to the ground. She lost control the last seven feet and the branch fell heavily.

"Teleporting now," Regina decided. "I have yet to try this." She disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke and reappeared at least twenty feet away. "Tada."

Emma glared at Regina. "I can't teleport. As Dark One, sure, but that's not me anymore and I don't have that ability."

"Better learn fast then," Regina said. She waved her hand and suddenly Emma's feet were stuck in place. Regina lifted a large pile of branches and twigs to float over Emma's head. "Get out of the way before you get hit."

Emma screamed as Regina let the sticks fall. She willed herself to just behind Regina. At the last second, Emma disappeared into a cloud of white smoke and reappeared behind Regina. She laughed. "I did it!"

"Congrats, Swan," Regina said. "Now go get Gold to agree."

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Emma walked into Gold's shop. Killian was posted outside if things went bad.

"What can I do for you, Miss Swan?"

Emma turned toward Gold. "Let Ashley Boyd out of her deal she unwillingly made with you."

Rumplestiltskin fingered his cane. "No can do. Unless of course, you make a deal in her place."

Emma smiled wryly. "I thought it may come to this." She pulled out the dagger. "Oh, yes, Mr. Gold, I have your dagger. Or should I say, Rumplestiltskin, I have your dagger."

Gold's eyes widened in fear. "How do you-?"

"Look I'll make this simple," Emma cut in. "You nullify Ashley's contract, I let you go on your merry little way."

"Fine," Gold hissed. "But only if you tell me what you know of my son!"

"Now here's a deal I am willing to make," Emma smirked. "Baelfire met me in the mortal world. The land without magic. He went by the name Neal Cassidy. We were partners for stealing. Then he got me landed in jail for a crime he committed, but he went home free. Eight or so months later, I gave birth to Henry. That is all I will tell you for now."

"We had a deal. Tell me it all."

Emma laughed. "Oh no, I need leverage over you besides, you can't go to court for this. No one believes in Henry's fairytale obsession, so who'd believe I was threatening you with the Dark One's dagger? Besides, you never told me when I had to tell you. Oh, sign this. It officially gets rid of your contract with Ashley."

Gold unwillingly signed.

"Oh, if this helps you sleep tonight," Emma added softly, "Baelfire, Neal, whatever, escaped Neverland once. He saved the children of the family he was with by sacrificing himself to go to Neverland. You have a brave son, Rumple." And with that Emma left quietly. She leaned back in quickly and added, "And Belle is still alive."

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Emma knocked on Sean's door.

"Can I help you?" Sean asked.

"Sean Herman?"

"Yeah. Who are you?"

"I'm Emma Swan. I'm sort of a friend Ashley Boyd. She's going to have your baby soon. Any day now actually."

"Oh, um, really?" Sean asked awkwardly.

Emma nodded. "She might appreciate it if you visited her or offered to help her look after this baby."

Sean's eyes flickered to the empty driveway spot. "Look, my father-"

"I don't care what your father says," Emma said. She stared intently into Sean's eyes. "Ashley is keeping this baby. I was eighteen and in jail when I had Henry. I wasn't ready or able to take care of him and I lost ten years of knowing him because of that. You and Ashley have that chance right now. Think on it." Emma turned to leave when Sean stopped her.

"Can you take me to her?"

Emma smiled to herself.

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When they arrived at Ashley's house, Sean rushed up to the door. Ashley opened the door and gasped.

"Ashley," Sean said. "Can you forgive me? For leaving you? My father made me because he didn't want me to throw away my life, but I'm not throwing it away. I love you Ashley and I will help you take care of our baby."

Ashley buried her face into Sean's chest. "Thank you," she whispered.

"Ashley," Emma said. "You are officially allowed to keep that baby for good."

Ashley squealed. "Thank you so much, Emma! You don't know how much this means to me." She suddenly grabbed her stomach. "My baby! It's coming!"

Emma and Sean helped Ashley into Emma's car.

"Is the baby really coming? Now?" Sean asked.

"Ohh yeah. Don't worry – the hospital isn't that far," Emma responded.

Emma and Sean sat in the waiting room of the hospital.

"You know, Emma. You're different," Sean said.

"Why's that?"

"You're the only one who could get Gold to nullify a deal."

"Well, I had a little bit of leverage."

A doctor approached them.

"Miss Swan. Mr. Herman. Baby is a healthy six pound girl and the mother is doing fine."

Emma and Sean entered Ashley's room. She was holding the baby.

"Hey. What's her name?" Emma asked.

"Alexandra," Ashley said softly. She glanced at Sean. "I mean, if that's okay with you I mean she is also yours, Sean."

"Alexandra is perfect, Ashley," Sean said. He smiled down at his daughter.

"It's pretty," Emma said.

"Thank you for getting me here," Ashley said to Emma. "Thank you. Thank you."

"No problem," Emma said back.

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A/N: Aww. Cute chapter I though. Has anyone seen 5x14 yet? I literally shrieked when they made the big reveal at the end of the episode. In later chapters, season five b will play a major role, so I'd watched the episode now if you haven't yet.

Oh! Happy Easter to those of you who are celebrating it. It's in three days right? Yeah. Tomorrow is Friday, the Saturday, and Sunday is Easter. Three days, yep!

Who has come back at this point? I've actually already written up to Chapter Twelve: Skin Deep, so you know, I know who's all back at that point, but...

Hoping for some more Greek mythology in OUAT season five b. Like the Minotaur, the three furies (oops. The Kindly Ones), or the other gods and goddesses. It would totally be epic if they put Harry Potter or Percy Jackson into the series too.