Chapter 17: The return/The stranger
Rose entered the pawn shop but stopped when she saw Mr. Gold and Regina staring at each other. When the bell rang, the two turned to the door and saw the redhead there.
"I'm sorry. I'm interrupting? I can come back later." Said Rose pointing to the door.
"Don't worry, darling." He told her with a soft smile, then turned to Regina and looked at her intently. "The Mayor was just about to leave."
Regina looked form Mr. Gold to Rose and a smirk appeared on her face.
"Actually, Rose. I have something else to discuss with Mr. Gold. Would you mind giving us a moment?" She said to her.
Rose looked from her to Mr. Gold and nodded with a frown. She stepped outside and waited.
"So that's why you decided to take some liberties with our deal?" Regina said turning to Mr. Gold. "You were always soft when it came to her."
"You are one to talk." Said Mr. Gold glaring at her.
"I may not hate her like her sister. I admit I like the girl. But if she interferes with my plans, not even you will be able to save her."
"If I remember correctly, back in our world she interfered with your attempts on Snow White's live numerous times." He smirked at her. "What would make this time different?"
Regina glared at the man with a frown.
"This is not over." She said and left the store.
Regina saw Rose looking at her phone and approached her.
"You can go in now. Thank you for giving us some privacy." Said Regina with a smile.
Rose smiled back and shook her head saying that it was nothing. Regina started going to her car, but turned to Rose.
"Oh, dear. Be careful who you end up with. I wouldn't want to see you hurt in the end."
She stepped into her car and left. Rose was looking after her with a frown in her face. What had that been about? She shook her head and went inside the store. Mr. Gold smiled at her.
"I'm sorry about that, darling."
Rose smiled and shook her head.
"It's okay. I won't ask about it. Your businesses are your own." She said hopping on the counter.
"To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" He asked with a smile.
"Well, today is Mary-Margaret's welcome home party."
"I know." He chuckled. "Henry was here earlier buying a gift for her."
"Yes. But, tomorrow I'm free." She said with a grin.
"Oh, yes. I think tomorrow can be a good day for our date." He said with a smile. "You wouldn't need an escort for Miss Blanchard's party?"
"An escort to a party at my own apartment?" She asked with a smirk and a raised eyebrow. "Sure, why not."
That night at the party, Emma, Rose and Mary-Margaret were filling punch glasses. Mary-Margaret was looking around with a frown.
"All of these people… Just to welcome me home?"
Rose shrugged her shoulder and Emma told her that she had a lot of friends.
"Didn't feel like that yesterday."
"Hey! We were there for you. Do we not count?" Asked Rose with a teasing smile pointing at herself and Emma.
Mary-Margaret shook her head with a smile and went to serve the drinks to the guests. Rose grabbed two glasses and went to meet Mr. Gold at the other side of the apartment.
"Not much of a party man are you?" She said with a smile, handing him one of the glasses.
"I'm afraid not." He said with a chuckle. "I'm just here because I was Miss Blanchard's lawyer. Even though in the end I didn't end up doing much."
They fell into an easy conversation when Mr. Gold got distracted by the looks August was giving him. Rose saw it and frowned.
"Did something happen between you two?"
"He was at my store today. I don't know what to think about him."
"I don't know. He doesn't seem that bad to me, but maybe you should ask Emma."
Mr. Gold nodded and approached her, while Rose went to Mary-Margaret.
"So… Why the long face?" Rose asked her.
"He was here. Emma sent him away." Rose nodded with a frown, bur Mary-Margaret shook her head and smiled. "But, look what the kids did for me."
Mary-Margaret showed Rose the card with a smile. She read it and burst out laughing.
"I love kids." She said still laughing.
The next day, Rose entered the pawn shop and approached Mr. Gold.
"You wanted me to come?" She asked with a smile.
"Yes." He said with a frown. "I wanted to talk about our date."
"Why the conflicted face? What happened?" She said with a frown.
"I had a son." He said with a sigh. "I lost him a long time ago. But I think I have found him, more like he found me."
"You think August is your lost son?" Said Rose with wide eyes.
"I don't know. But if he is really my son…" He paused for a moment. "I don't know what to do."
"Well, I would tell you to find out if he really is your son. If he is, then see if the relationship can be mended. If not, then you can stop wondering about it." She said grabbing his hands.
He smiled at her and thought over her words. He admitted that's he had a point. The first thing to do would be found out if he was really his son. But he was scared of what would it mean if it was true. Rose saw that he was still conflicted.
"I'm not an expert, but there is someone you can talk to." He looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Dr. Hopper."
"I don't know if I can open myself to the doctor. I've only been truly honest with one person in my entire life."
"You don't lose anything for trying." She said with a shrug. "If you don't feel like telling him everything yet, then don't."
"But what about our date?"
Rose smiled and squeezed his hands.
"Don't worry. You were willing to wait until the mess with Mary-Margaret was solved. I can wait for you to solve this."
The next morning, Rose and Mr. Gold were walking through the park. She asked him how it went with August, and he told her that he wasn't his son.
"Well, that just means that he is out there, somewhere. I'm sure you will find each other." She told him with a smile.
"What makes you so sure?"
"Come on. Hope is the last thing you lose." She said with a grin.
"I guess that's true. Are you free tonight?" He asked her with a smile.
Rose nodded and smiled back.
"Will we be having our date then?"
"Yes. I will pick you up at 7."
He kissed her hand and they parted ways.
Rose and Mary-Margaret were looking over the children during recess. They were commenting how her first day back was going, but they were interrupted by Regina. But this time Mary-Margaret wasn't as sweet and complacent as she had been before. She answered to Regina with no fear, and Rose looked amused at the exchange.
"Yes, I am. But I forgive you. Even if you can't admit what you did, I forgive you anyway. Your life must be filled with such incredible loneliness, if your only joy comes from destroying everyone else's happiness. It's so sad, Mayor Mills, because, despite what you think, it won't make you happy. It's only going to leave a giant hole in your heart." She saw Henry approaching. "There's Henry now."
Rose and Mary-Margaret went inside the school. Once they were far enough for Regina not hear them, the two burst out laughing.
"That was awesome!" Exclaimed Rose. "The ultimate bitch slap."
"Normally, I would say something about your language, but this time I agree with you." Said Mary-Margaret with a laugh. "That felt so good."
Rose put an arm around Mary-Margaret's shoulder and grinned.
"That's what I like to hear. I'm so proud of you."
The two women went on their way to the next class, still chuckling every now and then.
Rose was at the apartment with Mary-Margaret trying to decide what to wear.
"So, Emma left with August?" Rose asked.
"Yes." Nodded Mary-Margaret while looking through Rose's clothes. "She is trying to get Henry's custody and that seems to be related with him. But, more importantly is to find something for you to wear on your date." She said with a grin.
"Yeah." Said Rose with a sigh. "I don't date much, so I don't really know what to wear."
"Well, did he say where he's taking you?" Mary-Margaret frowned when Rose shook her head. "Mmm. Mr. Gold seems to like you well enough in your normal clothes. If it's a first date, it will mostly be getting to know each other better. I think you can just wear a nicer version of your everyday clothes."
They looked through the clothes again and finally picked out an outfit. A pair of black jeans and a red blouse. There was a knock on the door and Rose went to answer it. Mr. Gold looked at her and smiled.
"You look lovely, darling."
Rose blushed slightly and went to grab her purse and jacket, when Mary-Margaret took it from her.
"Oh, no. You are not wearing a leather jacket to a date." She disappeared for a moment and came back with a coat. "Here, you can have it. Red is not my color anyway."
Rose took the red wool coat with a smile and thanked her friend. Mr. Gold offered her his arm and turned to Mary-Margaret with a smile.
"Don't worry, Miss Blanchard. I'll have her back before curfew."
They arrived to a big house a little farther away from the town. Rose asked where they were and Mr. Gold smiled.
"This is my house. Come, we are having dinner in the backyard."
Once they arrived at the backyard, Rose gasped and looked around in wonder. The backyard was a huge garden filled with flowers. Rose saw that there was a big rosebush filled with blood-red roses. There was also a gazebo with a table filled with food. The gazebo had candles all around it, and the entire backyard had fairy lights.
"It's beautiful." Said Rose breathless.
"I'm glad you think so. It's better than the diner, right?" He asked with a smirk.
Rose smiled at him and laughed a little. It was definitely better than Granny's. They approached the gazebo and Mr. Gold pulled out Rose's chair. They had dinner with a light conversation. Mr. Gold asked about Rose's life, but when she asked about Mr. Gold's, he shook his head.
"My life in this world is nothing interesting." Rose tilted her head and looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Well, darling. You have to admit that compared to the life of an archeologist as accomplished as yourself, everything else seems too mundane."
"I guess you are right." She chuckled.
They spent the rest of the night talking about everything and nothing. Blissfully unaware of the trouble that was brewing, and that was going to change Storybrooke to its core.