The talk with the sheriff went surprisingly well. Lacey managed to stay calm throughout the encounter and Sheriff Swan seemed like a kind and reasonable person. The only thing that slightly bothered Lacey was the final question the Sheriff asked as she left.

"I can get you out of here if you want. Even if you feel indebted to him you don't need to stay. We can find you someplace else safe while we sort out this asylum issue if you want."

Lacey shook her head.

"I don't think I'd feel as safe anywhere else. Believe me Sheriff I'm just fine where I am and it's not because Robert is holding anything over me." She watched Emma scan her face.

"Alright, if you are certain. If you change your mind or need anything this is my number," she handed Lacey a slip of paper with a phone number.

"Thank you Sheriff, I appreciate it." Emma nodded and then departed. Not long after Fae returned.

"Robert's gone out to sort something out and then he'll be back. He asked me to stay in the meantime."

"I'm sorry to inconvenience you like this," said Lacey. Fae waved the apology off.

"Oh it's no trouble really."

"You and Robert both say that but sometimes it's still hard to accept."

"Caring about someone pretty much wipes away the concept of a debt unless otherwise established in my opinion," said Fae with a shrug.

"I hope this gets sorted out soon. Not that I don't like staying with Robert but..."

"You'd like to be a free woman again?" said Fae. "That's only natural. Don't worry about it. Now let's talk about more pleasant things."

OUAT

Fae stayed until Robert got back which wasn't too long.

"So, how are you feeling?" he asked her gently.

"Better than expected. Emma was quite nice," she told him.

"I'm glad. With any luck we should have you freed quite soon."

"That will be a relief," she said softly. She saw him shift awkwardly.

"I feel I owe you an apology Lacey." he said quietly.

"Whatever for?" she asked.

"You'd never have ended up in that place if it weren't for your connection to me." Lacey shook her head.

"Robert none of this is your fault. If my father couldn't respect my choice to the point where he felt he needed to lock me up that is on him. The fact that you were my choice at the time is of no consequence."

"Your father didn't just come up with the idea to lock you away Lacey. He was able to get help doing it because someone wanted to use you to get to me."

"Then let me ask you a question Robert. When we were together did I know what I was getting into? I don't know a lot about myself but I wouldn't want to imagine I was naive." Robert sighed.

"Well, I don't think you expected to get kidnapped but I did try and warn you away and you refused." Lacey smiled triumphantly.

"Well there you have it. I made my choices and so did the people that put me in the asylum." The thought that her father, even though she couldn't remember him had been one of them did admittedly sting. "You aren't responsible in the slightest, and you got me out as soon as you could." She wasn't about to let him blame himself for something that wasn't his fault at all. At least not in her opinion.

Relief and nostalgia crossed Robert's face as he gazed at her.

"Thank you, Lacey."

"Thank you, Robert." The clock suddenly chimed.

"Tea time then," said Lacey with a slight smile who had noticed that Robert tended to have tea at the same time each day. "I'll get it."

"Lacey, you don't have to..." began Robert.

"Please, it's the least that I can do," she responded laying a hand on his shoulder to stop him getting up. He froze under her touch and then relaxed.

"Very well. I never could win an argument with you." Lacey went to the kitchen and collected the tea service once everything was ready she brought it back out to the living room. As usual Robert chose the chipped cup from the set.

"Why do you use that one? It's broken." she said. Robert looked down at it.

"It's a memory." Realization dawned on Lacey.

"Of ours?" Robert nodded.

"You broke this the first day you came to work for me. For a long time it's been all I had of you." he shook his head. "I'm sorry. I'm not trying to..."

"It's alright," said Lacey swiftly. "We had a past together just because I don't feel able to jump back into what we were when I was gone doesn't mean that past didn't happen or that you should try and hide it. May I see it?" Gently Robert held out the cup and Lacey took it turning the white and blue patterned china over in her fingers, hoping the familiar object would ignite some spark of memory. In the very back of her mind she felt a strangle niggling feeling. Like an itch you couldn't reach. But no memory came to her.

"It's beautiful even with the chip," she said at last handing it back.

"Imperfect but beautiful. There are many things I own. But this is the only one I truly cherish." said Robert before heaving a sigh. "Much as I hate to ruin the mood I suppose this might be as good a moment as ever to mention the fact that I might have put your father in intensive care last Valentines Day over the theft of this."

"He stole the cup?" said Belle who was still having mixed feelings about a father she couldn't remember but knew from what she'd been told was apparently at least partially responsible for her incarceration.

"Yes, to get back at me over defaulting on a loan. It brought up memories of losing you and well...were it not for the intervention of the Sheriff I would probably have been in for murder rather than assault and battery."

Lacey processed this information for a moment. Robert had never so much as raised a finger against her but she had gotten the impression that others considered him a dangerous man. It was also an impression that Robert had not tried to deny. It hadn't escaped her notice that Robert didn't sound particularly regretful about the action either. She supposed she SHOULD be furious and maybe even scared. But the fact of the matter was that she wasn't.

For one thing it was hard to bring up strong feelings of indignation about a person she had no memory of and whom it seemed had done her a great wrong and for another it did nothing to quell the sense of safety and familiarity she felt around Robert.

"I don't approve of what you did. But I don't hate you for it and I appreciate you telling me rather than trying to hide it."

OUAT

Rumplestiltskin knew that he couldn't hide what had happened to Moe. The first thing the man would do when the pair inevitably encountered one another would be bringing up the event. There was no way he'd be keeping it a secret and knowing Belle he had a better chance if he came clean now rather than being exposed.

To his relief she didn't appear terrified or repulsed. Merely somewhat upset and a bit disappointed. He did wonder if he would pay for that once Belle actually woke up.

"I couldn't really hide it all that effectively anyway," he said depreciatingly. Belle shrugged.

"I appreciate the gesture all the same. How long until you think I'll be free?"

"That depends on the Sheriff. She's effective so with any luck quite soon. I've also managed to ensure your safety from Regina but I'd still be careful till we've cleared things legally."

"So, the Mayor won't come after me again?" asked Belle looking relieved.

"Not directly. Though I'd advise you to stay on your guard." Rumple warned he wasn't about to underestimate Regina.

"I don't think I'll ever NOT be on my guard after all this," replied Belle quietly. Rumple's heart sank. He hated that his wife was suffering so much for his sake.

"You of all people were least deserving of this." he responded. They were quiet for a while before he decided to switch topics.

"But enough depressing thoughts for the day. Care to tell me about the latest book you've been reading?" He watched as Belle's eyes lit up.

"Are you sure it won't bore you." Rumple smiled.

"Your book talks could never bore me."

"Well I've been working through a copy of the original Beauty and the Beast and..." Rumple listened as Belle gushed for a while before contributing his own thoughts and soon they were in a fairly steady back and forth. It reminded him once again of wonderful days in the Dark Castle. Similar. But sadly not the same.

OUAT

Emma had two stops to make the following day. The first was a visit to Archie Hopper who answered his office door with a smile. She'd been a bit iffy about him after the whole helping Regina frame her thing but he seemed to have straightened out since.

"Hello Emma."

"Hi Archie." She said stepping inside.

"How can I help?"

"I need you to do a clinical evaluation of someone." Archie pushed his glasses up his nose.

"Oh? Who?"

"Lacey French."

"I thought Lacey French was dead," said Archie in surprise. Well that tracked with the story Gold and Fae had told her.

"Nope turns out she was stuck in an asylum under the hospital. Against her will. I need you to evaluate her so she can be marked as officially sane and a free woman even though I'm fairly certain the fact she was committed was sketchy in the first place."

"You realize I'll have to give my genuine opinion, correct?" said Archie. Emma sighed.

"Yes, but I've spoken with her and she seems perfectly sane to me. I'm sure you'll come up with the same verdict."

"Alright if you can give me her location and a time, I'll happily do it," said Archie. Emma nodded.

"Great I'll get you the details. And for the record I'd like you to keep where she is and what we're doing confidential for the moment."

"You mean from Regina," said Archie perceptively.

"Right," said Emma. Archie shrugged.

"Well, the mayor has no need to know about any of my patients." Emma smiled as she departed.

"Thanks."

OUAT

Emma's next stop was Moe French she wanted to get his side of the story.

"Mr. French!" she said walking into Game of Thorns.

"Sheriff, how can I help you?" asked Moe. He still had some bad bruising from Gold's (now slightly understandable) attack.

"I wanted to ask you about your daughter Lacey." said Emma. Moe immediately became rather shifty.

"Oh yes. That was horrible losing her and after I'd already lost her mother."

"From what I heard you two were estranged because she was dating Gold." she said. Moe scowled.

"That beast got his hooks into her and wouldn't let go. My little girl didn't stand a chance. I tried help her but she wouldn't leave. And then I lost her in the fire."

Emma felt skeptical. Lacey had seemed quiet but not exactly a push over nor was that the description Fae and Gold had given of her.

"What I'm curious about, is why your name is on the papers for committing a Lacey French to the Storybrooke Asylum, right around the time she supposedly died." Moe's face went white as she showed him the photocopy with his signature.

"I...I..."

"Cut the crap Moe. Did you or did you not fake your daughter's death and then put her in the asylum? Because that's what the evidence points to." snapped Emma. Moe spluttered for a moment before finally exclaiming.

"I didn't have a choice! It was the only way I could get her away from that monster."

"You locked your daughter up because you didn't like her boyfriend?" said Emma in disgust.

"You've met Gold, you've seen what he did to me. What type of man he is! It was the lesser of two evils."

"What I see is that you are damn lucky Gold didn't straight up murder you and bury your body in the woods," scoffed Emma.

"The Mayor said she'd be safe there!" said Moe before freezing and realizing what he said. Emma raised an eyebrow.

"The Mayor suggested this? Just like she suggested you steal that tea cup?" Moe clammed up and Emma shook her head.

"Unbelievable." She often resented being abandoned but at the very least she didn't have a dad like Moe.

"I have to finish cleaning the store so if you could please leave Sheriff," said Moe lamely. Emma shot him a disdainful look and walked out. Time for stop three. Gold's house again. Ugg. She hoped visiting him would NOT become a regular thing.

OUAT

Lacey was surprised to see Emma back so soon and judging by Robert's raised eyebrows that she saw from the kitchen doorway so was he.

"Sheriff do come in," he said.

"Thanks," said Emma and Lacey noted the woman still looked quite on her guard. Lacey pulled the tea pot off the stove and reached to grab an extra cup.

"Tea Sheriff?" she asked.

"It's Emma and sure, why not. You made it right?" Lacey smiled.

"I did."

"I already told you Sheriff you are far too useful to eliminate. I'd hardly have gone to the trouble of helping you get elected just to poison you."

"I suppose," said Emma dryly. "More realistically though if you did plan to off me your house with a witness would be a bit too obvious." Lacey couldn't hold back the laugh at the dark humor coming from the pair.

"I didn't realize you shared Robert's morbid sense of humor," she said.

"Oh, so you do have a first name." said Emma glancing at Mr. Gold.

"Obviously. But I doubt you came here to trade barbs." replied Robert taking his own cup of tea and sipping it.

"Well, I confirmed your story with Moe French. It looks like he really did shove you into the asylum to keep you away from Gold here, Lacey." Lacey sighed.

"We did suspect as much. But I'm still sorry to learn Robert was right." She felt Robert place a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah, well he did also let slip that the one that gave him the idea in the first place was the mayor." Robert snorted.

"No doubt in an attempt to undermine me. I wouldn't be surprised if she'd hoped to at some point use Lacey as leverage." This wasn't really news either. Though a part of her was still oddly touched that she evidently meant, or was thought to mean enough to Robert that she would be realistic leverage.

"Jesus Christ. This is a tiny town in the middle of Nowheresville, USA I should not be dealing with a plot out of a bad thriller movie." muttered Emma.

"Tiny towns can have more going on than you think," said Robert.

"You don't say." said Emma. "Well despite that there's not much we can do about it for now although I'm still going to look into how this managed to be so effectively covered up."

"I appreciate your help Sheriff," said Lacey. Emma gave her a small smile.

"You I'm more than happy to help. Well you at least." Lacey laughed she thought she could come to like the Sheriff. Perhaps once she was safe they might be friends.

OUAT

Rumple found himself oddly enjoying trading barbs with Emma. They weren't quite as dark as what he did with Pip and the Hatter but the Savior certainly had a keen wit to her.

"Jesus Christ. This is a tiny town in the middle of Nowheresville, USA I should not be dealing with a plot out of a bad thriller movie." the blonde muttered in an exasperated tone and he smiled crookedly.

"Tiny towns can have more going on than you think." Little did the Savior know there was nothing normal about this particular town.

"You don't say." said Emma. "Well despite that there's not much we can do about it for now although I'm still going to look into how this managed to be so effectively covered up."

"I appreciate your help Sheriff," said Belle. Emma gave her a small smile.

"You I'm more than happy to help. Well you at least."

"Was there anything else?" asked Rumple.

"Yeah. I spoke with Hopper and he said he'd come over to give a professional evaluation of Lacey. I really don't think once he gives you the ok it should be much trouble. I looked up the Doctor listed as doing the original evaluation. He's some guy from Boston and doesn't even appear to exist."

Rumple had a hard time maintaining his poker face at the hopeful look that appeared on Belle's face.

"That's wonderful news Sheriff. From there I expect it will just be a short hearing with a judge to make it official and Lacey should be good to go."

"As long as Regina doesn't throw a wrench in things," said Emma forebodingly.

"I wouldn't worry about that too much," said Rumple with a smirk.

"You aren't going to set her house on fire again, are you?" asked Emma. Rumple scoffed.

"Do give me credit. I don't try the same trick twice. And it did work out in the end."

"You set a house on fire?" asked Belle in shock. Rumple shrugged.

"It was the mayor's and as I predicted thanks to Miss Swan here no one was harmed and she became Sheriff." Belle shook her head.

"I'm trying to decide if that makes it better or not." Emma scowled.

"Don't forget I agreed to tolerance not forgiveness."

"Come now we both know you are more upset that you acted exactly as I predicted rather than about the actual fire." said Rumple. The look on Emma's face proved him right. She didn't wish Regina dead but she wasn't crying tears over the woman. If he was right, and he usually was, she figured she'd discharged any need to feel sympathy for the woman after she'd saved her.

"You are one smug bastard Gold," she scoffed downing the rest of her tea then glanced at Belle. Pardon my language.

"I've said worse during my confinement," scoffed Belle.

"Right, well what time should I tell Archie to come by?" asked Emma standing up. Rumple glanced at Belle.

"One o'clock?" Belle nodded.

"That's alright with me."

"Will do. Thanks for the tea Lacey." without saying another word to Rumple the Savior strode out. After the door closed Belle turned to look at him.

"I like her."

Author's Note: Sorry for the late update. Trying to keep up two stories at once. I promise I'll do all I can to stay on schedule. I am having a lot of fun writing Emma/Gold banter. Thank you to everyone who is reading and who has left comments I live for them so if you like the story please leave a note below! Until next week!