7.
Thankfully they'd already been kneeling on the ground when his papa keeled over. Neal had seen it coming, at least, in the way that his eyes lost focus and his speech slurred just a little. He caught him this time and eased him the rest of the way to the ground.
Neal pulled in a deep breath and realized he had no idea what to do next. His papa's car had taken a hard hit by the drive-by and while any normal person would have thought that the hospital was the place to take him, he was pretty sure they couldn't help him. He didn't really want to imagine the headache a lifetime of memories crashing in around you would cause, much less a lifetime as long as Rumplestiltskin's. The hospital was out as long as no one walked past and noticed them, but even if he could get him up and stirred enough to walk home, Neal had no idea where his house was here. He didn't live in the shop - though he'd spotted a cot in the back and was sure that he spent more nights there than were probably good for him - but there were a couple of different housing communities and several apartment complexes from what he'd seen on a map of the town he'd gotten from Granny when he'd checked in. He could live in any of those.
Dark eyes scanned the empty street. Snow was falling lightly around him and it was freezing. He needed to get his papa some place safe without drawing attention. The curse kept people in a fog from what Regina said, but he couldn't imagine that the fog was quite that thick. They would notice another attempt on his life, and if this visitor to their little town was caught acting even stranger than usual, he didn't know how he'd handle it until his father woke.
It hit him then, almost as soon as he'd finished the thought. Neal fished the card Regina had given him a week ago out of his jacket pocket and quickly dialed the numbers. It rang and rang, but finally clicked and he heard a somewhat distracted "hello?" from the other end of the line.
"Regina? It's Neal. I need your help. Some men attacked my dad outside of the shop and-"
"Are you still there?"
"Yeah."
"Wait in the shop. I'll come pick you up."
The line went dead and Neal turned his gaze back to his papa who was still leaned up against him. He was very still in his arms, but his breathing seemed regular and steady. He eased him over, shifting so he could stand, and pulled him up with one of his arms slung around his shoulders and a steady hold around his middle. A soft moan escaped him, but otherwise his papa didn't stir as Neal made his way over to the door.
He had forgotten how small his father was. Even as Mr Gold he had exuded power, making him appear larger than his light frame really should. When Neal - or Bae, as he had been then - had been young he'd never known his papa was small or frail. It never bothered him and, until he became the Dark One, he really hadn't had anything to compare it to. Now, as he held him up and shifted him so that he could grab the keys out of his pocket and slip into the lock, he realized just how small his papa was without all that terrible power rushing through him. Small and terrifyingly vulnerable.
He had just shuffled him inside and flipped a light switch on when his cell started buzzing again. He let it ring until he got Rumplestiltskin settled on the cot in the back room. He was inching towards wakefulness - at least Neal thought he was - but hadn't quite made it there yet.
Neal glanced down at his cell as he took a seat and leaned forward, suddenly exhausted. In a way, he'd hoped his father would regain his memories, but as the week had pressed on he had questioned the likelihood of it. Mr Gold had appeared to be so firmly in place that Rumplestiltskin seemed to move further and further away from Neal's reality and the younger man was left to wonder if maybe this was a fool's errand after all. Maybe Mr Gold really did simply look like a man that he hadn't seen in two hundred or more years. He had just wanted to help him, and now that his papa was awake - as Regina had referred to it - he felt like he was riding a terribly rickety roller coaster that left him a little ill. He didn't know quite know how to react or what to expect.
Emma's name was next to the missed call alert and Neal flipped the phone open to hit redial. He reached forward and carefully took his father's limp hand in his own as he waited for her to pick up. The call connected and her voice filled his ear, pulling a smile from him, despite everything. At least he was solid when it came to how he felt about Emma. "Hey, sorry to cut you off so quick a few minutes ago. I...well, something weird happened."
"I've been hearing a lot of that from you since you got there," his girlfriend laughed at him.
"And so much more to come, I'm sure," Neal answered, but the smile didn't fade.
Emma sighed on the other end of the line, and that did bring the grin close to faltering. "You know, Neal. I have a confession to make."
"Well that doesn't sound good," he managed. He wasn't quite sure he could take bad news right now.
"I'm kind of in Boston. I know you said to wait until you called to come get you, but I missed you."
The smile returned. "Really? That's a coincidence. I've missed you too."
"So are we sticking around Storybrooke for a while or are we heading out somewhere new?"
Neal's dark eyes focused on his sleeping father. "I think I need to stay for him. August was right. He's in trouble, and I think I can help him."
"So I get to meet your dad?"
"I guess you do," Neal agreed slowly. He wasn't sure how he was going to explain this little town to Emma, but he would have to try. He hoped that the fact that his papa had come looking for him was a good sign. It might even mean that he cared about him like he once had. Before the curse. Before the terrible nightmare had begun. Things had changed before, and no matter who she was sided with now, Neal wanted to believe that the Blue Fairy really had been trying to help him when she gave him that magic bean to take them to this world. She'd said that they could be happy together here, and if that was true, if he could find it in himself to move past the hurt and the abandonment that he'd held onto for so many, many years, then he wanted Emma to be a part of it. He wouldn't leave her now, now matter what. Somehow, if he wanted all of this to work, he had to find a way to tell her the truth about where he came from and who they were. That was going to be be fun to try to explain.
"I'm crashing here for the night, but I'll start out first thing in the morning. I'll call you if I get lost."
"I love you," Neal whispered into the phone.
"You too. Good luck."
The call ended and Neal grimaced as he looked down, the hand in his tightening ever so slightly and his papa looked like he might be fighting to wake. The younger man sighed. "I spent lifetimes hating you, you know," he whispered, not sure if the confession was heard or not. "Centuries, I guess. When I got out of that hellhole, though, when you never came for me, I swore I'd never think about you again. You weren't worth the pain." He waited, half expecting those dark eyes that he had tried to banish along with the bad memories - no memories were better than the ache of abandonment - to open with that same terrified look they'd held when his cursed self broke and let Rumplestiltskin through. They didn't though, and his papa kept on sleeping. Bae - because in that moment even he couldn't argue that that's exactly who he was - sighed. "I never thought you'd go back on your word. I didn't think that after everything that you would let go."
Silence filled the back room and Bae's vision blurred just a little. He felt like he was fourteen again and begging for his papa to come back to him, and to fight the demon off for him. "But then August showed up and said you needed my help and I… I didn't want to come, but I knew that I needed to. I don't know how to explain it. I'm still angry." He faltered, the last word nearly lost to a thick feeling clawing at his throat. "But I still love you, Papa."
Fingers tightened around his own. "Love you too, Bae," came the strained voice and Baelfire tried to pull himself together. Brown eyes slipped open and looked at him with all the regret in the worlds. "Always have. I'm sorry it took so long to tell you."
"I just wished that you'd come sooner," he whispered. "I used to… I used to dream you'd rescue me, you know that?"
"I'm sorry. I can't…. I can't change the past, Bae."
"I'm not asking you to."
"What can I do to fix this, Bae?"
His son snorted a mirthless laugh. "I don't know if we can," he murmured, and he couldn't bear to meet his eyes. He'd traveled across time and space to find him, and Neal or Bae or whoever the hell he was in that moment had risked coming to this place to help him in return. A small, real smile tilted his lips and he squeezed the hand he hadn't let go of yet. "But I'm willing to try if you are."
"Yes," his papa answered without hesitation. "I'll do anything, Bae."
The bell over the front door chimed and they both looked over. Regina must have been there, Neal realized and stood, wiping at his eyes and trying to pretend they weren't still leaking just a little. "I'll be back in a second," he said and stepped through the drawn curtains.
His head was still aching, but the pounding had subsided at least. Rumplestiltskin sat up slowly as his son moved to the front of the store. His son. His Baelfire. He was still having trouble wrapping his sluggish mind around it. Bae was there and in Storybrooke. Someone had brought him there saying that his father was in trouble and Bae had come for him. Nothing could ruin that feeling.
Well, except the fact that his being here had nearly gotten him killed. Magnus' men. They had to be. The Dark One felt his mood sour instantly. Magnus had taunted him just before the curse had filled up his little jail cell and the bastard had to be here. He was trying to kill him while he was powerless. Rumplestiltskin snorted. He may not have magic in this world, but neither did the cleric. That put them on an even playing field and now that he knew who he was and what was happening it gave him a chance to plan and to think. He and Bae must be very careful moving forward. There was no telling where the clerics were hiding or how many had come through. That wasn't even counting the fact that they might have gotten their claws into people that hadn't necessarily aligned with the clerics back home.
Like Regina.
Rumplestiltskin felt his world shift as his former student followed his son into the back of the shop, and it had nothing to do with his returning memories. At least not directly. The fact that he knew who he was, knew who she was, and knew who Magnus was did make him awful suspicious though. He reached over for his cane and stood on surprisingly steady legs, dark eyes watching her carefully.
"Mr Gold," Regina greeted him with a falsely sweet smile. "I heard you had another near accident. I do hope you've called the sheriff. He seems to have found a lead on the shooting just tonight and-"
She'd made the mistake of approaching him and he realized that Bae hadn't told her yet. Good. "I'm sure you had a tip or two to give him, didn't you, dear?"
Regina blinked, looking a little offended by the insinuation and a lot confused.
"Papa?" Bae asked and realization snapped into place in the queen's eyes. So did Rumplestiltskin's cane.
It was amazing how fast he could move if he had reason to. The space was small, confined, and he had her against the wall before he had to lift the cane from the floor to press it steadily against her throat. The Evil Queen looked downright panicked as she found herself face to face with the Dark One and Rumplestiltskin pressed the polished wood against her rather delicate throat, his voice low as he snarled at her. "Hello, dearie."
"Rumple?" Regina managed and she began to struggle. He was stronger than she was, though, and he had the advantage here. Something deep inside of him - something that Mr Gold hadn't known to listen for - stirred, thrilled by the terror in her eyes and the choking sound she was making as he pressed harder, cutting off her air.
A dark smile crossed his lips. "Right in one, dearie. Now it's time to come clean."
"About what?" she managed, struggling against him.
"Papa, what are you doing? You're going to hurt her!" Bae shouted from behind.
"Stay out of it, Bae," he snapped, and he hated how short he sounded, but he needed to know. He needed to know quickly. If she'd betrayed him, it was Bae that could suffer. Rumplestiltskin would be willing to take on any danger if it kept his son safe, but he couldn't do that without a full set of facts. He needed to know who his allies and who his enemies were.
"She's been helping me, Papa!" his son argued. "While you didn't even know who I was, she's been the only one to-"
"Was that the plan then?" the Dark One demanded and Regina gave a struggling cry. "Use my son to wake me up so that Magnus could do me in? What did he offer you, Regina? What could he have possibly offered you?"
"He didn't!" she gasped and he let up only a little. "I swear."
"I think you're lying, dearie."
"I've been helping your son!"
"That means nothing more than you wanted something in return for it. I know you, Regina. I taught you. Who were you hoping to gain something from? Think carefully, because if you lie, if you betray me here-"
"We're in this together, Rumple," she growled.
"You've betrayed me before."
"Not to a cleric," the Evil Queen argued and the word left her painted lips like she'd tasted something sour.
It was enough, he decided, and pulled back. She sank back against the wall and they stared at each other for a collection of moments, neither quite sure if they really should trust the other.
"What the hell was that?" Baelfire demanded and Rumplestiltskin realized just how angry his son really was. He looked ready to jump him if he had to and he realized that if he dug back into Gold's memories he knew that they'd spent quite a bit of time together this past week. Regina had already played him, and if he didn't tread very carefully here, she mind pull Bae away from him.
"I had to make sure Magnus hadn't gotten to her," he explained. "He has… a way of turning people against those he hates."
Bae's gaze jerked over to where Regina was rubbing at her throat and glaring in her former mentor's direction. "Is that true?"
Rumplestiltskin tried not to let the words sting too badly.
"I don't know. I've never actually met Magnus," Regina answered, "but it does seem like he may be behind the attempts on your father's life." She turned back to him. "I'm on your side, Rumple. We're in this together you and I, and now I know why."
"Everything has a price," he answered softly.
"You better be thankful I got something from all of this, you ungrateful bastard," she snapped, all pretences of the victim falling away.
"I'm ungrateful? You were well paid for your part in this, m'dear," he answered with a wave of his hand.
"And my payment for making sure Magnus didn't kill your son when he lost his usefulness to him is to be shoved up against a wall and choked half to death?"
He could feel Bae's eyes lingering on him, but he didn't dare turn to explain what was happening. This was a power play now. Regina was trying to make sure he knew she was still in charge, even as that control was quickly being ripped out of her hands by a set of clerics. Truth be told, it was being pulled away from Rumplestiltskin as well, and cementing their loyalties to each other now would be in both of their best interests. "You're fine," he grumbled. "You were never in any real danger. If I'd wanted you dead you would have been."
The Evil Queen huffed. "Do we have a truce between us then?"
"It'd seem we do. Too many enemies lurking around isn't good for either of us." Now he risked a look at his son and his eyes softened. "Bae, why don't we get your things from Granny's? I have plenty of space at my home. No reason for you to be staying there."
Baelfire watched him carefully, as if working through what he thought might be some form of trickery or another. Finally his lips thinned and he nodded. "Sure, as long as you don't mind one more. My girlfriend was coming to pick me up and she's on her way."
"She won't find Storybrooke," Regina said without pause. "It's cloaked so that outsiders can't find us."
"Then I'll meet her over the town line and bring her in or something," Bae answered easily and shrugged.
Rumplestiltskin, for his part, thought that wouldn't be necessary. Not if she was the Emma that he'd been speaking to. Not that Regina needed to know that of course. "Not to worry. We'll discuss it at home."
The queen masquerading as a mayor smirked. "Have fun with that, Rumple. I'll be in touch."
"I'm sure you will."
Father and son watched her walk out and Bae turned back around. "You are going to explain all that, aren't you?"
"Yes, but it'll take a bit." He paused and glanced back to the clocks hanging from his wall. They moved, unlike the one that sat atop the library, but they hardly kept time. Hours moved by again and again in Storybrooke, but they looped in on themselves like the day that never would end and the months were lost to the fog of the curse. It was amazing that Gold had never noticed.
His head hurt and all he wanted to do was take a hot shower and climb into bed, but he'd promised his son anything. If he truly meant it, that needed to start now. "Quite a bit. Let's get home and get some dinner."
To his great relief Bae nodded and reached a hand out to him to steady him as he took step. Even if his voice was tight and uncertain, it was a start. "You okay?"
"I will be." He forced himself to meet a pair of eyes that looked so like his own. "I love you, Bae," he said honestly.
Those words seemed to melt the chill that had settled over him and he tried for a smile. "You too, Papa. Let's get back to your place before they decide to drive that car through the front of the shop or something."
Rumplestiltskin grimaced as they started for the door. If they found out that he was awake, there was no telling what they were capable of doing.
In hindsight, she should have seen it coming. Everything Neal had said to her over the week could have meant that Rumple was waking up. Of course her former mentor wouldn't have left himself vulnerable to attack while he slept under the persona of Gold. Regina didn't know if it was Baelfire's sudden appearance, the threats on Rumple's life, or another factor she hadn't yet seen, but the Dark One was awake. There was no questioning that.
Regina's hand came to her throat as she turned the corner towards her house. If she'd been paying more attention, if the curse hadn't dulled her wits with complacency, she could have avoided that terrible little scene. Rumple was vulnerable here, but so was she, and if there was one thing she knew about clerics such as these it was that once they were done with him she would be next. It was best that they stick together on this one. That was the only way that they'd both come out of it alive.
Graham's car was parked in front of her house and she saw him unfold from the driver's seat. She'd completely forgotten that she had told him to meet her there, and one quick glance down at her watch showed that he'd likely been there for a bit already. He didn't look irked, necessarily, but that was to be expected. She had a tight leash on him.
"Madame Mayor," he greeted as he walked towards her. Even in this cold he hardly looked worried by it. While the some of the town was bundled in more layers than they could comfortably move in, Graham seemed to think his jeans and vest were his uniform and Regina certainly couldn't find it in herself to complain. "You'd mentioned that you had a lead?"
"I do," she answered with a smile. "Come on in and we'll have a glass of wine and discuss it."
He followed her up to the steps. "I've been looking into the man is mentioned," he said as they entered. "The cook's name is Miles Dannish and Ruby says he hasn't shown for work since the incident. I went by his apartment this morning and it looked like it was cleared out. I looked up the paperwork on the owner and Gold is the landlord."
"Shocking," Regina said as she poured them both a glass of red wine and took a seat on the sofa. He followed suit. "Any leads?"
Her pet sheriff quirked an eyebrow. "Yours, I hope," he answered and took a sip of his drink.
"Well, you know how Sidney's always out for a story. Sometimes it really does pay off," she said as she reached for her purse at her feet and pulled out a file. "He's been looking into a man named Jacob Dawson."
Graham looked a little startled. "The groundskeeper at the convent? What does he have to do with anything?"
"I think that he was behind the attack last week, as well as the hit and run from tonight."
"That seems a little- Wait. What? Hit and run?"
"Mr Cassidy didn't call you over it? He found Mr Gold in the street just after a car nearly ran him over outside of his shop. It left his bumper all over the alleyway. I suppose I just assumed they'd called it in," she said sweetly, though she knew they hadn't. Her eyes narrowed a little and she leaned forward. "First thing in the morning I would like you to go and make the arrest. I expect a call as soon as it's done."
The magic that was woven into the town washed over him, made even stronger by the fact that she held his heart, and the sheriff nodded. "Of course, Madame Mayor."
Her smile broadened. She did love an obedient pet.
"Would you not like it done immediately?" he asked.
"Graham, dear," the Evil Queen cooed, "we have plans tonight. You're needed right here."
Rumple's cleric could wait. There was only so much business she was willing to put before pleasure.
His papa might be small and vulnerable at times here, but he hadn't lost his terrifying streak that had consumed plenty of his dreams over the centuries and turned them into nightmares. Neal felt a coldness fill him up from the inside and threaten to cut off his airway as he and Rumplestiltskin gathered his things from Granny's. His car was drivable and they loaded Neal's single bag into it and drove silently away from the inn.
Neither of them said a word and Neal felt like he was going to burst by the time they took a turn into the housing community. His papa must have noticed that too because he glanced over and offered a strained smile. "I know you have questions, Bae. I'll answer anything you want to just as soon as we're inside. Alright?"
He nodded, dark eyes fixated on the house at the end of the driveway they turned into. It was huge. The three story, pink house would have been comical if it weren't obviously an expensive piece of property. They pulled into the garage and his father stepped out. If he'd expected the limp to suddenly vanish with the return of his memories he would have been wrong, because Rumplestiltskin gripped his cane hard as he stepped around the front and motioned for his son to follow him.
"Watch your step," his papa warned as he motioned to the icy stairs that led to the porch and up to the house.
Neal just managed to miss the patch of ice he'd been warning about and followed him into the house. The inside was all polished wood and various antiques strewn all over the place. It was a wonder that his father could get around in what looked like barely organized chaos, but there was a small path through it that became more visible the further down the hall that he looked. "Nice place," he acknowledged softly.
"It's large," his papa answered, his voice a bit distant as he limped down and towards the kitchen. His son thought he sounded lonely, and who could blame him in this huge place? "So, where shall we begin? Would you like to tell me about this lady friend of yours that will be joining us or would you like to jump in on something else?"
"How much did you hear in the shop?" Neal asked as he followed, finding him putting a kettle on over the stove.
"A bit. Enough to know an apology can't make everything better right away." He offered a strained smile. "I knew that though."
The younger man mirrored the small smile. At least he knew that. At least he admitted that.
"Then let's start with Emma, since she'll be here sometime tomorrow."
His father's eyes narrowed just a little. "Does Emma have a last name?"
"Does Mr Gold have a first name?" Neal teased and Rumplestiltskin offered a knowing smile, but didn't say anything. That only made his son chuckle. "Swan. Like the bird." He didn't miss the flicker of calculation. "What?"
"Nothing," the elder man answered and turned to the kettle as it started to whistle.
"You said anything, Papa," Neal pointed out firmly and he saw his father's shoulders slouch a little.
"Indeed I did. How much did Regina tell you about the curse?"
"Not a lot. She said you were responsible for it and must have used it to come looking for me. She also said it rewrote people's histories for this world."
"All true, though she seemed to leave out the small detail that she was the one that cast it," Rumplestiltskin said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "I did write it, though, and I did set quite a bit into motion. Including a way to break it when the time was right."
Neal leaned against a counter, listening carefully. It would seem that there was quite a bit Regina had conveniently left out during their chats. He wasn't sure what this had to do with his girlfriend, but to be fair he didn't know a great deal about magic either. Certainly not as much as his father did.
"I've studied all kinds of magic in my attempt to find a way through the worlds," he continued, "but the strongest I've ever come across is True Love."
"Is that how you're planning to break the curse? Whose?"
"I found a way to bottle it," Rumplestiltskin explained, sounding quite pleased with himself. "I dropped a bit of that potion onto the scroll and that linked the couple's child to the curse. She is the only one that can break it."
"And who is she?" Neal asked carefully, not liking the sudden turn of the conversation. Emma had called and his father had come back to himself. It was a coincidence. Nothing more. Emma was normal. She would have told him if... If what? He hadn't told her, so why should he expect anything different.
"I think you already know," his papa said gently and limped around to pull a kitchen chair closer. "Have a seat. It's a lot to take in. Take your time."
Neal sank into the chair and tried to crush the rising feeling. "Did you know?"
"Only when you said her name," came the immediate answer. "I worked her name in to wake me up as soon as she arrived. I didn't dare let her run free with Regina ready to take her head off."
Neal felt ill. "I have to call her and tell her not to come."
"Nonsense. She'll be as safe as she would be if Regina weren't here. The prophecy said Emma would come on her twenty-eighth birthday. Our dear queen won't even think about it. She's early by quite a bit. I'm not even sure she can break it for another handful of years."
"Emma doesn't... She isn't... Are you sure?"
"Mostly. I'll know for certain when she arrives, but I hardly think that the magic this curse is made of would have allowed Gold to be thrown off quite so easily. And no, Bae, she doesn't know. She was an infant when her parents were forced to give her up."
"Emma was abandoned because you were trying to get to me," Neal managed. He didn't know how to feel about that. It hurt, that much he knew. It hurt her and it hurt him as guilt weighed heavily on him over the fact that a very large part of him was happy that his papa had come to find him.
"We'll reunite the family, Bae. You have my word."
"Was that always the plan?"
Rumplestiltskin shrugged. "It was never to purposefully keep them apart. You care for her. I'll make sure it's set right, but I need you to trust me with the timing. Can you do that, son? All of this has been thrown out of balance, and while the goal has always been to find you... Well, it could go very badly from here if we're not careful."
Neal nodded. Her parents were here then. That was the implication at least. He didn't want to hear his father say it outright, because then he'd have to tell her. Emma would find a set of parents that didn't know her and couldn't remember that they'd had her. It would be worse than not knowing, he was sure, and if they would tell her when the time was right... Well, his papa had broken promises to him before.
"What is it, Bae?" Rumplestiltskin asked softly.
"I love her," his son whispered. "I love Emma. We have to reunite her with her parents, no matter what."
"Of course, son."
He didn't understand. He didn't get how strongly Neal felt. He stood, eyes serious and he took a step closer. "We have to," he repeated. "You can't go back on your word this time."
His papa blinked, a flash of hurt replaced quickly with understanding. He extended his hand, his expression serious. "On my life, Baelfire, you have my word. For you, son."
An inkling of the faith that he'd held onto in his youth for his father worked its way in and pushed away the terrible sinking feeling that had been knotting up inside since the conversation had turned to Emma. He reached forward and took the offered hand. He'd come this far. There was no turning back now. "Thank you."
His father pulled him forward and wrapped an arm around his neck. They stood like that in his kitchen, holding on for dear life, with promises both spoken and silent hanging in the air around them.
TBC
Notes: All the father-son feels between these two kill me every time. They really do.
So I've resurfaced feeling at least vaguely more human after the Week of Sick. My body is always a bit rebellious, but this past week took that a bit too far. Ugh. I'm so happy that I'm ahead in writing because I've barely been productive in anything, muchless fanfiction writing. Time to take a deep breath, make sure I'm caught up with myself and keep on going though. Rumple's awake. Things are about to get interesting :D
Next time - Rumplestiltskin and Bae finally get to talk, Magnus is arrested on charge of being linked to an attempted murder, and Emma comes to Storybrooke.