Chapter 4
Past
Odette prepared herself for Prince Thomas and Princess Ella's wedding. Half of her hair was tucked into a bun with a white flower poking out while the rest of her hair fell over her shoulders. The gown that she wore was an exquisite satin emerald green with jeweled green flowers around her bodice and short puff sleeves. She completed the ensemble wearing earrings, white gloves, and shoes.
When she looked at herself in the mirror, she gave herself a soft smile and touched her mother's necklace around her neck. Odette certainly wouldn't have believed that she made it this far to be with Grim, the man she loved, as he went over to her to plant a kiss on her bare collarbone.
"I could fall in love with you all over again." he said, smiling at her.
She leaned into his touch and closed her eyes for a brief moment to savor his warmth. Odette smiled warmly when she felt his lips brushing against her neck. It wasn't until when she opened her eyes and turned her head that she leaned in to give him a soft kiss that soon turned into something more of limitless devotion and passion.
The pure bliss quickly ended when they heard a bark as they broke apart to see Akela staring at them. "Guess he knows that we'll be late," Odette whispered to Grim with a cheeky grin.
"Until tonight then."
Grim headed over to his friend and commanded him sternly to stay in their hollow tree home. Akela did so by lying down by the fireplace where he kept himself warm. He soon lifted his head though when Odette went over to him to soothe his fur, causing him to lay on his side so that Odette could pet his stomach, making Odette smile. She then headed over to Grim who patiently waited for her by the door as he offered his arm to her to which she gladly took as they went to the festivities of a joyous occasion.
Present
As the clock tower rang over Storybrooke, Emma walked the streets with Henry to the school bus with Amir watching them across the street. He found it amusing to see the Savior trying to get closer to her son since he knew it would aggravate Regina. When he saw Henry getting on the school bus, he made his way over before hearing the boy say, "Okay, well I'll see you later,...Emma."
When the school bus drove off, Amir stood there until he was in view. Emma saw him with his toothy grin as he made his way over to her. "I've never seen you here before. You must be the newcomer I heard so much about. Emma Swan, if I'm right."
Amir smirked to see the Savior being so stiff with him with her hands in her pockets and her eyes narrowing a bit, almost quizzically trying to figure out who he was. "Yeah? And what'd you hear?"
"Well, for starters, I know that Henry Mills is your son. Otherwise, why else would you walk him to the bus?" Amir's grin widened when he extended his hand out and introduced himself, "Amir Khan. I own The Moonlight Mirage here on Main Street. You should come by when you get a chance."
Emma was hesitant at first, but she eventually took his hand and shook it quick. She remained skeptical about him, and that was what made it even more fun to Amir. He didn't care if she saw him as an enemy or an ally. However, Amir certainly didn't want to make an enemy out of Regina just yet. He thought he might as well make himself known to the Savior.
"If I'm interested."
Hearing her words made Amir smirk, because he knew that she didn't trust him after the way he approached her, so he took bold steps towards her as he told her, "I knew someone like you once. She was young, vibrant, and ambitious. Very ambitious." A smirk slowly crept his face as he asked her, "Are you ambitious,...Emma?"
Emma narrowed her eyes at him as she responded to him, "There are certain things I want."
When Emma turned to walk away, Amir stopped her by stepping in front of her to say, "Well,...if we ever do become friends,...I'll see to it that you get them."
Amir's smirk widened to see Emma's face. It was almost as if she was calculating what to say next, but it wouldn't matter to Amir. He wouldn't get scared so easily. Not even Regina intimidated him here since it was a land without magic. Everything was different now, and Amir was determined to not let anyone ruin his new life, especially the Savior.
The sheriff's car soon rolled up on them as it stopped to park next to Amir and Emma. Amir's smirk wavered and his eyes remained cold when he saw Sheriff Graham step out of his vehicle and stare at him first before glancing over at Emma. Amir knew right then and there that he stopped to make sure that Emma was alright since Sheriff Graham was well aware of Amir's reputation. After all, they couldn't stand each other. No matter how many times Amir broke the law, Sheriff Graham never found proof, so he always had to let him go. He was even under the mayor's protection, but no one knew, not even the sheriff as Amir made sure that no one drew a connection between them. Sheriff Graham certainly speculated it, but once again, there was no evidence to uncover. Amir was known for clearing his tracks after all, and it was what the sheriff found so infuriating when it came to Amir.
"Troubling the newcomer, Khan?" the sheriff asked.
"Not at all. We were simply introducing ourselves." Amir then turned to Emma with a sneaky grin. "Weren't we, Emma? We were just introducing ourselves?"
Amir was no fool. He saw how the sheriff watched the Savior carefully to confirm it. Even Emma stared at Amir skeptically for a moment. However, it wasn't as if Amir was threatening her, but he couldn't deny that he probably intimidated her even though she didn't seem the type to be intimidated so easily.
"Yeah," Emma told Sheriff Graham while staring coldly at Amir. "We're fine."
After Emma assured the sheriff, Amir then turned to him to say, "I have to say that yesterday has been eventful. Finding that coma patient must've been quite the scene for you, sheriff."
"Nothing gets past you, does it?" Sheriff Graham asked, scowling at Amir.
"I practically know everything that goes on here, remember? Just like how I brought his fiancé back into his life. I believe her name's Kathryn."
Emma raised a quizzical brow as she asked, "You found her?"
"Like I said, Swan. I practically know everything."
"And yet no one's claimed him before."
Amir smirked and challenged Emma by telling her, "Oh, well, you see, I've been keeping her informed. Whenever people in this town want information, I'm the man that provides it. She was so happy when I told her that he was awake."
"And how'd you know that he was awake to begin with?" Emma asked.
"Dr. Whale of course." Amir didn't want Emma to keep questioning him, so he looked at his watch and smiled as he told her, "Well, it was nice meeting you, Emma, but I need to start doing some inventory and making sure that my employees aren't slacking off." He then gave the sheriff a cold look to which he gave one to him, especially with how Amir grinned from ear to ear as he simply said, "Sheriff."
As he walked away from the pair, Amir felt the sheriff not taking his eyes off him. When he was out of sight, Sheriff Graham turned back to Emma when he heard her say, "Well, he's...cryptic."
"That's one word to describe him. Be careful around Khan. I've been trying to catch him for years now."
"For what?"
"Name it: battery, robbery, the list goes on."
"So why not just detain him?"
"I've tried, but he always manages to have an alibi. He has many connections here. The people in this town are either scared of him or are helping him. Either way, he always manages to cover his tracks."
Emma smirked as she asked, "You didn't come all this way just to warn me about him, did you?"
"No." He sighed and shook his head as he gave in to say, "I came here to offer you a job. I owe you a great deal of debt and gratitude for finding that coma patient, and, you don't seem like to get intimidated so easily. That's why the town could use someone like you to protect the people here. You can be my deputy."
"Thank you, but I have a job."
"As a bail bondsperson? There's not much of that going on here," the sheriff said.
"There's not much of sheriffing going on around here."
"Well, here's your chance to see it up close. There's dental." Emma chuckled when she heard his pitch. Graham then used the opportunity to take out his wallet to pull out his card as he handed it to her while saying, "Why don't you think about it and stay awhile."
Past
Fireworks rained from the sky and marveled Odette's eyes as she headed inside the castle. Everyone around her were dressed in beautiful gowns, tiaras, fine jewelry, and velvets. There were tables of scrumptious food waiting patiently for the people to take delicate bites and savor it. As for the band, they played a melodic harmony that soothed the soul. These parties were what every young girl dreamt of attending, and now, Odette was there with Grim.
He looked at her lovingly when she couldn't stop staring at the fireworks while saying, "They're so beautiful."
"You're right,...beautiful."
When Odette turned to him, she noticed that he wasn't looking at the sky but at her. She then smiled at him just as he did with her, but their moment was soon cut short when they saw Snow White and Prince Charming coming through the entryway, so they went over to them to greet them to which they welcomed gratefully. Odette gave Snow and Charming hugs, while Grim shook Charming's hand and nodded his head over to Snow.
"Do you mind if I steal your husband, Snow?" Grim asked. "I need to talk to him about something."
"Of course."
Before Grim had a chance to walk away with the prince, Odette stopped them by asking Grim, "Is everything okay?"
Grim glanced over at Charming who gave him a knowing look, so Grim told Odette, "I just need to go over the soldiers' training for next day."
"Can't it wait? We just got here."
"It'll take a moment." Grim kissed her forehead to ease her nerves as he said, "I'll be right back."
With his final word, he left with Charming to a secluded area, away from the festivities, leaving their women by themselves. Grim knew that Snow would keep her company and distract her from what was really going on so that he could discuss something important with his friend.
"Do you have it?" Grim asked.
Charming smiled and took out a ring as he replied, "You'd be surprised how quick dwarves can make rings."
It was a simple silver band with a blue diamond that glistened brightly under the moonlight. Grim smiled to himself as he held it when Charming gave it to him. He couldn't wait to give it to Odette.
When he put the ring in his pocket, he remembered the other reason why he wanted to speak to Charming alone. "Have there also been any leads on him?"
"We've looked everywhere for Sinbad, but there's no trace of him."
"I should be the one looking for him."
Prince Charming shook his head as he reminded him, "He'll kill you, Grim. Don't forget that Sinbad was known as King of the Seven Seas."
"He also once told me that there's only ever been one man who had hurt him before, but I also gave him a scar from his cheek to his chin."
Grim didn't care how long it took. He was determined to find Sinbad and make him pay. Ever since Grim found out that Sinbad was no longer with the Evil Queen and Rothbart from the fairies, Grim thought it was the perfect opportunity to find him. He not only wanted to interrogate Sinbad for any information on Rothbart but also to make him pay for Odette's suffering during her time at the Queen's castle. Rothbart may had been the mastermind behind everything that transpired in the Queen's castle with Odette, but Sinbad was his right hand man. Now that Sinbad no longer had protection through magic, Grim wouldn't stop until he found him.
"We have to find him. What if Sinbad gets on a boat and leaves?" Grim reminded him. "We can't miss our chance."
"And we won't," Charming assured him. "The best we can do is let the fairies find him so that we can think of a way to trap him. And right now, Odette would want to have a good time with you."
Grim also wanted to let him know that Rumplestiltskin was out there too and that he wouldn't stop bringing his own daughter to his side again. However, he didn't want to tell him or anyone else if Odette hadn't. He thought that she was ashamed of him, and she had a right to be. After all, he was The Dark One. No one would probably believe that someone so good could be The Dark One's daughter. Grim certainly didn't believe it at first when Odette told him for the first time. Either way, Grim decided to keep it to himself to respect the woman he loved so dearly.
"Now, come on," Charming smiled and clapped Grim's shoulder. "Let's go back to celebrate the wedding."
Grim followed him back to the wedding and found Snow and Odette talking to each other. He was glad to see Odette with a bright smile on her face, looking so happy. When Charming went over to Snow, Grim wrapped his arm around Odette's waist, forcing her to turn her head at him. "Did you take care of everything?" she asked.
He first glanced at Charming and nodded his head, telling her, "Yeah. Everything's taken care of. Let's just...have fun tonight."
When Grim noticed an uncertain look on her face, he smiled and wrapped her arm around his as he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "It's okay."
It seemed to have eased her nerves as Grim believed, but he knew her well enough that she suspected that there was more to it. After all, Grim vowed to her that he would seek justice for Odette, even though she kept telling him that it wasn't worth it. Grim would never be at peace though as long as Rothbart was still out there to take her back and make her suffer again or worse. Grim would do whatever it took to ensure that he wouldn't lose her again.
Everyone finally looked at the top of the staircase that led into the castle as the page boy announced, "Introducing Prince Thomas and Princess Ella."
The newlywed couple came out and descended the steps. Everyone clapped to commemorate their union and show their happiness for them. The king, Snow, Charming, Odette, and Grim went over to them to congratulate them for their union. Grim was even happy to see Odette make a new friend as they embraced each other and complimented on how beautiful they looked.
As soon as the page boy announced that the dance would be starting, Grim seized the opportunity to take Odette's hand, bring it close to him, and gave her a playful smirk. "Would you be mine first?"
In the past, Grim despised things like dancing. He didn't see its purpose, but it all changed when Odette came into his life at the Evil Queen's castle. He never thought he would ever dance with anyone, but Odette convinced him otherwise when she encouraged him sometime after they celebrated when he broke her curse. She made him into a completely different man.
Odette gladly accepted by giving him a pleasant smile as he led her to the dance floor where everyone else headed to, including the newlyweds, Charming, Snow, and the King. When the music started playing a soft melody, Odette followed what all of the other women were doing. She circled around Grim before he took her hands and bowed his head at her, causing Odette to smile at him as she gave him an elegant curtsy. Their eyes never left each other when Grim and Odette's hands met, bringing themselves closer together only to pull away for a brief moment and come back again. He then took her hand and spun her around, proud to see a cheerful smile on her delicate face.
Grim wanted to continue dancing with her, but all of the other couples moved on to a different partner as Odette started dancing with Charming and Grim with Snow.
When Snow leaned in closer to Grim as they circled around each other, Snow made sure that Odette was far enough for her to ask Grim, "So, does Odette know you're trying to find Sinbad to get information on Rothbart?"
Snow was unfazed by Grim's hardened stare. He should've known that Charming would tell Snow. They loved each other so much that they would never keep anything from each other. However, if there was one thing that Grim was thankful for, it was that Snow was good at keeping secrets. What aggravated him, though, was how Snow tended to get in the middle by giving him advice that he didn't want to hear.
"No, and she's not going to know," Grim told her.
Grim wished he hadn't seen the happy look on Odette's face when she was dancing with Princess Ella, because it almost made him guilty for hiding things from her, especially when Snow reminded him, "You have to tell her eventually. No matter what, Rothbart is still a threat to her and you."
"That's why I don't want her to worry, Snow. She's already endured enough in her life. I don't want to take away her happiness."
"But it'll be worse if you keep it hidden from her. She may be concerned, but at least, she'll be aware of what's going on."
Snow raised a good point, and Grim wished he could argue with her, but he knew he couldn't. Charming himself also warned what would happen if Grim continued to keep secrets from Odette. He knew that they were just trying to help him, but Grim wasn't ready to tell her just yet.
As Grim continued to dance with Snow, he looked ahead and noticed something unusual. When he saw Princess Ella being spun around, he noticed her partner. Even though he wore an outfit fit for royalty, it didn't take away from his unnaturally golden skin, long dark nails, and an impish face. Grim recognized Rumplestiltskin right away, and when Rumplestiltskin's eyes landed on his only daughter dancing with the King, Grim's eyes widened. He broke away from Snow to head over to him. He refused to let The Dark One take Odette and curse her again into a swan to keep her with him.
When the partners separated from each other again, Grim tried to worm his way through the crowd only to lose sight of Rumplestiltskin. He panicked and looked around the room for him only to see that he vanished. He then thought of Odette, and when he couldn't find her, he thought that he kidnapped his own daughter. Grim looked everywhere for her, but she was nowhere to be found. It wasn't until when he felt a hand on his shoulder that forced him to turn around to find a concerned Odette.
"What's wrong?" she asked him.
His eyes scoured the room again only to not find The Dark One anywhere. He thought it might had been a hallucination, but when he noticed Ella's face, he realized that The Dark One attended the wedding. Grim wanted to tell Odette, but he didn't want to cause any alarm. He couldn't do that to her now, so Grim sighed and turned back to the woman he loved as he told her, "Nothing. I just got worried that I couldn't find you. I thought..."
As his words drifted away, Odette must have known what he was referring to as she placed her gloved hand on his cheek and told him, "I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere."
When she gazed at him with such affection, he knew it would be the proper time to ask her, so he smiled and took her hand while leaning in to tell her, "Come with me."
She grinned from ear to ear and followed him to the gardens where no one was around. Odette marveled at the sight: flowers in wondrous colors brightened the area and terraces overlooking the fountains with a triple archway that became its entrance as Grim and Odette stood underneath it.
Odette then turned to Grim when she heard him say, "Odette, for a long time, I've been on my own scavenging and hunting with my pack. They became my family, and when I was taken away from them, I didn't think I would ever have them again...until you came along. I never thought I could ever love someone, but you've made me into a better man." When he got down on one knee and pulled out the ring from his pocket, Odette smiled and her eyes became somewhat glassy as Grim asked, "You became part of my family. Will you let me be part of yours?"
A tear slowly trailed down her face, but she didn't seem to care with her gleeful smile as she repeated, "Yes," over and over again until he put the ring on her ringer finger and kissed her desperately with their arms wrapping around each other while the fireworks sounded off in the night sky.
Unbeknownst to them, Rumplestilstkin watched them. He wanted to take Odette away so that she would be with him again. However, he hadn't seen her face like that in a long time. She was so happy. It reminded him when she was young and how she had a bright smile on her face almost all the time—so full of life. He promised he would do anything to see that smile again, but it didn't mean that he would give his only daughter up so easily. He knew that one day she would be in his life again. That was why he was thankful for the curse going to be cast so that he could start over with her. Having seen enough, he left the wedding and prepared for his plan to take away Princess Ella's most precious thing.
Present
When Nora came out of Granny's with a to-go-to cup of coffee, she saw a pregnant woman getting out of her car and fumbling with her keys to lock the door. Nora recognized her right away. It was her good friend, Ashley Boyd. Nora often saw her working at Granny's, and they talked occasionally. Sometimes whenever Ashley came into her shop with torn or ripped clothes, Nora was always gracious enough to give her a discount given everything that happened to her. After all, Nora could relate having an abusive family, but what made it worse for Ashley was that she was pregnant. That was why Nora tried to help her when she could, and oftentimes whenever she wasn't there, Ruby was the one to take care of her much to Nora's relief. She seemed to be in distress about something, so Nora went over to her.
"Ashley, are you okay?"
Ashley whipped her head and sighed in relief to see Nora heading her way. "Yeah. I'm just...I'm fine."
But Nora didn't believe that. Her and Ashley talked for a while now, and she was aware of her situation. Ashley hadn't spoken to her stepmother and stepsisters. Her boyfriend also left her after his father told him to never have contact with her since he didn't believe that his son was ready to be a father. That was why Nora helped her as much as she could-not out of pity but because Nora saw herself in her since they both had to look out for themselves.
"Ashley, whatever's bothering you, you can tell me."
She let out a sigh and rubbed her enormous belly. "Last night I felt contractions. The doctor said that the baby could come any day now."
Even though Nora knew that Ashley was struggling with her life, her baby might be a blessing for her as Nora reminded her, "I know things have been hard for you, but it might look up when the baby comes."
Ashley sniffed out a sob while muttering, "I doubt it." She then looked at Nora as she continued by saying, "I better get to work."
Before Nora walked away, she put a comforting hand on her shoulder and told her, "You're not alone. Just remember that. If you need anything, don't hesitate."
Nora thought it would be the end of their conversation, but Ashley all of a sudden seemed hesitant to leave. "There is actually something." As Nora waited for Ashley's request, she noticed her friend. She seemed almost nervous. That was why Nora assured her that she could ask her anything. It gave Ashley the courage to speak. "Can you try to break out of the deal I made with Gold. I know you're close with him, and I thought that maybe you could-"
"You made a deal with Mr. Gold?" Nora asked, cutting her off. "What kind of deal did you make with him?"
When Ashley looked down at her stomach, Nora's heart nearly broke to see her eyes filled with tears. "He said that he would give my baby a good life."
It immediately dawned on Nora what Ashley meant. Ashley sold her baby. Nora couldn't even believe it. She didn't understand why her friend would do such a thing. Nora knew that Ashley was struggling, but she didn't think Ashley would ever do something like this.
"Nora please." Ashley pleaded. "Everyone knows how close you are to him. Maybe you could convince him."
Nora was the first to admit that out of everyone in Storybrooke, she was definitely a lot closer to him. He was the father whom she dreamt of having as he had shown her nothing but kindness and generosity towards her. That was why Ashley was smart going to Nora, because no matter how hard it was, Nora would do anything for her friends even if she didn't like being in the middle of it.
"Okay," Nora replied. "Okay, I'll do it, but I can't guarantee it. Just promise me you'll stay strong."
Ashley gave her a grateful smile and hugged her as if Nora already talked to Mr. Gold and made him break the deal. "Thank you. Thank you, Nora."
As soon as she let her go, she wiped away her tears and grabbed her things before heading inside Granny's Diner. When she opened the door, she stopped to give Nora a wave as did Nora. However, Nora's smile quickly faded as she let out of a defeated sigh when Ashley was out of her sight. She knew what she was doing was the right to do, but she also never thought that she would handle something as serious as this. It put an enormous amount of pressure on her as she headed to Mr. Gold's shop with the bell on the door ringing.
It was a quaint little shop with many antiques on the shelves or in the display cases. There were many marvelous yet unusual items inside from knick knacks to clothes to toys to jewelry like the necklace she saw on the display window before was now in the case. She was drawn by its beauty and familiarity once again until her eyes soon caught wind of some other items in the shop like a stunning wedding dress on a mannequin that looked like it belonged in a fairytale or a small doll that was completely made of straw perched on a shelf. It was rather strange to Nora how she became connected to such items yet she knew she never had them before. As she held the doll, she started to wonder the familiarity of its touch lingering in her palms with the comfort of the doll's cotton dress. It seemed like a memory from a weird dream.
She dropped the doll when she turned to hear a familiar voice say, "You seem quite vexed dear."
Nora paced her breathing when she saw that it was Mr. Gold before grabbing the doll from the floor and put it back on the shelf. "You scared me, Mr. Gold."
He humored her a bit by saying, "I seem to have that effect on people." Mr. Gold then limped his way over to Nora. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
It came right down to business. Nora knew that, but she didn't know how Mr. Gold would take it. That was why she fiddled with her fingers and looked away briefly to avoid the discomfort. Nevertheless, Nora promised Ashley that she would help as much as she could even if the discussion didn't end well. However, she certainly didn't want to ruin her relationship with Mr. Gold since they had a mutual respect for one another.
The time to have courage was now, and Nora addressed it, "I spoke with Ashley Boyd, and she told me about the deal you made with her, about her baby."
Nora didn't like how Mr. Gold stared at her hard as he breathed deeply. "And is that why she came to you? To talk me out of the deal she made with me?"
He saw right through Nora's intentions for coming into his shop, and it made her even more nervous as she calmly tried to explain, "Mr. Gold, please, I know you're a good man. You've done so much for me, so please do this for her. She's already been through enough. What she wants is her baby, can't you understand that?"
"Oh, I understand."
Nora seemed relief at first as she gave him a warm smile and asked, "Then you'll let her keep her baby?"
"No."
That didn't make any sense to Nora, so she confronted him about it, "But, you said-"
Mr. Gold cut her off right away, and his tone somewhat scolded her, "I said I understand. That doesn't mean that I'd break the deal."
"Why not? You know what she's going through."
"All the more reason why I should take her baby. I'm doing her a favor, and I certainly don't appreciate her coming to you to fight her battles for her."
Nora didn't like how this conversation was heading, so she did her best to ease the tension. "She was just scared."
"What is there to be afraid of?" Mr. Gold asked with a sly smirk.
"To be fair, Mr. Gold, everyone's afraid of you."
"Even you?"
Nora was speechless by his response, because for the first time, he sounded so cold towards her. "No," Nora said immediately. "No, I'm not afraid of you."
They stood there, staring at each other. Nora hated it, because it made the situation awkward for both of them as Mr. Gold seemed to almost calculate what to say next.
She didn't want her relationship with Mr. Gold to strain, so she told him, "Can you at least consider it?"
Mr. Gold just stood there, clutching onto his cane until he finally opened his mouth to say, "I'll tell you what. I'll do you one better. If I am...persuaded, then she can keep her baby."
"So, then, if Ashley can convince you, then she can keep her baby?"
Nora knew it had to be Ashley since she had to be the one to fight for her baby rather than have someone else do it for her. She needed to be strong for her baby's sake.
"She can try," Mr. Gold told her.
It was a risk since Nora knew that Mr. Gold won't guarantee that Ashley could keep her baby, but it at least gave Ashley a chance to be heard and to fight for her baby. So, Nora nodded her head and agreed before thanking Mr. Gold and leaving his shop. However, what she wasn't aware was that Mr. Gold had no intention to hear from Ashley. Who he wanted to hear from was the savior, and he was waiting patiently for his plan to carry out as Nora left his shop.
Past
As soon as they were given the news, Grim and Odette were at the council meeting with Thomas, Ella, Snow, Charming, Grumpy. Grim didn't want her to attend at first, but he knew that it would only make her worry since the meeting was going to be about her father since he appeared at Princess Ella's wedding to remind her of the deal that she made with him as she placed a comforting hand on her exposed belly.
"If our plan works, then the most dangerous man in all the realms will be trapped," Charming told the group.
It wasn't a surprise to see Ella being skeptical as she asked, "How?"
That was when Grumpy jumped in, "The dwarves and I converted the mines to make a special prison for him. He won't use his magic to get out. We made sure to design it that way."
A part of Odette was relieved that he would be in a prison where he couldn't escape to terrorize more innocent people, but the other half of her wished it didn't come to this. Her father may never forgive her if she were to go through with this. However, if it meant that he was safe and not hurting anyone anymore, then she was willing to do anything.
"But how will we get him there?" Ella asked. "He has eluded all forever."
Odette knew the answer, which was why she spoke up, "A deal. He can't resist them."
"She's right," Snow replied. "I've sent word to one of my bluebirds after the council discussed it earlier, and he's accepted a meeting with you, Ella."
Grim then told the princess what the deal Ella would be making, "You're going to tell him that you're carrying twins after Doc used his stethoscope and found two heartbeats. If he made a deal for your child, then he'll surely make a new deal for your other one."
"Can we really stop him with this though? How can we even trap him and get him in that prison?" Ella argued to the group. "He's too powerful."
"Perhaps not," a familiar voice said.
Everyone looked to see a bright blue ball of light descending to them. As it drew itself closer to the table, Odette saw a fluttering of wings and a beautiful woman in a blue dress. She recognized her right away. It was the blue fairy, the one who gave her twin brother and her the magical portal bean to take Odette and her family to a land without magic so that her father would be free of his dark magic.
She used her wand to make a small box appear in front of her, and when Ella opened it, she took out a red quill for the council to see as the blue fairy addressed the group, "I cast a spell on that quill. Whoever signs with this will be frozen. Their magic made impotent."
"Should we even use magic? Isn't that what's has causing these problems to begin with? What if this magic also has a price?" Ella asked.
"Then I will pay it." Thomas took his wife's hand and told her, "I will do whatever is needed to save you and our child."
Ella seemed reluctant at first, but eventually agreed. Odette was happy for her that she would be free, but it still caused Odette to worry. She didn't want to have it come to this. She was just glad that the council decided not to execute her father. However, they knew nothing about the dagger. Only Odette and Grim knew about it, which was why she was thankful that Grim never told them. She knew he did it out of respect for her since it was evident that no matter how hard she tried to deny it, she still loved her father, and didn't want to see him get hurt.
However, members of the council noticed when Grim took Odette's hand to comfort her and the blue fairy giving Odette a sorrowful expression as if she knew what was already bothering Odette, so Charming spoke up, "Odette, what's wrong?"
Her head snapped up to meet his concerned stare, and when Odette tried brushing it off, telling the group that she was fine, Snow wasn't buying it. "Odette, you know you can tell us anything. We're your friends."
Odette was very hesitant to tell them. She hated keeping this secret for so long because she was worried what they would think of her. Grim, however, was fully supporting her and defended her by reminding her, "You don't have to say anything if you don't want to."
That was when Grumpy started to get angry as he glared at the couple and spoke in an accusatory tone, "Say what?"
Grim narrowed his eyes at Grumpy, and before he had a chance to tell Grumpy off, Odette stopped him by placing a comforting hand on him, forcing his head to snap back at her and was shocked to hear her say, "It's okay. They deserve to know."
Odette then turned to the rest of the council and let out a deep sigh. She was worried what they would think of her after this. Still, Odette couldn't stand keeping secrets from them. It was what made it harder for her to tell them, because she didn't know how they would react. However, if Odette was one thing, she certainly wasn't a coward.
"Rumplestiltskin is my father."
Almost everyone was shocked by the announcement, and it wasn't long before Charming turned to Grim as he realized something. "That's why Rumplestiltskin let us out when we were prisoners at the Queen's castle. He wanted you to find her so that he could steal her away."
Odette felt the need to protect her fiancé, so she did by explaining, "My father wasn't always The Dark One. He was once a good man, but then the darkness took root in his heart. He cares more about his power than his own family now. That's why I chose to run away, and he cursed me for it to live out the rest of my days as a swan until the moonlight reflected on the lake by his mansion. It only took three hundred years until a sorcerer came and promised to take me away."
"Rothbart," Snow answered.
"Yes. And now, both Rothbart and my father won't stop until they get what they want. I know what has to be done, and if it means imprisoning my own father to protect the innocent, then so be it."
Grim gave her a proud smile, because he knew how difficult it was for her to tell the truth, and Charming relieved her when she heard him say, "We won't hurt your father. You have our word."
Odette was truly thankful to have supporting friends. She couldn't believe how far she had gotten. When she was young, she was an adventurous girl, wanting to see many worlds. As she grew older and when her father cursed her, she was naive and too trusting of others due to her sheltered life. It soon changed when she learned to adapt at the Evil Queen's castle. She learned to have courage to fight for what was right and to be more perceptive of people by being more wary of them. That was why Odette was determined to keep her friends safe even if it meant trapping her father.
Present
Graham Humbert got himself ready for his date with Nora in his apartment. It was going to be a casual date, so he wore jeans, a mossy green buttoned-up shirt, a brown leather jacket, and brown shoes. He looked at himself in the mirror while fixing his watch. Finally, he grabbed his wallet and his keys as he proceeded out the door before he locked his apartment.
He thought about using his car, but it would only attract too much attention. Graham thought it would be better if they just went to Granny's since it wasn't so far away. Originally, he wanted to take her to The Moonlight Mirage, but he decided it against it since it was typically rowdy, and he also didn't want to deal with Amir Khan.
However, it didn't look like that Amir was going to give him trouble tonight as he noticed Mr. Gold closing up his shop and staring at the sheriff, so Graham eventually stopped walking to ask him, "Do you need somethin', Gold?"
"Not at all." Mr. Gold locked his shop before facing him. "Though, you seem in a hurry."
"I've got a date with Nora Moon. I'm taking her to Granny's for dinner."
Mr. Gold's eyes piqued with interest by his announcement, and Graham noticed how they quickly turned cold as he bit back his tone, "Is that right?"
It wasn't a surprise for Graham to see Mr. Gold's reaction. Everyone always said that for some reason, he was much softer and acted more like a helpful citizen whenever she needed help. Many rumors were that Mr. Gold was in love with Nora herself, but to Graham, it didn't seem that way based on what he observed between them whenever he saw Nora and Mr. Gold talking or walking together. However, when Graham heard Mr. Gold's tone, it became clear to him that Mr. Gold was somewhat possessive over Nora, and yet Graham could not figure out why.
"She may be working all the time, but she can do what she likes," Graham reminded him. "She has her own life too, or maybe you've forgotten."
Mr. Gold smirked, almost amused by Graham's defensiveness. "You're right, just as you do, sheriff. That is why I do hope that your affections don't deprive you of your work. The mayor always needs your full attention after all."
Graham narrowed his eyes at him while at a loss for words for what Mr. Gold said. He didn't want anyone to know about his involvement with Regina. The only reason why he didn't ignore her advances towards him was because he suspected that she was somehow involved with Amir Khan's criminal activities, yet he still couldn't find any proof. He always so close yet so far when it came to arresting Khan, and now, Gold implied it, which made Graham question it, but he also knew that Mr. Gold didn't have any proof, so there was no way he could know what Graham was up to.
"But, where are my manners when I'm holding you up from Miss Moon," Mr. Gold finally said. "Enjoy your evening, sheriff."
As Mr. Gold walked away with his leg dragging behind him, Graham never understood why Nora liked Mr. Gold. He was so cold and cruel towards others, which was why almost everyone in town was afraid of him. Perhaps Nora liked to give people a chance. It wouldn't be her fault if that was the case. In fact, it showed how good hearted she was to see something that others may not see. That was why Graham was excited for his date with Nora as he headed towards Granny's diner.
Meanwhile, Nora was in her apartment room, worrying about Ashley while getting ready for her date with the sheriff. She told Ashley earlier what Mr. Gold said, and Ashley seemed defeated, but Nora encouraged her to simply talk to Mr. Gold. It took some convincing, but Ashley eventually agreed. Nora only hoped it ended well. All she could do was wait patiently, and it was a good thing that she was going on her date with Graham so that she could take her mind off it.
Nora looked at herself in the mirror to see how she looked. She was wearing a white and blue off the shoulder mini dress with white flats and her wavy locks flowing down her back. She had never been this nervous before, but then again, she had never been on a date, so of course she was nervous. All Nora had ever done was work and looking out for others. She hardly had time for herself. Even when she went out with Ruby, she always had to take care of her by bringing her back home in her friend's drunken state.
When it came to picking her bag, she was torn between a simple small handbag and an over the shoulder handbag, so she grabbed both of them and went across the hall to Mary Margaret's apartment as she knocked on the door and waited for Emma Swan to open it.
"Oh, Emma." Emma seemed confused as to who she was as she raised her brow at her. "It's Nora. We met at Granny's."
"I remember." She then nodded to the door across from them as she said, "I'm guessing you're my neighbor."
It then clicked into place as Nora realized, "You moved in with Mary Margaret. That's great."
"Yeah, thanks." They stood there awkwardly until Emma noticed her outfit and her carrying two bags as she asked, "Do you need help with something?"
"Oh, um..."
Before Nora had a chance to tell Emma, Mary Margaret came down the steps in her apartment and smiled when she noticed Nora by the doorway, so she went over to her and said, "Nora, hi." Mary Margaret took in Nora's outfit as she got closer to her and looked her up and down. "Wow, you look great. I'm guessing Ruby's taking you out to go that bar again."
Nora smiled to herself as she thought about Graham while replying, "No. I...have a date with the sheriff, and I was wondering if you could help me which bag to take."
When Mary Margaret chose the off-shoulder bag, Nora smiled and rolled her eyes when she heard her friend say, "Going out with Sheriff Graham. Must be exciting."
"I guess, but it's my first date, so I wouldn't really know what to do."
"You've never been on a date before?" Emma asked.
"Never really had the time," Nora admitted. "I was always working to pay for the rent, and whenever I did go out, it was always with Ruby, which meant that I always had to carry her home. Don't tell her that I told you that by the way."
Emma smirked as she replied, "We won't."
"Alright. I better get going. Thanks again, and it was nice seeing you again, Emma."
"You too."
Before they shut their door, she heard Mary Margaret say, "Good luck on your date."
Nora then went back into her apartment and put her bag over her shoulder while putting the other one back in her closet. She then applied nude lipstick quickly and mascara before she took her wallet and her phone to put it in her bag. Nora grabbed her keys off her rack and locked her door before she headed to Granny's, where Graham was waiting in the booth for her.
Graham nearly froze when he saw her, almost fixated on her as he commented on her appearance, "You look...amazing."
"So are you," Nora replied with a hint of amusement.
She sat down across from him and set her bag down beside her. Nora was glad that there wasn't a lot of people around. It only meant that it gave them more privacy. Eventually, Granny came over to them with a pencil and a notepad. "So, what will it be? I can give you both more time if you want."
"I'll have the chicken dinner, Granny," Nora said.
"And what about you, sheriff?"
He looked at the menu for a brief moment before he ordered, "I'll get the steak dinner."
"Alright, and how'd you want that cooked?"
"Medium rare please."
"Alright." Granny jotted down in her notepad. "Any drinks?" Normally, Nora didn't really drink, but it was a special occasion for her since it was her first date, so she ordered Chardonnay and Grim ordered Merlot. "Coming right up."
When Granny walked away, Nora felt the need to turn to Graham and ask, "So, if you don't mind me asking, what made you want to go out with me?" His steel blue eyes gazed into her, and for the first time ever it made her spine shiver in the most pleasant way. Thankfully, she shook off her nerves by taking a sip of her wine when Granny brought their drinks for them. "Sorry, I just...Sorry."
"Why are you apologizing?" he asked with a slight smirk. "It's a fair question to ask."
"So, then why?"
"Because,...I want to know more about you."
Nora couldn't help but chuckle a bit at his response. Anyone who knew Nora knew that her life was a very simple, boring cycle: almost all day working. So, she let him know by giving him a small smile and shyly looking away as she replied, "There really isn't much to know about me. I mean look at me."
For some reason, the way he stared at her surprised Nora because it almost seemed like he admired her for her answer, and he left her speechless as he told her, "I am."
Nora felt the heat radiating off her cheeks as he stared at her lovingly. It made Nora a bit giddy, so she took a sip of more wine to calm her nerves. It was strange to her. For some reason, she was drawn to him as if they had some sort of connection. It was as if being with him was comforting and blissful. It felt right to be with him like this. That was why she felt so comfortable to tell him anything, including her life.
"Well," Nora began. "There really isn't much to say honestly. I pretty much stay in my shop working all day and then go out with my friends if I can just to have a peaceful time."
"What about your family?"
That caught Nora off guard, because she wasn't sure if she was ready to open herself up fully, so she tried brushing it off. "Oh, I...I don't want to talk about my family."
"Why not?" Nora thought about it carefully, and she wanted to tell him that she didn't want to, but Graham beat her to it when she sat there in silence looking away. "I get it. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I'll wait 'till you're ready."
Nora felt grateful that he was willing to be patient with her, and she made sure to let him know. "Thank you."
He smiled back at her, and that was when their entrees came with Granny putting their plates down for them. Graham and Nora took their glasses to clink when he held it out for her to which she smiled amusingly before taking a sip. Their eyes never left each other when they set their glasses down. They then grabbed their utensils and ate peacefully while enjoying each other's company and overall, having a great time with each other.
By the time they finished, Graham paid for their bill. Nora objected at first until Graham insisted that he would pay especially when he grabbed the check from the table. They then thanked Granny for the meal and wished her well before leaving and taking a stroll around the docks so that they could get to know each other more.
Nora smiled and put her hands on the railing while the salty sea breeze whipped her face with the moon as her witness while Graham stayed by her side and looked at the horizon. It felt nice to be with him like this. She didn't notice thought that he turned his head to stare at her when she focused her attention on the night sky and smiled to herself.
"I could stay here all night," she said to Graham while looking at the sea. "It's so beautiful here."
"Yeah,...beautiful."
When Nora turned to the sheriff, she noticed that he was staring at her, and at that moment, she felt something pounded excessively against her chest. It was strange how she drew a connection with him so quickly. She never felt this way about anyone before. Even Graham didn't. Being with each other felt right to them.
Nora looked back at the stars as she felt the need to tell Graham while her face flushed since she couldn't stop her heart beating so fast when she was around him. "My twin brother and I used to lay down on a field and told stories on what the stars made. We always laughed at how ridiculous they were."
That alerted Graham's attention since he wasn't sure if Nora was ready to talk about her family, but it looked like she trusted him enough. He also noticed that even though she had a smile on her face, her eyes were filled with sadness as she spoke about her brother. "What happened to him?"
"He was in a terrible accident with my mother. They're both dead," she said, turning to Graham. Graham grew silent as she went on to explain, "After they died, my father completely changed. He became...so different-more controlling, so I ran away."
Graham stood there, taking in the information. He was glad that she was able to open herself up to him, but he also couldn't help but feel sorry for her. However, Graham knew what it was like to be lonely just like Nora, so he let her know. "I wish I knew what it was like to have a brother or a sister. Then again, I don't even know if I have one."
Just like Nora, Graham felt the need to tell her his story since he was comfortable around her to tell her everything, and Nora stared at him as he went to explain, "I never had a family. My parents didn't want me when I was a baby. They threw me in the foster care system. I've been on my own ever since."
This time, it was Nora who turned silent as she stared at him. They looked into each other's eyes, and for once, Nora felt a sudden chill when he looked at her so intensely. She looked away awkwardly and smiled to herself, trying to break the chemistry by looking for an excuse. "Sorry. It's just...a little cold."
Graham then thought of an idea as he took his jacket off. "Here."
"No. Then you'll get cold."
He finally wrapped his jacket over her shoulders and left his hands lingering there for a brief moment as he reminded her, "I'm usually out patrolling the night shifts too. I'm used to it by now."
Nora smiled warmly and thanked him. When Graham smiled back at her, it made her flush, so she looked down so that he wouldn't see her expression. They then continued to walk on the dock and enjoyed the rest of their date by being in each other's company.
Past
Their plan worked. Rumplestiltskin was imprisoned in his cell after they captured him. However, it came at a great price. Prince Thomas disappeared. Prince Charming assured her though that they were going to find him, and Rumplestiltskin threatened Ella that until her debt was paid to give her baby to him, then she would never see him again.
So there he was in his prison, sitting on the ground and staring into the black abyss. His toothy grin stretched from ear to ear when he heard the crunching of boots heading his way. He then stood and squished his face against the bars when he gripped them to get a better vision of who was approaching him. When he saw Grim due to the torches around him, Rumple's eyes narrowed dangerously at him while he still had a sickening grin plastered on his face. Grim, on the other hand, stared at him lowly like a pestering insect.
As Grim stood there silent, The Dark One felt the need to say something to him, so he did. "Come to finish me off? Well, I'm afraid, dearie, that you can't without my dagger."
"I know. That's not why I'm here."
Even though Rumplestiltskin could see the future, he only saw bits and pieces and logically put them together as best as he could to predict what happened next. However, he never saw Grim visiting him, so he was curious himself, and it somewhat amused him. "Then why are you here?"
Rumple's grin slowly disappeared as Grim told him, "Because you're going to answer me one thing: where's Sinbad?"
Grim breathed in deeply to maintain his composure when The Dark One laughed. "'Because the scar you gave him wasn't enough, and now you want to kill him? He's left the Queen's castle a long time ago."
"He helped Rothbart torture Odette, and he's the only one who knows Rothbart enough to know his weakness." That made Rumple's whole demeanor completely change when Grim mentioned his own daughter. "You may not care about what happens to Odette, but I do. I swore that I would get justice for her, and now, here you are, rotting away in a cell, powerless, where you belong."
This time, Rumple glared at him as he bit back his tone. "You think I don't care about my own daughter? I have given her everything, including you."
His eyes flickered in surprise, and he challenged The Dark One by saying, "What are you talking about?"
At that moment, Rumple gave him a wicked smirk and replied, "I needed you...to break her curse."
That didn't make any sense to Grim. Odette told him that the only reason why her father cursed her was to keep her close to him. Rumplestiltskin would do anything to keep Odette by his side, so why would Rumplestiltskin want her curse to be broken? Grim was determined to find out.
"Why?" When Rumple didn't answer, Grim took daunting steps towards him until they were face to face with nothing but the bars to separate themselves from each other. "Tell me why you wanted me to break her curse?"
The Dark One laughed in his face, which made Grim even more frustrated. "You honestly didn't think I hadn't seen you? I have known about you sometime before I cursed my daughter. I simply needed a way for you to find her."
"You're not answering my question," Grim said lowly.
"Oh, all in due time. For when the time comes, I will have her back."
Grim didn't like how cryptic he was being, especially when The Dark One swore that Odette would return to his side again. Having enough of him, Grim wanted to show him that he would never let Rumpelstiltskin touch her again. "Keep telling yourself that, because she never wants to see you again, and as long as I'm here, you will never get her back."
After he said his last word, Grim walked away, leaving Rumple alone in his cell. Even though he didn't get a clear answer from him, one thing Grim knew for sure, he was never going to let Rumplestiltskin take her again. Grim was willing to protect her no matter what it took. All that was left was to go after Rothbart and Sinbad to ensure Odette's safety. However, that would come another day. Right now, he needed to check on his fiancé since they just imprisoned her father.
When Grim made it back to his hollow tree home, Akela greeted him right away by trotting over to him to which Grim stroked his fur over. Grim's eyes snapped over to the bedroom door when he heard a mixture of sniffling and sobbing. So, he discreetly went over to the door and opened it to find Odette sitting on their bed and playing with her necklace while staring at the moon through the window. Her eyes were all red and glassy from the tears coming down her face.
When Akela went over to her, Odette gasped in surprise for a moment but smiled when she noticed her friend, so she petted him until she looked at the doorway and noticed Grim watching her. He went over to her slowly and sat down beside her. Odette's eyes remained on Akela as she continued to pet him while telling Grim, "I couldn't sleep."
Grim figured she wouldn't. No matter how hard she may deny it, he knew that she still loved her father dearly. "I figured you wouldn't."
She shook her head and huffed out a breath. "I wish it hadn't come to this. If he hadn't gone so far to destroy people's happiness, then he wouldn't be in that cell." Grim nearly froze when she asked him, "Did you find Prince Thomas?"
"We've looked everywhere, but we couldn't find him anywhere."
"Of course," Odette scoffed and shook her head. "Because he has leverage over Ella by taking her husband so that he could take her baby. He'll never stop as long as he gets what he wants."
At that moment, Grim saw the fear in her eyes, but he was determined to protect her from any means even if meant he would face one of the greatest villains in The Enchanted Forest. "I won't let that happen. I'll never let him hurt anyone or you ever again. Do you hear me?"
Odette smiled and gave him a desperate kiss, which surprised Grim at first, but he quickly returned it until she pulled away to embrace him. He felt her hold on him tighten as if she was desperate to not let go. She was afraid of losing him.
Grim thought it would have been a perfect opportunity to tell her what her father told him in the cells about seeing Grim break her curse. However, when he felt her hold on him, he kept it from her. She already had enough going on with her life. He didn't want her to worry anymore, so he kept it to himself while he did his best to be there for the woman he loved.
Present
After Ashley Boyd attacked Mr. Gold, he ended up with a head injury by hitting a countertop. Mr. Gold simply got back up and treated his wound by dabbing it with his handkerchief in cold water to stop the bleeding. When he got into his car, he grabbed his key to start the car before he started driving off. He was ready to head home, but something caught his eye—Nora Moon being escorted to her apartment by Sheriff Graham Humbert.
Mr. Gold shut off his headlights and made sure that his car parked far enough so that they wouldn't notice his car but he could still observe everything. When he saw the warm smile extending to Nora's eyes, he knew right then and there that she was slowly falling for the sheriff. They even shared a kiss with each other, which unnerved Gold. He should have known that if Nora and Graham's paths crossed again, then they would surely have a strong connection. Mr. Gold was just glad that she didn't bring him up to her apartment.
Thankfully, she went inside while the sheriff waited by the door, almost lost in thought, and when Mr. Gold saw the same smile that Nora had on Graham's face, Mr. Gold knew that he had to do something. At that moment, Mr. Gold had a brilliant yet awful idea to ensure that he wouldn't lose Nora to the sheriff ever again as a sickening grin crept up his face.
Looks like Gold is already plotting to tear them apart? What do you think he's going to do? And why do you think Rumple wanted Odette's curse to be broken. You'll just have to be patient to wait and see. Stay tuned!