The morning after Ashley had her baby dawned with a new day in a new year. David promised Emma he would take early patrol and had reluctantly pulled himself from the warmth and comfort of being cuddled in bed with Mary Margaret. She understood and went back to sleep at his urging, since it was a holiday, with the promise that she'd meet him at Granny's for lunch.
Fortunately, the town was extra quiet this morning, except for Jefferson insisting they meet at the shop. So after finishing his sweep of the town and grabbing a coffee from Granny's, he made his way to the shop and entered from the back way per usual.
"Good...you're here. It's about time," Jefferson said impatiently.
"What's so urgent?" David asked.
"In a minute. First… you can help me figure out what's different about him," the hatter said, as he returned a scrutinizing gaze to Gold.
"Well...it's pretty obvious," David mentioned, as Jefferson looked at him in surprise and then back to Gold.
"No...it's not obvious, though come to think of it, you have the same air about you too, like all the time. It's like a glow," Jefferson mentioned, now scrutinizing David.
"I do not glow," Gold snapped.
"Is this really why you called us here?" David deflected.
"No...I called you here, because we have another stranger in town and unlike our friend Persephone, this one didn't just pop up out of the ocean," Jefferson said, as he produced several photos of a man on a motorcycle.
"You think this guy came over the town line?" David asked.
"I know he did. I've watched the people of this town for twenty-eight years. This is the first time I've seen him," Jefferson replied.
"Do you know him?" David asked the pawnbroker.
"No...I've never seen him," Gold replied. And David was inclined to believe him since he looked unsettled by this development.
"Yeah...well don't freak out, but he's been talking to your daughter and grandson," Jefferson added, as he produced about a dozen more photos. David side-eyed him.
"Just how much do you watch my daughter?" he asked.
"Relax, chisel chin, it's not like that," Jefferson retorted, as they looked at the photos.
"I don't know who he is, but I don't like his apparent interest in my daughter and grandson," David mentioned uncomfortably.
"Well...my guess is he'll show up at the Miner's Day celebration and that might be a nonchalant way to find out more. For now, I'll keep an eye on him," Jefferson decided.
"So will I...unknowingly anyway," David agreed. Gold nodded as well.
"Okay, back to the other subject. Will you just tell me? I mean, he's usually growly and condescending. But today, he's just...indifferent," Jefferson said.
"You're going to get far more than condescending in a minute," Gold hissed. David smirked.
"I told you, it's obvious," the prince replied.
"Well, it's not to mean. I mean, I heard Granny asked for a couple more days on the rent and he granted it. He never let's people slide on their rent," Jefferson said.
"He had sex," David blurted out.
"And more importantly, sex with a woman he loves," David clarified.
"Out. Both of you," Gold hissed.
"So I suppose this wouldn't be the time to ask if you'd give the nuns extra time on their rent? Mary Margaret is having some difficulty selling all the candles," David said.
"There is nothing and I mean nothing that will make me cut a break to that blue flea and her hoard of buzzing specks," Gold growled.
"And the anger is back…" Jefferson deadpanned.
"Why do you hate the fairies so much?" David asked curiously.
"That's my business. This meeting is over," Gold snapped back. David rolled his eyes, as he and Jefferson left the shop, leaving Gold to ponder the photo of the mysterious stranger.
August stepped out of the Inn that morning and prepared to head to the diner for breakfast. However, he was surprised to find Henry waiting outside for him with the book under his arm.
"Henry...why aren't you in school?" August asked.
"Some things are more important than school," Henry replied.
"Like the curse," August stated, watching the boy's eyes widen in surprise.
"Then you do know about the curse," he exclaimed.
"That's why I'm here," August mentioned.
"Who are you?" Henry asked.
"Page twenty-three in your book," August replied, as the boy started flipping through the book, while August went inside the diner for a coffee. When he came out, the boy looked at him with wide eyes.
"You're Baelfire?" he asked in disbelief. August felt a sting of regret. He didn't like lying to the boy, but it was necessary.
"Sure am...I came here to see my father," he replied.
"He's Mr. Gold...why don't you just go tell him? He'll be really happy to see you!" Henry exclaimed.
"It's not that simple, I'm afraid. He abandoned me, Henry and if I'm ever going to have a relationship with him, I have to make sure he doesn't make the same mistakes as before," August replied.
"I...I don't understand," Henry said in confusion.
"There's something I'm looking for and you can help me find it when the time is right. For now, you better get on to school," he replied.
"Okay…" Henry said in disappointment, as he started to walk the other way.
"Hey kid…" August called, as he turned around.
"Yeah?" Henry asked.
"Your Mom...Emma...does she believe you? You know, about the curse?" he asked. Henry felt a spark of trepidation when it came to that question. Both Emma and Gramps had been very adamant about the fact that people had to believe they were only humoring him about the curse. If anyone suspected, it could blow Operation Cobra completely and put his family in all kinds of danger. So he did something he was used to doing with Regina and lied.
"No...not really. She just humors me," he said, putting on a sad face, before continuing on and leaving August to ponder his confession.
Later at the station that day, David was deep in thought. The town was quiet and they were using the opportunity to catch up on paperwork. Emma had found money in their budget to purchase a scanner since she was determined to get them a filing system, quote, from the current century.
"Dad...are you okay?" Emma asked.
"Hmm...yeah, sorry, I just have a couple things on my mind," he mentioned.
"Obviously...so spill already," Emma prodded.
"Well...did you know we have another stranger in town? A guy on a motorcycle?" he asked.
"Yeah...I met him. His name is August W. Booth. He says he's a writer," she replied.
"Jefferson said he came from outside town," David said.
"Yeah, the kid and I figured that. I don't know what he what he wants yet, but I'm keeping an eye on him. Hell though, I didn't even know people could get in. Henry says they couldn't, but we think maybe me coming to town changed that," Emma mentioned.
"Time is moving again. And if they can...I mean any outsiders, could they be dangerous to us? I mean, if they somehow learned who we are?" David asked. She blew out a breath. It wasn't something she wanted to think about, but knew they needed to. This world was a cruel place, she knew that first hand.
"Maybe...I don't know. I mean, it's not likely they'd believe everyone here is what they consider fairy tale characters," she replied. He was aware that people in this Iand thought they were just stories, mostly for children and their lives had been reduced often to two dimensional tales that weren't even close to being right.
"There's no magic too so that's in our favor. But if there ever was and an outsider saw magic and God forbid got it on camera...yeah that could be really bad. But that's like the worst case scenario," Emma explained. But he and Snow had been through enough to know that the worst case scenario could in fact happen.
"And this August guy says he's a writer?" David asked.
"So he says, but the guy make my superpower go nuts, so he's probably lying," she replied. Yes, he was definitely have to find a way to strike up a seemingly innocent conversation with this August W. Booth.
"Dad…" she started to say.
"Just be careful around him, Em," he pleaded. She smiled.
"I will be...besides, I know you have my back," she replied. He smiled back.
"I do…" he said, as she shifted to the other thing he'd been thinking about.
"So...what else is on your mind?" she asked.
"Well...I think I'm going to ask your mother, well Mary rather, to marry me," he said, as he looked up and her and her mouth dropped open.
"I know...technically we're already married, but no one knows it, not even your mother," he lamented.
"Dad...I'm surprised, but it's not a bad surprised," Emma assured him.
"Really?" he asked.
"Hell yeah! Do you know how happy this will make her?" Emma asked. He chuckled.
"The thought did cross my mind," he replied.
"Oh...and do you know how pissed Regina will be?" she added.
"That crossed my mind too," he admitted.
"The question is why haven't you done it yet?" she asked.
"Well...that's just it. I need a ring. I mean, she's already wearing my mother's ring, even if she doesn't know it. And so I need another one...and it needs to be perfect. The one she has is really important to us both," he said.
"So not just any ring will do," Emma agreed.
"I think I have the perfect one," a voice said, as they turned to find Stephanie there.
"I'm sorry, I just happened to overhear as I was coming in," she apologized.
"It's okay...you are family and you should know," David said, as Persephone removed a ring from her ring finger.
"This was Eli's ring he gave me," she said, as she handed it to him. He gazed at the deep blue sapphire stone in awe, for it had what appeared to be a star within it, with six rays.
"It's a star stone...very rare, though the gem itself is sapphire," she explained.
"But if this belonged to Snow's biological father, I can't take this. It's all you have left of him," David protested. Persephone smiled.
"No...I have my little Snow. She's the greatest gift he gave me. Please give it to her. It was passed down in Eli's family for generations," she told them.
"Thank you," David replied.
"So...when are you going to do it?" Emma asked anxiously. Weddings weren't her thing, but this was one she could really be ecstatic about. He smiled.
"I'll know the perfect moment when I see it," he replied.
Two Weeks later
They were a few weeks into the New Year now. Miner's Day was fast approaching and just after that, they would be going to trial against Damon Tromera. Mary would be lying if she said she wasn't worried about it, but it wasn't as overwhelming with David's love and support behind her. Waking up to him beside her and with his arms around her was like waking into a dream she never wanted to end. Especially with the way he was slowly kissing down her neck now and his hands touching her all over.
"Oh David…" she cried out, her voice thick with passion, as he thrust deeply inside her. She lay writing beneath him, splayed around him, as he buried his thick, considerable length inside her again and again.
"I love you...so much…" he rasped, as he kissed her lips and continued making love to her, until they both came in a rushing burst of pleasure.
As they came down from their incredible high, David spooned her against him and she craned her neck so she could gaze back at him.
"I love you too," she said, as he pecked her tenderly on the lips. They cuddled for a while and talked softly, occasionally exchanging kisses and she took comfort in his reassurance.
"Hey...I know you feel like you're letting Astrid down by not being able to sell all the candles, but you didn't. She'll be grateful you tried and managed to sell as many as you did," he assured, as he kissed the back of her hand.
"I hope so...I just wish I could have made it," she lamented.
"Well, the day isn't over. Maybe we can still sell some at the festival. I'll help...I've been told I'm quite charming," he said, as he wriggled his eyebrows playfully at her. She giggled and kissed him again.
"Mmm...you are," she agreed, as they kissed again and his lips trailed down her neck. For the last two weeks, he had been trying to find the perfect time to propose and decided that tonight was the night. He had helped her and the rest of the Miner's Day volunteers set up the square last night. It was going to be perfectly lit with twinkling lights and he couldn't wait to get down on one knee by the patch of snowdrops she and her students had planted to propose in front of all. Then they would marry again and he could finally call her his wife once more.
"Mmm...David, we both need to get ready for work," she reminded.
"Yeah...I suppose you're right," he replied in disappointment.
"You know, if we shower together, we can kill two birds with one stone," she tempted. He smirked and she yelped, as he picked her up and carried her toward the bathroom.
After parting ways with Mary for the day, David made the frequent detour on the way to the station to the shop, entering through the back again.
"Good...you're here," Gold stated.
"What's going on?" David asked.
"This guy has been talking to your grandson again," Jefferson said, as he showed him recent photos of the stranger and Henry.
"We know this...but Emma and I have been waiting to see what he does. As much as we don't like it, we can't arrest him for just talking to Henry in a public place," David replied.
"Yes, but it's time to find out why he's really here, because he seems to have a healthy interest in the book," Gold said, as he showed him another photo of this August looking through Henry's book.
"You think he knows?" David asked.
"There is a possibility, though how, we have no idea," Jefferson replied.
"We need to know so I'm calling in one of those favors," Gold stated.
"What do you want me to do?" David asked.
"He has breakfast at Granny's every morning at seven forty-five," Gold said, as he slid an Inn key over to him.
"Go through his room and find whatever you can about who he is and why he's here," Gold stated. David looked at them both and reluctantly agreed. He didn't like doing this kind of thing and certainly preferred not to break laws to do it. But if it meant protecting his family and getting them closer to breaking the curse, then he'd do it. He grabbed the key and hurried out, as it was already seven-thirty.
Henry was really excited when he got a text that morning from David to meet him just outside the diner.
"Gramps!" Henry called, as he found him, leaning against the side of the building. David smiled and hugged him.
"I thought you could help me with a secretive mission for Operation Cobra," he said. Henry's eyes widened.
"Really?" he asked. He nodded.
"But first, I need you to tell me what Mr. Booth has been telling you," David replied.
"You know about that?" Henry asked. The Prince nodded.
"You can tell me anything, Henry, even if he told you not to," David said, as he got down on one knee to Henry's level.
"Well...first he asked me if my Mom believed in the curse and I sort of lied and told him no," Henry replied.
"So he knows about the curse?" David asked. The boy nodded.
"I told him Emma was just humoring me," he replied.
"That's good...I know you don't like lying and normally I don't condone it either, but in this case, we need to in order to protect our family," David told him.
"He also told me something else," Henry said.
"What's that?" David asked.
"He said he's Baelfire," Henry told him. David's brows knitted in confusion.
"Baelfire?" he asked. Henry opened the book and showed him. David's eyes widened.
"He's Rumpelstiltskin's son?" he asked.
"That's what he says," Henry replied.
"Why hasn't he gone to see him?" David asked.
"He says he can't yet. He's looking for something. Do you think he's lying?" Henry asked.
"Well...Emma thinks he's not telling us something, which would mean he could be telling you things that aren't true. And if Emma thinks so, then that's enough for me," David replied.
"What are we going to do?" Henry asked.
"I'm going to take a look in his room and you're going to be my look out," David said, as they went over to the Inn. Granny and Ruby were busy with the breakfast rush so they slipped up the stairs past the front desk without notice.
David unlocked the room number that was on the key and they slipped inside, with Henry leaving the door creaked so he could see out. David rifled through the drawers and then moved onto the desk, where he looked through the papers. He uncovered a hand drawing of a peculiar looking dagger with the name Rumpelstiltskin on it.
"Hey...that's in my book," Henry said.
"Do you know what it is?" David asked.
"It's the Dark One dagger...it can control the Dark One," Henry replied.
"Okay kid...I need your skills with technology. We need to take a picture of this," David replied. Henry smirked.
"I need your phone. Even your dinosaur flip phone can take photos," Henry joked, as he took David's phone and snapped a picture.
"Are you calling me old?" David asked, playfully nudging the boy.
"Well...you are my grandpa," Henry reminded. David smirked.
"Touche…" he agreed, as Henry handed the phone back to him.
"Okay…we better get out of here and get you off to school before you're late," David said, as they slipped out again.
Later that day, during recess, Mary Margaret was boxing up the rest of the candles, preparing to go to the square straight from school to finish setting up for the festival.
"Well...Miss Blanchard, hard at work, I see…" a voice said and it made her drop the box she was holding and whip around, seeing Damon Tromera in her doorway.
"What are you doing here?" she exclaimed, as she backed away.
"I heard about your predicament with the little candle sales and have come to offer a gesture of good will," he stated, gesturing grandly.
"I want nothing from you," she hissed, as her students began to file in from recess.
"Come now, Mary Margaret. I'm offering to buy all your little candles and help you save the nuns. Is this an offer you can really refuse?" he leered, as he started writing the check.
"Stop...just get out!" she cried. The other students didn't seem too upset by his presence, but Henry knew this was trouble and ran out into the hall.
"Ms. Kore! Ms. Kore!" he called, as he saw her on the other end of the hall. Stephanie came running and gasped when she found that man in Mary's classroom.
"You...get out now!" she growled. He chuckled in amusement and put the check on her desk.
"I'll just leave this here," he leered, as he strolled out with a smug look on his face. Mary was trying to remain composed, but her shoulders were racking and Stephanie led her out into the hallway.
"Jim...can you watch Mary's students for a few minutes? Just have them continue with their worksheets," Stephanie requested. The gym teacher nodded and went inside the classroom, as Stephanie led her daughter to the teacher's lounge. Mary's shoulders began to rack with sobs and Stephanie pulled her into a hug.
"Oh honey...it's okay," she soothed, as she held her daughter's beautiful face in her hands.
"Deep breaths…deep breaths...copy my breathing," she instructed, as Mary tried to do so.
"I'm sorry...I don't know why I just fell apart like that," she admonished herself.
"You have nothing to be sorry about it," Stephanie insisted.
"I've just never had someone scare me so much," Mary said.
"You being scared of him is more than justified. He is a dangerous man, even more so, because our disgraceful leadership in this town has let him go unchecked. But that is going to change once we go to trial next week," Stephanie assured.
"What if we don't win?" Mary asked brokenly and Stephanie felt herself breaking with her. But she took a deep breath and pushed her emotions down.
"We will...he is a monster and the jury will see that," she assured, pleading to Athena that she was right. Mary took a few deep breaths and Stephanie helped her back to her classroom, as she composed herself. She thanked Jim and grabbed the check on her desk. She tore it up into tiny pieces and Stephanie held up the trash can for her.
"I won't be far away if you need me," she promised. Mary smiled.
"Thank you...I'll see you tonight at the festival," she replied. Stephanie nodded and quietly left, as Mary attempted to go on with that day's lesson.
