Rumplestiltskin's daughter

Chapter 10 Faith and Hope

Faith hurried down the hall, back down to the laundry room. She should be putting the fresh towels in the room but she wanted to escape.

Before she had been for on her own, she hadn't cared about what others said or about what they thought. But this "Mr. Gold" confused her. He had managed to get inside her head. She had never told anyone about her past, she rarely even mentioned that she was an orphan or a foster child to strangers, so why did she answer Mr. Gold's questions?

Faith shook her head. She was curious about a lot of things at this point. Why it looked like Mr. Gold could be her father, why he had taken in interest in her past, and why that as soon as he came here mysterious things have happened, like the papers in her room or the mess in Mrs. Forester's office.

She couldn't explain any of it. She felt lost.

"What if..." Faith started out loud, quietly, "maybe..." then she stopped herself. This wasn't good.

FLASHBACK

4 Years Ago:

"Faith! Andy! Dinner is ready!"

"Coming mom!" Two young kids yelled out simultaneously. Faith, a thin but healthy girl and a slightly older, more energetic boy ran down the stairs to the dinner table where a young woman was setting out dinner plates.

"Ah Ah Ah" the young lady scolded, "wash your hands first kids."

"Okay!" Both of the kids seemed happy, Andy was more energetic, but even Faith had a happy glow. This had been the longest that she has been a part of a family (almost a year) and it seemed like she might be able to stay. She loved her foster mom, her foster brother, and most of all her foster father.

"Ah what a long day!" Speaking if which, the speaker, a rather plump and friendly looking man walked through the door.

"Hello dear!" His wife greeted lovingly, "dinner is ready, how about you wash up with the kids."

Her husband nodded and headed to the kitchen where Faith was trying to reach the sink, but she was just a bit too short. The man chuckled and picked her up so her hands could reach the running water. She giggled happily. Andy, around 11 years old rolled his eyes and splashed some water on Faith. Faith reacted by collecting a handful of water in both of her tiny hands and chucking it at Andy.

Andy was about to retaliate but their foster father put a stop to it saying "Now now children, it's time for dinner, leave your water fights for another time." Faith and Andy giggled and looked at each other knowingly. It was a hot summer day and after dinner they were planning on taking their dad outside to attack him with water guns, the perfect prank.

After the hand washing the family sat around the table, joking and eating happily. Faith laughed with the rest but for the most part kept quiet. She happy to just enjoy this happy family.

For the first time in her six years she was truly happy. She had everything she really wanted.

Later that night Faith had a nightmare, the same one she suffered from often. It was a stormy night and she was on a ship. Someone was holding her, and she looked out on the dark frightening waves, until there was this green glowing light. Terrified she would try to cry out, but no sound would help her, until she was thrown into the dark waves and darkness would wrap around her. She started up, sweating. She felt so alone. But she wasn't. Her parents were downstairs.

Crawling out of her bed she trudged downstairs, the light in the dining room was on. Making her way to the doorway she was about to see if her parents were there when she heard them talking. She stopped for a second.

"I know we weren't planning on keeping them, I know we were just trying to see if we could start a family of our own, but I don't know anymore."

She stopped moving and almost stopped breathing when she heard her foster father say that. What about not keeping them?

Faith heard her mother sigh. "I was thinking the same thing, but there is no way we can adopt both and for me to have a kid. The best we can do is pick one. We only have tomorrow to decide to sign the papers or send them back."

"So we either have to pick Andy, who brought laughter and brightness into this house or Faith, who is quite and always polite."

"Don't you dare try to make me feel bad about this. I love both of them but we can not financially take care of both if I want to have my own kids. And I really want to have a baby!"

Her husband sighed. "Well if I have to pick, it would be Andy, he's always so happy and energetic. He could eventually use that to find a good career and be successful if we give him the proper tools. Plus, he is older meaning we don't have to support as long as Faith."

"I agree with you. Besides, Faith is quiet but she is strong. She could handle it if we sent her back, but it would destroy poor Andy. He is already 11. Faith has a chance to find another home, If Andy doesn't find one now he might never find one."

Faith snuck back upstairs, careful not to make a sound and went back into her room. Her beautiful room. As she looked around tears began to fall down her cheeks. She thought she was going to find a family. She had thought she was finally done with bouncing from one house to the next. She was so close!

Faith wiped her tears and packed her one bag with the personal belongs she brought with her. The items she was found with, an unopened letter, a broken locket form another house, and when she was done she looked around. Many other thing in that room were given to her by her foster parents, but she didn't want to take them. She didn't want them to try and feel better about sending her back. Then she looked down at a book Andy had given her.

The book had a ribbon attached to be used for a book mark. She touched the blue and gold ribbon and then a few more tears streamed down her cheeks. At least Andy was going to be happy. She grabbed the book with one hand and the ribbon with the other and tugged at the ribbon till it tore off and she put it with her belongings. She needed a reminder that real life didn't have happy endings.

END FLASHBACK

"No" Faith said to herself. "I will not let myself hope again, I will not let myself to be tricked again." Faith went back to her chores but couldn't get the pesky thought "what if" out of her head.