Evermore ~ Rumplestiltskin

Chapter Twenty-Three

Rumple's POV|

I entered Granny's diner, and everyone stared at me. It wasn't anything that I wasn't used to. "Ten bowls of chili. No beans. You and the dwarfs got something against beans?" Granny asked David who sat at the bar top.

"Let's just say we've had our fill over the past couple of weeks," said David.

"What exactly are you boys up to anyway?" asked Granny.

"Just landscaping," replied Leroy. But I had a feeling they were digging in the mines.

"Is this seat taken?" I asked, approaching one of the booths to which David was sitting. "You might want to run along. I need to chat to the prince."

"It's all right, Leroy," said David. "I got this." Leroy then left. "What do you want to chat about Gold?"

"Regina. She helped jog Liana's memory," I said.

"That's good, then," said David. I should have been more specific.

"No. No," I said. "Wrong memories. She now thinks she's a scantily-clad barfly named Lacey. She has a false life. As you did under the curse, with Kathryn. Only hers apparently involves a lot more alcohol."

"What do you want with me?" asked David. "And wait a minute... didn't Liana go by Selina Frost under the curse?"

"Yeah... about that," I sighed. "Regina created a whole new identity with her that wouldn't involve me... Anyway, I want to know how you did it. Even when both your heads were filled with false memories, David Nolan still won Mary Margaret's heart."

"You want me to help you?" he repeated.

"Well, I'm certainly not here for the over-praised lasagna," I said. Granny turned around to look at me with annoyance.

"You got my wife to murder someone," said David.

"Someone who would have killed all of you. Look, if you don't want to help, that's fine. But if you do, for the first time ever, I'm gonna owe you a favor."

I can't believe I just said what I said. But I was really desperate. I needed my Liana back.

"All right," said David. "When Regina cursed Mary Margaret and me, there was still a silver of Snow and Charming, the real us, inside."

"So how do I bring back the real Liana?" I asked.

David then said, "Show her the man she fell in love with."

+++

David had decided to come with me to the RabbitHole where Liana most likely was. And I was right. As we entered, I saw Liana at the bar taking some shots. "Another round for the lady," said a man who was sitting next to her. "I've had my eye on you for a while."

I clenched my teeth. My blood started to boil. "Thank you," she said. "Not my type."

I continued to observe them. I wanted to punch that man in the face for messing with her like that. "You might want to wait outside," I tell David.

"Yeah. Yeah. Bad idea," he said. The man walks away from the bar leaving Liana be. "Come on," said David. David and I approached her, and I sat in a seat next to her.

"Huh! Mr. Gold. You're... uh... you're back," she said. It sounded like she was surprised.

"As are you," I say, not knowing how to start the conversation.

"Well, what can I say?" she questioned. "Love the ambiance." Liana took the shot, and turned back to face me. "What in the bloody hell was that? You-uh... you like Van Halen? You're a Hagar man aren't you? Huh?" Liana left the bar. I didn't understand what she was talking about.