The Dark One's Heart

Chapter 4

Delilah grumbled moving her hand to her forehead.

"Delilah?" Delilah eyes opened slightly looking up at her father.

"Dad? What happened?" Delilah asks.

"You hit your head in the woods I told you to not venture in." His tone was obvious that she was grounded as soon as she get home of course.

"I'll call a nurse and see how long you stay here." Gold says instead of a nurse Doctor Whale came in.

"Delilah Gold welcome back this is the third time you are here this month should I feel worried." Dr Whale says.

"No I feel fine really can I go home." Delilah says.

"Well everything looks okay just going to keep you her for a little bit to make sure but you can go back home tonight."

As the sun set Delilah was free to go home her father just left something at the shop so he tells her to wait outside she heard her dad screaming and thumping when she entered she noticed Ashley was grabbing a contract out her father safe and her father on the floor with a wound on his forehead.

"Dad!" Delilah yelled out running to her father side. Ashley looked to Delilah.

"I'm so sorry Delilah. I have to do this though I have to go." Ashley didn't know what Delilah would do and didn't want to hurt the girl. Delilah sighed she understood Ashley doing all this for her baby and Delilah wondered if her mum would do anything like this for her. She decided to let Ashley run.

"Ashley you have to promise me if you want this baby you need to get out of town I fear of what my father would do to you and your child because you broke the deal. You need to find a way out of this town."

"Thank you Delilah I hope my child is as kind as you." Ashley tells her as she left the shop Delilah was quick to gather the first aid kit and start treating her dad's wounds. The next morning Delilah and her father left to go to Mary Margaret apartment where Emma now lives. Delilah knocked on the door. Mary answered the door to see the two.

"Miss Blanchard, is Miss Swan here?" Gold asks her Emma has gotten off the floor from where she was sitting on the floor going through her stuff. When she heard her name she moved the door so she can see the two. Gold held his hand out to Emma as he introduced himself to her. "Hi, my name is Mr. Gold. We met briefly on your arrival."

"I remember." Emma says as she shook Gold's hand.

"Good. I have a proposition for you, Miss Swan. I need your help. I'm looking for someone." Mr Gold says.

"Really? Um."

"Miss Blanchard I was wondering if you could help me out with some of the homework." Delilah says moving her backpack to one shoulder.

"Uh yeah sure." The two walked to a different room leaving the two to talk about the mission. Miss Blanchard looked at the homework Delilah handed her.

"Delilah this is all done perfect." Mary says.

"Oh I know I need guidance Ashley broke in and knocked dad unconscious instead of doing something I let her go giving her a warning to leave town. Was that the right choice because I feel like I betrayed my dad." Delilah says.

"I think you followed your heart and thought it was best to help Ashley just believe what you did was best. I nodded smiling to her.

"Delilah it's time to go!" Her dad called to her.

"Bye." Delilah walked downstairs to see her dad, Emma Henry. "Hello and bye."

Delilah and her dad left the building.

"Is Emma going to look for her?" Delilah asks her father.

"Yes."

"Does she know what you want from Ashley?" Delilah asks.

"Delilah are you okay why you asking so many questions?" He asks her.

"I'm worried about her she wants to keep her baby maybe you should let her keep the baby?" Delilah says Gold knelt down to look at her moving a strand of hair out her face.

"I'll think about it. But enough getting your nose in my business. Okay?" He told her.

"Okay Dad I'm sorry." Delilah says looking down her father put a finger under her chin to raise her face back to him.

"It all okay dearie." Kissing her forehead he grabs her hand and they walk together down the street. Later Gold found out Ashley was in the hospital after a small car accident and gone into labor. The two got the hospital. Emma and Henry were in the waiting room talking about the fact that Emma was the only one who could leave. Henry was worried she would leave leave him if it got to hard. Gold and Delilah walked in as the doctor told Emma the baby was a healthy baby girl. "What lovely news. Excellent work, Miss Swan. Thank you for bringing me my merchandise."

Emma could feel anger rise in her to hear Gold call the baby as a merchandise. Preparing herself to do whatever it takes to ensure Ashley will have this baby. Gold banged his hand on the machine when it didn't feel his cup. Delilah had her headphones in her ears and leaned on the machine next to her dad. Emma walked up to him.

"Well, well, must be my lucky day. Would you care for a cup Miss Swan."

"A baby? That's your merchandise? Why didn't you tell me?" Emma says Gold made sure Delilah knows their moving and the three moved further into the waiting room.

"Because at the time, you didn't need to know." Gold says.

"Really? Or you thought I wouldn't take the job?"

"On the contrary, I thought it would be more effective if you found out yourself. After seeing Ashley's hard life, I thought it would make sense to you. I mean if anyone could understand the reasons behind giving up a baby, I assumed it would be you."

"You're not getting that kid."

"Actually, we have an agreement, and my agreements are always honored."

"Is that how you got Delilah then?" Emma asks Gold refuses to answer.

"If not, I'm going to have to involve the police, and that baby is gonna end up in the system. And that would be a pity. You didn't enjoy your time in the system, did you, Emma?"

"That's not gonna happen."

"I like your confidence. Charming. But all I have to do is press charges. She did ,after all, break into my shop."

"Let me guess, to steal a contract."

"Who knows what she was after?"

"You know no jury in the world will put a woman in jail whose only reason for breaking and entering was to keep her child." The two had a stare off as Gold drank his coffee. "I'm willing to roll the dice that contract doesn't stand up. Are you? Not to mention what might come out about you in the process. Somehow, I suspect there is more to you than a simple pawnbroker. You really want to start that fight?"

"I like you, Miss Swan." Gold say smiling at Emma. "You're not afraid of me. That's either cocky or presumptuous. Either way, I'd rather have you on my side."

"So she can keep the baby?" Emma asks.

"Not just yet. There's still a matter of my agreement with Miss Boyd."

"Tear it up."

"That's not what I do. You see, contracts, deals, they're the very foundation of all civilized existence. So, I put it to you now. If you want Ashley to have that baby, are you willing to make a deal with me?"

"What do you want?"

"Oh, I don't know just yet. You'll owe me a favor."

"Deal." Emma left to tell Ashley she can keep the baby. Gold and Delilah went home.

"Did you let her keep her baby?" Delilah asks.

"Yup."