RUMPLE
Today is valentine's day, the day I have always hated with a burning passion, a day that always reminded me of what I had lost. How I lost my son, and how I had lost my Liana, and how I got her back, and then how I lost her again, all because of this damn curse.
It's a sunny day so I put on my shades before I head out of my house. I walk down to main street to see Mr. Moe Sterling selling flowers from his van. The sight of him angered me. Moe– also called Maurice is Liana's fatherly figure. After she left... she went to him, as he was the first person she met in the Enchanted Forest. And when Liana came back to me, she was covered in cuts in bruises. He hurt her. I gritted my teeth and said, "Well, this is just perfect. I've been looking for you, Mr. Sterling."
"I'll have your money next week," he replied.
"Terms of the loan were fairly specific," I said. "Take the van," I told the man behind me. The man nodded his head and did as I said.
"Wait!" cried Moe. "No! Today's Valentine's day! It's the biggest day of... I've got a grand in roses in the back! Stop!" he then turned towards me. "You gotta let me sell em!"
"I'm gonna allow you two to continue this conversation," I said, walking away.
"This is no way to do business, Gold! You are the lowest!" I smirk as he almost keeps getting hit by the van. "People aren't going to put up with this!" The Van drives away and I walk over to the sidewalk and see Mayor Mills standing there.
"Mr. Gold. That was quote a show back there."
"Well, Mr. Sterling is just having a bad day," I replied. "It happens to the best of us."
"I've been meaning to talk to you about something..."
"Yeah, and the moment you have something I want to discuss, we'll have that little chat." I try to walk away. She stands in front of me. I grit my teeth. This woman.
"No," she said. "We're going to do this now. It'll only take a moment."
"Is there something eating you dear? Something you need to get out in the open?" I asked. "Because it's going to have to wait." Before she said anything else I said, "Please."
I then walked past her, leaving her standing there, alone.
+++
I head back to my house to find the door unlocked. I carefully push open the door all the way, and look around, looking for more evidence of a break in. I take my gun that I own out of one of the dwarfs in the dresser by the front door just in case I need to protect myself from the intruder. I then walk into another sitting room within the house and I turn around, an instinct that someone was right behind me. It was Emma. We both had locked our guns and pointed them at each other. "Sheriff Swan," I said.
"Your neighbors saw your front door open. They called it in."
"It appears I've been robbed," I continued.
"Funny how that keeps happening to you," said Emma.
"Yeah, well," I said, uncocking my gun as I lower it. "I'm a difficult man to love." I say, thinking back to my memories to which Liana was once my maid before she became my apprentice, and then my lover.
I remember sitting at the long hard-wooden table, waiting for her to serve me. Liana came out wearing a long black dress, this was the same dress that she had come here with. It looked beautiful on her. "You will serve me my meals," I said. "And you will clean the dark castle."
"I understand," she said, placing the tray of the tea set on the table.
"You will dust my collection and launder my clothing," I said.
"Yes," she nodded her head, pouring some tea.
"You will fetch me fresh straw when I'm spinning at the wheel," I continued. She looked up at me and nodded her head.
"Got it."
"Oh!" I pointed my finger up in the air. "And you will skin the children I hunt, for their pelts," I said, laughing internally inside. I was hoping she would get the joke.
But she didn't. She dropped one of the tea cups in fright. She gasped.
"That one was a quip," I said. "Not serious."
Liana sighed. "Right." I watched as she bent down to pick it up. "Oh, my," she said. "I'm so sorry but it's chipped. You can hardly see it."
"Well, it's just a cup," I said, not understanding why she was so worried. Wait... did she think I would hurt her?
I then smiled at her as she smiled at me, and placed the tea cup back onto the tray.
Little did I know, I was starting to enjoy her company.
+++
"Sheriff Swan, you can go now," I said. "I know exactly what was taken and who did it."
It was Moe Sterling. He stole one of the only items that I have left to remind me of Liana, the item that helps me remember that Liana is still alive within Selina, and that I'll get her back, the chipped tea-cup that Liana dropped within my castle. Either Moe was angry about how I took his van away, or he remembered the Enchanted Forest and what he did to his daughter. "I've got it from here," I said.
"No you don't," she said, typing on her phone. "This was a robbery. A public menance. And if you don't tell me what you know, I will have to arrest you for obstruction of justice." I rolled my eyes. "I have a feeling you don't want to be behind bars.
"Indeed not," I replied. "Alright," I said. "His name's Moe Sterling. He sells flowers. He recently defaulted on a loan. A short time ago, we had a little disagreement over collateral."
"Okay," said Emma. "I'll go get him, check him out."
"I'm sure you will. Assuming I don't find him..." I licked my lips together and then chuckled. Emma furrowed her eyebrows at me. "Lets just say bad things tend to happen to bad people."
"Is that a threat?" she asked.
"Observation," I replied. Emma then placed on her beanie hat and I said, "Good luck." Emma then walked out of the house and shut the door behind her.
+++
I remember spinning at my wheel, spinning the straw into gold when Liana asked, "Why do you spin so much?" She was standing on a ladder that was leaning against the window. I glanced at her and stopped spinning. "Sorry, it's just, you've spun straw into more gold than you could ever spend."
"I like to watch the wheel," I said, spinning it again. "Helps me forget," I said.
"Forget what?" she asked.
I stopped spinning and said, "I guess it worked!" Even though I entirely knew what I was trying to forget– my life before the dark one, the time I let my son fall through a portal to an unknown world. I then giggled and then she laughed too.
I then looked at her up on the ladder and stood up from my seat, walking towards her. "What are you doing?" I asked.
"Opening these," she replied. "It's almost spring. We should let some light in." She then pulls at the curtains and grunts. She turned to look at me. "What did you do? Nail them down?"
"Yeah," I replied, nodding my head as if it were normal.
She smirked and then continued to pull and pull at the curtains. A strange feeling of nauseousness overcame me. She was going to fall, she was going to fall. She pulled on the curtains one last time, she fell, and it was an instinct for me to just open my arms out for her and hoped that she fell right into them instead of on the ground. She landed perfectly in my arms as the light from the sun showed on us. I could feel her warm hand resting around my neck. "Thank you," she said.
I then let her on her feet again, as I squinted my eyes in confusion, and then soon distraught. What had just happened?
"No matter," I said as she wrinkled out her dress.
"I'll um... put the curtains back up," she said.
"Uh..." I said. "There's no need," I said. I didn't want her to hurt herself by putting them back up again as she already almost fell to the ground. "I'll get used to it."
I then turn around, trying to get used to the sun on my face as I head back over to the spinning wheel.
+++
"You're welcome," said Emma. I was at the Sheriff's station and Emma had just removed a sheet from her desk that had a pile of my things on it. I scanned the desk. Everything was there. Except for the most precious item that belonged to me. My tea cup. "You're right, your man Moe ripped you off," she said. "It was all still at his place," she said, sitting down in her spinny chair.
"And the man himself?" I asked.
"Closing in on him," she replied.
"So," I sighed. "Job well half-done then."
"In less than a day, I got everything back," she said. "Is something wrong?" she asked.
"You've recovered nothing," I spat. "There's something missing."
I start to walk out. "I'll get it when I find him," she said.
I stopped for a second. "Not if I find him first." I then walked out.
+++
Liana and I were in the castle, I was holding the chipped cup which had some tea in it. I looked at her and she looked at me. Why was she looking at me like that? I questioned. Why did she find me so intriguing? Why did I find her so beautiful?
I then walked around the table and she followed me. Liana then sat down on the table and looked at me again. "Why did you allow me to stay here?" she asked. "A complete stranger from an unknown land, someone with absolutely nothing."
"The place was filthy," I said, taking a sip of the tea.
"I think you were lonely," she said. "I mean... you could have just sent me somewhere else to stay, gave me some sort of direction. But... I'm here with you, as your maid. I mean... I think any man would be lonely," I continued.
I lowered my cup. She was right. I was lonely. I missed my family, my son, Mila, and even my father. "Well, I'm not a man," I replied, sitting next to her on the table.
I looked down at the cup. "So I've had a couple months to look around, you know? And uh, upstairs, there's clothing. Small, as if for a child? Was it yours or was there a son?" she asked. I was afraid she was going to ask that at some point.
I hesitantly looked at her. "There was," I said. "There was a son," I smiled. I then frowned. "I lost him. As I did his mother."
"I'm-I'm sorry," she said. "I can somewhat understand what it means to lose someone."
I looked at her again, staring into her hazel eyes. "Really?" I asked.
She nodded her head. "Yeah, um... in Narnia, there was a war. My mother was killed in battle," she said.
"I'm sorry," I say. "I truthfully can say I don't know what it feels like to lose someone like that," I said in a calamity.
"What?" Liana asked. "What do you mean? I thought you said you lost your son?"
"Yes," I said. "But he's not dead."
She furrowed her eyebrows. I debated on telling her or not, but I felt like I could tell her anything. So, I did.
"I lost my son... because it was my fault. A long time ago, before I became the dark one, my son and I lived in a small village. It was during the beginning stages of the oger's war. They were drafting children starting at the age of fourteen. My boy, he was going to be turning fourteen in just a few days time. I didn't want him to go to war as I knew that I would lose him forever. I knew what war was like. I was in battle. I saw men and children die at the hands of the ogers. I ran, I didn't want to be one of them. I wanted to be alive so I could be there for my family. It was a cowardice decision. I knew I should have stayed and fought. This girl in our village, she had just turned fourteen and was taken by the King's men. I soon decided that my son and I would run from the village, hoping that they wouldn't find my son. I then unknowingly met the previous dark one. He manipulated me into becoming the dark one, telling me that having this power would protect my son from the King's men. He was right. After I became the dark one, I made sure the King's men never came for any more children, not just my son. But... there was one thing that the dark one forgot to tell me. He forgot to tell me that all magic comes with a price. A year or so later, the power became even more addicting, I became more dark, more evil, I did things I didn't really want to do, but I had no choice because of this power that had taken root in me. My son soon became anxious. He didn't like the way I was, how I was hurting people, killing people, even though I couldn't control it. He soon made me a proposal. He asked if he found a way to get rid of my powers, that I would do it. I agreed. He found a magical bean, from the blue fairy, and said that it can take us to a land without magic."
"So that's why you wanted the bean," Liana said, making connections.
I nodded my head in agreement. "Yes. So, soon, he got the bean and we were going to leave this world forever. He threw the portal to the ground, and as soon as the portal opened, he jumped in, but I... I couldn't do it. I was afraid. I was afraid of losing this power that I had grown to be so accustomed to. I was afraid that if I lost this power in this new world, I wouldn't be able to protect him there either. I grabbed a hold of him, trying to bring him back, but he wanted to go, and he wanted me to go with him. But I was a coward once again, and I didn't go through the portal. Hoping he stayed hanging onto my hand, the portal closed, and he was gone in this new world I couldn't get to because the blue fairy had said there were no more magic beans. And ever since then, I've been doing everything in my power to find him," I explained.
Liana frowned. "I'm sorry you've had to go through all that."
"So... you don't see me as a coward?" I questioned.
She shook her head. "No, definitely not. You were the opposite of a coward. You were brave and courageous for standing up to the King's men, all you wanted to do was to protect your family." My heart fluttered. "And this darkness inside you... it's something that you have no control over. I don't want you blaming yourself anymore. Alright?"
"But you don't understand... I didn't go through the portal with him. I made a mistake."
"Exactly. You made a mistake, but it was a decision that you couldn't take because of this power," she said. "And you were a man once, An ordinary man. If I'm never going to know another person in my whole life, can't I at least get to know you even more than what you've told me? And you could get to know me," I explained.
"Perhaps," I said, standing up. I placed down my tea cup. "Liana. Perhaps you just want to learn the monster's weaknesses." I then point my finger at her. "No, no, no, no."
She smiled at me. My eyes widened in confusion.
She then placed her warm hands on mine. "You're not a monster, Rumplestiltskin. You think you are uglier than you are. That's why you cover all the mirror's up, isn't it?" she asked. "Hmmm?"
Little did she know... that was not the reason I covered the mirrors. I covered up the mirrors because I knew Regina would be able to see in and watch my private life. But I wasn't going to tell Liana that as I didn't want to scare her.
I then heard a knock on the door. Multiple bangings. "Stay here, Liana," I told her, walking over to the front door.
I open the door to see an old woman with strange platinum blonde hair and a mole on her chin. She grinned at me. I then looked down to see a basket filled with roses. "A rose, Rumplestiltskin?" she asked.
"A rose?" I asked. "Who are you and what do you want?"
"I'm a friend of Regina's," she said.
I raised my eyebrows. "She wanted to give you a gift. As a thank you for giving her... well you know what."
"The spell?" I asked. She nodded.
"As long as these aren't poisonous," I said. She then gave the rose to me, and I took one. "Have a good day,
Rumplestiltskin." She then winked at me and then the doors slammed shut.
"Who was that?" asked Liana, as I came back into the room in which she was in.
"Just an old woman selling flowers," I said, as I had the rose behind my back. Estella gasped as I showed her the rose. "Here," I said.
"Huh," she said.
"If you'll have it," I said.
She took the rose from my hands. "Why thank you," she said.
She then curtsied and I bowed. My heart fluttered again. It's been such a long time since I've tried to court a woman, or to at least flirt with her. But this Liana... She is more than any woman I have ever met.
She chuckled and then smelled the rose. I clasped my hands together, finally happy for a moment that she enjoyed something that I have given her.
"You had a life, Liana," I said. "Before this. Friends and Family in another land. When you came to this land, what made you choose to come here with me?"
"Just to escape really," said Liana, as I sat down in the chair at the table. "As I explained earlier, Narnia had just been in a brutal war. When I arrived here, I was lost in the dark forest. I didn't know what land I was in. But then I saw this castle, thinking that someone must be here to help," she explained, as she put the rose in a vase to place on the center of the table. "And then you offered me a deal I couldn't turn down. A place to stay, food, clothing, in exchange for being your maid."
"And uh, what about your uh, betrothed?" I asked. "I see an engagement ring on your finger."
She sat down on the table.
"It was an arranged marriage between me and this other Prince... Honestly, I could never really care much for Prince Caspian." She smiled. "No. To me, love is layered. Love is a mystery to be uncovered. You know, I could never truly give my heart to someone as superficial as he." I shook my head gently as I listened to her speak.
Liana didn't deserve to be here with me. She didn't deserve to be cleaning up this castle for the rest of her life, after she was in such a brutal war. "But um... you were going to tell me a bit more about your son."
"I'll tell you what," I said. "I'll make you a deal. Go to town and fetch me some straw. And when you return, Liana, I'll share my tale."
"But you... town?" she questioned. "You trust me to come back?" she asked.
"Oh no, Liana, dear," I said, looking deep into her hazel eyes. "I expect I'll never see you again."
She frowned. "Where is town? How far is it from here?"
"Don't worry, I can give you a map," I said, making one appear in my hand. Liana smiled at me. "It's not that far away," I said.
"Thank you," she said.
"There's no need to thank me,
dearie."
And then before I knew it, she was gone.
+++
I was now in the department store buying duck tape and rope. I was going after Moe Sterling. It was about time he got what he deserved.
As I was waiting in line, David (Charming) got in line behind me. I noticed that he had two valentine's day cards in his hands. "Two valentines?" I questioned. "Sounds like a complicated life."
"Oh," he chuckled. "No. I just couldn't decide," he replied. I could tell he was lying. I knew he was secretly in love with Mary Margaret in other words his soulmate from the other land.
I looked over my shoulder to take a better look at the cards. "And these are both for the same woman?" I asked.
"Well, they're both so, us."
"I see," I smiled. "Well, you're fortunate that you have someone who loves you."
"I really am," said David as I placed what I was buying on the counter.
"Love," I said. I turned back to David. "It's like a delicate flame," I said, thinking of my love for Liana. "And once it's gone, it's gone forever." I paid for the stuff, and then I got it in a plastic bag. David just nodded his head and smiled at me. I could tell he didn't really care what I was saying. "Best of luck to you," I added.
"Thanks," he replied.
I then walked out of the store and went to the van to which I had Moe Sterling trapped in the back of the car.
I was taking him to a cabin just outside StoryBrooke, to a place in which I hoped no one would find him. As I opened the back of the van, after I had parked in front of the cabin, a storm started as I could hear the thunder rumbling.
"Walk," I ordered, pointing my gun at Moe. Moe stood up and got out of the van. I made him walk into the cabin. I cocked the gun and pointed at him again. "You see, here's the thing," I said. "I don't normally let people get away." I then slammed the door to the cabin.
+++
I was now up in one of the tallest rooms of the castle, to which my potions lab was located, I stood in the front of the open window, looking out to see if Liana would come back. I doubted that she wouldn't, but then part of me had a slim bit of hope that she'd come back.
When I saw Liana's shimmery black dress from a little over a mile away, I smiled. She came back. And she had a basket filled with straw.
Before she could enter, I happily ran down the stairs so I could sit at my wheel if I was not waiting for her return. "Oh, Liana, you're back already!" I said, watching as she came in. "Good. Good thing. I'm nearly out of straw."
"Hmm," she said, walking over to me. She placed the basket down. "Come on, you're happy that I'm back."
"I'm not unhappy," I said.
Liana chuckled. "And uh," she started, placing her hands on my shoulders.
"You promised me a story."
"Did I?" I questioned, trying to get out of telling her more about my weaknesses.
"Mmm-hmmm," she said, taking the needle off the wheel and sitting across from me.
Liana placed her hand on my thigh and I got a tingling sensation running through my bones. "Tell me about your son. What was his name?"
"Uh..." I started looking down. "I lost him, I told you that story already," he said. "There's nothing more to tell, really."
I watched as she frowned. "Since then... you've loved no one, and no one has loved you?" she asked. Why was this woman pulling at my heartstrings? I moved my face closer to her and observed her irises.
"Why did you come back?" I asked.
"To be honest," she started. "I wasn't going to. But then something changed my mind."
I narrowed my eyes as I didn't realize she was leaning in towards me, until it happened. Liana had placed her lips on mine. And I didn't move away. I kissed her back. Her lips tasted like old parchment, snowflakes, and crimson blood. But as soon as we continued the kiss, I felt something. Something was going wrong. My face began to hurt. It was almost like a sunburn peeling off my face.
"What is happening?" I asked, after she pulled apart from me.
"Kiss me again," she said, placing her hands in my hair. "It's working."
"What is?" I asked.
"Any curse can be broken," she said. All of the sudden my heart started to race and my blood started to boil. She was trying to take my power away? For what? For why?
"Who told you that?" I yelled, getting up from my seat and throwing the chair to the ground. "Who knows that?" I pointed at her.
Liana started to stutter. "I don't know... she..."
I then looked down at my hands that were starting to turn back to my human form. "She..." I started thinking of Regina. I then stomped over to the mirror that was covered. "You evil soul!" I removed the covering from the mirror. "This was you! You turned her against me! You think you can make me weak? You think that you can defeat me?"
"Who are you talking to?" asked Liana, as if she didn't know.
"The Queen, your friend, the Queen!" I turned around to look at Liana. "How did she get to you?" he asked.
"The Queen," Liana shook her head. "I don't..."
"I knew this was a trick," he said. "I knew you could never care for me. Oh yeah," I said, walking up to her. "You're working for her. Or is this all you? Is this you coming from an unknown land, being the hero, and killing the beast?"
"No!" she yelled. "That's not-"
"Shut up!" I yelled.
"This means that it's true love!" yelled Estella.
"Shut the hell up!" I continued to yell, so much so that my throat began to scratch.
"Why won't you believe me? I don't know who the Queen is! I haven't been in this land long enough to know that! I didn't want to get rid of your powers! I like you just the way you are!"
"No!" I yelled. "No! You see... No one... nobody could ever ever love me!" I yelled, grabbing a hold of her arms. Instead of bringing her to her room, I dragged her into the nearest cell. I made her fall on the floor. With a wave of my hands, I shut the door.
+++
"Gold, let me explain," said Moe, as I set down my gun on the dresser and walked toward him.
"Oh," I said, grabbing a chair to sit on. "Well, that is very fascinating. Truly fascinating." I then pressed my cane against his throat making him choke.
"I'm gonna let you breathe in a second. And you're gonna say two sentences. The first is gonna tell me where it is. The second is going to tell me who told you to take it. Do you understand the rules?"
"Yeah," he said.
"Good," I said. "Let's begin." I removed the cane from his throat, allowing him to breathe again. He gasped for air and then groaned.
"I needed that van," he said.
I interrupted him. "Now you see, that is not a good first sentence!" I then hit him with my cane.
"Gold, listen," he said.
"Tell me where it is!" I yelled.
"Stop!"
"Tell me where it is!" I yelled, hitting him again and again.
"No, stop! It wasn't my fault!"
"My fault?" I questioned, remembering the time that he had beaten the life out of Liana, hurting her. "What are you talking about, my fault? You shut her out. You had her love. And you shut her out!" I yelled, hitting him again. He screamed. "She's hurt, she's scarred, she scarred forever, of the torture that you put her through! Her scars won't go away, and it's your fault!" I hit him again. "Not mine! You are her father figure! The only family that she had left!" I hit him again and again and again whilst he screamed. "Yours... it's your... it's your fault! It's your fault that she almost died!"
I then heard a faint, "Stop," and a hand grabbing my arm which had my cane in it. I looked over to my right. It was Sheriff Swan.
+++
"So, I heard you managed to not break anything he needs," said Emma, as we stood outside my cabin. Moe was lucky and the ambulance came for him.
"You're lucky Mr. Gold."
"You've got a funny definition of lucky," I said.
"You have a funny definition of justice," she said, twisting my words. "What did he really do?"
"He stole," I replied. "That reaction was about more than taking a few trinkets. You said something about how he hurt her, what happened to her? Who was that? What did he do? If someone needs help, maybe I can help."
"No. I'm sorry, Sheriff. I think you heard that wrong."
"You really don't want to cooperate," she said.
"Look," I said. "We're done here."
"Actually," she said, grabbing a hold of my arm. "We're not." I furrowed my eyebrows. "You're under arrest," she said, taking out her cuffs. She then placed the handcuffs on me.
+++
I opened the door to her cell, to see her sitting on the stack of hay. "So," she said, as I walked over to her. "What are you going to do to me?"
"Go," I said, pointing my finger out towards the door. I then turned around and clasped my hands together.
"Go?" she repeated.
"I don't want you anymore, dearie," I said. That was a lie. Of course I wanted her. I wanted her to care for me as I have grown to care for her. But she doesn't. She doesn't care for me like I thought.
Liana then walked out but she stopped short in the doorway of the cell and turned around to face me. "You know," she started. "I truly didn't know what was happening when I kissed you. I had no control over what I was doing. I didn't want to kiss you because I knew it would drain you of your magic, and I know that you need that magic to find your son."
I furrowed my eyes at her. "What? If you didn't want to kiss me, then why did you?" I asked.
"Because I didn't have control over my body's actions," she replied. "Of course in the literal sense, I did want to kiss you, but I knew that if I did, it would get rid of your magic. Please listen to me."
"No," I said. "That's a lie. You willingly kissed me."
She shook her head. "I did not. You know," Liana chuckled. "You are a coward, Rumplestiltskin. I can see that now." My stomach ached. She told me that she didn't think I was a coward. She is just like the rest. Just like Mila. "No matter how thick you make your skin, that doesn't change."
"I'm not a coward for not believing you, dearie," I said. "It's quite simple, really. You are lying. You wanted to get to my weaknesses so that she could beat me. Women are always so manipulative. Pulling at heartstrings to get what they really want. I mean... come on... if you really thought about my son, then you would know that my power means more to me than you."
"No," she said. "You just don't believe in me. That I am telling the truth about me not having control over my body. You don't think I'm smart enough to know that breaking your curse would mean losing your magic. And you don't think I can stick around and care for you, love you, to help you find your son... but it looks like you've made your choice. And you're going to regret it. Forever. And all you'll have is an empty heart and a chipped cup."
+++
As I sat behind bars in the station, Emma was sitting at her desk eating a sandwich. "Pastrami," she said. "You want half?" She took another bite. "You know, I still owe you that favor. Nice fatty Pastrami, delicious way to clear the books."
"I don't need a reminder that you owe me a favor," I said. "And when the day comes that I make my request, it'll be more than half a sandwich."
All of the sudden I hear footsteps. I look up to see Regina and Henry. Great.
"Sheriff Swan?" Regina asked. "I'm letting you have thirty minutes with Henry. Take him out, buy him ice cream."
"You want me to leave you alone with a prisoner?" she asked as Regina stared right at me.
"Twenty Nine and a half minutes,"Regina replied.
"Hi, Emma," Henry smiled.
"Hey," said Emma.
I looked at Emma. "Bring me back a cone?"
"Just this once," Emma replied.
Emma took off her jacket from the hanger and then she left with Henry.
"Well, you really wanted that little chat didn't you?" I questioned.
"Apparently, this is the only way I could do it," Regina said, approaching me. She grinned.
"Please," I emphasized. "Sit," I said, pointing at the couch next to the bars. She sat down on the armchair of the couch. "Now," I said, my fingers shaking. "When two people both want something the other has, a deal can always be struck. Do you have what I want?" I asked, looking her in the eyes.
She smiled. "Yes."
"So," I said. "You did put him up to it then."
"I merely suggested that strong men take what they need."
"Oh yeah, and you told him just exactly what to take, didn't you?"
"We used to know each other so well, Mr. Gold," she stated. "Has it really come down to this?"
"It seems it has, yeah," I said. "But you know what I want. What is it you want?"
"I want you to answer one question," she said. "And answer it simply. What's your name?"
I smiled. "It's Mr. Robert Gold."
She stared me down. "Your real name."
"Every moment I've spent on this earth, that's been my name."
"But what about moments spent elsewhere?" she asked.
I closed my eyes for a second. "What are you asking me?"
"I think you know," she said. "If you want me to return what's yours, tell me your name."
I grinned and then chuckled.
"Rumplestiltskin," I told her. I then stood up and grabbed a hold of the bars. "Now give me what I want."
"Such hostility," she said.
"Oh yeah," I nodded my head.
She removed her bag from her shoulder and took out my chipped tea cup.
"Over this?" she asked. She started to wave it in front of me, making me play to get it as I stuck my hand out of the cell bars. "Such a sentimental little keepsake."
"Thank you," I said, gritting my teeth as I finally took the cup. "Your majesty."
I sat back down on the bed to observe the cup. I sighed. "So, now that we're being honest with each other. Let's remember how things used to be, shall we? And don't let these bars fool you, dear. I'm the one with the power around here. I'm gonna be out of here in no time. And nothing between us will change."
Regina placed her hands on the bars. "We shall see."
+++
It has been at least a few months since Liana has gone. I was sitting at my wheel thinking of her. What if she was telling the truth? What if she didn't have control over her body? What if someone ripped her heart out of her chest? What if.... What if I trusted her?
As I was spinning, the doors opened. Regina came in. I could tell just because of her fragrance. "Flimsy locks," she said, chuckling. I turned around to look at her. "I have a deal to discuss. A certain mermaid."
"I'm not dealing today," I said, as I spun my wheel.
"Are you angry with me?" she asked.
"What is it this time?" She poured herself some tea.
"Your little deception failed," I said.
"You'll never be more powerful than me. "You can keep trying dearie, but you're never going to beat me."
"Oh. Is this about that girl I met on the road? Hmm?" she chuckled. "What was her name? Isabella? Verna?"
"Liana," I replied.
"Right," she said. "Well, you can rest assured I had nothing to do with that tragedy."
I stopped spinning my wheel. My hands started to sweat and my heart started to beat faster. I turned around and walked towards her. "What tragedy?" I asked.
"You don't know?" Regina chuckled.
"Well, after she decided to stay with her adoptive father figure in his kingdom, but after her stay here, her association with you, no one would want her, of course. Her father shunned her, cut her off, shut her out.''
"So, she needs a home?" I questioned as my eyes started to water a bit.
She smiled. "He was cruel to her. He locked her in a tower and sent in clerics to cleanse her soul with scourges and flaying. After a while... she threw herself off the tower." My heart jumped. "She died." My heart jumped again and again and again. No. It couldn't be true.
"You're lying," I said.
"Am I?" she asked.
"We're done," I said. I opened the doors, inviting Regina to leave.
Regina sighed.
"Fine, I have other calls to make." She then wiped her fingers across my dirty table. "Hmm. The place is looking dusty, Rumple. You should get a new girl." As soon as Regina left, the doors slammed shut and I walked over to my huge cabinet. I removed the grail from the centerpiece and replaced it with the chipped cup. I then started to sob.
She couldn't be dead. No. She couldn't be. I then knelt down on the floor. I shouldn't have let her go. I shouldn't have. I cried and cried until it grew dark.
I then mumbled, "I'm so sorry my dearest Liana."
+++
I sat down in my bed in the cell to which I was observing my chipped cup. I knew Liana was in Selina somewhere. I just had to get her to remember because I'm not sure how much longer I can wait for the curse to break.
"Robert," said the familiar voice of Liana.... Selina.... I looked up at her.
"What are you doing here?" I asked.
"I heard what happened between you and Mr. Sterling," she said.
"Yes well, I let my anger get the best of me," I said.
"Robert... I don't know... I think..." she bit her lip.
"What?" I asked.
"I think you need help," she said. "I know it's been difficult for you watching me be someone else that you don't know, but it's getting to the point where you are not only hurting yourself but you're hurting others too."
"What are you suggesting then? Unless you can get your memories back..."
"It's not that simple," she said. "I've only had two memories come back. What I'm suggesting is therapy."
"Therapy?" I chuckled. "No. For sure they'd lock me up in the psych ward."
"No, I don't think Archie would let that happen," she said. "And hey... you know my friend Amber Lancaster?" she asked. I nodded my head. "She just got a job working with Archie. She's a therapist, and I know she definitely won't turn you into the psyche ward. Will you agree to go to therapy if Bruce and I bail you out?"
I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair.
"Fine."
She smiled. "Good."
+++
It's been a week since Regina told me of Liana's sudden death. And I was sitting at my wheel, thinking of the good times that we've had together when I heard a knock on the door.
I got up from my seat and opened the doors. My eyes widened at the sight. "Liana?" I questioned.
"Rumplestiltskin," she breathed. I scanned her body and saw that she was covered in cuts and bruises from head to toe. Her hair was all knotted, and she had dirt and mud across her dress. "I'm sorry for coming back after you kicked me out," she breathed.
"No, no," I said. "I'm sorry," I said.
"What?" she asked.
"I should have believed you. I was just so blinded by power," I said.
"I know," she said. "I don't blame you."
"Come in dearie, come in," I said, bringing her in. "You look freezing."
I then shut the doors and took her by surprise as I hugged her tight. She wrapped her arms around me and pressed her nose against my neck. "I've missed you," she said.
"I've missed you too," I said. "I can't believe I thought you were dead."
"What?" she asked, still hugging me, not wanting to let go.
"Regina, the Queen, she came by a month or so after you left, telling me that you had killed yourself by jumping off a tower because your adoptive father tortured you."
She broke apart from me and looked me in the eyes. "Well, I'm not dead. I'm right here. And yes," she sighed. "He did torture me, simply because I had affliations with you. And yes, Regina was right, I did jump off the tower. But... I have magic, so, I cushioned myself with piles of snow to refrain myself from getting hurt."
"You... have magic?" I asked.
She nodded. "Yes. Ice magic."
"Why haven't you told me this before?" I asked.
"I hadn't felt like using it," she said. "I wanted to run away from it. But I realized that I couldn't not use it."
"I see," I said.
"Listen, again, I'm really sorry for kissing you," she said. "After doing some research, I am led to believe that someone has my heart."
"Regina," I gritted my teeth. "Of course." We then stared into each other's eyes. "We'll find your heart, don't worry." Liana nodded her head. "How about we get you cleaned up, yeah?"
She nodded her head again. I then took her hand in mine and we traveled up the stairs to the nearest bathroom. I turned on the water for a bath. "Do you need me to help you undress?" I asked.
"No thank you, I've got it," she replied.
After I finished getting the bath ready, I turned to look at it. "Just yell my name if you need anything," I said. She nodded her head. As I made my way towards the door, I took one last glance at Liana and said, "I'm really happy that you're back."
She smiled. "Me too."
I then shut the bathroom door, leaving her to her bath. I then walked up to my potions lab. Now that I had my Liana back, I had to figure out how we could kiss and make love to each other without my curse being broken. The good news is that since the curse was breaking the first time she kissed me, it does mean that we have true love between us. So it will be difficult to create this curse, but I can do many things, and this will be one of them. I also have to figure out a way to get back Liana's heart from Regina. I gritted my teeth as I sorted through my potions. Regina is really going to have to pay.
A/N: I apologize for this extremely long chapter! Tho it's my favorite episode and thought it would be best done in one chapter, I hope you liked my version of it <3 please don't forget to vote and comment! I'd love to hear from you!