𝑶𝑪𝑬𝑨𝑵 𝑬𝒀𝑬𝑺 - Rumplestiltskin [1]

FORTY FIVE

45|MR. GOLD

"Here, you need it." Celeste passed the Sheriff a takeaway cup filled with hot coffee. "I know how much it sucks to have parents."

"Lets go." The said parents slid into the back seats of the yellow buggie allowing Emma to drive to Mr. Gold's Pawn Shop, the only place Celeste could guess her husband would be.

The three rushed into the shop while the dark haired princess followed behind slowly, sighing in annoyance. David grabbed her upper arm, pulling her into the store quicker. She spotted Rumpelstiltskin pouring two cups of tea, surprised to see her with them rather than by herself.

"What can I do for you?" Rumpel asked, shutting the teapot to speak to the four customers. Celeste snuck past the blonde and stood beside her husband, sipping on the tea from her mug.

"What you can do is tell us what you did." Emma demanded, leaning her hands on the counter.

"I'm sorry, you're gonna have to be more specific." He said cluelessly, deceiving the woman.

"You know damn well what we're talking about." David yelled at him with anger at his lack of information.

"You double crossed Emma, you, uh, took your potion from her." Snow White added on, explaining the situation slightly more.

"And did who-knows-what to this town." The prince charming inputted, helping his wife.

"And worst of all you risked Henry's life." Emma growled, leaning in closer to the man.

"You did what?" Celeste put down her tea and raised a brow at her husband, upset he would harm such a young child.

"Well, that is quite a litany of grievances, now, isn't it?" Rumpelstiltskin said monotonously, ignoring the glares his wife gave him.

"Maybe I don't need answers." Emma spat at him. "Maybe I just need to punch you in the face."

"Oh." He scoffed with a chuckle, picking up his cup of tea. "Really, dearie?" He paced around the desk to stand face to face to the woman. "All me to answer your questions with some of my own, all right? Did your dear boy, Henry, survive?"

"Yeah."

"Is the curse broken?" Rumpelstiltskin continued to question her. "And let's see here, Miss. Swan, how long have you been searching for your parents? Looks like you're reunited. Seems like rather a punch in the face, I deserve a thank you."

"Twist my words all you want, what was that purple haze that you brought?" She demanded, folding her arms over her chest.

"You know. Magic." He answered as if the answer was obvious. His little gesture and tone of voice brought memories back to Celeste as she remembered this playful side of Rumpel.

"Why?" Snow questioned curiously, knowing nothing good cane from magic.

"Not telling." The Earth shook, car alarms blaring as everyone stumbled. Rumpel grabbed Celeste, pulling her close to protect her as he seemed unfazed by the small earthquake as if he knew what it was.

"What the hell is that?"

"That is my gift to you." Rumpelstiltskin smirked, feeling his wife shake with fear against him. He felt guilty for scaring her but proud of his work. "That is gonna take care of Regina."

An explosion went off, the electric wires going crazy as a howl echoed through the streets.

"Emma, come on!" Her parents beckoned their daughter over to the door. "We need to go take care of this."

"We're not done."

"Oh, I know." He pointed a finger at her. "You still owe me a favour."

"Emma, go." Celeste smiled at her friend reassuringly. "Promise to text me."

"I will." Emma nodded at her roommate and followed her parents out the store.

"What did you do?" She placed her empty mug on the counter and turned to him, a still look on her face as she tried to read his emotions. "You lied to me."

"No, I kept my word." Rumpel shook his head, getting worried about her avoiding him. "I will not kill her."

"You toy with your words like you do with people." Celeste sighed, turning away from him and walking over to the other room, pushing the curtains aside. "You're still a man who makes wrong choices."

"Cel, I'm sorry." He followed her into the back room, finding her removing her outerwear. "I am sorry."

"We will discuss this in the morning, I want sleep." She sat on the makeshift bed and looked up at him with sad eyes.

"Let me drive us home, you should sleep in a proper bed." Rumpel watched her guiltily, grabbing his coat and growing it over her shoulders. "Come on."

"Fine." She reluctantly followed him back to his car, letting him drive back to his house where she wandered in first.

"I'll be on the couch." He wandered into the room to grab his nightwear, spotting her lying in the main bed with her back to him.

"Stay." He sighed and got dressed before slipping into the bed beside her, hesitantly wrapping an arm over her body and pulling her close. "You shouldn't be sleeping on the couch at your age."

"I'm only three hundred years old." She chuckled at the comment, not minding the obviously large age gap.

"Only?"