Chapter 26: Ruminations
The morning after Ashley had her baby dawned with a new day in a new year. David promised Emma he would take early patrol and had reluctantly pulled himself from the warmth and comfort of being cuddled in bed with Mary Margaret. She understood and went back to sleep at his urging, since it was a holiday, with the promise that she'd meet him at Granny's for lunch.
Fortunately, the town was extra quiet this morning, except for Jefferson insisting they meet at the shop. So after finishing his sweep of the town and grabbing a coffee from Granny's, he made his way to the shop and entered from the back way per usual.
"Good...you're here. It's about time," Jefferson said impatiently.
"What's so urgent?" David asked.
"In a minute. First... you can help me figure out what's different about him," the hatter said, as he returned a scrutinizing gaze to Gold.
"Well...it's pretty obvious," David mentioned, as Jefferson looked at him in surprise and then back to Gold.
"No...it's not obvious, though come to think of it, you have the same air about you too, like all the time. It's like a glow," Jefferson mentioned, now scrutinizing David.
"I do not glow," Gold snapped.
"Is this really why you called us here?" David deflected.
"No...I called you here, because we have another stranger in town and unlike our friend Persephone, this one didn't just pop up out of the ocean," Jefferson said, as he produced several photos of a man on a motorcycle.
"You think this guy came over the town line?" David asked.
"I know he did. I've watched the people of this town for twenty-eight years. This is the first time I've seen him," Jefferson replied.
"Do you know him?" David asked the pawnbroker.
"No...I've never seen him," Gold replied. And David was inclined to believe him since he looked unsettled by this development.
"Yeah...well don't freak out, but he's been talking to your daughter and grandson," Jefferson added, as he produced about a dozen more photos. David side-eyed him.
"Just how much do you watch my daughter?" he asked.
"Relax, chisel chin, it's not like that," Jefferson retorted, as they looked at the photos.
"I don't know who he is, but I don't like his apparent interest in my daughter and grandson," David mentioned uncomfortably.
"Well...my guess is he'll show up at the Miner's Day celebration and that might be a nonchalant way to find out more. For now, I'll keep an eye on him," Jefferson decided.
"So will I...unknowingly anyway," David agreed. Gold nodded as well.
"Okay, back to the other subject. Will you just tell me? I mean, he's usually growly and condescending. But today, he's just...indifferent," Jefferson said.
"You're going to get far more than condescending in a minute," Gold hissed. David smirked.
"I told you, it's obvious," the prince replied.
"Well, it's not to mean. I mean, I heard Granny asked for a couple more days on the rent and he granted it. He never let's people slide on their rent," Jefferson said.
"He had sex," David blurted out.
"And more importantly, sex with a woman he loves," David clarified.
"Out. Both of you," Gold hissed.
"So I suppose this wouldn't be the time to ask if you'd give the nuns extra time on their rent? Mary Margaret is having some difficulty selling all the candles," David said.
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Dreaming Out Loud
Fanfiction"If you could have heard our voices, would it have made a difference?" Based on Snow's comment to Emma in season 5. What if Emma had been able to hear her parent's voices? What if she'd been able to see them in her dreams every night? How would thin...
