{ storybrooke }

10. { 7:15 a.m. }

"Top of the morning. This is chief meteorologist Bill Goslyn with your up to the minute Storybrooke weather. Break out those galoshes, folks. It's gonna get soggy. We've got a major storm system moving up the coast and the latest Doppler Radar shows the worst band of precipitation coming into Storybrooke right about the time you're putting the kids to school-"

"Good morning, Mr. Gold!"

The pawnbroker glances up from his porcelain cup filled with steaming tea, his train of thoughts and his intent listening to the weather forecast interrupted by the arrival of the young teen inside the kitchen. "Good morning to you as well, Winter."

He watches her as she dances around the kitchen to prepare her breakfast of a toasted sandwich paired with a cup of tea. "Where are you headed to," he asks as he sees her hurry to pack her bag. Winter looks up from filling her waterbottle with a curious eyebrow raised.

"To go to school.. like every morning?" Mr. Gold leans back in the kitchen chair, resting both his hands on his walking cane. His eyes narrow down on the girl, who slowly puts the apple down she had in her hand when she realized something was going on.

Mr. Gold shakes his head. "You are not going today. The school called. Due to the unfortunate weather they have cancelled all classes for the high school students. Either way, I would not have let you go out with a forecast this deplorable."

Winter sighs. "Then what do I have to do all day?" Mr. Gold stretches his lips into a smirk. He spreads his arms to sign towards the kitchen. "Stay inside and study. Read a book. Whatever else it is you like to do, as long as it is within the walls of this house. Understood?"

The teen rolls her eyes and puts the fruit down back in the fruitbowl. "Understood," she mumbles. Mr. Gold takes notice of her dissatisfaction. He stands up from the kitchen table and runs his hand over the back of her head. "I promise you, you will enjoy your time inside today."

Winter flashes him a quick smile before she sits down to eat her breakfast. While Mr. Gold was pouring himself another cup of tea their conversation soon reached the subject of the mysterious stranger who arrived in Storybrooke the day before.

"Does anyone know who he is as of yet," Winter asks after swallowing down a sip of her tea. The older man shakes his head. "No one seems to know, not even Mayor Mills. I trust it is thoroughly frustrating for her. Especially when he spoke to Henry this morning.."

That sparked interest in the brunette teen. She put the toasted sandwich down that she was about to devour and stares in surprise at Mr. Gold. "He talked to Henry?" The man nods affirmatively, taking a sip from his own cup of tea. "Indeed he did. Apparently his motorcycle was defective and he saw it fit to repair it right before the Mills' home."

The tone he spoke in assured Winter that he didn't think it was a coincidence. Everything about the stranger was shrouded in mystery. It made her very interested. "Fascinating.." she mumbles to herself

But Mr. Gold overheard her and his facial expression turns grim and his posture becomes tense. "I do not know what you are thinking, but you are not to come anywhere near this man. Am I clear?"

Winter sits up straight on the chair and stares at Mr. Gold. Her eyes have a defiant look. "But why not? Are you afraid he is going to take me away? Harm me in any way?" She chuckles and uses airquotations. The way she was framing her words with a sense of disbelief and skepticism told Mr. Gold that she did not believe he would. 

Then her tone becomes more serious. She leans in on the table to further highlight her point of view. "If he did, he would have you against him and Mayor Mills and Ms. Swan will be on his back even more so. That is not something a mysterious man seems to desire."