New Romantics: Once upon a time fanfic

Twenty Two

Mr Gold looks up from the paperwork in front of him as I walk into his shop.

"Miss Mills," He says as I walk up to the counter. "Are you looking for anything in particular?"

"No, I actually came here to talk to you," I tell him, cutting straight to the point. "You know all about my mother and Emma's feud."

"Yes I do," The older man says with a small laugh. "Why have you come to me to talk about this? Why not your mother?"

"You're helping Emma aren't you?" I ask him.

I overheard Emma tell Henry about it the other day. I can't tell if it's incredibly stupid or kind of smart.

Mr Gold always wants something in return for his favours, it's well known in town that you should never make a deal with him if you can't uphold your end.

I pity anybody that has to deal with him when he's angry.

"Where did you hear that from?" He asks as he moves the paperwork he was looking at to the side of the counter.

"It doesn't matter where I heard it," I tell him. "I want to help Emma and you're not doing a great job at it so far."

"You think as a teenage girl you have more influence over the people in this town than me?" He says, a laugh escapes his mouth as he does.

"I think you're going about this wrong," I tell him as I place my hands on the counter in front of me. "People won't vote for Emma just because you're helping her."

"And why is that?"

"They're just as scared of you as they are my mother," I point out to him. "Emma has to be her own person for this to work."

"You're suggesting she does this on her own?" Gold asks, giving me a questioning look as he does.

"I'm suggesting that Emma has to make a statement." I tell him. "Something that will show the town that she isn't doing this for personal gain."

"And how would she do that?" He questions.

I have no doubt that Mr Gold already has something in mind but he always has to make everything into some sort of riddle or test.

I'm sure he would have had a plan similar to my own without my help but I need to ensure my mother has less power in this town.

"Set fire to my mom's plans," I tell him. "Anything that will make Emma look better and once she figures out you've done something to mess with the campaign she'll stand up to you."

"And win over the town?" Mr Gold questions before continuing to speak. "This isn't a fairytale, Miss Mills."

"I'm not so sure you believe that."

"Has Henry gotten you to believe his book?" Gold asks.

"Henry has nothing to do with this." I say.

"Henry has everything to do with this." He tells me.

"Will you do it or not?" I ask him as I cross my arms.

"I'll think about it."

***

"I still think you're brave for standing up to your mom like that," Nolan tells me. "I get that she's your mother and all but I don't get how you weren't terrified."

"As much as she's a horrible person, she really isn't that scary to me," I explain to him. "Growing up she used to be so kind to Henry and me."

When I think back to when I was younger, before all the arguments with my mom and before I found out all the horrible stuff she's done to people I had so many good memories.