The Coward's Daughter [An OUAT Fanfic]

Good Morning Storybrooke

Y/N opened her eyes, she was collapsed face forward onto a desk with papers scattered everywhere, the golden sun just beginning to rise through the window. She looked around, long tables were placed in rows in front of the desk, colorful posters of Issac Newton and the Periodic Table were taped up next to shelves of beakers lining in the back walls. Y/N glanced at her desk, she'd fallen asleep grading worksheets again!

She felt her eyes succumbing to sleepiness again as she placed her head back onto the desk, might as well get a few more minutes rest, she thought to herself; when suddenly she was jolted to attention by a knock at the door, a woman with cropped dark hair poked her head in.

"Miss Gold? Were you here all night?"

"Good morning," Y/N yawned deeply, "Mary-Margaret, no I was just getting an early start is all."

"Very early! It's only seven am." Mary-Margaret exclaimed as she walked in with her arms full of books.

"You know 5th graders, they just love writing about food chains," Y/N suddenly stopped rubbing her eyes as she looked to her co-worker. "What time did you say it was?"

"It's 7:03 now, why do you ask?" Mary-Margaret said as she checked the wall clock.

"Oh no! I was supposed to meet my father for coffee at 6:30!" Y/N leapt up and threw on her purple raincoat.

"Goodness your family gets up early!"

"I don't think my old man ever sleeps." Y/N grumbled as she rushed to gather everything she needed into her purse. "He's practically nocturnal at this point."

Y/N sprinted out of the classroom, down the stairwell and through the front entrance giving a quick wave to the school's gym coach as she ran to her car. She leapt into the drivers seat and started towards Granny's Diner, one of the few decent restaurants in town.

She sped down the long tree-lined road, past the mayors house and the shuttered library until she pulled up outside of Granny's, where a man wearing dark suit and sunglasses stood outside, holding two coffee cups. Y/N braced herself for a lecture as he approached the car, Y/N rolled down the car window and forced a smile,

"Late again are we, dear?" Mr. Gold teased as he passed her a cup through the opening, she took the cup and put the car in park.

"It appears so. Some of us have to pull all-nighters from time to time you know."

"Can't say I've had the pleasure, one of the perks of being your own boss I suppose." He started down the sidewalk. "Come along dear, you've already made me late opening, you may as well walk with me."

Y/N exited the car and followed him as he made his way down Main Street. The day was cloudy and cold, with the citizens of Storybrooke bundled up in coats as they swerved to the side to make way for Y/N and her father, avoiding any eye contact.

It had always been like this, her father was the most powerful man in town and could destroy a life with the slightest effort. If someone couldn't make rent or failed to uphold their end of a bargain, he would collect without hesitation. Y/N always told herself it wasn't because he was cruel, simply because he was ruthless. You had to be ruthless as a Gold.

"How's that school teacher job of yours? Are you enjoying yourself?"

"Well enough, the kids are sweet but the parents have a tendency to avoid me at meet the teacher night."
Gold chuckled, as he walked down the sidewalk, clutching his cane for support.

"Well you can be touch intimidating, Beatrice."

"Hmm, yes I'm sure it's the underpaid science teacher they're frightened of."

The two arrived in front of Gold's Pawnbroker and Antiques, Mr. Gold unlocked the door and the two walked in. Y/N sunk into a dusty armchair in the corner as her father switched on the lights. She took a sip of her drink, realizing it was an herbal tea (disappointing as she desperately needed caffeine).

The silence was deafening as her father began to clean off the glass counter with a rag. Y/N sipped the tea slowly, kicking her feet up onto the chair. She had faint memories of sitting here as a child, reading picture books as her father sold expensive jewelry or dealt with various clients.

Things had been so tense since she'd returned from college to take the job at Storybrooke Elementary, her father hadn't been pleased when she'd changed majors. She knew he'd wanted her to take over the shop, with a degree in law or business to keep his other side-hustles around town flourishing. Y/N turned toward her father, attempting to make small talk.

"Today should be exciting for the kids, we're doing a chemistry experiment."

"That sounds, lovely Beatrice." Her father said as he scrubbed the counter.

"It's about... reactions. Things boiling over, combusting."

"Fascinating." A curt spritz of cleaning spray on the glass.

"A single change in circumstance can do a lot to change the makeup of a compound you know. On a molecular level, complete and total reconstruction."

Y/N rambled whenever she got nervous, she didn't lose her cool often, but her father made her feel jittery, he was a vault, she never knew what he was thinking behind his smile. Mr. Gold looked at the grandfather clock stationed near the door.

"It's almost 7:30 love. I suppose you'd best be on your way." Y/N almost sighed in relief, finally dismissed.

"It's about that time," she rose gathering her purse "I'll... see you soon dad."

"Best of luck sweetheart."

Y/N left the shop without another word. The bell jingled behind her as she made her way back to Granny's, she was ready to get through work, go home and take a nice relaxing bath.

But as she approached her car, she noticed a piece of paper wedged between the wipers, a parking ticket. Sheriff Graham never let her get away with anything!

She put the key in ignition and made her way back to work, kids were already lining up for the buses, Y/N didn't want to be late. She pulled into the school parking lot, time to start another day, she couldn't keep her students waiting.

But if Y/N had known how poorly today's experiment was going to go, she would have stayed in Gold's pawnshop.