We're All Mad Here (Jefferson x OC)

Chapter Seventy-Three

As time went on, Jefferson and Scarlett became better thieves, stealing from whoever they could. He had fun and he was starting to fall for Scarlett's charms and playful banter. He wouldn't call it love, they weren't there yet, but he imagined that in the future. They travelled the realms, stealing and selling whatever they could.

Scarlett secretly kept in touch with Rumpelstiltskin, so he'd know where she would be if he needed her or Jefferson. It was hard to contact him from other realms, but of course, he used magic to find solutions to that.

As Jefferson snuck through the Sultan's palace in Agrabah, he was careful to avoid the guards. A collector had told him and Scarlett about an enchanted necklace that belonged to the Sultan's late wife. He didn't believe it was actually enchanted, but the buyer was paying a lot to get it, so he didn't argue.

Scarlett waited outside for him, watching him from a distance. She watched carefully before a strange feeling washed over her. She looked around, seeing a puddle at her feet. The water was a strange sight, since Agrabah was known for being a desert. Upon closer inspection, she saw Rumpelstiltskin's face in the puddle.

"There you are, dearie." He greeted with a smirk. His face was reflective in the water, a disturbing sight since she could see her own face in his, but he wore the same sadistic smirk as usual.

"What do you want?" She sighed. "It's not time yet. You told me it would be a while before you needed him."

"And that it will be." He chuckled, though it sounded more deranged than it was supposed to. "But right now, he's in danger. You need to get him out of there before he gets hurt. He's crucial to my plans, and I need him alive."

"Yeah, yeah. Got it." She almost rolled her eyes at his insistence. "I'll tell him." With that, his face disappeared from the puddle. She sighed, trying to figure out a way to contact Jefferson.

Once he retrieved it, he carefully left the palace, meeting up with Scarlett. He wore a proud smile, the necklace secure in his bag. Scarlett was pacing when he returned, her gaze snapping up when she heard him approaching.

"What took you so long?" She asked, looking him over. She was a little more insistent than usual, but he didn't think much of it since she was usually concerned about him after bigger jobs.

"There were more guards than I expected, had to change the plan a bit." He explained with a shrug. He showed her necklace, handing it to her.

She looked over the necklace, carefully inspecting it. "This is it. Not worth losing your life though."

"I'm fine. I made it out, we got the jewels." As he finished, he heard the sound of the guards coming after him and Scarlett. "Shit. Let's go." Scarlett nodded, glancing at the guards before stuffing the necklace in her bag.

The two ran away quickly, slipping into the marketplace in an attempt to lose the guards. At some point, they got separated and he ducked behind a shopkeeper's cart to hide. The shopkeeper, a middle-aged woman, looked down at him in confusion.

"Can I help you?" She asked, her thick accent slipping through. He shushed her, checking to see if the guards had followed him. Once he was sure that he was clear, he let out a sigh of relief. "What are you doing in my stall?"

"I needed a place to hide."

"From the palace guards?" She asked, seeing the guards that were looking around for him. The guards searched the place, pushing through the crowd to find him and the stolen necklace. "You're a thief?"

He nodded, staying hidden. "Please, don't sell me out."

"I won't, but you have to promise never to steal from me." She said sternly and he quickly nodded again. Once the guards had left, he thanked her. As he was about to leave, he noticed a sapphire necklace, it was beautiful, like nothing he had seen before. "See something you like?"