Baker's Apprentice Who Lives In A Shoe

The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter

Mr. Gold POV (There could be slight spoilers in this first section if you have not seen all of season 1.)

She called me a coward. How dare she. She should know that I am no such thing. Wait. I have to remember that she doesn't know certain things. Maybe I could jog her memories somehow. How would I be able to do that? I need that curse broken, and fast. I can't watch her with that bug any longer. With Emma in town it is only a matter of time before this curse is no more. I must wait; be patient. The longer this curse exists the more Ava will drift away. That must not happen.

I head home thinking of everything that she said to me. She had been worried about me because my pattern of visiting her had been broken. Maybe, I will go back to my visiting pattern. Maybe, she will warm back up to me. Yes, that is what I must do. I am finally at my place when I realize something. Ava had been talking about her dreams. She said that she didn't remember having dreams before Emma arrived in Storybrooke. Her dreams started up recently, and from what she has told me they are memories of her time in the Enchanted Forest. She is already on the verge of remembering everything.

Maybe one final push is all it would take to get her to remember everything. I head up to my room. A small necklace stand sits on the nightstand next to my bed. The necklace that sits there is something I never want to be out of my sight. I shall bring it with me to the shop tomorrow in hopes that she stops in. If she sees it her memories will return fully. At least that is my hope.

I could gift it to her, as an apology, so she has it for after the curse breaks. It would be dangerous if she did not have it when I bring back the magic. I can't lose her. She is the one who has kept me sane this whole time. My course of action has been set. Tomorrow is a new day, and my apology gift will be given. I slip off to sleep as I think about having Ava by my side once again.

Ava's POV

Today has started out the same as any day. The only difference is that Mr. Gold has come into my bakery. Why? I am pretty sure it isn't time for the rent to be paid. Is he here to apologize? He is standing at the counter. I have my arms crossed over my chest, and I just glare at him. I want him to talk first. I have nothing to say to him. He pulled out a long jewelry box. What was that?

"I wanted to apologize, Ava." I tilted my head to the right still not saying anything. "You were right. I am a coward." I squinted and waited for him to continue. "I hope this gift will be enough to get me back in your good graces." He sets the long jewelry box on the counter and slides it closer to me. I look down at it, but I shake my head. I slide the box back to him without even opening it.

"I can not be bribed with jewelry, Mr. Gold." I stared at him, and I could see he was getting a bit nervous. If I didn't know better I would say he looked a bit sad. "If you are not here to buy anything or collect rent, please leave." That is when Archie comes into the bakery. I notice him, and I look at the clock. We planned to go out to lunch.

"Is everything okay in here?" Archie asks. I take my apron off and pick up my purse.

"Everything is fine, Archie." I say as I turn off the ovens and walk around the counter. Mr. Gold is still standing by the counter. "Now, I am closing the bakery. You have to leave, Mr. Gold." I went to the door and held it open for the two men to walk through. Archie went through first, and Mr. Gold took a little more coaxing. When they were both out I flipped the 'OPEN' sign to 'CLOSED'. I locked up the place and walked over to Archie. Then I turned to Mr. Gold, who was still standing in front of the bakery. "My friendship is not easily bought back. If you want to get my friendship back, act like a friend." I said before walking towards Granny's for lunch with Archie.

We walked into the diner and sat at a booth. Ruby automatically brought us our usual drinks, and said that she already put our order in. We thanked her as she walked off. We sat in awkward silence. I know that he wanted to ask me about the incident with Mr. Gold. I, however, do not want to talk about it.

"How have your sessions with Henry been going?" I finally ask to break the silence. He looks up from the table.

"Good, good." The silence fell once again. "Hey, what..."

"Archie, I don't want to talk about it."

"Okay, I won't push it." Once again the silence crept between us. That's when our food finally came. Thank god. I started eating my chicken and fries so I wouldn't have to talk about what happened. I wanted Mr. Gold as a friend. Well, who would want to be Mr. Gold's foe? No one. We finally finished our meals, and Archie refused to let me pay for it. He has paid every single time we have gone out. I guess I should be happy about that with my business being so slow. He walks me back to my shop, and he goes back to work. I just sit, bored, in my bakery until someone comes running into the shop.

"Ava, something bad has happened." It was Mary Margaret. Apparently Emma called her saying that something happened to Graham. I closed up shop and we both ran to the hospital. It didn't go well. Graham was pronounced dead on arrival. Emma broke down more than she already was, and Mary Margaret and I tried to console her. We had to walk her back to the apartment she shared with Mary Margaret. We tucked her into bed, and I said goodbye to Mary Margaret as I left to my own apartment. I can't believe that he's gone. Sure we weren't the closest, but we were friends. Who will be Sheriff now? Emma is a mess, so she won't be able to step up right now. Henry is right, things are changing, but at what cost?