Baker's Apprentice Who Lives In A Shoe

Captive to Outcast?

A/N: As you can see this chapter is very long. In word it is about 16 pages long. I couldn't split the scenes into a million different chapters. I hope you like it.

I feel a soft touch on my shoulder. Whoever it is wants to wake me up, but I am so comfortable. I have been sleeping in an actual bed for about a month now. Rumple seems to trust me enough to not lock me up in the cell down below. About a week after I arrived he turned my clunky pocket watch into a lighter necklace. It almost looks like a miniature version of the Dark One's blade, but instead of a hilt it had some sort of Celtic knot that attached to the delicate chain.

"Ava, dear, it's time. Today is the day." My eyes shot open, and I sat up straight. I looked to the man who woke me with hope that he was not tricking me.

"Do not toy with me." I said pointing a finger at him. He crossed his eyes as he looked at the finger that I had pointed close to his face. He takes the hand, in front of his face, into his own. He looks into my eyes as he presses his lips to the back of my knuckles.

"I would never dream of it, dearie." This makes me smile as I jump out of bed. I fling my arms around his neck and embrace him. I have been waiting so long for this day, this moment. I let go of him and started to get ready. I rushed around the room getting my dress and cloak, the ones that Belle first saw me in years ago. I'm sure she has remembered, and I am sure that she has grown into a beautiful young woman. "We leave in a few hours. It's a long way to the castle, but we'll get there before sundown."

"I can't wait to see her again." I turned to my savior. "I bet she's even more beautiful than the last time I saw her." He smiled at me, but looked down to his feet. "Rumple, we'll find him, I'm sure of it." Yes, the lost boy, Baelfire. I originally thought that both father and son left together, but Rumple told me that Bae went through some sort of portal. A magic bean that the blue fairy gave to the boy created this portal. He wished for a fresh start for the both of them, but Bae's hand slipped from Rumple's and the boy was sucked in. Rumple has been looking for his son ever since.

"I know." He looked away from me with a stern face, so I squinted as I tried to look into his eyes. I walked over to him and grabbed his chin. I forced him to look at me.

"Listen to me right now." His actions were irritating me. "You may be the Dark One, but I know jealousy when I see it." I glared at him before letting go of his face. "It is not a charming or attractive look on anyone, especially you." I said. I pointed at him as I said the last word. I turned away and continued to get ready. As I pulled out my yellow-orange floor-length dress, which I haven't worn in years, I feel a pair of arms embrace me around my waist. The owner of these arms presses his chest to my back.

Oh, did I not say that Rumple and I had actually started a relationship of some sort? Well, we did. I guess I would say that it started to progress when he started to let me sleep in this room instead of the dungeon below. He would treat me like a delicate flower, and sometimes he would actually make me meals instead of the other way around. Recently he has let me come along on his dealings. All I do is sit on his shoulder in my bird form, but I love watching him work and twist words on contracts. I always feel bad for the people on the other side of the deal, though.

"Don't be like that, my little song bird." He presses his lips to the crook of my neck, but I am not so easily swayed by his actions. "All I wish is to have everyone together. We can be like a family." I drop the dress that I still held in my hand, and I turn around in his grasp. I look into his eyes and I can see that he is being truthful. I smile and press a kiss to his forehead, I pull back and look into his eyes once again.