Baker's Apprentice Who Lives In A Shoe

Red-Handed

A/N: Alright! :) Another chapter. I have to say that the reason for posting so much it that I have been trying to catch up with the show. I am on the 5th episode of the 5th season, and I am still obsessed. I want to get there with this story, but we have a long way to go. Slow and steady, guys, right?

Move in day was successful and I could not be happier. Mary Margaret seemed to be happy for me, but kept asking me if I really wanted to do this. I kept telling her that I could not imagine living another day alone in that apartment. And it is true. After Mary Margaret leaves I start to clean up the messiness around the house. There had been books and knick-knacks all over the place. Many of the items I recognize from the castle we used to live in.

"Ava, dear." Rumple says from the doorway of the front room. I turn from the mess in front of me to my love. "What are you doing?" A smirk is present on his face.

"I'm cleaning up this mess you seem to have left for me, my love." I smile back at him.

"Well, you can hold off on cleaning for now. Would you like to go get something to eat? To celebrate the move?"

"When you put it like that, how can I refuse?" I walk up to him and place my hand in his waiting one. "To Granny's?"

"As you wish." He opens the front door for me as I get my coat on. We drive to Main Street and park in front of the Pawn Shop. We get out and walk the rest of the way to the diner, arm-in-arm. As we walk up the few steps I laugh at the information he has just told me.

"Did you really kidnap him?" I ask as he opens the door for me.

"Would I lie to you about that, my dear." He replies with a smile.

"I suppose you would not." I say after stepping into the diner. I look around at the patrons still here. It is pretty late, but there are two or three people eating. None of them look up as we enter. We walk to a booth near the back of the room. I sit on the side that faces the front door, and as Rumple sits down I see the strange man named August. Some reflex causes me to smile at the man, and when he notices me he smiles back.

"Is this going to be a more common occurrence?" Asked a woman's voice from the open end of the booth. I look up to see Widow. She glares at Mr. Gold as I answer her.

"Perhaps. Um. Could we just get a large order of fries?" I say placing our order. She looks to me and smiles.

"Of course, honey." She turns to the kitchen to put in our order. I grab the charm on my necklace and start rubbing it like a worry stone.

"I know you are not a popular person, but I do not like when they speak that way to you." I whisper to Mr. Gold.

"Don't worry. I've grown used to it at this point." He replies. I sigh, knowing that it is just the way it will always be. My gaze falls on August again. He is talking to Ruby about traveling all over the world. He talked about a place called Nepal with animals called Lemurs. Granny brings us our fries, and we start to eat as she tries to get Ruby's attention.

"I do not know what to think about that man." I whisper to Mr. Gold as I gesture to August with a fry.

"I've been trying to figure out his story myself." As he finishes his sentence, an argument between Granny and Ruby escalates into a yelling match that the entire diner can hear.

"Well, as long as you work here," Granny says as she closes the record-keeping book for the diner. "You are gonna listen to me."

"I didn't ask to work here." Ruby says in return as they walk on opposite sides of the counter. My eyes follow their movements. Seeing them argue breaks my heart.