Baker's Apprentice Who Lives In A Shoe

Gone Overnight

A/N: Here is another flashback chapter. I hope you guys enjoy.

Ava POV

Ahh. The morning air is refreshing as I walk through the village. I helped the muffin man get the bakery ready, but he told me to take the rest of the day off. I think he is scared though. Not of me, but of the person I spend a great deal of time with. I take care of Baelfire most of the time, and everyone in town is terrified of his father. Ever since he became The Dark One people have been treating him and Bae differently. Rumple is extremely protective of Bae, so if any little thing happens to the boy it is blown way out of proportion.

I am on my way to the little hut on the outskirts of town with a basket filled with bread loaves. The streets are bustling with people peddling their goods. I look farther up the road and see a cart, being pulled by a donkey, filled with cages of chickens. A man pulls the donkey, leading it down the road. Suddenly, a boy follows a ball into the path of the donkey driven cart. The man stops the donkey from walking over the boy. The abrupt stop causes a basket to fall to the ground.

"Hey!" The man yells at the boy. He does not say anything to the man. He just gets up and quickly tries to get out of the way. "Hey!" I get closer and realize who the boy is, Baelfire. "What are you doing in the middle of the road, boy?" I start to run towards the boy. I hope to get there and diffuse the situation before Rumple even knows what has happened.

"I'm sorry. I-I" I walk up next to Bae and pull him into a hug. I look to the man and he suddenly realizes whom he is talking to. I hate that look.

"Hey, I know you." The man says to the boy. Terror envelops his face as he holds his hands out, hoping it would keep us from calling The Dark One. I do the same with my free hand. My other arm is around Bae.

"It is fine, sir. Everything is fine." His eyes meet mine.

"You want a chicken or some eggs?" He asks me frantically.

"It is okay." I say as I shake my head. "We should probably just-" I can tell that he is here before I finish my words, but he decides to interrupt me.

"What's going on?" I guess I was too slow. I hope nothing bad happens to this man. To be honest, it was Bea who went out in front of the cart. I pull Bae tighter into me.

"It's nothing." The man tries to say. "It was my fault. I wasn't looking where I was going." The tension is palpable. "But, he says he's fine." Bae pulls away from me and walks around me, towards Rumple.

"I'm fine Papa." The boy tries to say. The boy does not want to cause any trouble. "Really."

"Are you sure, Bae?" He asks his son.

"Yes. I'm fine." The boy answers. There was a short pause and I keep hoping Rumple chooses not to act out today.

"Well, I suppose it won't happen again." Rumple says to the man.

"It won't." Bae answers quickly.

"No." The cart driver answers, shaking his head. "No."

"What's that?" Rumple asks. I am confused, so I turn around and see that Rumple is pointing down towards Bae's knee. Oh no. It seems that when Bae tripped in front of the cart he skinned his knee, and it is currently bleeding. How had I not noticed that before?

"It's nothing." Bae says, stepping away from Rumple. I walk over and turn Bae towards me. I quickly glare at Rumple before I get a better look at Bae's injury.

"It does not look severe." I say.

"See, it's nothing." The cart driver tried to defend himself once again. He should have just stayed quiet.