Dreaming Out Loud

Believer

Dreaming Out Loud

Chapter 2: Believer

"Here's your key. Enjoy your stay, Miss Swan," Granny said, as she handed the blonde a room key.

"Thanks...and it's just Emma," she replied.

"Emma…what a lovely name," she heard an accented male voice say behind her. Emma turned and kept her expression even, betraying no emotion. Her parents had told her about the Dark One, though she almost wasn't sure this was him. This guy didn't have any scales like her father described and walked with the assistance of a cane.

"The rent isn't due until next week," Granny protested. Though he had been making his weekly rounds to pressure his tenants for their rent payments, everything was suddenly different in an instant. The feared Mr. Gold that owned most of the town now had a new awareness.

"I'm not here for payment. I just wanted to welcome our visitor to town. We don't get many in Storybrooke," he mentioned.

"Yeah...I keep getting that from people. Emma Swan and you are?" she asked. He smirked.

"Mr. Gold. I own the pawnshop," he replied. She could tell he was analyzing her. This was definitely him. Rumplestiltskin.

"I'm sure I'll be seeing you around town. Good evening, Miss Swan," he said, as he hobbled out.

Awake...he was awake at last. His routine visit to the inn to collect rent from Widow Lucas had yielded much more than expected. A stranger was in town by the name of Emma Swan. Emma...she was here and it was finally time to begin. He sensed more with her though. He had fully expected to meet the eyes of a skeptic woman, but there was something behind those familiar green eyes. If Emma Swan was a believer already, it might change everything. He had no idea how she could know...unless the Gods themselves had some sort of interference. Normally, he wouldn't give such a thing a second thought, but considering a certain princess' secret unknown(except to him) lineage, he suspected a certain goddess may have had a hand in all of this. And for all his foresight, he had no idea how that would play out with his plans. He smirked. At last, this town wouldn't be bore any longer.

Dreamscape

"Mmm...you know for a dream, that was pretty amazing," Snow purred, as she lay entangled beneath the bedclothes with her husband. He chuckled.

'Well, I hope I can do as well when we're finally together again...you know awake," he replied, as he dropped a kiss to her forehead. She smiled coyly.

"Oh I have no doubts in your prowess in bed, Prince Charming," she praised, as she kissed him passionately.

"It won't be long, my darling. Emma's twenty-eight. She's going to find us and then we'll have more than our dreams to live on," he promised with that unwavering faith he always seemed to have a plethora of. They gazed at each other with passion shining in their eyes, as their lips crashed together again.

"Mom? Dad?" they heard a voice call.

Emma was finally asleep after hours of tossing and turning. It was to be expected though. Her mind was running a mile a minute. She had finally found the place the curse had brought everyone to. And after meeting Regina, she knew breaking the curse would not be easy.

"Mom? Dad?" she called.

"Uh...just a second honey!" she heard her mother call and the bedsheets rustling. She sighed and rolled her eyes. Honestly, she loved that her parents were so in love. It was one thing that had given her comfort throughout the years, even in her angry teen years where all she did was scream at them. But knowing that they loved her and each other more than anything made all the difference. Hearing their voices and seeing them in her dreams was everything. But she could do without the PDA. If they were like this asleep, she was sure they would be worse awake.