Rumplestiltskin shorts - open for suggestions

Nightmares (GoldenSwan)

"Sorry Gold. I can't let you go. You beat a man with your cane." Emma said, shutting the cell door.

"I understand miss. Swan, but I will let you know, I will be out by tomorrow morning." He told her, sitting down on the cot in the cell.

Emma huffed and sat down in her chair, at her desk. "Listen, you will be in here for at least the rest of the night. So, I will too. I've got work to do, you might as well get some sleep."

"Perhaps." He remarked, laying down.

~*~

Emma almost laughed out loud when she noticed Gold was asleep. She had go caught up in her work, and hadn't noticed before. He looked so defenseless. She guessed if she touched him he would probably make her regret it, but she couldn't really help herself.

She stood up and walked across the room to the cell door. He looked so different asleep. Almost... innocent. She placed the key in the lock and quietly turned the key.

She froze when he stirred. Was that... a whine? She couldn't tell for sure. Maybe he was having a nightmare. For some reason that bothered her.

She continued to unlock the door and slowly opened it. She crept closer to him. He shifted again, uncomfortably. Was he crying? Another whine. She should wake him up.

She reached out a hand, but he woke up with a jerk, shoving her out of the way. He got up and ran out of the cell, stumbling, but made it, vomiting into the trash can next to her desk.

She walked over to him resting her hand on his back, as he hunched over the trash can, "You okay?"

"Just dandy miss. Swan." He said, overly sarcastic. He moved to lean against the desk, still sitting on the floor. He closed his eyes trying not to get sick again, but failed. He quickly moved to position himself back over the trash can.

Emma moved just as quick to pull his hair back with her hand. "Just let it all out. It's okay." She rubbed his back with her hand that wasn't holding back his hair.

When he was finished, he leaned back against the desk again. "Thank you."

Emma stood up and grabbed her water bottle off her desk, "No problem." She handed the bottle to him. "Here." He took it from her and drank all the water that was left. "Are you sick?" He shook his head. She thought for a moment. "Is it becomes the nightmares?"

"I don't know what you are talking about." He looked away from her, refusing to make eye contact.

She sat down in front of him, "You wanna talk about it?"

"Not particularly."

"I'm not gonna tell anyone."

He took a deep breath. "Fine. If you must know, it was of my father. Not someone I particularly care for."

"Do you mind elaborating?" Emma shifted to get more comfortable.

"I'm afraid you wouldn't understand. Let's just say, when I was young he wasn't much of a father. I only ate off the money I stole from him. He gambled the rest away. When he left, that was one of the worst and best things that has ever happened to me. When the women who had taken me in died, well you don't want to know the things I had to do to get money." Gold told her.

Then they just sat on the floor in silence. What do you say to someone about that?