In Storybrooke, Mr. Gold strives to be the man Bae used to love--until Belle is kidnapped to Neverland. If he resumes his Dark One powers to save her, can he control them? In the Enchanted Forest, Emma battles ogres, zombies and her ex to get back h...
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Rumplestiltskin (Mr. Gold): Then there's one simple question for you to ponder. (The Doctor)
When August walked into the police station to give his statements the next morning, he saw Mr. Gold perched awkwardly on an uncomfortable-looking folding chair in the hallway beside the soda machine. His back was hunched, and his head was bowed. The cane he was restlessly passing from hand to hand was ebony like the one destroyed in the accident, but the wood was scratched, and the brass head was dinged. Apparently, it had seen a lot of action.
"At least you dug up a replacement for that silly crutch," Pinocchio said.
Mr. Gold shrugged but didn't look up. "I retired this eight months ago. Luckily, I'm a hoarder."
Pinocchio glanced at the sign on the door across the hall—104 Evidence. This is where he'd been asked to come, but the venetian blinds were slanted shut. Who else is Sheriff Nolan interviewing? How long do I have to wait? He needed to check his flight to Singapore.
Sighing, Pinocchio plopped down on the other metal chair and stretched out his legs. When Mr. Gold finally twisted his head to glance at him, his eyes widened. In response, Pinocchio cocked an eyebrow and lightly touched the swollen flesh over his cheekbone and the bump on his forehead.
Mr. Gold winced. "You really did defend the jail against the mob, didn't you?"
"Yes. Wish I'd known Ruby wasn't in it."
Mr. Gold chuckled softly. "I'd have thought you of all people would have been able to spot a bald-faced deception like Charming's."
Pinocchio rolled his eyes. I'm never going to live down the lying thing, am I? "Well, I'd have thought you of all people would know everyone believes what they want to believe."
"Touché." Mr. Gold raised one hand off his cane. "If you'd like, I can wave those cuts and bruises away..."
"After the sheriff snaps his photos, that'd be great. If I go to the airport looking like this, security will search my carry-ons for sure."
"Or..." Mr. Gold tipped his head to one side. "Geppetto told me my music box is ready. If you drop it by my shop around one, that's when Ruby's bringing me fish and chips from the diner. She might be interested in how you singlehandedly delayed those hooligans long enough for Charming and Granny to fetch her cloak."
"Wow. That's even better." Fantastic, in fact. His flight to Singapore wasn't for four days. Why let them go to waste? Now that King George had confessed to killing Billy, he had no reason not to hang out with the big bad wolf girl. Bemused, Pinocchio stared at Mr. Gold. "And thanks for calling Dad. I wouldn't have expected it after what you went through last night."
Mr. Gold wrinkled his forehead. "On the contrary. After everything that happened, chatting with your father was a relief. He—"
The door to the evidence-slash-interrogation room opened. Pinocchio looked up to see Sheriff Nolan stepping back to let a short, pudgy man in a startlingly red knit cap bump his way past. Suddenly, the stranger froze, his eyes anxious. Glancing sidelong, Pinocchio saw an expression of grim recognition on Mr. Gold's face.
