Chapter Four: The Price of Gold.

Three women were walking along a stone path, one was wearing a pink dress, another was wearing a blue dress, and the third one was wearing an olive color dress with an orange hat. They were walking determinedly, past the gorgeous pink and white flowers. All three of the women got into the carriage, they were planning on going to the Prince's ball, and the two girls wanted to plan on marrying the Prince. Cinderella was in the stables with raggedy clothes on, sweeping up the hay in the barn while she watched her two step-sisters and her step-mother ride away in the carriage to the ball. Oh, how she wanted to go as well but she knew that she couldn't go because of her evil stepfamily. She heard laughter in the distance when the carriage rode away.

In the distance, you could see fireworks in the air around the castle. It was a beautiful night to be at the ball, she was jealous that her family could go and not her. She had chores to do and she couldn't afford a new dress.

"Do not despair, my dear. You will attend that ball," said a fairy who was floating in front of Cinderella.

"Who are you?" Cinderella asked.

The fairy magically turned bigger with bright orange sparkles around her, making her wings disappear. She sighed softly in relief. "I'm your fairy godmother," she said, smiling. "And I'm here to change your life, Cinderella."

"But...," pausing for a moment confused, "my stepmother told me that I couldn't go. She forbade me to leave."

"Your stepmother doesn't have this," said the fairy godmother as she pulled out her wand. "This wand has the power to take you to your ball, to your Prince, and to a life...," suddenly she disappeared into dust.

Cinderella moved back quickly as she was scared, she didn't know how it happened or who did it but she didn't want to be anywhere near the now-dead fairy godmother. Her magic wand dropped to the ground when she was dead.

Cinderella gasped, looking around frantically. "What?" she asked out loud. Someone appeared and picked up the wand off the floor as Cinderella looked at this person. "What did you do?" she asked the stranger.

"Now, now, I got what I wanted," said the one and only—Rumplestiltskin, picking up the wand and slowly standing up, looking at Cinderella. "There's no need to be frightened."

"No need?" she asked—obviously scared. "You just killed my fairy godmother! She was trying to help me."

"Was she?" he asked, cocking his head to the side. "Do you know what this is?" he asked in a singsonged voice, waving the wand in front of her.

"Pure magic," she answered with a smile.

"Pure evil," he corrected her. "Trust me. I've done you a favor. All magic comes with a price. Go on back to your life, and thank your lucky stars you still got something to go back to."

"My life is wretched," she said, shaking his head.

"Then change it," he said simply. "You can't handle this," waving the wand again in her face, walking away from her with the wand in hand.

"Wait, please, wait," she called out for him and ran to him, standing in front of him. "I can handle it. Please, I will do anything to get out of here, anything." Cinderella begged Rumplestiltskin, she wanted to get out of the house that she lived in for years—she wanted to get away from her stepfamily. She wanted a much better life than she had with her stepmother and stepsisters, they treated her like nothing. She wanted nothing more than to live the perfect life with the Prince.

"Anything?" he asked, looking at her dead in the eyes.

"Do you know how to use that wand, Mister...," Cinderella looked at the wand and then back at Rumplestiltskin.

"Rumplestiltskin," he said as he presented himself to her, bowing slightly. "And, yes, of course, I do," he answered the question.

"Then help me," she demanded.

He slowly stood up, smiling at her. "Well, if I do," taking a deep breath as he took a few steps closer to her. "And you can indeed shoulder the consequences, then you'll owe me a favor," he walked around in a circle as Cinderella took in his words.

"Name it. What do you want?" she asked, turning around to look at him.

He leaned in close and said through his teeth, "Something precious."

"But I have nothing," she breathed out.

"Oh but you will," he corrected her once again. "With this wish will come riches more than you know." He walked away from her and turned to look at her with a grin, knowing something she didn't know.

"I care nothing for riches. I'll give you anything you want, just me out here," Cinderella begged him.

"Now we're talking," he grinned, his eyebrows shot up in excitement.

"How does it work?" she asked.

"Fear not. My needs are small. And all you have to do is sign on the dotted line," his hand twisted back and a contract appeared in his hand, presenting it to Cinderella. "Do we have a deal?" he asked.

"Yes," she breathed, smiling as she took the feathered pen out of his hand. "Yes, thank you," putting the contract on his back as she signed her name on the dotted line.

"Mmm," he said, rolling the contract back up and taking the feathered pen out of her hands. Cinderella smiled, she couldn't be any happier. He flicked the wand at her, and this purplish/reddish cloud went around Cinderella.

She was now wearing a gorgeous light blue dress with white gloves and glass slippers, her hair was done in perfect curls. She looked amazing—beautiful even. She was smiling at Rumplestiltskin, who was smiling at her as he giggled.

"Glass?" she questioned.

"Every story needs a memorable detail. Let's see how they fit, shall we?" he insisted. She lifted up her dress as she slipped her feet into the glass slippers. "Now, you have a good time. But be sure to watch the clock."

Cinderella was so excited to finally go to the ball and get to meet her Prince, she wanted to fall in love and get away from her loving family.

The bell toll started ringing when Emma Swan and Henry Mills walked past the closed library. Henry was nervous about being seen in public because of his mother—the mayor.

"You sure we can be out in the open?" Henry asked Emma.

"Enough sneaking around. If your mom has a problem with me walking you to a school bus, I am more than happy to have that chat." Emma didn't care what Regina thought anymore, she stood up for herself and didn't want to give in.

"You're brave. We'll need that for Operation Cobra. Speaking of, do you think we need code names?" he asked.

"Isn't 'Cobra' our code name?" she asked, thinking it was.

"That's the mission. I mean us. I need something to call you."

Emma thought for a long moment, trying to think of a code name. "Oh. Um. You could just call me Emma for now," she answered, she couldn't think of anything better.

"Okay. Well, then, I'll see you later, Emma," Henry said. smiling as he walked onto the bus for school.

Emma stood and watched him get on the bus. She still thought this was all ridiculous but she knew better than to say it around Henry. But she wanted to spend time with her son more than ever, he really did get into her head and she was starting to care for him. The bus drove off as Emma still watched it.

A siren wailed to get Emma's attention as he blocked her from continuing to walk to the next sidewalk, Emma looked at the Sheriff and asked, "What's with the siren?"

Sheriff Graham got out of the squad car, closed the door, and walked around from the back of the car. "It's so hard to get your attention," he admitted.

"Well, you got it. Are you arresting me again?" she asked.

"I'm thanking you," he said, now standing in front of her. "For your help finding that coma patient. We all owe you a debt of gratitude."

"Well, what do I get? A commendation? A key to the city?" she asked sarcastically.

"How about a job? I could use a deputy," he offered her.

"Thank you, but I have a job," she said, denying the offer.

"As a bail bondsperson?" he asked, shaking his head as he looked around and then back at Emma. "There's not much of that going on here."

"I don't see a lot of sheriffing going on around here either," Emma shot back.

"Well, here's your chance to see it up close. There's dental." Emma chuckled at that last bit. "Why don't you think about it?" he asked, taking out his card and giving it to her. "And stay awhile."

Emma took the card and looked at the Sheriff with a smile.

Emma was sitting at a table near the door at Granny's dinner with Ruby setting the hot cocoa with whipped cream and cinnamon, she looked up from the newspaper and smiled at Ruby. "Thank you," she said then looking down at the newspaper again, wiping a small bit of whipped cream onto her finger and putting it in her mouth.

The door opened, and the little bell rang from above the door. It was Regina. She walked over to Emma and sighed heavily. "How was your walk with Henry?" she asked, sitting down across from her with a smile. "That's right, I know everything. But relax, I don't mind."

"You don't?" she asked.

"No," she replied simply. "Because you no longer worry me, Miss Swan. You see, I did a little digging into who you are, and what I found out was quite soothing. It all comes down to the number seven."

"Seven?" she asked, confused by the number.

"It's the number of addresses you've had in the last decade. Your longest stint anywhere was two years. Really, what did you enjoy so much about Tallahassee?" Regina asked.

Emma picked up the newspaper slightly off the table. "If you're wondering, I did find a place here in town," she said, looking at Regina with a thin smile.

"I know, Miss Blanchard," she said—she knew everything about this town and who lives with whom and who everyone is in this town. "How long is your lease? Oh, wait, you don't have one." She looked at Emma evenly. "You see my point? In order for something to grow, Miss Swan, it needs roots. And you don't have any. People don't change. They only fool themselves into believing they can."

"You don't know me," Emma said, smiling sweetly at her.

"No, I think I do," Regina leaned in close. "All I ask is as you carry your transient life, you think of Henry and what's best for him." Emma rolled her eyes but she still smiled. "Perhaps consider a clean break. It's going to happen anyway." Emma opened her mouth slightly about to say something but she closed her mouth. "Enjoy your cocoa." Regina got up from the table and opened the door, walking out of Granny's Diner.

Emma slammed her hands against the table as she got up but when she did, she spilled her cocoa on her shirt. "Oh! Really?" she said to herself.

Ruby ran to her with a towel, her nose crinkling slightly at the mess that Emma made, handing her the towel. "Eesh!" she said.

"Do you have a laundry room I can use?" Emma asked Ruby, taking the towel and trying to clean up the cocoa on her shirt.

"Mmm-hmm," Ruby smiled and nodded brightly.

Emma took off her shirt as she walked to the back of Granny's Diner, opening the lid to the washer and angrily throwing her shirt into the washer and taking off her tank top and angrily throwing that into the washer. She poured some powder into the wash as she turned on the washer, closing the lid. Take a blue button-down shirt and put it on.

"No, no, no, no, no," Ashley said quickly, sobbing at what she did wrong. She took out a pink sheet, it was supposed to be white—not pink.

"You okay?" Emma asked while putting on the shirt.

"The sheets, they're pink," Ashley stated, grimly.

"Have you tried bleach?" she asked, looking over at the pink sheets. Emma didn't realize that she was pregnant, eyeing her stomach for a moment. "Oh."

Ashley set the sheets on the second washer and dryer, a hand on her stomach while she rubbed it gently. "Last night, I felt contractions and the doctor said that the baby could come any day now," she explained, wiping the tears away from under her eyes.

"So, that's great," Emma said simply and Ashley just nodded about to cry again.

"It's just that when the baby comes," Ashley's voice broke slightly as she took a deep breath. "No one thinks that I can do this. No one thinks I can do anything." She grabbed the pink sheets off the dryer. "Maybe they're right."

Emma hit the washer and turned around to face Ashley, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning against the washer. "Screw them," she said.

"What?" she asked, confused.

"Screw them," Emma repeated. "How old are you?"

"Nineteen," she answered.

"I was eighteen," Emma admitted.

"When you had a kid?" Ashley asked.

"Yeah. I know what it's like. Everyone loves to tell you what you can and can't do, especially with a kid. But ultimately, whatever you're considering doing, or giving up, the choice is yours," Emma said, encouraging her.

"It's not exactly what you might think it is," placing her hands on her stomach again.

"It never is," Emma replied. "People are gonna tell you who you are your whole life. You just gotta punch back and say, 'No, this is who I am.' You want people to look at you differently? Make them. You want to change things? You're gonna have to go out there and change them yourself because there are no fairy godmothers in this world."

Mr. Gold was in his shop called, Mr. Gold: Pawnbroker & Antiquities Dealer, he was walking toward the door and flipped the open sign to the closed sign, and he turned off the lights in his shop. He opened the door and walked out, taking his key out of his pant pocket and locking it up. He didn't trust anyone in this town, he never really trusted anyone during his lifetime. He looked into his shop for a moment then looked over his shoulder, putting the keys back into his pocket as he walked away from his shop.

Ashley was lurking on the side of the building, she was walking slowly and trying not to get noticed by Mr. Gold. He was a scary man when he wanted to be.

Ashley looked into the window as she walked to the door, she held a brick in her hand and smashed the window on the door nearest to the lock and handle. Once she did that, she put her hand through the opening and locked the door, getting inside the workshop.

Ashley walked into Mr. Gold's shop and knew where to go, she knew that she had to get it back before her baby was born, or else she would be in Mr. Gold's debt forever. Opening up the picture, there was a hidden safe behind it, she knew that Mr. Gold kept something of hers inside of it.

"Ashley?" Mr. Gold appeared behind her, and she turned around to look at him. "What are you doing?" he asked, taking a few steps forward her as her face looked like she was scared.

"Changing my life," she answered. Grabbing the pepper spray from her pocket and sprayed Mr. Gold in the eyes. He yells in pain as he covers his eyes and backs away from her. He bumped into a dresser with mirrors and went forward knocking down a chessboard to the ground. Ashley took a step forward and looked down at Mr. Gold, he now has a cut on his forehead.

She bent down to grab a golden key from around his belt loop, standing up slowly as she held onto the wall for support. She ran back to the safe and unlocked it with the key and grabbed the thing that she needed from it while Mr. Gold was unconscious on the floor.

Regina was looking in the mirror, examining herself to make sure that she was looking perfect. "I know you think otherwise," she said, applying lipstick to her lips. "But I don't enjoy these Saturday city council meetings." She rubbed her lips together after she was finished with the lipstick and put it back into her purse. "Sometimes they're just unavoidable. Now, you know the rules?" she asked, walking away from the mirror and standing a few feet away from Henry at the dining room table.

Henry was sitting at the table, reading a comic book he closed the book and set it on the table, looking at his mother. "Yes on homework, no on TV, and stay inside," he said to her.

"Good boy," she said with a smile on her lips, walking to Henry. "Under no circumstance do you leave this house," she said, bending down slightly to look him in the eyes.

"You mean don't see my mom," he said.

She straightened up and sighed deeply. "She's not your mother. She's just a woman passing through," she said out of anger. "Now, do as I say or there will be consequences." She turned her back and walked away from her son, flipping her hair over her shoulders. "I'll be back at five o'clock sharp," she called out over her shoulder, she walked out of the door and closed the door.

Henry sat at the table, watching after her. He wanted to make sure that she left and wouldn't be coming back inside the house again for something. He got up from his chair and walked halfway to look out the window, hearing the car start up and watching it go. He got his backpack off the chair when he saw her back up from the driveway.

Mary Margaret and Emma were in the kitchen, Mary Margaret cooked breakfast for the two of them along with a glass of orange juice. Emma was near the boxes that were scattered around the place.

"So glad my stuff is here," Emma said, sitting on her knees while opening one of the boxes. Handing a plate to Emma, she looked up with a smile on her face. "Oh, thanks," she mumbled. Took it from her and set it on the box.

"So that's all your stuff?" Mary Margaret asked Emma, looking at all of the boxes that were there.

"What do you mean?" she breathed out.

"Is the rest in storage?" Mary Margaret asked.

"No, this is all of it. I'm not sentimental," she admitted.

"Well, it must make things easier when you have to move," Mary Margaret said, taking her plate to the table when there was a knock on the door. They both looked at each other for a moment then Mary Margaret set the plate on the table and walked toward the door and opened it.

"Miss Blanchard?" Mr. Gold raised an eyebrow at her. "Is Miss Swan here?" he asked, her face was surprised that he was at her apartment, she was not expecting him to be here at all. Emma walked to the door with a confused face when she heard her call for her. "Hi, my name is Mr. Gold. We met briefly on your arrival." They shook hands for a brief moment as he smiled at her.

"I remember," Emma said, eyeing him.

"Good," he muttered. "I have a proposition for you, Miss Swan. I need your help," Mr. Gold said sheepishly, he hated admitting that he needed help. "I'm looking for someone."

"Really? Um...," she looked at Mary Margaret for a moment then looked at Mr. Gold. Emma looked between her roommate and Mr. Gold a couple of times.

"You know what, I'm going to go jump in the bath," Mary Margaret said awkwardly as she walked away from the two.

"I have a photo," Mr. Gold said, taking the picture out of his inside jacket pocket.

Emma took it from him and looked at the picture.

Mr. Gold walked into the apartment, looking at the picture with Emma. "Her name is Ashley Boyd," he said. "And she's taken something quite valuable of mine." Emma closed the door when he fully went into the apartment, she continued looking at the photo while he spoke to her.

"So why don't you just go to the police?" Emma asked flatly.

"Because...," Gold and Emma walked into the kitchen area, he waved his hand, finding the right words for Emma to understand completely. "She's a confused young woman, she's pregnant, alone, scared. I don't want to ruin this young girl's life, but I just want my property returned."

"What is it?" she asked.

"Well, one of the advantages of you not being the police is discretion. Let's just say it's a precious object and leave it at that."

Emma paused for just a moment. "When did you see her last?" she asked.

"Last night. That's how I got this." He pushed his hair out of his way, revealing a small cut above his eyebrow. "It's so unlike her. She was quite wound up, rambling on and on about changing her life." Emma rolled her eyes while mentally kicking herself in the ass. "I have no idea what got into her." She looked down to the side and smiled to herself. "Miss Swan, please help me find her. My only other choice is the police, and I don't think anyone wants to see that baby born in jail, now do they?"

"No, of course not," Emma said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"So, you'll help me then?" Mr. Gold asked.

She thought for a long second, nodding her head. "I will help her."

"Grand," Mr. Gold smiled at her and then looked over at Henry when he walked into the room.

"Hey, Emma, I was thinking we...," Henry stopped talking as he looked up and upon seeing Mr. Gold.

"Hey, Henry. How're you?" Mr. Gold asked.

"Henry looked to the side quickly then back at him, giving him an awkward smile. "Okay," he said.

"Good," Mr. Gold said, walking toward the door as he smiled at Henry. "Give my regards to your mother," he stopped to look at Emma. "And good luck, Miss Swan." Emma smiled and nodded as he walked out of the apartment and closed the door behind him, Henry watched him while Emma walked back into the kitchen.

"Do you know who that is?" Henry asked Emma, walking to her.

"Yeah, of course, I do," she answered, looking at another box.

"Who? 'Cause I'm still trying to figure it out," Henry said, racking his brain to figure out who he is.

"Oh, I meant in reality," she said, grabbing things out of the box.

"Is that all you brought?" he asked.

"Henry, what're you doing here?" she asked.

"My mom's gone till five. I thought we could hang out," he said happily with a smile.

"Kid, I wish I could, but there's something I gotta do," she answered him and walked past him while looking at her.

Emma changed into a burgundy shirt with a blue jacket jeans and black boots, Henry was walking beside her on the sidewalk as he looked at her. "Please let me help," he begged her.

"No, it could be dangerous," she said.

"The pregnant maid is dangerous?" he asked, confused.

"She assaulted Mr. Gold," she exclaimed.

"Cool," he said.

"This isn't a game. She's desperate." Her pace quickened a bit when she saw her car on the side of the road.

"How do you know?" he asked.

"Because I know," she stated.

"Well, then let's find her," Henry said, putting his hands on the car.

"Oh, no, no, no, no. There's is no 'let's'. You cannot come with me," she said as she was about to open the door but went to the other side of the car where Henry was.

"Then I'll look for her myself," he said, stubbornly.

"Then I'll find you and I'll bring you back," she said, sternly.

"Then you wouldn't be helping the maid," he shot at her, smiling.

"I am just trying to be responsible here," she told him.

"And I'm just trying to spend time with you," he said. He got into the car and she watched him get inside her car.

"Oh, that is really not fair," she said, getting into the driver's side of the car, getting her keys out of her pocket, and turning the engine on.

"So, the maid, what's her story?" he asked once she got in the car.

Cinderella was outside on the balcony of the castle, she was wearing a beautiful silver dress along with a short diamond necklace and earrings. Fireworks were bursting in the sky, coloring the sky with different colors, she was in awe and couldn't believe that she was here right now. A smile came to her lips at the thought of her dreams finally coming true.

Prince Thomas came out of the room, standing next to Cinderella looking up at the sky where the fireworks were. Then he looked at her with a tiny smile. "What's wrong?" he asked her.

She looked over at him, erasing the frown from her face as she turned it to a smile, shaking her head slightly. "Nothing," she whispered. "Every year when I was growing up," she looked up at the sky, "I used to watch these fireworks from afar. I knew what they meant. That something special was happening at the palace. Now they're for me." She smiled to herself, she still couldn't believe that she was married to a prince. "For our wedding." She looked over at him with a big smile.

They leaned in and shared a passionate kiss while red fireworks went into the sky behind them.

Cinderella and Prince Thomas walked down the grand stairs while everyone was clapping for them. They smiled at everyone and then at each other. They walked up to Snow White and Prince Charming.

"I'm so happy you could come," Cinderella said to Snow, and they hugged tightly.

"You look beautiful," Snow complimented.

"Thank you, Father," Prince Thomas shook his father's hand.

Music was playing while the fireworks still bursting in the sky, and people were mingling around the castle in the ball area. Cinderella, Prince Thomas, and a few other couples started dancing to the music.

"My dear Ella," her father-in-law bowed to her hand and then stood up straight. "We are thrilled to have joined our family, and I hope our family will soon be growing." They both laughed, Cinderella crinkled her nose slightly as they continued dancing.

"My darling," said Prince Charming to Snow White as he danced to Cinderella. "Congratulations, Ella. You two are gonna be very happy."

"Why thank you, James," she smiled at him. Then she started dancing with her husband, smiling at each other.

Snow White went straight to Cinderella with the biggest smile on her face. "Ella, dear." She pulled her away from Prince Thomas, looking at him and saying, "Sorry." As they both danced and giggled at each other while Prince Thomas stood and watched them both. "This is truly a night for celebration. Do you realize what an inspiration you are to everyone?" she asked Ella.

"All I did was get married," she answered simply.

"All you did was show that anyone can change her life," she paused as they danced for a couple more seconds. "I'm proud of you," they smiled as they glided in circles.

"I'm proud of you, too," said Rumplestiltskin to Cinderella. She stopped dancing when he spoke and noticed him. She didn't suspect him to be here on her wedding day.

"You. What're you doing here?" she asked, they danced so that no one would suspect a thing was wrong.

"I just wanted to make sure you're happy with your end of the bargain. You know, true love, riches. Happy endings. Did you get everything you desired?" he asked, knowing the answer to his question.

"Yes," Cinderella said, looking over his shoulder. "Yes, I did, now what do you want? What's your price? My jewels? The ring?" she asked, she didn't want him here anymore. She wanted him to leave and never bother her ever again.

"No, no, dear. Keep your baubles. What I want is something you don't yet possess, but something I know is coming," he said, looking at her with a sinister grin. "Your first-born," he said, spinning her away from him and stalking off the dance floor while Cinderella looked after him in horror.

It was thundering outside of the castle of Prince Thomas' and Cinderella's palace, Cinderella was in their room gathering up all of her clothes and everything she now owned. She didn't want to give up her firstborn baby, she knew that she had to give up something to that monster but didn't think it would be her own flesh and blood. She walked over to a small desk when the door opened Prince Thomas walked through the door and saw Cinderella packing up her things.

"What are you doing?" Thomas asked her while Cinderella put her brush into a bag.

"I thought you were hunting," she murmured to him, not looking him in the eyes.

"I was, but the weather wasn't agreeing, so we came back early," he answered while taking off his hunting gloves. "Are we going somewhere?" he asked, pointing to the bags on the bed. She stood there for a moment then looked over her shoulder to look at him. "You're going somewhere."

"Something's happened," she said simply.

"What?" he asked.

She looked at him sadly, knowing that she couldn't fully tell him why she was leaving just yet. It wasn't bad what she was planning on telling him but the reason behind it on why she was sad. "I'm pregnant," she said, her voice heartbroken.

Thomas walked over to her with a happy smile on his face, hugging her gently and then pulling away from her. "Ella, that's wonderful," his voice was full of happiness. But Cinderella pulled away from her husband, he didn't understand why she was being this way. "Why are you upset? This is what we wanted."

"There's something else," she said, turning to look at Thomas with a sad expression. "When we met that night at the ball, it wasn't my fairy godmother who sent me." Thomas's expression was confused, he didn't understand why she lied to him about that. "It was Rumplestiltskin. I made a deal with him for this life. I was stupid. I didn't understand the price of magic. So I promised him something," Cinderella explained to him.

"What did you promise him?" he asked, he was clearly upset that she made a deal with the Dark One.

She walked away from him and walked to the bags on the bed. "He tricked me. I thought he'd want our gold or jewels," she continued on while putting things into her bag.

"What was it?" he asked, getting frustrated.

She stopped what she was doing and stood there for what seemed like a long moment, turning around to look at Thomas, disappointment on her face. He placed a hand on her stomach and he instantly knew what she meant, his face was heartbroken that he would lose his firstborn child.

"Our baby?" he asked, taking a step forward toward Cinderella.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, tears slipping out of her eyes. "And now I'm going to lose it all. My life, you." She was breaking down, she was literally going to lose everything because she made a deal. A stupid deal. She sat down on the bench near their bed, looking down and crying hard.

"No," Thomas said to her, sighing heavily. He took a few steps toward her and placed his fingers under her chin to make her look at him. "I don't care what that imp said. Magic may have brought us together, but it didn't create this love."

"But I made a deal. I can't break that. He's too powerful," she whispered to him.

"Then the answer is simple. We make another deal," he said, placing his hand on her cheek.

Just outside of Granny's Diner, a towing car named Billy's Towing Truck, the cran was hooked on a red car. Billy, Ruby, Emma, and Henry were all outside of Granny's, Emma wanted to ask questions about Ashley and to get to know her a little bit more.

"So, this boyfriend of hers, you don't think he was involved in her disappearance?" Emma asked Ruby.

Ruby was doing orders for people outside of Granny's. "That would mean he was involved with her at all, which he isn't. He left her in the lurch after they found out they were expecting. Hasn't spoken to her since. Like I said, he's a...," Ruby said bitterly, she was angry that he left Ashley the minute she was pregnant. When Ruby heard her car crash down onto the pavement her red crystal wolf hanging on the review mirror bounced harshly. "Hey, hey, hey, Billy! Be careful." She ran to him halfway placed a hand on the back of the chair and placed her other hand on her hip. "You almost shattered my wolf thing, Billy. It's good luck."

"I'm sorry, Ruby, but look, it's fine," Billy said, moving his hand to show her that it didn't break and that it was in perfect condition.

"Ruby, what about her family?" Emma asked, standing next to her alongside Henry.

"Oh! Um. She's got a stepmom and two stepsisters that she doesn't talk to," Ruby answered.

"Wait, stepmom, stepsisters, and she's a maid?" Henry questioned, looking up at Emma.

"Henry, not now," Emma said, dismissing him.

"Look, I don't know what you've heard, but it's wrong. Everyone thinks she's not ready to have this kid, but she's trying. Taking night classes, trying to better herself, trying to get her life together. Can you understand that?" Ruby said, defending Ashley.

"I think so," Emma agreed.

"Then maybe you should just stay out of it," she said. "She's been through enough already."

"I've been through it, too, Ruby, and I can help her." She really did want to help Ashley more than anyone can do.

"Then try her ex," Ruby said, pointing in the direction of all of this.

"Where can I find him?" Emma asked.

"He lives with his dad," Ruby commented.

Emma drove down to where Ruby directed them, knocking on the door loud enough for either of the men to hear. Sean opened the door and saw Emma standing there. "Can I help you?" he asked.

"Sean Herman?" Emma asked.

"Yeah, who are you?" he asked.

"I'm Emma Swan," she answered. "I'm—" she paused for a moment. "I'm looking for Ashley Boyd. She's in trouble. I just thought maybe she came to see you."

"My son doesn't have anything to do with that girl anymore," Mitchell said—Sean's father—coming in behind Emma as he walked past her and stood next to his son. "So whatever trouble she's in, I am sorry for her, but there's nothing we can do to help you."

"You're the reason he broke up with her," Emma stated, she knew that it was true.

"Absolutely," he agreed—not even hiding it. "I'm not gonna let my son throw away his entire life over a mistake."

"So you just told him to leave her?" Emma asked, Henry was in the car trying to listen to the conversation.

"What are they gonna do? Raise the child in the backseat of a car?" he asked a bit harshly.

"Some people only have the backseat of a car," Emma said, defensively.

"Well, they're to be pitied. I'm not letting that happen to my son," he said bitterly, walking past them both and walking inside the house.

"Dad, maybe we should help her look," Sean said to his father.

"It's a waste, Sean," said Mitchell, setting down a bag.

"Sean, if you wanna come—come," Emma whispered to him. "Stop letting other people make decisions for you. If Ashley runs away with this baby, she's gonna be in some serious trouble."

"She's running away with the baby?" he asked.

"Yes," she answered.

"Sean," Mitchell called out for his son, standing behind him. "Inside," he demanded, "now."

Sean looked at his father, stepped away from Emma, and went back inside the house. Mitchell stood in front of Emma and looked her, dead in the eyes. "Look, believe me, if I knew where she was, I would tell you. I went to a lot of trouble to get her that deal," he explained to her.

"Deal? What're you talking about?" she asked.

"You don't know?" he asked, surprised. "Ashley agreed to give up the child, and she's being paid very well to do so."

"She sold the baby?" she asked, her eyes widening at the words.

"You make it sound so crass," he said. I found someone who's going to find that child a good and proper home."

"And who are you to judge whether Ashley is capable of providing that?" she asked.

"Look at her. She's a teenager," he said, angrily. "She's never shown any evidence of being responsible. How could she possibly know how to be a mother?"

"Maybe she's changing her life," Emma answered.

"Everyone says that," he stated. "Now look. I found someone who's going to pay Ashley extremely well, someone who's going to see to it that everybody's happy."

"Mr. Gold," Emma said, realizing it was him who wanted to find her and pay her to take away her baby. She couldn't believe that she trusted Gold, she thought he was the victim here and not the other way around.

"Isn't that why you were hired? To bring him the baby?" Mitchell asked, even more, confused than ever, right now.

Emma felt so stupid right now, she didn't know that she was hired to bring him the baby. She was only hired to find her and bring her back the thing that she had stolen from Mr. Gold.

Emma was in her car driving with Henry in the passenger seat next to her, driving down the road. She was hitting forty miles per hour down the street. She was furious. She didn't really show it on her face but she felt the anger boiling inside of her.

"You can't make her double-cross Gold. No one's ever broken a deal with him," Henry said to Emma.

"Happy to be the first," Emma said. "If Ashley wants to have this baby, she should have it. Anyone who wants to be a mother should be damn well be allowed to be one."

Henry looked at her with a smile on his face then turned his face back to look out the windshield. They were still driving and stopped completely in front of Granny's Diner, turning off her car as she got out and walked into the diner, along with Henry behind her.

"Why didn't you tell me she sold the baby?" Emma demanded Ruby.

"Because I didn't think it was important," Ruby said, walking down the counter to serve other people.

"Really? Considering that's why she's running away?" Emma asked her in a harsh way.

"Look, Ashley's my friend. I don't like the idea of people judging her," she answered, all she wanted to do was protect her friend. She threw the towel onto the end of the table as she walked around the counter and past Emma and Henry. She picked up the plates from where the chef was putting them.

Emma picked up Ruby's red wolf crystal by the golden string by her index finger and looked at it, as Ruby walked off to give the customers their food while Emma looked after her. She realized yet again that she had been tricked, Ruby knew that Ashley was running away and that she needed a head start before anyone else caught on. Emma looked out the window, realizing that Ruby's car wasn't out there anymore.

"Ruby, where's your car?" Emma asked. Ruby didn't answer, she walked off as Emma sat down the red wolf crystal back where it was. "You didn't send me to Sean to find her. You sent me there to give her a head start."

Ruby was back behind the counter and picked up the towel, looking at Emma. "Look, I'm only trying to help her," she said, protecting Ashley.

"Yeah, so am I," Emma answered. "Ashley's in more trouble than you know, Ruby. Where is she?" She begged her for her help, she really wanted to help Ashley. "Don't make her deal with Gold without me."

Ruby looked at Henry for a moment. "I can't talk in front of him. He's the mayor's kid."

"Hey, I'm on your side," Henry said, defensively.

Ruby eyed him for a moment then Emma bent down slightly to his level. Ruby walked off with the mustard in her hand while Emma placed a hand on his shoulder. "Henry, I need to find this woman," she whispered to him. "And in order to do that, I need you to go to him, okay? So please listen to me. Seriously. She's not going to tell me anything if you're around," Emma explained to Henry.

"Okay," Henry nodded.

"Thank you," she smiled at him, Henry turned around and walked out of the diner. Turning around to face Ruby who was placing a dirty dish on the counter, she sighed heavily as Ruby leaned against the counter.

"She left town," Ruby finally said. "She said she was gonna try Boston, thought she could disappear there."

"How long ago did she leave?" she asked.

"About half an hour," she answered softly.

Emma walked out of the diner and back to her car, she was heading back to the border of Storybrooke, Maine. She didn't even notice that Henry hid in the back seat of her car until she heard his voice.

"What'd she tell you?" he asked.

Emma jumped and gasped loudly, looking behind her for a moment and then back at the road. "Henry! What the hell?" she exclaimed. "I'm going to Boston. You can't come with me."

"You can't go to Boston! She can't leave," Henry said, exclaiming. "Bad things happen to anyone that does."

"I don't have time to argue with you over the curse," Emma said, looking in the rearview mirror. "I got to get you home."

"We have to stop her before she gets hurt. We're wasting time. If you drop me off, you'll never catch up to her," he argued with her.

"Henry...," Emma said in a stern voice.

"Then Mr. Gold will call the police, and he'll have her sent to jail," Henry continued.

Emma thought for the longest second, she knew that Henry was right and it'll make her lose time to catch up to Ashley. "Buckle up," Emma said, slamming her hand against the steering wheel. "Ashley, what did you get yourself into?" she asked herself.

Grumpy, Prince Thomas, Cinderella, and Prince Charming were in a cave, they wanted to be ahead of Rumplestiltskin for once. "Why are we down here?" Ella asked.

Thomas looked at Elle, "We need a place to keep him," he said reassuring his wife.

"Rumplestiltskin is the most dangerous man in all the realms," Charming said to Ella. "He needs his own special prison, so we converted the mines to hold him."

Ella looked around, rubbing her pregnant stomach. "But how will we get him here? He's eluded all forever."

"His strength is also his weakness," Grumpy said, looking at Emma and she looked at Grumpy in return. "His deals. He can't resist making them, and we already know who he wants to deal with next." He paused for just a moment. "You," he said, looking ahead.

"We've sent word with one of Snow's bluebirds," Charming said. "He's accepted a meeting with you. "You're gonna tell him that Doc heard something with his stethoscope, two heartbeats."

"You're going to tell him it's twins," Thomas said to Ella.

"And if he wants both, which he will, you propose a new deal." All four of them stopped walking, Charming looked at Grumpy. "Grumpy."

He opened up a long wooden box with a red feather quill inside of it, Cinderella turned to look at it with a confused expression. "A quill? I don't understand," she looked up and over at Charming.

"The Blue Fairy cast a spell on it," Grumpy explained. "Whoever signs with this will be frozen, their magic made impotent."

"All you must do is get him to sign the contract," Charming added. "Ella, this man is a scourge. You will be doing the entire land a service."

"But should we even use magic?" she questioned. "Isn't that what's causing these problems to begin with? What if this magic also has a price?"

"Then I will pay it," Thomas said quickly. "I will do whatever is needed to save you and our child."

"Let's go," Charming said in a soft voice. He and Grumpy walked ahead of them as Thomas and Ella looked at each other for a moment and followed them. Charming opened another door and he held it open for the others to walk through.

"I hope you like it. A lot of Dwarf blood went into it," Grumpy said to Ella.

All four of them looked at the cage, they all hoped that it would work for Rumplestiltskin. "You sure this'll work?" Ella asked.

"Once he's in there, he'll never get out," Charming said, promising her that he would never get out. "You'll be safe."

Thomas looked at Ella, holding her hands gently. "I can do this, Ella," he said, hoping that she would change her mind about this.

They both looked at the cage. "Okay," she whispered. "Let's get him."

Emma was speeding down the road, she didn't care if she got a ticket or not, time was against her at the moment. Henry was looking out the windshield, looking for Ashley and her car. He pointed it once he spotted the car, looking at Emma. "I told you," he said. "It's her car."

The car hit the sign of Storybrooke, Emma pulled up behind it as she and Henry both out of the car and raced over to it.

"Ashley?" Emma called out but no one was in the car, then all of sudden Emma heard Ashley moaning in pain, she was hidden in the grass just in case someone saw her.

"My baby," Ashley said, looking over her shoulder and seeing Emma and Henry. "It's coming."

Emma, Ashley, and Henry were in the car, and Ashley was moaning in pain from the contractions. Emma was speeding down the road, trying to get Ashley back to Storybrooke and to the hospital, she kept glancing over at the other.

"Is that baby really coming?" Henry asked, panicking.

"Oh, yeah," Emma answered, trying to stay calm. "Don't worry, the hospital isn't that," she said, glancing at Ashley.

"No!" Ashley grunted. "No, no, no! Take me to Boston. I can't go back there." She looked over at Emma, tears running down her cheeks.

"No, we don't have four hours. Trust me, I know," she said, trying to comfort Ashley.

"I can't go back there, please," Ashley started crying harder. "He's gonna take my baby."

"I won't let that happen," Emma said fiercely. "But do you know what you're asking for it you keep this child? Are you really ready?"

"Yeah," she said through tears.

"Are you sure? But I wasn't." Emma admitted to Ashley. Henry glanced at her when she said that.

"You weren't?" Ashley asked.

"Nope. If you want to give this kid its best chance, it's gonna be with someone who is ready, so know what that means. Your whole life is gonna change, and once you decide that it's yours, this running away can't happen. You have to grow up, and you can't ever leave." Emma said sternly when she said those four words, glancing at Ashley once more. "Understand?"

"Yes," Ashley's voice broke. "I want my baby."

Cinderella was standing in a beautiful green garden, she was standing underneath five wooden Arbors along with bushes in front of it. She looked down at her stomach as she placed her hands on her stomach while she was waiting for Rumplestiltskin to show.

"Well, well, well," Rumplestiltskin said while Cinderella looked up and saw him standing yards away from her. "You're starting to show." She started walking towards him and the fire was illuminating her. "A little bird told me you wanted to speak."

"Yes," Ella said softly. "I'd like to alter the bargain.

"That's not what I do," he reminded her.

"But I think you'll want to," she looked down at her stomach. "I'm having twins."

Rumpelstiltskin threw the paper onto the ground, looking at her. This could be interesting. He was interested in what she had to say. "Is that so?" he asked, walking to her slowly. "Ooh!" he jumped a little, he was excited. "Let's have a look." He bent down slightly and placed his hands on her stomach, grunting softly. "And you would, what? Give up both?" he looked up with a smile. Ella nodded her head quickly. "What is that, I wonder?"

"My husband, he's having a hard time," Ella looked away for a second then back at Rumplestiltskin, walking around him. "Our kingdom is poor. We're losing money. Our crops are dying. We can't support ourselves or our people."

"And you would trade your other child," he turned to look at her, "for comfort?"

"I can always have more children. But I can't make crops grow where the soil is dead." Ella took out a contract and walked up to him. "In exchange for our other child, you will see to it that our land is once again fertile. I think it's more than fair."

"Yes!" he exclaimed. "Yes, yes. It is." He slowly walked over to her. "If what you're saying is true."

"It is," Ella interjected. "And all you have to do is sign on the dotted line," she said while he looked at the contract, giving him the red feather quill.

He looked up at the quill for just a moment. "What a lovely quill," he said, taking it out of her hand and examining it. "Wherever did you get it?"

"It's from our castle," Ella said, lying to him.

"You know, the only way to stop me is through magic," he said, getting even closer to her.

She laughed a bit nervously as she shook her head, "I'm not trying to stop you."

"Of course, you're not. Because as we all know, all magic comes with a price. And if you were to use it to, say, imprison me, then your debt to me would only grow," he said, getting his face into hers. "And we wouldn't want that, now would we?"

Looking away, she knew that he must know what was going on, she wanted him to sign the papers so that the plan could work. "Just sign the contract, please," she begged him.

"Are you sure you're happy with this new arrangement?" he asked, raising his eyebrows at her. She held up the contract to see that she was serious, she wanted this more than anything. He smiled at her then did his high-pitched giggle, took the contract out of her hand, and started signing his name. "Then so it shall be," he said once he signed the contract, it fell out of his hands and he was frozen in place.

Ella turned around and called out for her husband. "Thomas!" she yelled.

"No one breaks deals with me, dearie," Rumplestiltskin said through his teeth. The guards and Prince Thomas came in with their horses and a small wooden box was on top of the wheels, the horses were pulling on it. "No one. No matter where you are, no matter what land you find yourself in, I assure you, I will have your baby," he said, threatening her and her unborn baby.

All three of them were at the hospital, Ashley was in one of the rooms giving birth to her baby while Emma and Henry were in the waiting room, waiting for how it went and if the baby was healthy. Emma was pacing back and forth in front of Henry, she was getting anxious.

"You know, Emma, you're different," Henry said to her.

"What's that?" she asked.

"You're the only one who can do it," he said simply.

"Break the curse? Yes, I know. You keep telling me that," Emma said, sounding bored of the whole curse thing already.

"No," he said suddenly. "Leave. You're the only one who can leave Storybrooke."

She thought for a moment before answering. "You left and came and found me in Boston," she said, standing in front of Henry.

"But I came back. I'm ten. I had no choice," he stated. "But if anyone else tried to go, bad things would happen."

"Anyone except me."

"You're the savior. You can do whatever you want. You can go." Emma bent down to look at him while he looked down and avoided Emma's eyes.

"Miss Swan, the baby is a healthy six-pound girl," said the female doctor, smiling. "And the mother is doing fine."

"What lovely news," said a voice behind Emma. "Excellent work, Miss Swan," said Mr. Gold, smiling as he walked closer to her and Henry. "Thank you for bringing me my merchandise."

Charming and Grumpy dragged Rumplestiltskin to the cage where it connected to the horses, shoving him in there while he giggled.

"Did we really win?" Ella asked Thomas, her hands on his chest while she watched them take the Dark One.

"Yes, I told you we would," Thomas said, watching as well.

"I was so afraid," she said, gasping as she looked up at her husband. "I was so afraid that we'd fail," she gulped, shaking her head lightly, "that I'd have to go back to that life. That terrible life," she said, her hands going into his hair. "I was afraid that I'll lose you, and that nothing would've changed."

"As long as I'm alive, you will never go back to that life," he said, he truly loved her and didn't want her to go back to that life ever again. They leaned in and shared a sweet, passionate kiss. "Now, how is our little Alexandra?" he asked, smiling.

"Alexandra?" she asked in a surprised tone, smiling at him.

"A name? That's more like a prison sentence."

"Well, I like it."

"Men, you really know nothing of...," Ella started saying before pain shot through her, she gasped as she looked down.

"Ella, what is it?" he asked, concerned.

"It's the baby. Something's wrong," Ella said, scared.

"No, no, it can't be. It's too soon. It must be the stress, the excitement," he reassured her.

"I'm dizzy," she breathed out.

"Sit, sit," he said quickly, pulling her towards a little stone bench behind a beautiful flower garden. "I'll go get you water."

Ella nodded her head as she sat down, "Okay," she whispered.

He ran to go find a small cup and a watering hole for his wife, he fated that she was in pain and not helping her. She took a few deep breaths as she was trying to calm down. Once he found the well—it wasn't that far but far enough that no one could hear it or see anybody else go in—he rolled up the bucket but he heard leaves rustling within the distance.

Back to Cinderella, was still sitting on the stone bench as she gasped and breathed normally again. "Thomas! It's okay. It's passed," she called out for him, looking up and over into the woods. "Thomas?" she called out for him again. She was getting worried, he was supposed to be back by now—but he wasn't.

Slowly she got up, grabbed her long blue, cotton dress, and started walking toward the same path Thomas took. Finding the well, just like he did. "Thomas?" she called out softly. All she found was Thomas's cape, she picked it up and gasped out loud as she looked around the forest. "Thomas?" she yelled out for him but louder.

Charming locks up Rumplestiltskin with a huge lock, and he puts the key into his pocket. Cinderella came back and looked straight at Rumplestiltskin—she was furious. "What did you do?" she asked, furiously.

"Ella, what's wrong?" Charming asked.

"Your Highness, what happened?" Grumpy asked.

"What did you do to my Thomas?" she asked, speeding toward him and the others.

"I haven't done anything," Rumplestiltskin stated, looking over at him. "In case you haven't noticed, I've been otherwise engaged."

"Something's happened to him. You know. Tell me!" she demanded him.

"I have no idea, dearie," he said, leaning in. "But I did warn you. All magic comes with a price." He smiled while laughing at her. "Looks like someone has just paid."

"Don't listen to him. We'll find Thomas," Charming said, coming up behind Ella and pushing her away from Rumplestiltskin.

"No, you won't," said Rumplestiltskin to them. "Until that debt is paid until that baby is mine, you're never gonna see him again. In this world or the next, Cinderella, I will have that baby!" He yelled out while they both walked quickly away from him.

Mr. Gold is at a machine for a self-made coffee, he puts the money into the money slot and then slams his hand against it, trying to make it work. He was getting frustrated. He wanted his coffee. Emma walked up and placed her arm on the coffee machine, her face hard as she looked at him.

"Well, well. Must be my lucky day," Mr. Gold said, grabbing the coffee that filled his paper cup. "Would you care for a cup, Miss Swan?" he asked, flipping his hair out of his eyes and looking at her.

"A baby? That's your merchandise? Why didn't you tell me?" she asked.

"Because at the time, you didn't need to know," Mr. Gold answered, he started walking away from the machine and Emma.

"Really? Or you thought I wouldn't take the job?" she asked, angrily.

"On the contrary," he said softly, turning around to face her. "I thought it would be more effective if you found out yourself. After seeing Ashley's hard life," he looked away from Emma for a second then back at her. "I thought it would make sense to you. I mean, if anyone could understand the reasons behind giving up a baby, I assumed it would be you."

Henry was still sitting in the waiting room while he waited for Emma. "You're not getting that kid," she said firmly.

"Actually, we have an agreement, and my agreements are always honored. If not, I'm not going to have to involve the police, and that baby is gonna end up in the system. And that would be a pity. You didn't enjoy your time in the system, did you, Emma?" Mr. Gold asked, tilting his head to the side.

"That's not gonna happen," she said, shaking her head as she looked him in the eye, not backing down.

"I like your confidence. Charming. But all I have to do is press charges. She did, after all, break into my shop," he said, threatening her.

"Let me guess, to steal a contract," she guessed.

Mr. Gold shrugged and pushed his lips out slightly. "Who knows what she was after?" he said.

"You know no jury in the world will put a woman in jail whose only reason for breaking and entering was to keep her child." Mr. Gold stared at Emma while she spoke, he lifted up his coffee and took a sip. "I'm willing to roll the dice that contract doesn't stand up. Are you?" she asked, Mr. Gold's face dropped slightly. "Not to mention what might come out about you in the process. Somehow, I suspect there is more to you than a simple pawnbroker. You really want to start that fight?"

Mr. Gold simply smiled at her, he wasn't afraid of her, at all. "I like you, Miss Swan. You're not afraid of me. That's either cocky or presumptuous. Either way, I'd rather have you on my side," he said, Emma was smiling when he spoke those words to her.

"So she can keep the baby?" she asked.

"Not just yet," he said, as he turned his back on her. "There's still the matter of my agreement with Miss Boyd."

"Tear it up," she demanded.

"That's not what I do," he said, turning to face her once again. "You see, contracts, deals," he continued as he walked closer to her once again, "they're the very foundation of all civilized existence. So I put it to you now. If you want Ashley to have that baby, are you willing to make a deal with me?"

"What do you want?" she asked, she was tired of him playing games.

"Oh, I don't know just yet," he said, smiling at her widely. "You'll owe me a favor."

They both looked at each other for the longest moment of their lives, Emma took one step forward, looking him in the eyes. "Deal," she muttered to him. Emma turned her back and started walking away from him.

Emma and Henry walked through the doors and went straight to Ashley and her newborn daughter with huge smiles on their face. Ashley held her in her arms gently, her baby wrapped in a blanket.

"Hey," Emma said softly while she and Henry walked up to the side of the end, looking at the baby. "What's her name?" she asked Ashley.

"Alexandra," Ashley whispered, looking at her daughter with a smile on her face.

"It's pretty," Emma commented, Henry looked over at the baby while he smiled.

Sighing, Ashley leaned down and kissed her daughter's head softly. "Thank you for getting me here," she said, looking at Emma.

"Mr. Gold was outside," she told her. "I took care of it. She's yours."

"She is?" she whispered. "What did you do?" she asked.

"Made a deal with him," she said, smiling while shaking her head slightly.

Nodding her head, her eyes watering with tears of joy. "Thank you," she whispered to Emma. "Thank you," she said again.

Emma looked over at the clock and noticed the time. "Oh. Hey, kid, it's almost five. We gotta get you home," she said, pushing him off the hospital bed and toward the doors. They both ran out before Regina noticed that Henry was out of the house all day with Emma.

Regina was in a bedroom, zipping up her black dress, the shower in the bathroom was running when she was getting dressed. "I have to go. Henry's expecting me home at five," she yelled to the man who was in the shower. She looked at herself in the mirror, fixing her hair so it wouldn't look like a total mess. "But I'll see you again," she said, putting on her shoes, "at the next council meeting," she said with a satisfying smile on her lips. "Oh, don't forget, you left your socks under the bed," she called out while grabbing her purse and walking out of the room.

Emma and Henry were in the car, driving to the mayor's house, Henry looked at Emma with a smile on his face.

"Pumpkin," Emma blurted out. "My code name," she explained. "I was thinking in honor of Cinderella, Pumpkin." Henry shook his head and scrunched up his nose, not liking the code name, "You got a better one in mind?" she asked.

"Yup," he said.

"Well?" she asked, interested.

"I'm not sure you're ready yet," he said.

Emma parked in front of the mayor's house while Henry quickly got out of Emma's car, taking his backpack in his hand.

"Henry?" she called out to him, he turned around quickly. "About what you said at the hospital about me being able to leave?"

"Yeah?" he answered.

"I'll see you tomorrow," she said, smiling at him.

Henry quickly started running up to his house, opening up the iron gates and into the house while Emma was watching him.

Regina pulled up in the driveway while Henry came in through the front door and ran up the stairs, when he did he lost his shoe. She came through the door and called out his name, "Henry," she closed the door behind her.

Henry finally arrived in his bedroom and closed the door behind him. Tossing his bookbag on his bed he grabbed a book and plopped onto his bed.

"Henry?" she called out for him again. "What did I tell you?" she yelled at him as Henry took off his other shoe and tossed it on the floor, getting settled into bed and opening the book. "Do not," Regina said as she charged into his room, holding up his shoe, "leave your shoes lying around on the stairs." He just nodded with a tight smile on his lips. "Someone could get hurt." She tossed his shoe onto the bed then walked out of his room and closed the door.

Henry closed his eyes and sighed in relief, he was glad that he didn't get caught or in trouble for sneaking out of the house, and he laid his book down.

Back at the hospital, Ashley was still holding her new infant in her arms when a figure came into the room and stood at the end of her bed.

"Is that her?" Sean asked, Ashley, looking up at the voice.

"Sean," she said, not believing that he was here in the room with them.

"I am so sorry," he started out saying, walking toward them. "I never should have left you."

"You're back," she stated softly.

"Yeah, I'm back," he agreed. He walked even closer to her and sat down on the bed, giving her a small present for their daughter. "Here, I got her a present." He pulled out a small pair of pink booties, and they both laughed. "I don't know if they're gonna fit," he said while putting them on her feet.

"They're perfect," she said, shaking her head as she looked at him with a smile on her lips. He looked up at her with a smile then he leaned in and gave her a sweet kiss and she kissed him back.

Emma was leaning against the car, pulling out a card while dialing a number. She put it against her ear while it rang.

"Hello?" Graham answered.

"Graham, it's Emma," she said. "I was thinking, maybe some roots wouldn't be so bad. That deputy job still open?" she asked.

"Absolutely," he answered.

"Then I'm in," she said, smiling. "Regina gonna be okay with this?"

"I don't care. It's my department. I'll see you Monday morning."

"I'll see you," she smiled, hanging up the phone and looking up at a window, seeing Henry pacing in his room with a book in his hands.

Graham hung up the phone, getting down on his knees and looking under the end as he grabbed his socks from them. He sat on the bed and put them on his feet.