Fic: Things Once Lost - Chapter Seven
Title: Things Once Lost
Rating: PG
Pairings/Characters: Mr Gold/Belle, Henry, Emma
Warnings/Spoilers: Spoilers for Skin Deep
Summary: Set immediately after the events of Skin Deep. Mr Gold seeks the aid of new acquaintances to solve the mystery of the chipped cup.
X-Posted to FF.net here
Chapter One :: Chapter Two :: Chapter Three :: Chapter Four :: Chapter Five :: Chapter Six
I wait in the office in the dim light of the early morning. Files and folders from yesterday’s workload lie scattered on his desk. I watch the doorway, Belle’s face flooding my thoughts.
I could’ve swung for the orderly myself when he said she was on a restricted visiting allowance. Highly unstable, as they say. Thirty minutes with her, after thirty years without. It was agony to have to leave.
The sheriff said almost nothing all the way back to the hospital exit, like she’d witnessed some strange event that she couldn’t bring herself to talk about. I suppose it must be strange for her to see my humanity. Sometimes it’s still strange for me.
He’s late for work. But eventually the door swings open and he appears, hanging his umbrella on the coatstand.
“Morning Doctor Hopper.”
He shrieks a little to himself, turns to face me with wide, pale eyes.
“M-Mr Gold,” he stutters out the words. “How did you-?”
“Never you mind.”
He is silent.
“You’re behind on the rent for this office.”
“I...” He eyes the cane in my hand nervously. Perhaps the news of Moe French’s injury has started to travel. “I know, sir, but it’s been a slow month, and-”
“Why don’t you take a month off from the rent?”
He carries on rambling for a moment before my words sink in. I watch them click into place in his eyes. He looks at me, clearly confused.
“We’ll call it a payment holiday.”
I smile. Hopper doesn’t like it. He fakes a grin back, coughs out a nervous breath. Stumbles over his words again.
“Well that’s, um... that’s very kind of you, Mr Gold.”
“No it’s not.”
“I’m sorry?”
“You’re going to do something for me in return.”
“Ah. W-Well... I, um.”
“Sit down Archie.”
He sits. I approach him at the desk, and I can see the hairs standing on his neck. When I asked for a comfortable life from the Queen, I had never imagined how good she’d make it for me. I leave him in silence for a tense moment, enjoying the fear I’ve created.
“There’s a mental patient at the local hospital recovering from a long time in solitary confinement.”
“I see,” he replies, not daring to look back at me. “Y-You want me to treat her?”
“No. I want you to meet her, and make a report.”
“O-Okay...”
“And then you’re going to recommend that she’s well enough to sign herself out of that place.”
I leave a card in front of him on the desk with Belle’s new name and ward details. I move toward the door, but I can hear him starting to mumble again. I stop.
“But, M-Mr Gold... What if she isn’t well enough for release?”
I turn to face him one last time, give him a narrow-eyed look. I find it hard to believe that he doesn’t already know my answer.
“Didn’t I just tell you what you’re going to do?”
“Well, yes, but-”
“Then that’s what you do.”
I change the cane over in my hands. He watches it feverishly.
“Are we clear?”
I’m out of the door before he can even mutter the ‘yes’ I’d expected.
- :: -
When I decided to pay Caroline French a second visit, I wasn’t all that sure why. I’d barely spoken to her the first time, just watched with a morbid fascination whilst she pawed at Gold. By the time she’d even noticed I was there, we were being thrown out because our thirty minutes were up. But I felt like I had to go back to her no sooner Gold and I had parted ways in the parking lot. I couldn’t help but wonder what his deal is with this girl, and whether it was something to be concerned about.
So here I am, outside her door with the same huge orderly. His eye is healing a little, the bruise is changing colour.
“Thirty minutes, tops.”
“I remember.”
So he lets me in. Caroline’s sat on the floor again. Odd.
“Hi there,” I begin, and I can hear how awkward I sound. “Hi Caroline... I was here yesterday, with Mr Gold.”
At his name her head turns and she looks beyond me for a moment. Then she looks me up and down. She nods, getting to her feet.
“Yes. Gold said you were... the sheriff.”
I try to give her a smile, but I’m not sure that she likes it.
“That’s right. I came back to see if you were okay. It must’ve been hard for you, meeting someone you know again, after so long.”
Something’s not right about her fuzzy memories of Gold, and I’m not all that keen to put it down to being locked in a padded cell for a few years.
Caroline sits down on the edge of her bed, still eyeing me carefully.
“It was all right. I’m okay.”
I get the feeling that’s my cue to leave. I’m not good at following cues.
I take up the chair in the corner of the room; give her my best smile again.
“So you remember knowing him?”
Her careful gaze is lost as she starts to think. She nods slowly to herself.
“I definitely know him.”
“Do you remember where from?”
She looks at me suddenly, sharply.
“No, as it happens. I’m sorry, but I’m not sure what this has to do with you. Are you connected to Mr Gold in some way?”
The accusation in her eyes is fierce, protective; it reminds me of Gold himself when I didn’t find that damned teacup he was after.
“Well, not exactly...”
The girl raises a brow, like she’s waiting. I’m starting to think that Gold was right about her sanity. She looks way too focused to have mental issues right now.
“It’s just that Mr Gold was in a disagreement with a relative of yours the other day. Moe French? I’m guessing he’s-”
“My father.”
Caroline’s eyes widen, then she closes them tightly.
“I remember my father.”
I can see her hands balling into tight fists, and then suddenly she bursts into tears, throws herself back on the bed. The orderly rushes in at the thumping sound as her body hits the bed frame, starts ushering me out, calling for aid. A whole stream of people pass me by, all pushing me back, and soon I’m left standing alone outside ward G, and I can still hear her crying uncontrollably.
So much for trying to help.
On to Chapter Eight
PIMPdeal_makerPIMP :)