𝑳𝑶𝑽𝑬𝑳𝒀 - Rumplestiltskin [2]

six

6|THE MERMAID

Celeste boredly walked around her large home, glancing at all the places they had sex and pursing her lips as she reminisced.

She stopped by his desk, glancing at the paperwork and reading over it. She opened a random draw, pausing when she spotted the same gun he pulled on her. Celeste tied it to her waist, hiding it under her jacket before answering her phone.

She grabbed her keys and drove to Granny's, parking out front and sitting on a stool.

"Hey Red." Celeste winked at the waitress. "The usual please."

"Keep drinking coffee and you'll explode." Red chuckled, making her coffee and sliding it in front of her.

"It's the only reason I live."

"What's the matter?" Granny questioned the woman as she stared down at her burger. "Too many pickles? Not enough pickles?"

"No. Just lonely." Celeste sighed and grabbed the burger, taking a large bite out of it.

"All right. You live in a big house by yourself isolated away from everyone else." Archie slid over to talk to her as she ate her food. "It's about Gold, isn't it? It's understandable to miss a loved one but you shouldn't lock yourself away. It's not healthy."

"He said he was going off to his death." She revealed with a heavy heart. "He has lost his son, the one person he has spent his life looking for. I'm just his wife of a few years. I wish I could help him more. Help save him and save Henry."

"But you protected Storybrooke." He reminded her. "That's just as important."

"After I selfishly left to the Enchanted Forest to grab a ring." She scoffed, looking down at the special ring on her finger that mirrored her wedding ring.

"Can I ask the importance of the ring?"

"It's my mother's ring that her mother gave her. And so on." Celeste explained, taking it off to let him look at the vintage style. "It's all I have left of her."

"Celeste." Grumpy called her name as he wandered into Granny's with a familiar red headed woman beside him. "This little lady swam a real long way to find you."

"Um, maybe you didn't notice the sign? No shirt, no shoes, no service." Granny complained as she spotted the woman's state of dress.

"Now you got a dress code?"

"Ariel?" Celeste finally remembered who she was. "Oh my goodness! What are you doing here?" She happily embraced the mermaid, not caring about how wet she was.

"I came from Neverland. Rumpelstiltskin sent me." Ariel explained to her causing her to still.

"Wait, really? He's alive?" She said excitedly, sighing with relief.

"Yes." The mermaid pulled out a shell from her bag. "And he wanted me to give you this."

"A sand dollar?" Celeste glanced down at the shell with confusion. "What am I supposed to do with it? Actually, nevermind that. Follow me."

She took the woman back to Gold's Pawn Shop, giving her clothes as she looked over the shell.

"I'm just the delivery girl." Ariel laughed as she tied the ribbon on her shirt. Celeste placed the shell down on the desk and it suddenly glowed to life. "Looks like you figured it out."

"Cel." A video message played in the glow. "I hope you raised the cloaking spell. The people headed for town are far more dangerous than even I first believed. They're unwitting pawns in Pan's game. I told you I was going to my death. I found another way. I can defeat Pan and live. But only if you get me something from the shop. The object I need is hidden. But I know that with the strength of our love, you'll find it."

"My heart." Celeste cried, holding her chest as the video faded. "He always likes to play with my heart."

"He's really into being cryptic, isn't he?" Ariel stated when the doctor went quiet in her thoughts.

"He wants my help." Her voice broke as she realised she was needed for once. "He wants me to save him. Henry. Everyone. Fuck yeah."

"So, what do you think the object is?"

"I don't know but time to start looking." The two women quickly got to work looking around the store, checking in every hidden place.

"Look at this stuff." Ariel said in wonder, looking around with starry eyes.

"Yeah. He's a bit of a collector." Celeste chuckled, peeking in a box.

"This is a..."

"Corkscrew." She informed the girl with a grin. "But it's not what Rumpel needs."

"It's a..."

"A button." Celeste suddenly remembered how curious her old friend was. "Also not what he needs."

"No, I know. But Eric." Ariel stared down at the button. "He had one just like this on his jacket when I rescued him."

"You haven't found Eric?"

"Not yet."