𝑳𝑶𝑽𝑬𝑳𝒀 - Rumplestiltskin [2]

ten

10|pan

Celeste cuddled into Rumpels side as they wandered back to his store, thinking of all the ways she can welcome him home.

"Once I seal the box in here, no one can break the spell but me." Rumpel stated as everyone stood around the backroom.

"And you're not going to do that?" Henry asked curiously.

"Believe me, I want Pan trapped just as much as you." He replied to the boy, waving his hand over the floor.

"Don't worry, Henry." Neal reassured his son. "He's not getting out of there."

"We won't let anything happen to you again." Regina added. "I promise."

"She's right. You needn't worry." Rumpel stood back up, wrapping an arm around Celeste's waist. "As long as I'm alive, that boy will never see the light of day."

After everyone had left, Celeste quickly got to work removing his old clothing. She lay on the bed lazily, a thin blanket covering her naked body as he dressed into a suit.

"There. Perfect." She hummed, fixing his tie and patting his chest.

"Thank you." Rumpel captured her lips once more, his hands the only thing keeping the blanket on her body.

"You're welcome." Celeste grabbed his shoulders and pulled him close, her lips on his, fingers tangled in his hair. "As much as I miss our Enchanted Forest life, the clothing is too much."

"My apologies." His arms tightened around her, holding her close to his body as he admired her every curve through the thin material.

"So, what now?"

"Well, that's a question I haven't had to ask myself." He mumbled against her neck. "I didn't think I had a future."

"But you do." Celeste kissed his head lovingly. "The boy wasn't your undoing. And neither was Pan. So now you can stop worrying about prophecies and start thinking about your future. And there's endless possibilities, countless paths to take."

"But there's only one of those paths I'm interested in." Rumpel lifted his head to look into her ocean blue eyes. "The one where you and I are together."

His hands moved to cup her face, the blanket dropping as she giggled against his lips. He backed her up to the desk, lifting her body on to the wood as he stood between her thighs.

~•~

"Mr. Gold?" The pair glanced up from their spot on the bed, both waking up in fright at the sudden voice.

"I'm afraid were closed." Rumpel sighed, standing up and throwing on his clothes before entering the front of the store. "Whatever crisis you're dealing with, I'm done for the day."

"Like seriously, leave." Celeste groaned, throwing on her underwear and one of his shirts. "I was sleeping."

"Pandora's box. Give it to me." Emma demanded, eyes darting between the pair.

"And why would I do that?" He questioned her.

"We need to open it."

"And let Pan escape?" Rumpel asked her sarcastically. "What, are you crazy?"

"Somehow he's controlling the Shadow from inside the box." Snow White explained to the pair. "Henry's life is in danger."

"And you think letting Pan out will change that?" His eyes darted between the pair before glancing at Celeste with concern.

"Yes. Because we can stop him. Finally. And forever." Emma nodded to him.

"All due respect, Ms. Swan, we barely succeeded in apprehending him the first time." Rumpelstiltskin reminded her humourously. "If I've learned one thing, it's not to tempt fate."

"I'm not looking to apprehend him." She explained with determination. "Wouldn't you rather be sure he's gone?"

"Well, what do you have in mind?" He caved, nodding along for her to explain her plan.

The small group drove to the city line, Celeste now dressed and dozing off in the car.

"Uh uh. I'm doing this." Emma stopped him as they walked closer to the line.

"I can cross the line and retain my memories." Rumpel stated, wrapping the cloth around his neck.

"It's not about that. There's no magic over there." She said, raising a brow to challenge him. "All due respect, the real world is my expertise." Emma grabbed the gun and stepped over the line. "I'm gonna deal with Pan on my terms."

"He is my father."

"Wait, what?" Celeste glanced at her husband confused, realising she should of spent more time asking him about the mission rather than pressed against his body.

"It's my hunch." Emma raised her hand, preparing her gun. "If I fail, you're more than welcome to pick up the pieces."

"Emma, be careful." Snow White warned her daughter, worried about her safety.

Rumpelstiltskin waved his hand over the box, opening it and placing it over the line for Emma to deal with. Pan appeared on the ground, standing up hesitantly and looking around.

"Mom?" Pan stared at Emma with surprise, glancing over the rest of the group.

"What?" Emma questioned, not expecting that to be his first words.

"What are you waiting for? Shoot him." Rumpel reminded the woman.

"Don't! Please, I'm Henry!" Pan begged her, trying to reason with her. "Pan, he switched our bodies."

"You expect me to believe that?"

"Don't listen to him. This is one if his tricks." Rumpel stated, preparing to intervene.

"No, it's not!" He sighed, trying to explain what was going on. "He did it right before Mr. Gold captured me in the box. I swear."

"Ah, don't come any closer." Emma stopped him as he tried to step closer.

"Shoot him."

"Maybe he is telling the truth." She considered his words carefully. "Maybe that's why I can't shake this feeling something's off about Henry."

"Maybe that's what he wants you to believe." Rumpel grumbled to her, becoming impatient. "If he steps over this line, we're all dead.

"A mother always knows." Celeste mumbled, eyes darting between the pair.

"All right, if you are really Henry, prove it." Emma quizzed him, never lowering her weapon. "Tell me something only Henry would know."

"I got trapped in the mines. I tried blowing up the well." Pan recited all his memories. "I like hot cocoa with cinnamon."

"This proves nothing."

"He's right, Emma." Snow agreed with the Dark One. "Henry could have told Pan all of this in Neverland."

"Pan might know facts." Emma continued. "But life is made up of more than that. There are moments. He cants possibly know all of them. The first time you and I connected, you remember that? Not met, but connected."

"Yeah."

"Where was it?"

"At my castle, right after you came to Storybrooke." Pan answered with a smile.

"And what did you tell me?"

"That I knew why you gave me up."

"Why?"

"Because you wanted to give me my best chance." Henry smiled at his mother, knowing she knew the truth.

"Henry." Emma tucked away her gun and embraced her son. "It is Henry." She pulled apart and looked at Rumpel with a relieved grin. "Promise you're not gonna incinerate us when we step over the line."

"I'm sorry I doubted you, Henry." Rumpel apologised to the boy once they had stepped over the line. "And I'm sorry I put you in this box in the first place."

"It's okay. I would have done the same thing." Henry grinned at the man with understanding.