Chapter 18: A Yellow Diamond
How his father had done it in broad daylight was beyond him. But Rumpelstiltskin was furious. His son had been attacked and his fiancée it appeared had been kidnapped.
This wasn't supposed to happen.
Belle had picked up her phone. He had warned her. She was coming back home to the heavily warded penthouse. But a few seconds of relief had turned to utter panic when he had heard Harry screaming his name.
Harry didn't like asking for help. He always wanted to fight, which was why Rumple had begrudgingly taught him some self-defense spells. The kid was brilliant at them (not surprisingly). He was finding that Harry was very talented when it came to using magic. He wanted to learn anything and everything about magic, he loved it.
Unlike his other son.
Who apparently used magic now.
That was something he as never going to get used too. Bae knowing and liking using magic, and thinking he knew everything about magic in this world.
However, thoughts about his eldest were temporary halted as he searched for a sign of anything of Belle.
He still couldn't believe that Pan had decided to kidnap Belle of all people. Undoubtedly his target was Harry, but why kidnap Belle? It didn't make sense. Especially since he thought Harry was Belle's not Rumple's.
He grimaced as he looked at the relatively empty street where Harry had claimed they were taken away. Despite the fact that he was one of the most powerful (if not the most powerful) magical users in the universe, he wasn't really that much of a detective. Although, he had seen more than a few detective shows. But binge-watching Sherlock on Netflixs hardly made him capable of finding Belle or figuring out what his deranged father was doing.
"Are you okay?" A local asked him.
He guessed he had been standing here long enough to garner attention. Funny that Belle's abduction hadn't even caused anyone other than Harry to call for help.
Which made Gold suspicious. He had a feeling this "concerned" local really wasn't that concerned. He eyed up the individual.
Mid-thirties. Bespectacled. Carrying an umbrella. Not his father's usual type of goon, but Rumple wasn't an idiot, which was why he decided to lure this moron into his trap.
Of course he might be wrong. Perhaps he really was an innocent dweeb who carried an umbrella even though it wasn't raining outside. But Rumple thought otherwise.
"I'm waiting for someone." He stated.
"Ah," The man said. "I'm sorry."
He was acting like Gold had gotten ditched on a date. Gold would've taken offense to it, if he didn't think the man was a Pan plant and continued to play the little game.
Oh, how his father always enjoyed his games.
Even before he became Peter Pan it was always one game after another with him. Rumple had learned that earlier on. If he ever wanted or needed something, he had to learn how to win.
And his father didn't make it easy.
Like right now, he couldn't figure out what this plant was trying to do. The impatient part of him thought about already revealing his hand. Make it short and easy, get the information he needed and be on his way. But he couldn't. His father had always been rigid when it came to the rules of the game, and he couldn't lose Belle.
She was his light, when there was no light in the world. He had thought he lost her once and he couldn't go through that again. So, he was going to play nicely (for now). At least until he figured out what was going on.
The man ended up leading him to a café. He was insisted that Rumple order something to drink. Rumple played along, but of course didn't actually drink the tea that was set in front of him. Instead, he played an old trick his father did—follow the lady—and switched the glasses.
He still didn't even drink that switched tea. That's how paranoid he was. He didn't pass it on his father to make sure that both glasses were tainted.
He soon found out what the effects were of the potion when the man appeared to be in a daze. When Rumple asked what's wrong the man said, "You switched the cups, didn't you?"
"Astute." Rumple said. "Does Pan really think I'm that stupid, dearie?"
"He…he didn't say. He wanted me to ask you information. See what else I could find out about the boy."
"You won't be finding out anything." Rumple barked. "Not that that potion would have worked on me anyway. Sometimes Pan is a moron."
Even the drugged man laughed at that. "I…I was also suppose to give you a message."
"Naturally," Rumple said. "What is your message?"
The man pulled out something out of his coat pocket and Rumple winced when he saw it. It was Belle's engagement ring. The beautiful ring that he had picked out for her. The yellow had reminded him of that beautiful golden ball gown that he first saw her in.
He remembered that day. Making that deal with Moe French. Honestly, he should've probably traded him for something of more value, but something oddly attracted him to Belle.
He had never felt that way about a woman before.
Sure, there was Milah. And Cora. And a few others, but it wasn't the same as it was with Belle. He tried to convince himself with them there was something there, but with Belle there actually was.
He felt like he could be a better person with her. Which was ridiculous because he knew he'd probably never change. There would always be darkness in him, he was the Dark One after all, but with Belle he actually felt hope.
And Pan had taken her from him.
This would not do at all.
"Why do you have Belle's ring?" He said his body clinching with rage. This was not going to end well for Umbrella Man he decided right there and then. He calmed himself to not take his heart quite yet.
"Great," The drugged patsy said. "He said you'd get angry, I didn't think you'd look all murderous."
Rumple raised his hand. Screw Pan's rules, he had an idea what his father was going for and now he was going to play by his rules. Once the cloaking spell was done he smirked and shoved his hand into Umbrella Man's chest and pulled out his heart.
This might expedite things.
"Bloody…I'm not dead."
"Obviously," Gold said. "I wanted you to know I'm not all smoke and mirrors. You're going to help me find Belle and bring her back. You understand that, Umbrella Man."
"My name's John." The man said. "Can you put my heart back in my chest now?"
"No." Rumple said. "This is my insurance that you no longer work for Pan, you work for me."
"But…but."
"But what?"
"My sister." The man choked from a mixture of the truth serum and desperation. "Her life depends on me doing Pan's bidding."
"Do I look like I care?" Gold huffed. "Your sister can wait. My fiancée comes first. Now you listen to me and do exactly what I say otherwise your heart will be dust and that won't do well for your precious sister now will it."
Umbrella Man (a.k.a. John Darling) officially worked for Mr. Gold now.
Normally, controlling someone like John Darling would've given the Dark One feels.
Yes, Dark One's got the feels. But not the feels normal people got. Though, Rumple still got those too when it came to three people—Belle, Bae, and Harry. Though lately, Bae had been annoying him than giving him any feels. The Dark One's feels on the other hand were from doing nefarious deeds and screwing people over (like Umbrella Man). But Rumple had a feeling that even if he wasn't the Dark One. He would still fell some accomplishment about having John Darling under his thumb.
Though it really did nothing until he got his fiancée back. And to get her back he was going to have to somehow get to Neverland which he had no idea to do. He guessed it was a good thing, he had finally found a decent bank manager to handle his affairs at Gringotts for now.
Right now though, he was going to check on his son. Imagine to his surprise when he got back to the penthouse he saw that Bae was arguing with Emma Swan of all people.
It seemed they knew each other with the way they were talking, interesting. Maybe they knew each other a little too well by the way they were arguing.
That was interesting in a more disturbing way.
"You might want to tone down the lover's quarrel." He snapped making his presence known. "Especially since I know there's a child who is upset that his stepmother got kidnapped."
"Gold." Emma snapped.
He rolled his eyes. She knew she was going to be here, via Regina. Still it annoyed him seeing her. All Charming seemed to do that—annoy him. All of their encounters with him left him with a migraine. He either had to give them an info dump of information because they were so dim or do some seemingly impossible task of magic because they almost caused the world to end.
Really exhausting people.
Though, he should be happy that Emma Swan was trying to help and had locked up his ex. Though, he still couldn't help but wonder what was up with her and Bae. The way his son was looking at her…
God, please no.
He tried to keep his fears in check though as he said, "A little out of your jurisdiction, aren't you, Sherriff Swan?"
"You could've been honest," Emma snapped. "Told me that Just Harry was your son. This would've been a lot easier."
"His name is Harry, for the umpteenth time." Rumple said. "Really, you'd think you'd be more observant being sheriff."
"Papa…" Bae warned.
"Don't ruin my fun, Bae." Gold said. "She's a Charming, that's how you talk to them."
"Her name is Emma." Bae said as if he was correcting something.
"Well, I am related to Prince Charming." Emma said before asking, "Did you find her?"
Gold shook his head. "No. Unfortunately not."
"I'm going to help you, Gold." Emma said. "I…I need to do this."
"This isn't a Storybrooke problem." Gold said not really sure he wanted Emma's help. She was a bit of a screw up. After all, she was a Charming—a.k.a. the family that almost caused the town to be destroyed in some apocalyptic fashion every Sunday evening without a doubt around eight o'clock local time.
"I know that, "Emma said biting her lip. "But, I need to do this Gold. For Henry."
Gold sighed as he looked at Emma, he did feel some sympathy for her. Despite being the darkest wizard in the universe, he could emphasize with losing a child. And he knew she wanted to get Henry's heart out of Pan. They all did. The heart of the truest believer relying in his father was not a good thing. It was surprising that he hadn't done something more eruptive than kidnap the love of Rumple's life—though that in itself was a declaration of war in his book. "I'm sorry about your loss, Sherriff Swan. No one should have to go through the process of losing a child."
"Wait," Emma said. "You know?"
"Regina," Gold covered his tracks. "We keep in touch. She is Harry's sister after all."
"Oh," Emma said. "Right. Well, I feel like I need to do something. Henry's heart shouldn't' be in that sociopath and your kid shouldn't have a target on his back thanks to his murderous bitch of a mother."
"Be that as it may…" Gold started to say but was interrupted by Bae.
"You have a kid?"
"Had." Emma said looking at the ground. "He passed away a few weeks ago."
Oh, dear lord.
He knew what was coming. All those years of watching the soaps while he sat in his pawnshop waiting for customers that never showed, told him what was going to happen next. Bae didn't even need to ask, but he did.
"Was he…was he mine?"
When Emma nodded, Gold couldn't help but feel his own black heart sink. Henry Mills was his grandson. His dead grandson that his son never got to know. And who's heart Pan had stolen. This was a declaration of war indeed.
And Gold wasn't planning on surrendering.