A.N. After Episode 19, I had to change a few things. Thank you for the reviews and for all those following.

A DEAL FOR THE CURSED

Mr. Gold was still holding the cup.

And he could not care less that Sheriff Swan was staring, or asking questions. Constantly. He mostly ignored her, or gave a little quipp that anyone could easily translate into 'shut up.'

He held the cup in his hand.

This was his reminder that Belle was right. He would regret sending her away forever. He wasn' t worried about the charges. He'd buy Mr. French off. Give him back his truck, forgive all the debts. Or if need be, bribe the judge. Everyone had a price and would bargain with anything to get it. Even with assault charges.

"Would you like me to pour tea into it?" Sheriff Swan asked sarcastically. He didn't answer. "That's what it's for isn't it?" she persisted.

"If you wouldn't mind," he requested, still looking at the cup, much to her apparent surprise.

"Ohh kaaaay," she said slowly and pushed the button on the electric kettle. "Earl Grey or Darjeeling?"

"You have those?" he smiled absently, almost as in a reverie.

"No! I don't," and she laughed shaking her head and pulled out Limpton Tea. "This isn't the Queen's Royal chamber."

O little she knew, Gold thought.

She walked over holding out her hand, "Ok, give me the cup."

"Can't you just pour it in?"

"Oh, for crying out loud! Just give me the damn cup! It's not like I have a pot to steep it in."

Gold almost told her to forget it. Forget everything, but he felt that he couldn't NOT give the cup to Emma. "But you'll give it back?" He demanded.

She frowned. "Of course I will. Why wouldn't I?"

"No matter," he replied nonchalantly.

Gold pushed his hand though the bars and handed her the cup, a little too reluctantly. She shook her head and took it. Immediately she dropped it with a cry. Gold stood up cursing at her through the bars.

"Chill, chill," Emma backed away, more than a little taken aback. "It's not broken. Or not broken any more than it was," she muttered as sucked her thumb which had turned red.

"Why?" he screamed, his face contorted demonically grasping both fists on the bars. "Why did you drop it?"

"Because it was scalding hot, that's why!" she shouted back.

"Give it back!" he demanded. "GIVE IT BACK!"

"Ok. Ok." She touched it with a finger. Not hot anymore." Have it. Have it." She gave it back. "No tea for you!" she chuckled shakily, as she rummaged in her desk. "Where the hell is the aloe?" Finding it, she rubbed a generous portion on her hand. She warily turned her eyes to Mr. Gold who had fallen silent again and was clearly working to gain his composure.

She looked away when she heard the rat- ta- tat of small feet. Henry was back.

"Henry," she sighed. "Please tell me you didn't run away from your mother."

"No, Emma," he answered. "Mom told me to come back!" He was grinning from ear-to ear. "Just a moment ago Mom stopped at the ice-cream store because I had forgotten to bring the cone for Mr. Gold."

Emma chuckled, "Yes, we did forget didn't we?" Emma shook her head looking at Mr. Gold.

"How thoughtful of her,"' he remarked, taking the cone from Emma.

He began to lick the cone. "Aw, good," he smiled, "no poison!"

But Emma did not hear this for she saw that Henry had something behind his back and was still grinning. "What do you have Henry?" a small smile creeping onto her face.

Henry pulled it out triumphantly. A red rose. Gold dropped the cone, but Emma didn't notice, "For you, Emma," he said. "Happy Valentine s day!"

Emma took it. "Thank you, Henry. You bought this?"

"No, Mom did. She bought two and gave one to me. I'm not into roses. I'm 10! And a boy." He rolled his eyes.

Emma smiled. "The other was for her Valentine?"

"No," Henry laughed. "She always takes a rose, every week or so."

"Oh, for her Father's grave?"

"No, and this is really weird. She takes it to a patient in the mental ward of the hospital!"

Emma frowned, "Your mother knows someone there?"

He shrugged, "I guess. She never said who, but she said she likes to give it to her." He leaned in conspiratorially, "My mother never does anything without a reason, maybe we should find out who it is."

"Maybe we should," Emma murmured thoughtfully.

"Yes," interrupted Mr. Gold who they had not noticed watching the whole exchange. "We should." He was on his feet looking hungrily at the rose.

Emma smiled, "Would that count as my favor to you?"

Gold hesitated, but then made up his mind, "Yes, but only if it's who I think it is."

"You know this lady the Mayor's visiting?"

"I know someone for whom roses have a certain meaning, and as you said, Henry, your mother never does anything without a reason."

"A deal then," Emma smiled.

"And once made it cannot be broken," he warned, "or else..."

"Yeah, yeah. I know. I'll do it. Shouldn't be too hard."

"Do it now!" Mr. Gold demanded.

"I'm guarding YOU now!" Emma protested.

"You leave prisoners unguarded all the time. Come to think of it, I wonder how have you kept your badge by making that a habit."

Henry laughed, "He is right, you know! You do it all the time!"

But there was no humor in Mr. Gold's eyes as he repeated: " Now." His eyes held hers.

"I really will be free of the debt I owe you?" Emma asked.

Mr. Gold smiled brittily, "I never go back on a deal."

"Alright then. I'll start looking."

"Clever girl," Mr. Gold said, and then went back to holding the cup.