A/N: New story. I hadn't planned on writing this, but I can't seem to resist it. Jefferson is my favorite character on the tv-series Once Upon A Time, and I'm curious of his story. This is just a suggestion of what it could have been and will portray him both in Storybrooke and before the curse back in fairy tale land. This is intended to be the length of an episode of OUaT so not necessarily all questions will be answered within this story.

Oh! And if I do not follow canon 100 %, don't cut my head off!

This takes place somewhere in Season 2, post Episode 8. That is as far as I have seen of the series, and I have not yet made decisions on what I will include in this or when exactly after that this takes place. But, up 'til that moment everything on the show also happened in this story. If nothing else is specified.

This chapter could also be altered down the line after I've seen more episodes and change my mind as to what to include! I will warn each time if I do so, and hope you will be patient with me!

Disclaimer; I do not own Once Upon A Time. It's a marvelous idea and the creators are amazing for what they are creating out of the fairy tales we all grew up with and loved. I wish I was part of it, but I'm not that blessed.

I hope you like the story and leave a review if you do!

1. Prologue

The moon shone against the dark skies above and merely a few stars sparkled in the endless dark above Storybrooke. For a more romantic heart, the sight could have been charming, but it held no fascination for Regina.

She turned her gaze from the stars and gazed about her on the street with a deep sigh. A cold wind blew past her and she shrugged her dark coat closer to her body to preserve some warmth. She had grown tired of waiting a long time ago, but she had no other choice if she was to complete her task this dark night. Even if she was a dark and powerful queen, there were things she couldn't complete all on her own. Besides, she had promised Henry not to use magic and she intended to uphold that promise.

Finally, she saw the limping man with his cane turn the corner up ahead and walk towards her. Now and then, he passed beneath one of the street lamps and his short figure was illuminated by the cold, pale lights. Even from afar, she could see the amused twinkle in his pale eyes and she sighed once more. This would be a long night.

After a few minutes, Mr Gold came to a halt a few feet in front of her and the smirk grew on his thin lips.

"Well, look who's come crawling for help," Gold said and shrugged his eyebrows in barely concealed delight.

"I'm doing this for the both of us," Regina commented dryly. "No one is crawling."

"Yes, you are," the man said. He gazed sideways at the door to his own shop and up at the 'CLOSED'-sign on the door. With slow moves, for he knew how impatient the queen by his side was, Gold found his keys and unlocked his store. He gently pushed the door open and held out his arm for Regina.

"Shall we then?"

Without a word, but with a most furious glare, Regina entered the store and turned on the lights. She gazed about her at all the objects in the store. She knew most of them from their enchanted world but even she didn't know all of their stories. Still, she had a feeling there were fewer things Rumplestiltskin didn't have in his store than what he did own.

"I will have you know," Regina turned as the man spoke once more. He stepped inside after her and closed the door behind him before he turned to her once more and finally continued, "you interrupted a very lovely date with Belle."

"You know I don't ask for your help often," Regina scowled.

"No," Gold nodded and the smile returned to his lips. "Which is why I know this will be most enlightening."

Regina sighed. She wasn't in the mood to keep playing along with the man's game and so decided to cut to the chase. Small talk had never been her forte anyway. She leaned back against the main counter and crossed her arms over her chest as her dark eyes bore into the man before her.

"You know my mother is attempting to get to Storybrooke."

"Yes. I believe that is yesterday's news," Gold nodded. "There'd better be more to it than that."

"Well, you are also aware that Charming's attempt to contact Snow failed. With him still stuck in the sleeping curse we have no idea of knowing if he managed to convey the message at all. We need another plan, I have such a one for us."

"I'm guessing Henry doesn't know you're plotting dark deeds behind his back, does he?"

Regina shook her head once. "It's better my son doesn't know some things. Besides, I'm merely doing this so that I can uphold the promise I made him."

"Oh!" Gold cooed. "Now it's getting interesting…"

"Should Cora manage to come here, we will need powerful magic to defeat her. I'm not sure our magic will be enough-"

"Speak for yourself."

"You know I'm right, Rumpelstiltskin," Regina said in a dark voice and hoped the man would finally take her words serious. When the man didn't argue again, she knew it was his silent way of agreeing with her. Truthfully, there was no way of knowing exactly what it would take to bring down the charming Cora. "We could need more magic on our side."

"I know where you're going with this," Gold nodded and pointed his cane at the queen before him. "But you seem to forget. The only one powerful enough, beside you and I, was killed."

Regina finally found the tables turning in her own favor and smirked. She shook her head and slowly revealed, "Not the only one."

Gold's face momentarily expressed his surprise as he frowned across the space between them. For a few minutes, he considered her words before finally he said, "You mean… the sister. The one I cast into another realm. I see how her powers, should they be returned to her, could help us against Cora when the time calls for it. There's but one problem, though. I don't remember seeing her here in Storybrooke. I didn't think you had brought her with in the curse."

"I did," Regina guaranteed. "But she's been eluding me. I'm guessing since the curse lifted she doesn't want to be found. And I have no idea where to look."

Gold nodded in understanding. "That would be because of the deal she made with me. It is sure to keep her away. The only reason I could see for her wanting to step into the light would be for him. But our deal makes such a reunion impossible."

The queen nodded and pushed away from the counter. "But do you know where we could find her? Or do you have any means to locate her?"

Gold lowered his gaze to the floor as he pondered the possibilities. "Well.. I'd say the simplest way for you and I would be to inform the Hatter and let him do the work, but since I can't work with him either..."

Regina felt anger rise in her chest and she cursed internally. She had hoped this plan could be the answer to many of her worries as of late. She had hoped it could stop her mother and keep Henry safe, but apparently her idea had been in vain. The thought that she would have to return to merely hope that Cora didn't find her way there was not to Regina's liking. "So you know no way then?"

"I didn't say that, dear. I might have just the thing…"

Without explanation, the man raised his cane and pushed the queen out of his way as he walked past her and behind the counter. Regina watched the man curiously as he knelt down in search of something. At last, he stood tall and held out the object in his hand. Regina frowned down at the thing in confusion.

"Is that…?"

"The Hatter made it once, yes," Gold nodded as he put his cane on the counter and took hold of the object with both hands. It was a black, velvety top hat with a flat crown and a broad, navy blue brim. It was somewhat dusty from being hidden for such a long time and Gold brushed it somewhat cleaner with his palms.

"He made it for her, I'm told," Gold further explained. "It's magical, of course."

"A portal?" Regina frowned still unsure what the man was trying to get at.

He shook his head. "It's designed for... smaller things. Let me demonstrate."

Without further ado, Gold reached his hand into the hat and his entire arm seemed to vanish into it until he withdrew it and in his hands rested a white, fluffy rabbit that struggled to get loose. Gold smirked up at Regina.

"Original," she commented dryly and gazed at the wildly kicking animal in disbelief. There seemed to be a collar or chain of some sort around its neck, but Regina couldn't see it clearly. She turned her gaze back up at the man and raised a questioning eyebrow. "You're not actually serious, are you?"

"Of course I am," Gold huffed and seemed positively offended. He crouched down and released the rabbit on the middle of the floor. "Our friend here will find her for us. Regina, if you would hold open the door?"

Taken aback by the unexpected turn of events, the woman walked over to the door and held it open without even a word of argument.

For a few seconds, the rabbit did nothing but sit on the middle of the floor and Regina figured she had wasted her time after all. Suddenly the rabbit moved, it skipped out of the shop and down the road in quite the hurry. Regina watched it jump down the street and turned back to Gold.

She pointed after the rabbit. "Should we not follow it?"

Gold shook his head and leaned once more on his cane. "No. When the rabbit finds her… she will come to us."

To be continued.