Author's note: So this is actually a revisit to an AU I wrote a year ago, where whenever Rumpel and Regina touch, it sparks an uncontrollable desire for one another. If you're interested in the original fic, it's titled "You're All I Need" and you can find it by visiting my fic LJ, which is linked to in my profile. I decided to go a different direction in this version and introduce the concept of blood magic, which I'll be revisiting soon. With that said: I hope you all enjoy my latest piece.

And I Can't Stay Away

It was roughly six weeks into the curse that Regina Mills braved going into Aiden Gold's pawn shop again.

After their first encounter (which the mayor deemed as an utter disaster) she had done everything in her power to avoid crossing paths with her former tutor, even though he apparently had no memory of their long history together.

Then, the unfathomable occurred: she started to miss him.

Regina repeatedly told herself that what she was feeling wasn't a yearning for the man who was once Rumpelstiltskin, but she often caught herself in the midst of a daydream, pining away, and realized that she was failing miserably.

It was for that reason, of course, that she found herself frozen outside the door of the shop, butterflies swarming nervously in the pit of her stomach.

She shook her head to clear it. You're being a ridiculous woman. You're going to go in there and act like a mature adult, not a child!

Taking a calming breath, Regina reached for the door's handle.

"Miss Mills?"

A shriek that was at a far higher pitch than she intended escaped the former sorceress, and she whirled around to find herself reflected in the concerned, amber-colored gaze of Aiden Gold.

The pawnbroker's expression softened at seeing the distress on Regina's face. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sneak up on you."

She attempted to regain some of her dignity. "That's…that's quite all right." Clearing her throat, she brushed a lock of hair away from her eyes. "I was hoping to catch you when you got back from lunch, but if you'd rather I'd come back later…"

"Quite the contrary; I was wondering when I'd see you again," He offered her a lopsided smile that made the butterflies return; only this time their swarming was of a much more pleasant nature despite her own intentions to remain unaffected. "Shall we continue this conversation inside?" he pulled out the keys to unlock the front door.

Regina nodded, which made his smile widen, and he opened the door before guiding her inside.

"I could make some tea if you like," he offered, moving past her to put his keys away behind the counter.

"Tea sounds lovely," she glanced around at her surroundings, taking a more proper look this time.

The shop was very quaint and old-fashioned, filled with a variety of items that, upon closer inspection, she realized were tokens from their old world.

Something familiar caught the corner of her eye and she walked over to a jewelry case in order to make sure she hadn't been imagining it.

When Aiden returned with the tea, he found Regina staring intently at a necklace displayed under the glass counter.

"See something you like?"

"Where did you find this?" she gestured at the bauble, and he set the tray he was holding down on a different case before peering over her shoulder to see what she was so interested in.

"Oh that's a lovely piece," he murmured, leaning in enough so that his breath was warm against her ear. "Though I don't exactly remember where I got it from. Would you like to try it on?"

His proximity made her heart jump in her chest, and she swallowed hard before replying: "Yes, actually, I would."

Aiden moved around to unlock the case and pull the necklace out, and Regina couldn't help but notice that despite the limp that required him to use a cane, his motions were very graceful: cat-like even.

"Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?" she ventured.

"Of course not, my dear," he smiled as he polished the necklace so that it would shine properly. "After all we've known each other a long time."

That we have…although not in the way you remember, she thought before continuing: "How did you hurt your leg? I've always been curious."

"Oh, that…" his tone turned quiet and she nearly regretted asking in the first place. "It's not something I'm proud of but, I did it to myself."

Regina's eyes widened at the confession. "Why on earth would you cripple yourself?!"

"Because I was a coward," he replied, shrugging as if it wasn't a big deal.

Except, of course, that it was a big deal, and Regina could tell just by the look in his eyes that it haunted him more than he let on.

She wasn't sure if it was instinct that caused her next action, but she reached out and crossed her hand over his.

It was the most innocent of touches: in fact she barely caressed at his hand, but instantly a jolt of unimaginable want coursed up her spine.

Their eyes locked, and she could tell that he was as affected as she was.

"Tell me you feel that," she whispered, unable to tear her gaze away from his.

"As long as it means that you feel it too," he stated in a low, remarkably sensual tone that caused a pool of heat to gather right below her stomach.

Regina managed a nod in response, but anything else she could have said was quickly silenced when he strode out around the counter, gathered her into his arms, and claimed her mouth in a kiss.

The pleasure a mere touch had offered was amplified an immeasurable amount when their lips met, and the next thing Regina knew she was being pressed back against the glass as they embraced with increasing ardor.

She dug her fingers into the silken strands of his hair while he ravished her mouth with his, moaning when he punctuated his affections with playful bites and nips.

His hands came to rest on her waist, holding her tightly against him so that she could tell just how much he desired her, until finally they had to break away for air.

For a long moment, the couple simply stared at each other, their chests heaving as they struggled to regain their composure.

Aiden was the first to find his voice. "Well that was unexpected."

Regina was half-tempted to slap him. "Seriously? We were seconds away from tearing each other's clothes off and that's all you can say?!"

The pawnbroker chuckled. "Oh how I've missed you my Queen."

She blinked. "Wait."

He arched an eyebrow, an amused expression crossing his handsome face as he watched her put two and two together.

"HOW?!" she finally blurted. "HOW THE HELL DID ONE KISS BREAK—" Immediately panic rushed through her. "You don't think we broke the curse on the town, do you?!"

"Calm down love," he crossed back over to her and placed his hands gently on her shoulders. "True love is strong, but in this case it has to come from a much different source in order for the curse on the town to break."

"What kind of source…" She trailed off and he swore he saw a light-bulb go on over her head, which, coupled with her incredulous expression, nearly made it impossible not to break into laughter.

He bit at his lower lip to keep from doing so and instead relished at watching her come to the realization herself.

"True love? That means," she brought her gaze to his. "You're my true love?"

He grinned and weaved his fingers into her hair. "And you're mine."

There were about a million questions running through Regina's brain, but she decided they could wait, and instead she hooked her fingers around Aiden's shirt collar and dragged him forward into another kiss.

The passion intensified even further than before, and this time when they pulled away, his hand had trailed up under her blouse and she'd managed to undo several of his shirt buttons.

"Okay…two questions," she murmured, her lips brushing against his as his talented fingers began to work at undressing her. "What is happening when we touch? And…" she gestured at the necklace that was lying atop a velvet cloth on the case she was hoisted up against. "How long have you had my necklace?"

He nudged her nose with his as he divested her of her blouse, leaving her in a black lace bra, her skirt, and boots. "In regards to the first question: I believe it has something to do with blood magic. You remember when we participated in that ritual?"

"If by ritual you're referring to a certain full-moon night in the forest, which, as I recall, was your idea, then yes." She gasped when his lips descended on her neck, and turned her attention to getting him fully out of the designer suit he wore.

"I'm pretty sure that when we made that blood oath, it combined our magic together," his words were slightly muffled as he pressed soft kisses to the sensitive flesh of her throat and then drifted lower, lingering along her shoulders as he located the zipper to her skirt and drew it slowly down.

By that point she had him out of his jacket and vest and was tackling the rest of the buttons to the dark blue silk shirt that remained a barrier between his skin and hers. "So you're saying that our magic is bonded then?"

"Mmmm," he nodded against her shoulder, pulling back enough to admire the way she looked standing there in matching lace underwear and knee-high boots. "I'm really enjoying the clothing style here, by the way."

She rolled her eyes and parted his shirt over his chest before sliding the garment down his shoulders. "It's a good thing the blinds are still drawn in here…though maybe we should put the closed sign back up."

"Good idea," he extricated himself reluctantly from her embrace in order to do so, and then turned back towards her, shrugging the rest of the way out of his shirt as he moved to take her in his arms again.

Now it was Regina's turn to admire as he drew her close, her gaze raking slowly over every inch of his leanly toned torso.

"Hmm…I kind of miss the gold on your skin," she admitted, bringing her eyes back to his, the depths of her own sparkling with a hint of mischief. "But you are much more handsome like this."

He smirked, and before she could make another comment, he startled her by sweeping her off her feet.

She got over her momentary shock and placed one arm around his neck to make it easier to carry her, and she smiled when he took a moment to grab the necklace on the counter, pausing long enough to hook it around her neck before transporting her to the back room of the shop. "As for that, I figured I'd better hold onto it so it could be returned to its owner."

Touched, Regina swept his hair away from his forehead before pressing a sweet kiss there.

He sighed quietly and deposited her gently on something soft, which of course caused her to see what it was.

She turned back towards him, arching a single eyebrow. "Why is there a bed in the back of your shop?"

He just gave her a look. "Don't ruin this with logic."

"Seriously though, who keeps a bed in the back of the pawnshop?"

"Well you were the one in control of the curse! Why did you think there needed to be a bed back here?" Aiden knelt down in front of her and focused on something more important: namely removing her boots, which were currently in the way.

Regina was about to press the issue further when he slid one away and touched his mouth ever-so-lightly to her calf, and she found herself altogether distracted.

A low moan escaped the former Queen, her head falling back as he kissed slowly up her leg, and she felt him smirk against the flesh of her inner thigh before he moved on to the other boot and bestowed the exact same attention.

It was maddening, really: he was barely applying pressure and yet it felt like thousands of tiny flames were licking across her skin, and then he took it upon himself to continue his journey upwards and worship every inch of her in all manners possible.

Before long, they were both entirely naked: their limbs entangling as they sank back onto the covers together.

They took their time rediscovering one another, meeting over and over in fervent kisses as hands wandered eagerly over bare skin.

The need between them only seemed to increase with each touch, and eventually they could take it no longer and joined together in a fluid movement.

They went still as the sensation of being one overwhelmed them, Aiden burying his head against Regina's shoulder as he inhaled shakily. "I'd forgotten how perfect this feels."

"I know exactly what you mean," she murmured, tangling her fingers into his hair as they lay together, adjusting.

He shifted enough to gaze down at her, and her breath caught in her throat as she saw the devotion apparent in his eyes.

Smiling, Aiden tenderly brushed his fingers along her face, memorizing the details of how she looked at that exact moment: her dark hair feathered out along the blankets, her pretty features flushed from passion and her eyes glittering up at him.

He dragged his thumb over her jaw line before whispering: "I love you, Regina…"

Her heart skipped around happily before she tugged him as close as possible. "And I love you, Rumpelstiltskin."

His eyes filled with delight at hearing his true name uttered so reverently, and he dipped his head for a loving kiss that encouraged the motion of their entwined bodies.

She clung to him as they moved in time, hooking her legs over his waist to anchor them together as what started out as graceful symmetry quickly spiraled into a primal instinct.

And then everything seemed to melt away as all that remained was the pleasure they shared, until finally: they fell.

Hours passed by as the couple indulged in their rekindled desire for one another, and it was by the time they stopped long enough to recuperate, it was beginning to get dark.

Sighing contentedly, Regina stretched against Aiden, tracing invisible figures over his sweat-streaked skin. "I know it's going to sound really cliché…but there's nothing I'd like better than to stay here forever."

He chuckled: a low, pleasing sound, and nuzzled against her tousled hair. "Really? You'd stay forever in the back of the pawn shop? Preferably naked, I hope."

She half-heartedly slapped at his chest. "You know what I mean!"

Laughing, he twisted and pinned her under him, and the feeling of his skin against hers was enough for ripples of heat to rise up her spine. "Oh right…you meant in my arms."

"I meant together, no matter what," she countered, tilting her chin up for a kiss that he gladly gave.

Smiling against her mouth, Aiden playfully nipped at her lips before replying: "I like the sound of that. Though it could be bad for business, seeing as I'd be tempted to ravish you against the closest surface at any opportunity."

That prompted a chuckle from Regina and she curled her fingers into the waves of his hair, responding to his teasing affections with ones of her own. "Yes, you do have a shop to run and I have a town to oversee." She went quiet as a thought dawned on her. "You know: we could always run the town together."

"What are you proposing?" he settled on his side and gave her his full attention.

"I'm proposing…" she reached out and stroked along his shoulder. "That we get married."

He blinked in surprise. "Won't that come off as a little sudden? One moment we're barely interacting and the next we're getting married?"

"Are you saying you don't want to marry me?" she pouted slightly and he immediately shook his head.

"There's nothing I'd like more, but I figured I should at least take you out to dinner first."

"So you do want to!" her features brightened considerably and he bit back a laugh before gathering her into his arms.

"Of course. You're my true love, after all. And there's always a chance of shocking Snow White into an early grave by offering her a position as your bridesmaid."

His comment made her grin and cuddle further into his embrace. "I love the way you think…and ever since you mentioned dinner I'm reminded of how hungry I am."

Aiden shook his head, amused. "Shall we get dressed and head over to Granny's? If anything it'll be worth it to see the horrified looks on everyone's faces when we start acting affectionate in public."

Giggling, Regina pressed a quick kiss to his lips. "And that is why I love you."

And judging by the way he responded; she knew that the feeling was entirely mutual.

The End