Hey guys! I know it's been awhile...I've been working on my other fanfic, "Neverland, a Cursed Place" because I was feeling somewhat inspired and just had to run with that muse for awhile. But I'm back for your entertained pleasures.

Thank you for the awesome reviews! You guys are all great and so encouraging. I always look forward to what you all have to say :)

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to OUAT.

Chapter 5 of Black Friday

"What are we listening to?"

Regina shot Mary-Margaret a dry look before leaning forward and turning the volume down to the CD that was playing in the car.

"Oh, this is Enya," Belle chimed from the back as she clipped her seatbelt, "I love Enya."
"It sounds like fairy music," the pixie haired woman smiled, silently laughing as she imagined Regina, the Evil Queen, kicking back in her office chair with a glass of wine in one hand while the other upped the volume to her Enya.
"Well, when you put it that way," Regina muttered, completely turning the volume off. "Well, let's go."

Mary-Margaret looked out the passenger's side window while Belle continued to hum the song that Regina had turned off in the backseat, the picture of demure content.

"So any ideas where your sweetheart could be taking Miss Swan?" Regina called to the backseat as she pulled a U-turn in the middle of the block, obviously using her title as mayor to their full advantage.
"Not an idea. He hasn't mentioned any trouble with anyone lately and he's not the sort to go shopping."
"Well, then where do you go shopping?"
"Me?"
"He might be buying you a present or something," Mary-Margaret explained the reasoning to her question and Belle tilted her head in thought while Regina turned down the same block they had seen the two head toward.

Mary-Margaret scanned the street ahead, feeling a thrill of excitement at the idea of a chase. It had been so long since she'd had just a tiny slip of adventure even though Neverland had happened not more than 3-4 months previous.

"I don't see them, do you?"
"Not a sign."
"Is there any place on this road that you would frequent?" Regina asked Belle who took turns glancing out of each side of the vehicle at the signs of the shops on each side of the street.
"Uh, yeah. Busy Mice, Game of Thorns because you can't have a home without fresh flowers, the drycleaners, post office-"
"Lovely," Regina bit out in frustration. "Basically every shop on the street."
"Um, yeah," Belle shrugged as she continued to stare out the window.
"Oh wait! Slow down!"

Regina floored the brake at Mary-Margaret's outburst, scared for a moment that she had come close to hitting someone only to see that there wasn't anyone in the street at all.

"Do you see them?" she asked just a bit too loud as the adrenaline slowly ceased pumping through her system.
"No," Mary-Margaret whimpered with a fond smile as she leaned forward in her seat. "There's a squirrel."
"Awww, how cute," Belle cooed from the backseat, her blue eyes lighting with a smile.

Regina rolled her eyes and leaned forward as well, looking down the hood of her car to see that there was indeed a squirrel sitting in the middle of the road standing on its hind feet as if it were trying to determine whether or not it was safe to move yet. Not one for patience, Regina pressed on her horn until it darted out from the front of her car before frowning at the woman in her passenger's seat.

"Seriously, Snow? I just about had a heart attack."
"Sorry," Mary-Margaret loosely apologized even though her face was rather sheepish.

Shifting her narrowed glare from her stepdaughter back to the road, she lightly pressed down on the acceleration when a gleaming head of blonde hair suddenly stepped out onto the sidewalk. Regina blinked in disbelief when Gold finally came out from the shop they had entered and came to Emma's side. They looked to be exchanging a few words before turning up the sidewalk toward them, Emma's face drawn into a frown while Gold continued to talk.

"And there they are," Regina clucked under her tongue as she found a parking spot on the opposite side of the street.

As Regina parallel parked the car in the wrong direction, Mary-Margaret sighed as she realized that Regina was willing to break all of the rules just to get some dirt on her daughter and Gold. It was kind of fun to see the rather stiff woman let her hair down but a part of her was uncomfortable that it was at Emma's expense.

"I still can't believe you bought that cat."
"Of course, I did. He was so happy to be around people. To put him back in a cage would be borderline cruel," Emma defended as she lugged the carrier along, cursing Little Guy for being obese. She glanced at the bag of cat food that Gold surprisingly insisted on carrying for her wondering if she should cut back on the cat's food intake.
"So we go in to get a cat to my liking and walk out with one for you. Typical female shopping."
"Well, I still think this cat would be perfect for you. Or at least a good backup so yeah," Emma grunted. Her shoulder was already falling asleep. "So, what's the plan now? We only have one shelter and you didn't like any of the cats and I know this may sound surprising but I'm not fond of going down every alley with a can of tuna looking for a stray orange tabby."

Gold's mouth twisted up into smile that made Emma feel just a bit nervous because it wasn't a good look on him. He was up to something.

"Well, while you were trying to busy me with putting the cat in the carrier and trying to direct me toward everything but the wall of adopted out pets to families I was still able to sneak a glance at it," he said all so nonchalantly before pinning Emma with his eyes. "So, Swan, it looks like we're off to pay the Woods' a visit."

Emma frowned and was about to pull a debate with him when he suddenly focused his eyes from her to a point over her shoulder and she could tell from the way he tensed his mouth that whoever it was he saw was not a great thing.

"Emma!"

The sound of Mary-Margaret's voice caused her to freeze in place, looking to Gold with wide eyes before slowly turning around to face her mother. Mary-Margaret was crossing the street toward her, a smile on her face as her ankle high boots clapped across the asphalt and Emma threw her a weak smile, not quite sure exactly what the plan of action was going to be. Regina and Belle followed close behind, a shit eating grin crossing Regina's face while Belle smiled warmly at the man standing beside Emma.

"Where have you been?" Mary-Margaret let out the moment she stepped onto the sidewalk, the smile on her face lilting into something a bit more serious as her brows furrowed into motherly concern. "The whole town this morning was a mess. A huge mess. There were fights breaking out everywhere."
"Belle, what happened to your lip? And your eye?" Rumpelstiltskin's voice suddenly demanded and Mary-Margaret slacked her hip and crossed her arms across her chest, her pointed look toward Emma obviously commenting a silent see?

Emma watched as Belle's smile slightly fell while Gold gently feathered his fingers over the purple mottled skin, concern weighing across his face.

"I pushed a woman down and then I felt terrible so I went to help her up and then well, things got carried away from there. It's nothing, Rumpel."
"It doesn't look like nothing," he bit out.
"I could say the same for you and Miss Swan. What are you two up to?" Regina asked, her hands shoved into the pockets of her pea coat as that shit eating grin grew even more wide. Her eyes fell to the pet carrier in Emma's hands which caused Mary-Margaret to take notice of it as well.
"Uhhhhhm?" Emma started, glancing at Gold with a rather nervous look without really knowing what to say. Oh crap.
"We were just taking Lucifer to the vet. Had to get her checked out," Rumpelstiltskin informed the group of ladies, his words causing Belle's face to scrunch up with concern.
"Oh, is she okay?" she asked, bending down to eye level with the carrier in Emma's hand.
"Quite all right actually," Gold assured her and Emma was suddenly envious of the skill he had to make a lie sound so natural.
"Rumpel," Belle murmured after a slow minute, "She's fat. Like really fat."
"Yeah, it would appear the neighbors have been feeding her as much as we have."

Regina's brown eyes flickered at the quick reply and even Belle raised a brow.

"No, Rumpel, our cat…she's really, really fat. Overnight practically," she said, peering back into the cage again and Emma could tell by the way the carrier tipped forward that Little Guy had come to pay her respects.
"Yeah, well-"
"Well, what?"
"I didn't want to concern you," he slowly drew out and Emma was curious to see what kind of lie he'd be selling now, "but it would appear our cat has a cyst."
"A cyst? Is she going to be all right?"

Nice, Gold, Emma tried her best not to scowl at the man who had not floundered yet.

"It's non-cancerous, my dear, so she'll be quite fine."
"If she's fine how come Emma had to come along?" Mary-Margaret asked aloud, her eyes narrowing in scrutiny.
"Because the shelter was closed…and Emma, being sheriff, could convince Jack to open it up early for this one favor."

Now this was just getting ridiculous. He had a lie for every question and they came out as smooth as butter. No hitch to his facial expression or waver in his voice. Emma was starting to get more annoyed than anything else right now.

"Well, that makes sense. Thank you, Emma," Belle smiled, her eyes still concerned as they studied the cat and Emma was wondering why she wasn't questioning the white spots it so obviously had.

Regina looked between her and Gold and the look on her face suggested that she wasn't buying it. Not for one minute.

"You ladies have fun finishing up your shopping now. No more getting in brawls my dear, Belle," Gold waved at Regina and Mary-Margaret as if dismissing a hoard of irritating children before fixing Bell with a debonair smile. She tiptoed up and gave him a light kiss on the cheek before smiling back up at him.
"You are wonderful. See you for dinner?"
"Of course."

The ladies waved at them, Mary-Margaret shooting Emma an I-know-that-something's-up-I-just-don't-know-what-but-we're-going-to-talk-later kind of look before turning and following Regina who silently appraised them with an unnerving smile.

Gold let out an audible sigh of relief as the women piled back into Regina's car and Emma couldn't help but raise a brow at him.

"Well, that was smooth," she quipped and he just threw her a sideways smile.
"Considering the circumstances , yes. Now let's get to the Wood's. I believe they have something I'm in need of."
"Seriously, Rumpel," Emma breathed out exasperatingly. "I'm not helping you steal a cat. That and what's Belle gonna think? That your cat's cyst just up and magically went away?"
"Well…I am the Dark One. I do possess magical qualities."
"Geeze," she hissed under her breath, taking a hold of all the willpower she had to not stomp her foot on the sidewalk like a petulant child.

He raised a brow at her and his smile grew even more grim.

"You're bound by your word."
"I know," she moaned, looking down at the carrier in her hand. "How come Belle didn't comment on the spots?"
"I don't know. It's almost like magic isn't it? Now, Swan, I'd appreciate if you would stop putting a halt to plans. I have a shop to get back to."
"Fine, let's go."

As if agreeing, the cat in the carrier let out a tiny squeak of a meow and Emma couldn't fight the smile that came to her lips. For being such a huge cat, she had a broken meower. Cute.

"So this is your room," Grace stated as she took a turn around Henry's room, pausing long enough to study the DC Comic posters that adorned his walls.

Henry mumbled an affirmative as he hurried to pick up a pair of boxers that lay in the middle of the room, feeling his face flush from his chin to the roots of his hair at the possibility that Grace could have seen them. What had he been thinking pulling her up here?

He quickly grabbed the phone off of his nightstand before turning around to push her back out of his room. She was bent over in front of the bookcase in the corner of his room, a soft smile on her lips as she studied the contents.

"I take it you enjoy anything DC and Marvel?"
"Yeah, I have more at my mom's house," he commented off handedly as she straightened her posture and directed her smile toward him.

Her eyes fell toward the phone in his hands and she nodded toward it.

"Got the pics?"
"Oh, all of them," he answered with a cheeky grin.
"I can't wait to see. I kind of wish I could have been a fly on the wall watching everything that happened last night."
"What are you talking about? Your Thanksgiving sounded fun. Burned turkey and everything," he said as he turned out the light with her following behind him.

Grace rolled her eyes and raised her brows at him.

"Yeah, but your Thanksgiving hosted the Evil Queen, her stepdaughter Snow White whom she had tried to kill on several occasions, Emma who is the Savior, Neal who is the reason why we had this curse in the first place, Rumpelstiltskin who is just...weird, and Belle who is quite possibly the sweetest person ever. Then there's Hook and your grandpa-"
"Who got really snockered last night. Like off his ass, snockered," Henry emphasized as they descended down the stairs where David still lay in the fetal position with his legs curled under his chin while Killian himself reclined in the chair a safe distance away.

Both of them lifted their heads toward Henry, their faces so full of curiosity and amusement that they reminded Henry of the kindergarteners at school. He pulled up a chair for Grace while he slid his finger over the phone of the screen and went directly to his album, his smile growing even wider as he saw the first few pictures.

"Are you guys sure you really want to see this?"
"No," David let out, his voice flat and void of any of the eagerness showing on his face.
"Just show us, Henry," Killian said as he leaned forward, one of his brows lifting as he tried to sneak a preglance at the screen.

Henry tapped a picture, bringing it into full picture before holding it up to David whose jaw slacked as he stared at the picture in disbelief. After a few seconds he gave out a moan and glanced at Killian who was looking like he was close to wrenching the device out of Henry's hands.

"I'm that grandpa. I'm that grandpa."

One glance at the picture and Killian's lips tilted into a full smile while his shoulders shook from him trying to keep his laughter contained. Needless to say, when David Nolan was photographed taking swigs directly from a whiskey bottle on the kitchen counter in an attempt to keep the glaring Mary-Margaret from taking his drink away, he wasn't quite as charming.

So there's our quick, little update.
Thank you for holding tight patiently.

If you liked it, loved it, or even hated it, leave a review! I always take what you have to say into consideration. Ya'll are great!