Author's Notes: I do not own Once Upon A Time. Thank you so much for your reads and reviews and bearing with me. Please let me know what you think and happy reading!

It had been a hell of a night for Milah.

One hell of a night.

She smiled as she went into the kitcen and then her face fell as she saw her husband.

"Oh," she sneered. "What are you doing here? Did your contract finally get canceled?"

Gold didn't react. "Have a seat, Milah."

"What?"

From the expression on his face, she could tell he wasn't in a mood to be toyed with.

"Have a seat."

She quietly went and sat across from him.

"Our marriage..." He laughed. "Well, that's a bit of an overstatement isn't it, dearie? Our arrangement has not been working in quite some time. So, I think it's best that we call it a day."

Milah shook her head. "Robert, what do you mean?"

"Don't play dumb, Milah. I want a divorce."

"Divorce?!" She cackled. "You can't divorce me! I should be divorcing you!"

"That's precisely what I'm suggesting." He shrugged. "I don't really care how it happens. I've consulted an attorney-"

"You've consulted an attorney? Where did you get the balls for that?"

He ignored her. "Now, he thinks I could easily take you to court and leave you with nothing. After all, a birthday party full of people has seen the way you behave at home, not to mention everything Regina has covered up-"

"Regina will never tell."

Gold shook his head. "Well, we would have to see what happened when she was under oath in a court of law, wouldn't we, dearie?"

Milah's face fell.

"Apparently, the simplest thing for you to do is to move to Nevada for six weeks. I would pay the expenses of course and then you could look forward to some sort of alimony."

She scowled. "What about the house?"

"I believe I'll be selling the house." He paused. "And since you asked, I'll be keeping custody of Bae as well."

"You can't take my son from me!"

"You didn't even mention him!"

"I was going to!"

Gold took a breath.

"You will be free to pursue whatever you wish with your current beau and I won't give a damn. What part of this deal don't you like, dearie?"

"I'll fight you."

"You'll lose," he said, standing up. "And besides, what about your Killian's career? What if he's caught up in the scandal? Just who will you run to then?"

Milah shook her head at him. "This isn't like you."

"No," Gold agreed. "I'd like you gone before the end of the week."

Laurel entered Don's office to see Don and Mark sitting around his desk.

"Why aren't you shooting?," she asked.

"National holiday," said Mark.

"What holiday?"

Don chuckled. "Robert said he needed the morning off to talk to Milah."

Laurel frowned. "Talk to Milah? Why?"

"He's asking for a divorce," Mark said quite satisfied. "I gave him the day. I wanted to give the week, but Don seemed to think that was a bad idea."

"What did Leo say?," she asked skeptically.

"Leo wanted to throw a party," said Don. "So you can just relax."

"I'm relaxed," said Laurel, sitting down. "What brought this on?"

"I should imagine the years of poor treatment and extramarital affairs," said Mark.

"Just now?," asked Laurel.

Don shook his head. "Don't question it. Let it happen."

Mark grinned at Laurel. "I'm going to let it happen by driving Milah to Reno and chaining her to a radiator for six weeks if necessary."

"Besides, we are going to fix all your Snow Queen problems today," said Don, sitting back in his chair.

"Are we now?"

"Yes we are."

Lacey opened the front door, cautiously looking around for signs of her neighbors.

"Mr. Gold, so glad you could come."

"Miss French." Gold held up the script in his hand. "I thought we could work on our lines."

"Come in."

Lacey allowed him entry and shut the door behind him, locking the deadbolt.

"Expecting someone?"

"Ruby has a key and poor timing." She turned back to him and smiled.

He took her in his arms and their lips met in a flurry of pent-up passion. They hadn't been alone since the morning after the last night shoot.

"I needed that," said Lacey.

"Glad to help," said Gold.

"Come on," said Lacey. "Did you eat breakfast? I still have some batter from Colette's pancakes."

"You don't have to cook for me," he insisted as she led him towards the kitchen.

"I want to," she said as she pushed him onto the barstool at the counter, planting another kiss on his lips. "I'll cook. You tell me how it went. Here, we've got some fresh orange juice left."

She put a glass in front of him and he took it there was no sense arguing as she went to work.

"The lawyer says it's best to negotiate the settlement in California and then Milah will go to Nevada for six weeks. After that, I just go for a day in court and it's all done."

"It's that easy?," asked Lacey. "Did you want bacon?"

He shook his head. "I suppose easy is relative. If Milah fights it, it could take a year."

Lacey frowned. "What did she say?"

"Not much. She seemed in amazement that I had any backbone. Not that I can blame her."

"You're a wonderful father and I know you tried to be a good husband, of course you have backbone."

He shook his head. "I faked it. The only thing I could think to do was use some other persona to get through it."

"Well, we all do that," said Lacey.

She finished cooking and put the plate down in front of him, taking the spot next to him at the counter.

"What is it you want to fatten me up for?"

Lacey winked. "I just want you to keep your strength up."

"Mrs. Gold-"

Milah brushed past Mack. "I'm here to see my husband-"

"Mr. Gold isn't in today."

Milah stopped and snapped her head at the gate guard. "What?"

"He's not in and Mrs. Mills says-"

"I don't give a damn what that cow thinks."

"Well, begging your pardon, ma'am, she's the Head of Publicity and she says she doesn't want you on the lot!"

Suddenly, Milah spotted her salvation walking a ways away.

"Killian! Oh, Killian!"

Killian rolled his eyes and nodded at Mack.

"Hello, Milah. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I've decided to leave Robert."

Killian stared at her blankly. "I'm sorry, I don't get the joke."

"What joke? I've finally decided to leave the cripple." She pouted her lips as if this was a matter of deep contemplation. "I tried to hang on for Neal's sake, but in the end, I couldn't fight my heart anymore..."

Killian scowled.

"You really just now decided to leave your husband?"

"Well, yes-"

"After I asked you to leave him last year?"

"Well-" Milah desperately searched for an excuse.

"Look, I don't know what sort of man you thought me to be and I apologize if I gave you the impression that I would wait for you to be finished toying with your husband."

"Killian!" She scoffed loudly. "You know Robert is a joke! It's always been you."

"I see and when do I become your next joke?"

Milah widened her eyes, taken aback by the sudden change in attitude. "What is this all about?"

Killian shrugged. "It's over, Milah. Good luck with your divorce.'

He walked off.

Milah walked back out to the gate guard, seeing Mack engaged in debate with someone else. A large, very angry man with the stench of beer coming off him.

"What kind of dill are you? I just said, I'm her husband!"

Mack shook his head. "I'm not buying it, buddy. If you want an audition, you're gonna want to call the talent department. I'd do something about that breath if I was you."

"The name's Geoffrey Dumas. Go on, ask her. She'll tell you."

"Look, buddy, if you don't leave, I'm going to call the cops."

"Bloody yanks..." he muttered, sulking off.

"Excuse me," said Milah.

Geoffrey turned.

"I wonder if I can help. My husband works at the studio."

He snorted. "So does my wife."

"Really?"

Geoffrey motioned at one of the huge billboards now painted with an advertisement for "Beauty and the Beast."

"Lacey French?," asked Milah. "You're Lacey French's husband?"

"Yeah, only her name's not Lacey French!," he shouted at Mack.

Mack nodded. "Look, buddy, the sidewalk is still on studio property!"

Milah turned to Geoffrey. "Let me buy you a drink."

"No, I know your problem with Snow Queen, you're just so far in it you can't see the forest for the trees."

"Really now?," Laurel asked skeptically.

Mark entered. "This is the greatest day of my life."

"You just went for cigarettes," said Don.

"Milah came to visit Killian Jones and he gave her marching orders." Mark lit a cigarette. "It's all over the lot."

"Did Milah ever actually do anything to you?," asked Don.

Mark shrugged. "Well, her terrible Ophelia didn't help matters, thank God she was only an understudy. I suppose I hate what she represents..."

"How much have you had to drink?," asked Laurel.

"I told you. It's a holiday."

Don turned back to Laurel. "Your problem is that Elsa is not the villain."

"She's not?," asked Laurel.

"No, she's a victim." Don motioned at her notepad. "Go ahead. Write that down."

Mark groaned. "Would you two just sleep together already?"

Gold awoke to find fingers combing through his hair.

"Hello, sleepy," said Lacey, scooting over to give him a chaste kiss on the lips.

"What time is it?" He had fallen asleep quite sated after he and Lacey came to her bedroom with no concern for time or much of anything but their afterglow.

"It's only noon. Plenty of time." She gave a promising smile.

"Well, let's take that one step at a time..." He raised an eyebrow. "Have we been in a bed before?"

"No," said Lacey, coming to press her naked body against his. "We have not been in a bed together before. I like it."

He smiled, suddenly taken by the thought of falling asleep next to Lacey every night and waking next to her in the morning. "Yes, I rather like it, too."

"I can't wait for this to be how it always is," said Lacey, echoing his thoughts. "It'll be different, of course, when we have the kids and everything."

He caught a flash of concern on her face.

"What is it, sweetheart?," he asked.

She let out a breath. "Do you think Bae will like me?"

He let out a laugh. "Of course he does. You already met."

"Yeah, but that was as the entertainment at a party. As his stepmother?"

"You'll win him over," Gold promised. "Now, does Colette like me?"

"Colette likes everyone. It's something I worry about."

"She's sweet," Gold countered. "Let her be sweet for now."

"I'm just worried about the rest of the world getting a hold of her."

"Don't," he said kissing her.

"I can't."

Gold grimaced. "You know, if we were to run into each other somewhere with our children this weekend..."

Lacey looked at him questioningly.

"Since we would each be alone, as colleagues it would be rude to ignore each other and since our children would be present, no one could misconstrue the situation. Bae and Colette could get to know each other better, I could get to know Colette, you could win over Bae..."

"Robert..." She smiled as she bit her lip. "You have a skill for deceit I didn't know about."

"Well..." he said, rolling Lacey under him making her yelp, "so long as I only use my powers for good."

She raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to show me how good you are?"

"Indeed I am," he said kissing her neck and starting his way down.