I have Belle and Lacey both listed because this fic is a slight AU. Though she is named Lacey her personality closely resembles that of Belle's. It is Storybrooke pre-Emma Swan and Gold has no idea that Lacey/Belle is his True Love. In my AU Belle/Lacey is not in the mental hospital locked up, she is the librarian and she is much closer to the Belle character. I named her Lacey in it though because that is the name she gets when Regina implants new memories into her head in the hospital so I figured that would have been her curse name from the get go. Hope that helps give a little more insight into the Belle/Lacey listing for this story.

With a frustrated sigh Moe raked his fingers back through his thinning hair. In his hand he held three aces and two tens, a strong hand in a high-stakes game of poker. In the middle of the table there was a small pile of chips and the deed to his flower shop. Moe had a gambling addiction that had cost him most of his worldly possessions but still he found himself at the poker table weekly, losing what little he had left. Peering up from his hand he looked across the table to Mr. Gold. With a wry smile the pawn-shop owner calmly spoke, "I raise you another five grand."

Having no cash at hand left and seeing the deed to his lively hood already wagered Moe gave little consideration and nodded. Heart racing, he was certain his hand would win. "Alright, I'm all in then." Moe felt time stop for a moment.

Mr. Gold laid out his hand, a beautiful hand at that. On the table laid the Ace missing from Moe's hand, The King, Queen, Jack and ten of hearts. Moe set down his cards now and his heart began to thud almost audibly inside of his chest. Gold reached forward wit the handle of his cane and raked his winnings over to his side of the table. "I'm afraid you lost Mr. French." His voice was silky smooth and smug, "Though I'm not sure what I am going to do with a flower shop."

Moe sat there in silence, drunk and dismayed that he had not only lost everything but he was now in debt to the least trust worthy man in town. He also knew that he did not have the additional five grand that Gold would doubtlessly demand with no sense of mercy. "Seeing as you have nothing left to wager I think its best I head home now. I will be by in the morning for that check. Goodnight Mr. French." The pawn-broker did not hide the hint of amusement in his voice as he gathered up his winnings.

"Give me a chance to win it back, double or nothing." Moe pleaded with clear desperation in his voice.

"It isn't that kind of game Mr. French. Besides, you're in deep enough if you ask me." With that Mr. Gold left the now ex-florist alone to wallow in his misfortune.

For the rest of the night Moe drank and cried, knowing he was certainly a dead man come morning. Eventually as his bottle of whiskey emptied he was over-taken by a restless sleep.

Lacey had moved out a few years prior, her father had been a drinker and a gambler; she just couldn't stand to live in that situation. Still she loved him dearly and she did what she could to take care of him. It was a little after ten when she showed up to his apartment, using her key to get in knowing that he was undoubtedly passed out on his recliner still. She had picked up breakfast, greasy food to help her father stave off his hangover. "Dad?" she called out as she closed the door behind her. Walking into the kitchen she glimpsed over to her fathers chair and there he was, as expected.

Lacey went over to him and touched his shoulder to wake him gently, "Dad, I brought breakfast," she spoke clearly but gently.

Moe woke with a start, blinking dazed and groggy up at his daughter. Relief over-coming him that it was her face in front of him and not Mr. Gold's. "Good morning sweetie."

Lacey cocked one eye-brow; it never was a good sign when her father called her any of those usually innocent pet names. It meant he had done something that he shouldn't have; it never meant anything good, not once. "What happened." She did her best to keep her voice even, preparing herself for another arrest story.

Moe knew better than to lie to her, Lacey would find out either way that he had lost the shop in a bet. "I lost it all Lacey, the shop, my savings. I lost it all." He paused and waited for his daughter to react.

"To who?" was the only thing that she could manage to say.

"Mr. Gold." Her father replied, "It gets worse. I thought I had the winning hand and the deed to the shop was already on the table. He raised me five thousand dollars and I took the bait."

Lacey was infuriated and worried, "You don't have that kind of money! Why would you ever, ever consider making that bet?"

"I thought I was going to win." Moe's voice was soft and pathetic not daring to look up to meet his daughter's eyes.

"How could you be so stupid?" Lacey's voice was low and shaky as tears flooded down her face.

She had always been cleaning up his messes but she had no idea how she was going to fix this one. She did not have that kind of money to give him and she was barely surviving taking care of her own bills. She couldn't break down like this in front of her father so she quickly headed into his bathroom, locking the door behind her. She steadied herself on the sink, resting her weight on her palms and hanging her head. Tears fell freely and she turned on the faucet to prevent her father from hearing her sob. Sinking backwards Lacey sat herself down, perched on the edge of the bathtub.

While Moe was alone in the living room a knock came to the door. He stayed silent and waited a moment to listen for the knock to come again. It did, louder this time. "Mr. French I know you're home." He heard the less than patient voice of Mr. Gold through the thin wooden door.

It would do him no good to delay the inevitable; Moe approached the door as if it were a march down death row. Opening it and letting in the sharply dressed man enter his unkempt and tiny apartment. "I will keep this brief; I trust you have the money you owe me."

Mr. Gold's manner was entirely business and he seemed to be observing Moe's living space with disdain. It smelled of stale beer and cigarettes and take out boxes waiting to be thrown out towered in one corner.

Moe fell silent and shook his head, "I don't…I don't have it Mr. Gold."

"If this is some sort of joke Mr. French, I assure you that I do not find it amusing. When it comes to money matters you should know by now that I give little leeway to debtors."

"I can get it, just give me time." Moe knew that it would be a long shot but maybe if he pawned his belongings he could pay this debt.

"We both know that you don't have that kind of money. Without your flower shop how do you propose you would be able to pay me?" Mr. Gold spoke with an edge of contempt for the pathetic man trying to bargain for time.

"I don't know." Moe admitted and shook his head utterly lost for a resolution.

Mr. Gold's clever hand slipped inside of his suit-coat and removed his .9mm from his pocket. He did not aim the weapon at Moe instead he simply nodded towards the door. "I've known men like you Mr. French. They make bad choices and bad things happen to them. Put on your shoes, we're going for a drive." Now the gun was aimed in Moe's direction and the man obeyed, sitting down to put on his shoes.

He did not want any harm to come to his daughter so he did this silently. It was out of his control that a moment later the young girl would emerge, puffy eyed, from the bathroom. Her presence was announced by an audible gasp her eyes were now wide with horror, Mr. Gold turned his gaze to her direction. "Ah, Mr. French you didn't tell me that you had company." The slick older man bowed his head in a slight nod to Lacey.

Lacey saw the gun and froze for several seconds before clearing her throat. "H-hello Mr. Gold." Slowly she moved closer to the pawn broker and looked between him and her father.

"Are you going somewhere?" she asked as she watched her father putting on his shoes.

He replied nervously, "Out."

"Your father and I have business to resolve." Mr. Gold spoke flatly; not seeming to care that there might be a witness in the situation.

"I know he owes you money Mr. Gold. Please, I'll help him come up with it." Lacey's voice mewed pleadingly.

Mr. Gold laughed and gave her an appraising sort of look, "I was unaware the library paid so well."

Lacey fell silent for a moment but continued to move between the gun and her father. "I'll do what ever I have to but you'll get your money, I promise."

"You see Miss French I did not get rich on promises. He either has my money or he does not." Mr. Gold was seemingly unwavering in his decision.

The young beauty looked unbelievingly back at the powerful man. She would not be able to get any justice; he had the police and several judges in his pockets. If Mr. Gold took her father he would be killed and it was as simple as that.

Moe stood and approached Lacey, his arms wrapping around her and holding her tightly in a hug. "I love you sweetie, be good." It was as close as he could muster to goodbye, knowing he would not see his daughter again.

As the two men made their way to the door Lacey sprinted, blocking the limping Mr. Gold from exiting. Amused and almost touched by her display of loyalty to her father he decided not to simply shoot her. "Dearie, it would be best if you stepped aside." It was amazing to the girl that he could sound so cool and collected as he was taking her father off to die.

"Take me instead, please!" Lacey met his gaze and stood her ground between him and the door.

Looking back at her Mr. Gold simply shook his head no, the gun now being pointed at her knee. He would not kill the sweet girl for caring but he was not going to let her think him weak.

"Please I know you have some girls that hang out down at the Rabbit hole. I know their w-working girls and they give you their money." She swallowed hard and fell silent again.

"Your point being Miss French?" Mr. Gold asked less than patiently.

"I could do that, I mean I could be one of your working girls. I'll pay off the debt so you don't have to kill him. Please take me instead." Lacey was determined to keep her loser of a father alive at all costs.

Gold admired this bravery in the girl and lowered his gun. She was a very attractive young woman, one of the most beautiful girls he had ever seen in all honesty. Her innocence would be something that his clients would appreciate and she would most definitely be able to earn back every cent that her father had lost. "You have a deal, Lacey. Be at my shop before sundown we have to talk more in detail before you can work for me. If you don't show up then I will have to make a return visit and there will be no bargaining if I have to come back."

Gold gestured for her to step aside and pocketed his gun once again, she opened the door politely for him. "Thank you Mr. Gold." She whispered just loudly enough for him to hear as her heart sank. She had managed to save her fathers life but it was going to come with a very high cost. She waited until the limping man was inside of the elevator before she turned around, grabbed her purse and left with out a word to her father. She was going to have to honor her deal even if it meant doing dishonorable things. It was almost ten thirty now, there would be many hours until sunset but when it came, she would be one of Gold's girls.