A Walk in the Park

[Belle/Lacey Gold]

The ride was silent. Abi kept her eyes on him most of the time. When they had reached the house Abi was surprised. She had not expected such wealth. She slipped from the vehicle slowly and stood there for a moment just taking in the landscape. The house was gothic and the lawn was well maintained.

When able, Abi stepped forward. She walked slowly past the many statues and pause to take in the scent of the roses. Such a beautiful flower. One delicate hand reached out to feel the petal of one of the roses. "You have a very attractive home Mr. Gold." Abi told the man turning around to grace him with a small smile.

She mounted the front steps and then stood outside waiting for him to open the door. She did not just want to barge in. Once inside, Abi simply stood in the hallway near a wall. How was it one man had such wealth?

Her head turned slowly looking over all she could see from her stand point before she glanced at the man. Abi did not know what he expected from her or where she was to go. "Thank you for doing this for me. I hope not to be here long and be a burden to you. I am sure I will have found my own home soon enough." Abi did not think that he had invited her here as a room mate. She expected one night at the most.

[Rumpelstiltskin/Mr. Gold]

Gold smiled as he watched her, with her words, it was a comforted to hear them & be so close to her again, "Thank you, I am glade that you like it" He opened the front door for her, his smile coming to play once more with her words again "Say as long as you need, I have the room as you can see" He had closed the door, as he approached her "Now as for something to eat, anything you favor?" He watched her as he spoke "If you want why, I get it ready you are welcome to clean up, shower, a bath if you wish" He looked at her as expecting her to give him, a look like & where will you be "And I will wait for you right here until your return, there is also a room to the left of the bathroom, down the hall that has different clothing, you can see if anything is to your liking & it will give you something clean to were to bed"

[Belle/Lacey Gold]

Abi smiled thankfully when he offered his home to her for as long as she needed. It was good to be somewhere and be wanted. At the mention of food, Abi's stomach gave a loud rubble and she blushed as she glanced him apologetically. "Anything would be fine, thank you." She replied.

"If you want why, I get it ready you are welcome to clean up, shower, a bath if you wish" He was closer to her now and Abi let her eyes move over his frame. He was taller than her by a little bit and wider. Where was he going to be when she did that? "And I will wait for you right here until your return, there is also a room to the left of the bathroom, down the hall that has different clothing, you can see if anything is to your liking & it will give you something clean to were to bed"

"Mr. Gold." Abi told him now. "You are too kind. There are not many that I have met that would help someone like this. She closed the distance between them now and this time she hugged him. Her one arm went around his waist and the other up over his shoulder. "Thank you so much." She told him and then out of impulse and gratitude, kissed his cheek quickly.

Abi released him a few moments later and then turned and headed down the hallway. She found the bathroom and then the room indicated for clothes. When Abi moved across the room to the dresser she was careful not to touch anything. Abi quickly gathered a pair of blue jeans and that looked to be her size and a white tank top. She headed back to the bathroom where she opted for the shower.

Half an hour later, Abi appeared in the hallway again. Her hair was still damp but she was clean. "Mr. Gold?" She called moving down the hallway in search for her protector.

[Rumpelstiltskin/Mr. Gold]

Well, he would just have to choose on what to make though he would aim for not going over the top, though he would want for her to enjoy it was well. Perhaps something simple like, stake, potato's with gravy, green beans & corn bread.

He smiled with her word of being kind -Yes to you Bella always, any other I would be asking for rent or making some deal with them- He felt her hug & lightly returned it "'Your welcome" He felt her kiss to his cheek & his hand with out the cane reach up to touch the area, as surprise was on his face.

Watching her leave for a moment before starting to get to work on a meal, it would give him something else to think on then Belle in his home, at times as he cooked he heard the shower going, it did not help that his mind could imagine things, he shock his head to clear it before moving to finish the meal & get everything ready.

Gold heard her words "In here" He had just gotten the table set, with all the food on it nothing flashy, but he went with his idea to start with so stake, potato's with gravy, green beans & corn bread, he was unsure how she would like her stake cooked so he decided to do something medium, medium well, though at last with this cook, it would still have flavor & be tender, if not cooked enough he could always cook it more & if she liked less then, he would just have to remember for later.

[Belle/Lacey Gold]

"In here" Abi heard and she continued to the dinning room. She peeked around the corner and saw him at a long table. The smell of the food made her mouth water. "Really..." Abi said stepping into the room. "You did not need to go to so much trouble." There was so much food on the table. Later, when Abi got to know this man and the way he was with other people as well as the type of work he did, it would baffle Abi how much kinder he was to her.

She grinned at him and then moved to a empty seat at the side of the table. Abi was sure he would like to sit at the head of the table. "So what do you do, Mr. Gold?" She asked him trying to strike up a conversation as she walked. "I would like to get a job myself. I have been incapacitated for so long. I feel like almost a whole woman again." She was going to say locked away but did not think he would understand.

[Rumpelstiltskin/Mr. Gold]

Gold watched Abi, enter the room he smiled with her first words "Perhaps, but what kind of host would I be to let you stave" He watched her take a seat at the table "I run a pawn & antiquities shop, then collect rent on property I own" He did not bother to say how much property, she would learn with time. At her words of wanting a job, he moved to take a seat at the head of the table as he spoke "And what kind of job where you wanting or think you would like to try?" He watched her waiting for her answer, his cane he rested against the table though not in the way.

[Belle/Lacey Gold]

Ah..so that was where he got his money from. Abi said nothing however. She looked at the food once more but would wait for him to start. It was his house afte rall. "I would like to see your shop." She told him after a moment. She would be interested in what others had sold him and the items he had found. Abi watched him sit. "And what kind of job where you wanting or think you would like to try?" He asked her now. Abi thought about this.

"I would like to work with children." She answered finally. "They have young pure minds to be nourished. Maybe as a kindergarten teacher? I like to play a bit and I have been known to be creative." Abi grinned at this. "But..." She continued looking at him for a moment before shrugging. "I don't have the education for that. I mean I love children and I can work with them. I would make a good teacher and I could do the job if I had the opportunity." She smiled once again trying to lighten her own spirits. "But I am sure there are lots of other jobs here that I can do instead.

[Rumpelstiltskin/Mr. Gold]

"You are welcome to see my shop any time you want" He did not have to wait long for her to speak of the job she would want "I can speak with the school, on the matter if that is what you would like to try, there is also a day care here in town as well" He looked at her "If you wish to be a teacher, would you want something like kinderguard, pre-kinder guard or what?" It would help for him to get her a job, though it might be good to start with the younger children & build up if she wanted to.

[Belle/Lacey Gold]

"You are welcome to see my shop any time you want" He told her. Abi smiled. "Thank you." She replied. When he continued to speak however, Abi looked at him in surprise. "I can speak with the school, on the matter if that is what you would like to try, there is also a day care here in town as well. If you wish to be a teacher, would you want something like kindergarten, pre-kinderguard or what?"

Abi found it hard to answer at first. She could not believe that he was offering to help her like this. "Really?" She finally asked and then Summer beamed at him. "That would be amazing! You... I..." She blinked and then closed her mouth. She blinked and shook her head. "I would be so grateful. But what can I do for you in return?" She then realized his question to her. "Kindergarten..." She told him. "I would love kindergarten. She stood now. The least she could do was serve him dinner. Abi was just so stunned. She moved to his side and then took his plate, "Please, what would you like?"

[Rumpelstiltskin/Mr. Gold]

Gold heard her words of thanks & response to his words, he was please to make her so happy, kind of funny when anyone else he normally found pleasure in there pain. He looked at her as she spoke on what to do for him "You do not have to do anything in return" He saw he stand, he looked to her, as he watched her approached after she took his plate, he heard her words "Like?.." Of course it all appeared to sink in & he spoke "A bit of everything would be fine" He had not expected this event, though it was not a welcome to have her close once more, something that after so long was still just sinking in.

[Belle/Lacey Gold]

"You do not have to do anything in return" He told her but summer said nothing. She did owe him in return and now she knew what she could do. He could take care of himself. But behind every successful man was a woman. She would do what was needed here. That would be Abi's way to repay him. She could cook and clean. She would help him. "Like?.." He asked her and Abi looked towards him for a moment. "A bit of everything would be fine" She nodded. "Alright."

Belle did as he asked and then put one of each type of food on his plate neatly. She turned to him now and then moved to place the plate before him again. "There you are." She said and then took up her plate and did the same for herself. "Care to tell me where you keep cleaning things and such after dinner?" She asked him now. She hoped he would not refuse her this.

[Rumpelstiltskin/Mr. Gold]

Gold listened to her words, as she set his plated before me he spoke a thanks, he waited for her to get food before she took a seat to start to eat. With her last words he looked at her a moment, before he spoke "I can tell you" Though his mind was already thinking on here words "You do know, you do not have clean" Though he was sure, it would not change her mind or her want to feel she payed him back some how. They ate, though he made no rush to eat so he just enjoyed it with, the company he had.

[Belle/Lacey Gold]

"I can tell you" He told her. "You do know, you do not have clean" He added and Summer looked down for a moment. "Yes," She replied. "I know that. I want to do something to repay you." She chuckled. "It's either that or I can work in your store." She was only kidding though in all honesty if he would prefer that instead, Abi wouldn't mind.

She began to eat. She really was hungry but she tried to pace herself. She did not want to look like a pig. As much as she tried however, she was done in record time. Afterwards, Abi's eyes closed and she sat back in her chair slowly. "That was wonderful..." She told him without looking at the man. "I feel so much better." She could not believe the hospitality of this man. Shelter, clothes, food and the promise of protection. She opened her eyes now and smiled at him brightly.

[Rumpelstiltskin/Mr. Gold]

"If you feel you must repay me, I will not stop you" He smiled lightly "If you worked in my shop, that would get some peoples attention, not that I would not expert the help I just, would like you to know what you would be getting into" At seeing he appear to be done he spoke "Are you sure you have had enough, there is more then enough left" He would not puss it though, he would offer it, he knew what if felt like to hungry one, thing about having all his memory's is he remembered everything. "I am glade you liked it"

[Belle/Lacey Gold]

"If you feel you must repay me, I will not stop you" Mr. Gold told her and Abi nodded. "If you worked in my shop, that would get some peoples attention, not that I would not expert the help I just, would like you to know what you would be getting into" Abi shook her head. "I understand, that was just a foolish idea." She told him quickly. She stood now and took her plate and then his.

"I have had enough thank you." She told him with another smile. "I will clean. And I have had enough food. I appreciate you doing this for me." She then left the room and moved to the kitchen. Abi cursed herself silently. He had already done so much and there she was pushing herself on him about the store. Foolish. She placed the dishes in the sink and then returned to the dinning room for the left over food. She kept her eyes down embarrassed with herself.