Five years ago...

EVA SAT on a cold, hard steel chair. Her blonde hair was matted and dirty, her face caked with blood and matching bruises. Her small green eyes were dull and her skin was yellow. She wore torn clothes that were sizes too big for her. Her hands clutched her stomach as the door squeaked.

The young blond looked up to see an older man, her eyes shot as her breathing became erratic. "It's okay dearie, I'm not here to hurt you" He spoke softly, sitting down across from Eva. He pulled out a small mouse plushie, sliding it across the table between them. Tears welled in her eyes as she began to count, her breathing returning to normal. "Who are you?" Eva questioned, her voice timid. "I'm Mr Gold, I'm here to help" the man introduced, watching as Eva took the plushie in her hands.

"What do you want?" Eva asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "To help you with your...growing problem" Gold told her, his eyes pointing to her stomach.

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Eva yawned as Emma and Henry talked. She was supposed to bring Henry to his school bus alone, but the young boy insisted on inviting Emma. So she walked behind them, reading through her list of jobs for the day. As she read through her list, Eva mentally cursed herself. "Shit... You two go on without me" Eva told them, shoving her list into her bag. "Everything okay?" Emma asked her, seeing her frustrated face. "Forgot I had a job at Granny's, I'll see you after school Henry!" Eva shouted, running in the opposite direction.

She ran into Granny's, her breaths were short and shallow. "Finally, didn't think you were gonna show" Granny commented, placing the toolkit on top of the counter. "You think I'd miss my free grilled cheese and chocolate mocha?" Eve smirked, getting shooed to the laundry room by the older woman. Quickly, Eva rolled up her sleeves and got to work.

"How much longer?" a voice called out from the other side of the machine that Eva was almost finished on. "Just put your clothes in now, she should be good to go" Eva told the person. With a small fist bump, Eva got up from the floor as she heard the machine working perfectly.

"Eva Crow?"

The girl turned around to see a familiar blonde. "Ashley!" Eva smiled brightly before noticing the bump her old friend was sporting. "Holy shit! I forgot you and Prince Douchebag ended up pregnant" Eva blurted out, making Ashley laugh at the younger girl's bluntness. "Yeah, not tooo long now" Ashley sighed, rubbing her bump.

"Keeping or giving up?" Eva asked, seeing the look on Ashley's face. "Giving away. His Dad got me a...deal" Ashley answered, putting in the white sheets from her load. Eva looked at her with a dangerous look. "You made a deal! How stupid are you!" Eva shouted at her, face red with anger. "Eva, I didn't have a choice!" Ashley shouted back at her, slamming the laundry machine's lid closed.

Eva took a deep breath, packing up the tools to give back to Granny. "There is always a choice Ashley, you shouldn't let people make them for you" Eva told her, leaving the room angry at her friend for being a pushover. Emma tried to catch Eva's attention as she walked into Granny's. "Hey, kid... you good?" Emma asked, only for Eva to walk past her completely ignoring her.

Eva stopped by the closed-down library, taking a calming breath as she walked towards Archie's office. She opened the door and slammed it just as quickly, frightening Archie. "Eva? Are you okay?" He asked her, seeing the tears pricking her eyes. "Ashley...she's selling her baby to him" She told him in disgust, her eyes filled with fear and confusion.

Archie made an 'oh' face before gesturing for Eva to sit. "I just don't get it! She knows what happened to me but she agreed to it?" Eva rambled, walking back and forth in front of the couch. "Eva, I understand that you are worried about your friend but maybe you should leave her be" Archie suggested. Eva stopped in her tracks, turning her head to look at him with a glare that rivalled Regina's.

"No! She's my friend I want to help her but..." Eva slumped onto the chair, her breath deflated. "I can't help but feel this urge to...run" Eva gulped. "Why?" Archie questioned her seeing the progress in her own answers. "I... just wanna leave this town behind, run far away where no one could find me" Eva answered, the guilt building up in her stomach. "But I can't leave Henry... not like I left..." She stopped herself, feeling a tear fall on her hand.

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4 years ago...

Eva held onto the IV drip as she walked up to a huge window. She watched as a small baby slept soundly wrapped up in a light pink blanket and matching hat. Her heart ached in a way Eva had never felt before.

She didn't notice Dr Whale coming up from behind her, a sorrowful face as he watched the young child. "Eva?" he called out, causing the ten-year-old to jump. She looked at him, slightly afraid of the older man. "It's time, you ready?" He asked her, bending down to her level. "Will it hurt?" She asked him, pulling at the skin on her fingernails. "You won't even feel it, you'll be asleep" Whale explained to her, allowing her the walk ahead of him back to her hospital bed.

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Eva walked into Mary Margaret and Emma's apartment. "Hey! Can I crash for the weekend?" She asked them, her entire body shaking. "Yeah is everything okay?" Mary Margaret asked with a motherly gaze. "No, Mr Gold is around and I'm not taking any chances" Eva said, feeling safer in the small space than anywhere else in town.

"What's so bad about him?" Emma asked, not understanding Eva's fear of the man. "Trust me you don't want to know" Eva told her, walking over to the cabinet and taking out a bar of chocolate. She jumped onto the countertop, looking as Emma opened up another box. "Is that all your stuff?" Eva asked, seeing the four boxes surrounding Emma. "What do you mean?" Emma furrowed her eyebrows at the teen. "Is the rest in storage?" Mary Margaret asked as well, trying to seem less bothered by Emma's lack of belongings. "No, this is all of it. I'm not sentimental" Emma shrugged, opening another box. "Well, it must make things easier when you have to move" Mary Margaret commented nicely, only for Eva to roll her eyes. "At least you have stuff. I have three outfits to pick and chose from every day" Eva slumped.

Then there was a knock at the door. Mary Margaret answers it. Eva felt her stomach drop as she heard the visitor's voice. "Miss Blanchard. Is Miss Swan here?" Mr Gold asked, causing Eva to drop to the floor, hiding behind the countertop that sectioned off the kitchen area in the apartment. Emma gets up and comes to the door, as well and Mr Gold shakes her hand.

"Hi, my name's Mr Gold. We met briefly on your arrival" He introduced himself with a quick smile. "I remember" Emma recalled with a tightlipped smile, hating that the fourteen-year-old child was hiding from this man. "Good. I have a proposition for you, Miss Swan. I, uh... I need your help. I'm looking for someone" Mr Gold explained to Emma, giving a quick glance to Mary Margaret.

" You know what? I'm going to go jump in the bath" the woman made up quickly running to her bathroom. As she closed the door, she saw a shaking Eva. The young girl couldn't move, not from her position but from fear.

"I have a photo. Her name is Ashley Boyd. And she's taken something quite valuable of mine" Mr Gold began to properly explain to Emma. "So, why don't you just go to the police?" Emma suggested. "Because, uh... She's a confused young woman. She's pregnant. Alone and scared. I don't want to ruin this young girl's life. But I just want my property returned" Mr Gold answered, Eva behind the counter rolling her eyes at his reasoning.

"What is it?" Emma asked him, trying to see if the man was going to lie to her. "Well, one of the advantages of you not being the police is discretion. Let's just say it's a precious object and leave it at that" Mr Gold avoided the question like an expert leaving Emma slightly stunned. "When'd you see her last?" Emma asked him, getting down to business. "Last night. That's how I got this" Mr Gold pointed out the cut on the side of his head.

"It's so unlike her. She was quite wound up. Rambling on and on about changing her life. I have no idea what got into her. Miss Swan, please help me find her. My only other choice is the police, and I don't think anyone wants to see that baby born in jail now, do they?" Mr Gold spoke like he actually cared, making Eva's stomach twist and turn. "No, of course not" Emma agreed. "So, you'll help me, then?" Mr Gold asked Emma.

"I will help her" Emma stated firmly, her choice of words making Eva smile. "Grand" Mr Gold accepted before the door opened between them. Henry walks in "Hey, Emma. I was thinking we-" Henry stooped as she saw Mr Gold, who flashes him a crooked smile. "Hey, Henry. How are you?" Mr Gold greeted the boy.

"Okay?" Henry shrugged not knowing what to say to the man or why he was around Emma. "Good. Give my regards to your mother. And, um, good luck, Miss Swan" Mr Gold bided his farewell, leaving the apartment.

Eva was quick to get up from the floor. Her breath is uneven as she stares at the doorway with wide eyes. " Is he gone gone?" Eva asked, ready to run if the man came back into the apartment. "He's gone" Emma reassured her, allowing Eva to finally relax. Her entire demeanor returned to the usually 'broken kid' one every foster kid seemed to have.

"Do you know who that is?" Henry asked Emma, furrowing his eyebrows. "Yeah, course I do" Emma answered blindly, taking out a pair of jeans and a top. "Who? Cause I'm still trying to figure it out" Henry asked her again, talking about the curse. "Oh. I meant in reality" Emma cleared up, closing the box she took a jacket out of. "Is that all you brought?" Henry scrunched his nose. Eva snorted at the question, seeing Emma get fed up with the silent criticism.

Emma let out a sharp sigh, "Henry, what are you doing here?" She asked the ten-year-old. "My mom's gone till five. I thought we could hang out" Henry told her, the innocence in his eyes as he looked at his birth mother. "Ah, kid. I wish I could. But there's something I got to do" Emma told him, going to the spare room to change.

Eva was quick to text Ruby about Gold, hoping Ashley might find out.

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Henry follows Eva who's chasing after Emma outside. The three are walking down the street. "Please let me help" Henry begged Emma after she explained what she was up to today. "No! No, it could be dangerous" Emma brushed off Henry as Eva walked backwards looking at Emma. "Please, Emma don't do this I'm begging you" Eva pleaded, her eyes filled with regret. "The pregnant maid is dangerous?" Henry questioned, ignoring Eva's pleas. "She assaulted Mr Gold" Emma told Henry. "I wonder why?" Eva rolled her eyes.

"Cool!" Henry exclaimed not understanding what Ashley did was super illegal. "This isn't a game. She's desperate" Emma told Henry gently. "Yeah, I wonder why?" Eva gritted her teeth. "How do you know?" Henry questioned, making Eva question Emma's reasons for finding Ashley. "Because I know" Emma told him, her voice filled with certainty. "Well, then let's find her" Henry agreed, going to the other side.

"Oh, no, no, no, no. There is no lets. You cannot come with me" Emma told Henry, acting like a mother. "Then I'll look for her myself" Henry decided, not caring if Emma wants his help or not. "Then I'll find you and I'll bring you back" Emma warned him, crossing her arms. "Then you wouldn't be helping the maid" Henry refuted Emma's warning, earning a fist bump from Eva. She thought him well. "I am just trying to be responsible, here" Emma whined slightly. " And I'm just trying to spend time with you" Henry copied her, getting into the backseat of Emma's car. "What about you?" Emma sighed, having a feeling about Eva's answer.

Eva pushed back the passenger side, looking up at Emma with a mischievous smile. "Stop you from helping Gold" Eva told her, hopping into her car. "Oh, that is really not fair" Emma groaned at the pair of kids. She's going to have a rough day. "So, the maid. What's her story?" Henry asked the girls, leaning his elbow's on each of the seats as Emma starts the car.

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Emma, Eva and Henry are talking with Ruby at Granny's Diner. Ruby's car is being dropped off by a tow truck. "So, this boyfriend of hers. You don't think he was involved in her disappearance?" Emma questioned Ruby and Eva as Ruby leaned against the fence. Eva scoffed at the mention of Sean. "Uh, that would mean he was involved with her at all, which he isn't. He left her in the lurch, right after they found out they were expecting. Hasn't spoken to her since. Like I said-" Ruby began to loudly shout at the tow truck guy as her car dropped abruptly and the wolf charm hanging on her mirror almost breaks.

Ruby runs over the the guy slightly, hand on her hip seductively. "Hey! Hey! Hey! Billy, be careful! You almost shattered my wolf thing, Billy. It's good luck" She told the guy, Billy as he also walked closer to her. "I'm sorry, Ruby. But look ... it's fine" Billy reassured Ruby, causing Eva to fake gagged at the two. "Um, Ruby. What about her family?" Emma asked the brunette, taking back her attention from her hormones.

"Oh, um, she's got a stepmom and two stepsisters that she doesn't talk to" Eva perked up, remembering a conversation she had with Ashley when they first started working together. "Wait. Stepmom, stepsisters, and she's a maid?" Henry pointed out. "Henry. Not now" Emma warned him, looking at Ruby and Eva again, hoping for more information. " Look. I don't know what you've heard, but it's wrong. Everyone thinks she's not ready to have this kid, but she's trying. Taking night classes, trying to better herself... Trying to get her life together. Can you understand that?" Ruby told Emma while making Eva feel super shitty for her argument with Ashley yesterday. "I think so" Emma answered Ruby.

"Then maybe you should just stay out of it. She's been through enough already" Ruby suggested to Emma, giving Eva a side glance as she returned to look at her feet. "I've been through it too, Ruby, and I can help her" Emma explained to Ruby, shocking Eva as she heard truth in her words. "Then, try her ex" Ruby shrugged, seeing Eva grimace at the mention of seeing the douchebag again. "Where can I find him?" Emma asked them. "I'll show ya. He lives with his dad" Eva volunteered, the trio walking back to the car. Eva gave Ruby a small nod before getting into the car. Ruby knew what to do next.

<><><>

Emma knocks on Sean's door at the same time Eva sees, Sean's father is pulling up the driveway. Sean opened the door, seeing Eva looking at him with daggers. "Can I help you? Or are you gonna sucker punch me again?" He directed at Eva sarcastically. "I'd do worse if you keep up the douchebag act Herman" Eva answered back, earning a warning glance from Emma.

"Sean Herman?" Emma questioned as a formality, already knowing this was the baby daddy. "Yeah. Who are you?" Sean raised an eyebrow, seeing as the woman was with Eva Crow of all people. "I'm Emma Swan. I'm... I'm looking for Ashley Boyd. She's in trouble. Just thought maybe she came to see you" Emma told him, curious to Eva's pervious encounter with Sean. That's when Mr Herman walked up behind the girls. "My son doesn't have anything to do with that girl anymore. So, whatever trouble she's in, I am sorry for her, but there's nothing we can do to help you" He told Emma, also giving Eva a small glare. "Ms Crow" He greeted her with a dark tone. "Mr Herman" Eva responded back with the same tone

"You're the reason he broke up with her" Emma stated, seeing the way Mr Herman spoke about Ashley. "Absolutely. I'm not going to let my son throw away his entire life over a mistake" Mr Herman told Emma, standing in front of his son. Eva scoffed at him, crossing her arms. 'Coward' Eva thought. "So you just told him to leave her?" Emma asked him, slightly annoyed by the father. "Well, what are they going to do? Raise the child in the backseat of a car?" Mr Herman threw out, his comment deeply offending the girls. "Some people only have the backseat of a car" Emma defended, her anger rising at the man.

"Well, they're to be pitied. I'm not letting that happen to my son" Mr Herman put his foot down. "Dad, maybe we should help her look" Sean spoke up, peaking Eva's interest. "It's a waste, Sean" Mr Herman told him, before finally entering his house. "Sean, if you want to come, come. Stop letting other people make decisions for you. If Ashley runs away with this baby, she's going to be in some serious trouble" Emma told Sean, hoping to change his mind and allow the boy to step up likely he so clearly wanted to.

"She's running away with the baby?" Sean was shocked, not thinking Ashely would do such a thing. "Yes, come one Sean. It's not just Ashley's baby, it's yours too" Eva pleaded with Sean, his eyes shocked that the teen was being nice to him. "Sean. Inside. Now" Mr Herman demanded. Sadly Sean went back into the house, causing any hope Eva had for him diminish. "Look. Believe me, if I knew where she was, I would tell you. I went to a lot of trouble to get her that deal" Mr Herman told Emma, making Eva fume at him. "Deal? What are you talking about?" Emma questioned just like Eva knew she would.

"You don't know? Ashley agreed to give up the child. And she's being paid very well to do so. Isn't that right Eva?" Mr Herman spoke, a wicked glance at Eva. The teen stepped back slightly at the comment, the pit on her stomach growing. "She sold the baby?" Emma's eyes widened in shock. "Oh, you make it sound so crass. I found someone who's going to find that child a good and proper home" Mr Herman brushed off like it was any business transaction. "And who are you to judge whether Ashley is capable of providing that?" Emma snapped at him, her own regret taking over her judgment ever so slightly.

"Look at her. She's a teenager. She's never shown any evidence of being responsible. How could she possibly know how to be a mother?" Mr Herman laid out in front of Emma. "Maybe she's changing her life" Emma brought up from her conversation with Ruby earlier. "Everybody says that. Now, look. I found someone who's going to pay Ashley extremely well. Someone who's going to see to it that everybody's happy" Mr Herman spoke with a little bit a pride in his choice for Ashley.

"Mr Gold" Emma gasped, everything making sense. "Well, isn't that why you were hired? To bring him the baby?" Mr Herman questioned, believing Emma knew the full story. "Did you not tell her Eva?" Mr Herman added, looking down at Eva who seemed to cave in on herself.

<><><>

Emma, Eva and Henry are driving in Emma' car. Eva stayed quiet as they drove, her heart pounding inside her chest. "You can't make her double cross Gold. No one's ever broken a deal with him and gotten away with it" Henry exclaimed to Emma, seeing as Eva wasn't going to say anything. "I'm happy to be the first. If Ashley wants to have this baby, she should have it. Anyone who wants to be a mother, should damn well be allowed to be one" Emma gritted her teeth before looking over to Eva quickly.

"What did he mean Eva? About what he said to you" Emma asked her, the comments made to the teen were bugging the hell out of Emma. Eva just looked out the window, "Nothing, he's just pissed I punched his kid" Eva answered. But they both knew that it was a flat out lie. "You knew about the deal, didn't you" Emma questioned, leaving the lie for a later conversation. "I found out yesterday, trust me I was as shocked as you" Eva told her.

They arrive at Granny's, They all enter and Emma approaches Ruby. "Why didn't you tell me she sold the baby?" She snapped at the waitress. "Because I didn't think it was important" Ruby shrugged off before seeing Eva shake her head. "Really? Considering that's why she's running away" Emma pointed out. "Look, Ashley's our friend. I don't like the idea of people judging her" Ruby told Emma, as the blonde notices Ruby's wolf charm on the counter beside them.

She looked out the blinds before looking back at Ruby. "Ruby, where's your car? You didn't send me to Sean to find her. You sent me there to give her a head start" Emma looked t Ruby and Eva, seeing them both bite their lips. " Look, We're only trying to help her" Eva told Emma, seeing the disappointed look Emma gave her. " Yes, so am I. Ashley's in more trouble than you know. Ruby, where is she? Don't make her deal with Gold without me" Emma told them both, pleading with them to allow her help her friend.

"I can't talk in front of him. He's the Mayor's kid" Ruby told Emma, motioning to Henry. "Hey! I'm on your side" Henry yelled out at Ruby, looking at Eva in disbelief as she nodded. "There's just some things I can't tell you kid, sorry" Eva bit back her tongue, feeling a weight on her chest. Seeing Henry's pleading eyes made her heartache. "Henry, I need to find this woman. And in order to do that, I need you to go home, okay? So please listen to me. Seriously. They can't going to tell me anything if you're around" Emma explained nicely to Henry, who's face dropped. "Okay" Henry sighed, seeing his defeat clearly. "Thank you" Emma smiled gratefully as Henry leaves the diner.

"She left town. Said she was going to try Boston. Thought she could disappear there" Ruby told Emma, Eva agreeing with a hum. "How long ago did she leave?" Emma asked Ruby, knowing that Eva was with her since their last conversation with Ruby. "About a half an hour" Ruby answered before Emma and Eva left.

As the pair entered the yellow bug, Eva gulp looking at Emma. "Ashley's my friend, I just wanted her to have the best chance with her baby. I know your pissed" Eva told Emma as the car started. Emma looked at Eva with sympathy, "I'm not mad at you Eva, I just wish you told me when I got the job not hid it from me" Emma sighed, driving to the town exit.

<><><>

Emma was driving as Eva looked out around the road for Ruby's car. "What'd she tell you?" Henry's voice popped out from the backseat from hiding. "Henry! What the hell? We're going to Boston. You can't come with us" Emma told him, pissed the kid didn't listen to her earlier. "You can't go to Boston! She can't leave. Bad things happen to anyone who does" Henry brought up the curse. "Henry, we don't have the time to argue with you over the curse. We've got to get you home" Eva told him. "We have to stop her before she gets hurt! We're wasting time! If you drop me off, we'll never catch up to her" Henry reminded them of the lack of time they had.

"Henry" Emma groaned, knowing that id Regina finds out she's fucked. "And then Mr. Gold will call the police, and he'll have her sent to jail" Henry added, making Eva freeze. She gave Emma a hopeless look, they both knew that Henry had a point and they were stuck.

" ...Buckle up. Ashley, what did you get yourself into?" Emma whispered the last part, making Eva's hand shake with anxiety as she unknowingly held her stomach. They were driving along the road when Henry saw something ahead of them and pointed out the familiar vehicle. "Emma. it's Ruby's car" Eva panicked seeing smoke come from the engine. "Ashley!" Emma and Eva shout, running to the car. But Ashley wasn't there. They hear a moan and find Ashley sitting in the grass. Eva ran to her, seeing her hold her stomach tightly.

"My baby! It's coming!" Ashley cried in pain. Eva was quick to help her up. "Hospital! Now!" Eva screamed.

<><><>

Emma, Eva, Henry and Ashley are in Emma's car. Eva sat i the backseat, trying to sooth Ashely with breathing exercises and hold her hand. "Is the baby really coming?" Henry asked, the entire experience new to him unlike Eva and Emma. "Ohh yeah. Don't worry...the hospital isn't that far" Emma reassured them, only for Ashley to looked at her with wide eyes. "No! No, no, no. Take me to Boston. I can't go back there." Ashley pleaded with Emma. "Ash, we don't have four hours, believe me I know" Eva told her friend, seeing the look from Emma who agreed with the teen.

"I can't go back there. Please. He's going to take my baby" Ashley cried, squeezing Eva's hand tightly at the fear of losing her child. "I won't let that happen. Do you know what you're asking for? If you keep this child, are you really ready?" Emma asked Ashley, needing to know if the girl really wanted this. "Yeah" Ashley groaned in pain as another contraction hit her. "Are you sure? Because I wasn't" Emma told her, momentarily forgetting the same child was in the backseat.

"You weren't?" Ashley asked. "Nope. If you want to give this kid its best chance, it's going to be with someone who's ready, so know what that means. Your whole life is going to change and once you decide that it's yours, this 'running away' can't happen. You have to grow up and you can't ever leave. Understand?" Emma made very clear to Ashley what her choice will result in. "Yes. I want my baby" Ashley confirmed as another contraction came in closer than before.

<><><>

Emma, Eva and Henry are sitting in the waiting room of the hospital. Eva's leg bouncing up and down as she messed with her baby blanket. "You know, Emma. You're different" Henry spoke, breaking the dreadful silence. "Why's that?" Emma questioned as she gently grasped Eva's hand, feeling the teen relax. "You're the only one who could do it" Henry mentioned vaguely again. "Break the curse? Yes, I know. You keep telling me that" Emma assumed.

"No. Leave. You're the only one who can leave Storybrooke" Henry told her, confusing the woman. "You left and came and found me in Boston" Emma reminded him, only for the kid to shake his head. "But I came back. I'm ten – I had no choice. But if anyone else tried to go, bad things would happen" Henry explained, but that confused Emma more. "Anyone, except me? What about Eva?" Emma asked, knowing the girl was deeply in her own head to pay attention.

"You're the saviour. You can do whatever you want. You can go. I don't know about Eva yet though, as far as I can tell she's never left" Henry said before a doctor approaches them. "Miss Swan. Baby is a healthy six pound girl and the mother is doing fine" the doctor spoke, Emma and Eva let out a sigh of relief, delighted that Ashley and the baby were safe. It was Eva's sharp breath that caught Emma's attention. Mr. Gold has just entered the hospital.

"What lovely news. Excellent work, Miss Swan. Thank you for bringing me my merchandise. Ms Crow" Gold gave the teen his signature crooked smile with the matching cruel glint in his eyes. Eva was quick to withdraw from Emma's hand, sitting down back on the chair. She curled up into a ball, her breathing going out of control.

"No" she squeaked, tears welling up in her eyes. The mere sight of Eva made Emma not just infuriated with Gold, it also made her want to grab the girl and run to Boston to keep her safe from whatever this man had done to do this to a literal child.

Mr Gold is getting a cup of coffee at the coffee machine. Emma walked up next to him with a glare from hell. "Well, well. Must be my lucky day. Care for a cup, Miss Swan?" Mr Gold perked up, only for Emma's anger to soar. "A baby? That's your merchandise? Why didn't you tell me?" She demanded out of the man, hands on her hips. "Well because, at the time, you didn't need to know" Mr Gold simple shrugged off. Emma had a feeling a lot of men in this town seemed to handle these situations like business transactions. "Really? Or you thought I wouldn't take the job?" Emma assumed.

"On the contrary, I thought it would be more effective if you found out yourself. After seeing Ashley's hard life, I thought it would make sense. Do you? I mean, if anyone could understand the reasons behind giving up a baby, I assumed it would be you and young Eva" Mr Gold pointed out knowing that Emma was unaware that Eva had bene put in a situation familiar to this. "You're not getting that kid" Emma stated, leaving Eva out of the argument. She'll deal with that later with Eva alone.

"Actually, we have an agreement. My agreements are always honored. If not, I'm going to have to involve the police and that baby is going to end up in the system. And that would be a pity. You didn't enjoy your time in the system, did you, Emma?" Mr Gold pushed, knowing exactly what to say. " It's not going to happen" Emma stayed put, not backing down from Gold in anyway. "I like your confidence. Charming. But all I have to do is press charges. She did, after all, break into my shop" Mr Gold reminded Emma.

"Let me guess... to steal a contract?" Emma added snarkily. "Who knows what she was after?" Mr Gold shrugged off, which really pissed Emma off. "You know no jury in the world will put a woman in jail, whose only reason for breaking and entering was to keep her child. I'm willing to roll the dice that contract doesn't stand up. Are you? Not to mention what might come out about you in the process. Somehow, I suspect, there is more to you than a simple pawn broker. You really want to start that fight" Emma asked him, crossing her arms as she stayed put on her opinion.

"I like you, Miss Swan. You're not afraid of me, and that's either cocky or presumptuous. Either way, I'd rather have you on my side" Mr Gold decided simply, the look of a change in thought on hsi face. " So, she can keep the baby?" Emma asked hopefully. "Not just yet. There's still the matter of my agreement with Miss Boyd" Mr Gold contemplated loosely. "Tear it up" Emma told him. "That's not what I do. You see, contracts – deals – well, they're the very foundation of all civilized existence. So, I put it to you now. If you want Ashley to have that baby, are you willing to make a deal with me?" Mr Gold suggested, making Emma wary.

"What do you want?" Emma asked him, knowing how people can be affected by his deals, especially breaking them. "Oh, I don't know just yet. You'll owe me a favour" Mr Gold seemed to be pleased. "Deal" Emma agreed before questioning him again. "What about Eva? I know you have it out for her" Emma brought up, much to Mr Gold's dismay. "Sorry, but Ms Crow's contract is... too far gone for you to swoop in and save her. She's lucky I'm feeling generous today" Mr Gold told Emma before leaving the hospital.

<><><>

Eva stood outside the nursery in the hospital, looking at Ashley's daughter, Alexandria. "Sean pulled through" Emma spoke next to her. Eva smiled softly, "Good, now she had both her parents". Their was this feeling Emma was getting around the teen, wistful.

"I was 10" Eva said, breaking the tension. Emma raised her eyebrow. "What?" Emma furrowed her eyebrows. "Ashley told me about how you inspired her to change her mind. I was 10 and I had the same contract as her" Eva took a deep breath. Emma looked at Eva, gob smacked at the words that left her mouth.

"I was supposed to... give my baby to Gold but... when I saw her, she was so innocent. I couldn't just let him take her. So I stole some nurse's car and drove out to Boston. I left her by a church and came back. That's why Gold wants me, that's how I knew what Ashley was going through and..." Eva cut herself off, sobs leaving her throat as she couldn't hold it in anymore.

Emma wrapped her arms around the girl, holding her tightly as she cried. "I am so sorry kid" Emma told her, knowing how it felt like to give up your own kid. But she never thought she'd be holding someone who went through that so young. No child should ever be put through that. "I'm not gonna let Gold near you, I swear kid" Emma told her, holding her shoulder as Eva wiped her tears. Eva nodded, her lip shaking. "That's why I ...freaked out over my period. It was my first. Whale did an operation on me to... tie my tubes. But last month I need to h... have then untied due to bad scaring" Eva explained to Emma, hiccupping through. Emma only nodded, wiping some stray tears.

"Come one kid, let's get some ice cream" Emma smiled sadly, walking away from the nursery with an arm wrapped around Eva's shoulders. "Did you name her?" Emma asked softly, hoping that she gave the young child a name.

4 years ago...

Eva ran from the beat up Sedan as she held a sleeping baby in her arms. The baby was wrapped in a wool blanket, similar to Eva's. She was able to steal a basket big enough for the newborn as she left the hospital.

Eva placed the baby in the basket, stroking the baby's cheek. "I'm sorry...but the system is better than what he has planned for you" Eva whispered, kissing the baby's head and she laid a note in between the basket and her daughter.

"Goodbye, Nadia"