Raising a child was never easy. It was even harder raising a child alone. Jefferson wanted to give his daughter everything, but there never seemed to be enough money to do it. In some ways, it was to help make up for the loss of her mother. It was Jefferson's own fault Pricilla was gone. That made it so much worse. If he hadn't tried to steal from the March Hare-. But It was a useless thought now. She was gone, and Grace needed him to provide for her.

Funds were far lower than usual, or he might never have gone to see Rumplestiltskin. There were so many horror stories about him. If even half of them were true, he must be a complete monster. Still, he made gold, and that was what Jefferson needed most just then. He knocked at the door of the castle, and it opened. The hatter stepped inside, looking around. No one seemed to be there, and then he heard a voice behind him.

"Well don't just stand there, Dearie. You knocked, so you may as well come in."

Jefferson jumped, and turned to see a man covered in greenish gold scales. The man gave a giggle, and Jefferson wondered for a second if he'd made a mistake. He told himself to remember he needed the gold for Grace.

"I've- I've heard you like to make deals, and that you help people sometimes," Jefferson said.

"That depends on the deal and on the people, Dearie," Rumple answered. "So, what is it that you want? Wait, let me guess. Immortality?"

"No," Jefferson answered.

"Gold?"

"Actually, yes."

"Ah," Rumple said. "Usually one of the two. But I'll warn you, it isn't something for nothing."

Jefferson groaned in frustration.

"If I had anything I could give you I wouldn't need the gold." He thought briefly of his hat, but he hoped he wouldn't have to give that up. He never knew when he might need it.

"Some people don't realize what they have," Rumple commented thoughtfully. "Are you a family man by any chance?"

"I have a daughter," Jefferson told him. Then he wondered if he should have never mentioned Grace.

"Send her to me, and I'll give you as much gold as you like."

Jefferson stepped back, looking at him with a mix of fear and anger.

"Are you out of your mind? There's nothing more important than her. I wouldn't trade her for any treasure any mage or whatever else could provide!" He shook his head. "She's all I have. I'm all she has too. If you think I'd ever give her up, you're even more insane than people say you are!"

To his surprise, Rumple smiled, but there was a sadness to that smile.

"You'd be surprised how often people don't realize how important their children are."

Now Jefferson was curious.

"Was this some sort of test?"

"One you passed," Rumple answered. "Now about that gold, Dearie. I take it your daughter is the one you need it for?"

"Yes, she is. It's not easy to provide for her. She deserves far more than I can give."

Rumple studied him, and then said "I'll help you."

Some of the sing song quality was gone from his voice, and he seemed more serious in general.

"It's still not something for nothing," Rumple continued. "But I'm sure we can work something out." He noticed what Jefferson was wearing on his head. "What an interesting hat. It seems to me there's more to it than meets the eye."

"There is," Jefferson admitted. "I'm afraid I can't trade it, but I can let you use it in exchange for gold. It creates portals, can take you anyplace you want to go."

"Anyplace?" Rumple asked. There was an overwhelming excitement to him now, and an almost crazed look in his eyes.

"Anyplace with magic," Jefferson clarified. The excitement died in Rumple's eyes. He seemed defeated somehow. Then that seemed to pass.

"It appears we can make a deal after all," Rumple told him. "Come with me, please."

He led him to a room with a spinning wheel. Beside it was a small mountain of golden thread. Jefferson's draw dropped.

"Don't look so impressed, Dearie. The place is getting cluttered with it. This was last night's work. Take as much as you like as an advance for now. When I need you to take me somewhere or perhaps procure something for me, there's more where this came from."

Jefferson lost no time in packing as much gold as he could possibly carry. He didn't know why Rumple was being so generous, but he planned to take as much gold as he could now before he could change his mind.

"Don't forget this is just an advance," Rumple reminded him. "Come back tomorrow. I'll have a short list of items I want you to go after for me then."

It was more than fair, Jefferson realized. It would be easy enough to go after magical items here and there. He'd done it often enough. He thought again of Priscilla though.

"One condition. Nothing that would be too dangerous. Remember I'm all my daughter has. If something happened to me-."

"Understood and agreed," Rumple said with a nod.

Jefferson turned to leave, and then stopped a moment. He looked back at Rumple.

"Thank you."

Rumple actually jumped in surprise.

"Wh- what?"

"Thank you. You have no idea what this means for Grace and me."

Rumple smiled. "It might not be as hard for me to understand as you think, Dearie."

Rumple pondered his latest deal long after Jefferson was gone. He'd never had a real friend in his life, but there was something about that hatter that he liked. He'd understood nothing was more important than his child. He'd been polite enough to thank him. Somehow Rumple was looking forward to seeing him again.