(So I'm not sure if Rumplestiltskin is able to get sick or not, but in this story he is :P. Hope you enjoy though Victoria doesn't come in into the story till the end. Sorry if he's out of character. I own nothing but Victoria)

Sick Daddy

...

Ohhh would this day never end? Gold groaned as he tried to concentrate on the jewel clock he was fixing. His head throbbed as it had all morning since he got up to take Victoria to school and his throat stung from all the coughs he had tried and failed to suppress.

"Excuse me, are you ill?" A sudden voice made him jump. "I'm fine!" Gold scowled snapping when he noticed a man standing on the other side of the counter gazing at him with a look that seemed to be a mixture of fear and concern.

The man jumped at the harshness of Gold's response. "Oh!..Right well I suppose this wouldn't be a good time to ask about something?" He shuffled his feet on the rough concrete flooring of the shop making the pawn shop owner cringe as the rough soles of his shoes made an irritating scratching noise that aggravated his headache.

"Sorry, but I'm about to close. There's a child waiting for me at Storybrooke Elementary and she'll worry if I'm late. So do us both a favor and kindly leave this instant." He fumbled irritably for his cane.

The man inclined his head to the side. "But...it's only ten o clock." He responded hesitantly flinching as if expecting Mr. Gold to whop him with the end of his walking stick.

Fortunately for him, Mr. Gold was too bothered by his headache and cough to really pay attention to him.

Thrusting open the front door, Mr. Gold stepped out into the cool autumn air and took a deep breath hoping it would be enough to alleviate some of the pain behind his temples.

Unfortunately, the wind only served to make him feel iller and by the time he reached the first bus stop at the end of the street he could barely walk straight even with the help of his cane.

"Mr. Gold? Are you all right?" Granny frowned as she crossed the street her arms full of groceries as she took in the pale man in front of her.

Gold responded by groaning and sinking down into the bench at the bus stop. "I'll be fine. I just need some air." He coughed before a sudden chilled breeze blew down the street.

Granny shook her head. "You sound like you've got a frog in your throat. Why didn't you bring your car?" She asked setting down the groceries carefully before inching closer to inspect the town owner.

When Gold uttered no further response, Granny laid a hand on his forehead a bold move in most people's eyes. She frowned when she felt how warm the man was.

"Gold I hate to stick my nose where it doesn't belong, but you need to go to bed. I'll pick up Victoria and bring her home after supper." She promised, but again Gold did not respond except for a weak sounding cough.

Granny sighed. "Fine. I guess first things first then." She reached into her coat pocket and pulled out a cellphone.

"Ruby," She spoke the minute someone answered her call. "Go by Storybrooke Elementary at 12:30 and pick up Victoria Gold. Bring her back to the Diner and keep her with you. I'm taking Mr. Gold home."

...

"Well it's about time you woke up. I've already given Victoria her bath and put her to bed." Granny grumbled good-naturedly as she carried a tray of soup into room where Gold was lying a face cloth pressed to his forehead.

"Mind you she was being quite fussy about it. She wanted to stay with you, but I told Ruby to keep her away. We don't need her catching a cold or whatever it is you have now do we?"

Gold groaned and started to take the face cloths off when he thought better of it. "Where am I? How did I get here?" He asked upon realizing that he was not in his own bedroom.

Granny gave him a look. "You're at the Bed and Breakfast Inn. Your fever was climbing so I brought you here instead of taking you all the way back to your mansion. Did you know you were over 102 an hour ago?" She asked in a prim mothering voice that Gold found annoying.

"It's just a head cold." He muttered scowling when he noted how unthreatening he sounded through a stuffed up nose. "No one ever dies from a cold."

"Well better safe than sorry." Granny did not even wince as she picked up a bottle of medicine from the bed side table.

Gold narrowed his eyes at the bottle. "I don't need that. I just need to sleep." He glowered though Granny did not seem to be heeding him.

"If you want to be well enough to take your daughter home tomorrow I suggest you not fight me on this, Mr. Gold." Granny measured out the medicine and held it out to the pawnbroker.

"Besides you want to set a good example for your daughter, don't you?" She added knowing that would persuade him.

Still Gold sighed annoyed that he was being subjected to this before taking the small cup of medicine in his hand.

Briefly he sniffed the bitter scent of the repulsive liquid before quickly downing it in one gulp.

"Good man. Now get some rest. I'll be in tomorrow morning to check on you." Granny promised, picking up the face cloths and the medicine before heading out of the room.

Gold groaned and closed his eyes as his caretaker graciously switched off the lights and shut the door.

He hoped the next time he woke up, he would find himself back home.

...

"Papa?" A soft yet not so soft whisper woke him up not two hours after he'd finally nodded off again.

Opening his eyes, Gold squinted through the darkness just as something small padded across the room and climbed up on the bed next to him.

"Papa? Are you awake?" Victoria whispered crawling up to her Father's side with a small blanket clutched in one hand.

Gold sighed and tried to suppress a row of coughs before speaking. "Why aren't you asleep Victoria? It's late and you shouldn't be here." He tried to reprimand her, but his throat was uncooperative.

Victoria snuggled against him making him cringe. "I couldn't sleep. I want to stay with you." She answered no longer whispering but not talking very loudly yet.

Gold sighed and smiled a bit though of course in the dark Victoria couldn't see. "I want you to stay with me too Victoria, but Papa's sick right now. Go back to bed and I'll see you in the morning." He tried to nudge her away, but the child stuck to him like glue.

"Please Papa? I promise I'll be good. Please?" She pleaded grabbing his arm under the sheets and pulling it towards her like a stuffed animal.

Gold groaned. "I know you will be good Victoria, but Papa doesn't want you to get sick. You'd have to miss school and your playdate with Paige and Emily tomorrow." He coughed taking care not to do so in his daughter's direction.

"Do you want that to happen?" He asked. He felt the mattress shift a bit though not a lot and even though he could not see her very well in the dark he knew Victoria had sat up on the bed and was thinking very hard about what he had asked her.

"Emily doesn't like me. She broke my crayons today at coloring time." She murmured making Gold frown a bit.

"I'm sorry to hear that. But what about Paige and school? You like them don't you?" He asked grimacing at the pain talking caused his throat.

Victoria sighed. "I guess, but I still want to stay with you." She whined and clutched her blankie in her hands. Gold matched her sigh and sat up with some difficulty next to her.

"Tell you what. If Papa feels better enough tomorrow, we'll stay here and have breakfast at the Diner together before I take you to school. Would you like that? Is it a deal?" He asked holding out his hand shakily in the way he always did when making little compromises like this with his daughter.

A few moments later, Gold felt a small hand eagerly grab his own. "Deal!" Victoria answered almost forgetting in her excitement to keep her voice down.

Gold chuckled and softly shushed her. "Good, now no more whining. Go back to bed and not another peep until morning is that clear?" He asked suppressing the urge to hug her and kiss her hair.

Victoria nodded her head. "Yes Papa." She started to scoot her way off the bed then turned and hugged him lightly before scampering off out of the room.

"Goodnight Papa."

Gold sighed and sank wearily back down on the bed smiling to himself despite the discomforts of his illness. "Goodnight...Victoria."

...