Collaboration between Yoshiskittlez, Major Ursa, and I

*~*~*

The very moment Ruby, Knox and Mr. Gold stepped into the hospital entrance, it seemed as if time had just...stopped. All the nurses moving back and forth between rooms, all the visitors waiting to be helped...hell even the newborn baby being held tightly in her mother's arms as they were heading outside...they all stopped, and stared. Ruby didn't take it personally, she knew it had nothing to do with her and Knox; knowing it had to be quite the sight that Mr. Gold...the most powerful man in Storybrooke...was there on an occasion that didn't involve collecting rent.

Long before the three's arrival, Dr. Whale had called Dr. Stevenson back for an emergency in regards to a different patient. Dr. Stevenson was about to head home from the hospital, but stopped when Mr. Gold entered with Knox and Ruby acting as support. She blinked in surprise, and she asked Ruby and Knox, knowing full well there's no way Gold would come here unless it was an emergency, "Ruby, Mr. Kowalski, what happened?"

Again, Mr. Gold shrugged himself from Knox, this time managing to get free from his supportive hold. He rolled his shoulders, placing both hands on the top of his cane and kept his back to both Knox and Ruby, doing what he could to keep his pride, power and position.

"There, I'm here, and now you can go." He said coldly to Ruby and Knox, still keeping his back to them. "Any questions Dr. Stevenson might have, I am perfectly capable of answering myself."

Knox gave Dr Stevenson a respective nod, "Mr Gold was having a small panic attack. While he seemed fine for the trip on his own, Ruby and I were insistant on escorting him here to the hospital..." With this, he gave the older man a sort of pointed look, before finally turning to Ruby, "You should head home now, your assistance is no longer necessary."

"It wasn't a panic attack!" Mr. Gold hissed through his tightly clenched teeth, his grip only getting tighter on the top of his cane. Ruby made a point to ignore him.

"Raincheck then." Ruby said to Knox with an understanding look, speaking of course of grabbing a drink with him later. It would be better...later...tonight seemed to just be spiraling more and more out of control.

Dr. Stevenson noticed how Mr. Gold trying to keep his pride, and she subtly rolled her eyes. She listened to Knox as he answered her question, and she questioned silently "A panic attack?" From what she could tell, Mr. Gold was definitely not the type to go through a panic attack, he was too collected and was never anxious. She nodded as she gained an idea as to what may have happened to Mr. Gold. 

She said to Knox and Ruby with respect "Thank you, Mr. Kowalski, Ruby. Mr. Gold, if you would please, come with me. I would like to have Dr. Whale administer some diagnostic tests," 

With yet another respective nod, Knox went into professional mode, “Let me escort you back to the lobby.” Firmly taking Ruby's shoulder, he led her on out of there without another word.

Mr. Gold remained unmoved until Ruby and Knox had completely left before putting his brown eyes on Dr. Stevenson with such a look of intensity, it could very well make a small child burst into tears.

"This is all quite unnecessary." Mr. Gold began, subconsiously twisting his cane around. "I know what happened, and it has passed. I'm fine."

Dr. Stevenson narrowed her blue eyed gaze in an icy way, matching his look of intensity. After he spoke, she answered calmly, but firmly and with authority as the Head Doctor, "With all due respect, Mr. Gold, you just stated earlier, and I quote, 'It wasn't a panic attack,'. If what you just experienced wasn't a panic attack, then it could be something much more serious. It would be beneficial to you, if we did the diagnostics and figured out what is wrong," 

Mr. Gold's eyes began to ache from having to roll them in his annoyance so much.
"And if I...went along with this then...would that buy your silence?" He questioned. Of course everything had to come at a price with him, and this was no different.

Dr. Stevenson answered him, "Yes. But I still have to inform you of the results afterwards," After she stated that, she moved her hand as if she zipped her mouth shut and tossed away the zipper tag. 

Mr. Gold was not at all amused by her gesture, but he did remove one hand from the top of his cane and walked with her to a carefully assigned hospital room where the tests could be conducted in private.

After Dr. Stevenson led him to the room, she walked out and sent in Dr. Whale to perform the tests. 

An hour later, Dr. Whale brought Dr. Stevenson the test results and X-rays, and after double checking to make sure they were accurate, she sighed and headed for the room that Mr. Gold was in. She opened the door and walked in. She sighed through her nose as she looked at Mr. Gold gravely and with a bit of pity.

Mr. Gold looked up from his position of sitting on the edge of the hospital, spinning his cane around vertically, keeping his palm resting heavily on it to keep the bottom of the cane firmly on the floor, almost like a child that had grown bored of waiting and created a simple game to keep entertained.

She closed the door behind her and she said to Mr. Gold, and knowing the kind of person he is, she wasted no time and got straight to the point in a grave tone, "You have lung cancer, Mr. Gold," 

His brown eyes tore into Dr. Stevenson, his salt-and-peppered hair covering half of his face as he looked up at her and remained silent for a good while before simply stating in a quiet voice,

"I know."

Dr. Stevenson did a double take after she heard his comment, and she asked in a disbelieving and surprised tone, "You knew...? You. Knew? And you didn't say or do anything?" It baffled Dr. Stevenson that he knew earlier than she did, and yet didn't do anything to help himself! He could've left Storybrooke and get himself Chemotherapy, or could've asked the doctors here in Storybrooke Hospital for help. 

He waited a moment before answering, licking his lips in a physical notion that he was thinking his words over carefully.

"When you have as much life experience as I do, Doctor, you just know things."

Dr. Stevenson gave him a skeptical look and she retorted skeptically "So you think that not saying anything about this, to anyone, is the wise way to go?" 

"Ya." Mr. Gold said simply. The old nokia flip-phone in his pocket buzzed once, and Mr. Gold fished it out from his dress pants and flipped it open, seeming to now be tuning out whatever Dr. Stevenson had left to say.

She shook her head to show her disagreement, and to keep herself calm. She then said "Mr. Gold. I highly recommend that you stay in the hospital and get treatment," 

"Oh no, that won't be possible." Mr. Gold laughed. He closed his phone back up and used his can to help him back up to his feet, then putting his phone back into his pocket. "As it turns out, I have more pressing matters to attend to, so if you'll excuse me..." Taking a good hold on his cane, Mr. Gold began to head towards the door.

Dr. Stevenson followed and she asked as she followed "What about your family and friends? Aren't you at least going to get help for them? For their sake?"

At the drop of a pin, Mr. Gold turned to face Faye immediately, his grip tightening on his cane until his knuckles turned white.

"As I said...I have more pressing matters to attend to." He repeated, though this time through his clenched teeth. "You would be a smart woman to stay out of this Dr. Stevenson, and stop asking questions...a [i]very[/i] smart woman." He softly threatened.

Dr. Stevenson stopped and clenched her fists tighter when he threatened her. She did feel fear from Mr. Gold's threat, but she ignored it and continued her own teeth clenched, "Oh, I'm not questioning your affairs. I'm asking you to help yourself for your sake. I'm asking you to not be a coward!"

Mr. Gold let out a mixture between a laugh and an outward gasp, making an 'O' shape with his mouth at the mention of his cowardice.

"Really dearie?"

He was done. Done talking to her, and done wasting time with something that, under his own understanding, he could manage on his own. He tossed his cane up, grabbing it by the lower base and pulled his arm back only to strike the golden handle of the cane across Faye's head without a single regard for what he had just done.

Faye fell to the ground after she was struck to the head. Mr. Gold was apparently stronger than he appeared. Her head throbbed in pain from where she was hit, and she looked at Mr. Gold, with a seething glare. She ignored the feeling of blood dripping down from her wound.

Mr. Gold stood above her, returning his cane to the floor and placing both hands upon the bloodied handle with what almost looked like a pleased smirk crossing his lips.

"Don't fret about the bill, doctor, it would be in you're best interest to just burn it." He advised

As Faye wiped off the blood from the side of her head, she told him with a bitter tone, "You're making a mistake. But fine. I won't stop you," 

She then stood up and she glared at him and said coldly, "Go," 

"With pleasure." Mr. Gold nodded twice, flashed Faye a golden smile and limped heavily out of the hospital room. He had a break-in to investigate; courtesy of the alarm system that triggered the text message on his phone while he had been talking with Dr. Stevenson.

After Faye was gone, she stared at the floor. She didn't know why, but she felt so angry. She just wanted to throw something or hit something. She shook her head and told herself that violence isn't the answer. And yet, it felt as though trying to bottle that anger up was empowering her other persona. 

"God! I need a drink!" 

Now she knew for sure that she was mentally breaking. She normally abstains from drinking alcohol, but now...now she felt like she needed it. It was miserable. Since there were no other emergencies to be taken care of, she headed to her home, where she had her own stash of alcohol waiting, courtesy of her other persona. 

Perhaps this would be something she would bring up in her session with Dr. Hopper tomorrow.