Belle
I don't completely know. I know that in Storybrooke, Ashley was a pregnant teenager. Sweet kid. Naive as hell and in love with another sweet and naive kid who couldn't handle the idea of being a teenage dad.
For some reason Gold stated he had a claim to the baby. I don't know why. But Ashley tried to flee Storybrooke to get away from him. Crashed her car on the way out. Emma negotiated with Gold to let Ashley keep her child.
Now she's pregnant with her own kid and yet owes Gold a 'favor'. Does the wariness make more sense now?