Author's notes: Rumbelle Christmas In July 2016 for we-aim-to-misbehave. Prompt: Rumbelle at the beach. Happy holidays my giftee!. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to dreamer2381 for being my beta! This fic improved tons because of her

Behind them were the sour and painful memories of a shattered marriage. It was not an easy comeback from the dark path that Rumple chose to walk during the beginning of their marriage. And it was not easy for Belle either. She realized somewhere along the way that she had forgotten exactly who her husband was. At one time, she wanted to completely obliterate the dark part of him that never ceased to exist and that went against the very foundation of their relationship. Both parties made terrible mistakes in the past, but they both learned important lessons before they became parents. Rumple truly believed that he could be loved. He also understood that although he was a man and a beast and both coexisted inside him, he had the power of choosing who was in charge of his actions. And he pledged that power would only be a means to protect his family, effectively transforming it into light magic.

Many things happened after Belle woke up from the sleeping curse. For her entire pregnancy and beyond, they had to fight against forces that wanted to take their baby away from them. A child born from the darkest of Dark Ones and a product of True Love was meant to harbor god-like power. There were many who wanted that power. But as always, Rumple prevailed. It was an ongoing, never ending battle, but for now, he knew both of his love ones were safe and he would always make sure it would continue that way.

After a highly unusual uninterrupted year and a half of peace and tranquility in Storybrooke, Rumple remembered that there was a dream in Belle's life that was still unfulfilled. And she deserved everything her heart desired. She always wanted to see the world. And with their seventh anniversary approaching, an idea was formed in Rumple's mind. An idea that made him scared deep inside. However, that fear was nothing compared with the prospect of happiness and smiles of his wife and daughter once he would deliver the news.

Belle looked at the clock hanging on the wall across the library's circulation desk. It was five minutes before four o'clock and she realized she was running really late. And despite that, there was some unfinished work at the library that couldn't be postponed until next day. Fortunately, now she had a very competent assistant at the library that covered her usual evening hours. Since Rose was in her life, those evening hours at the library were history. At some point, the Mayor even suggested to reduce the library's hours of operation, because in her own words "having a library opened for 13 hours a day was a waste of resources" but Belle fought that notion with every fiber of her being until Regina didn't have any choice but to accept a second librarian to take over the evening shift. For Belle it was so important to provide an open space after school for students who needed the resources for homework as well as entertainment. So with a wide smile but some hurry in her voice, Belle gave a few instructions to her assistant about the work that needed to be completed and left the library almost running because she was late to pick up Rose from school.

In about 10 minutes, she was at the door of the school and she saw Rose sitting in a stone bench, behind the gate, already waiting for her.

"Mommy!" Rose happily went towards Belle's arms, the moment she saw her.

"Hi sweetie" she hugged her with immense love.

Snow appeared right behind Rose, with a smile in her face. Belle grabbed Rose's hand.

"I am so sorry for being late, Snow. These days have been ridiculously busy at the library and when I checked the clock I was already running late"

"Oh, it's no problem at all, Belle. You have watched out for Neal more times that I cared to count. I am always happy to return the favor…and 10 minutes it's nothing. The last kid left just only 5 minutes ago so please don't worry about it. Besides, I love spending time with Rose. Honestly, is like talking to a little adult. She is the cleverest girl in her class"

Rose smiled at the compliment of her teacher.

"Thanks again, Snow. We will see you tomorrow. Say goodbye to Snow, Rose"

Her daughter complied immediately and gave a goodbye kiss to her teacher.

"See you tomorrow, darling" Snow waved at them as they started walking down the street, hand in hand.

"How was your day at school, Rose?"

"Great, mommy!. Snow showed us how to make pinatas in art class" she said with so much excitement in her voice

"To make what?" Belle asked confused, not knowing what her daughter was referring to

"Pinatas!" she chirped again

"And what is that, sweetie?"

"Snow said it's a Mexican tradition. We make a big hollow star made of paper, and home-made glue, that we later decorate, and we fill it with candies and toys. Then we break it with a stick!.

"Wow, that sounds like a lot fun!. And yes, I have read about that in a book. But I think you are pronouncing it wrong. It is not pinata, it is piñata"

"It's a funny word! Even Snow was pronouncing it wrong" Rose replied, giggling.

"It is. And when are you breaking your piñata?"

"Snow said we are going to invite our parents once the piñatas are ready to break!. She told us that both kids and adults will get a chance to break them"

"That's an amazing idea!" Belle said, now almost as excited as her daughter.

"Do you think daddy will like it as well?" Rose inquired

"Oh, I am pretty sure he will!. We are almost there so you can ask him yourself"

They didn't take long to arrive to the pawnshop as they did each afternoon after school. They opened the door to the store and the little bell announced their entrance. Rumple was behind the counter, apparently trying to fix some antique and visibly failing at it because his expression denoted annoyance and frustration. However, the moment he laid his eyes on Belle and Rose, his entire demeanor changed. He smiled almost instantly and put the very valuable antique over the desk only to come up to the front and receive his daughter into his arms.

"Daddy!, Daddy!" Rose yelled happily and went running straight into his arms. Rumple picked her up from the floor and kissed her on each cheek before she returned the same gesture.

Rose was the living image of her mother. She had bright blue eyes that rivaled the sky's beauty. Her hair was wavy but lighter in tone, more similar to her father's. She was kind, and brave, and smart. She was deeply loved, not only by her parents, but by all of Storybrooke. She won over every person she met, even those who were hesitant to approach her because she was the daughter of the feared Dark One. She didn't have magic yet, but her parents knew very well that magic could present itself at any stage during her life.

"How is my little sweetheart?" Rumple asked, feeling so delighted to finally see his family after such a long day of work.

"Very good, daddy. I told mommy that today at school we made piñatas and we are going to break them soon!" This time around, Rose pronounced the word flawlessly.

"The Mexican craft?. How curious. This is really a big coincidence" Rumple answered putting Rose down.

"Coincidence?" Belle retorted with curiosity of her own. Rumple smiled and pulled her hand towards his lips to kiss her.

"I have a surprise for both of you that, believe it or not, does involve Mexico".

"Another country?. What it is daddy!?" Rose asked with uncontained curiosity and excitement.

"Well, in a few days your mother and I will be celebrating seven years of marriage and because of the occasion I am taking both of you to a magical place called the Mayan Riviera"

"You are taking us to the Mexican Caribbean?" Belle asked perplexed, even more than Rose.

"If you like the idea, yes" he said, still holding Belle's hand closed to his heart.

"Yes!" both Belle and Rose replied in unison. "But what about your magic?" Belle continued, realizing the implications of traveling outside Storybrooke.

"I think I can manage a few days without it" Rumple said with absolute determination, although deep down he felt fear that he couldn't deny. This was going to be the first time since Rose was conceived, that he would be without magic to protect her. That feeling alone made him so… uneasy. "Besides, you have put a hold on your dream of seeing the world, Belle. It is time that we start making all your dreams come true".

She smiled and kissed him deeply. Rose interrupted the kiss with her jumps

"We are going to see the world!"

"Yes, we are little sweetheart" Rumple smiled because he knew this news was making Belle and Rose happy.

"Thank you for this amazing surprise, Rumple"

"I love you. I love you both with all my heart" Rumple kissed her again.

A few days went by and Rumplestiltskin's family embarked on their little adventure. They took a flight from Maine to the International Airport of Cancun. From there, a private car drove them to the resort located on a small town called Puerto Morelos, right in the middle of the Mayan Riviera. During the car ride, the three of them were amazed by the beauty of the Mayan jungle, the lagoons, the different ocean shades of blue, and in general, the brightness of the country. Since the moment they arrived to Mexico, they only felt warmth and kindness.

"Bienvenidos a Mexico" the hotel receptionist welcomed them in Spanish. After a few moments she gave them the key card to their suite and told them about the hotel's amenities.

With that, they went straight to their room. The place was simply breathtaking. The suite was very spacious, almost like a full size apartment. There were two rooms, one much smaller than the master bedroom and ideal for children. The living room had two large sofas and a recliner, both lined in immaculate white leather. There was a big flat screen TV in the middle of the room. The décor was minimalist, bright, and elegant. The master bedroom was without a doubt the most beautiful area of the suite. It had a balcony with an astonishing view of the turquoise Caribbean. The master bathroom had an ample Jacuzzi and above it there was a skylight. The Jacuzzi was located in front of another small balcony, so from the tub itself, they had an amazing view of the ocean as well.

"This is so incredibly beautiful, Rumple. The blue color of the ocean is simply stunning" Belle said in awe standing on the main balcony and breathing in the sea breeze. Rumple approached her from behind surrounding her waist with his arms and resting his chin on her shoulder.

"I say no blue that I know of will ever rival of the loveliness of your blue eyes. But yes, this is quite nice, isn't it?"

Belle smiled and blushed. It amazed her how Rumple was capable of making her blush after so many years of being together. Yet, he was still able to make her feel weak in the knees and her heart beat faster, just like he did back in the Dark Castle so many decades ago.

"Thank you, Rumple. And this hotel is like a palace. I can't really believe we are here"

"Are we going swimming now, daddy?!. I want to swim in the ocean!" Rose said, very eager to start enjoying her first vacation outside of Storybrooke.

"Of course, Rose. But first let's have something to eat and then we can walk around the hotel and the beach a little bit before jumping in the water. How does that sound?"

"That sounds good daddy!" Rose happily agreed

"Oh, yes. I am actually starving" Belle approved the idea too, putting a hand over her stomach.

"I will call room service, then" Rumple started moving towards the phone

"I would prefer to go down to the restaurant, actually. On our way here I peaked inside of it and the waitresses there were using beautiful regional dresses. I really want to see that up close"

"That's perfect for me too, love"

"Well then, let's change into something more appropriate for this weather. Especially you, Rumple. Aren't you dying under that suit?"

"I am, actually. The AC is helping a little, though" He lied…he was drenched under his clothes the moment they put a foot outside the airplane in Cancun's airport.

"You asked me to get everything prepared for this trip, so I did. Don't worry, I brought you beach clothing" Belle informed him.

"Beach clothing? Ok, now I am afraid Belle" He was not convinced he wanted to be out of that suit anytime soon.

"Don't be ridiculous. I promise I didn't bring anything too extravagant" she said giggling.

"I hope is not even a little extravagant" Rumple was more nervous by the minute about changing into clothes that he had never worn before.

"Oh come on. Nobody here knows you. You can wear anything you want" Belle retorted.

"A centuries-old man would look ridiculous in a pink flowered shirt, no matter what, when, or where" He stated firmly.

"Oh shoot!, I knew I shouldn't have brought that" Belle exclaimed.

Rumple panicked for a second, then, the timid smile on Belle's face revealed that she was joking. Both of them started laughing. They started unpacking their luggage while Rose kept exploring and running around the hotel suite. Soon they were all ready to go down again. Belle was wearing a long white sleeveless dress that clung to her body in the most flattering way. She complemented her dress with a Safire necklace and matching earrings that Rumple gave her as a present for her last birthday. Rumple was wearing long khaki Bermudas with a light blue polo shirt and back sandals. Rose was dressed in a lilac dress with short sleeves and a dark purple lace hem.

"You look so handsome, Rumple. You should definitely wear this more often. You know, summer in Maine is really hot too" She observed, and was delighted with the way Rumple's eyes were roaming up and down her own body.

"Not in a million years, Belle. Imagine what my tenants would say if their ruthless landlord looked like the postman"

Belle rolled her eyes. "First of all you don't look like the postman at all. Where did that even come from? Next time I will take a photo of the postman so you can show me the alleged resemblance. Second of all…your tenants would probably think you are actually enjoying life"

"My life enjoyment is no one's business, but if my wife must know...I am. Very much, actually" He walked towards Belle until he was inches away from her. "I have my two loves with me and I couldn't ask for more happiness than that.

Belle smiled again and kissed him deeply. When they broke the kiss they saw Rose standing in front of them, playing with a still closed rainbow-colored umbrella she was taking with her to the beach. .

"Rose, darling, are you ready?" Belle asked extending her hand to her daughter.

"Yes mommy, I am ready" Rose replied while taking her mother's hand.

"Then let me escort my two princesses to dinner" Rumple announced, extending his arm towards Belle's, intertwining it with hers.

The family went down to the restaurant and had a delicious Mexican dinner. After dinner, they took a stroll on the beach and explored the resort. Later they put on their swimsuits. Before they went swimming, Rose insisted on burying her father in the sand, so both she and Belle spent almost an hour of their afternoon making sure Rumple was covered in sand from neck to toe. After their sand adventure was over, the three of them jumped into the water, first into the ocean and then in one of the many swimming pools of the hotel. That's exactly how the beautiful sunset found the family: swimming together. Before it was completely dark, they returned to their suite, took a quick shower, ordered a light snack, and then Rose's parents tucked her into bed. Belle stayed with her daughter a little longer talking with her about all the things they did during the day. It was such an adventure for both of them. Belle was so incredibly emotional by hearing how excited and happy Rose was. After her daughter fell asleep, Belle returned to the master bedroom only to find the magnificent four-poster bed empty, but then she spotted a white envelop over the white bed comforter. She opened the letter and read it while her pulse increased and her eyes filled with tears of joy.

Belle,

I have no words to express how much these seven year have meant to me. There was only one person in this or any other realm that could have ever seen the man behind the beast. And that person was you, Belle. And even when I was a complete beast in all the sense of the word, you stood by my side. You always had infinite patience and love for me and for that, I will be eternally grateful. You not only gave me the purest, sincerest and passionate love that any man would pray for, but you also gave me the most beautiful daughter. Rose fills my heart with love and hope. With each passing day that I have you both by my side I am certain that I am a better husband, a better father, and a better man.

I love you with all my heart.

Yours, forever

R.

P.S: When Rose falls asleep, come to the jacuzzi. I have a surprise for you.

Oh, how she loved this man, Belle thought. How blessed she was for having this family. She wouldn't have changed a single thing because everything, even the painful experiences, led to this very moment. Belle made sure the door of the master bedroom was locked and then entered the bathroom leaving that door completely open so they could hear Rose in case she needed something. Once Belle was inside, her jaw fell in awe. The whole place was decorated with red candles and the jacuzzi, now full of water, was covered with red rose petals. There were strawberries covered in white chocolate and a bottle of champagne and two glasses on top of a little mahogany table right besides the hot tub. Rumple was waiting for her, standing in the balcony and listening to the ocean waves crashing on the beach and watching the perfectly black sky full of stars. Both of them were wearing nothing but bath robes. When Rumple heard Belle approaching, he turned towards her and smiled.

"Happy anniversary, my love"

"Happy anniversary, my husband. All of this is perfect. Thank you so much for what you said in that letter. I feel so blessed to have you in my life" she wanted to say more but was interrupted by a fierce kiss once Rumple shortened their distance. "I love you so much" She continued between kisses.

"I love you too, sweetheart" Rumple answered and slowly released her from his arms. "Now, Mrs. Gold, would you like to join me in the jacuzzi?" He asked with a playful smile.

"I would love to, Mr. Gold" Belle started untying the knot of his bath robe, slowly and seductively. Her hands touched and caressed every inch of skin that was revealed while the robe was opened. She let the piece of clothing fall and pool at his feet and she marveled at the beauty of her husband's body. He proceeded to disrobe her in a maddening slow pace as well, touching the exposed parts of her body that he wanted to touch the most. Once totally naked both of them dipped into the large tub with the rose petals floating around them. Belle was nested between his legs with her back to his chest. His hands surrounded her waist the moment they were completely submerged in the warm water. He moved her beautiful hair to the side so he could have free access to her neck and started kissing, licking and nibbling it. He only stopped to take the two glasses already filled with champagne, passing one to Belle.

"To our family" he toasted with her.

"To our love" she added, clinking her cup with his.

They both drank from the sweet and sparkling liquid savoring every drop. Belle took one of the strawberries and gave a bite taking half of the red fruit into her mouth. It was one of the most delicious things she had ever tried. She adored white chocolate and this one was definitely among her top five in her mental list. She gave the other half of the strawberry to Rumple and he ate it, licking the chocolate residue from Belle's fingers. The flavors of the white chocolate, the strawberry and the champagne were combined into a sinful pleasure.

Belle only relaxed further into Rumple's arms. She looked up to look at the sky and marveled at the beauty of the stars. Was this a dream? It certainly looked like one and it would be the most pleasant dream ever. But then she felt the heat of her husband's body as clear as she could feel her own breathing and she knew this was no dream. This was just a beautiful reality.

"I couldn't have hoped for a better scenario to tell you something, Rumple" Belle spoke softly, shifting her position in the tub a little bit so she could face Rumple and look him straight in the eyes.

"And what is that, my Belle?" He questioned with sparked curiosity. Belle smiled in response. There was something there in her face, an emotion that he couldn't quite place yet.

"That…together…the first thing we are going to tell Rose in the morning is that she will soon be a big sister"

Rumple's heart skipped a beat and his mouth just opened in absolute shock.

"Are…are…y…you pregnant?" he was barely able to formulate the question.

"Yes" she said with unending happiness. This time around she was the one who delivered the news and thankfully the revelation came without loopholes of any kind. They were having another child and this time no contracts, magic, crazy gods or any other thing was going to tarnish the happiness behind that revelation.

"Oh Belle" Rumple shed tears of joy and kissed her tenderly "I can't believe this…we are having another baby. Rose is having a little sister or brother…"

This time, Rumple broke. Tears were now a combination of absolute happiness and pain. By saying the word "brother" his thoughts centered around Baelfire and all the memories he once shared with his son. He suddenly missed him so much. Time will be never enough to forget the pain of losing a son. And he just knew that Bae would have loved Rose so much, he would have been the best brother to his little sister. But he was gone forever.

"Oh Rumple..." Belle understood immediately what he was thinking and feeling, and she hugged with all the love she could possible show him at this moment. She wanted nothing but his happiness with this news, but now that she was a mother she could realize the unbearable pain that comes with losing a child. She simply couldn't imagine a life without Rose.

"I'm so sorry Belle…I… I just miss Bae so much" Rumple managed to said, still choking in his own words and covering his eyes with one of his hands.

"I know you do. I miss him too. You have nothing to be sorry for, my love"

"But I swear, Belle, that this is the most wonderful news you could have ever giving me" Rumple broke their embrace to face her again. Then he cupped her face between his hands. "I love you. Thank you for giving me this joy again" he continued, kissing her forehead. Belle smiled and looked at him with utterly devotion. "I can't wait to tell our Rose…she is going to be so happy"

"I know she will"

Rumple led one of his hands under the water and caressed Belle's belly. He didn't need magic to feel that indeed there was life growing inside her. He was surprised he didn't realize it before.

"When did you know?" he asked almost in a murmur

"Three weeks ago. I was late and I was feeling all the things I felt when I was expecting Rose. I took a pregnancy test from the pharmacy and came out positive. Then I went to see Dr. Whale and he confirmed it"

"Why you didn't tell me any sooner?" Rumple questioned with some concern in his voice.

"I wanted to be absolutely sure and I wanted to give you the news in a very special way...then you told us about the anniversary plans and I decided to wait until now." Belle's explanation chased away some of the fears inside Rumple's mind, but others remained.

"I don't deserved all of this happiness Belle…not after everything I have done in my life"

"Leave the past in the past, Rumple. You have suffered enough too and you do deserve this"

"My beautiful Belle…." He said and kissed her, this time passionately. Their hands started traveling on their bodies until their blood was boiling inside their veins with desire…lust that seemed infinite between them. They kissed more and more and touched with increasing desperation under and over the water until they were panting and gasping for air.

"Take me to bed. Make love to me, Rumple"

"Oh, I plan to make to love to my wife for the rest of the night" Rumple managed to respond joining their foreheads.

"Until the sun rises?" Belle asked suggestively

"Until the sun rises. It's a promise, sweetheart. And I never break a promise"

They both shuddered with want. On their seventh anniversary they shared an unforgettable night of endless pleasure and joy because of the knowledge that they were becoming parents for a second time. As Rumple promised, the sunrise found them naked, still joining their souls as one.