"Ok, we have half an hour before she figures out something is wrong. Synchronize time, every one. We have to get in, do our business and get out."

"Henry this is not one of your operation squirrel or whatever you called them," sighed Rumple as his grandson got in his car. Rumple had asked his son to occupy Belle's attention for a few minutes (or if he was lucky, hours) so they could go around the mall and find her a gift. Bae said he could probably give them 30 minutes but knowing Belle, she'll probably see that there was something up. "And there is only the two of us."

"Why don't you just get her a book?" asked Emma when he had called his son to the shop, only to be followed by the Saviour and their son.

"He gave her the library," said Henry. "I think a single book wouldn't be able to top that."

"It's not about the gift itself, buddy," said Neal, ruffling the boy's hair. "It's the thought that counts. Why don't you just make her something?"

"She's not very keen on me using magic," replied Rumple. "Especially if it's for her."

"I'm not really the best person to get gift advice from papa," said Neal.

"You should see the things he gave me," rectified Emma. "Although Belle might find the dreamcatcher appealing."

"Again, no magic or magical object," said Rumple. "I'm not going to ask for gift advice son. I'm asking if you could distract her for an hour or so whilst I try to comprehend the idea of shopping."

The trio looked at him dumbfounded.

"What?" protested Rumple. "I can survive going to a mall for a few hours."

"No you can't," said Neal, trying to bite back his laughter. "No offense papa but I think you can't do this alone."

Rumple glared at his son but noticed the expression on Emma's face. "No. No way am I going shopping with you Ms. Swan."

"And what does that suppose to mean?" demanded Emma. "No offense Gold but Belle and I do have some things in common so I am the best option to go with you and help you not get lost in a mall."

"I don't think I'll survive," mumbled Rumple. "Besides, I don't think your taste in anything matches that of Belle."

"He is right mom," said Henry. "I mean, can you imagine yourself wearing Belle's clothes or her yours?"

Neal doubled over in laughter and Emma smacked him at the back of the head. "Oh man Henry that is something I would pay to see. I think your mom was born wearing her leather jacket and jeans."

"I will have you know that when Henry found me I was wearing something that Belle might actually have worn as well," hissed Emma. "But since you're so keen on me not joining you Gold, how do you expect to buy her a Christmas gift in under an hour without her realising you're up to something."

"I could help Grandpa," said Henry, his voice showing how eager he was to spend an hour or so with his paternal grandfather. "Belle and I love to read and I think we probably have the same taste in other things besides clothes I mean, which I think grandpa won't consider buying for her."

"Henry has a point," said Neal. "We'll have a better chance of distracting her Em."

Emma studied her son who seemed eager to join his grandfather in their little crusade. "Alright, fine. But if anything happens," she glared at Gold. "Greatest and most powerful sorcerer in all realms or not, I will put a bullet between your eyes."

Rumple made to retort but Neal placed a hand on his shoulder. "I wouldn't try to point out that you're immortal, papa. She'll do it just to spite you."

So that was how he ended up going to the shopping centre with his grandson who seemed to be talking up a storm and Rumple made himself try to listen to not disappoint the boy who reminded him so much of Baelfire at the same age.

They had agreed not to go to any of the clothing stores as Rumple felt it wasn't a gift he would want to receive let alone give to someone else, not unless he made it himself. Initially they started with the bookstore, Rumple tired to browse but he knew from memory that Belle has pretty much read more than ten times all the books that this world had.

"What about something for her apartment above the library?" asked Henry as the bookstore reached a dead end, ten minutes wasted.

"She's not there most of the time," replied Rumple trying to will himself not to blush in front of his grandson. He wished that Henry won't ask why but he knew his grandson was a very smart boy and would probably understand how and why Rumple knew that for a fact.

"Oh," said Henry, smiling. "Ok, that's out of the question. Let's look at Belle for a second. She's very smart, very beautiful even without doing anything to her face and hair. She's very adventurous and one can say she has her head in the clouds sometimes."

Rumple laughed at how easily Henry described her true love so well but without any malice in his voice. "Very accurate, lad. But I don't see how this is helping us at the moment."

"Well," began Henry taking his grandfather's hand and dragging him somewhere. "Belle's basically an 'all-in-one package' grandpa. Your gift should be something like that as well. As well as being something that would peak Belle's curiosity and something new to her. A lot of things in this world are new to her."

Rumple's eyes widened when he saw where Henry was leading him. "Henry, you can't be serious?"

"Not the games grandpa!" said Henry with a small giggle. "But if out of the kindness of your heart you might want to give me one, go ahead." Rumple glared at him but Henry pointed to the other side of the store where they had arrived in front of. "I was thinking more of the lines of that one…"

"I don't think anything from the shop would be good for Henry," said Belle as she shelved books while Neal and Emma stood near the desk. "Why aren't you asking your father, Neal?"

"Because he said exactly the same thing," said Neal. "But I know he has my ball from when I was a kid. He's very sentimental and I'm sure he won't give it to me but maybe you could try and persuade him."

Emma had to give Neal props. He created that excuse all in one second and it sounded so real that Emma believed it herself.

"I know Henry will love it," began Belle, coming out of the shelves. "But your father might be a little crushed. I think he kept a lot of things from your childhood."

"I know," said Neal. "But he still has my scarf and I'm sure he'll probably like the idea of me passing it on to Henry."

"You haven't asked him yet?" asked Belle, turning towards him.

"No, I just wanted to make sure he still has it and by your answer, he still has."

Belle frowned. "I'm not sure he does though. I know he has some stuff. But a ball? I'd have to look around first."

"Before we get to that," began Emma. "I wanted to ask you something about Henry as well. He loves that book of his and I wanted to ask for some recommendations of other books he could read."

"Hmmmm…" replied Belle, deep in thought. "You know you could just ask him right? Our taste in stories might be different."

"We wanted our gifts to be a surprise," said Neal. "Why we asked papa to take him to the mall and buy him some video games."

"You asked your father to buy video games for Henry with the boy in question?" asked Belle, a smile playing on her face. "You do know your father doesn't have control over his own money and might just buy the entire mall for the boy who reminds him so much of his own son."

"Really?" asked Neal then he turned to Emma. "Maybe I should have been the one to go with Papa. I could probably have my own car by now."

"Seriously?" asked Emma, glaring at the father of her child. "Guilt-tripping your father to get something good for Christmas?"

"If Henry comes home with so much games and stuff," began Neal, leaning on the library circulation desk. "I'm saying that's what my gift to him was all along. A shopping spree with his grandfather."

"Technically that would have been Gold's gift to him," said Emma then turned to Belle. "I was actually thinking of Harry Potter and things like that...but maybe he'd prefer the classic fairy tales like the Grimm but I'm scared he might just compare that and your lives...so I'm stumped."

Belle considered Emma's suggestions and then something on her desk caught her attention. "Henry had this whole mission before right? To get everyone's happy endings?"

"Yeah," said Emma, not exactly understanding where Belle was heading. "He called it Operation Cobra. It was like we were spies or something."

"There's this new book series about a Young James Bond," began Belle, handing Emma a book. "The character is about Henry's age so he might take a small interest in it."

"Thanks Belle," said Emma. "At least you were useful unlike Neal here."

"Hey I said we should ask her, didn't I?" said Neal. "That was my idea so technically I helped you out a lot."

Belle giggled as she watched the two of them leave the library. She had wondered why Rumple hadn't called or asked how she was and she now understood that taking care of his grandson might have been a handful.

Rumple and Henry walked back to the Cadillac, Henry with a big grin on his face as he carried all the things they bought. Rumple never thought of money as an issue so he had asked Henry to buy whatever it was that he wanted that won't get him ire from both Bae and Emma. Henry of course chose responsibly and bought games that were right for his age. The gift for Belle on the other hand was still something Rumple wasn't too convinced about.

"I know Belle will love it!" said Henry as they made their way back to the shop. "I mean you could spend time teaching her how to use it."

"I just hope she spends most of her time with me and not it," said Rumple.

"Belle's not your ordinary girl Grandpa," said Henry. "Besides introducing this to her, will give you some time to bond. Not that I'm saying you don't spend a lot of time together but you know you could learn a thing or two about this world…"

Rumple let the boy ramble on, a small smile on his face as they rode back to the shop. He occasionally nodded his head so Henry wouldn't be disheartened that his grandfather's mind had wandered off the conversation. Henry was a particularly bright boy. Very inquisitive and curious, just like Belle and Rumple was glad to have both of them in his life, plus Baelfire and by a smidge, Emma.

As they arrived in the shop, both Emma and Baelfire were already there. Both surprised by the things Henry had.

"You didn't buy the entire shop for him right?" asked Emma, inspecting all the games that Henry had to make sure they were all age-appropriate.

"Next time, I'm coming with you," said Neal, taking a few games as well and smiling. "Oh Henry, I've seen this and it's supposed to be one great game!" he high-fived his son and Emma shook her head.

"I have two boys to take care off," said Emma. She then turned to Gold. "So what did you get her?"

Henry then explained his gift idea to Emma and Neal as Rumple placed the gift at the back of the shop.

"I will say," began Neal. "That idea never crossed my mind."

"Me too," said Emma. "Then again we have lived here longer so we don't really understand how you all feel about this world."

"I for one am in between," said Rumple. "But this place is full of wonders for Belle and I'm ok with staying here. The Dark Castle was home but it was a lonely home."

"Until Belle arrived of course," said Henry with a smile. "I'm glad your story finally appeared in the book, grandpa."

Rumple smiled. "Thank you for your help today, Henry. To all of you."

Christmas Eve was spent with their family of course but as the clock neared midnight, Rumple teleported the two of them back to the Victorian.

"I wished we had this celebration back in the Enchanted Forest," said Belle as Rumple helped her out of her coat. "It really is such a festive occasion with many different meanings and traditions." Her smile faltered. "Though I am sorry for not being able to give you anything."

"You agreeing to stay the night is already the best gift, sweetheart," said Rumple. "Plus the fact that you remember who I am and in good health."

Belle smiled and they made their way to the living room. Belle's eyes widened at the perfectly wrapped gift on the coffee table. "Rumple is that for me?"

"Yes," said Rumple, motioning for her to take a seat. He sat beside her and handed her the present. It was a slightly heavy but now Belle's curiosity was peaked. "I'm really not the best person to shop for gifts so I asked Henry to help me and Bae and Emma to sort of distract you during my absence.

A sudden realization dawned on Belle as she remembered the two in the library and she shook her head. Fancy her not realizing what they were doing but she smiled at the effort Rumple had made.

"I'm sure whatever you got me is great, Rumple," said Belle and when Rumple nodded, neatly opened her present. She was surprised to see a laptop, just like the one Rumple had in his study. "I'm guessing Henry's idea?"

"Yes," said Rumple as he helped her get the thing out of its box and set it up. "Henry says that since you are incredibly curious and imaginative, this was a very good thing to give you."

"Why is that?" asked Belle as the computer turned on and Rumple showed her how to work it. As Rumple taught her, Belle realized that Henry's idea was perfect. She could do research about so many things on the little device, could even save some of her favorite books in it and the best part was she could write her own stories and literary pieces in it, a task she never thought she could with the curious little device.

"You know I would never give-up on printed material," began Belle. "But this little thing is still amazing."

"I'm glad you liked it," said Rumple, keeping away the wrapping paper and box. "You are incredibly hard to buy a present for."

"Unlike you aren't?" snorted Belle. "What do you give the richest man in Storybrooke?"

"I could think of a few things," said Rumple with a sly smile.

Belle laughed and kissed him. "Of course you can."