Storybrooke

The soft ticking of the clock echoed in the darkness while Mister Gold looked at the shadows moving across the ceiling then rolled over onto his side and looked at the bars of the cell. A part of his mind chastised him for not being more careful when he went after the man who broke into his home, but he let his real anger for the man cloud his judgment.

"He was her father," he whispered then closed his eyes and cleared his mind.

Fairytale Land

The doors opened while Rumplestiltskin walked in the dining hall and the doors closed behind him. He walked to the dining table when he saw the chipped teacup sitting where he had left it and he blinked his eyes, picking the chipped teacup off the table. He carefully ran his thumb over the chipped area as he sighed and his eyes slightly bulged.

"Why would she get so upset about a chipped teacup?" he asked while tilting his head to one side. "It's just a cup."

"Maybe she was afraid of what you were going to do to her," a soft voice said inside his head and he looked at the chipped tea cup.

"But I wasn't upset. I have more," he said as he walked to the china cupboard and opened the door. The matching teacups sat on the shelf as he placed the chipped teacup on the shelf then closed the door. Turning on his heels, he walked to the door when he opened the door and walked down the hallway. Placing his hands behind his back, he listened to the soft sound of his heels on the tile floor as he smiled then stopped at the window. Most of the windows were covered in thick curtains, but some looked out at the grounds surrounding his castle and his heart caught in his chest when he saw Belle walking in the rose garden. She had asked to go outside for a while as he placed his lower arms on the window sill and watched her.

"Why don't you join her?" the soft voice asked when he stood up and frowned, blinking his eyes a few times.

"Why?" he asked, scrunching up his face then sighed and walked down the hallway.

Belle was enjoying the sunlight on her face as she strolled by the rosebushes and was amazed that there were so many different varieties and colors of roses. The cobblestone path weaved around the garden and there were some spots with only green grass. She wondered why he had left those spots open then thought about him and slightly smiled.

"There is more to you than meets the eye," she whispered while walking by a large oak tree that stood at the center of the garden when Rumplestiltskin walked out from behind the tree and leaned against the trunk, crossing one ankle over the other.

"Hello, Dearie," he said as she walked closer and he felt his heart beating a little faster. "Are you enjoying my garden?"

"Yes, it's very lovely," she said with a nod of her head and he lightly kicked off the tree, walking toward her. "Though there are some blank spots."

"Yes, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do next," he said as she walked to a square shape area and folded her arms across her chest.

"Well, I think a fountain would work nicely right here," she said as he walked closer and looked at the square shape area.

"A fountain?" he asked and she nodded her head. With a wave of his hands, a square fountain made of marble appeared and she tilted her head to one side and frowned.

"No, no, no, that's too plain. I was thinking of a taller pillar at the center," she said and he snapped his fingers while the pillar rose into the air and she held a hand up when the pillar was tall enough. "Can you put a statue of a fish on the top with the water pouring out of its mouth?"

"Easy," he said with a small giggle and a marble statue of a fish appeared on the top of the pillar and water poured out of its mouth.

"Perfect," she said as she clapped her hands and he gave her a blank look. Not many enjoyed his magic as he slightly smiled and they walked down the path. They spent most of the afternoon filling in the blank spots until the garden was decorated with statues, flowers and a coy pond when they came to the last spot in the shape of a small triangle and Belle folded her arms across her chest. Rumplestiltskin looked at her then at the triangle when he felt something moving through his heart and blinked. With a snap of his fingers, he smiled at the marble statue of Belle standing on one point of the triangle and the statue had her hands out stretched. "That's me!"

"Yes, it is," he said softly then snapped his fingers and a marble statue of him appeared on one point of the triangle and his statue's fingers were interlocked with the fingers of her statue. He noticed the look on her face as he coughed and made a nervous giggle. "Sorry about that."

"No, I like it," she said as he gave her a blank look and she looked at the final point of the triangle. "So, who is going here?"

"Bae," he thought then sighed and brushed the hair from his eyes. The thought of a life with Belle and his son, Baelfire, made his heart thunder loudly in his ears that he jumped when Belle touched his hand and he coughed, looking down at the ground.

"I'm, uh, I'm not sure," he said while they walked back to the large oak tree and she looked at the thick branches while he watched her walking around the tree.

"Hm, I think swing would look nice hanging from this tree," she said and his eyes widened.

"A….swing?" he asked and she nodded her head. Shrugging, he snapped his fingers as a pair of ropes connected to a wooden plank appeared and was tied securely to the branch. Walking toward the swing, Belle sat down as she held onto the ropes and smiled, looking at Rumplestiltskin.

"Push me?" she asked and he gave her a puzzled look.

"Why would I want to do that?" he asked and she softly laughed, shaking her head.

"Just go behind me," she said with a roll of her eyes and he shrugged, walked behind her and grabbed onto the plank of wood. "Now pull back a bit then push your arms out and let go."

Not understanding why she wanted him to do that, he did as she asked and Belle and the swing rose into the air. The swing moved back toward him as he gently pushed the swing and Belle laughed. He couldn't help giggling as he pushed the swing a few more times until she dug her feet into the ground and looked back at him.

"Your turn," she said as his eyes went wide and she stood up, pointing with her hands to the plank of wood.

"Oh, no, I don't want to," he said, holding his hands up.

"Coward," she said with a grin and he gave her a stern look.

"I am NOT a coward!" he growled through his teeth and she placed her hands on her hips, giving a smug look.

"Then prove it!" she said when he walked by her then sat down and held the ropes in his hands. Nodding, Belle grabbed onto the plank of wood when she moved back and let go of the plank of wood. Rumplestiltskin's eyes widened as he and the swing rose into the air and she shouted for him to stick his legs out. Their laughter echoed around the garden as she pushed the swing a few more times until Rumplestiltskin dragged his feet into the ground, got off the swing and held his hand out. Taking his hand, they walked down the cobblestone path while the sun turned the sky a soft pink color and he swung her hand back and forth.

"She can't be dead," Rumplestiltskin thought while he stood near the window and looked out at the grounds. He knew the Evil Queen was the one that ruined what he had with Belle, but he was the one that banished Belle from the castle. If it was true what Belle's father had done to cause her to take her own life, he was going to make him pay and pounded his fist on the windowsill. Looking toward the garden, Rumplestiltskin sighed as he wiped one of many tears that had filled his eyes away when he walked to the cupboard and opened the door. Reaching inside, he removed a snow globe with silver sparkles lying at the bottom and held the wooden base in his hands. He walked to the window when he looked out at the garden then looked at the snow globe and sighed. Snapping his fingers, he watched the garden vanish then reappear in perfect miniature detail inside the snow globe and he held the wooden base in his hands.

"Belle," he sighed then walked down the hallway and the torches in the iron holders cast long shadows on the walls.

Storybrooke

The door opened as Mister Gold limped inside and closed the door behind him. Emma was stunned when he made bail, but had offered to drive him home and he looked toward the living room. He limped into the room when he walked to the china cupboard then opened the door and removed the chipped teacup from his pocket. Opening the door to the china cupboard, he carefully placed the chipped teacup on the shelf with the matching teacups and closed the door, locking it.

"There, back home where you belong," he whispered then left the room and slowly went upstairs. He walked down the hallway when he opened the door to his bedroom and headed for the bed. He placed the cane against the bed when he sat down and looked at the nightstand to the left of the bed. Reaching over, he picked up the snow globe when he looked at the garden covered in silver sparkles then lightly grunted as he sat on the bed and leaned against the headboard. Holding the wooden base in his hands, he gently shook the snow globe then softly smiled as the silver sparkles floated around the garden and a single tear rolled gently down his cheek.

The End…..