This takes place after Baelfire falls through the green vortex in The Return, episode 1x19.
Disclaimer: I own nothing
A/N: Thanks for reading! As this is only my second fanfic, review are welcome.
oo00oo
Baelfire landed flat on his back in a puff of smoke and dirt. Coughing, he rolled over to his knees, rubbing his forehead in the soft ground. "Coward" he coughed as he slammed his fist on the grass. Tears were running down his face and he rubbed at them with the back of his hand, mixing the water and the earth over his face. He was starting to sit up when he heard something he never expected to hear. Not here and not now.
"Bae" said a soft voice behind him.
Bae slowly turned around and saw a man. An ordinary man. He was dressed differently than anything Bae had ever seen before. Bae barely registered that the man was leaning against a stick before he glanced up at the stranger's face.
This man was his father! Looking like he used to look before he was overtaken by the dark curse. Bae could see that his father's eyes were filled with questions and apprehension. But why? Bae has seen that look before whenever his father did something that he was afraid would upset his young son. Bae knew his father was waiting for his reaction before his father would make any movement toward him.
And Bae didn't think. He didn't have to think. There was no room for conscience thought as the young boy quickly got to his feet and covered the short distance to where his father was standing. Bae threw himself into his father's arms and sobbed great heaving sobs. "I thought" he could hardly get the words out "I thought you broke our deal." Squeezing his father tighter Bae could barely get out the worst thing about this entire ordeal, "I thought you let me fall".
"Oh, Bae. Can you forgive me?" His father took Bae's face into his hands, pressing their foreheads together. "So much has happened. But please, please understand that everything I did. Everything I've done. I've done for you. To be with you again. I can hardly believe that you're here" . His father took him into his arms and continued to ramble. Although Bae understood the words, they weren't making sense to him. "Everything was worth it. Everything! Oh, Bae! Forgive me?"
"But, Papa. I don't understand. You're here. What's to forgive?"
And in slow, stuttering words, his father told him an amazing tale about the centuries he's lived and everything he had to do to create a curse that engulfed their entire world and transported them to this land without magic. Bae shook his head in disbelief. Only moments had passed for him going through that vortex, but here, his father had lived lifetimes. And suffered. Bae could tell that his father suffered during his long life. For him to have followed through with this curse meant that he never got close to anyone. And that noone, in all that time, had gotten close to him. The entire concept was difficult for him to wrap his mind around. Bae felt for his father and all the pain and loneliness he had suffered through in order to be here, with him, at his moment.
"Can you forgive me, Bae? Can you ever forgive me? I did", and at this, his father stuttered yet again. His worse fear or greatest hope about to be confirmed. Every fiber in his being, that cowardly part of him, wanted to keep this part hidden from his son. But he wanted, needed to show Bae that he was a changed mad, a better man, and that he did learn something through the centuries. With a deep breath, his father continued, "I did… release your hand. And you fell. And every moment from that moment I've regretted it. I'm so sorry. " and a new round of tears came from his father's eyes as he looked away in shame.
Bae took his father's chin in his hand and lifted it until they were once again looking at each other. "As I said, Papa. You're here. What's to forgive?"