Minutes
Rumplestiltskin heard the bell ring. Murmuring voices, in and out, and then clearly: Emma.
"Belle's here. She wanted to see you if she thought it would help. But she doesn't want to upset you, she still doesn't remember."
"Bring her in." Belle was here. That was all he heard.
Then she was sitting beside him and his eyes found hers. To his surprise she took his hand, a cool cloth came to his forehead from her other.
Bae started to turn aside. "No. Stay." Rumplestiltskin gasped. "There's something you need to hear. Emma too." He pointed. " I'm still a lawyer. I need a witness."
Then he turned to Belle.
He tried to focus on her, but all he could see was blue. That was enough. He began, pausing to catch his breath every few words. "Belle, I know that you will get your memories back, and you'll remember this. When we were saying goodbye, before Hook shot you, you said that you would wait for me. We worked so hard to find my son, together. So Belle," he gestured," this is Baelfire, my son. Bae, this is Belle." Rumplestiltskin saw Belle's head turn to his son. Bae nodded.
Good. That was good. He was able to show Belle his son. But there was more, if only…. He pulled more strength from within. "In my bureau, sweetheart, there is a sapphire ring. Sapphire for your beautiful eyes, and the dress you wore in my castle. A gold band, for the ball-gown you wore when we first met." He was crying again, but had no time to wipe the tears away. Running out of Time.
Tick-tock Tick-tock. Everything was irony now.
"It's yours, Belle. You can keep it, or sell it, but I wanted you to have it." Another long pause. Every breath hurt, but he was not going to lose this last moment. "After we were all together, I was going to surprise you in the library. . . destroy the dagger in front of you . . . Give up my magic." Someone wiped tears from his eyes. Was it Bae or Belle? It didn't matter. "Then I was going to pull out the ring and ask you to marry me."
He from far-away heard Belle burst into tears, saw somebody hand her a handkerchief. Rumplestiltskin was sobbing too, even though it took all energy from him. "I was ready, Belle. I wanted you to know that . . . and Bae too. Everything is yours, my love. And Bae's. But if he doesn't want it, it's all yours. " He gestured to Emma. "Please, write that down."
He rested then, and stirred only when he felt a pen put in his hand that then guided him to paper. He signed it as best he could, then for a moment his eyes cleared and he was able to see straight into her eyes. "I love you," he whispered, then a sob broke from her and she leaned down and kissed him, their tears mingling, she touching his face. Kissing him. True love's kiss. If only magic was not so unpredictable….
She broke away so both could catch breath and Rumplestiltskin saw that Bae had moved away. That was fine. All was said.
Then she somehow was behind him, lying with him on the couch and guiding his head to her shoulder.
"Tell me," she whispered, her tears falling onto his face.
He did. She stroked his hair and kissed his forehead as he told her everything that had happened between them, from the moment they met, until the last few minutes of his life.