A/N: Hope you enjoy! Thanks to Charlotte Ashmore for beta-ing and letting me play around in her verse :D
Summary: An excerpt from The Dark One's Wish by Charlotte Ashmore. Two weeks after rescuing Bae and Aaron from Neverland, Rumple asks for their blessing before he proposes to Belle.
Disclaimer: Once Upon A Time and all character's and familiar dialogue from the show belong to Disney/ABC and the show's brilliant creators and writers. No profit is being made from this just having fun with my favorite show.
Baelfire's Blessing
Rumple fiddled nervously with the brass buttons on his leather vest as he made his way across the foyer and out into the garden. It was Belle's favorite, and so he tried to wear it as often as he could. But now, he wondered if he should've chosen something a bit more…handsome and a little less…beastly. After all, tonight was a special occasion – or at least, he hoped it would be – and he wanted to look his best. He leaned against the doorframe of the main entryway to the Dark Castle, smiling fondly as he watched his son and Aaron frolic in the spacious yard and pretending to fight like seasoned knights and swordsman, looking content and carefree.
It had been only a fortnight since Rumple had rescued the two boys from their tree house prison on that godforsaken island of orphans called Neverland, but they seemed to be adjusting rather well, though they still struggled with the fact that Rumple and Belle were their elders, and therefore they would be punished if they disobeyed an order from one of them.
At first, Bae's father was surprised at how rambunctious the boys were, figuring that after being captive under Pan's iron fist for so many centuries, they would be used to heeding much harsher orders than a request to do their chores or not track mud in the castle. And he was underlay shocked when Bae had challenged him to a sword fight because he didn't wish to harvest vegetables from the garden. He'd almost gotten a good swat for that, as before Rumple could even react, his son had him pinned against the stone of the castle. Only when Belle had intervened and gently restrained the boy with her magic did Bae come back to his senses and realize what he was doing. Scared and horrified, his son quickly released Rumple from sword point and scurried away to complete the request. Many times that day, Rumple had tried to ask what had come over his son, but each time the boy remained silent, curling into himself and uttering a word to no one save Aaron. He wouldn't even look Rumple in the eye. The sorcerer was at a loss, afraid that something he had done reminded Bae all too much of his bastardly father, and he couldn't bear to make such a comparison. Belle implored him to remember that Bae had come from a very different, very trying life on the island, and that, though he may look like the same spinner's son Rumple had lost so many years ago, being a Lost Boy had changed him in ways neither of them could comprehend and he needed time to remember the person he used to be. Rumple knew his beloved was right, but despite her reassurances, he couldn't shake the feeling that Bae's introverted behavior was somehow his fault.
When father and son still hadn't spoken in four days, he pulled Aaron, who was slowly becoming like a second child to him, even taking the liberty to call him Pop, which brought a brilliant smile to his face and warmed him inside and out every time he heard it, aside and questioned him about Bae's strange behavior. Aaron had explained that sometimes both he and Bae sometimes had flashbacks of the island, in nightmares as well as when awake and it was sometimes hard to distinguish fantasy from reality. He went on to explain that in Neverland, the Lost Boy's had a system. If one of them was given an order from an elder, or even from Pan himself, that they did not wish to obey, they could challenge the elder to a duel…
"And if they won, they didn't have to obey?" the sorcerer guessed.
Aaron shook his head, "Yes. The best I can figure from what he's told me, when Bae challenged you the other day, he'd had a flashback; the last person to give him an order before you was Pan, and for a moment, he simply couldn't separate the two."
"He thought he was back on the island," Rumple realized in dismay.
Aaron nodded again, "It was only when Belle's white magic restrained him that he recalled where he really was. And that frightened him. I think- I think he's afraid you'll be angry with him. And maybe he's also worried that if he talks to you too much, the flashbacks will get worse…" Aaron had looked down, slightly ashamed, "He probably wouldn't want me telling you this, but he needs your help. I wasn't there as long, and Bae protected me from the bigger boys, so my nightmares aren't as bad, and I hardly ever get flashbacks, but Bae…he needs his Pop." Aaron finished.
Rumple's thoughts were in a whirl, but he managed a small smile and a reassuring squeeze of the boy's hand, "Thank you, son. I understand. I shall try my best to help him."
Aaron smiled, "Any time Pop; Baelfire's like a brother to me. I don't like seeing him upset."
After that, Rumple had had a long talk with his son, and with his father and Belle's help, the horrors of Neverland were progressively becoming little more than memories.
Both boys had taken a particular shine to Belle, especially after she offered to dream walk them through their nightmares along with Rumple, and they discovered that fairy magic combined with Rumple's sorcery lessened the night terrors even quicker. She was also helping Aaron learn to read, as he'd never had the chance to learn, having been kidnapped by the shadow when he was only five. He had aged in Neverland, but it had been slowed to the minimal rate, and when he was old enough, usually around 14, according to Bae, Pan would stop his aging and keep him prisoner forever. Now, at twelve, Aaron was enthralled with the wonders of the written world and spent many hours shut away in the extensive library as Belle slowly taught him to tell some of his most favorite stories on his own.
Rumple was delighted beyond belief that his sons had taken such a liking to his beloved. Nonetheless, the possible outcomes of the conversation he was about to have had him shaking in his boots with anxiety, He rocked back and forth uneasily, deciding he couldn't put the conversation off any longer, as Belle would be back from the market any minute now.
"Aaron, Bae! Can you come in here please?" he called. "There's something I'd like to…er…ask you before Belle returns with lunch."
"In a minute Papa," Bae called as he and Aaron continued to fence, "One more shay and Aaron owes me his dessert for a week." The boy said, smirking at his younger brother.
"We'll see about that Fire," Aaron retorted, quickly disarming the older boy with a hit to his sword hilt.
Rumple looked on, his mouth drooping to a scowl. "Bae, what have I told you about betting?" he asked sternly, one eyebrow raised in askance.
"Uh…not to?" Bae responded sheepishly.
"Exactly. Now put the swords away and come inside." He ordered again.
"But Papa," Bae whined, "he started it." They boy protested, pointing his weapon at his younger brother.
"Baelfire!" Rumple reprimanded and Bae winced at the use of that tone, knowing his father meant business, "I don't care who started it, I'm finishing it. There will be no more betting in this household, or you both lose your desserts for a month. Clear?"
"Yessir," the boys replied in unison, and the sorcerer had to hold back a laugh as they saluted him.
"Good," he smiled. "Now come in and get cleaned up, and then meet me by my wheel."
The children obeyed, neatly replacing their swords and gear in the weapon shed and washing their hands of mud, leaving their shoes on the back steps before scrambling inside and sitting down next to Rumple as he spun, trying to calm his nerves before he started talking.
"So what did you want to talk about Papa?" Bae asked curiously.
Rumple could feel the sweat bead down his forehead. It meant the world to him to have Bae back home again, and to have been given another blessing such as Aaron was more than he ever dared to hope for. He wanted so desperately to make the two of them happy, to give them everything he never had…including, if possible…a mother. The sorcerer loved Belle with all his heart, and he didn't want to waste another minute without her as his wife, He was fairly certain the boys knew this, as they routinely joked about how the couple not so discreetly stole kisses and "I love yous" when they thought the boys weren't looking. Still, it was of the utmost importance to him that his sons approved before he attempted to make it official. He was fairly certain he had nothing to fear, but the possibility that they might reject her as their mother figure scared him witless. He had no idea where to begin, or what would happen if things went wrong, either with the boys or, even more terrifying, with Belle herself. He pulled a handkerchief from his vest pocket and wiped his sweaty brow as he tried to steady his breathing.
"Papa?" Bae asked, bringing his father back to the present, "Are you alright? You look pale."
"What? Oh, oh yes, I'm fine son." He responded hurriedly.
"Are you sure?" Bae asked, his brows scrunching together in concern.
Rumple smiled and ruffled his son's hair, "Quite sure Bae. Just a bit nervous is all."
"Nervous?" Aaron piped up, "Why? I thought you wanted to talk to us."
"Yeah Papa," Bae seconded, "What's this about? Did we do something wrong? Are we in trouble?"
Rumple chuckled and shook his head, "No my boy. Quite the opposite in fact. I called you in here because….well because I wanted to ask you something." He stuttered slightly.
"What is it, Pop?" Aaron wondered aloud and Rumple's insides warmed.
"Well…erm…You know I love you both very much right?'
Both boys nodded and smiled.
"Well, I love Belle very much too. She was the one who broke my curse and helped me get you back after all."
"With True Love's kiss right, Pop?"
"Uh huh. You told us the story the night you brought us home."
Rumple laughed, "That's right, Bae, I did."
"So…if she broke your curse, she must really love you." Aaron deducted, and Rumple beamed.
"And I love her, my boy. Very much."
"What are you trying to say Papa?" Bae asked again.
"Well I…er... I was wondering if you...er..."
"Papa," Bae smiled, his eyes sparkling with pleasure as it dawned on him what his father was trying to say, "Are you trying to…Do you want to marry her?"
Rumple smiled sheepishly as his eyes searched his sons' for approval. "Would you…would you be okay with that?"
Bae jumped up and wrapped his arms around his father's neck, "I was wondering how long it would take you to ask her." he enthused and his father chuckled.
"Aaron?" he asked, "Have you been expecting this too?"
The younger boy smiled cheekily, "Pretty much." he snorted.
"And are you ok with it?"
Aaron smiled shyly at the older man and nodded his head. "I like Belle, Pop. She's nice and she makes you happy. And…it might be nice to have a mother again."
Rumple grinned and wrapped his younger son along with Bae in a tight hug. "Thank you, boys." He said sincerely, blinking away happy tears.
"You're welcome Papa," Bae said, squeezing his shoulder. At that moment, they heard hoof beats approaching the castle.
"Looks like she's back, Pop." Aaron winked. "We'll help her with lunch, you go get ready."
Rumple smiled and stood up, "Wish me luck boys."
"Luck." they giggled in unison.
Rumple chuckled and climbed the stairs, hoping that the actual proposal would be just as well received as Bae's blessing.