Unexpected Surprise

By Snapegirlkmf & CJ Moliere

1

Bad News

A/N: This story will be co-authored by me and CJ Moliere. It is set post-Dark Curse several months afterwards, AU S2, where Rumple did not create the curse but was a victim of it like the others in Storybrooke, he also did not lose Bae or Belle, but they were cursed also and separated from him for the curse's duration. We hope you enjoy the wacky, touching, and emotional rollercoaster ride that's Belle's unexpected surprise!

Belle sat stunned on the exam table in her gynecologist's office. She had gone for her yearly appointment like always, because even with the curse broken she knew it was important for her health, especially since she was married now and both she and Rumple wanted to have a child together. Belle had always had irregular and painful monthlies, and it was during the curse that her doctor had diagnosed her with a condition called endometriosis, and said it was the cause of her problems. But she had been doing what she could to keep it under control, and had hoped it was getting better. But the recent tests done showed otherwise and the news she had just been given left her reeling.

The words felt like knives being driven deep into Belle's heart...you will not be able to bear children...perhaps you may consider adoption. They tried to break the news to her as gently as possible. She was grateful for that and for her part she tried her best to put up a brave front only she was dying inside. There was no greater gift she wanted to give the husband she loved more than anything than a child from her own body. Now her body was rebelling against her, denying her the chance to make that dream come true and no amount of magic could fix it, not even the power of true love that was supposed to conquer all. She wanted to cry, she wanted to scream, she wanted to slam her fists against a wall...to do anything to express the deep sorrow she felt but she would be brave for now. Only when she was alone could she drop her facade and let it all out.

She could only imagine what some of the other people in the town would say once word of her condition got out and even thinking it left a bitter taste in the back of her throat. They would consider it fitting, after all in their eyes she'd married a monster...why would she want to bring another one into the world? She was so damned sick and tired of everyone putting him down and thinking she was a fool. They didn't know her at all or the man she married, not as well as they knew each other. They both had their flaws and instead of letting those flaws hinder their relationship, they helped strengthen it. They faced many obstacles to their love before and still it survived, just like the chipped cup that served as the symbol of that love. A piece of it was missing yet it wasn't discarded or neglected. This was perhaps the greatest challenge they could ever face as a couple.

Page~*~*~*~*~Break

The harsh thumping of a bass drum or whatever it was that passed for music these days assaulted Gold's ears as soon as he pulled into the driveway of his Victorian. Scowling, he glared up at the second story window where his son's room was and got out of the car. Dammit, Baelfire! he thought angrily. This is not downtown near the docks and the people in this neighborhood do not appreciate this death metal garbage or whatever the hell you call it! He was surprised the phone wasn't ringing off the wall with complaints about the noise by now.

He entered the house and yelled up the stairs, "BAE! Turn that-garbage DOWN!"

But of course it was impossible to hear anything with that unholy racket, so after a few minutes, where he had developed a pounding headache in addition to his leg aching, Rumple grabbed his cane and limped up the stairs. It had only been a month since the curse had broken, and Bae had been a wild street brat during it, running with gods only knew what kind of kids and it was taking some time for him to adjust to having parents again . . .and actually living in a normal house.

"Baelfire!" Gold snapped as he pushed open the door to his son's room. "Will you turn the damn volume down?" His eardrums were nearly blown out by the sheer noise. He gestured and the awful music suddenly ceased.

Bae spun his chair around to face his furious father. "What the hell! I was listening to that!"

Gold crossed his arms over his chest. "And so was the whole neighborhood!" he growled. "How many times do I have to tell you-if you're going to play that . . .devil metal music to put your earbuds in so the rest of the country doesn't have to be subjected to it? I almost went deaf!"

"It wasn't that loud!"

"No? Well, if it wasn't that loud how come you didn't hear me calling for you to turn it down, dearie?" his father demanded. "I had to come up here and do it myself!"

"Whatever. You just don't like it that's all."

"That's right. Because it's all noise and no sense. You can't even hear what they're supposed to be singing! And this is what you kids consider music these days?"

"Yeah well it's better than the crap you listen to...enough to put me to sleep."

"Watch the tone," Gold ordered. He eyed the boy leaning in his chair, noting how Bae was running a hand through his hair and then twirling something inbetween his fingers. His gaze zeroed in on . . ."Bae . . . is that . . . an earring?" He moved over to his son and brushed the hair away to see it better. "It is! When the hell did you get that?"

"Yeah. And a tattoo. I've had 'em for ages. Oh come on. Don't tell me you're gonna make a big deal out of those now!"

"A tattoo? Where? What's it of?" Rumple frowned. "Some gang logo?"

"Ummm...yeah..."

Rumple shook his head. "I want to see it."

"Awww...all right!" He pulled his shirt off and turned so that his father could see his upper arm where an image of a scorpion was drawn. "I'm not getting it taken off either!"

Rumple stared at the loathsome insect and wondered where the hell the cheerful youngster he'd known back in the Enchanted Forest had gone and when did this sullen sulky copy take his place? He sighed. "All right. What's done is done. But . . . you're not allowed to get any more tattoos or piercings until you're eighteen or out of my house. Go behind my back and do it anyway and you won't like the consequences. Understood?"

"You're making a big deal out of nothing! And they were my family for as long as I could remember!" The boy cried angrily, his temper surging out of control. "All because of f*cking magic and a f*cking curse!"

"Baelfire! You don't use that language! I don't care what you've been doing for the last twenty-eight years, you don't talk like that to me!" Gold snapped, incensed. "I taught you better when you were three. Seems like you need a reminder though." He snapped his fingers and a bar of Ivory appeared in them.

"Oh, so now you're gonna wash my mouth out with soap? Really, Papa, I'm not three anymore."

Now that he had his memories back, Bae detested the magic his father now had as strongly as before when they were back in the Enchanted Forest.

"Well, you're acting like it. And I won't have you talking like that around this house. You seem to have forgotten all the manners I ever taught you. Hopefully, this will remind you. Open up." Rumple hated playing the stern patriarch but so far all his attempts at coaxing and reasoning with his son had failed. The boy was stubborn . . .perhaps he needed reminding that his papa was twice as stubborn . . .and determined to set the boy back on track and not let what had gone before ruin his life.

"Make me," Bae challenged. "You can't do it without magic. You can't do much of anything without it, can you?"

Gold's eyes flashed. "I can do plenty without my magic. I lived without it for twenty-eight years, and before I became the Dark One. I never needed magic to make you mind before. And I don't need it now. You know perfectly well what you did is wrong. But if you want to be a coward instead of taking your punishment like a man, that's YOUR choice. And you have to live with yourself."

"Oh I'm not a coward. I want to see if you really have the balls to make me eat soap...without magic."

Gold locked eyes with his rebellious offspring. He adored his son . . .but right now he wanted to wallop the daylights out of him for his fresh mouth and his attitude. And he knew then that he couldn't let this challenge to his authority slide. Not and still hope to gain the boy's respect. He was like a young wolf, growling and showing his teeth at his alpha. Well, the pup was about to get reminded that his alpha was no pushover.

Bae waited patiently to see if his father would accept his challenge. He'd been through a similar process when he joined the gang.

Rumple moved then, he wasn't as fast as he was when he'd been the Dark One, but still faster than a normal man when he wished to be. He brought his hand beneath the boy's jaw, and pressed firmly where the jaw hinged, forcing the boy to open his mouth involuntarily. Then he popped the bar of Ivory in and said, "Satisfied, young man? The old wolf still has teeth." The entire thing had taken about ten seconds, and had been as easy as giving a recalcitrant sheep medicine back in the old days.

Bae nearly gagged from the taste of the soap. It wasn't as bad as the soap he used back in the Forest but it was still disgusting nonetheless and deep down he was proud. His father still had it.

Bae spit the soap back out. "Tastes just as bad as the other stuff," he sputtered."But you've still got it," he said admiringly.

He was too old to get turned over his father's knee but he was certain if he did, that would still hurt like hell too depending on the offense.

"I never lost it." Rumple returned. "Now go rinse your mouth. And next time you remember what I taught you. I didn't raise you to be a hooligan, Bae. And you're lucky you're too old to get spanked, because I'd do that too if I had to."

"Yeah and I wouldn't be sitting for a week."

"No you wouldn't. Now would you please try and behave?"

"I'll try Papa...I really will...but it's not easy...been on my own so long..."

"I know . . .but you're not alone anymore . . .you're part of a family again, and Belle and I are here to help you . . .if you'll let us. We're your family now." Then he pulled the boy into a rather awkward hug, like he used to do when Bae was little after he'd punished him for something.

As Bae found his face pressed up against his father's chest, his mind flew backwards in time. During the curse there were times when Bae wished he had a normal family...the memories he'd been given made him believe BOTH of his parents were dead...not that one of them was the very same pawnbroker whose shop he broke into to steal the money out of the safe of the most feared man in Storybrooke as part of a challenge.

The boy he'd taken with him was a newbie and not as fast on his feet so they got caught.

And like now, his father, without magic and walking with a cane was the one to apprehend the sneaky thieves, trapping them in the back room until Sheriff Swan showed up. They both expected the rumored hard assed pawnbroker to have them both thrown in jail or juvie. Instead, he decided not to press charges and kept Bae at the shop most of the day, asking him a lot of questions about his life as a Scorpion, bringing him lunch from Granny's...more specifically his memories. Bae found that odd but Mr. Gold was odd according to the others. His accomplice snuck back out after pretending to go to the bathroom but Bae stayed behind. He couldn't explain it but something compelled him to stay.

When Bae finally asked Gold why he gave a shit about a bunch of gang kids when no one else did, the older man looked like he was on the verge of tears. He told him that Bae reminded him of the son he lost.

"But I'm not your son," he'd said. Those words did bring the pawnbroker to tears. Bae was a bit annoyed then and asked him to turn off the waterworks. He did, but there was still a pained look on his face that made no sense then. Oh, how it did now.

Bae had no way of knowing that their little mishap at the pawnshop saved his life. Three hours later while he was still with Mr. Gold, the other members of his gang got in a fight on the other side of town and most of them were killed.

The ones that did survive were all in the hospital with knife or gunshot wounds. Three of Bae's best buddies were injured. Two of Sheriff Swan's deputies were also killed and Mayor Mills was outraged, giving the sheriff the power to create a task force to round up all the gangs and get them in jail before they could harm anyone else. She also found herself with an unlimited source of funds to launch her crusade with thanks to Mr. Gold.

When she came for Bae, he was certain he was going to go to jail with others but his father refused. He informed her he was taking the boy home with him.

He hadn't realized it then, but that home would eventually become his real one, once the curse broke and everyone got their memories back.

Unfortunately, having lived for twenty-eight years as a gang member, he still had some of his old habits and attitude which didn't make things easier for his father or Belle...

Having his father hug him like this reminded him sharply of the way things had been before the dagger curse, back when it had been the spinner and his son, just the two of them. He buried his face in Rumple's shirt, thinking that the scent on his clothes was different than before, but the sinewy arms that held him were just the same. And he wondered how he could have ever forgotten that.

"If you hadn't taken me in...I'd be dead...like the others..." Once again his papa had saved him, like he'd saved him back in Fairy Tale Land from that oaf Hordor.

Rumple's hand carded the boy's hair. "Fate brought you back to me, Bae. Because we belong together. I know this isn't an easy adjustment for you . . .it's not for any of us. But you have to work with me, son. I'm not the Dark One anymore. And I'm not the spinner either. I'm . . .just Mr. Gold . . .with magic, and Belle's husband and your papa. But regardless of that fact, one thing will never change-that you're my son, and I love you. Even when you make me want to beat you senseless." He ruffled his son's hair.

Bae laughed. "I missed you, Papa..."

The only person he didn't miss was his mother. She had very little interaction with him when she was in their lives and mostly it was to make them miserable.

In Belle he had a second mother though it hadn't started out that way. When Rumple put Bae in school before the curse broke, they gave him tests and determined that he was dyslexic with learning disabilities.

They placed him in Belle's reading class, her success rate with students had been outstanding.

At home, Rumple would sit with him and they would go over his homework and reading assignments together...just like the old days.

And gradually Bae began to conquer his dyslexia, until by the time the curse broke he could read at his age level, thanks to Belle and Rumple's patient tutoring.

At first Bae didn't think his father thought anything of Belle other than just being his reading teacher...but he'd been in for a surprise when Rumple announced one evening he had a date, a week after the curse had been broken.

"Who're you going on a date with? Mayor Mills?" Bae teased.

"Someone much prettier . . .and more patient . . .you know her well," Gold replied.

"Belle? You're going out with Belle!?" Bae's jaw dropped.

"Yes, we're going to have hamburgers at Granny's. Why? Do you think I'm too old to date girls?"

"Ummm...no but...isn't Belle kinda young for you?"

"When you're an adult, age is irrelevant," the pawnbroker said. "I asked her and she accepted."

"Oh...well...you might need these then.." He opened his nightstand and tossed his father a condom pack.

Rumple almost passed out. "How did you . . .never mind, I don't want to know, you probably stole them . . ." Flushing slightly, he said, "I won't be needing this but since you brought this up-have you ever needed one?"

"Umm...yeah...a few times." Bae said, blushing awkwardly. "I remembered us having The Talk before we got separated by the curse...not sure why."

"Probably Regina's sick sense of humor. Yes, well, it was because you were looking at a few of the village girls that way, so I wanted you to be prepared, but . . .Bae I don't approve of you just sleeping around. I wouldn't if you were my daughter and I don't with my son either."

"Haven't had time since I moved in with you. Don't tell me you haven't thought about sleeping with Belle."

Rumple's eyebrows climbed into his hair. "That is not something I'm going to discuss with you, Bae, so don't even go there. And for the record, I don't do one night stands, and Belle's not some floozy I picked up at a bar. When I take a woman on a date-it's a DATE . . .and I treat her like a lady, not a commodity. Despite what other people in this town think, I do have standards, and I don't compromise them for anything."

"Don't be too late...you have work in the morning," Bae quipped.

"And you have school, so don't stay up all night sketching or playing your xBox," Gold returned. "Because I'm waking you up if I have to drag you out of bed and throw you in the shower."

And he had...twice already.

Bae blinked, returning to the present, and looked up at his father, who was wearing his familiar smirk. "Uh . . .so . . .does this mean you forgive me?"

"It does, now go rinse your mouth, smart aleck." his father replied, and sent the boy on his way with a sharp smack to his behind.

Bae jumped. "Hey!"

"Just a reminder," Rumple said. "Because you're never too old for one, Bae."

The boy ducked his head and sighed. "Yes, Papa." Then he headed into the bathroom to rid himself of the disgusting taste of Ivory soap, and recalling all over again why nobody crossed Mr. Gold.

Page~*~*~*~*~Break

She barely remembered the drive home or walking into the house until she heard the keys dropping onto the table. She looked around for her husband and Bae and couldn't see either of them much to her relief.

She wasn't ready to face them now. All she wanted was to give herself time to rebuild the mask until it was like a second skin to her.

She went into the bathroom and undressed, letting her clothes lay in a pile on the floor instead of putting them in the hamper as was her usual routine. Only when she was in the shower stall and turned on the faucet did the wall she built up all morning collapse.

She sank to the floor with her head resting on her knees and sobbed, letting the shower spray wash away her tears. She was broken...and barren. All the dreams they had of bringing another child into the world, one of their own, born from their true love were gone...and it was her fault.

"How am I going to tell him?" she wept. "How am I going to tell him...?"

And lying was out of the question.

Rumple heard the shower running as he came in from the backyard with some fresh herbs and tomatoes he'd picked from the garden. He would make a salad for dinner tonight and see if Belle wanted chicken picata or parmesan with it, since Bae didn't care what he made, he ate everything. He had just set the herbs on the table when he felt something was wrong through their bond. Belle was upset . . .and he didn't know why, but it made him ache with a terrible intensity. What the hell happened? he wondered fearfully, and teleported up the stairs into the bathroom.

"WHY?!" Belle screamed when she stood up and pounded the shower stall wall with her fist.

She swung her arm out again, ready to run it through the glass stall door when it slid open and her husband stood on the other side.

He grabbed her and pulled her out of the stall. "Belle! My gods...what...what are you doing?!" he cried as he sat down on the floor with her in his arms.

She took one look at his face and realized that she had to tell him. The bond between them, forged on their wedding day was so strong that he'd sensed something was wrong the moment she lost control and came to her.

What would he think of her once he learned the truth? Would he still love her? The thought of losing him brought her to tears again. She buried her face in his shoulder, her hands clinging to his waist, too terrified of what would happen if she let go.

"Belle, sweetheart...what's wrong? Did someone hurt you? Tell me...and whoever it was is going to regret it for the rest of their natural lives!"

"It...it's no one else...it's me...It's all my fault!" she wailed.

"How can anything possibly be your fault? You haven't done anything."

"Yes I have! And when you know...you'll hate me...you won't love me..."

"Not love you? How can you think such a thing? I love you more than I've ever loved any other woman in my life!"

She's cheating on you, that voice nagged in the back of his mind, the one that he thought he'd banished forever the day he took his vows. No, Rumplestiltskin, said the other, much stronger one that he chose to listen to now. You know that's not true. You feel it. This is something else, something that's broken her.

She looked up at him. "Even if I can't have a baby? Will you love me then?"

"Sweetheart, I didn't expect you to have one right away. We have to be patient..." he said gently. They'd discussed at length their failed attempts to conceive and he'd been to the doctor a month ago. They assured him everything was fine. She told him she was setting up her own appointment and he was confident there was nothing wrong with her either.

"No, you don't understand! I can't have a baby...ever...EVER!"

"You...you don't want to have one now?" he asked, stunned by her sudden change of heart and wondered what caused it.

"Noooooo! I want to have a baby with you so much...but I can't...I CAN'T! I'm barren, Rumple!" she cried. "I'm barren."

The words hit him like a sucker punch to the jaw. All he could do was hold her as she fell apart, her tears soaking his shirt like rain, and tears prickling his own eyes as he absorbed her sorrow . . . and his own.

A/N: yes, this first chapter was pretty angsty, but it will get better, as this is actually not an angst ridden story. Please read and review and let us know if you enjoyed it. Thanks!