I.

"Belle?" Rumplestiltskin tore through the Dark Castle, nearly colliding with Belle when he entered the Great Room. She gasped, her teacup slipping from her grip. Rumplestiltskin caught it, placed it on the ground next to them, then threw his arms around her.

Belle's arms slowly wrapped around him and her fingers threaded through his hair. "Is everything alright?" She mumbled into the crook of his neck.

"Regina scared me, is all." He ran his clawed fingers up and down her back, confirming that she really was here.

Belle pulled back. She cupped his cheek in her hand. "You have nothing to fear. You saved me from her tower and I'm never going back there again."

Rumplestiltskin nestled his cheek into her soft hands. She was here. She was safe. She was never going back there again. "Marry me."

"What?"

"What?" His mouth hung open. Had he really said that?

"Yes." Had she really said that? She grabbed onto his hands, biting her lip. "Yes, I'll marry you."

Rumplestiltskin searched her blue eyes. He still wasn't sure how True Love's Kiss had worked (or, almost worked- he kind of messed that up), but here she was agreeing to marry him. "Are you sure?"

"Yes." She stepped close enough to him that he could smell the tea she had been drinking on her lips. "As long as you are?"

"Of course!"

"Well good," she smiled, "because I did promise you forever, Rumplestiltskin."

II.

Rumplestiltskin watched as the spinning wheel turned, mesmerized by the melodic creaking noises it made. Wool turned to yarn sat in a basket at his feet. A pair of warm hands on his shoulders made him jump.

"He's asleep," Belle whispered into his ear.

Rumplestiltskin stood up from the spinning wheel. Work could wait until tomorrow. Between his spinning and learning to raise a baby, it seemed they never caught a quiet moment. Belle helped him limp over to their bed, then climbed in after him. She lined her body up with his, hooking her leg over his body so she could get as close as possible to him. He caught her lips in his and hummed with pleasure.

Her hands went to the hem of his shirt, working it up his torso. "Not feeling very patient today, are we?" He teased.

"Bae will never be an older brother at the rate we're going at." Belle threw his shirt onto the ground.

"Is that a challenge?"

Belle bit her lip as he flipped them over, smirking when she let out a little squeak. He lowered his lips to hers, working on the lacings of her dress.

Just then they heard screams from Baelfire's crib. Rumplestiltskin sighed. "I'll get it."

III.

Belle stood on her tiptoes to retrieve glasses from the top shelf. Rumple placed the carton of eggnog on the counter, tapping her shoulder.

She whirled around to face him. "Hmm?"

He pointed up. Mistletoe.

Belle rolled her eyes before she threw her arms around his neck, kissing him with her peppermint-tasting lips. He let his hands travel down her waist, his fingers brushing up under the hem of her shirt.

"Ugh, guys, not again!" Henry covered his eyes.

They separated, Belle biting her lip to keep from laughing.

"Why can't you be like normal grandparents?" Henry marched over and grabbed the glasses and the eggnog.

When he left, Belle pecked him one last time on the lips, then ran over to join the others in their living room.

Rumple followed after her. As soon as he entered the room, Baelfire asked, "Can I open my present now?"

"Wait, I need the camera," Rumple stood back up.

Regina groaned and snapped her fingers. Rumple's camera appeared in his hands and he cast her an unamused glance. "Okay, everybody gather in front of the tree," he said. Henry sat next to Neal, looking more like his adult father than he should. Emma sat next to them, and her parents sat next to her. Regina awkwardly kneeled down next to Snow White. Belle ran over to sit next to Bae, and Rumple turned on the camera. "Smile," he said, snapping a few pictures. "Okay, how about funny faces."

Bae rolled his eyes. "Can I open my present now?"

"Okay, just one more," Rumple snapped two more pictures. "Okay, now you can open it."

"Only took twenty minutes," Bae muttered, ripping into his present. Never before had Bae unwrapped a present from him on Christmas. Over three-hundred years and he could finally give his family presents. It was worth the wait.

IV.

"What's that?"

Rumplestiltskin jumped, hiding the straw doll behind him. Belle furrowed her eyebrows, reaching around him. Through his leather vest, he could barely feel the brush of her arm. When they got to Neverland, they changed into Enchanted Forest clothing before separating from the group. They worked better just the two of them.

She fished the doll from his fingers, holding it in front of her.

"My father gave it to me." Rumplestiltskin said, finally. "Peter Pan."

Belle frowned. "Your father or the doll's name?"

"Both."

"Oh, Rumple," she hugged him as best as she could while he wore his thick leather jacket. "Don't worry about it. We'll save Henry."

Rumplestiltskin clung to her. He wanted her to stay in Storybrooke to keep safe, but she wanted to help. Holding her in his arms, he was glad he let her come. He didn't know how he would make it through Neverland without her. He really did need her.

Maybe when they got back they could talk about marriage.

V.

Rumplestiltskin burst through the doors of the War Room. Sir Maurice called upon him to save his village from the Ogre's War, but he sent a promise of gold. Rumplestiltskin would show up a little later than Sir Maurice hoped, then ask for a real price. Surely he knew that stopping an Ogre's War took more than mere gold.

But when he entered the room, he didn't see men in armour standing around a table yelling and pounding their fists. He saw nobody.

Until he stepped into the room and heard a crunch under his foot.

Oh no. No no no no no. He was supposed to save them. Innocents weren't supposed to die at the hands of the ogres while Rumplestiltskin held the power to stop it.

He looked around at all the men lying in their own blood, the rotting smell already filling the room. And then he saw a flash of yellow. Such a kind color in such a gory place.

Walking up to it, he noticed it was a woman. She was the only woman in the whole room. It must have been difficult just for her to walk through the doors. Her billowing ball gown and curled brunette locks didn't exactly look like a War Room outfit, but who was he to judge? He bent down to get a closer look at the body. Her neck had been snapped by an ogre but she still held a book clutched to her chest.

He would have liked to get to know her.