While Emma was focused on protecting the town, Neal and Belle had been searching for their own answers. Searching for how Rumple had survived, and how they could free him from Zelena's control. They stayed in the shop for days, searching through every book and scroll they could find, until one day the man himself walked in the door.
"Hello, Dearie," he called, as Belle walked into the front room to see who was at the door.
"Rumple!" she answered, rounding the counter and throwing herself into his arms. "How? How are you here? How did you get free?"
"Not free I'm afraid, my dear," he replied returning her to her feet, but still holding her close. "I was sent with a message for Bae."
"But how did you survive at all? How can I free you?" she asked, not wanting to waste precious time.
"I am not entirely sure how I was resurrected. The past year is a blank for me to, but it is coming back a little, being here with you," he smiled.
Belle's face softened and she pressed a kiss to his lips, and just like that a memory flickered into both of their heads.
Belle and Neal were in the woods, surrounded by snow. The dark one's vault lay in front of them.
"Neal wait!" Belle called, but he didn't. The key was pushed in and the Dark One was brought back. A life had been traded, a life had to end.
"Take me," Lumiere called. "Let it be me that leaves this terrible existence. I led them here. I should be the one."
The tar that had begun to consume Neal, released its captive, before pulling the candlestick to his death, just as Zelena came behind them and put a knife to Belle's throat.
"I want that dagger, Rumple," she called, as the knife broke the skin of Belle's neck, a drop of blood falling into the snow.
"Don't do it, Rumple. It's not worth it. We can't let evil win. Let me go. Let me be a hero, the way I let you," Belle begged.
"I give you the dagger, and you swear you will never harm her," Rumple answered.
If anything the witches grip on the knife tightened, how dare he give up for his freedom for this girl. Three more drops of blood hit the snow, before she could reign in her jealousy. It didn't matter what he was willing to do for the girl, because as soon as she had the dagger, he was hers.
"You give me that dagger, and I promise I will never harm a hair on her precious little head," she shrugged as if it were a trial to let the girl live. Rumple tossed the dagger at her feet, though he would have put it in her chest had she not been using his love as a human shield. Zelena moved the knife, pushing Belle to the ground, and grabbing the dagger in one fluid movement.
"Good choice, Darling!" Zelena chuckled wickedly. "Come along now, Rumple. We have work to do, or rather undo."
"Belle?" he whispered, fighting the pull of the dagger.
"I'm okay," she answered.
"Oh Rumple, I won't ask again. You're time with that little distraction is through," the witch cackled. Moving back into the forest she had come from.
"Keep her safe, son," Rumple called, as he lost the battle and was forced into follow Zelena away.
"Did you see it?" Rumple asked.
Belle nodded her head.
"The only way to free me is to get the dagger from Zelena, but I have already tried. I am sorry my love, but I can't fight her will. If she commands it, I will have to do whatever it is that her plan calls for," He sighed.
"We will find a way to free you," Belle promised. "This is not our happy ending."
"Papa?" Neal asked coming in from the back of the shop.
"There's no time, Bae. Belle will explain later. Zelena requests your presence."
"Sounds like a trap," Neal grumbled.
"She says that no harm will come to you, that she merely has a proposition for you," Rumple answered, giving Belle one more hug and pressing a kiss to her temple, before he forced himself to pull away.
Neal wasn't sure what to think, but even if it was a trap, they might be able gather some information.
"I guess we are off to see the wicked witch," he frowned, following his father out of the shop, before they disappeared in a blink.
