The so called "Heroes" of Storybrooke exited the Pensieve in stunned silence.
"-Wha What happened? Where's Rumple?" questioned Belle, immediately rising from her chair beside the Blue Fairy. Whose health seemed to be declining rapidly. Who knew five little words could cause so much damage?
"-Well, we've found out that Rumpelstiltskin is alive" said Charming, wide eyed from the experience.
"But he's a-"
"-A Baby," his wife finished, unable to believe it.
"-WHAT?" echoed Belle and Hook.
"-It's true," said Henry blinking repeatedly, "Grandpa died and came back as a baby. And you're raising him?"
Questioning Riley to which she responded "Yes,"
"-Yeah right Lass" said Hook, "You're the bloody Dark One. Do you really expect us to fall for that?"
"-I swore on my Father's grave, it's what happened. What more can I do to convince you people?!" exclaimed Riley exasperated.
"-Prove it" said Belle, looking at her hard dead in the eyes. "Show me my husband".
The Dark One gazed around the room at the others, who seemed to be in agreement with the bookworm.
"Show us," demanded Emma with her hand on the dagger.
Riley sighed, giving in. "-Alright Bob! But just so you know Oddball." (looking directly at Belle) "-You do no longer have any personal claim on him. Since my Grandfather DID die the night your son was born: You are technically a Widow. Whose marriage didn't even exist out of Storybrooke. Along with all the other legal documents. Such as Birth Records ,Census' and Taxes. All of which should have been sent to the State of Maine. But then, this whole place was created by a Curse. Thus it does not function as part of this world because it isn't."
"Enough talking, where is he?" stated Regina.
She waved her hand ever so slightly as a puff of magic smoke appeared and vanished to reveal an adorable toddler with short sandy brown hair and dark eyes dressed in a red plaid shirt and bib overalls. Everyone gasped in disbelief as the child looked around confused, holding his teddy bear close until he spotted the Dark One.
"Mommy!" he squealed with delight, dropping his toy and running into Riley's arms.
"Bobby," she responded warmly as she picked him up. "Well this is him, this is my son "Bobby Cassidy". Just like you saw from my memories, only a little older. Since it has been 2 years. Can you say "Hi?" his mother asked him.
But the little boy was so shy that he shook his head and attempted to bury his face into her shoulder and hair. Then the bookworm came over and started to circle the Dark One, trying to get a better look at the kid. She and Rumple had spoken so little of his past beyond Baelfire. So, she certainly never knew what he looked like as a child. Or even if this was him at all. He was behaving so differently, more like how he did when Emma was the Dark One and she found him quivering in elevator at the Library. A time she had not given much thought to.
"Oy! this all well and good but-" said Hook.
"-We don't need "Bobby", we need Rumpelstiltskin" answered Snow White.
If Riley hadn't had her hands full with the trembling toddler, she would have clasped her forehead. She could believe how thick these people were! Gritting her teeth, and not wanting to scare her son more, she said "So if I were to change him back to your so called "Rumpelstiltskin", would you be able to handle him?"
"-YES!" was the groups' immediate reply.
Riley gave an exasperated sigh, instantly regretting what she was about to expose her child to. But it could be the only way they'd learn. Placing Bobby on the couch, she raised her hands
"-Mommy?" questioned the boy, trying to get off.
The Dark One grimaced and a swirling smoke cloud later: The man, Rumpelstiltskin Gold was back. Or was he?
The man looked identical to Mr. Gold and sounded like him, even wore his typical business suit. But he didn't act like him. Finally able to get off the couch, he started crawling his hands and knees over to his forsaken stuffed animal. When he reached him, he sat up with his long legs sprawled out on the floor. Hugging the Bear close, singing :"A… B… C… D… E… F… G-" and so on, while the others minus his "mother" continued to stare. Then growing bored Bobby crawled back over to the pile of his child size clothing, where he snatched a small toy car from the pockets. Imitating engine noises until Regina came over and took the car from him.
"Enough Play Acting RUMPLE! I know it's you, SNAP OUT of IT! We need your help, The Black Fairy is Coming!"
But "Bobby's" attention was on his car that the mean lady took. Grunting as he tried to get it then screaming at the top of his lungs. He didn't understand what she was saying, nor did he care. He just wanted his toy back.
"STOP IT!" she shouted at him, to which the man child cowered. Her voice was like Mommy's when he had been bad.
Not knowing what else to do. He quietly walked himself over to the bare space on the white wall behind Belle and sat down, facing it ignoring her. "-Rumple?" questioned his ex, with her eyes wide.
"Oh, Bobby" sighed Riley as she came over to her son and got down to his eye level. "I'm… sorry… Mommy" he softly cried, flinging his arms around her.
"-It's okay, it's okay baby" she consoled, gently rubbing his back, "You're not in trouble."
Helping him off the floor, Riley ushered Bobby over to the couch and coaxed him to lie down before taking the blanket from the open cell behind them. She spread the blanket over his long body and kneeled on the ground next to him. Wiping away his tears and holding his hand as she sang him a lullaby. Once she was certain that he was asleep, Riley got on her feet and faced the audience.
"My office, now" order the Savior , leaving no room for argument as she clutched the dagger. After they were all piled inside, Hook shut the door and vocalized what the "Heroes" were all thinking:
"-WHAT in the BLOODY hell was THAT?! You said you were going to change him back"
"-I did,"
"-No more games Dark One, they should never have trusted you in the first place" said Blue fairy gasping.
"-I resent that" said Riley, "You all have got your sugar-coated pixie sticks so far up your butt. You can't handle the truth. Even if you've seen it with your own eyes"
"-Okay, so what is the truth?" asked Charming exasperated as he sat down in a folding chair. Riley rolled her eyes for like the tenth time,
"Yes, I am the Dark One but even my powers are limited when it comes to magical binding Contracts. Which he had signed long before I entered the scene. Thus, I can only change his physical appearance. I cannot affect who he is mentally. Did you really think, I hadn't tried this before? I wanted my Grandpa back. But it is what it is. He might remember when he's older, I don't know. Either way, he's family."
"While this is all good and touching-" said Snow, "The fact of the matter is, I repeat: We need Rumpelstiltskin"
"-Tear up the Contract" order Emma.
But the Dark One merely laughed "You crazy people who claim to be "Heroes" are totally oblivious to the laws of Magic. I can't interfere with another's dealings"
"-Can you show us the contact?" asked Henry. Riley turned to her brother and nodded "-That I can do" With a wave of her hand a golden glowing scroll unraveled to reveal:
"In exchange for said Soul of Child, prepaid for by Belle F. Gold via the Sleeping Death Curse. I, THE DARK ONE do hereby surrender myself in his stead and will bare all that would have been his for all eternity
SIGNED – Rumpelstiltskin"
"Belle," said Snow, "What is the meaning of this?"
The Brunette's eyes were wide with disbelief as she covered her mouth with her hand. "No, no!" "He t-told me before he left but I just didn't- Oh Gods! No, No, NONE of this is real!" Belle shouted as she ran out of the station.
Riley huffed, "Since the contract is about their son, Childish Bookworm is the only one who can do something about it. By either crossing out Grandpa's name and writing her own. Freeing him by taking his place. Or tearing up the contract, setting everything to be what it should have been with the baby"
"The kid would have died?" questioned Emma,
"-Yes, and if he was brought back on a respiratory system, he would suffer brain damage like Bobby is right now. He knows what you're saying most of the time but he's slow to respond with his words."
"-Enough chatter," said Hook, "Let's go out and find Belle, so she can deal with the bloody contract!"
"The old sea captain is right" agreed Regina speaking for the first time in a while. Just as everyone was getting up to leave. The Dark One smirked as she shouted out from behind the cell they placed her in.
"-Instead of worrying about her, you should be focusing on your OWN contracts "Oh fairest of them all!" Jumping in and out of the Sleeping Curse, like a hot bath! How is THAT not going to have consequences?!"
