Lizzie loved spending time with Rumple in his lab. She loved watching what would happen when a potion went the right way and the colors that they made. Lizzie looked around the lab as Rumple worked on a potion and saw something on a shelf. She turned the jar and screamed when she a hand in the liquid. Rumple turned around and saw what made her scream. He pulled her away from there. Belle ran up when she heard Lizzie scream. Lizzie took a couple deep breaths. Belle looked at Rumple and he pointed to the shelf. That's when Belle saw the hand, Killian's hand. She pinched the bridge of her nose. Rumple got Lizzie to calm down and told her that story of the hand. Lizzie knew that when she figured out her new parents were Belle and Rumplestiltskin there would things she didn't understand that happened and she accepted it. The fact that she just found a man's hand was just a shock.
"Lizzie, it's past lunchtime, why don't you go downstairs and have the sandwich I had you. It's in the fridge on a plate." Lizzie nodded and ran down the stairs. "Rumple, everything is going to change now."
"I know, I don't know if we can keep doing this."
"Do you think it was a mistake to bring a normal child into Storybrooke? I mean what's going to happen tonight when Red's out?"
"Well, first off we're not going to let her out after moonrise and second no I don't think it was a mistake. It will be a lot to take in but it's also different for us. I raised a boy before not a girl and you've never had a child before. We're all learning."
"It's a different story to be put into a new family that you don't know and raising a child you never have before and a totally different story to be brought into a town full of fairytale characters that you thought didn't exist." Belle said. "Bae said Henry is more than excited to help Lizzie but like I said it's hard to take in. Look at Emma, her parents are Snow White and Prince Charming and she had a hard time believing that."
"So what do you suggest we do?" Rumple asked leaning against his work table.
"I don't know. We have to do something. I think we should just lay it on the table." Rumple nodded and followed Belle downstairs. As they got ready to talk to Lizzie, the phone rang. Belle answered.
"Hello Mrs. Gold this is Mr. Robinson down at Boston Angels Adoption, I'm going to need you and Mr. Gold along with Lizzie to come to Boston as soon as possible. There's been a small bump in the road of your adoption." Belle looked at Lizzie who was sitting with Rumple. Belle closed her eyes and turned back to the phone.
"Can I ask what this is regarding?"
"It would be better if we dicuss this when you three arrive."
"We'll take the first flight out." Rumple looked up at that comment. "Thank you." She hung up and held her breath before turning towards her family. "We have to make a trip to Boston. That was Mr. Robinson on the phone. He needs to see all of us." Lizzie looked deflated.
"I'll go pack." She said quietly and left the room. As soon as she was out of ear shot, Rumple was out of his seat and over to Belle.
"This can't be happening. Rumple, this can't be happening. She's doing so well. They can't take her away."
"We can't think like that. We don't even know what's going on. We just have to go and see."
"Why else would he ask us to bring her back? Rumple, I can't lose her. I know it's only been a couple of months but Rumple I love that little girl as much as I love Bae."
"I know. I do too. I'll do everything in my power to make sure she stays with us." Rumple hugged her to him and kissed her head. Belle silently cried into his shirt. "I promise, if I have any say in the matter, we won't lose her." They heard something at the doorway of the kitchen. They turned around and saw Lizzie standing in the doorway with tears streaming down her face in narrow rivers. She slowly walked over to them.
"Please don't let them take me away. I promise I won't touch anything else in the lab. I'll clean my room when I'm told. Please I can be good." Belle's heart broke and pulled Lizzie into her arms.
"This has nothing to do with what you've done or haven't done. For some reason Mr. Robinson wants us to go to Boston. All he said was there's been a small bump in our road to adoption. We just have to wait and see what happens, but Lizzie we made you a promise to take care of you and love you. You should know by now with all the stories we've told you, Rumplestiltskin never breaks a deal and the same goes for his wife. As long as we have a say, you will always be with us." Lizzie nodded while holding onto Belle. The next day, the three of them went to Boston to meet with Mr. Robinson. After checking into their hotel, they went to the agency. Lizzie sat not saying a word while Belle held her hand and Rumple held Belle's. Finally, they were called in. Belle wrapped an arm around Lizzie. They went inside and sat down.
"Thank you all for coming back. I would just like to say that we were unaware of what I'm about to tell you when we let you have Lizzie."
"Are you taking me away?"
"Let's not talk about that right now. When we were going over your adoption application, we received a call. From a man who seemed to know Lizzie. We had him come in and talk to him and what he claims seemed a little farfetched. However, since we still had Lizzie's DNA in our system when you arrived here we ran it against this man's and it was a match."
"Wait, are you saying that you found her father?" Rumple asked.
"That's what I'm saying."
"That's not possible. Obviously that man didn't want her, I'm her father!" Rumple screamed.
"Actually Mr. Gold he had no idea that Lizzie existed. He saw the obituary for her mother in the paper and saw she had a child. Apparently, he had to take a job overseas for a while and when he got back, he found her gone. When he saw she had a child, he assumed the child was his. He has been trying to find her ever since. Now, I'm not saying that you won't get her. I'm just saying now it's harder. We'll have to play this by ear. She'll have visits with her father but since we don't know how he will be with her or vice versa, you two will still her be guardians. However, if it turns out he wants her, you will have to fight for her, if that's what you please…"
"I made Lizzie a promise when I signed those papers. I promised her I would take care of her and love her. Of course we'll fight for her if it comes to that!" Belle spat at the man. Lizzie curled into Belle.
"Well, I'm glad to hear it. For right now, we'll have the visits here. So once a month you'll have to fly out here. Since I know that will get expensive, we'll pay for it. As for today, we're just going to have Lizzie meet Mark Lucas." They all stood up and went to a small playroom where a man was waiting. Lizzie held on tight to Belle's hand.
"I'll be right out here. We both will be. It's okay for a little while." Belle kissed Lizzie's head for the first time and Lizzie hugged her. "It'll be okay." Mr. Robinson led Lizzie into the room while Belle and Rumple stood behind the two way mirror and watched.
So now Belle and Rumple have hit a speed bump. It will a little more difficult for them to get Lizzie now that the father she never knew has shown up. Let's see where this takes them.