Cora carried his child.

Her pregnancy was all he could think about all that week. It had to be early in the pregnancy. When he was with her during her engagement, they'd both been careful. She took herbs the morning after and he used his own magic to prevent anything coming of their nights together.

But when she left with him….they didn't have to be careful, they didn't have to take precautions.

He was going to be a father. He was a father to Zelena and he loved her like she was his but he also missed everything with her. He didn't get to sooth her when she woke up at night, he didn't get to hold her as she was a helpless baby squirming in his arms. He didn't get to watch her say her first word or watch her take her first steps. He didn't know a thing about her before they met. This was different. He could be there for the birth; he could be there for everything.

It was more than what he ever got for Bae or Zelena. Even with Baelfire…there were things that he missed.

And then it occurred to him as he lay next to his sleeping wife that he put her in danger. She was strong and she had magic and could protect herself. He knew that and that's why he loved her. She was also pregnant. Magic could take a toll on someone and that meant that the child was vulnerable. The baby she carried couldn't protect itself. Cora could only protect it so much. All it took was the right poison….a quick stab to the stomach or her neck….if she bled out fast enough, he wouldn't save her

And there were other magical being that might be able to strip her magic….take her hostage. If the fairies found out she was here…well they probably knew but this castle was enchanted, they wouldn't be able to get to her.

They'd take her…they'd take Zelena and his unborn daughter the same way they took Bae from him.

He had to keep them safe. He had to protect them, they were his family. The first good thing to happen to him in centuries.

Not that he deserved anything good. He lost Milah because he was a coward; he lost his son because he was a coward. HE didn't deserve a wife and two children. It was something that he told himself every day. He couldn't risk letting them get hurt or losing them.

So he protected them as best he could.

"I don't think it's best for you to sit with me when I deal anymore," he told her as they sat for breakfast.

Some women in Cora's position might immediately get angry or offended. They might launch into a thousand abuses or reasons for protests. But Cora stayed calm. It was eerie how unemotional she was sometimes, while he was the polar opposite when he received news he didn't like.

"Is this because of the issue?" she asked and looked over at Zelena. Zelena had a piece of bacon in her hands, ready to eat it. They hadn't told her yet. Miscarriages were not exactly rare in this world. They both wanted to take some time to make sure she wouldn't lose it early on before they told the little girl.

"Partially," he told her and took a sip of his milk, "And because the troops are coming closer, I don't want you caught in the crossfire."

"Because of the issue?" she asked.

"Because of the issue."

Cora raised an eyebrow and almost looked amused, "I see."

Zelena looked between the both of them, "Are the troops bad people?"

Not really, they were the ones unfaithful to Cora's betrothal but they wanted to take Cora away. That made them bad people for him and his family. He doubted Henry would be capable of it, but his family might do something drastic if they found Zelena here and Cora pregnant with his child, "It's hard to explain darling, but for us, they're bad people."

"What if you need help?" Cora asked.

"I won't," Rumpelstiltskin told her, "Because the day they come, anyone who steps foot on that mountain won't be alive by the time they reach it. Because it's not just this castle that's enchanted, it's this entire mountain….and anyone that I don't want here will not be here for very long."

"So then we're safe."

"In the long run, yes, we're safe," he promised.

"Can I play outside today then?" Zelena asked.

"I suppose so; I don't have any dealings to do today so no one will see you."

"Can you two play?" Zelena asked, "I have no one to play with."

Rumpelstiltskin felt the crushing guilt about that. She would be isolated all her life because of who she was. She'd have no one as a friend unless it was her sister.

He could see that he was already isolating her like he had with Baelfire. No contact with anyone for fear of getting hurt.

Would history repeat itself? Would his daughter grow up damaged because of him?

Well obviously. What else happened when his daughter lived with a Dark One and his wife?

It was a disaster waiting to happen.

"Yes darling, I'll play with you," Rumpelstiltskin told her.

"Perhaps I'll take you riding later," Cora told her daughter.

Zelena's eyes grew, "Can I ride my own horse?"

Cora frowned, "Perhaps a pony."

Zelena pouted and looked to her father for help. However he wasn't about to put his daughter on a full grown horse. She was only three years old! "Pony, Zelena."

"Papa…." Zelena tried to give him the big eyes but he stood firm. If he had his way, she wouldn't be on a beast that could spook and knock her off its back.

Zelena gave another pout and went for her drink. It toppled over and fell.

Rumpelstiltskin stood faster than his daughter did; he summoned a towel in his hand.

"I'm sorry, papa," Zelena said in a panic.

"It's alright child, it was just an accident," Cora told her and summoned her own towel, "But you must be more careful."

Zelena studied both of them for a second and waved her hand like they did. He thought maybe she was imitating them, much like children did. He didn't think anything would be in her hand and she might face a bit of disappointment.

He didn't do a good job of hiding his surprise when a towel appeared in her hand like it had with mother and father.

Magic was hard to learn though….it took someone….a human like his wife a very long time to learn it. Why was his three year old daughter a master?

Unless she had powerful magic.

"Zelena excuse us," he said after a moment. He looked over to see Cora had a shocked look on her usually calm face, "Your mother and I have to talk in the next room."