While Henry studied him, Rumple could see the moment he believed the truth. They shared blood. There was a connection between them that couldn't be ignored. Him hating or liking that changed nothing. He may as well accept that. That didn't mean he would accept the help.

"Let's say just for a moment that I let you help me. What do you want in return?" Henry asked.

Smart boy, Rumple thought to himself. He'd known many who had never even bothered to check what the price was when they'd signed a contract with him.

"Well normally the price would be steep," Rumple told him. "Perish the thought that I want to waste my days helping to run a kingdom, especially for nothing. But this, my dear boy, is for you."

"So, what, you're playing the part of the loving grandfather now? Offering me help? There has to be a reason. You may as well just say it."

At a different time, Rumple would likely have giggled and made a sarcastic remark to hide what he was feeling. This time, he only looked Henry directly in the eyes.

"Don't make the mistake of believing family means so little to me, Dearie. Your father was the most important person in my life. Up until now I stayed away from you. I wouldn't exactly have been welcomed by the king and queen at royal balls and banquets. But now they're gone, and I'm the only family you've got left."

"Thanks to the Evil Queen," Henry said bitterly. "You want to help me? Help me find her and kill her for what she did! Help me find my mother if she's still alive!"

"Put an end to this realm's version of the Evil Queen? Gladly, Dearie," he giggled. Then he grew serious. " But I'm afraid your mother isn't coming back. She and that world's version of the Evil Queen are back in the realm they came from. She's the one who killed the king and queen. In that world, your mother and Regina are close friends." He didn't add the rest, that there was another Henry. He didn't want to make this even harder. He didn't have to say it for Henry to understand.

Henry took a step back, staring at his grandfather. There was no way he could see how what Rumple was saying was true. It wasn't possible.

"You're lying!" Henry shouted. He didn't look like he meant that. Something told him it was true, whether he could see how or not. "How could my mother be from another realm? She was born and raised here! She had a whole life. We were just celebrating her birthday and me being knighted! My grandparents, my mother, and I were always together. I remember times we couldn't have had together if she wasn't from here."

"And yet you know a lie from the truth when you hear it," Rumple said. It was easy to see that. Henry reluctantly nodded after a moment's hesitation.

"My mother had a gift. She could recognize lies when she heard them. Seems like I inherited that." He hated what the truth was this time, but he couldn't deny it.

"Then you also know I'm not lying when I say I'm here to help you," Rumple pointed out.

It was so, so hard to watch Henry then. Rumple could all but see the thoughts in his head as if they were words on a page. They were that plain on his face. He'd already lost one set of his grandparents. Now he'd learned his mother was alive and that his being alone was her choice, not because she'd been forced to leave him. Did she even think of him, wonder how he was? Did she feel anything for the parents she'd seen murdered in front of her in this world?

What about whatever version of the Evil Queen as murdered them? Would she pay, or get away with yet another murder?

"I already told you, the only help I want is in killing the Evil Queen."

Part of Rumple wanted to help him with that, but he also knew he couldn't let Henry start down that path. He'd seen what Regina had become wanting revenge on Snow White. Hook only had found his happy ending because he'd been willing to put revenge aside. If Henry started down that path, it would only lead to misery.

"Before I do that, let me tell you a little story about what happened to someone else who wanted revenge," Rumple said. He proceeded to tell the story of exactly how Regina had become the Evil Queen, ho her hate for Snow had only lead to the whole kingdom suffering. Henry said nothing while Rumple spoke, but understood.

"Now is that honestly the kind of life you want for yourself?" Rumple asked. Henry shook his head.

"Now there's a smart young man. I suggest you focus on running the kingdom. I'll be checking in with you soon. Take some time and think this over."

When Rumple returned to the castle, Belle ran up to him and threw herself into his arms before kissing him. He held her a moment after kissing her back, and when they were apart she smiled brightly at him.

"How did it go?" she asked. He gestured with his hand to indicate so- so.

"About as well as I'd expected. He listens to reason better than most people I've met."

He wasn't happy about having to tell Henry the truth though. He didn't like having to let his grandson know his mother had left him by choice. It was better for him to know the truth. It was the only way he would accept help and not go off on a quest to kill the Evil Queen, probably getting himself killed in the process. It was the lesser of two evils, but it still felt wrong.

Belle saw the regret in his eyes, and lead him by the hand.

"Why don't you tell me about it outside, Rumple? Dark One or not, enjoying the sunshine and some fresh air will do you good."

It was hard to be sorrowful in sunshine. Rumple remembered how much nicer it was once he'd let Belle open the curtains. They went out to the rose gardens that Rumple had magically created for her shortly after she came back. Belle loved the roses, but today she wasn't looking at them as they walked. She only rarely noticed Rumple's scales, but she couldn't help noticing how they looked in the sunlight. The greenish tint to the gold was masked by the way the light affected them. Far from some sort of imp or demon, Belle couldn't help thinking he looked almost like some divine creature. She honestly couldn't see a way she could ever see him as ugly.

"Enjoying what you see, Dearie?" Rumple asked when he noticed her looking at him. He had meant it as a joke. He hadn't expected her to smile and nod.

"I just see you," she told him. "So yes."

Rumple doubted he would ever stop being astounded that she loved him. He thought back to the first night he'd woken her from a nightmare. She hadn't begged for food even though she'd been in the tower and starving again in the dream. She'd wanted to see him again, to have another chance to tell him she loved him.

She hadn't left his side for seventeen years now. Seventeen beautiful years of dancing, snowball fights and cozy nights reading together in the winter and strolls through the rose garden in summer. Seventeen years of allowing him to forget, when he held her at least, that e was a monster. At times he almost believed her that he wasn't. But as lovely as those seventeen years ad been, they were starting to be visible in Belle. She didn't look old yet. Far from it. But Rumple couldn't pretend that she wasn't aging.

"I was just feeling a bit concerned about our original agreement, particularly the forever part."

Belle leaned into him as he held her, and answered "I meant it when I said I would go with you forever. And when I said only two things could ever make me leave you, old age wasn't on that list."

He held her closer as they kissed. Despite his visions, he wasn't always sure what the future held. The future was never, never what could be expected. He wasn't positive about connecting with Henry. But whatever happened now, he'd taken a step towards doing what he could for Bae's son, and he would not be alone.