Chapter Seven: What's in the Box?

The night couldn't have seemed any more short for both of them. By dawn, both were still asleep but Maria had woken to attend to Baelfire's crying. Rumpel woke up minutes later, hearing the boy, but he saw Maria was already there. He laid back down.

"Is that food or is he cold?" Rumpel asked tiredly as he stretched out and sighed heavily into the straw.

"Neither," Maria replied definitely, which caused his attention span to widen considerably for this morning. He gazed in curiosity as Maria picked up Bae and just held him. The child stopped crying almost instantly.

"You are far better at this than I could ever be," he sighed, rolling over to look at his family, mainly the woman who already seemed so full of energy despite their late night together. "How can you be awake and alive at this hour?"

"I have to be," Maria replied. "I can't just leave him crying and I'm usually early to rise anyhow."

"I wish we had more time," he said, and Maria couldn't agree more. Still, they had to wait and do things such as this within a reasonable time span so no one caught on as to what they were up to together.

They thought to arrange their next meeting for when Bae was two years old, and unless anything urgent had occurred, their conversations would be kept to only their lives. When the time came, neither of them wanted to part. It was very difficult, and neither wanted to be the first to walk away.

"I can't do it," Maria confessed. "I just...I can't. I miss you far too much. Hasn't she forgotten me?"

"She doesn't forget, Maria that's her problem," Rumpelstiltskin informed her. "If she did, this wouldn't be necessary. I can't have her coming after you when I am like this."

"I think you'd find a way to protect me anyway, with or without magic."

"That's the thing, I wouldn't be able to. Maria, I am no knight nor am I an archer. Without magic I am a nobody."

Maria sighed, internally knowing he was probably right. He wasn't a nobody to her though, not ever. They saddled up the horse, and after giving Bae a kiss, she handed him to Rumpel.

"Good luck," she said, holding back the tears in her eyes. He wanted to kiss her one last time so with the little magic he had, he lifted her off the ground to do so, making her smile right away at the magic.

"Guess I could have become something great," Maria shrugged. "See you, Rumpel."

"Goodbye Maria," he replied, reluctantly giving the horse a nudge to her side. He held Bae as tightly as he possibly could, for he held the scent of Maria on his clothing already.


With a heavy sigh, Rumpelstiltskin knocked at Jack's door to return the horse and thank him. Jack, who had almost gone to bed, put the horse away in his stables and would worry about washing and tending to the horse later.

Rumpel took Maria's box inside, and already he was eager to open it, curious as to why she didn't want him to open it right away.

When he undid the latch, he gasped. The first thing he noticed was a golden thread she'd saved, but it wasn't the one from around her neck. She'd been wearing it when they parted. Another thing that caught his eye was folded piece of cloth. It was a blue, almost grey color, and only until he unfolded it did he realize it was a cloak for Bae when he was tall enough to wear it. He smirked, seeing what lay hidden below it. It was a round red apple, almost perfectly spherical and next to it was a yellow one of the same characteristics. There was a small bottle and the outside was labeled 'healing drops' along with a note that read: for infections and scaring wounds-only one drop needed. The two letters for Bae were also in there, but he noticed a third, which had his full name along the outside in perfect calligraphy...

My Dearest Rumpelstiltskin,

I thought this box might serve you well. The golden thread is either a reminder or a resource in case the situation is dire. Cherish it well and savor it if you feel you will need more. The cloak is for Baelfire. I made it when I was a young girl and never wore it. I thought he'd make good use of it. Do as the bottle instructs, only use one drop and for serious wounds. Merlin says it will cure anything within any sincerity at any stage, so I would wait until you know the wound is infected before you use it. As stated before, cherish it. I only received one, and I'd rather you have it in my stead.

I know our time together seemed rather short, but this is inevitable. I will see you again, perhaps sooner than later. I have held you close in my heart between the passing time I've seen you, and as I am sure you do the same, I am certain there will come a day when we will be able to be together forever. I love you, Rumpelstiltskin and I always will. Protect Bae, keep him safe, and enjoy your time together. It will be precious and limited as well.

~Love,

Maria