Hello there! It's been a while. Sorry about that. Get ready for the feels.


The house was bigger, but probably a lot emptier. A piece of Lina's heart broke at the realization that Rumplestiltskin felt like he needed something so grand to show his power. To show that he was fine. The windows were dark and somehow, she knew something horrible was going to happen.

"Thank you for bringing me back here, mother," Lina whispered, her green eyes focusing on the Blue Fairy once again. When she smiled, Lina tried to respond in kind. But all she could manage was a watery grimace.

"Don't let him scare you, Lina. He's hurting, much like you, and he doesn't know how to effectively manage it. But this is a time for you to say goodbye, because he won't be in this world much longer," the Blue Fairy said, making Lina's heart throb.

Tears started to trail down Lina's face as she stepped away from the woman. Her sore hips forgotten, she ran toward the door before she lost her nerve. She was a foot away when it opened and a pair of high, dark boots greeted her.

"Hello, dearie," a dark voice said, making Lina look up into the large hazel eyes that replaced the ones she loved so much. Where there was once smooth skin was pebbled scales. How much he had changed. "I see you've returned."

"Rumplestiltskin," Lina whispered, biting her lip and wringing her thinned fingers. She couldn't bare looking at the cold fire in her friend's eyes, so she looked away quickly. "I… I wanted to see you."

The wood floor inside the house creaked. "Papa? Is it Lina?" Baelfire said, making her heart swell. She would really miss that boy. "Is she finally home?"

Home. Would it be home anymore? Where would she go after they left? The tree was so far from the town. She was so used to living close to everyone; could she just leave again? Or would she travel to the next town?

"Go to your room, Bae." Rumplestiltskin's voice left no room for argument, and the boy was gone quickly. "Why are you here?"

Lina whimpered in her throat and her tears reawakened. "I-"

"Here to gloat that you and Bae conspired against me? That he now has a magic bean to take us somewhere that takes my power? Come to see your work?" he demanded, his voice harsh and loud in her ears. Her hands were covering her face at that point, but the man didn't seem to want to back down. "You wanted to be left alone that much that you had to tell Bae about fairy magic? Blue Fairy magic, no less?"

"No-"

"No. You wouldn't have the knowledge about that kind of magic. You're no fairy. Just a little girl that fell into an ill lot. Well, now you won't have to set your sights on the poor cripple, will ya? You can run off with whatever man will give you the time of day. Find that little Cornelius you adore so much," he spat, his voice becoming a sneer at the mention of Lina's past love interest.

"How did you-"

Rumple's laugh came from his nose and held no warmth. "The benefit of being the Dark One. You know all that was and all that will be. Get a good look at me, Thumbelina. This is the last you'll see of your 'family.'"

"Rumplestiltskin, stop it!" Lina screamed, her voice cracking. The spinner stopped sneering and looked down at her, his eyes growing wider. "I didn't tell Baelfire about the Blue Fairy! He asked me to go with him after you left him alone. After you made me go away because you couldn't stand the thought that I would love you!"

"No one loves me!" he yelled back, his voice high. A purple glow started to pulse from his fingers and Lina winced. The last time she saw that, she was sent back to her tree. The spinner noticed. "You fear me! Nothing more!"

A sob broke from Lina's throat then. Her legs collapsed from below her and she fell into the dirt. She didn't acknowledge the pain or the villagers peering out from their windows. She just knew that the man she loved now looked down at her like a bug. Such a stupid man.

"See? No one… Not even you," she heard above her. When she looked up, Rumple was standing above her, having left the safety of the doorway. The sadness in his eyes was palpable and Lina's were stinging from tears. "You were better off not serving me that night."

"You're a fool, Rumplestiltskin!" she cried back as she stood. The anger inside her was starting to grow. She was losing the people she cared about and this man was determined to make her heart break. It hit her then that maybe he was doing it on purpose. Baelfire even said that he realized he made a mistake. Moving toward him, she grabbed a stone and threw it up at him. "You idiot!"

Rumple winced as the stone connected with his leg. He stepped back a bit but Lina was there with another stone and threw it higher. She was getting bolder and started picking up stones faster than he could dodge. "Lina-"

"Shut up! You bastard! You made me go away because you decided I couldn't love you. Without even hearing my side! Then you accuse me of sending your son to my bloody mother for a magic bean?! How dare you! And then you talk to me this way? You deserve every bloody stone, you fool!" Lina yelled, purposely aiming for Rumple's previously injured leg and his groin. She couldn't reach high enough, but she really wanted to hit him in the face. To knock some sense into him.

Lina searched for more stones as Rumplestiltskin retreated. She saw a particularly large one near his feet and ran toward it. As her fingers gripped the edge, she felt herself being lifted from the ground. She thrashed a moment before her body's energy gave out and she dangled in the air by her waist. Looking up, she saw Rumplestiltskin's watery eyes blinking at her and she just huffed in his direction.

Though the man looked like he wanted to say something, he stayed silent and moved back into the house with Lina in hand. All the fight seemed to have left both of them and it showed when Rumple sat on a chair near his table and placed Lina in front of him. "Lina…"

"What?" she said dejectedly, her head down. She refused to look at him but a finger under her chin made her look up. She didn't want to acknowledge the fact that though his skin looked scaly, his fingers were still soft. Lina kept her eyes away from the man and felt a bit of happiness when he sighed.

"Mah wee lass… Please look at me," he whispered. He sounded so much like he used to that Lina couldn't help but do as he asked. His large eyes blinked owlishly at her and an unsteady smile flitted over his thin lips. He looked so broken. He hadn't really changed after all. "I'm so sorry." When she opened her mouth to reply, he held a finger over his lips. "Please. I'm sorry for everything. I'm sorry for drawing you into this mess. For sending you away. I wanted to believe that someone cared after Milah left. And you were there… You cared about my well-being. Talked with me. And the night that you appeared as I spun. I hadn't felt so comfortable around anyone in so long…"

He stopped for a moment and took a breath. Lina pulled her chin away from his finger and when he protested in his throat, she crawled into his hand instead. A weak whimper left him as he pulled her close.

"When you agreed to stay with us, I was so happy. I'd seen you so often coming and going around town as I spun. Milah was becoming more of a patron to the tavern around that time. I heard that you refused to serve her, so I watched you. I think I fell in love with you before Milah even left. Before I even realized that my heart couldn't be broken by her. And when your wings started to grow, I couldn't even hope to believe that they were because of me. I so hoped but… I'm so sorry that I've been so stupid."

The two sat quietly together, Rumple's hands shaking slightly. Lina was close to his cheek and before she could lose her nerve, she leaned close and kissed him lightly. She could hear his breath catch in his throat and a weak laugh escape him. "It would just be my luck… Finally telling the woman I love about how I feel about her just before I leave her world entirely," he whispered ruefully, making Lina press her head against his. "I don't want to leave you, Lina."

"It's something you need to do for you and your son," she whispered. "I'll be okay."

"Do you promise?" he asked.

"I do," she said and closed her eyes. He loved her. He actually admitted it and though it made her unbelievably happy, it was bittersweet. She had to let him go because she loved him. He and Baelfire needed to be happy and they couldn't be here.

"Lina," he said quietly, making her look to him once again. But when she looked at him, he didn't seem so large. He seemed… normal sized to her. She blinked for a second and noticed that she wasn't sitting in his hand anymore but that it sat at her waist as she sat on the table top. She could feel how warm his hand was through her dress and how it steadied her. She felt her stomach jolt in realization. He made her big.

"Rumple…" Tears sprung up in Lina's eyes and a smile wavered over her lips. He mirrored her and moved enough to rest his forehead against hers. They stared at each other for a moment before he moved in.

Lina's eyes widened a moment when Rumple's lips settled on hers, only to snap them shut immediately after. The pressure was heavenly and his fingers firmly pressed into her hips. Her hands gripped his arms for stability as she became lightheaded. How many times did she wish she could be this close to him while she lied unmoving in her tree? How much did she wish she could be big to do this very thing with him?

The kiss ended too soon and as Rumplestiltskin pulled away, Lina opened her eyes, breathing labored. They pressed their foreheads together again and a sweet smile lit up the spinner's face. "I love you, Lina," he whispered, trying not to break the trance they had over each other.

"I love you, Rumple," she said back before he took advantage and kissed her again. His hands moved from her waist to her shoulders and pulled her closer to his body. Her fingers dug into his hair and just as she was about to nudge him closer, he pulled away. "What-"

"Where are your wings?" he asked suddenly, his dark eyes zoning into her shoulders. "I don't feel them. Where are they?"

Lina was about to respond when she heard a gasp. The two of them looked toward the stairway and saw Baelfire watching them, his mouth open. Rumplestiltskin's hands left her then, and she immediately felt nauseous. Her body shifted and before she knew it, she was only two inches high, sprawled out on the table once again.

"Lina! You were big!" Baelfire said excitedly, moving to see her. "How did you do it, papa? Why isn't she still big?" he asked, looking to his father. Lina was confused as well and though a blush was rising to her face, she looked at the man in question.

"I told you, Bae. Fairy magic doesn't mix well with what I have. It wasn't permanent. It could never be permanent," he said quietly, his eyes moving to her.

She smiled sadly and nodded. Her being big would never be permanent. Much like their relationship. Baelfire had the bean now, so it was only a matter of time before she had to say her goodbyes. A tear slipped from her eye then, and she laughed slightly. It was never meant to be permanent.

"It's getting late. Baelfire has the bean, Rumple. We can't draw this out longer," she said quietly and moved to his hand. He opened it quickly and she climbed up onto it. "We need to say goodbye now."

Baelfire said goodbye to Lina first, his tears shining in his eyes. But he was a good, strong boy. He wouldn't show his weakness now, not when his father needed him. Rumplestiltskin watched the two of them from the dark corner of the room, his eyes two pinpricks of light. Lina was very aware of him watching her but she couldn't let it affect her goodbyes to the boy.

"You have a bag packed?" she asked, looking up at Baelfire and straightening out the brooch that held his cloak over his shoulders. When he nodded, she gave him a smile. "You take care of yourself, Baelfire. Make sure you are aware of the world around you and don't let your father get into trouble. You have to be tough, dearie. Okay?"

"Yes, Lina. I promise," he answered and placed her down on the table. "I'll keep papa safe. For you." With that, Baelfire said a small goodbye before he sent his father a look. Nodding to him, he left the house to give them a private goodbye.

Rumpelstiltskin didn't waste any time in grabbing Lina and the nausea wracked her body. When her feet hit the floor, she had to balance herself as Rumple's lips were on hers once again. Where the kiss was soft before, this one was firm and full of urgency. A goodbye kiss.

"I will see you again, Lina. In another life. We'll have a family of our own and we'll be happy. I promise," he said quickly, holding her close to him. "And I'll help you regrow your wings."

"I know, dearie. I'll be waiting," she responded.

"I love you," he said, kissing her fingers. She felt something cold on them just after and saw a small silver band with a dark red stone. "When we meet again, I will marry you."

Lina wasn't going to cry, wanting to be strong for the two of them. But her throat closed and she choked down her tears as she nodded to him. "Yes. Until then, Rumplestiltskin."

He was pulling away from her, moving toward the door. She held onto his hand, moving with him, refusing to be away from him until the very last moment. His smile was pained and she squeezed his fingers. "I love you."

"Goodbye, mah wee lass," he said finally before his fingers left her. The door was closing behind him when not only did Lina shrink back to her normal size, but her shoulders erupted in pain as her wings finally made their appearance. But instead of blue, they were the same purple as Rumple's magic.

Lina wasn't sure how long she sat in the house, feeling the pain weave from her shoulders into her bones. She didn't know how long she cried, wishing that they hadn't left her. But her heart and the ache that came with it proved to her that it was done. She didn't know how long she was alone until she heard voices outside. Not one or two villagers but what seemed to be a whole slew of them.

Fire burned behind the curtains over the windows. She heard them jeering and yelling, goading whomever was out there to act. She felt the fear start to swell in her heart but she didn't have time to hide before the door fell to the ground and men started to swarm Rumplestiltskin's home. She screamed but no one noticed her small body on the floor. She would have preferred it that way, but she soon felt a hand grab her.

"Ah ha! Caught a fairy!" a man that she didn't recognize said, calling to his companions that were looting all they could from each room. "Get a good price for one-a-these!" he said, making his friends laugh. Lina wanted to struggle, to get out of his grip, but the way he squeezed her in his palm made her wings bend. The pain from them appearing was bad enough, but she could feel every inch of the wings and they were being crushed.

"Let go. Please!" she cried, the tears already flooding down her face. The man only laughed and shoved her into one of the bags given to him. Falling in, she was enshrouded in slight darkness, as the mesh of the bag allowed her to see the light from the fires. She fell on something hard and noticed that it was a bowl that looked similar to the one she had as a bed here. Her heart lurched and she sobbed harder.

"Alright, light it up!" another voice called and in seconds, the visible light in the bag tripled. Looking through the mesh, Lina gasped and screamed. Rumplestiltskin's house was up in flames and would soon be nothing more than ash. At least he wouldn't have to see what these horrible people had done. At least he wouldn't have to worry about what would become of her now. A loud cheer rose from the people around her and she curled up, resting her head on her knees. She felt her wings droop a bit as her emotions started to get to her. The people she considered friends were burning down the house of someone she loved and had captured her. Apparently, she wouldn't be able to keep her promise to Rumplestiltskin.

She wouldn't be okay.