Chapter 9 Thanks for listening

Author's Note: Hey guys! I'm back. I'm sorry for the long wait but I've been busy. I can't believe that this story is up to over 2,900 views.

You all rock!

Before you start reading the new chapter, let me just say a few things.

Once being renewed for season 7.

I have mixed feelings about this news. I know I should be happy since I watched the show since the very beginning but I honestly didn't enjoy the last couple of seasons.

Also, six of the main characters are leaving the show.

SIX!

Jennifer Morrison (Emma Swan), Josh Dallas (David/Charming), Ginnifer Goodwin (Snow White), Emilie de Ravin (Belle), Jared Gilmore (Henry) and Rebecca Mader (Zelena/Wicked Witch of the West).

I'm sad about Snow and Charming leaving.

Also, what's the point of Emma and Hook get married if they are not going to be together in season 7?

Henry was the very reason the whole Charming/Mills/Gold family are together in the first place.

I can deal with Zelena leaving. I mean, she's not as annoying like she was back in season three when she first appeared.

And Belle! Oh my god! When I heard that Belle wasn't going to be back from season seven I almost threw the remote control at the TV screen. I mean, what the hell?

She and Rumple were the main reason I stayed with the show for so long.

At the end of the season finale I was so happy because my babies were finally back together. Gideon was baby again. Rumple and Belle danced to 'tale as old as time' and they kissed. Oh my god, the kiss! Do you know how long I have waited for this moment? That's the Rumbelle I know and love. I was so happy that I cried.

Thank you to musicbean2, Charmed2100 for favorite/following my story.

To the people that left a review:

Victoria Cullen34-Thanks! I appreciate the love.

Grace5231973-I'm mad at Belle too. Well, actually I'm mad at the writers and what they are doing to Belle. She is so much better than this. I plan for Valerie to go off on Belle. Along with the so-called heroes. I'm sick of their crap! I'm glad you like Lea and Rumple little bonding moment. The background story of Lea and Valerie's family is very sad. That was what I am going for. And there is even more sadness in their family than you realize.

Happy reading!

While Rumple and Lea continue to eat dinner downstairs, Valerie sat on the floor of her dead son's room. She was looking at some of Calvin's old drawings. He loved to draw.

Most of them were crooked circles with little arms and legs with smiley faces on them, but they were beautiful to her. One drawing showed four smiley circles holding hands with a blue sun and a green and brown rainbow in the background. Calvin was a creative little bugger. Under each smiley circle person read: Me, Mommy, Uncle Jason, and Ate Lea. She remembered how Calvin asked her help how to write their names. She offered to write it for him but he wanted to prove he was a big boy. In the bottom left corner of the picture was a drawing of a red heart and the words 'my family' next to it.

Valerie lets out a small sob. She feels her eyes getting watery again. She removes her glasses to wipe her eyes.

"Are you okay," a voice asked.

Valerie puts her glasses back on and sees Desi standing in front of her, looking concerned.

I can't deal with this right now, Valerie thought.

"Get out," she snapped.

"We need to talk," Desi calmly said.

"I'm not in the mood. Get out," she snapped.

"I can't do that. Is it all right if I sit down?"

Valerie wanted to tell the annoying cow to go to hell but she didn't have the strength to argue. She just nodded. Desi carefully sat on Calvin's bed. She saw the Woody doll and picked it up.

"Calvin loved Toy Story. He would watch all three movies all the time, especially the first one. Woody was his favorite. He always had that doll with him. He would play with it. Talk to it. Sleep with it. He would even sing that song from the movie. You know, 'you got a friend in me.' Calvin never left the house without it. Until one day..." Valerie began to trail off.

Desi could see that the thought of her son was a very sensitive subject.

"I'm sorry for your lost. I've lost people I love too," Desi confessed.

"Who did you loose," Valerie asked curious.

"My mother. She raised me by herself. My father was a married man. He didn't want anything to do with me. I was his dirty little secret. And I was also engaged once," she said.

"Really?"

"Yeah. His name was Travis," Desi said sadly.

"What happened to him," Valerie asked.

Desi's eyes suddenly went cold.

"He died," she replied.

Valerie was taken back by the tone in her voice. One minute she was kind and caring and the next she was all hard and defensive.

Desi must have realized what she said and quickly apologized.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound so cold," Desi apologized.

"It's all right. You must have loved him a lot," Valerie pointed out.

"I did. He was my everything," Desi said sadly.

For a moment they didn't say anything. Silence filled the room like a poisonous gas, slowly killing you inside.

Finally Valerie spoke.

"What are you doing here," she asked Desi.

Desi realized that she came for a reason and got straight to business.

"You need to try harder in helping Rumplestiltskin and Belle get back together."

Valerie looked annoyed.

"It's kind of hard doing that since Rumple has been nothing, but a pain in the ass this week. And let's not forget that the man just tried to kill himself today. I don't know if I can do this. I'm no hero, like Snow and Charming. And I'm sure as hell not a savior, like Emma..."

"The so-called heroes are just a bunch of self righteous assholes that sees the world in black and white. And Emma Swan can go fuck herself," Desi snapped.

Valerie stared at Desi with wide eyes.

Whoa, dude! Where did that come from?

She was taken back by Desi's words of hostility.

Before she could question her about it Desi started talking again.

"The point is you need to try harder. Belle and Rumple have to get back together. You have no idea how important they are," she declared.

"Why the hell do you care so much," Valerie demanded.

Desi doesn't answer at first. She just stares at her, like she was deciding whether or not to answer her question.

"You just have to try harder. Don't give up on them. Use the gifts I gave you," she replied.

"How," Valerie demanded. "I don't know what the hell you gave me! I mean, do they come with a set of instructions?"

"I'll explain everything," Desi started.

~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~

Rumple and Lea were in the kitchen cleaning up. While Rumple washed the dishes, Lea dried them and put them away.

"Do you celebrate Christmas back in the Enchanted Forest," Lea asked Rumple.

Rumple was surprised by the question but he answered no.

"What about in Storybrooke? I know you guys were cursed but you guys must had it, right?"

"We did. But I spent it alone," Rumple said sadly.

"Well, you won't be alone this year. We love Christmas! We exchange presents. Visit family. And we have all these Christmas traditions," Lea smiled.

Before Rumple could answer they hear footsteps coming down the stairs.

Valerie enters the kitchen with a Woody doll in her hand.

"Hey guys," she greeted.

"Hi Nanng!" Lea replied.

"Hey. Are you hungry? We ordered Chinese food," Rumple explained.

"Salted pepper chicken wings," Valerie asked hopefully.

"Yup!" Lea answered proudly.

Valerie smiled at her niece. She quickly fixed herself a plate and sits down at the kitchen table.

Rumple saw his chance to apologize with Valerie and told Lea should probably go to bed.

"Okay. Are you coming to my concert tomorrow," Lea asked him hopefully.

"I would love to," he smiled.

"Great! Good night Tito Rumple," she said.

Lea took a hold of Rumple's hand and pressed it to her forehead. And than gave him a hug. She goes over to Valerie kisses her good night.

"Good night Ninang," Lea said.

"Good night honey."

As soon as Lea was upstairs Rumple took a seat in front of Valerie. He watched her eat for a moment before he spoke.

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything. I've been a pain in the ass and you've been nothing but kind to me. Even when I don't deserve it."

Valerie didn't look up as she continued to eat her food.

Rumple realized he was going have to try harder.

"Lea told me about your parents," Rumple started.

That got Valerie's attention. She stopped eating and looked at him.

"She told me about your father's death...and your mother's...and your son's..."

Valerie put down her spoon and slowly reached for the Woody doll that was near her plate.

Rumple watched as Valerie stared at the doll in her hands.

"Calvin and I were in the car driving to the super market. We were running low on eggs and paper towels and Oreo cookies. Calvin loved Oreo cookies. We were half way there when Calvin starts yelling that he forgot Woody. I tried to calm him down but he wouldn't stop. He just kept begging for his doll. So I decided to make a U-turn. When the light turned green I started to turn and suddenly this old pickup truck came speeding out of the nowhere. Everything after that is a blur because all I remember was getting hit hard and the car flipping over. And then the next thing I knew I woke up in the hospital. The doctors said I was unconscious for two days. When I asked them where Calvin was they told he was dead. The other driver was drunk at the wheel. He survived but Calvin was killed instantly," Valerie choked.

Rumple saw she was about to cry and quickly grabbed a paper towel from the kitchen counter.

"Why did he forget the stupid doll," she sobbed.

She dried her eyes and thanked Rumple.

"I'm so sorry," Rumple said.

"I know it's been a couple of years since it happened but it still..."

"Hurts. Trust me. If anyone can understand what you are going through, it's me," Rumple declared.

She looked into his eyes and saw understanding and sympathy.

Yeah, he understood.

"I'm sorry that I punched you," she said.

"I deserved it," he shrugged.

"Yeah, you did," she chuckled.

Rumple chuckled with her.

"But I'm not going to give up on you or Belle. You may piss me off at times but I'm the most loyal and stubborn friend you'll ever have. I believe in you," she said strongly.

Rumple smiled at her kind words.

"Thank you," he said.

Valerie nodded and put the doll down.

But then Rumple suddenly asked. "Where's Calvin's father?"

Valerie looked at him surprised.

"I just realized that you never mentioned him. Is he dead..."

"No. He isn't. But he might as well be..." she trailed off. "Can we talk about this another time? It's been a long day."

Rumple wanted to know more but decided to let it go for now. He just made up with the woman and didn't wanted to get punched in the face again.

Unknown to them Desi was watching them just a few feet away. Luckily they couldn't see her because she was invisible. One of the gifts she had.

She felt bad about what had done to Valerie but it was the only way.

Destiny has waited for so long to find a way to get what she wanted and Valerie was the key to it.

This was Desi's chance and no one was going to stand in her way.

Author's Note:

Tito-uncle

Filipino customs: when Lea pressed Rumple's hand to her forehead that is called blessing. In the Philippines when younger people do that to their elders as a sign of respect.

Oh god! Poor Valerie! Can you image going through something like that? She loved her son very much. Whatever happened to Calvin's father?

What is Desi up to? What does she want?

Today is my birthday! And I wanted to update at least one fan fiction. I'm off to write some more.

See ya!