Author's Note: I've started to write another story. It's called Twice Cursed, and even though Rumple isn't tagged, he'll be in it. It's a story post season three where Regina wakes up one morning, planning to spend the day with Robin, when she discovers Henry in the house. He has lost his memory, and she soon finds out that so have many others. It's a new curse, and she must find out who cast it and why, with Belle's and Charming's help. If this sounds interesting, check it out.

Also, even though I am writing another story, I will still do my best to update at least once a week.

Gold and Killian caught up right as they saw Shepard confronting Belle and Baden.

"Wait, who's she?" Killian asked, confused. Gold hadn't mentioned a beautiful woman.

"She was captured with Bae. Get them to safety, and I'll distract the kidnapper." Killian nodded, and snuck closer to them, while Gold maneuvered himself behind his father. He managed to pull the gun upward right before he shot, and the bullet buried itself into a tree branch.

"You should have hired someone better to kill me," Gold yelled, and his father turned around, pure anger written all over his face. Gold felt like he was a small boy again, fear flowing through his entire body. All he wanted to do was hide, and tell his father he didn't do it or he'd behave from now on. Instead, he did the opposite. He stood up straighter.

"You will not harm my son." His voice was firm and unyielding.

"Fine then, I'll kill you." He pointed the gun at Gold, but then he grabbed ahold of it as well, and soon father and son were wrestling for the deadly weapon so they could kill each other.

…

"Come on," Killian yelled, dragging a shocked and alive Belle into the forest with one hand, and carrying Baden with the other. The teen decided the little boy was really heavy, but since both his charges were in shock, he had no other choice.

"Wait, that was Papa," Baden yelled as everything started to fit together in his brain. "We've got to help him!" he struggled against Killian's grasp, trying to get back to his father.

"The best way we can help is by staying out of the way," Killian argued, despite the fact that he believed otherwise. Gold had said the only way he could help was if he listened to everything the adult said, and Killian wasn't about to disobey him, even if the injured man needed him, too.

"Bae, he's right," the woman comforted him. "Don't worry, I'll check on your father. Stay here with this nice young man." Before either boy could stop her, she was running back into the woods. Baden had missed his father a great deal, and she wasn't going to let him lose him. She had to make sure Mr. Gold survived, and lived a happy life with his son.

"Come on, I got to get you to safety," Killian told the squirming boy.

"But now Belle and Papa are in danger! I have to help them. I have to!" Baden yelled, struggling and failing to break free of the older boy's embrace. Killian dragged him to the raft, which was hidden on the lake near the forest, so he wouldn't have to go back to town to get to his hideout. He hoped the others were okay, but he had a very specific job to do, and he was going to obey it, like Gold had told him to.

…

Shepard could have beaten Gold with one hand tied behind his back and Gold in perfect health. He had always been athletic, whereas his son was more inclined to mental pursuits. The only reason that Gold lasted as long as he did was his determination to protect his son. In fact, considering his terrible injury and non-athletic build, it was an amazing feat that he lasted five minutes. However, the match ended with Shepard standing over him, holding the gun triumphantly as Gold wheezed, flat on his back.

"You really should exercise more," Shepard said, making the famous mistake of gloating before going in for the kill. He gave Belle just enough time to sneak up behind him and knock him on the head with a sturdy branch. His eyes rolled back into his head, and he slumped to the ground, unconscious.

"You okay?" Belle asked as she helped the injured man to his feet. He nodded, but as soon as she let go, he slumped to his knees. His injury had been hit in the fight, and he was feeling absolutely terrible. "Um, maybe I should …"

"Just tie him up," Gold ordered. He didn't want his father to escape or kill them both just because they'd forgotten about him. Belle nodded, and used Shepard's own belt to tie his hands together, behind his back and around a tree trunk. Then, she picked up the gun, made sure the safety was on, and returned to Gold.

"Where's my son?" he asked her as she helped him to his feet again. This time, she didn't let go.

"He's with that teen that came with you. We thought we should get him out of danger."

"Ah. Thank you." He wanted to say more than just thank you to the woman who had obviously protected his son from the kidnapper for days, but he didn't feel up to talking more than necessary.

"You're welcome," she responded. They stood there in silence for a few minutes, Gold simply trying to catch his breath.

"I don't really know where to go," she informed him, and he chuckled slightly, which quickly turned into a groan of pain. He should have realized that she wouldn't know where to go; how would she?

"That way," he told her, pointing with the arm that wasn't leaning on her just to stay upright. They started walking toward the lake, in relative silence. It was only after the third time he tripped and she caught him that Gold realized he still didn't know her name.

"What's your name?"

This took Belle by surprise. It seemed weird to her that she didn't know the name of Bae's father, and that he didn't know hers, even though it made perfect sense. Baden had talked about his father whenever Shepard wasn't around, and Belle almost felt like she had met him before because of that.

"I'm Belle. And you are …?"

"Robert." They walked further, concentrating so much on navigating the tricky terrain that neither of them spoke. They reached the lake, and saw the raft headed back their way. Killian probably dropped Baden off at the secret hideout, and was returning to help the adults in any way they needed.

Belle helped Robert prop himself up against a tree, and the two of them watched Killian approach. "Thank you." Belle looked over at Gold, slightly confused.

"For what?" she asked. They had just been standing there for the past couple of minutes, doing nothing, so she had no idea what he was referring to.

"For protecting my son," he said, and Belle could hear the feeling in his voice. He cared for his son a great deal; she could tell from the way he spoke and what Baden had told her about his Papa.

"Well, thank you." He looked over at her, waiting for an explanation. The wind tossed her hair, just like it did to the pure blue water next to her and the fresh green grass all around them. She tried to brush it out of her face as she continued. "You came to rescue me and your son, and," she continued, before he could interrupt, "you saved be from getting shot."

He nodded. "Yes, but you returned the favor, not to mention helping me back here." She smiled at him.

"You know, let's just say we're even. No more thank yous necessary."

"Deal," he agreed, and they both watched the raft draw closer. "Did he hurt my son?" There was worry in his voice, and a hint of another emotion Belle couldn't place.

"He only hit Bae once, and I made sure it didn't happen again." He turned to look at her, and Belle felt his brown eyes were staring deep into her soul.

"Bae?" he asked, and she just stared at him, confused. "He told you to call him that?"

"Yes, why?"

"Oh, no reason." He paused, and just when Belle thought he wasn't going to continue, he did. "It's just, Baden only ever let me call him Bae. He must trust you a lot to let you call him that."

"Oh, well, in that case, I'm honored." Belle smiled at him, and he smiled back. Gold could tell she truly cared about his son, which came as somewhat of a surprise. Because of Melena, Baden hadn't trusted grown women that much; not even his teacher or Mrs. Lucas, Gold's secretary. Yet now, not only did he trust a woman, but she cared for him in return. Gold had never thought he would live to see the day when that happened.

"What happened?" Killian yelled as he ran up toward them, having made it to shore.

"He's tied up," Gold informed the teen, who smiled triumphantly.

"Yes! Awesome!" Then, Killian thought more about the situation. "So, what are we going to do about him?"

"Nothing, for now," Gold said. "Before we do anything else, I want to see my son."

Author's Note: I want to thank everyone who is reading my story, especially those who review. It means a lot to me that you took time to tell me what you think. I also want to thank my beta-readers, VyeLoyomBrightwarrior and my mom. They are amazing, and catch everything I miss. I am glad you all enjoy my story.

Sorry about this note being in the wrong spot, I didn't catch that at first.