Baelfire's relationship to his father was like everyone's relationship to his father was; complicated. His relationship to his father was also a work in progress….like everyone else's relationship to him. Except, it seemed, for Emma. Baelfire always tried to hide that there was a part of him that was jealous for what his father and Emma had together. He chose to let go of him but chose her as a daughter and clung to her with everything. She knew things about his past that he'd been too scared or too upset to ever tell Baelfire. They shared looks and in-jokes that should be his to have with his father. He would never get that.

But whatever jealousy he had, it wasn't enough to impede his relationship with either. He enjoyed his relationship with Emma. HE was working with his relationship with his father. He was sure that he forgave him…but forgetting….that was a lot harder.

Especially when he had Pan reminding him for centuries what his father did.

Wounds still ran deep.

He and his father were sharing a room. Grace, Henry, and Alice all had their rooms, Snow and Charming were sharing a room, Red got her own room….so they had to share.

Luckily there was a couch in the room or else he'd be sharing a bed with his father. He'd done it when he was a child but that was because the house was cold and it snowed outside and they needed the body heat.

Now, it would just be weird.

"You've been quiet all day," Rumpelstiltskin noted.

"It's been crowded in the house, how would you know?"

"Believe me," Rumpelstiltskin said, "I noticed."

Baelfire pulled down the covers for his couch, "You never told me about….anything of your past."

Rumpelstiltskin was quiet, "Like I've told Emma."

"Yes"

"I only told her because she'd just come back after being in jail and I promised her that I would to prove to her that I was willing to change. I never wanted her to know all the things I was capable of."

Baelfire shook his head slightly, "I have to know."

"No you don't."

"Papa, you don't see their stares every day. There are those that blame me for the things you've done. I blame myself a lot of the time."

His horrified look made Baelfire feel even worse, "Bae, it's not…."

"You cast the curse because I fell through….because I didn't….wasn't happy with what we had. You got worse because I wasn't with you. I trusted the fairies when I shouldn't have and it ended very badly for both of us."

"That's not true, Bae."

"I need to know," Baelfire told him, "Papa, please."

"You'll hate me if I do."

"Maybe I'll be angry," Baelfire told him, "But I spent a very long time feeling that way while loving you at the same time, I don't want to feel hate anymore. I need to know…."

Rumpelstiltskin was pale as he sat down, "Before we start, you should know that everything I did…all the bad things I did, I regret them. You and Emma and Belle…I did horrible things to get or keep you three….and those are the only things I don't regret because of the light you three brought. I'd say the grandkids too but I've never done anything bad to get them."

Baelfire clutched his hands together and nodded, "Tell me."

And his father told him. Baelfire listened and he felt his heart clench as his father told him everything….from his childhood to getting Emma and what he'd done to get her…and what he'd done to keep her.

When he was done, Baelfire was shaking. He felt dizzy, he felt sick….and he felt burdened down and relieved. He knew what his father was capable of; it wasn't surprising but to hear it from his own mouth….

"I regret…everything I've done."

"Would you do it again?" Baelfire asked.

"If it means getting you back?" Rumpelstiltskin looked at him, Baelfire saw the self-loathing in his eyes, and he knew that he couldn't say anything to hurt his father. Nothing that Rumpelstiltskin probably didn't tell himself every day, "I'm not proud of it."

"No, you shouldn't be," Baelfire whispered. He wanted to say that he wouldn't do the same thing if it was David, his boy. He couldn't. If he was separated from his son, he'd do anything he could to get back to him. He'd wanted to come when Emma wrote to him and he heard he had a son. However….August interfered and kept a letter from getting through. One he wrote asking her if he could come be in his life.

He should've sent another…he should've tried to find Storybrooke.

But now things were different, now he wasn't sure what he'd do if he was separated.

It wasn't something he was proud of either.

But there was something he needed to focus on, "And Pan….he's my...grandfather."

"I never wanted to tell you," Rumpelstiltskin whispered, "Because I didn't want you to know I was as bad a father as he was. Because we're both the same, me and him. Because we both abandoned our sons."

"No," Baelfire shook his head, "You're not the same. You came back for me, papa. And now…we can work from an honest place. You and I can figure things out."

Rumpelstiltskin looked confused, "You don't hate me?"

"No papa, like I promised I wouldn't."

His father's demeanor crumbled, "Bae, I'm so sorry for everything I've done. Every day for three hundred years, I regretted not going with you"

"I know," he moved to wrap his arms around his father, "Oh papa, if you'd told me about what your father did, I would've found another way to save you."

"Yes well, the fairy didn't exactly tell you that a goodnight kiss might have solved everything, did she?" Rumpelstiltskin said wryly, "That's the thing about fairies, son. They don't do things the simple way."

Baelfire scoffed and burst into laughter, "Alright papa….now it's my turn."

"You don't have to," Rumpelstiltskin said quickly.

"No, it's only fair," Bae said, "I know about you now, now it's your turn to know about me."

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The best thing about living in enchanted houses was the never ending supply of hot water with no need to pay a gas bill or a water bill.

It made things easier now that everyone was living in the house and going through supplies faster.

Emma hugged her husband close against her chest and covered his face in kisses as the hot water from the shower rained down on them, "You okay with this?"

"Your family needs to be safe."

"But you don't like it."

"I liked it when our house was a lot quieter, but your family needs to be safe," he repeated, "I don't mind it."

Emma sighed, "It seems we can't escape the Mills family, huh?"

"It seems we can't escape anything, but if Zelena was eventually going to be coming after us, then I suppose interference was unavoidable."

"I know you don't want to get involved in my family's drama."

He searched her eyes and rested his hand on the side of her face, "They're my family too, Emma. Their burden is mine too. I may not like it but…I'm with you, Emma. Always."

Emma searched his eyes and kissed him, "I love you, you know that? You put up with so much…."

"You're worth it, I love you too."

Emma's eyes filled with tears and she wrapped her arms around him, "I don't know how to do this."

"You did it last time."

"And the loss was heavy. I'm scared that with someone more powerful….I can't lose anyone else, Jefferson, I can't."

"You won't. Hey," he took her face in his hands, "I have faith in you."

"You always did."

"You haven't let me down yet."

"Yes, I do. All the time."

"Hey," he took her head in his hands, "Not me. Never me."

It was what she wanted to hear, what she needed to hear. Jefferson was always good at that. Restoring faith in her when she doubted herself. She pressed her lips against his, and wrapped her arms around him. He lifted her up slightly and pressed her against the wall.

"Oh," Emma giggled and wrapped one leg around his waist, "In here, huh?"

"It's weird otherwise when we share a wall with your parents;" he whispered and caught her mouth with hers again."

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The bed wasn't uncomfortable. Quite the opposite actually, but it was just so weird. This wasn't their room. Even when he closed his eyes and slept…when he gained consciousness he knew it wasn't his room….even before he opened his eyes, he knew that something was wrong.

It wasn't bad, it was just different. Charming didn't hate it….but he'd rather be in his own home instead of being cooped up and waiting to come up with a strategy to save them all.

If Snow wasn't pregnant, he'd lead the charge against Zelena but now he was more cautious. Any stress could cause her to lose their children.

Children…they didn't tell Emma yet that it was twins. They wanted it to be a surprise. After the initial fear, she'd warmed up considerably to being a big sister. Sometimes she'd make her way into town just to make sure her mother was okay and to make sure she had everything she needed…or to give her things that Alice had outgrown or didn't need.

When he woke up that morning, he heard Snow already in the bathroom. He threw back his covers and went to his wife's side.

"Morning sickness," she said shakingly, "One thing I didn't miss."

He held her growing hair back as she heaved and kissed her temple, "And in a few months, you'll forget the pain and the sickness because our children will be safe.'

Snow clutched the toilet; her knuckles were white, "If they're safe."

Charming felt his heart clench and he wrapped his arms around her, "Hey, we're not going to lose these babies."

"That's what you promised me when we were pregnant with Emma and we lost her for 28 years…," Snow whispered, "And now I'm having a baby and her sister is coming and we don't really know why…I just…I can't lose these two, Charming. I can't."

"We won't."

"We did last time."

"Because Rumpelstiltskin was working against us…but he's working with us now…and we have Emma. And she'll protect us if we can't protect ourselves."

"And who will protect her?" Snow asked quietly, "Emma's magic is the only thing keeping us from losing our children. She feels obligated to help. If she gets hurt….or her family does…."

"It won't happen, "We'll protect each other, remember? IT's what we always do."

Snow gave a small nod and leaned against him, He returned the embrace and held her tightly, "I promise you…nothing is ripping apart our family again."

He held his wife for a few moments and went to stand up, "Come on, I'll make you breakfast.

Snow smiled and let him help her up. She went to flush and both jumped when they heard Jefferson and Emma scream in the next room. Victims of the water either getting colder or hotter thanks to the plumbing.

"Guess the pipes aren't as enchanted as we thought," Charming muttered.