No one except Zelena wanted to spend any more time than necessary at her castle, but no one except Zelena was in any hurry to stop her suffering either. Thanks to magic, there was no need to choose between leaving soon and dispensing justice. In what was only a few moments as far as Rumple and his family were concerned, it felt like several eternities had passed to Zelena. Rumple made sure every memory of suffering in the dream catcher became hers, with her feeling it as her own victims.

Everything she had ever done to others, she felt now. Rumple had reasoned the best justice would be a punishment that fit the crime. Whatever pain she felt now would be no worse than what she'd done to others. Unfortunately for her, she had caused others enough pain to drive her to insanity many times over. By the time she had experienced everything she'd put her victims through, she had stopped screaming. She simply had an insane look on her face. The only sounds she made were impossible to make any sense out of.

There was no more punishment to be dealt in that lifetime. She was beyond feeling any more pain, and the only justice remaining to be done waited for Zelena in the afterlife. Rumple sent her there, crushing her heart and reducing her body to ashes.

Zelena had learned magic he had never taught her, and mixed it with his lessons. Rumple knew her ashes would have to be destroyed as a precaution. He conjured a vial, putting Zelena's ashes in them and adding liquid from another vial. He'd just finished sealing it when he saw the glow from the green amulet that had hung around Zelena's neck. While that amulet existed, there was no way Zelena would be truly dead.

Magically, it would be protected. The dagger, however, could cut through any magic. Rumple summoned the dagger, and drove it through the green stone. It seemed to ooze a black tar before turning clear. Now Zelena could never return to harm Bae or anyone else Rumple loved. His family was safe, and together at last.

He turned to Bae, but couldn't smile. Bae looked unsteady and for a moment, and a look of pain from years of suffering under Zelena crossed his face. Rumple would have magically healed him, but as Henry touched Bae a look of relief crossed his face.

"You're all right?" Rumple asked fearfully, but Bae nodded.

"I just need to get home," he answered. Then he smiled. "I knew you'd find me sooner or later." He paused. "I did doubt, for a time."

Rumple couldn't look Bae in the eye, and his voice shook as he spoke.

"I know it's little consolation. I just want you to know that ever since you left, ever since you crossed the barriers of time and space, every waking moment, I've been looking for you." His voice caught. "And now that I've finally found you, after years thinking you were dead and there was no way I'd ever see you again-" He reached out towards his son in a way that asked permission to embrace him.

"I was angry at you for a long time," Bae said quietly, and Rumple pulled away.

"I know," Rumple said in a whisper. He looked away. "All I can do is ask you to forgive me." He didn't look in Bae's direction, but he felt Bae put his arms around him. In a heartbeat Rumple's arms were around Bae too. "I'm so sorry, son. I'm so sorry Bae."

Any outward signs that Rumple was the Dark One were not noticeable in that moment. There was simply a father, wracked with emotion at being reunited with his son.

"I forgive you," Bae told him. "I forgive you, Papa."

The two hugged for a long time. There was so much to say, but it needed no words. Henry stood back, smiling as he watched them. He'd been right to trust his grandfather. Anyone watching the scene would have never been able to doubt the man Rumple truly was. When Rumple and Bae pulled apart, they smiled at Henry and soon he was included in the hug.

"Nice to finally meet you Henry," Bae told him, grinning at him. "I'm just sorry it took so long."

"It's hardly your fault," Henry told him, smiling too. "Let's finally get you home."

As the three were about to begin their journey home, Bae looked at Rumple and said "I don't even know exactly how much time has passed. What day is this?"

"The first day of Yule," Rumple told him. "Seventeen years after the fire when Zelena took you."

Bae smiled hearing the date.

"Happy birthday, Papa."

Happy tears filled Rumple's eyes. There was no gift he could ever receive that would equal having his son back.