The truth of the matter was that he would have loved to send Pirithous off to spy on David that morning. As far as he was concerned until he had confidence that things were going the way he wanted them to, he wanted David monitored closely, just as closely as his brother had been. But with Pirithous getting dangerously close to putting together what was going on and when he saw exactly where David was off to that morning, he was even more glad that he hadn't made him follow.

First thing that morning, David had got up, fetched the horse from the stable hand, and disappeared out into the woods on his own. It was odd for a royal to leave unaccompanied, but he figured George probably figured out where he was going and called the guard off lest they see something they shouldn't, to him that would be more detrimental than someone murdering his False Prince and learning the truth. He was almost jealous of how smart the King acted, for the second he saw David finally arrive later that afternoon, he realized that he should have figured out where he was going too.

He went home. The journey from George's castle back to his home was significantly longer by horse than by magic, but the boy made good time. By afternoon he was standing outside his family farm, hugging his mother. He held his breath as he watched the exchange, wishing he had a mirror to listen to it, wondering if he should go himself and listen. But much to his pleasure, it ended the way it should, the way the Seer predicted. Not long after he arrived, it was clear that the meeting was truly a good-bye. She pressed a ring with a green jewel into his hands and, after a few more tearful words, David mounted his steed and returned to George's castle and James' life in time for dinner.

Then, yesterday evening, just as the sun was getting ready to set, he watched as Abigail and David got into a carriage and began the escorted journey that would take them to the palace. If they rode all night, as it seemed they would, then it would take a couple of days of travel to get to Midas' new castle. He'd watched them well into the early morning hours, shocked when he saw they had decided not to take the quickest route but the scenic route, that would add another day. On the morning of the day they should have arrived his eyes hurt. He felt like he'd done nothing for days but stare into that crystal ball. He'd been waiting, waiting, waiting all the journey for Snow White and David to run into each other. They were, once more going through a forest Snow White was known to haunt. And for one brief moment, he'd thought that Snow White was about to ambush the carriage, but something had frightened her out of her hiding place, and she'd been forced to run. Still…there was hope. It would be another few hours until they arrived at the palace. Thanks to an intercepted invitation he'd summoned to his side, he knew the engagement party wasn't scheduled until that evening. That left plenty of time for a run in and Midas carriage was a tempting treat for dear Snow. It was a situation to monitor for a few days, but Belle…

She was one of the only reasons in the last few days that he'd managed to tear himself away. He hadn't been spending as much time with her as he had before this mess had started, he mostly left her alone after dinner now, in favor of watching this drama play out. But he still ate with her. Usually by breakfast time and dinner time his eyes were sore enough that it was easy to convince himself to take a break and go eat with her. Now was about the time that he always left and went downstairs to move her chair so everything would be ready when it was time for breakfast. And a break would be nice. To be honest, more than a break would be nice. On a day like this, with the sun shining and the heat returning to the mountain slowly, he had no doubt Belle would be in a happy mood when she awoke.

Or rather when she had awoken…she was up already! Early! This early?! Before he'd even had time to move her chair! There she was, standing in the Great Room like always, putting out plates and silverware…but still far earlier than he ever would have expected her.

"Someone is a bit anxious for work this morning!" he announced.

She shrugged and continued her work. "The sun is out. I was excited, I was hoping to read outside today, in the light…" then she let out a disappointed sigh and shook her head. "But it's still too cold."

"Not enough light in the tower?" he questioned, though he felt sympathy for her as she finished her task. She wanted warmth. To him, it was warming up, but it wasn't enough for her to sit out and enjoy her day as he always imagined Baelfire would have. It saddened him for some reason he couldn't really place.

"Certainly not as bright as it is in here…or outside," she beamed, showing him her teeth and that despite the fact she couldn't go, she was still happy. He had mixed emotions about the particular comment that she'd made. Yes, it was rather bright in here, he had adjusted to it as he'd promised, but when he remembered that day, the images in his head, there were days he wondered if the cost of it was worth it.

Before he could let his thoughts wander back, a loud screech made him jump. The chair. He was in his seat and prepared to eat early with her, but her chair was by the fire. He never moved it when she was around, always when she was gone. And since he hadn't, he now found her at its side, attempting to haul the heavy, massive thing from the fireside to the opposite end of the table. He rolled his eyes as he watched her struggle. Why was it that women, especially that woman, never asked for help?

The magic it took to move the thing was barely worth considering. With barely a thought it went from her hands to the end of the table where it belonged.

Belle was confused at first, looking from her hands to the fireside and finally over to her end of the table to find it there. When she did, she turned back to look at him, shock and questioning in her eyes, as if the answer wasn't a simple thing.

"By the time you finish dragging that thing over there, it'll be teatime. And my floor will be scratched," he explained, staring at his food so he wouldn't have to see her smile. How did he know she'd be smiling? How did he know she'd probably be blushing? First on her chest, then her neck, then into her cheeks, that beautiful tone of red that made him want to blush just to match her.

"Thank you," he heard her mutter as she went to her seat.

Suddenly the world stopped. He felt cold. The table, the food, Belle, the fire, all disappeared from his eyes as the Seer threw image after image at him so violently he felt himself shake.

An image of a city like he'd never seen before…it vanished, disappeared into nothing but woods and coast.

Snow White, an old woman, finally caught by a flu and dying in a hallowed out log without a friend in the world.

David and Abigail, ruling side by side with three or four blonde haired children before them and smiles that never quite made it too their eyes.

A log on the road surrounded by royal carriages, like the image he'd seen earlier only in this one Snow White pounced!

A royal pouch. Stolen.

The same royal pouch, safe in David's hands.

The green ring collecting dust.

Regina's Kingdom in chaos.

Belle's grave, old and whithered bones before him.

A flash of a blonde haired woman and the face of Killian Jones, Captain Hook, standing side by side.

"If it doesn't happen…then nothing ever will!" the Seer screamed in his ear.

A vision of a rolling green hill, Hook and the blonde woman were staring at his castle on a sunny morning…it was now.

"Help them…or it will never come to pass."

An image of a man with dark hair, graying on the sides near his ears, a person he'd seen before in the original vision the Seer had given him came to mind, but then disappeared and faded from few. Except now he knew...it was Baelfire.

And suddenly a darker image came to light of a person in a cloak, holding the Dark One Dagger while he writhed on the ground. His blood was on the dagger, the name was changing as he was dying.

"Help them now!"

The Seer had released him from his vision, but her words lingered. On the other side of the table, Belle sat enjoying her meal as she always did, but he felt like he was dissolving. His heart was racing. He felt like he couldn't breathe, couldn't even swallow! Apparently, it wasn't only her words that lingered, but the sense of emergency as well. Something had happened, something that shouldn't have happened! Something that threatened his way back to Baelfire…and he knew where he needed to start. Now.

In a flash, he was up and out of his chair.

"Rumple! Rumpelstiltskin?!"

He'd received an image of two people just beyond the boarder of his property, across the river! One of them was Captain Hook. What had he done now?!

"Wait!"

If he left now, he could intercept them, learn what had happened, and put a stop to it. Anything to get back to Bae! The image of his son as an adult was strong and clear and crisp in his head. So was its fading. He had to stop it!

"Wait, where are you going? What's wrong?!" Belle cried out, following him from the room.

"Nothing to worry about, dearie!" he lied, waving a hand over his shoulder. Though he wasn't sure how he was to convince her of that when he couldn't even convince himself. He had to calm down, he had to breathe, he had to believe! He had to remember that if he worked hard enough, he could get to the bottom of this and set it all straight. But only by being who he was. Not by running off half-cocked, especially not if he was going to face his enemy.

He turned around to face her so fast that she nearly ran right into him. He almost moved to catch her before he remembered his vow not to touch her. He was exceedingly glad when she took a few steps back on her own.

"I have an errand to run," he explained as she stared up at him, looking almost hurt that he'd rushed off away from their breakfast so quickly. It wasn't his choice. If he could have, he would have stayed and enjoyed her company all day long…but this couldn't wait.

"When…when will you be back?" she asked breathlessly.

When would he be back…it was words like that which sometimes made him think she enjoyed his own company just as much as he enjoyed hers. And what a silly thought really, when she had all the books she could ever want and a Great Room that was full of the sun she so craved.

"Later," he answered before casting a glace to the other room. She wanted a day of warm sun, and maybe it was the fact that the thing he'd wanted for so long now hung in the balance, but he wanted her to have it. He moved the couch that she favored up in her library down into the great room, just below the windows where she could receive sun all day. Magnified by the window panes, she'd be plenty warm. But just in case she wasn't he moved his own chair back to the fire for her and sent his dishes away down into the kitchens, leaving her with her own uneaten breakfast. That should be plenty of entertainment for her, at least until he figured out what the hell was going on.

"Enjoy your books," he stated warmly. Then he disappeared and left her alone.

He had a future to restore.

So here we are in episode 3x21/3x22. Little note about this that may disappoint some but is probably obvious from this chapter. I know that before Emma and Hook go back in time in season 3 there is, what is now considered to be, an alternative version of events. I'm not going to be publishing that version of events. I did think about it. I did consider publishing that and then when I release season three I could come back and edit everything into place, but here is the thing...it really doesn't matter. In the season 1 version of things, well...Rumple might be watching, but he doesn't really have anything to do with it, so it would be boring. In the season 3 version of things Rumple has a lot to do, but then he takes the potion afterward to make himself forget so...he really doesn't know that he had anything to do with it. Either way, it spits me out at the same place. The only difference is that I'd rather do the version that is now considered "official" if I have a choice than waste time writing a boring chapter then editing later. I mean...really...didn't I wait to publish this fiction so I wouldn't have to do something like that? It just, all around, seems simpler to me to do it this way.

Thank you, Jennifer Baratta, Grace5231973, and Alarda for your comments. I know there's not really much going on in this chapter, it's filler, but it gets the job done. In one chapter we've closed Charming's "David" Story, prepped Rumple for the 3x21/3x22 stuff, and I've given you Rumbellers a nice little special moment. If you need a little more then let's continue on because you're going to be getting some really good Rumbelle stuff from Rumple in the 3x21/3x22 part. I mean, with all that's going through his head now and all he's about to learn, how can we not, right?! Peace and Happy Reading!