Here is the tragic third chapter of eternally yours. Please review and tell me what you think and remember I own nothing.

Chapter 3

The great hall remained silent except for the sound of the unrestrained sobs of Rumpelstiltskin. Sobbing into the dais, Belles lifeless hand held in his, he didn't know what else to do. He needed her and now she was gone, the reality of that sinking in as he held her cold hand between both of his; his tears fell onto their hands like before when he had held her on her death bed.

"Belle I wish you could come back, I love you so much. I feel you at my side even now, but you're not really there you're gone. You're gone and I miss you so much," cried Rumpelstiltskin letting his tear filled eyes gaze upon her as he lifted his head from the dais. She had always been an angel just like the Hatter had said, his angel, and in that moment he knew she truly was one now.

"I miss you so much my angel, my love, my Belle," gasped Rumpelstiltskin kissing her hand and the skin of her wrist with every word his eyes coming to settle on the tattoo their love had created so many years ago.

The R that his magic had placed there was still there marking her as his. She had always been his and he had always been hers.

"You will always be my true love, my only true love. Your love will forever be forged into my skin as mine will always be embroidered into yours, I will love you forever. Every time I see your B, the sign of your love on my skin I will think of you and the love we shared, the happiness we shared, and the memories of our life together. I will think of you every single day and I will never forget you I promise," whispered Rumpelstiltskin looking at her as he rolled up his sleeve and looked at the B forged into his skin the same as hers.

"I'll always love you Belle. My heart will never belong to anyone, but you. I will hold you in my heart for eternity," whispered Rumpelstiltskin kissing her wrist and the R that rested there preparing to continue his final goodbye to his love.

"I never thought we would be parted. I always thought we would be together forever; it never ever entered my mind that death would part us. I wanted us to have forever, I promised you forever, and we promised each other forever. And I miss you. And I love you; I don't know what to do without you. I still don't know what to do, before you entered my life, my world, and my heart I only knew darkness and now without you I don't know how to stay in the light ,without you, my light. I don't know what to do; no one loved me before you, no one has ever loved me the way you did. Before you arrived I was just the Dark One, I was someone to be feared and repulsed, but you loved me and made me a man again. You always saw me as more than the Dark One, you saw me as a man, a man you loved and who loved you. You always just saw me as your Rumpelstiltskin, your Rumpel and I always loved you for that because when you came back to me and professed your love for me I never doubted your love for me. I knew you loved me, and I tried throughout our life together to make sure you knew I loved you too. I will always love you. I loved that I could confide in you and tell you everything and you'd never judge me, you'd listen and love me and make it alright. I will miss you forever, I will love you forever. There are so many things I will miss about you. I will miss the way you would wrap your arms around me as I was spinning and kiss my cheek. I will miss hearing your laughter echoing down the halls," sobbed Rumpelstiltskin suddenly needing to stop as his tears took control of his body. Rumpelstiltskin cried unabashedly burying his face in his hands her hand still clasped in both of his. His whole body shook with the force of his sobs as his memories of her, of her laughter, of her smiles, of her kisses, of intimate moments between just the two of them, and happy moments gazing into her blue eyes filled his mind.

"I will miss your kisses on my cheek; your kisses on my lips. I will miss your smile especially that little smirk you would give me when you knew I was up to no good. I will miss waking up in the morning with you in my arms. I will miss waking up in the morning and having your face be the first thing I see. I will miss finding solace in your arms, and knowing that I could always count on you like you could count on me. I will miss the light that you brought into my world and my heart. I will miss everything about you; I will miss you so much. If it weren't for the children I'd have no reason to go on, you were right as always, they are my light just like you, but without you the world still feels darker than ever before. And I don't know what to do now. I know you wanted me to go on and for you I will, but right now I don't know how. You wanted me to go on for the children, but how do I raise them and keep them safe without you. You've been gone one day and I already feel the darkness trying to creep back to claim my heart, but I'm fighting it because you didn't want me to let the darkness consume me. And for you I will continue to fight it and I know if I keep your love in my heart and let the children's light shine on me I will be able to fight it. I will look after our children and never let them forget you and I will never let them forget that you are watching over us and loving us. I will keep them safe and continue to love them and I will always keep you alive in their hearts and in their memories," gasped Rumpelstiltskin laying his head on the dais and letting his tears flow freely as he brought his words of love to her to a close.

He didn't know how long he cried over her, but finally Rumpel rose to his feet, kissing her hand one last time.

"I miss you Belle. I will always miss you," breathed Rumpelstiltskin as he gazed down upon her letting a dead silence fill the room as he stroked her cheek lovingly his eyes never leaving her face.

"Goodbye my love," whispered Rumpelstiltskin as his lips hovered over her forehead a second before finally closing the distance and kissing it. Then still looking down upon her, he never wanted to leave her, and looking down at her tears continued to fall from his amber eyes one of them falling onto her cheek because in that moment it all came crashing down on him, he would never see her again after this moment, this would be the last time he would ever see her.

"Goodbye my beauty; I love you. I love you Belle," exclaimed Rumpelstiltskin letting his eyes stare down at her memorizing every inch of her from her face to her hands to her toes and feet before letting his lips hover over hers closing his eyes more tears falling as he touched his lips to hers for the last time.

"I love you; I promise you I always will," breathed Rumpelstiltskin against her lips as the kiss ended and he slowly backed away from her to stand in the gloom of the candlelight.

" Goodbye," gasped Rumpelstiltskin on a shaky breath just before waving his hand watching as her body disappeared from the dais to be encased and replaced with something else completely, something else that filled his heart even more with mourning and sorrow. Instead on the dais there now sat a coffin in which her body lay. He had conjured her coffin, a final resting place that was worthy of his lady of the dark castle, his queen. It was made of a dark black wood that shined in the light of the room and interlaced throughout the wood was threads of gold, the very gold he spun; he had done this so part of him would always be with her even in death. And as he stared at it his heart beating as he tried to hold back his sorrow suddenly he brought his hands to his face sobbing uncontrollably as his emotions all began to crush him from the inside. Finally he looked up from his hands and looked at the coffin taking a breath as he stepped towards it. Gently he placed his hands atop the coffin his breathing ragged as he stared down at it knowing she was inside.

"Goodbye Belle; I love you. I miss you. Rest in peace sweetheart," whispered Rumpelstiltskin standing there a moment before finally turning and walking away trying not to take a final look knowing if he did he would never be able to leave. It took all his strength to leave her alone in that room, in that coffin, but he knew he had to; his children needed him in that moment. And he knew if he didn't leave he never would; he would stare at her coffin forever. His children needed him in that moment. He needed to prepare them for the moment that was swiftly approaching, the moment when they would lay their mother to rest and say their final goodbyes. As he entered the hallway outside his children's bedroom he was greeted by the Hatter, Red the little wolf girl, the dwarves, and Granny, all of them stood scattered around the hallway tears in their eyes.

"Rumpel," said Jefferson as all their eyes settled on him making him uncomfortable as they stared at him.

"I'm fine Hatter; I just need to see my children. How are the children?" whispered Rumpelstiltskin avoiding looking any of them in the eyes an awkward feeling stiffening the air. Except for Jefferson and Grace none of the people standing in the hallway had liked him until Belle came into his life. They were here for Belle and the children now not him; he knew that and he was grateful for that. Rumpelstiltskin was prepared to handle this on his own, and if he did need anything he had his children and the Hatter, and Grace. Other than Belle they were the only ones who ever really cared. He waited for an answer to his question, but it was like they didn't have an answer for him. When Grace entered the hallway from one of the bedrooms she had tears in her eyes, and every eye turned in her direction. They all were looking to her for the answer to his question, he knew that immediately. Grace was crying silent tears that made her face red and stained; he locked eyes with her and they shared a moment of sorrow because he knew Belle and she had been extremely close. Rumpelstiltskin knew Belle had always thought of Grace as one of her own children and he knew Grace had loved her as if she had been her own mother. He knew she was feeling the same loss he and the children felt. Grace slowly approached him completely ignoring the others as she embraced him. Rumpelstiltskin hugged her in return hearing as he did as she started to cry fresh tears.

"I'm so sorry Uncle Rum. I miss her so much Uncle Rum," sobbed Grace feeling as he nodded in agreement with her, his own tears moving unchecked down his cheeks falling into her hair.

"I know Grace and thank you for being here. We will all miss her. How are the children?" asked Rumpelstiltskin moving with her towards the door she had exited.

"They won't come out Uncle Rum. They are so scared, they just keep asking me what's it going to be like without Aunt Belle, but I don't have an answer Uncle Rum. I'm so sorry," cried Grace. He nodded in understanding that was the question on all their minds, a question no one had an answer to. Rumpelstiltskin looked at Grace, she was like a daughter to him, he loved her like he did his own children, and as he kissed her golden head he hoped she knew that. Passing her crying, weeping form into the arms of her father; Rumpelstiltskin looked at the door before him breathing a sign as he prepared for the moment to come. Silently he opened the door without a sound and entered his nine year old daughter's room. Helena was the oldest of his children and as he entered the room instantly he was encased in darkness. He remembered the day she was born, the day Belle told him he was going to be a father, so many memories flashed through his mind as he closed the door behind him as he entered the room.

In that moment as he stood in the darkness of his daughter's room he couldn't explain it, but it felt right. The castle and everyone within it were mourning Belle and the lamenting darkness of the room didn't feel wrong in that moment; it felt like it was what was right, to be in darkness now that Belle, his light was gone. As that thought went through his mind repeatedly Rumpelstiltskin searched for his daughter Helena in the darkness; it felt like his life was ending with the loss of his wife, he couldn't imagine what his children were feeling at this very moment.

"Helena," breathed Rumpelstiltskin as his eyes landed on her as she laid on her bed; she was turned away from him and her body was curled into a ball her shoulders shaking with her silent tears. She didn't hear a word he said, or at least she didn't appear to, she remained where she was not moving a muscle. Rumpelstiltskin approached her and when he sat on the bed only then did she notice him. At first she still didn't move, but then suddenly she sat up tears covering her face making her nearly unrecognizable. All was silent between them before Helena looked at him ,slowly letting him take her hand, and it was then she started to cry heart wrenching sobs that tore into his already broken heart. He quickly pulled her into his arms letting her bury her head in his chest kissing her head and stroking her curls as she cried. Rumpelstiltskin had told himself that he would be strong for his children and not cry when he saw them, but suddenly as he held his weeping child in his arms he felt his own tears move down his cheeks. And as his own tears fell he found he didn't care, his children needed to know he was feeling the same sorrow, the same loss they felt, and deep down inside he knew Belle would have been proud of his strength in that moment.

Still looking down at his daughter, Rumpel felt a glow inside as he gazed at her; she was as beautiful as her mother. She was a true beauty like his Belle had been; she was pure and good and very much like her mother, but she was also a little like him. And that was why he knew he would never forget Belle because their children would remind him of her for the rest of his life.

"You are so much like her. You will be a beautiful woman just like your mother someday my pet," whispered Rumpelstiltskin looking down at her as he moved her chestnut curls out of her face watching as she looked up at him; she was the spitting image of her mother all except for the chocolate brown eyes she had gotten from him. All was silent between them as father and daughter held each other's gaze sharing in their sorrow. Rumpelstiltskin held her gaze never letting her break it as he wiped the tears from her face.

"Helena it's time to go lay your mama to rest. I know you don't want to, I don't want to either, but we have to. We have to lay her to rest, we have to put her at peace, and say our goodbyes," said Rumpelstiltskin soothingly. She cried more as he spoke making him pull her closer in an attempt to comfort her more.

As he spoke she shook her head in answer burying her head in his chest beginning to sob again.

"No papa, I don't want to say goodbye. I want mama back. I want mama back. If we say goodbye to mama it makes it all real, it means that this isn't a dream, this isn't a nightmare. It means she's never coming back and we need her papa. We need her, what do we do without her?" exclaimed Helena raising her head from his chest to peer up at him. Looking at her papa she saw tears of loss and sorrow and deep understanding in his eyes; he was feeling the loss as much as she and he was thinking the same things she was and it was in that moment she understood just how much he had loved her mama. Helena always knew her parents loved each other more than life itself, but it was now as she saw her father cry for the first time in her life that she realized how much he loved her mama and how much her mama had loved him. Rumpelstiltskin breathed a shaky breath as his tears continued down his face the same thoughts in his mind as hers. He felt every word she had spoken because they were his feelings as much as hers. He had loved her mama, he would always love her, and he felt empty without her just like his children did. Part of him wanted to let them barricade themselves in their room and let them stay there as he buried Belle, but he knew if he did that they would regret not saying goodbye. Even though they didn't want to, they needed to go down with all of them and put their mother at peace; they needed to say goodbye.

"I don't know either pet. Your mother was my everything; I don't know what life will be like without her either. I do know life from now on will be filled with a lot less light and that we will all miss her forever. No one will ever be able to replace her; she was one of a kind. But you have to say goodbye, you have to leave this room with me and after I get your brother and sister we will go lay her to rest and put her at peace. You need to do this Helena, we all do because if we don't we will regret it later on in life. We have to say goodbye,'' whispered Rumpelstiltskin kissing her forehead as he dried her tears again. For a few seconds longer he held her and all was silent as they both prepared themselves both mentally and physically for the moment to come.

Together they rose from the bed and with her still in his arms Rumpelstiltskin took her off into the hallway where everyone waited. No one said a word as they entered the hallway and closing the door behind them, he looked at each of them before letting his eyes settle on Jefferson and Grace. Moving his daughter forward he took her over to them and sharing a look with the Hatter, he silently asked him to look after her while he went for the rest of his children. When Helena was in their safe arms, he smiled at her, before moving down the hall to his eight year son Nicholas's room. His son's room was almost the same as his sister's; it was nearly completely dark except for the low flicker of the candle that stood by the bed. Rumpelstiltskin was glad for that candle as he entered the room closing the door silently behind him, looking around he knew if the room had been completely dark like Helena's had been he would have tripped. He knew this for sure when he saw his son lying motionless amongst the gloom on the floor. With a flick of his wrist more candles appeared all around lighting the room completely.

"Nicholas, son are you alright. Why are you on the floor?" whispered Rumpelstiltskin looking down at his boy hoping he would stand, but he didn't he remained unmoving. Nicholas didn't answer him; he didn't even acknowledge his presence in the room. He stared at the ceiling as if searching for something and as he gazed down at him, Rumpel saw tears slowly leaving his eyes roaming unchecked down his face. When he finally looked at him, Nicholas quickly wiped away his tears. Rumpel knew his boy was trying to be strong as he wiped those tears away in an attempt to hide them from him, he knew his son had been crying as much as everyone else because he had just lost his mother ,the most important person in his life. Kneeling down on the ground, Rumpelstiltskin took his son's hand and made him stand, only then did he see that he was shaking like a leaf.

"Son it's ok to cry. We all are, your mother meant so much to us all; we all loved her more than anything. It's ok to cry," whispered Rumpelstiltskin making his son look at him and he could see he was holding it all inside.

"Papa is this a terrible dream? Is this a nightmare? This can't be real, can it? She can't be gone. I need her, I love her papa. What do I do without her, I need her," whispered Nicholas his eyes glued to the floor.

"I wish it were son. I wish this was a nightmare that we could wake up from, but it's not. Your mama is gone, but never forget as long as you keep her in your heart she is always with you. As long as you remember her she will live on in your memory. Never forget her son, always remember the good times we all had together, and always remember how much she loved you. And she did Nicholas, she loved you, she loved all of us so much and she never ever let us think otherwise. We are going to go say goodbye to her and remember her for who she was. Your mama may be gone, but remember she will never be truly gone if we think of her and remember her every day,'' whispered Rumpelstiltskin letting his own tears move down his cheeks hoping if he didn't hold back that his son would also know in that moment that it was ok to cry. As he spoke Nicholas looked up at him and it was then Rumpel saw him let go and let his tears fall. His son simply raised his head from the floor not saying a word as his tears fell only looking up at him. His tears moved down his cheeks slowly at first, but soon they were pouring down his face, and slowly he wrapped his arms around Rumpel's waist crying openly feeling as his father held him close.

"I don't know what to do papa, I want to be strong for Helena and Annabelle, but I can't. I miss her; I miss her so much. And it hurts so much that she's gone, it doesn't feel like it's ever going to stop hurting. It feels like everything is falling apart; nothing is the same without her. I loved her papa so much and now without her everything is different, the castle is dark and scary; the world is dark and scary without her. I miss her, I miss her, and I miss her. I just want her back papa, I want mama back," cried Nicholas feeling as his father's arms tightened around him as he kissed his head crying with him nodding in agreement to his words. Rumpel held his son close as he cried his heart out, part of him feeling proud of him for wanting to be strong for his sisters. That couldn't help, but make him think of Belle; their son was strong just like her, just like his mother.

" I know son, believe me I know. I feel what you feel. I miss her too son. I feel the same hurt you do knowing that she's not coming back, I want her back too. We all do, we all miss her. She meant the world to us; she was my world, my everything. She was my best friend, my wife, my great love, your mother, and my true love; like you I am trying to figure out what to do now that she's gone. I feel lost without her too. The world will be different for all of us now that she's gone, but we must go on for her. She would want us to continue to live our lives and find a way to be happy. But like you, I don't know how to do that right now. I loved her; I loved her so much my heart has died with her. I miss her so much," whispered Rumpelstiltskin both their bodies shaking as they cried together. Slowly father and son pulled away tears in their eyes as they looked at each other. Rumpelstiltskin held Nicholas by the shoulders as he gazed down at him thinking again how he would never forget Belle because his children would forever remind him of her; his son like his daughter before him was just like his mother.

He was just like his mother; he had Belles chestnut hair and her facial features, but his brown eyes, but he also had so much more than that, he had his mother's strength. And that's how they stood as the seconds ticked by simply staring at each other tears covering both their faces until suddenly his son broke his gaze and stared up at the ceiling once more causing his father to do the same. Rumpelstiltskin didn't know what he was looking at.

"I keep hoping to see her up there looking down on me papa. Do you think she's up there in heaven watching us, do you think she's still looking after us, like she always has?" asked Nicholas looking at him finally. Rumpelstiltskin looked at the ceiling differently with those words, and in that moment he wanted to see her looking down on them too. And with that in mind he looked down at his son seeing his beautiful Belle's face in his mind as their eyes met. For the first time since the loss of his love Rumpelstiltskin smiled a tiny smile understanding why his son stared at the ceiling because from now on, he would look up at the ceiling and see it completely different now.

"Yes I think she's up there watching us. She always did look after us and I hope she's up there in heaven keeping us safe. She will be our guardian angel," exclaimed Rumpel looking at the ceiling as he spoke. He couldn't explain it, but it was one of those moments when he could feel her. He felt her at his side, he wanted to turn and find her there, but he knew if he did she wouldn't be there. In a way it was like he could feel her smiling down on him, he could feel her sending her love to him, to all of them from her place in heaven.

"Good, that makes me feel better. In a way that means she's still with is then," whispered Nicholas as Rumpelstiltskin moved with him out of the room.

"Stay with Grace and your sister while I go get Annabelle," whispered Rumpelstiltskin as they entered the hall watching as Helena and Grace ran up to him embracing the boy with tears streaming down their faces. Rumpelstiltskin moved down the hallway again breathing a sign as he stood outside his five year old daughter Annabelle's room; he had been dreading going into this room most of all because his youngest wouldn't understand what was happening the way her older siblings did. Finally he entered her room finding it to be the complete opposite of the other two rooms. This room held no darkness and no silence. It was filled with light and immediately as he entered the room he heard the strangled sobs of his little girl. Five year old Annabelle sat by her window glowing as she sat in the moonlight that drifted through it. She was curled into a ball and he could see her little frame shaking so badly it scared him as he approached her ,the sound of her tears the only thing he could hear. Before he reached her though, she spotted him as he was crossing the room, and she crossed the distance between them jumping into his arms and clinging to him for dear life. Her grip on him was nearly choking as she wrapped her little arms around his neck, her tears staining the fabric of his already tear stained shirt.

"Papa," cried Annabelle as she clung to him as he held her in his arms crying into his neck. At first he didn't know what to say to her, her siblings knew what was happening, they in their own way understood it, but she didn't. The only thing his little daughter knew was that one minute her mama was here and now she was gone, but she didn't understand why. As he wracked his brain searching for the words to say to her, he moved over to the window where she had previously sat rocking her back and forth as she cried. In the end, he couldn't think of anything to say to her to explain what was happening, so he didn't say anything; he just looked down at her, and waited thinking of Belle as he did. Annabelle was the complete opposite of her siblings, not only did she look nothing like him, she was nothing like him; she held a light inside her to match her mother's. She was all Belle. From her chestnut curls, to the sweet features of her face, to the ocean blue of her eyes, to the light that resided in her heart; she was her mother completely, she was just like his Belle. He sat with her in his lap, letting her cry, holding back his tears this time; he needed to be strong for his little one. As he slowly stroked her chestnut curls, Rumpelstiltskin waited for her sobs to die down and turn to sniffles.

When they finally did Annabelle looked up at him with those twin pools of blue she inherited from her mother, but they were still filled with tears.

"Papa do we have to go out there?" sniffled Annabelle.

"Yes, love, we do; we have to say goodbye to your mama," whispered Rumpelstiltskin.

"Will we ever see her again?" whispered Annabelle looking up at him with hope in her eyes.

"Yes, someday, but not for a long time," gasped Rumpelstiltskin wanting to lie to her for his own sake, but finding he couldn't.

Rumpelstiltskin knew one day he would have to bury his children just like he would bury his wife today. They weren't immortal like he was; only now did the reality of that come crashing down on him. He would live forever, but they wouldn't. And as he held his little Annabelle, Rumpelstiltskin silently vowed to keep his promise to Belle; he wouldn't kill himself with his dagger until the day came when he had nothing left to live for. When the day came when he lost his children to death like he did his Belle.

Kissing his little daughters forehead, Rumpelstiltskin stood up with her in his arms carrying her out of the room. They all stood in the hall together in silence; Helena and Nicholas came to stand at his side. Finally they all moved down the hall and down the stairs in a mourning procession stopping when they reached the entrance to the great hall. As they moved inside, suddenly Rumpel snapped his fingers and everyone including himself had a fresh cut rose from the garden in their hands. They stared at the coffin with tears in their eyes until finally Jefferson and the dwarves stepped forward moving around the coffin to carry it to her final resting place.

Belle would be buried in the grassy meadow just beyond her rose garden beneath the old oak tree she once loved. Grace joined his children at his side and with Granny and Red trailing behind them; they followed the coffin and its carriers outside into the beauty of the garden. It was a beauty that would hold his beauty, his Belle for the rest of forever. Slowly Jefferson and the dwarves lowered the coffin into the freshly dug grave, and then they all stood around it in silence. Finally, Red stepped forward rose in hand.

"Goodbye Belle, thank you so much for always being such a good friend to me. I will miss you, but I'll never forget you. I'll always remember the good times we had, and all the times you made me smile. You could always make me smile no matter how bad things seemed. Rest in peace my friend," cried Red laying the rose inside the grave atop her coffin. As she walked away, Rumpelstiltskin looked her in the eyes nodding his thanks; she had been a great help through everything. Granny followed after her granddaughter and the dwarves followed after her. Soon only Rumpel, Jefferson, Grace, and the children stood around Belle's grave. Jefferson moved forward next with Grace at his side. He dropped his rose into the grave without a word; Rumpelstiltskin knew this was because he had already said all he needed to.

Grace peered into the grave tears moving down her cheeks, and slowly the rose slipped from her fingers into the grave.

"Goodbye Aunt Belle, I love you, and I'll miss you," cried Grace quickly turning and burying her head in her father's chest. Jefferson slowly led her away back towards the castle leaving Rumpel and his children alone to say goodbye. Rumpelstiltskin led his children closer to the grave so they could say goodbye.

"What do we say papa?" asked Helena as she stared at the grave and the coffin that held her mother.

"Say anything you want then drop the rose into the grave atop the coffin," answered Rumpel bringing a hand to stroke her head. All was silent for a little while longer until Nicholas stepped forward. He stared down at the coffin that held his mother, tears rolling down his cheeks. Bringing the rose to his lips, Nicholas kissed it, before dropping it into the grave. When Rumpel saw this, he knew his son was giving his mother a goodbye kiss.

"Goodbye mama, be safe in heaven. I love you and I'll miss you. I know you'll be watching over us like papa said, and I'm going to make you proud. I promise, I will make you proud," whispered Nicholas before returning to Rumpel's side. Rumpelstiltskin patted his son on the back as he cried into his side; as he did so Helena moved to the place where her brother had stood. Like her brother, she kissed her rose giving her mother a final kiss before letting it fall into the grave.

"Mama, I don't know what the world's going to be like without you. I'm going to miss you, but I'm going to be a good daughter and make you proud. I'll never forget you ever and I'll take care of papa and Nicholas and Annabelle like I know you'd want me to I promise. I love you, I love you, I love you so much mama. Goodbye," cried Helena. She didn't return to stand with the rest of the family; Helena moved past to stand just behind them, and Nicholas moved quickly to join her.

Rumpelstiltskin looked at his youngest daughter before setting her on the ground and taking her little hand in his, he moved with her towards the grave. Kneeling by her side, he wiped away her tears, but more came.

"Sweetheart I want you to give mama the rose and then say anything you want, I want you to say goodbye," whispered Rumpelstiltskin. Annabelle only cried more looking at him then into the grave at the coffin. Finally she dropped the rose to rest atop the coffin before looking between him and it and back again over and over as if trying to make sense of what was happening. Then finally she started to speak.

"Goodbye mama, I love you," sobbed Annabelle and letting go of his hand, she brought it to her lips kissing it before silently blowing her mama a kiss before turning to him once more. Rumpelstiltskin gathered her up into his arms and rose to his feet once more carrying her to where her siblings waited. Setting her down to stand with Helena and Nicholas, he looked at them before looking at the grave then at the rose he held in one hand. It was Helena that made him move back towards the grave.

"Go papa. You have to say your goodbyes too," exclaimed Helena looking up at him understandingly.

Rumpel looked down at his children, leaning down; he kissed each of their foreheads before turning, and moving back to the grave that held his Belle. Looking down into the grave, Rumpelstiltskin closed his eyes suddenly seeing her face. Belle was his everything, the love of his life, the mother of his children, his beautiful wife, and he ached inside at her loss, he would for eternity.

"I love you Belle. That deal I made, the deal that brought you into my life, into my heart was the best deal I ever made. Before you I was only the Dark one, but you made me a man again. I will always love you, I miss you. I will forever miss having you by my side. I will miss you forever; I will love you forever. Goodbye my love," whispered Rumpelstiltskin opening his eyes, letting them move to stare at the rose in his hand. Slowly he brought the rose to his lips like his children had done and he kissed it, then looking at it still he watched as it fell from his fingers into the grave atop the coffin.

He gazed down at the coffin for another few seconds before bringing his hand to his lips next. Tears began to rain down his cheeks as he blew his one true love one last kiss before breathing a ragged breath. Turning around, he moved to join his children and with one movement he filled in the grave, each of them crying as he did so. Rumpelstiltskin lets his tears blind him; waving his hand again a tombstone appeared just beyond the mound of earth that marked her grave. It was a marble tombstone as white and pure as the beauty it represented.

The tombstone simply read: Belle, the lady of the dark castle, a loving exquisitely kind lady, wife, mother, and friend. She will live on in our memory, hearts, and souls forever. After a few seconds, Rumpelstiltskin led his children back towards the castle, and all was silent. Rumpel and Jefferson stayed with Grace and the children until they fell asleep, then they moved into the darkness of the great hall. They sat in silence, both of them taking comfort in the burn of the whiskey as it went down their throats.

"Rumpel," breathed Jefferson making him look at him from his place at the head of the long table. Jefferson downed the rest of his drink before rising.

"Here, I thought you might want these. I'm going to bed," whispered Jefferson before silently leaving the room. Rumpelstiltskin looked at what the Hatter had put in his hand; they were Belle's wedding rings. The one with the diamonds and rubies encircling the gold band; he had given her that when he asked her to marry him. Then there was the simple gold band he had made from his gold; he had given her that on their wedding day. Looking down at those rings, memories flooded his mind bringing tears to his already tear swollen eyes. Suddenly he made a long gold chain appear made from his own gold and unfastening the clasp, he put the rings to hang on the chain. Moving the chain around his neck, he closed the clasp, closing his eyes as he held the rings around the chain in his hand.

"I love you Belle," whispered Rumpel tears cascading down his face.