Here you all go my first update of 2016. I hope you all enjoy and continue to read this story. I'm sorry I haven't updated, but you know sometimes life happens. I own nothing.

Chapter 6

Rumple opened his eyes that same memory playing through his mind with consistency. Lying awake on his side of the bed, he let it replay one more time before he knew he would have to go on. Go on living without his Belle. And finally he turned lying in the middle of the bed and spreading his arms out wide he didn't move still. He couldn't stop thinking; thinking of everything, but also nothing at all. There was a time he wouldn't have been able to lay in the middle of his own bed. There was a time when he couldn't wake up without seeing her beautiful brown hair and feeling as she snuggled into his side. But now that was over and he had the whole bed to himself. He hated it.

"I'm alone again," whispered Rumpelstiltskin staring up at the ceiling as he had found himself doing since his talk with his son.

"I feel so alone without you sweetheart. It doesn't matter that I have Jefferson and Grace, or even the children with me…I…I miss you," whispered Rumpelstiltskin a lone tear sliding down his cheek.

Sitting up in bed finally he didn't bother showering, he simply dressed with a snap of his fingers. Rumple exited his room finding the castle as bleak as it had been since its lady's death. And as expected Jefferson was not far away a breakfast tray in hand. He didn't know why the Hatter bothered anymore he never ate what he brought him. He was rarely hungry anymore; he was the Dark One he didn't need to eat like everyone else.

"Are you going to eat breakfast today Rumple?" asked Jefferson knowing the answer as Rumple walked past him ignoring him completely. But still carrying the tray he followed his friend. Jefferson didn't need to ask, he knew where Rumple was headed. To his tower for that was where he spent his days choosing to work on his curse instead of being with the children. He rarely ate and only slept when Jefferson forced him to. Jefferson could see what was happening. Rumpelstiltskin was turning into the man he had been before Belle; the darkness was slowly taking him again. But it wasn't just him; the children were nearly the same except he made sure they ate and slept every day. The whole family was falling to pieces without their princess to hold them together and nobody knew how to fix it. Jefferson wasn't even sure if it could be fixed.

When he returned to the kitchen setting the uneaten breakfast to the side, Jefferson found Grace setting plates of food in front of each child. None of them said a word they only stared straight ahead. Sitting at the table with them, Jefferson waited for Grace to join them before he began to eat watching each of them out of the corner of his eye still. And still not a word was said. This had become the new normal; since Belle's death many things had become normal.

Afterwards as Grace began the dishes, Helena left moving out of the castle to roam the grounds as she did every day, Nicolas moved up the stairs retreating to his mother's library he was the only one who would enter that particular room, and Annabelle went right back to her room never leaving sometimes not even when it was time to eat. They had just lost their mother and to Jefferson's despair he was afraid they might lose their father too. It had fallen on Grace and him to watch over them since Rumple began locking himself away in his tower. And sometimes Jefferson was so angry at him for that. He knew his friend was hurting, but that gave him no right to completely ignore his children like this. They needed him now more than ever.

"This can't go on Papa, they need uncle Rum. We need to get him out of that tower; we need to show him what is happening to his children," said Grace not looking at him as she did the dishes hearing as he stood up from his place at the table.

"I know. I'm going to talk to him tonight though it may get me turned into a snail," whispered Jefferson watching as Grace forgot the dishes for the moment turning to lean into his side. Jefferson put his arm around her moving to kiss her temple.

"You know, if Aunt Belle were here she would have dragged him right out of the tower. If Aunt Belle were here everything would be ok," whispered Grace tears glistening in her eyes. Jefferson didn't say anything then as he pulled his daughter close. He knew what needed to be done. He had to get Rumple out of that tower, he had to get him to pay attention to his children instead of his precious curse, but he knew he had to have the courage to stand up to the Dark One to do so.

And as he watched over the children that day the Hatter was determined that today would be the last day Rumple would go on ignoring his children. He watched them do the same thing every day and it was killing him to watch it. They needed their father. The Hatter watched as Helena made her rounds around the castle only stopping to lie in the garden. He watched as Nicolas laid in the library a book in hand just like his mother his eyes red from his crying.

"Will she even remember her mother in a few years," thought Jefferson as he watched Annabelle sit in her room appearing to have a tea party with her stuffed animals. She was the youngest of all the children and she was the one he worried over the most. It made him sad to think that in a few years' time she might not remember Belle. And it was that thought that gave him the courage to face Rumpelstiltskin.

After putting the children to bed that night Jefferson found himself wondering into the great hall. The place was still shrouded in complete darkness and sitting at the long table he nursed a glass of elf made whiskey. He knew what needed to be said to his friend, but he was gathering his courage. Rumpelstiltskin may be his friend, but all that aside he was still the Dark One who was always threatening to turn him into a snail. But finally downing the whiskey Jefferson knew he could stall no longer leaving the hall to head up to the dark tower.

"Courage Jefferson, do it for the children they need their father back," thought Jefferson as he came to the stairs. Slowly he made his way up the stairs and when he came to the door he stopped taking a deep breath before turning the knob. And once the door opened he saw his friend still hard at work as he was every day and every night.

"Rumple," called Jefferson standing in the doorway receiving no sign that he had been heard. He didn't appear to have heard him not even looking in his direction and after several more attempts Jefferson found himself losing his temper.

"Rumpelstiltskin, I need to talk to you would you please stop ignoring me," snapped Jefferson finally leaving the doorway. He was mad by this time and didn't care if he was the Dark One or not. Slamming his hands down on the table he finally got his attention. And as he finally looked at him Jefferson swore that he was going to make him stop being the Dark One for five seconds and actually be a father. Turning in his direction Rumple was instantly giving him a cruel I'm going to turn you into a snail glare, but for the first time Jefferson didn't flinch. He was doing this for the children and whether he got turned into a snail or not he was doing this for them.

"What is it Hatter, I didn't expect to see you tonight I slept last night," snapped Rumpelstiltskin his glare still piercing the Hatter like a dagger.

"I need to talk to you about the children," seethed Jefferson the glare not even fazing him as he suddenly wore one of his own directing it at the infamous Dark One.

The second those words left his mouth Jefferson watched as the glare left his friends eyes and nothing else seemed to matter. And when he saw that Jefferson breathed a sign it meant that the darkness had not invaded his soul completely yet. Rumple still loved his children very much.

"What about the children? Are they alright?" exclaimed Rumpelstiltskin getting to his feet and Jefferson knew he was a word away from spoofing to their sides.

"Yes and No Rumple. They just lost their mother and they are grieving so badly they've stopped living almost. Not to mention they haven't seen you since you started locking yourself away in this tower. You might want to leave this tower and go spend some time with them so they know they haven't lost their father too. They are dying Rumple and you ignoring them pretending they don't exist is doing nothing to help them. You need to stop being the Dark One and be their god dawn father," screamed Jefferson not believing himself as he spoke. He was actually yelling at the Dark One and so far he hadn't been turned into a snail. When he was done though he looked at Rumple and found that he wouldn't even look at him. Obviously he had gotten through loud and clear.

"Hatter I am well aware of the fact that my children have just lost their mother because I have just lost my wife. Don't you think I want to be with them now? I do, but I can't I have very important work to do. They know how important my work is; they understand," whispered Rumpelstiltskin trying to convince himself of that rather than the Hatter. And then the unexpected happened. Jefferson suddenly grabbed him by his collar and brought him so that their noses were nearly touching. The Hatter had never dared do such a thing before, but when he looked into his eyes he knew why. He had become completely unhinged in his anger.

"Keep telling yourself that truth is you just want to lock yourself in this tower and let the darkness have you again. You want the world to dissolve around you, but I'll tell you right now it won't fix a dawn thing. You need to stop feeling sorry for yourself and be there for those children because they need you. Locking yourself away won't take the pain away, your curse won't take it away either; none of it will. No matter how long you stay here, or how long you work on that curse it won't bring Belle back. Nothing will, I wish it could, but she's gone. She's gone and your children need you to be their father," seethed Jefferson finally throwing him back onto his stool nearly making him fall to the floor. He stood there then in the silence that he had grown used to since Belle's death waiting to be turned into a snail. But that moment never happened instead they just looked at each other finally. Rumpelstiltskin quickly looked away staring at his hands instead letting every word the Hatter had just said run through his mind.

He knew he was right, but he hated admitting it. He had been neglecting the children he had been so focused on his work that he couldn't focus on anything else. But that was only part of it. Each of his children reminded him so much of Belle and he still missed her so much. Every time he looked at them he saw her.

"You're right I know you're right. I need to be with the children now. I promise you Hatter I will change and in the next few days I will devote myself to them. You're right they need to know they haven't lost me too. They need to know that they will never lose me," exclaimed Rumpelstiltskin looking up meeting the Hatter's gaze.

"Yes I know you can, but you will start tomorrow not in a few days. They need you now not in a few days and I personally going to see to it that you don't set food in this tower again until their better," said Jefferson simply daring Rumple to challenge him. He approached the door then still looking at Rumple making it clear from the look on his face that he expected him to sleep tonight. And this time Rumple didn't fight. He knew Jefferson meant business there was something that had given him the courage to stand up to him and as he left the tower with him Rumpelstiltskin had to respect him just a little for it. Nothing was said between them as they moved through the hallway to their rooms. This silence continued into their rooms and as Rumple lay in his bed that night he didn't sleep he had too much on his mind. He couldn't stop thinking about his children. Were they really as bad off as Jefferson made it sound? Had he really been so engrossed in his work that he hadn't noticed? And then he couldn't help, but think of Belle. If she had been here she would have done the same thing Jefferson did except he knew she would have yelled at him much, much worse.