This is only a short chapter, but I hope you like it all the same. Please read, review, and enjoy. I own nothing.

Chapter 7

To Rumple it felt like he got no sleep at all when he opened his eyes to the morning. He couldn't stop his mind from working even in sleep and as he stared up at the ceiling it continued to work. And then turning over in his bed he let his eyes settle on the empty side of the bed where she once slept. He reached his hand out on instinct laying his hand against the empty sheets. For years, since the day she had returned professing her love for him he had woken up with her by his side. He had awoken each morning only to pull her into his arms burying his face in her neck breathing in the sweet smell of her skin. He had awoken to her fingers running through his hair, to the sweet lilt of her voice, and to her tender kisses. But now all he had to wake up to were empty sheets.

"I miss you my Belle," breathed Rumpelstiltskin rolling onto her side of the bed to breath in what remained of her. He longed for her still. He would long for her for the rest of his existence and as he laid there still the reality of it all was not lost on him. This would be his existence; he was destined to live without her from this moment forward; she was gone forever. And as much as he knew he would have to find a way to live with that he wasn't sure he would ever be able to. So he laid there so many different thought going through his mind. He didn't want to live any longer. He didn't want to ever come to terms with the fact that Belle was gone though he knew he must. Rumpelstiltskin didn't want to live, he wanted to lie in bed, and slowly wait to die. But he knew he couldn't because he still had his children. He still had his three children and even if he had to live the rest of his existence in misery Rumple knew they were worth living for. Their faces filled his mind in that moment fueling his movements as he finally rose from the mess that was his bed. He was unprepared for this day; it was to be different from the others because today his routine would be broken. Jefferson would make sure his routine of sulking off to his tower would be broken.

"Today is for the children. I must see to the children," thought Rumpelstiltskin as he sat on the edge of his bed. They needed him and though Rumple would never admit it he needed them. They were the only light left to keep the darkness at bay. Gathering the courage to finally leave the bed, Rumpelstiltskin stood up not bothering to even dress himself. With a snap of his fingers it was all done for him. When he left his room things were just as he knew they would be; Jefferson was right outside his door waiting for him. He had meant what he said he was not going to let him run to his tower anymore. His children needed him and he was going to see to it that he saw to their needs as well as his own. For as much as Rumple thought hiding himself away was what he needed in all reality everyone knew this was not true. What he needed was to be with those that loved him instead of shut up with his own thoughts.

"There's no getting out of this, is there?" whispered Rumpelstiltskin noticing instantly that Jefferson held no breakfast tray this time.

"No," said Jefferson simply. He hesitated in the doorway then, he was afraid of what he would find when he saw his children again. Would they be resentful towards him for locking himself away? Were they really as bad as Jefferson had said?

As the two men moved down the hallway nothing was said. Rumpelstiltskin was stuck inside his own head trying to contemplate the moment swiftly approaching. And then they were down the stairs, he stopped in his tracks when he found himself in front of those double doors. It was clear no one had opened them in a very long time, but just the sight of them made his heart throb. It was in that great hall where they had spent some of their fondest moments. And it was in that great hall that he had laid her to rest after saying goodbye to her that horrid day. Staring at those doors he found he couldn't move. He couldn't take his eyes off of them and then he felt the tears threatening to pour out of him once more. But then he felt the Hatter's hand clasp his shoulder drawing back out of his thoughts their eyes finally meeting. When Jefferson saw the tears ready to spill he gave him a small smile as if to say it was ok without really saying it.

"Come on Rumple. We're not going through there," breathed Jefferson turning him away from those doors in the direction of another hallway. They moved though it towards the kitchen and as he followed the Hatter he couldn't help, but wonder if he would ever go into the great hall again. Part of hoped he wouldn't because despite all the happy memories that lay there he would only ever be able to remember the moment when he had been forced to say goodbye to the woman he loved. And then he found himself standing in the doorway to the kitchen.

Jefferson noticed immediately that Rumple didn't follow him inside. He turned to look at him expecting to find him staring at each one of them, but he wasn't. His eyes were locked onto the ground as if afraid to look up for fear of what he would see. But then finally he looked up into the Hatter's eyes and then his eyes began to travel around the room. The first person they landed on was Grace. Grace was at the stove making breakfast a face of stone on instead of her usual cheerfulness.

"I don't think I've ever seen them this quiet," thought Rumpelstiltskin when his eyes landed on his children. Before when their mother was alive they had been happy always with a smile on their face, always laughing, or making some sort of noise. Now they just sat there as if they had no reason to go on. They just sat there at the table in complete silence. And the sight of them in such a state scared him. They didn't say a word, they didn't even appear to move, and seeing them like that watching them like that made his heart shatter more.

"I have a surprise for you my rabbits. We are having a guest for breakfast someone I know we all have missed," smiled Jefferson drawing everyone in the rooms attention and then Rumple felt each of their eyes fall on him.

He still didn't move though, he felt all eyes fall on him, and looking at each of them he tried to smile. Only Grace and the Hatter smiled back while his children only looked at him a moment before returning their attention to nothing in particular. This made his smile disappear. He had been hoping that they wouldn't be mad at the way he had hidden himself away from them, but he knew instantly he was wrong. He was wrong and he was scared they would never forgive him for it. This was his only thought until suddenly he felt someone take his hand. And looking up he found himself looking into Grace's eyes. She was still smiling at him and slowly he let his smile return. It quickly grew bigger when she wrapped her arms around him hugging him tightly her soft curls tickling his nose. The hug started out very awkward at first, but then suddenly he found himself returning the sentiment.

"You can leave the doorway uncle Rum. We won't bite; we've really missed you," whispered Grace pulling away just slightly to look at him that contagious smile still on her face. And looking at her in that moment Rumpelstiltskin wanted to believe that, but looking at his children he doubted her words. They might have missed him once, but now they resented him.

"Come on, uncle Rum," breathed Grace taking both his hands using them to pull him into the room giving him a single kiss on the cheek before returning to breakfast.

For a while Rumple only stood there in the center of the room contemplating approaching the table. It was Jefferson's hand pushing him forward that made him move forward. Pulling out a chair next to his son, Rumpelstiltskin sat down at the table with them his eyes roaming over each of them. He was searching for change and much to his relief he found none. The only change in his children was the grief that covered them like rain. There was nothing, but tension at first. Nothing was said, they wouldn't even look at him, and it wasn't until Jefferson sat down next to him that it lifted. And then Grace sat breakfast before them all taking a seat opposite him.

"Alright everyone eat up," smiled Grace hoping someone would say something. But no one did the room remained as silent as a mausoleum. Rumpelstiltskin observed every movement around him, he watched everything, and he hated what he saw. It was like all the light had been sucked from his children like it had been to himself. It was like the death of their mother had left them unable to move on; he understood it all very well. But that still didn't help him know what to say to break the silence. He had no idea what he was going to do to make his little flowers come back to life.

He wanted to tell them he loved them, to apologize for locking himself away, but for some reason the words wouldn't come. And the reason was because Rumple was sure they wouldn't forgive him. When every plate was cleaned Rumple watched as Grace cleared the table and then each of his children rose from their seats. And still all was silent as they left the room. They would each go to the same place, the same place they went every day to mourn, to miss their mother. They were following in their father's footsteps; they were locking themselves away and their lives were ending with their mother's. Rumple could see it and he hated it. And looking at Jefferson then Grace he understood how they must have felt watching him. Rumpelstiltskin was silent a moment longer before he finally looked at Jefferson.

"You are right they need me. They have needed me and I haven't been there for them as I should have been. How do I fix this?" whispered Rumpelstiltskin looking at Jefferson then at Grace hoping they had the answer. He thought it would be Jefferson who provided him with the answer, but much to his surprise it was Grace.

"You already know the answer to that question uncle Rum," signed Grace wiping her hands on a towel before slowly making her way over to him.

"You need to do what you haven't all this time. You need to be there uncle Rum. Make up for the time you've been away from them and think uncle Rum. Think about what Aunt Belle would have done if she were here. She always did know how to handle things; you need to learn to do that now," continued Grace giving him a look before returning to her dishes. Rumpelstiltskin still didn't say a word as he processed it all. And it was then he realized it. Now he wouldn't just have to be their father; now he would have to be a mother to them too. And though he had done it before with Bae the thought of it still scared him. Thinking about it more he suddenly he what he would do. He only hoped it would work.