A/N: Whooo made it within the week! *wipes brow and fist bumps the mirror* I really had to crank this chapter out, because I have church camp next week and will be away from my computer for that time span. So if you see any mistakes feel free to let me know. I do have chapter 9 started and I'm excited to say that a completely unexpected character has shown up. We'll have to see if he makes it through the editing process.

"Bae?" he whispered brokenly, hardly daring to believe his eyes.

"It's me papa," Baelfire called.

His voice sounded eerily distant, but there he stood, looking exactly as he had the day Rumpelstiltskin had let him go. From his messy hair to his wrinkled clothes, nothing had changed. Even the ever-hopeful smile remained. Warning bells were going off in the back of the spinner's mind but those were easily smothered. His boy was here, right in front of him, and now he could apologize for his horrible mistake.

The imp was on his feet in an instant and moved towards Baelfire. He stopped when he was within arm's reach. "Son," Rumpelstiltskin gasped his voice think with grief and guilt. Bae simply stood there waiting for his father to make the first move. Despite the five years of planning, all the carefully orchestrated words he'd planned for this moment now seemed so inadequate. He'd gone over and over his apology in his mind but now that his son was in front of him the silver-tongued imp was speechless.

"I'm so so sorry son," he lamented finally. "I, I know it's not enough… but I've been searching for you every day since… since I let you go. And I'm so sorry that I did."

"Why did you let me go?" the boy asked.

Rumpelstiltskin noted the glint of betrayal apparent in his child's eyes and it broke something inside him. His own child was terrified of what he'd become. Tears streamed down the spinner's face as he attempted to gain control of his voice. "I didn't mean to. It, it was a mistake. A gigantic mistake and I'm so very sorry for that Bae."

He tried taking a step towards Bae but each time he shifted forward the boy moved away. Completely focused on talking to his son, Rumpelstiltskin didn't notice that they were now waist deep in the water.

Cheshire knew what was about to happen. As soon as he saw the figure standing in front of his teacher his instincts kicked into over drive. However, he didn't factor in how enraptured Rumpelstiltskin would be by the siren's guise. There was only one person the siren could impersonate to make the imp act as he currently was. This was Bae, or at least looked and sounded like Rumpelstiltskin's missing son.

Ches took a moment to appreciate the certain similarities he shared with the boy. Messy brown hair that never behaved as it should, framing round faces, small lean builds that made all clothes look baggy. Ches knew that if they were to stand beside each other they'd be within a hairs breadth of the same height. Yet despite his well-worn clothing Bae had the distinct look of a child who'd been well cared for. A look that Ches had so desperately lacked until recently. It was no wonder Rumpelstiltskin had had so much trouble keeping his distance from his new apprentice.

At first Ches wasn't worried. Yes, the siren's guise would surely trouble his teacher, but Rumpelstiltskin would never allow some harpy to best him. However, the imp began following the creature into deeper water seemingly without realizing it. Realizing his master was ensnared Ches moved to go to his aide, only to be pulled up short by a hand.

"Let your master handle this boy," the Indigo fairy commanded. She didn't seem perturbed in the slightest at Rumpelstiltskin's current plight.

"It's going to hurt him," Ches exclaimed indignantly.

"It can't hurt the Dark One child, not in any permanent fashion."

Ches glared at the fairy. The Dark One might be safe from the creature but Rumpelstiltskin could most certainly be hurt, probably already was. As one of the few people who understood the difference between the man and the monster, Cheshire realized how dangerous things could get for his teacher. He shrugged her hand away and dashed out into the water.

"Rumpelstiltskin, stop!" the boy pleaded as he made his way to his master.

"I forgive you papa," the fake Baelfire was saying as Ches finally reached the Dark One.

Now that he was closer the apprentice could see that imp's shoulders were shaking as he held back silent sobs. Cheshire placed a gentle but firm hand on the man's arm as the imp reached out for his son. "Rumpelstiltskin, it isn't real" Ches persisted in what he hoped was a soothing tone. His master flinched at the contact, immediately looking down at the hand on his arm. The boy continued urgently, "It's just me. It's Ches. And I need you to get out of the water."

"Papa who is this?" the siren asked.

With great effort Rumpelstiltskin pulled his gaze away from his child and turned it on his apprentice. "Cheshire?"

A brief flash of recognition flitted through the imp's eyes as he turned back to the creature. A feral smile played across Baelfire's face as the creature realized it was losing its prey. Seeing the apparently uncharacteristically ferocious look on his child broke the spell on Rumpelstiltskin. Ches could feel the heartbreak emanating from the man as his clever mind wrapped around the situation. Heartbreak quickly followed by a terrifying amount of anger.

Before Rumpelstiltskin could release his rage, the creature shifted its focus. A strange light covered the siren as her form shifted from Baelfire to a short and plump woman with strawberry hair. Ches felt his stomach flip as he looked into the oh so familiar face. She's not real, she's not real he thought to himself. But try as he might the boy couldn't turn away from her.

"Ches honey, what's going on here?" the portly woman asked.

But it wasn't her. He wasn't desperate enough to ignore the way her voice was slightly off. The way that there was nothing warm or loving about her gaze. Cheshire turned to his master and began walking back to the shallows. The imp turned his back on the woman quietly following his apprentice.

The figure transformed back to the Dark One's son as it stalked them through the water. "Papa please don't leave me again," the figure pleaded.

Cheshire turned to see that his master had stopped. The older man's eyes were closed, yet Ches could see the anguish he felt. "You're not my son," the imp whispered brokenly before making his way to the bank.

The Dark One never saw the creature lunge at him as bent down to pick up the flask. So buried in his own misery, he also missed the fairy's magic which hit the creature dead in the chest, sending it hissing back to the depths.

Rumpelstiltskin could no longer feel the initial anger he'd had towards the fish who had fooled him. He couldn't feel much of anything really. Instead numbness seeped through his every pour followed closely by the self-loathing he knew so well. His boy wasn't in this world. He should have known better than to fall for such a trick. You're still just as weak as you were when we first met spinner. Weak and gullible. Zoso whispered. You think that boy will ever forgive you. His curse cackled at the thought.

Try as he might though Rumpelstiltskin couldn't shake their poisonous words. Truth be told he wasn't sure he even wanted to right now. He deserved the shame that went along with abandoning one's child. Deserved the pain the vile creature had caused him by taking on that guise. Turning away from his child again, even if it wasn't really his child, had carved yet another deep hole into what was left of his heart.

"Well that was intense," the Indigo fairy commented as he and his apprentice made their way back towards her.

"I'll say," Ches agreed. "Let's not do it again."

The fairy snorted unable to hide how impressed she was with the boy's guile in the face of such danger. "You'll have to keep this one around Rumple. He's quite intriguing."

The imp knew she was speaking to him but found himself incapable of doing more than nodding in return.

"I'll take that as a thank you for saving your skin. Now you owe me Dark One," the fairy continued falling back to his usual moniker. "Give me the water so I can finish this little spell. Then we can all be on our merry ways."

Wordlessly Rumpelstiltskin handed the flask over to the Indigo fairy. With deft movements she added a few drops of the precious water into a vial hidden within the necklace. A small flash of blue light shone around the item. The fairy nodded obviously satisfied and handed the flask back to the Dark One saying, "You worked hard for this Dark One, might as well keep it. And this is for you," she said turning to Cheshire indicating the necklace. "Put this on while you sleep, and you'll be able to control your journey into the netherworld."

"I'll still go there?" the boy asked discomfort lacing his words.

The fairy's gaze softened as she leaned towards the boy, "Yes, you'll still go there. But this time you'll be able to control your actions and movements. The flames won't even be able to hurt you. And once you control the journey, well you need no longer fear it."

As she moved to hand the trinket to the boy, it vanished from her hand. "I'll be taking that Indigo," a new voice interjected as two new figures walked out of the trees.

Rumpelstiltskin felt his rage from earlier stir back to the surface as what were obviously two very nosey fairies approached. "Get behind me kid," he quietly ordered. The imp was relieved when his apprentice did as he was told without question. "What a horrible surprise," he barked at the interfering little gnats. "That's my property which you stole, and I'll be having it back." His voice ended in a growl as Rumpelstiltskin allowed the Dark One to take ahold of the reigns.

"This is a serious breach of protocol Indigo," the Periwinkle fairy proclaimed ignoring the Dark One.

"That's not my name," the Indigo fairy hissed, "and I'm perfectly within my rights to help an innocent child."

"Indigo-" the Green fairy began before faltering under the other fairy's glare. "Fine Mal, you know we can't help him. He's chosen his path."

"He's still a child and he still needs help," Mal beseeched. "It used to be our code to help those in need especially when those people can't help themselves or are children. But for some undisclosed reason this boy is off limits? That's crap and you know it Green."

"The reasons are plain Maleficent," Periwinkle stated firmly her lips drawn into a fine line. "The boy has chosen his path. He rejected Blue's help and thus rejected all of us. Unfortunate as his situation might be, his decisions have left us with little choice. Unless of course, we can manage to sway him away from the dark forces in his life."

"The boy is right here, and he has a name," Cheshire snarled pushing his way from behind Rumpelstiltskin.

The imp placed a placating hand on the teen's shoulder giving him the slightest shake of his head and a look reminding Ches to keep his temper in check. "Cheshire is quite right," Rumpelstiltskin informed the surrounding fairies. "He does have a name and you're speaking of him in a fashion that I won't tolerate."

"What you will and will not tolerate is unimportant Dark One. Our decision on the matter is final," Green replied hotly. "What we refuse to tolerate is your tampering with yet another fairy's mind in order to get whatever your unholy desires may be."

The Dark One tittered at Green's bold proclamation. "How adorable," he sneered. "You think I have any need of a fairy to get what I want? No, no, no. While I do so enjoy toying with your pathetic race of bugs, I have no real use for any of you. Besides sheer amusement. This one is simply a convenience for the time being."

"You will release Maleficent from whatever enchantment you have her under," Periwinkle demanded.

"I'm not under an enchantment of any kind you ridiculous fools," the woman in question snapped.

"Magenta didn't know she was under an enchantment and look what happened to her," Green stressed imploring her friend to believe them.

It was all nauseatingly sweet the imp thought, but it was getting old. He'd been through enough today. It was time to finish his deal and go home. "This will be your last warning bug. Give my apprentice what we came for or you and your little friend will be meeting your other friend very soon." Rumpelstiltskin began gathering power around him as he spoke. Digging into the deep well of magic that his curse provided him. He could sense Ches slowly backing away from him, out of the line of fire.

"How dare you. You insolent little imp," the Periwinkle fairy retorted looking down her nose at the Dark One. She never got any further as a blast of inky darkness jetted towards her.

Periwinkle managed to side step the Imp's attack just in time to save herself, but not her the vast extent of her ridiculous outfit. Even as her skirt smoldered the fairy pulled out her wand and launched her own attack. Rumpelstiltskin batted it away with ridiculous ease as he began laying the ground work for a few complicated spells. The Green fairy launched her own attack, which hit connected with the wall of magic that the imp threw up to deflect.

Out of the corner of his eye Rumpelstiltskin saw Maleficent pull Cheshire back from the fighting. He had time to feel a moment of gratitude before he was once again forced to deflect one of the fairies' spells. He aimed a particularly dark spell at the Periwinkle fairy which landed right on target, slicing into her face and bare arms. A vicious smirk danced across his face as the little bug pulled herself from the ground decorated in cuts and bruises.

That was the moment Rumpelstiltskin realized he'd made a vital mistake. He'd been focused on the wrong fairy for too long. He heard Cheshire shouting from off to his left and turned to see the Green fairy attempting to pull him away from a wandless Maleficent. His apprentice actually managed to get off a shot or two at the Green fairy, but he was obviously overpowered. Turning his attention towards eradicating the Green gnat, he lost sight of the Periwinkle one. The imp's curse struck true as he watched the Green get lifted from the ground by a whirlwind of pure darkness. It cut at the bug and slammed her into the ground hard. Giving Maleficent time to retrieve the wand that had been wrenched from her.

The imp turned back to the find the other fairy inches from his face armed with a strange ball of… something. Rumpelstiltskin never had a chance to even contemplate what that might be. Pain filled his world as the fairy smashed whatever it was into his face.

A desperate shriek pulled all the air from his long as he collapsed to the ground. Whatever he'd been hit with burned through him. Down to his very core. White light pulsated across his vision as the substance ate through his clothes and bit down into his skin. His curse raged against the intruder but only managed to make the pain far more intense. It felt as if there was a war being waged within him. As if his magic was fighting to through every pore of his body.

He had enough presence of mind to hear a young voice call out to him and to hope that Ches was okay, before he fell into darkness.

Rumpelstiltskin had hit the ground in a heap screaming out in pain. It was a horrifying sound that sent fear racing through Ches's blood. "Rumpelstiltskin," the boy yelled as he ran to his teacher's prone form. Dropping to his knees in the sand, the boy grabbed the imp's shoulder and gave him a gentle shake. Tremors ran through the man's body as he continued to whimper in pain. His master was out of the fight for now which meant they were woefully outmatched.

A firm hand fell onto Ches's shoulder as he desperately attempted to wake the Dark One. "Leave him child and we will help you." It was the Periwinkle fairy. She had the gall to condemn him in one moment and offer aide in another.

Ches felt a blind rage growing in his chest. These fairies had reviled Rumpelstiltskin, refused to help the man's apprentice, and now had hurt him terribly. The same fairies who had listened to his pleas for assistance for years and done nothing. The same fairies who claimed to be paragons of goodness and light.

Magic flew to the boy's fingers as he turned on the falsely maternal figure. "You've made a mistake," he growled before guiding his magic like Rumpelstiltskin had taught him to. Raw power slammed into the fairy knocking her off her feet. "I'm right where I want to be."

The boy had yet to feel power like this and it left him with a heady sense of purpose. He lashed out again as the fairy tried to pull herself up. This time using more finesse ensured that the gnat received a few more cuts along her pretty face.

Off to the side Maleficent disarmed the Green Fairy knocking her out in the process. When she turned her attention to Ches, the boy was standing over the fairy unleashing a constant onslaught of power. Periwinkle was out cold by the time she reached him, yet the boy continued his attack.

"Hey kid calm down," a voice broke through his blind fury. Cheshire turned to see Maleficent standing at his side. "She's out of the fight kid." He nodded slowly lowering his hands and looking down at the unconscious fairy lying at his feet. "I have to admit that was pretty impressive kid." When he didn't seem to acknowledge her words, she placed a tentative hand on the kid's shoulder noting how he flinched as she did. "I'll make sure these two are immobilized, go check on your master."

Cheshire needed no further encouragement. Turning away he knelt at his teacher's side. Agony still shadowed Rumpelstiltskin's features, but he seemed to be slowly coming back to himself. What looked like burned gashes ran across the man's eyes and down his left cheek. Ches could see similar marks on the imp's arms, hands, and chest. Where whatever the fairy had hit him with had burned through the thick dragon hide coat his mentor wore.

Ches bent over to check the man's pulse. Finding a weak but steady beat, the boy let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding. Not knowing what else to do or how to comfort the man who had come to epitomize security for him, Ches merely grabbed his mentor's hand. Holding on the one person who seemed real and caring in his life gave the boy an anchor to ground him.

Maleficent watched as the boy moved quickly to the Dark One's side. Relief seemed to pour off the child as he realized that his master was, at the moment, okay. It was endearing to see that Rumpelstiltskin's little apprentice was so attached. The imp's own soft streak towards the boy was even more charming. If the Dark One's story about the boy being placed under several sleeping curses was true, then it seemed as if the former spinner might possibly have a mildly positive influence on the kid in some way. In any case these two desperately needed one another. Maleficent hadn't been privy to the newest Dark One's full story, but she knew enough to understand exactly who's appearance the siren had taken earlier. It was fully possible that this new child could help soothe some of the darkness that tainted Rumpelstiltskin's soul.

The fairy placed a powerful holding spell on her two former friends before she gathered their wands. Walking over to the boy and his master she noted the near devastation playing across the child's face. Letting out a long-suffering sigh she firmly planted herself deeper into the mess, "I may be able to help him."

Cheshire looked up at her unbelieving hope brimming in his eyes. "What did she do to him?"

"Pixie dust," Maleficent answered. Seeing that Cheshire had no clue what she was talking about she elaborated. "Like nuclear fairy dust. And it would seem that this batch was heavily concentrated. Meant to take down dark creatures."

"So it's light magic," the precious boy asked.

"At it's lightest," the fairy confirmed. "It attacked Rumpelstiltskin's inherently dark nature causing his curse to fight against the Pixie Dust and him. It's good for knocking out dark creatures long enough for you to contain them or dispose of them."

"But he's the Dark One," Ches argued. "He can't be 'disposed' of like that and I've yet to see a trap that could hold the likes of him."

"Right you are," Maleficent snorted. "They probably meant to disorient him long enough to get you and me out of here." She paused for a long moment before turning to the far more serious matter, "You're fond of him, aren't you?"

Cheshire nodded, "He's the closest I've come to family in a while."

Maleficent mulled over that choosing her next words carefully, "Just be careful kid. He may walk, talk, and act like a man; but he isn't. Don't forget that. He also has his own agenda and from what I've seen so far he won't let anything get his way to stop him."

"You mean getting to his son?" Ches asked just as carefully.

Maleficent bobbed her head affirming his question. "I just don't want to see you hurt if he starts prioritizing. You're a good a kid. You might not know it yet, but you are."

"He won't hurt me," the boy explained in that trusting assurance that only children can manage. Realizing that she didn't quite believe him, Cheshire continued. "I can't explain it, but I know he wouldn't. I think he understands what I went through with my last master better than he lets on. I trust him."

"On your head be it then," Maleficent muttered.

The fairy stepped up to the shaking form of the Dark One and laid a hand across his forehead. She could feel the light magic coursing through his veins pulling at his soul and battling against the darkness. Maleficent took a deep breath and tugged at the loose strands of magic surrounding him. Removing the pixie dust was the easy part, disposing of it would be a bit trickier. A wicked grin crossed her lips as she thought of the perfect place to release it. Channeling the used pixie dust from Rumpelstiltskin and into her, she let it move through her body and out her hand straight into the siren's lake. Let the creature have a bad day or two.

Once the task was complete she went about healing what she could of the Dark One's body. However, his magic was quickly mending everything she set her hands on. Maleficent pulled away as the imp's eyes slowly opened.

"Let's not do that again," Rumpelstiltskin quipped as he found himself hauled back to consciousness.

He sat up slowly, feeling his curse sweeping through his body to heal any wounds he might still retain. When it was apparent that he was steady enough to sit up by himself, he found his arms full of a much smaller body. Cheshire's arms pulled tightly around his neck making it difficult to breath. "s'alright kid. I'm all right," he grumbled at the boy even as he awkwardly returned the child's embrace.

"You scared me there for a second," the boy whispered so that only Rumpelstiltskin could hear him.

"Scared myself to be honest," the imp replied quietly before he could stop himself. "What happened," he asked the lone remaining fairy as he extricated himself from Cheshire's embrace.

"Your boy here let off some pretty impressive magic and knocked out the light blue monstrosity while I handled the other," Maleficent announced offering him a hand up.

The imp sprung lightly to his feet, ignoring the fairy's offer, as if he hadn't been writhing on the ground moments ago. He turned an appraising look on his apprentice before asserting, "He's a force to be reckoned with I'm sure. Probably a good thing they didn't know that."

"I keep telling you that you need to keep this one," she answered a surprisingly proud smile lingering as she looked at the boy. "If nothing else, he's a far better conversationalist than you."

"I'm hurt deeply Maleficent," the imp replied.

A low moan cut their exchange short, alerting the party to the problem still at hand. "What should we do with them?" Maleficent queried hesitantly.

Rumpelstiltskin could feel the darkness radiating from him as he turned his attention to their aggressors. "Oh, I've something special in mind for them," he hissed.

"I'll leave them to you then," Maleficent offered without a hint of remorse.

"No tearful pleading of sparing their lives?" the imp cajoled.

"Green knows about my lover. Threatened to tell Blue if I fought against them. I'll not let my love life be tarnished by some greedy betrayer looking to climb the ladder of insufferability."

The Dark One chuckled, "Not keen to head back to Ruehl Gorm?" Maleficent merely shook her head as an answer. "A fallen fairy then. I'll tidy up here if you wish to run along dearie."

A nod was all she gave in answer before turning to the boy, "I believe that this belongs to you Cheshire," she said handing him the troublesome necklace.

"Thank you," Cheshire responded giving the former fairy a mischievous grin. "I think I've finally met a fairy I actually like."

"You ever need a hand kid, just come calling," Maleficent grinned. "Now if you'll excuse me I have a fairy to upset. Until next time Rumpelstiltskin."

"Always nice to do business with you," the imp tittered giving the woman a flamboyant bow as she shrunk and disappeared over the tree line.

Rumpelstiltskin turned to his apprentice giving the boy a once over. "You're alright?"

"I'm fine. A little tired, but fine," the boy answered.

"Good, good thing. I'm going to send you back to the castle while I tie up the loose ends here," the imp informed the child as he stepped back.

"I don't want to leave!" Cheshire protested panic rising in his tone.

The Dark One laid a comforting hand on the boy and noted that the boy didn't flinch at the contact this time. "It'll only take a moment. You don't need to be privy to this." Panic stilled bubbled noticeably inside the child, but there was no chance that Rumpelstiltskin would allow the child to watch while he killed the two fairies. "I'll be home in a flash," the imp concluded giving the boy a reassuring grin as maroon smoke swirled around the boy.

Rumpelstiltskin handed the reigns once more to the Dark One as the imp spun on his heel towards the now fully conscious fairies. "Now, now, no need to be frightened," the Dark One toyed with his prey. "I do have a time limit, so this won't be too slow and painful."

The spinner inside the imp cringed at the fairies screams, while the monster thrilled in the blood lust. But it had been a rough day and these two had attacked the ward he'd promised to keep safe. And Rumpelstiltskin never broke a deal.

A/N: If you like what I've got going here or have any questions feel free to let me know in the comments. Hopefully, hopefully, hopefully, I will have the next chapter up in the next two weeks. Then we will be starting another little arc within the story. Thanks for reading you guys! I'll see you in the next chapter.