An: Im so sorry it took so long! It`s been a hard 18 months for me.

The Gold family was dressed to the nines in beautiful dresses and an immaculate suit. They headed out to the restaurant where they were supposed to meet Neal, Tamara, and Henry. Rumple fidgeted with the tip of his cane as he waited for his son to join them. He didn't want another explosive episode like the one in New York.

A tall man came up behind the family and took a long look at Belle, letting out a low whistle. Belle drew her face into a look of disgust when she realized who it was.

"Hey there, sexy. Wanna ditch the cripple and the kid and come party with a real man?"

Rumple stepped around Belle and stood to his full height. The man looked at him and ducked his head as he realized who he just called a cripple.

"Dark One…I apologize for my lewd behavior and disrespect. I had no idea that it was you and your family. Please have mercy."

"Why should I have mercy? So that you can pull this stunt on another unsuspecting woman, I shall say not."

"Rumple, it's okay. There's no harm done. He's really sorry and will not ever do it again, will you?" Belle asked Nottingham.

"No, I won't. I promise!" he whimpered.

Katelyn tugged Rumple's sleeve gently. He looked down at his daughter and all the rage and wrath was soothed. Belle tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow and Katelyn put her hand on the one holding the cane.

"Very well. Leave us. I had better not catch you insulting another woman with your lewdness or you will sincerely regret it."

"Thank you."

Nottingham turned and ran off just as Neal, Tamara, and Henry came up. Neal glared at his father.

"What did you do to him?" he asked accusingly.

"He didn't do anything. He protected Mama and I without using magic. I'm very proud of him," Katelyn said.

"He still threatened that man," Neal said.

"For good reason too. Stop trying to find reasons to get out of this. You're here now. You might as well enjoy yourself," Katelyn said.

Neal grumbled at his sister. Katelyn glared at him.

"Neal, I'd like you to introduce you to my Mama. This is Belle. Mama, this is my big brother, Neal, also known as Baelfire," Katelyn said.

"It's nice to finally meet you," Belle said, "I've heard so much about you. You go by Neal here?"

"I do. It's a name I picked out for myself. Baelfire was too much a strange name for me to fit in," Neal replied.

"I like it. It's sophisticated," Belle said. Rumple smiled endearingly at his Belle and her amazing ability to shock him at every turn. He knew that she'd treat his son as her own, but it was another thing to witness it.

"Well, since we're doing introductions," Neal said indicating Tamara, "This is my fiancée, Tamara. You already know Henry, my son."

"It's nice to meet you, Tamara," Belle said.

"Likewise, I've not heard much about Neal's family so it's nice to get the chance to get to know you all," Tamara said.

"Now that we all know each other, shall we go inside?" Rumple asked.

The respective couples linked arms and headed into the restaurant. Henry looked at Katelyn and held his arm out. Katelyn laughed and linked hers with his. They followed their adults inside.

The hostess seated them, nervously glancing at Rumple. Rumple handed her a bill and she smiled graciously at the mage.

They all sat at the table. Neal sat between Tamara and Henry and Rumple sat between Belle and Katelyn. Henry looked at Katelyn and she grinned. Everything was okay so far. No one had blown up or turned into a snail though they had just started.

Belle and Tamara started talking about their Stiltskin men and Katelyn spoke with Henry quietly. Said men looked over their menus, avoiding speaking with one another. They'd peek out at one another every once in awhile.

"How are we going to get them to talk?" Katelyn whispered to Henry.

"I've got a plan. I'm going to ask Grandpa about when Dad was a kid. Hopefully, he'll tell an embarrassing story and Dad will have to speak to him," Henry said.

Katelyn looked at him skeptically.

"Do you think that's really going to work?"

"It's worth a try."

Katelyn nodded and looked over at her father and brother, both trying to avoid eye contact with one another.

"Grandpa." Henry started and Rumple looked over at him, "can you tell me about my dad as a kid?"

Rumple's gaze flickered to Neal before looking back to Henry with a smile and nostalgia in his eyes.

"What would you like to hear, my boy?"

"Are he and I alike?"

"More than you know, dear boy. I remember a time when you gave Regina the hardest time about getting ready for bed. Bae was the same at that age. I had to chase him through the village. He was naked as the day he was born."

"Papa! He doesn't need to know about my embarrassing moments," Neal exclaimed as a blush settled in his cheeks.

Henry and Katelyn laughed behind their hands.

"Aww, son, it's in good fun."

"Not in front of everyone!"

"Would you rather I tell of the time with the sheep?"

Henry's ears picked that up and he looked at his grandfather.

"No! Don't!"

"What happened, Papa?" Katelyn asked.

Neal buried his face in his arms.

"Well, it went like this…" Rumple carried on into the story and the more he told the more Neal turned red. After Rumple finished telling his story, they all looked at Neal who sunk even lower into his chair.

"Aw, honey, I'm sure it wasn't that bad," Tamara said between giggles.

"I still have scars from where he got me," Neal grumbled.

"Needless to say, he never bothered with sheep again. Not even to help shear them, for fear the ram would chase him again. That was a lighter time in our lives. I really miss those days," Rumple said looking at Neal and seeing his little boy looking back sheepishly (pun intended) back at him.

"Me too, Papa. I wish you hadn't let go. I wish you had come with me."

"I regret letting you go, son, I do. Part of me would love to go back and change that, but if I did, I wouldn't have met Belle nor had Katelyn and I cannot bring myself to regret them at all. I just can't."

"I know, Papa. I'm not asking you to. I just wish I could've grown up with you. Why did you have to break our deal?"

"I was terrified, Bae. With the ridicule and everyone telling me how weak I was before my curse, I felt that if I didn't keep my magic that I couldn't protect you. I couldn't, regardless. I lost you and there's nothing I regret more."

Katelyn touched her Papa's arm. He looked at her, tears glistening in her eyes. She leaned over and hugged him tightly.

"Seeing what you have, Papa, your True Love and my baby sister-"

"I'm not a baby!"

Neal raised his hands in surrender.

" Anyway, seeing what you have and what I've gained as well, I cannot regret it too much either. I guess I just missed you."

"I missed you too. Very much."

"Neal," Belle said softly, "I want you to know that he's being truthful. It took him a while, but when he could finally tell me about you, I could see he was truly remorseful in losing you."

"Thank you, Belle," Neal said with a sad smile.

Henry looked at Katelyn who smiled at him.

"It worked," Henry whispered to her. She nodded.

The family finished dinner with light conversation. Henry and Katelyn began yawning and their eyelids drooping before the adults decided it was time to part ways. Neal picked up Henry, who was almost asleep in his dessert plate. Katelyn was in Belle's lap, her head on her shoulder. Rumple stood and took Katelyn from Belle long enough for Belle to stand and take Katelyn back, thankful her daughter was still on the small side. They said their goodbyes and went their separate ways.

Belle carried Katelyn to bed once they arrived home. Katelyn woke when Belle was dressing her for bed.

"Did you have fun tonight, sweets?"

"Yes, Mama. I'm glad Papa told us that story. It was nice to learn more about Neal when he was little."

Belle chuckled. "He was a character. Now, you need to go back to sleep."

"You'll be here when I wake up?"

"Of course, my darling. There's no other place I'd rather be."

Katelyn sat up and wrapped Belle in a fierce hug.

"I just don't want to wake up and this all be a dream; that you're here and you remember everything. I'm glad I beat Regina at sticking those memories in your head."

"I am too, darling. I am, too. I can promise you that it's not a dream. It's real. I'm here and remember you, my past, your Papa. Everything is okay."

"For once."

Belle grinned at her and laid her back against her pillows. She kissed her forehead.

"Go to sleep, Katie. I love you so much."

"I love you too, Mama."

Katelyn's eyes closed as soon as Belle turned off the lights. She shut the door softly, turned, and bumped right into Rumple.

"Is she alright? It took longer than I thought."

"She's fine. She was worried that it was all a dream and that I'd still be in the hospital or have the false memories that Regina intended to subject me to."

Rumple nodded, understanding his daughter's fears because they were the same as his own. He wrapped his arms around Belle's waist and pulled her to him, his arousal evident as he pressed himself against her. She pulled his head down to capture his lips. He ran his tongue along he seam of her lips, requesting permission to which she granted. She gasped as she tasted the hot recesses of his mouth. Just the taste of him sent fire straight to her belly, pooling there. He sparked such fire in her soul. She supposed that's why they were True Love. Though the more she thought about it, it may have to do with her bringing light into his dark world and him balancing that light with his darkness. Part of her feared the curse that the plagued him. Not because she was afraid it would make him hurt her or Katelyn, but because of how it could consume his soul. She hoped she, their daughter, and now his son were enough light to keep his darkness at bay, from engulfing him and taking away his humanity.

"Belle, I can tell you're distracted, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, my love. I'm so happy to be home. Now, let's continue this in our room."

Belle took his hand with a feral grin as she felt the burning that he started flare in her belly once again. She led him straight to the bed. She captured his lips once again as she began unbuttoning his shirt. He unzipped her dress and pulled the straps down to pool in the floor as she pushed his dress shirt off. He pulled back to take in her flushed skin against the lacy blue underwear she'd worn. He growled lowly, desperate to make her his own, but knew that he'd still be gentle with her.

Her cobalt eyes were barely visible due to the blown pupils. He replaced his lips over hers as she pulled his undershirt out of his pants.

"You wear too many layers," she grumbled as he broke their sweet, sipping kisses again to slip the shirt off. He chuckled.

He pulled her to him again, her hand splayed across his chest. He reached behind her as his lips made contact with the pressure point on her neck. She moaned as nipped and sucked at the spot. The burning in her belly was becoming a forest fire. Wetness pooled at her core as it throbbed. He unclasped her bra and let it fall with her dress. His fingers brushed her nipples, sending shivers down her spine. She fumbled with his belt and pants. They soon joined her clothes. He laid her on the bed, kicking off his shoes and tugging his socks off. He then crawled up her body to kiss her once again. The primal need of the kiss almost ended things for him, but he refused to be spent before he felt her around him, falling over that wonderful crevice of bliss. He trailed his tongue to the valley between her breasts. He took one mound in his hand, tweaking the nipples slightly as he suckle on the other, nipping it. She moaned again, wishing he wouldn't tease her. He sensed her impatience as he began to move further down to the waistband of her panties. They were soaked with her essence. He pulled them off, giving the a sniff. She thought it so erotica at how turned on he got. He tossed the panties aside as he spread her legs wide to give him access to the very core of her. He kissed the inner part of her thighs. She keened and moaned. He held her still as she was trying to move him to where she wanted him most. He laved his tongue over her slit. He spread her lower lips and pressed his tongue against her clit. She gasped as one finger entered her which soon became two. He continued his attention on her clit as he began working his fingers in her opening. Thrusting them as she moaned and gasped. He felt her close and withdrew his fingers and replaced them with his tongue. He wanted to taste her as she fell. She came with his name on her lips and he drank in her essence. As she came down, he crawled back up the bed to capture her lips once again. She loved tasting herself on him. The combination drove her wild. She wiggled her hips against him. He positioned himself at her opening and began to slowly and, for Belle, agonizingly enter her. She ran her fingers through his hair and tugged at the ends for him to move. He pulled out slightly and thrust in. She gasped as he did it a few more times. He then began to move a little faster. She meet every thrust. Her nails dug into his back and he knew that there would be marks there tomorrow. He felt her walls flutter around him and he knew she was close. He was close too. He sped up his pace and soon the both fell over the precipice. He laid over her, spent. She kissed him all over.

"I missed you, my Belle."

"I know. I love you, my Rumple."

He slipped out and off her and spooned her against him.

"I love you so much, Belle. I came so very close to losing you again. I don't know what I would've done if I had. If Regina had succeeded with putting those memories in your head-"

She placed a finger over his lips and shushed him.

"I'm right here and she didn't win, my love. Katelyn saw to that."

"I know, but I should've known she'd try to go after you. She believed I was behind killing her mother and she wanted revenge."

"Did you?"

"Not directly. Snow used a candle Cora had given her long ago. She was supposed to save her mother with it, but never did. I may have directed it back into her hand."

Belle gasped and put a hand over her mouth.

"Rumple, you didn't? Snow killed her?"

"Yes."

"She saved you, why? I thought they would've…well, they're heroes, but I know they believe you'd be better off…dead."

"I persuaded her. I told her to think about Henry losing his grandpa and Katelyn losing her father so shortly after having her mother forget who she was."

"You tricked her."

"No, she made the decision. I just gave her the ultimatum."

"Oh, Rumple."

"Let's not talk about it anymore. It's done and over with."

"What about Regina? Won't she try to hurt us again?"

"I think our daughter stopped her for a little while."

"That doesn't mean she won't try again. She's resilient."

"And I'll be ready when she does. Belle, I'm sorry for what role I had in it, but I couldn't leave Katelyn like that. She was so broken."

A tear slipped down Belle's face at the thought of Katelyn being so broken. She began to cry in earnest then. Rumple wrapped his arms around her. She sobbed into his chest.

"I just didn't want her to be an orphan. She needed her parents or at least one of them."

"While I don't agree with what you did, I understand why you did it, Rumple. I'm just worried how much more darkness your soul can take before your lost to us. We don't want to lose you."

"I know. I'm going to try and be the man you both need. I can't guarantee it'll always work other, but I promise to truly try for my family."

She kissed him again. He tasted the tears on her lips.

"I love you, Rumplestiltskin."

"And I love you, too."

She snuggled into his chest and he wrapped his arms around her. Soon, they both drifted off to sleep.

A few hours later, a scream erupted down the hall.