Over the next three months, Rumpelstiltskin had nursed Rose to full health. She had gotten fatter and pudgy, just like any healthy baby should be. He had devoted almost all of his time to his new daughter. He started to ignore those who called his name and wanted to deal. He couldn't leave her alone in the castle. He worried what would happen if he was to leave and the Dark One couldn't be seen carrying around a baby. He then started to work on an enchantment in his tower that would take care of her when he was out. He didn't want to use magic on her. All magic comes with a price, but he had no other option. Apart of him knew and cared that his reputation as the Dark One could be tainted if he stopped making deals or carried her around with him. He needed to get back out there and make sure she would be okay without him for at least a day.

A scream broke his concentration. He ran over to Rose in her playpen where she had been taking a nap. He lifted the screaming child into his arms. She was having another night terror. She had been having them for the past month. Rumple didn't know what she was dreaming of, but it scared the living daylights out of her. Once she screamed so long that she had a sore throat. It took a week for her to recover from it. Rumple gently picked her up and held her close to him. He gently rocked and bounced her in his arms.

"Shh. Shh. It's alright, my little flower. It's okay. Papa's here. Nothing's going to hurt you." It took her a moment to hear Rumple's voice and calm down. She sniffled and whimpered as she looked up at him. He gently stroked her cheek as her whimpering died down. He was happy he could soothe her fear, but apart of him thought he caused it. He was a monster. He may have loved her and taken care of her, but he was still a monster inside and out. Anyone could see it and many have said it. She couldn't grow up with a monster as a father. Many times he thought that maybe she would be happier with a normal family. Parents that were human. Maybe even an older brother or sister or both. She could have a better life.

Rose reached up and grabbed Rumple's finger. He was pulled from his thoughts and focused on her. She had fully calmed down and was completely awake. He smiled as she played with his finger. She was still trying to figure out many things about her papa. Why was his skin rough and bumpy? Why were his eyes so big? Why was his hair funny-looking? She was never afraid of him. She never wanted to get away from him. She tried to decipher him as much as she possibly could. All she knew was that this strange man was taking care of her and protected her. She loved him. He was her papa and that's all that mattered to her.

"Still as curious as ever, I see." He sat in a chair and stood her up in his lap. She grabbed onto his hair and played in it. He let her exam and play with it. She tugged and pulled on it, but it didn't hurt him. She then went down to his forehead. She followed the rough texture down his face. He watched her as she studied him. He saw she was confused and puzzled by this. He couldn't help but smile at how adorable she was. He still couldn't believe she was in his life. Many nights he feared he would wake up the next morning to find out that she was never there, that she never even existed. He prayed every night that she would still be there the next morning and she always was and he was happy. He was even happy when she started crying in the middle of the night. That just meant she was real.

Rumple felt something from his magic barrier around the castle. Someone was coming. No one was stupid enough to try and break into the Dark Castle and no one was brave enough to come to deal. Whoever it was had to have a good reason for coming to his home. He quickly brought Rose from the tower to his bedroom and placed her in her crib. He assured her that everything was okay and he would be right back. As he turned to leave, she started whimpering. She didn't want to be alone. She didn't want to be without him. He went back over to her and tried to calm her.

"It's alright, Rose. Papa will be right back." She continued to whimper and was going to start crying. He didn't want anyone to hear her cries, but he didn't want to leave her there crying her eyes out. "I'm sorry to do this, dearie, but I can't let anyone know about you."

He used a spell on her to put her to sleep. It would last for a few hours or at least long enough for him to get rid of whoever was on his property. After making sure she was still breathing properly and sound asleep, he went downstairs to find out who was there. There was a loud knock at the door as he entered the lobby. He flicked his wrist and the doors opened. There stood a tall man with short dirty blonde hair and blue eyes dressed in fine clothing. Probably a king or someone of nobility. Beside him stood a much younger woman with long raven hair and emerald eyes. There was something familiar about her eyes, but he pushed the thought aside and greeted the guests.

"Well, well, well. You must in dire need of help if you came all the way to my castle." The tall man took a step forward.

"The Dark One hasn't been heard of in months. Some believed you to be dead." He giggled in his impish way.

"Well, obviously I'm well and alive, dearie. It's not nice to spread rumors." He giggled again. "Now, who do I have the pleasure of welcoming to my humble abode?"

"I am Edward of the Highlands. This is my daughter, Elizabeth. We come seeking your assistance."

"Obviously, otherwise you wouldn't be here, now would you?" He giggled once again.

"Can you help us?"

"Depends on what you need, dearie. And what you can give me in return."

"That shouldn't be an issue. What would you request?" He thought for a moment.

"Tell you what. You tell me what you want and I'll tell you what it's worth to me."

"Fine." They moved to next room. The nobleman took in the odd artifacts in the room from the odd puppets to the wizard's hat to the spinning wheel in the corner. The young woman did the same, but remained silent. Rumple sat in a chair and looked to his visitors.

"Now, what do you need?" Edward returned his attention to the Dark One and told his tale.

"About a year ago, my daughter was taken advantage of by one of my knights. He was executed for it, but my daughter became pregnant with his bastard child. Word of her pregnancy spread to the other kingdoms. They think of her as a common whore and none will have her as a wife. They don't believe that her story is true. We need you restore her good name and find a noble husband for her." He had many people come and deal the same thing many times before. Find a noble husband or wife. A question poked at the back of his mind.

"Certainly, but I must ask. What happened to the child?" Elizabeth finally spoke.

"Once it was born, I had my maid dispose of it. Stupid woman kept the child. I found out about it a month later and I disposed of the child myself. Left it was dinner for the wolves in the forest." There was acid in each word she spoke. It angered Rumple. He knew those eyes were familiar. Too familiar. This had to be Rose's mother. He turned to Edward.

"And you approved of that?"

"It was a bastard child. What difference did it make? The child is gone and that's all that matters. Can you help us or not?" Rumple was angered even more. Neither of them cared that the child would have died that night had he not found her. He gave them his impish grin.

"Of course I can, but I won't." The two royals stared incredulously at the dark wizard. Edward took a step towards him.

"What do you mean you won't?" Rumple stood and approached the man.

"Exactly that. I won't help you."

"And why not?" Rumple thought for a moment, then smirked.

"Why don't I show you why not." A purple cloud surrounded the three of them and they were transported to Rumple's bedroom. He placed a hand on Elizabeth's back and gestured to the crib under the window. "Why don't you take a look, dearie?"

"What is it?"

"Go see for yourself." She approached the crib and looked inside. She saw Rose sound asleep. She looked back to Rumple.

"It's a baby."

"Yes, but take a closer look at her, dearie. Very close." Elizabeth examined the small child closely. Rumple lifted the sleeping spell and Rose awoke. Elizabeth gasped as she saw the all too familiar emerald eyes.

"That...That's impossible! It can't be!" Edward went over to the crib and looked inside. He gasped seeing the same thing. He turned to the imp standing by the door.

"What sort of trick is this?!" Rumple slowly started to approach them.

"Oh no. No trick. She's real. And she's alive. I found her in the woods, hungry, soiled, and half frozen to death. And I started to think, who would leave such an innocent child to die? Now I have my answer." Elizabeth tore her eyes from the baby back to the wizard.

"Why take her? Why let her live? What could you want with this child?" He used his magic to grab their throats. They both started to gasp for air.

"You see, the better question is what gives you the right to leave a baby to the wolves? She wasn't even given a chance. Even a bastard child deserves a chance. You didn't have the right to leave her for dead. You didn't have the right to take away her chance." He started to clench more and more on their throats until he heard Rose start to whine. He released them and checked on her. They both fell to the floor, desperately gasping for every bit of air they could gather. Rumple lifted Rose in his arms and soothed her. Elizabeth looked up at the imp with the child.

"Why...Why do you care...for that child? She's just a bastard." He looked down at her.

"All children, even bastard children, deserve to be loved. And since you and your father don't seem to think that, maybe it's time you learned." Before they could respond, a purple smoke surrounded them. Rumple smirked and picked up the two new dolls. He showed them to Rose. "Look, flower. New toys."

Rose smiled and took Elizabeth in her hands. She shook the doll and stuck the head in her mouth. Usually, Rumple would pull everything from her mouth, but he allowed her this. Her mother deserved it for leaving her to die and thinking nothing of it other than "She's a bastard child." He placed the doll of Edward in her crib while she kept the doll of Elizabeth in her mouth. He brought Rose out of the room and down to the kitchen for lunch.