After finally admitting their love and sharing a kiss, they needed to figure out how to deal with the things would change and they will change. They were no longer just master and servant. They were lovers. They were also parents. This would also change how they were around Rose. They didn't have to hide their feelings anymore. They could finally show their affections for one another, but not too much affection. They couldn't kiss without the risk of Rumple losing his powers. He still needed them to find his son. He loved Belle, but he also loved his son and he couldn't lose his powers when he was so close to being reunited with him. He found that as long as they didn't kiss on the lips, he would be fine. Belle was fine with it. All she cared about was being with him, loving him and being able to show it. They finally left the Great Hall and headed off to bed. They ascended the stairs arm in arm with Bell resting her head on his shoulder. Belle loved being close to him without fear of him rejecting her. Rumple felt the same way. He broke the silence between them.

"So, how are we going to tell Rose about...us?" She rose her head from his shoulder and looked up at him. He wasn't very tall, but he still had a few inches on her.

"I don't think it'll be very hard. I mean...she's basically been wanting us to be together for who knows how long." He looked back at her in surprise.

"She has?" Belle gave a slight giggle.

"Yes. Have you never noticed?"

"No, I haven't. I don't believe she's ever mentioned it to me."

"Well, she has to me. More than once. Back when she had that night terror, she asked me if I loved you. At the time I wasn't sure and I told her. She said that I should love you." Rumple should've known. When Rose described her perfect mother, one of her traits was that she loved both her and him. Rose loved Belle and accepted her as her mother already. He figured that she thought if Belle would love him as well as her, Belle would be the perfect mother. He smiled at the thought.

"And now you're perfect for her." Belle narrowed her eyes in confusion.

"What do you mean?" He proceeded to tell her of the first time Rose brought up wanting a mother. The day he brought her to the Dark Castle. He told her how Rose wanted her mother to be smart, kind, beautiful, and would love the both of them. Belle had displayed everything Rose wanted except for loving her papa. That was the only thing missing. Belle nodded in understanding. "I see. Is that why you chose me?"

"I'm not sure what you mean."

"Why you brought me instead of some other woman. Did you chose me because you thought I would be the perfect mother for her?" Rumple thought for a moment. He did, but he really didn't. When he went to Avolonea that day, he didn't know what to expect. He knew Belle was the one that sent him the letter asking for his help. He thought that if she was so desperate to ask him for help, then maybe she would make the ultimate sacrifice of leaving her family. He didn't know what she would look like or how she would act. He also had the intention of killing her had Rose not approved of her. He didn't know what would happen when he brought her into his home.

"Honestly, I never brought you here to be Rose's mother. You were merely her caretaker. Someone to watch her while I was away so she wouldn't have to be alone. It was a mere coincidence that she told me of her mother the same day you came along." Belle nodded again. She never intended to be Rose's mother when she agreed to leave with Rumple. She also never intended to fall in love with him.

"Really? Was it a mere coincidence that she dreamed of me?" His eyes flashed to hers.

"What?"

"When we had our talk about me becoming her mother, she showed me the picture she drew. She told me that she had a dream of her mother. In her dream, there was a woman that...was basically me. She saw my eyes, my hair, my dress. She saw me. Who I was." Rumple was at a loss. Could it be a mere coincidence? Rose couldn't have possibly known about Belle before she arrived. It was just a dream. Rose had been longing a mother. It was only natural that she would dream of her what her mother would be like.

"My flower is a very creative and imaginative child. She saw what she wanted in a mother. You just happened to fit her profile. It's debatable that she specifically saw you. Now that you're here, things have been different and she's happy. As am I." She smiled at him. He smiled back and kissed her forehead. She opened her mouth to speak again, but a scream interrupted her. The scream came from Rose's room. She must've been having another night terror. They immediately ran to her room. They flung open and ran to either side of her. They gently shook her and coax her awake.

"Rose, sweetheart. Wake up." Her emerald eyes flew open and she sat up. Once her eyes focused, she noticed both Rumple and Belle were there. She looked over at Rumple and cried.

"Papa! You're okay!" She flung her arms around his neck and held him tightly as she sobbed. He was taken aback for a moment before he wrapped his arms around her and held her close. Why was she worried that he wasn't okay?

"It's alright, flower. I'm here." He looked to Belle, who was gently stroking Rose's hair. Was her bad dream about him? What did she see? Once she stopped crying, Rumple sat her back on the bed. "Are you okay?"

"Are you?" He and Belle looked to each other in confusion. She was the one who had a horrible dream. Why was she worried about him? He turned his attention back to his shaken up daughter.

"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?" She fell silent. She's never shared her night terrors. Talking about them only frightened her more. Rumple tried to refrain from asking her of her dreams. He gently stroked her hair. "It's fine, flower. You don't have to share anything you don't want to. Just know that I am well. Nothing has happened to me."

"Okay. Can you stay anyway?" He chuckled at her.

"Don't I always?" She smiled at him and looked over to Belle.

"You can stay too, Mama." Belle smiled at the small child.

"Of course I will." Rumple and Belle made themselves comfortable on Rose's full size bed. Rose snuggled up to Rumple and clung to him like her life depended on it. She must have dreamed something horrible to fear for Rumple like that. He didn't know what it was that frightened her so, but he wanted to get her mind off of it. He looked to Belle.

"Belle, I believe it's time we told Rose the good news." Rose perked up in curiosity.

"What good news?" Belle looked to Rumple.

"I thought you'd want to wait until morning. Are you sure you want to tell now?"

"No time like the present." Rose grew impatient.

"What good news?! Tell me!" They chuckled at the anxious child.

"Well, you started this, Rumple. Might as well tell her."

"Tell me what?!" Rumple looked down at his young daughter.

"Flower, you know that Belle and I love you very much, right?"

"Yeah."

"Well, what if I told you that we also loved each other?" She smiled widely up at him.

"Are you getting married?" They both chuckled at her. Belle gently stroked her hair.

"We're nowhere near that, sweetheart, but we are going to be more affectionate towards each other. We are lovers now."

"Are you gonna hug and kiss a lot?"

"Sometimes, but not all the time." Rose smiled at Belle.

"I knew you loved Papa." Belle smiled at her. She had told her that she should love Rumple, but she never gave any reason why she should or why she wanted her to love him. It must be just as Rumple said; if she were to love him, Rose would see her as the perfect mother. Rumple had Rose turn back to him.

"Flower, are you okay with this?"

"Are you happy, Papa?" He looked up at Belle and smiled. She smiled back at him.

"I am." He looked back to Rose to see her smiling at him.

"Then I am too." He kissed her cheek. They laid there in silence for a while. Rose wanted to ask more questions about their new relationship, but she grew tired and her brain didn't process them enough for them to come out of her mouth. She relaxed more and more in Rumple's warm embrace. When he heard her breathing slow, he knew she was asleep. He carefully released himself from her grip and climbed out of the bed. Belle followed him and they both silently crept out of the room closing the door behind them. Belle looked to Rumple and smiled.

"Now that wasn't so hard, was it? I told you she wanted us together." He wrapped his arms around her waist.

"That's the last time I don't listen to you." She giggled at him. They both knew full well that there will be many more times when he won't listen to her about certain subjects.

"Well, it's rather late. I should turn in." Rumple didn't want to let her go just yet, but he knew that the next day would have the promise of more time with her. He had no important work to do. He had no potions to create, no deals to make, no place to be. He would spend the day with his daughter and his new lover.

"Very well then. Good night, Belle."

"Good night, Rumple." He kissed her on the cheek before releasing her. He wished that he could kiss her lips. He wished he could claim them like he did earlier, but he knew what would happen if he did. He couldn't risk it. Belle gave him a small smile and went to her room. She wished she could kiss him as well. She didn't understand why he really needed his powers. He's seen as a monster to all, including himself, because of them. Why not rid himself of them as soon as possible? She didn't know any of this, but she trusted him. Whatever he needed his powers for must be greatly important to him and worth the trouble that comes with being the Dark One. She went in her room and began to prepare for bed.