The first thing Archie noticed before he started the Gold's third session together was that they were sitting closer. They weren't on the complete opposite sides of the couch anymore, ignoring each other's presence, but they weren't yet touching or holding hands. There was a fair amount of distance between them to still give each other space but close enough to signify that they were trying. Archie smiled. It was far bigger of an improvement than he even hoped for.

"So," He crossed his legs. "How did everything go?"

Belle and Rumple glanced at each other.

Belle nodded. "Good."

"Just…good?"

"We talked." Gold replied.

"About what?"

An awkward glance between the two.

"Um…relationships?"

Belle laughed at the joke. She had forgotten how funny Rumple could be. At times his humor could be cold and dry, but at others it genuinely made her smile. Rumple laughed along with Belle. Archie blinked. He certainly wasn't expecting them to be laughing together.

"Which relationships?"

The laughter died and they both looked at him nervously. Archie guessed they didn't want to talk about it but he did.

"It's alright, you can tell me."

Belle sighed, waiting to see if Rumple would answer. When he didn't she said, "Um….well, I told Snow I couldn't…hang out…with her."

Archie nodded. "How did that go?"

"Good. I guess. She seemed confused."

"What happened?"

"She wanted me to watch over Neal. Again. I told her" She cleared her throat. "I needed to…be with my own family, or once."

Archie didn't miss the small that turned the corners of Gold's lips.

"What did you think of that, Gold?"

The sorcerer looked up. He opened his mouth before closing it, confused by the question. Rumple asked, "What do you mean?"

"Well, how did it make you feel hearing her say that?"

Rumple rubbed his hands together nervously. "Hopeful?"

Archie nodded. "Now, yesterday you and I talked Gold and-"

"Archie, if it's okay, I want to ask Rumple something. It's actually about yesterday." Belle interrupted.

Archie nodded. "Of course. That's what we are here for."

Belle faced her husband who seemed to be avoiding eye contact. "Rumple….why did you lie?"

Rumple looked at Belle but he had not notable expression on his face. "About what?"

Belle smirked. "Yesterday."

Rumple sighed.

"You told me you were going to go collect rent but clearly that wasn't the case. Instead you went to see Archie. Why didn't you just tell me?"

Rumple stared at Belle. She didn't seem upset as he thought she would be. She seemed rather….concerned? Confused? He smirked. Maybe that was him.

"Gold?" Archie asked, urging Rumple to continue when he didn't.

"I…I didn't…." He sighed. "I don't know."

"How can you not know?"

"Belle." Archie warned, but she continued.

"Rumple, it's not that hard to tell the truth! Just tell me why you lied."

Archie noticed Gold's increased nervousness but before he could intervene Gold stood up. He was afraid the man was going to leave but thankfully it was only to get some more space between him and Belle. Rumple took a few steps and sat on the other chair that was provided.

"Rumple-"

"Perhaps I was afraid!" He said rather loudly.

"Afraid of what?"

Rumple sighed.

"I don't know. I guess…" He shrugged his shoulders. "It was easy."

Belle leaned back, letting out a frustrated breath as she did so. "Why is it so easy for you to lie?"

Rumple snorted. "Because I've done it for centuries."

"But to me?"

He stared at her.

"It's so easy for you to lie to me?"

Belle looked hurt and he could hear it in her voice, but he didn't apologize. It was easy to lie to her. But sometimes….

"Gold, it's okay." Archie said. The doctor didn't forget about what he learned yesterday. He had gone home that afternoon thinking about it. While he knew Belle wanted Rumple to be open with her and knew it was okay, perhaps she didn't always make it seem like that. So he knew it was his job to help Rumple start understanding that opening himself up about what he was feeling was okay. That it wasn't weak and it wasn't going to destroy him.

Rumple took a deep breath and let it out. "Maybe I feel like….sometimes, I don't have a choice."

"What?" Belle asked. That made no sense. "Rumple, how can you not have a choice?" She paused. "Does this…have to do with the dagger?"

Rumple shifted in his new spot. "No." He simply said.

"Than what is it?"

There was a silence as Rumple tried to think of what he wanted to say. He didn't want to hurt Belle's feelings, but he knew it was already too late for that. Far too late.

"I have told you the truth before. But…you never seemed quite happy with it. Belle," He looked at her. "I want you to be happy. Honestly. And I found that the only way to do that was to tell you what you wanted to hear."

Belle was looking at him as if he was crazy. Well, she knew he was. But this just sounded….odd. "All I wanted was to hear the truth."

"You're not getting it, are you?" Rumple looked at her.

Belle gasped. Rumple smirked.

"Belle, Belle," Archie intervened, "I think what Gold is trying to say is-"

"What I'm saying is that yes, you claim to want to hear the truth. But if it isn't what you want, for me to be a hero or for what I'm doing to be helping others, than it's not good enough." Rumple emphasized the last two words. "If I was to tell you the truth and told you that I had plans to….hurt someone, you wouldn't like it."

"Well of course-"

"And then you would get all upset at me, telling me how I need to be open with you, that I need to trust you, and then you would walk off. Claiming you need space to 'decide what you want'" Rumple brought his fingers up to emphasize the air quotes. "And wait for me to crawl back to you with an apologize and promise that I would do better. Well you know what, dearie?" He stared at her. "That's the same pattern we have done all this time. I will be honest and tell you the truth. But you don't like it and so you walk away. The only way I've found to stop you from walking away is to lie. To tell you what it is you want to hear. The good things. That's what we do. I lie and you decided to stay. I'm honest and you decide to leave. Sweetheart, I'm starting to wonder if you even know what it is you want."

"What does that mean?!" Belle exclaimed. "I know exactly what I want!"

Rumple laughed. "Oh yes, me being your wonderful little hero. However, since I clearly can't be that, you're pushing that onto our son."

They paused in their conversation. Belle was staring at Rumple with wide eyes, completely shocked by his accusations. Rumple looked…satisfied, or so Belle thought. Happy with what all he said.

"What does that mean?" Belle asked again.

Rumple sighed, not wanting to talk anymore.

"Rumple." Belle forced.

"Gideon." Rumple softly said, not caring to look back at his wife.

"What?"

Then he look at her. "You named our son Gideon."

Belle sighed. She knew Rumple would be upset for naming their child without him, but in her complete defense she had done so in the belief that he wanted to hurt their son. She had done so when she wanted Rumple nowhere near their son's life.

"What's wrong with that? It's a good name."

"Perhaps."

Belle let out a breath. "Alright. What is it about the name you don't like."

"Did you know that it can mean 'a stump for a hand'? Do you know who that reminds me of?"

Belle scoffed. "You can't be serious?!"

"It's bad enough that you rather have a man who has tried to kill you and I both multiple times be there for the birth of our son and not his father, but you give him a name that could resemble the drunken ass pirate."

Belle leaned back, crossing her arms. She couldn't believe her husband was saying such ridiculous things.

"But that's not what upsets me most."

"Oh, really?" She laughed.

Archie felt like intervening again, but he was curious to where Gold was going with this. So he sat back in silence, listening.

"No. What upsets me the most is that you named him after your hero in your stupid little book."

Belle glared at him. She would get back at him for insulting her book, but what the hell was he so upset about that for?

"And you hate that." She said as if she understood. Rumple scoffed.

"No. Not entirely. What I hate is that since I couldn't be the hero you wanted you seek to push that on our son."

"That is not true!" Belle sat forward, nearly jumping up from her seat.

"Do you remember when I stole that baby back in the Enchanted Forest?"

"Well of course. How could I forget? It was the worst thing you could have done."

Rumple sighed, ignoring that comment. He continued, "As you know I was spying."

Belle rolled her eyes.

"So I saw you read your book to the baby. And I also heard what you said."

She looked at him. "What?"

"You said that maybe one day the baby could grow up to be a hero. Just like Gideon in the book."

She shrugged her shoulders. "So? What does that have to do with anything?"

"I just can't help but notice that you seem to be pushing this 'hero' business on anyone. On a baby you don't even know and on our son."

"What? I am not pushing, Rumple. So what if I want our son to be the best person he can be."

"But does that mean he has to be a hero?"

Belle paused in her next sentence, letting the words sink in. Before she could speak up Archie started talking.

"Belle, this idea of being a hero really seems to be the center of...a lot of things you do."

She looked at him. "It means a lot to me."

"Yes, I understand. But do you think that perhaps what Gold is saying...may be true?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do you think that perhaps you are pushing the idea of being a hero onto your son by giving him a name of a hero in a book...that seems to be the reason...of your character?"

"My character?"

"From what I hear, your actions seem to revolve around this idea that...anyone can be a hero."

"Anyone can be a hero. They just need to try." She glared at Rumple.

"In your view, Belle," Archie said. "What is a hero?"

The men both looked at her. She leaned back thinking about the question.

"A hero is true and brave. They always help people no matter what. They always do what is right. Even if it's not easy. A hero...makes sacrifices."

"But a hero isn't flawless. I do think that what Gold is doing is trying to be the best person he can be. And I personally think that's what anyone should try and be. Trying to be a hero is a pretty high expectation to put on one's self. Including others. I'm not saying Gideon is a bad name," Rumple scoffed to side. "But it does sound like you want him to be a hero. Perhaps you want him to portray your most beloved character in your book."

"It's because I couldn't do it." Rumple said. "And now that she has seen that our son could become the worst version of himself, a villain, she wants to fix that. She's only here to get rid of her guilt for abandoning him."

"I didn't abandon him!"

"Do you honestly believe that?"

Rumple stared at Archie, realizing the question was for him. He sighed, waiting a few seconds before answering, "No."

"Then why did you say that?" Belle asked.

"Because I'm mad. Can't you tell?"

"Gold. Belle." Archie said. "Please. Belle," He turned to look at her. "Do you believe that...you can only be a hero or villain?"

She looked at the doctor. "What?"

"You seem to have this rather black and white viewpoint of what people are. That if they aren't a hero, they are automatically a villain."

Belle noticed the nervousness from her husband in the corner of her eye as he shifted in his chair, trying not to look at her.

"Do you believe that is the only thing people can be?"

"...no."

She didn't sound very confident. Rumple smirked.

"No, I don't. I think a person should try and be the best person they can be."

"Do you think Gold is trying to be the best person he can be?"

"No."

Rumple shot his eyes to her. Her answer was quick and certain. He looked away, his smirk gone.

"Why is that?" Archie asked.

"He's still lying to me, for one."

"We've already discussed that."

Belle sent a glare at Rumple telling him to be quiet. "He continues to hurt and manipulate people-"

"I have my reasons."

"And…" She gave a nervous laugh. "I think he actually enjoys it."

"I do."

"I think Rumple likes being the villai-...I think he likes being the worst version of himself."

Archie sighed. "But we know that even when he was doing those things, he has still made selfless sacrifices. He killed himself to save you and the town from Pan. He's always fought for his son, and you and Gideon. While his actions may not have always been...right. His reasons were."

"Intent is meaningless." Rumple said, turning Belle and Archie's attention towards him.

"As I told Belle, I think that is just something you say to forget how you might have failed."

Rumple looked away. "Of course I failed. Bae is still dead."

There was a heavy silence at his words. Belle suddenly felt sad at the memory of Neal. It was still hard to believe that he was really gone sometimes. While he wasn't her son she could understand how Rumple felt now.

"I understand how you feel, Rumple."

"No, you don't." He stressed. "You haven't spent hundred of years searching for Gideon. You haven't spent hundred of years alone, trying to fix your biggest mistake. You haven't been through what I have. I know it was hard to send him away. Believe me. But what's worst is regret. And you didn't have any. I regretted letting go of Bae the second the portal closed. I knew I was an awful person when I realized it. But you…." He stared at her. "It seemed….easy for you.

"It was not easy." Belle sneered. She was starting to cry at the memory of sending her son away with Blue. "I didn't want to do it."

"But you did."

"To protect him from you!"

"After everything I did!" Rumple shot up out of his chair, shooting daggers at Belle from his eyes. "After everything I did to get back Baelfire, do you honestly believe I would hurt our son?! Do you?! If so, that is the most ridiculous thing I ever heard!"

Belle jerked back when Rumple started yelling. She was now looking at him with fear. She knew he would never hurt her, even now, but seeing him so angry at her like this. It hurt.

Rumple was breathing hard now, his angry releasing itself. "I love you Belle." He said with the purest honesty he could think of. "I love you and our son more than anything. To think that you honestly believe I wanted to hurt our son….." He panted. "Why?"

Belle cried. "What else was I supposed to think? After everything you did?"

"After what I did?"

"You trapped me on Hook's ship!"

"To protect you from Hyde!"

"Well that worked out well." She scoffed.

Rumple growled. "Like everyone else, I had thought it was Hyde who was the evil one. Not Jekyll!" He yelled again, hoping to get through his stubborn wife. "I didn't know it but nor did you. No one did! So forgive me for being wrong."

Belle stared at him. She guessed on some part he was right. No one could have seen that it was Jekyll who wanted to hurt her. To really kill her. Hyde was the prime suspect. No one could have know the truth.

"But it didn't give you the right to trap me on that ship."

Rumple sighed, sitting back down after he gained some sort of calm. "Perhaps. But all I wanted to do was to protect you. Is that my crime?"

The two looked at each other. One was crying and the other, exhausted from the anger and the unwillingness to understand from the first. They took a few moments to settle down, each hoping Archie would speak up to break the aching silence. But before he did Rumple said, "I know I have made mistakes. But why should protecting my family be one of them?"

He looked at Belle, not caring if she answered or not. Belle was drying up her tears as Archie began to talk.

"Belle, after hearing what he said, do you trust Gold to protect you and Gideon?"

Belle didn't answer so Archie turned his question to Gold.

"Gold, do you trust Belle?"

"With what?"

Archie shrugged. "To listen? To understand?"

Rumple scoffed.

More silence filled the air. Archie sighed. "A marriage can't work without trust, and it seems you have both lost yours concerning the other."

"I know why I can't trust Belle." Rumple said. "But I don't know what I did to lose her trust."

"Why can't you trust me?" Belle asked, thinking the idea was absurd. "You're the one who has lied to me multiple times. You're the one who has gone behind my back."

"You mean with Gaston?"

She sighed. "Not just with Gaston. With Regina and Zelena. I told you to not hurt any of them and you did so anyways."

"Belle, Regina hurt you. She locked you away in an asylum for twenty-eight years. She needed to pay."

"Well I didn't want that."

"Why not?! If I left her be she would have hurt you again."

"Have you thought Rumple that perhaps you going after her is the reason she continued to go after me?"

Rumple laughed. "No, sweetheart. She went after you because you're my weakness."

He stopped. Was he suppose to say that?

"She knew that using you against me was a good move to give her what she wanted. If I left her alone it would have only given her more room to use you."

"Well maybe if you haven't messed with their lives they wouldn't seek to hurt you."

He gave another laughed. "Yes, it always comes back to me, doesn't it?"

"Yes." She said.

Rumple sighed. "What's the point of me telling you anything if you're not going to try and understand."

"Excuse me? I have understood. But that doesn't mean I need to accept it. I understand why you accepted the contract with that healer, but it doesn't mean I agree with it."

"Alright, fine. You're right there. And perhaps my 'messing' with the Mill's lives were my fault, but they were important."

"How so?" Belle asked in an uncaring tone.

"After gaining the Seer's powers I saw a vision. The daughter of Cora would cast the curse to bring me here to find my son."

Belle scoffed. "So you decided to make her the Evil Queen."

Belle jerked back in her seat. She had never seen such a glare from Rumple before. Not towards her or to anyone. It was….hard. She went silent at it, shocked at such an expression. The daggers he shot at her earlier were nothing compared to this.

"I. Didn't. Make. Her. I didn't make the Evil Queen. Why can't anyone understand that? I may have taught her magic and I might have led her down that path, but I. Never. Pushed. Her. It was always her decision in the end and she chose it. She chose to be the Evil Queen. She chose to let anger and bitterness rule her life because she believed she had a monopoly on love and lost, like everyone else. But I. Never. Created the Evil Queen. And before you go assuming that I brought the darkness and the evil in her life, know this, dearie. Everyone has the potential to be evil. Everyone has the potential to be the worst version of themselves. That...includes you and our son. That's not me. That's human nature. We are all born with it. Including Miss Swan. Despite her parent's valiant efforts on emptying her of any innate darkness, the potential is always there. No one forced her to be the Dark One. I certainly didn't, despite what her precious pirate might say. Like Regina, she chose to be the Dark One, despite her intentions. And her parents and everyone admitted that she was the worst version of herself as the Dark One. The darkness might not have been there, but the potential was."

Belle stared at Rumple as he continued to glare at her as he spoke. Archie seemed a little shocked by the sudden...hardness of Gold's expression. But he listened too, not wanting to anger the man and interrupt him.

"You seem to claim that everything wrong in the lives of anyone we meet is somehow my fault. That they hadn't begun to mess up their own lives before I entered. Jekyll already had the serum to separate himself nearly completed. Regina already had the bitterness and anger towards her mother to find the courage to get rid of her. She already had the burning hatred for Snow White to want to kill her. Zelena already had the burning jealousy to want her sister dead and take everything she owned. They were already messing up their lives on their own, dearie. They didn't need me for that. But they all searched me out for the one thing they did need. Magic."

"And you were willing to provide it for them." She said in a hushed tone.

"Of course. I couldn't push away paying clients." He smirked.

Belle scoffed, leaning back in silence, her arms still crossed. "And what about Hook?"

Rumple sent her yet another glare, though this one wasn't as hard. "What?"

"What about Hook? What did you do to make him hate you so much?"

He stared at her in silence, not believing the words from her mouth. "Perhaps you should be asking what he did to make me hate him so much. I told you about Milah, correct?"

Belle thought back. He had told her about the contract and how Milah, well, she wasn't so faithful perhaps and she certainly wasn't in love with Rumple. But she remembered back further. Shortly after the curse broke. Rumple had told her that Milah was his ex-wife. But he also said back in the Enchanted Forest that he lost her.

"Did she….die?"

Rumple blinked. "Yes. But not by Hook's hands."

"What?"

"You don't know the whole story, Belle."

"I would like to."

But Rumple remained quiet. Belle looked at Archie, hoping he could prod Rumple into answering.

"Why don't we move on to something else." Archie said. "Belle, tell me about your parents."

"Um, well, you already know about father."

"Tell me how they raised you."

Belle looked at Archie, confused about what this had to do with her and Rumple's marriage. "Um, okay. They were very loving. They...well, mother taught me the important values."

"Such as?"

"Well, to always be kind. Never judge someone without knowing the whole story."

Before she continued Archie quickly pointed out, "Do you think that could be used in this situation with Gold?"

"But I already know him."

Rumple scoffed. "You think you do. I've already told you, you don't know the whole story."

She sighed. "And I've already told you. I would like to."

"Okay, Gold, let's move on to you." Archie said. "What kind of...morals did your father teach you."

"You mean before he let go of me for power, eternal youth, and a pitiful island."

Archie blinked. "...yes."

Rumple sighed. "The best thing my father ever taught me was 'Follow the Lady'."

"What?" Belle asked. "What's that."

"It's a sleight of hand. A trick used in gambling with cards. He wasn't always the best gambler. In fact, he was mediocre at best. But he did teach me that. It...has come in handy."

"In deceiving people you mean." Belle said.

Rumple held back a groan. "Well, when that was your father's trade it's the only thing you learn how to do. He even used it on me. Deceiving, not the sleight of hand."

"But surely he taught you more valuable lessons." Belle said. "Honesty?"

Rumple laughed. "You're really not getting it, are you?" Rumple looked at her, trying on to think about how he just sounded like Pan just now. "My father wasn't your father. And my mother certainly wasn't yours. One abandoned me after I was born. The other only taught me how to lie and deceive and trick, before abandoning me himself. My parents didn't teach me all those valuable lessons that you seem to think I should already know."

He paused, glancing at Archie. "No one….no one ever taught me. The only person who ever tried to teach me how to be truthful and brave….was you. But by then…..it was already too late."

He looked away, grimacing. Next time he would have to take the seat by the window. He's already looked at everything on his side thrice over and it was getting boring.

Belle sat back, thinking about what Rumple said. It was really sad. To have no one to teach him about...anything good. No one wonder he was messed up. But that didn't mean it was too late to keep trying. It was never too late.

"What happened after your father abandoned you, Gold?"

He looked at Archie. "Before….all that happened, he sent me to a couple of spinsters. He told me I was going to wait while he searched for a job. Foolishly of me, I believed him. As always. The next day they taught me how to spin." He played with his hands nervously, recalling those moments of his childhood. "They said I was a natural. I asked them if I could spin straw into gold."

Belle smiled. So that was where it came from. She had heard stories but no one could figure it out.

"They said it wasn't possible." Rumple smirked at the thought of having proved them wrong. Of course, they weren't alive to know it. "Anyways, I had thought that if I could spin straw into gold then me and my father could be together. We wouldn't have to live off gambles and cheap pennies. We could be happy."

He sighed, taking a moment before continuing. "You would think those two women would have taught me better values." He chuckled. "Instead they tell me to forget about my father. That I would be better off without him. Perhaps they were right, but to tell a child that his father was a deadbeat? Even if he knew it. Who does that?"

Belle was looking crestfallen at the floor. He was right. Who did?

"No one ever taught me how to be a good person. And while I know that isn't an excuse to continue on doing...bad things, it's just…." He looked at Belle. "I don't know how to."

Belle remained silent. She wasn't sure what to say or even how to fully process what he was saying. It was sad and hard to take in. From everything she had heard of from his parents, to Milah, and now to hear the spinsters tell him not to keep trying for his father's sake, it sounded like no one ever cared about him. Was that truly his life?

"I think that's enough for today." Archie. "We've gone through a lot." He cleared his throat. "I know it's difficult for you two."

Belle and Rumple looked at the doctor. "I know it's not easy but I must say. I am very impressed with the improvement you two have made. It seems you two are really starting to talk and listen and that is….that is just wonderful. I'm truly happy for you two."

They smiled.

"What do you two think about that?" Archie looked at them.

"It is hard." Belle said. "It does feel like we're still yelling at each other."

"But that's okay." Archie said. "Even if it's yelling, it's a step forward. It's talking and right now, that's what you two need to do. Belle, it sounds like you're really starting to listen and be patience. Being more understanding."

"Thank you."

"And Gold, I'm very impressed. I know it's difficult but you're actually talking about what you're feeling. That is a huge step for you and you're...still here." Archie smiled.

"Now, Belle, you've done your homework, correct?"

She laughed. "Yes."

"Gold?"

Rumple sighed, rubbing his hands together. "No."

"That's okay. Yours is a little tougher and I understand. Which is why I have a plan that we can work on later."

"What is it?" Belle asked. She already knew what Rumple's homework was. He told her, but she still didn't know what Archie and him talked about yesterday.

Archie looked at her. "Regina talked to me and she thinks maybe if we got Gold and Zelena together-"

"What?! Wait, Regina's helping?"

Rumple laughed. "Odd, I know."

"Yes, well, we don't think it's too wise to have them alone. So it's going to be a slow process and maybe having a few mediators will help."

"Right." Belle said. "Should...I be there?" She asked.

Archie sighed. "Right now, why don't we see how the first meeting goes with just Regina and I there."

She smiled, nodding. She could understand that.

"Now, I have another homework for both of you. I want you to go home and on a piece of paper I want you to write a few things."

"Like what?" Rumple asked.

"First, I want you to write down what other issue you might have. Something that you would like to talk about. Next, write down something that you think you can change about yourself. It doesn't have to be big. It can be a small change. And last, one thing. Just one thing you would like to change about the other person. I'm not saying that we have to change ourselves for someone to love us. I'm not even saying we have to like everything about the person. But no matter who you love, they are not going to be perfect. And sometimes, that one thing we want to change about them could be what causes problems."

"What does that mean?" Belle asked.

"Well, we try to change that one trait we don't like without even realizing it. But maybe if you could try and understand that one thing about that person, try and understand where it comes from and why it makes them…them, maybe you won't be looking to change it."

"Are you talking about me?"

"No, no. Not at all Belle. I'm just saying in general. You two love each and I know that. You both know it as well. But you can't be perfect, even to each other. There will always be a flaw, but we can't change it. So I want you to write down what it is you would like to change about the other and maybe we can figure out a way to accept it. And maybe, find a way to actually love it. Can you two do that?"

Belle and Rumple looked at each other, nodding.

"Yeah, I think we can."

"Wonderful." Archie smiled.

Okay, I am going to leave this chapter here. Let me know what you think. :)