There was nothing wrong. He'd had a nightmare and that was why his heart was racing. It wasn't real. It wasn't. Rumplestiltskin had been trying to calm himself down for what felt like hours, but it wasn't working.
He was trapped in Neverland. Dark Hollow if he wanted to be specific, and the shadows were taunting him. He wasn't afraid. He'd been through the worst things anyone could possibly go through and he'd survived. Nothing these shadows could do could be worse than then what he'd felt every time he'd lost a loved one. But they weren't really gone. Baelfire and Belle were both alive and well, with that thought he could take whatever the shadows threw at him. Or so he thought.
"Papa!" cried a voice.
"Rumple!" cried another.
"No!" Rumplestiltskin shouted as the figures of Belle and Bae appeared in front of him. "You shouldn't be here! It's not safe!"
"We came to rescue you, Pap-Ah!" Bae cried as a shadow grabbed him and flew him into the dark.
"Bae!" Rumplestiltskin tried to use magic, but it was no use. He was powerless to save his son. Again.
"Rumple, help!" Shouted Belle. He turned to her just in time to see Pan's shadow taking her away.
"Oh, I'll have fun with these two. You shouldn't have crossed me, Rumple." Pan laughed as he flew over his head. He was taking them and he would never give them back. He would kill them, Rumplestiltskin knew it. He tried to move, he tried to breathe, but he couldn't. Then, all at once, all of the shadows in Dark Hollow descended on him while the screams of Bae and Belle echoed in his ear.
"It was just a damn dream!" he screamed in frustration. He had seen both Bae and Belle just this afternoon. They'd had dinner with Henry and the Charmings. They were fine. He would know it if they weren't. Knowing he would not be getting anymore sleep that night, he rose out of bed to make tea. Surely, that would calm him down, wouldn't it?
Two hours later, he was sitting in his living room, wide awake with nothing but an empty chipped cup and his thoughts for company. He knew why Bae, no, Neal turned him down when he'd offered him a room in his home. They had just begun rebuilding their relationship, and besides that, Bae, no, Neal, Neal, Neal, Neal, was an adult with a life of his own, why would he want to move in with his father? He needed to learn how to be a father to a grown man, and part of that was living apart, much as he may not like it, it was the way it had to be.
He understood why Belle didn't want to live with him either. As much as they loved each other, they both still had a lot of growing to do on their own before they took the next step in their relationship. He didn't want to rush it any more than she did. Neither of them were ready to live together yet, and it was better to wait, but that didn't mean he had to like it.
It would be so much easier if he could have woken from the nightmare to see Belle sleeping peaceful beside him, to be able to walk a few feet to Neal's room and know that he was alright. As it was, they were both residing in the middle of town, a good ten minute walk away. He could drive and be there in less than two minutes, but he doubted either of them would appreciate being woken up in the middle of the night because an old man had a nightmare, and so he sat in the dark, all alone.
As it should be. Villains don't deserve happiness. Nothing good will come to Belle and Neal by being with me. They would be better off if I truly had died in Neverland, like I'd meant to.
Rumplestiltskin's bitter thoughts continued to haunt him until morning came and Belle and Neal once again drove the darkness away. For a little while at least.
This is for the best, he thought as he held his father, they will be safer without me. They know I love them, and I know they love me, that's all that matters. I hope you both find happiness without me.
His last thoughts were born of hope for the ones he loved. As he swung the dagger, he kissed his father and smiled. His last thought was that Belle and Neal would be fine, and then there was only darkness.
Belle awoke with a gasp. It was just a dream. Except it was wasn't. Rumplestiltskin was dead. He was dead and he was never coming back. She muffled a sob and held her breath. She didn't want to wake Neal again. After they had returned to the Enchanted Forest, everyone had parted ways. There were those like Granny and Red who didn't mind being back and had decided to make a new start. Others like Snow and Charming wanted to get back to the other world, Emma's world, so they were spending all of their time trying to find a way back. Then there was Belle. She didn't care what world she was in, she would try to make the best of it, she would move on with her life and she would try to find happiness, no matter how hard it may be. She didn't know what would happen to her, but she knew one thing: she would be with Neal.
Rumple wouldn't want his son to be alone, and Belle would make sure he wasn't. She and Neal had become close after his father's death. While everyone else was grateful for his sacrifice, none of them held any love for him. None of them had many stories to tell about the real him. The him that used to clean his son's scrapes and gave flowers to his maid. The him that loved with every fiber of his being. They were each other's support system. They held each other up when the pain go too bad, they kept each other going. Belle held back another sob. It had been weeks, she should be done crying now, shouldn't she? How long could one grieve for a lost love?
Regina had been surprisingly supportive when they'd returned. One night, before everyone had gone their separate ways, she had found Belle alone and told her about her lost love, Daniel. Losing him had been the hardest thing she'd ever been through, before losing Henry, and she'd wanted Belle to know. Rumple had mentioned it in passing, but she'd never heard the full story before. When Regina had first approached her, Belle had been on her guard. They'd not had the best history and Belle had been prepared for a fight. She was shocked to see tears in Regina's eyes. Her heart broke for Regina as she told her the tale of Daniel. Even more surprising was her admission of fondness for Rumplestiltskin.
"He was always there. Whether to fight, or as an ally, he was always there. Even when I hated him, I knew that he would be around, and now… He was the most powerful being I've ever known, and he's dead. I can't pick fights with him anymore, I can't ask him for help. He's gone, just like that. I know, that this probably means nothing to you coming from me, but I'm so sorry for your loss. Goodbye, Belle."
That was the last time Belle, or anyone for that matter, had seen Regina. Snow had mentioned a similar encounter on that same night, as had a few others. No one knew where she'd gone. What had made her disappearance even more surprising was that Snow and Charming had asked her to stay with them, they thought they had a better chance of getting back to Emma and Henry with her, but Belle knew why Regina refused. She'd already admitted defeat. She had resigned herself to the fact that she would never see Henry again. It was the same look Rumple had on his face when he'd said goodbye to Belle and Neal.
After their return, Belle and Neal had gone to The Dark Castle. Neal thought it was the best place to find a way back to Henry and Emma. It hurt both of them to return to the place Rumplestiltskin had called home for who knows how long, but at the same time, it was comforting. Everywhere Belle looked, she was reminded of Rumple. It was like he was everywhere and nowhere at once. She remembered all those times they had teased each other at the dining table. The time he caught her falling from the curtain. Their wonderful yet disastrous first kiss…
She couldn't hold it in any longer. Belle cried. She tried to keep quiet, she really did, but Neal heard her anyway. He knocked tentatively at her door before going in. Without a word, he approached her bed, sat next to her and put his arms around her. It wasn't long before she heard him crying with her. It was a common occurrence. Almost every night, Neal would hear her cries and come to her side. She felt horrible about it at first. She may have lost her true love, but Neal had lost his father, he shouldn't have to comfort her when he was grieving as well. It took a few nights for her to realize that it was catharsis for him as well.
Bang.
Belle and Neal froze.
"What was that?" Belle whispered, "Do you think Robin's back?"
"Maybe. It's pretty late though, if it is him, something's wrong. It it's not… Stay here, I'll go check it out." Neal whispered back. Belle sat for a moment after he left. Her room was dark and she had a sudden flashback to her childhood. She hadn't been afraid of the dark for years. Not since she the incident with her cat, but now, surrounded by darkness, not knowing what Neal was about to face, she was terrified. She'd learned that there real were monsters out there, people that would hurt others and take away her loved ones. Neal was all she had left of Rumple, if there was danger, she refused to let him face it alone. She gathered her robe and a sword she kept at her bedside and ran after him.
"Neal?" She whispered. The castle was dark. Without Rumple's magic to keep the hallways lit, it seemed much more frightening then when she lived there the first time. She took a breath and whispered again, "Neal?"
"Belle, I told you to stay in your room." Neal said from the next room.
"I am not leaving you without backup. What do you see?" Belle asked.
"Nothing yet. I heard someone moving around in the main room though. I'm going in. Stay here until I call for you." Neal said as he moved toward the intruder.
Clatter. Belle held her breath, but only silence followed. What if Neal's hurt? He said to wait, but what if- Belle couldn't wait anymore and she made her way into the next room. "Neal? What-"
The lighting was better in the main room. The windows were big, and the curtains were open, she could see everything, including Neal standing in front-in front of "Rumplestiltskin?"
She couldn't believe her eyes. He was dead. She saw it with her own eyes! But she saw this with her own eyes too. Neal wasn't moving, but she approached with caution. This could be some kind of trick. By whom, she didn't know, but she had to be sure.
"Bae. Belle." Rumplestiltskin breathed. His eyes were wide, and he wasn't wearing his suit, or leathers, he was in a poor man's clothes, no, a spinner's clothes. Belle reached out a hand to touch him.
"Rumple." Belle breathed, he felt real beneath her hand. She squeezed and he put a hand up to her face.
"Belle." Belle laughed and threw herself into his arms.
"You're real. You're alive. I love you." She said as she smiled for what felt like the first time since she lost him.
"Papa?" Neal's voice broke. "It's really you?"
"It's really me, son." Rumplestiltskin smiled as he opened his arms to welcome him. Neal threw himself into his father's arms.
"I thought I'd never see you again." Neal said "I love you, Papa."
"I love you, too, son." Rumplestiltskin said as he embraced his two loved ones.
"But, I don't understand. How is this possible? We saw you with Pan." Belle asked as she broke away.
"I'm not entirely sure, sweetheart. One moment, I'm in Storybrooke with my father, the next thing I know, I'm in a dark room. When I lit a candle, I realized it was our old home Ba-Neal." Rumplestiltskin replied, hey eyes watering.
"You were home? But Papa, that's miles and miles from here. How did you make it back?" Neal asked in shock. He saw the walking stick his father carried, no doubt his limp was back.
"I walked. I knew my best chance to get back to you two was here, in my castle. So here I am. What are you doing here? Why aren't you in Storybrooke?" Rumplestiltskin asked.
"Pan's curse. The only way to stop it was for Regina to bring us all back here. So here we are." Belle shrugged. Neal's eyes suddenly became bright.
"And now we have to get back. Papa, Henry and Emma are still in the other world. I have to get back to them." Neal said, passion strong in his voice. Rumplestiltskin nodded.
"Of course. I'll do what I can to make sure you're reunited with your family, Neal." Rumplestiltskin said, his eyes understanding.
"You'll come, too, won't you?" Neal asked, insecurity ringing in his question. Rumplestiltskin looked shocked.
"You want me to come?" Rumplestiltskin asked.
"Well, yeah. We have a second chance, Papa. I don't want to waste it." Neal said sincerely
"Then of course I'll come with you…Neal." Rumplestiltskin smiled.
"You… you can call me Bae, if you want." Neal smiled back.
"Bae." Rumpled breathed. "Belle, love, you'll come to won't you?"
Belle laughed.
"You couldn't keep me away even if you tried." She said as she reached up to kiss him.
"Woah, okay, not in front of the kid!" Neal said as he covered his eyes.
"Sorry." Belle said sheepishly.
"I'm not. You're going to have to get used to this Bae, because it's going to happen a lot." Rumplestiltskin laughed.
"Oh, really?" Belle asked with a smile.
"Alright, alright, I guess I can get used to it. After we reunite all of the family, yeah?" Neal smiled.
"Yes. I promise you, Bae, we'll get them back." Rumplestiltskin said.
"But first, we need to get some food in you. When was the last time you ate? And you're freezing! We'll start a fire, too." Belle said as she led Rumplestiltskin toward the kitchen.
"Yes, dear."
Neal laughed.
"What so funny, son?"
"You are so whipped, Papa." Neal winked at Belle.
"Laugh now, but we'll see what you're like when you patch things up with Miss Swan."
Neal closed his mouth and blushed. Belle smiled. Someday, they'd all be reunited, she was sure of it, after all fairytales always ended in happily ever after, didn't they?