David rounded on him, "You did what? You-"
"I did what I thought was right," Gold argued.
"How can killing her possibly be the right thing?" David asked heatedly.
"Close your eyes," Gold requested.
David blinked, "What?"
"Do it, and I'll explain it," Gold said.
David groaned but complied.
"Your name is Rumpelstiltskin," Gold said quietly. "You died to protect those you love. You left behind people you loved more than you've ever loved yourself. Then you're brought back, and forced to watch your child exchange their life for yours. Then you almost kill your True Love, because you can no longer control your own mind."
"Gold-"
"Then you spend a year being tortured – mentally, physically – and then you wake up from it to find your child dying in front of you. You can't save your child, only watch and return to your cage. You're forced to do horrible things; things that you'd never do if you had a choice. Then you're finally free but everyone you know and care for, are protecting the person who caused all your pain. You have nightmares, panic attacks so bad you'd rather die than feel like that-"
"Gold, please-"
"But your tormentor is being protected by the heroes, so surely your feelings are irrelevant. Your tormentor is worth protecting. So you do nothing. Then you snap and kill the tormentor, because you hope the pains will stop."
David swallowed. There was a long pause and David opened his eyes. He could see Gold hadn't moved. He was still staring straight at the horizon, but now his hands were twitching.
"But it doesn't stop," Gold smiled sadly.
"Gold, I'm sorry," David said quietly.
Gold shrugged, "You're right; I'm not fine. But it seems that no one really cares unless my reactions disturb other people's lives."
"Belle cares," David said.
Rumpelstiltskin scoffed, "I lied to her, because I knew she wouldn't approve of me killing Zelena. The more I think about it, the more I doubt that I care that she's going to hate me once she finds out the truth."
"That's… concerning, I guess," David ventured cautiously.
"Oh, it is. I know how it sounds," Gold nodded. He inhaled sharply and stood.
David leaped to his feet, "Where are you going?"
"Therapy session's over," Gold said firmly, turning away and walking around the bench. The tightness in his chest wasn't getting any better, and he was freezing inside his layers of clothing. He flexed both hands as he walked and managed not to jump visibly when David shouted after him. Footsteps thundered closer and he sighed loudly, "Enough, David. I've bared my soul, and now I want to go home-"
"You're afraid."