Chapter Four~

Seeing his smiling face at the fact he had actually given her something to help her, Fayetta went over and hugged him as she told him,

"Thank you so much!" so that when she pulled back he said with a flourish of his hands,

"I have also thought of what ye can pay me back with—a song!" this made Fayetta blink before she turned to look at the wolf pup who was sitting contently besides her panting happily. Shrugging, she sat on the ground causing Rumple to do the same as she began singing. As she sang she pet the wolf pup on the head smiling softly to herself, never once seeing the amused soft look on Rumple's face. When her song was done she turned to look at him as he replaced his uncaring mask and clapped telling her,

"Well done dearie!"

"Your turn!" she said making him blink and point a finger at himself so that Fayetta nodded and poked him in the chest nodding. Swatting her hand away, Rumple paused for a moment before singing a song from far, far from his past. Upon hearing his low voice and sad words, Fayetta leaned back a bit watching him as his eyes stayed on the ground before him. It wasn't until the song came to an end that she said to him,

"That was beautiful Rumple, but sad." when he said nothing in reply she decided to stand up and taking his hands pulled him up with her. Seeing a confused look on his face Fayetta giggled saying,

"No more sadness, we fairies don't approve of that very much. Instead we enjoy dancing!"

"I don't dance little fairy." Rumple told her mockingly so that Fayetta swayed his arms back and forth in her hold before having one of his hands spin her around as she said,

"Well I do!" and when she faced him again she tugged on his hair before darting away laughing at him,

"Come catch me then!" so that he growled at the challenge while she giggled around the glen as the wolf pup watched. Rumple ran after her for a short while before simply appearing before her so that she gasped as he put both hands on her hips to stop her saying,

"I win!"

"Cheat!" she cried batting his shoulder with a hand only he winked at her playfully so that she tried to escape his hold. When she couldn't she put a hand on his chest to try and push him away yet stopped when she felt—his heartbeat. All the playfulness vanished as her face turned soft feeling his heartbeat before she looked up at him. His yellow eyes were watching her wearily as she asked,

"Do you want to know why I lost my wings?" the seriousness in her voice made him wonder what she was up to as he stayed silent while she continued,

"For a fairy to lose her wings she has to have done something with magic that is against what is right. What magic isn't supposed to do—and it involved someone's heart."

"Did ye remove it?" Rumple asked trying to ease the growing tension only she shook her head saying softly,

"No, when it stopped beating I used my magic to revive it—made it beat again." with her eyes fixed on her hand covering his heart, Rumple put a finger under Fayetta's chin so that she looked into his eyes. Wonder was what she found in them as well as sheer curiosity and confusion as she told him,

"That is why I lost my wings, I brought someone back from the dead."

"They were close to ye then." he said beginning to put the pieces together as she nodded before he asked,

"A lover perhaps?" when she shook her head for some reason Rumple felt—glad—yet pushed that deeply away while Fayetta said very softly,

"Someone I cared for the most, but not a lover."

"A family member." he said so that hearing that Fayetta felt the tears that had been filling her eyes begin to fall down her cheeks as she hid her face in his chest. Surprised by this, Rumple blinked before wrapping his arms around her holding her gently while she cried. It was strange holding her, she fit just under his chin. Putting his arms so that he pulled her back gently to see her face Rumple said,

"Yet that didn't last did it? Whoever gave you the Mark returned them." when she nodded again Fayetta whipped her tears away resting her head on his shoulder before saying,

"All I want to do is forget, but every time I look at the Mark it forces me to remember that I failed them." still holding her, Rumple suddenly made them appear inside her cottage so that when she blinked she was surprised at seeing them inside. Stepping away from him, Fayetta went to take a seat on the bed when Rumple noticed the dreamcatcher on the window.

"Did you know, that dreamcatchers can have magic in them?" he asked her so that Fayetta asked,

"Like that crystal you made?" nodding as he picked it off from its place on the window Rumple walked over towards her saying,

"Instead of giving us what we wish for, like that crystal, it allows us to see what we dream of among other things." and sitting on the bed Fayetta watched as the center of the dreamcatcher began to glow golden as he held it out for her to take. Gently taking it from him, Fayetta gasped when she saw herself flying so that upon seeing it thrust it back into his hands.

"I already know I can't have my wings back." Fayetta said bitterly so that Rumple 'tsked' before saying,

"Ah but look again but this time harder, see what's beyond that one dream." so that she once again picked up the dreamcatcher to stare into it. Only this time she was amazed to see herself with someone—yet she couldn't make out the face.

"What do ye see?" Rumple asked her so that she shook her head saying,

"The image is blurry, I can't make out the other person." squinting her eyes and trying to make out details, she felt his hands take hers as he breathed against her ear,

"Try now." so that when she looked again she found that the other person—was a man! Only she had never seen him before as she squinted again to find this person seemed to have gold glinting when he smiled.

"I see—a strange man who I've never seen before in my life. I'm with him however so I must know who he is." Fayetta said aloud so that when Rumple let go of her hands the image faded as did the glow making her turn to see him in question. Before she could voice her confusion, Fayetta noticed the dark color of his eyes and felt a shiver go up her spine.

"Who made that dreamcatcher then?" Rumple asked her setting it aside so that Fayetta said looking away sadly,

"The person I lost my wings for." Instead of replying she felt him cup her chin and turn her face towards his to see his darkened eyes once more. Biting her tongue, she felt Rumple move the hand from her chin up her cheek so that she felt the warmth of his skin before he moved his hand behind her head. Cupping the nap of her neck he applied a small amount of pressure so that she had to lean forward a bit towards him allowing her to inhale leather and spice. With their eyes locked it was Rumple who lowered his gaze first to her closed lips before gently brushing his lips against hers. Surprised, confused and scared Fayetta felt him skim her lips with the tip of his tongue so that she whimpered, allowing access. Taking her lower lip between his teeth, Rumple bit down gently before soothing the bite with his tongue causing her to moan slightly despite herself. The hand behind her head on the nap of her neck was now traveling to her shoulder as he let go of her lips allowing Fayetta to breathe. Putting his lips to her pulse point, Rumple suckled the skin there before saying against the skin,

"My little fairy." then with his lips he skimmed up her neck to her ear and licked the spot behind it—where her Mark was. At this Fayetta snapped her eyes open and her body stiffened alert and in self-loathing. Sensing the change, Rumple went to pull back yet was surprised when she pushed him hard in the chest and shot upright to stand, stumbling towards the other side of the room. Panting heavily staring at him, Fayetta felt self-loathing unlike anything before as he stood like a raging beast before menacingly starting over towards her.

"That was a foolish thing to do dearie." he hissed out as Fayetta shook her head as she put a hand before her pleading,

"Please don't come any closer." as a few tears leaked from her eyes Rumple snarled before saying with a snap,

"Don't expect to see me again dearie. Consider our little meetings over and done with." so that when he disappeared in front of her, Fayetta collapsed onto her knees and covering her face with her hands began to sob. Meanwhile miles away in a darken castle, sitting in a throne like chair was a figure wearing a leather outfit staring into a crystal watching a crying figure on her knees in a tiny cottage. Feeling rage fill him, Rumple took the crystal and threw it against the wall so that it burst into pieces.