"Mr. Rumpelstiltskin?!" William asked urgently, running to his side. Killian knelt beside him.
"Y-yes, Dearie?" he said.
"Are you alright?" William asked.
"…I will be."
Hook got a bit suspicious. "Oh. Okay," William said, trying to seem happy for Rumple through his tears.
"Come here, lad," ordered Hook.
"But...Mr. Rumpelstiltskin..." William said.
"Leave him- come to me." He said. William reluctantly obeyed. "Your Mother, she- she's not coming back. Not for now."
"Why not? Why can't Mr. Rumple-"
"Because he's no good and she's passed on."
"B-but he...she came back...she was here! Sh-she came to life! She talked and stuff!" William protested.
"It was a trick, I'd wager- and nothing more."
"B-but...but, no!"
"He's evil- a crocodile!"
"HOOK! SHUT! UP!" William jumped, shocked by Rumple's voice.
"William, I'm sorry- you're Mum's going to be away for a while."
"Well, but...you...you brought her back! She was there! Here! She-" William broke into tears.
"You'll be reunited soon enough... but she has to go for a little bit." Hook told him. William ran back into the house.
Rumple stood up and turned to face Hook accusingly. "Give me ONE damn reason not to slaughter you here and now!"
"What did I do?!" he asked.
"Well, first of all, YE WERE BORN. Secondly, THAT." Rumple yelled.
"What?!"
"You NEVER SAY THAT TO A MOURNING CHILD!"
"Wha- well, what would you have done?!" He shouted, shoving Rumple away.
"I'd've been honest, not brutal."
"How was that brutal?!" He yelled, "I did what I could and I doubt you'd of done any better!"
Upstairs, in a corner, William cried, in pain from his loss and in fear of Rumple and Killian's fight. "Now, I am going to go and comfort the poor little child whom you've just traumatized, and you are going to sit here in the dirt amongst yer own kind!"
"Go on, then, snakeskin," he grumbled.
Uttering a sort of curse at him, Rumple marched on. William sat now under a desk in his tears, with a table cloth that hung over the front concealing him from the viewpoint of the stairs. "William, Dear?"
The boy was invisible, but not inaudible. Rumple tread carefully over, slowly lifting the cloth. He whimpered, hiding his face in his crossed arms.
"Dearie, you'll see her again, I promise." Rumple said softly.
"But I did see her! She said she would stay!" He sobbed.
"And she'll not break her promise." Rumple assured.
"Bring her back! Please bring her back!" He begged, gripping Rumple's jacket.
"I can't. Not here. Not right now."
"Why not? You did it outside..." The boy was now questioning him in calm confusion as he pointed up, at the window that sat above the desk.
"It took a lot, and it was only temporary." He explained. The boy sulked. "That was the price I warned you of."
"Oh," he said, with a sad realization.
Killian came up the stairs then. "Oi!"
"What?"
"What's going on up here?"
"I'm comforting a child," Rumple said. William went up to Killian and hugged him around his legs. Both men's hearts softened. Hook reached down and patted the boy on the back before the boy ran back to Rumple, gesturing to be held. He took him in his arms and held him tightly, stroking his hair. William laid his head on Rumple's shoulder. "Rest yer wee head, now," he said quietly. After several minutes, William fell asleep in Rumple's arms and he cradled him tenderly, as though he was his own child.
"There is a bedroom over there, if you want..." Killian said, pointing to an open door as he descended the stairs. The boy did not stir as Rumple laid him among the pillows. After half an hour, William woke to see Rumple pacing at his bedside.
He woke quietly and startled Rumple. "Mr. Rumpelstiltskin?"
"Mm? Yes, Dearie?"
"Hello," the boy smiled.
"Hello, William." Rumple smiled in return.
"Where is my stuffy?" he asked.
"Your doll, y'mean?" he asked. The boy nodded. "Where did you leave it?"
William paused, and then started trying to look under the bed.
"What does yer stuffy look like?"
"It's a teddy. It's purple."
"Ah. Does he have a name?" He smiled.
"His name's Tristan,"
"Well, I'll find him. Don't ye worry." Rumple assured him.
"Thank you, Mr., Rumpelstiltskin."
"You're very welcome- ah-ha!" he suddenly cheered in triumph. William took the doll happily in his arms. "He's missed ye!"
William nodded and extended his arm towards Rumple, gesturing for him to take it.
"Hmm?"
"He wants a magick hug," William said.
"Oh, I see," he mused, drawing Tristan to his chest. He handed him back, tucking him under the blanket. William cuddled Tristan and looked up to the window. Rumple hadn't realized that it was so late.
"Now, Dearie, you'd best go back to sleep."
He reluctantly but quickly fell into sleep once more. Rumple patted his head and then left him to his rest, finding Killian asleep on the sofa downstairs. He sat down at the first chair he found and cast his eyes to the dust-sheeted floor. Minutes later, in the midst of her aimless walking, the little girl wandered through the living room.
"y'know, Dearie- I never did get your name." he said.
"Audrey, sir," she yawned.
"Well, Miss Audrey, I bid thee good night."
"Goodnight, Mister..." She said quietly, walking up the stairs.
"Sleep well," he said, but she was already up the stairs and out of earshot. He leaned back in the chair and fell asleep. They all slept soundly that night, even Hook, who normally could not sleep without the ocean beneath him. Even Rumple, who purposefully would force himself not to sleep.