Author's note: I do not own Once Upon a Time as usual or anything else I quote. Thank you all again for the awesome reviews and more story alerts. We are now coming to the meat of the story, get your tissue boxes out the drama is about to hit the fan hard core in the next few chapters. Enjoy!

Fairytale land a long time ago...

Belle sat next to Rumplestiltskin at his spinning wheel. She was a very curious creature and would spend her time asking him questions when not reading or cleaning. Many of these questions he would just shrug off giving her a silly little answer and then giving a little crazy laugh. Today she sat on the stool next to the spinning wheel humming along with the quiet rhythm of the wheel and mending one of Rumple's shirts. She put the needle down and looked over at the man watching his wheel.

"Rumple?" She asked his name in a soft tone not to as disturb him.

"Hmm?" he answered as he kept turning the wheel.

"Is there anything that can hurt you?" Belle asked in all seriousness now.

Rumple stopped spinning and looked at her, his golden eyes wide with excitement now. "Trying to get rid of me" he shook his finger at her "you are stuck here forever Dearie, you won't be able to"

"Why not? What is it you fear? I know you have great power, what is it? A witch? A dragon?" Belle asked wondering

He gave a little laugh again; her thinking he was afraid of a dragon was almost cute. "A shiny pointy thing hidden deep in the forest"

"What if someone finds it?" Belle asked wondering what would happen.

"No one in this world knows about it now, just you and me" he said very sadly as if he was missing someone "so if you ever come at me I'll turn you into a newt" he added cleverly.

Belle gave him her doe eyed held tilt and added "you wouldn't dare, there'd be no one to mend your shirts or make your tea"

"I'd get another girl" Rumple shrugged and added with a smile "maybe one that doesn't break my tea cups"

"You lie, I know good and well there as a deep layer of dust on everything before I got here. The place has never sparkled like it does with me here." Belle said pretty proud of herself for cleaning the place up.

Rumplestiltskin went back to spinning his wheel. "It is disgustingly clean" he said with a smile.

That was that, the world was the same, except for the dagger in the back of Belle's mind and wondering if it was a child or someone else Rumple talked sadly about. She made a mental note to ask him later about the small clothes in one of the west wing rooms.

Laughter could be heard down the hallway as Baelfire followed the sound to the study. He saw Belle and his father caught up in a round of hearts. It was odd watching them; they almost looked as if they really belonged in this world. Instead of him being Rumplestiltskin and her being a tortured princess they were just a happy couple on a Tuesday night playing cards.

"You better stop loosing you still owe me ice cream from last time" Belle said with a smile on her face putting down a card.

Baelfire watched them for a moment entrained by the smiles on both their faces.

"Bae, join us" Gold said seeing him at the doorway. He waved his son over to the table.

Baelfire walked over to them slowly still holding the book in his hand.

"How was the diner?" Belle asked with a smile wondering if his non-date with Emma and Henry went swimmingly.

Baelfire nodded "It was good. Emma seems like a great sheriff and I like Henry. I think we've got a lot in common being lost sons and all."

Belle smiled hearing his tone when he said Emma's name especially.

"He's an amazing young lad. Now join us please, Bae. I can't stand to lose another round to her" Gold said patting the chair next to him at the small card table.

I actually came to talk "Baelfire said as Belle picked up the cards. He sat down in the chair across from his father.

"I can take a hint" Belle said getting up she walked over to Gold and whispered something into his ear and his face turns grim.

"I'm well aware of that Dearie" Mr. Gold nodded as Belle left his side.

Belle looked down at Baelfire before leaving "be kind to him Bae he just lost three rounds" she said with a small smile leaving the two to talk. She closed the door and leaned against it a moment afraid of the outcome.

"I see you have Henry's book." Gold said as Bae put the book down on the table.

"Yeah, seems like you were busy, how much of it am I suppose to believe?" Baelfire asked wondering just want stories were true.

"Hard to say what is in that book, no one knows who wrote it." He said wishing he had the power to find out. It was nothing more than trouble for him. "I hope you make your own judgment son, you always have"

"It's amazing you look like your old self and sound like your old self but I know that evil darkness is still in you" Baelfire said closing the book.

Gold did not know how much his son really knew but knew Bae as a threat and at the same time Bae was a piece of his missing heart.

"Papa what did Belle tell you?" Baelfire wondered just want the princess whispered in his ear.

"She's afraid. She knows my fate. She knows about the dagger and about the power it possesses. And if you are here then that might mean my time here is up." Gold said with a deep sigh.

"Then why'd she tell me about your cabin? Why give your secret away?" Baelfire almost screamed angry at Belle and angry at his father for making him have such a deep burden to bear.

"Because she is a foolish girl who thinks that you'll find a cure for your dear father before you have to use that rusty old dagger" Gold said keeping his cool sounding at that moment moment more like Rumplestiltskin.

"Do you love me? Do you love her?" Baelfire asked. He didn't need Regina or anyone else to tell him the most powerful magic was love, something harder to master than any water spell.

"Yes, of course I do son" Gold said touching his hand to the man's knee cautiously.

Baelfire stood up and took the book "then it doesn't have to be like this, you can give your power up!"

"I cannot! Not while Regina still has her powers. Not while people are after me! Magic is power" Gold said standing up and staring his son down.

Baelfire gave a small huff and walked to the door. He turned and looked at his father "you are still the coward, if you just kiss the girl papa we could be a family again" he said before leaving his father there alone.

From down the hallway in the library Belle heard Baelfire's last words. A small tear escaped her eye and rolled down her face. The words echoed in her head like a bad song…

Kiss the girl.