A/N : Sorry this part took so long! I was traveling a lot and wow September snuck by, but yay for new Once! As always thank you so much for all the reviews and story alerts, who's ready to see the Hatter?
"You're all late for tea" Jefferson said opening the door with slight smirk on his face. Jefferson was clad in a black vest layered on top of a red and purple shirt and a back ascot, accompanied by a pair of dark trousers. He was the only one that could match Mr. Gold's style in Storybrooke. The eccentric man motioned for them to join him in his living room, where in fact it was tea time.
Grace sat on the floor near the coffee table she looked up with a smile at the company. She beamed in a little flower dress with blue ribbons in her sandy blonde hair. She began to pour tea into five cups that sat on the table.
Belle's head tilted to the side, and her eyebrow rose looking at Jefferson "you were waiting for us?"
The hatter leaned in close to Belle and whispered "Little cell mate I see everything." He then turned his attention to Baelfire. "What do we have here?"
"I'm Baelfire" he acknowledged Jefferson and stepped forward.
Jefferson seemed to be sizing him up a moment. "My name is Jefferson, at your service" he gave a tilt of his head and a mid curtsy.
"He is my son." Mr. Gold said a bit perturbed with Jefferson's attitude. He did release Belle from the cell in the hospital though so that gave him a little ground to stand on. "We are here to see about getting back to where we came from."
"You brought the magic back, why don't you use your power, jump through one of your magic wells" Jefferson looked up from his spot across from Grace.
Mr. Gold replied "you know it's not that easy, that's why I came to make a deal."
"I have my daughter. There is nothing you can offer me" he said sipping at his tea "needs more sugar"
Belle placed the large paper bag on the other side of the table opposite of the tea set. She gently pulled the large fluffy white rabbit out of the bag.
Grace's eyes lit up like Christmas morning. "Father, it's my bunny"
"Nothing?" Mr. Gold's lip crinkled up. "Never underestimate someone who is acting for their child. You should know that. You take us to the realm we seek and she gets the rabbit." Grace had been eying that animal in his store for as long as he can remember. He knew sooner or later it would come in handy like most things in his shop they all held value on the other side.
"Fine, give her the rabbit, but I'm only taking you as far as the chasm of doors. I'm not going to risk my daughter for your son" Jefferson said watching his little girl pour the bunny a cup of tea.
Mr. Gold stuck out his hand and shook Jefferson's "Deal." In truth he was happy Jefferson would not be tagging along. He was accustom to working alone but yearned for the time with his son and Belle.
No sooner had they make good on the deal there was a tap at the door. Their stood Ruby and Nova. Jefferson opened the door "friends of yours?" he asked looking over at Mr. Gold as the two young women made their way into the house. Mr. Gold got up and walked over to them.
"We came to stop you" Astrid, the brunette fairy nun, with a humble smile on her face, got right to the point.
Ruby, in her diner uniform, red brunette long pony tail waving as she shook her head, not agreeing with Astrid's words. She had a plan of her own. "Astrid didn't mean that. Let me go with you"
"It's too dangerous" Astrid butted in.
Ruby countered again, looking over at the fairy and then back at Mr. Gold and Jefferson "Henry told us what you were going to do, I know the woods. Wild things are still out there, what better companion than me?" She was itching to get out of Storybrooke and she would do anything to try and help her friend.
Baelfire got up off his spot near the coffee table and walked over to the door. "Thanks Ruby, but this is my fault. I'm going to make this right"
A small smile crept across Mr. Gold's face. He didn't want to be stuck in the woods with a wolf, and grateful that his son took control of the situation deterring the wolf away from their quest.
"If you must go it will be dark you'll need something to light your way" Astrid said holding a white candle out towards Baelfire.
"A candle?" Baelfire questioned the fairy nun.
Astrid nodded, "Magic, it won't fight off ogres or trolls but its light is true and pure like you are"
He held the candle tight in his hands. "What about Ghorm?"
Astrid shook her head "I'm sorry Baelfire, this is all the help we can give you" a grim little expression hung on her face. She dreamed of happier days but in this reality it seemed that was not an option for some.
"Thank you, both" Baelfire said leading them back to the door. "Please watch after her"
Astrid nodded in agreement "the best care, Regina won't dare try anything else, not now when the whole town is guarding her"
Ruby gave him a small hug "careful in the woods" she said before walking out the door a bit wounded she was not able to make the trip with them. The two heroines left unsuccessful in their trip.
Hat in his hands Jefferson returned to the coffee table to attend to his daughter.
"Son, are you sure you want to go through with this? The swan princess can be very alluring..." Mr. Gold paused and looked his son in the eye "True love is a great magic of its own, are you willing to test that power?"
Baelfire looked down at the candle and back at his father. "Henry's book is filled with stories of great adventure. I've traveled, but nothing so worthy to be written down on a piece of paper. I thought I wasn't worthy of it"
Mr. Gold pulled the dagger out from a pocket in his wool duster. "You are worth 1000 stories my Bae" he held it up to the light, his name glistened, the dagger calling to the Dark One. He slid the dagger back into his coat quickly before Jefferson saw. "Happens your story will involve a silly little flower" his lip tilted up with a slight smirk.
Belle put down the tea cup and walked over to the two men standing by the door. Her touch was light and gentle placing her hand on Mr. Gold's shoulder. "I think we are about ready to go"
Mr. Gold turned to Belle "you are staying here" he said placing his hands in hers looking her straight in the face.
"No, I just found you" Belle's small smile formed into a frown.
"You heard what the fae said, wild things still out there, I can't risk you, both of you" he said stepping closer to her.
Belle's lip quivered as she thought about losing him again "I know you have to do this"
Gold brushed his nose against Belle's. His hands on her ivory face tracing every dimple. Maple hair mixed with sandy gray as Gold lightly pressed his forehead against hers. This was goodbye. If this was the last time he'd see his Belle he wanted her to know once in for all how important she was in his life. He whispered everything to her, poured his empty heart out to her. In his lonely life, after he lost Bae, he made countless deals all to benefit himself in the end. The deal he made with King Maurice had been his favorite of all. It had made him feel alive having Belle at the Dark Castle, and broke him when she left. He did not want to leave with an empty heart and chipped cup. Gold was going to do what he was unable to do in the other world. His lips moved closer to Belle's luscious peach lips.
Belle put a hand over his lips. "No" she spoke sternly stopping him from true love's kiss. "If you kiss me and lose your powers now then you'll be helpless in our world. This world needs its sorcerer imp. This town needs you right now; he needs you, and I need you, as you are. I understand that now." Belle pulled away from him. If love was a layered mystery then this was the bottom layer. "I love you, Rumplestiltskin. I'll wait for you." This was the only kind of goodbye she wanted to give the man that saved her.
Mr. Gold, anguish in his face, released Belle, possibly forever. "I love you, Belle" there was nothing more to say. They said goodbye and if he were to never return he could die happy knowing she really did love him.
Belle took a few steps over to where Bae waited. She embraced him in a kind hug. "I love you too Baelfire, from the moment I found out about you." Bae was not hers and in fact looked older than her but she loved him like a son anyway. She felt this way since the Dark Castle. Rumple never talked about his mother to her but she guessed it was not a happy parting. Part of her soul wanted to make up for whatever maternal time he had lost. "Please keep him close, he'll be a different person over there, and don't be afraid of his magic, it's for you"
"I will keep him close, but the magic is still cursed" Baelfire agreed with her, no one human had showed him more compassion in his life more than Belle. "You're the nicest step-mother I know" he smirked as she wiped tears from her eyes.
"Time to go" Jefferson said, hat in hand.
Gold was still a little weary of leaving Belle alone with him, it was only her reassurance that he was on their side that lead himself to trust the hatter
The three adults followed behind Grace as she followed her father into what he called the hat room.
Grace hugged her father, he had promised he'd come back this time, and the little girl hoped he'd keep his word as she let go of him and back up to stand by Belle.
Jefferson tightened his grip on the hat standing in the middle of the room now "You may want to take a step back." He gave the hat a hard spin and set it on the ground. The hat swirled with colors of black and purple smoke rising into the air. The void opened widely.
Mr. Gold held his hand out to his son. "I won't let go this time"
Baelfire gripped his father's hand in his as the two jumped into the void. Jefferson jumped in after them taking the magic of the hat with him.
The three were dispersed in the middle of the large room of doors.
Baelfire stood in amazement of the doors. He stood taking the doors in until one green door caught his eye. Swift steps took him past Neverland and Narnia to stand before the emerald green door.
Mr. Gold let out a mischievous laugh. "Regina thought she destroyed everything, but it's all still here. She said nothing was left of our land, but I knew better."
"She only destroyed one world" Jefferson said a deep remorse in his voice as he glanced towards the once mirrored door of Wonderland. Ash and shattered glass were all that was left to the entrance of that land. Only Jefferson knew the horror Regina had plagued on Wonderland after Cora, the Queen of Hearts, sought to retrieve magic from her daughter. He walked towards the Fairyland door. "Here is home." The door to their home realm was carved from the first enchanted tree, green ivy branches twisting around the edges and on top the inscription Happily Ever After..
Baelfire raced his fingers over the door to Oz. The emerald blazed gleamed with light under his finger tips. He made a plan then, first he would get Emma back, and then he would take his Dorothy to ask the Wizard to cure his father. A hand came in front of his face. He blinked; the magic of Oz had entrapped him. He turned looking at his father.
"Destiny waits. No potion can bring back true love but maybe this little plant of Regina's will work." Mr. Gold said walking towards the door with Baelfire.
"This is where my path leaves you, just remember two in, two out, if something happens to one of you the other will be trapped forever. I'll be back at dusk every day to check for you" Jefferson said hat in hand ready to go back to Storybrooke. "Find the enchanted tree it will send you back here, good luck"
Baelfire placed his and on the door and opened it. His father was right behind him as the vortex opened and they were transported into the fairytale land.