Reconnected

Rumpelstiltskin studied the ball for a moment during a pause in his cleaning process. He only went into Bae's room to clean and maintain his things. The rest of the time it remained locked. Bae himself remained missing, and any connection with him remained lost or otherwise inaccessible. Except for the first time, when he heard his boy call him Papa.

Papa. How he missed hearing that from his son.

Baelfire, he thought, fighting the tears. But they came unbidden, along with the rest of his thoughts. I want to hold you, and tell you everything's alright and the monster's gone. I want everything to be okay again.

He took a deep breath and wiped his cheeks dry. He couldn't leave, and even if he could, he wanted to be where his boy could find him.

OUAT

Morraine stopped the group on top of another ridge. Bae stepped up to her and stared. Stretching from the ground to some point in the sky that neither of them could see was a great beanstalk. Guarding the base were two women, one in armor and another in strange clothing. "I recognize those two," he said. "From the haven."

"Do you?" Morraine asked. "Do you think they can help us?"

"Well, that depends. They'd just as soon kill us as help us get to the other side, the world the curse created. They might not even want to, or know how."

"If they do?"

"I don't want to risk that just yet, personally. I want this to go right."

"Personal matter, I take it."

"I think I might be able to find my father again."

"Oh. Good luck."

"Thanks."

"I suppose what we do now depends on what makes you think we can find Rumpelstiltskin again."

"I felt him, and I think I heard him, too."

"How?"

"It was a connection, in the air. It was magic."

"It is a magic that links you to your father again, and I know for a fact he desperately wishes to see and hear from you. He made preparations for me to be able to protect and reach you in case I'm the one to find you."

"Was that the deal you made with him, to be able to see me so long as you were able to protect me?" Morraine nodded. "And what if I were to sufficiently prove that I could take care of myself?"

"He's your father, Bae. He'll still try to protect you."

"How many others have to die before he sees he needs to stop?"

"He might if you step between him and one he sees as threatening you. He might if he injures you."

"I might die by then, especially out here."

"Don't you have hope?"

"Yes, but I'm practical."

Morraine nodded. "A good thing to be, especially in these times. In this place."

"So you can tell. You can feel the danger in the air and on the land."

"Yes." Morraine exhaled. "Well, you don't trust the beanstalk, and I don't trust the rest of this world, so let's camp somewhere. Maybe if we relax, you might be able to reach your father again."

"I hope so." Together, they walked toward the forest. They settled in next to a tree in a spot that gave them a good view of the beanstalk without being seen. She leaned into him, and he didn't push her away.

OUAT

Rumpelstiltskin heard it again, in his sleep. "Papa?" Bae asked. Maybe he was just as unsure, or maybe Rumpelstiltskin was dreaming. But he felt the magic, so perhaps this was real.

"Bae?" he replied. "Bae, I'm right here. I know I don't seem like it, and I'm really a world away, but I am here."

"How is this possible? How are we doing this?"

"I'm not entirely sure, Bae."

"Papa, some people here are trying to find a way to Storybrooke."

"Why are you not with them? Or are you with them?"

"I'm not. I don't know what they want, and if it's something I don't want to be involved with, I don't want to get all caught up in it, you know?"

"I know."

"Papa...you're not going to let me go this time, are you?"

"Of course not, Bae."

"Do you...do you think this connection we somehow figured out will help us find each other again?"

"I hope so." Rumpelstiltskin swallowed. "I just wanna see you again, Bae. I want you to know that everything's going to be okay."

"I know you cast the curse."

"I did."

"Why?"

"I thought you came here, to a land without magic, like the fairy said. Surely she wouldn't lie to you, would she?"

"Promise me you won't kill anyone."

"Bae..."

"Just promise me that. That's all I ask. Don't kill anyone."

Rumpelstiltskin nodded. "I won't, Bae. You have my word."

"I'll hold you to that."

"I know you will."

"She lied to me, but I haven't figured out why yet. Unless she wanted you to destroy the Enchanted Forest, but that was her home, just as it was ours, so why would she want that?"

"That's...that's a good question. I don't know the answer to that one."

"I don't think about it too much. I don't think much about anything connected to Neverland."

"I understand."

"Papa," Bae said after a moment, "I don't know how this connection works, not very well, but I'm glad you're here to share it with me."

"Me, too, Bae. I missed you so, so much, and I'm...I'm so sorry."

"You're here now, and somehow, we'll fix this. I know it."

Rumpelstiltskin smiled.