Granny came over with a tray of remaining sundaes and when she placed Zelena's down in front of her, the young girl's eyes lit up. They were a beautiful shade of emerald green, Belle observed, thinking about how beautiful she was. And she knew her daughter would grow up to be a stunning young woman as well. Her daughter. It was almost unreal to even think, let alone say.
The little baby inside her moved just then, and she placed her hand on the swell of her stomach.
"Kicking?" Rumple asked, placed his hand on her belly as well. A big thump came to knock his hand away. "Wow that was some kick."
"I'll say," Belle said, rubbing the spot that had been kicked. "Do you think this baby will be born with powers too? How would we be able to handle a newborn with powers?" she asked with a serious expression.
"I wish I could tell you but I just don't know. I don't think any of the other Dark Ones ever had children so there's just no way to know. Zelena we know for sure has powers, she's pretty strong. But then again, she came from two parents with some sort of magical ability and that could be why. We will just have to wait and see."
Belle nodded her head, looking over at Zelena whose face was now full of ice cream. "Are you enjoying your treat, my sweet girl?" Zelena looked up for a moment and nodded her head. "Make sure and use a napkin, please," Belle added.
Regina walked in a short time later and sat down at the bar, clearly engrossed in the spell book she had brought with her.
"I wonder if she found anything. Too bad we can't ask the person who did this. I would like to remember the year we lost," Snow spoke, looking over at Regina's form and then back at the table.
"I do too. It feels so wrong to not remember this baby or any bit of our life in the Enchanted Forest. It's odd. So very odd," Belle agreed. "I was thinking of stopping by the library later or maybe even tomorrow to see if I can find anything."
"It probably couldn't hurt," Regina said aloud, turning in her seat to face them. "I'm at a loss here. I haven't been able to find anything in any of my spell books. Perhaps this curse is not in any of them. Maybe it's still in the Enchanted Forest."
Rumple walked a few steps closer to Regina. "Are you saying we might have to go back in order to retrieve it?" he asked.
Regina shrugged her shoulders. "I think that is premature right now. I can keep going over what I have and the bookworm can take over the library. Maybe one of us will find something to go on; even just a small clue might help. I'm just going to grab a quick bite to eat and then head back to my vault. I'll let you know if I find anything."
Ruby walked over to the booth, with a bag of items in her hands. "Granny said to bring these to you. Some clothes and toys and such for Zelena. I think they were mine honestly. Something to at least get you started." She placed the bag on the ground next to them and headed over to take Regina's order.
"Toys?" Zelena perked up at the sound of that. "Can I see?"
"When we get home, we will go through it together. Finish your ice cream, please," Belle answered.
Zelena pouted a bit but continued to eat her ice cream, which was quickly resembling soup. When she was finally finished, she pushed the bowl away from her and said, "All done. Go home?" She was a smart girl and Belle knew she was going to have her hands full with her.
"I think that sounds like a good idea, come here sweetie," Rumple held out his arms and Zelena nearly jumped into them. He tickled her tummy and gave her a kiss on her cheek.
"Papa! Stop!" Zelena yelled out, all the while giggling. Rumple put her down and she started running for the door.
"Meet you outside?" he said, throwing a glance at Belle before grabbing the bag from Granny and dashing off after the toddler.
"I can't help but like this new side to the Dark One," Charming replied, putting an arm around snow. "Who would have thought?"
"He's not all bad. There are some good parts too. Fatherhood is bringing out a whole new side which I can't help but love. I just worry this is happening all too quickly. I became a mother overnight, literally. What if I'm not cut out for this? What if we're not cut out for this?" Belle asked.
Granny chuckled, clearing up the bowls of ice cream. "You are going to do a great job. Parenthood is scary and crazy and nerve-wracking but it is also very rewarding. It feels like only yesterday mine were so young. I was scared out of my mind but you learn as you go. Granted I didn't have a daughter with super powers either." Granny patted Belle on the shoulder. "You'll be just fine," she added.
Belle nodded but she still wasn't completely convinced. Women usually had at least the length of a pregnancy to prepare for motherhood and she had less than a day. Everything was happening so quickly. Rumple seemed to be embracing being a father much more than she could ever dream. Would it last though, she wondered.
She said her goodbyes and hurried to catch up with her husband and daughter, who were halfway to the pawn shop before she reached them.
Rumple could see in her face that something wasn't quite right. "Belle?" he asked, stopping in his tracks.
"I'm fine, Rumple. Let's get her inside and settled," Belle lied through her teeth but she really couldn't tell him of all her doubts after she had agreed to all of this.
"Now I have known you for far too long to know when you're lying. You can tell me anything, you know that," he studied her face, trying to get some sort of answer.
Belle nodded her head. "Ok. We can talk but let's go inside first. We should get Zelena settled in."
The family walked into the pawn shop and Belle shut the door behind them. Zelena was pawing at the bag in her father's arms. "Open! Open!" she exclaimed. Rumple opened the bag and took out a few small dolls and handed them to her.
"Why don't you go play with those over in the corner so Mama and Papa can talk?" Rumple suggested, making a clear space in the back of the store for her to play. Zelena rushed over with her dolls and sat, legs crossed on the floor.
Belle started taking the other items out of the bag, when Rumple placed his hand on hers and she stopped. He picked up the bag and placed it on the counter and took Belle by her hands and led her into the bedroom and over to the bed. The two sat down and Rumple looked at Belle. He could see she was upset over something but he just couldn't understand what it could be.
"You can tell me anything, you know that. What's troubling you?" Rumple asked her.
"This. All of this. You can honestly say you're perfectly ok with all that has happened?" Belle blurted out. Maybe she had said too much all at once and she looked to her husband for a response.
Rumple looked a bit taken aback for a moment and collected his thoughts before he spoke. "You're worried about Zelena?"
"I'm worried about being a good mother. I didn't have any time to prepare for this and now suddenly, I'm about to have two children. I know I said I was up for it. I just worry I'm not enough for them. Zelena has these powers and she is going to be solely dependent on you and Regina to help her with those. She won't need me. And if this baby is anything like her, I feel like….." and she trailed off, unsure of what to say next.
Rumple wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her slightly. "Feel like what my love?" he asked, willing her to continue.
"Feel like I won't be needed," Belle finished her thought.
"Oh my dear girl, you will be and are most definitely needed. I'm scared to death. For the first time in all my years, I can honestly say, I'm scared beyond anything I have ever encountered," Rumple admitted. "Belle, I can't do this alone. I don't even know if I'm doing it right. I'm trying to summon what a father should be from what I've observed with others. I never really got a real chance to be a father and not to such young children. I didn't get much time with Bae as a baby and when I finally did get to try and be a father to him, I was already the Dark One. This is all so new to me and I am worried I won't be a good father. Zelena deserves so much more. This baby deserves so much more."
Belle kissed his lips, smiling as she pulled back. "Zelena and our baby have an amazing father. They do not deserve more. They deserve a present and loving father who would do anything for them. They have that. You are doing this right. Granny said we will learn as we go. I'm willing to try if you are. We'll be there for each other. I'm scared too Rumple. I worry that with me being powerless I might just disappear into the background."
"That will never happen. I need you right there next to me. I need your help, Belle. Everything will work out, I promise. I will be the father Bae deserved and needed to these children. I can't make up much with him, but I can prove it to you and to Zelena and our little baby that I am what they need their father to be." Rumple kissed her lips and held her in his arms for a little longer before a crash brought them both back to reality.
"Oops!" they heard Zelena cry out.
Rumple and Belle rushed back to the shop to find a few piles of what looked like rubble and drywall. They peered up, where the sun was now peeking through at them from the roof.
"I sorry. I try to make dolly fly," Zelena tried to explain.
"It's ok, sweetie, but why don't you move back by Mama so Papa can fix this," Rumple told her. She nodded her head and took her dolly, running to Belle and holding on her leg.
"I really sorry," she said again.
Belle bent down so she was at the same eye level as her daughter. "Accidents happen but the good thing is, they can be fixed. Your Papa is going to make it all good as new. Watch."
The girls watched as Rumple waved his arms in front of the mess and as if it were being rewound, the pile of dirt and rubble and drywall disappeared back into the hole in the ceiling until it was completely fixed and no one could tell a giant, gaping hole had been there only a few moments before.
Zelena, clearly impressed, started clapping her hands. "Teach me that!"
Rumple chuckled, "All in good time, little one. I think it's time to start settling in for bed."
"But it's still sunny out!" Zelena whined.
"It won't be for much longer, and you have already had a very busy day. Tomorrow you can come to the library with me and explore," Belle told her, lifting her up. "An adventure, just the two of us. Would you like that?"
Zelena nodded and lay her head on Belle's shoulder, nuzzling her neck. She let out one big yawn as did Belle.
"I think it might be bedtime for everyone," Rumple said, leading them all to the bedroom. He put house hunting on his agenda. The three of them barely fit in there and they would need much more space with a newborn arriving in the next few months.