So here it is! The Doctor Who x OUAT fic inspired by Witch Nova's In The Arms of An Angel (which you should give a read if you haven't done so). This takes place right after Season 4A and Rumple never got to New York, let alone talk to Ursula and Cruella. I'll be taking prompts for the adventures with the Doctor and Clara, as well as flashbacks of previous Doctors and companions with regards to Rumple.

Chapter 1

He didn't know how long he sat there just gazing out beyond the townline. He didn't know how long it was before the tears on his face finally dried. He didn't know how long until he decided to stand and still gaze ahead. He didn't know how long he hoped to see her. He didn't know when hoping to see her changed to just seeing anyone, any trace of another human being in the cold and dark place he was in. He didn't know how long he stood there with his hands in his empty pockets...not knowing what he was going to do now.

He just stared ahead.

It was empty and silent. It was cold and grey. It was nothing.

Basically, he thought to himself, his existence to the person he cared about...who no longer cared about him, who he pushed away in the effort of trying to protect.

Was it better this way? The darkness was taking over his heart...maybe it was better to live in a Land Without Magic, to spare her and his grandson the suffering of seeing someone devoured by the Darkness killing everyone. Maybe it was better for him to wither away where no one really cared about him.

What was the point anyway? She hated him. His grandson never got to know him. His son…

He spent his life trying to find a way to reunite with his boy and he did so...only to lose him again to death. Was that the end then? He's done what he wanted. He found Baelfire again...even for that short while. He found him again and they managed a few hours at the least... was it time to finally just say goodbye to the world and reunite with Bae again?

A few hours ago, he would have sneered at the idea. But a few hours ago, he had something to live for. Now, he had nothing just as he saw nothing in his future.

What was there for him?

Rumplestiltskin sighed. Whatever was going to happen to him, he couldn't just stand there at the townline and wait for it to happen. He had some cash in his wallet, thank heavens for the cursed being thorough. He wasn't sure if the credit cards would work as well but he could survive on a couple of hundreds for the next few days.

But after that?

Did he really care what would happen to him? No...but he did care why it was happening to him.

Fine, he was a villain. It could be because of the Darkness or whatever other reason...but just because he was a villain does it always mean that he couldn't get his happy ending? Or that any villain out there won't unless they bat for the heroes' side?

It was too perfect of a timing for him to have seen the Hat while he was just about to begin a new life with Belle...not that he blamed that one singular moment for his own predicament. But if that instance had never occurred...well maybe he and Belle would still be in marital bliss and his grandson would really be working in the shop to get to know him.

Villains never got happy endings. It was something he told his father before but someone out there had turned it into a rule and Rumpelstiltskin had an inkling who could explain all that to him.

His decisions were his own, Rumplestiltskin accepted that. But was it really fair when the entire world is conspiring for you to do evil things when you try so hard to be a better man for the people you love?

If he was going to die very soon, the world at least owed him a few answers. Answers that were back in Storybrooke. And if he needed to return to Storybrooke, he knew just the people who he could talk into helping him, maybe even help them find their own happy endings.

Decision made, Rumplestiltskin turned only to find himself falling back down to the ground, hard as pain seared through his right leg. Rumple cursed under his breath. Yes of course...another painful reminder of what a pathetic man he was. He was back to being a cripple, coward, useless, nothing of a man who nobody loves or cares about.

Well he wouldn't be able to get anywhere without at least a stick to help him.

Rumple managed to limp his way to the edge of the road, where the forest began. He would most probably get himself lost so he undid his tie and looped it around a low branch just to mark where he had started. Surely a sturdy fallen branch would suffice for a walking stick for the time being until he could get to the next town.

From his trip to New York with Emma and Henry, he could remember a gas station a few miles ahead. He could manage that even with his limp but he still needed something to keep his balance.

Making his way slowly on the uneven forest grounds, he tried to look for any resemblance of a walking stick, like the one he used back before he became the Dark One. Like the one he had used in the Frontlands. Ironically enough, that stick was somewhere back in the Dark Castle and was actually a key to a hiding place of some important magical objects and personal belongings that he had held dear.

"Oh what I would give to have that psychic paper now to call for help," Rumple thought as he continued to look for anything that could help him walk. The trick was also finding a long enough branch that would resemble a walking stick. Sure he wasn't that tall of a man, but finding a stick that's about 4 to 5 feet long and easy enough to hold was difficult.

And of course it just had to start raining.

Rumple sighed in defeat. He was getting drenched. He needed to find shelter. But in order to find shelter, he needed to walk. For him to walk, he needed any stick to help him keep balance.

With no other option, Rumple continued his endeavor. Unfortunately by this time, he had gone further than he had expected and was now standing on a particular downward slope of the forest grounds. He leaned slightly forward and grimaced. Even if he did find a makeshift walking stick, he wouldn't be able to climb back up by himself.

Maybe he could look on the other side of the road...it was that or try circling back to the parts he hadn't covered...which was pretty much the rest of the entire forest outside the townline.

Resigning to his fate, he turned to head back to the road and cross to the other side when his leg chose that moment to give underneath him. Combining that with the already slippery ground due to the rain and the fact he was standing on the edge of a downhill slope of the forest grounds, he fell.

Unceremoniously like how Belle did back in the Dark Castle and he caught her...this time Rumple knew for a fact that the only thing that would be stopping his fall was the painfully hard ground. Maybe with any luck, this could put him out of his misery…

"Rumple!"

There was someone there. A woman's voice. Rumple tried to move his head to see who it was but it was at that moment that his shoulder hit the ground and he rolled all the way down…

And everything went black.

"Well that was new," said Clara as the Doctor closed the TARDIS doors behind them. "Running away from people who actually wanted to talk you instead of kill you, I think it's safe to say that we have done everything."

"What about running away from creatures wanting to give you food or worship you or write a story about you,' fired the Doctor one after the other much to Clara's glare. "Yeah, we still have a long way to go to do everything."

Clara continued to glare and the Doctor studied her face for a second before moving to stand beside her around the TARDIS console. "You didn't mean it literally."

"I didn't." Came the reply accompanied by a bright smile. "I'm glad you're learning."

"If you didn't mean it literally you should have said so in the first place," argued the Doctor much to Clara's amusement. She rolled her eyes and followed the man circling around and pushing buttons across the console. "I mean, if you tell a joke, you open with 'I have a joke' right?"

"Doesn't that defeat the purpose though?" asked Clara, smiling at one of their pointless but very heated discussions about most anything in the known universe.

"Well…" began the Doctor and Clara's heart leaped as she saw a resemblance of the previous Doctor in that one word. Well in all honesty, she saw her previous Doctor and the other skinny Doctor who wore a suit and sneakers. Sometimes with his mannerism, the Doctor could channel his previous selves and it was reassuring that he was the same man. Just a bit more intense and more Scottish.

They were jolted out of their thoughts when the TARDIS shook. It was not unusual for the TARDIS to suddenly take off and land somewhere on her own. Usually it was when something was wrong or when someone needed help.

The Doctor immediately grabbed the screen to determine where they were landing and his brow furrowed in curiosity. "America, State of Maine. 21st century. Why are we here?" He addressed the last question to the TARDIS as he looked up just in time to see the time column stop its movement.

"One way to find out," said Clara and the Doctor turned just in time to see his companion open the doors and rush out. He made to shout for her to wait but he shook his head and raced after her.

"It's raining," called back Clara as she slowly traveled into the forest. The Doctor looked around. Sure enough, they were in a rainy rainforest. The oun could have been better if said out loud but his companion was moving ahead and he needed to make sure she was alright.

"Now what could possibly be in 21st century America that the TARDIS wanted us to take a look at," said the Doctor as he followed behind Clara. "Besides the surprise the trees still do exist in the planet."

"Not funny," came the reply as Clara turned to glare at him. But as she turned to watch where she was stepping, she caught site of a figure up ahead...well more of up ahead of them but standing on higher ground that they were. She was about to ask the Doctor if he could see the figure as well when she caught site of the familiar face and brown eyes. Brown eyes that showed terror as the figure slipped on where he was standing and fell.

"Rumple!" called Clara as she ran and the sorcerer rolled down and finally landing to their level of the forest. She could hear the Doctor following her as they tried to get to their hopefully not injured friend but as Clara finally arrived, she knew that was not the case. "Rumple! Come on, open your eyes."

Rumple had landed on his side and Clara gently turned him to lay on his back just as the Doctor knelt beside them. Rumple had a nasty wound on his temple which was bleeding and Clara scrambled to find anything to stop it. She finally found Rumple's already drenched handkerchief and placed it on top of the wound. Not getting any response from the man, worried Clara.

"Storybrooke must be nearby," said the Doctor as he scanned the man with his sonic screwdriver. "He has no magic here. Come on, let's get him to the TARDIS quickly."

Clara immediately discarded the blood soaked cloth away and helped the Doctor carry Rumple back to the TARDIS.

"Why is he outside Storybrooke then?" asked Clara as she remembered the bits of information Rumple had shared with when he had first awoken and had called the TARDIS to inform the Doctor that he had arrived in the Land Without Magic.

"I don't think it's by his choice, Clara," replied the Doctor gravely and Clara turned to him in surprise. "He doesn't have the dagger. I'll bet he was commanded to leave and not return."

Anger flared up inside her, but Clara knew where she was needed most and it was getting Rumple back to the safe environment of the TARDIS.

"He's soaking," said Clara as they tried to hurry back to the TARDIS. "He could have been standing here for hours in the rain."

"This is Rumplestiltskin we're talking about," the Doctor tried to reassure her but he himself was very worried. Without access to magic, Rumple was still a man with a limp who has been in the forest under the rain for who knows how long. By the wet clothing that was sticking to the Doctor's side as he carried his friend, it was a long time.

They finally arrived back to the TARDIS and the Doctor was thankful that she had rearranged the rooms once again so that the infirmary was right next to the control room.

"Clara shut the door so we can stay in the Time Vortex for a while," asked the Doctor as he scanned Rumple again with the sonic. "Hang on, old friend. Just, hang on."

If you're reading this, then it means I have pushed you away.

I really wanted to change for you Belle. To be the man and not the beast. But Zelena killed Baelfire and I couldn't...I couldn't stop thinking about what she had done and I just had to take matters into my own hands.

I don't blame you for leaving. I'm a broken man, shattered now after what has happened with Zelena and the dagger. I guess it was only a matter of time before I totally lose myself. I had control for so long and was so desperate to keep it that it turned and became my own undoing. I spent years making sure the Darkness didn't have control over me...but all that was wasted when Zelena had the dagger. The dagger controlled the Darkness and the Darkness controlled me and I was powerless to stop it from consuming the piece of my own soul I managed to retain when I took on the curse.

The Darkness...it's slowly taking over now and I doubt whether there was enough of the soul of the spinner to salvage in the already black heart that was inside my chest.

I hope you find your happy ending Belle. I'm sorry you wasted your time with me. I'm sorry I dragged you into my own mess. I'm sorry I almost turned you into a villain. You deserve a far better true love than that.

Goodbye.

Belle stared at the last word, eyes already spilling the tears she thought she no longer had after crying for hours the previous night. But finding the letter inside the shop was not a surprise, Belle actually hoped that Rumple had found a way back into Storybrooke and would apologize and...well would do anything to get back to Belle's good side.

And Belle would do so, she would forgive him but she wouldn't forget what happened but they'd work through it. She loves him and as she pointed out to him before, he was worth fighting for.

I'm a broken man.

Those words made Belle feel sick. Rumple wasn't very open about the things that happened to him after he had killed his father. She had an idea though due to the few days they had spent the night in the same room together. There were a couple of times that Belle woke up to find Rumple in the middle of a nightmare…

He of course brushed it aside as though it was nothing...Belle couldn't help but kick herself now for letting it go. She should have been seen that things weren't perfect and that there was something that Rumple was dealing with. But she was too caught with being married and being in that happy bubble she surrounded herself with that she knew her husband didn't want to ruin that by opening up his problems.

But they were married...he should have told her and she could have helped. Just as much as she should have asked for an explanation instead of just making him leave town.

Broken man...what had happened to Rumple? It was a question the she had been asking herself ever since she was informed of the possibility of him being alive. And then when she saw him with Zelena during her and Regina's confrontation...it was clear that Zelena didn't much care about taking care of someone she would consider a slave.

Mind made up, she texted David and Emma if she could talk to them at the station and they agreed quickly.

Belle wasted no time in getting to the station and was not surprised to see Killian there as well.

"What is it Belle?" asked Emma. Belle had already told them what had happened the previous night and frankly Emma and the rest were a bit relieved that she had banished Rumple.

"I just needed to know," began Belle, holding the letter tightly to her chest. "When you found Rumple back in the forest, before Neil…" she stopped and swallowed just as Emma bowed her head. Those memories were still painful for both of them, but Belle had to act quickly. "Did it look like he was tortured?"

Emma sharply lifted her head and eyed Belle, she hesitantly turned to David who only sighed. "To be honest Belle," began David, moving to stand beside her. "Yes, it looked like he was."

"Yes, well it still doesn't excuse what he has done," voiced out Killian, his voice clearly relaying the things he felt for Rumplestiltskin. Belle, without any words, offered the letter to David and Emma who both read it at the same time.

"I think there's more going on than we realize," said Belle as both David and Emma finished reading the letter. "I'd ask Regina if she-"

"Ask me what?" asked the mayor as she walked to the office with Henry. "Whether it was ok for you to be stupid and banish your husband without thinking about the consequences first."

Belle was taken aback by Regina's words. Sure they never saw eye to eye but was Regina actually defending Rumplestiltskin, a person he considered to be her enemy.

"Regina…" began Emma but the woman silenced the saviour with a look.

"No Emma," began Regina as she walked over to stand right in front of Belle. "Gold and I may have hated each other but I know that when it comes down to it, he'll protect Henry from anything. You could have just locked him up again or kept his dagger but no you just got rid of our biggest defense. Who knows what other things will come our way and without Gold, we're sitting ducks."

"I think it's the opposite," said David as he handed Regina the letter. "Maybe it's better that he's gone given that he is our biggest threat."

Belle made to protest, not wanting the Evil Queen of all people to know what Rumple had written to her but Regina was already reading but Belle did observe her as her eyes widened and finished reading the note quickly.

"He mentioned that once," trailed off Regina as she looked up to meet the gazes of Emma, David and Belle. "The Darkness...well it consumes the soul of the curse's host. But Rumplestiltskin bargained with it. He told me that he managed to save a part of his soul from it because that was the reason he took on the curse in the first place…" She turned to Emma. "Now I understand. He took on the curse for Neil and he kept a part of his soul from the Darkness for Neil."

"So he controlled the Darkness and not the other way around," said David. "Henry's book did say that when Gold became the Dark One, he stopped the Ogre Wars and returned the children home. I don't think that was what a Dark One would do."

"Or make True Love find each other," said Regina, motioning her hand to David. "Or create a saviour."

"But that all changed when Zelena got the dagger," said Emma. "Instead of Gold keeping the Darkness at bay, the Darkness controlled him and it consumed the remaining part of the soul he had left."

"I wonder what she did to him…" whispered Regina, her voice very different from what Belle usually heard.

"That's not our issue now," said Killian, his voice steady. "If the Darkness consumes the crocodile's soul, whatever it is, it is still in the Land Without Magic. That's the best solution we can possibly have for the problem at hand."

"The Darkness is still smart," said Regina. "Whatever it is, it'll find a way to get back to a place with magic." She folded the letter and handed it back to Belle. "I suggest we solve this problem before it takes root."

"Get Gold back here before the Darkness consume him you mean," said David.

"I don't think that's a good idea," said Killian and Belle made to reply but Regina beat her to it.

"Your opinion is biased and unwanted," said Regina turning to Emma and David. "We need a backup plan in case things are worse than we fear. In case we find a man already consumed by the Darkness and without a soul to hinder it."

"As long as Belle has the dagger, he won't do anything," pointed out Emma. "Besides, I doubt Gold would want any harm to come to Belle or to Henry when the Darkness does consume him."

"Again, if it hasn't already," added Regina.

"Then we need to act fast," said David. "We don't know where Gold went."

"For all we know he could still be at the town line," said Regina. "I doubt you asked him to pack a suitcase of give him any money to help him survive out there, especially since it rained last night."

Regina's words were a punch to her stomach as Belle realized that she did leave him with nothing, not even his cane. She had left her husband, with nothing but the clothes on his back, with no money, no umbrella, no cane...no matter what he's done, he didn't deserve that.

"So you're just going to ask him to come back after what he has done?" voiced out Killian.

"I'm sorry," began Regina, glaring at the pirate. "Have you done anything for this town? Like kill yourself and your father to save it? Kissing the sheriff doesn't count."

Emma turned to glare at her and Killian just narrowed his eyes at the Evil Queen. "Your one to talk."

"Yes I am," fired back Regina. "I am a villain. Not past tense because I'm still working at it. But Gold had done a lot of things for the people of this town. He protected it while we were in Neverland. He killed his father and himself to stop Pan's curse. He told us who the witch was even though he was risking his own capture again." She turned to David and Emma then back to the pirate. "Yes we're going after him after what he has done. Because he did all those things even with the Darkness inside of him and that's a far greater human being than any of us can be."

Belle studied Regina and couldn't help but feel a bit envious of her understanding of her husband's curse. She and Regina never saw eye to eye and with all her books, she never did understand what was going on with the Dark One curse. But Regina seemed to know a lot...maybe it was because of her magical tutelage under the Dark One himself, or because she did choose to understand it whilst Belle just wanted to be rid of it.

But did she really? She once told Neil that she fell in love with all of him, even the parts that belonged to the Darkness. If that was really the case, Belle should have tried to understand what was going on with Rumplestiltskin and not just push him to be a better man.

A better man that Killian was trying to be as well but cannot seem to understand that he was in the same light as Rumple.

"The question is," continued Belle, looking at Killian. "Do we look at your past doings like you want us to do for Rumple? Because if that's what you want then I'd advise Emma to arrest you for trying to kill me, twice."

"And helping to bring Cora to Storybrooke," continued David. "Not to mention kidnapping Archie."

"Fine," said Killian rather forcefully but before he could say anything else Emma turned to him.

"Killian, we know that you and Gold never got along," said Emma much to Regina's sigh of annoyance. "Alright, you tolerated each other to a degree. Whatever Gold has done, he will face consequences for it but just like you, he is trying to do things for the people he cares about."

"He tried to suck you into that bloody hat," fired Killian.

"And that is my problem not yours," said Emma. "He was trying to rid himself of the Darkness but still have power to protect his family. Sure, he could have asked for help but Gold was never helped by anyone in his past so why would he ask for help now."

Emma turned to David and Regina. "Gold has his moments when you want to kill him and moments when you're thankful that you know someone like him. This time, I think we need to prove to him that he can trusts us. That we can help him and not just turn our back on him when he needs it the most." She addressed the last to Belle.

"He doesn't deserve our help," argued Killian.

"It's not about deserving," to everyone's surprise it was Henry who spoke up. The boy had remained silent through most part of their discussion. "He's my grandfather. He's my last link to my dad. I know he's done a lot of bad things but you've done a lot of bad things as well. We've all done bad things." He turned to everyone in the room. "It's not about deserving. It's about doing what you can for the people you care about."

Killian sighed and Emma knew he wasn't going to argue anymore. "Fine. But I'm doing this because of Emma and the lad and nothing else."

That seemed to have been the final word as everyone made to move

"The dagger?" asked David and Belle nodded as she looked through her purse to fish it out but when she finally set aside the cloth that she had used as a makeshift sheath she dropped it in alarm.

"Belle what is it?" asked Emma but Killian was already kneeling down on the floor, staring at the dagger. He too was surprised and Emma, David and Regina all shifted to see what was wrong.

The dagger still looked the same...except for one thing...there was no name on it.