Peace Broken

Several days passed in a strange monotony, one that reminded Bae of his time in Sherwood, where his time was spent in all manner of survival-related activities. Only this time it was much more pleasant. He rotated out with the other Merry Men on teaching Belle to shoot properly, occasionally watched Jesse run through a few knife routines she hardly ever used, judging by her own comments on them, and continued to learn his way around a motorcycle, a strange, two-wheeled device that could take him anywhere a tank of a substance called gasoline could take him. Once, he almost struck a flint near one of the containers of this substance in August's apartment. Needless to say, August was about ready to have a heart attack, if he could. Only after he calmed down did the puppet explain that Bae could've sent the whole building up in flames. With a mix of shame and relief, he placed the stones in August's waiting palm.

During his free time, Bae would walk to the pawn shop his father ran and peruse the items, in most cases not sure whether to touch them for fear of causing some other accident. After all, most of the items were unfamiliar to him. When he wasn't examining strange shapes and sizes and combinations of things and parts of things, he would spend his time talking to his father, usually on walks home or on slow days when he retreated to his office. They talked of almost anything, from their pasts and adventures to current events to even swapping random jokes between them.

At one point, during a walk home, Bae sighed and said, "I enjoy this," he said. "Talking this way."

Rumpelstiltskin smiled and wrapped an arm around his son's shoulders. "So do I," he whispered. "I'm glad you're happy, Bae. That's all I ever wanted." Bae wrapped an arm around his father's back and squeezed gently. In two seconds, he found himself in a full-on hug, his cheek pressed against his father's suit. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Papa."

They pulled away from each other, and they continued down the sidewalk. Bae couldn't help but think that for the first time in a very long time, he felt perfectly normal.

OUAT

Rumpelstiltskin continued to keep tabs on Emma, between spending time with his son and Belle and running his shop. He no longer felt the need to collect rent. He was already fully invested in his pet project-the breaking of the curse and his subsequent fresh start, where and when that might be.

He had noticed Belle's shoulders and arms becoming more defined, and that she was bonding with Bae and the other Merry Men over a bow and arrow. He also noticed the way Bae and Morraine looked at and talked to each other. Watching these interactions made Rumpelstiltskin smile. There was a light in Bae's eyes that he hadn't seen in quite a while, too long. She made him smile. Rumpelstiltskin resolved that Morraine would never be harmed, just as he'd resolved of Bae long ago. They would both be protected, he told himself.

One afternoon, Bae pulled an arrow out of a bag of rice fashioned into a target and studied the head closely. "What happened to it?" Belle asked, lowering the bow and walking toward him.

"Nothing," Bae replied. "I'm just studying it. Arrows are difficult to make and can be incredibly expensive." He handed the arrow back to Belle, who slipped it back into her quiver. "How are you feeling? Are you sore?"

"I feel good."

"Alright, that's good. I bet it's getting easier." Belle nodded. Bae stepped away from the target and watched her draw the bow for another shot. She purposefully aimed above her previous shot to avoid tearing the bag and spilling rice everywhere. Bae smirked at this little tick of hers, but he remained silent and studied her form instead. Anchored, from his angle no visible flaws in the bend of the arms, gaze down the shaft of the arrow at the target. She released when ready. No extra force or movement. Beautifully done. The arrow struck the rice bag almost exactly where she'd aimed. He nodded in approval and turned toward Rumpelstiltskin. "She's doing well," Bae said. "I'm fairly confident she can hold her own, though I doubt you'll let her." He smiled.

Rumpelstiltskin's eyes drifted to Belle, who nocked a third arrow and chose to aim left. "She'll be fine," he said.

"Yes, she will." At close range against inanimate targets, he added mentally. "How much time do we have until the battle?"

"Not long. Emma has been placed on the path. If she hadn't made her choice yet, she will soon." If she doesn't do something to avert all-out war entirely, Rumpelstiltskin thought.

"And we'll all be forced to choose sides and march off to war. Come to think of it, it's actually kind of daunting, the thought that you're going to fight for your life soon, especially when you haven't for quite some time. Some people think war is grand and glorious, and then it's upon them, and they turn and run when they see the truth. Fighting is dirty business. There's nothing grand about it." Rumpelstiltskin turned his full attention toward his son. After a moment, Bae noticed this and met his father's gaze. "That's what you thought, wasn't it?"

"Once upon a time," Rumpelstiltskin whispered. "Once upon a time."

Bae nodded, and they both watched Belle finish practicing.

OUAT

The sensation that the peace had broken woke Bae from sleep, the third time his sensitivity to magic had done so. Before he rose, he felt around him to make sure there wasn't a presence in the room with him, waiting to strike. When he confirmed to himself that he was safe, he slowly pushed himself into a sitting position. There he stopped.

Nothing was in the room with him, magical or otherwise, but there was something in the house, moving almost as if it were perusing a market. Gingerly, he slipped out of bed, unwilling to take his eyes off the door. He eased over toward the bookcase, slung his quiver over his shoulder, and picked up his bow. Then he slipped out of his room altogether, silently shutting the door behind his back.

The presence stopped its rounds. Perhaps it noticed him, or perhaps it was waiting for him. Bae wasn't sure he wanted to stick around to find out which one it was, but he didn't know what other option he had, so he took an arrow from his quiver and nocked it.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, fighting to keep calm and silent. The presence, which felt eerily similar to Regina, was at the end of the hall, to his right. He turned, his weapon in front of him, and approached slowly. He sensed his father, fast asleep and apparently oblivious to the obvious threat to his life that Regina's presence here presented.

So it was her, part of him thought. He pushed this thought to the backburner and began to formulate a plan. He kept his breathing deep but quiet to keep his hands from shaking while staying in hiding. The presence continued its rounds seemingly without noticing him. It brushed right past him on its way to the stairs, so Bae turned slowly to follow it. It moved down the stairs and an aisle, into a room Bae recognized as his father's home office, even if he didn't recognize most of its contents. Regina stepped out of what seemed to be thin air. Bae bit his lip.

Regina walked around the desk, her fingertips trailing across the wood. She picked up a few items, books and boxes, and opened a couple drawers. Bae watched in increasing anxiety as she rifled through the drawers and then picked up a box and opened it. Please, please don't let her find the knife, he mentally begged.

She closed the box and set it down, muttering something to herself, and then she walked out of the office, again seeming not to notice Bae. He turned and again followed Regina, this time back upstairs. Bae tried to think of a way to reach his father, perhaps warn him before she got there.

It's alright, Bae. You're the brave one. He told you so. You can do this. If only you knew how. He stepped toward Regina and his father's door. Regina tried the door, smiled, and eased it open. Bae's heart began to pound so loudly that he swore she could hear it. She disappeared inside the room, and Bae followed.

Regina stepped over to the bed, smirked, turned toward the bureau, and scanned the top of it. Bae took a step, and the floor creaked under him. Her head snapped over toward him, and in one moment, she flicked her wrist and sent him flying back into the wall. The bow and arrow clattered to the floor. He tried to move, but he was completely and magically bound. "Well, well, well, what do we have here?" she asked, walking toward him. "It looks like someone's trying to stop me. I take it," she gestured behind her, "that's dear old Dad in the bed, there."

"You shut up about my father," Bae snapped.

"What on earth..." Rumpelstiltskin began, reaching over to turn on his bedside lamp and then sitting up. "I try to get a good night's rest, and I find that you're trapping my son against my own bedroom wall. And what on earth are you doing here in the first place, Regina?" He stood and walked toward her. "Put him down."

She turned to face him. "Excuse me?" she asked.

"Put. Him. Down."

She grabbed the knife on top of the dresser. "Why? Either way, you're going to keep us all here."

"Papa, don't do anything rash. She's desperate," Bae said. "There's no telling who won't survive this."

Regina wheeled, the knife pointed at Bae. "You shut up. He's not going to listen to you."

"Actually, I am," Rumpelstiltskin said. "After all, he is my son."

"He didn't listen to you the first time, did he? When he dropped you down a vortex to the gods know where?"

"You shut up," Bae yelled. Rumpelstiltskin waved his hand behind Regina's neck. Bae dropped to the floor and grabbed his bow and arrow. Regina pitched over, barely staying on her feet, and then turned toward Rumpelstiltskin.

"How dare you," she hissed, driving the knife into Rumpelstiltskin's chest. Without a second thought, Bae fired an arrow into Regina's hand. She let go immediately, and Rumpelstiltskin pulled the knife out and tossed it aside. Regina ripped the arrow out of her hand and turned on Bae, who made his way around the bedroom toward his father. Regina moved toward the knife, snatched it off the floor, and turned back to the father and son. Together, they moved toward the door. Regina lunged toward Rumpelstiltskin, who pushed his son out the door. She stabbed him again and ran out the door, and he collapsed with half his body in the hallway.

"Papa," Bae whispered.

Bae took his father's hand in his own. Rumpelstiltskin whispered, "You made a deal, and I won't let you break it."

"Belle..."

"Bae, we can't worry her, not now. Bae, this has to work perfectly, and right now, you're the only one that can make sure it does." Rumpelstiltskin squeezed his son's hand. "Baelfire, my life in your hands."