Chapter 17: All Better

Please see the author's note at the end of the story for an important announcement.

Time went on as it does, and Rumplestiltskin found himself adjusting to his life as best he could in the months that followed his return. He no longer ventured into the village if he could help it. The sneers and stares of others were too much for him to bear. Instead he stayed home, spinning wool and taking care of his son while Belle ventured into the village to take care of business. People were cordial to her since the incident with Ebert was fresh in their minds. No one doubted Belle would not stand up for herself or her husband, so they kept their whispers low, waiting until they'd finished business with her before letting their unkind thoughts slip. Belle paid them no mind, though. She knew who her friends were, and though they were few, they were loyal.

Agda was one such friend. Belle relied on the woman for medicine to keep Rumple's pain at a minimum. She visited frequently to obtain herbs and medicines, but soon the visits lengthened. Belle took solace in having someone that wasn't her father, husband, or son to talk to. Agda embraced Belle as a daughter and an apprentice of sorts. She taught Belle how to mix herbs and how to put to practical use all the information she'd read over her pregnancy, and Belle was eager to learn. She enjoyed the challenge, and it gave her something else to think about other than the cruel words of others.

Bae's grandfather was another blessing. Maurice came by often; his love for his grandson was abundant. And Bae loved his grandfather as well, laughing and reaching for him whenever Maurice walked in the door. It was a relief for Rumple, who could use the time Bae was distracted and in the care of another to spin, or go outside and shear the sheep. Maurice enjoyed it too, taking the opportunity to watch his son-in-law work. He knew Rumplestiltskin was a skilled spinner, but it was another thing entirely to watch the man work. He was an expert, and his touch was almost magical. One particular occasion, Maurice placed Bae on the floor while he watched the wheel spin rapidly, not noticed the boy had crawled over to the wheel and got himself tangled up in the wool. It had taken them a good half hour to get Bae out and the wool untangled.

Despite this, though, things were not good. Nightmares plagued Rumplestiltskin almost nightly since his return from war. He dreamt of the Ogres killing his family, and he dreamt of dying and leaving his family to suffer. He woke most nights with a shout, startling his wife and son. The first few times, Belle had been torn between comforting her husband or rushing to Bae's side, but Rumple had instructed Belle to get their son. She did, then he pulled her down to him and he calmed his fears by holding them both close, Belle reassuring him that they were safe.

In addition to the nightmares, his leg was unrelenting in its pain. The damage had never quite healed properly. The carelessness of the physician at the camp and his weeklong walk home had seen to that. The brace Agda procured from them helped tremendously, but it did not ease the pain that lingered deep within the muscle and bones. He forced himself to remain as active as possible however, insisting that he do as much for himself as he could. Belle let him, smiling sadly as she watched her husband struggle to walk with as little of a limp as possible, and she wished there was a way to take away his pain for good. There wasn't, so instead she loved him, and did all she could to encourage him and care for him. On nights when his leg ached particularly badly, she would silently go fetch water and heat some in a kettle. Afterward, she would soak a rag and gently wash his leg, the warm heat soothing the weary and poorly healed muscle and bone. He would sigh, holding their son close and simply enjoy the fact that he had a family to ease his aching soul.

But as much as Belle comforted him, it was Baelfire who truly helped him cope. Every time he glanced at the boy the pain would fade, and he would remember exactly why he'd taken the hammer to himself. Baelfire was, and always would be, worth it. The boy was a delight, and Rumplestiltskin adored his son. He was a happy child, not yet exposed to the harshness of the world, and he would babble and gurgle happily, finding an innocent joy in making his parents smile.

It was when Baelfire began to crawl that the reality of Rumplestiltskin's situation sank in. Bae was mobile now, crawling faster every day and finding more and more ways to get into trouble. It was not lost on Rumplestiltskin that soon he would not be able to go after his son. Bae would be too fast for him to catch. It brought tears to his eyes to think that he would never chase after his son. He would never go running with him or play with wooden swords, or do any of the things he'd longed to do with his father as a child. He realized that in some ways, he had deprived his son of a father, instead giving him a crippled man who could only watch as his son grew and surpassed him, leaving him in the dust.

Belle tried to soothe his fears, telling him that Baelfire would have plenty of children to play with when the time came and that he would need his father for far more important things than running in the fields. Rumplestiltskin indulged in her comforts but did not believe them fully, and he knew Belle could sense his despair. She remained cheerful enough for all of them though, but even Rumplestiltskin knew there would come a time when even Belle's happiness would run dry.

And yet, for all his worry, Belle never seemed to lament her situation. She was always cheerful, though she had her moments of grumpiness when she had failed to get a good night's sleep. Every day she greeted her husband with a smile and a kiss. It was a source of great delight and confusion for Rumplestiltskin to see her look upon him with such love when the rest of the world turned their backs on him. Belle was unconcerned by the village's disdain and carried on as she always had. She carried on, selling wool and buying food and taking care of any business they may have in the village. She walked with a grace that befitted royalty, and she carried herself with dignity and beauty. It was a sight to behold, to see her in such a way.

When Bae grew, she began to take him to the market with her. It made the trip slower as she insisted Baelfire walk, but she would not trade the moments of watching her son waddle in front of her for anything. Though she was particularly annoyed when strangers would approach him and pinch his cheeks or coo about how handsome he was. Baelfire was reserved in some ways like his father, especially around people he did not know well, and he would quickly become fussy if too many people felt the need to grab at him.

But other than the occasional frustration, Bae loved the market. He was entranced by everything, and his curiosity rivaled his mothers. He wanted to see it all, and he insisted on grabbing everything that came within his reach, as children do. Belle was hesitant to scold him, instead taking the opportunity to educate her child, telling him the names of things, and waiting anxiously for the day when he would repeat the word back.

With each day that passed, Bae grew. Whether taller, smarter, or more mischievous, Bae seemed to change every day, picking up new habits and words. Soon he was talking. And though his vocabulary was limited to "Mama", "Papa," and "Baa" after the sheep he adored, he did it with gusto. Bae liked to run outside and point to the sheep as Rumple sat on a stool to shear their coats.

"Baa!" He would cry excitedly. "Papa, Baa!"

Rumplestiltskin would laugh at his son's enthusiasm and limp over to him, lifting him carefully into the pin and letting the boy play with the lambs while he rolled up the wool in his lap. Baelfire would cackle as he chased his friends, and Rumplestiltskin would watch on with pride. His son was a wild thing, sneaky and mischievous as a boy ought to be, but he was also intelligent and bookish like his mother. She read to him frequently, laughing as he would grab at the book and point at words she would sound out slowly and wait for him to repeat. She took the letters that she'd used to teach Rumplestiltskin how to read and began showing them to Baelfire, slowly instilling in him the knowledge that many in their village never received. He constantly asked questions, once he learned how to form the words, and often sat at his father's side and would point to the wool, or the wheel, or the spindle, and ask, "What that?" to which Rumplestiltskin would explain and the boy would laugh in glee, delighted to add one more thing to his ever growing source of knowledge.

~000~

One particularly warm evening, Belle suggested the three of them take a walk. There was still a risk of Ogres, but since Rumple's return, the attacks on both sides had reduced drastically. Fewer men were drafted; the blow from the most recent defeat caused those in the higher ranks to rethink their strategy. For now they were safe, but that safety could vanish at any moment.

This particular path was away from the village, one that Rumple and Belle had taken long ago at the very beginning of their courtship. Now they walked it again with their son who ran ahead of them with his childlike energy. Rumple walked slowly, leaning heavily on his walking cane, and Belle stayed at his side, her hand on his back in silent encouragement. Despite the pain in his leg, Rumplestiltskin smiled at Belle, his love for his son and wife covering him and soothing the ache.

Bae waddled along contently, stopping frequently to pull at grass and flowers or laugh as insects flew by his head. He was easily amused and found pleasure in everything. Belle and Rumple watched on, talking quietly to each other as they kept an eye on their son. Rumple had begun telling Belle more about his time away, the nightmares receding enough for him to feel comfortable reliving it while awake. He'd mentioned Adi before, but tonight he felt the need to tell Belle more, insisting she would have loved his dearest friend.

"He was mad," Rumple said with a fond smile, "So eager to fight. He was eager about everything, really. I've never met someone as happy as Adi was."

"I'm glad you had someone to keep you company while you were away," she whispered, pulling Rumple to a stop and leaning against his chest. "I worried about you so much."

"I worried about you. And Bae."

Belle smiled and held Rumple tighter. "At least you knew," she whispered, "I wanted you to know so badly."

It never failed to amaze Rumplestiltskin how understanding Belle was. Instead of berating him for believing in a seer, she expressed happiness that he knew. Despite all that happened, she'd been more upset about him not knowing.

She moved away from him and walked toward Bae who was playing with grass. "By the way," she said idly as Rumple caught up to her, "I've been meaning to ask you on your opinion about purchasing a few chickens. We have room, and it would be a great help if I had at least one hen to produce eggs."

"Won't it be too much work?" Rumple asked softly, keeping an eye on Baelfire as he waddled away. "You've already had to take on so much because of my disability; I don't want you to over work yourself."

Belle squeezed his arm. "I'm not worried," she said. "It's good for me. Besides, you take care of Bae and spin and cook. You also shear the sheep. All I do is feed them and take the wool to the market. I don't do that much if you really think about it."

Rumple stopped her and turned her to face him. "You do more than you know," he said firmly. "You are a remarkable woman."

She smiled. "I know."

He kissed her gently before Bae's shriek caused them both to glance his way. He was chasing a butterfly, laughing, as he swatted at it none too gently, trying to catch it. It fluttered around, then landed on his nose, causing the boy to laugh with glee. Belle and Rumplestiltskin approached him with adoring smiles on their faces, watching as the boy crossed his eyes in an effort to see the butterfly perched on him.

"That's a butterfly, Bae," Belle said as she knelt down next to him. The butterfly flew off, fluttering past Rumplestiltskin and away, causing Baelfire to frown. "Boo-fy go," he said sadly. Belle pulled him into her lap and peppered his cheek with kisses. "Yes, it's gone. But maybe you'll see him again?"

Bae giggled again, then held his arms out toward his father. "Up?"

Rumple turned, and Belle hoisted the boy up so that his stomach was pressed against Rumple's back. He wrapped his tiny hands around Rumple's neck, and Rumple reached up with his free hand to hold Bae's hands. They began to walk. Belle staying one step behind to keep her hand on Bae's back so he would not fall. Bae swung his legs happily, talking his usual gibberish and laughing. Rumple faltered after a moment and turned to give Belle a knowing look. She nodded silently and took Bae in her arms, spinning him around with her as the boy laughed happily, unaware that his father struggled with his slight weight. It upset Rumple to know he could only carry his son a short distance even with Belle's help, but when Bae waddled up and wound his small arms around Rumple's leg, Rumple couldn't help but grin.

~000~

They sat relaxing together by the fire; Rumple leaned up against his spinning wheel, his leg stretched out on Belle's lap. She ran a rag soaked in hot water over his skin, the pressure and warmth soothing his aching muscles and bones. The walk had been enjoyable but he had overworked himself and now the slightest movement caused him pain. Belle had settled Bae on a blanket with a straw doll Rumple had made for him. He'd declared his father had made one for him, many years ago, and he thought his son might like having a similar play thing. Bae held onto the doll, waving it around in the air and making silly noises, content to play in the confines of his own mind.

Belle continued to care for Rumple's leg, eventually setting aside the rag, and she began pressing her fingers gently into his skin. Rumple hissed, the feeling both painful and pleasurable, and offered his wife an appreciative look.

"Papa, what that?"

Rumplestiltskin looked over to see his son standing before him rubbing his hand innocently over the walking stick that was leaned against the wheel.

"It's my walking stick, son," he explained patiently. "I need it to walk."

"Why?"

It was a new word he'd discovered, and lately neither Belle nor Rumple could say anything without being questioned 'why'. Belle delighted in it, loving that she had a student around to whom she could impart every bit of knowledge. He questioned everything now, with his new word. He seemed to revel in it, his 'why'.

"Because I hurt my leg."

"Why?"

And there it was. Rumplestiltskin knew a day would come when he would have to explain himself to his child, and he'd not yet figured out what he would say. He glanced over at Belle, seeking her help and she looked up with wide, pitying eyes. Rumplestiltskin swallowed thickly, knowing his son wouldn't really understand what he said, but felt it necessary to explain nonetheless.

"Your Papa hurt his leg before you were born," Belle said, causing both father and son to look over at her. She motioned for Bae to come to her, and he did. She settled him into her lap, cradling both her child and Rumple's leg. She pointed to where the skin was knotted and mangled. Bae frowned and looked up at his mother.

"Papa ouch?"

Belle smiled indulgently and nodded. "Yes. Papa's leg hurts him sometimes."

"It hurt now?"

Belle glanced at Rumple who cleared his throat nervously and answered, "Yes. It does."

Bae looked between his father and mother, then bent over and pressed his mouth to his father's ankle in a clumsy kiss. Belle was prone to shower their son with kisses when he fell or hurt himself, claiming that a kiss could make anything better. Baelfire lifted his head and looked at his father expectantly.

"All better?" He asked, his eyes wide and innocent.

With tears in his eyes, Rumplestiltskin nodded. "Yes, son. All better." That seemed to appease the boy's interest, and he moved away from his parents over his little bed which was no more than a small pallet and some blankets. He sat on his bed, grabbing at his doll and began to play again.

They watched their son for a moment, and then Belle glanced over to Rumplestiltskin. He was watching his son lovingly, a stray tear threatening to fall. She gently lifted his leg from her lap and set it on the ground then scooted over to sit beside him. She leaned into his side and he wrapped his arm around her affectionately. She grasped his chin in her fingers and turned him so she could press a light kiss to his lips. "You all right?" She asked, wondering just what impact their son's innocent words had on him.

He nodded. "Yes," he whispered, resting his forehead against hers. "Yes I am."

End of Part One

Author's Notes:

With Part One of our tale over, I am going to be taking a break from posting. I will continue to work on the story (I am currently writing chapter 27) but I will not be posting anything new. I will return Friday, March 14 with the beginning of Part 2, which will take place roughly 14 years after Bae's birth. (And you all know what that means...)

Thank you so much for your support and love. I've enjoyed sharing my story with you all and I'm so glad you like it. I can't wait for you to see what's next!

Special thanks to Sirensong24 and my husband for editing, as always!

Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time or any of its characters. I make no profit off this story.

See you Friday, March 14!