Chapter 26: All for Them

Warning: This chapter contains violence.

Belle sat by her father's grave, staring blankly into nothingness. She felt empty and lost; the sudden death of her father left her unable to do anything but mourn. She hadn't moved since the final patch of dirt finished covering her father's body. The chill from the day was beginning to set in, but she made no move to cover herself with the shawl Rumple had placed over her shoulders earlier that day. It had fallen since then, but Belle hardly had the energy to adjust it.

Bae and Rumple watched from a distance, not wanting to disturb Belle. Rumple leaned against one of the trees and fiddled with a twig while Bae sat on his knees and watched his mother intently.

"Papa," he said at length.

Rumple looked down at Bae, "Yes, son?"

"Will Mama be okay?"

Rumple sighed, and let his head hang low. "I don't know. I hope so."

"Me too."

Rumple met his son's eyes and offered his hand. Bae took it and stood, letting Rumple pull him close. Pressing his face into his son's curls, Rumple sighed. He wanted to comfort Belle, but he was at a loss of what to do. His hope lie in Baelfire, who would surely be able to reach through to his mother. A child was always of more comfort than others. Rumple recalled the baby who kissed his broken leg, believing his love could heal all the pain and suffering. It hadn't, but it had mended his heart and made the pain easier to bear.

The wind picked up, and Bae shivered. Frowning, Rumple pushed his son away to look at him better. "I'm going to collect your mother," he said softly, "I sense a storm."

Bae nodded. "I'll go start a fire to warm Mama."

Smiling, Rumple let go of Bae. "That would be nice."

Bae rushed off toward the house, and Rumple quietly made his way toward his wife. She was stone still, frozen in her grief. She said nothing as Rumple approached and knelt down next to Belle, reaching out slowly to take her hand in his. She blinked and looked down at the sensation, then glanced over to meet his eyes. She knew why he was here, that much was certain, and though it broke Rumple's heart to remove Belle from her father's side, they needed to go. It was sure to rain soon and he wasn't about to let Belle make herself sick.

"We should go," he whispered, hating himself for it.

Belle shook her head. "I can't leave him."

"I know, sweetheart. But it's going to storm soon. I want to make sure you're safe."

She said nothing. Instead she stood on weak legs and looked at Rumple wearily. "Very well, then." She took a step, but her atrophy caught up with her and caused her legs to give out. Rumple swept her up in his arms, grateful he could do so, and carried her back to their home. Her reached the door just as the first drops of rain began to fall. He entered their home, smiling softly as Bae looked up as he placed his pillow over the makeshift bed he'd created in front of the hearth. Rumple carried Belle over to the warmth and gently laid her down on the small pile of blankets and furs. She curled around herself, facing the flames, and sighed heavily.

Rumple began rubbing her back soothingly and asked, "Do you want anything, sweetheart?"

She shook her head. She wanted her father but, Rumplestiltskin could not give her that. Rumple decided it was best to leave her alone, so he stood and tilted his head at Bae, suggesting they leave Belle alone. A moment later, Belle's hoarse voice called out, "Wait."

Both father and son turned to look at Belle, who had managed to sit up. She looked a mess; Rumple had never seen her so broken and lost before.

"I want my boys," she whispered, lip quivering as tears began to fall fresh. Bae and Rumple were quick to act. Rumple pushed the spinning wheel close to them, and sat with his back against it. He pulled Belle into his arms, who in turn held onto Bae. Bae's arms wrapped around his mother as well, curling his head under her chin and whispering to her how much he loved her.

Belle cried, though she barely had the strength to do that. At length she fell asleep, lulled by Bae's gentle words and the soothing sensation of Rumplestiltskin running his dark nails over her skin. It was a solemn steadiness, one that was very much needed after such an earth-shattering devastation.

~000~

Rumple glanced down, sighing in relief when he saw that both mother and son were sleeping soundly. Bae was a heavy sleeper and would not awake easily. Rumple moved carefully so as not to disturb his little family, and he settled Belle onto her back gently. She stirred and Baelfire shifted closer, but neither woke from the disturbance. Rumple watched them for a moment, then turned and summoned his red velvet cloak he'd created for himself. Turning back to get one last look at his wife and son, he brandished his dagger and disappeared in a swirl of smoke.

When he reappeared, it was at the spot where he'd discovered Maurice. There were still bloodstains on the ground and Rumple's lip trembled at the sight. Turning away, he closed his eyes and focused his senses on his surroundings. He listened; his acute hearing reaching far and wide. Something caught his attention, and his eyes shot open. He could smell smoke, and his ears picked up the faint sound of drunken laughter. It was just across the bridge that stood before him, no more than a mile away. Rumple took a slow, deep breath and walked forward.

He came upon a small clearing just off the pathway. Three boys sat around a fire, singing and laughing in their drunkenness. They cheered as they shared a large jug of ale, each taking deep swigs, spilling more than they drank. Rumple watched for a moment, focusing on the trio. They looked like innocent boys just a few years older than Baelfire, but as he continued to stare, he noticed a rope of gold dangling out of the eldest boy's pocket.

Rumplestiltskin burned with anger but remained in his place. He fingered the dagger at his belt, but made no move to remove it from its sheath. Instead he observed for a long while, watching and waiting as the boys became drunker by the minute. At length he lifted his hand away from his belt and waved it in front of his face, causing his features to shift and change back to his human form. When the smoke settled he stepped out of his hiding spot, all grins and friendliness.

"Afternoon, 'gents!" He greeted them as he stumbled forward and collapsed ungracefully next to the eldest. "Seems you're in as good spirits as I am!" He produced a flask from his pocket and took a deep swig of the water within. He wiped at his mouth clumsily and raised the flask in tribute. "What's your reason for celebrating on this fine day?"

The eldest looked suspicious, but the ale had warmed his blood and loosened his inhibitions, so he lifted his own jug in return. "We recently came upon a small fortune, eh boys?" He said with a slur, and the other two boys cheered. The smallest one grabbed for a piece of bread that sat on a plate near their fire and took a large, messy bite out of it.

"We haven't had such a good time in forever!" He said in between open mouthed chews. "We're celebrating our luck!"

Rumplestiltskin hiccupped and took another swig of his flask. "I'll drink to that!" He said gaily. "Wish I could have my turn at some good fortune." He glanced at his flask and laughed obnoxiously, "Though I'd need to get off me bumbling arse first, but there's too much fine ale to drink!"

"Here here!" The eldest chanted as he passed around the jug to his boys once more.

"So," Rumple asked, giggling stupidly as he began wrapping an arm around the lad's shoulders, "How'd you fellows manage such a feast as fine as this?"

"It wasn't hard!" The second boy declared drunkenly, "Like takin' a sweet cake from a babe!"

"Or gold from a helpless old man."

The three boys blinked and stared at their new companion with uncertainty. Drunk as they were, their minds were sluggish and their reactions were even slower. Rumplestiltskin used this to his advantage and stood, charging the eldest boy and slamming him in a nearby tree. The boy was too drunk and confused to truly grasp what was happening, but he squirmed nonetheless. Rumplestiltskin tutted and reached down to yank the gold rope from his pocket.

"My, my," Rumplestiltskin sneered as he lifted the rope up with his free hand, "I was right."

The other two boys called out and charged toward Rumplestiltskin, their small knives outstretched before them. Rumple swung one hand out, freezing them in place. He then turned back around and smiled viciously at the one he had in his grasp.

"Looks like you've been…caught," he said with a wicked laugh before dropping all pretenses. "This was my gold," he sneered, "I gave it to someone I love dearly. Someone you murdered." He moved his hand upward, clutching the young man by the throat. "But since you seem so desperate for it, I'll let you keep it. For a price, of course."

He laughed again, the sound wild and mad, then proceeded to wrap the gold thread tightly around the boy's neck. The rope began to tighten even more as the boy struggled for air. His legs flailed below him until finally he was out of breath. When the boy went limp, Rumple let him fall ungraciously to the ground. Turning to the other two who remained frozen, he summoned two more strands of gold.

"Your turn."

~000~

Rumplestiltskin crawled back to his spot by the fire, careful not to disturb his wife or son. He would wait to tell Belle of his achievement later, after she woke. It was best to let her sleep now, and he wrapped his arm around her, his fingertips brushing against Bae's side. It was finished, he thought as he let Belle's steady breathing calm his rushing heart. He'd avenged Maurice's death, and all would be well.

Sighing, he looked down at his family, exhausted from their grief. He'd done this for them, he thought idly, letting one hand fall to rest on his son's head. He would protect his family at all costs, and nothing would ever harm them again. He smiled to himself as he drifted off to sleep, knowing that when he awoke, things would begin to mend.

Rumple jerked awake as he registered a loud commotion outside. His movement caused both Belle and Baelfire to rouse, and once they were fully conscious, they scrambled outside to see what the matter was. Rumple followed hesitantly, a heavy feeling of dread coming over him.

The market square was abuzz with frantic people bustling about, murmuring to each other in horror and confusion. Belle and Rumple pushed their way through the crowd, trying to keep an eye on Baelfire and see what the fuss was about. Bae stood frozen near the front of the crowd, Morainne and Anna on either side of him, looking just as horrified as he. Belle and Rumple stopped just behind their son, then looked out toward the center of the square.

Belle let out a horrified gasp and Rumple's eyes widened. Before them, laid out in a row, were three dead boys. A few men stood in front of the bodies, trying their best to answer the questions from the panicked crowd. People were crying out for justice and to avenge the murder of three seemingly innocent young men. Others were asking how it happened; how could someone do such a thing? One of the men managed to silence the crowd with his cries and lifted a long golden rope for the crowd to observe.

"It seems they were all strangled with this," the man called out and people rushed forward to get a closer look at the weapon. Gasps and cries of 'it's gold!' rang throughout the air, and in their distraction no one noticed two sets of eyes fall hard and unbelieving upon Rumplestiltskin. He said nothing as Belle stared in shock, her mouth gaping open. He spared a glance at Bae who looked at him with such fear and disgust that Rumple felt ill. He whispered something to Morainne and slipped through the crowd, breaking into a run when he was past the wall of people. Belle's gaze followed her son's then she too pushed through the crowd, lifting her skirts and running after her son.

Rumple glanced one last time at the crowd of people trying to figure out who would have done such a heinous crime, then turned and rushed after his family.

He reached their home and quickly rushed inside. Belle and Bae stood facing the door, and the moment their eyes met his, Belle put her hand on Bae's shoulder. "Bae," she said in a tone that left no room for questioning, "I need you to go outside. Now."

He glanced between his parents and though there was an argument on his lips, he wanted nothing more than to be away from his father. He nodded weakly and rushed outside, the door slamming loud and hard behind him.

The moment she was sure her son was safely away from her husband, Belle asked, her voice trembling, "What did you do?"

She left no room for him to deny it. He would not have denied it. He stepped forward and frowned when he saw a look of fear flash in her eyes. But this was his brave Belle, and despite her fear, she stepped forward as well and stared him down, waiting for his answer.

"I killed them."

He watched in silence as she breathed in sharply. Her eyes widened now that her suspicion was confirmed, and she stared at him with absolute disbelief.

"Why?" She asked, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.

Rumplestiltskin hated to see her cry, so he instinctively reached out to brush away her tears. Belle stepped back from him as if she'd been struck, and Rumple looked at her in anguish. "They murdered your father," he replied plainly as he stepped forward to catch her by the arm. She tensed but he refused to let her step away from him. He needed her to understand. She had to understand.

"I found the gold, my gold, on them. It could have been no one else. They were too close to where I found Maurice."

"And you strangled them," Belle finished, her voice dry and dull, "You strangled them with your gold."

"What would you have had me do, Belle?!" He burst, stepping away from her in frustration, "Leave them be? You were grieving! I couldn't just sit here and let your father's murder go unpunished!"

"You could have gone to the authorities!" She shouted back, "You could have alerted them to your suspicions! They would have been tried! There would have been justice!"

"And was justice not served to them?" Rumplestiltskin countered angrily, "Were they not given the treatment they so deserved? Had they been found guilty, they would have been hanged! What difference does it make that I spared the courts of a few day's work?"

"It makes all the difference!" Belle cried, "Not only must I grieve for the death of my father, but I must also grieve because my husband is an admitted murderer!"

"I am not some villainous murderer!" Rumplestiltskin spat, "I protected you! I protected Bae! I ensured they would never harm another soul again! I was protecting us!"

"And you killed in order to do it!" She said, tears sliding down her cheeks rapidly. She lifted her hand to her mouth to try to hold back a sob. Rumple moved and pulled a chair out from the table and ushered her to sit. She did not fight him and let him ease her body into the chair as she covered her eyes with her hand and cried. Rumple knelt before her and waited until she calmed. Finally she removed her hands from her face and looked down to meet his eyes.

"You will admit to them what you've done," she said firmly, "You will confess that it was you. They murdered my father but their families deserve to know who killed them and why."

"Belle-" Rumple began, reaching out to touch her but she jerked away from him.

"No," she whispered, "You will go and confess. Now."

"And if they wish to bring about their justice upon me?"

Belle shrugged, and it hurt more than if she had slapped him, "You're the Dark One," she reminded him, "You can stop them if you wish. But they still deserve to know."

She stood, her movement knocking Rumplestiltskin onto his backside. She stepped around him and opened the door of their home. "Go."

Rumplestiltskin stood. "Will you not stand with your husband?"

She shook her head. "I didn't ask for this," she said brokenly, "I will not stand with you. This is your doing, and you will answer for what you've done. I will not abandon you," she said with a sigh, "Though by rights I should pack my things, take Bae, and leave. But I won't. I promised to never leave you and even now I honor my word. But you must go. On my father's honor I cannot let this go unanswered."

He fought the urge to scream and argue his cause. Did she not understand he'd done this for her? He hadn't thought she would relish the action, but he never thought she would have turned so violently against him. He'd avenged her father; he'd protected them. Was that truly so vile and repulsive in her eyes? He did not understand, but he longed to be in her good graces. Everything he'd done; every action, no matter how misguided, had always been for her. For Bae.

As he walked out the door to return to the market square and admit his deed, he wondered if he would always be doomed to pay such hefty prices for his actions. And would the price always be worth it?

Author's Notes:

Oh dearie, dearie, dear...

Thank you for your kind words. I appreciate it greatly! :-)

Thank you to Sirensong24 and my husband for editing.

Chapter 27 will be up May 16.

Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time.