A/N: Sorry about Belle using the dagger on Rumple. I know she did many times on the show after he was freed from Zelena. And he is able to move afterwards because she put the dagger down.

Chapter Twelve

Rumple was shocked.

He wasn't supposed to the Dark One?

He had spent the last ten years in solitude for no reason?

He could have had a life with Belle?

He…

"You were supposed to be the Dark One?" Nimue asked, confused.

"Yes," Merlin said. "It was Mab's way of finally having me embrace the darkness."

"Didn't she tell Zoso what you looked like?" Belle asked.

"I have a habit of changing my look," Merlin said then saw the anger in Rumple's eyes and sighed. "Need I remind you Belle has your dagger? I could make her use it."

"You bastard, I would never use it against him," Belle gasped.

"What are you talking about?" Nimue asked and Belle held up the silver blade dagger and Nimue walked closer. She looked at the silver blade dagger when she saw Rumple's name in scrolled writing on the blade then turned, glaring at Merlin. "How could you let this happen?"

"I didn't do anything. It was a trap," Merlin said as he returned the strings of glowing moss to their original form, walked to Rumple then placed his hands on Rumple's shoulders.

"Get your hands off of me," Rumple said, swatting his arms away. "As much as I appreciate being sent twelve years forward in time, don't think telling me it was a trap will make me hate you any less. Thanks to you, I have wasted ten years of my life. Ten years I could have spent married to Belle. I might have even had children, but, no, I ended up alone! All…because…of…you!"

"Hate me all you like, but know I will try everything in my power to find a way to free you."

"There is only one way to free me," Rumple growled. "You have to kill me."

"No," Nimue gasped, placing her hand against her chest.

"Now, before I give in to my anger, return us to her father," Rumple growled and Merlin sighed, half closing his eyes.

"As you wish," Merlin said as he waved his hands and they were enveloped in black smoke. When the black smoke faded, Nimue sank to the floor, placed her face in her hands and sobbed.

Avonlea

Maurice paced while Chip watched when the black smoke appeared in the center of the room and Maurice stopped pacing. The black smoke cleared as Belle ran to her father and he wrapped his arms around her. Rumple looked at them when he sighed then raised the hood as a purple light moved over his fingers and he blinked his eyes a few times.

"Where are you going?" Belle asked when she let go of her father then ran to him and Rumple gave her a sad smile.

"I am going home," he said then looked at Maurice. "I don't normally break deals, Dearie…"

"No, don't you dare," Belle said then turned and looked at Merlin. "This is your fault! You and Mab had no right to use him like some chess piece! He is a human being! But you don't care about that, do you?! Look at him! Look at what you have done to him!"

"Belle," Rumple sighed as purple smoke moved around his feet and she moved closer. Before he could stop her, Belle grabbed hold of him and they vanished in the purple smoke.

"What has just happened?" Maurice demanded, walking to Merlin.

"I just explained things to them," Merlin said as he placed his hands on the top of the table and looked down. His long hair draped his face as he shook his head and his body quivered with anger. "She's right. This is my fault. I have been so caught up in my war with Mab I didn't see how it affected my family."

"Are you talking about the Queen of the Dark Fey?"

"Yes, she has been the bane of my existence for centuries and has tried to destroy everything I hold dear. She is the reason my wife was maimed and has to spend her life inside a Hawthrone tree. My children and grandchildren have been slaughtered…," he said then sighed. "Well, not all of them. I thought I could protect him and she leads him into a trap."

"Who are you talking about?"

"I am talking about Rumplestiltskin," Merlin growled as the room started shaking and he balled his hands into fists on top of the table. "He is my grandson."

The Dark Castle

The purple smoke faded as Belle let go of Rumple and he stormed to the black wood couch, sat down hard on the red cushion and she looked at him. She had seen him angry, but seeing him confused and defeated hurt her inside. She didn't know if she should go near him or leave him alone when she headed for the door leading to the kitchen and he looked at her.

"Where are you going?" he asked, standing up.

"I thought you would like some tea," she said and he had a hard look to his face.

"I am perfectly able to make my own tea," he said with a cold tone to his voice.

"Then I'll go make you something to eat."

"What you can do is leave," he said and her heart lurched in her chest. "I don't need you anymore."

"No, don't you do this," she said as she walked to him and he folded his arms over his chest. "I am not leaving."

"Get out," he growled, glaring at her.

"No," she shouted then pushed him and he staggered back a few steps.

"No one pushes me, Dearie," he said through clenched teeth. She pushed him again as he nearly fell onto his bottom and his eyes flashed red. He didn't want to strike her, but a small voice demanded he kill her and every nerve in his body fought hard not to.

Avonlea

"What do you mean he is your grandson?" Maurice demanded and Merlin sighed.

"Did I stutter?" Merlin growled and Chip moved closer, removing the sword from the scabbard on his back. "And I am not in the mood to deal with you, Boy."

"Then you better explain yourself….Sir," Chip growled and Merlin stood straighter, looking at them.

"If you insist," he said and wiped his face with his hands. "Ever since I could remember, I had magic. I was told not to use my powers and had to keep them secret. Once I had used my magic, I was forced to leave and went from place to place, using my powers when needed. As my power grew, I was approach by men as well as magical beings and they all offered me work. Some, I accepted, but there were others I dare not accept. Over time, I learned that it was easier to use Dark Magic and was nearly seduced by it. When I broke free and denounced the dark power, the dark gods were not happy and sent someone to be my torment as well as me punisher. That someone was Mab. She took great pleasure in making my life a living nightmare and destroyed, or tried to destroy, everything and everyone which made me happy. She nearly cost me my true love, but I prevailed and thought I finally found happiness. This did not last long as Mab found my children and grandchildren and slaughtered them. When my last child had fallen in love, she gave birth to a child and that child is Rumplestiltskin."

"What happened to your daughter?" Maurice asked.

"She, like all my other children, ended up slaughtered. It was my fault. I failed to protect her. But I swore I would not fail my grandson. I watched over him and made sure he would have a good life. What I didn't count on was his father being a coward. He drank, gambled, stole and conned people and would beat and neglect my grandson. I knew I should have taken the boy from that life, but I felt like something was preventing me."

"And that something was Mab," Maurice said and Merlin sighed, nodding his head.

"As he grew, my grandson's life grew worse and worse and I was worried that Mab would finally make her move and captured him. When he went to war, I thought he would be safe. I was wrong. Mab found him and…"

"Are you saying Mab is the reason my son was killed?" Maurice demanded as anger filled his eyes and balled his hands into fists.

"I believe so. She knew my grandson would not leave your son, but would if your son begged him to leave."

"She made Marcus tell him to leave?"

"Yes, it was to lure my grandson into her trap. She was going to lure him into a portal which would send him to her and…."

"How do you know this?" Chip asked.

"She told me," Merlin said then looked at Maurice. "Rest assured that I did stop her plan, but I didn't expect him to land on top of that hill. He was supposed to come here."

"And what was I supposed to do with him once he arrived?"

"What you did. You were to keep him safe until I arrived and take him with me. What I didn't expect was him to fall for your daughter. Once I saw how he felt for her…"

"Wait! If Mab knew he was here, was she the reason he left?" Chip asked.

"Yes," Merlin said with a nod of his head then looked at Maurice. "She was also the reason why you were to make your daughter marry that…beast."

"I was going to marry her off due to ogres about to destroy my kingdom," Maurice growled.

"No, there was no need. The ogres were hibernating."

"If you are telling the truth, and she knows my daughter means everything to Rumple….," Maurice said then growled. "You have put my daughter in danger!"

"Yes," Merlin said then sighed as he lowered his head. "But now it's not Mab she has to worry about."

"What do you mean?" Chip asked.

"I'm talking about Rumplestiltskin," Merlin said then looked at them. "I have seen what my grandson is like when he's angry and you don't make the Dark One angry without paying a price."

The Dark Castle

Belle looked at the hate and anger in his eyes as he moved closer when she held up the silver blade dagger and he stopped. She felt her heart cracking while she held the handle of the silver blade dagger tightly in her hand and glared at him.

"Dark One, I order you to sit down and not move or speak unless I ask you a question," she said while hot tears rolled down her cheeks and he blinked his eyes a few times. He felt something growling inside him when he sat down on the floor and looked up at her. She pondered her words when she sighed and brushed the hair from her eyes. "I understand that you are upset. You have all right to. But only a coward would run and isolate himself."

His eyes widened as she saw the hurt behind his eyes and she steeled her resolve, pointing the silver blade dagger toward his face.

"Yes, I am calling you a coward. The brave spinner who refused to leave my fatally injured brother would never act this. Am I right?"

"Yes, you're right. He wouldn't," Rumple said, glaring at her. She felt her resolve fading when she lowered the silver blade dagger and sighed.

"Then why do you want me to leave?" she asked while sitting in front of him and he breathed hard and fast through his nose.

"I… I am tired of being everyone's puppet. I am done with being used, abused then abandoned and treated like I'm nothing," he said through grit teeth and she frowned.

"Have I ever treated you that way? Has my father?" she asked and he looked at the silver blade dagger resting on her lap. Looking down, Belle half smiled when she got onto her knees, held the silver blade dagger in her hand and crawled closer. He watched as she reached with her hand over his head and pretended to use the silver blade dagger to cut invisible strings. Blinking his eyes a few times, he frowned and she smiled, leaning back on her legs. She held out the handle of the silver blade dagger while he watched then cautiously reached for the handle and took the silver blade dagger from her.

"You're giving this back to me?" he asked, looking at the light flickering on the silver blade.

"Of course," she said with a smile. "It's yours."

"Belle," he said as he placed the silver blade dagger on the floor and she held her arms out. He crawled to her when she held him and he placed his cheek against her shoulder. "I'm sorry."

"Will you stop saying that?" she said with a sigh. "You have nothing to be sorry for nor are you nothing."

"Then what am I?"

"Mine," she said as he looked at her and she smiled. "So, do you still want me to leave or do I have to tickle your feet?"

"No, I don't want you to go," he said then giggled and pulled his feet behind him. "And no one tickles my feet."

"Now it is my turn to apologize for using your dagger against you. The reason I did was because I wanted you to calm down."

"I understand. Just promise to never do it again," he said, wagging his index finger at her. Nodding, she lifted his hand then kissed his knuckles and gently rocked him back and forth.

Mab's Castle

The man formerly known as Gaston stood stone still on a stone pedestal at the center of the room as the flames of torches in gold holders flickered and the shadows moved on the stone walls. A large wooden door faced him as his unseeing eyes looked straight ahead and the torchlight flickered on the white armor, boots and helmet. At the base of the pedestal was a marble bowl held up by a gold circle ring on lion feet and the water in the marble bowl was still. The large wooden door opened when a female figure walked in and the skirt of her black robe brushed against the stone floor.

Queen Mab was the ruler of the Dark Fey or Dark Sidhe and was well known for her flawless beauty as well as for her dark temper. Her hair was raven black with small traces of blue and purple and her eyes were a deep sapphire blue. Deep enough most people thought her eyes were black and no one dared look her in the eyes. Her robe was jet black with a slit down the front to show a hint of her breasts and ended just under her navel. The robe clung to her curves then ended at her feet and black leather sandals adored her feet. The long sleeves flared at the end and her fingernails were painted a blood red. The tips of perfectly pointed ears peeked out from under her hair and a gold pendant with a blood ruby dangled between her breasts on a gold chain.

She walked to the stone pedestal as she stood in front of the marble bowl and waved her hand over the water. A thick white smoke floated over the water as she watched the smoke then an image appeared and she titled her head to one side.

For years she had tormented her nemesis, Merlin, killed his children and grandchildren, but one of his blood had escaped her. When she had learned of Rumplestiltskin, she had made his life a living hell, as she did his grandfather, but her good fortune of making him the Dark One instead of his grandfather was her greatest achievement. She assured the dark gods he would be hers when he found out the truth and she would use Rumple to destroy Merlin.

The smoke cleared as she saw Rumple sitting on one of the high back chairs in the dining hall and he looked miserable. Smiling, she moved to take a closer look while Rumple strummed his fingers together and pressed his lips into a thin line.

"Finally," he said to someone Mab couldn't see and she frowned.

"Who is he talking to?" she whispered. To her shock, Mab watched as Belle walked to the table and placed a white china plate with a thick slice of chocolate cake with a large lump of whipped cream on top on the table in front of him and he rubbed his hands together, smiling.

"Ah, that looks amazing," he said with a grin. She placed the chipped china cup and the china saucer on the table as he looked at the tea and could just smell the honey.

"Well, considering how today went, I thought you needed a treat," Belle said and brushed some hair out of his eyes. He took her hand then kissed her knuckles and Belle smiled.

"No, not her," Mab growled.

Belle sat on the corner of the table as Rumple started eating then wiggled his finger for her to come closer.

"What's wrong?" Belle asked and Rumple smiled. Belle gasped after he had scooped some whipped cream onto his finger then tapped the tip of her nose and giggled. "You little imp!"

Smiling, Belle rolled her eyes when she scooped up some whipped cream and tapped the tip of his nose. He nearly went cross eyed as he looked at the whipped cream then looked at her and arched an eyebrow,

"So that's how you want to play, Dearie?" he asked then used the napkin to wipe the whipped cream off his nose then hers and she laughed.

"Oh dear, I have made my master angry! Whatever shall I do?!" Belle asked in mock shock. She slightly hopped off the table when she moved closer and gently kissed his lips. He held her head in his hands when she moved back then sat on his lap and he placed his arms around her. Picking up the fork, she poked a piece of the cake onto the fork then fed him and Rumple smiled sweetly at her.

"No," Mab growled as she waved her hand over the water then turned and headed for the large wooden door. The sound of the door slammed echoed in the room as the water in the marble bowl shook while the torchlight faded and the Winter Knight stood silent in the darkness.