A Domestic Scene - Following the events related in 'Undoing'

"Oh! Rumple!"

"What is it Dearie?" Rumple asked, turning his smiling face away from the baby he was bouncing on his knee.

"Rumple we're pregnant...AGAIN!"

Rumple's smile widened as he looked around the room at his unusually large brood playing around him, "Well what's one more?" he quipped, rising to kiss his wife as little Lexie started to fuss lazily at the cessation of her bouncing. Rumple stuck his thumb in her mouth as his wife continued. "But Rumple..." Belle said indicating their family; Gideon and Novel reading quietly in the book nook by the window, Tome tinkering with an antique clock (oh dear how will he ever get that back together again?), Paige and the twins Chapter and Verse playing with blocks by the stained glass doors and of course little Lexicon cooing in her father's arms. "Rumple... I'm all out of book puns!"

Rumple laughed and after a moment Belle laughed too. After all what kind of problem was that to complain of? "If you're out of book puns Dearest," he said, squeezing her hand, "why not go back to picking names out of your books? Like you did with Gideon."

Gideon looked up drawn out of his book at the sound of his name, "Did you call me mom?" he asked, "No dear." said Belle, "I was just telling your father that, well...looks like you're all going to get a new brother or sister in a few months." Their entire brood of bookworms rejoiced at the news. Even baby Lexicon clapped her tiny hands in delight.

Tome, Belle's 2nd son and Rumple's 3rd was the first to speak giving voice to his hopes that the baby would be a boy this time to balance the numbers once more; Math being his particular favorite subject in school. Novel their oldest daughter gave her mother a hug and offered to babysit so that mama and papa could go out and celebrate if they wanted too. The twins toddled over and proceeded to latch themselves onto their father's legs as they begged for a 'ride'.

"Book characters could be fun... say Tom Sawyer or Huck Fin" Belle paused, "Or maybe I could start naming them after my favorite authors instead?!"

Rumple smiled, "You want to name our baby Henry? Don't you think that name is a tad overused already?" he quipped. "And well it is most unusual for a grandfather to name his new son after his grandson."

Belle smiled, "You know what I meant Rumple."

"Well if it's going to be authors now, how about naming this one after Robert Burns." Rumple asked.

"Why?"

"Don't know I just like the name I guess. His poetry is ok too."

"I'm glad to see you've been reading from the book list I selected for you. But I don't know if I like the sound of that name...Robert Burns Gold ...it just doesn't have the right ring to it."

"Robert Lewis Stevenson Gold?" he suggested.

"Not that one either!" she laughed; "Besides we don't even know if it will be a boy or a girl yet."

"Do you want to know?" he asked her, nudging her playfully with the hand that wasn't currently occupied holding baby Lexie.

"Can you do that?"

Rumple shrugged, "Well I am The Light One, Dearie..."

Belle sat down next to her husband and soon she was cuddling baby Lexie to her chest when the infant reached out for her. "I just realized, Rumple. This baby will be the first child we've had since you became The Light One."

"I suppose you're right. I hadn't considered that."

"Do you think this baby will be ...different?" she asked.

"Belle, we've had seven healthy happy children together, all untouched by the darkness of their father's loins. In fact as far as I can tell these children are merely the children of Rumplestiltskin the man. My body may be centuries old thanks to dark magic, but I'm still just a man. Now that The Darkness has been driven out by The Light...I'm still just a man; at least as far as the children are concerned."

"I never asked...it seemed...it just seemed like you had a lot on your mind after your curse was broken. Frankly I was just so happy that you were alright that I didn't much care what happened to The Darkness."

Rumple paused and looked away for a second or two, the memory of that day still fresh and sharp, "At first it was just like a snap of electricity running over my skin where Henry kissed me and then I felt this surge of power coming from my hands, it felt the same as when I used magic, but much more powerful and I felt terrified because I knew I couldn't control it. The Light wove around me for a few terrifying moments as if it was looking for a way in and then suddenly all that magic, all that power, just charged right into my dark heart and forced The Darkness out! I could feel The Darkness screaming as it was separated not only from me, but from all the hearts it had cursed over the centuries. The Darkness was forced out by The Light and hurled out into the utter darkness from which it came. I knew immediately that it was gone, not just from me, but from all The Dark Ones who'd ever lived. All those Dark Ones who tried to come back from the dead and trade our lives for theirs...wherever they went; wherever they are now...they're all free. Free to move on...I... I'd never felt so free."

"I'm so glad Rumple." Belle said, tears glistening in her eyes.

"I'm glad too Belle." he paused, lowering his voice so that the older children couldn't hear them, "Belle, I feel like I need to apologize to you."

"Rumple, there's no need..."

"But there is a need. My need. I need to apologize to you for all the harm I've done to you...all the times I've hidden things from you."

"Rumple, I understand that now." her voice was gentle, "The Darkness held a powerful sway over you. It's to your credit that you kept it as under control as you did."

"It's true that The Darkness was always there, like a demon on my shoulder tempting me to do dark things. But the truth was that I liked magic. I liked the power! All my life I'd been treated as if I was the dirt beneath the feet of everyone I met and when I became The Dark One and everything changed...it was such a thrill to walk all over the people who had walked all over me for so long...even now I can remember how good it felt. But the thing I regret the most regarding you Belle was what happened with The Evil Queen."

"Rumple I don't want to dredge that up again."

"Nor do I, but I just want you to know that I am sorry for betraying you Belle. From the bottom of my heart I am so sorry." When Belle looked up and saw the tears running down his cheeks, her own unshed tears started to fall and they mingled with his in a kiss that would've broken any curse if one still existed between them and they both knew they were stronger now for their tears.

"Mom" Novel called, breaking up the moment (the way children are prone to do) "Mrs. Jones called and she wants to know if dad is available for private lessons."

"Private lessons?" Belle repeated with a little giggle, after sending her daughter back to her book.

Rumple blushed, "Emma has been pestering me for weeks, ever since my transformation really. She says wants me to give her magic lessons."

Belle smirked, "Has she indeed. You know if I didn't know better I'd say our Emma has developed a bit of a crush on you."

"Nonsense! She's a married woman and so am I."

Belle smiled, "You're a married woman too?"

"You know what I meant!"

"Rumple you are positively flustered." Belle giggled, "You really never have known what to do when a woman likes you."

"Well in this case it's particularly awkward given Emma and my...history. Not to mention Baelfire. Anyway, I don't think it's me she really likes anyway. I think it's the new light magic. Women seem preternaturally attracted to me since I turned light."

Belle smiled, "I've noticed," she said, patting her as yet non-existent baby bump, "Maybe you should give her a present. Something made from light magic that could help wean her off the scent, or whatever you might call it, that the light magic seems to give off...wait I know the perfect thing!" Belle exclaimed. "Why not finally settle the score between you and Killian?"

"Belle I hardly think..."

"You can restore his hand Rumple! Give Captain Hook back the hand you took so long ago."

"Actually, dearest," Rumple reminded her, "I did that already and it didn't exactly turn out well. In fact he asked to have the hook back."

"That was dark magic, Rumple. You're The Light One now! All your magic comes from a good place and I know Emma would like it if you did this. Not to mention Doctor Whale. When I think of all the puncture wounds he's had to stitch up..."

"She has magic herself she could give him a new hand if she wanted too. In fact she could heal those puncture wounds if she wanted to too. I think she likes to have people know. Like some kind of weird trophy."

"Well if you think you can't do it...maybe I should ask the fairies."

"Fairies! They wouldn't help him. Fairies are too legalistic. "They'd just say Hook was a villain and villains don't get fairy magic wasted on them."

"You never did like fairies, Rumple. Even now that you're The Light one you seem to dislike them. Why?"

"It's difficult to explain...before, when I was dark, I hated them as I hated all magic that wasn't born of the darkness, but more than that I hated her."

"The Blue Fairy."

"Yes. I hated her for the part she played in my boy's loss. My son thought the blue fairy cared about us, that she wanted to help us, but she never cared about my son. All she wanted was to banish The Dark One from her domain!"

"Calm down, dearest." Belle said, "The children will hear you."

"I'm sorry Belle." Rumple sighed, lowering his voice once more, "But I've had centuries now to observe that fairy and my opinion is that she is utterly without compassion. She doesn't care about people...not really anyway. All she cares about are her precious rules and..."

"Dad!" Tome yelled, unintentionally stopping his father from going on a full rant about Blue and her many shady dealings. "There's somebody at the door for you." he called, returning immediately to his disassembled clock.

Reluctantly Rumple rose and crossed to the door. On the other side he found Regina. "Gold...um hi." she said, pushing past him without an invitation. She spotted Belle sitting on the settee and thrust a tupperware container at her. "Turnovers" she said, "Made them myself."

"Apple?" Belle asked.

"Of course." Regina replied.

"Thank you." Belle said, privately vowing to have her husband check them for poison later just to be safe.

"What do you want Regina?" Rumple asked, clearly annoyed at having his evening interrupted.

"Don't be rude, Rumple." Belle chided him, though privately she was a little annoyed at Regina's pushy presence herself.

Regina looked positively embarrassed as she admitted her reason for coming, "I...want you to teach me magic again." she finally admitted, "The light kind this time."

"I thought you were already learning light magic on your own."

"It's...harder than you think." she said, "It seems like I can only use light magic under duress of some kind. My ordinary everyday magic still seems to skew dark and I just don't understand that! I've been a hero for decades now and I still get these dark urges..."

"Oh so now you've been a hero for decades?" Belle asked, incredulous that the woman who locked her in a cell for thirty years and even after she joined team hero had ripped her heart out to try and manipulate her husband, didn't understand why she still had a dark heart. What about all those hearts that (as far as Belle knew) she STILL had locked up in her vault!

"Yeah, well...I may have been overstating the matter slightly" Regina admitted, "But I have been on team hero for decades, even if I wasn't always acting like one."

"Yes, well, the Charmings are nothing if not willing to overlook the faults of anyone willing to help them out of the seeming endless series of scrapes they were always getting themselves into." Rumple stated. He paused to look to his wife for advice on how to proceed. Belle nodded and Rumple sighed as he turned back to Regina, "Well I guess I'm back to being your teacher again Regina. Hopefully this time with better results. But I warn you, I'm still getting used to light magic myself."

"But you're 'The Light One'" said Regina using air quotes, "How can you not know everything about light magic? You're the most powerful wizard who ever lived!"

"I had centuries to master dark magic, Regina. This light magic is still new to me and I hardly think..."

"Don't be silly, Rumple." interrupted Belle, "You've spent every day since your transformation studying your new magic and I absolutely believe you can teach Regina to use light magic and give up dark magic for good."

"It's worth a shot." Regina said with a shrug.

Rumple looked from Regina to Belle and he folded. "Ok." he nodded. "We'll give it a try."

"Thanks." Regina said, looking genuinely pleased, "Wait...I don't have to call you 'Master' again do I?" she asked. Another knock on the door saved Rumple from answering that one.

Belle still carrying Lexie went to open the door and to no one's surprise she found Emma on the other side. "Good afternoon Mrs. Jones." Belle said, sweetly emphasizing the 'Mrs.' ..."May I help you?"

"Yeah, I uh, came about those magic lessons..."

"I'd never have guessed." Belle quipped, stepping aside to let Emma enter. "As it happens," she told her latest uninvited guest, "Regina beat you to it."

Suddenly Rumple had a brilliant idea. "You know Emma; this might just be a useful coincidence. Since both of you want to learn how to better focus your light magic, perhaps we could arrange for the three of us to meet up say one a month..."

"The three of us?" Emma queried, "I was um, kind of hoping for private lessons." she added with a blush.

Regina crossed her arms, "Well, maybe it's best that I came here tonight. Clearly you two still have some weird former Dark One connection going on." she said.

"Why do you even need lessons Regina? You're miles ahead of me. Probably because you're like forty years older..."

"That was uncalled for Miss Swan...'er Mrs. Jones! And yes I may be light years ahead of you in skill, but I still have darkness issues that even your brief stint as an actual Dark One can't compare to, so don't act like you're the only one with problems!"

"Darkness issues?" Emma repeated, "Regina The Darkness was banished when Gold's curse was broken."

"Yes 'THE' Darkness was banished, but darkness still exists because people still exist! Have you read a newspaper lately?" Regina asked her.

"Is that true?" Emma asked Rumple.

"Yes, I'm afraid it is true." he confirmed, "The Darkness was an...entity in its own right. While it was the single most powerful source of darkness in our realm, it certainly wasn't the only one. There is still evil out there waiting to be fought and, odd group though we may be, we just might be the heroes this world needs when the next catastrophe strikes."

"That's a sobering thought." Regina said, "To think that the next time some magic windbag tries to blow down Storybrooke you and I will be on the same side Gold."

"Hey, don't forget me!" said Emma.

"You could be like The Three Musketeers!" chimed in Belle.

"Or the Power Rangers." Emma added, "Oh I call dibs on red!"

"Or maybe the Three Stooges might be more accurate" quipped Regina, rolling her eyes at Emma's suggestion. "And clearly RED...is MY color."

"Maybe we should work on our team name later." said Gold, taking Emma and Regina by their elbows and not subtly all at steering them towards the door.

"Wait Gold, when is our first lesson anyway?" asked Regina as she twisted her way out of Rumple's grasp before he quite had them out the door.

"I'll call you." he said, giving both ladies a smile as he closed the door right in their faces. "Whew" Belle said in relief once the door closed on the two forceful women. "Rumple, I know this feels like a terrible imposition, but I think it was good of you to agree to teach them. And who knows maybe you could stand to learn a thing or two about light magic too."

"I am The Light One dearie."

"Yes, but I bet you didn't know all that much about dark magic when you first became The Dark One."

"True. But I did have a very helpful being in The Dark One. He came to me in the form of his last host Zoso and taught me much about the ways of the dark."

"So do you have a Light...Essence helping you right now?"

"No actually I don't. Maybe because I am the first Light One there simply isn't one available or possibly that just isn't the way light magic...works."

"Regardless I know you'll be a wonderful teacher Rumple. The best teachers are always the ones who are still learning themselves and I think maybe the three of you might be good for each other. You could certainly use more experience working on a team Rumple."

"You're all the team I need Belle...well you and the 5% of the population of Storybrooke that I like to call my children. But you might be right about the experience being good for me. I only hope these monthly 'team' meetings don't make whatever connection Emma has for me worse."

"Maybe she's just unhappy at home? Even married people fight ...as you well know."

"Yes from BOTH my marriages." he chuckled.

"Why not do something for Hook and Emma and restore Hook's hand? It might just be the boost Emma needs to get her groove back."

"Is that a literary reference Belle?"

"No dear; film."

"Films...I never did develop a taste for those. Really if it wasn't for Henry's insistence on lending us those television discs I don't think we'd even own one."

Belle smiled, "You won't get any argument from me Rumple, you know books are my first love..." she leaned in and kissed her husband, "Ok maybe they're my second love."

"I'm very relieved to hear it." he said.

"And you will do something about Hook's hand?" Belle asked, going back for another kiss.

"Ok dearest. But I'm not about to leave my warm home tonight. No tonight we celebrate the newest member of clan Gold." He kissed his wife for the third, but not the last time in as many minutes. "I'll take care of Captain Jones later."

(O)

The next evening at The Jones' House

Emma rose from her evening cocoa and answered the soft knock on her door. She was astonished to see a walking scroll enter her doorway with a lift of it cap. The scroll walked right past Emma and Hook and hopped up onto their coffee table, unfurling itself right beside their cocoa mugs.

"What the hell is that?" Emma asked.

"You're The Savior you tell me."

Emma picked up the scroll and began to read and as soon as she finished the last words her husband jumped like he'd just been zapped.

"What the devil." said Hook looking down at his hands which were tingling like mad. "My hands hurt more than my head after a bad night of rum." he exclaimed.

"Your hands?" Emma repeated staring at his new appendage, "Killian you have HANDS!"

"What?" he cried, "But how?!"

Emma snapped her fingers. "Gold. I bet this was Gold's doing. He's such a sweet guy."

"Sweet? My crocodile sweet?! Oh well I guess this isn't all bad." he admitted as he enjoyed flexing his new fingers and thinking about all the lovely things he could do with them.

"I'll say." said Emma wrapping her husband's hands around her waist. They shared a tender kiss and as Killian slipped a hand up her back she added, "Oh my. It looks like Captain Hands is back in business..."

(O)

Back at The Gold's abode in the big pink house, Rumple and Belle enjoyed a quiet evening alone now that the kids were finally asleep. Belle sat in her easy chair by the fire with her feet curling underneath her and her nose stuck deep into a book as Rumple gazed fondly on her from his own easy chair where he was diligently working on the family's latest pair of golden booties.

THE END