Another day in The Enchanted Forest called for Neal to ask Belle for some help and also, John Darling offered to help out as well as he seemed interested in the world of magic again in a positive way after his former older sister Wendy was snatched away to Neverland for a century. He would do what he could to help out and Ben also insisted on helping out, though no one was sure what he could do to help, so they suggested that he and Goldie stay back at Aurora and Phillip's due to Ben's closeness with Audrey.
"If there's anyone who can defeat that witch and get you back to your family, it's the Dark One," Belle was soon telling Neal as they were in The Dark Castle's corridor together. "Also John, it's nice to have you on board."
"I thought I could try to be useful since my siblings and I ended up here with the lot of you," John nodded. "Who knows? Maybe magic will be useful again and I'll find a way back home to Bloomsbury along with Michael and Wendy so we can rebuild our lives together."
"That would be nice for you," Belle nodded. "Now, the way to resurrect Rumple has to be here." she then added as she looked around the castle's interior.
"You really believe in him, don't you?" Neal asked her.
"I love him. All of him," Belle insisted. "Even... Even the parts that belong to the darkness. I think we have your little brother as proof of that." she then added confidently.
"Yeah, it took me a while to see past all that... to the good man trying to get out." Neal replied softly.
"He did get out." Belle reminded.
"Yeah, he did. Irony is, now I need the dark part," Neal said before he took out what looked like a swan keychain. "In order to get to the ones I care about."
"What is that?" Belle asked as she and John then noticed the trinket.
"A necklace. It was Emma's," Neal explained softly. "It was supposed to represent our life together. I don't know how it survived the trip."
"Because, it was born out of true love." Belle realized.
"Like your son Ben." John guessed.
"Yes, exactly," Belle nodded before she faced both men. "Now, come with me. I think I know where we can find what we need." she soon told them as she took out a candle, leading them straight to the library, remembering just where to go.
"You think there's magic in here?" John asked as he looked among the library.
"No, something better than magic. Books," Belle explained. "Books on history. Witchcraft. And hopefully, some on The Dark One, too."
"Where do we start?" Neal wondered.
"One shelf at a time." Belle replied as she lit the candelabra in the library before blowing out the match.
"Hello there!" A voice suddenly called out.
"Did you... Did you say something?" Belle then asked Neal and John out of confusion.
"Wasn't me." John replied.
"Over here!" The voice called again.
Belle, John, and Neal then turned around to see the candelabra before a human face morphed through the flames, much to their surprise and confusion.
"Allow me to introduce myself~" The candelabra told them.
"What the hell?" Neal mumbled in shock.
"Well, that's a new one on me." John remarked.
"No need to be frightened. I am but a humble servant of this castle," The candelabra replied calmly. "My name is Lumiere."
"I don't understand. I've dusted every book and cranny in this place," Belle replied, shocked and confused. "How have our paths never crossed?" she then wondered.
"It's a big castle and I was woefully underutilized," Lumiere explained. "Sadly, I only awaken, when my candles are lit. Those are the rules of my punishment."
"Punishment by who?" Neal asked out of confusion.
"Whom do you think? Does he even know where he is?" Lumiere scoffed in response.
"You mean Rumplestiltskin?" John guessed.
"Exactement!" Lumiere replied. "We made a deal long ago with my lost love he stored away in the attic and when I couldn't live up to my end, he made sure, we paid the price," he then explained before looking around cautiously. "He's not here, is he?" he then wondered.
"No, he's... He is dead." Belle stated grimly.
"We're trying to bring him back. You said you spent a lot of time here," Neal added and explained. "Do you know anything that could restore the Dark One?" he then asked.
"I know a great many things." Lumiere replied, matter-of-factly.
"Please, you gotta help us," Neal begged. "If you don't, I'll never see my family again."
"Boo-hoo. Why should I help resurrect the man who put me in this wax prison and kept me away from my angel?" Lumiere scoffed in response.
"Hey now, that's no way to talk." John frowned.
"Well, you try being a candle for as long as I have and being kept away from the one you truly love and desire in this hellhole you call a home." Lumiere retorted.
"The Rumplestiltskin you knew may have seemed cold and hard, but he's changed since then," Belle defended gently. "If you help us, I know he'll restore you to your human form. Please."
"The bookcase behind you. Bottom cabinet. You'll know it, once you see it," Lumiere soon began to explain as Belle nodded, then headed over to the cabinet and opened it. "It's a volume befitting the Dark One."
John came by Belle and helped her take out a heavy book that was bound in leather until they brought it to a table to open it.
"What the hell kind of book is that?" Neal asked as Belle opened the book.
"This isn't a book. It's a hiding spot." Belle replied as she took out an item from the book's pages and then examined it closely.
"What's that?" Neal wondered.
"It looks like a key." John pointed out.
"Indeed," Lumiere agreed as Belle, John, and Neal examined the key, seeing a triangle engraved in the key's bow. "To the vault of the Dark One."
"The vault of the Dark One?" Belle asked.
"Where the first Dark One was made. Born out of... well, darkness," Lumiere explained. "If you wish to bring Rumplestiltskin back to life, this is, where you must go."
"Well, that sounds promising at least." John remarked.
"Will you guide us on our journey?" Belle asked the candelabra hopefully.
"If your promises that the Dark One will return me and mon cherie to our human forms are true, then, yes, I will." Lumiere replied.
"We leave first thing in the morning." Neal decided as he placed the key back inside its hiding spot.
"And we'll reunite you with your lost love," John added. "You said that she was locked away in the attic."
"Oui," Lumiere nodded. "I have not seen her in so long and please, look for the one called Angelique. You shall know her once you see her." he then added urgently.
"Don't worry, you can count on us, Lumiere." John promised before he blew out the flames.
"Come on, let's go get ready." Neal suggested.
And at that, Neal, John, and Belle left the library with the book.
Once they left however, a certain wicked woman came into the room and ignited the flames with her magic. "Nicely done. I don't think, they suspected you for an instant. Which says more about them, then it does about you," she then told the candelabra with a smirk. "That Belle isn't as smart as she thinks. And this son of his - dumber than a box of hair. John Darling isn't half bad looking at least... maybe I can bewitch him a little if he spends more time away from his brother and sister~"
"They're merely desperate to bring back their Rumplestiltskin." Lumiere replied.
"Not only desperate. Blind." The Wicked Witch retorted.
"Release me. I've aided you enough," Lumiere demanded. "You must also help me get back mon Angelique and back to our child."
"I'd watch your tone, Candle," The Wicked Witch retorted firmly. "There's more to be done and you shall do it, unless you desire being the wax seal on an envelope and you will never see your angel or cherub ever again."
Lumiere looked down about that possibility, but tried not to let it get to him.
The next morning came as Ben was eating porridge while Goldie watched him for Belle and Neal.
"John should be here any minute, then we should go into the attic before we follow any more of Lumiere's instructions." Belle told Neal.
"Sounds good," Neal nodded before looking over at his little brother with a small smile. "How's your porridge, buddy? Not too hot? Not too cold?"
"No, it's just right." Ben replied with a small smile.
"I helped make sure it was too," Goldie nodded. "As you know, I'm an excellent judge of porridge."
"Yeah, I suppose if anyone would know, it would be Goldilocks." Neal smirked warmly.
Goldie smirked back a little. Eventually, everyone jumped slightly as they heard a knock on the front doors of the castle. Belle then decided to go and get it before smiling once she saw who was there and then, John came into the dining hall along with Belle.
"Hi, Mr. Darling! How's Wendy?" Ben greeted politely.
"Oh, she's adjusting okay to this world, I think she's found a close friend in The Blue Fairy's daughter, Jane." John replied as he smiled.
"Yeah, Jane's cool." Ben nodded at that.
"Goldie, can you look after Ben for a little while?" Neal asked the blonde woman. "Belle, John, and I have very important business to take care of later today and it'd mean a lot to us if you look after him."
"Well, I suppose I could do that while also taking care of Koda since he's a baby again, so I can become the mother he deserves," Goldie replied. "If Ben doesn't mind me looking after him."
"Aww, Neal. Can't I come?" Ben pouted.
"Sorry, Benny, your big brother has something important to do about Papa, but I promise it'll be worth it," Neal reassured Ben calmly and maturely. "We'll talk about it later, okay? When things are alright in the end."
"Hmm..." Ben pouted and crossed his arms as he didn't like being left out.
"Sorry Ben, but there are some things you just aren't ready for yet since you're a small child again," Belle gently told her son who wasn't a teenager anymore. "Just like last night when you spent the night at Phillip and Aurora's castle."
"It's not fair~" Ben whined.
"Come now, don't whine like that, Benjamin." Belle told her son.
"Sorry~" Ben said, still whining a little bit.
"Well..." Goldie soon spoke up as everyone looked at her. "Is there anything you're doing that's going to be safe for young eyes to see for themselves?"
"You mean, not what we're doing to help bring back Papa?" Neal asked.
"Yes," Goldie replied. "Maybe he can see that and he'll stay with me while you go do to something else? she then added and suggested.
"Well... I guess that would be fair," Belle replied. "What could scare Ben in the attic?"
"The attic?" Ben wondered.
"Yeah, let's go there," Neal nodded. "We made one promise to Lumiere after all, so let's try to keep another right away before we bring back Papa."
"I can help?" Ben asked hopefully.
"Sounds like you can, little buddy." Goldie smiled.
"Yay! I can help!" Ben then cheered in excitement.
The others chuckled at his cute little excitement while Ben began to finish up his porridge and then followed everyone else to the attic after Goldie gave Koda his bottle before a quick nap. Once Ben got over the shock and meeting of Lumiere, they began to climb up the steps that seemed endless.
"1,001... 1,002... 1,003... Are we there yet?" Ben asked, starting to sound bored and exhausted.
"Not yet." Belle replied as she carried Lumiere in her hand on the way into the attic.
"Oh, boy, there sure are a lot of stairs here. One-thousand seven, one-thousand eight, one-thousand nine, one-thousand ten
"I'd kill for an elevator right about now." Neal gasped and panted.
"An elevator in a castle?" Goldie chuckled.
"Hey, you know there are stranger things that have happened," Neal replied. "My grandfather's Peter Pan and apparently that kid Jane is my aunt and you're the sister of Robin Hood, Goldilocks."
"Hmph... Touché, Neal Cassidy, touché~" Goldie smirked and laughed a little.
Neal laughed too as they continued to follow Belle and Ben up the steps until they finally made it into the attic.
"Hello?" Belle called out once they finally made it inside. "Hello?"
"Is anyone here?" John added.
"Do not be afraid, mes ami! It is I, Lumiere!" Lumiere announced as they began to look around in the attic for a certain someone. "We have come to pay you a little visit."
There was a creaking sound heard from behind. Ben glanced over his shoulder to see something... or someone... creeping out of a wooden chest from behind before he dashed away and hid in front of his mother for protection.
"Lumiere?~" A high-pitched and sweet sounding voice answered.
"Angelique~" Lumiere responded to the voice, knowing exactly who it came from.
"Ah, Lumiere, finally~" Angelique gushed as she flew out of the wooden chest suddenly and was shown to be an angel tree topper like the kind you would find on a Christmas tree. "I thought I was to be locked away in this dusty attic forever~"
"Ah, Angelique, mon amour~" Lumiere greeted as he was set down on a box while Angelique flew over to him so that they could see each other up close better. "Your eyes are still so lovely after all these years~" he then cooed before looking like he was about to kiss her, though his face was made out of flames.
"Lumiere, please! You'll tarnish the halo." Angelique tutted him.
"Ahem! Don't mind us, but we kind of have to keep going?" John cleared his throat and spoke up while Belle giggled in slight amusement.
"Oh, yes..." Lumiere said. "This is Belle, John Darling, Goldilocks, and Rumplestiltskin's sons apparently. You could say that they're our guests." he then introduced quickly.
"Pleased to meet you." Belle said to Angelique with a polite smile.
"And this is Angelique," Lumiere then added. "She is the castle decorator."
"You mean WAS the castle decorator. I am not responsible for this baroque atrocity," Angelique huffed and defended firmly. "When I was in charge, the castle was full of light and beauty."
"Lemme guess, you were locked away here years before my mom showed up?" Ben asked.
"Uh... Oui!" Angelique replied, though she answered kind of strangely.
"But, cherie, that is why we have come," Lumiere told her kindly. "I need to help these people get Rumplestiltskin back, then they have promised to help us properly be together and reunite with each other and be free from these enchanted forms once and for all."
"Oh? Is that so?" Angelique asked, sounding doubtful.
"Anything is possible if you believe enough, as cheesy as that sounds, but trust us," Goldie insisted. "Lumiere said he would help Belle, John, and Neal if they first helped you two see each other again before they go onto the next step of the plan."
"Well... I suppose I could help out... if our hopes aren't raised only to be dashed because we have been let down many times before." Angelique replied.
"We promise to help you in any way that we can, but we need your help first before we move on," John told the tree topper as he hunched down to her height. "You won't be disappointed again and this will change everything and we believe that it will."
"Well, all right... if Lumiere believes in you folks." Angelique replied.
"I do, my dear, I do," Lumiere replied. "Even if Rumplestiltskin's older son is a little dense here and there."
"Exactly," Neal added and nodded until he realized what Lumiere just said about him, causing him to glare. "Hey!"
"I meant no offense to you of course." Lumiere then said.
"Pfft... Sure you didn't." Neal scoffed and rolled his eyes in response.
"All right, buddy. Looks like it's time to let your mom and big brother take it from here," Goldie said to Ben. "You can help me look after Koda if you want."
"Hmph." Ben pouted as he didn't like the idea of staying behind to be a babysitter.
Soon, the trio went out into the woods to look for the vault after remembering Lumiere's instructions.
"Ever since it happened I haven't been able to stop thinking about Rumple's sacrifice," Belle said on the way to The Dark Vault along with Neal and John. "I mean, how he died to save everyone in Storybrooke."
"You know, that wasn't it," Neal reminded her as he lifted up a lit torch. "He died to save us. His family."
"At least, he died a hero." John remarked.
"Yes." Belle agreed softly.
"Were you surprised he had it in him?" Neal asked Belle.
"Of course not." Belle replied.
"Well, I know I was," John remarked. "At least better than Peter Pan. What about you, Neal?" he then added.
"I don't know. I mean, my papa was never the most selfless guy. I know, he wished, he'd never let me go through that portal," Neal began to explain. "I know, how sorry he was, but now, that I have a son of my own, I can't imagine ever doing what he did."
"He regretted what happened with you so much," Belle reassured Neal almost maternally. "He was willing to do anything to get back to you."
"Well, that's one thing about him I can relate to because I would do anything to get back to Henry." Neal replied.
"That's good at least," John nodded. "I'd do anything to help my sister which is why Michael and I did what we had to do under the eyes of Peter Pan so that she could live even if it meant she had to be separated from us for almost 100 years."
Belle soon noticed something. "It's getting colder." she then stated.
"We must be on the right track then." John noted.
The three of them soon entered a clearing with snow lying on the ground. However, as they continued along, they didn't realize that a certain someone was following them.
"Look." Belle pointed out something else that was important to their quest.
"Come on, lets get what we came here for," Neal told Belle and John. "Let's get my father."
"Right," John nodded at that as the snow fell down all around them, reminding him of the simplicity of childhood and happy thoughts like toys at Christmas or sleigh bells. "Let's get to work."
"Ah, the snow... it reminds me of our enchanting Christmases together~" Angelique said to Lumiere.
"All in good time, mon cherie~" Lumiere reassured her. "I'm just glad that they were able to find it."
"Now what?" Neal asked as they looked around among the snow.
"Get to the center of the clearing. Under the ice and snow you shall find the entryway to the vault." Lumiere instructed.
Neal then went that way and soon knelt down before he soon successfully cleared the vault's entrance. "Belle! John!" he then called out.
Belle and John soon rushed over before kneeling beside Neal.
"Yeah, the key must go in the middle." Belle guessed.
"That sounds about right," John agreed. "It's a little hard to see with my glasses being blocked by snowflakes."
"Don't worry, John. We'll be out of here soon," Neal reassured the bespectacled man before he looked back at Lumiere and Angelique. "Are you sure about this?!" he then asked the candelabra and tree topper.
"We've spent 200 years in Rumplestiltskin's library and attic witnessing more dark magic and sorcery than any living creature has ever seen." Lumiere reassured confidently.
Belle soon looked curious about that time span. "I-I'm sorry. How long did you say you two were imprisoned?" she then asked Lumiere and Angelique.
"200 years, at least!" Angelique replied a bit firmly.
"He's lying. I don't know about Angelique, but Lumiere definitely is," Belle told Neal and John in a hushed voice before calling out to the candelabra and tree topper firmly. "Rumple built that library for me, not long before the curse! It's been there barely 30 years!"
"Who are you?!" John added sternly.
"Unless, you wanna spend the rest of eternity under a snowdrift, you better start talking." Neal warned them sharply.
Lumiere sighed and soon began to tell the truth for once. "We ARE who we appear to be." he then started to say.
"Lumiere, is this wise?" Angelique asked.
"Oui, Angelique, they deserve to know the truth," Lumiere reassured her before he continued to explain to John, Neal, and Belle. "Only it wasn't Rumplestiltskin, who turned us into these wretched forms. It was the Wicked Witch of the West." he then confessed.
"The Wicked Witch?" Belle asked out of disbelief.
"She told you to lead us here?" John added.
"Mas oui!" Angelique replied. "She wants you to bring back the Dark One, so she can control him with his dagger."
"We need to leave this place." Belle suggested to Neal and John.
"Belle, wait. It means we can bring him back," Neal replied. "Does it matter who got us here?" he then added.
"Rumple didn't sacrifice his life for good, so he could return to be a slave to evil." Belle retorted gently.
"My father is The King of Loopholes," Neal countered. "I'm sure he'll figure out a way to deal with her."
"What, if he can't? I think that Belle has a point," John replied. "Think what she could do, if the Dark One was under her control."
"Yes. We'll find another way to bring him back." Belle nodded at that.
"What, if there is no other way? I can't waste any more time," Neal replied urgently. "I need to get back. To hell with the costs!"
"It's what your father told himself when he forged the curse that condemned countless people to misery," Belle told Neal. "Don't make the same mistake he made!"
Neal seemed to ignore that and then placed the key inside the keyhole.
"Neal, wait!" Belle and John cried out together, but it was too late.
Neal placed a hand upon the key and then opened the vault. Heated by incorporated magic the key melted the snow around the vault and then ascending the fire burnt Neal's hand and left a triangle shaped mark on his palm. Screaming in pain Neal drew away his hand as the vault finally opened entirely and Rumplestiltskin was slowly rising and confluenced into his human form from deep within the vault.
"Rumple...?" Belle murmured in wonder. "Neal? Neal? What's wrong?" she then asked the poor man on the ground.
"Neal, are you okay?" John asked.
Neal only painfully groaned and screamed in response.
"Neal! Just hold on, okay?" Belle told him, both her and John were currently unaware of a resurrected Rumplestiltskin watching them from right behind.
"Belle? Bae No..." A familiar voice called.
"Rumplestiltskin." John realized with wide eyes behind his glasses.
"Bae." Rumple called as he walked over to them and took his grown son in his arms.
"Poor Baelfire. Just couldn't learn from his father's mistakes~" The Wicked Witch taunted as she stepped out from her hiding spot in the undergrowth. "He wanted so badly to get back to his son. couldn't see the forest for the trees."
"You." John glared at the green woman.
"Me?" The Wicked Witch smirked in reply. "You should've stayed in London~"
"You did this. You tricked him!" Rumple glared at the witch as he pointed his dagger at her firmly.
"All I did was pass on some vital information. With the help of a couple of friends~" The Wicked Witch replied with a small glance at Lumiere and Angelique. "And then, your son did the rest." she then added.
"You didn't tell him the price." Rumple glared.
"Oops. It's a sin of omission: love," The Wicked Witch smirked. "Although, I thought it was rather obvious. A life for a life~"
"It's gonna be alright, Neal." John tried to help comfort Rumple and Neal.
"I do doubt that." The Wicked Witch taunted.
"Go. Both of you." Rumple then told Belle and John.
The two nodded and got ready to go before they suddenly ran into Goldie.
"Guys, what's going on?" Goldie asked. "I sensed trouble."
"Never mind that now, Goldilocks, we gotta get out of here." John told the blonde woman.
"I'm not gonna let him go." Rumple told The Wicked Witch firmly, keeping Neal in an upright position. The dagger in one hand supporting Neal with the other one as he then tried to teleport both of them somewhere else only to fail.
"Sorry, Rumple. You can't hang on to both~" The Wicked Witch taunted.
Struggling a few moments longer, Rumple then gave in and relinquished his hold of the dagger, allowing The Wicked Witch to pick it up.
"Wow, I didn't think you had it in you," The Wicked Witch taunted with a chuckle as Rumple then used his remaining magic to absorb Neal into his body somehow. "You got your son, but you lost yourself~"
Rumple grunted before collapsing.
"Uh, is Rumplestiltskin okay?" Goldie asked out of concern.
"We don't know." John replied wearily.
"Rumple?" Belle called gently.
"No Rumple. No room! No room! No Rumple!" Rumple babbled in reply.
"Enough of this. Your madness is your burden, not mine," The Wicked Witch scoffed. "It's time to go, but before we do, kill them."
Rumple soon chose not to move, trying to resist the command.
"Rumple?" Belle whimpered nervously.
"Lumiere, we must do something." Angelique whispered.
"I know just what to do, cherie." Lumiere nodded at her and soon puffed out a bit, producing ropes that entwined the Wicked Witch.
The Wicked Witch cried out and struggled suddenly.
"What the...?" Goldie murmured once they saw that.
"I can't keep her for long. Go! Hurry!" Lumiere urged Belle, John, and Goldie. "Don't make me regret this flash of conscience. Get out of here!"
"And you must help the one called Gabrielle!" Angelique then called out.
"Gabrielle?" John asked. "Who's Gabrielle?"
"You'll know once you meet her!" Lumiere replied. "Just promise us you will help her!"
"We'll... we'll try, okay?!" Belle answered.
"Don't just try! Do!" Angelique replied.
"You're going to regret this, Candle and Angel!" The Wicked Witch complained as she appeared to be defeated. For now.
Taking Lumiere and Angelique with them, Belle and John then fled away from the scene.
"Belle, John, what're we gonna do now?" Goldie wondered.
"I don't know, Goldie, but we'll think of something. Eventually." Belle replied.
"What're you gonna tell Ben?" John wondered.
"I'll think about that too." Belle replied as she could tell that this wasn't going to be exactly easy.
