In all her time with Rumple Belle had come to dismiss most of the darkest rumors about him. Yes, he could be cruel to those who crossed him and he drove a hard bargain in his deals. But he wasn't overly sadistic, he didn't harm innocents as a rule, he had a higher opinion of women than many men she'd known, and he wasn't a creature of pure evil and darkness.
So, she'd pretty much dismissed the stories about him taking children. Well, that was until he showed up in the castle one day holding a bassinet with a baby in it.
"What's that?" she asked unable to hold back her shock.
"A child, I did think that was rather obvious," said Rumple setting the bassinet on the table.
"I can see that! But where are its parents?" too late she realized how accusatory her question must have sounded because she saw something like hurt flash across Rumple's face.
"What does it matter? It's my property now and you're to take care of it until it goes elsewhere." He spun on his heel and left the room. Belle was tempted to go after him and demand more answers only to be distracted by the cries of the baby who had now woken up.
Belle stepped over to the bassinet and peered down at child. It looked to be no more than a few months old with a little shock of dark hair and bright blue eyes. Belle had never taken care of a child and cursed Rumple for leaving her to deal with this on her own.
"Shh...it's alright little one," she said quietly humming a little tune she recalled her mother using on her as a child. This calmed the baby a little though he seemed a bit agitated. Thinking perhaps he might be hungry Belle took the bassinet to the kitchen and warmed some milk.
She was trying to figure out what to put it in when she opened a cupboard to find a small half oval shaped bottle with an opening at the top and a small spout nearly akin to a tea pot appeared. Belle recognized it as a baby bottle. Well, that solved that at least.
Gently she picked up the child and cradling it in one arm placed the spout at its mouth. After the milk the baby seemed to be fairly satisfied for it fell back asleep at least long enough for Belle to clean up.
The rest of the day passed much the same and Belle ignored most of her other chores in favor of looking after the child. It was to be fair some trial and error as she truly was on her own. She might have been a woman and would have been expected to have children. But royalty rarely took care of their own babies leaving it to wet nurses. So, Belle had never been instructed in the matter.
She did wonder why Rumple wanted the child and how he had acquired it. Belle simply couldn't bring herself to believe he meant it harm. But she knew that speculation was pointless. She'd simply have to find a way to get the answers she wanted from Rumple himself.
Evening came and Rumple didn't appear for dinner so Belle simply made herself a sandwich and mushed up some carrots for the child. Of course, it was right before bed that the baby decided to throw a real fit.
Belle was really at a loss she'd changed him, fed him, sung to him, and was now gently bouncing him in an attempt to calm him but to no avail.
And then finally Rumple appeared. Right when things were going wrong. Typical.
"You should rock him. Bouncing will only agitate him."
"Well, oh wise one care to demonstrate?" suggested Belle with a hint of sarcasm. She was annoyed with him for not explaining himself, for leaving her to figure this out on her own, and for only turning up when things took a turn for the worse. Not to mention her own embarrassment. Belle was at least able to admit that one of her flaws was pride, she hated being bad at things and worse having people witness it.
"As you wish," snarked back Rumple. However, he was gentle as a lamb as he took the babe from her cradling it in his arms with its head propped slightly on his shoulder as he rocked it. Almost immediately the baby calmed.
Belle watched in slight awe as Rumple interacted with the child, observing the way his face seemed to soften a little becoming a little more human as he gazed down at it.
"Well, I really was doing it wrong," murmured Belle
"It takes practice. You did very well for someone who clearly had no experience." said Rumple Belle's eyes widened and she saw him freeze. Clearly, he hadn't meant to say that out loud.
Suddenly the way anything she'd needed to take care of the child had magically appeared made sense to Belle. She'd assumed it was just the castle which she knew had a magic and slight mind of its own.
"You were watching." It wasn't a question. Rumple gave a slight shrug.
"Couldn't risk you failing miserably and something happening to him now, could I?" But there was no bite to his tone. Belle wasn't sure why he'd wanted to test her and left her to figure it out. But he had truly cared about the child's wellbeing, enough to watch over it. That much she was sure of.
"You think I stole him, don't you?" said Rumple.
"No." said Belle firmly and Rumple shot her a skeptical look so Belle elaborated.
"I admit for a moment my mind foolishly jumped in that direction but it was based on a few ridiculous notions that seem to have stuck around from the rumors I used to hear about you. But it was really just shock and once I got my head back on straight, I knew how stupid that idea was. I can't bring myself to believe that you would steal a child or wish harm upon one. After all you were a parent once."
She saw Rumple pause again and waited for his reaction. She was beginning to suspect him leaving her on her own had in part been a bit of retaliation for her accusatory manner of questioning. In which case she didn't entirely blame him. She really should have known better than for the thought to have ever even occurred.
OUAT
Rumple hadn't really intended for things to progress this way when he'd brought home the baby. But the accusatory note in Belle's tone, though he wasn't sure if it was intentional or not, had stung. He didn't care what anyone else thought of him normally. But he thought Belle knew him better than that. Or at least believed better of him.
So, he'd more or less left her to flounder with the child knowing she probably had no idea what to do former princess that she was. Still, while he knew she'd never intentionally harm the child he wasn't going to risk it's wellbeing so he followed her around invisibly watching as she did her best to work out how to handle a baby.
To her credit as she usually did when faced with a task, she'd no experience with, Belle didn't give in. Honestly her efforts reminded him a bit of himself when he was first figuring out how to handle Bae. Milah had grudgingly nursed him but had been very little help otherwise.
Still as hurt as he was, he couldn't leave her totally in the dark so occasionally would provide her with materials to help in the care of the child. It was only near the end of the day when she truly seemed at her wits end that he stepped in to lend a hand.
The moment the child was in his arms he felt as if he were taken back in time to the days when he was first looking after Bae. The parental instinct if he were fully honest had never fully left him. He'd always had a soft spot for children.
"You think I stole him, don't you?" said Rumple.
"No." answered Belle however Rumple wasn't sure he believe her and raised an eyebrow causing her to sigh.
"I admit for a moment my mind foolishly jumped in that direction but it was based on a few ridiculous notions that seem to have stuck around from the rumors I used to hear about you. But it was really just shock and once I got my head back on straight, I knew how stupid that idea was. I can't bring myself to believe that you would steal a child or wish harm upon one. After all you were a parent once."
"I see." So, she didn't think him capable of harming children. Well, that was something.
"With that said, I do have to ask where did the child come from?" her tone was far gentler this time almost as if she were scared of a offending him.
"Most tales have a grain of truth in them. It's the details that get changed. I do take children from their parents but only those that are freely given to me in a deals. I've never stolen a child from a family that wanted them." it was odd how he always felt the need to make sure Belle didn't think the worst of him.
"What could ever cause a person to give up their child?" asked Belle who looked both shocked and outraged though it at least didn't appear to be directed at him.
"A variety of reasons. Very few of them good. Most that I deal with are requesting material things like wealth or power. And if they are willing to trade their own child for such a thing then they don't recognize its value and aren't deserving of being a parent." The last part came out more harshly than he intended. Honestly it irritated him to see how casually some people were willing to throw away what they should be considering the most precious thing in their life.
"So, in some ways you're doing the child a favor. I can't imagine someone that would sell their child for riches would treat that child very well growing up," said Belle and Rumple was surprised at how quickly she had seen things from his point of view.
"Yes."
"But you said few of them good, what good reason could one possibly have for giving up your child?" asked Belle and Rumple was reminded that wise beyond her years though Belle often was she was still sheltered in many ways.
"You'll forgive me for saying so, but barring your difficulties with the ogres you've never known true desperations certainly not that of a parent particularly of one in poverty. Sometimes through no fault of their own a parent is simply unable to provide a good life for their child. They lack the means or ability to look after them so instead of waiting till they lose them or allowing them to get caught up in the same poor cycle that they are a part of a parent will give up their child with the request that they be delivered to a better life."
Rumple watched Belle mull his words over somewhat relieved she hadn't taken offense.
"You're right. I haven't experienced that. In that case it is a selfless action. Thank you for explaining." She gave him a small smile. "What type were this one's parents?" Rumple scoffed.
"The wastrel types. They wanted enough gold to be able to gamble for the rest of their life and were perfectly happy to be rid of their child."
"I'm glad he's no longer in that situation but it's almost a shame they still get what they want." said Belle and Rumple giggled.
"Well not exactly." Belle raised an eyebrow looking slightly amused.
"What did you do?"
"They said that they wanted enough to gamble they never said win. As long as they use that gold they will always lose," replied Rumple with a smirk and to his shock and pleasure Belle laughed covering her mouth to muffle the sound.
"You and your loopholes Rumple."
"It's not my fault they weren't specific," said Rumple with a shrug causing Belle to continue laughing. Once their mirth subsided Belle leaned into him gently adjusting the sleeping baby's blanket.
"What will you do with him?"
"Well, he's a bit too small to eat," quipped Rumple and Belle snorted before shooting him a faux scolding look.
"Rumple."
"Just a quip. I'll do what I usually do and find a good home for them. There's always a family out there somewhere that can't conceive and need a child."
"Better he go to somewhere he's wanted." said Belle.
"Indeed." answered Rumple.
OUAT
True to his word the next day Rumple found a couple who wanted a child but couldn't conceive one and returned to the Dark Castle to collect the child and bring it to them. He found Belle seated on the settee reading to the babe.
"And then Gideon drew his sword an charged the dragon defeating it in one fell stroke." Belle paused in her reading smiling at the child.
"Who knows maybe one day that will be you. At least thanks to Rumplestiltskin you'll have some sort of chance in this world." Rumple felt his dark heart warm. She credited him with this child having a brighter future.
For one wild moment Rumple wondered what it would have been like if all those centuries ago he had married Belle and not Milah. Would Belle have been as shamed and resentful of the coward she found herself married to? Would he have ended up as desperate and needed to take on the Curse of the Dark One? He didn't know. She probably would have been a better mother to Bae though. Rumple had a hard time imagining Belle wasting her nights away gambling and drinking in a tavern. He shook his head.
Such imaginings were pointless.
"Alright." she turned back to the baby and gently kissed its forehead before handing the bassinet to Rumplestiltskin who paused as he took it.
"Would you like to come?" he asked at last a little against his better judgement. Yet he had been trying to let Belle out of the castle a little more.
"Really?" asked Belle.
"Well, you'll be invisible and have to stay entirely silent but yes," he answered. He did need to take some precautions.
"Alright," said Belle. With a snap of his fingers Belle's green cloak appeared on her and with another wave of his hand they disappeared in a plume of crimson smoke.
OUAT
Belle had been a bit shocked by Rumple's offer to let her join him but agreed all the same. Now she watched invisible from a slight distance away, as Rumple handed the child over to the couple. They appeared to be of the merchant class so fairly well off. Belle smiled as the two adults thanked Rumple profusely and cooed over the baby. Yes, the child would be in good hands.
Rumple walked back to where she stood.
"Satisfied?" he murmured.
"Very much so." answered Belle softly.
"In that case I think we should head home." Belle smiled slightly though she knew Rumple couldn't see it. For she realized the Dark Castle truly was her home and she liked that fact.
"Yes, let's," she agreed taking his arm and with another wave of his hand they were gone.
Author's Note: So like I said before I'm skipping the BS with Gideon and the Black fairy because truly I can't see Rumple who was a parent himself kidnapping a child from parents that wanted the baby. Ella, literally signed hers away and he never intended to take it so that's a different case. But I wanted to go into Rumple's logic behind the dealings for children. If you like the chapter/story please let me know your thoughts in the comments below! It really is important. Until next time!
