Rumplestiltskin glared after Zelena as she smirked her way out of his shop, cooing a goodbye to her baby daughter as she let the door slam behind her, waking his own son who was asleep in his basinet behind the counter.

The Dark One cursed the wicked witch for waking his son, but felt a wave of relief the second he had the babe in his arms, his light weight and scent soothing the nausea in his stomach from having his former captor in his shop.

It had been a month since the Black Fairy's defeat. Storybrooke had entered an unnerving peaceful spell devoid of curses or new enemies. Many of the citizens who had been living each day waiting for the next crisis now had the opportunity to move forward, to travel and start families.

However, some things never changed. The second Gideon had been restored to his infant form the Charmings were back to shoving baby Neal back into Belle's arms, and Belle was more than willing to be their unpaid babysitter despite the threats they had made to Gideon when he was under the Black Fairy's control.

Quite frankly, it made Rumplestiltskin's blood boil each time the high and mighty Snow White would waltz into his shop, put her baby boy into Belle's arms with chirpy instructions and waltz out like Belle was her scullery maid. Did she really thing she was still a royal and that Belle was a submissive servant? If anything, Belle was above her, considering he was the one with the power and the status.

But, no matter whether Neal being dropped was planned or sudden, and no matter what plans he and Belle had, Belle was always there for the Charmings to drop their baby onto. Frankly the new father couldn't imagine ever wanting to just leave their child, even if it was only long enough to "help Emma pick out curtains for the bathroom" as Snow had given as her reason earlier.

But it was what it was, and really, it was a comforting site seeing the young Charming and Gideon side by side in their prams, giggling and playing together. Though his foreseeing abilities hadn't worked since the casting of the dark curse, he could see that the two boys would be good friends in the upcoming future.

It wasn't until a week after his mother's defeat that he realized Zelena's daughter might be the third member of their possible trio.

Zelena, sins apparently abolished, had begun to take after her indirect family in the treating-Belle-like-a-nursemaid department. She and Regina had begun taking sisterly trips together, which usually involved activities that infants couldn't and shouldn't be involved in, thus little Robyn had become an official member of the Gold Pawnshop/babysitting service.

Usually, Gold wasn't around to see Zelena come and go, thus he could tolerate the whole fiasco. But today, Zelena had decided to stick around the shop and "chat" with Belle, which really meant that she got to send Rumple evil looks while Belle wasn't looking.

It was in that moment that Rumple felt a surge of resentment, not just for the Charming's or Zelena, but for Belle as well, unfortunately. How could she let them treat her like this? She was smarter than this! She knew what they had done to her in the past—he made sure of that. More importantly, she knew what Zelena had done to them! She took Bae from them, and had yet to express any kind of remorse! And here she was with a baby, seeming to mock Bae's death with her existence! It was enough to make him crawl out of his skin.

Rumple knew good and well Belle admired the "heroes". Star-struck she was because she wanted to be just like them. He wished he could help her see that, though the Charmings had good hearts and good intentions, they were, well, selfish. They went to any lengths possible to get what they wanted, or "to do what was best for everyone" as they always justified.

It was a bit of a mixed, toxic message if Rumplestiltskin had to say so, one he hoped wouldn't be spread to the next generation.

"Hey." Belle whispered, pulling Rumple from his angry daze. "Are you okay? Gid's fussing in your arms."

Rumplestiltskin looked down at his squirming son and instantly cooed to sooth him.

"Sorry son." He whispered to the boy, laying him out in the playpen with his fellow infants. Neal was definitely bigger than the latter two, having a good month and a half on both. They were all healthy though, and the idea of the three of them having a future together was looking more and more plausible.

Which terrified the ever-living Hell out of him.

"Belle." Rumple whispered when she finished blanketing the children. "Can we talk for a moment?"

"Of course." Belle agreed almost too enthusiastically.

The couple hadn't had the chance to go to Archie's for therapy (which Rumplestiltskin partially blamed the Charming clan for), but they had started working on their communication skills. Though the wounds of the past were only now starting to scab, they had agreed to leave past events in the past and focus solely on the present and future. No secrets, no half-truths and whole lies. Just the truth, even if the truth was unsavory.

Belle led him to the back of the shop and waited patiently for him to state his case.

"Belle, I need to know," he began hesitantly, not wanting to insult her good-hearted nature but also wanting, if needed, to talk sense into her, "why do you keep doing this? Keep babysitting their children every time they ask?"

Belle's good-natured smile dimmed some, her stance hardening. "Because it's the right thing to do."

Rumplestiltskin caught the recited messaged of her tone.

"That…may be so sweetheart, but…" he paused to choose his words carefully. "It's not healthy. You have your own child and responsibilities and their expecting you to carry theirs. It's wrong Belle, on their part at least."

Belle nodded, not in agreement he could tell, but in reply to his words. He took it as a sign to continue, to go deeper into the issue.

"Belle, I know you admire the Charmings, and that you think that—that they are your friends," he had to pause to settle the vile threatening to rise on that lie. "and I know Zelena's a mother now and their you two are becoming…friends…but I—"

Belle shot up, staring down at him. Rumple cursed himself for…whatever he said to earn this reaction.

"Do you honestly think I'm doing this for them? After everything they've done to us? The blackmail, the way they've used me as a pawn against you? Threatening our son and calling it bonding time? You honestly believe I think those self-righteous hypocrites and that murdering bitch are my friends?"

A coo from the pen caused Belle to pause her rant, her breathing steadying and heated cheeks cooling as she calmed.

"Then why do you do it?" Rumple inquired more quietly, both in shock and in awe that she'd refer to the Charmings in such a way.

"For them Rumple." Belle cried, pointing a hand in the direction of the playpen where the three babes slept without the knowledge that their parents had a bloody history between each other.

"I've know quite a few royals in the past Rumple, friends with their children actually." Belle confided. "And one thing I've always seen is how their parents toss them to nurses and headmistresses until their old enough to begin their royal duties."

Rumple watched the tears well in her eyes. "Did your parents…"

"No." Belle confirmed with a hasty swipe to her eyes. "My parents were very much involved with my upbringing. I was lucky that their status didn't go to their heads. Neal and Robyn aren't that lucky. I don't want them to feel…unwanted."

Rumple closed his eyes for a moment, remembering a small boy who was abandoned by his papa for selfish purposes. If it were for the kindness for two spinsters, he would have truly been alone.

He wondered briefly if he had ever made Bae feel like that, and sent a silent prayer for forgiveness.

"They love them Belle." Rumple promised, taking his wife's hands. "They just…they just don't quite know how to be parents yet."

Belle nodded. It was hard to imagine it, but Snow White and David were technically new parents just like Zelena.

"I just hope they realize their errors soon. They should be spending these moments bonding, to make memories and trust. They almost lost that chance when they went to the Underworld. What if they had never come back? Don't they ever think about that? How can they just push their children aside?"

Rumple could feel her pulse racing through her wrists. "You're talking about you too, aren't you?"

Tears ran quietly down Belle's cheeks and Rumple pulled her into his arms.

"Tell me sweetheart."

"I abandoned him Rumple." Belle cried, the blunt of her sobs muffled by his jacket. "I sent our newborn son out into the world to grow up without us and we almost lost him."

Rumple rubbed her back, his heart breaking with each sob. "You were scared Belle, and I didn't make matters any better. You were doing what you thought best to protect him."

"But I didn't protect him. That bitch got him."

"But we got him back. He's asleep in his pen with Neal and Robyn. He's going to grow up with the best mother in the world."

Belle pulled from his chest. Smiling wetly at him. "And the best father."

Rumple nodded and seated her on the cot, handing her a handkerchief and waiting patiently for her to finish grieving before he pressed on with the subject.

"Do you really want to know what would have happened if the Charmings had never returned from the Underworld?"

Belle stared at him, horror and curiosity filling her eyes.

"You would have gone to the convent everyday just to feed and read to them. After a while you would have adopted them, and they would have grown up with you and Gideon and been happy and safe and loved."

New tears filled her eyes, these of joy that her husband thought that much of her. "You really think I would have done that?"

"I know you would have." He smiled, kissing her hand. "You're a natural born hero."

Belle shot forward and kissed him, wrapping her arms around him tightly. Rumple instantly returned the gesture, holding her close but keeping his hands still lest their encounter became too passionate. They were supposed to be babysitting after all.

"No matter what happens with their parents," Rumple husked, rubbing Belle's cheek, "Neal and Robyn will always have a safe place to come to with us. We can always talk to their parents if you like. And, maybe slip them a flier to Ashely Boyd's daycare?"

Belle giggled with a nod. "I think that might help. Maybe they just need to have their eyes opened."

A gentle cry came from the crib, signaling the awakening of one of the babes.

"Speaking of eyes opening." Rumple smiled. "We better see to that before the other two wake."

Belle nodded and went back to the pen to see to the fussy babe: Gideon.

Rumple smiled as she soothed their son. She had always had the fire of a mother in her heart.. She already loved Neal and Robyn like her own and, with time, he hoped he would too.

They were to be his son's friends after all.