New York was amazing. Even through his worry Rumple could admit that. With its sky-high buildings he was sure under better circumstances he and Belle could have spent hours just exploring. The look of wonder on her face said as much. But they were on a mission.

The four of them arrived at an apartment complex and looked at the list of names on the apartment numbers.

"No Baelfire," said Henry and Rumple had to be a little touched by how invested the boy had become in their little quest.

"Yeah, that wouldn't fly as an alias. Your magic globe didn't give you an apartment number?" asked Emma

"We were lucky to find a spell that gave us the apartment complex," said Belle.

"In short, it doesn't work that way."

"Do any of these names mean anything to you?" suggested Henry. Rumple shook his head they were all ordinary and none related to anything regarding Bae.

"Well, names are what I traffic in, but sadly, no." Emma pointed to apartment 407. It was the only one without a name next to it.

"Here's your boy."

"Or it could just be vacant," pointed out Rumple. Emma shrugged.

"You may traffic in names and magic, but I traffic in finding people that don't want to be found, and those sorts of folks don't like to advertise their whereabouts." She pressed the call button. "UPS package for 407." The line disconnected swiftly.

"Maybe you should have said FedEx?" quipped Henry and on any other occasion Rumple would have laughed at the boy's wit. There was a clanging sound from the outside they ran out and looked up to see a man in a hoody climbing down the fire escape.

"He's running!" said Belle. The man reached the street.

"That favor you owe me. This is it. Get him to talk to me. I can't run," he told Emma who nodded.

"Watch Henry. I'll be back." Then she took off leaving the three of them standing there.

"Well, I guess we go and wait," said Belle. Rumple nodded. Suddenly Henry's stomach growled. The two adults looked over and the boy blushed.

"Sorry, I haven't had anything since the Cinnabons."

"Then let's get you something to eat," said Belle and they headed over to a nearby hog dog stand once Henry had his food they made their way back to the lobby of the apartment complex. They sat in silence for a moment before Henry finally broke it.

"Don't worry, Emma's really good at catching people."

"Well, my son's been running away for a very long time now. And I have a feeling he's equally adept at it."

"You could be a little less pessimistic Rumple," his wife chided lightly. "Not to mention Henry has a good track record here in terms of faith."

"Yeah! and, at least we found him, right?" Rumple couldn't help the small smile that tugged at his lips. He was outnumbered.

"Indeed."

"Oh, and, uh, thank you both for the hot dog. I forgot."

"You are quite welcome. And thank you," replied Belle.

"For what?"

"Well, if it wasn't for you bringing Emma to Storybrooke, none of this would have come to pass," said Belle. Rumple nodded.

"Belle's right. You... are a remarkable young man." Henry looked rather pleased at the praise.

"You know... I forgave her. Emma... for giving me up. She thought it was the best for me then. That's why she did it. I'm sure your son will get it too." Rumple sighed wishing it were that simple.

"Alas, the circumstances surrounding our separation weren't quite so noble."

"But you're here now. And you want him back, right?" pushed the boy.

"More than anything."

"Then that's all that matters." Henry said it as if it were the simplest thing in the world.

"Sometimes things matter a bit more to adults than to children," said Belle.

"Why are you so nervous? When I found my mom, I was excited."

"Because I have the benefit of a little more... life experience. I know that things don't always happen the way we want them to." It was strange normally these sorts of questions would annoy him but they didn't coming from Henry.

"Sure, but in my book, it says that you can see the future. Why can't you just look and see what's gonna happen?"

"Oh if only things were that easy," laughed Belle. Rumple glanced at the boy.

"Well, that ability is complicated. I didn't always have it. And then when I did... well... it's maybe not the gift one would expect. Seeing the inevitable... can be a terrible price."

"Never forget that Henry. All magic comes with a price. It's not just a snappy catch phrase this one coined," said Belle.

"Actually it was Zoso that did that," corrected Rumple. "I just made it popular."

"But you wouldn't have to worry about stuff. You'd just know." Rumple held up a finger.

"But that's the great trap. The future... is like a puzzle... with missing pieces—Difficult to read. And never, never what you think."

"Henry have you read any of the Greek myths?" asked Belle. Henry nodded.

"Well think about how many of them involve prophecies and when people tried to AVOID them because they THOUGHT they understood what the prophecy meant they only ensured that they occurred."

"So in knowing the future and trying to prevent it you might make it happen anyway?" said Henry.

"That is one possibility," said Rumple. "Or you could think something would harm your goals and thus end out greatly missing out on something. For instance. I swore to love nothing after I lost Bae. Had I seen I would find true love with Belle not only would I have not believed it but I also would have been scared to lose my powers."

"So you would have not gone to help her?" said Henry. Rumple nodded.

"And then we both would have greatly missed out."

"Jeez. I guess you're right. The future is complicated," the little boy said as he polished off his hot dog.

Suddenly the door to the lobby opened and Emma came back in accompanied by the man from before. As both men's eyes met Rumple knew THIS was his son.

OUAT

Emma chased after Baelfire running through the streets and trying to avoid getting hit by cars which screeched and honked their horns. They ran into a little maze of crisscrossing lanes and Emma seeing a chance took a different path coming out of it right as Baelfire passed and tackling him. They went sliding and as they both began to scramble up she caught sight of the man's face. It was Henry's father.

"Emma?" he said.

"Neal?" she responded in disbelief.

"I don't understand. What are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here?" Emma's entire world was falling apart again. This was the man that broke her heart but was he also Gold's son? Meaning from the fairytale world? Did he know who she was?

"Yeah," said Neal.

"I'm not answering anything until you tell me the truth. Are you Gold's son?" she demanded. Neal looked at her in confusion.

"What are you talking about? Who's Gold?"

"You played me. You're from there. You played me. And he played me. You both played me! You and Gold!"

"Whoa, Emma, slow down! What are you talking about? Who's Gold?" the confusion seemed to be genuine. Maybe Neal didn't know about Gold in which case the same was true vice versa.

"Your father! Rumplestiltskin."

"He's here?" panic crossed Neal's face.

"Why else would I be in New York?" scoffed Emma.

"You brought him to me! Why would you do that?!" exclaimed Neal now apparently both angry and scared. Which honestly just pissed her off more.

"Hey! I am the only one allowed to be angry here! Did you know who I was, where I was from, the whole time? Was this just some sort of sick twisted plan? Did - did you even care about me at all?" Neal calmed down slightly.

"Emma, do not-"

"I wanna know! I want the truth, all of it!" she yelled.

"Fine! We- we gotta get off the street. We can't do it out in the open. I spent a lifetime running from the man. I'm not gonna let him catch me. There's a bar down the street. We can talk there." Like hell was she getting drinks with him.

"I am not drinking with you! Whatever you're gonna tell me, tell me now!"

"No, bar's better. Don't worry, you can keep yelling at me when we get there." There was that charm. That wit that had so captured her teenaged self. She wouldn't fall for it this time but if she wanted answers, she guessed she'd have to join him.

"Well, what do you want to know, Emma? You want the truth? Ask away," said Neal once they were both seated with glasses of alcohol.

"Did you know who I was when we met?" Neal shook his head.

"If I had, I wouldn't have gone near you."

"Come on." scoffed Emma.

"Come on?" Come on, what? I was in hiding. I came here to get... a-away from... all that crap." Once more he looked genuine. Still not knowing about the fairytale stuff didn't make it much better.

"So if you didn't know, then you were just using me. You just needed someone to take the fall for all the watches that you stole."

"I wasn't using you. When we met, I didn't know. I found out."

"How?" asked Emma.

"When I went to sell the watches... I ran into a friend of yours -August." Ands so she listened as Neal relayed the story of how he was going to join her until the wooden boy talked him out of it.

"You left me... and let me go to prison because PINNOCHIO told you to?" she said in disbelief.

"Emma-" began Neal but she didn't want the apologies.

"I loved you."

"I-I was, um, I was tr... I was trying to help you." Emma raised a disbelieving eyebrow.

"By letting me go to jail."

"By getting you home."

"Are you telling me... that us meeting was a coincidence? How the hell did that happen if it wasn't in your plan or your father's?"

"Think about it. He wanted you to break the curse. Us meeting, that could've stopped it. Maybe it was fate." Neal shrugged and took a drink.

"You believe in that?" she asked.

"You know, there's not a ton I remember about my father that doesn't suck, but he used to tell me that there are no coincidences. Everything that happens, happens by design, and there's nothing we can do about it. Forces greater than us conspire to make it happen. Fate, destiny, whatever you want to call it, the point is, maybe we met for a reason. Maybe something good came from us being together."

Yeah. Something good did come from it. But could she really tell him?

"No. Not that I can think of. I just went to jail. That's it. Doesn't matter now, I'm over it. And you. Now come on."

"Why do you wear the keychain I got you?" Emma froze. It was all to similar a question to what Neal's father had once asked her.

"To remind myself to never trust someone again. Come on. I made a deal with your father I'd bring you to him."

"You made a deal with him?" asked Neal looking worried. Though for herself or him she wasn't sure.

"Yeah, and I'm upholding my end."

"No, no you don't have to. You know that."

"I know."

"Okay. So this should be really easy for you. Tell him that you lost me. Tell him you can't find me. You do that, you never have to see me again." Emma paused thinking about it. She could. She could say that she'd lost him and Gold wouldn't be the wiser.

But then she remembered her conversation with Belle and the bits she'd overheard from Gold. It sounded like Neal had good reason to be pissed at his dad. It also sounded like Gold wished if not to reconcile, at least give an apology. He'd spent centuries trying to find his kid.

Then there was the matter of Henry. A part of her really didn't want Neal to find out about him. Was scared in fact. Especially as it meant her little deception would possibly come out. Letting Neal go would be the easy thing.

Do the brave thing and bravery will follow. Hadn't that been what Belle had said? Emma sighed really hoping she wasn't going to regret this.

"No I can't do that."

"Why not?" asked Neal.

"Because I'm a) not stupid enough to lie to your father and b) unlike you I keep my word."

"Emma, you don't understand what my father did. He abandoned me he's a coward." Well, the abandonment certainly fit will Belle's description "made a choice that lost him Bae."

"Yeah and he spent hundreds of years trying to find you. He literally crossed entire realms. Even if I did let you go do you really think that's going to stop him trying to find you? You call him a coward but right now I'm seeing one in front of me."

"You really aren't going to let me go are you?" said Neal.

"Not a chance," said Emma grabbing his upper arm and they left.

"You know I never thought I'd see you defend my dad."

"I'm not defending him. I'm talking common sense," said Emma. "Though now I think about it I also don't think I could take your step-mother's disappointment." Neal froze in his tracks.

"STEP-MOTHER? What poor soul did he con into marrying him? Or is she as dark and power hungry?"

"Hey!" said Emma sharply. "For your information Belle is one of the sweetest people out there. She's brave, intelligent, and she gets more than enough crap from almost everybody for being with your dad. So don't you go piling on and getting judgy."

"And how did someone that sweet end up with my dad? How do you know it's not a trick?" asked Neal as they started moving again. Emma rolled her eyes.

"Because your father is utterly devoted to her and she to him. Speaking as the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming I think they could give my parents a run for their money on the true love front. I'm no fan of your father's but he does right by Belle."

Neal looked stunned.

"Well, I may have to come back just to meet this utterly remarkable woman."

They opened the doors of the apartment building and found Gold, Belle, and Henry waiting. All three stood upon their entry.

"Bae," whispered Gold.

"You've got three minutes when we get upstairs and it's for her sake not yours," said Neal shortly making for the elevator.

They headed up and into Neal's apartment which was sparsely decorated with a small kitchen and table, a bookshelf, a couch, some clothes hanging and a bathroom in the next room. Hanging on the window was also a familiar dream catcher. Emma tried not to look at it.

"Your Baelfire?" asked Henry when they were in the apartment and Emma's heart sunk. This was where it came out. Neal wasn't an idiot.

"Yeah, though I prefer Neal. And you are?"

"Henry, I'm Emma's son." Emma closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them to see Neal freeze before turning to look at her.

"Emma."

"Do you two know each other?" asked Gold.

"Lying now would not be a good idea," added Belle.

"How old are you?" Neal asked Henry.

"Don't answer that!" said Emma suddenly fear spiking. But it was too late.

"Eleven." Emma saw Gold and Belle exchange a look.

"Henry come here and look me in the eye," said Belle suddenly and Emma knew the librarian was putting 2 and 2 together.

Henry stepped closer to the brunette who knelt down looking in Henry's eyes then at Neal's and then Gold's.

"Of course," she said.

"Of course what?" said Henry.

"Belle please don't," said Emma though she knew it was no good.

"Emma is this my...is this my son?" asked Neal slightly choked up.

"No. My dad was a fireman. He died." Henry turned to Emma for reassurance and she felt guilt flood her. "That's what you told me. You said..."

"Is this... my son?" repeated Neal. Emma moved towards her son and brushing back his hair before whispering.

"Yes." Utter betrayal crossed Henry's face and he pulled away crawling out the open window and onto the fire escape.

"Henry!" she called and followed.

OUAT

Rumple's mind was whirling. Not only was he finally back in the same room as his son. And yes it was his son. He could see that now. He might have aged, his chine now bearing some stubble, and his hair was in a different style. But the eyes were the same. Though they looked at him with contempt.

But on top of that fact it turned out he was a grandfather. Henry was his grandson. His son had had a child with the Savior.

"Well, that was certainly not how I think any of us expected that to go," said Belle after a moment.

"No indeed," said Rumple.

"And you are?" Bae asked Belle pointedly ignoring Rumple who had blocked the way out the window. Belle stepped forward and held out her hand with a smile.

"I'm Belle."

"Like beauty and the beast?"

"Something along those lines. Though Emma informed us Mr. Disney was hardly faithful in his adaptation." responded Belle with a touch of humor.

"And you're my stepmother."

"Officially yes, but tis only a title." Rumple watched the interaction Belle seemed to be making a good impression. His wife turned back to him.

"I think I'm going to check on Emma and Henry." Rumple's heart skipped a part of him was scared to have Belle leave his side. As if reading his mind she placed a hand on his cheek leaning up to give him the briefest of kisses.

"Do the brave thing and bravery will follow." He nodded hoping he could do as she said. She moved past him.

"Careful on the fire escape," called Bae. "I don't like the look of those shoes." Rumple chuckled Belle loved her high heels.

"She ran all around a pirate ship and was ready to duel said pirate. She'll be fine."

"Well, Emma was right she certainly seems to be with you of her own free will."

"And I wonder at it every day," responded Rumple. Then the levity departed.

"Clock's ticking," said Bae. Rumple started.

"I know I've made mistakes. But you must believe me. I want to make up for it. There's no greater pain than regret."

"Try abandonment." Ok. Bad start.

"Please. Let me make it up to you. Letting go of you was the biggest mistake of my life."

"How are you going to do that? I grew up alone. I grew up without a father. You can make up for that?"

"Not entirely." Nothing could truly make up for what he'd done.

"Two minutes."

"Come back to Storybrooke. Let me show you who I am. Who I've become."

"Are you still the Dark One? One minute."

"I am. But it's not quite the same." Which was true he had more control now. "Bae... please. Give me a chance. You once loved me."

"You were once a good man."

"I can be that man again. I've changed. Look... I came here... to this city without magic. I came to find you because I still love you."

"Yeah, yeah, but you still haven't given it up. You have no idea what I've lived with. You're so worried about you. You know what I've dealt with? Every night for more years than you could know... the last thing I see before sleep is the image of you—You and me over that pit, your hand... wrapped around mine. And then you open your grip. And as I fall away, all I can see is your face. Choosing all..." he imitated the flourish of his hand that Rumple used to do. "This... crap over me. Letting me go... now it's my turn. Now I'm letting you go." Rumple felt his heart break. Not that he hadn't expected this.

"I'm sorry." He whispered looking away tearing up. Bae shrugged.

"I don't care. I didn't get closure, so you don't, either. Time's up. Gotta go." He pushed past Rumple and crawled out the window.

"Oh, Bae." murmured Rumple sitting down on the couch and burying his face in his hands.

OUAT

Belle crawled out onto the fire escape to find Emma with her head in her hands and two levels above Henry standing looking out over the city.

"I take it that didn't go well?" Emma looked up.

"He's pissed. Rightfully so. I shouldn't have lied to him."

"Why did you?" asked Belle. Emma sighed.

"He left me to take the fall for his crime resulting in me having to give up Henry. I didn't want to tell Henry the truth and have him be disappointed."

Belle doubted that was the full reason but didn't push.

"I'll try and talk to him. I've experience dealing with the stubborn men of this family," said Belle. She turned and climbed up the stairs to where Henry was.

"Hey there."

"Hey," said Henry.

"How are you doing?" Henry sighed. The more that she looked at him the more she could see traces of Rumple. Especially in the eyes.

"My mom lied to me! I thought she was different from Regina, even if SHE'S trying to change. But I guess Emma isn't."

"I admit it's certainly not great. Sometimes adults make very selfish choices. Especially when they are scared or hurt. It doesn't mean they don't care or that it's right."

"So, you think I should forgive her?" asked Henry skeptically. Belle shrugged leaning on the railing.

"That's entirely up to you. Your feelings are valid. And I won't tell you what to do."

"I guess...I know my mom didn't mean to hurt me...but it still does."

"That's fair. As Rumple once said intent doesn't always matter. My father continues to try and separate me from Rumple despite me telling him I'm happy. He believes he's doing it to save his child. But it doesn't make him ignoring my wishes hurt less."

"What if you forgive someone and they keep hurting you?"

"Well, that's where remorse comes in. Your...grandparents...or I suppose other grandparents might not like this but I'm of the opinion that genuine remorse deserves the consideration of a second chance. But the remorse does need to be there."

"Do you think my mom regrets it?"

"Oh yes," said Belle looking down at the boy. "She's most certainly realized she made a mistake." Henry bit his lip.

"So what is your advice?" Belle paused thinking.

"My advice is that you are free to feel however you wish and express those feelings. But just remember that none of us know how long we have and if we hang on to resentment regarding the ones that love us, for too long. It may some day turn to regret."

"That's not really a straight answer," said Henry wrinkling his nose. Belle shrugged and gave him a small smile.

"I told you I wasn't going to tell you what to do." Henry looked pensive for a moment.

"I'm still angry. But I'll consider it."

"That's the most anyone can ask," said Belle. They were both quiet for a moment then Henry said.

"Sooooo...you're my grandma?" Belle laughed.

"Yes I suppose I am."

"So can I call you and Mr. Gold Grandma and Grandpa?" Belle smiled and wrapped an arm about Henry. "You can call me whatever you like, even if it will take some getting used to, and as for Rumple. I think he'd be honored." Henry leaned into her and they stood watching the cars below. Finally, he spoke up again.

"I want to meet my dad." Belle nodded retracting her arm.

"I'll go tell him." She climbed back down the stairs to find Bae waiting with Emma.

"He wants to meet you," she told him then glanced at Emma. "And I think I may have softened him up some. He's not ready to fully forgive you but I may have put him on the path."

"Thanks Belle," said Emma as Bae climbed the fire escape. Belle sighed.

"I'm going to guess Bae and Rumple's reunion didn't go very well. If you'll excuse me."

She climbed back in through the window to find her husband sitting on the couch looking distraught. She sat down and wrapped an arm about him.

"Hey. I take it that it didn't go well?"

"He hates me, Belle. He said he was letting me go."

"Well, we knew it was unlikely to go smoothly the first time." Rumple gave a hollow laugh.

"You say that like I'll have more chances to make amends. He's shut me out Belle."

"But you will. Don't you see Rumple? There's a chance Neal can be convinced to return to Storybrooke. For Henry's sake. After all that is Henry's home. If he comes there, he'll see the life you built. The loving connections you have, and the fact that you are a different man. And then he may be more open to giving you another shot." Rumple heaved a sigh.

"You truly think so?"

"I do," she said. "Did you at least get out what you wanted to say?"

"I think I butchered it but yes I expressed the general sentiment."

"Then we've got somewhere to start," she said and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"What do you think of Henry being our grandchild?" she asked.

"Well, it explains why he used to remind me of Bae so often," said Rumple ruefully.

"He wants to call us Grandma and Grandpa," she told him. This time Rumple actually managed a chuckle.

"Oh that will drive the Charming's to a conniption." Belle giggled.

"I told him it was alright." Rumple shrugged.

"I've no objection."

At that moment Emma, Baelfire, and Henry all climbed back through the window.

"Ummm so we were going to go get some air. You coming with?" said Emma.

"Certainly," said Belle taking Rumple's arm and together they left.

OUAT

They all strolled down the street, Bae and Henry were taking the lead talking excitedly. Emma followed slightly behind and bringing up the rear arm in arm were Rumple and Belle. Rumple knew he had to force himself to keep his distance and not push too hard. Not to mention Bae deserved to get to know his son. He listened in on the two hoping to glean something of what his son was like now.

"So, uh...You like pizza?" Asked Bae.

"Yeah. Let me guess. You're gonna tell me the best pizza's in New York and I gotta try it, right?" said Henry.

"Actually, it's in the Kingdom of Damarian on the north shore of the Dragon Fields of Zorn." Rumple chuckled. So his son still had a sense of humor. Henry looked at his father in surprise and then Bae laughed. "Nah, it's in New York. Here, let's get you a slice."

"Grandma you want to come?" asked Henry. Rumple tried to contain his laughter at the look on Belle's face. It was a mix of happiness and awkwardness. Evidently, she was still getting used to being called a grandparent.

"Sure," she broke away and followed the two inside. As they went, he heard Henry ask Bae.

"So you're really from there?"

"Yeah, I am."

"Do you think that we should...?" began Emma and Rumple shook his head.

"If we were welcome, I feel confident an invitation would have been extended. It's a sad truth that the people closest to us are the ones capable of causing us the most pain. That's our common ground, Ms. Swan."

"It's like I told Belle, guess my lying to him just caught up with me." Emma looked down. Rumple shrugged.

"Ah, give him time. He'll forgive you." Emma raised her head and arched an eyebrow.

"Is that you projecting your own hopes?" Rumple scoffed.

"Belle is excellent at reasoning with people. If she spoke with Henry he'll come round eventually. However, my son and I have some way to go."

"I can see that," said Emma and he had to appreciate her bluntness.

"I need you to speak to him. Try and convince him to come back to Storybrooke with us." It was the only shot he had at getting Bae back. Now both Emma's eyebrows were raised.

"If I recall, it was only one favor I owed you, and I think I'm paid up." Rumple smirked.

"This isn't about me anymore. You'll do it for Henry."

"How do you figure that?" she asked.

"Well, because if you don't, you're gonna wake up one morning and discover he's hopped on a bus back to New York. He ran away to Boston to be with you. He'll do the same thing for his father." Rumple replied with a shrug.

"Until Neal lets him down, which he will. It'll be a hard lesson, but then at least Henry will understand that I lied to protect him."

"Someone's beginning to sound a lot like Regina. I think the real reason you lied was to protect yourself."

"What's that supposed to mean?" the blond demanded.

"From getting hurt again." Her defensiveness was confirmation enough.

"That's not happening."

"You want a second chance with that man."

"What makes you think that?"

"The look on your face. It was the one in the mirror when I wanted Belle back."

"You have no idea what—" she was cut off by the return of Bae, Belle, and Henry.

"What are we talking about?" asked Bae.

"Emma, Neal wanted to show me the museum and that way I can get Grace a souvenir. Do you think we can go back to the apartment and get my camera?" the child was practically bouncing on his feet.

"Yeah, well, I...kids like culture, right?" said Bae nervously. Rumple wanted nothing more than to reach out and reassure his son he was doing well.

"A better idea than the library we'd have to drag Belle out of there."

"Rumple!" exclaimed his wife whacking his arm.

"He's got a point. Didn't Gold have to stop you packing an army of books just for a jaunt to New York?" pitched in Emma. Henry giggled.

"It's true. I'm shocked we got the case into the overhead bin." Belle groaned exaggeratedly.

"You three are determined to gang up on me." Bae was looking on in shock.

"Well, I guess museum it is," he said at last. They began to leave and Emma asked Henry.

"You like the New York pizza?" Henry nodded.

"Yeah. It's delicious, cheesy, and doesn't lie." Rumple saw Belle shoot Emma an apologetic look.

OUAT

It was nothing short of weird to see the former love of Neal's life JOKING with his father, a man he never wanted to see again, and his supposed wife. Even his son seemed to get on with Rumplestiltskin and Belle fairly well. Neal reflected there was a time he would have loved that. But he stood by his choice to cut off his father. Papa was gone. He'd proven that when he let him go.

Besides Neal had more important matters like the son he'd not known about. Honestly, he was utterly relieved the kid didn't seem to blame him for not being there. And as upset as he was, he couldn't entirely blame Emma for not telling him. But he was here now and there was NO WAY he would let Henry down.

Author's Note: And so we have Bae! Firstly I ADORE Henry's little FedEx line and it is one thing that convinced me he got Grandpa Gold's wit. I chose to have Emma follow through this time for the reasons she explains and because I wanted to contrast the way she keeps her word vs how some other people *cough* Charmings *cough* try to get out of it. Rumple's a little more well adjusted here since he has Belle so he's also smart enough to not suggest de-aging Bae however it still doesn't go very well. We'll be getting inside Bae's head some more in the future. And Belle and Henry get to bond a little one on one. I hope this chapter lived up to expectations if you like the story please do leave a note below! It really helps keep me going! Thank you to all my readers and commentors! Until next time!