#rss 2017

There was a strange buzz around the institute that day. People hurried up and down the corridors and the previously lax security guards were suddenly all alert. Belle kept her head down and did her best to stay out of the way of other people.

Whatever had the rest of the employees in such a tizzy, she was sure to find out eventually from the snippets of conversations she overheard.

"-it looks almost human, except for the scales-"

"-it's amphibious-"

"-a revolutionary breakthrough-"

It seemed the institute had acquired some sort of a rare creature. Belle felt a pang of excitement. This was the first thing out of the ordinary to have happened since she had started working at this place.

She pushed her cart with the cleaning supplies with more energy than before. The main laboratory was a part of her circuit which meant she would be able to get a look later. The world was suddenly a lot more exciting place.

~~~~~~

The large water tank took almost a third of the laboratory floor. Belle carefully stepped over the various cables and hoses, picking her way closer to the thick glass. The water was murky and she couldn't see anything. She didn't want to come too close, in case the creature was dangerous.

Although, if the creature posed any danger, they would have posted guards inside the room, not just the usual one outside the door. And they wouldn't let a simple cleaning lady inside without anyone to watch over her.

Thus reassured, Belle carefully approached the glass, trying to peer into the depths of the water behind. The sudden movement from behind the glass startled her into jumping back and tripping over one of the numerous cables that lay all over the floor.

She winced as she hit the ground but the pain was pushed to the background by a splashing sound coming from the container.

Belle looked up and her gaze met the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen. They were a deep brown colour which was a lovely contrast to the tiny golden-green scales that covered the head of the creature.

The face looking at her over the edge of the water tank wasn't human, although there were some surface similarities, but it was no less expressive for it. And right now, that expression would be best described as sheepish.

Belle tried to smile reassuringly. She was sure that the being in the water hadn't meant to scare her. The eyes slowly blinked - or at least Belle assumed that the quick movement of something whiteish over the being's eyes was blinking - and then the being slid back into the water and disappeared from view.

Belle stood up, dusting herself off. That had been interesting. She looked at the tank for the last time before she gathered her cleaning supplies and left. Her job had just become much more interesting.

~~~~~~

Belle had started to spend a lot of time in the laboratory. Every time she came to clean it, the being came to the surface of the water and watched her. The intense interest she was shown should have scared her but she found it hard to believe that anyone with eyes like that could be evil.

Those eyes were what she thought about the most. They were such a rich colour and for all she heard other people at work refer to the being as a fishman, despite the eyes bulging out of the being's skull, she still found them beautiful.

There was such a sadness in those eyes, too. It was a sadness of someone who missed their home, who was stuck in a place they didn't belong in and that was a sadness that was all too familiar to her.

Belle was independent, yes. She was her own mistress and all things considered, her life was rather good. But there was a home-shaped hole in her heart that couldn't be filled by anything. Not by her books, not by her job, not by her friendly acquaintances. However, when she looked into the being's eyes, she found something like understanding in them and she felt a little less alone.

~~~~~~

The being was curious about her, that much was obvious. And Belle was curious about him - the being was a he according to the scientists - in return. And one day, that curiousity got a better of her.

She finished sweeping the floor - using far too many twists and steps until it looked more like a dance than sweeping - and put away the broom. The being was watching her over the rim of the tank, his eyes focused on her with a flattering intensity. She was the only person in the lab but she had a feeling he would watch her like that even if there were a hundred other people present.

She walked over to the tank, the being pulling away from the edge. Belle smiled and held out a hand, trying to project an aura of comfort. She regretted not being able to speak then because even if he wouldn't understand her, she was sure he would react to the tone of her voice.

He cautiously approached the rim again, watching her cautiously. Belle kept smiling and she extended her hand towards him. He mimicked her and their fingers brushed above the edge of the tank.

Belle's smile got wider. His skin was textured just like fish' scales. Hundreds, if not thousands, of overlapping scales, wet from the water and just the tiniest bit slimy. But Belle felt no revulsion, just a sense of excitement and something very close to happiness.

~~~~~~

Holding hands with the being for a few minutes every day became an established part of Belle's routine and the part of her day to which she looked forward the most. That's why Jefferson's words came as such a devastating shock.

"I'm going to miss the excitement around here," he commented as he walked her home. They lived in the same neighborhood and as Belle was prone to stay at work too long these days, Jefferson made it a point to wait for her every morning he had a night shift.

She signed a question and Jefferson grimaced.

"I thought you knew. That friend of yours will be moved to one of the inland facilities in a couple of weeks."

Belle struggled against the fear that gripped her heart. He would be taken from her? Why?

"Colonel thinks it would be safer for everyone."

Safer? Safer? He never did anything that would make him a threat. He was the one who was kept imprisoned by them and yet he never lashed out. He was lonely and missed his home and he had the kindest eyes she had ever seen and he was her friend and she couldn't, wouldn't lose him. Not to the people who imprisoned him in the first place.

"What?!" Jefferson stared at her as if he couldn't believe the question she had just signed at him. "You're talking about stealing a property of the United States."

Belle angrily signed again.

"Fine, fine, he's not a property. But taking him is still a crime."

Belle's next gesture was succinct and rather vulgar. Jefferson chuckled.

"Can't argue with that. But Belle, do you realize what it would mean for you?"

She nodded and he sighed, shaking his head.

"I'm going to regret this, I just know that." He took a deep breath and let it out. "I've got some contacts in the harbour, give me a week to put something together."

For all she was much smaller than him, the force of her hug nearly sent him to the ground.

~~~~~~

Ariel joined their small conspiracy a few days later when she caught Belle stealing a key from the back gate. Fortunately, she was a romantic at heart and when Belle explained what she was planning, she immediately on board with the plan.

The most difficult part was going to convince the being to go with them and to keep him alive for long enough to get him on the ship Jefferson had procured from one of his shady contacts. A tank, slightly smaller than the one in the lab, was installed in the second deck.

Belle chose a Saturday night for their operation, since it was the slowest night of the week, with only the skeleton crew present in the institute.

She did her usual rounds as quickly as possible. When she finally reached the lab, he was already waiting for her. She saw how his face brightened at seeing her and she felt her last doubts - not that there had been many - dispell. She was doing the right thing.

She smiled at him and took his hand like always. Except this time, instead of holding hands like usual, she started pulling him out. He gave her a confused look and she tried to convey her hurry with a pleading look. He still looked uncertain but followed her lead and slowly climbed out of the tank.

Belle smiled at him and tugged at his hand again, making him follow her. His steps echoed wetly on the metal floor and he was looking around uncertainly but he kept holding her hand and following her. And when she pushed open the door and looked around cautiously before proceeding down the hall, that small bit of hesitancy she had felt in the way he gripped her hand disappeared and he went after her willingly.

~~~~~~

"Okay," Jefferson said as he showed them around the ship he had gotten for them after they settled the escapee into his new tank. "The captain is heading to Brazil and he's willing to drop him off somewhere along the coast. Don't worry about paying for this, the guy owed me a favour and this balances it."

Belle signed her thanks and pulled him into a hug. She then turned to Ariel and repeated the process. She stepped back and wiped her eyes, signing again.

"Goodbye?" Ariel asked. "What do you mean goodbye?"

"She's going with him," Jefferson said. "I noticed the bag in the car," he explained. Belle smiled sadly at them. She handed Jefferson an envelope addressed to her father and he accepted it solemnly.

She nodded at them both, let Ariel pull her into another hug and then resolutely turned away.

"Be happy," Ariel called after her and it was the easiest promise Belle had ever made.

Of course she would be happy. She was going home.

She descended to the second deck and found him waiting for her, his eyes just as lovely as the first time she saw them. She took his hand and held it over her heart, the steady rhythm calming them both.

“Should we be worried, do you think?” Belle paced across the room as she spoke. “Is this normal, imaginary friends? What if it isn’t imaginary after all? What if something or someone is stalking him? Trying to lure him away? What if it someone is trying to hurt him?”

“I am reasonably certain there is no child in this town safer than our Gideon,” Rumplestiltskin replied. “Henry being the only possibly exception and that only because he’s old enough to defend himself somewhat. Even the wee Charming princeling isn’t looked after half so well as our boy. And if some beastie or other is trying to harm him I will find it and I will end it. Painfully.”

Belle stopped her pacing and looked down seriously at her husband. “Promise?”

He stood then, reaching for her hand. “You know the answer to that. Gideon, and you, are the priority. You always will be. Always. But, if it will help you sleep instead of wearing a hole in our bedroom floor, I will talk to him in the morning and see if I need to talk to anyone else.”

“Please don’t turn anyone into anything without good reason.” Belle smiled as she said it but the joke, such as it was, still fell rather flat.

Rumplestiltskin gave her a half-bow before settling himself back down on the bed. “Now, come to bed? Get some sleep. Nothing will harm him in his bed while I’m drawing breath.”

***

The next morning, Rumplestiltskin looked at his son over a small stack of pancakes positively swimming in maple syrup. “Your mother is worried about your new friend.”

Gideon wrinkled his nose. “Why? She’s my friend. I like her. An’ she’s pretty.”

“I’m sure that you do like her.”

“She plays with me,” Gideon went on, then shoveled a surprisingly large amount of pancake into his mouth before continuing to speak.

“Playing with you is to be expected from a friend I should think,” his father said. “I couldn’t quite catch that last bit. Perhaps if you swallowed before talking?”

Gideon rolled his eyes. “Mum says that too. Alla time.”

“Your mother is a wise woman,” Rumplestiltskin told him. “What if you were to mangle your words enough that you cast a spell and summoned some horrid beastie to the breakfast table?”

“You’d magic it away, Papa,” Gideon answered brightly. “Or ‘splode it. BOOM!” He clapped his hands to illustrate his point, still holding his fork, and managed to fling maple syrup across the table onto his father’s shirt.

“Hmmm.” Rumplestiltskin dabbed at the spots of syrup with a napkin. “Explosions are messy. Much like small boys.”

Gideon’s rather smug response was unintelligible around the pancakes and Rumplestiltskin simply shook his head fondly in the boy’s direction.

“I’ll just wait until you’re finished then.” He would wait, change his shirt once the syrup had all been safely consumed, and then spend the day with his boy, and perhaps ease Belle’s fears about the imaginary friend.

***

“Mum! Hi hi hi!” Gideon flung himself off the couch and directly into his mother’s legs and held on tightly. “Papa and I feeded the ducks! And then he feeded ME ice cream. And then we went to the shop and I helped!”

“I’ve never seen such help,” Rumplestiltskin agreed dryly. “I may never see it again.”

“An’ then we went to the store and we buyded food and then we came home and I helped cook and we had dinner and we saved some for you and Papa said I had to go to bed when you came home.” Gideon was now bouncing as he filled his mother in on his day with his papa.

“All true,” Rumplestiltskin confirmed. “Every word. I may even have promised a bedtime story while Mummy eats her supper. It’s off to bed with you now my lad.” He paused, then reconsidered after giving his son a once-over. “After a bath.”

***

“Now then, all settled and comfortable?” The boy ought to be exhausted by now but his supply of energy was a continual source of amazement to his father.

Gideon nodded.

“Ready for Papa to tell you a story about being a little boy himself?”

Gideon’s eyes went wide. His papa didn’t talk about being little almost ever. He nodded again.

“I was just a wee lad like you, living with my own papa.”

“You have a papa!?”

“No, no. Not anymore. Not for a long time. This was a very, very long time ago. Your papa is very, very old,” Rumplestiltskin reminded him. “My papa was very busy, all the time. Not much time to spend with a little boy. I was alone quite often. I had a doll named Peter I played with, I carried it everywhere, but also another friend my papa didn’t know about. Rather like your new friend, I suspect. A little girl, just my size. She was always there when I needed someone to talk to or a playmate or just someone to keep me company. My papa was busy, as I said, and spent more time away than he did at home. When he was away I had Peter and I had the little girl.”

“Sometimes papas have to work,” Gideon offered. “You hafta work.”

“No, my papa was… I suppose you could call it work. He was trying to get money.” That was a more favorable interpretation than Rumplestiltskin would normally have allowed but his son would learn about his ill-fated grandparents soon enough. There was no reason to ruin a perfectly fine story with too much truth. “My papa would spend hours and hours at the pub. He played cards and other games. He wasn’t very good at it though.”

“Now, while my papa was off playing his games I was at home, alone. Until, of course, my friend would arrive. She was very adventurous. Much more than I was. She always kept me company when I was left alone. Sometimes I was alone for a long time. Days.” He frowned. He had meant this to be lighthearted. “But I wasn’t really alone. I had her. We went on adventures. Small adventures, to be sure, but we were small ourselves.”

“I like ‘ventures,” Gideon told him.

“Because you’re very brave. Like your mother. And my old friend. She was forever taking me exploring. She never got lost. I got lost on my own plenty of times. She even found me and brought me home once or twice. I was always safe with her. Safer than with my own father.”

“What’s her name?”

“She always told me she didn’t need a name. That she was my friend and that was enough.” He wouldn’t trust someone without a name now, of course, but he was only a boy at the time. His friend who appeared suddenly and disappeared even more rapidly not having a name had made perfect sense at the time. “She looked like your mother. Same hair. Same brilliant blue eyes. Not so beautiful, of course, but who is?”

Gideon yawned but nodded. “Mum’s the prettiest.”

“That she is. I’ve never met someone lovelier. Not in hundreds of years. Not even the little girl who used to save me from my loneliness as a boy. Only fitting the lovelier and older version would have done the same for me when I was so much older.”

“Never seen anyone lovelier than Mum neither. But where your friend go?”

“I never knew. She told me she was leaving and then she was gone. I’d just gone to live with two wonderful ladies after my father left. ‘I can’t come with you, Rumplestiltskin.’ she told me. ‘I shouldn’t be here now. They’ll take care of you and you won’t need me.’ Then she was gone as if she’d never even been there. And I thought I’d never see her again.” He’d cried himself to sleep that night, among others. “I asked the spinsters once. One of them just smiled at me and told me I might see her again if I was a very good boy.”

“Were you?” Gideon asked as he fought back another yawn. “Did you see her?”

“I was a good boy,” Rumplestiltskin said with a sad smile. “But I outgrew it. And no, I didn’t. She vanished, never to be seen again. Sometimes I thought I might have made her up. Eventually I forgot her altogether. Until I saw your mother.”

“An’ she was the prettiest,” Gideon mumbled.

“The loveliest woman I’d ever laid eyes on. Though I couldn’t tell her that, of course. Not for years.” Of course, he’d thought her dead for many of those years and been cursed for several others but once again those were details that would come to his boy’s attention eventually and didn’t need to be mentioned in a bedtime tale. “The prettiest and the bravest and so of course she reminded me of my long-lost-and-forgotten childhood companion. Who was no longer quite so forgotten. And the longer your mother stayed with me the more I remembered.”

Gideon’s eyes were closing so Rumplestiltskin lowered his voice. “I couldn’t believe how lucky I was that I’d found something, someone, even better than my childhood companion. I still can’t believe it most days. I sent her away because I was afraid and I regretted it for years. Decades. I saw your mother sometimes when I thought she was lost forever. She haunted my dreams and my waking hours. But that false Belle didn’t take me on adventures or save me from my loneliness. She made it worse. So I knew she wasn’t really your mother and she wasn’t even my long-lost friend returned. When I found your mother again, alive and real and solid in my shop one day, I knew I couldn’t lose her this time. Not that I didn’t try in spite of myself. Far too many times. Look at us now. Married and with you safely with us. Better than an imaginary girl by far.”

***

“That was a different sort of bedtime story.” Belle looked up from the unopened novel in her hands as her husband entered the bedroom. “Is he finally asleep?”

“Fast asleep. You were listening at the door?” That surprised him. It shouldn’t have, but it did.

“Mmm hmmm. Was it true? The imaginary girl?” Belle was looking at him somewhat sadly.

“Belle. I was a little boy named Rumplestiltskin. I had a terrible father with a gambling problem and a mother who abandoned me at birth. I was then partially raised by actual literal spinsters. How many real friends do you think I could have had?”

“And this one looked just like me?” Belle’s expression and tone were skeptical.

“Not half so lovely. Nor with your accent. But once I saw you I did remember and there was undoubtedly a resemblance. Or perhaps you were so lovely I made her look like you in my memories. Who else would I have had her look like?”

“Flatterer.”

“I have been called worse. By you.”

“Likely you deserved it!”

“I almost certainly did.” He had likely deserved far worse. “I don’t believe Gideon’s ‘friend’ is anything we need worry about. He may just be lonely.” Seeing Belle’s expression he hastened to add, “perhaps, loathe as I am to admit it, we might want him spending more time with the other children.”

“We could arrange playdates,” Belle suggested brightly. “Invite someone over here.”

Rumplestiltskin gave a much exaggerated shudder. “If we must.”

“That’s what his teacher suggested. That or signing him up to learn to play soccer. Or…” Belle’s voice trailed off.

“Or?” Rumplestiltskin prompted. “Or what?”

“Or he did ask me the other day for a little brother or sister.” Belle grinned as she said it.

“Who am I to stand in the way of my child’s wishes? We need to start on that right away. As soon as possible.”

“You spoil him,” Belle laughed.

“There you go, Philippe. All done.” She put the brush aside and petted Philippe’s head. “You’ll all be comfortable in here when the snow arrives.” It actually was rather warm and cozy, more so than one would expect, and Belle wondered if Rumplestiltskin had something to do with that as well.

As Belle began to make her way toward the stable doors, she heard a rustling sound. The horses turned their heads toward the sound but didn’t seem startled by it. Belle moved towards it and cocked her head to the side, trying to get a better view beyond the large bodied horses. Perhaps it was a rodent? She took one of the pitchforks and moved closer. “Come on now. Shoo!” she said as she tapped on the floor with the handle of the pitchfork. Out of the darker corners, amongst bales of hay, there was some movement. It was something larger than a rodent. It moved closer, and toward the light from the lantern. It was a fluffy, black and white dog. It approached Belle with its head lowered and wagging its tail. It’s expression was soft and friendly.

“Well hello there,” Belle said. “Where did you come from? I haven’t seen any dogs in the castle before.” She bent down and the dog approached her. She reached out and let the dog sniff her hand. It was only a moment before the dog began to turn in circles in a friendly display, sliding against Belle’s legs, almost like a cat would. “You’re definitely the friendly sort.” Belle laughed.

She was considering leaving the dog behind. It would be safe here to weather out the storm. She could quickly fetch some food and water before the storm came. There was some additional rustling, and Belle noticed something that had her thinking twice about leaving the dog in this stable. Rumplestiltskin would be none the wiser if the dog stayed here. However, this new development made her want to take the dog in, and she didn’t care if Rumplestiltskin wasn’t happy about it.

Rumplestiltskin was finding it difficult to concentrate on sorting his scrolls of spells. Belle was taking much longer than usual over at the stables. He knew she enjoyed tending to the horses, and perhaps she was taking extra care because there was a storm approaching. He walked over to one of the windows in the tower and looked out at the evening sky. The wind was picking up and there were snowflakes swirling in the air. He tried to push away his concern for her, but it would seem that he couldn’t help himself. She’d managed to get under his skin, glittery scales and all.

Before long he spied her approaching the castle doors. He squinted his eyes. She was some distance away, but he could make out that she was clutching her cloak against her body, as the wind whipped it around. She also seemed to be holding something, but it was too dark to make it out. She was hurrying, pushing herself forward against the wind.

Rumplestiltskin made his way down the stairs. With a quick bit of magic he made sure the fires were roaring, and sat himself down at his spinning wheel, looking as though he had been spinning all along without care.

The doors opened and Belle stepped inside, shaking off the cold and snow.

“Took you long enough,” he said, gruffly. He continued to spin without turning.

“There was something of a surprise in the stables,” Belle said. Her voice was sweet, and quiet, and accompanied by a panting sound… and some whimpering.

Rumplestiltskin’s head whipped towards Belle who was placing a basket on top of the large table. He widened his eyes at the sight before him. There was a medium sized black and white fluff of a dog circling around Belle’s legs, and Belle was lifting a small puppy out of the basket. That puppy was followed by another, and then another. Three black and white additional balls of fluff were placed on the floor near their mother.

“What is this?” he demanded.

“Please try not be angry. They were in the stables. I don’t know how long they’ve been here. Perhaps she brought them in because of the storm. I couldn’t just leave them there.”

“They’re sheep dogs! They belong outside, not in the castle!”

“Oh but look at how young they are. It’s safer for them to be here.”

“Take them back to the stable.”

“If they go back to the stable, then I’m going with them.”

“If it’s warm and safe enough for the horses then it will be good enough for the lot of you,” he said, stubbornly.

“Fine!” She grabbed her cloak and put it back on. “Come on little ones, we’re going back.”

She placed the puppies back inside the basket, all the while talking sweetly to all of the dogs, and glaring at Rumplestiltskin. When she was done she sauntered off towards the doors in a huff, her cloak and skirt whipping in the air in a dramatic fashion.

Rumplestiltskin nervously rubbed his fingers together as he watched her go. He didn’t want to give in, but he didn’t want Belle spending the night in the stable either.

“Wait!” he grumbled. The fireplaces around the room roared once again. Belle stopped in her tracks, and the dog hopped up on her legs, sniffing at the basket while wagging her tail.

“I suppose there isn’t any harm to them staying just the one night.”

Belle turned back, smiling broadly at him. “I knew you wouldn’t let us go back out there,” she said, unlatching her cloak and making her way back towards him. The dog followed, happily. She placed the basket on the floor and the puppies started to try and crawl out.

“Don’t make too much of it. I simply don’t want you smelling more of horses than you already do.” He placed a basket of straw nearer so he could begin spinning again, and as his back was turned he felt something hit him in the back. It was Belle’s cloak.

He turned and waved a finger at her as the cloak slid down his back. “Careful. You wouldn’t want to anger me,” he warned, though to his own ears he didn’t sound very serious. He was getting soft. He tossed her cloak onto the table, and one of the puppies tried to catch the edge that hung towards the floor. He wobbled and fell over.

“I don’t really smell like horses, do I?” Belle said, pouting as she sat down in a nearby chair, one of the puppies in her lap.

Rumplestiltskin sniffed the air. “Hmmm… a bit.” He tilted his head and turned his hand from side to side.

“I don’t!” Belle said, taking a sniff of her sleeve. Rumplestiltskin laughed.

The snow fell and the wind whistled outside, but inside the Dark Castle it was warm and bright. Belle went through her duties around the castle, and even tended to the horses daily, but the puppies and their mother stayed inside. They brought her much joy, and she knew that Rumplestiltskin enjoyed having them bounding about as well. At first she would catch him patting one puppy on the head, or quietly slip a bit of food to their mother while he was eating at the table. Then as time went by and the puppies grew, he spun play things out of wool and straw.

At the moment Belle sat curled up in a chair by the fire reading. The mother dog was at her feet fast asleep. Belle had taken to calling her Molly. She looked out of the corner of her eye and smiled. Rumplestiltskin was sitting on the nearby footstool she wasn’t using, and tossing his homemade puppy toys to each of the puppies. They were having a ball fetching them and bringing them back. They hadn’t named the puppies, but Rumplestiltskin had woven them colored collars to wear around their necks. They called them by the colors of their collars: blue, green, red. They had distinct markings, but the puppies were so active much of the time that they usually looked like blurry black and white puffs of fur.

One of the puppies, the red collared one, pulled himself onto her chair and dropped one of the toys beside her. She laughed, and tossed it far across the room. The puppy bolted after it. Molly lifted her head and wagged her tail, but she didn’t make a run for the toy herself. Earlier in the day, while letting the horses out for a walk around the stable, Belle and Rumplestiltskin had allowed the dogs to play around outside in the snow for quite some time, and Molly seemed more content to nap than continue the play session.

Belle hid a smile behind her book. Rumplestiltskin had two puppies in his lap that were trying to jump up and sniff and lick his face, but he kept petting them instead, making them back down through that act of affection. He was smiling, and distracting them with the toys again. Belle found him endearing. She felt her cheeks blush. The more time she spent with him she saw him behave in ways that she hadn’t expected, and she liked him, quite a lot, when he was like this.

Weeks later...

It was time. Belle picked up each puppy, kissing each one on the head in turn. Rumplestiltskin handed her a large basket, and she placed them inside one by one. The puppies had grown since they were first discovered and a larger basket was needed. He draped a small blanket around them to try and keep them warm.

“I can’t believe it’s time to let them go,” Belle said. Rumplestiltskin found her expression heartbreaking, and her blue eyes were wet with tears that she hadn’t shed. He hoped she didn’t start crying. He’d feel compelled to comfort her, and they were about to go out into town. It wouldn’t do for anyone to see him so concerned for his maid.

“Now, now,” Rumplestiltskin said, as he reached a hand out to help her into the carriage. “You’ve found good homes for all three of them.”

Belle stepped into the carriage and sat down. She placed the basket next to her, and wrapped her arm around it to keep the puppies from wiggling out. Rumplestiltskin took the large blanket he kept in the carriage and draped it over Belle’s lap. “There. You’ll be warm now.”

“I know the farmer and sheepherders will benefit from having these dogs. They are kind people and they are very grateful. They have families too. I think these puppies would be wonderful with the children,” Belle said, obviously trying to remind herself that she was doing the right thing. They both were taking the time to pet the puppies before they made their way to the farmlands.

“This is the right decision, Belle. As much as you enjoyed having them around, it’s time for them to move on.”

“You enjoyed them too. I know you did.”

Rumplestiltskin shrugged in a noncommittal fashion. He tapped his leg and Molly jumped in the carriage too. She flopped right down in between the two benches, thumping the floor with her wagging tail. He took the other end of the blanket and stretched it over Molly, and he sat down on the bench opposite Belle. They shared the blanket, and Molly was underneath, already beginning to doze.

Rumplestiltskin raised his hand and the horses started off, pulling the carriage towards town.

“If no one claims Molly, we can keep her,” he said, quietly, hoping that this would make Belle feel a bit better. They had been looking for Molly’s family but hadn’t found anyone yet.

“Oh! I thought we would find her another home too!” Belle said, her eyes wide.

“We could… or we could keep her.” He checked on Molly underneath the blanket, and when he looked up Belle was smiling at him. He frowned at her, not wanting her to know how much it pleased him to see her happy. “What are you smiling at?”

“Oh nothing… nothing at all,” Belle said, looking away with that knowing smile of hers, as she deposited a wiggling puppy back in the basket. It was going to be a long trip to the farmlands, but somehow Rumplestiltskin didn’t mind.

The snow was falling in Storybrooke, Maine. Belle quickly locked up the library. She was closing early due to the oncoming snow, especially since there were no public hours at the library today. It was mid-afternoon and Mary Margaret had offered to give her and Gideon a ride home after school. Rumplestiltskin was going to stay later at the shop. Apparently he was working on something that couldn’t wait, otherwise he would pick them up and they’d go home together as had become their custom.

Some days little Gideon would stay with Belle at the library, while at other times he would spend the day at the shop with his father. Occasionally he’d spend the time at daycare so he could play with the other babies and toddlers in Storybrooke. Today he had spent the day with Granny, which he seemed to enjoy. Granny was always good with children, and Gideon seemed to like people watching. The hustle and bustle of the diner was good entertainment for him, every now and then.

Belle walked speedily across the street and towards the diner. The snow was starting to accumulate, and she hoped that Rumple wouldn’t take a long time at the shop and have to drive in heavy snow. She’d even be okay with him using magic to get safely home.

She quickly ducked into the diner as a customer was exiting. Granny was already getting Gideon ready in his warm winter clothes, complete with a winter hat with bunny ears. She couldn’t help but burst into a smile at the sight of her little man. He saw her as soon as she walked in and was reaching out to her. “Hello there, pumpkin,” she said, as Granny placed the six month old in her arms. “Did you have a good afternoon?”

“Oh he had a ball. Grumpy was in her making silly faces and making him laugh for half the time.”

“Oh that was sweet of him to entertain Gideon.”

“He’s a sweet kid. No trouble at all. We love having him here.”

“Thank you, Granny.” Belle nodded at Granny in appreciation, then turned to Gideon. “We have to get home before your Papa so that we can get his surprise ready!”

“Oh, big plans?”

“Well Gideon and Rumple surprised me this morning with breakfast in bed, so I thought that Gideon and I would return the favor and bake some of Rumple’s favorite cookies. They also might be Gideon’s favorite too,” Belle said with a wink.

“Breakfast in bed, huh? He’s more attentive than I thought.”

Belle recalled how Rumple had walked into their bedroom with a tray of food balanced in one hand, and bouncing Gideon up and down in his other arm. He had placed the tray in front of her and gently laid down next to her with Gideon in between them. Gideon was pushing up and down on the bed, slightly upsetting the balance of the food tray. They didn’t mind. Belle shared her breakfast with the two of them, feeding them each in turn. It was a lovely morning.

“Oh Rumple’s very attentive, thank you. He takes good care of us, and we take good care of him. Isn’t that right, Gideon?”

Gideon cooed in return, and Belle giggled. “Well it’s time for us to get going. I see our ride.”

“Best get home before it really starts snowing,” Granny advised.

“This will be Gideon’s first big snowfall. We’re so excited! Good night!” she used Gideon’s hand to wave at Granny, and headed towards the exit while talking to Gideon. “Wait until Papa gets home. Maybe you’ll get to play a bit in the snow.”

In no time Belle and Gideon were home and had finished up the holiday themed sugar cookies. Belle placed them out in the living room for Rumple to see when he walked in. They were made of mostly teddy bear shapes and train shapes. Gideon “picked out” the cookie cutters by tossing them off the table.

He also made a mess playing with the flour. He was covered in enough white flour that he didn’t need to go out playing in the snow tonight. It was close enough. Belle chuckled, as she cleaned him up. She was just finishing getting him dressed when she heard the car pull into the driveway.

“Papa’s home!” she told Gideon, excitedly. She brought him down and put him in his bouncy chair near the cookies, ready for his Papa.

Rumple opened the door and stepped into the warm home he shared with his new family. He brushed off the snow from his coat, and took off his boots. He kept his coat on and made sure that the surprise he’d brought for his wife and son was safely hidden away.

He caught sight of Gideon, tossing his plastic blocks on the floor as usual. The window behind him had the curtains open, and the snow could be seen falling steadily outside. He also noticed a spread of cookies on the table. “This is a welcome sight,” he said, with a grin.

“Pa, pa, da, da!!” shouted Gideon, as he threw another plastic block onto the floor.

“Belle!” Rumple called. “I think he’s saying, Papa!”

Belle walked in with a tray of evening tea. “He could just as easily be saying, Panda,” she told him with a wink and a smile.

“Pan da pa da!” Gideon chimed in.

Belle placed the tray down on the table and sat down on the couch next to Gideon. She picked up a few of the discarded plastic blocks.

“You two are quite the comic duo,” Rumple said. He gave Gideon a quick kiss on the forehead, and then settled down on the couch next to Belle. They shared a quick kiss before Belle pulled away.

“You’re still wearing your coat,” she noted, raising her eyebrow.

“Mmhmm.”

“And I know we had a big breakfast but you look and feel somewhat larger than you did this morning…”

“It’s possible,” he said, with a chuckle. At that moment there was some wiggling underneath his coat. He might have to let them in on his secret sooner rather than later.

“What are you up to, Rumple?” Belle asked, with an excited looking expression.

She might be onto him. He undid the top button of his coat, and then the next button… and a small black and white furry head popped out from inside his coat. Belle all but squealed with delight. “Is he ours?”

“He is,” Rumple said with a laugh as Belle began unbuttoning his coat to free the puppy.

Belle gathered the puppy in her lap. “He’s adorable! But how are we going to manage with a baby and a puppy!”

“We’ll manage. I’ve already spoken to Henry, and he’s going to help us with walks. I can take him to the shop with me on most days while he’s still learning.” He took her hand in his, and petted the puppy with the other. “You and I can do anything, sweetheart.”

“I always knew you were a big softie,” Belle said, as she leaned forward and kissed him gently.