Happily Ever After (Rumpelstiltskin)

[rumple]

Rumpel saw the painful look on her face and he inched closer towards her to cup the side of her face in an attempt to comfort her. "Hey, hey, hey..." He said in quick succession. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up." Rumpel said not wanting to upset his new bride. He knew that he broke her heart when he did what he had to do to stop Pan. But it was the only thing he could think of in the moment to save her and Bael and everyone else. Secretly, he was hoping that his sacrifice took him out of the villain territory and at least into the neutral territory. If not for himself, for her at least.

He almost made a scoff at her remark. "Well, thank goodness for that. I wouldn't want people to start getting the wrong impression about me." He said jokingly towards her and making a bigger smile. The two of them did have a bit in common, which made loving her even easier. "Do you think I should get rid of it? I'm assuming since my father is gone, the magic protecting it is gone as well." All she had to do was say the word and he would incinerate it. 

Rumpel knew that Belle didn't like it when he used magic around her too much. Not wanting her to feel even more uncomfortable, he tried to limit his magic around her unless it was absolutely necessary or she was the one asking him to do it. "Since we didn't get to the store until a little later..." Rumpel said looking at his Rolex. "How about we take a lunch break and go to Granny's and get some lunch?" He said smiling. It wasn't usual for either of them to ditch work, but it was a new day in their relationship.

[marymargaret]

Belle leaned into his hand slightly as he rested it against her face.  "It's alright," she said, chest tightening somewhat at the memories of his encounter with his father.  "It's in the past."  She never wanted to take part in a situation like that again.  The brunette barely made it through his last 'death'; she couldn't survive another one.  His playful scoff was enough to inspire a small smile upon her lips.  She ducked her gaze for a moment before raising it back to his, feeling better now that the moment had passed.

"I'd like you to get rid of it," she admitted.  "But it is your decision.  If you wish to hold onto it to be reminded of the good in your father..."  She shrugged, knowing it was his choice.  She wondered how painful it must have been for him to see his father and know that he'd given up his child.  She supposed it must have been a slap in the face for Rumpel, as he'd done so with Neal.

Her expression brightened as he mentioned grabbing lunch together.  "I would love that," she said with a grin.  She recalled their first 'date' at Granny's not long after the curse was broken.  She'd enjoyed the meal with him even though it had been cut short at the time.

[rumple]

As she moved into his hand, he used his thumb to brush her cheek softly. A smiled formed on his lips. The past... The thing that kept coming back to bite him in the ass. That was sort of the deal living in Storybrooke though. Everyone that lived in Storybrooke had a past. And thanks to Regina, it always came knocking. "That it is. I'm more content with focusing on our present. At least I have you here and now." Rumpel said still smiling. Of course he was disheartened by the means of his resurrection, but at least it gave him a second chance to be with Belle. That was what he took away from his son's sacrifice.

Rumpel nodded when she said that she wanted him to destroy it. "Your wish is my command my darling." He threw the doll on the floor and then he waved his hand in the air. There was a quick flash of lightening that struck the doll and it burst into flames. In just a few short moments, the doll was nothing but ash. With one last wave of his hand the ashes blew away. "There, Peter Pan is no more." He said turning back to Belle. Thinking that she might be a little confused by his words, he decided to follow up. "That's what I named it when my father gave it to me when I was a lad. I think he took the name to spite me. But in any case, it's gone."

"As would I. Let me just get a few things in order and we can go." He said with the same smile as he had before. It wasn't as if he needed the shop to be open, but it helped him keep his mind busy. Plus, everyone needed money in this world. People still came to him when they wanted something badly enough. Whether it was money or to make a deal. "This time, we might actually get to finish it." 

[marymargaret]

Belle smiled as she felt his finger caress her cheek.  Such small touches were a reminder that he was hers, and she his.   She didn't need a reminder that he loved her- for True Love was eternal- yet it was nice to know through the small touches that passed between the two.  Her expression shifted as he threw the doll to the floor.  The brunette couldn't help but jolt as he destroyed the toy with such force; she wasn't sure if she'd ever get used to the brutality that her husband was capable of.  Realizing that she'd put her hand to her heart in shock at the lightening bolt, she sheepishly returned it back to her side.

Her brows furrowed at the name, soon to be replaced with a look of understanding as he explained where his father received his new moniker from.  She rubbed her arm idly for comfort as she stepped away from the floorboard where the doll had been tossed.  

"Finishing a meal out together would be a novelty," she admitted, a small smile upturning her lips now that she'd calmed.  "Perhaps if we're lucky no crisis will befall the town before we get the check."  

[rumple]

There was no doubt about it. Rumpel was crazy for Belle. She really was the Beauty to his Beast. Perhaps their love didn't happen like it did in the story books or even in that cartoon. But their love was real. What Rumpel felt for Belle was absolutely real. And he would do anything to prove that to her. The simple touches were a reminder to him that she was real. That what the two of them had was real. Between Milah and Belle, his love for Belle never faltered. She wouldn't leave him like Milah did.

The fact that he destroyed the doll of Peter Pan so harshly wasn't so much that he was just destroying some straw and cloth. He was eradicating the last memory he had of the horrible man that terrorized all of Storybrooke. Unfortunately, the darkness was still within Rumpelstiltskin. He was still The Dark One. He still forgot from time to time that she was on edge when he used magic. Especially his more destructive magic. And then she seemed a bit uncomfortable with the story he told her. "I'm sorry my darling. For both the magic and the story. How about we forget about all of this and let's go?" 

He was ready for them to have some more time alone. Their honeymoon seemed like it was over way too fast. Rumpel chuckled a little at her statement. "Well, I wouldn't bet on it. But maybe Storybrooke won't fall apart today..." He said adjusting his tie and holding his hand out, letting her lead the way towards the door.

[marymargaret]

Belle knew that this would always be a part of him.  She couldn't ask him to give up magic as it was ingrained in him.  If she was being honest with herself, she was afraid that he'd choose magic if given an ultimatum before herself and his abilities.  She wondered if he knew what it felt like to be 'normal' after so many years as the Dark One.  Even while his cursed self she supposed he wasn't 'normal'; Emma's entrance into Storybrooke returned his memories before that of everyone else.  He'd been without magic, but so had Regina; the playing field was even. 

"I'd like that," she smiled as he suggested pushing aside the incident.  She was glad that he was able to let go of his past, knowing that must have been hard for him.  She gladly took his hand when he held it out to her.  With a gentle squeeze she started toward the door.  "I saw my father earlier today," she said, recalling the brief talk she'd had with Moe that morning. "He wished for me to pass on his greetings."  She knew that her father and her husband hadn't the strongest relationship yet it seemed they were at least civil with one another.  At least, for the moment.

"I was thinking that we could perhaps have him over for dinner one evening?"  She knew she was pushing her luck by asking such a thing as, despite knowing that the two men in her life had a shaky truce, they both were capable of having tempers.  The brunette didn't wish to be caught in a shouting match between the pair.  

[rumple]

Rumple wasn't sure if he'd be able to lose being the Dark One. For centuries, that was all he had ever had. It was what helped him get revenge on his ex-wife and the pirate. It also brought the two of them together and it helped bring Bae back into his life. And without it, he wouldn't have been able to rescue all of them from Pan. Without his magic, he would just be an old, gimp man. At least being the Dark One, he would always be able to protect Belle. Everyone assumed that he didn't have his memories prior to Emma's return, but he actually did. He just kept up the facade that he also fell under the curse. Thanks to Emma breaking the curse, he was able to bring magic back to Storybrooke.

When she said that she would like that, he smiled and nodded his head. "As would I." He said feeling the gentle squeeze of her hand which brought an even bigger smile to his face. As both of them headed towards the door, he listened to her talk. After she told him that she had seen her father, he said, "Oh?" And then she told him that apparently she passed his greeting along. It shocked Rumple for a moment but he quickly followed up with a similar pleasantry. "That's very nice of him. Next time you see him, please pass along my own greeting. And tell him that he doesn't need to worry about his rent."

Rent was something that Rumple didn't need to worry about anymore. Now he could just create any money that he would need. But, he decided to keep the rental agreements in order. Just another way to hold some control over the residences. "I think that's a fantastic idea. How about tomorrow night? I've got some work to see to tonight. But I should be free tomorrow." He said as they approached the door. Her father was kind enough to give them his blessing for their marriage. The least Rumple could do was be nice to him for a night.

[marymargaret]

Belle was somewhat shocked that her husband expressed his desire for her to convey his greeting to her father the next time that she saw him.  She knew that the pair had a fragile relationship after Moe attempted to have her memories erased in the mines beneath the town.  She forgave him; he was her father, after all. It was refreshing and reassuring to know that Rumple didn't seem to hold it against him any longer.  Her smile widened as he complimented her idea of asking her father over.  "I'll call him tonight," she said, rather elated at the turn of events.  

With her mother gone, her father and Rumpel were the only family she had left. She wished to hold onto them both, despite their former dislike of each other.  Already she had plans of what she'd make for the meal that the three were to share.  It would be good for her father and husband to bond further; if she was to have a child they would have to get over whatever lingering discomfort they had with one another for the child's sake.