She came to him one night in autumn, she kept her hood over her face to conceal it but he knew immediately that it was her. No one else was allowed down here with the exception of the guards. They didn't even allow those that were desperate to see him in. They believed that since he no longer had his power, he no longer could provide those that wished to see him with what they wanted.

Fools.

Even more foolish were Charming and Snow White for forbidding anyone access here and yet they came themselves. Cloaked in robes and hiding in the shadows. Did they really think he wouldn't know who they were? The guards that watched him would be exiled if they accepted a bribe from the higher class. Royalty was the only ones he knew of that would be able to see him.

So when she returned a month later, he automatically knew who she was. She still kept the silly cloak over her face and clothes but he supposed that was for those that were outside the cage. Since her beloved king was not with her, she obviously did not want him to know that she was here. Nor did any guards accompany her, which meant she'd demanded they let her alone

Which means she was desperate enough to put herself completely at his advantage.

"Snow White," he gave an exaggerated bow, one of his outstretched arms brushed against the cavern wall, "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

She pulled off her hood. She was a lot paler than when he'd last seen her, she looked thinner around her face too.

And he could be mistaken, but she was trembling. Now that was new. He hadn't known her to show outward fear of him before but he knew from experience that when faced with danger of their child, a parent showed more emotions.

However, regardless of her fear, she walked up to the cage as far as she dared get without him grabbing her. It almost insulted him that she still maintained her distance. After everything he'd done for her…

"What is this world that they're sending us to like?" she demanded.

A smile crossed his lips and she paled even more. He hadn't known that they found a portal this quickly. The guards spoke in whispers sometimes but they never told him anything of value. It looked like the Rhuel Ghorim WAS good for things other than removing a parent from their child.

"It is a land without magic," he told her.

She looked at him in confusion. Her naïve mind tried to process what he'd just told her, "What kind of a land is one without magic?"

One where his son dwelt.

Instead he shrugged as if it was no big deal. To be honest he didn't understand it either and he'd spent centuries trying to figure it out, "This one is."

Her hands went to her stomach as if to protect it and when she realized it drew his eyes as well she reluctantly removed them, "Can we survive there?"

"I wouldn't see why not," he told her honestly, "You're adaptable. You went from a princess to a thief to a queen. While it's not easy, living with nothing shouldn't be unfamiliar to you."

She looked down and swallowed, "And what if…when we get there, I won't know where to look?"

"I'll find you," he told her.

"You'll be trapped with the rest of them," she whispered.

"You forget whom you speak to," he told her harshly. If she wanted to hear what he knew then she'd best not forget who she was dealing with. It was disrespectful and he felt his temper flare, "Do you not think that since I know what Regina is doing that I wouldn't have a plan set in place so that I was not a complete prisoner as the rest of them?"

She cringed and took a step back.

"I will find you," he told her, "And I will have the power and resources to take care of you and that child until the time comes for her to return. But I won't be taking care of you without a price. You are to do exactly as I say-."

Snow White winced and pressed her hands against her back.

"What's wrong?" he demanded.

"It's just some pain," she said, "I'm fine."

Rumpelstiltskin grabbed the bars and pushed his face against them as if he were observing her, "A sharp shooting pain in your lower back? Are they consistent?"

She looked up, "What do you mean?"

He smiled, a new plan formed in his mind to replace the old one, "You might be having your baby, dearie."

She drew in a sharp breath, he didn't know from pain or fear, "It's too early."

"That's never stopped a baby from being born before," he told her.

Much to his annoyance, she started crying. This was proving to be more tiresome than when Bae's mother carried him and her emotions could change at the slightest provocation.

"The wardrobe can only carry one," she said, "It's not ready yet."

"Then it looks like you won't have to worry about whether or not you can survive in that world dearie, if you have her here then you'll be trapped in the curse the same as everyone else."

She watched him; her bluish gray eyes met his snake ones. The fear that she was sending her child to a world that she didn't completely understand herself came over her and tears fell down her face, "She can't survive out there by herself. She's just a baby."

He didn't know why she was telling him this. She didn't trust him; he could see that in her eyes. Perhaps it was because he was the only one here. Or more likely, just like with everyone else he had in his control, she expected him to fix it.

If it was the latter, he had her right where he wished her to be.

"I could find your daughter," He told her, "But it would cost you."

Snow White looked like she aged about ten years when he said that, "What do you want?"

He went in for the kill immediately, "You will allow the child to be mine."

Snow White's face hardened, "No."

"I give you my assurances that she will be protected."

"Will she be loved?"

He blinked, "What do you think I am dearie? A monster?"

Snow White closed her eyes and he saw her shame as he knew she was considering it, "Will she be loved?"

Do animals not raise and love children as their own all the time? "Yes."

Snow let out a small breath that she didn't realize she was holding, "Regina would know."

"Regina doesn't know anything else I tell it to her, dearie," he said, his voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. He didn't tell her that he'd planned for this. He knew that she'd carry a child before this curse was cast and he'd made plans. Just in case something like this would happen. This curse was full of plans for contingencies that these people would have thought out and some they probably didn't.

Snow met his eyes again, "It's my baby."

"And you're about to send her out into a very frightening world that not even you understand," he taunted in his high pitched singsong voice. Just in case she was getting too comfortable, "Look at it this way dearie. It'll be 28 years before you see your child again if you say no. If you say, 'yes' and acknowledge that for all intents and purposes that she will be my daughter to raise and train…then you can watch her grow up. She'd be safer with me."

"What's stopping you from just taking her?" Snow demanded.

"Nothing," He told her. He'd made plans for that too, "But I don't want your husband or yourself to come knocking at my door with one hand while there's a dagger waiting in the other when the curse is broken. I'd rather all the anger be directed toward Regina. Besides, as I've worked so hard getting the two of you where you are…it'd be a shame if I resorted to something horrible to save my own life." "

"I'll have to talk to Charming."

"You'd need to, wouldn't you?"

"Yes."

"Too bad," he said, "This is a onetime offer, dearie. I can't have you being talked out of it."

"But-."

"You want me to protect her?" he asked, "That's the deal and that's the price."

"And how will I know that you won't find some way to get more out of this deal than what you have to pay?" She demanded, "Last I recall you took my ability to love after I asked you to take my memories of Charming-."

"And look where it got you." He gestured to the room around him, "You're a queen now and married to your one true love because of me. Isn't that enough to put trust in our relationship?"

He didn't like her silence for an answer.

"You can always have more children," he told here, "And I'm sure Emma will return to you one day in need of her mother but your child will grow up not knowing the love of a parent if you say no. Could you really put her through that just because you don't want to give her to me?"

Snow White drew in her breath and tears sprang anew. He really wished that he'd done this when her body and emotions weren't affected by pregnancy.

"Will you let us see her over there?"

"If you wish," he told her. He knew what it was like to be separated from a child and while he didn't know just how much Snow's feelings for her daughter would carry over to the other side, he wouldn't demand that she stay away from the child. He did want Emma to grow up somewhat healthy.

Snow closed her eyes and she looked to be ill, "Deal."

He grinned, "You just made a good choice."

She averted her gaze, turned, and left the prison quarters.

The guards didn't understand why he spent the next day cackling with glee.