Chapter 3

To a passing traveler the home of Rumplestiltskin would seem a common residence. The man himself though was anything but ordinary. In fact, with his current state of mind one would consider Rumplestiltskin erratic and quite mad.

It was puzzling to watch a man who one moment was prone to brilliance, cunning, and exuded the very essence of power. And the next moment see him quivering to the ground, hallucinatory and despondent.

Rumple felt eyes on him still. He felt as if people were calling his name. But this was nonsense, he was alone. No one had been around his home for weeks. He had not dared travel to the Dark Castle. Afraid of finding Belle there and being finding out she could move on, so he sat at his wheel and spun. Spinning to get his mind off of Belle, off Bae, off the looming darkness that would swallow him soon enough. Rumple needed to keep the terrors and hallucinations at bay. And spinning kept him lucid, his mind orderly to plan what he needed to do. But in the distance he heard sounds, they felt close, but he knew they were far away. Too far for him to make out, so he ignored and forgot the voices and instead paid attention to his spinning.

'Why do you spin so much?' He recalled Belle asking him once.

"I like to watch the wheel. It helps me forget." He spoke to the image of Belle standing next to his wheel.

Before he could speak to Belle, his father Malcolm appeared next to her. "But you aren't forgetting, are you laddie?" Malcolm approached closer, suddenly darker and towering over Rumple. In the distance Rumple could hear voices again, incomplete sentences. Some words he made out but could not figure what they meant 'Papa' 'alive?' 'Weeks'

Trying unsuccessfully to make out the words Rumple again focused on his father. "How can you ever forget the terrible things you have done..." Malcolm turned to Belle "Rumple killed his father."

Sensing the sadness in Belle, he looked and saw her eyes welling with tears. Somehow a few drops landed on him. "Belle, don't listen to him" Rumple struggled to move but felt weighted down "I sacrificed myself. Did what I had to be done to save you."

"No Rumple." Belle shook her head she turned to walk away, stopping long enough to say the rest "You killed him because you hated him."

Realizing that it was his father, now turned into Pan that was holding him down, Rumple tried to shake him off. Laughing at Rumple's predicament, Pan smiled "You lost laddie, don't you know that by now? You lost her, lost your son, and soon darkness and madness will be all that is left."

"No!" Rumple yelled pulling all his strength and pushed Pan away. "Belle, please come back."

Using his shadow to assist, Pan held Rumple down and forced a fluid into him. "This is madness Rumple." Both Pan and his shadow grabbed Rumple and pulled him towards the dark abyss that formed. "You will join us now." Rumple was falling, not sure where he was going, he lost sight of his father, of Belle. As darkness was consuming him, he still thought he heard the voices. 'Weeks' 'talks' "this potion' "wake up"

"How long has he been in this state?" Charming paced looking between Robin, Mulan, and several others in their company.

Mulan passing bandages to man wearing battered friar clothing answered. "We found him a few weeks ago. He seemed as if he was attempting to move, but in reality he seemed to be processing events more in his head than anything. He wasn't even aware of us." Mulan looked at the confusion and saw Neal's pained expression. "We've been giving him this potion the Little John and the friar made it helps calm him until he heals."

Neal nodded moving to his father's side next to Belle.

"Yes." Robin turned to Belle who had been pale at the sight of her true love. "We came back to the castle to seek refuge from the recent storm, and we found him in the main hall. Though it seems he may have unknowingly crawled around during an hallucination."

Quiet took the group over for a moment as they looked over at Rumple splayed across the makeshift bed. Bandages covering his chest, scrapes, cuts possibly from hallucinating, attempting to move. Empty potion bottles around to help heal and keep Rumplestiltskin asleep

"This is a change in events, a good one, but we still need to stick to our plan." Charming noted. It was Robin's turn to look between Charming's group now. He moved a bit closer to Snow and Regina. "The Dark Castle is probably the best place to make our home for now. Look for others, and plan then." Snow added

Robin nodded grabbing his satchel and removing a cloth covered object. "I found this next to him. I'm not certain of its importance now, but felt it should be kept safe." Handing the object over to Belle, as the others looked on.

Unwrapping the cloth, Belle and the others saw it was the dagger. Turning it over Belle saw no inscription on it. The only way they were able to tell it was dagger of the Dark One was for the fact that its handle and blade were the same. "Thank you Robin, for taking care of him, and for keeping this safe." Belle stood momentarily to give Robin a genuine hug of appreciation.

The others left Belle and Neal to care for and attempt to talk to Rumple. Neal telling his papa, how proud he was of him. How much he loved him. How both he and Belle needed him back.

Giving Belle a quick kiss on the cheek, Neal took her hand and squeezed it. "My father is the luckiest man to have you in his life." Neal took his leave to join the others in the planning room.

Belle was unable to stop the tears from falling. Seeing her beloved alive, even if he was in a horrible state was more than she could bear. She caressed his face and brow wiping away the tears that fell on his brow.

Belle bent down to kiss him on the lips. "Please wake up my love. I am here now, I will be your strength."