Baelfire watched his step-mother closely. Rumple had carefully hinted that Belle just wasn't herself. Now, Bae saw what he meant. When they went into town, Bae saw as she watched a child with longing eyes and a sad smile.

"Belle, have you been feeling alright lately?" Bae asked once that had sat down on a bench.

"Hm, oh, yes I've been fine Baelfire."

"Baelfire? You never call me Baelfire. It's always Bae or Neal." Bae commented confused. It didn't bother him that Belle called him Baelfire; it just threw him through a loop because she never ever used his full name.

"Sorry. I'll call you Bae or Neal then."

"Belle, are you sure you're okay?" Belle just nodded. "Okay, ready to head back?" Belle nodded again. Baw stood up and held his hand out for Belle. She gently took it and they walked back to the salmon house. When they arrived, Belle went back upstairs to her and Rumple's room. Rumple turned to his son.

"Well?"

"Nothing. She didn't say anything. But, I think I might know what's wrong. When we went into town, she looked at every child with longing eyes and a sad smile. She wants a baby." Rumple closed his eyes and sighed.

"That's why she's been like this. We've been trying for a while and Belle went to the doctor a few days ago and it turns out she can't have children. I had no idea it was affecting her that greatly. I've offered the possibility of adoption but Belle says that while she'll love the child as her own, she doesn't want Henry's situation to fall on us. How he went out and found Emma. She doesn't want to lose the child to their biological parents." Bae nodded knowing how Regina fells every time Henry spends time with him or Emma.

"What about a surrogate mother? It would still be her and your baby someone else would just carry it for nine months."

"And there lies the problem. I suggested that as well; however, because Belle is who she is, she says she wouldn't feel right taking a child away from someone how carried it for nine months."

"This is where Belle's too-kind-to-be-normal behavior gets to be annoying. What does she want to do?" Rumple gripped his cane tightly and turned towards the stairs once more to check if Belle was there.

"She wants me to use magic on her. She wants to be cast a spell on her that while make it possible for her to carry at least one child to term. She was pregnant a few months ago but ten weeks in she lost the baby."

"Why don't you want to do that?"

"I don't want to use magic on her. Magic always comes with a price and the last person I want to pay that price is Belle."

"I know what you mean. She has reddest heart in all the realms."

"Exactly. I don't want to taint her with magic."

"I'll pay the price." Rumple looked at Bae. "Whatever the price is, I'll pay it if it means Belle gets to have a child."

"Bae…"

"No, just listen. She's been more of a mother to me than Milah ever was. She deserves to get one thing she wants. I'll pay whatever price it is I'll pay it."

"It's not that simple. To create a life with magic you need to take away a life."

"Papa…"

"No, Bae. I'm not losing you again. I just found out after countless years. I'm not losing you again."

"And I'm not letting you do it." They both turned to see Belle standing in the doorway.

"Sweetheart, you're up." Belle nodded and walked over to Bae. She took his hands.

"Thank you for the offer Bae but I'm not letting you literally give up your life just so I can have a baby."

"Belle…"

"Baelfire I forbid it!" Belle said sternly. Bae was slightly shocked by this. Belle had never once tried to tell him what to do and now she forbade him to do something.

"You deserve this."

"And what about your father? He spent countless years, made countless deals, and used every ounce of magic he could to find you. That's all just supposed to be wasted?"

"I'm doing this for you and for Papa."

"You're not doing this. Baelfire, you're not doing this. Do you understand me?" Belle looked deep into his eyes as she was trying to look into his soul. He sighed and slumped his shoulders.

"I understand." Belle nodded, let go of his hands, and turned to walk away. "Mama." Belle stopped in her tracks. Rumple looked at his son. "I understand completely Mama. I won't disobey you." Belle's body shock once then she ran from the room. Bae stood in his spot with a smile.

"Bae…"

"I'm not a baby but I just gave her a child." Rumple smiled and hugged his son. Bae hugged his Papa back. "I think I have an idea. Do you still have to de-aging potion? The one you wanted to use on me when the day you found me in New York."

"Yes, but why?"

"Tweak it. Tweak to make me an infant. Belle will have a baby and no one loses their life."

"No one loses their life? Bae, you'll lose the life you know. You won't know Henry as your son, are you really willing to give that up?"

"But I won't feel as if you abandoned me because as far as I'll know you didn't. This is for you too Papa. You'll get a second chance at raising me."

"Bae, nothing would make me happier than to get a second chance with you and not make all the mistakes I did but not at expense of your memories."

"Can you do it?"

"Of course I can do it…"

"Then call me when it's ready. I'll be waiting." Bae left the house without another word. Rumple ran his hand through his hair. He went to find Belle. He found her in the kitchen.

"Did Bae leave?"

"Yes, did you hear any of that?"

"A good portion. You have a good son, Rumple with a good heart but he can't do that. Not for me."

"I told him that. He won't remember anything."

"I know how much you want a second chance with him but I also know you don't want it like that."

"Not even in my dreams. I was going to change him back to fourteen again but now that he's giving me the chance to make him an infant again, Belle, I can't."

"I know you can't Rumple. I would never ask you to do that for me anyway."

"Oh dearest, I know. I can't believe he would willingly do this."

"I know. You're trying to struggle with the fact that he would do this and I'm trying to struggle with that fact that he called me Mama."

"That was unexpected on me and you." Rumple looked at his wife. "He told me that you're a better mother to him than Milah ever was." Belle smiled and hugged his waist. Rumple wrapped his arms around her.

"I want to talk to him. He left with the implication that you would call him when that potion is ready. I need to talk to him about why you're not doing that." Rumple kissed her head and let go.

"Go ahead. Go talk to our son."

"I love it when you call him our son. Even when he's not here." Belle sweetly kissed him and left the kitchen then the house. She went to the Bed and Breakfast knowing that Neal was still staying there. She knocked on his door and waited for him open it.

"Hey, what's going on?" Belle smiled before throwing her arms around his neck. Bae's arm instinctively wrapped around her. "Um, why?"

"I heard you talk to your father. While I love you for what you're offering once again, I can't let you do this either."

"Mama, please, don't start with this." Bae let go of her and flopped on his bed. "This is what I'm doing. I want this for you and for Papa."

"Bae, you don't have to do this."

"Mama, I'm doing this with or without Papa's help. Regina will gladly make Papa's life more difficult with a child."

"Baelfire, please, I'm begging you. Maybe there's a reason I can't have children. Maybe I'm not meant to be a mother."

"Belle, you are the kindest person I know. If anyone deserves to be a mother it's you."

"But I already have a son. I have you." Belle said. "I didn't get to raise you but that's what makes you, you."

"Don't you wonder how I would turn out if I had a mother who actually wanted to spend time with me, who wanted to be my mother and didn't see me as a burden?"

"Bae, I will always be here for you but that doesn't mean that I need to have raised you."

"Belle, just listen to me. Everything will be fine. By the end of next week, you and my dad will have a baby." He gently pushed her out of the room. Belle stood outside her son's door unsure of what to do next. Should she go back home or should she try more to persuade him not to do this? She decided to go home and maybe Rumple would think of something.

"Did you have any luck?"

"No. He's one stubborn man, Rumple. His final words were that you and I will have a baby by the end of next week."

"Okay so I have a week to come up with a plan on how to stop this."

"He said that he was going to do this with or without your help. He said that he would ask Regina."

"Regina? I know for some reason those two have become close but why would he ask her for help? Maybe I can split the difference. I can create a potion that will turn him into an infant for a short period of time say a week or a weekend, then when the potion wears off he turns back into an adult and we never speak of this again."

"I don't know if he'll go for that. It's worth a shot though." Rumple nodded in agreement and went to the basement to start working on the potion. Belle sighed sadly and went over on the mantle. She picked up a picture of Henry when he was about three years old. Mr. Gold had gotten Henry for Regina and therefore had an attachment to the child and was constantly in his life. She smiled as a small tear leaked down her face. She wiped it away and put the picture back. She knew just as everyone did that the only missing in her life was a baby that was both hers and Rumple's. Bae's offer had touched her heart, but she didn't want a baby by magic.

Rumple had called Bae a week later telling him he had a potion. Bae had rushed over thinking it was the potion he had asked for.

"It is and it isn't." Rumple replied. "This potion will turn you into an infant for a short period of time. Let's say a week. You drink this, you turn into an infant, Belle and I take care of you for a week, you turn back into an adult, and we never talk of this again. Deal?"

"So what? Belle gets to have a child for a week then has it ripped away from her."

"Bae, it doesn't matter whether you're a baby or an adult, you're still my son." Belle said.

"This is the only thing keeping you from being happy."

"I don't need this. All I need is my family." Belle said. "I would be lying if I said that I didn't want a baby but there's a reason I can't have children. I don't know what that reason is but I don't need you to give up the life you know for me."

"You deserve to be a mother. If anyone does it's you."

"Bae, listen to me please. I still consider you my son. It wouldn't matter if you fourteen or forty when your father found you I'm still your mom and you're still my son. You can drink that potion if you want to but don't do it because you think is what I want. Do it because it's what you want." Belle tried to reason with him. Bae looked at the potion in his father's hand.

"I'll make you a deal. I'll drink that potion and after this week, you'll start looking at adoption agencies. I know you're scared about the same situation with Henry but not every kid is as smart or manipulative as Henry. He gets that from you Papa. Anyway, you need to take the chance either adoption or surrogate mother. I could even ask Emma to do it."

"I can promise I will think about it during the week."

"Good enough." Bae took the potion and drank it. A purple cloud engulfed him and when it cleared, there was a baby being covered by Bae's shirt. Rumple slowly walked over to the bundle of clothes with tears in his eyes. He bent down and picked up the baby along with the shirt covering him.

"Hello Bae. Your Papa's here." He walked over to Belle who had the same tears in her eyes seeing Bae as a child. "And here's your Mama." Belle took Bae out of Rumple's arms and looked at him.

"Hello Bae." She chocked back a sob and held him close to her chest. "I'm your Mama; I promise I'll never disappoint you." Rumple smiled through his tears. He pulled them both into his arms. He closed his eyes hoping that if this was a dream he would never wake up. He had his son, his wife, what more could he possibly ask for?