A/N: I'm sorry, this chapter's a pile of poop and I know it. I'm finding it difficult to get back into this one which means my writing is suffering and you guys deserve better. Here it is, none the less, I hope that even if the writing isn't great, the story is enough for now, until I pick it back up properly. Thanks for reading!

Belle's life held an emptiness hence. Having much free time and little clue what to do with it, she found herself often with the fairies taking refuge in Mother Superior's words of wisdom and comfort, finding a new friend in a cheerful, albeit quite clumsy, fairy named Nova and taking care of the children which were left to their care whilst Storybrooke was under dark times and their parents were off being heroes, leaving them where it was safe. Nursing the babies gave her comfort, but also great sorrow, to look upon one of the most beautiful sights of nature and know that that joy would never be hers to have and to hold.

She was out, taking Robin's little one for a walk in her pram trying to get her to sleep, once when in the distance, she saw Rumple. She was close to the docks, were the boardwalk stretched out over the sea like a small pier, where usually there were boats docked but today they all seemed to be mysteriously absent, in fact, the whole docks were empty aside from herself and them, it didn't surprise her; it wasn't the finest of days, the sky was clouded over a silvery grey with the scent of coming rain in the air and a cool breeze chilling her cheeks. Her heart started, leaping almost visibly from her chest at the unexpected sight of him. With him, she saw, was Henry, smiling up at Rumple walking beside him, in step. Her heart warmed to see them together this way, grandfather and grandson, as it should be. It seemed to be that Rumple was telling Henry some kind of story, judging by the way he waved his arms dramatically and the way Henry's interest was held in rapt attention, eager to hear the story. She chuckled to herself, ever the one for theatrics, her Rumple.

Her Rumple...

Belle turned away, drawing her attention to the baby before her who was beginning to fuss. She leant towards the child, tucking the soft blankets in around her and cooing softly to calm the sweet girl, rocking the pram ever so slightly.

She was so busy trying to lull the child to sleep that she didn't noticed the two drawing closer to her, having reached the end of the docks and turned back, right in her direction. Soon, she heard the low rumble of voices and footsteps upon the boardwalk and looked up to see them approaching.

Now, she hadn't exactly been avoiding Rumple –at least not deliberately- but that by no means meant she was ready to see him though it now seemed unavoidable. She began to panic slightly, looking around nervously but she couldn't exactly walk away now. No, she had to face this, it seemed, sooner rather than later.

When they were about a metre away, Henry broke into a run, jogging towards her and pulling her into a hug. Belle was surprised, but hugged him back fondly, smiling down at him.

"Grandm-" Henry began, pulling back from the hug, then cut himself short, looking back at Rumple nervously to see if he'd noticed his slip of the tongue. "Belle," he began again, " how are you?"

"I'm well, thank you, Henry" Belle replied, glancing awkwardly at Rumple who wore a confused smile, looking down at Henry. Belle hoped it wasn't because he'd heard what Henry almost called her. "And you?"

"Fantastic!" Henry beamed. "Mom's better now and Killian-" he stopped.

Belle felt a pang of worry in her stomach, last she'd heard, Killian was in the underworld and Emma had gone down there along with Regina, Mary Margaret, David and Robin to get him back, whilst Henry had stayed behind for Rumple. She didn't realise just how long it had been, just how much she hadn't been paying attention too, how much she'd missed. Of course, she knew Robin had gone, why else would she be looking after her, but it seemed not to have come to her attention that the fact that Emma was going to the underworld, where Killian was, meant that she was better, meaning un-darked-oned. She didn't even know how that winded up with Killian in the underworld. Mentally, she shook herself, she needed to pay more attention from now on. She had been so caught up in her own sadness, her own loss that she hadn't been paying attention to her friends, when she should have been there to help. They would understand, she knew that of course but that didn't quell her worry and guilt any. She would definitely be paying more close attention from now on.

"- Killian's back" Henry finished.

"He's back?" Belle asked in shock, to come back from the underworld was no easy feat and, while she called nothing impossible for the Charming family, this was even impressive for them.

"Yeah!" Henry's smile widened and Belle noticed Rumple watching him with a small smile, half of grief, and she knew in that moment that he was seeing his son in that smile.

"Wow, Henry, I'm so happy for you!" she replied. "Do send your family my best and apologise on my half for being so absent, I'll have a mind to come visit soon though I should think if, as you say, they're back then Robin will pick up this little one soon enough"

"Well, er..." Henry's smile suddenly faded and his voice stammered, unable to say something. His eyes took a shade of sorrow and Belle watched him struggle for words. In the corner of her eye, she saw Rumple begin to move closer to Henry. Extending a hand to rest comfortingly on Henry shoulder, it seemed he was about to speak and-

"Henry, I'll, er, catch up with you later, you can tell me all about it then. This little one here has just finally drifted off to sleep, I should get her back to the nursery in the convent" she looked down at the sleeping child and began to manoeuvre the pram to turn around. She glanced back at Henry, and behind her Rumple, as she walked hurriedly away. "Bye" she bid with a distracted smile.

Henry had been trying to tell her something, something was wrong, she could tell. She must speak to him, and soon, but in the end she couldn't face Rumple, and she wasn't lying when she said she needed to get little girl Hood back to the nursery. The child was indeed asleep, resting soundly in her pram, and while she slumbered Belle would discover the truth about what had happened whilst her back was turned, hoping that the little girl before her was not, as she feared, fatherless.