Winter was still about and at this hour it looked like the middle of the night outside. The only light they had inside the house were a few candles Red had quickly lit on her way to the door. This poor lighting left Rumple well hidden in the corner of the room and Granny's expressions a little difficult to read.

Granny wasted no time in inviting herself inside the house, spinning on her heel to turn back and glare at both women once she was deep inside the cottage. Rumplestiltskin watched with fascination as both women, whom he knew to be quite strong and wilful, falter like children in the face of this woman, especially once the door was closed.

"You've been missing for nearly six months, no explanation, and no letters at all. Would it really have killed either of you to send a short letter letting me know you were even still alive? You!" She pointed at Belle. "Your father is sick with worry for you, I'm quite sure he believes you to be dead. And Red, you fly off looking for revenge without any thought or plan? You couldn't even stick around long enough for Peter's funeral?"

Neither one of them had the guts to even try and open their mouths.

"And now I discover that you've been fine this whole time!" Granny barked, her wrinkled face somehow still its usual pale shade when it really should have been the shade of a chilli with so much anger.

Red twisted her mouth up and stared off to the side. "That's not the word I would use"

"Really? You sure look fine"

"Yeah, that only really started about four of five days ago." Belle nodded in agreement.

Granny looked sceptical, crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes down to tiny slits. "So then what have you been up to all this time?"

Red gave Belle a not-so subtle nudge, not wanting to be the only one who had to talk. Belle grunted in response. "Well…we were fighting the Dark One for starters…"

"Oh yes," Granny interrupted. "Where is this notorious Dark One who left half your house in sticks and disappeared into the night with you over his shoulder?"

Belle only cleared her throat in reply. Biting her lip, she tried to hide behind Red and glance quickly over at Rumplestiltskin still hiding in the shadows, just to make sure he was still there.

Yet, even with how dark it was, Granny saw every one of Belle's movements clear as day. Her eyes followed the path of Belle's and when she spied the crippled man standing still in the corner of the room, she glared. Her pupils grew wider, taking in as much light as they could to see him properly. She snarled internally, angry with herself for not picking up on his presence earlier; that was sloppy.

Taking a few steps closer to the battered man, Granny gave him a dangerous look, the kind an alpha wolf would give to an outsider. "You are the Dark One?"

Rumplestiltskin tried not to be afraid, but he had always been good at hiding in shadows and to be seen so clearly all of a sudden put him at a stark disadvantage. How had she known where to look? How had she made him out against the dark wall and stairs?

"I was, the Dark One is dead." Despite his fear, he was impressed with the steadiness of his voice.

"Dead? The Dark One? Just how did you pull that off?" It was no wonder she didn't believe him, it sounded completely absurd when said out loud.

"The Dark One was a curse and we found a way to break it. True Love's kiss broke the curse and destroyed the Dark One forever"

It was hard to read Granny's face in this light, but she didn't look any angrier than she was before. "When did this happen?"

"About five days ago"

"So you have all been prisoners here until five days ago?"

"Granny," Belle sighed, finding the strength within her to stop dodging the questions and just tell the truth. "We weren't being held against our will. I'm sorry we didn't come back or send any letters, but you need to understand that we chose to be here. I was never kidnapped or stolen, it was my choice to come here; it was my idea"

"And now it is your choice to stay?"

"Yes, it is. I cannot speak for Red or Jiminy, but this is my home now, with Rumplestiltskin and Baelfire. With them is where I belong"

Granny took a step closer, looking like she wanted to argue the point, when she froze all of a sudden. Her hers widened in surprise and her nostrils flared as she sucked in a deep breath through her nose. She sniffed a few times, as though verifying her suspicions and then she charged at Belle, grabbing her left hand and examining it in the soft light.

Belle stared wide-eyed at Red, looking for an explanation, but she seemed just as stunned. Granny released Belle's hand and stepped back to a more comfortable distance.

It may have been dark but her expression was clear in that moment: judgment.

"You say it was your choice to be here, was it your choice to have him in your bed as well?" She was so cavalier about it, not even fazed by the shocked faces of everyone in the room. "Well? Was it your choice? Was it your idea to sleep with a man before marriage? Or have you just misplaced your wedding ring?"

Belle couldn't begin to guess how Granny knew she was not pure anymore, all she had done was sniff the air. Perhaps she really did have wolf powers like Red, but Red had never mentioned there being anything…well, smelly about her.

"I don't know what you're talking about…" Was her panicked response. She knew her father would be outraged to hear this, but she was very unsure as to how Granny felt about such things.

Granny looked very unhappy with that response. "Oh really? Then how come you're pregnant right now? Want to explain THAT!"

"What?" Repeated throughout the room as all but the old woman gasped in shock. Now how could she have possibly known about that?

"Well?" Granny said again, making it clear this question was only for Belle and no one else.

But Belle didn't know what to say. She wasn't pregnant anymore, did that just make the whole situation go away? It didn't matter, it wasn't something she wanted to talk about right now, only when she was alone with Rumple in their bed, where she felt safe. At least it wasn't a shock for the others though, they were all well aware of the facts.

"I'm not pregnant anymore…"

She waited for Granny's snappy response, but none ever came. She looked up at Granny, watching the candle light dance in her beady little eyes as though they were a representation of her brain at work, the gears moving with the efficiency of someone half her age. Silence permitted the room, an awkward uncomfortable silence that had everyone frozen in place, awaiting whatever it was Granny did or said next.

The minute dragged on and Rumplestiltskin couldn't take it anymore. He could see the way Belle was trying to wrap her arms around her shoulders, hide her face, she didn't want to be here on the spot like this; she didn't want to talk about this to an open room. The topic alone was causing her pain. He stepped out of the shadows and took a stand in the light, taking her hand and squeezing it.

Belle smiled softly at him, but not brightly enough to convince him she was alright. Dropping her hand, he moved to stand behind her and wrap his free arm around her middle, holding her close and warming her back against his chest. She wrapped her hands around his arm, holding him in place, not even giving him the option to slip away; as though he would even try.

Granny watched the entire exchange with a calculating captivation. Finally she had something to say. "So it wasn't a rash decision then? You two were like Red and Peter. Probably planned it all ahead of time, huh?" At least it sounded like she was okay with this.

"Granny!" Red whined, horrified to discover Granny had known about her intimate relationship.

"You thought I didn't know? I could smell it on you"

"Why didn't you ever say anything?"

"It was your lesson to learn"

"Lesson? What lesson was I supposed to learn?"

"To choose your men more wisely"

Red frowned in both confusion and anger. Deciding this was as good a time as ever to have this discussion, she took the floor, leaving Rumple and Belle in the shadows for a few minutes to enjoy a moment of peace.

"What was your problem with Peter? You knew him for years and yet you never approved of him, but Belle hooks up with this guy you've just met and it's all okay with you? You don't even know him but you aren't given her nearly the same amount of hell you always gave me." It was now or never, if she wanted them to be truthful right now she was going to have to do the same.

Granny scoffed as though the answer should be blatantly obvious. "For one thing, Belle isn't my daughter or my granddaughter, what she does with her life is her business. You on the other hand are a very different subject. Secondly, tell me something, did you trust Peter?"

"Of course I did"

"No, did you really trust him? The kind of trust that lasts for years? That lasts for the rest of your life?"

Red was wishing she hadn't stepped out right now, for the first time really questioning what she and Peter had had together. "I…I don't know." She had always said she did, but had she ever actually felt it? She couldn't remember a time when she knew she felt it, she knew that much.

Granny hummed some sound of confidence. "That is why I never approved of Peter. You can't build a life together without trust. Could you be sure he would stay faithful? That he would go through with something like marriage? Perhaps if you'd gone after someone like Mr Cricket I might have been a little more pleased with you"

Red's cheeks turned a spectacular shade of red that almost made Belle want to laugh.

"Someone call me?" A groggy Jiminy asked, sticking his head out the door of the guest room. He had had the sense to get dressed thankfully, but his sudden presence after Granny's comment only made Red's blush deepen.

Belle couldn't help the subtle snort of a laugh that escaped her.

"Mr Cricket?" Granny said in surprise. "You're here as well?"

The poor man looked rather befuddled. "Mrs Lucas? How nice to see you again, and as for your question: yes of course. I left with Red, you think I was going to abandon her or something?"

"Not exactly, I figured you were either trying to find your way home or dead to be honest." She almost growled, annoyed once again for being caught unawares.

"I think that is a level of honesty I don't really need first thing in the morning." Jiminy said under his breath.

Red suddenly leapt into action, charging across the room to shove Jiminy back inside their shared sleeping quarters. "Get back inside, you and I need to talk right now"

Jiminy was, needless to say, absolutely baffled by her behaviour, but adhered to her instruction none the less. "I guess I'll speak with you guys later then." He said with a wave of his hand.

The two of them disappeared behind the closed door and Granny turned her attention back to Belle and Rumple. "Are those two…sharing that room?"

Belle wasn't sure what she wanted to answer with, thankfully Rumplestiltskin's voice seemed to be working far better than her own, and unfortunately he didn't seem to understand how delicate this discussion really was. "Yes they are"

"Why?" She really drew out the word to its absolute limit.

"When I still had powers, I rebuilt the house. I made a room there for my son Baelfire and his bride-to-be and a guest room of sorts for Red and Jiminy to stay in. They sleep in separate beds," he added, as though that made it all fine. "They were sleeping on the floor beforehand"

Granny wasn't any happier, but she decided to let it go for now, preferring to have that kind of conversation with Red and Jiminy themselves. Scrutinizing the couple before her with a fierce gaze, Granny looked first to Belle.

"Belle, I want you to be honest with me. Do you trust this man?"

Belle didn't waste a moment before answering. "With my life"

Granny then looked towards Rumplestiltskin, her gaze much more vigilant. "Do you love her?"

Rumple's gaze was locked on Belle, his gentle gaze caressing the curves of her face. "With all my heart"

Apparently satisfied with that answer, Granny looked to the set of rooms. "You mentioned one of these rooms belonged to the boy, Baelfire? As everyone else is up someone should probably wake him up too"

Both Belle and Rumple moved towards the first room when Granny took Belle by the hand. "Not you, you and I need to have a talk in private"

Belle was a little stunned. "Oh, okay, um…we can go upstairs"

Granny followed Belle to the staircase, looking over her shoulder at Rumple briefly to say, "I don't want any interruptions, understood?" And then she vanished upstairs without waiting for an answer.

Rumplestiltskin really didn't like having Belle out of his sight for any length of time, but he didn't get the feeling that Granny was a threat. She had a sharp tongue and was a force to be reckoned with, but he didn't think she would hurt anyone without very good reason, least of all Belle or Red.

Disappearing into his son's room, Rumplestiltskin went to wake the boy and tell him what was going on.

~o~o~o~

"Damn it Red, what the hell is going on up there?"

"If you shut up for a few minutes I might be able to hear something"

Everyone was sitting around the kitchen table, Baelfire digging into a hot bowl of porridge with a sleepy expression making his eyes droop. Jiminy was trying to eat some breakfast too but Rumple and Red were just too tense for him to be comfortable. Belle and Granny had been upstairs for over an hour now, just talking. Red was trying to hone in her wolf hearing to listen in but Belle was just too quiet and Granny kept mumbling, she was being quite deliberate in keeping Red from hearing their conversation.

"Granny never speaks so quietly, she has to know I'm trying to listen in, I can barely make out a word they are saying"

"This is ridiculous! What the hell are they talking about?" Rumple growled.

"Belle was crying before, perhaps she is talking about what happened with the Dark One or when she died or the baby, I don't know. They could be talking about her father for all I know"

Rumplestiltskin was getting impatient, it was hard enough being away from Belle for this long, but not knowing what Belle was upset about made him feel horrible. "They better finish up soon or I'll barge through that door"

Red rolled her eyes. "Belle is fine, she is a strong woman and she doesn't need you to hold her hand every time she gets upset. If you tried I am sure she would tell you to leave. Anything she needs, Granny will take care of"

"Then why are you just as tense as I am?" He challenged.

Red snarled in his direction. "Because you won't shut up and calm down"

He was ready with a comeback, a snappy remark, but after hearing her words of truth he forgot them. Closing his mouth, Rumple leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms.

"Papa, I'm sure she'll be fine, Belle will be down any minute I'm sure." Baelfire raised his sleepy head to say.

"I wish I was born with your optimism Bae." Rumple sighed.

But the boy's words were proven true when a high-pitched squeal echoed down from the upper level and the door to the upstairs bedroom was thrown open, making way for Belle to come charging down the stairs crying Rumplestiltskin's name.

Although crippled and slow, he leapt from the table with sudden speed, abandoning his staff on the floor and running to Belle as fast as he could. They met within a second and his arms held her tight.

"What's wrong? What happened?" He asked, panicked.

There were droplets on her face, her nose was bright red, testament to her time in tears. But while she looked like she had been crying for a while, the smile on her face was wide and only broken by breathless laughs.

"The baby…" she said in between light pants. "…the baby…"

"What about it?"

"It's still alive! We didn't lose them…our baby is alive!"

What the hell had that old woman being telling her?! What a horrible trick!

"Belle, sweetheart…" He shook his head, not knowing what to say.

Her smile fell away. "You don't believe me. Rumple I know it is true"

"How can it be?" He asked, his eyes sunken in sadness.

She took his hand and laid it upon her flat belly. "Our child is right here, safe and sound inside me. Trust me"

He wished he felt some kind of energy, some solid proof of what she said, but all he could feel was the smooth silk of her dress and the warmth of her skin beneath. "How do you know?"

"I do"

"Belle, there is no proof that our baby is still alive"

"And there is no proof that she lost it either." Granny stated, coming down the stairs. Rumple's eyes locked on the old woman, a vicious glare directed her way.

"We know what we saw." He said with a hint of warning. "She was surrounded by blood, unconscious in the snow"

"The snow probably made the situation look a lot worse than it really was; I doubt she lost as much blood as you think she did. Anyway it doesn't matter, just because she bled doesn't mean she lost the baby"

"I don't understand." He felt so lost in this conversation, he knew so little when it came to pregnancy, having been absent during his wife's pregnancy he knew nothing of what she went through.

"A woman can suffer what appears to be a miscarriage but not actually lose the baby. It happens. Bleeding, pain, all of it can occur but the baby isn't always lost. In this case, it survived. Your baby is alive and well, do you understand that?"

He felt like he was in shock, it was just too good to be true. He looked to be a million miles away. Belle reached up and caressed the side of his face, tugging his head down so she could press her lips to the side of his mouth. Coming out of his daze, he stared at her with big eyes, silently begging her, desperate for this to be true. His eyes glistened with unshed tears and he stood stone still, waiting for her to speak.

She kissed him chastely, relishing the way he clung to her throughout, as though without her he couldn't breathe. She held his hands tightly, squeezing them to keep him present.

"This is real Rumple, we didn't lose our baby, I am still pregnant. Our baby is alive and in a few months we are going to meet a beautiful little child all our own, a life we created together"

Tears fell from the corners of his eyes, overwhelmed with these emotions. He wrapped his arms around Belle and held her tightly, pressing his quivering lips to her shoulder. She stroked his head soothingly, whispering to him to calm him down.

The rest of the room averted their eyes, giving the two of them as much privacy as they could own in a room full of people.

Rumplestiltskin didn't want to be seen crying by the others, but he was so tired he couldn't hold it back. They had been through so much pain and fear and now it was all over. It was over and they could be happy and safe and to have been blessed with this second chance, the joy it made him feel pushed him over the edge. He loved his Belle and he loved their child to the point where he thought his heart might burst.

After kissing Belle amorously, he dropped his staff and fell to his knees on the floor. He heard sounds of worry from Belle and the others, concern for his bad leg and the pain he must be in, but he didn't even feel it. His shin might be flaming, it might be aching in a deep numbing agony, but he felt nothing of it as he placed his hands on Belle's hips and kissing her belly tenderly. Nuzzling the soft fabric of her dress, he pressed his temple to the space where their baby was growing and closed his eyes.

He felt Belle's hands running through his hair, lovingly stroking his head as he silently worshipped this blessing.

"This is really beautiful and I hate in interrupt the moment, but how much time do we have?" Red asked from her seat at the kitchen table.

Normally, Rumplestiltskin might have been tempted to kick her chair over and dump her on the floor for such a disruption, but not only was he far too happy to consider being aggressive, but it was a question he wanted to know the answer to.

Belle continued to stroke his head while she spoke, unable to keep the huge smile off her face. "I'm about fifteen weeks right now so…a little over five months"

"In that case we better get a move on. Babies need things like a bed and blankets and toys and stuff. Is that enough time to do some knitting and sewing?" Red looked absolutely befuddled by the idea of knitting, but enthusiastic at the same time.

Rumplestiltskin began laughing and found himself unable to stop. When he tried to stand Belle was quick to help him, lifting him up and picking up his staff for him. "What's so funny?" She asked.

He took her hands and kissed her knuckles over and over again before kissing her face fervently. He never said a word. He took her hand and walked her towards the third door, the room no one but Baelfire and himself had ever set foot in. The others stood up, following curiously.

Rumple threw open the door and carefully guided Belle into the dark room, leading her away from anything she might trip on. A series of stunned exhales were heard from the group as they looked around at all the glittering treasures the room contained.

"This is all made from the gold I used to spin, all I could think about was our loss…I kept making things relating to children, things our baby would have needed." He continued to hold Belle's hand as he showed her around, presenting the soft blankets and velvet toys he had crafted. "There is a crib in the corner, clothing, blankets…just about everything"

He invited the others in with a warning to watch their step. It was dark inside but everything seemed to glow, creating a light all their own. With Granny watching from the door, everyone else began picking apart the swarm of treasures.

"What are you going to do with all this stuff?" Red asked, picking up a lovely little set of gold gloves.

"Anything for the baby should be gathered together and put in that corner by the door. As for the rest of it, take what you like." Rumple smiled.

"Really? We can keep this stuff?"

"So long as it isn't for the baby or for Belle"

Blue eyes barely visible in the shadows blinked at him. "You made things for me?"

His breath caught in his throat, his heart skipping a beat in excitement. Was this the time? He wasn't sure, he had had such a beautiful plan but that was before they broke the curse. Having magic had been a part of it. He looked around, deciding he would show her the ring another time, a better time, but there was plenty of other things to show her.

He gathered all the things he had made for her alone, handing her dresses, jewellery, a scarf and a candle among other things, trying to recall each of their special qualities.

"That candle will burn forever, it will never die or run out of wick and the smoke smells like honey. That necklace will never break or rust. These shoes will never get dirty and they will never hurt your feet"

"Slow down," Belle laughed. "This is too much, what will I do with all this?"

He could only shrug.

The crowd of people squeezed into the room were so busy arranging things and making claims on ownerless objects that no one heard the knock at the front door except for Granny who was still standing outside the door watching the chaos.

Taking it upon herself to answer this, she opened the front door without any notification to the others that someone else was here.

"Who are you?" She asked with little grace.

"Where is Rumplestiltskin?" A broad shouldered man demanded, staring the old woman down. Granny didn't blink.

"Why are you looking for him?"

"Where is he?! Get out of my way and I'll find him myself"

"What is your business with him?"

"We know he isn't the Dark One anymore, I'm gonna find that coward and kill him for what he's done to this town. And then I'm gonna kill his brat and his whore and those other two living with him. So unless you want to join that list, get out of my way!"

Not even when she was a child did Granny Lucas ever let herself be intimidated and the man was rather surprised by the fact that she didn't even flinch at his threat. She didn't blink, she didn't twitch; she just stared at him as though he were the biggest moron in the realm, as though his stupidity should be obvious to him.

She placed her hands on her hips and glared. "Make me"

One more chapter and then an epilogue. Sorry about the wait, I have so many other story ideas that want my attention right now and it is really hard to resist.