Belle hesitated. She wasn't sure if she could do this. What if he was angry? What if he didn't want this? What if... Belle shook her head. She would just have to tell him. He would find out one way or another. She pushed the heavy door open.

He was in the back of the room, spinning straw into gold as always. Belle walked over, passing the covered mirror, the stands with the clock and the candelabra, the branch with the fleece, the long table. Passing the tall windows that let in the sunlight and the huge tapestries that covered the walls. His castle was so magnificent, perfect for... what she was going to tell him.

"Something you need to tell me?" he asked, not turning to her.

"Yes," she nodded, and she stopped a couple feet away from where he was.

"Well, let's hear it," he said. He still didn't turn to her. He didn't even pick up his head. He just kept spinning. Belle cleared her throat.

"Rumple, look at me," she said. "I have something important to tell you and I want you to pay attention."

He sighed and turned around. He looked a little annoyed, like spinning straw was more important that her. Belle ignored that. After all, he didn't know how important this was.

"Rumple," she began, "I... Earlier today, I... found something out and there's... there's going to be a big change around here because... because... because I'm..." He was rolling his eyes, losing intrest by the second. It was now or never. She took a deep breath and mustered all of the courage she had.

"Rumple, I'm going to have a baby."

Silence. Dead silence. He seemed paralyzed, terrified. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped ever so slightly. Belle swallowed and waited for him to do, say something, anything. She waited a long time before he finally moved. He stood up slowly and numbly moved towards her, like he wasn't sure if it was a dream or not. Belle made no attempt to stop him, and stood there, probably as scared as he was.

He finally reached her. Neither of them said anything. For a moment, they stood there, staring at each other. Belle swallowed again. Then tears began to form in his eyes and he smiled. She smiled too, relieved, and they hugged each other.

Rumplestiltskin and Belle were going to be parents.

The next nine months were very long for both of them. Anticipating their first child together was very nerve wracking. It had been so long since Rumple had a child in his life, and now that is was happening again he seemed truly happy, almost fulfilled. Her belly grew large and round, and when they could feel the baby moving inside her, it was indescribable, and it only added to the joy and anxiety to it all, and the slowly growing impatience inside Rumple to hold a child again. His own child.

And then the day came.

Rumple paid a doctor in gold to come to his castle to help Belle, but the doctor insisted that he stay outside of the room. For several hours, Rumple paced outside of the room, waiting impatiently. Spinning gold wasn't going to help him now. So he waited and waited. The suspence was killing him. How long was this going to take? At long lasts, he could enter.

Belle laid on the bed, exhausted, but she smiled when he entered. In her arms she held a bundle of blankets and Rumple's heart felt like it would burst. It was his child. His. Belle looked at the bundle and back to Rumple.

"It's a girl, Rumple," she said, and a tear of happiness rolled down her face.

When Rumpelstiltskin saw his daughter for the first time, when she opened her eyes and looked at him, when he held her, his heart swelled, and for the first time in a long time, he felt true happiness, and he loved his new daughter with all his heart. He didn't even stop a few tears of joy from escaping his eyes.

"What are we going to call her?" he asked finally.

"...Rose." Belle said.

Chapter 1

"Papa! Mama! Look what I found in the forest!" Rose called as she entered the main room. Rumple was at the spinning wheel as always, and Belle was cleaning. They both looked at their daughter, who was now ten years old. She looked just like her mother: long brown hair, round face, slender body. The only difference was her smile, and her brown eyes. Both were her father's. In Rose's arms was a very small rabbit, curiously sniffing the air.

"Rose? Why would you bring a rabbit inside?" Belle asked.

"He's hurt!" Rose said, and she showed them the rabbit's back leg, which had been bitten by some predator.

"Well in that case we can have rabbit stew for supper," Rumple smiled and went back to the wheel. He was joking. He was always joking.

"Rumple," Belle said in a mock scolding voice.

"Papa," Rose said in the same tone. Rumple laughed and motioned for her to come forward.

"Come here, I'll help him," he smiled. Rose giggled and brought the rabbit to him. He held out his hand and it began to glow a purple-blue color. He ran his hand over the rabbit's injured leg and the injury disappeared. Rose was always fascinated with her father's magic.

"Thank you, Papa," she smiled. Rumple nodded.

"Now come on. Back outside he goes," Belle said.

"Awww, can't I keep him?" Rose asked as she adjusted her grasp on the rabbit.

"No, Rose. I already have enough to clean up around here without another animal in the castle," she smiled and winked, and went back to cleaning. By animals she meant Rose and Rumple. She was teasing, of course, but sometimes she complained that Rose's room and some of Rumple's castle looked like a pig stye. Rose didn't even know what a pig stye was, but her room wasn't that messy...

"Best do as your mother says, dearie," Rumple said. Rose sighed and nodded and went back outside to turn the rabbit loose.

"She's got you wrapped around her finger," Belle teased Rumple.

"And this surprises you? I'm only her father," Rumple turned to her.

"I know," Belle said.

"Hm..." Rumple nodded and went back to the wheel. "She needs friends, though. She can't spend her entire life playing with rabbits."

"If only a certain person called the Dark One didn't scare everyone off," Belle smiled. Rumple just looked at her. "Alright, I'm sorry. ...Look. How about I take her to town with me tomorrow, and I'll let her play with the other children while I buy things?"

Rumple nodded. "Just make sure she stays safe."

The annoying sound of the alarm clock rang in Danielle's ears. 7:00 am. already? She hit the off button and rubbed her eyes. Thank goodness it was Friday. She didn't want to wake up early anymore.

"Danielle! Get up!" her mother called form downstairs.

"Alright, alright!" Danielle called and she fumbled out of bed. She dressed herself in her favorite skinny jeans and her striped, long sleeved shirt with a hood. She brushed her short brown hair and rubbed the sleep out of her brown eyes. She lingered at the mirror for a moment. She didn't look anything like her mother. Her adoptive brother looked more like her and technically they weren't even related.

"Danielle!" her mom called again.

"Okay, I'm coming!" Danielle shouted and grabbed her backpack. She headed downstairs and was almost ran over by her brother, Henry.

"Henry, watch it!" she said sharply.

"Sorry, Danny!" Henry called over his shoulder as he ran upstairs to his room. Danielle sight and shook her head and went down to the kitchen. Regina Mills, the mayor, her mother, was in the kitchen washing Henry's cereal bowl from earlier..

"Well, it's about time," Regina said, looking up at her. "i have a meeting to go to so I'm taking Henry early. Finish up the dishes before you leave. And please tell me you're not wearing that."

"Mom! I like this!" Danielle said as she popped some bread into the toaster.

"Well, I don't," Regina said. "you better change before you go to school."

Danielle sighed. "fine," she said. Regina looked at her for a moment. She was about to say something when Henry came running down with his backpack.

"H-Henry get in the car," Regina said. "Danielle, I'll see you later...?"

"Yeah. Have fun at the meeting," Danielle nodded, not looking at her. Regina nodded and headed out the door with Henry Danielle sighed and went to change. Regina was always ruling her life. But Danielle was fifteen. She was practically and adult. She didn't need her mom to tell her what to do anymore. She changed into an undershirt with an open button up over it. She ate her breakfast, finished the dishes, and headed out the door. She always walked to school on her own. She didn't know why, but she just liked it. Being in a car always made her feel cooped up, and she liked being outside.

She was about half way to the school when something caught her attention. Out to the corner of her eye, she saw something move, and when she turned her head, she saw a poor rabbit that had been bitten on it's back leg.

"Oh, the poor thing," she said quietly, and she stopped walking. She had to get to school, but... seeing the poor helpless rabbit moved her.

Slowly, she knelt down and looked at the rabbit. Then very, very slowly, she reached out her hand and stroked it. It made an attempt to move away, but it's leg prevented it from running. Danielle made a decision and she took of the button up. She was able to wrap up the rabbit in her shirt and she picked it up.

"I can get to school later," she said, heading for the animal shelter.

Chapter 2