'Belle!'

Rumplestiltskin charged through the door of the shop, ecstatic energy humming through his veins. Their boy…their precious son… Gideon was not the bad guy here: he never had been, and now he knew it for sure!

'Belle!' he called again, moving quickly through to the back room.

He paused in the doorway. There was Belle, her head pillowed on her arms, surrounded by open books. He had left her sitting at his workbench, doing research. The single lamp illuminated her pale face as she slept now, exhausted with fear and work and worry. She was frowning in her sleep. Gods, how he wanted to see her smile again.

'Belle,' he murmured, crouching beside her, touching her shoulder. Close to, he saw the tracks of her tears on her cheeks, her puffy eyes.

'Belle,' he whispered, touching her cheek. 'Belle, wake up, I have something to tell you.'

Belle stirred, sniffling. 'Gideon,' she whimpered. Then she blinked, fully awake.

'Oh, Rumple,' she breathed, rubbing her face and sitting up, 'what time is it?'

'After midnight,' he told her.

'Oh,' she said weakly, moving over so he could sit too.

He smiled at her and sat leaning back against the workbench.

'I've been trying to find something, anything, that might help,' she said, gesturing to the books, 'but I haven't, yet.'

'I have something that can help,' he said, putting his hand over hers.

'What is it?' she asked, all attention.

'I just discovered something that's to our advantage,' he said, smiling.

Belle stared at him. He looked pleased, almost elated, actually.

'What?' she asked, leaning closer.

He picked up her hand, held it gently, reverently.

'Tonight, Emma and her mother went to find a pixie flower, the dust of which can reunite someone with their True Love,' Rumplestiltskin said. 'They intended using this dust to break Snow and Charming's sleeping curse, but my mother intercepted them and commanded Gideon to destroy the flowers.'

'Commanded?'

He nodded, waiting.

'Wha — No! She has his heart!'

'Yes.'

'But why are you smiling? Why does that make you happy?' she demanded, pulling back, pulling her hand from his.

'It doesn't,' he said, 'but there's more, Belle.'

'I'm listening,' she said warily.

'Gideon destroyed all the flowers…except for one.'

Belle frowned, shook her head. 'I'm not following.'

'He resisted her command, Belle.'

She gasped. 'He-he resisted her? But I thought when someone held your heart, you had to do what they said.'

'You do, generally,' he said. 'I know, I'm as amazed as you are, but it's true: he's resisting her. I've never heard of this before. Our boy: he's good, Belle, he's brave and true, everything we could ever want him to be, everything you are.' He raised his hand to her cheek, looking at her in awe. 'Our advantage,' he said softly, 'is you.'

'Me?' she breathed, staring at him, feeling that old familiar pull, that longing for him. He was looking at her like she was special, precious, and no matter what crisis they were facing, she couldn't help her reaction, couldn't help wanting to be closer.

'You,' he confirmed, stroking his thumb over her cheek. 'You are strong, and brave, and good, and Gideon is your son. No matter what she does, she can't change that. He resisted her, because you're part of him, because your love for him and his for you are stronger than her control.

'I think he's always resisted her,' he went on, sounding as awed as she felt. 'Even in all those years with her, his love for you, yours for him, kept him true, kept him in the light. You inspired our son,' he whispered. 'Because of you, his heart is true.'

Belle blinked. A tear splashed on her cheek. Hearing him talk like that…it reminded her of how generous, how selfless, he could be: it reminded her of the truly good man inside him.

'You really think that I alone kept him true?' she asked, and shook her head. 'Rumple, you darkened your soul for him. Everything you've ever done, right or wrong, it's been for the people you love: I know that. Do you really think that part of you didn't rub off on our son? Do you really think that your capacity for love didn't influence him too? He has you inside him too, Rumple. He's our son: because of us, his heart is true.'

Rumplestiltskin blinked. 'Thank you,' he breathed, awed at her generosity.

She hugged him, leaning into him. He held her tight, closing his eyes.

'What do we do?' she asked: 'how do we get his heart back? Does she know you know?'

He nodded. 'She said if I come after her, she'll destroy the town.'

'We can't let it come to that: we have to stop her.'

'We will,' he promised.

Belle hid her face against his shoulder. Strange, there had been so much pain and heartbreak, and they were facing still another crisis, but tonight, in spite of everything, she felt something like peace, like hope blooming again. Gods, she'd almost forgotten what that felt like. They'd get their boy back: they would.

'Hello.' The voice was soft, warm, but it still made them jump apart, looking towards the doorway, startled. The wariness was quickly replaced by warmth when they saw their son. They rose as one and eagerly rounded the bench to him.

'I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you,' Gideon said softly, coming to them, drawn to them by the love he felt for them. It was powerful, even without his heart.

'Don't be sorry,' Rumplestiltskin told him.

'We're just so happy to see you!' Belle said, reaching out to him. He smiled at her as she touched his cheek.

'I wanted to see you,' he said, looking between them, 'to apologise for everything.'

'It's not your fault, son,' Rumplestiltskin said, putting his hand on his shoulder.

'No,' Belle agreed, stepping closer, looking up at her son with shining eyes. 'We're so proud of you!'

'I wanted to tell you, but I couldn't, not straight out anyway.'

'But you found a way,' Rumplestiltskin said, 'smart boy.'

Gideon looked between them again. 'You have to know…she made me say what I said in the dream world. Father, I didn't mean what I said about your first family.'

Rumplestiltskin clapped his son's cheek. 'It's alright, son.'

'And, Mother, she made me convince you to send me away so she could take me: she set it all up. I'm sorry.'

'It's not your fault,' Belle said.

'I should have realised she had your heart when we first met you,' Rumplestiltskin said.

'You were a little preoccupied,' Gideon said. 'I wish I could have let you finish talking. You would have sorted it out without my interference, but she wouldn't let me. She said I had to break you up, isolate Mother, and make it easier for her to take me. I'm sorry.'

Rumplestiltskin put his hand on the back of his son's neck. Gideon leaned down, resting his forehead against his father's.

'Gideon, listen to me,' Rumplestiltskin said, 'there is nothing you need to apologise for, nothing.'

'Your father's right,' Belle agreed, putting her arms around both of them. Rumple put his free arm around her waist, and so did Gideon. They stood like that for a long moment.

'I can hear her calling me,' Gideon said regretfully.

Belle clutched him tighter. 'I'm not letting you go back to her!'

'You have to, Mother,' he said. 'Don't worry: she won't hurt me.'

'How do you know?' she asked, unsure.

'Because he's the incentive she needs to get to me,' Rumplestiltskin said.

'Father, don't join her, no matter what happens,' Gideon pleaded.

'Son, I promise you, my family is here in this room: it's not with her.'

Gideon nodded, soothed. 'I love you,' he said. 'I'm sorry, she's calling me.'

'Gideon,' Belle breathed urgently, throwing both arms around his neck. 'I love you: never forget that.'

'I won't,' he promised. 'I always knew it. Thank you for the book.'

She pulled back and stroked his cheek. 'My Gideon,' she whispered, 'strong and brave, a hero for all time.'

Gideon closed his eyes. Belle kissed his forehead.

'You'd best go, son,' Rumplestiltskin said, not wanting his mother to take her anger out on his boy.

Gideon looked at him; then he put his arms around him and hugged him.

Rumplestiltskin hugged him back, closing his eyes, savouring the moment.

'Thank you for not letting me hurt my fairy godmother,' Gideon said: 'thank you for standing between my soul and the darkness.'

'Oh, son, you're welcome,' Rumplestiltskin returned. 'We're going to get your heart back: I promise.'

'We will bring you back to us,' Belle chimed in.

'I know,' Gideon said, comforted. 'I love you: I love you both so much.' He stepped back.

'We love you, Gideon,' Belle said.

'More than anything,' Rumplestiltskin added, taking her hand.

'I have to go,' Gideon said, 'I'm sorry.'

'Don't be,' Rumplestiltskin said.

'We'll see you soon,' Belle said, 'we promise.'

Gideon nodded, looked at them again longingly, not wanting to leave, and then was gone.

Belle looked at Rumple. 'I want to go with him,' she whimpered, fresh tears coming to her eyes.

'I know,' he whispered, taking her into his arms as she leaned into him. 'We have to just trust in his strength and goodness, that that's enough to see him through until we can bring him back to us. He's our son, Belle: twenty-eight years with her couldn't make him any less ours. She tried to make him hers, but she failed: she'll always fail.'

Belle nodded. 'I know you're right,' she said, soothed. 'He came to us, our boy.' She smiled. 'Rumple, isn't he perfect?' she asked, the light of a proud mother in her eyes.

Rumplestiltskin nodded. 'He's everything I dreamed he'd be.'

'Our Gideon, strong and brave.'

'A hero,' he added, 'just like his mother.'

'His father's a hero too,' Belle insisted.

'You always saw the best in me.'

'I see who you really are,' she said, 'and that's why I love you.'

He blinked, tears coming into his eyes. 'After all I've done, you still love me?'

'Always,' she breathed, 'always, Rumple. I haven't shown it very well, but—'

'None of that,' he cut in, squeezing her waist a little. 'No self recriminations: no blaming yourself. You loved me better than anyone ever has, better than I had a right to.'

'Sh,' she whispered, putting her fingers to his lips. 'If I'm not allowed to blame myself, you're not allowed to blame yourself either. We've both hurt each other, both made mistakes, and we're both sorry for that.'

'Yes,' he said.

'And we want what's best for Gideon, and we agree on what that is now,' she went on.

'Yes,' he agreed.

'And I love you, and I know that you've never meant to hurt me.'

'Never,' he confirmed. 'Belle, I'm so—'

'I know,' she said: 'I know you're sorry, Rumple. I'm sorry too.'

'I love you,' he said. 'I love you, Belle.'

She ducked her head, relieved, eyes filling with tears.

'What is it?' he asked, alarmed.

'I thought I'd lost you,' she whispered.

'What? No, never!'

'When I heard about you and the Evil Queen, I-I thought…'

He made a disdainful noise that made her smile, though she tried to hide it.

'You didn't care for her, then, not even a little?'

'Not in any way,' he asserted. 'Belle, that wasn't about affection or desire: it was about a power play, how she could use me, how I could use her. I…' He sighed. 'You won't like what I had planned, Belle.' He was going to tell her, though: no more secrets.

But she thought she knew. 'Was it about Zelena? You can't hurt her, so you wanted the queen to?'

'Yes,' he confirmed. 'I wanted her to kill her for me, to avenge Bae, and because I was angry that she kept interfering between us. The sleeping curse, telling you about the shears… She'd already taken Bae from me, but that wasn't enough: she had to come between me and everyone I love. I couldn't let her get away with that.'

Belle looked at him for a moment. Instead of pulling away as he expected, though, she hugged him.

She could feel his anger, his pain, and, while she might not condone murder, she did understand why he felt as he did. She had demanded Zelena's help out of desperation, but she hadn't thought that maybe the witch was only helping her because it would hurt Rumple.

'Thank you for telling me the truth,' she whispered, stroking her fingers through his hair. 'I know that wasn't easy: I know it's hard for you to open up about your pain, about your demons, but I never wanted you to be perfect, Rumple, never. You don't have to be afraid to share those things with me. I won't run away: I promise.'

He squeezed her tight, turning his face into her hair, trying to breathe. Belle just stroked her fingers through his hair soothingly.

How she loved him, how she understood him: he thought it was nothing short of miraculous. All his long life, he'd never believed anyone could love him. His parents hadn't, Milah hadn't, Cora hadn't, but Belle…Belle was like no one else. All these years, he'd been pushing her away before she could run from him, because he didn't truly believe she could love him, all of him. She'd told him many times, shown it many times, but he hadn't believed. He did now. He believed because he'd just told her he'd plotted murder and she hadn't run: she'd accepted it as part of his pain, his demons. She did love him, all the dark, messy, complicated truth of him, and, yes, the light as well, because there was light in him too. For the first time, he understood what True Love was, and believed in it. True Love was this, this acceptance, this understanding, this wonderful honesty and openness, this soul-deep connection, this need, this woman. True Love was Belle and it was Gideon: True Love was them.

Belle turned her face into his neck, pressing her lips to the skin above his collar. In spite of everything, she felt a deep sense of joy, of peace. Had they truly found each other at last? Would she finally be able to stop searching for him, stop losing him and finding him again? Could they just be as they were now, honest and open and loving, for all time?

He had told her the truth himself: he'd never done that before. He would tell her he was a monster and try to push her away like that, but when he did terrible things, he would hide them from her, lie, prevaricate, toy with words. He'd never truly trusted her before: he'd never opened up about his dark deeds, always hurting her terribly when she found out some other way. Him not trusting her, for her, meant he didn't truly love her. She felt if he had, he'd be honest with her, about everything, and trust that she was strong enough to understand and accept his darkness, even when she didn't condone his deeds. Now, he was trusting her, sharing things he knew she wouldn't like, that might make her run, because he realised she was strong enough to understand and he wanted to be honest with her. He wasn't treating her like some inconsequential person in his life now, like she didn't matter: he was treating her like his wife, his partner, his equal, and now she knew that he did truly love her. In spite of everything they were facing, he'd never made her so happy. This was True Love, them and their son.

Rumplestiltskin sighed and pulled back, smiling at Belle as she rested her head on his shoulder. She smiled at him.

'Can we fix this?' he asked frankly, 'you and me: do you want to try?'

'Yes,' she said, her eyes shining: 'yes I want to try. All I ever wanted was for you to let me in, to be honest with me. It means everything to me that you told me the truth: it means that you really trust me, that you respect me enough to be open with me. We can fix this if we're both honest, if we trust each other.'

He blinked back tears, smiling at her. 'Gods, I love you.'

'I love you too,' she breathed, her heart beating fast. She looked at his lips.

He leaned closer and she smiled, closing the distance, her lips pressing against his.

It was like coming home. She hummed into the kiss and Rumplestiltskin sighed. She cupped his cheeks and just kissed him.

Rumplestiltskin forgot everything but the feeling of his wife in his arms, her body under his hands, her hands on him, and her lips moving eagerly against his. He needed to breathe, but he didn't want to stop kissing her. He had to, though, because she needed to breathe. He moved his lips to her neck, delighted when she moaned and panted.

'Rumple,' she sighed out, her fingers in his hair, 'I've missed you so much,' she said, pressing against him.

'I've missed you too,' he breathed against her skin, holding her tight to him. 'You've no idea, Belle.'

'I think I do,' she disagreed, stroking his hair. 'I missed you every moment, wanted you every moment. Every time you came near me, I just wanted to be in your arms.'

He kissed her, hard at first, and then deep and sensuous. She clung to him.

'Take me home,' she gasped, holding him as he kissed her jaw.

He looked down at her, not relishing the idea of leaving her on that pirate's ship.

Belle shook her head, guessing his thought.

'Home,' she said, touching his cheek, 'our home, Rumple, yours and mine, and Gideon's. I want to make love with you in our bed, to celebrate our son and our love, to celebrate goodness and hope. Rumple, I want so much to be with you, tonight and every night. Do you want that?'

'Oh, yes,' he said, pulling her tight to him. 'Yes, I want that, Belle, very much.' He kissed her softly, reverently. 'My mother thinks she can tempt me with darkness, but she doesn't know anything. Why would I want that when it feels so good to be bathed in your light?'

She smiled and blushed at the look in his eyes.

'We'll show her darkness can't win,' she said: 'we'll make her see that our love for our son and each other is stronger than her darkness.'

'Yes,' he agreed, and kissed her again. Then, in defiant and triumphant mood, Rumplestiltskin picked his wife up and vanished with her in his arms.

0

Even without his heart, Gideon felt his love for his parents, felt how much they loved him, and each other. He could almost sense the closeness between them, and he knew, when he left them, that this was their last night sleeping apart. Knowing they'd found their way back to each other filled him with joy, joy the Black Fairy could never extinguish.

She was waiting for him. He knew that she was dangerous when she'd been crossed, but he didn't fear her reprisals any more. She might have his heart in her hand, but she didn't control him. He would never be hers, and knowing that made him feel ten feet tall, while she looked diminished, and even defeated.

'Where have you been?' she demanded, the impatient petulance in her tone as grating as ever.

'I think you know where I've been,' he said bravely.

'You dare be cheeky with me?' she cried.

'Yes, I dare. If you must have it spelled out, I was with my mother and father,' he said.

'How dare you not come when I call you? How dare you disobey me?'

'How dare you steal me from my parents?' he shot back.

She shot him a nasty look and didn't answer.

'It's the best feeling I've ever known, you know,' he said, 'being with them, even without my heart. I could feel their love for me. I know they'd do anything for me.'

'That's enough!' she cried.

'You won't win, you know: my father won't come to you willingly.'

'Then I'll make him!' she shouted, cornered.

'And if you have to force him, you've definitely lost,' he said, amused. 'You might as well give up: you'll never win him over. He loves my mother too much.'

'Your mother is nothing! She has no power!'

'She has all the power she needs,' he disagreed: 'she has love, and hope, and faith, and light. You can't win against that. She loves my father and I too much to ever give up on us, and that gives us both strength.'

She giggled. 'Love is no match for darkness,' she said, projecting confidence.

'I think you're wrong,' he said: 'I know you are. You tried to split my parents up, using me to do it, but they found their way back to each other. They're together now: they love each other more than ever. Their True Love is stronger than your darkness.'

'Then I'll just have to find a more permanent way to split them up,' she threatened.

Gideon rushed towards her and she stepped back, frightened, though she tried to play it off.

'If you touch one hair on my mother's head,' he growled, 'if you harm her in any way, then you'd better understand that there won't be anywhere you could run that my father and I wouldn't find you and destroy you. You dare hurt my mother and we will hurt you; that's a promise.'

He turned and left her then. She wouldn't hurt his mother: she wouldn't dare, because she was afraid of what he and his father would do to her if she did. He'd seen her fear in her eyes.

He almost felt sorry for her, because she didn't understand real love. She wanted his father to choose her because she wanted it: she didn't care about his happiness. He did, though, and his mother did, and the three of them together knew what love really was, True Love. True Love was sacrifice, belief, faith, hope: True Love was them.

The end