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“Thanks again, Emma. For watching him.”
Belle scooped up her son as she and Rumplestiltskin stepped into their foyer. “ I do hope he wasn’t any trouble for you.”
“Hey, no, he was fine.” Emma reached down to give Gideon one last pat on the head before grabbing her coat. “ You two should be proud, eleven months old and already trying to walk. But,” she gestured around the living room, pointing to all the covered sockets , safety gates on each doorway, and locked rooms. “ You think you two went a little overboard with the baby proofing? I mean, he’s a baby. Not really gonna start throwing fireballs from his high chair.’
Rumple sighed. “ Miss Swan, given the past year, I would assume you can understand our reasons.”
Belle nodded, sitting on the floor with Gideon. “I’ve done all my research on how to keep him safe.”
Emma shrugged. “ Yeah, that works for regular babies, But what about ones whose dad owns a dagger?”
Rumple looked almost offended at that. “ I can assure you, it’s being kept safe. Everything magical is kept under lock and key. Now, I believe it’s time for Gideon’s nap.”
Emma took that as her cue to leave.
___________________________________________
“You’re still awake?”
Belle looked up from the thick, black book she’d had her nose buried in for the better part of the last hour. “ Hmm? Oh, sorry. After I put Gideon down, I couldn't go to sleep.”
Rumple sat up in bed, next to his wife. “ Somehow I fear that’s not the entire story, dearie” he teased, briefly slipping into the cadences of his impish self.
“ I just-” Belle turned to another page. “ I keep thinking about what Emma said. Am I worried too much about keeping him safe? After last spring, with… everything?”
“Understandable. “ Rumple nodded, peering over her shoulder. “What are you reading? “ He smirked. “ Austen or Bronte again?”
Belle flipped to a page, showing an intricately-painted illustration of a night sky with several bursts of color. “ It’s about falling stars. I found it in the library since there’s supposed to be a , um, a shower of them? This weekend.” Belle’s eyes sparkled. “ And I was hoping we all could go see it? Give Gideon his first adventure?”
Rumple squeezed her hand. “ Whatever you desire, I will provide, Mrs Gold. “
That night, however, when Belle finally fell asleep, she tossed and turned. Her dreams kept returning to a foggy landscape, and a vision of her son. His tiny hands reaching for her, his cries echoing .
Burrowing deeper into the blankets, Belle cried herself to sleep.
_______________________________________
“I’m still getting used to this driving thing” Belle remarked, her hands firmly placed on the steering wheel and attempting to keep her focus on the road. “ It seems like a lifetime ago since we took a carriage anywhere . I admit, I miss it.”
“You’re doing quite well” Rumple remarked, placing a hand on her shoulder before glancing to check on Gideon, currently babbling excitedly in the back seat of the Cadilac. “ See? Our son even thinks so.”
Belle chuckled softly, her attention solely on where they were headed. “This is supposed to be incredible. Stars only fall like this every so many years, according to the book I’ve been reading. And…” She trailed off, a flood of pressure engulfing her like a tsunami as her chest began to tighten.
“I’m fine” she muttered, gripping the wheel tighter. Suddenly, all of the world and all of time seemed to stop in her head as she heard those awful words echo. Blue’s terrifying declaration that Gideon had been taken. It repeated over and over in her head like a broken record.
“Belle?”
Rumple’s familiar brogue cut in sharply as her breathing began to shorten.
“I’m fine!” she said again, voice shaking as her expression switched from calm to horrified within minutes.
“Belle, pull over! Right now!”
It felt as if the clouds in her head began to break , tears falling as the car skidded to a stop.
___________________________________________
“Isn’t it wonderful, Gideon?” Belle held her son, his little hands reaching out to catch one of the stars as it descended into the vastness.
Rumple grabbed his camera in an attempt to capture the scene.
“You were right,” he said , lying down on the grass next to Belle, so close to her he could kiss her. “ I have seen many extraordinary things over the centuries I’ve been alive. And this one is the most extraordinary.”
Belle smiled, her hands tousling Gideon’s wisps of hair. “ I did tell you. Falling stars were beautiful.”
“That’s not what I meant.” Rumple leaned in, planted a kiss on her cheek. “ You. Our son. I would not ever have predicted I’d get another chance like this.”
Belle’placed Gideon down on the grass. “ About what happened in the car. I’m- I;m so sorry” she said.
He squeezed her hand. “ No need for an apology, love.”
Belle shook her head. “ It’s just , well, everything this past year hasn’t been easy but I’ve loved every second of it. I’m so sorry, Rumple.” The lump in her throat reformed and she released a pool of tears. “ I just get so worried. Worried we’re going to lose him again!” She looked down at Gideon before burying her face in Rumple’s chest. “I though I’d gotten past it. That this would be our second chance. Our happy beginning, you remember?” Now the tears just wouldn’t stop.
“Oh, Belle” His voice dropped to a whisper. “Sweetheart, we’re happy. We’re here, together.”
“I know.” Belle could not help the urge to just linger there , in his embrace. “ I love it. All of it. Even” She wiped at a tear. “ The hard bits: the nappies and- and the lack of sleep and all. But, there’s this voice in my head? Sometimes, it keeps coming.”
“ A voice?” Rumple’s eyes widened in interest.
“Mmmhm,” Belle muttered into his lapels. “ It keeps reminding me of the day Black stole him. And the worse part?” She swallowed hard. “ It keeps telling me it’s all my fault! I’d tried to protect him, but this still happened” Her petite frame began to tremble once again.
“ Belle. I want you to look at me” Rumple said calmly, “ How long have you known me by now?” And how many times have you had to help me find the better part of myself when I’ve been afraid or worse?”
Belle gaped, then simply said. “ I would’ve lost count by now honestly.”
Rumple brushed back her hair, stroking it gently. “Then you must know by now, that if you had any faith in me, I’d do the same for you. We help each other. “ He moved closer to their son. “ All of us. “ He kissed the top of her head. “ You don’t have to be afraid, Mrs Gold.”
And as the family settled in, watching the stars form their brilliant patterns in the heavens, for just that brief moment, Belle felt at peace.