Rumbelle One-shots

This Day

"Hey, Neal. Sorry it's been a while since I've visited. We've been busy, keeping Storybrooke safe, ya know. Plus, it's hard for Rumple. He, um, doesn't like being reminded that he lost you. That we lost you."

Absentmindedly, she tugged at the grass surrounding her and continued to talk to her step-son's grave.

"Henry has his first girlfriend, Violet. You'd like her. I'd tell you about Emma, but that would involve having to talk about Hook, and I'm just not up for that today. Today is about you, Neal. Your father promised he'd come to visit you today, but he wanted to come alone so I thought I'd come on my own... when it's your birthday or some other time he just wants to visit, we come together. But this day, he comes by himself. I hope you can understand that. Of course you understand that; you were always good like that. You brought out the best in Rumple...

"He's still a good man, he just loses his way sometimes. And I try to help him, Neal, I really do. But it's hard sometimes and, let's be honest, he can be very stubborn," Belle smiled to herself, but it faded quickly. "I wish you were still here, for Henry, for Emma, and especially for Rumple."

Belle lifted her face into the breeze and took a moment to gather her thoughts. She knew it was only a headstone, but she still hoped that he could hear her. Their time together as mother and son was short, but she had loved him as her own and he had come to love her. 

"I came here today for a reason, Neal, and not just because today is the day you...were taken from us. That's part of it, but not all of it. I'm not making much sense, am I?" she sighed and returned to plucking blades of grass. "I know today is about you. Sometimes I think that if you were still a boy, or if we had our own child, things would be easier for Rumple. But he never talks about wanting kids and it's not as if we've been trying or even avoiding it, but sometimes you just kind of forget that it's a possibility. I guess we forgot once because, well, I'm pregnant, Neal. I've waited a week to tell Rumple and I couldn't decide if today was the best day to tell him or the worst day. I don't want him to think I'm trying to replace you, because we never could. But what better way to make today less terrible than to find out you get a second chance at  being a father?

"I just came to ask if it was alright by you, Neal. And also to tell you that you're going to be a big brother," Belle struggled with her words as she fought back tears, "and how much I miss you."

Before she could think twice about it, she gave the headstone a quick kiss and stood up, brushing the grass from her skirt. She turned to walk back into town and saw her husband standing a few feet away.

"Belle?"

"I'm sorry, Rumple, I just wanted some time with him too. You had said you wanted to come alone, so I thought I'd visit him too."

He took a step toward her and she could see the tear stains on his cheeks.

"Did you mean it, Belle?"

"About how much I miss him? Of course, he was my son too."

"No, not that. Did you mean it when you said I was going to get a second chance at being a father?"

Belle closed the distance between them and nodded, not meeting his gaze but instead toying with his tie.

"I didn't want to upset you by making you think I'd forgotten about Neal."

"Sweetheart," he managed the single word before pulling Belle into his arms and kissing the top of her head. Belle could hear his ragged breath as he cried, but also felt his smile as he kept kissing her. Finally, he pulled back enough to look her in the eyes, "I love you, sweetheart. I love you, Neal," he spoke over her shoulder, "and I love you, little one."

Rumple's hand slid down to rest over Belle's stomach. He had spoken to their child, but his eyes had never left hers. Belle's hand snaked up behind her husband's neck and pulled him to her.

"So, you're happy about this?"

"Happy doesn't quite cover it. Ecstatic. Overjoyed. Belle, you've given me everything I could ask for, everything I didn't think I deserved. I'm glad you came here because we got to share this moments as a family."

Family. 

Gold resonated on that word mentally. He had been married to Milah and they had Bae, but there were few times the three of them were actually a family. Bae was the only family he had really ever had. Until Belle, at least. And now, they were starting their own family.

He buried his face in Belle's hair as his tears started anew. 

Today had been the day Neal died. Today was the day Neal sacrificed himself, just as Rumplestiltskin had. Today was the day Neal had told his papa to let go. For two years now, he still held on. Until today.

Today was the day Rumplestiltskin let go of the past and took a hold on his future. His future was here, in his arms, pressed to his chest and whispering love in his ear.