Chapter Text
Rumpelstiltskin quietly walked through the hospital towards the exit. This entire trip had been a waste of time. Why had he even stayed? He knew from the minute that he heard that voice through the door that there was no deal to be made. He didn’t make deals with children.
One: their demands were petty.
But this child had asked for safety. Safety from what? Was someone hurting this child? Why not ask for happiness, or a family that loved her, or friends? Why safety, and only safety? Truth be told, that demand was not petty.
Two: children were never truly desperate.
But this child had called to him. She didn’t even know his name or the proper way to summon him; she had done it through her own sheer will for a deal. Only someone who was truly desperate could do that.
Three: they had nothing to offer in trade.
There you go! The child had nothing to trade and therefore a deal could not be made.
As Rumpel continue out of the hospital and toward his parked car, the image of the girls tear soaked eyes came to him. Those eyes were so full of pain and sadness; but that anger is what really worried him. Whatever pain she was living with that had caused her to call for him, she was fighting it. The anger was proof that she was still fighting; but if she was summoning him, then how much longer could that fight last before she gave up. Anger could only hold you for so long.
Leaning against his car, he raised his face to the sky, and shut his eyes tightly. This was a bad idea. There were reasons for his rules. They kept him out of danger, and they kept him from making deals he could not follow through with.
This is a really bad idea.
Taking his phone out of his breast pocket, he called the first contact on his list.
“Hey Rumpel.” The beautiful voice of his Belle greeted him. “Are you done with your deal? If you hurry we could still spend some time together.”
Oh how he wished he could, it was very tempting to just drive back to the pawnshop and spend what time he had left for lunch with her, but the image of that tear soaked face refused to leave him.
“Belle…” how was he going to tell her, “my dearest; I am about to do something very foolish, and I could really use your support.”
Belle sounded hesitant when she answered him.
“You know I will be there for you no matter what Rumpel, but just how foolish is this something going to be? Is anyone going to get hurt?”
Well wasn’t that just like Belle? She could tell he was not ready to tell her the details and so she didn’t ask him, but she knew The Dark One’s nature and worried still.
“I don’t know.” He admitted to her. “I don’t know what is going to have to be done, but I really think this is the right thing to do. How do you know when breaking your own rule is the right thing? I put these rules in place to protect myself, but now…” He trailed off at this point, hoping she understood what he was asking.
“Well I guess you have to ask yourself if you are willing to risk getting hurt for whatever deal this is. Is your protection worth letting the deal fall through, or is the deal worth the risk.”
When put like that, it made the decision very simple for him.
Rumpel had to admit to himself that there was one more reason he didn’t make deals with children. Although no one would believe it, although he hid the fact from everyone, The Dark One had a soft spot for children. Back in the days when he was just a poor spinner, he would smile as he watched Bae and his friends playing in the village streets. Even before Bae was born, before he destroyed his own leg to be a father, he used to be out there with the local children playing; much to Milah’s embarrassment.
His deals were self-serving. The magic he used was dark and the price to be paid was often high. Why would he subject an innocent child to that?
Things were different now. Baelfire was back in his life. He had achieved his goal. Maybe he could make deals what help others more then they helped him. Maybe he could change? Belle certainly thought he could.
Thanking Belle for her advice, he hung up the phone, turned around, and walked back into the hospital.