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“And this will work?” Rumple asked Regina, feeling something sour in his stomach. “This can bring my boy back?”
“If I’m correct, this will undo all the harm Zelena caused, including killing your son.” The raven-haired woman held up the vile. “I need something of his.”
Rumple fumbled through the bag Emma had given him and pulled out the dreamcatcher. “Here.”
With great concentration, Regina carefully poured the vile onto the object. It glowed for a moment, but nothing more occurred. Rumple could feel his heart sink in his chest.
“It didn’t work,” he whispered.
“Where did he die again?”
“The woods.”
“We need to check there.”
The pair headed off into the woods, Rumple knew the exact spot. There, right where it had happened, laid his sweet boy. He knelt down beside him, running a finger over his cheek. He was there, he was real. But his eyes were still shut. Rumple drew a deep breath and leaned down, kissing his son’s forehead. There was a bright light that passed over the woods and his light brown eyes flickered open, as he gasped for breath. Tears of joy prickled the former Dark One’s eyes.
“Bae,” he breathed.
“Papa,” Baelfire whispered. “How…I thought…”
“I found a way, I couldn’t lose my sweet boy again,” Rumple replied. The curly haired man sat up, wrapping his father in a hug. Rumple hugged him tighter as he cried. “I am never going to let you go again.”
At the time, Baelfire never realized just how literal his father was going to be. He had moved into his home and his father always seemed to be hovering about. At meal times, he sat in the closest seat possible. If they watched a film on the couch, Rumple would stroke his son’s curls or wrap a blanket around him. He also had Bae working at his store and they always seemed to be side by side. There were times at night when he would catch his father checking up on him, making sure he hadn’t disappeared.
When they had to be separated, he could tell it caused his father great anxiety. When he would take Henry to the movies or grab a coffee with Emma, he almost felt like he was being watched.
Baelfire did his best to ignore it. He had died after all. The man couldn’t imagine how he’d be if the same had happened to Henry. Emma sympathized with him, saying that her parents got pretty protective of her after the curse broke, it was if they had always been around. With the second curse, they had been even worse, especially after David discovering she nearly married a flying monkey.
It all came to a head one morning. It had started out as such an ordinary day. Bae woke up and got ready, heading down the stairs. Belle was fixing breakfast while Rumple sat at the table. He rose once he saw his son, to press a kiss to his forehead.
“Morning Bae.”
“Morning Papa, Morning Belle.”
“What are your plans for the day?” His new step-mother asked.
“I’m actually going to hang out with Killian.”
Rumple raised an eyebrow. “Killian?”
“Yes, he needs some help getting the Jolly Roger resituated in Storybrooke.”
“I don’t think so.”
Baelfire rolled his eyes. “Yeah, okay.”
“I’m serious, Baelfire. This is a man who I still don’t trust, fully. He has a vendetta against me, he could be using you to get to me,” Rumple insisted.
“Papa, Killian and I have a history as well but he wants to make it up to me.”
“So he says and then I lose you again. No, you’re not going.”
“I’m over 300 years old, I’ll do whatever I want!” Baelfire snapped, not realizing how much of a teenager he sounded like.
“Who wants pancakes,” Belle began to say, trying to alleviate some of the tension.
“Bae, you may not be a child anymore, however…”
“You keep treating me like one! I can’t keep doing this, you are suffocating me!” And with that, he turned on his heel and stormed out of the house. He knew deep down he was being childish, but he didn’t care.
Rumple slid down into his seat and Belle sighed, setting the food in front of him.
“Darling,” she said, softly. “I know that wasn’t the best way for him to broach it, but he is right.”
“I’ve lost him three times,” Rumple replied, his words barely audible. “Three times. Once was my fault, the other two were from evil, from people trying to hurt me. I will not let that happen again.”
“I understand,” Belle spoke slowly, trying to find the right words. “But I’m afraid by you clinging on so tight, you could lose him again.” Before her husband could reply, she spoke a little faster. “He will always be your baby, your sweet boy, but he is a grown man. You have to let him breathe, just a little bit. That includes no more stalking.”
He pretended to look appalled. “I do not…” Rumple trailed off with a sigh, causing his wife to smile. “It’s just hard, letting go. You think I’d be used to it by now.”
“It’s okay that you’re not, just give it some time.” Belle kissed him, tenderly. “You don’t have to let go all at once, just baby steps. Let him go out on his own, maybe a little less sneaking into his room to make sure he’s still there at night. He’s not going to disappear again, I promise.”
Rumple gently pulled the woman down onto his lap, kissing her again. “How do you always know what to say?”
“Because my dear, I am the wise one in our relationship.”
“Is that so?” He rubbed his nose with hers. “And how would you feel about us making Bae a big brother?”
“I think that you are the world’s best father and I would love to have a baby with you.” She rested her forehead against his. “Shall we try now?”
Rumple grinned. “Let’s.”
Baelfire walked through the door later that day. He felt guilty for his outburst earlier and wanted to do what he could to make it right. Belle’s car was gone, so he knew it’d just be him and his father. When he entered the den, he found Rumple watching a movie. The man looked up and saw his son’s partially sunburnt face, doing his best not to make a remark that he was supposed to wear sunscreen.
“Papa,” Bae said quietly. “I’m sorry.”
Rumple sighed and stood up, grabbing a grip of his cane. “I am too, my boy. I know I’ve been a bit protective, I’ve just already lost you so many times.”
“I know. I should just give you a break.”
“And I should start letting you go a bit. I can’t say it’ll be easy, but I’m willing to try.”
Bae smiled. “Thank you, Papa. It means a lot.”
Rumple gently touched his son’s face, which made him wince. “The pirate didn’t make sure you wore sunscreen?”
“I’ve been on a ship before and we didn’t have it back in the Enchanted Forest or Neverland…”
Rumple shook his head. “Go lay down, my sweet boy. Papa will get some stuff to make you feel better.”