Happy Birthday, hollymac_79!!! - Fic: For The Man Who Has Every

[ultra_fic]

A/N: For my wonderful friend (and faithful OUAT beta), hollymac_79, this story is my birthday gift to you, honey! I really do hope you like it, and that you have thea fab day you deserve! :)

Title: For The Man Who Has Everything
Author: Ultra
Summary: It's a special day in Rumpel's life, and Belle intends to make it memorable.
Timeline: an imagined mid/late Season 3
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: All recognisable characters belong to the creators of Once Upon A Time and/or Brother Grimm and/or Disney - basically, they don't belong to me!

“I still don’t understand why we couldn’t eat dinner at home,” Rumpelstiltskin sighed as he was led towards Granny’s diner by his beloved. “Your cooking has much improved in this world, Belle, and my own is not so bad, is it?”

“Of course not!” she giggled, leaning into his side. “I just wanted tonight to be special.”

Rumpel hadn’t an idea what she was getting at. He could think of only one reason to mark the day and it was impossible for Belle to know of his birthday. It was a miracle he remembered it himself after more than three hundred years, but he had certainly never told a soul about it.

“I fail to see what’s special about this place, unless...”

The sentence was cut unceremoniously short when Rumpel opened up the diner door like a gentleman and was confronted with a group of people cheering ‘Happy Birthday’. To say the Dark One was startled would be an understatement. Nobody was supposed to care for him, save for Belle who was the most singular of women Rumpelstiltskin ever did meet. His Gold persona was no less friendly than his original self had been, and yet here was a party and in his name. The banner proclaimed it, childishly made as it was, but then Rumpel had a feeling he knew why that was as Henry came barrelling towards him.

“Happy birthday, Grandpa!” he grinned as he hugged tightly onto Rumpelstiltskin’s waist.

It was an odd sight to behold perhaps, though the residents of Storybrooke had grown a little more accustomed to the Dark One being a family man these days. All residents were well aware of the part he played in bringing Henry back from Neverland, the sacrifices he had made, the risk to his own life, and all for family. It made the good people of the town feel just a little less harshly about Rumpelstiltskin, when they looked upon him through the eyes of such a dear child.

“Thank you, Henry,” he smiled slightly, patting the boy on the head.

Sometimes he reminded Rumpel so much of Baelfire, he always had, even before the truth of his parentage was revealed. Now both those parents were here, and smiling.

“Happy birthday,” said Emma, looking as awkward as she must’ve felt.

Her hand was clasped in Bae’s own as they stepped forward. The romance between Henry’s parents had been rocky at best. Even after the return from Neverland, and Bae’s rescue from what was left of the Enchanted Forest, it took a while. Now it seemed they were a couple again, and happy enough to be so. The larger miracle for Rumpelstiltskin was that his son was even here, never mind smiling at him.

“Belle came and talked to me... to us,” he explained then. “She said maybe it was time for you and me to bury the hatchet, in the ground this time, not each other,” he smirked. “What do you say, Papa?”

“I’d like that very much, Bae,” replied Rumpelstiltskin, wondering where his own voice had gone, as Henry moved aside and allowed his Dad room to hug his own father.

“Wow,” said Snow, wiping under one eye. “Thank goodness this world has waterproof mascara,” she laughed lightly, as she and Charming appeared with a tray of drinks and bowls of snacks.

“Your majesties,” Rumpel nodded politely.

“No,” insisted Charming. “We’re all family now. No titles, no old grudges. Besides, it’s your birthday, you’re the guest of honour, sir,” he teased, making to bow as he offered a glass of punch to the ‘birthday boy’.

Rumpel chose not to pass comment and graciously accepted said offer, as Belle stepped in to take his arm.

“Come sit down,” she urged him. “There are gifts and food, and everybody wants to wish you a happy birthday,” she assured him, leading him to the booth that had fast become their own.

Rumpelstilistkin was just so overwhelmed. He was trying so hard to be a better a person, the kind of man both Belle and Bae would find it that much easy to love and respect. He was also very aware of his role in a family now, not just father but grandfather too. Still, he had not reckoned on being so easily forgiven and loved. Maybe it was true what they said about pure hearts and love being unconditional sometimes.

“I’m still bemused as to how you even knew today was my birthday,” he told Belle as they sat down together.

“That would be me,” Bae admitted, raising his hand as he and Emma slid into the other side of the booth with an over-excited Henry. “You really think I’d forget ?”

“I suppose not,” Rumpel admitted. “Though I am surprised you cared to. I should’ve known better.”

“Open my gift!” cried Henry into the middle of the sweet family moment. “I know you’re gonna love it!”

“Who’s gift?” asked Snow as she walked by, not quite looking severe enough to be telling him off.

“Well, it’s kind of from me and Belle, I guess,” he confirmed, as he shoved the package a little further across the table towards Rumpelstiltskin.

“Thank you” he said hesitantly, propping his cane against the table as he carefully upwrapped the paper.

Belle whispered assurances that her real gift to him would come later. Rumpel did his best not to react in the presence of company, though he sometimes appreciated that Belle had retained her Lacey memories.

Back in the here and now, the gift from Henry was duly unwrapped. Before long Rumpel realised the contents of the package was a book, but not anything commercially bought. The writing inside was in a young boy’s hand, Henry’s of course, with illustrations he had probably drawn himself too. The stories told between the pages seemed to be about Rumpelstiltskin himself, but nothing of his dark powers or the evils he had done. These were other tales, the story of himself and Belle, and further adventures that began in Storybrooke where his Mr Gold persona reigned supreme. It was quite well-written for a boy of twelve, and even the great Rumpelstiltskin was impressed.

“You do like it, don’t you?” asked Henry, somewhere between hopeful and nervous. “It’s just, you’re not really in the storybook, and a lot of people only think of you as the Dark One, so I thought you’d like some of the good stories written down...”

“This is a beautiful thing, Henry,” Rumpel smiled, putting a hand to the boy’s shoulder. “Thank you, very much,” he said sincerely, earning himself the widest of grins from his grandson.

Belle’s chin appeared on Rumpel’s other shoulder as she peered over at the book she had assisted with. She had so enjoyed sharing her tales from the Dark Castle and beyond with Henry, especially when she knew what a lovely gift he was making for Rumpelstiltskin. He did seem genuinely pleased with it, as she knew he would be. Rumpel had always been the same, he just needed someone to love him, so he could learn to love back. Their reunion and time together in Storybrooke seemed to prove that a little more every day.

“We didn’t exactly buy you anything,” Emma admitted then, spinning a random ring round on her finger in some nervous gesture. “I mean, what do you get the guy that can get everything he wants through money or magic, right?” she smiled wryly. “And than we realised, you get him the two things that can’t be bought. Love and family.”

“We were thinking of maybe you coming over for dinner sometime, you and Belle, obviously,” said Neal, picking off where his girlfriend had left off. “Or, I don’t know, maybe a picnic in the park, whatever you want. Just spending some time, like a real family,” he smiled.

Rumpelstilskin wasn’t sure he had ever been so moved in the whole of his life. Nobody ever really cared about him before, apart from Belle, and even that had been an uphill struggle on more than one occasion. Baelfire had loved him long ago, but it had been so hard to build bridges since their reunion. Now it seemed, finally, he had his family back and more members to it than he could ever have hoped for.

“I’m sure I don’t deserve all this kindness,” he said, feeling stupid as the centre of attention in such a good way for a change. “I know that I don’t.”

“All people can be redeemed” said Charming as he appeared by the table again. “Give a man a love to fight for, it’s amazing what he’ll achieve,” he smiled.

“Aye, that is true,” Rumpel agreed with a smile of his own as he looked first at Belle, and then to Bae, Emma, and Henry.

It was at this moment Snow reappeared with a cake balanced between her hands. The lights were dimmed and the assembled family and friends began singing this world’s ‘Happy Birthday’ song that they had all been imprinted with when cursed. It was a silly tradition, Rumpel thought, and yet he would not say so, not now. Belle had a hand in the cake, he was sure of it, no doubt conspiring with Ruby, who seemed to have become her good friend and confidante of late. Only Belle would dare to use his shortened name in such a way.

“I know this world has a tradition about the number of candles matching your age,” said Bae with a smirk. “But we didn’t want to burn down the whole town.”

“Cheeky sap!” Rumpel grinned, though he did agree three hundred and more candles might just be a little excessive.

“Don’t forget to make a wish when you blow them out,” said Emma, gaining everyone’s attention all at once. “It’s a tradition here, remember?” she said defensively as too many pairs of eyes stared at her as if she were a little crazy.

Rumpelstiltskin looked from her to Bae and Henry, then to the gathering of neighbours around him. Finally, his eyes came to rest on Belle.

“Is something wrong?” she asked, a hint of worry creasing her brow.

Rumpel shook his head.

“Not really, dearie,” he told her. “But tell me this; with all this before me, what have I to wish for?”

Unsurprisingly, nobody had an answer to that, because finally the man who always seemed to have everything he could ever want, genuinely had just that.

The End