Monster in the Storm - Chapter 6

Fandom: Once Upon a Time (TV)

Rating: Mature

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Relationships: Belle/Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold

Characters: Belle (Once Upon a Time), Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold, Gideon (Once Upon a Time), Original Characters

Additional Tags: Angst, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, casual nudity, A Monthly Rumbelling (Once Upon a Time), A Monthly Rumbelling March 2020 (Once Upon a Time), Missing Years, Travel, Family

Series: Part 2 of Rumbelling Shorts, Part 5 of Growing Up

Summary: Inspired by the March Monthly Rumbelling. The Golds have moved into a new town home and Gideon meets a young girl who convinces him that their fathers are more alike than he could ever have imagined. The problem is, only one of them is the real “monster” and Gideon needs help to see the truth. An eventual chapter of Growing Up.

This is complete to a point, but will be expanded on as the next parts of the Growing Up series are worked on. For now, it is only the very beginning, though there WILL be resolution for Gideon’s new friend.

Please note warnings for implication of domestic violence (NOT related to the Golds) and casual nudity (which IS related to the Golds).

Read previous chapters on AO3

Monster in the Storm - Chapter 6

“Surprised you didn’t break anything falling down those steps the way you did." The medic's voice was soft in Rumple’s ear, contrasting the sharp sting of antiseptic that was being used on his cheek.

Rumple released a disinterested snort, one he hadn't used since before the final battle. “Maybe I’m immortal.”

"Immortals can still break bones," the man said. "At least in most of the stuff I've seen. But who knows? Maybe that's the stuff of Hollywood legends." He winked before removing his hands from the wound, leaving Rumple free to turn back to the house and take in the chaos around him.

Only three police cars had arrived, along with this ambulance, but it seemed as if ten men had come in each vehicle. Officers were everywhere; on the porch with their assailant, in the house with Belle and the others, even standing around in the rain. Everyone was talking to someone except for the two standing guard over John. That pair, a man and a woman, had been looming over the drunk since he’d been pulled from the bush and deposited on one of the porch chairs. Like gargoyles at night, they looked out from the corner of the Golds' porch, as if expecting some sort of rescue operation to be attempted.

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Monster in the Storm - Chapter 5

Fandom: Once Upon a Time (TV)

Rating: Mature

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Relationships: Belle/Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold

Characters: Belle (Once Upon a Time), Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold, Gideon (Once Upon a Time), Original Characters

Additional Tags: Angst, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, casual nudity, A Monthly Rumbelling (Once Upon a Time), A Monthly Rumbelling March 2020 (Once Upon a Time), Missing Years, Travel, Family

Series: Part 2 of Rumbelling Shorts, Part 5 of Growing Up

Summary: Inspired by the March Monthly Rumbelling. The Golds have moved into a new town home and Gideon meets a young girl who convinces him that their fathers are more alike than he could ever have imagined. The problem is, only one of them is the real “monster” and Gideon needs help to see the truth. An eventual chapter of Growing Up.

This is complete to a point, but will be expanded on as the next parts of the Growing Up series are worked on. For now, it is only the very beginning, though there WILL be resolution for Gideon’s new friend.

Please note warnings for implication of domestic violence (NOT related to the Golds) and casual nudity (which IS related to the Golds).

Read previous chapters on AO3

The Monster in the Storm - Chapter 5

Rumplestiltskin knew what was coming. He’d seen the anger of drunken men too many times in his life to ignore what came with harboring the victims of their aggression. Addictions of any kind altered even the most tender of hearts, shifting their intentions. That lesson he knew all too well. Darkness, drugs, alcohol, each vice had the same overall effect on a person. Eventually it turned them into a hideous beast, even around the people they loved.

So he and Belle made quick work of cleaning and bandaging Vivienne’s wound. Neither of them had to speak about what the other needed to do, they simply took up the tasks as if they were trained surgeons, anticipating each other’s movements until the job was complete. The teamwork went beyond gauze and tape, though. Rumple already knew what plan Belle was concocting, just as she already knew his. It had been a long time since he’d had to piece together so many lies to cover his tracks or keep his family safe, but after seeing what this madman had done to a woman he supposedly cared for, Rumple took pleasure in piling on as many falsehoods as he could muster.

Gideon wouldn’t be safe here, neither would Belle, though Rumple didn’t doubt she would hold her own against the tyrant who was on his way. The man was armed though, and clearly not afraid to harm members of his own family. There would be nothing stopping him from cutting or killing any strangers who held him back. Rumple glanced up from his work to watch Gideon faithfully closing blinds and locking doors. He was a good boy, with a pure heart, but he couldn’t be here for this. Damn the storm outside. If it weren’t for the lightning and rain, Rumple would have sent him down to the corner store with a cell phone and had him wait there until it was safe.

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The Monster In the Storm - Chapter 4

Fandom: Once Upon a Time (TV)

Rating: Mature

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Relationships: Belle/Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold

Characters: Belle (Once Upon a Time), Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold, Gideon (Once Upon a Time), Original Characters

Additional Tags: Angst, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, casual nudity, A Monthly Rumbelling (Once Upon a Time), A Monthly Rumbelling March 2020 (Once Upon a Time), Missing Years, Travel, Family

Series: Part 2 of Rumbelling Shorts, Part 5 of Growing Up

Summary: Inspired by the March Monthly Rumbelling. The Golds have moved into a new town home and Gideon meets a young girl who convinces him that their fathers are more alike than he could ever have imagined. The problem is, only one of them is the real "monster" and Gideon needs help to see the truth. An eventual chapter of Growing Up.

This is complete to a point, but will be expanded on as the next parts of the Growing Up series are worked on. For now, it is only the very beginning, though there WILL be resolution for Gideon's new friend.

Please note warnings for implication of domestic violence (NOT related to the Golds) and casual nudity (which IS related to the Golds).

Read previous chapters on AO3

The Monster In the Storm - Chapter 4

Belle wasn’t sure how Rumple, a man who didn’t need any rest at all, managed to so easily sleep through the night whenever Gideon was in their bed. Their son had always been an intense sleeper, mumbling and moaning through his dreams as his body moved with whatever visions he was having. Often Belle would find herself kicked or nudged or pushed or punched, and on the rare occasions when Rumple did let his need for rest claim him, she was the first to console Gideon when he woke with a start. Not that she would ever tell Rumple this, of course. If he knew he wasn’t waking up to care for his son he would fall into a spiral of self deprecation. Besides that, it gave her the chance to be the loving, concerned parent, a title most often claimed by Rumple’s absolute devotion to fatherhood.

She pitied the man that Gideon would one day fall in love with. They would not only have to face Rumple’s intense scrutiny, but would also need nerves of steel to face Gideon’s nightly torments. It was almost a given that her son’s life partner needed to be an expert in providing consolation, protection, reassurance, or simply take on the role of anchor, grounding their son back to reality in the night. The boy lived, loved, and believed with such intensity that everything around him seemed to claim a place in his subconscious.

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The Monster In the Storm - Chapter 3

Fandom: Once Upon a Time (TV)

Rating: Mature

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Relationships: Belle/Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold

Characters: Belle (Once Upon a Time), Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold, Gideon (Once Upon a Time), Original Characters

Additional Tags: Angst, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, casual nudity, A Monthly Rumbelling (Once Upon a Time), A Monthly Rumbelling March 2020 (Once Upon a Time), Missing Years, Travel, Family

Series: Part 2 of Rumbelling Shorts, Part 5 of Growing Up

Summary: Inspired by the March Monthly Rumbelling. The Golds have moved into a new town home and Gideon meets a young girl who convinces him that their fathers are more alike than he could ever have imagined. The problem is, only one of them is the real "monster" and Gideon needs help to see the truth. An eventual chapter of Growing Up.

This is complete to a point, but will be expanded on as the next parts of the Growing Up series are worked on. For now, it is only the very beginning, though there WILL be resolution for Gideon's new friend.

Please note warnings for implication of domestic violence (NOT related to the Golds) and casual nudity (which IS related to the Golds).

Read previous chapters on AO3

The Monster In the Storm - Chapter 3

Gideon didn’t see Carlie again for almost a week, but it didn’t mean that he had forgotten her. Every day he spent his time outside eyeing the house across the playground, waiting for her to appear. Other kids in the neighborhood chatted with him when they were around, but he could never really get anyone to talk about Carlie.

“She’s not outside much,” one of them said.

“I think her parents want her to study a lot,” offered another.

None of them had seen her parents, though one boy named Josh told Gideon he’d heard shouting from inside their house. “I bet they’ll get a divorce,” he insisted. After Gideon asked why he thought that, the other boy just shrugged. “My parents fought all the time too. All that shouting. They never stopped. Every word was just loud. All the time. Trust me, it’s better to just let them live in different places.”

It was nearly impossible for Gideon to imagine living in a home with that kind of hurt happening all the time. He tried to picture what it would be like to have every word yelled out, to have to fight to be noticed above it, but he didn’t even know where to start. The only time his parents raised their voices was when they were teasing each other or “napping.” Staying around the house with those noises going on made Gideon feel odd now, so he spent more time away from home before tea instead of waiting around inside for his parents to emerge from their room.

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The Monster In the Storm - Chapter 2

Fandom: Once Upon a Time (TV)

Rating: Mature

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Relationships: Belle/Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold

Characters: Belle (Once Upon a Time), Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold, Gideon (Once Upon a Time), Original Characters

Additional Tags: Angst, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, casual nudity, A Monthly Rumbelling (Once Upon a Time), A Monthly Rumbelling March 2020 (Once Upon a Time), Missing Years, Travel, Family

Series: Part 2 of Rumbelling Shorts, Part 5 of Growing Up

Summary: Inspired by the March Monthly Rumbelling. The Golds have moved into a new town home and Gideon meets a young girl who convinces him that their fathers are more alike than he could ever have imagined. The problem is, only one of them is the real "monster" and Gideon needs help to see the truth. An eventual chapter of Growing Up.

This is complete to a point, but will be expanded on as the next parts of the Growing Up series are worked on. For now, it is only the very beginning, though there WILL be resolution for Gideon's new friend.

Please note warnings for implication of domestic violence (NOT related to the Golds) and casual nudity (which IS related to the Golds).

Read previous chapter on AO3

The Monster In the Storm - Chapter 2

That evening, Rumple found himself pacing the sidewalk outside of their home. Overhead the sky was so clear that he could almost make out the points on each distant star. He sighed as he stared at them, feeling the pressure of the city they lived in. Light pollution removed so many stars in this realm, making him long for the evenings spent staring out at the world from the towers of the Dark Castle. Not knowing what you had until it was gone was a singular truth to him right now. Especially as he was tightly gripping the phone in his hands.

“Were you, um…” Belle’s voice pulled him away from his thoughts. He turned his gaze to the home’s entrance, where she stood silhouetted by the warm light of the hallway. “Gideon is worried that you won’t want to tuck him in tonight.”

“Of course I do.” A sigh of guilt escaped him and Rumple forced himself to breathe again to resettle his nerves. “I just wanted to make a phone call first.”

Belle closed the door behind herself and came down to stand beside him. Her eyes gave barely a glance to the device in his hands before meeting his gaze. “It’s been a long call,” she said. “And a quiet one.”

“Well, I haven’t actually tried to connect it yet,” Rumple admitted. “I’ve been… waiting for the right time.”

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The Monster In The Storm

Fandom: Once Upon a Time (TV)

Rating: Mature

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Relationships: Belle/Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold

Characters: Belle (Once Upon a Time), Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold, Gideon (Once Upon a Time), Original Characters, Gideon (Once Upon A Time)

Additional Tags: Angst, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, casual nudity, A Monthly Rumbelling (Once Upon a Time)

Series: Part 3 of Rumbelling Shorts,  Part 4 of Growing Up

Summary: Inspired by the March Monthly Rumbelling. The Golds have moved into a new town home and Gideon meets a young girl who convinces him that their fathers are more alike than he could ever have imagined. The problem is, only one of them is the real "monster" and Gideon needs help to see the truth.

 An eventual chapter of Growing Up.This is complete to a point, but will be expanded on as the next parts of the Growing Up series are worked on. For now, it is only the very beginning, though there WILL be resolution for Gideon's new friend.

Please note warnings for implication of domestic violence (NOT related to the Golds) and casual nudity (which IS related to the Golds).

The Monster In The Storm

The door to the Golds’ rented town home burst open as the family rushed inside, arms held awkwardly at various angles, water pouring from their faces.

“Well,” Rumple offered with a chuckle. “We almost made it.”

Belle shed her coat and dropped it to the floor with a contented sigh. “Almost,” she parroted back in a tease. There would be a lot of washing up to do tonight, but she didn’t mind. Getting caught in the rain as they explored their new neighborhood had actually been fun, though slipping in the mud and falling into their neighbor’s bush hadn’t been as entertaining. She had leaves, bits of twigs, and some kind of berry juice all through her hair, which she imagined would be a nightmare to sort out. She turned to Rumple and frowned at the sight of him. “Oh Rumple, your new suit…”

He glanced down at the wet, berry-stained sleeves and shrugged casually. “Should have worn my camping gear.” He smiled and kissed her before adding, “I think I’ll survive.” Rumple’s hand lifted to cup her face, his gaze as tangible as the gentle caress. She could almost feel the touch of his eyes on her skin as he checked her for scratches or bruising. “Your hair, on the other hand…”

“Will take a good deal of care, but I don’t think it’s a lost cause,” she huffed back and peered around him to where Gidoen was rapidly stripping off his soaked clothing. Drop everything into the washer,” she told him. “And put on something dry from your room.”

Their son beamed up at her. “All right, Mother. Can I take your things too?”

“Take our coats,” Rumple told him. “We’ll make another pile in the bedroom for you. I think I’ve got to sit your mother down and do something with her hair.”

Gideon dashed away and Rumple gestured for Belle to follow. “Shall I be your husband-in-waiting?” His eyes sparkled with the suggestion of things to come and she felt her cheeks flush.

“With Gideon rushing around the house?”

Rumple bent in front of the window to take stock of what the sky held above them. “The rain is passing quickly,” he told her as he straightened. “And I expect this tangle of yours is going to take some time to work out. Maybe we’ll get lucky.”

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