Work Text:
She had known for several weeks now what this meant. She had even been to see Dr. Whale and he had only served to confirm what she already knew. At first she had felt an overwhelming sense of joy and excitement. But then, reality set in. She struggled to see the good in this, to predict what Rum's reaction would be and for once he was an enigma to her. And that frightened her. She had decided that Father's Day would be the best time to tell him. That perhaps the day would soften the blow, would make him resent her less for this news.
She stood in their kitchen, her heart racing as thoughts of how he might receive the news ran through her head. She gazed down at her wedding ring, knowing, or perhaps hoping, that he would rejoice at the news. But there was still that small part of her that feared his rejection and anger. There was nothing else for it; she had to tell him.
She set the breakfast tray with tea, fruit, toast, eggs and bacon. In the corner she had placed a navy blue bag with gold ribbon. Resting against it was a card. Somehow that card didn't seem to say enough. After all, she didn't think Hallmark made cards that apologized for the loss of a son at the hands of the Wicked Witch while also delivering the news she must bear.
She took her time going up the steps, blood rushing in her ears as she finally came to a stop outside their bedroom door. Letting out a shaky sigh, she entered the room.
He was sitting up as though he had been awake for some time. When she entered the room, he almost seemed to stiffen. As if he knew the dark news she had come to deliver and that made her heart hurt.
"I had hoped to wake you." She murmured as a nervous laugh slipped past her lips, leaving his sudden stiffness unmentioned. He looked up at the sound of her voice as if he was seeing her clearly for the first time. He shook his head absentmindedly. "No matter, Sweetheart." He offered half a smile. It was more than she could have asked of him today.
Moving with grace, she set the breakfast tray down before him, her hand moving to caress his cheek once it had safely been placed over his lap. He leaned into her touch, a sad sigh slipping past his lips as he caught sight of the gift bag and the card. "I really rather you hadn't gone to such lengths." He whispered, a mixture of guilt and anguish alight in his amber hues. "... Today is just as any other day..."
Belle could have sworn she heard his heart break and it brought tears to her eyes. Tears of sadness and fear. Perhaps he had lost the capacity to be a father. Perhaps she was being selfish by thinking of shoving this burden onto his shoulders. Perhaps... perhaps she should just let him open the bag and see how he reacted.
"... please? I... Losing Baelfire... That doesn't take away what he was to you or what you were to him. You need to remember that." She whispered, watching with anxious hues as he moved to fool around with his breakfast. He merely nodded but his trembling hand betrayed the hurricane of emotions that were currently wreaking havoc inside of him.
She moved to place a hand over his, hoping to steady him. The fork clattered to the plate as he took hold of it, clinging to it as though it were his last lifeline. "... Rum." The sound of her voice seemed to soothe him, allowed him to take back control of himself. With a soft pat to the back of her hand, he released her. Her gaze trailed to the tray and it was then she noticed she had forgotten the milk and sugar. "Oh bullocks."
She moved towards the door, pausing in the doorway as she looked back at him. "I'll only be a moment." He nodded silently, his gaze fixed on the blue bag and the horrible way It made his insides squirm.
The moment she left the room he brought the bag and card towards him. He would have preferred to endure this alone, to wallow in his guilt and self loathing without the soothing comfort Belle offered. After all, he deserved this. He had done this to himself. He had made his bed and now it was time to lay in it, to deal with the consequences his own actions wrought. Losing Bae had been... were there words to describe such agony? No, he supposed there weren't.
He was no longer a father. He was just a man, much as any other. Belle was the only thing tying him to this world. Miraculously. He didn't deserve her love or her forgiveness. That squirming feeling only returned when she looked upon him with such empathy. How could she feel sorry for him when he was merely getting what had been coming to him since the day he became the Dark One?
A growl of frustration vibrated in his throat and he had to resist the urge to throw the tray from his lap. The only thing that served to stay his hand was that blue bag. Sighing in an almost defeated manner, he moved to open it.
At first he didn't quite understand what Belle had given him. There was a simple gold frame with a black and white picture in it, something he had never seen before. There was no rhyme or reason to the black and white shapes. He turned the picture, trying to understand the importance it conveyed. For surely it was important. Why else would Belle see for to bestow it upon him as a gift? And then quite suddenly, it clicked.
The sound of the tray crashing to the floor echoed throughout the silence of the Salmon House. Belle jumped as her blue hues widened. She was moving out of the kitchen before she realized what had happened. She had just reached the living room when she found him, his hand clutching the gold frame in his hand. His features were unreadable and for a moment she couldn't breathe.
"Belle... We're... You're..." He was shaking as he moved towards her, his gaze flitting between her face and her abdomen. She remained unmoving as utter joy and bliss caused his eyes to water, his ever graceful form moving to embrace her. His fingers tangled in her chestnut locks as he buried his face in her shoulder, soft sobs slipping past his lips as he tugged her close against his chest. She merely held him close, relief washing through her as she clung to him.
"I was so scared that... that you might think I was..." She couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence, to insult him that way. "Never Darling. Never." He knew. He understood now, the trepidation with which she had entered the room, the nervousness he had felt wafting off her. She feared he would see her pregnancy as a means to replace Bae. Nothing could be further from the truth.
His words caused shame to well within her and she clung to him a little tighter. He moved to press his lips to the hollow of her throat, his slender fingers delving into her hair as he trailed kisses to her lips. "You have always been, and will always my light in this ocean of darkness." He whispered, pressing his forehead to hers. He moved to caress her cheek, peace flowing through him for the first time since he'd lost Bae.
"Happy Father's Day Rum."