I think anything is possible, Lil’ Red, in this episode!!
My thoughts were that Rumple has been captured during the Ogres War and is being held with children, which I think endears him toward Bae when he learns (maybe from the Seer) is about to be born. And why he becomes so desperate to protect Bae later in life, he knows what happens to children during these wars.
[adrotate group="5"]
"He was a lot of things to me" "The only conclusion was love"