I think they expected a lot of new viewers with the Frozen stuff, so the graveyard scene was more about exposition for new viewers than anything else. I think that’s why some of it felt, to those of us who know the whole story anyway, unnatural.
And I don’t think Rumple was comparing his love for Belle with his love for Bae; we’ve seen him choose Bae over Belle multiple times before. He just said “Now I have love in my life again,” which doesn’t at all mean the same thing…he’s telling Neal that he’s married to Belle now. And that seems to be the first thing he does after getting married–before his honeymoon–so he’s being true to his character in putting his son first again. That much I was pleased to see.
And at least he gave the dagger back before the dance, even if he took it back again.
Keeper of Belle's Gold magic, sand dollar, cloaks, purple FTL outfit, spell scroll, library key, copy of Romeo and Juliet, and cry-muffling pillow, Rumple's doll, overcoat, and strength, and The Timeline. My spreadsheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6r8CySCCWd9R0RUNm4xR3RhMEU/view?usp=sharing