If it’s not a room in the hat, then there has to be another way. What other things did Rumple suggest when he was talking to the Blue Fairy about how to follow Bae? Curse was very last option but there were definitely a few ideas thrown out there and that was long before Jefferson and his hat ever came around and Rumple is old, powerful, and smart (if not high on common sense sometimes).
Rumpelstiltskin: Oh, I’ll find a way. There must be other paths. A realm jumper?
Blue Fairy: No.
Rumpelstiltskin: A time turner?
Blue Fairy: No.
Rumpelstiltskin: A mage?
Blue Fairy: There is no-
Rumpelstiltskin: A curse?
Blue Fairy: No.
Rumpelstiltskin: Ah! So, it is a curse.
I’ve lost track of the number of times I’ve read the Return transcript now.