@ Keb- ah, you are so right. I hadn’t even really thought about what the fallout would be if he’d killed Robin straight away only to realize Marion was pregnant with their child. I think you are absolutely right about the library being much more of a thank you gift than any sort of attempt at wooing Belle. You’re absolutely right about the self loathing aspect as well, and that becomes very apparent with the events of ‘Skin Deep’. (I sort of want to edit all the flashback scenes in chronological order now…)
@ Obisgirl- Thanks. ^_^;; I promise I will work on being more concise in the future. I just feel so many ways about stuff! I think you’re right about what each episode means in regards to the characters. I think the events seen in the past during “Lacey” didn’t just teach Belle that there was something more within Rumple, but I think it taught him as well. We’re definitely fuzzy on the amount of time that has passed between his becoming the Dark One and his bringing Belle to his castle, but I think it is safe to say that enough time has passed that it’s very likely Rumple himself didn’t realize he was capable of having feelings like the ones Belle insisted he did. After all, in ‘Skin Deep’ he goes so far as to say “I’m not a man”. I think for a very long time before meeting Belle, he believed that to be true. After the events with Robin Hood, I think he decided to open up a bit to Belle, because it was the first time he realized he was still capable of doing so. He wasn’t just testing her, he was testing himself.
"Nothing is easier than to denounce the evildoer; nothing is more difficult than to understand him."
