I think she did it to spare him the angst of counting the moments til she died ... telling him what she told him before she died, that she had faith in him and knew he would find a way. I saw no real problem with it ... just like a way of living every moment of her life to the fullest. It was most likely hardest on HER, knowing that she was going to die and that she didn't have immortality the way he did. She knew him and loved him enough to know he would spend those years NOT enjoying them the way he did, but by finding a cure to her mortality instead of what the real and true goal was -- to find a way to end his curse. And it's the memory of those years -- the happy, joyous times -- that are now his driving force and motivation.

Honestly, the way this season has been going, I'm glad that they kept the love alive ... but didn't damage Belle or Rumbelle (I was worried). I came in skeptical and have barely watched (all the other stuff except for Rumple has been FF material for me, though there have been some cute Lucy/Regina scenes). From what I've been reading, I'm glad I stayed away ... though I'm on the lookout. Still wish they had left it at S6 and never did S7, but I like Weaver. It's the moments that Belle was on canvas and they didn't know what to do with her that Rumbelle fans got the absolute bottom of the barrel for storylines (and we all remember some of those ).

It was a lovely surprise

I'll probably watch S7 when the show is done airing. Been DVRing the eps and am prepping for a lengthy weekend of binging so that I can watch the entire season back to back ... without waiting through the hiatuses, etc. The storyline that bothered me (gave me the ICK) was the whole Will storyline because I shipped Will with the Red Queen in OUATIW. Trying to make it a triangle is what I didn't like -- that's what I meant re: having Belle on canvas and not knowing quite what to do with her. Loving the Belle mentions I've read on Tumblr and the great job in "Beauty" with Bobby and Emilie.