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Wherever you went in the Enchanted Forest, there were rumours about the Dark One's whore. Not much was known about her, only that she used to be a highborn lady and her beauty could impress anyone. He always kept her inside his home, like a sordid secret, but one he clearly cared too much about, not that he would ever admit it, but in time as he started to spend less and less time on making his precious deals, any person who heard that story could guess.His name was Rumplestiltskin, he was the Dark One and he would do whatever it took to keep his Dark Lady safe. Belle wasn't sure about when exactly their relationship started to change. She was always intrigued by him, but as the months went by, a certain kind of tension had been established between then. At the same time, she loved it and hated it.The fact that he seemed so nervous around her, and started sounding gentler, made her feel good, almost desired, but it also meant that whenever things started getting great between them, he would disappear into his chambers, or outside to make a deal, leaving her alone far longer than she would ever appreciate.Although she had a lot to do in the Dark Castle, Belle felt lonely. She wondered how much time she could spend there without starting to have conversations with the furniture. When Rumplestiltskin was around, she was happy, because even if it was only to annoy him, she would say something aloud and rarely be answered.When he gave her the library, Belle found a new delightful distraction, but deep inside, she still missed him whenever he wasn't around. She had no idea of what the feelings that were building inside her, but her affections for her master were growing in a way that made her smile at him, even when he wasn't looking and blush when she read some romantic part of a book, and suddenly imagined the two of them as the characters in the story.Madness was probably finally reaching her. How could she be thinking about the fearful Dark One in such ways as she was? Belle hadn't had the answer."Belle!" She heard him call and stood on her feet, leaving her comfortable chaise to run downstairs.He had his glassware opened and was staring at it angrily. "Where is the white and purple bowl I had here?"Eyes widening, Belle was sure that this time she was going to be in trouble. "Why?""Why?" Rumplestiltskin repeated in his most impish voice. "Because it's mine and I want it."As her heart skipped a beat, she caught her lower lip on her teeth, stepping back. "I - I'm sorry. I broke it last week.""You did what?""I'm so sorry, Rumplestiltskin! I accidentally dropped it and - ""Go to your chambers." He said behind clenched teeth."What?""Go to your chambers! I don't want to see you!"A shiver passed her body. She turned her back to him and did as her master asked.Belle didn't know how much time she was supposed to stay there, but was glad that she had some books in her nightstand, so she spent the whole afternoon reading. By dinner time, a plate with food appeared in her bed. She ate everything, savouring each bit of bread, cheese and meat and, when she finished, the dishes disappeared. Apparently, she shouldn't even leave her room for her cleaning duties.It was getting late, so Belle changed her blue dress for a simple nightgown, climbing up into the bed and opening the book she was reading. Some candles were lighting the room, making it cosy, a luxury she started having when her master finally gave her a proper chamber instead of the dungeons where she spent a month sleeping in, with the sound of the rats squeaking outside of her closed door. The bedroom was pretty great for a maid's, with a huge bed and a comfortable mattress, much more than she could ever expect to receive from him.Steps echoed in the hallway, making Belle close the book, putting it on the nightstand as she slipped off the bed and slowly opened the door, finding her master making his way to his own chambers. "Rumplestiltskin." Belle called.At the sound of her voice, he stopped and took a minute before turning to face her without saying anything, just waiting for her to speak."Are you still mad at me?" asked the maid."Yes." he answered, coldly, but calmly.Telling herself that she should do the brave thing, Belle fully opened the door and left her room, walking barefoot towards him. "I'm truly sorry for what I've done. I will try to be more careful."The look he gave her made Belle’s cheeks flush. It was brief, but for just a second Rumplestiltskin stared at her with darker eyes, observing the shadow created by the light of the torches, that against her thin nightgown revealed the perfect silhouette of her body. He swallowed, looking away and seeming suddenly angry again."Next time you decide to talk to me, dress yourself properly, dearie."Belle looked down at herself, blushing even more. "I - I just - ""Go back to your chambers, Belle. I heard it is dangerous to remain in the company of a beast and, even more, if you're trying to make him crazy like this.""I wasn't.""But you did. Now please, go away."Not certain if his apparent interest in her was a bad or a good thing, she simply nodded and rushed back to her chambers. Sleep didn’t come easily to Rumplestiltskin that night. Whenever he closed his eyes, he saw her. Damn it, he was so stupid for letting his maid do that to him, but he couldn’t ignore the fact that each day his affections for her grew and seeing her in that nightgown made him mad with desire.His maid’s unique beauty was one of the things he could never ignore about her, but until now his admiration for her only had the innocent portrait of a sweet girl walking around the Dark Castle in her blue dress while doing her cleaning duties. That night it changed. Now he had stuck in his mind, the image of Belle in the hallway, the nightgown transformed in a see-through thing against the light of the torches, showing him each curve of her body. In that moment, he realised how much he wanted her.Of course, he had the knowledge of his desire for months, but it was something he was trying to forget, for her own sake. Rumplestiltskin could be a lot of things, but he was not the kind of man who would violate anyone, so whenever he started to think about her in his bed, he would rush away to make a deal or just keep his distance. It had been a really long time since he last laid with a woman and he knew that none could ever want to do that with him. No, it was impossible that anyone would want a monster.And yet, it didn’t stop him from wanting her. His thoughts were filled by his little maid, each irritating aspect of her, from her stupid clumsiness to her sweet smile to the way her hair fell perfectly around her shoulders, fully loose, framing her face and neck. That neck he so wished to kiss and bite to make soft arousing sounds leave her mouth. Rumplestiltskin shook his head, he needed to stop thinking about that, she already had him hard earlier and he didn’t want to keep this going.It had to stop, one way or another. When the morning came, Belle took a little more time than usual to arise from the bed. The truth was that she didn’t really want to go downstairs, not because of the duties she had to do, but because she didn’t want to face her master after what happened the night before. Had he had the same trouble that she had sleeping? Was he still mad at her? If not for the bowl, then for the way she showed up in her nightgown in the hallway?Belle couldn’t believe her foolishness, but she hadn’t even thought about what she was wearing before opening the door. Her cheeks coloured just remembering the look he gave her. One full of lust. A feeling that she found to be reciprocal.As she got ready for the day, all kinds of romantic scenes she had ever read in her life, were playing out in her head in a vicious way. She prepared the breakfast, serving the tea with some bread in the dining hall and waiting for him, but it took a longer time for him to appear than usual. When Rumplestiltskin finally showed up, he wasn’t looking at her face.“Good morning.” She tried.He barely glanced at her, before taking his seat. “Good morning.”Standing up there, she had no idea of what else to say, even though she wanted to break the silence, so she watched him drinking his tea and putting a little piece of bread in his mouth.“Are you going to keep standing there the whole morning or are you going to sit and have breakfast?” Rumplestiltskin asked, coldly.Her most immediate thought was to refuse and say she had already eaten, but if she ran away right now, then she knew that she was never going to find the courage to confront him again. So, she pulled up a chair and sat in a vague place, filling a cup for herself.“I’m really sorry for what happened yesterday,” she started, after taking a sip of her tea. “I didn’t want to go back to my chambers when you said so, but I didn’t want to anger you either, so that’s why I did it. Not because I was afraid of you.”Rumplestiltskin lowered his chipped cup, looking at her for the first time since he entered the hall. “Are you apologising for what? Running to your room or appearing in front of me with nothing but a thin nightgown?”“Running.” Belle answered simply.“You’re being silly, you know? I’m an old monster that could have done things to you that there is no turning back from. So, I think you should be afraid, dearie.”Taking a deep breath, she gathered all of her courage and asked: “Do you like me, Rumplestiltskin?”An intrigued look passed over his face. “I don’t dislike you.”Belle’s heart was pounding furiously in her chest. She couldn’t believe she had just asked him that, but it was a question that was burning inside her for the last months and after he clearly showed interest in her – or at least, her body – yesterday, she just needed to clear things up. Deep inside she held the secret that everything about him fascinated her and she was so bubbly for him, that she almost believed that she was in love. Of course, she had no way to know that for certain, because she never felt it before.“Look at who is being silly now.” Said Belle, with a little smirk. “Be honest. Do you at least desire me?”“Belle -” his voice was caught in his throat. “You don’t want to play this game.”“Tell me, please.”He shook his head and she took it as a no, so feeling like she had just humiliated herself, Belle left the dining table and stopped in front of a window, trying to compose herself and not let the tears she was holding fell from her eyes, when she suddenly felt him standing behind her, so close that their bodies where almost touching.“Sorry.” She managed to say. “I – I shouldn’t – I was stupid. I should have known that you would never have any interest in me.”A strangled laugh escaped him, very far away from the impish laughs he used to do all the time. This one was deep, human and accompanied by the sound of his heavy breath. “You think I don’t desire you?” Rumplestiltskin asked.Her only answer was a small nod.“You’re so wrong.” He came closer, his hands resting on her hips and his head meeting the side of hers as he sniffed the smell of her hair. “I’m aching for you, Belle. Last night, you got me completely mad, but I had to tell you to go away because I’ll can never satiate my desires for you.”She swallowed. He was so close to her, that she was conscious of every part of his body that was in contact with hers, and as he declared his need for her, Belle felt really good for the first time since she arrived at that place. Her breath was ragged, when she questioned: “Why not?”“Well, that’s obvious. You can be feeling lonely right now, but as soon as you come to your senses again, you will realise that you can never want a monster like me. And if I did take you, then I would be worse than I already am.”“But I want you. I’ve been wanting you for a long time.”Pressing her body more against his, she heard a suffocated sound leave Rumplestiltskin.“You don’t know what you’re saying nor what you’re doing.”“I know. I read about it, and I want you to make me yours.”He breathed in and hugged her by her back, letting her feel that he was hardening for her. She turned her head and their noses collided before she could find his mouth and press a sweet kiss there. His lips were dry, but very soft and he returned her kiss almost immediately, deepening it as she turned herself completely and enlaced her arms around his neck, parting her lips for him, when his tongue demanded.It was the last thing Belle could ever imagine happening in her life when she still lived in her father’s castle, being there in the Dark One’s dining hall, willing to give herself to her master, but that was what she wanted.When Rumplestiltskin’s tongue left her mouth, he lowered his head and started to kiss her neck feverishly, licking and sucking it, making tiny sounds she had never made before, escape her. It was good and she got a strange feeling burning in her belly, an anticipation that made her want more of him. Her hands reached the insides of the leather coat he was wearing, pushing him closer, but her master stopped his ministrations as she did so, lifting his head to face her.“If you want to stop this, you have to tell me before it’s too late.” He said.“I don’t. Rumple, I want you. Please.”He shook his head. “You can’t want a monster, Belle.”“You are not a monster. Believe me, I want you.”With a nod, he made a purple cloud of smoke appear and take them to his chambers. Belle had never been there before, this place was completely forbidden for her, but now that she was there, enlaced in his arms, standing in front of his huge bed with red covers, she smiled like she had uncovered a mystery before leaning in to kiss his neck just like he did on hers. Rumplestiltskin groaned and she moved her hands to start unlacing her bodice.He dragged her to bed, where he sat and positioned her in front of him, finishing her work and fully opening the bodice, looking breathless at her as he lowered the upper part of the dress, revealing her naked skin. Belle felt that she was blushing with the adoration in his gaze, but couldn’t take any more of him not touching her, so she took his hand and brought it to the space between her breasts, shivering when he moved it to cup one of them.Rumplestiltskin moved his face to her skin, running his nose through it, while his thumb caressed her nipple making it harden, and Belle lose her breath. He kissed his way to the opposite nipple and took it into his mouth, sucking hard and making her moan.Belle’s hands found his hair, running her fingers through it, starting to feel a wetness growing between her thighs along with the desire consuming her. She had never felt like this before, every inch of her pleaded for him.Wanting to feel more of his skin, she started working on his clothes, slipping off his coat and opening the other black leather layers he had behind it, until he was only wearing a simple white shirt. By that time, Rumple was kissing her neck again while his hands explored her body and had managed to get her sitting in his lap. They parted so he could pull the shirt out and she palmed her hands on his bare chest, his thick skin feeling different and new to her senses, but she liked it and embraced him, their chests meeting and her hips moving in his lap, colliding with the hard length in his trousers, a moan leaving his mouth at the sensation.His hands found its way up her thighs under her skirt and he managed to flip her on her back, so he was above her in the bed, exploring her skin until he was touching her undergarments, pressing a finger to her core through them. Belle gasped as he pulled off the barrier that was her underwear and threw it on the floor. Rumplestiltskin then touched her there, caressing her gently to discover her most sensitive points, groaning when he found how wet she already was.“Rumple -” Belle gasped.He kissed her lips softly, eyes closed and a satisfied smile on his lips. “You’re so ready for me -” He muttered as he slipped one finger inside her, the feeling of her tight walls making him even harder.His thumb came to rub against her clit, his nail scratching her skin, but at the same time it caused her to ache it also brought her pleasure, her moans coming louder when he introduced a second finger. “Gods!” Belle breathed.The feelings were burning inside of her, building something she didn’t yet recognize, but which she had read about so many times in pages of her romances. She just never expected it to be so good, so blissful and overwhelming. Her lips were parted, letting out strangled breaths as Rumple’s fingers drove her crazy.“Oh! Rumple – Please -” She gasped.“Yes, sweetheart, come for me.”Belle broke down with a loud cry, feeling liquid pour from her body. Rumplestiltskin pulled his hand away from her and licked his soaked fingers, wickedly smiling at her. She was boneless, incapable of moving for a moment. Then, with a wave of his hands, the rest of his clothes disappeared alongside with her dress that was wrapped around her waist, leaving them completely bare. Belle sat on the bed, her curiosity over his body, bringing her strength back and she reached to touch his member. Rumplestiltskin moaned. She took it as good thing and gripped him, moving her thumb to caress the head, earning an expression of pure ecstasy from him."Is it as good for you when I touch you like this as it was for me when you pushed your fingers in?" Belle asked.Her books usually didn't say anything about this kind of touch, just the usual coupling that was needed to make babies. The things they were doing were new and wild for her."Y - Yes." Rumple answered, his head thrown back. "But you must stop."Catching her wrist, he pulled her hand away, laying her back on the mattress, his member pressed against her inner thigh."Why?" She questioned. "Was I doing it wrong?""No, Belle, but if you keep rubbing your delicate hand around me I won't last and I want to be inside you.""Oh!"A blush came to her cheeks again. Even after all the things he had made her feel with his finger, the prospect of him being inside her, still could make her face red, but it wasn't because she was embarrassed or anything like that. Belle had been taught that these were moments that a woman shouldn't look forward to like she was doing. Most of the woman related coupling with pain and disgust and she could only feel love and lust.She imagined that if this had happened between Gaston and her, just like it was supposed to, then her conclusion would probably be that it was as horrible as the maidens made it out to be, but it was Rumplestiltskin above her, his green-gold skin covering hers and his reptilian eyes darkened with desire for her. Then if there was something wrong with what she was feeling, Belle didn't want to be right.One of his hands were positioned at the side of her head, keeping his weight from smashing her and the other came to stroke her face very gently before asking: "Sweetheart, is this what you truly want? Because we can still stop it, I won't force you to do anything."She smiled, cupping his cheeks and leaning to kiss him."Rumple, I want this. I want you more than anything right now." said Belle."But if you give me your virtue there will be no coming back." He warned, but she wasn't willing to give up.Belle's glance met his, thinking that he never looked more handsome before. "I promised you forever, and I'm intend to keep my word. Now, make love to me."Rumplestiltskin kissed her once more getting himself in hand to lead his member to her entrance. Belle closed her eyes when his tip starts to push inside and she tried to adjust to his size. He gasped, pushing deeper until he broke her maidenhead, making Belle bite her own lip to keep herself from screaming in pain."I'm sorry!" He said immediately freezing when he saw her suffering expression."It hurts - " Belle breathed. "Give me a minute."He nodded and she took a deep breath, trying to make her body relax again as the pain slowly left her until the only thing that remained was her consciousness of every inch of him inside her."It's alright, Rumple. You can move now.""Are you sure?" He asked."Yes."With a nod, Rumplestiltskin pulled back and then started thrusting, groaning with each movement. The last remnants of her pain were replaced by a sweet wave of pleasure whenever their bodies created that amazing friction."Dear gods, Belle!" Rumple whispered in her ear with a snort. "You feel incredible."A delightful aching started to increase her pleasure, making her produce little cries, her desire forcing her body up to meet his. When she started rocking her hips against him, a loud groan passed through his throat."Oh, fuck."He gripped her thigh, thrusting harder as Belle's head rolled back against the pillows, her climax getting closer. She ran her hands through his back, nails scratching him, her legs entwining around his waist, bringing him closer and deeper."Please - " she begged, so near her peak, that she would come if he just touched her in the exact right place.Rumplestiltskin lowered a hand, rubbing her clit between their joined bodies until he made her senses explode."Rumple!" Belle came with a cry.And with her inner walls tightening it didn't took long for him to find his release too, just a couple more of thrusts and he was groaning and spilling his seed inside her. Their movements stopped and the only sound in the room was of their tired breaths. He pressed a kiss on her temple and slip off of her, laying by her side.She looked up to him and rolled to rest her head in his chest. The morning light was illuminating the chambers and now that it all was over, she felt her eyes heavy with tiredness from their activities and a night of bad sleep. Rumple waved his hand and his magic cleaned the two of them, holding her closer without saying a thing.Belle wanted to talk, wanted to tell him how incredible he made her feel, but she was too numb for that and before she realized, she was asleep. Later that day, when she woke up, Belle realised two things. First, she was covered with a warm golden blanket. Second, Rumplestiltskin was gone.
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Rumplestiltskin disappeared for a whole week. That really got Belle mad. She had woken up in an empty bed and hadn't seen a shadow of him in the whole castle, even though she had looked in each damn room of the castle, before finally giving up and sitting on the floor to cry.Briefly she hated herself for getting into the Dark One’s bed so easily, without thinking twice, but then she hated him, because she thought she was in love with him and he had just left her there right after taking her virtue. When she composed herself, Belle decided to pretend that nothing had happened and started cleaning like she should be doing, pushing her thoughts of him to the darkest places in her mind, although it didn’t work very well. For seven whole days, the images of Rumplestiltskin making love to her, repeated in Belle’s head, torturing her.On the eighth day, as she was in the dining hall, dusting his collection, she heard steps coming from the door, but didn’t dare turn around to face him.“I want tea.” He announced.Belle nodded and placed the duster inside the tool’s box, walking to the kitchen without letting her gaze meet his, only allowing some tears to drop from her eyes when she was already hidden by the closed door, but Belle didn’t cry for long, she wiped her tears and prepared the tea, taking it to the dining table and serving him, both in a deep silence.But the moment, he got his chipped cup in hands, she turned around and returned to the open glassware, in which she still had work to do.“Belle.” He called.She swallowed. “Do you need something more from me, Rumplestiltskin?”“I’m sorry for disappearing, but it wasn’t right, it should have never happened and it will be better for you to just forget.”Something between a sigh and a half-laugh left her. How dare he say that? The loving glances he gave her that day weren’t made up from her imagination, she saw how much he cared about her, so how could he be so cold right now? Didn’t he know that he was hurting her?“Yeah, it seems I should.” She whispered, trying to ignore the knot in the throat.They were both with their backs turned from one another, in a way of avoiding the painful look on their faces. Rumplestiltskin lowered his cup, placing it on the table before saying: “Do you understand I was a complete monster with you by using you to satiate my desires, right?” There was no answer, but he continued. “I promise it is never going to happen again.”Biting her lip, Belle feared that she could start crying at any time and she didn’t want him to be aware of that. “If you excuse me, I think I forgot to clean a shelve in the library.”Rushing upstairs, she took deep breaths until she was sure that the tears were not going to come and pretended to clean the library for as long as she could.…Things got extremely weird between them after Rumplestiltskin's return and the situation remained that way for weeks ahead. They barely spoke and he went out to make more deals than usual, to avoid having to see her around the castle. He even thought about sending her back to her father, but his pride and of course, his obvious feelings for her made him reconsider that option and start to think of a way to regain her friendship.Rumplestiltskin missed their foolish talks during the meals and the sound of her voice making some irritating note about his cruel behaviour with other people or his self-depreciating jokes. He missed Belle so much it hurt him, because he cherished every single thing in her old bubbly personality and wished she could just start acting like herself again. Damn the day he lost control and took his precious little maid to his bed.It had been one of the best moments in his entire existence, though. The lust in her bright blue eyes, the way she touched him and let him touch her, clearly enjoying each of his ministrations, something that his ex-wife Milah had never ever showed to him, because she only seemed to despise her husband, just letting him take her with the objective of making a child. After Baelfire was born and he returned home as a coward, it had been rare the times when she did stay home at night. But Belle, with Belle it was different, she didn't seem to care for the fact that he was a beast, she wanted him and he had really gotten her to feel pleasure and come twice. Rumplestiltskin was stunned that day, when she curled by his side, after their coupling was over and cuddled against him until she fell asleep.Looking at the maid, peacefully sleeping by his side, he decided he didn't deserve her and went very far away, in order to not risk waking up by her side and her deciding it had been a mistake. He did it for her and made his mind believe it had all been wrong and should never happen again. As the weeks passed, he tried to ignore both her sad eyes and her stunning beauty. But it was the lack of the sound of her voice that made him come to the library that day.It was the middle of the afternoon and he knew that she wouldn’t leave her books until dinner time, so he entered the place and watched her reading in silence for an instant."Belle."She lifted her head looking at him over her shoulder. "Is it dinner time yet?""No, I want to talk to you."Closing the book she had placed on her lap, Belle rose from the chaise, coming to meet him where he was standing near the shelves. “What is it?”“I was wondering if you’d like to accompany me on a walk.”Her eyebrows narrowed, as confusion filled the maid. “A walk?”“Aye. Not too far, just around the gardens, to take in some fresh air.”The uncertainty was clear in her face. Belle bit her lip, looked down at the book in her hands and just then, she nodded, placing it on a table before stopping right by his side. A half smile he so wished he could hide, appeared on his lips as he offered his arm for her to take and Belle hesitantly did so.Rumplestiltskin lead her outside the castle, watching every expression passing across her face when they reached the gardens. Her eyes closed for a moment, breathing in deeply and genuinely smiling for the first time in weeks. They walked around the property, seeing the birds flying and some squirrels run around the shrubs and trees, quietly, but neither of them were bothered with the silence.When it started to get dark, Rumplestiltskin suggested going back inside. That was when their moment of peace ended and the awkwardness returned between them again. She was ready to rush to the kitchen, leaving him alone in the dining hall when a whole banquette appeared in the large table. Rumplestiltskin waved a hand in the direction of a chair, silently inviting her to sit, but Belle didn't move, so he took his place and started to serve himself."I'm not intending to eat alone, dearie." He said. "Take a seat and get something for yourself."With careful steps, she walked towards the table and grabbed a plate, putting some vegetables and a tiny piece of meat on it."You're not eating enough these days." Rumplestiltskin pointed out.Belle raised one single eyebrow for him. "I'm not hungry.""Yeah, you may not be, but I need a healthy maid, remember that.""I'm completely healthy, Rumplestiltskin. Thank you, for your concern."Her gaze dropped to her plate as if suddenly her fork and knife were much more interesting than anything else. She ate her meal slowly, without sharing a single look with him and after finishing, she took the dishes to the kitchen, were she disappeared to clean then. Rumplestiltskin had no other option but to sit at his spinning wheel, turning straw into gold to keep his mind busy.After what seemed to be an eternity, Belle came back, siting in the gold and red chaise and opening a book she had left there. He didn’t stopped spinning, but stared at her as she turned the pages, a sad expression taking place in her beautiful face, with tears coming to her eyes and making his hands pause their work in the wheel. The imp stood up and went to her, kneeling by her side.“Why are you so sad?” He asked.His voice startled her, so lost in the story that she didn’t notice his presence. She wiped her tears with the back of her hand, surprised to find herself crying.“It was a really touching scene.” Belle tried to explain as more tears dropped from her eyes. “I – I don’t usually cry this way, it’s just that – it reminded me of something. Just that.”“Your home?”Belle shook her head. “No. It was a romantic scene.”“And why would that make you sad?”Even before she could have the opportunity to reply, he already knew the answer. She was crying over a stupid romantic book, because the last time she felt romantically attached to someone, this person had broken her heart. He had broken her heart. Rumplestiltskin cupped her cheek and vanished her tears with his thumb, but just a moment after he done such a thing, she pulled away like he had burned her.“Please, don’t touch me.” Belle whispered. “I’m hurt, Rumple. I wish I wasn’t and I wish I didn’t care, but you made love to me and then ran away like a coward, just because you don’t believe that I can love you.He rose from the floor, walking away from her and returning to his seat by the spinning wheel. “That’s the monster I am.” Rumplestiltskin said, grabbing a piece of straw. “So, as I said it is better if we forget.”“Yeah, keep saying that to yourself and maybe you can believe it and don’t feel so empty inside.”She went to her chambers and he didn’t see her until the next morning.…Belle felt weak. Almost three months after she made the stupid decision of sleeping with her master, her heart was still aching and she wasn’t certain of what made her suffer more, if it was his absence when he was out to make a deal or his presence that reminded her of what she wanted and what she was never going to have.Deciding to get over it, Belle started to do two things: first, read more adventure tales and second, to improve her cooking skills, but only the first part really worked. She stopped reading all those romances and gave her attention to stories about courage, bravery and heroics that made her dream about incredible things.While she cleaned the castle, she tried to cheer herself up by singing some song, but she always ended up thinking that it was a foolish thing to do and stopped. Belle didn't how to act normally anymore, she had no idea of what was normal, her thoughts were about Rumplestiltskin all the time. If she wasn't sure before, then she was now. She was in love with him. And it was destroying her.“I’m going on a trip to Camelot next week.” He had told her that morning, while she served the tea.“Camelot? That seems interesting, I’ve heard a lot about King Arthur.”He clicked his nails against his teacup watching her, standing there with those gorgeous blue eyes full of curiosity. A smile passed over his lips.“Yeah, he is a little bit infamous, but I don’t especially like him.” Rumplestiltskin answered.“Why not?”“Let’s just say that he is not exactly the hero people believe him to be.”Belle closed the teapot’s lid, giving a small smile to him. “Well I hope you have a great trip. Maybe when you come back you’ll have good stories to tell.”“I probably will.” Rumplestiltskin said. “You are not going to eat anything?”There were bread, nuts and other things on the table, but the new constant knot in her throat impeded her from feeling hungry. It had started some days before and hadn’t left her yet, taking all of her already short appetite away. “I’ve drank my tea in the kitchen.” Belle said.“Aye, but you can’t live on tea.”“I’m fine.”“If you say so.”She nodded, grabbing the broom and the duster before heading to the dungeons. It had been some time since she last cleaned there and Belle was sure it would be in a horrible state. The last time they had been used, was when she freed that thief that Rumplestiltskin had taken captive and no prisoner had been brought to the castle after that incident. At least she had apparently done a good thing for the people her master didn’t like, hopefully he wasn’t torturing anyone outside her sights.The maid dusted off the spiders’ webs, swept the floor and then decided to wash the cell that had some blood inlaid everywhere. She got a bucket with water and soap and started to scour the reddish marks, feeling her head a little heavier than usual. Her vision blurred when she rose from the floor, but she told herself it was a mere consequence from eating so little, so she grabbed a cloth and wiped the soaked places, happy with the result of her work.Belle managed to hold the filled bucket and her whole world spun. She let the bucket fall down and leaned on the wall, breathing fastly, hands shaking and vision getting black. Opening her mouth, she tried to scream for help, but instead, she fainted. Rumplestiltskin was planning his trip to Camelot for a really long time. There was something there that he wanted. A magical gauntlet more specifically, and he was willing to exchange almost anything for it. Almost. He was not desperate and he knew it wasn’t good to be, anyway, but he was sure that this gauntlet was already his, so he spent the whole morning in his tower, preparing all kinds of potions he might need to have in hand to exchange for it.During his last trips, Rumplestiltskin had managed to make lots of deals with many desperate souls. Some had pleased him more than others, but he only cared about what he got from them. And after all, distracting himself with deals, potions and whatever else he could do was far better than thinking about his maid.He had no idea of what was more worrisome, her sadness or her lack of appetite. She was barely eating or talking and he knew that he had made a grave mistake with her, one that he didn’t know how to fix.When it was almost noon, he went down to the dining hall, expecting to see his lunch served, but the table was empty and no one was around. He sighed, thinking that she might have lost the notion of time while reading and climbed the stairs to the opposite tower as his, entering the library to find it as empty as the hall. Narrowing his eyebrows, he called out: “Belle!”There was no answer. Rumplestiltskin looked around, thinking about the last place she had been and remembered hearing her enter the dungeons earlier, right after she served the tea and rushed to make his way to the cells, searching in each of them until he saw a huge puddle of water coming from inside the last one.As Rumplestiltskin peeked a look inside he held his breath, finding his darling Belle passed out on the floor, her cleaning tools fallen by her side. He kneeled by her side, holding her flaccid body in his arms, without knowing what to do.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Belle. Sweetheart, please wake up!" Rumplestiltskin said.He had brought them to her chambers and laid her in the bed, desperately looking at her pale face and trying to shake her shoulders a bit. Belle's eyes trembled and opened, making him sigh in relief."Rumplestiltskin - " she whispered in a weak voice. "What happened?""You tell me what happened. I found you lying still on the floor."His arms were still around her, and Rumplestiltskin released his maid gently, letting her sit by herself in the bed, still pale and a little bit shaken."I guess I fainted." She replied, touching her own head like it was aching.Suddenly he was angry. Of course, she did. If she could have only listened to him at breakfast, then nothing would have ever happened. What did she think she was doing? Trying to starve herself to death? Was she that stupid?"Fainted?” Rumplestiltskin asked with a sarcastic laugh. “Yes, sure, you haven't eaten a thing, when I clearly told you to do so and this is what ends up happening."Slowly shaking her head, like the movement could cause her pain, Belle denied. "No, I've been feeling sick for days now.” Her voice was a weak whisper that made him take her cold hands in his, rubbing their fingers together in a nervous gesture. “I'm sorry, I should have told you.""How sick?""Not much, it was just some nausea and dizziness."With those words, his whole world stopped. Rumplestiltskin wasn’t a healer or anything like that, but he understood a bit about some kinds of illnesses and he recognised those symptoms. Nausea and dizziness. Those were symptoms of a woman expecting a child. His heart raced and his mouth got dry, when he forced himself to ask: "Have you bled?""What?” Her cheeks turned red. “You're talking about - "Rumplestiltskin nodded. "Yes, your monthly bleeding.""Well, now that you're talking about it, no, I - I haven't. Not for quite a long time."He stood up, walking away from her and slamming his fist against the wall. In the bed, Belle jumped, startled."Damn it!" He cursed.It couldn’t be happening. They only had slept together once."Why do you seem so concerned?" His beautiful innocent maid asked.Taking a deep breath, he turned back to face her. She was afraid, he could tell it by the way she was gripping her hands together and looking up to him with eyes that pled for a good answer. Rumplestiltskin sat on the edge of the bed trying to tell about his suspicions to her in the kindest way he could. "Because, Belle, in that day when I brought you to my bed, I spilled my seed inside you and it may have created a root."Her jaw dropped and she looked down to her flat stomach, joining hands above it. "I'm with child?""I do think so.""Oh, my - "Tears started streaming from her eyes as she covered her mouth with one hand, the other still firm on her belly. She was almost sobbing, shoulders trembling and a fixed gaze. A child, she thought, she may be with child, one conceived in that beautiful moment between Rumple and her. The moment they were trying to forget. What now? Would he hate her? Hate the baby?"Belle?" Rumplestiltskin called, a hopeless look on his face.She shook her head and took a deep breath, wiping her tears away. "I'm fine. I'll be fine."His lips tightened, forming a thin line as their eyes met. "You don't want it, right?""Don't want it?" She repeated and shouted: "How could you ever think that?""You are crying!""Yes, because I'm happy and stunned.” Belle explained, a smile appearing as she caressed her belly, amazed. “There is a small baby growing inside me, Rumple. Your child."A part of him thought that she was definitely crazy for being so foolish. Hadn’t she thought about what that meant? Of course, he would want a child, because he missed having one around. Rumplestiltskin had lost one son and he so wished to become a father again, but now he was a monster and he had no idea of what a baby he made could be like."I'm sorry, Belle." He said, regretfully."For what?""For you to be forced to carry a demon's spawn."Belle took his hand and kissed his green-gold fingers. "Didn't you hear what I just said? I'm happy.""Sweetheart - "She didn’t let him speak. Belle didn’t want to hear all the discouraging things he could say, to end her happiness exactly like he had done after taking her virtue, so she put a finger on his lips. "Do you have any way of knowing for sure?" she asked."Yes, with magic.""Then do it."Rumplestiltskin pulled his hand away from hers and placed it on her flat belly, using a spell to reveal the truth. A baby was growing there. Their baby."You're with child, Belle." He whispered, his hand remaining on her stomach as he watched her laugh in a pure state of happiness. “You shall rest.” The imp said, standing up once more, before feeling her hand grab his arm.“What is going to happen now?” Belle asked. “We can’t pretend this isn’t happening too, because it is and in a couple of months we’ll have a baby that will need both his parents.”“I – I don’t know, sweetheart. I need time to think.”Catching her lower lip with her teeth, she nodded, looking so radiant and gorgeous that Rumplestiltskin felt the need to hold her closer and never let go, but he didn’t. Instead, he stared at the maid, waiting for the question he knew very well that would come.“Do – do you want this, Rumple? Not me, but at least the child?”The question hurt him, but knowing that he had cruelly rejected her and she couldn’t expect any less for her baby. Truth be told, he wanted the two of them. He wished to have her in his bed each and every night and he also wished to have the chance to raise a child properly, he was just too angry with how things had played out right now to show it to her.And he needed to consider their relationship, since he had pushed her away and broken her heart so badly that she might want nothing to do with him, but have a friendly co-parenting relationship.“Yes, I do, Belle. I would never abandon a child of mine.”“It’s good to know it.”“Rest, dearie, I’ll come back to check you later.”Waving a hand, he disappeared in a purple cloud of smoke, leaving Belle to her own wonders. She was still ecstatic with the news, she was going to be a mother, someone was growing inside her. Leaning on the pillows, she caressed her belly very gently, thinking about the tiny little person Rumple and her had created. It was surreal. But at the same time she was happy, Belle was also very scared. She wondered what could be passing through Rumplestiltskin's mind, because afterall, he wanted to pretend that they never slept together and now she was carrying his child, something that couldn't be ignored.Well, he at least had assured her that he wasn’t going to let their baby down and if he could be a father to it, then it was already a step in the right direction. Closing her eyes, Belle tried to do as he said and rest, but the sad look in his eyes kept playing out in her mind. She didn’t know how to read all of his expressions and pondered if he was lying and in fact didn’t want a child or just felt regret for impregnating her. Whatever it was, she expected he could get over it as soon as possible. He broke the whole potion laboratory. After his rage settled down, Rumplestiltskin sat on the only chair that was still whole and finally tried to calm himself, as difficult as it was. Belle was with child and he had no idea how be so stupid to let that happen, he should’ve cast a spell or given her a potion before sinking into her, but that day he was so lost in his own desire that he hadn’t even thought about that possibility and now, it had happened.It really was a mistake. He regretted taking his maid’s virtue and putting her in this situation, but he couldn’t find himself regretting the child. No, any baby born from Belle and him would only be a blessing. However, there were still an a lot of things he needed to think about right now, like their safety.Rumplestiltskin was probably the most hated creature in the Enchanted Forest. He had done enough bad things to earn many enemies all around the realm and he was completely fine with the fact that those people wanted to kill him, but only the possibility of them reaching Belle and the baby got him worried. They couldn't be hurt and being important to him, made them tempting targets to whoever wanted revenge on him.With a little help from his magic, he fixed all the broken things, took a deep breath before heading back to Belle's chambers in the opposite tower of the castle. Rumplestiltskin made a plate full of food appear in his hands before pushing the door to enter it and finding her still laying on the bed, eyes closed and a peaceful smile on her lips, a hand still resting on her stomach.Approaching her, he placed the plate on her nightstand and sat at the edge of the bed, gently tapping a finger on the top of her nose, making Belle giggle, before opening her eyes. "Hey."Rumplestiltskin gave her a half-smile. "How are you doing?""I'm alright."He grabbed the plate and gave it to her as she moved to sit, her fingers running through her hair to straighten the messy curls."I brought you some food."A little smile came to her lips, but Belle didn’t seem very excited with the fruits and cakes. "Thank you, but actually I'm not hungry.""Oh, no, dearie. You're not going to use that excuse again, I'm not letting you starve yourself and this child to death."Belle laughed and said: "As my master commands.” She caught a piece of cake and bit it, chewing and swallowing before talking again. “But I wasn't trying to do that, it's just this infernal nausea that kills me every time I eat something."Rumplestiltskin raised an eyebrow. "So, is that what was bothering you this whole time? Nausea?""Yeah."He waved a hand and a little bottle with orange liquid appeared in it, he opened the lid and offered it to the maid. "Here drink this, it will make you feel better."Hesitantly, she took the bottle from his hands and smelled the contents, making a disgusted face and taking a brief moment before putting it between her lips and drinking all of that. For an instant after she drank, Belle seemed about to throw up, but then she breathed and smiled, saying: "Thank you."Casting it aside, she finished her cake, under Rumplestiltskin’s attentive look."I think we need to discuss our situation." The imp finally managed to say.Belle nodded. "We do."It wasn’t easy for him to open up, even for her, but Rumplestiltskin knew that if they were really going to do this, then he should be honest with Belle. He owed that to her, after everything, so nervously drumming his fingers together, he started with a deep sigh: "A long time ago, almost in another life, I had a son.""You did?” She raised her eyebrows, surprised. “And what happened?""I lost him, just like his mother, my wife Milah."Her mouth dropped open with the revelation. Belle put the plate back on the nightstand and approached him, caressing his arm. "I - I'm so sorry."The maid’s infinite kindness always amazed him, her heart was so good that he doubted it had the littlest black mark on it. She was pure, gentle and capable of such empathy that he felt even worse for having her there in all those bad circumstances, although he was sure of one thing that really elated him: she was going to be a wonderful mother, one of the kind that his ex-wife never was for his firstborn."He's not dead,” Rumplestiltskin felt compelled to say. “Just lost. And I hope someday I can find him. His name was Baelfire and he was the thing I loved the most until I made a mistake that separated us.""Which mistake?""I chose power over him.” He confessed, afraid of what she was going to think about him from now on, knowing that this revelation may scare her about her own baby’s safety, so he assured: “And I don't want to make that mistake again. I'm going to provide for you and for this child and keep you both safe. We can manage to do this without you and I getting involved - ""Is that what you want?” She interrupted him. “Not to get involved with me?""Belle, let's not start this again."An angry expression crossed her beautiful face. Great, that was everything he didn’t need and Rumplestiltskin knew very well that when his little maid got mad at something she didn’t stop talking until she decided she had enough."Why?” Belle asked in rage, angry tears forming in her eyes. “You seemed pretty interested in me when you had me moaning your name like a prayer, and now you barely look at me! Was that the only thing you wanted? One freaking time to satisfy yourself?"She was crying and he wanted to kick himself for being such a beast with her during the last few months. How could he ever hurt something so precious like Belle? And to make things worse, he had done this while she was carrying his own child. He was really a monster."No!" Rumplestiltskin hurriedly said."Then why do you keep pushing me away? I love you, Rumplestiltskin, don't you see?""How can you love me? I'm a monster, I just told you that I chose my power over my own son!"Her empathic face came back as she cupped his cheek, her thumb rubbing his scaled skin. "And you recognise that it was a mistake. You want him back! There is a good man behind the beast, I know that.""Belle, sweetheart - ""I love you."Leaning into him, Belle pressed their lips together, kneeling on the mattress so their faces could be at the same level. He had forgotten how good it was to feel the delicate brush of her lips on his and her hands running through his hair and neck while his gripped her waist to pull her closer. She opened her mouth for him, letting Rumplestiltskin slip his tongue inside, massaging hers feverously.Belle groaned, lowering her hands to his chest and then to his trousers, her fingers tracing his length and making a shiver of pleasure pass through his body. He immediately pulled away."Stop it."Eyes narrowing, she looked up to him like he was the worse villain alive. "You're really frustrating me! Was I so bad at doing this?""Gods, no, Belle! This just feels wrong right now. You're with child."The maid rolled her eyes. "And I'll be for a long time more. Rumple - ""Let's start it slowly, alright?"“How slow?”Taking a lock of her hair between his fingers and placing it behind her ear, he smiled for her. It was taking everything he had not to fulfil her wishes and take her once more, he surely felt the undeniable reaction of his body to her touch, begging to have release, but if she insisted that she wanted to be with him, then Rumplestitskin was not going to rush things like he did before. Belle deserved to be treated like a lady. She was the woman he not so secretly loved and soon was going to be the mother of his child, so he would do it right.“What about we just start with kissing?”“Just kissing?” She questioned.“Aye. Why? Do you want something more?”“I want you to make me feel like you did on that day. I want all of you, Rumple.”He caught her hand in his and brought it near his face to place a kiss on the palm. “I promise you’ll have it, just not now, alright?”Their lips met again in a messy kiss, but he pulled away too soon. “Then when?” Belle begged to know.Rumplestiltskin gave her a smirk before kissing her one last time and standing up. “Patience, dearie. It will be worth it. Now eat all your food, I have some work to do. My trip to Camelot just got cancelled.”“You’re not going anymore?”“No, and I have some new important research to do, so if you excuse me, I think I’m going to use your library.”Belle slipped off of the bed, looking for her shoes. “Well, in this case, I think I’m going with you.”“No, you’re not. You’re resting right now, I don’t want you to faint again.”He went out of her chambers and the door closed behind him, protected with a spell that only allowed Belle to get out of there the next morning.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Even having cancelled his long trip to Camelot, Rumplestiltskin had to go out to make deals sooner or later. He cast protection spells all around the Dark Castle and made sure that Belle had everything she could need right in her reach, meals appearing for her in the dining table and the dust got cleaned with magic, saying she was completely forbidden of doing any kind of work there.Their relationship was going slowly, but they were managing to work things out. Along the next month, they shared long conversations and spent some time making out. He left twice for fast deals that only took him a day or two, going out for the third time on the day before.Belle was walking around the library, some books in hand, feeling really frustrated. Her body changes and cravings were irritating her more than she could ever tell, her breasts were fuller and aching, forcing her to untighten the laces of her bodice a little more each day. Lemon pie was the only thing she could think about eating. And worse than that, her inner thighs were so sensitive that she was just about to beg Rumplestiltskin to touch her.The only thing she really appreciated about that was the baby bump starting to show, her belly no longer flat, but slightly curved. Since the day she had discovered that she was with child, her dreams were divided between cute babies and fantasies with Rumple. Placing the books on a table, Belle shook her head at herself thinking that she should find a way to free her mind from those thoughts. It would just help if she wasn't so eager for his touch.She bit her lip, passing her fingers through the cover of a book and placing a hand on her stomach. Yesterday she had read that being with child sometimes caused these strong desires. "Look at what you're doing to me." Belle told the baby. "I shouldn't be thinking about those things!"In an attempt to distract herself, she found a book about childbirth to read, even though she didn’t like the subject, she felt like she needed to gather all the information she could, because afterall it would be something inevitable for her. Sooner or later, the baby would have to come out.The maid spent the whole day in the library, just going downstairs for dinner and then coming right back. By that time, her whole body was aching in some way. Belle undid more the laces of her bodice, a little breathless with the nuisance it was causing, that was when she decided she had enough of that day and went to her chambers, changing the blue dress for her nightgown. She thought that the sooner she went to bed and slept, the sooner the next day would come and she would see Rumple again.A noise came from the end of the hallway, making Belle jump, startled and scared. No sounds should come from any part of the castle, but where she was, because she was supposed to be alone."There is somebody in here." Belle whispered to herself and the baby, caressing her belly with shaking hands.She went out of her chambers, barefoot and took one of the torches from its place, using it as a weapon and followed the next sound of something hitting the floor. It was coming from Rumplestiltskin's chambers.Her heart raced and she opened the door putting the torch in front of herself, only to let it fall when she saw Rumplestiltskin. Belle screamed, fire starting to burn the carpet before his magic extinguish it."Are you mad? What were you trying to do?" He asked, looking at her in disbelief."I - I thought that someone was in here.""Yeah, me, obviously!"Her lip trembled. "I - I'm sorry.""Oh, no, don't start crying, sweetheart. It's alright, you were alone and scared, I understand."The hormones had gotten her crying at the most unexpected moments and she knew that the last thing he wanted was to make her all teary and sad. Rumplestiltskin cupped her face with both hands and brushed their lips together."How are you feeling today?" He asked."In pain."A scared expression crossed his face and his hands palmed her belly. "There is something wrong with the baby?""No, it's my body. Everything aches."Belle pulled away, feeling herself shiver at the mention of her discomfort. She slipped into his bed under his watch."What are you doing?""I want to talk, but as I said, I'm aching and tired, so stop complaining and join me."Rolling his eyes, Rumplestiltskin took a moment to take off his boots and then laid by her side, wrapping his arm around her waist and letting her cuddle against him."I can work on a potion for your pain tomorrow." He offered.“I would be really thankful if you do so.” She bumped their noses together, giggling a little, before continuing: “Did you make that deal?”“Of course.”Belle trailed a hand over his neck and cheek, the familiar texture of his skin warming the tips of her fingers, their eyes at the same level, as they crawled together into the bed in peace. Stroking his face with her thumb, until it was placed on his lower lip, she asked: “And do you have a story to tell me?”“Aye, do you want to hear it now or later?”“Later.” Closing the gap between them, Belle kissed him softly. "I'm really tired and uncomfortable, I just want this day to be over."She rested her head on his shoulder, his hand running over her arm in a kind of tender touch that no person would ever guess the Dark One could do. Belle had found a side of him that nobody had ever seen before and every time he let one of his wall fall down, she loved him even more."Wore your bodice too tight, didn’t you?" Rumplestiltskin asked."No, of course, not. But I'm sure that in time I won't manage to fit in that dress anymore."If she was uncomfortable now that she had barely started showing, Belle imagined what was expected of her in the next few months. She hadn’t seen many pregnant women in her life, because in her lands, confinement was an obligatory thing and just now she understood why. Being with child was wonderful, but in the bad days, it was really a hard challenge."So I will buy you new gowns.” Rumple promised. “What more? Did you have any cravings?"Belle shrugged. "I probably ate all the lemon pie your magic could make appear.""Well that's a good thing. At least now you're eating.""Yeah, your potion for nausea really worked."Although she wanted to remain there during the whole night, Belle was just waiting for the moment that he would tell her to leave. For some reason Rumplestiltskin never allowed her to stay in his room for long, she barely entered there since the day their baby was conceived and she felt lucky that he hadn’t told her to go to back to her chambers yet. Even if her body had a million ideas of what it wanted to do there, the only thing the maid really wanted was to cuddle with him for a little while."And lemon pie is the only thing you are craving for now? Or is there anything else that you want? I can make all type of food appear for you.”A smile grew on her lips as she traced the lines of his black leather waistcoat. His concern was something she appreciated very, very much. "I'm sticking with lemon pie, thank you. But if you really want to help me I suggest you work on a second potion tomorrow.""For what?"Her cheeks flushed. Belle wished to keep her insane need for herself, but she also wanted to stop it from growing impossibly irresistible, so she explained without meeting his eyes: "I'm kind of having this increasing desire inside me and it is not going away.""Oh.""Yeah, oh." Belle repeated. "It is really bothering me, so if you can make a potion to end it, then it would really help, otherwise I think I'll go crazy."Rumplestiltskin cleared his throat a little and lowered his gaze, catching her chin in hand to made her look at him. Belle was so red with embarrassment that her face almost matched the bed covers."You know you can smooth this ache by yourself, don't you?""What are you suggesting?" She asked, raising an eyebrow."Your fingers can work the same way as mine."Her jaw dropped and she stared at him like he was completely crazy. Not that she hadn’t thought about doing it before, because she did, but always reconsidered that option, because she concluded that she would feel really weird doing this. It seemed pointless. Her body needed a certain touch, but she only wanted one if it was accompanied by love."Rumple!” She shouted out, sitting on the bed, eyes widened. “Gods, if you don't want to touch me, it's alright, I wasn't even asking, but I'm definitely not going to do that!""I would have no problem in doing this for you, but we agreed to take it easy and there is nothing wrong with ending your suffering on your own."Rolling her eyes, the maid stood up. "I'm not that desperate. Actually, I think I'm going to sleep."“Belle -” He called, sitting up on the bed.“Goodnight, Rumplestiltskin.” Two days after that, they were in the dining hall in the middle of the afternoon, Rumplestiltskin sitting by his spinning wheel and Belle on the chaise, a pile of books by her side. She was definitely feeling better, his potions had worked pretty well, though they hadn’t vanished the symptoms of her pregnancy completely like she wished they did, but now her discomfort was somewhat acceptable.The maid closed the book she had on her lap, looking up at her lover as he spun straw into gold.“Can you tell me a story?” She asked, sweetly.Rumplestiltskin raised an eyebrow at her, his hands still working on the wheel. “Aren’t your books entertaining enough?”“They are, but I wanted to hear about something real.”It was a beautiful day, the sun was shining with almost no clouds to cover it up, the breeze fresh and wonderful, making Belle want to venture herself outside the castle, but she wasn’t even allowed to go wash clothes on the river anymore, so she wanted a story to fill her soul.“And what exactly do you want to hear about then, dearie?” The imp questioned, leaving his golden strips aside and turning to face her.“First, can you please stop calling me dearie?”“Why?”Belle shrugged her shoulders. She loved the fact that dearie was his word, because it sounded amazing in his deep accent, but she hated to be called that. “When you do that I feel like I’m nothing to you. You call everybody dearie, especially when people are annoying you.”“Well, that’s true.” He took a moment to think before speaking again. “Are you fine with me calling you sweetheart at least?”She smiled, nodding. “Yeah, I like that one. It makes me feel special.”“It does. I don’t ever call anyone else that.”In fact, she never ever heard him calling anybody that. When somebody appeared in the Dark Castle desperate for a deal, he always called the guest dearie, even when the person was someone he knew for a long time and was somewhat close to. That made her feel good. There was no other person like her in the Dark One’s life, she was now his lady and the mother of his child.“What about my story?” Belle recalled, still smiling.“You haven’t told me what you want to hear yet.”The maid bit her lip, unsure if she should cross the line she was about to, but her curiosity won her internal battle as always. “Baelfire.”“My son?” Rumplestiltskin asked, stupefied.“Yes.”“Why?”“Because he was important to you and I hope that someday when you find him, I can get to know your boy.”He seemed lost, a little haunted, his eyes fixed on her, however appearing to be seeing something that wasn’t there. Maybe he was having a flashback from old memories or maybe he was just sad and hurt to even talk about his long lost son.“A long time ago,” Rumplestiltskin started hesitantly “when I was only a common man, there was a war happening just like the one your lands were facing and I was recruited to fight in it, but a seer told me that my wife was with child and my actions in battle would leave my boy fatherless, so I injured myself to be sent home.”Belle pressed a hand to her heart in shock. “You hurt yourself?”“Yes. I was abandoned by my father when I was a child and didn’t want my son to grow up without his father like I did.”“Oh, Rumple -” her eyes were filled with tears and one of her hands came to rest on her little baby bump, suddenly very conscious of all the responsibilities of being a mother.“When I came back and held him in my arms, I knew that I had done the right thing. But things got difficult, I became a cripple, a coward, my wife hated me. Baelfire was the only thing I had.”“If he mattered so much to you, how did you ended up choosing your power over him?”His gaze met hers, his fingers drumming the wood of his stool. She noticed that he had a thing with his hands, he couldn’t stop moving them, mainly when he was nervous about something.“Dark magic is addicting, Belle, it becomes a crutch you can’t walk without. I got these powers to save him from the war, but when magic started to corrupt me and Bae found a way to free me, I stepped back. He fell through a portal that would lead him to a land without magic.”“This land is far away from here?”“Aye.” He admitted sadly. “I’ve spent a long time trying to find a way to reach him, but I haven’t found it yet.”Standing up, Belle walked towards him and sat by his side, caressing his thigh and stroking his hair, while giving him the most hopeful look she had ever wore in her life. “You will.” She assured.“I fear that when I do, he’s not going to forgive me.” He said with a sigh.“Rumple, you made a mistake, but you love him and you’re trying to get him back. When you find Baelfire, it may take some time, but I’m sure he will forgive you.”Cupping her cheek, he kissed her forehead, gratefully. “Thank you, darling Belle, for your kindness.”Hiding her face on his neck, Belle clutched him, inhaling his scent, happy to be able to find out more about him each day. She grabbed his hand in hers, leading it to her stomach and felt his thumb making circles in her skin, through the fabric of her dress.“How do you think Bae will react when he finds out he has a little brother or sister?”“I think he’ll be fine with that. Baelfire always wanted a sibling, but this was something he was never going to get from his mother and I.”Pulling away, the maid asked: “What happened to her? Milah?”His face darkened. “She is dead.”“I’m sorry.”“Don’t be. Not for her.”Whatever had happened between Rumple and his ex-wife Milah, she knew it wasn’t good, afterall he had told her that the woman hated him. Belle concluded that these should had been difficult times for him and she wished to be to Rumple, everything Milah never could. She would do her best, even if she never became his wife like the other woman once was, she was going to be a good lady and a great mother.Thinking about that, Belle remembered the things her maids used to teach her in her father’s castle and had an idea. “Rumple, when you’re out for your next deal, can you bring me some white soft fabric? And maybe some thread?”“Sure, what for?”“I want to try sew up something for the baby. I was never too good at that, but I feel like I should.”He gave her a bright smile. “Whatever you want.”“Thank you.” She said with an equally radiant smile, then her eyes set on the kitchen and her mouth watered. “Do you know what would be really great right now? Blackberries.”Rumplestiltskin rolled his eyes. “You’re really having an issue with all those fruits. Lemon, oranges, pineapples and now blackberries.”“I love fruits.”“So it seems.” He waved a hand a basked full of blackberries appeared in his lap with one tiny bottle of yellow coloured liquid. “Here. And before you have the chance to forget, take your potion.”Belle’s eyebrows narrowed as she caught the bottle, looking for its missing partner. “Where is the other one?”“You are not going to take it today.”“Rumple I need it.”He shook his head and smirked. “No, you don’t. You’re not going to take the other now because tomorrow night you’ll come to my chambers and I’ll have a little surprise for you.”“Really?”“Yeah, really, Belle. Unless you don’t want it.”“No! I’ve been wanting this for months.” The maid threw her arms around his neck and kissed her lover, her heart pounding furiously with happiness. She couldn’t believe that he was finally giving in. When they pulled apart, her eyes were bright. “So, tomorrow night?”“Aye. But this time we will not rush it because of our urges. I want you to enjoy it.”All sort of fantasies came to her mind, making one whole day seem like an eternity for Belle, but one that she would wait for with eagerness.“Oh, believe me, I will.”
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Belle was walking around her chambers for about twenty minutes. She wasn't supposed to be nervous, since it was not the first time she did this, but in fact she was. A lot of questions crowded her mind, making the maid feel insecure about herself and concluding that doing it in the heat of the moment was definitely easier than setting some kind of date do to so.Her desire for Rumple was burning her up, each glance they shared increasing it and making her heart beat faster. The rational part of her had made her go to the library earlier to do some research that could assure her that lovemaking wasn't going to hurt the baby and once she was totally sure that it wasn't, she felt a little less anxious. Probably the only thing that had her unsure of that night was the possibility of it not being something healthy to do when with child, but Belle suspected that if pregnancy caused these strong desires in a woman, then it shouldn't be a bad thing.But, in that moment, she was wishing for was an uncovered mirror, to take a look at herself and make sure that she looked good for him, but Belle knew better than to anger her master that way. No, no more her master, but her lover. The replacement of words made a shiver travel down her spine. She breathed in, lining up her nightgown for the third time. It was her most beautiful one, the one he saw her in the night before they coupled for the first time, white, with some lace in the shoulders and so thin that it had become see-through against the light of the torches.Today, however, there were some new things her body had to show him, that she expected would have if not the same effect it did before, then a greater one. Her breasts were fuller, her curves were a little more accentuated and her bump was starting to grow. Belle smiled and finally gathered the courage she needed to get out of her chambers, crossing the hallway to knock on his door.It didn't take even a minute for him to open it. Rumplestiltskin was all dressed in black, except for the dark-red shirt he wore behind his waistcoat and he smiled genuinely when he saw her. Belle thought he never looked more breath-taking."You came." He said, seeming surprised under his happy expression."Of course, I did.""Well, then you may come in."Rumplestiltskin fully opened the door and gave her space to pass through, before he closed it again. She stood in the middle of his chambers without knowing what do or how to start, but when she felt his hands sliding on her arms her fears vanished away."Can I offer you a drink? Not wine, obviously, but maybe some juice or water?""No, thank you. I'm fine."She turned to face him and both had become very serious and aware of what they were about to do. It had been months since the last time, what got the two of them urging for one another, but right now they felt like they didn't need to rush it."You told me you had a surprise for me." Belle started and he nodded.Rumplestiltskin grabbed a golden box he had on the small table in front of the fireplace and opened it, taking two little objects from there. When he opened his palm between them, showing her what was inside, Belle's heart stopped for a moment. There were two rings."I thought I should make a vow to you today, as I was the man who took your virtue and put a child inside you." He got the smallest ring, a beautiful piece of gold with the word forever notched in it and slip it on her finger. "I will never be good enough to be called your husband, darling Belle, but I hope that I can be a better man for you, because you see me beyond this beast. From now on I don't want you to even think about yourself as a maid, you are the lady of this castle, the woman in my heart and I will always do everything to protect you."Tears shined in her eyes as she grabbed the moonstone ring and placed it on his finger. "Rumplestiltskin, I never imagined my life to play out this way, but I'm very happy to be here. I'll spend the rest of my days choosing you, fighting for you and for the good man you try so hard to hide inside those many walls. You became my husband in my heart when we conceived our child and tonight I once more promise to be your Dark Lady forever."He pulled her closer and sealed their vows with a brief sweet kiss. "My Dark Lady, I like that, very much." Rumplestiltskin’s gaze met hers and he confessed: "I love you, Belle.""I love you too, more than I can ever say."She reached to kiss him again and this time, it was a long, messy, needy kiss. Their lips met, moving together until their tongues found their way inside the other's mouth massaging and caressing. Rumple was the first to pull back, his eyes darkened with lust."Lay on the bed, sweetheart." He commanded.Belle obeyed, climbing on his bed and laying on her back, waiting as he took off his boots and socks, leaving them aside before joining her. Rumplestiltskin pulled her knees apart, setting himself between them, giving her a look full of love as he kissed her lips before attacking her neck, one hand coming up to stroke her left breast through the fabric of her nightgown, causing the nipple to harden. She moaned, too sensitive whenever he touched her.Biting her neck, he lifted her nightgown, his hand traveling over her body, pulling it up to find that she was completely bare under that, wearing no underwear. His breath got caught in his throat at this realisation, and he managed to get the nightgown off her as faster as he could, leaving the her naked. Cold air hit Belle's body, making her shiver."You're so beautiful. Simply gorgeous." Rumplestiltskin whispered.He leaned back to her, kissing down every inch of skin, teasing her, making a freezing sensation settle on her belly, a strong need taking her whole body. His touches on her breasts, pinching and sucking the nipples caused her lips to part, little noises leaving her mouth, his erection pressed against her slightly curved belly, through his trousers. When his head lowered more and he place a kiss to her inner thigh, Belle held onto a breath, uncertain of what he was going to do before he licked her clit and a wave of pleasure passed through her."Rumple -”The movement repeated and she closed her eyes, sinking into the sensation, an orgasm starting to build inside her. Belle gripped his hair tightly, bringing his face closer to her core. The tip of his tongue made circles against her soaked sensible flesh, increasing the pleasure, a loud moan leaving her, each lick leading her to her release."Please, Rumple." Belle begged. "I'm so close."And she really was, her body was shaking with the burning feeling that made her breath heavier, the effects of his tongue against her clit undeniable. He gripped her thighs, his teeth scratching her skin and it was all she needed to come. He licked all of her juices, catching every drop of it hearing Belle call out his name as she reached her climax. Her head fell against the pillows and she tried to stabilize her breath."Was it pleasing, my love?" Rumplestiltskin asked."Very much." She replied in a tired voice. "I want more.""You're insatiable."Belle sat on the bed with some effort, and kissed him, feeling a new taste in his mouth, her own. It was arousing and she started to open his waistcoat needing to feel his skin pressing hers, sliding it off his shoulder when she fully opened it.“I really love this shade of red in you.” She said. “But I can appreciate you in this shirt again another time, now I want you out of it.”Rumple lifted it up over his head, throwing the shirt on the floor before bent for a kiss, the tip of her fingers touching his chest, gripping him, the two of them a mess on the top of the bed, his hands pressing her waist and a groan escaping his mouth when her hand came to his trousers, brushing his length. She worked in an attempt to take the leather out of him, but failed. He laughed, pulling apart from her and standing on his feet to make it easier for her to slide off the rest of his clothes.Leaning on a hand, she reached his member and started stroking it, Rumple’s lips opening to let out gasps of pleasure.“You don’t have do to this.” He said, under a ragged breath.“I want to.”Her fingers closed around his length, moving back and forth as she watched his reactions to her touch. Belle felt good to know that she was able to make him look so blissful only with her hands and she wanted to test how much more she could do for him, so she pressed kisses to his tip and a suffocated sound left his throat.“Belle, you don’t -” he tried to start, but was topped by the feeling of her tongue, circling the head of his member. “Fuck.”Repeating the movement, Belle tasted a little drop that formed on the tip, her hands still working on him, until his own came to grab her wrist and pull her away. Her gaze lifted up to meet his.“That’s enough, sweetheart, if you continue I won’t be able to come inside you, like I intend to.”He enlaced her in his arms, joining Belle in the bed once more before rolling to his back and bringing her to sit on the top of him.“I think this position will be more enjoyable for you and this way I won’t be pressing your belly, so there will be no risk to hurt our baby.”Biting her lip, she took a moment to think before speaking: “I – I’m not sure if I know the right way to do this in that position.”Rumple smirked, trying not to laugh. “I’ll teach you.” He got himself in hand and commanded: “Lift your hips.”It was funny how clumsy it was to get him inside her. Belle got herself up on her knees and he groped her to find her entrance, setting himself there before asking her to lower her body gently to let him slip inside. In the first try she did it too fast and almost fell against his chest, but in the second one, she managed to do it in the right way and gasped, when she felt him fill her completely.Caressing her legs, Rumple instructed her: “The only thing you need to do now is rock yourself against me just lifting and lowering your body to find your release.”“As my master wishes.” Belle said with a smile.“The master and maid game is one you don’t want to play right now.”“What if I do?”His eyes widened, getting even darker than before, but he swallowed and forced himself to say: “Not as long as you’re with child.”Shaking her head, she started to move, a wave of pleasure burning her whenever their bodies created a new friction. Rumple’s hands came to grip her hips as he thrusted against her attentively watching the young woman above him, groaning in ecstasy. Belle didn’t know if he in fact was right and this position was more pleasing for her, or if it were only her pregnancy hormones increasing her sensations, but she knew that in no time she was already feeling something build inside her, his member seeming to reach places it hadn’t the first time, as if he was deeper and making contact with just the right place with each thrust, making her cries impossible to stop.“Yes.” Rumple groaned. “Fuck, Belle. Come for me.”Moving her hips faster, Belle closed her eyes, her head falling back with the consciousness of him pushing harder inside and his fingers rubbing her breasts, she thrusted one last time, coming with a cry. Boneless she fell against him, only to be turned on her back by him, who carefully kept his weight from smashing her, his movements continuing to find his own release, pushing quickly as his muscles tensed and her name left his lips, his seed filling her.Rumplestiltskin rolled to the side, raggedly breathing and they stayed in a peaceful silence for a moment, taking their time to calm their breaths.“It was amazing.” Belle said, turning to face him, her hand caressing his chest softly.“Yeah, it definitely was.”She sighed, laying her head on his shoulder, with a smile. “Sometimes I think I’m dreaming about all this and in fact I’m just asleep in my father’s castle. This is all too good to be true.”“No, sweetheart, this is far away from something you should consider a dream. You’re in bed with an old monster, who defiled you and originally brought you here to be his maid.”Belle laughed. “And don’t forget the part that I’m expecting his child.”He joined her laugh, curling his arm around her waist, his hand resting on the little bump in her belly. She smiled, her hand coming to meet his, enlacing their fingers above the place where their child was resting.“Belle, do you ever considered that this baby may look like me? Like a monster?”“You are no monster, Rumple.” She said in her kindest voice. “I love each one of your scales, I love the colour of your skin, the texture of it. You’re handsome and I love every single thing about you, which means that I will love everything about our child.”“So, it wouldn’t bother you if you give birth to a baby with my appearance?”Kissing his cheek, Belle shook her head. “Of course not. This baby will be special and very much loved.”“Well, I’m happy to hear that, sweetheart, but I still hope that he looks exactly like you.”“He or she.” Belle concluded with a smirk. Some weeks after that, Rumplestiltskin left for a deal, promising to come back in two days with everything she asked him to bring. She was amazed with her growing belly, excited with the fact that it meant that her baby was getting stronger each passing day. The bodice of her dress was almost completely undone in the lower part of her abdomen.Rumple had said that he was going to choose new gowns for her on his trip that she could actually fit in. While she was alone, Belle spent her time in the library, reading and researching pregnancy and things like how to properly take care of a child, but she got tired of it after some time and started to walk around the castle. They had agreed that his chambers should be their chambers after their night together, so she had moved in permanently and felt better that now that she was alone she could lay on their bed at night and smell his essence on the sheets.Therefore, when she was crossing the hallway to get into the chambers, Belle’s glance stopped on the door next to it. One of the empty rooms. Biting her lip, she entered it, taking a look at the place, from the light-coloured walls to the huge window with a great view to the side gardens of the Dark Castle. It would be perfect to set the nursery there and she could already imagine everything in its place, including a sweet little baby in its crib.It was time to start to think about those things and Belle was intending to make a blanket with the wool Rumple was going to buy, she even considered trying to sew a piece of clothing with the fabric she asked him for. Filling this room with furniture would be the next step. Hopefully, her lover would like the idea of setting the nursery there as much as she did, because afterall it was the nearest room to their chambers, what made it accessible in the middle of the night, when the baby woke them. They could start discussing this when he come back from his trip.She approached the window, looking at the beautiful forest ahead, caressing her stomach when a jolt of pain hit her. Belle gasped, gripping the base of it and feeling something drip through her legs, in panic she lifted her skirts a little to see a thin line of blood slipping down and started crying. Something was wrong with her baby. Another pain came and she collapsed on the floor.“Rumplestiltskin.” She summoned, like he once taught her to do if she desperately needed him for some reason. “Rumplestiltskin. Rumplestiltskin.”The blood kept dripping from her and Belle cried in fear of what could happen to her precious baby. “Please, Rumple, come back. I need your help. Our child needs your help.”
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The sound of her voice reached him with the wind.Rumplestiltskin was standing in the middle of the forest, after sealing a contract with a poor man whose income wasn't enough to keep his huge family from starving anymore. The imp had been in the village earlier, buying some providences to bring to his castle and had the chance to see the man's wife walking around there with the six too skinny children, so desperate for food that this deal almost made him feel generous. He had exchanged a considerable amount of gold for only a simple amulet that might be magical, but could have been traded for much less than he offered.After the man left with his payment, Rumplestiltskin stood there in the woods for a while more, thinking about his travel back home, when he heard his name being whispered to his ear. It wasn't a new thing for him, because when someone needed him with urgency, the person usually summoned him this way, by calling his name three times. But what got his heart racing was the fact that the voice he heard this time was Belle's.Quickly he waved a hand and let his magic take him to the Dark Castle, to wherever room she was. He appeared in one of the many empty chambers and looked around to find his lover on the floor, curled and crying, a hand firmly pressed to her belly."Belle!" He rushed to kneel by her side. "Sweetheart, what is happening?"Her blue eyes lifted to meet his, an expression of pure fear in her face. "Oh, Rumple, everything hurts and I'm bleeding. I shouldn't be bleeding."That was when he noticed the blood spots on her dress and his breath caught in his throat."I - I think I might be losing our baby." Belle said with a low voice, suffocated by her tears.No, he couldn't lose another child, he couldn't just watch their baby's life fade out from her this way. Rumplestiltskin held her in his arms, lifting her body from the floor and crossed the hallway to their chambers, gently putting her in bed and kissing her temples."Don't worry, I'm going to get a midwife to check on you. We are not going to lose this child."She grabbed his hand, with her cold fingers. "Rumple, I'm afraid.""I know, sweetheart, but just wait here for a moment. I'll be back before you can even notice."Using his magic to get back to the village, he was suddenly standing in front of the house of the most well-known midwife around there, a woman called Mrs. Potts. He knocked on the door and waited until it was opened by her. When her eyes met his, she stepped back.“You’re the -” she started.If Rumplestiltskin wasn’t so nervous, he would have rolled his eyes. “Dark One. Yes, I am.”Mrs. Potts threw her hands in the air as if to put some distance between them. “I – I have nothing to offer you. I’m only a midwife.”“Exactly. And you have your services to offer me, because right now I need them. I have a woman with child back in my home, who is painfully bleeding and needs to be checked. If you come with me to attend her, you can be certain that you’ll be very well payed for that.”Appearing to think about that, the woman tipped a finger against her chin. “How many months long she is?”“Five.”She nodded and waved her head in the direction of the insides of her house. “I’m going to get some of my tools and we can go. I think she might be having a miscarriage.”Those words hit him hard. Rumplestiltskin couldn’t get himself to think about how destroyed his Belle would be if that came to be true. The pregnancy had been unexpected but both of them were very happy about it, they wanted that child more than anything.Feeling his mouth dry, he followed her inside and asked: “Is there some way you can stop this if she in fact is?”Grabbing a bunch of different metal tools and tiny bottles and putting everything inside a bowl, Mrs. Potts shook her head. “I’m afraid not.” She said with sad eyes. “But let’s not think about that right now. Take me to her.”Wondering if there it was any spell he could use to help his love not lose their child, he grabbed the midwife’s arm and transported them to his castle. They materialized in the middle of the main chambers where Belle was laid pale on the bed. He came to sit by her side, holding her hand in his.“I’m back, sweetheart and I’ve brought somebody to take care of you.”Tears were still streaming down her face as she looked up the chubby woman that was making her way towards the bed. The midwife smiled softly to Belle. “Hello, darling. I’m Mrs. Potts and I need you to tell me exactly what happened to you. Did you fall on the floor, bumped against something or anything like that?”Belle shook her head, pressing her fingers around Rumple’s, in need of some comfort. “No. I was just looking out of the window when I felt a horrible pain and then started bleeding.”Mrs. Potts nodded. “Alright, let me check on you.”“Is my child going to be fine?”“I don’t know yet, but I will in a minute.” She bent to grope Belle’s stomach, watching her reactions to see if there was any indication of pain and then lifted her skirts, cleaning the blood from her with a cloth she soaked with water from one of her bottles. Examining the lady for another moment, Mrs. Potts lowered her skirts again. “Well, apparently, you were not having a miscarriage, just a scare. Where you working hard today?”“Not recently,” Belle answered “but in the beginning of my pregnancy I may have done some.”“You must stop.” The woman said firmly. “I highly recommend that you stay in bed for the rest of the week and don’t make any hard efforts until you give birth, or the next time you bleed it you might not be so lucky.”“But my baby is not at risk anymore?”Waving her head slightly, the midwife assured: “No, darling. I think you have a strong child growing in your womb. It already is a survivor.”Both Rumple and Belle sighed in relief, they shared a brief glance with a small smiles on their lips. The former maid, looked back to the midwife, saying: “Thank you, Mrs. Potts.”Grabbing one of her little bottles, Mrs. Potts put it into Belle’s hand. “Take one drop of this every morning to strengthen yourself.” She instructed, glancing at the almost fully opened bodice of her gown. “And you’d better wear a dress that really fits you and doesn’t smoosh the baby.”“Got it.” Belle replied with a weak laugh.Rumplestiltskin stood up, promising his love that he was going to be back with her in no time, indicating to the midwife that they should leave the room. When the door closed behind them, he made some strips of gold appear and passed it to the chubby woman.“Mrs. Potts, here is your payment. Can I go for you if we need your help again? My Belle seemed to like your services and since you treated her so well, then I would like you to assist her in childbirth.”Giving him a mistrustful look, she turned the strips in her hands, before asking: “The child that young lady is carrying is yours, Dark One?”“Would that make any difference for you if it is?”“Not really.” She shrugged. “I actually have a good guess at it, since your lady lost blood enough to have a miscarriage and even so, the baby is still strong inside her, which wouldn’t have happened if this child was anyone else’s offspring than the Dark One’s. But it’s surprising that somebody like you has a heart and a family.”Realising that he had been acting more like a normal man than the liked to, Rumplestiltskin pulled on his impish voice and made a bottle appear: “Yeah, dearie, that’s why you shall take this memory potion. You need to forget about it. If your services are needed again I will come for you, but you don’t have to remember that you met me.”Mrs. Potts took it from him and opened the lid. “As you wish, Rumplestiltskin.” She started drinking it and he hurried to make his magic take her back to her house.He opened the door and went back to the chambers, immediately clicking his fingers together and changing her bloody spotted dress for a comfortable clean nightgown. Belle lifted an eyebrow for him as he approached her, climbing on the bed to pull her close, her head resting on his chest."I bought you new gowns, you can take a look at them later. I already made them appear in the closet." Rumplestiltskin told her."Thank you. I'm sure I will like each one of them."She hid her face in his neck, cuddling against him as she sniffed the essence of his skin. He closed his eyes, feeling guilt. "It was my fault.”The former maid pulled away a little, supporting herself on her elbow. "Your fault?" Belle repeated. "How can this be your fault, Rumple?""I made you work during the first months of your pregnancy."Rolling her eyes, she cupped his cheek, looking inside his reptilian eyes with her bright blue ones. "We didn't even know. You can't blame yourself."Inhaling deeply, he nodded, touching their foreheads together and reaching to stroke her growing belly, relieved that their baby was going to be fine. Rumplestiltskin couldn't take losing another child. He couldn't take seeing the loss in his darling Belle's face either. "Oh, don't you dare ever go scaring me like that again." The imp whispered."I was so terrified." Belle told him. "I really thought we were going to lose our baby.""Yeah, me too." That brought his thoughts back to the moment where he found her curled in pain on the floor and Rumplestiltskin felt the need to ask: "What were you doing inside that empty room?""I was taking a look at it, thinking that it would be perfect to set up the nursery there.” Belle’s face lit up beautifully. “Do you agree?"The question was how could he not agree when she looked so excited about this. And the empty chambers right next to theirs was really the first place he would considerer to setting up the nursery."Aye. It would be great."“I’m glad to hear that.” Belle said, radiant. “Do you mind if I rest a little? This whole thing really tired my out.”“Of course, rest, sweetheart. I’ll be here when you wake up.”She closed her eyes and in no time, she was sleeping. By the end of the week, Belle hadn’t yet left the bed for more than a few minutes at a time. Rumplestiltskin made sure that she didn’t make any effort to work, which included not walking to anywhere else other than around their chambers. He brought everything she could possibly need to her reach, filling the nightstand with books and making her meals appear in a tray on her lap.It really was boring and Belle was almost begging to just go to her library to explore the shelves, but of course, it was out of consideration right now. She tried to cheer herself with the idea that it all was for the sake of her child, and at that point it was the only thing keeping her from ignoring Rumplestiltskin’s command to remain on the bed.“How are you feeling?” He asked, appearing by the door of the room.“Tired of resting?” She tried.Rumple held his hand up for her to take as he approached her. “Just one day, my love, then you can start to slowly retake your routine.”Belle was about to make a sarcastic comment about slowly not being exactly what she was planning to do, when his hand came to palm her belly and she felt something pressing into it from inside her. She gasped, her eyes blurring with tears as her glance met Rumplestiltskin’s, who looked as amazed as her.“It’s kicking.” Belle whispered, marvelled. “I never felt it before. Rumple, he is kicking for you.”He nodded, moving his hand a little to feel their baby moving again. “This is incredible.”Closing her eyes, she breathed in, laughing in joy. Just some days ago, she had thought she was going to lose her child and now it was strongly kicking from inside her, alive and healthy. Things were going to be fine at last, she had nothing to worry about. Belle leaned to kiss Rumple and hold him close against her, the bump pressing against his chest and the palpitation of the small kicks making him laugh in her mouth.“Do you know something? I think that if it is already evening them you can take a little walk down the hallway with me.”“Really?”“Yes, well, the baby is apparently alright, so why not?”She could barely believe that he was going to allow her to take a walk outside of this chamber, so she accepted his help to stand up on her feet and straightened her burgundy dress, one of the new pieces he had brought from his last trip and fitted her perfectly, not pressing her belly or making her uncomfortable. He offered his arm for her and Belle let him lead her through the hallway, just to stopped in the door next to theirs, the one of the room she had chosen as a nursery.Rumplestiltskin opened it up and Belle’s jaw dropped. It was completely furnished.“Gods! You did all this?”“Do you like it?”Unleashing her arm from his, she entered the room. Everything detail of it was perfect. The wooden furniture was all ornate with gold, a beautiful blue carpet covering the floor and the smallest white clothes she had ever seen in her life were set above an armchair. Her fingers trailed the soft fabric of one of them as she brought it close to her face, imagining her child in it.“Thank you, Rumple.” She said, turning to face him. “I can’t find words to tell you how perfect this is.”“I spent the whole week working on it. I’m happy you that you like.”“Like? I love it.” Belle dropped the clothing back to its place and threw her arms around his neck. “Thank you so much.”"I wanted you to feel better and I thought this might give you some hope.""It does."Their lips met and for a while they just enjoyed the feel of one another, mouths pressed together, working in a lazy way, breaths coming heavier and the baby kicking between them, seeming unable to stop now that he or she had discovered how to do that. The kiss had just started becoming deeper, when Rumple suddenly pulled away, startled."Someone entered the castle." He said before disappearing in a purple cloud of smoke in front of her eyes.Belle stood frozen in the middle of the nursery, without knowing what to do. During the time she was just his maid, she used to sneak into the dining hall to see the visitors that came to deal with her master, but ever since her pregnancy started to show, Rumple had said that she should stay hidden, so nobody would know that she carried his child. She knew that he feared that people could harm her and the baby because of him, and had no doubt that there were some people in this world that were cruel enough to do so without thinking twice, but her curiosity made her go down the stairs to peek a look at their newest guest.Tiptoeing, she entered the dining hall, seeing that it was empty. Belle was about to come back to her chambers, in an attempt to not be caught spying on him, when she heard Rumplestiltskin's voice coming from the front door."I'm sorry, dearie. This is not a deal I'm willing to make.""Rumple," a woman's voice reached her. "Please let me stay here one night, I never asked you this kind of favour but they are hunting me." She sounded desperate and breathless."Your problem, not mine. You have magic, use it."Approaching the hallway as much as she could, without revealing herself, Belle tried to get a view of them, but stopped as the woman spoke again."My son has a fever and it would take me too long to reach another land where I could get some potions for him. He may not survive the trip, so please don't do this for me, but for him.""Again, I am sorry, but you are not spending the night in my castle. I know you are always up to something, after all I helped to make you evil."Belle's heart was pounding furiously against her chest and she laid a hand to her belly, the baby kicking in response. She had heard her lover's words very well and knew that the woman he was talking to was bad, but she was also a mother who needed to help her son. It was impossible for Belle to not feel compassion for her situation, knowing how much her own child meant to her.Taking a deep breath and telling herself to do the brave thing, she came out of her hiding spot to face them, saying: "Let her stay."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Standing by the front door of the Dark Castle were four people, Rumplestiltskin, his lady Belle, a dark-haired woman, dressed in a purple gown, and a tiny boy around four-years-old that was asleep in her arms. Her jaw dropped when Belle showed up.“What the hell do you think you are doing?” Rumple screamed angrily at his lover, but in his eyes, the fear for her life was clear.“Let her stay.” The former maid repeated. “She only wants to keep her son safe.”“Belle, this woman is the Evil Queen.”A smirk formed on the woman’s lips. “As I’m no longer a queen, I prefer to be called Regina, if you don’t mind, dearie.” She said and then turned to Belle. "But, thank you, it's good to know that there are still people with a heart around here.""Was that supposed to be a pun? Because it wasn't funny.” Rumplestiltskin replied in a very impish voice. “And she shouldn't be here, since I, her master, commanded her to stay in her chambers."Regina laughed out loud. "Her master? You're clearly more than that, Rumple. The girl is with child.""No one said that her bastard is mine. She is only a maid, a very inconvenient maid." Rumple said with a roll of his reptilian eyes.That hit her hard, as if he had stabbed her with a sword. She couldn’t believe his words, he was not just calling out the fact that her child was illegitimate, but was also disowning it. Her hands pressed against her stomach, tears starting to stream down her cheeks.Glancing at her, Rumple raised his hands to touch her, but let them fall down to his sides. "Belle, don't - " he started to say, looking a little desperate, before snapping at the other woman: "See what you've done? Get the hell out of my castle, Regina!"Belle shook her head. "No, she stays. She can be in the dungeons with me if you'd like, master, but I can't let her leave to watch her son die." Wiping her tears, the former maid gesticulated for Regina to get inside the castle. "Come with me.""You're disobeying me, you insolate girl.” Rumplestiltskin stormed. “This woman could kill you and your child quicker than you can blink.""But she wouldn't,” She assured, giving a look to Regina, that she considered to be her most intimidating one. “Not when I'm going to save her son's life.""Yeah, she's right. Today I'm not a threat, just a worried mother."Taking a deep breath, the imp grabbed the dark-haired woman’s arm tightly. "Listen to me, if you try to do anything, I will kill you in as painful a way as possible.""Understood." She said, impatiently with a nod.Waving a hand, the former maid spoke: "Come on. I'll lead you to the dungeons and then get the potions your boy needs.""Thank you, Belle."They went down the stairs, were the dungeons were set and she looked for the better one, which had been her room for some time when she arrived the Dark Castle. It wouldn’t be great like proper chambers, but it was the best that she could offer.Opening the door, she let Regina enter it. "You can lay him on that bed,” Belle said. “It's not exactly comfortable but I doubt Rumple would let me take you to one of the guestrooms.""This is fine.""I'm going to get the potions."Her heart was still aching and she wasn’t crying because she didn’t want Regina to see how affected she was. And Belle wanted to help that poor boy with that terrible fever, so she moved through the castle and went to the tower where Rumplestiltskin’s potion laboratory was, to get what she needed.She refused to let her hand leave her belly. The feel of her child moving inside her, the only thing that really kept her from falling apart as she pushed the door open to find the imp pouring a glass of what she believed to be wine. Trying to ignore him, she moved directly to the potions’ table."Belle." He called.She kept searching for what she needed, uncertain of what were the right ones."Don't you dare speak to me.""Sweetheart, please - "Turning around, she gave him a disgusted look, the tears immediately coming to her eyes. "You know, I could have taken all the things you said about me in front of that woman, but you called our baby a bastard. You disowned your own child!""I - I had to.” He defended himself. “This is the Evil Queen, Belle! She needed to believe that I don't care for you and the baby, or who knows what she would do to you!""She's smarter than that. You can't fool someone like her and you know it, so yes, you’ve hurt me for nothing."He breathed in, pitching his temples in a stressed movement. "You should have stayed in the nursery, so we would never have had this argument."Belle held up her hand, too angry to continue in the same room as him. "Give me the potions, Rumplestiltskin."With a sigh, he crossed the laboratory, walking towards the potions’ table to grab the right liquids for her, putting two small bottles in her hand, closing her fingers around it and let her leave, going straight back to the dungeons.The little boy was laid on the bed, with Regina by his side, stroking his dark brown hair. Belle smiled at the scene and held the bottle out to the former Evil Queen. "Here make him drink this. It's for the fever."Regina nodded, grabbing the bottle and opening the lid, shaking the boy’s shoulder. "Henry, wake up."His eyelids trembled before opening and he coughed. "Mom - ""It's alright, we are safe. Drink this." Regina said with a soft smile, lifting the bottle to his lips, until he had drunk every last drop of it. "Good boy, you can go back to sleep now, I'll be watching over you."Henry didn’t even argue, before she could finish her sentence, his eyes had already closed again and he was leaning into the pillow. Belle always had a soft spot for children, but now that she was pregnant, her affection for them had grown bigger, making a huge smile impossible not to appear on her lips."Your son is really cute." She said."Thank you.” Regina replied with an equally big smile. “He is everything I have.""Where is the father?""I don't know. I never met him." When Belle raised an eyebrow in surprise she felt compelled to explain: "Oh, Henry is my adoptive son, but he is actually Princess Emma's boy."Her eyes widened. Belle was a highborn lady and had the chance of knowing a lot of royal people. Emma was some years older than her and was one of the most loved princess in their realm, as she was the daughter of the one’s who had freed the land of the Evil Queen, who was now sitting right in front of her, not looking very evil."Princess Emma? Snow White's daughter?” She questioned. “I thought you and Snow hated each other.""Believe me, we do. It was her soldiers that were chasing me, after seeing that I wasn’t as banished as they wished."Belle’s gaze fell down to the boy, soundly asleep, unaware of their talk. "And why is Henry with you, and not them?""Some years ago, Princess Emma had a torrid affair with a thief she met on the roads during one of her trips. Henry was the result, but she wasn't married and didn't wanted her parents to have to deal with the scandal her pregnancy would cause, so she spent some months hidden with me, while they thought she was visiting a friend in Arendelle. When he was born, I took him as my son and every year I bring him here to see his other mom.""That is very sweet of you."Regina sighed. "I do it for Henry."Questions kept burning inside of Belle’s head and they were too tempting for her to ignore. "How did you come to help the princess when you hate her mother?""I was her secret mentor. Princess Emma has magic and when she was younger she looked for me and asked me to teach her without her parents knowing. First, I did it to have something to bother Snow and Charming, but then, we actually became friends."By the way her voice was soft when she talked about the princess, Belle believe it to be true. Although memories from her childhood, where the maids in her father’s castle couldn’t help, but spread lots of gossip about the Evil Queen and the Charming’s came to her mind, alerting her to the fact that Regina was already a married woman when she was only a little girl."I'm sorry if it is rude to ask, but is it magic that is keeping you young? I believe you should be older than Snow.""You are right in both things. Spells can be quiet incredible in some matters." Regina said in an arrogant way, but stopped when Belle gasped, gripping at the base of her belly and leaning a hand to the wall, to keep herself from falling. "What is it?"She took a moment to answer, wanting to be sure that blood wouldn’t drip from her again and the pain wouldn’t return. When neither of those things happened, Belle sighed in relief, taking a seat on the edge of the bed, soft fingers smoothing her baby bump."Nothing.” The young lady finally managed to say. “I shouldn't be out of bed, I almost had a miscarriage in the beginning of the week, I guess this pain came to remind me of that."Regina’s hand came closer to her, as she asked for permission to touch her belly with a questionable look. She nodded, letting the other woman place her palm on it, feeling the baby kick right on the spot that she pressed."Belle has Rumplestiltskin forced you into his bed?” She asked in a serious tone, her dark eyes, really showing concern. “Is he hurting you?""What? No, he never did such a thing.""But you slept with him.” Regina pointed out. “I can feel the magic in this baby."Belle’s mouth fell open. "My - my child has magic?""Powerful magic.""Oh, gods." A tear rolled down her face as new fears started to haunt her.Until now she hadn’t considered that her baby could have inherited this from its father, but she had been a fool to not see that one coming. Rumplestiltskin was a powerful sorcerer, of course any child of his would have magic, she didn’t know why she was crying over it, until she realized she wasn’t. Her baby was going to be fine, because he would be here to teach it to only use it’s gifts for good, but her heart, otherwise, was broken."Hey, you don't have to worry, this isn't a bad thing at all.""I know, I am just sad about something else."Giving her an incisive glance, Regina asked: "What Rumple said to me earlier? He was just being a jerk, like usual, but he was also trying to protect you.""Yeah, I know."The woman pulled her hand away from Belle, adjusting her sitting position, while seeming to be lost in thoughts. "I think you should go sleep somewhere more comfortable than these dungeons.""Will you be alright alone here?""Sure, I have my Henry to look after."Standing up, Belle offered her the other bottle she was still holding. "Give him this potion if the fever returns.""Sure.” Regina said, taking the bottle from her and taking an attentive look at it. “I'm very grateful."She smiled for her one last time before leaving the dungeons and making her way to her chambers, knowing that she would have to face Rumple now. Belle calmed herself the best she could, before pushing the door open to find him sitting on their bed, wearing nothing but a long nightshirt. Closing the door again, she leaned against it, ready to confront her lover."Did you know that my baby has magic?""Yes." He answered, coldly."And didn't you consider telling me? The mother?"Rumplestiltskin snorted. "I only found it out today, when we felt it kicking.""Right."Turning her back to him, she went to the closet and unlaced her dress, taking it off and putting on a nightgown, before coming back and laying under the covers of the bed by his side, her back turned to him in a clear move that showed she didn’t wanted to talk anymore.He moved on his side, following her example and laying down before letting a hand stroke her bare arm gently. "I'm sorry for what I said, Belle. I didn't mean to hurt you."The hand continued to make its way over her body, traveling to the hem of her nightgown, pulling it up as his fingers found their way to her inner thighs, starting to rub her core. Belle closed her legs more tightly when she realised what he was doing, making Rumple pull away."No.” She said, firmly. “Not today.""You never rejected my touch.""And I'm not rejecting it now, I'm just saying that today I'm too angry with you to do this.""Belle, sweetheart, look at me.” He begged and even with her aching heart, she couldn’t ignore him, when he sounded so human and desperate like that, so she rolled to the other side, facing him. “I am truly sorry and I will never disown our child again."Her lower lip trembled. "You called it a bastard. That made me feel like a whore.""Oh, Belle - ""And at this moment I hate how much I love you, how much I need you and how I'm eager for your touch."She locked their lips together in the most awkward and messy kiss they had ever shared. Belle was crying, angry, sad and, more than anything, she was in love with him and no matter how badly he hurt her, she was always going to want him.They started making out without saying another thing, just letting their gasps and groans fill the silence of the night until they joined bodies as one, desiring the other as much as they did on any other day. What really got Belle surprised, however was that when Rumplestiltskin lifted his face from her neck, still thrusting inside her, she saw that he had tears in his eyes.“Sorry, Belle.” He said, breathless. “You gave me your heart and all I ever do is to break it.”“I’m yours -” she said, with a moan. “It is never going to change, but I would appreciate it if you try not to break my heart so often.”A groan left him and their little talk was left aside by the burning feeling of their bodies moving together to lead them to release. The moonlight that entered the room through the open window, illuminated Belle's peaceful sleeping face beautifully. Rumplestiltskin got dressed, observing her all the time, cursing himself for hurting such an angelic thing like her.He bent to press a kiss to her lips softly before doing the same thing to her swollen belly, covered by the thin sheets, mentally asking his child for forgiveness for the mistake he had committed that night. He would never ever disown that baby again, it was too precious to him. Belle and his child were Rumplestiltskin's chance of happiness and he would take care of his family at any cost.He snuck out of their chambers and went down stairs, sensing the wakened presence of Regina out of the dungeons. When he reached the dining hall, he found her sitting by the table with a piece of pie in front of her."The agreement was for you to stay where you were told to. My dungeons."She raised an eyebrow, turning the fork around on her fingers. "Well, I didn't make any agreement with you, but with that lovely lady you defiled and I'm sure that someone so kind as her wouldn't deny me a piece of apple pie.""You are playing a very dangerous game, dearie."Eating one more piece of her pie, she put the fork down, before speaking: "I still can't believe that you made a child with her."Slowly walking towards her, Rumplestiltskin held up a hand and Regina began to cough for air, feeling an invisible force pressing her throat."Listen to me, you will never speak of what you saw inside this castle. You will pretend you don't know Belle is living here and that she carries a baby, do you understand?"Weakly nodding she breathed in all the air she could when the pressure was gone, glancing at Rumple with rage."You can try keeping your child a secret, but out there everybody talks about Belle. They know you got her from a deal and they have a good idea of what you are doing to her this whole time. She has been called the Dark One's whore.""Don't you ever call her that again!" He stormed. "Belle is the lady of this castle, she is a respectable, kind woman and I don't care for what the rumours say.""Good for her that she's never going to get out of here, because this reputation you're defending is gone. She gave herself to you and as good-hearted as she can be, nobody will ever look at her the same way they did before, especially now that she has a bastard in her womb.""My child is not a bastard.""It was you who said so, Rumple." And let's face it, no matter how many times you make your maid moan your name, you will never make her your wife." She said with a daring smile.Rumplestiltskin was losing his nerves with her, in that moment he really wished to fulfil his threats and kill the woman, but for the sake of everything he had with Belle, the only thing he did was to approach Regina and cruelly say: "Yes, like no matter how many times Henry calls you mom, it won't make you his real mother."The dark-haired woman stood up."Goodnight, Dark One and thank you for having me as your guest. I'll be leaving tomorrow morning."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Belle woke up that morning with the sound of the spinning wheel. She sat on the bed to see that the thing was now set in the middle of their chambers, her lover totally concentrated on turning straw into gold."Why did you bring this thing here?"He turned around to see her. "I - I just needed to spin and didn't want to bump into your friend, the former queen. But don't worry, I'll magic it back to the dining hall the moment she goes away."Throwing the sheets aside, she looked for her nightgown on the floor and pulled it on, walking towards the closet to change it to a proper dress and then brush her hair, pinning half of it up, the way she mostly liked to do it. When Belle finished getting ready for the day, Rumplestiltskin had made the spinning wheel disappear and was sitting on an armchair in front of the fireplace. She approached him to slip onto his lap."Are we ok?" He asked."Yes, we are." Touching their foreheads together, she kissed him. "I love you, Rumple.""And I love you too. Do you forgive me for what I said yesterday?""I've already forgiven you last night, but if you need to hear it, then yes, I do."He caressed her belly, bending to run his nose on the top of it before pressing a kiss there. "My darling, I love our child very dearly and I don't ever want you to doubt that. This is the seed I've planted on you, the beautiful gift of our love, I claim it as mine, now and forever. I was just afraid of what dangers could come to it for being mine." Belle's fingers stroked his hair, as he softened his voice to whisper to their baby: "But I will never let anything happen to you, little one. Your papa will always be here for you."They felt a kick and both laughed happily. "I think this means that he or she loves you too."“Let’s get some breakfast.” Rumple offered.She stood up, holding his hand and they left their chambers behind, walking to the dining hall, where their first meal of the day was expecting them, but what neither Belle nor Rumple expected was to find Regina and Henry sitting at the table, enjoying the food.“I thought you said you were going to leave this morning.” The imp said, pointing an accusative finger to the dark-haired woman."They are still after me, and Henry is still sick. I can't travel like this, I need a safe passage."Rumplestiltskin opened his mouth to say something, but Belle was faster than him: "I think I can manage to get someone to lead you and your boy to a safer place. All you'll need is a disguise.""Well, I can do this." Regina said.Nodding, Belle smiled, but by her side, she could feel how angry Rumple still was, her words only appearing to stress him more. "And who do you think that will help you with this madness?" He asked."A man who owes me a favour. Robin Hood."His mouth fell open. "That thief?""Rumple, I helped him to escape and I'm totally sure that he wouldn't deny me a favour. Please, let me send for him so Regina and Henry can go on their way safely."Everyone in the room looked attentively to him, including little Henry, whose big brown eyes were fixed on the couple standing right in front of the dining table. The imp knew that they expected his answer, but at the same time he wanted to say yes to anything his lover asked, he also felt like couldn’t put his trust in a thief. "I don't like that idea, Belle.""Please." She whispered in her most sweet voice.He sighed and waved a hand in the air, making some paper, a feather and a small bowl of black ink appear on the table. "Go write that stupid letter before I change my mind.""Thank you." Belle said as she pulled a chair out to sit and started to write."Why is your skin so weird?" Little Henry asked, looking at the imp with curiosity.Even having narrowed his eyes, bothered by the question, Rumplestiltskin let a wicked smile fill his lips, a smartly cruel reply forming on the tip of his tongue. "Each scale is a child I've killed.""Rumple!" Both Belle and Regina shout and he rolled his eyes.The former queen reached for her son’s arm, touching it in a comforting gesture. "That is a lie, Henry.""He speaks funny.""I suggest you make this boy shut up."Rolling her eyes, Belle blew softly at the paper to make sure that the ink was dry before passing it to her lover. "Here, send a bird with this and try to stay away from our guests, before you say another thing you’d regret.""Fine, now eat your breakfast, the last thing I need is to have you fainting again.""Yes, master."As he disappeared at the end of the hallway, Belle went to sit closer to the visitors, choosing a chair beside Henry’s, before grabbing a plate and serving herself with some bread, cheese and some nuts."It's interesting the way he cares about you." Regina pointed out.“He hides himself behind too many walls.” She said, sitting down. “Are you feeling better, Henry?”The boy shrugged his shoulders. “Yeah, I guess so.”“Oh, I don’t think we were properly introduced yet. My name is Belle.”She held a hand up for him and Henry took it without hesitation, shaking it. “Is very nice to meet you.” He said. Then his gaze fell to her middle section and he seemed to notice the bump for the first time. “Do you have something hidden behind your gown?”Belle laughed. “Not exactly. There is a baby growing inside my belly.”“Really?”“Yes. If you put your hand here you can feel it moving. Would you like to?”Henry nodded, stretching a hand to place it on her stomach. She held it close and pressed his fingers a little bit, knowing that the baby would react and they quickly felt it kicking.“Whoa, that’s cool.” The boy said, pulling his hand away from her. “How did you put it inside there?”Regina coughed and Belle felt that her cheeks were turning red. It wasn’t the kind of thing that she expected him to ask and had no idea of how she could explain it to him without ruining his childhood, but lucky for her, the former Evil Queen was already coming up with an answer. “Henry, I think that is enough. You don’t need to know that now.” She then turned to Belle, with an apologetic look in her dark eyes. “He is too curious, I’m sorry.”“It’s alright. I am curious person myself, so I know how it is to have questions burning in your mind all the time.”They continued eating their breakfast in silence, enjoying the food. When everyone had finished, the dishes disappeared, and without knowing what else to do, Belle offered: “Hey, Henry, do you want to see my library?”“A library? Sure!”Standing up, she gesticulated to the stairs. “Well, let’s go. Come with us, Regina.”“Uh, ok.”Once in the library, Belle spent the rest of the morning exploring the shelves with Henry by her side, talking about stories his mother used to read to him and how incredible it was, when every year on his birthday, they came to these lands to see his other mom. He said that he wished the three of them could spend more time together, but that he understood, that Emma wanted him to have his best chance and that meant that they needed to be apart, so he didn’t complain about this with either of the two women.Regina sat at a chaise, with a book of spells during the whole time, only lifting her gaze from it a couple of times to check on Henry, who kept talking excitedly to the Dark One’s lady, saying that when he grow up he wanted to be both a knight and a writer. He insisted on knowing how a baby could possibly end up inside of Belle and with blushed cheeks, she muttered something about a magical seed, before Rumplestiltskin entered the room with a letter in his hands.“Your answer.” The sorcerer said, passing it to his lover.Belle took the paper from his hands, opening it and reading fast. “He’ll help us. Robin wrote that he will be waiting in the woods, outside the castle around midnight.”Leaving the spell book aside, the dark-haired woman stood up saying: “Perfect.”“Regina, prepare your disguise and when the time comes, I’ll accompany you and Henry to meet him.” She instructed.Right after she finished, Rumplestiltskin said, exasperated: “You are not going anywhere!”“Yes, I am.” Belle replied with the calmest voice she could attempt to use. “Robin only knowns me, not them, so if I want him to take these two to a safe place I’ll need him to recognise me.”“I don’t know if you understand, but there is no way I’m going to let you risk your life outside these gates. Think about the baby!”“Don’t be so dramatic. I won’t be risking our lives.”“Belle -”“I’m going, Rumplestiltskin.”Laughing Regina muttered: “Gods, you two argue like a married couple.”"This discussion is over." Belle declared, glancing at Rumple in a way that showed how much her decision was already made.He sighed, frustrated. "If you go, then I'm going with you.""You can't. If Robin sees you, he may think that we are trying to trap him."Rumplestiltskin folded his arms. Regina was watching them attentively, like they were a living version of an interesting chapter of a book."He doesn't need to see me, I'll be hidden watching out for any dangers." The imp said, impassive."Fine.""And you will wear huge a cloak to hid your belly. He shall not see that you are with child."Belle rolled her blue eyes. "Anything else?""Not for now."Feeling like she had enough of it, Regina cleared her throat to call for attention, grabbing Henry's hand in hers. "If you excuse me, I'm going to prepare myself and Henry for tonight."When they left the library, Rumple placed both hands on his lover’s shoulders, trying to put some sense in her. “Belle, you can’t keep risking yourself like this.”“How many times do I have to repeat that I’m not risking myself?”“I’m just worried.”“I know.” She kissed his cheek. “I understand this, but I will be fine and so will our baby.” Her hands caressed his scaled skin, the lovely touch smoothing his anger away. “Do you trust me?”“Yes.”“Then in the end of this day you will see that there was nothing to worry about.” At midnight, they left the Dark Castle, all four of them covered with hooded cloaks. Rumplestiltskin hid himself behind some trees and Belle, Regina and Henry waited for Robin's arrival a little ahead from where he was.The dark-haired woman, was now wearing a simple brown and white long sleeved gown which colours that matched her boy's clothing. She held, carefully, a parchment with the spell to disguise them in one of her hands, the other wrapped around Henry's tiny fingers. Belle folded her arms, feeling the cold of the night air pass through her cloak, causing her to shiver."Are you sure that he is really coming?" Regina asked, impatiently."Yeah. I saved his life, he owes me this." She lifted herself on the tip of her toes, trying to see better between the trees in the darkness, the lamp she had in her hands doing little to help light the woods, when someone came from behind them. A tall man whose face she remembered very well. "Oh, there he is!" The young lady said joyfully, calling out: "Robin!""Belle!" He smiled when he saw them and rushed to where they were standing, opening his arms to hug the former maid. Receiving him, she made sure to not let her belly touch him, or everything would be lost. It was weird to hug someone while trying to put that distance between them, but Belle managed to pull away as soon as she could. "I wasn't sure that you were going to manage to escape from the castle. Hasn't Rumplestiltskin followed you?""No, he is probably already sleeping."Nodding he turned his gaze away from her, looking directly at Regina and Henry. "That's good, so this is your friend?""Yes, Robin this is Regina and her son Henry. Regina, I would like to introduce you to Robin Hood."Taking her hand, the thief pressed a kiss against it, causing an expression of discomfort to appear on the dark-haired woman's face."It is a pleasure to meet you, milady." Robin said with a smile, touching Henry's shoulder next. "You too, little boy."Regina bit her lip for a moment, a mischievous tone taking her voice when she said: "You are not going to steal anything from us, right?""I think that you'll find out that I'm not that kind of thief, milady. The only thing I'm going to do is take you two to a safe place."Belle cleared her throat in an attempt to not let them ruin her perfect escape plan. "So, how is your wife, Robin?"His face darkened. "She unfortunately died, even after I healed her with that wand. Her illness came back just a couple of months later.""Oh, I am so sorry!""Yes, she was a good woman, but I'm getting over it with time." He sighed, but then looked up to Regina. "Well, let's go?""Sure." She answered, turning back to Rumplestiltskin's lady. "Thank you, for your help, Belle." And unexpectedly the woman hugged her. For a moment, Belle stood still without reacting because she didn't think that Regina was the kind of hugging person, but when she spoke, the former maid realised that she had done that, not because she considered her a great friend, but because she wanted to whisper something to her. "I'll always be grateful for that and I wish only the best for you and your child."Smiling, Belle let go of her. "I hope you have a good trip.""Don't you want to come with us, Belle?" Robin asked, suggesting an escape for her too, but what he didn't know was that she didn't need to be rescued. "You can free yourself, running away from the Dark One."She shook her head. "Thank you, Robin, but I will stay.""Are you certain?""Totally."He simply waved his head at her and lead Regina and Henry to the woods, the three of them disappearing in the darkness of the night. With the good feeling of doing something right, Belle smiled to herself, caressing her swollen belly and wishing she could do more for people who needed help.Steps came from behind her and she turned around to see Rumplestiltskin coming out from his hiding place, a surprised look on his eyes."You chose to stay, even though you had the chance to run away." He said in disbelief."Did you have any doubt that I would?" When he didn't answer, Belle walked towards him, grabbing his hand firmly in hers. "Rumple, how could I ever run away when I'm so in love with you? When I'm expecting your child?""I don't know. I'm a monster and you could have gone, taking the baby with you.""Gods, you're a fool!" She rolled her eyes, but also pulled him closer for a kiss.He magicked them back inside of the Dark Castle and they appeared in their chambers, standing in front of the fireplace, without their capes, still in each other's arms. Rumplestiltskin ran a hand through her hair, taking a curl between his fingers and letting it fall back against her shoulder."I feel bad for taking your freedom." He confessed without meeting her eyes. "You wanted to know the world and now because of me you're locked in this castle.""I love being where I am." Belle replied, cupping his cheek as he leaned into her touch. "I've always dreamed of heroics but I've also always wanted to be a mother and to be with a man I truly chose to love. So, you haven't taken my freedom, Rumplestiltskin, you have given me the choice to do what I want, something I would never have if I was still in my father's castle.""What about we make a deal?"She raised an eyebrow. "A deal?""Aye."Never before he had offered her a deal. Their contract about ending the ogres’ war seemed to be the only one he was interested in concerning her, but now he wanted something more and Belle's eyes brightened with curiosity. "What do you propose?""After the baby comes and it's strong enough to not need breastfeeding anymore, we find someone to nurse it and when I go on a deal you come with me."It was tempting. However, Belle was waiting for the moment she could hold her baby in her arms, singing old lullabies for it and couldn't imagine herself losing any part of its life, not even if it was to fulfil her wish of seeing the world."I don't know, Rumple. I want to raise our child, not let someone else do this.""And you will. We will only be gone for a few days at time, and you don’t need to come with me every single time if you don’t want to, but the baby is not even going to notice our absence. I can guarantee you that.""Yeah, but I don't want a maid in here.""Why not?"Her gaze fell down to the floor. "Well, I was your maid at first."Rumplestiltskin laughed out loud. "Are you jealous of a potential maid?""What if I am?""I can't believe this." He gripped her by the waist and held her chin up to make sure that she was facing him. "Hey, the only one I will ever want is you. And if that makes you feel better, I was thinking about Mrs. Potts for that job."This time, Belle was the one who laughed. "I think that makes me feel better.""So, do we have a deal?""Yes, we do."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The blue bird entered the dining hall, landing by Rumplestiltskin’s side on the stool where he was sitting, hands working on the spinning wheel, making him sigh in frustration as he stopped turning the straw into gold to take the rolled paper that the bird deposited there before flying away. He stood up and held it up to Belle, who was at the chaise, reading a book.“I don’t like this.”“Excuse me?” She said, lifting her gaze from the pages she had been reading, clearly confused.“This.” Rumplestiltskin insisted, waving the rolled paper in front of her face. “I don’t like the idea of you and Regina writing to each other.”“She only wrote me once. Twice, if you count the letter you’re holding.”“I still don’t appreciate this friendship between you two. You shouldn’t be telling her anything about you or what happens inside the walls of this castle. This must stop.”Leaving her book aside, Belle grabbed the letter from him. “Ok, you’re sounding paranoid, so let’s clear up some things. I’m not friends with Regina. I did not tell her anything about me, you or our baby and she only wrote to thank me and say that she was safe.”“And why is she writing again?”“If you let me read the letter, I may find out.”Rolling his eyes, he nodded to show her that he was going to keep quiet for a while to let her read, so Belle unrolled the paper, quickly reading all the contents of it.“Whoa, Regina is staying at Sherwood Forest.” She said with a smile.“What?”“It seems that Robin convinced her to stay with him. She writes that he is a persuasive person, but she is still willing to bring him to her home.”“Alright, the former Evil Queen is happy, now end of corresponding for you.”He made the letter disappear from her hands with his magic and Belle tried to stand up, but the weight of her seven-month pregnant belly made her fell back to the chaise. Sighing she held her hand up to Rumple and let him help her to get on her feet."Our little one is getting bigger every day." He pointed out, laying a hand on her stomach.Sighing, Belle felt the baby react at this small touch, moving inside her with such speed that it made her breathless. "Yeah, and he or she is really agitated. I barely slept last night."The imp kneeled in front of his lover, his face at the level of her belly and whispered: "Be good to your mama, she needs to sleep."But the sound of his voice, was something their child liked very much and it only caused it to kick again. Smiling, Belle thought that this baby was going to be an insistent little thing, just like his parents. Rumple kissed the place where they felt it kicking and then rose on the ball of his feet, giving her a look full of love.She took his hand and led him upstairs, right to the nursery, where she opened the wardrobe and grabbed something she had placed there just yesterday. A golden knitted blanket."Take a look at this.” The young lady said, passing it to him. “I finally managed to finish."Rumplestiltskin smiled running his fingers through it, as if that simple blanket was something very much cherished. "It's lovely, Belle.""You can be truthful with me,” she bit her lip, knowing that it was not perfect, because whenever the maids tried to teach her to properly knit when she lived in her father’s castle, Belle ended up hiding in the library, preferring the company of her books instead of all those lessons that always seemed so pointless. “I’m aware that I was never good at that.""I’m telling the truth. I love it."His fingers were still smoothing the blanket, but his eyes seemed distant to Belle, even when he spoke again. "I want to talk to you about something, sweetheart.""What is it?""It's about the baby's name."Rubbing his back, she laid her head on his shoulder, cuddling against him. "Do you already have something in mind?""Not exactly. I wanted to ask you to name it. It's very important to me if you do so.""Why?" Belle asked, narrowing her eyes, her fingers massaging his scalp, before a memory came up to her mind. The memory of the day Rumple had summoned the Black Fairy to confront her. "Oh, is it because your mother never named you?"Moving to the other side, he placed the blanket inside the crib. "Naming a child is constructing a bond, making a promise of never letting it go." He sighed. "My mother left me. Milah left Bae."Belle walked to him, opening her arms to hug the imp, hiding her face in his chest for a second, enjoying the feel of his arms around her, as he tightened his grip, like she was what was keeping him alive. "Rumple I will never leave you and our child." She said in an reassuring tone. "It was you who named Baelfire?""No, but Milah was never the greatest mother alive, not even when she was still with him."Their last conversation about his first family came to surface and Belle gave a questionable look to him. "I thought she died.""She did, years after running away with a pirate, leaving her family behind."There was bitterness in his voice, which made Belle's heart break a little. She didn't know Milah, but she could say that she disliked that woman. What kind of person did something like that? Abandoning a husband was bad enough, but a child? Someone you conceived and carried inside you? It was something too cruel to be considered.As a mother herself, she could certainly say that she would never leave her baby. And Rumplestiltskin, she loved him too much to imagine herself giving up on him and Belle wanted him to know that, because enough people had let him down during his life. She cupped both his cheeks and bumped their noses together in the way she knew would make him laugh."Hey, look at me. I will never be like your ex-wife. I believe in our love."Hope appeared in his eyes as he captured her lips briefly in his, in the sweetest of kisses."Thank you, Belle. For loving the man behind the beast.” She was completely uncomfortable again. Things were bad for her body during the first months of her pregnancy, before Rumple had made those potions to make her feel better, now however everything started to bother her again. Belle felt too big, the baby moved too much all the time smashing her organs and making her breathless.To complete her discomfort, yesterday the baby had turned around, getting in position for the birth, what made her feel his head making a strange pressure between her legs. She was almost afraid to do something that could happen to hurt it, so she tried to sit mostly still as she could, not that it was an easy thing, as any position she tried hurt her somehow.Rumplestiltskin had been gone for about four days now, to make his last deals before spending some time without having to go out for them, to help her with the end of the pregnancy and their child's arrival.She was at the chaise, looking at the spinning wheel while eating her second piece of lemon pie. After eight months, she still craved the same thing."Are you expecting the wheel to move with magic?" Rumplestiltskin asked, appearing by her side, brought by his magic.Turning her head with a huge smile, Belle left the plate aside on the small table near them and threw her arms around his neck. "Oh, I've missed you!""So did I."She kissed him slowly, romantically at first, but then his tongue entered her mouth to enlace itself with hers and Rumple bent her to the chaise, running a hand to her back. "I really want to take you to our chambers right now.Immediately, Belle stopped, pulling away from him."You can't be serious.""I am.""Rumple, I'm looking like a giant fat pig, you can't possibly desire me like this."Even wanting to deny it, she was seeing the proof of it in his lustful eyes, observing her like she was some kind of goddess. "Well, I do. And you're definitely not looking like a giant fat pig, you're radiant and beautiful carrying my child."His fingers traced the curve of her breast, breathing in heavily. She shivered with her own need, but she was too big and her body was too tired and aching for that."Thank you for your kindness, but this is not going to happen today.""Belle, I've been out for days, I want you."Cupping his cheek, she felt a little bad for not giving him what he wanted when he was looking at her with such passion, but at that moment, she couldn’t. "I'm not comfortable with this right now. I am feeling the head."If his cheeks could go red, Belle knew it would’ve. Rumplestiltskin looked embarrassed as his glance lowered to his trousers. "What? I'm not - ""Not yours, silly. The baby's. He is positioned to get out.""Oh."Things seemed to make sense for him and he turned to sit on the chaise, helping Belle to do the same, both staring at her swollen belly."It won’t take long for me to go into labour now.”Nodding, Rumple breathed in. "Are you scared?"In fact, he seemed more scared with just the prospect of the labour, than she ever did during all those months of restless readings about the subject. But Belle wasn’t a fool, she knew that as much as it was a natural thing, there were risks that both mother and child could face during it and she hoped that when the time came, Mrs. Potts was really as great a midwife as the rumours about her claimed. Rumple had told his lover, that he had chosen her because of her reputation of well-succeeded births."A little.” She finally confessed, catching her lower lip between her teeth. “My books describe it as a really painful thing and I've heard about women dying in childbirth."Grabbing both of her hands in his, the imp pressed a kiss to each of Belle’s fingers. “I’ll be there with you all the time, sweetheart. Nothing bad is going to happen with you or the baby.”“I know. We will be fine in the end.” She said, hopefully, wanting her words to come true in the future.A lot of things were passing through Rumplestiltskin’s mind. He had lost one whole family once, his wife cheated on him and then left without even stopping to think about their young son, and then, he and Bae were separated by his wrong choices. The last few months, Rumple had been feeling like he was in paradise as he had found almost everything he ever wanted with Belle.With no doubt, she had become his safe haven. Her love for him was too good to be true, she accepted him, cared for him, desired him and with her love he had won a gift. The chance of being a father again. If only Baelfire was with them, his happiness would be complete, but for now, he considered himself lucky and feared losing this.It was true that during all of those days he spent away from the Dark Castle, Rumplestiltskin was not fully concentrating on his deals as he usually was. In each instant, the ghost of the labour that his darling Belle was soon going to face, was haunting him, like distant cruel voices whispering in his ear that that was going to be the moment that he would lose both his love and his unborn child. Now he was truly afraid, just not wanting her to be aware of that."Have you eaten well?" The Dark One asked in concern.Belle waved her head positively, gesticulating to the plate placed on the small table beside the chaise where they were sitting. "You just interrupted my second piece of pie.""Still remaining with this?""The baby likes it."He couldn’t stop himself from rolling his eyes. Rumplestiltskin had been eager to fulfil all of his lover’s cravings, but even wanting to eat a different kind of fruit each week, she always ended up sticking with the lemon pie, something that she had appreciated even before getting pregnant. Now she was obsessed with it. "You like it.""Yeah, but I'm with child and this is my ultimate craving." Belle said, putting a hand on the top of her stomach. "I have been thinking about names.""Did you decide on something?""Not yet, but I have good ones. Do you want to hear?"The last days, she had spent all her time in the library, looking through name-meaning books, but it hadn’t helped her that much. Belle found out that no matter what meaning a name had it would only fit her baby if it somehow was special for her, so she changed her fonts of sources and started to use her own brain to think about something or someone that sounded important to her and at the same time, reminded her of Rumplestiltskin.Now, she so wished him to hear her list. However, all her lover did was shake his head. "Better not. I don't want to interfere in your decision.""Rumple, this is your child too.""I'm pretty aware of that, sweetheart,” he said, with a wicked smile on his lips. “But I'm sure that I will like any name you pick.""Really? Because I was thinking about Snow White or Regina for a girl and maybe Charming for a boy." She joked.The expression that crossed his face was hilarious. His eyes widened, jaw dropped and he stood up suddenly, throwing his arms in the air dramatically before pointing an accusing finger to her, trying to demonstrate his point of view. "Charming is not even a real name. And you're not naming my little princess after the Evil Queen."She laughed out loud. "Snow White, then.""Belle!"When she managed to stop laughing, her chest was aching and she covered her mouth, hiding the smile that appeared in response to his angry face. "Oh, I was joking. I would never put any of those names on our baby.""Bad joke.""I love when you get exasperated over something like this." Belle said before tapping the empty space by her side on the chaise. "Come here, Rumple, you really need to relax."Hesitantly he came to sit by her side and Belle's hand stroked his thigh in a gesture of comfort."I can't relax when you attempt to use Snow White as our baby's name.""You're really crushing my dreams." Belle said, still laughing at him.They were so involved in their talk that Belle jumped in place when she felt her dress getting wet. She gasped, a sudden pain coming from her womb and causing tears to come to her eyes."Oh, no.""Sweetheart?"Gripping Rumple's hand, she gave him a scared look. "My water. It broke." Another pain hit her and Belle had to bite her lip to keep herself from screaming. "Gods, it can't be happening it's too soon."By her count she should still have at least three or four weeks before the baby arrived and now it was happening. Belle was terrified and when her gaze met her lover's she realized that he was too. But they couldn't just stay there afraid of the inevitable, they need to move."Rumplestiltskin!" She shouted out, trying to wake him from his frozen state. "What are you still doing here? Go get Mrs. Potts!"He blinked. "Mrs. Potts, yeah, alright, I'm going.""Then go!"A contraction came and Belle shut her eyes close for a moment. When she opened them, she was in their chambers, laid in the bed, her dress changed to a nightgown."I'll be back soon." Rumplestiltskin promised, before disappearing, leaving Belle alone to deal with her pain.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
He had been frozen with fear. Rumplestiltskin had never been so scared since he became the Dark One, because he usually was in control of his feelings, but right now his heart was pounding in a strange way, one that reminded him of his coward days. It took some angry screams from Belle to get him moving to do things, focusing on her and what she needed from him now.Using his magic, his transported himself to Mrs. Potts’ front door, knocking insistently on it."Just a second!" He heard her shouting from inside the house.Each second she lingered, made him want to release the monster and do cruel things to that stupid midwife and in the past, before Belle entered his life, that was surely what he would have done, but not now. Not when he had someone who believed in the man beneath the beast waiting for him at his home, and when this certain someone was about to bring his child to the world. So instead, he waited.Mrs. Potts finally opened the door after what seemed a whole eternity for him. Her face was just as surprised and scared as the first time. "The Dark One!""Yeah, I think we've already been through this, dearie." Rumplestiltskin replied, anxious to go back to the Dark Castle. "I need you to get your stuff and come with me, my lady Belle is in labour.""Your lady?""Aye. If you don't mind, we need to hurry, the baby is coming early."Mistrustfully glancing at him she nodded, wisely choosing not to discuss it with the Dark One and grabbing a similar bunch of things that she did the first time. Mrs. Potts had just finished packing it, when Rumple quickly clicked his fingers together, to make them appear in the chambers where Belle was. The midwife looked around with confusion, realising that they were transported by magic, before moving towards the bed, setting her big metal bowl on the nightstand as Rumple reached for his lover, touching her face wet with her tears."Oh, thank gods, you are here!" She exclaimed, leaning into his touch. "Rumple there is a lot of blood!"His gaze dropped and his heart attempted to stop. Her nightgown was soaked in red."Oh, no." Mrs. Potts muttered. Belle hadn’t panicked yet, not even when she first felt the blood starting to drip from her, at least not until she heard those two words leaving Mrs. Potts mouth. The woman seemed so concerned when she realised that the lady’s nightgown was spotted in red liquid, that it made a jolt of fear pass through her body.Setting herself between Belle’s legs and pulling her skirts up, Mrs. Potts took a fast look before shouting at Rumple: "I need warm water and some clean cloths.""What is wrong with her?" He asked without moving."I don't know, but we need to stop the bleeding now or we will lose both of them."Reality hit her alongside with another pain. Belle clenched her teeth and took a deep breath before speaking. "No.” She said. “Please, you need to save my child."Rumplestiltskin made the things Mrs. Potts asked for, appear and ignoring Belle’s request, she soaked a cloth in the warm water and pressed it against her entrance, from where blood was still dripping. "She has no passage for the baby yet, it will take some time before the birth."“And the bleeding?” The imp asked, worried.“I don’t know where it is coming from. Something inside her probably was hurt when the water broke and the baby started to make his way out.”Belle didn’t really care for any damage that could have been made inside her now, the only thing she wanted was for her child to have a chance to be born completely healthy. The loss of blood was already dizzying her and she prayed that she wouldn’t die before she could bring that baby into the world. At her side, Rumple had terror shinning in his eyes."Do you think I can heal her with my magic?" He questioned Mrs. Potts.She shrugged and sighed, glancing hopelessly at the cloth she was still holding against her lady’s flesh, that had already turned red. "You can try.""Don't let it die." Belle whispered for him, her eyes heavy with a sudden sleepiness that made even the next contraction seem like nothing.His hands were shaken. Rumplestiltskin felt unsure about his powers for the first time, not knowing if it would be enough to stop the disaster that things were heading to, but he had to try, it apparently was the last hope he had to save the woman he loved and their child, so he let his fingers touch her belly, and the healing magic pass through them.Nothing seemed to happen, which filled him with despair, before Mrs. Potts said: "The bleeding stopped.""Thank god." Belle muttered in relief.Slowly her strength returned, washing away the dizziness and sleepiness she had been feeling."Alright milady, I'll clean you and then you need to take a walk to help open your passage."Even not being sure if walking was something she wanted to do, Belle nodded, because she knew it was what she needed to do to have her baby in her arms. "Ok." The chubby woman grabbed a clean cloth, wetting it and raking it over her skin, leaving a cold sensation behind. Belle held a scream when a painful contraction came. "It hurts." She said, when it was gone."I know and unfortunately it will only get worse." Mrs. Potts replied, not succeeding in calming the lady, she left the used cloth aside and looked up at Rumplestiltskin. "Dark One, help her stand and walk. If you can give me some sheets, I can prepare the bed for the birth so the mattress won't get damaged.""You call me master, dearie."She rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Help her."After making the sheets appear with magic, Rumple stood up and helped Belle to get on her feet, wrapping an arm around her shoulders to support her while they walked around the chambers. "Come on, sweetheart."Now that the bleeding had stopped, Belle finally felt like she was going to make through it, but it didn't mean that she was free of the pain. When a contraction came, she stopped walking, gripping both at the base of her belly and Rumple's arm. "Oh, damn it, this is horrible.""Think about our child, about holding it." He said."I'm trying." Belle replied. Her lover certainly had no idea of how painful that was. "I was scared with all that blood.""It's over now, sweetheart." Rumplestiltskin assured her, kissing Belle's forehead. "Keep walking." "Lay down, milady, your contractions are coming faster, I need to check on your passage."Rumplestiltskin helped Belle to lie back on the bed, sitting by her side as Mrs. Potts lifted her nightgown to examine the lady, her thin fingers touching the pink skin to make sure it was time for the baby to be born."You're ready." The midwife said. "When the next contraction comes, you need to push."Belle nodded, breathing in, a little fearful again."You can do this, sweetheart." Rumple whispered to her, grabbing her hand firmly in his.She was about to say how much she loved him when she felt the pain and had to interrupt herself to start pushing. It was like she was being ripped in two from the inside, but Belle clenched her teeth to keep herself from screaming."Very well. Do it again." Mrs. Potts encouraged and the lady repeated the movement at the next contraction. "Good girl, keep going."Tears of pain blurred Belle's eyes and she gripped Rumplestiltskin's hand so hard that she could’ve broken one of his bones. He didn't complain, though, just sat by her side in silence, watching everything with anxious eyes. Belle pushed again and then, Mrs. Potts’ thin hands tapped on her knee with urgency."Stop!" She commanded.At this word, Belle stopped her efforts and looked down at the midwife. "What is wrong?""The umbilical cord is wrapped around the baby's neck. If you push again, you'll strangle it." The woman explained, making her heart start to race. Everything seemed to be converging towards disaster.Rumplestiltskin didn't even knew what he should be expecting or not anymore, but he knew that it definitely wasn't this. Their baby was in danger, stuck inside its mother, incapable of getting out because the cord was around his neck. Killing it. He saw the panic that should as well be on his face, appear on Belle's."Milady, I'm sorry but now it will hurt." Mrs. Potts advised.Then Belle's screamed. It was a loud desperate sound of pain that came through her throat when she felt the midwife's hand slip inside her, ripping her flesh as they started to work to free the baby. Each movement made fresh tears stream down her face."What the hell do you think you are doing?" Rumplestiltskin stormed glancing in horror at Mrs. Potts. "You are hurting her.""This is the only way to save your child's life, master." She simply answered, continuing to work. Belle prayed that it didn't have to last too much longer, because this pain was horrible and she was afraid for her baby.When Mrs. Potts bloody hands finally slipped out of her, she sighed in relief."Alright. I've freed it. Push now." Feeling grateful, she did so. "The head is fully here. Continue."Rumple kissed her fingers, giving her a loving glance. "You're doing fine, Belle.""Doing fine?" She couldn't help but ask, breathless with the effort. "This is your idea of doing fine?""Milady, focus. Don't pay attention to him now."Trying to concentrate, Belle let the next pain take control of her and pushed as hard as she could. "Just one more." Mrs. Potts said, happily and she used every strength she still had to do so, the baby falling completely in the midwife's arms. "It's a boy!"Rumplestiltskin lifted his chin to see him while Mrs. Potts worked to clean his little mouth, letting his cries fill the chambers and his heart stopped, a knot forming in his throat as he started whispering: "Oh, gods. I'm sorry, Belle, I'm so sorry.""Why?” She asked with wide eyes, unsuccessfully trying to raise herself from the bed to peek a look at the baby, but her lack of strength keeping her in place. “Is he dying?""No, milady, of course not.” Mrs. Potts assured, sharing a look with Rumple that told him that she thought that he was the greatest idiot she had ever met in her whole life. “He came early and is very small, but he’s strong enough to survive."The former maid, held her arms up. "So, let me hold him."Cutting the umbilical cord and finished cleaning all the fluids from the baby, Mrs. Potts wrapped him in a soft white blanket and handed him to Belle, who received the child with the biggest smile she had ever worn. Rumplestiltskin sighed, waiting for the smile to disappear and for her to be horrified so he whispered one last time: "I'm truly sorry."Belle didn’t pay attention to his words; she was too busy being amazed by her first sight of their baby. Her mouth opened in surprise and wonder when her gaze fell to her son, the tiniest thing she ever had the chance to hold, crying and fussing a little, his green-gold arms hitting the air, until the she managed to calm him."He is gorgeous." She said, overjoyed."Belle -” Rumple tried to say, incapable of believing her words. “His skin."Looking at her lover, she smiled with kindness. "Is beautiful, just like yours. Look at your son, Rumplestiltskin, he is perfect."In fact, that baby was the sweetest thing and he was his child, but the Dark One was full of worries that he couldn’t even start to list. He knew things seemed too good to be true. Something had to go wrong. "I've passed my curse to an innocent child."Shaking her head, Belle cupped his cheek with one hand, rubbing her thumb against his scales. "Rumple, look at me. I love both of you no matter what. Won't you love him?"He had started to scare her. She was completely in love with the baby, but Rumple didn’t seem to share her feelings, and Belle feared that he would reject their child just because it reminded him of what his curse had turned him into. What, deep inside, he never wanted to be. But she was wrong, because as he promised, he would never abandon a child of his. He was just feeling that he had failed again."Of course I love him, Belle.” Rumplestiltskin said, and laid a finger on the child’s tiny arm, letting a smile appear on his lips. “This is my son, the same baby we felt kicking from inside you so many times. I just think you deserve better. And he deserves better.""No. I deserve the family I chose and I'm overwhelmed with joy right now, because I have the most special, handsome child I could ever ask for.""I love you, so much." Bending, he met her lips in a lazy kiss, before asking: "Can I hold him?""Sure."The lady passed the baby over to Rumple, setting him in his father’s warm, strong arms, which made him start to cry again, but as soon as his father started rocking him he stopped. Rumplestiltskin’s heart was once again filled by the kind of devotion a man can only feel for his child, the feeling of never wanting to let go of it. A kind of compromise that stuck with you forever. "Hello, little one. I'm sorry for my moment of shock, but I think you are beautiful too, just like your mother does. Your papa will always stand by you. You will never be alone.""Gideon.” Belle said, laying her head on his shoulder. “His name is Gideon.""After that character from Her Handsome Hero?""Yes, do you like it?"He nodded, smiling. "I think it's perfect. A strong name for a strong boy."Mrs. Potts, who had long been forgotten by the new parents, cleaned her throat to make them aware of her presence again. The couple turned to her. "Milady, we need to clean you and then you should try breastfeeding." Belle agreed with a wave of her head and positioned herself back as she was before. "Give me a small push." With less effort, she pushed to let what was left from the birth, slip out of her, and Mrs. Potts wrapped the bloody sheets together, taking them away from the bed. "Good, it's done.""Hand him to me." Belle asked Rumple, who was apparently completely lost in the sight of their son. He passed him to his mother and waved a hand to make all the mess left in the room disappear, including her destroyed nightgown, that was changed by a new one. She kissed Gideon’s forehead. "So little. So dear. So precious. I will love you forever."The midwife went back to her side of the bed, after washing her hands in one of the bowls of water. "He is really special.” She pointed out. “I've assisted a lot childbirths, but never before saw one so beautiful. Who could ever say that this is the Dark One's son? They may have the same skin but it definitely looks better on a baby.""Thank you, Mrs. Potts.""Let's try to feed him." Belle nodded and started to try to open the buttons of her nightgown with only one hand, which didn’t work, so Rumple did it for her, pushing it aside and freeing one of her breasts. She looked at the baby without knowing how to make him take it. "Here, this way." Mrs. Potts said, helping her to position Gideon and get him to take her nipple."Oh!" Belle sighed when he started sucking. "He seems hungry.""It's a good thing,” the midwife explained. “We would be worried if he didn't."Rumple watched everything, amused. His forehead touched his lover’s. "Thank you, Belle.""For what?""For him. For giving me the chance of having a family again."She leaned in to kiss him again, opening her mouth to let their tongues work together in that slow rhythm they so enjoyed, the baby between them, making the moment even more special."Well, I think I should go." Mrs. Potts muttered, her cheeks blushing."No, Mrs. Potts” Rumplestiltskin spoke, moving away from Belle. “You're invited to stay as our nurse and housekeeper.""Nurse?" She lifted her eyebrows."Aye. I know that you're a widow and my Belle is going to need some help with the baby, so your services will be needed and your payment will be huge.""I - I don't know.""Oh, please, stay Mrs. Potts." Belle asked, with her sweet tone of voice.The chubby woman, hesitated but ended up accepting. "Fine. For the lady and the baby.""Great, you'll have a room downstairs.” Explained the Dark One. “Just look for the only opened door you'll be able to find.""Understood. Call me if you need something, master and milady."She left their chambers, closing the door behind her and there was a moment of silence. Rumplestiltskin and Belle just looked at Gideon, having the first snack of his life, making little sounds as he sucked, eyes still closed. The realisation came to the imp. "You are right.""About what?" Belle questioned."He is perfect."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Gideon was the light of the Dark Castle. Since the day he was born, he was spoiled by his mama, papa and their new maid, Mrs. Potts. Belle woke up various times during the night the first weeks, to find herself alone in bed and when she went to the nursery to check on the baby, she always found Rumple there, sitting in an armchair while watching their son.
The first time that happened, she had woken up because earlier that day, Mrs. Potts had told her that Gideon needed to be fed even during the night and her motherly brain seemed to take the advice so serious that, even though she usually slept through the night, her eyes opened without hearing crying from her baby, her breasts aching a little, like her body felt the necessity of giving him his meal. She sat on the bed and looked at her side, finding it empty. Thinking that Rumple probably couldn’t sleep and had went to his laboratory or to the spinning wheel, she stood up, leaving their chambers to go to the nursery.
When she opened the door, he was there, looking hypnotized at the baby in the crib, his tiny green-gold fingers hitting the air as he quietly moved in the dark.
“You should be sleeping.” Rumplestiltskin said when his eyes finally left the baby to set on her.
Belle walked towards the crib and picked Gideon up in her arms. “It’s time to feed him.”
Her lover immediately stood up, letting her take his place in the armchair, then helped her with her nightgown buttons. “I know. I was going to take him to you, so you didn’t need to fully awaken.”
“That’s very lovely, Rumple, but I don’t care about waking up to feed our baby.”
A sly smile passed over his lips. “You say that because it’s the first night, when it’s the thirtieth night you are going to start begging for some sleep. Remember, I was a father before, I know how exhaustive this can be.”
“Yeah, but I bet you can assure me that it is worth it.”
The baby touched his little hand to Belle’s breast while he sucked, hungrily and she caressed his soft cheek. He was so tiny, that she feared that if she held him the wrong way she could end up breaking him, but Mrs. Potts had said that with time he would gain weight, he was only so small because of his early birth.
“What were you doing in here?” Belle asked Rumple.
He shrugged. “Just making sure that he was alright.”
And every single night after it, he gave her the same excuse, even when after three months; Gideon was already heavier and started smiling at them, blinking those gorgeous dark-brown eyes of his. Rumple’s true eyes. It had been a shock for the couple, when the baby’s eyelids trembled before opening to reveal that beautiful deep colour. A gasp had escaped from her.
“I thought he would have your eyes.” She whispered to her lover.
“He does.” Rumplestiltskin said in a broken voice, as if he was trying not to cry. “These are the eyes I had when I was just a common man. These are the same eyes Bae had too.”
She thought that she couldn’t consider Gideon more special and yet, she was wrong. Knowing that he shared his father’s and half-brother’s eyes, made him look even more precious. Belle had never seen these eyes in Rumplestiltskin, but she bet the he looked handsome with them.
Motherhood was so incredible she thought. Fortunately, she never got to be tired because of it with Rumple and Mrs. Potts playing two shadows behind her, giving the lady everything she needed, holding the baby for her sometimes in the afternoons, when she grabbed a book to read and bringing him to her chambers during the night when he needed to be fed. That was the perks of having the Dark One as the father of your child, he might look fearful to anyone else, but he was only a very proud father who would do anything for his family. And he didn’t need much sleep, so that really helped a lot.
Things were miraculously perfect, but there was something that Belle was really missing and she planned to no longer wait to get. She rocked Gideon until he fell asleep, placing him in the crib and wrapping the gold blanket around him that she had knitted for him when he still was inside her womb, then she bent and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead.
"Are you sure you will be fine with him for the night?" Belle asked Mrs. Potts, who was standing next to the window.
"Of course I will." The maid replied. "I have everything he can possibly need right here and we already worked with the milk to feed him, so you have nothing to worry about, milady."
Nodding, she tried really hard not to worry, but she still feared that something could happen to Gideon and she wouldn't be around to help him. "You are just one call away, right?"
Mrs. Potts smiled. "Exactly. If anything goes out of control, I can just summon the Dark One."
"Ok. I trust you and I know that nothing bad is going to happen."
The chubby woman walked to her lady, placing both hands on her shoulders with a motherly look in her green eyes. "Go have a great night, my girl. Just don't forget about all the things we discussed earlier."
"Sure. Thank you, Mrs. Potts."
When she turned her back and left the nursery, the maid stood watching the door close thinking about how young and innocent her lady looked. She was certainly nothing like the woman people described in the village, while calling her the Dark One's whore. Only beautiful as they said, but nothing else alike. Belle was joyful and kind, a true lover to the darkest soul in that realm that made him so much better that their relationship could be considered a good thing. And she was now a mother. One that loved her child even with all of his peculiarities.
Not that the baby wasn't beautiful, because he was really handsome, but any other person who saw Gideon would be scared and probably call him the demon's spawn. But he only was an innocent child. And the family that lived in the Dark Castle was nothing but a normal one that unfortunately carried a curse with them.
She could hear the sound of the spinning wheel from the hallway. Belle tiptoed to the dining hall, peeking a look at Rumplestiltskin, sitting on the stool, hands working to turn straw into gold. Catching her lower lip between her teeth, she approached him from behind, running a hand over his back and sitting by his side.
"Is Gideon alright?" He asked.
Belle's hand came up to stroke his hair. "Perfectly."
"I think I'm going to check on him before we go to bed."
"There is no need to do that, Mrs. Potts is with him."
He raised one of his eyebrows. "Mrs. Potts? She should already be sleeping."
The hand that had been playing with his hair moved to brush his thick skin as she said in a soft voice: "I know. I asked her to take a nap earlier so she could watch him during the night."
Rumplestiltskin finally stopped working on the wheel to meet her gaze. "Why? I could do this. I like doing this."
"And you are the most wonderful father alive, but your lady wants you with her tonight."
Realizing what she wanted, the imp looked at her from head to feet, admiring her beauty in one of the new nightgowns he had brought her and she hadn't had the opportunity to use yet. He remembered telling her that it was his favourite when she was shopping for clothes and there was a good reason for his preference. It was the only one that wasn't white, but a pale shade of baby-blue, the higher part completely made of lace, moulding her breasts beautifully, floating slightly around the rest of her body.
"She does?" Rumplestiltskin asked, swallowing at the view.
Lifting herself on her knees, she kissed his neck. "It's been three whole months, Rumple. Haven't you missed me?"
Touching her face, he smiled and could already see the desire in his eyes. The way he looked at her, took Belle's breath away.
"More than you could ever imagine, but you were recovering from childbirth and I respect that."
She approached him enough to have their noses touching and the gap between their mouths, teasing him.
"Mrs. Potts said I'm fine now."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
Their lips brushed together softly and that was everything Rumplestiltskin needed to pull her closer, sliding his lady up to his lap, drowning in a deep wet kiss, desperate to feel every part of her. Belle's hands trailed his body, just like his did hers, the movement of her hips and the time they spent without doing this making him quickly hard.
A burning feeling settled in Belle's belly, a need she so wanted to satiate, every ministration getting her more aroused. When she felt him harden beneath her, the lady started to open his trousers.
"Belle - " Rumple pulled away from her kiss.
Shaking her head to show that she had no interest in his arguments she slid off his lap, kneeling on the floor and managing to push the leather to his thighs, freeing his member. "I want to do this for you first."
The lady took her time to unlace his black boots before taking them off alongside with the rest of his lower clothing, leaving him just with his shirt and waistcoat. Rumple watched her with lust, like every little thing she did excited him. Belle smiled, looking him in the eyes, as her hands moved to stroke his length and cup his balls, winning back a loud groan from him. She repeated the movement a few more times before doing as she had the last time and kissing the head, but today she slipped it inside her mouth after that.
"Fuck."
Licking him, Belle pulled away to ask: "Is it good?"
"Incredible." She loved the way he sounded breathless, so she approached to let her mouth work a little bit more, his fingers coming to her hair, caressing it and keeping her in place as he gasped and groaned in pleasure. "Oh, sweetheart you're killing me."
His taste was good, like the most exotic thing she had ever had in her life. The lady asked herself if he felt so powerful when it was him in that position, making her look delighted and in love. "Belle." He threw his head back when her tongue made a movement that he appeared to like and Rumplestiltskin seemed to be incapable of keeping himself still anymore, his hips started moving, thrusting inside her mouth carefully. The imp didn't want to hurt his lover, but he was close to his peak and her mouth felt amazing around him. "I - I'm going to -” he stopped his thrusts, thinking about pulling out of her, but Belle licked him again and he couldn't help, but spread his seed inside.
For a brief moment, Belle thought she was going to choke with his seed, but she managed to swallow every drop without embarrassing herself. It was the first time she had pleasured him that way till the end and even though she knew what happened when he reached his climax, she wasn't ready for this. But after all, she didn't consider the experience bad; she liked to be capable of making him come with her mouth.
"How was that?" She asked.
"Amazing." Rumplestiltskin replied in a ragged voice, his thumb stroking her cheek as he bent to kiss her, helping Belle to stand up and grabbing her in his arms, lifting the lady from the floor to take her to the chaise, laying her there. "Time for payback." He said with his most wicked smile.
He finished undressing himself and then he lowered his head to kiss her neck, starting to lift her nightgown, Belle's heart started to pound quicker and sudden tears blurred her vision. Feeling how tense she was, Rumplestiltskin stopped.
"What is wrong, sweetheart?"
"My body. It is different now and I'm afraid you won't desire me anymore."
"Belle, you are gorgeous. Nothing will change that and each new thing about your body will only remind me more about why I love you, because these changes shows that you carried my child inside you, and this is a beautiful thing."
Breathing in, deeply she kissed him. "I love you, Rumplestiltskin."
"I love you too."
His fingers made their way to her wet core, rubbing at her clit gently, letting sweet jolts of pleasure pass through her. "Dear gods, I've missed this." She was so lost in the good sensations his fingers were coaxing inside her, that when Belle realised what his other hand was about to do, she only could let out a small cry. "No!"
Rumplestiltskin froze immediately, looking at the white liquid in his hand as Belle bit her lip, as she gazed down, seeing that he had pulled the fabric of her nightgown aside to expose her right breast, her nipple now aching where he had pinched her. She was too sensitive to pain there, breastfeeding causing some pain that she hadn't yet told him about, but as they weren't having any intimate contact lately and he always saw her dripping milk whenever Gideon was hungry, she didn't think she needed to warn him about the pain or the fact that any harder contact with her breasts made them drip. The books indicated that it was a normal thing. She assumed that he knew it, as he had a wife in this situation before, but he still looked surprised and a little regretful.
"I'm sorry, I - "
Belle touched his face, pulling his hair away from it. "There is no need to apologize. I love when you touch me like this, but I'm still breastfeeding and Mrs. Potts said - "
"Of course." He nodded, interrupting the discourse she was about to start. "I should've known." He lowered his face to place a kiss to the bundle of sensible nerves of hers, lifting his eyes to question: "What about this? Is this allowed?"
"Totally."
His fingers and tongue started to work at the same time, making Belle lose herself in her internal monologue, each new touch, causing her to moan and feel the sweet constriction of her climax. Her body started to shake as the aching pleasure grew bigger. "Rumple - "
"Come for me, angel." He said, between kisses, letting his thumb rub her clit once more, causing her walls to tighten around his fingers, a loud cry leaving her when she came.
Rumple laid by her side, while Belle recovered herself from her numb state, kissing the top of her head, as she muttered, still breathless: "Want you inside me. Need it."
"I'll be happy to fulfil your wishes, Dark Lady." He whispered into her ear, brushing himself against her side to let Belle feel that he was already hard again for her.
"Wait.” She said. “Potion."
"Potion?"
"Mrs. Potts said I should take some potion to make sure I won't get with child again so soon."
Rolling his eyes, the imp seemed bothered. "Can you please stop bringing Mrs. Potts up while we are doing this?"
"I'm sorry."
Waving his hand, Rumple made a tiny bottle with the red potion appear, then opened the lid and gave it to her. "Here, drink."
Belle took it from him, drinking everything and placing the empty bottle on the small table beside the chaise, running the tip of her fingers over Rumplestiltskin's shoulders. "I'll only be taking this until Gideon's first birthday, alright? Then if your seed takes root in me again, I will be happy."
"As you wish." He said, smoothing her eyebrow right before pulling the nightgown off her, and taking a long-delighted look at her body, confirming how wrong she was about herself. The lady was still incredibly perfect. "Now turn around." Belle was surprised with the request, but she trusted him blindly, so she did as he asked and let Rumple position her in the chaise, with her back turned to him. "Aye, just like this." Her lover whispered palming a hand on her bare skin. "If that makes you uncomfortable just tell me to stop."
The thing was that she didn't felt uncomfortable at all. It was weird to not see his face, but she still had his touch pushing his hips to hers and letting his member press against her buttocks, before he led it to her entrance, filling Belle completely. "Oh!"
Rumplestiltskin closed his eyes and stood still for a moment her little moan echoing in his ears. When he started moving, taking his little former maid in that way, right in the dining hall, near his spinning wheel, it all seemed like a distant fantasy he could have had during her first months in the Dark Castle. However, it wasn't. The pleasure was too real, her tiny cries very true and the feel of her body beneath his hands couldn't be faked. "Belle - " he groaned.
It was getting hard to hold himself back, but Rumplestiltskin wanted her to have her delight, and tried to not thrust as fast as he wanted.
"Please," Belle begged. "Please don't stop."
She started to tighten around him and he finally quickened his pace, making her scream his name, syllable by syllable, taking everything he had as he spilled warmth inside her. Weak, Belle fell against the chaise. Rumplestiltskin slipped of her and pulled his lady close to his chest, both breathing heavier. "Come here, sweetheart."
Belle sighed, eyes closed as she kissed his sweaty skin. "I will never look at this chaise the same way after this."
"Neither will I." Rumplestiltskin said with a laugh. It took him a few moments before he could think of a more elaborate thing to say. "So, you were talking about us making love to Mrs. Potts?"
Her cheeks blushed beautifully. "I was asking her some questions."
"Unbelievable!"
"I just wanted to know if I could do this with you again, since you never sought me out after the baby was born."
"As I said, I was respecting your healing time." He defended himself, thinking that she definitely didn't know what it was like to have her in his bed every single night without being able to touch her.
"Do you think I'm too different now?" Belle asked.
What he actually thought was that her new lack of confidence was the silliest thing he had ever heard. His fingers traced her belly. "No. You are still the most beautiful woman I have ever seen and your body is in a pretty good condition. Your belly is almost totally flat again."
"I've been wearing my bodice tightly. I have read that it helps."
"Apparently, it does." He said, kissing her forehead and waving his hand to make a blanket appear above them. "I think is time for us to start to thinking about our deal."
"Deal?"
"Yeah, the one we made about me showing you the world."
"Oh, that one." Belle said, lifting her body on her elbow, so she was facing him. "Gideon is still very little."
"Aye, but he likes Mrs. Potts and when you stop breastfeeding him we can start taking some trips."
A smile full of nostalgia passed through her lips. "I'll miss my baby when we do."
"So will I." Rumplestiltskin agreed. "Aren’t you excited with the prospect of an adventure?"
"Yeah. But I want to think about this later." Belle replied moving to kiss him. "Today the only adventure I want is right in this hall."
Gideon had been babbling unintelligible words for weeks. Belle wished she could somehow capture the moments he started making nonsense sounds while pointing out things, because it was so sweet that she wanted to relive it every second. That cold afternoon, Mrs. Potts was serving the tea while Rumple held the ten-month-old baby, wrapped in the gold blanket, whispering to his son.
"I'm going to teach you how to spin when you are older, Gid." The imp was saying. "And magic, of course, because you'll have to know how to use the powers I can feel in you."
"Just not too much magic maybe." Belle suggested. "Remember that it always comes with a price."
Rumplestiltskin narrowed his eyes for her. "You are stealing my motto."
"I'm not stealing your motto." She rolled her eyes. "You say that to everybody. This phrase is probably used in all the realms at this point."
"Mama!"
All the three adults went quiet at the sound of that new voice. Belle fixed her glance on Gideon, who was stretching himself in his father's arms in an attempt to get to her. "Mama!" He demanded again.
Heart racing, the lady stood up reaching for her baby and holding him close to her chest as a strangled happy sound left her throat. "I love you. I love you. I love you, my little clever boy." She smacked a kiss to his little cheek, Mrs. Potts clapping her hands with a huge smile and Rumplestiltskin watching them with love in his eyes.
"His first word." Rumple contemplated. "We need to celebrate! Mrs. Potts, bring the best wine we have, because my son spoke his first word and it's the best one he could have chosen to!"
"Yes, master!"
Mrs. Potts ran to the kitchen and Rumple came to where Belle was joyfully swinging the baby, almost dancing in happiness. He passed an arm around her shoulder, looking to his handsome son whose hands were grabbing the locks of his mother's hair while he blabbed, again and again: "Mama."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
They were in an old village near the harbour. It had been two weeks after Gideon first said papa and three after he said mama, melting his parents’ hearts and making both of them want to stay home with him, but Rumplestiltskin had deals to make and Belle ended up being convinced by her lover that doing this trip with him wasn’t going to transform her into a horrible mother.
She had been excited with each new view in the carriage until they reached the place that got Rumplestiltskin really happy, but now as he followed her as a shadow in the market, he was just bored.
“What do you think about these little boots?” Belle asked, holding the tiniest boots he had ever seen. “Don’t you think that Gideon would look adorable in them?”
"It's lovely, sweetheart, but he isn't even walking yet."
"I know, but imagine when he will!" Belle said, her motherly smile coming up. "Can we buy these?" She asked with those pleading eyes she knew he couldn't resist.
"Of course." Rumplestiltskin replied, taking some gold from his coat's inner pocket and yelling at the tent's owner: "You, sir, we are buying the boots."
The old man, who seemed to be around his fortieth-year turned around to look at them. Raising an eyebrow, he studied Belle from head to feet.
"You are with him?" He asked.
Rumplestiltskin's jaw tightened as he realised that the man was looking directly at his lover's breasts. Suddenly he felt the need to let the world know that Belle was completely and entirely his, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "Aye, she is, now do yourself a favour and look up, not down. This is my lady, sir."
"Your whore, you mean."
"My Dark Lady." He said, making the man choke with magic.
Belle jumped in surprise. "Hey, please, you don't need to start a fight."
"I'm just making it clear that no one looks at what is mine."
He let his magic fade, freeing the man and threw the gold on the counter, placing the little boots inside the basket Belle was holding. She breathed in, taking his hand in hers to drag him away. "Come on, let's get out of here, I think we've had enough of this market."
"Agreed."
They walked towards the woods, where nobody was going to bother them. Rumplestiltskin calmed himself down during the way and they stood side by side.
"So, what is the deal that we are here for?" Belle questioned.
"An ingredient for a potion."
Her mouth fell open. "You are joking, right? We can't be here because of an ingredient for a potion! I - I left my child alone for an ingredient?"
"Don't be so dramatic." Rumplestiltskin rolled his eyes. "Gideon is not alone, he is with Mrs. Potts and you definitely did not come here to help me with my business, you came because you wanted to see new things. Haven't you seen any yet?"
"Well, I have. I've never been to a market before."
"Really?"
Shrugging, she traced the basket's strap with the tip of a finger. "Everything I needed was brought to my father's castle."
"Oh, yeah, the highborn princess, I almost forgot!"
He said that like it was some kind of joke and she smiled, but inside she felt a sort of desperation when she thought about her time in her father's castle. Being watched by maids all day long, being taught to be obedient and submissive, like everything a woman should ever dream to be was some kind of doll that accompanied her husband to be showed off to the others like a mere object. The only moments she really felt good and free were when her mother took her to the library to read stories about heroism to her.
"I never enjoyed that life," Belle confessed. "If you want to know, I prefer the one I have now, with you, our child and the maid, who is a good friend."
Shaking his head, Rumple laughed softly while running a hand through her hair. "Anyone who hears you talking like this would think that you are crazy. A lady who prefers a life enclosed in a monster's castle giving birth to his spawn than the comfort of her father's court."
"I do and have no shame of that."
"Crazy. Totally mad."
"Can you stop teasing me and please explain what is this important ingredient you are looking for?"
He took a brief time to think before speaking: "I'm making a crystal ball."
"A crystal ball? Are you serious?"
"Yes, I am. And I need some dragon scales. Not an easy thing to find."
Rumplestiltskin had a lot of peculiar ingredients for potions and spells in his laboratory, which sometimes made her a little hesitant to take the potions he made for her, because it always had a terrible taste and she always ended up wondering what ingredients had been used to make what she had drank.
"Where do you intend to get it?"
"There is a man here that might have some. He is spending some days here with the rest of the crew of a ship."
"A pirate?" She questioned.
"Not exactly, just a helper who is also a collector. His name is Mr. Smee."
"It sounds funny." Belle pointed out. "And where can we find him?"
"Not we, just I. You are going to stay here buying things in the village where it is safe and I'm going to meet him."
"But - "
He swung a finger in front of her face. "There is no discussion about this. We shall meet at the tavern after twilight."
Belle sighed, frustrated. "This is so unfair."
"I love you too." Rumplestiltskin said, kissing her before taking a velvet bag from his cloak pocket and placing it in her hands. "Now get this gold and go have a great day."
With a wave of his hand, he vanished.
"Sure, bring me here and leave me completely alone.” She whispered to herself and Rumple, knowing that wherever he was, he would still be paying attention at what she said after he left. “I'll have revenge later."
Walking back to the market, she held her basket in one arm, filling it bit by bit as she visited different tents, buying wool, fresh fruits, new needles and various types of toys for Gideon. It had already passed noon when she started to feel hungry and reached for one of the food tents, looking at the tempting things exposed in the counter.
"Can I help you, milady?" A girl around her age that was behind it, asked. "Our cakes and cookies are incredible!"
"I was actually thinking about getting a piece of lemon pie, it's my favourite and I couldn't stop eating it when I was with child."
"Oh, you have children? You look so young!"
Belle nodded, smiling. "A baby boy. And I'm not that young, to my father’s point of view I was actually too old. He tried to get me engaged since I was thirteen."
The girl pulled down the red hood of her cloak, putting a piece of pie in a ceramic plate and passing it to her with a fork. "So, he finally managed to."
"Not exactly. He doesn't even know that I had a baby nor that I'm actually not married to the father of the baby."
"Whoa, a rebel girl. I like you.” She said with a sweet laugh. “So how is the pie?"
Using the fork to get a piece of it, Belle ate before speaking: "I think this is the best one I've ever had. Simply delicious!"
"Thank you, Granny will be happy to know that people are enjoying her food. By the way, my name is Ruby, but people usually call me Little Red Riding Hood."
"That's big for a nickname. Guess Red or Ruby can’t do it. I'm Belle."
She held her hand to Ruby who accepted the greeting happily. "So, what brings you here, Belle?"
Eating more pie, she needed a second to swallow before answering the question. "My lover had some business to do and he left me here to explore the market while he makes his deals."
"I can show you some interesting things, if you'd like."
As she finished eating the pie, Belle returned the plate and fork to Ruby alongside with some strips of gold. "I would be really grateful, but what about the tent?"
"There are two other girls working here today,” Ruby explained, waving her head in the direction of where they sat, behind her. “They are not even going to notice that I'm gone. And you can leave your basket here.” She grabbed Belle’s basket and hid it behind the counter, then left the tent, a wide smile on her lips. “Follow me."
During the rest of the afternoon, the two of them walked through the village, talking a little about their lives while Belle got to know every place in there. Ruby told her that she was an orphan and had been raised by her grandmother in a beautiful house that was set near the woods, far from the others, because the grandmother liked the silence there. She seemed to be a very kind, spontaneous person and Belle immediately liked her.
After a long walk, they ended up going to the same tavern where Rumple said he was going to meet her later.
"You drink?" Ruby asked after they entered.
"Maybe some wine."
"Ok. I'm going to get it."
As Ruby left to take the drinks, Belle slid into a seat by a wooden table, looking distractedly towards the tavern’s door, where the movement of people were intense, men and women of all sorts and types, entering and leaving all the time. It was exciting to be in a place she never even dreamed of before, her eyes tried to capture every detail of it, with such an interest that she didn’t realise that someone had been watching her since the moment Belle and Ruby arrived at the tavern. She only came back to reality from her lost-in thought state, when someone sat on the stool, right by her side.
"Look at what we have here.” The man said in a deep accent, making Belle jump, startled. “A beautiful young lady. Are you working, love?"
He was a young dark-haired guy, all dressed in black, except for his red waistcoat. The languid smile he showed her, told Belle that whoever that man was, he was certainly a problem. Moving away from him, she narrowed her eyes, glancing around quickly in an attempt to find Ruby, but she wasn’t anywhere near. "I'm sorry I just came in here for a drink with a friend."
"I can pay it for you." He answered, waving an arm in the air to get the attention of a waitress, making Belle’s eyes widen when she realised that in the place where his hand should be, there was only a hook. "Hey, bring a drink for the woman!"
"No, no.” She interrupted, but the waitress had already left a glass of beer in front of her. “Thank you, sir, but I'm not drinking with you, I am in a relationship with a man and he wouldn't like it."
Hurrying to leave, Belle stood up, but was intercepted by two other men, that had their arms folded and threatening looks on their faces. The man behind her grabbed her arm tightly. "What he doesn't see, can't hurt him.” He shrugged. “Now sit like a good girl and my men are not going to hurt you."
Keeping her face calm, despite the sudden panic she felt inside, Belle obeyed, causing the man to smile. "What is your name, love?"
"Belle."
"I'm Killian Jones, also known as Captain Hook."
His fingers came up to play with her hair, an evil expression crossing his face. A shiver passed through Belle’s body as she backed away once more, deciding to play the helpless victim. "Captain, I really would appreciate if you please let me go. I need to go back home, I have a child to take care of."
That information seemed to surprise him. "A child?” Hook asked. “I'm starting to think that I've got the wrong woman. Tell me, love, wasn't it you who the Dark One defended this morning in the market? The woman he called his Dark Lady?"
Something clicked in her mind and everything made sense. His interest in her was not just because she was a lady sitting alone by a tavern’s table, it was because of Rumple. She remembered when he told her all those months ago that he feared for their family because he had too many enemies in all the realms and people would want to hurt them to make him suffer.
She swallowed, but raised her chin. "Yes, and you should know that if any harm comes to me, Rumplestiltskin is going to kill you."
"I doubt it. He had the chance once and he didn't."
"Probably because he is a better man than you."
"A better man?" The Captain laughed. "What lies has the crocodile told you, love? Do you see this hook?” He raised his arm. “The hand that usually was in its place was cut off by him, after he killed my lover, Milah. His ex-wife."
A lot of thoughts passed through her mind. Rumplestiltskin had killed his wife. He had murdered the mother of his first-born. No, that couldn’t be possible, at least not the Rumple she knew now. Her breaths started coming up heavier as she also realised that the man in front of her hated her lover more than anything in the world, what meant that she was in terrible danger.
"You are the pirate she ran away with!" Belle finally got to say in a whisper.
"Aye." Hook smiled. "And you look like the perfect revenge for what he did to Milah. I can use you right here and then slit your throat with a knife."
"I'm not afraid of you."
"Oh, but you should be."
When his hand came towards her, Belle grabbed the glass of beer and threw the drink in his face, kicking him and pushing his men away to hurry to the exit. "You whore!" Hook cursed, yelling at his men: "Get her!"
Rushing to where Ruby was, talking with one of the waitresses, Belle grabbed her arm, dragging her to the open door. "Run!"
"What?" The girl asked.
"Come on, Ruby, run!"
They started running out of the tavern, passing through the market with the three pirates following them, their legs aching from the effort, hard breaths and people staring when they passed. The ladies reached the harbour, not knowing where else to hide and stopped running which was enough for Belle to be thrown to the ground by Hook.
"Did you really think you could escape from me, love?" He asked in a ragged breath, securing her on the floor with his weight, keeping her hands up so she couldn’t escape.
Belle kicked him, tossing herself in an attempt to get free.
"Take your hands off her!" Ruby screamed, coming to beat him.
"Hold the other girl!" The pirate demanded.
His men wrapped firm hands around the girl’s skinny arms. "Let go of me!"
Closing her eyes, Belle summoned him in fear: "Rumplestiltskin. Rumplestiltskin. Rumplestiltskin."
"He is not going to save you." Hook grabbed his sword, lowering it with strength to her chest, but Belle moved away in time and it stabbed her in the shoulder, causing the lady to cry out in pain.
Pulling it back, the pirate glanced at the blood in the steel like it pleased him, before a purple cloud of smoke appear behind him, bringing Rumplestiltskin with it.
"Captain Hook." The imp said, his teeth clenched and his jaw tightened.
Hook’s expression got darker. "Crocodile."
"Free the lady." Rumple demanded and Hook stood up, leaving Belle laying hurt on the floor. Her lover’s glance met hers and when he saw the cut on her shoulder, from where blood was dripping, he raised a hand, making the pirate choke by an invisible force. "How dare you touch her?"
Even clearly suffocating, he dared to smile. "It's called revenge."
Then, the man was thrown on the ground and Rumplestiltskin grabbed a hoe that was set by the wall of a house, near them, starting to beat him with the handle of it, causing Hook to groan in pain as bruises appeared in his face wherever Rumple hit him.
"Stop this, you are going to kill him!" A new voice that Belle didn’t recognise, shout out.
A young blond woman came running from the market, her hair pulled up in a ponytail. She kneeled beside Hook, looking questionably at the scene she just interrupted, her blue waistcoat matching her eyes perfectly.
"You are very far away from where your parents would like you to be, Princess Emma." Rumplestiltskin said.
The pain in Belle’s shoulder was burning awfully, but that didn’t keep her from being surprised. Snow White’s daughter was definitely the last person she expected to see there, dressing like a commoner.
"That is none of your business." Emma answered with bitter tone.
"Yeah, you are right it's not."
Clicking his finger together, Rumple made the two pirates that were holding Ruby disappear. She immediately ran to Belle’s side. "We need to help her!"
Rumplestiltskin bent to place a hand on her injured shoulder, letting his magic pass through his fingers to heal the cut, making Belle whimper in contentment when her pain was gone. "Here."
"Rumple!" She said, throwing her arms around his neck.
"Are you alright, sweetheart?"
"Yes, I am now."
Pulling away from his hug, she opened her mouth to say something else, but was interrupted by Ruby’s words. "You're even more of a rebel than I thought. Your lover is the Dark One!"
She laughed. “Well, at least you are not running away because of it.”
“Let’s just say that I know how it is to be feared.” She shrugged before helping Belle to stand on her feet. “You two are invited to come with me to my grandmother’s house. It’s safer to spend the night there instead of here now that all eyes will be following you.”
“There is no need, thank you.” Rumplestiltskin replied. “We are actually heading back home.”
“But what about your ingredient?” Belle asked.
“Well, sweetheart, I didn’t waste my afternoon looking at the sea. I’ve already made my deal.”
It wasn’t a surprise. When the Dark One wanted something he quickly managed to get it, but Belle was a little sad that the trip was over and she had lost precious time fighting with a stupid pirate, although a part of her was happy that after this horrible experience of being attacked she could just cuddle her baby until he fell asleep.
“Alright then, I just need to get my basket at Ruby’s tent.”
And with a magic wave, the basket appeared on her arm again. She rolled her eyes at her lover and glanced to the side to see that Hook and Emma weren’t there anymore, probably being smart enough to get out of Rumple’s sight when he was in a bad mood because of what the pirate had done.
“I guess I need to say goodbye then.” Belle smiled at Ruby. “Thank you, for this lovely afternoon and I’m really sorry that I put you in danger.”
Ruby hugged her briefly. “Danger? Oh, that was nothing. This was the most incredible day I’ve had in a long time. I hope to see you again and maybe meet you little boy.”
“I hope for that too.”
Saying their last goodbye to the woman called Red, they went back to their carriage, heading home.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“Come on, baby, come to mama!” Belle said cheerfully at an eleven-month-old Gideon, who was standing on his feet, clinging to his father’s leg, those deep brown eyes staring at her as his tiny green-gold hand stretched in the direction to where she was sitting on the floor of the dining hall.
“Mama!” Gideon pleaded, his lower lip starting to tremble as he wasn’t getting what he wanted as usual. He looked up at Rumple. “Papa? Mama!”
“You can walk there, my boy.” His father answered.
Testing his legs, the baby moved one small foot, then another. He almost lost his balance when his hands left the father’s leg, but Gideon managed not to fall by taking another fast step. Belle made a happy sound, opening her arms to receive him as he made his way to her. “You did it!”
“He did it!” Rumple repeated.
“Oh, no! He did it?” Mrs. Potts asked coming from the kitchen. “I can’t believe that I missed it!”
Belle kissed her son's cheek, hugging him tightly, then pulling him down to the floor. "Don't worry, Mrs. Potts, this beautiful boy is going to give us a second show. Go to your papa, Gid."
Rumplestiltskin held his hand for his son in an invitation. "Come here."
Gideon took some shaky steps to his father until he hit his leg again, grabbing it in a hug.
"There is nothing cuter than him in this world!" Mrs. Potts said, emotionally. "I feel like it was yesterday that I was helping you deliver him, milady and in fact this little boy will be one year old in a few weeks."
"Believe me, I feel the same. They grow up too fast."
Rising from the floor Belle watched as Rumple picked Gideon up, sitting him on his lap and distracting the boy with a teddy bear. She followed Mrs. Potts to the kitchen, feeling the nostalgia fill her and remembering the promise she had made to Rumple. On Gideon's first birthday, she was going to stop taking the contraception potion so nature could work things out if they were to have another baby. The prospect was good, because she knew that with every new thing he learned, Gideon soon wasn't going to want to be in his parents' arms all the time anymore and she would miss having a child to rock to the sleep. And as an only daughter, she also wished him to have what she never had, a sibling to play with.
"Do you think I can handle two children?" She asked the maid when they were alone in the kitchen.
"I'm sure you can, milady. You and the master are really good parents."
"I am going to stop taking the contraceptive potion." Belle confessed. "I'm just a little bit afraid of not being the best mother with two of them to watch out for."
"A good mother is always good, my girl, no matter how many children she has. And you don't have to hurry, you are young and fertile. You can give it more time if you want to."
She placed a hand to her flat belly, looking down in wonder, knowing that no matter what fears she had, her urge to have another baby growing inside her was bigger than them. And after all, she didn't know how much time she would have to wait before they were able to conceive a child. Some books said that it took time to happen. They had been very lucky with Gideon, having made him on their very first time together, not needing any extra effort.
Shaking her head, Belle mentally told herself to stop thinking about that and concentrate on the child she already has.
"Do you have his soup ready?"
"Yes, warm and delicious." Mrs. Potts served a little plate with the soup and handed it to her along with a spoon. "Here it goes, milady."
"Thank you very much."
Heading back to the dining hall, Belle found Rumple in his seat at the head of the table, with Gideon still in his arms babbling something unintelligible. She sat in the nearest chair, placing the plate on the huge table. “Time to eat, little one.” Belle said, grabbing the baby from his father.
Filling the spoon, she leaned it in Gideon’s direction and he opened his little mouth to be fed. Rumplestiltskin watched them in silence, a solemn smile of pure joy on his lips all the time; in fact he never thought he could be as happy as he was feeling in that moment.
The kitchen was filled by the incredible smell of Mrs. Potts’ delicious carrot cake that afternoon, while she prepared a vanilla cream to cover it; Belle was standing by her side swinging Gideon in her arms, anxious for Rumplestiltskin’s return. He had left this morning to pick up a surprise gift for their son’s birthday and when he arrived, they were going to celebrate in the dining hall, spoiling the little boy for the rest of the day.
“Has master told you what he is getting for Gideon?” The maid asked.
“No.” Belle replied. “He was all secretive about this during all the week, but I’ve got a gift for him too that I brought on our last trip.”
Mrs. Potts finished the cream and started spreading it on the cake carefully as if as she was making some kind of art. When she finished, the maid grabbed a wooden spoon, filling it with some of the rest of the cream and giving to Gideon. “Here, sweet boy.”
Gripping the spoon tightly, the boy put it inside his mouth, leaving some of the cream around his chin and cheek when he took it off. Belle laughed, taking a cloth to clean him. “Isn’t that topping for your birthday cake delicious, Gid?” She said in a low voice, smiling as Gideon giggled with the contact of the cloth with his soft skin. “Mrs. Potts is a great baker, isn’t she?”
“Alright, milady. I’m going to prepare the cookies now.” The maid informed.
“Ok. I think I will bath Gideon then, so he will be ready for when his papa comes back.”
Starting to sing a lullaby, Belle left the kitchen with her baby moving his chubby finger around the curls of her hair, she was about to climb upstairs when a loud sound coming from the front door startled her. It was like someone was trying to break into the castle.
Reaching for the windows, Belle peeked a look outside holding a breath when she recognised her father’s carriage outside the gates, some of his man forming a retinue there. Crossing the hallway, she approached the other window, that gave her a view of who was at the front door, showing Belle her father and a bunch of soldiers that were pushing a tree trunk against the doors in an attempt to break in. Opening the window a little, she passed her head through it. "Father, stop!" Belle screamed.
Maurice looked up to see his daughter's face there. "Belle, I'm here for you."
"Send your men away and I will open the door, but only if they are outside of the gates."
"But - "
"That is an order, father."
"Fine, they are going away, now come here!"
She waited until she saw all the soldiers leaving the castle with their trunk before she came to the door and opened it.
"Belle!" Her father said with a huge smile. Then he captured a full view of his daughter, dressed in a beautiful long-sleeved dark-blue dress, Gideon's head resting in her shoulder and the smile faded substituted by a horrified expression. "What is this demon in your arms?"
"Demon?" She repeated in shock, holding the baby closer. "He is no demon, father. This is my son."
Maurice seemed disgusted. "Oh, darling, what horrible things had that monster done to you?" He said. "I came here hoping that the rumours about you becoming his whore weren't true and now I also find out that you carried his devilish offspring."
Belle's blood boiled in her veins. She hated her father's judgment, even though she knew it was pretty much everybody else's opinion about her life too. They didn't get to decide what was right and wrong.
"Stop it." She said behind clenched teeth. "Stop it now, you can't just come here and call me whore and talk about my child that way!"
"Belle, look at this thing you're holding, this isn't a baby, this is a small version of the Dark One. He doesn't even look human!" Maurice shouted causing the little boy to start crying.
Angry, Belle took a deep breath, rocking him, kissing the top of the baby's head. "My son is perfect and handsome. I don't need your opinion about this."
Taking a hesitant step ahead, Maurice placed a hand on his daughter's shoulder, making Belle believe for a moment that he was going to apologize for what he'd just said and then, maybe hug her, asking to hold his grandson a little bit. But that was just a childish fantasy because, she knew her father better than that. He was an ignorant close-minded man, who would always cling to his own opinions.
"You don't need to defend this thing just because you gave birth to him. Leave him there and come with me, Belle." He offered, like this was the wisest thing to do. "I promise I will never let Rumplestiltskin force you to do anything ever again."
"He didn't force me. I gave myself to him." Belle replied, bitterly. "It was me, father, who went willingly to his bed and I don't defend my son because I feel some kind of duty, I do it because I love him and I would never let anyone hurt him."
Her father's hand fell back to his side, like she had burned him. Maurice couldn't even stand looking at his grandson. "That monster bewitched you, right? He must have cast a spell to make you submissive."
Supporting Gideon's head on her hand, she covered him with her arms, shielding the baby, deciding that her father didn't even deserved to glance at something so pure as her son. "Get out."
"What?"
"Get the hell out of here!"
"Belle - "
She lifted her chin, fresh tears shining in her eyes, which she refused to let fall and spoke in her most petulant voice: "I'm the lady of this castle, I'm Rumplestiltskin's lover, the mother of his son and heir, Gideon. I don't bend myself to other peoples' opinions. I'm the Dark Lady and you'd better go back to your home, because there is nothing here for you."
"You can't be serious. You can't be choosing this beast and his spawn when I'm offering you a chance to come back to my castle."
"I'm choosing my family."
Mrs. Potts who had come there because of the sounds of the argument, appeared behind Belle, making her way through the hallway to put safe hands around her lady's shoulders, facing Maurice with narrowed eyes. "You heard what milady Belle said. Get out, sir."
With his face as red as an apple because of his anger, Maurice turned his back to his daughter, marching out of the Dark Castle. The door magically closed behind him and Belle collapsed on the floor, sobbing.
"Oh, milady, don't cry! He isn't worth your tears." Mrs. Potts said, kneeling by her side and stroking her back in a gesture of comfort.
"My - my baby is not a monster." Belle said between her tears.
"No, of course, not." The maid assured. "Take a look at this beautiful, innocent face. Your father is very wrong."
"Mama?" Gideon touched her wet cheek, seeming concerned with the fact that she was crying.
"It's ok, little one. I love you more than anything and I always will." She kissed his chubby fingers, admiring her son's beauty for a moment. "It is your birthday and I won't ruin it by crying over that man."
"That's the lady Belle I know." Mrs. Potts smiled. "Here, let me bath him for you, while you prepare yourself for when master arrives."
Taking Gideon from her arms, the maid rose.
"Thank you, Mrs. Potts."
"You're welcome. I will get him clean and dressed in no time."
Belle remained sitting on the floor for just one more second, before wiping her tears and going to her chambers, where she chose her most beautiful gown, a winter golden one, warm and pretty. She changed, brushed her hair and fetched Gideon's birthday gift from the back of the closet, turning back to go to the nursery when she bumped into Rumple.
"Gods!" She jumped. "Are you trying to scare me to death?"
He smiled amused. "I'm sorry, sweetheart, I had been watching you for a while now, but you didn't realise."
"You were watching me? Since when?"
"Since you started to pull this beautiful gown on. You look stunning in it." Rumplestiltskin answered gripping her waist and sniffing her hair.
"Well, I have a good occasion to look stunning for. Our son's first birthday."
Tracing her jawline line with his nose, Rumple reached for her lips, moulding them to his in a slow kiss. Belle felt tears start to stream down her cheeks when she realised that being in his arms like this, feeling his immense love for her was her idea of home. Her father was selfish enough to never know this feeling. For him, the meaning of home was a huge castle, for Belle it was two people. Her lover and her son.
"Sweetheart - " Rumplestiltskin pulled away. "Why are you crying?"
"My father appeared here today. He said that he wanted to see if the rumours were true and I had become your whore. Then, he saw Gideon in my arms and got really mad."
Rumple looked at her entirely, like he was trying to make sure that she was fine and asked: "Has he harmed you? Any of you?"
"Not physically. He just said a bunch of bad things to me and left."
"Oh, Belle - "
"It's alright. My father and the rest of the world will never understand what we have, but we do and that is enough. They can call me whore, call you monster and our son a bastard, but we are happier than they ever will be."
Rumplestiltskin cupped her face looking deep inside her blue eyes with his reptilian ones, showing her all of his love. "Sweetheart, I may be a monster, but you are not a whore and our son is just a bastard in their eyes not ours. I love you. You are my everything."
Nodding softly, Belle pressed a kiss to his cheek. "You're mine too. And I don't want to think about this anymore, I just want to celebrate."
"Yes, our boy deserves a day full of smiles."
"I wish Baelfire was here to complete the family."
A nostalgic expression passed through his face. "So do I. But one day he will be." Taking a deep breath, he grabbed her hand dragging her out of their chambers. "Come, I'm anxious to see Gideon's reaction to our gifts."
"Wait, wait!" Belle said, intercepting his way to the nursery's door. "Stay here. I have a surprise for you."
Entering the nursery being careful to not open the door too much, Belle walked towards the crib where Gideon was sitting with Mrs. Potts while she tried to groom his short auburn hair.
"He is looking so handsome!" Belle sighed, picking the baby up.
"I would say that this was a great choice of outfit." Mrs. Potts agreed.
The two women headed down the hallway, opening the door to get out of the nursery. When Rumplestiltskin set his eyes in his son he giggled, clapping his hands together, amazed by the view. Gideon was all dressed in black, wearing similar clothes as his, tiny boots on his feet, trousers, waistcoat and finally a little leather coat.
"What do you think?" Belle asked with a smile. "Isn't it the cutest thing you have ever seen?"
"How did you manage to get this leather coat?"
"I went to a tailor on our last trip." She explained.
"This is perfect. You look perfect, my boy!" Rumplestiltskin said to the baby. “What about we go downstairs and celebrate? Your mama is hiding her gift for you under her arm and she is not good at it.”
“Hey!” Belle laughed, letting her lover grab their son from her and make his way to the dining hall, followed by the women.
When they arrived, Mrs. Potts headed to the kitchen to get the cake, while Belle watched Rumplestiltskin put Gideon atop of a wooden swinging horse. It was set in one of the corners of the hall, between her reading chaise and her lover’s spinning wheel.
“Now he has his spot near ours.” Rumple smiled, looking up at her.
“I love it.” She said, kneeling by their side, seeing Gideon giggling happily as his father helped him to make the horse swing. “Are you happy, little one?” His answer was another soft laugh.
“I think it’s time to celebrate, right?” Mrs. Potts said coming from the kitchen with the cake. “Happy birthday to you.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Two years had passed. Two amazing years, where Rumplestiltskin and Belle divided their time between raising their son Gideon, loving each other and making short trips whenever a deal was required. She got to know various places which really fulfilled her wish to see the world, but there was one wish she found herself unable to fulfil. Being a mother again.
No matter how much they tried, her body kept betraying her, bleeding each and every month, washing away her dreams of having another baby. Mrs. Potts insisted that she was in perfect health and sooner or later it was going to happen, it just probably didn’t yet because she was too anxious, but Belle wasn’t sure if she believed her. Rumple never said anything more than that he was happy with the family they already had, even though he wanted the same thing as her.
One night, lying by his side in their bed still blissful from their lovemaking and specifically feeling that she had somehow failed him, she dared to ask: “Could you use magic to make sure that this time we will have a baby?”
Rumplestiltskin shook his head. “Magic comes with a price. One that neither I nor you want a child of ours to pay.”
"Yeah, you're right. I just - “She took a deep breath, thinking of how mad she should have sounded asking that of him.”I'm sorry I was feeling a little desperate."
"Sleep, sweetheart and don't think about this anymore." When she nodded hiding her face in his skin, Rumple stroked her hair slowly and whispered: "It will happen, Belle, I promise."
After that episode, she decided that she was going to be content with what they had and forget about having another child.
It was spring and the weather was wonderful, making her pull on her old blue dress and take Gideon to the gardens. Mrs. Potts had stretched a towel on the lawn, bringing some fruits for them and now the two women were sitting, watching the little boy chase after some squirrels.
"He has energy. I couldn't stand running for more than five minutes." The maid pointed out, when Gideon passed in front of them for the fourth time.
Belle laughed slightly, closing the book she had in her lap and taking a strawberry from the plate. "This boy will be tough and tall, apparently. Have you realised how much he had grown these past few months?"
"Oh, he is still little." Mrs. Potts said. "But I bet he will be a tall man."
"Mama!" They heard Gideon calling. "Mama!"
"And there I go." Belle said, rising up from the ground and heading to where the sound of her son's voice came from, near the shrubs. "What is it, Gid?"
"Fire!" The boy said, looking at the trees behind it with despair.
Startled, Belle grabbed him by the hand, pulling her son behind her. "Stay away."
She looked around attentively to certify if anyone who could have started this fire was around, but it was only them in the gardens. At least, until Rumplestiltskin appear, brought by a cloud of purple smoke. Quickly waving a hand, he extinguished the fire.
"Alright, it's over." The imp said.
"Where did that fire came from?"
Rumplestiltskin pointed a finger to where their son was, still hidden behind his mother. "Him."
"What?"
"The fire came from Gideon. His magic is starting to show up."
At the sound of his name, Gideon peeked a look at his father, blinking slightly. "My magic?"
"Aye, my boy. It seems that we are going need to have some lessons."
"Cool. I'm going to tell Mrs. Potts!"
The boy ran back to where the maid was, leaving his parents alone. Belle's heart was racing and she had to lean on a tree to keep her balance. Rumplestiltskin approached her, holding his lady close.
"Belle, are you feeling well?"
"Yeah, I just almost forgot that he had magic." She sighed. "Three years and nothing happened until now."
"Things usually happen when are not expecting them to. He will be fine, I will teach him to control his powers and incidents like that will be avoided."
A little part of her, told Belle that his first phrase did not just apply to the situation and that he was trying to give her some hope with their baby problem too, but she wasn't interested to keep dreaming of something that clearly wasn't going to happen, so she pretended that she didn’t get it. The lady let her hands run over Rumplestiltskin's arms, caressing him, but trying to find comfort for herself in the fact that he was there with her and he loved their family.
She was worried about Gideon's powers and wanted more than anything to ply her lover with questions about it, however Belle didn't get the chance to ask him just yet, because Rumple turned his head to the gates, listening to something that she couldn't hear.
"Enter the castle." He said.
"Why?"
"There is someone coming."
Knowing exactly what she should do, Belle rushed to Gideon and Mrs. Potts, gathering all the things that were spread over the garden and taking them inside. Rumple followed them a minute later, leaning on one of the hallway’s pillars and waiting for the moment his visitor would enter the castle. He heard the carriage parking outside the gates, letting them open with magic, just like the front door, to show in the tall man.
"Rumplestiltskin."
"King David,” A languid smile passed through his lips. “I would like to say that it is a pleasure to see you, but I would be lying if I did so."
David didn’t even bother to roll his eyes; he was focused on a mission. "I need information."
"You always do."
The King opened his mouth to continue, but jumped in place when someone came running from the stair in the end of the hallway and collapsed against the imp’s legs, hugging him tightly and laughing a little. "Papa, who is him?"
He almost stormed out. In his mind Rumplestiltskin could already see himself screaming angrily at the child for daring to come downstairs when a stranger was there, after he clearly instructed the whole family to stay hid when he received a guest, but he couldn’t do it. The last time he lost his patience and did something so stupid was when Regina appeared there asking to spend a night in the Dark Castle and Belle showed up.
That day he had been a monster to his pregnant lover and he had learned the lesson of never doing that again, so he breathed in, kneeling on the floor and showing a calm smile to his son.
"He is just a visitor, my boy. And you should be playing upstairs with your mama."
In perfect timing, Belle crossed the hallway, her cheeks flushed and a silent apology in her eyes. "I'm so sorry, he escaped."
"It's alright, sweetheart.” Rumple assured, stroking his boy’s soft green-gold cheek. “King David, this is my son Gideon and Belle, my Dark Lady."
When he lifted his reptilian eyes to the King, he realized that his jaw was dropped as he looked to Rumplestiltskin’s family in disbelief. "Belle, that princess you got from a deal?"
"It was my choice to come here, sir.” Belle said before he could even think about answering, making the imp smile. “And certainly, it was also my choice to become Rumplestiltskin's lady."
"I see.” David swallowed. “Well, I'm here because of my daughter, Princess Emma."
Standing up on his feet, Rumplestiltskin grabbed his son from the floor, swinging the boy in the air to make him laugh, even knowing that he was probably ruining a little of his reputation of being a heartless beast by doing this. But he couldn’t resist, he loved to make his son laugh. "What about her?"
"She was engaged to Prince Eric, but last week she decided to tell everybody in their engagement party that she had a child with a thief."
"Why would she do this?" Belle asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Emma never wanted to marry Eric, so I guess she found a way to break their compromise."
Glancing at his son like he was saying how bored he was, Rumplestiltskin said: "I still don't understand what this have to do with me."
"I need you to find my grandson and that thief. Emma said that her boy is with the Evil Queen."
"Sorry, dearie, I have no idea of where Regina might have been hidden at this point and I can't find a thief whose name I don't even know."
"Neal.” David replied. “She told me his name is Neal. The same one she chose for her little brother when he was born."
"Is this his real name?"
"How am I supposed to know that? I didn't even know that I was a grandfather until a couple of days ago."
Rumplestiltskin sighed, annoyed by all that drama. "Do you have something that belonged to him?"
King David blinked. "Actually yes.” He reached for his cloth’s inner pocket and took a little metal circle from inside there. “This pendant was in one of Emma's necklaces, the last thing he gave her."
"I think I can make a location spell with this.” Rumplestiltskin said, reaching to grab the little thing from his hands. “It may take us to him if he is still in this realm."
"Will you help me?"
"For a price."
This time, the king indeed rolled his eyes. "Of course. What do you want?"
"Now? Nothing. But you will owe a favour when I need it."
"Deal."
Pulling his son down to the floor again, the imp fixed his auburn hair, before nodding to the king. "Let's go find this thief." He leaned in to press a kiss to his Belle’s lips, under David’s disgusted watch. "Do not wait for me sweetheart."
Belle was already sleeping peacefully, when Rumplestiltskin finally arrived. He used magic to change his clothes for a nightshirt and laid by her side in the bed, slipping under the covers and cuddling against his lover, causing her to wake up.
"Have you found the thief?" She asked, sleepily.
"No." The imp answered clutching his face against her neck. "His trail disappeared in the sea. He is probably very far away from here now."
"Poor King David. With this scandal, Princess Emma is never going to be a queen."
Breathing the sweet smell of her hair, he giggled. "Lucky her to have a brother. She never wanted the crown."
“So, King David just gave up on his search?”
“Oh no, I came home for my beautiful family, but I’m totally sure that he is still out there looking for thieves and former queens.”
The lady moved in his arms, turning around to face him. She traced his jawline with the tip of her finger. "Why didn't you tell him where Regina was?"
"She never told anyone about your pregnancy. Hook and your father were the ones actually responsible for half of the world knowing that we had a child."
"Yeah, that's true. She is a good person."
A loud laugh attempted to leave him, but Gideon's room was right beside theirs and he didn't want to wake their boy, so he held it. Remembering helping to transform the sad teenager Regina into the Evil Queen was one of the facts that assured him that Belle was completely wrong in her judgment this time. "You really don't know her."
"I know enough of her. The best part."
He pulled her closer for a kiss, his dry and cold lips brushing softly against hers wet and warm, their breaths turning into one as their mouths opened for their tongues to make a slow dance. Rumplestiltskin could feel her necessity to sleep, by the way her movements were sluggish. Beautiful Belle, even exhausted wanting to give him everything he could wish for. He smiled, pulling away, suddenly deciding something. "We are going to take a new trip next week."
"Where?"
"Agrabah."
"Really?"
Rumplestiltskin nodded, already planning the trip in his head. He knew that it would be needed sooner or later because of the deal he was going to make, but now he just imagined the perfect way of giving his little goddess a great time too. "Aye, and this one will be special."
"Why?"
"Not telling."
Belle rolled her eyes. "Sometimes I hate you, Rumplestiltskin." She said in a playful tone.
"This place is simply amazing!" Belle exclaimed stunned as she looked around after Rumplestiltskin uncovered her eyes right in the middle of Agrabah's market. She looked down to surprisingly see herself dressed in a pink outfit that was nothing like anything she had ever wore before, fluttering pants and a top that covered too little, showing her belly. "Do I look weird in these clothes?"
Shaking his head, Rumplestiltskin took a moment to admire the view, lust appearing in his eyes. "You are very far away from weird in this."
The lady blushed. She loved when Rumple looked at her like that, but even so it still embarrassed her. "So, what are we here for?" Belle said, trying to feel less uncomfortable under his glance.
"A young girl called Jasmine wants to ride away from her fiancé."
"Girls like I once was, usually do."
He gesticulated for her to start walking through the market, with a hand placed on her back. "Yeah, it seems a common thing to reject an engagement."
"Thank gods you saved me from mine with Gaston." Belle said, gripping his arm, happily, her chin coming to rest on his shoulder as they walked together. "And what is your plan for her?"
"I have someone to help her escape to the Land of the Untold Stories." He made a pause, adding wickedly: "For a price, sure."
"Which one?"
"This is a secret for now."
Belle sighed. "You are keeping to much secrets from me lately."
"Don't worry, this one you will like."
They made their way to a hidden place near the palace, where a young lady was standing in the shadows, her clothes very similar to the ones Belle was wearing, but in a light tone of blue.
"Princess Jasmine." Rumplestiltskin greeted her.
The lady gave a look full of mistrust to the two of them. "You're the Dark One?"
"Yes, and this is my Dark Lady, Belle."
Jasmine waved her head in Belle's direction. "It's very nice to meet you."
"Come with us, dearie, your helper is waiting."
Hesitantly, the princess followed them to a tent that was equally set in one of the darkest places of Agrabah, being covered by the big shadow of the palace. Rumplestiltskin pulled the fabric walls away and let the ladies enter first. Inside there was a thin man, sitting on the tapestry floor. Jasmine immediately look back at the Dark One in shock. "Him? But he is a thief!"
"Yeah, but I'm also your only chance to escape, Princess." The man said.
“Belle, this is Aladdin.” Rumple introduced them. "Now, princess, are you going with him or not?"
"Fine." Jasmine said, clearly not liking the fact that it happened to be her only choice and picked up a piece of jewellery from the velvet bag she was holding. "Here is your payment."
Accepting it, Rumplestiltskin nodded to her and let Jasmine go on her own way with Aladdin by her side. When they disappeared, the Dark One turned to his lady showing the jewel he got from the princess.
"A necklace? Why did you want this?"
"You will see, now come on."
Leading her out, the imp took his lady for a walk through the market again, seeing the beautiful exotic things they were selling there. Agrabah was different from anything she had ever seen before, which made Belle want to explore each tiny corner of it to make sure that her mind had absorbed every single aspect of this new culture.
The people who walked around there had a different shining light in their eyes than the ones’ in the Enchanted Forest used to have, their clothes were some kind of thing that no one would ever wear there, the weather was hotter than the best summers in her land had ever been. Belle breathed in that fresh air, smelling all the new scents, feeling delighted by her latest adventure.
They stopped in front of a red tent whose walls were made of a gorgeous printed fabric and had two men guarding its entree. One of them stepped forward at their sight. "You're Princess Jasmine's guest?" He asked.
Taking the necklace from his pocket, Rumplestiltskin showed the jewel to him. "Yes."
With a brief curtsey, the man pulled the fabric away to let them get inside, closing it when they passed. The vision in there was breath-taking, the walls with the same red print from the outside, two golden chairs and a little table in one of the sides, a low larger table in the other, full of various kinds of food, all seeming incredibly delicious. But in the middle of the tent was a huge bed whose mattress was almost touching the floor and it would be if it wasn’t for the wooden board that separated it from the tapestry floor. "Whoa, that is beautiful."
"It is all for you." Rumple said in a whisper, leaning on Belle from behind, his body touching hers as his hands were placed on her hips. "You were sad and I thought this might cheer you up a little."
"It does."
"Lay down, darling Belle.” He commanded with a kiss to her ear. “I intend to properly make love to you now."
A shiver passed through her body when Rumplestiltskin nibbled her ear lobe, before she could pull away to attend his request and lay on her back on the bed. He approached her, laying above his lady and kissing her neck with no hurry.
"Such a gentleman." She said in a whimper.
Lifting his face to meet her gaze, he touched Belle’s face. "I love you. I always will."
As they kissed, the time seemed to have stopped and the only thing that mattered in the world was the two of them alone in that tent, the way their hands ran over each other’s body, taking off clothes, caressing the naked skin, with no pleasure games in mind, just the true pure act of loving one another and showing it in the most intimate way possible. When he slipped inside her and made loving promises to her ear, the only thing that could be heard from Belle were sweet whimpers and ragged breaths that repeated until his seed was been spilled inside her and the two of them laid side by side, enlaced together as if it was the very first time.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Are you sure you don't want me to stay?" Rumplestiltskin asked Belle for the thirtieth time, standing in the middle of their son’s chambers, glancing worriedly at the boy coughing in his bed with Mrs. Potts by his side and a damp cloth on his forehead.
The lady grabbed his hand, kissing the knuckles of his fingers. "Yes, I'm completely sure. There is nothing you can do here. Go make your deal. We are going to be fine."
He was clearly afraid. Rumplestiltskin had only dealt with a sick child when he was still a common man, living a poor life in a small village with Bae. In that time, any kind of illness could take children to death, but a lot of years had passed, the Dark Castle was warm and comfortable, assuring that the bad stormy weather wasn’t going to make things worse and Gideon was a strong well-fed boy, different than his half-brother once was, who had all the medicines he could need to heal. There was no need to get startled, but he did anyway.
"This is not a good idea, Belle."
"Will you promise that you'll be back tonight?” When the imp nodded, she touched his face with the tip of her fingers, stroking gently and assuring him in a soft voice: “We can survive until then."
"But Gideon's fever - "
"Is under control.” Belle affirmed. “Don't worry, he will spend the day in bed, drinking a lot of water and having some soup, with me and Mrs. Potts watching out for him. It's just a flu, Rumple."
"Alright, alright. I'll go, but if anything happens, summon me. Promise?"
"I promise. I love you."
Appearing to finally be convinced, he kissed her briefly before pulling away and walking towards his son’s bed. Rumplestiltskin pressed a kiss to his temple and then magicked himself away. Belle stood there for a moment more, looking at the pouring rain outside, when she heard Gideon coughing and went to sit on the corner of his bed, caressing his hair. "How is my sick boy?"
"My throat aches." He complained.
Belle sighed, seeing her son ill was the worst thing she had ever been through. It made her feel sick as well, but sick with concern. "I know, darling, the medicine your father gave you this morning will start taking effect at any time. But you will need to take another spoonful of it in the afternoon."
"No, mama, please! It has a horrible taste!"
"Gideon, if you want to get better you need to take the medicine again."
"Your mother is right, little master.” Mrs. Potts said. “However, I think I can offer you a deal."
That seemed to interest him. The boy raised an eyebrow, asking: "A deal?"
"Yes. You take the medicine like a good boy and I make you cinnamon rolls."
"Ok!"
Belle laughed. It was just like she was hearing Rumple speaking. "Dear gods, he is just like his father."
"I'll make some." Mrs. Potts said, getting up on her feet and leaving Gideon’s chambers to make her way to the kitchen.
Taking the cloth from her son’s forehead, she damped it in water again, using the full bowl the maid had left in the nightstand, then putting it in place. Gideon lifted his gaze to her, a pleading look in his deep brown eyes. "Mama can I practice magic?"
"No way. You are sick and are not going to leave this bed today."
"But mama - "
"What about I read you a story while Mrs. Potts is making your cinnamon rolls?" Belle offered.
Realising that it was his only option for entertainment, the boy nodded. "I'd like that."
She stood up and went to the little bookshelf, she insisted be placed in her son’s room, so she could always have something in reach to read for him before sleeping. Usually Belle changed the books there when their reading needed to be updated, but there was one book she had never taken off there and also had never tried to read for Gideon before. Grabbing the blue-covered thing, she smiled, coming back to sit in the bed again.
"Let's try something new, then.” Belle said, showing the book for the boy. “Her Handsome Hero."
Gideon sat on the bed, placing a hand against the cloth in his forehead, taking care of not dropping it. "It's huge."
"Yeah, but I'll only read one chapter today."
"Why? When you start, I'll want to know the whole story!"
"I know, but reading one chapter each day and expecting to hear the other is part of the fun."
The boy rolled his eyes. Even so little, he already knew how to do that very well, probably because it was one of his parents’ most used reaction to anything. "For me it's just silly."
A small smile appeared on her lips as Belle traced the words in the title of the book with a finger, remembering her own childhood and the good moments she shared with her mother. She was probably around her son’s age when her mother first read Her Handsome Hero for her and the little girl became addicted to that story. Nowadays she had no idea of how many times she had reread it.
"This is a really important book, Gideon." Belle muttered, like she was sharing a secret with him.
"Because it's huge?"
"No.” She shook her head slightly. “Because you were named after the main character."
"Really?"
"Yes. It is my favourite book and when I looked at you after you were born, I could only see my own handsome hero in my arms."
Two very different expressions crossed Gideon’s little face, first a wide smile but then, it faded being replaced by something between sadness and concern. It took him a moment to ask in a hesitant voice: "Mama, do you really think this? That I'm handsome?"
Those words broke her heart a bit. She wished that Rumple and Gideon could see themselves through her eyes so they would never, ever again doubt of how incredible they were.
"Of course, I do. You are the most beautiful boy I have ever seen."
"But I'm different.” Gideon said, looking at his own hands before placing one of them above hers, the green-gold skin making a contrast against her pale-pink one. “I've never seen anyone like papa and I."
"This is because the two of you are special.” The lady replied, caressing her boy’s fingers. “And I love you both just the way you are."
"I love you too, mama." Leaning in, Gideon opened his arms to be hugged, letting the cloth fall from his face in the process and for an instant, Belle didn’t mind it, because she was too busy stroking her son’s back to do so. When he pulled away, however, Belle helped him to settle against the pillows and placed the cloth back on his forehead. "Can you read for me now?"
"Sure."
Opening the book, she started to read for him, watching her son’s amused expressions to every single part with the corner of her eye. He asked for another chapter when she finished the first, but Belle refused, saying that she could read another one the next day before bedtime. Gideon complained, but the flu was making him tired and he ended up sleeping, while she placed the book on a table.
Belle kept watching him, changing the cloth from time to time and checking the temperature of his cheeks. Alone there with her boy, the lady started to sing a lullaby just like she used to do when he was a baby in her arms, hearing the door crack open after a while to show Mrs. Potts carrying a tray.
"Oh, he’s asleep.” The maid said in a whisper. “I brought the cinnamon rolls."
"Just leave it there, he can eat when he awakens." Belle replied pointing to the table near the fireplace.
"Is the fever gone?"
"Apparently, yes. His face is not hot anymore."
"You were reading to him?" Mrs. Potts asked, her gaze dropping to the blue book on the table, right beside where she placed the tray.
Standing on her feet, Belle came to her side. "Her Handsome Hero. I think he liked it."
"I bet he did. Whenever Gideon is not doing magic with the master he is sneaking to the library to ask you for a new story." Laughing about this, the lady felt a cold gust of wind enter the room by the open window and decided to close it, but she only took one step, because then her vision blurred and she felt her body get flaccid just having time enough to grab Mrs. Potts arm not to fall on the floor. "Milady, are you alright?"
"Damn it!” Belle cursed in a weak voice. “I need to sit."
Mrs. Potts nodded and quickly helped her to reach the armchair and collapse into it, closing her eyes tightly as her mind kept spinning everything around.
"What is it, milady?" The maid questioned, clearly worried.
Taking some deep breaths, she didn’t answer immediately, because she wanted to be sure that her whole world wasn’t going to go black, dragging her to unconsciousness before speaking. Belle swallowed and opened her eyes, seeing the chubby woman kneeling by her side, with a hand on her arm. "Just some dizziness.” She managed to say, feeling giddy. “Although I thought that I was going to faint."
"Have you eaten?"
"Yes, I did." As the words left her mouth a wave of nausea took Belle, making her cough various times, thinking that she was going to throw up, what thankfully didn’t happen. "Oh, great I think I've gotten Gideon's flu."
"Milady - "
"How am I supposed to take care of him if I get sick too?" She asked more to herself than to the maid, completely frustrated for being ill.
"Milady Belle." Mrs. Potts insisted.
“What?”
"I don't think you've got the flu."
Her eyes narrowed in confusion. The flu was the most obvious conclusion for her sickness since the weather was terrible and Rumple had said that an outbreak had taken the villages near their castle. "Why not?"
"You asked me to make lemon pie three times this week."
"So, what? It's my favourite."
Mrs. Potts had a suspicious smile on her lips as her hand stroke her lady’s arm and she questioned: "Your bleeding stopped, didn't it?"
Then everything made sense. She was right. Dear gods, Mrs. Potts was right. Belle hadn’t bleed for about two months now and she hadn’t paid attention to it because she was so tired of hoping for a baby that wouldn’t come, that she forgot that she should be bleeding and she wasn’t. Rumplestiltskin’s seed had finally created a root in her again.
Tears of joy filled Belle’s eyes, her mouth fell open and both her hands came to rest on her stomach at the realisation that her long waited dream was coming true. "I'm with child."
"Yes, milady, you are."
"I can barely believe it! I've been waiting for so long, Mrs. Potts."
"I know. Master will be really happy." The maid said, tapping on her knee before she rose from the floor. "Now go to your chambers and rest a little."
Waving her head, Belle refused. "No, I'll stay here with my son for a while more."
"Milady, you are in a delicate condition and after all this time trying to impregnate without success you shouldn't be walking around like this."
Ignoring her, the lady came back to her son’s side on the bed, looking happily at her boy and thinking that soon he was going to have a little sibling to play with. She was so full of joy, that her heart seemed about to burst. "I really appreciate your concern, Mrs. Potts, but I have been with child for around two months without knowing and I kept my routine, so there is no need to be stopping now."
The maid didn’t bother to keep arguing about this, as she knew both her master and lady very well to understand that they were two very stubborn people, so she only sat on the armchair, eating a cinnamon roll. Belle, on the other hand was amazed by her latest discovery and clutched the bed, with one hand on Gideon’s hair and the other above her belly, anxious for her lover’s return, imagining the moment she would look into his eyes and say that they were going to have another baby.
When Gideon woke up, he coughed and sat up. “Mama?”
“Hush, hush, darling, I’m here.” Belle said stroking his cheek. “I think it is time for your medicine.”
He pulled on a sad face. “No, mama!”
“You made a deal with Mrs. Potts, little boy. You said that you would take it if she made some cinnamon rolls for you and they are right there, so it’s time for you to do your part.” Belle explained, taking the bottle and the spoon that were in the nightstand. “Remember what you father always says. A gentleman keeps his word.”
“Alright.” Gideon agreed, opening his mouth to take the spoon with the medicine, making a disgusted expression after swallowing. “My rolls.” He demanded.
“I will get them for you.” His mother replied, walking towards the table to grab the tray, under Mrs. Potts watch.
The dizziness came again, making her lose her balance, the maid hurrying to take the tray from her hands and help Belle to stay on her feet. “Milady, it is time for you to rest. Please.”
“I’m afraid you’re right. I’ve been worried and stressed since I woke up, this couldn’t be good for my health. Can you take care of Gideon until Rumple comes back?”
“Of course.”
Belle nodded, fighting with her own shaking legs to not fall on the floor and startle her son, which reminded her of one important point. “Don’t tell him about the baby.” The lady whispered. “I want to talk to Rumple first.”
“Alright, nothing is coming out of my mouth. Now go, the little master will be fine.”
“Thank you, Mrs Potts. I don’t know what I would do without you on days like this.” She said before leaving for her own chambers.
This whole day had been torture for him. Rumplestiltskin had never been so eager to come back home from a deal before, not even when he missed his family neither when he was really tired nor even when Gideon's birth was close, his urge to see them again had been so huge. Knowing that his son was sick brought some kind of fear to his heart that he couldn't keep from haunting him in every second that passed.
After finally getting what he needed, he hurried to use his magic in order to make himself appear by the Dark Castle gates, not wanting to waste time in a carriage just for the fun of enjoying the view during the travel. He entered his home, holding one single red rose between his fingers and headed to Gideon's chambers, finding the room drowning in the low light of the candles, his boy curled up in the bed, eyes closed and a peaceful expression in his face. Mrs. Potts was in the armchair near the fireplace watching for the child with attentive eyes.
The imp placed a hand on his son's forehead, checking his temperature, finding that he was no longer burning in fever.
"The medicine you left for him really worked, master." Mrs. Potts said. "The fever has been gone for hours only leaving an aching throat behind."
"That's good, but he needs to take at least another four or five doses of it to be completely healed."
"I'll make sure that he does."
Lifting his gaze from the boy's sleeping face, Rumplestiltskin looked around the room for his Belle, but she wasn't anywhere near.
"Where is your lady Belle?" He asked Mrs. Potts.
"She wasn't feeling well so she went to your chambers to rest a little bit."
Mentally, he cursed himself for leaving the castle that morning when he knew he shouldn't. Now Gideon wasn't the only one sick, but his precious lover was too. He nodded to the chubby maid and left his son's room to enter through the next door in the hallway, directly into his own chambers, where Belle was laying on the bed above the covers, wearing one of her white sleeveless nightgowns, hair spread around her shoulders, eyelids closed. He approached the lady, pressing a gentle kiss to her temples and running the petals of the red rose over her nose, making Belle giggle, opening her eyes.
"Oh, darling, Mrs. Potts told me you weren't feeling well. I knew I shouldn't have gone away." The imp said regretfully. "How are you feeling? This flu is really horrible - "
She sat on the bed, taking the rose from his hands with a smile. "Hey, I don't have the flu."
"What is it then?"
Belle left the flower by her side in the mattress, grabbing his hand, with the most hopeful look in her eyes. She kneeled on the bed, so her face was on the same level as his and the words left her mouth with a gorgeous smile. "Rumplestiltskin, I'm with child."
He gripped her hand tightly around his, stunned. "You - " the imp swallowed. "You are?"
"Finally, yes." Belle said, some tears shining in her big blue eyes. "I haven't bleed for two months now and today I had the really bad dizziness that I used to have when I was expecting Gideon. You can use your magic to confirm it, if you want to."
His need to know it for sure made Rumplestiltskin palm a hand on her belly, using a spell to make the confirmation. Then, in the next second he was attacking her with kisses. "You have made me the happiest creature in all the realms!"
"Does that means that my suspicions are right? We are going to have a baby?"
"Yes, sweetheart, we are going to have a baby."
He took her off the bed, spinning the lady around, in a state of happiness that the two of them understood in that moment.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Is it too tight?" Rumplestiltskin asked as he pulled the laces of her bodice, helping his lady to get dressed for the day.She watched him with a smile on her face, the way the fearful Dark One cared for her, insisting in doing work that no one would ever even imagine him doing with such a worry and devotion that made her heart race. "No, it's alright and you don't have to ask me every five seconds.""I know, I just - " He finished with the bodice and straightened her gown. "I don't want to hurt our baby.""You're not hurting it, Rumple, I promise." Belle kissed his cheek holding his hand to lead him to the closed door of their chambers. "Thank you, for the help.""Anything for you, my love."Placing a hand on the wall behind her, Rumplestiltskin trapped his lover between it and his body, capturing her lips and sliding his free hand over her back, as if he hadn’t had enough of her the night before. Belle kissed him until she felt his hand had come to stroke her belly and she pulled away with the most content smile she could ever show. "We need to tell Gideon.""Breakfast seems a good time for it."They stopped by Gideon’s chambers to get him out of bed, but found it empty, so the couple went downstairs to the dining hall, where breakfast was already served and their son was sitting in his usual chair by the table while Mrs. Potts talked to him."Good morning, little boy.” Belle said before kissing the top of his head, sitting by his side. “How are you feeling today?""Better. But my throat still aches."Rumplestiltskin tapped a finger to his nose in a very good mood and the fact that his son was better only helped make his heart lighter. "It will pass if you keep taking your medicine."He took his place at the table, watching as Mrs. Potts served tea for him and Belle. Gideon made a disgusted face at the mention of the medicine. "It has a horrible taste!""I know but it is needed." Rumplestiltskin said, sharing a glance with his lover, the secret they were keeping making both of them smile. Belle gesticulated in their son's direction and he nodded."Gid, we have something to tell you." The lady said, rubbing his arm gently."What?"Leaning closer to his family, Rumplestiltskin told Gideon: "You, my boy, are going to have a little sibling."A sibling?""Aye." The imp agreed, palming a hand to Belle's stomach. "There is a baby growing inside your mama."The boy's eyes widened, he looked at his father's hand above his mother's belly and tears appeared. "I don't want it!"Gasping, Belle felt her own eyes get wet, fresh tears attempting to drop as her dreams were destroyed. Apparently, it was impossible to have everything be completely perfect. She couldn't speak, she could only stare at her son in shock."Gideon!" Rumplestiltskin exclaimed in reprimand. "You can't mean that.""I do." The tears started to stream down his face and he stood up. "Why do you want to have a baby? You don't like me?""Oh, darling, we love you very much." Belle whispered trying to reach for her son, however Gideon pulled away. "But now will have someone to play with.""I like to play alone. I like doing magic alone with papa. I like reading alone with you. And I'm not going to share my cinnamon rolls when Mrs. Potts bakes them for me!"Crying, the boy ran upstairs. Belle felt her heart breaking into tiny pieces. How could her precious boy ever think that they didn't love him? How could he reject the baby? Was it all wrong?"Gideon, come back!" She begged, starting to stand up when Rumple gripped her wrist, keeping her in place."Let it be, Belle. He is just jealous and feeling that he is being replaced, but he will come to be happy about this."A sob escaped her. Rumple held her as she cried, seeing Mrs. Potts climb up the stairs to follow her little master. "I - I don't want him to feel that he is being replaced, because he is not. I love him with all of my heart.""I know, sweetheart and deep inside, so does he. Just give him some time, ok?""Fine." Belle muttered wiping her tears."Now eat, because you need to keep this baby healthy." Rumplestiltskin woke up with Belle’s sobs. She had been looking sad and desperate since the moment Gideon ran out of the dining hall two days ago, locking himself in his chambers, refusing to come out or let anyone in that wasn’t Mrs. Potts. It was pathetic that a three-year-old boy was winning a war with his parents, but neither Rumple nor Belle wanted to make him feel worse, so they decided to let him take his time to adjust, but this didn’t seem to be working.He turned around in the bed, seeing his lady curled inside the bedcovers, her face red because of the time she had spent crying. Rumplestiltskin knew that she was sensitive because of her pregnancy and their situation with their son was wrecking her.Reaching for her face, the imp wiped her tears. “You need to stop crying, my darling.”"He hasn’t spoken to us for two whole days!” She said with another sob. “My son hates me!""Sweetheart, he doesn't hate you."The despair was clear in her eyes. Belle had spent too much time waiting for the moment that they finally succeed in conceiving another child and now having one only made the son she already had pull away from her and he couldn’t even begin to imagine how that must be destroying her. For Rumplestiltskin it all comes from a childish whim, which he knew was going to be overcome soon."Yes, he does.” The lady insisted. “Gideon doesn't even look at my face anymore." He saw the covers move and knew that her hand had come down to stroke her belly. “What if this is a mistake?”Cuddling against her, Rumplestiltskin caressed her hair with his fingers while his other hand went to join hers above her stomach. "No, Belle, please don't say that. This is certainly not a mistake, it is a perfect little baby made from our love, just like Gideon. I'll talk to him, alright?” Kissing her forehead, he pulled away and slipped off the bed, using his magic to change his nightshirt for a proper outfit. “I thought he needed some space but apparently, what he really needs is a very long conversation with his papa. You stay here and save your tears."Crossing the hallway, he opened the door to Gideon’s chambers, finding him having his breakfast in bed, with the chubby maid by his side. The boy shrunk at the sight of his father who he had been avoiding for the last few days."Mrs. Potts, can you please leave us alone for a moment?" Rumplestiltskin asked, making Gideon drop his gaze to the piece of bread on the tray that was placed in his lap."Of course, master."When she got out, he took her place by his son’s side on the bed. "We need to talk, my boy.""I don't want to."As much as Rumplestiltskin loved his son and knew that they were very much alike, he was getting tired of the boy’s insistence. "I wasn't asking if you do." He said in a tone that let him clearly know that the time for whining was over. "Gideon, you behaved horribly with your mother. You hurt her feelings.""I'm sorry.""You should apologize to your mama, not me."His brown eyes met his father’s reptilian ones, some tears dripping from them. "But she is having a baby now, and she is going to love it more than she loves me.""Son, your mother isn't the only one guilty for this baby's existence, I was the one who put it in her."That didn’t actually mean anything to Gideon, but another betrayal. In his mind, his mother was unhappy with him, so he thought that she might have taken some potion or something like that, to make a new baby grow inside her. Now his father was telling him that he had started that whole nightmare and it only made him want to cry. He was just waiting for the moment they were going to tell him that they were sending him away too. "Why?” Gideon questioned in a broken voice. “Don't you love me too?""Of course I love you. Mama and I just wanted our family to be bigger. And you already have brother, remember? Baelfire."The boy shrugged. That was a well-known name for him, as his father always talked about his first-born, which somehow also made him jealous, but not too much, because Baelfire seemed to be more like the hero of an old story than a real person as he was someone he never met. "Yeah, but he is not here.""Gideon, this must stop, alright? We love you and I don't want you to ever doubt that, as much as I don't want to see mama crying because of you again, but there is enough room in our hearts for this new baby too."Taking a deep breath, he saw himself needing to agree, because he didn’t want his mama to cry too. She was more beautiful when she was smiling. "Ok.” He finally managed to say in a still moody voice. “Can I see her?""Aye, come on."He placed the tray with his breakfast aside, as he slipped off the bed, taking his father’s hand and walking towards his parents’ chambers. Looking around, he expected to see his mother reading near the fireplace, but she was actually in the bed yet, still wearing night clothes and looking miserable. Gideon couldn’t believe that he had done this to her."Mama?" He called, coming to lay by her side.Surprise filled Belle’s eyes and a small smile passed over her lips. "Hey, beautiful boy.""I'm sorry." He whispered.Gideon threw his arms around her neck, sinking into his mother’s hug, letting her kiss his face repeatedly like she needed to do it to stay alive just like she did to breath. "It's alright, you've already been forgiven.""Promise you won't stop loving me?" The boy asked with pleading eyes.Kissing his forehead, Belle bumped her nose against his. "Promise."That made Gideon feel better and wanting her to stop crying for good, he said: “I think I can love the baby.”“You do?”“Yeah.” As the months went by, they started to get things ready for the baby. Belle decided to set the nursery in the room on the opposite side of Gideon’s, next to theirs, so they could have one of their children on each side of their chambers. She told Rumple that they should use the old furniture they already had locked in one the castle’s rooms, but he wanted to get everything new and special for the baby, so she didn’t argue, just let him start looking for the things they were going to need in the places he visited on his trips.Gideon hadn't been complaining anymore, he actually never ever said any bad things to his parents about the baby again, even though both of them could tell that the boy was still a little jealous whenever he saw Rumple touching Belle's bump.The imp had arrived from a long trip just that morning and after dinner, he had taken his lover to the stool in front of the spinning wheel, setting her between his legs so he was guiding her hands through the simple thread he was teaching her to spin. Their son concentrated on a board game that he was playing with Mrs. Potts in the chaise."So, King David is still looking for that thief?" Belle questioned while she worked. "It's been months, I thought he might have given up.""Oh, believe me, he didn't. His searches for the thief and Regina keep going on. I've heard that he is also keeping soldiers following the rebellious Princess Emma everywhere."Remembering about their meeting with the princess so long ago, when that stupid pirated decided to attack her, Belle waved her head slightly, thinking that the girls in that realm seemed to always want a freedom they weren't supposed to have."Well, she has done a lot of things that her parents don't know about."Abandoning her hands on the wheel, Rumplestiltskin pulled all of her hair to one side of her shoulder, getting the other free so he could kiss her neck, making her eyes close as she stopped spinning."I sent a letter to Regina, telling her to keep hidden but she didn't answer." He said between wet kisses."I hope she didn't because she was too busy rolling her eyes at your words." The lady said with a small laugh, thinking about how unnecessary the former queen would consider that warning, given the fact that she must already know that the king was looking for her. She was about to surrender to Rumple's sweet touches and ask him to take her upstairs where they could love each other without their son and the maid as audience, but then she felt a familiar pressure in her womb that she hadn't known after Gideon's birth and her eyes flew open. "Oh, my - "Rumplestiltskin immediately froze. "Belle?"She grabbed his hand, pressing it to her five-month pregnant belly. "Feel it. Our little one is kicking."The pressure came back, making Rumple smile happily, letting an impish giggle escape before he briefly kissed her on the lips. This was one of the most cherished things for him about her pregnancy. He loved seeing her baby bump growing knowing that he had done this to her, and it was his child that was getting bigger daily, inside the woman he loved, but there was nothing that could compare to the feeling of the baby kicking against his hand."Gideon, come here!" Belle called, making their boy lift his eyes from the board game and walk towards them."What is it, mama?""Give me your hand."Stretching his green-gold fingers, Gideon let the mother palm his hand against the swollen belly, pressing gently to cause the baby to kick again. The boy jumped at the feeling. "Whoa, what was that?""The baby. It is kicking."Concern passed through his little face. "Does it hurt?""No.""Why does it kick you?""Oh, the baby doesn't know that he is kicking your mama, Gid." Rumplestiltskin replied. "It is just moving inside."Gideon kept watching with eyes full of curiosity, looking like his mother when she was in hunt for a book that could give her the answered she wanted. Turning her head to face her lover, Belle remembered about the first time they felt their boy kick and something came into her mind. “Rumple, do you already know if the baby has magic?”“Yes.” He said, rubbing circles on her skin through the fabric of her gown. “It does.”“Really?” Gideon asked. “Now that is cool. We could have power battles!”“Gideon!” Both Rumple and Belle said in unison.“Alright, little master,” Mrs. Potts said, standing up from the chaise. “I think it’s time for you to go to bed.”“Go upstairs with Mrs. Potts, darling.” Belle instructed. “I’ll be there in a minute to read to you, but forget about those power battles.”Rolling his eyes, Gideon followed the maid, disappearing in the hallway. Shaking her head, Belle thought that they needed to work on his idea of a cool thing as well as the right use of magic. He was just a kid, so of course having powers was amazing for him, but the playful factor of it shouldn’t stick forever.“Power battles.” She complained. “Can you believe your son, Rumplestiltskin?”“So, now he is only my son?”“When he speaks of magic, yes.” The lady laughed before standing up. “Now I believe I promised him a story, but you can wait for me in our chambers, without any clothes on. I intend to enjoy the night after our boy is sleeping.” It was too hot. She was sweaty, weak and coughing and had difficulties breathing because of the deep smoke, what made her feel like her lungs were about to burst. Her whole body was aching in pain, but she walked with trembling legs through the Dark Castle’s hallway, feeling her dress get more soaked in red fluids at each painful step.The flames were getting close to her, threatening to touch her, transforming Belle into a pile of ashes, just like it was doing with all of the wooden furniture. She should run away to the front door while she still could, while she still had a chance of getting out of there alive. However, she wasn’t going to do that, not when her children were trapped in the nursery, fated to die in the fire.“Gideon!” She screamed in panic, her voice sounding hoarse.“Mama! Where are you?” The boy’s little voice reached her, but she was still too far from the nursery to be seen, the fire forming a terrible barrier between them.From inside its crib, the baby cried and Belle skid again, falling to the floor with the sound of the innocent children begging for help she couldn’t offer. She was too weak, the loss of blood making her feel numb. Summoning Rumplestiltskin again wasn’t going to work, she knew that better than anything as she had tried to do so about five times since the fire started. He wasn’t coming. Her hero wasn’t going to save her this time.Lifting her gaze in an attempt to see through the flames and smoke in the hallway, the only thing she could distinguish in the destruction was the silhouette of a woman. Trying to stand up to ask for help, Belle fell again, only hearing a devilish laugh before everything went dark.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Gideon!" She screamed in panic.The Dark Lady’s eyes opened and she immediately sat on the bed, not caring enough to grab the blankets to cover her naked skin, just to palm her belly and make sure that her baby was alright, still resting inside her. Her heart was pounding furiously in her chest, her breathing becoming difficult like the room was full of that deep smoke that had suffocated her before. Rumplestiltskin took a moment to sit up too, rubbing her back carefully."Belle? Sweetheart, you were dreaming." He whispered. It was still dark outside, they had just slept for two hours or so, but it was enough for a whole scenario to pass through her mind and now she was shaking, barely noticing the tears falling from her eyes. "Hey, relax it was just a nightmare.""No! I was there. Rumple, I swear it, I was!"He shook his head. "You haven't left the bed, calm down." She breathed in and out deeply under his calming touch. "Tell me what happened.""It was just too real to be a dream. I felt the heat of the fire, the pain in my body, a horrible despair of being helpless and not being able to reach the children - “Belle said in a broken voice, eyes closing as she waved her head like she was going back to the dream as she spoke. "The castle was burning to the ground, I tried to summon you, but you didn't come. I think I had just given birth, because I was bleeding terribly, I just don't understand why Gideon and the baby were trapped in the nursery while I was somewhere else before the fire started.""A bad dream, as I said.” Rumplestiltskin repeated. “Are you afraid of losing our family?""No. Well, at least I wasn't until now." Actually, the word afraid couldn’t even start to describe how she was feeling inside. He hadn’t seen the same things as she, so it was easy for Rumple to say it was just a nightmare. "I can still hear that sick laugh in my mind.""What laugh?"She remembered the silhouette standing in front of her, a black shadow in contrast with the fire, the dress crawling on the floor as she took slow steps through the burning hallway. And the voice, she was pretty sure that she had heard that same voice doing that same laugh before, she just couldn’t remember who it belonged to. "There was a woman in here, I mean in the dream. I think she caused the fire." Belle turned around to face him, tears starting to fall again. "Oh, Rumple, it was so terrifying! Just like a vision from the future.""That is not possible, my love.” He muttered, running his fingers on her hair. “You don't have magic for that.""I know. Let's forget it. Can you hold me tight, Rumple?""Aye. Come here, sweetheart. Nothing bad will reach you." By the time they finished their breakfast that morning, Belle went upstairs, leaving Rumple and Gideon to their magic lessons while she started to search through the bookshelves for any reading material about visions and dreams. She filled the table with everything she could find, flipping the pages quickly."What are you doing, milady?" Mrs. Potts asked, coming inside the library with a tray of fruits."Some research." Belle answered. "Close the door, I don't want Rumple and Gideon to suspect anything.""Is it important?""Very important. I think I had a vision last night, Mrs. Potts, one where me and my children were fated to die. I need to know if that's really what happened or if Rumplestiltskin is right and I just had a bad dream that seemed horribly real."The maid stood behind her, looking at the mess on the table without knowing where to place the tray in the middle of all those open books. "I thought visions were something that only people with magic and that precise gift could have.""Yeah, I know this.” Belle palmed a hand to her swollen belly. Usually she would just get over a bad dream after being hold closer against her lover, while he whispered calming words to her ear, making promises of never letting anyone hurt her or their children, but this time everything was different, what she had felt didn’t seem like a dream and if there was the least chance of this becoming reality then she wanted to know so she could find a way to prevent this. “The problem is that Rumple has the gift of a seer and I'm expecting his child."Sleep hadn’t come to her after said dream, Belle had just closed her eyes tight, hearing Rumplestiltskin’s breath and speculating over what she saw. The lady remembered about one of the long talks they had, after she found out that she was expecting Gideon, when her lover had showed her his dagger, telling her about how he got his powers and about how this seer had predicted the separation between him and his son. The same seer whose magic he had taken for himself. Belle realised, a little scared that the child she was carrying in her womb could have inherited his powers from him, causing his/her mother to have this vision. Of course, it was all speculation, but now she needed to be certain of at least something and her books seemed to be the most obvious answer."Do you think that happened because of the baby?" Mrs. Potts questioned, raising an eyebrow.She lowered the book in her hand, sighing in frustration. "I have no idea, I'm just afraid." Finally glancing at the maid, Belle notice the tray she was still holding. “Oh, put it on one of the chairs. I’m not intending to empty the table so soon.”With a roll of her green eyes, Mrs. Potts found a chair to put the tray on, then came back to the books, asking: “What are we looking for?”“Anything about seer gifts.”“Seer gifts?” Rumplestiltskin’s voice questioned, as he appeared by the door.Her heart skipped a beat. The book fell from her hand to hit the pile on the table, making a muffed noise, she faced him with her mouth open, without knowing what to say for a long moment, because she didn’t want him to think that she was getting paranoid. Belle swallowed and retrieved the book, holding it up for him to see. “My book. The main character has seer gifts.”“Interesting.” He said, walking towards her to press a soft kiss to her cheek. “Why haven’t you eaten the fruits I sent you?” Rumplestiltskin asked, glancing at the full tray, left aside.“First, because Mrs. Potts just brought them. Second, I’m not hungry.”“Belle, you need to eat.”“I’ve had breakfast half an hour ago, thank you for your concern. And I don’t want any of this. Can you bring me some lemon pie?”Knowing her old, insistent pregnancy crave, he smiled, turning to the maid. “Mrs. Potts is going to make some right now.”“No offense, but I don’t want hers.” Belle said, licking her own lips, just to imagine the sweet taste of what she was about to order. She had only tasted such an incredible thing once, but what she had said on the occasion wasn’t a lie, it was the best one she had ever had. “I want Ruby’s grandmother’s pie.”“Ruby who?”“Don’t be silly, you know who. Little Red Riding Hood, Ruby.”Rumplestiltskin seemed hesitant before one of her cravings for the first time ever. Usually he would just disappear to get whatever she wanted or waved a hand to make it appear, but she knew that he wasn’t a great fan of the people in that village, as they clearly weren’t his fans too. “Sweetheart, I could give you any pie in the world, but it has to be hers?”“Yes.”“Belle -”The lady blinked her eyes sweetly, placing her hands on his chest. “Please?”He never resisted when she used that pleading face on him, he couldn’t it was one of the loveliest things he had seen in his life and when her body pressed against his, their baby kicked, causing Rumplestiltskin to be sure that if he didn’t satisfy her craving he was going to regret it. And after all, there wasn’t a thing that he wouldn’t do for his Dark Lady, even when it didn’t please him. “Alright. I’ll go to them.”“I love you.” Belle said with a pretty smile, before he disappeared in a purple cloud of smoke. He stood in front of Ruby's tent at the market, waiting impatiently as a bunch of old ladies bought some breads and cakes. He hated having to wait for something, but he wanted to keep hidden, so he was wearing a huge cloak, the hood covering his face and a pair of gloves making it impossible to see the strange colour and texture of his hands. When the ladies went away, Rumplestiltskin stood in front of the wooden table, searching with attentive eyes for what he needed."Can I help you?" An old woman with white hair, wearing a pinkish gown asked from the other side of it, before she gazed in the direction of his face, framed by the hood, and held onto a breath. "What the hell are you doing here? I'm not interested in any deal you can offer me.""Oh, I'm not here for a deal, dearie." He said with a smirk. "Believe it or not, I'm here for the underestimated lemon pie.""The lemon pie?""Dark One!" A young lady who seemed to be around his lady's age stepped near the old woman with a radiant smile on her face that no one usually showed when seeing him. "How is Belle?""She wants the pie and your grandma is not giving it to me." Rumplestiltskin said, like a whining child.The old woman looked between them with narrowed eyes. "Do you know each other?""Yes." Ruby answered. "I met his lady about two years ago, she is a lovely person.""The Dark One's whore is a lovely person?"His hand lifted in the air, making her choke and Ruby jump in place, startled. "Hey, stop that!" The young lady demanded."No one calls Belle a whore. This is a warning." Rumplestiltskin said, before releasing her. "Now give me the pie.""Wait!" Ruby interfered. "Granny will give you the pie if you take me to see Belle.""You are not going anywhere with him!" Granny shouted out, but Red paid no attention to her."No way, dearie.""You are the deal guy and your lady wants something only we have to offer. Are you willing to go away without it?"This girl, he decided, was despicable. He couldn't just go home without that stupid pie. What if Belle started crying? What if she refused to even speak with him? No, that wouldn't stand."Alright, Little Red thing, we have a deal, but you'll speak to her for just ten minutes and then you will be transported back to this dirty market.""Deal."Granny's eyes widened. "Ruby!""Relax, I'll be back soon. He is not going to harm me. Belle is my friend."The white-haired old lady made an angry face. "I'm not liking it, Dark One. If anything happens to her - ""I assure you will be able to find the body." Rumplestiltskin said, still smirking."That is a joke, Granny." Red quickly said, taking one of the round containers on the table. "I have the pie, can we go?"Before she could even finish the sentence, he was already waving a hand to make them appear in the Dark Castle's dining hall. Ruby looked around, amazed. She had never been in somewhere so incredible before, with such larger halls, higher walls and things made with gold. If given the chance, she felt like she could spend days exploring that castle. "Whoa, what a big place.” The girl muttered, then turned around to look at the Dark One. “Where is Belle?"At the sound of her voice, someone who she hadn’t noticed moved from its place in a chaise where some toys were placed. "Papa, you are back!" The little boy with a peculiar green-gold skin asked, running to hug his father’s legs. "Who is this?" He asked, pointing a finger at the young lady.Smiling, she kneeled, so their faces were on the same level. "Hey, little boy, you must be Belle's son. My name is Ruby. It is very nice to meet you.""I'm Gideon."Rumplestiltskin tapped a hand gently to the boy’s shoulder, making him lift his gaze. "Your mama is still in the library, son?""Yeah, she is there with Mrs. Potts."He picked Gideon up off the floor, carrying him in his arms and waved his head in the direction of the hallway, telling Ruby: "Follow me."The started climbing the stairs that lead to the library and seemed to be infinite. They passed through two floors, full of closed doors that could make a living for half of the people in Ruby’s village. "How many rooms are there in this castle?" She couldn’t help, but ask."Too many." The Dark One replied, evasive."I like your cloak." Gideon said, looking at her over his father’s shoulder."Thank you, my grandma gave it to me."Finishing the third amount of stairs, they entered a big library. "Here we are." Rumplestiltskin said.Walking inside, she could see a big table full of books and two women talking in whispers, with their backs turned to them. One was a chubby redhead, the other, dressed in an elegant green gown, with her auburn hair half up, half down, was clearly the young lady she had once met in the market. "Belle!"Turning around, Belle’s jaw dropped. "Ruby?” She reached to hug the other girl, awkwardly, her pregnant belly and the pie between them. “What are you doing here?""Guess I made a deal with your lover." Ruby shrugged, then looked down to see her baby bump. "You are with child!""Yeah, the family is getting bigger soon.""I'm already hoping for a girl. This world needs more independent women and I know you wouldn't fail in raising one."Belle laughed, before introducing the woman by her side. "This is our maid, Mrs. Potts.""Hi.” Ruby greeted. “You have a good place."Rumplestiltskin hawked. "Gideon and I are going to leave you ladies alone for a moment. Just don't forget that you're not staying for long, Red.""I am aware."When the imp left, Belle and Mrs. Potts took their guest to the table where they had been working, telling her to place the pie in one of the rare empty spots."This table is a little messy." Ruby pointed out."I was doing some research, but I've found nothing helpful.” Belle explained. “It seems that I am just paranoid.""Over what?"They walked towards a bunch of armchairs set near the huge windows that had an amazing view of the woods and sat, Belle stroking her stomach repeatedly. "Do you know how to keep a secret?"Ruby thought for an instant and offered: "I tell you one if you do so.""I thought I had a vision and, before you say anything, I know that I don't have magic so that's impossible, but my baby has its father's powers."Her gaze fell to her friend’s stomach, thinking about a little child who wasn’t even born yet, but who could bear such stunning powers. Of course, she knew that magic wasn’t always a good thing and it could be a burden for that baby, but yet, it was incredible. "So, you think that it will be a seer?” Ruby spoke, mumbling amazed: “This girl is going to be special.""It can be a boy, you know." Belle said with a small smirk."When this little lady is born, you'll see how I am right and you’re even going to call me to be the godmother."Rolling her eyes, the Dark Lady reminded: "You owe me a secret."This time, Ruby hesitated. She bit her lip, gripping her own fingers in doubt, because she had never opened up with anyone about this secret, Granny was the only person in the world who she ever talked to about it, and the only one who accepted it, but she kind of had made a deal with the lady of the deal guy. She wasn’t supposed to step back right now, so she took a deep breath and tried: "What would you think if I told you that I am a wolf?""Oh! A wolf?” Belle repeated. “Like a werewolf?""Exactly.""Well, as long as you don't intend to make me your lunch, I think that is pretty amazing."That took her by surprise. "You're the first to say that.” She said remembering the whispers about her in the last village she had lived in. “Most people call me a monster.""Let's just say that I know how to deal with monsters.""Apparently, you do." "I don't like the she wolf." Rumplestiltskin said as he moved to hug his Dark Lady from behind, touching the side of his face with hers.The two of them where looking down at the woods through the library's window after Ruby left, staying a lot longer than she was supposed to. Mrs. Potts had taken the task of getting Gideon prepared for dinner, while her master went to talk to his lover."Tell me the name of one person that you like, Rumple." Belle said with a giggle.He kissed her neck. "You.""Another one.""Gideon. Baelfire.""Not from your family!""Mrs. Potts isn't bad at all."With a roll of her eyes, she turned around to kiss him, promising: "When this baby is out, I'm going to find you some friends."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
After some weeks, Belle's dream repeated. Everything happened exactly the same way as before and she woke up trembling in fear, the mad laugh still echoing in her ears, but this time Rumplestiltskin wasn't in bed with her to assure that they were going to be fine.Unable to sleep again, she slipped off the bed, walking barefoot to Gideon's chambers just to make sure that he was alright and straighten the blankets around him before tiptoeing to the hallway, closing the door carefully. She went downstairs, expecting to see her lover by his spinning wheel, like he usually was when he couldn't sleep, but the dining hall was empty. Belle thought about going back to her chambers, but didn't wanted to be alone so she went to the other tower where the potion laboratory was set. It took her a lot of effort to climb all those stairs with her belly starting to weigh enough to make her real tired, however she reached her destination after some pauses to breathe during the way.Belle opened the door, peeking a look inside to find Rumplestiltskin sitting in a chair with a cup in his hands while glancing helplessly at a table full of different objects."Rumple?" She called out, entering the room, but he didn't move. "Rumplestiltskin, are you alright?""Get out."His voice was cold, impish, almost heartless just like he used to sound when they first met, trying to show everybody the monster, not the man. It wasn't right, something must have happened with him from the moment they were cuddling in bed until she slept to now. Something bad. But she had no idea of what it could be. Belle approached him, placing a hand on his shoulder."I told you to get out.""Not until you tell me what is happening."Rumplestiltskin suddenly stood up, freeing himself from her touch while he finished his drink before throwing the silver cup against the fireplace's wall, which caused Belle to jump. She hadn't seen him act like this in years."Do you want to know what is happening?" He asked, full of bitterness. "Look at all of these useless objects on the table. Each one of them failed in finding Baelfire. Do you want to know why?"She swallowed. "Y - Yes.""Because of you."Surprised, she took a step back, thinking that he couldn't have really meant that. "Me?" The lady asked in shock. "How can this be my fault?""You entered my life, bewitching me with your beauty, offering me everything I could wish for and now I can't find my son, because each one of these objects only can point their magic to the most important people in my life.""Rumple, Bae is everything to you!""But he is not in this realm!" He shouted. "It only leads me to people in this realm, so I keep getting images of Gideon, you and your damn growing belly."Tears started burning in her eyes as her hands came to her belly in a protective gesture. The baby moved inside her, making her feel pressure against her palms, completely unaware of its father's cruel words. "This is not my fault. This isn't our children's fault! You love Bae, but he is not around to be found right now!""But I am the Dark One, dearie!" He said, angrily. "I should be able to create some trick that could lead me to him and now I am stuck because of you!"Sighing, feeling nervous and destroyed, she told him in an attempt to end the argument: "You're drunk, Rumplestiltskin.""I am pretty aware of everything I am saying and doing.""Then you should know that you are breaking my heart.""You distracted me from finding my son!" Rumplestiltskin screamed, walking to her and making her step back, stumbling on a stool and falling against the floor. Her body hit the ground hard and she groaned in pain, gripping her belly with despair. The imp looked at his lover in horror, seeming to realise what was happening for the first time since she entered the laboratory. "Belle? Dear gods, what have I done?" His eyes widened and he kneeled by her side, reaching to touch her arm and stomach. "Sweetheart - ""Take your hands off me." Belle said a little breathlessly because of the fall."My darling - ""Take your hands off me!" She screamed and he pulled away, leaving her on the floor, stroking her belly with tears in her eyes. "I want Mrs. Potts."Distressed, he used his magic to appear in the opposite tower of the Dark Castle right inside Mrs. Potts' chambers, rushing to shake her shoulders. "Wake up! Wake now!"Her green eyes trembled before opening. "Master, what is happening?""Your lady Belle stumbled and fell down. I need you to check on her."She immediately threw the bedcovers away, standing up and pulling on a robe and a pair of slippers before he made them appear in laboratory again, finding Belle still on the floor."Mrs. Potts!" She exclaimed in relief when her gaze settled on them and the chubby woman knelt by her side. "Is my baby alright?""Let's take you to your chambers and them we can take a look at this, ok?""Yeah."Rumplestiltskin took them there, lifting Belle in his arms, even against her clear will. Her narrowed eyes not meeting his as he gently placed her on the bed."Here, milady, lay against the pillows." Mrs. Potts said, helping her to get comfortable before checking quickly under her skirts. "You are not bleeding, which is a good thing." She informed, pressing her fingertips along her belly with concern. "Do you feel the baby moving?"Belle's heart skipped a beat, her mouth getting dry in fear. The baby was quiet, not even making the slightest pressure. "No.""Were you feeling it before the fall?" Mrs. Potts asked, her lips forming a thin line when her lady nodded in confirmation.Standing near the bed, Rumplestiltskin gripped his own fingers together, nervously. "What is wrong?""Come here, master. We need to wake this little one to make sure that everything is fine." The maid instructed. "Talk to it, maybe it will help."Sitting near Belle, Rumplestiltskin placed both his hands on her belly, just like she and Mrs. Potts were doing and whispered in his most human voice: "You are wanted here, sweet baby. Your papa wants to see your small perfect face. We are going to spoil you so very much and you will have a tender home, full of people who care about you."Teary-eyed Belle completed: "I love you so much. I've loved you since the moment I knew you were inside me and I will love you until my last breath. Please, darling, please let me know that you are alright."It was slight at first, but she felt the movement inside her, like the baby has been wakened with magic. Then, a strong pressure came, hitting the spot where Mrs. Potts left hand was. "Here! It kicked!" The maid said, happily, pulling away to stand up. "You two are going to be fine, milady. I'll make some tea to calm you.""There is no need, I don't want any tea right now, but can you bring Gideon to me?""Sure."She left their master and lady in their chambers, returning after a moment with the little boy in her arms, laying him by his mother's side. Belle held him close, kissing his forehead and covering him with the blankets."Thank you, Mrs Potts, for everything. Have a good night."The maid nodded in reply, making her way back to her chambers."I'm sorry Belle." Rumplestiltskin muttered. "I'm so sorry."She refused to glance at him, so kept her eyes fixed on Gideon's hair while she talked: "I don't want to talk right now and I don't need my son to wake to an argument, so can you please leave us alone? Or do you want us to go to my old maid chambers?""Sweetheart - ""You have all rights to claim your room and your bed, just tell me to leave and I will."The imp stood up. "No, you stay. I'll sleep somewhere else." He said, before leaving.Clutching against Gideon, she suffocated a sob in the pillow, feeling heartbroken and alone. "How is this strawberry cake?" Mrs. Potts asked in the breakfast table.They were all sitting, eating together with only Rumple's absence, who no one had seen since the events of last night. His empty seat at the head of the table, making Belle unsure of what she should expect for their relationship from now on."Delicious!" Gideon answered.The Dark Lady forced a small smile to pass through her lips. "It is really great, Mrs. Potts.""I woke up earlier to prepare something to cheer you up, milady.""That is sweet, thank you."Eating another bite, she let her eyes fly to the hallway right at the moment Rumplestiltskin appeared in the entrance, causing her to freeze in place."Papa!" Her son called, leaving the table to hug his father's legs, which made her fear the imp's reaction. If he was still so mad as he had been in the laboratory, then she wasn't going to be the only one sad in that dining room.Lowering the fork to the plate, she glanced at Rumplestiltskin's impassive face, daring him to say anything bad to her precious son, but it wasn't his intention to hurt Gideon's feelings like he had done to her. The imp faked a smile, messing his son's hair."Good morning, my boy." He said, before looking up to his lady and declaring: "We need to talk. Alone."Mrs. Potts hurried to stand up and grab Gideon's hand. "Come on, little master. Let's take a walk in the gardens."Belle dropped her gaze to the table as he approached her."Do you want us to go away?" She asked."Go away? What? No!" Rumplestiltskin, moved her chair to get her to face him, taking a little bottle with a red liquid from his waistcoat's pocket. "This was in one of the potions I made last night, it's anger essence. I smelled the smoke when it was getting prepared, so - ""So, then I appeared and you freaked out."He got to his knees, taking her hand into his, rubbing their fingers together. "What can I do for you to forgive me?"Belle took a deep breath. "My heart is destroyed, Rumple.""I know and I am hating myself right now. I love you, I love our children. I was terrified just at the thought of losing our baby." One of his hands palmed her belly, stroking it with love, looking at it very differently from how he did in the laboratory more like he used to do before that horrible episode, like it was the thing he most cherished in life. "If that happened I would have to spend the rest of my life knowing that it was my fault."Tears streamed down her face. She swallowed needing to ask: "Do you really think that you can't find Bae because of me?""No, sweetheart, I was irrational! He is in a land without magic, that's why he can't be found, not because of you." The imp pressed his forehead to her belly kissing it briefly. "I'm sorry, Belle. And I sorry for what I've done, little one." He looked up to her. "I will never be able to tell you how much you have changed my life for better, sweetheart. You brought light to it, where it only had darkness. You made me love again and see a part of myself that I had long forgot. I owe you everything."She cupped his cheek, feeling the texture of his thick skin against hers. "I love you, Rumplestiltskin, even when it is a hard thing to do."He blinked and she realised that he was crying. "Do you forgive me?""I always will, no matter how much you hurt me."Standing up to lock his lips with hers, he whispered between a deep kiss: "I don't deserve you." Belle felt a little distant from her lover in heart for about a week or two, until his beautiful gestures vanished away that terrible night from her memory. She knew that he would never have told her those cruel things if he hadn't been under the effects of the anger potion and she loved him too much to give up this easy. They finished fixing the nursery, with all the new wooden gold furniture that Rumplestiltskin bought, as they also made amends. She knitted a soft blanket for the baby and showed him one day after he arrived home from a trip."It's better than the last one, right?""I liked the purple colour." He said kissing her cheek and giving her a beautiful red rose."I'll embroider the baby's name on it after the birth using your golden thread. What do you think?""Perfect." Rumplestiltskin smiled. "Have you chosen the name?"She was in her eighth month and Gideon had helped her with some ideas, which made him excited about the baby's arrival, but Rumple hadn't wanted to discuss this as he wished her to name it alone."You're really not going to opine about it again?""Do you need me to tell you again how important it is to having you name our child?"The lady had shook her head, giggling a little before kissing him. "No, I don't." Her dream repeated about another five times during her pregnancy, but she didn't tell Rumple anything about that, because she knew that he considered it only a silly nightmare and didn't want to bother him with things like that when he was so shaken by the fact that his son Baelfire seemed to be out of reach. Every night, lying in bed, he cried in her embrace, saying that he had failed his boy."Rumplestiltskin, you didn't fail him." She muttered, calmly running her fingers through his hair, massaging his scalp. "I have faith that you will find Bae and when he walks through our door, this family will receive him with open arms, to finally be complete.""Thank you, Belle, for not giving up on me and for caring so much about my son."Tracing his jawline with a finger, the lady smiled. "I hope he likes me when we meet.""I'm sure that he will."The weeks passed by in a lull and the closer the birth got, the more anxious Rumple and Belle felt. Her last experience with labour hadn't been the best, but she had concluded that it was worth it, she just didn't felt ready for the second time yet. She was walking nervously around the library, trying to choose some soft romance as an afternoon reading when Gideon came through the door, joyfully."Mama, look at what papa taught me to do." He said before closing his eyes tightly and concentrating.An old white and blue teapot appeared on the table, brought by his magic. Belle raised one eyebrow, surprised. "Oh, that's sweet, darling.""He is learning faster than I thought he would." Rumplestiltskin said walking towards her from his spot by the door, to enlace his arms around her body. "Incredible, isn't it?""Pretty much.""Mama, can you read a book to me?" Gideon asked with pleading eyes.His parents very rarely denied something for him, but he knew that it was way easier to get what he wanted by doing his cute face. Belle laughed. "Of course, which one do you want?"Tapping a finger to his chin he answered: "Something new.""Let me think about it - " the Dark Lady started to say before the Dark One captured her lips in his, still pressed behind her.He found it really distracting having his lover in his arms that way, even knowing that their son was standing right in front of them, watching everything. Rumple still felt guilt over what had happened in the potion laboratory many months before and had spent every second of each day, trying to compensate Belle for it. The imp had brought her a lot of different gifts from his trips, brought her beautiful new gowns and exotic foods, but he never really freed his heart from that guilt.Things, he concluded weren’t going to make her happy again, only his love and devotion would. So Rumplestiltskin, slipped his tongue to her mouth, caressing her tongue until he heard his son’s protests."Ew!" Gideon made a disgusted face. "Mama my book!" He demanded."I'm sorry! This is your papa's fault." Belle said, before pulling away from him, she grabbed her son's hand, leading him to the shelves, when she suddenly stopped, feeling something drip from her. "Oh!"Following his mother's glance to the ground, Gideon's eyes widened. "There is water on the floor."Rumplestiltskin rushed to them, looking anxiously to his lover before placing a hand on their son's shoulder."Gideon, my boy, can you get Mrs. Potts for me?" He nodded. "Take her to my chambers, alright?""What is happening?" The boy wanted to know.Rubbing Belle's back gently, as she grinded her teeth to not scream as a contraction hit her, he smiled a little, telling Gideon: "It is time for your little sibling to be born."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Gideon, you can't keep knocking at the door every five seconds." Rumplestiltskin said, leaving his chambers to find the four-year-old boy standing in the hallway, gripping at a teddy bear, looking startled."I heard mama screaming." He replied in a low voice. "Is she in pain?"Looking back at the door, he didn't know what to say for a moment. Inside that room, his darling Belle was crying in pain with the efforts to bring their child into the world, but he couldn't even begin to explain this to his son and he shouldn't because Gideon was just a little boy, who was clearly scared for his mother's life. Rumplestiltskin touched his cheek smoothing his thick skin with his thumb, calmly."A little, but it will pass soon." The imp said. "Now I need to go back inside to stand by her and you, my boy, should go to your chambers and play with your toys. When everything is over I will tell you, alright?"Gideon sighed, nodding. "Ok."He waited until the boy was inside the room to soundproof it, ensuring that he could play in peace, before coming back to his chambers where Belle was laid in the bed with Mrs. Potts set between her legs, a bowl with warm water in a chair near them with some cloths.When she saw him, the lady stretched an arm, offering her hand for him to take and Rumple did so, kissing her knuckles as he sat by her side. "How is our son?""He was a little scared, but I took him to his room and soundproofed it, so he will not hear your screams anymore."Showing him a tiny smile, happy to know that Gideon had finally been calmed, Belle thought that maybe now she could feel less worried. There was a lot of things passing through her mind in that moment, the pain was one of them, but not the most important. She didn't really care about suffering for days if that meant that her children were going to be fine and now that she knew that Gideon was alright, the only thing she could focus on was the baby. When her son was born, there were a lot of complications she so wished not to repeat this time.Panic invaded her, just to think of the mere possibility of the umbilical cord being wrapped around her child's neck just like it was with Gideon. It was unlikely to happen a second time; however, Belle was a mother and as every other woman in that land, she was afraid of the labour's dangers."You are ready, milady." Mrs. Potts said, with an encouraging smile.She breathed in, waiting for the moment the pain would hit her. Rumplestiltskin rubbed their fingers together, looking more nervous than her. "You can do this, Belle."Lifting her back from the bed, she started pushing, her whole body reddish and sweaty with the efforts. Belle tried to keep herself from screaming because she knew that doing such a thing wasn't going to help, the only problem was that this time her pain seemed to be bigger and things seemed to be a little bit more difficult. She didn't remember feeling so ripped apart."Push again." The maid instructed and Belle obeyed. "Yes, just like this.""Dear gods, I forgot how much it hurts." Belle muttered under her breath, feeling her legs tremble with exhaustion."Keep on, milady. This baby is almost out."Belle would happily keep on, if she could. She was too tired for that; her body wasn’t answering to her commands as much as she wanted it to. A slumber had taken control of her, making her mind spin between the horrible contractions that told her that she couldn’t just pass out with a baby half-stuck inside her. She could feel it between her legs, but she couldn’t move to help it get out.Looking up to her lover, she cried. "Rumple, I can't - " Belle said, miserably. "I'm feeling weak."He didn’t know how to react. Was she giving up? She couldn’t simply give up this way. What he was supposed to do? Was his magic capable of helping her? Should she be looking so damn pale? The imp glanced at Mrs. Potts, but she didn’t seem interested in helping him.Using a clean cloth to wipe the sweat from her face, Rumple tried to not lose his nerves. "You can, you are strong. I am so proud of you, sweetheart." He whispered, hoping that these words could give her what she needed to keep going. "Just a little bit more and it will be over, I promise."His eyes were so wide and he looked so desperate, that Belle nodded, thinking that if Rumple lost her that day he might never be the same again. She forced herself to lift on her elbows with a groan of pain and use every little bit of strength that she had left to give a last push, tears rolling from her eyes when she felt the baby slipping out of her body into Mrs. Potts’ secure hands.Belle fell against the pillows, hearing the maid annunciate: "A girl! You have a girl milady!"Laughing weakly, her heart was filled with joy. Rumple was still caressing her hand, but his gaze was fixed on the baby, as Mrs. Potts worked to clean her and cut the cord. The moment the little girl cried and the maid wiped away the red fluids from her face, his mouth drop open in perplexity."Oh, Belle take a look at her!” He said when their maid offered the baby for the lady to take. “She is just like you!"And in fact, she was. The baby girl in Belle’s arms had a soft pale-pinkish skin tone and some auburn hair strands on the top of her head, she wasn’t like Gideon, but there were still traces of the Dark One’s curse on her, like her tiny black nails. Their children would always be an incredible surprise."Beautiful. You are so beautiful." Belle whispered to her daughter, rocking her to stop the cries. She rested her head on her lover’s chest, smiling as she said: "You have a daughter, Rumplestiltskin."He was still feeling stunned. The imp had been a father to two boys before, but had never had a daughter. "Our perfect little girl." Rumple muttered, before reaching a hand to touch the baby’s arm, wanting more than anything to hold her. "May I?" He asked Belle, who nodded and handed her for him. "Hello, sweetheart, papa is feeling overwhelmed with joy seeing you.""Milady."At the call, Belle already knew what she had to do and gave a small push to clean her insides, letting Mrs. Potts take away all the mess from the birth."My eyes are almost closing." She complained. "I'm feeling so damn weak. Is that normal?"Mrs Potts nodded, stopping to take a look at the baby in her master's arms. "Yeah, milady." The maid said, tenderly. "You are just exhausted.""Bring Gideon to me?""Of course."With the mention of their son, Rumplestiltskin hurried to use his magic to get everything in order in the room, vanishing each spot of blood that could have been found and changing Belle's destroyed nightgown for a new one. The new-born moved slightly in his arms, bothered with the white blanket that she was wrapped in. He took it away from her little face, laying her back in her mother's arms, who was already missing her.Watching as his lady cuddled their baby, Rumple smiled. "So, do you have a name for her?""Rose." Belle said, looking at the baby as she named her. "What do you think?""It's a pretty name, as pretty as her. Why did you chose that?""The first gift you gave me was a red rose and the day I found out that I was with child again you brought me one, remember?" When he nodded his head positively, surprised, she continued: "I think this is a name that fits her perfectly because it has a beautiful meaning in our love story.""You really thought about everything, huh? Now it sounds even more perfect."That was when Gideon entered the chambers. "Mama, you are alright!" The boy said with relief. "I was worried when I heard you screaming.""Oh, I'm fine, sweetie." Belle assured, feeling bad that her son had heard her screaming with the pains of childbirth. "Come here to meet your little sister. Come meet Rose."Gideon walked towards her jumping on the bed to peek a look at the baby his mother was holding. He blinked at the sight of her, wondering how could some live-breathing thing been inside his mama during this whole time and why she was so pink."I thought that she would look like me." The boy pointed, glancing at his green-gold skin that was so different from his sister's."I did too, but she is adorable, isn't she? Just as much as you are handsome.""Yeah, I think she is cute." Gideon agreed, but then Rose started to get fussy, turning inside the white blanket and contracting her small face as she started screaming loudly. "Why is she crying?" He asked, worried about the fact that his little sister was bothered with something."Babies cry a lot, but she may be hungry." Belle explained.He thought that it made sense; he usually got moody when he was hungry too. "Can I get some cinnamon rolls for her?"Both his parents laughed."She can’t eat those things yet." His mother answered and then started to try opening the buttons of her nightgown with one hand, but didn't succeed, so she turned to her lover. "Rumple, can you help?""Sure." The imp moved to work on her nightgown and they managed to get Rose to the mother's breast. "Here, ready."The baby girl stopped crying by the time she started sucking hungrily. Belle rested against the pillows, closing her eyes tiredly."Mama are you sleepy?" Gideon asked."A little." She confessed, without moving."Why don't you get that purple blanket your mama made for Rose, my boy?" Rumplestiltskin suggested. "Then we can rock her a little and let mama rest.""I'm going."He left the room running. Rumple shook his head, then looked at Belle who was apparently fighting her own body's will to sleep, blinking repeatedly."You look tired.""I feel like I am about to faint." She said, her voice low. "Will you get our baby girl if I pass out?""Give her to me, sweetheart." The imp laughed, waiting as Belle pulled Rose away from her nipple, covering herself again after placing the baby in the father's arms. "Here, my flower, papa has you." He whispered to his girl, kissing the lady's head next, as she curled in the bed. "Sleep, my love, you deserve it."Rumplestiltskin walked away from her, giving Belle the chance to have a little rest and sat in one of the armchairs in front of the fireplace. It was a beautiful peaceful thing to hold his daughter close to his chest, watching her breathe and open her beautiful brown eyes, staring at him. All of his children had those eyes, like it was a mark in their family."Papa, I brought the blanket!" Gideon announced, entering the room, but stopped when he realised that his mother was sleeping and tiptoed to his father's side.Waving his hand, Rumplestiltskin conjured some small clothes for the baby girl before casting aside the white fabric she had been wrapped on to grab the purple blanket from his son. "Thank you very much."The boy stood there, looking at his new-born sister with curiosity. "She is tiny.""Indeed, she is."Gideon dared to lift a hand touch her head. He was afraid that his father would tell him to go away and don't bother the baby, but he thought that she was an interesting little thing and wanted to stay there with them. "Papa?""Yes, my boy?""Can I hold her?"A smile formed on the imp's lips. After Gideon's bad reaction when he found out that his mother was with child, Rumplestiltskin could never imagine that his son would ask for such a thing and was glad that he did. "Aye. Sit in the armchair." He told the boy and Gideon obeyed, rushing to do so and Rumple kneeled in front of him. "You have to be very careful, alright? Position your arms just like mine. Now remember, you need to support the head all the time.""Ok.""Here she goes." Placing the baby girl in her brother's small arms, Rumplestiltskin kept a hold of her, palming a hand on her back to make sure that she wouldn't fall at any circumstance. "Say hello to your big brother, Rose.""Hi, baby!" Gideon smiled. He was feeling like a grownup person holding Rose, but his happiness didn't last long, because she opened her little mouth and started screaming louder than before. The boy's eyes widened and he panicked seeing his sister fussing that way. "She is crying, papa! What do I do?""What about we sing to calm her?" Rumplestiltskin proposed calmly. And Gideon wasn't sure if that would work but he thought about his favourite lullaby and started singing. Belle's life got a lot busier after Rose's birth. Even having Rumple and Mrs. Potts standing by her and helping all the time, she still passed a good part of her days divided between nursing the baby and taking Gideon to play in the gardens, she didn't complain, however, because that was an adventure she wanted to live. Her children were everything to her as was her lover, who after all these years, she considered her husband in heart.Rumplestiltskin was amazed by their daughter, bringing tiny expensive gowns for her from every place he visited on his trips. Gideon had a new-found affection for his sister too and Belle thought that it was the cutest thing she had ever witnessed. Before bedtime, he always sneaked into the nursery to talk to the baby in her crib and sing a lullaby to her. It had been around three days after Rose was born that he did it for the first time, catching Belle by surprise."Shouldn't you be in bed, little boy?" She had asked when Gideon appeared by the nursery's door and went to the crib."Not yet, mama.""And why not? I thought I said you should go with Mrs. Potts and then I would come to read to you.""Yeah, but Rose needs a bedtime story too and I came to tell her."After these words, she didn't question him, just watched as he started to tell his baby sister a short version of Her Handsome Hero, totally excited with each word he said. Rose just looked at him quietly, not attempting to cry once, even though she had tested her lungs pretty well during that long, tiring afternoon.When he finished the story, Gideon bent to press a kiss to her forehead and sang an old lullaby his father used to sing for him when he couldn't sleep. Belle smiled, opening her arms for him and Gideon sat on her lap, hugging her."You are the sweetest boy in this world, you know?" She kissed his cheek. "Rose has the best big brother she could wish for."Then, she took him to his chambers and read one chapter of a book, while Rumplestiltskin rocked the baby to sleep. A great part of her was feeling a certain relief, because she had stopped having that horrible nightmare after giving birth and it obviously wasn't a prediction since she appeared to just have went through labour during it, which had already happened, without a fire or a cruel woman with an evil laugh.Maybe she was just being silly during all this time. Not that Belle didn't really consider the option that her dreams might have stopped because it was Rose who was causing them, but she tried to not think too much about it, mainly during the times the little girl woke up crying like she had had a bad nightmare herself.Belle was focusing on being only happy with her beautiful, loving family. She pushed her paranoia aside, kept herself very far away from Rumplestiltskin's potion laboratory and didn't look for him anymore when she found herself alone in bed in the middle of the night. It was almost usual, he had always left her after lovemaking, it was rare the nights he really spent by her side just sleeping peacefully with his lover. That seemed to be something that was never going to change and there was nothing she could do about it.Four months after Rose's birth, Belle went to the gardens during dusk to pick some flowers. The weather was wonderful, a soft breeze making her hair flow and bringing the smells of the woods with it. She filled a basket with daisies and stood up, feeling her breasts start to hurt a little, warning her that it was already time to feed her daughter.Turning around, she prepared to enter the castle when she heard someone calling her name and froze in place. No one should be there. And, most important, no one should know her."Belle!" She heard again, and looked to the woods, approaching the gates. "Belle!"The woman left her hiding spot, wearing a huge black cloak. When she was close enough, the hood was lowered, revelling the well-known face."Regina?" The lady asked in shock. "What the hell are you doing here?""I have a bunch of people looking for me, trying to get to Henry." The dark-haired woman explained. "Can I come in? I don't feel like it is safe here."Rolling her eyes, Belle thought that the former Evil Queen should have known better than to leave the safety of her home while King David was so determined to find her. "Yeah, come on.""Robin!" Regina called and two more people emerged out of the woods.The taller cloaked figure was clearly Robin Hood and the smaller was Henry, but what surprised her was that in the thief's arms was a little boy who looked around one-year-old."Whoa, everybody is here." She said, stunned, then walked towards them to caress the baby's chubby cheek. "And who is this darling boy?""This is our son, Roland." Robin answered and she looked at Regina with a raised eyebrow.The former queen blushed and nodded, with the most tender smile on her lips. She was really mother material. Who would ever know that when she called herself evil?"He is really cute." Belle said in a compliment before waving her hand in the front door's direction. "Now, come in. Welcome to the Dark Castle."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Leading them inside the castle, Belle let her guests take off their cloaks at the entrance hall and put them down alongside with her basket, before accompanying her to the dining hall. Mrs Potts was at the chaise with Gideon, teaching him to play chess, while baby Rose slept in a crib near them. Rumplestiltskin had his back turned to the guests and was lost in thought spinning at the wheel. Belle coughed to make him turn around.“Sweetheart, I -” he stopped in the middle of the sentence when he caught a sight of the visitors. “What the hell are they doing here?”“Good to see you too.” Regina answered.“Will you ever stop appearing like you were ever invited?” The imp asked in a bad mood, standing up with a frown in his face. “My castle is not a hostel.”The Dark One faced the former Evil Queen like a whole storm could break into the dining hall at any moment, just brought by the tension between the two of them, however they had forgot for that brief second that there were other people in the room and Gideon had taken that same second to rush to his father’s side, his endless curiosity making him ask a question. “Who is she?”For the first time since their arrival, Regina noticed the little boy and her eyes widened “Dear gods, this is a perfect mini Dark One.”Belle rolled her eyes. Not that it wasn’t true, because dressed with black trousers, boots and a dark-blue leather waistcoat beneath his cream shirt, the boy really looked like a mini version of Rumple. “Regina this is my son, Gideon.”“The baby you were expecting when we met?” She asked raising an eyebrow, her gaze still fixed on him. When the Dark Lady nodded in confirmation, running a hand through her son’s hair, she added: “Whoa, time really passed.”Reaching for the crib, Belle picked up the baby girl that was laid inside, bringing her for the visitors to meet. “And this is our little Rose.” Her voice was full of pride, while she straightened the baby’s small red dress.“Oh, she is cute.” Regina said, enchanted with the vision of Rose.“Enough of this.” Rumplestiltskin intervened, coming to form a barrier between his family and her. “What are you doing here, Regina? Because I am sure you didn’t come to see my children.”“You are right, I didn’t.” She sighed. “King David wants my son.”“His grandson, you mean.” Rumple said with the clear purpose of annoying her. “And what does the boy think about that?”Henry who had been quiet during the whole time, looked up at the question, glancing at Robin and Regina before speaking. “I want to stay with my mom. But I want to see my other mom too.” He had grown during those years, the look in his eyes was more clever and aware of things.Tapping his fingers together the imp showed a snide smile. “Well it seems you have an impasse.”Belle kept staring at them, gently rocking Rose to keep her calm, the baby’s small fingers grabbing the curls of her hair, but luckily not with enough strength to hurt her. The former queen looked angrier at each passing minute.“I need to talk to Emma.” She said. “Can you bring her here?”With a smirk, Rumplestiltskin said: “Yes, I can, but why would I do that?”Regina's eyes darkened with irritation and she lifted a hand, making a fireball appear which startled Belle, causing her to jump back, pushing Gideon behind her protectively. The dark-haired woman showed a grin. “Because I may not be the Evil Queen anymore, but I am still evil.”“Regina!” Robin exclaimed in shock.With perfect timing, the baby in his arms started crying, screaming loudly. Immediately, Regina made the fire disappear and came to take him from his father, holding the boy close to her chest.“No, no. Don’t cry, Roland." She whispered in a motherly voice that was much too much different from the one she was using to threaten Rumple. "Your mom is just dealing with that bad imp.”“Mrs. Potts, take the children away." The Dark One instructed the maid. "This is not a conversation I would want them to watch.”“Yes, master.”Walking towards Belle, she grabbed Rose before standing in front of Regina with the free arm ready to get Roland.“I’m not leaving my boys with her. She can’t watch four kids at the same time.”Rumplestiltskin rolled his eyes. “Believe me, she can. Now stop this and give the baby to her.”Regina's gave a glance full of mistrust to Mrs. Potts. "You better know what you are doing.” She warned and just then handed Roland to her.With the two babies in her arms and the older two boys following her, Mrs. Potts disappeared at the end of the hallway, probably leading the children to Gideon's toy room. Belle felt weird standing there without the comforting warmth of her baby's little body to hold.“Wine?” Rumplestiltskin offered, making four silver cups appear on the table, alongside a bottle.Regina narrowed her eyes. “I didn’t come here to drink.”“Aye, but I am a good host and I am offering my best wine. The flavour is grape, not poison apple, if you are wondering.”“Always funny.” The dark-haired woman said sarcastically and turned to Belle. “Explain again why are you with him.”“It’s called love.”“And you are called mad.”Robin seemed embarrassed. “Regina!”“Alright. Let’s talk about Emma.”They took their seats at the table, Rumple at the head of it with Belle in the nearest chair at his right, Regina and Robin together on the left. The Dark One served the wine, filling his lady's glass with a bright yellow potion, that would eliminate the alcohol from her blood system immediately after she drank, so she could breastfeed their baby later without no problem. “Yeah, why do you need her son anyway?" He questioned as he offered Regina a cup. "You have proved yourself capable of making one of your own.”“Henry is my son too!" She protested and Robin laid a hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently. "I raised him. I took care of him since he was a new-born!”“So, let’s say that I will help you find Emma. What do I get in return?”“What do you want?”Belle took a sip of her wine and looked at Robin. “This conversation is a little too evil, don’t you think?”“Pretty much.”Both the magic people in the hall ignored their lovers."I want information about that curse you were looking for when you tried to destroy Snow White's happiness.""You know that didn't work, right?""I do, but I still want to know everything about it."He had never thought about reaching the kind of darkness that came with the curse they were talking about, but Rumplestiltskin had failed so many times in finding Baelfire that now he was willing to try literally anything. Of course, he wasn't going to tell Belle about everything that this deal implied, but Regina knew better than anyone to keep the dark deeds in secret, so she didn't show much interest in his new-found despair."Alright. You bring Emma here and after I talk to her, you can ask me anything you want about that.""Deal."Robin and Belle glanced at each other feeling left aside and uneasy there. The thief tapped a finger to his cup's side. "So, how old is your daughter?""Four months." Belle answered."Roland just turned one last week." He said, ponderously. "They could make a powerful couple in the future."And that made both Regina and Rumplestiltskin pay attention to their conversation. The former Evil Queen turned around, looked at her lover in disbelief. "No way.""Over my dead body, dearie.""Oh gods!" Belle exclaimed, exasperated. "Relax Rumple, Rose is an infant and we are not promising her in marriage here."She stretched herself across the table to kiss him, open-mouthed in an attempt to make him calm down, but that didn't work as well as she thought it would. Rumplestiltskin liked to show his belongings to the others that was not new to anyone, however this kind of demonstration was something that Belle never thought he would do. The imp slid his tongue against hers in a way that made her want to moan, and moved a hand to her hips, taking Belle off her seat and bringing her to his lap.Regina and Robin watched in shock before the woman said: "For all the gods' sake, get a room you two!"Rumplestiltskin pulled apart from his lover, but just enough to answer. "I totally intend to.""We could use a room too." Robin smirked."Who said that you are staying?" The imp asked."Well, mate, you don't seem to be willing to go after Emma right now and unless you want us to sit in your garden with our two kids while you screw your lover, then I think we should stay.""You have a point."Belle was feeling like her whole body was red with shame because of that awkward conversation and the fact that she was sitting in Rumplestiltskin lap, his erection brushing her thigh while they talked. She had never been in a worst position before and she would feel even more miserable if everyone in the room wasn't so calm with the situation.“Mrs. Potts will handle the children for some time, so you will find an open door to one of our guest rooms in the east tower.” The imp said, caressing Belle’s back while he talked.“You can’t be offering us one of your chambers.” Regina replied, reluctant.“I want some time alone with my darling lady.” He shrugged. “But feel free to stay here and just watch if you want to.”“Rumplestiltskin!” Belle protested, blushing even more.“This is certainly something I don’t want to have in my memory.” The dark-haired woman said, standing up and holding out a hand for Robin to take. “If you insist on being so genial, then I’m going to take those chambers and hope to not be disturbed. Unless if my children need something, of course.”She watched as they left the dining hall in the direction of the indicated tower. Belle glanced at Rumple. “Do you really intend to finish this right here?”Biting her neck he whispered: “I could do this on the table if we were alone, but it’s better I don’t risk having Gideon or Henry coming down here to find us this way.” Waving a hand, he made them appear in one of the empty guest chambers that were far enough away from where the children were.Collapsing on the bed, they started kissing again. The sudden need in Belle’s body made her cling at him, desperately trying to get Rumplestiltskin out of his clothes as he did the same with her. His mouth traced the line of her neck, unlacing her bodice and gripping her thigh as he pulled her dress up. He took it off, leaving her bare, only with her undergarments as a barrier between them.“You are unfairly wearing too much clothing.” The lady said before gasping, when he cupped her breast in the softest touch ever, just smoothing the skin to tease her.Rolling Belle on her back, he smirked kissing down her whole body, making sweet little moans leave her throat. Rumple grabbed her underwear, sliding it off of her body, then throwing it with her shoes on the floor. She was exposed for him, the wind hitting her naked skin increasing the aching need that was settled in her core, asking to be satisfied. When their eyes met, both were darkened with lust and both looked breathlessly at each other in an intimate moment in which words couldn’t even start to describe how important it was. There was a magic thing in looking at a lover like this, as if they knew what they had was true love, before he bent to kiss her on the lips and the desire was almost left aside by the feeling of the love.“I could stay here in this moment forever.” Belle muttered. “I could forget the whole wide world if it meant being with you.”“Perfect little Belle, you are my world.”The lady lifted her hips, rubbing herself against him, a groan of pleasure escaping Rumple when she brushed at his hard member that was still trapped inside his trousers. He pulled away from her to undress himself under her admiration filled watch. Belle sat on the bed to run her fingers through the thick skin of his chest after his clothes hit the floor.“Have I ever said how handsome you are?” She said in a teasing tone.“Sweetheart.” He touched her face, letting his thumb caress her lower lip. “Still the same crazy innocent maid I took into my bed for the first time, all those years ago. Stupidly desiring an old monster.”“Not so innocent anymore.” A smile passed through her lips as she approached him, touching their bodies together and whispering to his ear: “Fuck me, Rumplestiltskin.”He had never ever heard that word leave her mouth before. It was a bad swear he only let escape himself when they were in the safety of their chambers playing their pleasure games, but Belle never copied such a thing and he knew that she now did to show him that she was a daring person who could do whatever she wanted and was pretty aware of all of her decisions. Long ago, she had chosen to love him and she would never step back.Laying her in the bed he kissed Belle with urgent lips that worked hungrily in synchrony with hers, remembering their first tryst of deepest touches, of how messy and awkward it had been. They always ended up laughing at something, until it all became easier, well-known, but not less pleasurable and never tiring. He reached a hand between them to check on her, certifying that she was already wet and ready, his fingers soaking with her arousal.Rumplestiltskin caressed her bundle of nerves, making Belle writhe beneath him. "I need you." She moaned.Grabbing himself, the imp lined them, slipping inside her with a slow thrust. Belle's eyes closed at the feeling of him entering her, filling all the empty spaces until they were one. They laid there, quiet for a moment, hands stroking the others' body and eyes fixed on the others' face. Rumplestiltskin kissed her cheek, lovingly and then groaned, making his first movement.She responded at the wave of bliss he created in her by running her nails along his back, scratching as her head fell against the pillows, her mouth open, letting out suffocated gasps in consonance with his thrusts. They rolled in the bed, changing positions and moaning as he sank even more inside her, being completely surrounded by Belle. Her back arched a little at the feeling of his tip hitting just the right point, increasing the sensation of something building in her. Rumplestiltskin sat, placing both hands in her hips, biting at her neck as Belle started to rock against him, her cries an addictive music to his ears."You always feel so incredible." He murmured under his breath.Belle wanted to answer, tell him that he felt amazing too, but his tip hit that secret little spot inside her once again and the Dark Lady could only call out his name, closing her eyes as she reached her climax, her juices dripping from her and leaving a wonderful overwhelming sensation behind. Rumplestiltskin watched her come, mesmerized by the view. He loved to see her face full of pleasure and the sound of his name being moaned by her beautiful mouth like a prayer, he was pulsing to follow her and come too.In a swift movement, he rolled her on her back again, seeing Belle breath heavy as she came back from her orgasmic state and thrust against her, seeking his own pleasure. The imp gripped at her thighs, thrusting erratically until the delightful friction of their bodies made its magic and he groaned, spending himself inside her.Slipping out, he fell to his side of the bed, satisfied."I can't believe that we started this in the dining hall with our guests watching." Belle mumbled.He laughed weakly. "They didn't see anything they shouldn't. We were just kissing.""With me on your lap while you were totally hard.""I promise this is not going to happen again. It's just - “he interrupted himself to look at the lady as she moved to lay her head on his chest. “It was our first time since Rose was born. I was a little eager."She gave him a sly-smile as she moved out of the bed. "Wasn’t it you who told me that we can use our own hands to do the work?""You are so unfair. I told you this when I was afraid that touching you would ruin our relationship."Belle shrugged, looking for her clothes on the floor. "Well, it didn't."After a minute watching his lady walk around the room in search for her dress, he located it on the nightstand near him and took it, standing up to give it to her and hug her close. "What if I tell you that during your healing time I in fact touched myself thinking about you?"Swallowing, Belle needed to take a breath and pull away. "I believe this wasn't supposed to make me shiver with desire, right?" She asked feeling a new heat settle on her belly, making her shake her head to the arousing images her mind started to play. "I need to take a bath and check on our children. I should have fed Rose a while ago."Clicking his fingers together, Rumplestiltskin made a bathtub filled with hot water appear in the middle of the room. "As my lady asks." He said, helping Belle get in. After she was clean and had her strength back, Belle went to the other tower, where she found Mrs. Potts taking care of the children. Roland and Rose sharing the crib, both asleep."I'm sorry for leaving you with them." She apologized to the maid, picking up her baby girl."It's alright. I am here to serve you, milady.""Can you take them downstairs, please? Dinner will be ready in no time. I will just feed Rose before joining you."Mrs. Potts nodded. "Ok. Come on, boys let's go get some food for you."Getting Roland from the crib, she took them out of the toy's room and Belle went to the nursery, where she could sit on the armchair and unlace her bodice, waking up the baby who immediately reached for her meal."Oh, you're hungry, right little one?" The lady whispered, feeling a little regretful for letting Rumple distract her that way, making her leave her baby aside. This was something unthinkable to do. "Mama left you waiting, but this is not going to happen again."Rose anyway, wasn't paying attention to her apology, she was only interested in getting her meal. When the baby was satisfied, she dropped the mother's nipple and stared at her with those deep brown eyes in a way that seemed too wise for someone so little. Belle managed to fix her dress and stood up leaving the nursery, smoothing her daughter's back."Papa is making a new deal," she told the baby. "Because it seems that nobody can solve their own problems without his help."The dining table was already filled with people when Belle arrived, handing Rose to Mrs. Potts as she took her usual seat between her lover and her son.“It seems you had a great time.” Regina said, looking up at Belle, serving herself some turkey.Blush came to the lady’s cheeks and she tried to not let her gaze meet Rumplestiltskin’s or gods know, she was going to became as red as an apple. “In fact, we did. Were your chambers comfortable?”“Yeah. I would say that they were very pleasing despite the fact that the walls seemed to be thinner than they are, but the perks of having magic is that you can always cast a soundproof spell.”“She is not complaining.” Robin pointed out. “We had a great time too.”“Do you know Gideon can do magic?” Henry interrupted the adults’ awkward conversation. “He conjured some books from the library.”“I thought I’d said you were only allowed to make magic when your father was around.” Belle said in a warning tone.Gideon’s glance dropped to the table. “I’m sorry, mama.”Suddenly, Rumplestiltskin stood up, making everybody look at him before the dining hall’s double doors opened with magic to reveal three people. Belle left the fork she was holding, fall on the empty plate that she hadn’t yet the chance to fill with food, her jaw dropping as she stared at them, thinking that now they definitely had a problem to solve, because in the entrance were King David, Queen Snow and their daughter, Princess Emma.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The tension was so evident in the Dark Castle’s dining hall that even the children and babies seemed to be holding their breaths, just waiting to see what was going to happen next. Gideon looked up at his mother, trying to understand why everybody was suddenly so quiet, but Belle appeared to be frozen in place and he didn’t understand why since that man had been there before to make deals with his father.“Is this an invasion, King David?” Rumplestiltskin was the first to speak.Blinking, the king seemed to wake from a numb state. “No, it actually was a business visit, but apparently you found a way to betray me.”“I didn’t betray you. I make deals, dearie and I never stand by anyone other than my own family.”The expression in the king’s face wasn’t surprised, but even so, he looked angry and Gideon was afraid of how this could end. He knew that his father was a powerful sorcerer who could easily defeat David’s sword, however he didn’t want them to fight and without knowing what to do, he let one of his hands grip at the fabric of his mother’s dress, receiving back a gentle run from her fingers in his hair.“I see.” King David laughed coldly without any humour. “So, you knew where she was this whole time?”“No, he didn’t.” It was Regina who answered, before Rumplestiltskin could even think about doing it himself. “You are underestimating me if you think I would let anyone be aware of my location when you clearly started the witch’s hunt.”Snow White’s eyes landed on the taller boy near Gideon and she stepped forward. “Is this him?”Like a summer storm, Regina crossed the hall to put herself in front of Henry, a fireball appearing in one of her hands as the other grabbed at her son’s arm, pushing him behind. “You are not coming any closer!”“What about me?” A new voice asked and a blond woman bypassed the king and the queen with a hesitant smile on her lips.“Emma!” Regina exclaimed, fading her fire and opening her arms to receive the hug that the blond was about to give her.Gideon didn’t understanding a thing, but he thought that they could be good friends, for a long time they rested in each-other’s arms, with everyone staring at them.“Long time, no see, huh?” Emma said, pulling away. “I’ve missed you, Your Majesty.”“This must be a joke.” Snow complained.While the two ladies smiled secretively, Henry came to stand between them looking up at Emma with bright eyes. “Mom?”“Henry!” A happy laugh came from her throat alongside with some tears that left her pale face a little reddish. “Come here, kid.”Mother and son hugged under the attentive watch of all the people in the dining hall, muttering words to each other that they couldn’t hear and Gideon couldn’t help but smile, because he was happy that his friend Henry now had his two mamas with him. The boy had a very lovely family and wished that all the other children in the world could have that too.A cry startled them and Mrs. Potts turned to see the babies inside the crib. From the head of the table, his father sighed. “This hall is too crowded.”Belle stood up, from her place, already knowing that it was Rose who was fussing. She got the little girl and came back to sit by the table, where Rumplestiltskin stretched himself to smooth his daughter’s back, seeming irritated with the guests for having awakened his precious baby.“Hey, calm down, little flower, everything is alright.” Belle whispered in her motherly voice. “You’re just waking Roland up too.”It was true, the second baby started crying in consonance with Rose and suddenly there was too much noise in there. Gideon stared at his mother hoping that she could make his little sister calm down, but when it didn’t work, his father took the girl from her mother’s arms and walked with her to one of the windows, mumbling a lullaby until she stopped screaming.The former Evil Queen walked towards the crib, picking Roland up, swinging him until he was quiet to, sucking his own thumb while looking around with his dark eyes.“Oh, is that him?" Emma asked approaching them. "He is beautiful.”“Thanks.”King David cleared his throat, making the blond lady look back at him. “This shouldn’t be a friendly encounter.”“Dad, please, I’ve told you a hundred times that you are doing everything wrong. Regina is my friend and as much as I want to be with my son, I don’t want to take him from her. She is his mother too.”“And I’ve told you that you are grounded, young lady, for every wrong thing you did behind our backs.”Emma narrowed her eyes, folding her arms. “I am not a child!”“I just wanted to have dinner in peace.” Rumplestiltskin complained, coming back to the table now that Rose was calm again.“Why is everybody so angry?” Gideon finally found courage to ask, causing everyone to stare at him. “We can bring more plates and all eat together.”The look his father gave him told that the imp definitely thought that his son had went crazy, but the rest of the people only seemed to be mesmerized by the idea. Robin Hood raised his glass of wine. “This is the best idea I’ve heard the whole day, boy.”“I could eat.” King David said.“We can’t eat at the Dark One’s castle!” Snow White replied, shocked with the fact that her husband was really considering joining them for dinner.“Why not?” Regina asked. “He doesn’t serve poison.”Snow laid both hands on her own hips. “You can’t be sure.”“I wouldn’t be eating if I wasn’t.”By Gideon’s side, Belle was feeling tired of all these stupid disagreements and the mistrust these people were showing towards her family. She had never known the Charming’s very well, but as a high-born she knew how the royals used to be stubborn and never easy-going. “Relax, I’m not letting Rumple kill anyone in front of my children.”The Queen blinked like she was seeing her for the first time since they entered her home. “You are Belle, right?”“Yeah.”“Is he keeping you captive?” Snow White asked, pointing at Rumplestiltskin.She didn’t know if she wanted to laugh or punch something. What were these people’s problem? What was everybody’s problem with the way she chose to live her life? Was it so difficult to see that she was truly happy? For all the gods’ sake, Rumplestiltskin was holding their baby and their son and was sitting right by their side, wasn’t that proof enough that she was fine?“I once told this to your husband and now I’ll tell you that being here is my choice. As you can see, I have a family.” Belle said placing a hand on Gideon’s shoulder as if to emphasize her point. “One that I’ve also chosen to start.”The little boy always got confused when his mama started the same old speech she appeared to have the necessity to do with every guest they received in their castle. He asked himself why people thought that his papa could be holding her captive there, because even knowing that she came to live with him because of a deal they had made many years ago, Gideon also knew that his parents loved each other very much and love couldn’t be faked. Family couldn’t be faked, which also made him wonder why people used to look at him and his sister like Queen Snow was doing now, like they weren’t supposed to be there."You have - " the queen swallowed and smiled forcefully. "Beautiful children."Looking up at his mother, Gideon saw that Belle was clenching her teeth a little. "I do."Rumplestiltskin passed Rose to Mrs. Potts who also took Roland from Regina’s arms, laying the sleeping babies back into the crib. With a wave of the imp’s hand more food and dishes appeared on the dining table, the royals taking a seat and joining them. For a moment, they all just served themselves in a comforting silence, before princess Emma decided to break it. "Now that we are here, can we please discuss what I have been trying to say for days?""And what would that be, Princess?" Rumplestiltskin asked."I discovered that a great evil is coming to this land.""A great evil?” The King asked in tone of mockery, then pointed at Regina. “Emma, the only evil we had to face was her!""That's enough!” Robin screamed, standing up for his lover. “Regina is not who she was before.""She kidnapped our grandson!" Snow White said."I didn't!"Emma’s jaw dropped. "She didn't!"Once again, Rose started crying, awakened by all that commotion, her screams filling the hall and making the argument fade. Belle pushed her chair back and stood on her feet, an angry look of annoyance on her face, she glanced at the people at the table like she was capable of killing them with her bare hands for disturbing her baby’s sleep. "I am sorry, but if all want to stay here and have dinner, then I suggest you stop yelling at each other, because you are scaring my children!"Mrs. Potts brought the screaming little girl to her lady, asking if she wanted her to take the children to the nursery but she denied her, rocking Rose to make the cries cease.Queen Snow sighed. "We are very sorry, Belle.""My lady is right.” Rumplestiltskin said, taking the baby from her arms to let Belle eat her food that was still untouched in her plate. Gideon watched as his father covered his sister’s head with one of his big hands, caressing her cheek with one thick finger. “The next person who yells is going to be out of this castle flying." He threatened without taking his eyes from Rose."It's difficult to take this threat serious while the fearful Dark One is holding a baby with tenderness." King David laughed.That had definitely been the wrong thing to say to someone like Gideon’s father. His mother always said that the imp was an unstable person, mainly when it came from people he didn’t care a thing about, which meant that the devilish voice that his papa displayed next, was so that he should always be taken seriously. "Tenderness ends when I hand my daughter to Belle and choke someone.""He is sorry for that." Snow White hurried to say. She shared a glance with her husband and added lower: "Shut up, David.""You were talking about a great evil, Princess Emma." His papa continued as if nothing had happened, taking his seat at the head of the table again, with Rose laying her little head on his chest."Yeah, I've heard about all kinds of terrible things happening in our villages and the people are connecting them with a woman's shadow they have seen, but she never stays anywhere long enough to be caught." Gideon felt a shiver of fear pass through his body. It seemed bad. "She is darkness, Rumplestiltskin, she is like the very darkness itself.""Tell me more about her. Do you have a description?""No. Everybody who did see her only talked about a shadow and a cruel laugh."Belle stopped eating and looked right at Emma. The memories of her too real nightmares coming to mind and filling her with those horrible images of the Dark Castle burning to the ground while she tried to search for her children, weak and bleeding until the mysterious woman appeared, making her wake up always at the same point of the dream. It had been months since the last time she had that nightmare, but it still tormented her sometimes and now it made her heart race with the possibility of it in fact being a vision like she had once considered. "A laugh?" She asked."So, it seems.""We need a name." Regina said."We?” King David cut out. “There is no we!"The dark-haired woman rolled her eyes. "Don't be so dumb, if there is a danger in this land it will affect us all. If we work together, maybe we can cut its root before the problem grows."From where he was, staring at his daughter’s peaceful sleeping face, Rumplestiltskin intervened. "I hate to say it, but she is right."Even for Gideon, it was a surprise to hear his father admitting that someone other than his mother was right about something and even more, proposing a team-up. He never did that before.Raising an eyebrow, the king took a sip of his wine. "I thought you liked to do things alone.""Indeed. But that doesn't mean she isn't right.""Rumple - " Belle tried to spoke, but her words were trapped in her throat by the fear that she was feeling.Reaching over to grip her hand, Rumplestiltskin gave her a glance full of love, the only glance in the world that could keep her from falling into tears in front of everyone in the hall and still give her hope that things would be fine in the end. "Don't worry, sweetheart, no harm will ever come to our family." Accommodating the last dress inside the chest, Belle closed the lid, finally having the chance to fall on her knees in front of the fireplace, stressed with the events of the night. Rose was now sleeping in the nursery with Roland in a second crib by her side and Gideon had already been put to bed, after a short chapter of a book. Henry was sharing a room with Princess Emma and the two couples had been lead to comfortable chambers in the other tower. She felt exhausted and shaken, having not even strength enough to move herself to bed."Tell me again why I agreed with this madness." Rumplestiltskin said when he entered their chambers."You thought that accepting King David's invitation was the wiser choice since now we apparently have an enemy in common." She said without turning to face him.The imp walked towards his lady, sitting in front of her on the floor. "I wouldn't say enemy as we don't know yet who this mysterious woman is, but yes, you are right."Belle was feeling like her heart was about to burst with worry. Gideon had noticed her fear when the princess started to talk about this great evil she had found out about and asked his mother if she really thought that they were in danger, when she was straightening his blankets before leaving his chambers. For a long moment, she didn't know how to answer, because she was really afraid for their safety, but she didn't want to startle him, so Belle ended up saying that no matter what kind of danger it was, his papa was going to erase it from their land.Satisfied in knowing this, Gideon had fallen asleep and she left the room. But now, while looking in her lover's reptilian eyes, she couldn't hide her fear anymore. "Rumple, I'm scared."He leaned over to touch her cheek. "You don't need to be, sweetheart. I have already told you, I'm not letting anyone harm you or our children."Shaking her head, Belle denied herself that illusion. "Do you remember about that nightmare I had when I was expecting Rose?" She asked and he nodded to confirm. "The description Emma gave us about this woman matches the one who I saw.""It can't be.""I know, but it is." Belle’s voice was full of despair, her hands gripped at the fabric of her own nightgown, nervously. "What if she reaches us and really burns the castle with all of us inside?""Belle that is not going to happen." Rumplestiltskin assured her, she knew very well that even now, he didn’t believe her theory of that dream being a vision, that the fact that she didn’t have magic collaborated to reinforce that idea, but wasn’t willing to let her spend the next few days, or months, or the time that was needed to erase that woman’s existence from the Enchanted Forest, worrying if their home was going to be burnt to the ground at any time. So, he reached both hands to stroke her arms. "Look at me. Do you trust me?""With my life.""Then believe that I won't let this happen."Biting her lower lip, Belle dropped her gaze to the floor, wishing that the feel of his fingers rubbing against her skin so softly could be enough to take everything else away, but it wasn’t. "In the dream, I summoned you, but you didn't come.""Sweetheart, it was only a bad dream and strange things happen during nightmares. Whenever you summon me, I come to you, no matter where I am or what I'm doing, alright?""Alright."Standing up he went to his safe in the wall and took something from there. Something that she had only seen once or twice during all the time she spent in the Dark Castle. He brought it with him as he kneeled in front of her again, laying the precious object in her pale hands. "Here, take this.""Your dagger? Why?""Because we are going on a trip and I don't trust any of these people. The only one who is ever going to hold my heart and my life is you." Rumplestiltskin closed her fingers to hold the cold silver metal of the dagger. "Keep this with you at all times, Belle.""No,” she immediately said, pushing it back to him. “I - I can't!""Please, sweetheart.” The imp insisted. “If anyone is willing to look for it while we will be in court then they will look with me, not you. Can you do me that favour, just for now?"Thinking about the great responsibility that comes with carrying that dagger around, Belle thought about denying him again, but his pleading face, made her hold the answer longer enough to change it. "Yes."
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Three carriages reached Snow White’s castle that morning. They had spent two whole days traveling, which made everyone really tired, especially the children. Gideon and Henry passed a long time complaining, Roland and Rose a bigger time crying.A messenger went ahead to the castle so the party the Queen was planning could start to be prepared for when they arrived. Belle and Rumplestiltskin talked about their doubts during the night, while their carriage was traveling down the road, Mrs. Potts slept with Gideon's head on her lap and Rose was safely making a meal in her mother's arms, eyelids closed as she sucked."A party wasn't needed." Rumplestiltskin complained."Well, you know how the royals can be with those events. But we were invited and if these people need to trust us, then we should go to this stupid ball.""Yeah, you are right. Always the clever one." The imp said, kissing her cheek. His hand came up to caress their baby's chubby arm. "Our sweet little flower is getting bigger. She will be a beauty like her mother, the most gorgeous lady in this realm."Smiling, Belle decided that her lover was right. Rose was the most beautiful baby girl she had ever seen and she didn't doubt that her daughter would grow to be a stunning young lady. When they arrived at the castle, Snow and Charming offered their best guest rooms to their visitors, accommodating the children and the maid in a big nursery."You will all have time to rest before tonight's party." The King said. "Prepare yourselves, because presenting our grandson to our realm will be a great event and I'm sure that you will all have fun.""It depends on what he thinks is having fun." Rumplestiltskin muttered in Belle's ear, pretending to kiss his lover's face distractively."Oh, my little boy, I have missed you!" Snow White said when a maid brought her Prince Neal, a three-year-old blond boy, with chubby red cheeks. She held him close, smacking a kiss to his forehead."Mummy, no!" He protested as she repeated the movement."Alright, alright." Turning back to the maid, she said: "Can you take him to the second floor's nursery? We brought some children with us and I am sure that little Neal could make some friends."With a nod, the woman took him again and made her way upstairs. After that, the group vanished from the great hall, going to their own chambers where they slept for the longest time they could. Belle woke up with her head pressed against Rumplestiltskin's chest and felt good to have his arms wrapped around her waist so peacefully, his heartbeat sounding against her ear.She traced the buttons of his nightshirt and felt his grip tighten on her."Love of my life." He muttered. "Have I ever said that I don't deserve you?""Multiple times.""Well, I don't."Belle sighed deeply. "We need to get properly dressed for the ball."A great part of her wanted to stay cuddling in bed with him, because she always loved when they woke together this way, but that wasn't possible. If they did so, they were never going to go to the party. So, it took them a little longer, but they managed to slip off the bed and started getting ready for the night. Belle had brought the most gorgeous gown she could find in her closet, a golden one that she happened to not have the opportunity to use yet, maybe because it looked like it was begging for a ball. Rumplestiltskin dressed himself in a black and blue outfit that she really appreciated seeing on him.Before going to the great hall, they went to the nursery to check on their children, finding Mrs. Potts, trying to calm down little Rose while the boys played. Gideon barely waved at them before, turning back to their games.“Oh, is she hungry?” Belle asked.“I don’t think so, milady. I gave her some of the milk you left just a while ago. She woke up crying.”The imp reached for her, accommodating the squalling infant in his arms. “Here, sweetheart, did you have a bad dream?” He whispered as he rocked her. “Papa has you now.”Wrapping her arms around his, Belle joined her lover and daughter, caressing the baby’s toes as she fussed, screaming with all the strength of her lungs. “Hey, little girl, we are here now, you can sleep.”Doubting if she should really attend that party or just stay there hidden with her children because seeing her baby crying made her want to forget it all, but quickly Rumple managed to get Rose quiet and calm, her small hand coming to his face, the fingers touching the scales on his chin. By the bright smile on his lips, the lady thought that he wasn't going to want to leave the nursery too and they would end up spending the evening there.However, Mrs. Potts came to take Rose from him. “She will be fine, you two can go to the ball and have fun.”Sharing a glance, the couple tried to find any uncertainty in each other's eyes. There was none, but they knew that they needed to go if they wanted to show that people could trust them if hard times were to come. Rumplestiltskin opened the door for Belle, following her out of the nursery and down the hallway, one hand resting on her back.“I’m not trusting that we are going to be having fun today.” She whispered, when they reached the stairs.“Neither am I.”Two men with trumpets were positioned at the end of it, and played the instruments loudly when they appeared, making the people who were dancing, talking and eating in the hall look up. One of them announced: “I present you Rumplestiltskin, the Dark One and Belle, the Dark Lady.”The crowd clapped briefly and the couple entered the party side by side, all eyes seeming to be turned towards them. Belle hated that they kept staring, but she held her chin up, grabbing Rumplestiltskin's arm more tightly, walking around with pride.“Thank gods, someone I know." Regina said, when she saw them. "Everybody is looking at me like I am the Evil Queen.”“That you are, dearie.”“That I was.” She corrected. “Go away. Get us a drink and bring Robin back for me. Those stupid royals got him into a conversation.”Rolling his eyes, Rumple left Belle with her and disappeared between all those people. The lady never liked events like this one, she always hated when her parents gave parties where everyone expected her to act like a good obedient princess who would smile and only say what was ladylike. “This place is too crowded.”Regina gave a small laugh. “You are not much of a society person, right?”“Guess not.”Shaking her head, the dark-haired woman grabbed her hand, dragging Belle to the centre of the hall, starting to move in the rhythm of the music that a group was playing. “Come on, let’s dance.”Belle had no idea of where that came from, because Regina seemed too irritated with the ball to let herself smile, however it apparently was already in the past. The two ladies, the only women dancing together, laughed and started spinning around, at the same time making those classic movements every noble knew how to do and inventing their own style. Some people glanced at them as if they were crazy, but the truth was that they were just having their own brand of fun.Or at least, that was what they were doing until someone gripped Belle's arm, making her lose her balance and almost fall. She looked up, stopping the dance, and facing her father for the first time in three years, while Regina watched with a puzzled look on her face.“Don’t you have any shame?” Maurice asked rudely.“Father! I – I didn’t know that you were here.”His grip on her arm became harder, causing her some pain. “How could you present yourself publicly as that monster’s whore?”How could he appear in the middle of the crowd and yell those things at her? If he thought that she was embarrassing him, then he didn't know what she was feeling right now. Belle wanted to disappear. Her father had been cruel with her when they last saw each other, now he was causing people to look at them scandalously, but also was confirming what she already knew.Maurice of Avonlea was one of the ones responsible for spreading bad rumours about her, making everybody call her a whore and her children bastards.“Hey, calm down, sir!” Regina said and at the view of the former Evil Queen, he released her, but didn't look any less angry.“I did not present myself as his whore," Belle defended herself. "I came here today as the Dark One’s lady.”“Yes, my lady, Sir Maurice.” Rumplestiltskin said, appearing behind her and wrapping his arm around her shoulders. “A respectable lady just like any other one in this hall. Now, I believe that you don’t have any rights to opine about her life since you exchanged her for your kingdom’s safety.”“I didn’t! She made that deal all by herself.”It was completely unbelievable. Belle had saved her kingdom from being destroyed by the ogres and her father wasn't even thankful for that.Rumplestiltskin gasped. “And you let her! I don’t know what kind of father you believe yourself to be, but I can assure that it is not a good one. You traded her, called her a whore behind her back and came to my castle during my absence to say horrible things about my son.” By the tone of his voice, Belle knew that this conversation was taking a dangerous turn. “A good father would never do those things. If I was in your place I would prefer to let my kingdom burn to the ground than to deal my own daughter.”Those words were the only truth she needed to hear to bring some peace to her heart. Their family, the one she had started with the man her father called beast, was never going to be torn apart, because they were always going to choose each other.“You are an old devilish monster that took Belle away, giving us no choice. You said you wanted a caretaker but you bewitched my poor darling girl and forced her into you bed, making her carry your offspring.”Her hands tightened in fists. "That's enough, father! That is not what happened!”“You better shut up or you are going to have a meeting with Hades tonight.” Regina threatened.“Let me explain, Sir Maurice. I know that you in your poor judgment thinks that this is the only story that can be true, but we all know that this is not exactly true. Indeed, I took this lady to my bed and she indeed carried my babies, and not only once, but twice. You just can't even begin to guess how much we love each other. Now, if you continue to insist in talking to us like this, things are going to get dark. However, as I respect the fact that you are still my lady’s father and my children’s grandfather, even though you are never going to set eyes on them ever again, I’m giving you the chance to shut the hell up and vanish away.”With his face as red as an apple, Maurice turned to his daughter one last time. “You made a mistake, Belle.”“No. I didn’t.” She replied.He left them behind and not wanting to stay in the same place as them, he called for his carriage and went back home. Belle stood there, shaking beneath Rumple's hands.“And I thought that my mother was bad.” Regina murmured, then placed her palm on Belle's cold arm. “I’m going after Robin, but if you need help, just reach me in the crowd.”“Thank you, Regina.”“Imp man!” A male voice called from somewhere to their left. “You are the last person I expected to see here.”Rumplestiltskin turned to the direction from where the phrase came to see a pale man wearing a dark purple outfit and a big smile.“I can say the very same about you. I thought only important people were invited.”“I am important, or do you know any other hatter like me?” The man replied. His eyes landed on Belle whose arm were wrapped around the imp's and one of his eyebrows lifted. “And who is this gorgeous young lady by your side?”“Jefferson, this is my lady Belle. Belle, Jefferson. Or as others know him, the Mad Hatter.”The Dark Lady smiled. “It is a pleasure to meet you.”“Tell me doll, has this awful imp imprisoned you?”If it were any other person who asked that old hateful question to her, Belle would have let a rude answer escape her, because she was really tired of people thinking that Rumplestiltskin couldn't be loved, but this man was smiling so gently and cheerfully that she couldn't do this. “No, sir." She denied. "I’m the mother of his children.”“Children?" He questioned. "You had children?”Rumplestiltskin showed him his proud-papa face. “A four-year-old boy and a baby girl.”“That’s impressive. I hope that for those poor children’s sake they had inherited their mother’s good looks, not yours.”Belle laid her chin on her lover's shoulder, hugging him closer. “Rumple is pretty handsome.”“Oh, you are as mad as me.” Jefferson said with an extra dramatic voice. “I have a girl too, Grace. She is almost one.”“I would like to meet her.”“My wife is sick right now, but when she gets better I will plan a little visit to the Dark Castle.”“I didn’t invite you.” Rumplestiltskin cut out the idea.“You don’t need to, old friend, your lady just did.” They sounded like moody children that made the lady laugh. Jefferson’s attention was caught by the slow tune that the same group she saw earlier, was playing. “Do you like to dance, Belle?”“Yes, why do you ask?”Rumple's eyes narrowed in concern. “I’m not letting you dance with her.”“I was not going to ask to. I know the perfect song for the two of you. Just wait.”Jefferson walked towards the music group and talked to them for a bit. The song stopped and they started another, a beautiful light tune whose lyrics talked about a very distinct couple, one composed by a beast and the beautiful daring lady that chose to love him. The Mad Hatter was right, this was a perfect song for them.“Care to dance, Dark Lady?” Rumplestiltskin asked a wide smile on his lips as he offered his hand for her to take.Letting her fingers slide against his palm, she let him take her to the centre of the great hall and they started a slow romantic dance, both looking right into the other's eyes. They moved around with the other couples opening space for them and stopping to watch mesmerized by the Dark One and his Dark Lady. Rumplestiltskin lifted her, spinning Belle softly in the air, before her feet reached the floor again and he bent her slightly, pressing a kiss to her lips when the song ended.A silence took the hall for a moment, with all of the people watching the couple, before the next tune started to play out.“Who would ever guess that the Dark One dances?” Regina asked, approaching them.“Attention please!” King David called from the top of the stairs, his wife, children and grandson standing next to him. “We invited you all for this party tonight with the aim of presenting you our lost grandson, Prince Henry.” He placed both hands on the boy's arms as the crowd clapped.“And we would like to announce too that our time fearing the Evil Queen is over, today the only thing that remains of her is a respectable woman called Regina.” Snow completed, raising her glass in the dark-haired woman's direction.“This sounds so weird.” Rumplestiltskin whispered.“This sounds like hope.” Belle corrected. After the ball ended and everybody went back home, leaving Snow White's castle comprised of only the royals, their servants and the small group that had come from the Dark One's castle. Rumplestiltskin and Belle had taken off their party outfits, changing them for comfortable night clothes and the lady left him in their chambers to go the nursery and feed their baby daughter. When Rose was satisfied, she walked to the big balcony that interconnected all the chambers on that floor, mumbling a lullaby to make her sleep. But what Belle didn't realise, was that while she rocked her baby, someone was watching her.The woman kept in the shadows, eyeing the mother cuddle the daughter, thinking about how precious the gifts of the Dark One's children could be. She pondered how much power Gideon and Rose could bear inside them, being born from True Love and having their father's curse running through their veins. The answer to her problems rested in them. And in something else she still needed to wait for. But with the right ingredients, she would finally reach her biggest goal.The woman held onto a laugh thinking about how convenient that little clumsy maid had ended up being to her. If someone told her the first time she saw Belle, all those years ago that she would give her everything she needed, she would call the person crazy. A couple approached her and the woman disappeared in a cloud of smoke before they could notice her presence."What are you doing here?"Belle’s head turned to the other side when she heard Princess Emma's voice. It was dark and she couldn't see who was accompanying the blond, but by the silhouette she could tell that it was a man."I wasn't planning on coming, but I was around and I heard about the party." He took a deep breath. "I need to know Emma. Is he mine?""Please, you need to leave. You broke my heart once and I won't let you do it again.""I wasn't willing to leave!" The man said in a higher tone. "Pinocchio said I should. He said that you were to marry Prince Eric."A suffocated sound left the princess' mouth and Belle held Rose closer to her chest. "Pinocchio? You left because Pinocchio said that you should? Gods know how much I like him, but I am going to punch this man the next time I see him.""Emma, you didn't answer my question. Is he mine?"There was a moment of hesitation, but she said: "Yes.""How could you hide this from me?" The man screamed.Feeling that the princess might be in trouble Belle walked up to them, leaving her place near the nursery's doors shadows. Emma was still wearing her white dress from earlier and the man was dressed in shades of brown, his dark hair a little messy."Is everything alright, Princess Emma?" She asked, smoothing Rose's back."I - "Stepping forward the young man examined Belle as if he was deciding if she was a threat or not. "Who are you?""My name is Belle. I am the Dark Lady."He swallowed, eyes widening. "Do you have something to do with the Dark One?""Yeah, I'm his lover and the mother of his children."
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"The mother of his children?" Repeated the young man, looking at Belle with a puzzled face.Belle nodded. She didn’t understand why he looked so surprised or what his interest in Rumplestiltskin could mean, but usually when people started asking questions about their relationship it didn’t end up well, so her hand came to her daughter’s head, covering it in a protective way. Rose was wrapped safely in the blanket, almost falling asleep, her little hands moving against the purple fabric slightly.The young man’s gaze dropped to her, his mouth opening in disbelief as he looked at the baby and then back at the mother’s face. Emma seemed as confused as Belle was feeling. She opened her mouth to speak, but Rumple appeared in the balcony, coming from the nursery’s open doors. He walked towards them, placing his hand on her bare arm. "Sweetheart, what is going on out here?"Princess Emma realised that she might soon be in trouble if people kept appearing and see her companion and felt the need to get out of there. "I can explain."It was too obvious in the sad-angry look in the young man’s eyes that something was wrong, Belle could tell so. Rumple removed his hand from her, glancing at his own palm where a small object rested, the stone in the centre of it shinning blue."The amulet." He mumbled, stunned."What?" Belle asked."This amulet I made before we left the Dark Castle.” Rumplestiltskin said, lifting it so she could see better. “It started to shine and I thought that it was failing in its purpose and leading me to you, but the glow only fades away once it touches the person you are looking for."His reptilian eyes fixed on the man before them, his heart pounding quickly in his chest. It couldn’t be, he thought, but maybe it was. The imp took a step forward and grabbed his hand, pressing the amulet against his skin, watching as the glow slowly faded, to show him that after all this time he had finally found what he was looking for."Neal?" Princess Emma inquired.Rumplestiltskin could barely hear her, he was too busy fighting against the tears he didn’t want to let fall just now. He looked into his son’s deep brown eyes and a gasp left his mouth. "Bae.""Baelfire?” Belle asked in shock. “You are Baelfire?"Releasing himself from his father’s grip, Bae exhaled. "And my day only gets worse."Bellle couldn’t even start to explain how amazed she was with the fact that her lover had found his lost son, but Baelfire appeared to be so angry that she worried about his reaction. This wasn’t the best moment for a family meeting, since he had been arguing with Emma just a moment ago, before the lady interrupted them showing herself with his father’s youngest child in her arms. She wanted more than anything that he could just get over everything that happened in the past and hug Rumple tight, although she knew that their story was too painful to just be erased that way."Oh, I've been looking for you for so long!" The imp was about to break into tears, but he contained himself."Can someone care to explain me what is happening?" Emma pleaded, looking between them without understanding a thing.A bitter smile formed on Baelfire’s lips. "Explain to her, papa.""What? You - " the princess panted. "Dear gods! You are Rumplestiltskin's son?" Her disbelief was almost funny, her eyes staring, a hand pressed to her stomach as if she just got stabbed by a sword. She glanced at the Dark Lady, then at the Dark One. "But how? Belle is younger than us!""She is definitely not my mother." Baelfire choked. He eyed Belle and turned to face his father. "So now you take young ladies as your mistresses?"The whole conversation was something blurred in Rumplestiltskin’s mind, he was lost in joy with the fact that his son was right in front of him to even notice the harshness in the young man’s voice. He wasn’t thinking clearly at all to even form a phrase clever than the one he managed to spoke. "She is my only lady."Baelfire pointed a finger in Rose’s direction. "And the baby in her arms is yours?""Aye.” Rumple agreed. “Your little sister."Although Bae wanted to show no interest in the baby, Belle could catch the way he glanced briefly at her, although angry with his father, he was mesmerized by the view of his younger sister. He sighed deeply, looking away and putting on a mask of bitterness. "You know, it's impressive that someone so full of darkness like you can still make something that looks so pure like her."Rumplestiltskin didn’t know if he should take this as a compliment or not. In fact, his children were pure of heart and free of his darkness, only remaining with small physical aspects of his curse, like his daughter’s black nails and his son’s impish skin. But his boy said that with such a resentment, that he wished more than anything to just clear things with him. "Bae - " he tried.The young man stepped back. "I need to go very far away from you."Turning his back to them, he prepared to leave, but Emma grabbed his arm. "No. You are not going anywhere until we have a little talk."“Listen, I remember where your chambers are. Go there. I need some time alone, but I’ll look for you later.”Emma gave him a threatening look. "Don’t you dare run away before speaking to me, Neal.”“I won’t. I promise. Now go.”After a moment of hesitation, where the princess looked between Baelfire and his father, she turned her back to them and made her way to the place where she had come from, the opened door that lead to the hallway. Belle reminded about a conversation they had with King David some time ago, when he had first sought out Rumplestiltskin in an attempt to find the thief that had impregnated his daughter, she remembered him saying that the man's name was Neal, exactly like Emma's little brother's. She looked at her lover's son, paying attention at the way he glanced at the princess as she disappeared and she knew that he was Henry's father.“Bae." Rumplestiltskin called again, but his boy didn't move to face him. "Please son, talk to me.”Shaking his head, Baelfire's jaw tightened. “No. Stay with your family. That’s the best thing you can do, for both of us.” He prepared to leave, but looked at Belle over his shoulder to add: “I really hope that he doesn’t leave you, this innocent baby needs a better father than the one I had.”“Son - ” the imp tried to say.However, he was already making his way through the doors. Belle couldn't let him go this way, not before a talk and an explanation. Her lover deserved the chance to have his first-born back into his life, so he handed Rose to him, trying to get Rumplestiltskin to hold the baby and come out of his frozen state.“Here, Rumple, take her." She said pushing the baby against him, seeing him blink before his arms came up to support his daughter. "I’ll go to him and I won’t be back until I convince your boy to give you a chance.”Running through the hallway, Belle followed Baelfire’s fast steps to the gardens of Snow White’s castle, restraining herself not to call him until they were outside, so nobody would wake up and notice them. “Wait! Bae, please, wait!”He turned around. “What?”Catching a breath, the lady smiled at the fact that he had stopped to listen to her. She held a hand out for him. “I don’t think that we’ve been properly introduced. Let’s start again. I’m Belle, former princess of Avonlea, and now the Dark Lady.”Baelfire took the greeting, examining her with curiosity. “I’m sorry to ask, but how exactly did someone like you end up involved with my father?”“I made a deal with him.”“Of course. I should’ve know.” He said with a little sarcastic-bitter laugh. “So, he asked you to become his mistresses in exchange for what?”She wasn’t exactly expecting him to make that assumption, even though most people did, because he was Rumple’s son and no matter what had happened between them in the past, she thought that he should know that his father was certainly not the kind of man that would make a deal to get a mistress.“That wasn’t what happened. He saved my kingdom from the ogres and I became his maid.”“And how - ”Belle didn’t let him finish; she already knew what he was going to ask, so she showed him her sweetest smile and answered: “We fell in love.”Raising his eyebrows, Bae didn’t seem to be convinced by it. “Who could ever love a beast?”And there it was. The question that apparently haunted everybody’s thoughts over them. It would be easier if people could see how much Belle loved Rumple and how much he loved her, how their souls spoke to each other even in the silence. Maybe they just didn’t know this kind of love yet, in order to recognize it when they saw it or maybe they just thought that darkness didn’t deserve to be loved. How wrong they were. Darkness needs love, because with love darkness becomes light.“Someone who sees his heart.” Belle said. “I love every single thing about him. Even his darkest parts.”“Well, then you are brave.” Baelfire replied. He breathed in deeply staring at his father’s lover like he was trying to figure out what was wrong with her. “How many children have you given him?”“Two. The baby you saw with me is Rose, the youngest.” She explained, feeling a little bad for him, to have to deal with two sibling’s right when he just reencountered his father after so long. It will be hard for him. “We have a four-year-old boy too. Gideon.”Baelfire nodded at the information. “Is he a good father to them?”“Yeah.” Belle hated to see the pain on his face and wanted to be able to do something to take it all away, so she took a step in his direction and laid a hand on his arm. “Bae, he spent years looking for you. When I met Rumple, you were the only thing that brought humanity to his eyes and the way he talked about you, about his regrets for what he did to lose you - ” she needed to take a breath before continuing. “That showed me the light in him.”“Did he tell you everything that happened?” He questioned. “Why he left me?”“Because of his power. Yes, I know.” Belle let out a sigh. “He has changed, Bae.”“Neal. I prefer Neal now.”“Alright, Neal.” She smoothed his arm softly, before pulling her hand away. “Can you do something for me? Talk to your father, please. Give him five minutes, if he doesn’t convince you that he changed then you can go away.”Looking up at the starry night sky, Neal was lost in thought. It was too much for him. Before that day, he didn’t want to see his father ever again, but now there was this young lady in front of him, that was insisting on defending Rumplestiltskin, showing her senseless love for him. A love that had resulted in two kids that were his half-siblings. His mind was spinning around and his wish of not been deluded by his father once again, made him hesitant. “He is still the Dark One. His power is still everything to him.”“I know that Rumple’s power means a lot to him and sometimes, that bothers me too, but this is a part of who he is. I think that he feels that without power he is nothing, because he can’t protect the ones he loves.” Belle said. “Your father may play the monster in front of everyone he meets, but he just does that to hide his heart. A big loving heart that he only shows to his family.”That girl looked so in love, so full of hope, that Neal gave in. “I’d better not regret letting you convince me of this.”“You won’t.” She smiled.“Five minutes, lady.” Rumplestiltskin kept staring at the doors where his lover and his son had disappeared for a moment. Bae had rejected him, just like he always feared he would. He cradled Rose in his arms, the warmth of her little body, the only thing keeping him from falling apart. Fighting against his tears, he brought her up to press a kiss to her forehead.“I won’t let you down, my little flower.” The imp muttered. “Papa, will never leave you.”He went inside the nursery, seeing Gideon in one of the three little beds where the children were and decided that he didn't want him to be there.Mrs. Potts, who was waiting for Belle's return, looked up at him. "Do you want me to put Rose to sleep, master?""No, thank you. But get Gideon for me. I'm taking my children to sleep in my chambers tonight.""Alright."Pulling the blankets away from the boy, Mrs. Potts lifted him in her arms and followed her master to the chambers that were given to him and his lady when they arrived at the palace. She laid the sleepy Gideon on the big bed and left with a wish of a goodnight for them. The imp dragged himself to the armchair, snorting.Bae was there, somewhere outside that room, but his son didn't want to see him. The mistakes Rumplestiltskin had done, apparently had broken their relationship forever and he doubted that Belle would have any success in talking to him. Rose fussed in her sleep, moving inside the blanket, making her father leave his brooding aside to take a look at her. That was when the door opened showing his lover standing by his older son."Rumple?" Belle called in a low voice in order to not wake the children. "Mrs. Potts told us that you brought Gideon and Rose here.""It's safer." He explained, surprised that Bae had come with her.Nodding, she tapped a hand to his son's shoulder, encouraging Baelfire to go inside the chambers, which he did with some uncertainty. "I'll leave you two alone." The lady smiled at her lover before walking back to the hallway, closing the door behind her.It was dark there, the flames burning in the fireplace, the only light in the room. Baelfire walked towards his father, watching the imp rock the baby girl gently, remembering how good Rumplestiltskin was before he took the powers of the Dark One. If he ignored his thick skin and bizarre eyes, he could almost imagine that this was the father he missed so much."That young lady is really convinced that you deserve a second chance." Bae started."She always had a blind faith in me." Rumplestiltskin answered, he stood up, looking inside his son's brown eyes. "Thank you, for coming to talk.""I did it for her." The young man pointed at the door from where Belle had left. "I did because she seemed just a poor innocent woman whose life you can ruin."He felt like someone was gripping his heart tightly inside his chest, about to remove it to reveal the darkness surrounding it. Rumplestiltskin swallowed. "I regret what I did, Bae. There wasn't a day in my life that I hadn’t regreted the choice I have made." He was holding his baby girl like she was keeping him on his feet, because the disdain in his first-born's face was killing him. "Please, son, give me a chance to make things up to you.""How? You can't erase what you did or what I endured after you let me go.""Indeed, I can't. But I can offer you the future. A tender home. A family that loves you."Baelfire glanced from the baby in his father's arms to the boy laying in the big bed. Under the light produced by the fireplace, he realised that the boy's skin had a green-gold colour, exactly like the Dark One's. "Is he dark like you? Does he have magic?""Both of them have magic." Rumplestiltskin said, cradling Rose. "But no, none of them are touched by the darkness, all these children know is light.""I have a son." Baelfire confessed. "I found this out today. But he is already a grown child and I never got the chance of raising him. I felt like I failed him, just like you did to me."The words hurt, but the imp knew that they were true. Wonder over who could be his grandson took his mind for just a brief second before he concluded that Bae wasn't talking to Princess Emma for no other reason than discussing the child she had kept from him. Regina's adoptive son, Henry."Stay here, Bae. Have this chance with your boy, get to know your siblings."He shook his head. "I'm not deciding anything right now. I need time to think and clear my mind away from you. But I will not let myself turn my back on Henry and have him continue to grow up without a father, though." The young man's glance dropped to the baby. "Can I hold her?""You want to hold her?" Rumplestiltskin asked, stunned."Yeah."The imp walked towards his son, instructing him on how to position his arms the right way to hold a baby, before handing Rose to her oldest brother. Rumplestiltskin’s heart was almost exploding with joy with that perfect view. He knew that things were very far away from being good between him them, but as the little girl moved slightly, and a little gap in the door was open, with Belle peeking a look in at the conversation, a small smile passed through Baelfire's lips, making all the magic in all the realms seem useless before it."I think this is a reminder that somehow you are still human." His son concluded.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Rumplestiltskin wasn’t sure about how much time they spent in silence, the sound of their breaths the only thing that could be heard, the only thing he knew was that while Baelfire cradled Rose, watching the baby sleep with stunned eyes, he tried to memorize every single line of his son’s face, every single thing that had changed and each one that hasn’t. His boy had grown to be man and the Dark One felt bad about himself for not being there during his life. That was the worst choice he had ever made and he would regret it forever.He didn’t know what to do with his hands, he kept moving them, tipping his finger together, touching his moonstone ring, too nervous to just stand still, having his daughter in his arms had helped before, but now that Bae had her he just felt extremely anxious. Rumplestiltskin didn’t want him to give her back just yet though, because he was enjoying seeing all his children in the same room, he just wished that Gideon was awake to have the chance of meeting his big brother too.Baelfire inhaled deeply, looking at his father from the corner of his eyes, realising that the imp was still staring at him, so hopelessly that he almost seemed worth his forgiveness. He just couldn’t let himself be convinced of that so easily. Even with the living-breathing proof that his father wasn’t all bad, laying peacefully in his arms. The baby was beautiful, innocent and sweet just like her mother appeared to be, the only remaining thing of their father’s curse the little black nails on her fingers.Gideon didn’t look bad too. It wasn’t his fault he inherited the gold-green skin and it didn’t change the fact that he was a pretty handsome young boy, with an angelic face in his sleep. Bae felt like, if he stayed there for too long, he was going to convince himself to trust more in his father and his new family than he should. So, stretching his arms, he offered the baby back to the imp."I need to talk to Emma." Baelfire said as he accommodated his little sister in their father’s embrace. Rumplestiltskin seemed disappointed with that, clenching Rose safely against his chest, the reptilian eyes suddenly sadder. The young man assured: "I'm not running away, I know you are used to it, since you've done this yourself, but I'm not."The Dark One nodded. "Have a good night, son.""You too."Leaving the room, Baelfire headed to the hallway, where he found Belle waiting reclined against the wall. When she saw him, her shiny blue eyes lifted and a smile filled her pinkish lips. "Hey, you had a good talk?""I know you were listening to us.”"Yeah, I was, I'm sorry, I got curious.” She said, nibbling her lower lip. “But that wasn't all bad, right?"In fact, his father’s lady was right. It wasn’t all bad. He knew that things probably just didn’t get worse, because of the presence of the two children in the room, which had kept him from yelling all of his resentment over his father the moment Rumplestiltskin started asking for forgiveness."I held your daughter.” Baelfire muttered, like it was a dangerous secret. “She is cute and looks a lot like you."Something that resembled nostalgia passed over her face; it was like she was always so full of love that her soul could never be haunted by any kind of darkness. Maybe, he thought, that was why his father loved her, because she brought him into the light he forgot he once had. "Rose is just a baby, there isn't much to look alike. But I'm glad you held her, she is your sister, after all.""I don't know how this is supposed to work, but I will need to stop traveling between the realms if I want to see my own son growing up, so if I am to be around, I would really like to know you and your children, Belle.""I would like to know you too, Neal." The Dark Lady replied. "You know, I've been waiting to meet you for a long time, but I guess that I was thinking that you were still fourteen."He laughed. "Well I wasn't expecting my father to have another family too or a lady who is quite younger than me. How old are you?""Twenty-four.""I was betting eighteen. You look younger than you are."Even though Rumplestiltskin was immortal, he knew that there was still a great age gap between Belle and his father. Before taking the Dark One’s powers, the imp had already been considerably older than her, but it didn’t seem to bother the lady in any possible aspect."I met Rumple when I was eighteen and gave birth to Gideon at the age of twenty." She explained, before looking at the closed door behind them. “Listen, I need to get inside; it’s already late. Will you be gone for good?""No. I'll come by here in the morning, then maybe I can meet your boy."Belle had been fearing that at any time he would just go back to wherever he was living before to never come back, leaving Rumple completely heartbroken, but these words gave her a new hope. "Alright. I hope you and Emma can work things out.""Will see about that.” He said with a little smirk. “Goodnight, Belle.""Goodnight."Pushing the door open, she entered her chambers to find Rumplestiltskin accommodating Rose inside of a basket. He had his back turned to her and she approached him to hug her lover from behind, laying her head on his shoulder, feeling him take a deep breath.“He is back, Belle.” Rumple whispered.“I told you someday you would find him.”Turning around, he enlaced her in his arms, hiding his face in the curve of her neck, inhaling her scent. “Do you think that I can fix things with my son?”“I do. You know, there is a lot of resentment in Bae’s heart, but he still cares about you.” She ran her hands through his hair, feeling the softness of the locks against her fingertips, he seemed so vulnerable right now that if people saw him this way, no one would ever say that he was the fearful Dark One. “Come on, my love, let’s go to bed, because now you have found your son and you can sleep knowing that there is hope for the future.”They laid together with Gideon in the middle of them and Rose in the basket by their side, wondering what surprises tomorrow could bring. The large breakfast table set in Snow White’s dining hall was almost completely full with all the guests reunited to discuss the matters that had brought them there in first place. All the children were in the nursery, being watched by as many maids as the ones walking around there, serving the food for them. Neither Belle nor Rumple had said a single word about the things that had happened last night; he just ate in silence while she talked with Regina and Robin about amenities. They were waiting for Princess Emma to show up, which hadn’t happened yet and made Belle wonder if that was a good or a bad sign.Sleep hadn’t come easily for her last night, because there were too many things to think about. Rumplestiltskin kept his eyes shut until the sunrise, but she knew that he also had trouble sleeping, she could tell it by the fact that while she was awake, his breath didn’t calm down, becoming heavy and regular. When the double-doors opened to show Neal and the princess, she held onto a breath, sharing a quick glance with her lover and grabbing his hand under the table."Emma! You're late.” Snow White said with a frown at her daughter. “We were about to send someone to check on you.""I'm sorry, mom, but I think we need to talk.""About what?""About him." Emma answered pointing to the young man by her side.For the first time, the Queen and King seemed to realise his presence, even though his guests were staring openly at their daughter and her companion. Silence took place in the room and from where she was sitting, Belle could see Neal swallow, rubbing his hands together, just like his father, when he was nervous about something."Who is this?" David asked.Rumplestiltskin dropped Belle’s hand and stood up walking towards the young man. "My son.""Your son?" The King mumbled in disbelief before he also rose from his seat to angrily ask his daughter: "How the hell do you know his son?""Dad, this is Neal.” Emma said softly. “My Neal.""The thief?"Neal let an exasperated laugh escape. "I've been called better things before, sir."Regina looked at Belle, puzzled, but the lady just shrugged. She wished she could have a better talk with the former Evil Queen, but there were too many people in the room and they all seemed to be overly interested."Did you know this? That's why we haven't found him?” The King shouted at Rumplestiltskin. “Because you were hiding your son?""Believe me, dearie, the fact that my boy and your girl had an affair was as surprising to me as it is to you.""How - " David tried, but he needed to take a breath to calm himself before continuing. "How did you two meet each other?""She stole my horse." He explained, trying to control his laugh, but his eyes met Emma’s and both guffawed.Snow blinked. "You did what?""Yeah, sorry, I was trying to get away from your guards, so I stole Bug.” The Princess said, referring to the brown horse she used to ride all over their lands. “But Neal followed me and we became friends and started to meet in the woods, every time you sent me to check on the villages.""Unbelievable!""Do you still have that horse?" Neal asked."Of course, I do. He is my favourite!""Oh, gods.” Snow muttered. “Can we please deal with this after we discuss what brought us all together? The great evil?"All the people standing, tensed and staring at each other, came back to their seats, including Neal and Emma who took opposite sides at the table, him beside his father; her in front of her mother. Belle smoothed Rumplestiltskin’s arm, tranquilizing him."That would be better." Regina agreed. "So, where can we find that mysterious woman?"A green cloud of smoke appeared in the middle of the hall, startling Belle for a second when the silhouette of a woman took form, making her heart pound faster as the memories of her nightmare came to her mind. She was definitely paranoid by now, but with that new evil in sight, she couldn’t help but worry for her family’s safety. But when the haze dissipated and the preoccupied redhead with a green skin fully showed herself, Belle was sure that she wasn’t the woman who had threatened her children’s life by setting the Dark Castle on fire in her dreams."I'll tell you.” The redhead’s melodic voice said. “You can't.""Who are you?" Snow questioned."Not your business, darling." She answered, turning to face Rumplestiltkin. "I need to talk to you. In private."Belle didn’t know that woman, but she already disliked her. The lady felt something bad making her eyebrows narrow, a feeling that resembled jealously and she held Rumple’s arm more firmly needing to show that woman that he was hers and no one else’s. His free hand came to touch her face, sliding through her velvet skin as he spoke. "Anything you wish to say to me, you can do here, Zelena.""Fine. Whoever you are looking for, she has been in Oz and I didn't care if she wanted to terrify the people, but now she has crossed the line. She took my baby.""Your baby?" Rumplestiltskin asked. "You had a baby?"The thing Belle most wanted to know was how her lover got to know this woman. He knew a lot of people, who usually even came to their castle to seek his powers and deals, and some of them weren’t beautiful women like Regina herself. Zelena could be pretty, but she was also green, so it wasn’t that which was getting the Dark Lady upset about her, but the glances the redhead was giving to Rumple. Terrifying glances of interest."Yes, her name is Robin. Cute little redhead thing, almost two years old." Zelena described.Regina looked confused. "You have a baby named Robin?""Is that a problem?""Not exactly. It’s just that -”"That is my name." Robin Hood finished her sentence.Rolling her eyes, the green woman walked around the table, until she was standing behind Belle’s chair, facing Regina and Robin. "Ugh, don't be selfish, you're not the only one with this name in the world. Now can we focus on the fact that my baby girl is missing?""How can you be sure that this woman has her?" Snow White had a look of mistrust on her face, like she was about to call her guards to throw Zelena out of her castle."Nobody else would ever dare touch her.""What about the father?" David questioned."I killed him."Belle gasped looking at her over her shoulder. "You killed your daughter's father?"Zelena shrugged, as if it was nothing. "When you find out that power means more than love for a man, darling, you don't give him the chance of putting your life at risk."From the other corner of the table, Neal’s eyes met hers and they both knew that she had said this with the intention of making Belle doubt her choices. She had no idea of who Zelena thought that she was, but the Dark Lady would never step back from her love for the Dark One."Alright, green one, we got it." The former Evil Queen said, rolling her eyes. "Now tell us everything you know.""I don't owe you answers, Regina.""How do you know my name?"A wicked smile appeared on Zelena's lips. "Believe it or not, we have something in common.""Oh, yeah? And what is it?""Cora.""My mother?""Our mother."For a short instant, Belle thought that Regina would drop dead in front of them all with the revelation. Her jaw fell down and she glanced at Robin, silently asking for a confirmation that she had heard it right. All he could do was nod with a shocked face."Scandalous, you are sisters." Rumplestiltskin said in a sarcastic tone. "Let's proceed. Talk about the woman, Zelena.""I've been following her trail since her first apparition in Oz, but just today when I found my daughter's crib empty I realised what she is doing.""And what is it?" Belle asked."She is collecting ingredients for a spell.""A spell?" David repeated."This one here more specifically…" Zelena pulled a book from inside her black cloak's inner pocket, opening it on the table between Rumple and Belle. "It is used to free someone from any kind of great magical prison.""But she is running free through the realm." Emma pointed."You are not really clever, right?" The green woman wondered, causing both Neal and the princess to let out small protests, which everybody ignored. "A magical prison can be a lot of things. Anyway, according to my research she has only two ingredients left to collect, since she already got my baby girl that removes a demigod’s hair from her list."If a strand of hair was everything that woman needed, Belle didn’t know why she would also take the baby. She could have obtained the ingredient and went away, without alerting anyone of her plans, unless she wanted them to know what she was doing and, unless if casting that spell wasn’t her only goal."Demigod?" Regina inquired."Haven't I said that Hades is Robin's father?""No.""Details." Zelena muttered tapping her nails against her book's page. "Well, now she just needs a tear of a seer and the blood of an innocent life ended by accident."At those words, Belle felt like her heart was about to collide with her brain, because it was jumping so hard and quick inside of her chest that it was almost hurting her. She felt all the colour leave her face, the scenario of her dream playing repeatedly in her mind, reminding her that her children were in danger and maybe the innocent’s blood that woman was intending to get was from one of them. Not to say that worries about the seer’s tear, were also filling her thoughts.Robin shivered. "This is creepy.""This is cruel." The Dark Lady corrected.She felt Rumplestiltskin’s hand on her leg, his touch comforting, but incapable of washing her fears away. Belle wanted to drag him to their chambers and cry against his chest, insisting that her nightmare was somehow very near to come true and they were about to lose everything they had. However, she couldn’t do this, so she closed her eyes briefly, trying to convince herself that not everything about that dream made sense, like the fact that her lover didn’t answer her call for help when she summoned him and she had no reason to be bleeding the way she was in there, because she had given birth months ago.Snow White sighed, concerned. "What should we do now?""I suggest that the one's with magic help me start looking for my baby and the others go back to their homes, locking themselves inside it, with the most powerful protection spells you can find." Zelena proposed."I hate to admit that, but she is right.” Rumplestiltskin agreed, gripping at Belle’s thigh like he, the Dark One, for the first time was apprehensive about something. “It's time to reopen the witch's hunt."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"So, we are already going home?” Gideon asked, moodily. “But I wanted to play swords with Neal and Henry!"They were in the chambers Queen Snow had given their parents, with Mrs. Potts helping Belle to fill a giant chest with the clothes and jewellery they had brought from their castle, while one of the royal maids took care of Rose. The boy had surprisingly woken up there, snugged between his parents, both of them with arms around him, their eyes closed in their sleep. He didn’t know why they had decided to bring him and his sister to their chambers, as they rarely allowed him to sleep in their bed, but he was happy that they did.Now, however, he was just frustrated with the fact that his time to have fun with his new friends was over and they were going straight back home, where he had no one to play with but the adults."I'm sorry, Gid.” His mother answered. “Papa has some important things to do and we will be safer in our castle."Sighing, he sank into the mattress of the master bed. The door of the room opened and a man entered. He was tall, with brown hair, brown eyes and was wearing a cream and grey outfit."Belle?" The man called, making Gideon’s mother look at him over her shoulder."Oh, hey. I'm packing for the travel.""That's what I wanted to talk about.” He said, pausing as she closed the chest’s lid with some effort before fully turning to face him. “I'm going with you."Surprise passed through Belle’s face. She blinked and asked in her most accentuated accent: "You are?"The man nodded, a little hesitantly and Gideon slip off the bed, coming to his mother’s side, grabbing the fabric of her purple dress and staring mistrustfully at their companion. "Mama, who is this man?"She kneeled in front of the boy, caressing the thick skin of his small hands in her delicate one’s, a soft smile on her lips. "Gideon, do you remember your father's stories about his first-born son, Baelfire?""Yeah. Why?""This is him."That wasn’t exactly what he was expecting to hear. Baelfire’s story had always been a good one, but he never seemed to be more than that, the hero of an old tale, and now his half-brother was standing next to him, probably old enough to be his father. Things were confusing, but in the end, they always were.Baelfire joined Gideon’s mother, kneeling in front of him, with a grin. "Hey, young boy. It is very nice to meet you.""I thought you were a child like me." Gideon said, because the half-brother of his father’s stories usually was a fourteen-year-old boy, and he imagined that at age of fourteen, no one should look so old.However, the Dark One’s youngest son, didn’t really get the concept of time yet, for him the passage of the days didn’t mean anything but the sun and the moon taking turns in the sky. He remembered how anxious his parents seemed with time when his mama was expecting Rose, but that didn’t make a lot of sense to him, since the only thing Gideon knew, was that Belle was getting bigger and for him, it never seemed something to be happy about."Apparently everyone is surprised that time in fact passed.” Baelfire laughed. “But well, I'm going to travel to the Dark Castle with you and your mama, so I hope we get to know each other."Gideon wasn’t sure if he liked that. Was Bae going to live with them now? Should he be jealous? Would his papa forget about him now that he got his beloved first-born back? It took him a while to accept that his parents loved both him and Rose, and the fact that his little sister was a tiny squealing thing, made things easier, because she always looked so helpless that Gideon felt that he had the duty to protect her too. And he loved Rose very much, he just wasn’t sure yet if he could do the same thing with Bae, when he was a grownup man and by now was probably the hero of his own story, while he was just a boy complaining about not wanting to go home so soon.Belle rose from the floor, going to help Mrs. Potts with their traveling cloaks, but kept an eye on them. "Won't you like to stay with Emma?""We have a lot to discuss, but I simply can't let you take the road alone. I've been a thief around here before, I know how dangerous traveling can be.""If you insist, it will be really good to have your company."Touching Gideon’s arm briefly, Baelfire also stood up and the boy felt a hundred more questions form in his mind. So, his brother was a thief? He needed an explanation about that."Where is my father?" Bae asked.His mama straightened the cloaks, hanging them on little hooks near the fireplace, Mrs. Potts handing her each one as she did. "Organizing his own trip."There was a small cry coming from the other side of the room, where one of Queen Snow’s maids was sitting in a rock chair with his sister. The young blond girl, looked up with startled eyes at the baby’s screams. "Milady Belle?""Alright, I'm coming.” Belle said, immediately stopping what she was doing to get her daughter. “Can you take Gideon to the gardens, please, Neal? I - I need to feed Rose."Gideon didn’t understand why, but she blushed when she said that and Baelfire seemed a little embarrassed, as if he wanted to rush away from there. "Oh! Don't worry I'll disappear." The young man said, grabbing his half-brother’s hand and dragging him out of his parents’ chambers. "Come on, boy, let's give your mama some privacy.""Why did she call you Neal?" Gideon asked when they were crossing the hallway."That's the name I use now.""Why? Didn't you like Baelfire?""I did, but in some realms, it is not a common name.” He explained. “Neal is way easier.""And what do I call you?""Whatever you want."A giant smile filled the little boy’s face. "Bunny!"Baelfire rolled his eyes. "Not funny. Call me Neal." The carriages were ready to leave Snow White’s castle and the families were saying their goodbyes. Robin, Roland and Henry were leaving for Sherwood Forest against the royals’ protests that Emma’s son should stay with them. Baelfire, who had been introduced to the boy as his father the night before was speaking to him along with the blonde princess, while Regina showered her baby and lover with kisses.A little further down, Rumplestiltskin had Belle in his arms, kissing her hungrily against the carriage, Rose almost smashed between them as their lips worked together, trying to compensate for the time they were going to spend apart from each other. His hand caressed her neck and his tongue travelled her mouth in a rhythm that let both of them breathless, but they only broke apart when their baby attempted to cry, disturbed by her parents making out that way.Foreheads touching, Rumple rubbed his daughter’s cheek while still looking into Belle’s gorgeous blue eyes. "Please, sweetheart, take care of yourself. If there is anything out of the normal, don't think twice before summoning me.""You take care too. I need you to come back to me.""Will this trip take long, papa?" Gideon asked, approaching them.The imp pulled away from his lover’s embrace to mess his son’s hair. "I have no idea, my boy, but I hope not. Be good to your mama, alright?""Okay. I'll miss you."Gideon stretched his arms, silently asked to be picked up, and Rumplestiltskin did so, lifting him from the floor in a tight hug. "Me too."He released Gideon on the ground and the boy followed Mrs. Potts inside the carriage. Turning back to Belle, he fixed his gaze on the baby in her arms. Rose was wearing a small version of her mother’s purple dress, matching perfectly with the Dark Lady. "And you little flower,” he said, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of her head. “Will also be missed. Papa loves you very dearly." She giggled, causing her father to smile widely, before asking his lover: "Darling, do you still have the dagger? I think I'll need it on my trip.""Of course, I do." She answered, moving Rose to just one arm to reach for the dagger in the inner pocket of her cloak, taking it to give him. "Here, take it."The imp grabbed the object from her hands, hiding it inside his own cloak. "Thank you, for keeping it safe for me.""Whenever you need." Belle said with a smile.Baelfire walked towards them, a serious expression in his face. "Time to go.""Thank you, for doing this, son.""No problem, I’m happy to help.” The young man confessed, letting the smallest of the smiles appear in his lips. He didn’t want to give his father too much hope that they could fix their relationship, but he also couldn’t help himself from having some faith when he was watching the Dark One being so lovely with his new family. “Maybe we can have a longer conversation when you get back to your castle.”Rumple blinked, sharing a quick glance with Belle. “Will you stay there until I do?”“Yeah. Have a good trip.”“Bae - ” the imp started, but Baelfire only nodded.“We can talk later.” He said before entering the carriage.Every cold word from his son, killed Rumplestiltskin a little bit and knowing that he was the only one responsible for that, hurt even more. Belle sensed his heartbreak and moved back into his arms. “Give him time, Rumple. Maybe when you come back, Baelfire will have his heart open for you.”“I’m trusting that…”Her thumb came up to touch his lip and he sucked it, causing her eyes to close and a little whimper to leave her mouth. “Don’t forget that I love you and that I’ll be waiting for your return.”Letting her finger fall, he kissed her hand. “I’ll rush back to you after I take care of this problem, sweetheart.” His lips came to hers, brushing against that warm softness that he so adored. “I love you.”She entered the carriage and Rumplestiltskin watched as they all left, taking the road, to disappear in the middle of the woods. He sighed, praying for them to reach home safely, because inside that carriage wasn’t just some people, inside there was his family, his heart and all the reasons he had to be alive."Impressive, the Dark One has a weakness. A blue-eyed weakness and her wee one's." Zelena said from behind him, grinning. "You always seemed so cold that I never thought that you could still be a man under those trousers."Oh, she had no idea of what a man he was behind those trousers and how he could make his sweet little Belle scream his name in pleasure, but he wasn't going to boast of himself, he was too concerned about who they might be chasing to just start being all sarcastic with any of Cora's daughters."Don't bother me, Zelena." He replied with a frown. Because, truth be told, there was nothing in this world that could annoy him more than that redhead.Emma folded her arms. "Yeah, it would be better if we don't kill each other before finding that evil woman."The blonde was dressed for an adventure, wearing pants, boots, a blue waistcoat beneath her white shirt and having her hair up in a ponytail, exactly like she did when she helped Captain Hook after he attacked Belle. It wasn't a good memory for him, but Rumplestiltskin wondered for a moment where that sick pirate could be by now and if he and Emma kept any kind of contact after that day."Where do we start?" Regina asked."With the fairies." The princess answered as if it was obvious."Those useless tiny things?" Rumplestiltskin inquired. "No way.""They are full of light magic and I bet they must know something about this woman.""Okay. There we go." Regina raised her hand, using her magic to take them all in a purple cloud of smoke.It all happened in a brief second. The haze vanished them from the front of the castle, but when they reached their destiny, everything started to shake and they appeared back to where they were before, like they never left. Regina looked confused around. "What the hell just happened?""We can't enter there, sis." Zelena replied. "Or did you think that the fairies would just leave their door open for visitors?""Yeah, I think we need to summon them, somehow." Emma agreed.A blue glow surrounded them and a woman took form, her silhouette growing from very tiny to a normal person's height. "Be quick, what do you want?"The princess' jaw dropped. "How do you know that we wished to speak to you?"Rolling her eyes, the Blue Fairy paused both hands on her own hips, stubbornly. "You tried to break into my place. That's how I know.""Great, start to speak, dearie." Rumplestiltskin interfered, not liking to be in her presence. Fairies. Well that was definitely something that annoyed him more than Zelena. "What do you know about the woman who is collecting ingredients for a freedom spell?""I'm sorry, but I can't talk about that.""What?" The Wicked Witch gasped. "How can you not talk about that this woman is a danger for everyone and she just stole my baby!""I am really sorry, but all I know about her is part of the fairies' secret matters. And even if I could speak, I wouldn't, not to you all. You are as dark as her. Villains, facing villains."There was no time to stop Zelena's movement, but even if they did, neither Rumple nor Regina would try. At one moment, they were all looking at Blue as she spoke, in the other one, the green woman had lifted her from the floor with her powers and was choking the fairy. "Listen to me you freaking winged thing, either you start speaking or you will know what wicked is.""Zelena!" Emma protested."I'm not paying any attention to you, Princess."However, Emma wasn't paying a lot of attention to what she said too. The blonde approached the Blue Fairy, hearing her desperate gaps for air and said in her most convincing voice: "Alright, you don't talk to them, but at least talk to me. I'm not a villain, Blue.""No, but you're Regina's apprentice."Regina sighed, frustrated. "We are not getting anything from her.""Oh, we are." Rumplestiltskin muttered behind clenched teeth. "I lost a son once because of this useless fairy, I won't see the same thing happen to my children because she is being stubborn."Even still under Zelena's invisible grasp, Blue mumbled: "It is a pity that someone so full of light like Belle had fallen for you. She could have had a good life and her children would always be safe if she had married sir Gaston like she should’ve.”She was crossing a dangerous line. The Dark One pointed his dagger to her, refraining himself from killing the fairy just because he knew that she was probably the only one who had all the answers they needed. "You don't get to judge people's choices or decide what is better for them. Speak.""No!"Beside him, Emma jumped at the sight of a black silhouette walking between the trees. "She is there!"Zelena lost her grip on the fairy and ran to where the princess was pointing with all her three temporary partners behind, but when they reached the spot where the woman appeared, she wasn't there anymore."Gone." Declared the redhead."She is getting stronger." Blue said, terrified. "I'll give you all a bit of advice. Stop looking for her. Just hide yourselves and pray that whatever she wants, she gets it soon enough and vanishes from this realm."Them with a blue glow, she turned back into a small thing and flew away, leaving the princess and the villains behind. "He has a nice place." Neal said, when they entered the castle.Mrs. Potts led the guards that had travelled with them upstairs to put the chests of the master and lady in their chambers. Gideon rushed to the spinning wheel, sitting on the stool as if it was his favourite toy. Both the imp's first-born son and the young woman took off their cloaks, leaving them on a hanger by the entryway before they followed the little boy."Make yourself at home if you want to explore, I just recommend staying away from your father's potion laboratory." Belle said while she played with Rose's tiny hands to keep them from grabbing at her hair. "He keeps some dangerous things there."Neal chuckled. "I'll make sure to never go there."The guards came back, saying their goodbyes before leaving the Dark Castle, Mrs. Potts closing the front door behind them. She joined Gideon at the spinning wheel, asking if he wanted to help her to bake some bread. Realising that her son would be entertained for some time, Belle turned to Neal. "Come with me, I want to show you something."She led him upstairs, to the same tower and floor where all the family rooms were located. They stopped by the first door in the hallway and she looked at the young man, a little uncertain. She wasn't sure if she should show him this, as her lover wasn't aware of what she was doing, but the lady only had the best intentions, so she took a deep breath, smoothing her daughter's back. "These are your chambers.""My chambers?" Neal questioned, arching a brow."Yes." Belle opened the door, showing him the large bedroom, with a comfortable bed, dark wooden furniture and a huge closet. "Your father always had this room set for you. I remember that, when I arrived at the castle to be his maid and found it while cleaning, I was surprised, but I could understand how much he loved you just by taking a look."Neal walked around, looking at every detail he could catch in his sight, feeling overwhelmed. He touched the wood of bed, thinking about all those years he spent apart from his father, resentful of him and hating his actions. But during this time, all Rumplestiltskin had done was look for him and set up a bedroom for Neal in his castle, even without knowing if someday they would, in fact, see each other again. "It's great.""Open the chest." The lady instructed.He opened the lid to find some pieces of clothing, those he used to wear a lifetime ago, when he was just a boy, afraid of what the Dark One's powers were doing with what had left of his family."These are - " he swallowed, fighting against the fresh tears that started blurring his eyes. "My old clothes." The young man mumbled. "He kept it during all those years.""Yeah."With a sigh, he ran his fingers over the white fabric of a shirt, before closing the chest. "Things could have been so easier if he had made the right choice.""He is doing it now, Neal. I know it is hard to believe, but as someone who saw his best and his worst, I can assure you that your father has changed."Lifting his gaze, he saw that the Dark Lady cradled Rose in her arms, the baby girl staring at him with the same deep brown eyes Neal had, as if she was understanding the conversation. She giggled, pointing her tiny hand at her oldest brother."I can see that he is. The man I saw in front of the carriage was certainly not the one who let me go through that portal. He treated you and the children with such tenderness that it couldn't be fake, but I still feel the scars of his betrayal."He sat on the bed, glancing down at the floor and Belle approached him, cupping his cheek in her all motherly way that was too strong for a twenty-four-year-old girl, but that was too true and tender. His own mother didn't have that in her, but this lady did. She was a natural born mother."Neal, look at me. If there was still a man behind the beast to be found by me when I made that deal with him, it was because his love for you kept him from giving completely into darkness. Hold onto it." Rose stretched herself in her mother's arms and reached to tap her hand on his head. The lady pulled the baby girl back. "I'll give you some time alone."Turning her back to him and moving for the door. He inhaled, facing the room full of twisted emotions. "Belle?""Yes?" She asked, looking back at him."Thank you, for everything, but mostly for not giving up on him. I'm pretty sure you are one of the reasons that light still exists in my father."
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"It's her, isn't it? That's why you are so secretive with all of this."The village behind them was quiet and peaceful, the people sleeping inside their houses unaware of the conversation happening between the Dark One and the Blue Fairy, both standing in a corner near the woods, when after long, exahustive days of useless research, Rumplestiltskin decided to leave his companions and do it his way, summoning the fairy to take from her the answers she was keeping.He had been suspecting a certain someone to be the one they were hunting since the moment Zelena said that her child was gone, but he wasn't certain and he also didn't want to be."Yes." Blue confirmed, now that she knew it wasn't possible to keep hiding it from him. "She is trying to free herself from the Dark Realm, that's why she is collecting those ingredients. I think she plans on using Zelena's baby as the life ended by accident.""Well, there won't be any accident when Fiona murders that child, dearie." To say his mother's name aloud for the first time since he told his darling Belle her tale, left a sour taste in his mouth.Blue sighed deeply, as if she thought him a complete idiot, which she probably did. "You don't know how she plans things. The Black Fairy is a smart woman."The imp didn't doubt that, he had seen his mother only one time in his life, but it was enough to assure him that she was a powerful creature. And one who didn't care about anybody but herself. That was what made her dangerous."She still needs a tear of a seer to complete her spell, anyway." Rumplestiltskin pointed out.Leaning against a tree, Blue snorted, her thin features seeming to be drowning inside her ridiculously enormous skirt. "And I will stop her before she gets it.""You?" He laughed. "I thought you were intending to hide and pray.""No, I said you should do that, but never included myself in it."Rumplestiltskin took a slow threatening step towards her, jaw clenched tightly. "You never did a right thing, dearie, so stay out of my business and let me take care of my mother by myself.""I know that you think your powers as the Dark One are enough to deal with her, but you are very wrong. You have no idea of what a threat she is and if you love Belle and your children you shouldn't anger Fiona.""No," the imp answered, harshly. "That's the very reason why I should kill her."He wasn't sure what his mother's plans were for after she escaped the Dark Realm, but he was sure that they weren't good. Rumplestiltskin knew now that revealing himself to her all those years ago, when he apparently had nothing to lose, was a mistake. If he had kept his anger over being abandoned as a baby, to himself, she would never know that they were related and would have no reason to come after his family. And even though she had done nothing that directly affected them yet, he feared that sooner or later she would."If you can, you mean." Blue said, one single eyebrow arched."Go away!" He stormed, wanting nothing more than to be alone with his thoughts for a while."I am going." The fairy assured playing with the wand in her hands. "I just hope you take my advice, for your own family's sake."A blue glow blinded him, as she turned into a tiny thing and flew away. Rumplestiltskin felt his breath start to come fast and his hands were shaking. He needed something that could remind him that he in fact had a home, that he was loved by someone and that he still had something worth fighting for. He needed the warmth of safe arms around him, the comfort words muttered against his ear and the blissfulness that was capable of forgetting the threat that was his own mother. He needed Belle. She stood in front of the window, looking down at the gardens immersed in the dark of the night, something about the shadows making her body shiver in fear. The children were both asleep, being watched by Mrs. Potts. Belle had settled two beds and a crib in the room next to Neal's, so she could be sure that they were as safe as they could be. However, she had no success in getting some sleep herself.It had been more than a week since Rumple had joined the search and she had heard no word from him. The lady was feeling worried and walked around her chambers for a while, before picking up a book to read until she was finally able to get some rest. She had spent some time, curled in the armchair, wearing a comfortable nightgown, but she finished the book and didn't even yawn with tiredness. Her mind was pretty awake, so she went to the window and there she stayed, until she heard heavy steps behind her.Her heart lost its pace, but when a pair of strong hands gripped at her waist, she sighed happily, leaning against her lover's body. "You are back.""I'm glad you are wake." Rumplestiltskin said. "I need you."His voice was urgent, full of lust and desire, something that she could also feel brushing against her backside, but what got her concerned was the fact that behind his needs, she could hear something more, a heart broken with despair. And if his tone didn't speak for itself, the fact that he hurried to pull his trousers down and lift her nightgown without any kind of tenderness or caress first, assured Belle that something was definitely wrong.He pressed her against the wall, workshiping her with his smart fingers and Belle's hands came up to the window, holding herself up, as a suffocated sound left her mouth, Rumplestiltskin's urge to get her wet and slick for him, making her legs shake, his touch too insistent and also too delightful. She wanted to question him about what had happened during his trip, but she was too busy sinking into the sensations he was causing her and as soon as she was aroused enough he separeted her legs and slid inside her, there, standing up against the wall, like they had never done before. Belle gasped, feeling how erratic his thrusts already were, his lips hungrily kissing and nibbling at the exposed skin of her neck, making her moan.Rumplestiltskin gripped at her breast, causing a little pain, since he seemed to forgot that she was breastfeeding and her body was too sensitive. The fabric of her nightgown got wet with the milk that dripped from her and he pulled his hand away, turning to grip her hips once more before spilling his seed inside her with a wild groan."Oh." She whispered as she felt him slip off her too soon.His breath was already heavy with exhaustion, but she could distinguish when a sob came from his throat."I'm sorry." The imp mumbled to her ear and she realised that he was shaking and it had nothing to do with what they had just done. "I'm so sorry, Belle.""Hey." She turned to face him. "Tell me what happened.""It's her.""Her?" The lady asked, straightening her clothes, starting to feel panic over his hopeless expression. "Who is she?""The Black Fairy." He said like he was speaking of the worst kind of thing that could be found in the whole wide world. "It is her who is causing all this mess. It's my mother."Belle didn't know what to do or what to say, she only knew that suddenly the memory of her nightmare was too clear in her mind and she could almost see the Black Fairy standing right in front of her, a smirk on her lips as she watched the Dark Lady falling to the floor, the flames burning the castle while her children were trapped inside the nursery. Her laugh had echoed with the same power and coldness as it did the day Rumplestiltskin summoned his mother to confront her, asking for the reason why she'd abandoned him.That woman was dangerous and if she didn't care a bit for her own son, someone she had carried inside her own body, Belle didn't believe that she could care to leave her, who was absolutely no one to her, and her children out of her devilish plans. No, she was sure that, if given the chance, the Black Fairy would in fact enjoy herself in watching them suffer."Oh, Rumple!" She embraced him in her arms, letting the imp hide his face in her hair. "My love, you will be fine."Belle stroke his back in a constant rhythm until his body stopped shaking and his breath calm down. "She's pure darkness." He muttered."I know. But we won't let her touch our family, alright?" The lady said, even though she knew that it was nothing but mere words at the time, since they were both afraid of someone they didn't know if they could defeat. But showing him her support was more important than anything else. "We won't."Rumplestiltskin lifted his head, looking at her eyes for the first time that night, just now, after that short conversation where he shared his fears with her, completely conscious of everything. The guilt overtook him. "Darling, I - I didn't even please you."It wasn't all true, he had pleased her with his fingers and while their bodies were joined, it just hadn't been enough to make her come undone, because he was frantically seeking his own release, but Belle didn't care about it right now. Not after finding out that his mother was the one collecting those disgusting ingredients for that horrible spell of hers. "It's okay, Rumple.""No, it's not. I used you, I was so blind with anger when I arrived that I only used you to satisfy myself in an attempt to forget everything."Shame seemed to take over him. Rumple let his gaze fall to the floor like he couldn't bare staring at her face."And I let you. Look at me." Belle lifted his chin. "I love you, Rumplestiltskin, you are my husband at heart and I will always be willing to give you anything you want. That sick woman won't keep playing with our minds, because we will show her that we are stronger."Nodding, he pressed a gentle kiss to her temples. "Let me make it up to you."Kneeling in front of her, Rumplestiltskin pulled her nightgown up, spreading her legs so he could bury his face between her thighs, his tongue licking slowly at her still slick insides. Belle's eyes closed in answer to the delicious wave of pleasure that the movement sent through her body, her fingers wrapping in his hair as a moan left her mouth. The things that man could do to her, twisted her mind, made her see stars and feel weak.Two fingers opened her, starting to build her way to blissfulness, each lick or push and pull making her body press more against him, the increasing feeling getting her to whimper involuntary. Rumple pulled away, but before she could complain, she saw that he was hard again, his member projecting between the end of his waistcoat and the beginning of his lowered trousers. He embraced her, leaning the lady against the wall once more, but now with them facing each other as he pulled her legs up and entered her, groaning as he did.Belle felt her back collide with the window's glass and feared that they would break it, however she couldn't bring herself to ask him to move to another place when inside her, the friction that he created with his rather large estate as he thrusted in and out, was burning her. The lady was aware of every inch of him touching every inch of her insides, but mainly of the way his tip hit her hidden spots, in the most breath-taking way."Harder." She managed to say between her ragged breaths and it sounded like a desperate moan.They were still all dressed but it didn't stop them from running their hands on all the skin they could reach. Rumplestiltskin caressed Belle's thighs and attacked the exposed spot beneath her neck with his mouth, while she squeezed his butt, pulling him closer.The Dark Lady was so near her peak that she didn't even care anymore for the sound of the window banging behind her back. They collapsed against it with every new movement. The feelings inside her were so incredible and so strong that Belle thought she should give up just now or gods know that her whole body would explode into that sensation.Her walls were clenched tightly around Rumple as he obeyed her and went faster, his face showing how very much he was enjoying it too. His lips were parted, his eyes closed and his chest raised and fell quickly. Rumplestiltskin was delighted, feeling even more pleasure than he had earlier. His lips met hers in a messy kiss as their tongues danced together, letting Belle taste her own flavour that was still in his mouth.She moaned against him and had to pull away as her increasing pleasure grew enough to make her back arch and she came."Rumplestiltskin!" The name left her mouth in an easy way, as a sinful loud cry, while her juices poured from her in the most delightful way, every drop that slip from her body making Belle reach a higher level in her inner paradise.She barely felt when Rumple also came, but she knew that he did by the way his body tensed and a whimper echoed in her ears, followed by a new warmth inside her that told Belle that his seed had filled her. The lady's body was boneless, she collapsed onto him, being caught by Rumplestiltskin's safe arms, and they stayed there by the window for a moment more, recovering from their recent orgasms, until he lifted her, carrying his lover, who was so tired that she couldn't even open up her eyes."I need to clean myself." She mumbled.Rumplestiltskin waved his fingers and she felt the sweat and the other traces of their night leave her body, alongside with the dirty nightgown. Now she was wearing a new soft piece of clothing above clean, smooth skin and her lover’s leather clothes also disappeared, changing into a nightshirt."It's alright, sweetheart. I'll take you to bed." He whispered, walking with her to their comfortable mattress and laying her there before covering his lady with a warm golden blanket. "Sleep, darling Belle.""Rum - ""Yes?""Don't leave me tonight." She pleaded.Slipping under the covers of the bed, he pulled her petite body near his, hugging her and feeling a lot better than he did when he arrived. "I will be right here." The Black Fairy knew that she couldn't stay longer, she was already feeling the pull from the invisible strings that attached her to the Dark Realm, trying to bring her back, but the truth was that she was mesmerized by the shadows in the window. She watched them quietly, seeing the silhouettes moving until the young lady seemed to faint in her lover's arms and Fiona let a wicked grin fill her lips. A part of her knew that she should be glad for the imp's happiness, but she in fact was not, all she could ever feel in her heart was bitterness, even though the scene she witnessed had satisfied her a little. It was a small proof that the imp hadn't failed in everything in his life after all.The castle's front doors opened and, from inside there a young man passed, his face narrowed in a frown as his sleep had been troubled by the lady's loud ultimate cry. He looked around, sighing in frustration, trying to get some fresh air and erase his memory from what he heard moments before. In the shadows, she smiled and used a spell to disguise herself, walking towards him as the blonde girl he never forgot."Hey, Neal!" She called.Turning around like he thought he might be still dreaming, asleep in his warm bed, he blinked."Emma! What are you doing here?" He said rushing to her side, his hands gripping at her bare arms, not covered by the short sleeves of her dress. "How did you come? I thought your parents got the guards following you all around.""I went on that trip to find that evil woman, remember?" She inquired. "Well, we got nothing from it, but I needed to see you."A bigger smile filled Baelfire's lips and Fiona knew that she said just the right words. He was hypnotized by the blond princess, a fool man in love just like his father with that clumsy maid."I'm here." Baelfire said. "Can you spend the night? Mrs. Potts is a terrific cook and we can add on an extra place at the table.""That is tempting, but no, I need to leave now. As I said, I just came to see you.""And how were you intending to break into the castle? You would be surprised with how much this place is locked with spells."Holding a laugh inside, Fiona gave in a little grin through Emma's lips. If he only knew that his father's protection spells were nothing for her and she just hadn't put her plan in work because she still needed something that wasn't settled yet. But hopefully, if things kept working the way they were, Fiona should have it in no time. "You remember that I have magic, right?""Oh, yeah, sorry. I think I've spent a plenty long time far from these lands where everything is possible. I'm just glad that you came.""Me too." She answered and lowering his body, Baelfire closed his eyes, prepared to kiss her. Pulling away she stopped him with a hand on his chest. "Not so soon, friend."Bae opened his eyes, looking embarrassed. "Sorry, I thought we were fine and I really had a bad night. It seems we are not the only ones wanting to celebrate a return. I woke up to the terrible sounds of my father making love to his lady."Hiding her smile, the Black Fairy tried to put on a mask of condolence, but it was hard when she was wondering if the sounds he heard were as wild as the shadows in Rumplestiltskin's window were."Poor you. I wish that I could stay longer, but I really need to go. It is a long road back home, but I'll see you soon.""Will you come back here?""Of course, I will.""So, I see you soon."Smiling so sweetly as she hasn’t done in ages, she touched his face, thinking that she would like to make a scratch with her nails there, but she realised that the princess' nails were too short for that. So, the woman pulled away, satisfying herself with the fact that Baelfire was stupid enough to believe her and Belle, naïve as she was, would end up giving her everything she needed, before she walked away from the Dark Castle, disappearing in a cloud of smoke when she was far enough not be seen anymore.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Rumplestiltskin woke up with Belle in his arms. She was like a daydream, looking so peaceful in her sleep, her messy curls beautifully framing her face and her breath coming in a constant calm rhythm. That was an image of heaven for him. Snuggling the lady more closely, he sniffed her hair and kissed the top of her head. Belle sighed and opened her eyes."Morning.""Good morning, gorgeous." He replied, kissing her slowly.The sunshine outside lighted the room, entering it through the large windows to illuminate the two bodies laid on the bed, as the imp rolled up on his lady, deepening the kiss, taking his time to savour her. Unfortunately, Belle pulled away too soon, turning her head around and leaving him to kiss the way down her jaw."Baby - " she said a little breathless."What?" He asked, nibbling at her earlobe."I need to feed the baby."Pressing her lips quickly against his, Belle tried to stand up, but Rumple was faster than her, slipping off the bed, and waving a hand to let his magic work and change his nightshirt into some leather clothes. "You stay in bed." He said. "I'll bring her to you."Giving him a soft smile, the lady fell against the pillows again, curling herself under the bedcovers. "Then I’m thankful."He was feeling remorse over the events of the night before. No matter what circumstances they had been through during their life together, Rumplestiltskin had never ever used her the way he did last night. Belle had assured him, that everything was alright and that he had nothing to apologize for, since she had given herself willingly to him, but that didn’t keep the imp from feeling more like a monster than in all the time he had been the Dark One.Everything seemed so out of focus after his meeting with Blue and the confirmation that the one causing all that damage in their lands was his mother, then he became blinded with anger and fear, but that wasn’t an excuse for taking advantage of his sweet Belle, even if he had made it up to her afterwards.Rumplestiltskin walked to the nursery, but found it empty and tried to check on Gideon’s chambers, however there was no one there too. He felt his heart race and was ready to rush to his laboratory to make a location spell, but then he saw one half-opened door at the end of the hallway, near the chambers he had set up for his older boy long ago, and went there. Gideon was pulling on his coat with Mrs. Potts help, but the moment he saw his father, the boy ran to him, just one arm covered, as one empty hung on the side."Papa!" He screamed happily, as Rumple picked him up from the floor and helped his son to properly get inside the coat."Hello, my boy."Mrs. Potts blinked, surprised to see him, from her spot, kneeling on the floor as she was to be on Gideon’s level. "Master, you are back!""Aye, in fact I am.” Rumplestiltskin answered, looking around confused. A crib had been brought to the chambers, just like another bed. “Why are the children here?""It was milady Belle's idea." Mrs. Potts replied.Rolling his eyes, the imp kissed his son’s cheek before putting him back on the ground. "Of course, it was, I don't know why I asked. I came to bring Rose to her."She moved to the crib and picked up the baby girl that occupied it, her tiny dress, a golden piece almost shinning in contrast with the dark purple fabric of the blanket that was wrapped around her. Mrs. Potts, handed the baby to him and Rumplestiltskin smiled at the feeling of his daughter’s weight in his arms."Here she is.” Mrs. Potts said in a childish voice. “I will prepare the breakfast meal."Gideon was on the floor again, playing with a wooden figure of a horse, making noises that resembled the animal’s. He shook his head, before remembering that another person should be there. "Where is Baelfire?""Master Neal is probably already at the dining hall,” the maid hurried to say. “I was just finishing dressing master Gideon for the day before I went there."It was a relief to know that Bae hadn’t left the castle, and waited for his return as he promised. The imp couldn’t wait to have a better talk with his oldest son. There was much to say and he should be warned about the danger that his grandmother was representing at that moment. As his son, he was a target for Fiona’s plans as much as Belle and the children."Alright, serve breakfast for my boys then, I will be joining you all in a moment." Rumplestiltskin instructed Mrs. Potts.Then, he left the room, Rose’s fingers grabbing the leather of his jacket with interest as he rocked her. When they entered the main chambers, Belle was lying on the bed with her eyes closed, but she opened them at the sound of his footsteps walking to the bed."Tired?" Rumplestiltskin asked as she stretched her arms to receive the baby from him.Belle smiled, a slight blush appearing on her cheeks while she opened the buttons of her nightgown to lead the baby’s mouth to her breast. "You took every strength I had last night.” She said with a sigh. “My body hurts."His eyes got wide. Of course her body hurts, he had taken her standing up against the bloody wall. What a fool he was! What was he thinking last night? Probably nothing, but reaching his own state of blissfulness. Rumplestiltskin felt shame, dropping his gaze to the sheets. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I shall never take you that way anymore.""Don't be silly, I liked it. I just don't appreciate the effects of it the morning after." Belle assured him. She let her eyes meet her daughter’s brown ones and that special smile she only used with her children filled her pinkish lips. "Who is mama's little flower? Good morning, Rosebud. It's a beautiful day, isn't it?"Rumplestiltskin heart raced at that beautiful image, taken by his fears. "I can't lose it.""Lose what?""This. You. Her.” He gesticulated a hand to his girls. “Those precious moments, when you look extremely happy and satisfied with your life, even though we both know that you deserve better."Despite what he expected, she laughed. An amused sound left Belle's mouth, but she didn't look him in the eye, she kept staring at Rose. "You're so damn stupid, Rumplestiltskin." The lady whispered, running her thumb on the baby's cheek. "This is the life I wanted to live.""Belle, you are in danger." He sat by her side, his hand reaching to stroke the cold skin of her neck. "If my mother completes the spell, our whole family will be in danger."The vein under his fingers started to pulse quickly at her own fear, a breath getting caught in her throat. Belle clutched the baby more tightly, causing Rose to whimper, at the uncomfortable grip that made her face sink into her mother's skin. Immediately, she softened her grasp, letting her girl finish her meal in peace."And what are we going to do?" Belle asked, her voice echoing her panic."We, are going to do nothing," Rumplestiltskin answered, dropping his hand from her. "Because you will stay here, locked with as much protection spells as I can cast around the castle, and I will hunt her and kill her.""Rumple, this may not be the right way.""This is the only way. I won't let her get anywhere near you."He didn't expect her to understand what he had to do, because her heart was too good to even think about that as a possibility, however that was the only way he had to make sure that the Black Fairy wouldn't hurt them. That woman never gave a damn about him, she brought him into the world just to abandon him, she didn't mean a thing to him. If he had to choose between her and his family, the answer would be obvious."But if you kill your mother, you will be darkening you heart." His lady muttered, a hand touching his thigh, smoothing his skin through the leather.The despair was clear in her face and he wished that he could take it away and guarantee her that everything was going to be fine and in the end, he would still be the man she deserved, but truth be told, he was sure that he wasn't this man now and he would probably never be. Rumplestiltskin was the Dark One. Nothing could change that."I'm already dark, Belle. A little bit more of it won't cause any trouble."She shooked her head. "Stop and listen to yourself! You are better than that! There is goodness and light in you, don't let your mother make it vanish away."The imp stood up. Belle was trying to dissuade him, like she didn't understand the terrible danger their family would be in if he stopped to think about being a hero, not a villain. He didn't have the luxury of doing the right thing."If I don't kill her, she will kill you all! That's what she does, she destroys everything she touches!" Rumplestiltskin yelled.In her mother arms, Rose grew fussy and started to cry. Anger appeared on Belle’s face. "You are scaring her!"She tried to put the baby back to her nipple, but she refused and Belle closed her nightgown, changing Rose's position to try to calm her. Rumple touched his little girl's head. "Oh, baby, papa won't scream anymore. I'm sorry for disturbing you.""Calm yourself, Rumplestiltskin." Belle said in a cold tone. "Our daughter shouldn't be listening to our arguments."That was her way to tell him to vanish from her sight and let her deal with her feelings over his newest mess. She was bothered with the fact that he wanted to kill his own mother, even though she had seen that woman with her own eyes and knew that she certainly was trouble. Belle believed in the best parts of him and sometimes she forgot how the darkness could work its way in him.Waving a hand, he made a tray appear by her side, filled with all the things she most liked eat in the morning. "Here is your breakfast." He said before pouring some kind of liquid into a small glass that was settled by her teacup's side. "This white bottle has a potion for the pain in your body.""I don't want it." Belle refused, still trying to make Rose stop crying."Well, it's on you to decide if you are going to drink it or not. I'm going to see the boys."Rumplestiltskin turned his back to her, grabbing the door's knob, when her voice stopped him."Promise me you will not look for the Black Fairy." The Dark Lady begged.A part of him wanted to promise her whatever she wished him to, but this time he couldn't, so without saying a word he opened the door and left her alone in their chambers, the baby's screams still audible in the hallway. He felt bad for leaving her so angry and with their daughter to calm down, but he couldn’t go back inside and see that he somehow had disappointed her. So, Rumplestiltskin went downstairs, where Baelfire and Gideon were talking while eating, the maid serving them both orange juice."Mrs. Potts, can you please go check on your lady Belle?" He asked, taking his seat by the head of the table.She lifted her gaze, startled. Every time he asked her to check on his lady it was because something was wrong. "Is she alright, master?""Aye, just a little upset.” Rumple replied, serving himself with some bread and strawberry jelly. “Don't tell her that I sent you."Nodding, she made her way upstairs. Bae stared at him, a cookie stopped halfway to his mouth. "What have you done?""Nothing.""Don't try to fool me. If Belle is upset enough not to come here and have breakfast it is because you did something."Gideon looked between his father and half-brother, trying to understand what was happening. "Is my mama angry with you papa?""No.""So, where is she?" The little boy insisted.Rumplestiltskin sighed deeply. That was certainly not the morning he wanted to have, but of course it couldn’t be any different. Everything in his life was always too much trouble. "Just upstairs feeding Rose.""You don't change, right?” Baelfire questioned, dropping the cookie to his plate, a frown on his face. “Why do you keep lying?"He wanted to explain everything to his son, but he couldn’t do it with Gideon watching, startling his youngest boy wouldn’t do no good. "Bae, let's discuss this later and I promise that I will tell you everything you want to know.""Fine." Baelfire mumbled, moodily.The imp bit his bread, chewing it slowly before the dining hall’s double doors opened and a dark-haired woman, wearing a cream and brown outfit, her face a perfect image of hate, entered the castle."You traitor!" She screamed, pointing an accusing finger to Rumplestiltskin. "How could you leave us all behind? I thought that you had at least the slightest interest in this search.""I did.” He said, before correcting himself: “I do. Can we not talk about this in front of my boys?""Afraid that they will discover what a coward you are?" Regina asked with an angry grin."Out!" Rumple shouted as he rose from his chair, leaving his breakfast almost untouched."Why is everybody mad with papa today?" He heard Gideon asked as he grabbed the former Evil Queen by the arm and led her outside."It is probably better if we continue not to know." Baelfire replied.This time he had to agree with his boy. It would be better if none of them knew the reasons why people were extremely mad at him today. And given the fact that soon they would have other motives to hate him, as Rumple planned to hunt his mother all alone and kill her, he would be grateful to have his loved ones completely unaware of his actions."I knew that I shouldn't trust you!" Regina said, behind clenched teeth."Yeah, nobody should,” the imp agreed. “But this time I didn't do anything wrong, despite what you believe."She gasped. "You left during the night without even telling us.""I never took you for a dramatic person, Regina." Rumplestiltskin rolled his eyes. "The thing is that I've finally discovered who we are looking for."Folding her arms, she resembled the young queen tortured by the pain of her Evil days. Regina had always been a force of nature by herself and her defiant look was probably one of the things that made people fear her."And you haven't even thought about sharing it with us? Look, as much as I dislike this new sister I just found out that I have, her baby is still in danger and no unreasonable hate should interfere in saving an innocent child.""I know, but our path to get Zelena's baby back will be tougher than I thought. The woman who took her is someone called the Black Fairy.""A fairy?" She questioned, a little confused. "I thought that they were all good and full of morals.""Yeah, maybe that's why Blue didn't want to tell us who was she." He shrugged. "The Black Fairy was banished to the Dark Realm long ago and now, she is trying to release herself with the spell she has been collecting ingredients for."Analysing him with smart dark eyes, she nodded slightly, as if she didn’t want to give up and agree with him at all, that it was a huge possibility. "Well, at least that makes sense."And things did make more sense when you knew the whole history, but Rumplestiltskin wasn’t willing to let anyone outside of his family know about his connection with Fiona."Listen, I came back home because I have a... Difficult past with this woman and if she knows that I'm searching for her, she will try to get to my family as a way to hurt me.""Oh, please!” She said in a tone of disdain. “Tell me one person that you don’t have a difficult past with.""This woman is different, Regina.” Rumple said in a way that made it clear that he was talking seriously. “That's all you have to know.""Alright. Now that I have the information, I'll go back to my search. If we find something else I will let you know."Waving her hand, Regina disappeared in a purple cloud of smoke. He stood there, looking at the woods that surrounded the castle, breathing in and out until he heard the doors opening behind him."What happened?” Belle asked, running to him. “Neal told me that you dragged Regina out because she was saying that you betrayed them. Did you?""No.” He shook his head, looking away from her. “It was a misunderstanding."The lady sighed, grabbing his hand in hers and bringing it to her chest, letting him feel the thunderous rhythm of her heartbeat. "Rumple, please, don't close yourself off. Don't let your mother drag you back to the darkness.""If you can't see,” the imp said, coldly. “I'm darkness, dearie."Pain appeared on her face, tears gathering in her eyes. Not even last night after he used her, had she looked so broken, actually she had looked like she didn’t care, but now, she was truly upset. "Do not call me dearie, Rumplestiltskin. I'm the mother of your children, not someone you're randomly making a deal with.""Sweetheart - " he sobbed, once more succumbing to his regret.Belle closed her eyes, pulling him to her. "Come here, my love." He hid his face in the curve of her neck, soaking her skin with his tears. "You have me. You have two beautiful boys and a sweet little girl. Nothing will happen to us.""I'm still a coward, Belle, just with a different face. I fear losing it all.""Rumple, do you remember our first trip together?" She asked, massaging his scalp and he nodded without looking at her face. "Do you remember how scared I was of leaving Gideon alone with Mrs. Potts?" Rumplestiltskin muttered a yes against her skin. "I was so afraid of something bad happening to my baby boy that I almost forgot about my dreams of seeing the world. You were the one who convinced me to go and everything went perfectly fine in the end." Belle pulled away from him, making his eyes meet hers. "Trust me, it is going to be okay."Her words were his safe haven and even if he didn’t entirely believe in it, he let her calm him for now. "What would I do without you, my love?"Belle reached for his lips for a kiss. Just a tender, soft and quick one, but when his hands gripped her hips, she let loose a whimper of pain into his mouth. "Let's get in. I think I'm ready to get that potion now."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The search for the Black Fairy took another two months. However, it was completely useless, as no one ever saw even a shadow of her through all the realm. It was almost like she had given up on her spell, as much as everyone was sure that she didn't. Each day that passed, Zelena got more desperate, worrying over her daughter and nothing seemed capable of calming her. Regina had taken her to the Sherwood Forest to spend some healing time with family, but it didn't do much to help too. Any mother whose child was taken from her arms that way, would be as sorrowful as her.Neal was walking outside the castle, it was early in the morning and he knew that his father would be sleeping, so he sneaked out to meet the blonde princess at the same spot in the woods where she had waited for him the last few times she came. They took slow steps, appreciating the fresh cold air, talking to one another."How are things here? Is it as terrible to live with the Dark One as you thought it would be?" Emma asked."Would you believe me if I tell you it is actually pretty great?" He laughed, putting an arm around her shoulders. "Mrs. Potts is a wonderful cook, I like to play swords with Gideon, Belle acts like a mom all the time and sometimes I even get to rock Rose to sleep."In fact, Neal had been expecting to want to vanish from there the moment his father arrived home from his trip, but he liked life in the Dark Castle. The place was huge, comfortable and most importantly, it somehow felt like home."It seems you're enjoying it." Emma smiled. "But what about your father?""He is playing the cool guy, but you know, there are moments when I think that he didn't change at all. Belle and him are having a hard time since he found out that my grandmother is the evil woman who is trying to make that creepy spell. I'm worried about her.""About Belle?" The blonde questioned. "Why?"The lady was a gentle kind of girl, always up to helping with anything anyone needed, devoted to her children and her lover, but ever since the whole thing with the Black Fairy started, he had started to hear some discussions between her and his father, because apparently, he wanted to do something bad that she didn't approve of. He spent days out of the castle, searching with his witch friends, leaving her worried, and in the last few weeks Neal had noticed that Belle wasn't the same anymore."She seems no good these days. She is looking pale and weak, almost sick, mainly in the morning. I think it's because they have been arguing.""Yeah? Oh, and this is the only thing wrong with her? Didn't you notice anything else? Do you think that she maybe ill?" Emma asked in one breath."I didn't know that you cared that much about my father's lady." Neal replied, eyebrows lifted in surprise."Belle is good person," the princess said with a shrug. "I think everybody cares about her.""Well, I hope she is not ill, she is really lovely." Neal admitted, sighing. "I wish we could see Henry. I want to know him better."A grin appeared in her lips. "What about we go see him?""Now?""Yeah, we can get to Regina quickly." She said and waved her head in the direction of the trees. "Bug is just there."Neal couldn't see the horse, but as he knew that it was her favourite he didn't doubt that he would be hidden in the woods. He wanted more than anything to see his son, however he didn't want to bring more problems to his family by disappearing that way. "My father is not going to like it.""Come on, Neal, we will be back before he misses you." She insisted.Thinking about how many times he had sneaked out of places, he let a smirk pass through his lips. Maybe his father wasn't going to freak out that much."Alright. Let's go." Neal said, grabbing Emma's hand in his and letting her lead him through to the road. Belle was feeling sick. She cradled Rose in her arms, stopping the lullaby that she had been singing because of the nausea that she was fighting with. Swallowing hard, she drew closer to the window trying to get some fresh air to calm her twisted stomach."Are you alright, milady?" Mrs. Potts asked, entering the nursery."Yeah, I just need a glass of water." Belle sighed, feeling the bile start again. "Can you hold her for me?""Of course."Handing the seven-month-old baby to the maid, she rushed out of the nursery, just in time to throw up in a metal bowl that was set in the hallway. Her legs were trembling and she slid to the floor, breathing heavier."Belle?” Rumplestiltskin called, coming out of their chambers, his eyes widening as he kneeled beside her, touching Belle’s sweaty face. “Sweetheart, what is it?""I guess I ate something that my stomach didn’t like. I just want some water.”“Here.” He waved a hand and made a cup appear, offering it to her and letting his lady drink it all. “Are you alright?”“Yeah, I am. Sorry for that mess.” She said, gesticulating to the bowl.Rumplestiltskin made it disappear with his magic and helped her to rise from the floor, smoothing his hands down her back attentively, his eyes examining her face with concern, thinking that his lady looked too tiny and fragile at the moment. Snuggling her face in his chest, Belle felt better, the nausea disappearing completely after her stomach was empty.“My darling, do you want me to bring a healer to check on you?”Shaking her head, she said. “No, I’m alright, Rumple. As I said, it was probably just something that I ate.”“Mama, can I play swords with Neal in the gardens after breakfast?” Gideon asked, coming from his room with two wooden swords in his hands.“Sure, sweetie.” She said, pulling away from her lover just enough to speak to their son. “But go ask your brother if he wants to, first.”“Okay!”He ran to the last door of the hallway, entering even before knocking, but he seemed to find no one there, because Gideon came out just a moment later, rushing downstairs. Belle kissed the unbuttoned spot of Rumple’s shirt and freed herself from his arms, so she could follow the little boy.“Mama, where is my brother?” Gideon asked, looking puzzled around the empty dining hall.“I don’t know, Gid.” The mother replied with narrowed eyebrows. “I thought that he would be here as he is always the first one to wake up.”Looking over her shoulder at the sound of steps on the stairs, Belle saw Rumplestiltskin reach for them. “What is happening?”“Neal is not around.” She answered.In the next second he had disappeared in a cloud of smoke. She knew for sure that he was checking on each room of the castle, and felt a little nervous as all she could do was wait, watching Gideon sadly place the swords on her reading chaise, before reaching for his usual chair at the breakfast table.“He is gone.” The voice came from behind her and the lady turned around on the balls of her feet the quicker than she could. “He is not here, Belle.”“But how?” She questioned, both for Rumple and herself. “Neal wouldn’t just leave during the night, he was enjoying staying here and if he wanted to leave, he would just say so. He is not the kind of man who runs away like this.”“My mother.” The imp said harshly, his jaw tightened, his teeth clenched. “Oh, if she harms him, I’m going to make her pay in the worse way I can.”“Please.” Belle begged, her hand coming up to stroke his arm. “We don’t know if indeed she took him yet, so let’s not think the worse right now, we just need to find Neal.”“Yeah, and she will be with him. I will gladly kill her if she is!""Rumple, calm down!""Calm down?" He asked in disbelief. "How am I supposed to calm down when my boy is missing and probably in danger?"Gideon stood up from the chair, walking towards his parents a concerned look on his little face. "What happened to my brother?"Belle inhaled deeply, bending to touch his cheek and give him her motherly glance. "Gideon, darling, go upstairs.""But mama - " he tried to say, curious and unsatisfied with the command."Go upstairs!" Rumplestiltskin screamed, making the boy jump, staring at him with watery eyes before running to the stairs.Straightening her position, Belle felt her jaw tighten. "Do not scream at my son!" She warned him."He is my son too!""But you do not need to scream at him just because you are upset about something else. This is not his fault."Breathing in, he gave her a hard look, bothered with the fact that she was standing in front of him, trying to make him give up on the search for his son. "Get out of my way, Belle, I need to go to the laboratory.""To get a location spell?" She questioned, even though she already knew the answer."Yes, and to get something that can kill the Black Fairy.""If you kill her - " Belle started, but Rumple didn't let her finish."What? What hell will happen if I kill her that is worse than letting her harm my boy? Tell me Belle, because if you have a better plan then maybe I should let you go after her, since you are so eager to prove yourself a hero."Narrowing her eyes, she felt like she could slap him for that. "I don't want to prove myself a hero, I just don't want you to do something you will regret.""Believe me, I won't regret this.""What if she harms you?" Belle asked, her lower lip trembling as her thumb made circles on his arm.He couldn't take it, he didn't want her to keep being so good, sweet and full of concern about him, because it made Rumplestiltskin want to be light for her, be the kind of man who deserved her and he couldn't allow himself to do it when Bae was in danger. So, he pulled away from her touch, putting on his beastly mask."What if you stop bothering me and wasting my time?""Rumple I'm worried!""No, you are being a selfish, spoiled, whining girl who is stopping me from finding my son!"Her eyes were filled with tears, his words hurting more than a slap ever could. Belle was shaken, she was already feeling weak from her earlier sickness, but now she felt like there was a hole opening beneath her feet, trying to push her to a free fall."Is that what I am to you? A hindrance in your life?" She asked in a broken voice. "Because it seems that every single time something goes wrong it is my fault. Somehow I'm always the one you blame.""Maybe you are!" He yelled."I - I always stood by you, Rumplestiltskin. I've known your darkest side, you worst mistakes and your greatest regrets and I still loved you. I gave you everything I had, each day we were together." Belle sobbed. "Why isn't that enough for you? What did I do wrong?""You don't love the beast, you love the man you think that I can be, but I'm sorry, dearie. Despite of what you hope, all I will ever be is a monster.""Just because I can see the light in you, it doesn't mean that I don't love everything else. But I don't want you to give into the darkness this way.""Let's be truthful, Belle." He said, coldly. The look in his eyes had nothing of the man she so adored. "You never loved me, you just stood by my side for all these years because I ruined your reputation, I made you my whore and put my seed inside you, making you carry my offspring. And I only stayed with you because I am lonely and I wanted a woman in my bed."Inside her chest, her heart broke in the tiniest pieces it could. He couldn't be serious. They loved each other, they supported each other, they shared the most beautiful moments together, cradled their babies in their arms, sharing secrets and trusting their lifes to one another. The light and love she saw in his eyes in multiple occasions couldn't be fake. The way he held her just some moments ago when he found her throwing up on the hallway, with worried eyes, couldn't be fake."You can't tell me how I feel! And you can't tell me that all those years we lived were a lie! You're angry, you don't know what you're saying!""I know, now get out of my way!"Belle lifted her chin, and challenged him: "If you leave me with this, you're not going to find anyone here when you come back.""And where would you go to, dearie? Your father disowned you, the people in the villages curse your name. Nobody would want you now, after you were touched by me.""You forgot that I have friends.""Oh, you do?" Rumplestiltskin inquired in a sarcastic tone. "Go then, I free you from our deal."Mouth falling open, she had grab at the chair to keep herself from falling on her knees. "You free me?" She gasped. "Sure. What about the children? Your children?""They will stay, of course, they are mine." He said as if he was talking about a mere object, not the children she had carried inside her own body, then he turned his back on her. "Now I have better things to do.""You are a coward, you know?" The lady shouted out, sad and angry. "And as long as you hide yourself in darkness you will continue to be a monster."Rumplestiltskin turned around, to point a green-gold finger to the doors. "Go away, just don't think about taking those children with you, or you will regret it."He climbed up the stairs to his lab, leaving Belle crying in the dining hall, like she never did before."We’ll see about that." She whispered, sure that she wouldn't leave that place without her children in her arms. It was already afternoon when they reached a village. Neal thought that it was weird that they hadn't arrived at Sherwood Forest yet, but it had been a long time since he'd went on an adventure in that land and he could easily have forgotten the right distance from there, that included the fact that he never found the road that led to that forest from his father's castle.He stayed hidden in the woods, caressing Bug's head and waiting for Emma to come back, as she had left half an hour ago, promising to get some food for them. After a moment, the horse made a strange noise, one that he had never done before and Neal took a better look at him. He was still all brown and soft, but something about it wasn’t right.Then, he realised that it was obvious. That wasn’t Bug, it was just a similar horse. Neal jumped back, looking at the tavern that Emma had entered, thinking about what a fool he was. If that wasn’t Bug, and the road to Sherwood was taking longer than he expected it was because the woman who was with him also wasn’t who she appeared to be. And there was only one person that came to mind that could do such a thing, one that would be interested in his father’s protection spells and Belle’s illness. The Black Fairy, his grandmother.Riding the horse, Neal made his way back to the Dark Castle, praying that whatever that woman was planning to do, it wasn’t too late to be fixed. As soon as he vanished from the castle, she started to pack up her things to leave. Tears streamed down her face while Belle filled a leather bag with only what she needed to survive until she reached the nearest village. She didn't take gold, nor her jewellery pieces or her expensive gowns, all she did was slip herself into her most simple dress, the old blue maid one, and did the same with Gideon and Rose."Mama, why are we dressing like this?" The little boy asked, concerned. "And why are you crying?"Wiping her tears, she finished changing her baby girl and placed her back into the nursery's crib, feeling her heart ache a little bit more when she thought that her children would never again know the comfort of a life like the one they had at the Dark Castle. And she would never ever feel loved again as she felt in Rumplestiltskin's arms."Oh, it's nothing, sweetie." Belle assured him. "We are going on a trip, just the three of us.""Papa is not coming?"Shaking her head, she looked outside the window seeing that the sun had already set. She needed to hurry and run far away from there before the imp came home or everything would be lost. At least in the darkness of the night she could disappear into the shadows of the woods and make his search for them a little more difficult."No, darling, he is not." She answered, straightening his coat."Milady, are you sure that this is the best decision?" Mrs. Potts asked from where she was standing, near the door. "You and the master already had so many bad arguments, but you always make amends in the end.""I know, Mrs. Potts, but this time is different and as much as it is killing me to leave, I need to." Swallowing hard, Belle tried to hide how much her hands were shaking by gripping them together as tightly as she could. "Can you help me pack? I need to get some food for the trip.""Of course, I'll be back in a minute."She left the nursery, and Belle filled another leather bag with clothes for her children, and Gideon grabbed his old raggedy teddy bear."Milady Belle!" She heard Mrs. Potts calling from somewhere downstairs."Gid, watch your sister for me for a minute, okay?" Belle asked, taking his small hand and leading him to sit in the rocking chair near the crib, where Rose was sitting gripping her own feet and falling on her back repeatedly."Okay, mama."She rushed down the hall, hoping that Rumple hadn't yet come back. "Mrs. Potts?" Belle called and felt the strange smell of something burning. "Mrs. Potts, what is it?"When the lady reached the dining hall, a gasp left her mouth. The curtains were on fire, the table, the wheel and everything else being consumed by the flames. That was it, she thought as she saw the fire magically run around, taking the two opposite towers in its embrace too, her nightmare was coming true."Oh, gods." Belle whispered, already knowing what was going to happen that night.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
A thick layer of smoke covered the Dark Castle's dining hall, making Belle cough repeatedly, trying to breath something that didn't hurt her lungs. The fire was spreading around too fast, taking every spot it could and burning. She ran towards the kitchen looking for the chubby maid that should be there."Mrs. Potts?""Milady?” The answer came suffocated by the sounds of the flames crackling as they destroyed all the furniture. “Where are you?"“I’m trying to get to the kitchen!” Belle screamed, taking care to not let the fire touch the skirt of her dress when she passed through a tunnel of fire created by the burning chairs and curtains.The fire was growing too fast and she knew that it did because the Black Fairy is somehow, controlling it. She wished that she could remember the details of her dream now, but her memories seemed to be blurry and distant, leaving her only with Fiona’s cruel laugh stuck in her thoughts. A constant heat was emanating from the hall and making Belle’s skin feel sweaty as she finally reached the kitchen’s doors at the same time Mrs. Potts managed to do so and the lady rushed to take the maid’s hands and pull her out of the room that seemed to be almost completely black with ashes.“How did it start?” Mrs. Potts asked, coughing. “Things were normal when I went to the kitchen but suddenly everything was burning!”“The Black Fairy is here.” Belle explained. “We need to get out.”Taking another step forward, they were almost hit by a wooden beam that fell from the ceiling.“We are trapped!”Swallowing hard, the Dark Lady felt without option, the panic staring to take her. In one of the burning towers of the castle, her children were still on the nursery, waiting for her return, with a pathway of fire between them. “Rumplestiltskin.” She said, summoning him like the name was her only salvation and it probably was. “Rumplestiltskin. Rumplestiltskin.”For a long second, Belle waited, watching the dining hall burn in front of her eyes, more smoke being created at each second, making breathing very difficult, the soot sticking on her skin. Tears fell from her eyes when the realisation came. He wasn’t coming, because Rumple told her to go away and wouldn’t answer her call right now.“Mrs. Potts, get out the castle.” She instructed. “Go as fast as you can and try to summon your master when you are outside.”“What about you?”“I’m not going to leave without my children, I need to get to them, but please, go and save your own life.”The maid cupped her cheek, teary-eyed and a sad expression on her face. “You are a brave woman, milady. You have the heart of a hero.”“Thank you.” Belle said, sincerely. “Now go.”Running as fast as she could, Mrs. Potts disappeared between the burning walls that led to the entryway and Belle rushed to the stairs, stopping when she saw that there was another beam in her way, the flames cracking too high for her to jump through it.“Rumplestiltskin. Rumplestiltskin. Rumplestiltskin.” This time she begged. “Our babies will die if you don’t come. Please, if you ever loved me, please, appear.”But again, he didn’t. He was trying to break into the fairies’ place when her call reached him, her desperate voice whispering to his ear like she was right there behind him, her arms wrapped around his waist as she tiptoed in an attempt to align their heads, which was impossible, since she was a petite woman and even though Rumplestiltskin wasn’t a tall man himself, he always needed to bend to kiss her, look her in the eyes or touch their foreheads together.Just to imagine the calm that her tiny figure could bring him, made the imp regret everything he had said to her. Not that he hadn’t regretted it the moment the words left his mouth, but he had to be stubborn in order to get out of the castle without letting her convince him to be better than he should. He needed to save Bae. However, Rumple wasn’t sure if losing Belle was the price he was willing to pay.Of course, he would never leave his boy in danger at any circumstance, but he knew that he shouldn’t have been so cruel with her. Belle was his everything, she was the light of his life and had been the reason of his existence for long enough for him to know that he couldn’t live without her. And yet he had freed her from their deal, telling her to go away. What was he thinking? What was his damn problem? What if she really went away and never came back? What if she takes the children, even after his clear command that they should remain in their home?Another stupidity of his, claiming Gideon and Rose that way as if they were his objects, his possessions and not the sweet children made from their love. It seemed easy to ignore the moments he had spent with Belle in his arms, laughing, making love, talking or just being all domestic like any commoners from the villages, when his rage was blinding him and now he had ruined the only good thing in his life.A terrible question, even worse than the others that had been haunting him since the moment he left Belle crying in the dining hall came to mind. What if she did exactly what he commanded and left the castle, leaving their children behind, just like Milah did all that time ago? Rumplestiltskin felt panic, before he felt angry again and decide to focus on finding Bae, now that he had already ruined everything. It wouldn’t help to keep thinking about that, since Belle probably would have already made her decision by now, and he would just have to deal with that when he got home.But then, there was that call, that came again, but he didn’t move to answer because he couldn’t face her after the terrible things he had said and he couldn’t waste any more time. He had to save his son. She struggled to find a way to get to the stairs, looking around with despair, but finally Belle located a gap between the beam and the wall and, using a piece of tapestry that she found on the hallway, the lady covered herself like it was a cloak and passed through it, dropping the fabric on the floor immediately after she reached the stairs, seeing the flames take it slowly. Her breath came irregularly, her mind seemed dizzy, but all she could think about right now was reaching her children. She tried to summon Rumple once again, as she started to run, but it was useless.It was too hot in here and every inch of wood in the castle was surrounded by the fire. Things kept falling and Belle avoided them the best she could until the moment she skidded, falling against the stairs with a whimper of pain. Her head hit a step, as did her abdomen, a sudden ache taking her body. She tried to sit, but something seemed to stab her from the inside, like someone was passing a sword through her stomach. It made her breathless and she reached to touch the hurt place in her forehead, realising that there was a wetness there. When Belle looked at her hand she saw that it was blood."Mama?" She heard Gideon's voice calling from somewhere above her, on the other floor."Don't move!" Belle screamed as loud as she could. "Darling stay away from the fire, I'm coming for you!""I'm scared!" Gideon said.It took everything she had to stand up, that horrible feeling inside her making the lady want to scream in pain. She felt something pouring from her, a drop sliding down her legs, but she had no time to think about it now, she had to reach her children, so Belle kept climbing the stairs, fighting with her own body not to faint. Coughing, she felt like her lungs could burst at any time and if she hadn't the need to take Gideon and Rose out of there, she would probably already have given herself up to the weakness that had taken her.Belle was trembling with every movement, her skirt getting soaked in the blood that dripped from the cut on her head and her aching thighs. She looked destroyed, and the heat of the fire that approached her more and more, only collaborated to make her feel even worse."Gideon!" The Dark Lady called at the beginning of the hallway that lead to the nursery."Mama! Where are you?" He yelled back.She wished that she could see him, but it was impossible, the smoke was too thick and there was a barrier of fire made by a fallen door, blocking the way. Rose's cries reached her, smashing her heart as she tripped again, not caring about all the pain in her body or the fact that she had started to lose a great amount of blood. Belle tried to stand, but this time she was too weak to do so. Then, just like in her dream the silhouette of the Black Fairy appeared in front of her, the same damn laugh echoing through the hallway."Oh, what a wrecked beauty we have here." Fiona said with a grin as she kneeled by Belle's side. "It is almost a pity to have someone so brave like you to die this way, but don't worry darling, my grandchildren will be very well cared for.""Don't you dare touch them!"Fiona ignored her and made a little bottle appear in her hands with magic. Opening lid, she stretched her arm to reach for the puddle of blood that had formed beneath Belle's legs, filling it with a maniac smile in her lips."The blood of an innocent life ended by accident." She contemplated. "You really gave me everything I needed. I guess I need to say thank you, afterwards."A gasp left the lady's mouth and if she could move, she would have attacked that woman with her bare hands. But at least, she thought, it was her life that was going to be used on that spell, not from any child."Rumplestiltskin is going to hunt you for this." Belle assured her. "And if you harm our children, he will destroy you.""Silly girl, don't you understand? If he loved you or his babies he would be here, been the hero you expected him to be, but he is not, and you are going to burn with this castle."Fiona rose from the floor and opened a passage through the fire heading to the nursery's open door, leaving Belle to hear her son's screams of help until her world went black and she was dragged to unconsciousness. The first thing Neal saw when he arrived at his father’s castle was the fire. The castle was glowing in red flames in the black of the night, smoke spreading in the air. He jumped from the horse by the moment his eyes got a sight of the gates and he saw the chubby figure of their maid, nervously standing there, looking horrified at that scene."Mrs. Potts!" He called. "What is happening?"She turned around, tears running down her cheeks, cleaning the soot that was stick to her skin. "Master Neal, milady Belle and your siblings are trapped inside there."Inside his chest, his heart attempted to stop before it started to pound in a furious way, sending a wave of adrenaline through his body."And where is my father?""He is looking for you! We tried to summon him, but he didn't come back."Desperate, Neal tried it for himself. "Rumplestiltskin. Rumplestiltskin. Rumplestiltskin."There was just a couple of seconds after that, before a purple cloud of smoke appear right in front of him, bringing the imp with it, a look of relief in his eyes, as he had his back turned to the castle and seemed to have no idea of what was happening."Bae! You are safe! I was looking for you all around this realm, son.""Yeah, I am fine, but apparently not Belle and the children." He said, angrily waving at the burning walls of what once was their home. "Why didn't you answer when they summoned you?"Turning around slowly, as if he was afraid of what he was going to see, Rumplestiltskin stumbled back, almost losing his balance, his face showing his fear. "They are inside?""Yes, now rush. If we have any hope of taking them out alive we need to hurry.""No, you stay here." He said, intercepting Neal’s way. "This is all my fault and I don't need to have another person to worry about while I'm there.""You are not winning this one, papa, I'm sorry. They are my family too and I'm going."Without giving his father time enough to think about those words, Neal ran towards the burning castle, hearing the imp scream his name behind him, asking him to come back, as he followed him inside. The entryway was the least damaged part of the whole place, but they could see the destruction in the dining hall that seemed to take everywhere else in their sights too.“Belle!” Neal yelled, but there was no answer, so he turned around to look at his father and ask: “Where can they be?”“Upstairs, in the chambers.”Making their way to the tower, they found a beam in flames blocking the passage to the stairs and Rumple used his magic to make it disappear. All he could think about was that it might be too late to save his family, since there was no sound of them around the castle, no matter how many times they yelled their names, and then he saw blood on the floor.“Oh, no.” He muttered under his breath.The deep smoke made them cough and the heat gave the impression that they were inside of a wood stove.“There is a track of blood, papa.” Neal said. “They shouldn’t be far.”And indeed, his son was right. When they reached the next floor, they found Belle’s body laying still on a puddle of blood. Rumplestiltskin gasped, immediately kneeling by her side and grabbing her flaccid form in his arms, studying the cut on her forehead as he tried to shake her to wake her up.“Belle! Sweetheart, please, open your eyes.” He begged. “I’m sorry for everything, now open those beautiful blue eyes for me. Please, darling.”Neal covered his mouth with a hand, shocked with the terrible state of his father’s lady. Her eyelids trembled a little, but she didn’t seem to be able to open her eyes completely, because they kept rolling back and closing whenever she tried to do so. She must be very weak, by the amount of blood on the floor.“Children - ” Belle tried to start in a hoarse voice.“Where are they?” Rumplestiltskin asked.A whimper of pain escaped her and she managed to babble: “Nursery.”“Bae, take her.” His father demanded and Neal bent to get her from his arms, lifting Belle with a little effort. “I’m going to get them.”Opening space in the fire, the imp rushed to the end of the hallway, entering the nursery and leaving his boy holding the woman he loved. Neal took a look at Belle, her soaking dress spotting his own clothes with the blood she kept losing, from some bruised point under her skirts. “You are not going to leave us this way, Mama Belle. I forbid you to leave those children without a mother.”“She’s - ” the lady swallowed. “Here.”“What?”Her eyes rolled back again and when they closed, they didn’t open again, she just whispered one last thing before she fainted in his arms: “Fiona.”“No, no!” Neal mumbled. “Papa! Papa the Black Fairy is here!”Meanwhile, Rumplestiltskin entered the nursery, hoping to grab his precious children in his arms and take them all very far away from there, but he found it empty. There wasn’t any fire in there, but also no sight of Gideon and Rose. His son’s old teddy bear was dropped to the side of the rocking chair and his daughter’s purple blanket with her name embroidered with gold thread, was left inside the crib, some black feathers on the floor.Clenching his teeth, he realised that he had done exactly what his mother wanted and left the castle with Belle and the children completely unprotected, just the way she wanted them. The Black Fairy was pulling the strings in his life all along and he didn’t even need to hear Bae’s screams to conclude that. He grabbed the blanket and the bear, leaving the nursery behind.“She took them.” He told his boy. “And she is going to regret it.”“Yeah, think about making her regret it later. Belle is losing a lot of blood and if we want to both save her life and not burn along with the castle, we need to get the hell out of here, now!”Nodding, Rumplestiltskin waved his hand and made his magic take them outside, right where Mrs. Potts was still standing, waiting for their return. When she saw them, and specifically Belle, she gasped.“Oh, gods, what happened to her?”“We have no idea, but we need to take her to somewhere safe now.” Baelfire said. “Do you have any idea of where we could go?”Mrs. Potts opened her mouth to answer him, but Rumple was already speaking by himself. “I know the perfect place, one that my mother will not suspect of us hiding in.”Suddenly, they appeared in a village, in front of the farthest house that it had, sheltered by the woods. The imp knocked on the door and they waited until an old woman appeared with a sword in her hand.“What do you want?” She asked.“Take us as your guests and I will give you whatever you wish.” Rumplestiltskin offered.“Is that Belle?” A young lady, wearing a red cloak, asked appearing by the door and lowered the old woman’s hand that had its grip on the sword. “Granny, let them in.”Even not seeming to like it, Granny shared a brief look with the girl, glancing at Belle, before she gave them passage to enter her house.
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“Put her on the bed.” Ruby instructed, as everyone followed her to a small room, where a girl was sitting on a little stool, with a dog in her lap.“You should all get out. I need to check on milady Belle.” Mrs. Potts said, and knowing that she was right, everyone followed Ruby out, except for Rumplestiltskin, who sat himself on the bed, by his lover’s side, while she worked. The maid let out a sigh and lifted her gaze to him. “Master, I will need some of my tools. Most of them are still at my old house.”He nodded and made a lot of different metal things appear in a chair next to her. “Why do you need all off this?”Mrs. Potts lips formed a thin line and suddenly he didn’t want the answer. He knew it couldn’t be good. He felt his hands start shaking only with the thought of how worse this day could get. If Rumplestiltskin could, he would go back to that morning and erase everything, but it wasn’t possible.“She had a miscarriage.” The maid whispered. “I need to clean her insides or she can get an infection. Can you make some warm water appear for me?”The truth hit him like a thousand bricks and he barely payed attention to what he was doing as he waved his hand to bring what she demanded. His gaze fell to Belle’s face and he knew that if he was alone with her he would have broken into tears at that moment. He left her alone, told her to go away and now the Black Fairy had their children, but she also lost a baby they didn’t even know about.Rumple felt like he had failed her in so many ways on the same day that she would never forgive him and even if she did, he would never forgive himself for this. A child of his was dead. He bent so his face was hidden on Belle’s hair and he healed the cut on her head as he heard the terrible sounds of Mrs. Potts working with her tools to clean his lovely lady. It was nauseating and he wanted more than anything to get out of there, but he wasn’t going to leave now. At least, Belle wasn’t awake to feel any more physical pain and was unaware of how much he had ruined things.Mrs. Potts left a long metal tool aside, and grabbed two cloths, the first was soaked in red, with pieces of dark flesh and she threw it in bucket. In the second, she laid inside the contents of a small bowl, wrapping carefully.“It’s over.” She said. “Will you want to bury the fetus, master?”He looked up at her, but didn’t answer, instead he let his magic change Belle’s clothes and wash the soot from her skin. Rumplestiltskin pressed a long kiss to her cheek, mentally asking for forgiveness before he stretched his hand to let Mrs. Potts place the cloth in there, so he stood up and went to the door, opening it and passing through the living room like a storm, running outside and ignoring the curious faces that stared at him.Reaching the trees, he fell to his knees, holding the cloth, were the tiny lifeless body of his baby was, against his heart, finally letting the tears fall from his eyes.“Papa?” Baelfire called. “Is Belle alright?”When Rumplestiltskin looked at his son over his shoulder, Bae did something that he hadn’t done since their reencounter: he hugged him. The imp sobbed in his son’s arms, still gripping at the cloth, shaking in despair, a whole hurricane of bad feelings inside him, wrecking his soul.“Pop, now you are scaring me. Is she dead?”“No.” He said between his sobs. “She had a miscarriage. She was with child, my boy, and we didn’t even know.”“Oh. I – I’m so sorry.” Baelfire’s gaze fell to the cloth his father was holding and he needed to take a deeper breath. “What is it?”The imp didn’t open the blanket and he also didn’t have much will to do so, because he knew that if he did, it would only hurt even more. Rumplestiltskin could feel the tiny figure under the touch of his fingers, but it seemed that it wouldn’t be real if he didn’t see it and everything could remain like an illusion. There had been such a happiness at the birth of Gideon and then on Rose’s, however this child would never know the warmth of its parents’ arms, the bright smiles they should show it when they first saw its face. It would never know life.“It’s - ” he sniffed. “It’s the baby. Or what it should have been.”Baelfire nodded solemnly, placing both hands on his shoulders. “Pop, look at me, you need to let it go now and go back inside to be with Belle. She will need you now more than ever. This child is dead, but you still have another two to find. We can’t let the Black Fairy win and hurt them too.”He was right, out there Fiona had Gideon and Rose captive. Only the gods knew what she could have been doing to them at that moment while he sank into his pain and cried. His mother wasn’t going to win, that innocent baby would never live because of what she did, but he was going to make her suffer for that.“Give me a minute alone, please.” The imp asked his oldest boy.“Are you sure that you are going to be ok?”“Aye. Take a look in on Belle for me, alright? I’ll be there in a minute.”Ever hesitant, Bae did as he said and went back to Granny’s house, so Rumplestiltskin took a moment to recompose himself before he stood up and conjured a metal box, a shovel and a lamp. He walked inside the woods and found a good spot, where he dug a hole, then left the shovel aside as he opened the box’s lid to lay the cloth in there.Breathing in, he counted to three, making his decision before he could regret it. Rumple unwrapped the cloth and lift the lamp enough to illuminate the dark of the night and give him some vision. It was very small, a little bit bigger than a strawberry maybe but it was there, a pinkish thing, with arms and legs, that surely would have grown to be as perfect as the children they already had. His heart seemed to be crushed inside his chest. He couldn’t keep looking at it.Wrapping the cloth back around the baby, the imp closed the box’s lid and settled it inside the hole, filling it with dirt again and marking the place with the biggest rock he found. “I’m sorry, sweet child.” He whispered to the wind, knowing that there was nobody to hear him. “I wish that we had the chance to know each other, but papa will always remember you.”With this farewell, he left the woods, trying to prepare himself to the moment that Belle opened her eyes and he had to tell everything to her. Gideon curled up in a spot when that bad woman had led him to a place that resembled the dungeons in his father's castle, but in each cell, there was a child. She sat by his side, holding his little sister close to her chest, a wicked smile on her lips as she glanced between the two of them."Oh, but you are definitely adorable!" The woman said. "Grandma is going to enjoy her time with you."He didn't know who she was, but Gideon knew that she was definitely mad, because he didn't have any grandmothers, both his parents had told him that their mamas were dead, just like their papas. The boy wanted to run away, or at least go to the furthest place from her in the cell that he could find, but she was with Rose and he feared that she might hurt her."I want my mama." Gideon complained."She is not coming, so now you can call me your mother, right? I'm the Black Fairy and this is my realm. If you prove yourself a good son, then someday you can inherit it, because I will make you the most powerful sorcerer alive.""I don't want that! I want my mama!"The Black Fairy, stood up, a hand covering Rose's head carefully as she bent to lean her face close to his."Your mama is dead, now you'd better get used to me, because you say something wrong, your sweet little sister will pay for. And you want to be a hero, don't you, Gideon? Like the heroes your mama read about to you?" He shook his head positively. "Then you won't let me hurt her, will you?""No!"Making a bottle appear in her hands, she opened the lid, the maniac smile still on her face as she gripped Rose's hand and pinched it the hardest she could, making the baby scream as her skin was smashed between the fairy's fingers. Gideon's eyes widened and he tried to get to his sister, but an invisible force threw him back on the mattress, so the only he could do was to watch as fresh tears streamed down Rose's cheeks and that horrible woman caught them with her bottle, filling the thing."The tears of a seer." She said, satisfied. "Now I finally have everything I need.""Rose - " Gideon cried, looking impotently at his sister, stretching his arms in her direction."If you want to hold her, you need to ask the right way and call me mother." The Black Fairy instructed.A part of him refused to let her win this, but the other one was desperate to give the baby some comfort, so Gideon forced himself to say: "Can I please hold her, mother?""That is my good boy!" She smiled, handing his sister to him.Gideon had no idea of how he should hold her, as every time he had done it before, was when she was smaller than now and it had always been with one of their parents helping him, but he had to take her away from that cruel woman so he grabbed his sister the best way he could, sitting her on his lap and folding his arms around her to make sure that she wasn't going to fall. He remembered how their parents had told him, that whenever he was in trouble he should summon his father, but the only problem was that the boy never managed to say his name completely right. It was long and difficult to pronounce."I'll be back to check on you later. Now make her stop crying." The fairy ordered before leaving the cell."Rumples - " he tried to say. "Tilsen. No. Rumple - " the boy swallowed, frustrated. "Tilven. Oh, forget it."His sister screamed louder and he tried to cradle her, swinging himself to create a rhythm that reminded of the rocking chair in the nursery of their castle. "It's ok, Rose, that bad fairy is not going to hurt you again. I'll sing for you, alright?" Her little hand touched his face and Gideon started: "Sleep well..." The first thing Belle saw when she opened her eyes was the black leather of his coat. She was snuggled against him, his hand firmly gripping at her waist, just like it did in the times they woke up together in bed, but today they weren't in their home, that mattress wasn't theirs and the sudden wave of fear that passed through her body, told the lady that she should be worrying about something. The memories of the night passed through her mind like a quick flash, making her pull away from him and sit up on the bed, looking around without recognising a thing.Belle knew that she seemed like a scared cat acting that way, but she was confused. Her ruined blue dress had been changed for a nightgown that she never saw before, the room was too small and different from the ones she had known during her life, but the strangest thing was that Rumple was sitting there in the bed, expressionless, after basically throwing her out of his castle and ignoring her pleas of help. However, she could confront him about it later, now there was only one thing on her mind."Where are they?" She demanded to know, staring at Rumplestiltskin. "Where are my children?"Pain filled his face and the imp tried to reach for her hand, but Belle didn't let him, she was still feeling betrayed by his words."Sweetheart, come here, please. We need to talk.""Where are Gideon and Rose?" Belle insisted on knowing.After feeling all that despair during the fire, she wanted more than anything to hold the two of them tight in her embrace, but she knew that something was wrong when Rumple let his glance fall to the sheets."The Black Fairy took them." He said.Her breath got caught in her throat. That couldn’t be happening. The panic made her blood seem like ice in her veins, making her shiver and her rage come up to surface."And what are you still doing here?” She shouted at Rumple. “Why are you not looking out for them?""I needed to be the one to tell you what happened during the fire.""Nothing you tell me right now is possibly going to make things worse.""Oh, yes, it is." He said in a voice that was bitter and sad. "Belle do you remember that you started to bleed?""Yeah, I fell on the stairs.” She shook her head, angrily wanting to kick him out of the room until he was magicking himself all around the realm to find their children and take them away from his evil mother. “That is not important, Rumplestiltskin.""Darling,” he started, eyes slammed shut, a hand finally resting on her knee, as she wasn’t able to pull back when he looked so miserable. “You had a miscarriage."If she was being tortured, Belle would be better than she was at that moment. First, he said that the Black Fairy got Gideon and Rose, now he was saying that what seemed to be a little bleeding caused by her fall, was a miscarriage, that she didn’t even know that she was expecting a baby. One that had died that night during the fire."I - I had - " a gasp left her mouth as she placed both her hands to her stomach. "I was with child?"Rumplestiltskin nodded. "Aye, but we lost it."Vision blurring with tears, she couldn’t keep herself from caressing her empty belly, her breath coming difficult and irregularly. Gods, she never knew about that child and she never gave a thought about it, when it was alive and growing inside her. She wanted to assure it that it was loved. It wasn’t expected, as they already had a seven-month-old baby and weren’t planning to have another so soon, but it would have been a good surprise and they would love it as much as they loved Gideon and Rose.A new image formed in her mind, Fiona with the bottle in her hands, filling it with the red fluids that poured from her, with that stupid smirk on her lips and a new wave of blind hate passed through her body."The blood she took, it wasn't mine at all.” Belle spoke, lost in mourning, unable to stop crying. “It was the baby's. My baby's.""What do you mean?" Rumple asked, clearly confused."The ingredient for the spell, the blood of an innocent life ended by accident. She used our baby for it." Painful sobs made her shoulders shake, tears running through her face. "I lost it all.""Oh, sweetheart, I'm so sorry. I'll never be able to say how sorry I am."He tried to hug her, pressing her head against his chest exactly like it had been when she woke up, but Belle was too lost in her twisted feelings to let him comfort her this way. She escaped his arms and slipped out of the bed."Did you hear my call?" The lady questioned."What?""Did you hear my freaking call for help?"His mouth fell open and he didn’t answer her for a long second, before swallowing and managing to mumble: "Yes.""Then, don't you ever again try to tell me how sorry you are,” she said, still sobbing and pressing her hands against her belly. “Because you could have saved us and you didn't.""Belle - ""I will never hold it!” The Dark Lady stormed. “I will never hold this baby. It is dead and if you answered when I summoned you, it could be still resting safely inside my womb like it should."Rumplestiltskin stood up too, seeming to be the same one that had screamed with her in the dining hall early that day. "Don't you think this is hurting me as much as it is hurting you? It was my child too, Belle!""Get out.” She demanded. “Go look for Gideon and Rose because it won't help if we keep mourning here." He turned his back to leave, grabbing at the door's knob, but stopped when she said: "Rumplestiltskin.""Yes?" The imp asked, his voice was cold, and for anyone else it would have sounded heartless, but for her there was this tiny shake in the word that assured Belle that he was about to cry too."If something happens to them, I'll never forgive you."As he left, without saying anything, she collapsed on the floor, crying because everything she loved more dearly in her life seemed to be taken from her. She wouldn't stand another loss; her heart was aching and Belle wished that the blood the Black Fairy had taken for her spell was hers. Some people entered the room and their chubby maid came to hold her in the floor."Oh, milady.""Mrs. Potts." She hugged the maid tight. "I lost my baby. Fiona has my children and Rumple hates me.""We are here with you, Belle.” A new voice said, the thin hand rubbing at her back. “You are not alone."She pulled away from Mrs. Potts just enough to see her old friend, the same one for whom she had thought to run right to this morning, when Rumplestiltskin released her from their deal and told her to go away."Ruby. It's good to see you." The lady tried to smile, but she was still crying and it didn’t turn out well, so she only gripped at her friend’s hand. "You have a goddaughter, you know?""I told you that I was right." Ruby tried to say in a cheerful way, but Belle was sorrowful and nothing seemed capable of healing her heart. "Don't cry, beauty, I can ask Granny to make some lemon pie for you if you want.""No.” Belle refused. “Lemon pie was something I always wanted when I was with child and now that I lost this baby I - ""It's alright, you don't need to explain. She can make cookies instead."The door opened again and another girl around their age appeared, her dark brown hair tied in a braid. "Hey, do you need anything?"Ruby’s eyes lighted up a little at the sight of her and she stretched her free hand in the girl’s direction, inviting her to join them. She made it hesitantly, showing a shy smile. "Belle this is my girlfriend, Dorothy.""Oh, hello.” The Dark Lady said, a little surprised, but totally happy that Ruby had found someone to love. “I wish we could have met at better circumstances."Me too.” Dorothy agreed. “I’m sorry for your loss."There was a knock on the door and Neal peeked a look inside. "Can I come in?"Leaving the women behind, Belle rushed to throw her arms around her lover’s oldest son, relieved that he was safe, as she had learned to care for him as her own, even though the young man was older than her."Neal, I thought I had imagined you in the fire.” She said, new tears plucking in her eyes. “I'm glad that you're fine.""Let's go make those cookies." Ruby said, getting out of the room with Dorothy and Mrs. Potts following her to give them some space."You and my father are not in a good situation, huh? I told you that he could be a jerk.""Neal - ""Hush, hush mama Belle. You don't need to say anything, I know you are suffering."So, she didn’t really say anything, only muffled her sobs in his shirt as she mourned the loss of her baby and prayed that her children could still be saved.
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It was his fault. That was all Rumplestiltskin had in mind after he left Belle alone in the room. He was already blaming himself from the very start, but hearing her saying this made him feel even worse, because her kind words and her faith in him was what he needed to forgive himself, but instead, she was angry and destroyed. The lost glance in her face when he told her about the miscarriage, the way she gripped at her own belly like the baby was still inside there, it had shattered his soul. Belle was right, if he answered her calls for help, none of this would have happened. But she just couldn't even begin to imagine how sad he was with that loss.As someone who loved her so deeply, he was glad that she hadn't been able to see Mrs. Potts working to clean her body or the tiny little thing that she took from inside there, wrapped up in that cloth. He would never be able to forget how terrible those moments were and he wished that Belle knew about this pain, but he wasn't going to talk about it with her. At least, not now. Sooner or later Rumplestiltskin was going to need to beg for forgiveness and when he did, then they could sincerely talk, however it shouldn't happen now, when things were so recent.When Baelfire entered the room where she was he sent a message to Regina, asking her to come there as fast as she could, but it was only near the dawn that she appeared, accompanied by her green sister, Princess Emma and her boys. Rumplestiltskin got out of the house to meet them, after hearing Granny say that she didn't want any other evil soul in her house."Great, the whole squad is here," the imp said, moodily. "But my question is: why did you bring them?" He pointed a finger to Robin Hood, Roland and his own grandson, Henry.Regina raised her eyebrows. "You send me a message saying that this crazy fairy set fire to your well protected castle and took your children, and you expect me to leave my family behind?"She waved her head for them, instructing silently that the boys enter Granny’s house, giving Robin a quick kiss before he took Henry and Roland inside."I don't want this place crowded, Belle needs peace right now."The last thing he wanted was a lot of nosy people to be circling around her like curious bees, asking stupid questions like if she was fine, even when her face showed that she clearly wasn't.Emma folded her arms, her blonde hair fluttering behind her in the ponytail as her head moved. "We are going to find the children, she has nothing to worry about.""She, Princess Emma, had a miscarriage, so yes, she has a lot of worries with only the possibility of something happening to Gideon and Rose too.""A miscarriage?" Regina blinked."Aye. I don't want to talk about it right now.""Well at least tell us if she is fine." Emma asked.A sarcastic expression crossed his face. He knew that she was trying to be kind, but that was exactly what he wanted to avoid and, for his ears, her words sounded nothing but ruthless."That depends on your definition of fine." Rumplestiltskin said in a bitter voice. "Belle is destroyed, what else do you expect?"Zelena shrugged. "She is being spared from months of discomfort and a giant belly. Not to say the chance of giving birth to another mini Dark One."That day he wasn't even thinking twice before doing anything, so he lifted a hand and the Wicked Witch of the West made a suffocating sound, being choked by an invisible force created by his powers. By his side Emma and Regina jumped, startled."Whoa, let her go!" The dark-haired woman demanded, grabbing his arm in an attempt to make him stop hurting her sister.Rumplestiltskin didn’t really cared about what Regina wanted him to do or if he might really do any real permanent harm to the witch if he kept going with this, he only let his powers lessen the attack because he knew that it was pointless. Zelena was just a stupid envious woman, who had an incredible ability to say the wrong thing and he couldn’t keep wasting his time with her. So, he let his hand fall to his side, watching her desperately breathe in, trying to gather some air in her lungs."Listen to me, Zelena,” the words came out as a threat. “You don't get to joke about it, you don't even get to think about joking about it. My child is dead and that is a pain I don't wish on anyone, not even on you as much as you are bothering me now, so you better shut up, before I decide to make your daughter an orphan.""Zelena,” Regina started. “Keep your mouth shut."Emma sighed, waving her head in the direction of the village. "Let's go, I told Blue to meet us at the docks."Like ghosts in the first light of the day, they made their way to the seafront, stopping at the docks where a thin figure was already waiting for them, the only woman there, where some fishermen were taking their boats to the water."You are late.” The Blue Fairy announced. “She is already out of the Dark Realm, her spell really worked.""She is free?" Regina questioned."Yes."Feeling like his world was spinning around, the imp stepped back, trying to calm himself, but there was no comfort to be found, or anything that could help him at that moment. His mother was free and he knew that there was a good reason for her to be kept attached to the Dark Realm until now. Fiona was dangerous and feared enough for the fairies to want to somehow imprison her in a place very far away from them, where her cruel acts didn’t reach them. However, the trashy winged things had no success in keep her where she should be.His jaw tightened and he grabbed his dagger, pointing it to Blue. "This is your fault! If you weren’t so useless and if you had told me how to get to the Black Fairy, when we started to look for her in first place, this would never have happened!"Sighing, Blue threw her hands in the air. "There is no need to overreact.""Overreact?" Rumplestiltskin repeated in disbelief. "Do you know which blood she used in that freaking spell?" He questioned, hatefully. "The blood from my unborn child, that now is dead. So, don't you tell me to not overreact?"Regina walked towards him, as careful as she could and placed a hand on his shoulder for a brief second before he pulled away from her touch, annoyed with all of them. "Rumple, I think you need to take a break. Go see Belle, mourn together and whatever more you like. Just give yourself some time before you do anything else.""I don't have the luxury of giving myself any time. Gideon and Rose are with that mad woman and I won't stop until I get them back."Waving his hand, Rumplestiltskin vanished from there in a purple cloud of smoke, appearing by his castle’s gates that was completely destroyed after a whole night of burning. Now it just looked like a giant fire pit made with stones instead of firewood, but that was a damage he could fix using his powers. Just a little bit of magic and it would be his old home again, as if nothing had ever happened there.However, he wasn’t in the mood for fixing anything right now, so he used his powers to create more destruction instead, ripping out the gates from the walls, freeing his hate and the sorrow that was stuck inside him after losing so many things in such a cruel way."Why such a rage?" A feminine voice asked behind him, making him freeze in place.He turned around slowly, already knowing who he was going to see, but completely unprepared to face her. The cold he was feeling inside was an old known sensation, that he always hated to have. It was fear. And if wasn't for the fact that his hate for his own mother was bigger than anything else, he would have succumbed to that fear, but this was the one who abandoned him and tried to break up his family, so he looked her in the eye, ready to do whatever was needed to destroy her."You." Rumplestiltskin said, looking at his mother as if she was some kind of demon. "Where are they? What did you do with my children?"Fiona smiled, lazily and walked towards him, the hem of her black dress dragging on the ground, some feathers escaping the details of the neckband and falling around, flipping in the air. She raised her hand, placing it on the imp's cheek, letting her nails scratch his scales."Don't worry, they are fine. I was just enjoying being a grandmother a little bit, but that boy of yours is a stubborn thing, huh?" She asked almost sweetly. "Guess you taught him well."Gripping her wrist, he pulled her hand away from him. "If your harmed my son - ""I didn't." Fiona assured. "They are family, I wouldn't hurt family."A sarcastic little laugh formed in his throat, she was the most hypocritical person he had ever known and each word that left her mouth made Rumple's wish to kill her, increase."Oh, no? So it wasn't you who set fire to my castle with them inside?"Shrugging, she freed her hand from his grip, giving her back to him as she walked around the Dark Castle's gardens, looking at the burning walls in wonder, like it was the most beautiful thing she set eyes upon. Fiona looked at him over her shoulder and said with a sigh: "It was an exception. I needed something from there.""My baby's blood." Rumplestiltskin concluded."Yeah, now stop looking at me like I am a horrible monster, you didn't need another child and if you want it that much, that little clumsy maid of yours looks in perfect health to conceive one." She suggested and Rumple had to use all of his will not to attack her right there. "I have to admit, I thought that she would die in the fire, but the girl is stronger than she appears."There was only one thing preventing him from killing his mother after she talked so coldly about planning to make his lover have a miscarriage, and it was the fact that she was the only person in this world who knew where his children were on that moment. But as soon as he had that information, nothing would stop his revenge."Where are Gideon and Rose?" He asked behind clenched teeth."Safe, I guarantee you. But well, I came here to make a deal with you." She said, hands placed together, fingers tapping each other. "Now that I already have my freedom, thanks to your beautiful baby girl's tears too, I'll give them back if you give me your heart in exchange."His eyebrows narrowed in confusion. "Her tears?""The tears of a seer, was the last ingredient I needed and you, my son, provided it to me. Any child of the Dark One bears a great power in it and that sweet flower Rose, has your seer powers." Fiona explained. "Now do we have a deal?"Suddenly he felt like he was back to that night that Belle woke up screaming and talking about a dream that she was sure that was a vision. A dream about a fire that she had multiple times while expecting Rose. She was right all the time, it was a prediction, that their baby girl had had even before she was born. How much he would have spared if he just believed Belle when he should?The Black Fairy was still looking at him, waiting for her answer, but he had nothing to tell her. He needed to get Gideon and Rose back, however he couldn't just decide to let his mother take control of his life forever without talking with his lover for one last time."Give me time to think. Meet me here again in two days, by midnight and I will give you my answer.""I will wait impatiently." Fiona said with a smile. "So will your children."Then, she disappeared and left him alone, facing the burning castle. How long does it take to mend a broken heart? Belle didn’t know the answer for that question, but she was learning that it wasn’t something fast. Neal had left her alone after she curled herself in Ruby’s bed, staying quiet and with eyes closed for so long that he thought that she’d slept, while she was just mourning silently, incapable of shedding another tear.Unconsciousness took her twice during the night, but it wasn’t enough for her to feel rested and in both occasions, she dreamed about terrible things, things that made her wake up with a start in bed, wishing that Rumplestiltskin was there to embrace her in his arms, muttering calming words to her ear, but she was all alone. Just one day before that she had a home, a lover, two children sleeping quietly in their respective chambers and a small baby growing inside her. Today she had none of this.When the morning came, Belle sank her face in the pillow, annoyed by the light. She used to like the mornings, because she always had a routine she appreciated, even when she lived in her father’s castle or when she was Rumple’s maid, but mostly after they became lovers. If she was lucky he would be in bed with her, cuddling happily, if he wasn’t there she would meet him soon, probably after she fed Rose and chose Gideon’s clothes for the day.The lady felt that she had watery eyes again and Belle knew that she was probably looking horrible with a red face, swollen eyes and messy hair, but she couldn’t care less for that right now. She had a hand on her flat belly, wishing that she could have done something to save her baby. Belle never felt real hate before, however she was pretty sure that she was hating Fiona now and she even wished all the bad things she could for that despicable woman. Who could ever be so mean as to plan a fire, a miscarriage and steal two innocent children from their mother’s arms?For the first time, she understood Rumplestiltskin’s point of view. The Black Fairy deserved to die, because she was the darkness itself and was capable of doing anything to reach her goals.There was a knock on the door and Belle slowly sat one the bed, seeing Ruby enter the room with a tray in her hands and a friendly smile on her face. Her long dark hair was falling around her shoulders, covering a part of the enchanted red cloak that she used to keep the wolf inside her quiet and hidden."Hey, beauty.” She greeted. “Mrs. Potts said that you need to gather some strength, so Granny made a soup and sent you some cookies too.""Thank you.” Belle said, accepting the tray when she offered, placing it by her side in the bed. “Did you hear anything about the search for my children?"Her gaze fell to the food as she spoke. It all looked delicious and knowing that Granny’s lemon pie was the best one in the whole Enchanted Forest, she was sure that everything else that woman cooked was simply amazing, however she couldn’t convince herself to eat. There was a knot in her throat and she felt nauseous just thinking about wasting her time eating when there were such other important matters to take care of."They left just now.” Ruby informed, and pointed at the door. “There are some guests here, they wanted to see you but I said that I was going to ask if you want to.""Sure, I need something to cheer me up."“Alright.” Her smile got bigger. “I’ll get them for you.”Opening the door, Ruby disappeared from her sights for just a moment before she returned bringing Robin Hood and his son Roland with her. The little boy was sucking at his own thumb, dressed in a dark-green outfit and tiny brown boots, looking attentively around the room as his father carried him."Hello.""Robin, hi." Belle replied, trying to show them a smile.He approached her, placing a warm hand on her shoulder, his fingers massaging her as a mask of compassion took his face. "How are you doing, friend?""I'm heartbroken." She admitted, her gaze fixed on the baby in his arms and when she realised, she was already saying: "Can I hold him?""Sure.” Robin said, handing his son to her. “Here, Roland, give aunt Belle a big hug."As soon as she had Roland cradled safely in her arms, Belle felt a wave of nostalgia hit her. She wanted so much to have another chance of holding her own children like this, just as much as she wished she was given the chance of birthing that baby she lost and giving it all the love she had. The little boy played with her hair and Belle barely realised that tears were falling from her eyes."Please, don't start crying again." Ruby’s worried voice came from the spot where she was standing next to the door.Robin raised an eyebrow. "Do you want me to take him?""No, no. I'm fine, I am just a little emotional." Belle immediately assured, wiping the tears from her face, before she made a childish voice to talk to the baby. "You are a beautiful boy, Roland.""Regina, Zelena and Emma went with Rumple to meet the Blue Fairy.” Robin said, sitting in the empty space by her side on the bed. “They will try to make her take them to the Dark Realm."Biting at her bottom lip, the lady nodded. The Blue Fairy hadn’t been too helpful lately, since she thought that keeping the fairies secret business a secret was more important than avoiding bigger tragedies, but Belle was a hopeful person, even though she wasn’t feeling a lot like that in that moment. Seeing the best in people and believing in them, had always been one of her best qualities."She needs to help them." The lady said. "I need my children back.""You will have them, Belle." Robin assured.But the problem was that it was only words. He didn’t know Fiona, he hadn’t seen the manic look on her face while she collected the blood that poured from Belle. Robin had no idea of how dangerous she was. The fear of what she could be doing to Gideon and Rose right at this second made Belle’s heart flip in her chest and make her decide that she wasn’t going to just stay in bed while the others did the hard work."Take him." Belle asked, passing Roland to his father and throwing the bedcovers away, standing up with trembling legs. She didn’t remember her body feeling so weak before, but she also wasn’t going to be stopped by it. "I want to do something to help, maybe some research or anything else.""You can't.” Ruby said, coming to her side to support her friend with an arm around her waist. “Mrs. Potts said that you should rest.""How am I supposed to rest when Gideon and Rose are in danger?" She stormed out, angry that everyone was treating her like a helpless creature.Ruby shooked her head. "Belle, you lost a lot of blood and your body is weak right now.""I'll call the maid." Robin Hood said, slightly confused and seeming to not want to stay in that room hearing the woman talk about a miscarriage, mainly when one of them was apparently freaking out. He disappeared through the door, taking Roland with him.Belle wanted to keep being all stubborn and indignant, but her legs started to shake so much that she thought that she was going to fall and had to give up and sit on the bed, breaking down in tears. "I wish it was me.""What are you talking about?" Ruby asked."I wish the blood the Black Fairy took for her spell was mine and not my baby's.""Oh, Belle,” her friend smoothed her back. “Don't think like that."Mrs. Potts entered the room, looking at the untouched tray of food and stopping in front of the two girls. "Milady you need to eat.""I don't want to, I want my children. I'm worried and I don't want to sit here waiting for something to happen.""Belle, Rumple is out there looking for them and when he rescues those children and brings them home, they will need their mother.” Ruby said in her most eloquent tone. “So, when you sit here and eat your soup you are playing your part. You are getting stronger for the moment you'll cradle them in your arms again.""She is right, milady." Mrs. Potts agreed.Belle hated that their arguments were good, but she had to admit it. She couldn’t just let herself fade when Gideon and Rose were going to need her, but it also didn’t keep her from wondering where they were, if they had been fed and if they were feeling cold or pain. Unfortunately, she also couldn’t do anything to help them right now, just take care of herself."Alright.” Belle gave up, taking the tray. “I'll eat."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Everybody tried to cheer Belle up, but that wasn't an easy task. She got to know a little bit about Dorothy, and how Ruby had met her, she watched Mrs. Potts and Granny talk about food recipes, helped Robin to calm Roland twice and had spent some time talking with Neal and Henry, who even called her grandma Belle, which made her smile at the same time that it made her feel really older than she was. But none of these presences in her room made her feel less empty inside. Belle was grateful for everyone's attention and for their attempts to make her day a little better, however it wasn't enough take her pain away.By the end of the afternoon, after she took a long relaxing bath, the lady asked Mrs. Potts to keep her friends away from her, saying that she was weak and needed to take a nap. Slipping inside the bed covers, Belle snugged her face against the pillow, wishing that it were the pillows of her own bed, with Rumple's smell stuck on it, instead of Ruby's floral fragrance. But her chambers were now destroyed by the fire and nothing of what she owned before, existed anymore. Her breath started to come faster, but her panic was interrupted by the knock on the door and she sat up in the bed, ready to tell whoever was there to go away, but when it opened and Rumplestiltskin entered the room, the words died in her mouth.“Can I come in?” He asked.Belle nodded, wrapping herself more in the blankets as he closed the door behind him and walked towards her, carefully siting on the edge of the bed. After the way she screamed at him the last time they saw each other, she thought that Rumple wasn't going to want to appear there again without having Gideon and Rose with him. But there he was, surprising her again.“I wasn’t expecting to see you so soon." Belle said in a low voice, avoiding his eyes. "Shouldn’t you be looking for our children?”“I came here to talk about that.” Rumplestiltskin answered with a deep sigh, before asking: “How are you feeling?”Terrified. Heartbroken. Sad. Angry. All at the same time. That was what she first thought to say, however she knew that he wasn't asking about her mental state, but her physical one.“A little bit stronger." She admitted. Her legs weren't trembling so badly when she tried to stand up and she wasn't feeling any pain at all, just some ache between her thighs, that Mrs. Potts said was caused by the tools she had to use to clean her. A shiver passed through her just at the thought of it. "I guess my body is probably starting to recover.”“That is good.”Both of them were nervous, afraid of saying the wrong thing, of crossing some invisible line that was going to start another fight and hurt their hearts worse. It was like the first months after their first night together all over again, when Rumple abruptly stepped back in their relationship and even though both of them knew they loved each other, they kept their distance, causing themselves all that pain. In the end, there was no other solution but to talk.“What do you have to say?” She finally asked.Rumplestiltskin breathed in and looked at her with the corner of his repetilian eyes. “I just met with my mother earlier and she is willing to make a deal with me to give Gideon and Rose back to us.”“And what does she want in exchange for that?”“My heart.”What an unfair deal it was for her. She would to get her children back, but that meant that she was going to lose Rumple. Not that she hadn't already lost him, since he said that his love for her was a lie and told her to get the hell out of his castle, but when he was so nervous around her it was easy to pretend that everything was still the same, that they were just the same stubborn people they always were.“Oh.”Lifting his chin, he looked inside her eyes for the first time since he entered the room. “I’ll give it to her, Belle.”“But - ” she tried to say, but he shook his head, interrupting her words.“We lost a child, we’ve known this pain and I won’t put us through it again when I can save them by doing what she wants.”“It’s just - ” Belle began, trying to express her concern. “Doesn’t that sound odd to you? I mean, why would your mother want your heart when she could have asked for your dagger?”He rubbed his hands together, his eyebrows narrowing as if it was the first time he thought about that. “I don’t know, but coming from her it can’t be good.”“Do you trust her to give Gideon and Rose back when she gets it?”“No, but I won’t make any exchanges until I have the two of them returned to you.”Inhaling deeply, Belle held onto this promise, imagining the moment she would hug her children tight in her embrace, but this beautiful image was clouded by the cruel questions surrounding her mind. What would become of them after that exchange? Where would they go? How were they supposed to keep their lives going when the Black Fairy was going to have Rumple’s heart? She opened her mouth twice before she could speak, and even when she did, her voice sounded squealing, like she was about to cry.“And what about you, Rumplestiltskin, won’t you return?”“You know I won’t be able to.” His hand found its way to her thigh, covered by the blankets and that single movement made her eyes close momentarily, her heart warming up a little. “Belle, I didn’t come here just to tell you about this deal, I came because once my mother has my heart, I don’t know what will happen to me, but I’m sure that I won’t be capable of speaking truly with you.” Rumple lifted his other hand, touching her face with the tip of his fingers, a gentle brush that combined with the sadness in his eyes made her breath become heavier. “Sweetheart, I need your forgiveness. I know that I’ve done terrible things to you and that I’m the one to blame for the loss of our baby, but I didn’t mean any of this. When I told you to go away from the castle, threatening you if you took the children -” he swallowed at the remembrance, shaking his head like he couldn’t believe it himself. “I’ve never felt more like a monster before. And I was lying that day, Belle. I love you. I will always love you and if you had gone away, my soul would have been shattered in pieces.”Belle caught her lower lip between her teeth, trying hard not to cry, but she couldn’t help it, the tears came anyway, streaming down her cheeks and moistening Rumple’s fingers. He used his thumb to brush them away, a broken look on his face.“I didn’t want to leave.” She confessed. “I knew that you’re just being cruel, because you were worried about Bae, but you hurt me, Rumple. And I wish I wasn’t blaming you for my miscarriage. I - I try not to, but I keep hearing myself desperately calling your name in the fire, hoping that you would come.”The lady broke into sobs and Rumplestiltskin pulled her close, letting her cry against his chest as he muttered: “I’m sorry, my darling. I’m so sorry.”“I love you, I can’t stop loving you - ” Belle mumbled, feeling his hand rub her back as she trembled in his arms, but she wasn’t sure if he heard it or understood what she said, because he didn’t express any reaction. “This pain is too much.” She gripped him and his fingers enlaced in her hair, both of them clutching at each other like they were their salvation. “I wanted this child.”Belle cried for a long time and Rumplestiltskin let his own tears join hers, the weight of his mistakes mixed with the mourning and sight of her so terribly vulnerable bringing him to the edge of his pain. Later, when her sobs had stopped, all their tears were used, and all that had left, was the sound of their breaths and occasional sniffs, the imp ran his fingers through the soft curls of her hair, lost in thoughts that he didn’t know for sure if he wanted to say aloud, but he ended up letting one of them slip from his mouth.“I saw it.”“What?” Belle asked, lifting herself on her elbow to face him, as they had leaned against the pillows and were basically laying on the bed, side by side.Her face was a little reddish and he pulled a lock of her hair behind her ear, as she stared at him with those curious blue eyes, that were tormented by their recent loss.“The baby.” Rumplestiltskin told her. “I buried it in the woods.”A dizziness made Belle feel like her head was spinning. He had seen it. Rumple had in fact seen that poor dead baby and she couldn’t even begin to imagine how horrible that had been. When she found out that she was expecting Gideon, Belle had read all the books about pregnancy that she could and she remembered about one that specifically had some drawings that she had thought to be interesting at the time. The person who had written it, tried to show how the growing baby looked inside the mother’s womb during the pregnancy after seeing some miscarried foetuses. It wasn’t something she would ever expect anyone to have to see for real and to know that her own child was like one of those drawings, made a wave of nausea overtake her.“What was it like?” Belle forced herself to ask, because she needed the answer more than she needed to preserve her mind from creating new painful images in her head.Rumple stroked her cheek, letting his thumb stop briefly above her lips, exactly the way he used to do to tease her in their best moments. The difference was that now, there wasn’t any desire and lust driving them to each other, just the mutual feeling of loss, keeping them united. “You don’t want to know, sweetheart. I’m glad you never got to see it.”“Please,” she begged, leaning into his touch, her hand coming up to cover his on her face. “I need to know.”His eyes closed and he nodded as he started to describe: “It was very tiny, a pinkish thing, with little arms and legs. So lifeless that it could be just a strange object.”One of her hands touched her belly, imagining that it was tiny enough to not be noticed before, not even having time to create a little bump on her. She probably would have discovered that pregnancy soon, if they hadn’t been ended that way, and she would have been happy. Belle would have told Rumplestiltskin with a bright smile on her lips that he was to be a father again and he would have spun her around, kissing her and telling her how happy he was. But they were never going to have the chance of living any of this, so she threw her arms around his neck and hid her face in his skin.“Why did that have to happen to us, Rumple? What have we done wrong for destiny to take our child from us this way?”“I don’t know, my love.”“I will never feel it moving inside me. I will never know if it was a boy or a girl.” Belle complained, sounding broken again, wishing that she could stop mourning. “The Black Fairy took it from us. She destroyed our lives. Every good thing we had, she ended.”Pulling her away, he managed to make her face him again. “She didn’t end everything, Belle. I’ll take Gideon and Rose back to you.”“But at what price? I will lose you too.”This time, his eyebrows narrowed in confusion. “I thought you hated me.”“Hate you? Never.” Belle said, firmly. “I feel more like hating myself right now. I know that I said that I blame you for what happened, and I wasn’t lying, but - ” she shook her head, knowing that it all sounded silly and maybe nonsense, but feeling the need to say it anyway. “You are a part of me that I could never rip out of my life, because you’re like the air I breathe. You make me feel fearless and brave. I’m someone different when I am with you and I like that.” The lady took his hand in hers once more, looking at the moonstone ring on his finger and the delicate gold one on hers, remembering the promise they made each other so long ago. They may not be married, but they were more united than most of the couples that indeed were. “Rumplestiltskin, you are the man I love, the father of my children, my partner for adventures. My heart and soul truly belongs to you.”Love and adoration appeared in his eyes, in that old way that always made her breathless. He never looked more handsome than when he gazed at her like this and, as he brought her hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to the back of it, the pain went away for the first time since she woke up after the fire to find out that her whole world had been turned upside down.“And I am yours, now and forever.” Rumplestiltskin vowed. “I knew that you had me in the palm of your hand the moment I saw you, all those years ago, in your father’s castle. I knew that I would love you, when you fell into my arms after you pulled the curtains. I knew you would be an incredible mother, when I saw you cradle that stolen child I brought to the Dark Castle, with such a tenderness. You are the love of my life.”“We will overcome this, Rumple and we will be stronger in the end.”“Sweetheart -” the word slip off like a prayer, but whatever he had to say after it was cut off by a kiss.Her lips moulded to his in a perfect way, sweet at first, just that shy brush of a hesitant kiss, but neither of them could keep it that way for too long. They pressed their mouths together hungrily and angrily, the pain, the heartbreak, the mistakes and the love, all laid down in one kiss that tried to vanish all the problems away until their pure souls were everything that remained. Rolling on the bed, they stopped, looking into each other’s eyes in complete silence.Belle massaged his scalp, as he caressed her face with the tip of his nose. “Can you take me to see it?”“See it?”“The place where you buried our baby.”Rumplestiltskin’s lips formed a thin line, the concern clear in every line of his face. He didn’t think that it was a good idea. “I won’t do you any good, Belle.”“Please, do it for me.”But the thing was, he couldn’t deny her anything, much less when she was begging that way, so he slipped off the bed and offered a hand to her. “Can you stand up?”“Yeah.”Taking his hand, she threw the bedcovers away, standing on her feet a little shakily. He needed to support her and had to use his magic to make a pair of shoes appear on her feet and a green cloak appear around her shoulders, before he transported them to the woods.“Here we are.” The imp announced, pointing at the place he had marked with a big rock.Belle freed herself from his arms, kneeling on the ground, not giving a damn if she was getting her white nightgown dirty or anything else, only staring transfixed at the stone. She touched it, fresh tears gathering in her eyes. “Hello, sweet baby, I’m sorry that mama took so long to come to see you. I want you to know that I wish that you were here with us. I love you and you will always be in my thoughts.”With that, she rose from the ground and looked up at him, putting a brave look on her face, letting her lover wrap her in his embrace again, and his chin resting on the top of her head.“It’s time to stop mourning.” Rumplestiltskin said. “Can I take you home?”“To Granny’s house?”“No, to our castle. I fixed it, if you want to go back there.”“I do.” Belle replied, moving to look in his eyes and trace his jawline. “How I am supposed to let you go when I know that I will lose you forever?”“Hold on to the thought that you will raise our beautiful children, in our beautiful home exactly like we always planned.” He asked, and then added: “Take care of Bae for me too?”“He is already a son of my heart. But Rumple - ” she started.“What?”“We will find our way back to each other.” Gideon hated the Black Fairy's place, it was too dark, too closed and it terrified him, not to say that he had to keep a look out for Rose all the time. Some silent maids came about four or five times a day to bring them food and change the baby's clothes, but the rest of the time, he was completely alone with her. He found out that it was a calming thing for both of them to tell stories, so whenever his lullabies weren’t enough to make her stop crying, he started a new tale. During the time they remained in there, he tried to recreate the most exciting stories his mama had read for him, starting with Her Handsome Hero, which had become his ultimate favourite.That was what the boy was doing, while hugging Rose, when the Black Fairy entered their cell that afternoon, startling him."How are my precious children today?" She asked with a grin, approaching them and kneeling beside the bed, so her face was on the same level as theirs. "Do you know who I just met? The Dark One!"Tightening his embrace around his sister, Gideon lifted his chin. "He is going to get us back, isn't he?"A cruel laugh started to come from her throat, as if she thought that he was the biggest fool she had ever seen. Rose had her small hand gripping at his shirt, her attentive brown eyes staring at the fairy, wide and fearful, because even so little she already recognised a threat and knew that the Black Fairy was one. When the woman's fingers touched the baby girl's cheek she jumped inside her brother's arms, her face narrowing slightly, ready to start crying and Gideon pulled away from Fiona as much as he could."Well, I offered him an interesting deal, so we'll finally be able to be all together like a family. I just hope that he is smart enough to take it.""You are not part of our family!" The little boy shouted. "I want my mama back!""What have I said about mentioning her, Gideon?" Fiona asked, her tone colder, without that fake softness she was using before. "Do you want me to take Rose away from you, so you can learn your lesson?"Just to think of her, taking Rose from him, made a shiver pass through Gideon's body and, if it wasn't for the stupid black cuff, she had put on his wrist the moment she appeared in their castle, he would have tried anything he could to take them to another place. It was a pity that he wasn't good on pooffing himself away like his father used to do, disappearing in a cloud of purple smoke, or he could had done it during the fire. He could have been a hero that day. But he was just an inexperienced child, nothing more."No.""Then forget about Belle." Fiona demanded. "You love your sister, don't you? You want to be a hero and keep her safe?"Gideon nodded. "I'm not going to let you hurt her.""Will you be a good boy?""Yes.""Great." She smiled. "You won't regret it. In the future, you will be more powerful than you ever dreamed, and she," the Black Fairy pointed to the baby in his arms. "Will be your personal seer, warning about any danger that might get on your way." Standing up, she walked towards the gates and opened it with her magic. "I'll be back to take you when the time comes."As Fiona left, Gideon let his gaze fall to his sister, wearing a black dress, with her short stripes of auburn hair straightened perfectly on the top of her head. Rose was tiny and helpless and, seeing the bruise on her little hand that was a mark from the Black Fairy's long nails, he made a quiet promise of never letting anybody hurt her again."She is wrong, Rosebud." Gideon whispered. "We will be heroes like mama wished us to be." They thanked Granny and Ruby for the hospitality and moved back to the Dark Castle, along with Neal and Mrs. Potts. It was exactly like it was before the fire, nothing out of place, the same furniture in the same rooms, completely untouched, in perfect state of conservation, thanks to the magic. Belle thought that it was very impressive and she was grateful that at least she could be at home right now. Regina and the others had stayed hidden at Granny's, trying to create a spell that could allow them to go to the Dark Realm, unaware of Rumplestiltskin's deal with his mother.Neal wanted to take Henry with them, but none of his mothers agreed with such a thing, so he ended up leaving his son behind with a last bit of advice for them to always keep their guards up and never let all the magic users leave the place at the same time. Belle knew that if wasn't for the fact that he promised his father that he was going to take care of his family for him after the exchange, nothing would have separated him from Henry.During the time they still had, Rumple and her spent every moment they could, together and when the night came, he started to prepare himself to leave, knowing that soon his mother would be standing by the gates, waiting for him."You remember our plan, right?" He asked Belle, who was sitting in the armchair near the fireplace, wearing a velvet burgundy gown, her hair pulled up in an elegant bun that their maid had done.She looked stunning, fierce, fearless, almost dangerous with those eyes seeming to have gotten wiser by the pain. Tonight, she was purely and truly the Dark Lady, she would do anything to get her children back, even if that meant killing the Black Fairy. Belle stood up, placing her hands on his chest as she lazily kissed him."You will go outside, I will follow you after a moment, but I'll remain inside the gates, waiting for the moment that she will release our children and when she does, I will take them inside, lock the door and pray for your return." She recited, kissing a new spot on his skin at each part of it, starting at his cheek, passing down his neck, until she reached the limits of his leather waistcoat.Rumplestiltskin’s arms locked around her and he found his way to her lips again, tasting her mouth as if it was the greatest wine he ever drank in his life. They weren't healed from everything that had happened to them, but they couldn't waste their time together discussing what they still needed to mend in their relationship. They were going to fight against the Black Fairy and if he didn't come back for her, then he wanted to at least remember the last taste of her lips on his."I don't know if I have ever told you this, but you changed my life." Rumple said. "Ever since the moment you entered this castle, a light that I haven't known for a long time, brought me to be my best self again. You made me feel human, made me smile genuinely again, made me believe that the monster wasn't everything that I was." He paused taking her hands in his. "Belle, you are a hero. The things you've done in the last few years, not even the bravest knights tried to. You saved your people and you faced the beast, but most important, you spread the good around my life. And I'll never be able to thank you for that.""I really appreciate your beautiful words," she answered, teary-eyed. "But this is not the last time I'm going to see you."Leading him out of their chambers, Belle took Rumple to the dining hall where his son was waiting for them, Mrs. Potts bringing a full meal to the table."Bae.""The last dinner is being served." Neal said, playfully, but she knew that he was as concerned with his father's fate as they were. The young man approached the imp and hugged him. "You are doing right this time, papa. I believe that you changed."With this, the four of them took their places and ate together, fearing what the end of the night would bring.
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He was standing in the gardens. A soft breeze blowing his hair in the dark of the night, as he faced the gates, waiting for the moment that the Black Fairy would appear, knowing that somewhere behind him, Belle was hiding between the shadows, as anxious as him.Rumplestiltskin wasn’t really afraid of what could happen to him that night, but was frightened with the possibility of becoming a weapon against his own family, once his mother had his heart. His dagger, the object that could truly force him to do anything, was hidden by Belle, somewhere inside the castle, because he knew that the heart control was strong but not as much as the dagger’s could be. Yet, that wasn’t a guarantee that he wouldn’t end up being his mother’s pet from now on. Good thing that Rumple didn’t give a damn about it. He had two children to save and if his free will was the price he needed to pay to assure that they were going to return to his Belle’s arms, then that was what he would gladly give.Time was the only thing that he wanted to have now, because he wished he could have fixed things better with his lover before leaving this way. He knew that her heart was still broken and it would take a lot more than the simple conversations they had, to mend it. The imp was so lost in thought, that he would have missed the apparition behind him, if the twist in the air caused by the cloud of black smoke hadn’t warned him."It's a beautiful night, huh?" His mother said in a tender voice, too tender for someone so mischievous. "Have you made your decision?"When he turned around to face her, Rumplestiltskin took in the sight of the Black Fairy dressed in a high-neck long-sleeved gown, holding one of his children in each arm, Rose wrapped around a grey blanket and Gideon struggling uselessly to free himself."Papa!" The boy screamed, stretching his arms in the imp’s direction.In his chest, his heart was racing with the joy of seeing his children again, knowing that they were going to be fine, once they were returned to him."Yes.” He said in the most stable voice he could find. “I'll give you what you wish, but before that, I want my children back."A wicked smile stretched on Fiona’s lips as she swung on her heels as if she was rocking the fussy children. Gideon seemed so stressed and disgusted by being held by her, that the imp thought that any time his son could bite at her arm with strength enough to make blood pour from her."You're being wise, Rumple. This is a fair exchange."Behind clenched teeth he demanded: "Give them back."She played it a little longer, cuddling them in her embrace before Gideon start to kick her repeatedly, flouncing desperately until the Black Fairy had enough of it and almost threw the boy into his father’s arms, letting him take Rose too, hugging the two of them so tightly that the baby girl whined in discomfort."Got you. It's alright, son, you are safe now." Rumplestiltskin whispered, kissing the top of Gideon’s head before doing the same with Rose. "You too, little flower.""Papa, I was afraid, but I knew that you would come for us."Gideon enlaced his green-gold arms around his neck, the warmth of his little body so consoling that he wanted to make this moment last forever, because standing there nestling his children in his arms after almost losing them and in fact, having lost a baby, he found peace."Of course, I would." Rumple answered him, smelling the baby fragrance that Rose’s skin had. It smelled like hope. "Look at me, Gideon.” He asked, making his son lift his head. “Remember to always be a brave boy, right? I will love you forever."Concern filled the boy’s small face, his brow narrowing a little as he looked back at Fiona and then at Rumple again, trying to get some understanding from the situation. "Why are you saying that?""Because now you must go to your mother.""She's fine?" Gideon blinked, like he was surprised with that fact."Yeah, she is."Exactly like if she had been summoned Belle appeared by her lover’s side, had coming rushing from her hiding spot. "I'm right here, baby."“Mama!” Gideon freed himself from his father’s arms, throwing himself into his mother’s. She got him, squeezing their son and filling him face with quick wet kisses, that he didn’t care a bit about receiving, just laughing happily. “The bad fairy told me that you were dead.”“I’m not, darling.” Belle bounced. “Oh, I’ve missed you.”“I hate to interrupt that beautiful reunion,” Fiona started, impatient. “But it is time for me to get my part of the deal.”Rumplestiltskin approached his lady, handing their daughter to her, who caught the baby with her free arm, pressing her forehead against the little girl’s, mumbling sweet words to her ear in a childish voice. It was an image of almost his whole world clutched together right in front of him, when he was about to lose it all. He wished that Baelfire was there too, so he could take this memory to move him into freeing himself from his mother’s control later, but if that was what he got, then he was grateful, because it was a beautiful sight.“Belle, you need to get inside.” The imp said, bending to kiss his daughter’s cheek with all the love he had. “Papa loves you, Rose.”“What is going to happen?” Gideon asked.“Be good to your mama, Gid.” Rumplestiltskin said, instead of answering his son’s proper question, so then he pulled Belle closer and pressed a kiss to her lips, with their children staring at them while he did it. “Go.”Nodding, with her eyes full of unshed tears, she rushed back inside the castle, taking the children with her as she closed the doors in an attempt to keep Fiona very far away from there. He just hoped that the protection spells that he casted this time were better than the last ones.“You know,” Fiona said contemplatively. “You could have done better than to sleep with the help.”“You don’t get to judge my life decisions now, mother.”“Let’s get this over with.” She rolled her eyes, stretching a hand, getting it inside his chest and grabbing the heart, causing Rumplestiltskin to gasp when she pulled it from him, staring fascinated at the thing. “Look at this. A heart as black as mine, just unfortunately spotted with some red. But nothing that we can’t fix.”Waving a hand, she made a bottle full of black liquid appear and dropped it on the heart, making it glow as her powers worked on it, smoke lifting from her palms.“What the hell are you doing?” He questioned.“It’s called the curse of the Poisoned Heart.” The Black Fairy explained right before she pushed it inside him, making the mind of the Rumplestiltskin who was standing there until that moment, vanish away. “Now, we can be a family, my son.”For a moment, everything was confusing to him, his mind was spinning around, but then things started to settle down. He still was unsure about the place where they were, but Rumplestiltskin definitely knew who the woman was that was standing right in front of him, with the smile that he most appreciated in the world showing up on her lips.“Mother?”She nodded, opening her arms for him to hug her, accommodating her thin figure against his body, as if he was a little boy again, in their poor home in one of those villages, when none of them had powers or anything like that. Those were good memories but both mother and son preferred to stick to the ones where the darkness had already touched them and their life was easier.“Yes, Rumple." Fiona whispered, pulling away from him to stroke his face, letting her nails scratch his scales.Looking around, he tried to recognise the castle, but those parts of his memories were still very blurry. “Where are we?”“At home, of course. We live here.” His mother told him. “Now, why don’t we get inside and warm ourselves in front of the fireplace?”He became disoriented as flashes passed quickly through his mind. A little boy running around the garden, while a young woman followed him laughing as her auburn hair floated behind her. The same lady sat in the grass, a book in her left hand and a basket in her right, a small baby moving inside, playing with her fingers. But suddenly the images changed and it all got very clear.Her hair was dark, her eyes never met his and her unhappiness was too clear in each word she said, until the day he took her into the woods after he found out that she had a lover and smashed her heart, telling her children that their mother passed from a horrible illness that took her during one of their trips.“That sounds good.” He finally found himself able to say.Gripping at his arm, Fiona led him to the entryway, however, as soon as they reached the front step an invisible barrier stopped them.“Can you please, put the spells down?” The Black Fairy asked with a deep sigh of frustration and he used his powers to pull the protection spells down, not knowing why he would have lifted a barrier against himself in his own home. At his side, his mother smiled walking inside. “Good boy, come on.”They barely reached the end of the hallway when a young man appeared, coming from the dining hall with a sword pointed to the two of them.“Stay away!”"Stay away?" Rumplestiltskin chuckled. "This is my home, boy."Slowly and very mistrustfully, Baelfire pulled the sword down, looking puzzled. "Papa, you are alright." He pointed out.Rumple didn't know what the boy was talking about or why he expected him not to be fine, when everybody knew that the Dark One was immortal and there was no reason to worry about him."Of course I am, Bae, what were you expecting?""Why did you bring her here?" He asked, pointing at Fiona, the look in his eyes, of pure hatred.“She is your grandmother, Baelfire, show some respect!”“Papa - ” the boy tried to start, but someone else came from the dining hall.She was beautiful, to say the least. He never noticed before, but she was stunning, simply gorgeous, the velvet burgundy gown that she was wearing only making her more incredible to his eyes. Her hair was pulled up, showing the lines of her pale neck, where a baby girl laid her head on. During some long seconds, he felt himself completely hypnotized by her, before shaking his head and coming to his senses. She shouldn't be dressed like a highborn lady or holding that child, because she was just a maid, nothing more and she didn't deserve his attention.“Neal?” The girl inquired, seeming to be afraid of something. “Rumple? Why is she in here?”Walking towards her, the imp tried to reach for the child in her arms, but she stepped back, covering the baby's head with one hand, protectively.“Hey, what are you doing?” She asked, frightened.“Getting my daughter, dearie. You’re a very clumsy maid and I don’t want you to accidentally drop her or anything else.”Her eyes got wide and wild, as she was clearly offended by his words. A gasp left her mouth. “I’ve never dropped our babies to the ground!”“Our?" Rumplestiltskin laughed. She was definitely crazy, he decided. "Who do you think you are, girl?”“Pop, this is ridiculous.” Baelfire said.However, the imp wasn’t hearing anything, but his own thoughts that insisted in saying that he should get the baby from that woman.“She is only mine.” Rumplestiltskin bounced, causing Fiona to laugh, delighted with the scene.“Oh, yeah, you managed to have a baby all alone.” The maid replied in a sarcastic voice. “Who do you think carried this child inside her own womb?”“My late wife, Milah." He answered. "Now stop talking and give her to me!”A look full of pain took over her face and he thought that she would start to cry, when the name left her mouth like a cruel question. “Milah?”“You changed his memories of Belle?” Baelfire asked, glancing at his grandmother.Belle, Rumplestiltskin thought, the maid's name was Belle.“Everything is just the way it should be.” Fiona shrugged.Taking another step in Belle's direction, Rumplestiltskin stretched his arms, trying to reach for his child, that sweet baby girl that seemed too innocent and good to indeed be his. “Give her to me.”“No, please," the maid begged. "Don’t take her away, I just got them back.”“You better give me my daughter, you foolish girl, or you are going to sleep in the dungeons for the entire month.”With a wave of his hand he made the child appear in his arms, leaving Belle to stare at the emptiness of her own, panic crossing her beautiful face. The baby looked back at her, starting to cry loudly as her father tried to calm her.“Rumple, please!" Belle yelled, coming to his side, one delicate hand smoothing the baby's back at the same time the other did the same to his arm. "I love you, you have to remember that!”Irritated, he let his powers throw her on the floor. “Take her away from me.”“Mama?" A little boy asked, appearing at the end of the staircase. "Papa? What is happening?”“Gideon, come here buddy." Baelfire said, taking his hand and helping Belle to rise up. "Let’s take mama upstairs.”“Oh, no. You two are not going anywhere with her.” Fiona interfered, calling out the chubby woman that appeared there, following the boy. “You maid. Take this woman to the dungeons.”“Milady Belle?” She asked, surprised.The people must be mad, something must have happened during his absence in the castle to make them treat that stupid maid that way. Maybe she was a witch and had bewitched them. The only thing Rumple knew was that it couldn't stand anymore.“The next one who calls this maid, mama or milady is going to keep company with her in there.” He threatened.Slowly, the chubby woman grabbed Belle's arm, starting to drag her downstairs, but she wasn't willing to cooperate, pulling herself away from the other maid, screaming: “You can’t do this to me, Rumplestiltskin! You can’t!”Gideon tried to reach for her, but Baelfire got him, trying to refrain the boy as he struggled with his oldest brother. Belle looked at him and was about to reach for the boy, when Fiona came to stop her, gripping her wrists tight. Belle gave him the most heart-breaking look he ever remembered seeing.“My children are crying." She said with a sob. "They want me.”“Listen, you’ll stay locked up until you learn your place, then maybe you can serve us some tea.”Then, Fiona threw her in the dungeons, as satisfied as she could be. Belle was crying against the uncomfortable mattress of the dungeons, exactly like she'd done for weeks after she first arrived at the Dark Castle, but this time, she wasn't doing it because she missed her father's castle and feared having lost her freedom forever, but because the man she loved had no memory of their time together, claiming another woman to be the mother of their children. It was cruel and depressive, but that seemed to be the only thing she did those days: curl herself in bed and cry."Milady." The whisper came from the door and Belle sat up, turning to face her. "I brought you some food."Mrs. Potts entered the room, all dressed in black, just like Fiona liked to wear herself, and as for the style of her gown, Belle wouldn’t be surprised if she said that it was her master’s mother who made her change her old clothes. She placed a tray with water and bread in front of Belle, an apologetic look on her chubby face. "This is everything they allowed me to bring you."Looking at the tray, she sighed, because she wasn't hungry, but Rumple had never served her only this, just as they never served their maid with servant’s food. In their castle, the maids were very well treated, having comfortable rooms, full meals and becoming family. It was horrible to see the Black Fairy destroy even this."That's ok, Mrs. Potts. Thank you very much." Belle said, wiping the tears from her face. "How are my children?""Gideon is locked in his chambers, refusing to speak a word.” Mrs. Potts told her, rubbing her hands together. “The Black Fairy is walking around the castle with Rose in her arms, like she is her own daughter."Belle felt her jaw tighten. Never in her life had she had hated someone the way she hated Fiona. "Gods forgive me, but I'll kill that bitch the first chance I get."Mrs. Potts seemed startled by those words, but she knew that her lady had gone through too much bad events during the last few days, it was almost a miracle that Belle was still so strong and willing to fight that way after everything that happened."Milady, we need to play her game to keep an eye on the children.” The maid said, grabbing her hand and squeezing it gently, to show some support. “That's what master Neal decided to do, he is pretending that everything is normal.""How am I supposed to go upstairs and pretend that things are normal?" She asked, waving her head. "Rumplestiltskin doesn't remember me.""And that's just one more reason for you to do so! You need to make the master remember." Mrs. Potts insisted. "If you keep hidden in here, his fake memories will only get time to stick in his mind!"Belle sighed. She admitted to herself that Mrs. Potts was right. It wouldn’t do any good if she let Fiona just enjoy her victory while she kept her locked in these dungeons like a prisoner. If not for herself, Belle had to do this for her children, she needed to make Rumple remember, because if he did so then there would be a chance for them to destroy the Black Fairy like they planned to.It was time to play a new a game.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
On the next day, Belle started to put her plan in action. She woke up as soon as the sun rose, dressed herself in one of those horrible black gowns that Fiona decided the maids should wear from now on and went straight to the kitchen. Mrs. Potts was already there, preparing some bread dough while a cake was being baked in the oven."Good morning." She greeted the maid."Good morning, milady." Mrs. Potts replied, without stopping her work.Belle approached her, looking around the kitchen and remembering how much time she had spent in there during her first months in the castle. She was definitely a terrible cook and only learned enough to not have Rumplestiltskin complaining all the time about every meal she served for him. It had been a wonderful day when he gave her a surprised look, saying that his dinner wasn't bad at all, and Belle felt happy knowing that it was truth, because for the first time, the meat wasn't toasted and the vegetables looked decent on his plate.At every chance he had, after they started their relationship, Rumple would remind her of her failed attempts in the kitchen, laughing and saying that if he didn't adore the expectance in her eyes every time he ate something she cooked, he would have started to make his meals appear with magic just like he did before their deal, long before she got pregnant and he restricted her from all the work."How are things here?" Belle asked, eager to know anything about what happened after Mrs. Potts went back from the dungeons to continue her job, attending to all the family needs."The same. I haven't knocked on Gideon's door yet, but I'm pretty sure that he is going to keep locked up in there."A long sigh escaped her. She didn't want her children to suffer even more with all this, and for Gideon things were worse than for Rose because he was at an age where he was already capable of understanding those situations, so he wanted his mother back and was confused with his father's attitude. At least, the lady thought, Rumple had some twisted memories of their children and wasn't going to let anything bad happen to them."My poor boy." She whispered, a hand pressed against her chest."I took all your clothes and jewellery to one of the rooms in the east tower." Mrs. Potts informed. "It was a decree of the Black Fairy. She doesn't want master to see any of it.""I can guess why." Belle complained, looking for the teapot in the cabinets. "I'll get the tea ready."Finding it in a new place than the one she used to settle it, Belle brought it with the cups to a tray and put the water to boil. Steps came from the door and she stopped what she was doing, looking at Mrs. Potts with the corner of her eye."I see that our wild little maid is back to her duties. That's good." Fiona said, rejoicing. Belle turned to face her mother-in-law, hating the smile on her face and wanting to take it off her with the strongest slap she could do. "I never thanked you properly, right my dear?" Her hands became fists and the lady had to use every bit of strength she had to keep herself from going up to the Black Fairy and hit her. "I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for your baby's blood."Belle could barely believe what she was hearing. Hasn't Fiona ever considered how much she had already hurt her? Does she care about another person who wasn't herself? How could she stand right there in the kitchen talking so coldly about the death of her own grandchild?It wouldn't surprise Belle a bit to know that this woman didn't care for her, but the baby she had been carrying was her son's child. It was his seed growing inside her. Fiona's own family expanding. Didn't it mean something to her? Belle already knew the answer, but she didn't like it, because it made her feel sick and nauseous."You despicable witch." She almost spit. "You killed my child.""Oh, no, I didn't. It was an accident, otherwise I couldn't have used the blood for my spell. Your clumsiness killed it."There was a blind feeling taking over her, making her whole body shake and a strong wave of adrenaline run through her veins, causing Belle to think of herself as powerful enough to beat the Black Fairy down in that moment. She would have done this, if it wasn't for the fact that this woman was capable of anything and could take her revenge by harming her children. Everyone that looked at the evil expression that was on her face in that second could tell that she would do so."Go to hell." Belle yelled."I am hell." Fiona answered. "At least, in your life. But well, thank you. And don't bring too much sugar to the table, I hate sweet tea."Walking back from where she had come from, the Black Fairy disappeared, leaving the two maids alone in the kitchen. Belle immediately felt her legs giving up, letting her fall down, collapsing on the floor, still shaken with hate.“Calm down, milady." Mrs. Potts muttered, smoothing her tense shoulders. "Don’t let her get the best of you.”“Alright." Belle whispered, nodding slightly and trying to compose herself before rising up and getting back to her work. "Let’s serve the breakfast and maybe I can get a glimpse of my children.”Agreeing with her, Mrs. Potts finished the bread and put it to bake while the cake cooled. The two of them cleaned everything they used and then, prepared the trays.When the breakfast was finally ready, they took it to the dining hall where Rumple, Neal, Fiona and the children already were. Gideon was sitting in his usual chair, gaze dropped to the table until the moment he saw his mother coming from the kitchen and his eyes met hers, in a very pleading way. Rose otherwise, was fussy in her father's arms, screaming as loud as her lungs allowed her to. Rumple had a metal cup in his hand and was trying to lead it to the baby's mouth, but she kept turning and refusing to let the thing approach her.Belle place the two trays she was carrying on the table, her heart heavy and beating painfully fast on her chest at the sight of her children's clear unhappiness. She started to serve the tea, brushing Gideon's hand in the process to let him know that she was still there and cared about him.“Sweetheart.” Her heart stopped when the word slipped so full of love from Rumplestiltskin's mouth, and the hope that he could have miraculously remembered everything, filled Belle just before he continued to speak and she realised that he wasn’t talking to her, but to Rose. “You never complained before. You need to take this.”“Trying to force her won’t help, pop.” Neal snorted.“Children can be really irritating some times." Fiona said, taking her cup of tea from Belle's trembling hands. "Let it be Rumple, if she doesn’t want to be fed then leave her aside.”Immediately, Belle froze with the teapot halfway to Neal's cup. She couldn't be serious. Fiona couldn't just be thinking about letting her precious baby girl starve simply because she was a little fussy. And of course, she didn't want to take that milk they were offering her, because she was used to taking it from her mother's breast. Rose was just a baby and Belle felt her body start to ache with the instinct of giving her daughter what she needed.“I – " she hesitantly begun. "I can try to feed her.”Fiona lowered her cup, glancing at the maid with an irritated expression. “I thought we’ve agreed that you should be a quiet ghost in this hall.”“I’m sorry, milady Fiona," Belle said, playing the part of the frightened silly girl. "I was just trying to help.”Rumplestiltskin looked between them and to the squealing baby in his arms, a decision appearing to be made.“It’s alright mother, if she wants to, then I think that she can try.”A smile of victory appeared on Belle's lips. “Thank you, master.”“Mrs. Potts." Rumplestiltskin called and the chubby maid rushed to his side, letting him place the baby carefully in her arms, handing the cup with milk to her too. "Take Rose and only give her to Belle when she is ready and sitting. Stay until Rose is finished eating.” He instructed.“Yes, master.” Mrs. Potts replied, a little nervous under Fiona's angry watch. “Come on, Belle, we can do it in the kitchen.”“I want her back here in five minutes!” The Black Fairy demanded.With quick nods, the two women went back to the kitchen, closing the door behind them. Mrs. Potts left the cup aside, letting Belle take Rose. It was like the whole room had been lighted by the soft weight of her daughter in her arms, her movements calming as she rocked her gently.“My baby, oh, it’s alright, darling.” Belle whispered, rushing to open her bodice and lead the baby's mouth to her nipple. “Here, take your meal.” The lady said, feeling relieved as the little girl started to suck fiercely. “She seems so hungry.”“She probably is." Mrs. Potts agreed. "Only the gods know if this fairy had been feeding her during all this time.”Glancing at her baby's perfect face, Belle didn't know if she wanted to have that information. Ignorance hurt less and she had already freaked out when she saw the bruise on Rose's hand last night. Every little thing about her children's kidnapping was only another reason for her to want Fiona dead.“I don’t want to even think about that, Mrs. Potts.”“I know, milady. You are like my own child and it hurts me to see you in such despair.”Closing her eyes, the lady leaned her head on the maid’s shoulder, the two of them drowning in the silence for some great minutes before the kitchen's door opened and Fiona passed through it walking towards Belle and reaching to take Rose away from her, leaving the lady with empty arms and an open gown.“Feeding time is over.” The Black Fairy said, cradling the quiet baby and giving Belle a look of disgust. “You better not let my son see you breastfeeding her or bad things will happen around here. And, just to warn you, keeping your mouth shut is a requirement for you to survive.” Small flashes kept coming to his mind, all of them related to the youngest maid, the one who had been able to calm Rose and make her take the milk he spent a long time trying to give her. The same one who had cried when he took the baby from her arms, saying how much she loved him. She was definitely an annoying thing, but she was also very pretty and his eyes followed her whenever she was around. As the blue-eyed girl served him tea during the afternoon, the image of a damaged cup filled his head, followed by her, dressed in a golden gown looking much more sweet and innocent than now. He shook his head, trying to get it out of his mind, but then another flash came and he saw her, bare beneath his body, her face showing pleasure and his name slipping through her lips.It was madness, Rumplestiltskin concluded. He was missing having a woman in his bed and was stupidly starting to fantasize about his maid. But he had to admit that it was a good fantasy.“Do you want something more, master?”He looked up at Belle, who was standing too close to him, her hair falling around her shoulders, framing her face and neck. For a moment, he caught himself thinking how beautiful her skin would look if he marked it with small bites, then he blinked coming back to reality.“What?”“I asked if you wanted something more.”Oh, he wanted a lot more, but mainly for his mind to stop playing with him. It was easier to reason when his mother was close to him, but she had gone to the laboratory and Baelfire was bothered with something and had went to his chambers, leaving Rumple alone with the two children, Rose sleeping in the crib and Gideon surrounding it like he was afraid that something would happen to his sister. When the imp let his glance flow to them, he realised that his youngest boy was watching him with attentive eyes while caressing he baby's cheek.“No.” He answered quickly.“Well, in this case, I think I’m going to clean the library.”She turned away and when Belle did it another flash came. It was her, standing there with a giant smile and wearing a blue dress while she lifted a rose to her nose, smelling it.“Wait.” The word escaped him, before Rumple could contain himself.Belle looked at him over her shoulder. “What is it?”He wanted to tell her about the flashes and how crazy they were getting him, but he couldn’t find the courage to do it. So, he pulled on his most impish voice and said: “Nothing. Go away.” It was all too clear to be fake. He could see her in a long, thin, elegant nightgown, right there in his chambers, a smile on her face as her hands caressed the slight curve of her belly. A weird feeling coursed through him, a great happiness that came from knowing that it was his seed that filled her womb, creating this new life that she so seemed to adore. But it couldn't be. In his memories, it was very clear that the mother of his children was dead, however it bothered him more each second.The Milah he remembered marrying, didn't resemble Gideon and Rose. No, his children’s hair had the same auburn colour of the maid’s, and their features matched so perfectly that Rumple started to think that if he saw Belle’s body without any covers, he would find traces of a pregnancy on it. He knew that at least she cared too much for the children, as her gaze always found its way towards the children when Fiona wasn’t paying attention. That mixed with the echoes of her screams when he took Rose from her arms, made him decide that he needed to have a frank conversation with her to end his doubts.But what really got him thinking of himself as a delusional creature, was the fact that he should at least remember something about her. Unless, someone had washed his memory completely with a spell that was strong enough to erase only the right parts, replacing them with new fake memories. However, it seemed so impossible that he tried to just forget about those damn flashes.It was the end of the fifth day since his weird return to the castle and things were still very awkward. Gideon barely spoke, restricting himself to only answer when someone asked him something, making sure that he was as far from his grandmother as possible, like he feared her. Baelfire was another silent problem, who looked disgusted every time he needed to be in their presence and had a long exhaustive argument with Fiona that morning after she caught him trying to write a letter to his ex-lover, Emma.“So, I can’t leave the castle. I can’t write to anyone.” He chuckled, without any humour. “What am I? A prisoner?”“No, I’m just taking care of you, Bae.” Fiona had answered. “This girl is no good for you.”“You don’t get to decide his. And what about my son, huh? I want to see Henry.”Rumplestiltskin had rolled his eyes, leaning against his chair, as he watched the discussion. It was so stupid and pointless that he wished to end it as soon as possible, so maybe they could all just sit and eat in peace.“Why the interest in the boy now?” He asked. “You haven’t known him for the first ten years of his life. There is no need to get involved now.”Taking steps in his direction Bae gave his back to his grandmother, facing his father with angry eyes. The imp didn’t understand why his son was showing such a rage and he certainly didn’t expect the next words that came from his mouth.“Well, I’m going to tell you why the interest.” Baelfire said, bitterly. “Because I’m not you! And I care about my son.”After that, he disappeared into his room, refusing to speak to him. Maybe he just needed some time to get his thoughts in order, just like Gideon did, so after he had put Rose to sleep, the imp went to his own chambers, closing the door and sitting in one of the armchairs near the fireplace. And there he had been ever since, a glass of wine in one hand as he watched the flames crackling slowly, being replaced by distant images of Belle from time to time.He lifted the glass to his mouth, drinking all the wine before placing it on the small table at his side. Again, she was there, letting him slip a delicate ring on her finger, before she placed the moonstone one on his. Rumplestiltskin looked down at his hand, rubbing the ring, troubled and trying to decide what he should do, when he heard someone walking in the hallway.Standing up, he opened the door and peeked a look outside, ready to see his mother going to her chambers or maybe Baelfire going to the kitchen for a snack, but all he saw was Belle sneaking out of Gideon's chambers."What the hell do you think you are doing?" He asked, causing the maid to jump, startled."Rumplestiltskin!" Belle exclaimed, turning to face him. "I - I was - " she didn't seem to find the words to complete the phrase."Was what?"She bit her lip, gazing down at the floor. "I was just reading a bedtime story to Gideon. I'm sorry.""I thought that he was already sleeping.""Mrs. Potts said that he was having trouble sleeping, so I thought that reading to him could help him."He had no idea that his own son was having trouble sleeping, actually when he left the boy’s room that night, he thought that things were just fine and Gideon had already dropped into unconsciousness, but apparently, he was wrong. The imp fully opened the door of his own chambers, giving Belle enough space to pass through it."Come in." Rumplestiltskin said."Why?""Because I'm your master and I am telling you to do so." His rude tone just seemed to startle her again, and he felt the need to add: "I'm not going to hurt you, dearie.""I'm not afraid that you will." Belle said, lifting her chin as she walked inside his room, letting him close the door behind her.Then, there was a moment of full contemplation for the two of them. Belle looked around the chambers with a nostalgic face, like she was trying to capture every detail of it, while she still could. Rumple, on the other hand, just stared at her, admiring her beauty until his eyes dropped to her fingers and he saw the same ring he had seen in one of his flashes. He reached for her, grabbing her hand and bringing it closer to his face, so he could analyse the golden piece as she glanced at him clearly confused with his attitude."Did I give this to you?" Rumplestiltskin asked."Yes." She said with a smile. "You remember?""Not exactly." He dropped her hand and turned around, facing the walls so he wouldn’t have to look at her, when he was about to sound so incredibly mad with his next question. "Tell me, why I did I give this to you?""You made a vow to me, right here in these chambers and gave me the ring to seal it." Belle sighed. "That was a wonderful night."What he wanted to know was why he would have made a vow to her, a mere maid."Tell me more.""It had been some time after we’ve found out that I was expecting Gideon and we made love for the first time since his conception." She told him in a dreamy tone.A shiver passed down his spine, a heavy feeling settling in his cock as the images he had dreamed of filled his mind. Belle wearing black and seeming nervous disappeared, replaced by the one he had glimpsed earlier, happy and in love laid down on his bed, looking at him with expectant eyes as he adored her body, stopping for only a brief moment to caress her baby bump, knowing that his child was nestled safely inside there.A potion, his mind clicked, he needed a potion to stop these illusions, so he could go back to his life and stop been affected by that stupid maid."I don't have any memory of this. Why should I believe you?""Because if you didn't know that something is wrong, you wouldn't have brought me here."He approached her, circling Belle like a snake ready to attack and stood behind her, his hands sliding down her arms until they were placed on her hips and he pulled her closer. The feeling of her curves brushing against his body made Rumplestiltskin feel a little breathless with desire, getting hard inside his trousers. He sniffed the scent of her hair, causing Belle to gasp when his mouth reached her ear."And why would you ever let a monster touch you?" He asked in a whisper."You are not a monster." She answered, faithfully. "I have loved you for too long to not allow myself the pleasure of your body against mine."The new wave of lust made him consider forgetting about his pride and just lay her on the bed, removing her clothes and taking her to satiate his needs, but he wasn’t going to do this. Gods, he needed to make a potion now, or he would succumb to those fantasies and believe in her lies. Rumplestiltskin knew his past and it had nothing to do with that silly girl. He was married to Milah. They had three children. She cheated on him and he killed her for that.Everything was clear and he pulled away from the maid, pointing furiously at the door."Get out.""Rumple - " Belle tried to say, her gorgeous blue eyes shining with tears."Get out of here." He yelled. "You are just a lying maid trying to take advantage of my moment of disorientation and I don't want to see you sneaking into my children's room anymore!"She looked at him like he had broken her heart. Then, she rushed away
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Belle entered the dungeons crying. She had run all the way from Rumplestiltskin’s chambers until she was inside the cell she had taken as hers, sitting on the bed, wondering how much longer she could take living like this.“Mama?” The small voice came from the hallway.The lady stood up and opened the door, looking around to find Gideon at the end of the staircase, looking terrified to be down there, but taking some steps into the dark with all the courage he had. After she left his room earlier, he heard his parents talking and slipped off the bed, trying to get what they were saying and hoping that the two of them were making amends. When he saw Belle, he walked towards her, quickly, letting his mother pick him up from the floor, grateful that they could share a hug.“Darling, what are you doing here?”“I heard papa screaming at you.” Gideon told her. “Why is he doing this? He used to love us.”“Oh, Gid!” Belle kissed his forehead, entering her cell and sitting back on the bed, with the boy still wrapped in her arms. “This is all the Black Fairy’s fault. Somehow, she changed his memories about us, but he still cares about you and your siblings, he just doesn’t know who I am anymore.”Gideon was angry with this situation. He wasn’t talking too much because Fiona had threatened to hurt Rose if he said something she disliked, so he was afraid that any word of his would endanger his sweet little sister. Cuddling against his mother, he inhaled her scent, feeling a lot better being near her.“What if I tell him?” The boy proposed. “I can say that you are my mama and that he should be nice to you.”Shaking her head, Belle straightened his hair, giving him a sad look. “He won’t believe. I just tried.”“Then what are we going to do? Mama, I’m afraid.”“I know, I am too, but you know what?” She touched the tip of his nose twice, making him giggle. “We need to do the brave thing and keep going with this until he remembers. Bravery follows brave acts.”A smile filled his lips. “I am brave.”Well, at least he wanted to believe it. Gideon had never done anything great that put him in that position, but he felt brave and Belle, apparently agreed with him because she smiled, saying: “That you certainly are.”“When we were in the Black Fairy’s place I sang to Rose, and told her the best stories you read to me.”That was probably the moment when he felt the most brave in his whole life. He couldn't do much for Rose, but he did what he could, he just wished that he had been able to struggle with the Black Fairy. If Gideon was older, maybe he could defend his family.“You did?” His mama asked. “That’s sweet, Gid. You are a great big brother.”Laying his head against her shoulder, he took the compliment, a little proud of himself, feeling his mother's fingers massage his hair, making him feel sleepy.“Can I sleep here with you?” Gideon yawned.“I’m sorry, but it’s better if you just go back to your chambers. If Fiona sees you here, I don’t know what she would do.”At the thought of the Black Fairy committing other cruelties against her children, he looked up at Belle, a question shining in his big brown eyes.“Mama is it true? Is she my grandma?”Belle bit her lip, nodding. “Yeah, darling.”“But papa said that his parents were dead.”Sighing, the lady felt wordless for the first time in long time. She didn't know how to explain this to him, because at some point in their relationship she and Rumple had decided that the less their children should know about their grandparents, with the only exception being Belle's mother, Colette, because they weren't exactly the best people and talking about them wouldn't do any good. Rumplestiltskin despised both his parents, and after everything Maurice did to her, Belle certainly wasn't on the best terms with her father, even though she had forgiven him.“Sometimes it’s better to think about some people as if they are.” She ended up saying. “Fiona wasn’t a good mama to him and she is not being good right now too.”Gideon stretched himself to press a kiss to her cheek.“I’m happy that you are my mama, because you are good.”“I love you, Gid. More than anything.” "You forgot a spot here."Belle had been cleaning the treasure room for a good part of the afternoon under the Black Fairy’s attentive look. She couldn’t believe that sick woman had wasted all her time watching her remove the dust from objects, like it was an interesting thing, but taking into consideration that her most appreciated part of it was running a finger through the furniture to see if there was any dust left, the lady could tell that it was some kind of enjoyable torture for her."I'm sorry, milady Fiona." Belle answered behind clenched teeth.After Rumplestiltskin freaked out, she barely had the chance of taking a look at Gideon, as he didn’t want her to serve their meals anymore and just allowed her to feed Rose because she was the only one capable of doing so, even though he didn’t suspect that the milk he was making appear with magic was being completely wasted, as the baby rejected it every time, preferring to take what her mother could offer.Sighing, Belle crossed the room to where Fiona was standing, cleaning the spot that she was pointing at on a shelf."I want you to change the bedcovers today and polish the silver." The woman said, tapping her long nails against the glassware."Alright.""What are you expecting?” Fiona questioned, when she didn’t move, snapping her fingers repeatedly. “The work won't get done by itself.""Sure.” Belle rolled her eyes. “I'm going."It was really a miracle that she hadn’t slapped that woman yet. Belle was so incredibly irritated with her and everything she had done, that even hearing the sound of her melodic voice caused her blood to boil. She went upstairs and picked out some clean bedcovers before starting the tiring task of changing all the beds the castle had.When she finally reached Rumplestiltskin’s chambers – the same ones that had been theirs until recently – Belle hesitated for a moment before entering it, because their last conversation was still very clear in her mind and she wasn’t sure if she wanted to risk having him yelling at her again. However, lucky for her, the room was completely empty and she could do her job in peace, thinking about how much time it would be until Rose’s next meal. She was dying to hold her baby girl in her arms again, even if it was just for those precious five minutes.A shadow stopped by her side and Belle almost jumped in fright. Rumplestiltskin was standing right by her side."Master - " she squealed, not daring to lift her gaze to him. "I'll leave in a minute, I'm just finishing changing the covers."The imp kept staring at her, as Belle rushed to straighten the pillows and grab the dirty bedcovers from the floor, hugging them as if they were a protective barrier. She moved to the door and was about to leave when his voice stopped her."Why don't you look me in the face?" He asked.Eyes closing, she thought about lying and maybe saying that he was the one who didn’t realise when she did, but Belle was tired of pretending, so instead, she made a confession."It hurts.""Looking at me hurts you?" Rumplestiltskin laughed. "I know that I'm ugly, dearie, but - ""No, you don't understand. I think you are handsome and I know that you think I am annoying. We've been in this position before, but you don't remember and that's what hurts me."There was a shine of something in his eyes when she looked at them that made Belle's heart skip a beat. He had been so shady these past few days that his expressions had become less and less human, taken by the darkness that insisted in transforming him into a cold monster. That seemed to be Fiona's greatest goal, making Rumple exactly like her, totally deprived of feelings. Everything going on there, connived towards that: the low lights in the hallways of the Dark Castle, the black clothes all the people in there were being forced to use and, mainly, the spells she passed a long time creating in the laboratory."You're just a maid, that's what I remember and that's the truth.""So, let's say that is and that I feel attracted to you." Belle swallowed, being as brave as she told her son that they should be. "What would you do to me?"A deep laugh came from his throat as he walked, until he was standing right in front of her, an amused look on his face as his green-gold fingers came to caress the soft skin of her pinkish cheeks."Do you think that I would throw you in the dungeons again just because of that?""Well, I'm actually still sleeping there.""And would you like a comfortable bed instead?"His whole palm cupped her face and Belle couldn't help but to lean into his touch, a sigh leaving her."Not exactly. I just wanted to wake up with a pair of arms around me."The imp carefully took the bedcovers from her arms, throwing them somewhere behind her, before he moved to embrace her in his arms pulling her so close that she could feel every inch of his body touching hers, his heart pounding under her fingers when she placed both hands on his chest."Like this?" Rumplestiltskin asked."Yeah."He bent his face and for a moment, she thought that he was going to kiss her, but what Rumple really did, was to run his cold nose on her face, making her shiver and her breath grow difficult."Why do you feel attracted to me?" The imp whispered against her ear, nibbling at her lobe."You have a beautiful soul." She said, with a low whimper. "I feel safe around you." Belle's hands travelled down his body, gripping at every single spot she could reach, every single one that had already been hers. "And I want you with every fibre of my being.""Are you trying to seduce your master, dearie?" He questioned as he licked at the pulse point on her neck. Belle moaned and rubbed herself against him, feeling as he grew harder. "You know, I've heard it is dangerous to remain much time in the company of a beast and, even more, if you're trying to get him crazy like this."This phrase, it was almost painful to hear it, because he had said exactly the same thing to her, all those years ago, when she first recognized his interest in her, at the hallway that led to her old chambers, when the image of Belle in her thin nightgown had gotten him wanting her. That was when everything changed, but the greatest difference between the Rumple and Belle from the past and the ones clutching at each other in the middle of his chambers now, was that back then, he cared about her. He may had taken a long time to admit it, but he did and every single action of his proved it, however, after the brainwash the Black Fairy did to him, the imp only looked at her in two ways: like she was food and he was starving or like she was just a troublesome thing that made his life worse.The sad truth was that Rumple didn’t love her anymore. But if she had any hope to make him remember that once he did, she needed to start from somewhere, so if her body was what he wanted right now, then Belle wouldn’t deny it."Show me the beast, Rumplestiltskin." She muttered.And that he did. Rumple didn’t meet her lips not even once, but he attacked her throat and collarbone with bites, licks and kisses, pushing Belle against the bed and setting himself between her legs as he pressed his body to hers, groaning at the feeling of Belle trembling with desire in his arms. His hands grabbed the laces of her bodice, undoing it as fast as he could.Belle didn’t know if she should be doing this, first because the obvious fact that he didn’t remember her at all, so she didn’t mean anything to him and second because she had recently had a miscarriage and had no idea if it was healthy to do it right now, which made her remember that she should ask him for a contraceptive potion. Only the gods knew how much she was already traumatized and the last thing she needed was to worry about the possibility of getting pregnant this way, when Rumple didn’t give a damn about what happened to her and when Fiona could kill her for it. Not that Belle thought that she was able to conceive at this moment, but it was better to be safe than sorry.The lady opened her mouth to talk about the potion, but Rumple’s hand found its way between her thighs and she could only moan, when he pushed her underwear to one side and slid a finger between her folds. Belle reached to open his trousers and pull them down, returning the favour and starting to stroke his hard length. She pressed her face to his chest, letting out whimpers of pleasure as he pinched her clit repeatedly and her hands tightened her grip around him, teasing Rumple in all the ways she knew that aroused him."Oh, fuck.” He groaned, thrusting against her hand. “I want you.""Take me. I'm yours."Pulling away from her just enough to lift her chin with his free hand, Rumplestiltskin looked inside her eyes, staring marvelled at Belle, looking so wild like this, her hair a little messy, her cheeks flushed, eyes darkened with lust, lips parted as she breathed hard while he worshipped her. His face came closer to hers, noses bumping and lips almost brushing when the door opened and a gasp came from the person who was standing there."What is happening in here?" Fiona asked with wide eyes.“Mother!” Rumple almost choked when he glanced at her over his shoulder. “Oh, gods! Please, turn around!”Snorting, Fiona turned her back to them. “I thought you knew better than to sleep with the help. If you want a woman to satisfy yourself, there is a plenty of them in the taverns!”Belle was red with shame and felt panic take her, when a second person entered the room and she rushed to close her bodice, only grateful that Rumplestiltskin's body was covering hers.“What the - ” Neal let the phrase die before he concluded it, looking horrified at the scene, his father standing in front of the bed between Belle's legs with lowered trousers and a hand tucked under her skirts. He wanted to take his eyes out to free himself of that terrifying scenario. “The last thing I needed today or any other day, was an image of this. Damn it, papa, cover yourself!”If Rumple could blush, Belle knew that he would've. He took his fingers out of her, pulling his trousers up with some effort as he was still hard. She finished closing her bodice and was dragged away from the bed by Fiona, whose grip on her arm was so tight that she knew that it would leave a mark.“Get out of here, you little whore.”The lady was pushed out of the room alongside with Neal, the Black Fairy closing the door to talk with her son alone. Immediately, she walked down the hallway, not wanting to look at Neal's face after what he witnessed.“Belle!" He called, running to reach her. "What did you think you were doing?”Tears fell down her eyes as the only answer she could find was that she had no idea. She was ashamed of herself, still slick and aching beneath her legs, all messed up, willing to give herself that way. Never before she had felt worse.“I can’t take this anymore, Neal." Belle cried. "I want my life back.”“And you thought that letting my father screw you that way could make it happen?”“I’m desperate here!”“Yeah, but that man doesn’t love you, mama Belle." Neal said and Belle was grateful that he didn't look disgusted at her, just worried. "He was only going to take advantage of you before sending you to the dungeons again.”“Gods, I hate myself right now.”Neal sighed and hugged her, leading Belle downstairs, where they found Mrs. Potts cradling Rose. Reaching to take his little sister from the maid’s arms, he gave her instructions:“Mrs. Potts, take your lady Belle to the kitchen, give her a glass of water and please, try to keep her away from my father, alright?” Belle washed herself and angrily found the room where Fiona threw all her clothes in, pulling on one of her old comfortable gowns, even though she knew that it could only make things worse. She wasn’t going to wear black. Screw that colour, she hated it now. Screw that stupid plan of forming a bond with him all over again, Belle needed something that could really work and as much as she hated to admit, magic seemed to be her only solution now.After she looked decent again, her hair carefully styled half up and half down just like she most appreciated and a long-sleeved blue dress making her feel a little lighter, she went to the kitchen and started to prepare the dinner. Mrs. Potts wasn’t around to help and she was sure that whatever she tried to cook would probably taste horrible, but Fiona deserved to eat fried frogs, so she didn’t care about all the bad things she would hear. Her recent rage, was making Belle feel alive and it was very, very good.“Hey.” Rumplestiltskin said, appearing near the oven, brought by his magic.“Oh, hey.”“I’m sorry for what happened earlier. I never thought that my mother would catch me in that situation after all this time.”A bitter laugh slipped from her lips, for him now the most important thing was that his precious mama caught him about to couple with his maid. That was ridiculous and that hurt her. Belle worked on cutting the carrots for the soup she was intending to make, some tears escaping her eyes and rolling down her cheeks.“Yeah.” She muttered. “I’m sorry too.”“Why are you crying?”Belle took a deep breath, thinking about the time where she was his Dark Lady and she ruled this castle. She felt so important and so loved back then, but it was over and all she felt was awful.“I lost everything I had.”“You still miss your father’s castle?”“No.” Belle denied, sliding the carrots to a pan. “My father is actually one of the last people I want to see for a long time.”Folding his arms, he leaned against the counter, watching her work as if he wasn’t almost ripping her clothes off her body just a while ago. Wiping her tears, she found some potatoes and started to peel them.“Then what is it?”“You wouldn’t believe it if I told you.”“The last time we talked before today you claimed to be Gideon’s mother.” Rumplestiltskin said, taking the knife from her hands and making Belle look directly at him. “Let’s say that this is true. Is that what you lost?”“I lost the family you and I built together.” Belle said, her voice sounding weak. “I lost you, him, Baelfire, our little Rose and the baby.”Narrowing his eyebrows, the imp asked: “Which baby?”Her gaze fell to the floor. It still hurt to talk about it and Belle knew that every time she even thought about it, she started to mourn again, so she tried to keep her mind occupied with other things. The Rumple she loved, wouldn’t need to ask that question, because he had suffered the loss with her.“I had a miscarriage some weeks ago.” She whispered, hands coming up to cover her belly.“And I was the father of this child you lost?”“Yes.”More tears came and at this point, Belle wasn’t caring about making any soups anymore, she just fought against her inner monologue of pain. Rumplestiltskin wiped her face, looking truly concerned with her.“I know that it all is impossible, but I feel an awkward agony when I see you crying.” He confessed.“You cared too much about me in the past.”She saw when he drained a breath. Rumplestiltkin was confused, the flashes were tormenting him again and he could see Belle crying her heart out against his chest. He could see a hidden spot in the woods where he opened a hole and buried a metal box with something important inside.“My mother thinks that I should step back from you.”“Well, she was never my biggest fan.” The lady said, before adding hatefully: “She hurt our children.”“Belle,” the name left his lips in a way that made new flashes appear in his mind. This time it was only her, walking around the dining hall with a swollen belly. “We were talking hypothetically before. They are not our children and we both know that.”“Alright,” she said, turning her back to him. “I’ll not talk about this anymore.”The imp grabbed the maid by the arm and she looked at him, surprised. None of them knew exactly what they were doing, but their faces slowly approached the other’s, getting so close that both of them were eager for the kiss. But it never happened. Just a moment before their lips touch, Mrs. Potts came from the entryway, appearing to be anxious.“I – I’m sorry to interrupt, but there is someone here.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“Who is here?” Rumplestiltskin asked, stepping away from Belle to face the other maid.
“Milady Regina.” Mrs. Potts answered her hands gripping at the white apron nervously. “But she can’t enter the castle, because Milady Fiona locked it with some powerful protection spells.”
That information was vital to Belle. Of course, Fiona would have locked the damn castle, but if Regina was there and only if she could get out, then maybe she could ask for help. Otherwise she was fated to spend the rest of her life there, watching the Black Fairy play her sick mind games, drinking to her victory.
“Send her away.” The imp said with a flourish of his hands, totally uninterested. “I don’t want to speak to her.”
“But - ” the maid started, looking from him to Belle, a little desperate.
What Rumple couldn’t even start to imagine was that the two women were thinking the very same thing. They couldn’t just tell Regina to leave and never come back, because she was the only salvation they had now and Belle was really grateful that someone had the presence of mind, to look for them after almost three weeks without a word.
“I’ll do this.” She said, cleaning her hands in a dish cloth. “Mrs. Potts, can you finish the dinner for me?”
“Of course.”
Mrs. Potts took her place in front of the counter, finishing peeling the potatoes she had left aside. Rumplestiltskin watched the two of them with a mistrustful glance, as if he knew that the youngest maid was about to do something he wouldn’t approve of.
“Belle, what are you going to do?” He asked.
“Just send her away, like my master wishes.”
She walked towards the entryway as fast as she could, seeing the dark-haired woman standing right in front of the open door, wearing a cream outfit, the short strands of her hair tied in a braid that ended up just over her shoulder, unable to get inside the castle.
“Regina!”
An invisible barrier kept the lady from reaching her, just like she expected and she slammed her fists against it, frustrated.
“Belle! What the hell are all of those spells? I can’t take them down!” The former Evil Queen asked, before Belle found strength enough in herself to grip at Regina’s wrist through the barrier, feeling the spells make a terrible pressure in her skin as she pulled the other woman as close as she could. “Hey, what are you doing?”
“Listen to me,” Belle whispered. “You need to come back with every helpful person you can find.”
“What? Why?”
“I’m a prisoner in here. The Black Fairy took the castle and did something to Rumple’s mind. He doesn’t remember me.”
Regina’s eyes got wide. “That freaking bitch is here?”
Nodding, Belle gave the other woman her most pleading look. If Regina couldn’t do anything for her, nobody would. She didn’t know if they were friends at this point, but the lady believed so and friends supported each other, so she hoped it meant something.
“Yeah, and she could be listening to us. Please, help me. I fear for my children.”
“Alright. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Regina said, pulling away from her grip. “But, Belle - ”
“What is it?”
“A true love’s kiss can break any curse.” She said, before turning into a purple cloud of smoke and disappearing.
Belle stood there, facing the gardens where she could no longer take afternoon walks, the ghost of a happy life passing in front of her eyes, bringing some forgotten memories of those sunny summer days her family spent there. She sighed, touching the spell’s barrier and feeling like a bird locked in a cage when a new presence behind her made Belle suck in a breath, afraid of being caught doing another stupid, impulsive thing.
“What is happening here?” Fiona asked.
“There was a visitor.” She explained, not daring to say who exactly had been there if the Black Fairy didn’t require this strict information or her last hope could end too soon. “Your son told me to send her away.”
Shrugging, Fiona grabbed her by the arm, closing the doors with her magic before dragging Belle through the hallway, making the maid stumble on her own feet, trying to accompany her fast steps.
“We need to have a private talk.” The Black Fairy said. “Follow me.”
She took Belle to Rumplestiltskin’s laboratory – which she had taken as hers since her arrival at the Dark Castle – starting to talk when the two of them were as far from the other residents of the property as possible.
“You see, I’ve thought that I could have you around to watch my reign, but you have been behaving really badly and I can’t allow you ruin everything that I worked so hard to get.”
“What do you mean?”
“I need you very far away from this castle, so I got this.”
Fiona took a small blue thing from inside a black wooden box, lifting it at Belle’s face level a suddenly things made sense to her, because that object that she only heard and read about but never truly saw, held an enormous power, that a lot of people seek, mainly when they wanted to exile someone. And today she was the one who would be banished from that realm.
“A magic bean.” Belle whispered, with a lump in her throat.
“Yeah, one capable of taking you to a place where you will never ever be a problem for me again.” The lazy smile on Fiona’s face only got wider as she spoke, walking around the laboratory as if she owned the whole place. “I would use it if it wasn’t for the fact that, if you go today, your silly daughter won’t survive for long, as she refuses to be fed by anyone other than you and it isn’t that easy find a good seer these days. But, if I catch you near my son again, I won’t think twice before using this and let your precious little girl starve to death.”
She stopped right in front of Belle, to give impact to her words while she rubbed her fingers against the bean, but what she certainly wasn’t expecting, was the lady’s reaction. The Black Fairy’s coldness had reached its peak, getting Belle so angry and full of hate that she used all of her strength to slap Fiona in the face, a loud sound echoing through the walls when her palm made contact with the skin of her cheek.
It got Belle’s fingers aching a little, but it was so exhilarating that she couldn’t regret it. All of her recent frustrations were gathered in that slap and as she watched the fearful Black Fairy cup her own cheek, stupefied, she felt more proud of herself than she ever did before.
“No matter what you say, how many threats you make or where you send me, Fiona, I will never stop fighting for Rumple and our family. What we have is true and you will never know something like that.”
“Is that all you have?” She laughed, taking a menacing step in the lady’s direction. “For now, Belle, princess of Avonlea, I owe you, so you will be a good, quiet maid, to keep yourself and your children alive.”
“I’m not the princess of Avonlea anymore, and I haven’t been for long time” Belle lifted her chin, putting all of her pride and petulance in the next phrase.
“I am the Dark Lady
. Nothing you can do you will ever change that.”
The heels of Fiona’s shoes made a muffled insistent sound when she walked towards Belle, placing the magic been back in its place inside the box, which she carried with her on her way to the laboratory’s door.
“Well, let me tell you a secret, darling.” Fiona said standing in the doorframe, speaking irritatingly slowly. “The consort of the darkness, can’t be light.”
“That’s what you think.” Belle muttered, when she was gone. “I’ll break this curse and after this, I’ll watch you burn.”
Fiona left the castle that same night, to look for some ingredients for a new spell she was trying, saying that she would be back the next day for lunch. It gave Belle some time to work on her newest plan. She wanted to talk to Neal and explain everything to him, but he was occupied with distracting Gideon and she didn't want to give Rumple another reason to push her away.
However, in the middle of the night, Mrs. Potts woke her, saying that there was something wrong with Rose and nobody was able to calm her and put her to sleep. Belle rushed upstairs, finding Rumple, Neal and Gideon all inside the nursery, looking at the squealing baby with worried faces. She shrunk inside her night vest that covered the white gown and reached for her daughter without even asking for permission, cradling her gently and kissing the top of her head, feeling the how hot she was.
"Dear gods, she is burning up with fever." She whispered, looking at Rumple like he was a great idiot for not realising this before. "Go get medicine for her!"
Nodding he waved his hand, vanishing from there with his magic.
"Mama, is she going to be okay?" Gideon questioned.
"Hopefully, yes, sweetie." Belle answered, before turning to Neal. "Can you please put him to bed again?"
"Sure. Come on, buddy." Neal said picking up Gideon from the floor and making him laugh when he swung him, his glance remaining on Belle for another moment. The young one didn't trust his father right now and was afraid of what he would do to her. "Will you be fine here?"
"Yeah, Mrs. Potts will stay with me."
Neal's lips tightened in a thin line, his brow narrowing, but despite of his fears, he did what she asked of him and took his brother back to his chambers. Rose was still screaming, filling the nursery with her cries and making Belle's heart race with worry. She had handled fevers before, but her little girl had never been sick before and Gideon only was when he was quiet older than her, so the lady couldn't help but to feel scared.
"Oh, darling, don't cry, your papa is going to bring something to heal your illness."
Mrs. Potts watched them with distressed eyes, walking to the nightstand where a bowl with water was set, damping a cloth and bringing it to her lady to let her place it on the baby's forehead to lower Rose’s temperature.
Rumplestiltskin reappeared a moment later with a bottle of medicine and a spoon in his hands, anxious.
"Here, a dose of this will resolve the problem." He said opening the lid and filling the spoon with it.
She sat at the rocking chair, taking it from him, and bringing the spoon slowly to the little girl, already knowing that she wasn't going to want to take it.
"Rose, sweetheart, look at mama. Open your little mouth, huh?" The baby screamed and Belle took the chance to make her drink the medicine. "Good girl." She whispered, looking up at the imp to give back the spoon as she straightened the cloth on Rose's head, smoothing her back as her cries faded and she leaned against her mother's shoulder. "Hush, hush, my child."
None of them were paying attention to Belle's terms of endearment, they were just relived that Rose had finally calmed down and lifted her thumb to her mouth, sucking at it.
"You can go back to your chambers, master." Belle said.
Rumplestiltskin lifted an eyebrow. "But she's not better."
Mrs. Potts placed a hand on his shoulder inclined to help her lady at any cost. He looked at her surprised and annoyed by the gesture, quickly moving away from the chubby woman, like her touch had burned him.
"You have two maids to take care of this for you.” Mrs. Potts said. “Go to sleep."
"
Alright.
But it is better that nothing happens to this child in my absence.” Rumplestiltskin said, impishly, but then, he sighed looking down at Rose as she closed her eyelids, falling into a deep sleep, and added more softly: “Call me if you need anything."
He exited the nursery, closing the door behind him, leaving Belle with a heavy heart for the fact that he hasn’t fought them to stay there with his daughter like he would when he still had his memories. But at least, Belle got what she wanted: some precious time with her girl. She didn’t care if she had to spend the rest of the night wide awake, changing the damped cloths in Rose’s forehead, she was a mother and she would gladly take care of her child, especially now, after all that time she had barely been given five minutes in her company.
"My darling baby looks so helpless."
Accommodating herself in an armchair near the windows, Mrs. Potts smiled tenderly at her. "She will get better now that she took the medicine, milady."
Belle laid Rose inside the crib, pushing the rocking chair to its side, so she had a full view of the baby. It was a very peaceful image, one that gave her hope despite the bad situation it was set on. Rose was tucked inside a soft cotton nightgown, her cheek bright pink because of the fever and her short stripes of auburn hair starting to curl in the back of her head. She smiled, thinking to herself how she and Rumple had created such a perfect human-being. Some years ago if someone told her that she was not just going to be madly in love with the Dark One, but she would also have his children, Belle would have laughed, but now every single road her life took seemed to have been leading her to there.
"I'll watch her sleep to make sure." The lady finally found herself able to say, but Mrs. Potts was no longer hearing her, since her eyes had closed and she was sleeping in the armchair.
Belle on the other hand, didn’t slept a bit. She kept checking Rose’s temperature every five minutes, worried that if she just closed her eyes, something bad would happen to her daughter. The fever came back some hours before the sunrise and she gave the baby another dose of the medicine Rumple had brought, which made its work efficiently, vanishing the high temperatures from the little girl’s body.
Rose woke up crying early in the morning. Belle changed and bathed her before walking back to the rocking chair where she passed a terrible sleepless night on, to feed her. At this point, she was just so tired that her eyes were heavy, her back hurt and she barely felt the weight of the baby’s body in her arms, feeling that her mind was very far away from her own body. The lady was so sleepy, unconscious swinging on the chair, that she didn’t hear when the door opened.
"You’re her mother." The Dark One’s voice said.
Eye’s flying open, Belle started at him in shock, because she hadn’t even thought about the possibility of him walking in there while she breastfed their baby, when he didn’t know that she was
their
baby.
"Rumplestiltskin, I - "
"You stayed with her all night, you're the only one who can soothe her and - " he swallowed hard, taking some careful steps in her direction. "And you are feeding her."
"Yes."
Removing the baby’s mouth from her, Belle closed her nightgown and stood up, apprehensive under Rumple’s puzzled glance. He seemed to be trying to fit all the parts in his mind, looking at her like she was some kind of exquisite creature that he wasn’t able to comprehend at all.
"You and I have a past." He mumbled, still stunned.
"That we do." Belle answered, placing Rose back on the crib.
"I don't remember."
"I know."
"Belle - " he reached for her, having the strong need of being in contact with any part of her that could assure him that this was not another delusion of his, that this time she was there and she was real, that the fantasy of the perfect family in his head, wasn’t a fantasy and that sometime, somehow, he really did have it. "This doesn't make sense at all. How could someone like you end up with someone like me? I am a monster and during the last few weeks all I did was prove it so."
"Rumple,” his name sounded so beautiful slipping through her mouth that he felt that his heart was about to burst. “This is on your mother, not you. Everything that happened it's her fault." She touched his face and the only thing he could do was to desperately lean against her palm. "But we can have our lives back, if you only believe me. If you choose our family instead of her."
"I do." He said. "I choose you."
Bending slowly, as if he was asking her permission, Rumplestiltskin covered her throat with both his hands, bringing her face close to his as he moulded their mouths together in the sweetest lock of lips anyone could have. It was like a wave of light in his large ocean of darkness and suddenly the memories came back, one by one, brought to him by her love and devotion.
She was Belle, former princess of Avonlea, earned by him, the Dark One in one of his many deals. She became his maid, the light of his days, the object of his desire, his lover, the mother of his children and the eternal Dark Lady. She was Belle, and she was the bravest hero people never heard about. And in that moment, he realised something else: she was his one True Love.
"Belle!" Rumplestiltskin exclaimed pulling away, just to grab her by the waist and clutch her petite body against his, inhaling her floral scent. "I remember. I love you."
"I love you too." Belle replied, crying tears of joy. "Oh, I can't believe that I have you back. I told you that we were going to find our way back to each other.”
“And you are always right. I’ll never doubt you again.” He said, kissing the top of her head. “You broke the curse my mother cast on my heart. You are my True Love, Belle.”
“I didn’t need a curse to know that.”
Belle caressed the thick skin of his face. She was truly happy and it had been so long since the last time she felt this way that it was almost like a daydream.
“Sweetheart, I promise you, I’ll never let anyone tear us apart this way again. No one will ever hurt our children, but now I need to make Fiona pay.” His expression had turned darker and his eyes were wild, but his question came as soft and full of love as it could: “Will you allow me to do whatever I must to stop her?”
“Yes. My trust is yours.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
There weren’t a lot of things that you could do to Rumplestiltskin that he would forgive and being cursed to forget the love of his life, and act coldly with her and their family, was definitely something that he certainly wouldn’t forgive and forget. Fiona had committed the worst mistake by playing with him that way. He could accept that she abandoned him, not even caring to give him a name, but he wouldn’t take this lying down. His mother had a lot to pay for, starting with causing his lover a miscarriage.
After sending Belle and the children to the dungeons with Mrs. Potts and casting some of his best protection spells on it, he found Bae and told him everything, saying that his son should join the rest of their family to keep them safe, but lately Baelfire was acting a little bit impulsively and insisted on staying with him just for a while more, as he analysed the barrier in the front doors of the castle. They opened them and Rumplestiltskin tried to use his dagger to pull the barrier down, but it didn’t work, neither did his magic.
"I can't break the spell." The imp grumbled, frustrated.
"You're the Dark One,” Baelfire said. “How you can you not break the spell?"
"Her magic is strong." He told his son. "There is only one way of breaking it. Killing her."
The only solution in his point of view was to sit and wait for his mother’s return, so when she arrived he could rip her heart out of her chest and smash it while she watched, knowing that he was taking her life in vengeance for her sins. However, what he wasn’t expecting was the big purple cloud of smoke that appeared in the middle of the gardens right in front of them, bringing all the supportive heroes and villains in the Enchanted Forest.
Princess Emma was the first one to step forward, running to the doorstep, where she was stopped by the invisible barrier of the Black Fairy’s spells.
"Neal!" She called, desperate, her palms slamming the magic wall.
Baelfire ran over to her. "Emma!"
"We will get you out!" The princess promised, then looked at Rumple. "Where are Belle and the kids?"
"They are hidden in the dungeons." He informed them.
"Get them out of there, so as soon as we pull the spell down we can take them somewhere safe."
Her faith in her own powers was really impressive, but the Dark One was more realistic than that. He never relied on any kind of hopes and when it came to magic, that was something he knew so well, he didn’t even bother expecting miraculous solutions like Emma apparently did.
"That's not going to work, dearie." Rumplestiltskin said. "The only way of freeing the castle is killing the Black Fairy."
From the small crowd behind the princess, Zelena came, a mask of concern on her green face. "You can't kill her before we get my baby back!"
In truth, Rumple was so frustrated with his own problems that he almost forgot that her child was still missing. However, he wasn’t really concerned about rescuing the little girl, because the only thing that mattered to him right now was finding a way of freeing his family from Fiona’s spell. He was about to say that to Zelena, when a black cloud of smoke appeared by the witch’s side, bringing his mother with it.
"Yeah,” the Black Fairy started, with a delighted smile. “What would become of the sweet little baby Robin if I died?"
"You!" Zelena snarled.
A torrent of green magic came from her opened hands and was joined by Emma and Regina’s magic. For a moment, Rumplestiltskin thought that they would be capable of striking his mother down that way, but then, after she staggered a little, the Black Fairy started to laugh evilly, and he concluded that this was a naïve illusion. It would take a lot more to destroy someone as dark as her. The powers, kept growing in intensity, making his mother stumble, but with just a wave of Fiona's hand, the three women were thrown on the grass.
"That's incredibly funny, my dears, but I think it's time for you all to leave my family alone." She said, walking towards the castle and passing through the barrier, to curl a hand around his son’s neck. "Baelfire, let's come inside with grandma."
"Do not touch him!" The imp yelled. "Your curse is broken and now I know everything you did."
"Oh, I won't harm the boy, Rumple.” Fiona said, but seemed to think twice and added: “At least not as long as you do as I say. Now, forget those silly thoughts of yours and come with me."
Belle had been peeking a look at the conversation between Rumple and Fiona, hidden behind a pillar near the stairs that lead to the dungeons, her curiosity, making her risk her own safety. She had been watching quietly, until the moment she saw her disgusting excuse for a mother-in-law, grab Baelfire by his throat, dragging him to the dining hall, with Rumple furiously following them, while the barrier glowed with their friends' joined powers attempting to destroy it.
Covering her mouth in shock, Belle turned around and made her way back to where her family was hidden, trying to be as quiet as she could, not to alert Fiona of her presence. If that woman didn't hate her enough before, then now that Belle broke her curse, she would.
"She’s got Neal!" The Dark Lady announced, when she entered the cell.
Mrs. Potts was standing near the door, rocking Rose and watching Gideon, who was swinging his feet in the air, and sitting on the corner of the high bed.
"What?" She asked, coming closer to her lady.
"The Black Fairy is back," Belle informed, exasperated. "And she is using Neal as a hostage!"
Gideon looked up at her, jumping off the bed to go to his mother, hugging her by the legs, his small hands clutching at the fabric of her gown. "Mama, what are we going to do?"
She didn't have an answer for that, because she had no idea of what they should they do or
if
they should do anything. Burying her fingers into Gideon’s hair, with the panic growing inside her, she tried to think about something hopeful to tell him, finding herself so wordless that it was almost ridiculous. How could a mother not be able to soothe her son and give him some faith?
Looking at Mrs. Potts for help, she saw a tiny glowing thing entering the dungeons and stopping right in front of them to take the size of a normal human-being.
"Hello, Belle."
"Blue?” The lady swallowed, staring surprised at the fairy. “How are you here? I – I thought the castle was locked."
"It is, but with fairy magic. I can pass through Fiona’s barrier with no problem." She explained, rolling a dark stick in her hands in a nervous way, before offering it to her. "I came to bring you this."
Accepting the thing, Belle analysed it carefully, remembering about Rumple’s little collection of those items that were set in the treasure room.
"A wand?"
"The Black Fairy's wand. It is the only thing capable of killing her." Blue explained with a nod. "Many years ago, there was a prophecy about a boy born with a great light magic, that was going to destroy the darkness, he was entitled the Saviour.” She paused, looking between all the people in the tiny cell, knowing that her words were going to change everything. “This boy grown up to be your lover."
"Rumplestiltskin?" Belle gasped. "But - ” she tried to start, as her mind worked too fast, filling her with questions. “But his magic is dark."
"Now it is, because of Fiona.” Blue sighed. “When she found out that her son was fated to die as a Saviour, she did everything she could to stop his fate. She cut him from it using a powerful magical tool from the fairies’ safe and made him a coward. Unfortunately, by doing that, Fiona became the darkness he should destroy.”
Feeling that her knees were weak, Belle leaned against the wall, clutching her son against her needing to know that he was there, safe and sound by her side. That story made Fiona’s obsession almost understandable. Almost. She was a mother too and knew that if she was told that a child of hers was fated to die, she would also do everything she could to stop it, but sentencing it to a life of cowardice was a horrible price to pay. Not to say that the darkness took the Black Fairy in such a way that
she
became the threat to her own son.
“Oh, gods!” Belle mumbled.
“She wanted to keep your daughter alive because of her gifts, because another Saviour is yet to be born and Rose can predict it.” The Blue Fairy continued. “This baby girl is more powerful than you think, Belle.”
Glancing at her daughter, laid in the maid’s arms, she felt sorry, because that beautiful innocent baby that was so young and pure, already had a huge burden to carry. Rumplestiltskin was right all those years ago, when he told her that any child of his would always be in great danger. Belle didn’t regret having his babies, but she wished them a safe life and only now she realised that this was something they were never going to have.
“But if Fiona is the greatest darkness that should be destroyed, then we will have to wait for this Saviour?” She questioned. “Am I fated to live as a prisoner here in this castle forever?”
“No! The Black Fairy can be killed, but as it won’t be the Saviour to do this, the darkness will keep surrounding this realm, finding another host.”
“Until Rose sees the Saviour’s sacrifice in her visions.” Belle concluded.
“Yes.” Blue agreed, looking at the baby with pity. “I need to go, Belle, but I wish you good luck.”
Nodding, Belle reached for her hand, squeezing it gently in a gesture of gratitude. “Thank you, Blue.”
The fairy smiled weakly, before turning into a tiny thing again and flying away by the cell’s only window, leaving her to a new quest. Belle kneeled in front of her son, already forming a plan in her mind.
“Gideon, darling, do you want to be a hero?”
“Yes!” The boy answered, determined.
Belle put the wand in his hands, closing his fingers carefully around it as she said: “You need to get this to your father.”
In the books, things were way easier than in real life, Gideon concluded after hearing everything that the Blue Fairy said. His papa always said that he was a villain, but one that somehow got lucky enough to have a brave hero fall in love with him, but the boy always thought it to be silly, because at least around their family, Rumple didn’t act much like a villain, and today Blue had said that he had been born to be a hero. He just didn’t know why Fiona wouldn’t want him to be the Saviour.
The concept of death was something very abstract for him yet, so Gideon only thought that being the greatest hero of the entire realm this way, should be really cool. He didn’t have much time to think, though, as his mother immediately started to work on her plan and instructed him twice, of what exactly he should do when he reached his father. Gideon prepared himself and hid the wand beneath his clothes, left the dungeons with a last encouraging look from his mama and walked towards the dining hall.
Fiona was sitting by the table with his brother by her side, while his father screamed some bad words at her, from the other end of it. Rubbing his fists on his eyes and yawning, Gideon entered the hall, putting a hand on Rumples’s thigh.
“Papa?”
“Gideon, what are you doing here?” He asked, abruptly stopping his speech to pick the boy up from the floor.
“I woke up and went to your chambers, but you weren’t there.”
“Oh, the sweet wee boy is suddenly speaking?” Fiona smiled, glancing mistrustfully at Gideon as she stood up, grabbing Neal’s arm and forcing him to accompany her. “Why don’t we get your little sister to join us here too? And your mother, of course!”
Forcing himself to keep up with the farce, Gideon looked at his father, folding his arms around the imp’s neck.
“My face is hot, papa.” He whined. “I think I’ve got the flu again.”
Fiona chuckled without humour. “He is lying.”
Rumplestiltskin’s hand cupped his son’s cheek and forehead, his eyes widening as he muttered: “He is burning up with fever.”
“Get out of my way, let me check on him.” The Black Fairy demanded, casting Neal aside for a brief moment to touch her grandson’s green-gold skin, feeling the high temperature there. “Great, that’s all we need right now, isn’t it?”
“Papa, can you take me to bed and read to me?” Gideon begged, rubbing at his eyes again, pretending to be sleepy.
The imp agreed with a slight wave of his head, his eyes full of concern with both the sick son in his arms and the one his mother was using to blackmail him, but Rumple couldn’t let the fever take Gideon and his illness get worse. He needed to do something right now, even if he had to leave Bae alone with his psychotic mother for a while.
“I’m going to get some medicine for him,” the imp said, looking directly at Fiona. “But don’t you dare do anything to my boy. I’ll be back in a minute.”
“Oh, don’t worry, for now I have good entertainment.” The Black Fairy shrugged. “I just can’t decide if I’ll bother that little whore of yours or watch those stupid heroes trying to break my spell.”
“Alright, you already have a pet, forget about Belle.” Neal pointed out.
“Baelfire wants to watch his brave girlfriend Emma!” Fiona laughed, enthusiastically. “Then, there we go.”
Feeling how tense his papa was they climbed up the stairs, Gideon couldn’t wait for them to be as far enough from the Black Fairy, for him to be able to show Rumple the wand and tell him that they could defeat her. He carried the boy to his chambers, tucking him to bed thoroughly.
“Stay here, there is a medicine for fever in the nursery and I’ll get it.” The imp said, brushing his thumb at his son’s eyebrow.
“No, papa, I’m not sick!”
“Of course you are!”
“No! Mama took a torch close to me so my face would get hot.” Gideon explained, retrieving the wand from its hiding place and handing it to him. “She said that I should take this to you. It’s the only thing that can kill that bad fairy. Her wand.”
Suddenly his father’s eyes lit up and he kissed his forehead, happily, letting Gideon briefly tell him everything the Blue Fairy had revealed about his past.
“Your mama is the cleverest woman alive, son.” He said. “Go back to her, papa will deal with this.”
The boy slipped off the bed, rushing to get out of the room and tell his mama that he did exactly as she said and, for now, her plan was working very well.
“Oh, and Gideon?” Rumplestiltskin called, when he was at the doorframe.
“Huh?”
“Thank you for this. You’re learning very well how to be a hero.”
Neal had been a lot of things before, just not a hostage, but he always imagined that it would be a creepy, scary thing, however now that Fiona was gripping him with her dark magic hands ready to break his neck at the slight sign that her plans were failing, it seemed even creepier to be in that position as it was his own grandmother threating to end his life. He had never known that woman before the night she cursed his father and took control of the castle, but he was sure about something: Fiona was definitely mad.
“It’s very amusing, don’t you think?” She asked with a smile. “They are very fierce.”
The two of them were standing in front of the Dark Castle’s opened front doors, looking at his friends while they tried unsuccessfully to break the spell that was locking the whole family inside there. She seemed to enjoy it too much, the evil curve of her lips never falling down.
“Where is Robin?” Asked the redhead witch in their gardens.
Zelena was probably the most angered of all the people there, and she in fact had a good reason to be so. Emma and Regina shared a glance while wolf Ruby growled at them, showing her sharp teeth to his grandmother. King David and Queen Snow were uselessly circling the castle, trying to find any breach in the barrier.
“Somewhere only a fairy can reach: the Dark Realm.” Fiona answered. “You’re not getting her back, wicked one.”
“We shall see about that!” She yelled back, sending a new strong wave of green power to the doors, making the floor shake before she fell back, disabled by her own magic.
A delighted sigh left the Black Fairy’s mouth. “Definitely amusing.”
“Why are you doing this?” Neal questioned. “I mean, what sick thought is in your mind to do things like stealing children, brainwashing people and causing miscarriages?”
“Sometimes, Baelfire my dear, we need to make some sacrifices in the name of the family.”
“Sacrifices? You say that my baby’s death was a sacrifice for you? One that you did for the family?” Rumplestiltskin's voice came from the end of the staircase as he walked towards them. “Wasn’t it family too?”
“It was just some months old, Rumple, I bet that it barely looked human. Stop complaining.” Fiona rolled her eyes. “I did all this for you.”
He saw the fury growing in his father's expression, the darkness consuming him alongside his anger. There was something wild in his eyes that told Neal that today Rumplestiltskin was unstoppable.
“For me?" He asked, with disbelief. "You did
nothing
for me
mother
, other than abandon me and then come back to ruin my life.”
“You don’t understand. I had to leave you behind for your own sake, and I only came here to make up for the time I couldn’t be with you.”
Shaking his head, he pointed an accusative finger at her, his features seeming to be tensed. “If you ever loved me, you would have never hurt someone I love.”
“There was no other way.” Fiona defended herself. “You were destined to die as a Saviour and I saved you from this fate many years ago. I never wanted to leave you, my son, but the fairies banished me. So, if I wanted to be by your side again and have your love, I needed to do all of this.”
Neal's eyes got wide. His father was supposed to be something called a Saviour? And he was fated to die a hero? Was that some kind of joke?
“They banished you because you became darkness.” Rumplestiltskin retaliated.
“Yes, but there is nothing wrong with darkness. Not as long as it means that we can be together and you can be safe.”
“It’s difficult to know how crazy you sound, when you are the one making this speech.” The imp mumbled sadly, regretfully, remembering his own mistakes and glancing quickly at Neal when he said that. “Once, you told me that you needed to choose power over love. I made this choice too, mother, but I regretted it and you didn’t. You just kept using magic to get what you want, not caring who you would hurt in the process and I’m sorry, but that, I can’t forgive.”
Clenching her teeth, Fiona lifted a hand and Neal started to choke, gasping desperately for air, feeling that an invisible hand was squeezing his throat.
“If this is how you want to proceed, then you’ll really have something to regret, Rumple.” The Black Fairy's fist closed a little bit more, tightening the pressure in his neck. “I hope that you are strong enough to live with your son’s death on your conscience.”
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Hello, everyone! Long time, no see.As you can see, this is not a new chapter for this fic, but somewhat I feel like it's even better.The Dark Lady has officially been turned into A NOVEL! I mean, I've spent so long editing it, rewriting and actually making it into a historical romance that I can barely believe it was born here in ao3, many years ago.My book Tears Of Seer is avaliable on Amazon for a very cheap price and if you happen to have Kindle Unlimited you can access it for free. I'll leave it linked down bellow.I would love it for you guys to take a look at how it turned out and tell me what do you think, that's why you'll find this very same message in all Dark Lady verse related fics.Also I want to leave my greatest thank you to every single person who has followed my journey writing here. You are the reason this book is out there.Love,T. TEARS OF SEER AMAZON LINK: https://a.co/d/15ks5ZS
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Hi guys, it's me again.Just came to give you a quick update because as it seems Tears of Seer was not being shown free for Kindle Unlimited. But I've fixed that thing and now you can definitely read for free!Love,T.Here goes the link again:US: https://a.co/d/15ks5ZSUK: https://amzn.eu/d/5lgvgFG
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Hey, guys! I've got NEWS!Tears of Seer now has a paperback version available! As I said on my Tumblr it is not as cheap as the e-book version, because Amazon needs to cover the printing costs, but if you want to have your copy there to hold, it is now your change.I also would like to thank everybody who has been reading it the past few days. Shout out to USA, UK and Brazil readers that have been feeding my kindle publishing dashboard. You guys make my days better. (I'll be deleting this "chapters" later from ao3 to leave the fics clean again, OK? Sorry for so many updates that are not actually chapters).Love,T.Of course, THE LINK: https://a.co/d/jcfAfzm