Author's Note: I don't own anything.
Summary: Rumplestiltskin goes searching for Belle after he sends her away trying to prove to her that he isn't a coward.
Rumplestiltskin sat by his spinning wheel absentmindedly spinning once again. The days seem to drag on since he had kicked Belle out of his castle. It was different now, and quiet, too quiet. He kept hoping that she would show up again and come back but she never did.
He refused to admit it but he was in love with her. He had his heart broken by Milah and then again by Cora. Nothing seemed to work for him. So the one time it actually did he was scared and pushed her away. He would do anything just to see her again, but would she? He accused her of working for the evil queen. He sighed.
He walked away from the wheel and over to the window to look outside. It was raining and windy. Poor girl must be lost out there in the storm. A bit of guilt took over him, but he quickly shook it off. What was going on with him?
He then remembered her last words to him and how she called him a coward. His heart broke as he thought of growing up with his cowardly father, and how he himself ran away from the ogres war to be with his son, and how Milah was so cruel to him. No more. He was going to prove to himself, the world, and Belle he was no longer a coward by going after her.
Rumplestiltskin raised his hood and walked out into the raging storm. He looked at the ground and followed Belle's footprints to wherever they led. For a while they twisted and turned through the forest and he knew it was going to be a while before he found her. He was not going to give up, not this time.
Time went by and Rumplestiltskin found a clue. He found a piece of Belle's cloak which had been torn and ripped by a branch. The fabric was dirty and worn, so he knew it wasn't fresh. He clenched it in his hand never wanting to let it go. Although it was dirty, it was hers and that's all that mattered to him. In a weird way she was there with him. He put the fabric in his pocket and continued on his journey.
The sun was setting on his first day of the journey, so he was going to stop and rest. He put up a tent and as he did the storm stopped and the skies cleared. He could clearly see the moon and he smiled. He knew somewhere in this world, Belle was underneath the very same one and was probably looking at it thinking of him too. Probably not in the way he had hoped though. "Goodnight Belle," he whispered as he slept.
The very next morning, Rumplestiltskin awoke early to continue his journey. He grew impatient and wanted to see her immediately. "Going somewhere?" came the voice of none other than Regina.
"I want nothing to do with you!" he snapped, "I'm on a mission."
"To find Belle?" asked the Queen with a smirk, "Well I came to tell you she's dead."
Rumplestiltskin froze for a moment almost believing her, but then knowing Belle and how brave she was refused to believe it. "I don't believe you," he smirked as he seemed to dance around her, "I can see the future Dearie."
The Queen was in shock and said, "Fine then, but you will never find her. You may be all powerful, but you don't know everything."
The Queen disappeared and Rumplestiltskin continued on his quest to find his beloved.