An unexpected visitor

She hadn't been feeling well for a few days. She had recovered from her physical injuries and didn't need medicines to calm her down anymore. But still, something was wrong. Whatever she was doing, reading a book Ruby had brought her, watching TV or simply resting on her bed, whatever she was doing she couldn't help but think. She was thinking about Mr Gold, about how mean she had been with him, about how much she would have liked a chance to apologize and get to know him. But know it was too late... Now that he was dead, so was a tiny bit of her heart. "Chipped" she thought. "No one can see it, but there's this little broken part, a part of my life which has vanished with him...".

So, when this morning, a knock on her door interrupted her reading, making her raise her head to see a smiling Mr Gold looking at her, she couldn't help but sigh in relief.

"You... You're alive..."

"Indeed I am", he answered, looking amused. "I imagine my last phone call was a bit alarming..." he added as he entered the room to approach her.

"Yeah... Sounded like you were on your death bed..." she answer, trying to hide her emotions but feeling that her voice was trembling.

"I'm really sorry if I startled you" he said as he reached the left side of her bed, standing, heavily relying on his cane as if his life was depending on it, but showing nothing but confidence in his face. He finally sighed and continued. "I know that you have no memory of me, but my feelings for you are real. And I just needed you to know that, in case... well, in case I died..."

She looked at him the whole time. By the way he was speaking, it seemed he had prepared a speech but that now, standing in front of her, he was struggling with words, and she felt tears rising in her eyes.

"I'm glad you're okay... And I can tell your feelings were true."

"You could?" he asked, really surprised by her answer.

"I have a sense about people... I cannot explain how but... I can just tell."

At her words, she saw a spark of hope turning on his eyes.

"So you...believe we know each other?"

Yes, she wanted to answer him. But then, she knew she had already been too rough with him the previous days and she didn't want to lose him again.

"I believe that... whatever caused me to forget myself means that I have a past and... that past probably included you."

A smile was now illuminating his face.

"It did" he simply answered, and she read in his eyes how much he cared for her. So, she decided to be brave. Because she felt she could trust him. And because she needed answers.

"When I... When I was injured I... This is gonna sound crazy..." she hesitated, but then, as she turned to face him, for her pale blue eyes to meet his dark ones, she continued. "I remember you healing me..."

After some silent seconds which seemed entire minutes to her, Mr Gold smiled.

"You've been through a lot, serious injuries. All the drugs you've been on since you've been here... Once you remember who you are, it'll all become clear."

It wasn't the answer she expected, and it seemed like it wasn't the entire truth, but it seemed too early for her to hear this truth she was desperately seeking for and it appeared Mr Gold knew that. Understood that. And above all, understood her. So, she knew what she had to do.

"Can you help me do that? Remember who I am?"

"Only if you help me remember who I am..." he replied in the same breath, confusing her.

"Sorry, what?"

"Belle, you... you always brought out the best of me. And right now I need that. So yes, I will do everything I can, to bring you back. For you, and for me."

His words went straight to her heart. He was going to help her. She was going to remember. And most of all, she felt good, with him next to her. Protected. Comfortable. Loved. So, she put her hand on his own, and smiled at his eyes which had gone down to her touch.

"We can help each other..."

"Yeah..." he shyly nodded, and it's only after a few seconds, savoring the touch of her hand on his own, that he decided to move. "Let's talk to someone who can get you out of here. You've been locked up long enough."

"Thank you..." she whispered, as she looked at him leaving the room.