"I'm coming back, Rumple," Belle said, looking out over the town. She had left Mulan and Phillip to their journey; she had her own she had to worry about. Rumple could do his worst. He could yell, throw her in the dungeon, cast her out again, but she didn't care. She was coming back to him. Because she loved him. And nothing could ever change that.
She traveled through the night. The forest was dark and hard to navigate through. Thick branches clouded out the moon and stars. She wasn't even sure if she was going the right way. Maybe it was her love for him that was guiding her. She just hoped it was the right way. She would hate to be lost and end up who-knows-where. She would have to stop and rest for the night, continuing her journey in the morning, when she could actually see.
As she curled up underneath a large tree, her mind began to wander. She thought about Rumple. What would he think of her when she returned? Not only were her clothes drastically changed, but just her coming back in general would be a shock. He had told her to leave, that he didn't want her, that his power was more important than her. And she still came back? What would he say? What was she going to say? Now that she thought about it, she realized she hadn't thought about it.
For the rest of the night Belle thought about what she would say to him. It was hard thinking of something to say when she wasn't sure how he would react. He could be so unpredictable. And what if he just didn't listen to her at all and threw her out again? ...No. She would keep coming back to him until he took her back in. She loved him too much to just turn away. Not again.
She looked up at the sky and saw a single star peeking at her through the thick branches. She sighed and thought of Rumple.
"Rumple..." she thought, "I just wish that when I see you again, you'll listen. I just want to tell you that I love you, and that I know that there's good in you. That I will always come back for you. Always, Rumplestiltskin."
She smiled softly as she thought of Rumple, and drifted off to sleep.
It was late morning when Belle finally woke up. She wasn't used to sleeping in so late. When she worked at the estate she always got up very early to start her chores, and doing that over a few months left a bad habit that she still followed. She got up and started wondering if Rumple would make her a servant again when she got back. She started to turn towards the direction that she had been going in last night.
"I don't think that attire suits you, dearie," a voice behind her said. "I'd much prefer you in that dress."
Belle stopped and smiled softly. That voice. Only one person had that voice. The man she loved. She hoped this wasn't a dream as she slowly turned around. He was standing just a few feet away from her, dressed in his leather jacket she hadn't seen in a long time, along with a red shirt and his tight leather pants. Oh how she loved his leather pants. That was why she had gotten some.
"I based it off of your attire. I thought you would be flattered," she smiled.
"Tsk. Doesn't suit you at all," he said and he stepped closer. "When we get back, you're putting that dress back on."
"Get back?" she smiled hopefully. He was taking her back? Just like that? "Back to where?"
"Well to the estate of course, dearie. You've got to get back to cleaning," he said. "Since you've been gone that place has been getting dusty."
"Rumple," she said, "we know that's not the only reason why you want me back."
"...I can't imagine what you mean," he said.
"I love you Rumplestiltskin," she said. "And you love me too, I know you do. You don't have to pretend you don't. And you're taking me back because you love me, don't you?"
He looked at her without saying anything. There was a long pause.
"Don't you?" it was more of a statement than a question. She knew he loved her, she just knew it. And she wanted to hear him say it. He looked at her and cleared his throat after a long time. He took a step or two closer.
"Well, perhaps this will give you the right answer," he said and he held out his hand. In his palm was a ring. An engagement ring. Her heart stopped and she looked at him.
"Is... Is this you purposing to me?" she asked. "What happened to no one can love you? What happened to your power meaning more than-"
"Would it be more convincing if I was on my knees, dearie?" and he knelt before her. Belle's face was flooded with happiness. "I know I made a mistake with you. I never should have let you go. You were right; I was a coward. But I hope I'm doing the right thing... by asking you to marry me. I hope you can forgive me... and be my wife."
Belle could feel the tears of happiness swell up in her eyes. He did love her. He wanted to marry her. She had never been so happy in her life. She remembered Gaston purposing to her, at a ball in front of the lords and ladies. It had never felt like this, this wonderful, amazing happiness that filled her heart. As a tear fell, she smiled a nodded.
"I will," she said. "I will, Rumplestiltskin."
She had never seen him so tremendously happy in all those months she had known him in the castle. He stood up and went over to her, holding the ring between his thumb and first finger, and she held out her hand. He gently slide the ring on her finger (how on earth did he know her ring size?) and held her hand, looking into her eyes. She smiled and she threw her arms around him in a hug. He wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her tightly as if he would never let go and buried his face in her hair, inhaling her scent.
Belle was overjoyed. She had found the man she loved, he had taken her back, and they were now engaged. Nothing could ever ruin this moment or her happiness. Nothing.
"I love you," she said. He smiled.
"...And I love you too," he whispered.
She smiled and another tear fell.