So I've had this idea for a while now, although I didn't really expect to be posting anything anytime soon since I've been busy but here's what I came up with. I was kind of unsure about it, but I hope you like it. :)
Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon a Time if I did Rumple and Belle would be happily together.
He had passed by the store several times in the last couple weeks, although he never went in it. But one day after he found himself staring at it again he decided just to go in. He walked in the store and was hit with a familiar smell tea and antiques. When the door shut he heard a little bell. As he stood in the shop it was all oddly familiar and comforting. He knew why when he realized that the little shop reminded him of his old antique and pawn shop in Storybrooke. Although unlike how his store fit in in the small town of Storybrooke, this little store was strange in the heart of New York City. It must have cost a fortune to put it here.
As much as it reminded him of his shop there was one thing very different, instead of antiques everywhere all lined up in glass cases, endless books sat on shelves all around which wasn't that odd considering it was a bookstore. Like the antiques in his shop the books looked really old. Although they were obviously in excellent condition. Another thing different was this shop was a lot brighter than his. Instead of the dark colors in his pawn shop this one was his favorite color, blue. Oddly enough, he thought this was the exact shade of his favorite color, Belle's eyes. Before he got too lost in memories of her, although she was on his mind every waking hour and every minutes in his dreams, he tried to distract himself by scanning the titles of the closet row of books.
He wondered if this was how Belle felt after he kicked her out of his castle and his life. He wondered if she thought about everyone they had spent together like he was. If she imagined he was close by her before she got captured, like he had been doing every day. He would see her again he thought. With the plans he made with Ursula he would get back to his wife and fix everything.
While he was looking at the books his eyes caught an opening to a back room. He couldn't see much with the thin but dark curtains, but he saw a glance of a set of stairs. As he started to walk to back he heard heels clicking down the stairs, he took a step back. He saw a glimpse of a figure caring a box towards a table in the back. He decided that it would be rude to just walk in the shop and then quietly leave seeing as there was someone here. He rounded the corner and as he was pushing back the curtain he addressed the woman who was sorting through some of her favorite books.
"I'm sorry. Are you the owner of this shop?" The two still couldn't see each other but the woman who was indeed the owner answered her unexpected customer with a little giggle. It was then that he was hit with realization and all the pieces came together. He about fell finally seeing the woman in a bright gold dress, which reminded him so much of the first time he laid eyes on her.
"I am," she said proudly. "Although the shop not actually-"she continued as she was turning around, only to be met with nothing but the shutting of the shop door, and a fleeting figure.
She was very puzzled why the first visitor of her shop had ran off. Her visitor was immensely shocked and confused at why she was here, in New York City, running a book store. His wife, his Belle so close. He didn't know why he ran, or even how with his leg. But he had, as soon as he realized it was her. He wondered if he should go back, but what would he say? What would she say? He didn't know if he could look into her eyes again and see the anguish and sadness because of him. But would he see that he thought. She must have known what crossing the town border meant, that she couldn't ever go back again. Then why did she cross it? Why did she come to New York City? For a second he considered that she came here for him, but how did she know he was here. No, she was probably just here because the town shunned her.
After he left there was no one to protect her from everyone who despised her for loving him. No one to glare at all the people who stared at them whenever they were seen together. Not that Belle ever complained about it. She was always trying to get him to ignore them and just enjoy being together. He truly did enjoy their outings but he hated how they would judge Belle. He cringed at thinking how they acted once he was gone, or perhaps, he thought, maybe they praised her and claimed she was a hero for ridding the town of a monster. Even though it was killing him to think out it he wondered if maybe she believed him.
He walked towards central park and decided to take a stroll amongst the contrasting green compared to the grey city. It was a nice sunny day, though it didn't lift his spirts, it was a good day to walk about. He did this quite often. He didn't always enjoy it though. Not only did it hurt his leg but it also gave him too much time to think and dwell on his sadness. Not only on Belle but also, considering how close he was to Bae's old apartment, Bae's death. He walked over the Bow Bridge and then continued until he found the row of benches where he usually sat.
He knew he was going to have to see Belle. It was unlikely they would accidently run into each other, but he needed to see her face to face and to know why she was here.
So that's it. Please tell me what you thought, and I plan to have them meet if you guys want me to continue. Also if anyone has ideas for meetings or almost meeting you can leave them in a review or you can PM me also any questions or advice I'd be happy to listen to or any Rumbelle feels! Also I think I'm going to have them meet (or maybe not meetJ) on a subway for the next chapter or a future one. Any ways, thanks so much for reading it!