First Love

Chapter1

Bae's Deal

Belle materialized in a cloud of purple smoke in front of the dark castle doors, tired and glad to be home. The bitter cold nipped around her and the thought of sitting in front of the fire with a good book sounded so appealing.

Suddenly she felt the hair stand up on the back of her neck, someone was here, someone had breeched the perimeter of the castle grounds. Immediately she was on guard turning to scan the interior garden. She could feel a presence, and then realized there was more than one. She drew the hood of her cloak tighter around her as she moved toward the presence she felt, it was unmistakable and could smell it in the air, fear.

Fear was something she was well acquainted with in her daily dealings. They were all mostly poor desperate souls full of fear, anger, or the pain of love lost. Someone had been brave enough to seek her out here for her services, which was rare. No need to frighten them further and with a wave of her hand she cast a glamour spell on herself to remove the monster they would see without it.

As she approached she could see a figure huddled against the wall just inside the main gate. Closer, she could see it was an adult holding a small child, huddled together for warmth. As cold as it was, with no fire to warm them, they would never survive the night.

Belle felt a tightness in her chest looking down at them. She couldn't let them just freeze to death within her walls. Belle knelt down and shook the woman's shoulder. She did not move. Belle then pulled back the hood of the shabby cloak and realized, with a short intake of breath, that it was not a woman, but a man. His shoulder length hair curling about his neck, his face relaxed and soft, with a prominent long narrow nose, and his lips had turned a grayish blue. She shook him a little harder, but he still did not move.

Then the child that was wrapped around him lifted his head from the crook of his father's neck. He stared at her unblinking for a moment then asked in wonder, "Are you an angel?"

She smiled at him and let out a small giggle,

"No", she said, "but you have no reason to fear me, I am here to help you."

The boy looked up at his father,

"Papa", he paused, "papa wake up".

She could see the panic in the boy's eyes as he started to shake his father roughly. The man's lips parted slightly and a quick exhalation of air followed, but he did not open his eyes or move. Belle knew she needed to act quickly, but was afraid the boy would not trust her to help them.

She smiled gently to the boy, "Your father is freezing and we need to get him warm quickly or he will not survive. Do you understand?" the boy nodded his head.

She sat down and positioned herself behind the man wrapping her arms around both of them. "Don't be afraid now. I want you to trust me. Hold onto your father tightly, and close your eyes." She said softly.

The boy buried his face back against his father's chest and in the blink of an eye all three were huddled on the floor, in front of a blazing fire, in the main room of the castle.

The boy could instantly feel the heat upon his skin and looked up from his father's chest. "Where are we," he asked?

"My home", she said, then asked, "What is your name?"

"Bae," he replied.

"Bae", she said, "My name is Belle. Help me take care of your father. Over on the table," as she pointed to the direction of the table behind her leather chair, "there is a tray with tea and some food, can you get it and bring it here?" She asked. The boy nodded and scrambled off of his father's lap and went to retrieve the tray.

Belle quickly waved her hand and a tray with tea and food appeared on the table, a few of the candles lit around the room, and pillows and blankets appeared at her side on the floor. The boy returned and looked at her with questioning eyes. She smiled at him slightly and whispered as if telling him a secret,

"I know a bit of magic," she said.

Bae lips turned into a beaming smile,

"Really," he asked?

She smiled nodding at him. He was a beautiful boy, soft brown hair and eyes, there was a tenderness about him. Her gaze then shifted to the man she now supported with her body. How far did the apple fall from the tree she wondered? Even though he was a slight man, the dead weight of his body was starting to get heavy. She had hoped her body heat and the fire would be enough to stir him, but he was still lifeless in her arms.

"Grab a pillow for your father's head," she told Bae, as she maneuvered out from behind him and laid him gently on the floor. She brushed back a lock of his hair from his face and cupped his cheek in her hand. She was surprised when she felt a flutter in her stomach, but pushed it aside. His skin was like ice and his lips still held a blue hue to them.

"Please help him", Bae pleaded.

Now was her chance to make a deal. The boy desperately wanted his father to live. He could be useful to her in the future. He seemed like a smart lad, but he was just a child. Her conscious wrestled with the idea, but they were either homeless or on the run from something, and she felt the later. Her home, her protection, might also be what he needs. Her mind made up she stated,

"I'll make you a deal Bae, I will save your father, but in return you will agree to serve me, here, until you reach your 18th birthday. You stay here until that time, but, if you attempt to flee I will take back your fathers life.

"I will live here with you," he asked?

"Yes", she said.

"Can my father stay also", he asked again?

She thought for a moment and decided that she would not separate them if they chose to stay together.

"Yes, he may stay also if he chooses to, but if not, you will be on your own. This contract will be between you and I. All magic comes with a price."

Then she narrowed her eyes to him and gave him an evil grin.

"No one breaks deals with me without consequence, so consider carefully the deal I have made you, because there will be no undoing it."

Bae looked her in the eye.

"He is my father", he whispered, "He would give his life for me, and I would do anything for him. We have a deal."

At that the boy outstretched his hand to shake on it. She laughed as she took his hand, but said,

"I'll need a little more than that."

With a wave of her hand a contract and quill appeared.

"You will need to sign this, it states the terms in which we have agreed upon."

Bae blushed embarrassed and looked down,

"I don't know how to write my name".

"It's alright", she smiled at him. "Put the quill to the paper and say your name aloud."

Bae did as he was told and lit up, when in gold, his name appeared on the contract.

"Please", he pleaded, "Now my father."

Belle leaned over his father's body and found her way under his shirt, running her hand up his chest. Ice cold, but she could feel the hard, lean, muscle beneath her hand, and again felt a flutter in her stomach. She had never touched a man this intimately before. She rested her hand over his heart and could feel it beating, very slowly, with an irregular pattern. His lips slightly parted, she leaned down and pressed her lips to his, exhaling deeply her warm breath into his body, as her hand glowed beneath his shirt warming him.

He slowly opened his eyes a little, hooded as though heavy with sleep, and she cold see the warm soft brown of his iris's with flecks of gold. He smiled up at her and raised a hand to cup her cheek, and then drifted back off as his hand fell back down beside him. She could now feel his warm flesh beneath her hand and the strong steady heartbeat.

She turned to Bae and smiled,

"He will be fine", she said, "We just need to let him rest".

She saw Bae's shoulders relax and he exhaled deeply,

"Thank you, Belle", he then smiled at her big enough to light the world.

She almost reached over to hug the small boy, but she held back. He would grow to resent her. He was now trapped here with her.

She got up, removed her cloak, and made her way to rest in the chair. She could feel the toll the magic had taken on her body. Tomorrow she knew there would be hell to pay. All magic came with a price and she knew she would be the one to pay for its use tonight. She told Bae to eat and help himself to the tea. She had seen the boy eyeing the tray and knew he had to be hungry. He offered to pour her a cup of tea and she accepted gratefully.

She watched the boy eat, as he watched his father lying by the fire. She could see his love for the man, and felt a twinge of regret for making her deal. She could have easily just saved the man lying before her. She watched his chest slowly move up and down and couldn't help remember the feel of his skin underneath her fingertips. Her lips smiled slightly and tingled where they had touched his and she thought it odd that he should be affecting her in this way. When he had cupped her cheek it was as though he was touching his lover, and she shook her head trying to remove the thoughts that were assaulting her. No one would ever love her, she was at this moment, just a beast in disguise.

She laid her head back and closed her eyes, until she heard a soft moan and then "Bae" in just a little more than a whisper. Bae crawled over to his father and took his hand,

"I'm here papa, don't worry, we are safe."

Rumpelstiltskin tried to make sense of what he felt. He could feel the warm heat near him, and the blankets weighing him down. He could feel his head lying on something soft. He envisioned a beautiful woman kissing him and touching the bare skin of his chest. He could still feel the heat from her touch. Confused, he thought he was hallucinating.

Bae had said not to worry, they were safe. How were they safe? His last thoughts were of his failure as a father, and that his son, his beautiful boy, would freeze to death and die in his arms. Was this what the hypothermia was doing to him? Was he dying and dreaming all of this? Was his poor Bae experiencing the same fate?

He could feel his head throb with a dull ache. Rumpel tried to open his eyes. He couldn't. He tried to trust his senses. He felt the fire, could hear the wood crackle and smell it burning. He tried to open his eyes again and they opened slowly.

"Papa", he heard Bae's voice again and could feel him holding his hand. Eyes now open he turned his head to see Bae at his side, and then beyond Bae, a woman sitting in a chair. Not just a woman, the woman who had kissed and touched him.

"Wh-Who are you," he asked his voice raspy and broken?

"My name is Belle, and you are safe here in my home," she said.

He had questions, she could see it in his eyes, but he seemed to just settle for the answer she gave him.

"Bae, make him some tea it will help his throat", she directed.

He watched Bae scramble away and pour him a cup of tea, off of a tray, lying on the floor close by. Bae returned to his side with the tea and Rumpel tried to pull himself into a sitting position but couldn't manage. Bae tried to help him and in an instant Belle was at his side helping to right his father. Once sitting up, she moved to sit behind him once again and whispered softly,

"just lean back against me."

He felt his cheeks flush.

"I'm so sorry, dearie", he whispered in return.

"No matter, you'll be weak for a day or two. We almost lost you." She said softly.

'We' she had said, he thought to himself, almost as if he meant something to her. He chuckled to himself. Now he was imagining things, no woman like this would ever care about him.

Bae helped him drink his tea, and his throat did feel better, and soon found his voice.

"Am I hurting you, dearie," he asked while turning his head to try and see her.

She smiled at him, her chin nearly resting on his shoulder, and their lips were so close she could feel his breath against her skin.

"No," she whispered, "your fine."

He could feel her hands casually resting against the outsides of his thighs and her breasts pressed up against her back. It had been so long since he had felt a woman's touch. He closed his eyes for a moment to drink it in.

Bae watched the two of them carefully and couldn't help the small grin that touched his lips. His father liked her, and she appeared to like him too. He allowed himself to dream for a moment that this would be their new family.

He watched his father's eyes close again.

"Papa," Bae said.

Rumpel snapped his eyes open, blushing and feeling guilty about the thoughts he was having for this woman holding him up, while his son looked on. Bae smiled at him sheepishly, as though he could read his thoughts, and he felt himself blush further.

"There is food too, papa, eat something."

Rumpel shook his head, "Not right now Bae".

Bae took some bread and tucked some cheese into it.

"Please papa, you haven't eaten in so long."

Belle chimed into his ear making him shudder when her breath caressed his neck,

"Please eat something, you need your strength."

He took the bread and cheese and took a bite as Bae turned to make him another cup of tea.

Belle could feel the heat radiating between there bodies and couldn't help herself as she slid her hand up to rest around his waist. She was losing her mind. This poor man, weak from death's grip, and she sat here enjoying the feel of him under her hands. If he noticed her change in position, he gave no indication.

She was attracted to this simple man, like a moth to a flame, and just as dangerous. She knew from seeing them together that he would, no doubt, want to stay with his son. How was she going to deal with having this kind of temptation around, especially as one-sided as it was?

It was time to leave them, she needed to get away from him, and get a grip on herself. Her heart was melting and she just didn't understand why.

"Do you think you can manage on your own now," she asked softly.

"I think I'll just lie down now," he said, trying to keep the disappointment from his voice.

She let her hand caress his side as she moved out from behind him, and helped him lie back down.

"Thank you, Belle, for everything," he said, waving his hand to indicate all she had done for them.

"If you and Bae will be alright here, I am exhausted and will retire for the night" she asked?

"We'll be fine," he replied.

"Goodnight Belle," Bae said sweetly, while placing a pillow down next to his father's head, as Rumpel held up the ends of the blankets for Bae to crawl in and lay beside him.

For a moment, she was envious of the small boy who would get to curl up beside him, remembering the warmth of his body pressed against hers. All that awaited her upstairs was a cold, empty bed.

She turned to leave, and then turned back to the pair lying in front of the fire,

"What's your name," she asked?

He smiled sheepishly at her, "Rumpelstiltskin," he stated.

She chuckled softly, "Well that's definitely a mouthful."

"You can just call me Rumpel if you'd like", still grinning at her.

"Rumpel," she said aloud, "I like that", and with that she turned and left the room.

She hadn't been more than a foot out the door when she heard Bae ask his father,

"You like her don't you? I saw the way you were looking at her."

Belle froze waiting to hear his answer, straining to hear them.

"Bae," he chuckled, "go to sleep. We will talk about all of this tomorrow."

"Papa," Bae pleaded.

"Yes, I do. She's beautiful inside and out." he said.

"I love you, Bae" he told his son.

"I love you too, papa," Bae whispered.

Belle felt a warmth spread throughout her chest and even as tired as she was, she felt as though floated upstairs to her chamber.