Clutching a shaking hand to her stomach, Belle groaned to herself. She made her way from her bedroom to the bathroom, gripping anything she could on the way.

"Don't throw up. Please. Not again," she pleaded with herself, her hands pressed firmly to the sides of the sink. Her breathing began to steady itself, and the wave of sickness she'd felt seemed to have passed. She looked up at the mirror in front of her, shocked by what she saw. Her face was a ghostly white, and her eyes looked dead too. Her face had become slightly fuller, but there was no colour to be found in her cheeks. She turned to the side slightly, and saw the small bump below her chest. Even though it had been a month since she'd found out, she still couldn't belive it.

Pregnant.

And with Rumple gone on a suicide mission he'd told her he wouldn't return from, Belle had to face this on her own.

A slight knock at the door shook Belle out of her trance, and after throwing on a jacket, she headed for the door.

"Hey. I thought I'd check up on you." Ruby smiles, cradling a basket.

"Ruby! Thank God you're here," Belle exclaimed, relieved that she didn't have to spend another morning alone.

"Granny told me to give you this. She said it can help with the cramps or something. I don't really remember, I was a bit distracted..." Ruby's voice trails off as she hands over the basket, a bright gleam in her eyes.

"Tell Granny I said thanks," Belle replies, before adding "so, who is he?"

"What? I have no idea what you're talking about," Ruby smirks. The two women make their way to the kitchen. "Anyway, I didn't come here to talk about me, I came to see you."

"Well, thanks, but nothing's happened. I just don't know how I'm going to cope without him." Belle places a shaking hand on her stomach.

"Hey," Ruby takes Belle's hand from her stomach, and holds it tightly "you'll get through this. You've got me. Anytime. Just whistle. Seriously. I'll literally be here when you whistle."

Belle laughs, a hint of colour returning to her cheeks.

"So, what do you have planned today?" Ruby asks, taking out the contents of the basket she'd brought over. A variety of herbs, remedies and soothing oils were placed on the kitchen side.

"The blue fairy said she might be able to tell me the sex today." Belle smiles sadly.

"Really? Don't you normally have to be at least 18 weeks gone to get a scan?"

"Well, we are talking about Storybrooke here. Anyway, the Blue Fairy said she'd used her magic on Snow to check if Emma was a healthy baby, and she found the sex too."

"I should let you get ready then. Good luck, and remember, call me whenever you need me," Ruby says, gathering her things and making her way to the front door.

"Are you serious? Don't you want to come with me?" Belle asks, worried.

"I didn't know if it was something you'd rather do on your own, or..." Ruby replies, unsure of what to do.

"Of course I want you here. You're my best friend."