GOLD ON THE CEILING

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This takes place in season two so there will be spoilers up to the most recent episode. Hope you enjoy and reviews are always a delight.

The store was in immaculate disarray, pristine glass cases framed the floor of the small store, carpeted in a deep maroon and though having many a window large and wide it had an uncomfortably unnatural darkness to it. For the most part the store was well kept, there were no traces of fingerprints tarnishing the glass counter tops that displayed the variety of valuables beneath them. In truth, many of the items in the shop where not technically the owners to sell, but that was a technicality that no one in the town seemed to want to confront him about. Especially since not too long after their memories where replaced was the reappearance of magic into their lives.

The maroon curtains at the back of the store rippled slightly, as if someone was about to walk through but stopped. In fact, one of Rumpelstiltskin's hands was resting against the curtain, the other gripped firmly atop his gold cane. He looked at Belle in mock annoyance even though a smile was slowly curving his lips, she continued her conversation oblivious to the fact that he was in fact attempting to open his shop that morning.

"Belle," he interjected calmly, eyebrows raising slightly. She continued pacing and talking, having not heard him. It had actually been more of an external monologue than a conversation that morning, Belle was having trouble enforcing a return date and late fees on her library books.

"I mean, I don't like fining people, but If I don't they'll never bring anything back and if they never bring the books back no one else can enjoy them and that's just, just…selfish!" she took a moment to pause and breathe and to organize her thoughts further. Rumpelstiltskin's could listen to her lilting English accent all day; see those bright blue eyes shine with conviction. Even in the poorly lit room, that seemed almost disgustingly hovel like with her in it, those brown curls feathered with an auburn glow where visible as if she was standing in sunlight not in cluttered backroom of a pawn shop.

"Belle," he said again, this time stepping away from the curtain and walking over to her, favoring his left leg and leaning heavily on the cane in his right hand though the distance less than ten steps the pain was ever present. "Belle," he said for a third time, his voice soft and as he tipped her chin up to look at him. This seemed to pull her from her thoughts, "If there is a problem, I will see to it." She had been smiling up at him, but at this she furrowed her brows, frowning at him slightly. "Rumpelstiltskin…I don't want anyone hurt. Perhaps, I should just go to Sheriff Swan." he leaned back slightly holding his left hand up and laughing slightly in feigning innocence, "Why, Dear Belle, I was not proposing to hurt a soul." His voice hitched a note higher at his last word.

Belle narrowed her eyes very slightly, this had been something she'd been noticing becoming more prevalent in Rumpelstiltskin as of late. Ever since he'd restored magic to Storybrooke, these sorts of characteristics in him had been bleeding through, reminiscent of the Dark One of their old world.

Belle had known he was always this same person or monster – depending on the perspective. Though he appeared to be a man, he was not and that this appearance had only been a bewitchment of the realm they currently inhabited.

"Rumpel," she said, letting the last vowel drag on a little longer than necessary, grasping his full attention, as she took another step closer and reached up to brush the rouge strands of brown hair from his face. Rumpelstiltskin's quick tongue and sharp mind was halted ever so slightly as his heart seemed to beat in double time at the small touch. He closed his eyes and tilted his head slightly towards her hand, trying to focus on what she was saying and not how she made him feel. "I want to tell you all about what happens in my days, without my daily toils becoming some sort of problem you need to solve." He heard her words, and wanted to say something against them, that her problems where his, something along those lines. But her hand was carelessly resting on his shoulder as it played with strands of hair that rested against the nape of his neck and every so often brushing the ever falling shorter strands that liked to rest against his cheek bones. The tips of her fingers leaving a trail of electricity from his cheek, jawline, and neck as she unconsciously continued playing with his hair as she spoke, leaving silver tongued deal maker and for all his impish qualities putty in her hands.

"Rumpelstiltskin?" she stopped and let her hand rest against his neck immobile, unaware that what she'd been doing had caused his pause. He opened his eyes a moment after she'd said his name, "Yes, Belle." His voice was low and almost a whisper, if he was to counter her previous statement about her problems being her own it would have had to been immediately, he'd decided it would be an argument to have another time – which they'd surely have since he'd already decided he'd deal with the problem with or without her request.

"So, you won't hurt anyone?"

He smiled at her warmly, "Of course not." Whilst saying these words he placed his free hand under her chin and tipped it slightly again, this time not to catch her eyes but her lips.

Rumpelstiltskin, in all his travels and years before Storybrooke had practiced a certain level of control and measure, though from the outside it had often seemed the opposite due to his very impulsive nature. Also the past 28 years in Storybrooke had given him time to hone his anger to a bubbling simmer in most situations. But these emotions he'd began to have again since Belle's return, were constantly testing his control. So potent was the feeling of desire that Rumpelstiltskin often gave in to moments such as this, though it was now a quarter past the store's opening.

The kiss light but lasting, and as always it left not just Rumpelstiltskin but Belle as well, wanting more, moments passed and he turned his head down to break the kiss which was token to his self-control, but this morning even that was in the balance of shattering completely when she ever so sweetly continued the kiss as he looked back up to her. He made a small noise, similar to the first time they'd kissed and at this she broke it the kiss, blushing in slight embarrassment at her persistence. It was partly cruel to him, to leave him in such a miserable state, having led him on to expect more and to end it like that. But Rumpelstiltskin just gave her a playful smirk and she had to divert eyes as her face got even redder.

"Perhaps," he said as he started to walk back towards those curtains he'd been trying to get at for close to half an hour. "I should open the store now."

"Oh!" She squeaked her blue eyes wide as she glanced at her watch. "I have to open in the library in half an hour, I should go."

He nodded and smiled, he couldn't stop smiling when she was near him, so he turned back to the curtain and began his soon to be strained trek throughout the store to turn on lights and unlock the front door. At the front register counting the drawer for the day, he heard the back door bell ring as Belle opened the door to leave and said 'bye!'.

After counting the drawer, he turned to a mirror behind him and adjusted the black tie around his neck as it was askew due to Belle tugging it very slightly during their kiss, he turned from the mirror trying not to focus too much on morning, hobbled to the front door and flipped the sign to OPEN and unlocked the front doors.

He stepped into the backroom for a moment after a customer less morning, to grab a trinket he'd been fiddling with the day before. On his way back out to the store front the front door clicked open and closed, letting a slight automatic clinging noise echo through the store to let him know a customer had arrived. He pushed through the thin curtains effortlessly and glanced across the store to see a man with his back to him looking down into the far end display cases, as usual his reappearance to the front of the store had been in silence.

"Tick-tock."

The man stood up straight and his back tensed ever so slightly, he did not turn to the store owner but simply said, "What did you just say?" in a deep accent from some British isle.

"I said, it's almost one, the store will be closed within a few minutes but if you wish to return in thirty minutes, I'll be back open for…business." Rumpelstiltskin said with his usual icy demeanor.

"I'll only need a few minutes," the man said, rolling his shoulders slightly.

Rumpelstiltskin's eyes narrowed at the man, he had a mess of familiar black hair, wide shoulders and a beaten up black coat that stopped just below his knees, a pair of equally worn black slack and boots. This man had a familiarity that made Gold's right hand clench the cane roughly, and his jaw tense. It was as if his body was preparing him for what his mind was about to catch up to in memory.

"I'm afraid that you don't have the time Mr. ?," Gold responded barely a moment after the man stopped speaking, he heard a small but deep laugh as the man fiddled with one of his ears before he turned around whilst saying, "Oh, I'm sorry where are my manners? Killian Jones," he smiled wildly.

Rumpelstiltskin stood in strong silence, muscles tensed and eyes narrowed slits, finally he gave a wicked smile and laughed placing two hands on his cane behind the front desk, "Well, Well, Well, Captain Hook and what brings you to Storybrooke?"

"I think you know."

"Yeah, perhaps I do."

It was almost too fast to catch, but as soon as Hook responded his arm was in his jacket and then stretched before him pointing a gun square in the face of Rumpelstiltskin.

"Rumpelstiltskin, I have traveled many a land in search of a way to kill you."

"Yes, Mr. Jones, I do recall you said something along those lines at our last encounter." Rumpelstiltskin's nonchalant attitude was doing wonders at pissing Hook off.

"Yeah? Well guess what you wretched crocodile? I don't need to skin you or find spell or some enchanted bullshit weapon in this realm; all it takes is a bullet."

At this Rumpelstiltskin laughed tossing his head back, then flicked it back to look at the pirate straight in the eyes, an impish amusement has possessed him contorting his features making him look disturbingly similar to the monstrous form he'd worn back in their land.

"It will take a lot more than that to kill me, even here."

"We'll see." Hook clicked back the hammer on the old fashioned gun, finger at the trigger he was inches from pulling it when the front door chimed. Both men put their attention at the new arrival.

Rumpelstiltskin's cavalier attitude vanished in desperation as his heart plummeted in his chest and desperation shook his mind.

Belle stood, blue eyes wide as she stared from Hook to the gun to Rumpel then back again, her mouth open in horror.

"Belle! Get out of here!" Rumpelstiltskin yelled.

Killian Jones was looking back at Belle, gun still pointing at his foe. The woman was beautiful, nothing to Mila of course, but she was a Beauty. She had curves in all the right places, shaped by a nice sky blue dress that stopped right above her knees and long brown curls that hovered right above her breasts. Killian could measure up a woman in a matter of moments and from the full partly open lips to those wide blue eyes he could see one thing: Worry.

Hook looked back at Rumpelstiltskin; he was no longer behind the front desk and to the left of it, with a look of panic on his face. After a moment his foe looked back at him, but hook realized in that moment that he'd only done so for one reason: Rumpelstiltskin had shone his hand.

Hook laughed and slowly, eyes locked on the Imp he moved his arm and pointed the gun at Belle, he inhaled loudly in fright. Rumpelstiltskin gripped the countertop and took another quick step closer, he looked like he was going to kill Hook. But Killian just made a mock surprised expression at Rumpelstiltskin's response.

"Well, Well the beast has a heart after all.."

"Rumpel..." Belle said in fear but also to try and tell him not to do anything crazy. But murder was in Rumpelstiltskin's eyes and hook knew then and there that if this Crocodile was as strong as he was back in their world that he would no longer be among the living.

Threatening this girl had made the Crocodile not only show his hand but his heart, his weaknesses as well where more than one. It seemed that human affliction to his leg had returned to him in this world and now there was a woman who had his heart.

"You know, Hobblefoot," Hook said as he slipped the gun back into his waist belt. "This is going to be a lot more fun, than I thought." He just laughed as he walked back slowly then turned to Belle as he opened the front door, grabbing her hand he kissed it and looked into her eyes, "Killian Jones, pleasure."