The knock on her door startled Zelena. Who could possibly be at her home at such a late hour? She knew it couldn't possibly be either of her sisters, not after today. Besides that fact, neither Regina nor the Queen ever bothered to knock. She spared a quick glance at her daughter, making sure the noise hadn't woken the infant, and went to the door, tightening her emerald robe around her. She wasn't entirely sure why she was surprised to find the bookworm on her porch. Her house had seemingly become a free-for-all as of late. And yet when she saw her, Belle looking equally surprised.
"Oh. I'm sorry. Did I wake you?" Belle asked, taking in Zelena's casual dress. She must have let her gaze upon the woman's attire linger a moment too long as she saw the witch shift and wrap her arms around herself. Belle couldn't help but find the movement odd as Zelena had always carried herself with an air of confidence.
"No, but it is nearly midnight. So what do you need from me now and so late? Aren't all of you hero types supposed to be in bed early so you may rise at dawn, bright-eyed and ready to thwart us lesser beings?" In truth, Zelena was exhausted from the events of the day, and she wasn't certain she had enough fight in her for whatever the Dark One's wife wished to demand of her this time. She watched Belle take a steadying breath. She looked as tired as Zelena felt, she noted.
"I need a drink."
"Ah, yes I do see your dilemma. The Rabbit Hole, I'm assuming, isn't in the habit of selling pregnant women, especially when the father is the Dark One. Though I'm not quite sure what that says about your opinion of me if you think I'd be willing to."
"I'm not pregnant anymore," Belle replied sharply, and Zelena's face fell almost instantly at the implications running amok within her mind.
"What did he do?" Zelena's eyes were a storm of concern, sadness, and anger. Belle couldn't place why, but it gave her a small measure of comfort. Granted, Belle had always found the witch's eyes to be a fascinating facet of hers. There was always something there, underneath the surface.
"Exactly what Emma did to you." Belle figured she may as well be honest with Zelena. "I gave birth to my son earlier today, and then I had the Blue Fairy take him away, somewhere safe from his father," Belle explained, the pain written in bold italics upon her face. Zelena's only response was an empathetic look and an opening of the door to welcome Belle inside.
