Disclaimer- I own no one and nothing, I'm like a possessionless homeless person!

Wedded Bliss: Chapter one

Rosabelle French is a good girl. She is one semester away from gaining her Masters in English lit at Storybrooke University. She has a childlike love of all things fluffy. She attracts small children and animals like a magnet. She volunteers at the local soup Kitchen once a week, dreams of restoring the town library, and helps out at her father's flower shop "Game of Thorns" on the weekends. It was entirely unlike her to wake up in an unfamiliar room, unclothed and in a stranger's bed. Rosabelle isn't shy, and she speaks her mind more often and candidly than she perhaps should, but she has never ever imagined that she would be in a situation like this.

Rose, apparently having lost the ability to think rationally, immediately begins to hyperventilate. She feels tears stinging her eyes, and just knows that she is turning that unbearable shade of red that her pale skin reverts to when she is panicking. She tells herself, "Rosabelle, you are twenty-three years old, pull yourself together!" She begins to mumble "I'm a grown woman, it's perfectly acceptable to sleep around" realizing what she just said she groans, 'I sound like Ruby'. At this moment Rose realizes that there is a warm body next to her. She also finds that she has a massive hangover, and has acquired a new piece of jewelry. A ring to be exact. On her left ring finger. A wedding ring, on her left ring finger. "Fuck!" One can infer that Ms. French is unhappy. Rosabelle French is a good girl, she never swears, or marries strange men.

Rose can't quite bring herself to look at the man sleeping next to her. Instead she looks for an escape route. She quickly realizes that she is on the second floor of a very nice house, and that there is a large window facing east. She weighs her options. She decides that she will do anything to avoid confronting her new husband. She slips off her ring, an antique she thinks. It looks expensive, a pattern of rubies surrounding a ridiculously large diamond. Despite its lack of subtlety, Rose can't help but think that it does suit her. She leaves the ring on the pillow next to the man she is yet to identify, and makes her way to the window, preparing herself to jump. A few broken limbs are a price she is definitely willing to pay to get out of this situation. As she cracks the window open a sleepy Scottish brogue wilts through the air "where do you think you're going, dearie?"

"I…I'm sorry" Rose stumbles. "I didn't mean to offend you, I just figured it might be easier for both of us this way"

A handsome face looks at her as if she has three heads. Long light brown grayish hair is in disarray, covering chocolate eyes twinkling with curiosity. "Yes" he responds, "Because my favorite activity is cleaning up the remains of my suicidal bride that were left over from her jump out of our bedroom window"

She can't help but laugh at his sarcasm. He smiles at her. She supposes that if the fates decided that she has to be married to a stranger after a night of shots with the girls, she could have done worse. Rose sheepishly grins "I'm afraid I don't quite remember the events of last night, If you don't mind filling me in It would be much appreciated"

"It seems that your friends were right, they warned me that you were forgetful, after you drink" He told her with a nod. "Before we get into the Nitti gritty though, I would quite appreciate it if you would put some clothes on…you're rather... Distracting."

Rose blushed, the stranger wasn't all that bad looking himself. He had a muscular chest with a bit of hair, and the most smoldering eyes she had ever seen. He was incredibly elegant despite the circumstances. The only drawback was that he seemed to be quite a bit older than her. But Rose always did like older men.

"yes of course, I'm sorry" she giggled" I can't believe I was going to jump out of the window naked" she laughed at herself feeling utterly stupid. "I suppose I may have panicked." She added on slightly ashamed.

He snorted back laughter "I never would have guessed" He continued, "If you don't remember, My name is Rumford Gold. I am a citizen of Scotland though I have been living in the US for the past twenty years. My green card was about to expire. Somehow Ruby Lucas, a mutual friend of ours, convinced you to marry me."

Rose was astounded "Ruby let me do this?!" she asked looking like she was ready to kill something. She realized that her new husband might take offence to her violent reaction and quickly added "no offence!"

He laughed. "I quite understand" he continued "my only stipulation is that we are married for six months." Rose felt nauseous. She couldn't believe it, he wanted to stay married. "you see" he added on getting up from the bed " Immigration services may suspect that this was a farce from the start. So for six months we have to act like we are truly in love"

Rose couldn't believe this. Ruby, it was all Ruby's fault. "I'm sorry Mr. Gold, sir. But I'm afraid I can't stay married to you. I am a student and I-"

Gold cut her off. "Yes, I know, but you haven't let me get to the good part yet" He smiled weakly, embarrassed. "I am quite a wealthy man. Not to brag but I'm a gifted entrepreneur "

'Great' Rose thought 'now I'm a gold digger' He continued "I will pay for your tuition, cover all your student loans, and help you reopen Storybrooke's public library"

Rose was sold. "Alright! I'll do it!" Rose realized something then. This truly was in her best interest. Everyone's best interest. Gold's, her own, the Library's, the town of storybrooke's. It was almost heroic to stay married to gold, and nowadays opportunities for the type of heroism and sacrifice she read in her favorite books rarely came up in real life. Rosabelle French was a good girl. And Rosabelle Gold was going to be a good woman. She just had one question.

"Does anybody actually call you Rumford?" she asked, a very excited looking Gold.