A/N: Road trip courtesy of my beta. :)))

'Sometimes I wish I could go again on the road trip,' Ruby sighed.

Belle smiled fondly over her cocoa. The library was to be opened at noon, and Belle enjoyed spending the late morning hours at the dinner, chattering with her friend.

'That was something,' she nodded.

'I could be sixteen again, even if only for a few days. No being grown up, just adventure, experiencing the world, seeing much more than we've been shown so far.'

Belle frowned.

'Ruby, did something happened?'

Ruby looked around, biting her lips.

'I just... I feel somewhat lost.'

'Lost?'

'Like so much is to be done but it keeps shifting into something else when I try.'

'To be done as in the work, or in life?...'

'Both,' Ruby sighed. 'Since Granny got ill I'm basically the boss here, but I still can't believe I would be ever as good as she is on this. She did so much for me, though, I want to repay her even if only a little bit.'

'But you're doing great.'

'I'm managing.'

Belle looked at her friend with worry. Since Granny had a minor stroke, Ruby was put temporarily in charge. The work, coupled with the worry over Granny, was bound to be tiring.

'I feel like I've missed something and it's too late,' Ruby tried to explain. 'Maybe I should have gone to the college like you? I keep thinking that Granny would want me to be something more.'

'If she does, it's only because she believes in you, Ruby. And you're doing wonderful work here. I'm more concerned about you working too much. It really doesn't have to be perfect.'

Ruby smiled.

'Thanks, Belle. Also for helping me to avert some catastrophes in here.'

Belle laughed aloud, because each incident would make a great memory for years to come.

Then Belle's cell phone started to ring.

'Hi, dad,' Belle said. 'What's up?'

'Oh Belle, I don't know how you did this, but thank you! I hope it wasn't too much trouble for you.'

'What? Wait, what are you talking about?'

'About debts of course. Mr. Gold canceled them all.'

Belle's mind has gone blank for a moment.

'What debts and why he canceled them?' she demanded at last. This time it was Moe who fell silent.

'You didn't... Well, I didn't want you to know about all of them, but you remember that we owed Mr. Gold... eee... some money. And he canceled them without giving me any reason, but it was obviously because of you. Didn't he tell you?'

'No,' Belle sighed. 'Alright, dad, thank you for the information. I have to go now. Take care.'

Ruby watched as Belle slammed her cell phone on the table. Belle looked upward and sighed.

'That. Silly. Man.'

'Your dad? What did he do?'

'Not my dad. Robert.'

'Mr. Gold? Belle, what happened?'

'He canceled my dad's debts without any reason. Or rather I suppose he did it because the other day I was telling him about my new project for the library and how the Mayor keeps telling me that my pet projects aren't her budget priorities, and I just wanted him to hug me and be compassionate about the Mayor being an ass, but apparently he translated it into something else. I told him that I might end up paying for things for the library myself, and I might have said some rude things about the town's budget and my salary. But he was hugging me and listened to my complaints as I needed, I didn't expect him to cancel all my dad's debts the next day! Gods, he probably already talked to the Mayor about it too!'

Ruby stared at her anxiously.

'So? What are you going to do now?'

'I'll talk to him.'

'I mean, what are you going to tell him? You were happy together. I could strangle him for this, for destroying what you had.'

'Had? Ruby, I'm not breaking up with him.'

Ruby didn't look convinced.

'I remember when your father talked to headmaster behind your back. You almost moved out.'

'I was sixteen then.'

'And when you discovered that your father didn't tell you about all expenses that you two agreed to share because he wanted you to have more money for yourself. You threatened to quit college.'

'I'm not twenty anymore, Ruby...'

'And when he tried to talk with the mayor about library job for you before you came back.'

'And what did I do then? We talked.'

'But you were heard on the whole street.'

'Can't you have a little faith in me?'

Ruby just stared.

'Was I really that bad?'

'Worse.'

'Okay...' Belle sighed. 'But I'm smarter now. I don't have to prove anything to myself or to anyone. I finally have spare energy to think about the perspective of that other person. That, and it's not about my father.'

'So you two are going to talk?' Ruby didn't look convinced.

'Yes, because I finally know it's not about me needing help. Quite contrary in fact.'

Finding Robert to actually have the talk proved to be much more difficult than Belle expected. The shop was closed, he wasn't home, and he didn't pick up the phone. She started to seriously worry if he didn't have an accident.

But thanks to the town people she was asking, she finally found him on the beach, far away, sitting on the fallen trunk, huddled in the autumn wind. He was staring numbly at the sea and didn't hear her coming.

'Robert! What the hell were you thinking?!'

He actually managed to jump while sitting, and presently was staring at her with wide eyes and slightly open mouth.

'I...'

'Why did you turn your cell phone off? I was thinking of calling the hospital or sheriff! You've never disappeared like that!'

'I...' He blinked. 'The battery... I forgot to charge the phone yesterday...'

Belle shook her head and laughed mirthlessly.

'That's not like you.'

'No... I was distracted. Belle, are you very angry at me? I'm sorry, I did it and only then I thought of what I did...'

'That's why you're hiding here?'

He nodded miserably.

'And what do you think you did?'

'I didn't tell you what I'm going to do. Belle, I'm sorry, I don't want you to think that I think you're not supposed to know.'

'You know, if my father didn't call me this morning, I would be now very confused what you are talking about.'

He sighed.

'I'm sorry.'

'No, no, you've said that already.' Belle sat down beside him on the trunk. 'Now we're going to talk about why did you do it. And there's more than just not telling me. I think you didn't tell me because you knew that I wouldn't agree.'

Robert nodded, looking at his shoes.

'Why did you think I would not agree? By the way, you were right.'

He closed his eyes, but answered obediently.

'Because you would think that I'm doing it out of pity or treating you like a child.'

'What do you mean by treating like a child?' This felt closer to home for Belle, while the pity issue was probably something coming mostly from him.

'Like... like someone who can't take care of oneself. But I didn't want you to have to take care of yourself alone.'

'That I appreciate. But the means, not so much. You know, you can be supportive without treating anyone like a child. You were in fact, you've listened to me when I was venting out my frustrations.'

Robert looked like he wanted to interrupt her, but at the end just shook his head, and stared at the ocean.

'Robert?' Belle prompted. 'Talk to me. This needs to be explained.'

'I just... I want to do anything that you might need.'

'Robert, what you did with the debts wasn't something I needed.'

'Oh.' He looked again at his shoes, cheeks reddened in shame, despite Belle's gentle tone. She took pity on him and wrapped her arm around his shoulders, feeling him tense under the warm coat. Somehow he made it difficult for her to be mad at him. Frustrated like hell, yes, but not really mad like her father was able to inspire in her. Probably that was a difference between parent-child relationship and being equal with another adult.

'Robert, you already gave me everything I needed in this situation. It's absolutely enough that you've listened to me and cared.'

'But what good am I if I can't do anything about that?'

'You don't have to do anything to be good. Really. You sound like it's your job to fix everything for anybody.'

His eyes widened a bit.

'Yes, that's how I feel,' he admitted quietly after a moment. 'I feel guilty. I heard it as accusation that...'

'That?' Belle gently prompted.

'That I have too much, that it's unfair, that I have to settle the score right. That I have to give something to you, but what can I give? That was at least something, it seemed to be something, but clearly it wasn't, I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry, Belle. I can't give you anything.'

'Hey, hey, stop,' Belle wrapped him in her arms and hugged tight. 'It's okay. You can give me so much. You are giving me so much. I hope I'm returning it...'

He suddenly pulled back, sitting straight and holding her at arms length.

'Robert?'

'I... You don't have to... I'm sorry, Belle, I must sound like a lunatic today. It's just...'

'It's okay. I'm glad we are talking. You seem suddenly afraid. What's wrong?'

He shook his head, not looking her in the eyes.

'Experience, maybe. Hearing that you want to give me something back makes me feel so unworthy. I never was good at giving people what they want. I got used to scolding and demands. I'm sorry, I still keep expecting that from you, even when I know that you're so much better, so exceptional.'

He looked convinced that she's going to leave him for this admission, so she carefully reached with both hands for him, and drew him closer.

'It's okay. Bad experience do that to you, I'm not going to get mad for this. We'll just work on it.'

'And here we are, you taking care of me again.'

'You were taking care of me when I needed it. It's not about keeping scores anyway. I am sure you can and will help me when I need it and that's it. I'll tell you exactly what I need and you won't have to guess. But I'd like you to do the same. To tell me what I can do for you.'

'You're doing it already,' he said simply, hugging her back and hiding his face between her shoulder and neck. 'It's me who always has problems with this.'

'But you don't, really,' Belle frowned. 'You are wonderfully supportive. I can't watch enough your interactions with Bae. You're amazing.'

He pulled back, blinking. Of course, Belle thought with a sudden fury. How could he know? Not from that witch of a wife that Millie was, and not from his own father either. Belle didn't know much about Gold senior, but what she knew didn't sound appealing. And Bae was too small to give him as explicit feedback as Robert needed at this point.

'I mean it, Robert.'

'You do?'

'Yes. I can repeat it every time when you need to hear it.'

'Oh.' Then, after a moment, he quickly added: 'thank you. I'm sorry, I haven't done a very good job of my marriage to Millie, and I'm afraid that I'll make a mess of our relationship too. It's still so amazing that you both wanted me in the first place.'

'I think Millie had her large share in making a mess. From what you've told me, you could have seen that she often did something that might have harmed Bae, even indirectly. But she was hurting you as well.'

'She had a hard life, you know. The things she was telling me about her past... And she still did so much for me. That was a small price. She was with me. She gave me Bae. And I wasn't able to repay her.'

'I really wouldn't want to think that I can hurt you all I want, and you would feel it's right just because I am with you.'

And there was that lost, scared look and Belle again felt the need to cuddle him into oblivion. She would have to be careful to not scare him off. She didn't doubt his love, but she was becoming progressively aware that his view of himself and other people was very different than hers. She needed to thread carefully.

'Sweetheart, I meant that allowing someone to hurt you isn't the right kind of help or repayment or gratitude. This isn't something that could have helped her. That's not the right kind of sacrifice. And just in case, I would never demand something like that from you.'

He nodded, still looking lost.

'So I was never able to help her?'

'I think you did all you was able to do. There are things that just are not possible.'

He nodded again and timidly pulled her closer. She smiled, returning the embrace.

'See? We'll take care of each other just fine.'

'Oh, Belle,' he sighed, hiding his face in her hair. 'You know that I'm scared to ask for that. The whole life I've been learning that wanting that makes people angry.'

'Not me. You don't have to be afraid. I love you, sweetheart.'

'I love you too... ' he whispered with a hint of amazement. Belle couldn't imagine that he and Millie were saying this to each other aloud at all.

They were sitting in silence for a long while, cuddled together, not feeling the cold.

'Do I have to reinstate the debts?...' Robert asked quietly.

She sighed.

'Probably not. For a moment I thought about offering to pay them, but... This is between you and my father. If you want to, then by all means you can reinstate them, or you can leave them cancelled. And he's going to choose if he wants my help in paying them or not. If he asks, I'll gladly help.'

'Then maybe next time, because I don't want to break my word. I already told him I'm canceling those debts.'

'Okay. I hope he thanked you.'

'He seemed to be too much shell-shocked for that.'

Belle snorted.

'I bet he was. You two should properly meet, you know. Some dinner maybe?'

'Please, not yet,' Robert begged, cuddling closer to her. 'Let me recover some before the next shock.'

'Okay,' she said, rubbing his back. 'We both could use some rest.'

They stayed on the beach, completely alone for the next three hours, watching the clouds, and waves, and seagulls, until it was time to pick Bae up after school.