*Gold Digging*

by: WhiteGloves

I lost my first copy. If you have one kindly... send me^^

Revise! Replaced! And all!

A curious place it was, full of magical objects such as wands, carpets, lamps and jars, armors of swords and shields and spears; and jewelries that screams of its promised past like diamonds and rubies, jades and black pearls that would sometimes emit magical sparks as if reminding the world of its true value.

All found in that curious little shop of Mr. Gold.

Amidst these treasury was a beautiful woman with dark brown hair and alluring blue eyes. She was the owner of it all. Why, she was Mrs. Gold. Her name was Belle. Another curious thing however was the fact that despite all the treasures in the room, the fair lady was only holding an old ancient book.

Belle was busy attending to the many curious things of her husband's, Mr. Gold's, collection at the back of the shop when she heard the bell chiming from the front desk. Knowing that her husband was there, she turned to the page of the book she was reading and was already mesmerized by the antique she was reading when she heard a female's flirtatious laughter from outside. Raising her head, Belle frowned and put her book down, wondering who on earth was their customer for it was one thing to willingly enter their shop (for people knows of Gold's infamous reputation as Rumplestiltskin, the Dark One) and it was another to be laughing so loud in his presence. The idea of anyone doing so was more disturbing than her husband attending to dark magic because then it meant one thing- whoever it was was up to no good.

And she concerned her because it was her husband they were always after.

She was just about to come out of the back shop when she heard a woman's soft spoken and somewhat out-of-place-flirtatious voice say-

"Oh, you're awfully looking hot in that black suit, Rumplestiltskin. Are you still playing hard to get?"

Belle's eyes rounded and she stepped on the threshold towards the front desk in time to see her husband behind the counter, walled over by some black haired woman whose arms were around his neck while he stood by calmly. Belle never understood where Rumple's attitude was coming from when upon seeing them she immediately burst out in emotion-

"Hey!" Both Rumple and the stranger looked in her direction and it was all Belle could do to not tear her long arms around her husband. "What are you doing to my husband?"

The woman raised a thin eyebrows at her while Rumple, upon seeing his wife's upset face, pressed a sigh, clicked his fingers and the next thing- the woman about him suddenly vanished and appear by the doorway magically and staggered a little at her lost footing. Surprise, she shot the shop owner an indignant look.

"Rumplestiltskin!"

"I've told you," Gold said calmly as Belle walked beside him with eyes lingering at their visitor, "you're crossing the line. Customers are supposed to stay at the other side of this counter."

The strange woman raised another brow and then almost automatically, her eyes fell on Belle.

"Who is she?" it was more like a demand and this above all, made Belle's inner fire lit up.

"I should be asking the same question," she turned to Gold abruptly and grabbed his right arm, "Rumple, who is this woman?"

Mr. Gold eyed his wife, before looking back at the visitor and sighing.

"She's Zira, Belle... an old acquaintance. Zira, my wife." he nodded at the beautiful woman beside her which seemed to please her altogether.

"A wife?" Zira repeated with eyebrows not coming down to heaven as she walked towards the counter again with pure curiosity on her expression, "the Dark One has taken a wife? After all those years of fooling around with those maidens, you've come to and found yourself a wife? What happened? You got bored of your life?"

She shot the question at the Dark One who eyed her with dark brows drawing close to each other. Belle, however, did not like her tone as she remained rooted beside Rumple and gave the woman a look.

"E-excuse me, do you need anything from my husband?"

Zira's eyes fell on her again and this time she did not mask her dislike for the wife.

"Everybody wants him for everything and for all the reasons, Belle, was it?" then her eyes traveled back to Gold, "Can't we talk in private, Rumplestiltskin?"

Belle's grip on Rumple's arm suddenly tightened and the message was sent across instantly as the man looked down Belle's hands, before looking back at the customer.

"Whatever you have to say, Zira, you can say in front of Belle. There's no secrets between us."

"Ahh... right, the old liner of couples?" the customer looked even more disapproving as she gazed at the woman beside Mr. Gold, "Fine, she can listen to everything I have to say but I must warn her that you cannot just label me an acquaintance. Our relationship is much more than that... dearie."

She suddenly winked at Rumplestiltskin that made Bell blink several times. Mr. Gold chuckled and shook his head while the wife beside him throw an accusing look on his direction.

"What's the meaning of this Rumple?"

"It means nothing, Belle, you can trust me-"

"Ah, but is that quite a fact?" Zira said in a challenging voice as she now stopped in front of the counter, right across Mr. Gold and the two eyed each other somewhat malevolently, "you don't want to tell her how steamy our relationship was, Dark One?"

Belle was looking from one person to another and she knows that she wasn't liking what she was hearing.

"Rumple!" she said strongly that made Gold blink at her and then eye the visitor with a frown.

"You better stop talking now." his voice was full of warning but it merely made Zira give him a sweet smile.

And the husband and wife turned to one another with Belle looking much uncomfortable as she glared at him and then to the woman.

"Um... excuse me," she started after some thought and realization that things can still be resolved peacefully, not after seeing that dark look his husband was giving the woman now, "why don't you just tell us what you need so that you can leave early?"

"Mmm..." Zira raised another eyebrow at Belle, "How polite you are. Is that your way of telling people to get out? Rumplestiltskin, is your wife really this nice?"

The sarcastic smile Mr. Gold gave her suddenly made the stranger stand still, as if a signal was given for her to stop.

"Yes, she is everything that is not me so if you continue your provocation, I'll gladly send you outside the door to whatever form you may find yourself to be after I'm finished with you."

"Touche," Zira scoffed as she eyed Belle again from head to toe as if sizing her up but didn't dare say another word for the Dark One seemed serious with his warning, "Fine, I'll be done once you give me what I need."

"And what do you need?" Belle quickly asked that made Zira look in her direction again and smirk as she answered-

"Gold."

Belle's surprise was too obvious that made Zira smile while Rumplestiltskin closed his eyes and sighed.

"Belle," he said after a while, "there's this golden cup with a lion crest at the top cupboard of the cabinet where we keep all which is gold. If you can kindly fetch it for me, darling." He placed a firm hand on hers and gave it a squeeze but Belle saw Zira's longing eyes on her husband that her reply became sharp-

"No." she looked at him and found him staring at her in surprise but with a wary look at the visitor, she continued "I don't know where it is, Rumple... so please be the one to get it. I'll stay here."

Rumplestiltskin stared at his wife quietly and then slightly frowned. Then without a word, he quietly slipped to the back of the shop, leaving the two woman staring at each other somewhat pointedly.

Then came Zira's wicked smile, "So what did you do to him to get him? Did you take his dagger to control him?"

Belle pressed her eyes closed before looking up and breathing out, "You know about his dagger." it was a statement.

"Of course I know about his dagger," she turned around sharply and started walking around the shop with eyes venturing from one object to another, "anyone who wants to control him knows about it. Imagine the Dark One under your control. I'd love to give it a try."

Belle felt her jaws tighten. "Rumple is not a toy to be controlled by anyone."

"Hmm?" Zira turned her head at her direction, "so you didn't control him after all. I knew all along. You're not the type to out power him nor outwit him. The Dark One has always been careful and cunning. Trust me. I should know."

"You want to control my husband?" it came out ridiculous- even the idea was repulsive for Belle but the reply she got was more than she could handle.

"Control him? Please, no. I want to own him." she smiled so wickedly after that it made Belle gasp.

"He's not anyone's possession!"

"Of course he isn't. But he can be-"

"Stop!" Belle was fuming as she pointed her finger at the witch or whatever this Zira person was, "I know it, you have feelings for him!"

"Of course, I love him."

"Then why do you want to control him?"

"Isn't that what I just said? I love him to control him."

"That's twisted!" Belle shook her head in disbelief, just exactly what kind of woman was she dealing with, "That's not love..."

"Oh believe me, it is," Zira rounded on the counter again and crossed her arms in front of the bristling wife, "we've all got different definition of what true love is, dear, so stop imposing."

"I would't impose if you just stop talking about my husband that way."

The two eyed each other with daggers but it was just in time when Mr. Gold came out of the back shop carrying a golden cup on his hands.

"Here it is... your lioness." he placed the cup on the top of the glass cabinet, unaware of the sudden silence that fell between the women. He looked up at the customer, "One drink from this cup will ensure your freedom from the King. But I daresay I don't think he'd bother looking for you. Not here."

"Oh, you don't know him." Zira said as she studied the golden cup, "He got all angry when he found out I entered his Kingdom when the witch left the Wardrobe open."

"You killed his parents," Gold whispered with eyes narrowing, "you get the best of him."

"I don't care, I just don't want him roaring his lungs out at my ears. You won't believe how noisy he can get, almost like his father."

"Well, you can't expect Aslan to be in better mood with you around."

"Clearly," Zira looked over at Gold again and smiled, "his father, Simba was none the wiser." and she winked at him again.

Belle threw a scowl in her direction but just as Zira was about to take the cup, Gold's hands stopped her and the two old acquaintances shared another meaningful look, one that Belle couldn't take. Just when she was about to say something to break the spell, Zira opened her mouth to speak.

"Name it, Dark One. What's your price? You always have a price, can't you come with it?" she held his hand.

"Enticing," Gold smiled with gritted teeth as he pulled his hand away, "but I don't. The price however." he stopped and Belle was surprised to see him look in her direction. "Is to leave my wife alone."

"More like," Belle interrupted as she understood and knew it wasn't enough and added, "you leave him alone."

Mr. Gold looked her way and Belle planted herself firmly beside him once more. Zira watched the two and rolled her eyes, before grabbing the golden cup and putting it inside her purse.

"Fine." she said and raised her chin, "I won't bother... just one more thing, Rumplestiltskin."

"Good luck with you." Belle said all of a sudden with a final look at Zira's way. The customer eyed her narrowly and then turned away and walked out of the shop with the door opening and closing at the chime of the bell.

Leaving Mr. and Mrs. Gold alone.

A second passed, and then Mr. Gold let out a smile and a sigh as he turned to his wife.

"Belle, what was that about?"

"I'm trying to protect you."

"Protect me-?"

"From evil women." Belle confronted him with her blue eyes narrowing, "And don't tell me you didn't notice that, she was all over you! Why didn't you avoid her when she cornered you? You have magic! You could have disappeared!"

Rumple let out a smile and shook his head, "Well, there wasn't much space... and her kind is really like that. Aggressive."

"But that doesn't mean she can do what she likes with you." she crossed her arms on her chest with eyebrows rising, making her husband look about to laugh even more as he reached out his hands and hold her arms.

"She didn't. Now, Belle, come on... are you jealous?"

Belle gave it a mocking thought, "Let me see, I'm your wife so yeah, I'm jealous!"

"No, no," Gold shook his head and embraced her but the smile on his lips was not something easily get rid of, "There's nothing to be jealous about. I love you."

"I know, Rumple," she embraced him back finally and with a sigh continued, "but I cant' stand it when anyone just approaches you. You're the Dark One. You're supposed to be unapproachable! That's my job."

"Belle-"

"I know it sounds ridiculous all right-" she pulled away from his arms and looked him in the eye. He looked back.

"No..." he caressed her cheeks with that gentle look in his eyes, "no I understand perfectly. But there's no need to be jealous. I don't want you harboring such ill emotion just because of other people, no Belle. That is unworthy of you."

Belle smiled and the two shared a kiss.

When they broke apart, the lady reached a hand and touched Rumple's cheek saying, "Jealous... I remember being like this back then... when you have witches as visitors and you would order me to leave you alone... I was always jealous, Rumple."

"Oh, Belle..." he kissed her again, "I promised I won't let you feel that way anymore. Jealousy should never and will never come between us."

"Thank you, Rumple... I love you."

Moments later, Belle had once again resumed her position in the middle of all the magical objects when the shop's door opened again at the sound of the bell chimes. Mr. Gold turned just in time to see Will, Belle's fleeing affair, walk in with a resolute expression on his face as he declared-

"I want to see Belle! I want her to know how much I love-"

With a flick of Gold's fingers, the man turned into a golden cup.

"Don't," Gold said as he looked down at the cup on the floor with a smile, "I get jealous."

~THE END~

A/N: Had to rewrite this because of my own stupidity!

Anyways, I liked it all the same! More Rumbelle! ;)

Thanks for reading! ;)