Author's Note: To get ready for the second half of season 3, I've been re-watching some old episodes along with Once Upon a Fan's podcast. Recently, I watched the final 2 episodes of Season 2, and a comment on the podcast led me to think of doing this story. It's just a bit of fluff, so my apologies if I've taken some liberties with the timeline, as far as Regina's self-destruct and such. Enjoy, and please do review! :)

Rumpelstiltskin watched as the woman beside him drank the potion he'd poured into his favorite teacup. An instant later, her entire body began to shimmer. He knew immediately that it had worked. He looked into her eyes, and he no longer saw Lacey. She was Belle, his Belle. The kisses they shared were enough to make Rumple forget every second he'd spent with Lacey. "Belle, I'm so sorry. I didn't want to wake you up to die, but I needed you."

Belle reached out, caressing his cheek. Even her touch felt different now. "You lost your son. I'm so sorry." She kissed him again.

In his excitement, he'd forgotten all about the tragic loss of Baelfire. This time, it hadn't been just a portal which had taken him. That would've been bad enough. But Emma had said he was shot by Tamara before he fell through. He was dead, and there was no telling where his body had ended up. But Rumple forced those thoughts from his mind as he held Belle close. He still couldn't believe she was here. Lacey had been fun, a nice distraction, but she could never be his true love.

Belle stayed there in his arms. She understood now who she was and where she belonged. Here, with Rumpelstiltskin. They'd been through so much, not unlike that poor teacup. But it was intact now, too, just as they were. Belle glanced at it where it sat on the table. But as she did, something strange happened. The room began to spin. She carefully pulled herself out of Rumple's arms.

"Is something wrong?" Rumple asked, alarmed.

Belle nodded. "Suddenly, I'm very dizzy, and my head hurts."

"Well, that's understandable. You've been – or, rather, your alter ego has – been drinking quite a bit. I'm afraid you've got a hangover. Something you probably never had in our land."

"Well, I did used to visit the pub now and then, but I never felt like this! Isn't there something you can do? I mean, you are the Dark One, right?"

Rumpelstiltskin couldn't help smiling. She'd always begged him not to use magic here, and now, she was asking for help. If it were anyone else, Rumple would make a deal. But this was Belle. "I'm afraid there isn't much I can do, dearie. Fairytale magic never took hangovers into account. However, I can make you comfortable so you can get some rest."

"All right," Belle said, her voice shaky. She sounded nothing like the self-confident young woman she'd been when they first met, back when Belle had offered to live with the Dark One one in order to save her village from the ogres.

Rumple could sense her fear. "Everything's going to be all right. I promise," he whispered, kissing her forehead. He glanced out the window of his pawnshop. He'd expected it to be over now. Regina's device should have destroyed the town by now. There was no time to investigate what had stopped it. All that mattered now was Belle. "Come with me," he said.

Having no other choice, Belle followed. Rumple led her to his bedroom, above the pawnshop. The bed was incredibly comfortable. It had all been a part of his deal with the Queen. Her curse had guaranteed him a good life in this land, while he waited to search for his missing son. "You can lie down here," Rumple said, pointing to the bed.

Obediently, Belle climbed in. It definitely felt good to be off her feet, especially since the dizziness hadn't gone away. "This is nice, but I don't know if I can sleep with this headache. And the room's still spinning."

"Ah, well, I can do something about that," Rumple said, grinning. For a moment, he tapped into his powers, feeling more like the fairytale imp than Mr. Gold. With a wave of his hand, Belle's eyes were instantly closed. This was no sleeping curse. Belle would not be tortured by nightmares. This spell would just allow her to rest while her body recovered from the alcohol.

As he watched her sleep, Rumpelstiltskin thought of all she'd been through in such a short period of time. She'd been freed from her twenty-eight-year imprisonment. Then, just a few months later, Rumpelstiltskin had taken her to the town line to prove he'd solved the town's new curse. In one tragic moment, Captain Hook had shot Belle, causing her to cross the line and lose her memory. That was how she'd ended up as Lacey in the first place, thanks to the Evil Queen. And now, here she lay, peacefully dreaming. She was so beautiful, and not simply on the outside. For the millionth time, Rumpelstiltskin wondered what he'd ever done to deserve her. It was a question that had no answer, he knew. Yet, she loved him.

Gradually, Rumple realized that he had to find out what was going on. How had the self-destruct device failed? He sensed that the danger hadn't completely passed. Even in Storybrooke, there always seemed to be some larger-than-life problem that needed to be solved. Despite his rather self-centered nature, Rumpelstiltskin knew he would do whatever he could to help, and make sure the town was safe. Not just for his own sake, but for her. With Bae gone, Belle was the only thing in his world that mattered. He couldn't lose another person he loved. As he turned to leave the room, Rumpelstiltskin glanced back at her one more time. "Don't worry, Belle," he whispered. "I'll protect you."

The End