Hi everybody! I am a huge 'Once Upon a Time' fan, but as I live in New Zealand, the only way I've been able to get anything from Seeson 2 was through the sneak peeks, youtube posts and plot reviews from the internet. When I watched the promos and Sneek Peeks for 'The Outsider' I was afraid of Belle losing her memory after being shot by Hook at the boundary line, so I wrote this as a way to keep hope, even if it did happen. When I read the reviews and found that Belle did, infact lose her memory, I thought I should publish this.
Hope you enjoy!
I do not own Once Upon a Time.
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Rumplestiltskin sat next to the hospital bed, gazing numbly at the woman sleeping, the steady 'beep, beep, beep' of the heart monitor was the only thing preventing him from flying into a panic.
The events over the past couple of hours were all such a blur. Finally able to cross the boundary line, Belle's supportive smile. Hook showing up with a gun. Belle coming to his defense and falling to the ground with the gunshot.
Rumple's hands gripped his cane so hard his knuckles turned white. He had never felt so angry, not even at Regina once he found out his Love was still alive.
He had conjured a ball of fire in his hand, ready to strike down the marauding cur that had shot at a woman whose heart was more pure than his would ever be.
And then the car appeared.
It was an outsider's car, and the sound of squealing breaks echoed through the darkness.
Rumple had shielded Belle, rolling to get her out of the way of the skidding vehicle, looking over his shoulder, he saw the car hit Hook before crashing against the road bank.
And now, The Outsider and Hook were being treated for their injuries, while Belle lay unconscious before him, the hospital blankets hiding the bandage-covered bullet wound in her side.
Rumple closed his eyes. 'Please wake up.' He pleaded.
But a niggling voice crept into his mind, echoing his fears in the words he had told many people in the past.
"All magic, comes with a price."
What if the price for finding his son, meant he had to lose Belle?
Rumple shook his head, trying to clear it of such fears. He wouldn't lose her. Not again. He would do everything in his power to make sure that he wouldn't lose her.
A movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention.
Belle shifted her leg in her sleep, causing the blankets to rustle. Moaning slightly, she shifted her head in discomfort, bringing a hand up to clutch her side.
Rumple's breath caught as her sky blue eyes flickered open, gazing around in confusion before coming to rest on him.
"Belle." He breathed a sigh of relief. "You're awake, thank goodness."
"Where am I?" She asked dazedly.
"You're in the hospital." Rumple explained. "Hook shot you. Believe me," He vowed "The pirate will pay for that."
"Pirate?" Belle asked, confused.
Rumple's eyes focused on Belle's face, examining, searching, and he saw something that caused his hands to shake on his cane.
"Belle." He began hesitantly. "Do you remember who I am?"
Those lovely sky blue eyes searched his face and a flicker of recognition registered.
"You're, Mr Gold." She stated slowly. "Aren't you? I was told to find you."
"What's the last thing you remember?" He asked, feeling his throat tightening in fear as he realized what had happened.
"I was…with you, in the forest." Belle answered. She smiled slightly. "It was nice, being outside after living my whole life in the asylum."
"Oh, Belle." Rumple dropped his head onto his hands in despair. "You've forgotten."
The sound of footsteps approaching pulled Rumplestiltskin's awareness back into the hospital room.
The door swung open to allow the Royal family to enter the room, including Henry who followed, as usual carrying his school bag over his shoulder.
"Sheriff Swan." Rumplestiltskin greeted, and it was only then that he realized that tears had been trailing down his cheeks, and he wiped them away quickly.
"Mr Gold." Emma returned the greeting, pausing when she spotted the tears. Since when does Mr Gold cry?
"It's good to see you awake Belle." Mary Margret said quickly.
"I'm sorry, do I know you?" The brunette asked in confusion.
Four pairs of eyes turned to the older man sitting beside the bed.
"She's forgotten who she is?" Charming asked, concerned.
Rumple nodded. "She must have crossed the boundary line accidently after Hook shot her." He mused, a growl entering his voice.
Rumple leaned forward to take his Love's hand, and was thankful that she didn't pull away. "Don't worry, Belle." He told her. "I promise, I will find a way to get you your memories back."
"Belle." She repeated. "That's my name?"
"Belle?" Henry spoke up for the first time. "You mean, from 'Beauty and the Beast?"
Rumple nodded. "Yes." He answered, both questions.
Henry came forward, unzipping his bag as he went. "Maybe this will help." Carefully, he extracted his fairy tale book from his bag and placed it gently on the hospital bed.
"A book?" Belle asked curiously, reaching out to touch the brown leather cover, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.
Seeing her expression, Rumple felt hope beginning to rise in his chest. "You've always loved reading." He told her. His Belle was still there, somewhere.
"Reading Snow White's story to Prince Charming woke him up from a coma." Henry reminded them all. "So, maybe if Belle reads her story, it could bring her memories back."
"I'm in this book?" Belle asked. "Why? How?"
Rumplestiltskin sighed. "That, my dear, is a very long story. And far too much to take on all at once." Carefully, he moved the book until it rested on her lap, in easy reach. "Small steps, love."
Turning to the boy, Rumple couldn't help but smile.
"Thank you, Henry." He said. "It's kind of you to give Belle your book. I know how much it means to you."
"No problem." Henry said brightly.
"We should let Belle rest." Mary Margret suggested.
The royal family filed out of the room, and reluctantly, Rumple followed suit.
"Hook is going to pay for this." Rumple vowed.
"He got hit by a car." Emma reminded him. "I don't know how much more damage you can do."
The older man appeared to deflate as he gazed through the window back at the young woman sitting numbly in the hospital bed. She had forgotten him. She couldn't remember him.
He had lost her.
'No!' Rumple gritted his teeth in determination. He would not lose both Belle and Bae. He couldn't.
"So, if Belle's the Beauty from the story…" Henry put forward. "You must be the Beast, right?"
The man sighed, pulling his eyes away from his love to focus on the boy.
"Yes." He whispered. "I am the beast."
"Can't say I'm surprised at the title." Emma muttered.
"But they love each other!" Henry said.
"Then what about True Love's Kiss?" Charming suggested. "Wouldn't that bring her memories back? Like it did with Snow when she forgot me?"
"But Belle doesn't love me." Rumplestiltskin reminded them bitterly. "She doesn't even remember me. So it wouldn't work."
"She doesn't even remember who she is." Mary Margaret put forward, seeing the parallel of when she took the potion that took her love away.
"Exactly." Henry said triumphantly. "And when she reads her story, she'll remember who she is."
"Why did you give Belle your book, Henry?" Rumple asked curiously. "You didn't have to."
Henry became thoughtful before gazing up at the older man.
"Because Belle's your happy ending." He stated surely. "Belle could see that you weren't as bad as everyone thought and she made you realize you could be human again. That you could be loved."
Rumplestiltskin was barely aware that Emma and 'The Charmings' were in the hall. He couldn't take his eyes off the boy.
"That's why you drove her away that first time." Henry continued. "Because you didn't believe that anyone could love you."
"But now you do, I can tell." Henry continued. "You'll be able to get her memories back, she just needs to remember who she is first."
The boy sounded so sure, that Rumple wanted to believe him.
But then he realized something.
"I still have to find my son." He said, snapping out of his reverie and turning to Emma. "You're still going to help me."
"Of course." Emma agreed.
Turning his gaze back on his Love through the window, he noticed that Belle had fallen asleep again, her hands resting on the book in her lap.
"You're right." He said thoughtfully. "She can't remember who I am until she remembers who she is. She'll need to do that in her own time. Me being here will just confuse her more."
"So," he continued, turning again to Emma, "while she's recovering, you and I can leave to find Bae. When we return, I can focus on restoring Belle's memories to her."
"Sure." Emma agreed reluctantly.
"I'm coming with you." Henry added quickly.
"Absolutely not." Emma said firmly.
Henry turned to Mr Gold. "I'll take the book back." He said. "But Belle needs to remember who she is. It'll be harder, without reading her story."
Rumple raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Are you making a deal with me, Henry?"
"Yep."
"Well, it's not gonna work, kid." Emma stated. "I'm your mother, you need my permission. There's nothing Gold can do."
Henry kept his gaze on Mr Gold, who smirked slightly. He hadn't thought Henry would try to make a deal with him. The book in exchange for accompanying them.
"Why do you want to come, Henry?" He asked.
"I lost my mom once," Henry began. "I don't want to lose her again. And this time, I can go with her."
As Mr Gold continued to gaze at the boy, he realized they had something in common. Henry had left Storybrooke, to find his long-lost mother, and now, he was taking a similar journey to find his son.
"Oh, Henry." Emma knelt down to hug her son. "You'll never lose me. I'll be back, I promise."
"But I wonder what Regina will do, once you've left?" Rumplestiltskin thought aloud.
That comment pulled Emma up short. What would happen once she leaves? Would she try to take back Henry?
"We won't let her anywhere near him, Emma." Mary Margaret told her daughter.
But Emma was determined. Regina would not get her son. And the only way to ensure that, would be to keep him as far away from Regina as possible.
"Fine." She admitted. "You can come Henry."
Henry smiled triumphantly before mouthing 'thank you' to Mr Gold from under his mother's arm.
"We should leave soon, but I want to make sure Belle will be alright." Rumple said quickly. "I don't want her to be alone in her apartment."
"She can have a room at Granny's, once she's out of the hospital." Mary Margret put forward. "Ruby and I will look after her."
"Put her bills on my tab." Rumple said, placing his hand on the hospital window, wishing he were touching the woman within rather than the cool glass.
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Belle woke up again a couple of hours later, finding herself in the same metal bed with crisp white sheets. Though she was now alone, she felt strangely comforted in this room. The white walls were familiar. They reminded her of the asylum where she'd lived her whole life, just with glass windows and machinery.
As she shifted herself into a sitting position, she felt pain lace through her again, originating from her side. She had been shot. That was what Mr Gold had told her. But shot with what?
Mr Gold. She remembered spotting the sign for his shop from the street and was thankful that the man she had been told to find had his name so clearly out in the open.
But the way he looked at her when he turned around…that felt familiar, though she couldn't remember why. And when she woke up here, she felt the same thing, like something tugging at her heart, trying to remind her of something that she'd forgotten.
She'd forgotten. That's what he had said. That she'd forgotten who she was. And it was true. All she could remember were white, padded walls. She hadn't even known what her name was until Mr Gold had told her.
But how did he know her? How did she know him?
"Love." He'd called her. "Small steps, Love."
Did she love this man? This Mr Gold? Is that why he hugged her, promising to protect her? Is that why he looked so sad, when he realized that she'd forgotten?
Belle's eyes fell onto the large book that still lay on her lap.
The boy had said that her story was in this book.
Carefully, she opened the cover and, turning the pages, pausing slightly to examine some pictures, she flicked through until she found the one she was looking for.
"Beauty and The Beast." She whispered, and a flicker of…something past through her.
A small smile tugged at Belle's mouth as she began to read…her story.
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Author's note: So, what do you think? It's a bit short, I know, but do you think it's worth continuing? I'm thinking of doing something with the water from the wishing well that has 'the power to return to us that which one has lost' as it's the Storybrooke version of the Lake Nostos(?).