A/N: This is going to be completely AU, the curse and all that goodness won't apply here. This chapter is a little short, sorry, but my beta and I are currently working on the next 3, and they are all much longer. I hope you enjoy this, it's been rattling around in my brain for a while! Also, I'm still going to be writing ATYA, a new chapter should be up tomorrow! :)

Oh man, I feel like an ass, thanks the reviewer who made me realize I forgot an entire chunk of this story!

Belle French walked quickly down the empty streets of Storybrooke Metropolis, trying to hide her face in the collar of her beige pea coat. Red was conspicuous, something no one wanted to be anymore, especially Belle. Crime had overrun Storybrooke five years ago, and no one had bothered trying to clean it up. The politicians all had their hands in the underground syndicates, and everyone else was left to fend for themselves.

The last of the great heroes had died years ago, and no one had stepped forward to take their place, too afraid of the villains left in their wake. No one had seen any of the villains in years, but Belle knew they were still out there, a looming threat to anyone who might think of standing where the greats once had.

Belle had firsthand knowledge of the havoc the villains could wreak if they were up to it. As a young girl, in the height of the battle for control of the city, her mother had been killed. Belle had witnessed the entire thing, and sometimes still dreamed of it. Her mother had been picking her up from a dance class, their small apartment only five blocks over from the modest studio. Belle had been ten when two of the more feared villains, Amethyst Dragon, had taken on The Trickster. She had seen both of them on the news more recently, but nothing prepared her for them in person. Everything around them was on fire or blown apart. Amethyst Dragon had turned her eyes onto young Belle, and had thrown fire at them. For reasons Belle would never understand, The Trickster had thrown himself at her, knocking her out of the way, but allowing her mother to die in the process. It had been impossible to see his face, they all wore masks, but she remembered his eyes. They were brown, and for a moment when he had been looking down at her they looked sorry. He had knocked Amethyst Dragon back and Belle never saw him again after that.

He disappeared a few years after that, and many theorized that he had died, or put in prison. He had kept her alive, and she wondered now, if he was alive, if he regretted it. Their attack on her and her mother had given her purpose. She was determined, if there were to be no more larger than life heroes, then it was up to ordinary citizens to stand for something good. She had worked hard, going to law school, eventually earning her a job as assistant district attorney under David Nolan. David Nolan reported to no one, as far as she was aware, with maybe the exception of the city's Sheriff, Emma Swan. Emma Swan had been elected under strange circumstances, but she had not been the mayor's first pick, and Regina Mills, Mayor of Storybrooke, was very obviously in someone's pocket, Belle just wasn't sure who.

Belle entered the building she worked in, exhaling slightly. It was a relief to get where she was going safely. David had offered to have a car come and pick her up, but it felt like a waste to Belle when she only lived a few blocks down.

"Hey," she breathed when she got into her office. Her secretary, Ashley Boyd, looked obviously worried.

"Oh thank God! You are late, and I thought..." she trailed off, but Belle could fill the blanks in fine. Her position made her a marked woman by any number of the crime groups in Storybrooke. Many threats had been made, but Belle refused to back down.

"Everything's fine," she said breezily, waving a hand. Ashley worried too much since she had become pregnant, but Belle refused to find a replacement for her until she absolutely had to. Ashley was the best secretary she could have asked for.

"Okay, well Mr. Nolan was by today and he wants you to go back and try to get Gold to talk-"

Belle cut her off with a groan. Mr. Gold, the C.E.O. of Gold Corp, was notoriously tight lipped, and famous for his dislike of everyone who came out of David's office. Belle had never been able to get anywhere near him, and he refused to comment on anyone who was arrested from his company. She had one of his higher ups going into trial in a week and she was up against legendary defense attorney Melody Vincent, a woman who seemed to breathe fire. If Belle couldn't get something better than what she had, Vincent was sure to get him off which was the only reason Belle found herself, ten minutes later, in a company car on her way over to Gold Corp.

Gold Corp had been around as long as she remembered, but for the life of her she had no idea what they actually did there. It was supposedly some kind of Technology Company, and David had commented once or twice that the government had been contracts through them, but other than that no one seemed to know what went on. Belle would have loved to bust that organization wide open as she was sure there were some dirty dealings going on. David seemed sure that the mob bosses that controlled the city got their weaponry from there, but no one could prove it.

Belle considered giving The Storybrooke Mirror's editor in chief a call, but she knew Mary Margaret Blanchard knew just as much as she did. Mary Margaret was one of her few allies, along with Storybrooke's leading news anchors Ruby Lucas and August Boothe. David had worked hard, along with Mary Margaret, to put someone he could trust into that position instead of the usual lackey's.

Belle had met Mary Margaret when they were both undergraduates. Mary Margaret was older than her, but had always been a good friend, after they got to know each other. She had introduced Belle to Ruby Lucas and Emma Swan, both childhood friends of hers. Belle was the quieter of the three, and for a long time she hadn't been sure if Emma or Ruby really liked her. That was all ancient history now. Emma, Ruby, Mary Margaret, and herself were closer than they had ever been and coincidentally four of the most powerful women in Storybrooke. Mary Margaret and Ruby were responsible for the news anyone read or watched, and Emma and Belle spent their time catching and locking up criminals.

She got to the looming building and took a deep breath before stepping out. She didn't imagine Gold was going to give her the time of day, but like always it was worth a shot, and at this point she was willing to do almost anything. She walked the familiar path across the large open hall to an elevator and pressed the up button. She would end up on the fifteenth floor, where she would, inevitably, be turned away as she always was.

As she was stepping in, a hand caught the doors and joined her. She knew the man well, handsome, dark hair, Jefferson Matterson. He was the face of Gold Corp, and Belle understood why. Today he was in a suit, forgoing the jacket for a vest and for a reason that a escaped her, a top hat. He tipped it at her courteously. She personally didn't mind Jefferson; he seemed nice enough even if his reasons for working for Gold Corp were murky.

She nodded back to him and then went back to looking at herself in the mirrored surface of the elevator doors.

"What's hell on heels doing here today?" He asked her when they hit the fourth floor. Belle flinched at the nickname. It had been given to her when she had first started working for David Nolan because of how relentless she was at shutting down a small drug operation that involved the attempted sale of heroin to minors. She had been extremely successful at getting most of them locked up, only the very higher ups escaping her. That case had put her on the map, and the nick name had stuck.

She looked down at the black heels she wore today, and then back at Jefferson's smirk. "Trying to get a word with Mr. Gold today."

His smirk widened. "Really? Well today is your lucky day."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Oh?"

"I happen to know Mr. Gold very well, and I'm willing to get you in his door."

"Really?" She narrowed her eyes at his offer. "And what do you want from me?"

"Just hoping you get that scum locked behind bars," he told her cheerfully. "He worked here, was a total ass."

"You knew Mr. Hordor?" She wondered if she shouldn't subpoena Jefferson on the stand, but shook the thought quickly. Thinking someone was an ass was heresy and wouldn't be admissible. Mel would be all over that.

"Barely," he grinned as the elevator opened. "Come with me." They walked down the hall, breezing by his secretary. He knocked quickly on the door, ignoring the small woman watching them horrified.

"I know him," he winked at her as a loud "COME IN" was shouted. Jefferson opened the door and Belle followed.

"Mr. Gold, the lovely Belle French is here to speak with you."

Belle had seen Mr. Gold before, but in person he seemed less frightening. In public he seemed like an almost larger than life. Here he wasn't much taller than her, and he leaned heavily on a cane. Still, his face was all sharp edges, his brown eyes seemingly bottomless and somehow threatening. His lips formed a thin line as he looked her up and down, a hand smoothing out imaginary wrinkles to the designer jacket that belonged to his crisp suit.

"Hell on heels Belle French?" He asked, his voice low and cold, but his face conveyed a small amount of interest.

"That's the one. I'll leave you to her," he flashed Belle a grin and then was out, shutting the door behind him.

"By all means, Ms. French," he waved a hand in front of his desk. Belle took off her coat and then sat in the chair he offered, looking around the large, sparsely decorated office. "What can I do for you today?" He steepled his hands, pressing the tips against his lips.

"I'm here to discuss your former employee Andrew Hordor," she began, pulling out a file from her bag, but he waved her off.

"I don't have anything to say about that man." He was watching her like a hawk, and Belle imagined someone else might have folded under his gaze and meekly walked out, but she had to win this.

"Well you hired him, so I imagine you have a few things to say about him," she continued on, opening up her file.

"I wasn't aware of his...less than reputable dealings," his hands were back to his lips.

"You had no idea anything was going on? He was, among many other things, stealing money from your company."

Mr. Gold's features tightened when she mentioned that. Belle could only imagine the wrath that had rained down when he had found that out. Still, she hadn't gotten to where she was now without bringing up the hard things.

"Yes...and I fired him, if you remember correctly," he reminded her. Belle did remember, Emma Swan had been arresting him when Gold had come down to fire him, tossing the termination papers at Hordor's feet and then walking out. When Belle had seen Hordor he looked as though he had been beaten within an inch of his life, but no one seemed to know where the beating had originated from. Belle was willing to bet two of her paychecks that if Gold hadn't done it himself, someone had done it for him. No one was talking. No one was ever talking, no matter what she threatened to do to them. She supposed Gold was much more terrifying than she was.

"And before that you had no idea anything shady was going on? Only when the Sheriff walks in and arrests him do you think, 'hm, something isn't quite right?'" She raised an eyebrow, closing the file in her lap. She had the thing memorized anyway.

"I'm not interested in my employee's personal lives Ms. French." He leaned back in his chair, an amused look playing at his lips. She didn't know how he managed to look intimidating and amused at once, but he was pulling it off. She wanted to scream at him, but she knew that even though he wasn't giving her anything she could use that she would need to speak with him in the future. It was better to leave things on a somewhat positive note.

"One way or the other, I will find out what was going on here. I suspect there is a lot more than embezzling."

"Among other things," he said, echoing her words from earlier. "I wish you look in your case against Ms. Vincent. I'm told she...breathes fire." He chuckled at his private joke, watching Belle's stony face remained unmoved.

"Someday you are going to need me, Mr. Gold," she stood up and began walking to the door, "And you're going to wish you had been more cooperative."

"The idea is appealing," he said softly, his face back to an impenetrable mask, "But money speaks louder than any assistant D.A. ever could, if you know what I mean."

Belle had one ace up her sleeve, something no one seemed to know, not even David Nolan, except the person who had told her, Mary Margaret Blanchard. Mary Margaret had stumbled upon the knowledge by accident and had shared it with Belle one night after a few too many drinks, and Belle, after investigating to be sure if was true, had quietly been biding her time with the information, waiting for the right moment to use it.

"Money can buy you almost everything in this town," she smiled sweetly at him, her hand on the door knob, "Except your son's freedom from Storybrooke's foster system. I guess the nuns aren't willing to deal in money as much as they are with soft spoken assistant D.A.'s. Good day...Mr. Gold."

She had to leave after she said that, he confidence breaking under the rage that had begun filling his face. She didn't want to experience the fall out, and was grateful for the open elevator when she reached it.

Once she reached her town car she exhaled, her hands shaking as she reached for her phone. She dialed and then waited until she heard David answer. "Anything?" He asked hopefully.

"Not a damn thing," she responded, slumping into her chair.

"It was worth a try," he said, but Belle could hear the note of defeat in his tone. It was getting harder and harder these days to get anyone put away. Mr. Gold had been right about one thing, money spoke, and it spoke loudly.

Her phone beeped loudly, and she pulled it away to see her call had been dropped. She sighed and put it into her jacket pocket. They were almost back to her office. It took her a minute to register what she was seeing, but then there was no mistaking it. Fire. Several cars were overturned, and David was lying in the middle of a giant hole that had been blasted in the street.

"STOP!" She shouted to her driver, who was screeching to a halt anyway. She flung her door open and ran to where he was, wondering who had caused this. The supers had been gone for so long that the idea they were back was terrifying. They were impossible to police, doling out their own form of justice to anyone who dared to defy them.

"David!" Belle was pulling her jacket off and throwing it over him to put out the flames. His eyes were closed but he was breathing. "David!" She slapped him to no avail. She wondered if she could drag him out of the street when a burst of flame lit the ground next to her. Belle threw her arms over her face and then looked up. Amethyst Dragon was flying above them, shooting fire at her and the unconscious David. Belle hadn't seen her in years, but knew the effect the flame had on the human body. David must have been caught in the blast, and not been the actual target.

Amethyst Dragon hit the ground next to Belle, the closest she had ever been to her. "Get back baby girl," she hissed. Belle was staring at the woman, in a dark purple latex suit and black knee high boots that sported an extremely high heel. Belle didn't know how any one managed to walk in something so steep. The suit opened up in the front, allowing her cleavage to show, and large purple and black stone rested in between them on a thick, black necklace.

She was clearly beautiful, her blonde hair thick and curly, although the way she had it teased lended a sort of insane quality to her features. She wore a mask, all purple, that covered her entire face but allowed for her hair to remain completely uncovered, the only features visible were her lips and bright, amused blue eyes.

"Don't hurt him!" Belle shouted, throwing herself over David. This city needed him, she had to protect him.

Amethyst Dragon erupted with laughter and then poised her hands at Belle. Belle braced herself for the flame, but it never came. She looked up to see a wolf had body slammed Amethyst Dragon, catching the woman off guard, and was currently trying to rip out her throat. People were watching the ensuing conflict between the pair, giving Belle time to try and drag David off to the side.

Then Amethyst Dragon blew the wolf back and was turned back to Belle, who had both of David's wrists in her hands and was trying to get him to where the paramedics were stationed, just a few feet off. They weren't able to get any closer.

"I don't think so," she cackled, blowing fire at Belle. Belle waited for the heat to hit her but it never came. She looked up again, expecting to see the wolf. The wolf was back to it's feet, circling Amethyst Dragon, and Belle couldn't help but notice a red streak going down it's back, but another woman had joined the wolf, in a white suit, and she had, as far as Belle could tell, blasted Amethyst Dragon with ice.

David began stirring, causing Belle to drop to her knees. He grabbed hold of her wrist, pulling himself up.

"What's going on?" He asked weakly, looking at the drama enfolding around them.

"I think...I think the heroes have returned to Storybrooke, she murmured." She began to help him to his feet, him leaning heavily on her, his arm draped over her shoulder. It looked like the wolf and the ice woman had bought them enough time to get away, but a feeling of dread stole over Belle when a familiar figured stepped out of the fog, encased in leather pants and knee high boots, a green mask over his face, obscuring everything, including his hair. He obviously had no such qualms about mask hair the way Amethyst Dragon seemed to. It did allow his nose and mouth to show, and she couldn't help but notice his strong chin and clean shaven face. Still, she almost thought she was dreaming until she heard his high pitched giggle, and then she knew. The Trickster was here, and they were in trouble.

"David we have to go," she whispered, trying to get him to move faster, but David was unable to cooperate. Trickster, in Belle's opinion, was the most dangerous out of all the old villains, because everything he did was with his mind. He could blow someone back one hundred feet using nothing but a thought, breaking their body against a pole. She had heard he had once melted someone's brain that had been standing in front of him. He was looking right at them. Amethyst Dragon and he were not allies, but perhaps he was coming to teach these freshman heroes what happened when you attempted to interfere in Storybrooke.

Amethyst Dragon had seen him too, walking towards the pair of them, and Belle wasn't sure which she feared more. David collapsed back at her feet, leaving her alone to face them both, and she hoped, if The Trickster was reading her mind as he was rumored to be able to do, he killed them quickly. She took a deep breath and faced him, her shoulders squared back. A small laugh bubbled out of her lips as she remembered her earlier worries about Mr. Gold. The Trickster cocked his head slightly to the left when he heard her laugh, and then, with an elaborate movement, turned to face Amethyst Dragon. She was blasting fire at them, but an invisible shield seemed to be between the trio and her. He giggled again as the ice woman and the red wolf were back to their feet and were pushing Amethyst Dragon back.

"I'd get him out of here if I were you, dearie," The Trickster told her, walking over to her. "She might be back."

"Why? Why did you do this?" She asked him, unable to understand why the worst of the worst was keeping them safe. If anyone should want the D.A. and his assistant D.A. dead, wouldn't it be Trickster? He certainly had had no qualms going after the former D.A. Albert Spencer.

He walked closer to her, baring his teeth in a grotesque smile. "I suppose I thought an assistant district attorney might be more useful to me alive than dead." He giggled again, and Belle wanted to run, but she held her ground, staring at his brown eyes. Is that why he spared her life as a little girl?

"You think I will ever help you?" She asked him, pressing her luck.

"I saved your life, dearie. You owe me a favor." Belle had been about to retort when smoke engulfed all of them, causing her to fall to her knees, choking as the burning smoke filled her lungs. When it cleared The Trickster and Amethyst Dragon were gone, leaving David still lying on the ground, the red wolf, and the ice woman, all looking around confused.

The paramedics descended on them but Belle waved them off.

"I'm fine," she insisted, standing up. She watched the pair of new heroes run off, taking advantage of the confusion, and she couldn't help but wonder what this meant for their city. Were there more heroes like those two? She knew Mary Margaret would have a hell of a time giving them a nick name in tomorrow's edition of the Mirror.

She slipped away from the medics as they fussed over David, heading in to her office. Everyone was gathered in the lobby, her own floor empty when she stepped off the elevator. Had Amethyst Dragon wanted something out of their office? Nothing was touched, but she hadn't gotten far before the newbie heroes had shown up and knocked her back. Belle didn't know what her and David could be working on that would interest one of them.

She stepped into her office and was shocked to see Mr. Gold standing at the window looking down, his hands folded behind his back.

"What are you doing here?" She asked. He turned and looked at her mildly. Belle was sure she was a mess, but she couldn't care now. How had he gotten here so far, totally undetected? A brief thought flickered through her mind that he had sent them after her, but that didn't make sense. If Gold wanted her dead he certainly could find a quieter way to do it. A loud, messy show like the only that had just happened didn't seem his style.

"I came to make you a deal," he told her, stepping closer.

"A deal?" She echoed. He nodded, brushing a strand of brown hair out of his face.

"Yes, Ms. French. A deal."

Belle folded her arms over her chest. "I'm listening."

"I'll help you on any case you come to me for help," he said softly.

"And in exchange..." she prompted, not liking where this was going.

"In exchange, you help me get my son back."

Of course. How had she not seen that coming? She narrowed his eyes for a moment, but he seemed so sincere about the offer, and any help the notorious Mr. Gold could give her with any case was tempting. With his testimony she could win her case against Mel Vincent.

"Any case...for as long as I am alive?" Her eyes were still narrowed as she tried to find the loop hole. He pressed a hand against his heart.

"Until I die," he promised.

"And how do I know you won't just kill me the moment you get him back?"

He chuckled at that. "My, my, Ms. French, you certainly think highly of me."

"I've been around the block a time or two Mr. Gold."

"I understand why they call you hell on heels. You're a fighter...tell me, does anything frighten you?" He was watching her curiously, as if he wasn't sure what to make of her.

"Trying to find my weaknesses?" She countered. He smiled at her.

"Perhaps. I saw you standing against both Amethyst Dragon and The Trickster. It didn't look like you had any fear then."

She had been afraid, but Belle's mother had always told her to do the brave thing and bravery would follow. "Will you kill me, if I agree?" She pressed, ignoring his personal questions.

"I will not. Nothing is more important to me than my son." He looked honest, and almost vulnerable. She wondered what he had done to get the boy taken away, all things that could be learned in time. For now the deal was too tempting.

"Okay. I agree," she extended her hand to shake his. He gripped her's, a familiar smile teasing on his lips.

"The deal is struck."