"So she's in need of a place to live?"
Rumple tried to keep the excitement from his voice, learning his Belle had been caste out by her father, abhored by her people for the mere crime of having been in his service. the chance to get her back... to make things right.
He deeply regretted his actions that day, that.. glorious day.. when she had kissed him, he had mistaken her act of love for betrayal at the time, thinking the Evil Queen meant to use his one scrap of beauty against him, he could still remember the taste of her, the smell, vanilla and old books, the feel of her lush curves between him and the spinning wheel.
He shook his head, he was the dark one. he loved no one, trusted no one, especially that little slip of a girl with her large doe eyes and musical laugh..
"...she threw herself off of the tower..."
Regina had finished her tale, but he only heard the last, his throat closing and his heart stopping.. Belle...dead? His sweet Belle with her clumsy charm, Belle who stood toe to toe with him, argued with him and tested his patience at every turn..
"We're done here.." he said in a chipped tone. he needed her to leave. he felt the cracking of his facade and needed to be alone.
Her smirk as she vanished only made the bile in his stomach rise more, she was glad, happy to know he suffered, to hell with Regina, he would never let her know the pain in his heart, casually, he covered all the mirrors and used magic to shut out the sun, only when he was in darkness did he walk to the cabniet that held his prized treasures, gingerly taking out the chipped teacup and holding it to his heart, thinking of that day. This little chipped cup was all he had left of Belle, the woman who could have saved him, if he hadn't been a coward..
The Dark One fell to his knees, and wept.