A/N: For my beta's prompt from No Greater Power: Next on the list of things I want: modern AU with a single dad Gold. Preferably including a scene of him chasing his son down the aisle in the market, until they both crash into Belle.

Follows In The Army, but may be read separately.

It was all because of the rain, Gold thought, trying to get up from the floor littered with cans of pea. The sudden, unexpected, torrential rain, that looked like the world's end. The rain made them look for the shelter in the nearest store, the rain made the clerks mop the floor more often and the rain made Bae to behave restlessly, depriving him of the chance to loose all the energy in the playground. And it was the rain's fault that when Gold lost his patience and tried to chase Bae down the aisle, they both crashed into Belle French, the lovely librarian, and onto pyramid of canned pea displayed on a platform and almost as high as Gold himself.

All in all it shouldn't have happened and Gold was sure that anytime the floor would crack open and hell would swallow him and his shame. Hopefully, Bae would find a good care, maybe even in Belle's home. He'd be missing his son, restless or not. People in the shop were gawking curiously at the fallen town monster, but what was really horrible was that Belle French was here and she was not only a witness but also a victim.

'Are you alright?' With some delay he became aware that Belle was talking to him. He finally got up, not as graciously as he'd wish.

'Yes, miss French, everything's fine. And you?'

'Fine as well. But we have a work to do' Belle laughed, looking around. 'Before someone gets angry.'

Indeed, the whole pyramid of canned pea was occupying floor. And between cans, Bae was sitting and looking at him with the most angelic expression he was capable of. At least he didn't seem hurt.

'Are you alright, son?'

Bae nodded.

'Don't think we'll not talk about that, young man' Gold threatened. But now was not the time for it.

'So' Belle smiled, looking between him and Bae. 'We have a pyramid to build!'

Bae hopped up at that and started gathering cans as if he was in the playground. Gold sighed and bent to pick up some more.

'Maybe it will be better if you're in charge of building, not picking up' Belle suggested, frowning. Gold wanted to protest, Belle shouldn't think of him as the helpless cripple, but then she added: 'You're the tallest of us.'

That was true, even in her absurdly high heels, Belle was a little bit smaller than him.

'Look, you need to put them quite close, like that, so they won't topple.'

Gold listened and started to build the pyramid feeling as if the time went backward and he was playing with bricks with toddler Bae. He studiously avoided looking around, sure that all customers in the store are trying to watch that little spectacle. But with Belle around he couldn't behave like the monster they expected, right?

Meanwhile, Bae was chattering happily with Belle, without the slightest care that he's in trouble for running along the aisle and bumping into people and commodity. And without any idea that his father would build ten more can pyramids for the gift of speaking with Belle so freely and spontaneously.

'So, Bae, how do you like school so far?' Belle asked. Gold wondered if he could ask how Belle liked working in the library, but it was so obvious to everybody that she simply loved it. It would give the impression that Gold was totally oblivious of the woman who supplied his son in books and comics, and who was working in said library for the past five years. Maybe he could ask her what book she's reading now, but then again, he doubted it was something that he knew and the discussion would die at the very beginning...

'I love math!' Bae exclaimed. 'Maybe I'll be an engineer someday. I would build robots! And my robots would talk and think and they would be so awesome that everybody would want one and I would own that very big factory producing them!' Bae waved his hands, can of pea in each one, to show how big the factory is going to be. Gold chuckled to himself. He would invest all the money he had in the engineering future for Bae if it only meant that becoming soldier, policeman or firefighter was out of picture.

'That's wonderful, Bae!' Belle exclaimed. 'I think I have a book about robots in the library. Would you want to read it?'

'Sure, miss French!' Bae bounced in place, then crouched to sweep the last two cans from the floor. 'Papa, can we go to the library?'

Gold bounced on the idea just as enthusiastically, only hoping it wasn't that obvious.

'Of course we can, Bae. Just give me the cans and we're ready to go.'

Belle laughed.

'I'm afraid it's Saturday and the library is closed. I meant Monday...'

Bae made a crestfallen face, hugging the two cans of pea to his chest. Gold though he himself must have the same expression and was glad that Belle wasn't looking at him.

'But you know what?' Belle said quickly. 'I have keys to the library. We can go now, don't worry. Why won't you put the final can yourself, Bae?'

Belle smiled radiantly, so Gold, without thinking, grabbed Bae and lifted him, so the boy could reach the top of the pyramid. But then again, there was a reason why he avoided lifting his son for the past two years. It was simply difficult to keep balance on his aching ankle, while using both hands to hold up a child who not only grew too quick (as all children do) but also didn't seem to be able to stay still. And now, as in the slow motion, he saw Bae wriggling to put the top can on place, felt his ankle tremble under the weight, and again Bae wriggling more when he tried to quickly put the child down so they both won't topple over. They didn't but the moment he put Bae on the floor and held to his son's arms for balance, the cascade of falling cans flooded them both.

'I'm so sorry!' they exclaimed in unison, looking at Belle, who was staring at them speechless. Then she exploded with laughter.

Gold felt his cheeks burning bright red, but Bae laughed too, just like when he was really small and the final destruction was the best part of building anything from bricks.

'I'm sorry, I'm sorry' Belle managed breathlessly, wiping her eyes. 'I'm not laughing at you. But the whole situation was just like something from book or film...'

'Really?' Bae smiled. 'I think I'll write about this in my homework! We must write about something extraordinary that happened!'

Gold almost groaned at the thought of the whole Bae's class, their parents and teachers hearing this story. What a gossip! As if it wasn't enough that they had the whole crowd of spectators here...

'It's a great idea, Bae!' Belle exclaimed.

...but then again, the boy shouldn't learn to be ashamed of what was just a small, funny accident that ended well. So, so well, in fact, he thought, looking at Belle with awe.

'But first we have to build it again.' Belle winked.

'No, no, that won't be necessary!' Mr. Clark, the shop owner, interrupted. Where was he the whole time, Gold almost asked aloud. Perhaps with the spectators, stealing glances at them without being too obvious. But then again, for that whole time with Belle he was ready to forget the man's rent this month. 'We'll manage.'

'If you're sure, Mr. Clark... We're really sorry for the mess.' Belle smiled apologetically.

'No, no, don't worry, just go... go do your shopping, we'll have it done in no time!'

Gold smirked at the less than subtle effort to get rid of them, but left the conversation to Belle. Soon, the trio of them were standing in the door, looking at rain.

'That looks bad.' Bae said, wrinkling his nose.

'I have an umbrella, don't worry.'

But Belle's umbrella was a one-person umbrella... Surely she didn't mean...

'If we can stand really close to each other, it should be just fine!' She said with a wide smile.

'Miss French... I'm not sure...'

'Oh, you wouldn't be comfortable with the leg...' she frowned, worried and he jumped at the excuse.

'Yes, so...' So what? He was on the verge of simply suggesting that Belle take Bae with her and he'd manage without umbrella, the library wasn't far, but Bae beat him to the solution.

'I can go with you to the library, miss French, and then get back for my papa with umbrella! It's almost like that riddle with river!'

Gold nodded eagerly, hoping that he wasn't considered the bad character that usually inhabited such riddles. How smart his son was!

He watched Belle and Bae hurrying toward the library in the rain, thinking how right that looked. He didn't remember even one occasion when Millie was running through rain so happily with their son, not to mention building pyramids of canned pea. Millie would be so furious, so offended... He shuddered, lifting his aching leg a bit. He would be sore for the evening and tomorrow as well, but wasn't it worth it? On the other hand, he felt like an old, creepy stalker. Belle was only thirty this year, fifteen years younger. Why would she even want to look at him? Friendship was the best he could hope for.

Soon, he spotted Bae running toward him, but carefully looking around for cars. His son knew how to behave. Any car right now would have trouble stopping and anybody driving right now had probably important reason to be in hurry and speeding. The vision was terrifying enough that he immediately hugged Bae when the boy arrived.

Bae looked at him a bit funny, but didn't comment, and soon they were trotting to the library. Inside he would have to make Bae take down the drenched trousers so he wouldn't catch cold. Home was far away, they didn't took car today, seeing as it was supposed to be a peaceful walk to the playground and back. They might have to stay in the library for a bit... Hopefully, the rain won't stop suddenly. Then again, Belle would want to go home as well, they should just call a cab.

No cab, he begged silently, when he saw Belle waiting at them in the open library door.

May be continued...