The skies over the sleepy town of Storybrooke, Maine were dark and gray despite the promises of bright sunny days ahead. An early morning thunderstorm had done nothing to assuage the dreary Monday afternoon but Mr. Gold made his way down main street to collect the rent undeterred by the weather as always. In fact, he thrived in the abysmal enviornment, content in knowing that everyone around him was feeling just as dark and miserable as he felt all the time.

He couldn't even remember how long it had been since he lost his son in a terrible accident. Since his son's death his life and been devoid of light and color. Everything appearing as gray and muddled as his state of mind. The steady tap tap of his cane against the pavement was an ever present reminder of the man that he was, and would never be again.

Granny's Inn was his last stop for rent collections and he strolled up the walkway, careful to avoid the puddles that had built up with the rainfall. As he adjusted his cane to enter the building, the ashen door suddenly burst open, knocking him back several feet, causing him to drop his cane and step in the dingy clouded water, splashing his black Armani shoes. His hands instantly curled into a tight fist, knuckles turning white as he raised his head to see whom had been so careless, but stopped short by a beautiful woman.

"Oh, I am so sorry, I did not see you there!" the apologetic voice called as she bent down to pick up his cane and he was struck by a sudden flash of color in his vision.

Finally, the woman looked up at him and froze, the apologetic smile fading away as she looked into his eyes. "Mr. Gold, I am terribly sorry," she spoke again, her face full of recognition of the man that she nearly knocked over.

Gold's eyes squinted as he looked at the woman. There was something about her that was so familiar though he was sure that he had never seen this woman before in his life. Flashes of color appeared in his mind. A man with greenish gold skin, a woman in a blue dress. The flashes were quick and blurred like they were from a dream.

"Who are you?" he questioned, his normal mask of indifference fading away.

The woman took a deep breath and finally averted her eyes from his. "Isabella French."

"I've never heard of you. I know everyone in this town." It was hard to keep the suspicion from his voice. No one ever visited this somber little town in all the time he had been here.

She laughed nervously and looked around them. "Yeah well, I just recently arrived here in Storybrooke. I've been staying here at the inn," she smiled pointing a finger at the building behind her.

"That would explain why I don't know you. How then do you know who I am?" Sure he had quite the reputation among the residents of Storybrooke but to know who he was without having ever lived here seemed quite a stretch.

"Oh, I saw you open the pawn shop this morning. It said Mr. Gold on your sign. Am I wrong?" She feigned innocence but Gold could tell that she was lying. It was no matter really. It just meant that he was going to have to keep his eye on this newcomer.

"No, you're right, that is my shop. I've wasted enough time here, I need to be going," he said and began to move past her but she grabbed ahold of his arm to stop him.

"It was nice, to meet you, Mr. Gold. I'm so sorry I almost knocked you over."

Gold looked down at her hand on his arm and felt a chill of pleasure go up his body. It had been so long since someone had actually touched him on purpose that he had almost forgotten what it could be like. He looked from her hand up to her face and was startled to see intense blue eyes where there once was gray. "Yes, well. It's no matter. Just be more careful next time Ms. French."

"Belle," she corrected.

"Belle…" he gasped. Gold felt something like an itch at the back of his mind, like he was supposed to know that name, that it had some sort of significance that he could not seem to place. It was maddening. Even more so when he noticed the hopeful expression upon the woman's face like she expected him to remember something. Realizing he must have been staring at her for longer than polite he continued, "What a lovely name."

Belle's face instantly dropped in disappointment but she quickly rebounded and patted his arm. "I'll be seeing you Mr. Gold," her voice breaking off as she turned around and headed off across the street.

Gold couldn't help but to turn and look back at her and when he did, for the first time he noticed the bright yellow sundress she wore and his mind balked again. He felt like it was the first time he was seeing color. Everything around Belle seemed so bright and vibrant. It felt like the clouds that had darkened his life for so long were slowly pulled away, making him feel like he was alive again.

One thing was for certain. He wanted to know more about this beautiful woman, and what her sudden arrival meant for his future.

I am halfway complete with LPFC chapter 5. Sorry for the delay. Real life is a mess.