Complicated

by rosexknight

Rumbelle Christmas in July gift for Dirty Aim - Prompt: Rumple Memory and Age Reversal - Rumpelstiltskin awakens from his coma as a lonely spinner, and it is up to Belle and Neal to re-connect with him and bring him back to himself again.

Complicated

By: RosexKnight

Rumbelle Christmas in July Prompt for DirtyAim of Tumblr

Prompt: Rumple Memory and Age Reversal

Rumpelstiltskin awakens from his coma as a lonely spinner, and it is up to Belle and Neal to re-connect with him and bring him back to himself again.

As it turned out, it was not hard to convince Dr. Whale to make house calls. Belle wasn't sure if that was out of fear or pity, but at this point she didn't really care.

Coma.

That's what Whale had called it. What they apparently called the sleeping sickness in this world. And if Rumple was doomed to spend his time unconscious, then Belle would see to it that he spent that time in the comfort of his (their?) bed. Seeing him hooked up to IV's was already hard enough. She doubted she'd be able to take the sight of him in a hospital.

"Hey." She said as she entered his (their) room that morning, a book in hand. "I brought more of the book to read today. Henry said we could borrow it until we finished it. Our grandson is very worried about you..."

There was no response. There was never a response. Hadn't been in weeks. A pang ran through Belle's chest the same way it always did, but she brushed it off, letting it add to the dull ache as she took her spot beside his bed and opened the book of fairy tales.

They had left off at the end of Pinnochio's story, and it made her wonder how Archie felt about the puppets she had tucked away in the back of the shop. She hadn't realized how involved in everyone's lives Rumple had been until she began reading him the stories.

"Grandpa Charming woke up from his coma when Mary Margret read him this." Henry had said, "Maybe...Maybe Grandpa will too."

Taking comfort in those words, Belle took her husband's cold hand in hers and began reading. She hadn't realized her throat was sore until there was a knock on the bedroom door, and she looked up to see Neal.

"How long have you been up?"

Belle blinked, looking at the clock. It was 10am. Not early, but she'd long since stopped keeping track of the time.

"Do you want breakfast?"

He shook her head, giving Neal a smile. "I'm not really hungry."

"You need to eat, mama." His words made her look away from him, back down to the pages that had begun not making sense. "Come on, I made muffins."

Belle nodded, standing to kiss her husband on the forehead before leaving the room. The smell of freshly scrambled eggs and bacon told her step-son had done much more than just make muffins.

"They left to find Merlin today." Neal said as he carefully divvied out the food into two plates, handing her a cup of coffee.

"Why didn't you go with them?"

Neal placed the plate before her, and even with her loss of appetite, her stomach growled.

"Same reason you didn't."

Belle glanced back to the stairs that led up to the bedroom. Of course. How could either of them leave him?

"Whale will be here in a few hours to change out his IV." Belle said absently, eating her breakfast before Neal scolded her.

The IV was keeping fluids in him. Keeping him stable. The rest was up to him, the Apprentice had said. But Rumple was stubborn. And had a good heart. Without the darkness he'd be different, of course, but that was fine. She'd fallen in love with all of him.

"He'll hate me." Belle said.

Neal looked up at her, surprise in his eyes. "No he won't."

"Yes he will. I abused the dagger. I almost banished him for lying to me about the hat. I left him. And then this-"

"He's not going to hate you. We all screwed up. Papa has more love in his heart for you than I've ever seen. You loved him despite the darkness. That's something even I couldn't do."

Belle smiled, finishing off her breakfast. "You loved him, you were just angry. We both were…"

Neal nodded, tapping the thick book at her side. "You've read it?"

"Not all of it."

"Which story are you on?"

Belle smiled sheepishly, standing to go back upstairs to her husband. "Ours."

Once back upstairs she once again greeted her husband and took her spot in her chair beside the bed and put her hand in his, squeezing gently. "Now then...Where were we?"

She opened the book back up, running her hand over the familiar pictures. "During the ogres war, a kingdom called upon The Dark One as their salvation. The Dark One agreed to save their little town, for a price…"

Her voice moved over the words, reading their story aloud, stopping occasionally to make comments ("Do you remember that? I was so afraid you'd be angry with me." "That spinning wheel. You never let me touch it, but I always wanted to learn to spin," "I was a really terrible maid wasn't I? I was never good at dusting or laundry…"). She didn't realize she was crying until her tears hit the illustration, a familiar scene of Rumple sitting at his spinning wheel, herself beside him. It was something so familiar, so innocent. But ske knew better. She could almost hear his voice berading her, telling her to get more straw in his sheepish way. Or even his softer tone as he told her to stop crying over something so silly. But niether came.

She closed the book, trembling as she tried to fight the tears, make them stop. she found herself leaning over him, clinging to his hand in his. She needed him back. Needed things to go back to normal. It was killing her that he was like this. That it was her fault.

"I'm sorry." Belle finally whispered, her lips against his knuckles. "I miss you, sweetheart." Before she could stop herself she moved, pressing her forehead to his. "I love you."

She's been contemplating trying this for a while, wondering if it would work, always stopping herself, convinced he no longer loved her. How could he? The kiss was soft, barely a brush of the lips. But then she felt a pulse, and suddenly his cold lips were warm under hers.

"R-Rumple?"

He began to stir, fingers twitching first, then his arms. Belle watched in wonder as her husband came to life before her eyes, his gaze bleary as his eyes finally opened and met hers.

"You're okay." She breathed in relief, letting the tears fall anew as she felt a smile spread on her lips, running a hand over his cheek. "Oh thank gods you're awake."

Rumpelstiltskin was motionless for a long moment, his gaze shifting from her to the room around her. It lacked his usual confidence. He looked so unsure, like a rabbit caught in a trap. Like he'd never seen the place before in his life.

"What sorcery is this?" He choked out, tone almost fearful. "Who are you?"

Oh but that hurt. He looked to her, eyes scared and skeptical, as if he was looking through her. "You don't know me? Rumple, sweetheart I'm your wife."

"My wife left. Bae! What have you done with my son?!"

He tried to sit up, but flopped back down onto the bed, his body not accustomed to activity after being asleep for so long. His eyes fell to the IV, and Belle had only a moment to grab his wrist before he ripped the needle out of his arm.

"Rumple calm down I can explain. Bae's fine."

He only struggled against her grip. "Where is my son?!"

Belle had barely finished calling out for him before Neal had appeared at the door, looking just as relieved as she was.

"Papa."

But the spinner was looking through him, trying to see his son in this odd man who approached him. He must have seen something, though, because he was soon relaxing, prying himself away from Belle in favor of embracing his son.

"You were drafted…" Rumple choked out.

"You saved me from that." Neal said, pulling away to study his father, and Rumple looked more relieved and happy than Belle had ever seen him.

"He doesn't remember…" Belle realized, taking a step back from them.

Realization flashed in Neal's eyes, and his head jerked to her. Belle swallowed hard, wrapping her arms around herself. This was their moment. The reunion they should have always had. And Belle had no place here.

"I'll uh...I'll leave you two alone for a while."

"Belle-" Neal started, but she cut him off with a pleading look. She needed to be alone. Needed to be able to retreat and calm herself. He nodded. "Alright."

She walked out of the room, trying to ignore the "Whose that woman?" Rumple has whispered to Bae when she left. She shuddered, a dry sob escaping her mouth, though she didn't let the tears fall until she'd shut the door to the private library of the salmon house, her safe haven.

It seemed like hours, and really it probably was, until the two poked their heads in. Neal gave her a gentle smile as Rumple stood beside him, looking at her skeptically, as if he wasn't sure she was real.

"Hey." She said, her voice gentle as she put down the book she wasn't reading.

"Hey." Rumpelstiltskin said back. He was dressed now in a button-up shirt and tie, though had forgone the jacket. It seemed to fit him better the way he was now, leaning on his cane looking as though he wanted to run.

"Whale came by." Neal explained, stepping into the small library. "He said Papa was fine now."

Belle visibly relaxed. He was fine now. "Good."

"He's...He's going to talk to the fairies. About making a memory potion. The cup should work right?"

"I…" Belle glanced over to Rumple, who was looking around the room in awe. She was brought back to when she'd first seen the library, and wondered if this was how he'd felt when regarding her. "I think so."

"Alright." Neal said. "Hungry?" Belle shook her head, and Rumple looked back to him. "Good. I'll get started on lunch."

As Neal walked out Rumple looked back at him, watching his boy as he disappeared down the hall. It was then that Belle noticed he was carrying the large tome of fairy tales in his hand, gripping it and his cane so tightly his knuckles were turning white. She had to fight back the urge to take him into her arms and soothe that tightness away the way she had many times before. He looked back to her then, and she gave him a gentle smile.

"How are you feeling?" She asked.

He nodded to her, stepping forward clumsily with his cane "Better. I think." He said.

Finally he did look to her, swallowing as she moved over to allow him to sit with her on the settee. "What uh...Did Bae fill you in?"

Rumple glanced over to her, then nodded. "Some. He told me about the curse that brought us here. And about how we all came to be together."

Belle nodded, and a silence shifted and swirled between them. Rumple seemed to be looking everywhere but her, and Belle tried not to notice the way his fingers ran over the gold band on his left hand.

"Bae said that we...That…"

"That we were married?" She finished for him.

He glanced to her, then nodded. "That things were complicated."

Belle looked down at her book, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. "I didn't want them to be…"

"Were we...Were YOU happy?"

This time Belle looked at him, and he was looking at her with so much hope in his eyes that it made her heart ache. She gave him a smile, the first genuine smile she'd had on her features in a long time.

"Yes I was. Am. Happy."

"Good." He said, relaxing, as if expecting her to tell him otherwise. Maybe he still did. "Good thing."

Belle smiled at that. If anything that bit of her Rumpelstiltskin was shining through. He cleared his throat, turning to hand her the thick volume of fairy tales.

"This belongs to my grandson." He said, as if solidifying that fact to himself.

"He was very worried about you." Belle said with a gentle smile, running her hand over the cover.

"You were reading it to me. I remember...hearing your voice." He turned, running his fingers over hers. "Would you…?"

"Of course." She said, taking his hand to squeeze for a moment before opening the book. She didn't know where exactly to start, but she figured the beginning was as good a place as any. "Once upon a time…"

They fell into a comfortable routine. Any time Rumpelstiltskin was not spending with his son, he was with her, and she was reading him the story of the curse. Some days he sat across the couch from her, some on the other side of the room sipping tea out of a familiar tea set, and on occasions that made Belle too happy for words, he'd grow bold enough to lean his shoulder to hers or even wrap an arm around her as he gazed at the illustrations. He never went farther than chaste touches, but it made Belle so happy to have his touch back at all that she couldn't complain, only feeling lonely when she went to sleep in one of the many guest rooms of the house that had been turned into her room.

Nights were of course the loneliest.

After a week the three of them opened the shop. Rumple seemed accustomed to whatever staring he was getting from the town, and seemed most out of place when Ruby or Ariel approached them to say they were glad to see him alright. Obviously he wasn't used to anyone being friendly towards him, and that only made Belle's heart ache more.

"He'll come around. He was considered a coward in our village. He's not used to anything but scorn..." Neal told her one night as Rumple was in the shower ("It's a waterfall of hot water you can summon on command? And you're sure it's not magic?")

This only made Belle frown at the pork chop she was slicing. "He was no coward. He deserved better."

Neal chuckled at that, giving her an affectionate kiss to the forehead before moving to set the table.

The shop days were slow, but one thing that Belle had marveled at was how well Rumpelstiltskin seemed to take to it. Even with only the memories of a spinner guiding him, cleaning jewelry and fixing watches with his nimble fingers was something he took to like a duck to water. Still, it wasn't the same.

That evening as Rumple and Neal started home, Belle moved to the back to uncover something she'd kept covered for far too long. It was dusty, and needed polishing, but really she needed a project anyway.

"I brought you something." She announced as she walked into the library where Rumpelstiltskin was already waiting for their nightly reading.

He looked to her curiously as she set the blanket-covered item before him, gently taking the blanket off to reveal an ornate spinning wheel. His eyes widened as he made a helpless sound in the back of his throat at the sight of it, standing to run his fingers over it.

"I have some wool as well. You used to spin straw into gold but I thought you'd be more comfortable with wool…" She said. "You could spin while I read. Would you like that?"

"Yes." He choked out, giving her a watery smile as he took his seat at the wheel. "Thank you, Belle."

She pressed her lips to his temple before she could talk herself out of it. He tensed under her lips, but relaxed after a moment, and she pulled away. "Now, where were we?"

The spinner swallowed, glancing to her as if questioning why or how she could give him any affection. "We...I...Cinderella was going to the ball."

Belle nodded, handing him a ball of wool and going to take her place on the settee. This, him spinning as she read aloud to him, felt right. And for the first time in weeks Belle felt totally at-ease as she read.

A few days later something was wrong. Rumpelstiltskin had requested to go to the shop and run it alone, feeling ready to fall back into the stride that his life had been set into. He wanted to remember the things he'd missed, knew that forgetting them forever was no way to learn, but the fairies had told them it would still take a few weeks, and so they were forced to live as normally as possible until then. Belle had agreed, thinking it was a great idea. Neal had gone with him for a bit, showing him how to work the register one more time and bringing him lunch. Belle had taken the day to distract herself with cleaning, going so far as to scrub the baseboards to distract herself from worrying about him. She'd then made dinner, and had to stop herself from greeting him with the old hug and kiss she used to greet him home to when he walked into the house and shed his coat.

He was silent as they ate, barely speaking as Neal tried to coax him into small talk. He had barely finished his food before he was excusing himself and making his way to the library.

"I think that's you cue, mama." Neal said, clearing the table.

Belle nodded. She made tea, hoping the change in him wouldn't change how he took it. Tea was always the best excuse to go to him. Had been since their time in the Dark she hoped the peace offering would help him open up.

She found him at his wheel, spinning the wool into thread as he gazed blankly at the wheel. For a moment Belle was back in The Dark Castle, offering him tea as he spun, staring off as he watched the wheel spin under his fingertips. Trying to forget. She knocked, and he only half turned to her as she stepped inside their little haven, setting the tea beside him.

"Here." She said, offering him the chipped cup, an old habit she refused to break. "Things don't seem as grim after a cup of tea."

Rumpelstiltskin took the cub wordlessly, sipping silently. Belle watched as he relaxed with each sip, and she ventured putting a hand comfortingly on his thigh as he nursed the cup.

"What happened?" She finally asked when he relaxed under her touch, his cup almost empty.

He glanced to her, faltering for a moment as he stared at the wheel. Belle knew that look. He was fighting with himself, trying to decide if he should run or not. Finally, he sighed.

"They called me a monster…"

Belle frowned. "Who did?"

"Does it matter?" He set the cup to the side, hands moving back to his spinning wheel. "I am. Was."

"You never were." Belle insisted, reaching for his hand, but he only slapped it away.

"You've read the story, Belle!" He snapped, his eyes hurt as they met hers. "You've seen what I've done! I abandoned my own son!"

"You found him again."

"With a curse."

"A curse that brought us back together."

"And one that tore us apart again."

Belle flinched, shrinking back, letting her hand fall from his. He blinked, realizing what he'd said. All anger drained from him and he was once again the timid spinner he had always been. The one she'd always seen.

"Belle…" He started, reaching for her hand.

She let him take it, squeezing it. "You were never a monster." He remained silent, as if unconvinced. She gave him a gentle smile, picking up the empty cup. "Do you know what this is?"

"It's just a cup." Rumple said, shaking his head.

Belle smiled, running her fingers over the chip. "It's the only item in your collection that you truly cherish. At least, that's what you told me once." He gave her a confused look, searching her, trying to figure out what she was getting at. "Let me tell you tonight's story."

He nodded, and Belle sat beside him as he spun, not even needing to open the book as she wove the tale of the lady who had became his maid in exchange for her village's safety in the Ogre's war. Who had fallen for him quite literally. From a ladder, no less. Who had chipped a cup and been sent away when true love's kiss threatened to take away his magic. Who had gotten kidnapped and reunited with him due to the curse. Who had spent her whole life finding him. Who had never stopped fighting for him. Who had married him. Who had been lied to. Who had almost left. Almost…

Rumpelstiltskin listened in silence, and Belle kept a careful eye on him, watching his mouth writch with smiles or eyes wince or hands clench in anger. A long silence passed between them at the end, and for a moment Belle thought it best to leave him with his thoughts. But as she thought to, the wheel stopped, and she went tense, waiting for the scorn. The hatred. The you left me when I needed you, Belle how could you?

But instead, his hand found its way to hers.

"And what of this...lady now?" He asked quietly.

She swallowed, taking a shaky breath as she twined their fingers together. "She's with her spinner."

"And...does she still love him?"

Belle's head snapped to him, their gazes locking. A tension formed there, and his gaze held hope. So much hope that Belle couldn't stop herself from leaning forward and brushing her lips against his.

"Of course she does."

There was no disbelief in his gaze as he took her in, lifting his hand to run it accross her cheek. She leaned into it, turning to kiss his palm.

"Is she happy?" He finally choked.

Belle nodded, closing her eyes to ward off the lump forming in her throat. "Is the spinner?"

She heard him take a breath, felt him lean down, and she held her breath as his lips found hers. The kiss was chaste, but tender, and she found her lips yeilding to his as she kept back. Suddenly there was a pulse, a familiar tingle of magic, and he pulled away, blinking at her with bleary eyes.

"What's happening?" Came his voice, tentative and falimiar.

Belle took his face in her hands, giving him a watery smile as she pulled him closer to her. "Kiss me again. It's working."

This time there was no hesitation in his kiss. Thier lips practically crashed against each other. Another pulse. Another twinge. Their lips never parted, moving together in a familiar dance that made Belle's bones melt. The kiss turned salty, and finally he pulled away.

Rumpelstiltskin looked at his wife with pure wonder, shaky hands framing her cheeks as tears welled in his eyes. "Belle…"

Belle made a helpless noise in the back of her throat. His eyes had changed. They'd lost the edge and become the same welcoming warm brown she'd always known and loved. "Rumple…"

They clung to each other, holding each other so tight Belle thought she might bruise as she buried her face in his neck, hands finding his hair.

"I'm sorry." She choked. "I love you."

Rumple shook his head. "It's all my fault, sweetheart. All my fault. I'm sorry. So sorry. I love you too, Belle. So much. Please forgive me."

"Of course." She said, trembling against his form. "You big idiot."

Dinner that night had been an emotional one, full of relief and hugs. Rumpelstiltskin barely let his son out of his sight, revelling in it. In the rightness of it all. It wasn't perfect. There were plenty of things to talk about. To straighten out. But for now, it was perfect.

"I suppose I'll have to get used to that again…" Rumple muttered as he sat on the bed, placing the gold-tipped cane beside it.

"I found it very attractive." Belle said from behind him, wrapping her arms around him.

Rumple snorted, but turned to face her nonetheless. "We need to talk about things…"

"Not tonight." Belle said, shaking her head, hands running through his hair. "We'll worry about it all in the morning. Tonight I want my husband.

He smiled, the first genuine smile she'd seen on his lips in far too long. She saw the moment his composure snapped. He was at her in an instant, gathering her in his arms and placing his lips to hers in a searing kiss. His lips were hungry. Urgent. He didn't want to taste her. He wanted to devour her. And oh it felt so good.

Belle's toes curled with the kiss, and she felt her arms snake around him to splay against his back. His grip on her only tightened, her body pressing against his in all the familiar ways that made her shiver, completely made for him. He swallowed the noise of pleasure she made when his tongue traced her lips, and answered it with one of his own when hers mimicked his movements. He moved, laying her accross the pillows of the bed. She tugged on his shirt , trying with shaky hands to undo his buttons, mourning the loss of his magic for the first time since he changed. She grew frustrated, and it was only when his fingers ran over her wrists that she calmed.

"Easy, sweetheart…" He cooed, his lips against her ear.

"Off." She said breathlessly.

He chuckled, his hands moving to unbutton his shirt. Her hands didn't stay still though, and instead went to the much easier task of pulling away his tie. The clothing was soon thrown to the floor, and Belle's hands immediately went to his belt, but Rumple caught them, moving them above her head before running his hands down the rest of her body, trailing open-mouthed kisses across her neck and collarbone as he skillfully unzipped her skirt and slid off her blouse.

"Rumple…" She whined, squirming under his touch.

"Shhh…" He cooed, raking his eyes over her body. The blush she felt reached her chest as her skin tingled, it had been far too long since he'd looked at her like that. Like she was the only woman in the entire world.

"You're beautiful, Belle." He said, and the words sounded almost like a prayer.

Belle's bones trembled, a soft moan coming from her as he kissed the skin just above her bra. Her body was already hot, the familiarity of this dance and the attention he was giving to her skin as he unhooked her bra and sliding away her panties driving her mad. Her hands moved to him, blessedly able to remove his belt. She tossed it to the side, his own hands replacing hers as he shucked off his pants too, and she swallowed the satisfied moan he made as her hands fisted in his hair and their lips crashed together.

"Rumple please...I need you."

He nipped harder at her pulse-point, making Belle give a startled yelp. "Do you now?"

"Yes." She breathed, squeaking when his hand found her breast while his mouth explored her collar bone. Her head swam as the rest of the world fell away, and all she could do was feel him on her. "Yes."

"And who do you belong to tonight?"

He took a nipple in his mouth, and she moaned. He growled, doing the same to her other breast.

"Who, Belle?"

"You." She choked. "You, Rumpelstiltskin. I'm yours. Always."

"That's right...And I am yours..."

His mouth left her nipple, and before she had time to protest it found the other one. Her hands clutched at his hair, pulling slightly when he made her moan. He seemed to like this, though. His fingers ran over her arms, waist, hips, legs, anywhere they could find, fire and sparks flying in their wake. She squirmed under him, making him growl against his skin in ways that were too erotic for words.

"Rumple..." Belle's voice came in a breathy beg. Her body was aflame, and she ached in ways that were far too familiar and perfect.

"Patience, love." He whispered against her hip bone, nipping at the sensitive flesh. "I'm enjoying myself. If you'll permit me."

She laughed. He really expected him to deny her at this point. "Always."

The Noise he made in his throat sounded like a dying animal, and she was suddenly trembling as he settled his shoulders between her thighs. His warm breath wafted over her sex, and her breath caught in her throat.

Her words gave way to a moan as his mouth was suddenly on her. If he wanted to devour her mouth he certainly wanted to do the same to the rest of her. He was lapping at her like a dying man, tasting her, drinking her in like he never had before. Belle arched into him, nearly coming off the bed, and he used his palm on her abdomen to guide her back down. She wanted to speak. To beg him not to stop and keep going, but there was a pressure coiling in her belly and it stole her words.

"R...Rum..." Belle was unable to hide the tremble of her words as her hands fisted in his hair. "I...I..."

"Easy, love." He breathed. "Come for me."

She did. Oh she did. With a cry that she didn't realize came from her until it was over, the pressure sprang loose, and her climax washed over her. Rumpelstiltskin moaned with her, lapping up her juices like a man dying of thirst. It took a moment for Belle to realize he was back over her, looking at her like he was amazed that had happened. As if it was their first time all over again.

"What?" She breathed, unable to stop the smile that spread on her lips as she reached for him.

He shook his head. "Nothing."

He was back on her in a breath, lips mapping hers out as they had before. As if they had their entire lives. Belle could taste herself on him, blended with the odd taste that was entirely him. She could never get tired of it.

Above her, Rumpelstiltskin shifted, and she could suddenly feel his hardness pressed against her. With a growl, their lips crashed together as she felt him enter her. Something between a cry and a moan escaped her as she clung to him. He was patient, working his way into her with shallow strokes before his composure seemed to snap and he entered her in one fluid motion.

She was tight. So beautifully tight, and he filled her in every perfect way possible, their bodies fitting together like a puzzle despite it all. She found he was clinging to her the same way, and this time he was the one trembling. With a swallow he looked down at her with adoration in his eyes. Belle smiled as her hand came to caress his cheek.

Another incomprehensible noise came from him as he leaned into her touch, moving out of her a bit before thrusting back into her. Their moans entertained as Belle lost herself in the sensation of his motions, how he hit exactly the right spots without fail. How he knew exactly where to cling and what to whisper into her ear. The tightness in her belly grew almost painful as she clung to him, nails raking across his back as she breathed and babbled incomprehensible words that she hoped were encouragements. Rumpelstiltskin seemed to be having the same trouble keeping his composure, though the sweet nothings he whispered to her were much more understandable.

"Belle..." He choked out. "I can't..."

"Me neither. Please. So close. Not without you."

He groaned like she was torturing him, and his thrusts became hard and erratic. They cried out at the same time, uncaring how loud they were, as stars exploded behind their eyes and they rode out their climax together.

Belle had no idea how long it was until her brain tightened itself again. She could have dozed, even. But when she came to her senses she found herself tucked safely in Rumpelstiltskin's arms. She smiled, snuggling up to him and letting the rest of the world fall away as she lost herself in his smell and the sound of his heartbeat.

"How do you feel?" He asked, lips against her hair.

She snuggled closer, trying to feel all of him at once, trying to convince herself it wasn't a dream "I'm perfect."

He hummed in response, holding her tighter.

"Rumple...I..."

"Shhh..." He cooed, moving so that he was spooning against her, their fingers intertwining. "Sleep, Belle. I love you too."

Belle smiled, closing her eyes, letting herself be lulled to sleep by the patterns he was tracing against her back, the sound of his breath, the feel of his warmth around her.

Yes things might have been complicated, but this was where she belonged. In the arms of her spinner she was safe and sound.