Belle French and James Gold have been friends since Belle was three and James's family moved next door. James was thirteen at the time and took on the responsibility of making sure Belle was always safe. This was thirteen years ago and as the years went on and Belle grew from a pretty little girl into a beautiful young adult, James started to have feelings that he knew were inappropriate, but it wasn't as if he was ever going to do anything with his feelings because they were one side. Weren't they?
Three year old Belle ran through the fence over to her neighbors' house. Ever since James Gold had moved in with his lawyer dad, Malcom, she had been over there every day while her father was too busy drinking to even know she left. She knocked on the door and waited patiently with her hands behind her back going back and forth on the balls of her feet to her heel. The door opened and it was James.
"Hi James." James smiled and picked up the three year old.
"Hello Belle. What brings you here?"
"Papa smells funny again. Can I stay here?" James nodded and closed the door. He walked into the den where his father was going over papers for court the next day.
"Father, look who I found." Malcom looked up and smiled.
"Hello Belle."
"Hi Malcom." She waved with one hand while the other arm was around James's neck. "Papa smells funny again." Malcom sighed and nodded.
"I'll bring her upstairs to her room. I don't think he's let her sleep yet." Malcom nodded and James headed for the steps. He walked up the stairs and went through the door next to his room that him and his father had decorated for Belle after realizing that Maurice would rather drink that care for his daughter even going as far as to leave her home alone while he went to get more booze. He laid her on the bed and covered her with the covers. He grabbed a book and got in bed with her. He started to read and she was asleep before he was halfway through with it.
James smiled as he thought of those days. Even right now he was lying in her bed with her and she was sixteen. Over the years he had started to develop feelings for her. Being the twenty-six year old he was, he knew it was highly inappropriate to have the kind of feelings he did for his sixteen year old neighbor. He was a lot of things but a pedophile he was not. He wouldn't let his feelings for Belle interfere with his friendship for her. Since he clearly could not be with her, he would settle on being her friend and her go-to person.
"Papa!" He heard his two year old son call for him. When James was twenty-two he met a woman named Milah and started to date her. After two years of dating, he was ready to propose to her. He went to her house only to find her in bed with another man. Right before he told her it was over, she informed him she was two months pregnant. He ordered to have a paternity test and it turned out the baby was his. After giving birth, she told James to take the baby that she didn't want it. He gladly took his son and started to raise him. He will admit until he dies that Bae was the only good thing to come from his relationship with Milah. He slowly got of the bed as Bae called him once more. He went into the nursery and smiled at his son standing up in his crib.
"What's wrong Bae?"
"Up." He picked up his son and Bae wrapped his arms around James's neck. "Poopie." James let out a breath of a laugh through his nose and turned to the changing table where he started to change Bae's dirty diaper.
"Guess who's here Bae. Belle is here." Bae clapped his hands and tried to squirm away. "Hold on Bae you need a diaper on and she's sleeping. She's taking a nap." Bae looked at him and James leaned down and kissed his head. "I love you Bae." Bae grabbed his cheeks and pressed a kiss to his father's lips.
"MMMMMA!" James smiled and picked up Bae. He put him down and immediately, Bae took off towards Belle's room. "Bae, no!" He hissed in a whisper.
"Belle!"
"Belle is sleeping, come here. You can see her when she wakes up." Bae shook his head and ran towards Belle's room. "Baelfire! Come here." He smiled and shook his head.
"No."
"Baelfire Neal Gold, get over here!" James ran after his son and grabbed him right before he pushed Belle's door open. "Belle is sleeping. You need to let her sleep." He walked down the stairs with his son and put him on the ground.
"Snack."
"Excuse me?" James crossed his arms.
"Snack, peas." James went over to the cabinet and grabbed an applesauce pouch from the box handed it to Bae. "Tank you." Bae started to suck down the applesauce until James stopped him.
"Bae, you're going to choke and get sick and then you can clean it up." Bae slowed his gulps as they heard a noise upstairs. "Guess who's up."
"Belle!" Bae threw his applesauce pouch on the ground and ran for the stairs. James knew there was a baby gate in front of the steps so he wasn't concerned about his son going up the stairs without him. He picked up the pouch, putting it on the counter, before making his way to the stairs only to find his son pulling on the gates trying to get through.
"Need help?" He asked amused. He picked up Bae and unlatched the baby gate. He walked up the stairs and through the one at the top of the steps. As soon as he put Bae down, the two year took off towards their guest's room. He reached up to open the door and pushed it open.
"Belle!" Belle smiled when she saw Bae. Besides James and Malcom, Bae was her favorite person, and her favorite toddler. "Belle, you stay here?"
"Yes my little prince. I'm here for a few days." She said smoothing out his hair with her hand. Bae cheered and clapped his hands. James appeared at the door smiling and his son and friend. "Lose something?"
"No, seems my son likes you more than the person who's raising him."
"That's not true. He loves his Papa."
"He seems to really like you."
"I'm quite fond of him as well." Belle said tickling Bae's stomach causing the toddler to erupt in giggles. James watched amused and smiled at the sight. He often wished that Belle was Bae's mother instead of Milah. He couldn't change the past but at least he knew Belle loved Bae as her own so Bae wouldn't completely be deprived of a mother figure. Bae jumped down from Belle's arms, off the bed, and ran into his room mostly likely to get a toy to play with, with Belle. James sat down on Belle's bed. He cupped her chin and turned her head to examine that bruise on her cheek that went unnoticed by Bae.
"It looks better than it did a few hours ago."
"It still hurts like it did before." Belle said moving her head out of his grasp. "I bet you he won't even notice I'm gone." James sighed and rubbed her arm. "Sometimes I wish I didn't have to live with him. Like you or your dad could take custody of me."
"No one is saying you have to go home to him. You're sixteen and can get emancipated."
"Do you know how long that would take and how much money that could cost. I can't afford a lawyer."
"Really? My dad and I are both lawyers. One of us would represent you."
"I just said I can't afford a lawyer and I sure as hell can't afford either of you."
"You really think we'd charge you?"
"You need to make your money somehow." James leaned over and whispered in Belle's ear,
"How about you just babysit Bae for free and we'll call it even."
"I can't afford to work for free for the duration of a trial." Belle said turning her head to look at him. Both of them just stared at each other. James wanted nothing more than to kiss her and it seemed Belle was thinking the same as her eyes kept flicking down to his lips. James moved a piece of hair out of her face. He kept his hand there and stroked her cheek with his thumb. "James…"
"Yes."
"Just kiss me already." James sighed and pulled away. "James?"
"I can't. I'm a lot of horrible things but I'm not a pedophile."
"It's not being a pedophile if I agree to it."
"No it's just statutory rape." Belle looked at him. "It may sound selfish but I won't lose my son because of my school boy crush."
"It's not selfish. You love Bae I understand that. I'm sorry."
"No, don't be sorry. Belle, two more years and I'll gladly kiss you when you tell or ask me to. We can make it two years." Belle nodded and kissed his cheek. James smiled and kissed her forehead.
"Technically, a year and a week." Belle said smartly.
"I'm going to talk with my dad, see what we can do about getting you emancipated."
"James, I just said I can't afford to work for free or you guys."
"Don't worry about it. We'll take care of it."
"I don't have money for a place either."
"So what if my dad took custody of you for the next year? After that, you'll be an adult and," he leaned in, "you'll be with me." Belle smiled and blushed. "I'm not letting you go back to him. He's crossed the line too many times. I'll die before you have to go back to him." James said getting upset. Belle rested her hand on his arm. Bae chose that moment to run back in with his dinosaur stuffed toy. He climbed up onto the bed oblivious to the serious conversation that just took place. Belle's demeanor changed completely as she turned to Bae to play with him. James got up from the bed and looked at the scene in front of him wishing with all his might that the next year would fly by so he could finally make Belle his. James left the room and went down to his father's study. "Dad, we have to talk."
"What's wrong son?" Malcolm asked turning around. James sat down and took a deep breath.
"Maurice has gone too far. Belle is scared of him. He left a mark on her cheek. It doesn't look as bad as it was when she got here. She's been here for the last three hours, sleeping. I want to get her emancipated."
"How does she feel?"
"She's scared. She doesn't have the money, a place to live, she thinks she won't win."
"Did you tell her that one of us will represent her?"
"She says she can't afford either of us. Even after I told her that we wouldn't charge her."
"We can't do anything without her okay."
"I know. She said okay, she doesn't know where to start."
"First step, she's moving out of that house. Take her over now while he's at work. Tell her get anything of value to her. She'll move into her room here and we'll work on the rest as we go." James nodded and stood up. "James," he turned back, "we'll fight until we can't fight anymore." James nodded and left the study. James walked back to Belle's room. Bae and Belle were still playing and he took a moment to admire the sight. Bae saw him first.
"Hi Papa."
"Hi Bae, Bae can you go back to your room for a little while? I have to talk to Belle." Bae turned to Belle and wrapped his arms around her.
"No."
"Bae, you need to listen…"
"No I won't let you hurt her like her papa!" James and Belle looked at Bae.
"Bae, I would never hurt Belle."
"Her papa hurt her. He give her boo-boo." Bae said pointing to Belle's cheek. Belle put her hand on her cheek.
"Bae, I'm not going to hurt Belle. I promise." Bae looked at Belle.
"I'll be okay, you have to listen to your papa." Bae sighed and got off the bed leaving the room with a sad look. James shut the door. "I didn't know he saw. I'm sorry."
"It's okay, it was only a matter of time before he saw it. I talked to my dad. He said the first step is you moving out of that house. While he's not home, I'm taking you over and you are to get anything of value. Unless you have special clothes don't worry about them we can get you new ones. Let's go before we miss our window. My dad will watch Bae." Belle got up and walked out of the room with James. They quickly went over to Belle's house and James kept watch in the living room while Belle went up to her room and grabbed a few of her most treasured possessions. She put them in a small bag and quickly rushed down the stairs. James took her hand and rushed her back to his house. Just in time as well because as James shut his door, Maurice pulled up. "Go upstairs. It's only a matter of time before he notices you're gone." Belle ran upstairs and into her room. James went into his father's study and sat with him.
"I give him ten minutes. I called my office and my sectary is writing up the papers and I'll have them by tomorrow."
"Good, the sooner we get Belle out of that house the better." James looked over at Bae playing with his blocks. Malcolm clapped his hands in front of James's face.
"Don't. I know you love Belle. Anyone with eyes can see you love Belle. Don't act on your feelings until she's of age."
"I know I can't. I'm not going to act on my feelings. We've already talked. She wanted me to kiss her today and it took everything in me not to. She told me she loves me too. When she turns eighteen I'm dating her."
"Do what you want, after she turns eighteen." Malcolm told his son. No sooner did the words leave his mouth than there was a pounding on the front door.
"Gold! I know you have her. You can't keep my daughter away from me!" Malcolm went to deal with it. Bae climbed into James's lap in fright.
"What would you like Mr. French?"
"My daughter. I know you're keeping her here."
"On the contrary, she's welcome to leave whenever she wishes; she just doesn't wish to leave."
"That's a lie. My daughter knows she's to stay at home, inside."
"How do you expect to keep her inside? Lock her in her room, bar the windows? How?"
"How I deal with my daughter is none of your concern!"
"It becomes my concern when you leave a bruise on her cheek. Also her name is Belle, she's not your property. Now leave mine."
"I'll get her back." Malcolm closed the door and looked behind him to see Belle standing at the top of the stairs peering around a corner.
"You're okay Belle. He's not getting his hands on you again. The papers are being written up as we speak and tomorrow he'll be served." Belle nodded. "Go lay back down. I'll send James up." Malcolm went back into his study and found James comforting Bae. "You're needed." James nodded and got up with Bae still in his arms. He went up the stairs and found Belle laying on her bed, on her side, with her back to the door. He went over and gently put a hand on her side.
"I'm scared."
"It's okay to be scared. We won't let him hurt you again. Our only regret is that he got a chance to do it once."
"I never wanted to be scared of him but now I am. He wasn't always like this, when Mother was alive, he was kind and caring. Everything changed when she died."
"Greif changes people."
"But I was only a little girl." She turned around and looked into James's eyes. "When Milah left you didn't go crazy and started neglecting Bae." James wiped the stray tears that had fallen earlier off of Belle's seemingly perfect face.
"I had you to keep me grounded. When I didn't think I could do it, when I thought I had bitten off more than I could chew, you were the one who was there for me. Do you remember the second night of him being home?"
"You mean how you were going nuts trying to figure out what was wrong with him?"
"And you swooped in and took him from me without even a second thought. He immediately calmed and you lulled him back to sleep."
"You thought you couldn't do it that you would fail. Now look at you, Bae looks at you as if you hung the sun, the moon, and the stars. You're his hero. All he needs is you."
"That's not true. He needs a mother as well. Good thing he has you." Belle smiled and gently brushed the hair of the toddler that had fallen asleep in his father's arms. "We're lucky to have you."
"I think I'm the lucky one. If I didn't have you and your father I'm not sure I would have survived as long as I did." Belle looked at James and he kissed her forehead.
"You'll always have us. Let me put him in his room. I'll be right back." He gently put Bae in his crib making a mental note to start looking for toddler beds next week. He went back to Belle's room and got into the bed with her. Just as she always did when she was younger, she curled around him and wrapped her arms around his waist. He curled his arms around her shoulder and held her to him. She snuggled up and closed her eyes. He couldn't help but let his mind wander to when he hoped they would be like again. Only different circumstances, like their wedding night. He kissed her head and whispered in her ear, "I love you Belle. I'll never let anything bad happen to you ever again." He leaned back against the pillows and closed his eyes. It wasn't long before they were asleep safe in their dreams. Malcolm came up a little while later to find exactly like that. He smiled at the sight. He remembered when Bae was younger and had just started talking and the heartbreak when he called Belle 'Mama' and they had to correct him.
Bae waddled around the house occasionally giggling at his own clumsiness. He grabbed for the couch and smiled big when he got it. James watched with love in his eyes and heart for his son. While his relationship with Milah may have ended in disaster, Bae was the good thing that came out of it. Bae looked at him and pointed,
"Papa." James smiled and walked over before kissing Bae's head.
"That's right Bae, I'm your papa." He held Bae close and turned when he heard the door open. Belle walked in looking sadder than normal. He mentally checked the date and remembered it was the anniversary of her mother's passing. Bae saw her and cooed as he bounced in James's arms trying to get to Belle. Belle's mood changed and brightened when she saw Bae. She walked over and took the baby from his father. Bae nuzzled her neck with his face and wrapped his chubby arms around her. She gently swayed with him and held him close.
"How's my little man? Have you been good for Papa? I'm sure you have you're such a good boy." Bae's only response was to nuzzle her neck again.
"Mama." Bae mumbled. Belle and James froze. James's face held horror. Malcolm, who had come in right before, took off his glasses and looked at the trio.
"Oh Bae, no sweetie, I'm not Mama. I'm Belle." Belle's heart broke having to tell this sweet little boy that she wasn't his mother. James looked at Belle just as heartbroken. It took a little while until Belle realized Bae hadn't heard a word that was said because he had fallen asleep. Belle walked up the stairs to go put him in the nursery. Malcolm walked up to James.
"Why didn't you let Bae think that?"
"Dad, she's fourteen. The last thing she needs is to be a mother to a child that she has no claim to."
"No claim? James that girl has been through every sleepless night, every diaper change, every fever, as far as Bae is concerned she is his mother."
"But she's not."
"But you want her to be." James didn't answer for a short while.
"Yes of course I do. But as I just stated, she's fourteen. I'm twenty-four do you know how much trouble I can get in just from Bae making that mistake? I'd be arrested for statutory rape, Bae would be taken away, and I will have lost everything, including Belle."
"James, even if someone heard Bae, everyone in this town knows you and knows Belle's situation, they would all assume that Bae assumed that she was his mother since she's here so often. Don't forget that this is a small town, they all saw Milah pregnant."
"I'd rather forget that retched woman. She played me. She played this town. She's the reason Bae is calling Belle Mama."
"Would it be such a bad thing? I know you have feelings for her, you know you have feelings for her, heck I'd bet money Bae knows you have feelings for her."
"Again I'll say it, she's fourteen. She doesn't need a man ten years older than her pining for her like some kind of perv."
"James, the sooner you get your head out of your ass, the sooner you and Belle can work on your happy ending."
"I'm waiting four more years to tell her I love her and hope she feels the same. The way things are going, she may see me as her older brother."
"I highly doubt that. I've seen the way she looks at you when she thinks no one is looking. That girl doesn't even know what love is and she's feeling for you. She's probably just as scared as you are. It's your job to make her see that love isn't what her father is doing to her."
Malcolm smiled at the memory. He hoped that Bae would call Belle Mama in two years when James finally told her that he loved her and asked her to marry him. He knew that they had already proclaimed their love for each other but he hoped that feelings remained the way they are at the moment and they waited until Belle was legal. He would hate to see his son lose everything because the law doesn't think a sixteen year old and someone over the age of eighteen can love each other without the older person having other motives. Malcolm heard a sound from Bae's room and went down the hall to his grandson's room. He walked in and Bae bouncing in his crib.
"You're up from your nap early. Papa's still sleeping so how about we go downstairs and I'll make you something to eat."
"G!" Malcolm smiled and kissed Bae's head after picking him up. He loved Bae more than he could possibly say. He heard a pounding on the door and ignored it. He knew exactly who it was.
"Gold!" He heard two other sets of footsteps running down the stairs. "Gold! Open up!" James and Belle came into the kitchen just as Malcolm had set a plate of cut up carrots in front of Bae.
"I better go deal with that. He probably just got the service." He went over to the living room and unlocked the door before opening it. Maurice threw the door open and Malcolm calmly moved out of the way of the swinging door. Maurice grabbed Malcolm by his shirt and pinned him against a wall.
"You think you can take my daughter away from me?!"
"This is Belle's decision. She decided she wanted to get away from you."
"No, she's my daughter. I'm the only one who cares about her."
"You have a strange way of showing it." Malcolm ripped away from Maurice. "We've lived next door to you for over ten years. Belle was three years old when we moved here. She would come over here, to a stranger's house, to get away from you. When you were passed out drunk, when you would hit her, when you would leave her alone to go buy more booze, when you weren't there for her we were."
"Then your son assaulted my daughter. You think I don't know about your son's crush on my daughter? He's sick! He's, what, twenty-five? She's a fifteen year old girl."
"Actually Mr. French your daughter is almost seventeen. You don't even know how old your own child is."
"Fine, go ahead with this case. Once I report your son for raping my daughter and forcing her to have his child, you'll never win this case."
"I hope you do file a false report. I hope you tell the police Belle is Bae's mother. That way when the DNA results come back that Bae is not Belle's you'll be the liar and this case will be even easier to win."
"Mark my words. Your son will be punished for his crimes." Maurice left with that final threat. Malcolm just rolled his eyes and closed the door.
"He's serious." Malcolm turned around and saw Belle standing in between the kitchen and living room. "He'll go to the police and get James arrested."
"There's no proof. Bae isn't your biological son so there's no way to prove that James did anything, which he didn't."
"The police won't care, they'll still think we did something." James came behind Belle and placed his hands on her shoulders.
"Then we'll get a test done for you. The doctors will be able to prove that you never bore a child. We're not going to let him win. Nothing he can do will stick."
"I don't want James to get in trouble for something he didn't do."
"I won't Belle. Like my father said, he can't prove we did anything. I won't get in trouble for something I didn't do."
"How about we go to the hospital now and get a DNA test done on Bae and Belle so we have it. That way when Maurice does go to the police, we'll have the evidence for it. We can also get the test done on Belle to show that she never bore a child and never has had sex." James and Belle agreed. The four of them got into the car and drove to the hospital. They had to wait an excessive amount of time but they finally were taken in and the tests were conducted. The nurse said they would mail over the results and the four of them left. It wasn't much longer than they had gotten dinner ready, there was a knock at the door.
"I'll get it." Belle told everyone. She opened the door and her face paled. "Sheriff Nolan, what can I do for you?"
"I hate to do this but I need James to come with me." Sheriff Nolan, David, told Belle.
"I guess my father made good on his threat."
"Yes, and while we all know that James would never do that, we still need to bring him in and take a statement from you." Belle nodded with tears in her eyes. She led David back to the dining room where the family was eating. As soon as James saw David, he wiped his mouth and picked up Bae.
"I told you this would happen." Belle said as she took Bae from James. James kissed Bae's head and went over to David.
"We don't need to do the whole handcuff thing. Just follow me outside." David told him. James nodded.
"I'll meet you down there as soon as we can." Malcolm told James. The door closed and Belle put Bae back in his highchair.
"Papa?"
"Papa has to talk to David for a little while. We're going to see him soon."
"Emma?" Bae asked, referring to David's daughter who was the same age as Bae.
"Maybe Emma will be there." Belle said with a smile. They finished dinner quickly and went to the police station. David and Graham, a deputy, were there taking James's statement.
"Belle." Graham got up and went over to her.
"Graham, you and David know that nothing ever happened. We even went to the hospital got tests done to prove it after my father made his threat."
"I know that, David knows that, heck the whole town knows it, but we still have to do the stupid shit because he made the compliant."
"But I'm not complaining because nothing happened. There's no case!" Belle yelled getting frustrated that they wouldn't let James go.
"Belle, just let them do what they have to so that this can all be over with." Malcolm said placing a hand on her shoulder. Belle sighed, defeated.
"Fine."
"Okay, I'm going to take your statement and don't be offended by anything I ask of you." Graham almost pleaded with her.
"That sounds promising." She turned back to Bae who was watching her with amazement in his eyes. "I'll be right back. You stay with Grandpa, Okay?"
"Okay Belle." Bae said placing his head on Malcolm's shoulder and started playing with his tie. Belle walked into Graham's office so he could take her statement. After about twenty minutes, Belle finally emerged and went over to Malcolm.
"Don't take anything he said or asked to heart, he's just following protocol." Belle nodded still not liking this situation at all. It all seemed a lot longer than an hour but finally James was released.
"We made a report to appease Maurice. All he cares about is that there was a report. We're not going to bother you about this."
"Just to cover our asses we went to the hospital and had a maturity test done on Bae and Belle and another test done on Belle." Graham understood the unspoken words about Belle's test.
"We'll pick those up at the hospital. Thank you for cooperating." Graham told them with an apologetic smile. Belle took James's arm and the four started to walk out of the police station. Just then, Maurice came into the station.
"What is he doing out? He raped my daughter and made her bare his child!"
"Mr. French, both your daughter and Mr. Gold deny any sexual relationship." David said.
"Of course they do. My daughter is in love with that disgusting pig and he's not going to admit to rape."
"Tests have been done on both the child and your daughter and we will have the results in a few days. Until then, we have nothing to hold him on." Maurice spun around and glared at the Gold family and Belle.
"I'll get my way. Soon, you won't be allowed anywhere near my daughter and that child will be taken away from you."
"Let's say for argument sake, Belle is the mother of Bae. If you are successful in putting me in jail and Bae is taken away, Belle would be given custody of Bae." James said to Maurice.
"My daughter is in no position to take care of a child. If she were to get custody of that bastard child, then I'd forge paperwork and put him up for adoption. No bastard child is living in my house." It took everything in James's body not to punch him.
"Then I guess it's a good thing we have nothing to fear." James pulled Belle and they left the police station. He could feel Belle shaking against him. "Let's get you home." He whispered. When they got home, James led Belle upstairs and into her room. He closed the door and Belle laid on the bed. She turned on her side with her back facing James and the door. James came over and sat on the bed. He started to gently rub her back. He felt her shudder and knew she was crying. "Belle, nothing is going to happen."
"The point is, is that something could." Belle said not turning over. James sighed silently and kissed her head.
"You heard the police, they were doing that to appease your father. We all know the truth. Everyone in town knows the truth, they all saw you know who pregnant. Everyone knows that Bae isn't biologically yours, unfortunately." He mumbled the last word under his breath, but Belle heard it. She turned over and met his eyes. He smiled. "There they are. There are the beautiful eyes." She sat up and pulled her knees to her chest. "Nothing will happen to me."
"Did you mean that when you said unfortunately about Bae not being mine biologically?"
"Is that even a question? Of course I wish you were Bae's biologically mother, I have since I found out Milah was pregnant and cheating on me. You are his mother though, in every way that counts. Even Bae sees it. He called you mama when he was one."
"Then we had to correct him."
"That broke my heart. When you told Bae that you were Belle and not mama, it broke my heart. I wanted to go over to you two and tell him you are his mama, but you were fourteen the last thing you needed was to be strapped to a child that wasn't biologically yours."
"I wouldn't have minded. Even back then I thought of Bae as my own. I would count the minutes in my last class until the bell would ring so I could come here and be with you and him."
"I figured as much considering you got here ten minutes after the last bell." James said with a smile. Belle smiled with a blush. She got closer to James and put her head on his shoulder.
"When did you figure out you loved me?" Belle asked suddenly.
"When Bae was born and you didn't run." He answered without hesitation. "Those first few nights were brutal. I tried everything I could to make him be quiet so you could sleep since you had school. He just kept crying and crying. I fed him, changed him, rocked him, burped him, held him, it seemed nothing was working. You came into his nursery and took him from me and he quieted almost instantly. He just wanted a woman's touch. You rocked him back to sleep and smiled at me as you went back to your room. I thought for sure that was the last night you'd be spending here. Then, you came back and kept coming back. You let Bae sit in front of you while you were doing your homework, helped feed him, helped bathe him, you were here through it all. That's when I figured out I loved you. I finally realized it when you weren't bothered by Bae, you accepted him. Any woman who can accept my son is good enough for me." James said while looking at her. She smiled and leaned more into him. He wrapped his arm around her. "What about you?"
"Somewhere around the time I turned thirteen. I remember I was sitting in my room and thinking about things and you popped into my head. I was thinking about love and what it meant to love someone. Anyone else would've thought I was too young to know what love was. I knew what my father was doing to me wasn't love. The way you and your father accepted me into the family, that was what love was. Your father loves me as a daughter, but I loved you as more. I was starting to feel something more than brotherly love, I was starting to fall in love with you. It didn't really concrete itself until I hit puberty though." Belle told him while looking at him. James knew he had to get out of there before he did something they would both regret. However, his body acted faster than his mind and before he knew what exactly was happening, his lips were on Belle's. Belle's hand flew to the back of his head and kissed him back. James's arms wrapped around her and slowly he started to press her down on the bed. He felt his body start to react and had to move his lower body so Belle wouldn't freak out. He held one hand to her cheek and the other was on her hip. Belle's hands were in his hair and wrapped around his back. They finally broke away for air and that's when reality set in again.
"James! What are you doing?" James and Belle pulled apart and James almost flew to the other side of the room. Malcolm stood in Belle's doorway looking pissed, though none of them knew if it was at James or at Belle. "Living room now! Both of you!" Belle and James got up and followed Malcolm to the living room. Once in the living room, Malcolm took Bae into the playroom and put the baby gate up. "Now, would one of you like to explain to me what just happened in there? We just cleared James's name, now you two are trying to make it seem as if Maurice was telling the truth? What were you two thinking?" Malcolm walked over to James and hit him over the head. James grabbed the back of his head. "You deserved that. Belle is lucky I don't believe in hitting girls or she'd get one too. You two were acting completely irresponsible. I don't want to see that again until Belle turns 18. Once she's of legal age you two can do whatever the hell you want I really don't care. Until that time, you two are not to even think about kissing, do I make myself clear?" Both James and Belle nodded. "Go." They left the living room and went to go spend time with Bae. Malcolm threw himself in a chair and tried not to think about what might have happened if he hadn't walked upstairs when he did. He did not need another grandchild from a sixteen year old mother, or have to defend his son for exactly what Maurice is assuming is happening.
Belle and James sat with Bae who was building with his blocks and enjoying every second of it, especially when the tower came crashing down. Belle smiled at Bae as he clapped his hands and started to build again. James wasn't paying attention to his surroundings. He was thinking about the kiss and what it had solidified. The kiss confirmed that Belle did love him. Of course he knew or had a hunch before, but this meant that it was true. He looked at Belle saw her with Bae and knew that this is what he wanted. He wanted this family.
"Papa!" Bae yelled and only then did James notice he was right in his face.
"I'm sorry Bae, what was it?"
"I hungry."
"How about bed instead? You had dinner and you're not eating anything else. You should've been in bed a while ago but we had some…excitement." James said standing up and picking up Bae. Bae struggled in his father's arms.
"No sleep!"
"Yes sleep. Papa's tired, grandpa's tired, and Belle tired. Bae needs to be tired now." James put Bae in his crib and turned on the sound machine.
"No sleep!" Bae yelled louder. James hung his head and sighed. He knew it was going to be a long night. Before he could even turn around to face Bae, he heard another voice.
"What's with all the yelling Bae?" Belle asked coming into the room. Bae held his arms out for Belle. She went over but didn't pick him up. "Why are you yelling at Papa?"
"No sleep, Belle. Belle, up."
"No Bae, it's time for sleep. It's night time. We will see you in the morning and tomorrow you have a playdate with Emma. You don't want to be tired, do you?"
"No. I go sleep." He laid down in his crib and started to chew on his stuffed dragon's tail.
"Good boy. I'll see you tomorrow. Give me kiss." Bae got up and kissed Belle's lips just as he always did, grabbing her cheeks and all. "I love you."
"Love you Mama." Bae answered tiredly. Sleepiness finally taking him over. James went over and kissed Bae before Bae dropped himself down and fell asleep before even hitting the mattress. Belle and James walked out of the room. They walked to Belle's room where they always talked. Both knew they had to talk but neither of them knew how to start.
"Belle…"
"I'm sorry." Belle cut him off.
"What are you sorry for?" James asked utterly confused. "I kissed you. Why are you sorry?"
"I don't know but I know this is somehow my fault. Everything is somehow my fault. I think I need to leave."
"Leave?! What are you talking about? Where will you go?" James asked suddenly on the verge of freaking out.
"I don't know but I do know it's not a good idea for me to stay here." Belle turned her back to James and grabbed the bag she had brought with her and started to pack some things.
"Belle, stop, this is stupid. We both know you're not going anywhere." James said grabbing the bag and moving it to a spot behind him.
"You could get in trouble for the exact thing we went through all that trouble to prove didn't happen and now it has."
"We didn't have sex, we kissed!" James yelled. Belle flinched back never hearing James yell at her. James took a deep breath to calm down. "I'm sorry Belle, I didn't mean to yell."
"See, me being here brings out the worst in you. I can't do that to you or Bae."
"And just where do you think you're going to go young lady?" Both turned to see Malcolm at the door. "Back to your father's? Granny's where he can find you? Belle, let's be real here. I know why you think you have to leave. You're not a burden and it's not a trouble causing situation to have you emancipated to get you away from that monster."
"It's that why you think you have to leave Belle?" James asked her slowly walking to her. Belle's eyes released the tears that were gathering there.
"I've been bothering you two with my problems since I was three."
"Belle, if you were a burden we would have told you a while ago." Malcolm gently her. Belle looked down not wanting to look at either of them. James took her in his arms and she gripped onto him as if he were her lifeline. "If you really want to go, then we won't stop you. Just know we're not kicking you out nor do we want you to go." Belle didn't respond just cried into James's chest. James held her tight and just let her cry. James and Malcolm had no idea what brought this on but they knew it probably had something to do with the fact that in the same day her father threatened James twice and made good on one threat. James kissed her head.
"If you really want to go we're not going to hold you here against your will, but at least sleep on it." James told her. Belle could only nod and James somehow maneuvered them in her bed even though she refused to release him. "I'm not going anywhere until you tell me to." He whispered to her. Belle quickly fell asleep in James's arms and he looked at his father.
"What was that about?"
"I don't know. We put Bae to bed and came in here. I started to approach the subject of the kiss and she cut me to apologize. When I asked her what she had to apologize for she started rambling saying that everything was always her fault and that she needed to leave. I have no idea what happened." James looked down at Belle and started to stroke her hair.
"Do you really think she's really going to leave?" Malcolm asked his son. James sighed and looked down at Belle.
"I don't know but I really hope not." James replied. The next morning, Belle woke up feeling even more tired than she did when she went to sleep. Her eyes were heavy and puffy and she was still sniffling. She felt arms around her and looked up to find James asleep in her bed. He never left her just as he promised. She heard movement and sounds coming the baby monitor they had put in Belle's room since they spent most of their time in there anyway. She slowly and successfully extracted herself from James and went into Bae's room.
"Good morning, Bae." Bae looked up.
"Mama!" Belle just smiled and picked up the toddler.
"Let's change you and then we'll get you some breakfast." Belle said placing him on the changing table and quickly changed his diaper.
"Papa?"
"Papa is still sleeping. Let's let him sleep and we'll go get breakfast. I think grandpa is still sleeping too so we have to be very quiet." Belle said whispering to emphasize to Bae to be quiet. Bae put a finger to his lips and shushed. They went downstairs and Belle made Bae some fruit and a waffle for breakfast before fixing herself something. After breakfast, Belle got Bae dressed and they played in the playroom for a while. About two hours later, she heard James get up.
James felt himself wake up and stretched. He sat straight up when he realized he could stretch. Belle had fallen asleep in his arms. He got out of the bed and started to search her room. All of her things were still there so she hadn't felt. He looked at the time and went to Bae's room realizing it was a lot later than he had originally thought. When he saw Bae wasn't there, he ran downstairs. He checked the kitchen, living room, dining room, and finally the playroom where he saw the two people he lived for in the room together. He felt his heart go back to its original speed. Belle stood up and went over to James.
"I woke up and he was up already so I just…" She was cut off by James kissing her. "James, stop, if your dad…"
"To hell with my dad." James said cutting her off before kissing her again. "To hell with my dad, to hell with your father, to hell with all of it. I don't care anymore. I woke up and found you gone and my first thought was that you woke up early and left before any of us could stop you. You and Bae are my only reasons for leaving and I don't want to lose either of you." Malcolm had come in at this moment having heard James running around. "I don't ever want to feel that feeling again. We're getting you emancipated and then this whole thing will be over. To HELL with society's rules and regulations." He dropped down to one knee taking hold of Belle's hands.
"James…" Belle felt her heart speed up. Bae looked over and saw his dad kneeling on the ground. He started to crawl over but Malcolm was quick to grab him. There was no way this was being interrupted. He may be a lawyer but he was in no position to stop his son.
"I woke up this morning and I stretched and once I realized I could do that, fear seized my heart. You fell asleep in my arms last night and shouldn't have been able to do that this morning. The first thing I did was look for your things to make sure they were still there. Once they were I knew I had to find you. When I found you, I felt my heart finally go back to its original speed. I don't ever want to feel that fear of losing again. You may only be seventeen but I'm willing to wait until you're ready to go forward. Belle, I love you. I have loved for a long time but only brave enough to admit to myself for two years. I'm willing to wait as long you need or want but I need to know one thing. Will you marry me?" Belle was blown away by his speeches she couldn't answer right away. She couldn't hold back anymore. She dropped to her knees and pulled hands away only to cup his head. Fully crying, she answered him.
"Yes, yes of course." She kissed him with every ounce of love she felt in her body. James responded with just as much love. Bae was done being ignored and started to whine.
"Mama." Bae said reaching for Belle. Belle and James pulled away and Belle looked at James. He nodded and got up. He took his son from Malcolm. Malcolm didn't even have words for James other than,
"Congratulations." James smiled and went over to Belle. Belle took him.
"Mama." Bae said loudly kissing Belle's cheek. Belle smiled at Bae and kissed his cheek back. She was surprised but not surprised by the words that came out of James's mouth.
"That's right Bae, Mama." Belle looked at and James looked right at her and said, "she's always has been."