For years, he thought nothing of the desk. The old, antique desk sat in the corner of his bedroom for years, as long as he could remember, with no particular significance in his everyday life. That was until, late one night, one of the drawers made a definite thunking noise, as if the drawer had just closed. But it was the middle of the night.

Adrian Gold carefully got out of bed, still disoriented with sleep. He limped to the desk. With cautious hands, he pulled open the offending drawer, reached in and pulled out... a piece of paper? Unfolding it, he read, the letter was dated August 3rd, 1901.

Dearest Beloved, (the letter read)

I regret that I know not your name, nor do I think I ever will. While most think me odd to believe in soul mates, that one true love destined to be your match, but I believe you're out there, somewhere.

Maybe I saw you on the street, today, while you passed under my window. Maybe you live an ocean away and our paths will never come close to crossing. But it doesn't matter, Papa announced that I am to be married to Duke Gaston of Albany.

Now, dearest, I know what you're thinking, it's a modern era! A new century! How is this man a Duke? Well, Duke Gaston is really a duke in name alone. His family has lost their fortune and I am his last chance.

Or so he says? I doubt it. I am sure that there are far more willing and rich girls who would adore to be married to a duke. To be honest, I do not believe that the Duke is the one for me. He is only interested in my father's money, and my father is only interested in Gaston's title and connections.

I am not interested in either of them.

I am more interested in you, dearest. Everyone thinks me crazy, for wanting to find true love and not a well connected husband. I could care less if you were a beggar in the street, my love, as along as we were happy.

I know my letter will never find you, as soon as I finish it I plan to hide it away in my desk drawer, but I wish you every happiness in the world.

Love forever and a day, Belle Annmarie French

Adrian slumped back into the desk chair. He licked his lips before whispering the name scrawled in looping cursive, "Belle Annmarie French."

This letter had not been there two days ago when he'd meticulously cleaned out his desk. So where had it come from? But his hands tingled to pick up his pen, to reply to this sad, lonely woman. He knew what it was like to feel alone in the world.

He moved closer to the desk and wrote.

Dear Miss French,

I hope I am not too forward in writing to you, but your letter appeared quite mysteriously in my desk, and I was compelled to reply.

I know how to feels to be lonely. I will not bore you with the details of my life, but it has been a solitary one. My soul mate, as you put it, has most likely seen me on the street and walked the other way. Nevertheless, I do not think you're crazy for wanting happiness - more the opposite, I think your family are the crazy ones for denying you it.

Don't lose hope, Miss French, for things always look darkest before the dawn. (An old and worn out witticism, I know.) I know it's hard to see beyond your own lonely four walls, but I can't help but feel that a lovely woman such as your self will find your love.

Yours truly, R. Gold

He was dreaming. That had to be the answer, there was no other explanation for why he'd written to a woman in 1901. Carefully, Adrian refolded the letter, and slipped it into the drawer where he'd found her letter. He would most likely wake tomorrow to find his own incoherent ramblings still tucked in the drawer.

But that was not the case.

When Adrian checked the drawer in the morning light, his letter was gone. It had been replaced by a second neatly folded paper, that enchanting cursive inside.

August 4th, 1901

Dear Mr. Gold,

Pardon me if I come across as rude, but how did you find my letter?! How did you, good sir (if you are a good sir which I doubt) find yourself privy to my desk, which is in my bed room? It's highly improper of you to be in a single young woman's bedroom.

But dubious intent aside, thank you. Thank you for your letter and your kind words and your hope. I probably sound silly and over enthusiastic, but thank you for believing in me when no one else does. Faith restored, now my only conundrum is postponing my marriage and finding my soul mate.

I don't think it's too late for you (unless you are inof the habit of snooping in young ladies rooms) to find love. As long as you keep an open mind and a open heart, anything is possible. But I will admit, I often give very good advice, but I rarely seem to follow it myself.

To us, Mr. Gold, may we find our loves even if it in the most unexpected of places.

Sincerely, Belle Annmarie French

This was highly irregular. How often did one receive letters from the past? Adrian tucked both of Belle's letters into his pocket, going about his day pretending like nothing was amiss. But in reality, he couldn't get her out of his head.

After work, he went to the library, combing the shelves fruitlessly before settling down in front of a microfiche reader. August of 1901 was a rather boring time in the life of Storybrooke, Maine. There were babies born and people dying far before their time.

It was on August 5th that Belle and Gaston's engagement was announced. The photo was faded but it couldn't diminish her beauty. Adrian stilled, staring at the blurry picture before reading on.

Belle Annemarie French was only mentioned one other time in the year of newspapers. September 14th, 1901, a notice was placed asking for details of her whereabouts. It said that she'd disappeared September 2nd, with a strange man and had not been heard from since.

There was no other mention of her. She seemed to vanish from the face of the earth, for better orf worse.

Slowly, in an almost unattached way, he printed out the engagement notice and the missing person report. It was only when he was home again, sitting at her desk, that he let himself pen another letter.

Dear Miss French,

You need not fear, I am not a thief or a home invader. I will explain myself in due time but I will give you this, it is quite an unbelievable story and I mean you no harm.

I must admit something else to you. I am a deeply cynical person. It's difficult for me to view love in any other way than a sickness, the most deadly sickness that has eaten away at the most healthy of souls. I am much more of a Ebenezer Scrooge than a Romeo.

One must be careful in love. Careful that they have indeed found their right person who only wants the best for them. Don't misunderstand me, I don't mean to imply that you would naively follow the first pretty boy to show you affection - in fact, I believe your reaction to your fiance prove quite the opposite. Nevertheless, it's never a bad idea to be careful.

Thank you for your kind wishes, I will treasure them no matter what my fate.

Yours truly, R. Gold

It would be a lie to say that he wasn't impatient waiting to see if she'd respond.