The psychologist and the beast
AN: This is my first time writing in over 5 years, so please excuse any mistakes. I've been wanting to write a fanfiction for a while now but I wasn't sure what to write it about and then I got this idea. I do not own ouat or the characters. This fic will be OOC and set in an AU but still set in Storybrooke, for the sake of the story, Red/Ruby is 22 and her and Belle haven't had much prior contact. Also spoilers. This fic will involve a relationship between psychologist and patient so if you don't wish to read that, please exit this fic. Will also involve girl on girl so same goes as before, exit if you aren't okay with it. Also a trigger warning for mentions of psychical abuse. This fic is set end of Season 3 just before Belle and Rumple get married and early season 4 episode 1- but they never got married, Belle finds out about the dagger**
Summary: Belle wants a life away from Rumple, her new career introduces her to Red, a 22 year old struggling to accept herself. Will Belle be able to successfully help her?
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Setting the scene:**
Rumple had asked Belle to marry him and she had declined, she loved him, she truly did but something just didn't feel right. Rumple didn't take it too well but seemed to understand, to an extent and had arranged a small holiday away for a week to a place of Belle's choice. Belle had found a beautiful house on her exploration walks and she guided Rumple towards the house.
They arrived and Belle eagerly walked through the doors, excited to show Rumple the house. She reached the window when she felt a weird sensation come over her body, her heart sped up as she realised Rumple had put a spell on her to freeze her, she couldn't move but she could hear everything, "If I'm going to do this, I'm going to do it right," she heard Rumple mutter to himself. She couldn't see him but felt a sinking sensation as her fears were confirmed, she had the fake dagger. He had lied to her. She tried to compose her emotions as she heard Rumple click his fingers and she was free again. She put on a show and continued as she was before, she was curious to see how this panned out and if he would come clean about the lies...
Days passed and chaos had erupted around Storybrooke with Elsa and her losing her sister.
Hook, Emma and a few others came to Rumple for his knowledge and he was denying to know anything about it, but Belle knew full well that he was lying, she could tell and when Rumple asked her to use the dagger on him, she knew once again that he was definitely lying. She could understand the lying to other people, but not to her, she loved him and believed they had true love but now she wasn't so sure. She played along with Rumple's act and once everyone left, she excused herself and went for a walk to think and came to the conclusion she was going to approach Rumple on the weekend and talk to him. She was going to follow Archie's advice.
Chapter One:
"Rumple, I can't do this anymore," Belle whispered as Rumple threw plates across the room in anger,
"What did you say?" Rumple asked sharply as he spun around to face Belle.
"I... I can't do this anymore.." Belle said softly, gesturing towards Rumple, the broken plates and the fake dagger, "It's too much, it's too... too hard to be with you now, the lying is never ending, the deceit, the games..."
"No Belle, I can change, I was just mad because.."
"I know Rumple, but this happens too often and I can't do it anymore. I need a change, I don't want my life to be like this anymore,"
"You can't leave me Belle, you'll have nothing, you won't..."
"Rumple, I have been studying to be a psychologist, Archie has been guiding me and I've done a course and I'm 2 months off receiving my qualification, I can live in the library until I have enough money for a house, Snow has offered a place at hers to shower and eat, I have everything planned, and I'm leaving you, I'm sorry but I have to do this for me," Belle said softly but confidently.
"When did you do that? How? Nevermind, leave, I shouldn't have to change for you, my power is simply more important than you," Rumple huffed and said sharply,
"I know Rumple, I don't expect you to change, which is why I'm choosing to leave, we aren't compatible. I love you but I can't do this, I have my bags packed, I'm leaving now. Goodbye Rumple," Belle said more loudly and confident. She turned around and headed towards their room and flinched as Rumple screamed and threw something heavy across the room and it shattered against the wall loudly. Belle felt sick, she couldn't believe she had the confidence to actually do that, but Archie had been helping her and had given her the motivation to follow through. She had been planning on telling Rumple on the weekend but their fight earlier today and the way he reacted provided the right time for her to tell him. It was hard for her, she really loved him, but he was becoming emotionally abusive and at some points had actually hit her, Belle was scared and just wanted to be free of his hold. And the constant lying was wearing her down and when she found out about the dagger, it broke her. She had to move on and be her own person.
She reached the bedroom and opened it with a shaky hand, she only had 2 suitcases packed with her own personal belongings, as she didn't want to take anything Rumple had given her, she wanted no reminder of him. She didn't think she'd need them so soon but she had prepared for the in case. She hesitantly walked towards the suitcases and picked one up while wheeling the other one out. She left the room, holding back the tears, as she passed the kitchen where Rumple last was, she saw he had left and let the tears finally fall. She headed towards the front door and Rumple appeared in front of her, with an angry look across his face.
"You're going to regret this Belle," he said nastily before disappearing again and Belle hurried out of the door.
The door slammed shut behind her and she quickly walked down the path and towards the direction of the library.
It was 9pm and the streets were mostly empty and chills ran down Belle's spine. She could do this, she had to, she couldn't go back, the doubt kept filling her mind that she had made a mistake but she didn't want to be with Rumple anymore. She looked at the ground as she walked quickly through the streets towards to Library, she was about one street away and the uneasy feeling in her stomach grew. Belle looked up as she neared the big doors to her new home, she put her hand into her jacket pocket to get the key to the library doors and her heart sped up as she couldn't find it, she finally reached the door and put the suitcase down and had a proper look in the jacket pocket and she still couldn't find it and that's when she saw a little white note on the library doors. She moved closer and it read "No longer yours dearie."
Belle's heart clenched and her blood ran cold and she kneeled on the cold ground and she could no longer hold back the breakdown that was coming. She sobbed rather loudly as uncontrollable tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Belle?" A quiet voice rang through the empty corridor next to the library. Belle sniffled and tried to stop her crying
"Belle? Is that you?" The voice said again, Belle was trying to pin point the voice but in her broken state couldn't work it out,
"Umm yeah, it's me," Belle tried to get out and she cringed as she realised how lame she sounded. Ruby rounded the corner and hurried over to the small woman huddled into a ball on the ground.
"Are you okay? Oh stupid me, of course you aren't, what happened? Are you hurt?" Ruby said in a hurry,
"I'll be okay, ummm I left Rumple, I'm not hurt," *not hurt that much* Belle thought as she remember the bruises on her stomach from Rumple, "but Rumple is mad and has taken the library key from me and I have no where to go," Belle said weakly, feeling so pathetic over how weak she felt.
"Oh Belle, that's terrible! I'm sure Granny would have a spare room you can stay in, free of charge, if you want?" Ruby said quietly,
"That would be lovely, thank you Ruby," Belle whispered, almost scared to speak loud in case Rumple heard her. She picked herself up and followed Ruby to the diner.