"Pretty risky coming to see me with them just right up there..." Rumpelstiltskin noted with an evil little chuckle.

The Queen stepped forward, wrapping her hand around the bars. "Just tell me what I need to do to make it work," she ordered, glaring at the man behind the bars.

"Now now, your highness…" He shook his finger. "First, we need to make a deal."

The Queen sighed and crossed her arms against her chest. "Fine. What are your terms?"

Rumpelstiltskin gripped the bars, sticking his face in the small separation. "In this new land, I want comfort. I want to live well."

She raised an eyebrow and nodded. "Deal," she agreed, taking a step forward. "Now tell me how it works!"

"Ah ah ah ... that's not all."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm growing tired of your games, Rumple. What more do you want?"

"Belle."

The Queen drew her brow together. "Belle?" She huffed. "I told you they rescued her long ago." She leaned in. "I hear she's in love with the wolf."

"Ah, but in the new land, she won't even remember the wolf." He smirked. "Make her mine again. Give me all that I request and I will tell you how to make the curse work." He stuck his hand through the space in the bars. "Do we have a deal?"

The Queen's eyes shifted from his hand to his face. He waited patiently as she stepped forward and shook his hand. "Deal."

Red walked slowly up the stairs of the castle to her room. She paused, taking in a deep breath. She was dreading walking through that door. She closed her eyes, already envisioning the pain in her love's eyes once she explained what was about to happen. Just as she went to push the door open, a soft touch on her shoulder halted her. She turned to see Snow staring at her sympathetically.

She smiled warmly at her. She took a step forward, placing her hand on her friend's stomach. "It's almost time," she said, feeling the baby shift underneath her touch.

Snow nodded. "Yes, I just wish I didn't have to let her go," she replied sadly.

Red frowned. "I know." She hugged her, rubbing her back to comfort her. "She will find you again. This curse will be broken."

Snow nodded again. She pulled away slowly and looked into Red's sad eyes. She motioned her head toward the door. "What are you going to tell her?"

"The truth," Red sighed, glancing back to the door. "She's going to be devastated."

The Princess tilted her head. "What about you?"

She looked down at the floor as the ache began to fill her heart. "I have to be strong." She returned her attention to Snow. "I know once the curse is broken, we'll be together again." She took in a deep breath, trying to stop the tears fighting to fall.

Snow reached out and rubbed her arm. "Do you want me to go in with you?"

"No, you have other matters to attend to." Red placed her hand over Snow's for a brief moment. "I'll be fine."

"You're sure?" she questioned, concerned for her friend. Red nodded. She offered a comforting smile. "Everything will be fine."

Red nodded once again. She smiled at her friend, unsure of whether not this would be the last time. Snow raised her hand in short wave goodbye and walked away down the stairs. She turned toward the door, pressing her hands against it. She closed her eyes again. With a deep, calming breath, she pushed the door open and walked inside.

"Belle?" she called out softly as she walked further inside.

Belle stepped from around the corner. She smiled brightly at her love. "Hello, darling," she greeted as she walked to her.

She wrapped her arms around Red's neck and kissed her. Red felt her heartbeat accelerate at the contact. She placed her hands on Belle's waist, holding her tightly. She wished this moment could last forever. Before she could stop it, a single tear rolled down her cheek.

Belle pulled away slowly. Concern laced her beautiful features as she raised her hands to cup her love's face. "Red, what's wrong?"

Red cleared her throat, adverting her eyes from Belle's for a moment. She took her girlfriend's hand in her own. She raised her eyes to meet Belle's already seeing the deep concern in them. "Come. Sit," she requested, motioning toward the bed. "We need to talk."

"Al – alright."

Red held her hand tightly as she walked her to the bed. They sat on the edge in silence. She stared down at their hands, her thumb gently stroking the back of Belle's. Belle waited patiently for her to speak. She tilted her head in an attempt to get Red's attention.

"Darling, what happened down there?"

She continued to stroke Belle's hand. "There's a curse coming," she explained, still not looking into her eyes. "The Queen created a powerful curse, and we can't stop it."

Belle looked confused. "I – I don't understand. What type of curse?"

Red finally looked her in the eyes. "All we know is that it will take us away from here." She paused, feeling her voice start to shake. "Away from each other."

The fear appeared in Belle's eyes almost immediately. "I don't..." She shook her head. "What do you mean 'away from each other'?"

She gripped her love's hand even tighter. "We don't know where this curse will take us, but…" She swallowed hard. "When we arrive there, we will have no memory of our life here..." A sad expression over took her features. "Of us being togeth – "

"No!" Belle interjected, her tears starting to fall. "No ... this cannot happen! I do not want to be anywhere without you!"

Red pulled her close. She hugged her tightly, stroking her hair. "I know. I feel the same way, but there's nothing we can do," she whispered as her own tears begging to fall.

Belle gripped the fabric of Red's cape tightly. "There has to be something…" she sobbed, her face pressed against her girlfriend's shoulder.

Red closed her eyes. Belle sounded so broken and it tore her apart inside. "I wish there was." She kissed Belle's shoulder and continued to stroke her hair. "Our only hope is Snow's unborn child. Rumpelstiltskin said—"

Belle pulled back quickly. "Rumpelstiltskin?! You're listening to that insane imp who tried to lock me away as his slave?!"

"He knows the curse, Belle. He knows its path and how it can be broken."

Belle rolled her eyes and looked away. "He probably helped create the damn thing."

Red placed her finger on Belle's chin, turning her attention back to her. "Snow's baby is the savior. It's been told that on her twenty-eighth birthday, she will return and break the curse."

Belle squinted as she slowly shook her head. "So, you're telling me, that for twenty-eight years, I'm supposed to live in some strange land without you?"

"From what we understand, we won't even be aware of how much time has passed…"

Belle jumped to her feet and began pacing the room. "I can't believe that with all the fairy power and everything else we have on our side, there is no way to stop this!" She halted her movement and looked down at Red. "I cannot survive twenty-eight years not knowing you. Not sharing every moment of my life with you." The sobs began to rack her body again.

Red stood and hurried over to her. She wrapped her arms around her again. "Understand this." She pulled back, looking into her beautiful blue eyes. "Curse or no curse..." She reached out and gently brushed the tears from Belle's eyes. "We will be together again."

"But you said we won't even know one another. We won't even know who we are or were." Belle placed her hand over Red's. "How can you be so sure we'll find each other?"

"Because I love you," she stated. "Love will always find a way." She stepped closer, still holding Belle's face with her hands. "And when the curse breaks ... wherever we are…" She traced her finger down the side of her love's face as a small crossed her lips. "We'll meet in the middle."

Belle felt the tears start to fall once again. She touched Red's face as if she would never be able to again. "I love you, Red."

"I love you, Belle..."

They closed the space between them and kissed as if it were the last time.