Chapter 1

They couldn't be happier and with things finally settling back to normal, well normal for Storybrooke, Rumple and Belle were getting back into a routine of things. They had finished up their daily breakfast at Granny's. Belle was trying to get Rumple out more so others could start to see the softer side of him.

The private wedding ceremony was just enough for both of them. No big celebration necessary. Most people in town had overheard the news and those close to them offered congratulations. As they left the dinner hand-in-hand, Belle couldn't stop smiling and laughing as Rumple was telling her a joke. He seemed to be doing well since the events, almost healed. Except for the pain he felt for losing his son, but everyone knew that would take time.

They hit a point in their walk where the two would need to separate and go to their separate destinations. Belle leaned into Rumple and gave him a kiss. "I love you, husband." She giggled a little as she had when saying it the last few days.

"I love you, Dear...Wife!" He could never have imagined the love he had for her back when he first struck the deal for her. "See you for lunch."

Belle headed off to the library and Rumple went off to his shop. Belle hadn't spent much time in the library since the return to Storybrooke she had spent most of her time in the shop. She was trying to get it back in shape over the last few days. While Rumple was putting his shop back to how he liked it.

Belle had just finished putting a stack of books away and was going behind the front desk to do some paperwork when the front door opened and closed. A tall, blonde woman had entered wearing an icy-blue dress with a thin shiny cape that almost looked to be made out of ice. Gloves traveled half way up her arms.

"Hello, can I help you? The library isn't open yet."

The woman leaned against the counter looking around to see if anyone else was inside but no one was in view. "I am looking for someone...I thought maybe you could help me find him?"

"I hope I can help, do you know the person's name?" Belle shot the woman a friendly smile and tilted her head slightly.

"Rumplestiltskin, the Dark One, I am not sure what he goes by here. Do you know where he is?"

Belle knew that anyone looking for Rumple was more likely to be an unfriendly enemy than a kind old companion coming back to catchup on life. "I'm so sorry, but I don't know where he is. He goes by Rumplestiltskin around here...I'm sorry, who are you?" Belle didn't want to call on Rumple and bother him unless she had to. He wouldn't want her protecting him but after everything he had been through with Zelena, she felt he could use some protection. She had to be brave.

"I'm Elsa..." Belle noticed Elsa slipping off her gloves and that her hands were glowing. Belle had been around magic enough to know it when she saw it. She slowly started to back up "...and I don't believe your answer. Where is he!"

Within seconds Belle felt the temperature drop to below freezing. She was only wearing a knee-length skirt and a short sleeve shirt. The cold made moving a complete effort, but Belle turned and ran down an aisle of books just dodging an ice ball from the Snow Queen. It began to snow inside the library and Elsa was now chasing Belle. Running in-between rows and rows of books to try and gain some distance from her.

She was having trouble catching her breath because the cold air in the library was thinning. The burning in her lungs was almost unbearable. She had to stop. Belle turned a few more corners and then stopped behind a row of books to peer around the corner. She heard a strange crackling noise and noticed the entire floor was being covered in ice. She had to make it back to the front doors. Belle peeked back around the shelf she was hiding behind to find Elsa no more than 5 feet away. Belle took off but her feet slipped on the ice and she slid into a rolling cart full of books.

Before she could get up the Snow Queen was grabbing her brunette hair and pulling her up with it. Belle was shaking, not just from fear but the cold was taking it's toll and weakening her. It almost hurt to move.

Elsa held Belle from behind and let go of her hair and grabbed both arms behind her back. Elsa created hand cuffs completely out of ice and Belle couldn't move her arms no matter how hard she tried. Elsa then created a very sharp, jagged icicle and held it to Belle's throat.

"I saw the two of you walking this morning and laughing and kissing. To think the Dark One could ever find love...and to see the ring on your finger, he actually found a wife. So, what's your name...who is crazy enough to marry the Dark One?"

Belle was so cold she almost couldn't speak. "I...I...I'm Bel...Be"

"Her name is Belle. Now if you would please let go of my wife, Elsa, you may live to see summer."

He was standing across the room slowly approaching the women. Cane in hand as usual.

Rumple had stepped out of his shop to go and visit Neal's grave as he did every day, when he felt the sudden chill spread through the town. He knew something wasn't right since it shouldn't be this cold until winter in StoryBrooke. He just wished he had figured out what was happening before Belle had felt any pain.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the Dark One himself. Come to rescue his love." Elsa made a small slice in Belle's neck causing a little blood to run down it and for Belle to scream out. "Stay back Rumplestiltskin!" Elsa demanded with such confidence in her voice.

Rumple stopped in his tracks. "Elsa please, it's me that you want, not her. Don't do something foolish. Just tell me what you want and we can work this out."

The snow in the library had picked up like a blizzard. "What I want...what I want is my sister back, you took her away from me. She was the only one that understood me and she is gone. Then, you lock me up in your vault for hundreds of years and for that I want you to feel a loneliness." Elsa made a bigger slit in Belle's neck but not cutting entirely.

"Aaaaahhhhhhhh!" Belle tried to be strong but the cold actually made the pain worse. It stung all over her, not just where Elsa was cutting.

At this Rumple held a sudden fireball in his hand prepared to throw if he had a shot but the winds of the blizzard took it out. He wasn't sure what to do, it took him years to figure out how to lock Elsa up the first time.

"Elsa, I didn't kill your sister..."

"I summoned you to save her, to bring her back to me and you refused."

"She was too far gone to save. She turned completely into ice and shattered. I can't bring back the dead. Even if you had summoned me sooner, I can't guarantee how long it would've taken to break the curse...the magic that you cast upon her heart."

Rumple was never more terrified or uncertain of what to do but he was trying to stay strong for Belle's sake. He had just lost Neal, he couldn't lose Belle too.

Elsa became furious and pushed Belle forward a step pressing her hand on Belle's back. "Let's see how quickly you can actually figure it out." Elsa released a burst of ice directly through Belle, knocking Belle over with it. Rumple raced forward reaching out to catch Belle. He was so close. Just before he could reach her, Elsa blew a gust of wind, knocking Belle back into Elsa's grasp. Rumple regained his balance and cast a spell in their direction that was meant to keep Elsa and Belle from being able to leave the library but before the spell could reach the women, another burst of snow picked up and once it died down and the wind stopped, they were gone.

Rumple didn't miss a beat. He was immediately focused on trying to find the trail that is always left when someone uses magic to travel. But that was part of the mystery of Elsa. Her magic was different, she was born with it and still seemed to not have complete control over it.

"NO!" He couldn't believe she was gone. The snow had stopped but a winter wonderland was left in the library, along with a very angry Dark One. How did he miss the signs that she was in town? How did she get to the town?

-to be continued