Nightmares

By RosexKnight

allie-taylor requested a story about Rumple comforting Belle after having a nightmare. I'll probably end up doing more than one of these with multiple ships.

Rumpelstiltskin grumbled as he marched up the stairs to the library. Crying. She was always crying. It entered his ears and filled him to the brim. He couldn't focus on anything when she got this way. Honestly you'd think now that she had her books and her own room she'd-

He slowed as he neared. That wasn't crying. That was wailing. She was crying out. For help. Fury suddenly burned inside of him as he burst into the room, expecting to find someone there, stupidly hurting The Dark One's caretaker. Instead, he found her in her bed, the clutches of sleep holding her as she tossed, flailed in bed as if trying to fight something.

"Belle." Rumpelstiltskin said firmly, approaching the bed. His hands fluttered over her for a moment, unsure of where to land. His mind searched for a solution. As her hand flew he caught her wrist. "Belle it's alright. Only me." He leaned over, grabbing the other wrist. "Belle wake up. Belle!"

Blue eyes jolted open, looking around frantically, trying to find the threat that didn't exist. Her breath slowed, but her pulse didn't, and her skin suddenly felt like ice under his touch. Finally her gaze settled on him, focusing, blinking back to reality. "R-Rumpelstiltskin?"

"There now." He said, forgetting to hide the relief in his voice. "No harm done."

He let her go, and she hat up slowly, trembling. "Only a nightmare." She tried desperately to slow her pulse. "It wasn't real."

"Well of course not, dearie."

The girl was still trembling, and for some reason Rumple didn't have it in him to leave her like that. He sat at the edge of her bed, an arm's length from her. His hands fluttered about again, awkwardly trying to decide where to go. The spinner settled on her shoulder, giving her a comforting pat.

"There there."

He was about to turn and leave when he suddenly had unexpected warmth and pressure on his side. Belle had collapsed into him, her trembling form clinging to his silk shirt. Hesitantly he put an arm around her, stroking her back the same way he used to stroke Bae's when he'd awake in a cold sweat.

"I'm sorry I woke you." She said uneasily.

"I wasn't asleep." He said, "Must have been one hell of a nightmare."

She simply nodded, and he gave her shoulder a soft squeeze. Her breathing evened, and her body stopped trembling. Yet she didn't pull away, simply tucked herself tighter against him, her hair tickling his chin. The Dark One blinked, realizing what was happening. Quickly he waved his hand, and in a puff of purple magic a book was in his hand, one with a yellow ribbon as a place holder. He pulled away from her, shoving the book at her.

"Here, dearie. To keep them away."

Belle faltered, a bit disappointed at the body that wasn't against her anymore. She took the book, giving him a smile that he could swear was warmer than normal. "Thank you. I'll um…I'll try to get some sleep so I can still be up to make your breakfast."

He was almost out the door, giving her nothing but a nod before something stopped him, and he turned. "Actually…don't worry about it. It won't kill me to make my own breakfast."

There was that smile again. "Goodnight, Rumpelstiltskin."

"Goodnight, dearie."

The next morning Belle didn't wake up until a few hours after the first light, when she was usually up and about. After stretching she turned, finding in place of her usual breakfast of rolls and water a tray of toast, tea, eggs, and various fruits beside her bed. Seems that an awkward embrace wasn't the only way he knew how to comfort…