Hey it's me, I had this idea in my head and needed to write it down. This is a one shot right now but I may or may not make it a fic, I just don't know yet. Here goes nothing. This is dedicated to Caroline. xo
Chapter 1
It seemed the same; despite not being able to return for a year he thought it looked exactly as he had left it. The town was quiet as ever, a few people on the streets, it was dark so not many would be able to recognise him. He had waited for this day for a whole year, to see her once again. To explain to her the motives behind his thirst for power. He had spent days trying to figure out what he would say to her; his wife.
He made his way to their home, his shop. The memories resurfaced, it felt like he had been stabbed right through his heart repeatedly. He remembered how it had all started, when she had entered his castle, when he had caught her, when she chipped his cup. All of the memories. When he thought she was dead. A flicker of hope eased him out of the pain; maybe she'd have healed by now. Had time to think about her actions as well as his, but she wouldn't give into him that easily. This was Belle. After all, he had gone behind her back, he had told her that he loved power more than anything and she refused to believe it all those years ago, but now she believed it. It hurt. He had ruined his chance at happiness because he had gotten greedy. He should just turn back; she probably didn't want to see him anymore.
He was unsure as to whether he should continue his way to her, what if she had moved on. Even though they were married, she would have presumed she would never see him again for the rest of her life. He was more conflicted than ever. He decided against it, if he didn't go to see her, he would never know, he had to explain himself. He took a deep breath as he approached their home, he was about to knock when he heard noises from inside, and he heard laughter. It was Emma. There were others too, Regina, Hook, Snow, Charming maybe even Henry he wasn't sure. It seemed as though they were leaving now, he decided to hide, he didn't want to have to deal with all of them now, he needed to see Belle. He would wait for them to leave. As if on queue the door opened and they all stepped out along with Robin, Regina's supposed boyfriend. Rumple chuckled to him; at least someone's love life is back on track. He sighed as he listened to what they were saying.
"Aww thank you guys for all coming over, it was fun, we should do it again sometime, we can watch Peter Pan next and see Hook!" He heard her angelic voice for the first time in a year, he felt like running and hugging, He had missed her so much, but with concentrating on getting back to her, he hadn't had as much time to mope around.
"Well now that we've seen how I was portrayed I don't think Hook will be as bad." Regina laughed as she linked arms with Robin.
"I do agree with Regina though, I was a little creepy." Snow laughed.
"Well I was as handsome as ever." Charming replied.
"Don't I know it." Snow said as she kissed him.
"Wow." Emma said as she attempted to get the image of her parents together out of her head.
"What I don't understand is how Emma wasn't made into one of these moving pictures." Killian said as he looked at Emma.
"First of all it's movies and secondly don't try and change the subject from us all seeing you!" Emma teased as he moved closer toward him.
"I would never, Love!" Killian smiled as he kissed her forehead.
"Well, we best be off, you're probably busy Belle." Snow said with a smile.
"Thankyou, see you soon!" Belle smiled, she watched them leave and then shut the door.
Belle looked up at the clock, it was 8pm, she decided to check on Caroline. She was 3 months old but still very small. The pregnancy had had few complications, most of which were due to the stress when she first found out. She remembered how scared she was, first about being a mother, then about raising a child by herself and after all that she felt guilty that Rumple would lose another child. She shook her head as she was awakened from her thoughts by her daughter's cries. Belle walked into their bedroom and picked her daughter up from the crib.
"Hey there, sweetheart. How are you? Did my baby have a nice nap?" Belle began her coos. Apparently it was natural for a persons voice to go up when talking to a baby.
Suddenly she heard a knock on the door, she walked through the living room and saw that Regina had left her purse, it must be her, Belle thought to herself, She was holding Caroline so could not exactly pick it up for Regina, she walked to the door and opened it. She wasn't prepared for what she was seeing. He was here, in town. Her husband, her Rumple. Caroline's father. Without thinking she slammed the door in his faith so she could compose herself. What would she do? She had thought about him for the time he was away, she hadn't forgiven him, yet, but she was beginning to understand his actions a little bit more. Her breathing was erratic, she fought hard not to give in to her desires and hug him or kiss him, and she couldn't. He had endangered the town, his own family. He was willing to crush Hook's heart.
She opened the door slowly and saw him waiting intently. "Hello, Belle." Rumple said. It seemed as though whenever he said her name, it sent a shiver down her back, even after all this time, it was still the same. She let out a smile by accident.
"Umm, can I come in and explain everything, I understand if you never want to see me again..." Rumple began.
"Come in." Belle said before he could get any further.
"Wow, umm thank you for being willing to listen to me." Rumple said as he looked at the floor.
"Belle, I know after everything you will not want to listen, but I only wanted the power so I could get freedom from the dagger. I know and I do trust you with the dagger, but anyone could hurt you in order to get it from you and I wasn't going to lose someone important to me again. But I did, I lost you and I lost myself. I thought with me being dagger free I could work on a way to allow you out behind the town line without consequences like me. We could travel the world and give you the adventure you deserve. But I wasn't thinking properly. In order to achieve those things, I ended up hurting you and by extension part of my family. I know it'll be a long time before you forgive me, but I need you to understand this." Rumple finished as he looked down waiting for her answer, he finally began to wonder just who the baby in her arms was. Had the Charming's had another child? Why would they leave the baby?
"I know."Belle replied. Her words confused him at first, but then he realised. She had had a long time to think through everything she must have spent days or months trying to understand how the man she loved whole heartedly was able to love something as superficial as power more than her. The hypocrisy, her views had changed. She saw only the beast now, when years ago, she would hate him for saying the word beast in front of her. He had broken her and she had put herself together.
"What?" Rumple finally let out.
"Rumple, I have had a long time to think through all this and as hard as it is, I forgive you, but I don't think you should..." Belle said unable to finish her words.
"I should stay here? Or near you?" Rumple finished.
"I just need time, you've come back into my life after everything that happened, I need time to readjust and sort through my feelings." Belle said with an unsure smile.
"Of course, take as much time as you need, you'll find me at Granny's."
Rumple said as he smiled back, ecstatic that she had not hated him, but it was Belle, she was unable to hate, she was too pure, too innocent.
"Is that the Charming's latest edition?" Rumple said to fill in the silence.
"No." Belle replied cautiously.
"What do you mean, who else could have had a baby?" Rumple asked perplexed. Suddenly it clicked, it was hers. Theirs. His baby. He almost collapsed when it hit him. He had almost lost Belle and another child, he was grateful for the opportunity he had been given.
"I didn't know how to tell you, after everything, I wasn't sure." Belle said she was upset.
Rumple walked closer to her and touched her arm. "May I hold her?" Rumple asked cautiously in case Belle had reservations.
"She is your daughter." Belle replied with a small smile before handing her over to Rumple.
"She looks like her mother." Rumple said as he looked at Caroline. "She's beautiful."
"If you want, you can sort out your place at Granny's tomorrow and sleep on the couch tonight? Only if you want though." Belle said she was unsure as to where they stood at this moment. It felt right.
"Thankyou, Belle, for everything. I am so sorry that I wasn't here for you and for her. What's her name?" Rumple asked her.
Belle smiled as she walked over to them, she kissed her daughter on the forehead before saying, "Caroline."
"That's a beautiful name, Belle." Rumple told her with a smile.
Caroline began to cry, Belle knew why, she was hesitant to take the baby away from Rumple, but had to. She was hungry; her hands were in her mouth for the passed 10 minutes so it wasn't surprising.
"What? What's the matter?" Rumple asked he was worried, was the chid crying because of him.
"She's just hungry, Rumple. Don't worry." Belle chuckled softly as she held her crying daughter.
"I know sweetie, Shhh, it's OK." Belle attempted to hush the baby as she walked toward the bedroom.
"Where are you going?" Rumple asked, perplexed.
"To feed her, Rumple." Belle said with a smile.
"Can't you just feed her here?" Rumple asked still confused.
"Um, if you really want me to, sure." Belle said confused by his words. She was breast-feeding, she thought it was weird since she hadn't fully forgiven him yet. She sighed and sat down as she began to feed Caroline.
"Oh that's why. I'm sorry Belle I didn't know, I'm sorry if I made things more awkward than I intended." Rumple smiled. "I can leave the room if you want me to?"
"No it's fine, I'm going to have to feed her a lot, and you're bound to be here anyway. It's nothing you haven't seen before." Belle laughed.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to tease you." Belle said as the tension rose in the room.
"You didn't." Rumple smiled.
I might make this into a fic because I have more to write and stuff so yeah, stay tuned.
