Note: I'm timidly dipping a toe in the world of fan-fic. This is my first ever attempt at writing one. The adorableness of my new favorite ship, Rumbelle, made me do it. There can never be enough Rumbelle love, right? ^^ Now without further ado I present my humble little one-shot.
Rumpelstiltskin sits quietly in the dank, torch-lit cell. He stares blindly at nothing and feels only the cold dirt wall at his back, chilling his bones and winding around an even colder heart.
Soft footsteps approach from a darkened corner just out of sight. Another desperate soul coming to make a deal? He leaps up quickly, the mask of deranged joviality now fixed firmly in place.
A slight, hooded figure emerges from the shadows, head bowed. He catches the faint scent of roses and glimpses the hem of a blue and white dress as the figure comes to stand before him.
Small hands draw the hood down and away from this new visitor's face. Dark auburn curls glint in the firelight, and twin flames dance in impossibly blue eyes.
The readied quip dies immediately in Rumpelstiltskin's throat as the breath steals from his lungs. Belle, his Belle, is staring back at him. Legs wobbly, he lurches towards her, both hands reaching desperately through the bars to touch the beloved face.
"Is it really you?" he gasps, disbelieving.
She smiles gently and takes his hands in hers. Leaning close, so close, she whispers "Find me."
Rumpelstiltskin fiercely blinks away tears, not allowing them to cloud this vision for even one second.
"Find you...? But I can't. You're dead. You're... gone." He chokes out.
Belle's beautiful eyes hold him in a loving, knowing gaze. She slowly backs away, releasing his hands. Her hair is now disheveled and the clean blue and white dress has become a shapeless, dirty hospital gown.
Just before the shadows claim her once more, she turns and cuts him straight to the heart with one last plea.
"Find me."
Mr. Gold jolts awake. He had drifted off against the bars of his cell in the sheriff's office. His reaching arms fall limply, Belle's voice still echoing in his ears.