I still remember
I thought of you the other day
How worlds of change led us astray
Colors seem to fade to gray
In the wake of yesterday…
Blackmore's night
Belle extracted from the box, enters the portal back to Storybook leaving Rumple behind. Belle decides the warning for her son, must drive her actions and that she cannot let Rumple into their lives and disappoint them anymore, no matter how much she wants to. Her son is now her priority.
Despite these thoughts circulating around in Bell's head she cannot help but walk past Gold's Pawn Shop and stare at it from the outside. Belle wants to enter, she really does but she knows she cannot be weak. Right now she has to be strong, she needs to do the brave thing, and bravery will follow. So with one last look, she leaves and heads back to her apartment above the library.
It is within the safe haven of her own place, her little open space apartment, with its light sun yellow walls, a grey two seater sofa adorned with light pink cushions and a patched green, pink and white throw blanket. in front of the sofa was a small white and grey coffee table, followed by a tv. To the left of the sofa, where the window was stood a bookcase made of oak followed by a door to Belle's the right side of where the coffee table was located was the kitchen area.
Belle placed her keys in the little jar by the door and collapsed on the sofa, where she finally broke down and began to cry. She cried for all the heartache of the past, and the life without Rumple which would be her future. Belle remembered the words she spoke, that them being together only causes heartbreak, and she began to cry harder but the tears didn't last much longer when the image of her son surfaced to the front of her mind. He woke her, gave her a test which she passed and would continue to pass no matter how much it hurt her. He gave her a warning, pleaded with her to stay away from Rumple and not let him destroy them. As long as she did right by her son, not much else mattered. Her feelings were always going to come second to his; perhaps together they can, no they will be happy.
Fuelled by the thought of her son, Belle begins to plan out their lives; begins to contemplate whether they will remain in Storybook or move into the city, whether she wants her father in her life, in her sons life, while he might love her just as Rumple does, he too as let her down so so many times that they might be better off without him. After all he would not give her true loves kiss to wake her, instead he would rather she stay in a sleeping curse if it meant her and Rumple would not be together. She was her own woman, her own person, she made her own decisions and believed those decisions should be respected regardless of whether anyone thought they were good or not, after all it was her life not theirs. If they did remain in StoryBrooke would Belle let Rumple see their child, or would she shield their little boy away from the darkness which holds a rooted place in his fathers heart. Lastly if they stayed would Belle be strong enough to stay away from Rumple, to live in the same town, see him each day, would she be strong enough to stay away from the his Antique shop, a place where Belle spent most of her time when not at the library, infant when she banished Rumple, she spent more time there than at the library.
The more thoughts which swirled in Belle's head, the decision started to become clearer, her life in StoryBrooke was complicated, and to rid herself and her son of these ties perhaps life outside of this little town would be better. These were the thoughts that continued to plague Belle's mind as she entered dreamland, in the safety of her apartment, her own special domain which ironically was given to her by the man she loves, and will always love.