Chapter One
Storybrooke Academy
Est. 1894
Si potest somniavit
The pale grey building had been built by the school's slightly eccentric founder. He had added four turrets, one at each corner of the two storey square building which now acted as the teachers' offices. The quad in the centre had a fountain in the middle of the knot garden with water bubbling out of a teapot into the pool which had been shaped like a large teacup complete with saucer. Lightly perfumed roses spilled out of carefully pruned flower beds their blooms loose and relaxed. Belle French smiled to herself as she walked through to the south wing of the building which housed her new place of work. The library took up the whole top floor of that side of the building with the English, History, Psychology and Geography classrooms below it. She unlocked the double doors and made her way though the shuttered gloom of the long room towards her polished mahogany desk in the middle. Belle dropped her bag in the leather, swivel chair and flicked on her computer. As it warmed up she went along the walls opening the heavy velvet curtains. With a row of windows of both sides the room was soon filled with bright morning light. It revealed the stacks of shelves stuffed full of books standing at regulated intervals along each wall in between the tall windows. Between the stacks were medium sized round wooden tables. Belle walked slowly along the alley created the length of the library breathing in the comforting smell of books and the quiet. She returned to her desk and smiled up at the painting that could now be seen clearly. It was a copy of the original which hung in the reception area on the other side of the building. The north wing housed the main entrance into the reception area and the school hall, the upper floor held the student's common room and the dining hall. Belle gave Mr Jefferson a little curtsy his rakishly angled top hat making her smile. She logged onto the mainframe and checked the clock on the wall. School started sharp at nine o'clock with the welcome assembly kicking off the new school year. She had just under half an hour to prepare herself. The past week she'd been working on familiarising herself with the library and the electronic catalogue. She glanced once more at the time and decided to head across to the hall. Belle quickly checked her reflection in her pocket mirror and reapplied a light layer of clear lip balm. Her hair had been carefully drawn back into a low bun at the nape of her neck and she wore a powder blue tea dress and a neat cream cardigan with brown leather boots. She touched her pearl pendant for luck and straightened her charm bracelet on her wrist. "Here goes nothing." She said to herself and walked quickly out of her comfort zone.
She arrived at the hall with ten minutes early but most of the staff were already there. A woman with a dark pixie cut caught her eye. "Hello."
"Hi. Um… I'm Belle French. I'm the new librarian."
"Oh! Of course! It's lovely to meet you. I'm Mary Margaret Blanchard and this is Emma Swan." She indicated the woman next to her. "I teach English and Emma does I.T." Belle shook their hands.
"Oooooh. Fresh meat." Belle turned to see another woman wearing a skirt that was just too short and a blouse that was just too tight. "I'm just teasing. I'm Ruby Lucas, I teach P.E. You must be the new librarian?"
"Belle French."
"Belle French. What a great name! It sounds like a Bond girl or something. Uh oh, here comes the wicked witch of the north wing." Belle looked up to see Headmistress Mills sweep into the room. The students immediately silenced and stopped milling around. Mary Margaret jerked her head and they took their seats at the sides of the room.
Ms. Mills stood on the podium. Belle looked her over, she'd met the headmistress at her interview and her first impression had been that she was cold and calculating. Seeing her standing in front of a roomful of students all just waiting to be inspired… she knew her first impression was spot on. Ms Mills wore a severely cut charcoal skirt suit with a grey silk blouse and scarily perfect red lipstick. "Welcome, students to a new year at Storybrooke Academy. Returning students will already know that I demand the very best from my pupils and new students will soon learn it." Belle felt a shiver travel around the room. One of the younger girls looked close to tears. "Yes I'm strict but I promise you you will thank me. I expect nothing less than complete commitment to your studies and punctuality." Her heavily made up eyes narrowed and Belle turned slightly to see a man enter the room. He looked straight at the headmistress who was glaring daggers at him and gave her a little wave before leaning against the door and gesturing for her to continue. Ms. Mills took a deep breath and began to speak again. Belle let herself drift out as she listed the school rules and emphasized their importance. "Finally I would like to extend a warm welcome to our newest member of staff Miss French who will be running the library." Belle felt her face flush as eyes turned on her. "All right you should all have your timetables. Off you go." The students filed out in neat lines.
"Why don't you join us for lunch?" Mary Margaret asked her.
Belle smiled, "I'd love to. Thank you."
"Right I have to dash. I've got to get changed. This semester I'm running the kids through orienteering." Ruby pushed her way though the students earning more than one appreciative glance from the male population.
Belle quickly settled into the rhythm of the school day. She cycled into school each morning and the day passed with familiar tasks and small surprises. She made fast friends with Mary Margaret, the ever tough Emma and Ruby and also the quiet technology teacher Ashley who was heavily pregnant. "I have my home ec. class making baby clothes." She said laughingly over lunch.
It was almost blissful but just underneath the surface there were tiny cracks of tension. Ms Mills was adept at making life difficult. Ashley and her fiancé had met at the school were Sean Herman taught maths. The headmistress had implemented a strict no personal relationship policy amongst the staff at the end of the last year. As Ashley and Sean were already a committed couple she had been unable to do anything to them but, from what Belle could gather, Ms Mills was hinting heavily that after her maternity leave Ashley may not have a position to return to.
"She can't really do that though, can she?" Belle murmured to Emma during one of her free periods. Belle was carefully restacking the shelves and Emma had come along to talk to her.
"Legally, no. But Regina holds a lot of sway with the governors."
"It's just outrageous!" Belle said, a little too loudly. A couple of seniors looked up from where they were sitting quietly chatting. "I mean, you can't punish a woman for having a child. It's ridiculous. It's 2012 for God's sake not the fifties!"
"Well I've been leaning on Graham but next to Regina…" Graham Hunt was the school's deputy head. Emma and he had a good working relationship and Belle, who had always been good at reading people, thought that it had the potential to go further. If it were not for Regina's anti-dating policy. The bell rang. "Right I've got to go. I've got class." Belle gestured for her to hand her the pile of books she'd been holding for her and Emma did so, "See you around, Belle." she said as she left.
Belle rested the books on one hip scanning along the shelves for the titles. The very top shelf was just out of her reach. Once again Belle cursed her height, or lack thereof. She carefully climbed onto the little stool she used and ran her finger along the spines. "Excuse me."
Belle, to her deep mortification, gave a little shriek and fell backwards off her stool. A strong hand caught her arm as she fell and jerked her to a sudden stop before she could hit the floor. "I… I'm so sorry. Thank you."
"No matter." The Scotsman made sure she was steady on her feet before letting go of her and resting both hands on the cane he carried with him. "I was looking for a book."
"Well you're in the right place." Belle smiled and smoothed down the skirt of her tea dress, forest green today. "I'm Belle French. I don't think we've been introduced properly." She held out her hand expectantly.
He took it a little gingerly, "Mr Gold."
"The history teacher, right?"
"I see my infamy has reached you."
Belle laughed, "Not infamy per se… Right er… what was the title of the book?" Mr Gold rattled off the title and author. "Oh. Well I'm afraid that book has been taken out of the library." Belle picked up the stool and began to walk along the shelves back to her desk.
He sighed, "I suppose I should be grateful that one of the cretins is actually doing some reading outside the core text."
"I wouldn't be too excited." Belle said apologetically. "I was the one who took the book out."
He raised his eyebrows, "A fan of Elizabeth the First are we, Miss French?"
Belle nodded, "Well in a time when there weren't many opportunities for women to show what they could do she really stood out. She was one of the most powerful women in the world at the time. That fascinates me. But I can bring the book back in for you tomorrow."
"I don't want to rush you." Mr Gold began.
"Really it's no rush. I'll have finished it tonight anyway. I hope it's not too much of an inconvenience."
"Not at all. Thank you Miss French."
"Please, call me Belle."
Mr Gold gave her a little nod and limped carefully out of the library. Belle watched him go. She'd heard stories about the history teacher from staff and pupils alike. He seemed universally inspire terror but she didn't fear him. He certainly looked rather imposing in his dark suits and ties and his cane gave him a certain gravitas. But there was a spark in his dark eyes that she had caught when she had begun to talk so passionately about history books and she liked his light Scottish brogue, lilting and crisp. He was an interesting study, she thought to herself as she began checking out a pile of books for one of the students waiting for her.
"Belle! Miss French." Belle looked and up and smiled as Mary Margaret approached her.
"There you go." She handed over the books and a written note with the date they were due back to the girl.
"Thank you Miss French." Belle grinned, she was still getting used to being called 'Miss French'.
"Hello Mary Margaret. Those new copies of Jane Eyre came in for your sophomores."
"Great. But I was actually here to run an idea past you."
Belle arched an eyebrow, "How intriguing."
"Well I'm starting up auditions for the school production this week. We're doing 'The Importance of Being Ernest.' I was wondering if you'd like to get involved?"
Belle gasped, "I'd love to! I used to love doing backstage work. And I adore Oscar Wilde. How soon can I start?"
Mary Margaret beamed at her enthusiasm. "Rehearsals will be after school every Tuesday and Thursday. Is that all right?"
"Absolutely."
"Brilliant. It's always a great show and everyone really pulls together. So how's your day been so far?"
"I was talking to Emma about how awful Regina is being about Ashley and the baby." Belle whispered carefully glancing around.
"I know." Mary Margaret said equally quietly. "The whole policy this is just ridiculous. I mean, Ashley and Sean never let their relationship interfere with their teaching and we spend so much time together and we're all so passionate about the same things isn't it natural for a few of the staff to feel a little more about each other?"
"You wouldn't happen to be speaking from experience would you M?" Belle teased her lightly watching Mary Margaret's snow white cheeks blush.
"No… I…Anyway I don't know how long Regina can keep the policy up. Mr Gold's been attacking it as ridiculous from the start."
"Oh, does he have his eye on someone?"
"Mr Gold? Oh no! I just think he likes to irritate Regina. He's one of the few who properly stands up to her."
Yes, Belle thought, a very interesting study indeed…
AN/ So this is my first proper AU. I've written sort of sequels and prequels but never totally alternate so please do let me know what you think. Also the school motto means 'if it can be dreamt'.