Takes place after "Lacey" when Belle gets her memory back. Disclaimer: I owe nothing.

ooooooooooooooooooo

"Ru-rumple. I'm so sorry." She couldn't stop the tears. She wasn't even sure why she was crying. Was it because he lost his son, again, or for what she did while being Lacey. Belle didn't want to think about Lacey at the moment. So instead, she thought about the comfort she needed to give to Rumple.

"Rumple, I'm so sorry. You lost him again. You lost your son."

"Oh Belle. I'm sorry. I didn't want to wake you up just so you would die, but I needed you right now. Not Lacey."

"Rumple, its okay. I understand. Thank you for bringing me back."

They hugged, cried, kissed for what seemed like years. They needed this, just to hold each other and let all the emotions come out. All the emotions that consumed them since the curse broke. All the love, the hurt, the pain. How many times must they be separated?

She could feel his hands rub her back as he reached towards her back shoulder, touching the scar where Hook shot her. It didn't leave any physical scar but the emotional and mental scar still laid there, possibly forever.

"I should have killed him." It took a moment for her to register what he said, it was softer than a whisper.

"No Rumple. Please don't talk like that-"

"Belle! He shot you! He shot you and caused you to cross the town line-"

"He didn't know what would happen."

"It doesn't fucking matter what he knew. He shot you, Belle. I shouldn't have let that go unpunished."

She ignored the cussing and focused on calming Rumple before he decided to change his mind and go on a killing rampage.

"Rumple, Rumple stop, please. What's done is done and I'm back. I'm right here. I'm safe, with you. Nothing's going to hurt me again. I know what Hook did was wrong but please, don't loose yourself to your anger again. Please."

"Belle, if you had just let me kill him on the ship, he wouldn't have shot you and you wouldn't have ended up in the hospital with amnesia, causing Regina to give you cursed memories. That's what happens when you let bad people like Hook live."

"Or bad people like you."

Time froze, seconds passed, and the air between them got too thick to breath. It took a while for Belle to realize what she had just said. She, or Lacey. That was definitely something Lacey would have probably said. Right?

Belle tried to justify in her mind what she said as she watched Rumple's face go from shock to something she couldn't quite place.

"Rumple, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, that was wrong. I shouldn't have said that."

"No."

No what? No, she shouldn't have said that? No, she was right? No what? She wasn't sure. So she decided to ask question he might answer.

"Did you go after him? After he shot me? Did you try and kill Hook?" She was hesitant on asking, thinking that maybe she didn't want to know the answer.

"For a moment. After I realized that you forgot everything, I tried to choke him. However, His Royal Highness Charming and Little Miss Savior stopped me. They tried to help me realize that it wasn't what you would want, for me to kill Hook. I tried to tell them that I was nothing but a stranger to you now. They told me murder wasn't a good first impression."

"No I guess its not." Her voice faded near the end. She could understand where he stood, didn't fully support it but understood why he would go and try to kill Hook. If Rumple ever got hurt, she would want to go to the person responsible, even if she knew he could take care of himself, and give them a piece of her mind.

"You healed me, thank you."

"Why wouldn't I? I love you Belle and never want you to get hurt. If I can ever save you or heal, I would. Wether you knew who I was or not. I'm just sorry I scared you with the magic. I should have known better."

"It's okay. But who was that man? The one that drove into town? I remember him talking to me at the hospital-" That news perked up Rumple's ears. "-telling me I wasn't crazy for saying I saw a fireball."

"He's no one you need to be concerned with. Right now, you're here, with me. Safe and sound, and I promise, I won't let you get hurt again. Ever."

The kiss they shared was far more passionate than any kiss they shared with her being Lacey. Speaking of which.

"I'm sorry for the things I did while I was Lacey. Especially for Keith."

Keith? Oh yes, the drunk-off-his-ass Sheriff of Nottingham.

"It's okay. We don't have to talk about that. Ever."

They couldn't help but share a small laugh, mostly out of pity for each other. Her for the way she acted and him for having to watch the way she acted.

"I really want to apologize though, for what I said, after I kissed him. I feel horrible about that. I hope you can forgive me."

"Belle, I understand you weren't yourself. Literally. I can forgive you, just so long as you promise not to kiss anyone else but me." He knew he had a smug smile on his face and was a little shocked when she kissed it off.

"Oh Rumple. I promise." he missed that smile. It was beautiful and it didn't have the sexual intention like it did when he saw it on Lacey.

"Now, I know I said you didn't need to be concerned about it, but this man, Greg, he didn't hurt you did he?"

"What? No, he was polite. I think he just wanted me to feel a little better about myself. He wanted me to know I wasn't crazy. He said he saw the same thing too."

"Yes, he did. He was driving in thru town at the same time I formed the fireball to aim at Hook. After I dove in front of the car to get you out of more harm's way, he crashed into the tree. Shortly after, the sheriffs were on scene."

"You dove in front of a car for me?"

"Yes. That shocks you?" Why would it? Surely she knew what he would go thru to save and protect her.

"Oh Rumple, my brave Dark One."

They spent the next hour forgetting all the crap they have been through. Forgetting Hook, Cora, Regina, Greg and Tamara, the royals, and definitely Lacey. Instead, they remembered who they were. Rumple, who would go through more than a simple curse to find her and Belle, a strong and brave women who would always fight for her Dark Prince.