Villains don't get happy endings.

The phrase kept repeating itself in Belle's mind as she sat next to the bed in the back of the pawnshop. She couldn't bring herself to leave Rumple's side as he slept. She had a book in her lap, but it acted more as an emotional anchor than anything else. She didn't feel like reading. Not when Rumple was on his deathbed. Though the great sorcerer had been close to dying a number of times before, each time it was hard to tell if this would be his last. But if there was one thing Belle could always expect from Rumple, it was that he would survive. He had a nasty habit of self-preservation. That, along with deal making and spinning straw into gold, was one of his greatest traits.

The biggest question on everyone's mind was how he even managed to survive. Regina's guess was that the curse had cancelled itself out when the Dark One killed himself. Even Belle agreed that it seemed to be the most logical answer since Rumplestiltskin's name was no longer on the dagger. It was blank of any lettering and was currently sitting on the table. No one could see any harm in it if the curse was broken. The blade was safe, as long as no one went around stabbing people with it.

The next question was the location of Peter Pan, and his curse. His body had disappeared in the white light and although they believed he was gone for good, Emma and Regina searched the town just in case. Emma sent out patrols while Regina sent out her magic. Neither one could locate the sadistic teen. As for the curse he set in motion, they guessed that it vanished when he died. So it now seemed that both Peter Pan and the Dark One were gone for good.

Belle looked at the clock. It was almost twenty-four hours since Rumple had saved their lives with his sacrifice. It was the bravest thing he had ever done. He had told her that the boy who reunited him with his son would be his undoing. He believed it was Henry. It was the obvious answer. She wondered if the boy the seer prophesied was Pan himself. While he was not truly a child, it was his defeat that had brought Rumplestiltskin and his son together to reconciliation. But whether it was Henry or Pan, he sacrificed his life to save her, his son, and his grandson. Everyone else merely benefited from his love of his family.

David had helped Neal carry his father to the shop. However, the small part of the librarian that could actually feel anger was upset with Neal for simply leaving his father on the bed. She understood, but it didn't mean she liked it. Henry and the others were safe, so why couldn't Neal help his father despite everything they had been through? Of course Belle knew the answer to that.

There was nothing he could do.

All anyone could do was wait for the sorcerer to wake up. He wasn't dead according to Doctor Whale and Mother Superior. Belle knew Rumple wasn't a fan of science and medicine. He believed magic could fix anything, but she wasn't going to take any chances. They had the doctor come and check on him but he had simply told them that the pawnbroker was in perfect health for his age. Then they had Blue take a look at him. That had worried Neal and Belle the most. Like his father, the son wasn't a fan of Ruel Ghorm. Despite how she appreciated the help, the beauty couldn't hold back the bad feeling she got from the fairy. It wasn't that she completely mistrusted the nun or believed that she had ulterior motives like Rumple had, but there was something about how she reacted when she heard the news.

Blue didn't jump for joy. She didn't give any warning or advice. Mother Superior had simply stood there for a few moments, staring at the Spinner. But to Belle it felt more like she was watching. Like she was looking for something none of them knew about. She waved her magic over him but like Whale, she reported that she found nothing.

So now Belle was left alone in the pawnshop with her True Love. No one dared to come in, for fear of upsetting her more or waking the beast. When the rest of the town heard the news, thanks to the town crier Leroy, everyone seemed to celebrate; but many people were still upset that Rumplestiltskin had managed to survive. Although Belle hadn't stepped outside, Neal had come back and told her what he heard. People were upset, saying how his father should have gotten what he deserved. Others were actually grateful that the Dark One was gone, and that perhaps Mr. Gold wouldn't be as bad now.

Belle wasn't a person who was easily angered. She needed a good reason and believed that there was a reason for a person's action, even Rumple's and Regina's; but she was incensed by those people who wished her True Love was dead.

She always knew that she was considered tainted because of her relationship with the Dark One. Her only real friend in town was Ruby. But Belle was disgusted by how the town couldn't forgive the past and realize that Rumple needed help now. Or now they couldn't remember how he had fought back the darkness and sacrificed himself to protect the town. Even if he didn't have to and could have easily let his father kill them. Instead, they were cheering and crying out, saying how they were finally safe. Not realizing that they were only safe because the man they feared and hated had stood between them and certain death. Now she was alone in the dark, sitting next to their hero who might never wake up.

Belle opened the book in her lap. She wasn't ready to read, but she thought she could use a distraction from her anger and her tears, some which had fallen on the cover. It wasn't a special book. It wasn't one of her three copies of Pride and Prejudice or a book of magic that could help her wake up Rumple. It was something she had grabbed without even looking at it, something to anchor her to reality and distract her from her pain. She found it tucked away in the very back of the bookshelf one day when she was trying to organize the shop while everyone was in Neverland.

She had left the book on one of the counters and never paid mind to it. While she would normally be drawn to an old worn book that was hidden away, she was busy at the moment of its discovery. Now she had time to look at it, but she wished it were under happier circumstances.

It was a brown book and the cover was too greatly worn that she could hardly even make out the title. When she opened it up the first image she saw was what appeared to be a council of sorts, something like the Round Table. The book talked about a Mythical Era and the Council of Fabled Creatures. It was something she had never read before and it was quite interesting. The most interesting part that caught her attention was the name of a person only a few hours ago she was wary of.

Ruel Ghorm.

Before she could continue, the bell to the shop jingled and she got up to greet whomever it was. It was most likely Neal just checking up on her. She doubted that anyone in town would visit because even on the best days, no one but the Charmings or Regina ever came by anymore. Her guess was correct when she stepped through the curtain to see Neal set two brown bags on the counter.

"Hey," he smiled. "I hope you don't mind. I went to Granny's."

"Oh, thanks. I'm not really hungry though."

Neal sighed. "I know, but Ruby made me promise that I would make sure you ate something. You haven't had food since…well, you need to eat something Belle, come on."

He opened the bags and set out the food. She realized that he had more in common with his father than he would like to admit. He hardly knew her, and she hardly knew him, so he wasn't very good at making any sort of conversation with her. At least he was trying.

She joined him at the counter. There was only one stool in the front of the shop and neither of them wanted to eat in the back where Rumple slept. Then she really would have no appetite. So she ate sitting down while Neal stood up. They didn't talk, making the awkwardness between them even more evident, but Belle eventually ate most of her burger and fries. Ruby and Granny had made extra for her. Even if the rest of the town didn't like her or accept her, at least the Lucas women did. She only wished Neal would be more open with her, because there was no one else in town that cared about Rumplestiltskin like she did.

After they ate she decided it was time to get some fresh air. She didn't feel like walking, so she headed to the apartment she still owned, thanks to Rumple. She took a shower, cleaned up, and changed into some fresh clothes. There wasn't anything for her to do and while she desperately wanted to go back to Rumple, doing so wouldn't help her or him. Whale had said that Rumple just needed rest, and despite his curse now being gone, she didn't think there was anything magical about his condition. She decided to head into town. It was the last thing she wanted to at the moment, but she knew she would have to eventually. As much as she would have liked to, she couldn't hide away in the shop or the library. She closed up and headed to find Ruby, forgetting all about the book she had been reading earlier.

Neal made his way to the park after his lunch with Belle. He had promised Henry to meet him and Emma so they could hang out. After what happened in Neverland, and the fact that he only learned about Henry a month ago, he was determined to spend as much time as he could with his son. Though Henry had wanted Neal to join him and Emma for lunch, Neal felt it was better to check on his father's girlfriend.

He hardly knew the woman, but if his dad truly did love her, making sure she was alright was the least he could do. A year ago he would have said that it was the most he would do for the man. Since learning the truth and realizing just how much his father did love him, he felt guilty about all the years he spent hating the man. Guilty for not even realizing that his father would actually come look for him after letting him go, or not having faith that his father would save him from Pan. His papa told him everything, the whole truth, on the trip back to Storybrooke, and Neal saw how foolish and childish he had been. Perhaps it was due to the fact that he had been a child, or at least a teenager, for hundreds of years. Perhaps something like that made growing up and accepting responsibility much harder. He remembered how hard it was to have his father become the Dark One. He could only imagine how his father felt having someone like Pan as a father.

He heard Henry call out to him as he reached the park and Neal was happy to have some distraction from all the bad memories. His son was holding two wooden swords, handing one to him and getting in a fighting stance with the other.

"You ready dad?"

"You bet kid." He returned Henry's smile.

The two began to duel while Emma, was sitting on a bench close by, watched the boys in her life. She knew that having a son warmed Neal's heart. She regretted not ever telling him the truth when she was let out of prison, despite how she felt about him at the time. She wondered if they could have been a family if she did tell Neal about Henry.

Having his own son, Neal finally realized the magnitude of what his father had done. He didn't agree with the actions his father took, but he understood. He now knew that he would do whatever was necessary to get back to his son if he ever lost Henry.

A few minutes later the wind began to pick up. It blew leaves and caused the trees to sway. Neal stopped the pretend fight and looked up at the sky. To Henry and Emma, the weather seemed to be bringing a storm, but he knew better. He had been around portal enough to know what was happening.

"What's going on now?" Henry shouted.

"I don't know kid."

Emma had made her way to the boys, staying close by in case something happened. If it did, at least this time they would be together.

"Should we go inside?" Henry asked, looking at his parents for an answer.

"I think that's best. I don't really feel like going to another land or realm." Emma remembered falling into the Enchanted Forest a few months ago and had no desire to do so again, especially after their trip in Neverland.

"I'm with your mom on this." Neal said, still looking at the sky.

Emma wrapped her arm around Henry and the three began to hurry to the car. They almost made it when, to Neal's dismay, a portal opened.

"Now what?" He yelled out.

"Henry, stand close by."

The three stood watching, wishing they were ready for who or whatever stepped out. Neither of them wanted to be separated again, but they weren't expecting a man to fall out either. It wasn't even a graceful fall. From the look of the entry it appeared the man was thrown into the portal.

"Who is he?"

"I don't know, but stay right here." Emma told her son as she and Neal headed towards the portal's location.

"Mom, don't! Mom! Dad!" Henry warned.

The two didn't hear him as they walked closer. The wind had stopped and the portal had closed without them noticing. They didn't recognize the man, but he didn't look as if he came from Storybrooke. Perhaps the Enchanted Forest, but the fashion was different than Neal remembered it to be. Although years passed, he knew time didn't move that quickly back home. It wasn't like the modern world.

"Who do you think he is?" Emma asked.

"I don't know, but he doesn't look good."

"Not good as in…he might be a villain?"

"Not good as in he needs a hospital." He said a matter-of-factly.

Emma pulled out her phone and began to dial. Neal knelt down to get a closer look. The stranger definitely looked as if he was beaten up, but the fresh scars and dirt weren't what caught his attention. He pulled back some of the man's hair and his eyes widened.

"Um, Emma. You might want to look at this."

Going to the diner for some fresh air probably wasn't the best idea Belle had, but it wasn't like she was in the right condition to be thinking clearly either. She was tired and heartbroken, but she knew no matter how she felt at the moment she couldn't just sit in the shop all day. She knew her friend was trying to help her feel better, but Ruby wasn't doing a good at it. The Lucas women, along with everyone else, were saying the same thing and she was tired of hearing it.

At first Ruby, Granny, and even Leroy sat down with her to try and cheer her up. They eventually gave up and decided to talk about what the town was going to do next. People wanted changes. A change in the town management was the biggest issue. From what Belle heard, the townspeople liked the job she did when she was the acting mayor while the others were in Neverland. Others didn't like the idea of Regina stepping into her old role as mayor, feeling they had been under her reign too long. There were those who wanted the Charmings to rule again, while the rest felt like they didn't deserve to be a king or queen anymore, considering how they were constantly abandoning the town.

Like they abandoned Rumple, Belle thought. She supposed they had good reason to abandon him. Everyone knew the relationship between the Charmings and the Dark One was the worst, if you didn't count his vendetta with Hook. But it still hurt to know that despite being heroes, they were willing to leave a man in possible pain and to an unknown fate. She knew that a true hero helped everyone, even their enemy when that enemy showed a huge sacrifice on his or her part for the greater good; such as Regina. She had given up her rule in town to save Henry, and thus helped stop Pan from controlling the Heart of the Truest Believer. She was family to the Charmings and so that helped them accept her. Along with Hook, who from what she heard, had not only helped defeat Pan but also helped save David's life. She knew Rumple was the one who made the antidote to the Dream Shade poisoning. Even if it was by Neal's order to do it for free. He had also gone to the island to save Henry, believing it would be his undoing. Above all, Rumple was more family to Henry and the Charmings than Regina was. And still they abandoned him. Why was it that one good act among several bad deeds saved one man or woman, but not another?

Belle wished she knew the answer, but if Rumple didn't wake up, she didn't think she would ever understand.

The door to Granny's was nearly torn off the hinges when Emma came barging in, quickly scanning the diner for a particular person.

"What's happening now sister?" Leroy asked, looking ready for any action.

"Belle," Emma looked at her when she spotted the Beauty. "We need you."

Her heart nearly leaped. No one except Rumple had ever told her that before. They would ask her questions and assume that she would automatically help. She wasn't in a helping mood today, but she believed that having something to do would help her feel better. She didn't want to forget about Rumple. She knew she couldn't, but she also knew that he wouldn't want her moping about and getting depressed. Besides, sitting around all day just waiting for him to wake up wouldn't actually help.

She agreed to offer her assistance with whatever she could, despite knowing that they have never thanked her or even appreciated her. She followed Emma to her yellow bug and they made their way to the hospital.

Belle had read of many classifications on magical creatures. Most of them were of human and animal origin. Dwarves, goblins, fairies, centaurs, merfolk; the list went on and on. Most could be found in the Enchanted Forest and some even lived here in Storybrooke. But elves were considered to be lost in time, according to her research.

There were a few creatures that many believed to be elves, but they were categorized in the hobgoblin lineage. But right in front of her, lying in a bed at the Storybrooke Hospital was an elf. He was taller than expected, which David voiced out loud. He looked to be more like a human if it weren't for his slightly pointed ears, pale skin, and sharp facial features. He was a very beautiful man, even with cuts and bruises that covered his body.

"Are we sure this is an elf?" Snow asked. She was looking at Belle for answers, as most people were, but the Beauty was just as confused as they were. If this being was truly an elf, she had many questions. The first was how he had gotten here. The obvious answer was a portal, but Regina had destroyed all the beans Snow and David grew. Emma and the others used the last one she had to travel to Neverland to save Henry. Belle wasn't sure what mind of magic an elf had to create a portal, or if they even could.

Belle shrugged her shoulders. "I'm honestly not sure."

"How can you not be sure? Didn't you read anything about this in some stupid book?" Hook questioned.

Neal took a step forward, shielding Belle from the pirate. "Hey! You don't get to talk that way to her. You got it? Besides, why are you even here?"

It was a good question. Why were any of them here? Emma and Neal were there because they found the man and Belle was there because they thought she would know who he was. Belle wondered why they always assumed she had all the answers, but that wasn't what bothered her. What upset her was that they didn't think about what she was currently going through when they asked. All they wanted was for her to identify a being and give a little information. Emma didn't even ask if she was okay with doing it.

Belle regretted agreeing to help. She didn't care about this. She knew that she should, but her only worry was her True Love. Not this elf or man or anyone else. She just wanted to go back to the shop and check on Rumplestiltskin. She knew most of her frustration was aimed towards him and not Emma and the others. She was also upset with herself for not fighting back the spell to try and stop him, but she couldn't yell at Rumple at the moment. Being frozen and forced to watch your True Love almost die and then not being able to yell at him for it could certainly create some unhealthy side effects.

"Mother Superior, you're here."

David's announcement took Belle out of her thoughts. She looked up to see the Blue Fairy walk in, making the already crowded room suffocate Belle even more. Suddenly, the book from earlier flashed in her mind and she found herself keeping a closer eye on the fairy than before. Why was her name in such an old book? Belle knew that Ruel Ghorm was one of the oldest fairies in the Enchanted Forest, but Belle never read about a Council of Fabled Creatures before. Considering how far she had read into history, Belle figured that it must have been about more than 700 years ago. Which made Blue older than they believed.

"You told me this was an emergency. What's the problem?"

"This is." Whale gestured towards the man in the bed and Belle could swear she saw Blue's eyes widen ever so slightly.

"Do you know who he is?" David asked the fairy. She slowly shook her head.

Belle's stomach dropped and she felt sick with even more realization. Blue knew something, or else she wouldn't be looking at the elf the same way she had looked at the Dark One. Perhaps it wasn't the same exactly, but the nun was thinking and Belle could see her mind working. Maybe Rumple was right. Maybe the fairy was hiding secrets.

"Who is he?" Mother Superior asked.

"We're not sure. Emma and Neal found him in the park. They said he came through a portal."

Blue turned to Neal. "Are you sure?"

He leered at her suspiciously. Belle wondered if he was thinking along the same lines as her, but she doubted it. "I know what I saw."

"I'm not questioning that-"

"Actually you are." Belle interrupted. Neal glanced at her. From what he was told, Belle was a sweet and kind woman who believed the best in people. So why was she acting defensive? He figured it was because of recent events and made a mental note to talk to her later, since the others seemed to notice her behavior as well.

"Is he really an elf?" Regina asked. She was skeptical, but in her usual way so it wasn't a shock to anyone.

"I can't be certain." Blue replied.

"What do you mean?" David asked.

"Elves such as these are believed to be lost in history. Isn't that correct Belle?"

Again, everyone was looking at the librarian again. She had half a mind to tell them to figure it out themselves and let her grieve, but the logical side of her told her that wasn't the right course of action. She already agreed that she couldn't just be sitting around. She had to do something, but helping the people who weren't even thinking of her wasn't what she wanted to do.

Belle felt Neal nudge her lightly, making her realize that they were waiting for an answer.

"Um, yeah. At least that's what I read." Among other things.

Belle watched Ruel Ghorm, who was looking as polite as ever.

"So why is an elf here in Storybrooke?" David asked. Belle wondered if he was always this obvious and she was just now noticing. Though it wasn't like she spent a whole lot of time with them either. It wasn't like they invited her on their journeys, and Rumple certainly didn't want her to go along with him. If she had, he knew she would have stopped him from doing something so stupid.

Like with Greg Mendel, everyone agreed to wait for the man to wake up before they answered any questions. Regina had agreed to help so at least Emma didn't have to do it alone this time. Certainly an elf knew about magic.

Everyone began to leave the room and Neal again gently nudged Belle to get her attention. She realized that she was just staring at the elf, but not really looking. Her mind was somewhere else at the moment.

"I'm sorry." She said, thinking she was being rude.

"Don't be. Are you okay?"

Belle looked up at him. He wasn't much taller than Rumple, but at least his face wasn't too familiar. It was easier to be around him than she thought, but there were times when he reminded her too much of his father.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

He tried to smile. "You're not a good liar you know."

She pursed her lips and casually looked back at the elf. "I know."

She walked away and decided it was time to go back to the shop. Being with everyone else wasn't helping one bit and in fact, it only made things worse. At least with Rumple, she knew she was accepted and appreciated. She knew Neal was trying to help and she couldn't thank him enough, but she had a feeling that despite his and Rumple's reconciliation, he was still hesitate about his papa. Why wouldn't he be? Rumple had been the Dark One for most of his life and his son only felt pain and heartache from it. There were lies and deceit, but Belle also believed that most of it was because Neal wasn't willing to trust his father either. She didn't want to put any blame on Neal. She didn't want to put blame on anyone, except perhaps Regina, Hook, and Peter Pan most definitely.

Belle opened the door to the shop and suddenly realized just how exhausted she was from the day. The clocked showed that it was now officially one whole day, twenty-four hours, since Rumple's sacrifice. All she wanted to do was to lie down on the bed, but it was already occupied. So she settled for sitting on the floor and resting her head on the side as she had done the first few hours when her pain was new and raw. She quickly fell asleep and dreamed of happier moments in her life. Most of them were when she was in the Dark Castle, discovering her love for the Dark One.

As soon as the magic in the shop began to work, causing the young Beauty to fall asleep, the book she had laid on the table vanished.

Next up in Chapter 2- Born in a Vision, a Passing Dream: Belle has a strange dream, Emma and Regina talk to the new visitor, Neal takes a moment to talk to Belle, and Blue remembers something about the past. Elsewhere, forces against a kingdom plot.