Written after seeing have-you-ever-had-a-hamburger's comment on Tumblr about Emma meeting Belle and finding out about her significant other. Spoilers for Queen of Hearts.

Disclaimer: ABC/Disney, Kitsis and Horowitz own. I merely borrow.

For the first time in many days, Emma allowed herself to relax. Against all odds, she and Mary Margaret, no, she and Snow White, no, she and her mother... damn, it was still hard to believe she had a mother, a mother who was currently snogging her father in a corner booth of Granny's diner and Emma really didn't need to see that. As new as the notion of having her parents present in her life and having them care for her was, some of the universal truths seemed to apply. No child wanted to see their parents almost literally sucking face, separation and curses notwithstanding.

"Hit me again, Ruby," Emma asked and Ruby cheerily obliged, topping off Emma's glass before pouring another glass of warm milk for Henry who hadn't let go of Emma's hand since they had left Mr. Gold's shop. He smiled up at her and Emma couldn't resist smiling back, ruffling his hair which by now resembled a bird's nest. She had missed him so much. A jingle of the bell turned her attention to the diner's door where a young woman Emma hadn't seen before stood, looking at the gathered crowd.

"Belle!" Ruby waved her over and the woman smiled, moving towards the counter.

"Hello," she smiled, her voice slightly accented and Emma found herself sizing up this newcomer. She was very pretty, with dark hair and big blue eyes that seemed to radiate sincerity. She was dressed only in a simple blue dress and matching heels but Emma suddenly felt grubby in her jeans and jacket that she had worn for days. "I'm Belle. And you must be Emma."

"You got that right," Emma replied, taking the offered hand and shaking it. "I haven't seen you around here before."

Belle's smile turned somewhat wry at that.

"I have only been free since the curse broke and then you and Snow White fell into that portal. I'm sorry about that, by the way."

"Why would you be sorry?" Emma asked but before Belle could answer, Ruby set down an ice tea in front of her. Henry slipped from the stool, crossing the room to his grandparents and Emma watched him go, only half-listening to the conversation that started between Ruby and the new girl.

"I guess you have no idea what he did, huh?"

Emma turned and watched as Belle sighed and took a long drink from her glass.

"No, but I think you're about to tell me."

"Well, to sum it up, he stole the fairy dust, then he and Regina set up some kind of a deadly trap in the portal and he blasted me away with magic when I tried to stop them," Ruby counted off all of Gold's misdemeanours and Emma wondered why she was telling Belle all of this. Was it a new trend in Storybrooke, to talk about Gold and his doings? Or was there something else? Belle groaned at the list and Emma thought for a moment she would thump her head against the counter. Ruby's contrite expression softened. "Hey, it's not so bad. At least he didn't look happy about it."

"Did he at least explain why he did it?"

"He even apologized," Emma contributed and Belle turned to her. Emma shrugged. "Hey, he's a mean bastard most of the time but he had good intentions in this case."

"You're not angry with him?" Belle asked, a hint of apprehension in her voice.

"Not really. He did far worse before."

Belle pulled a face at that.

"I know," she said but then her expression turned slightly mischievous. "I guess he is a difficult man to love."

Emma laughed at that, recalling the words that Gold himself had said months ago.

"That he is," she agreed, thinking that this change of people not being afraid of gossiping about the most feared man in the town was a good sign.

"Good thing you love a challenge, eh?" Ruby winked at Belle who blushed becomingly. Emma looked from one woman to the other, a suspicion taking root.

"You said you had only been free since the curse had broken and that you were sorry for me and Mary Margaret falling into the portal. What did you mean by all that?"

Belle turned on her stool, her bright gaze focused on Emma as Ruby made herself scarce.

"Regina kept me a prisoner for well over thirty years. I was only released on the day you broke the curse by someone who wanted Regina to suffer and who knew that Rumplestiltskin would go after her the moment he found out what she had done to me. He summoned the wraith because I made him promise that he wouldn't kill her himself. So what happened to you and your mother was partially my fault, you see."

"Rumplestilt-" Emma started but the name didn't sit well on her tongue. She was far too used to his Storybrooke name. "Gold sent that thing after Regina because she had kept you imprisoned?" at Belle's nod, Emma asked the question which she was fairly sure she knew the answer to. "Who exactly are you to him?"

"His True Love," Belle answered with a smile that wasn't as bright as Emma had expected. It was certainly nowhere near as bright as Mary Margaret's when talking about David.

"You don't sound too happy about it," she dared to say but Belle shook her head.

"I am happy," she said with such a conviction that Emma believed her instantly. "I am happy and I love him but I don't like some of the things he had done, the choices he had made," she glanced aside, her finger trailing patterns in the moisture on her glass. "He's trying to become better, though, for me, and we're getting to where we can be together forever. We're not just there yet. But," she looked at Emma and her smile was nearly blinding. "True Love is worth it. It needs to be fought for, to be built, slowly, layer by layer, supported by trust and understanding and compromise but once it falls into place..." she trailed off before pointing at the corner booth where David and Mary-, no, where Emma's parents sat together, their hands entwined, simply staring at each other. "Once it falls into place, you will be happier than you can imagine. And that is worth everything in this or any other world."

Emma could only nod and Belle drank the rest of her iced tea before standing up. She put down money to cover her drink and a tip before she waved to Ruby and Leroy and flashed a quick smile to Emma.

"It was nice meeting you, Emma. I hope we'll have a chance to talk again. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to talk to someone."

With that, she was gone, a certain kind of determination in her manner and Emma had a good bet on where she was going and the thought of that definitely nice girl being in love with the definitely not nice Gold was enough to make her head spin.

"Are you alright?" Ruby came back and Emma shook her head.

"In the past few weeks, I found out my parents are Snow White and Prince Charming, I broke a curse, then was separated from my kid for weeks, was almost killed by an ogre, climbed a beanstalk, stole a magical compass, fought with a pirate and almost had my heart ripped out by an evil witch who makes Regina look nice and pleasant. And when I finally get back, I find out that Gold, of all people, has a nice and pretty girl head over heels in love with him. What do you think?"

Ruby took her tirade in stride, an understanding smile on her face.

"I'll keep them coming, okay?" she offered and Emma sighed in relief and gratitude.

"Thanks, Ruby, you're a lifesaver."