The three of us.
(Sequel to Be looking for someone) : After she talked with the WishRealm!Rumple, Belle realizes that maybe she can fix the things between her and Rumple. Or at least, try. Oh, and during this, the others also try to find a solution to the Evil Queen problem. Rumbelle. SwanQueen. (Belle kept her child with her and there is no Black Fairy.)
"Hey, Belle… you're… okay ?"
The question came from Emma, just after the other Rumple disappeared from their eyes. After they destroyed him. After he told her the thing she always wanted to hear from her Rumplestiltskin.
Just after he said how sorry he was.
"I think so, she answered, not being that credible."
Yes, because she was actually trembling, her son in her arms, breathing rapidly.
In a way, she just saw Rumplestiltskin die in front of her eyes, even though it wasn't him. Even though he wasn't real.
Here, with her, there was Snow and Killian, as Regina and Emma, who just came back from this strange world.
"How was he ? In this world ? Where was he ?
Regina addressed her a sad smile, and answered :
"He was in jail."
Belle frowned. It made sense. It did make sense, as Rumple told her what happened to him before the curse was cast. And then, she knew what that meant.
"So, she said, he stayed in prison for more than twenty-eight years ? Just… just as I did.
- Yes, answered Emma. But, unlike to you, he remembered.
- And he suffered from the pain of being alone during all this time, she said with sadness, and maybe regrets. And just after he was freed by you, he learned that I… the other me… died. How did I die ?
- You died of hunger, in your cellar, said Regina.
- We… we saw your bones, added Emma with a little confused and disturbed expression."
While their conversation, the others, seeing they were okay, let them alone, knowing they had to. And they came back to town, even though they also knew they would have to talk about this.
Later.
"I… I see, muttered Belle, to herself.
- He was hurt Belle, you know ?"
The other woman looked at Emma.
- When he realized Baelfire was dead, he… he looked for you and, your death… it really devastated him. And then, he had no other reason to live.
- That's why he asked to come here, not in order to do evil things, but… see you.
- He asked for it when I told you were alive in this world.
- Really ?
- Yes, said Emma. I think that that Rumplestiltskin truly loves you."
Belle nodded, and then raised an eyebrow.
"Tell me Emma… why are telling me this ?
Emma sighed.
- Just that… if this Rumplestiltskin being as evil as he was twenty-eights years ago still loves you, well… Maybe that your Rumplestiltskin isn't as lost as you think it is."
Belle stayed pensive, her son still in her arms, and then, she left.
§§§§
"Why did you tell her that ? Asked Regina, a little surprised.
- I don't know, I think… I felt just so sorry for the Rumplestiltskin of the Wish Realm, learning in the same day that the woman he loved and his son were dead, that… I wanted to do something. I feel like I have a debt towards him, because, you know… he helped us.
- He has nothing to do with Gold, you know that ?
- True. But… the thing is that she deserves happiness.
- And you think what… that she will find it with Gold ? The man who is actually allied with my evil side ?
- We should really care about it, Emma muttered.
- The question is how can we do that ?
- I don't know. But we will do it. We always do.
- I'm afraid it won't be enough. She is dangerous, and she wants revenge. Trust me, she won't stop.
- We will stop her, we always do, Emma repeated."
Regina smiled to her.
"I hope we will."
§§§§
With her son still in her arms, Belle was walking in Storybrooke.
She didn't know what to do, she was facing a true impasse. Yes, Rumplestiltskin hurt her, so many times that she couldn't count it. But he loved her, he cared for her and their son, she couldn't deny this to him.
She wished things could have been easier.
(No, no more wishes, it caused enough pain this day.)
And then, there was too the Rumplestiltskin of the other world, the one who never stopped loving her, caring for her, wanting her to be safe.
This man was dead now, and maybe that he never existed, but he was something.
He was the one that her Rumplestiltskin could have been.
He showed her how things could have turned.
And he made her hope.
Because yes, Emma was completely right.
It wasn't too late for her, and for him, for their family.
Maybe that she was wrong, that it was useless to fight, that she would succeed to do it.
But it worth it.
Because she made a promise to him, once upon a time. She said it to Regina, when this one was still the Evil Queen.
She would never stop fighting for him.
§§§§
The Queen was… someone broken, and Regina perfectly knew how a broken person could turn.
She lived it, this woman was her. She knew her better than anyone.
She was in the home office, in which she wentafterRegina and Emma came back from the Wish Realm. Regina realized it rapidly, as she saw her. She wouldn't fight.
The former queen came there with the sword that could hurt the Queen without hurting Regina herself. She didn't want to kill her, after all, she was a part of her, and yes, she did try to destroy her.
But now, she didn't want it.
"So… you came back.
- Yes. We both did."
The Queen had a sad smile.
"She chose you.
- What ?
- She didn't choose this world, the happy life she could have, should have had and that we stopped her from having. She chose you.
- And Henry. And her parents. I am not the only one she chose.
- She had everything there. It was the perfect life for her, and yes, it was a lie, nothing more, and it was not her. But she had everyone and everything. Except you. And she chose you, instead of this place."
Regina looked at her with astonishment.
"Are you… jealous ?"
The Queen had a sardonic smile.
"You know me… of course I am.
- But why ? It's as for Zelena, because I have everything you never had ?
- No ! Just… you're better than me. You have your Savior and your son. And me… well… I just have my anger. I thought that it would be enough, to have my revenge against Snow White. But… even if I separated them, they still fight, they still have hope. And I think I am loosing, not because you're stronger than me, but because I don't want to fight any more."
She looked at the sword.
"Are you going to kill me ?
- I think so. But I want to find another way, do something else. Solve it without a fight and with no broken hearts.
- You know us. All the things we do, we do it by breaking hearts.
- What if we didn't ? We don't have to.
- You separated us. It can't be undone."
A small smile appeared on the mayor's face.
"Maybe it can."
§§§§§
Her idea was simple.
First, the Queen would show that she did want not to be a villain any more.
By breaking Snow's and Charming's curse.
These one (well, Snow only, as her husband was sleeping), were suspicious.
"How can I be sure that she won't kill us ?
- I trust her as much as I trust myself. And well… she would have done it already before.
- Alright."
When some seconds after, David opened his eyes, and that Snow didn't close hers, they knew that they had been right.
The second step was this : Regina would make a wish.
Not that the Evil Queen would be destroyed, no.
She would be saved, in a way.
"I wish what I did with Dr Jekyll's serum to be undone."
And then, under their eyes, the Evil Queen disappeared with a peaceful smile, and she came back where she belonged : that is to say in Regina.
And then, this one was complete again, both with her light and her darkness.
Emma embraced her in her arms and gave her a pride smile.
"You did it.
- We did it. Together. We escaped from this world. I did not do that alone."
Emma continued to smile and embraced for a moment her parents, and she looked at these people next to her.
All the one around her.
She didn't regret leaving the Wish Realm.
They were her family.
§§§§
It would be harsh.
Belle wasn't naive enough to think that just as she talked with another version of her husband, everything would be easy like a fairytale (even though the truth is that fairy tales weren't that easy, but you understand the idea) and that they would get back together immediately.
No.
But she really wanted to tell her husband that she would try.
That they could try.
While Emma and Regina were in the other world, he took the bracelet from her, the one that would stop her from leaving Storybrooke, claiming that he wasn't the one who gave her that potion.
She didn't believe him at that moment, not entirely, in fact.
But now ?
Well… she could give it a try.
She entered in Gold's shop, where he was. As almost always these last times.
When he saw her, he had a smile, a sad smile that became even sadder as he saw his son.
The son he almost never saw and whose he didn't even know the name.
"Belle ? What are you doing here ?"
He was trying not to hope. He knew her. He knew that she wouldn't have forgiven him so easily. He looked at the child in her arms.
"You know, you don't have to keep him with you as a protection. I'm not going to hurt you."
Belle smiled with sadness too. She already knew it, and a sad thought arrived in her spirit.
How did it happen ?
What did they become ?
"I know, she answered. I wanted… I wanted to see you.
- I guess you're still not going to give me his name ? I told you, I won't try to separate him from his destiny, I don't even have the scissors with me any more.
- I know Rumple."
She had been told this by Snow, before she came to see Emma and Regina.
Before she saw the Rumplestiltskin of this world.
"His name is Gideon, she finally confessed."
The Dark One had a look full of surprise, not expecting it.
"Do… Do you want to take him in your arms ?
- Belle, I… he answered with a smile. Then, he frowned. Why… Why do you…
- Emma and Regina came back from the world created by the Evil Queen, Belle finally said. But… they weren't alone.
- What ? What do you mean ?
- There was someone with them. You.
- Me ? How…
- He wanted to come with them. Because, well… for you, in this world, things didn't end well.
- What happened to me ? Belle, please, answer me, he asked her, as she remained silent.
- As in this world, Baelfire died. And… I did too.
- What ?"
The sorcerer became pale with horror, and he made a move, wanting to embrace his wife, but then, he stopped, not daring to do it.
"I was killed by the queen… in a way. I died in my cellar, and you… you stayed in prison. During twenty-eight years.
- How was I ? Crazy I guess.
- Not really. Alone. Lost. Desperate. Happy to see me.
- I agree with this."
Belle smiled.
"He told me he was sorry. For everything. For rejecting me, and all these other things that you did in the Dark Castle. All these things I wanted you to tell me. And I realized that I missed you.
- Belle I am sorry.
- Yes, maybe. I believe you, but I don't think that it will be so easy to solve. But… as I talked with him, I saw you. Who you could have been, and I refuse to let you down. I love you Rumplestiltskin.
- And I love you too Belle. "
And this time, he did embrace them in their arms, being finally able to have his son in his arms.
"He is dead now, Emma and Regina decided to destroy this world. Rumple… even though he wasn't real, I saw you die. Again. And… I don't want things to end bad between us, I just want to try.
- As I do Belle."
And then, they kissed, for the first time since a long, long time (maybe since the Underworld, in fact).
"I still didn't forgive you, she said.
- I know."
But at least, they would try.
Another time.