"You're not who I thought you were…and I'm glad."

Rumplestiltskin stared back at her. The maid. A woman-no, a girl-whom he shouldn't have feelings for. However, every time she smiled or made eye contact with him, he felt a burning desire for her. It wasn't particularly her body, it was just her. Her presence. Her closeness. Her happiness. Her. She wasn't just the worthless servant he used to think she was. Belle was so much more.

"Well, the same could be said for you, dearie."

She tilted her head with a questioning smirk, but didn't say anything as Rumple retreated from the library.

"Oh!" he added as an afterthought, stopping before he got to the stairs, "You don't need to sleep in the dungeons anymore."

Her head snapped towards him with wide eyes. First, he'd given her a library, and now this? Not to mention the mercy he's shown Robin Hood earlier that day. What had gotten into him? This was certainly not the man who'd been skinning someone alive this morning.

"You're serious?" she asked in disbelief, hesitant smile spreading over her face, "Where will I sleep then?"

"Wherever you want, I suppose. Just…not the room in the west wing of the castle."

Belle nodded. She knew to stay away from that room unless she was cleaning it. That room was used as a memorial bedroom for Baelfire. It was only common sense not to sleep in that room. She would never take the bed that was meant for Bae.

"But you'd better choose quickly because it's getting late," Rumple added seriously before leaving the library. As much as Belle yearned to look at a few of the books, he was right. It was getting very late.

Belle sighed and followed after Rumple as he walked towards his room. Even as they passed several spacious rooms, she waited until she reached the one right next to Rumple's. He gave her a look before disappearing through his doorway.

He sauntered through his bedroom and collapsed on his mattress. What was he doing? He was going soft. Rumple bit his lip and listened to the rain beginning to patter on the window. Why did he care about her so damn much?

Belle laid in her bed, clothed in a thin night gown. She'd fallen asleep a while ago, but was stirred by the crash of thunder outside the window. In the dungeons, she wasn't able to tell when it was storming. The lightning flashed, and Belle whimpered. She didn't like storms. They made her feel vulnerable, like she could get killed at any minute. She hesitated, only able to think able to think of one place she could go to feel safe and protected. But she couldn't…

The boom of thunder disagreed and sent her rushing into the neighboring bedroom. The stone floor felt cold on the soles of her feet as she padded towards Rumple's bed. She stopped beside him and held out a shaking hand to touch his shoulder. He stirred easily, his wide eyes flashing to hers.

"What do you want, dearie? Can you not see I'm trying to sleep?"

"I-I…f-forgive me," she stammered, eyes jumping to the window as the sky lit up. Rumple studied her. He watched her shake and saw her jump when the thunder rolled.

"Well, well," he drawled, "Brave, little princess is afraid of thunder, is she?"

Belle blushed and looked at her feet as Rumple chuckled.

"Fear not, dearie," he continued, making room for her in the bed, "You may sleep here for tonight only."

"Thank you," she breathed in relief, sliding under the covers. Without waiting for an invitation, she snuggled against him, burying her face in his chest.

Rumple looked at her and tensed. Why was she on him? Why wasn't she afraid of his as she was thunder? He cautiously wrapped his arm around her waist. She looked so comfortable, so relaxed. One of her hands was fisted in his silk shirt, and the other rested on his shoulder. He brushed the hair out of her face, causing her eyes to flutter open. Her beautiful, blue eyes.

"I'm sorry. I've just been afraid of storms for my entire life."

"The only thing you're afraid of, it would seem," he added, but she took no notice.

"I used to go to my parents room and sleep with them, but after my mother died, my father would turn me away. He said that I was too old to be so afraid of thunder storms."

"What would you do then?" Rumple asked, hesitantly stroking her hair.

"I would go down to the kitchen where I couldn't hear the thunder. I curled up in the pantry with a book and fell asleep there."

"I won't turn you away, dearie."

"Ever?" she whimpered.

Rumple looked into her pleading eyes and was sucked into a new universe by a brilliant, magenta vortex. He could no longer think straight. He would have agreed with her either way, of course, but he surprised them both by pressing his lips to her forehead.

Belle's eyes widened further as he gently kissed her head. Of all the things she expected when she came into his room, this was at the bottom of the list. But as the initial shock faded away, she closed her eyes and smiled.

"Ever," Rumple confirmed, breaking away.

Belle carefully placed her hand on his chest, right over his heart.

"Thank you," she repeated, but both knew that this time, it was different. She wasn't simply thanking him for allowing Robin Hood to live, giving her a library, letting her sleep outside of the dungeons let alone his room, or even offering to protect her from the raging storm outside. She was thanking him for loving her.