Her husband.

It was a lot to comprehend.

She was married. She was a wife. His wife!

And he was her husband. And she was kissing him!

Their arms were wrapped around one another, holding on as tight as possible, clinging to this one small piece of perfection in their constant chaotic world. It was easy to imagine that they were the only two people in the world right now. To forget Archie's presence, to forget that her father was watching her kiss him just over her shoulder. She never thought she'd have a moment like this, never in a million years thought she'd be this happy to be married or that it would feel this good and right! She couldn't wait to see where this marriage took them, where this happy ending led them.

But then it was over, ended by a simple throat clearing. "You are supposed to wait to do that until I say so," Archie muttered into the silence. It was so easy to forget they were there that she had, but with the pronouncement she pulled away allowing herself to remember. Still, she just couldn't stop looking at him, couldn't stop her smile, or her blush as they exchanged a glance that told her he knew exactly what she was thinking and he agreed with her.

"We've waited long enough," he muttered, never once taking his eyes off of her, his thumb tracing over her cheek tenderly. He was right, they had waited long enough for this moment, and there was really no need to hold back now. So she reached up, tangled her fingers in his hair and kissed him again. He didn't resist.

"Well…I think we'll leave you two alone, then," Archie finally stammered after a moment. She managed to break away once more at the comment. Alone. Perfect.

"Thank you Archie," she managed to whisper from where they stood. Archie nodded, offered a happy smile for her, which she wasn't sure Rumpelstiltskin returned or not, then reached out a hand for her father, a silent command to follow.

"Take care of her," her father croaked out with far more emotion than she'd ever expected him to have. "She's all I have left."

She could feel him try to speak, the way his chest took in air and his jaw dropped just a little, but she was quick to answer for him, stating simply "he already does" and squeeze him a little tighter against her so he wouldn't have to answer that. It was an uneasy truce that she knew the two of them would have. Rumpelstiltskin still wasn't happy with him. He had a number of grievances against the man for what she was sure he would consider not taking care of her properly in her youth and here in Storybrooke. And likewise, her father wasn't happy she was marrying him, he was happy she was happy. So for now, until they both had some time to sit with the idea that they were related, she'd be all too happy to stand between them and offer what little help she could. And in the meantime…

Her father left, followed after Archie down the hill and left her standing there in the chilly night air with her husband. He drew her back almost immediately, with a happy smile that told her just how ecstatic he was about all of this. She didn't need words to tell him how happy he'd made her, she just needed to kiss him back, and pull away from him for nothing but a breath of air before kissing him again! This was heavenly!

She lost track of how long they stood by that well, she just couldn't bring herself to care, and when he finally pulled away, when the sound of footsteps and car engines had faded into the distance, she knew that they were alone and allowed herself to rest her head happily against his shoulder content to just let him hold her in his arms…her husband's arms. She felt like she'd waited forever for this, like her whole life had led up to this very moment. It was what happy endings were made of!

"You know I would take you to Paris if I could," he whispered in her ear, "around the world or anywhere you wished to go."

She sighed. The parameters of the new curse…she honestly had no idea if they could leave town! Obviously they could leave, now there would be no monkeys to snatch the pair of them away, but whether or not she'd loose her memories again, she didn't know if Regina and Snow had taken that into account when casting the curse. She'd be sure to ask them soon…but not tonight. As lovely as the idea of seeing everything this realm had to offer was, it simply wasn't important as just spending some time alone with the man she'd barely seen over the last year. So long as they were together, she didn't care where they went. And when they finally emerged? The world outside of Storybrooke would still be there.

"Someday you will," she whispered back. "If we can cross worlds then someday we'll cross the town line together. But for now I'll settle for home." And bed. Their home. Their bed. Together. Husband and wife. A proper marriage bed. And it was going to be so much different than the wedding night she'd grown up fearing. It was going to be beautiful. It was going to be-

"Oh, now don't sell yourself that short, Sweetheart," he whispered after a moment. She picked her head up and looked him over at the odd suggestion. What was that supposed to mean? How was she selling herself short? He only smiled knowingly, her confusion perfectly pleasing to him. "Come with me," he muttered, and with a wave of his hand the candles on the well were extinguished and gone, she tucked her hand into his arm, and followed him back through the forest to the place that she'd seen his car parked. She needed help again, but he was there steadying her, ready to catch her should she fall.

Finally they reached the bottom and she slid into the car. He followed after her and happily let her clutch his arm, neither willing to break the contact that they had at the moment. It would have felt wrong to. He drove them not to the house but deeper into the forest. She was still confused, but tried not to figure it out, just laid her head against his shoulder, closed her eyes, and prepared to be surprised by whatever he had in mind. So long as they were alone and together he could use his magic to send them to the moon and she'd be happy.

No. It was better than the moon. When she felt the car roll to a stop and heard him put it in park she opened her eyes to the most simple, beautiful sight. "The cabin!" she beamed, happy to see it again. She should have guessed, they'd been meaning to come for what felt like an eternity, but hadn't because silly things like curses and kidnappings and death kept interfering. But they finally had the time. In fact, they finally had not just an excuse, but the perfect excuse to come up here. It was their wedding night after all.

"Is it alright?" he questioned seriously. "Of course, we could go home if you prefer."

She only smiled and shook her head at the suggestion because it was ridiculous notion. The cabin was perfect for this night. So she got out of the car and was happy to hear him follow after her as always, even happier to have him unlock the door and usher her inside.

She was happy to be here. Thrilled really. There was already a fire in the grate, making it too hot for Ruby's coat and hat. She didn't care that her shirt was mesh or that he would be able to see straight through it. What hadn't he seen already? What wouldn't he see tonight? Besides, this occasion called for something more, something special. They had a fire, they had privacy, all they needed now was a bit of wine to celebrate and she knew he had some stashed away up here somewhere…or right in front of her. It was a small cabin, but she remembered the little door that hid the small kitchen area and found that the cabinets were stocked! Completely full! So was the refrigerator! Obviously he wasn't planning on this being a short one night trip, she was glad but tried to hide her surprise by pulling out a couple of long stemmed glasses and pouring the wine.

"The kitchen is full," she commented, noting that he was still staring at her as he had when he'd first seen her. "How long do you intend for us to stay?" she questioned, handing him his glass. He stared at it but didn't drink.

"More than a day," he assured her. She felt her smile vanish as her happy mood suddenly dissipated. They'd talked about having more than one day with each other before. Last time they'd talked about that, they'd barely gotten twenty four hours before he'd…died.

The last time it had taken them less than twenty-four hours for their world to turn upside-down. She never wanted that to happen again, but history told her that in about thirteen minutes someone would knock on the front door and tell them they had to leave to fight some new threat she'd never heard of!

"Can you guarantee that?" she asked sadly. "Can you promise that the world won't turn on its head in the next few hours and we won't be separated again?"

His own face fell at her comment. He didn't want it to be true, but he knew her question had validity. And he hated it just as much as she did. "I don't make deals I can't keep," he told her, but before she could respond to that depressing fact he reached down and took the wine glass she was holding out of her hands. He set the untouched glasses on the counter then reached into his pocket pulled out his cell phone and turned it off. Suddenly he turned back to her and extended his hand. He wanted hers as well. So she happily reached into her bag, ignoring the dagger, and returned the gift he'd given her so long ago. He turned it off and set it beside his own on the counter.

"We are the only two people in the world that know we're up here," he informed her moving around her to the windows. One by one he drew the shades down and shut the curtains tight over them to keep even the morning light out. "I can't guarantee that we won't be found," he apologized, moving to the door, shutting the curtains over the window then locking it. "But I can guarantee that we've taken every possible precaution to be alone and undisturbed. And you…" he turned back to her and his jaw dropped. He stared at her again, with that same look that he'd given her when he'd first seen her over the hill. He looked like he was mesmerized by her and it made her blush.

"You are the most beautiful sight I've ever seen in my very long life," he breathed after a moment. She felt herself blush as he stepped forward and placed his hand against her neck smiling again. It took a moment to sink in, to really think about it again and let her thoughts overwhelm her once more as they had on that hill. He was her husband. They were married now. And she just wanted to be with him now before all hell inevitably broke loose again. Why were they wasting time?

She reached up and clutched his scarf tight in her fingers, drawing him closer to her. "I don't think you realize," she whispered, "how truly handsome you are." And before he could argue or complain she kissed him again, finally happy when he kissed her back.

The cabin was perfect. She didn't know how perfect until he gave her hand a small tug and pulled her into the bedroom explaining that he only wanted to give her the night she deserved. She gasped when she opened the door to what he'd done.

There were lit candles spread over every available surface, the dresser, their night stands, even the window ledges. Bundles of roses were blooming in vases beside them, making the room smell beautiful and fragrant. And then there was the bed. It was already turned down and had new red and white sheets over it. Somehow he'd managed to make a simple cabin bedroom the loveliest place in the world. And it all paled in comparison to the fact that she was here with him.

She turned around, stood on tip toe, and threw her arms around him, burying her face against his neck to fight off tears because this day had just been too overwhelming for her to take anymore. She felt too lucky to be human or to have a chance at this life, that after a year of living in a hellish reality this was what she'd made it to. He held her tight, moving his hands over her back, and melting against her in relief. Relief. Did he really think that she wouldn't like this?

"I love you, Belle," he whispered.

"And I love you, too," she responded predictably, knowing that she was going to say it a million times tonight and a million more for the rest of their lives. But she didn't always need words to tell him. Tonight wouldn't require words. Most nights they shared didn't require words. Why would their wedding night be any different?

It was late. But the night felt young. Small kisses gave way to tender and passionate embraces. Simple touches became soft caresses while sighs gave way to gasps and moans. It was a familiar feeling, one that she treasured and cherished ever since they'd first experienced this together what felt like ages ago. This was the wedding night she'd never dreamed of as a child because it was perfect, because she felt happy, because she loved the man she was sharing it with and needed him more than food or light or air! Maybe that was why they both ended up gasping for breath when they were finished. When they could have each other, other things like breathing all seemed unimportant.

He didn't rest against her chest this time, didn't let her hold him like he had the night before. Instead he rolled to the side, reclining on his back as he smiled, pulling her with him. She shifted on top of him, made herself comfortable against him, and rested her head against his heart, listening to it beat against her cheek. It was wonderful sound, a wonderful feeling! It was just like any other normal night they might have experienced only now…everything had changed.

"You are my world now," he muttered moving his hands over her bare back and into her hair. "Sun, moon, and stars, all pale in comparison to you, and I will love you until the day that I die. That is my promise to you."

Promise or not, the words were meant to be romantic…but they just couldn't be. They were simply another reminder of something she didn't want to think about today, a reminder of something, a feeling, she could have lived a hundred life times without feeling. "You already did," she informed him sadly. Some days it was amazing to her to think that something like that had actually happened to them, that he'd separated them the way he had and it had been an entire year that they'd been without one another. She loved him, but she would never forget what had happened, never forget how she'd spent the last year. She wasn't sure she could ever forgive him for it, or stop being angry. But she could put it in the past, especially when they had such a bright future ahead of them, so long as he understood the weight of it the same way that she did.

She quickly picked herself up on her elbow and glanced down at him, a different kind of fire suddenly burning in her chest. "And if you ever do something like that again, if you ever leave me here alone like that again, I'll bring you back and kill you myself! And don't think that I won't...I know how to do that now," she warned. She wouldn't of course, he knew that just as well as she did. No matter what, just like last time she'd go to the ends of the earth to bring him back to her again. But she knew from the look on his face that she'd made her point. She just couldn't go through that again! It wasn't fair.

At her words he nodded without a hint of a smile or smirk on his face. "You have my word," he promised honestly, gently, drawing comfortable shapes into her back again, trying to calm her. Whether she was calm or not she lay her head against him again, running her hands over his chest and arms as she fought the urge to cry at the memories. His word was good enough for her. He didn't make deals he couldn't keep.

"You're not alone now," she reminded him. "We're together now and for always. Because you are my world as well."

"I won't forget it, Sweetheart."

Finally she felt him reach down and cover her back with the sheets and blankets, taking care of her, just as she told her father he always did, just as he had when he'd died, but before that thought could overwhelm her again something glittered on her hand in the moonlight to distract her. It was her ring…her wedding ring.

She felt a smile break over her face again as the happy memory raced in to replace the bad, reminding her that this really wasn't just an ordinary night. "Thank you for marrying me," she whispered against her husband.

"Thank you for giving me a happy ending my Darling Belle...my wife."

She smirked at the idea. "A happy ending is only the opportunity to begin a new story that can be better than the last."


Hi! For those of you that are just checking out this fiction, welcome! For those of you who are a fan of the Moments Series, welcome back! I hope you'll enjoy this fiction. It's the 8th in the Moments Series, a series that is an attempt at an accurate portrayal of Belle's perspective during the Once Upon a Time series. This fiction features everything that happened in Storybrooke from the moment that Belle and Rumple are married in "A Tale of Two Sisters" up to the moment after Belle sends Rumple over the town line in "Villains and Heroes". Also, side note, if you are an Exile Reader, please contact me after reading this chapter to get Exile Part IV, you'll be needing it!

If you enjoy this fiction, please review! I always enjoy those wonderful gems waiting for me in my inbox and I love writing back to thank you personally for reading and reviewing! It helps me know that I've done a decent job! Peace and Happy Reading!