This story was inspired by a beautiful photo edit by resonatethroughtime on Tumblr, which is also the cover image for this story, and was written in honour of the start of season three :)
I don't own Once Upon a Time - it belongs to Adam and Eddy, and ABC - I'm just playing in their world :)
This was intended to be romantic and steamy, so hopefully that worked out - it's my first time publishing anything like this, so...bit nervous. Hopefully you like it anyway. Comments always welcome :)
Good Morning, Sweetheart
He lay in the dawn light and just watched his beauty sleep. She looked so peaceful lying there, with the sheets leaving only her arms, shoulders, and neck exposed. Her curly hair lay coiled on the pillow and her head was turned towards him in her sleep. Even in sleep, her face was expressive, and he could see the contentment upon it now as clear as crystal. Gods, she was beautiful: he could not take his eyes off her.
They'd made it back to Storybrooke yesterday, with help once again from Ariel. He had much to thank that mermaid for and he hoped that she would be happy with her prince. He had been angry and terrified at first that she had brought Belle to him, but his brave bookworm had stood her ground and told him that nothing he could do would make her leave his side, ever, and he'd had to concede defeat in the face of her determination. And, once again, he had needed her: their shared dreams had been wonderful, and had been most welcome in that heart of darkness called Neverland, but having Belle physically by his side, helping in his quest to save Henry, and buoying his spirit, had made the ordeal so much easier.
She'd saved his life, too: when all seemed lost, when it appeared as though he was about to die as he fought Pan for Henry, Belle's kiss had saved him. He remembered the touch of her lips on his and the pain slipping from him, as though tight ropes were being loosened and falling away. For the first time in more years than he could count, he'd felt at peace.
He remembered waking many hours later with her by his side. The anxiety and watchfulness on her face eased into a tender smile as he looked at her.
'Henry?' he asked.
'Safe,' she assured him. 'You did it, Rumple: I'm so proud of you.'
He squeezed her hand. 'Pan?'
'Gone,' she said. 'Tinkerbell said that your magic killed him. I-I don't know exactly how: it happened when I kissed you.'
It was then that he felt what was really different. His head felt oddly quiet: no more permutations of possible futures, and the hiss and tingle of the magic he'd been used to feeling was absent. He felt as though a burden had been lifted from him.
'I know what happened,' he said. 'Look at the dagger, sweetheart.'
Belle did as he requested, finding the dagger with his things and looking down at it. She gasped then as she saw what he expected she'd see: his name erased from the blade. The Dark One was gone.
'Rumple,' she breathed: 'Rumple, did I…?'
'Yes, love: you broke my curse.'
She searched his face for any sign of anger, but there was none: he felt only relief and happiness. He was alive, he'd saved his grandson and proven himself better than his father and better than he had thought himself to be, and he had Belle and they could start again.
'Come to me, Belle,' he entreated, and she dropped the dagger and rushed to his side.
He reached up and kissed her deeply, pouring all his gratitude into it.
'Thank you,' he breathed, as they parted for air: 'I love you.'
She smiled. 'Yes, and I love you too.'
The Charmings, Emma, and Regina were grateful, and Henry had begun looking at him like he looked at his other grandfather, so perhaps there was a chance for a better relationship with the boy in the future.
He had seen that they had questions for him, but Belle kept them at bay, saying that he needed to rest. No one argued with her and, as soon as Hook's ship docked in Storybrooke, she took his hand and led him away before the crowd could gather.
He followed her quietly, half amused and half awed at her ability to manage things so easily. There was a time when he had underestimated her, when he had wanted her to lock the doors and stay safe, but then she had retrieved Bae's shawl from Hook and he'd known that he wanted her by his side in every journey: had wanted to make every journey with her. He knew now that it was a mistake to leave her behind when he went to Neverland: she'd followed him there anyway, as she would everywhere, as he would her.
The car was where he'd left it: parked outside Lacey's old haunt. He drove them towards his home, but once they arrived, he found that the place had not been empty while he'd been gone.
A coat, a bag, and a pair of heels in the hall were the first signs of occupation he saw and he turned to Belle.
'You…stayed here while I was gone?'
She nodded. 'I needed to be close to you,' she said softly, and then her eyes filled with tears. 'Rumple,' she whimpered, reaching for him.
He held her, sinking to the floor with her. All this time, she'd been so fearless for him, but now, now that they were alone, she let the mask fall away and showed him her fear.
'I was so scared,' she whispered, her hands gripping his shoulders as he cradled her in his lap. 'I was so frightened for you. If I'd lost you, Rumple, I…'
'But you saved me,' he reminded her, stroking her cheek: 'you found me, Belle, and raised my spirits, and gave me my hope back. Sweetheart, you are the most amazing woman and I honestly don't know what I've done to deserve you.'
She smiled. 'Well, you did give me a library,' she said, 'twice, and you gave me my freedom, more than twice: not to mention the fact that you risked your life to save your grandson. You're a hero, Rumple.' There was a look of immense pride in her eyes and his heart flooded with even more love for her. Her belief in him just left him in awe.
'Your faith in me is the only thing that's ever given me faith in myself,' he told her quietly, and kissed her gently.
She smiled at the sweet sipping kiss he gave her. 'Well, I knew I was right about you,' she said, moving to take her weight off him by kneeling between his legs: 'I knew there was good in you.' She looped her arms around his neck.
'I'm so glad you stuck around to help it along,' he whispered, resting his hands on her waist.
She smiled again. 'You're stuck with me now whether you like it or not.'
'I like it very much,' he murmured, and simply stared up at her.
He wasn't sure that he would ever get over the fact that this brave, clever, beautiful woman had seen something in him that she deemed worthy of her love: that she felt was worth fighting for, but she had never given up, and he felt himself becoming a better man. He felt closer to the best version of himself than he had been in centuries and for that, and for everything she'd given him, he would worship her for the rest of his life, starting right now.
Belle accepted his kiss happily, but after a moment she pulled away, telling him that he needed to rest: he was still weak after the ordeal he'd been through.
'I don't need rest,' he told her, his hands holding her tighter: 'I need you.'
She caught her breath at the growl in his voice: she'd heard him sound like that before, but it had been quite a while, and he was sure she needed the intimacy as much as he did.
She half sighed, half whimpered his name and he kissed her again, pulling her body flush against his, not caring about the awkwardness of their position on the hall floor.
As usual, Belle knew what was needed and she moved again, straddling his legs now and sitting in his lap. He moaned at the feeling and just held her for a long moment.
'I have missed you so much,' he whispered, on the verge of tears suddenly.
She shook a little with her own sob. 'I'm sorry.'
He shook his head. 'No: it wasn't your fault, sweetheart.'
'But I-I was horrible to you,' she said, sounding guilty and ashamed.
'I knew it wasn't really you,' he said; 'besides, I deserved some of that.'
She shook her head vehemently. 'No.'
'I frightened you,' he insisted.
'You didn't mean to: you just wanted me back.' She pulled back to look at him. 'I'm sorry I broke our cup and I'm sorry for the things I said and did as Lacey.'
'I know.' He rubbed her back soothingly. 'I'm sorry for the things I said and did then too.'
She touched his cheek. 'I know.'
He knew they weren't done talking about this, but for now it only mattered that they were both sorry and that they both wanted to make up for those hurts.
'I love you,' she whispered.
'And I love you,' he returned earnestly, and kissed her again.
This time, they allowed the kiss to grow more heated, hands caressing and clinging more and more tightly, as they went from little sipping kisses to desperate, hungry kisses, as if they'd been starved of each other for too long, which they had been.
He savoured her delicious little moans as they began to move against each other, seeking friction, seeking release, but the floor in the entrance hall wasn't the right place for this: he wanted it to be perfect.
'What do you think about continuing this upstairs, sweetheart?' he asked.
'I think that sounds like a wonderful idea,' she murmured.
Silently, they helped each other up from the floor and made their way up to his room, which he quickly saw she had occupied in his absence.
'I hope you don't mind, I–mmm!'
His kiss silenced her and she smiled against his lips, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. As they began to help each other out of their clothes, he wondered if he could get her to move back in officially, but soon the feel of her skin under his hands chased away every thought but the one that involved bringing her pleasure, so he concentrated on that.
'Oh, Rumple,' she sighed out, one hand tangling in his hair as his mouth moved over her breast. 'Gods!' she cried then, feeling his hand caress between her thighs. He smiled against her skin and didn't take long to bring the first wave of pleasure crashing over her.
Their lovemaking was reminiscent of their first time: it felt like they were getting to know each other again, which they were, and he was content to go slow and rediscover everything that brought her pleasure. He could see it was the same for her: she'd smile every time she found something that made him catch his breath, or tremble, or moan, and she'd do it again, just to see the effect of it on him.
That was a little bit of Lacey that remained in her: that sexual bravery. Or perhaps it had always been there and it had just taken Lacey to bring it more to the fore: he suspected that was the truth of it.
'It's different, isn't it?' she asked at one point as they just held each other. She looked into his eyes carefully.
'Yes.' He couldn't lie. She had Lacey's memories: it was bound to be different. She also had Lacey's memories of being with him. It had happened once, after that…incident with the former Sheriff of Nottingham. He'd acted on impulse and adrenaline, and he'd been excited that Lacey liked something about him, but he wished now that he could take it all back.
'I'm sorry, Belle,' he whispered, hoping she knew that Lacey could never compare to her.
She framed his face with gentle hands and smiled, knowing why he was apologising.
'Lacey was very different from me in lots of ways,' she said, 'but like me, she was deeply attracted to you: for all the wrong reasons, of course, but she was attracted to you. You gave her just what she wanted, you know: excitement, danger, and the best sex she'd ever had, but you also give me everything I could ever want, and I know that the way you are with me is the real you. I know that you only did those things with Lacey to try to get me back: I know that you always loved me, so it's ok that you were attracted to and excited by her too.'
She looked a little uncertain now. 'Lacey is part of me now, though, for better or worse. I'm sorry that we can't go back to the way this used to be, but I do like some of the Lacey things about me and I can't ever only be the woman I was before: I'm sorry.'
He shook his head. 'Belle, Lacey's good qualities – her frankness, her fearlessness, her boldness, those are things that I've always seen and loved in you: Lacey just brought them out a little more, I think.'
She smiled a little. 'Well, I did kiss you first,' she said, her eyes twinkling.
He smiled. 'You did, so if Lacey's legacy is a little more of that bravery and fearlessness, then I think I can definitely live with that.'
Her smile turned into a smirk. 'So, are you saying that you like that I'm a little more forward now?'
'You could say that,' he returned.
'Well, let's see just how much you like it.' And she pushed at him until he lay on his back.
He smiled as she leaned down to kiss him and then gave himself up to the pleasure his sweet Belle brought him.
The answer to the question of just how much he liked her forwardness was very much: very, very much indeed.
Eventually, she insisted he rest and he gave in gracefully: he was rather tired after all their activity.
So, he slept, and it was better sleep than he'd gotten in an age, but now he was awake, and he'd been watching Belle sleep for some time, waiting for her to wake so that he could touch and hold her again.
At last, she began to stir, stretching a little, and making sweet little waking up sounds.
He moved closer and gently curled his hand around her neck, his thumb caressing her cheek and jaw.
The corners of her mouth lifted into a soft, sleepy smile and she opened her eyes.
'Good morning, sweetheart,' he whispered.
'Mmm: morning,' she returned, and accepted his good morning kiss happily, her left hand coming up to play with his hair, as her right moved gently over his arm.
'Did you sleep well?' she asked softly.
He smiled. 'I always do when you're beside me.'
'It's the same for me,' she whispered, 'especially since those dreams we shared: I just feel so in tune with you.'
He nodded. 'I feel the same way.'
'Still a little magic left, then.' She smiled.
He smiled too. 'The most powerful magic of all.'
'True love,' she whispered, and reached up for a kiss.
He kissed her back eagerly. He just couldn't get enough of her sweet, intoxicating kisses this morning.
'Mmm, Rumple,' she sighed, stroking his hair back off his face as they both tried to catch their breaths.
He loved that look on her face: that tender smile and soft gaze that spoke of her love for him. No woman had ever looked at him like that, and she had looked at him like that even when he still had the scaly skin and those reptilian eyes. Every time she looked at him like that, he could hardly believe it: could hardly believe his good fortune.
He kissed her again and she moved closer, sliding her upper body beneath his and wrapping her arms around his back. He shivered at the feeling of her hands sliding up and down his back and she smiled and bit her lip.
He curled his hand around her neck again and used his thumb to pull the pink flesh of her lip from between her teeth. Then he kissed her again and licked the spot that she'd bitten, smiling at her low groan and the way she clutched him tighter. He gave one last gentle suck on her bottom lip and pulled back.
'Gods, Rumple,' Belle moaned: 'have I ever told you that you're a wonderful kisser?'
He chuckled. 'Sweetheart, if I am, it's because I'm kissing you. I told you: you make me better.'
'Flattery will get you everywhere,' she whispered, promises shining in her eyes.
'Hmm, I like the sound of that.'
They kissed again and he lifted himself up so that she could position herself beneath him, her thighs ready to cradle him. He could already feel the heat from her core and he wanted so desperately to sink into her, to feel her body around him, but he held back for a moment and just looked at her.
She was breathing deeply, her chest rising and falling in a very appealing way. She was watching him too, waiting, and the look in her eyes was wanting, and full of welcome and promise.
'I need you, Rumplestiltskin,' she breathed, her hands caressing his back again in that way that made him shiver. She reached up and kissed him quickly. 'Come fill me up, love,' she whispered in his ear.
He couldn't have held back then if his life depended on it. She was just everything he'd ever dreamed of, everything he'd always thought he'd never have, and she was here, in his arms, wanting him to make love to her.
'Sweet Belle,' he breathed, as he carefully entered her, loving the way she tilted her head back as her lips parted on a soft moan.
She clutched him tighter as he began to suck and lick at the column of her creamy throat, but he wasn't prepared for that sensuous little roll of the hips she gave and that movement almost undid him.
'Gods, Belle,' he panted, 'I don't know how long this is gonna last with you moving like that.'
She smiled and kissed him. 'Shall I be your undoing, Rumplestiltskin?'
He began to move and she gasped in excitement. 'Only if I can be yours,' he growled.
'Mmm, yes,' she breathed, meeting his thrusts: 'a thousand times, yes, my darling Rumple.'
'My beautiful Belle,' he returned fervently.
They moved together, watching each other, seeing and feeling the tension build. Her flushed face and breathless pants let him know she was coming close to her release, and her movements and her voice in his ear had him close too.
'So good, Rumple,' she moaned, meeting each thrust eagerly: 'so close.'
'Keep talking, sweetheart,' he entreated: 'tell me how I make you feel.'
'Loved,' she breathed, 'and wanted, and so very happy. Oh, gods, there!' she cried, clutching at him as he found that spot twice more before –
'Rumplestiltskin!'
Feeling her, hearing her scream his name, and seeing that beautiful look of bliss on her face brought him his own release and he cried her name over and over.
She held him then as they both came back down to earth. Her fingers stroked through his hair tenderly and his head dropped against her shoulder. The only sound in the room was their deep breathing.
He raised his head to look at her. 'You're incredible,' he whispered, awed.
'So are you,' she returned, and there was that soft gaze and tender smile again.
'Sweetheart, I've dreamed of mornings like this with you,' he confessed. 'I was wondering if maybe you'd think about… moving back in?'
She frowned slightly. 'I thought I already had?'
He smiled warmly. Then he spoke her name reverently and kissed her again. She smiled against his lips and wrapped her arms around him, showing him with just an embrace how welcome he was in her life.
It was not going to be easy. Yes, the Dark One's magic was gone, but Rumplestiltskin still had to live with the consequences of his actions. He had no magical crutch to hide behind now and there were many who wouldn't hesitate to come after him or those he loved. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't afraid, but Belle had taught him not to let the fear consume him, and he wouldn't, not any more.
As long as he had Belle, as long as she held him close like she was doing right now, as long as she kissed him with such tenderness and such desire, he could get through anything. Together, they could do anything.
The End
Thanks for reading :)