A/N: Yep, another Christmas short. Shut up, I like Christmas. None of these really exist in the same universe, so that's why it's all so weird. They could, I suppose, but I don't specifically tailor them to fit together.
Belle sighed as she stared at the beautiful tree. It sparkled in the firelight, a beautiful sight to behold on the cold winter night. It'd been there for nearly a month. Back at the very beginning of December, Belle had managed to haul a pine tree into the dining room and set it up. The week after, she'd decorated it with tinsel made of gold thread and small ornaments she'd bought in the market. The week after that had been spent baking, making all manner of sugary things. Cookies, cakes, and toffees filled her kitchen. Belle had even made treks to the nearest village to hand out the extra. When she hadn't accepted money, people had given her small wrapped gifts. They knew she was a companion to Rumpelstiltskin, knew to treat her with respect. It had been a wonderful outing, experiencing everything in the market place and Belle had pretended for just a moment that this was her childhood home. This was her marketplace, that her mother and father waited her return in their castle. But then the people hadn't been her people and the fantasy was dashed away. Belle had returned home with her gifts and taken a long nap.
Now, beneath the tree, was all assortment of wrapped packages from the people. The Yule log burned in the hearth. Belle had even put on her finest dress, taking care to perfectly curl her hair. But the sun had long since gone down and Belle's shoulders sagged. Her happy eyes for once betrayed her sadness as she slumped into a chair. He wasn't coming.
Rumpelstiltskin had been gone two months making deals. It was Yuletide Eve, a time spent with friends and family. Tonight, Belle had neither. With a heavy heart, she blew out the candles around the room and slowly walked up the stairs. Belle should have known better than to expect him, she knew. Should have known powerful men didn't bow to the wants and wishes of little girls. Belle slowly walked to her room, closed the door, and cried.
Thousands of miles away, Rumpelstiltskin looked at the rising sun. Belle would have gone to bed long ago, her sun having set. She was undoubtedly dreaming sweet dreams of her fiancé and family, sitting around the Yuletide dinner and laughing. He had had no desire to quash her holiday feelings with his monstrous presence. The moment snow had begun falling he had run far away to the lands of sand and sparkling blue water. Belle didn't need him in the way.
But here, far enough away he could safely think about her without foolish impulses, he let himself stop and imagine what they could be like. Bae, back and in his home. Belle by his side on the armchair, snuggled against him. All of them happy, gifts being passed after devouring a feast. He'd give Belle a dozen roses, perfectly preserved from summer. Bae…he'd give Bae a bow and arrow and whatever else his bow wanted. His boy had always loved to shoot. Rumpelstiltskin didn't need anything from them as a gift. If Belle and Bae were with him, there was nothing else he wanted.
An unseasonably cold wind reached up and slapped his face, startling him from his memories. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. Belle could never want him and that was that. He turned back to his room and wished once, just once, that he wasn't so far away from home. He was still there, though. He was still home, if only in his dreams.
