Disclaimer: All fanfiction writing comes with a price...and mine is having to write this stupid disclaimer. I do not own Once Upon a Time. Much like General Hospital, it is owned by the evil villains at ABC/Disney.
Author's Note: For the sake of this story, we are going to make the timeline a little AU. The curse is going to hit not long after the events of Skin Deep in this story. We are also going to examine how life would have been different if Rumpelstiltskin had broken the curse of the Dark One while still in FTL.
Author's Note II: This is not going to be a very long story. Five to ten chapters at most. I'm just trying to dip my toes back into the world of writing for fandoms instead of writing RPFs.
Belle nervously paced back and forth in her tiny cell. She couldn't believe that she had been foolish enough to fall for the Evil Queen's tricks!
Rumpelstiltskin was furious with her...and he had every right to be. She had no idea that he wanted to remain under his curse. She had no idea why he would choose to carry such an awful burden but if she knew him like she thought she did, she knew that whatever his reason, it was a good one.
Suddenly, she heard footsteps approaching in the corridor and she knew it was him. He could have easily used magic to bring himself to the dungeons but Belle knew that when he was angry or upset he preferred to travel by foot to give himself time to think and collect his emotions
His gold-tinted, scale covered face appeared but it was expressionless as he opened the door.
Once he had entered, he just stood and stared at her for a moment.
"So, what are you going to do to me?" Belle pushed herself to ask.
She knew that he wouldn't kill her. The fact that she had almost broken his curse with a simple kiss proved that wither he wanted to admit it or not, he loved her. So, no, he wouldn't kill her. He wouldn't be able to bring himself to do it. But there was a very good chance that he would send her away...and that was the last thing in the world that she wanted.
Where would she even go? She couldn't return to her father's land. Everyone knew that she had been living alone with the Dark One. The whispers about her tainted virtue would be unbearable to live with. Not to mention the fact that her father would probably still insist on her marrying Gaston. She couldn't do that. If she couldn't marry her true love then she would never marry. It was Rumpelstiltskin or no one for her.
"You didn't know the Queen's true motives." It was a statement, not a question and it was said with no anger. Did this mean that he had forgiven her?
"Of course not!" She said softly. "Your destiny is yours and yours alone. Only you can break your curse...when you choose. That choice is not mine to take from you, Rumple."
"No, it is not, dearie." He slowly shook his head. "But it is mine to give you."
"What are you talking about?" She asked in hopeful confusion.
"I have some explaining to do, dearie." He took a step closer and truly surprised her (and startled her a little) when he placed a claw-like hand on each one of her hips. "You have a right to certain truths before you can make an honest choice. If you can live with what you hear, we can...negoatiate breaking the curse of the Dark One." When he gave his trademark maniacal giggle Belle could have sworn she heard an undercurrent of desire hidden within it.
"And if we break your curse - what then?" Belle asked. She had to make sure that she was understanding him correctly. It certainly sounded like she was getting her wish...the chance to actually be with him.
"Well, then, dearie...you will get to find out exactly what I'm capable of doing to you." He leaned forward and lightly nipped her earlobe.