I really hope you like this AU, its something I have been playing with for a while and have finally gotten around to writing it. Oh and English is not my first language so please excuse any spelling errors.

Mister Gold had a secret, a secret that he could never speak of, because if he did his reputation would be destroyed and he would never be allowed near the little Librarian again. He was in love with the young auburn haired beauty, a Miss Isabelle Cassandra French, Belle to her friends. She had a smile brighter than the mid summer sun and eyes bluer than any ocean, Belle was gorgeous and he couldn't help but love her. Every single thing about her was perfect, the dimples in her cheeks, the way her hair cascaded around her angelic face. Everything.

Three years earlier Belle had taken over the Storybrooke library after she had got her degree in Library Science, and guess who owned the building. She had just put a copy of Wool back on the top shelf when he had entered the building to get the first months rent, seeing her up a ladder in such a short green skirt forced him to accept it, he was hopelessly in love with her. The curve of her hips and the way, despite her height, her legs seemed to go on forever. Just as he approached the ladder and opened his mouth to speak Belle saw him and startled, the next thing he knew she was in his arms, cane abandoned on the floor. He treated himself to a few moments of looking into those impossibly blue eyes then set her down like he'd been burnt.

Since then he had limited his contact with the wonderful Miss French, she didn't deserve some old cripple lusting after her. No, she should have been happy and smiling. He would never let that be taken from her, not while there was still breath in his body. Gold only came into contact with her on rent day, he couldn't take up more of her time than that, wouldn't let himself. On odd occasions he would see her, Ruby and Ariel over at the diner chuckling away about normal young adult things; he let himself smile on those days, a real and heartfelt smile that reminded him he did have a soul. He would never let anyone else see his smile, no, it was just for him; a gift she unknowingly gave him.

It had been three years, fourteen days since she had first taken over the Library, not that he had counted or anything, and Gold treasured every one of those days. Belle had never looked at him with fear or hatred, she was too good a person for that and Gold was grateful she had the decency to act like he was a person and not a monster. No one else would ever show him that.

Belle had enjoyed her lunch, but like always work called. It had just gone one-thirty when she forced herself up from the red booth and left Granny's, head buried in a book as always. They truly were her passion. Over the years Belle had grown rather skilled at navigating the streets while reading, so good that she only had to look up once or twice on most trips. Mister Gold had meant to bring an antique clock with him for a client he was to meet in his shop at two, but somehow he had managed to forget all about it leaving the clock in his home office, resulting in the silent cursing to himself as he locked the shop up to go and get it. It was a nice day, sun shining, clouds white and fluffy. He saw Belle just about to cross the road her nose still in her book, he would have smiled...if he hadn't seen what was coming.

Belle had just gotten to her favourite line when...she didn't know. Everything happened so very fast, one moment she was reading and walking and the next she was on the floor with her book flying across the asphalt. There was a loud thud and a car skid behind her. It took a few moments but Belle managed to turn around and see the carnage. There was so much blood, so much. The grey car had stopped and people were quickly gathering around. Gold, he was on the floor. Blood staining his white shirt a devil red. She could still feel his hands on her back, he'd pushed her, saved her. Again! Tears poured down her face, was he dead? Was he in pain? Had her clumsiness killed him? A sound echoed through her ears so loud and so high-pitched that it was painful, about a minuet passed before she realised the sound was her, screaming for someone to help him; anyone.

The next few hours went in a bluer for Belle, the ambulance, nurse's and doctor's checking her over, Emma asking her question after question. She couldn't answer, Belle was too lost in what had happened. Gold had saved her. From nowhere she found her voice, it was timid and quiet but a voice nonetheless.

"Is he alive?" She asked the Sheriff.

Emma seemed taken back by the question, it was safe to say she hadn't been expecting it. The blonde sighed.

"He em...yes he's alive. Gold is in surgery at the minuet."

Alive! He was alive. Belle had never felt such relief, it wrapped around her like a cape of warmth. Instantly things seemed a little brighter.

XXXX

"Here you go, Sweetheart." Her father said handing her a cup of steaming tea.

He had fussed over her since the moment he got to the hospital to pick her up. Then again that was what father's did, worry about their children. Belle had lost her mother long ago and was an only child so her father fussed and worried more than normal.

"Thanks." She managed in a half-hearted tone.

Belle took a long sip of the dark and warm liquid. It worked its way around her blood, heating her blood stream and soothing the agony in her body. Belle had escaped the accident with nothing more than a mild concussion and a few scrapes and bruises. There was one or two deeper gashes but her injuries were nothing compared to Mister Gold's. Moe French didn't seem to really care about what had happened to Gold, nor did he seem to acknowledge that the so-called town monster had saved her life. In fact, her father was acting like Mister Gold didn't even exist.

"Oh, I was so worried Belle." He began. "Thinking I'd lost you, I can't even describe..." Moe stifled his tears. "...but you are home now, safe."

Belle had no idea what to say, most people would have been shaken and scared for their life, but Belle was scared for Mister Gold's. He had always been so nice to her, polite and on many occasions he had even been sweet. Sometimes he had brought her coffee claiming that any waitress other than Ruby had gotten his order wrong, the memory made Belle smile. Most people thought she just drank tea, but Belle did have a soft spot for Cappuccino. It was the second time he had saved her life, the first being when she was on that damn ladder, then the car and she couldn't help but wonder if she would ever get to thank him. Belle had seen him by the door to his shop locking up and then seconds later...it had happened...the tragedy. He had moved so quickly, lightning quick, saved her in a heartbeat. His cane had been left by the shop she had seen it when the ambulance arrived, just lying there like an old and forgotten relic, a symbol of the fallen monster.

"I love you, Belle."

Moe sat down beside her, his words dragging her from her thoughts. There were tears building in his eyes ready to burst fourth like a broken dam of pure emotion. In seconds her cheek was pressed to her father's chest as he held her in a warm embrace, his heart ached at the thought of how close he had come to losing the only family he had left. She was the brightest of stars on the blackest of nights, a blessing to him and it would have killed him to lose her. Belle clung to her Papa's practically threadbare jumper breathing him in, the combination of pollen, leaf shine and coffee that was so comforting in that moment.

"I love you too, Papa." She managed.

XXXX

Belle didn't sleep that night, couldn't bring herself to. Every few hours Moe had come to check on her so she pretended to be asleep, better that than worrying him further; eventually he fell into a dreamland and Belle was left in peace. She lay there staring up at the white ceiling her mind darting back and forth with horrid memories. She remembered the screeching of tires and the thud as the car struck Mister Gold, Belle still felt his hands on her back, they were bigger than they looked, stronger too.

The auburn haired beauty blinked away her acidic tears, Gold was a good man, she knew that even if no one else did. She couldn't bear the thought of him dying, it would be her fault, if he did die Belle would never forgive herself. No one else in the town would be shedding tears for Mister Gold, many like her Papa probably wouldn't accept his bravery but Belle would. She cried for him. She saw his bravery. Mister Gold had saved her not once but twice, he was twice a hero, her hero.

When sleep did take her Belle found herself back at Main Street, glass in her hair and her face pressed into the hard floor. She forced herself to her feet and turned to look at Mister Gold. His suit was ruffled and his face bloody, eyes closed. There was glass in his hair too and she eventually realised it had come from the windscreen where he had bounced off it. Blood dripped down the remnants of the shattered glass, half coagulated. Everything was silent, no bird chirps, no people other than her and Gold. This world was in her head, her subconscious finally fitting all those tiny details together in a way she could understand. Belle's conscious brain hadn't let her fit everything together because she had been in far too much shock, her dream analysis of what had happened was far calmer. She looked up to see the saddened sky filled with sorrow lined clouds, when it had actually happened the sky had been alight with the golden sun, but this was her dream and so the sky reflected her emotions. Belle had no idea how she felt, her heart couldn't make her brain understand and Belle thought that she may never know how she felt seeing him lying there, knowing he was in surgery, she had asked again about him before they left the hospital; he had still been in the O.R. She looked across her dreamland to Mister Gold's Pawn Shop, the cane still laying there forgotten. He had run, had to have, dropped the cane and run to her on the other side of the road. He truly was her hero. The tires screeched again echoing through her ears and waking her with a start.

Though she was awake again Belle didn't move, her mind too busy talking. What if he dies? Her brain asked her. Would anyone mourn him? I've never seen his family, surely he has someone. Would anyone care? Yes. Yes, Belle ca re d. What if he lives? Will anyone visit him or will he be all alone in the hospital? Belle sat upright in her soft bed hands pressing her grazed palms into the mattress to support herself. In that moment she made a vow to Mister Gold, a moonlit vow that only she would know. Belle spoke it aloud to the empty room .

"I'll visit you. You won't be alone, I promise."