This is set after immediately after Rumple kicks Belle out of the dark castle in 'Skin Deep'. It will be set in FTL, haven't got it all planned, so open to suggestions.

Summery- After rescuing Belle, Rumple changes his appearance to look like the man he think's Belle deserves and wants, she has no idea that it's really Rumple. He doesn't think of the price he has to pay for transforming himself.

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Burning Gold

And all you'll have left is and empty heart…..And a chipped cup

Her voice floated around his head, her soft, sweet, accent wouldn't leave him alone, although her words cut him in a way no one else's words ever had, even Mila calling him a coward and telling him how she wished he was dead, hadn't hurt like this, he still felt some comfort in Belle's words.

It was because she'd said them with such emotion and passion dripping from every word, perhaps it was a sign, it really was a sign that she did truly care for him, that she loved him.

The fleeting kiss they had shared, the one born of true love, the one that almost had him changing into the man he was, the man Belle had made him want to be. As he thought of the kiss that they had shared he found himself, touching his lips with his dirty long talons.

It all proved that she was right, oh that beautiful women was always right. He was a coward, he'd gotten rid of her, not that he didn't feel the same way about her as she'd indicated that she'd loved him but because he didn't think that a beautiful creature such as Belle, didn't deserve to be burdened with the ugly, old, beast, monster that he was.

She deserved far better than the coward her was, a real strong man, who was handsome and a proper gentlemen, who had more to offer her than a large, dark, dusty, cold, cluttered castle. She deserved more than what Rumple could offer her.

The imp looked around his grand hall, around him lay a mix of shattered glass, splinters of wood and shards of broken vases and other antiques he had collected in his three hundred years in this world. All broken because of him and a fit of rage, the stick which had been his tool to cause such devastation lay beside the evidence on the floor, everything looking rather like a crime scene.

Rumplestiltskin noted how the glass shone in the sunlight that streamed in to the room from where a curtain no longer hung over the window like the others, it had been where Belle had pulled it down and almost killed herself in the process, luckily he had caught her. It had been the catalyst that started it all.

His dark, golden eyes shifted to the chipped cup that he'd placed on a small plinth in the middle of the room, it was her cup, his cup, their cup, it was chipped, it was all he had left.

Reaching out for it, Rumple enjoyed the smoothness of the china cup against the scaly, roughness of his skin, taking comfort in the sharpness of the small chip in the golden rim. He needed her, his heart began to beat fast, he wanted her, he had to know if she was okay, if she'd found somewhere, how heartless was he to leave her to walk alone and vulnerable in a woods she didn't know.

As fast as he could he walked to the nearest cloth covered mirror and pulled off the dusty cloth, not caring that for a moment the Evil Queen Regina could see him. "Show me Belle" He demanded.

He watched as the reflection of his beastly form wobbled and shacked in the mirror and soon a new image appeared. It was Belle, walking through the woods, her aqua blue cloak around her, covering her chestnut curls.

His heart rate began to slow, she was okay, she was finding a place to go, she wasn't hurt like he'd thought she may be, she really was the strong brave women he knew she was.

When Rumple was about to turn away, satisfied that she was okay, he noticed two black figures come out of the over growth behind Belle, he noted that the women's pace began to quicken but one of the men grabbed her by the waist before shoving her to the floor, despite how she tried to fight back she couldn't. the words 'Rumple' tumbled from her lips like a silent wish for hope in the darkness.

Rumple had seen enough, he closed his eyes and thought of Belle and where she was and in moments he was surrounded by a purple smoke.

…c\_'/….

It had happened so fast that Belle couldn't really comprehend what was happening to her, she'd been walking alone in the woods, her heart breaking from being rejected by the man she loved, the man that had held her captive in so many ways, in a deal, in her love for him.

She'd felt like was being watched and so she'd decided to walk faster but then she'd felt a strange arm around her waist, then before she knew it, Belle felt like her whole world had been turned upside down, she found herself laying on her back in the dirt road.

The words 'Rumple' fell from her lips without her even really realising it, everything was hazy, the men kept asking her where she thought she was going and where it was that she managed to afford such nice clothing.

"Leave me alone" she yelled at them as one man began to feel up her skirt making her feel very very uncomfortable. "Don't you dare touch me" she kicked the more handsey man hard in the leg.

"Oh, so she's brave" the other man grabbed Belle by the throat and squeaked hard making her choke and writhe on the floor for air, but it was no use, she was losing air and fast.

Just as the Auburn haired women was about to lose consciousness all together she could have sworn she'd seen a familiar puff of purple smoke before she was gone.

"No dearie you are the brave ones" Rumplestiltskin appeared from the shadows, his voice squeaking as he spoke, rolling all of his 'R's'. "Touching, what's mine" he added with a slight possessive tone.

"The Dark one" the man holding Belle's throat let go and fell to his knees in mercy of the all-powerful beast.

Rumple just chuckled before waving a hand, causing both men to disappear, leaving him with an unconscious Belle. He knelt at her side, lifting her gently in his arms before ghosting a hand up and down her body checking her for injuries. He was relieved to find that she was not harmed, except a few minor bruises and grazes.

Once again he clicked his fingers and both he and Belle were in the confines Dark Castle. At First he wasn't sure what he should do, he could wipe her memory and pretend that the previous day had never happened, that he'd never thrown her out, but then, it always came with a price and he wasn't willing to find out what it was.

His second option was to make her comfortable in one of his many spare rooms and wait until morning, until she woke and found herself here again, until she saw him, or until she tried to flee without him knowing, but of course he would know.

Rumple decided the second option was better, at least that way it was up to Belle, she could decide her fate, she always did, he would always let her, she was strong and brave, she didn't need him, not how he needed her.

Moments later her placed her under the white silk sheets which were covered in a winding rose pattern, made from the finest woven gold, the gold he spun from straw. She looked so peaceful as she slept, somehow even more beautiful an angelic if that was possible.

"Sleep well, Belle" he whispered to her before creeping out of the room and into the hallway, once the door was closed he took a moment to breath. He wished somehow there was a third option, some way he could make sure she got the ending with the prince charming she deserved.

An idea hit him after a couple of moments, the idea could lead to a happy ending for both He and Belle. What if he conducted a potion that would change Rumple's appearance? It could change him from looking like the beast he was to the prince she deserved, meanwhile she could be none the wiser, he could pretend that this perfect man he now would be had saved her from the ghastly men.

A delightful, high pitched giggle left his mouth as he practically skipped down the long, dark hall to the highest tower, to his potion room, where he would spend the whole night finding the recipe for and concocting the potion he needed for his transformation.

As the dawn of the next day began to broke, the dark castle was engulfed by a bright, gold, glittering, smoke. Rumple took the potion, changed himself into the man he thought Belle deserved, without a second thought as to the price he would have to pay.

…c\_'/….

Please tell me what you thought, it would mean a lot.

Thanks OMG…..