A little oneshot that was too long to fit in Taming the Beast. A snowstorm hits Storybrooke and Belle faces a daunting prospect. Enjoy.
Disclaimer: Not mine!
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Okay, maybe going to the library with a storm encroaching wasn't the best idea Belle had had in a while.
Before she left home, her husband had urged her to stay home for the day. She was, after all, nine months pregnant and almost ready to pop. But she had cheerfully pointed out that people still wanted to learn, so it was her duty to open the library for the people of Storybrooke. He continued to argue until she kissed him and left the safety and warmth of their home. She had layered herself in a thick sweater and a toasty jacket, as well as a scarf, gloves and boots, but the cold weather still left her teeth chattering. The sky was cloudy and gray overhead as she walked to the library.
Once she was at the library, she quickly turned on the lights and turned up the thermostat, hoping the warmth would settle in quickly. As soon as she felt the heat on her cheeks, she breathed a sigh of relief and began peeling off the extra layers of clothing. Her back had begun to ache and her baby was unusually calm. Ever since she first began moving in her mother's womb, she was a constant flurry of activity, eager to join the rest of the world. She especially liked when her mother danced and her father read to her, which he did quite often. Belle already loved her baby daughter, and so did Rum.
An hour after opening the library, the pain in Belle's back had not improved. She was just considering leaving the library when the door flew open and Emma and Henry barreled inside. She slid off of her chair and greeted the mother and son warmly. "Good morning, Emma. Henry."
Emma gave Belle a distressed and annoyed look. "Have you looked outside in the last hour?"
"No. Why? What's wrong?"
"Snow."
Belle looked out the window, and sure enough, she couldn't see through the thick sheets of falling snow. How on earth had she missed that? Her hand absently came to rest on her abdomen.
"We ducked in here to get out of it. Looks like we're stuck for a while."
"I can't think of a better place to be stuck than in a library," Belle murmured as the skin of her abdomen rippled beneath her hand.
Henry approached Belle, a wondrous smile on his little face. "When are you gonna have your baby, Belle?" he asked, unable to hide his excitement.
Belle smiled warmly at the young boy. "Soon," she replied. "Very soon."
"Cool!" Henry looked up at his mom and beamed.
"Yeah, very cool," Emma agreed, glancing around the large library.
The lights suddenly flickered ominously overhead, and Belle winced as the pain in her back worsened.
"Hey, are you okay?" Emma asked, gently taking Belle's elbow. "You don't look so hot."
"I think I should sit down…"
Muttering under her breath, Emma pulled Belle toward the closest chair and urged her to sit down. "I'm going to call Gold."
"No, I'm fine…"
"No arguments." Emma dug her phone out of her pocket and searched through the numbers until she found Gold's. But her phone had no signal, and she growled. "Damn it."
Belle suddenly leaned over, one arm wrapping firmly around her swollen belly. She suddenly felt nauseous and uncomfortably warm. Oh, Rum was never going to let her forget this…
"Emma?"
Emma looked up from her wretched phone. "What is it, Belle?"
"I think my baby is coming."
Henry's eyes widened as Emma swore and tossed the phone onto the reception desk.
"Cool!"
Gold had a bad feeling from the start.
After Belle had left the safety of their home, he had been worried about her. The weather was not kind to his knee, and on this particular day, he had decided to stay home instead of going to the shop. He had hoped Belle would do the same and they could spend the morning in bed or putting the finishing touches on the baby's nursery. He couldn't help smiling at the thought of their baby. Belle insisted the baby was a girl, but Gold found himself occasionally hoping for another son. This child could never replace Bae, and for a while, he had been so sure he would sire no more children. But when Belle told him she was pregnant, he was thrilled and only a little terrified. He was much older than he had been when Bae was born, and Bae had been taken from him. Could he chance losing another baby? He would never turn his back on Belle and their unborn babe, but the fear lurked in the back of his mind, right alongside the voice of the Dark One. He was a terrible father. Belle would eventually realize this and take their child away from him, leaving him alone once more.
He couldn't let that happen.
Belle shifted uncomfortably in the bed Emma had helped her to. Before she had moved in with Rum, she had lived in the little apartment above the library. It was comfortable and clean, and she made it a point to keep clean sheets and duvets on the bed, just in case someone needed to use it.
She winced and changed her position, hoping to alleviate some of the pain. She had read countless books on pregnancy and delivery, and she was belatedly realizing that the pain she had been feeling all morning was most likely labor pains. Her water had already broken while she was downstairs, nearly sending Emma into a graceless panic.
"Okay, the storm is bad," Emma announced as she climbed up the stairs leading to Belle's bed. "I can't even get my car to start, and the phone downstairs is dead."
The lights flickered again and finally went out, submerging them in semi-darkness. Emma groaned. "And now we have no electricity."
Belle didn't understand why Emma was so concerned. She was from a time when women gave birth in their own home, with only the help of a midwife. The only thing she was concerned about was her husband. She wanted him close as she gave birth to their first child, but if the storm didn't let up or Emma could not get her phone to work, he wouldn't be aware of the situation until it was too late.
The room still had a fair amount of light thanks to a large window on the far side of the room. Belle shifted again and breathed through a strong contraction. "Emma…"
"I know." Emma's voice was soft, lacking her usual hardened edge. "Your contractions are about seven minutes apart."
"What does that mean?" Henry asked excitedly as he stampeded up the stairs.
"It means Belle's baby is going to be here soon, kid." Emma turned toward her son. "And I have a job for you."
"You do?"
"Yep." Emma handed her phone to Henry. "I want you to take my phone and try to call Mr. Gold. Can you do that?"
"Yeah!" Henry took the phone and ran back down the stairs. Emma sighed in relief and returned to Belle's side.
"You may have to have this baby right here, Belle."
"It's okay," Belle assured her. "Everything will be okay."
"Shouldn't I be the one trying to reassure you?"
Belle laughed softly, but the sound was quickly stifled when she felt another contraction coming. She moved around in the bed, groaning softly.
"Hey…" Emma sat down on the edge of the bed and took Belle's hand. "Squeeze my hand."
Belle did as Emma instructed, and once the contraction passed, she slumped back against the pillows and closed her eyes. "I wish my husband was here," she whimpered.
"Henry is trying to get him," Emma said valiantly.
She just hoped they would be able to reach him in time.
Gold was just contemplating braving the snow to get to the library when his phone rang. He quickly grabbed it, answering anxiously. "Belle?"
There was silence for a moment, then a small voice came through on the other end. "Mr. Gold?"
"Henry? What do you need?"
The static was heavy as he struggled to understand what the young prince was saying.
"Snow…library…Belle's baby…"
The baby… A cold fear slithered around his heart and gripped tightly. "Is Belle okay, Henry? What happened?"
"…Hurry!"
The line went dead. "Gods!" Gold shoved his phone into his pocket and pulled on his jacket. Then he grabbed his cane and limped to the front door, yanking it open. Almost instantly he was hit by the full force of the storm, but he struggled against it and stepped outside. Belle was in trouble, and nothing would stop him from getting to her side.
"Emma! I did it!"
Henry's voice reverberated off the walls as he ran up the stairs, waving the phone in his hand.
Emma looked over her shoulder at her son.
"I called Mr. Gold! I think he's coming!"
"Good job, kid! Now I need you to go back downstairs and watch for him. Can you do that?"
"Of course I can." Henry hurried back down the stairs, leaving Emma alone again with Belle.
"Rum…" Belle twisted in the sheets, her hair damp with sweat.
"Shh, he's coming, Belle," Emma assured the frightened young woman. "Everything is going to be okay."
She could only hope she would be able to deliver on her promise.
Thanks to the storm, what was normally a ten minute walk took almost a half-hour for Gold. The snow was falling fast, and he had to move slower than he liked to keep from slipping on the ice. But eventually he could see the library, and he moved faster, ignoring the twinge in his knee.
"I'm coming, Belle."
Henry could hear Belle screaming upstairs, and he wanted to be up there helping. But his mom wanted him to stay there and watch for Mr. Gold, so he reluctantly stayed glued to the window and watched.
Just when he thought he wouldn't be able to stay still for another second, Henry saw a figure through the falling snow. He ran to the door and flung it open, shielding his eyes against the blinding white with his hand. "Mr. Gold!"
Gold limped into the library, shivering and wet. "Where is Belle, Henry?" he demanded.
"Upstairs. My mom's with her!"
The look on Mr. Gold's face scared Henry. "Regina is with her?"
Henry rolled his eyes. "No, my mom! Emma!"
"Oh…" Gold rubbed his hand over his face. "Stay down here, Henry."
"But…"
Before he could protest, Mr. Gold hurried up the stairs and out of his sight.
"Man…"
Belle was feeling the need to push when the door flew open, and there he was. She cried out in relief. "Rum…"
Emma was at the foot of the bed, her mouth drawn in a tight line. She glanced over her shoulder in time to see Gold limping across the floor. "Good timing."
"Why haven't you called for an ambulance, Sherriff Swan?"
"In case you haven't noticed, the roads are impassible and we have no electricity, let alone phone service. I'm not even sure how Henry was able to call you."
"Rum, I need you…" Belle groaned again and shook her head. "I have to push."
"Okay. You can do this, Belle."
Gold limped over to the bed and sat down, taking Belle's hand. "I knew I shouldn't have let you leave," he grumbled as he leaned over and kissed Belle's damp temple.
Belle leaned into him. "Just hold me," she begged as the need to push intensified.
"Of course, dearest." Moving closer to her, he wrapped his arm firmly around her shoulders and he let her grasp his hand as tightly as she possibly could.
Drawing her strength from his presence, Belle began to push. She was terrified and exhilarated and breathless all at once. Her baby was coming.
Another push, and Emma grinned. "I can see the head."
"Keep pushing, sweetheart," Gold encouraged. "She'll be here soon."
"Not soon enough!" Belle panted, holding even tighter to her husband's hand.
Finally Emma held the baby's head in her hand. Another push and the shoulders emerged. That was the worst part. She talked Belle through it, and neither woman seemed to notice the look of terror on Gold's face.
"One more push, Belle!" Emma quickly began cleaning fluid away from the baby's nose and mouth. The little body was cradled safely in her hands after one final push from Belle, and Emma quickly wrapped the newborn in a towel she had found in the closet.
"Is she okay?" Belle was weak and trembling as her ears strained to hear the baby's first cries.
A split-second later, the baby let out an angry squeal. Emma laughed as she tied off the umbilical cord and gently placed the baby on Belle's chest.
Belle felt her heart swell as she wrapped her arms around her baby for the first time. "Shh, dear heart," she whispered.
Gold stared at his wife and daughter, mouth slightly agape and brown eyes wide.
Smiling, Emma grabbed another towel and began wiping at her hands. "Congratulations, you two. She's beautiful."
"She…" Gold repeated, stunned.
"She," Emma affirmed with a knowing smile.
Belle leaned into her husband and rested her head on his chest. "Hello, Abigail Rose," she whispered. Abigail had a head full of dark, curly hair, and her mouth resembled a tiny rosebud. She was so small and fragile, and at the same time, she wasn't. Belle looked up at her husband and smiled tiredly. "She's here."
"Yes, she is, darling." He slid his arm under Belle's and held the both of them close. "And she is absolutely perfect."
"Of course." Belle yawned and closed her eyes. Her lips curved up in a smile when she felt her husband's lips on her forehead.
The last thing she heard before she gave into slumber was Rum's voice.
"I love you, my little Belle."
The following night, Gold yawned as he sat in the rocking chair in the corner of their bedroom. At his insistence, both Belle and Abigail had been taken to the hospital and given a clean bill of health. Then they were sent home, and suddenly they were a family.
Hearing the floorboards creak softly, Gold looked up. Belle was standing in front of him, her beautiful eyes warm and full of love. "What are you doing up, dearest?" he whispered, keeping his voice low as to not disturb his tiny daughter, who was sleeping soundly against his bare chest.
"I was lonely." She held out her hand. "Come back to bed."
His eyes flickered down to their sleeping daughter.
"Bring her."
Finally he nodded and allowed Belle to help him up. Together they made their way to their bed. Belle waited patiently for him to slide onto the bed. Then she climbed into the bed as well.
"I suppose the nursery was a waste," Gold chuckled, motioning to the crib resting against the far wall and the rocking chair next to the window.
"I suppose it was." Belle slid underneath the covers, then turned onto her side and snuggled into him.
Gold rested his little daughter in the crook of his left arm. Then he placed his right hand on his wife's thick hair. He had lost her once, and he had been terrified he would lose her in the library. But they were both healthy and safe with him. And he would do anything to keep it that way. "I love you, Belle."
Belle let out a dreamy sigh. "Love you, too, Rum."
And once again, all was right in his little world.
Fin.
A/N: Hope this wasn't too mushy! I do love RumBelle so. Hehehe. Thanks for reading, and please review!