A/N: This story is being written after 2x05 "The Doctor" has aired. It takes place in the future of Storybrooke (2 years or so) and will probably be AU before the season is done. However anything cannon up to "The Doctor" episode will still be cannon here.
"Let me help you," young Henry Swan insisted laying his stack of books on the counter and walking over to the brunette beauty perched on the ladder returning books to their proper location on one of the top shelves.
"Well I'm up here already," Belle said smiling down at him. "But you can hand me up the books." She rubbed her 7 months pregnant belly and was grateful she wouldn't have to traipse up and down the ladder to shelve the remaining books on the cart. She wiped the back of her hand across her brow, lamenting that putting the books away had never caused her to sweat so profusely before she got pregnant.
Henry watched the librarian closely as she climbed down the final rungs of the ladder. "Are you sure you're all right, Belle? Your face is red…" He frowned slightly as she shooed him toward the circulation desk to check out his books.
The library was busier than it usually was on a Saturday morning due to a program Belle had started for middle school aged children to teach them about travel in this new land in which they had suddenly found themselves. The curse had kept everyone hazy about life outside of Storybrooke and she hoped that she could spark an interest in travel (for when the spell barrier preventing everyone from leaving was finally broken). Many of the children who had learned about India and its customs in the session this morning were now scouring the bookshelves for the delights they had gained knowledge of in the way of Indian culture, food, and crafts. Some were browsing other sections while waiting for their parents to retrieve them.
"What are the boxes for?" Henry asked, pointing to a stack by the door.
"Oh." Belle looked over at them as if she had forgotten their existence. "I'm moving the last of my things into Mr. Gold's house this weekend and I'm going to rent out the apartment upstairs."
Although Belle and Mr. Gold were engaged and not yet married, the impending arrival of their bundle of joy had progressed their relationship along. Much to her father's chagrin, she was returning to the so-called Pink Palace on Dogwood Avenue (for good this time). The beauty laughingly referred to the child growing inside her as "our little engagement souvenir" as she was not shy about when conception probably took place.
"Don't look so glum, Henry," She said with a pout, mocking the child's own expression. "I'll keep the library open until the baby's born and then I'll be back a few weeks later." Belle began scanning his books with flourish to get a smile out of him. It worked.
"Maybe I could help sometimes…you know if you can't make it-" He stopped mid-sentence. Belle's face had gone white and she was sweating profusely. "Are you okay?"
Pushing sweat drenched curls back from her face, Belle blinked a few times and took a deep breath. She suddenly felt as if she would be sick. Holding onto the circulation desk for support she licked her lips a few times before asking Henry to run down the street to get Mr. Gold. Turning back briefly he saw Belle's eyes flutter back in her head as she slid to the floor.
The boy's heart pounded as he was caught between running for the pawnshop and going to Belle's side, but the decision was made for him when Ruby pushed past him from the sidewalk. The tall brunette had apparently been coming to visit Belle with breakfast and had witnessed the whole thing on her way inside. She dropped the Styrofoam container and cup she had in her hand from Granny's, iced tea mixing with blueberry pancakes on the sidewalk and carpet.
"Oh my God, Belle!" Ruby breathed rushing to her friend's side and dialing 911 while ordering one of the patrons of the library to get water and the others to give her some room. Knowing that Ruby would take care of Belle, Henry sprinted toward Mr. Gold's Pawn Shop on the next block and nearly put his shoulder through the glass trying to open the door. The bell over the door strained against the bar it was suspended from and Henry briefly thought he had broken it.
Mr. Gold appeared from his office in the back. He opened his mouth to make a quip about the door slamming open, but stopped short when he saw Henry and the pained look on his face. "What is it, lad?" Gold asked with growing panic and more than a little suspicion.
As Henry gulped in air, all that could be made out was, "Belle", "pale", "floor". The Pawn Broker didn't wait to hear any more. He grabbed his cane and was rushing up the sidewalk before the young boy had a chance to catch up.
When Henry made it back to the library, his mom was in full "Sheriff Swan" mode and was ushering patrons out of the library. He could hear the ambulance sirens in the distance and knew they were headed that way. The boy pushed past the exiting bodies, their concerned chatter drowning out his mom talking on the radio and the ambulance wails. Henry made his way to stand in the corner but almost tripped over Mr. Gold's cane, which had apparently been dropped when the man entered and saw Belle. No one seemed to notice or care that they were dragging pancake and iced tea muck over the carpet from where it had been spilled in the doorway. Henry picked up the cane and stood quietly in the corner watching the scene in front of him.
The boy had always been told he was very mature and perceptive, but nothing prepared him for seeing Cameron Gold, Rumpelstiltskin himself, crouched over Belle French and pleading for her to open her eyes. It was perhaps the most intimate and adult scene he had ever witnessed and for once he was glad he was a kid and not expected to make heads or tails of the situation. Clutching Mr. Gold's cane, Henry pleaded silently along with the Pawn Broker for Belle to open her lovely blue eyes.
The mantra was broken for both boy and man, when the paramedics clattered into the library with the stretcher, Emma on their heels. Henry was once again relieved when Ruby related what had happened and he was not called from his dark corner where he clutched Mr. Gold's cane as if it were protection from this situation. He nearly jumped out of his skin when a hand touched his shoulder.
"C'mon kid, we don't need to watch this," Emma said softly to him as they lifted Belle onto the stretcher and placed oxygen over her nose and mouth. Henry's eyes were riveted to what looked to be a swath of color pooling on the floor where the petite librarian had been lying. He turned questioning eyes to Emma.
"I've got to give Mr. Gold his cane…he'll need it," Henry stated lamely.
"And we'll do just that, kid," Emma nodded putting an arm around him and leading him out quickly to the car. "We're going to give Ruby a ride to the hospital; you can give it to him then. I'm sure he'll be grateful you retrieved it for him." Henry nodded and clamored into the backseat of the police cruiser.
Everyone was silent for the ride over: Ruby alternately texting someone and staring out the window, his mom's eyes on the road. Henry clutched the cane and for the first time in his life, closed his eyes and prayed for someone else.