A/N: This is a tag to the second season episode The Queen of Hearts. This what might have happened after everyone left Gold's shop at the end of the episode.
Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon A Time or any character associated with it, no copyright infringement is intended.
Peace at last, Mr. Gold thought.
The Charmings, Ruby and the dwarves left the shop with Henry in tow to celebrate their happy Snow White and Emma's return from the Enchanted Forest. They left Gold and Regina in the store.
He couldn't resist twisting the knife in Regina as the others left. "Congratulations dear, you've reunited mother and son. Maybe someday they'll even invite you to dinner."
She stayed there for a few moments, her face revealing just how broken her heart was. Eventually, though, she left.
Finally, Gold thought, peace and quiet. No more questions to answer. No more accusations from the citizens of Storybrooke, at least until tomorrow. Just a little solitude. He needed it solitude and rest now. He had been attending to the potential problem of Cora since yesterday, when Regina interrupted his lunch date with Belle.
He sighed at that. He would have to find a way to make it up to Belle.
Tomorrow.
Tonight, he just wanted to rest.
"Rumple?"
He turned to see Belle had entered through his workshop.
He smiled.
Well, why put off tomorrow what you can do tonight? "Hey."
"Tell me it isn't true. Tell me you didn't do what everyone is saying you did."
No rest for the wicked, Gold thought. Apparently he had more accusations to face. But it wasn't just any citizen accusing him this time. Belle counted for more than the rest. He briefly considered feigning innocence, but rejected it. She deserved better than that. She was the one person he truly felt accountable to.
Besides, she would probably see through it.
" I assume you mean the portal. I'm sorry if you think it was wrong, but I was protecting us. It was the only way I could be sure Cora wouldn't come through the portal. I mean, I'm glad Miss Swan and her mother survived but we couldn't know they would. Or even that our message had got through to them."
"I'm not talking about that. I'm not sure that was the best choice, but I meant working with Regina."
"Regina?"
"You know what she did to me. How could you work with her? How …"
Gold lifted his hand to interrupt her. "Remember how I said I have a complicated relationship with everyone in town? My relationship with her is even more complicated than with most."
"You tried to kill her."
"That's not precisely true."
"You tried to summon a wraith to kill her."
"That's not really what a wraith does."
"That's not the point."
"Then what is Belle?"
"After all she's done, how could you work with her?"
A thousand thoughts came into his head at once, he held his hand up as he sorted them out in his head. Bell looked at him quizzically as he did so.
"Belle, whatever either of us thinks of Regina, the truth is I helped make her what she is. She enacted the curse I devised. The curse that brought me here to this world. In making her ready to use it I …" he couldn't finish vocalizing the thought.
"Made her into a monster."
"As much a one as I am. And as bad as Regina is, Cora is worse."
Belle gave him one of her piercing looks, like she was trying to read his soul. He found it unnerving and endearing at the same time.
"You're afraid of her?"
"I'm afraid of what she might do. Regina was right, I have something to lose because now there is someone I care about. Someone Cora could hurt. I can't let her, and Regina is one of the few people who could help me. In this particular situation, she was the only one who could."
Bell stepped closer. "Are you afraid right now?"
"Right now? No. I'm relieved. Cora isn't here and you're safe. That's all I need."
"I wish you had told me."
"I'm sorry. I had to act quickly."
"You were wrong you know. Cora didn't come through the portal. So there's nothing to worry about."
"We'll see."
"You think she might come?"
"I've learned not to underestimate Cora. As I'm learning not to underestimate Miss Swan or her parents."
"This Cora, is she as bad as Regina?"
"Worse. Regina, at least, is capable of love. She loves Henry, after all. Cora doesn't love anyone. How can she? She doesn't have a heart."
"What do you mean?"
"She removed it long ago. She thinks love is weakness."
Belle gave a silent and derisive chuckle, almost a grunt.
"What?" Gold asked.
"She's wrong there. Love is strength. More than that, it's power."
"Really? How can you be so sure?"
She smiled a knowing smile as she wrapped her arms around him. "Let me show you."
She started kissing him.
It occurred to Gold that he still had to make it up to Belle for having their date interrupted. It also occurred to Gold, Belle knew exactly how she wanted him to do it.
He lead her to the bed Charming had slept on and made it up to her as she showed him a little about the power of love.