It had been six weeks. Six long weeks with Belle keeping almost religious vigil beside Rumpelstiltskin, anything and anyone else paling in comparison when it came to her comatose husband. She had had them move him, back to their home, into their bed again. At night, she cuddled close to him as if he was there again, without all the lies and deceit. And during the day, she read to him. Anything, everything, she just wanted her voice to be the first he heard when he awoke. When. She knew he'd come back to her. He had to - after all, they had a happily ever after to complete, didn't they?

On the seventh day of the sixth week, when she woke, she knew something had changed. On his chest was a small piece of paper. Her heart clenched as she recognised the small, precise handwriting that was her husband's.

Hurts. A single word, but it meant the world to Belle. She squealed softly as she clutched it to her chest, before leaning back and putting Rumpelstiltskin's limp arm around her shoulder. "Oh, Rumpel…" She whispered. "I'm sorry you hurt. I don't know how to fix it - Gods know Blue won't help me. And Emma's still missing, you know." She said quietly.

And as easy as breathing, Rumpelstiltskin's eyes opened. She would have missed it, she almost had, if not for the fact that the hand around her shoulder tightened slightly. "Rumpelstiltskin?" she gasped out, tears filling in her eyes already.

"Belle." Rumpelstiltskin acknowledged, his voice hoarse from the disuse it'd been experiencing the past six weeks.

"Rumpel." Belle twisted in his arms so that, while he was still holding her, she could touch his face. "Rumpel." She repeated in shock, awe, and happiness all at once. She had her husband back.

"What… What happened?" Rumpelstiltskin asked in a strained voice, and though he looked as tense as if he was the Dark One and she were his little maid again, he leaned into her touch. Belle's heart leapt.

"The Dark One left you." Belle said shakily, and as if she was hypnotized, she kissed the corner of his mouth. "It's controlling Emma now, but she's a smart girl. I'm sure she can deal with it without you for another week or so." She whispered.
"And what, pray tell, am I going to be doing for this week or so?" Rumpelstiltskin asked in a shaky voice.

"Recuperating. You almost died Rumpelstiltskin." Belle said firmly, touching his cheek. She couldn't stop touching him, and gods damn him, he didn't want her to.

Rumpelstiltskin nodded his consent. "Resting sounds nice…" he murmured, turning to kiss her palm.

Her smile could have lit the room.

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