A/N: On we go with chapter 2. I hope any fellow RumBellers out there enjoy the new episode tonight (in the US) or on Wednesday if you're with me in the UK. I do hope you are enjoying the story, I would love to hear your thoughts.

Just a quick note to say that along with not bringing Elsa back from the past I've also not brought Marian back so for all you OutlawQueen shippers, Regina and Robin are getting on just fine xx

The Sound of Hope

Belle stirred as the first rays of sunlight fell on her face. She stretched languidly, reaching beside her on instinct but instead of the warm body she was used to she felt nothing but thin air. Her eyes opened in alarm before she took in the back room of the shop that stretched out before her. It had been the early hours of the morning when they had headed back to the shop, their investigation into Grace Madden's disappearance offering nothing but dead ends as Rumpel failed to detect any magical reason why she had disappeared from the woods. She had wanted to go home, knowing that if they went to the shop there was no way she would be able to persuade Rumpel to rest but he had refused and she knew it would only cause an argument to insist otherwise. Instead she had accompanied him, helping him where she could until exhaustion won out and he had guided her to the small cot, covering her with the threadbare blanket that he kept there.

Her eyes focused a little more and she caught sight of her beloved, his back to her as he knelt before one of the jam packed bookcases that lined the far wall. Several books already sat in a pile beside him, some pages marked by sheets of paper bearing his familiar handwriting.

"Any news?" she said, her voice rough from sleep.

"What the devil…" he exclaimed turning to her in surprise, "Gods I thought you were asleep."

Belle couldn't help but laugh, reminded of the number of times she had caused him to jump in surprise when she had first moved into the Dark Castle. He had been so used to living alone that even walking into the room and seeing her cleaning had startled him. She had made it a game when she realised, deliberately seeking to startle him but he had soon turned the tables and she found herself rounding corners into the apparition of a dragon or troll or other foul beast that had her screaming and then giggling when she realised he meant her no harm. The game had continued for the entirety of her stay, one of the times she could guarantee seeing a genuine smile on her face when she berated him over their tea for the newest image that had chased her through the corridors.

She came back to herself as she felt the cot dip, unsure when he had crossed the room to sit beside her. She smiled up at him as he brushed her mussed hair from her eyes, the touch gentle and reverent.

"You were miles away my love," he said.

"Back home," said Belle, sitting up and poking him gently, "Remembering all the times you jumped sky high when I walked into a room and you forgot you'd got yourself a maid."

Rumpel smiled, "It was usually from the guilt that I'd been thinking utterly inappropriate thoughts about said maid," he said before his face grew serious, "They still haven't found Grace and I can find nothing to explain how she could just disappear without magical interference."

"You'll find something darling, you always do," she assured him, "Is there any news on Henry?"

"He's unconscious still," said Rumpel, "They've had to sedate him as he flies into a panic whenever he wakes and he could hurt himself. Regina has tried everything to calm him, and Emma, nothing's working. Whatever chased him into that cave terrified him."

Belle paled, "After everything that boy has been through that can't be good," she said, "Have you any idea what it could be?"

He shook his head, "I'm trying," he said, "But I keep finding dead ends. Maybe my little librarian can lend a hand now she's awake."

"Of course," she said, eager to help wherever she could and happy in the knowledge that her input would not be belittled by him as it so often seemed to be by other members of the town, "Where should I start?"

Rumpel smiled, "First things first, there's a bag on the table with some clothes in from home. Emma called me earlier and said she's called a town meeting for nine so we won't have time to get home and back," he said, "I popped back briefly while you were sleeping, I hope I've not fallen foul of any fashion trends in my choice of clothes for you."

"No doubt Regina will find fault but I think she would pick holes even if I wore exactly the same as she does," said Belle, kissing his cheek as she got up from the cot, "So long as you like what I'm wearing I don't really care what other people think. It was so much easier when it was just the two of us."

She looked into the bag he had indicated, finding everything she needed before she headed towards the small shower room that was set behind the door at the very back of the shop. Its presence was yet another reminder that, before her escape from the asylum, Rumpel had spent so much of his life in the shop surrounded by his collection rather than building himself a home. In the course of their relationship they had seemed to experience more key moments of their lives in the shop than in his house, nothing allowing them the permanence of home. She didn't catch him watching her with a frown creasing his brow as she closed the door behind her and he was back to his work when she re-emerged, dressed for the day in black tights and mini skirt with a blue button down sweater over a plain white blouse. She forewent the heels he had found for her, choosing instead the boots he had magically given her the night before, not looking forward to the thought of trudging around the forest in stilettos if that was to be the order of the day.

"Belle are you happy here?" came the enquiry from across the room.

She looked up to see Rumpel leaning against the bookcase, arms folded over his chest as he regarded her.

"Of course I am," she said with a smile, "Now that you're back. I hated being here without you. Why do you ask?"

"You talk of home so often and home is never Storybrooke, it's always the castle," he said, "You compare everything to how things were and I'm beginning to worry what we have here is never going to be enough."

She crossed the room swifter than she thought she ever could, taking his face in her hands, "I'm happy wherever I am so long as I'm with you," she said resting her forehead to his, "I miss home, I won't lie but that's because when we were there I got to have you to myself. No one was threatening to take you away because no one could. If I had the choice though, go back and have the life we had there but never get to openly love you, or love you here, marry you here, then I will choose here every time."

"I promise I will build you a life here Belle, as good as I can make it," said Rumpel his skilled spinner's hands spanning her slim waist with ease, "Anything you want, tell me and I will do everything to make it yours."

"Not at the cost of you though," said Belle, stroking the silky salt and pepper strands of his hair, "I've accepted that the darkness is part of you. I fell in love with you when the Dark One was the strongest part of you but I don't want it to own you anymore."

"I am trying," he said, moving to press a kiss to her forehead, "For you and for our family. Whatever this threat is that we have to face now I will do all I can to protect you from it."

Belle took a step back, smiling up at the face she loved so dearly despite the great differences to the man who had first stolen her heart, "Then we should get to work," she said, "We have an hour before you said Emma wanted to see anyone so let's see what we can find."

Before she could step back further she found herself hauled against his chest, his kiss a soothing touch that bridged the gap between the past and the present, the one thing she had always longed for and had been denied in their previous lives. When they broke apart a comfortable silence settled over the work room, the pair of them searching the bookcases for any manuscript or text that could explain the disappearance of Grace and the two other young people who seemed to be victims of the same fate. Everything however drew a dead end, all potential avenues all resulting in the perpetrator leaving some sort of magical trace but nothing had been found at the site of Grace's disappearance.

The air outside the shop was crisp with a chilly wind blowing down the street as they finally left for the town hall where Emma had called her meeting. It seemed every citizen was making the same journey, their faces all tight with worry at the prospect of a new threat so soon after they had escaped Zelena's terror. Belle knew that she and Rumpel wore the same strained expressions but she also knew that few would sympathise with them, so many still wary of him even after his sacrifice for the town. She could scream until her throat was bloody that his actions under Zelena's yoke were not his fault but she knew it would do little good. She clutched her oversized handbag a little tighter under her arm, the precious Dagger held within that was both her greatest honour and largest burden. She knew that one day temptation would come to her, the ability to control the power of the Dark One as attractive as it was disconcerting. So long she had longed to give Rumpel his freedom and she knew to do that she would protect the cursed blade with her life.

The town hall was packed to the rafters, people talking quietly in groups as Granny and Ruby handed out cups of coffee from a hastily erected refreshment table. The atmosphere was grim, the little town having taken too much punishment over the years since it awoke to offer the resilience it had once shown. Belle kept a tight hold of Rumpel's hand as they made their way through the crowd, people moving for him but seeming to crush in upon her as she followed behind. Emma and Regina stood in quiet conversation to the side of the raised stage, the Charmings settled nearby rocking baby Neal's pram as he wailed between them. Hook was hovering near to Emma, his preferred place since he had returned her and Henry to Storybrooke. The pirate was the first to see them, his eyes tired and testament to the sleepless night he too had spent.

"Find anything?" he said, nudging Emma to alert her to their presence.

"Nothing," said Rumpel, "Not a single entity in this world or ours seems to be capable of removing a person without leaving a trace. I want to go back to the woods when we're done here and to the cave where Henry was hiding now the tide is out, I might still be able to find something."

"Whatever you can do," said Emma joining the conversation, "I don't know about you but I reckon we're going to be facing a riot if we don't get things sorted soon."

Rumpel looked out over the sea of faces before them, seeing the suspicion and panic that was barely being held at bay, "Then we must work swiftly," he said, "I can subdue a panic if I have to but the spell isn't pleasant. Has Henry woken yet?"

"Not yet," said Regina, "Robin is with him at the hospital, I wanted to stay but I figured that my skills would be better put to use here if we are facing another magical threat."

"We're going to need to present a united front to get everyone onside," said Emma, looking between the members of the group, "Any differences we have need to stay behind closed doors. Now my plan is to get everyone here sorted into search parties and get some to check the town line. Jefferson is still searching where we found the kids' bags but he's turned up nothing. Anyone with magic I'm sending to the sites of the disappearances. I've already spoken to Eva and Barnaby's families, they've both brought something we can use the locator spell on which means we'll either find them or find where they last were. If it's the latter it at least gives Gold something more to work with. If Henry doesn't wake by this afternoon Regina and I are going to try and access his memories magically."

"No offence Miss Swan but I think I would be better suited to assist Regina with any spell to access Henry's memories," said Rumpel, "Whilst I will happily say that your magic shows a marked improvement a spell such as this requires a more practiced hand."

"Like hell are you going near my son's memories," said Regina, "God only knows what you'd do."

"Need I remind you dearie that Henry is my grandson by blood and your son by paperwork," he replied with a sneer, "Besides, we both know how reliable you are when it comes to people's memories."

"Rumpel," said Belle, a warning in her tone as she realised he was referring to her time as Lacey, "We're all meant to be working together."

"You might want to listen to your bookworm Gold," said Regina, "At least one of your disastrous pairing makes sense now and then."

"Enough," said Emma, stepping between the sorcerer and the queen before magic had a chance to start flying, "United front remember? We owe this to Henry and I think we can all agree that we have his best interests at heart. Gold, I'm happy to let you and Regina try with Henry, if I'm honest I wasn't keen on trying myself."

"Not to interrupt family matters love but you'd best stand up soon," said Hook, "The locals are getting restless."

They all looked out over the crowd, a frisson of unease seeming to pass through the room as people's patience began to run thin.

"I'd best get up there," said Emma, "Please try to look as if we're all getting along."

Regina snorted inelegantly as Rumpel took Belle's hand, leading her over to where the Charmings were seated rather than the obviously free seats by Regina and Hook. Belle immediately bent over the pram, cooing over the fussing baby who quieted almost instantly, a chubby hand closing around her smallest finger. She felt Rumpel's hand on the small of her back and didn't need to turn to know he was thinking of their conversation several nights before and she wondered how long it would be before it was their pram and their baby she would be bent over.

A hush settled over the hall as Emma took her place up on the stage but it didn't last long, worried gasps permeating the silence as their sheriff laid out the disappearances and Henry's rescue. It wasn't long before the accusations started flying, Belle feeling several of the barbs that were thrown Rumpel's way as Emma fought to regain control of the room. She felt his grip begin to tighten on her hand and knew that his patience with the now pointless meeting was beginning to wear thin. She turned to look at him, expecting to see a stormy expression that she would have to calm before curses started flying but instead his face was set in a more thoughtful pose.

"Rumpel?" she said softly, "Rumpel?"

She startled as he pressed two fingers to her lips, effectively silencing her, "Can you hear that?"

"Hear what?" she said.

"Help," he said, getting to his feet and heading to the door.

Belle got to her feet to follow, the room falling silent as they headed through it with only Emma's voice calling out to them from the stage. As they left the hall she heard the noise that had called Rumpel from his chair, a rasping, scraping sound that seemed to fight against the very air. She finally caught up to him as he came to a halt in the middle of the street his eyes trained on the clear sky above them before he seemed to search the street around them.

"What is that sound?" she said as it grew louder, surrounding them both it seemed without anything to suggest its origin.

"The greatest sorcerer I've ever known," said Rumpel before he pointed ahead of them, "There, there she is."

Belle heard the sound of running feet behind them but paid them no mind as she saw a shape begin to emerge on the road ahead of them, leaves and dust blowing up around them as the sound grew in pitch and intensity. Where she expected to see a figure appear she was met by a blue wooden box, small windows illuminated and the light above flashing in time with the grinding scrape of the manifestation.

Silence reigned once more as the blue box became whole, the world seeming to hold its breath as the door creaked open. As slow as the world had seemed to move it sped up once more as a young blonde woman stepped out, laughing to herself before she put her head back around the door and shouted.

"Uninhabited my arse! There's a whole bloody town here and we've got an audience so you better hope we're not getting dissected anytime soon."

Belle watched on in confusion, the so called sorcerer seemingly little more than a girl clothed similarly to what she was used to in Storybrooke rather than what she would expect from the title. She was about to turn to Rumpel to ask him to explain when his voice broke through the silence.

"Hello dearie."

The blonde turned to face them, her pretty face quizzical as she regarded the people before her. She took a tentative few steps closer, peering at the origin of the voice before a wide smile blossomed on her face.

"Rumpelstiltskin?" she said before she rushed forward, all but leaping into his arms with a laugh, "Oh my god you bad creature, he's going to have your head for this you know. You did it, you actually bloody did it."

"Its good to see you to," said Rumpel, pulling back from the hug to regard the young woman before him, "You look far better than you did when we said goodbye last."

"Never better thanks to you," she said pressing a kiss to his cheek, "Let me get his lordship and he can start the bollocking that I don't want to miss."

"Rose is there a reason you're canoodling with the locals?"

"Not just any locals," said the blonde, "Look who I found."

Rumpel went willingly as he was dragged by the hand to the man who had appeared in the doorway of the box. The man in question was only about ten years older than the blonde girl, clad in a brown pinstriped suit with his hair sticking up every which way as though he'd spent the day running his fingers through it.

"Is the Doctor collecting companions now?" said Rumpel regarding the man before him.

"Rumpelstiltskin as I live and breathe, it's been too long old friend," said the man holding out his hand.

"Doctor?" said Rumpel before he broke into a smile, shaking the younger man's hand, "Yes it is you, isn't it? Is this some sort of glamour? You look entirely different, however did you do it?"

"Regeneration," said the man, "Time Lord thing, it's a permanent change."

"You can change your face?"

"You need talk, last time I saw you it was all leather and a decidedly glittery appearance; which quite possibly brings me to why we're here," said the Doctor looking around himself with a frown, "I told you not to cast that bloody curse of yours, you have neither the experience or the means to accurately manage a dimension jump and you appear to have dumped a town in what is meant to be an uninhabited part of America. The TARDIS has been tracking temporal disturbances from this spot for the past week. Do you want to explain yourself?"

Rumpel held his hands up with a smile, "Technically not my curse this time dearie," he said, "I was merely a passenger and, if we're splitting hairs, I didn't cast the last one either."

"This time?" said the Doctor, folding his arms over his chest, "What exactly have you been up to Rumpel?"

"Excuse me," came Regina's voice from behind, shocking Belle out of her contemplation of the odd scene playing out before her, "But as charming as this little reunion appears to be do you mind telling us who the hell you are?"

The young man that Rumpel had called Doctor looked over to the gathered residents of Storybrooke who had filtered into the road, a sly smile on his face as he turned his attention to the woman who had addressed him.

"Hmm, regal bearing, well spoken, impeccably turned out and a look that could kill; you must be Regina," he said before he affected a stylish bow, "A pleasure Your Majesty."

"Seriously, that's Queen Bitch?" said the girl, "I thought she'd be older."

"Queen Bitch?" said Regina storming to the front of the group.

The Doctor stepped in front of the girl, a placating smile on his face, "Rum old friend do you think you could do the honours and introduce us all properly," he said, "The TARDIS may be flame proof but neither Rose or I are."

"It could be amusing to see Regina turn you into something that slithers on its belly but I wouldn't want to see my Flower suffer the same fate," said Rumpel, "Regina this is the Doctor and Rose Tyler."

"Which explains nothing," said Regina, cutting the introduction short, "Who are you and how did you just appear in that blue thing from nowhere?"

The Doctor's eyes hardened, "Temper, temper," he said, "I'm an old friend of Rumpel's and that's all you need to know. I'm…"

"Oh my god!" came the blonde girl's exclamation as she stepped from behind the Doctor, "It can't be."

Belle froze as she realised Rose's eyes had fallen on her, the blonde's gaze pulling those of both the people she knew and those she didn't. She felt the urge to turn and run as the girl stepped towards her but she held her ground when she noticed Rumpel's relaxed stance, trusting that these people he had greeted so easily would bring no harm to her. Rose came to a stop in front of her, her brown eyes filled with tears as she regarded her.

"He lost you but you're here," she said, "I'd know your face anywhere. You're Belle aren't you?"

"Yes, I'm Belle," she said as the blonde took hold of her hand tightly in hers.

"Doctor, its Belle," said Rose, "It's really her."

The Doctor looked between the two women and Rumpel, his brow furrowed before he broke into a wide grin, "But how did you do it?" he said.

"Because Belle wasn't dead," said Rumpel, "Just lost and, just before the first curse broke, she found me."

"Well then," said the Doctor, heading in Belle's direction before he bowed low before her, "A very great honour and pleasure to meet you, Your Highness."

Belle startled at the long forgotten title but her upbringing didn't fail her, the curtsey a little shallower than she recalled in the skirt she wore, "It's an honour to meet you too, Doctor…?"

"Just Doctor," he said, taking her hand and pressing a kiss to the back of it, "We heard so much about you when we met Rumpel at the Dark Castle and I'm beyond glad that you two were reunited."

"Explains why he's all human looking too," said Rose with a smile, "You two been getting smoochy behind the spell books?"

Belle blushed hotly but smiled all the same, glad that Rumpel had spoken of her even after he believed her to be dead. She raised her gaze in his direction to see Emma at his side, her face tense as spoke quietly into his ear. He nodded and headed over to them with the sheriff at side.

"Ok you pair, we don't know who you are or where you're from but I've got three missing people so you need to answer some questions," said Emma, taking hold of the Doctor's arm, "You might know Gold but that doesn't place you above suspicion."

"Just go with her Doctor," said Rumpel, quietly as he passed him to Belle's side, turning to give Rose a pointed look, "You too Flower."

"Rumpel?" said Rose.

"Trust me," he said.

The blonde girl nodded, following Emma and the Doctor as they headed towards the sheriff's station.

"What's going on?" said Belle as Rumpel led her after the group, David's voice ringing out behind as he asked everyone to head back to the town hall and organise themselves into search teams.

"Getting this off the street," said Rumpel, "Emma's worried that people aren't taking too well to the Doctor just showing up and there's a lot we need to talk about."

"How do you know those people?" she said quietly, "You didn't exactly go about making friends that often back home."

"I promise I'll tell you all about it when we're indoors," he said, "You can trust the Doctor and Rose though."

"If you trust them then I do," said Belle, as the reached the station, looking back to see Hook, Regina and Mary Margaret close behind.

The Doctor was already sat cross legged up on the desk when they entered the office; Rose stood by the cells her boot tapping out a staccato rhythm against the bars as Emma stood watching them both, her arms folded and her brow furrowed as she tried to fathom them both out.

"I take it I'm not under arrest then," said the Doctor as Hook pulled the door closed behind him, "Because I've been arrested…oh a few times and usually we're swiftly stuffed behind iron bars and read our rights."

"You're a free man, for the moment," said Emma, "But I have a few questions for you."

"I am an open book Sheriff," said the Doctor with a teasing smile.

"First question isn't for you," said Emma, unable to fight the slight smile on her face before she sobered and turned to address Rumpel, "Mind telling me how you know these people?"

"You're going to trust the Crocodile to tell you the truth?" said Hook.

"Already don't like that one," said Rose from her place by the cell.

"It's alright Flower," said Rumpel, "Our Sheriff Swan has a superpower to tell if someone is lying, she doesn't need the opinion of a swaggering naval traitor to make up her mind. Besides, not as though I have anything to hide from when we first met. I met the Doctor and Rose about a month before your parents decided to throw me in a cell. Rose was cursed by some wannabe witch because of her hair colour and the Doctor brought her to the famed Dark One when no one else would offer a cure."

"He promptly sent us on our way until he heard Rose's name," said the Doctor, "That soon melted that mangled old heart of his."

"I don't recall a Rose in your short history of failed relationships Gold," sneered Regina, "Who carried her off this time?"

"And Queen Bitch makes it onto the don't like list," said Rose, earning a stifled giggle from Belle who was warming to the young blonde by the minute.

"The name Rose reminded me of the young woman who came and selflessly nursed me back to health when I was taken ill back in my village. Bae was only eleven and he had thought I was going to die, the military surgeon and the apothecary demanded payment to offer any treatment and it was money that we didn't have. He met a holy woman on the road and she agreed to help. She cared for Bae and she cared for me and I recovered. I never saw her face, she always wore a black scarf to cover herself, but she was kind and she was good. I owed her much that I could never repay so I did for her name sake in saving Rose."

Rose smiled as she headed in their direction, "He told me when I recovered that he'd only loved one woman more than he loved her," she said, stopping to stand beside Belle and bumping her with her hip, "And that was you. While I was recovering you were always my bedtime story."

"You're making me sound dreadfully saccharine, Flower," said Rumpel with a smile, "But it is true. I did love her, whoever she really was, but that pales in comparison to you darling Belle."

"God you guys are cute," said Rose before she frowned at the snort she heard from Hook, "Doctor, can I punch him?"

"No one is hitting anyone," said Emma, before anyone else could respond, "So you three are friends, which is weird enough, but who are you both. You appeared out of nowhere but that's not like any magic I've seen before."

The Doctor smiled, "That's because it wasn't magic, it was technology, alien technology. It's called a TARDIS; it stands for time and relative dimension in space, and its how my people travelled through time and space."

"You're trying to tell us you're an alien?" said Regina, "As in a being from another planet? Pull the other one."

"Why should that be so far fetched?" said Mary Margaret, "If we apply that logic he could as much scoff at us. We're from a world of fairytales."

Rose giggled, "Now that one I like," she said, "Who were you back in Rumpel's world?"

"Snow White," she said, "But here I'm called Mary Margaret."

"Awesome," said Rose, "I got to meet Snow White! I knew I should have grabbed my autograph book."

"You're so easily pleased," said the Doctor, "And to answer your question Regina, yes I am an alien. I'm a Time Lord and part of what I do is track temporal anomalies that shouldn't exist and your little town is one big fat temporal anomaly. I begged you not to cast that curse Rumpel."

"I didn't cast it, I created it," said Rumpel, "And as I told you outside this isn't the same curse. The curse Regina cast that first brought us here came to an end when my father decided to reek havoc and Regina was forced to destroy the curse to send everyone home. I was dead at the time though so you'll have to rely on them to fill in the gaps there."

"You don't look very dead to me old friend," said the Doctor.

"My foolhardy fiancée and my equally foolhardy…" began Rumpel, before he took a galvanising breath, tightening his grip on Belle's hand, "Took it upon themselves to resurrect me. Unfortunately I and my dagger fell into the hands of a witch named Zelena who used both to make the lives of those in our realm an abject misery. In the hope of rendering her powerless Snow cast the curse once more and returned us all to Storybrooke. Zelena was defeated barely a week ago."

"Then it will be that curse that had the TARDIS binging," said the Doctor, "It's still your bloody curse though Rumpel, you wrote the damn thing."

"Maybe not," said Belle, "You said that you noticed a temporal disturbance Doctor, which would mean something that effected time. Zelena was trying to open a portal back in time so she could change her past. We stopped her before she could go back but Emma and Killian got sucked into the breach, they went back to our world and back in time."

The Doctor's brow furrowed, "How far back? Did you change anything?"

"We may have stopped my parents meeting," said Emma, sheepishly, "But we made it right in the end and we got back."

"How?" said the Doctor, "The anomaly to TARDIS registered was huge, something must have happened."

"We went to Rumpelstiltskin and he put us on the right path to reunite mom and dad," said Emma, "When that was done we went back to him as he said he should be able to get us home but he couldn't so he locked us in the vault at the Dark Castle. We had a wand and I managed to open a portal. Gold tried to stop us but I convinced him otherwise and he let us go. He made himself forget with a potion."

"I can vouch for the time and place at least," said Rumpel, "I recall being in my vault with no memory as to why but I didn't give it much more thought than that. Emma and Hook returned here and very little had changed save for how Snow and David first met."

The Doctor got to his feet, pacing the room, "It's not enough to have caused such a reaction from the TARDIS," he said, "You said when you arrested us that there were three people missing, did this happen after you came back from the past?"

"Yes, the first two disappeared about four days ago and Grace disappeared last night," said Emma, "My son Henry we found in a cave at the coast, scared out of his wits but the others have vanished without a trace."

"And these three people, do they have anything to do with your history?"

"They are connected to us all through the curse and I knew Grace Madden well from her childhood," said Rumpel, "But family wise the only one to connect all of us is Henry."

"And who is this Henry you're all connected too," said the Doctor.

"He's Emma's biological son, and Regina's adopted son," said Rumpel, "Emma is Snow and David's daughter and Henry is my grandson through his father, through Bae."

Rose beamed at the name, "You found him then?" she said, "Where is he, I'd love to meet him."

Rumpel looked down cast, his voice far quieter as he spoke, "He died Flower," he said, "He gave up his life for me and it will take me another hundred life times to repay him for that sacrifice."

"Rumpel I'm sorry," said the Doctor, "I'm so sorry, all your work."

"Was not in vain," said Rumpel, "I found him and we made amends. I will mourn his death until my own but we parted as friends. Our focus should be on his son now though. Whatever frightened Henry last night is probably still out there and I cannot find an explanation for it but perhaps you can."

"I will help in any way that I can," said the Doctor, "The best place to start will be where this Zelena opened the portal, I may be able to trace any disturbance that was pulled through either the dimension or temporal portal. There's every chance that whatever came through didn't come from your world. That is if I'm free to assist Sheriff?"

Emma nodded, "We need all the help we can get," she said, "We'll take you to the barn. Regina, Mom why don't you head over to the hospital and see how Henry is getting on. The four of us will accompany the Doctor and Rose."

Hook sighed, "Are we really trusting people who are friends with the Crocodile, Swan?"

No one had the chance to answer before Rose reached out and smacked him sharply round the back of the head, her eyes challenging the pirate to react to her actions. Hook thought better off it, turning his eyes from the blonde as he rubbed the back of his head with a sour expression. Belle giggled at the sight, the camaraderie she felt for the young English woman growing deeper at her actions.

"I think I'm beginning to like you as much as Rumpel does, Rose," she said.

"No one messes with my mates," said Rose, the Doctor following her with a shake of his head as they headed towards the door.

xxxx

Belle shuddered as she stood in the doorway of the large barn that had held Zelena's portal, the etchings still clear on the dusty floor. The wind was bitter as it blew into the room and only added to the atmosphere that clung to the very walls. She pressed closer to Rumpel's side, feeling the tension in his wiry form that spoke of his displeasure at being back at the site. The Doctor was circling the portal, Rose at his heels, the buzzing device he had called a sonic screwdriver glowing blue in his hand.

"Are you ok?" said Belle as she felt Rumpel shift uneasily beside her.

"I'm fine," he said, "Just bad memories. I'm half expecting Zelena to appear with my dagger in her hand."

"Not a chance," said Belle, patting her bag, "Its safe and sound right here. I was thinking though, maybe you could enchant something in the shop, like the cubby hole where you kept Pandora's box, for us to keep it in. Make it so that only you or I could access it."

Rumpel nodded, "If you wish it but I will enchant it so that only you can access it my love," he said, "It is yours and yours alone now."

Belle raised herself on her toes and pressed a kiss to his cheek before she shivered again. Rumpel pulled her to him and wrapped his heavy woollen coat around them both, the embrace chasing the bad memories of the place away. They could hear the Doctor questioning Emma and Killian, asking them to describe their departure and arrival back through the portal.

"I like the Doctor and Rose," said Belle, her voice slightly muffled against his suit jacket, "Especially Rose or should I be calling her Flower too?"

Rumpel laughed softly, "She's a nice girl," he said, "She's got a mouth on her to rival anyone I've ever met but she has a good heart despite all she's seen. I was in the very pits of despair when they arrived on my doorstep, you were gone, the curse was imminent yet Regina kept trying me and I knew if one thing went wrong everything would be for naught. I think having them with me for that week gave me back some of my humanity, enough to counter the Dark One enough that there was some of me left to come to Storybrooke."

Belle looked up at him with tears in her eyes, "He would never have defeated you totally darling," she said, snaking her hand beneath his jacket and vest to press over his heart, "My Rumpel was always in here, fighting as hard as he could."

"And still fighting because you're here for me to fight for," he said, "After I was brought back his voice has been louder in my mind but every day I am quieting him further."

Belle giggled before gently thumping his chest, "Hey, you in there. Shut up and leave my husband to be alone, we don't need a third wheel tagging along."

Rumpel laughed, "And just like that he fled in fright," he said wrapping his arms tighter around her, "If anyone has the power to scare him off then it's you my love."

They heard a pointed cough and looked up to see Rose standing nearby, an indulgent smile on her pretty face, "Sorry to interrupt you love bugs but the Doctor wanted a word with you Rum."

Rumpel pressed a kiss to the crown of brunette curls against his chest before he stepped away and playfully wary look on his face, "Can I trust you two alone with one another or should I fear for my darkest secrets?"

"Belle probably knows everything I'd ever have to tell," said Rose, "And as I have no desire to know what you look like naked so I think you're safe."

Belle blushed prettily once more as Rose laughed at her own words, Rumpel reaching out to muss her hair like a child as he passed her on his way to where the Doctor was talking with Emma and Hook.

"I have never ever heard anyone talk to Rumpel the way you talk to him," said Belle as Rose came to her side, "Everyone is so frightened of him."

Rose snorted, "Frightened of Rum? Beneath all that bluster and Dark One crap he's a pussy cat but I don't think I need to tell you that," she said, before her eyes darkened with memory, "Believe me he's nothing compared to what's out there."

Belle shuddered at her tone, "What is out there?"

"Put it this way, be glad you live in Storybrooke," said Rose before she shook off the thought, "Don't worry about it. I heard the great Dark One call you his fiancée back at the station, have you guys set a date yet?"

Belle smiled, "Not yet," she said, "But I hope it's soon. We've waited too long already."

"Mind if the Doctor and I stick around for it?" said Rose, "I'd love to see Rum get married, I want to see if he cries."

Her teasing tone made Belle giggle again, enjoying the rare opportunity to get to know someone who thought of Rumpel as a friend rather than a necessary evil.

"You know," said Rose, her eyes trained on the Doctor and Rumpel as they conversed quietly, "Your Rumpel reminds me so much of the Doctor sometimes. He was all broken when I first met him but he got better and it looks like Rum is doing the same under your care. You just have to keep with it though. Sometimes I want to strangle the Doctor, he can be so…not human sometimes but he's a good man underneath it all."

"I'll never give up on Rumpel, I love him," said Belle, "But I guess you feel the same about the Doctor."

Rose blushed, "Oh the Doctor and I aren't… we're just friends. Its one hell of an age gap."

"Rumpel is about three hundred and fifty years old and I'm technically about forty-five or fifty," said Belle.

"Well I'm twenty one and the Doctor is a little over nine hundred," said Rose as Emma's phone cut through the expanse of the barn.

The tension in the air grew as everyone waited for her to speak, the person on the end clearly imparting a great amount of detail to her.

"Henry's awake," said Emma, after a moment, "And he remembers what attacked him."

Rose and Belle headed over to the group as Emma took the phone from her ear and held it out, setting it onto speaker.

"Say that again Regina, I've put you on speaker so everyone can hear you."

"He said a statue attacked him," came Regina's clipped tones, "He said it came out of nowhere and touched Grace and she disappeared."

The Doctor paled and pulled Emma's hand closer to him, "Regina it's the Doctor," he said, "Listen to me very carefully because lives may depend on it. Did Henry say what the statue looked like?"

"He said it looked like an angel," said Regina, "A tall stone angel. He said it kept its face covered until it touched Grace. He says he never saw it move and ran into the cave the second Grace disappeared."

"Doctor?" said Emma as he stepped away, hands running through his hair and then over his face, "Do you know what it is?"

"It's bad, it's very, very bad," said the Doctor before he grabbed her hand once again, "Regina get someone to stay with Henry and then pair up with someone and get back into town. Do not go anywhere alone, we'll get the word out from here and then we need a base of operations."

"The shop," said Rumpel, "We'll probably end up there anyway if we need anything."

"Right, head to Rumpel's shop and we'll meet you there. Anyone you see you tell them to get inside and make sure they're with someone at all times and above all else, whatever else you do, if you see an angel, do not blink. We'll see you there."

Emma ended the call, her brow furrowed as she felt Killian's hand at the base of her spine, glad for his support, "What are we dealing with Doctor?" she said.

"Probably the greatest threat Storybrooke has ever faced," said the Doctor, "And no amount of magic is going to save you. We need to get moving and keep your eyes open."

xxxx

A/N: And there is chapter 2 done. I hope you enjoyed it. I'm really enjoying writing this fic but would love to hear everyone's thoughts so please leave me a little review. See you in a week.

Nova x