Gold sat at the dining room table sniffling as he shuffled paperwork around and tried to get some work done. Belle had forced him to close shop and come home because she thought that he had a cold.
Belle walked into the dining room with a cup of tea and a bowl of chicken soup.
"Rumple!" She exclaimed, setting the tea and soup down onto the table and putting a hand on her hip.
"What on earth are you doing? I told you no working, and yet you still don't listen." She sighed and scooped up the papers in her hand. "I'm going to put these in your office and when I come back you better be eating." She stared at Gold for a second and then left the room. Gold picked up the spoon to begin eating his soup. "The girl thinks she's my mother." he muttered. Belle popped her head back into the room."What was that, Dear?" she asked. "Nothing Dearie." he replied.
After he had drained his cup of tea and ate his soup, Belle insisted he took a hot shower.
She got out his favorite pajamas and robe and set them out for him in the bathroom.
"After your shower you are going straight to bed and I'll bring you your medicine." She said and then kissed his cheek lightly.
"Belle?"
"Hmm?"
"Thank you for taking care of me. It is very sweet, but I don't have a cold."
Belle rolled her eyes and pushed him toward the bathroom. He sighed, but decided that it would make her happy if he would stop resisting and just let her take care of him.
"Alright Dearie. You get the medicine ready and I'll take a hot shower."
Belle flashed him a smile.
Ten minutes later Gold emerged from the bathroom wearing the robe. He sat patiently on his bed and waited for Belle. She came into the room holding a medicine cup filled with a dark red , sticky substance. Under her left arm she held a book.
"What is the book for, Dear?" Gold asked, taking the medicine up and swallowing the bitter stuff.
"I'm going to read to you." She said, sitting at the foot of the bed and opening the book.
"Before you begin," Gold interrupted, "What book is it?"
Belle laughed lightly. "You couldn't wait twenty more seconds for me to open to the title page? Well, if you must know, it's The Three Musketeers."
Gold settled back into his pillow as Belle began to read. She read with such emotion, she made him feel as if he were actually there. He sat there for hours, soaking up the story, taking breaks only when Belle got up to bring him food, tea, and medicine.
During one of the small breaks, Gold asked Belle who her favorite character was.
She smiled dreamily and replied, "Well, I would have to say that King Louis and Queen Anne are my favorites. I have read other books about them, and even though most people don't think they really loved each other, I do. I believe that there was once love between them, even if it didn't last." She smiled and then realized that the polite thing to do would be to ask Gold who his favorite was.
"Well, who is your favorite, Rumple?"
"The Duke of Buckingham." He replied playfully. Belle pretended to get mad, and swatted at him with the book.
Late that night, after Belle had read much of the book, she decided it was time for bed. She closed the book and slid off of the bed. She leaned over to Gold and kissed his cheek.
"Goodnight Rumple." She said, brushing the hair from his forehead and planting another kiss there. She started to leave the room, but before she closed the door, Gold called her name.
"Belle?"
"What is it Dearie?" She asked, using a name that Gold often called her.
"I love you." He said softly. Belle smiled brightly, and she could feel tears forming in her eyes.
"Oh Rumple," she said said with a tearful smile, "I love you too."
