When Rumple awoke the next morning, the silence in the house seemed strange. For so long it's been normal waking up to nothing. I spent years before I met Belle alone and years alone after the curse. Why does it feel so odd to not have her singing or moving about downstairs? A memory from long ago in the dark castle found its way into his mind, Belle had-he remembered- been singing as she prepared his breakfast. I was so angry at her for waking me, but she sounded like an angel and couldn't bring myself to scold her. The thoughts from the past seemed to bring him to a reality that he should've noticed sooner, Where is she? He immediately rose to his feet, grabbing a shirt from a drawer as he ran downstairs. "Belle," He called. No answer.

He went back upstairs and opened her door, and when she wasn't there his concern grew. Once he mentally checked off all the places she could be, he went to the sitting room. "She does so adore reading in there." He said to himself.

When he passed the kitchen, a not on the counter caught his eye, he picked it up and read it. Rumple, I didn't want to wake you up, I went to the library early. We had some 'visitors' last night who decided to make a mess of it. See you at lunch. Love, Belle. He set the note on the counter and scratched his head.

Rumple went to the door of the shop to flip the sign to 'open'. I don't know why I bother using this thing, people are going to barge in whether I say I'm open or not. He glanced at the clock, 9:10 AM. Flipping through a dusty and old spell book, he felt confident that the next few hours would pass by rather quickly.

While tinkering in the shop and brushing up on his spells was keeping his mind occupied, Rumple couldn't have been happier to have looked at the clock and noticed that it was time he leave to meet Belle at Granny's. He flipped the sign on the door to 'closed' as he left; maybe I can actually enjoy a lunch with my Belle today.

Rumple sighed in relief as he walked into Granny's and noticed he'd beaten Belle there. A gentleman is always punctual. He couldn't remember where the words had come from, but they had been spoken to him long ago and he had always done his best to abide by them.

Not a minute after Rumple had taken his jacket off and gotten comfortable in the booth; Belle came in and was greeted by Granny at the front desk. "Hey," She scooted beside Rumple and kissed his forehead before moving to both across from him. "How's the shop?"

"Not busy at all, very easy day." His words seemed to be faster paced-like they were when he was trying to disguise his anxiousness. "What about the library?"

"It's a disaster!" Her facial expression, especially the overdone hanging of her jaw, showed the energy that it had taken from her that day. "All I can say is whoever broke in there had a reason… I'm certain it wasn't the books either." She was quiet a moment, "To be honest, it frightens me a bit."

"You have no need to be frightened, dearie" He took her hand across the table again, "Remember when I promised you you'd be well protected?" She nodded, and he continued, "I will still protect you forever and always."

They placed their orders when asked and then settled in for conversation before the meals arrived. They chattered about little things, memories, thoughts, and the typical things that new couples will talk about over dinner. "You know, Rumple, I've known you approximately 30 years and you're still keep a lot to yourself. Why is that?" He voice didn't hold blame or disappointment, just a simple curiosity.

"Well, 28 of those years you were in an asylum and I was here." He stated flatly, "No, it's not anything of your doing… If that's what you're thinking." He thought a moment of how to say what he felt without seeming like he was pushing her away, "I'm just not a difficult man to love."

"Not really." Belle smiled, and for a moment Rumple would've placed bets that he was the happiest man in the world.

"I guess I'd just rather hear about you, my dear." He didn't understand how he could look into those beautiful blue eyes and see the love reflecting back.

"I know you're not one for talking, Rumple, but I just want you to know you can tell me anything and my feelings for you will never change." Rumple felt himself get hot from the flushing of his cheeks and his eyes drinking Belle in longingly and devotedly

"I know, and likewise for you." Belle looked as if she were going to speak for a moment, but was cut off by the opening of the diner door. Rumple scrutinized the door quickly as if it were an enemy that must be defeated, don't you dare, he inwardly threated as he saw Emma approaching the table. "If we get interrupted again-" He started to murmur, and Belle followed his gaze. Once he eyes had focused on Emma, Belle's sweet smile turned into a sort of laughter with a tinge of annoyance.

"Gold, I stopped by your shop, I need you." Her words dry and coming out in huffs, it was clear she had run to the diner.

"My shop is closed."

"I know, I read that on your sign but I-"

"But you what?" He cut off with a bit of sarcasm and evident irritation, "Can nobody in this town read? Does no one know the meaning 'closed' I'm sorry, dearie, but I'm on a date right now with my sweetheart. The shop will be opened again in no more than an hour, please come back then."

"This can't wait, Gold, I'm going to need to get in your shop now. If you don't behave I'll have to arrest you for interfering with police investigation." He leaned his head against the booth,

"What is it you need?"

"An item that belonged to someone, you haven't done anything wrong…Yet. I just need in there." Emma's words could have cut the tension worse. Gold rolled his eyes and stood up,

"I'm very sorry, Belle." He apologized, "I really don't mean for this to keep happening. I won't be back before you have to go back to the library, we'll try this again, though, I promise." He rose to his feet, "After you, Miss Swan."

"Where's Gold going now?" Ruby asked, sliding into the booth with Belle.

"He…. He was needed in his shop." She was quick to inform,

"Didn't he have to go to the shop yesterday too during your date?" She wasn't trying to instigate anything, just questioning a friend.

"Ye… Yes he did, but we'll be back. I'm going to go back to the library now." She had tried to keep her voice even, but the sadness had found a way to seep through. "Here," Belle said, reaching into her bag, "Here's the money for our lunch."

"No," Ruby pushed the money back to Belle, "You guys haven't even gotten your food; I'm not going to let you guys-as friends- keep paying for something if you're not going to actually get it."

"Thank you;" She slipped the money back inside her bag, "I really should get back to the library, though." She excused from the booth and began to scurry to the door,

"I'll see you guys tomorrow!" Ruby called, a smirk on her face before she heard Granny's loud voice calling from within the kitchen,

"Get your ass back to work!"

Rumple was already upstairs in his bedroom for the night when Belle finally got home. He heard the bell ring downstairs, the closing of the door, and her light footsteps coming up the stairs to her own bedroom. He listened to her kick he heels off-and the clang when they hit something- and muffles of words from whatever she was saying to herself in there. A clap of thunder suddenly made him jump-he hadn't even noticed it had been storming out. How long has it been like this? Did she walk home in this? He couldn't let the question go unanswered, so he got himself out of bed and went into the hallway to knock on Belle's bedroom door. "You can come in, Rumple." She answered. He opened the door, not expecting to see her standing in the middle of her room in only a lacy blue bra and underwear to match.

"Belle, I'm sorry, I-" He began to back up into the hallway. Seeing her like this, it was a beautiful sight that he hadn't witnessed in so long. The last time I saw her in so little was… In my castle… Nearly 30 years ago.

"No, Rumple, come in, you had something you wanted to say?" She grabbed his arms and playfully pulled him closer to her,

"Nothing important, sweetheart. I just wanted to ask if you walked home in this storm." Belle laughed at the evident awkwardness in his voice,

"No, it started raining a little when I was halfway home, it wasn't this bad."

"You should've called; I would've come and found you." Belle pasted his cheek,

"I think you're spending a little too much time with Emma and her family, isn't that their saying?" He grinned at the joke Belle had made. "I know you would've, but Archie was out and he just brought me home. I didn't want to bother you."

"It wouldn't have been a bother."

"I know." She stood on the tips of her toes to give Rumple a kiss on the cheek. He then moved in to kiss her lips, unsure of where to rest his hands. With Belle nibbling on lower lip, his hands found homes on the arch of her back and her shoulder. It's been so long. His heart was racing, feeling Belle's flesh against his body. Belle took his hand on her shoulder and moved it just below her breast. Nervous as a schoolboy, Rumple's hands crept blow the lacy covering and cupped her voluminous flesh hidden beneath. His fingers gently began plucking up and down across the breast until he found her nipple-of which felt more like a pebble- and massaged it gently between his thumb and pointer finger. Meanwhile, Belle's hands were fiddling at the bottom of his nightshirt, lightly pulling it upward, when suddenly her cell phone started ringing. They both jumped when they heard it, and Belle leapt to answer it quickly. "Yes, ok. Oh, I see. Aright. Yes." Then she shut her phone and grabbed for the nightdress lying on her the bed,

"Sounds like quite the enticing conversation." Rumple remarked,

"It was my Father." She said, "He wanted to make sure I was okay and…"

"And?" Rumple raised an eyebrow; he knew where this conversation would lead,

"Well, apparently there is a hole in his ceiling and it's raining pretty hard." She hinted, Rumple didn't say anything before she spoke again, "He needs a place to stay, only for tonight. I told him he could stay here." She finished, then hurriedly added, "Now I know you two don't particularly care for each other, but-"

"He gave you away at the drop of a hat."

"What?" She was confused,

"When I saved your little kingdom,"

"You demanded me!" Her voice wasn't angry, but there certainly wasn't cheerful any longer. "Besides, I volunteered to go with you." She sat down on the bed, straightening the nightdress at the ankles, "Frankly, I'm glad I did. If I hadn't, I would've never met you and we wouldn't have fallen in love and we wouldn't have… shared that lovely moment that just happened." Rumple was astonished so much so that he couldn't hide it, try as he may he could never get over the fact that Belle-an angel among men- was in love with him."

"He tried to send you over the town line to forget about me!" He hadn't screamed, but his anger had lashed out of his mouth.

"He doesn't understand you, Rumple, you don't let anyone in. Honestly, it's a wonder you let me get to know you." He sat beside her at the foot of the bed, and grabbed her hand,

"What if he tries to hurt you, hurt me, or hurt us again, my love?"

"He won't." She kissed Rumple's nose, "you're being kind to him, just show him that. He's figured out by now that I'm with you because I love you, not because I'm stuck. I'm his daughter and he wants what makes me happy-and that's you." She kissed his nose, and he wrapped an arm around her. "He sleeps on the couch." Rumple declared.

"You're making more of it than what needs to be, now come on, let's go wait for Papa downstairs." Belle looped her arm through Rumple's, and at that moment nothing in the universe could've been as great of a feeling.