Reprise
Trust in me,
for you know I won't run away
-"Home" (Reprise)
Rumple produced a flame from his fingertips so he could see. He stepped over the snakes into the cave.
"Rumple?" He heard her voice from the back of the prison. She stepped forward into the light. Her hair was matted and there was dirt all over her dress and hands. She looked frail and her eyes were red. He saw wounds on her arms that looked like snake bites, but no mistake- it was her.
It was his Belle, alive.
"Belle." Rumplestiltskin dismissed the snakes at his feet and reached through the prison bars that held her. "Is that really you?"
She laced her fingers through his. Her skin was so pale that it seemed transparent. "Yes," she said, weakly. "Rumple, please get me out of here."
His thumb stroked over her hand. "I thought you died."
"No," she shook her head, confused. "Regina- her men- they were waiting for me outside your castle. She knew you'd send me away."
Anger burned through his veins at the thought of Regina scheming this plan. She'd seemed so coy on the day she visited him to tell him of Belle's faith. And all the time she'd been lying. He should have expected it. And Belle had to suffer because he'd been blinded by pride. He didn't know how to vocalize his grief, his regret. He didn't have any excuses. He could only apologize. "I'm...sorry." The words hadn't left his mouth in centuries so they felt foreign. He was still getting used to the reality where she was still alive.
"It's okay. I knew you'd come back for me." She gave him a small smile.
Even with circles under her eyes and holes in her skin, she was far more beautiful that he'd ever deserve. He held onto her with one hand and tried to break through the cage with magic in his other hand. "Regina's protected it," he observed.
"Gregory should have given you a key."
"He did no such thing," Rumple panicked.
"Check your pockets," Belle suggested.
Rumple rifled through his vest and found an old rusted key. He turned it in his hands and then saw that the snakes were climbing up the bars of the cage. They curled around his legs as well, snapping at the key. He vaporized them with magic, shaking off the ashes. "Where's the keyhole?"
"There's not one. Hurry, give me your hand."
Rumple held out his hand with the key and she pressed the key into his palm and then his palm into the metal bar, her hand on top of his.
Her prison disappeared instantly and she fell into his arms, embracing him. "Rumple! Thank you. I didn't know if that would work." She stepped away to look at him.
He was confused by what she said, but beyond relieved to have her out of captivity. Belle closed her eyes and leaned against his shoulder and Rumple used magic to transport them back to the Dark castle.
When Belle opened her eyes again, she felt back at home. "I never thought I'd miss these drapes! And your wheel!" She broke out of Rumple's grasp to explore the beloved items, and her legs gave out and she hit the floor. "Oof."
"Belle!" Rumplestiltskin exclaimed. He rushed over to her and lifted her to her feet.
"Sorry," she brushed her hair out of her face. "I'm a little weaker than I thought."
Rumple said nothing to that and deposited her in the chair that he usually sat in. He stood over her, as if he was about to say something, then frowned. He made a stool appear beside the chair and he sat on it. He lightly touched her hand with his fingertips. "I would like to take care of you, if you'll allow me. It's much too dangerous for you to leave the grounds at this point."
"Oh," Her hand sought his with assurance. "I don't want to leave."
"Good." He stood up abruptly. "The snake bites need the most urgent care. Do you know if any of the snakes were poisonous?"
"I'm not sure," Belle frowned, "I don't think I'd be alive if they were."
"I have a very potent healing potion that will close up these wounds no matter what." Rumple nodded and summoned the potion with his hand. He went to work, wetting a piece of cotton with the cloudy potion and dabbing it on a puncture at her forearm. The redness surrounding the area disappeared until only two pink dots were left. "You will have scars, I'm afraid," he told her. "Scars are too useful for this magic to rid the body of them."
Belle understood, knowing that scars reminded her of the mistakes she's made and the suffering she made it through. Rumple worked quickly through the few wounds on her arms and moved to the many wounds on her swollen feet.
"You're lucky that your feet didn't fall off because of an infection," Rumple commented.
"The snakes really weren't that bad," Belle said as she drifted back to imagining her prison. "My feet are the worse because I tried to kick them for the first few days. By last night, I was sleeping next to them."
"How brave," Rumple smiled at her and she thought it might be genuine. He made it up to her knees, and then asked, "Are there any other bites that need to be healed?"
"Just one on my thigh." She blushed. "I don't mind you..."
Rumple cleared his throat. "May I change you into bedclothes?"
"That would be wonderful," Belle sighed as magic swirled around her and she was enveloped in the softest silk nightshirt and knickers. All the dirt and grime had been scrubbed off of her and it felt incredible. Her shorts were loose enough for her to slide them up and expose where she needed him to heal her.
He did so, quickly and tenderly, and she was nearly asleep from the comfort. "Any other hurts or aches that I can take care of?" He bent down close to her, brushing her hair.
"Yes." She stared at him, wondering if she was brave enough to do what she wanted. She tilted her head up and pressed her lips gently to his. She was flooded with warmth and peace and then pulled back quickly, not wanting him to react in the way he did after their first kiss. "That should take care of it," she declared with a smile.
"Hmm." He stood up and stepped back, puzzled. Then he shook off the shock. "I'm serious, Belle. Is there anything else I can do for you?"
She scooted to the edge of the chair. "I am quite hungry."
He smirked, "I might be able to whip up something quickly."
In a few minutes, they were seated at the dining table with an incredible spread that Rumple had conjured up. His eyes widened as he watched her eat- she devoured the mashed potatoes and turkey voraciously. He'd never seen her eat so...impolitely.
He stood up from his chair and walked over to her, putting a hand on her shoulder. He laughed as she nearly swallowed a piece of chocolate cake whole. "Slow down, dear."
"This is delectable," she moaned between bites. "Gregory brought me in old potatoes once in a while. But I'm starving."
He removed his hand from her. "Yes, Gregory was very helpful. How do you know him?"
"He was assigned to watch over me and make sure that I will still in my cage...make sure you didn't get to me. We talked and he wanted to help me." After three more rolls and a couple servings of pudding, she started to slow down considerably. "He won't tell Regina that I'm gone for a few days."
"I'm not worried about Regina."
"Gregory wrote the note to you. I'm so glad you responded."
"Yes, you were lucky." He wasn't sure if he could ask her what he wanted to know. He wasn't sure if it was his place to wonder...
She read his mind. "Gregory and I were simply friends. Only you could save me, Rumple. And not because of your power."
"Why, then?" He asked, curious.
She frowned and paused. Then she shook her head. "I don't feel so well."
He would have thought that she was trying to change the subject, but her cheeks lost their color. "You ate too quickly. And you need to sleep." His hand went to stroke her hair again.
"Yes." Her head fell forward as she was remembered how exhausted she was. "Back to the dungeon?"
He stared at her, horrified. He realized that she had a small half-smile on her face and he relaxed a little. "Belle, stand up." She was still a little shaky so he held her in front of him, his fingers clasping over her shoulders. "I will never imprison you again."
She nodded and he let go, offering his arm. She leaned heavily on him as they began to walk through the castle. "What changed?"
He placed his hand over hers on his arm. "Regina told me that you'd died after an extreme amount of torture." They stopped at the entrance of her new bedroom. "And I regretted letting you go, even if I did keep my power."
"Do you still feel that way?"
He paused, unsure of what to say. "You're not dead anymore, dearie."
Belle leaned forward and kissed him chastely again. "What about now?"
Again, it took him a minute to process that she had kissed him, voluntarily. He tried to hide his shock this time and brush it off. "My favor is leaning your way. Now, to bed."
She moved slowly to the bed and looked back when she realized he was standing in the doorway. "Will you sit with me until I fall asleep?"
"I'm not sure if it's proper..." He tried to remember the standards of the time, if it would be disrespectful to join her in her room.
"Rumple," She rolled her eyes at him, and then asked him earnestly, "I need you, please." She slid into the bed and he tiptoed carefully into the room, as if someone might see them and accuse him of defiling her. That brought another horrid thought to mind. "Belle? The guards in the castle...they didn't bother you, did they?"
She yawned. "They weren't very nice the first two days, but after that, I was old news. Only Gregory was allowed to see me, mostly."
"Ahh." Her description was more vague than he'd like, but he let it go.
She scooted over in the bed. "Sit here." She patted the bed next to her.
The idea of sitting in bed with her was appalling. He, a beast, the Dark One in bed with the fairest, pure-hearted beauty- it was outrageous. "Belle, I can't allow-"
"Rumple." She gave him the same look as before.
He sighed and sat on the bed, making sure that they weren't touching. She didn't push him. "You're the only person in the world who can control me without my dagger," Rumple noticed.
Belle was already asleep.
A/N: It'll take Belle and Rumple a while to figure out how they feel. It'll be a fun and beautiful process. :) He's still attached to his power and she's not quite sure if she loves him either. With Regina and Gregory, they've got a lot of problems coming their way.
Regina will be Enchanted Forest Regina in this fic which means no Henry so she hasn't had a chance to turn her heart around. She will not be nice. Unless I throw a little something in with Robin Hood because I love those two. Obviously mostly Rumbelle though!
I'd much prefer to write Mr. Gold over Rumple. I just feel like I know the character better that way. Oh well, he's still quite fun.