Summary: Mr. Gold is freed like he knew he would be and he as drawn to the hospital, down to the basement where he found her.
Disclaimer: I own nothing of the show or the characters.
Rating: Teen.
Pairing: Belle/Rumpelstiltskin
FINDING BELLE:
Belle sat once again on the ledge with her knees pulled up against her chest. The look on his face had swelled and broken her heart all in one single moment. He looked so sad and so happy to see her. All she had ever wanted was to see him again and now she could if only she wasn't strapped in this room. Again she stared mindlessly out the window, a window she had considered breaking many times in a hope to attempt freedom. Now, she had more motivation. He was here, he had found her, and he had said that he would come back for her. Though, how long would she have to wait? Belle knew he was in this town. Waiting was going to kill her.
She got up and looked around the room. Her time in the Dark Castle had taught her to rely on herself. Belle gathered up the sheet from her bed and piece of metal from the bed frame. If she could then she would use the heavy metal to smash the glass. Belle would have to be extremely lucky not to get caught. Wrapping the sheet around one end Belle hefted the metal and took a swing at the window. It smashed against the glass with such force that she wasn't aware she had leaving behind a small spider web break. For a second she froze, fearful someone heard. No one came; like always.
Again she hefted the metal bar and struck the glass again. More spider webs appeared. Over and over she struck out until the glass busted enough for her to make a hole to crawl through. Belle dropped the bar, pausing to wrap some of the sheet around her hands. Then she started to pull at the broken shards until the hole was larger. In her haste she wasn't careful, a shard sliced her hand; blood spilled. She closed her hand, bringing it close to her chest continuing on. Belle had to be free.
Finally she had enough space to wiggle free to the ledge just beyond. Belle gingerly slipped through the opening trying not to get cut anymore. That effort was wasted; a jagged shard sliced open her shoulder when her shirt got caught. As she tugged Belle shifted wrong feeling the pain blossom on her shoulder. It didn't dissuade her; it only made her more determined to get free.
Out on the ledge Belle looked at her shoulder; the blood was dripping down her arm and a few drops spilled on the concrete ledge. Peering over, it was only a few feet to the ground. Belle crouched down and slid over the side dropping down to the asphalt of the parking lot. The ground was cold and the wind snapped at her arms making her cuts ache. She had to find him. Her eyes tracked down to the thin woven simple yarn bracelet she wore. It would look ordinary to others, but she knew better. Inside was a thin strand of enchanted gold that Rumpelstiltskin had made her. The gold, he spun it for her, was to protect her from any curse.
Belle shivered in the cold wind. She had to get off the street and fin Rumpelstiltskin. He had to be close by. Moving away from the hospital Belle moved from ally to ally and moved along several side streets. As she tried to search for him, she also wanted to avoid the Queen. It was the Queen who had kept her locked up here and there. Down another side street Belle saw a sign with Gold in the name. "Gold…. Spinning straw into gold," Belle muttered. This had to belong to him. It had to. If it didn't then she wouldn't know what else to do.
Belle moved from the side of the building mindful to look up and down the street making sure no one saw her. Tears were streaming down her face as exhaustion ate at her. The cut to her hand and to her shoulder was still bleeding. It might be deep. She had to stop. But she wouldn't stop until she found him. Pushing open the door, a bell jingled, and it startled her. Belle tripped over her own feet going to her knees.
"We're closed." A voice from the back called out.
"Help me…" Belle nearly fell over, put her hands out to brace herself. Pain jolted through her left hand. A yelp escaped her. Bringing her hand up to cradle Belle hunched over letting her tears fall.
Coming out from the back room Gold let his eyes fall on the shuddering form of a woman in his shop. "Belle?" He asked going to her. All other thought flew from his mind. She was her and he didn't know how or why. Kneeling down as best he could Gold put his hand out and touched her right shoulder; warm stickiness greeted his palm. Pulling back his hand he saw she was bleeding. "Oh Belle," Again he reached out to her trying to get her to look at him.
It was him. He was with her. Belle couldn't bear to lift her head lest her eyes betray her to some trick of the mind. "Is it really you?" Her words wavered. The feeling of his fingertips on her chin felt so familiar, a reminder of home.
"Look at me," Gold, the former Rumpelstiltskin, urged. "I need you to look at me." His heart was breaking by slow degrees all over again just by having her on the floor of his shop. Since being in this new life he had thought she was dead. He had thought that those who should have loved her turned her away; he included, and left her to suffer. Now, here she was, bleeding on his floor, coming to him.
Belle lifted her tear stained face looking upon the face she had seen a short while ago. Overcome with joy she draped her arms over his shoulders burying her face in the crook of his neck letting more of her tears fall. Gently his arms came around her rubbing small circles on her back. "I had to get out." She sobbed.
"I've got you now," he assured resting his cheek against the side of her head. Gold looked at his hand; her blood painted his fingers. After all he had seen, after all he had done; the sight of her blood made his stomach roll in aversion. "Let's get you to the back and clean your wounds."
Belle looked at him; the pain set in. She looked at her hand where the bloody sheet was wrapped. Just being in his arms, being held by him made her pain fade away, made her fear vanish. Others had seen him as a monster, a thing to only make deals with, but she saw him as a man who needed someone to believe in him. "I forgot I was hurt." She mumbled. He stood up, rising above her, but she stayed where she was looking at her hand and the blood.
"Come on dearie," Gold stood up trying not to lean on his cane. That wasn't who he was to her. He was Rumpelstiltskin; the deal maker. He was all powerful in her eyes. Now, in this world he was a man with a limp. Offering her his hand, Gold waited. Belle looked much like she had when she had dropped the cup and it chipped. He had once told her it had been only a cup, but that wasn't so. To him it was precious, worth more than silver or his namesake, Gold.
Belle looked up placing her uninjured hand in his. Using what little strength she had she stood up to face him, gazing up into his eyes. Somehow she missed the fierceness of his other eyes. Her feet hurt, her shoulder was stinging, and all the other cuts began to ache. "I forgot." She said again as his fingers traced one of the cuts on her cheek. Belle winced.
"Come," Keeping her hand in his Gold took her back to the back room. Belle sat on the work bench, slid over the edge like she used to do, and cradled her left hand against her chest. Gold pulled over a stool to sit on so he wouldn't put undo pressure on his bum leg. "Let me see." She offered her injured hand to him and he gently unwrapped the bandage to reveal the clean slice to her palm. There was a small shard of glass stuck in her hand. "I'm going to have to go get the first aide kit. Will you be ok sitting here?"
"Yes," She muttered keeping her eyes on him. If Belle closed her eyes fear gripped her whispering to her that he was disappear. She couldn't handle that, not after they way things ended between them the first time. Every since she had left the Dark Castle her life hadn't been what she wanted. With Rumpelstiltskin she had had a home; she had had someone to talk to. After leaving, no one would even look at her.
Gold stood from the stool trying in vain not to limp, but he failed. Without his powers he was an ordinary man with a limp. Yet another reason he clung to his powers. Yet another reason he had lashed out at her. He had tried to make her think that he was tired of her. Nothing had been further from the truth. Inside his heart, what he had left of one, screamed at him to take it all back, to let her in again. This time, in this world, he had a chance to make it right. That was all that mattered.
Coming back to her, Gold took her hand to remove the sliver of glass. Her delicate hand shook, fingers trembling, but she did not flinch at his touch and she never would. The glass slipped free bringing more blood. "This cut isn't too terrible." Gold put a bit of gauze over the wound and wrapped it with a small ace wrap.
"You don't have to do this." Belle said keeping her eyes on his hands, every move he made she wanted to watch.
"Yes, I do." Gold rolled his gaze up to Belle's noting the gratitude, the affection in her gaze. "This, what happened… I'm party to blame." He confessed. This curse, this world they were living in, was only because of the curse he had told the Evil Queen how to make work. Though, he had been locked away in a jail cell with nothing better to do. His Dark Castle was most likely beyond terrible and probably in shambles knowing the vindictive streak the Queen had.
"This never would have happened had I not kissed you." Belle admitted. After he cast her out of his home her heart still carried love for him. His name still lingered on her lips just as the kiss remained. It had kept her company on cold nights in the Queen's dungeon. Belle had gone home, but it was not the welcome she would have thought she would receive. Her father cast her out of her home. As she mad her way back to the Dark Castle the Queens carriage appeared again, this time her Black Knights had taken her prisoner.
Gold angled his head kissing Belle the way he had wanted to. "You mean that kiss?" He asked arching his right eye brow. Belle said nothing initiating the kiss again. Her lips were soft, softer than the reddest rose. She fit to him perfectly as she kissed him back. He brought his hands up to her shoulders, fingers grasping, and then she gasped in pain. Crimson dotted the fabric of her right shoulder; fresh blood was being spilled. He could kick himself for inflicting more pain on her. "I'm…"
"No, it's fine." Belle interrupted some of her fear and exhaustion flew out the window with just the touch of his lips. "It's not that bad." She tried to reason, but the pain was arguing with her, it was demanded to be attended to. Gingerly, his fingers probed the wound. He was being as gentle as he could. It reminded her of the way he would hold the tea cup she chipped the first morning she had been at the Dark Castle. He always held that cup with such care.
"I need to clean the wound, but…" Gold felt odd about asking her to remove the scrub shirt.
"I could wrap a towel around me, if you have one." Belle offered with a smile. She wanted him at ease.
"Uhh… I don't have a towel." Gold answered smirking at Belle, teasing her to see what she would do next.
"Oh, well then, we'll just have to make do." She teased back gathering up the edge of her shirt trying to pull it up, except her shoulder protested violently. Then his fingers were there; the pads rubbing over the skin of her side. He pushed the shirt up, careful to mind the gash in her right shoulder.
Rumpelstiltskin, the purveyor of deals, the maker of bargains now sat in the back of his shop with Belle up on his work bench allowing him to push the hem of her shirt up and off of her body. She was still such a beauty, even covered in dirt and grime. After this he was going to get her home and let her clean up.
"You know," She cleared he throat, "You broke the previsions of our deal." Belle stated, a playful tone dancing on the air between them.
"Oh did I?" He asked pulling the shirt all the way off only to hold it in front of her. Belle took it, tucking it under her arms. "And how did I do that dearie?" Gold asked trying for the voice he used to have, but not quite managing it.
"You sent me away," Belle pointed out, "You broke your own deal." She wasn't angry. How could she be? He, after all, was the man she loved. The man still perceived himself a monster where she someone who she wanted to love.
If he wasn't careful then the ice would set in his heart, it would rob him of the little love he had managed to unbury for her. He didn't want it to leave, "I can do that. They are my deals." Gold rationalized weakly. It had hurt him greatly to send her away, to say such things to her. Then, in the end, she had only offered him the truth.
"You said forever." Belle stated. "If we are ever to go home, I want to live you again." All alone, locked up, she had had so much time to think about everything that happened. There was a part to play by everyone in the makings of this curse. What she endured was only made so because she had kissed him, had pushed him to a place he was not ready to venture. Then when he lashed out she hadn't been angry or hurt. Some how she knew this would happen. It was why she had offered him the truth that had been in her heart instead the venom her mind wished to seek to injure him with.
Gold reached out his hands still coated in her blood to cup her face, "The Dark Castle will always be your home." He promised meaning it this time. There would be no dungeons for her, no fear, just what he could offer. Her hands came up, closing lightly around his wrists and a smile lit her face with happiness. The Queen would never take Belle from him again. "Now, let's see about this shoulder wound and then we'll get you home with me."
"I want to go home." Belle nodded feeling more tears come to her eyes. This time they were tears of joy. Rumpelstiltskin dropped his hands from her face to assess the damage to her shoulder. She looked at it, instantly wishing that she hadn't. Out of habit she winced. His hands fell away.
"I didn't hurt you did I?" Gold asked seeing her wince out of the corner of his eye.
"No," Belle assured, "I just shouldn't have looked." The injuries always hurt more when they were looked at.
"Lucky for you this one isn't serious either. Just a bandage and you'll be fine." He set about cleaning the cut wither peroxide, adding antibiotic ointment, and covering it with a bandage. "Give me a moment to find you some shoes, and I'll take you home." Gold traced his finger tips down the side of her face, along her jaw.
Belle sat on the work bench rubbing at the back of her right hand as she listened to him moving things around. It gave her time to look around. The shelves were filled with trinkets, come of them she knew from her time in the Dark Castle. Her eyes spotted the sword that used to be mounted in front of his huge glass display case, then she saw the puppets and then the wooden vase she had once used for the rose he had given her. A smile danced over her lips at the memory. They had had some happy times being alone, being isolated in the mountains. Belle missed those times. She missed watching him spinning straw into gold, and she missed sitting on the table watching him drink his tea from the cup she had chipped.
Gold came back to see Belle with the lightest smile on her face. He, in turn smiled at her, "What are you looking at dear?" Coming to her, he sat once again on the swivel stool with a pair of wool lined leather slippers. It was the best he could do for now.
"I'm look at the vase. Is it the same one?" Belle asked reaching out for the shoes, but Rumpelstiltskin moved them out of her reach. On impulse she had opened her mouth to ask what he was doing, but then it became self evident. He slipped the right shoe on her foot and then the same with her right. The gesture warmed her heart. Before, at the Dark Castle he had this tender side towards him where she was concerned. He would sit and talk with her, joke with her, and he would tease her. Belle hoped that wouldn't change. In this world he seemed so different.
"Yes it is." Gold answered standing up. He took her hands, making sure to take her left hand with care, as he helped her down from his work bench. Reluctantly his hand grasped for the cane. It embarrassed him to have to use it in front of her.
Belle noticed his limp. "I never knew you…"
"Limped, hobbled…?" Gold added words for her. He wasn't angry. "Yes, dear I limp. Before I became the Dark One, I was injured in the Ogre Wars." Her right arm came around his waist offering him support. She barely had enough strength to keep herself upright, and yet she was trying to help him. His free arm encircled her waist in return offering her what strength he could.
"I'm sorry," She whispered kissing his cheek.
"Let's go home." Rumpelstiltskin felt some of his former self return just at the feel of her by his side. It was almost like the first night they had met and he had asked for her as payment. There had been no telling how Belle would have affected him. When he wasn't making deals, striking bargains, he was at the Dark Castle with her; alone. Those had been happier times.
Regina pulled into the driveway of her home feeling quite good about herself. Gold was in jail, which she knew wouldn't last long, but for now he was in one place. It pleased her to know that she had something that in the end would make him side with her. Belle. That girl was a weak point with Rumpel and she would exploit that to gain the greatest advantage.
Just as she had se foot outside her car, Regina's cell phone chirped alerting her to an incoming message. She had only left the office ten minutes ago. What could have gone wrong in that time? Pulling out her phone she read the simple message. If her son hadn't been watching her from the window, Regina would have thrown her phone and threw a fit. The girl is gone. Played over and over and over in her
He had warned her, multiple times, that he still had plenty of power. Still she had to learn the hard way. It never ended. Now, Regina was back at square one where God was concerned. This time she would have to plan carefully in getting the girl back. Belle would turn the tide of her silent war with Gold. If he possessed her, then he would be his former self. He wouldn't have to make deals with her again. Damnit. She mouthed. Taking a breath she calmed herself, brought her control around her like armor. To play against Gold, against Rumpelstiltskin, she would have to be more devious than he could ever be.
At his home, wrapped in his coat, Belle still walked with her arm around Rupelstiltskin's waist. It warmed her to know that he was more comfortable giving her affection. She needed it now. Her fingers gripped the fabric of his coat as they stepped inside his home. Like before at the Dark Castle, her heart kicked up in pace. She had lived with him for months. Why should it be so weird now? Soon her heart slowed, she was home where she belonged. On the drive the rest of her dread had fled from her body as he had held her hand the entire time. "How long before the Queen realizes I'm gone?"
Gold stopped, stepping away from Belle to close the doors with his heart sinking in his chest, "She probably already knows." Deep down, he dreaded the next meeting with Regina. The Mayor would know by now that Belle was gone. Soon she would be here. "None of that matters though." He turned to her, took her hand once again, "You're with me and I meant what I said, no one will hurt you again. And that includes me." Rather than deal with the stairs, Gold led Belle into the living room off the main entrance where an opulent leather couch waited. It was deep and soft with enough room that Belle could lie down to rest.
Belle asked nothing of where they were going or what they were going to do. For now her thoughts centered on lying down, possibly eating something. She hadn't realized how tired she would be after that escape. Why now? Was seeing him again all that she needed to attempt the escape? Apparently so. She was glad about it. Any more time in that place and she would have finally surrendered all hope of ever seeing him again. Belle loved him, had loved him even as she left his Castle when he broke their deal. She sat on the couch where a sign escaped her and sleep clawed at her. Suddenly he was there with her, sitting beside her with him arm around her shoulders urging her to lean against him. Belle wished to let go, to just sleep, and she did so. Resting her head on his shoulder she let her mind slip into the realm of dreams.
Rumpelstiltskin lightly rested his cheek on the top of Belle's head as she slipped into sleep. Without looking he brought the large wolf fur blanket over her to keep her warm. The blanket was large enough that it could drape over his lap and that warmth seeped into his tired body to lull him into sleep right along with her. This, having Belle with him again, was more than he thought he would ever have. She was the one woman who had truly made him happy. Belle was his happily ever after.
Night brought Belle out of her sleep to find herself alone, under a wolf fur blanket, and in the dark. In the hall candles burned giving her the illumination she used to know. It was certainly easier on the eyes after waking. Gathering the blanket around her Belle got up from the couch to search for Rumpelstiltskin. Down the hall she heard what sounded like the slicing of a blade. Following it she found him standing at the center island in his kitchen chopping up fruit. It was mostly apples. Red apples. At the sight of the food her stomach growled loudly alerting him to her presence.
Gold knew the moment Belle was in the doorway of his kitchen. He was tuned to her in a way he had never been tuned to his powers. Every step she took had his heart racing faster. He was eager for her to be watching him again. On days when they did nothing but talk as he spun at the wheel Belle would study him with a light smile on her rosy red lips. All too soon he became accustomed to her watching him. Now, he could indulge in it again. As she stood there watching him her stomach growled loudly, "I take it you're hungry."
"A little bit." Belle answered leaning against the door jam pulling the blanket tighter around her. She was still cold and now aches and pains had set in from her shoulder to her hand.
Stopping what he was doing Gold looked at her and felt everything else fade away, "At the top of the stairs is a wash room with a change of clothes. I should be finished soon. You can take a shower and relax."
Belle dropped the blanket to go to him. She kissed his cheek wrapping her arms around him again. The feeling of him against her grounded her, made her forget. "Thank you." She repeated it over and over in her mind. In turn his arms came around her. Lightly his lips touched her temple. Belle pulled back to offer him a small smile before she left the room and headed up the stairs.
At the stairs Belle ascended them slowly. Her feet still hurt after her long run to town. Each step was light, almost lighter than air because she didn't want to make too much noise. On the top of the landing Belle saw more candle light inside a large bathroom where a shower stood on one side of the room enclosed by opaque glass and a silver frame. Along the other side rested a deep basin tub. That called to her, begged her to lounge and rest. Belle shut the door, making sure to leave it open just a crack so she could try and listen to him down in the kitchen as she filled the tub with hot water. To her left on the counter rested a plain cotton t-shirt and a pair of black sleep pants. Picking up the shirt Belle lifted it to her nose and inhaled deeply. The scent, it belonged to him. Replacing the shirt on the counter she set about taking off the ripped scrub top, removing the bandage on her shoulder, the bandage on her hands, and then she slid off the grungy ripped scrub pants. Belle dropped both articles of clothing in the trash can.
The tub was finally full. Belle shut off the water and gently sank into the hot water feeling the aches starting to abate. If she wasn't careful then she might get so relaxed that she might fall asleep again. A few more minutes of relaxing, that would be it. Belle grabbed the cloth and soap to start cleaning off the grime from the room and the blood from her escape. The soap stung on her shoulder like tiny needles under the skin, but the germs would be killed and cleaned away. So she continued biting her bottom lip against the pain as not to make a sound.
Forty-five minutes later Belle came back down the stairs to see him once again on the couch with the fruit in front of them on the coffee table. The blanket was next to him as he sat back with his eyes closed. Belle took a moment to marvel at him. So much about him had changed. His hair was now straight where it had been crimped before. His eyes were chocolate brown, somehow harder than the amber of his other eyes, even the style of his clothes. Belle found she missed the way he used to dress, the way he looked before, even the way he spoke to her. Though, she could get used to this new version.
"I know you're watching me," He spoke opening his eyes. The candle glow seemed to bend around her and absorb into her skin. She was still so gorgeous even as she wore his black sleep pants tied low on her waist, and one of his plain while t-shirts with her dark hair curling in wet ringlets around her face. Sitting up gold grasped the red rose resting on the table, hidden by the food, and he held it up to offer it to her. Belle's smile widened bringing her to the couch beside him again. His heart swelled with all the love he had for her.
Belle accepted the rose, automatically bringing it up to her nose to inhale the fragrant scent. It was the same rose he had offered to her before. So much, all at once had tears gathering in her eyes again. They were tears of joy, "Oh, this is… perfect." Belle rested her left hand on his thigh.
Gold turned to her, seeing her tears, feeling the need to make them leave her eyes. Then she said this was perfect, and yet she still cried. "Belle?" He questioned with the doubt that he was truly happy.
"It's amazing and I'm happy." She answered clutching the rose in her fingers.
"But you're crying." Rumpelstiltskin pointed out using his index finger to wipe away a stray tear.
"Because I'm happy," Belle said.
"As long as you're happy," He added reaching for a slice of apple. Gold held it for her, teasing her to take a bite. Belle wiped away her tears to smirk at him. She leaned in for a bite, but he moved it back playfully. Settling back into the corner Gold let her try again, this time allowing her to take the apple slice from his fingers. He watched as she chewed it delicately. After she finished, Belle grasped one of the apple pieces. It seemed to him that she was going to tease him, to toy with him, but she didn't. He leaned up and nibbled on the juicy apple slice with Belle smiling at him. Time slipped by unnoticed to either of them as they ate and fed each other fruit. Gold had never known true contentment until this moment. Before he knew it they had devoured half the plate of food. Gold once again settled into the deep corner of the couch propping his bum leg on the edge, stretching out more. He was too full to even move.
Belle yawned; she was full and once again sleepy. She grabbed the blanket so she could slide right in between the back cushion of the couch and snuggle right into Rumpelstiltskin's side. There was no need to ask, Belle knew she would be welcome in his arm. Spreading the blanket out over them she pillowed her head on his chest and his arms came around her. Nothing on this earth or back in the fairy tale world would ever compare to the feel of him, the way he held her. Settling down, Belle and Rumpelstiltskin, Beauty and the Beast, let sleep claim them, allowed it to sweep them away into the dream world.