The castle had been in disarray, just as Baelfire had warned her. But it didn't matter. She had let herself in, dropped her cloak in the hall, willing the cold to enter her bones and make her feel something, and made her way up the steps to the room she'd spent so many months in. The building was in total darkness, but it didn't matter. She could have walked through the place blindfolded and still know exactly where she was. Cleaning every inch of a place for so long gave you this indept knowledge. She'd pushed open the door and stepped inside her room. It would always be her room. She had felt a lump grow in her throat as she saw it. The room had looked untouched. Almost thirty-five years since she'd been in here and it looked like she may have never left.

Her bed sat under the now black sky, her books lined the walls. And on the table in a small golden vase sat her rose. The sight of the soft red flower had broken her again. Her legs weakened and gave out as she collided with the floor. The cold washed over her as she sobbed into the stone floor her heart well and truly shattered.

He opened the door and walked in. there was much less life in the place now than the last time he'd been here. There was no fires lit, no faint smell of food from the squatters. They must have left soon after he did. But he knew she'd be here. He may not have gotten to know her properly but from what he had heard from everyone else there was no where else she would be but as close to her father as she could manage.

The great hall was empty, everything still lying on the floor in disarray, all the other rooms off it were empty too. The kitchen looked untouched. An hour later and he could see no sign of her.

He did this every few days when he could get away from the rebuild. Every time was as unfruitful as the last. There was no sign. Maybe he was missing her. Maybe she'd never even come here. After weeks of finding nothing but more dust he was beginning to give up.

"BELLE!" he called out, his voice bouncing back at him off the walls. "AHHH!" Turning he went to leave when he spotted a stairwell he hadn't seen before. It was if it had appeared as he turned. Taking the steps carefully, feeling his way along the walls he finally reached a door at the top. The door handle was stiff but it opened as he turned it. This room was slightly warmer then the others in the castle, and it smelt fresher. He saw her immediately, sitting in the middle of the large room surrounded by books, glowing in the light of one candle. "Belle there you are!" he said rushing forward to her, his hand touching her icy cold shoulder. "You're freezing." She didn't even turn. He looked around to only find burnt out candles and books covering most of the space. "Belle what are you doing, it's been almost two have you been holed up in here all this time." He said walking around to the other side of her table. Her head was almost touching the page, still she didn't look up. "Bel…"

"Bae I'm quite busy I can't really…" she waved a hand at him.

"Belle please, just talk to me for a second. No one has seen you in so long…"

"I'm going to bring him back Bae, I've been looking through all his books and I think I've found away to bring him back. Well almost…"

Baelfire reached out and took her hand only for her too pull back immedieatly.

"You need some proper food. Come with me to Charming and Snows castle. We can talk more about it then."

"No, no I don't think so I should keep reading. How is everyone." She said trying to smile at him, but unable to disguise the faded light in her eyes.

"They're alright. Everyone misses Emma and Henry…and papa" he said slowly. "It's been hard. We've been rebuilding the castle. Since we don't know how long we'll all be here…" he searched her face, desperately trying to figure out what to do, what to say.

"Right." She nodded. He reached over and closed her book.

"Belle we don't know where he is. We haven't a clue. You cannot work yourself to death trying when we don't know anything…"

"I cant give up. He never gave up on me. I lost my memories and he never gave up."

"if… if there's one thing I know about my father is that if he's still alive he will come and find us. It may take him some time but he will." He half smiled.

"I can't wait. I need him now I'm… I…." He watched as she started fidgeting with her hand, only realising what she was playing with when she stopped. The small gold ring with the white circle stood out against her small pale hand. He recognised it immediately.

"You got his ring…"

"It fell on the road when he… when he and his father… no one seemed to notice."
they sat in silence for a while. Until he could stand it no longer.

"Belle I'm going away for a while, we've heard whispers of another giant who survived in hiding and Tiny seems to think there's a chance he'll have a beanstalk cutting. We're going to go find him and hopefully get a way back to that world. To bring them back here."

"Henry and Emma." She nodded. "Good."

"Hook, Charming and I are leaving in the morning and I… I want to know you'll be safe. Will you please go to stay with Snow White and the others?"

her brow creased, and her head tilted.

"Why?"

"Well I don't know how long we'll be gone and there is still so many dangers…"

"No why do you want me safe."

"Well…" he shuffled awkwardly. "You're the only family I have left."

She took a second to take his expression, his face was soft and caring. He truly meant it. She may have lost her true love. But he had also lost his father. But then her eyes caught her books. She shook her head quickly.

"Thank you. But I can't. I know everything I need to find him is here. I have to stay here."