Chapter Two
The next day, Red got up later than usual only to find that Belle had done the exact opposite and headed off to the library early. She let her be until lunchtime and when Red couldn't stand another moment without seeing Belle, she quickly put together a few sandwiches in cling-wrap and iced teas in their takeaway cups, made up some lame excuse to Granny about dropping off Belle's lunch and practically ran to the library.
It took her all of a few minutes to get there, take a moment to catch her breath outside, and then slip through the door. Red expected to see Belle manning the front desk as usual, but she was nowhere to be seen. Red grinned to herself, and setting the basket down behind the desk, she began a silent man-hunt for Belle among the shelves. It didn't take long to find her so Red stayed hidden for a moment and admired the way her Beautiful Belle moved. Every move she made was dainty, perfect, graceful, and yet so strong and confident at the same time. Straightening from her crouch behind a bookshelf, Red snuck up behind Belle and slipped her arms around her waist, pulling her close. Except instead of turning around and kissing her, like Red wanted, Belle's body tensed and she wrenched herself out of Red's arms with such force that she fell over.
"Red, don't do that to me!" she gasped, hand over her heart and breathing heavily. "You almost gave me a heart attack," Belle accused her, ignoring the hand Red offered, standing up and smoothing her navy dress. Red let her hand fall to her side as she read Belle's body language. Before, she had been relaxed, comfortable. Now she was tense, nervous and not meeting Red's eyes.
"Belle, what's wrong?" Red asked, confused. She moved closer to take Belle's hand, but the beauty moved back and looked away towards the floor. Red stepped back, hurt and more confused than ever. "Belle?"
Unwillingly, Belle glanced up into Red's eyes and almost lost her composure. She was shocked to see tears threatening to overspill onto Red's cheeks; Belle couldn't stand the thought of making Red cry. Don't stop now, you can't ruin it now, you're too far ahead, she told herself. Belle took a deep breath.
"Red… I know this is going to be hard for you to hear, but we can't be together." There, she said it. Oh gods, Red was crying. Actually crying, in full light of day! Belle hated herself for what she was doing to the woman she loved, but Rumpelstiltskin's voice crept back into her mind: "The only way I'll ever allow you two to be together dearie, is in the afterlife. So get yourself together, dearie, and break her heart to save her." Belle gritted her teeth; the next part would be the hardest.
"Red, I don't love you." Red gasped; her heart dropped and her face crumpled as she tried, and failed, not to cry.
"Belle, please…" she whispered. Belle's beautiful face stayed hard as stone as she continued.
"What we had… what we did I should say, was fun, yeah, but I don't love you. It was just a distraction and now that I'm back on my feet, I'm letting you go." Red's heart shattered; it was like losing Peter all over again. Red sank to her knees sobbing outright, her hands covering her face. She didn't see Belle's clenched fists her watery eyes, or her constant swallowing to keep the tears from escaping. Belle let Red cry for a few minutes, and then knelt down beside her.
"Come on Red, this isn't you. You're stronger than this," she told Red, who quieted down. Belle put her hand on Red's shoulder. "You will get through this."
"No I won't!" Red lashed out, striking Belle on her opposite shoulder, knocking her to the ground. Belle stayed where she fell, shocked into scared silence. Red stood and glared down at Belle, the woman she thought she loved. "I love you," she screamed at Belle. "I love you and then you go and rip my heart right out of my chest; you promised you wouldn't do that! You PROMISED!" Red's face was agony to behold; hurt, anger and betrayal written all over it, but Belle forced herself to look, and not to cry. "I can't believe you, Belle, I loved you." Red's face turned pleading, so Belle quickly jumped in.
"But I don't love you, Red. I do not love you."
A look of intense pain flitted across Red's face before it turned completely hard; a look Belle had never seen on her true love's face before. From the ground, looking up at Red, Belle was truly afraid.
"I hope you never love again, Belle. I don't love you anymore, I hate you, I hate you! Go find Regina and rip out some more hearts, go back to Rumpelstiltskin; everything comes at a price, is that it? I hate you!" And with that, Red turned on her heel and fled quickly as a wolf. The library door slammed and Belle was left alone. She sat in the silence, her mind completely shocked and frightened at what had just happened. Tears filled her eyes as she realised Red, her Red, the headstrong, amazing, beautiful woman she loved with all her heart was gone, and would never love her again. The realisation swept over her; Belle stayed on the floor and a single tear slid down her beautiful face.
"Oh gods, what have I done?"