Chapter 2
"Why did you really leave her behind?"
Rumplestilskin turned around to see Charming observing him with a curious expression.
The former prince was no longer using his holster, having traded it for a sword, probably found below deck in one of Hook's wondered if it was some unconscious way to say goodbye to his façade as a Storybrooke habitant.
"Since the first moment someone realized what I felt for her, she was in danger…" Mr. Gold said, eyeing Regina with a dark expression. Charming followed his look and understood. Even when he heard the man saying to the woman he loved that it was to protect the town, Charming knew there was something more behind it: he could easily protect the town himself and then leave, why would he leave Belle after having her back?
"So, you don't believe she can take care of herself? For what I've seen she is no damsel in distress…" the prince said, choosing to sit beside his former enemy instead of keeping his standing stance.
"Oh and she is not, dearie… On the contrary… she is too brave and too smart for her own good… When Hook came to Storybrooke she was the one who found out where his ship was, while in the Enchanted Forest she was able of breaking a curse made by Maleficent… So, don't tell me I don't believe in her strength… It's because of that that she had to stay, because she would have done everything in her power to save the person she loves the most, even putting her own life in danger…" Rumplestilskin said, without any amount of pride. On the contrary, he was hurt by his own words, like he couldn't believe he really lost her again, probably for the irrevocably last time.
"When you lose something you can't replace and you have the chance of finding it again, you will do anything to save it, even making yourself miserable…" Snow said, from behind her husband, making the men turn around. "She is going to take care of everyone at home and she will be waiting for you, don't worry…" the fairest of them all added with a soft tone.
Rumplestilskin didn't waste his breathe telling her she was wrong, because he wouldn't come back and so, Belle wouldn't have anyone to be expecting for.
"But, there's something I didn't understand… if Belle uses that cloaking spell how can we find Storybrooke again?" Charming asked and Rumplestilskin smiled.
"We don't…"
The sun had barely risen when she opened her puffy eyes. She felt like her lashes were glued to each other and her cheeks were cracking with something similar to salt.
Belle looked around, noticing the shadows around her. It was not her apartment, the library or Rumple's house… It was his shop… And, for the first time, she noticed the cold floor under her body; and she realized she fell asleep in the shop, after her breakdown…
Belle breathed deeply and jumping to her feet, grabbed her heels and put them on. Searching her pockets she found the paper Rumplestilskin gave her and opening it, found his spidery calligraphy. A list of ingredients and some directions permeated the paper, letting her know her future mission.
She walked into the back of the shop, where she knew Rumplestilskin kept his magic ingredients; after their discussion and his confession of using the curse to find his son, he showed her where he kept all of his magic-related objects and she was going to make good use of that knowledge. For some seconds she fought with a part of her brain that warned her against the magic, the part that still remembered how it felt to be expelled from the Dark Castle.
"Not all magic is bad! It was magic that brought you back!" she said to herself and squaring her shoulders, she opened his cabinets.
"… essence of chameleon's heart… to hide in plain sight, check; dragon's scales… to protect from an enemy, check… and that's it…" Belle was murmuring under her breath, while pilling the ingredients inside a warmed goblet, mixing it and pouring it into a vial.
She turned around and pulling a map from under a pile of books, Bella marked four points in it, surrounding Storybrooke with a square.
"Let's hope for the best…" she said, pocketing the vial and grabbing her coat.
Outside, the sun was already high on the sky and she had to shield her eyes, when someone waved at her.
"So… how are you?" Ruby asked after her approach and showing an uncharacteristic feeling of unease. Belle had to stop herself from smiling.
"I'm fine, wolf girl…" she replied and Ruby smiled relieved.
"Gosh… I didn't know if it was you or…" and her friend left her sentence unfinished, probably thinking it too soon to talk about her cursed persona.
"There's no problem, Ruby… I'm Belle again… And… you don't have to feel uncomfortable talking about Lacey; I remember everything, which is a good change from the usual situation…" Belle said, trying to input some kind of humor into the situation. "But… right now I have to do something urgent… I'm sorry" she said and tried to walk away, but before she could walk much farther, Ruby grabbed her wrist and stopped her.
"Where is Snow and Charming? I can't find them… And for Rumplestilskin not to be with you…" the werewolf asked, her voice now deep and worried, the glint in her eyes betraying her fear.
Belle looked at her, dumbfounded. It was the first time she found herself in that kind of situation… as the only one that could help an entire town… with the exception of giving herself as a caretaker, all those years ago... It was normally the Charmings or her love that did this kind of things, but now, Ruby was looking at her for help and she couldn't deny it, not after what everyone did for her…
"I can't explain right now, but tell… tell everyone that I will explain everything this afternoon in front of the library…" Belle announced and before Ruby could ask anything, she ran towards the southest point of Storybrooke, also known as the woods.
