Thank you so much to those who reviewed! You are all wonderful and I'm glad that you are all having a good time reading this.

I don't really have much to say in this author's note. Only that all mistakes are my own and I apologize for them. Hope you all enjoy!

Chapter 3

"You've been hanging out with Gold?" Ruby cried, looking horrified. Her exclamation was loud and not only drew the attention of their friends put the other patrons of the diner.

Belle frowned at her tone and at everyone's surprised, horrified and concerned looks. "He come's by my office a lot for my research," she defended. "Besides, he's not that bad. He actually has some very interesting stories." She looked around at each other them but their expressions didn't change.

Leroy, a grumpy man who worked on second, grunted at this. "Yeah, and he's the villain in all of them."

"That's not fair," Belle said quietly. Anger started nipping at her stomach but she forced herself to remain calm.

"Face it sister," Leroy said. "We've been at this longer than you have and never have we seen the side of Gold you are describing."

"He's a trickster by nature," Emma said. "Look at his job. He's always trying to make deals and when things don't go his way…" she trailed off with a shrug. She casted Belle a sympathetic look, as if she was a child who had just found out that Santa Clause wasn't real.

"We just know Gold better than you," Mary Margret said kindly. "We just want you to be careful."

"Perhaps if you actually got to know him, you would see differently," Belle said, her anger beginning to rise over her calming thoughts. "Did you know him before you met him?"

"We had heard the rumours," David was the one to answer.

"And that's all you're basing him off? Rumours?" Belle huffed. "He has a good heart."

"Then he doesn't show it," Ruby snorted, unconvinced by Belle's insistence.

Belle sighed heavily, knowing she was defeated and gathered her things. "I have to get a new book."

"Belle, wait," Mary Margret called after her but she had already left.

There was a cool wind that day and Belle hugged her coat tighter around her. She had been at The Enchanted Forest for nearly a month now and everyone was telling her to stay away from Gold. After her impressive find with the bow, Gold had started coming by more often to her with other sales he was working on or items his clients wanted but he didn't have.

He would often be with her as she researched and naturally they got to talking. Belle found him interesting and far better company than any other male she had the unfortunate pleasure to meet. Ruby, Leroy, David, Mary Margret, Emma and another girl named Astrid who worked on the first floor, had all stopped by her floor when Gold had been there. Immediately the atmosphere would grow tense, Gold would excuse himself and her visitors would give her worried looks.

Belle stepped into the bookshop and started browsing the shelves. As much as she wanted, she could not fall into another world as she browsed, to frustrated with her friends and their attitude towards Mr Gold. At first he had taken his time opening up but he slowly was. She found the others far too quick to judge the man.

As much as she tried to get out of her thoughts, she couldn't and ended up picking a book that she would no doubt finish in a couple of days. By the time she had done that, her lunch break was over and she started making her way back to the office.

"Excuse me!"

Belle paused and turned to find a short and rounded man hurrying after her. She waited for him to catch up to her and she smiled politely.

"I'm sorry to bother you," the man panted as he reached her. "But are you Belle French."

Blinking with surprise Belle nodded. "Yes. Sorry, do I know you?"

"Mr Smeede," the man said, tipping his red beanie. "I'm a private investigator and I was hired by your father; Maurice French."

Belle stumbled back from the man, all the colour draining from her face. Before she could think, she was running. As fast as she could in her heels, Belle ran down the street and away from the man. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears and her throat felt tight. She kept glancing over her shoulder to see if he was following her but she couldn't see the red beanie anywhere. That didn't stop her from running all the way home.

She flew up the stairs and sprinted to her apartment, opening her door and locking it securely behind her. She collapsed on the couch, out of breath and shaking.

Maurice French, her father, had found her. How much he knew about her new situation she wasn't sure but this was not good if he had hired a private investigator after her. She had run away for a reason, to rid herself of the life her father had planned for her.

"I choose my own fate," she whispered desperately to herself.

She shivered and tears spilled down her cheek as she wondered what her father would do to her when he found out that she had been working and that she lived alone. He had gone ballistic when he found out that she had been studying, doing an online course on Literature.

Shaking, she went to the window and peered out. There was no sign of Mr Smeede. Still, she closed the curtains, making sure no light was getting through and quickly closed the ones in her bedroom. She curled up on the bed, hugging a pillow to her chest and started to sob.

Emma frowned as she stepped off at the fourth floor. Usually Belle was sitting at her desk, working away and always greeted her visitors with a bright smile. However, she was nowhere to be seen. Looking around the vast shelves that made up her floor, Emma searched for Belle but she wasn't there. Her computer was still on but her bag and coat were missing.

Did she not come back from lunch? Emma wondered. Had they pushed her too far?

The elevator arriving at Belle's floor made Emma look up and she frowned when Mr Gold stepped off. He limped towards her, a sly smile on his face and his eyes never leaving hers.

"Miss Swan," Gold greeted her in his usual smooth voice. "How nice to see you."

"Gold," Emma nodded. "Have you seen Belle?"

"If I had, I wouldn't be here to see her myself, would I?" Mr Gold retorted. "She isn't here?"

"Nobody's seen her since lunch," Emma admitted. "She went to buy a book."

A brief flicker of worry crossed Gold's features but it was gone in an instant and Emma wondered if she had imagined it.

"I shall deal with Miss French," Gold said. "Any help you need go to the first floor." With a tone of dismissal, Gold turned around and left, leaving Emma staring after him and her worry for Belle increasing.

Her mobile ringing from where her bag in the living jolted her from her sobs. Whimpering and wiping her eyes, she heaved herself out of bed and made for her phone.

"Hello?" she managed to answer it before it rang out. She winced at the tears in her voice and cleared her throat.

"Miss French, you are alive," came a familiar voice.

"Mr Gold," Belle said, surprised. It suddenly hit her. In her fear of being found she had forgotten all about work. "Oh no! Work! Oh Mr Gold I'm so sorry! I know I should have called," she rambled and embarrassingly she sobbed.

"Yes, well," Mr Gold said, sounding completely baffled. "Are you crying?"

"No," she said miserably.

"Belle, are you okay?" Mr Gold asked.

It was the first time she had ever heard him use her name. "I'm…." Belle trailed off.

"Belle?" Mr Gold's came through more urgent.

"I'm okay," Belle said, but she hardly sounded convincing, even to herself.

"I'll see you soon, Miss French," Mr Gold said and he promptly hung up.

Belle stared at her phone, completely confused and set it back down on her couch. Now that she was up, she padded to her bathroom and washed her face. Her eyes were rimmed red and were already turning puffy. Tears had stained her cheek and she wiped them away gently. She picked up her brush and fixed her curls.

Her conversation with Gold had left her confused. Was he angry at her for leaving work without saying anything? Was she fired? She left the bathroom and went to her room and changed out of her work clothes and into something more comfortable.

A knock on the door made her freeze and she padded slowly to the door. She peeked through her peep hole and her jaw dropped. On the other side stood Mr Gold. Slowly, Belle opened the door.

"Mr Gold!"

"Belle," Gold smiled.

"What are you doing here?" Belle asked, completely shocked.

"I came to check on you. You sounded very upset on the phone," Mr Gold said. "And I can see you have been crying."

Ducking her head, Belle felt her cheeks heat up. "I'm sorry."

"No need to apologize," Mr Gold assured her.

"Would you like to come in?" Belle asked. This was not a conversation she wanted to have when there could be prying ears listening in. She had already found one of her neighbours snooping around for gossip that Belle wished no part in.

Mr Gold nodded and Belle opened the door wider to let him in. He limped past her, looking around her apartment with interest.

"You just moved?" he questioned.

"Yes," Belle said, cheeks burning. "I haven't gotten around to unpacking just yet."

He nodded and stood, looking awkward, in her living room. "I don't mean to pry, but are you okay?"

"I am," Belle assured him. "I just had…," she searched for the right words to sum it up. "a difficult lunch."

Mr Gold nodded, his lips tight. "I know that there a rumours of my beastly nature but you may come to me, whenever you need."

"Thank you," Belle said sincerely. "Would you, ah, would you like to stay for dinner?" Belle wasn't sure what made her ask but she could bring herself to regret asking. Especially when he said;

"Yes, I would like that."

Belle smiled with relief and bit her lip shyly. They ordered takeaway and while they waited, Mr Gold browsed her impressive collection of books and gave her a few suggestions that she could add. It was nice and it took her mind off her afternoon.

It also made her realise she had a crush on her boss.

Please tell me what you thought and happy reading :)