A/N: Finally I have chapter 3 for you! Sorry its taken so long. I've been really busy with work and I keep on being ill. Poor me! Its my Christmas holidays now, so uploads should be more regular.

Thank you everyone who has reviewed, favourited and followed. It means a lot. I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 3: Confiding

-Belle-

Waking up a few days later, Belle decided she had to tell someone or she'd explode. She hadn't been able to get Mr Gold out of her head and didn't have a clue what to do about it.

She figured the only person who wouldn't think she was crazy was Ruby, who had enough of her own strange affairs and romances, not to judge Belle to harshly. So, she set off to Granny's for breakfast, though she didn't feel hungry.

Some people said Ruby was a slut, with her tiny shorts and skirts and low cut tops. But Belle saw something else in Ruby. She wanted to be accepted. To be loved. Something which she tried to get by sleeping with a lot of different men. Belle understood this desire, but approached it differently. Perhaps thats why Ruby was quickly becoming her best friend.

Opening the door to Granny's a waft if bacon and eggs hit her and she suddenly felt hungry.

"Belle!" a squealing Ruby rushed at Belle and dragged her to a corner table. "So, what brings you to this fine establishment? Bacon?"

Belle rolled her eyes. "No actually, I wanted to talk to you. Though that bacon does smell good."

"Well now I'm curious. I'll grab you some of that bacon and then you can tell me all." Ruby grinned and rushed to the kitchen. Belle couldn't help smiling at Ruby's enthusiasm, for what she hoped was a piece of juicy gossip.

Belle fiddled with the sugar packets while she waited for Ruby to return, and tried to figure out how she was going to explain her little infatuation without sounding too crazy. Most of her friends back in Australia had thought she was crazy when she had had a crush on an older man before. She hoped Ruby had been with an older man herself so she wouldn't think the same thing.

Soon Ruby was sliding into the chair opposite her and pushing a plate piled high with bacon, fried eggs and toast across the table.

"So," said the waitress stealing a bit of bacon from Belle's plate, "spill the beans. Whats going on?"

"Well, ummm-" Belle speared a piece of bacon. "I met Mr Gold."

Ruby rose one perfect eyebrow."And?"

"What do you mean?" Belle mumbled through her bacon. The other girl spluttered with laughter.

"Belle, you've gone bright red. Something must have happened." Belle brought her hands up to her cheeks in embarrassment, feeling heat rushing to her face. "You like him." Ruby narrowed her eyes accusingly.

"I-"

"It's okay Belle, I'm not one to judge." Ruby interrupted, "Anyhow, I've always wondering what it would be like to fuck Gold. I've never had a man that old he has still got it going on. Damn!"

"Ruby!" Hissed Belle from across the table, suddenly glad that no one was sitting at the tables nearby.

"What you don't want to fuck him?"

Belle chewed on a piece if toast trying to work out the right thing to say.

"I'm- attracted to him."

"Hmmmmm!" Ruby tapped a red fingernail against her equally red lips in thought. "I think its time for operation Seduce Mr Gold."

-Gold-

A knock on his door roused Mr Gold from some papers he was working on in his study. Opening the front door, Jefferson Milliner barged past Gold and headed for the living room.

"Have you got anything to drink?" Jefferson called behind him.

"There's a tap in the kitchen."

"Haha! Funny man." Jefferson plopped onto the sofa "I'm talking whiskey." Gold chuckled and started to pour himself and his guest a glass.

Jefferson was an eccentric man, he kept mostly to himself and didn't seem to care what other people thought. That could be why Gold befriended him 8 years ago when he moved to Storybrooke with his 2 year old daughter, Grace. Jefferson didn't seem to have a proper job. Gold knew that he liked to design costumes, but he didn't do it for a living. Gold had a feeling his friend was living off money he had inherited along with the secluded house he lived in. Aside from that, Jefferson liked to know things. Much like Gold. However, Gold suspected it wasn't due to power like it was for him, but paranoia. The urge to protect his daughter whatever the cost. Jefferson never told Gold what happened to his wife and Gold never asked, but the events which let to her death seemed to shaped Jefferson into the antisocial person he was.

Mr Gold handed the glass of whiskey to Jefferson, who immediately to a large gulp.

"So," Jefferson lent back into the cushions "what can I do for you Angus?" Jefferson was one of the few people who knew his full name and he liked it that way. Gold walked slowly across the room.

"What do you know about that new librarian? Belle French." Jefferson raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"I didn't think she'd be someone you'd be interested in. I doubt she has much to offer." Gold gave the other man an exasperated look. "Okay! Okay. I don't know much I'll admit- she's very ordinary." Gold raised an eyebrow at that. He was certain Miss French- Belle- was far beyond ordinary.

"Go on."

" She grew up in a small town in Australia. Her parents and her used to visit Storybrooke when she was a child. Her mother grew up not far from here."

"Stayed at Mills did she?" Mills Hotel and leisure park, was located just outside of Storybrooke. It was run by Regina Mills, who had taken the place over from her mother Cora, when she died. Gold had a bit of a history with Cora which he liked to forget.

"I assume so. She studied creative writing at The University of Melbourne. Her mother died shortly after she finished her degree, so her father her moved here to start again." Gold creased his brow in thought.

"Where's her father now?"

"He's living the city. He's very ill and has carers looking after him. I think most of what Miss French earns goes on looking after him. I doubt she earns much as it is.

"Mmmmmm." Gold thoughtfully sipped his whiskey, "Perhaps the library needs a large donation." Jefferson beamed at him.

"Excellent idea! Grace loves that library." Then his face pulled into a frown, "Why do you care?"

"Is there something wrong with being charitable?" Mr Milliner snorted. Then a look of understanding passed across his face.

"You like her!" Jefferson gestured towards Gold with his glass.

"Don't be ridiculous" Gold snapped, suddenly feeling hot under his collar.

"Its quite understandable. She is very pretty." Jefferson drew out the very and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "A large donation would be a perfect way of capturing her attention." Rolling his eyes, Gold turned away from his friends, pouring himself another glass, hoping to calm himself. It was true he did like her. And he was going to do something about it starting with a large donation for the library.

I really liked writing Ruby and Jefferson. Tell me what you think!