Chapter 4

When people started moving around and exiting the library, Belle caught the Blue Fairy's retreating form through the corner of her eye. She had never spoke with the woman and so, was slightly worried about how she should address her, Mother Superior or Blue Fairy? She suspected Rumple's "nagging nuns" wouldn't do too well right now. So, choosing a non-committing way, she ran behind the woman.

"Excuse me?" she called, touching the other woman's shoulder.

"Yes?" the fairy replied in a polite tone, even if a bit protective. Belle couldn't stop herself from wondering if the woman thought she was going to talk to her like she was Rumplestiltskin.

"Can I talk to you, please? In a quieter place?" Belle asked, nodding towards the front door.

The Blue Fairy observed her for some minutes, taking too much time with her blue eyes than should be considered polite. However, she followed her, even if her cautious steps told the librarian the woman didn't trust her.

Belle walked a few paces over the sidewalk, until a door around the corner appeared in front of them.

"It's the entry to my apartment upstairs from the library." she explained.

However, even if it was close to her beloved books and a place which she could call hers, that place never felt exactly like home, not when there was no smell of coffee and tea in the morning, or a man wearing a tie waiting for her with a smile, even when her hair was wild and her eyes were almost dropping from its sockets.

"Please, sit. Would you like something to drink?" Belle asked, and immediately went to her fridge.

"No, thank you." the woman said, and Belle sighed, relieved. Inside her fridge only a bottle of rum and something that looked like chicken could be found and not for the first time she found herself mad with Lacey. Even if it was partially her fault for going to Rumple's home that morning, instead of her house, it was easier blaming someone no longer here.

"What did you want to talk with me? If it is about the creation of those protective places… I will be glad to help keeping our town safe…" a voice said, bringing Belle out from her reverie.

"I believe you know about Rumplestiltskin's son?" Belle asked, not minding what the woman said before.

"Yes, Henry's father..." she answered and Belle nodded.

"He was hurt, shot by Tamara and he fell through a portal…" Belle said. "I was wondering if there was any way we could open another portal and find him… he might be alive, we can't be sure he is dead until we find him…" Belle begged, Rumplestiltskin's tears still fresh in her mind and body.

"I'm sorry, but we can't… Anton kept a smaller beanstalk in his home, but it doesn't have enough magic, and we don't know if it will give any beans… And, besides, we had to know which land the portal took Baelfire to…" the Blue Fairy said, real sadness showing in her face. "I'm the guilty one for giving that boy the bean, but now, I can't do anything to help you… or him…"

"But Rumplestiltskin had a magic globe… He told me it was the way to find his grandson…" Belle replied, desperation sipping through her words.

"I know what you are talking about, but the only way we could find Baelfire was if we had blood from his family and that globe… I believe Mr. Gold probably took it with him, if he said it could find Henry, and those kinds of things are incredibly hard to find…"

Belle knew that there was nothing else she could do; however, she couldn't stop her heart from breaking with every word the other woman said.

"I'm extremely sorry…" Mother Superior said, and rising from the chair, she left the house, leaving Belle with a feeling of the greatest loss.

I have to think, I have to think! Where could I find something like that? It's something rare like the Blue Fairy said and Rumple only mentioned it when we were walking to the port… So, someone gave it to him… Someone with magical powers, someone he didn't want me to meet or else he would have told me where he found that… But who?

And then, her mind brought her the answer… Cora

If that woman was the only one able of finding such a rare item, how could Belle, in a place without the kind of magic of the Enchanted Forest, find it and, in consequence, find Baelfire?