Chapter 4 mirrors

Miles from Belle's kingdom, there was Rumplestiltskin's dark castle. Belle might have been having dreams and carrying a rose with her everywhere she went but Rumple was taking it harder. On the outside of the castle, it was the dark castle as it had always been but on the inside it was destroyed.

After Belle left, Rumple took it hard at first, his deal making was cruel and he wanted everyone's happiness to be destroyed like his heart was. After a while, he stopped deal making all together. He smashed everything in the castle up, apart from the chipped cup that remained by his side like the rose did with Belle. Rumple only left the castle to retrieve straw, so he could spin and forget.

As Belle does, he remembers her last words to him `all you'll have is an empty heart and a chipped cup'. Those words ran through his head, no matter what, no matter how much he spun or how much somebody called for help with magic. It was only those words.

One day, Regina came to visit unexpectedly she said "I want to make a deal".

"I'm not in the mood" he said with a low voice.

"Let me guess this is about...Belle". Rumples eyes widened at her name.

"How do you know it was her?" He turned and looked at her with an evil glare. Regina didn't answer but she walked over to the table and picked up the chipped cup and rolled it around in her fingers, while staring at Rumple. Rumple said in an angry voice "I suggest you put it down gently...unless you want to die".

Regina smiled at him then put the cup down. She knew that he liked to play games but on the matter of Belle he was serious. She knew that belle had almost broken his curse, which meant that he loved her as much as she loved him. She knew that Belle was important to him and that if she insulted Belle in any way, he would kill her and he would find a way to make her soul suffer for all eternity.

As much as Regina liked to be in control, Rumpelstiltskin knew that she was afraid of him. That is how he can manipulate her to do whatever he wanted, even tell him all her dirty little secrets. After Regina put the cup down she said "touché" with a smile.

He continued to glare until he said "what do I have to do to get rid of you?"

"Easy...as I said before I want to make a deal".

"And as I said before, I'm not in the mood to be making deals...so I think that concludes it for today...now get out".

Regina walked away thinking `one day he will bow to me but for now, I must find Belle and use her to get to him'.

As soon as Regina left, Rumple picked up the cup and held it to his lips, he knew that if Belle were here, she would smile at him but he also knew that if she were here, he would never let her go. He would do all he could to make it up to her for everything that he has done. He would admit his true feelings to her and he would put his stone hard lips on her gentle soft ones. He did not care if his curse broke all he cared about was his Belle.

Rumple knew that if he took the sheets of any of the mirrors, the Queen would be watching, so when Belle left he enchanted one of his mirrors, so that the Queen couldn't see through it. He used the mirror to scorer the kingdom for Belle. He checked every mirror that he could but as he was checking the mirrors in her father's castle for the hundredth time, he noticed that one of the mirrors in Belle's room was covered. He was intrigued to know why. Then the thought hit him, Belle must be at her father's castle. He stared at the mirror, every second of everyday, hoping that one day he could see her. Hoping that one day he might reunite with her.

It was months, since he noticed the mirror and the anticipation was killing him. Then one day, someone removed the sheet, it wasn't Belle but a servant. When she removed the sheet, Rumplestiltskin's heart was racing; he thought that he would see Belle and he did. Belle was asleep in the bed right in front of the mirror but he only caught a glimpse. As the servant moved the sheet, Belle quickly awoke jumped out of bed and screamed "DON'T put it back it has to stay covered".

The servant looked scared and then asked her "but why miss, it has been covered ever since you got back...is something the matter?"

"No I am quite...but in the future please never take the sheet of the mirror". Belle stared into her eyes as the servant nodded and Belle let out a sigh of relief to know that the Queen could not spy.

Rumple was puzzled why Belle would be hiding from the mirrors for one second he thought `she must hate me more than I thought to be hiding from me'. Even though Rumple thought the worst he needed answers. If Belle turned him away, his heart would be broken but he would do as she wished.

Rumple knew that in order to see her she would have to take the sheets down. He knew that, that was a slim chance but he did know of one other way. The dark ones powers were good for one thing, getting into peoples minds.

That night when Belle went to sleep, with the rose next to her as it always was, she dreamt of Rumple. In her dream, she was in the courtyard at the dark castle, a place where she had never been in her dreams before. She was stood there for a moment then she heard a voice from behind her. "Belle" he said as he was shocked to see her. Belle turned as he was walking towards her.

Belle put her hands on his cheeks and put her lips onto his. When they parted for air, his curse was not lifted because it was just a dream. He said "Belle, it is really me...I came in your dream to talk to you". A moment passed as Belle stared into his eyes. God he missed those emerald eyes, he could stare at them forever. "Belle, listen, I don't have much time...all I want to know is where you are? And are you happy?"

A moment of silence then she answered "I am at my father's castle and for my happiness..." she placed her hand on his cheek and stroked it with her thumb "I am only ever happy in my dreams...when I am with you ". They kissed again but Rumple knew he had little time before he had to go.

He said "then why did you cover up all the mirrors?"

"The evil Queen...she knows about us, I thought that if I covered up all the mirrors, she wouldn't be able to find me and she wouldn't...be able to use me to get to you". Rumple leaned in for another kiss but Belle said "what about your curse?"

He kissed her and said "this is only a dream, remember...but know this, I love you, Belle, with all my being I love you".

He kissed her again and she said "I love you too, Rumple". As she said it he began to fade and she said "what's happening?"

Quickly he replied "I cannot stay in your dream forever, Belle, my power will not allow it". He kissed her again.

Belle pulled away and stroked his cheek again she said "will you come back tomorrow? I need to see you; I need to talk to you".

As he was fading, Belle could not hear an answer. She did not know if she would see him again but she was determined that he would always be there for her.

When he faded away, moment's later Belle had woken up. In her dream, it had felt like only minuets with Rumple but as she looked out of the window, it showed that the sun had woken and that she spent all night in her dream with him.