And hey again! I know that last chapter wasn't about Ruby and Belle at all but I really wanted to make Ruby talk to someone about Belle and I thought that Henry is a good option :)

So, anyway, this chapter is longer than others because in my fic I want to follow the actual story line which the OUAT gives us just turn it into a Red Beaty direction. And this chapter is also describing one of the moments from 2x04 and I just couldn't write less.

Hope you'll enjoy it.

Just as I was about to close the diner I saw David and Gold coming in. And what the hell do these two need so late?

"Ruby!" David said following by the older man as I turned in their direction, "We need your help"

What? They've always been on their own with Emma and Regina making all those important decisions and solving problem which were the deal of the whole town but I'm sure they never cared. And now, suddenly, they decided that they need my help. Well, okay.

David gave me some kind of an advertisement with the stupid drawing and the word 'missing' above it and I decided that it probably was made by some five - year - old child.

"She's missing" David told me. Who the hell was missing? Why couldn't they make a normal ad with a photo and not with some stupid childish drawing. May be than I could've recognized the person they're looking for.

"Well, I see... So?"

"Her name is Belle" he said.

What? This is the picture of Belle? It totally is not. Her eyes. They're green here, although they something between blue and gray. Blue mostly. How can anyone mix up the color of her eyes?

Stop.

Belle is missing? What the hell? I saw her only a couple of hours ago and she was totally fine and heading to the library. What could have happened to her?

But this is Rumple. I don't think I should trust him. A bad break up, she told me. Hopefully, with him. Why the hell 'hopefully'? I shouldn't tell them anything, should I? May he hurt her?

"Belle, huh?" I said with my hands slightly shaking. I looked at them again, "Sorry, doesn't... ring a bell"

I was going to give the ad back to David as he suddenly wrapped his hand around my wrist.

"Ruby, listen to me," he said, looking at me seriously, "If you've come across her, you gotta tell me. I'll make sure nothing bad happens."

Okay, I totally trusted David. But Gold. I heard so much about him in our world from Snow and also from granny and in this world everyone knew what kind of a person he was. And now Gold and Rumpelstiltskin in the same body and with the same mind. I can't let him get Belle in his hands.

"Yeah, but what about him?" I asked, nodding at Mr. Gold.

"I've got him. Trust me," he told me looking straightly into my eyes. Oh, what the hell! Belle's missing! I can hate or not hate Gold whenever I want, but I need to help them in the search of Belle. Need to do something.

"She was in earlier. She was looking for a job" I told them sighing slightly, "I pointed her in the direction

of the library."

"When do you think she went there?" Gold asked. What? I don't know. I really don't. I've lost the track of time sitting here with Henry.

"Don't know," I told them.

Oh, God! She left here her sweater, granny told me to give it to her, but if they are going to find her anyway...

"But..." I started. Maybe I should wait for them to find Belle and give it to her myself? But wouldn't it be an odd? "When you find her, give her this." I said, handing the cloth to Rumple. He's her true love. He's her freaking true love. Calm down, Ruby, "She left it in her booth"

"No, that's mine," Gold said. Perfect. "She didn't have anything for the cold," Well, that's great. Just great. So, get your crappy sweater and get right out of here.

"You sure you'll watch out for her?" I asked David. I really needed to know that. If they won't take care of her, I will totally be hurted by myself. Isn't it weird that I'm so worried about the girl I just met the day before?

"Yes," Gold said. Oh, shut up! "Why?"

Can I really trust him in finding her? I don't think I actually can. But I have to? Right? But, Gosh, Ruby, wake up! Do you remember you have a thing in searching for something really needful? But can it actually work with people? Well, it worked with David. I should try! And isn't it a good reason to start? Of course it is! It's Belle, come on!

"I think..." I muttered. It would sound totally weird to them, "I think I can find her" It's totally weird. Stop thinking about how bad could it sound, Lucas. Belle can be in trouble right now and I have an opportunity to find her. I can help her, can prove to her that I am a good person to communicate with, "Later, since things changed, I've been, uh, a little more sensitive to odors"

"What, you can smell her?" he asked with a weird look. Oh, Gold, I wish you knew how much I want to hit you right now.

"I guess it's 'cause of the wolf thing" I said with a grin. He gave me that sweater and I put it up to my nose. It was an odor of a flourish essence. I blushed a little remembering my hands on her hips and her one around my wrist.

I think, David noticed us acting so weird in talking about Belle as he immediately broke in our eye - contact thing. I bet it seemed weird to others. I mean, us talking like this. We were starring right in each others eyes trying to overlook each other.

"Okay, wee need to go until something bad happen to her" David said watching both of us incessantly.

"Right. Let's go" I looked at David and in some minutes I was already locking the door of the diner and putting the sweater up to my nose again.

We walked for some minutes until we reached the flower shop. The sweater's smell was already flourish and now here, near this shop I totally lost it. I got a little bit scared because I knew if I would say it both of them would be disapointed in me. But I have to because I can't just go anywhere I wanted to. It's Belle.

"What?" David asked probably noticing my confusion

"I had her... but I lost her trail" I said and I bet I heard the sigh of Gold. I looked at him and I saw him weirdly watching the shop.

"It must be the flowers" I said honestly as I sneezed because there was too much of different smelles mixing in here, "I can't track her anymore. I'm sorry"

"Don't be" Gold said and I saw him looking at me normally this time. And I knew at that moment he was truly worried about Belle. True love, I reminded to myself, "This is her father's shop"

We walked in and immediately saw the man coming up to us. He totally wasn't happy or even confused when he saw three of us.

"You again" he said angrily staring straightly at Gold. At that point I remembered Henry's story. Belle was taken away from her home to be Rumpelstiltskin's maid. Well, that explaines why the man was so angry with Gold, "Out. This is a private establishment. You're not welcome"

"Where's Belle?" Gold immediately asked and I really truly understand how much worried he was for her. I bet he really did love her.

"I won't let anything happen to her, Moe" David told him.

"We're just worried" I said supporting David's words.

"Don't be. She's safe. So you can stop looking" Moe said and then I noticed his hands. They were shaking and I bet it was not because of anger he felt towards Gold. No, he did something to her. Or I'm just stupid and trying to create my own story.

While I was looking at Moe with his shaking hands I missed apart of their talk and now they were already screaming at each other and I'm sure Gold was ready to pounced on Belle gather any minute.

"Get out" I immediately said and saw both Gold and David staring at me in confusion. But I know this type of people, they will never tell anything under the pressure and Gold can only get some information by magic or by torturing people. I can't do either, "Get out. You heard me"

"What?" I heard Gold saying.

"I'll talk to him. And you will never get something by pressuring him" I told him in much lower voice.

I think I was convincing enough because they were out of shop in a minute. I turned to Moe and he was looking at me weirdly.

"You won't get anything out of me anyway" he said.

"Listen, Moe, I truly see you're worried about Belle" I told him trying to be softer, "And I am too"

"How can you be worried? You barely know her" he said and then I got it. It's the truth. I don't know that girl at all. And she'll probably never want to get to know me. But does that matter right know?

"Trust me, I am her friend" I said trying to be convincing and trying to believe my own words myself, "And we both want your daughter to be safe and have a good life"

"There won't be a good life to her while he's here"

"Look, I will take care of your daughter. And, trust me, he won't be near her" I said and I truly meant it. I knew that if he'd tell me where Belle is now, I'll have to take care of her as much as I can and didn't really mind it.

I saw him sighting as he said "okay" quietly.

"There's only one way to get her away from him" he told me as I felt my hand started to tremble a little.

"What have you done?" I asked quickly. Belle could be in a big trouble and I just can't let that happen.

"I have to make her forget about him, no matter the cost. Even if it means she forgets me, too." he said. What? It came to me immediately.

I ran out of his shop and met two of them standing right outside it.

"He's sending her across the town line" I said quickly. I know what happens to those who crosses it. They forget everything. And Belle will forget everything. She will forget her previous life, Gold. She will freaking forget me even though I meant nothing in her life.

"Good job, wolf-girl" Gold told me.

"But he knows we have patrols on the Storybrooke line to make sure no one crosses accidentally" David told us.

"But where he's sanding her then?" Gold was barely standing on his feet.

"The tunnels" David said.

"They lead out of town" I told them.

David and Gold decided to take Moe with us because they didn't really know in what part of tunnels Belle actually was. Some moments later we were already in the truck heading to the tunnels. I stopped the car some minutes later and I hear Belle screaming. I bet, my hearing also worsened because I can turn into a wolf again.

I ran into the tunnels following the sound of her voice. I saw the cart turning on the rails and in some seconds Gold was already near me with David and Moe.

"That's really... wow" I said stupidly watching him dragging a cart with Belle backwards with his power. I felt so stupid right now near him feeling that he's saving her memory and I can only watch him helping her.

David took her out of the cart immediately after Gold unlocked handcuffes.

"Belle, are you alright?" Gold asked her touching her hand.

"I, uh, I think so" she said muttering. He tried to hug her but I saw from where I was standing that she wasn't comfortable with it at all. Guess she actually meant him by the 'bad break up'. Stop. Belle is safe. Stop thinking about their relationship.

"Do you remember who I am?" he asked and I understood that it was the main question by now. I already thought she's saved but what if she is not? What if she forgot everything and everyone?

"I do" she said and sighed with relieve. Thanks, God! "Rumpelstiltskin. I... I remember"

"What's wrong?" he asked and I knew why. I also saw some kind of estrangement in her eyes.

"Thank you for what you just did", she started and I heard a lot of confidence in her voice, "but that doesn't change that you're too cowardly to be honest with me"

Too cowardly? Gold? No. Rumpelstiltskin? Seriously. I knew she saw something in him which we didn't. He tried to say something to change her mind and at that point I for the first time saw that Gold was truly lost. He have nothing to say because he didn't know what actually he could say in a situation like this.

"I tried to tell him that, Belle. Come with me, darling" Moe said trying to convince his daughter that he's much more bettel that Gold.

"After what you just tried to do to me? You're no better, father. You don't get to decide what I do or how I feel. I do. If either of you cared about me, you would've listened" she said straightly staring into his eyes, "I don't wanna see either of you again"

"Ever"

She walked away and then out of tunnels and all that time I was thinking if I should go after her or should I just stay here. In the end I decided that right now she needs some time to think about what had just happened.

About an our passed and I was alone in the diner again because I forgot there my phone by the reason I was dragged out of here to help Belle. And I didn't mind it. I glad I could help. I closed the diner again and put the keys in my pocket looking at my watch. Eleven thirty. I walked across the street. 'Granny's Bed&Breakfast'. I think I should move out from granny. I think it'll be right. I walked in and a second later I was standing in front of her room. Should I? Should I visit her? I know she's not sleeping after all of this and maybe I can give her some support. Some moments later I was already knocking at her door. From where I was standing I could hear her sobbing. She was crying.

"Get out" I heard her saying.

"Belle?" I said questioning. Not too loud but enough for her to hear me.

"Ruby" I bet I heard her sighing slightly.

There was some steps for a moment and a second later she opened the door. She was looking at me with those blue eyes which were wet because of her tears spent on her father and Gold. Her eyes met mine and in a moment she was already in my embrace. It just felt so natural. I think she really needed someone. We walked into the room and I she made her to sit on the couch while I sat in the armchair which was opposite so now we were looking straightly into each others eyes.

"Here, take it" I said handing her a pack of paper wipers which I took from my bag. She took one and wiped her tears.

"Now it's better" I told her slightly smiling, "Tell me. What have that fool done to you?" I asked her taking her arm. I didn't think about how soft her skin was although I noticed it because right now I was only worried about how to make her feel better.

"Don't call him so" she told me squeezing my hand a little "You know, once - in our world - I was dragged into his-"

"I know. In his castle as a maid" I said immediately cutting her off, "Sorry. Go on"

"It's nothing. But.. How do you know?"

"Henry"

"A boy with a book?" she looked at me.

"Right" I said slightly smiling, "So, in this book he has all the stories from our world. Yours, mine, Snow's and all kind of that"

"Wow" she smiled a little, "He's kinda a cool guy"

"Oh yeah, he totally is"

"So, what do you know about me?" she asked and looked at me again.

"Well, I know you were going to get marry 'cause of your father's wish during the war but then Rumpelstiltskin appeared and took you to his castle as a maid but helped your kingdom to win the war. And somehow you fell in love with each other" I told her squeezing her hand, "That's all I can tell about you"

"Oh" she sighed, "Well, just for you to know, I'll tell you the whole story. You know, I thought I saw the best in him. I thought he was different in his castle with me 'cause I don't think there's even one person in this world who actually can not feel. And when you're sitting for your whole life in your castle I think you really need something to talk to"

"So, you saw the best in him, huh?" I asked still can't break our eye - contact thing.

"Yeah... At least I thought so" she said nodding a little, "And then one day he just let me go. Easily. I went away and never actually wanted to come back but then I met Regina and she told that a kiss of true love can break any curse so I went back to him and actually kissed him. And he really started to turn into a normal person but he didn't believe that someone can actually love him, so he locked me up in 'my room' as he called it again. But then one day he just told me that I can go home. And because I knew about his disbelieve I wen home but Regina caught me somehow and locked me up. And, as I already told you, here I've been also locked for that twenty eight years"

I wasn't really happy to listen the love story or sorta of Rumple and Belle but I was really glad she opened to me and when I saw her starting to cry again, my heart sinked a little.

"Come on" I pulled her in another hug and sat near her letting her cry. She let her emotions go free as I was tightly holding her in my arms. She was so defenseless at that moment. She was crying in my shoulder sometimes saying that he was a cowars that days and that's the thing that hasn't changed.

"Have you ever lost a person you loved in such a stupid way?" she asked me. And then it all came to me again. I'm a wolf. Again. A freaking wolf. I killed my love, I killed my mother and I killed just so lot of people I didn't even know. In case of helping Snow, but that doesn't really changes that I was a killer.

"Well, my way wasn't stupid but I did lost a person I love" I told her in all honesty and she looked up at me with her wet eyes as I took another paper wiper and wiped away her tears with it myself, "Come on, stop crying. I'll tell you a story"

"I'm not a five year old, Ruby" I hear her saying.

"Sorry, I know, I just... it won't be fair me knowing your story and you don't know mine" I told her and her eye again met mine. She smiled and my heart totally skipped a beat looking at that beautiful smile. And I knew I really have to tell her. But what if she will reject me and will tell me that she doesn't want to be a friend of a person who killed a mother and a lover.

"Tell me" she said still a little bit smiling. And I couldn't resist this smile and sparkles which came with it.

"Well, I think you know that me and Snow - or Mary Margaret - were really close back than" she nodded, "So, I was living with my granny 'cause I never actually met my parents in my life and we never had a great castle. And why I was actually called a Red Ridding Hood is that because my grans made me wear that red hood every day of my life though I never understood what it was for. And I had a man I loved, Peter, but granny totally hated him. I still don't really know why. Probably, she thought that I could run away with him and that wasn't really a good idea"

I saw those blue eyes watching me with that interest in them. She just have no idea what I've done. Yet. But, Snow understood me and didn't reject me. I'm still sometimes wondering why.

"And there were some wolves running the town who could kill everyone. Honestly, everyone. And I knew why grans never let me out of our home at night. Because of those wolves. And one day me and Snow thought that we could kill a wolf. Well, I thought so and Snow just have to say 'yes' to her friend. We were totally stupid back than. So, we found some wolfish footprints on the snow which were leading to our house turning into man footprints. Leading to my window. actually. And Peter was the one who ever was at my window. And we thought it was Peter. Peter was the one who turned into a wolf in the full moon nights" my voice broke a little, "So, I told it to Peter and we decided that I will chain him to the tree the next night and stay with him while Snow will be sleeping in my hood in our house. And so we did. But when the full moon came I just lost myself and woke up some time later on the snow with granny and Snow White standing by my side and grans was telling me just to run to our house and not to look back. But when I tuned around to see the tree and if Peter was still there and I saw only pieces of human body. He was killed, Belle. Peter wasn't a wolf"

"Oh, Ruby..." she was staring at me with some unreadable emotions in her eye. It wasn't fear but I didn't really know what it was. I was shaking. No, I wasn't crying or screaming. I was just shaking and she took my hand and squeezed it and that calmed me down a little bit.

"Yeah, Belle. Peter wasn't a wolf. I was. And I killed the man I loved" I said a little bit cold looking into those beautiful blue eyes, "If you want me to go, I will"

"What?" she replied and there came confusion easily readable in her eyes. She didn't want me to leave? Why? I just told her that I truly was a beast.

"Well, I'm a wolf. A monster, actually"

"Ruby, no" she said, "You didn't know. And you totally not a monster. I am you friend, Ruby and friends don't turn off on each other"

A friend.

"Sorry, I came to cheer you up" I said smiling a little, "And now this evening officially sucks"

"No, it isn't. You're here. And now we don't have to hide anything from each other. I know you're a wolf and you know I'm a stupid girl who was rejected by the man I loved" she said smiling at me and still holding my hand in hers.

"At first, you're not stupid in any way. He is a bastard who didn't understand how lucky he was by having you by his side" I said with a small smile and I truly meant it, "And second, my wolfish thing is in no comparison with your stupidity which doesn't even exist"

"Okay" she said laughing.

"I think you need some sleep. You've been through a lot today"

"You'll stay?" she asked.

"I will" I said without any doubts.

I sat on the couch and she laid down putting her head on my knees.

"Comfortable?" I asked her.

"Very" she answered closing her eyes, "But I don't thing you will be fine sleeping in such a weird sitting position"

"Don't worry about me" I said as she smiled at me and I finally saw that sparkles.

"Good night, Ruby"

"Sleep well, Belle"

Hope you enjoyed it. I'm still waiting for your reviews whether you do or don't like it. Give me some notes as reviews or simply write me a PM.

Love you, xo