Notes: This chapter was revised by my wonderful beta Ethereal Wishes.
The car passed by the town's sign and the blonde woman on the passenger's side narrowed her eyes at the weird name. She hadn't recounted ever hearing of it, but she didn't have much knowledge of the surrounding geography. She pushed it to the back of her mind, struggling with the strange feeling inside of her that was telling her there was no going back. She glanced at her son in the back seat, who was watching as the landscape passed by, then returned her eyes to the man by her side.
"So, what is this job your friend August procured for you?" Emma asked.
They hadn't talked much about the details of their move, because she was still a little upset with the fact that they were leaving the city where they'd spent the last ten years, even more because they were doing it on her birthday. It was already nearing the afternoon and all Emma received was a card from Henry and a cupcake with one single candle, while they had lunch at a small restaurant on the road. Not that she had any right to complain, since it was way better than the birthdays she'd spent alone or in the system.
"I'll be a cashier in a grocery store," Neal said, "nothing big, but definitely better than the last jobs I've had and here the price of flats are cheap, so we'll be able to save money."
Emma nodded, still unsatisfied. "Then we can go back to Tallahassee like you promised?"
"That's the plan," Neal smiled. "Look, I know that you're not happy with this, but it will be good for us. This is a good quiet place, too small for me, but to work for awhile will be good."
She didn't doubt it, because everything Neal ever did was for the sake of their little family. Maybe what kept her from feeling completely happy about it was the gaping hole in her heart which opened on the same day of every year, the one where she was abandoned by her parents. Even after twenty-eight years, she still felt hurt by not being wanted.
"What about me?" Emma questioned. "I want to work, too."
"I'm sure that you'll find a job," Neal shrugged.
He parked the car outside a place called Granny's Bed and Breakfast, gesticulating for her to accompany him. Emma slipped out of the vehicle, unloading their baggage to follow Neal to the front-steps, for they had agreed to spend their first night at an inn, before getting the keys of the flat they were renting. They would be getting the keys the following day, and would soon settle in.
The family opened the door and entered, stopping in front of the counter where an old woman and a young dark-haired girl were. A small man holding a cane was counting out some money the old woman had given him. He had long graying hair and a pair of brown eyes that were too engrossed in his task to notice them, but Emma realised something was wrong, because by her side, Neal appeared to be holding his breath.
"Well, the rent is payed for the month," the man said in his thick accent, pocketing the money.
"Oh, you two must be Neal and Emma!" The old woman exclaimed, ignoring him and opening a black notebook that would have their reservation; she offered them a set of keys. "Your room is number four."
Emma nodded, placing a hand on Henry's shoulders to lead him to the staircase, but then she noticed that the landlord was still standing there, staring openly at them.
"Emma?" He repeated. "What a lovely name."
"Thank you," she answered stupefied, "come on, Neal, let's get some rest."
She headed to the stairs with her son, but Neal stood there for a moment more looking at the man with the strangest expression she had ever saw on his face, however, he eventually moved, following her to the room, leaving the landlord behind. But what Emma didn't know was that the man recognized something in Neal that made his heart ache, meanwhile, Neal recognized everything in him, enough to make him feel disoriented for the rest of the day.
Belle became more worried with each passing day and her anxiety extended for years on end. Although Regina had been planning to use the curse for a long time, she needed time to collect all the ingredients she needed, and Rumple kept helping her, despite his wife's pleading. He was frightened of the threat the clerics anti-magic cuffs presented, because without power he was only the weak coward from years ago, and his family's safety relied on what the magic could offer. Even though Belle believed so, he wasn't being selfish at all, he didn't crave more darkness, he only wanted to keep the two people he loved away from danger, and the Land Without Magic was the solution.
That, however, didn't seem to make any difference to Belle, but he wasn't blaming her for feeling frightened with the whole situation, because he knew what he was doing just didn't seem dangerous, it possibly was. But the happiness Rumplestiltskin had acquired wasn't something he was willing to lose, although it shattered his soul to see his wife's despair whenever the subject came up.
Baelfire seemed to be the link of joy which glued them together, around him they were the same two people they had been in the beginning of their marriage: light, happy and carefree. Sometimes he wished he could make things go back to who they were before he revealed his plans to her, but he knew it was impossible. He could only keep working and pray after they were safe in the Land Without Magic, Belle could fully forgive him.
He was standing near the windows, lost in his thoughts, when he heard steps coming from the hallway, however the imp didn't turn around, because the guilt was already forming a lump in his chest, and he couldn't bear to face her now. She came all soft and full of affection to him anyway, encircling her arms around his waist and leaning her forehead against his shoulder. The imp stiffened under her touch, loving how she was nuzzling against his body, but unable to return her care.
"Come to the gardens with me?" His beautiful little wife pleaded. "Let's take a walk, just you and I, we haven't done this in quite a while, and I feel like I'm not being the best wife to you. I want to forget everything for just a while. Please."
He sucked a breath. Belle wanted to make amends, and oh, gods, she was going to hate him now. But he couldn't just pretend nothing was happening and lie to her, because she deserved nothing more than the truth.
"I can't," he said in the lowest and weakest tone he had used since he became the Dark One. "It's coming."
Belle immediately pulled away, arms falling back as if he had just burned her.
"What do you mean?"
"The curse, my love, it's coming," he told her, finally turning around to watch as his wife's eyes became large with fear. "The Evil Queen plans on casting it in just a couple of days."
She stepped back, shaking her head multiple times, her body was visibly trembling, and she was biting down on her lower lip with such pressure, that it discolored, and he was sure if she bit down a little harder, a cut would appear.
"Belle." Rumplestiltskin tried to reach for her, stretching his hand in her direction, but she slipped away. "Sweetheart, please…"
"I was hoping this day wouldn't come," she mumbled between the tears which started to stream down her face. "How do you expect me to spend the next twenty-eight years without remembering you? Without remembering our son?"
He eyes closed momentarily. None of them knew exactly how this curse would play out, his deal with Regina only assured him that he would be the most powerful man in town, but how exactly the curse would twist his fate and his family's... Well, it was something that couldn't be guessed.
Rumplestiltskin was afraid for them, of course, but he must keep his plan in action, because once they were there, things would be fine again. and he could regain Belle's trust.
"This is a small price to pay for our safety!"
"No, it's not!" she cried. Her mind was working fast, her heart aching with a feeling of betrayal, that came from knowing the beautiful life she had was going to stolen away. Belle looked up at her husband. "Do you really love us?"
Gasping, the imp seemed to be offended by her query, but Belle didn't care. When she agreed to become his wife, he had promised her she would always be safe and cared for, the same for the children she might bear, but in that moment, all Belle felt was alone and helpless.
"What kind of question is this?" Rumplestiltskin inquired angrily.
"You shouldn't be willing to let us go! That's what I can't face, the fact that you are totally fine with losing us."
"This is not the truth," he shouted back at her. "I'm trying to protect you!"
Stepping back, Belle shook her head repeatedly. She knew that somehow, in his own crazy way, Rumplestiltskin really thought what he was doing was for their family's sake, but he was too blinded by fear too see all the things which could go wrong with this plan.
"By plotting with your evil apprentice to ruin everybody else's life?" Belle asked. "That's cruel, Rumple. Because of your fear, you're willing to cause pain to a whole realm, so we can go somewhere where your magic won't fail you."
They were so lost in their argument that they didn't realise there was someone else in the dining hall with them, too small to be hidden by the furniture, but yet too big to avoid stumbling over a chair with a sudden movement. Both the Dark One and his wife jumped at the sound, looking back at the chair falling, to see their ten-year-old son appearing quite frightened.
"I don't want to go anywhere!" Baelfire exclaimed.
Belle blinked at the realisation that her precious son had been listening, while they fought mindlessly. "Bae?"
"I don't want to," the boy repeated. "You said you weren't bad anymore, Papa. But you are!"
Tears fell from his eyes, Bae ran through the corridors, opening the front doors and disappearing into the gardens.
"Baelfire…" Rumplestiltskin shrunk, then turned to Belle with a vexed expression. "Look at what you have done!"
"No, you brought this on yourself and on us," Belle accused, sauntering towards the chaise where her old green cloak lay, tucking it around her shoulders. "We could have had happiness, Rum, if love could only overcome the power you crave. But you made your choice and now I need to go after my child."
She gave him one last harsh glare, before making her way out of the castle. Rumplestiltskin didn't know at the time, but it would be the last time he would see his wife and son for a long time.