Hey everybody! Can you believe we're on chapter six already? Thank you all so so SOOOO much for the reviews! I got so many for the last chapter that it inspired me to churn out the next one as quick as possible! So keep them coming! I'm shamelessly addicted to them :) even if you aren't a follower of the story, feel free to drop your opinion! I look forward to reading them :) Also, thanks to all the new followers and those who've made it their favorite! You all have no idea how beyond flattered and honored I am! We're almost at 1,000 overall views and I cannot believe it! Again, you all are INCREDIBLE and I'm so blessed to have such an amazing group of people read my story :) I won't bore you with anymore babbling...let's get on to the next Chapter! Enjoy!
-Mimi
Chapter 6
In the passive silence of the small bedroom in Emma's home, Rumple had collapsed in slumber. He was nothing but a tangle of bed sheets and pillow cases, snoozing soundlessly in his cloud of comfort. There were no dreams to plague him in this sleep, nothing but peace and solitude. As the warm, rude morning light came abruptly slicing through the curtains, Rumple opened his eyes, coming out of the deep sleep reluctantly. He lifted his head, looking around the sunny, cottage like bedroom then closing his eyes again. He barely remembered the night before. Perhaps it had been from lack of sleep or maybe just from the sheer exhaustion accumulated from the past few days. Whatever it was, he had fallen asleep in a groggy mist without much recollection.
He remembered clearly he and Emma having to pacify Snow, who had been quick to threaten to clobber him with the umbrella holder by the front door. She hadn't been quick to believe, even after Emma told her time and time again. It took Rumple having to recite details of their past lives in the Enchanted Forrest and even a few Storybrooke details (like how she'd helped Leroy sell all those candles when the entire town thought she was a whore or how she enjoyed cinnamon in her chocolate) to sway her.
After that, Snow agreed to stitch up his leg while Emma made him some kind of creamy chicken pasta of sorts. The pain from the stitches had caused his to vomit up bile; he frowned and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Yes, he remembered that. He wasn't sure if the hunger or the after effects of the curse, but he had been weak to the pain and wretched up his empty stomach.
After that, Rumple remembered Emma forcing him to eat and then him eating two plates worth. Hook's body, being younger, had a much healthier appetite than his own body did. And then after eating, he didn't remember much besides falling asleep. He knew the two women tried to brainstorm the situation but he was too tired to listen.
All that had brought him to this. He turned over in the thick comforter, realizing he was still in his undergarments; someone had stripped him of his shirt. He felt a slight embarrassment at the idea of someone having to undress him like a child, but the time for shame would be later. Emma's food and drink had done its job: he had to pee desperately. Rumple would have cursed her if the food hadn't been so soothing to his insides.
He rose from the bed, surprised at how much better his leg felt. The cleaning and sealing of the wound, while excruciating, had proven to be the right choice. He took his time putting weight on the leg then, very slowly, went into the small, cold bathroom. The tile was like ice under his feet and his toes clenched when he made contact. As he flicked on the light, he noticed a stack of clothes sitting on the sink. He approached, plucking off the small index card off the top. In giant words, the card read:
SHOWER!
He rolled his eyes.
"Yes mother." He muttered, tossing the card onto the floor.
Rumple stared at the toilet hatefully a few moments, finally giving into the mounting pressure in his bladder. He turned his head, pulling himself out then relieving his basic needs. He even gave an audible sigh as he finished as the pain fled and he could once again think clearly. Once that was done, he undressed and walked over to the shower to turn it on. As the steam filled the bathroom, he stood outside the curtain with a strange hesitation. He could see out of the corner of his eye the mirror image of his current body naked. He wasn't sure why it made him so uncomfortable. Yes, of course the idea of Hook completely repulsed him. But it was more than that.
To be naked was such a…personal thing. To be nude and in the shower was something he rarely did with another human being. To do it while he was Hook just made things a lot more real. A part of him felt that if he began to do "normal" things, this situation might feel permanent. With distaste, he climbed into the white tub and pulled the flowery shower curtain across. From the moment the hot water touched him, a sort of healing overcame him. He melted under the scorching liquid, his muscles relaxing and easing into a slumped position. He breathed in the warm, moist air and closed his eyes, allowing his mind to drift away in a cloud of relaxation. When he opened his eyes again, he couldn't help but notice the small puddle of gray water accumulating around the drain. Rumple made a noise of distaste, feeling grimy at how bad his current state was. He groped around, finding a bottle of sweet shampoo that he squeezed directly onto the top of his head. He had never appreciated how much he used his other hand. He washed thoroughly then grabbed the cucumber melon body wash and scrubbed every surface he could get his hands on. In that moment, the body felt familiar to him. He tried to imagine he was simply washing himself although, and he knew this beforehand, the boy was FAR harrier than he was in the chest area. The heat radiated off his form, leaving him hot and dripping wet. His hair stuck to the back of his neck and small drops collected on his short facial hair. He groaned, content in the hot bath, and he stretched his young body, simply basking in the moment of absolute relaxation. It was a sight, he was sure, many of those giggling girls at the party would have sold their own siblings to see, but he didn't care to open his eyes. For now, he was content pretending he was back in his old body. The throbbing in his thigh from the wound even reminded him of the stiffness of his own leg.
The smell of the soaps and the hot sensation of the steam took his mind somewhere else for a moment. He found himself drifting off into a daydream or memory of sorts. He could imagine himself in a room with dark wood walls, surrounding by steam. He could hear the faint splashing of water and smelled exotic oils. The gentle touch of a pair of hands caressed his chest and he leaned his head back, saying something he couldn't make out. When he refocused his eyes, he was shocked to see Milah in the vision. Her dark hair was loose and wet. Her eyes were wild with passion and her lips mouth soundless, seductive words that sent shivers into all the right places…
Rumple shook his head and forced himself back into the present and in the shower. He rubbed his head, frowning. It wasn't a memory; Milah had never looked at him like that. A daydream, perhaps? But why Milah. He rubbed the front of his forehead and chalked it up to being far more exhausted than he was giving himself credit for.
He looked down at Hook's hand, studying the nub a little closer. He could see the rough skin where the gaping wound had healed and the permanent mark from having the hook rest there. He looked at the other wrist, watching as beads of water formed and dripped down over the name "Milah." A hot, rotting sensation rose into his throat and he thrust it back down towards his belly. At this point in his life, he wasn't sure if he hated the woman. Or if, perhaps, he hated the memory of her. There was no telling. And, even more so, there was no point dwelling on it.
He shut off the water and climbed out, grabbing a thick cotton towel and dried himself off. He walked to the sink, still not looking directly into the fogged mirror and examined the stack of clothes left for him. A pair of dark red boxer briefs, dark wash jeans, and a dark red button down. Was there some kind of color trend going on here? Rumple also noticed someone had put the hook on the sink as well. He supposed when whoever had helped him undress for bed, they'd found it tucked on the inside of his pants. He hadn't felt comfortable leaving to the masquerade without it and now he was glad he'd thought ahead. He dressed as quickly as one can with only one useable hand at their disposal. When he was done, he exited quietly and made his way out of the bedroom and back into the main apartment. He could hear polite chatter coming from the kitchen and he made his way there, looking around the corner before venturing in.
Snow and Emma were sitting at the table, talking amongst themselves. When Rumple entered, they both looked up surprised.
"Good morning." Snow put on her brightest smile and motioned at him to enter. "Come in! We have breakfast for you."
"Thank you." He said gratefully, sitting down in the seat nearest him.
He could feel Emma's stare on him as Snow put down his food in front of him. A bowl of oatmeal filled with fresh fruit, toast with jelly, and a huge glass of orange juice. His stomach let out a shuttering rumple and he chucked as he picked up his spoon.
"I find myself being a lot hungrier than I initially think." He said, trying to excuse away the sound.
He ate in silence for a few moments, trying to ignore the stares of both women. Finally, Emma shook her head.
"This is the weirdest thing I've ever seen in this kitchen." She said with a grunt.
"If you think it's odd, imagine how I feel." Rumple never even looked up from his bowl.
"I'll bet." She muttered.
"I apologize for falling asleep last night." He said as he scraped up the last of the oatmeal with his toast. "I was beyond exhausted. And…thank you to whomever helped me undress."
"You're welcome." Emma nodded him off. "And you can thank Charming for the clothes."
"You told him?"
"No." Snow assured him. "We just told him there was something we were doing and we would tell him soon. We needed to send Henry somewhere for a little while anyway. We didn't want him in the middle of all this."
"Give him time." Emma assured her. "He'll find his way right into the epicenter, like always."
"Too much like his grandfather." Snow muttered off hand, and then turned back to Rumple. "I took some clothes from his house for you. I didn't think you'd want those dirty things back."
"I appreciate it." Then he added. "And I wouldn't have minded if you'd told your husband. He's proven to be a powerful ally when needed."
"He is." She agreed. "But James is a man of immediate action. Unless we want him to go bursting into your shop and blowing our cover completely, it's better to not tell him until we're ready for the fighting part."
"I see." Rumple nodded, respecting and appreciating the woman's judgment call.
Emma suddenly spoke again, her words thoughtful and completely off topic.
"You could barely walk on your own last night, you were so tired." Emma shook her head. "If I hadn't known better, I would have thought you were drunk."
"These past few days, I've certainly felt intoxicated." He admitted in a surly way.
"I don't blame you." Snow frowned. "The curse you cast must have been pretty powerful. I don't know how you've been able to hold up mentally."
"Not easily." He blotted his mouth with his napkin, tempted to ask for seconds but deciding to let the first round settle before he went back in for more. "But I think it's time we discuss more important matters such as getting Belle away from that bastard."
"She has no idea?" Snow asked, skeptical. "If James switched places with someone, I would know right away."
"Clearly, he's better at playing me than I gave him credit for." He frowned. "But I'm fairly certain he's been having help."
When Emma gave him a questioning look, he answered it without hesitation.
"Cora."
"You think so?" Emma asked and both women exchanged powerfully concerned looks.
"I know so." He leaned back in his chair, stretching his long and tired limbs. He still felt like he could easily sleep a few more hours. "What we need to focus on now though is getting Belle away from him. I don't know what he's planning, but I know that eventually, he's going to end up trying to hurt her."
"I don't think she's going to willingly believe." Snow frowned. "I didn't until you convinced me."
"We need to get them alone together." Emma concurred. "I'm sure we'll….um…..Gold?"
Rumple lifted his head at the sound of his Storybrooke name. Had he been drifting off again? He rubbed his face and apologized.
"Have you been sleeping at all?" Snow asked, concerned.
"Not since Cora's sleeping spell." He paused, remembering he hadn't told that part of the story. "It's a long story."
"You're never going to bounce back from this curse until you rest up." A motherly side of Snow emerged and she stood, standing over him with a stern look on his face. "You need to go back to bed."
"I don't need to do anything." He told her crankily. "The only thing I need is to do is go take care of this ridiculousness."
"Which you won't be able to do if you keep dosing off." Emma chimed in. "Tell you what: you go take a nap, sleep off whatever draining side effects this curse has, and I'll go to the library and check on Belle. Fair enough?"
Rumple hated being told what to do. He closed his eyes, sighing loudly then lifting his gaze at her.
"If you insist." He muttered, then added darkly. "But should anything happen to her while I'm asleep…."
"You have my permission to turn me into a toad or whatever it is you do to people." Emma rolled her eyes. "Now…bed!"
Rumple rose from his seat, his stomach warm from food and his eyelids heavy. Perhaps holding off on things like eating, sleeping, and drinking hadn't been the wisest idea. He turned on his heel, stopping for a second, then looking back at them.
"Why're you both helping me?" he asked suspiciously. "If you think this counts as the favor you owe me, Emma…"
"We don't want anything happen to Belle." Snow was quick to explain.
"And I'm not exactly Hook's biggest fan." Emma added.
Rumple smirked.
"That's not the implication you were giving last night."
"And there you go, sounding just like him again…."
Rumple knotted his brows then disappeared back into the bedroom. He was already asleep by the time his head hit the pillow.
**~Belle~**
Belle's lunch break from the library came a lot sooner than she anticipated. Or perhaps it was because she had decided to call it early. Despite all the windows being open and being surrounded by bright, warm sunlight and cheerful rows of colorful books, her mind was oddly preoccupied and her beloved library felt stuffy. So she turned the "closed for lunch" sign over on the door and walked to Granny's,all bundled in her favorite coat. She fluttered into the dinner like a snowflake caught on a breeze. She waved to the sweet older woman behind the bar then slid into her favorite booth. From this angle, she could see the entire restaurant. All the people who came in and out, everything they ordered, it was all visible from Belle's spot. That, and in her opinion, this window let it in the most light which allowed her warmth even on the chilliest days. Yes, it was perfect. And there was something comforting today more so than usual about her routine. Ruby came strutting over, sitting down across from her friend.
"You're early." She mused, looking up at the wall clock. Then she frowned. "Still spooked from the break in?"
Just hearing her say that made Belle's eyes travel to Ruby's arm.
"No." she laughed. "I just couldn't sit still today. A lot on my mind, I guess. I suppose the break in is probably a huge part of it."
"If it makes you feel any better, I've had my ears open all day for anything unusual." She pointed at her ears. "If anybody has even come close to you, I would hear it before they even had the door open. If I could just remember what he smelled like…"
"I don't think he'll be bothering me in the daylight." Belle nodded, resting her head on her hand. "Especially if the last break in was such a dud."
"Then why get all worked up about it?" Ruby asked.
Someone in the corner over by the bathrooms called for her attention, to which Ruby told him she was on her break and directed her grandmother towards them. Belle laughed, smothering her mouth with her hand. Ruby winked playfully at her. When both girls calmed down a little, Belle twisted a curl of brown hair around her fingers and spoke slowly.
"Ruby?"
"Hm?"
"….um…" she didn't really know how to approach the situation, but she was going to have to do her best. "…..when you're getting ready to become…..intimate…with someone, are there things you should do before hand to, you know, get ready?"
Ruby stared at her blankly and then she gasped silently.
"Oh my gosh." She hit the table hard, almost knocking over the pepper. "You and Mr. Gold?"
"Obviously." There was that familiar heat in her face. "It almost happened last night and I panicked. What if….what if I'm terrible?"
"Oh honey, everybody is terrible the first few times." She assured her. "If it's with somebody you love though, no matter how old they are…" her face clenched slightly, but then she gave Belle a huge smile.
"…you'll be fine. Why? Did the subject finally come up?"
Ruby and Belle talked a lot more than any of the citizens of Storybrooke might have been aware of. Belle came in to the dinner frequently and the two wound chat and gossip, swapping stories and seeking advice on a range of topics. Ruby was even known to stay over at the library a time or two, participating in what the pair affectionately called their "girl's nights". Sometimes they invited Ruby's friend Ashley (Cinderella, as she was known in the Enchanted Forrest), or sometimes Snow, but it was usually just the two of them. So the fact that Belle had come to her much more sexually practiced friend for advice on matters in the bedroom was of no surprise. Ruby had been waiting for this day to come, she had just been secretly hoping it was going to be with someone not quite as….what was the word…old? Unfavorable? But she shrugged it off; the heart wants what the heart wants. Who was she to tell Belle otherwise?
Besides, she'd slept with Billy before she'd ever found out he was a mouse. She'd technically slept with a rodent once and as sweet as he had been, God rest his soul, she was in no place to judge.
"Things got heated when we left the party last night." She twisted her hair so tightly around her finger, it seemed in danger of ripping. "I…I really did want to. But something didn't feel right. I don't know if it was me or because I'm still so on edge from the break in…"
"If you aren't mentally into it one hundred percent, it's going to be a disaster." Ruby assured her, waving off yet another customer asking for a refill. Belle caught Granny rolling her eyes. "Sometimes sex can be a great stress reliever if you're all worried about things."
"Yeah?" she stopped twisting her hair. "I guess I'm just concerned since he's so much older. He's probably been with so many women—"
"Belle, he isn't exactly Charming." Ruby chuckled then straightened up. "Meaning, he didn't have the best rap back in the fairy tale world."
"That doesn't mean he didn't have women." Belle didn't want to know what Rumple's old methods of obtaining sex had been, but she knew she didn't want to know them. "And he's been married before on top of that. I don't know, Ruby. What if we get in there and I'm…I'm….just a limp fish."
She was so defeated that it pained Ruby to laugh at her odd expression. Belle lifted her sad eyes; her friend tried to stop, but the giggles wouldn't cease. Finally, both were laughing and the weight of the world came melting off Belle's small shoulders.
"When it's right, it's right." Ruby finally stated, wiping a tear of laughter from her eye. "And you'll feel it. And when that feeling comes, no matter where you are or who you're with, you need to run with it. Because you won't always feel that comfortable with everyone. It means there's something special."
Belle smiled dreamily.
"So you feel that every time?" she asked.
Ruby snorted.
"Me? No. I mean, I have before but if I don't feel it, it doesn't stop me. But don't be like me." She grabbed her friend's hand. "I'm a lost cause. You have love sitting in your lap; don't let it get away."
Belle nodded, squeezing her hand back as the door opening behind them, letting in a huge gust of cold wind. Emma seemed to have come in on the breeze, appearing in the door way with her hair all blustered about. She spotted them and waved, striding over to the table. Belle noted how Emma always seemed to be on a mission, like everything she did was a life or death situation.
"Afternoon, Emma!" Belle said cheerfully, definitely feeling much lighter than when she had first arrived at the dinner.
"Hey guys." She waved to Ruby as well. "I went by the library and was surprised it was closed."
"I wanted the afternoon off." Belle smiled. "It's a nice enough day for it."
"If you're a penguin." Ruby remarked, drumming her pen against the side of the table. "You wanna sit here, Emma? I can get you something to eat?"
"Sure….if Belle doesn't mind that I join her."
"Not at all." Belle gestured to the seat before her and Ruby slide out, allowing the blonde to take her seat.
Both women ordered quickly. It was apparent Belle wasn't from this world sometimes, especially when she ordered rather frivolously off the menu. She requested a chocolate strawberry shake with the appetizer sampler to eat. If Emma even considered consuming the calories that came in the French fry, chicken tender, cheese stick, and onion ring laden basket, she would gain ten pounds. Emma took the higher road, since she obviously didn't inherit the Enchanted Forrest metabolism, and ordered the Asian Grilled Chicken Salad with an Iced Coffee. Not the warmest choice for the cold day, but definitely the tastiest. As Ruby hurried off to put the order in, and get scolded by Granny for slacking, Belle grinned warmly at Emma.
"Taking a break from your civil duties?" she asked, spying the badge sitting low on Emma's hip.
"For a couple of hours." Emma drummed her manicured fingers on the table's surface. "I thought I deserved a real lunch today, not the usual bagged sandwich."
"I'm almost always in here for lunch." Belle told her offhandedly. "Did you have fun at the party last night?"
"Tons." Emma assured her. "I didn't see you leave?"
"Oh, we left early." Belle seemed embarrassed. "I guess I'm still nervous about the break in and I had a very strange anxiety attack. Rumple had to take me back; I thought I was going to start crying."
"It's normal after something so traumatic to be upset." Emma assured her. "At least you weren't in the library when it happened."
"I know. I don't know how Ruby holds up." She shook her head. "Maybe because he wasn't actually looking for her."
Emma frowned hard, not sure of what to say next. She couldn't just reassure her she had nothing to worry about from Hook.
"I don't think he'll be bothering you anymore." She said slowly. "Not now that he knows all of us are on high alert."
"You're right." She agreed. "But just to be safe, I'm thinking about getting a dog. A big one. One that can protect me…you know…just in case."
Yeah, Emma thought miserably as Ruby approached with the drinks, just in case your "Rumple" decides to slit your throat in your sleep.
"You filling Emma in on your sexcapades?" Ruby teased, putting down the frothy milkshake in front of Belle.
"You had sex?" Emma squawked then covered her mouth, not intending to be so loud.
Both of the other girls stared at her as Belle helped herself to a healthy dollop of whipped cream.
"Not yet." She started slowly, looking around to make sure no one was staring. "But we're going to. Things got exciting last night and I was asking Ruby how to make my next move."
Emma's head was spinning, as was her stomach. The idea of how low Hook must want to sink if he planned on sleeping with Belle in Rumple's body. It was a revenge truly evil. She rubbed her temples slowly.
"You should wait." Emma told her abruptly, not realizing she and Ruby were already chatting about something else. "Don't rush things. When they're right, they're right. I mean, hell, you've waited this long, how about until he puts a ring on that finger?"
Ruby laughed, as did Belle.
"Ok, Mother Theresa." Ruby rolled her eyes. "Your food will be out shortly. Don't listen to the ramblings of an under-laid madwoman, Belle. Do whatever your heart….or other parts….desire."
She tossed them a playful wink and wiggled back off to the kitchen, catching the eye of a few tables as she did so. Emma looked back at Belle, pointing a finger at her sternly.
"I'm not "under-laid"." She assured her. "I'm just saying. If you're at all uncomfortable…."
"I know what you meant." Belle's soft, understanding smile made Emma feel even more frantic.
The idea of Hook kissing and caressing, deflowering such an innocent….the feel of hot bile gathering in the back of her throat and she forced it back down into her gullet.
"That's why I didn't last night." She told her seriously. "Everything in its own time, you know? Something was off last night…" her voice trailed off and then she shook her head, going to finger the locket around her neck. "…but I'm sure it was me. I love Rumple. What could possibly be wrong with the situation?"
Emma felt a small surge of hope. If Belle hadn't felt "quite right" about it, then maybe she had sensed that it was her lover who was off. She paused to watch the small, silver heart shimmer on her chest and an odd sensation moved over her. She could feel magic, however faint, coming in its direction. She leaned in closer to get a better look.
"Where'd you get that?" she asked with fake enthusiasm. "It's beautiful!"
"Thank you." Belle reached out her neck, elongating her already graceful body part. "It was a gift from Rumple a few days ago. I'm in love with it. I haven't taken it off since."
A few days ago? Emma lifted her head and smiled at her, as to not raise any alarms. Than perhaps it was some kind of magic. An enchantment maybe? But what could he possibly benefit from giving her a magic charm like that? More importantly, where on earth did he GET a charm like that? Rumple had mentioned Cora playing a part in all this. Maybe she was more involved than the rest of them knew.
"Well it's gorgeous." She assured Belle, who beamed proudly. "It's a locket?"
"Mhm." She looked down at it, holding it flat in the palm of her hand. "I'm not sure what picture to put inside just yet, but for the life of me, I can't get it open."
"It won't budge?" Emma tilted her head to the side, extending her hand to touch it. "Here, let me try."
She put the end of her long fingernail on the ridgeline of the heart and pressed down. Any normal necklace would have popped open without fault, with this stayed tight as if someone had super glued it shut. She pressed harder and harder, but then there was a sudden crack and a sharp pain. Emma's nail cracked and she yelped, pulling her hand away quickly and shoving the wounded finger into her mouth. Belle's eyes widened.
"Are you alright?" she asked, looking down at the locket then back up at her injured friend. "Oh no, should I ask Ruby for a bandage?"
"I'm fine." Emma assured her, still wincing. The finger was all red now, the nail jagged from breaking. "That thing is stuck tight, huh?"
"I told you." Belle shrugged. "Maybe it wasn't meant to be opened. There's a lot of necklaces that are meant to look like lockets, but aren't. Maybe he bought one on accident? I mean, they do look exactly like the real thing."
"Maybe. Seems possible."
Or maybe somebody didn't want her to open it. Emma stared hard at the small heart, wondering what was inside it that nobody wanted Belle to see. This was going to take further study and, as Ruby came and put the huge salad down before her, she knew what she had to do. She was going to have to get their beloved she-wolf friend on board. She knew they'd agreed to get as little people involved as possible, but if she kept offering Belle advice the way she had that day, things might be looking very bleak for the little beauty.
She would have to fill her in as soon as possible. She turned to look up at her, catching her just as she finished asking if there was anything else they needed.
"What're you doing later, Ruby?" she asked as Belle put a cheese stick in her mouth.
"Not sure yet." She tucked the tray under her arm. "Why?"
"I completely forgot." Emma faked a laugh. "Snow said she has something of yours. A scarf or maybe a hat?"
She was completely lying, taking blind shots in the dark on what the item could be. But luckily for her, the forgetful little wolf nodded slowly.
"You know, I have been having trouble finding my brown boots lately." She said slowly. "Do you think maybe that's what she said?"
Emma snapped her fingers as if to say she'd hit the nail on the head.
"Boots!" she laughed. "Yes, wow how could I forget she said boots? Well, she was going to tell you to come get them tonight at our place. She was going to come with me today but she got bogged down grading papers."
"Being a teacher must suck." Ruby said sympathetically. "Alright, I'll be by. You want to come with me, Belle?"
Emma's heart fluttered, praying the girl would say no. She even considered coming up with an excuse to not have her over, but the girl took care of the refusal for invitation on her own.
"I can't." she frowned. "I'm putting the library back together tonight. They're delivering the new shelves this afternoon and I'll probably be rearranging books and furniture all night."
"All by yourself?" Ruby asked, and then smiled mischievously. "Or is Rumple coming to help you…"sort the books"?"
Belle rolled her eyes.
"We're perfectly capable of not seeing each other for a day or so." She told her smartly. "Besides, Ashley says Thomas is going to watch the baby tonight, so she's going to stop by and bring dinner." She straightened up her shoulders. "I can't get over my fear of being there until I just do it. It'll all be fine."
But she didn't seem so convinced. Ruby gave her a squeeze on the arm for courage before going back to work.
"It'll be fine." Emma promised, knowing for a fact Hook's physical form wouldn't be giving her any trouble. "I'll even come by and patrol after midnight to give you peace of mind."
Belle's eyes shone.
"You'd do that?" she asked excitedly.
"Of course."Emma assured her.
Belle's face radiated with gratitude as she went back to focusing on her lunch basket. She was talking on and on about books and such, but Emma didn't hear a word. She brain was already calculating how she would be able to convince Ruby of the truth and how to get Belle away from the situation. The mental image resurfaced; Rumple's face with Hook's gleaming eyes taking to Belle like a lion to a gazelle. Helpless and young, being ravaged and consumed by the twisted pirate.
Suddenly, Emma had no appetite.
**~Hook~**
In the depths of the antique shop, Hook sat at the rickety old table, still spilling over trying to awaken his magic. He'd found a very old book while trying to help a customer find something earlier that had proven to be quite helpful. It was handwritten, perhaps by Rumple himself, and inside was set after set of spells, curses, and cures that could be used in everyday life. Hook was sure the crocodile probably knew all of them by heart, which was why it must have been put away, but his body didn't seem to remember them. That or it was simply choosing to be difficult. He tried, time after time, until he'd broken into a cold sweat, but nothing. He held out hope though, remembering the small puff of purple smoke he'd created once, but now he was starting to wonder if perhaps he'd imagined the whole thing.
Hook was positive Rumple probably only needed hand written spells for big things. He was sure the man could probably just wave him hand and have whatever he desired, but Hook could not. He read the words before him until Rumple's old eyes became dry and sore. He rubbed at them, trying to stimulate tears, but no such luck. He sat there in discomfort, spilling over what he was slowly deeming to be the impossible.
But to tell Cora he couldn't do it would be disastrous. He had to follow through with this. It was an intricate part of the plan to get back at the imp, and to get his body back, of course. He was starting to miss the feel of his own limps and the sound of his voice, although Rumple's body was getting easier and easier to deal with every day. Of course, they say the first sign of defeat is becoming comfortable. He growled, shoving those thoughts away. The sudden, intense emotion that spurred from the thought of forever being Rumpelstitlskin caused something to stir in his belly. A strange, pushing sensation travelled through his limbs and a small spark erupted from his hand.
Hook's eyes widened and then, he understood. There was no magic without passion. The best spells were cast when happy or sad, after all. Without an emotional attachment to what you're doing, why even do it? He looked back down at his test subject, the hamster he'd bought at the pet shop down the street. He concentrated, not on the hamster but the words the spell. He thought of being Rumple until the day he died, he thought of the bastard running around wearing his face. But he also thought of bedding sweet Belle. Her hair, the taste of her flesh, the smell of her perfumed body. He could only imagine the sounds of her moans, the moans Rumple himself would never hear. Oh and how he would tell him of them in detail and watch as the mighty crocodile crumpled in defeat….
Purple smoke erupted and engulfed the rodent. It squeaked fearfully as its body contorted. It elongated and grew, its hair growing rapidly along with its tail and ears. The sound of bones cracking and the creature squealing in pain became louder and louder until the smoke subsided and there before him stood a small dog. He gave the small, plump Corgi a pat on the head, still admiring his hands. He gazed at them like they were weapons, with an admiration and fear in his eyes.
Everything in its own time, he thought in his real voice, studying the older hand with wonderment.
"I knew you'd get it eventually." A voice behind him spoke in a chipper tone. "I suppose everyone has to start somewhere."
Hook turned around, upset he was caught off guard. He smiled darkly at the woman wearing all emerald green.
"Hello Cora." He titled to his still smoking hand. "Look what I can do."