"I want your hand without the skin. Bone to bone without the moulds. Mouth to mouth, without the porn."

-Coco J. Ginger

Lacey and the other girls stood in the living room dancing to a multitude of rock songs everything that existed from Fall Out Boy and Halestorm to AC/DC and Metalica, It was Lacey's turn to choose and most of the other girls seemed to apprentice her choice of music. Belle was thankful for that, Tamara and Cruella didn't seem to impressed but to be honest Belle didn't give a damn. Her album had just clicked onto Easier To Leave by We Are Harlot when Gold came through the front door, hair and coat a little damn from the rain.

When she touched me, a bang shot through my chest and lit my soul on fire. She set me free, she filled my heart with pure desire. A beating in my chest I can't resist and I need it, oh I need it...

"Robbie!"

They all let out in a cheerful and partially drunk unison. Belle had certainly taken to being Lacey. In the beginning she'd wondered what sort of girl Lacey would be, now Belle knew. Lacey was the outgoing and slightly Gothic rocker looking for a good time... very different to the girl Belle really was, or at least Belle kept telling herself that. In a way that was what made it fun.

She's got me gasping for air try to hold onto you memory it should be easier to breathe. You knock me off my feet I won't forget it, come on you don't regret it. You got me spinning around...

"Hello girls." Robbie greeted slipping his coat off and hanging it up.

"Come dance with us!" Tink demanded pulling him into the living room by one hand while Baby grabbed the other.

"Sorry, not much of a modern day dancer."

Red snorted and took a large sip of wine, it would be time for her to slow down very soon.

"Something a little more classical then." And with that she pulled the stereo remote off the couch and changed disk. He sighed as a Für Elise echoed lightly through the room.

"I don't think you ladies know how to waltz."

"I do!" Cried Lacey, pulling him to her and taking their position.

"I don't have time for playing Prince and Princess. I'm gonna go do a show." With that Tamara stormed off.

"I think its time for more Gin." That was Cruella's cue to leave for the kitchen.

They danced for a time, smooth and beautifully. The remaining girls watched in awe like it was some kind of fairytale, a tale as old as time. Gold was rusty and to be honest so was Belle but still they danced like they were made for each other. Belle was beginning to wonder if they were made for one another.

"Who taught you to dance?" He asked softly, almost a whisper in her ear.

"My Mama was once quite the dancer, she took me to lessons when I was a child."

"Well, they certainly paid off."

Belle smiled, it was such a little compliment but it made Belle warm inside. He smelt of rich aftershave and had the briefest spark of coffee. Belle loved the way he smelt, the way his voice would wrap around her body like a cloak of peace, comfort and... and... and something she couldn't describe. Belle almost forgot herself and leaned up on her tiptoes to press their lips together but thankfully Red started to talk and pulled Belle back to her senses.

"Okay, my turn!"

She spoke with such excitement that Belle couldn't bring herself to keep Robbie in her arms. He's mine! She wanted to scream, but the camera's couldn't find that out. Instead, she stepped backwards and let Red slip between them and take Gold's hands. Tink jumped in a moment later and after a few minutes he was twirling all of them around the room, even Cruella joined in upon her return from the kitchen.

"Oh I feel like I'm nineteen again, darling." Cruella chuckled.

Robbie actuality found himself enjoying his time with the girls, it had been a long time since he'd had fun like that. Red and Baby had always tried to get him to interact with them, have fun, but Gold had always though it would be better for the camera's if he avoided being too friendly with them. Especially when Zelena 'Wick' Mills was around. He'd just started to laugh when Jefferson and Victor entered the large room, several red wine glasses in their hands; smiles plastered on their faces as they set the glasses down on the coffee table. Mulan and Princess instantly picked up their glasses and took a long sip.

"You stealing all our fun, Robbie?" Victor teased before pressing a kiss to Jefferson's plump lips.

"I'm exhausted, darlings. I think I'm going to indulge in the sauna. Don't wait up."

They bid Cruella goodnight and she did the same to them, it seemed gin and dancing made her far nicer. Lacey-Belle could actually learn to tolerate Cruella if she stayed like that.

"I should go as well." Began Gold stepping away from Belle, Tink and Princess. "I have some paperwork to attend to. Have fun girls."

The girls asked him to stay but but Robbie was adamant and seconds later left the room heading towards the dark wooden stairs. Gold's thoughts were filled entirely with Belle as he climbed the stairs and walked towards his office. Her scent, her beauty, her firm legs in those lace topped hold ups that she seemed to only ware for him. Every single inch of her was perfect and without equal. His mental image was shattered when he pushed the door to his office open and found the one person he really didn't want to see looking at him.

There looking at him with such lust from his office chair in nothing but her heels and his own purple silk shirt was Zelena bloody Mills.

"Hello lover boy." She purred and Gold wanted nothing more than to tip her out the window and forget she ever existed. "Just the man I wanted."

"Zelena." He growled out in anger slamming the large heavy door shut behind him. "Are you ever going to take no as an answer?"

He could see she was drunk and if her eye-liner was anything to go by she'd been crying. It wasn't a big leap to think she was probably high as well.

"Zelena, leave. Now." His voice was stern and forceful, but he didn't yell.

Zelena pushed herself up quickly, his half buttoned purple shirt slipping off her pale shoulder. Tears welled in her apple green eyes.

"I've seen you with that slut!"

"Don't call her that!" He bit out

Zelena could call him whatever she wanted, say what ever she wanted to him but Belle, she had no right to say a single word about Belle.

"You've gone soft, Robbie." Her voice was sickly sweet. "What happened to the old days when you'd look at me and my sisters with that little smile?"

Gold sighed, he needed a lot more liquor in his system for this. Zelena had always been a pain in his ass but she'd brought in so many viewers that he'd learnt to live with it.

"Zelena, I never looked at you like that. I never looked at Cora or Regina like that either" That was a lie, Cora had enchanted him for a while and was the main reason he now had his don't touch the girls rule. Zelena slithered over to him and rested her hands on his chest. "Its all in your head, Zelena." He tried to be nice but to be honest Robbie was loosing his patience. "I don't love you. I will never love you."

Tears dripped down Zelena's face, angry and jealous tears that spread her eye-liner even further down her cheeks. Gold seriously needed a drink.

"Its not fair! I was here first! Yet that whore came in her and took everything from me. Everything! Everything I deserved!"

Belle wasn't a whore, she was a sweet and perfect young woman who was far too good for The House Of Scarlet, an angel in the realm of demons, a Princess cut from marble.

"Belle has taken nothing from you. She-"

Before he could utter another word Zelena crashed their lips together, she tasted foul, whiskey, wine, vodka and that was just what he could taste. There was something revolting in there too that made him want to gag. He pushed her away forcefully, sending her back a few steps, this had to stop.

"No. I don't love you. I don't want you." He sighed and calmed himself. "Zelena, how about instead of focusing on me and Belle you go out and find someone that does love you? Because if you stay here and obsess over me you will never be happy."

He'd never been so honest or emotional with anyone beside Belle before, it was strange and... well, not him.

"You think I'm obsessed with you?" She asked as if it was unbelievable.

"I'm a perceptive sort." Her hands gripped tighter on the lapels of his jacket as if he was a lifeline. "Zelena, I lie, I cheat and I'm a coward. If you'd have asked me to admit that a month ago I would have killed someone before admit it. Belle makes me happy, and I haven't been happy in a long time. She makes me strong and that is the only reason I have the courage to tell you all this." He couldn't look at her, just stared down at the floor. "You need to forget me and go find someone who loves you for you. Like Regina did, because if you don't you'll end up like Cora, unable to love anyone. And look what happened to Cora, no one knows where she is, not you not your sister, not even me."

There was a long pause of silence that stretched on to eternity. How could something so quiet be so loud? It was the sort of silence that shook in ones ears and bounced around. It was only broken when Zelena's tears burst forth a new, but they were not born of jealousy like the last were, no these were out of sorrow. She clung tighter to his suit jacket and this time Gold snaked his arms around her and held Zelena close. She was so broken, in a way everyone at The House Of Scarlet was, especially Robert Gold himself. Where did his sudden strength come from? The courage to tell Zelena the truth rather than throwing her out and pretending it never happened? He knew the answer to those questions, it was Belle, she made him want to be better, be the best version of himself.

"You're right." Zelena suddenly said through gargled tears. "Why are you always right? I don't want to be like Cora, she was my big sister and she never gave a damn about any of us."

Maybe Zelena was finally sober enough to see the truth, maybe.

"Zelena you should go to bed, you're going to have one hell of a hangover in the morning. Sober up properly." He pushed her away softly and looked into her apple green eyes. "We'll discuss things more then."

The redhead nodded and wiped the tears from her face, dirtying her palms with eye-liner. After a moment Gold opened his office door to her and Zelena left, breath still shaky. She padded down the hall, it was cold in nothing but her heels and Robbie's shirt but all thoughts were banished from her when Belle appeared at the other end of the hall. All Belle wanted to ask Wick was why are you in Robbie's shirt?! But she held her tongue, could see Wick was high as a kite and didn't want to start a fight in the hallway. As they passed the redhead mumbled something that Belle couldn't make out at her, it didn't sound evil, bitter even and so Belle didn't know what to make of it. She simply took a deep breath and made her way into Gold's office.

He was slumped in his chair, head leaned back and eyes closed as if he'd just had the longest five minutes of his life. If Wick was involved then he probably had.

"Why was Wick here? And why was she wearing your shirt?" The second question came out a bit more forcefully than she'd wanted.

"Its alright, Belle. I think I finally have that situation under control. As for my shirt, she can keep it. I don't want it any more." Not after she's worn it, he added in his head.

Thankfully Belle didn't question him on the half naked woman who had just left his office further, he was thankful for that. Belle could see he was still fully clothed and more importantly felt nothing towards her. Something had upset him though and Belle found herself wanting to make it all go away, to make him smile again. It only took her a second to cross the room and seat herself in his lap, he opened his eyes at that and looked at her with something that she only saw when he looked at her.

"You don't have to tell me what happened with Wick, I trust you." His heart swelled at her words. "Why did you leave the party downstairs?" She asked instead of the questions that clawed at her mind.

"The camera's want to see you, dearie. Not me." He smiled and snaked his arms around her hips, holding her close.

"Don't care about the camera's. I wanted to see you."

With that she pressed her lips to his, she tasted like wine but it was a warmth on the tip of her tongue not overpowering like Zelena had been. What he shared with Belle was a kiss while Zelena had been a second of torture.

"I suppose if you won't come to the party..." She began once their lips separated. "...the party just has to come to you."

Belle raised her left arm to reveal a bottle of red wine in her hand that he hadn't noticed until that moment, he'd been so lost in her kisses and kind words. He smiled as she took the lid of and helped herself to a sip. Seconds later she offered him the bottle and he took it willingly. The wine was heavenly, and reminded him of Belle's kiss; strawberry and sweet. When he set the dark green bottle down Belle kissed him again, a little more deeply that before. She's too good for me. He knew that, but he was also selfish and wouldn't let her go now he had her in his arms. Robbie gripped her tighter as if reassuring himself she was real.

"I've been thinking, but first, do you like it here? At The House Of Scarlet?"

Belle's eyes narrowed, why was he asking that?

"Yes. Everyone is so kind and friendly. Well, most of them... I still can't understand why Tamara hates me."

"But do you like it here?"

Belle looked into his chocolate honey eyes knowing this was important to him.

"Yes, I like it here. Its not a wonderland but I'm happy." She stressed the last word.

He sighed, there really was something bothering him and Belle had no idea what had brought it on so quickly. Was it something Wick had said? Had Belle done something?

"You're too good for this place, Belle. You can do so much better than The House Of Scarlet." His words were but a whisper. "I... I was thinking... that... that you shouldn't have to work for me. I'm... I'm going to give you the money for your tuition and if you want... an apartment too-"

"You're getting rid of me!? Why?" Belle sat herself up straight and her whole body tensed.

"No! No, I'm not getting rid of you... but... but you're better than this."

He could see tears welling in her ocean blue eyes and he wanted nothing more than to pull her close and hold her.

"That's my choice, Robert! And why would you just give me the money? You don't do anything for free its always a deal. I know you! So what is it you're getting in return huh?!" She was yelling at him now as tears dripped from her cheeks.

"I... Belle I... I don't want you to be one of my girls, I-"

"Not one of your girls?! Then what?!"

Belle stood and backed away from him, she was so angry. It boiled through her blood like a poison.

"I just... Belle you... I-" He stuttered.

"What?!"

"I just want you to be mine!" Everything went silent at that and they just looked at each other, Gold still in his chair and Belle on the other side of his desk. "You asked what I got in return." He began in a lower tone. "You already gave it to me Belle, you made an old man very happy. And I can't let someone I love stay in this den of iniquity."

Seconds later Belle had her lips pressed to his and Robbie couldn't figure out why. Before she'd been so angry and yet now she was kissing him as if her life depend on it. When she pulled back she asked breathlessly.

"Do you mean that?"

"Mean what?"

"That you love me?"

Until that moment he'd not realised what he'd said, yet now hearing Belle ask that question he knew it was true.

"I know I don't deserve you but... yes. I love you." From somewhere he found the strength to lock his eyes with hers. "I don't expect you to feel the same."

With that she was kissing him again with a smile, a grin more like, coating her peach lips. She moved to straddle his hips again and Gold's hands slipped to caress her stocking clad thighs.

"Oh you stupid man." She giggled. "I love you too, of course I love you."