Chapter VI
Enchanted Forest
For many nights, Rumplestiltskin would come and visit her. They would meet at the edge of the river. Those nights, they would talk, even made love. But, one night, he told her that he had to go away to another kingdom for a few months for business. She agreed to wait for him. She knew her parents would never approve of her marrying Rumplestiltskin. So, they both decided that when he returned, they would run away together and marry. Their parting was hard. She cried against his shoulder and he found it hard to let her go.
For 2 months, Katrina put on a brave face and pretended that she was fine. Underneath she was breaking her heart. She missed Rumplestiltskin terribly. She missed him so much, that it was making her ill. She became confined to her bed with her maid taking care of her. Her family stayed away from her, in case her illness was contagious. "My Lady." Her maid lowered her voice, when she sat next to her charge. "You haven't bled for nearly 3 months."
"What?" Katrina gasped as she sat up on her bed, staring at the older woman. "How can that be? Is it because I am ill?"
"I have told no one but you are expecting a child." She held the young woman's hand in comfort. "Everyday, your day dresses have become tighter on you. I've had to let many of your dresses out."
"Oh!" She gasped in shock and climbed out of bed. "What do I do?" She began pacing in front of her fire. Her hands resting on her flat stomach. There was no real evidence of her pregnancy but her stomach felt a little harder. "Don't tell anybody. I will tell them when I'm ready."
"Yes, miss." She nodded.
Katrina spun around to face the maid. "Now, go to your duties. If you tell anyone, I will have you dismissed."
"Yes miss." She curtseyed and left the room. Leaving Katrina alone with her thoughts.
She knew that Rumplestiltskin would not be back for quite some time. She had to act fast. She rushed to her desk, sat down, and begun to pen two letters. Tonight was the night that she would run away.
Storybrooke, Maine
Mr Gold sat in his study with a bottle of whisky. The news had been hard to hear. She was dying? She would die if she woke up? He downed the contents of his glass and poured himself another drink. He stood up and moved to the window with the glass in his hand. The rain poured down outside. The weather was reflecting his mood. He was sad. He admitted it to Belle over dinner. She listened to him when he spoke about his wife.
"Rumplestiltskin?" Belle's sweet, kind voice spoke from the doorway. "I'm going to walk into town. We need a few things."
"Sure." He nodded, not looking away from the window. It was a day like this when Katrina ran away to be with him. It was the happiest day of his life.
Enchanted Forest
Night fell and Katrina was ready to leave. She was dressed in the dress Rumplestiltskin gave her. It had become her favourite dress. It was just green. Noting fancy. Just a dress. She had stolen some bread and wine from the kitchen and packed it in a small bag with another dress. She had written a note to her family, telling them of her plans and that she was very sorry. She left her room quietly. She would walk out of the house barefoot and put her boots on when she reached the stables.
She reached her father's study and slipped inside. Placing the note on the desk. "So, you are going?" Her father spoke from the large chair by the fire.
"Papa..." She gasped, grasping her boots in one hand and bag in the other.
"I noticed the moment you brought him to see me." He stood up and walked towards her. "I'm happy for you. I'm happy that you have found someone."
Katrina stared at him in shock. "What do you mean?"
"I'm letting you go to him." He stood in front of her, placing his hands on her shoulders. "I know he will look after you and you will look after him." He pulled her into a hug. "Especially your child."
"How do you know?" She stepped back, tears were rolling down her cheeks.
"Your mother gave me 9 children. Of course I noticed." He kissed her forehead. "Here." He held out a small bag of money. "For the wedding, for your lives. But know, that this is the only help I'll give you. He can never come here for business ever again. I'm sorry, my child."
"Yes Papa." She nodded and kissed his cheek. "Thank you, Papa." Taking the small bag of money, putting it in her bag. She was crying. Of course she was. She was leaving home. Leaving her family for a whole new life. "You be careful." She smiled up at him as he wiped away her tears with his thumbs.
"I will." He smiled as he kissed her forehead again. "Go. I'll break the news to your mother in the morning."
Katrina nodded and stepped away from him. "I love you, Papa." She whispered as she left the study and finally left the house. Upon reaching the stables, she put on her boots. "Come on, Dandy." She saddled and bridled her horse. "We're going away." Leading him out of the stables and down to the river. "Just one thing to do." She took out another note and hid it in the trunk of the tree. "Let's go." She mounted her horse and began on her way.
Storybrooke, Maine
Belle did not need to get anything from town. She was going to visit her father. He had been released from hospital and was recovering at home. She was so nervous to knock on his door but she did it. She had not seen him for many, many years. The door opened and there he stood. "Father." She whispered and smiled broadly.
"Belle." He gasped, holding onto his walking stick. "Come in." He shuffled back to allow her inside his home. His heart was pounding with excitement as she accepted his offer and moved inside. She was alive and well. She was here.
Enchanted Forest
Rumplestiltskin rode towards his village. His travels exhausted him. All he wanted to do was sleep but he had something more important to do. Bring Katrina home with him. He froze as he saw a horse in his cottage paddock. "What...?" He frowned as he approached the house. He gasped when he saw Katrina rushing out of it. He quickly dismounted and rushed to her. When they met, she threw herself at him, her arms around his neck and face buried in his shoulder. "Why are you here?"
"I had to come." She sobbed against his shoulder. "Come inside." She lifted her head and kissed him softly. "I will tell you everything."
"Let me put the horse in the stable and I shall be there." He kissed her again, longer than she had kissed him. "I have missed you."
"And I." She chuckled softly and kissed him once more. Not caring that the villagers were watching them. "I'll boil some water for you to wash." She rested her hand on his shoulder before turning to go inside, but not without another look at him.
He watched her as she disappeared into the cottage. He didn't care that she was here already. He was very glad that she was here. Once the horses were secure, he returned inside. He stood in the doorway as he watched her heat some water and cut some bread. "How long have you been here?" He asked as he walked inside, sitting at the table.
"A week." She smiled at him as she brought him a cup of water and a plate of bread. The faint sounds of raindrops began hitting the roof before the rain poured down. She sat next to him and watched him eat. "I'm so glad to see you." She smiled widely. She couldn't believe it. They were finally together. Even with her father's permission.
"Why are you here so soon?" He asked, tearing a piece of bread in two.
Katrina looked down at her lap, where her hands twisted in nervousness. "I have something to tell you." She looked up at him. "I'm expecting a child. Your child."
Rumplestiltskin abandoned his food and moved to kneel in front of her. "Oh, my love. Truly?" His large hands grasped her smaller hands.
"Yes. I discovered a week ago. I came here as soon as possible." She smiled but tears ran down her cheeks. "My father let me. He knew. He knew about us. He knows about the baby. He let me come here."
"What?"
She laughed lightly as the wind and the rain pounded the small cottage. "He did. He wants me happy. My father could see that I would be happy with you." She removed her hands from his and placed them over his own. "He has been so generous." She stood up and went to the bed, her hand reached under the mattress and pulled out the bag of money. "He gave me this. For us." Walking back to him, placing the bag on the table. "He gives permission for us to marry."
He was still kneeling on the floor and smiling at her. "That I am glad for." He knelt up and kissed her softly.
Storybrooke, Maine
He twisted his wedding ring on his finger. He wanted to wake her up but he didn't want her to die. He had drank all the whisky until he couldn't bare to stay awake. He trudged upstairs and lie back down on the bed. Fully dressed. It was too hard for him. He needed her. They weren't together long but they made every moment count.
"Rumplestiltskin?" Belle's soft voice called from the other side of the closed door. "Are you awake?" He made no answer. He couldn't bare to look at her kind face. Not right now. "Rumplestiltskin?" She knocked on the door once more. "I'll make dinner." She spoke softly before retreating from the door.
Enchanted Forest
Their first night together, they lay in bed just talking. He was happy. She was happy. All the time they talked, his hand rested on her stomach. They would be parents soon. "Tomorrow, I'll go and arrange the wedding."
She smiled. "Take the money. Use it to buy the licence." She ran her hand down his arm until their hands met, where they entwined together. "What do I wear? I left all my dresses at the manor."
"I know what you could wear." He smiled as he climbed off the bed. He took a key out of his pocket and unlocked the trunk at the base of the bed. "You left this here." Pulling out her dress, the one that she had left behind, when he rescued her. "You could wear this." Holding it up to her.
She climbed off the bed and took it from him. "I forgot about this." She smiled as she lay it on the bed. "I will wear it." She walked up to him and kissed him. "I cannot wait."
He lifted her up. "Me neither." Carrying her to the bed. "Let's get reacquainted." She let out a loud laugh as they shed their clothes and become reacquainted with one another.
Storybrooke, Maine
The next morning, Mr Gold was nursing a hangover. But he hid it well. "Good morning." He kissed Belle's cheek. "How was your father?"
She served him coffee and a cooked breakfast. "How did you know?" She sat opposite him with her own breakfast.
He chuckled. "I knew you would go and see him." He took a sip of his coffee. "I've not been paying attention to you much."
She reached over and held his hand. "I understand. Have you thought of a way to wake her up?"
"No. But if I do, she'll die." He announced sadly. He looked down at their joined hands. "I don't know want to do." He shook his head and brought her hands to his lips, brushing his lips against her knuckles.
Enchanted Forest
A week later, Rumplestiltskin and Katrina stood before a judge and they were married. He carried her into their cottage. Both of them with wide smiles on their faces and only eyes for the other person. "Welcome home, my wife."
"I love you, my husband." She kissed him hotly as he lay her on the bed.
"I love you, my wife." Lying next to her, his hand running down the front of her body. "You look so beautiful." Looking down at her rich blue dress. "How do you feel?" His hand coming to a rest on her stomach. "I heard you being sick this morning."
"Comes with the territory." She smiled as she reached over and pushed a lock of his brown hair behind his ear. "In 6 months time, we are going to be parents." Resting her hand over his. "The three of us."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - – - - - - - - - -
Katrina and Rumplestiltskin settled into married life very easily. He would work and she would take care of their home and prepare the arrival of their child. "Close your eyes." He called into their cottage.
"What?" She laughed as he disappeared outside. "Rumplestiltskin?"
"Just close your eyes." He laughed. "Are they closed?"
"Rumplestiltskin..." She whined and then laughed. She closed her eyes tightly. "They're closed." She listened as he walked back into their home. She could hear he was walking a little slower and then stopped. "What is it?"
"Open your eyes." He spoke softly.
Katrina opened her eyes and gasped at the sight in front of her. A crib. "Oh Rumplestiltskin." She gasped and walked over to the beautiful piece of furniture. "Did you make this?"
"Yes." He stood beside her, placing his hand in the small of her back. "Since you have been busy making clothes and blankets for our baby, I thought I best make something too." His large hand rested on her slightly large stomach. She was only 6 months into her pregnancy. "What do you think?"
"It's beautiful." She smiled and hugged him as much as she could. "Oh. It is perfect." She ran her hand over the smooth wood. Life was good for them both. A life, they thought would never be possible.
A/N: Nearly at the end. Unfortunately. But... Season 2 is nearly here! EEKS!
Response from Chapter V:
LoverOfRumpelstiltskin: You'll have to wait and see if she wakes up or not. :P