Her Dark Guard

By: RosexKnight

The Lady and the Hatter are hurt. The Son is stolen. The Dark One is furious.

Chapter 7

Rumpelstiltskin's blood ran cold. Nottingham only smiled as a familiar cry pierced the air.

"So much for her guard dog." Nottingham rasped.

The Dark One growled, using his magic to squeeze the man until he was screaming out in pain. The same cry echoed through the air the second time, this time calling his name.

"You're not even worthy to be mud on her boots." The imp growled before tossing Nottingham aside, the fool disappearing in a cloud of smoke as he hit a nearby wall and slid to the ground.

The flames engulfing the village disappeared immediately, and a calm settled on it as the people took a breath. Rumpelstiltskin, however, was running blindly through the streets, letting his sense of magic take over as he followed the call.

He shouldn't have left them. It was a stupid trick. He shouldn't have left them alone. If they were hurt...well he didn't want to think about what would happen if they were hurt.

"Rumple..." Belle whimpered, and he skidded to a stop before them.

Jefferson and Belle hadn't made it to the keep. They had veered off the main path, instead going to one of the tunnels, thinking it safer. Judging by the way the dirt was upturned a scuffle had happened. They had been expecting this route all along.

Jefferson himself was on the ground, his top hat having tumbled off, his head bloodied from whatever had struck him. Belle was doubled-over on her knees, trembling as she hugged herself. Her hair was tussled where it had been pulled, her lip swollen, and he was sure bruises would be appearing in her arms.

"Belle!" He dropped down to his knees with her, hands fluttering around her awkwardly until they finally settled on her shoulders. "Belle...look at me sweetheart."

The lady flinched at his touch, and only began to tremble more as she looked to him. "Are the fires out?"

He was only able to nod, the words catching between a protective rage in his throat. They'd hurt her. And all she could think about were the bloody fires.

"Good." She rasped, before her eyes fell and she leaned into him, burying her face in his neck as her body shook with sobs. Utterly lost,

Beside her, Jefferson groaned, looking at him with bleary eyes. The hatter lifted his hand to his head, making a face at the blood he found there. His eyes then wandered to his surroundings, falling from the lady clinging to The Dark One and finally to the open door leading from the keep's wall "Oh bloody hell..."

Rumpelstiltskin's eyes met his, and then followed to the door as well. It swayed slightly, and footprints could be made out in the path beyond, walking uneasily, dragging something along. The Dark One stiffened, his grip on Belle tightening as worry for her gave way to rage.

"They took him." Belle finally choked out, seizing the imp by his clothes, her grip like iron as she attempted to shake him, her eyes pure fire behind her tears as she yelled. "You promised! You promised they wouldn't touch him and they took him!"

Rumpelstiltskin could count the number of times he'd be knocked speechless on a few fingers. Now, with Belle practically in his lap, clinging to him, shaking with an emotion he didn't know, hair tussled, body bruised and bleeding, dress torn, and YELLING at him, every response died on his tongue.

In the end, it was Jefferson that spoke, regardless of the pounding in his head.

"Belle, listen..."

"They tore him right out of my arms!" Belle continued. "And now he's gone and they're going to make me choose!"

"Belle...!"

"And I cannot do it you stupid man! It will always be him!"

"BELLE!"

Jefferson's cruel tone snapped her out of her thoughts. She blinked, her eyes becoming focused as she realized what had happened. Her hands began to tremble again, her breathing shaky as she tried to steady herself. There was a long pause between the trio, with only the buzz of activity in the village as they cleaned up the mess made by the fires.

Rumpelstiltskin moved first. Placing his hands on Belle's to gently pry them off of his vest. She clung to them instead, and he squeezed them in return, grounding her.

"Your people, Belle." Jefferson said. "They need you."

Belle shook her head "But..." She looked to Rumpelstiltskin, and the helpless look in her eyes made rage bubble in his guy anew.

"I need something of Bae's. For tracking." He said gently, his hand coming up to gingerly wipe a tear from her tender cheek. "Do you understand?"

Belle leaned into his touch for a moment, then seemed to realize what she was doing and pulled away. Her head was reeling, fuzzy from the hit and the shock of the morning. The town was safe. She focused on that, taking a few breaths to steady herself. After a moment she nodded.

"His room. Anything in there." She said, her voice trying to be firm, slipping back into her role as mother and Lady of the keep.

The imp nodded. "Let me heal you before I go."

He lifted a hand, his palm glowing with a purple energy. Belle caught his wrist. "No." She said, perhaps a little too quickly. "Go save Bae. Now."

Rumpelstiltskin searched her eyes. She didn't seem afraid, not of him at least. He could see the underlying anger there, and the pure utter resolve she had. This was the Belle he had known. The kind Belle who would do anything for the ones she loved. He moved so that he was kneeling on one knee before her, squeezing her hand in his before bringing her knuckles to his lips for the second time that week.

"What will you have me do when I found them, Belle?" The spinner asked, his voice low but dangerous.

Belle paused, her eyes glazing over slightly. "They stole our son. I'd have you do whatever it takes."