I realise there is no excuse for making you guys wait so long for this chapter, in truth I had forgotten about this story, wrapped up in a dozen other stories I hope to upload. I can't make any promises unfortunately, but I hope the next chapter won't be too far away.


Night was fast approaching and Bae was still yet to come home. Belle sat by the fire, watching as Rumplestiltskin paced back and forth, growing ever more anxious by the minute.

"I'm sure he is just fine, he probably just lost track of time. Don't you remember what it was like to a young and in love? Didn't that ever happen to you?" She tried to reassure him but he didn't even seem to hear her.

"He has never been out this long before, it isn't like him, something must be wrong"

She could see Bae's continued absence was upsetting him and at the risk of him storming out and putting who knows who in danger's way, Belle took it upon herself to do the only thing she could.

"I'll go look for him, alright? Just promise me you'll try to calm down." She walked out the door before he could respond, hoping that in his distracted state of mind he might miss the fact that she had left the house alone and without his permission. Hopefully the return of his son might play in her favour and avoid punishment.

It was only when she had made it to the edge of the village that she realised there was a terrible flaw to her plan: she had never left the house before and she had no idea where she was going or where to start looking. Baelfire could be anywhere and she could spend hours wandering around through the woods looking for him.

How on earth was she going to find him?

... ...

The fire had died hours ago and Jiminy wasn't very good at starting a new one. Red was still refusing to go home or to put on her damn cloak. Jiminy wasn't sure why her grandmother had insisted on her wearing it, it wasn't like the cold was bothering her, but the force and will she had used on him scared him half to death. If he couldn't get Red to come home than he would damn well figure out how to get her to wear the cloak; whatever the reason for it was. But as Red was quickly growing more vicious every passing second, his mission was looking ever more pointless.

She didn't want to eat, she didn't want to sleep, she wouldn't even stand still long enough for him to present the very idea to her.

"We are going in circles!" He exclaimed, wrapped up in the red cloak, fighting against the cold that she didn't seem to notice.

"We are NOT! I know exactly where we are going and where we already are!" Red insisted, "So stop telling me what to do!"

"I will stop once you slow down and take care of yourself, you haven't eaten a thing in three days"

"I'm fine, I promise"

"For the sake of the gods, Red, it'll be dark soon and we need to set up camp"

"I don't need to sleep, if you want to make yourself a bed and go to sleep then knock yourself out, I'm going to keep moving"

"You mean curl up here to die?" The woman he had loved for so long had never been so cruel-hearted and he was severely concerned for the state of her mental health. Death could be cruel to the survivors, but she was going too far. Red was walking to her own death.

"I didn't ask for you to come with me, did I? If you don't like how I'm doing things here then go back to town!"

"Why are you so determined to join Peter?" As soon as the words had left his mouth he wished he had just shut up.

Red's eyes locked on him and she looked at him so darkly he feared she could choke him to death with that look alone. The very air between them stood still as he waited to see what she would do. His heart pounded in fear, never before having seen this side of her that was so wild and feral.

Suddenly she turned around and disappeared into the shadows, and as the sun finally set Jiminy could swear he heard a rattling growl.

... ...

Belle had been walking around for close to an hour when she had finally found some sign of Bae and Moraine, specifically their names written in the dirt. It had rained in the past few days and the ground was soft enough to show footprints leading away. Belle wasn't much of a tracker, but at least the direction they were going in was a start.

The path was littered with leaves and this task was becoming more frustrating with every single step, but at last she heard a familiar voice and she raced towards it.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Bae and who she could only assume was Moraine sitting together beneath a dying tree. The ground was thick with dirt and the flora around them was almost the same shade as the tree, but although the setting looked like a graveyard, neither of the two teens seemed to care.

They were cuddled up together, looking at something on Moraine's wrist and laughing, completely oblivious to the darkness of night that surrounded them.

"Baelfire," She called to him.

The young boy looked up instantly, a rosy shade dying his cheeks and Belle couldn't help but smile. He brushed his mop of dark hair out of his eyes and stood up, taking Moraine's hand and helping her up too. Coming out from the shade of the tree, Belle was able to get a glimpse of Moraine for the first time, and she could see why Bae was so smitten.

Moraine was a delicate-looking girl, but Belle could see she had more strength than most would realise. Her hair was light brown and it looked tired, but her eyes were so bright and full of life it was hard to notice.

"Belle, what are you doing here?" Baelfire asked, coming to stand in front of her.

"It's almost night; your father is worried sick about you"

The two children shared a look of worry before Bae looked back to Belle. "Moraine won't get in trouble, will she?"

"I doubt Rumplestiltskin will very much care once he sees you are safe and sound, but if he does get angry, I'll take care of it"

"Thank you, Belle." He smiled wildly, before blushing once again. "Uh, this is Moraine, my closest friend, and Moraine this is Belle, our housekeeper"

Moraine went on to tell Belle of the things Bae had told her, how she had helped him when he was hurt, how she was teaching him to read and write. The three of them were half way back to the village, Belle making a note to herself to talk to Bae about going so far again, when a twig snapped very close by.

Belle took both their hands and held them tightly, that sound had been took close and too loud for a simple woodland creature. "We need to move faster, don't run, walk, but be cautious"

Baelfire and Moraine were immediately on the alert, looking for whatever danger Belle seemed to be onto. A little further into the forest and they all heard the sound of heavy footsteps following them.

Belle was torn between running and reaching the village sooner, but also provoking whatever was following them into giving chase, and keeping at their current pace so as not to incite an attack but allowing the creature more time to figure out the best way to attack them anyway. She decided the first was better, because either way they were going to be attacked, but at least they might make it to safety before any of them got hurt.

"Baelfire, Moraine, I want you to listen to me-"

Belle was cut off by a low guttural sound, a deep growl of hunger and a set of large yellow eyes staring out at them as the creature took a step out from behind them. Belle slowly looked over her shoulder and shuddered. She had seen wolves before, but never one like that. Burning eyes cut by silver light, fangs sharper than blades of war, long muscular legs and paws the size of a baby's head covered in short dark fur.

"My god...Bae, I want you to get Moraine to the cottage and stay there"

The boy's eyes were popping out of his head. "What about you?"

"I'll distract it"

"No Belle, that thing will kill you, we can't leave you alone against that monster!" He hissed.

She knew the boy's words were nothing but the truth, she had no powers, no skill in hunting or fighting, she wouldn't last ten seconds against that wolf, but she had to make sure Bae and Moraine got away.

"Don't worry about me Bae, I know a few things about wrestling with dogs, I'll be fine, just get the both of you home. Don't turn back, don't leave the house once you're inside and whatever you do, do not try to be a hero"

"But Belle-"

The rise in his voice made the beast's ear twitch and Belle decided it was now or never. "Run! Go now!"

The beauty charged right at the wolf, running in the opposite direction to the cottage and hoping to keep the monster's attention long enough for Bae and Moraine to get away.

The wolf wasn't sure how to react when Belle almost ran right into it, it leapt back and took chase when she sped past. Going off the path, she tried to lose the wolf under the cover of the woods; possibly her stupidest decision ever, she realised only too late. Thinking quickly, she looked around for anything she could use as a weapon. Thanking whatever kind fairy was watching over her when she found the perfect branch, a little heavy and a strain on her arms but would pack a fierce blow if she could lift it above her head.

The wolf didn't waste time in trapping her back against a tree, appearing seemingly out of nowhere and crouching down, preparing to attack. Belle lifted the branch as high into the air as she could and used its own weight to swing it at the wolf, bashing it over the head. The branch snapped in half but the wolf only yelped and shook the pain from its head. The hit she had just delivered should have thrown the animal at least a few feet away, but the thing was still standing.

Taking the opportunity while the wolf was distracted, she took off down the road. With her feet moving as fast as she could make them go, she tried to ignore the way her heart pounded against her chest, or the way her tears of fear blurred her vision at the worst possible time.

With fear throbbing in her head, she didn't see the ridge of rocks ahead of her. She forced herself not to cry out in surprise as she hit the ground, cursing the very land she walked on for working against her when she needed help the most. A quick check of her body left her sighing with relief that she wasn't injured, but she didn't get the chance to continue her escape.

Two wide set paws landed on either side of her head, the head of a dragon glaring down at her through canine eyes. Ears laid back, tail wagging with excitement, the wolf growled deeply, its hot breath on her face making her shudder.

With a heavy heart she realised this was that moment, that last few seconds before the wolf ripped her neck open and her life would fade away. She tried to fight it, attempting to kick the wolf off her and desperately trying to hold its opened jaws away from her face, but her strength was little match to this unnatural creature.

The wolf's canines were only a whisper away from her skin when the whole dark form let out a surprised yelp and flew to the left. The monster crashed into a tree and slopped to the ground, unmoving excepting the slight rise and fall of its side. The brute was out cold.

Belle looked around in amazement for her rescuer and had never been happier to see Rumplestiltskin.

"Belle, are you alright?" He was by her side in a second, taking her hand in his and helping her to her feet.

Despite the horrible timing, Belle noticed how soft his skin seemed to be in contrast with the rough calloused exterior of his hands. She held his hand for a second longer than she should have, a motion that did not go unnoticed by her companion.

Before his mind could run wild with possible explanations, Rumplestiltskin wrapped an arm around her waist and summoned a cloud of crimson smoke. With no scent or track left behind, they were home free.

They vanished from the woods just as the wolf was coming to. Seeing nothing of its prey or attackers, it shoved its nose into the dirt and sought out their scent; it found one too, the trail left by Baelfire and Moraine.

... ...

Bae was on his feet the moment he saw the smoke, the familiar swirl of magic thick and dark as it entered his once peaceful home. He and Moraine had been curled up by the fire silent with fear and anticipation, waiting for the return of his father.

As soon as he and Moraine had come through the door, Rumplestiltskin had been on his feet, demanding answers from his son. Thankfully it only took a moment for Bae to tell his father what he really needed to know, and then he was gone in a puff of smoke.

Suddenly there was a whirl of coloured smoke growing in the centre of the room and both teenagers jumped up. Belle was a little disoriented from the trip, a little woozier than the first time she had travelled this way. Bae was there in time to keep her from tripping over her own feet when his papa released her waist quite suddenly.

"Belle, are you ok? What happened? Are you hurt?"

Belle smiled at the boy's bombardment of questions, so desperate to hear that she was alright.

"I'm fine, Bae, a little dirt on my dress and that's all"

"Only just," Rumplestiltskin mumbled. "A second more and you would have been dead"

"But you weren't late and I'm not dead, so stop thinking about it." She quickly scolded. She didn't want him getting upset over 'what if's; they didn't have time for that.

That massive creature was still out there and it was very close to the town, and judging by the strength she had already beared witness to, that wolf could take down a dozen men at once she'd wager.

As if her fears had been heard, the echo of the monster's howl reached their ears all at once; the wolf was nearly here.

All four of them were in the open doorway of the cottage, searching for the wolf eclipsed in darkness. Belle was set to usher the children back inside immediately, but if she stayed with them to make sure they were safe, she would be leaving Rumplestiltskin to face the wolf alone. He was the only one who could fight that animal, he had all the power in the world, but that didn't put her at ease.

Before she had a chance to air her thoughts, the beast came into sight. Eyes like sunlit diamonds glowing in the night, the way the moonlight played along the fur on its back. It was too late to keep the wolf out of the town because it was already well inside.

Rumplestiltskin watched in static interest, seeing an opportunity to try out a few of his powers he was yet to use.

Leaving the others inside the house, he stepped out to confront the wolf. It was clear to anyone that this was no ordinary animal, and he wanted to experiment just a little to find out where its limits resided.

The wolf immediately locked its eyes on him and began to pace in a wide circle around him, eyeing him up and down to determine the challenge he posed. Belle, Bae and Moraine were silent and still, afraid that any movement, no matter how subtle, might put Rum in danger.

The beast snarled as it tore through the air, jaws open wide to show its array of pointed teeth, the way they curled towards the back of the mouth ever so slightly so that when they drove into flesh it would catch and the prey wouldn't be able to escape.

At the last moment, Rumple threw his hands up defensively, causing the wolf to crash into an invisible wall. Anger grew in the wolf, and after failing to bust through the obstacle with its body, it stood up on its hind legs and clawed furiously at the barrier. They could all see it, the way those silver claws sliced through the sheet of magic only for it to instantly replenish. Ungodly snarls and roars escaped the beast as it attacked the wall over and over again.

He thought he had the wolf under control, but the moment he began to feel that ease of power, the wolf broke through.

"No! Papa!" Bae screamed from behind Belle, the only one who was strong enough to fight the boy and keep him inside.

Rumplestiltskin had landed on his back, rather dazed and shocked at the sudden blow. He looked up to see the wolf almost grinning at him, running a blood-stained tongue over its glistening teeth in anticipation for its next meal.

The Dark One leapt to his feet and tossed a fireball at the wolf. Quick on its feet, the creature dodged it with unnatural speed and lunged for his throat. Ignoring the call of his magic for that moment, he curled his hand into a fist and socked the wolf in the jaw. The unexpected blow knocked the wolf off balance, causing it to topple onto its side.

Rumplestiltskin had always liked dogs and by extension wolves, as horrible and monstrous as this wolf was, there was a little of his humanity inside that begged him not to kill it. But what else was there to do? Well, the wolf decided for him.

Faking defeat, the wolf backed away with its tail between its legs, ears flattened down to show submission. When it had gotten far enough it took a running start, kicking off the ground and going for the hand that had punched it. Fortunately he was quicker than that, turning side on so the wolf went right past him while swinging his other arm around to grab the scruff of its neck.

With the strength of the Dark One, he held the massive beast in the air, the wolf displaying its rage at being humiliated like this, held up like a pup. It kicked and clawed and snapped its jaws, but not matter how much it turned and twisted, it just could not reach its captor.

But Rum's victory was short lived, the wolf having twisted and wriggled so much he lost his grip on the sweat-drenched fur and the wolf slipped from his grasp. The moment its paws touched the ground, it whirled around and leapt one last time at Rumple, too quick for him to react in time.

With its teeth so close to his delicate human flesh, the wolf felt a harsh blow to the ribs. When it hit the ground again, the wolf was so furious it could rip a dragon's head clean off. Belle had run over at just the right moment, colliding with the wolf and knocking it away from Rumplestiltskin.

Realising that brute strength wasn't going to be enough in this case, the developed mind of the wolf thought up another plan. Within seconds, its powerful jaw had locked around the end of a branch and it swung it at Belle the same way she had done earlier.

It all happened so fast, one moment Belle was standing in front of him, checking him over for injuries and the next she was flying through the air. He had never seen anyone thrown so high and his heart was still for every second she was in the air.

He raised a hand to stop her fall, but for some reason he couldn't focus and she landed on a pile of crates stacked outside a neighbour's house. The sound of her scream as the sharp and splintered wood cut into her snowy skin was horrific. A desperate gasp of breath, wheezing as blood began to fill her lungs almost had him on his knees.

He ran towards her without a second thought, but someone wasn't happy with that idea. The sharp snarling of the wolf cut off his path to Belle, and as he looked down into the midnight black eyes of the wolf he felt a great fire burning his insides, the desire to rip the wolf's head right off overwhelming.

With a snarling growl of his own, Rumplestiltskin leapt at the wolf, curling his hands into claws and locking them around the animal's neck. The wolf hit the ground with a rough bark that quickly became a wheezing whine. With onyx claws making the wolf bleed, Rumplestiltskin could see nothing but the beast's death.

This stupid mutt had tossed his beautiful Belle aside like a piece of trash, Belle might be dead over there and this shit of a hound was to blame. He wanted to choke the life out of the wolf, and it had almost fallen unconscious when a scream pierced his ears.

Looking up, he searched for Belle or one of the kids who might have spoken, but instead he found a tall, skinny, red-headed man running towards them; a heavy blood-red cloak in his arms.

"What the hell do you want!" Rumplestiltskin snapped, his hands still tight around the wolf's neck.

"Please don't hurt her! She isn't really a wolf, she's a human! I swear it!" The man stopped just short of the Dark One, the shining of his eyes pleading for his mercy.

"Give me a better reason than that!"

The man looked terrified, unsure of what to do. "I can stop her from turning, she doesn't know what she's doing, if you let her live I'll make sure this never happens again...please don't kill her." He just hoped that his theory about the cloak was correct; why else would Granny be adamant Red wear it?

The dark fire in his eyes dimmed ever so slightly when he saw that look in the man's eyes. He knew that look, he had seen it himself. Slowly his grip softened until the wolf was a whimpering pup in the dirt. He gave a quick glare of warning to the man before he left the wolf.

He moved as fast as his feet would let him but it seemed to take an eternity to reach his Belle, lying face-up in a pile of wood chips and crushed produce.

Her skin was sticky with fruit juice, the lowest form of 'freshness' one could get, the apples already turning brown while the flimsy wood soaked up the dark blood like a cactus in a rain storm. Belle was motionless as she lay there, eyes closed, blood soaking her dress, all manner of cuts and gaping wounds in her creamy skin, her life essence draining away into the mud.