Disclaimer: Once Upon a Time does not belong to me! All characters and references to the show belong to ABC and Channel 5. The references to the Twilight Saga also don't belong to me (You'll see)
O.k, before we begin I would just like to say that, while looking over my previous chapters, I noticed that after chapter 5 I promised you a cat-fight in chapter 6. A cat-fight that I did not deliver on, and I would just like to apologise and say that there is a Belle vs Milah smack down on my profile if you wanna check it out.
Anyway, on with the tale! This chapters going to be kind of long because so much happens.
Once Upon a Time: Schools Out! Chapter 7
It had been around nine days since the Royals had defeated the Ogres, and the long-term ecstasy that had followed had finally simmered down to make way for a new batch of gossip:
Regina Mills was in love.
It wasn't like they had tried especially hard to hide it, they could often be seen walking to classes together, or eating lunch together, or sometimes just standing around talking or, an even rarer feat for the Ice Queen, laughing.
It was all anyone could talk about, Regina Mills and new student Daniel Hay. The halls filled with people discussing whether or not he was doing it willingly, the girls bathrooms full of girls debating whether they had kissed yet, the dorms crammed with students wondering if he could possibly know about...
It was more than Gene Glass could bear. Every day he had to listen to people talking about Regina and some guy who wasn't him. Some days it took all he had not to just scream from the agony in his heart.
He didn't get it, he had been in love with Regina since he had first met her on his first day at College. It had been a sweltering hot day, and she had asked if she could borrow his huge, portable electric fan. All it had taken was just one glance at her beautiful, beautiful face, with her full lips pulled back in a smile, and a glance from her dark hooded eyes and boom, he was smitten. He had handed over the fan, grinning like a fool when she breathed out "Thanks Gene" and swished away with the it.
And he was sure she would give it back, one of these days...
He had fallen for her that day, and ever since then he had done everything she'd ever asked him to in the hope that one day, she might fall in love with him.
But she hadn't. Instead this...this...bus boy, had led her away. With his sky-blue eyes and his...his...smile...It made the editor of the Mirror burn as he sat in his English Language class, watching Ms Gohrm-who took everything to do with English- as she explained ways that language can be used to portray emotion.
Gene continued to mourn. He was Regina's destiny! Not that other guy!
And one way or another, he was going to show her that.
OUAT
Regina was in the girls bathroom next to the science department, touching up her mascara in front of a mirror before Lit.
As she brushed the black liquid onto her eyelashes, her phone buzzed in her jeans pocket. She put down the mascara wand and pulled her phone out. Smiling in the privacy of the empty bathroom when she saw the name on the message she had just received:
"Just thought I shud tell U, U looked really nice in that skirt yesterday ;)
R we meeting up l8r? D x"
Regina waited a few seconds-so she didn't seem needy-and then texted him back:
"Thanks
Yes, we R, see U 5? I've got some stuff 2 do"
As she pressed send, the bathroom door suddenly slammed open, and Regina turned just in time to see a black-haired blur hurtle into the nearest cubicle. From within it she could hear a girl retching, then something splashing into the toilet.
Regina grimaced, and turned back to applying her mascara. After a few minuets the retching stopped, the toilet flushed, and Snow White walked out of the cubicle, looking up to see Regina watching her in the mirror.
Snow White froze.
So did Regina, mascara wand hovering in the air.
They hung like that for what felt like an eternity, then Regina cleared her throat and started putting her things away, while Snow White walked up to the mirrors above the sinks, standing next to the other girl. She ran the tap, and started washing the perspiration off of her white skin.
Regina sniffed contemptuously "Having a bad day?" she trilled, her voice overly sweet.
Snow White sighed, and turned to go without answering. But Regina wasn't done with the girl she hated so passionately.
"You know, I would've thought that getting a bun in the oven would be a little out of character for the Fairest of them all" she joked cruelly, and chuckled, looking over at Snow White's stiff back "I just hope that it's Charmings" she laughed a wickedly, and turned back to the mirror.
Snow White stopped, feeling herself finally starting to snap. Regina's comment adding to the pile of stress and fear she felt with each passing day. This was the last straw.
So she turned, marching back to a bemused Regina, forcing her to look in her hard green eyes.
"For God sakes, Regina why can't you just let it go already?" she snapped "It was five, months ago! Everyone else has forgotten about it!" and Regina started to put her make-up back into her bag, not looking at the girl as she spoke.
"Oh, but Snow" she sighed, speaking lightly "Everyone else wasn't put through what I was putthrough" she finally looked at Snow White, who's hard look was gone, and now she couldn't meet her eyes.
"Regina, I-"
"Blanchard, you need to understand something" she interrupted, her voice going from light to hard in a heartbeat "Everyone else might forget, act like nothing ever happened, but I can assure you that I. Never. Will"
Snow White didn't say anything, and Regina started to pull her bag over her shoulder. Then, as Regina turned to go, Snow White said to the floor:
"I regret it"
Regina stopped, sharply turning back to her "What?" she snapped, and Snow White looked up at her, her eyes looking a thousand years old.
"I regret that article. The one that the Mirror printed, saying that I was prettier than you?" she shrugged "It wasn't fair"
Regina didn't answer, processing her enemy's words while keeping the stony look on her face.
Snow White sighed, turning to face her fully: "I know it was five months ago, but I still think about it all the time. About how hurt you were, how you...you poisoned me" she paused, the painful memory of waking up in a hospital, her father and Charming crying by her bedside, flashing into her mind.
"But mostly I...I think about how your mom-"
"Stop" Regina finally spoke, she didn't raise her voice, but it was enough to stop Snow White's speech.
Regina looked at her, this girl, Snow White. She thought she had ruined her life without turning a hair, but now here she was, telling her that she regretted it like she...like she felt guilty.
Like Regina cared.
"I don't forgive you, Blanchard" she said harshly, and Snow White's face fell a mile "So save your pathetic little speech for someone who cares"
She moved to walk away as Snow White exhaled sadly. As Regina reached the door, Snow White called out in monotone:
"Are you going to tell Daniel?"
Regina paused again, her eyes burning holes in the opposite wall.
"No" and she slammed out of the bathroom.
OUAT
Rumplestiltskin's phone buzzed as he walked out of his Business Studies class at 4:00. he pulled it out of his pants pocket and clicked on the screen to see the message he had been sent.
His eyebrow arched in slight surprise when he saw who it was from:
"I have a deal to discuss. Meet me in the media building. Regina"
Rumplestiltskin put his phone back into his pocket, suspicion rising in him at the silly girls request.
However, he was not one to turn down the opportunity to make a deal, and he certainly wasn't about to start now.
So, moving past some freshmen who nearly wet themselves when they saw him, he headed over to the Media building.
OUAT
Regina was already there, sitting at a table waiting for him when he opened the door. Walking into the smell of developing liquid and tape.
She smiled when he walked in, showing her even white teeth as he strode oh-so-confidently over to the table.
"I got your message, Dear" he said lightly, barely glancing at the pieces of paper that rested on the tables surface "You have a deal you wish to discuss?"
Regina nodded, slowly. She was going to enjoy this!
"Yes, I do"
"And what exactly is it you want?" he asked her, still ignoring the table.
Regina's smile grew, the want to just blurt it all out almost overwhelming. But she controlled it.
"You. Doing everything I want, and everything as I say" she paused, letting it sink in "Free of charge"
Rumplestiltskin's face had been incredulous, but at her last three words he uncharacteristically burst into peals of laughter.
Regina's smile didn't falter, she knew that by the time this little imp left this room, she would have him completely under her control.
Rumplestiltskin's laughs faded until they became a hilarity induced grin on his face.
"And, prey tell, why would I agree to those conditions?"
Regina-her smile growing cat-like-gestured with her hand down to the papers scattered across the table.
Rumplestiltskin followed her hand, and when he saw what was on the pieces of paper he had barely taken notice of when he walked in, his grin vanished. Only to be replaced by a cold, humorless look.
On the table lay pictures of him and Belle by the gym two days ago. Pictures of her laughing, of him smiling, and of the passionate kiss he had teased her with when she had played that joke on him.
Rumplestiltskin didn't say a word as Regina chuckled triumphantly at his expression. It was taking everything he had not to leap over the table, grab that bitches head, and pound and pound and pound until there was nothing except a bloody, pulpy mess.
"I must admit, you know, when I saw you two together, I was surprised" she laughed, picking up one of the pictures-the one where they were kissing-and shook her head at it.
"Now, I might not be very fond of the girl, but I thought she had better taste than...well..." she gestured to him "You" she sighed, shaking her head again "What will everyone say?"
"What do you want?" Rumplestiltskin finally spoke, his voice low and defeated, making Regina grin from ear to ear.
"Giving in so easy?" she asked, and chuckled again "Didn't think you were so private, Rumple"
"I said what do you want?!" he snapped, not bothering to tell her that he didn't care what people thought of him, but Belle...he couldn't let her be humiliated this way.
Regina laughed happily "Exactly what I said, Rumple!" she said, looking at him like a hunter that had finally cornered her prey.
"I want you to do everything I want, and everything I say"
"And these?" he said, picking up a photo "They'll disappear?"
Regina shrugged innocently "Maybe they will, maybe they won't. We'll just have to see how...obedient you are" she paused, and held out a hand.
"Do we have a deal?"
It went against every fiber in his body, everything in him screamed to just tear up the incriminating photo's and be done with it. But Rumplestiltskin knew she would most definitely have copies.
So he reached out, and grasped her smooth, ice cold hand.
"Deal" he said, forcing his voice to stay even.
"Good. Oh and, one more thing" Regina briefly bent under the table, when she came back up she was holding a square brown envelope in her hand. On it was was written "Maurice French"
It was followed by an address.
"If you do try and get out of this, then these?" she shook the envelope slightly "Will go straight to Belle's father!" she laughed again and stood up. Then, with one sweep of her hand, she scattered the photo's across the room.
"Clean that up" she said carelessly. Watching with immense satisfaction as the Unbeatable College Dealer, Rumplestiltskin, automatically bent to her will.
OUAT
"Tell me what's going on"
Snow White jumped. Out of nowhere Ruby had appeared next to her on the bench outside of the dorms, interrupting her as she went through her avalanche of problems (Number one being: Teenage pregnancy) in her head.
She tried to laugh freely at Ruby "Going on?" she asked, acting like she didn't know what she was talking about "Nothings going on, Rubes!"
Ruby gave her a Look. Snow White was not a good actress.
"Snow, you've been acting weird for over a week!" she said, her tone making it clear she wasn't going to buy any crap from her "You're missing from Practice, you're getting sick all the time...and you've even started avoiding your friends!"
"No I haven't!" Snow White protested, and Ruby crossed her arms, eyebrow raised.
"Oh really? How many times have we hung out in the past week?"
Snow White thought back, and cursed. Other than right now she had barely even spoken to anyone except James.
She sighed "I...I'm sorry, Ruby, I just-"
"I don't need you to be sorry!" Ruby cried "I just want you to admit that there's something wrong!"
Snow White looked into Ruby's eyes, those huge, light brown eyes that looked so pleading and worried for her.
She sighed again, turning to face her properly "Alright" she said, her voice low in case anyone was listening "There...there is something going on"
Ruby nodded, and Snow White carried on, her own eyes pleading now.
"But...I'm not ready to talk about it yet, Ruby. I wish I was, but I...I just can't" her voice cracked on the last word, the huge lump in her throat at not being able to be completely honest with her best friend causing tears to pool in her eyes.
In a wave of pity, Ruby pulled Snow White into a comforting hug, rubbing little circles into her back as she sobbed. Glaring at those rude enough to stare as they passed.
"O.k, O.k, Snow" she said softly "It's O.k, you don't have to say anything right away. You can talk when you're ready, O.k?"
Snow White, still crying, nodded into her shoulder. Ruby waited for the tears to subside before asking her a question:
"Does Charming know?" she asked, Snow White's head still on her shoulder. Ruby felt her nod again.
"O.k" she said soothingly "That's O.k"
OUAT
If there was one thing that could top watching Rumplestiltskin do whatever she told him, it was being with Daniel. They had just come back from seeing a movie- "Rising Sun"-and now they were hanging out in his room.
"Oh come on!" Daniel protested "A bunch of zombies fighting against a Zombie Government, you didn't think that was a little cool?"
Regina laughed, shaking her head at him "No, it was ridiculous!" she said, sitting down on his bed "It simply screamed Desperate-Movie-Company-Wants-To-Make-Money!" she laughed again, but Daniel was too busy staring at her to respond. The sight of her on his bed...it drove everything else out of his mind.
Now, Daniel was not the kind of guy who would push a girl to do anything she didn't want to. In fact, he was the guy who would wait for the perfect moment to even kiss one. Which was why he and Regina hadn't even kissed yet.
And right now, he couldn't think of a better moment to do it than this.
Regina's laughter faded as Daniel moved next to her on the bed, one of his arms moving around her so his hand could rest on the spot of blanket that was next to her hip.
For a long moment, they looked into each-others eyes, their breath mingling. Daniel started to lean forward.
"You really thought the movie was bad?" he whispered, his lips inches from hers.
Slowly, Regina nodded her head, forcing some reaction from her frozen state.
"Terrible" she whispered back, making Daniel laugh softly.
And then, he finally pressed his lips to hers, his mouth soft and warm, a hand moving to cup her cheek.
Regina froze when his lips touched hers, she was completely lost in the kiss. Right now, she couldn't form a solid thought, couldn't feel any of her limbs, couldn't remember her own name...it was like everything had faded into the background, and all she could do was feel as hers and Daniels lips moved together in a stolen moment of passion, her hands sliding up his chest to wrap around his neck.
Hesitantly, Daniel moved his tongue to gently probe Regina's lips, seeking entrance. She parted them, her tongue meeting his as they thoroughly explored each-others mouths, their breathing becoming ragged as their kissed became fiercer, hungrier...
Suddenly, Daniel's hand left Regina's cheek, moved to her leg, slid up her thigh, and reached the hem of her shirt...
And when she felt it, Regina felt a shock of panic.
Gasping, Regina broke away, pushing Daniel away and turning her back to him. A furious blush was creeping across her face.
OhGodOhGodOhGodWHATDIDYOUJUS TDO? She panicked in her head, her fists clenching either side of her as she felt him shift on the bed.
"Regina?" Daniel said her name hesitantly, moving just a tiny bit closer to her "...Are you O.k?"
Regina took a deep breath before answering, keeping her voice steady instead of moaning in humiliation like she wanted to. Her voice came out stammery as she answered him.
"I...I'm not...I'm not ready for that yet"
"Oh" she heard him say, he didn't sound disappointed or angry. More...enlightened.
"I'm sorry" he apologised sincerely, gently touching her arm "I didn't mean to go to move to fast-"
Regina sighed, so embarrassed. She couldn't believe she was going to do this!
But she had to tell him, so she summoned up every bit of courage she had, and blurted it out:
"I'm a virgin, Daniel!"
The silence that fell in the room was deafening. Slowly, Daniel removed his hand, and a mortified Regina turned to face him.
Out of her un-ending embarrassment, she was surprised to see that he did not look annoyed or amused like she thought he would. Instead, he just looked a faintly amazed.
After a long, long silence, Daniel looked up and met Regina's eyes.
"A virgin?" he repeated. Regina sighed and nodded.
"Yes, I...I've never..." she tried to finish the sentence, but it lodged in her throat and refused to come out, so she settled for an awkward silence.
Daniel meanwhile, was insanely amazed. How could it be that this girl, this beautiful, sexy woman, had never had sex?
As he thought that, conversations he'd had with several boys during his first few days sprung to his mind, and he spoke to Regina again:
"I just have one question" he said, and Regina nodded.
He hesitated, wondering if there was any way he could make this come out right.
"If you're still a virgin, then how come a...a few days after I came here, some of the guys here told me that they-"
Regina cut him off with a contemptuous sniff. She looked pissed and Daniel started to panic, thinking he had offended her and she was now about to leave in a furious rage.
However, Regina merely shook her head in irritation.
"A while after I got here" Regina explained "My moth-I started to think that I needed a boyfriend, so..." Regina trailed off slowly shaking her head again "I started to use my...talents, to try and get someone to to fill the opening. But I never slept with them!" she snapped harshly, looking at Daniel as though daring him to judge her "I never did! Because I couldn't force myself to...to do that with someone I-"
She stopped in mid-sentence, cursing herself for saying too much, for coming so close to revealing too much, too soon.
Again, Daniel had fallen silent, simply looking at her with an expression that was completely unreadable. Regina moved back from him, her head bowing and hands gripping the blanket as though she would never let go.
But then, Daniel slowly reached out, and took one of her hands in his. He then gently put a finger under Regina's chin and guided her head until she was looking at him, and Regina was stunned at the amount of kindness and understanding in them.
"Someone who you what?" he asked gently, and Regina swallowed back all her fear, all of her pride, and gave him a completely honest answer:
"I didn't want to do that, with someone I didn't love" she whispered, and Daniel took her into his arms in a comforting embrace. Regina folded into him, loving his warmth, and the feel of his strong body pressed against hers.
After a while, they broke apart, and Daniel carefully looked into Regina's dark brown eyes.
"Regina, I would never, never" he repeated forcefully, shaking his head to add emphasis "Make you do something you weren't ready for, please believe me"
"I...I do" she said, holding back tears that threatened to spill over from the feeling of protection and care that she was so unused to receiving.
And to show him just how much she trusted him, she leaned over and kissed him. Putting her trust, her care, everything she had into this one simple, innocent kiss.
OUAT
It was the next day, and Belle was knocking on Rumplestiltskin's bedroom door, demanding that he let her in.
"Rumplestiltskin, just let me in!" she cried, her knocking unrelenting "I know you're in there, I can hear you moving around!"
After a solid ten more minuets of her knocking and calling-and several students who were trying to get an after-class nap calling for him to just let her the Hell in-the door opened, and Belle walked inside.
Rumplestiltskin was sat on his bed, his back to her and head lowered.
Belle strode over and stood in front of him, hands on her hips and wanting an explanation.
"Rumple, what is going on?!" she cried "You didn't call me last night, and I just spent the last twenty minuets knocking on your door!"
Rumplestiltskin didn't answer, didn't say anything, because the explanation he would have to give as to why he didn't call her was just too humiliating.
Last night, after he had cleaned up that bitches mess, she had made him go and get her Dry Cleaning. He remembered how smug she had looked when he delivered it.
God, he wanted to kill himself.
No, scratch that, he wanted to kill her! And laugh while doing it!
"Rumple! Look at me!" Belle demanded, and slowly, Rumplestiltskin met her gaze. She looked angry and confused.
"What, Belle?" he whispered, and Belle sighed in frustration.
"Tell me why you were ignoring me" she stated, Rumplestiltskin exhaled and got up, walking over to the other side of the bed.
Belle's eyes narrowed, her brain working quickly "Has something happened?" she asked, and Rumplestiltskin laughed softly.
"Nothing you need to concern yourself with, Dear" he said, not looking at her.
Belle moved a little closer to him, anger disappearing and being replaced by fear. She knew he sometimes dealt with people who were...scary, and wondered what he had gotten himself into now.
"Rumple, What is it? Maybe if you tell me I can help"
Rumplestiltskin fought off another laugh. No, there was no way Belle was getting mixed up in his deal with Regina.
"You can't" he said, still refusing to look at her, fearing he would crack if he did.
"Rumplestiltskin" Belle said, reaching out to touch his arm and gently turning him towards her big, pleading blue eyes.
"Please tell me" she whispered.
Rumplestiltskin sighed, reaching out himself to caress her cheek. Her skin was so soft.
Dammit, why did she have this effect on him?!
Rumplestiltskin sighed, and told her everything "I'm being blackmailed by Regina Mills"
Belle blinked "What?!"
"She knows about us" he said, and Belle's face went white, the power of speech momentarily lost to her.
"She has photo's of us by the Gym. She told me that unless I..." he trailed off, God, this was going to be the most embarrassing thing he'd ever had to admit.
"Unless you what?" Belle persisted, fearing the worst.
Rumplestiltskin smiled softly, his thumb brushing the skin on her face "Unless I submit to her every command, she was going to tell everyone about us, and give the photo's to your father"
Belle stared at him, her eyes stormy with unimaginable fury. Somehow keeping her composure, she nodded.
"Then you know what we have to do, don't you?" she said, her voice toneless.
Rumplestiltskin frowned "What"
Belle kept looking at his eyes, trying to keep her voice steady "We have to tell everyone. It's time"
Rumplestiltskin's eyes widened "Belle! No we-"
"We have to!" she broke in before he could argue, and then continued venomously "Because there is absolutely no way the boy I love is going to be a personal Errand Boy for that crazy bitch, Regina Mills!"
Rumplestiltskin didn't answer, going over the words she had just said, replaying them over and over in case he had imagined them.
"The boy you what?" he breathed.
Belle's white face suddenly turned scarlet as she realised what she had just said. No going back now, the words had been spoken. She couldn't take them back.
"I...I'm sorry" she whispered, her face now burgundy "I...It's just the way I feel, I...I don't know if you...if you feel the same, but-"
He cut off her words with a kiss, and when he broke away from her he was smiling like she had never seen him smile before.
"I love you too, Belle" he whispered, and despite the situation Belle grinned and flung herself back into his arms. He kissed the crown of her head, and then moved to whisper in her ear.
"So...you truly think it's time?" he asked, and Belle nodded into his shoulder.
"Rum, we've got no choice"
Rumplestiltskin exhaled loudly, and then pulled away so he could look at her.
"When do you want to tell your friends?" he asked, and Belle pulled out her phone. She started to dial Ruby's number.
"Tonight" she said.
"And your father?"
Belle hesitated. She swallowed.
"He can wait"
OUAT
Half an hour later, Ruby, Peter, Snow White, James, Ella and Thomas were sat at their usual table in Stable Eating. They had all received a call from Belle, asking them to meet her at the Deli because she had something important to tell them.
They sat there for ten minuets, discussing what she could want to tell them, the most popular suggestion being she was finally going to reveal the identity of her Secret Boyfriend (Which sure as Hell wasn't the obviously gay Gaston Rose)
After ten minuets, Belle walked in, crossed the Deli floor to their table, and sat down in silence, her eyes on the tables surface.
Everyone stared at her, waiting for her to speak. She pulled her head up and looked each of them in the eye.
She then took a deep breath, and finally spoke:
"Thanks for coming on such short notice. I hope I'm not keeping you from anything"
They all mumbled denials. Ella leaned forward.
"Belle, why did you call us here?" she asked, while Ruby followed suit, leaning towards Belle.
"Is it about your Secret Boyfriend?!" she gasped.
"Ruby!" Ella chided her, but Ruby ignored her, still looking at Belle, her eyes sparkling.
"Are you going to tell us who he is?!" she asked excitedly.
Belle hesitated and then nodded.
"Oh!" Ella squealed.
"My!" Snow White cried.
"God!" Ruby squeaked happily.
The boys just stared at her, eyebrows raised, waiting for her to tell them who it was.
"WhoIsHe WhoIsHe WhoIsHe?!" Ruby chanted excitedly, banging the table with her palm.
Snow White and Ella stared at her too, their eyes bright with excitement.
Belle sighed again, pulling out her phone and dialling a number. Before she pressed Call, she told them one last thing.
"I just want you all to promise me one thing" she said, her voice hitching from fear.
Her friends nodded, their eyes big and impatient.
Belle took another calming breath "Promise...you won't judge me, and you'll let me explain"
They nodded again, frowning slightly now as she pressed call, and put the phone to her ear.
"Belle?" Rumplestiltskin-who was waiting outside the Deli door-answered.
"You can come in now" she said, glancing nervously up at her friends. Snow White and Ella were craning their heads around their men to stare at the door, while Ruby was actually standing up to see over the heads of other diners.
"Alright" Rumplestiltskin answered, hanging up.
Belle suppressed a smile. If she didn't know any better, she'd say he was nervous.
She put her phone back in her pocket, turning around in her chair just in time to see Rumplestiltskin enter the Deli.
From behind her, Belle could hear gasps, a "What?!" from James, and a whispered "Oh. My. God!" from Ruby.
Belle didn't turn around until Rumplestiltskin joined her at the table, sitting down next to her with a completely calm-and even slightly bored-look on his face.
However, when he took her hand under the table, she could feel that his palm was slightly damp.
"Good evening" Rumplestiltskin said, and Belle finally turned to see their reactions.
It was just as bad as she had always imagined it. James was watching Rumplestiltskin with a look of hard suspicion, while Snow White just stared, her eyes as round as dinner-plates. Thomas' hand crept protectively over Ella's, who had another hand covering her mouth, stunned.
Peter, who didn't really know Belle, and only knew Rumplestiltskin through reputation, wore a simple "Oh my God" look.
Ruby however, looked like she was having trouble not exploding. She had risen off her seat slightly, her eyes looking like they would pop out of her head at any moment, and her jaw wide open in a huge, open mouthed grin of shock.
"Oh. My. GOD!" she squealed again, sitting down and staring at Rumplestiltskin like she had never seen another human before in her life "You?!" she gasped.
Rumplestiltskin nodded, looking faintly amused at Ruby's reaction.
"Yes" he said, and she squealed again "Me"
"B-Belle..." Snow White stuttered, and Belle turned to her. She was staring at her in amazement, her head shaking ever so slightly.
"What...How long has this been going on for?"
And it was at that question, where the floodgates finally opened:
"How did you two get together?" Ella asked.
"Who asked who out?" Ruby butted in.
"Have you even told your dad?" Snow White asked.
"Screw that!" Ruby blew her off "Was he the one who gave you that rose necklace?"
"Have you said I Love You yet?" Ella burst out
"Ella!" Belle cried, starting to go red, the rose necklace she still wore scorching her skin.
She could her Rumplestiltskin laughing softly. Belle shot him a glare.
Ella leaned back in her seat, a guilty grin spreading across her face "Sorry"
Belle went a deeper shade of red. Everyone was still staring at her, waiting for answers, their eyes wide.
Belle however, appeared to be too embarrassed to answer the questions she had been avoiding for months .
So instead, Rumplestiltskin answered for her:
"To answer your questions" he said, without a trace of wavering confidence as everyone stared at him "This has been going on, for two months, we got together when she temporarily transferred to Lit and we were paired for a project, she was the one to ask me 'Out', no, we haven't told her father, yes, I was the one to give her the rose necklace, and" he paused, looking at Ella-who tried and failed to keep eye contact-as he answered her final question.
"Whether or not we have said I Love You, is none of your business" he said smoothly, causing Thomas' hand to tighten on Ella's the same time Belle's clenched underneath Rumplestiltskin's.
Suddenly, Ruby started giggling, and everyone looked at her. A hand was over her mouth in an effort to suppress the giggles. She waved the curious looks away. Her laughter now completely silent.
"I'm...sorry!" she gasped "It's just...Belle and...Rumplestiltskin Gold!" she exploded into laughter, her head pressing into Peters shoulder. Peter himself looked ever so slightly scared.
For a moment, they all stared at her like the crazy person she clearly was. Then, Belle sighed, and chuckled lightly.
"So" she said to them "Now you know"
Now there's just my father she thought with dread as a bus boy came up to the table.
Rumplestiltskin looked up from his still-pink beauty, and saw that standing above her was Daniel Hay.
Who was Regina Mills' boyfriend.
Regina...
A small, evil smile crept over Rumplestiltskin's face, and he stood up sharply, completely oblivious to the stares he was getting as he spoke to a clueless Daniel.
"Your girlfriend is insane" he told him.
"What?" Daniel said, completely bewildered. He then glared at him "Well, who do you think you are to say that?!" he snapped.
Then Rumplestiltskin fixed Daniel with a terrifying look, and Daniel backed down a little.
"Mr Hay, I was simply referring to the fact that our beloved President of the Student Body-and your other half-tried to blackmail me yesterday by threatening to reveal mine and Belle's-" he gestured to her, Daniel looked down at her and she raised her hand in an awkward wave.
"-relationship to her father" Rumplestiltskin told him, and Daniel shook his head in disbelief while everyone at the table-except for Ruby who was still laughing into Peters shoulder-watched with wide eyes.
"No...why would she...no, you're lying"
Rumplestiltskin grinned where Belle couldn't see. This was just too good.
"Am I?" he asked him, his Scottish accent smooth as he spoke "I still have copies of the photo's, Daniel. If you like, I can take you back to College and show you"
Daniel stared at him, wanting nothing more than to punch the smug bastard in the face.
However, Daniel didn't punch him, and instead put down his tray and took off his apron.
As he did so, Rumplestiltskin spoke into Belle's ear "This shouldn't take long, sweetheart. Will you be alright for a lift back?"
Belle nodded, too astounded by what had just unfolded to speak.
Belle sat down, and Daniel and Rumplestiltskin headed outside to his car.
No-one spoke for several minuets, then, Ruby emerged from Peters shoulder, grinning at Belle.
"So, have you slept with him yet?"
"RUBY!" the other three women yelled.
Ruby shrugged, unashamed.
"What?"
OUAT
Regina was walking towards the dorms, wearing the black pants and white, long sleeved shirt that Rumplestiltskin-yes, Rumplestiltskin, her new errand boy!-had picked up for her, when her phone buzzed.
She pulled it out of her pocket, and smiled. Daniel was calling her.
She swept her thumb across the touch screen and pressed the phone to her ear.
"Daniel?" she said into it.
"Can you meet me in the Media building?" he asked "I want to talk to you about something"
Regina frowned, there was something in his voice...something about it wasn't right.
"Is everything O.k?" she asked him.
"Yeah" was his curt reply "Can you come and meet me? I'm already in the Media building"
"O.k" Regina said slowly.
"Great. See you in a second"
He hung up, and Regina made her way over to the building, confusion and dread rising in her.
OUAT
"Daniel?" she called as she came in.
"I'm here" he said. He was stood in front of the table she had been sat in the previous day, and was holding something behind his back.
Regina started to walk towards him. She was about to ask him what he was hiding, when he threw it down onto the table.
"I know what you did" Daniel said, and Regina looked down.
It was like a huge rock had slammed into her, pinning her to where she stood as she stared at what she thought to be mere pieces of paper, but were actually the photo's of Rumplestiltskin and Belle.
There was only one reason Daniel would have these.
Rumplestiltskin.
That twisted little imp! She was going to destroy him-
"They all know" Daniel told her, and Regina looked up at him. His face was cold, no emotion showing.
She couldn't bear it "What?" she whispered.
"Rumplestiltskin and his girlfriend? They told everyone that they were together" he paused, his eyes never leaving her face "So your attempt to blackmail that poor girl didn't work"
"No!" Regina cried, rushing forward "No, Daniel! I didn't try to blackmail Belle! I swear I-"
"But you tried to blackmail that other guy!" he snapped at her "Rumplestiltskin Gold! He told me that you were making him act like some servant!"
Regina raised her hands and gripped Daniels forearms, begging him with touch to listen to her:
"Daniel, listen to me! It wasn't like that-"
"Just tell me why, Regina!" Daniel cut across her, his eyes dark. She froze.
"Tell me why, why would you want to do that to someone?" he demanded, and Regina let go of his arms.
She backed away a couple of steps, and answered with her voice emotionless, and her head held high.
"Because...he called me crazy"
Daniel laughed in disbelief, shaking his head at her "And for that, he and that Belle girl deserved to be blackmailed?"
Regina took a deep breath, slightly raising a hand palm-out into the air.
"Daniel, please, you don't understand-"
"You're right" he said, and he started to move past her, when he reached her, he glared into her face.
"I don't understand" and he moved towards the door.
No!
"No! Daniel, wait!" Regina cried as his hand touched the door handle, tears were starting to form in her eyes.
"Daniel, please!" begging, she was actually begging now. Bringing back those buried memories of the last time she begged, memories that she just couldn't seem to keep down.
And then she realised.
If she wanted to make him understand, to keep Daniel with her, she was going to have to tell him.
And tell him everything.
Daniel had paused at the door handle, and Regina started to speak again, her voice was shaking from what was to come.
"Daniel" she pleaded "Please, just give me one chance to explain"
For a moment, Daniel didn't move, then he sighed, and turned to her.
He nodded "O.k. One chance"
Regina sighed herself in relief, and then began her tale:
"Five months ago, there was some business with a girl, called Snow White Blanchard"
Daniel nodded, but didn't interrupt her.
"She had transferred to Fairytale College two months before, and everyone thought she was really...beautiful. More beautiful than me.
"When I was growing up, my...my mother had convinced me that I had to be perfect, to be better than anyone else, to be smarter than anyone else. To be...to be more beautiful than anyone else"
She watched Daniel, and his expression had softened slightly.
She continued:
"I got jealous of Snow White, really jealous. But I managed to keep it hidden, never letting on how I really felt, but then, two months after she came to the school, the Mirror wrote an article, calling her the Fairest of them All.
"Everyone agreed with it, everyone said that she was the most beautiful girl in the world. I would see people running up to her to tell her that, calling her Fairest instead of Snow White. In the end, I snapped"
Again, she looked up at Daniel, praying he still stuck around when he heard the next part of the story:
"So one day, while Snow White was at cheer leading practice, I took an apple she had in her bag, and injected it with some chemicals I bought off a dealer. Snow White ate the apple, and it put her into a coma"
Daniels arms had shot upwards, and his mouth was hanging slightly open. But he hadn't run yet. Regina took that as a positive sign.
"After a week they managed to wake her up, something to do with her boyfriend James Nolan, I don't know...anyway, it turned out that her friend Belle had seen me putting the drugs into the apple, she told Snow White and they called the police"
"Oh my God..." Daniel whispered "Regina-"
She held up a hand to silence him "My story's not over"
He frowned in confusion, but allowed her to continue:
"After they arrested me, they put me on trial. My mother came and she..." Regina gasped, the wave of pain as each memory resurfaced almost staggering.
"She convinced them not to put me in jail, and instead serve three months in a Mental Institution" she paused as Daniel let out a low gasp. She nodded.
"My own mother had me put in a straight jacket, and sectioned" her voice cracked, and tears rolled down her cheeks. When she carried on her voice was starting to shake violently.
"After I came back, I found out that everybody knew. Everybody knew that I had been institutionalised, and the way that they would look at me...for months I had to put up with people treating me like I was a Goddamn bomb about to go off...keeping away from me...calling me crazy..." she stopped, she had too, the threat of the hysterical tears that were trying to push themselves through her forcing her into silence.
She then felt arms around her, a chest pressing into her forehead, and she realised that Daniel had taken her into his arms.
And then, she finally began to cry.
"Hey" he whispered, stroking her back "Regina, hey, it's O.k"
He didn't say anything after that, he just held her as she sobbed her heart out into his shirt, clutching him as if she would never let go, finally freeing herself of the emotional burden she had been carrying for far too long.
Finally, Regina stopped crying, and, ignoring the dampness of his work shirt, Daniel looked into her tear-soaked face.
"Regina, I want you to listen to me, what happened to you..." he paused, shaking his head at the horror of it all "It was one of the most traumatic things that can happen to a person"
He cupped the side of her face in his hand as he spoke, and she lightly pressed into it as he continued talking:
"But...taking revenge on people for the least little reminder, looking for ways to bring them down...That's no way to get over it. The only thing it does do, is keep the pain fresh, and that means it never, never goes away"
More tears rolled down Regina's cheeks, and she hiccuped another sob.
"So...what doI do?" she asked him tearfully.
Daniel smiled, and kissed her forehead. She sighed.
"You have to face up to it, Regina. Stop punishing everyone for what happened, and just accept that it's a part of your life" he kissed her wet cheek, stroking her hair.
"And I'll be right beside you every step of the way"
Regina looked up at him again, into those beautiful eyes more blue than sapphires, and she knew at once that he was right.
She didn't have to stay angry at the world, to try and force that time, that terrible time, into non-existence.
She needed to finally accept what happened, and just...move on.
And with Daniels sincere promise to help her, she thought she could do it.
So she pulled away from him, and headed towards the door.
"Where are you going?" Daniel called after her, and she turned back to him as she put a hand on the door handle:
She sighed, starting to smile "To get rid of that letter to Belle's father"
Daniel flashed her a smile of pure pride, and Regina walked out of the Media building.
OUAT
Gene Glass watched from the College gates as Regina walked to the dormitory's, watching her walk confidently and precisely as always to her own building.
He loved the way she walked, the way she spoke, the way her eyes lit up when she was talking about the next person she wanted to destroy, despite his discomfort with ruining a life.
Like that Rumplestiltskin Gold. She had said so herself she wanted to bring him down. Show him who was boss, where he stood in the pecking order of life.
Gene was sure that if Rumplestiltskin was destroyed-emotionally-Regina would be happier than a kid experiencing their first Christmas.
And in his hand was the thing that was going to do it.
Gene looked down to the square, brown envelope that had "Maurice French" and his address written on it in Regina's elegant handwriting. He had gotten it from her room while she was in Lit.
Regina had known what would happen to Belle if Maurice ever found out about her relationship with, not Football Defender Gaston Rose, but the College Dealer Rumplestiltskin Gold.
He'd probably take her out of here faster than that imp could blink. And he would be shattered.
It was so clever of her. Another thing the Mirror reporter loved about that girl.
And once Regina found out that it was Gene who had brought such a scary guy to his knees, well...who knew what would happen?
So, smiling to himself, Gene walked out of Fairytale College, and headed to the post-office.
Uh Oh! Gene, what're you DOING?!
Right! This took me forEVER to write (13 pages!...13!) so I hope you enjoy it, please read and review, and I shall bring you the next chapter when I have recovered from writing this one (seriously people, some of my fingers are in casts)
P.S wanna know a weird fact? There's a teacher at my College called Miss Blanchard...Spooky.