*** I will be pposting everyday until it's finished from today ***

Belle helped her boss walking to his car, holding his shoulder as he held himself on his cane. He got in the vehicle and started the engine. She clung to the place next to him not saying a word. With the most discretion they could have, they drove through the place. Belle was so worried about him that she couldn't look away, she couldn't even enjoy the ride in his car nor the fact that she would soon see his place from the inside for the first time.

Once they got there, the older man walked straight to his door, leaving the car's key to Belle, hopping for her to carefully close the doors as he'd opened the house's. She joined him as he entered the big mansion. He limped to an armchair in what seemed to be his living-room and told her to sit next to him. She slowly sat and took his hand. His fingers clenched over hers. His gaze met her eyes and his bottom lips trembled.

" I'm dying Belle. " her big blue eyes opened as he said that.

" Why, what's happening ? "

" I don't know. But I need you at least to know why the clocks are so important. "

" There is more important- "

" No, there's not ! " he straightened his body. " Few months ago, I needed new batteries for the clocks. And I asked the mayor to open the town's portal. But she said no. She said she could provide me another source of power instead. " Belle felt her heart tightening. " She led me to her vault in the cemetery, open it, and... No need for to know the details, but she gave a box with a shinning heart within. It was enough for the clocks, I thought. But what about the town's clock tower ? My only failure. I needed more power. So I stole few more boxes including hers and yours. " No words came out from the young woman's mouth. " That's why she's after me. "

She lowered her eyes and brought them back on the man.

" Where did you put these boxes ? "

" I hid them ? "

" Here ? "

" Yours yes. But the others are under the shop's floor. " Under his eyes, Belle ripped her hand off and turned into the mayor. " No... You! It can't be ? How...? "

" You're getting old poor man. "

" Where's Belle ? "

" Worry not as soon as she asked for help, I gave her some and locked her up. It seems obvious that she's lost her mind. "

" If you dare hurting her, I will kill you ! "

" The state you're in doesn't allow you to threaten me. The first thing I'll do when I'll get my boxes back, will be to set fire to your shop. "

And she disappeared in an evil-laugh. The old man stood speech-less, his eyes full of tears. He couldn't let her destroy his life and work. Moreover he couldn't let her hurt the woman he loved. He had to get Belle and give her back what belonged to her at least.

In the basement of the hospital, Belle screamed, so loudly that even when her lungs released all their air, she kept yelling. She couldn't stay here, she did nothing wrong. And the man she loved was dying away from her. How long as she been ? Minutes ? Hours ? Days maybe ? All notion of time disappeared. It seemed quite an issue for a girl who worked in a clock shop. Seconds seemed minutes, minutes hours and so on. She couldn't tell. When her voice broke she hit the iron door of her fists, stronger and stronger.

" Let me out ! " she begged. But still no reaction. Was her boos ok ? Why did Regina reacted this way ? What was so wrong between these two ? She wouldn't let mister Gold die would she ? Mister Gold... The poor man was so weak when she left to her flat, she shouldn't have left him at all... He might even be already dead... Or he would awaken and realise that she abandoned him once more, and it might kill him too. No she couldn't be the reason for him to die, she had to get back, she ahd to see him, tell him that she loved him.

But suddenly behind the door, no noise were heard. The old mechanism of the door opened on the bitter nurse who locked her up, angry look, a silver dagger on the throat. She got pushed inside and mister Gold appeared. Never did Belle ever felt happier in her whole life. She threw herself in his arms as he strongly held her. He locked the nurse inside the cell and hid his dagger in his coat. " I thought you'd be dead. "

" I'm not, not yet. We need to be quick, Regina's about to burn down the shop, and I'm quite sure that it'll be the end of me. "

They untied their hold and quickly walked to the entrance.