When You Wish Upon a Star
Summary: Belle French is no longer happy in Storybrooke, wanting more than what life has to offer. One night, a wish upon a star brings her to a far-off land where there are ogres, werewolves and other beasts. Thankfully, she also happens upon a wool spinner and his son. (AU)
A/N: Hello! Lots of references from the "Dreamy" episode in this one, as well as a concept from "7:15am." I have included a fun little cookie from the Swan Princess, and a tiny portion from one of the promos released for 2x16 (not a plot revealer for the show, just some dialogue at the very end of the chapter)! The Rumbelle shippers who've seen it should know which one I'm talking about!
Guest: We're almost there! Hang in there!
TeamTHEFT: You did what?! Thank you so much for the huge compliment! You re-read my story, and promoted it in your own? Thank you endlessly! I've seen your most recent story on the front page before; it's quite the success, and very different! I haven't had a chance to read it, as right now I'm juggling between my full-time job and writing. I literally write every spare moment I can get, including my lunch breaks.
Andi88: Thank you so much! You know what? You'll probably be able to properly gauge when Belle will regain her memories after this chapter. ;)
Electryone: I hope you like this chapter! Since the last chapter was so Rumbelle centered, I've brought in some other characters that will spice this up a bit!
MyraValhallah: Hehe! Soon, but not quite!
Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Once Upon a Time.
Chapter 7: Aspirations of a Fairy
"Careful!"
Nova could already hear the Blue Fairy calling to her, even when she was still a good distance away. She sighed, frowning a bit as she struggled to hold the weight of the year's supply of fairy dust. She was only half-listening when she landed, the older fairy going on once again about how the magical dust was so precious.
"I know," Nova sighed.
"Next year, you'll be doing this alone," the Blue Fairy warned her. Her eyes widened a bit as she looked up to her mentor.
"I'll still be picking up dust?" Nova asked, frowning. "I thought I'd be a Fairy Godmother by then." The Blue Fairy laughed. It was quiet, lilting – and rather condescending.
"Oh, Nova. You really are a dreamer."
"But I've been carrying around fairy dust for as long as I can remember," she protested. "I really should be able to be a Fairy Godmother by now, don't you think?"
"Perhaps if you had not been so presumptuous all those years ago, you would be."
"I did that for their own good," Nova protested immediately, fluttering her wings a bit with a huff. Over the years, this had become a very sensitive topic with her. How could one novice mistake lead to such a long repentance?
"That wisher was being abused by her mother, and longed for another life where she would be loved by those she was closest to, not harmed! We knew she was meant to be born here, so I brought her back-"
"You took a daughter from her mother," the Blue Fairy interjected.
"The disappearance made her mother realize the error of her ways, and they've reconciled since then," Nova defended. "And that wool spinner needed someone for his son at the time; he wished so hard for a mother-"
"No," the Blue Fairy corrected. "He wished for his son's actual mother to come back because he was afraid no one else would love him. You misinterpreted his wish, which is very common for aspiring fairy godmothers."
"But my wisher did love him! Belle was more of a mother to the that man's son than his real mother ever was."
"Regardless," the Blue Fairy said sharply, "It was not your place. You were an apprentice, not a real Fairy Godmother. Unfortunately, that means you are still making up for your rashness in acting without authority. Look at what has happened since – that wool spinner has become the Dark One, and he's taken Belle from the life you worked so hard to give her. If you hadn't brought her here, none of this would have happened."
Nova frowned, growing silent now. The Blue Fairy sighed, placing a dainty hand on her shoulder.
"Listen. You have such good intentions, Nova. You just need the experience to determine when it is appropriate to grant a wish. You made a mistake, but you made it in good heart."
Nova nodded, but it did not wipe the frown from her face.
"Unfortunately, the Council of the Fairies has decided that we need to correct the situation."
"What?" Nova blurted out, looking up to her. "I thought you already did – after her recovery, Belle wished for a cure to her heartache. You gave her a potion made from the waters beneath Pont Chagrin. She's already forgotten her time with Rumplestiltskin-"
"Yet here she is again, except now he's the Dark One! Let's just pray he never finds out what we did; who knows who he would give such a potion to? If he knows there is a concoction that can make a person forget the source of their heartache, he will take advantage of it for his dark dealings." The Blue Fairy's voice rose, which was such a rare occurrence that Nova opted to remain silent. "Next thing you know, Snow White will forget about Prince Charming, and we'll never rid ourselves of the Evil Queen!"
Nova frowned and bit her lip. The Blue Fairy seemed to notice she was losing her temper, so she took a deep breath to calm herself.
"The Orange Fairy has granted a wish to Red Riding Hood and told her of the village of Faemil, which will provide her with enough supplies to help get her town through the month's Wolfstime. It is the same village that Belle will be visiting tomorrow night to gather straw for the Dark One. I have advised her to make it in her best interests that Red and Belle meet. Belle will break the rules of Rumplestiltskin's curse by doing something other than gathering straw, and he will cast her out, as his feelings will prevent him from doing much worse."
"What?!" Nova exclaimed again, horrified. "Why would you cause such a rift between true loves?"
"Belle was never meant to be here," The Blue Fairy reminded her. "Once Rumplestiltskin has cast her out, she will go back to her family, where she was meant to be. We aren't meant to meddle, Nova. We are meant to help the future unravel the way it was meant to."
"We are fairies, we don't see the future. You don't know that Rumplestiltskin won't harm her! Something's going to happen, Blue Fairy, I feel it; this is wrong! They belong together!"
"That is not your decision." The Blue Fairy began to fly away then, leaving Nova with a warning:
"If you try and intervene again, Nova, you will lose your wings, and you will never become a Fairy Godmother."
Knock, knock, knock.
Rumplestiltskin lowered the parchment he was reading, looking up from his work.
"Come in."
Belle shyly opened the door to the study. Both of them had been a little tense ever since the night she'd tried to kiss him, Rumplestiltskin especially. He was kinder in some ways, knowing that she still cared for him even though she'd forgotten all about how they'd been a strange, unofficial family with Bae. But he was also colder in other ways, the threat of Regina enough to keep him from getting too close.
"Hello, Belle. What can I do for you?" Belle walked in, clasping her hands together behind her back as she walked. Her gaze roamed his study, lingering on a shelf. It was completely full of vials except for one spot that only held the drawing of a heart.
"I just… I- I don't mean to bother you, but…"
Sometimes she stuttered too much. Rumplestiltskin shifted so he was facing her, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes?" he encouraged.
"You're going on a trip tomorrow, right?" Belle asked. Rumplestiltskin nodded slowly.
"Yes – I'll be leaving in the morning, but I'll be back late. You should arrange to have supper without me after you return from Faemil."
Belle bit her lip, shrugging her shoulders.
"Well, if that's the case, do you maybe want to hang out right now?"
"Hang out," Rumplestiltskin repeated, confused. "What do you mean?" He'd never heard the expression before. He briefly pictured Belle hanging upside-down from a tree, like she had years ago when they'd gone hunting for wonderberries.
"You know – chat," she clarified. "Just… be in the same room, even?"
Rumplestiltskin glanced at his desk, stacked with various contracts, but he nodded.
"I suppose." He escorted her back down to the grand hall, taking a seat at the wheel while she sat in the nearby chair. Feeling a bit antsy, he began to spin, never really comfortable with sitting still for longer than a few minutes. Belle was watching him, her head tilted slightly to the side as she smiled.
"You remind me of someone."
"Oh?" he said, though he wasn't intrigued enough to look up from his thread. "Who might that be?"
"I don't know. You, probably."
Well, that certainly was enough to get his attention. Rumplestiltskin looked up, stopping the wheel but keeping his hands on the thread.
"What?" Perhaps he hadn't heard her right. Belle smiled, blushing a bit.
"You've been avoiding me so much the past few days I've had a lot of time to think. That night when we kissed," – Rumplestiltskn noticed her blush at saying the word – "You began to change. You looked different and I saw something in you that I haven't before. Something I recognize."
He said nothing, frightened of getting his hopes up for nothing. He had no idea how she could sit there so calmly, smiling and slightly coy, tucking a curl of hair behind her ear.
"I've met you before, haven't I? That's why you brought me here."
He couldn't say anything yet. He tried to be reserved, but his tone, wavering ever so slightly, betrayed him.
"What makes you think that?"
Belle walked up to the wheel, gently removing the spindle from his hands and seating herself directly in front of him on the wheel. She placed a hand on his knee, wanting to establish contact – it helped her gauge whether or not she was being too bold.
"When I came here with you, you acted strange, repeating your name and asking questions about a boy I'd met named Baelfire. Only – I never remembered you being anywhere near him or me." Rumplestiltskin continued to watch Belle, saying very little. This must have made her self-conscious, as she fidgeted under his stare.
"It sounds silly, but I always noticed little things that don't quite seem to fit with what I know about you. You react so intensely to things that would mean nothing to others, and you treat me differently."
"You are my caretaker," he reminded her. Belle smiled; she could not feel his knee twitching or tensing beneath her touch, so she continued.
"Perhaps before I was… something else to you?"
"No," Rumplestiltskin answered too quickly. "Every moment we've spent together on this earth, you've been my caretaker."
"Well," Belle said, leaning back in her seat then, her fingers raising to tilt his chin up and look at her, "What about everything else then? Am I right? Have I met you before?"
Rumplestiltskin paused, debating whether or not this was something he should tell her. He'd wanted her to remember him ever since he'd seen her again, but on her own terms, not his. But looking at her patient, angelic face, he knew he could not deny her the truth.
"Yes."
A small smile crept up on Belle's face, pleased that she had been clever enough to figure it out. Her posture straightened and she inched closer to him, their knees touching now. Her eyes were wide and curious, and she did not seem frightened by the fact she had met the Dark One before.
"How? Did we make a deal before too? Did I mess up – is that why I don't remember you?"
"No," Rumplestiltskin answered softly, shaking his head. "I've no idea why you don't remember me, but we knew each other well before all of… this." He gestured around to the Dark Castle, and to himself, dressed elaborately in a golden vest with a strange, pointed collar.
"So… are you Bae's father?" Belle guessed again, and he nodded. She must have figured out as much from his earlier inquiries of Bae, and the portrait she'd seen of him in his chambers.
"Yes," he said again, and Belle's hand returned to his knee, giving it a squeeze.
"How is he?"
"I wouldn't know," he answered bitterly. "I lost him." He knew that if she truly remembered him, she would have been much more devastated by the news. She was the only person alive who knew how much he'd loved Bae – how hard he'd worked to keep him safe and happy despite their poverty. Belle just looked at him with sympathy.
"I'm sorry. He was a lovely boy."
"All of this," Rumplestiltskin said, holding up a dark hand and looking at it, "Was for him. I wanted to have the power to protect my son. They were going to take him from me. I was afraid of losing him."
Belle nodded, licking her lips a tad nervously before continuing.
"And – what of us? Why were we separated?"
"I was trying to keep you safe from all that," he said, closing his eyes. Several emotions started rising to the surface, and his voice wavered again.
"I pushed you away – I didn't want the Duke's men chasing after you, too. You were searching for your way back home, and your best chance at finding them was by staying away from us. But they ended up taking you instead, and…"
"You loved me," Belle said, and just saying the words made her smile. She leaned in closer, and he did not move away as she rested her forehead against his. He did not acknowledge the comment.
"I loved you, right?" she asked, but he didn't reply. He honestly had no idea if she'd felt the same way.
"That's why we're both here, right now. No matter what happened between us, we found our way back to each other without even knowing the other still existed. Whatever separated us – it couldn't keep us apart, in this world or the next." Rumplestiltskin felt almost human again despite his strange, dark features. Just listening to Belle speak in such a way was enough to lift his spirit and straighten his shoulders. He looked into her eyes, their faces so close. She leaned in again, and, hating himself, he leaned away.
"I can't," he told her regretfully. "I'll never find Bae again without these powers." They'd both been there – they'd both seen how her kiss affected him, almost draining him of his magic just a few nights ago. Belle just smiled at him, cupping his face in her hands and keeping his head still. She leaned in again, placing a small kiss on his nose. He closed his eyes as her lips traveled up his jawline, caressing his ear before going back down to his neck.
"Belle," he sighed her name, pulling her close to him as she nestled her head in the crook of his neck. She smiled, resting in his embrace.
"Beauty and the Beast," she said happily, and he blinked.
"Excuse me?"
"I've heard of Snow White, of Cinderella, of Rumplestiltskin…" She smiled and looked up at him then. "In my world, we told stories, and you were all in them. When I was brought here, I wondered if I'd ever had a story, and I had my suspicious, but I know it for sure now. Beauty and the Beast is mine."
"What kind of land tells stories about us?" he asked with displeasure, not entirely sure how he felt knowing that people from another world told stories about him.
"A land without magic," Belle answered wistfully, and his eyes widened.
"What?" He ruined their gentle moment, sitting up straighter. He took her by the shoulders and held her at arm's length to make sure he heard her right.
"Storybrooke doesn't have magic?" he asked, and Belle shook her head.
"No. Why?"
Rumplestiltskin began to laugh; it started quietly but evolved into something rather manic. He wrapped his arms tightly around her, and she returned the gesture despite her confusion.
"Why are you laughing?"
"Because I have been scouring the lands to find the world without magic where Bae resides, and it turns out he's been in your world this entire time! When I return tomorrow evening, my dear Belle, I will work a thousand times harder to find a way to get us there. Together, we will find Bae, and you will finally get to go home."
Belle was in good spirits as she walked down to Faemil to fetch some straw. She honestly had no idea how Rumplestiltskin could do so much business but still manage to turn all of it into gold. He had more than enough wealth than he could ever spend, but still, he kept turning that wheel. When she arrived, she handed the same old woman a satchel of coins in exchange for straw, ignoring the looks as she passed people by. Not even all of their stares could put her in a bad mood. It seemed the rumour of her being Rumplestiltskin's caretaker had spread. Every time she arrived, she felt like the Dark One himself with how much everyone avoided her, and it never made her want to stay for very long.
Although she was content, she was tired, exhausted from how late she stayed up the previous night and how early she'd woken that morning to bid Rumplestiltskin fair well before his day-long trip. She'd barely gotten any sleep, the both of them too busy talking of times she could not remember and a plan to rescue a boy that had been lost a land without magic.
"You look drained," said a kind voice, and Belle looked up into the eyes of a beautiful maiden with long, ebony locks and an innocent smile beneath a beautiful red cape. It was the first time someone had actually approached her, and Belle could see why. Her garb was different, labeling her as someone from out of town, passing through. She probably had no idea who she was.
"That would be the generous way to put it," Belle replied, and the woman giggled.
"My Granny knows of a great drink to awaken the soul before a long journey," she said, "if you wouldn't mind joining me."
"No money, sorry," Belle said dismissively. Rumplestiltskin only ever gave her enough to buy the straw, to discourage her from wandering the town.
"Oh," the girl said, stopping her from leaving, "The market here was having a sale. I have enough to cover us if you would like to join me."
"Why would you do that for someone you don't even know?" Belle asked, arching a brow. The girl hesitated, as though she didn't have a good enough reason for stopping her on the streets.
"Because I've a long journey ahead, and I'm in need of a friend."
The girl's honesty was brutal. Belle glanced in the direction of the Dark Castle, but after a moment, she extended a hand.
"I'm Belle."
"People here call me Red," she answered in relief, shaking her hand firmly.
"Red," Belle repeated, and the story of Little Red Riding Hood flashed through her mind. "It's lovely to meet you."
She was suddenly very wary of Rumplestiltskin's enchantment upon her, and as they walked through the town she became aware of every sound. The Dark One and her may be on good terms now, but that did not change the fact that she was only supposed to fetch the straw and return to the castle, lest "bad things happen." Belle jumped whenever something seemed out of the ordinary, afraid the magic would strike her for not immediately returning. She had every intention of returning though, and she hoped that would be enough to keep her safe. Besides – he was still out on business, anyway. That made this okay, right?
"I can't be long," Belle warned. "I've a long journey and I'd like to begin it before the sun has set."
"Me too," Red agreed. She handed the bartender a few coins before claiming one of the smaller tables at his establishment.
"What brings you to this town?" Belle asked, and though Red smiled, her eyes were guarded.
"My people are struggling with Wolfs time," she said, "So I am here to pick up supplies."
"Oh, I've heard of your town. I'm so sorry for everything that's happening," Belle said, her gaze sympathetic. Rumplestiltskin had shared stories of deals that he felt would not make her weak of heart, and many of the deals had been from a village that desperately wanted to keep their children safe from a murderous wolf. Red nodded sadly.
"It's not the most ideal time our town has had, but it has to look up from here, right?"
When their drinks arrived, it really had done the trick. It was sweet and buttery, and the liquid made her feel warm all the way down to the tips of her toes. She could overhear all kinds of conversations, the one catching her interest the most coming from a table of dwarves. She snuck a glance and saw one of them extremely put out, but with a dreamy look in his eye. She recognized the expression immediately: he was in love.
"- Granny means well," Red was saying, finishing a story that Belle hadn't heard, "But she's so protective. I'll never understand why." Though wary at first, she had taken a liking to Red Riding Hood, mostly sitting back and watching as she told tales with a lively, attractive smile. Whenever Red tried to ask a question about her, Belle deflected it, not wanting to speak of Rumplestiltskin or her deal with him.
"Wow," Red whispered suddenly with a grin, noticing where Belle was looking. "Dwarves! I was hoping to meet one on my trip - I've never had the fortune of seeing one before."
Belle was glad Red wasn't offended that she hadn't been listening, nodding and smiling as she turned to look at them; they were all sharing drinks after a long day at work. One day these guys would be following Snow White around a tiny house, she noted, when she counted seven of them.
"I can't eat, I can't sleep – maybe I should have Doc take a look at me," the dreamy dwarf said with a heavy sigh. He looked gruff, and were it not for his kind personality, she might have assumed he was Grumpy.
"You're going to trust a dwarf that got his medical degree from a pick axe? I wouldn't worry about it. Dwarves don't get sick. It must be in your head," one replied, and Belle giggled.
"It's not in his head – it's in his heart. You're in love," she said to the dwarf.
"Well, that's impossible," the older dwarf harrumphed. "Dwarves can't fall in love."
"Trust me – I know love, and you're in it."
"What's it like?" the other dwarf asked, his eyes wide as he looked at them. Belle opened her mouth to reply but Red jumped in.
"It's the most wonderful and amazing thing in the world. Love is hope. It fuels our dreams." The two women looked at each other from across the table, smiling. It seemed they'd found a conversation they could both agree on.
"My home is on the way to your town," Belle said when they left the pub, "if you wouldn't mind walking with me. I could keep you company on your journey in exchange for the drinks you've purchased."
"Of course!" Red seemed delighted by the idea of a walking companion, and it wasn't long before the two women resumed their journeys. She saw the way men looked at Red – it was the same way they'd used to look at her, before her name had been attached to Rumplestiltskin's. It was a relief to be with someone else; to be with someone that had no connection to the man holding her captive.
"It was adorable how that dwarf didn't even realize that fairy had asked him out," Red said, giggling with girlish glee. Belle nodded enthusiastically.
"He was so clueless – it was adorable. I'm glad we helped him figure it out; they're going to be so happy together."
The day quickly turned to night, and as they walked through the forest, Belle had to squint in the darkness. Red seemed at home though, walking through the trees as easily as if the sun were up. She trailed behind her a little, a combination of her much shorter legs and her poor skills at wading through the darkness. Belle's cloak was pretty, but very thin, and she realized she should have dressed warmer for the weather. Winter was fast approaching, and she was still wearing her Autumn dress.
"Oh, you're shivering," Red said with a frown.
"N-no, I'm fine," Belle replied, shaking her head. "Just have to get used to the temperature, that's all. It was so warm in the pub."
"Wear this for now – I'll take it back when we get back to your home." A sudden warmth draped over her shoulders, and Belle closed her eyes in gratitude.
"Thank you, Red. I-"
Belle halted in her tracks when she heard a howl so loud it threatened to deafen her. She fell over her own feet when she saw the gorgeous girl from before had been replaced with a large, bloodthirsty wolf. Wait – Red Riding Hood was a werewolf? Nothing in her fairy tale books had mentioned that!
She screeched as the wolf's jaws snapped at her, and she fell to the ground in fear, scrambling backwards.
Knowing it was the only shot she had, she cried out as loudly as she could:
"Rumplestiltskin!"
His heart skipped a beat.
It was a random occurrence, one that made Rumplestiltskin feel uneasy and anxious. He clutched at his chest, wondering why he had been so suddenly overcome with emotion. He was waiting in Regina's castle, his foot twitching impatiently. She was at least twenty minutes late, and he made the decision that if she were not there in another ten, he was leaving.
He'd already claimed his strange, rather gruesome wooden marionette dolls, and honestly all he wanted to do was go home. Sleep in his own bed. Enjoy the company of a woman who was so beautiful it sometimes hurt to look at her. Regina was officially keeping him from that, but he had been out doing deals all day. May as well see what she wanted.
Two minutes before her time was up, Regina walked into the room, and he snorted with derision.
"Took your sweet time, dearie," he said. "I would not let most people get away with what you've just pulled. My time is precious, and you've wasted much of it."
"Rumple," she said, and the shocked way in which she said his name put him on his guard.
"Surely you haven't forgotten about our appointment?" Rumplestiltskin asked. Regina grimly shook her head.
"No, I simply assumed you wouldn't have come."
"And why on Earth would you assume that?" The Evil Queen paused, and it was not often that she let him see her surprised. Her dark eyebrows raised, and after a few seconds, an evil smile crept its way back onto her lips.
"My, my – you really don't know."
"Know what, dearie? Know what?" Rumplestiltskin barked, and she laughed, reveling in his ignorance.
"My sentry and I were in the village of Faemil today," Regina said, and his eyes narrowed, knowing immediately what this was going to centre around.
"And?" he urged her, but Regina took her sweet time in speaking, relishing in the power she held over him right then.
"We were innocently riding by when a traveling salesman ran into the village square proclaiming there had been a wolf attack. Blood everywhere, he said, but people were too afraid to go find the body. It is wolfstime, after all-" but he hadn't even let her finish, disappearing in a cloud of smoke.
Rumplestiltskin appeared along the trail, the magic helping him practically fly down the road at an impressive speed, his eyes hungrily searching for any sight of Belle. She was not near his castle, so he continued towards Faemil, his breath hitching in his throat when he eventually spotted a crumpled heap of blue fabric pushed to the side. As he ran to her, he saw claw marks on various tree trunks and large paw prints in the dirt. Regina hadn't been lying, for once. A wolf had been here.
His heart was pounding now, tormented as he grew closer and closer to Belle's unconscious form. Her basket of straw was sitting bloodied some feet away from her, and he choked back a sob when he smelled the metallic stench of blood. He may have had to cope with what he thought was her death all those years ago, but he'd never had to see anything. He'd just assumed the worst. Now, he could see her, and he could see she wasn't moving.
"Please, no," he whispered to himself. "Please, please no…"
But fortune was never on his side. Rumplestiltskin let out a strangled cry when he saw Belle's beautiful face covered in dry blood, her eyes closed, pink lips slightly parted. He gathered her into his arms, sobbing and heaving uncharacteristically, any obligation to be the formidable Dark One dissipating when he felt Belle's blood spill onto his own clothes. He forced himself to swallow his grief, putting on a brave face as he finally took a good look at Belle.
Most of the blood had come from four large gashes that indicated the wolf had swatted at her shoulder. The attack had sprayed the blood into her face and dripped it down onto her dress. Strange, he thought as he looked her over now. Didn't the wolves usually devour the entire carcass?
His lips twitched downward at the thought of Belle's beautiful form being a 'carcass,' but he continued inspecting her, watching as her head rolled back, the hood falling and revealing her cold, pale face.
Something was wrong.
There wasn't one bite mark on her. Rumplestiltskin swept her up into his arms, something he had been unable to do when he'd had no magic to cure his lame leg. Looking around the forest, he noticed the wolf's paw prints retreating in the dirt, and then-
Shoe prints. They were of a peculiar shape, looking like one dot next to a triangle. His eyes narrowed. Regina's high heels. She'd been here. She hadn't just overheard the news, she'd been here to experience it all herself. Expected him to hear of the attack before she returned home. He closed his eyes, concentrating, and a breeze blew by the stench of her inadequate dark magic.
That witch had set him up.
She'd done this. The wolf was very real, but Regina had stopped the attack, faking Belle's death instead, most likely because Belle was more useful to Regina alive than dead. Regina wanted to torture him. Perhaps she was watching him at that very moment, during his weakest hour. The thought made him pale; he couldn't remain out in the open. He closed his eyes, reappearing in Belle's bedroom at the Dark Castle. He laid her on her mattress, quickly using magic to close up her wounds.
"There, there, all better," he whispered desperately, devastated when she didn't immediately wake. How much heartache could one person take? He'd lost everyone important to him, and now he had been alive so long that he was at risk of losing the same person twice in one lifetime. Belle did not breathe; she did not move, and everything in him told him that she was dead to the world.
The wool spinner inside him refused to believe it. The father of the optimistically brave Bae still had some hope. They had come too far to just lose it all now. Just yesterday her lips had been brushing against his skin. Rumplestiltskin slowly waved his hand over Belle's face, and his hand grew warm with the sense of magic.
She was under a Sleeping Curse.
"No!" he cried, standing up now and knocking over the first piece of furniture he could find. This was why Regina had done it – to torture him. There were very few people in this land that knew true love's kiss was the only thing strong enough to break any curse. Regina was one of them, and she also knew that he was unwilling to break his own curse because it would leave him powerless to find Bae. There he was again, torn between someone he loved and his power, conflicted as to which was the right path.
It was one thing to be on the constant search for Bae, but he didn't think he had the patience or the willpower to keep Belle under the sleeping curse, unconscious in his Castle until Bae was found. Finding his son was the only reason he could think of to give up his powers, and that would mean he could freely kiss Belle, lifting both their curses.
But he couldn't wait that long. He couldn't just watch her lifeless body for decades, wasting away while he put his personal agenda first. They were supposed to go to Storybrooke together once he'd found a way to get there! He ran into the grand hall, taking his old walking staff and throwing a tantrum to release his rage. He broke everything in sight, from his china cabinet to the contents within. He would get Regina back for this if it was the last thing he did.
Running to his tea tray on the table, Rumplestiltskin threw all of the dishes against the wall as well, stopping at the chipped cup. Then, quite suddenly, his gaze fell upon the rose in the vase, still bright and alive due to Belle's extensive care.
An idea struck.
Rumplestiltskin snapped his fingers and a rather dirty man was left lying on his dining room table. He wore no shoes, and he looked exhausted, but well enough. It seemed all the care and water Belle had been giving him had been enough to keep him alive. He supposed roses that had once been people lived longer than regular flowers.
"You," he growled, grabbing the man by the shoulder and dragging him onto his feet. "You're coming with me."
He shoved Gaston into Belle's room, and the nobleman's eyes widened when he saw Belle lying there on the bed caked in dry blood.
"What have you done to her?!" he exclaimed, whirling on Rumplestiltskin. Gaston tried to punch him but he stopped his fist, threatening to crush the bones with magic.
"Ever since I've met you, I've known you were a buffoon," he said darkly, "but not this much of one. Your betrothed is sitting there dying and you are trying to attack me? Get your priorities in order, you halfwit."
Gaston hesitated, turning to Belle only when he was sure Rumplestiltskin wouldn't harm him while his back was turned.
"What am I supposed to do?" he asked, and the Dark One had to keep his patience in check.
"True love's kiss will break any curse," he said, and it killed him to think of someone else loving Belle as much, if not more, than he did. However, the man had waited more than thirty years to marry her - that had to mean something, right? Understanding the instruction, Gaston got onto one knee beside her bed, stroked her hair, then kissed her.
Rage made the Dark One ball his hands into fists at the tender scene, but he stopped himself from attacking the man who kissed his Belle. He was allowing Gaston to do this, he reminded himself. It might be the only way to wake Belle. Rumplestiltskin may hope Belle's heart lied with him, but Gaston loved Belle, and that might help him if he was the one to do the waking.
"Well?" Rumplestiltskin snarled, walking up to see Belle now. No change. Gaston looked confused too.
"I thought you said it would work," the man with no shoes said. "I thought you said-"
"It should have!" Rumplestiltskin snapped. He had to approach this from another way. He had to make sure Gaston was truly in the right mindset to do this. He had just spent a year as a rose, after all.
"Why do you lo- love her," he asked, stammering the word. "What made you wait so long to marry her? You love her, don't you?"
"Oh, yes," Gaston said, nodding. "Truly." The dedication was satisfying enough for Rumplestiltskin, but he still needed the man to remember why he loved her for the kiss to work.
"Why?" Rumplestiltskin pressed again. Gaston gestured to her cold, unmoving body.
"She's beautiful. The most beautiful in all the land." Rumplestiltskin stayed silent, waiting for some sort of elaboration. But Gaston was staring at him, and that fury overcame him again.
"And?" he demanded, urging him for less superficial reasons. "What else?!"
Gaston blinked, confused.
"What else is there?"
And that was it.
Rumplestiltskin waved his hand and Gaston flew out the window, large shards of glass scattering everywhere. The nobleman's bravery was reduced to a cowardice that could have marveled his own; he was crying out in fear as he clung to the windowsill, afraid of falling to his death. Rumplestiltskin walked over to the now broken window, not even flinching when he saw Gaston's bloodied fingers grasping at the jagged remnants of glass on the frame, refusing to let go despite the pain.
"I don't care if you saved her life," he told the man cruelly. "You don't deserve her if you can't see past her beauty."
"Please!" Gaston begged. "Please, help me up! I'll do anything! Anything!" Rumplestiltskin sneered, not even willing to do a deal with a soul as desperate as his. That hate overwhelmed him, and he walked away form the windowsill.
"No! Come back, please!"
Rumplestiltskin sat at Belle's bedside, gently stroking her cold cheeks. The hatred slowly melted from his expression, his eyes suddenly watering. If he ever did get her to wake, he couldn't imagine the look on her face if he ever told her that he'd killed Gaston in her own room. He glanced back at the window when he heard the man's wailing cries, and after a growl, he stood back up again and grabbed the man's hands. Magic aided him where strength would have otherwise failed and he pulled the big lug back up into the room, letting him drop harshly to the floor. Rumplestiltskin flicked his wrists, and any shards of glass that had been stuck in his own flesh disappeared, wounds closing.
"Get out," Rumplestiltskin said darkly. Gaston furrowed his brow.
"What? You're letting me-?"
"Get out!" He bellowed, and Rumplestiltskin watched as the nobleman ran out the door, tripping over his own feet. Only once he was gone did he return to Belle's side again, a tear rolling down his cheek when he saw just how pale she looked. How he wished he could just kiss her, wake her and still manage to find Bae. How he wished he could-
"Hi!"
Rumplestiltskin jumped just a bit, but he quickly masked the surprise and put on the Dark One's sneer.
"It's rude to drop by unannounced, dearie," he said, forcing his bravado forward. Belle had seen him vulnerable; he wasn't about to let anyone else.
"I'm Nova," the fairy said, "Your fairy godmother - and Belle's."
"… What?"
This must be some kind of joke.
"I've heard your wish," Nova insisted happily, fluttering her wings, "and I am here to help."
"You're here," Rumplestiltskin said slowly, "to help the Dark One wake the caretaker he's holding captive, while managing to retain his powers, superior, dark, or otherwise?"
"No, silly," Nova giggled, simplifying it for him: "I'm here to help the wool spinner wake his true love."
She was just lucky he hadn't zapped her on the spot - if any other stranger had mentioned his past life to him, he would have disposed of them. However, she was intriguing. His eyebrows furrowed as he decided to test her.
"So you're going to grant my wish to kiss Belle without losing my powers?"
"Well, no-"
"Then you're going to wake her yourself so that she and I may continue the search for my son?"
"Erm – no, not really."
"Then what on earth are you doing here, little fairy? Do you know what you're doing at all?"
"Hey!" Nova exclaimed, pointing her tiny finger at him. "I am here out of the goodness of my heart, so why don't you keep yourself in line! True love's kiss can break any curse, right?"
"Right," Rumplestiltskin answered slowly.
"And you can't kiss her, can you?" she confirmed. Rumplestiltskin shook his head.
"Then give her true love's potion. I know you've been trying to bottle it up, following Snow White and Prince Charming around."
"I- I don't have anything they want in exchange for a deal just yet," he said. "I don't have true love's potion." Nova sent him a look of dismay. How did she managed to do that while remaining so… bubbly?
"Rumplestiltskin, you pride yourself on being the most powerful sorcerer in the land but you try to deny the strongest magic that's in front of you. Belle is your true love. You don't need Snow White and Prince Charming for this."
Nova waved her wand and an empty vial appeared in the palm of his hand. She plucked a hair from his head and dropped it in. He watched as she flew over to Belle and plucked one of her hairs as well, mixing it with Rumplestiltskin's. Had the answer really been this simple all along? Had he gone traveling the land in search of true love only for it to have been right under his nose the entire time? His hands trembled as Nova began to stir the mixture, adding water as Rumplestiltskin enchanted the vial, giving it magical properties. For a few moments, nothing happened, and he felt disappointment settle in his gut.
But then the strands of hair lit up, glowing different colours and almost dancing within the vial. His heart began pounding hard in his chest, his throat dry. Leaning forward eagerly over the bed, he used his fingers to gently part Belle's lips, and he poured true love's magic in her mouth. Closing her lips again, he lightly rubbed her throat to encourage that involuntary reflex to swallow. Once the vial was empty, he set it aside, leaning over Belle with wide eyes. It had to work – it had to! If this didn't, he didn't know what else could.
"Go on," Nova said gently. "Tell her why you love her."
He felt strange with the fairy there, but he didn't have much time. Drawing in a breath, Rumplestiltskin gently stroked Belle's hair, looking for any sign of consciousness.
"You are a hero who helped her people. You're a beautiful woman who loved an ugly man. Really, really loved me… You find goodness in others, and when it's not there, you create it. You make me want to go back – back to the best version of me, and that's never happened before. So when you wake up, and you don't know who I am, at least I know: that's who you are. And that's why I will always love you."
Rumplestiltskin realized she hadn't moved the entire time he'd spoken. He lowered his head onto her stomach, his arms draped securely over her in the poor semblance of an embrace. He didn't even think to blame that pink fairy this time, too lost in his self-pity and grief that she was not awake.
His tears stained her dress, and he found himself remembering the times he'd shared with a beautiful woman who'd been searching for her home and found him instead.
A/N: Who's ready for the next chapter?! I know I am! If you feel like it, kindly drop me a review, I love reading them!
