Disclaimer: Once Upon a Time does not belong to me! All characters and references to the show belong to ABC and Channel 5.
Once Upon a Time: Schools Out! Chapter 9
"She told him?!" Ruby gasped, and she-along with Ella and Snow White-wore dark looks as Belle nodded.
"I-I just can't believe someone could do something so...mean!" Ella said, shaking her head.
"Just goes to show" James added into the crowd "What some people will do, just because they can" he looked back at Belle with pity in his eyes.
"So, do you know where he's gonna send you instead?"
"James!" Snow White chastised him, looking shocked as Rumplestiltskin-yes, Rumplestiltskin was there too-glared at him.
James stared at the tables surface, mumbling a "Sorry"
Belle sighed "It's actually why we came looking for you" she said. Ella, Snow White, and James had been in the library when Belle had come in, a reluctant Rumplestiltskin following her, asking for their help.
"We-I mean I-" she hastily added with a scorching look from her boyfriend "Thought you...might be able to think of a way to change Papas mind"
"What, you mean the sneakiest Dealer in College couldn't think of a way to appease your dad?" Ruby's light laugh was cut off when Rumplestiltskin turned his unblinking, terrifying eyes to her.
"You find this funny, Miss Lucas?" he asked softly, and she quickly shook her head.
"No! No, God no!" she squeaked, quickly pretending to read the book she held, upside-down.
"Just tell your father that you're old enough to make your own decisions now, Belle" Ella suggested kindly, smiling at her in reassurance "He can't control you forever"
Rumplestiltskin coughed out a laugh while Belle sighed a little hopelessly.
"Thank-you Ella, I'll try that. But I...don't think it'll work. I've tried explaining but he won't listen"
"Oh" Ella sighed, and the group lapsed into thoughtful silence, then Snow White raised her head:
"When is he coming to get you?" she asked, and Belle sighed.
"Tomorrow afternoon" she mumbled sadly, and Snow White reached over to pat her hand comfortingly.
"We'll be there when he comes, Belle we'll help you. Won't we guys?" she directed the question to the entire table, and everyone-including Rumplestiltskin-nodded.
Belle however, shook her head at them.
"No" she said with a tone of finality "If you all turn up there it...it'll look like we're ganging up on him, and then he'll never let me stay. It's best if I go alone"
From her side, Rumplestiltskin shifted so that his hand could reach around Belle's shoulders, and he gently touched the rose pendant on her neck.
"Not completely alone, Belle" he whispered into he ear. Belle smiled, removing his hand from her neck and blushing a little "After all, he has to meet me at some point" he added, grinning wickedly.
"Thank-you, Rumple" she said, and then a determined look came onto her face "He's not taking me anywhere. I'm happy here, and this is where I'm staying"
Ruby put down the book, and from beside her, touched Belle's wrist.
"And if all else fails, we can always hide you in the Gym" she said soothingly.
"Ruby!" Belle wailed as Rumplestiltskin glared and everyone else shook their heads sorrowfully.
"What?!" Ruby yelped, looking wildly around the table with her hands slightly raised "Seriously, what?!"
OUAT
Yesterday had been so different.
Yesterday, she had been with someone who-and she hardly dared to admit it to herself-she couldn't imagine being without.
Yesterday, she had felt herself, after such a long time, starting to heal.
But that was gone now, and as she sat on the bench in a different part of the College grounds-a secluded area, away from the dorms-she knew she could never get it back.
Because this was who she was. Regina Mills, the rich girl, the mean girl, the President of the Student Body that was secretly hated by all.
She was meant to be alone. She knew that now, whatever she had with Daniel...she had just been fooling herself.
But that didn't mean she wouldn't give anything to have him back.
It was like...for the past two weeks, she had been living in a dream. A dream where she could have happiness, could have someone who cared for her, truly cared for her. A dream where her mother didn't exist.
Suddenly, she felt angry. How could Daniel not believe her? She had told him things she would never have told anyone! He was the only person in this place she hadcried in front of! And yet, almost the second that damned Rumplestiltskin and his pencil-pushing lap-dog had accused her, he had ran.
Regina sighed, putting her face in her hands to stop the tears from being visible.
But why wouldn't he think she was lying? She had blackmailed the Dealer, he knew about the letter, and she was the only one who could've posted it. All the evidence pointed to her.
Except it hadn't beenher. And there was no way that she could prove it. And now she'd lost him.
As Regina started to cry again, fighting to keep the sobs silent, she became aware of a presence beside her. Standing there as she cried, but not saying anything.
Daniel...
Regina looked up, her eyes hopeful as she looked into what she had thought to be the face she was praying to see.
But she was proved to be mistaken as she found herself staring into, not the handsome, somewhat rugged face of Daniel Hay, but the dark-toned, brown eyed features of Gene Glass.
OUAT
A few moments earlier
Gene Glass had never felt this...enthusiastic!
He had done it. Him! He had-single handedly-managed to put Rumplestiltskin Gold into a position of panic!
And this was just the first step, because once he lost Belle-and he would lose Belle, the news of their predicament had spread faster than wildfire-he would be brought down, completely.
He felt a twinge of regret as he remembered the look on Belle French's face as she dropped off her column the day before-"Finding the Courage to Let Someone In"-but he overrode it. Collateral Damage, as Regina would say, just Collateral Damage...
Speaking of Regina, he had been walking around campus all day looking for her. He had tried her phone but she wasn't answering.
It didn't matter though, he was confident that once he found her and she realised that it was him who had brought Golds world crashing down on his head, she would shove aside that pathetic bus-boy, and finally realise that the one place she belonged was right by his side.
As Gene smiled at that little picture in his head, he heard a muffled but definite...sound, coming from his right. He turned around so he was facing the bench near the College cafeteria, and saw with a jolt that none other than Regina herself was sat there, her beautiful face in her hands.
Gene felt a burst of joy at the sight of her. This was it! The time to act was now!
He began walking towards her, his whole body filled with hope and the promise of all of his dreams coming true, when he finally came close enough to see that Regina Mills-
Was crying.
Gradually, as he moved closer to her, his happy feelings dissipated, and he began to feel confused. What could there possibly be to cry about? She had gotten what she wanted. Hadn't she?
As he stopped by her side, Regina suddenly stopped weeping, and looked up, her eyes filled with a hope that was quickly extinguished when she saw Gene.
"Oh" she said, pulling a tissue from her bag to wipe her eyes "H-hello, Gene"
"Regina, are you alright?" Gene asked with concern, and she let out a sad little laugh.
"Alright?" she repeated, laughing again, and then nodded "Yes, Gene I...I'm fine"
Gene nodded thoughtfully, knowing she was lying but not pressing it. He moved onto a different subject, something that he was sure would cheer her up.
"So...I heard that Belle Frenches father wants to pull her out of here" he tried "That's good, isn't it? You'll finally have Gold where you want him"
Regina laughed again, a sad, broken sound that had Gene a little concerned for her sanity (after all, the girl did have a history)
"I know" Regina had finally stopped laughing, but when she looked up at Gene, there were still tears in her eyes "And everyone thinks it was me, who sent Maurice the package telling him about his daughters affair"
Gene frowned, But...surely this was what she wanted? For everyone-the Imp especially-to remember who ruled here. That she could do anything, destroy anyone...
And yet here she was, looking like her whole world had ended.
In a daring move, sat himself next to her. She didn't appear to even notice him.
"But...Regina" he asked hesitantly "Isn't this what you wanted?"
"Oh God..." Regina mumbled, her head falling into her hands again, and Gene hesitantly, but gently started to rub comforting circles into her back, breaking all the Ground Rules in the process, but Regina appeared not to care.
"He didn't believe me" Regina mumbled, looking back up at him, a sadness in her eyes like Gene had never seen before. She sniffed.
"Daniel" Dammit! Gene cursed, Daniel again! "He didn't believe that I didn't send the photo's. And now he won't even talk to me"
Nows your chance, Glass. A small part of him ordered, tell her that it was YOU! Tell her that you pulled it of and become the Hero!
But he couldn't. As she sat there, trying valiantly not to break down into more tears, he couldn't force himself to utter the words of his confession until he had asked her one simple question:
"You love him, don't you?"
It had been there all the time. The way she smiled at him, the way she laughed with him, the way, now, that she was crying-Regina Mills, crying-over the boy, that she felt something for Daniel Hay that Gene had been trying desperately not to see.
Regina didn't answer his question, but from the look in her eyes-that had finally stopped weeping- what her answer would be had she consented to speech.
Yes.
Yes, she loved him.
Gene sighed and, moving the hand that was still on her back up to her shoulder, patted it lightly before standing up.
Before he left, he faced Regina, who was looking up at him with faint shock and confusion. He never usually left until she told him to. At least not willingly.
"It'll be O.k, Regina" Gene told her, hoping the neutrality in his voice didn't betray the break in his heart.
Regina coughed disbelievingly, staring down at her hands in misery "Sure, whatever, Gene" she mumbled before lapsing into silence.
Then, ignoring the ache of his tearing heart, Gene Glass turned away from the girl he loved, and started to make his way to the Stable Eating Deli.
OUAT
It was 2:55 pm on a Saturday afternoon, most of the pupils at Fairytale College were chatting with their friends, catching up with missed assignments, or cramming for tests.
Belle French? She was standing just outside of the College gate with Rumplestiltskin, waiting the last five minuets for her Papa to get there.
Belle had called him again last night, to tell him she absolutely refused to leave. He hadn't listened to her, however, and told her once again that he was coming, and she was leaving that place. For good.
It hadn't helped when Rumplestiltskin had taken the phone from her and tried to talk to Mr French, He had barely gotten past "Mr French, this is Rumplestiltskin Gold" before he had been cut off by him screaming-in very colourful language-how he had clearly corrupted Belle, and he was going to take her somewhere his "Filthy little claws" couldn't sink into her.
Belle hadn't packed, she had been going to, but Rumplestiltskin had talked her out of it, still insisting that she was his love, and she wasn't going anywhere.
And as Belle saw Mr French's car pull up by the side of the gate, she glanced up at her boyfriend, who was staring stonily at the car, and prayed he was right.
OUAT
As soon as Mr French got out of the car, Belle could tell from his stormy eyes as he took in Rumplestiltskin, that this was not going to be easy.
"What the hell is he doing here?!" Mr French bellowed, and Belle almost flinched when he jabbed a finger at the boy.
"I've come to tell you that you can't take Belle" Rumplestiltskin told him, using the same tone he spoke with when someone was trying to get out of a deal.
Mr French however, didn't look ready to buckle.
"Oh really?" he sneered, his obvious dislike for the boy sliding into his voice.
Rumplestiltskin nodded "Yes. She belongs here, with her friends. With me"
"Papa. He's right!" Belle interjected as Mr French prepared to bite back. He looked at her.
"Belle, get your things. We're leaving" he said, as though she hadn't spoken a word.
"Papa! Listen to me!" Belle cried, desperately wanting him to just listen "I. Don't. Want to leave!"
Mr French shook his head "Belle-"
"Papa, you can't make me leave!" Belle overrode him, her fists starting to clench "You take me away from this place, and I will be miserable!" she moved her head sharply at that, chestnut curls flying in her face.
"Everything I love is here! The-the people" she moved closer to Rumplestiltskin, taking his hand "I love, are here! You take me away and...and I will be so unhappy!" she beseeched him, trying to get through to him.
Mr French, unfortunately, was still shaking his head, still looking darkly at Rumplestiltskin.
"Belle, enough of this ridiculousness" he moved a step towards her, a finger pointed at her, and Rumplestiltskin fought the urge to stand protectively in front of her.
"You're coming with me, Belle" he said, his voice final "Now come" and he moved towards the car.
Something inside Belle snapped then, some controlled part of her came loose. She pulled her hand from Rumplestiltskin's, feeling it curl into a fist again.
"NO!" she screamed, so loudly that birds roosting in nearby trees took off in flight. Mr French, who had his back to her, froze, and Rumplestiltskin stared at her in wide eyed shock and...a little admiration.
Slowly, Mr French turned to face Belle, who was breathing heavily.
"...No?" he repeated in shock, and Belle shook her head aggressively.
"No" she said, and took a step towards him:
"No, Papa, I will not go with you. I will not leave Fairytale College, I will not leave my friends" she breathed out heavily, and moved her hand behind her slightly.
"And I will not leave Rumplestiltskin. I love him, Papa!" she cried, and Mr French's face started to contort in fury.
"Belle-" he started, but she wouldn't let him get a word in.
"I said no!" she nearly started screaming again, but she forced herself to try and calm down.
She wasn't going to get anywhere with screams, so she had to try and reach him some other way.
She took a few more steps towards him, so that she was almost right in front of him, but not quite.
"I'm nineteen now, Papa" she said softly "I'm in College, I'm practically an adult, and that means that I'm in charge of my life"
Her father's face started to soften, and Belle almost dared to let the hope she felt fill her. But she couldn't, not yet. The battle still wasn't over.
"I know you want to protect me, Papa" she said, taking one of his hands with a small smile "But...I'm grown up now, you need to let me start making my own choices"
Mr French sighed, looking down at his daughters sweet face, so full of hope and pleading, the smile that she wore reminding him so much of her beautiful departed mother.
"Belle..." he said softly, tenderly placing a hand on her cheek. He smiled back at her, and nodded.
"O.k" he nodded"You can stay"
"Oh thank-you, Papa!" Belle cried joyously, throwing herself into her fathers arms and hugging him as tightly as she could.
"Thank-you so much!" she laughed happily, breaking away from him.
Mr French smiled at her again, before turning his head sharply to the watching Rumplestiltskin.
"You" he said menacingly, and dread filled Belle as Rumplestiltskin raised an eyebrow. The older man continued:
"If you ever, hurt my little girl-"
"Mr French" Rumplestiltskin interrupted moving a few steps forward so that he was stood directly behind Belle's right shoulder, he placed a hand flat on the small of her back:
"You have my word that I love your daughter, and I would neither let anything nor do anything to harm her" the conviction in his voice nearly made Belle shiver.
Stiffly, Mr French nodded, and stuck a hand out to the boy. Rumplestiltskin grasped it, and they briefly shook before, after saying one last heartfelt goodbye to Belle, Mr French got into his car, and drove away.
As his car disappeared into the distance, Belle let out the breath she had been holding, turning to Rumplestiltskin and embracing him, clinging as to him hard in her relief.
"Thank God!" she breathed, nearly wincing as he held her just as tight. If not more.
"I know" he whispered, rubbing her back "I know"
"God, Rum, for a moment I thought-" she started in a rush, but he gently shushed her.
"I know" he repeated softly, his lips almost touching her skin "But he didn't"
For while they stayed like that, until Belle asked him something:
"What about Regina?" she asked, anger biting her words when she said her name.
Anger stirred in Rumplestiltskin, remembering the way that bitch had looked when she lied to his face. That completely false look of innocence nearly had him convinced.
"I'll take care of it, Belle" he murmured, holding her a little tighter, crushing her to his body.
That girl had tried to hurt her, Regina had tried to hurt Belle.
And she was going to pay for it.
"Rest assured, I will not let this stand" he added.
Belle sighed. Oh God, not this again...
Rumplestiltskin pulled away from her, and Belle was shocked to see a little smirk on his face.
"What're you smirking about?" she asked him, and his smirk grew, a light shining behind his eyes.
"The way you handled your father" he said, nodding at area his car had previously been in.
"I haven't seen you that forceful since we met"
Belle gasped a little, a wide smile starting to come through as she realised what he was getting at.
"Rumplestiltskin Gold, do you admire me?" she went to laugh at the slightly embarrassed look on his face, but she was cut off when Rumplestiltskin kissed her ruby red lips.
After they broke apart, Belle put her mouth to his ear:
"Rumple?"
"Yes?"
"This conversation's not over"
Rumplestiltskin sighed warily, and she kissed him again, more passionately this time so he couldn't think of a good argument against her.
And that conversation, however temporarily, was brought to an end.
OUAT
"Excuse me, Sir, I'm looking for Daniel Hay, I was told that he works here" Gene asked the owner-and server-of Stable Eating
The man gestured with a mayonnaise-covered fork to the back room.
"He's in there" he told him, and Gene headed towards the back room as the owner carried on serving customers.
Taking a deep breath, Gene opened the back-room door and walked inside.
Daniel Hay was stood at the sink, viciously cleaning some curdled cheese off of a plate. When he heard the door open, he looked up. His face a mask of confusion when he saw Gene.
"Hello" he said oddly, dropping the plate and turning to face Gene "Can I help you?"
"Yes" Gene said, forcing down his feelings of pain and jealousy as he took a step towards Daniel.
"Yes, I think you can"
He held out a hand to the bus-boy, which he took in a handshake, still looking completely bewildered and slightly suspicious.
"Mr Hay, my name is Gene Glass, and I'm here to talk to you about a young lady named Regina Mills"
There we go! A happy ending for Rumbelle after all!
So, it looks like Gene is going to come clean, how do you think Daniel should react? Should I have him begging for Regina's forgiveness on bended knee? Or should he tell her that he believes her, and Stable Queen can pick up where it left off?
All will be revealed in the next chapter! Along with further development on Snow White's pregnancy, and the run-up to the Winter Dance.
It all rests on you though! Read, Review, and feel free to criticise, I do need to know where I go wrong sometimes.
Oh, and a huge thank-you to Grace5231973 who gave me the idea for how to keep Belle at Fairytale College.
I LOVE YOU GUYS! X
