So sorry for the late update, I'm trying to stay on track but life is sucking right now. Hope you like it!
Another two weeks had passed and there was still no sign of Cora. Belle could tell that Nick was on edge. He was constantly looking over his shoulder, as was Regina. The more nervous those two became the more nervous she became.
Sure Nick had told his story, but there was still so much she didn't know. At least she had some work in the shop to distract her. Since the auction, business had been picking up. There were a lot more out-of-townees, and it was nice for her to have conversations with unfamiliar faces. Until that afternoon, anyway.
Mr. Gold had stepped out of the shop to run a few errands, leaving Belle alone in the shop. She had been working on restitching the binding of an old leather book they had found in the basement when the bell rang. She walked to the front with a smile on her face.
"Hello, anything in particular you're looking for today?" she asked the customer.
The woman looked up from the shelf of trinkets and eyed Belle, making her uncomfortable. "His victim's keep getting younger and younger."
Belle blinked, her eyes opening with sudden awareness. "Excuse me?" The woman smirked.
"Surely he's told you about me, Belle."
"How do you know my name, Cora?" Belle snapped back. She was warned this woman liked to play games. She doubted Cora knew that she wouldn't be able to play her.
"I like you," she told Belle. "You've got some spark in you. His last girl wasn't so lucky" she said nonchalantly.
"Well it's nice to know you finally got some" Belle countered.
Cora glared at her, stalking up to the counter like she owned the place. "Listen to me, little girl, you tell that monster of yours that I want to meet with him."
Belle huffed, "Seeing you is the last thing Nick wants to do." Cora wasn't surprised by that news. Belle was surprised by the news Cora had though.
She leaned over the desk, her perfectly manicured finger nails scratching the glass, "Tell him I know where his son is hiding." Belle's eyes widened and that was enough of an answer for Cora. She walked out of the shop before Belle could find the words to speak.
As soon as she gathered her thoughts together, Belle grabbed her phone to dial Nick's number, but he was already calling her. She took a deep breath and answered.
"Hey sweetie." she answered.
"Cora's here. I want you to close the shop, I'll be there in a few minutes..."
"It's okay, Nick. She wasn't too hard to handle." Belle bit her lip waiting for his reply, that would no doubt be quite explosive.
"You mean she came into the shop! You talked to her!?"
"I handled it. Look, just get here as fast as you can, there's something important I have to tell you."
"Just tell me now, I'm almost there." Belle took another deep breath. "Belle? Are you still there?"
She shook her head, not realizing how long she had been paused. "Cora... she said she knew where your son was." The phone beeped, telling her the conversation was over and that he was probably about to open the door, which he did.
Gold limped as fast as he could over to her, looking her over to check for scratches or bruises that the evil witch might have inflicted. "Nick, I'm fine. I promise."
He looked up into her eyes and she saw the confusion and hurt lingering in his. "She said, she knew where Baden was?" Belle nodded her head. "What else did she say?"
"She wants to talk to you. I'm guessing your son is her bargaining chip. I could tell she wants something from you." Gold gripped his cane a little tighter, his lips went from a scowl to a thin, straight line. "Do you know what she wants?"
Belle's hand on his arm was enough to calm him down. "I have an idea."
"Should we call Regina? It seemed like here was her first stop."
Gold shook his head. "It's far too late for that. She was headed toward Regina when I saw her."
He rubbed his temple, trying to get rid of his frustration. "What did she say to you?"
Belle shrugged her shoulders. "Not much, really. She was just trying to scare me off, and then she got pissy when it didn't work."
"Do you think she was telling the truth, about my son?" Belle took his hand in hers and then squeezed.
"I don't know. Does she usually tell the truth?" Gold shook his head.
"You're sure you don't want to take a very spontaneous vacation to Bora Bora? I hear it's lovely there." Belle giggled at him before curling herself into his side.
"You know we can't do that, we have dinner with my father again tonight." He groaned, but Belle knew that the two men in her life were starting to actually get along. "You should still call Regina." He looked down at her, eyebrows raised. "She didn't have to tell you Cora was coming. She tried to help you. Just admit you owe her this."
"Fine. I'll call her later." Belle scrunched her nose at the word later but still rewarded him with a soft kiss on the lips. "How could someone so innately good, end up with the town grump?"
Belle laughed and wrapped her arms around his waist, sliding her hands beneath his suit jacket. "Well, maybe what the town grump lacks in personality he makes up for with incredible sex." She grinned mischievously at him. "Or maybe, he's secretly the sweetest, most loving, caring, beautiful man, who's just the teensiest bit afraid to let everyone else see him for who he really is."
Gold smiled lovingly at her. "So, are we going to your father's or is he coming to us?"
Belle gasped, "You're not going to say anything about the innately good girl?"
He smirked and bent his head down so he could capture her lips in a passionate kiss. He pulled away leaving both of them breathless. "Enough said." Belle smacked his chest playfully, before resting her head over his heart. His free arm came around her.
"He's coming to us." she mumbled against softness of his shirt.
"Brilliant."
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Regina knew that her mother was evil. She had been victim to it many times before. She even knew that she had inherited some of that evil, which was something she was working on for Henry. What she didn't know was that her mother believed she would want to work with her on some crazy plot to steal the town from Gold. First of all Regina was already mayor of Storybrooke, owning the town had little to no appeal to her. She didn't want people to fear her anymore than they already did.
"You know I should have won that fight all those years ago. Now, he has two weaknesses. His long lost son, and that little tart."
Regina ignored her mother's words, more focused on how she was going to lie through her teeth to keep Cora unaware of her actual intentions. All she knew was that she needed to get to Gold, and fast.
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Moe arrived at Gold's house at around 6:30. Belle opened the door up for him and lead him to the dining room. "Good evening, Mr. French." Moe nodded to Gold before taking his seat at the dinner table.
"You want something to drink dad?" Belle asked. "We have practically everything," she joked.
"I'll just have beer, please. So, Gold, Belle said business was picking up?"
Gold nodded, turning from the stove to face Moe. "Yes, I'm planning on going to another auction."
Belle smiled at him. "Do I get to tag along?" she asked, handing her father the beer.
"Why of course. I couldn't possibly go without you." Belle scrunched up her nose at his teasing, but leaned in for a quick kiss anyway.
"The food's almost ready. I made stir fry, I hope that's alright."
"Well it smells good." The two men laughed and Belle rolled her eyes taking a seat at the table with a glass of wine.
"Dad, you'll eat anything if it smells good."
Gold brought over their plates, but just as he was about to take a bite there was a knock at the door. "Who on earth could that be?" he asked aloud, standing up and going to the door. When he opened it, he found Regina standing there. "Something I can do for you?" Regina pushed past him, letting herself in. "It's rather rude to just barge into someone's home."
"Oh can it Gold. You know why I'm here." Gold swallowed. "She wants to take the town from you."
At this point, Belle had gotten up from the table to make her way over to Nick. She wrapped an arm around his waist, offering him silent support. "Yes, we know, and in exchange she'll tell him where his son is."
Regina smirked at her before turning her attention back to Gold. "Finally being honest with her?"
"Actually, you weren't Cora's first stop. And he told me about his son in Boston." Gold smiled at her defense of him.
"Tell us why you're really here, Regina." Gold said. Regina glanced over at their dining room where Moe French still sat, quietly eating his dinner, pretending not to eavesdrop.
"I wanted to tell you... that I'm on your side." Belle and Nick looked at each other in shock. "I'm the last person in this town that wants Cora here. I want her back on a plane to, God knows where she's been, as soon as possible. I need your help to do that."
Gold extended his hand. "I believe we have finally agreed on something." Regina took his hand and he pulled her in. "Just so we're clear, I'm considering this little partnership a deal. And no one breaks a deal with me." Regina gulped and pulled her hand back.
"I look forward to working with you. I'll stop by your shop tomorrow." With a curt nod in Belle's direction she left.
"Don't worry, I'll keep my mouth shut." Moe said from the table, without taking his eyes off of the food. Belle and Nick walked back to the table to finish their meal. They didn't talk about what had just happened until after Moe left, not wanting to get him hooked into all of the drama that was going on.
"Are you sure you can trust Regina?" Belle asked him.
"You're the only person I actually trust, Belle." She smiled at his confession but asked the question again anyway. "I do. I trust her with this matter, and only this. She hates Cora more than I do, as sad as that is to say."
They spent a few more moments, just cuddling on the couch before Belle stood up, claiming she had to go home tonight. "I don't have any clean clothes here. I can't just walk around town naked tomorrow."
"Why not? I would certainly appreciate that." Belle leaned down to give him a kiss before heading to the door. Nick stood up after her. "Wait." She turned, facing him.
"What is it, Nick?" He took a step closer, the grip on his cane tight from nerves.
"I was wondering if... if you might want to keep your clothes here?" Belle gave him a confused look, not reading between the lines of what he was asking. "I mean, would you want to stay here, with me, permanently?"
Belle sucked in a breath. She kind of already thought she was, even though it wasn't official. She spent all of her free time at home with him. She only slept at her father's house a couple nights a week when she didn't have clean clothes at Nick's. "I would love to."
Nick was on her so fast, she was caught off guard by the kiss. "You know, we haven't played hooky in awhile. Do you really need clean clothes?"
She wrapped her hands around his neck, her fingers playing with his hair. "I don't think I'll be needing any clothes." He grinned at her, leaning in for another kiss, but she stopped him. "What about Regina? She was supposed to come by the shop tomorrow."
He groaned, tightening his grip around her waist. "I'll text her to come here instead." That was all Belle needed before jumping up into his arms, demanding to be taken upstairs to once again 'christen' their bedroom.