Chapter Ten:
Rumplestilskin sat beside Belle on the floor of the back room of his shop. His arms wrapped around himself, tears dripping down his face.
Belle gently rubbed his back in soothing circles with her hand, her head resting against his shoulder. She sat with him, murmuring comforting words in his ear for what seemed like forever until Rumplestilskin finally found his voice.
"That boy in the picture," he rasped, "That's my son, Baelfire. I-I lost him years ago, four to be precise when your kind invaded our little apartment and killed him and my apprentice, his name was Jefferson. He was only seventeen".
"Baelfire," Belle said, and momentarily paused in rubbing his back before she continued, and said in a quiet, but confused voice, "But, he's not dead Rumple, Mrs. Potts went to visit him in New York City a few weeks back."
"Maybe," Rumplestilskin mumbled, his head hurt badly, and he felt like he was about to vomit at any moment.
He curled in on himself more, and Belle moved to wrap her arms tightly around him. He hesitated a moment before he wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in the crook of her neck, seeking comfort he hadn't received in so long.
Rumplestilskin sobbed like he hadn't in years. It just hurt so much knowing that his boy had been alive and well as this time while Rumplestilskin had believed him dead. Just how much of his memories were real and how many were false?
Had his planet taken him to Lake Lagoa and had his memories replaced? Had they attacked his son and Jefferson?
If Baelfire was alive, then maybe so was his long lost apprentice. Perhaps the two were living together in this New York City Belle had spoken of.
After all, Jefferson had promised to take care of Baelfire if anything were to happen to Rumplestilskin.
"Sh," Belle murmured in his ear, "Everything's going to be alright, you'll see. " She rocked him gently back and forth as if he were a babe, and caressed his back.
By the time his body had finally decided that it was enough tears for now, he was already feeling better. Although he didn't know whether that was due to having cried or to Belle being there for him in his time of need.
He pulled back away from her, and she let go of him.
Rumplestilskin wiped his eyes and nose, and then with Belle's help stood up, still feeling a little queezy.
"Thank you," he whispered hoarsely to her.
Belle smiled and nodded, before she cupped his face in her face, and gently stroked the stubble on his cheek with her thumb. It felt nice.
He closed his eyes and leaned into her touch. He took a deep shuddering breath, and reopened his eyes.
Belle was watching her with gentleness in her eyes; strands of her hair falling into her face, while a tiny bit of dust had been smudged on the end of her nose.
Rumplestilskin stared at her, and reached out with his hand to brush her hair back behind her ear, causing her to smile shyly at him, her cheeks reddening in a small blush. She looked so adorable; he wanted nothing more than to kiss her.
That sudden realization made his heart nearly stop. He loved her, in that exact moment he knew he had from the moment he had given her the rose.
"Why'd you save me?" Rumplestilskin whispered, feeling tears begin to sting his eyes again.
Belle seemed surprised but this question, but she answered it anyway, "I'd always wanted to do the brave thing," she told him, "And to live an adventure. When I saw your ship go down, I knew that I couldn't ignore what could happen. I had to save anyone that I could".
I love you, was on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn't make himself say it. He was far too much of a coward to open himself to the possible rejection he would surely face if he ever said those three little words.
After all, he was an alien. But not just any alien, his species wanted to not only invade her planet, but take over her world ad imprison humankind just like every other world they had every been on. He was in the truest sense, a monster.
"I'm s-sorry," he whispered hoarsely, "I'm so so, sorry".
Belle removed her hand from the side of his face and began caressing his face instead, a puzzled frown on her face, "Why? You have nothing to be sorry for".
If you only you knew, he thought miserably. Her world was going to be imprisoned, and it was all his fault!
He then thought of his son, and how disappointed the boy would be if he knew what his father had done. How angry and resentful he would become of the person who had done everything to raise him.
Belle didn't know why he was apologizing to her, but she knew he was being incredibly emotionally at the moment.
It had shocked her to learn that he was Mr. Gold, and that he had thought his precious son was gone, even though the boy was in reality only a few hours drive from where they were now.
Rumplestilskin reached forward and petted her hair, his movements uncertain. It felt nice to show her affection without being rejected, not that it would last much longer.
Within two months, the warships from Boov would be here, and then she would hate him, and never want anything to do with him.
And so would his dear boy.
"Belle," he whispered, "D-do you think Mrs. Potts could get Baelfire here? Or at least on the phone so I may speak with him?"
Belle leaned forward a little and nodded, "I'll see what I can do," she told him, her eyes bright and warm.
The look she gave him made his insides turn to puddy.
Belle leaned forward, her eyes beginning to close, and—
And Rumplestilskin jerked back, his fear overcoming his reason. Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! He internally screamed at himself.
"I-I have to go," he stammered, and limped as fast as he could out of the shop, leaving behind a sad and disappointed Belle.
I have to fix this! I have to, I can't let Boov take over Earth! Not after finally finding my son, and everything I ever wanted! Rumplestilskin thought.
He headed straight for the woods, silently wishing he had brought his cane with him. But it didn't matter, he had to find a way to convince his planet that it wasn't a good idea to attack Earth.
When he reached the crashed spaceship, Rumplestilskin hauled himself into the interior and started for the radio when suddenly someone grabbed him from behind.
"Sorry Rumplestilskin, but we already thought to come here before you to make sure you don't turn traitor on us again. This time, you won't ruin everything!" a deep man's voice purred in his ear, and then everything went black.