My show has finally come to a close. Whew. It was quite a run. Now, back to the magical tale!
A few days later...
Belle woke with a start in the Storybrooke ER. She had been dreaming of being chased, being hunted. Fear had poisoned her mind in sleep, but it did not dissipate while she was awake. Her eyes fell on Regina's sleeping form beneath the white sheets and sterile gown. Bandages and salves covered her torso. Her shoulder had been set into a cast. Belle stroked her skirt nervously. No matter how safe everyone else thought she was she didn't feel it. Rumplestiltskin had once been someone she loved, someone she saw herself growing old with. Those images seemed so horrifying in light of what had happened. This was beyond deal making and dark magic. This was something Belle couldn't stand for.
"But think about it, dearie. Would the Evil Queen not do the exact same thing?" Rumplestiltskin's voice mocked in her mind. The notion made Belle squirm. Was she trading one evil for another? She couldn't answer outright, but the question lingered in her head as she waited for Regina to awaken. After what seemed like twenty-eight years there was stirring in the hospital bed. rushed in as soon as Regina was concious and checked all of her monitors.
"Belle?" Regina asked, hoarse and weary. Belle smiled and sat on the bed beside her.
"Hello, Regina. How are you feeling?"
"How do I look?" Regina snapped, attempting to rise to a seated position. Whale was quick to stop her and the failed attempt was punctuated with a huff.
"You look like you've been through Hell, but that's no excuse to be grumpy." Belle replied smoothing Regina's hair off of her face. Regina softened, slowing coming to.
"Where's Rumplestiltskin!?" The Evil Queen asked suddenly, her memories returning. Belle hushed her and adjusted her blanket.
"The Blue Fairy has imprisoned him with fairie dust. We're safe." Soothed for the moment Regina laid back against the bed. The events that led to her wounds replayed in her mind. Rumplestiltskin would have killed her if it weren't for the help of the Enchanted Forest's finest. She owed them a great debt, and it almost annoyed her. But, she knew that the road to redemption was not going to be easy. She would have to put up with a great deal more irritating things if she ever hoped to live peacefully. The prospect made her body ache. Neither woman spoke for a little while and only the mechanical sounds of the hospital echoed in the room. Belle watched as Regina's eyes burned a hole in the ceiling and figured that there was no way she beleived they were safe.
"Regina, I promise you're going to be alright. David is watching over him day and night. We have plenty of faerie dust." Belle said as encouragingly as she could. Regina sighed loudly and remained unconvinced.
"It's not me I worry about." She explained.
"Henry is with Granny and Red. I know they wouldn't let anything happen to him."
"I'm worried about you, Belle." Regina said quietly. The surprise was evident on the younger woman's face. Hearing straight from the monarch's mouth was more than a little touching. Tears played at the corners of Belle's eyes. Something about the raw spirit she saw in Regina's face just made her melt.
"Don't worry about me, Regina. You've got to rest and heal. Spend your energy on that." Belle advised. Regina tried to take her hand, but couldn't move her arms without searing pain. She was tired, beaten, and bruised and the former paragon of evil just wanted the other woman to feel safe. Security was something Regina knew would never grace her, but other people could have it. Belle should have it.
"Belle, I just want you to be careful. Promise me you'll be careful." Regina whispered urgently. Belle smiled, a little stunned by the older woman's concern.
"I promise I will be careful. Now, I think that's your lunch coming in."
A nurse glided into the room with a tray, looking disdainfully at Regina. Her voice was nonchalont.
"Your son is here to see you, ."
Regina's eyes perked up as Henry bounded into the room. He looked at Belle, then back to his mother unsure. He was pretty sure hugs were out of the question.
"Are you ok, mom?" He asked. Regina smiled and nodded. Henry took her hand in his and gently laid his head on her stomach, looking up at her. Regina's eyes pooled with tears. The nurse moved to shoo Henry away to make room for the table, but Belle stopped her and took the tray from her hands.
"I think I can handle it."She added. The nurse, unaffected, turned and walked out. Belle sat the tray on a table near the bed and turned to leave aswell. Henry's head popped up, suddenly curious.
"Belle! You're not hurt. Ruby said you two got into a fight with Rumplestiltskin..." He exclaimed, confused. Belle stopped, but before she could answer Ruby waltzed into the room, her arms full of flowers and stuffed animals.
"They did, but could never hurt Belle." Red answered, quick as a whip.
"Actually, Regina protected me, Henry. I owe your mother a lot." Belle said quietly. Nothing had properly sunk in yet, though she had been thinking about it all day. Belle could barely believe that Regina had saved her from Rumplestiltskin, but the more she thought about it the more fasinated she became. Regina's face lit up just a little bit more as Belle spoke. Henry looked back at his mom and carefully kissed her forehead.
"You're a hero, mom."
While Regina and Henry continued to bond Belle led Ruby outside to give them a moment alone. Once they were outside the hospital Ruby grabbed Belle and held in her in a tight embrace.
"I was so scared, Belle. I thought you'd be...I don't know. I was just-"
"Ruby, I'm fine. Everything is ok." Belle replied, hugging her back. They parted and looked at each other for a moment. Ruby's eyes were alight with joy, though there was something else mixed in. It was longing.
"I know. I'm just glad you're alright."
"So, do you know what's going to happen to him?" Belle asked quietly. Ruby shook her head and pulled a pack of cigarettes out of her breast pocket.
"David doesn't know what to do other than to let him rot."
"If he ever gets out Regina is as good as dead, Ruby. Who knows what he would do to her? To Henry? I'm scared for her." Belle said, eyeing the smoke coming off of Ruby's cigarette.
"I'm scared for you, Belle...but I'm glad Regina was there to protect you. Never thought I'd see the day..." Ruby chuckled a little.
"Neither did I, to be honest...but life is funny that way."
They stood in the brisk afternoon for a bit longer even after Ruby's cigarette was spent, then walked back into Regina's hospital room. Henry was telling his mother an emphatic story about whar Ruby had let him watch on T.V. Despite Regina's misgivings about Henry watching too much violence too young she was nearly gleeful. He had called her a hero. The word echoed over and over again in her mind.
"Well, Henry I think we should probably go. Your mom's food is probably cold." Ruby announced. Kisses were exchanged between mother and son, looks between beauty and beast, and then Belle was alone with Regina once more. It quickly became apparent that Regina was going to need help eating seeing as though her arms were almost entirely useless. Without a word Belle sensed the problem helped Regina eat. Though both of them found it awkward at first their discomfort soon faded away. Regina accepted Belle's caretaking because it made sense. She had protected her, and it was the damsel's job to bandage the wounded prince, right? Soon after Belle curled up in the chair beside the bed and nodded off. Despite the medications flowing through her veins Regina was not yet sleepy. She was filled to the brim with feeling. Now that her floodgates had been opened by Daniel...by Rumplestiltskin's assalt...all of it. This girl, this Belle had suddenly become so important to her. Regina wondered if it wasn't something else she was passionate about. She considered that this woman could just be fulfilling some need for human contact. Things had certainly escalated quickly and Daniel's death wasn't but a few days old...
"But she invited me to lunch...She started this whole interaction...She kissed me..." Regina thought. For a moment it almost frightened her that this relationship wasn't a cleverly planned charade, but after a deep breath her mind calmed. This was redemption. She had made an effort to open herself up and this was her reward. Belle was sweet, funny, and kind to her...and other than Henry was the only person in Storybrooke who gave a damn about her. A smile spread itself graciously over Regina's lips, and she was soon able to fall back into dreamless sleep.