Summary: Mr. Gold is freed like he knew he would be and he as drawn to the hospital, down to the basement where he found her.
Disclaimer: I own nothing of the show or the characters.
Rating: T+
Pairing: Belle/Rumpelstiltskin
FINDING BELLE:
The ER doors burst open and a flurry of movement surrounded the gurney Belle was on. A dozen voices sounded at once calling out different orders while giving the run down of vitals and other need information. Gold could barely keep his attention focused. All he could see was Belle, pale and painted red with her blood, and his. Gold tried to focus on what was being said, "28 year old female, GSW entry wound to the back and GSW exit wound between the 2nd and 3rd intercostals space between the ribs. BP is low, respiration is shallow…." That was all he could process before they were rushing her gurney through another set of double doors while hands restrained him keeping him in the ER. Pain exploded in his shoulder taking away his fight for the moment. "BELLE!" He shouted falling against one of the paramedics.
In one of the trauma rooms Gold was brought to a gurney. He hadn't the strength to keep standing. Belle was weak, barely fighting, and his strength was tied to her. Every ounce of strength he had he was channeling it into Belle. If he could keep her alive, then his life would have been worth something. She was the woman he loved. Rumpelstiltskin would gladly give his life for her now.
"Mr. Gold can you tell me what happened?"
A voice drew his attention, but he was having a hard time focusing on the words. Then a bright light was flashed in his eyes that made him flinch and turn away. The pain in his shoulder was all consuming. He barely had enough semblance of self to keep his attention on Belle. The blackness was creeping and soon it would make him pass out. With the last of his reserves channeled towards keeping Belle alive, Gold felt himself fall into the black abyss where the pain could not touch him.
Hours later Rumpelstiltskin came to lying in a hospital bed with his left shoulder immobilized. The pain was still there, just not as blinding as before. Reaching out along the metaphysical link to Belle he had to know she was alright but something was blocking him. Sluggishly he opened his eyes to see Emma standing at the foot of his bed with her arms folding. She had been pacing. Gritting his teeth he tried to sit up but Emma was there pushing him back down. "Belle…" Rumpelstiltskin mumbled needing to know she was alright.
"She's fine, she's in the other bed." Emma answered pointing. Slowly Gold followed her finger until he could see her. Visibly he relaxed. For hours she had been here just waiting and waiting for either Gold or Belle to wake up and tell her what had happened. Fear had choked her desperately as Emma waited, praying, the ambulance would hurry up while she feared fro Henry alone in the cruiser.
Gold breathed a huge sigh of relief at the sight of Belle in the bed next to his. She was so still, as still as death. At least he could see she was alive. With what strength he could muster, Rumpelstiltskin sat up. Using his right hand a brace her levered himself up only to feel what had to be an IV needle shift uncomfortably in the back of his hand. With Emma watching on, he ignored her as he yanked out the IV. He would rather have the pain; feel the beat of Belle's heart, than keep feeling dull with pain meds.
"You shouldn't do that." Emma warned to no avail.
"I would rather be in pain." Gold flicked the IV line away. Angling his head, Rumpelstiltskin looked at the brace that had been secured to his torso, immobilizing his left arm while keeping white gauze covering his wound. Lying across his stomach, lashed to his body was his left arm. Mercifully, his fingers were left free, and he moved them flexing some feeling back into them. Looking up at Emma he asked, "Have you heard anything about…"
Emma sat down on the vacant spot at the foot of the hospital bed, "I overheard Dr. Whale and a nurse say that she was lucky. The bullet passed clean through her missing her spine, missing her lungs, and exiting her where it lodged in your shoulder." Lacing her fingers together she sighed deeply before continuing. "The bullet is still in your shoulder. They plan to wait a few days before removing it so the artery has time to heal. Apparently the bullet is resting so close to it that it might rupture if they remove it too soon."
"I'm unconcerned about my current state. What about Belle?" Rumpelstiltskin asked again, his patience wearing thin. The pain was coming back; it was clearing his mind with a welcome relief. With the pain came the feeling of Belle's life mingling with his. He could feel her life again. That alone soothed him more so than the pain meds. After Emma left he planned to rid his body of the cumbersome shoulder harness keeping his left arm immobilized. It was making him feel human.
"They plan to keep her sedated for a few more hours to ensure damage wasn't done to her spine. The CAT scan was fine, but they want to be sure none the less." Emma lowered her head. "Do you have any idea who fired at you?"
"No, it was dark. We were distracted. One minute we're staring at each other and the next all I can see is red." Gold answered making his tone light. "But I can hazard a guess as to who it might have been; Gage." Perpetuating the lie Gold continued. "When Belle vanished, Gage came to me to annul the marriage in secret. As you know I am quiet adept at contracts and such…"
"Which you did out of the kindness of your heart?" Emma sniped, using sarcasm out of habit.
"No, he was carrying on with Ruby at the time." Gold answered casually. "The necessary documents are at my store, in the safe."
"Rumpelstiltskin…"
Gold ignored Emma scrabbling out of bed to go to Belle. She still lay motionless, but she was coming to. He settled down on the edge of the bed trying to ignore his pain so he could focus on her, offer her what energy he could to help aide her recovery. "Dearie?" He reached out to trace the line of her jaw.
"My chest hurts…" Belle slurred opening her eyes. She saw the white gauze and the black Velcro of the shoulder rig keeping his left shoulder immobile. "Are you ok?" She asked putting aside her own pain to focus on him. Their pain was one in the same; his pain and hers were almost indistinguishable. Belle wanted to hold him, except she couldn't move without intense discomfort breaking out all over her body.
"No, no… don't move love." With his good arm, Gold ran his fingers down her cheek. "We'll be out of here soon." He promised, at least he hoped to be out of here.
"What happened?" Belle asked tracking her gaze to Emma as the blonde lingered by the door.
"We were shot and I believe Gage was the one to pull the trigger. Though…" Gold turned to look at Emma as best he could, "I do have a sneaking suspicion as to who put our assailant up to it."
"Regina…" Emma muttered
"Leave her to me; you'll get your turn I promise you that. Right now, it's between me and her. I warned her and she did not listen." Gold threatened forcing himself to get up. Once standing, he leaned down and lovingly kissed Belle's forehead. "I'll be back before you know it."
"What are you scheming, Gold?" Emma asked.
"I need you to take me to Regina's house." Gold stated.
"No, I have to take care of Henry." Emma protested looking out in the hall where Henry sat as still as a statue.
Gold moved as best as he could out into the hall to crouch in front of Henry, "Henry, I would like to ask you a favor." He was trying to get the boys attention, to get him to focus on something other than the nights events.
"What?" Henry looked at Gold.
"I would be greatly indebted to you if you would watch over Belle for me for a few hours." Gold asked. For what he was going to do to Regina, he wouldn't want a witness. "She can tell you more tales of our world than your book can."
Henry should refuse, but he wouldn't be staying with Gold, he would be with Belle. "Ok, I'll stay." There was the need to hear more of the world he would have lived in had the Evil Queen not cast the curse.
Belle heard movement as Rumpelstiltskin re-entered the room with another. His footsteps were light and she could feel a fissure of pain rocket through him with each inhalation. The desire to help heal him was so strong within her, but for the mean time there was nothing she could do; she was in pain as well. When she opened her eyes, Henry stood before her. "Hi," She mumbled through the haze of the pain meds. "I'm Belle."
Henry sat in the chair, reaching out to put his hand over hers, "I'm Henry." He said adding a light smile to put her at ease. Still, he could not help but let his gaze travel to the blood stained gauze on her chest. The crack of the gunshot would haunt his dreams now. It had been so terrifying.
"You look like your mom." Belle half smiled trying to wake up from the drug induced sleep. "Are you going to keep my company?" Her question was to Henry, but her gaze was on Rumpelstiltskin standing at the end of her bed. His gaze was set, determination filling him. Whatever it was he was about to do, Belle hoped it worked out in their favor. Rumpelstiltskin gave a light nod, motioning she should talk to Henry as much for herself as to distract the boy from the nights events. Belle offered her love a smile with her silent consent and support for what he was about to do. Then she turned her attention back to the boy that held her hand gently in his.
"What do you miss most from home?" Henry asked recalling the sprawling scene he had seen in the fractured surface of the travelling mirror. There was so much he wanted to know that his book hadn't told him. More than anything he couldn't wait for the time when Emma ended the curse and he was able to go home, they could all go home.
"I miss living at the Dark Castle. I miss looking out the window and seeing the mountains that protected the fortress of the great Dark One." Belle closed her eyes seeing the great estate. It had been fortress of solitude that seemed to take on some sort of life when she started to live there.
"Weren't you scared?" Henry asked looking back at Emma, as she and Mr. Gold stepped out of the room.
"No, not even when he came to the castle answering our call for aide." Belle shifted, turning on her side to better face Henry. A wave of pain washed through her, but she bit back the cry acknowledging it. "I had always wanted to be brave, to do something heroic. When Rumpelstiltskin came with his offer I knew that was my chance. He offered me a chance to be brave. What I didn't know at the time was how much I would come to value being away from my family, my friends. I came to know a deeper meaning to life, a deeper love than I ever could have known."
"I've been through my book hundreds of times and it never mentioned your time with Rumpelstiltskin." Henry sighed. "The book hardly mentions you at all." There were so many tales to tell, so many people to help remember, to try and fix what had been torn apart by the curse.
"Not everyone can be written about. You have to make you mark in this world. I can see great things for you. Your mark will be left on this world just as Emma's will be." Belle said with certainty. Emma was meant to end this curse and her son would help her do it. But how would they return home? Though, if Emma ended the curse wouldn't that send them automatically home? Belle would have to ask Rumpelstiltskin when he returned.
Out of the hospital and in the Sheriff's cruiser, Rumpelstiltskin sat ignoring the gnawing pain in his shoulder where he could feel the bullet moving with every breath he took. Maybe he should wait until he was stronger before going after Regina. No, he would have to make his move now while she thought she was safe. Even though it was a futile gesture, he placed his free right hand over the wound as if willing the slug to stop moving.
"Are you sure about this?" Emma asked seeing Gold place his hand over his injured shoulder as they drove towards the residential area of Storybrooke, where Regina made her home.
"Yes," Gold replied dropping his hand, digging his fingers into the fabric of his dress pants. Thankfully they had left him in the pants and only cut away the bloody portion of his shirt. Every breath he took carried more and more of the pain medicine out of his system, but also brought more of the pain back into his body. "When we get there, stay in the car." He ordered through gritted teeth.
"You can't take her on alone." Emma protested turning down the street where Regina's house was. She quickly turned off the headlights not wanting to give the game away Regina was dangerous on a normal day. How dangerous would she be when she faced off again Gold in the unpredictable state he was in? It was something Emma wouldn't miss. Gold was on her side, but she also had to be on his. What he was doing, going against Regina, was potential suicide.
"I can and I will so stay in the car." He sniped biting back a growl of pain. Yes, Gold knew that he shouldn't be going against Regina along, but he was angry enough to risk it. With his rage fueling him, Rumpelstiltskin was liable to do anything, even steal the Evil Queen's heart.
Emma pulled up at the corner killing the engine. "Are you sure?" She asked again.
Gold turned to her, raked her with a reproachful glare, "Yes," He called on his power to give him the added boost in energy as he climbed out of the car. For a moment he had to lean against the open car door as dizziness overtook him. Everything was spinning, his heart was racing. Instinct had him almost drawing on what energy Belle had regained. He couldn't do that to her. No, he would have to do this alone. Putting up a barrier, Rumpelstiltskin closed down the magical connection to her.
Regina stepped out on her front porch where fear gripped her. Rumpelstiltskin was stalking towards her even though she could see he was badly wounded. The power of his rage scalded her. Tonight she had come home to a pawn on her porch and her son missing from his room. Now she was going to have to deal with a very angry Dark One coming towards her. She was certainly finished.
"Madam Mayor, may I have a word with you in private… please." He added insuring that she did what he wanted. Regina backed up, not under her own volition, in her house with a murderous Rumpelstiltskin following her. He could see the fear in her eyes and it pleased him. That look thrilled him. Regina knew what he was capable of, knew that he would be hurting her tonight. This was the side of him that he never wanted Belle to feel emanating from him.
Regina backed in the front door of her house, stepping into the foyer. Gold was no more than a few inches from her. Once he was inside he closed the door gently and with great care which belied the anger she could see pouring off of him in waves. "You seem hurt Rumple…" She remarked trying to maintain her calm. But it was difficult standing in front of him and knowing that she could not escape whatever he would do to her.
Rumpelstiltskin tilted his head to the side, "I seem hurt?" He asked carefully, acid dripping from every word. "You evil soul," Rage, barely contained, filled the void between them. It felt good to be angry again, to be murderous. Doing as the queen was known for, he shot his hand out and into her chest. Regina screamed as he withdrew his hand holding her heart. She collapsed to the floor her hand instinctively grabbing at the spot on her chest where his hand had gone through. Rumpelstiltskin looked at the heart he held, "Somehow I thought it would be black."
"You vile bastard…" Regina sputtered through the pain.
"I'm vile?" he scoffed. On the table in front of him was a box, just big enough to hold the queens heart. "You were warned and you did not listen. Now all of this is on you." He dropped the heart in the box. "I told you to leave us alone." Crouching down he shot his hand out and grabbed her around the throat. "Maybe now you will listen." Regina clawed at his hand as he squeezed harder, slightly tempted to break her neck. Gold let her go and stood up watching her gasp and wheeze for air. Taking the box he walked out the door and back out to the car where Emma waited.
Emma watched and waited. She had to force herself to remain in the car when she heard a blood cuddling scream. A few minutes later Gold was coming out of the house carrying a box. He strode back to the car and took his place in the passenger seat cradling the box in his lap. "Do I want to know what you did?"
"Depends on how far you are willing to go in defeating Regina," Gold said tapping his fingers on the lid of the box that now contained Regina's heart; the final piece in their end game. "I can give you the keys to the kingdom so to speak, but you have to for something for me."
"Here is comes," Emma muttered sliding her gaze sideways to look at Gold.
"You tell Belle nothing of what happened tonight, I will help you regain custody of your son. Do we have a deal?" Gold asked locking his eyes with Emma.
"Sure, but… you agree to help me whenever I ask, no questions asked." Emma negotiated. She was no fool. It was better to court favor with Gold than to risk his wrath. This deal was for Henry as well.
"Agreed and Belle is kept out of it all." Gold stressed.
"Then we have a deal." Emma nodded turning the key bringing the cruise to life. "By the way, what's in the box?"
"The only way you will defeat Regina." Gold slurred. The anger was wearing off; his energy stores were extremely low. Looking at his shoulder he could see a fresh crimson stain. He was bleeding again.
"Oh, crap." Emma turned on the siren and sped back to the hospital.