Belle and Rumpelstiltskin spent the rest of the afternoon curled up under the covers, just touching and being touched. It didn't feel like that long before Belle's phone buzzed with a text message. She huffed, rolling to pick it up from where it had fallen to the floor when her skirt came off. She flipped it open to reveal a message from Regina: where are you?
Belle glanced sheepishly over to Rumpelstiltskin as she typed a response.
Got caught in the storm. Be back as soon as it's safe.
The storm ended half an hour ago, came the reply. Be home NOW.
Alright, so maybe they had been together longer than she thought they had.
"You don't have to leave," he said softly from his spot next to her. "You can stay with me, if you like."
To emphasize his offer, he nuzzled her neck and brushed kisses along the tender parts of her throat. Belle leaned into him, savoring the softness and the affection. It was all she could do to shake her head no.
"Why not?" he sounded honestly confused. "I won't...we don't – it doesn't have to be like this. It could be like before, in the castle."
She bit her lip. This was going to be hard to explain. She climbed out of the bed, picking his shirt up off the floor and wrapping it around herself before she dashed into the main part of the store to retrieve his present of the white board from where it had been abandoned on a counter. By the time she returned, he was leaning up on his elbows and watching her peculiarly, and it was all she could do not to climb back under the covers with him and accept his very generous offer. Did he even realize how much she wanted him? How much she wanted to lick his smooth chest and find out all the places that would make him gasp?
It's not like that, she scrawled on the board. It's not about us, I just can't leave Henry. I have a responsibility.
She handed the board to him and he was silent as he read it.
"How is Henry your responsibility?"
If I don't care for him, who will?
"He's Regina's son," he said dryly. "She could take a turn at it. You've raised him because she forced you to, but you don't have to do that anymore."
Maybe I want to, she retorted. I may not be his mother, but I raised him. If I don't protect him, who will?
"Emma Swan," he said reasonably. "Her entire purpose in life is to break the curse and she's his mother. She'll protect him."
Emma doesn't believe in the curse and doesn't believe Regina is dangerous. She's completely unprepared! She doesn't understand him like I do! She killed the Huntsman, Rumple. Who knows what she'll do to Henry?
"So you're willing to risk your life for this boy?" he finally blurted out angrily. "You're willing to die to stay with Henry Mills?"
If that's what it takes.
And that was the crux of the issue, wasn't it? She was willing to die for Henry – she was damn near certain that's what was going to happen, actually. But she would die if that would give Henry his best chance. Belle didn't have children of her own, but she didn't see how you could raise a child from a baby and not love him like your own flesh and blood anyway.
"Belle," murmured, his face crumbled at her words and he reached out a hand to brush her hair back from her face. "Brave Belle, beautiful Belle..."
Her phone dinged again and she glanced at it. It was another message from Regina insisting she return right away. Belle smiled apologetically, kissing his forehead softly.
I'll come back, she scrawled. I promise.
Just for good measure, she formed the sign for I love you. She knew he didn't understand much of ASL, but she'd been right in thinking he might understand that one. He signed it back at her and watched as she carefully redressed herself, and he even fixed her hair for her in lieu of a brush. Gods, but she didn't want to go. Even as she snuck out the back door into the alley to avoid anyone seeing her leave from the street, she knew that she'd be much happier if she'd just said yes.
She was gone, that was all there really was to it. He fell back against the pillows on the rarely used cot and tried not to feel her loss too acutely. It was entirely possible that Emma Swan would break the curse any day now, after all – or that Regina would want to lay low rather than commit another convenient murder. He still didn't like Belle's odds of survival, though. Not in Regina's home, not even with Henry there. He wasn't sure he could bear to lose her again, after having just gotten her back.
He'd thought she was dead. So much lost time where she'd been...where? Apparently Regina had put her someplace, but who knew what had happened to her in the meantime? It occurred to him – perhaps a bit too late – that she could be working for Regina. She'd certainly spent long enough in the other woman's company, after all. And why else would she be left with her memories intact?
No, he couldn't believe that. He couldn't let himself believe that. Maybe it was foolish of him, and maybe he'd live to regret it, but he'd seen her break down at the mine. If there was one thing he knew about Belle, it was that she loved Henry Mills more than anything, and she was just brave and foolish and stubborn enough to try to die for him. If she was working for Regina, then he had no doubt in his mind that it was because she was trying to protect the boy.
He sighed into his hands, leveraging himself into a sitting position and straightening his clothes back out. He hadn't been thinking clearly when he offered her a place to stay, anyway. The longer he could go without Regina realizing he had his memories intact and was playing both sides against the middle the better. Allowing Belle to move in would have been just as good as putting on leather pants and taking up dealing for first borns on Main Street.
He wouldn't be opening the shop today. Not when it still smelled like her and her taste was on his lips and he could feel her in his hair and on his skin. Soon she'd be back, he promised himself. He'd restore her voice and bring her home with him and it would be beautiful. She loved Henry and she'd love Bae and they could be a family just like he'd always wanted. He was so close.
Belle hoped the flush she knew still stained her cheeks could be explained by the chill weather and the fact that her shirt was still a little soggy.
"Where have you been?" Regina shouted as soon soon as Belle walked through the door.
She didn't think she'd ever comprehend why Regina would take her voice, refuse to learn to communicate with her, and then continue asking her open ended questions like this. The woman was beyond unreasonable.
Belle shrugged and made a vague gesture towards town before signing the word rain. It was a simple enough sign to figure out the meaning of (holding both hands over her head and lowering them forcefully a few times), and Regina seemed to get enough of her meaning to huff and begin putting on her coat and shoes.
"I want you to stay with Henry," Regina replied. "There was a strange man outside today and I don't want Henry out of your sight for one single moment until I know why he's so interested in my son."
Belle's eyes went wide in shock and she turned back towards the door quickly as though she could see the strange man if she looked now.
"I have to go survey the damage from the storm," Regina continued as she made her way out the door. "I'll be home late. And Delilah? I expect you to be home when you're supposed to be. Don't forget that."
Belle gulped and nodded, watching Regina as she walked to her car. Apparently Belle didn't look anywhere near as different as she felt, then. Interesting.
She went upstairs to her room to change into something warm and dry, putting her hair into a loose braid before going to find Henry seated at the desk in his room and working on homework. She knocked and he smiled at the sight of her. She'd never not love that little boy, she decided.
Your mother says you were talking to a stranger today?
"He was parked outside the house," Henry replied. "I stopped to ask him a question, that's it."
Why were you talking to him?
"Because I've never met a stranger before," he said earnestly. "Do you think it's because my mom is breaking the curse?"
I don't know, Belle answered. But I do know it's dangerous to talk to strange men.
"You talked to strange men," he replied. "That's how you met the dwarves."
That was very different, we were in the Enchanted Forest. And they were dwarves, not men.
"Storybrooke is a lot safer," Henry pointed out. "Nobody ever tries to buy your baby here and I've never seen anyone turned into a monster."
Belle glared at him, but Henry just smiled.
"I'll be alright," Henry continued. "I have you and both my moms. Who'd even get close enough to hurt me?"
Let's not find out, okay? Regina wants me to stay with you all the time now and I think she'll be watching.
"Where were you today, anyway?"
She paused for a moment. She should probably lie to him – she definitely didn't want to tell him what exactly she'd been up to – but she hated to lie to Henry. She liked to think she was an honest person, and Henry had enough liars in his life.
I went to see Rumpelstiltskin, she finally said. He remembers who he is.
"That's great!" Henry exclaimed happily. "Are you going to go live with him now?"
No, she answered. I'm not.
"Why not? Doesn't he want you back?"
He asked me to stay, she replied. But I told him I wouldn't leave you.
"Please, Belle," Henry whined. "You have to go back with him. I'll be okay here by myself, I promise."
What did I just say about things being more dangerous here than in the Enchanted Forest? I'm not going to leave you alone for a second, okay?
Henry gave her the saddest look she'd ever seen, but he just nodded before flinging himself into her and hugging her tightly.
"Please, please, please be okay," he whimpered. "I don't know what I'd do without you."
And that, she decided, was precisely the reason she had to stay.