Rumplestiltskin never minded killing anyone, as long as the person deserved it, or threatened him or Bae. However what he had just done was unacceptable, even to his standards. He had managed to find a loophole in King Maurice's words to keep the children of the kingdom from coming to harm. Rumplestiltskin could never live with himself if he hurt a child. He would never be able to face Bae again, that is if he ever found him. If he harmed children, then he would probably find a way to take his own life, even though he knew that wouldn't be easy. Luckily it hadn't come to that, but he still couldn't get the images of the children's faces, knowing they were to be orphans for the rest of their lives, out of his mind. 'If I ever gain my freedom, he will pay.'

"You're back!" Belle exclaimed joyfully as she entered his room. She came to stand next to him. Belle noticed the change in Rumplestiltskin's demeanor immediately. He was staring out the window, and didn't even move to look at her when she entered. She noticed a glazed over look in his eyes and more pain than usual. Her smile disappeared, "Rum, what's wrong, did something happen?"

"No, Belle. But I would prefer to be alone today." He never glanced over at her.

"No! I'm not leaving you! I've never seen you like this before."

He was quiet, and eventually turned to look into her eyes. He knew she wouldn't leave. Not without an explanation. 'No, even if she is a spy, she doesn't need to have that burden put on her, to know what her father made me do. She's too sweet and innocent to be a part of that. If I did tell her, she would finally believe me to be a monster like I want her to, but then again, she'll know I wasn't in control of my actions. Her father was the monster in this. He was the puppeteer and I was the puppet.' "Your father…he forced me to do horrible things," was all he managed to say, trying to be as vague as possible.

"What kind of horrible things?"

"Belle it's best if you don't know," he snapped at her, but he had to make a point, "Now leave me."

Belle stood there for a minute pondering what to do. She couldn't stand the thought of her father forcing Rum to do horrible deeds beyond his control. She could only imagine what they were. She had never known her father to be so evil. 'What has come over him? It's out of character.' She gently placed her hand on Rum's hand, which was resting on the windowsill.

Rum slowly glanced down at her hand caressing his. It was so beautiful, her skin so smooth, and complexion so rosy. He then compared his complexion to hers. It was nothing of the same. His skin was an ugly green gold color, and his nails were long and yellowed. His skin was also rough. He wondered how she could even bare to touch him.

Suddenly she took his hand in hers, and he almost thought she wanted to hold hands if it weren't for her next statement, "C'mon Rum, I must get you out of here." She began tugging at him to follow her. She was very persistent and he gave in. For the first time she allowed him to see how she had been secretly getting around the castle, through a secret passageway.

"Belle where are you taking me?"

Belle began to jog through the corridors toward her destination dragging him along behind her, "I'm gonna set you free."

"What?"

"These tunnels, they don't just lead all over the castle, but to the outside world as well."

"Belle…" There was objection in his voice she thought, but she wasn't going to let him say no. 'Why would he want to stay a prisoner?'

"Belle…"

She ignored him and pulled him along faster, they were almost to the exit.

"BELLE!"

"What?!" she stopped and faced him.

"I can't leave."

"What? Don't be ridiculous," she continued to pull him forward, but some sort of invisible barrier blocked him from taking a step onto the land outside of the castle grounds.

Belle stood outside the tunnel exit and peered at him, "But…how…why?"

"I am bound to stay within the castle grounds unless your father orders me elsewhere. And then I am obligated to return when my errand is through. I can't leave."

Tears formed in Belle's eyes, so he really was a prisoner. They stood there looking at each other until Belle threw her arms around his neck embracing him in a hug, "I'm so sorry," she whispered in his ear.

Rumplestiltskin was shocked by her action, but didn't pull away. He lightly placed his hands around her in return, "Hey look on the bright side."

Belle bent back and looked at him confused, "The bright side? How could any part of this be bright?"

"Why…now I know your secret!" he giggled impishly and took off to explore the tunnels.

The smile came back to Belle's face, "RUM!" she called after him. She began to chase after him trying to catch up. Every once in a while she could hear his signature mischievous laugh echo through the hallways, but she could never find the source of it. She knew these halls better than anyone, if anyone else besides her where to know about them, yet he still managed to outsmart her.

After a while, Belle grew frustrated and exhausted. Giving up, she returned to her room. Rum would come around when he was ready. She ventured to his room several times throughout the day to see if he was there, but there was no sign of him. She hoped he would be smart enough to return before dinner was brought up, but she couldn't stick around to find out.

She gave up for the night and went down to join her father for dinner. She barely said a word to him as they ate. Luckily he didn't notice anything out of the ordinary, because Regina was there to carry on the conversation.

Belle returned to her room afterwards, to get ready for bed. She sat down at her mirror to brush her hair before bedtime. She thought about the day's events. She was depressed she couldn't give Rum the freedom he deserved.

"You know dearie, you shouldn't keep mirrors in your room, someone could be watching!"

Belle, startled, almost fell out of her chair. She looked up into the mirror, and could see Rumplestiltskin lying on her bed, "You scared me! What are you doing here, and why are you on my bed?"

"Well, you took a nap on mine, thought I would return the favor."

Belle smiled and went back to brushing her hair. She thought about his first statement. "Who would want to watch me?" she inquired.

Rumplestiltskin stood up, grabbing a quilt off the foot of the bed, and made his way over to her, "Sorcerers, witches, warlocks, wizards," he bent down and whispered the last part in her ear, "and the Dark One."

Belle's breath heaved but she didn't turn around to face him, just watched him through the mirror. Belle suddenly became aware that she was dressed in nothing but her nightgown. Her cheeks turned red, and if he noticed he didn't say anything.

He draped the quilt over the mirror, "There now, some privacy." He walked back over and returned to lying her bed.

Belle looked at him as if he was crazy for covering up the mirror. She obviously didn't believe what he said about it, but she let him have his way, "So I guess now you know how I get around, I'm never gonna be rid of you am I?"

"Oh dearie, where you looking to get rid of me?"

Belle smiled showing she was joking, "I thought we were over that dearie stuff?"

"Said who? I never agreed to anything."

Belle stood up and walked over to him, "Well you've called me Belle the past few times, I just assumed."

"Now dearie, it's never good to assume."

"Stop calling me dearie…and get off my bed!" She grabbed one of his arms and tugged at it, but he didn't budge; he just lay there smiling ear to ear. She tugged at him some more until she finally realized he wasn't going to move. She huffed and sat in one of the chairs near the fireplace.

"Giving up so easily?" Rum asked.

Belle just glared at him, picked up a book, and started reading.

"Oh now you're ignoring me?"

Belle continued reading. Rumplestiltskin sat up to look at her. Eventually, he walked over to her chair, but she still ignored him.

He grabbed the back of the chair and pulled it backwards until it was pivoting on the two back legs. Belle squealed, steadied herself to keep from falling out, and tried to keep reading.

"Do I need to take the chair too?" he threatened.

More silence. He reached over and yanked the book from her grasp letting the chair fall back to all fours, "The book it is then."

He walked away from her flipping through the pages.

"Rum! Give that back!" Belle scrambled to her feet and ran towards him trying to take the book from him, with no luck. Now he was ignoring her.

Belle grunted and stomped her feet, "I'll just get another one then!"

She pranced off to retrieve another book from the shelf. As she went to reach for one, it disappeared. She looked confused, but went to grab another. It disappeared as well. She glanced over at Rumplestiltskin who was standing there reading her original book. She turned back to the bookshelf and gasped when she saw there wasn't a single book left.

Belle was fed up. She stood there for a minute with her fists clenched watching him read. Suddenly she lunged at him; he toppled over onto the bed. She had him pinned, "Give me my books back!"

He grinned up at her. It was apparent he loved getting this kind of reaction out of her. Belle was so determined; it didn't even occur to her that she was on top of him.

"Feisty one. What'll you give me in return?"

"In return!? You took them from me in the first place!"

"Perhaps if you didn't sleep in the library you wouldn't have this problem."

"The libra…I don't live in the library! This is my room!"

"Then why all the books?"

"I told you the other day, books are my passion!"

"More of an obsession."

"Quit changing the subject and give them back."

"I told you dearie, I need something in return. I never give something for nothing. Everything comes with a price." Rum used his index finger to tap her nose.

"I don't have anything you'd want!"

"I'm fair. I can collect later. How about your first born?"

"My first born…what?! NO! I wouldn't give up a child for anything in the world!"

He sneered, "Didn't think so, but thought I'd try."

Belle thought for a moment about something she could possibly give him, "How bout I let you up?"

"Now dearie, if I wanted to get up you wouldn't have to let me."

Belle scowled at him as he just smiled back at her like a child who was getting his way. She refused to look away, but then he was gone leaving a puff of purple smoke behind. She fell to the bed now that there was nothing underneath her. She looked around the room but he was nowhere to be found. "Rum!" she called.

All was quiet for several minutes then out of nowhere every book she owned fell around her in a pile like an avalanche. She was buried in them. "RUMPLESTILTSKIN!"

The books flew up into the air and floated over to their original places. Belle sighed, defeated, and flopped back on the bed. She closed her eyes for a second, until she felt the weight of one more book land on her; the book she had been reading by the fireplace. "Goodnight dearie," she looked up but he was already gone.

Belle smiled to herself and went to pull the quilt off the mirror. 'So silly.'

Belle realized she may not have given Rumplestiltskin the freedom she wanted to, but she had given him another type of freedom. No longer was he confined to his room, but showing him the secret passages allowed him to roam the castle as he pleased. And this freedom had shown her a side of him she didn't know existed. It had unlocked another layer to him, a playful one. And she liked it.