I want to thank all of you who read my stories and review them. I know sometimes I don't write back to thank you as often as I should but I appreciate each and every one of you who PM me with information to help my work, it's very important to me as I am sure your stories are to you, so thanks!

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Ariel was just cleaning up. She had caught wind of what happened to Belle only because Nick hadn't come into work. Her boss Jefferson had let it slip that Belle was in bad shape in the hospital. Ariel was a little torn. She thought she had wanted those things to happen, to get even with Belle so to speak but now... Well she just hoped no one implicated her in any of it. After all she wasn't really responsible, had she?

She gathered the trash up and was taking it all out to the dumpster that was behind the Rabbit Hole. It was dark outside and the wind was picking up, whipping her long red hair out and around her. She flipped up the top of the dumpster. She always hated that part, touching the dumpsters, they were filthy and once she had broken one of her carefully manicured nails in the process.

As she tossed the bags up and over into the trash bin one by one, she wasn't careful enough and the bag came open , spilling out it's contents all over the parking lot, "Oh shit" she mumbled as she got down, trying to keep the garbage from flying away. She didn't hear the footsteps behind her.

When she had picked up all the trash, she twisted the bag, grumbling as she did, threatening to quit if she broke just one more nail. She almost fell backwards when she turned around to find Ruby so close behind her, and Ruby didn't look happy.

"R-Ruby, oh, you scared me." She put her hand to her heart, trying to sound normal but it wasn't very convincing. Ruby had a look of death in her eye. Ariel swallowed hard before attempting a smile. "Your here late. I uh, heard about your friend, any word on how she's doing?" Ariel looked down at Ruby's hands just in time to see her knife as Ruby pulled the blade from it's case. Her eyes widened as she backed herself up against the dumpster.

"I'm only going to ask you this once you bitch, Where is he? " Ariel gasped as the knife made its way up to her jugular. "W-W,Who, Gavin? I uh, I don't know what you're talking about." Ruby pressed the blade tightly to her throat.

"You are as responsible as Gavin in my opinion and now your going to tell me where he is. I know your in with him. Tell me Ariel, have you been fucking Gavin all this time?" Ariel shook her head no feverently.

"I honestly don't know where he is Ruby, honest. I didn't want this to happen. I just told him that Belle had been in the bar to visit Nick, I didn't know what he was capable of, I really didn't." Ruby snatched a handful of Ariel's long soft hair.

"Well Sweetie, It's me you should be worried about, you don't know what I'M capable of either, Now hold still and this will only take a minute." Silent tears ran down her face as Ruby hacked through Ariel's long hair with the sharp blade, ridding her of her lovely locks with razored hacks, letting the tresses fall useless to the pavement, Ariel, too frightened to move stood there with her eyes clamped shut and didn't make a peep.

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Belle licked her dry lips, Nick was there with a glass of water in an instant. "There you go love." Belle gratefully took a sip. She was starting to see more clearly out of her swollen eye. She looked over at him and smiled. He looked a bit haggard. He hadn't shaved and he was still wearing the same shirt.

"Why don't you go home Nick, I'm out of the woods and you have to work. I'll be fine while your gone." Her throat was still so dry when she spoke. She felt better but honestly she could have been run down by a Mack truck and looked better. She tried to push the button on the bed to help her sit up better, she was still very sore but she needed to move.

"Are you hungry? I could go get you something?" She knew he only wanted to help but she wasn't very hungry for food.

"You could get in here with me, I'd be up for that if you're looking to help me, I could really use a snuggle more than anything." Nick smiled, shaking his head at her, she had almost been killed, had a major operation and she wanted to cuddle.

"The Doctor came in while you were sleeping. He wanted to go over a few things with you about your operation and what you have to do next. I was suppost to page the nurse when you got up, hows about we save the snuggle for later, I'm sure he has some important things to tell you." Belle gave him a little pout but consented, pushing her nurses button letting them know she was awake.

Dr. Whale had a long talk with her about a lot of things. Thanks to Gavin she would be changed for life. Her body would forever be compensating for her lost organ. Her immune system would forever be weakened, she would have to be very careful from now on about germs and infections. It was a lot to take in.

After the Doctor left, Nick sat next to her and took her hand, rubbing his calloused thumb over her knuckles. Belle could feel hot tears well up in her eyes, she wiped them away too ashamed to look at him, she didn't even know what she was crying for.

"It's not as bleak as all that, we'll get through this Belle. Please, don't cry. You'll be out of here soon and it will all be alright in the end."Belle looked up at him.

"And where will I go Nick? I can't go home. That's his home. How will I get my things? I have no money, nothing, it was all his." Fresh tears spilt down her reddened cheeks. She had nothing. She had been a kept woman, now she was homeless, babyless, spleenless, she felt sorrier for herself than ever.

Belle felt two fingers lift her chin so that she would look at him. "You have me. I'll get your things, you can come home with me if you choose, or Ruby's." He gave a nervous little cough, "I know we haven't known each other for very long, but I hope you come home with me and let me take care of you. I can sleep on the couch and you can have the bed if you like. We can take things real slow. Just think about it Belle, I want to do this. I'm going to get your things out of Gavin's house. The sheriff already said she would escort me over there to do it. I can take Ruby with me, she will know what's yours, You won't have to worry about anything, alright?" Belle sniffed and nodded her head.

"I would like that Nick. I want you to take care of me. Ruby lives too close to Gavin, I really wouldn't feel too safe, at least till they find the bastard." Nick nodded as he soothed back her hair, he reached over and grabbed the box of kleenex and handed it too her.

"Let's get you something to eat and I believe I owe you a snuggle." Belle could help but give Nick a little laugh and a smile.

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Nick left a sleeping Belle that night. They had given her something to make her comfortable and the nurse informed him that she would be out for the rest of the night, it would be a perfect time for Nick to go home, besides he had a few things he needed to take care of.

The night air felt good on his face as he left the hospital. His beard was making his face itch so after hailing down a cab he went straight to his apartment to take a quick shower and to shave. He let the hot water dance across his skin untill the water turned cool before turning it off and climbing out. He lathered his face and cut off his whiskers and brushed his teeth before going into his closet and pulling out something to wear.

He would go to Gavin's house but it would first be to find the bastard responsible for hurting Belle before claiming her things with the sheriff. He buttoned his shirt and put on his belt around his dark jeans before pulling out his boots and sitting down on the bed he finished getting dressed.

He returned to his closet and selected a shoebox from the top shelf before laying on the bed and opening it up to revel a hand gun. he popped it open to revel the bullets inside, he snapped it shut and put the safely on before shoving in the back of his jeans and covering it with his shirt. Now he was ready for Gavin. The door clicked shut as he headed for the awaiting cab that would take him unknowingly to his final destination.

He let the cab drop him off down the street, the gentle tab of his cane on the street was the only evidence that he was there at all as he snuck up to Gavin's house in the night.

No light's were on but that didn't necessarily mean anything since now Gavin was wanted by the police in connection with his wife's injuries. Nick walked around back and quietly turned the door handle, it was unlocked as Nick slipped in.

He stood there, letting his eyes adjust to the darkness of the house untill finally he could make out that he was in the kitchen. He could clearly make out the refrigerator and the sink, and even though he came there to face Belle's husband he was taken by surprise by the figure of Gavin sitting at the table, smoking a cigarette, the embers glowed in the blackness as he took a drag before laying it in the ashtray. "I was wondering when you were coming, welcome to my humble abode, Nick."