Part 11


Bella and Hook managed to reach the bottom of the beanstalk, all too happy to be on solid ground once more and to see that there was food and fresh water waiting for them.

"Bella! I was getting worried! Are you okay?" Emma asked as she hugged her sister.

"I'm fine, we have the compass and I'm almost unharmed." Bella replied, hugging her back.

"Almost? I guess it's better that what could have happened..." Emma looked at Bella hand and rolled her eyes.

"Yes, Miss Bella here managed to win over the giant without fighting." Hook said with a proud smile as he took a sip from his flask.

"Well, you two sit and eat. We'll stay here for a couple more hours so you can rest a bit and then we have to take the road again." Snow suggested.

"Now Miss Swan, I believe you owe me a secret." The charming pirate asked as they both went to sit down in front of the grilling meat.

"I guess I do."Bella sighted.

"Bella?" Emma and Snow asked her curiously.

"He could sense that I was keeping something from him...I told him that I would tell him what it was as soon as we were back down the bean with the compass." Bella explained.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Mulan asked her.

"I'm sure... I have one word... If you don't have your word, then what do you have?" Bella replied with a soft smile before she took a bite out of the Chimera.

"Well, I'm listening Love." He smiled encouragingly at her, eating some meat too.

"I want your word that no matter what I tell you, you'll help us get back home, knowing you'll come with us and that we won't back out of this deal. Please..." She begged him.

"I have only one word Bella. I promised already. What could be so bad that you think I'd back off a deal?" He replied, getting worried.

What could possibly be so bad? He couldn't see what was so wrong, he couldn't guess anything that could be that bad. The TSM finder wouldn't have indicated her as a perfect match if her secret was so bad.

"My secret is who I am... Emma, Snow, Mulan and Aurora know it, so it's not really a secret, only to you... Have you ever heard of the Rainbow fairy?" She asked him.

"A couple of times, yes. Nobody has seen her, ever, but I've seen her magic work a few times. Actually I believe that she was the one to bewitch the Sword you got up there. What, you're going to tell me that you're her or something?" he asked and Bella stored the information about the sword for later.

"No, I'm not a fairy, far from it." Bella replied while Emma chuckled, remembering Bella in a fairy costume once when she was a little girl.

"Than what is it?" Hook asked, wanting to know more.

Emma wanted to ask Bella what was so special about the sword but she knew that now wasn't the right time. She stored the question in her brain for later. Right now, Bella needed her support to tell Hook the truth about herself.

"Apparently she can see the future...she saw the curse coming and Emma being the savior. She couldn't do anything to stop it from happening, not something so big but she knew that it wasn't fair to put the fate of everyone on such a young girl that would be alone for 28 years so...she created me to be there for her... She needed someone who would be the product of True love, someone who would be involved in the curse... She found my parents... They never made love, they only kissed before my father's fear of honesty of the heart drove my mother away, though I know he did it to protect her from himself because he was afraid of hurting her without realizing it. Rainbow got my mother pregnant magically with my father and hid the pregnancy from everyone, even my mother herself... After a couple of months, my mother started making her way back to my father, wanting to show him that they could be happy together, that she could show him support, that he didn't need magic if he was honest with her but Regina, the evil queen, caught her and put her in a cell. Rainbow took me away when it was time and put me in a frozen state until Emma was born..." Bella told him as clearly as she could without actually saying the names.

"Your father has magic and your mother was in one of Regina's cell when the curse broke? Who are they?" Hook asked her, his face nothing but serious.

He had a bad feeling in his chest, like he could taste a especially nasty truth.

"I think you know... Belle is my mother and... Rumpelstiltskin is my father." She admitted, feeling like she was dropping a bomb on the guy.

"You've been playing me then... you don't want me to go back with you... You were going to leave me here all along..." He started accusing her as he dropped the meat he was eating on the ground.

"No!" She protested, maybe too loudly since her word echoed all around.

"Really? I have trouble believing you."

"Bella doesn't lie Hook! Trust me, when she lies to you, you'll see it all over her face, you won't need my gift to know it." Emma snapped at him.

"You're right..." he realised, remembering how easy it was for him to see her half lies earlier.

"I swear... Listen, my father has changed like I told you before but I understand that he did horrible things in his past, especially to you. We talked about this. He told me everything. When you told us your name, I knew what you were looking for. Dad told me your story with him, I know what he did to Milah...I..." She didn't know what to say.

"Yeah, I know, we talked about this up there, only you told me that The Dark One was only a friend of yours, someone who helped you and who you worked for." he interrupted her, trying to sort things through his brain.

It was just his luck, his one True Soul Mate was his enemy's daughter, the sister of the boy he had betrayed in Neverland... Could things get any more complicated between them?

"Why did you cut me off that tree then? Why didn't you let the Ogres eat me?" He asked her.

"I'm not sure..." she lied and he rose and eyebrow, showing her that he knew she was lying.

"All I can tell you is that he's aware that you're traveling with us and that he said that the most important was that we came home, even if you came with us... He has changed, he's ready to face his punishment... All he wants is the time to find Baelfire and make amends with him, for a chance to tell my half brother he loves him before he meets his fate." Bella explained, trying with all her might to convince him.

"Emma, you have special gifts... Do you honestly believe he has changed?" Hook asked the blond Savior.

"Yes, I do." Emma nodded.

"Listen, why don't we concentrate on getting back home? We really need to concentrate on getting the ashes back from Cora and on getting home without bringing her or letting her follow us and when we're on our way home, then we'll try to figure out what to do about your plan to kill my father to get revenge on Milah." Bella begged him.

Hook was silent for a moment and everyone was watching him, waiting to see what he would do. The pirate took the red TSM finder from his pocket and starred at it for a few minutes, thinking about what it had showed him.

"Is that..." Mulan started but Hook cut her a look that shut her up.

"Nothing." he told her before putting it in her pocket.

"What is it?" Aurora asked.

"It doesn't matter for now." Hook replied, hoping Mulan would get the hint.

"He's right, I'll explain what it is to you later." Mulan nodded.

Snow had, too, heard of the compass and seen it in one of her mother's books. She knew what it was and since Hook was glancing at it and then back at Bella she could only guess what it had shown him. she decided to keep her findings to herself for now.

"You're right... I know I can trust you not to double cross me... Did Rumpelstiltskin really say it was okay to bring me with you? He knows I want to kill him." Hook was confused.

"My father has let his cowardice rule his life for a long time and even if he has magic in Storybrook, all he wants now is a chance to prouve to my mother and Bae that he's a changed man, that he can be brave and honest. I know that it won't excuse him for killing Milah but she did break his heart and his trust in an equally cowardly way, no matter what you choose to think. I'm not saying that she deserved what she go, far from it, I would never say that but my father acted on impulsion... I know that he did regret doing it, and not only because he knew you'd do your best to kill him but because he did love Milah." Bella insisted.

"How do you know he regretted killing her?" He asked her.

"Because he told me and I saw it was the truth." Bella replied just like Emma didn't detect a lie.

"Fine then. I'll see what to do about the Dark one when we get to your land." Killian Jones said before they heard someone calling Bella's name from her bag.

Curious, she opened it only to find Anton's face on the mirror.

"Hey Anton, what's wrong?" She asked him.

"I just wanted to make sure you had gotten back down alright, that the pirate didn't double cross you or anything." The giant replied, a gentle smile on his face.

"Hey!" Hook protested.

"Thank you, we both did. Are you on your way to join us already?" She asked him.

"Not yet, no. I just wanted to make sure you were doing alright." He replied.

"Okay, well, thank you. By the way, can I open your gift now?" she asked him.

"Of course you can. " He nodded before he said goodbye and turned the mirror off.

"I have a feeling that we missed a lot up there." Mulan said while Bella opened the silk pouch.

Bella opened the small pouch delicately, not wanting to break it. While she did this, Killian got everyone's attention and started telling them in detail everything that happened up the beanstalk, leaving out his moment with the TSM finder.

In the pouch, Bella found a few black beans, about 4 or 5 of them and she guessed that it was a few of the destroyed ones that he had been keeping around as a reminder and that he had given her some in case he couldn't join them and in case his plan to join them failed. She decided not to tell anyone about them. Once they got the water from the lake she would restore them and keep them safe in case of an emergency. If Anton had wanted everyone to know about them he would have shown them to her in front of Hook.

She smiled seeing this. Anton was a good friend already. She could see where he was coming from. he had been played and lonely for a long time before she arrived and showed him that good human existed. Now that he had made a friend, he wanted to do his best to keep her safe and happy. She would make sure he didn't come to regret it and that he found some happiness too.

Other than the beans, Bella found a superb necklace and bracelet. It was a golden chain with small gems off all colors. It was very pretty without attracting too much attention, it looked fancy without taking too much place around the neck. The bracelet fit perfectly with the necklace and she decided to put them back in the pouch. She didn't want to risk loosing it or breaking it in a fight against Cora.

Along with the jewelry, Bella found a few golden coins and a few gems of different colors. She could guess that it was all worth a lot of money and that he had probably thought she would be able to use it to get back home safely. While Hook told them how she won over the giant, Bella called him back with the mirror and thanked him.

After disconnecting the call with Anton, Bella decided to try and contact her father so she held the mirror in her hands and said clearly:

"Rumpelstiltskin"

Everyone looked up to see what she was doing and waited to see if he would answer. Hook frowned but still looked at her. Only a few seconds later she saw her father's shop so she kept on calling him, figuring that if he was around he'd hear her.

"Aunt Bella?" Henry said as he came in view, attracting Emma close to the mirror so she could see him.

"Henry, what are you doing here? How are you doing? Is everyone okay?" Emma asked.

Emma, Snow and Bella were all looking at the mirror, wanting news from their loved ones back home.

"Mom! I'm fine. Graham and grandpa went to bring Regina in a special cell M. Gold and the Blue fairy made together just for her. Belle and I are here so we can be safe in case Regina breaks free before they lock her up in the right jail cell. Ruby is outside, guarding the door." Henry explained.

"Where is my mother then?" Bella asked.

"Bella? I'm right here Honey! How did you find a mirror already spelled? Your father said that you didn't know how to do this." Belle asked her daughter.

"The giant Anton gave it to me. He's helping us get home." Bella said before she summarize the situation to her mother.

"How is it back there mom?" Henry asked Emma.

"Very different. I'll tell you all about it later, now that we have the mirror, communicating will be much easier." Emma replied with a happy smile.

"What are you doing kid? What's in this mirror?" David asked as he entered the shop.

"Mirrors can be dangerous Henry, you can't even answer them, you don't know what evil could be calling!" The dark one exclaimed as soon as David was done talking.

Gold could be seen rushing in view of the mirror, ready to forcefully disconnect it.

"I love you too dad." Bella chuckled.

"Bella? How?" he asked her.

"Anton, the giant." Bella said before Emma added:

"According to Hook, Bella won over the giant and made a new friend in less than 5 minutes."

"Well, if anyone could do it, it's her. She won me over didn't she?" The proud father replied, ignoring the remark about Hook.

"Snow? I'm sorry honey, King George burned the hat, we don't have any way of helping you come home it's all up to you now..." David explained.

"It's okay, we have a plan." Snow replied.

"What plan? Is there anything we can do to help?" Gold asked.

"Well, Anton is going to try to find some of the beans he destroyed and join us at Lake Nostos in a few days to restore them so we can use one to come back home." Bella explained.

"Yes, that should work." Gold nodded, doing his best to ignore Hook's proximity with his daughter.

"But first we need to take the ashes back from Cora or she'll be joining us in Storybrook." Hook added, doing his best to ignore that he was speaking to the Dark One who had killed his old love.

The fact that the man didn't have the skin of a crocodile anymore helped a little.

"Yes, he's right, Cora cannot come to Storybrook. As bad as you think Regina is, Cora is worst and you don't want her in the same town as Henry." The dark one nodded seriously.

"I think it's time to go to your cell and find this ink you told us about dad." Bella sighted.

"Yes, you should. Can I please have a moment alone with Hook? He and I need to discuss something." Gold asked.

"Now? Dad..." Bella started but her father cut her off.

"Don't worry Bella, it has nothing to do with what you think. Please just give him the mirror." He pleaded.

Bella sighted and nodded, giving the mirror to the pirate with a look that meant "Behave" before she said goodbye to her parents and went to take a small nap before they had to leave again.

On the other side of the mirror, Belle, David and Henry told Gold that they would see him at Granny's when he was done.

"So, you're going to ask me to spare you?" The pirate asked.

"No, as I told Bella, this as nothing to do with you wanting to kill me. You and I both know how dangerous Cora really is, how powerful she is and I know you are a man of honor. I want to ask you to please, make sure Bella gets home safely. If Bella comes home unharmed, I will give you back your hand." Gold offered.

"What would I do with a hand unattached to my body? And for what possible reason would you have kept it?" Hook asked, disgusted.

"I didn't keep it but I can use my powers to make your hand grow back, I'm sure you'd find it... well, handy." Gold chuckled.

"You'd do this, simply if I keep Bella safe?" Hook asked him, surprised.

"Yes." The older man nodded.

"And I could still decide to kill you afterward, you aren't asking me this so I can spare you?" He asked for confirmation.

"Yes, all I want is to know that my daughter is safe and that you consider giving me the time to find Bae and make things right with him, introduce him to his sister. Do we have a deal?"

"Yes... But to be honest with you, I don't think anyone who has spent more than 5 minutes with your daughter wouldn't want to protect her... She's... Special." Hook said to his enemy after glancing at a sleeping Bella.

"Yes, her heart is golden and as big as the world. I have to go but please tell Emma that I'll give Henry a mirror, she'll be able to speak with him anytime she wants." The Dark One said before ending the call for now.

Gold didn't want to bring the subject of Bella being in love with him but he could see in the man's eyes that he was sensible to his sweet daughter's undeniable charm. He almost asked the pirate not to break his daughter's heart but in saying this he would have revealed her secret, put her in an uncomfortable position and broken her trust.

Sighting, he grabbed a smaller mirror, linked it to Henry and brought it to the young boy who would be able to contact his mother every time he missed her.

He was trying, truly, to be a better person, to be good and he thought that he was doing quite well for someone who had been evil for so long. Would it be enough though? Would it be enough to convince Hook not to kill him, to give him more time with his son and new found daughter? He just had to keep his fingers crossed and hope that Hook fell in love with Bella. This would ensure his safety, right?


So, chapter 11... What did you think of it?

Aren't mirrors the cell phones of the Enchanted Forest?

I'm having a hard time writing the chapter where Emma, Bella, Henry and Gold go to New York to see Neal... Let's hope it won't delay the future chapters too much...

Review please.

Lorelei Candice Black