A/N happy to say I got to knocked out a chapter today! Yay! BTW the end of this chapter isn't what it looks like...or is it? Hmm have to wait and see ;-)

As forever and forever, thank you for the reviews! They put the chips in my Salsa!

Mirror, mirror on the wall

Here we go again

Through my rise and fall

You've been my only friend

Mirror—Lil' Wayne

##

Rumple paced in his cage like a feral tiger. The hen bane really put a damper in his plan. He stopped, looking at the delicate blossom. He slowly reached out a hand, ever hopeful that if he could just grab the offending flower, crush it and toss it from the cage. His hand was just about to touch a petal when a burst of light zig zagged out of the center of the flower developing a nasty shock to his fingers. Damn! He thought jumping back grabbing his now blackened fingers.

From the darkness of the dungeon he heard laughter. Into the light stepped the Evil Queen, her lips drawn back in an evil smile. "So, I may not be powerful enough to beat you, but it looks like I am powerful enough to contain you."

Rumple glowered at her. "You may have me contained now, Dearie but you will make a mistake somewhere and when you do there is not power in this realm that will keep me from destroying you."

The Queen just laughed not at all intimidated by Rumple. "You know, that servant girl of yours is very interesting." she said watching him carefully. "She had a wonderful story to tell me. Something about you almost becoming human again?"

"Don't think I don't know that you two are in league together against me! I don't believe in consequences! Funny how you just happened to show up as I was about to extract my final revenge on her. But have no fear, once I get out of her and take care of you, she is next on my list."

"And funny how you two were on the path were I always take my morning walks. I don't believe in them either." With that she turned and walked away.

Rumple let out a sigh of relief once she was gone. He knew that she wasn't sure if he was telling the truth or not. That would keep his love safe for a few days. As long as Belle could pull her part off they might still have a chance.

##

Belle awoke with a start feeling someones eyes on her. The Queen stood looking at her. For one wild minute Belle wondered if she had been talking in her sleep. That would be a disaster!

"Why are you still here? I told you that you could go anywhere you wanted as long as you stay inside and above ground."

"Oh I must have drifted off. I have been on the run for days with no sleep. He is relentless. If you want your privacy I can go now." Belle said rising from the couch.

"Yes, you do that." The Queen said turning her back and dismissing Belle.

Belle quickly left the room traveling down the hallway. Half way down the hallway she spun quickly and caught the face in the mirror looking at her. It gasped and disappeared. Belle looked back towards the room the Queen was in. Deciding that she was still too close she headed down the hallway until she reached the last mirror, far from the Queen.

Belle leaned over, her face just inches from the mirror.

"Come out, come out. Whoever you are." she sang quietly into the mirror. Nothing, then a light appeared. Out of the light a face appeared. A man's face with a turban covered head. Belle gasped and stumbled back a few steps. They both just stared at each other for a few minutes.

Finally Belle stepped forward and said "Hello."

"Hello." The mirror replied.

"Why have you been hiding from me?" Belle asked.

"We don't often have visitors in the Palace, so I was rather surprised by your appearance."

Belle laughed. "Well, I don't often see men in mirrors, so I was rather surprised by your appearance too. How did you get in there?"

"That is a rather long story, good for another time. The more important question is who are you and how did you get in here?"

"I was brought here this morning when I was rescued by the Queen." Belle answered sticking to her story.

It was the Mirrors turn to laugh. "Rescued by the Queen? Sorry I don't mean to laugh but the Queen rescues no one. You must have some kind of value to you. Who did she rescue you from?"

"Rumpelstiltskin."

"Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place. I am not sure though that you made the right decision." The Mirror warned.

"Well I have been treated better here than I was in all the months I lived with him." Belle said defiantly.

"How did you come to live with him?" The Mirror asked very intrigued.

She explained to the Mirror how she had come to live with Rumple, the truth about how she ended up there and a weaving of lies about her stay there and how the Queen found her.

"Well, my Dear it sounds like you have been through a lot! Unfortunately I don't think your luck has improved any. The Queen is not the easiest person to be around."

"So are you going to tell me your story?" Belle asked with a small grin.

The Mirror waved her closer. "The next time the Queen is gone from the Palace." he whispered. "It's not a very pleasant story."

Belle nodded. "Of course." she whispered. "I understand." She took a few steps back. "Well, I suppose I should continue my self tour of the Palace. Are you everywhere in the castle?" she asked indicating in the hall of mirrors.

"Everywhere but the dungeon. The Queen trusts very few there. If you like, as long as the Queen doesn't need me I can give you a tour of the Palace."

"I think that would be very nice." Belle said.

The Mirror led Belle on a tour of the very large Palace. Each room was a great deal like the room she had been in with the Queen. They were all dark, dismal and dank. Belle wanted to ask the Mirror about this but decided against it, right now away. Everywhere she went in the castle the guards avoided her or would clear out of the room as soon as she entered.

"Why do the guards scatter when they see me?" she asked the Mirror.

"They think you are a powerful witch. A siren out of water. An Enchantress."

"OK." Belle said cutting him off. "Got it. But why?"

"Because you lived with Rumpelstiltskin all that time and now you are with our Queen. They believe that you have enchanted both of them."

"Does this include the guards who were with her when they found me?" Belle asked, her eyes wide. Were they not believe able, Belle wondered.

"Yes, it does." The Mirror answered.

"Are they insane? He was trying to kill me when the Queen intervened!" Belle said.

"They are a rough lot. Whatever he was doing to you at the time, they probably just consider that foreplay." The Mirror said with a shake of his head.

Belle made a face. "Better they be afraid of me then."

"I won't say anything to change their minds."The Mirror promised.

Off in the distance, they could hear someone calling.

"Belle...Belle...drat where are you, child?"

"That's Henry. You better go." The Mirror said then he disappeared.

"OK. Thank..." the words died on her lips as she looked at the now empty mirror. Shaking her head she turned and followed the sound of Henry's voice.

"Come, child!" Henry said ushering Belle down the hall. "The Queen is looking for you and she is not one to keep waiting."

Belle felt a quiver of fear at the look of anxiety on his face. They entered the Queens chamber to find the Queen looking out the balcony.

"Leave us, Father." The Queen said without looking at them.

Henry gave Belle's arm a gentle squeeze and a pat as if to say good luck, then turned and left the room.

Belle blinked and suddenly the Queen was right in front of her. She flinched as the Queen's hand snaked out, wrapping around her throat. She slowly squeezed Belle's throat. The Queen brought her face within inches of Belle's, so close that Belle could smell the faint smell of apples on the Queens breath. Then she could smell nothing as the Queen cut off her air supply. This is it, thought Belle. We have been found out.

"I expect you to be at my beck and call. My father shouldn't have to go running around the Palace looking for you. You ALWAYS stay within the sound on my voice. Is that clear?" Belle didn't answer at first. She was shocked that this was what this was about and they have not been found out.

"Is that CLEAR?" the Queen yelled, giving her a little shake.

Belle nodded as the room started spinning. Suddenly the Queen released her. Belle bent over coughing and sucking in tons of air. The Queen watched on dispassionately as Belle struggled to recover her breath.

Once Belle had recovered the Queen said "I am a Queen and I think its high time I had a lady in waiting. You are a princess, are you not?"

Belle nodded, her throat hurting to bad to speak.

"Then you know what the duties of a lady in waiting are?" Another nod from Belle. "Fine, then you are it. However, don't think this lets you off the hook. You are no more endeared to me now as you were before. And if I decide that you are telling the truth about Rumpelstiltskin, then I do expect you to tell me his secrets. That shouldn't be a problem if you hate him as you say." She looked at Belle, obviously waiting for her to say something. When she didn't, the Queen demanded "Why are you not talking?"

Belle looked at her and tried to speak but nothing came out. The Queen raised an eyebrow. "Oh yes, of course." She grabbed Belle by the shoulders and leaned into her. Belle flinched back, afraid of what the Queen was going to do now. "Hold still!" The Queen commanded. Belle closed her eyes, not moving a muscle certain the Queen was going to strike a death blow or something similar. Her eyes flew wide with surprise as she felt the Queens lips gently kissing her neck in the spot where only a few moments ago she had her in a death grip. Each place the Queens lips touched stopped hurting immediately, until Belle's neck and throat were no longer hurting. The Queen stepped back a smirk on her face.

Belle just stood there a moment looking at her wide eyed. "You can heal!" Belle finally said.

"And now you know one of my secrets." The Queen said.

##

Rumple sat in his cage, his mind still turning trying to figure out a way around the hen bane. He heard footsteps in the distance. A guard appeared holding a mirror.

"The Queen has requested that you watch the following." The guard said setting the mirror up where Rumple had a clear view of it.

"Oh goody!" he said clapping his hands together. "She is providing me entertainment! Lucky me!"

The guard looked uncomfortable but said nothing.

Suddenly the reflection in the mirror disappeared. Belle and the Queen came into view in the Queens chamber. Rumple watched confused and frightened as the Queen grabbed Belle by the shoulders. He watched as the Queen slowly lowered her mouth to his loves neck, softly placing kisses all over it. He watched in horror as Belle simply looked at her with wide eyes. Then the image faded...