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ENCHANTED FOREST:

Belle awoke, yet kept her eyes shut in fear that whatever was making her head feel absolutely marvelous would stop.

Then she remembered what happened.

The question was: where was she?

Belle forced her tired eyes to flutter open and they met ones of a peculiar yellow filled with worry.

She shot up in fright, causing Rumpelstiltskin's, hand with a cloth dabbing her forehead to retreat.

Belle's breathing was hard, and she stared expectantly at him. Normally, she would thank him, but just the last time she was conscious he threatened her with a ball of fire. He was at her bedside standing straight now, not seeming the least bit menacing.

"How are you feeling?" He finally muttered to her.

Belle paused and remembered her fall. "A lot better, actually." She then lead to the conclusion that he used magic on her, an idea she disliked strongly. "Did you-"

"No magic." He smiled slightly, knowing what she was going to ask. "I knew you wouldn't want any." His smile went away.

The beauty knew he meant well by this, but that didn't erase her memory. "Rumpelstiltskin, thank you, but if you think this changes things-"

"Hear me out, dearie." He cut her off again and sat next to where her feet were under the sheets, careful to not touch her. "You coming into that room was a mistake, and you shouldn't of, though I never told you you couldn't. Reacting that way was...rash, I suppose." Belle registered at how his voice was lower, absent of it's usual high-pitched banter, and so unbelievably human. "I guess... what I'm trying to say is..." He took an obvious gulp. "I'm...s-sorry."

Belle beamed at the words, and the fact that he explained what he thought he did wrong made it all the more sincere.

"But," Rumpelstiltskin sighed and immediately looked away from her face, staring at his feet. "I understand if you want to leave... You can, you know."

Belle softened at his shyness. He definitely scared her, but something told her to stay. "Well, we do have a deal don't we."

He let out a high pitched giggle. "That we do." He again turned serious and his eyes widened. "But... I don't want just that to keep you here."

Belle sat up, and with a moments hesitation, placed her hand on top of the Dark One's, whom, though sometimes didn't look it, wasn't dark at all. "Rumpelstiltskin, you are a good man, I see it inside of you," At these words he looked down at her small fingers resting on top of his and shook his head. "I just still don't understand why you threatened me."

His yellow eyes pierced into hers, "I'm- Belle, I would never..." He gulped.

"I know, I've known you won't hurt me." She nodded, "But that moment seemed so...unreal, as if you weren't yourself."

He gritted his teeth. "The darkness is strong Belle, and I must protect what is mine."

"The rose?" Belle raised her voice a bit. "My rose?"

The room went silent.

"What..." The beauty started softly, "What did you mean by 'I brought you a flower?'"

Rumpelstiltskin looked out the window to the snowy alps. "Do you remember the story of The Rose, as a child, Belle?"

Belle paused. "I cannot say I remember."

"Well, let me refresh your memory." He flipped his hand over, and to his immediate surprise, the young woman simply slipped her hand in his.

"There once was a creature of great size whom ruled all of the realm. He was feared by everyone of his people, a cross between the most ferocious creatures that have ever walked the earth, and had a great silver dagger at his belt. Whenever he was in the security of his castle walls, he removed the disguise of this beast with a simple spell, and the powerful and handsome wizard whom was behind the trickery would reveal himself, and laugh at the suffering of the villagers." Rumpelstiltskin shook his head. "In the night when he was not in his beastly form, he would escape to taverns to be with the rest of the common folk, to hear talk of their master and also to meet new women, as he was frequent to the sport." Rumpelstiltskin let out a high pitched giggle, and Belle couldn't help but grin at his telling of the story.

"But he always did something with each woman he met." He paused. "He gave each one a rose, as to tell them that they were 'special.'" The Dark One put air quotes around the last word. "And one night he met a particularly pretty bar wench whom he quickly fell in love with after giving her a rose. Though she was curious about where he was in the day, the woman gladly excepted the wizard's proposal of marriage. The night before his wedding the wizard went to yet another tavern, and out of frequent habit, saw yet another woman, one even more beautiful than his soon to be bride, and charmed her with yet another rose. The two talked all night, and as he said goodbye, the mysterious beauty was told that the man she had been talking to was to be married in the morning. Too bad the clueless wizard didn't know who he was dealing with," Rumpelstiltskin lightly commented.

"I cannot not believe he would do such a thing before his wedding day!" Belle commented.

"Ah," The Dark One agreed, "A monumental mistake." He then continued:

"The wedding was beautiful, with a great canopy and many, many guests. But before the couple could finish their vows, the woman the wizard had been talking to the night before came gliding down the aisle in a flurry, and with one point of her finger tip, the wizard turned into the hideous creature he disguised himself as to his village. The enchantress pointed out that these were the true colors of the man before them today.

"His bride was horrified, and the wizard tried to turn back to his old features, but the enchantress told him not to bother with his appearance, for the beast he was on the inside should always remained seen for eternity on the outside.

His fiancée could not forgive him, shouting as she ran back down the aisle: 'Who could ever love a beast?'" Rumpelstiltskin gripped Belle's hand harder.

"As punishment for his ways, he must stay a beast until the next whom owns the dagger on his belt carries the curse..." He paused. "Or, until the curse is broken."

"How would it be broken?" Belle asked, completely entranced.

"The enchantress planted a magic rose in the garden of the beast, and whomever comes in the castle possessing it..." He acted as if she was about to receive the worst news of her life, "was the destined true love of the monster."

Belle gulped, but stayed silent. "And," Rumpelstiltskin continued very, very quietly, "When they both shared true love's kiss, the curse would be broken, but..."

He stared into Belle's eyes.

"His true love must die."

And Belle couldn't do anything but stare back.