A/N: Sorry, sorry, sorry! My biggest apologies! School and life in general has been getting in the way but here we go! =] Thank you for letting me know it had been a while, feel free to do so once again, but I shall try to be better with my updates! :) Let me know if you have any suggestions or anything =] thanks for reading!

Ariel rolled her eyes as she towel-dried her hair walking in the lounge. Belle was reading. What a surprise. She was so intense when she was reading, her brow creased a little and her eyes quickly scanning the words as her teeth dug into her bottom lip.

Ariel begin humming as she cleared the table of their movie snacks from the night before. Belle continued reading. Ariel hummed a little louder. Belle continued reading. Ariel went and sat on the arm of Belle's chair and hummed even louder.

Belle blinked and looked up at her girlfriend. She smiled as she closed her book. She lent up and kissed Ariel on the lips.

"I know that song," she murmured.

Ariel giggled, "It's the only way I can get you out of your books! It's one thing that funny movie got right…" she sung quietly, "mm mm kiss the girl."

Belle laughed and kissed her again before pulling her off the arm of the chair and into her lap.

Ariel yelped, "You! Crazy woman," she looked up into Belle's bright eyes and the dimples in her cheeks as she smiled.

"I like it when your hair is dripping wet like this," Belle commented, "It's so hot."

Ariel laughed softly, "Yeah, yeah, I know."

"Do you um… feel comfortable here?" Belle's tone became more serious.

Ariel nodded, "Of course I do. I'm always comfortable with you."

Belle bit her lip, her hands still balancing on Ariel's waist, "Well, maybe… I mean, if you like… you could think about moving in here."

Ariel's eyes widened, "Oh!"

"It's okay," Belle rushed, "It was just an idea. I don't want to rush anything. I just…love being around you and I really want to…commit to you. But I want you to take your time, to be ready, to feel a hundred per cent comfortable and – "

Ariel cut in, "Are you going to shut up and let me get a word in?"

Belle blushed as she went silent, "Sorry," she said meekly.

Ariel smiled, "Um, it is a big step to move in together."

Belle nodded, "Yeah, it is. You're right."

"Um," Ariel frowned, "I don't… I'm just not sure."

Belle nodded again, "That's fine. Really, just think about it."

"I just think maybe… you would get sick of me if I was here all the time," Ariel shrugged.

Belle frowned, "That's what you're worried about?"

"Well, yes," Ariel nodded, "I mean, you like to read and maybe I will be annoying you singing silly songs and…"

Belle smiled, "Baby, you could never annoy me with that song or at all," she thought for a moment, "Um, I think it takes some adjusting maybe, but I think that will be if you move in with your partner or anybody. I can read while you're at Granny's or you watch the movies. We will figure it out."

Ariel bit back a smile, "I will learn to cook better!"

Belle laughed, "Silly girl, I love you. I don't care if you can't cook, I'm not that great at it either! We can figure all that out."

Ariel nodded, "So…do I get to sleep in your bed every night?"

Belle smiled widely, "Definitely!"

Ariel licked her lips, "Then I'm in!"


Ruby yawned as she opened up the diner. Why did Granny insist on her waking up so early to open up? She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes as the bell chimed.

"Emma, hey, you're around early."

Emma looked just as tired, "Yeah, well, the walls are uh thin at mom and dad's and I guess breakfast in bed has gone out of fashion cause what they were doing – "

Ruby put up a hand, "Whoa, okay, I get it. Ew."

"Yeah, very ew," Emma agreed as she took a seat at the counter.

"You wanna coffee?"

Emma raised her eyebrows, "It's six thirty am and I just heard my folks going at it. Now I need to try and drive horrible images out of my mind by heading over to the sheriff's station to deal with shoplifting kids and lost kittens."

Ruby laughed, "So…no?"

Emma glared, "Don't even joke."

Ruby grinned as she fired up the coffee machine, "Alright, I got you," she turned back to the machine, "So, uh, what are you uh up to…after work? You know, being Friday and all…"

Emma shrugged, "Not sure… Coming up with new ways to avoid my parents sex life? I mean, is it weird if I have to give them the sex talk?"

Ruby chuckled, "Probably. But hey, if you really do wanna avoid them, or whatever," she cleared her throat, "You wanna grab dinner? I mean, like somewhere other than here? And then, I don't know, maybe we could like catch a movie?" her words came out in a rush.

Emma's eyebrows shot up, "Um," she grinned, "Sure, that'd be great!"


Ariel curled her legs with Belle's, dragging a foot gently up her girlfriends legs.

"Mm," Belle hummed into her pillow.

Ariel giggled at the small smile on her girlfriends face, "Wakey wakey."

Belle growled and without opening her eyes wrapped her arms around Ariel's waist, "Shush, you," she nuzzled into Ariel's neck.

Ariel rolled her eyes, "You're so cute, you know."

"Yeah, yeah," Belle mumbled.

"Well, I have responsibilities," Ariel said proudly, pulling away, "I have to get up and get ready. I'm helping Ruby at the diner again today."

Belle finally opened her eyes and pouted, "Oh man, I don't like this working girl thing anymore."

Ariel laughed, "Yes, you do," she kissed her quickly, "Plus, it's Friday, we have all weekend!"

Belle nodded, resigned, "Okay, fine. But only because I love you."

Ariel smiled, "I love you too."

"You know what else might help?" Belle said thoughtfully.

Ariel looked suspicious, "What?"

Belle sat up and followed her girlfriend out of bed, balancing her hands on Ariel's waist and her head on her shoulder, "You could… you know, get a uniform, couldn't you?"

Ariel laughed, turning around to face her girlfriend, "Really?"

Belle bit her lip, "Sure, it's a good uniform. I bet you'd look super hot."

Ariel rolled her eyes, putting her lips to Belle's ear, "I'll see what I can do," she winked as she pulled away and bounced out of the room.


"Hey, guess what?"

Belle looked up as her friend slid into the seat opposite her, "What? Hey, should you leave her to serve alone?" she watched her girlfriend carefully.

Ruby waved a hand, "She's great, Belle, she'll be fine. I swear Granny's going to replace me," she joked.

Belle laughed, "I hope not, I miss her!"

Ruby smiled, "Cute. Hey, guess what?"

"Oh! Sorry, what!?" Belle asked.

"I think...I think I kinda asked Emma out," Ruby chewed her tongue nervously.

Belle squealed, "Really!? That's so cool! When? Where? Hang on," she frowned, "What do you mean you think?"

Ruby shrugged, "I don't know… She came in early this morning and I asked you know, what she was up to, cause it's Friday and all… and then I asked her if she wanted to do dinner…somewhere other than Granny's and then go see a movie. Is that…a date?"

Belle grinned, "Dinner, movie, sounds like a date?"

Ruby nodded, "Maybe. But what if she thinks its just a friends thing?"

Belle bit her lip, "Ruby, she likes you. I've seen it. Just do something to make your…intentions obvious from the get-go. That way you're not wondering the whole time and you can actually enjoy yourself!"

Ruby looked thoughtful, "Like I could bring her flowers or something? You don't really do that for friends, right? Or I could pay for dinner!? Or hey, my cars working this week, I could – "

Belle chuckled before interrupting, "Ruby, flowers sound beautiful. Or you could, you know, just be direct and ask?"

Ruby sighed, "Yeah, right, maybe."

"Just do whatever feels right," Belle squeezed Ruby's hand, "And I want to hear all about it!"

Ruby grinned, "Thanks, Belle," she made to move then her grin turned into a smirk, "So, uh, Ariel doesn't want the uniform just so she feels like she fits in, does she?"

Belle's cheeks flushed as she smiled cheekily, "Well… it is a nice uniform, you know."

Ruby laughed, "I knew it," she winked as she bounded up, "Hey, I'll let her off after the lunch crowd settles if you wanna hang around?"

Belle grinned, "Really? Great! Not like the library will miss me, I'll just read until she's ready!"


Ariel pushed the cover of Belle's book up to see what she was reading. Belle swatted at her hand.

"Don't you know you should never touch a girl's book when she's reading!?" Belle scolded.

Ariel just smiled, "Yeah, yeah. Hey, I got you a surprise!"

Belle put her book down and allowed Ariel to drag her out of the diner, "Great! But why'd you have to tell Ruby about it, you know she see's through everything!"

Ariel frowned for a moment before laughing, "Oh! I got that too!" she giggled, "But that's not what I meant."

"Oh," Belle bit her lip, embarrassed, "Then what?"

Ariel squeezed her hand, "It's the first step in my plan!" she pulled Belle into a department store, "Look!" she finally stopped in front of a section.

Belle looked to the shelf, "Oh, you want to get a coffee machine!? These are way better than the crappy one I have…"

Ariel nodded, "Well, um, actually I already got one! I mean, Ruby's been paying me really well so I put it on layby! I'll finish paying it off next week!"

Belle blinked in shock, "You didn't need to do that! Let me pay you back, babe – "

Ariel put a finger to Belle's lip, "No, don't even worry about it."

"But – "

"We're in this together, Belle," Ariel said gently, "What's mine is yours," she shrugged, "The library is my responsibility too. And I want to invest in it, in you."

Belle's face broke out into a wide smile as she wrapped her arms around her girlfriend, "You're beautiful, sweetheart. I really, really appreciate it. I like that idea though," she said quietly, "Because you are a part of me. And what's mine is yours too."