14
Sweet Interludes and Convalescent Battles
Used to empty promises from many other men, Marie expected Archie to be no different once they were alone now and just try to take what he wanted from her. She'd forgotten this was the same man who comforted her so many times after her tense encounters with Gaston...and anyone else for that matter.
She wanted the deep passionate love her sister had...if it was even possible.
He played soothing romantic music from Josh Groban and Journey on the way to the cabin, and shared the fact that he had been as nervous as a long tailed cat in a roomful of rocking chairs, to use an old phrase from this world, coming to pick her up. He admitted that he hadn't been out on many dates with women . . .probably because after spilling their guts to him on his couch they didn't want to get any closer.
"And it has to do with professional ethics right?'
"Yes. Though it's not forbidden for me to date a patient. Just disclose anything about them." He cleared his throat. "I don't want you to feel . . . uncomfortable with me, Marie. You know I would never hurt you, right? In any way. My parents were thieves and con artists, but I'm not like them. Like Mr. Gold, I know how to treat ladies."
"I'm trying...I really am but you've seen the men I attract by what I do for a living..."
"Why did you come to the club the night we met?"
She'd always been curious about that but never dared to ask before.
He was with the dwarves but looked uncomfortable which was why she offered to handle him instead of Blue.
"Ahh . . . Leroy and the others talked me into it. Said I needed to . . . get out more . . .do some guy stuff . . . and I thought they meant have a drink at the Rabbit Hole. I didn't even know where they were going until we got there, since I wasn't driving. And by then I was . . .well . . .I didn't want to act like a stiff . . ." he chuckled ruefully. "Guess you noticed though, huh?"
"Which was why I took you to the private room...you needed to talk."
Hearing Zelena servicing one of her regulars on the other side of the wall hadn't helped matters.
Marie knew a lot of the girls did that because Fox encouraged it. She NEVER did.
She drew the line at sex with customers.
"I did . . . because that's what you did with a woman when you barely knew her where I came from . . .and I found out you were a nice girl . . .and I wondered why you were working for Mr. Fox."
"After my accident there was little else I could do. I didn't have my memories of the skills I had as Belle's lady in waiting. Plus the hours allowed me to be home with Gisella more."
Archie shook his head sadly. "The things this curse made us do . . . some of us will be long time recovering from it. Have you considered . . . leaving your job and doing something new?"
"Now that my leg is healed, yes but people still see me as a whore for working there..."
"I don't. If . . . if you like, you could come work for me . . . as my office manager," he offered. "I always need someone to help handle my schedule and the paperwork could fill a room. Unless that'd be too boring . . .or something."
"As long as it doesn't keep me away from Gisella too much I could."
"But you don't have to take pity on me..."
He laughed. "Me, pity you? Oh no . . .you're going to pity me when you see the disgrace my office is in. When Regina engineered the curse, she didn't think about what it would be like when we all woke up . . . and I have more clients now than I can shake a stick at. When Rumple came over to . . . err . . .offer me some tips on suits . . . he almost passed out!"
"They were a bit...odd."
"My clothes? Blame Regina for that."
"If it's any consolation my wardrobe is no better."
"Perhaps . . . we both need to turn over a new leaf, and start doing and behaving like we used to . . . before we were cursed."
"Well..ahhh...I still had a bit of a mouth on me and was...headstrong."
"And I let my parents lead me around by the nose half the time," he admitted. "But my point is . . . we can be anything we want to be . ..if we try. I actually have a better life here than I would back in our old realm as a cricket."
"If I could get Gaston to own up to Gisella I'd move us into a house...and get her a dog...like Pongo."
And someone to wake up next to in the morning and go to sleep with at night.
"That might be tough . . . considering what he's like," Archie made a face. "And we can work out your schedule so you can be home with your daughter as much as possible. Have you considered the option of a nanny? I know a wonderful woman named Mary . . ."
"Sella...she can be a bit difficult with strangers..."
But the night she called him after a terrifying argument with Gaston the child took to him right away...Pongo may have helped a bit.
"Hmm . . . what about your family? You know . . .odd as it is for people to believe . . .Rumple is extremely good with children . . ."
"He loves spending time with her but since he and Belle are having a baby, I don't want to be a bother."
"I doubt if he would see it that way. Even cursed, he wanted to be with his family. You should ask him. He might be staying home more now that Belle is expecting."
"She's still a hand full..like her aunt and me. Papa was always searching for us."
"You liked to wander, did you?" he smiled at her.
"A lot."
His eyes twinkled as he put the car in park and got out. "Well, perhaps you'll be content to stay here for awhile." He stared at the cabin. "I'll say this much for Rumple-he doesn't do things by halves! This place is . . . not like I expected."
She smiled. "It's their 'little paradise' as Belle calls it. She likes coming up here so they have more privacy when they want to be ahhh...alone."
"I can see why." He dug the key out of his pocket, and held out an arm to her. "Shall we?"
"Of course."
He strolled with her up to the front door. The evening sky was aglow with stars and the moon shone down like an unlooked for blessing upon them. He paused with the key halfway turned in the lock and murmured, "You doth teach the torches to burn bright, Marie."
"Me?"
"You." His hand came up and caressed her cheek.
She was stunned by such an intimate gesture. Even when he came to see her to comfort her after she had fights with Gaston...or anyone else, he never touched her and it hadn't bothered her...until a week ago.
After spending so much time with him, getting to know him, she allowed herself to fantasize he could be the man for her that Rumple was for Belle but there were as many obstacles to their relationship as there had been to her sister's with Rumple. She was the one who had the tainted reputation in this one.
And it was because of Gaston and his lies, making her sound like Zelena...willing to be on her back or her knees for any man who noticed her, never mind that he'd taken her against her will and threatened to kill her and Gisella if she told the truth. To protect her child, she like Hester Prynne in the Scarlet Letter wore a badge of shame.
Her hopes were fueled even more when he asked her to go with him while he chaperoned the dance, hopes dashed when it was made quite clear that a woman with her reputation didn't need to be around the children. She insisted Archie go to the dance anyway but he refused.
He refused...out of respect for HER. Her. And her dear sister and brother-in-law now gave them a chance at an evening alone that would be better than having to ride herd on rowdy teenagers. She didn't envy Belle and Rumple a bit with that.
He dropped his hand and turned and fumbled with the lock, wondering if he'd been too forward. I don't want her to get the wrong impression of me . . . I'm not like those other guys . . . who just want to sleep with her, he thought as he turned the knob. But I DO want to kiss her . . . very badly! Oh, gods, Hopper . . .practice some restraint!
"Well, this is . . . lovely," he exclaimed upon seeing the interior of the cabin. "I confess . . . i was prepared to see . .. uh . . . deer heads and antlers on the wall and fishing poles."
"Deer heads and antlers? Rumple?"
"You're right. Must have got Gaston on my brain," he laughed. "Blech!" He shook his head. "Rumple has better taste than that."
"Yes he does...and Gaston does have almost everything on his wall...and other places," she said bitterly.
He rubbed a hand soothingly on her shoulder, greatly daring. "Let's . . . forget about him. Let him molder away in his corner . . .like the piece of junk he is. Tonight . . . is for us." His brown eyes were decidedly hopeful and endearing . . . and brightened with a hint of passion.
Now she understood what her sister meant when she said when you found the right man, even the simplest touch his hand on your skin would make you burn.
And oh how she was...
Archie shrugged out of his suit jacket . . . it was suddenly hot in there and he wondered if Rumple had the heat on. He placed it over a chair in the kitchen and said, "Umm . . . so, would you like a glass of wine? Rumple bought something called . . err . . .Moscato D'oro. He said it's very refreshing. And, uh . . . look . . . a cheese and fruit plate . . ." He pulled the wine and the food out of the fridge, thinking he was babbling like an idiot, the way he always did when he was nervous. He was amazed his palms weren't sweating . . .he felt like he was roasting everytime he glanced at her. He resolutely told his runaway libido to knock it off.
Slow down, Marie. He's not Gaston, looking for a quick roll in the hay. You want him to LOVE you not just want to sleep with you!
"Wine...sounds good..."
Archie poured two glasses of the golden colored wine made from the sweet Moscato grapes imported from Italy. He handed a glass to her and they sat in the kitchen and sipped it and ate the different cheeses and grapes, melon, and strawberries on the platter.
"At least I don't have to worry about this fruit being spiked with vodka," Marie mused as she munched on a strawberry.
Archie didn't know if he ought to pinch himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming. Here he was, with a gorgeous woman in a knockout dress, eating fruit and cheese and drinking wine, alone in a kitchen that could have come out of House Beautiful.
"I keep forgetting you're not just here to...counsel me..."
"No . . .I would never do that,' he assured her. "Men who do such things are desperate . . .and indecent." He popped a grape into his mouth. "And we can talk about whatever you want . . .free of charge."
He sipped his wine. "Rumple was right . . . this is wonderful. The man does have good taste."
Then it came out. "If they pressed the issue...would you have gone to the dance without me?"
She needed to know that he wouldn't have backed down.
That she was worth it.
"No. Because . . .I won't be a party to anyone thinking you're not good enough to be around," he said emphatically. "I know the truth . . .and people need to open their eyes and see it too. ALL of us, every one, have things they've done or been, that they're ashamed of, that they try to hide-the one with the most being Regina herself-and yet in the dark of night, they cannot hide from themselves . . . and it scares them. So they point fingers at others, to cover up, and that's what they were doing with you! My gods, they employ a teacher who's a stripper! Do they think I'm stupid? I know what goes on in this town. And I know who's a good person . . . and who's not. And you are a good person, Marie."
"Y..You think so?" she was close to tears.
He closed a hand over hers. "I don't think so . . . I KNOW. Like your sister, you're a fighter, you got dealt a crummy hand, my dear, but instead of weeping and moaning over it, you played the hand you were dealt . . .and that's what counts. I don't see . . . a fallen woman when I look at you . . . I see a brave woman who was hurt and abused . . .and who did what she had to in order to survive . . .and if I had that . . . bastard Gaston here right now I'd . . . I'd punch him out!"
That was exactly what she was afraid he saw her as...a fallen woman as most people did. And that he would put himself at risk for being beaten within an inch of his life...over her...
"He's not worth a broken hand."
"Or a trip to the hospital, which is where I'd be most likely," he chuckled. "I'm not exactly the fighting man type . . .though I do like to watch John Wayne and Errol Flynn."
She smiled. "So do I...my favorite is McClintock...his wife reminds me of myself..."
"Yes. . .you're a fiery thing . . . though I promise I won't try and tame you . . .or spank you either . . ."
"Maybe I want you to tame me..." she murmured thern clapped her hand over her mouth.
"But I always laughed at the part with the mud fight . . .and . . .you do?" his eyes widened.
"I...yes..." she admitted.
She was jumping from the frying pan into the fire, but she no longer cared. She was tired of being unsure of herself and wanted to take a chance.
She remembered something Belle used to quote often before she was reunited with her true love. It was better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all.
Archie saw the moment when she looked at him as not just a therapist, someone safe to talk to, but as a man she desired. And before he lost his nerve he lowered his head and kissed her.
Unlike the other men who kissed her, making her skin crawl, Archie's kisses left her tingling from the roots of her hair to the tips of her toes.
Her arms reached for him and pulled him closer, not wanting to let go.
It was still too soon but she didn't care. She wanted to spend the rest of her life with this man, wanted him to be the father her daughter deserved and even if the gods willed it...they would have another child.
True love always finds a way, Marie, Belle said to her that evening when her daughter and Andi were busy talking to each other.
You could get burned Marie. Do you really want that?
I won't...not this time.
She could almost hear the other women at the Foxtrot laughing at her, especially that bitch Zelena. She knew Marie spent a lot of time with Archie and made it a point to taunt her.
"You're really desperate if you're getting hot and bothered over a shrink. He'd probably psychoanalyze you during sex."
Oh how she wanted to go on a witch hunt...but for the moment...being in Archie's arms was enough for her.
"W...Where have you been all my life?' she murmured when he lifted his lips from hers...a bit reluctantly she noticed.
"Nowhere I wanted to be," he said sadly.
"You know where I've been..."
"And it doesn't matter to me. How many times do I have to say it for you to believe it?" he inquired gently.
"Maybe a few more..."
"I'd rather show you..." he whispered and kissed her again.
"Maybe we should...go in the living room...?" she suggested.
He smiled and helped her to her feet.
No sooner were they seated on the sofa that they were in each other's arms again, kissing like their lives depended on it.
They might have gone further, but the sound of many sirens echoed through the tranquil night, splitting the air with their screeching warning.
"Gisella!" Marie cried worriedly.
Every time she heard a siren go off when she was away from her daughter she worried something happened to her.
She reached for her purse only to find she didn't have it!
"Archie...my purse...I have to find it and call Gisella...do you remember where...?"
"Uh . . . did you leave it in the car?"
"I don't know...I'll go look."
She jumped off the sofa and ran out to the car, dismayed when it was nowhere in sight.
The therapist frowned. So many sirens at once . . . in a town like sleepy Storybrooke . . . it boded something bad had happened. Very bad.
"Please tell me you have your phone!" she pleaded.
"I . . . yes . . .it's in my jacket pocket." he went and grabbed it and handed it to her. "Damn! It's dying . . .sorry I must have forgotten to charge it. You can probably make one call."
"Thank you." She punched in her father's number. "Papa, its Marie? Is Gisella all right?'
"We're fine, honey."
"We hear the sirens going off...what's going on?"
"Fire...at school..." Maurice's voice broke up.
"What?!" Marie screamed.
"Fire at the school Can't get hold of Belle!" The phone went dead.
"Oh my God!"
Marie sank back down onto the sofa in tears.
"Darling, what's happened? Is it Gisella?" asked Archie, concerned.
"No...it's Belle...Rumple and the kids...there's a fire at the school!" she sobbed.
Archie was horrified. "Okay . . . look, we'll go back to Gold's house and get your phone, you can call them, and if you can't get Belle on her cell or Rumple on his . . . we'll go over there and see what's going on." He grabbed his keys.
"All...just hurry!" she begged.
They locked up the house after cleaning up in the kitchen, and then drove hell for leather back to Gold's Victorian. Luckily, the extra key ring which had the key to the cabin on it also had an extra key to the Victorian as well.
Marie was terrified. She couldn't lose her family...not now.
Major leaped up as the key turned in the lock, barking sharply, before he recognized Marie and Archie. The shepherd stopped growling and wagged his tail as they entered.
Marie spotted her purse on the coffee table and picked it up. To her horror her phone was dead too.
"Dammit!" she cursed.
"Use their cordless," Archie suggested.
She grabbed the cordless phone and called Belle's cellphone. After several rings she answered.
"Hello?"
"Belle, thank GOD...are you all right?'
"Yes...and so are Andi and Bae but Rumple is drained."
"Are you still at the school?"
"Yes...Marie can you come pick us up...?
"We can I don't want you driving and everyone won't fit in that antique car of his if Rumple is asleep stretched out in the backseat."
"Thank God he didn't hear you call it that..."
"He can yell at me later."
"You tell her not to worry, the cavalry's a'coming!" Archie said stoutly. "Let's go. You can drive my car and I'll drive Mr. Gold's Cadillac." Truth was he'd been itching to get behind the wheel of that vintage classic for a long time now . . . he loved old cars.
Marie covered the mouthpiece with her hand. "Rumple is drained...passed out..."
"Don't worry, I can help Bae get him upstairs . . .thank God he's not a big man . . . or a heavy one . . ." Archie said.
"We'll have to pick up his hellpasser in the morning."
"No, I can drive it and him back here," Archie assured her. "You can handle my old Chevy."
"Okay. Sit tight belle, we're on our way!"
Belle was sitting beside her exhausted husband, carding her fingers through his hair. "They're on their way, darling."
Poor Rumple was barely conscious, nodding in and out, his head in her lap.
One of the medics a former fairy named Tinkerbell sat down beside Belle. "TLC...that's what he needs the most of to recover."
Belle thought about calling Dr Jo to see if there were some other concerns she should be aware of.
Andi had called Mark on her phone to tell him what had happened, and he had come over and was talking with Bae and some firemen, who told him that arson was the probable culprit. The former duke muttered a swear word and said, "If that turns out to be the case, I'm suing the ass off of whoever did this. My sister and all those kids could have died!"
"You might want to get in line!' yelled the outraged father of Missy and her brother.
"And they almost cost me my husband and my son!" yelled belle.
"Yeah behind us!" cried Bobby's angry father, Joe MacTavish. "I'll be speaking to Mr. Gold in the morning if he's up to it, should it turn out to be arson."
"Aye and I say we string em up by their ballocks," added Lachlan MacLeod, Ewan's father.
"I have a shotgun," said Marilyn Halloway, Becky's mother.
"My baby was almost trampled!" cried a kindergartner's mother.
"And I've got a forty-five," answered Vinnie, Kat's father. "Let's teach the bastard a lesson about roasting children he'll never forget!"
"Rest assured, justice will be done," vowed Regina.
"Ummm...Mama...Papa's gonna be a really busy man! " Bae said.
Belle nodded. He would be . . . assuming he could deal with all the cases after this trauma.
"If need be, I will make sure he has an assistant," Regina told her.
She couldn't trust Spencer to do the job...the Allen rape case was proof he was a bastard of the highest order.
"Madam mayor, has the fire's cause been determined yet?" asked a reporter from Good Morning Storybrooke news crew.
"I've been told there is evidence to support arson was the cause and those responsible will be punished to the fullest extent of the law."
"We will be reviewing the recovered security recordings from the school's camera system," added Emma.
"Good, when the results are in . . . please let us know." The reporter nodded, looking delighted at the juicy scoop that would be going on. He turned to Belle and said, "Would your husband and son be available for a few interviews? We'd like to do a focus segment on them . . .they're heroes for their actions tonight."
Belle shook her head. "My husband is in need of his rest and so will my son be."
"Mama, I'm okay . . ." Bae protested.
"You climbed out a building!" she cried.
"I'm a little sore, but otherwise I'm fine," he answered, hiding his hands in his pockets. They were scraped from holding on tightly to the cord while he climbed down with a little boy hanging around his neck.
But it could have been worse, he thought. And he hardly felt the stinging in his hands through the worry he was feeling for his father.
"I'm sorry but my family will not be doing interviews tonight...Surely you understand..."
"Yes, of course. Some other time then," agreed the reporter, then he went to corral Mark and Andi, who were talking to the sheriff.
Tinkerbell gave Belle a blanket to wrap around her husband while she put in a call to Dr Jo.
The doctor answered on the second ring. "Hello, Belle? What's the matter? Are you having some contractions or something?"
"No...there was a fire at the school tonight..."
"Rumple was helping get everyone out and he...he drained himself."
"Ah . . . gods," sighed the doctor. "Okay . . . I need you to tell me what he looks like . . . is his skin pale and wan . . .is he breathing all right?"
"He is a little pale...but he seems to be breathing fine."
"Is he going to be okay?"
"Okay . . . then he hasn't drained himself to the point of catatonia," she mused. "All right, here's what you need to do. He'll probably sleep for a good twelve hours .. . and when he wakes up he'll be starving and dehydrated . . .give him whatever he wants to eat and drink . . . his body's burned up a lot of calories and he needs to replace the nutrients he's lost. So, give him plenty of liquids, water, iced tea, Gatorade . . .lots of protein, vegetables, and carbs."
"All right...catatonia! Oh God!"
"You don't have to worry about that, Belle. That only happens in worst case scenarios-usually to a young mage who's cast a spell beyond their ability and strength . . . then he'd need "transfusion" of magical energy from another mage . . . but Rumple's a strong master mage . . . he's only drained because of his bond."
"You mean binding himself to me prevented catatonia?"
"Yes . . .and the fact that he's a very powerful magician to start with. I want him on complete bed rest for three or four days . . .he can only get up to use the bathroom and to sit up for about half an hour in a chair every few hours. He'll be weak and maybe have a headache too . . .he can take pills for it if needed. But rest is essential. Then again, he knows that. Every master does."
"He won't like being bedridden."
"That'll be a first . . . a man who doesn't like being pampered," she chuckled. "If he gives you a problem . . . you tell him doctor's orders!"
She found it ironic that SHE would have to be the one to keep HIM in bed this time. After she was poisoned by Zelena back in their land he had to fight to keep her in bed.
She could already hear him raging in that adorable accent of his.
"Is there anything else you'd like to ask me, hon? How are you holding up?"
"I'm all right...I was just terrified...I could've lost them both..."
"Is Bae all right?" Jo asked.
"He climbed out a second story window!'
"Oh good Lord! Crazy kid! Sounds like one of mine. Only he rappelled off my roof!"
"On a bungee cord with a child on his back!"
"Angels and ministers of grace defend us! And they're both okay?"
"Yes...he did a lot of that...back in his... gang days but it still terrified the daylights out of his papa and me!"
"I can imagine. I would have gone out of my mind. I almost throttled my son when I found out what he'd done . . . on a dare no less from his older brother and friends. Well, they say God looks out for little kids, fools, and orphans. I think you need to rest too. Go home, take a hot shower, and drink some chamomile tea and go to bed next to your husband. There's nothing quite like being next to your bonded to reduce stress."
"I won't argue with that," she murmured.
"If anything else comes up, just give me a call. I'm in the hospital tonight . . .got a patient in labor."
"All right...thank you doctor."
"Any time, sweetie! Bye!"
"Belle!" Marie ran toward her, Archie behind her.
"We've come to take you home," Archie said, looking down at Gold in concern. "Where's his car keys?"
Belle reached into his jacket pocket and retrieved them.
"Rumple...sweetheart...we're going home..."
" . . . Belle . . .where's Bae . . .?" he said groggily.
"He's right here.."
The sorcerer blinked his unnaturally heavy eyelids. "Bae . . .help me up?" he requested softly. "Tired . . ." That was an understatement, he thought. He felt weary to his bones and like his limbs were coated with cement.
It was an effort to remain awake, sleep was calling him with its irresistible siren call, beckoning him back into darkness.
"Darling...get some sleep..."
"Dearie . . . how canna I sleep . . . I need to get up an' walk to the car . . ." he muttered. "Bae . . ."
"We've got you," Archie said. "Come on, Bae...help me out."
Bae came and wrapped his father's arm around his shoulder and his own about Rumple's waist. "C'mon, Papa. I've got you." He half pulled his parent to his feet, thanking the gods he was stronger than he looked, and his father wasn't all that big.
"You okay with him, Bae?"
"I'm good," he assured the therapist.
Archie got Gold's other side, allowing the sorcerer to lean on him as the three made their way to the car. "Okay, Rumple, you can sleep now," he said, helping the pawnbroker into the backseat.
Belle got in beside him, placing his head in her lap.
"Okay, you two, I'm gonna drive." Archie said. "Bae, you want to ride shotgun or go with Marie?"
Bae volunteered to go back with his aunt, after he bid Andi goodbye, saying he'd call her tomorrow. "Whenever I get up," he said, and then he kissed her gently, saying, "Tell your brother not to come after me with a shotgun for that."
She chuckled. "Mark doesn't own a gun. And he ought to be glad I'm with you after tonight. Either way, it's not his choice, it's mine. You're my Fire," she added.
"Always. And I had the time of my life . . . until the end," he assured her. "Gotta to go."
She couldn't wait for tomorrow.
"I'll call you, okay?" She hugged him, then pulled away reluctantly and went to where her brother waited in his car.
Bae watched and then went to where Marie waited by Archie's Chevy. Sighing, he opened the passenger door and got in, thinking it had been a memorable night-in more ways than one.
Maurice brought Gisella back to Rumple's house to wait for them. Major was in the front yard, guarding the house.
"Grampy, where they at? The school burned up an' I wanna know they're okay!"
"They're on their way home," Maurice said. "Your mom just called and said so."
A few moments later, both cars arrived at the Victorian.
Gisella ran to greet them with Major at her heels.
"Hey, imp!" Bae greeted his cousin when he got out of Archie's car.
"You okay, Bae! We saw on the news you crawled outta window like Spiderman!"
"Uh yeah . . . I had to . . .and I'm okay . . .just my hands are little scraped." He showed her the minor rope burns on both hands.
Major licked his hands, whining.
"Ewwww!"
"No big deal," he laughed. "I'll heal. Papa's worse off than I am."
"What's wrong with Uncle Rumple?" she asked worriedly.
"He's just exhausted, Gisella. He used too much magic trying to get everybody outta the building, like the whole kindergarten class. But he'll be okay after a few days with rest."
He wondered how they were going to get his father up the stairs and into bed.
"Bae...does your father have anything magical that we can use to get him upstairs because I don't think Belle will want him to sleep on the couch?" Archie was asking.
Bae thought for a moment. Then he recalled the winged cloak. It had been an experiment of Rumple's back in the Dark Castle, an attempt to fly without growing wings or transforming, back before he'd met Belle. He recalled his father showing it to him soon after the Dark Curse had broken. It could help a person fly short distances.
"Um . . . yeah, he's got his winged cloak. I'll get it." He dashed inside to his father's study, and found the soft black velvet cloak in the closet. He picked it up and brought it back downstairs.
"His...what?"
By then Archie and Moe had gotten Rumple sitting up, lolling actually supported by Belle, and Bae put the cloak on him. "It's a winged cloak. You can fly short distances with it. If you command it right." As soon as the cloak was around Rumple, it transformed into a pair of big wings, like a raven's, and Bae said, "Fly to Rumplestiltskin's bedroom!"
The magical wings flew the comatose wizard into the house and up the stairs and into the bedroom.
"I'll be back down in a bit...after I get him changed," Belle said softly.
Bae ran up the stairs to remove the cloak and help Belle with his father.
"You get his shoes and socks, Bae...I'll handle the rest." Belle instructed her son
"Okay, and his tie," he said, removing them and placing the shoes in the closet and the socks in the hamper. He hung his father's tie on the tie rack in his huge closet. "Here, Mama. Some pajamas," he handed her some purple silk ones. Then he left.
While she was unbuttoning his shirt he stirred.
"Belle?"
"It's me darling..."
"What're ye doin'?" he mumbled.
"Unbuttoning the Dark One..." she murmured.
He gave her a lopsided grin. "Ye jus' cannae wait to rip ma clothes off . . ."
"Oh no and if you weren't so tired...I'd be having you rip mine off..."
" . . .love t' accom'date ye . . .but m'so tired . . ." his head lolled onto his chest.
"Plenty of time to make up for it later.."
" . . .later . . ."
He wanted to help her . . .but he was so exhausted it was an effort just to keep awake.
Once he was in his pajamas, she helped him lie down and the exhaustion that claimed him overtook her through their bond.
When Belle didn't return downstairs after a time, Marie went up to check on her.
She discovered her sister asleep with her head on her husband's chest.
"Where's Aunt Belle?' Gisella asked when she returned to the living room.
"She's tired too honey...remember how I said she and Uncle Rumple have a bond?"
"Uh-huh...kinda like twins where if one gets sick so does the other?"
"Kinda like that," Bae agreed. He yawned. The night's events were catching up to him.
"Bae, do you think your father will mind if we stay here to be sure you're all okay?" Marie asked.
Moe saw and quickly bid his two grandchildren, daughter, and Archie goodnight, saying he'd call tomorrow to see how everyone was.
"Nah. He's passed out cold . . . he wouldn't know if I threw a party and invited all my friends," Bae laughed.
"Well, I don't want him killing me," Marie pleaded.
"Only kidding. You don't wanna know how much trouble I'd be in if I did that," he grinned.
"Oh off to bed with you!"
Her nephew gave her a mock salute before heading upstairs, taking a moment to doctor his hands before going to bed.
"Now it's time for you to go sleep, Sella."
"Can I sleep with Major, Mommy?" she pointed to the shepherd, who was lying on the floor in the kitchen.
"Not on the floor!"
"Nooo . . . in my bed," she pointed to the stairs . . . where she knew there were bedrooms.
"All right."
"Yippee! C'mon, Major! Bedtime!"
The shepherd trotted upstairs with her, like a huge gold and black wolf.
"I had a wonderful time..." Marie said to Archie once they were alone again.
"Me too . . . even if we did get interrupted there . . ."
He took her hand and kissed it, the way a gentleman did to a fine lady. "Would you like to do this again sometime?"
A part of her wanted him to stay.
Not in her room...but close by.
"It's a long drive home..."
"I know, but . . . I have to let Pongo out . . .and I need to go into the office early tomorrow, I'm sure there'll be dozens of phone calls for me after what happened last night. Umm . . .if you want, we could make another date, for this weekend. And if you want to work for me . . .we could discuss that too tomorrow."
"Yes..."
"Then I'll say au revoir, my darling," he crooned, and he kissed her gently. "Until tomorrow."
"I can't wait..."
He wished he didn't have to leave, but he knew better than to stay . . .it wasn't proper, and he wanted to treat her like the lady she was. He handed her the Golds' keys.
She watched him leave, feeling like part of her was walking out with him. It wouldn't be long until they saw each other again but dammit, it felt like an eternity to her.
The next morning, everyone in the Victorian slept late, and while they were sleeping, the police and arsonist investigators discovered both the cause of the fire and who had set it by veiwing the camera video of last night.
And another mob was ready to march in Storybrooke.
Regina sent Emma to arrest the two teens while she and Mary Margaret and David attempted to calm down the vengeful parents so they didn't commit murder.
The phone at the Victorian started ringing as early as 7 AM with people asking for Rumple to represent them in lawsuits against the Harte and Devereaux families.
And Belle was having as difficult a time as her husband did trying to keep him in bed.
After sleeping for a full twelve hours, Rumple felt restored enough to sit up and talk to prospective clients on his cell phone, while Bae cooked him steak, eggs, home fries, and toast, along with orange Gatorade and coffee.
After setting up several appointments while devouring the food Belle brought him like he hadn't eaten in a week, he decided he needed to go to his study and look up a few things in his law texts.
"Rumplestiltskin!" Belle said angrily from the doorway.
He looked up from putting on his slippers. "Belle! I was just . . . umm . . ."
"Just disobeying orders! Now you go back up to bed!"
He gave her a stubborn look. "Now listen to me, dearie . . . I need to go and read some of my law texts . . . I have twenty lawsuits pending and I cannae sit around in bed all day. I feel fine," he said, keeping one hand on the bed, and the other gripping his cane. He felt weak, but he was sure he could make it down the hall to the study and then he could sit down.
"Oh do you? So did I until I fainted in your arms in the Dark Castle. Darling, you don't want to exert yourself..."
"I'm not . . . exerting myself . . . I'm walking five feet down the hall, not beating up people with a broom!" he argued.
"If you don't stop getting out of that bed, I will use your ties and tie you to it!" she threatened.
He gaped at her. "You're gonna what? Are ye crazy?"
"Would you like to find out?" she challenged.
He scowled. "In case ye dinna realize . . . I'm bigger than ye, dearie." He drew himself up to his full height, which was only 5' 7".
"You have to sleep sometime..."
He almost choked. "Ye wouldna dare . . .!"
She crossed to the dresser and yanked out two of his ties, holding them up with a smirk. "Back to bed, darling..."
"What . . . what do ye think this is . . . the reenactment of Fifty Shades or something?" he sputtered, feeling himself start to sway slightly. But he caught himself on the edge of the bed, trying to ignore the fact that his body was screaming for rest . . . even though he'd been on his feet only eight minutes.
"No, just a little role reversal."
"If ye think ye can pick me up . . .think again, lass!" he coughed, furious at how his body was betraying him. He knew he was being a stubborn ass, and would have torn shreds out of any apprentice of his who refused to rest after being drained like this, but dammit, he had things to do!
"Look, I can't pick you up if you pass out so do us both a favor and get back in bed!"
"Papa, quit being a pain in the ass and just do like she says," Bae interjected, coming in to see what was going on. "Because if you pass out and I have to call 911 to get your butt back in bed . . .everyone in town's gonna know about it."
Rumple glared at him. "Are ye . . .blackmailing me, Baelfire? Your own father!?"
Bae stood his ground. "If I have to, Papa."
"Bed!" Belle ordered, pointing.
Rumple felt his legs start to wobble. Dammit! he swore to himself. He knew he couldn't remain on his feet any longer . . .or else he would end up on the floor in a heap. Clenching his teeth, he took a step backwards . . . and flopped down on the bed as his bad leg gave way.
Belle crawled in beside him with a tie in her hand. "Now are you going to do this again?"
He gave her a guilty smirk. "Belle . . . I hate being so damned helpless . . ."
"So did I but I learned my lesson."
He heaved a sigh. "All right . . . I'll behave . . ."
"Darling, I love you for wanting to help everyone but you need your rest first...so you can kick ass later."
"Make him promise, Mama," Bae said. "Otherwise he'll find a loophole. He IS a lawyer."
Gold looked over at Bae and shook his finger at him. "I oughta ground you till you're eighteen, mister!"
Bae smirked unrepentantly. "You should . . but you won't." Then he mimicked his father's accent. "Do ye wanna have a relapse, Papa? I seem to remember you saying that to me when you were dragging my butt back to my room when I was sick with the flu."
"'Tis true," Rumple admitted grumpily. "Okay. I promise. But can I please have my books and my laptop?"
"If you promise not to overdo it," his wife proposed.
He looked at her sulkily. "What's that mean?"
"What it means, dearie, is that once you start getting tired, you put them away and rest...no falling asleep over them."
"Aye . . .agreed," he grouched. Now that he was supine again, he felt better. He sipped some of his Gatorade and heard his stomach growl.
She leaned forward and kissed him.
"I'll get your laptop, Papa," Bae said, and went to retrieve it from Rumple's study.
He quirked an eyebrow at her. "Is that what I get if I'm good?"
"And...maybe more..."
"Oohh . . .then I'll be verra good, dearie . . ." he purred, his eyes sparkling.
"Is that a promise?"
"You drive a hard bargain, dearie."
"If you be good and rest...as soon as you get better...I'll give you a night to remember..."
"I'm gonna hold ye to that, Belle."
She smiled. "And we'll start it off in the hot tub..."
"I like the sound of that," he grinned. "Can you bring me my texts?"
"Anything in particular?"
He named several of his law books he thought he might need to reference, saying, "Thank the gods they caught those two little wretches! I knew they must have had something to do with it!"
"Can they be tried as adults?"
"I'm not sure about that. I'll have to look up arson laws in the state of Maine . . . and statue of limitations on age and so forth. They're underage, so I doubt it."
"Dammit!"
He spread his hands. "But . . . I'm going to do my best to see those little bastards go to juvie and rehab for a LONG time. Regina's told me to basically play hardball for keeps."
"You're the best at it."
She gave him another quick kiss then went downstairs to retrieve the texts he needed.
He read through some of the texts she brought back, highlighting and marking certain portions with post it notes. Then he went on his laptop to look up a few relevant cases and spent half-an-hour online.
Belle brought him some more juice and some Power bars, and he ate them, spent another half-an-hour doing research, then felt exhausted again and as agreed, put his books and computer on the night stand and fell asleep.
She tucked the covers around him and kissed him lightly on the mouth before going downstairs to see what Marie and the kids wanted for lunch. It turned out that Marie was meeting Archie to discuss her new position as his office manager she was considering, so Belle decided to order out and had pizza delivered.
Once she had eaten two slices of barbeque chicken pizza, she went to check on Rumple again and found her husband still asleep and Major stretched out on the bed on top of Rumple's feet.
Belle smiled at their dog. "Are you guarding Rumple, Major?"
The shepherd's tail thumped the covers and he made a soft whining noise, giving her a doggy grin.
"He'll be all right . . . once he gets enough rest," she told him.
Major just panted happily and put his head back on his big paws, keeping vigil on the end of the bed.
Belle stroked his head and then left again.
Rumple woke to find his feet pinned down to the mattress and for an instant thought Belle really HAD made good on her threat and tied him to the bed with his ties.
He opened his mouth to yell when he saw a familiar lump at the end of the bed and recognized his faithful police dog. "Major! Gods, you big lummox! Move off my feet!"
The big dog woke, and his tail thumped a happy tattoo on the coverlet, then he heaved himself up and came over and licked Rumple's face.
The sorcerer-attorney started chuckling as the dog seemed determined to wash his cheek while lying next to him. "Okay! Okay! Enough! If I want a bath, I'll take one. Silly sheepdog!"
He ruffled Major's ears, and hugged the dog, patting his side briskly.
"Good boy!" He slipped off the bed and picked up his cane, limping into the bathroom.
When he returned, Major had his head on Rumple's pillow!
The sorcerer raised an eyebrow. "Okay . . . I sleep there, so what's the big idea?"
The dog opened one eye and barked.
Rumple sighed. "I don't care if it's comfortable. It's my bed, now move over!" He went to shove the dog's head off his pillow and almost fell over.
"Insufferable animal!" he groused, climbing on the bed. "Major! I don't want dog drool on my pillow! Now get your damn hairy snout over!"
Major opened one eye and looked at him.
"Yeah, I'm talking to you!" Gold stabbed a finger at the end of the bed. "Go over there!"
When the animal didn't move, he decided to try something he'd seen on The Dog Whisperer. He lowered his head until he was almost nose to nose with his obstreperous canine and growled at the dog.
"Grrrr!" he snarled. "See? I'm the boss!" Rrrrr!"
Major just cocked his head and looked at his master like he was nuts. "Arrroww?"
"Don't you give me any backtalk!" Gold snapped. "Arrrrr!"
Major whuffed in puzzlement.
"Blast and damn! It worked with Cesar!" muttered Rumple. He shoved the dog's shoulder. "Grrrr! Rrrrr!"
Major whined nervously.
"Papa?" gasped Bae upon going past the room. "What are you doing? Are you . . . growling at Major?"
Rumple immediately looked chagrined. "What? No . . . err . . well . . . he's on my pillow and . . . I was trying to get him to move, so . . . ."
Bae just shook his head. "Man, Papa, this pregnancy's really messing you up!" He snapped his fingers. "Major, come!"
Major jumped off the bed and came to Bae. "Okay, Papa?"
Rumple turned the pillow over and then lay down. He pulled one of his texts off the night stand and opened it to one of the pages he'd bookmarked. "Thanks, Bae."
"Welcome," his son said, then went on to his room, Major padding at his heels. Good flaming gods, but I think my papa's gone out of his mind! Out of his MIND!