Chapter 14- Reunion.
The moment you've all been waiting for? Enjoy!
Jefferson opened the door. He smiled as he thought of the brilliance of his plan and he couldn't wait for it to play out. He felt like a puppet master drawing the strings of a lover's romance and he hoped Rum didn't chuck him out before he got to the best part. When he entered the extravagance of his dining room he noticed that at least the glass had been cleaned up but the cup and rose were still in place that he had left them in. He bubbled with excitement as the enormity of what he was about to do hit him like a ton of bricks. He was about to reunite two of his friends who thought would never see each other again. He then remembered to stick to his character so putting on a grave face he slumped over to Rumplestiltskin who was once again back at the spinning wheel.
'Rumple! My dear dear friend I have some news on that mission you sent me on.' he said tentatively, proud of his little performance.
'If you don't have him you can go.' He mumbled the creak of the wheel slowing but not stopping.
'That's the thing see, actually quite a funny story, we have him but the fairy dust I bought was fake so I only had enough spare in my case for one trip you don't have any on you do you?' he lied finding it hard to hide the creeping smirk that tried to emerge. He heard Rumple sigh and get up from the wheel and reach into a chest bringing out another bag of dust. When he gave it to him he thanked him but still stood there.
'Aren't you going to go then?' Rumple asked with his eyebrows raised.
'Oh I would love to but no one told me of the after effects of this stuff!' he said pounding his chest before producing a sickly burp.
'I may not have used the dust for teleportation Jefferson, but I know that there are no known side effects to it.' He corrected him with a slightly irritated look.
'So then you wouldn't know that it makes you wretch out your entire stomach contents then would you? You might want to get the cleaners in for that front door if you don't believe me.' He said pointing his thumb in the direction behind him. 'Nasty business fairy dust.' He puffed.
'Only for idiots such as yourself. So Jefferson what would you like to do? Settle down for the night? Have a fancy dinner by candlelight with me and then go off in the morning and run around with your band of rogues finishing the mission I asked you to do?' he asked sarcastically.
'Oh yes that would be great thanks, I'm starving now and you defiantly can't use this stuff on an empty stomach so staying the night would be most welcome indeed.'
'I was being sarcastic Jefferson.' Rumple sighed.
'Well I wasn't. How would you feel if your stomach was being jabbed with flaming hot pokers? Not good. I can assure you.' He said and as if destiny had chosen that moment his stomach grumbled loudly enough for the whole room to hear.
'Someone please tell me why I bother!? When I signed you up as a partner I expected a hearty man willing to do anything and instead I have a travel sick clown.' He shouted but Jefferson could see by the hidden smirk in his smile that he liked the company. Probably keeps his mind off the fact that his true love is dead. He thought and then he giggled as he knew she was hiding outside. 'Your laugh is highly irritating you know that don't you?' Rumple added with a cringe.
'That is rich coming from you! Which King was it that insisted on calling you Mister Giggler? Now go get dinner on I'm starving.' He commanded and Jefferson thought that Rumple was going to incinerate him there on the spot but instead he just glared at him utterly speechless before walking off. 'He is defiantly not over her.' He whispered to himself.
Using a sprinkle of dust Jefferson was outside the house where he left Belle. He held his thumbs up and she smiled running over to him.
'He's doing the dinner! I told you he wasn't exactly his usual self, I thought he would have turned me into a pig or something on the spot but no, I don't know what you've done to him Leola, I mean Belle.' He chuckled.
'I don't think I can do this Jefferson.' She said her nerves taking over. 'He'll probably think it's a trick or something.' She protested.
'No time to change now!' he said and with another sprinkle of the dust that Rumple had just given him they were transported to the top floor of the castle. 'Go, go, go,go!' He whispered pushing her down the hall. 'You know what to do.' He added before transporting back to the dining room. He was just in time as Rumple came back into the room.
'Where did you go off to? I thought you could just magic up some dinner or something.' Jefferson covered.
'I haven't used much magic since…' he trailed off and sat at the head of the table instead.
'Don't be so grim! I want this dinner of ours to be special Rum.' He laughed but he didn't get even a smile from him. 'So what am I going to have to eat some raw cabbage or something?' he asked.
'No! You'll get food just sit down and stop jumping around you're making me itch just watching you.' He growled. Jefferson looked at him, he was even wearing the same clothes since they last met over a week ago.
'Are you going to wear that?' he inquired. 'It's just... its not very nice for a dinner is it?'
'Jefferson! This is not a bloody dinner date! I am simply accommodating your idiotic needs so I can bring justice to the man who killed the only person I ever loved!' he yelled at him. Jefferson blinked and nodded not wanting to start him off again. He just hoped Belle didn't have much of a sense of smell or taste in clothing.
After an awkward silence Rumple walked off in another huff and Jefferson's heart almost stopped when he went to the stairway but he avoided it and went into another room. He came back a few minutes later with a clean blue shirt on.
'Happy now?' Rumple asked him and sat back down. 'I don't know what it is about you but you get under my skin and I just can't seem to shake you.' He explained.
'I have that effect on most people.' He shrugged. Then he decided it was time to reunite. He had given Belle enough time to get ready. He was about to speak when Rumple spoke first.
'How are the new recruits?' he asked trying to make conversation. He remembered about Jefferson's blathering about orphans and recruits.
'Surprising to put it in one word. You learn something new everyday. Don't you just love surprises?' Jefferson laughed weakly.
'No, not really. They scare me in fact.' Rumple said simply.
'Right, well. I need to use the bathroom and when I come back I expect those candles lit.' he teased but he did actually hope that he would because it wouldn't be him walking back down those stairs.
'I worry about you Jefferson, you really need to see someone about that.' He joked. Good at least his humour is coming back wouldn't want this to go all wrong. Jefferson skipped over to the stairs and bounded up them two at a time. Belle was waiting at the top and he stopped open mouthed to look at her. She was wearing a beautiful golden yellow dress, she had undone her hair so now the curls cascaded down her bare neckline and she smiled nervously at him scratching her arm. Jefferson gasped as he realised the tattoo on her wrist.
'Oh shit! I forgot about that!' he whispered harshly dragging her down the hall so they couldn't be heard. 'Can't you cover that up? Oh never mind its too late now. You look beautiful Belle… now…go knock him out. Not literally of course.' He finished and watched with a grin that overtook his face as she stepped nervously down the steps.
Rumple had lit the candles, he wasn't sure why but he had done it anyway. He picked off a pinch of dust that had clung to his shirt and then his eyes wandered to the rose that drooped on the table. His heart ached for her. When Regina had told him of her tragic death he wouldn't believe her at first but he had a scout search for her so the only thing he could do was accept it. He heard footsteps coming down the stairs and he got up.
'Jefferson, I need to tell you about…' his words were cut off as he saw the glimmering shimmer of gold. His heart stopped and his eyes wandered further upwards as he saw the impossible. Coming down the stair toward him was Belle. The sadness that had snuck into his eyes over the past year was replaced with an instant longing and desire, a desire for this to be more than an illusion. Not just another fantasy that his mind yet again had conjured up. He had often dreamt of this moment. Seeing her as he once saw her in her utter beauty that could never possibly love a beast like him. 'B-Belle? Am I dreaming?' he whispered 'If this isn't real please…please stop I don't think I can take it anymore.' He wept his tears of heartbreak flowing freely down his cheeks and he grasped the bannister of the stair to hold him steady.
'Rumple?' Belle cried out running down the remainder of the stairs. She gathered him up in her arms holding him against her tightly. 'Oh Rumple, I found you. I knew I would.' She whispered into the clean crispness of his blue shirt.
'Is this really you Belle?' he looked down at his shoulder touching her cheek with a trembling hand. 'You're alive?' he struggled with the words and he stared longingly into the fierce blue of her eyes before she nodded with a teary smile.
'Yes, it's me.' She laughed weakly too overcome to do anything else. He held her tightly, never wanting to let go and sighed away the built up grief of his lost love into the brown curls of her hair.
'I'm going to say it before I lose you again Belle, I love you, I love you and I never want to lose you again.' He spoke into her as she nestled against his chest.
'And I love you Rumplestiltskin and nothing is going to keep me from loving you.' She said and she looked up and both bent closer to each other for that kiss that would bind their love forever.
'And you said you didn't like surprises!' Jefferson laughed sitting from his perch on the top step.