Author's Note:

Thank you all for your support. I received a few messages about the story regarding the aspect of the curses and true love's kiss. I've made it clear that this is slightly AU- partly for artistic purposes and partly because I wanted to develop my storyline with this. Also, I wrote in an earlier chapter of how curses born of blood cannot be lifted: examples: Rumpelstiltskin murdered the previous Dark One- bloodshed; and took the curse as his own. Red's curse of the wolf was passed on through the bloodline- even though she and Peter loved each other, the curse was not lifted.

This chapter is going to contain plentiful servings of my special recipe yummerific lemon fluff topped with smut and whipped cream, along with a healthy side of plot... Please, enjoy. = )

"You can have anything you want if you will give up the belief that you can't have it."

- Unknown

Rumpelstiltskin held Belle tightly against, him, caution and common sense thrown to the wind. Belle's fingers wrapped around the collar of his shirt, drawing him in deeper, wanting his body closer to hers. Rumpelstiltskin moaned when she inadvertently lost control of herself, her emotions and desire coursing through his blood almost as if it were his own. It fueled his desire further.

Although he was in full control of the darkness right now- in full control of the tempestuous hunger and desire- he still felt mischievous. He knew what a joy it was to be near this woman; this angel of the light, and wondered how far he could push her before she gave in fully.

Rumpelstiltskin whipped Belle around, her back to his front. One hand stroked her hair to the side, gently tilting her head. He began to gently kiss her neck, her heartbeat echoing against his lips, the sound filling him. Belle's arms tried to wrap around him awkwardly. The Dark One chuckled as he held her arms in front of her tightly, his free hand stroking her upper body.

Belle could feel his nails graze her skin, even through her dress. She wanted to touch him desperately, but his arm was wrapped tight around her waist, pinning her hands in front of her body. She struggled slightly- wanting -any- contact with his skin.

His breath sent shivers over her skin, her body shuddering against him in pleasure and anticipation. He tilted her head to the other side, his free hand still tangled in her tresses, his lips teasing the neglected side.

"Oh, my sweet Belle…" Rumpelstiltskin whispered, releasing the hold his hand had on her wrists. Belle leaned against him as his hands moved across her body. Her eyes remained closed, her lips slightly parted as his hands roamed her body. The Dark One turned her to face him and kissed her, gently at first. But Belle, fueled by the passion and desire he had been feeling, kissed him passionately. Rumpelstiltskin was momentarily taken aback by sudden change in Belle, but eagerly accepted all she was giving to him. He began to unfasten the back of her gown, slowly. Belle whimpered against his lips with anticipation, knowing he was taking as much time as possible, knew he was trying to drive her to a point of no return with passion.

Belle began to remove his jacket, her hands trembling. Rumpelstiltskin had her gown undone by this time and was tracing her spine with his fingers, moving his hands upward to expose her shoulders. He broke their kiss slowly and took a deep breath. Belle's eyes opened and he saw how dark they were- with passion, with feeling everything and every desire he had been feeling.

Rumpelstiltskin moved the sleeves of the gown down her arms, kissing her shoulders and running his fingers down her arms as the sleeves fell.

Red had run, not caring where she went or what she came across. In truth, she almost prayed for someone to cross her at this moment- that way, she could lose control, forget what Jiminy had said to her and lose herself in her wolf- let instinct take over and not deal with cruel logic and emotions. It was too much to bear.

She stopped and let herself fall to the forest floor, crying. Her emotions and thoughts were at war with each other. Red loved Jiminy, she knew this and he knew it, though they had never directly said the words to each other. It was in the way they looked at each other, the way the felt around each other, the way they touched each other.

"What a relief to know that you no longer view crying as a weakness, Red."

She turned quickly, shocked to see the Huntsman behind her. She gasped and went to embrace him, crying all the harder at seeing her old friend. She felt something nuzzle her side and looked down to see his wolf. She broke the embrace to hug the wolf, a moment's happiness in a night filled with sadness.

"What's wrong?" the Huntsman asked, offering a hand to help Red up from the forest floor.

Red sniffled, wiping away tears. The Huntsman's wolf whimpered, sensing something was wrong with her. Red smiled at the wolf as she patted his head.

"Sunt bine, meu lup," Red said as she rubbed the wolf's head. Her words seemed to calm him as he lay down on the ground, letting The Huntsman and Red speak.

"He won't let me protect him," Red answered, her heart still heavy with the words Jiminy had said to her.

"…In what way did you approach him?" The Huntsman asked, knowing what she was referring to.

"Obviously the wrong way," she replied.

"Well, from my experiences, I don't believe anyone want to make love to another if it were just based on the desire to protect them," the Huntsman replied, leaning against a tree, taking a block of wood from the ground and began to whittle at it.

"It's not solely based on that and you damn well know it," Red growled.

"But that was the pretense you made it seem like. Something you felt you needed to do as opposed to something you wanted to do. Otherwise, I have no doubt the two of you would most likely be engaged in a more entertaining activity as opposed to brooding in opposite ends of the forest," the Huntsman said, not even taking his eyes off the block of wood.

Moments of silence passed, Red stroking the wolf and the Huntsman whittling.

"How did you escape?" Red asked. The Huntsman sighed and paused momentarily, than began carving the wood again.

"Your grandmother managed to send a package to me with the morning deliveries of bread. It turns out your dear little grandmother is quite the apothecary. One bite out of the bread the Queen preferred and she was asleep."

Red laughed, knowing her grandmother had indeed been occupied.

"Regina is planning something."

"…What?" Red whispered, fearful.

"I don't know. She made a deal with The Dark One for a book of sorts- it seemed to be an…ancient tome written in the old language. The only portion of the book she seems interested in is for Durere Mâncătors," he replied.

"Pain Eaters? I know of only one, and she died years ago- she killed an entire city trying to consume their light to feed her darkness. No magic can bring back the dead," Red replied, confused.

The Huntsman shrugged and stood straight. "I've left information in your tent. But I must be going now. I still need to leave information with Snow."

He whistled and his wolf stood. The wolf nuzzled Red one last time before going to the Huntsman. Before the Huntsman left, he tossed something to Red.

She caught it and looked at it, smiling. He'd carved a cricket out of the wood, along with the profile of a wolf. At least someone believed in her.

Rumpelstiltskin had Belle nude in moments, yet his 'torture' was nowhere near complete. He placed her on the bed, his mind swimming with ideas; thoughts of pleasure and completion.

He leaned over her, fully clothed still, supporting himself on his knee. Her hands went to his shoulders, trying to draw him to her. He giggled as he took her hands and placed them above her head, both her wrists encased in one hand.

"All in good time, dearie," he murmured against her ear, his free hand grazing the flesh against her neck. Belle turned her head and kissed the palm of his hand. Rumpelstiltskin brought his hand to her face and kissed her deeply, smiling against her lips when he began to hear her moan softly. His hand moved from her face to her neck, continuing lower, causing Belle's body to buck and shudder with pleasure and desire. Rumpelstiltskin had broken the kiss and was looking at her with fascination, smiling when he saw the silver glow lightly emanate from her. Belle opened her eyes, darkened to the midnight blue from the intensity of the emotions they both were feeling.

She looked at him desperately, feeling empty and whole at the same time- wanting to feel him so badly it caused her to ache. She tried to let him feel her desperation, tried to have him feel her desire. His grip on her wrists tightened slightly as he began to shudder.

"Is there something you desire, dearie?" Rumpelstiltskin spoke hoarsely, his free hand still stroking her body.

Belle nodded her head, biting her lips. Rumpelstiltskin lowered himself to her ear again, gently nibbling it.

"What is it?" he asked, feeling himself becoming undone as she spoke the words-

"You."

Rumpelstiltskin rose, releasing his grasp on Belle's wrists. Belle sat up and kissed him her hands tangling in his hair, her lips searching and gently nipping his. The Dark One began to unbutton his shirt, in full knowledge that he could not hold back any more. He felt like a man starved- denied of water and food, only to have a bounty in his grasp.

He threw his shirt to the floor and stood to remove his leather breeches. Belle looked at him hungrily as she moved to help him.

The Dark One stood before her, firelight illuminating his nude body. He moved to join Belle on the bed and was surprised by her straddling him- something he had not expected.

"Turn about is fair play, Dark One," Belle said huskily before crushing her lips against his. The sudden change in Belle had enthralled him. For one who had spent years in control of himself and his urges, it was a change to be on the other side for once- to let someone else take control and lead the way.

Belle looked at his body with fascination- she decided that until this point, until this very moment- she'd never seen anything so beautiful.

She shifted against him lower, eliciting a moan of pleasure from Rumpelstiltskin. His hands stroked her back, lightly tracing his nails against her skin. Belle shuddered as she felt him.

Belle shifted lower and lower, sensing from him a desire she had desperately wanted to fulfill- for the both of them.

She ran her hands down his chests to his stomach, feeling his flesh throb against her fingertips. Eyes on Rumpelstiltskin, Belle gently placed her hand on his throbbing member, recalling how he had pleasured her their first night together with his hands. She heard his breath catch as she began to stroke him.

Rumpelstiltskin's eyes closed tightly, focusing on the feel of Belle's hands. His heart began to pound in his ears, his pulse quickening as he fisted the sheets in his hands, holding himself back. He moaned when he suddenly felt Belle's lips against him, taking pleasure- immense pleasure- in the unexpected act.

Belle had no rational idea of what she was doing. With the Dark One, all rationality left her. With him, she became more a creature of pure and raw emotion and sensation. She placed him inside her mouth, his moans of pleasure filling the room. Rumpelstiltskin placed a hand on her head, stroking her hair. The simple gesture made Belle want to cry from happiness- that even in a moment of passion and desire; a simple loving touch was still done.

Rumpelstiltskin began to tremble fiercely, knowing he was close to reaching climax.

"Belle…" he said through gritted teeth, wanting her to the point of madness.

She stopped as he brought her up to him, his hands moving to her hips. He brought one hand to her head and met her lips with a desperate hunger. With one fluid motion, he entered her.

Belle whimpered slightly and shuddered, her body still unaccustomed to the desires of the flesh. Rumpelstiltskin held himself in check, still giving Belle time to adjust to him. Within moments, Belle began to move against him, both of them moaning with pleasure. She leaned down to kiss him, his hands on her hips as he guided her movements.

She could feel all he was feeling- she felt his emotions of relief, of joy, of unmistakable lust. What affected her the most was his feeling of hoping he was loved- in any small measure.

Belle wanted to speak the words to him. She wanted to give him all he wanted, all he -needed-. But fear held her back, fear of love unrequited. But if she said nothing, she could still pretend.

Suddenly, she threw her head back and moaned loudly, her orgasm causing her body to shake and tremble. Rumpelstiltskin groaned loudly. With his hands on her hips, still guiding her movements, he looked up at her in awe- amazed that someone could give so much, yet ask for nothing in return. Within seconds, the Dark One reached his own orgasm, his hands still gripping Belle's hips.

She collapsed against him, her body trembling lightly and gasping. He could feel his whole body throbbing with pleasure and his heart start to slow. Rumpelstiltskin lifted Belle's head from his shoulder and kissed her tenderly, his other hand stroking her hair. Belle smiled against his lips. After the kiss, she leaned her head on his shoulder as he embraced her. Her body felt weak, but her spirit lifted as he leaned his head against hers. Belle drifted off to sleep, feeling the Dark One's lips against her forehead before she began to dream.

Red walked back to camp, her hand clutching the small carving The Huntsman had made. She walked to her tent, but noticed that Jiminy's tent was still lit by his candle. Fear of rejection made her want to look away, but the small weight of the carving seemed to give her strength.

Red took a deep breath and walked slowly to Jiminy's tent. She entered slowly, part of her praying that Jiminy was asleep- anything to avoid having to speak with him for tonight.

Jiminy was still awake, his head in his hands as he seemed lost in thought. Red took a deep breath and walked in.

She kneeled beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Jiminy…" Red said softly. Jiminy lifted his head and looked at Red. He sighed heavily and too her hands in his.

"Red…I want you. More than anything. But I can never have you," he said sadly, a small tear flowing from his cheek. Red swallowed a lump in her throat, fighting back her own tears. She took a shaky breath as she brushed the tear away, smiling sadly as she looked at him.

"Jiminy…we've shown that we love each other but…I don't recall us ever telling each other. I love you, Jiminy," Red smiled softly.

"Whenever I feel like I'm losing myself, you are the only one able to bring me back. Years ago, when you wanted to part ways, I felt as if my heart was under such a heavy weight, as if it were sinking out of my body. It terrified me that I'd never see you again. I don't want to lose you, Jiminy. Ever."

Red had started to cry, but continued speaking.

"Earlier tonight…it wasn't all for the wrong reason. I wanted to protect you- I still do. And I was too much of a coward to let you know the real reason because I was afraid- afraid of rejection from the one I love more than life itself. I never should have…under the pretense to protect you. More than anything, I want to be yours," Red spoke, her tears overcoming her to the point where she couldn't speak.

Jiminy looked at Red, his hands still holding hers. He knew the strength it had taken Red to tell him all of this. And he knew it was the truth. He kneeled off his chair and embraced Red, letting her cry against him. Moments passed before she was calm again.

Still, Jiminy held her, gathering his own courage. He tilted her face to his own and wiped away her tears.

"I love you, Red," he whispered before kissing her.

They spent the night together in Jiminy's tent, whispering words of love to each other and holding each other. It wasn't the right time, yet. They both knew this. But they both had overcome an obstacle by believing in each other- by believing that they would have each other.