A blinding light made Belle clamp her eyes shut tight against the pain sweeping through her skull like a wave crashing against a sandy shore. A soft, muffled beeping sound caught her ears as she uttered a small almost unnoticeable groan. Her hand reached up to feel the back of her head, ouch..it was sore there. She tried peaking, hoping that her eyes would adjust to the light quickly, she wasnt on the boat anymore; she was in a room at the hospital.

Every movement sent her head swimming, so she was cautious and slow as she turned to see Lachlan asleep in a chair by her bed. As if on cue his deep brown eyes opened to meet her haze filled blue ones and in a shot he jumped up and rushed to her bed side, faster than anyone with a bad leg had a right to move. He gently took her hand in his as if she would shatter if he gripped it too hard, "Belle, how do yo feel?"

Belle licked her dry lips."What happened, where is the boat?" her throat felt tight and unused. 'Gaston?' Her eyes shot open wide as the earlier events came rushing back like a shot of adrenaline. "Gaston, did you find him?" The look on Gold's face spoke volumes as he shook his head, his lips set in a tight, hard line.

"Here, let me get the doctor for you," he pressed the call button alerting the nurse that Belle was awake. For a second Belle imagined that Whale would appear at the door but sighed in relief when a young woman entered, a smile on her face as she walked up to the bed as she adjusted the IV in Belle's arm.

"You gave us quite a scare Miss French, how are you feeling?" Belle's throat felt like sand paper.

"Thirsty." The woman smiled and nodded reassuringly as she turned and poured a cup of cold water from a small pitcher on the bed-side table. She popped a small straw in it before assisting Belle with a drink; Gold stood by never taking his eyes off Belle.

"How long have I been out?"

"Only for a day. When Leroy spotted you, the storm had ravaged the boat. I could see you laying on the deck Belle, I was so scared dearie, I thought Gaston had killed you." Gold had to stop before his voice cracked; the thought that his Belle could have been killed, a very real threat; one he didn't want to ponder any longer. She was safe now, and he would never let her out of his sight again. He could see her grimace of pain, "Are you sure you feel alright?" The nurse had left for a second to go get the doctor but Gold could tell Belle was going to need pain medicine and soon. He soothed her unruly curls back from her face softly as he tried to reassure her and himself that the ordeal was over.

"Did the boat sink?" Belle recalled the horrible storm that had claimed Gaston and threatened her and the Spinners Maiden. She wanted to cry thinking of how Gaston had died. He was crazy sure and had kidnapped her but she would never be happy that he was dead. She would relive that moment when he was hit in the head and fell overboard, the sea claiming him for its own.

"No love, she made it. Leroy towed her in, she's safely docked and will be repaired."

Belle raised her hand to silence him, "Who is Leroy?" As if to answer her question a man with a rough, sea battered look; one she had seen before stuck his head through the door and tapped on the frame.

"Ahoy there, hows our little mermaid fairing this morning?" Belle smiled, the whale watcher boatman; So he was Leroy.

"Ah come in, I think she's going to be alright, thanks to you." Leroy seemed to fluster slightly at Lachlan's remark. He was about to reply when a small portly man entered the room; Dr. Hubbard.

He smiled at Belle as he approached the bed and took his stethoscope out of the large pocket on his scrub top and listened to her heat with it, periodically asking her to breathe deeply as he moved it around making sure she hadn't gotten any sea water into her lungs when she had been unconscious. His full mustache twitched as he listened carefully and Belle couldn't help but think that he reminded her of a sheep dog somewhat; it was quite an impressively large she thought, but he had kind dark eyes that made his face seem friendly as he smiled before wrapping the stethoscope around his neck before giving her hand a small pat.

"You gave us a little scare last night missy, how does your head feel?" Belle gestured for Gold to give her another sip of water before answering,"It hurts, but I'm alright, just tired."

The doctor nodded his head,"I would expect nothing less and you might experience a little nausea as well. Your x-rays show no concussion although you'll have a nice sized lump on your noodle for a few days. I'll have one of the nurses bring you something to ease that pain and we will get you out of here soon, alright?"

"You don't think she needs to stay in here longer doctor, what if she relapses or if the pain gets worse, what if..." Gold's brain could hardly keep up with his mouth as he gripped his cane in apprehension. He had just plucked his fiancé from the clutches of death as far as he was concerned and this doctor was acting as if she hadn't just gone through some near-death experience, that she hadn't just nearly drowned. She might have been just laying on deck when he and Leroy found the boat with no sign of her attacker but she could have easily rolled off the side to be lost in the waves; claimed by the sea. The thought of it made Gold's throat clench tight, he felt like he couldn't breathe, luckily he didn't have to say anything more before the doctor was quieting his fears as Belle reached for his hand, seeing the look of concern... no.. outright terror in his eyes.

"I assure you Mr. Gold, she will make a better recovery at home than she will here. She'll be fine and I'm sure you will watch out for any sign of relapse." He patted Gold on the back as Belle smiled at him; he felt a little patronized by their behavior but nodded his head in agreement.

"Well, I just want her to be comfortable; she's been through so much." Belle's heart was lost at the sight of his worried expression, keeping her safe had always been his priority since their very first meeting.

The doctor smiled as he nodded his head in understanding, "I'm sure she will be in very capable hands Mr. Gold" he turned toward Belle, "Just take it easy young lady, you'll feel much better in a day or two and I'll see you back in a week, the nurse will give you an appointment to come to my office."

Just then a small rap against the opened room door brought every ones attention to the Sheriff and the Mayor standing there; Gold narrowed his eyes at the woman and her henchman.

"Well, looks like your quite important little lady, your getting a visit from the town Mayor" the doctor smiled at her, "I'll leave you to it then." He gave her hand one more friendly pat before leaving her with her visitors.

"How are you feeling Miss French, we just stopped by to get a statement from you about yesterdays events; from what we hear your lucky to be alive." Although butter could have melted on the Mayors tongue, Belle sensed that what that woman said and what she thought were two totally different things.

Gold's cane clipped loudly against the tile floor as he neared the sheriff, putting himself between his Belle and her would be well wishers. "Yes, she is luckily, with no thanks to you. This man right here" Gold turned and motioned to Leroy who stood in the corner quietly, "This man saved her when you did nothing." Belle tried to sit up in the bed.

"Please come in and sit down Madam Mayor, Sheriff Graham. I'd be happy to give you whatever you need." Belle tried to run her fingers through her hair, she knew she must look a mess but it only served to make her head hurt worse; she finally just gave up.

"Miss French, did you know Gaston very well?" The sheriff asked as he stood ready to jot down the answer in his little pad. Belle shook her head.

"We went to school together briefly, I hadn't seen him in years until just weeks ago." The Mayor stopped her there.

"Hadn't you gone on a date with him, and you were seen with him at a charity fund-raiser, weren't you in fact seeing him Miss French?" Belle didn't know what to say but luckily Gold stepped in for her.

"He just appeared one day at the diner and as for the one date; he left in a police car for trying to force himself on the girl." Gold stared down Regina as he fired back, "As for the charity ball, she came and left with me dearie." Regina drummed her fingers against the side of her black blazer as she considered how far she wanted to go with her accusations. She leaned over just a fraction of an inch so that Gold no longer blocked her view of Belle.

"I'm to advise you not to leave town until the investigation into Gaston's supposed accidental death is closed; that'll be all for now." The sheriff flipped his little note pad shut as he excused himself and followed the Mayor out of the room. The three occupants of the room remained quiet as they left them standing there in shock.

Gold turned to look at the frightened look on Belle's pale face. He walked over to her bed and smiled. "There is nothing to worry about from that old harpy. It's me she hates, not you; you have nothing to fear." Belle wondered what he had done to make Regina Mills dislike him so.

"Here are your prescriptions and your discharge papers, your all set to get out of here and go home." The nurse came in and smiled at her. Belle managed a smile back as she took the papers and laid them on her bed.

"I don't want to think about her Lachlan, I would just like to get out of here and get a shower and some clean clothes."

Gold smiled at her, but Belle noticed that it didn't reach his eyes as he produced an outfit for her that had been in a small bag under the bed. "That sounds like a lovely idea, I'll make you some hot tea then after a shower you should rest until your head feels better; doctors orders."