The front door opened and closed with a slam and I felt my heart stop. Rumplestiltskin was home.
I clutched the pregnancy test a little tighter in my fist. Emma had gone an hour ago, at my insistence. I needed to be alone, to decide how to tell him.
The look on his face when he entered the living room stopped any words from spilling from my mouth.
He looked like he'd just seen a ghost.
He stared at me for a long moment, indecision and pain on his face.
"What's happened?"
My question seemed to have decided him, for he took a heavy seat in his armchair.
"The librarian. Belle."
My brow furrowed in confusion. "Belle?"
He nodded, avoiding my face.
"She was… my true love. Once, a long time ago."
My heart constricted in my chest, but I pressed on.
"What happened?"
The fingers of his right hand traced over his wedding ring and my eyes followed their path, almost mesmerized.
"I did not believe her love was true. I cast her out… Regina told me that she had been tortured and then murdered by men under her father's employ."
My head felt light, and my lungs struggled for air.
'Don't worry, Belle, I'm sure that there's still some hope.'
Oh gods, had I unwittingly encouraged a woman to take my husband from me?
Another thought followed quickly –how could I be his true love if she was his true love? There was only ever one for each life force…
His eyes were on me now, and I swallowed hard and forced myself to meet that chocolate gaze.
"There is only one true love for each life force per lifetime. But my dear, I have lived so many lifetimes… I am a difficult man to love. Perhaps that is why I've only ever had two."
"And now you have a choice." My voice was strong, it didn't waver. A small portion of my brain congratulated me. "Which true love to choose? Because you cannot have us both, Rumplestiltskin."
My hand clenched almost subconsciously on the little device in my hand.
There was no way I could tell him now. It would influence his decision, and I would never know if he chose me for love or if he chose me because of duty.
That also meant I couldn't stay here. He was not a stupid man, and he was sure to figure out that this was more than a stomach flu. I stood up abruptly.
"I'm going to pack a bag and have Emma come get me. I can't be here with you until you've chosen."
Until you've chosen me.
I left the words unsaid, but they hung in the air like the smell of ripe bananas. Almost tangible.
I forced myself to cast him a glance over my shoulder on my way to the stairs. His expression almost had me running back to his side, but I steeled my resolve and continued on my way.