A/N: I feel like I'm finally getting somewhere with this fic, now that the team are back and all. Really hope I can keep it rolling to the end. I estimate another 15 chapters or so to come yet! Please keep the feedback coming - it helps! :)

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 26

"I never knew you to be in a kitchen this long," Mary smiled as she came to find Belle.

She had offered to fetch snacks and drinks for her team almost half an hour ago and never returned. Mary found her with the cupboard door open, staring blankly in at the contents. There was far too much on her mind, and Mary knew they needed to talk about that, preferably away from the guys.

"I don't know what's the matter with me," Belle sighed, slamming the door shut and putting her face in her hands.

"Yes, you do," Mary told her, coming over and pulling those hands away. "Belle, sweetie, I know that look in your eyes because I used to wear it myself. I never planned to fall in love, especially not with a guy like David," she admitted in a quiet voice that only her friend would hear. "I was scared and confused, I didn't know what to think or even what to feel. That's how it is for you, since you fell in love with Gold, right?"

Belle opened her mouth to reply but no sound came out. Her brow furrowed with a hundred mixed up responses, none of which seemed right. It was true enough that she had fallen, and very true that it confused and bothered her. Somehow talking to Mary about it was the worst part, when in reality all she had wanted for weeks now was to have a friend to turn to, to share with, to tell her everything would be okay. Maybe the real fear was that Mary wouldn't do that, wouldn't be able to give comfort and support, only tell Belle what a fool she had become since the team last disbanded.

"I didn't mean for it to happen, Snow," she sighed heavily. "I never wanted to work for Regina in the first place, and then when I tried to be close to Gold for the con's sake, I just..." she floundered for a way to properly explain herself. "He's so charming, and he can be really sweet and kind. It's hard to make you understand when you don't know him, but I swear, he's a different man when it's just the two of us."

"I do understand," Mary nodded slowly and gave an encouraging smile. "You know David, his reputation for being all confident and brash sometimes. Even with the team he put on the persona, but y'know, behind closed doors, just me and him, he can be so insecure and so vulnerable. Nobody would ever believe that side of the great Charming exists, but it does," she explained. "If that can be true of him, why can't Gold be a good guy underneath it all?"

Belle smiled, grateful for her friend's understanding. She ought to remember how easily her team would trust her judgement, they always had before. The bond between hem seemed to be as strong as ever, despite time apart, and Belle was glad enough for Mary to pull her into a sisterly hug right now.

"I missed you," she declared. "All of you, more than I ever thought I would."

"And we missed you too," Mary promised her. "I mean, when I wasn't so busy with being pregnant and starting to raise a baby."

"Oh, poor little Emma without her parents!" Belle suddenly gasped. "Please tell me she's definitely safe, Snow. I'd feel terrible if I thought she was in danger because of me..."

"She's fine. She will be," she smiled bravely. "I miss her, obviously, but she's in a safe place, I promise."

The girls were soon getting back to their original mission in the kitchen, mindful of the guys asking questions before too long. They emerged with all the snack food they could conjure up, to find that August, Jefferson, and David were still bickering about the best way forward in their plan against Regina. When Belle realised she was the main focus on their indecision she began to get angry.

"We have to pull Belle out of Gold Industries," David insisted. "Its too dangerous for her to stay there."

"But she's already in, and with the perfect cover," countered August. "We've already established, Gold isn't the threat here."

"True," Jefferson nodded once. "But if he does realise who Belle really is, as close as they've gotten..."

"He'll hate me," said Belle in a moderated tone, though it had a sharp steely edge that they'd all heard before. "If and when he realises who and what I really am... I dread to think how he'll react, but it doesn't change anything," she said definitely. "You can all have your opinions on how we run this con now, and that's fine, but nobody decides my fate but me," she told them all with a determined look.

"She's right," Mary agreed easily. "If Belle wants to stay where she is then she will and if she wants out, we'll make that work. She's been in the middle of this from the start, David," she said when he looked set to argue. "We're here to help, not make her life more complicated."

"Agreed," Jefferson nodded again, as August conceded and did the same.

"Fine," huffed David, clearly not all that happy about it. "Belle takes point, we fall in behind."

He was not in the least bit pleased, and they all knew it. David liked to be in control, large and in charge. His Charming persona meant he usually got his way. If he didn't, it was often as not because Snow told him no. Belle was very grateful to have her sister-in-arms on her side in this one.

"You're wearing the crown, Belle," said August with a lop-sided grin. "What's our play?"

Belle took a deep breath. She would love to outline a plan right now, if only she had a definite one.

It was strange how comfortable Belle could feel some days at Gold Industries. Sure, it was all supposed to be a con, but she had put so very much of herself into the character of Isabelle Hart. It was getting harder all the time to find the line where she ended and Belinda French began. As she fell harder for Robert Gold, she revealed more of her true self, and instead of being terrifying, it felt oddly freeing. There were that many less lies to remember when she let the truth out. A simple concept, perhaps, but one Belle hadn't considered in years. Most days, she came into the office, played her part as simple administrator, amongst genuine friends and with a man she could honestly say she loved now; Belle felt comfortable. Unfortunately, today she was far from easy here in the headquarters of Robert's company.

The team were still in Belle's building. There was an empty apartment two floors up from her own, and it hadn't taken much to get a fake name on the lease and for the four of them to hide out there. It was temporary accommodation until they worked out exactly how they were going to go about bringing down Regina Mills. In the meantime, Belle had to come to work as if everything were normal, even though she already felt as if she were walking through the office block bearing a neon sign that proclaimed she was a fraud. It was only thanks to years of perfectly honed skills as a grifter than she didn't give herself away.

Ruby and the girls treated her much as they always had, and Belle soon fell into routine. Robert didn't show his face the whole morning, and Belle was equal parts glad and distressed by the fact. She was here for her job, to keep her cover, but at the same time she had a task to perform. The team wanted to know how to move forward, what Belle's plan was. She told them the truth, that she didn't really have one until she figured out Robert's position. Her whole strategy hinged on which was the greater, his love for her, his hatred for Regina, or his abhorrence of being taken for a fool. This she hoped to find out on the date she had asked him about. They needed to fix on an evening, sooner rather than later. Belle hated that their special occasion was to become part of a con. It was never her intention, but since the team showed up, the gas pedal was getting very firmly pressed. They had to get this done, before Regina got suspicious, before any of them were discovered and their covers blown.

"Good afternoon, ladies," said Gold when he suddenly appeared, and Belle jumped a little in her seat.

"Good afternoon, Mr Gold," the girls all chorused as he swept through to his own private office.

"A word please, Belle?" he asked of her, tapping the edge of her desk with his cane as he went by.

Belle didn't say a word, just got up and followed, her notepad and pen in her hand on automatic. The truth was he probably didn't want to speak to her about work at all, but for appearances sake she had to make it look professional. The lie inside the lie seemed even worse than the original somehow, especially when Belle caught Ruby frowning at her out of the edge of her vision. She shook it off - there wasn't time to worry.

"What can I do for you, Mr Gold?" asked Belle politely.

"You can come and sit down first of all," he smiled, though there was something in that look that wasn't quite as comforting as some of his smiles had been before.

Belle was sure she was being paranoid. There was no way Robert could know anything, or even suspect. She had been careful all the time, and though it was true that a big change had occurred last night when her team arrived on the scene, he couldn't know that. It would be impossible, surely.

"Now, dearie. You put a proposition to me yesterday," he said, folding his hands on the desk. "We agreed to a date but never a time or an exact place," he noted.

"Yes, I wanted to speak to you about that," she smiled back warmly, hoping any hint of worry that may yet show through could only be construed as girlish nerves on her part. "I, er... I've never asked a man out on a date before," she laughed lightly. "I'm still a little shocked at myself... Oh, but I don't regret it," she rushed out, when she realised how it might sound.

"Well, I am glad to hear that," Robert told her with a relieved grin. "But let me step in and act as the man should in such a situation," he said, reaching to cover her hand with his on the desk. "Miss Hart, how would it be if I took you to dinner tomorrow evening? Perhaps I could pick you up at six o'clock?"

Belle met his eyes and looked deep. She was sure she saw love, so sure that it made her shiver all the way from head to toe. She wanted this so badly, this date, this love. It ought to be real, all of this should, and then life would be that much more simple to cope with. Damn herself for being more than she seemed. Damn Robert Gold for being so charming and wonderful. Damn Regina all the more for putting them in this situation in the first place.

"That sounds wonderful" she smiled at last. "But we agreed on the diner for a burger, didn't we? Nothing fancy."

"As you wish," Robert nodded once.

She stood to leave a moment later. She had work to do and so did he, there was no use in lingering and such a thing would only raise suspicion. Belle was half way to the door when a thought struck her. She turned, crossed back to the desk and rounded it without stopping. Robert looked bemused, but didn't say a word. Honestly, he hardly got the chance before Belle's lips met his in a sweet kiss. His hand went instinctively to her face, keeping her close when she might move away. The kiss went on a few seconds more, and then when they parted neither knew what to say.

Belle had no breath left in her body, despite the brief time she had been kissing Robert. There were no words she could find to say, no explanation she could give. All she knew was that she had to seal this love between them, ensure he knew how very real it was, even if she had to confess sooner rather than later that every other aspect of their relationship was based on a lie.

A second later she was rushing for the door and out of it before Robert could ever speak, never mind get to his feet and give chase. Now more than ever he thought, Isabelle Hart was a singular young woman, and one he had been so privileged to meet. She cared so much for him, it was clear from her looks, her words, the way she kissed him. Robert Gold wondered how he ever could have doubted for a moment that she was anything but genuine and real in her affections, even in her character. Belle was one of the most honest, kind-hearted people he ever met in his life, and he was a fool to think anything else.

"I can't believe that all our planning, our entire con, is riding on how well your date goes with Robert Gold," said David, clearly exasperated but trying not to be angry.

Belle was doing her best in all this, and it wasn't as if Charming didn't understand what it was to fall for the most unlikely and perhaps the most inappropriate person. If Belle said Gold was not what he seemed, that he could be a good man and that she loved him, well, then he trusted her judgement. It really did bother him though that everything was hanging in the balance on the strength of how well a date went.

"I would be crude and suggest that if you seduced the old guy, our lives might be easier," said Jefferson, as if it were a perfectly reasonable thing to come out with. "I said I would say that" he rolled his eyes as he noticed everyone staring at him with shock. "I'm not going to," he ensured them, biting down on his pizza slice.

"Gold doesn't strike me as the type to be swayed so easy," August shook his head. "He really must believe everything you've told him, Belle. He trusted you over me, and I was supposed to be his beloved son."

"He does seem to trust you an awful lot from what you've told us," Mary considered. "But if you risk telling him the truth, do you really think he'll be okay with it? I mean, I know you said a lot of his reputed non-qualities aren't genuine, but what about his temper?" she asked carefully.

"I've seen him get mad about things," Belle admitted, at which August snorted because he'd seen it too of course, and mad didn't even begin to cover it. "I don't think he'd actually attack me, even when he knows everything. He might be angry, yell and such, but that's all. I told you, he's not a monster," she repeated what they all seemed to be having trouble understanding.

Belle couldn't blame her team for their misgivings. She was sure she would be just the same in their shoes. It seemed ridiculous, it was ridiculous that she should have fallen for the mark like this, especially one who was twice her age with such a terrible reputation. She never saw it coming, but it had happened and all they could do now was try their best to work around it.

"Speaking of monsters," said Belle as the cell phone on the table started to ring.

It had been there when she got home, which meant it had to be Regina. She had assembled the team for two reasons this evening, to tell them what had happened with Gold and so they were there when Regina called again. Jefferson had hooked the cell up to a speaker phone, and Belle ensured everyone was tight-lipped before she accepted the call.

"What do you want?" she asked sharply, at which Regina let out her usual witch's cackle of a laugh.

"Really, Miss Hart, it amazes me how you manage to charm men so easily when your tone is often so unpleasant," she crooned. "But of course, that wasn't the reason for my call. The clock is ticking, Miss Hart. I gave you a month and I meant what I said about consequences if you don't follow through."

"You have to give me a chance," Belle replied crossly. "You only gave me the new deadline last week…"

"I'm aware of when I gave it to you," Regina snapped back. "I'm also aware of certain movements of your old colleagues, dare I even say friends?"

At that Belle's eyes darted up and she looked around the room at those very people whom Regina spoke of. Swallowing down the sick feeling in her throat, she tried to keep her cool. Regina couldn't know they were all here. Maybe August, but that was only because she sent him herself.

"Be warned, Miss Hart, that if I find out you are trying to double-cross me, the consequences will be beautifully catastrophic," she said definitely then. "I am not to be trifled with."

At that the line went dead, and Belle hated that she felt hot tears filling her eyes. She wasn't at all surprised when Charming's fist hit the table in anger, or when Jefferson abandoned his now unwanted food. They ought to have known better. Of course Regina knew something was going on and she was preparing accordingly. She knew Belle's ways, the whole team in fact. Just about the only thing they had on her was Jefferson being alive, and that was never going to be enough.

"This isn't going to work," August shook his head, earning a disapproving look from Mary. "I'm sorry but Regina has a point. She knows Belle too well now, and me too. She did her research back on that first job we pulled, the five of us, we're not going to be able to get past her. She's probably been watching us this whole time. She can second-guess any strategy we can come up with, and she knows all our faces."

They all wanted to argue, but nobody dared, because he had a point. Regina was crafty, sneaky, probably had her people watching every move the five of them made, Belle in particular it seemed, for her own nefarious reasons. Whatever con they tried to pull, she would see it coming.

"Okay," said Snow after a moment of silence. "If we can't do anything she won't second guess, then we bring in people she doesn't know."

"Are you serious?" asked David, looking surprised but not as confused as the rest. "You think they'll help us? After all this time?"

"They've been out of the game a while but they always said if I needed them to call and they'd be here," she shrugged. "They all owe us a favour in their different ways."

"I'm sorry, who are we talking about now?" asked Belle, completely confused.

Mary stood up and moved to the flip chart in the corner on which they had been making notes and plans before. She took up the pen and wrote straight down - R, G, B.

"Red, green, and blue?" Jefferson checked, tilting his head as he watched and waited.

"Actually yes," Snow smiled tightly, putting in the extra letters to spell out each colour. "These are code names for people I used to know. I don't know where they are now, but I know how to get a hold of them."

"Are they like us?" asked August, his meaning clear - were they grifters and thieves or not.

"No, not entirely," Snow admitted with a shake of her head. "But they're smart and we can trust them," she explained as she added their real names to the board.

"You're joking!" gasped Belle, her eyes going wide as she read those names, recognising every single one - Ruby Lucas, Archie Hopper, and Nurse Reul Ghorm. "They all work for Gold Industries!" she exclaimed as all eyes turned to her. "I know them all".

To Be Continued...