The Curse Breakers
Chapter 26
Gold was murderous, and the red-misted vision only became more vivid the closer he came to the front door. If Emma thought the incident with Moe French was bad, just wait until his neighbors called her for the messy homicide he was about to commit on the person who was standing on the other side of wood and glass. Grinding his teeth and setting a razor sharp set of words on his tongue, he swung the door open.
"Hi, Mr. Gold."
"Henry?" The name rushes out in the breath he had been holding. It was the boy, Emma's boy. He refused to see the child as Regina's and it protects the child even now from his wrath. It wouldn't do to upset the savior, not yet at least, and the venom dies against the back of his teeth. "What are you doing here?"
"I was wondering if I could talk to Miss French for a few minutes." The boy holds a large book up for him to read the title so he acts as if he reads the words. He is well acquainted with this particular tome. "I don't have a lot time. I came right from school but I have to meet my mom at the diner at 5."
Belle would have his head if he was rude to a child, so he forces a smile and steps aside. Perhaps this will be profitable, showing Belle her very own story. Henry ambles into the house without a shred of fear for the dragon's lair he has entered, completely oblivious to Gold's dark and brewing anger over the interruption. He shuts the door with a shaking hand, wanting nothing more but to rush back to the porch and thoroughly kiss the woman who deserved so much more than he had to offer. He wanted to stabilize those shaking hands in her hair-
"Hello."
Belle has come from the back of the house, most likely hearing the door shut and though it was safe to investigate. Her eyes are on the boy sitting in the front room with the giant book in his lap as she enters the room cautiously.
"Hi," Henry answers with a wide smile. "I'm Henry."
Belle looks from the child to Gold. "The Mayor's son?"
"Actually, I'm Emma's son," Henry answers, which only succeeds in confusing Belle further so Henry shrugs. "It's a long story."
Gold puts a hand on Belle's arm and finds once more his world rights itself. "I think he wants to share a story with you from his book. If you're willing?"
Her face brightens, as it always did when she was promised a story. "I think that's a lovely idea." She immediately takes a seat next to Henry on the couch and together they share the book, laying it across both their laps.
Gold retreats into the darkened parts of his home. He doesn't go too far out of earshot and catches whispers of ogres, castles, queens, a beauty and her beast. He finds himself thankful for answering the door and allowing the boy into his home. When he passes close enough to the front room, he can see Belle concentrating so hard on the pages in front of her eyes, her fingers dancing over the words and tracing pictures as she recognizes her own history. He can see the memories starting to piece themselves back together in her mind and then shine through her eyes.
The time passes quickly and he needs to interrupt the two believers sitting in his front room. It wouldn't do to have Henry be late for his meeting with Regina. The less suspicious she is, the better for all of them. Belle grabs her shoes that are sitting by the front door and slips her feet into them.
"We should walk with him," she says, hurriedly. "We'll hang back a block from the diner."
And when she looks at him, he sees the girl draped in gold once more. The girl who ripped down his nailed curtains, chipped a tea cup, took ownership of his heart and he will deny her nothing now. Henry looks extremely pleased with himself, especially when he sees Belle slip her hand into Gold's, and decides to walk a few feet ahead of them. They do as Belle asked, and stop a block from the diner. Together, they wave Henry on to his meeting and Belle finally speaks.
"You're certain you want me under your roof again?"
"If you're certain you want to be there."
Her expression takes on a mix of amusement and consternation. She doesn't look lost anymore. "I want to know what you want. No riddles, no trickery and no deals."
Her seriousness touches him but he can see that echo of a smile dancing around her mouth. "You're limiting me greatly here, dearie." And he finds just how easy it is to fall in love with her all over again. No magic to interfere here, not in Storybrooke, Maine. No ogres and their pointless wars, no evil queens riding through the forest to deceive innocent housekeepers. Now, they are just a lame pawnbroker and a mental patient who can finally have their happy ending.
She slips under his arm, settles next to his side, her curves fitting into the straight planes of his body. She knows the answer to her own question. "Do you believe me now?" she asks simply as they start the walk back to his home, no...their home.
"About what, dear?"
She looks affronted at his question. "About this being true love."
"I believed you when you first said it."
"Hm, based on your reaction, that was not the impression I had."
No, he was a coward back then and desperately trying to prove how he had overcome that classification. "How can I prove it to you now?"
She stops and turns, a beautifully familiar smile on her face. "Kiss me."
And suddenly he doesn't know what to do with his hands, he can feel the entire town's eyes on him and his heart is either going to break through his ribcage or stop completely. And he realizes he's still a coward, even in this land. But Belle is brave enough for the both of them and bends his head towards her, pressing her lips to his.
His hands find their place along her spine. His heart drops into rhythm with hers. Instead of the town's eyes, he feels something different...something strange, warm and...soft. They both break away as numerous colorful objects float down from the sky in a flurry. Red, pink, yellow, white...Gold is stunned at the display while Belle laughs joyously.
"Are you doing this?" she asks.
He stretches out his hand to catch one of the culprits and finds a rose petal situated in his palm. Looking around, the entire town is slowly being covered in rose petals of every shade. He takes a staggering step back, immediately regretting the movement but the pain in his knee never shows itself. The cane drops to the sidewalk and suddenly he's upright, leg straight and holding his weight.
Magic has come to Storybrooke.
Belle has returned to him.
They have broken their own curse.
Belle steps back into his arms as rose petals collect in her hair. "Kiss me again, it's working."
The End
Author's Note: Thank you, thank you everyone who has followed this story, enjoyed, left a review or PM...just thank you from the bottom of my heart.