Belle awoke slowly as the sun's light filtered in through the blinds. She smiled as her fingers traced over Red's hand which lay over her bare stomach. She turned around to face her girlfriend. Red looked so peaceful sleeping, she thought as she pressed her ear against Red's chest. She closed her eyes and focussed on the thumping of Red's heartbeat. Unconsciously, her hand tapped in rhythm with her pulse.

"Morning, pretty girl."

Belle opened her eyes and looked up at Red's, heavy lids but a small smile on her face.

"Morning, sleepy," Belle smiled, "Did you sleep well? You looked like you were in pretty deep sleep."

Red smiled half-heartedly, still trying to blink the sleep out of her eyes, "Well, I was having this weird dream about the wolf. Like I was running through the forest but I knew there was somewhere else I should be. So I came home but you weren't here. I couldn't find you anywhere and I couldn't find my cloak either," she frowned, "So I had to look for you as the wolf, so I went into town but nobody would talk to me, they were scared of me. I went back to the forest, I thought maybe you'd gone looking for me," she paused.

Belle frowned, "What then?"

"Somehow, I ended up at this tree… the tree where I killed Peter. I found this book in the snow…" she shrugged.

Belle looked at the pained expression on her girlfriend's face, "Hey, Red, you would never hurt me, you know that, right?"

Red nodded, "I know. I don't think it was that," she hesitated, "It's just that today is the anniversary…of that night."

Belle's eyes widened, "Why didn't you tell me?" she ran a thumb over Red's cheek.

"Usually, I just try to forget it. It hurts too much to remember, but sometimes I have these dreams… I haven't had one for a while but I guess now I have someone I'm in love with. My mind tries to trick me that I'd hurt you, but…I'd never hurt you," Red tried to smile.

"That's right, you'd never," Belle confirmed firmly, before pressing her lips gently to Red's.

Red nodded, "I know, it's just a stupid dream," she mumbled, "It's just a reminder of that night…"

Belle nodded, "Can I do anything for you? Do you want to talk about it?"

Red smiled, "To be honest, I talked it over forever with Snow. I'd really just like to spend the day with you, you know, moving forward."

Belle pondered for a moment, "Okay, sure. I get that, talking isn't always the answer despite popular opinion. In saying that," she continued, "If you do want to talk about it, I'll always listen."

Red kissed her on the lips, "Thanks for understanding, babe. You're the best."

Red's stare was fixated on the television as her head lay in her girlfriend's lap. Belle's teeth dug into the corner of her lip as she read intensely. Eventually, she felt her eyes start to droop and placed her book down. She watched Red for a few minutes, deep in concentration on whatever mindless program was on the television.

Belle placed a hand on the other woman's stomach, pushing her shirt up a little to touch bare skin. She didn't miss the slight smile that crossed Red's face and she certainly couldn't help giggling when her girlfriend's leg twitched.

Red rolled over and looked at her, "What are you giggling at?"

Belle bit her lip, "I just like your cute wolf tendencies."

Red growled, "Oh yeah?"

The smaller woman giggled, "Yeah, you're so adorable," she ran a hand across Red's stomach again just to watch her leg twitch.

Red rolled her eyes, "You know, you're the only person I let call me adorable. And the only person I] let exploit my…wolfish tendencies."

Belle grinned, "I'm honoured."

Red licked her lips, "You should be," she reached a hand up to touch Belle's face as she smiled.

Belle turned her face into Red's hand, humming happily before she bit Red's finger gently but holding her grip steady.

"Oh no, is this you practicing to be a wolf again?" Red laughed.

Belle smiled, "I wish I was a wolf," she said sadly, "You're lucky to have that other part of yourself…"

Red frowned, "Well… I think everyone has different facets, mine's just a little more literal, I guess. But hey!" she exclaimed suddenly, "I have an idea! Why don't you come out with me? Into the forest! We can camp and I can run and you can read. Yeah! It'll be fun, we can cook, well I'll cook obviously and have a camp fire. You'll love it! It's like escaping the world for a while."

Belle's face lit up, "Really? But won't I get in your way? Aren't the woods a bit scary at night?"

Red grinned, "You're not scared with me around, are you?"

Belle shook her head, "Of course not! When shall we go, you just had wolfstime…"

"But I can transform without wolfstime, remember? I just don't do it, but I can make an exception. It will mean one thing though, babe."

Belle frowned, "Oh, what's that?"

"You're gonna have to close up the library for a couple of days," Red said firmly, smiling as her girlfriend's face dropped.

"Oh," Belle nodded, "Well, just for a couple of days should be okay, right? I mean, it's an adventure! Adventures are very important, you know!"

Red laughed, "I know. I'll have to twist Granny's arm into giving me some time off too, I'll talk to her tonight."

"You think she'll be okay with it?" Belle asked.

Red shrugged, "Sure, I'm pretty persuasive."

Belle smiled, "I know you are. Oh, I guess I missed an opportunity there, didn't I? I should have said no…then you would have had to…persuade me," she giggled.

Red barked a laugh, "Cheeky," she rolled on top of her girlfriend, "But hey, we can always pretend. So, uh, babe you wanna come to the forest with me?"

Belle bit her lip, "Um, no I don't think so."

"Aw, really?" Red widened her eyes, "Please. Pretty please."

Belle giggled, gently pushing a strand of hair out of her girlfriend's eyes, "I don't know," she huffed, "I mean, maybe."

Red laughed softly, moving her lips to Belle's ear, "What if I…persuade you?"

Belle pretended to ponder, "I don't know…" she said slowly, shrugging, "I'm not sure there's really anything you could do…" she stopped as Red nipped her ear.

"Oh, trust me," Red whispered, her breath tickling the skin of Belle's neck, "I can be," she pressed her lips to it, "very," and swiped her tongue along Belle's jaw, "very persuasive."

Belle licked her lip, turning her face into Red's and pressing her lips against hers.

"That's a good start," Belle murmured.

Red laughed, "You are so sexy," she nipped Belle's ear again before moving her lips to her collarbone, grazing her teeth over it before quickly whipping Belle's blouse off over her head, "Mm, you'd like the woods," she murmured against soft, pale skin as one hand roamed teasingly over her girlfriend's pale blue bra, "The fresh air…the smell of the tree's, it's like freedom."

Belle hummed happily, she loved listening to Red speak lowly as her lips trailed over her skin.

"What else?" she breathed.

Red smiled as she pulled a bra strap down and took nipple into her mouth, relishing in the sharp intake of breath above her.

"Well, it would be just you and me," she whispered, "And a tent in a nice," she bit teeth into a taut nipple, "cosy sleeping bag," she licked her own lips, "It might get a little cold but I promise I'll keep you very warm," she swivelled her tongue expertly before trailing a line of kisses down Belle's stomach.

"You always keep me warm," Belle placed a hand in her girlfriend's long hair.

"Mm, I do," Red agreed, "And you know how protective the wolf gets," she murmured, "I know you love it."

Belle bit her lip, "I do," she admitted.

Red smirked as her nimble fingers undid the button on Belle's jeans, "You don't wear these often enough, you know," she murmured, "You look so fucking sexy in jeans," she pulled them over her girlfriend's ankles, "Mm, but even sexier out of them."

Belle smiled as she blushed, "Thank you," she mumbled as Red came back to face height and kissed her lips, "I like your persuasion techniques," she giggled.

Red laughed quietly, "I thought you might," she grinned as she delved one hand into her girlfriends underwear.

"Aren't we going to save," Belle gasped, "that…for the woods?" she couldn't supress a moan as Red's nimble fingers got to work.

"Oh, this is just a teaser, babe," Red murmured into Belle's ear as she wrapped her other arm around the smaller woman's waist.

Belle clutched at her desperately, "Oh, this is just you marking your territory," she chuckled.

Red's eyebrows rose in shock, "Do you like that thought?" her breath once again tickled Belle's ear.

Belle bit her lip, hesitating, "Yes," she admitted, "Very much."

Red moved her hand faster, flicking her girlfriend's sensitive nub and grinning as she gasped, "You always surprise me, you know that?"

Belle tried to kiss the taller woman but by then, all control was lost and with Red's hand behind her head she moaned into her shoulder as her body shook. She smiled through it as she felt Red's fingers comb through her curls.

"So," Red kissed her cheek, "You wanna come to the woods with me, then?"

Belle grinned as she focussed on regaining her composure, "Yes," she breathed, "That sounds lovely."