A/N: This one is an education based one. Unlike past ones I've read, I'm taking a different approach with Belle being the student teacher and Gold as her cooperative teacher. I know there have been TA stories, but this is not in the college setting. These two are teaching at a high school.

Some of these prompts are inspired by actual events during my student teaching and currently being a substitute teacher. Sadly, the whole Mr. Gold thing never happened. No real names being used… just the FTL names.

Student Teacher

Prompt: Rhys Gold has inappropriate feelings for his student teacher, Belle French. To hide it, he behaves like a tyrant but to his surprise… Belle gives him a birthday present and something changes. (Rated M for naughty thoughts)

This was so completely wrong but Rhys Gold couldn't stop thinking about the lovely Belle French. Her shapely mouth, strong chin, the slender length of her throat, the pert tiny nose, the luscious and wild tumbling curls of warm chestnut, and the dazzling sapphires that lit up with passion and excitement for each brand new day and the lesson that would follow.

Did he mention that she was his student teacher?

In all of his twenty-five years of teaching, he never came across this aching turmoil. Sure, he had attractive female student teachers in the past, but never quite like one as Belle French. She was different, she was…

Strictly off limits.

So he lived in the world of fantasy just to survive the days (and nights) of his lonely, dreary life. While his dreams gave him some release from his pent up frustrations… the mornings were the moments he truly loathed himself, knowing he would have to face her with the knowledge that the night before he had touched himself with her on his mind.

Therefore, he acted out towards her by being meaner more so than normal around her, snapping at her when she makes a mistake, or even changing her lesson plan (even if it happened to be a perfect lesson). He looked for flaws, errors, mistakes… anything to keep himself focused and do his job well without drawing suspicions from her, their students, and his colleagues.

They couldn't know, they would never know.

Especially her.

Not that she would ever know… his beastly behavior makes sure of it. However, it pains him to behave so horribly when she means so well and is perfect.

But he keeps reminding himself that her graduation was still five months away—both a blessing and a curse. He still had five months to enjoy her company, her intelligence, and her smiles, but it was a bloody punishment all the same. Everyday his limits and self-restraint was tested and he suspected his ex-wife Milah was rolling in her grave with laughter at his predicament. He wouldn't be surprised if she had a hand in this—probably one of her curses she threw at him when they divorced. And it was a doozy one too… his personal Hell all wrapped up in a bubbly, carefree girl with a smile brighter than sunshine and the eyes of a cloudless sky.

Yes, Milah somehow orchestrated this from the beyond. He had no doubt of it.

Bad! Bad! Bad!

He was her mentor, her guide for her future profession. He was to give her advice and help her become a better educator rather than giving into his urges to feel what it was like to have her slim legs wrapped around his waist as he pounded her against his desk.

And the whiteboard.

And the bookshelves.

And maybe even on top of the desk of that annoying Greg Mendell.

Most of all, he wanted to revel in her attention and laughter… knowing it was him that could make her happy.

Yet, the truth remained… he made her miserable and it was his fault and there was nothing he could do to change it. He could only pray the months will fly by so Belle French would leave his doors once and for good. Then, and only then, will Rhys Gold find peace and he won't ever have to think about her again.

As he sat at his desk and finished grading some journals for his sixth-hour class, he heard the light clicking of Belle's heels and closed his eyes in despair. Heels… that meant she was wearing a dress or worse… a skirt.

He swallowed thickly and sent a quick prayer to help him through the day when Belle's voice pierced through his head.

"Mr. Gold?" she asked timidly.

He sighed and looked up at her. Inwardly, he cringed as in fact she was wearing a skirt—a chocolate brown pencil skirt with a belt to accentuate her tiny waist as her pink blouse billowed on top. The heels were also brown and the height was a further reminder of how close she will stand to his five-eight height and for him to lift her in a compromising position… as long as his bad knee didn't give out.

He covered with a look of indifference and considered commenting how her outfit was a violation to the dress code, but in actuality, she was not. But for his sanity it certainly was school inappropriate.

"Yes Ms. French?" he replied coolly, evenly, not a trace of his true emotions.

"I heard from another staff member that it was your birthday, and so I…" He realized her hands were behind her and she moved them to show a gift bag clutched tightly with her fingers. It was nothing fancy since she wasn't earning a salary, just a plain blue gift bag with newspaper sticking out. "I brought you something. It's not much but I hope it kind of makes up for my klutzy accident with your mug."

He lifted his eyebrows as he accepted the present. The mug she alluded to was the one she broke on the first day of school. She had been introducing herself, and once he took over to cover the syllabus, she leaned on his desk and miscalculated how far she was and fell… knocking the mug off.

He had ripped into her on the spot (not the best professional attitude to take with their students present, but it did not ruin her image in the students' eyes). She apologized profusely and offered to replace it but he told her to forget it. Apparently, her guilt over the incident had not waned, even though he didn't have any sentimental feeling attached to it. It was only a mug, yet Belle took responsibility that it meant something to him, and he felt awful for raving about it in the first place.

He removed the newspaper stuffing and stared inside. It wasn't a new mug like he expected, but it was something entirely else and one of value.

A Victorian blue and white floral teacup was nestled carefully in more newspaper. He picked it up, his thumb gently tracing the golden rim until he discovered a tiny crack in it.

"I know you mentioned you like collecting rare objects and the Victorian era is your favorite literature period… so I combined them. As for the crack, the proprietor told me of a story behind it, and since we're English teachers, I thought you would appreciate it."

"What's the story?" he questioned, still delicately touching the cup.

Belle beamed with pleasure that the gift was a success. "There was this landowner, a very rich and powerful man, and generally disliked by everyone. He lived all alone in this mansion, except he did have a live-in maid. She was the only person in town who could stand to work for him and over time… they fell in love. This cup was chipped on her first day because she was so nervous and didn't know what to expect. He treated her kindly and never mistreated her or belittled her. Yet, it wasn't proper for them to be together and he sent her away, never to see her again. But he kept this cup because it was the only thing of value he cherished despite his immense wealth."

It was certainly a tragic story and Rhys felt an inkling sense of kinship towards this unlikeable landowner. "Was there anything else to the story?"

At this, Belle blushed. "There was another thing he told me. It's not part of the actual story per say…"

"Well, what is it? I would like to know the whole story."

She nibbled at her lower lip and played with her fingers. "The owner said this cup represented their love. And whoever possesses the cup will also find their true love."

"True love, huh?" he repeated as her blush darkened. "As interesting as that is… it certainly sounds like a fairy tale, but a cup is a cup. There's no hidden power in it this particular one about finding your true love. However, the history does deserve a further look into it. Thank you Ms. French."

"You're welcome Mr. Gold," she said, smiling that he did like the gift after all. For a moment, their eyes met and something passed between them… an invisible spark and Rhys cleared his throat, looking away from her.

Belle also looked away. "I—I should probably make those copies for that short story before first hour."

"Yes."

Another second and they were looking at each other again, though this time Belle was the first to move away and flitted out of the room, her heels echoing on the linoleum floor in the hallway.

Leaning back in his chair, he held the teacup in deep contemplation. True love was a concept not fit for him and he was past that childish notion that there was The One for him.

But… there was something to it and it happened after he looked at Belle once she finished her story. Right then and there, a strange new feeling began to flare in his breast.

Hope.