Hey,

I'm glad you wanted this. This is a lot of work and I needed to be sure you needed this story. Now I will keep going until I get to the end I imagne. I know I made you wait long, but I hope it is worth it. Please review. Even if it's just a little. Every review makes it easier to keep this story going.

Enjoy,

TempeGeller.

Chapter 35: The disappearance

That previous day, Belle had worked on her next debate. She had searched for more material. Yet she kept thinking about what happened to Rumple. She understood what he did. The man that Rumple had killed was responsible for many deaths. In many ways, the man disserved to die. Yet she understood Bealfire as well. Murder should never be seen as the right way out. She herself would have put the man in prison. She would have chosen for the right way. That moment she thought about Amy once again. She was not going to be the one to find Amy. Maybe Emma would have more success. She hoped so, she didn't want to think about never seeing Amy again. That was what hurt the most. When she woke up that morning, she took breakfast with Rumple. She stared at him. She wanted to know the whole story. She wanted to know how he lost Baelfire.
"So what happened to Baelfire?" She asked. "You owe me the rest of the story."
"I…" He paused. "I don't know if I want to tell you the rest of the story. I don't know if I can handle you hating me."
"I would never hate you." She smiled. "Tell me the rest."
"So I was the dark one." He looked out of the window. "I wanted to be the light one, I wanted to do good things. That is how it started. I didn't do anything wrong after I killed Hordor. Yet that didn't last long, I started to take advantage of my powers, I became darker and darker. There was nothing I could do about it."

Enchanted Forest

Baelfire admitted that he had noticed that his father started getting darker and darker. Everyone in the town first liked him, but as time passed they grew more scared of his father. That seemed to be projected on him as well. There were not many kids who dared to play with him. He was playing with those who would. He had gotten a ball from his father and they used the ball to play right now. The boy who he was playing with kicked the ball to the other side of the road. When he ran over the street, he fell. A man ran over to him, to help him.
"What are you doing in the middle of the road, boy?" The man asked.
"I'm sorry. I…" That was when his father walked in the town. Everyone that outside went inside. They watched them from the windows. Only the man that was close to Baelfire remained outside. The man started to be scared.
"Boy are you okay?" he asked. "You want a chicken? Some eggs?"
Baelfire shook his head as he got up. Slowly his father walked closer to them. Rumpelstiltskin looked at him. He looked to his leg. He tried to tell his father he was okay, but he felt that almost Rumple wouldn't listen to him.
"What's that?" Rumpelstiltskin pointed to the bloody knee. He tried to say it was nothing. Yet his father wouldn't believe it. He walked towards the man and stepped around him. His father hadn't known the man had nothing to do with it. His father hadn't known that the man only tried to help. Yet in a second he transformed the man in a snake.
"Please papa." Baelfire stared at his father. " Turn him back."

Emma stared at the written notes from the stalker. They had asked for everyone to write something down, yet not one handwriting had looked like the one they found. They asked everyone who had been near to the crime. Emma noticed that the person who wrote it, tried to change its handwriting. They had gone to someone with it. The person seemed to believe the handwriting belonged to a woman. He said it was very possible that someone else had written it.
"We have sent away the camera," Graham replied. "Maybe we can find out where the footage has been send. Such a connection leaves traces. The rest of the evidence is being investigated. We can't knock on any doors for more investigations, since people have no real leads. It's sad, I know. There's nothing I can do. I know it's sad, but that is the truth."
"I need to find her…" Emma replied. "For Henry. I need to make him believe that things can end well. He needs her. We can't lose her Graham."

"Emma, we have little control over what happens next," Graham replied. "I can promise that I'll do everything to find her. She's special to me as well. She's special to the entire town. There's only one Amy. Everyone has a connection to her. She helped everyone. There was not one person she left to die. Not anyone."

Enchanted Forest

Baelfire couldn't believe what his father had done. Such a thing was not kind. His father would never have done anything unkind before he was the dark one. He stared in front of him, what could he do? That morning, their housekeeper had left the house. He wanted to go somewhere his father hadn't changed. Maybe somewhere he wasn't the dark one. Did such place exist? He wanted to know more than anything. That morning Rumple had taken care of his knee. Baelfire wanted him not to used magic, he never wanted his father to used magic. Yet he knew when his father left the house, he would use magic no matter what. When his father entered the house that morning, he saw their housekeeper walk outside to fetch something from a local farm.
"You killed that man." He said with a stern voice. Rumpelstiltskin stared at him.
"Well, you were hurt. I had to…"
"You're different now." He watched Rumpelstiltskin. "You hurt people all the time."
"I created a truce in the Ogres War, Bae. I walked into the field of battle and I made it stop. I led the children home. Surely a man who's saved a thousand lives…."
"Is done…" he added. "A man who's saved a thousand lives can be done with it. Stop doing things."
"I need more power, I could save…"
"Father, this is not about saving people anymore. It's become about your need for power, a sick need. You were powerless and now you can't get enough of it. It's like you're Icarus and I can't stop you from flying too close to the sun. Your need for power is going to be your end. Your fatal flaw. It's not about protection anymore, not for you nor for me. It would be easier if it were all gone."
"Well, I can't just get rid of it." Rumpelstiltskin held the dagger up. "Only if someone kills me, the power goes to another. Only then…."
He had thought about it, off course. He knew how the power of the dark one worked. He never wanted his father dead. That was the last thing his father ever wanted. The reasons why Rumpelstiltskin was in this situation were noble. Rumpelstiltskin wanted to save his life. He thought about it.

"Dad, what if I find a way?"
"You know, I will do anything for you. I always have."

Belle looked at the audience, she couldn't believe that they were talking about the need of police in Storybrooke. Regina talked about in incompetence of Emma Swan in the investigation of her daughter. She said that she would replace Emma right away. Belle wanted to roll her eyes. She hardly knew if she were right for this town, yet she seemed a better leader then Antony and Regina combined. They were two extremes of the spectrum. Regina wanted everything to remain as it was, while Anthony wanted to change everything. She heard Anthony talk about everything good the force was doing. He focused on the lack of money for the investigation. He blamed Regina right away. He said that the kidnapping could be prevented. She rolled her eyes. When she stepped on that podium, it did not feel right.
"I have been with …" She paused almost willing to say 'Dani'. "Amy. I've seen how this stalker got his paws in her. Emma had a plan, there were no leads. There was nothing Emma could do. It's easy to look back at the past and point fingers at each other. Maybe someone knows something, but has been keeping their mouth shut."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Regina stared at her. "Are you implying that I have been keeping secrets from the police force?"
"It's not the first time you kept secrets…" Belle reacted. "It's not the first time you've lied. I wonder how much times you…"

She paused, her anger towards Regina seemed to boil to the surface. There was nothing she could do about it. She smile at Regina.
"Excuse me about that." She smiled. "It's not like she took a big portion of my life with a lie. I will repeat this town deserves a fair leader. I will introduce something in Storybrooke that you've never seen before. A council will help me lead Storybrooke. A council of 12 people that know best. The time that only one people is in charge of Storybrooke is over. Storybrooke should belong to the people once again."

Enchanted Forest

When his father told him to play with the other kids, they didn't invite him. The most kids were scared of him. They ran as far as they could. They knew his father by reputation. Most of them were scared that his father would hurt them. He was scared of that himself. If any of those kids did anything mean. His father would certainly torture them. Maybe even kill them. He couldn't be guilty of that. So most of the time, he stayed away from other kids. Maybe people altogether. Yet one girl stayed by his side, she had dark black hair and blue eyes. He remembered her name was Morraine. They used to be friends.
"Baelfire…" She smiled at him. He sat right beside her.
"You don't want to be seen with me. I'm dangerous."

"Nonsense," Morraine replied. "You're no the one who's dangerous. You're a nice boy. I mean how long have we've been friends. I'm not going to stay away from you because of your papa. They're scared, I'm not. You won't let him hurt me. I don't think he's bad. I saw him on the battlefield. He stopped it all, it was a miracle. He's a good man."
"He was a good man. Now he's getting worse every day." He replied. "It's like something got a hold of him. Something evil. He said he'll change back if I find a way. I just don't know where to look. I mean there's no way to cut apart…"
"Reul Ghorm…"
"What?"
"I heard about it when I was in the trenches. The other soldiers talked about it. Reul Ghorm is an ancient being that rules the night. The original power."

"How do I find her?"
"Ask upon a star and she'll appear." She smiled at him. "That's what they say. I'm not sure it's right. I mean it is a tale. Not all tales are true…"

Belle had an ice tea in front of her. Tomorrow they would vote between the tree of them. She had written down who she needed in her council. Amy was on her list. Mary Margaret and Anthony were too. She needed more people, Emma was written down on the end of the list. Yet she was very unsure if Emma wanted the responsibility. Belle even wanted to elect the people by the public. She took a sip of ice tea.
"You were brilliant in there." Ruby sat down. "Like really brilliant."
"Thanks," Belle replied. "I really am not in the mood to lead. My best friend is still missing and I have no way to get involved in the investigation."
"Amy…" Ruby nodded her head. "is my friend too. She's everyone's friend."
"I can't help but…" Belle looked in front of her. "I could have done something. I…"
"There was nothing you could have done Belle." Ruby sat down. "I should have known too. Ashley also knew something was up. We had pieces of conversation, the more time went on, the more she pushed everyone away. He was isolating her and we let him. She even pushed Henry away."
"She pushed everyone away…" Archie sat down. "I'm a psychiatrist, I know the behavior of a stalker's victim. Yet I could not see it with her. I should not have left her alone when she tried to commit suicide. I should have looked around. Every piece of evidence I overlooked, because I was too close to her. My pain is the reason she's not with us."
"Archie…"

"It is true…"
"We need to find her." Belle turned to Ruby. "Is there someone who knows the town on the back of his hand?"
"Look no farther sister."

They took Leroy to the apartment above the library. Maybe he would find something that Emma and Graham had not. Leroy always looked at different stuff. He was somehow the one who knew Storybrooke the best. Yet no one truly knew his story. He did all kinds of things, yet no one truly knew what he did.
"I'm an electrician, you know." He walked around the room. "That's what I do for this town, I fix electric stuff. Yet no one cares about it. Everyone but…"
"But who…"
"That doesn't matter sister." He stared in front of him. "We all have our little secrets, don't we?"
"I guess." Belle nodded her head. "So is there anything in here that Emma missed?"

Leroy walked around the room. He looked to the walls more closely then anyone else would have. He took the took the remaining cables of the camera between his fingers, moving the bookcase to the front. He pulled on the cables.
"These are from the spy shop on the main street." He stared at them. "Pretty cheap."
"Are you sure there from that shop?"
"See the small logo…" He held the cable in front of Belle's face. "It's a pretty unique logo. Marten payed a thousaind dollars to get a unique logo. There's no way he got it from anyone else. By the way, I support you in the council thing, about time we get Storybrook back. Never tought a mental one would…"
"Mental one?" Belle opened her eyes wider. "Is that how you see me?"
"Regina trapped her there."

He walked farther in the room. Belle didn't know what he was looking at. She actually hardly knew how to look for evidence. She didn't know if Leroy knew either, but they had nothing to lose. That was the worst part, they were counting on someone Belle knew almost nothing about. Somehow she knew he had lost love. When she looked at him, memories about the enchanted forest came running back. It was a pub, he loved someone.
"What was she like?" He turned to her. "The girl, you were talking to me about in the pub."
"What pub?" He looked at her. "I don't know what you're talking about sister."
"You lost her didn't you?"
When he looked at her, it almost seemed that she could see emotion behind his eyes. He walked right to the other side of the room. There he kneeled to the floor.

"You should see this sister…"
"What is it?"
"Sand…" He said. "It could only come from one place…"

"The toll bridge…"

Enchanted Forest

Bealfire was sitting on a hill. He stared to the stars. He couldn't stop wondering, would this Reul Ghorm be able to help him. He hoped that this person could make life better. He hoped that she would be able to take all traces of magic. Magic was the thing that made their lives bad. It was the very thing that would keep everything complecated. So when he wished on the star, he hoped that everything would change. Yet he was not sure how it would.
"I can help you…" a woman appeared in front of her. She was bathed in blue, her eyes piercing blue. Her dress piercing blue and even her hair seemed to have a blue colour. He didn't know how she knew everything. He hadn't said a single world. " You can trust me. There is good and dark magic. I'm on the right side."
"There's no right side of magic." He stared at her. "All magic corrupts."
"That is not true, but it seems that you would believe this. Your father is the dark one. You're wondering if you can take away his power. I'm afraid that can't happen." He was disappointed by that answer. "But I can send you some place without magic. Another realm without magic, I can send you there. You will have to leave this place."
She handed him a bean.
"But be careful…" She looked at him. "You are the only on that can keep him on the good side. If he should. You should make sure that…"

"I won't ever lose him." He nodded. "He made a promise, remember."

Belle entered the shop, she saw Rumpelstiltskin. He was staring at small piece of clothing, his eyes filled with tears.
"We found a lead." She stared at him. "Ruby went to... Rumple…"
"I never told you how the story ended." He stared at her. "How I lost…"
"Rumple…." She stared at him. "What happened?"

Enchanted Forest

Baelfire took everything that was important to him. He placed it a small bag, there was a necklace he got from his mother. The only thing that he had from her. After that he got his father. They walked to a field, far from there home. There he stared at his father. He heard his father say that they could be happy here, yet he had no ears for it. They needed to go away there. He threw the bean to the floor. The truth was he didn't know what would happen. He thought that a door might appear, yet that was not the thing that happened. A portal opened, it was violent. Yet nothing but he was pulled towards it. His father grabbed the tree. He tried to pull his father with him. He was going to leave him.
"Father, please. You're getting worse. You promised. This can work. You wade a deal with me. "
He stared at him. There was a look in his eyes. Baelfire knew that look. His father was not coming. "You coward! You promised! Don't break our deal!"

"One moment I let go of his hand. He disappeared in that vortex. I don't know where he went. I tried…"
"You tried what?"
"First I tried to dig my way to this world. Than the fairy answered to me, that only a dark curse could bring me to my son."
"You…" Belle stared at him. "You made this curse to get to your son. And now you want to find him?"
"More than anything…"

Ruby did the only thing she knew how. She followed her instincts. Belle wasn't going with her, she had to check on Mister Gold. Ruby never understood the relationship between these two. It seemd they had nothing to do with each other, yet they had everything in common. Slowly she walked towards a wooden object. She pulled it up. She didn't know why she wanted to dug underneath. Yet she found a small wooden box, one she had seen before. Yet she didn't know where. Curiousity struck when she opened it. What she saw inside was something she could not be prepared for. It was a heart. She knew enough of biology to know it was human.
"Call the police…" She turned to Leroy. "Now! Call the police now!"

She didn't know what happened in the next hour. The police came and took the heart. They said they were doing tests on it. It would take some time. She was scared. She wanted to panic, she remembered still sitting there after everyone was gone. It was Belle that came to her after an hour.
"What are you still doing here, Ruby?" Belle asked.
"It was human." She said. "It could be hers. I don't know what her heart looks like. I always thought that…. I didn't think people were capleble to taking…"
"It's not going to be hers." Belle put her hand on Ruby's back. She took Ruby back to her appartment. Belle put her to bed and started to make tea. She didn't know what Ruby had gone through. She didn't know what she would do if she had found the heart. When she brought the tea, Ruby was already sleeping. There was only thing Belle could do. She started to clean up the appartment. She needed to put her mind of anything bad that could happen. Yet in her mind, she felt that something bad was about to happen.

Emma couldn't believe it when they told it was Amy's heart. She didn't know to to explain it to Henry. His sister was dead and someone had buried her heart there. They had found finger prints and every piece of evidence would come in at 4. That was in about an hour. She didn't know if she wanted to know who did it. She simple looked at the clock, moving more slow then it ever did. She didn't want to be Ruby. Ruby had found the heart. Ruby had gone through something horrible. There was nothing she could do to change that. There was no one here.
"I can't believe she's gone." Graham looked at her. "They'll call with all the results."
"Who could do such thing?"

The hour was longer then she could have imagined. When the phone rang, her heart skipped a beat. She didn't pick up. It was Graham who answered the phone. His face became pale. When he hang up the phone, he didn't seem like he could speak.
"Who?" She looked to him. "Who?"
"The evidence is conclusive." He looked to his hands. "Everything points to Mary Margaret."