It had been 3 weeks since the kidnapping incident. Belle and Rumple had been great, they had seemed to fall into a routine. They would wake up in the morning, still in separate beds, and go into the Great Hall. He would sit at his chair or the wheel and wait until she made tea. They would have tea and then Belle would begin cleaning. She would clean until lunch and they would have lunch together. She would read for a few hours while he spun, occasionally shooting glances at one another. But today when Belle woke up, a wave of sadness hit her. She knew what day this was. The day of her mothers death.

This was her least favorite day of the year. She forced herself out of bed and made her way downstairs. She saw Rumple at the wheel but didn't stop to say anything or peck him on the cheek. He found this slightly weird but didn't push. When she came out with tea she was very quite and she didn't have her usual bright smile. Rumple couldn't hold back any longer.

"Are you alright Belle?"

"Oh yes, i'm fine." she stirred her tea while staring at it like an endless void

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, i'm sure"

Rumple wasn't so sure.

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It was after lunch and Belle had sat down to start reading. Rumple was sitting at the wheel, he really wasn't focused on the wheel however, he was to focused on Belle. He would stare at her for long periods of time, then go back to the wheel. He had focused on the wheel for 10 minutes before he turned to see her crying with her knees to her chest and her head on them. He got up slowly and approached her.

"Belle? Darling are you all right" he said as he walked up to her. She looked up over her knees and then right back down and started crying again. "Honey, tell me whats wrong. Maybe I can help? Was it one of the Queens of Darkness? I can definitely make them pay for whatever-"

"It wasn't them." she mumbled with her face still in her knees

"Then tell me, please. I want to make you feel better."

Belle sat up and tucked her knees under herself and looked him. He sat down on the couch to hear her story better. She calmed herself slightly and began to speak "Do you remember a time, around when I first got here, I told you about my mother, because you needed a tear for a potion?"

"Yes." he answered quietly

"Well today is- today is the day she- she- she died." she started to speak quicker "I don't even know why i'm crying so much I just miss her but I don't because I don't remember her that well. This day just becomes a blur of emotions and things I don't remember but also-" she started grabbing her hair and crying hard tears

"Hey, hey, Belle calm down" he grabbed her by the shoulders, she started sobbing uncontrollably "hey, come here" he pulled her into his lap with her ear against his chest "Breathe sweetheart, breathe" he pet her hair while she continued to sob. After she calmed a bit, she spoke,

"I'm sorry" she said into his shirt

"You have nothing to be sorry for. I will be here, i'm your shoulder to cry on." he kissed the top of her head

She looked up at him and looked into his eyes "I love you" she said with a weak smile

"I love you too" he kissed her and then held her tight to him as she calmed down. By the time dinner was ready Belle was calm enough to cook. They ate dinner in peace and laughter then headed off to bed.

--

It was the middle of the night and Belle had woken up from a another dream about her old life. She didn't feel home sick or anything, she just couldn't stop thinking about it. Especially after her day. She decided to head down to the kitchen for a cup of tea to calm her before she went back to bed. She went downstairs to see Rumple spinning at his wheel. He didn't look up so she assumed he was to focused to hear her so she walked up to him slowly and put a hand on both of his shoulders. He stopped spinning and turned to face her, while hiding what he was working on in his pocket.

"What are you doing out of bed dearest?" he asked in a calm quite voice. He turned to see her in a blue long nightgown.

"Couldn't sleep"

"Your not missing home are you? I've thought about it and I want you to be happy"

"Oh no, i'm the happiest I have ever been. But yes, I had a dream about my old life again. But- But that isn't home anymore. Home is here, with you" Rumple smiles and stood up, he couldn't believe this beautiful women was telling him this was home to her. He had been alone for so long, ever since Bae. He would tell her about Bae someday, probably not soon thought.

"Do you want to go make some tea and meet me in the library? We can talk in there until you get tired again." he casually rubbed her shoulders

"I would like that very much" she smiled, gave him a peck on the lips and went to make tea.

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Rumple sat in the library thinking about how happy he was. He hadn't felt this happy in a long time. Milah never made him feel this happy, Cora was fake happiness. Only Bae had ever made him this happy, but he was gone. He hoped Belle would never be gone, but she seemed happy, at least for now. And he was even happier thinking about the object in his pocket.

He heard the door to library open and smiled. She came around the corner of the couch and put the tea tray on the table

"Here you go" she made his tea how he liked it and handed him a cup. She then fixed herself a cup leaned against his side. He put an arm around he shoulder.

"Thank you" he said after a long time of sitting in silence

"For what? The tea, it was really no-"

"Not the tea, for everything. You are the greatest thing that has happened to me in a long time."

"So are you. I thought I could never be as happy as I am right now."

"You don't know how glad I am to hear that Belle."

A few more minutes went by before Rumple felt Belles breathing become steady "You should head off the bed sweetheart, you seem to be tired"

"Will you come with me?" he head turned so fast it popped

"Wh-Wh-What?" she looked up at him with a giggle

"Not like that" she giggled "I know I won't be able to fall asleep again unless you are with me. Just come upstairs and lay with me until I fall asleep. Please"

He couldn't say no, he would feel horrible "Fine"

They went to her room and both had the best sleep they had had in ages.

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Ok so this chapter was a bunch of fluff and them getting closer! Also, what do you think Rumple was working on!?!??

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