Chapter 23: The crocodile/The doctor
Belle was getting frustrated. She couldn't find anything about portals and how to access other world in any of Gold's books. She tried to go to the library but it was closed. Her father had told her that Regina had the key, but Belle was too afraid to approach the Queen.
After all this time, and she was still too afraid to help the ones she cares about. She bought some food at Granny's and made her way to Gold's house. Maybe they could talk about it and try to find a solution.
Once she arrived, she was going to knock on the door when a light from the basement window caught her attention. She approached it and saw MR. Gold spinning straw into gold, cut a piece and mix it with a liquid. It didn't take Belle long to realize he was crafting potions and using magic. She frowned and turned around.
The next morning she returned to the house and knocked. Gold opened the door and looked at Belle curiously. She pushed past him and sat down in the couch, signaling him to sit in the chair beside it. He did so and looked at her waiting for her to speak. He could tell that the woman was upset. He assumed it was because she couldn't find anything about portals.
"I saw you yesterday." She finally said. "I saw you making magic. Please tell me that it's because you are looking for a way to bring back Rose or look for your son."
"It was just a couple of spells. Nothing to be concerned about." He said dismissively.
"No, Rumple." She said shaking her head. "It's something to be concerned about. When we became friends, we promised that you wouldn't tell me about your deals and your magic and I wouldn't try to convince you to change."
Gold frowned and nodded. He remembered their agreement. They would remain friends, as long as they kept out of each other's business. He wouldn't talk about magic, and she wouldn't try to change him. That made possible something foreign for the Dark One. Have a friend.
"But now, now the only magic you should be using is to get Rose or your son back. And I can't stay by and watch you do nothing about that." She looked at him with a frown. "Tell me, why did you bring magic if not to search for Rose and your son?"
"Because magic is power, and without power, how can I expect to find them?" He told her calmly.
"You don't need power, Rumple. You need courage and determination to get back the ones you love."
Belle stood up and left him to his thoughts.
Belle was at Granny's drinking ice tea. Ruby brought her another one and they started talking.
"I know you as the daughter of the florist ion this world, but who were you back home?" Ruby asked curiously.
"I'm Belle. Nice to meet you…" Said Belle with a smile.
"Ruby." She said with a smile. She remembered that name. "It seems that you are a little lost. Do you need a place to stay?"
"Well, my relationship with my father is not very good. He doesn't approve of my choices in friends. Would you really let me stay here? I don't have a job now at my father's shop. I can't pay rent." Belle said with a sheepish smile.
"Well, what do you like to do? What are you good at?"
Belle thought about it and smiled softly.
"I love books. I could work in the library, but it's closed and Regina has the key. I'm ashamed to recognize that I'm too afraid to approach her about it."
"Don't worry. I have a break in a little while. If you want, I can come with you." Ruby told her kindly.
"I appreciate that, but why are you being so nice?"
"Well, Rose told me about you." Belle was surprised about that. "When I was still confused and trying to find myself, she said that I reminded her of you. Once I came to terms with what I am, she said that she wished you could do the same soon."
Belle was speechless. She knew Rose cared about her friends, but she never realized that she was so worried about her. Ruby saw the look on Belle's face and smiled grabbing her hands.
"Rose worries about everyone she deems a friend. But seeing as she's not here, I'll help you in her stead."
"Thank you." Said Belle gratefully. "But I think I have to do this by myself. I couldn't face Rose, if I couldn't do something as simple as ask Regina for a key."
"I understand. The offer to stay here still stands."
Belle was at the library's door, when a man approached her. He told her that he had been looking for her, that someone had hired him to find her. When she asked who he was talking about, a voice came from behind her.
"Belle." Moe said hugging his daughter. "I looked all over for you. You said that you were going to that man's house and you came back upset and this morning you disappeared. I told you that you shouldn't be friends with that beast."
"Well, right now the friendship is not at its best point." Belle said with a frown.
"That's good. Promise me you no longer will be friends with him. That you will never see him again." He said grabbing her arms.
"No! I'm not a child. This is my life and I can make my own decisions!" She yelled at him.
"Then I don't have a choice. I'm sorry. Do it." He said nodding to Smee.
The man grabbed her and she started to scream. Then David, Mr. Gold and Ruby approached them, having heard the screams. David got Smee to let Belle go, who went straight to Ruby. The two hugged and Ruby checked that she was okay.
Moe tried to make Belle realize that she was wrong and that she should come back with him to the shop.
"After what you just tried to do to me? You're no better, Father. You don't get to decide what I do or how I feel. I do." She said with anger.
David told Moe to leave, before things got ugly. Once he left, Belle turned to Gold with a glare.
"This doesn't change that you're too cowardly to be honest with me and specially yourself. Until you decide to really try to get them back, I don't' want to see you."
She and Ruby went back to Granny's. The next morning, Ruby brought Belle some breakfast and told her that someone had left something for her. She handed Belle a small box and an envelope.
She opened the box to see a key that said 'library'. She smiled and opened the envelope. She recognized Rumpelstiltskin handwriting.
I'm sorry. You are right. I'm a coward. I used power as a crutch. I was too afraid to let it go, and it cost me my son. I will work on a way to find my son, and I trust that you will find a way to bring her back.
−Your friend
PS: There's an apartment for the caretaker, if you want it.
Belle smiled, took the key and left. She was starting to have hope for a better future.
Emma, Mary-Margaret, Aurora, Mulan and Rose were nearing the village discussing how to break the news about Lancelot and Cora. Mulan stopped them and draw her sword. She told them that there was always someone at the watchtower.
When they entered the village, they saw it destroyed and everyone dead, their hearts ripped out. Mary-Margaret confirmed that it was Cora's doing and that she had to be stopped. Rose shushed everyone and looked around.
"Don't you hear it? Someone's alive." She said.
She kept looking around and so did the rest. Then Rose looked directly at a pile of bodies and Emma followed her gaze. She saw a hand moving and all of them started to move the bodies to free the person underneath.
The man thanked them and the others were reassuring him that he was going to be fine. Rose just looked at him in suspicion. All this carnage and he alone survived? She didn't buy it. With a look towards Emma, she knew that her friend didn't trust the man either.
Emma, Mulan and Rose went to get some water and were discussing the stranger. Mulan told them that he came a while ago saying that he was a blacksmith and that he lost his hand to an ogre. Emma and Rose shared their suspicions with Mulan, and she agreed to be cautions. She didn't want a repeat of Cora. They approached the table and the man told them what Cora had done.
"She attacked at night. Slaughtered everyone in one fell swoop. When she started ripping out people's hearts, I hid under the bodies of those who had already been killed. Pretended to be dead myself. Mercifully, the ruse worked."
Emma wasn't convinced and neither was Rose. Mulan suggested that they get away from there in case Cora decided to return. Mary-Margaret agreed and said that they should look for another portal. The man offered to guide them, but Emma put a dagger on his throat.
"You're not going to guide us anywhere, until you tell us who you really are." She told him.
"I would tell the whole truth this time." Said Rose with a smirk.
They brought the man to the outskirts of the village and tied him to a tree. He was trying to convince them that he told the truth, but to no avail. Once Mulan nodded, Rose let out a loud whistle and roars could be heard in the distance.
"You don't want to talk to us? Maybe, you'll talk to the ogres while they rip you limb from limb." Said Emma like it was no big deal.
They started to leave. Aurora was hesitant in case he was telling the truth, but Emma reassured her that he was lying. Before they could go very far, the man admitted that he was lying.
"Good for you! You bested me. I can count the amount of people who've done that on one hand."
They approached him again and asked for his true name. He said that he was Killian Jones, but that most people knew him by his moniker 'Hook'. He told them to look at his bag, and Mary-Margaret took out the aforementioned hook. Emma asked if he was Captain Hook and the man nodded. At that, Rose tried to stifle her laughter. She couldn't help but envision him in a pompous wig like in the Disney movie. Hook noticed and glared at her.
"What's so funny spitfire?" He asked her.
"Is that a comment on my hair?" Asked Rose with a raised eyebrow.
"So, you really don't remember?" He said with a smirk.
When the ogres could be heard very close, he finally started telling them about Cora's plan. How she wanted him to gain their trust and recover as much information on Storybrooke as possible. He said that Cora had gathered the ashes from the wardrobe, and she was planning to use them to open a portal.
He asked them to free him. Mulan argued against it and Emma agreed to leave him there. He begged them to let him go, as they needed him alive. He said they wanted the same thing, go back to their world.
"I arranged for transport with Cora. But, seeing how resourceful you are, I'll offer you the same deal. I'll help you, if you promise to take me along." He told them, making his case.
"And how exactly are you going to help?" Asked Rose with clear suspicion.
"The ashes will open a portal, but, to find your land, she needs more. There's an enchanted compass. Cora seeks it. I'll help you obtain it before she does."
They were debating if they should agree to his help, when Emma asked him why he wanted to go to Storybrooke.
"To exact revenge on the man who took my hand, Rumpelstiltskin." He said with hate.
Rose looked at him and frowned. What could he have done to gain such hate?
Hook was leading them through the forest. Mary-Margaret was asking Emma and Rose why they let the man go.
"Do you get the feeling he's leading us exactly where Cora wants us? That this whole thing's a trap?" She asked them and turned to Rose. "He's helping us because he wants to kill the man you love. Do you really want to help him?"
"Woah, there. Love is a strong word. I admit I have feelings for him, but it's too soon to call it love." Said Rose with a slight blush.
"It's definitely a trap. As long as we know they're trying to play us, we can stay one step ahead." Said Emma quickly, trying to change the subject.
They reached the edge of the forest and saw a beanstalk that grew beyond the clouds.
"Let me guess. The compass is up there?" Asked Emma.
"Oh, yeah. But, it's not the climb you need to worry about. It's the giant at the top." He told me.
The women looked at him with wide eyes, except Rose who had a look of pure joy on her face.
"There's a giant? Awesome!" She said starting to make her way to the beanstalk. "Come on. I want to see the giant!"