Disclaimer: This is just fanfiction, and I do not own Once Upon a Time.

Part 1:

Belle sat up in bed, pieces of the horrible nightmare still clinging to her. Every moment had seemed so real. She could still hear the witch's horrible laugh pounding against her eardrums. The nightmares had haunted her all evening. After the ordeal at the dark one's vault, Belle had borrowed a horse and rode all night to make it to the castle. She told the others what happened. The wicked witch had tricked her, killed Neal, stolen the dark one's dagger, and taken Rumpelstiltskin, alive but totally under her control. She could still picture the looks of dismay on their faces. After that, Belle desperately needed some time alone to process what had just happened. She was also hoping to get some much-needed sleep. Unfortunately, this was not to be. Her room, while comfortable and well-furnished, had one glaring flaw: it was in the queen's castle.

If someone had told Belle a month ago that she would be staying at the queen's castle as an honored guest, she would have assumed that they, much like herself, had just escaped from a mental institution. Yet here she was. True, she wasn't exactly the queen's guest, but Snow and Charming's, as they currently presided over the castle. Nevertheless, it was shocking.

Don't be ridiculous. she thought to herself after a maid showed her to her room. I'm in no danger here. It's just a building and I can make it through one night. However, the memories of her time as the queen's prisoner soon became more and more tangible, taking on a mind of their own. The sound of the door closing behind her nearly sent her into a full-blown panic attack, footsteps she heard outside of the doorway seemed to signal her imminent doom, and she could almost hear the walls whisper her failings over and over again.

Baelfire is dead. Your Rumpelstiltskin has been taken. The kingdom is in grave danger.

And it's all your fault.

Belle got out of bed and hastily grabbed some necessities- a little food, water, a few gold coins, a change of clothes, and, of course, a book. The cold air pressed in around her as she struggled to navigate the long hallways and find the nearest exit. She rounded the corner and almost ran straight into a loaded crossbow.

"Who goes there?" asked the voice on the other end of the weapon.

"Granny," Belle gasped, holding up her hands to show she was unarmed. "It's just me." Much to her relief, the older woman immediately removed the arrow from the crossbow and dropped it to her side.

"Belle? What are you doing out at this hour? Don't you know about the curfew that's been put in place? The Charmings' orders, not mine. One can never be too careful, you know. Especially after what happened to poor Prince Philip and Aurora."

Belle sighed. Aurora and Philip were a cautionary tale of what happened to those who disobeyed the wicked witch. They were both turned into flying monkeys. "I know about the curfew, Granny, and I'm sorry, but I can't stay here."

"Why not?"

"This place," Belle gestured around the empty stone walls. "Is where the queen held me prisoner after I left Rumple's castle. It's too much."

"Oh," said Granny, "I see." And Belle could tell that she did. Even with her stoic exterior and fierce attitude, Granny could recognize prey caught in a trap when she saw it. "Where will you go?"

"I hadn't really planned that out yet,"

Granny looked around a moment before leaning in closer and saying. "I have a cottage a few miles into the woods. Snow White used it as a hideout while she was on the run as a bandit. You're welcome to stay there, if you need to."

"That's very generous of you, but I couldn't," said Belle, touching the woman's rough hand.

The woman squeezed her hand back. "You can. And you must. But you need to be careful. What will you do if you're found by the wicked witch?"

"I don't think I need to worry about that," Belle replied. "She tried to make Rumple kill me after she stole the dagger, but it didn't work. Something prevented it."

Granny nodded. "The cottage is on the far east end of the forest. It has a gardening shed very close to it with a loose doorknob. There's a spare key hidden inside the knob."

"Thank you, Granny. Your kindness has meant more to me than you'll ever know."

"No need to thank me," said Granny quickly. She had never been much for sentimentalism. "Just be safe, and take this with you." Belle started to protest, assuming that Granny was about to give her the crossbow or some other manner of weapon that she had no idea how to use. However, Granny reached into her pocket and produced a simple kitchen knife. Belle smiled. That she could handle.

After a few hours of walking through the woods, Belle started to debate whether or not leaving the castle was truly as necessary as it had seemed earlier. It was winter in the Enchanted Forest. That meant that the ground was covered in heavy, wet snow and the wind was bitterly cold. The sound of howling wolves could be heard in the distance. The candle on her lantern was getting smaller and could go out any minute. Where was this cottage? No wonder it had made a good hiding spot for bandit Snow White, no one could find it!

Belle was just about to give in and head back to the queen's castle when she made her way into a clearing. On the far edge stood a rather large cottage. It appeared to be made out of large stones, the only wooden features being the gray shutters and beams supporting the roof.

Had Belle's toes not been completely numb, she would have run to the building. Before she could take a step further, however, a piercing shriek filled the air. She barely had time to look up when a furry creature flew out from behind a clump of trees and swooped at her. Its hand-like talons clamped onto her shoulders and she was lifted off of the ground. Belle screamed. She had dropped her lantern in the snow, but she didn't even have to see the creature to know what it was: one of Zelena's flying monkeys.

With the beast's hold on her shoulders, moving her arms at all was nearly impossible, but Belle managed to swat at one of its large wings. Momentarily caught off guard, the monkey hurried to reorient itself in the sky while not dropping its catch. In the struggle, one of its claws slid down Belle's arm. She bit back pain and used her other arm to try and retrieve the knife from the bag hanging against her hip. She unclasped it and dug until her hand felt the wooden handle. Blindly, she plunged the knife at the monkey as hard as she could, hoping to hit any of its body parts to escape its grasp. The blade grazed one of the monster's wings before slicing through a course layer of fur and sinking into the side of its chest. The monkey howled, a sound both feral and unsettlingly human, and the grip of its claws released.

Much too quickly, Belle felt herself plummeting toward the ground. Her head struck against the outstretched limb of a tree, and she couldn't tell if the cracking sound that followed was a branch breaking or one of her bones. A bush somewhat broke her fall as she landed. For a moment, she didn't move. Am I… still alive? she wondered. Cautiously, she wiggled her fingers, then her toes. She started sitting up, squeezing her eyes shut when dark spots started to cloud her vision. You can pass out later. she urged herself. It's too cold to stay out here. Just make it to the cottage.

Almost unconsciously, she started trying to find her way back to the clearing. This was not a very easy feat since she no longer had a lantern. Luckily, the creature hadn't taken her very far, and she found her way back after a few minutes. Locating the spare key, she let herself inside. She sighed in disappointment. While the house provided shelter from the wind, it was not as warm inside as she had expected it to be. The modern heating systems in Storybrooke had spoiled her, she'd gone soft.

Motivated by the need for warmth, it wasn't long before Belle had set a small pile of logs in the main room's fireplace, and coaxed a few sparks into a cheerful blaze. She started to rub her hand against her arms and gasped when she noticed blood seeping through the fabric of her cape. She removed it quicky, along with the sweater she had on. Now that she had warmed up a bit, she wanted to get out of her abundant layers of clothing to better assess her injuries. Her fingers felt clumsy as she untied the bow around her skirt and unbuttoned the bodice of her dress. The adrenaline that had been pumping through her veins started to dissipate. Pain started to radiate from the cut on her arm, and her head was throbbing. Finally, she was down to the last layer of her outfit, a short-sleeved, white top and a matching slip skirt. Oddly enough, it was still more clothing than she wore in Storybrooke.

She rolled up her sleeve and cringed when she saw the angry-looking cut the monkey's claws had left in her upper arm. She needed to clean it. She located a kettle and a few clean clothes that would work for what she needed. Stepping outside, she grabbed a few handfuls of snow. Then she retreated back into the cabin and put the snow in a kettle over the fire to boil.

Tears started to flow down Belle's cheeks as she washed and bandaged herself. She was in pain, but not from her arm or her head. For the first time since the curse was broken, she remembered what it was like to feel totally and completely alone. She should have just stayed with Snow, Charming, and the others and gone to the castle with them in the first place. But no, she had once again let her emotions get in the way of her judgement, and the result was a living nightmare.

She cried until she was too tired to move. Then she stared at the dying embers of the fire until sleep claimed her. She dreamt that she was a prisoner all over again, sitting on a bed built into the wall and staring at the same cracks in the floor and ceiling for hours on end. She heard the evil queen's laughter echo off of the stone, then it morphed into Zelena's.

Belle awoke with a start, shivering. Upon looking out the window, she saw pink and lavender streaks in the dark gray sky. It was dawn. She was still exhausted, but she needed a change of scenery if she wanted to stop repeating the same, horrid dreams. She got up and walked up the stairs to a loft. There was a rather large bed with a few handmade quilts laying neatly on top of the mattress. There was a rocking chair in the corner, and a fireplace on the wall opposite the bed. But no fire. Belle thought wearily. She got into the bed and positioned the quilts so that she felt like a baby bird huddled in a warm nest. She was asleep again within seconds.

Part 2:

"The cottage is just behind this patch of trees," said Regina, pointing straight ahead of her.

"For your sake, milady, I'm relieved," said her travelling companion.

Regina rolled her eyes. She knew the thief was teasing her. When they had left the castle earlier that morning, he had eyed her choice in footwear skeptically. The royal blue, lace accented slippers with five-inch heels did not seem at all fitting for a day spent trekking through the forest. Even she had to admit that the shoes were made for style, not comfort or durability, but, as her mother had ingrained into her, a lady always dresses in a manner that commands the respect of those around her. This outfit was especially made to intimidate. Yes, if Zelena was unfortunate enough to encounter them during their journey, there was no way Regina was going to face her looking less than her best. Mere days ago, that witch had the nerve to threaten Regina while wearing one of her stolen dresses. There were consequences for incurring the queen's wrath, and nobody got away with disrespecting her. Nobody.

Since news of the dark one's capture had reached the castle, the queen had been more determined than ever to find her sister and bring her to justice. Or, at least, the closest an evil queen could come to justice. She had conjured the idea shortly thereafter. The solution to their problem was simple- a tracking spell. All they needed was to cast the spell over one of Zelena's flying monkeys and the magic would do the rest. The real trick was how to get close enough to the winged freaks of nature to cast the spell in the first place.

That was where Snow White came in. Her idea had been to shoot one of the monkeys with an arrow enchanted with the spell. If they could get the arrow to hit somewhere that wouldn't kill it, like on the foot or the tip of a wing, the animal would lure them right to the witch's hideout. With that, the plan was complete, and Regina affectionately dubbed it "Operation come out come out wherever you are" after the song Glinda of Oz sang in the movie. The fact that the name reminded her of Henry was mostly her wallowing in self-pity, but it was also oddly comforting.

Snow had originally planned on going with Regina and putting her archery skills to use by shooting the enchanted arrow. However, she had started feeling unwell and had to cancel at the last minute. Morning sickness, she had claimed. And since Robin was the only other archer skilled enough to do the job, he had been recruited into the operation a mere hour before they had to leave. Regina had a suspicion that Snow wasn't really as sick as she was letting on, and was using her pregnancy as an excuse to get the queen and the thief to spend more time together. Typical Charming move. Why were they so nosy all the time? Didn't they have their own lives to worry about? Then again, maybe Snow was just being cautious. Everyone at the castle had been extra vigilant since Zelena had threatened to steal her unborn baby.

So, here Regina was, trudging through the forest with a man at her side that she didn't really want or care about. Presently, he was shifting his grip on his bow and quiver so that he could better support the weight of the satchels that she had given him to carry. What? If he had to come along, he might as well make himself useful.

"We'll make the potion here, and then go out to find a flying monkey to shoot at. If we do this correctly, Curious George will be none the wiser, and he'll lead us right to that witch's lair.

"Curious Who?"

"Never mind," said Regina, using magic to open the cottage door and walking inside. She stopped in the entryway. Something felt off.

"Someone's here," said Robin reaffirming her instinct. He reflexively pulled an arrow out of the quiver.

Regina frowned. Snow had been clear that nobody was using this cottage. It should be empty, but they definitely weren't alone. The chair closest to the fire was covered in a pile of clothes, and a wash basin and bandages were close by. The wood from the fireplace appeared to be burned recently, definitely not twenty-eight years ago. Regina noticed, however, that the room itself was uninhabited. The intruder must be upstairs.

Rather than let the sound of her heels give away their presence in the house, Regina used magic to poof herself and Robin into the loft above the stairs. He looked stunned at the sudden change, but quickly shifted back into stealth mode.

He touched Regina's arm to get her attention, then he pointed to the bed. There was a figure covered with a mound of blankets that rose and fell as they breathed. Regina paused. This could be anyone. They needed to be careful. For all she knew, their plans had leaked outside of the castle, and this was a trap.

Cautiously, Robin took a silent step forward and gingerly tugged at the edge of one of the blankets. Regina held her breath. Brown hair came into her line of vision, then a white dress…

"Oh," said Regina, fear quickly turning into annoyance. "It's just the bookworm."

The girl's eyes fluttered open. After a moment of staring in confusion, she seemed to register what she was seeing and sat up, looking between both Robin and Regina.

"Belle, what are you doing here?" asked Robin. "We thought you were still at the castle."

"I left last night," said Belle. "The castle was-" she stopped, glancing anxiously at Regina. "I needed to leave. Granny told me that I could stay here." She gestured around the room. Regina noticed a strip of bandage wrapped around Belle's arm that had become soaked through with blood and needed to be replaced.

"You're hurt," said Robin, obviously concerned. "What happened?"

"One of Zelena's flying monkeys attacked me. But I'm fine. It's really nothing."

"There was a flying monkey here?" said Regina. "Where?"

"It was right outside of the cottage," said Belle. "But it's gone now. Why do you ask?"

"The queen and I are here to make a spell to catch Zelena," said Robin.

"I'm making a spell to catch Zelena," Regina said. "You're merely the delivery boy."

"And, I suppose you want me to go," guessed Belle. She started to get up, but stopped when she nearly fell. She was unsteady on her feet. She put her hand against her head and blinked a few times, like she was dizzy.

"You're in no condition to travel," said Robin.

"But it would be easier if you weren't here," said Regina. "I can use magic to heal your wounds, and then you can be on your way."

"No," said Belle, putting her hand on her injured arm protectively. "I don't want to be healed using magic, and I certainly don't want anything from you."

"Excuse me?" said Regina, confused at Belle's adamant refusal.

"Since the moment you spoke to me while I was bringing straw to Rumple's castle, all you've done is brought me destruction. Because of you, I was separated, for years, from the people I love. Have you any idea what that feels like? To know that there's someone out there that cares about you and living every day knowing that you'll never see them again?"

Her response made Regina's blood feel like ice water and boiling metal all at once. How dare this ungrateful girl speak to her in such a manner?

Robin seemed to sense the impending outburst, and changed the subject. "It's not safe for you to stay here alone. Sherwood Forest is just a few miles from here. You're always welcome with the merry men and me. Mulan is with us now, so there would be another woman for you to stay with. I can escort you there while the queen works on the potion."

"That's very kind of you, I would like that," said Belle. Some of the tension started to fizzle out of her expression, and she turned to him, smiling sweetly.

"Good, then it's settled," said Robin, nodding at Belle, then at Regina. "But first, will you allow me to have a look at your arm?"

Regina cleared her throat. They needed to be back at the castle before nightfall. They couldn't waste time with this girl who, by the way, wouldn't even be hurt if she had stayed at the castle in the first place.

Robin walked over to Regina. "It won't take long. Get started on the potion, and I'll be here to help you when it's ready." He looked at her so earnestly that her shoulders sagged. Clearly, he wasn't going to pass up the chance to help Belle, and, at the moment, Regina wasn't exactly in the position to make enemies.

The three headed downstairs. Regina started to set the ingredients for the potion on the table while Robin gathered more cloths to use as bandages. While she began her work, Regina couldn't help but steal a few glances at the thief as he tended to Belle. He was so gentle, carefully unwrapping the saturated cloth, apologizing when she gasped or tensed up with pain. In spite of herself, Regina found herself realizing why Robin made such a good father to little Roland, and why the other merry men respected him so much. Her heart stung a bit when she thought about how people didn't really respect her. They were afraid of her, which was not the same thing.

"I'm so sorry about what happened," said Robin while he worked. "Baelfire was a good man, and I know that you care about the dark one very deeply."

"Thank you," said Belle sullenly. "The person my heart really goes out to is Henry. Neal just wanted to be able to see him again, and now I fear he never will."

At the mention of her son, Regina paused. In all of the chaos with her sister, she had nearly forgotten Neal's relationship to Henry. Now, even if they were to, somehow, make it back to the Land Without Magic and get her son's memories back, it would be too late. His father was gone. The thought of how upset this would make him sickened her.

"I see, and, what of Rumpelstiltskin?" continued Robin.

"He was taken prisoner by Zelena," replied Belle. "I don't know what she's doing to him, but it can't be good. This is all my fault."

"That witch is the one who's at fault, Belle," said Robin. "You mustn't blame yourself."

"I can't help it," said Belle. "I just keep thinking about him, in a cage somewhere. It's a terrible thing to not be free."

Regina's palms started to feel clammy. For, perhaps, the first time, she started to see Belle as a person rather than a pawn. Locking her away had seemed justified at the time, but now Regina realized how truly horrific it must have been. She had thought of herself as a prisoner during her childhood with her Cora, and felt even more like one during her ill-fated marriage to King Leopold. However, the idea that she had subjected Belle to years of joyless existence, confined to a single room, suddenly seemed much worse.

She turned to face Belle and Robin. "You're right."

Both people looked up at her in surprise. "What do you mean?" asked Belle.

"It is a terrible thing to not be free," said Regina, tears gathering in her eyes. She didn't want to be the evil queen anymore, and it was probably too late to completely erase that part of her, but she had to at least try to make amends. "What I did was inexcusable, she continued. I stole years of your life, and I left scars that will probably never be completely healed. And for that, I am so, so sorry."

"Oh," said Belle, staring down at her lap. She made no move to accept the offered apology, but she didn't deflect it, either. That was all Regina could really hope for.

"All done," said Robin, tying the new bandage securely in place. "We can head to Sherwood Forest now, if you're ready."

"Mm-hmm," said Belle, still appearing distracted by the queen's words.

"You know," Regina said. "We need all the help we can get fighting Zelena. You really are welcome to stay at the castle. The Charmings are running things now, so I expect the atmosphere will be… different than when I was in charge."

"Maybe someday," said Belle. "But right now, I just can't."

Regina nodded. "I understand."

"But I do want to help," said Belle. "She's trying to steal the Charmings' baby. There are so many spells out there that she might be trying to enact. There are entire volumes dedicated to it. If I could have access to some of them, I'm sure I could find something that could be used against Zelena."

Regina thought about this for a moment. Belle wanted access to her collection of spell books without having to go to the castle. Robin stopped over at the castle every couple of days to see if he could be of service to the prince and princess. If Belle stayed with Mulan in Sherwood Forest, Robin could bring her any of the books she needed.

"Yes," said Regina with a small smile. "I think that can be arranged." She glanced down at the books she had open on the table. "In the meantime, take these. There might be something in them that I've missed." She put them in a satchel and handed it to Robin.

Robin nodded. "Shall we be on our way?"

"Yes."

He swept his arm forward in an exaggerated motion toward Regina. "I shall be back within the next few hours, milady."

Regina couldn't help but smile. For some reason, this thief and his rough-hewn ways were starting to grow on her.