Chapter 40

"Ruben? Why are you calling me at the middle of the night?...are you alright?" Belle asked while staring at her bedside clock.

"Hmm...It's good to hear your voice, I miss you Belle" Ruben blurted out as he closed his eyes and let Belle's voice evade his mind.

"Ruben...please...just go to sleep, it's very late right now. You and I both need our sleep" Belle suggested trying not to let her feelings fog up her reasoning.

Ruben chuckled at statement, "You are still mad at me, aren't you?" Asked Ruben.

Belle let out a frustrating sigh and replied, "No, I'm not, now please go to sleep and let me sleep as well" Belle quickly try to avert the situation back to their current situation.

"Wait-wait Belle, can you please just talk to me about what's changed? Why are you avoiding me now?...Is...is this about Elsa?" Ruben finally found the guts to ask her the question that was swirling in his mind all this time regarding Belle.

"Uh...Ruben please not now!" Belle wanted to yell at him but only found herself whispering those words out.

"I am-sorry, I'll let you go to sleep now...Good night love" Ruben wished before cutting the call.

Not a minute later Ruben heard the sound of a incoming text message. He looked at his phone again.

Belle: We will talk tomorrow! Good night.

Ruben released a shaky breath and let himself relax into the sofa. He closed off his eyes again.

Soon he was asleep on the sofa with the drink unfinished on the table and his phone in his hand.

The next morning...

Emmett woke up to find his friend asleep on the sofa he quickly woke him up and told him to get ready for work. Emmett asked him why he was sleeping on the sofa and not his bed, Ruben in response joked by saying how Emmett just wants to drag him along to work like yesterday so he could avoid going to the mansion to Regina. Emmett ignored him, not wanting to start anything early in the morning. He then went to the small kitchen in the apartment and started making coffee for both. Ruben decided to go shower and get ready for work when he received no reaction from his friend.

After some breakfast at Ruben's place they both headed out to the main office branch in the city. When they reached the office building, Ruben quickly went his way to find Belle and gave an excuse of some work he needed to see before he meets him for their late morning meeting. Emmett shook his head side to side and shouted good luck. Ruben stopped in his tracks and turned around to give him a stare to ask how he knew, Emmett just gave him a small friendly smile and gave him thumbs up.

When Ruben reached the receptionist desk, he frowned a little when he noticed Belle was nowhere to be seen. Did she take a day off? No, she would have told me at least if she had. Ruben thought as he kept looking around. He then went up to the desk and asked the other receptionist.

"Excuse me, did Belle took a day off?" asked Ruben.

"No Mr. Lucas, she's actually in the store room with a friend, she said it was urgent and asked to take a break" informed the other receptionist.

Ruben quickly thanked her and went his way to look for Belle. After few minutes he was standing in front of the storage room. As he was about to knock on the door he heard talking voices, he quickly took a step back trying not to eavesdrop on their conversation. He then again took the step back up to the door and knocked.

"Belle? Hey….uhm….It's Ruben!" Ruben said through the door.

Soon the door opened and revealed Belle with a surprised face, "Ruben! What are you doing here?" Belle asked, looking around to see if anyone was close by.

"Well…I do work here so…" when he received no response for his statement, he quickly added "Right…Um I thought we could talk? I mean its fine if you are still busy I-just thought from your text that…uh…"

"No, its fine. I think we are done here" Regina responded as she came up behind Belle. "Oh, hey Regina" Ruben greeted as he noticed the friend was Regina who had showed uo to see Belle. Of course. Regina just gave him a smile and said her byes to both of them as she left the room and the two alone.

"Uh so what was Regina doing here?" asked Ruben.

Belle quickly stiffened up at the question and tried not to show her worry; she hoped that Ruben hadn't heard what they were talking about.

"Um…she came by to drop a file for Mr. Swan since she's his secretary and him trying to avoid her all the time" Belle spoke too quickly and bit her tongue at what she had just said to her Boss's best friend. As she was about correct her mistake Ruben beat her to it.

"Oh Thank god!.. So I am not the only delusional one here" at the admission Belle tilted her head to the side in confusion again.

"I mean that they both are avoiding each other all the time. How are they supposed to be working together at all?" Ruben thought.

"Yes…..I know!" Belle responded, as Belle closed the door behind them again and went to sit on the chair she was sitting at and Ruben taking spot on the opposite chair to Belle.

"Belle? What's going on?" Ruben questioned out. As he looked at Belle's defeated form.

"I assure you its nothing serious, they are both stubborn so sooner or later they both will have to get over themselves and work together to keep things running smoothly" Belle explained as she thought that was probably the issue her friend and her boss were going through.

"No…uh I mean yes I mean that could be it. But…Belle?" Ruben tried to get her attention and for her to look towards him when Belle finally looked into his eyes, he couldn't help but smile a little.

"What about us?" he finally asked the question that was on his mind.

At the mention of them, Belle looked down at her hands in her lap.

"Hey" Ruben spoke softly as he lifted up her chin and looked at her beautiful face and tried to stared into those gorgeous eyes but discovered to be closed.

"Belle….look at me" Belle opened her eyes and held in a breath as she looked into Ruben's eyes. They both kept staring into each other eyes slowly Ruben started to lean forward toward Belle. Slowly both started to lean toward each other and soon their lips touched and eyes closed as they lost each other in the kiss.

When breathing became an issue after few minutes they finally let go of each other lips. Belle was clutching her hands together in her lap and Ruben holding her by her shoulders, and then finally he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her close to his chest. It shocked Belle at first but then she as well wrapped her arms around him. They both held each onto each other not wanting to let go, Belle being able to listen to the beating heart of her lover in his chest, the same way her was beating so rapidly in her chest.

After few seconds, they finally parted but not before Belle laid a kiss on top of Ruben's chest where his heart resided. Ruben couldn't help but feel his heart beat even more rapidly. Belle then brought her right hand up and laid it upon where she just kissed.

"I believe in you Ruben, I never doubted you" Belle spoke, still her hand on top on his chest where his heart is. "The reason I was avoiding you was because….because I know I can't give you what someone like Elsa or others can give…I was afraid soon you will realize that and leave. So I thought putting some distance now would lessen the pain later" Belle explained as she pulled her hand away but Ruben quickly grabbed the said hand and placed back to where it was with his own hand on top of hers.

He put his other hand on her cheek and Belle couldn't help but lean into the warmth.

"Belle…those days are over for me, you have to know and trust me enough that I will never do anything to jeopardize what we have. I know this is still new and we just began but I want you and only you and no one else from my past. I want YOU to be my future and I want myself to be yours"

Belle couldn't help but feel few tears threaten to spill, she slowly brought her hands around Ruben's neck and placed them on his jaw and leaned forward to him, Ruben in return placed both of his hands on top of hers and they were now leaning on to each other their foreheads touching with both their eyes closed just enjoying the silent moment.

"Yes…" Belle spoke to break the silence and they both opened their eyes at the same and this time let their lips touch again and again. Ruben quickly wrapped his around Belle's body and Belle draping her arms around his neck both holding onto each other and getting lost in the kiss. Before things could escalate Belle decided to break the trance they were in by pulling away from her lover's lips. She then opened her eyes to find, Ruben still had his closed but had content smile on his face. Belle couldn't help but smile and kiss him on the cheek this time. When soft lips touched his cheek Ruben opened his eyes to find a smiling Belle looking at him. He then smiled a big smile in return.

They quickly parted and began to adjust themselves before going to their duties. They then decided to meet for a quick coffee during lunchtime and parted ways from outside the storeroom. But this time they both were content and happy with the way things turned out.

Meanwhile in National City….

"Hello Cat….I hope you have good news for me"

"Well Hello to you too Cora, I hope you are having a good morning so far. As for your question of course. How long did you expect I would take to figure this puzzle out?" questioned Cat.

"hmm" Cora replied. "So…?"

"Well…." Cat stopped in mid sentence to look out of her office to her assistance's desk to notice she wasn't there. She released a sigh and continued, "My sources told me that your daughter is working for the Nolan's family. And I am sure you are already aware of them and their sons"

"Yes I am. Is that all?" asked Cora again.

Cat just smiled to herself and continued. "Yes for now. What are you planning on doing now?"

"Well Cat…you can send me the location where my daughter resides then we can talk again about this matter some more" after that Cora cut the phone on Cat leaving Cat in the dark and stunned.

After putting her phone away. She sat down on her chair still fuming over the way Cora had denied her more insight to her plans.

"Cora again?" asked someone and Cat looked up to see it was her assistance who she didn't even notice coming into her office.

"Yes. I don't have a good feeling about this….what ever this is happening, it's unsettling for me. I do not want to be involved any further than this but I can't help but wonder what is she up to? Ughhh it's so frustrating!" Cat let out as she held her head in her hands.

"Here Miss Grant.." Kara asked as she brought the bowl of m&m's onto Cat's desk.

Cat picked out some and ate them. She then looked at Kara and gave her a small smile; Kara just turned around and left Cat to her devices and big frown on her face. This was not reaction she was expecting from Kara, usually Kara would give her a big dorky smile and Cat would just roll her yes at her lover's antics. But now her lover's big dorky smile was replaced with a forced small smile and no shine in her eyes whenever she was with Cat. Their relationship was already rocky as it was but now it was getting worse and worse. Kara was doing what Cat asked for her, but Kara hasn't told her anything specific.

She tried to get back to her paper work, trying to get Kara out of her mind for now. She went through few files, after reading over those few files she stumbled on a file labeled Regina, she quickly looked up at Kara's desk and noticed her talking and laughing around with Winn, again the smile not reaching her eyes. Cat frowned again.

Why didn't Kara let me know before she gave me the file?

Worry started to settle in her stomach and fear clutching at her heart.

"I have to fix this" she said to herself with determination as she looked toward her lover, trying not to let the thoughts of Kara leaving her forever for her stupid mistake invade her mind.

Meanwhile…..

"So what are you planning on doing now mother?" Zelena asked her mother as she waited patiently on the chair she was sitting inside her mother's office.

"We are going to go see your sister." Cora answered with a devilish smile on her face. Zelena couldn't help but feel a shiver go up her spine.

"When are you leaving?"

"Oh no dear! It's us both who will be paying a visit to your sister. And I expect full cooperation from you my dear child, I hope you won't disappoint me like you sister has done" Cora demanded with a devilish smile on her face as she placed a hand on her daughters cheek, who just nodded her head in consent.

No one can escape me, no one, not even you, Regina.