Hours later, Belle went to work in the Storybrooke Library. She entered through the doors, grabbed a book on the counter and moved to put it on the shelf where it belonged. But, as she did, she saw someone in a corner with a book in their hands—a dimly lit corner.
It struck her as strange, considering the library wasn't open yet. Something she felt like she should share with the stranger. "Uh, sorry. The library isn't open yet," she told the figure.
"Oh, I'm not here for the books, love," the man said. It made Belle freeze. She knew that voice. She backed away slowly as the figure stepped out of the shadows, making himself known. It was Hook!
"You," Belle stated. "You're the one that broke into my cell at the Queen's Palace. You wanted to kill Rumplestiltskin. You wanted to kill me."
"Oh, I still do. But right now, I'll settle for you," Hook said, moving to stand on the other side of the book trolley. A rookie mistake, as Belle pushed it into him and ran into the elevator. Once the doors shut and locked, she dug into her pockets and called Mr Gold, like what he had shown her to do earlier when he gave her the phone.
Back in the pawnshop, the phone rang, and Mr Gold checked who it was and answered. "Hey, Belle," he greeted.
"Rumple, I'm in the elevator. There's a man in the library. He broke in. He wants to kill me," Belle told her boyfriend. But the elevator had the worst cellphone reception, so that Mr Gold couldn't hear properly.
"Belle … you're breaking up. Who's in the library?"
"A pirate..."
"Belle?"
"...Missing a hand..."
"Belle?"
"...Hello...?"
"Belle?"
Moments later, both Mr Gold and the Professor were at the Storybrooke Library. While Mr Gold was opening the elevator, the Professor scanned the area with his sonic screwdriver. "Hook was definitely here," the Professor said.
Suddenly, the doors to the elevator opened, and Belle rushed over to her boyfriend. She hugged him tightly, and he hugged her back. "Belle? It's okay. It's okay. It's okay," Mr Gold said comfortingly and put his jacket around her shoulders.
Belle panted as she tried to regain herself after the terrifying ordeal. "Where is he?" she asked of Hook.
"He's long gone," the Professor answered.
"You have nothing to fear now, Sweetheart," Mr Gold said. "I'm here now."
The three exited the library and headed down to the pawnshop again. "Where are we going?" Belle asked as she tried to catch up.
"The shop," Mr Gold answered. "Why?"
"Well, let's just say there are many wonderful things that I could use to make sure that pirate never comes near you again."
"Rumple, no. We need to report this to the sheriff. They'll take care of him. You're so close to finding your son. But, please, don't let your hatred for this man get in the way of that."
"This ... hatred for Hook goes back a long way," the Professor began. "You won't change Rumple's mind about it."
"What happened between you two?" Belle asked.
"Belle..." Mr Gold began. They were nearly outside his shop, but they all stopped walking. Sighing, Mr Gold turned towards Belle.
Mr Gold let out a short sigh. "It is not your concern." "He attacked me. It most definitely is my concern."
"Many years ago, I was married to a woman named Milah. Until Hook crossed our paths."
"She was Baelfire's mother?"
"Yeah. And because of that marauding cur, Bae grew up without her. He took my wife, he took Bae's mother, so I took his hand."
"Don't forget Hook also took your way to get to Bae," the Professor said. "But there is one good thing out of it."
"And what is that?" Mr Gold asked as they started walking again.
"You meet Belle. And you fell in love with her."
"Well, that's why he came after me. But, what—what about Milah? What did he do with her?" Belle asked, to which Mr Gold hesitated, so she grabbed his hand. "Rumple, you can tell me anything," Belle added, gently squeezing his hand.
"She died. That's all that matters," Mr Gold said solemnly, then opened the door, revealing that the whole shop had been ransacked.
Belle gasped. "What happened in here?"
"This must have been why he attacked you," the Professor said. "To free up the shop. He must be after something."
"What did he want?" Belle asked.
Mr Gold walked through the wreckage towards the wall safe. The picture was hanging off it, and the door was ajar. Mr Gold got a bad feeling. And he was right when he saw the inside of the safe. He gasped and placed a hand over his mouth.
The Professor walked over to him. And so did Belle. "Rumple? What is it? What's wrong?"
"He took it," Mr Gold answered. "He took both. The shawl and the heart."
The Professor's hearts sank. "Oh no. Oh, no, no, no."
"I'll find them both," Mr Gold said. He leaned against one of the broken counters. "I have to retrieve what is ours."
"And we will. Together," the Professor said.
Mr Gold shook his head. "This is my fight."
"And this is my fault! If Hook had never attacked me, you never would've left the shop."
"How do you propose we get the shawl and heart back?! Have you duelled with a pirate before!? How exactly are you going to help me?!"
"Well, I'm not just gonna sit here and do nothing!"
"No. You will go back to the library, lock the door, and wait for me to dispense with this problem."
"And if I don't? You'll cast some spell that gives me no choice?"
"No. I trust you'll do as I wish, as you trust me to be a better man. Belle, please. Hook has maybe cost me the chance of finding my son! I don't want to lose you too! Here, look..." Mr Gold turned around and picked his gun up. "I want you to take this, for when Hook is stupid enough to come after you again. Point this, pull this trigger, and the gun will do the rest for you. All right?"
"No," the Professor said. "No guns. I'll go protect Belle."
"No. I insist," Mr Gold said. "Even a Time Lord needs protecting."
"I have magic. And I'm immortal. Practically immortal to him, anyway."
"But if he kills you quick enough, you will still die," Rumple stated. He was right. Anyone could kill a Time Lords if both hearts are penetrated simultaneously or attacked mid-regeneration.
"How would he know that, though, Rumple?" the Professor asked, then sighed. "Look. There is another way. Another way to find your son, and don't let Hook bother you. Maybe we can lure him into a trap?"
Mr Gold turned around. "What exactly are you getting at?"
"Dad and I … We've been working on something. A little side project," he said, taking a small velvet black.
"Is that what I think it is?" Belle asked, looking down at it.
"It can if you want it to be," the Professor answered as he opened it up. Inside were two rings. One was a diamond ring. The other was a gem ring, exactly what Mr Gold already had. "Miniature Dalek
technology. Like the wrist bracelets. But smaller. Wear them like what you would do with the bracelets – or regular rings – and no one will be the wiser."
Taking the diamond ring, Belle slowly put it on her finger. Mr Gold did the same after taking off the old ring he had on first. "Look … Hook thinks he has won. But let's outsmart him. What do you guys think?"
