It was almost the mid 1800s and Belle had truly believed the four months on a damn ship would be worth it, thought the motion sickness and the salt was just a stepping stone on her journey to America; but since arriving in Maine it had just been more of the same with the only difference being that Maine was freezing. Fortunately everything had been ready for them in regards to Moe French's flower shop and it seemed to be going well, or at least things had been going well until her father had started drinking again. When Belle paused to think about it she supposed he never really had stopped drinking in the first place. Ever since her mother had died he'd not been the same, something deep inside his soul was broken never to be repaired.

Rather quickly the money had started to dry up and Belle had thrown herself at every establishment she could looking for work, that was how she'd found her way to the Rabbit Hole, a rather seedy tavern she'd preferred not to enter but money was money and Belle needed to keep a roof over her and her father's heads. That was how Belle found herself filling glasses for Storybrooke's seedy underbelly.

It was a normal, boring night full of handsy men and the smell of stale ale. The sort of evening when Belle just wanted to fall into her bed and quite frankly she was on autopilot until Mister Gold entered dressed head to toe in black, a gold-topped cane in his hand. Belle hadn't met a single person in Storybrooke who didn't hate the Scotsman; people thought him evil, called him the town monster and grumbled about him behind his back into their glasses. The auburn-haired beauty knew he owned almost everything in the tiny Maine town but Belle just couldn't bring herself to hate him. Instead of a horrid man Belle saw someone mysterious, intelligent and she just knew there was more to him than sitting in that mansion of his counting his coins.

Blue eyes watched the older man approach the bar, he said something and then rent was handed over. When he turned their eyes met for a moment over the crowded room and Belle couldn't stop herself flashing him a smile; an act he'd seemed surprised by. She'd expected him to just leave like he always did but that night Gold surprised her – and Gaston who owned the place – by sticking around long enough for a drink which had probably been poured from the most expensive bottle the tavern had. Belle would have been lying if she'd said she hadn't snuck glances at him every few minutes as she went this way and that. Mister Gold fascinated the young Australian and it didn't hurt that she found him handsome what with those impossibly brown eyes and accent she wouldn't soon forget.

Gold didn't speak to a single person not that anyone actually wished to speak with the man who owned the entire town. Belle didn't see what everyone's problem was though, he owned the shop and small apartment she lived in with her father and while he was strict he wasn't unfair when it came to rent.

After delivering another round of drinks to a table at the back of the tavern Belle returned to find Gold gone from the bar where he'd been perched. She looked around quickly but he was gone, then, with no one to thank but plain luck, she spotted him limping along via the dirty windows. Off home, she'd thought until she realized he'd gone right rather than left, it was just woodland and the slum down there. Belle knew it wasn't any of her business, she really did but something inside her screamed at her to follow him and see what he was up to. As though somebody had lit a fire underneath her Belle rushed to the bar where she got one of those dumb grins from Gaston who thought himself God's gift to women.

"Gaston, I need to leave early. There is an emergency."

"Your father?" He assumed and frankly she couldn't really blame him, most would have assumed an emergency meant Moe. "You aren't supposed to leave until closing … but I suppose I could do something for you if you do something for me."

Oh Belle really hated his dumb smirks but at that exact moment it was better to just go along with it.

"Why Gaston, you sound positively primeval."

"Thank you, Belle."

She needed to think quick, something that would get her out of the tavern fast and since Gaston LeGume was so easy to bolster it didn't take Belle more than an over-eager smile, a teasing display of her breasts over her dress and the promise of a reward; she'd just let him believe that meant intimacy for the time being. It seemed to have worked because less than half a minute later Belle was trailing after Mister Gold through the darkness.

There was a sudden scraping sound which echoed along the street then and Belle instantly plastered herself against the wall in the shadows as Gold glanced over his shoulder to see Ruby Lucas far up the street as she moved a series of large baking trays inside her grandmother's bakery to prepare for the next morning. Belle thanked her lucky stars that Gold hadn't spotted her because explaining why the tavern girl was following the town's landlord around in the middle of the night would have been beyond awkward. However, Belle's stealth issues didn't end there, for some reason Gold turned around and started to stalk towards the young woman dressed all in red. Belle crouched down and shuffled as far into the little gap between the buildings as best she could and prayed that the Scotsman never saw her. Much to Belle's delight she went unnoticed once again and so cerulean orbs locked on to her target but her brow furrowed two seconds later when Gold purchased what had to be the largest loaf of bread as well as a meat pie the size of her face from the Lucas'. Gold was unmarried and had no children as far as she knew so why would he need quite so much food?

The beautiful Australian pushed her questions down when Gold passed by her once more and continued on his way towards the poorest part of Storybrooke. Gold had to have been going to the slums it was literally the only thing in that direction unless he wanted to randomly wander into the woodland for an impromptu picnic; in all honesty Belle would have found that absolutely adorable.

It was close to midnight so there weren't that many people around, just a few either stumbling back from the tavern or doing something a bit more sordid. This wasn't the sort of place Gold really belonged, people hated him so surely he should have been worried about being robbed. From what Belle could ascertain as she followed him though was that he just continued to hold his head high and walk without a care in the world, and every step he took made Belle even more curious about the town monster. She supposed the obvious guess was women, he could have been there to buy a woman's time but Belle doubted it highly, he didn't seem like that sort of man and it wouldn't explain the mass of food he'd just bought. Besides, if a man like Gold wanted the attention of a woman he'd surely go to the next town over where there were actual brothels and no one would recognize him.

Nosy had been a word used to describe Belle French since childhood, she was the bookworm who was always too curious for her own good. However, in Belle's mind if one didn't want to draw her attention they shouldn't have been so interesting.

The sound of Gold's cane tap, tap tapped less and less as cobbles gave way to muddy dirt roads and Belle really started to wonder if he would just walk out the other side into the forest for that picnic. The air was cold and Belle could see her breath but she kept going, she'd followed him this far so giving up didn't really seem like an option. Perhaps people were correct and she was too nosy.

The auburn-haired beauty ground to a halt when Gold abruptly ducked into a crumbling building which honestly appeared two minutes from simply caving in. It wasn't a makeshift brothel and no one was in sight.

Belle frowned, what in God's name is he doing? Ever so slowly she tip-toed closer and closer still until she could peek through the damaged door. It was in just as poor a condition as the rest of the building so Belle found it rather easy to press her face against the hole where the door handle should have been and see inside.

Belle's mouth dropped open, inside she saw a single crumbling room absolutely full of children ranging in age from mid teens to as young as five or six. There was a recently lit fire that cast a comforting orange glow around the room and a small, rickety table in the centre where children sat ripping bits of bread apart while one of the older kids sliced the meat pie up.

Belle's heart almost broke for these children but it flooded with something indescribable for Mister Gold. The town's people really didn't know anything about him at all. She watched as Gold checked on the fire then sat himself down on one of the unstable looking chairs only to immediately be set upon by what must have been the youngest child there, a little girl of approximately five with long blonde hair. Gold smiled, actually smiled, a genuine beam of happiness as he watched the children eat and spoke words she couldn't quite hear.

After a few minutes of eating one of the younger boys padded over to the landlord with a book. Truthfully that book was the most cared for item in the whole place; and wasn't that a sorrowful piece of information.

Gold smiled then spoke in a loud voice. "Miss French, if you're done hiding by the door I'm sure that the children would much rather hear a story in your lovely voice instead of my impish one."

Belle nearly fell back onto her rear, Gold hadn't been oblivious to her stalking him, he'd known she was there the entire time. Embarrassment flooded her body as she slowly pushed the door open and stepped inside revealing herself to Gold and the kids; maybe ten in total.

"Good evening, Mister Gold."

"Hello, Miss French." He greeted with a knowing smirk before looking down to the boy at his side. "Tommy, why don't you give your book to Miss French, I'm sure she'd be delighted to read to you."

The boy, Tommy, rushed over to her and thrust the book up giving her no option but to take it. Glancing around she realized the children all looked so excited and Belle just couldn't say no. In her mind no one should ever have been denied a story, so instead of trying to explain herself she sat down on the floor with her back to the small fireplace and opened up the book then started to read.

The next time Belle glanced up was when she closed the cover of the book having finished the story. The Little Mermaid was the most recent publication by Hans Christian Andersen and Belle hadn't had a chance to read it yet so she'd accidentally gotten lost in the tale. The fire had started to die and the children all looked half asleep save for the little girl still in Gold's lap who had succumbed to slumber.

The Australian watched as Gold rose to his feet a little awkwardly without his cane and arms full of a small child. He calmly carried her over to one of the makeshift beds and laid her down with all the care of a loving father. Belle couldn't stop herself smiling at the adorable display but she'd done enough staring for one evening so she pushed herself to her feet and rested the book gently on the table. She didn't say a word, just watched with awe as Mister Gold took the time to tuck each and every one of the kids into their little bed. People truly didn't know anything about him.

She took the hint to follow him out the door when he was finished and instantly the chill tried to invade her bones, it was then she realized she'd got no idea as to the time.

"Allow me to escort you home, Miss French, it is very late and we wouldn't want someone assuming you're something you aren't."

He offered her his arm and Belle happily looped it with her own: people could think what they want but Belle knew Mister Gold was a good man at heart. They'd only gone a few steps when Gold's accented voice filled the nigh time silence.

"Thank you for reading to them, Miss French, you made them very happy."

Belle practically blushed. "I was happy to. They're sweet kids, especially that little girl."

Gold nodded to himself. "Amelia, she is rather adorable, yes."

"Mister Gold, those children clearly don't have any parents so why-"

He cut her off. "Are they not in the orphanage." Gold sighed. "Amelia and the others are the children of prostitutes and drug addicts, the eldest, Benjamin, is the son of a murderer, all of them were born out of wedlock. The orphanage is run by those damn nuns and unfortunately these children are guilty of the sins of their parents. Now, if we were in a city some of them would likely have been taken in regardless or they'd have been sent to a workhouse but Storybrooke is much too small for a workhouse and the nuns are prejudice."

Belle's heart went out to these kids, how could they be hated for who their parents were? Did the orphanage really not want them?

"So you feed them and tuck them in at night?"

Gold didn't miss a beat. "I know I'm a monster but I have a soft spot for children, they're the only true innocents in this world."

Belle chuckled. "You're not a monster, Mister Gold."

He lifted an eyebrow. "You would be the first to think so." Slowly cobbles started to return as they left the sums and started towards her father's shop. "I will admit when I noticed you following me I completely forgot about getting something for them to eat, so it was a good job that Miss Lucas made such a raucous." A small pause. "Thank you for reading to them, they really enjoyed it."

"Of course! I enjoyed it as well." She glanced at him cautiously. "And I am so sorry I followed you, I just-"

"You were curious, I understand. I considered confronting you about it but then I remembered how much you liked to read and hoped you would make yourself known once you saw the children."

"I know I can hardly pay our rent, Mister Gold, but I can read. I'd be delighted to help you with the children if you'd let me. How many are there, ten?"

"Twelve." He corrected. "Seven girls and five boys. And I would be very appreciative if you helped. You need not pay for anything, all I ask is your voice."

Belle grinned. "Oh I think I can volunteer that."

The flower shop came into view at the end of the street and Belle knew their conversation was almost over, a shame but it really was late and Moe would have surely passed out hours ago. Belle's bed truly did call to her.

"Miss French," began Gold when they reached the doors to the shop, "you said earlier that you can hardly pay your rent. That is not your fault, it is that of your father. Quite frankly, Miss French, you are a woman to be admired. You work harder than anyone else in this godforsaken town and should be proud of yourself." Belle just stared at him a moment having been truly touched by his words. "Goodnight, Miss French."

He backed away from her a few steps and flashed her a smile, not one of his smirks or snarls but a genuine smile most didn't think him capable of, and then he was gone off into the darkness to that house all on his own.

"Yes, people really don't know anything about the real you do they, Mister Gold."

THE END