He'd been excited to go home every other night since he'd gotten Belle back, but the news that moron David Nolan or Prince Charming or Mayor Supreme, whatever the hell he was choosing to go by now that the Curse had been broken, had completely ruined that feeling. No. The Curse wasn't broken. If it was, he'd be free. He'd have been on his way home hours ago to fetch Belle, to leave Storybrooke, and find Baelfire, instead of looking around the shop, filled with the glass cabinets that he'd broken. The rage had passed now and given way to downright irritation and anger. And sadness. The day had ended. He'd left the shop in shambles and gotten into his car. The destination in his head was the house, it was Belle and the comfort that she'd be able to offer, but it appeared his body had other ideas. Or maybe it was merely his subconscious.

Instead of taking the turn that led home, he took the one that led onward, out of town, out into the woods-to the town line. Or one of them. He'd never actually been out there before, though his false memories told him he had. In reality, Gold never had a need to leave or come out here…and now that he did have a need, he couldn't. He stepped out of the car and hobbled slowly up to the boundary, a bright orange line now drawn across the road as if warning him not to cross. Or maybe just daring him to. Could he? What proof did the false prince have that he'd lose his memories if he took that last step? He was the Dark One, perhaps his magic was strong enough to fight off whatever magic was there.

He stared at that line, wondering, pondering. No. He couldn't do it. He could feel it. There was magic in front of him, a great wall of it, invisible in front of him. It wasn't a good sign. The coward in him wanted to run back to the car and speed away from that deadly spray paint. But the Dark One, the curious nature within him, was too baffled to move but not so stupid to try and cross over. His magic might be enough to fight it off...but "might" wasn't good enough. Until he knew for certain, he wasn't going anywhere.

How could this happen? How?! He'd planned, he'd designed this Curse and its weakness perfectly, he'd collected the foresight to be sure that he didn't miss anything. So how could he miss that when the Curse broke something like this would happen? That he wouldn't be able to leave this place?! He thought it over, going over year after year, movement after movement that he'd taken. No. He hadn't missed anything, at least nothing that he could see. Had Regina done something he hadn't planned on? Had she changed something last minute?

He shook his head. He didn't know. He just didn't know! He'd never been able to watch her cast the Curse because he'd been in that prison! So, of course, she could have done something, either deliberately or accidentally, that changed things. Changed this!

His grip on the cane tightened, and he shifted his jaw so that his teeth didn't crack. After all that she'd done to Belle, he could use an excuse to go after the Evil Queen and rip her bloody throat out. This would be the perfect reason…but it wouldn't do him any good. It would make him feel better, certainly, but it wouldn't fix things. Killing her wouldn't get him to Baelfire. Killing her wouldn't get him across this line. Especially not when he didn't understand what happened and Regina might.

Besides, hundreds of years had taught him never to attack on impulse. Looking back, going after her when Belle had confessed where she'd spent her time after leaving his castle had been impulsive, and he'd paid for it. Doing it now…if she'd gotten her magic back as he suspected she would, then Regina was powerful. He'd trained her well, and with Cora's blood flowing through her veins, she was strong. And better yet, Regina was easily swayed, easy to control, and manipulate.

He gazed out over the road ahead of him, the road beyond that line, the road into unknown places…the road to Bae. The Curse wasn't broken. He didn't know why and he couldn't explain it, but the Curse wasn't as broken as he'd planned. To kill Regina now, the caster of the Curse, would have been a terrible mistake. He had to break this Curse, this new version of it that was holding him back, that was keeping him from driving down that road and finding Baelfire!

But he wasn't going to do it from here. He wasn't going to be able to break the Curse standing at this line, wishing that wall of unplanned magic would fall and let him out into the world. It was dark. He'd already lost hours standing here like a fool. He needed to go home; into his basement. He had moved all of his dark magic, all that he had been able to find, into his basement just for an emergency like this one, and yet he'd barely set foot in it since the Curse "half-broke." He needed to spend some time there, see what he had at his disposal.

He walked back to the car with heavy footsteps and settled in, turning on the engine and casting the road beyond that line one final glance. He'd be back, and when he came back, he'd be leaving! He drove back to the house without thinking about it. He relived the past. He went over everything he knew he had in that basement, where he'd begin, what he'd do when he got home. By the time he pulled into the driveway, he'd made a plan, a decision. He'd start right away, he'd…

Belle.

He'd stepped out of the car only to catch a brief glance of her before she launched herself into his arms.

"Belle?"

She wrapped herself around him tight enough for him to know something was wrong, and his stomach turned. What else had happened? Why was she here? Why was she out of the house? Didn't she know that Regina, or anyone, could get to her out here?! And Regina…he'd given her back and aid to help with her magic. It wasn't safe for Belle in this town, that was why he'd wanted to take her with him. He hadn't even thought about her…

"What's happened?" he asked, hoping there was an explanation and fearing one as well. "Why are you outside?"

She shook her head and pulled away from him. There were tears in her eyes, but she wasn't crying, she looked…angry? "Where were you?!"

"I…"

The demand set his mind straight as he understood the worry in her tone. He'd never shown up at the house this late before. He hadn't realized not being on time would bother her so much. He probably should have, and yet after everything that had happened today, it just didn't seem to matter as much.

"Uh…" he looked around as if expecting to find an excuse he could use lying around somewhere. He should tell her. He knew it was time to tell her! And yet… "I got held up in town."

He was lying, and she knew it. He was lying, and he didn't understand why. All he knew was that after today telling her about Baelfire would feel like rubbing salt into his wounds. It wasn't the right time. He tried to look away, to not see the look in her eyes change so suddenly, but she quickly reached up and held his face between her palms, forcing him to meet her clever, knowing gaze.

"Rumple, what…what's happened?"

He tried to smile, to put her mind at ease, to convince her that she was wrong, that he wasn't lying, but he couldn't manage a convincing lie around her. She was the only one she'd ever had problems with lying to.

"Nothing," he breathed, deciding to change the subject instead. "Everything's fine. Let's get you inside before you catch cold."

He should have let that be the end of it. He should have led her inside, waiting until she was asleep and then gone to the basement, but the monster within him, the Dark Ones, were shouting plans at him already, and he was having a hard time focusing. So, he moved around her, content instead to hear her moving behind him as he ushered them both into the safety of the house. Now the beast only had to think of a way to get rid of her so he could go to the basement and work.

"Do you, uh, want dinner?" she asked timidly behind him. "I put some-"

"I'm just!" he turned on his heel, the beast's irritation rising in his chest but falling immediately at the sight of her surprised face. How did she do that? How did she always get him to calm down when he didn't want to be calm with just a look. "I'm just not that hungry at the moment," he managed to finish in a softer tone. But he could see it still wasn't enough to convince her that nothing was bothering him.

Maybe that was the problem. There was too much bothering him, and she was only making it worse. The monster roared within him. He wanted to be angry, to break something, to yell, to rage, to kill, and she was trailing along after him like some little puppy, thinking that she could help. She couldn't. Her gaze was accusing, terrible. She could see right through him. It was no wonder the monster never liked her, no wonder the monster felt threatened by her. She could undo the monster with less than a kiss, only a single glance! The monster didn't like that. But he didn't like the monster's thoughts. If tonight was any ordinary night, he would have been able to shove them aside, to shut the hell up about the best person he'd ever known. But there was too much going on, and he felt as though he was drowning in his cursed life. He had to get a grip, get a handle on everything he felt.

He strode into the kitchen and sat down at the table, trying to control himself. But drowning out the voice that didn't like her intrusiveness was difficult when he didn't want to look at her for fear that she'd see straight through him. She moved around him as he sat, and before he could question what was keeping her busy or snap that he wasn't hungry, she'd set a glass of water before him before sitting down next to him in the empty space she'd occupied ever since her arrival.

"What, uh, what happened in town today?" she asked softly. "Is the chaos finally calming?"

Calming? Chaos? After today and Regina getting her magic back? After the "stir at the border"? He wanted to snap at her that it was worse. But, instead, he reached forward and grabbed the water she'd offered, aware that his grip was tightening dangerously around the delicate glass, and tried to relax. He couldn't tell her that the chaos she was referring to had passed long ago. But that didn't mean the danger had. As long as his enemies were around, as long as Regina had magic, which he'd now given to her, she was unsafe. He'd given her back the key to her magic…if he'd known they couldn't leave town, he never would have let her have it. He couldn't let Belle fall victim to Regina. Not again. He'd failed her. As he'd failed Baelfire.

"Something did happen today," she pressed when he didn't answer. "It's the Evil Queen, isn't it? She's looking for me again!"

"No, no, no, nothing like that," he assured her, allowing himself to lean forward and place a hand on her shoulder. Only it was something like that, at least partially. Still, he wouldn't have her living in fear of that woman any more than she already had. And she'd be safe, as long as she stayed in the house. "You are perfectly safe. She won't dare to come near you, now. Not as long as I'm around," he lied hopefully. He expected her to smile happily at the words, but she didn't. Her face returned to one of confusion as she reached for the hand he had against her shoulder and held it in her own and smiled one of those trusting smiles the beast hated so much. After he'd given Regina back her magic...perhaps she shouldn't trust him so much.

"Then what happened in town today?" she asked again, moving uncomfortably close. "Rumple, please, whatever is happening, you can tell me."

No. He couldn't. Or maybe he just wouldn't. He wasn't sure anymore, but he knew that she was getting too close to him, irritating the monster too much. He had a son, he was alive, and he needed to find him. Why were those words so hard to say to her?

"It's nothing," he repeated more determined than before, "just a little problem at the town line."

"The town line? What problem?"

His anger grew just thinking about it, but the Darkness in him was suddenly egging him on, begging him to tell her. The intentions weren't good ones, though. He'd made her leave long ago because he had to find Baelfire, because she threatened the power within him. The voices whispered that if he told her the truth, she'd leave all over again. They wanted her to leave. Then she wouldn't pose a threat anymore! She wouldn't threaten Bae! But the faint voice that loved her, the one that trusted her, told him that he could trust her. He could tell her about town, he could tell her about his son, he could tell her everything! Why didn't he just do it! Prove the voices wrong!

Maybe because he feared it was him who was wrong, and they were right.

"It appears," he finally said softly, "that the curse was only half broken."

"Half broken?" she questioned, parroting his words. The monster used it against her to irritate him further. No! She wasn't bad for him! She was good, he loved her, and he wouldn't let the darkness inside of him taint the light within her. If looking at her helped get that voice out of his head, then so be it. He ran a hand over his face and looked at her again. It helped, but only just. He was clearly angrier than he thought he'd been.

"While everybody has their memories back, it appears that the town is still shielded from the outside world."

She shook her head. "I'm sorry, what…what do you mean by 'shielded'?"

Of course, she didn't understand. He hardly understood it! But her questioning would have been perfectly fine if he didn't want to be by himself right now, seething in private and figuring it out! He didn't want to be answering questions like he was being interrogated for a crime he hadn't commit. It wasn't his fault the curse hadn't broken correctly. He was sure he hadn't done anything to prompt this!

"The town has been shielded by magic for all these years," he explained unhappily. "It prevents everyone from leaving, and it's prevented others from finding us for nefarious purposes. It appears those barriers are still in place. Anyone who tries to leave town forgets their past life and remembers only their life from Storybrooke."

"So," she muttered slowly, the information processing, "you would cease to be Rumpelstiltskin and only be 'Mr. Gold.'"

He nodded. "No you, no deals, no…" Baelfire. The name he couldn't bear to say out loud because he couldn't betray him twice. His curse wouldn't be as bad as hers would have been. Mr. Gold hadn't been the best person in the world, but next to Rumpelstiltskin, he wasn't half bad. But Baelfire needed his father. And Mr. Gold not only didn't have children, but he'd never wanted them. Mr. Gold wouldn't go after Baelfire for anything if there was no Rumpelstiltskin. Bae would be alone, again. This time forever. No, he couldn't let that happen. He couldn't be Mr. Gold again. He had to find a way around it! He needed a loophole.

"But if no one can find the town...that's good, isn't it?" Belle reasoned. "That means that we'll all be safe, won't we. They can't come after us, and we can't go after them?"

He knew she meant well, but her words stung. He fought to contain himself, to not snap at her, not to yell or let slip the secret that he carried within himself. He finished off the water he had, hoping it might calm and cool him, but it didn't. All it did was leave him with an empty glass…an empty heart and a chipped cup. The last haunting phrase he needed to swirl around in his head. Maybe this was the end of it all. She'd leave because she couldn't handle his secrets. Bae couldn't come looking for him. And he couldn't go after Baelfire as he'd dreamt of for centuries. He felt the empty glass in his hand begin to crack in his fist. Nothing was right.

"That's just the problem isn't it," he muttered to himself. And suddenly, the rage burst forth from him and felt as though he couldn't contain it. He turned, threw that damn broken glass into the sink so that it was truly good and broken, and practically ran out of the room and into the basement.

This chapter was so hard to write just because it was so damn easy. Rumple reacting to news of not getting over the town line was always going to not be good. The show gave us the scene in the shop and him staring out over the town line longingly to show him brooding over it. But for those of us watching what happens when the cameras are not rolling in Chronicles, the question becomes, "is he going to pull it together for Belle?" And the answer here is obviously "no". I thought heading into this chapter that writing it would be difficult, but it was actually effortless because really...who hasn't felt like Rumple does here? I think all of us have people in our lives that we love dearly, but sometimes at the wrong time or after a hard day, they're just so damn annoying when all we want to do is not talk about it and brood. It was easy to write Belle into that role of "I love you, I just don't want to be around you right now." And, of course, her questioning doesn't help. I don't really think she's at fault for that because I think we've all also been in her shoes when we've been around someone who is clearly upset about something, and it's natural to say, "Hey, what's going on, tell me so that I can help you." If we know that person really well, then we might know when to back off, but for Belle and Rumple, who are really just getting used to each other in a relationship sort of way, they haven't learned those thresholds yet. So, the way I look at this little incident with them is to say that they are both right and wrong but in different ways. Belle is right in a logical way; he really does need to tell her the truth. But Rumple is right to want his space emotionally. The trouble is that Belle is a person of emotion, and Rumple is supposed to be the person of logic, so...perfect storm.

Thank you, thank you, thank you Alarda for your review of the last chapter! I'm excited to hear your thoughts on this interaction/reaction. I feel like there is actually a lot to unpack in this chapter, a lot of little things to bring up. I told you in a previous chapter he was going to begin spiraling, and here we can sort of see the continuation of this. He goes from "Eh...I can take my time and wait for Emma to get back before going after Baelfire" to waking up from a nightmare and thinking, "I'm being selfish with Belle I need to go get him right now" to "I can't get him right now, and there are barriers I hadn't planned on." He will get that together in the next chapter and get some great Rumbelle stuff out of it, but there are also hints that things won't be settled. We have Rumple thinking a lot about telling Belle the truth in this chapter but being unable to, and we all know that will also come back to bit him in the ass. Peace and Happy Reading!