In the earliest hours of the morning, he awoke from a restful slumber to discover that last night hadn't been a dream. He'd spent the night with Belle, they'd talked, really and truly talked, possibly for the first time, and best of all, she was still there with him. Part of him expected to wake and find it had been too much; to find that she'd slipped out of his arms and disappeared into the night, slept on the couch away from him, or gone to Granny's. But when he opened his eyes, she was still draped across him, fingers curled against his chest. She hadn't left. She hadn't abandoned him or crawled out of bed when he'd told her about Bae, or magic, about the work that he was doing. No. She'd stayed. She'd encouraged him! She wanted him to do everything that he wanted to do! And now, before the sun rose, she was perfectly, happily asleep and at ease with the information she now carried. If she felt burdened by her knowledge, her face didn't show it. There was not a hint of nightmare or fear in her face. And he felt…lighter instead of heavier. He could remember, long ago, when he'd mentioned anything about his son to Cora, it drove him crazy with worry nearly the second that he did it. But with Belle, he felt not an ounce of fear as he looked down over her sleeping form. He'd slept last night and slept well. Because of her? Because of their talk? Or was it both?

He rubbed her back and glanced down at her, but there wasn't even the slightest touch of awareness on her face as she remained deep in slumber. She was at peace. As he felt for the first time since she'd left. They couldn't do this. They couldn't stay apart, or else more nights like last night would happen, and he didn't want her like that at least not all the time. Not anymore. He wanted all of her. Like it used to be, but…not.

They couldn't keep apart, but he couldn't stay here either. They couldn't just go back to living the way they had before she'd left. It wouldn't fix anything. They had to find a happy medium. A way to be together, to rebuild the relationship that he'd dissolved so that the quick interlude of last night would give way to something deeper and stronger. And for that to happen, he knew the first step. He had to go.

"Belle," he whispered her name against her head, just as he would have a week ago when he needed to get up and she'd held him tighter. "I love you," he whispered when she didn't startle. He'd even missed this. Their early mornings together, when it was difficult to wake the heavy sleeper from her dreams. He would have loved to let her sleep. But if he didn't summon the courage to get her up now, to move away from her, then he might not ever.

"My darling Belle," he whispered again. Still nothing. And he could feel his determination beginning to waver. "Belle," he said louder, a bit more desperation in his voice.

Finally, she breathed, her eyes opened, and she took in the world around her, then up to his face. "What's wrong?" she asked in a worried but sleepy tone.

He still hated the fact that something wrong was the first they jumped to. Both of them. Even in times of relative peace.

"I have to go," he whispered quickly.

But instead of rolling over for him as she would have done in the past, she rolled her eyes and clutched him tighter, burrowing closer against his chest. "Why?"

Why? That was an excellent question. Why did he have to go? Why couldn't he stay here with her, hold her just a bit longer, savor the feel of her wrapped around him?

Because he couldn't. He'd had this argument with himself only minutes ago, hadn't he? He couldn't stay because it wasn't right. It wasn't time. He couldn't stay because it would be too much too soon. Last night might already have been too much too soon. If he wanted her back, really wanted her back, they had to begin again, to start over and build their love on something more than love. Trust, courage, and if last night had been any hint, then maybe even the truth. That was why he couldn't stay. He didn't just want her body, or her knowledge, he wanted more. He wanted her life, to share his life with her in some way. And that wouldn't happen in the bedroom.

He glanced down and was certain that she was sleeping again. The idea of waking her nearly sent him running, but he managed to apply more pressure to her back and mutter, not whisper, "Belle," once more.

"What?!" she whispered harshly against him, obviously still awake, still wanting to go back to sleep, and unhappy with him. Why, because he wanted to leave? She was going to make it all very hard on him.

"I have to go," he repeated, more to himself as a reminder than to her.

"Why?" she echoed again sharply. Why?

"I need to open the shop-"

"It's too early."

"Belle," he sighed, frustrated. He wanted so much to beg her not to make this harder than it already was. But being frustrated wasn't going to help their situation now. Calm, peaceful, and without worry. That was what he needed to be. For her. For them. "I need to go home first. I need to shower and change clothes before I open the shop."

It was the best that he could come up with at the moment. It was what he'd done since he'd started staying the night at the shop! He just hoped it was enough to convince her. Finally, after a few moments and a heavy, almost disappointed sigh, she followed procedure and rolled over, releasing him from her iron embrace. Before he could reach over and explain, tell her that he was sorry, and spend the morning with her, he got out of bed, and found his cane. He gathered his clothes up quickly before he could change his mind. She was toxic, and last night proved it. If he allowed himself to give in to her just a little bit, then the next thing he knew, it would still be noon, and he'd still be in bed with her. That would leave them nowhere.

Not that leaving left them somewhere much better than nowhere. How to be together while being apart; how to show her he could change without being too obvious about it; suddenly, something David had said before popped into his mind as he layered yesterday's outfit back over his bare skin. Dating advice. Dating. Common in this world, not so much in theirs. But she'd already given him the perfect opportunity. He just had to take her up on the offer. He glanced back at her, sleeping in the bed. He could call later, he could do it then, gather his courage, practice it repeatedly in his mind. But her pull, the look of unease on her face at his departure, wouldn't allow it. He was scared one kiss might lead to another, but it was something he knew was right to risk.

"Belle," he whispered, taking up a seat at the side of her bed and trying to rouse her from sleep, just like old times. He rubbed her shoulder, pushed the hair in her face back, and this time when he whispered "Sweetheart," her eyes popped open immediately. She looked him over but instead of easing her face became worried and she reached her arm out from under the covers to hold the hand he had already against her.

"What?"

Their fingers wove together automatically and he was mesmerized by the sight. They still fit so perfectly together. His grip on her hand tightened. Why did she have to make this so difficult?

"I wondered…" he muttered, continuing to look at her hands, continuing to let that give him hope, "if you would like to have lunch with me? Perhaps a couple of hamburgers at Granny's? Saturday, maybe?"

He peeled his eyes away from their hands and risked a glance up at her. It had been difficult, but he'd said it, gotten it all out. Now there was nothing to do but wait for her answer. "Yes" or a "No" that would no doubt be followed by some excuse or speech about how she wasn't ready. Hanging in limbo made him feel like he was falling. How could he make love to her over and over again and still be made so nervous by her?

Suddenly a sleep softened smile bloomed over her face, and all his fear and nervous energy fled as the grip she held on to his hand tightened in return. He knew her answer even before she said it.

"I would love too."

He smiled, he felt like he could finally breathe again, like he could relax. It was happening. It wasn't a lot. Just a lunch date, an hour maybe two or three at the most. But it was something. He just hoped he could wait until Saturday.

"I'll pick you up at the library then," he suggested, "around noon?"

"I'm looking forward to it," she whispered, her words slurring together as she began drifting off into sleep already. He couldn't understand how she could slip into it so easily when he felt like he could jump up and down with excitement. With a promise like that, he almost felt like he could join her in bed again, but he reminded himself once more that it wasn't the right time. He had to go and she…he had to let her go back to sleep.

He couldn't help it, muscle memory was strong, and the way they were now already resembled their old life so much he couldn't have stopped himself if he'd wanted to. So, he leaned down, pressed his lips against her forehead, and watched her smile grow again.

"I love you," he muttered.

"And I love you too," she responded predictably, but not without feeling. There was hope for them yet.

He tore himself away from her side and reached for the blankets they'd tangled last night in their efforts to get to each other as fast as possible. He found a blanket that was falling between the footboard and the mattress and stretched it out over her form, hoping it would at least replace some of the heat he'd taken from her.

"Go back to sleep," he whispered, "I'll see you soon."

Simple scene, sort of exists as a filler chapter to tie the events of 2x07 to the events to the Hamburger Date. There is nothing really epic about this scene other than to say that I do like it, simple as it is. It does show growth and development, and it does it in small ways, proving once again that not all steps need to be giant ones.

Thank you, Grace5231973, for your review of the last chapter. From here, we are getting into 2x08-2x10, which has some really awesome, really interesting things happen before we get into 2x11, which has some less awesome but still really interesting things happen. Basically, the fiction seems to fly from this point on, is what I'm trying to say! Strap in! Peace and Happy Reading!