He hadn't meant to fall asleep last night like some middle-aged man too lazy to get up and put himself to bed. But he had. It was disgustingly humiliating. He was the Dark One. He didn't suffer from things like "exhaustion." And yet, as Belle had melted into him last night and he'd held her secure in his arms, the mind that had been racing and panicking all day and most of the previous one finally silenced. He'd closed his eyes to enjoy the silence, and the next thing he'd known, it was morning. The sun was beginning to rise over the horizon, the first rays beginning to reach into the windows in front of him that were not familiar but looked out over Main Street and his shop…the only ones she'd uncovered completely thus far. Coincidence, he wondered, or was it possible that all this time apart, she'd been watching him across the street just as he'd been watching her?

Her…

She was still here, at his side, having fallen asleep much like he had. Her body was slumped into him a little more than it had been, her limbs looser than when he'd drifted off, but it allowed him his traditional movement, the broad strokes up and down her back, a comforting gesture to let her know he was there when she finally woke. Unless he woke her first…

He felt gritty. Once Regina left his shop yesterday, he hadn't stopped to take in the fact that he'd been out hiking in the woods or allowed himself to consider what he must smell like. Now that he did, he realized he felt dirty. He felt filthy and unclean and desperate for a shower. If he were at home, he'd already be up and in the shower by now, halfway to being ready to go to the shop. Instead, he was here, and he couldn't bring himself to wake the woman beside him who had stayed by his side through the worst of him. His former wife, his son, his plans for escaping, and now murder…nothing seemed to phase her. Perhaps telling her about the dagger, hiding it where she knew about it, wouldn't be such a bad idea. If there was anyone in town he could trust with that information, it was her.

As if his thoughts had called out to her, she suddenly took a deep breath and then sighed. Her heart rate hitched so that he knew she'd finally woken. It was a feat, he realized, for her to sleep this long tucked and curled as she was. If it were him, he was certain some body part would have fallen asleep and woken her in the night. As it was, the way she took time to get her bearings told him that she'd slept all night long there.

Finally, she turned to look up at him and offered a lazy but happy smile. "Morning."

"Good morning," he smiled back.

"You could have woken me. We could have gone to bed."

"I wasn't entirely uncomfortable…or unhappy," he admitted, omitting the part that for that to have happened he would have had to wake up himself and realize it sometime last night.

She smiled as she moved to kiss him and then unwind herself, finally freeing him in the process. Now that he moved, he could feel the stiffness in his own body. Fortunately for him, it was a little magic here and there to make himself suitable again. For her…he should have pushed a bit of it into her before she woke, lest she experience similar aches and pains.

"Don't you have to go to the shop?" she asked, glancing out the window and realizing the time.

"It can wait," though not for long. He wanted to be in town today. He wanted to make sure there was no fallout from the last few days. If he stayed here too long or took too much time at home to shower…

All at once, he remembered the last time this had happened, the way he'd hated using magic to go back to his house to shower and change before using magic just to come back. He'd hated it so much, in fact, that he'd optimistically left a suit at the shop just in case something like "last time" ever happened again. Last night certainly didn't fall into the category of "last time," but it was close enough.

"I have a spare suit in the shop, but if I could use your shower…" he requested timidly as she rubbed her eyes and yawned. The sleep wasn't quite cleared out of them when she turned to him and smiled as if she found something funny.

"Of course," she muttered, reaching out to squeeze his knee and keeping whatever she found amusing to herself. "I'll make you some breakfast."

And with that, their night was over. She padded into the kitchen, and he moved back into the tiny bathroom she had that made the bathroom up in the cabin downright luxurious. As he stripped himself of his clothes, he found the item he'd been carrying around with him for two days in the pocket, the one thing he'd remembered to transfer when he'd changed suits yesterday. It was a good thing too because, after yesterday, he'd completely forgotten about it again.

The cell phone.

He'd gotten it for her days ago and had meant to give it to her at lunch, but one thing had led to another, and now…today, before he left, he'd give it to her then. She needed to have it so they could communicate during times like these. If these last few days had taught him anything, it was that, at least. So, he set the phone aside, assuring himself that he'd remember it if he kept it out, and then finished stripping down and took a quick shower before dressing once more in what he'd worn yesterday. It might look like "the walk of shame" to anyone who happened to catch him move from the library to the shop, but he knew no one would dare say anything about it. And it would only last until he got into the shop and could change. He'd have to remember to bring another suit by. Or maybe…maybe he could ask her if he could leave a few here. If they were bound to keep repeating this, it might be handy. But would she think it was too much too soon?

No. A normal woman would. Belle wasn't a "normal woman."

When he exited the bathroom, clean and dry, he was only half-dressed. He carried his jacket, vest, tie, and shoes out to the living room they'd slept in, summoned by the smell of blueberries. She smiled at him from the toaster oven, and as he sat down to put his shoes on, he beamed to see her there, thriving in this environment all on her own. She'd done well since leaving his house. He still regretted that she'd gone, still regretted what had led her to have to learn all of this on her own, but he didn't regret the independence she was growing to have here. In fact, it suited her. This realm, where women were free to learn, engage in thought, and pursue any path in life they chose, whether or not it included a man or children…it suited her. It was as if she'd always belonged here and had been preparing for it her entire life. He wondered if she ever thought of that.

"Belle," he muttered as he finished dressing and felt the weight of the phone in his pocket again. "I nearly forgot. I want you to have this."

He held it out for her as he moved in her direction, and she took it, looking it over with confusion.

"I don't understand…"

"It's just a precaution," he explained, "in case Regina decides to come after you again or if you should ever need anything. You can carry it with you and always get in touch with me, no matter where you are."

"Thank you," she breathed before finally glancing up at him with a smile. "Rumple, um…" He watched as she paused and took a heavy breath. He could see her mind working through something, debating something. "We didn't get to finish our lunch the other day…Maybe I could come over to the shop sometime? I could…make us some lunch…maybe?"

He tried not to look too much of anything. He tried not to look too excited or too relieved or too happy or stunned or too much of about a million other emotions even though he felt all of them. She was asking him. And he felt like the world was beginning to fall into place for the first time in his life.

He smiled at her and took a single, careful, controlled step in her direction. "You are welcome in my shop and my life, any time you wish."

"Maybe tomorrow then?" she asked as the look of tension and debate left her as she broke into a smile that he could tell she was trying to contain as well. Why did they fight each other so hard?

"I look forward to tomorrow," he nodded.

And then the damn broke, the fighting ceased, and whatever control they'd been maintaining to keep each other at a distance melted away as she stepped toe to toe with him, wound her fingers through his hair, and kissed him; hard, thoroughly, and desperately. Kisses that demanded he pull her closer, dig his fingers into her skin, and-

She broke their interaction before they could have a repeat of "last time," before he could lose himself in her and lose the opportunity to see what became, if anything, of their actions the day before. It was for the best. But as she forced his forehead to rest against her own, he suddenly realized that he was counting the hours until he saw her again, until she was back in his arms. He knew that the next time they were in this apartment together, it most certainly would be like "last time." But not now. Not today.

"I have to go," he whispered sadly.

"I know," she nodded, loosening her grip on him and turning to wrap what appeared to be a muffin in a napkin for him. Breakfast. He always forgot to eat when she wasn't around. He doubted she knew just how human she made him.

"I'll see you soon," she promised before taking another kiss.

"Soon."

And so he finally gives her that damn cell phone! I remember it being such a problem when I wrote Belle's side. We know she doesn't have it in 2x04, but by 2x11, she does, so when does he give it to her? In this fiction I already had when he'd give it to her mapped out, it was when he got it and how long he carried it around with him before giving it to her that drove me nuts! Because it had to be Dove that does the actual fetching, I mean, really, you didn't expect Rumple to walk into the Verizon Store himself, did you? It had to be Dove, and it had to be a time for Dove to do it, and it had to be between 2x04 and 2x11 and...did I make a mountain out of a molehill...potentially. But hey, isn't that why you read my fictions?

This scene officially ends 2x09, at least in my book, it does. That means that up next we are moving on to 2x10! If you are ready, then join me as we set off into the world of 2x10! Onward! Peace and Happy Reading!