The best way to prove that what he'd seen was nothing but his imagination was to show that nothing had changed. He had to prove a negative. And for that he had to make sure that things carried on between them as it usually would have so that when he sent her away one day, he'd know for sure. It helped, he thought, that the castle was getting busier, that people were coming to him again, and they'd resumed their normal business almost entirely. She was cleaning again, he was working, he'd even popped out a few times to see Regina and to spy on George, making sure he was good and broke. The panic hadn't quite set in with him yet, but he could feel that he was nearing that. That was a vision he knew he could trust, it was one that made sense given the Kingdom's affairs.

Still, even with the busyness he continued to enjoy their talks over tea, even if he knew he shouldn't. It was really the only time they spent together acknowledging one another. They shared meals, but they weren't chatty. Tea time gave them the opportunity to talk about the one thing they had in common: books. Well-read as she was, she could talk for hours if he let the conversation go on that long. She saw the stories not only as they were but also the deeper meaning behind them, as well as things like symbolism and foreshadowing that he had to admit were lost on him. He wasn't aware if she knew it or not, but he usually read what she did, just well after she'd read it. Once she placed it on her shelf, he was happy to grab it and explore it secretly.

But today, as he glanced over her shoulder to figure out what she was reading, he was more than happy to find a book that he was familiar with. He'd gotten it in a deal once, thinking it would be informative, but at the end of the day, he'd found no value to it. He didn't want to leave it out in plain sight, considering where it had come from and that it might encourage questions he didn't want to answer, but…had he really put it in her library? Was that one of the books that he'd summoned up there? Apparently, he had, but…she had no idea what she really held in her hands right now. He wondered, what did she make of the strangeness of it?

"I've always been rather fond of that one myself," he commented to initiate the conversation. He enjoyed their talks, and he really thought that she did as well, but sometimes pulling her out of a book could be a difficult task. He'd noticed a correlation depending on how bent over the book she was. If the book rested on her lap and her back was curled over examining it as the rest of her body stilled, then it was a good one. If the book rested on her lap, she kept her head on the back of the chair, her hand idly moving over a leg or the chair's arm, it was less than captivating. Those were the days that she was easy to distract and even did some of the distracting herself. Other times, like now, he could tell that she was itching to return to it. Conversation always brought her some relief, but it wasn't as good as reading it.

"Yes," she agreed with a smile while he poured himself another cup of tea. "I'm enjoying it as well. I've never heard of the author though…" he turned just in time to see her close the book and look at the cover. "'C.S. Lewis,'" she read aloud. "I was hoping to read more from him, unless this is the only thing he's ever written."

"It's the only thing in my library," he answered confidently.

She gave a small nod and cast her eyes down at it sadly. He felt a pain in his chest at her disappointment and had a stray thought that he wished he had better news for her, but he willed both the thought and the pain away. The visions weren't real. He didn't feel anything for her. And he could prove it by carrying on a normal conversation with her and continuing to feel nothing.

"Although I find it hard to believe that a writer like that would only write one book," he added quickly. He wasn't quite the scholar she was, but given the book's background he knew that much. As to whether or not the author had written more…he didn't know. One day, hopefully soon, he would be in a world where he had that answer, but until that day arrived, speculation was all he had. And a little hope could go a long way, especially with someone like her.

"I don't suppose you could look for me?" she asked carefully, looking entirely unsure about the comment. He could understand why. It was a request that made the voices in his head scream at him; all negative things, of course. Looking for a book for her was a far cry from ignoring her and giving her dresses in secret. To actively look for something for her…

But was he going to turn her down because he didn't want to do it? Because it was inappropriate? Or because it was a step that would make those images true? He wasn't afraid of his imagination. He wasn't afraid of it because it wasn't true. And this was exactly the kind of proof he needed. He could look for a book for her, and send her away one day when he learned the truth, because she didn't mean anything and never would.

"I'll look," he answered. She blushed and he quickly put his nose down so he could sip at his tea. There, things could continue as they normally would have and it meant nothing. Nothing! It was just a simple conversation, one like they might have had before his mind had wandered. Everything was fine.

Except for the way her heart raced at the news.

He'd look for the book for her, but she had to understand the chances of ever finding something like it, in this world, were slim to none.

"But I should warn you," he corrected quickly. "Even if more exist, the chances of coming across one are slim."

"Why?" she inquired, looking confused at his statement. Perhaps she really didn't noticed…

"Not all the books in that library are from our realm," he informed her, watching her carefully for her reaction to his words. What would she think of it all, he wondered. "That one, for example, I got in a trade. It's rare, coming from A Land Without Magic."

"Another realm…" she muttered. Her tone was one of amazement and confusion. She trusted him and his words, obviously, but he didn't know if she believed it all, clearly. "Another world? A land without magic?!"

"My, my, my, Dearie, you didn't think this was the only one, did you?"

"I've heard stories, but I never assumed it was true!" she blanched.

"The stories you've heard are true," he smiled, looking into the fireplace. "Worlds of all shapes and sizes, histories and realities, ones you've read about and ones you could never dream up for a thousand years. Worlds too numerous for even I to count. But getting to those worlds is a task all on its own, especially the ones where magic doesn't thrive. Thus why relics, like the one you're holding, are so rare."

He watched as she shook her head looking utterly baffled and overwhelmed. She put her head back against the chair, taking it all in, he assumed. She was a smart woman, it wasn't often he could teach her something, but he liked the way that he had now. She'd heard the stories but didn't believe them. But she did now? Just because he said so, she believed it? Why did that fill him with a gust of pride that made him want to stick out his chest and challenge that fiancé of hers to a duel?

"You suppose it's real?" she questioned suddenly, demanding his attention once more. "Do you suppose there is a world like this?" she asked, motioning to the book. "With a Devil, Wormwood, an Uncle named Screwtape?"

Her eyes were desperate, searching his own for an answer he wasn't entirely sure about. The book came from The Land Without Magic and he'd been told it was a fictional story there, a fortunate thing, otherwise he probably would have assumed that was how that world really was. And perhaps it was, for all he knew? Maybe that land did have devils and angels as the book suggested, but the truth was he didn't know. But was it possible for angels and devils to exist in another world? One with or without magic? He didn't see why not.

"I'm sure it's always possible."

It was a vague answer but not on purpose. If he could have told her definitively one way or another he would have. Just to get that look off her face. The look of…confusion?

"Why did you want it?" she asked quietly, keeping her eyes trained on the book in front of her.

"What?"

He saw her swallow nervously then finally glance up at him. "Why would you want it? The book, I mean. If it came from A Land Without Magic, then it must not hold any magic or power? Why would you want it?"

"It's rare," he responded simply, but he had a feeling that the question was anything but simple. What was she getting at?

"If its rarity meant something to you, it would have a place and be better taken care of than this. Why exchange anything for a simple book weathering away in the library with no magical value?"

"Because it came from that realm," he snapped before he could catch himself. That was what she was getting at? She wanted to know his interest in another realm? Or in that realm in particular? He couldn't understand why that was important to her or to anyone. "I thought it might be helpful, informative, but it's a simple yet brilliant work of fiction and nothing more."

"Helpful? Informative? What-"

Before she could finish her thought or he could figure out what she was working through in her head, there was an unmistakable bang at the door that meant a visitor had arrived. He didn't have any meetings scheduled, so he could only assume it was someone coming to make a deal with him. It was one of the rare times he could honestly say he was torn. He needed to go back to work, it was what he normally would have done, but he could tell that she was coming up with something and he couldn't decide if he wanted to ignore the door and stay to hear her theories or stay just to shut them down.

Leave. Obviously, he was going to leave. The visions were nothing, and he wouldn't pretend like they were something. In a normal day, he would leave her and go make his deal.

"Back to work," he declared, moving quickly away from her and to the door. "Enjoy your book," he tossed over his shoulder, wishing he could stay and enjoy it with her.

I love this chapter because I find this reaction that he has to those visions so freaking hilarious. What should he do with information like he's received? What would he do with even the slight possibility that it might be true? Send her away. Put distance between them. Stop finding excuses to be around her all the time! But what does he do? The exact freaking opposite! Why? Is it really because he wants to prove it's not true? Or is because it's already too late for him and he just doesn't want to stop spending time with her?

Thank you Jennifer Baratta and Grace5231973 for your comments on the last chapter. Yes, it's no wonder there were so many issues in his life when your really stop to examine it right! Also, I hope you like the bit about Rumple reading Belle's books. That's really a shoutout to something we didn't find out about until damn near the end of Moments. In Chapter 39 of Moments Explored and Unexplored Rumple mentions the book and Belle is surprised that he's read it. He answers that of course he's read it, it's her favorite. That was always really meant to just show the difference between Rumple and Gaston. Belle tells Gaston that she's got a favorite book that he should read and he doesn't do it, even haunts him in the afterlife. Rumple, on the other hand, knows it's her favorite and without being asked, he reads it because he wants to know who she is. Stunning quality! Up next we're on to another episode, in fact, the next chapter is going to be a plothole filler. There was something that bothered me about the next episode, so naturally, I did what I do, and I fixed it. Peace and Happy Reading!