Belle

It was all mind games with my father. He assumed he could manipulate me back into a relationship with him by trying to upstage Will and pretend-flirting with Ruby. He thought he could just pick up the pieces from where we left off. What he didn't realize was that if we were to do that, it would just be sweeping dirt under the rug. The lies and deceit would still be there and that was the last time I ever tried to build a relationship on a lie. Under any circumstances. I don't ever want to be hurt like that again. I wasn't naive, thanks to the help of my father and his exquisite talents in the bedroom, I grew up rather quickly. Once out of the restroom, I quickly reapplied my lip gloss and went back to my booth with Will.

"Sorry that took so long." I said sitting down in the booth in front of him.

"Girls and their make-up." He said jokingly. "Didn't I see your dad go back there too?"

"Yeah he was just telling me he's leaving."

"Belle I'm sorry I'm not getting along with him, I'm really trying." He said before sighing deeply. "But maybe it's true what they say about your dad."

"What do they say about my dad?"

"That he's ruthless and nobody should get in his way or they'll get hurt."

"That's not true. You just have to get to know him." I said defending him again, when I shouldn't be.

"That's what you always say, but Belle it's been 8 months, you only now allow me to meet your father, and even now he doesn't like me." Will confessed.

"Will he's a nice guy, he just has to get used to you." I reassured him. "But I don't wanna talk about him, I wanna talk about us. Where do you see us after high school?"

"Hopefully in college."

"Well yeah college." I put my hand in his and interlaced our fingers together. "But do you see us together?"

"Of course, have you decided what college you're going to?" My boyfriend asked.

"No, not yet."

"Well my mom is making me since I'm graduating next year, so far I have lined up University of New Hampshire and Mid-Coast." Mid- Coast University was in southern Maine, most students from Storybrooke would continue their education there. But New Hampshire worried me.

"New Hampshire? Don't you think that's a little far from Maine?" Will and I became so close in our relationship, he became my best friend as well. The end of the school year was quickly approaching, only 5 months left, and it discouraged me that he would leave me very soon. When it came to me, it always seem like there was never enough time. Good things always comes to an end for me.

"Yeah I know, but I haven't heard back from Mid-coast yet."

"Well whatever you decide I'll be excited for you, and who knows maybe I'll like New Hampshire." I said pushing my true feelings aside.

Our date continued to go smoothly We talked about so many topics, avoiding the ones of college and being prom was coming up also, Will surprised me and asked me if I'd be his date and of course I happily said yes. I remember the last dance I went to it was a parent/child dance at the now closed down Storybrooke Prep. My father escorted me and it was the most magical night I ever experienced, but a night at prom with my boyfriend was sure to top it. It was getting close to my curfew and Will suggested we leave in order to avoid us both getting in trouble with my dad.

xox0xox

The next morning when I woke up, I noticed an extra blanket was placed on top of me, I didn't know why until I got up from my bed and looked out of my frost covered window to see it was snowing outside. I watched one snowflake in particular that fell gracefully on my window sill, joining the rest of his fellow frozen friends there. Winter was finally here and that could only mean one thing. A snow day. While watching the captivating white snowflakes rain down, a familiar car pulled into our driveway. I quickly put on my house shoes and ran downstairs to greet my sister.

"She's here!" I yelled throughout the house to wake everyone up while storming to the front door. I opened the door and greeted my oldest, now pregnant sister with a big hug. We shared a heartfelt laugh when I joke about how I could barely get my arms around her.

"Aww Belle, look how big you've gotten." She said before we ended our embrace. "Are you ready for your niece to get here?"

Zelena had graduated from UMASS and was now living in New York. Her pregnancy was a mystery to us, she wasn't married and she never mentioned to me or Regina that she had been dating. I didn't mind as much as Rumple and Regina did, I was just happy I was getting a niece. Rumple didn't like the fact any of his girls were pregnant and I wasn't sure what Regina's problem was with Zelena. They were as close as they could be growing up, although that didn't stop my mother from choosing Zelena over Regina which in turn made Regina despise my mother and become jealous of Zelena.

"So how's New York?" A voice asked behind us. It was Regina, she was standing by the staircase giving Zelena a condescending look.

"It's nice, you should come visit some time." Zelena said taking off her jacket and hanging it on the coat rack.

"I think not, you know that's where Robin moved to."

"New York is a big place, what are the chances that you will run in to him?"

"Probably about as high as yours."

"Regina can't you just stop? Can't we just get along for once?" Zelena plead with her little sister.

"Yeah Regina stop looking for drama to start, we already have enough." I said trying to mediate the confrontation between my sisters.

"Oh shut up Belle." Regina spat at me before turning back to our oldest sister. "Are you dating Robin?"

"Of course not, he's my nephew's dad." Zelena explained. "Can you for once stop being jealous of me for a moment and just be happy for me? I'm pregnant Regina."

"Don't worry about her Zelena I'm happy, I get a niece!" I said giving Zelena another hug.

Finally and just in time before Regina could ruin anything else, my father came in to greet his oldest daughter. "Zelena, sweetheart it's so good to see you." Rumple said walking up to hug Zelena. "Pregnant and not married." He continued with a staggered expression.

"Dad." Zelena said and I could instantly tell there was something else bothering her about this pregnancy.

"I'm happy for you dear, I truly am. I just sometimes forget you girls are all grown up now." He said sort of crestfallen. "Now let's get this over with, so the rest of our day can be a pleasant one. I'm sure Henry is ready to play in the snow."

"You have no idea." Regina said. "He's upstairs putting his layers on right now."

We all went to the living room. Me, Zelena and Regina sat on the couch while Rumple put up a chair in front of us and sat alone."Zelena do you know what your mother did?"

"I talked to her, she said that you two are getting a divorce, I couldn't get much else because she was crying so much."

"Cora, your mother, cheated on me."

"What!" Zelena exclaimed covering her mouth with her hands.

"Yes, for our entire marriage, and you and your two sisters are not related to me." Rumple finished.

"Oh god that's sick." She said in shock and disbelief. "This is so unreal. My whole life all I've known is you to be my father."

"And that will never change, I will always be your father. I refuse to let what Cora did destroy our family." He said before sighing and taking a few pieces of paper out of his suit's inside pocket. "But Cora did give me information about your real fathers. Zelena your father's name is Jonathan OZ, he left town before you were born, I worked some magic and I was able to get an address." He hands the paper to Zelena before continuing to explain. "But Cora said the reason he left town was because he has another family, so I'm not sure if he would be excited to meet you, but a lot can change in 26 years."

Zelena rips the address up in to two pieces. "I don't want to meet him, if he didn't care about me all those years ago, he wouldn't care now, and besides I already have a dad."

Zelena's sweet words make my dad smile and brought tears to my eyes. I felt the same way, Rumple would always be consider as my father, it doesn't matter that we became intimidate or that we were not related. Rumple raise me from a child, he would always be my dad.

"Regina your father is still here in Storybrooke and is the hospital's director." He explains to his middle daughter.

"Doctor Henry?" Regina asked. Everyone knew Doctor Henry. He was a sweet man who really cared about the well being of the hospital's patients. It was sort of ironic that Regina was related to such a kind man. Even more ironic was that her real father shared the same name as her son. I suppose it was just meant to be.

"Yes, I've actually already spoken to him and he really wants to meet you. But only when you're sure your ready." He gives Regina a piece of paper with a phone number written on it before turning to address me. "Belle, sweetheart, your birth father's name is Maurice French, he's in town also. He owns the flower shop on Main Street."

"Maurice French?" It sounded so strange to hear my dad call another man, that I don't know, my birth father. It was surreal and almost felt dreamlike.

"Yes, he's been wanting to meet you ever since you were born. When you're ready, I would like for you to meet him."
I nodded and took the piece of paper he hands me.

"Wow I can't believe our mother would something this." Zelena said still in shock at her revelation.

"Yes, I know it's disgusting, but I wouldn't have put it past her. Mom's a bitch. I'm just glad she's out of our life." Regina added.

"Sorry she hurt you dad." Zelena said expressing her sympathy to our father.

"And I'm sorry she hurt you." Rumple said with disappointment. "I'm sorry I didn't see it for you girls, so you could have gotten a chance to grow up with your real fathers."

"That doesn't matter, I'm happy you're our dad." I said trying to cheer him up and he gave me an approving smile.

"So am I." Regina contributed.

"Me too." Zelena agreed.

All of his daughters still accepting him as a father gave him the biggest smile. The moment warmed my heart and could even melt the snow outside. It didn't take long for his happy expression to turn saddened again.

"There's something else I need to tell you." He sighs, curling into himself from what looked like fear. "Something I'm not too proud of, But I need to say it because I don't want any more secrets in this family." He added while looking at the three of us.

"Well what is it?" Zelena asked.

He exhale deeply, though that didn't stop his hands from trembling, he wasn't making eye contact anymore, just looking at the ground ashamed. Then it hit me. Oh my god was he really going to tell them? Was he really going to tell my sisters about us? The color from his face left and he appeared white as a ghost. He was hesitating and my nervousness began to set in as well. He exhales deeply before looking at me and continuing.

"Me and your sister Belle, I- well, we've been-"

"We've been planning a family vacation for all of us." I said quickly cutting him off, I didn't want him to risk it all for me just after we had such a touching family moment.

"What?" They all asked, including my father.

"Yeah, me and dad have been planning a vacation for the family this summer." I clarified in a lie.

"Well I do agree we need one" Regina added.

"Where are we planning on going?" Zelena asked.

"Italy?" I suggested.

"Belle gross, Italy in the summertime? We might as well just go to the Jersey Shore."

"San Cabos?" Rumple suggested.

"We've never been there." Regina admitted.

"Mexico sounds wonderful." My oldest sister Zelena agreed happily while rubbing her stomach. "The baby should be born by then, we can make it her first vacation also."

"Great San Cabos it is then." Rumple supported.

After our discussion, we ate breakfast together, along with Henry who appeared like a giant ball of fluff from all the layers of clothes he was wearing. Afterwards, Zelena went to her old bedroom and settled in while Regina took Henry outside to frolic in the snow. Me and my father stayed in the kitchen a while longer to clean up the mess we made for breakfast.

"You really were going to tell them?" I asked handing him a wet dish for him to dry off and place in the tableware cabinet.

"Yes." He said simply.

"Why?" I asked handing him another dish to put away.

"Because I want to be a better man. I don't want to be this coward anymore. I want to be worthy of you Belle."

"That was really brave of you."

"Why did you stop me?"

"Because I was scared too."

"Belle if I were to tell, it would be me suffering the consequences, not you, nobody would blame you."

"But that's just it, I don't want all the blame to be on you, it was just as much my choice as it was yours. I didn't want them to hate you."

Rumple sighed. "I know sweetheart. I'm sorry I've been confusing you, I know you want to be with Will, I see that now. So instead of working on picking up where we left off, I'm going to work on being the man and the father you deserve."

"Rumple your very sweet but I don't know about this." I said turning off the running water in the sink before facing him.

He places the dry rag down and takes my hands in his, interlacing our fingers together lovingly. "We won't ever know unless we try."

"I do appreciate you for what you were going to do, but I don't know if we can ever be fixed." I said removing my hands from his.

"Belle I know I can't change the past or rebuild what we had, but I can build you a future. One where you're happy and prosperous. The one that I've always seen for you since you were a little girl. Three years ago I gave you a library to show you my appreciation for making me the happiest man in the world, but somewhere between then and now I lost sight of what I truly wanted." He confessed affectionately. His speech faltering as he was trying to hold back his tears.

"What is it that you want?"

"What I've always wanted since the moment you were born and placed in my arms." He took a long pause before continuing. "Your happiness, even if it's without me." The tears began to fall from his eyes as he spoke, I saw all the pain that this whole thing has caused us. It took its toll on us both, both of us were hurting so badly, both broken. "I shouldn't have been contented with lying to you just to keep you with me. I should have been spending every moment fighting to be with you and only you."

I could see all the hurt in Rumple's eyes as he spoke. His confession of being my father and my lover was a lot of me to take in and I felt the tears searing my eyes but I didn't let them fall. "It's okay Rumple." Was all I could say, but this was anything but okay. I comforted him with a hug and he squeezed me back while burying his face into the crook of my neck, his warm tears caressing my skin. I wasn't sure where this would take us. But I was finally ready to forgive him.

The sound of Henry and Regina giggling outside in the snow brought us back down to earth. "I think we need to go outside and take in some of Mother Nature's winter splendor, Henry and Regina can't have all the fun." I said using my thumb to wipe his tears away.

After getting warmly dressed I went outside with the rest of my family, who was right in the middle of a snowball fight.
Splat! The snowball that hit me came from out of nowhere. "Got you Belle!" Henry said bent over laughing. I quickly scooped up a handful of snow and patted it down to form a perfect snowball and threw it back at him, but Henry was too quick for me and dodged it effortlessly. "Ha Ha, missed me!"

"Not for long." I scooped up another snowball and threw it again, this time making contact. My victory of nailing my nephew with a snowball was short-lived when another one hit me in the arm.

"Nobody hits my son with a snowball and gets away with it-" Regina said before being cut off by a snowball hitting her in the side. "Ow!"

"And nobody hits my babygirl." Rumple said tossing an already prepared snowball up in the air.

"Now would anyone else like a go?" Henry didn't mind, he took a playful charge, screaming his little battle cry and tackled my father playfully into the snow. Regina and I both laughed at them wrestling in the snow. The now seven year old was getting bigger and stronger everyday. The snowball fight continued on. It was Regina and Henry against me and Rumple. By the end of the game my hands were frozen and numb, we were covered in snow, and our cheeks ached from laughing. The four of us went inside to warm up with hot chocolate by the fire.

xox0xox

It was Friday evening, and I had a stern talking to with Rumple. I told him to be nice to Will and not have a repeat of what happened at Granny's. Although I didn't have to worry much because my sisters would be there having dinner with us also. I prepared a delicious meal from a cook book I read, my sisters helped too, though they spent most of the time bickering with one another but we were still able to have dinner ready by the time Will arrived. After I acquainted my boyfriend with my sister Zelena, who seemed to like Will, we all went to the dining room for dinner.

"Belle did you cook this all by yourself?" Will asked with a mouthful. "It's delicious."

"Is that what your mother taught you, to talk with your mouth full?" Rumple remarked.

I gave Rumple a don't even think about it look before addressing Will's question. "I had help."

"Yes but you did most of the work." Zelena said giving me all the credit for dinner.

"My daughter has always been an amazing cook." Rumple added and I had the decency to blush.

"So Will how long have you and Belle been dating?"Zelena asked.

"So far 8 months, the best 8 months of my life."

"You seem like such a nice young man. Belle means a lot to us, so I'll trust you take care of my baby sister."

"Yes, without any doubt, Belle means everything to me." Will said without any hesitate.

"Aww, how sweet." Zelena cooed.

"Yeah how sweet indeed." Regina said mocking her sister. "Zelena guess who Will's related to."

"I don't know. Who?"

"Robin." She said nonchalantly. Regina was so brash at times, even when she didn't need to be.

"Can we stop bringing him up?" Zelena said angrily at the mention of Robin's name.

"Not until you tell me the truth, are you and Robin dating?"

"Regina that's enough. Can't you two put your differences aside and try to act like loving sisters for the sake of Belle?" Rumple said ending their dispute.

The dinner went well after that. Will asked my father if it would be okay if he escorted me to the dance and to my surprise, Rumple gave his blessing. Zelena, being a fashion major, offered advice on what I should wear and Regina suggested that I style my hair down instead of an up do. Rumple even said he would cover the expenses for a limo. After dinner I pulled the dessert from the fridge, it was a New York style cheese cake I decided to make since Zelena was visiting from New York. Soon the weight of the meal was upon us and a full belly always made my father sleepy. He retired to his room for the night and so did Zelena, Regina, and Henry. Will was allowed to stay a couple of hours longer so we opted for making out and watching TV in the den.

"Have you ever watched Game Of Thrones?" I asked. It was my favorite show and the new season had started.

"No unfortunately my family isn't able to afford HBO."

"Let's watch it, it's my favorite show"

"Well if it's your favorite show, I'm sure I'll love it."

We got comfortable on the sofa in the media room. I brought some soda out for our refreshments and I located the program on the ONDemand and we begin to watch season one episode one titled Winter is Coming. On my father's 80 inch TV screen, they showed Ned Stark beheading a man of the Night's Watch for desertion.

"So he just decapitates that man, for only trying to escape with his life?" Will asked with some confusion.

"You have to understand he took a vow. Its death if anyone leaves their post at the Wall."

Will sighed at my explanation. He didn't seem to be enjoying Game of Thrones as I thought he would. After about an hour, it was finally at the end of the episode. Jami and Cersi Lannister, brother and sister, were making love in a deserted tower in the kingdom Winterfell. I glanced to my boyfriend who wearing a disgusted expression.

"This is just sick, they're brother and sister, that's incest."

"Will, you can't help who you love."

"Well you're not supposed to fall in love with your family members. It's disgusting."

When Will said that it kind of broke my heart a bit. I thought maybe he was more understanding, but clearly he wasn't in this situation. I fell in love with my father, and we both assumed we were related. Will would certainly find me disgusting too. I was sort of disappointed that we couldn't enjoy my favorite show together. Will turned down watching another episode and we ended our night together. I walked him out. We didn't even kiss this time because of the awkwardness of how the date ended.

Will was gone and I heard the familiar theme music to Game of Thrones playing on my dad's TV in his room. The door was wedged open and Rumple never minded when I didn't knock.

"Dad? Are you sleeping?" I asked standing in the door's frame.

"No sweetheart, what's the matter?" He said pausing the show.

"Can we watch Game of Thrones together?"

"Of course Belle," I ran into his room and jumped on his bed excited before getting under the covers next to him. He chuckled at my eagerness and un-paused the show. We were watching the third season episode eight titled Second Sons. 40 mins into the episode, a drunken Tyrion Lannister was trying and failing, due to his own good standing morals, to consummate his marriage with his 14 year old bride Sansa. I could tell the scene was making my father uncomfortable.

"Do you ever regret it?" I asked speaking of our intimate relationship.

"Everyday. I shouldn't have done that to you. Father's are not suppose to fall in love with their daughters." He confessed.

"But I was happy you did." I said giving him a soft smile before continuing to watch our favorite show together. Eventually my eyes gave weight and I fell asleep next to him. When I woke up the next day I was still in bed beside him, I sighed to myself thinking of how I always wanted this when me and my father were together, but it was always a far-fetched dream due to circumstances regarding Cora. But even now, somewhere deep inside me, this was still what I wanted.