Author's Notes: I do not own Once Upon A Time which is a show on ABC that gives you a hint of a gold ballgown and practically crashes the internet. Anyway, sorry, I know this took a bit longer, but I found this one hard to write and it was my birthday on Monday so I didn't get quite as much done as I thought. Thank you again so much for your reads and your reviews, I've almost gotten back to everyone. Please let me know what you think and happy reading!
Now
It was so easy when Beatrice was young.
When she was an infant, it was simple. She just needed to be fed and changed and rocked to sleep. That was all.
Then she just needed to play. He could do that, he could play with her.
When she was three, that was where things began to get complicated. It became apparent just how smart Beatrice was. She learned to read from Belle's lap and while that was predictable, her affinity for things like the stars was not. Simple enough. He secured tutors for her. Beatrice would learn whatever she wanted.
When she grew, she began to use her ice magic and Rumplestiltskin found she had a larger breadth of magic than he anticipated.
Then exposure to the people meant that she grew curious about what they meant when they expected her to save them.
So they told her. It was prophesised that she would defeat the Green Queen, which Beatrice immediately took to heart, letting it take root in the pit of her stomach, giving her nightmares.
Then she found Bae's shawl and the whole awful truth came out.
And he remembered why he came to the Far North.
When he came his notion had been to wait for the girl to be born and take her. He could train her. Then it happened that the girl was his and nothing was to be gained by his taking her.
She was a sober and reflective sort of girl, her only levity was brought about by a love for a boy who was more sober and reflective than her.
She never forgot what was expected of her.
Rumplestiltskin hated himself for that.
He hated Sherlock for knowing that.
If he had been better, stronger, this never would have happened.
He watched her leave the palace gates, headed off in search of her Sherlock, no doubt.
Then
For hundreds of years, Rumplestiltskin had lived alone.
Then necessity dictated he come to the Far North Kingdom. He was welcomed into the Ice Palace with open arms and even given his own turret. He tried to stay alone, to avoid their company.
Then came Belle.
It had been a terrible day when Reinette died, but Rumplestiltskin had taken solace in the fact that the infant lived. His quest wasn't over. He still had a chance to find Bae, a chance that depended on Belle growing up and bearing her own daughter.
He had gotten too close.
The beautiful baby delivered on the promise of her namesake. Oh, how the people liked to ogle, but Rumplestiltskin kept them at bay. Then she had become a girl whose blue eyes lit up a room- he tried not to pay attention to if they were actually her father's. Rumplestiltskin didn't like to think of any part of Belle belonging to Merlin. She was so good and so kind and loved her books. He started calling her poppet.
Then the real trouble began. Belle had entered adolescence with an awkward phase accompanied by a streak of defiance that reulted in Rumplestiltskin having to retrieve the princess from various calamities. She couldn't stand Merlin even for her magic lessons. Catherine had to teach her about ice, but Merlin suggested that perhaps Rumplestiltskin ought to tutor her in various other forms of magic.
Skipping the heart ripping of course.
He stuck with potions. It played to the girl's bookishness and she was a diligent pupil even if she was the clumsiest woman who ever lived. She walked around Rumplestiltskin's workshop and hummed tunes, generally casting light into the ocean of darkness that was his existence.
Then the awkward phase ended. He could remember the little girl who asked him to build snowmen, but he couldn't see her in the woman who swished about his workshop in her skirts. She was a curvy little thing with her corsets revealing a swath of creamy cleavage.
Then the gown.
The Ice Princess gown.
"Rumple?"
"Yes, poppet?"
"What do you think?"
He looked up from his workbench and what was left of his blackened heart stopped.
"What do you think?," she asked spinning around.
What did he think?
Catherine had worn white, but Belle wanted to distinguish herself and it had been Rumplestiltskin who suggested blue. He had been thinking of her eyes and the dressmaker, Eudora, agreed, suggesting they harken back to the first Ice Princess. The sleeves were translucent going back all the way to a new corset that Rumplestiltskin thought was definitely too low, but then again. The corset was sparkling with jewels and hugged every curve then the skirt.
The skirt had a slit. If Rumplestiltskin had not been thinking about the skin revealed between her shoes and the hem of her work dresses, he was definitely going to be thinking about the creamy calf that was on display and not nearly hidden enough by the translucent cape.
"Rumple?"
"Very good, poppet," was all he said, praying to any gods that would listen that she would just leave
"It's for my ascension," said Belle, walking over to the work bench and casually sitting on top.
Sitting in front of him, Rumplestiltskin could now see a part of her thigh.
Why had he never stopped her from doing that before now? It seemed an oversight on his part.
He tried to carry on with the potion he had been creating, but instead he found his joints were frozen and he could only think about Belle sitting on the table as she swung her legs.
"I don't know what to do with my hair," said Belle.
Merely out of reflex he looked up to where Belle fidgeted with an auburn lock. He was grateful to be drawn away from her bottom on his table, but he was now staring at the nape of her neck, trying to cast out all thoughts of kissing it.
"I don't know that it matters, poppet," he said gruffly.
"You're coming tomorrow, aren't you?," she asked.
Oh, that was all he needed. To watch Belle- in that dress - take her oath and then to watch the ball where she would dance with every eligible young prince in the realm. He had watched them file through the palace courtyard for days. They were all handsome and strong and none of them had scaled skin or a dagger that controlled them. One of them would be Belle's True Love and they would marry and have their daughter.
Then he could finally find Baelfire because that was what mattered. That was the only thing that mattered.
"Rumple?," she asked. "You will come, won't you?"
"You don't want me there, poppet."
"Yes, I do."
"No," he said. "How would that look for you to have a monster at your ceremony?"
"You're not a monster."
He snapped up at her. "Don't patronize me."
"I'm not patronizing you. You're my friend."
"If you must know, I'm too busy to be bothered with pomp and circumstance and little girls' birthday parties. I have deals to make, dearie, better ways to spend my time."
She was blessedly silent for once and he finally looked up at her.
Her eyes were full of water and her lip trembled.
"Anything else, dearie?," he asked with a snarl.
Belle hopped off the workbench and ran out. Rumplestiltskin listened as her footsteps flew down. There was a moment where he heard something clatter which was undoubtedly Belle, whose beauty was matched only by clumsiness.
And her wit.
And her kindness.
It was not long after his daughter's departure that Merlin entered the tower.
"What do you want?," Rumplestiltskin snarled.
Merlin shrugged. "Nothing really. Have you seen the young men filing in to meet my daughter?"
"I can't say I have."
"Oh, dozens of them. Princes, knights and so forth. The Sultan has sent three of his sons. Mind you, he has twenty."
"Any contenders?"
"I think she likes Prince Eric, from one of the maritime kingdoms. Same sense of adventure. Belle longs to see new places."
Rumplestiltskin looked up. "She wouldn't leave here. She has a kingdom to rule and she's not safe from the Ice Witch and the new Queen anywhere else."
"Well, we'll see."
"How can you be so cavalier about your own child?," he seethed.
"I suppose it's all to do with where True Love leads her."
"And you really have no idea who it is?"
Merlin shrugged. "I urge you not to follow your previous path of fairy dust. Even if you could find him, you and I both know Belle's temperament enough to know she will reject anyone she is told to marry outright."
"No idea where she got that stubborness," Rumplestiltskin said dryly.
"I was perfectly agreeable to the notion," said Merlin.
Rumplestiltskin snorted. "Why wouldn't you be? A bastard like you with a bright young thing to fall in love with him?"
"Indeed," said Merlin. He started out of the room. "Good night, sunshine,"
Now
Sherlock opened the door to his flat. Beatrice stood in the doorway.
"So, here's what I'm thinking," she said, walking herself in. "In the Land Without Magic, there was a giant who was growing a field of magic beans. Some long story about how the stable guy's identical twin and his girlfriend laid siege to the giants, but hey, that never happened here. I asked and the stable guy's brother is some kind of pub dweller. I bet there's a whole field of magic beans up there."
"You're back," said Sherlock.
"Yes."
"And you want to climb up a beanstalk where you'll presumably face a number of giants."
Beatrice nodded. "Right after I finish off Zelena."
"And you're gone again," lamented Sherlock.
"Hey," said Beatrice sitiing down, "you were awfully down on the alternate version of me, but she has ideas and she gets things done... which means I get things done now. So, yes, I have ideas and I get things done. When Merlin gets back from Oz, he'll have dicovered what her weakness is and we'll use it to defeat her. Then we'll get the magic beans and go to the Land Without Magic and find my brother."
"And your kingdom?"
"Yeah, I'm going to have to work on a way to get back. I believe it involves bringing magic to a Land Without Magic. Something with a True Love potion and a well."
"So you have it all planned then."
"Yes, then I have to figure out how we can get BBC One here. There is a show you should really watch."
"You can tell me about it. I need to check on my bees."
Beatrice groaned. "The bees?"
Then
Night was no friend to Rumplestiltskin.
He had too many long nights of the soul, times other, mortal men would not have made through. He busied himself with his plans. Find Belle her prince, wait for their daughter. Surely it was too much to think he could take the child back to the Dark Castle and train her himself? Merlin could be annoying when he wanted to be which seemed to be all the time. No, he would have to be content with training her here.
Then that turned him back to the rather pressing matter of the princes who had arrived to seek Belle's hand. How one of them, all worthless swine, would marry and bed her. He had been hoping Belle might fall for some peasant or other. That stable boy, David, seemed worthy enough even if his brother was pond scum not fit to kiss Belle's boot. Belle had declared that she thought the stable boy nice enough, but a dull sort. That ended all hopes for a non-prince. The only other men Belle knew she was related to or were Rumplestiltskin.
And it wasn't as if that was about to happen.
"Rumplestilstkin, come quickly."
He looked up from his table to see light.
And Tinker Bell.
"What?," he snapped.
"It's Belle. She's gone."
Rumplestiltskin ventured down to the throne room to see that the usual suspects were in a suitable tizzy.
"What do you mean she's gone?," asked Catherine.
"She's gone," said Maleficent. "She didn't even leave a note, but some of her books are missing."
"She didn't leave a note?," asked Rumplestiltskin.
"No."
"I hate to ask, but our collection of young princes..." said Alec.
Rumplestiltskin's blood boiled. How dare one of these worthless fools think he could just vanish in the night with his Belle- with Belle.
"Prince Eric sent word his ship was to set sail early and he would not be staying," said Maleficent.
"I'll send a guard-" said Catherine.
"Right," said Merlin. "Sunshine, you go on ahead to Prince Eric's kingdom in case we miss them."
"Me?," asked Rumplestiltskin.
"Of course you," said Merlin. "I'm her father. Whatever I say to do, she'll just do the opposite. Just don't kill the boy if he's her True Love."
"Right," said Rumplestiltskin. "I'll be back as soon as I've found her."
Rumplestilskin vanished into a puff of garnet smoke.
Merlin sighed in relief.
"I thought he would never leave."
"I'll let Olaf out of the cupboard," said Alec.
Now
Rumplestiltskin felt a warm hand on the back of his neck.
Belle pressed against him and he could feel her breath against his cheek.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing, poppet."
"Don't try to lie to me. You haven't been yourself since we returned from the frontier."
She walked around to face him.
"Don't you have a kingdom to run?"
"I have to see to my consort."
"Well, we all know what that entails..." he quipped.
"Rumple?"
He sighed. "Have I been a good father?"
"Of course you have," said Belle.
"No, but really, have I? Is Beatrice just a means to an end?"
Belle shook her head. "You love her. You would do anything for her."
"Except the one thing I can't do."
"What's that?"
"Sunshine!," they heard Merlin call as he entered the workroom.
Belle broke out in a grin. "Father!"
She ran to give him a hug but Rumplestiltskin knew immediately there was something off with the other wizard.
"What is it?," asked Rumplestiltskin.
"Did you not get your answer in Oz?," asked Belle.
"I did, but new questions have arisen here in the interim. Come. We need to talk to the others."
Then
Belle was starting to think that sneaking onto Eric's ship was a bad idea.
It had seemed like the only way to get out of the Far North Kingdom, away from her worries.
Now, though, dancing with princes she didn't love didn't seem so bad.
The ship was in turbulent waters as it neared Prince Eric's kingdom and no one knew she was onboard.
Which seemed like a mistake.
She snuck to one of the higher decks to try to get some air.
Which she knew was a mistake when she fell overboard.
She tried to tread water against the ferocious waves.
"Rumplestiltskin!," she shouted against the howling wind and thunder. "Rumplestiltskin!"
"It's okay. I've got you."
Belle turned her head against the pounding rain to see a mermaid.
The redhead smiled.
"Hi. I'm Ariel."
Now on the beach, somewhat dried out, Belle thought this still may have been a bad idea, but she was glad to find the mermaid a delightful companion.
"I can't thank you enough," said Belle.
"It's okay, really," said Ariel, flapping her tail against a rock. "Saving humans is kind of my thing."
"I just wish there was something I could do to repay you," said Belle.
"Well, unless you can give me legs..."
"Sorry?," asked Belle.
"The prince whose boat you stowed away on? I'm kind of in love with him." Ariel shrugged. "It's sort of a hard luck tale."
Belle nodded. "I understand."
"Who is he?"
Belle hesitated. "He's a friend. I've known him my whole life, but he would never be interested in me. He said as much. He doesn't have time for foolish princesses. I thought that adventure could cure my broken heart, but I think all I've done is moved it."
"And gotten it wet," said Ariel. She pulled herself closer to Belle. "Let's do it."
"Do what?"
"Adventure!"
"What about Eric?"
"Oh, don't worry about me and Eric. I'm going to find a way to get to him, but that doesn't mean we should just sit around here."
"Well, how are we going to do that? You can't walk anywhere."
"We could find a sorcerer or-"
"Oh," said Belle. "That's right."
"What?"
"I do a bit of magic myself," said Belle. She turned to her satchel and pulled out a book. She held it up triumphantly. "Legs here we come."
Now
Beatrice watched from afar as Sherlock dealt with his bees.
"Other Beatrice would have thought this was so dorky..." said Beatrice.
"What does dorky mean?," he shot back.
"Um, what do you think, Sherlock?" She paused. "Did I tell you in the Land Without Magic they use your name sarcastically?"
Sherlock moved one of the combs and all the bees from his hive flew out at once.
"Sherlock?!," cried Beatrice, rushing over.
"I'm fine," he said, tossing aside his hat in anger. "Years of work ruined. I brought that hive from Agrabah!"
Beatrice shook her head.
"All they said was something about a Dark Curse."
Beatrice's eyes shot up at him. "What Dark Curse?"
Then
Belle walked with Ariel on her new legs down the dock.
"How do you do this?," asked Ariel. "They're all wobbly and heavy."
"You'll get the hang of it," said Belle.
Ariel looked down the dock. "You really think there's adventure here?"
Belle smiled brightly. "One of these ships has to be going on an expedition somewhere."
"And we just have to hope they're in need of a couple of renegade princesses," said Ariel.
"Ladies..."
They looked up to see a man in a red knit hat.
"I don't suppose you're looking for passage? My ship is always in need of services from women like you."
Ariel opened her mouth to speak and Belle stopped her.
"What sort of services?"
"Well, the men have needs. Cooking, cleaning-"
Belle cut off the man. "You can't afford me."
"Oh, Smee, I do hope you're not harassing these lovely women."
Another man joined them. Younger, fitter, clad in black leather with a silver hook.
"We were just done," said Belle.
"Pardon him. We're on an expedition to El Dorado and we're in need of supplies."
"We aren't supplies," said Ariel.
"El Dorado?," asked Belle. "The city made of gold?"
Hook seemed impressed. "You've heard of it?"
"I've read about it," said Belle.
"Read about it," Smee chuckled.
Hook shot him a look. "Books are occasionally useful things, Smee."
"I could help," said Belle.
Ariel turned Belle towards her. "Are you sure that's a good idea? We can't trust them. They're pirates. Pirates who just tried to get us to- I don't know what they tried to get us to do, but you seemed to be against it."
"See that's where you're wrong," said Belle. She turned back to Hook. "I know I can trust you."
Hook smirked. "And what has inspired this change of opinion?"
"It's not my opinion that's going to change, it's yours," said Belle.
She waved her hand at Smee and soon the pirate was encased in a block of ice.
Hook stared at Belle with his jaw dropped.
"You see, I'm not some defenseless girl and if there's any trouble at all, I will turn you into an ice cube and throw you overboard."
Hook opened his arms with a flourish. "Welcome aboard the Jolly Roger."
Belle waved her hand and defrosted Smee.
"My hat is still damp," he complained.
Now
Beatrice and Sherlock entered the palace. Mycroft was waiting.
"Oh, good. I was about to send Anthea."
"Has something happened?," asked Beatrice.
"Yes, Your Highness. Your grandfather has returned from Oz and we just received some news from the forest."
"Did you sources happen to mention a Dark Curse?," asked Sherlock.
"How did you know?," asked Mycroft.
Sherlock looked at Beatrice. "Do you know what this is?"
"Merlin had better have good news," said Beatrice.
She walked into the throne room where her family was. Mycroft shut the door behind them.
"Beatrice," said Merlin.
Beatrice gave him a quick hug. "Do you have it? Zelena's weakness?"
"I do have Zelena's weakness," said Merlin.
"Interesting word choice, dearie," said Rumplestiltskin.
Merlin sighed. "The timeline of this world is an aberration from the rest of reality. Do you understand?"
Beatrice nodded. "Yeah, I've seen Doctor Who."
"I was able to obtain the weakness of the Wicked Witch of the West. Only the strongest purveyor of light magic can remove her pendant."
Beatrice shut her eyes. "The big ugly emerald."
"The same."
"The Green Queen doesn't wear an emerald," said Sherlock.
"Therein lies the rub," said Merlin.
"The Green Queen is going to cast the Dark Curse, the one she obtained from the Ice Witch. The forest is abuzz with it," said Mycroft.
"Rumple's Dark Curse?," asked Belle. She looked at her husband. "So, you know how to break it? All curses can be broken."
"That may present a problem," said Rumplestiltskin.
"A big problem," said Beatrice.
"Surely not. How was this curse broken in the other world?," asked Alec.
"A True Love potion was made," said Beatrice. "My dad placed a drop of it on the parchment."
"So only the product of the True Love in the potion could break it," said Rumplestiltskin.
"Who was it?," asked Catherine.
Beatrice looked up ruefully. "Emma. It was Emma."
Sherlock shared her dread. "Eva's granddaughter."
"What does that mean?," asked Belle. She looked at Merlin. "Does that apply if she never existed? We can find something else."
"If the parchment has indeed been touched by the potion only that will do," said Merlin.
"Beatrice is the product of True Love," Belle argued. "The most powerful True Love in all the realm. Maybe all the realms."
"And utterly useless," said Beatrice.
Belle looked over. "Don't say that. Don't you dare say that."
Sherlock looked at Mycroft. "Beatrice thinks there's magic beans."
"No one's seen them-"
"Just because no one's seen them does not mean they don't exist. We could escape this curse-"
"What? Evacuate the whole realm?," asked Catherine.
"So there's no choice but to be cursed," said Belle. "A curse without remedy. An eternity trapped in time."
"No," said Beatrice. "There's a choice."
"Beatrice-" said Rumplestiltskin.
"No, I think we all know what this has been heading towards. I have to go back."
"What?," asked Belle. "No."
"Zelena had her necklace then. If I go back and I stop her then none of this has to happen."
"No," said Belle.
"Okay. Does anyone have a better plan? One that doesn't end up with us trapped in a never-ending curse? No, really, I want to hear it. Please, tell me what it is."
Beatrice looked around at the silent people in the room. She turned to Catherine and Alec.
"Do you have the blue box?"
"Of course we do," said Catherine.
"So, I need that and I need some way to get Zelena and myself back to Storybrooke." She looked at Rumplestiltskin. "Have you got anything?"
"Yes," he said softly. "I think I know what you need."
"That's it then. Go back and save Eva while we still can."
"No," said Belle.
Before Beatrice knew it, her mother was out of her throne and had thrown her arms around her.
"No, no, please, no," said Belle, squeezing ever tighter as her voice cracked. "I can't let you go. This isn't how this should be."
"None of this is how this should be," Beatrice replied, trying to curb her own tears. "I'll be fine. I promise."
Then
Belle looked at the scrolls about El Dorado laid out on the table as Hook stood at the wheel. Each map more detailed than the last.
"You can read this?," asked Hook, giving a glance over.
"I'm good at languages," said Belle.
"Well, what does it say?"
Belle closed up the scroll.
"I want an agreement," said Belle.
"I assure you you'll get your part of the reward when we reach El Dorado."
"Gold isn't important to me," said Belle. She looked back up at Hook. "What do you need it for?"
He shrugged. "Pirate, love."
"Don't you have enough?"
"There's never enough."
"There must be something you want."
"What I want I can never have," said Hook. "What will suffice is revenge."
"Revenge?," asked Belle.
"A beast killed the woman I loved. If I come up with enough gold, I have a source in the Frontlands who will tell me how to slay that beast."
Belle paused. "What was her name?"
Hook looked down. "Milah."
"I'm sorry," said Belle. "Revenge won't bring her back, though. Would she want you to devote all this time to avenging her?"
"That's just it, love. Milah can't want anything." Hook glanced back. "Anyway, enough about me. What about you? What brings a young lady of obvious breeding and intellect and power to a pirate vessel?"
"A broken heart."
"Well, that seems to be an epidemic. What beast took your love?"
Belle shook her head. "It wasn't like that. He just doesn't love me."
"Unrequited love," mused Hook. "Well, don't feel so bad love. As long as something's never started, it can't really break your heart."
It didn't take long to scare Prince Eric and Rumplestiltskin believed him when he said he hadn't taken Belle. Then he started down the docks and the elderly dockmaster did not need much convincing.
"Yes, I saw that girl," the dockmaster trembled. "She joined up with one of the ships, I think."
"A ship?," Rumplestiltskin snarled. "What sort of ship? Did it have a library?!"
"The Jolly Roger, I think."
Rumplestiltskin's heart stopped and he edged closer to the dockmaster. "You think the Jolly Roger?"
"No, no, it was definitely the Jolly Roger. Captain Hook's ship-"
"I know whose ship it is!," Rumplestiltskin snapped as he vanished.
Now
Beatrice watched her last sunset in the Far North Kingdom as the curse cloud approached. She looked over to see Sherlock next to her.
"The curse cloud is heading here," he said.
"Yeah, a black one. I thought she would go for green. I've seen purple. Well, I sort of saw purple."
She looked down as Sherlock held out an envelope.
"What's this?," she asked.
"A waltz."
She took the envelope. "A waltz?"
"Every princess needs a waltz."
"You wrote me a waltz?," she asked.
"I had saved it. It's a, well, it was going to be a wedding gift."
Beatrice bit the side of her cheek to try not to cry.
"I hadn't asked yet," said Beatrice.
"You were going to."
"I can't read sheet music."
"You're clever. Find someone who can."
"Beatrice."
Beatrice looked up to see Merlin standing above them.
"It's time."
Beatrice and Sherlock followed Merlin into the library. Maleficent waited and held a black wand.
"This wand has the ability to redo any spell that's cast," explained Maleficent. "It should work even for the Wicked Witch's time travel spell."
"You have to use it as quickly as possible and make certain the witch comes with you," said Merlin. "You must cause as little disturbance to your original timeline as possible, but you must also travel back to the moment after that spell was cast."
"Or I'm not redoing anything," said Beatrice.
Merlin nodded. "Exactly, dear girl."
Beatrice turned to Alec and Catherine.
"So, as for my time travel spell," said Beatrice.
"It has been kept with a trusted companion lo these many years," said Alec.
"Who?
Alec and Catherine turned to Olaf.
"Just a sec."
They watched as Olaf pulled the blue box from his torso.
"Might be cold," said Olaf.
"You kept it with the snowman?," Rumplestiltskin asked with disdain.
Beatrice took the box.
"Thank you, Olaf," said Beatrice. She then bent down to embrace the snowman.
"This is nice," said Olaf.
"I know you like warm hugs," Beatrice said as her voice cracked.
She stood straight and looked up at her great-grandparents.
"We never really met in the other time line," said Beatrice. "Just that one time."
Catherine and Alec were silent.
"I'm killing you," said Beatrice.
"Of course you aren't," said Catherine. "This is not your doing."
"My Beatrice," said Alec, "your future, everyone's future, is in the world that is to come. Go forward assured in our love for you and our confidence."
Beatrice struggled to hold back tears as she hugged her great-grandparents. She stepped forward to her parents.
Belle hugged her first. Beatrice began to fear she would never speak.
"You are the bravest, most wonderful, most generous, funniest, kindest..." Belle stopped herself and shook her head. "I could stand here all night and say words, but it would never be enough to tell you how deeply I love you."
"I love you, too," said Beatrice.
Belle didn't so much stop hugging Beatrice as her daughter slid away. Tinker Bell took over hugging Belle.
Beatrice turned to Rumplestiltskin.
"Papa."
Rumplestiltskin embraced her and Beatrice wasn't shocked so much by the tightness of it as the violence of it.
"I can't let you go."
"It's okay, Papa. This is better."
"I can't let you go," he repeated.
Beatrice felt her father's magic tugging at the blue box in her hand.
"Papa, please, stop it."
"No, I can't let you go-"
"Sunshine-"
"Rumple!"
Beatrice saw one option and she did something she had never done before.
At least in this life.
"I'm sorry," said Beatrice.
She kissed her father on the cheek.
Rumplestiltskin's skin changed color, his hair straightened and his reptilian eyes returned to a more human brown.
Before they could fully appreciate the transformation back to human, the blue box spun as it rattled to the ice floor.
"She's gone," Belle gasped.
Belle slumped to the floor and cried until tears became sobs and sobs became howls of agony. Rumplestiltskin sank down next to her, his face frozen.
Sherlock walked out of the throne room as Mycroft followed him back to the window as the black cloud drew nearer.
"Little brother?"
"I'm fine, Mycroft. Remember? It will have never happened. I can't grieve what never started."
Then
It was Belle's knowledge that had helped the Jolly Roger find the magical secret entrance to El Dorado and open it. As soon as she did, there was gold as far as the eye could see and the crew became very excited, declaring Belle their new hero somewhat to Hook's chagrin. The pirate captain could be a pragmatist, though. He was getting what he needed.
They took a small boat ashore.
"You don't seem excited," said Ariel.
"What?," asked Belle.
Ariel smiled. "Come on. How many golden thingamabobs must there be here and you don't care! Are you still thinking about him?"
Hook cut Belle off before she could answer.
"Give it up, love. Think of all the loot."
Belle shook her head. "Gold can't buy happiness."
"Alas no, but it can buy rum."
They stepped off the boat and took a short walk up the beach to where the paved street of gold began. While the others stared at the ground beneath their feet, Belle looked up to see Rumplestiltskin.
"Rumple..." she breathed.
"Crocodile..." growled Hook.
"No," said Ariel, trying to decipher Rumplestiltskin's strange appearance. "I'm pretty sure that's a... Some kind of person?"
"Rumplestiltskin, what are you doing here?," asked Belle.
"You know him?," asked Hook.
"Belle, step away from the pirate. I'll be with you in a minute," he said, a fearsome sword appearing in his hand.
"What is going on?," asked Belle.
"Step aside, love," said Hook as he drew his sword. "I've a crocodile to kill."
Before Belle knew what had happened, the pair had launched into a sword fight. Hook's crew watched to cheer their captain, Ariel watched in curiosity and Belle wondered at what she was watching.
She knew Hook was a pirate and guessed he must have had enemies, but Rumple...
Rumplestiltskin was looking at Hook with such eyes, full of rage and pain and murder...
Rumple had the pirate in his sights, the blade at his neck.
"I shall take such pleasure in gutting you, pirate."
"Stop!," Belle shouted. She ran to place herself between the two men. "Rumple! Stop!"
"Out of the way, poppet," said Rumplestiltskin.
"You had better do it, love, wouldn't want you to get caught up in this. This beast loves no one!"
"No!," Belle shouted. She eyed Rumplestiltskin, pushing him back. "I am not going to let you do anything until you tell me what is happening."
"Go ahead, crocodile," taunted Hook. "Tell her about the monster you are."
Belle looked back at Hook. "I'm trying to help you. Be quiet!"
"This scum doesn't deserve your charity, poppet."
"I'm not just trying to help him." Belle stepped closer, so close she was almost pressed up against him and Rumple could smell her mixture of frost and roses.
He didn't speak.
"Rumple, I've never seen you hurt anyone."
Hook scoffed.
"Do you love him?," asked Rumplestiltskin.
"What? Is that who you think I am? Some shallow girl who can just fall for a pirate?"
"I do have that effect," said Hook.
"I told you to be quiet!," Belle snapped back.
"You don't love the pirate?"
"No, I-" Belle paused and Rumple stared at her.
He didn't seem to appreciate that he was cutting off her sentence.
"Then what are you doing with him?"
"Adventure." She straightened herself. "I am not a little girl. I am not just some princess. I want things for myself, I want adventure, Rumple."
"Belle, it may all be well and good in your books to go off to the great, wide..." He waved his hand dismissively. "Somewhere, but here, the Queen wants you dead."
"And why do you want Hook dead?"
Rumplestiltskin looked away, didn't speak.
Belle squeezed his free hand between hers.
"You can tell me anything, Rumple."
"I'll tell you," said Hook.
Ariel groaned and shot Hook a glare. "Really?"
"Go ahead, crocodile. Tell her how you ripped Milah's heart from her chest and crushed it."
"Rumple?," asked Belle.
"How you abandoned your son! How you let him go!"
Rumplestiltskin nearly shoved Belle aside in his quest to get to the pirate.
There was only one way the pirate could know that.
"Where did you see Bae?"
Smee looked pensive.
Hook seemed to realize he may have overstepped his bounds.
"In Neverland."
Rumple looked as if he were about to break. "Bae is in Neverland?"
Hook shook his head. "Not anymore. Baelfire managed to escape Neverland."
"He was there..." said Rumplestiltskin. "All this time..."
"Rumple?," asked Belle, taking his hand.
He jerked his hand away.
"Go, then," he said. "Go on. Have your adventure."
Rumplestiltskin walked away, leaving Belle a ball of confusion.
"See then? A coward as always!," Hook taunted. "Can't finish me off, crocodile?!"
Ariel groaned. "Are you stupid?! Shut up!"
Belle found Rumplestiltskin in a cave, sitting on a golden log among numerous treasures.
"Rumple?"
He turned around to look at her in astonishment. "What are you still doing here?," he asked.
"You didn't tell me what happened."
"You heard the pirate," he said bitterly.
"I did," said Belle. She walked over to sit on a rock just across from him and smoothed her skirt. "I want to hear it from you."
"I murdered my wife, abandoned my son, cut off the pirate's hand. That's all there is to tell."
"I know there's more to it."
"Why? Because that's what your books tell you?"
Belle pursed her lips.
He had insulted her books.
"I have known you my whole life and you never once mentioned a son or a wife. And you have never hurt me or anyone!"
"That's just an act, poppet."
"No, I don't think it is. I think that's the real you and the rest of you, that's the darkness."
"What did your father tell you of me?"
"When I was a girl, he said you were a noble man who took on your curse for the best of reasons."
"Your father's a liar." He looked up. "I was a coward. A coward who ran from the field of battle, whose wife couldn't stand to look at him, who, who let his son go."
"Your curse. Why did you choose it?"
He smirked ruefully. "To save my son."
"Yes?," Belle asked.
"Bae was about to turn fourteen. He was about to be taken to the army to fight the ogres. I tried to run away with him, but we were stopped by a group of knights. They would have taken Bae then, but I kissed the boot of one of the knights. An old beggar told me of a magical dagger that controlled the power of the Dark One. To take the power, all I had to do was stab the Dark One in the heart. So I did. Then I went back and killed the men who came to take my son."
Belle stared at him.
"Why aren't you leaving?"
"I didn't realize you were finished."
"Baelfire saw I was changing and he sought out the Blue Fairy. The fairy gave him a magic bean to take us to a Land Without Magic, where my curse would no longer control me. When the time came to go there, I..."
It seemed like an eternity passed while Rumplestiltskin tried to find the courage to admit what he had done.
"I let him go, Belle. I chose a dagger over my own child."
"And who was Milah? Hook's lover."
Rumplestiltskin shook his head. "My wife."
"Oh," said Belle.
"So, run off to your adventure."
"What?," asked Belle.
"My plan has failed. I'll never see my son again, unless I manage to kidnap your daughter-"
"My daughter?" Belle was confused.
"Well, let's face it, you'll never be stupid enough to sell her and I'll have to figure a way past your father. I'll try not to kill him for your sake but I can't make any promises, poppet-"
"What does my daughter have to do with anything?"
"Your father didn't want to tell you, but you're supposed to have a daughter who is the only one who can defeat Zelena and defeating her is the only way I can see Baelfire again. Let's face it, you're not going to let me anywhere near her-"
"Don't presume to tell me what I'm going to do. I don't even have a daughter. Maybe I never will, but I don't think you would hurt her."
"Poppet, I only stayed at your side so I could get to her."
"No," said Belle. "You've been my friend and as for True Love, the only man I've ever loved is you!"
Rumplestiltskin thought he might pass out.
"Rumple?," asked Belle. "Aren't you going to say anything?"
"You can't love me."
"Of course I can. You don't love me, remember?"
"Of course I do," he spat.
"What?!," Belle exclaimed.
"I stopped killing the cur pirate for you! Do you think I would do that for just anyone?!"
Belle leapt forward and kissed him before either one of them realized what was happening. About the time Belle realized it, she was looking at a pair of brown eyes and jumped back.
"Well, that was short-lived," said Rumplestiltskin.
"Your skin changed color," said Belle.
"What?," asked Rumplestiltskin. He moved his hand to feel his face and as he did, tan skin once again returned to scales.
"I'm sorry, it was a good kiss, not that I would really know," said Belle. "It's just not often that people start changing skin colors as you kiss them."
"You can break my curse," Rumplestiltskin said in flat astonishment.
"Should I kiss you again?," asked Belle.
"No," said Rumplestiltskin. "What have I taught you?"
"All magic comes with a price?"
"No."
"Never substitute newt eyes for frog eyes?"
He grimaced. "True Love can break any curse."
Belle grinned. "You mean..."
"Yes."
"Can I kiss you now?"
"No. I need my power, Belle, to protect you and find my son."
"We'll find him together," said Belle. She threw her arms around Rumplestiltskin.
He took her hug and her love, reveling in it but at the same time he knew nothing had changed.
He still needed the girl.
Even if she was his.
A Long Time Ago
Reinette looked from the girl who had disappeared on the floor to see a girl in a purple dress tapping on the witch's shoulder as she walked towards Eva.
The same girl that had just disappeared from the room.
Zelena turned her head around to see Beatrice.
"Yeah, see, here's the thing," said Beatrice. "I don't think so."
Beatrice grabbed Zelena's pendant and the witch howled as the magic fizzled away. Beatrice turned to face Reinette.
"It's you..." said Reinette. "But you were just-"
"Yeah, I wouldn't put too much thought into that," said Beatrice, reaching in her pocket for the black wand. She waved it and the portal opened. Beatrice jumped in dragging the powerless witch with her.
"What just happened?," asked Eva.
"I have no idea," Reinette answered.
Then
Tinker Bell entered the throne room.
"They're here!"
"Right, everyone act surprised," said Merlin.
"I already put up the banner," Olaf complained.
Merlin looked up as Maleficent's magic finished hanging the banner. It read "Congratulations Belle and" in a magnificent hand and then "Rumplestiltskin" was where the snowman had clearly realized he didn't have enough room and the name curved around into increasingly small letters.
Belle marched in looking full of rigteous indignation. Rumplestiltkin and Ariel were behind her.
"Belle, you've returned," said Catherine. "We can have the ball this evening-"
"I'm sorry, but no. I will take my oath, but I am not going to parade around with a bunch of idiot princes!"
"No?"
"No! I'm marrying Rumplestiltskin! He's my True Love and if anybody doesn't like it, that's just too bad! I love him and that's all that matters!"
Belle continued her impassioned tirade as Ariel pointed out the banner for Rumplestiltskin. He then looked to Merlin who seemed amused by his daughter.
"And I don't suppose there's anything I can do to change your mind, dear girl?," asked Merlin.
"I am not a child! You cannot tell me what I feel or who I love and I will not just sit here and do what you have planned-"
"Poppet..." said Rumplestiltskin.
"I'm almost finished, Rumple!," said Belle. She then caught a glimpse of the banner.
"You knew," Rumplestiltskin accused Merlin.
"I did."
"I knew," said Olaf.
Rumplestiltskin shook his head. "Olaf knew?"
Ariel pointed at the snowman. "I know I'm new here, but are those supposed to talk?"
Now In Storybrooke
Beatrice and Zelena reappeared on the floor of the barn.
"What?," asked Cora. "What just happened?"
"Not interested in talking, lady," said Beatrice.
"You impudent little-" Cora raised her hand, Beatrice raised hers back, sending the elder sorceress flying backwards into the barn wall.
"Why? Why did you do it?," screamed Zelena. "I had finally won!"
Beatrice turned back to the Wicked Witch, spotting where her clothes and shoes were on the floor.
"Why did I do it?," asked Beatrice staring at the spot where she had died yet not died. "Why did I do it?"
Zelena's eyes widened.
"You did this! You turned me into this! You are a total insult to Idina Menzel!"
The Wicked Witch went flying back into the wall. She writhed against the magic.
"Beatrice?," Belle asked. Belle rushed towards her and took her hands, causing the witch to fall to the ground. "Beatrice, what are you doing? Stop."
Beatrice turned around. The whole gang was there. Her parents, Emma, David, Mary Margaret, Regina, Neal, Hook and Sherlock.
Or was it Joseph?
"What's going on?," asked Regina motioning towards the women on the floor.
"Yeah and what are you wearing?," asked Emma. "And are those your clothes on the floor?"
"Seriously, what the hell's going on?," asked Neal.
Beatrice caught Joseph's quizzical eye as he tried to figure this out. Merlin walked over to Beatrice.
"The spell worked, didn't it?," asked Merlin. "Time changed."
"I changed it back."
"Changed it back?," asked Belle.
"What spell?," asked David.
"Why is my mother unconscious?," asked Regina.
"She's irritating," said Beatrice.
"Beatrice," Merlin said slowly, "what happened to you when time changed?"
The others stared at her. Beatrice was suddenly very aware of how much stuff was floating around in her head versus how much time had passed.
It made the barn spin.
"Guys..." she panted. "Don't take me to Doctor Whale. He is useless."
She collapsed to the ground as Belle caught her. Gold rushed over.
"What is wrong with her?," he demanded of Merlin as Beatrice's unconscious form lay between he and Belle.
"Time changed and she changed," said Merlin.
Long Ago In A Land That Never Was...
The others prepared Belle for the ceremony. Rumplestiltskin walked over to where Beatrice laid in the bassinet. The infant wore an absurdly long white gown with his own gold thread. She cooed as he picked her up.
"My sweet Beatrice," he whispered back as he rocked her.
Poor sweet Beatrice with so much to do and no idea.
"Rumple?," said Belle. "It's time."
Ariel walked with Belle as Rumplestiltskin carried the infant downstairs to the palace steps. Catherine, Alec, Olaf and Merlin were waiting.
The doors opened and the royal family stepped through to the cheers of the people lining the courtyard and the streets.
"My good people," said Belle, "we are here because a happy day shared the sun and moon with a sad one. I know much was lost and nothing will ever change that, but the Ice Witch is gone. Today, I share with you the reason for that victory and the source of our future victories. Your new Heiress to the Far North Kingdom, the Dark Princess Beatrice."
The crowd cheered wildly. Belle turned to Rumplestiltskin to collect the infant. She held Beatrice with one arm as she took Rumplestiltskin's hand with the other, stepping forward to the acclaim of the crowd.
Rumplestiltskin wished for nothing more than to get Beatrice away from it as she and Belle looked back at him with such bright trusting eyes.
Author's Notes: I stole "Every princess needs a waltz" from a conversation with Bomb-O-Maniac. Also, I have some stories from the Far North Kingdom that didn't quite make it in here so if there's an interest, maybe I'll publish them separately. I think they're good, I just ran out of time. Let me know what you think!
