A/N: Lot of stress and bullshit going on in my life. Finally got around to updating. Sorry my dearies. I hope you are all well. Love, Joanne.

The doorbell rang, and sure enough, I opened the door to find Mr. Gold at my front door. He was dressed in an expensive looking black suit with a red and black striped tie. He gave me a small smile, and looked me over, his eyes roaming up and down my body. It made me blush, and I looked down at my feet ashamed at my attire. I wore a white tank top and a matching long peasant skirt.

"I didn't think it was formal wear," I said quietly. "I don't think I want to go. I'll be too embarrassed."

"You look beautiful," said Mr. Gold as he revealed the rose he had hidden behind his back. I gasped softly as he took out his pocket knife and trimmed the long stem before gently placing the flower in my hair. "I would be happy to bring you to my dance class. You could be wearing a clown costume and I'd still take you."

I rolled my eyes. "I sincerely doubt that," I said as I grabbed my purse before locking the door behind me.

"Oh, Miss French," inhaled Mr. Gold. "That eye rolling is something I will be striving to correct. It's quite disrespectful, but yet, it makes me quite… ah, enticed…"

I blushed crimson, and decided to change the subject. "Where are we going?"

"The place is called The Twelve Dancing Princesses," said Mr. Gold. "It's not too far."

He opened the passenger side door of his Grand Marquis. "Thank you," I said with a small smile. Wow, does this guy drive an old man's car!

"You're quite welcome," said Mr. Gold as he got in, and began to drive. "It's quite a shame that chivalry is a dying tradition and ideal, but I still like to uphold to it."

"What a nice place," I said as he parked his car in the parking lot of the dance studio. "I'm still not going to dance with you though."

"Stubborn as well as beautiful," smiled Mr. Gold as he took my hand after helping me out of the car. "That's another thing I will soon hope to change, if you decide to take my offer dearie."

I took a deep breath as he opened the door for me, and I walked inside.

"Ah, Senor Gold!" exclaimed a woman with long dark hair, dark glittering eyes, and tan skin. "And who is this bonita senorita?"

"My date tonight," said Mr. Gold with what looked more like a grimace than smile. "She's just going to observe our class."

"Oh," pouted the woman. "She looks like she could out dance you. I see a dancer's legs hidden beneath that skirt of hers…"

"Rosalita, we will not push anyone to do anything they do not want to do," said Mr. Gold with a hint of subdued anger and finality in his voice. He turned to look at me, and gave me a smile. "I'm going to go stretch for a bit. Why don't you take a seat over to the side."

I watched as other students began to file into the dance studio, and soon, Mr. Gold vanished from my sight. I took in the other dancers, and their exotic clothes. One woman with red highlights in her long brown hair had a black and red ruffled dress and matching black heeled dance shoes. She and her partner, who wore a red dress shirt that was unbuttoned several buttons to reveal an ample amount of dark chest hair rehearsed their dance moves. The man twirled the red haired vixen before pulling her in close, pulling her left leg up seductively before resting his hand on the curve of her ample bottom.

I blushed, feeling very much like a voyeur. I felt so uncomfortable watching two people who seemed to have such a connection dance like that. Then, the woman called Rosalita ordered everyone's attention to her at the front of the room. "Welcome!" she said as she clapped her hands. She smiled as she looked at each and every one of her students with pride and love. "Welcome once again to class. I am glad to see each and every one of you, and of course, our guest tonight, Miss-?"

"Belle," I said, standing up and giving everyone a small wave.

"Belle," smiled the woman. "Well, we will all make her feel very welcome here. Last class, we had a little bit of difficulty with some of the new moves I introduced. I completely understand the problem, and I will help you and break it down for those of you who are struggling with the lambada."

I stared at my feet, embarrassed. Of course, they had to work on the forbidden dance right now.

"Mr. Gold?" asked Rosalita. "Would you like to demonstrate the technique with me?"

I watched with a mixture of horror and fascination as he walked calmly up to the front of the room. "First, you must hold no fear in order to do this properly. One must know their partner intimately. Lock eyes, like I am right now, with your partner. I want you to be able to tell me his or her eye color. Gentlemen, you will position yourself like Gold here, and ladies, you will stand near his right leg. Now, when you move ladies, you will be at your left side, straddling his leg."

I grimaced as Rosalita positioned herself erotically too close to Mr. Gold, mere inches away from looking like they were about to fuck with their clothes on. "Now, if you are not with the right partner, as I can feel right now, you will know it. The other person will be rigid, there will be no connection. And in this case-"

Rosalita gently moved Mr. Gold out of her way, and walked straight over to me. She took my hand, and pulled me out of my seat, and before I knew it, I was walking straight over to Mr. Gold. His eyes widened as Rosalita positioned us, putting his hand tantalizingly close to my butt and his other hand on my shoulder. She inched me closer to his body, so that I was physically pressed against his warm body.

"Now," sighed Rosalita. "This is a bit awkward looking, but with a little music and a little movement, this will demonstrate exactly what I am trying to tell you."

Rosalita walked over to her large stereo, and Give It Up by Shakira began to play. "Just follow my lead," whispered Mr. Gold into my ear. I took a deep breath, and let Mr. Gold lead me through the seductive dance as Shakira's exotic and beautiful voice washed over us.

"Princess!" bellowed Rumplestilzkin as he flung open the doors to her room. The beauty had been keeping up with the chores he ordered her to do as well as her deal to send him her worst memories. He had seen too much, and Rumplestilzkin was starting to slowly feel for the girl, but he couldn't reveal his love for her. "It is time you get out of your bedroom and do something constructive besides mope about my Dark Castle!"

Belle, who was curled up in a little ball on the great four poster bed, did not move a muscle. She had been laying there for a few minutes after finishing up her chores, not wanting to see her master. She was ashamed that he had seen her fantasizing about him, and what once was private now no longer was. Belle tried to bury her thoughts of Rumplestilzkin, clearing her mind of all the silly fantasies she had of him. She wished she could just leave the castle forever, and never have to face a confrontation with the Dark One ever again.

"You look dreadful," said Rumplestilzkin. He snapped his fingers. "Get up, we are going for a walk outside. The weather is lovely, and the flowers are all in bloom."

"I don't want to," sighed Belle. "I will not be ordered like a dog, snapped at to do your bidding."

"Would you please accompany me?" asked Rumplestilzkin, his hand rubbing at his temple.

Belle did not say a word for several minutes, then, slowly, she got up from her bed, and walked out of the room. Rumplestilzkin followed her wordlessly out of the castle and onto the grounds. She looked down at her feet as she walked, and he struggled to make conversation with her. "Please say something!" sighed Rumplestilzkin frustratedly. "My gods, you are unbelievable!"

"And you aren't?" asked Belle, finally turning to look him in his eyes. "You made me feel terrible! You laughed at my memory, and then practically called me a dirty whore! What did you expect me to do? Smile and be a happy little servant?"

Rumplestilzkin was speechless. "You can make me do a lot of things, Rumplestilzkin, but if you expect me to put on a big smile and PRETEND to enjoy my stay here in the Dark Castle, you have another thing coming to you. I hope you are happy now."

"Belle, listen to me," said Rumplestilzkin.

"No," cried Belle as tears started to fall down her face. They stopped walking, and she turned to look at him. "This was supposed to help me get away from my wretched life as that barbarian's future wife. I didn't know you would also make my life miserable."

"Stop, please Belle," pleaded the Dark One. "That was not my intention."

"But you hurt me anyway," sniffled Belle. "Just let me go."

"I can't, dearie, we had a deal."

"Break it."

"Couldn't if I tried."

"And why not?!" shrieked Belle emotionally.

"Because-" said Rumplestilzkin. "I need you."

"You don't need me to dust trinkets and furniture," scoffed Belle. "You are a magical being, who can magic the whole place clean at your whim."

"I am ALONE Belle," said Rumplestilzkin. "And I hate to break it to you princess, but you're not the only one who has dealt with pain and suffering. You're not the only one who gets dealt a shitty hand. And if I have to see and hear you bitch about your fucked up life one more time, I'm going to-"

And with that, Rumplestilzkin pulled Belle into a passionate kiss.