A/N: I have been so busy and stressed, but since I know I will not be able to write for the next few days, I've decided to update tonight for all my lovely fans. I hope you like the update. I'm open to any suggestions you may have. I'm starting to have writer's block again. I need to get my creative juices flowing again. Anyway… Enjoy! Love, Joanne.

I stretched and yawned as the sunlight poured in through the shades. With eyes half open, I spread my arms wide, and with a thump, hit something that was lying next to me. Groggily, I rubbed my eyes, and turned to look at what was in my bed, and I jumped and shouted. "What the hell?"

"Good morning to you too," said Mr. Gold grumpily. I gasped and looked under the covers, and realized that both of us were still very naked.

"Oh my God," I said, pulling the sheets around me. "What happened?"

"We had a lovely, romantic dinner," said Mr. Gold. "And afterwards… well, you couldn't keep your hands off of me."

"We had sex again?!" I shrieked, getting up from the bed. I wrapped the blanket around me tightly. "You must have taken advantage of me! I would never have-"

"Oh, but you did," said Mr. Gold as he flashed a sexy smirk at me. "And you signed the agreement."

"God, what have I done?" I said, searching the room for my clothes. "You must have gotten me so fucking wasted! I can't even begin to wrap my head around this right now."

"No, you weren't wasted," said Mr. Gold, his voice changing from playful and teasing to serious. "I would never get you drunk. I did, however, stuff you full of aphrodisiacs. The pesto, the artichokes…"

"You are a deceitful ass!" I cursed as I made a grab for my bra, panties, and dress. I walked into the bathroom and locked the door as I changed. "I cannot believe you took advantage of me! I'm breaking the contract! You and I are not going to follow through on this bullshit!"

"You cannot break the contract, dearie," hissed Mr. Gold from the other side of the bathroom door. "I can take you to court and have the judge force you to follow the contract. I can take everything from you so that you don't even have a fucking pot to piss in. So, if you even try, it will be far worse than what will happen if you abide by our contract."

I opened the door. "Are you threatening me?"

"You signed the contract," said Mr. Gold. "And unless you have one heck of a lawyer, you're stuck with it."

"Well, you said I could write some of the rules then," I said defiantly, putting my hands on my hips. "I'll finish out the rest of my two weeks at Save Mart. I will not be having sex with you for the duration of that time. How do you like them apples?"

"I'm a very patient man," said Mr. Gold as he pinned me against the wall. His hand ran through my sex mussed curly hair. "Besides, you won't last that long without begging me to pleasure you."

"Oh, I highly doubt that," I said as I rolled my eyes.

"Miss French," growled Mr. Gold seductively. "That eye rolling must be tamed. Get over here."

To my surprise, he dragged me over to the bed, threw me face down across his lap, and smacked my ass hard. "What the hell was that for?"

SMACK! "That was for your behavior," said Mr. Gold as he now tenderly caressed my sore ass. "Insolence will always be punished. And as you know, good behavior is always rewarded…"

I fought the urge to roll my eyes, lest I be unable to ever sit down again. "I have to leave. I have work in three hours, and I need to shower and get changed."

"If you stay, you can shower with me and save the water," smirked Mr. Gold as he helped me stand back up.

"Very funny," I replied sarcastically. "But I am being honest. I have to go."

"Then I will see you again tonight," said Mr. Gold. "Bring your stuff, you may wind up spending the night…"

"Don't push your luck," I growled as I began to walk towards the door.

Sooner that either of them thought, the grounds of the Dark Castle were covered with a thick blanket of winter snow. Rumplestilzkin, who knew that the holidays were drawing ever closer, threw himself into his deals to avoid any conversation with Belle about them. Every time the beauty even thought of mentioning decorating the castle for the season, the Dark One would disappear, and wouldn't return until the next morning.

It baffled Belle how anyone could hate this time of year. It was her favorite time of the year. She loved decorating for the holidays when she was still living back in her old kingdom. And best of all, she loved the smell of the castle's pine tree that was decorated with tinsel and ribbons and various ornaments. Holidays like Christmas were filled with love, warmth, and happiness for Belle, and how on earth could anyone hate something like that?

"I wonder," mused Belle one day as she climbed up the stairs of the Dark Castle. She walked up towards one of the towers she knew was out of bounds for her, and cautiously peered through the keyhole. All she saw, to her dismay, were potion bottles and a brewing cauldron. "Maybe he might have hid the decorations in one of the other towers…"

Belle searched until finally, she stumbled across some Christmas decorations. "And he thought he could just avoid me decorating the castle for the holidays! I'll surprise him with a beautifully decorated castle, and I'll even go out and chop down a lovely tree!" The beauty clapped her hands excitedly, and got to work.

After decorating the main entrance as well as the library, kitchen, and den, Belle set outside in the blistering winter air in search for the perfect tree. Bundled up in her warmest winter cloak, Belle surveyed the grounds. At last, the beauty found what she was looking for, and, heaving the heavy ax and with a hundred blows later, the tree was cut down. Belle roped up the tree, and dragged in back towards the Dark Castle. She decided to place it towards the front of the castle so that it would be the first thing Rumplestilzkin would notice when he walked in.

Wiping the sweat that was dripping down her forehead, the beauty got to work trimming the tree, and decorating it with the ornaments she had found. She began to sing to herself as she worked. "Have yourself a merry little Christmas. Let your heart be light. From now on our troubles will be out of sight…"

She smiled to herself as she worked, not aware that the master of the castle had returned. He had cleverly appeared first in the kitchen, wondering if Belle had made dinner yet. To his surprise, as he surveyed the castle, it was decorated with holiday wreaths, holly sprigs, tinsel, and even poinsettias! Rumplestilzkin was seething as he searched for the beauty. "Where is she," he fumed. He paused for a moment. "I hear… singing."

"Through the years we all shall be together if the fates allow," sang Belle. "Hang a shining star upon the highest bow…"

"It's beautiful," said the Dark One as he slowly approached the occupied beauty. "Your voice is quite lovely."

Belle gasped and turned around. "I-I thought I was alone," she stammered, nearly knocking into the tree. "Please don't be angry. I-I just wanted to brighten up the castle a little bit. It is the holidays after all."

Rumplestilzkin tutted and shook his head. "Oh dearie, we are in trouble."

"Please, Rumplestilzkin," begged Belle. "Don't be upset! I was only trying to help."

"Let me guess," said Rumplestilzkin as he grabbed her face in his hand. "You thought that by decorating my castle that dear old Saint Nick will stop by with presents for the both of us? Well, you are seriously mistaken. Santa Claus does not stop at the Dark Castle, and I do not appreciate this shove of holiday spirit in my home."

His hand dropped, and the beauty's face filled with tears. "Christmas is not just about Saint Nick and presents. It's about the joyous season of the birth of the Christ child. It's about love and family. And I figured, since you are all I will have for the rest of my life, that I should decorate for the holidays. But I was wrong."

Belle stormed out of the hallway, and slammed the door to her bedroom. She sobbed, covering her face with her hands, her heart and spirits breaking. Rumplestilzkin stood there in front of the tree, transfixed. He was about to set fire to the tree, but then he noticed a very special ornament he hadn't seen in many, many years. "Bae's first Christmas ornament," sighed Rumplestilzkin as he gently touched it. "And the little ornament he made me…" Rumplestilzkin smiled in remembrance. "Maybe this wasn't so bad of an idea… I have been too harsh on her."

Quietly, he walked to her room, and pressed his ear against the door. He heard her sobbing, and his heart sank. He knocked on the door. "Belle, are you alright?"

"Go away!" cried Belle. "I don't want to see you!"

"Belle, please-"

"Just leave me alone!" the beauty sobbed.

Rumplestilzkin walked slowly away from the closed door, wondering what he could do to fix things with Belle.