A/N: Sorry my loves! I have been going nuts with school work, family drama, work, and have had little time to update. But I finally have sat down and wrote this! I promise, I will not abandon you guys. I am really going to try to update soon, but I have a stupid paper to write that is due this Thursday, and it is still unwritten. I'm going to try to write Thursday. I promise, after you read this update, you will be begging for more. And I will do so, as soon as I can. Enjoy! Love, Joanne.

As soon as I got out of the bath, which I didn't want to leave but had to otherwise I would end up shriveling like a prune, the telephone rang. Thinking it was Mr. Gold checking up on me, and remembering that he did not say I couldn't answer the phone, I picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Darling, can you put Mr. Gold on the phone please?" A feminine voice oozing with sex appeal and sensuality reached my ear.

"He is not home right now," I said calmly, trying to remain casual. "Who may I ask is calling?"

"Oh, darling," chuckled the feminine sex pot on the other end. "It is none of your concern. However, do tell Gold that Mrs. Robinson called and would like to have him call me right back. He'll understand the message."

There was a click, and I stared at the phone before hanging up. What nerve! And who in the world is Mrs. Robinson? I racked my brains, wondering what the heck that even meant, and decided to pull out my laptop and look up the name.

"OH MY FUCKING GOD!" I screamed as images of Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft in The Graduate flooded my screen. "She's a middle aged slut?!"

I slammed the lid of my laptop down appallingly. I cringed and wondered what the hell the so-called "Mrs. Robinson" was really about. What did she want with Mr. Gold? I tried my best to distract myself from my terrible thoughts, but nothing on television could focus my attention away from that heathen woman. I knew deep down in my gut that she had to have been a former flame, possibly an ex-sub.

Turning off the television at last, I walked towards the front door, wanting to get some fresh air, but his words haunted me as I stood there with one hand on the door knob. "I must ask you to not leave the confines of this house, nor open the door to anyone."

"It won't hurt to get some fresh air," I said, shrugging on a jacket as I opened the door. I inhaled deeply, and slowly walked down the front steps. A man dressed in a tweed suit with glasses was walking his Dalmatian, or rather the Dalmatian was walking him. I smiled to myself, and thought nothing of going on a brief walk around town. After all, Mr. Gold was at work, and I doubt he would catch me out and about.

As I walked, I noticed that there weren't many locals walking around. It was pretty early in the afternoon; it had not reached noon yet, and most of the locals were either working or their children were at school. I passed by Granny's Diner, and decided to stop in for a quick brunch. I was immediately attacked by Ruby upon entrance.

"BELLE!" she squealed as she gave me a monstrous hug. "Long time, no see! What's going on? Care to duke it out with me in karaoke?"

"I'm doing great actually," I said, smiling back at her. She turned towards the counter and got a menu for me before I could sit down at the counter. "Thanks, Ruby. And there's nothing new to report sadly. And karaoke? When did you get into that?"

"Nothing new eh?" Ruby's grin was almost like a wolf that ate the sheep grin. "I heard through the grapevine that you moved out of your apartment. Where are you staying?"

"Oh, here and there," I said, trying to keep to my contract. "I'm doing much better than I was living in that crummy apartment with all those horrible memories…"

"Oh, come on and spill!" whispered Ruby as she took a seat next to me. "I heard you and Gold are an item. I'm not stupid; you moved in with him! What made you decide that?"

"You know what, I think it's karaoke time," I said, getting up and changing the subject. "Pick your song, I'll kick your ass."

"Game on biotch," smirked Ruby. "But don't think you can change the subject that easily. If I win, you better tell me what's going on-"

"And if I win, you will mind your own business," I said cunningly. "Deal, or no deal?"

"I didn't know you were that bald guy from that show," joked Ruby. "But yes, we have a deal…"

Belle slept unknowingly of the effects she had on the Dark One, completely unaware of him summoning Cora. Fully sated from their lovemaking, she slept in utter bliss, dreaming of Rumplestilzkin's caresses and his warm body against hers.

The beauty began to slowly realize when she awoke the next morning that something was indeed wrong. It started when she got out of bed. There was a sudden feeling of utter nausea that came over her, and she rushed towards the bathroom, dry heaving and coughing. She had been quite sick in her childhood, Belle remembered and reflected on all those times when her nursemaid had to take care of her, but never had she felt as dreadful as she did right now.

Washing her face with a splash of cold water, Belle took a deep breath, and brushed her hair and got dressed. Once she had finished, she walked down to the kitchen for something light to eat that wouldn't upset her stomach. She found some crackers and some water to drink, and slowly began to nibble on them.

To her surprise, Rumplestilzkin was not there, nor had he been lying next to her when she awoke with such a terrible affliction. He was not in the hall, and come to think of it, it sounded very much like he wasn't there. "Rumplestilzkin?" she called out nervously. "Rumplestilzkin? Are you up?"

He did not answer her back. She shivered, overcome by an onset of a chill from the drafty castle. Belle was frightened. She closed her eyes, whispering prayers to the gods to send her some sort of relief from this illness, and that Rumplestilzkin would swiftly return to her. She finished her goblet of water, and wrapped up the remainder of the crackers for later. She was no longer hungry.

Despite what appeared to be, Rumplestilzkin was indeed home. Still scared from last night, and the brief loss of his powers, he kept his distance from Belle. He slept in another room, and when the beauty had called him, he pretended that he was not there. He peered at her through the door of the kitchen, watching her nibble her crackers like a mouse. That was odd. Usually Belle had such a healthy appetite, fancying breads and cheeses, sometimes meats on occasion, but never just crackers and water.

Rumplestilzkin cocked his head as he pondered to himself. Once he saw Belle get up to leave, he vanished himself up to the tower, and paced back and forth. "What is going on?" he asked to the empty room. "It's very strange… Last night after we made love, I briefly lost my powers. Well thank the bloody gods I got it back this morning! Cora said that love is weakness… Is it true that Belle is taking my powers? Maybe that is why she is sick! My power is leaving her and returning to me, thereby making her feel sick!"

Rumplestilzkin heard a quickening pace of footsteps, and then heard a nasty sound of liquid hitting a basin. His face turned an ashy grey, his eyes widened in realization of the horrible truth.

Belle wasn't sick from Rumplestilzkin's powers leaving her, she was experiencing morning sickness. And morning sickness usually is an indicator of a pregnancy, which, concluded the Dark One as he began to tremble with a mixture of shock, anger, and disbelief, meant that Belle was carrying his child.