"Every little girl wants a prince, a prince who only has eyes for her...but who are we kidding...there's no such thing as fairytales. Don't get me wrong...the world is full of dragons and damsels...just not every one of them goes on to live "happily-ever after"... Thinking on it now, I think I prefer the dragon over any prince charming...better company." ~ Yesenia Barkley

Chapter Two

His lips were only on hers for the briefest time; a heartbeat, when a knock sounded at the door, ending their moment of passion. "Bloody hell!" he cursed after he reluctantly pulled back from their kiss. "Who the HELL could that be?!"

He didn't often get visitors. It was a fact that most people in Storybrooke hated him. Why did someone have to come to the door NOW?

"I better go see who that is," he said apologetically to Belle. "Just wait here... and we'll..."

*Resume kissing later,* he silently added.

She nodded, but she had no intention of waiting while he went to answer the door. She followed him into the foyer where he pulled the door open with an angry jerk. "Well, well, well..." came the detested voice of Regina. "I can see that you're not alone. You have a little ... guest."

Regina was looking at Belle who was standing just a couple of feet behind Mr. Gold. She gave Belle a bright smile, but her eyes were dark with hatred. Belle knew that the smile was false.

"Belle, you remember Regina; the woman who held you captive for 28 years," Mr Gold spat. He was glaring at the horrid woman who was standing at his doorstep.

"I remember," Belle said softly.

"What are YOU doing here?" Mr. Gold demanded of Regina. "What do you want?"

"I am here to warn you, of course," Regina spoke. "You shouldn't get too cozy with this... this little... maid. You're not going to get your happily ever after, Rumpelstiltskin. And that's a promise."

"Leave," Mr. Gold said, annoyed with Regina's intrusion.

"Fine," Regina said hatefully. "But don't expect this to be over yet." With those words, she turned and walked back down the walk towards her car.

Mr. Gold closed the front door and turned to Belle. He gave her an apologetic look. "I am so sorry we were interrupted," he said as he gazed at her, absorbing her beauty. She was simply exquisite. She was breathtaking... and he couldn't believe she was his.

"Why is she so awful?" Belle asked.

"She and I have been enemies for ages, dearie," he said with a heavy sigh. "I should have never taught her to use magic. I am a fool... and now I see that I have created a monster. Because of her and her lies, I thought you had died. She wants to make me suffer."

"Apparently, she wants to make both of us suffer... and I am afraid she isn't through. She wants to destroy us. Why would she lock me up like that... and why did she tell you I had died?"

"Because she knew that the love we had for each other was powerful. What we have, Belle, it is true love..."

"And true love's kiss can break any curse," she finished for him.

"Exactly. She had to lock you up. She knows what we have. It is the power of true love. It is something she will never know. She's done terrible things, to you and I, and to Snow and Charming, all because we have something that she'll never have- true love."

"You're not the Dark One now?" Belle questioned.

"I am in possession of the dagger, the one that can bring forth the Dark One. I haven't used it, not here in Storybrooke, but I will use it if necessary. I may have to use it to defeat Regina."

"Rumpel, I don't think..." she started to protest, but Gold gently placed a finger against her lips to silence her.

"Don't let any of that concern you, my dear," he said as he wrapped an arm around her. "There are other... far more pleasurable things we could be doing."

~*~o~*~

Meanwhile, at the mayor's mansion, Regina was gazing into her magic mirror. It had taken her a great deal of time to acquire the one object that could help her succeed and defeat Rumpelstiltskin AKA Mr. Gold. "Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?" Regina prompted.

"Belle French is," the mirror replied hesitantly.

"WHAT?! NOOOOOOO!" Regina screamed, grasping the mirror and shaking it angrily.

"Ouch! Stop!" cried the mirror.

Regina stopped the shaking as she glared at the mirror in her hand. "I will break you if you saythat name again! Now, I repeat...Mirror, Mirror in my hand, who's the fairest in all the land?"

"You are," the mirror suggested reluctantly, for it did not want to be broken.

"That's much better," Regina said, fluffing her hair with one hand.

~*~o~*~

"Why don't we go upstairs?" suggested Mr. Gold. "I could run you a hot bath... and I'll make you more comfortable."

Belle could see the smoldering look he gave her. She was wearing nothing more than a thin hospital gown. All of her curves were visible through the sheer fabric. She had to admit; a nice, hot bath would be quite heavenly, but she knew that first she and Rumpel had more important matters they needed to discuss.

"Wait!" she called out as he was leading her up the staircase toward the master bedroom. "What about Regina?"

"What about her?' Gold asked, shrugging his shoulders.

"She's going to make our life a living hell!" Belle gasped. "We should do something about her!"

"What do you suggest we do?"

"Find her a boyfriend... or a cute little pet... Something! She needs a life... so she will stop meddling in ours."

"She needs a swift kick back to the Enchanted Forest. I could cast a spell... and I-."

"No, Rumpel. No spells and no magic. We'll do things MY way," she insisted.

Gold sighed. "Alright. I hope I don't regret not sending her back. If you change your mind-."

"Nope. Not going to," Belle promised.

"Alright then. How do we go about this?" he asked.

"We find her true love," Belle said. "If she has true love, she won't be jealous of others, because she'll have it as well.'

Gold laughed. "Who could love someone as cold as Regina?"

Belle hit him in the chest lightly. "Now, be nice. Everyone has a true love out there somewhere," she said. "I found you. You're exactly who I wanted - YOU - Rumpelstiltskin; The Dark One. I wouldn't change you for anyone else."

"You're right, dearie," he said with a twinkle in his eye. "And it's time we resumed our reunion... properly."

"What do you have in mind?" Belle asked with a sexy little smirk.

"How about that nice, hot bath I promised you?"

"Ohhhh I like how you think," Belle said as he was leading her back upstairs.