Rescues and Deals

By: RosexKnight

Belle tells off The Blue Fairy here. Let's face it that's all you lot wanna see isn't it?

Belle's mind was reeling. "Home?"

The Blue Fairy that had appeared far too suddenly for her liking nodded. She was smiling, but the brunette couldn't help but feel a twinge of pity from her.

"Yes, sweetheart home." The creature said. This time she retracted her extended hand, waving her wand at something behind Belle. She heard a curse exclaimed by Rumple so loud that the door didn't even muffle it. "Now come. That spell won't hold him back for long."

"Belle!" The Dark One was yelling, sounding desperate, and Belle watched as the blue magic pulsed and jerked. "Belle stay where you are!"

"Come on." The Blue Fairy urged. "It's time to go home."

Belle shook her head. "I am home."

"Don't let his deception fool you. The Dark Castle is no place for one so beautiful and pure, Belle."

The princess felt torn in a way she never had before, literally caught between her old life with her family and her new life with her…family. She's chosen Rumpelstiltskin before, when she a princess and he a spinner, and then again when he was The Dark One. She'd always chosen Rumple. Now she was being told that was wrong? That her happiness was a deception? By a being who was supposed to bring happiness? Something in The Blue Fairy's voice made clarity surge through her.

"Father sent you." Belle realized, gripping the handkerchief she'd never dropped tighter. "And Gaston. They sent you to take me back just like they sent Nottingham."

"Your father and husband just want what's best for you." Blue said gently.

"Ex-husband." She snapped. "There was an annulment."

"Regardless, it's time to go home." She waved her wand, and a ring of light appeared around Belle's feet. She recognized the tingling of teleportation magic. "Believe me, this is for your own good, sweetheart."

"No! You can't!" She tried desperately to move, but found she couldn't. The world shifted around her and the handkerchief fell from her hand the moment his name fell from her lips, and she was gone.

Fairies. How dare those damn creatures come here. To his castle. Take what was his.

Okay so Belle wasn't technically his. They weren't married, only bound by a deal he's made to repay her for her kindness years ago. Okay so it wasn't all to repay her kindness. He'd wanted her. He'd wanted her as whatever she's let herself be to him since the day she rescued him from Hordor. But that wasn't the point.

The point was Belle was gone now, and he'd all but broken down the door to get into her room. It was empty, of course, save for a twinge of magic.

And a twinge was all he needed.

All magic left a trace, and as he picked up the blue handkerchief he'd embroidered for her with his own golden thread small bits of blue dust fell from it. His stomach roiled and something inside of him wanted to drop the damn piece of cloth and let the fairies have her. But that part of him wasn't powerful enough, and the spinner found himself caressing the cloth, the gears turning in his head.

"I'm going out, Bae." He announced as he entered The Great Hall.

His son was in Belle's usual place, reading by the fire. "Where's mama?" He asked immediately.

"She's gone."

"No!" Bae shrieked, looking mortified. "She can't be! She said she wouldn't leave!"

"She was taken, Bae. She didn't go willingly."

This seemed to calm the boy, but Rumple still went to sit beside his son. His hands fluttered around the boy, unsure of what to do until Bae melted into his side, clinging to him, something he hadn't done since The Dark Curse.

"You're going to fix it right? You're going to get her back."

"Of course I am." Rumpelstiltskin assured, squeezing his son for the first time in almost a year. "I'm bringing her back by any means necessary."

Belle's throat was getting sore and her voice hoarse. But still she didn't stop, practically chanting Runpelstiltskin's name in triplicate like a mantra.

"He can't hear you."

The princess glared up at the blue creature with watery eyes. Her father was fussing over her, thanking The Blue Fairy over and over again. Gaston stood back, obviously trying to decipher his ex-wife's emotions.

"I don't care!" Belle snapped. "Take me back!"

"You can't go back, Belle." Maurice said. "Our lands are restored. The people need you. They need an heir."

"An heir?! You tore me away for an heir?!"

"Belle please I had to see you safe."

"I was safe!"

Gaston cleared his throat, and the room fell still. "You always loved him haven't you?"

"You know I have." Belle said firmly.

She could see the moment the recognition flashed in his eyes. They both knew when she married him she wasn't a maiden. That was made apparent the first time they layed together. He didn't say anything, only nodded.

"Love? The Dark One?" Her father scoffed. "He cannot love."

"He is a creature of darkness, Belle." Blue clarified.

"He is Rumpelstiltskin." The brunette said firmly. "He is my spinner."

"Belle you're the Lady of Avonlea. You belong here."

"Here is not home anymore, Papa. And you!" She jutted a finger to Blue. "You took me from the man I love. My happiness. That's not very fairy-like!"

"I decide what is fairy-like!" The Blue Fairy snapped, fluttering angrily, But Belle didn't flinch. "I am The Blue Fairy, and you will not-"

"I am the Lady of the Dark Castle!" She snapped, her back standing straight as a rod as her voice took the commanding voice of a princess, leaving her father and the fairy to gape at her. "I am in love with Rumpelstiltn and you will not keep us apart!"

"Couldn't have said it any better myself, dearie."

A smile spread on her face as she spun around, seeing Rumpelstiltskin sat back in her father's chair. Before that might have bugged her, but now…

"Now, is there a reason you came into my castle to take my lady you pesky bug?"

The Blue Fairy only frowned at him. "Her father wished to have her safe from your clutched."

"I assure you she was never any safer than when she was in them."

Blue's glare turned into something of disbelief. "You? There's no way…"

"Isn't there?"

This realization of The Dark Ones feelings only made blue grip her wand tightly.

"You can't have her!" Maurice snapped.

Gaston was silent, holding a hand up to calm her father. "She's made a deal with you."

"I have." Belle agreed. "And no one breaks a deal with The Dark One."

"Indeed." Gaston said. "You'll keep her safe?"

"No safer place than my castle." Rumpelstiltskin said with a giggle.

"No!" Maurice exclaimed.

"It's out of our hands." Gaston said, and Belle could have sworn there was a smile tugging on his lips. "The deal has been struck."

Rumple smiled, standing behind Belle and wrapping an arm around her waist. The Blue Fairy seemed to seethe, but accept it. Her father and Rumpelstiltskin were glaring daggers at each other.

"You don't deserve her." Maurice decided.

"Neither do you." Rumple snarled.

"Can we go home?" Belle asked, and Rumple nodded.

"Wait." Gaston said, stepping forward. "I want to make a deal."