Hey so here comes a super long chapter. It's filled with a spot of outlawqueen fluff and an important swanbeauty conversation. Thanks for all the follows and reviews!

Belle hadn't had a moment alone since the debacle at the library. Regina was more concerned than ever about her safety and now she barely left her side. It wasn't just Regina though. The Charmings, Emma, and even Hook were hesitant to leave her alone. Which was why for breakfast she was sitting across from the jittery queen at Granny's. Regina had been drumming her fingers on the table ever since they'd arrived.

"You know if you're impatient I could always eat by myself." Said Belle.

"Nice try bookworm," replied Regina. "But you're not getting rid of me that easy."

Belle sighed loudly and rolled her eyes. It was comforting to know that so many people cared for her but she could really use some time alone.

"I know this is frustrating Belle but you need the protection." Said Regina.

Belle squinted at Regina from across the diner table. "Are you sure this is about my safety? Or are you just using me as distraction for something else?"

Regina glared at Belle. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh I think you do," challenged Belle. "I heard about what happened with Robin."

The queen groaned in response. Since the Snow Queen had been defeated the spell that had frozen Marian had worn off. With her heart returned she'd made a full recovery and gone back to her family. Regina hadn't spoken to Robin since she'd returned his wife's heart. The archer had tried on several occasions to see her but she would always turn the other way when she saw him coming.

"I know you've been avoiding him," said Belle gently.

"I'm not avoiding him," protested Regina. "He's free to talk to me whenever he pleases."

"Oh good cause it looks like he's heading inside right now." Said Belle.

Regina's head whipped toward the window but she saw nothing. She turned back to glare at Belle. "You're not funny."

"Wasn't trying to be funny. Just trying to prove a point," retorted Belle with a smirk. "Why won't you talk to him Regina?"

"Because I already know what he'll say," said Regina. "He's staying with Marian, she's his wife."

"You don't know that," said Belle.

"Don't I?" said Regina. "He already chose her once before and when he told me I barely survived with my soul intact. Why would I rip my own heart apart by listening to him tell me how he's chosen her once again."

"Regina he might have chosen honor once but that doesn't mean he will again. We've all seen the way he looks at you. It's like you're the moon and the stars to him."

Regina just shook her head. "It's not enough. The ink is dried when it comes to my fate. Villains don't get happy endings."

"You're not a villain anymore." Replied Belle reaching for the queen's hand. "You're on a much better path now. And I know it sounds cliché but you're only going to be as happy as you allow yourself to be. Don't give up on him just yet because I know he hasn't given up on you."

Regina stared at the hopeful brunette across from her. How could she still have so much faith in love after what happened with Rumple? "I know you believe that Belle but I just can't find the faith in me right now."

Belle smiled at her. "Lucky for you I have faith for the both of us. Or three it seems because here comes Robin."

Regina just chuckled at her. "You really shouldn't use the same joke twice bookworm."

"Hello Regina."

Regina stilled at the familiar sound of her name. She turned and looked into the blue eyes that she loved so much.

"Robin," she breathed.

"I came to talk," he said calmly. Regina just stared at him before curtly nodding head. Belle's eyes darted between the queen and the archer.

"I think I'll just go," she said quietly leaving the booth. As she headed out of the diner she smiled to herself. She truly hoped Regina would get her happy ending. She looked down at her watch she probably had a good hour alone before anyone came looking for her. Maybe she could head to park and sit for a while-

"Belle!"

She stopped in her tracks. Damn it, she thought. She turned to see Emma standing behind her with her arms folded across her chest. "What are you doing out here alone?"

"Regina and Robin needed to talk so I thought I would spend some time alone," explained the librarian. This was getting ridiculous. If she wanted to spend some time by herself then she shouldn't have to explain it to anyone.

"Belle you know it's not safe for you to be alone right now. You have no way to protect yourself."

"Then give me one because I can't take having everyone constantly following me!" argued Belle. "I need some time to myself."

Emma could hear the frustration in Belle's voice and she was sympathetic. She remembered what it was like in foster homes when the adults would watch her every move.

"Okay," she replied. "If you want I'll give you a way to protect yourself but you'll probably hate it."

And that's how Belle ended up in the woods for her first shooting lesson.

CRACK! A mason jar exploded when struck with a bullet. Belle gasped as the sound hit her eardrums. She looked at the revolver in in her hand. How could something so small be so powerful?

"Maybe I would be better off with a crossbow," she said apprehensively. When she said she wanted protection she was thinking of something more magic oriented.

"I know it's scary," said Emma setting up another row of multicolored mason jars on a log. "but a bullet will be much harder for Rumpelstiltskin stop than an arrow. You're doing fine. And I made sure we're in a secluded area so as long as you do what I say nothing bad is going to happen. Alright?"

"Okay," nodded Belle. She supposed she must look like a very strange sight right now. Standing in her tights and pleated skirt attempting to shoot mason jars with a revolver. It reminded her of the time Rumple had given her a gun in case Hook came looking for her. It just felt wrong. She shook her head trying to get her ex-husband from her thoughts.

"Are you feeling alright?" asked Emma.

"Just nervous," answered Belle honestly. Did she really have it in her to shoot Rumple? "I've never been shooting before."

"I actually meant about everything with Rumpelstiltskin. I know this must be difficult after everything that's happened."

Belle just took a deep breath. She didn't want to talk about this now. Not with Emma. "I don't think this is a good time to talk about this subject."

Emma looked at her with understanding in her eyes. "Belle we're in the forest trying to teach you how to shoot in case your ex-husband tries to come after you. The only way to make sure that your emotions aren't affecting you right now is to let them out. So c'mon tell me how you really feel about him."

In that moment Belle thought of everything that happened with Rumpelstiltskin in the last month. How he'd lied through their entire marriage. How he'd threatened her friends. How he'd accosted her at the library. And she just exploded. "The truth is that I have spent the past month going over every second of our relationship trying to figure out where it went so wrong. It just keeps playing in my head like a movie and it doesn't stop. It makes me sad and it makes me angry and I don't know how to stop it! I can't stop thinking about him and about us and I just don't understand! I don't understand how he could do that to me! How he could lie and betray me like that! It's like I can't even tell if anything that happened between us real. I want to get over it but I just… cant. I'm tired of feeling this way."

She leaned against Emma's bug and took a few heaving breaths when she finished. She didn't even feel Emma rubbing her hand against her back in comfort.

"Belle I know it's hard but these emotions you're feeling they're important and you'll get past them when time is right."

"How did you get past it with Neal?" asked Belle. While in the Enchanted Forest Neal had told her about what happened between him and Emma. It's why he was so desperate to get back to her. He didn't want her and Henry to remember him as the man who abandoned her, pregnant and alone, in jail.

Emma took a deep breath before continuing. Talking about Neal was always painful for her. "The truth is I only started to get past it when I found him in New York. When he let me go to jail for stealing those watches it poked holes in everything I thought I knew. I was so angry at him but I was angrier at myself. I couldn't believe that I let him trick me like that. It hurt like hell to think about because I knew that I still loved him. I tried to ignore those emotions and harden my heart by hating him and trying to convince myself that nothing that we shared was real. When I found him in New York it was like all the feelings I spent the last decade trying to ignore decided to rise up and punch me in the face. It only got worse when I heard the real reason behind everything. Neal wasn't trying to play me or set me up. He just thought that sending me to prison was easier to live with than seeing his father one more time. And realizing that just made me let go of everything that I had for him. Neal might've loved me but he didn't think I was worth fighting for. And I think the same thing happened with you and Rumple. You weren't wrong about his love for you Belle. He just wasn't as strong as you needed him to be."

"It looks like weakness ran in the family," said Belle absorbing Emma's story. She didn't expect for the savior to be able to relate to her. Emma was such a strong person that sometimes it was hard to remember her life before Storybrooke was filled with more pain than she liked to let on. Belle truly admired the women standing next to her.

Emma let Belle calm down for a few more minutes before asking her if she was ready to take another shot. Belle thought for minute before nodding her head. It didn't matter what she felt for Rumpelstiltskin or what he felt for her. She needed to protect herself.

She raised the gun. Aimed at one of the jars and fired.

When Emma dropped her off at home it was already dark. It had been an emotionally exhausting day and all she wanted to do was head to sleep but she found Regina standing in the kitchen waiting up for her.

"Regina…" said Belle cautiously. She didn't know what mood she would find the older woman in after her talk with Robin. What if things hadn't worked out for her? But the queen turned to her wide, almost giddy smile on her face.

"He chose me," she laughed with tears in her eyes. "He actually chose me!"

"Oh my god," said Belle with a smile on her face. She walked over and gave Regina a warm hug. "I told you."

At least someone was getting their happy ending.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Let me know what you think!