It had been two weeks since Emma informed her that Rumple was back. She was surprised that he had not tried to contact her. She was fairly certain when she woke up on the cot in the back room of the shop, the day the entire town was put to sleep by Maleficent, that someone had moved her there. After Regina informed her that Rumple had been in the shop that day, she was almost certain he was the one that moved her. Though part of her was scared of him, she knew deep down that he would never hurt her. Even though she told Emma and Charming that she was fine and didn't need their protection, they insisted to always have someone watch the shop. Not only were the two of them watching for him, but Hook, Robin, Will, and Snow were keeping watch as well. Snow and Charming even insisted that she stay at their house until they figured out what Rumple's plan was. Originally, she didn't like the idea, but the more she thought about it, the idea grew on her. She loved watching baby Neal while they were away. It helped keep her mind off of Rumple.
She was just finishing up inventory before closing up the ship when the bell above the door rang in front of the shop. Suspecting it was Will, as it was his turn to be on lookout, Belle rushed out of the back room with a huge smile across her face. When she entered the front room, she abruptly stopped and her smile quickly disappeared. The man that entered was not Will, but Rumplestiltskin who was standing in the middle of the shop.
"Rumple?"
"Hello, Belle."
"What...What are you doing here?"
Trying to keep the mood light, he sarcastically replied, "Well, it is my shop."
Not knowing how to respond, all she could say was, "I...um, I…" as she slowly began backing away from him.
He sweetly stated, "Belle, I'm not here to harm you. I simply wanted to see you, and thank you for taking such good care of my shop while I was away. It's looks the best that I've ever seen it." He held out the rose that had hidden behind his back. "For you, if you'll have it."
She slowly took it from him and put it in the vase with the other one. "Thank you."
He slightly smiled with the corner of his mouth. "I'm glad to see you got the other one."
She was puzzled. "The other one is from Will."
He politely corrected her. "I left that here the other night because I wasn't ready to face you. We both know I'll always be a coward. I've hurt you so much, I don't even know where to begin."
All the anger that Belle had inside of her began to escape. "How about you start by apologizing for lying to me, for making me believe that you actually loved me, for all the times you made me believe that you had actually changed, but you were still the same beast you've always been! I went so far as to marry to because you made me believe all of these things! When everyone else still saw the man that you were, I stood by your side and defended you! You made me look like a fool! Why would you do that to me!?"
He stuttered, not knowing how to respond to her. Last time he saw her, she was angry, but mostly hurt. He had never seen her this angry before. "Belle, I'm...I'm so sorry."
"All you have to say, is I'm sorry!?"
"Belle, I didn't have the chance to explain what I was going to do before you banished me from Storybrooke."
She harshly relied, "Well, now's your chance, Rumple."
"After everything that I went through with Zelena, I knew I had to find a way to separate myself from the dagger. I can't let anyone control me like that again. She put me through hell, Belle. She used me as a weapon against the people that I care about the most. She threatened my family, killed my son, and she wanted me to kill you. You have no idea what she put me through. Keeping my caged up like that, not being able to see you, and playing constant mind games with me. She wanted me broken, so I wouldn't have a choice but to take her side, to see things her way. She loved me, Belle, the way I love you. One night, I thought I had the opportunity to take my dagger back, but I had to make her believe that I made a mistake, and that I loved her too."
"Wait, you did what?"
"We were eating dinner in her kitchen and she told me her plan. I knew she was keeping my dagger in her boot. I had to get that dagger, Belle, and there was only one way that I could think of that would distract her long enough for me to try and take it, but she caught on sooner than I had hoped."
"Why are you telling me all of this now? Did you like it or something?"
"Absolutely not. Kissing her killed me inside, Belle. The entire time, I wished I was there with you, that I wasn't doing that with her, but with you. I love you, Belle. I always will."
"If you love me like you say you do, why would the gauntlet tell me that you're power is what you love most? Why did you keep lying to me?" she asked, with anger still in her voice.
He tried to gently explain to her how the gauntlet actually works. "The gauntlet leads to you someone's weakness, which for almost everyone, it the thing they love most. However, I'm not almost everyone. My weakness is my dagger, my power, because I don't know how to live without it. But, the thing I love most...is you. Belle, you make me stronger. That's why it didn't lead back to you."
"After everything that you put me through, how do you expect me to believe you?"
"Because it's time that I be the man that I told you I would be. I'm going to tell you something that no one else knows." He paused for a moment. "Sweetheart, I'm dying and I needed to tell you how I still feel about you, clear my conscious, and make things right before I no longer have the chance."
"But, you're the Dark One. You're immortal. You can't die."
He confessed, "When I left Storybrooke, I lost all of my powers, I became mortal. With that, I now have all the characteristics of a mortal, including death. I want you to have your happy ending, Belle. And now, I know your happy ending isn't with me."
Shocked by what he just said, she hesitantly asked, "So, what I did to you is causing you to die?"
Trying to comfort her by reassuring her that he understood what she did, he responded, "You did what you thought you had to do, Belle. I don't blame you for that."
"But, I'm the reason you're dying!"
He gently placed his hands on her shoulders. "No, you're not. I made the decisions that I did on my own. I made myself such a threat to this town that you knew no one was safe while I was still here."
Belle still didn't understand what he can't change any of this. "But, you have your magic back. Can't you fix this!?"
"I came back to try to get my happy ending, which I originally thought meant getting you back. For the longest time, I thought my happy ending was when I would reunite with Bae. After his death, I felt like I could no longer have that, and I still think that's true. However, my new happy ending is knowing that you have yours."
"Rumple, you've always have been my happy ending." she quickly added.
"Belle, I know about you and Will. And if he truly makes you happy, then I'll make sure that you two have a great life together, with everything you ever wanted that I never gave you: a real relationship, a marriage that lasts, and the family you told me that you wanted."
"Rumple, I don't want those things if they're not with you."
"But, aren't you already sleeping with Will? You must have strong feelings for him."
She paused for a moment. "Rumple, how do you know that?"
"I've been watching you, Belle. I wanted to make sure that you were alright. I know you may not care about me anymore, but I still greatly care about you." he admitted.
"The only people that knew about that were Will and..."
He cut her off, "Dr. Hopper."
Belle began to put the pieces together. "That was you that day wasn't it? I knew the way he talked to me seemed too familiar. Why would you trick me like that!?"
"I wanted to know how you still felt about me. I knew that you weren't ready to face me and I didn't know what to say to you. I just...I just wanted to know how you felt so I would know how to best approach you. I don't want to keep upsetting you."
Not knowing what he would do to her or Will, she began to fear him. "Rumple, I made a mistake. I should have never slept with him. I was just trying to figure out who I am and what I want. But, I only strayed further. I was trying to get over you. I thought I would never see you again. I'm sorry."
He sweetly replied, "Belle, after all the times you looked past my darkness, you don't need to apologize. I have killed so many people, and hurt many others." He ran his hand slowly and gently through her hair before placing his hand over his heart. "My heart is very dark and weak. Belle, I've never been good for you. I've been a villain for so long, I don't know anything else anymore. You've brought light into my darkness, and all I've ever done was bring darkness into your life. Let me put some light back in your life. When I find the author, I'm not only going to make him write you a happy ending...he's going to rewrite our story."
Taken aback by what he just said, she asked, "Wait, what do you mean, rewrite our story?"
"I'm going to make him change that afternoon when you left to go to town to get me straw. You will never have run into Regina and you make it back home to your family."
"But our first kiss…"
He cut in, "Never will have happened."
"Rumple, I don't want that. You can't do that!" she aggressively shot back.
"It has already been decided." He gently stroked her face. "Goodbye, Belle. I'm so sorry for what I put you through. You were right. All I will ever have is an empty heart and a chipped cup. But, I will always love you." With that, he disappeared from her in a red cloud of smoke.
She stood there with tears streaming down her face. She had no idea what to do. Her husband was dying, and instead of being with him, trying to figure out a plan, he was going to wipe her memories and feelings of ever loving him. Before she knew it, she was screaming for him at the top of her lungs. "Rumplestiltskin! Rumplestiltskin! Rumplefuckingstiltskin!"
Before she could even blink, he was back in front of her. Shocked, he answered her summon. "Belle, you've never summoned me like that."
"Well, I've never learned that my husband was dying before and instead of trying to figure out a plan, he decided that he was going to take away my feelings for him!"
"Belle, it is the best thing for you."
She sternly disagreed, "No it's not! I refuse to let you do this! No one decides my fate but me."
"I've already made up my mind. This is the hardest decision I've had to make. It's for the best."
"Rumplestiltskin, as your wife, I forbid from doing this!"
"Wait...What?" He couldn't believe that after everything she would still refer to herself as his wife.
Belle walked closer to him. "This is not just up to you. This is my choice too. And I don't want to lose you again. You've always made decisions on your own, Rumple. That's your problem. You don't tell me anything."
"Belle, you're going to lose me either way."
"I'll do some research and we'll see what can be done. You're the Dark One. You've escaped death before; you can do it again."
"I don't…" Belle cut off his thought with a passionate kiss.
She slowly broke their kiss and looked deep into his eyes. "If we don't figure out a way to fix this, then I don't want to waste a single moment with you." She passionately kissed him once again and brought her hands to his chest and gripped his jacket so tight, he felt she would never let to. Rumple quickly flicked his wrist, which locked the front door and turned to Open sign to Closed. They both knew, deep down, that they shouldn't rush back into this, but they didn't care. They had each other and, at that moment, that was all that mattered.
Will smiled when he saw them through the window. Though he had feelings for Belle, he knew that her happy ending was with Rumplestiltskin. He told her she would know the moment when she figured out what her happy ending was, and she finally found it. He'd just have to wait a little longer to find his.