Smoke and Ashes

Chapter 48

What happened to Belle and Gold

They had been married only two months.

It had been wonderful.

Gold watched his wife dress one morning, appreciating her carefully precise movements as she slipped on her lacy underwear and then a full skirt and simple tank top, her attire recalling her weeks as his maid and his student at The House although now she was a princess in two countries and a queen in a third. She shook her head and ran her fingers through her hair, the few odd red strands glinting in the morning light. She caught his glance and smiled back at him, her eyes visibly lighting up.

He would never get tired of this.

When little Elspeth ran full speed into the room to get a morning kiss from both parents he had a moment that he nearly choked up.

What could be more perfect? How could it ever get better than this?

Belle had vaulted from the bed one morning and spent time retching. He had inanely asked if she was all right and she'd quickly informed him, "Of course not."

At her request he fetched her some crackers and a cola. She sat in the bed nibbling and sipping. Elspeth charged into the room and jumped on the bed, jostling her mother. Belle's queasy stomach barely stayed level.

"Mommy sick?" Elspeth asked.

"A little upset tummy," Belle told her. "I think I'll be fine soon."

Belle looked at her husband when the same thing happened the next morning.

She knew. They both knew.

At Gold's urging, Belle took a home pregnancy test. She was proven correct. They told Elspeth, who was perfectly convinced that the baby was her new brother and, while she had said she would be "okay" if the baby was a sister, she was still adamant it was a boy.

At the pregnancy advanced, Gold had another Moment when Elspeth, complaining that "mommy don't have a lap no more," instead crawled into his lap one evening. Could things ever get any better than this? His life was perfection.

There was another night, well into the pregnancy, when Gold was cuddling with his very pregnant, very restless wife. He woke up in a puddle. He realized that her water had broken and enlisted the assistance of Zelena and Omaha. He helped Belle re-dress in dry clothes and leaving Elspeth under Zelena's care, he had Omaha carry Belle (over her protests) out to the car. They drove on to the hospital and Gold sat in awe while Belle labored to deliver his child. He promised himself he would never touch the woman again if this was to be the consequence. He had never seen anyone work so hard, so long doing any task.

Little Elspeth had been correct. It was a boy. He had his father's dark blond (leaning to brown) hair with bright blue eyes. They named the child Baefire after Gold's mother's father. Gold was secretly relieved to see the child had pink skin; he had half expected to see glittering green-gold scales. Of course, he hadn't taken the child down to Undertown for a final verdict. That would come later.

Three years later, despite Gold's promise not to touch his wife again (a promise he didn't keep very long at Belle's insistence), they had a baby girl. She had Belle's dark hair and, while her eyes were initially blue, they changed to her father's honey-brown. A pretty girl, they named her Rose after Belle's father's mother.

Life was still perfect, only getting better each day. Everyday he would wonder when the bottom would drop out. He didn't deserve this life.

Maurice, while never officially retiring, eventually did not return to Avonleigh and a decision was made to coronate Belle. Gold was quite comfortable playing consort to her Queen. Avonleigh, after all, was her kingdom . . . queendom?

He still made regular trips to Undertown, to oversee different building projects and other activities that Belle had instigated. Elspeth often accompanied him and he saw quickly that the denizens of his dark kingdom seemed to have some sense of Elspeth's true identity. As an older child, she was kind and perceptive. When he would hold court to help settle disputes, Elspeth would sit next to him. He saw quickly that she often was able to see the truth of situations and, especially as she grew into her teenage years, he would sometimes ask her opinion, both regarding what she thought might have really happened and on what a just consequence for the infraction might be. Gold found that while Bae was all right in going to Undertown, Rose was not (no green scales for either child, thank goodness). Rose would cry and fret and after a while he quit taking her.

While she didn't like Undertown, Rose was quite fine visiting her Poppa Moe and Grammy Rue in Fairyland. Gold was frankly surprised at how well Ruel took to being a grandmother. He would not have expected it of her. But Ruel delighted in Rose, often having the child over for a weekend and, he suspected, teaching her fairy magic which his youngest showed an aptitude for.

Bae, while not quite as empathic as his mother, was still quite sensitive. He had clearly inherited his father's elemental propensities, showing an affinity for fire as a young child.

As the children grew, Elspeth made a match with Lovecraft, the ancient Guardian of the House. Those two traveled the world, often visiting with Lovecraft's kin. Gold designated Elspeth as his heir for the world Undertown, letting her know that at some point he would want to pass the responsibility for managing the chaotic dark world on to her. The Lady Shivat never officially reappeared but from time to time, Gold felt her presence. Sometimes there would be just the slightest hint behind Elspeth's sparkling blue eyes of the Old One that he knew dwelt deep inside the pretty young woman.

Bae was designated heir to Belle's position in Avonleigh. When he was twenty-three, he made a love match with the second child, Amber, of Jefferson and Emma (much to the delight of both families). She is a talented young lady with her mother's spirit and her father's sense of humor.

Little Rose elected to stay in Fairyland, at no surprise to her family.

Belle decided, after a prosperous sixty year reign to retire. At that time Gold passed the responsibility for the school onto Jefferson and Emma's oldest child, Henry.

The couple, barely showing any impact of their aging, decided to retire in their Loft apartment in Asheville. Gold continued to wake up in a state of wonder at how much improved, at how wonderful his life became with Belle's influence. The two stayed in Asheville where, of course . . .

They lived happily ever after.

The End

Gosh I'd like to thank everyone who's read, followed, favorited and reviewed this story (your support has been much appreciated). Thanks to the reviewers of the last chapter: Robin4, jewel415, EevyLynn, cynicsquest, orthankg1, onlyinyourdreams77, deweymay, MyraValhallah, AnneElliotsCat, Aletta-Feather, Grace5231973, Aletta-Feather, CharlotteAshmore

Anne Andrews (Guest) (glad you like the Lovecraft/Elspeth story)

And Erik'sTrueAngel (Guest) (thx – glad you liked the wrap ups for the other characters)

FYI: in case anyone is remotely interested – the impetus for this story came when I began to wonder if I could write a story with The Blue Fairy that would present her not as one of the bad guys (Several of us, present company included, have written stories where she is the chief heavy. Many others have her, at least, as a sanctimonious, judgmental busybody with her own agenda). Not exactly making her a good guy, but at least a character with powerful reasons for her behavior and one who is uncomfortable with some of the decisions she has to make was one of my goals.

I also thought it would just be fun to connect her with Rumple's love-of-life. Since Belle is half-Fae in the original version of the story, it was easy to take the next step and have her as Belle's mother - which would force Rumple to come to some sort of terms with the woman.

I ended up meshing this story with one of my older drabbles regarding a dark curse that would take away all magic. Lovecraft was not in my original draft but once he was added in, he immediately became the mechanism for The House to express itself and then I had to devise Elspeth so the Lovecraft would have his own happy ending. And I have no idea where The House came from – it was just there.

And for Aletta Feather, I suspect the Lady Shivat, at some point in time, took a fancy to Gold for her own capricious reasons - she likes him, much like Lovecraft likes him. She didn't like his father and was glad for an excuse to get rid of him. She's not exactly evil, but more a force of nature. She wants him to do well and trusts him to make the right decision, especially regarding her welfare.

I have gone ahead and published the first chapter of my next story A Walk in Ashes. This is quite a different tale – an AU mystery drama, something I've been wanting to do for awhile (it's really fluff but it will take a while to get there – I'm still debating about the naked/half-naked fighting scene I have in the last chapter – boxers – briefs – or the Full Monty?)

Thx so much to everyone for your wonderful support - twyla