Chapter 3:

Belle kept the puppy clutched against her chest, her words remained strong though her legs were visibly shaking. "What are you doing here?" She demanded again.

"What's the matter, dearie? You thought you'd never see your monster of a husband again?" There was more than a hint of a snarl in his voice,

"No, I banished you, I didn't think you'd come back." Her words seemed just as cold and cruel as his own.

"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you." He walked in slow steps, circling around her and his cloak covering his and back. Every nerve of Belle was telling her to get out of the situation. She didn't want to be here-in the words alone with her husband who had abused the vows of their marriage by betraying her trust.

"How'd you get back here? Why are you back here?" It was now physically taking everything in her power not to burst out sobbing. "Why do you have this silly clock on too? Can't you look me in the eyes when you-" She couldn't understand how she'd mustered up the courage to reach out and pull the thing off him, but she had, and gasped when she saw him.

"Don't try to hide your disgust," h wiggled his finger at her. "You may find me repulsive now, but this is who you fell in love with." He motioned to himself.

"I find you repulsive now because of how you acted, not how you look." She managed to keep eye contact with his cold beady eyes-only stealing a glance at his body for a second. He was full Dark One again- just as he'd looked in the Enchanted Forest. "Now answer my questions, then leave." She commanded harshly

"You really think you could keep me gone?" His voice was half that of the Dark One with its singsong like quality, yet half that of Gold's sincere questioning and calmness. "You may have banished me, Sweetheart, but-"

"Don't call me 'Sweetheart.'" She growled, still on edge, Rumple's hand did a little flourish in the air- the sunlight making the gold flecks shine in his greenish-gold complexion.

"You may have banished me, but I found my way back. I would've searched forever to get back. Why am I back? For you." He pointed at her and smiled, Belle felt herself wince. "It's forever, dearie, remember?"

"Not anymore." She somehow managed to get out hoarsely. Rumple's eyes turned from solid stone to vulnerable and scared, A softness overtook his voice,

"Belle, please. I came back for you. I came back to apologize-to tell you that I was wrong for lying and deceiving you. I came back to tell you I'm sorry for trying to kill the pirate, and take Miss Swan's magic, and trapping the fairies and-" He was on his knees now, begging shamelessly.

"The Dark One grappling at my feet?" Belle's voice was wickeder than either of them thought it could ever sound. "Get up, Rumpelstiltskin."

"Please, Belle, I love you! I made a lot of mistakes and I'm sorry!" He stood, but his eyes still plead Belle to forgive him. For a moment, it looked as if Rumple's wish were about to come true, Belle's eyes softened as she looked up at him.

"I love you too, Rumpelstiltskin. I always have and I always will, but I don't forgive you for what you did to me or tried to do to this town. Now, get up and get lost." Once again she was choking back sobs. She didn't mean that. Of course she wanted to see him. It had taken everything in her ability to resist the urge to jump on him and engulf him in the tightest and most loving embrace in the world and tell him how she missed and loved him and how she was sorry for everything. Before she turned to head back to their-not her- house, Belle thought she saw tears pricking the ducts of Rumple's eyes. Keep walking. She told herself as she made her way away from Rumple, but soon the puppy had leapt out of her hands and was bounding toward him.

The puppy bounced at Rumple once it was close enough and started licking his boots and pant legs. "Get away from me." He shooed the puppy, bending over to swat it away-but instead of running away the puppy jumped in his arms. "Dog," Rumple groaned, yet couldn't make himself put it down. "You were the one Belle was holding." He put the pieces together. He had to hold the puppy, if nothing else it meant he'd see Belle at least once more.

Within a few minutes, Belle came out from behind a tree. "Puppy," She called before spotting it in Rumple's arms. She stomped over to him, "Give me my dog back!" She yelled,

"Here, he just jumped in my arms." He pulled the puppy-who had been licking his face and hands- away from him and handed it to Belle.

"Thank you." She protectively shoved the puppy into the crook of her arms, and turned away once again.

"Perhaps you should trust me! Your little friend there likes me!" Rumple called after her, trying to be calm but really seeming more desperate than ever. He kicked the ground when she didn't answer, chiding himself for everything he'd done wrong. He'd had a second chance at life and love, and once again he'd destroyed it.

Belle walked briskly out of the forest, just wanting to get home as soon as she could. So many questions and thoughts running through her mind. Why did Rumpelstiltskin come back to Storybrooke? To get her back… What did that mean? Did he honestly think he could get her back after all he'd done? How did he cross the town line? He had answered that vaguely to say the least. Why had his looks been altered? He'd had magic before in Storybrooke, so why did he suddenly look as he had in the Enchanted Forest? Why did Chip seem so drawn to him? Weren't dogs supposed to know the differences between good and bad people? There were so many unanswered questions that Belle both wanted the answers to yet feared what learning them might mean.