Chapter 7:

The day went on as normal; Belle tidied up the house and talked on the phone to Ruby for a bit before settling in with a book for the evening. She was thankful Archie had managed to train Chip for the most part before he'd come to live with her, sure he still had an occasional accident, but the amount of messes she'd expected were greatly decreased. There had been a weird feeling within her the whole day since Rumple had left, it wasn't really peace and it really wasn't forgiveness or pain, but more of relaxed and wishing. She was content- happy even- that Rumple had apologized and seemed to truly be sorry for hurting her. More than anything, she wished she could've forgiven him. If only she could, then things would go back to normal and the constant ache in her heart might subside. She knew better, though. The gauntlet and the dagger had proved all she needed to know, and no matter how much he tried to convince her otherwise or how many apologies he gave her, Belle knew that what she discovered had been telling the truth. A truth he'd never say. Still, though, when he had shown up at her door, all she'd wanted to do was wrap her arms around him and tell him how happy she was he was safe and that she'd missed him and was glad he was home. "Do you think that maybe I overreacted a bit today, Chip?" She asked, placing a light blue silk bookmark between the pages of the newest novel she was reading and setting the book on the end table beside the couch. Her eyes fell to Chip, who hadn't moved from the spot where Rumple had been seated since he'd left.

The dog let out a slight whine, and Belle leaned back against the couch. "It was nice having him home again." She glanced at Chip again, something within her that she'd known but chosen to ignore welling up, "He didn't steal you, did he?" She felt her lips part and begin to go dry, "Rumple was telling me the truth, wasn't he?" Stop. She had to force those thoughts out of her mind before they were followed by some crazy notion to go find him again and apologize-sincerely this time- for all that she'd done and make up. No matter how much they loved each other, Belle didn't feel like the energy it'd take to go find him was worth it. She knew where his priorities lied, and they weren't with her. "I mean, I guess I didn't have to be so crude. Maybe I ought to go… I don't know, try to talk to him." Her words seemed more like a question than a statement. "No, why should I? It wouldn't change his obsession with the power and magic, and even if I were stupid enough to trust him again, there's no telling what the town might think." It was nice having the dog there as a comfort, it made Belle feel less crazy when she went into tangents of talking to herself.

About an hour later, Belle couldn't keep her nerves and all the 'what ifs' in her mind silenced any longer. She made her way upstairs and got on her knees to pull a wooden chest out from under the bed, she opened it, and sifted through the contents of it until she found the dagger-which she had wrapped in an excess of purple silk. Swiftly, she unwound the silk until she revealed the dagger. It seemed strange that Chip hadn't bothered to follow her up the stairs like normal, but he was getting used to his new surroundings now. It seemed reasonable to conclude that he simply was no longer going to need to be at Belle's heels at all times. She blinked a couple times, bringing her thoughts back to the dagger and her task at hand.

After staring blankly at the knife for a few moments, Belle climbed up on the bed and admired it against the maroon silk of the bedspread. Her fingers traced the handle and the blade-spending more time than necessary feeling the intricate carving of his name. Finally, after at least ten minutes of staring at the thing, Belle raised the dagger and spoke with all the strength she could muster, "Rumplestiltskin… Rumplestiltskin… Rum…"

She suddenly dropped the dagger back on the bed, and wrapped it back up in the silk covering. She couldn't go through with her plan. As Belle shoved the covered dagger back into the chest, she wasn't sure if the surge that had gone through her body was an intense pang of pride or anger with herself. With a loud slam of the chest and an audible whimper of tears from her, Belle kicked the chest back under the bed and ran back downstairs. Why had this thought even crossed her mind? She should've known better.

Meanwhile, Rumple was back in his cabin. It was almost sundown, Rumple noted. He took a sip of the tea he had poofed for himself and rolled his eyes. His plan had not gone as expected. He'd somehow managed to get back into Storybrooke- with the assistance of the trio of women- but that was as far as he'd intended to go in working with them. 'It's time the villains got their happy endings'. The words he'd told them just hours before-as well as numerous times since they'd all reunited- replayed in his mind. It was time, for him. He'd had no intention of giving any assistance to any of the women once they'd gotten back to Storybrooke, but then they'd forced him to. Well, Ursala had forced him too. Maybe he'd fooled Cruella and Maleficent, but Ursala was very smart. All her motions and body language-the eye rolling and the crossing of her arms- and the constant questioning about 'his little maid', that way she seemed to scan him when he was lying, Ursala knew. She knew he wasn't wholeheartedly devoted to finding anyone's happy ending other than Belle's and his own. Even though he'd continually shot down Ursula's accusations of anything between he and Belle in this world, she knew. That knowledge alone was enough to fill Rumple with uneasiness and anxiety. Of course he'd known all the 'heroes' would be working to find Regina's happy ending, he knew about The Author and he knew that his newfound gang of villains would want in on trying to find this author. However, he hadn't expected working with them for so long. He hadn't expected making the ladies potions to get ahead, and he hadn't planned on leading this escapade that was about to commence. Originally, once he'd gotten into Storybrooke, he was supposed to have begged Belle's forgiveness and been forgiven so that they could go find The Author together. Why had he even thought like that? He paced around the room slowly, as if there were secret traps beneath him that he could easily set off.

"Open up!" A loud knock and a harsh voice demanded, "We have something to talk about!"

Rumple flicked his hand, unlocking the door without going anywhere near it, and took a deep breath in order to prepare himself for whatever she had in mind for this little chat. "Come in, Ursula, its unlocked!" He called, taking a seat at a kitchen chair, "have a seat."

"You're going to tell me the truth, now, got it?" She demanded, crossing her legs and a stern look on her face. "You can play Cruella and Mal all you want, but you're not too good for me. I know you're up to something."

"Up to something?" He pushed back some of his curls and took another sip of tea, "Why of course I am, I'm trying to ensure that we get to The Author before all those 'heroes' do."

"No, I said tell me the truth." She was glaring now and her voice not only stern, but threatening as well. "Listen to me, I know you're doing something you're not telling us." Her fingers toyed with a tangle at the end of her hair, "If I had to bet, it has something to do with a certain someone."

"I can't imagine who," The way he was so aloof would've made someone less wise believe him, but the sea witch wasn't having any of it,

"Let me refresh your memory, then. She's a woman with dark hair and blue eyes, and a petite thing with an affinity for animals. A bit of a bookworm, she is, and I don't believe she was the best ma-"

"Shut up, Ursula. I told you guys, my maid and I haven't spoken since I sent her away all those years ago." He was only partially aware that his instant defensiveness proved the point Ursula was attempting to make even more concrete.

"Oh, I know what you told us, " She was getting relaxed, leaning back on the chair, and letting the snark roll off her tongue almost too naturally, "I don't believe a word of it, though.":

"Well you should,"

"Cut the act, Imp." She was suddenly very direct, "I know you're up to something-probably something involving Little Miss Belle- and I want you to tell me what it is. Listen, you're a dealmaker, make a deal with me."

"A deal? Whatever for?"

"Tell me the whole truth, and I won't kick you over that town line again. I didn't have to help you get back here, I most certainly can kick you right back out should I want to."

"As you wish." He swallowed, trying to think of a way he could say enough without saying too much. "I'm here because of an affair of the heart."

"For the maid?" She almost laughed, disgusted.

"For the woman I love. I messed up terribly and I want to get her back."

"You really think you can do that?" Ursula scoffed, wrinkling her nose, "You're not exactly anyone's ideal partner or any-"

"I'm aware of that." He stayed calm, almost dreamy, "but I can still try. Now, I think you should get out of my house before Mal and Cruella find you missing.

Rumplestiltskin…. Rumplestiltskin… He perked abruptly. Someone was summoning him, someone had the dagger. Panic rushed through him a moment before he forced himself to focus enough to listen to the voice. It was Belle! He could've jumped out of the seat right then and there, she was calling him! She had something to say to him. The glee and surprise overtook him, "Okay, really now, Ursula, you must get going. I'll see you later."

"Alright." She crossed to the door, stopping just short of it, "One more thing, promise me your little 'affair of the heart' isn't going to impact our plans?" She raised an eyebrow, and Rumple shook his head, and then walked out the door with an melodramatic slam. Finally, she'd left.

Rum… She'd stopped. Rumple was sure his jaw went ajar. He'd stood there allowing the magic to swirl around him and transport him to wherever Belle was summoning him from and an indescribable excitement filling him, and she'd stopped. What had happened? That was it. Belle might get mad, but he needed to see her at least one more time. After all, she'd been summoning him. He started to flourish his hands around himself, when Ursula stepped back in, "Oh, and Rumple,"

"What?" He must've jumped at least a foot in the air at the shrill tone.

"I don't want you complicating things or lying to me, c'mon, I've got a little something for you. I thought your landscaping could use a little rendition." She motioned her hand, and Rumple found himself sliding nearer to her.

"What… What are you doing?" He fought, but Ursula's magic had a tight grip on him. He felt a slither at his lower leg, "Brought your snakes, I see." His voice was quivering, he knew what was happening. It was proof enough that he- the most powerful wizard in all the lands- couldn't break free from her magic.

"They're eels." She hissed back, her magic not letting up a bit.

"Ursula, please, you don't want to do this." By this time, any dignity had been erased from his body as he voice trembled with panic and his body shook, "I need my magic! I need it for Belle, I need it for myself, I need it for everything! I need it to get you ladies to The Author!" Desperately, Rumple tried squirming and fighting his way out of the magic's grasps, but he couldn't.

After the torture of what had seemed like forever, but had actually only been a minute or little over, Rumple found himself submerged into a small pond with Ursula's eels surrounding him. "Ursula!" He screamed, clawing at the grass and trying shamelessly to pull himself back up, the eels had trapped him. The slithery creatures had taken their hold on him,

"I hope you don't mind me adding this little pond to your yard, I thought it made the place a littler homier." She giggled, enjoying watching his suffering. "You know what happens now, Rumple." Ursula grinned mischievously, "My friends here," She motioned to the pond, "they won't hurt you, they're simply going to take all your dark magic away from you. They're not going to lift the curse, no; they'll just drain your magic. You'll be just another ugly and awful villain… With no power." She paused for a more dramatic effect, watching Rumple's sheer hysteria a moment. "You can just give it up, Rumple, you're done for. You aren't going to have any magic left, in a few minutes it'll all be gone."

He felt the power draining from him, and could taste the salt of his own tears as they managed their way into his mouth. "Ursula, I'm scared, stop them!"

"I know." She chuckled, kicking his hands and pushing him into the pond. The eels took over and seemed to attach themselves to every inch of his body. "Don't worry, Rumple, you'll live. The pond will disappear when my babies are done." With that, Ursula sauntered away, and though his tears and muffled cries, he could hear her unmistakable cackle.

If nothing else, Ursula had told the truth. The eels fed off Rumple's magic for a few minutes and when they were through, they and the pond disappeared, and Rumple was laying on the ground half-awake

Rumple fought to keep his eyes open, but the world around him spun and the colors were all mixing together. There was a pounding in his head and a weakness throughout his body. He knew he'd be okay, she hadn't used the dagger. Still, he had now passed out. He had passed out in the woods, alone, with nobody who knew where he was-except Belle. Why would Belle come to find him, though?