A/N: A second chapter seemed to be desired by most of my reviewers, so, here you go, hope it doesn't disappoint - not much fluff, but maybe a little cotton wool. I expect there will be a couple more chapters and maybe some fluff in the future. Reviews make me happy and happy people write fluff!


Lord Maurice, Duke of Avonlea is troubled and, to be honest, a little confused. Just three hours ago, his life was looking pretty damn fine – his daughter was home, a constant flow of suitors filed through the castle and he had a contract tying the most feared creature in the land to his cells. Now, his daughter was gone, along with her cursed baby, he just watched a serving wench and the monster disappear before his eyes. Maurice had a lot of questions to answer. Soon the most prominent royals in the land would be descending on his humble castle to discuss the fate of a prisoner he appeared to have lost.

He is sitting in the grand hall with his council members, everyone wanting to talk at once. They are busy picking apart the contract he had signed with Rumplestiltskin, trying to find the loophole that had caused everything to go wrong. He had known that smart men do not make deals with the fearsome creature, but it had all seemed so win-win to him, he got his daughter back, effectively purified by the size of the dowry the monster was gifting her and he got to be the man who finally captured the scourge of the kingdoms. All he had to do in return was protect his daughter and the cursed child (although everyone knew how Rumplestiltskin treated firstborns, so he doubted the child would be his problem for long) and what father wouldn't do his all to protect his only daughter, deal or no deal?


What Maurice couldn't have known, is that at exactly the same time, Rumplestiltskin is poring over the same contract, trying to decide which loophole to exploit. He has hastily done some castle modifications to turn Belle's old bedroom into a suite, adding a sitting room, nursery and small chamber for Red. Exerting his magical will on unbending stone has left him drained and his head pounding. All magic comes with a price and right now he feels like he moved those walls with his bare hands as well as his mind. Belle and the baby are still sleeping, but Red is in the kitchen. She made him tea earlier, he didn't drink it, but appreciated the offer.

His problem with the contract is annoying him, while he created many loopholes in the finer points of the deal, he hadn't even considered the possibility of leaving with Belle, the possibility that she might want to be with him, so he was stumped. Although there was no magic involved in this contract, he is bound by his magic to uphold the terms of his deals and at the moment it looked very much like he was going to have to surrender himself to the Duke's Guard. He needs to sleep, get some perspective, look at this again with a fresh pair of eyes.

He reaches over to drink the tea Red had made him earlier. It isn't bad, not as good as the tea Belle made, seeped slightly too long with a touch too much honey, but then, it might have tasted better were it not cold. Red had thanked him for saving her when she brought him the tea, called him 'my Lord', informed him that Belle was weak but well and scurried away. He hadn't seen Belle or the baby since he dropped them in her bed. Part of him was thinking about them all the time, whirling away like a mystery his brain was trying to solve without his input. Just a little peek, he tells himself, then I shall sleep.

Too mentally exhausted to transport himself, he drags his weary body up the stairs to her new suite, pausing to listen at her bedroom door, before silently pushing it open and peering into the semi darkness. The curtains are drawn, blocking out most of the afternoon sun, but it is still bright enough for him to see them, Belle curled around the small bundle in her bed. His feet move him to her bedside like he is entranced, and he drops to his knees to gaze at them, softly breathing together in their sleep. He hardly dares to touch the precious baby, his daughter, remembering with a painful jolt, the cruel way he had magicked her from her mother's arms just hours earlier. He is a monster trying to be a man, but still a monster. He carefully presses a long slim finger into his daughter's fist, taking care not to scratch her soft and delicate skin, silently gasping in delight at the strong grip in which she holds on. He rests his head on the mattress, just a minute, he tells himself, just a minute to relax and recharge and pretend I am a man, a normal man.


This is the scene Belle wakes to, her unnamed daughter in her arms, Rumplestiltskin asleep on the floor, his finger firmly claimed by her, by their, child. She is afraid, still so afraid that he will take the child and send her back, but she can't help smiling at the sight before her. The baby is starting to whimper, she needs to be changed and fed, but Belle can't bring herself to unwrap the tiny hand from the golden finger it holds, so she sits and watches a while, tries to find the words she knows she will need later, the apologies, the thanks, the promises.

She had awoken with a start some time earlier, the baby safe at her side and Lucy curled at her back. The young maid sensing her mistress's distress had stroked her hair, told her where they were, what had happened. The story had been brief and didn't explain Lucy's role, although the girl insisted she was happy.

Now, as Belle looks down on her master, sleeping peacefully at her side, she contemplates the man who thinks himself a monster. No monster would have given so much to keep her safe, she had not asked of it, nor felt she deserved it, he effectively traded his life to give her a chance at hers. Could she put away the sadness and the fear of the last nine months and try to stay with him? Would he let her try?

The baby cries out, demanding attention and Rumplestiltskin wakes, moving away before his eyes have opened. He looks at Belle and wonders which of them is more afraid.

'I won't take her.' He stutters. 'I won't touch her again without your leave.' She looks relieved and he bows his head, turning for the door as Red rushes in, nearly colliding with him. He presses himself against the wall, sidling his way out of the room while the ladies fuss over the babe.

He is sitting at his wheel, spinning and thinking, his head spinning as much as the wheel. Dusk is falling and the castle's candles start to ignite. He turns as the doors open and bounces quickly to his feet as Belle enters the room, heavily leaning on Red, the baby strapped to her chest with a long length of material. Red slowly escorts her mistress to the table and seats her, before rushing out again. Rumplestiltskin bounces lightly on his feet, clasping and unclasping his hands, full of nervous energy, at an unnatural loss for words. He is about to seat himself again to resume spinning when Red re-enters the room, bringing with her a scent that makes his stomach growl. She places a big bowl of stew at his chair and one for Belle, before taking the baby and strolling out of the room, whispering some lullaby in a calming voice.

'Please.' Says Belle, her hand waving towards his chair, voice cracked and soft. He looks around, as if she might be talking to someone else, asking someone else to share her meal. He hesitantly creeps to his chair, slowly and quietly, afraid to scare her and make her bolt, not that she looks like she has the energy to go anywhere by her own steam. He sits, watching her carefully as she stares at her stew, stirring the spoon around and around making no effort to eat.

'Is Red a terrible cook, then?' He tries. She looks up at him quizzically. 'You don't seem inclined to eat.' He gestures to her meal. He is trying, trying so hard, in his head he is screaming at her to please, please help him try. She smiles weakly, it doesn't reach her eyes, dark and dull and ringed with bruises.

'Red?' She queries before understanding his nickname for the girl. 'Her name is Lucy, she is an excellent cook and you stole her away.' She doesn't mean to be so confrontational, she looks down, mumbles apology and blows on a spoonful of stew before eating.

'I didn't steal her.' He spits, his anger too quick to rise. He is tired, too tired, he looks at his bowl, eating steaming spoonfuls on stew, burning his mouth and not caring. He doesn't look up until he hears her sobbing, tears rolling down her cheeks.

'No, no, no!' His mentally kicks himself, but his words come out soft, if a little panicky. 'Don't cry, my Belle.' He finds himself kneeling at her side, unsure of the movement that got him there. 'I rescued her, she was so brave, so fiercely loyal to you. So many bruises, such haunted eyes.' He is mumbling now, more to himself than to her. 'Men should not hit women and they should never take what isn't freely given.' He can feel the anger rising up in him again, he is a more a monster than he is a man, but in this, and maybe this alone, he is pure and true.

She looks down on him, her crystal eyes shining with tears, her cheeks are flushed from the sobbing and the effect makes her look healthier. 'Sorry.' She sniffs. 'Please lets not fight, too tired.' She turns back to her stew and when he is sure she is settled, he returns to his chair and scraps his bowl clean. They don't speak again, but when Red returns the atmosphere in the room is much lighter. She hands the baby over to Belle and clears their bowls, promising to return with tea. The baby is quiet, but awake and he can't help but stare, she is so very beautiful and so very human. He wants to reach out, to stroke her soft golden hair, but he doesn't, he promised he wouldn't. When Belle looks up at him, he averts his gaze and stands, backing away from the table as her eyes bore into his very soul.

He is going to leave, after all her carefully planned words, they just snapped at each other and now he is going to leave and she knows she must try, be brave enough for both of them.

'How about a deal?' Her words surprise him, both the fact that she spoke and the words she uttered.

'A deal, Dearie?' He smirks. 'I hardly think your deals with me have been advantageous to you in the past. Do silly princesses ever learn?' His words, though cold and mocking, lack conviction, so she ploughs on.

'If you help me to the fire side, you can hold her if you like.' The words are wary, almost a whisper. Her eyes are full of hope and pleading with him, but he can't help himself.

'Hold you, hold her.' He says in his sing songy voice. 'You think it wise to hand your daughter to the monster who steals away girls?' He giggles, a grating noise to mock himself with.

'She's your daughter too.' Belle breathes. 'And I will never believe that you are a monster.' Though so quiet he can barely hear her, the steel in her voice is unmistakable.

When Red returns with the tea tray, she finds her mistress seated by the fire, baby suckling at her breast, master at her feet. A golden tinted hand slowly stroking the downy hair on the precious infants head.

He looks up when she sets down the tray, removing his hand, but remaining on the floor. 'Thank you, Re-' He starts, frowning. 'Thank you, Lucy.' He finishes, because names are important, especially when they are all you have.

'M'lord.' She swallows. 'If its all the same to you, I prefer Red. Red has ... strength, I like it.' She smiles at him and he nods, he understands the need to move on from your past. He stares into the flames, hearing her footsteps leave the room. Names are important, he thinks, they can define a person, they can ruin a person. Names have power.

'She should have a name.' His voice quiet but firm as he returns his eyes to Belle. 'Did you have one planned?'

The beauty shakes her head, her curls falling over her shoulders in a chestnut waterfall. 'I didn't imagine I could keep her, I refused to think on the future.' She sniffs delicately as a tear slips down her cheek. He reaches up to catch it, his magic turning it to crystal in his hand. Throwing the crystal in the air, he releases a puff of magic and what lands in his hand is a beautiful mobile, crystal tears hanging from golden thread. Holding it up to show it off, he smiles shyly at Belle, the crystals reflecting the firelight to cover them in ghostly flames.

'Its perfect.' She smiles, a real smile. 'Thank you!'

'It should be Aurora.' He states it like a fact, placing the mobile carefully under the chair and rising to pour them tea. 'Her name.' He clarifies. 'Aurora, the light over taking the dark, a new beginning, a new hope.' He takes his cup and walks away. 'Goodnight, Lady Belle.' He bows before leaving the room, a half smile playing on his face.


He is fast asleep, trapped in a dream of crystal bars and crying babes, when his door flies open with a bang. The magic is prickling at his fingers tips, eager to be released when the intruder realises their mistake. The figure freezes in the doorway and he diverts the magic, sparking a few candles to light and making himself presentable. Sitting crossed legged in the middle of his bed, he plasters his famous smirk to his face before looking up.

'Well, well, Dearie, someone is keen.' He giggles, a noise which dies in his throat when he sees her. 'Belle!' All hint of the snarling imp is gone, his voice is low and apologetic. She is breathing hard, her feet are bare, her hair tussled and falling from a thick braid. She is dressed in nothing but a blue silk night gown, which clings to her body in a way he tries to ignore. 'What are you doing here?' He snaps. 'I could have killed you!' The sense of panic he feels clearly audible in his words.

She puts her hand out to the door frame, still weak and needing the support. 'Rum.' She says, soft, almost loving. 'The deal, I .. How do we stop the deal?' He blinks at her, his mind struggling to hear her words, being still somewhat engaged by her state of dress. She frowns and takes a deep breath before walking towards him. 'The deal.' She tries again. 'You. I. The deal.' She is nearly in tears and he is torn between backing away from her and taking her in his arms. She makes the decision for him, climbing up onto his bed and taking his hand. 'We have to break the deal. Please.' Her tears start to fall and he is helpless to do anything other than wrapping her in his arms.

He lets her cry herself out on his shoulder, his back hurts and his hands long to tangle in her hair, destroying the rest of her braid, but he doesn't break position until she looks up at him.

'I missed you so much, Rumplestiltskin.' She whispers and he is lost. He crushes her to him, burying his hand and his face in her hair, breathing her in, feeling her heart beat against his chest. It's too much, he knows, any second now she will slap him, push him away, but he has dreamed of this, of her weight in his arms again and he will take any punishment for just a second longer.

'Rum!' She chokes. 'I can't breath!' He lets go in an instant, hands in the air in surrender, head down, ashamed. He moves away from her as she gulps in lung fulls of air, resting against his headboard when he finds he has nowhere else to go. He doesn't speak until her breathing has calmed.

'Belle, I.. I shouldn't have, forgive me.' He peeks up at her, dreading the look he will find on her face, disgust maybe, but more likely fear, he nearly suffocated the poor girl, he makes a terrible man, but a fine specimen of a monster. So he is startled to see her eyes shinning with merriment and her lips spread in a smile.

'It is easy to forgive a man his over zealousness, especially when he saved my life so recently.' Her voice is light and tinkles with laughter. 'Especially when suffocation in his arms feels so good.' She looks up at him, blushing, fighting hard to hold her strength and keep her eyes on his.

He returns her smile, eyes widening in realisation. 'Of course!' He shouts, pouncing up from the bed to pace the room. 'Keep you safe. Blood and dying and very not safe.' He is rambling and Belle is lost, but he seems almost happy. 'I'll see you for breakfast?' He questions, but disappears in a cloud of magic before she can answer.


A/N: Forgot any Disney princesses who may or may not be called Aurora, the name was too meaningful to pass up, just because Disney stole it for something else ;)