Chapter 5

It had been a month since that night. Belle had been shaken up for days. Rumple continued to supply her with the dreamless sleep potion. Everything remained in the norm. She cooked she cleaned. However they had become a little more familiar. They would talk never about anything to important. Just to fill the silence. His threats had become nothing but playful quips and she could feel them growing closer. She started to laugh and joke with him. She noticed that when he wasn't working on a deal he was always spinning on his wheel. She wondered how he had learned such a trait. But she knew that was a little too personal, for the both of them.

She was working in the dining room where he kept trinkets and his spinning wheel.

He was currently spinning and working on cleaning the drapes. At the moment she just wanted them open. She decided to be bold and talk to him; hopefully it wouldn't be pushing the line.

"Why do you spin so much?" She asked carefully.

His hand stops at the wheel and he looks at her.

"Sorry. It's just… You've spun straw into more gold than you could ever spend."

With a twitch of his head Rumpel replied, "I like to watch the wheel – helps me forget."

"Forget what?"

"I guess it worked." Rumpel laughs they way he always does with his impish glee meant to make others uncomfortable. He was surprised when Belle laughed right along side with him. Rumpel walked over to Belle confusion lining his brow. She was pulling desperately on the drapes.

"What are you doing?"

"Opening these. It's almost spring – we should let some light in."

She tugs even harder the ladder moving with her. "What did you do? Nail them down?"

"Yes."

Belle tries pulling the curtains again, she grunts as they give her no leeway. Her body was bending away from the ladder the edges of her feet are the only thing keeping her up right. With a final tug the drapes they ripped free taking Belle with them she had a brief moment of fear as she fell towards the ground. Her eyes were shut but instead of meeting the wooden floor of the hall, strong lean arms caught her.

Belle looked into Rumpel's eyes then his face. His skin glistened in the light. An undertone of green but a prominent gold, like the straw he spun made up his skin. It looked rough to the touch. Belle's heart fluttered. She wanted to reach out and touch it.

"Um…thank you." She whispered.

He set her down so quickly she had to catch herself.

"Thank you."

Rumpel waved off her apology. "It's no matter." He still had a shocked and lost look on his face. Belle was still shaken. Not so much from the fall but from her rescuer and the look that filled his eyes.

"I'll, uh, put the curtains back up."

Rumpel nodded. Then turned around. "Ah, there's no need. I'll get used to it."

He walked away with his thumbs massaging his fingers. He could still feel her warmth. It was unusual. Sure he had felt the warmth of other people when he took them when they could not fulfill their deals. However this was warmth that left him wanting more. A feeling he had not felt since before he became the monster he is. When he was still a man.

After Belle finished with the curtains she left the room off to prepare lunch. As she walks to the kitchens she hears a voice in her head. It chilled her to her very core.

"I will find you Wife. Wherever that BEAST has taken you, I WILL find you." Belle spun around desperately looking for the owner of the voice.

"No matter what he does to you it will pale in comparison to what I will do to you. You still have yet to give me a son Wife. You dared to give me a daughter and I will see to it that she and you are found. Then I will lock her away so she shall never disgrace the world with her presence and I will take you and continue to take you until you bare me a SON!"

Belle backed herself against the wall and whimpered, "Where are you?" Belle cried.

"Do not worry Wife I am far away. But I am gaining. I am coming for YOU!"

"NO!" Belle screamed as she slid down the wall. She hugged her knees to herself.

From the dining room Rumpel heard her scream and ran towards her voice. Belle was in trouble and he couldn't even think to use magic to make himself appear by her side.

"Ha, ha, ha, did you think you were safe? Why would you ever think that? I told you when your father promised me you, YOU ARE MINE!"

"NO! I'm not! You can't have me! He will protect me!" Belle covered her ears praying for the voice to stop.

"Did you whore yourself out to him WIFE? Is that why you feel you are so SAFE? He cannot protect you from and MY allies. I will have you!"

"NO! NO! PLEASE!" Sobs wracked Belle's body. She shook with fear and desperately wished for the voice to stop once more.

Rumple still running found her on the floor. He sensed a dark presence in the air. It was thick, like smoke that wasn't there. When he looked towards her he could almost see the brute hovering over her. He growled. "Get away from her!"

The brute didn't look up but he felt the magic presence whither a bit. Rumple clenched his fists and closed his eyes. He shoved his power out of his body so it flew around the room.

"He is pushing me out Belle. Don't worry however I will be back. You cannot run from me. You cannot hide from me. I will have you WIFE I will see to it that you are mine and this time we will make a SON."

"Ahh!" Belle screamed.

"Get. Out. Of. My. CASTLE!" Rumpel pushed one more time and he felt the presence and the Brute disappear. Belle was still slumped on the floor her hands covering her ears and her eyes closed. She was rocking herself. Whispering to herself for everything to stop. It tore at his heart. He may make people cower in fear. But it was usually of his name. It took a special kind of monster to make someone react how Belle was. As much as it tore at his heart it did nothing to curb his anger. Someone had broken into his wards. Who had the power to do so was one question. However who was stupid enough to do so was a better one. Rumple rushed over to her. His hand reached out to touch her and as he did she flinched violently and screamed.

"Get away from me!" Her eyes opened wide searching around for an escape.

"It's only me dearie. He wont get to you here he can't. He wasn't working alone. I will make sure they never get you. HE will never touch you again."

"Oh Rumple!" She collapsed onto him with her arms around his shoulders sobbing.

At first Rumple flinched and stayed perfectly still. Getting over himself he bent and slid an arm under her legs and kept the other behind her back. Lifting her he began magicked them to her room. He sighed again rubbing his eyes with one hand and with a flourish of the other he and changed the ladder that lead to her loft into stairs and carried her up them. Laying her on the bed he saw that she was asleep. He sighed again rubbing his eyes with one hand and with a flourish of the other magicked her nightclothes onto her and the blankets on top of her. He told himself he would not get to personal with his little maid. It turned out however that he just could not help himself. Tomorrow they would talk. Tomorrow he would find out about this brute and whom he might have allied with that could get through his wards. For the first time he could remember. He would not enjoy the thought causing someone pain. Although it was more than that, he could think about causing his prisoners in the dungeon pain and it still made him happy. Her just her, he could not bare to cause her pain. He wanted to protect her. He NEEDED to protect her, and damn it he WOULD.

The next day Belle awoke with a start. She couldn't remember coming to bed. Looking down she saw she was in her nightclothes. For a moment she was outraged. How dare he-. She thought for a moment. He probably just magicked them on her. No need to get upset. She knew what it felt like to be rid of her clothes while she was sleeping and this was not the case. Gingerly she got out of bed and moved towards ladder, now turned stairs. She thought to change it back then decided against it. Stairs were easier. Belle dressed and left for breakfast. She mad simple meat and eggs with juice. She wanted an apple but n matter how much she wished for one, it would never appear. It was curious. But she settled for a peach.

As Belle entered she saw him sitting with his head in his hands. "Are you alright?"

He jumped. "Yes, yes of course dearie." He stood and walked towards her. Picking up his tray he sat it down and sat on his table. "Come join me. There is something we must discuss."

Belle looked at him concerned. Shrugging her shoulders, she lifted her plate and sat next to him on the table. He looked at her and then looked away. Then he sighed.

"What is it Rumple?"

"I need to talk to you. About the brute… Gaston"

Belle froze with fear. "Why" She whispered. His eyes closed again at the fear in her voice.

"I need to know if he has any allies that could get through my wards. I need to know the kind of man he is Belle. I need to know what he is capable of." He surprised himself by using her name.

Now Belle closed her eyes. "He is the worst monster imaginable." Rumpel opened his mouth to say something but she stopped him. "You may think you are a monster Rumple but I have heard the stories. People make deals with you and then when they aren't willing to pay the price you take what you said you would. They make the deals with you. Therefore they are the ones who apply for the consequences. I have yet to hear a story where you didn't make a deal with someone at fault…

Gaston. Gaston is a monster. He hunts and he kills for fun. It is sport so that is not that bad. But it isn't just game he hunts. He hunts for people. When he feels that they have wronged him in some way. He has his goons kidnap them and take them to a forest with no way out but one that Gaston himself knows. Then he hunts them. When he finds them he kills them, in cold blood.

He would rape me. He took my virginity in the most awful way possible. I've never had sex without rape. When father married me to him, at the ceremony he actually covered my mouth so I couldn't say no. The priest just allowed it. I used to think no one could decide my fate but me." She gave a short and haughty laugh "Of course I also thought my father loved me. How wrong I was. Why did you want me here?" she asked suddenly.

He snorted. "The place was filthy. You needed to make a deal. Win, win I guess."

"I think you were lonely. I mean any man would be lonely."

Rumpel looked out to the room. "I'm not a man."

"So, I've had, uh, while to look around, you know. And, uh… Upstairs in one of the rooms, there's, uh, clothing – small, as if for a… A child? Was it yours, or… Or was there a son?

Rumpel dropped his shoulders. He didn't want to tell her anything. Although she had to deal with a troubled past and so did he. She shared. What was the harm?

"There was. There was a son. I lost him – as I did his mother."

Belle frowned "I'm… I'm sorry. So you… You were a man, once. I mean an ordinary man." He didn't say anything. "If I'm never going to know another person in my whole life, can't I at least know you?"

"Perhaps… Perhaps you just want to learn the monster's weaknesses." He waggled a finger at her. She laughed.

"You're not a monster. You think you're uglier than you are. That's why you cover all the mirrors up, isn't it? Hm?"

Rumpel's jaw clenched. "Somewhat. Also because enemies of mine that can see into the lives of their enemies using mirrors. I prefer to not let them in on any of my secrets. Why didn't you like Gaston? I mean before you were made to marry him."

"I never liked him. Always thought him to boorish, oafish, disgusting. You know, to me, love is… Love is layered. Love is a… A mystery to be uncovered. Yeah, I could never truly give my heart to someone as superficial as he. But, um, you were going to tell me about your son."

"I lost him. There's nothing more to tell, really."

Belle looked at him sadly. "And, since, you've loved no one and no one has loved you."

He sighed once more. It seemed to be the theme of the day. He stood and walked to the windows looking out to the garden, dead and withering. A thought struck him.

"Belle how would you like to go outside?"

Belle's eyes shined with happiness. "Outside, really?"

"Yes come." He gestured her over to where he was. Then pointed out the window to the garden.

She walked over to him and looked out. "A garden?" Belle loved gardening. It was the one thing Gaston allowed. It was feminine. She had a small garden out on their balcony. Roses. Her favorite. She could see rose bushes in the distance.

"The castle is clean and there is no need for it to be under constant clean. Only you and I are ever here. We can hardly dirty up a whole castle by ourselves can we? I want you to take care of the garden. Spend as much time there as you wish it is my gift to you."

Tears shown in her eyes. "Thank you. No one has ever given me something so-"

"It may be a gift but it isn't free you will have to work hard. I will have books in your room for you to read to take care of it."

Belle smiled even brighter "Will you join me there for lunch when it's finished?"

He smirked "Perhaps."

She smirked back and resisted the urge to hug him. "Can I start now?"

He waved towards the doors to the room "By all means."

She giggled like only a girl can and ran to her room for the books, and then she ran out to the garden. Taking in a gasp of fresh air. She sat on the ground and set to work.

It took Belle 2 months to get the garden into top shape. There weren't any more contacts from Gaston. Rumple had tripled the wards on the castle. When she woke up she knew this was the day that the roses would bloom. She had a feeling in her gut. She put on a dress she had modified to include pockets for her tools and light enough for the weather. She flew down the stairs and out of the side doors to the garden.

Rumple watched her from the dining room, which had become the norm for him. She watched how she cared for the garden. Treating it with love and care, like that of a mother. Of course she was a mother. That made him frown. She did not deserve to be put in a position such as she was. She deserved a happy life with a loving husband and her daughter in her arms.

Belle went right over to her roses. She saw they were beginning to bloom. They looked radiant, vibrant red in color, the perfect roses. She had treated the garden like a child. She babied and cared for it as she would have her baby. Her beautiful baby Emilie. This garden was her baby now. It was what she had to care for. Although as she often thought about her baby and how she wished for her. She wished she could have her in her arms once again. Looking to her last bush she saw a flower that seemed to be blooming slower than the others. She walked over to it and whispered to her flower. "Come on little flower, your brothers and sisters have bloomed it's your turn. The flower seemed to respond to her voice, it started to bloom right in front of her eyes. It grew with a sparkle of magic. She touched it gently with the back of her index finger, and gasped when it began to open. It uncurled from itself and Belle gasped again, but this time in shock. There, at the middle of the flower was a tiny girl dressed in a little pink dress. She had long chestnut brown hair that curled around her there was a blonde streak in her bangs and down the front sides of her hair. Anyone would have thought she was a fairy but she had no wings. The little one yawned and rose from her flower. When she stood her hair fell below her buttocks.

"Hello mother." she said in a voice clear and beautiful.

Belle smiled at her. Then frowned confused. "Mother?"

"Aren't you my mother?" she said looking slightly sad.

Belle's eyes watered. She placed her hands in front of the girl, who stepped right on holding onto the thumb of one of Belles hands. "Of course I am darling. What is your name?"

The little flower girl looked at her. "I don't think I have one."

Belle smiled. "Than I shall give you one. How about…" she thought for a moment "Thumbelina?"

"Oh Mother I love it!"

"Well Thumbelina there is someone I think you should meet."

"Is it my Papa?"

Belle giggled. "How about you decide for yourself when you meet him Thumbelina."

From his post at the window Rumpel felt the magic of his castle and himself create something. But he had no idea what it could be. The magic wasn't dark like he was used to. It was very, very white. He could see Belle talking to something in her hand. Belle walked very excitedly toward the castle. Rumpel wondered what she had found. She looked happy. He had never seen her that way. Her cheeks were flushed and she was smiling with joy cradling that thing in her hand. He smiled at whatever had made her happy. It was worth everything to see that smile on her face.

Little did he know what was lurking just outside the castle wards; something that would take away that happiness, hers and his. Even though he had not figured that part out yet.