I hope everyone enjoyed the first chapter! I wanted to get this chapter up tonight because I'm moving tomorrow and not sure how long the chaos will last or when I'll have internet again. Hope you all like this chapter!

Will was nice to her.

Belle had stepped outside of Granny's, needing to get some air. Her friends all remained inside, and they would probably notice she was gone after a few minutes, but she had just spent five days by herself, mourning the loss of her love, she needed a few minutes alone. Her heart still felt broken. The sun hit her skin and chased away the brisk air, and her hair whipped in the wind. She tried to contain it by tucking strands behind her ears, but gave up when the wind put up too much of a fight and picked up stronger, sighing and slumping in her seat. Belle let her hands drop to her lap and Rumpelstiltskin's face flashed to her mind.

Then she felt someone sit down next to her. She looked up in surprise. Will's face was unexpectedly close, his blue eyes shining. They were a very similar color to hers. His hair was also very dark, but where hers had a more reddish tint his stayed a very dark brown, making it appear almost black. He was handsome, but that wasn't the first thing that she noticed about him. What struck her was the way he leaned back, relaxed, as if they had had this conversation a thousand times.

"So what's your story?" He asked. "Why are you out here by yourself? You don't strike me as the bitter loner type," he raised an eyebrow at her.

His voice sucked her right out of her trance and back into the real world. She quickly reached up and wiped her eyes of stray tears, which she felt coming on the moment she started thinking about Rumple. "I just, needed some space. There's been a lot going on lately, and they are all just, a lot." Belle made a mental note to tone back her use of 'just' and 'a lot', but she didn't want to get into detail with this stranger, so it was justified. "But why am I explaining myself to you," she wondered out loud, "I've never seen you before?"

"It's just that whenever I see a pretty girl crying on a sidewalk bench, I like to make sure she's okay," with that he threw her a smile and got up, sauntering down the street back to wherever it was he came from.

This was one of Belle's favorite memories with Will.

Rumpelstiltskin really felt alive for the first time since being reincarnated. Seeing Belle's face gave him a new sense of purpose, as it always did. He wanted to run to her and touch her face, fell her warm skin and soft hair, but when he really looked at her she was visibly upset. There was also the fact that Belle was holding a small girl that he had never seen before. He honestly did not know what to make of that one.

His eyes never left her, but she looked up at David Nolan and said something to him, but he couldn't make it out. He replied, looking concerned as well, and Rumpelstiltskin wished he could hear the exchange. Belle hurried away and got into David's truck, and Rumple was slightly hurt, not receiving the welcome he expected. He ached for her, and he was expecting his reunion with his true love to be a little less cold a confusing. David looked over at Snow and motioned down the street, Snow just nodded. David got in the truck and drove away with Belle.

"Where is she going?" Rumple wondered aloud.

"We thought she could help," Snow started. "It seemed like a good idea to bring her to see you, but I guess we were wrong. We should have figured from the beginning."

"Can someone just tell me what's going on here? With her, more specifically," he said, pointing a finger in the direction Belle that had driven off with David.

No one said anything. Snow and Emma exchanged looks.

Regina stepped up. "Why don't you tell us about all this?" She waved a charismatic hand around the square. He had left quite a mess when he opened up his portal back to this land, but he always was fond of making a dramatic entrance.

"Sorry to disappoint, dearie," he hissed at Regina, "but for once, I'm as in the dark as you are. All I remember is waking up next my vault, I'm guessing after someone chose to reincarnate me. There was a note that said "to Storybrooke," attached to a magic bean, so here I am. Now, will someone please tell me what is happening with Belle?" He was frustrated now. He spat that last sentence out at Regina, hoping it would get him some answers. She was already not happy with him, possibly feeling a threat to her authority. This had always been a nice little characteristic of their relationship, but it kept both of them on their toes whenever the other was around.

"There is no way you have no other idea how you got here," Regina stated, and started to go on about something else.

Hook stood at the back of the crowd that had gathered, watching The Dark One and and The Evil Queen argue in the street. He knew full well who had brought Rumpelstiltskin back, and he was angry at himself for not realizing it sooner.

"Thank you for the ride," Belle said quickly to David before exiting his truck. She practically ran into the shop with Cheyenne in tow, locking the door behind her and making sure the sign read closed. The shop could be a good hideout for a little while without anyone bothering her, but that would only last for so long. She set her baby down in the play area she had set up, and walked back over to the door, peeking out the blinds. David was gone, Rumpelstiltskin was nowhere to be seen, she was alone. A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she sank down against the door, feeling like she was able to breathe again for the first time today. She also let herself think rationally for the first time. She hadn't even considered how Rumpelstiltskin had gotten here, or why he was here for that matter. When she saw him she let fear overwhelm her. She knew that interacting with him was not an option, plain and simple.

Now that she had removed herself from that situation her mind started to wonder. Travel between the worlds was basically non existent at this point. She had read up on it a lot after Rumple had died, trying to figure out a way to bring him back. Not surprisingly, she hadn't found anything that enabled her to do so; one, because travel between realms was extremely difficult, and two, because soon after was when Will really came into her life. She hadn't found anything to bring Rumple back at the time, but obviously someone else had.

But it didn't matter, he might as well still be dead. There wasn't even the possibility of a real conversation with him, as long as Will was around. She might try if it was just herself on the line, but she had someone else to worry about. She glanced over at her daughter playing innocently with her dolls, no idea the trouble her mother was experiencing. She would lose everything if Will caught her talking to Rumpelstiltskin. Belle was completely dependent on Will. The house, the shop, all their money, everything. And god knows what Will would do to Belle. She would not leave Cheyenne in a bad situation, that just was not an option.

There was so much love in her heart for her daughter, and she wondered how something so wonderful could come out of a situation that was so toxic. It wasn't always like that, however. She used to love Will a lot.

For the next few hours Belle occupied herself with taking care of things around the shop. Organizing, checking the books, whatever she could. She kept the closed sign up, in no state of mind to deal with anyone. No one called either, and she was grateful for that. She glanced at the clock and it revealed it was almost lunch. Will might stop by soon, as he sometimes did unexpectedly around lunch. She didn't like Will being in the shop; the shop was her space, and it held a special meaning to her. But then again she didn't like half the things that Will did, and that didn't stop him.

Thinking about Will showing up the shop made her stop dead in her tracks. What if Rumpelstiltskin came here? It was his shop, after all. All of his things were still here, all of his magic was still here. She kept all of it, it was just sitting in the back room. What if Rumple tried to come here, and then Will showed up while he was here? She didn't even want to think about that. She would not sit around and wait for something disastrous to happen, she was taking this situation in her own hands

She picked up the phone and dialed a familiar number.

"Belle!" Ruby Lucas's voice rang out on the other end. "Are you okay!? I heard about everything that happened."

"I'm fine, Rubs. Look, he's not, there now is he?"

"No, I heard that they took him down to the sheriff's station, because they didn't believe his story. He's being held until he tells the truth or they can validate what he said." Of course Ruby already knew all about what was happening.

"Oh thank goodness," Belle breathed a sigh of relief. This was only a temporary solution, but at least she had time to figure out a plan. "I'm coming down there now, I think I might go crazy hiding out in the shop."

"Okay sweetie, I'll see you soon." Ruby hung up the phone.

She gathered her things and Cheyenne and walked down to Granny's. As she walked in Ruby was setting a burger and tea down on the counter, next to a small grilled cheese for Cheyenne. This made her smile. Archie was sitting on the stool next to her food, and that made her smile too. Archie and Ruby had become her two best friends ever since Rumple died, even if she didn't see them as often as she would like.

Archie held his arms open for her and Belle fell into them.

"How are you?" he asked, rubbing her back comfortingly.

"I'm okay," Belle sighed.

"So what actually happened this morning?" Ruby asked when Belle sat down and started cutting up the grilled cheese into bites for Cheyenne.

"I don't know. David Nolan showed up at my door and asked me to come see something, next thing I know we're in the square with Rumpelstiltskin. I was scared, I asked David to drive me to the shop and I didn't speak to Rumple."

"Belle," Archie said as she took a bite of her burger, "this isn't going to end well."

"I know," Belle admitted. She was completely exhausted at this point, just from all that had happened this morning. "I don't know what to do. I just won't get involved, this isn't my problem."

"This is completely your problem. You really loved him." Ruby looked at her sympathetically.

"Yeah, I really did." And she probably still did, but she wouldn't even admit that to herself. "I know that I'll end up getting involved, but I have to be careful, because it's not just me I have to worry about." As if on cue, the door opened, and the trio looked over. It was Will, staring directly at Belle. His blue eyes were dark and threatening, and it was obvious he had come here looking for her.

"Take Cheyenne for me, please," Cheyenne went willingly over to Archie; he was one of her favorite people outside of her parents.

She walked over to Will. He looked down at her as she took hold of his arm. "Come outside with me," she said and gently pulled him outside. Once they were outside the diner he crossed his arms like a disappointed father.

"Do you have anything to tell me?" He asked.

Belle swallowed hard. "No."

"Belle I know when you're lying to me," he just looked at her with a stern expression. "You're sitting in the gossip center of the town, with the woman who runs the whole thing, and you're playing dumb? What is this I'm hearing about Rumpelstiltskin being back?"

"I don't know anything about that," she lied.

"I don't want you going anywhere near him. He's dangerous and you are not to get involved."

She couldn't help but defend Rumple to Will. "He's not dangerous. And even so, he would never hurt me." As soon as that last sentence left her mouth she regretted it. Will was already not happy with her, talking that way about Rumple would not help the situation.

"I don't care. I don't want you going anywhere near him, do you understand me?" He got closer to her. He was taller than her by a lot, so he towered over her. But that was intentional, it was always how he had asserted his dominance over her. Belle braced herself.

The door to the diner opened, and Archie stepped out. "Is everything okay here?" He asked, facing them.

Will looked at Archie, and then back at Belle, ultimately deciding it wasn't worth the effort. "I'm going back to work. Remember what I said to you." And with that he walked away, and Belle could breathe again.

She walked back into the diner with Archie. "Belle, you can't go on like this." He said to her.

"I don't really have another choice," she said as she took Cheyenne back from Ruby.

"We just hate seeing him do this to you," Ruby said.

"I know, but there isn't much I can do about it. Not if I want to keep my daughter safe." She looked down. They couldn't help her. No one really could.

Hook stood in front of the empty pawn shop and picked the lock carefully, sure that Belle wasn't inside. He had already broken into the library, only to come up empty handed, so the only other place to look was Rumpelstiltskin's former shop.

The door opened and he stepped inside. He walked past the baby toys that were scattered everywhere and into the back room. Belle didn't do much business here anymore. She shouldn't have decided to keep the shop after the imp died, she might not be in this situation if she had give it up.

He dug around for a few minutes, not exactly sure where to look for the item he sought. Finally, he hit a loose floorboard and pried it up, removing the contents from inside.

He picked up the large, leather bound book and flipped through the pages. He had an idea of what he was looking for based on the information they had gotten from Rumpelstiltskin, but he wasn't exactly sure. Suddenly, he came to a page with a detailed diagram of The Dark One's vault, and he read the information around it. It confirmed exactly what he had been suspecting.

"That fool," he muttered to himself. He replaced the floorboard but kept the book with him. He needed to talk to Rumpelstiltskin.

Emma was at the sheriff's station, guarding Rumpelstiltskin. She looked lovely, he always loved a woman with authority. He walked into her office.

"Hey," she said, smiling at him.

"Hey," he held the book under his jacket, not quite ready to talk Emma about this. "Look, I need a few minutes to talk to Rumpelstiltskin, alone."

"I don't know if that's a good idea…" She was hesitant. After all he'd done she didn't fully trust him. He didn't like that, but he understood it.

"I'll fill you in later, I promise," he shot a smile at her, hoping that would work.

It did. She agreed to give him 5 minutes, and that's all he would need.

He walked up to the cell, Rumpelstiltskin was sitting silently on the bunk.

"Is this true?" Hook asked him, showing the illustration and explanation of the vault and reincarnation process.

"Yes," Rumpelstiltskin replied simply.

"And you have no idea who reincarnated you?" Hook asked again.

"No," He said bluntly.

"But it's a trade correct?" Hook said leaning forward. "Whoever reincarnated you would have given their life for yours?"

"Yes. What are you getting at, Captain?" the imp mocked him.

"I know who reincarnated you," Hook confessed. "And I made a promise to him, although I didn't realize what he was doing at the time. He didn't do it for you, he did it for Belle. She needs your help."

Hope you enjoyed! R&R, check out my tumblr, all that good stuff. :)