AN: I've returned! Currently I am trying to finish Blue and Gold! As it is, I can't seem to get out of the angst funk I've been in because of finals, and since it's supposed to be a wedding… angst isn't invited. On a more positive note, I have a Tumblr, with no followers. If you'd like to follow me, PM me and I'll tell you the user name :D

Thanks to my amazing beta Oldromanticem, without whom I would be lost in run-on sentences. Thank you so much for putting up with my rushed typing! :D

Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon a Time

Moving Forward

Mr. Gold had spent twenty eight years of his life, trapped with a chipped cup as his only window to the past. He couldn't count how many times he held that precious bit of porcelain in his hands, his fingers running over the chip at the top. This was his reminder of his past, of his mistakes and his loss. This cup was all he had left of his one true love.

When he found his beautiful Belle, both mentally and physically unscathed, he refused to let her go. Mr. Gold held onto her as he had the tea cup, very cautious in how he acted around her. He would not let his temper take her away. Not again. She was too precious and had too much destruction in her young life to be denied anything. Gold would take a bullet for his Belle, would give her the world, anything she wanted… but he was not going to allow that movie in his home.

"Please, Rum."

Bright blue eyes shined as she held onto his left hand, stroking it softly as if her attention would gain his favor. She bit her lip, not in the way she did while reading and pondering a thought, but in the way that he knew he couldn't refuse. It was the same look she gave him in the Dark Castle when she, in her clumsy state, would knock over a great, irreplaceable artifact, breaking it beyond recognition. It was the look that he saw and knew that something had not gone in his favor, and despite the rumors (and the truths) of his cruelty, he knew he would excuse it with a wave of his hand and an air of dismissal.

"It's the only one I haven't seen."

The couple, official for nearly six months now, were currently in his private office at work, him sitting at his repair desk, and her kneeling by his side. She adjusted her hold on him, his refusal to turn away from his work causing her to hold him securely to ensure he couldn't escape.

"No."

"You're being unreasonable; he's only in there for a little bit."

"No."

"Well, why not?" Belle huffed, dropping his hand and standing up in defiance, hands on her hips. Gold sighed, looking away from the small music box currently on his desk and turned to face her, having to look up to see her eyes.

"David had no problem with Mary Margret watching them," Belle glared down at her lover, refusing to understand his aversion to this movie.

In her time spent 'aware' in Storybrooke, Belle had ran into many fascinating discoveries, several of which shocked her. It wasn't until a few months into her adjustment that Mr. Gold had introduced her to the den of their huge home, in which lay a large flat screen television.

At the time, Belle feared it to be like the mirror Regina had used in their world of old, but after a rather embarrassing reaction and reassurance by her true love, it had soon become her favorite room. To imagine the books she read and loved played out before her eyes was almost more than she could hope for. The sounds and colors that depicted the faraway places she had dreamed of as a child overwhelmed her and ignited her imagination like no other. When she had been introduced to animation, she had been less impressed-that was, until she had found a certain collection of "DVD's", as the storytellers were called, that depicted something she was quite familiar with. The fairy tale collection at the library was quite small, and she assumed it only allowed the few that wouldn't endanger Regina's reign. There was one series, however that was fully intact. With four movies in all, the series played off of the tales that Belle knew so well, almost insulting them on a few occasions.

When she had discovered the movies, Gold had thought nothing of them, not having the patience to sit with her and watch the drivel, no matter how much he loved her being in his arms (he usually made up for the absence later in the night, anyways), but when she had continued to bring home the sequels, he decided to see what her interest was. Using a closed internet connection, one not monitored by their madam mayor, Gold began to look up the series.

The credits on the third movie had just ran, and Belle was about to change the disks when he walked in, surprisingly spry for a man with a cane, and whisked the offensive material, throwing it out the window before she could utter a word. Her shock finally registered completely as he selected another movie to watch from his personal collection.

Some argument about replacing the library's materials, and just what was the matter with him occurred, and had resulted with him falling asleep, alone in the den and her locked up in their room, refusing him entrance.

That was nearly three days ago, and although Belle was still quite irate with her true love over his ridiculous behavior, she had excused it. A conversation with Mary Margaret, who was now also aware, explained just why her Rum had decided to start acting like a child.

"He probably doesn't want you to think poorly of him," she had said over frozen yogurt yesterday. At Belle's confused look, she elaborated. "The villain in the last one is Rumpelstiltskin, only he's a bit… weird… even for him."

Belle had taken this new bit of information, and with nerves steeled and anger simmered, had marched straight to the pawn shop and straight into his office.

"Well, then… go find your happy ending with him," Gold grumbled, reaching for his cane and standing up.

"You are being incorrigible, Rum. It's just a movie," Belle's tone took on a lighter note, trying to balance between annoying him into submission, without giving way to his insecurities. She blocked his way, refusing him exit from behind his desk, and with the chair behind him, he had no way of leaving the opposite way. Gold narrowed his eyes before placing his hands over hers on her hips and bodily moving her from his path. Crippled, he may have been, but weak, he certainly wasn't.

"We could watch it together," Belle asked, trying to block him again, and failing as he quickly exited the office.

"I'm done discussing this, Belle," Gold gritted through his teeth. "It's my house, and I decide what is allowed." The instant the words were out of his mouth, his eyes shut in despair, trying desperately to do damage control. He turned to see Belle stopped in the middle of the doorway, face distraught for a mere second before she quickly replaced it with a smile.

"No," she said, approaching him. His words had stung, but she refused to let him act this way. Regardless of if she got her way over the movie, there was an underlying issue of him being unable to allow anyone into his little world completely, to look at him scarred and ugly and still stay by his side.

"It's our home, and we will discuss it as any normal, adult couple," she said, coming to his side and wrapping her arms around his neck. Belle had spent too much time alone and unloved to allow this man to push her away again, especially over something as ridiculous as a children's movie.

The honesty in her eyes and the weight of her hands distracted him from the fears he felt rushing though him at his carelessness. Being the ever brave woman that she was, Belle had fully ignored his stupidity, determined to get to the root of his insecurities, something he wasn't sure he was grateful or fearful for.

"An adult couple would not be discussing something as juvenile as Shrek." The name, already funny in itself to Belle, came across with an interesting pitch to his roguish accent. She couldn't contain her amusement as her light giggles began to turn into full laughter, and she was burying her face into his shoulder. Her humor was contagious, and even Gold, despite his frustration with the girl, found himself smiling lightly.

It wasn't until her laughter died down that Gold pulled back, holding her chin and looking into her ocean blue eyes. His features softened as he looked down at the woman who had changed his life, his reason for living, besides his precious son.

"Is it really that important to you?"

Belle smiled back at him, before leaning up and capturing his lips with her own in a chaste kiss before taking a step back.

"I suppose not," she said pulling him after her. "In all honesty, I couldn't stand the last one, so I imagine this one won't be much better." She grinned over her shoulder, flipping the "open" sign to "closed" before dragging him outside and towards their home. "I have a better idea on how to spend the evening."

Be sure to review! -TrueLovesMiss