The next morning, Rumplestiltskin walked down the large staircase and into the main parlor. Belle was sitting on the table, at her usual spot, swinging her legs and looking eager and excited.
"Ready to go already, are we, dearest?" He asked. Belle, clearly lost in her thoughts and startled by his entrance, jumped.
"I was just…I was up early." She said, her voice small. She brushed her long hair over her shoulder and looked over at him. The way she watched him created a small ripple in Rumplestiltskin's heartbeat. His thoughts returned to the vial she had filled the night prior…desire. It had kept him awake that night for hours; he had laid in bed for hours thinking of how their hairs had intertwined so gracefully…how beautiful they looked together. Now he looked at Belle, her excitement evident in her shining blue eyes.
"I did have a question though," she began, sliding of the edge of the table, "the place I wanted to visit was my home, and…people will see us together. What if they try to…take me from you?" she asked with a frown.
"Take you from me?" he repeated. Interesting, she said nothing about trying to escape; rather, it sounded as if her being set free from his charge was something she did not necessarily want.
Belle's cheeks reddened. "I just meant," she cleared her throat, "if somebody like Gaston were to see me, he may try to attack you or something." Rumplestiltskin laughed. As if Gaston were a match for him. Belle had no idea that Gaston would never be a threat again; all he would be was the vivid red rose that adorned Rumplestiltskin's long dining table.
"Ah, yes, well, I was considering that. And I know you would just despise being seen with me," he began. Belle opened her mouth to protest at his statement, "So I thought that we would remain invisible and silent." He finished, clasping his hands together.
"Invisible? So nobody would be able to see us or hear us…at all?" She asked, deflating. Her father…her friends, nobody would be able to see her, to know that she was okay, more than okay.
"Not even in the slightest…that is, unless they touch you." Rumplestiltskin answered. He could see that this had disappointed Belle slightly…perhaps he could make an exception or two when he saw fit, but he would not reveal this to her yet.
"Could I maybe leave a note or something to my father? Just to let him know that I am alive and well." She asked quietly.
"Of course," He could see this cheered her up a little bit. "So you are ready to leave then?"
Belle nodded and moved toward him. Together they walked out onto the Dark Castle steps and into the sunlight. It was a gorgeous day. The sun's rays kissed Belle's face and naked shoulders, making her skin glow radiantly. Rumplestiltskin couldn't help but staring at her, she was too stunning a sight to be wasted. He wanted nothing more than to erase everyone else in the land but the two of them. Nobody to pester them, no more deals to be struck, no queen to challenge him, nothing to worry about but her. Belle looked over at him expectantly, which brought him back to reality.
"Take my arm then and off we go." He said. He offered his crooked arm, but instead, Belle took his hand, twisting her fingers between his own. A jolt ran up his spine and it seemed as though something electric had passed between them. Belle must have felt it too because she flinched, but did not break her hold; in fact, she squeezed his hand and moved closer.
This was going to be an interesting day.
They landed at the entrance to the village, a place Belle had not seen in months. She felt tears at the back of her throat as she watched the people she had known since birth walking around and going about their daily lives. She saw the bookstore shopkeeper that had provided her with hundreds of stories to keep her entertained. She saw the baker who had always given her and her father freshly baked bread and pastries. Down the long street, she saw her father's estate on the hill. She longed to go there, to feel her father's arms wrapped around her lovingly. She began walking towards it before realizing she was still grasping Rumplestiltskin's hand and had dragged him forward with her. He began laughing as she released his hand.
"Oo, where are we going so eagerly?" he exclaimed with a giggle, shuffling behind Belle.
"I'm so sorry! I just saw my old home and…got ahead of myself." She replied, stopping and shaking her head, "what's the point? My father won't even be able to see me."
"Why don't we pay him a visit later? Surely there are other places in your little town you would like to see? Would you like to give a tour? Hmm?" Rumplestiltskin asked her, hoping this would take her mind off things.
Belle gave him a small smile and nodded. Rumplestiltskin watched as she grabbed his arm and began pulling him toward the little bookshop. She pushed the door open and led him inside. The shop was small, but every inch of the place was covered in books. The shopkeeper looked up from his book and right through them curiously at the door, which appeared to have opened by itself. He shrugged and went back to reading.
"I must have read every book in here at least twice," Belle explained as she walked between the shelves, Rumplestiltskin in tow. "I used to read many books. Ever since I was a young girl, I was never interested in things like knitting or any of the things the other girls did in town. I always just wanted to learn more. Many of my friends thought I was strange." She added laughing shyly.
"Strange is an undervalued attribute. I think strange suits you beautifully." Rumplestiltskin teased. Belle stuck her tongue out at him, but grinned nonetheless. They walked through the store together, stopping for Belle to look and marvel at new arrivals that were stacked in the corner of the store, waiting to be shelved. While Belle wasn't paying attention, Rumplestiltskin grabbed two of the books she had especially seemed enthralled by and tucked him under his other arm. On their way out of the shop, he slid a few gold pieces on the counter to pay for the books. The shopkeeper, of course, was completely oblivious, lost in his own book.
Rumplestiltskin was fascinated by Belle's stories of her home. She explained how every store or almost every person that they passed had been a part of her life, big or small. Her memory of life's small details was astonishing; she could recall words said to her by the local florist, the tailor, everybody. After a few hours of walking around, they finally stopped to sit on the stone ledge surrounding the fountain in the middle of the town square. Belle gave a long sigh. She bent over the fountain and collected some water in her hands to drink.
"Surely that water is not clean, Belle. I can get you something fresh to drink." Rumplestiltskin said, beginning to get up.
"No, no," she said, grabbing his hand and pulling him back down to sit with her, "I have always drunk from this fountain since I was a child. Water is water, it is not tainted. I have always had an appreciation for things that others have not. My father always said it was going to be my downfall, you see. It was a 'quirk of mine', he used to say."
"I think you're amazing." Rumplestiltskin said quietly, looking down at his lap.
"What did you say?" Belle asked, leaning close to him.
"I think it's amazing" he replied quickly. "How you find some kind of beauty in everything. Even the most ugly and despicable things have value in your mind." Her eyes were focused on his, sparkling in the daylight.
"Everything and everybody is here for a reason. Everything and everybody need love and respect. Even if they don't think so." She said, slowly reaching over to rest her hand on his and squeezing gently. Her face moved closer and his did the same. Their lips were inches from each other, both were breathless and wanting. Suddenly, a splash of water interrupted the moment, catching both of them off guard as it smacked into them. Rumplestiltskin and Belle recoiled away from each other, the right side of their faces wet from the unforeseen splash. They laughed and looked over their shoulders to see a small boy and girl playing in the fountain, splashing water at one another playfully. Rumplestiltskin and Belle's eyes met again and lingered. He knew that she was not afraid of his dark eyes, the eyes that had frightened so many before her. She had never been frightened. She had found something beautiful inside of him despite the darkness that enveloped his soul. He was a weed and she thought him a rose.
Even though Belle's entrance into his life had not been completely random, he could not help but think there was something larger that brought them together, not just a simple deal to save her village from a war. No, this had to be something like fate. After he became the Dark One and assumed the role of the land's demon, nobody had been able to make him feel anything other than hatred or resentment. He had despised what he had become, but she made him feel…better. If becoming the Dark One was what it had taken to meet Belle, then so be it. He had lost everything, but he wouldn't lose her.
"Come, Belle, let's go see your father."