Author's Note: I don't own anything.

The next morning Belle awoke to the smell of Ruby cooking in the kitchen. She was making one of Belle's favorites, which was pancakes. Belle's stomach grumbled and she knew she was hungry. Smoothing out her pajamas she walked out into the kitchen.

"Morning Belle," smiled Ruby.

"Morning."

"How did you sleep?"

"Not well, I had nightmares."

Ruby turned down the stove and sat down on a stool and motioned for Belle to come over. "What happened? Did you want to talk about it?"

Belle looked a bit nervous. "If you don't that's okay. I just want to help you."

"I was locked in a dark room, all the shadow figures were there and a male voice kept saying that I was going to die," admitted Belle.

"Who was the voice?"

Belle didn't say anything for a few moments and Ruby automatically knew who it was. "Rumple," Ruby nodded.

"Ruby, I'm scared."

Ruby hugged her friend and then took her face in her hands smoothing her hair around her face. "You are safe here, I will protect you, nothing will happen to you," smiled Ruby.

Belle felt comforted by Ruby's words as she went to hug her. "Later on today, I have to go to the store," Ruby said going back to her pancakes, "Maybe we could go together?"

"Of course."

They had breakfast with each other in silence. Not an awkward silence, but a warm silence. Belle felt safe, until the doorbell rang. She screamed, ran, and hid. Ruby didn't know whether or not to go after Belle or answer the door. She opted for the door first. She opened it and it was Mr. Gold. "Ruby, I need to see Belle," he demanded pushing his way in.

Ruby struggled to keep him out and he burst into the door. He listened and could hear Belle crying. "Get out of my house or I will call Emma," yelled Ruby.

Mr. Gold froze at Emma's name. "You wouldn't," he whispered.

Ruby went over to her phone and started dialing her number. Mr. Gold eased out and walked away. "This isn't over," Mr. Gold yelled.

Ruby shut the door and went to find Belle. "Belle?"

She smelled blood. Ruby ran all over the house until she found Belle in the bathroom. She was in the tub and she had slit her arms up and down with a razor. "I heard him, he was here," cried Belle.

Ruby grabbed the razor away from Belle. "Suicide isn't the answer Belle," Ruby panicked.

Ruby knelt beside Belle and wiped away the blood dripping down Belle's arms. The blood soaked through the towel. Ruby changed the towels every few moments until finally the blood stopped. She went into her cabinet rubbing some lotion on the scars so it wouldn't burn and the skin would not get infected. Belle flinched at Ruby's touch, but soon felt comforted. Ruby was gentle with her. She didn't want Belle to hurt anymore. "Do I need to lock up the knives?"

"No."

"Belle, you know I can't function without you. You are my best friend and I need you. You will get through this. Maybe you and I should schedule a time to go see Archie. I'm sure he would be willing to help you and I through this. It was pretty traumatic."

Belle didn't say a word, but just stared at her arms. The scars would be there for a long time. A dark reminder of what had happened. "Let's call Archie."

Ruby went to her phone and dialed Archie Hopper's line. "Hi Dr. Hopper, this is Ruby and I wanted to schedule a time to talk with you. It's not just me coming. I'm bringing Belle. We need to talk about something that happened to us and Mr. Gold. It was very traumatic and we need help."

Dr. Hopper picked up the phone. "Come in tomorrow morning at 8:30 am."

"Does 8:30 work for you Belle?"

Belle nodded.

"We will see you tomorrow."

Ruby hung up the phone and said, "I think you and I should go to the store in an hour. Why don't you try and nap again?"

"Will you stay with me?"

"Of course."

Belle fell asleep as Ruby looked over her friend. Belle put her head in Ruby's lap and she began to slowly stroke Belle's hair. She looked down at her friend, letting a few stray tears travel down her face. One accidentally landed on Belle's face. Trying not to wake Belle up, she took her hand and softly wiped away the tears on Belle and her face. She went to sleep for a bit too. Belle woke up and stared at Ruby. "I'm sorry I put you through this," she said, "No one deserves to experience this."

Belle slept more.

An hour passed and the two of them went to the grocery store. It felt weird being out in public. Belle was scared and she put on a long sleeved top so no one would see the scars from her cutting. When they entered the store, Ruby offered Belle her arm and they walked arm in arm into the store. "Do you want some chicken?" asked Ruby as she noticed whole cooked chickens.

Belle didn't answer at first lost in her own little world not paying attention. She was distracted by the sound of children laughing. What would she give to go back to that time of innocence, where everything was whole and pure? Where everything was okay and no one could hurt her or her friends. Belle came back to the real world. "Sorry Ruby, what did you say?"

"Did you want some chicken?"

Belle nodded.

They walked around the entire store and got everything that they needed. They went to the check out as Ruby paid and then they went back to the apartment. Ruby put everything away as Belle sat by the window. The sunshine disappeared behind a dark cloud. It began to rain. Belle opened the door to listen to the rain. "What are you doing?" asked Ruby.

Belle rolled up her sleeve and stuck her hand out into the rain. "Purifying myself. Come with me," Belle said grabbing Ruby's hand.

They went outside into the rain as it poured and Belle fell to her knees raising her arms to the sky. "You did this to me. You took away everything," she yelled.

Ruby knelt beside her friend and put a hand on her shoulder. Belle began to sob and Ruby cradled her in her arms. Ruby's make up was smearing from the rain and her tears. It hurt her to see her friend in so much pain. The beast inside of Ruby wanted to destroy Mr. Gold, but she knew that was the wrong thing to do. She put away her anger for her friend.