Just as predicted, Rapunzel loved the dress and couldn't conceal it from Belle. She stared over joyed at herself in the mirror. "You look absolutely magnificent." Belle said honestly.

"I think I have to marry this dress." Rapunzel said delighted. "I can love no other more than this"

"Oh my lady please don't say that." the maid's voice was a little sad.

"Why not?" Rapunzel laughed. "Dresses can never leave you." She turned to Belle and said with a grim smile.

"Lady Rapunzel, we're late."

"Should we walk slowly then?" She said happily.

"No we should hurry." They left the tower, and Belle was especially careful not to step on a single lock of Rapunzel's precious hair. When they came into the dining room, the DarkOne was already there, and the plates already full of food.

"Are we early?" Rapunzel asked with a smile.

"No! You're late!" He spat at her angry.

"Oh forgive me DarkOne" she curtsied with grace. "I was far too busy admiring your gift to noticed." Belle pulled the chair out for Rapunzel, then went to pour the wine for her masters. The DarkOne sat down at his stair, and ate his food with his hands, making a mess. "Its been too long DarkOne. I nearly forgotten your face."

"It was barely three days Rapunzel." Belle poured his wine, then walked to Rapunzel's glass.

"So long?" She sounded so sad.

"If you left your tower more we'd be more likely to run into each other." He stated still irritated she was late, and Belle set down the bottle and stood a little away from the table, wait for them to ask more of her.

"Why is this table so long?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why have such a large table?" She asked again. "Its just the two of us here, we hardly eat together, and before me you were alone. So why such a grand table?" she questioned him.

"I want to live like a king. And have the best. That is why the table is this way." He explained forgetting he was upset with her.

"With a table like this we might as well eat at the same time, in separate rooms." She joked.

"What are you getting at?" He ask suspicious of her. Rapunzel rose from her chair and picked up her plate and glass, and walked over to the DarkOne's side and set her plate and glass down, but stood waiting patiently. The DarkOne snapped his fingers and instantly in purple smoke her chair had moved to where Rapunzel was and she sat letting it catch her. They both ate a bit before speaking again.

"This is much better isn't it?"

"Yes. I suppose." He replied unsure of this change. "I'm surprised you came at all Dearie."

"Well I did sign the contract." She smiled at him. "Maybe just come get me next time? It's not like I'm in the next kingdom over."

"I suppose but I thought you'd like an extra touch." He joked.

"But what brought this on?" She ask slyly leaning in.

"I don't know what you mean."

"Don't lie." she sipped her wine. "I mean why go through all this trouble." she stood and stepped one time closer, and turn away and sat on top the table.

"What has gotten into you Rapunzel?" he eyed her, curious, but cautious.

"I think there is more." She leaned into his face. The poor imp was captivated, his eyes didn't leave Rapunzel's face. "Is there something you'd like to tell me?" Her hand moved for his face but hit his wine glass splashing his jacket and shirt. "Oh my! I'm so sorry!" The DarkOne jumped up shouting. She helped him out of his jacket, and Belle rushed over grabbing a cloth napkin from the table and dabbing his shirt. While his back was to Rapunzel, she searched through his jacket pocket, until she found an odd shaped dragger. She had to pull it all the way out of it's hiding place to read the name 'Rumpelstiltskin'. She couldn't contain herself, she grinned large, and almost gigglied. She had won this man's game, and couldn't hide her joy. Rapunzel quickly returned the dragger to its pocket, threw the jacket onto her chair, and covered her mouth with both hands to hide her rejoicing.

"What is the matter with you?" Rumpelstiltskin screamed at Rapunzel, and she can't breath. Not from fear, if she took too deep a breath she'd burst with laughter, and shout out his name.

"I... I can't..." With that Rapunzel ran from the room, back to her tower, her hair flowing after her, making the dramatic exit longer than it needed to be.

"That disty tower girl!" he shouted after her.

"Is she always so friendly?" Belle asked shyly, suspecting there was more there than the DarkOne was sharing.

"No! That woman is a plague on this house! And makes a mess everywhere she goes!" He was furious with Rapunzel. "Where does she get off running away after disrespecting me?!"

"She's probably embarrassed."

"Embarrassed?"

"Yes! After trying so hard to impress you, she spills wine. I'd be embarrassed." Belle reasoned for Rapunzel.

"I suppose." Rumplestiltskin sat down in his chair and thought to himself quietly.

"She might have even been a little frightened?"

"Frightened? Of me?" He asked surprised.

"You did shout at her sir."

"I've shouted at her plenty of times." he confessed to Belle. " She's never been afraid of me."

"Perhaps she would appreciate an apology all the same sir."

"I am the DarkOne!" He reminded Belle. "I do not apologise."

"Well then I hope you weren't trying to win her over."

"Of course not!" Belle nodded and left to the kitchen to clean. "Of course not." he whispered to himself.

Rapunzel had ran into her tower and slammed the great gold door on hair and leaned her back against it. Finally she laughed and laughed, harder than she ever had before in her life, and she began to sink down to the floor continuing her laugh. When she managed to catch her breath she said allowed to herself "I need to write it down! I'll forget if I don't!" She leaped up and dashed for the stairs, but her yanked her back down to the floor. "Damn hair!" She crawled quickly back to the door and pulled it wide open, and turned back for the stairs. Rapunzel was falling over herself through the trapdoor, and in her room. She found paper and rushed for a quill and ink bottle. When she found them she was so excited she spilled the ink all over the paper. "No! Why!?" She cried. Her hands were covered in ink, and the paper was ruined. "No no no! R. U. M. P. E. L... What else was there!" She whined. "R. U. M .P L." she said as she search around for anything to write on. "Oh forget it!" Rapunzel dipped her fingers in the spilled ink and jump to her bed and painted his name over where her would later lay.

"R. U. M. P. E. L." she paused trying to remember the rest. "What was the rest?" she bit her lip, and closed her eyes. "ok" Rapunzel took a deep breath and opened her eyes. " S. T. I. L. T. S. K. I. N." She admired her work, smiled and giggled once more before walking back down the tower steps, and back into the dining room, where Rumpelstiltskin was still at his seat by the table. His face showed his surprise at her return. "I am so sorry about my behavior last month." she apologized sincerely.

"It wasn't last month." He corrected

"Last year?" she asked walking back to her chair.

"It wasn't last year. I'm still wearing the shirt you doused in wine."

"You should really change that top." she said as she sat in the chair.

"Rapunzel you're still in the dress I gave you just a few hours ago."

"It is a lovely dress. Were you going to ask me to a Ball?" She smiled knowingly.

"I don't make a habit of asking ladies who run from me to dance." He teased.

"Well then maybe one should ask you instead." Rapunzel stood and held out her hand for him to take.

"Rapunzel there is ink all over your hands." He took pulled a cloth out of a pocket in his shirt. "Wait. You're trying to trick me!" he accused.

"Oh stop it!" She took the rag from him, and wiped away the ink.

"I don't trust you."

"Its just a dance DarkOne." She smiled sweetly.

"Very well Dearie." He smiled not forgetting his worries, but deciding to see what Rapunzel was up too. He conjured up a self playing harp, she tossed the rag away, he placed one hand in the small of her back, she took his other hand and placed her other on his shoulder. They danced in small circles, and Rumpelstiltskin was careful not to step on her hair despite it laying about the floor. As she stared into the DarkOne's eyes she smiled a grin so large, her cheeks hurt. "Why so happy?"

"You're not reason enough?" She asked avoiding his question.

"I'm no reason at all." He said grimly. Rapunzel sucked in her lips trying not to giggle more, not at his words but from holding in her secret. "Why are you so happy?" He was beginning to get angry with her. "What is it?" He stopped the dance and held her shoulders keeping her still.

"Well, wouldn't you like to know?" Her eyes sparkled.

"Tell me." He crackled knowing she would spill her guts soon. "Tell me Rapunzel." He said in a sick sweet way.

"I have more guesses for your name today." She could barely contain her giggles.

"Oh I see." He said letting go of his suspicions, and of Rapunzel. "Let's hear them then." Rapunzel began to stroll slowly away to the door.

"Are you Jack?"

"You asked that." he reminded. "No, Madam. That is not my name."

"Are you John?"

"No, Madam. That is not my name." He said in a sing way.

"Could you be Jacob?" She reached the door and was looking over her shoulder at him.

"No, no. Madam. That is not my name." he rubbed his hands together.

"I have no more guesses, but I do have a compliment to give you before I return to bed."

"Oh?" His interest was peaked. "what is this..." He walked over to her and leaned in close "compliment?"

"Come. I'll whisper it" He turned his ear to her and listened closely. "That is a lovely engraved dagger you have." She said so softly it could barely be heard even this close. He felt cold pull down his heart, fear was in him now. Fear that Rapunzel would take the dagger, or tell others where he kept it. Rumpelstiltskin grabbed her arm nearly crushing it.

"How do you know that?!" He thrashed her and yelled. "How do you know?!" He stretched out his hand and willed the dagger to him, then held it to Rapunzel.

"You can't hurt me with that sir." Her arm did hurt but she smiled. "Relax wouldn't you?" she cooed. "Who would I tell here? Belle?" She asking in a teasing way. "Besides..." She removed his hand from her arm and gently pushed his dagger away. Rapunzel held his cheeks in her hands. "You almighty DarkOne." She tilted her head cutely to one side. " You are my only friend in the world." Then she patted his shoulders and turn away, walking back to her tower.