The DarkOne had a new hobbit of torturing prisoners, and it disgusted Belle who had to listen to the cries echo through the castle. To escape it she would go and sit with Rapunzel in the tower. "How can you stand living with him, knowing what he's doing to innocent men?" Belle whined, sitting at Rapunzel's vanity mirror, while the long haired beauty was sitting on her bed, brushing her long hair as it laid across her lap.

"That's an easy answer Belle. I don't care."

"How can you say that?"

"No need to care about those you can not see." Rapunzel looked at Belle's bright blue eyes. "You can't save the whole world Belle."

"Is there any good in that man at all?"

"Nope." Rapunzel tweeted. "Just a dark and empty shell of the man he use to be."

"The newest prisoner he has tried to steal a wand."

"Really? I actually thought he was just picking random men he found off the street." she flourished her hands doing an impression "Wrong place wrong time Dearie!"

"I can't just sit by and let this go on!"

"Don't be a hero Belle. You'll only get it trouble." she warned.

"But that's all I've ever wanted!" Belle walked over to Rapunzel's bed and sat on the end avoiding the hair. "To be a hero. Like in all the books I read."

"Let go of your silly dream Belle. You were already brave coming here and saving your kingdom. Now come on. If you forget it, I'll let you touch my hair." Rapunzel offered. " Help me find the end of it. I can't remember the last time I even saw it."

"As tempting as that is Lady Rapunzel" Belle stood. "I am going to save that man's life." She ran out of the tower.

"You're going to regret crossing him." Rapunzel murmured to the empty room.

Belle went into the dungeon while the DarkOne was away. Belle saw the good in the thief and decided she was right, and no matter the risk to her, she had to set this man free. Quickly she untied him and let him run. However on his way out he took the wand he came for. Rapunzel hide behind the open front door, and then he ran out she jumped out and struck him with a frying pan, knocking him out. "Sorry Hood. But I can't let you go with that." she tossed the frying pan, and took back the wand. "Or your memories of ever being here." She threw a handful of hair over his face and hummed her tune, her hair glowed, and when the song was done, she knew when he woke he would forget why he had come here, and whose castle this was.

When Rapunzel came into the collection room Rumpelstiltskin had just figured out that Belle let the thief go. "He was a thief!" he raved.

"That doesn't give you the right to kill him." Belle argued holding a book.

"If gives me every right! Oh let me guess! You think he's a hero! Stealing from me for a noble cause. You read to many books Dearie!" He used his magic, and the book disappeared into smoke. "There! Maybe that'll stop filling your head with poisonous thoughts!" Rapunzel was still unnoticed by the arguing two. She quietly placed the wand down on the nearest table, and crept closer.

"I didn't free him because of what I read in my books. I freed him because I saw good in him. That man just wanted to escape with his life." Belle pleaded.

"Oh is that what you thought?" He stepped back and pointed to the stand where he kept the wand. "Our thief escaped with more than his life. You were tricked! You foolish gullible girl!"

"There must be an explanation. We don't know why he needed that wand."

"Excuse me." Rapunzel interrupted.

"What?!" Rumpelstiltskin shouted.

"Are you talking about that wand?" and Rapunzel point to the one she had just set down. "I think one of you left it out." she lied, and Rumpelstiltskin stomped over to it confused.

"How did this get here?" he asked himself. "I'm still going to drag that thief back here to die!"

"Why?" Belle asked.

"He still stole from the DarkOne!" he set his wand back on its stand. "I am going to shoot him in his heart, and because this is your fault, you're coming with me to watch and clean up the blood!"

"No." Rapunzel spoke up.

"No!" the DarkOne shouted. "Why not?!"

"I don't want you to go."

"Why do you care what I do or where I go?!"

"I get lonely when you're gone." she smiled, not willing to get angry.

"You can just go back in your tower and die for all I care!" Rapunzel stepped into him and put her hands on his chest, and he grabbed her elbows in response.

"Don't go." She stared into his eyes until he couldn't stare her down anymore. "Stay with me. Forget that Hood. Stay here." With one hand she pulled her over her shoulder, "Brush my hair."

"No one touches your hair unless they're climbing." he glared.

"Brush my hair. Forget." she whispered, he let go and took a step back. Rapunzel picked up a bundle of her hair and let Rumpelstiltskin take it into his arms. He conjured a beautiful golden brush, and he went and sat in a near by chair and brushed the hair that reminded him of his gold thread when he would spin his straw. "Belle." Rapunzel waved her over, and Belle approach smiling, and Rapunzel took her hands in hers. "I will never do this for you again." She made sure to lock eyes with Belle so she knew how serious this was.

"I understand." Belle nodded trying not to smile.

"Good. Now go up to my room, and come back with my brush." and she smiled saying "With your help we'll be done in half the time."

"Yes mam." with that she hurried away to the tower. Rapunzel walked over to stand behind the chair Rumpelstiltskin was sitting at, and rested her hands on his shoulders.

"Rumpelstiltskin?"

"What is it?"

"Don't bring another person in this castle to torture again."

"Why should I listen to you?"

"The torture is upsetting."

"If the noise bothers you, stay in the tower."

"Its upsetting Belle."

"I don't care how the Help feels." He craned his head back to look in her direction. "She'll get use to it."

"There is enough tortured souls, with just the two of in here. There is no need for you to bring in more." She knelt down beside him, and put her hand on his arm. "Belle is the only light we have in this darkness." and whispering she said. "Don't drive her away."