When Belle woke mid-afternoon she was still wearing that precious smile. Her dreams echoed the marvel of the evening before though with one small change. She dreamt of her lips meeting his, how she wished she summoned up the courage to kiss him. Stretching as she stepped from the bed, her feet ached horribly causing her to limp as she went to find the imp. Rumpelstiltskin heard her steps echo softly as she approached his spinning room. He had not slept nor had he changed. Instead he had attempted to clear his head of her lips, pressed ever so lightly to his hideous skin. Failing miserably at this task, all he had managed to do was create a small fortune in gold. He straightened up and nodded to the beauty as she entered the room. Noticing the small change in her step. "Is everything alright, dearie?" he asked with a tone of concern in his voice. It had become undeniable, they had become friends and it was evident he cared for her as he watched her limp.
"It's nothing, I may have waltzed a bit longer than my feet would have liked." she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Have you slept?" she asked noticing that he was still wearing the handsome dress coat.
"I had dealings to attend to." he said in an off-handed lie.
"You look exhausted." She commented.
"Hungry, actually." he shrugged and turn to face her, his tone unintentionally suggestive.
Belle cocked one eyebrow and gave him an uncertain nod. Thinking to herself that he must have looked peculiar so dressed up while conduction his business. "I'll be up with breakfast, well lunch in just a bit." she hobbled out of the room.
Rumpelstiltskin was thankful for the small reprieve and he took the midnight blue coat off and draped it over a chair. Sitting at the table in now wrinkled white shirt and golden vest. Belle felt oddly underdressed as she returned, setting the tray of food beside him. She swallowed gently while moving to her own seat.
"I really can't thank you enough." She said serving him and then placing her own plate down. "Last night was one of the most….magical nights of my life." she blushed feeling silly for saying the words almost as suddenly as they left her lips.
Rumpelstiltskin gave a gentle nod, the lines in his face felt deeper as he saw how refreshed she looked. "Think nothing of it." he answered curtly, taking a generous bite of food.
Belle pushed her lunch around on the plate, feeling slightly awkward. Wondering why he would not meet her eyes. They ate in silence and Rumpelstiltskin excused himself before Belle was able to summon up any bravery to speak again.
She busied herself with small tasks inside of the castle, the monotony of constant upkeep gave her time enough to day-dream. She imagined what a real ball would be like here. Rumpelstiltskin's estate was large enough to have a grand festival. She giggled as she imagined the look of awe on the peoples faces as they saw the Dark One sweeping her across the dance floor. He had been so graceful last night, if only he were handsome like a prince the ladies of the court would fawn over him.
The day had passed and he was absent for dinner, Belle had assumed that he had more business to attend to. Still she was sad to eat alone, deciding to wait for him opening her book and delving into the land of fantasy. As the food grew cold, Belle became tired her body slumping slightly as she cleared the table.
The next few days were even more lonesome. Rumpelstiltskin had managed to avoid the beauty as often as possible. The only time she had spoken to him was and awkward hello, one morning when she went to fetch his clothes so she could launder them. After he had not shown up for two days, she learned to only cook for herself. Belle kept herself busy scrubbing away at invisible filth. Delving into her tasks so that she might not have the thoughts circling in her mind. What had she done to upset Rumpelstiltskin? Didn't he want to be around her? In the darker hours when she was collapsed on her bed her mind even wandered back home. How was her father? Did he miss her terribly or was he too preoccupied with salvaging what was left of his kingdom? On the third night she grew restless, sobbing into her pillow with absolute despair. It was late, just an hour or two before dawn when Rumpelstiltskin returned home. He quietly walked the halls towards his room and he heard the smallest, most heart breaking sigh. He stopped in his tracks just outside of Belle's door, listening carefully. Again he heard a petite sob and he furrowed his brow, pondering for a moment on how he should respond. Straightening out his shirt, smoothing it flatly against his chest before his knuckles rapped softly on the hard oak door.
Belle stifled her cries in surprise, burying her face into her pillow with embarrassment. How much had he heard? She felt childish for letting herself indulge such sorrows but knowing that he heard her made it that much worse. Inhaling deeply, catching her breath before she answered. "Come in." she replied as steadfastly as she could.
The door creaked open just a sliver, Rumpelstiltskin entered and searched immediately for her eyes. Though she tried to wipe away the trail of tears, they were blood shot and ripe with misery.
"What's the matter dearie?" he asked almost before he knew the words were leaving his lips. He had been asking her these sort of questions a lot lately.
Belle let her eyes search the floor aimlessly. "Nothing." her voice sounding hollow.
"I may not be a man but I can tell when a woman is distraught." his gazed locked on the girl.
She hesitated, letting several long seconds pass before she heaved another long sigh from her lungs. "I…I just am lonely." she admitted to him. "Where did you vanish to? I thought you had business but after a few days." she bit her lip and blushed deeply. "I had no one to talk with. I had a chance to realize that I have left so many people behind and I will never, ever know what has become of them."
Rumpelstiltskin remembered his own agony when he had truly become alone. When his Bae was taken from him to another world and he would never, ever get to know what had become of him. He had tried many things than, portals, potions, magic mirrors anything that might give him a glimpse of his lost boy. He had no magic that could transcend planes, his curse only applied to this world. As he saw her mustering all of her will to bite back tears in front of him he thought more. Belle's loved ones were still in this land, though very far from the Dark Castle. One of the more simple forms of magic could be used so that his beauty would not wallow, wondering what was happening in her kingdom. He approached her, sitting at the foot of the large bed though he wished to move closer.
"I promised that they would live." he tried to comfort her.
Belle nodded and her breath caught in her lungs as fresh tears threatened to pour from her eyes. "Thank you." was all she could manage to whisper.
Rumpelstiltskin eyed the small silver hand mirror on her bed side table. He had mastered the art of magic mirrors, they were after all his main source of communication with Dear Queen Regina. Gently he inched closer to the beauty and gripped the cold metal handle in his palm. Belle watched him with curiosity as she saw the imp gaze into the mirror for a long moment. He pressed his fingers to the reflective glass and whispered in a tongue that she did not recognize. The mirror lit up with a haunting green glow as he handed it to her with the greatest of ease. "You need only speak a name into the mirror, anyone who you wish to watch over will be shown to you." he explained as she met his eyes.
Rumpelstiltskin was relieved when he saw some sadness dissipate from those gorgeous blue eyes. Belle paused and spoke clearly down towards her hand mirror. "Papa." her voice alight with hope. In an instant her image was rippled away from the glass and her father began to become clear in it. She gasped watching him, he was of course deep in sleep but he looked well.
Belle studied her Papa's face as his eyes stayed shut in his slumber. She remembered how his well rounded face lit up whenever she would speak to him. The curve of her mouth indenting into the smallest of smiles. As she watched him and tears splashed down on the glass, she was so happy to see him. Rumpelstiltskin froze a pang of guilt enveloping his body as he saw he had provoked her into weeping once again.
He went to stand to leave her to herself but before he could move from the bed Belle had wrapped her arms around him tightly. She hugged him and nuzzled her lovely face into his chest, tears falling freely. "Please…don't leave me." she felt childish again but that did not deter her plea. "I don't want to be alone."
Rumpelstiltskin relaxed and kept his feet planted in place on the floor, not moving an inch from her grasp. One arm wrapped around her, letting her know he would stay as his fingers played with a delicate brunette curl. He had not stayed away long enough, though he was not certain even a hundred nights away from Belle would be able to quell these growing feelings. She had chiseled away at centuries of ice and contempt and managed to find her way into his heart. Rumpelstiltskin soothed her, staying until she was lulled by her own tears back into sleep. He left her to rest, silently closing the door behind him. There was no denying it anymore, he was in love. The only question that remained for Rumpelstiltskin was….what was he to do with her now?