Sorry for the long wait!
Chapter 9
"We needed to make sure you stayed with the plan." Maleficent said again.
"Oh yes, a perfectly good excuse for hiding from me my wife's pregnancy, do i need to remind you that I have my powers back?" Rumple hissed.
"Look, we didn't know how to tell you and we didn't want to. She's a distraction, we need you to concentrate." Cruella said as if she were bored.
"Oh shut it." Rumple said angrily.
"I'm agreeing with Cruella, and I wouldn't do that without a valid reason." Ursula said as she groaned.
"I don't care who you're agreeing with. I care that my wife is pregnancy, our plans will have to be changed." Rumple said slowly as he thought.
"Why should our happy endings be put on hold for the help?!" Cruella screamed.
"Refer to her as that again and happy endings will be the least of your worries." Rumple said as he grabbed her neck. He let her go as she nodded.
"What do you suggest, Oh Dark One." Maleficent said sarcastically.
"Belle is obviously closer to Regina and Emma than I expected, so..." Rumple started.
"Well, what did you expect her to do, mope around after you?" Ursula rolled her eyes.
Rumple groaned as he continued, " We will need to create a distraction, we need to get the pen from Regina. Since my search was cut short, we'll have to keep looking."
"Where?" Maleficent asked.
"Well, I won't be looking for the pen, you three will. I have something else to sort out." Rumple said as he got out the car.
"What?" Ursula asked.
"A blast from the past, someone I knew back in the Enchanted Forest, I need to see if the meaning behind why she is here will hinder our objectives." Rumple said as he began to walk off.
"Fine, just leave us to do all the hard work." Cruella moaned as she too walked out the car.
"Come on girls." She urged the others to follow her and they began to make their way to the hospital.
Maybe what they needed could be found in that 'prison' Rumple had talked about.
Belle picked out a few outfits from a small boutique on the end of Maine Street, she figured she was about the same size as her mother, she had grown taller in her absence, but just in case, she bought some other alternatives.
Her mind began to wonder when she spotted a beautiful gold silk dress in the corner. What if he was here? What if he saw her bump? What if he tried to take the baby? She was being silly, Rumplestiltskin was a selfish man, but he would never hurt a child. Especially his own child. A second chance at fatherhood. Maybe he'd be afraid, after Neal. After Zelena. After Henry. Maybe he'd back away and leave them be. He was the father; he deserved to see his own child? But how could he be trusted? He's so invested in his power, he chose it over her. Would it really be that surprising if he chose power over his daughter? He had done so with Bae, but he had regretted it his whole life. The questions piled up and Belle became more and more confused and with that, more and more scared of the future. She wished she could stay inside her forever, to protect her, but she couldn't. At least she had magic, she could protect her daughter. Even from her father if she needed to.
"Belle?" Regina asked, noticing the creases appearing on her forehead.
"Yeah?" Belle replied smiling.
"Are you OK?" Regina asked curiously.
"Oh yeah, I was just thinking." Belle smiled back. Smiles were funny. They could be used to bring happiness to others and hide her sadness. A perfect paradox, for a woman like herself.
"Good, well, Ruby's coming over tonight, she's been doing extra shifts at granny's to save up for something." Regina explained.
"Oh ok. I've missed her this week." Belle said as she picked up the outfits for her mother and paid for them. Regina watched her as she paid for her purchases. She had no idea how the girl had managed to stay so strong. That kind of betrayal, would lead someone to unravel the darkest parts of themselves. That was what had happened to her with Snow White and her mother. But, Belle was different. She wouldn't allow herself to turn into him, she wouldn't let it happen. Her determination was her saviour. She didn't need anyone; she could take care of herself. She'd helped Regina to come to terms with Robin's absence.
With that they walked out of the shop and drove home, ready to return in an hour to the hospital. Belle needed some rest and a quick practise of magic.
Rumple was almost at the hospital, there weren't many people there so he was able to slip in unnoticed. He made his way to her room, Belle's mothers.
"I was wondering how long it would be until you showed up." Colette said, she was still not scared of him.
"Colette, how are you?" Rumple said smiling.
"Fine." Colette said as she shuffled around.
"If you don't mind me asking, how did you get here?" Rumple asked.
"I have no idea, I don't have enough power to do so and I have been told that you've all thought I was dead." Colette explained.
"How peculiar, now even though I'm glad to see you're ok. You know why I'm here." Rumple said.
"Yes, they've resurfaced." Colette said.
"What are you talking about?" Rumple asked puzzled. "I'm here to talk about my relationship with Belle."
"Oh, carry on." Colette said clearly confused by his lack of memory.
"No, not until you tell me the truth." Rumple stated coolly.
"Fine, about 19 years before you first met Belle, an old couple came to you with their child. Newly born, their faces masked. They came to you, not the other way around. They asked for you to take away the powers that the baby had inherited. You agreed, but the price was to let the ogres pass through their kingdom, they agreed. They had several more children with the same problem, insisted that they were the towns folks. You took away all of their magic and brought the ogres." Colette recounted.
"That's not possible, Belle wouldn't have powers. She doesn't. I would have known it was her. I would have remembered." Rumple said confused.
"We brought her and pretended that she was one of the villagers children, you were none the wiser. I wouldn't have my daughter carry such a burden." Colette replied.
"You're familial magic is incredibly strong, it rivalled that of Cora and Regina, you contained yours and didn't use it. If I had known she was your daughter, I would never have taken such power away from her. She could have been very powerful, Colette." Rumple said as he thought. If she had had her magic, she wouldn't have come to live with him in his castle. Fate certainly had a sense of humour.
"Let's skip the details, the important part is that the magic is resurfacing. Belle hasn't told me much, but from what I've heard you two didn't part on the best of terms." Colette began.
"She can't know that I was here. In this town or to see you." Rumple said harshly.
"Why not? I will not lie to her." Colette snarled.
"You'll have to if she finds out and being the curious creature she is, goes snooping, I have allies that may hurt her." Rumple said.
"They can't be allies if they would do that." Colette argued.
"We have a common goal, the way to achieve that is different for us, I have people to protect. They only have themselves." Rumple explained.
"What is this goal?" Colette asked.
"A happy ending, it seems the cards need to be stacked in the villains favour in order for us to win." Rumple said sadly.
"That's no way to get her back. I won't have my daughter used." Colette said angrily.
"She won't be, i assure you. I love her more than anything. I need you to keep her safe, let her practice her magic with Regina and don't tell her about our meeting." Rumple said before walking out. His head was spinning from all of this new information. Belle could have been his apprentice, she could have rivalled Regina. Belle's pure magic would have overpowered Regina's, even when Regina tapped into her dark side. Belle wouldn't have needed to tap into her dark side in order to be powerful. She would have been like Emma, but more powerful. She would be. She would be able to rival him. A smile formed across his lips, now she would be able to protect herself from him.
"Belle!" Ruby exclaimed. She hadn't seen her best friend in a whole week.
"Ruby!" Belle shouted back and allowed herself to be suffocated by Ruby's hug.
"Oh I missed you! Is it possible to get so big, in a week?" Ruby said as she stared at Belle's stomach.
"Wow, thanks Ruby." Belle chuckled as she smiled down at her belly.
"I didn't mean it like that, but I feel like I've missed so much! I heard about your mom! I hope she's OK, I didn't know if i should visit in my own because she doesn't know me. I was hoping I could go with you?" Ruby asked.
"Sure of course, I need to drop some stuff off to her anyway! Let's go!" Belle smiled. "Regina we'll finish it later!"
"Sure Belle, but you need more practise with those three lurking around." Regina said.
"I know, I'll be back soon!" Belle smiled as she followed Ruby to her car.
They walked towards the car and sat down, Ruby started the engine and began to drive off, her hand reached towards the stereo but Belle stopped her.
"Watch." Belle said with a smile. Ruby watched as Belle turned it on with a flick of a hand.
"Wow, next thing I know you'll be conjuring up tequila for me." Ruby joked as she smiled at her friend.
"It's so weird! I can just make things happen!" Belle laughed.
"Your little girls gonna be very lucky!" Ruby laughed.
"Yes she will, but I won't be using magic to make her happy." Belle sighed as her mind wondered to him. She wished she could just forget him, but the sensible part of her knew that it was better to remember the pain he had caused her, it would make her stronger.
"Come on, then!" Ruby said laughing.
Belle looked up to see that they were already at the hospital. "Oh sorry." Belle said as she slipped out of the car, she looked towards the hospital and thought she saw something. She shook her head; it was her mind playing tricks on her. There was no way that he was back. It was probably all this talk of magic, it just reminded her of him.
Belle and Ruby made their way down the halls of the hospital until they reached Colette's room. With a small knock that was answered with a 'come in', the two girls entered.
"Hello, mother." Belle said with a smile. Her mother returned it, but there was something off about her. For one she looked at Belle with a weird look of pity and admiration. Belle ignored it. "Hello, Belle. I see you've brought a friend." Colette said with a smile.
"Yes mother. This is Ruby, she's one of my closest friends." Belle said with a smile.
"Hello, Ruby it is a pleasure to meet you." Colette smiled.
"Hello, maam, um I'm glad to see that you're better!" Ruby smiled.
"Please, call me Colette. Now sweetheart, who were you back in our land?" Colette asked with a smile.
"Oh, I was just a villager, in fact I was part wolf, I still am, but I have this cloak and it stops me from turning." Ruby explained, or rather rambled.
"Oh how fascinating! I've read a lot of books about people who could transform at the full moon. Does it hurt to change?" Colette asked clearly intrigued and lulled out of her weird mood.
"No, it feels natural, it just happens. I just used the cloak because sometimes it gets hard for me to control it." Ruby said smiling.
"That is a amazing. You have to tell me more sometime! I'd love to hear about it!" Colette smiled.
"Of course! This is so weird, you and Belle are so alike." Ruby said laughing.
"Well she is my mother." Belle laughed.
"I know but the fact that you both read so much." Ruby giggled.
"Well, I've read to Belle ever since she was a child, that reminds me, Belle?" Colette asked with a smile.
"Oh yes mother, I've brought you clothes but from the look on your face I guess your more interested in the books. I've brought 7, they should last the next few days, right?" Belle asked.
"All of them would take me years to read! I never have the time." Ruby said as she saw the masses of books Belle pulled out.
"Thankyou my sweet. Now tell me more about this world." Colette asked intrigued.
After about an hour and a half of talking, Ruby finally had to leave to check on Granny. She had asked for some help clearing up at the end of the day.
"Your friend is delightful, Belle." Colette smiled at her daughter.
"She's amazing. She's always been there for me." Belle mused.
"But, now that we're alone, you promised." Colette reminded her daughter.
"Very well, you already know that I fell in love with him. I'll start by how we got here." Belle said.
"A curse. You got here by a curse made by Regina, who was The Evil Queen in our land." Colette replied. Belle raised an eyebrow. "Lot's have people have been over to visit the mysterious lady who fell out of the sky." Colette joked.
"Well, Regina had captured me before the curse. I had left the dark castle and after a few adventures, I had decided to return, but Regina got to me first and locked me up in a tower. She told Rumple that I had killed myself that father had locked me up in a tower and I couldn't handle it. Then she brought me here and had me locked in a secret prison only known by her and her 'minions' for 28 years." Belle stopped to see that her mother was following her explanation.
"Why are you friends with this woman?" Colette asked, beguiled by her daughters choices.
"She's changed. She wasn't always like that, she had had a hard life as did Rumple. I was able to see the good in her as I did him." Belle said smiling.
"Carry on my sweet." Colette smiled.
"Well, after 28 years a man named Jefferson freed me after Emma had broken the curse, she's the Saviour. He sent me to Rumple and told me to tell him that Regina had imprisoned me. Of course at this point I had no idea who I was and who he was and he thought I was dead. So he looked after me, and then..." Belle stopped when Regina came in.
"I'm sorry, Colette. Can I talk to you outside Belle?" Regina asked.
"Of course." Belle said as she stood up, I'll be back in a minute.
Belle and Regina stepped outside.
"What is it?" Belle asked hiding her annoyance.
"The three Queens Of Darkness, they've been snooping. You need to finish your conversation with your mother so I can take you home. It's not safe, they'll hurt you." Regina said.
"I can't be quick, I'm explaining to her what happened between me and Rumple." Belle explained.
"You have magic, you can show her." Regina said.
"What do you mean?" Belle asked.
With that Regina put her hands on Belles wrists and showed her a memory of her and Daniel.
"See." Regina explained. "You think of the memory, and just show them."
"Ok, I'll do it." Belle said with a smile as she walked back into the room.
"What is it sweetie?" Colette asked smiling.
"Nothing really, Regina wants me to go home so it's safe. She'll do a protection spell around you room and the hospital I guess." Belle said with a smile.
"Why?" Colette asked.
"Cruella, Ursula and Maleficent have decided to pay our town a visit." Belle said "But let's finish our conversation"
"Ok sweetie, we can talk tomorrow, if you prefer." Colette asked.
"I've got an easier way." Belle said as she grabbed her mother's wrists and watched the memories before her.
There were so many. Everything was there. Everything. Their conversations, their laughs, their fights. Their separation. After about 20 seconds it stopped.
"Oh god." Colette exclaimed.
"Mother?" Belle asked worried.
"Oh my precious, you've been through so much and I wasn't there. Your father wasn't there." Colette cried out.
"Mother, it's fine. You're both here now." Belle smiled.
"The worst part is that even I can see the good in him now. He was a good man, he was just a coward." Colette sighed.
"I know." Belle whispered. "But, I have my flaws also, I was not completely innocent." Belle sighed.
"My sweet of course you were." Colette said.
"I didn't give him time to heal after he lost his son, I didn't see what I only saw after he had gone. He needed the power to insure that he didn't lose me like he did Neal, yet in doing so he lost me all by himself." Belle sighed. "Anyway, you need your rest mother." Belle smiled as she stood up and kissed her mother's forehead.
"I'm so sorry Belle, I love you." Colette said with a weak smile.
"I love you too, mother." Belle replied before walking out.
How was that? Any requests feel free. Any suggestions!