Hey anyone who's reading this, sorry I took a week longer to update, I could make up hundreds of excuses like my dog ate it or I was sick or I had a lot of work to do but a last none would be true. So on a side note, last weeks episode was really cool, I don't know if it was in last weeks episode or the one before but hook said something really cool. He told Rumple that Belle really loved him and he could have her love instead of looking for more power, but Rumple said he could have both. And I had a flashback to a conversation Rumple had with Regina about Henry and revenge in season two and he said you can't have both. Anyways I'm a believer that he really does love her and realizes he needs her, but he just think he needs both. Anyways after that spiel,hope you like the chapter. Oh sorry one more thing, I posted a three shot, hope you check it out its called somethings last forever, its a Rumbelle story. Thanks again finally here's the chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own once upon a time, I'm not making money off it, so please don't sue me. Besides the show would have way more Rumbelle in it I if did.

Mulan wasn't hard to find, but with his troubled mind and weary body, since he dint get much sleep, he found himself wondering about before his feet led him to the healer's quarters. He looked up at the sign before entering, just making sure he was in the right place. It was a small building, but seemed to be the most used establishment in the town. He strode in swiftly altering his skin to regular flesh before anyone noticed. He walk through seeing a good number of cots in rows taking most up of the space. His eyes skimmed the room and the faces of the people. A lot of them were peasants by the look of them. Most of them were laying on the cots with bandages and burn wounds. It reminded him of his brief time fighting in the ogre war. He hated thinking about it. It made him think about his life before he became the dark one, before he gained power and magic. He had been a weak and cowardly person, but was he so different after. You're a coward, Rumpelstiltskin. And no matter how thick you make your skin, that doesn't change. Apparently Belle didn't think he was different. He thought about it. Belle was right. It was partly why he threw her out. He was too cowardly to open his heart. Yes, it was also partly because he need his magic to find Bae, but he had been given the choice before to be rid of power. He even chose it over his own son. He was still thinking when he was interrupted.

"Hello." A man came up behind Rumpelstiltskin. "I'm the doctor." He said cheerfully with an outreached hand. Rumpelstiltskin looked at the man uninterested. He retracted his hand "Uhh. Can I help you sir?" the doctor asked.

"No," Rumpelstiltskin snapped. "Does it look like I need help?"

"Well it looks like your trying to find someone. Perhaps I can help." Rumpelstiltskin squinted his eyes and gave him a cold look.

"Or not." He replied "I could-. I should just-." He stumbled before he quickly exited.

Like he would need help Rumpelstiltskin sneered. Turns out he didn't. He walked into the next room that was set up exactly like the first, except there were only two people in this one. He looked a woman sitting up in bed with her long black hair hanging in front of her. She had a sword by her feet, and there was a man sitting by her. The two seemed to be smiling at each other as they engaged in conversation. They looked out of place in this small town, so he figured they must be the people who Claude had told him about before he became a snail.

He wondered if he should go up to them how he was, or change back his skin for the Dark One effect. He chose the latter, making a dramatic purple clouded entrance right in front of them. They both jumped to their feet. Mulan quickly bent down and grabbed her sword.

"Now now there's no need for that," he waved off her sword, but it only quivered slightly before it was set again firmly towards him. Prince Philip looked at him curiously, wondering who the mysterious person, who materialized before them was.

"Who are you?" Rumpelstiltskin opened his mouth to answers but was beat.

"He is the Dark One." Mulan said through clenched teeth. "The most powerful sorcerers in the Enchanted Forest." Prince Philip still unaware of who he was looked to Mulan. "In my village he was the story parents told kids to frighten them." Rumpelstiltskin grinned.

"Oh yes. You better go to sleep or the Dark One will take you away, and eat you for diner." Rumpelstiltskin said with amusement. That was just one in many stories and legends surrounding him that he had acquired over the centuries. "Wonderful tale really, but let's talk about your tale." Mulan looked puzzled, Phillip mirrored her expression.

"Why would you want to know our tale? What do you mean?" she asked.

"I'm looking for a girl. I was informed you met her quite recently. About this high." He gestured with her hand. "Brown hair, blue eyes. She was in search he Yaoguai." He paused taking a deep breath. "Her name was Belle," his heart flittered when he said her name. Both Mulan and Prince Philip looked worried. Mulan didn't know why the monster who she grew up hearing stories about was asking about Belle. Belle was her friend, maybe not at first, but Mulan saw how brave and confident, and really nice she was. With some training and practice with a sword, she thought Belle would have been a great warrior and ally.

"Why do you want to know about her?" Prince Philip asked defensively. Rumpelstiltskin frowned at them. Did they think he was going to hurt her? He was appalled. Of course they do. Look in the mirror. He thought to himself bitterly. He was just a beast to them. He wasn't to Belle though. He put aside his thoughts and played the part of the beast. "I'm not going to hurt her," he said flippantly. They didn't look convinced. Guess he was going to have to do it the usual way, he thought, by making a deal. "Prince Philip your true love, what was her name?" the Phillip's eyes widened, and for the first time since Rumpelstiltskin arrived Mulan looked over at the prince.

"How do you know about her?" he asked.

"An old friend was the one who cursed her," he said offhandedly. "Anyways," he said with the flip of his hand. "I'll tell you how to break her curse if you tell me about the girl." Philip was considering it, while Mulan thought the offer was preposterous. What about Belle? Philip looked over at her, his eyes pleading with her to accept the deal that would help him save his true love. Mulan sighed, and looked back at Rumpelstiltskin.

"One condition," Rumpelstiltskin looked at her waiting for her term. "Promise me no harm will come to Belle."

"I promise," he immediately said without a millisecond of pause. She stared at him long and hard, and then gave a quick look at Phillip before returning her gaze.

"Then you have a de- no wait how do you know Belle?" she stopped herself, and now demanded more answers.

"That wasn't a part of the deal." He pointed a finger at them. Phillip looked over at Mulan and nodded in agreement.

"Well it is now." The prince looked back at him and said firmly. Rumpelstiltskin narrowed his eyes.

"Fine. Now do we have a deal?"

"Yes, I'll tell you about a Belle, since you won't hurt her." Mulan said emphasizing the last part. There was a brief period of silence were they were all looking at Mulan waiting for her to tell her story.

"We're waiting." He said impatiently.

"I think you should tell how you know Belle first."

"Oh no you're going first."

"No, because once we tell you our part who's to say you won't just leave. This way we're guaranteed that we'll hear your story, and you know you'll hear ours because we need to know how to save his true love." Rumpelstiltskin raised his eyes in surprise.

"you're a lot smarter than most of the people I make deals with, Fine, she was my maid and I told her she could leave," well that wasn't the truth, but it sounded better than coldly threw her out because she could see past the monster and love him. "But now I need her back with me, back cleaning for me," he corrected. Mulan raise one eyebrow.

"I met Belle she certainly wasn't a maid, and you didn't even tell us how you met her. You didn't tell us anything at all." He sighed.

"Your right Belle wasn't always a maid, actually she was a lady of Avonlea. her village was being rampaged by ogres and her father wanted to make a deal to get rid of them, and all magic comes with a price. She was my prince." Mulan looked at him peculiarly.

"So her father let you take her?"

"Oh no. He didn't want her to leave with the beast, but she made the deal with me and said she would come with me." Forever. That's what it was supposed to be, he thought loathing himself.

"She went with the beast to save her village." Mulan said admiring Belle even more.

"Yes," he said quietly, almost getting lost in his thoughts before he reminded himself that he couldn't dwell on it, not while he was here. "She spent a good time at the castle with me, cleaning and cooking. Recently we got into an argument and I told her to leave, but as you can see I regret doing that and am now looking for her." Mulan and Phillip took a couple seconds to take that in. it was obvious she was more than a maid to him, but it was to think that the Dark One cared for something or someone. At least something other than power. When he realized no one was going to say something he spoke up again. "I believe it's your turn." Mulan refocused.

"Yes right. Well I met Belle when I was tracking the Yaoguai. The beast," she paused to look over at Prince Phillip, "no offense." He shook his head with a small smile.

"None taken," Mulan smiled. Rumpelstiltskin rolled his eyes.

"Not to ruin this moment," he said pointing at both of them. Mulan looked back at him, but without the smile. Phillip just looked at him curiously. "But I would like to hurry this up."

"Of course, so would I," Prince Phillip said and nodded for Mulan to continue.

"Uh, we were both at a cave where the beast was sleeping and she stepped on a stick which woke him up and alerted him to our presence. He charged towards Belle. She tried to run away, but she tripped, so I shot him with an arrow. But it didn't do anything but frustrate him. He ran off."

"So let's get this straight, you," he pointed to Prince Phillip, "you tried to kill Belle."

"No, well kind of. I was under a curse," he spluttered.

"Anyways," Mulan cut in. "she offered to help me but I refused and left her by the cave. I tried to track the Yaoguai by myself but I didn't have much luck. Belle told me she had tracked the Yaoguai in a day so I went to find her. Needless to say, she was much easy to find her than the beast. Good thing I found her too, couple of thugs were about to throw her down a well."

"Yes I've met them," he said with an evil gleam in his eye and a wide smile. Phillip raised his eyebrows.

"Did you murder them?" he asked.

"Well I wouldn't care," Mulan said, "there the reason I have this," she pointed down towards her bandaged leg.

"You know dearie, I don't kill everyone I meet." Rumpelstiltskin answered with an exasperated sigh.

"So there fine?" Mulan looked at him expectantly.

"I said I didn't kill them, I never said I didn't turn them into something." Phillip opened his mouth to speak. Rumpelstiltskin waved his hand. "There fine, unless a bird decides to swoop down and eat them," he quipped, but they didn't look amused. Of course no one understood his humor except Belle. "Go on."

"Ok, we were close to finding him. We were in the forest when my leg wound started to take its toll. I wasn't in any shape to go after the Yaoguai."

"So you turned around," he surmised.

"Actually no. I gave Belle my sword and she went."

"Wait. What?" You let her go by herself, to go after the beast."

"I wasn't the one who made her live with the beast," she said pointedly. He took a half step closer to her about to say something.

"It does matter. She didn't get killed. In fact, she saved him," she said pointing over to Phillip.

"She did. She threw fairy dust on me and I changed back to normal." Phillip added. Where did she get the fairy dust, he thought, hope she didn't run into those irksome fairies. "She saved my life and all she asked was that I helped her wounded friend. Which I was happy to do," he smiled at Mulan who returned it with one of her own.

"Belle returned with Prince Phillip and then she left. We didn't want her to, but she said she had to leave."

"Did she say why?"

"No," she said certainly. Phillip looked over at her curiously but didn't say anything. "That's the last time I saw her." Rumpelstiltskin thought for a second. They told him a lot about Belle. He was actually quite proud of her for being brave and having an adventure. It was what she always wanted to do and she did. But he still didn't know where she was, and they could be of no further use.

"Well, I guess you want to know how to save your true love." Phillip nodded his head eagerly. "True love's kiss. True love is the most power magic in the world." He thought about that statement, he had said it before, but now he thought about it in regards to himself. Before Belle, he was sure he could never have true love. But if she really did love him. than he had found it with her. But was love more imported to him than magic, to power. Would he chose love over power, over his dagger? "Well I think were done here," and with that he surround himself with magic that brought him back to his castle, leaving a baffled couple.

"Why didn't you tell him she was looking for him too?" Phillip said to Mulan. "She said she had another beast to face. That must have been him"

Rumpelstiltskin started to walk over to the table once she left. He was trying to absorb what she said. He sat at the head of the table, were he usually sat, unconsciously staring at the chair opposite his. He didn't realize he was staring where she had sat until he felt a wetness sliding down his face. He was both astonished and saddened as he felt a long repressed tear finally fell. He hesitantly brought his hands up. His finger hovered over the tear before he wiped away the tear. He tore his eyes from the chair and looked around, his eyes finally looking out a window.

The Dark castle sat amongst high mountains. It was a hard place to reach without the proper motivation. Of course Rumpelstiltskin didn't have to worry about the treacherous paths, filled with malicious bandits and hungry wolves, since he could magic himself there. In fact, he rather liked that it was isolated. It was one of the things that drew him to the place, along with its old stone and its wild and unkempt garden. When he took over the place he discovered the shadowy halls and the huge windows, although he quickly covered them. How could it be the Dark Castle when the sun was pouring in? But overall he settled in to the Castle quite nicely. Of course, he was especially happy when he found dudgeons, perfect for any future prisoners and guests. But like with most things gained solely by power, there was something missing. It was only a couple years later that all the things that had appealed to him before wore off and he started to feel the loneness of living in the huge castle without anyone. He started making more deals to keep him busy. He rarely ever was at his castle anymore, but when Belle had been there he made fewer deals and less trips away. He grew to enjoy being there. He enjoyed sitting with her in the library or walking with her in the garden. When she was there it was home, but after she left he felt the loneliness creep in again. It was a million times worse after she left, leaving her hateful words to gnaw away at his heart.

He was about to magic himself away, get away from the castle. To get away of all the memories of her that scared his heart. He abruptly pushed back his chair and stood up. Just as he was about to summon a purple cloud he heard something that made him immediately spin around and look through the crack in the door. What he saw made him rush out. He totally forgot about what she said at the sight of her. Her usually courageous and fiery eyes were full of fear. He ran out and used magic to tear her captor hard to the ground. He flicked his hands to the other guard who vanished and was transported to the Dark Castle's dungeons. He continued to the guard, who was trying to get up. With his foot he shoved him down again. He then stepped back and threw his hand towards the man, causing the man to grab his neck trying to grasp air. He was almost to the point where he had to stop before he killed him, because he had other plans in store of this guard, when he looked at Belle.

"Rumple," she said it so weakly, and he could tell she was slipping of the horse. He released his hold on him, and looked him in the eyes.

"You're really going to regret that," he said with as much hatred as he could, before he flicked his hand and sent him to the dungeons. He watched as the man disappeared and then rushed over to Belle, who was fading quickly. She was halfway off the horse when he caught her in his arms. Her eyes were closed, but when she saw she was in his hold, she tried to open them.

"I'm so sorry Rumpelstiltskin," she said with a labored breath, before she closed her eyes again.

Thank you so much reading, I hope you liked it, and please continue to leave a message on what you thought. So thanks again and I'll try to update sooner this time.