Chapter Six: Monster

Belle opened the library a few minutes late that morning after being held up at the diner from all the commotion. She was relieved to see no one was waiting for her. She was still a little shaken up from Ashley's hurtful words, and needed a few minutes alone with her thoughts. There were so many emotions and feelings running through her head. Why did Rumple want to take Ashley's child, would she ever make any new friends, and the most bothersome: Was she really a monster too? She grabbed a cart of books that needed to be re-shelved and wheeled them to the back of the library to put them where they belonged. During her few weeks here, after being released from that horrible asylum, she had dealt with a lot of criticism, nasty comments, and dirty or pity looks from others about dating Rumpelstiltskin. All the things people said usually involved telling her how evil he was, that he was a monster, stay away from him, and he didn't deserve happiness. Every time someone voiced his or her opinion, she proudly stood up for herself, defending Rumple. She chose to be with him, and she wasn't going to let anyone tell her what to do.

This was the first time though someone had ever projected those comments towards her. The first time she had ever been called the monster. And on top of it, she was speechless when it happened. She had never been speechless before when someone was talking bad about Rumple or their relationship. It depressed her a little to know she didn't know what to say to Ashley. To be honest, the thought had never even crossed her mind. She had been so focused defending Rumple and trying to convince people he was not a monster that it never occurred to her she may herself be one.

Maybe she was a monster. She knows many of the horrible things Rumpelstiltskin has done in the past. Before he came to strike a deal with her father she heard the stories of how his deals involve taking babies or other precious artifacts. She knew of the terror and fear he caused in people, how he wasn't afraid to take a life. She knew all this, yet she still volunteered to go away with him forever. 'I did that for my people and family,' she thought, but she knew that wasn't the whole truth. She desperately wanted to save her kingdom, but part of her wanted to go with Rumpelstiltskin despite the fear and rumors. She wanted to get away from that provincial life and her arranged marriage to Gaston. She was also so curious about Rumple from the first time she saw the way he talked and waved his hands around while sitting in her father's chair. She had to be some sort of monster deep down to be okay with the things he's done, go away with him, and then eventually fall in love with him. Tears welled up in her eyes. Her thoughts were interrupted suddenly by the sound of a patron walking into the library. She quickly wiped a few tears from her eyes and put a smile on her face. She stepped around the corner to greet the customer, "Hello, can I…" Belle came to an abrupt stop and her smile instantly dissapeared, "Papa, I thought I told you I never want to see you again!"

"You also said that to him, but I know you're still dating him. I've heard from others and I've seen it with my own two eyes." Moe said scowling at Belle.

"What do you want?"

"I heard about what happened at Granny's this morning."

'How did he know that? Oh yeah small town…gossip,' she wondered to herself. "So? What does that have to do with you coming to see me?"

"I wanted to check on you, to see if you were ok."

Belle could tell from her father's facial expressions that that was not all. "And?"

"And…and Belle, don't you see?" Moe took a step forward, "Can't you see what's happening? Now people are calling you a monster, and saying you must be evil to be with the likes of him. You need to stay away from him!"

Belle's cheeks started turning red with anger. She was getting tired of having this same conversation over and over again, "I told you, it's my choice to be with him, I love him, and I don't care what other people, anybody, are saying about me or him!"

"But Belle, don't you see? This is not you! This is not my daughter. I know her. She's kind and always cares about other's well being before her own," he walked closer to his daughter and put a hand on her shoulder and looked down into her tear-filled eyes, "She is not a monster. She would never be with such a ma…beast. He's done something to you to make you this way. He's put you under a spell and you can't see it."

"No he hasn't! He wouldn't do anything like that! He would never hurt me! He loves me! How dare you come in here and say these things! It's like you are trying to say I'm a monster now too!" Belle could not hold back the tears any longer.

"Well maybe you are if you willingly love him. This…you…what I'm seeing, this isn't my daughter…not anymore." Moe let out a loud sigh, took one last look at Belle, and walked out of the library.

Belle started sobbing uncontrollably, so she went to bathroom to calm down and wash her face. Now her father was also calling her a monster! She didn't know what to think or what to do. Belle settled down after a few minutes, and wiped her face off with a wet paper towel. She looked at her reflection in the mirror. She examined her features, her curly brown hair, her deep blue eyes, her soft, but lovely facial features. She sure didn't look like a monster. She could always recall how many people commented on how beautiful she was, but then again, she knew looks were not important. Rumple use to have that golden green skin, pointy teeth, and sharp fingernails. Strangers who looked upon his face immediately fled because they deemed him "monster." As she got to know him she realized that is not who he is, he is no monster. However, she was beautiful. Maybe it was the opposite, so perhaps she was the monster. Belle heard some people enter the library, some kids she thought, so she rinsed her face one last time, and decided she would not think about it right now because she needed to work.