Chapter Ten: Dinner

Belle stepped out of the library and locked the door behind her. She turned and set out on her short walk to Rumpelstiltskin's house. It was a little cool outside as the sun was going down, but she enjoyed it. The fresh air cleared her mind, and was making her feel better. About halfway to Rumple's house the sun was almost completely gone and she began to wish she had brought a sweater.

When she arrived on his doorstep it had became pretty chilly outside. She rang the doorbell. Rumplestiltskin opened the door to let her in, "Belle, you don't have to ring the doorbell, you are always welcome here. My home is your home."

Belle smiled at him, came inside, and Rumple shut the door behind her. The two embraced in a hug. Rumplestiltskin pulled away slightly, "Sweetheart you're freezing!" He took his jacket off and placed it around her shoulders.

"Thank you Rum, that's better. I forgot my sweater."

He stoked her cheek and looked down into her blue eyes, "Are you ok? I heard about what happened at Granny's this morning."

Belle's facial features were rather depressed as she thought about the day's incidences again, "Who told you?"

"Ruby."

Belle looked down at the floor and nodded. She wasn't mad at Ruby, but she had preferred to tell Rumple what happened herself.

Rumplestiltskin took her chin in his hand and turned her gaze back towards him, "Belle listen to me, you are not a monster. Far from it. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. The fact that you can love someone like me doesn't make you a monster. In fact it makes you the opposite. Only someone who is pure of heart could find the light in someone like me, after all the things I've done. I've done so many horrible things to others; they can't help but hate me, or anyone who associates themselves with me. They would say anything no matter how harsh the words if they thought it would get to me."

Tears began to fall from Belle's eyes.

Rumplestiltskin frowned; he did not like seeing Belle cry. He wiped a few tears from her eyes and pulled her close, "Will you stay here with me tonight? I don't want you to be alone after what you've been through today."

Belle smiled up at him through the tears and nodded yes in reply. She didn't really want to be alone either.

Rumplestiltskin smiled back at her and ran a few fingers through her hair, "Dinner is ready, what do you say we go eat, and then we can sit down and talk about everything?"

"Yes, I'd like that."

Rumplestiltskin put a hand on her lower back and led her into the dining room. Belle grinned when she saw the room. The room was decorated very romantically. There were two tall candles on the table with rose petals sprinkled around them. The lighting was dimmed down to create the mood. The fireplace was lit adding to the ambiance.

Rumplestiltskin pulled out a chair and motioned for Belle to have a seat, "Dinner is served my dear."

Belle gave a small curtsy and took a seat, "Why thank you sir."

Rumplestiltskin served a lovely meal including desert.

After dinner, the two went to the living room to chat. Belle took a seat on the couch and Rumplestiltskin sat next to her. It was silent before Belle finally spoke up. "Rum, you don't know everything that happened today."

"Oh? Tell me my dear, what's happened?" he asked.

"Well before you came by the library to bring me lunch, my father stopped by."

Rumplestiltskin tensed up, "What did he say?"

"He heard about the incidence this morning, you know because news travels fast. He said he was there to check on me, but really, he was trying to use what happened to talk me into leaving you."

Tears welled up in Belle's eyes as she continued. Rumplestiltskin wrapped an arm around her, "I told him just like I have before, it's my life, so it's my choice, and he said…" Belle began to choke up, unable to speak.

Rumplestiltskin held her close, "It's ok sweetheart, let it out."

Belle sniffled, "He said…that I wasn't his daughter…anymore…an…and…that maybe…I am…a…monster."

Belle began to sob uncontrollably into Rumplestiltskin's chest. Rumplestiltskin quietly rubbed her back to sooth her.

"Rum, it's one thing when a stranger says it, but when it was my father…"

Rumplestiltskin stroked her hair, "It's ok. I understand." He was angry at what her father had done, and wanted badly to take revenge, but he knew Belle would never be happy with him if he did so. He tried his best to keep his cool and let it go.

"I love my father so much. I wish he wouldn't act like this and just accept my choices."

Rumplestiltskin was silent for a minute. He was regretting what he was doing to Belle and her father's relationship, "Belle, I'm sorry."

Belle leaned back to look him in the face, "For what?"

Rumple stroked her check, "I'm sorry I took you away from your family and brought this upon you."

Belle reached up and grabbed either side of his face, "You have nothing to be sorry for, I wouldn't change anything about what happened. I don't know what I'd do without you. We would be together no matter what, I love you."

Rumple smiled, "And I love you."

They leaned in and embraced in a light kiss. Belle broke away and curled back into his chest. "Rum, there's something else that's been bothering me as well."

"Yes?"

"I know you've done many horrible things, and I know that's not who you are anymore, but is it true you tried to take Ashley's baby?"

Rumplestiltskin was silent. Belle looked up at him. His expression confirmed the answer to be "yes."

"But why would you take children?"

"I wouldn't just take the children and babies. The women would always want something in return, so they would give me their first born as the price."

"Why would you even ask for them and not something else?"

"If a woman is willing to trade her child away for riches or land, then she doesn't deserve to be a mother."

Belle looked into his eyes, "Rum, please be honest with me. Don't just give me the half truth."

Rumplestiltskin let out a loud sigh. He averted his eyes from Belle's gaze as he told her the truth, "Well remember I told you that Milah left me for another man?"

Belle nodded.

"Well I could never forgive her for leaving Bae. I couldn't understand how she could do something like that. I would have been willing to forgive her if she just left me; after all I am just a coward. But Bae? He was her son! She was a mother who abandoned her son! And when I saw her she acted as if she didn't even care! From then on, I didn't want other children to suffer the same fate as Bae. When women would come to me for help, I would offer them what they wanted in return for their first-born child. If being rich, living comfortably, or finding true love was more important to them then their own child, then they deserved what they got. They signed the contract so they knew what it entailed!"

"And…what would you do with these children?" Belle was a little afraid of what the answer might be.

Rumplestiltskin sensed what she was thinking, "Oh, no Belle, I would never harm them or leave them to die. I would take them to parents who couldn't have children of their own and would love the child unconditionally. I felt like I was giving the child a better life. Ashley wanted to live a life as a princess in the castle, and in return she promised me her child. When it came time to pay, she didn't want to follow through."

Belle watched him for a while, watched the tears form in his eyes that he tried to hold back. 'Of course this was about his son…everything he ever did was about his son,' she thought. Even though she did not agree with what he had done in the past, she was willing to forgive him and move on. She loved him and didn't know how it felt to lose a child, and he was finally being honest with her, something she desperately wanted. However the thought of him asking for children still bothered her a bit, "It justs upsets me a little…especially when I think about when we have a child…" Belle froze. 'Did I really just say that aloud?' she thought to herself. She looked up at Rumple's face and had her answer. 'Oh well, if he's willing to be honest with me, I must do the same for him.'

Rumpelstiltskin looked up at Belle in utter disbelief. 'Did she say what I think she just said?' he thought. "You…you would want to have children with me!?" Rumpelstiltskin was in complete shock. The fact that Belle could love him was unbelievable, but this was unfathomable. He had never thought of having another child; mostly because he never thought he would fall in love, much less find a woman who would want a monster like him. Not to mention he had swore never to love anyone else when Bae disappeared. Yet here he was madly in love with Belle, and he wouldn't change a thing. He wouldn't deny Belle anything she wanted. A part of him felt guilty, but he had to keep telling himself Bae wouldn't want him to feel that way.

"No! I mean yes…well maybe." Belle looked into his deep brown eyes, the eyes she adored so much, "Of course I would want children with you someday…but I know finding Bae is more important. I would never ask you to put me or another child before him."

Rumplestiltskin smiled, of course Belle, his Belle, would understand how important finding Bae was to him, "Any child would be lucky to have you as a mother. I know you would do anything for him or her, and you would never trade the child for anything. As for me, I would not be a good father…I told you what happened to Bae."

"I know what you said happened to Bae, but look at what you've done since then. You are a man who made one mistake, and has devoted his life trying to find his son because he loves him very much. I know you're sorry, and regret it more than anything, and I'm sure when we do find him he will see that too. Not many a man would create a curse to take everyone to a strange land just to get his son back. You are a wonderful father, to Bae, and you will be to any child that may be present in our future."

Rumplestiltskin leaned his head against Belle's forehead and pushed the curls out of her face, "Belle you are wonderful. You are willing to give me more than I could ever ask for. I can't believe you would fall in love with a monster like me, much less be willing to give me children."

Belle got angry, "Rumplestiltskin I have told you many times before, you are not a monster, or a beast, or evil. I want you to stop saying that because it hurts me. It doesn't matter what you've done in the past. There is good in you, and as long as you let that good shine and not let the evil take over, then I will always be by your side."

Rumplestiltskin smiled, "How about I make you a deal? I promise to never call myself a monster or beast again if you can promise me you will stop believing you are one."

Belle smiled back, "It's a deal."

Their lips met and they melted into a deep and passionate kiss. Belle curled her arms around his neck as they kissed. Rumple ran his fingers through her hair, and Belle began to giggle.

Rumplestiltskin wished he could scoop her up in his arms and carry her upstairs, but he cursed his bad knee for not letting that be possible, "I'm glad to see you smile and laugh again, I take it you are feeling better?"

"Yes, I am."

"I love you, Belle."

"I love you, too Rumplestiltskin."

Their lips met once again.

a/n So I was totally going to write in this story (which I still will) that Hook has learned how to rip out hearts but the show beat me to it lol :)