The response! Guyssss! The response! I am absolutely floored, I have never had such a large response on any of the first chapters of my previous stories...simply amazing. Thank you very much :)

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"How's my baby Rose, hm?" Belinda asked with a large grin spread across her lips. She took the girl into her arms and hugged her close. "Oh, Mommy missed you so much. You know that?" She held the child out so that she could see her face, and Belinda placed a kiss on her rosy cheek. Rose was such a beautiful baby. Her skin was smooth and peachy pink. Her eyes were a deep blue like her mother's. And her hair was a mop of very dark brown curls. She very nearly looked like a doll, that's how perfect she was. But she was very much alive and she brought joy and happiness into Belinda's heart.

"She was good as always," Ruby smiled at her friend and held Rose's stray finger in her hand. "Hardly cried. Not like she used to anyway."

Belinda nodded. "I think she's getting used to not seeing me every moment of the day. Huh?" She asked Rose. "You starting to like Miss Ruby?" Another kiss on the child's cheek and then Belinda turned her attention back on her friend.

"How was work?" She asked and Belinda answered.

"Just like always. I'm lucky if I get three people in there during the afternoon. It's a wonder the Mayor hasn't decided to shut it down."

Ruby shook her head and placed her hands on her hips, the skin of which was nearly completely revealed. It was always a wonder why Granny continued to allow Ruby to wear the make-shift uniform the girl had created. A mid-riff shirt and red shorts that were so short they were more like a belt. But that was just Ruby. Belinda knew, though, that she would never ever be caught wearing such scandalous clothing. Upon noticing that her thoughts had strayed she once against concentrated on the nineteen year old girl before her. She was shaking her head again and insisting that the library would never close. "She wouldn't do it. Regina can be a cold and heartless witch sometimes, but she knows that the library adds character. If it closes down there would be several people upset to see it go."

"It does have a certain charm to it, doesn't it?" Belinda asked, but she was only half-involved in the conversation. She hoped what Ruby assured her of was true. If the library was shut down, then everything in Belinda's world would come crashing down. Menial as it was, that small job as the town librarian was the only thing supporting her and Rose.

"Anyways," Ruby changed the subject, "Where else did you go?"

Belinda pretended to play dumb. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm not an idiot, Lind," Ruby insisted, "You were here nearly a half hour later than you usually are and...well, you look kind of worried. I can practically smell the anxiety on you."

Belinda frowned. Was it really that obvious? She had just hoped she would be able to skip this whole conversation with the girl, but it seemed fate was just not on her side today. She sighed. "I paid a visit to Mr. Gold."

"Gold?" Ruby echoed. "What for?"

"Pay the rent," she replied simply.

"Well, I understand Gold's enough to scare the hell out of anybody, but paying the rent shouldn't be that bad. You look like you've seen a ghost. Sure you're feeling alright?"

Belinda let out another sigh, it was longer and more tired-sounding than the first, before she plopped down in one of the booths and situated Rose on her lap. Ruby followed suit and took the seat across from her. "I was short by half, Rubes. I thought he was going to kick me out of the apartment."

"But he didn't, right?" Ruby asked. She sounded genuinely concerned.

"No. It might be worse than that though."

"Worse?" Ruby was silent as she gauged Belinda's every move, every flicker of her eye, every emotion that crossed her face. She saw unadulterated fear in the girl's eye. Belinda wasn't altogether courageous, but if it's one thing you never saw, it was Belinda French frightened. Ruby knew something was really wrong and she asked, "Belinda? What did you do?"

The woman could barely look her in the eyes, but she mustered up enough courage to do so anyway. "I made a deal with him."

"What?!" Ruby nearly shouted, but she lowered her voice just in time. No need to embarrass Belinda further by letting everyone else in the diner know of their ill-boding conversation. "What? Lind, do you know how dangerous that is? No one makes a deal with Mr. Gold. No ONE. What did you promise?"

"That's the worst part. Nothing...exactly. Just..." she took a deep breath to steady herself. "He said he'll collect on it when he finds out what he wants."

Ruby didn't speak this time. Nothing. And when Ruby was silent, it usually meant that what the other person had said had been significant enough to leave Ruby speechless. Belinda had only achieved that silence one other time in her life: when she had told the girl that she was pregnant. Since then, it had been a whole five months and Ruby had not been rendered speechless again. Until now. In part, Belinda was glad because she wasn't sure if she wanted Ruby to say anything, but then again she needed comfort and she needed it NOW.

"What else was I supposed to do, Ruby?" Belinda groaned. "It was either this or us being kicked out of the apartment. I can't do that. I've got Rose to think of." As if fearing that she would lose the baby right then and there, she held her closer in her arms. She was sleeping soundly and only snuggled closer when her mother moved her. It nearly made Belinda smile, but for the fact that she was incredibly stressed out at the moment.

"Hey." Ruby reached across the table and placed a comforting hand on Belinda's arm. "You know that you will always have a place here with me and Granny, right? If something happens or you need a new change of scenery, there's a room with your name on it. I wish you had done that instead of going to Gold for help."

"I know," Belinda conceded, "But...I guess I'm just determined to make this work."

"Because of your dad?"

She nodded her head. "Because of him and because of Garrett. When I became pregnant, neither thought I could take care of Rose on my own. My dad kicked me out and Garrett broke up with me. I need to prove to them that I can take care of my baby without anyone else's help."

"I understand that. But you went to Gold for help..."

"Not really." She shook her head. "I just..well..." There was no substantial answer. Ruby was right. She had gone to him because she had thought he was the only one who could help her. She swallowed hard and chuckled bitterly. "I suppose I thought he was the only one who could help."

"You're not alone, Lind. Next time, remember that before you go and make deals with the devil, eh?" She stood up from the table, having to get back to work.

Belinda chuckled, this time for real. "It's Mr. Gold, not the devil."

Ruby shrugged. "Same thing, in my opinion." Then, she grinned. "So, can I get you anything? On the house, of course."

On any other night, Belinda would have refused. But she was absolutely starving. And tired. And not really in her right mind. All she could think about was the deal she had struck with the infamous pawn-broker, who, deep down, wasn't a pawn-broker at all. He was much too crafty, too underhanded, too sneaky to be a simple pawn-broker in the small town of Storybrooke, Maine. So, she just nodded her head and smiled. "Why, thank you, Ruby. I'll have the grilled chicken salad with an iced tea."

"What flavor?

"Peach, please. It's my favorite."

"Any particular reason?" Ruby seemed to be trying to ask her questions just to distract her, and it worked, partially.

In reply, Belinda shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. It's just always been." It was true. Peach-flavored iced tea had always been sort of nostalgic to her. It was one of those small things that could lift her spirits within seconds. All the more fitting a reason to have it. So, Ruby nodded her head and waltzed back into the kitchen.

Once she was going, Belinda let out yet another sigh. One of relief. She loved Ruby to death, but now she had a few minutes to spare where she could spend precious moments with Rose, moments which seemed to be growing shorter and shorter as time flew by. What with working and scrimping pennies and buying the necessities and worrying over practically everything, Belinda rarely just got to share a quiet and relaxing moment with her daughter.

"Well, Rose, how about you tell me what you did today?" But, of course, the sleeping infant didn't answer. She just continued to suck lightly on the pacifier in her mouth. Rose looked so peaceful, without any care in the world, completely safe in her mother's protective arms. Belinda smiled softly. "I saw someone today. His name is Mr. Gold. He's a quiet man but he's cold and mean and he always has just a hint of sadness in his eyes. If he wasn't so awful, I think I would feel pity for him. People say he lives in a large home on the edge of town, all by himself. It would be awfully lonesome, don't you think, to have to live without anyone else in the whole world? Loneliness can do terrible things to people, Rose," Belinda explained gently to her sleeping daughter, as she ran one finger down the curve of the baby's cheek until it landed at her chin. "That's why I'm so glad I have you. You are truly the only thing that matters to me and I promise you will never be alone. Not like Mr. Gold. And I promise you will never have to worry about seeing him when he's cross or upset. He won't so much as touch you, I promise. You will never have to worry about that horrid man...He's my problem," Belinda added more to herself than to Rose, "Not yours." The baby squirmed and Belinda watched her, before she leaned down and kissed the wriggling infant in her arms. Instantly, Rose calmed again and everything, for one split second, seemed wonderful about the world.

And Belinda sipped her relaxing peach tea and drowned in it's nostalgic fragrance, and she filled her stomach with the good food. Rose, asleep in her arms, and strength once again renewed within her. And, for the moment, everything seemed right with the world. There was no estranged father, no unpaid bills, no crappy apartment, and no Mr. Gold. Just Belinda and Rose. That was the way she liked it, and that was the way she would love to have it. Permanently.

But, of course, all good things come to an end, sooner or later, and for Belinda French, it would seem her world was about to come crashing down much sooner than she could ever expect.

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Thank you so much for the feedback so far, and I hope that you'll all continue to follow this story! I love you guys!

AND. If you're interested, me and my friend Jillian (lightinside) have started a collaboration known as BeautyWithinTheBeasts. We have one story up right now. It's called "Only Human", and it's about Sherlock and Claire Bennett, a strong-minded and independent young police officer with an intellect to rival that of our favorite consulting detective. Please look it up and show your support! Review and let us know how we are doing :) Thanks so much in advance!