It has been waaaaaaay too long since my last update, and I missed this story so much. But between a recent Ski Retreat trip I went on, a terrible battle with the flu, and being at my grandparents, I just haven't had any time to update until now.

And according to my best friend, all ya'll Rumbellers are going through a lot of pain right now. I actually haven't even started watching season 4 yet (I know, I know...woooooow) but my friend's been filling me in on quite a bit, and it seems you all need a little Rumbelle lovin'. So, I hope this chapter delivers :)

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The room was dimly lit. Silent and still. There was no breeze, she choked on the air. A single flame lit the room. She could hear the scratching of rats in the corners. Her bed of straw was hard and rough. It was only then that she discovered the tears running down her cheeks. Her body shivered in the damp, cold, empty space.

Where was she?

She sniffled and sat up. Her clothes rustled, and when she looked down, she saw that she was clothed in a golden gown that must have once been stunning. Now, it was dirty and torn. She felt disgusting in it.

"Let me out!" She screamed and the voice sounded hoarse and so unlike hers. She didn't feel the sound rise to her throat and leave from between her lips. But the scream echoed in the stone room, and she knew it had been her who had let out the wretched sound. "Please, let me out! I'm begging you! You can't leave me in here forever!"

There was silence and her shoulders sunk. When she looked down at her fingers she found that they were raw and bleeding.

And then, a new voice rang throughout the room. One that did not belong to her. "I can do whatever I want, dearie! You'll be lucky if you ever see the light of day again!" She shivered violently. The voice was so dark and so evil. But there was no one else in the room. She was alone, and yet somehow someone somewhere had heard her.

"I swore to be your caretaker, not your prisoner!" She screamed back. "You gave me your word!"

Instead of a response, the door creaked open and a dark figure stood in the doorway, casting a towering shadow in the ominous lighting. She couldn't see his face. He growled at her. "Oh, you are my caretaker. I just don't trust you not to try and run away."

"I keep my promises."

The figure took one step inside her cell, and then another. The moment he shifted in the light, she saw his scaly face. He had a gray complexion, but his skin seemed to glitter gold. His hair was straggly. His eyes were gleaming yellow. She gasped. He looked frightening and furious.

Belinda sat up straight in bed, her body quivering and covered in sweat. She gasped for air. She was no longer in that prison, but she still felt stifled. She shook her head hard to rid her mind of the image of that demonic creature, but his yellow eyes continued to stare at her from behind her lids. Belinda felt sick to her stomach.

She heard Rose crying and slid out of bed to go and get her. The moment she picked up her baby she thought she would feel better, safer, more secure. But she didn't. Her heart was still beating really hard in her chest and she didn't know what could possibly calm it. She rocked Rose back and forth in her arms as she traveled around the room. Her eyes fell on the phone on her nightstand and she quickly crossed over to it and picked it up. She frowned when she realized she had no one to call. Ruby was probably out partying. Garrett was off limits. And so was her father.

She sighed and went to set the phone down when another name popped into her head. Could she really call him? Her eyes glanced at the clock. 3:07. It was way too late. But even as she was trying to convince herself not to, she was already dialing his number and pressing the phone to her ear. It rang several times and she bit her lip to keep from screaming. Maybe he wouldn't answer.

On the sixth ring, she heard a click on the other line and then his tired voice filtered through into her ear. She didn't know why she felt so relieved. "Hello?"

"Mr. Gold...Robert..." she began, not really sure what she should say.

"Belinda?" He asked in surprise and all of the sudden, all sounds of tiredness left his voice. "Are you alright? Is Rose okay?"

"She's fine. It's just...erm...I had a really bad nightmare, and I didn't know who else to call." Belinda blushed in embarrassment. She must sound absolutely ludicrous! "I'm so sorry to wake you. I shouldn't have called."

"No, no," he replied hurriedly. "Would you like to come over? I'll put on some tea."

Belinda couldn't believe it. He was actually willing to lose precious sleep and invite her over at 3 in the morning? She knew she should say no and not infringe on his generosity, but the darkness was creeping in around her and her heart beat faster in fright. She didn't want to be alone. "Are you sure you don't mind?"

"No, not at all."

"I have no way of getting there, I'm afraid," she responded, remembering that she would actually have to walk all the way to his place. Her heart fell. She would be forced to be alone after all.

"That's right," he began and she frowned. "I'll just come to you then. I'll be there in fifteen minutes." Before Belinda could say anything else or even thank him, the phone clicked and he hung up.

Belinda breathed a sigh of relief, far too scared and tired to be embarrassed any longer. She supposed she should be. Out of everyone she shouldn't have called, it would have to be her employer! But Robert Gold was more than an employer; he was her friend, and she trusted him.

She looked down at Rose and found that the baby was once again asleep. She brought her back to her crib and laid her down, snuggling her tightly with the blanket, and then bent down to give her a soft kiss. "Sleep tight," she whispered and then she walked away to put on a sweatshirt over her tank. She gave her hair and teeth a quick brush and then headed off to put the kettle on to boil some water for tea.

True to his word, Mr. Gold was standing on her doorstep fifteen minutes later. He was wearing his usual suit pants and a white dress shirt, but that was all, and Belinda decided she rather liked his "casual" attire. She let him into her home. She knew it was a modest place, but it was clean and tidy. The lack of furniture and decorations didn't seem to affect him at all as he sat down on the one sofa and waited for her to bring in their tea.

She came in a moment later, two mugs in her hand and she handed him one, made just the way she knew he liked it. He took a sip and smiled appreciatively at her. Belinda sat down next to him and just stared at the wall in front of her.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" He finally asked, breaking the silence.

Belinda turned her head to look at him and the fear was back in her eyes as she remembered every detail of her incredibly vivid dream. "I was in a prison, well, it was more like a dungeon. And I couldn't see anything. I felt trapped. I screamed for someone to let me out, and then-"

"And then what happened?" Robert pushed her gently. She was quivering and he stretched out a hand to grasp hers, hoping that it would help to steady her. It did. She swallowed hard and tried to finish.

"And then I heard a voice. It was high-pitched and squealing, and it was angry. Angry with me. It said that I would never be let go. I said something about a promise I had made...to be his caretaker and not his prisoner..."

If she had spared a glance at Mr. Gold, she would have seen his eyes flash in recognition and surprise. He knew exactly what she had been dreaming of.

"All of a sudden," she continued, "He came down and entered the dungeon. I couldn't see him at first. He told me I was trapped there forever, and then he moved and I saw him He was the most hideous thing I had ever seen! His skin was scaly like a reptile and his eyes were the most horrible shade of yellow. I-"

He smiled encouragingly at her. "Yes?"

"That's when I woke up. Robert...I've never seen something so frightening in all of my life! But it wasn't just him..."

"What really scared you, Belinda?"

She was silent and looked down at the cup of tea in her hands. "It wasn't like a dream. It was more like a memory. Something that I had seen before. The place seemed so familiar, and I felt – I felt that I had actually seen that monster before. Which is ridiculous, isn't it? I know I haven't ever seen anything like him ever."

"A memory?" He feigned ignorance. He knew of what memory she was referring. It had been the very night he had taken her away from her home and thrown her in his dungeon. She was remembering. At least in her dreams she was beginning to remember.

Belinda nodded. "I know it's silly-"

He interrupted. "Don't think that." He gave her hand a squeeze and she looked up at him in surprise. "It's not silly at all."

"It is." She insisted. "I shouldn't have even called you. I'm fine really." She took a hasty cup of tea as she mentally kicked herself. He could see that she was really beginning to feel stupid for calling him all the way out here for nothing but a harmless dream.

He smiled sympathetically at her. "Belinda...I'm glad you called me. Sure, it might seem a bit unorthodox," he chuckled, "But dreams can be frightening things, all the more so when they appear to be memories."

"It was just so real-"

"I know. I've had them too. Not in many months, but every once in awhile, I'll have a dream of something that seems like it could have happened. The thing about those dreams is that they almost seem to be portals into another world. Like a previous world, a previous life, that we once had. Somewhere different." He looked at her, trying to appear as nonchalant as possible, but still desperately trying to jump-start her memory.

Belinda just looked back at him, seemingly understanding, but failing to remember or to take his words literally. She smiled at him. "Thank you for coming tonight."

"You are most welcome," he replied gently and just stared at her, allowing himself to get lost in her eyes, "Belle." The monicker slipped out before he could contain himself, and her eyebrows rose high into her hairline.

"What did you just call me?"

His heart began to race as he inwardly panicked. He hoped he didn't appear anything but calm to her. Mr. Gold licked his lips. "I don't know. Must have been a slip, Belinda."

She was silent for a moment and was looking at him strange. Finally, she just smiled. "I kinda like Belle. If you want, you can call me that."

He smiled in elation. "You're sure you won't mind?"

"It's the least I could do for dragging you out her at 3 in the morning," she quipped.

"I already told you, Belle," he said, using her name, her real name, and reveling in the feel of it gliding across his tongue. "It was my immense pleasure."

She giggled and took another sip of her tea. He followed suit. "How are you still single, Robert?" She joked as she set her cup down on the coffee table.

He shrugged and grinned with her. "I could ask the same of you."

"I guess after I broke up with Garrett, I didn't have time to date, and no one wanted to go out with a tired, hard-working single mom like me. Besides, there's no one I've really considered being serious with."

"No one?" He found that hard to believe. It was a wonder to him why none of the single men of Storybrooke were laying themselves at her feet. If only he could, he would in a heartbeat.

Belinda shook her head. "No." She bit her lip. "But, who knows, that could all change, right? We don't know the future."

"Indeed, dearie," he purred.

Her eyes flashed for a moment in recognition. He had called her 'dearie', as had the monster in her dream. I can do whatever I want, dearie! She shook her head as Mr. Gold asked if anything was wrong. "I'm sorry. I was just thinking."

"About what?" He gazed directly at her and she met his intense stare.

"Nothing," came her soft response. She knew she was tired, borderline exhausted. She should probably just call it a night and try to get as much sleep as she could before Rose woke up, but she didn't want to move. She was comfortable and warm right where she was. She felt safe with him by her side.

Her hand stretched out to touch his cheek. If her mind hadn't become so sluggish, she would've stopped immediately, but she didn't care at this point. Her fingers trailed a path down his cheek, and she felt goosebumps on his flesh wherever she touched him. His skin was soft, not scaly like the demon in her dreams. The two could never ever be one and the same.

"Belle, what are you doing?" He managed to whisper.

She met his eyes. "I have no idea, Robert."

That reply was the melting point for Mr. Gold and he could contain himself no longer. Belinda watched as he inched closer and closer to her, his one hand crept up to rest on her cheek, mirroring her own. He hadn't touched her in so long. The contact made him shiver in longing.

She didn't draw away as he expected. She came closer of her own volition. Belinda wanted this, she needed this, as much as he did. She didn't know what drew her closer and closer to him, but the heat between them was reaching an inferno. Belinda needed him to kiss her.

And he did. His lips met hers in the most tender of all kisses, it took her breath away that he could be so gentle and so passionate all at the same time. His hands ghosted across her flesh in such loving care. She couldn't resist wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him closer. The two of them couldn't get close enough.

He pulled away ever so slightly. "Belle..." he murmured against her lips. "You should get some sleep." He moved to entangle himself from her arms, but she refused to let go, and he turned back somewhat reluctantly to look at her.

"Stay with me," she said with pleading eyes, and how could he deny her?

With a nod of his head, Mr. Gold sat back down beside her and let her snuggle into his side, with one arm wrapped around her shoulder, never ever wanting to let her go again.

Belinda was asleep within seconds.