Belle's first two days in the Dark Castle were nothing like she'd imagined, briefly though she had. She was shown kindness where she previously thought would be fear, and she had enough to eat every meal. Baelfire always asked her about that, saying that she looked so thin.
She supposed rationing food for three months before the Dark One showed up and saved the kingdom would do that to a person.
Either way, Belle was quite content with her new life at the Dark Castle. It wasn't nearly as dark as people said, nor was its owner. Granted, Belle spent more time with Baelfire than with Rumpelstiltskin, but she knew enough about him now that she was quite lucky to consider him a friend.
Belle spent her mornings helping Baelfire plow through the first Harry Potter book, eating breakfast and preparing lunch, and in the afternoon when Baelfire was taking his nap, she got to spend time either with Rumpelstiltskin, or with the books he'd gifted to her.
He would return from a deal often in a sour mood, but occasionally, when he'd returned with a gift, he was able to put on a smile in favour of seeing the reaction Bae or herself would give him. The two never disappointed, Belle even going as far as to hug him one day. He didn't quite know what to do after that, blushing and telling her it was no mater. But it was, to her at least.
Because you see, no one had ever really paid much attention to her love of books. Her father hadn't forbidden it, but Gaston had never seemed interested in them. So for her new master to approve and even indulge her in this, was quite a leap into Belle's good graces.
Belle was just waking up one morning when she heard the scream. Her blood froze, for half a second, before becoming boiling hot. She ran, half undressed as she was, into Baelfire's room. He was sweating when she touched his forehead, and he jumped at the gentle caress.
"Mama, please…" Baelfire whimpered, still stuck in the nightmare. "I'll be good. Papa will be good too, you know; he always is." he pleaded with his mother, and Belle's heart broke in that very same moment. She didn't dare call for Rumpelstiltskin, knowing this was supposed to be one of her duties, and yet her heart wished he was there. He'd know what to do.
And then, suddenly, Belle knew what to do as well. She ran over to the bowl of water that Bae used to clean his face, and gripped it tightly in both her hands. With little hesitation, the little woman poured the water on top of her charge. Then she tossed the bowl away, and sat down beside a gasping Baelfire.
"Belle?" Bae choked out, amidst his sobs. His blue eyes were wide and fearful. Belle pulled him into her arms, letting the child soak her undershirt. "It's me," she soothed him. "Do you want me to get your papa?" she asked gently.
Baelfire shook his head. "Papa's prob'ly getting tired of this nightmare." he whispered anxiously. "But you're here now, so it's okay." he said, sounding as if he was trying to convince himself as much as her.
Belle smiled in spite of herself, kissing her little man's head. "That's right, Bae. I'm here. I'll not leave any time soon, either." she vowed. "Why don't you tell me about your nightmare? It'll help." she suggested.
Baelfire snuggled closer into her chest, burying his face in her neck. "Okay," he said hesitantly. "It was before Papa came to be the Dark One, he wasn't always you know," he began. Belle filed that away for questioning later, but now let the child speak. "And mama was yelling at him again. She was always yelling, mama was." he hiccuped. Belle pressed a kiss to his forehead, her heart going out to the boy and his father.
"Anyway, it was market day in town, and Papa hadn't sold anything because everyone thought he was a coward." Bae whispered confidentially. Belle's eyes widened in surprise, but she hid the shock from the boy as she buried her face in his hair. "Mama was mad. She said he was useless, and what good was a man who couldn't provide for his family?" he went on. "I don't get it, Belle, Papa's not useless. He never was. He-"
Baelfire's words were cut off, however, by a knocking on the door. After a moment, the door cracked open. "Everyone decent?" came Rumpelstiltskin's snarky voice. Belle let out a relieved giggle as she pressed Bae closer to her. "Bae's covering the worst of it." Belle told her master. "If you'll let him stay in my lap, I should be fine." she added, however hesitantly.
Rumpelstiltskin nodded, and he stepped into the room. "Are you alright, son? Belle calm you down?" he asked, his voice full of concern for his child. Baelfire nodded readily enough, making Belle give herself a mental high five. She could do this, help raise this child. "Belle knows a lot. She's really smart, papa." Bae chirped from his perch on Belle's lap.
Belle's face reddened in a light blush, but she didn't contradict the child. "Why thank you, master Bae." she smiled as she kissed his head again fondly. Rumpelstiltskin was staring at them, half in awe and half in surprise. She was opening her mouth to ask him to join them on the bed, when he froze, flinching.
"What's wrong?" Belle asked in concern, looking at Baelfire questioningly. "It's a deal, someone wants to make one and Papa can't resist the temptation." Bae told her. "It's part of his curse as the Dark One-" he began.
"Shush, Baelfire." Rumpelstiltskin said, a bit sharper than he'd intended. Baelfire crumpled into Belle's chest, and Belle gently pet his hair. "It's ok, Bae." she murmured in his ear. "Papa probably just doesn't want me to know." she forced a smile for the child's sake, trying to curb her own curiosity.
Bae nodded, smiling softly at her. He liked Belle; she was kind and she helped him read. And she was pretty, oh she was so pretty, the child thought as he played with her hair, all pulled to the left side of her shoulder.
"The particulars of how I came to be the dark one are not necessary for Belle to know, son." Rumpelstiltskin said softly. "It could put her in danger, even," he added. He wasn't sure if that last bit was for Belle's sake or his son's.
Belle nodded solemnly, as did Baelfire. "Yes papa," and "yes sir" was chorused as Bae nuzzled deeper into Belle's embrace.
"I wouldn't want Belle to be in danger." Bae said at last, breaking the silence. "I love having Belle here." he shot Belle an affectionate glance, which she readily returned. "I like being here." she admitted, softly.
The mixture of parents and child spent the rest of the evening together, Belle still holding Baelfire even after she dried up. He was in no inclination to move away, and she in none to make him. Rumpelstiltskin made a good conversationalist, he was knowledgeable about anything Belle wasn't herself.
Baelfire eventually began to snore again, and Belle giggled a little. The child - she almost started to refer to him as hers, and oh wouldn't that be bad? - was so sweet, innocent. She'd do anything to keep him that way. And it was a blessing to both the child and the faux-mother that the father felt he same way.
Finally, Rumpelstiltskin left them, saying that they should get some sleep. Belle was just about to reach over to touch his shoulder when he disappeared, into thin air. She sighed, Baelfire giggled and she gave him a little shove. "Careful there," she teased him. "Wouldn't want you to fall out of bed, would we?" she asked, shoving him closer and closer to the edge, however gentle her movements were.
"Very funny, Belle." Baelfire chortled, launching himself back into her lap so that he couldn't be thrown off the bed. "You laugh now," Bae said. "but if I actually fell off, you'd be so worried." his eyes dared her to argue, and she didn't even try. She knew a hopeless case when she saw one.
And so she smiled, leaned herself forward until he fell back onto his pillows, and she covered him up with his blankets again. "Don't worry about your nightmares, Bae. That's all they are now." She murmured, gently pressing a kiss to his forehead.
"But Belle," Baelfire protested. "My mama really did leave." he told her quietly. Belle's heart went out to the child as she squeezed his arm. "Be that as it may," she said after a moment's struggle to compose herself. "Your papa didn't." she pointed out. "And I won't, either." she added hesitantly, kissing his nose.
"Good," Bae sighed sleepily, reaching up and patting her cheek. "I don't want you to ever leave." he told her firmly. "I won't, love, don't worry." Belle gently told him, kissing him just once on the corner of his mouth. "Now go to sleep. We've got a lot of mischief to get up to in our book tomorrow." she winked as she closed the door behind her, sighing heavily as she leaned against it.
The child was growing attached to her, and she to him. But she yearned to understand the father, she wanted to know him. And so with a decided smile, she went downstairs. Rumpelstiltskin was, as per usual, spinning at his wheel.
"Why do you spin so much?" Belle asked, breaking the silence. He jumped slightly at the sound of her voice, and he looked up at her. "To help me forget." he admitted, looking back down at his wheel.
"Forget what?" Belle asked, ever the curious one. With a look of surprise, Rumpelstiltskin's movements came to a halt.
"I guess it worked." And Belle laughed, smiling indulgently at the man who, despite what he thought, was definitely just a man.