Morning finally came, sunlight greeting the couple against their will. Belle moaned, and tried to snuggled deeper into Rumpelstiltskin's hold before memories came crashing down on her. Baelfire was probably in her room, wondering where she was… Unless he'd come looking for her here first. She cursed, and got up at last, reluctantly.
She struggled to find her clothes at first, until she at last found a brand new, blue dress in the closet. "Rumpel, you're going to spoil me." she muttered, and he must have woken up in her absence, because suddenly there he was, helping her lace up her dress.
"You deserve to be spoiled, dearest." Rumpelstiltskin told her, resting his head against her shoulder. "I love you." he reminded her, and she smiled happily. "I love you too." she sighed, pressing into him before turning and kissing him again.
"Our son is probably waiting for me," Belle said, the plural slipping out without even meaning. Rumpelstiltskin grinned wolfishly at her. "I'll have to fight him for your attentions, now, huh?" he teased.
"My attention is only for my boys," Belle retorted, kissing him again. "I have enough room in my heart for both of you." she whispered against his lips.
"Your boys," Rumpelstiltskin smiled against her lips. "I like that." he admitted shyly. "Well," Belle said humming. "It's true. That's you and Bae- my boys."
At this moment, Baelfire knocked on the door. Luckily, he listened when he was told to wait a moment for mama or papa to open the door. Rumpelstiltskin stole a final kiss from his future bride before smilingly opening the door.
"Good morning, son." he smiled.
"Good morning, papa. Is mama in here? I couldn't find her." Bae chirped, unbothered by the fact his parents were now.. entangled.
"Yes, love. I'm right here." Belle asserted, coming up and pressing her small front to Rumpelstiltskin's back. She put her arms around his waist, loosely. "Did you need me last night, honey? I'm sorry." she asked worriedly.
"No'm, I just needed my book." Baelfire assured her, giggling at her open affection to his father. "Why are you hugging papa?" he asked, confused.
"'Cause I love him." Belle said firmly, giggling at her beau's reaction. He tensed instantly.
Belle didn't let that deter her, firmly grasping around his waist and squeezing affectionately. "Is that ok with you, Bae?" Belle dropped her arms from around Rumpel and he immediately mourned the loss.
"Well, you are Mama." he said softly. "And he's Papa. It's only fair you love each other." he explained in a childlike manner.
"See? I told you he'd be ok." Belle turned around and stuck her tongue out at Rumpelstiltskin, who rolled his eyes.
"Yes, O Great and Knowledgeable One. You were right." Rumpelstiltskin snarked, poking her in the ribs. Belle snorted, and grabbed him by his face and pulled him to her, kissing him with such ardent affection that made Bae laugh.
"Mama, you're going to make him fall over." Bae teased, grinning wolfishly. Rumpelstiltskin snorted, pulling Belle closer. "I don't think this wee slip of a girl could do me any serious damage." he said.
"Is that-" Belle gasped out through her laughter. "Is that a challenge?"
"Oh, aye. Feel free to attempt it." Rumpelstiltskin laughed, kissing her on the head.
Belle leaned up, into his kiss. "I just might," she told him teasingly. "It's not everyday the Dark One tells you you can beat 'em up." she said condescendingly, giggling. Rumpelstiltskin rolled his eyes, and grabbed her waist, picking her up and twirling her around until she begged mercy.
"I'm not afraid of you, dearest. I could dispense of you within seconds." he smirked. "All I've to do is spin you 'round."
"You'd have to get through me, too, Papa." Baelfire snarked, coming up and pulling his mother's arms round him. She squeezed him gently. "Nothing will hurt my Mamma." he said firmly.
"My strong knight," Belle cooed, destroying the words effectively as she puckered her lips and kissed Bae's head.
"Moooom." Bae laughed, wiggling away from her.
"Deal with it Bae," Belle snorted. "I'm affectionate with the ones I love most. And you will just have to DEAL!" she wrapped around him and kissed his shoulder tenderly. "My little man."
"Does this mean," Rumpelstiltskin teased. "I'm to share you with my own boy?" his eyes sparkled with mirth.
"Yes. You're going to have to share, sorry," she laughed, untangling herself from Bae and stalking over to Rumpelstiltskin, who grabbed her hand and kissed it tenderly. She sighed happily, the gesture meaning a lot to her.
Belle twirled into his arms, smiling as Bae came over to curl up, his head in her lap. She began to pet his hair, leaning her face up to kiss Rumpelstiltskin again. Gods, she loved him. And somehow - in no other realm he found a love like hers.
She hummed against Rumpelstiltskin's lips, sighing with the usual pleasure of his kiss. Everything in this single moment, felt right.
And then everything was shot to hell.
Everything happened at once; the door to the Great Hall was smashed open, and Rumpelstiltskin moved Belle and Bae both behind him. There was shouting, and Bae was cringing, and Gods, this wasn't fair. Belle turned herself around, her back to Rumpelstiltskin's, and began to comfort the crying child.
"We are here for the Princess Belle of Avonlea." one of the men said. Belle felt Baelfire stiffen, but Rumpelstiltskin didn't even flinch.
"I know no one that goes by that name," Rumpelstiltskin said easily.
"Don't you though, Dark One?" the man taunted. "Or have you already turned her aside? Were her ways not good enough for you?" he laughed.
Rumpelstiltskin saw red, and all he knew was this man was talking badly of the woman who would become his wife. He stalked forward, and was about to squeeze the life out of his neck when he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Rumpel… Stop." Belle murmured. "This isn't you."
"Isn't it?" Rumpelstiltskin taunted, turning to face Belle, still holding the man's neck.
"No! It isn't. You're a man, Rumpel, who has made mistakes, but you're better than this! Let him go." Belle demanded.
Rumpelstiltskin flinched, looking at her helplessly. "Belle, love… He came here for you." Rumpelstiltskin tried to reason with her.
"And I'm not going." Belle said firmly. "Let him go, and send him off to the castle with the rest of the Papa's men. I'm here with you Rumpel." she told him gently.
Rumpelstiltskin nodded minutely, then slammed the man up against the wall. "Let it be known that Belle of Avonlea is gone… She is no longer yours - but mine. I won't tolerate any more attempts on bringing her from my arms." he growled and then the magic enveloped the men.
Rumpelstiltskin fell onto the floor, his knees giving out. Bae rushed over to him, but Belle was quicker. "Bae, son, why don't you go and read for a bit? I need to talk to Papa." she murmured.
"Don't be mad at him, Mama. He was just protecting you." Bae pleaded. Belle shot her son a gentle smile. "I'm not mad." she promised. "I just truly want to talk to him." she explained. Bae nodded, and ran off to read his third Harry Potter book.
Belle advanced on Rumpelstiltskin, and he was looking at her wearily.
"I won't apologise." Rumpelstiltskin said at last, before she could say anything. "I wanted to protect Bae and you. I won't ever apologise for that."
Belle pooled her skirts around him, on him. She wanted her scent to be overwhelming his senses, as she leaned in and pressed a hand on his chest. It was beating a rapid taboo.
"I wouldn't ask you to." she told him gently.
"You wouldn't?" Rumpel's brow crinkled in surprise.
"Of course not." She whispered, kissing him on the corner of his mouth. "You just wanted to protect me…. I want you to be protecting." she said.
"You got your wish," he chuckled darkly, sighing. He was sure he had lost her, and then she kissed him on the corner of his mouth and he was lost. "Belle…"
"Stop thinking." Belle whispered, snuggling her arms around his waist and pressing a kiss to his neck. "You're not you when you do that, and it worries me." She admitted.
"I'm sorry, Belle…" Rumpelstiltskin whispered. "I don't mean to worry you - ever." he told her truthfully, making her smile.
"I know, my love." she promised. "That's what makes it easy to do it…" she asserted with a giggle.
"I'm sorry," Rumpelstiltskin repeated again, looking down.
Belle shook her head. "Stop it, Rum. I don't want you to be sorry," she said gently, climbing into his lap unabashedly. "I just want you to hold me, right now." she admitted quietly.
Rumpelstiltskin wrapped his arms dutifully around her. "I love you, Belle." he reminded her.
"I love you too, Rum." she promised.
The couple spent a good while there, his arms wrapped around her waist and hers around his neck. Finally, Bae came down and asked for lunch.
Belle giggled. "Whoops," she smiled. "I knew I was forgetting something…"
And they all laughed. They went to the dining hall, and Rumpelstiltskin was kind enough to prepare a feast for them via magic.
Rumpelstiltskin hummed, feigning surprise as Belle almost choked. She had noticed something at the bottom of her glass of mead.
"Rumpel?" she questioned, fishing the ring out of the cup. She gasped as she realised her True Love was on one knee.
"Belle, my love," he began. "I never imagined I'd fall for you when I asked for you. Truly, I- That was not my intention, and yet… I can't bring myself to regret even a moment of it." he told her, and damn it, there she went crying.
"I love you, Belle." Rumpel whispered. "Will you marry me? Be my wife forever?" he asked.
"I will." Belle gasped, launching out of her seat and into his arms. She plucked the ring from his hand and slid it onto hers.
"I love you." They all said at once, Bae included.