I don't own any characters from Once Upon a Time.

Thank you so much to everyone who read/favorited/followed my story.

Chapter 18

The next day everything continued to go from bad to worse. Not only was Dr. Whale ogling Lacey as she and Rumplestiltskin passed him on the street, Neal had to hear the yelling and come out of his hotel room just as Rumplestiltskin was forcing Whale to kiss his shoe. He let Whale get up off the ground and walk away and told Lacey to wait for him in the shop.

"Is this supposed to be you changing?" Neal scoffed when they were finally standing alone.

"Bae, you don't understand," Rumplestiltskin tried to reach out to his son.

"I understand plenty. You say you did all this for me and then you disappear. You haven't changed."

"And yet you are still here," Rumplestiltskin tried to find some common ground with his son.

"For Henry, I am here for Henry. Why don't you just do us a favor and stay away from us."

"And exactly who is us, Bae? Is that you, Henry, and Emma or is it someone else you are thinking of?" Rumplestiltskin's voice was now becoming sarcastic.

"What are you talking about?"

"I saw you and Lee at the diner the other day. Thick as thieves you were, having lunch together and carrying on what seemed to be a pretty intense conversation."

"You still don't know do you? She still hasn't told you?" Neal turned and started to walk back to his room.

"Bae, please, tell me what?" Rumplestiltskin called after him.

Neal turned and took a few steps back toward his father. He looked like he was debating what he should and shouldn't say.

"Back in Boston, Lee shot and killed a man who was a second away from killing me. She saved my life." All color drained from Rumplestiltskin's face. He looked like a man who lost the strength to stand and could faint at any second. He placed all his weight on the cane in front of him to keep from falling.

"I am sorry, but it's the truth. That's what happened. Oh, yeah, and no matter how many times I told her she would be better off staying as far away from you as possible, she keeps asking me to give you another chance and telling me not to judge Belle by what I see of Lacey. She kept saying how much I'd like her if I knew the real Belle."

"I am sorry Bae, I didn't know", Rumplestiltskin was finally able to speak a few words.

"She told me she was going back to the old world as soon as her wizard friend found a way to get them there. I can't believe you don't understand that Lee is the best thing that's ever happened to you," Neal pointed his hand in the direction of the diner indicating the last place he saw the woman they were discussing, "and there you are not even trying to fight for her. Look, just forget it, OK," Neal shook his head and stepped away again, "what's the point." This time he turned and walked away leaving Rumplestiltskin standing in the middle of the sidewalk.

It was later that same day that Grumpy ran into the pawn shop with Clark in tow, yelling about how Clark was now Sneezy once again and carrying the memory potion that Blue gave him.

As soon as Belle's memories returned she threw her arms around Rumplestiltskin.

"Thank you. Thank you so much for making me remember."

"It wasn't my spell that got you back but I am so glad you are?" He smiled as he once again looked into Belle's beautiful blue eyes that had no trace of Lacey left.

"Belle," his hand gently brushed the hair on the side of her face, "we need to talk but first there is something I want to show you."

He locked the door behind them as they came out of the shop and turned to walk toward the old library building. When they reached the door, Rumplestiltksin reached into his pocket and gave Belle a key. When she opened the door and saw the myriad of book shelves in the room, not even the musty smell or the blanket of dust on every surface could keep the awe out of her eyes.

"This is wonderful." She turned in a circle in the middle of the room.

"A while ago I asked the town council to open the library again and every library needs a librarian. The job comes with a caretaker's apartment on the second floor and it's been cleaned and fixed up. I set up a bank account in your name to make sure you have everything you need that the librarian's salary will not cover. Whatever else you want or need, all you have to do is tell me."

"Thank you, Rumple," she whispered softly. As she looked up into his eyes she knew, knew there was something else he had not told her and decided that if he wanted to be honest with her now, she owed him the same in return.

Standing in the middle of the library, he took Belle's hands in his own and gathered all his strength and courage. He told her about his son, his cowardice when faced with losing his power, discovering the curse that brought them to this world, and the need to bring magic to Storybrooke in order to find his son.

"I wanted to tell you everything, Belle, but there are some things I needed you to see for yourself. I needed you to see what I always knew, that you would keep trying to change me and keep getting hurt every time you realized I couldn't change. I needed you to understand that our relationship couldn't make either of us happy. I am sorry, Belle, I am so sorry, but you deserve so much more." She knew he was right, knew that what they had could never work. She nodded and smiled sadly.

"You are going to ask Lee to stay with you." It was a statement more than a question.

"Yes, I am going to try to find a way to keep her in my life," but in his eyes she saw only hopelessness and pain.

"Is that the reason true love's kiss didn't break your curse back in our world? Did a part of your heart belong to her even back then?"

"I believe so Belle and that's why I owe you the truth now. You see, even if Lee does not want to be with me, you deserve someone who loves you and only you with all his heart. Someone like you should never settle for anything less."

She came close, took his hands in hers, and he saw tears shining in her eyes.

"Don't sell yourself short. She is lucky to have your love and you are not that easy to let go. Goodbye Rumple."

His own eyes were moist as he gently raised her hands to brush against his lips.

"Goodbye, Belle."

"I am going to go and see my father. He is probably worried sick," Rumplestiltksin watched after her as she walked out the door and across the street. As she turned around the corner Rumplestiltksin saw King Robert pushing his granddaughter, Alexandra, in her stroller, and almost yelled for Belle to watch out before she barreled into the man. Instead, he saw Robert step in front of the stroller, open his arms, and lift Belle off the ground as he caught her in a bear hug. He saw Belle lift her hands to the man's face as smiles lit up in their eyes and they walked out of sight together.