i do not own OUAT unfortunately.

Chapter 5

Regina was nearing where Rumple was being imprisoned. "Stop here, I must now go alone and make sure the prisoner remains awake," Regina said.

She climbed off her horse. The guards bowed, "Yes, Your Majesty," they replied.

With that, Regina turned herself into a rat. She squeezed her way through the hole in the door. A voice quickly said, "It's just you and me dearie. Reveal yourself, I know why you are here. My price is simple; my freedom."

Regina turned herself back to a human. "I have a better offer for your silence to where Emma and I are. Belle's freedom," she told him casually.

To this, Rumple quickly replied, "Belle is dead. You told me that yourself, dearie."

"I lied, simple. I knew one day she would be of some use to me, so I kept her alive."

"She's alive…" he whispered. Rumple glared at her in disbelief. "Prove to me she is alive! Prove it!" he demanded.

Regina flicked her wrist and Belle was transported from the wagon to the cave.

"Belle, you're really alive," a familiar voice said.

Belle turned around and saw him. Rumplestiltskin. The man she loved. "Rumple," Belle said. She walked closer to the cell.

"I thought you were dead. I have missed you," Rumple said.

"And I've missed you Rumple," Belle said moving closer. She gently touched his face and kissed him through the space in between the bars.

"Enough you're making me nauseous," Regina said in an annoyed voice. "Now that you have seen her, do we have a deal or not?"

"Tell me again what the agreement will enclose dearie," Rumple replied. He wasn't paying much attention to Regina, as he was too focused on his now returned love.

"The deal is your silence on where Emma and I are. In exchange for this, I will free belle and you have my word that she will not be harmed by me or anyone that serves me," Regina said.

"I want to know why you took the child if you don't mind dearie," Rumple stated curiously. It wasn't a question.

"I don't mind telling you my plan because you can't do anything about it. I took Emma for three reasons; first she is Snow White's happiness; second, I plan on raising her to hate her true parents so one day she will kill them—since I cannot harm them, no thanks to you—and lastly, when has killed them, Emma will take over their kingdom. We will join our armies and then proceed to take over every kingdom in the land. Now, do we have a deal or not?" Regina asked, pride in her voice.

Rumple looked at Belle. "Deal. May I have a moment alone with belle?"

"Make it quick."

"Belle, listen to me, don't you dare try and stop her plan."

"I can't just stand by and let her turn an innocent child evil!" Belle hissed.

"No matter what she does, Regina will not be able to turn the child evil," Rumple said quietly. At least, I hope Regina isn't able to make her evil… he thought. "Belle, do you remember how to get to my castle?"

"Yes, I remember where it is. Why?"

"Because after she lets you go, I want you to head to the castle. You'll be safe there. Then I will never have to worry about you," Rumple said.

"It is time to leave Belle," Regina said, coming back into the prison. She grabbed Belle by the shoulder and transported out of the cave.

~ONCE~ONCE~ONCE~

"No! We cannot set him free Charming!" Snow shouted.

"Letting him free may be the only way to find Emma," Charming reasoned.

"Just tell me that you haven't already let him free. Because if have, you can think twice about us ever having another child!" Snow said in anger.

"No, he is still locked up. I came back to talk to you about it first," Charming said.

"We can't let him free!" Snow repeated in frustration.

"You want Emma back as much as I do Snow! He can tell us exactly where she is and we will find another way to imprison him again." He took his wife's hands. Snow turn away from Charming trying to decide what to do.

Finally, she refaced him. "Fine. Let's do it, but no one can know that we let him free! And I'm going with you," Snow said firmly.

"I agree," said Charming. Hopefully by this time tomorrow, they would have their daughter back.

~ONCE~ONCE~ONCE~

Regina arrived back at the palace after freeing Belle. As she walked into the door of the palace, The Huntsman rushed over. "Thank the gods your back, Your Majesty! The princess has been crying and no one can get her to stop."

"What did you do to her Huntsman?!" Regina demanded.

"Nothing, Your Majesty! I fed her and burped her. Then, the crying started and hasn't stopped. Not even your father can get her to stop," The Huntsman replied.

Regina rushed to the nursery to check on Emma. She heard the screaming from down the hall and walked faster. She opened the nursery door and saw her father holding her crying daughter. "Is she sick?" Regina said in a worried voice.

"I don't think so. She has no fever, I believe she just missed her mother," Henry replied softly, handing Regina the child, he quietly left the room. Momentarily, Emma stopped crying; she yawned and started to suck her thumb.

"I think someone is ready for bed!" Regina walked to the rocking chair, sat down and started to sing a lullaby. "Rock-a-bye baby, in the treetop .When the wind blows, the cradle will rock. When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall. And down will come baby, cradle and all." Regina saw that Emma was finally asleep. She slowly got up and walked to the crib. Gently, she laid Emma down. She placed a kiss on her daughter head. "Goodnight, my baby girl." Even though she wasn't her birth mother, Regina already loved Emma as her own.

authors note: once agian i like to thank SnowandJames4eva for editing the chapter.