I do not own Once Upon a Time

Belle entered the hall after a deep breath, trying to compose herself. She couldn't allow Gold to confirm that she was the one he'd seen helping a woman in the tattered side street to the restaurant.

To her surprise, Gold was already seated at the table next to James, Mary Margaret, and Gaston who appeared to be uncomfortable with the presence of the newcomer.

"Darling!" James stood, pulling up a chair so that Isabelle could sit with the group. "Look who decided to join us tonight."

Belle smiled shyly to Gold, trying to look surprised to see him there. "Mr. Carruthers is a pleasure to see you again."

"Equally, Miss Chesneau" He nodded without looking away from her, staring at her intently. But, Belle thought that if he had really recognized her in the street, he would not hesitate to immediately deliver her to the Germans. Maybe he had not recognized her... Still, she needed to be attentive to any move he made that night: Belle was not safe there.

Throughout the meal, Belle did her best to seem animated while talking with Gaston and demonstrate that his company was pleasant, but as the conversation unfolded, she realized she could never appreciate the company of that German. Gaston not diverted his attention from her, though he never once asked about her life. The German bragged about telling his achievements during the war and how easy it was to get any information from civilians that he captured and tortured. That kind of talk made her even more upset, feeling her revulsion only increase. As they talked, Belle realized that Mr Gold doesn't diverted his attention from her too, watching every expression that crossed her face.

Belle felt very uncomfortable about having to endure the presence of the German beside her and the presence of Adrian Gold who was watching her as if she were an easy prey to capture. After finish dinner, Gaston asked to dance with her. Belle tried to be flattered by the invitation, but she felt her body stiffen. Looked straight at James, trying to ask for some assistance to extricate from that man, but her friend only wore a sad smile on his face, because there was nothing he could do. Belle gulped before looking to Gold, and if she had not looked away quickly, she could swear the expression which was marked on his features was an overwhelming hatred, and Belle thought for a moment... Jealousy too.

Gaston's hands slid down Belle's back as they danced. Every time his fingers touched her bare skin between her shoulder and neck, Belle felt a shudder of disgust and terror. Those fingers, according to what James told her, had no reserve to entwine around the cold metal of a trigger and kill a human being-the-blank. She smelled the rancid breath of Gaston on her face as he tried to close his lips against hers.

"Isabelle, you already know how much I desire you. Please tell me I can have you for me" he moaned, as he stroked her neck with his nose.

Full by disgust, Belle stiffened and forced herself to not follow her instincts that insisted that she must break away from the clutches of Gaston. She realized that whatever the nationality of the man she would avoid his touch. She looked around the room and saw that French women danced with other Germans. No one was dressed as elegant as her. By the looks they had, some were little more than common prostitutes. But how much she would be better than those women?

Averting her eyes from the German, Isabelle saw Gold stared intently watching every move she made on the dance floor. He did not move any part of his body and was holding his cane firmly with exaggerated pressure on the object, as if it were the only thing that kept him stuck in the place he was sitting. Belle knew he was trying to restrain himself from going up to them and beat the German with the cane he held, and she did not understand why Adrian Gold was so disturbed.

Belle was sure that if he had known that it was her who was in the alley, handing money to the poor woman, he would deliver her to Gaston without hesitation. He would report her to the German that Isabelle Chesneau was a traitor of the German Cause and probably Gold would be present during her execution, reveling with her despair. Why then he could barely see her in Gaston's arm, whether it was to Gaston that he would deliver her in the first opportunity he had?

The only plausible explanation, perhaps, was that Adrian Gold did not support Hitler. Maybe this man hated the Germans as much as her, and the fact that Gaston was rubbing the tips of his fingers around the neck of Belle meant that Gold had wanted to break every bone in that man's body. Was he really jealous of her or everything was just a bluff?

No, she could not let those thoughts dominate her and settled down. She and Gold barely talked to each other, and Belle knew that any involvement with him would mean her death sentence. She would be accused of treason as he was... Nobody would support her, especially her father, who had always been clear to whom his loyalty belonged. For Belle, her loyalty lay where her heart was, but where was he now? Belle had to raise her barrier.

Adrian Gold was a traitor. Adrian Gold was a murderer.

"You may be able to escape the clutches of your overprotective cousin next week," said Gaston to Belle as she looked at James who, like Gold, watched each of her moves from the table where he was. "We may be alone."

"Maybe," Belle said, wondering how long it would be possible to evade this man, so used to choose and get what he wanted. "Excuse me, I need to retouch my maquillage," she said when the band played the last notes of the song.

When Belle returned to the table, she saw that Gaston was dancing with Mary Margaret and James was chatting with some German officers on the other side of the room, and only Mr. Gold remained seated at the table, alone, watching the people around him.

"Do you mind?" Belle asked, approaching him, pointing to the vacant chair beside the man. This was an opportune time. With Gold being alone, she could talk to him and try to have more knowledge about the life of this man and make sure that her mission was not at risk.

Gold nodded, allowing that she could sit beside him. "I thought you would dance a little more with your friend Gaston, dearie," he said wryly, taking a sip of the wine from the cup he was holding in his hands.

"One dance is enough for him." Belle replied dryly, without showing any affection to German. "I thought you were traveling, Mr. Carruthers. James told me that you would not be here tonight..." Belle said, trying not to be rude to him.

Gold smiled, seemingly amused "Fortunately my trip took less time than I expected" He said. "I returned to Paris during the early afternoon, and when I heard of this dinner I made a point to attend. I knew it would be extremely ... rewarding." He looked at her intensely, making her shiver. The way he looked denounced any suspicion that she had. Gold has seen her helping the raggedy woman; Belle was sure of it, but could not understand why he had not denounced to the Nazis or why he himself has not killed her yet. Why he did nothing?

"Rewarding?" She asked, trying to look innocent in her actions.

"You look lovely tonight, Miss Chesneau. This was my reward" The eyes that scoured her didn't show any malice, like Gaston usually looked at her, but Gold looked at her with veneration, like she was the most beautiful creature that was sent to him, becoming his private hell. Belle felt her face flush with the praise she received, looking away from him before she felt embarrassed. "I hope your trip was fruitful" she said.

"Maybe... Anyway, it's always good to go back to Paris," he said, turning to look at the people who danced in front of them.

"Visiting relatives can be really stressful sometimes..." Belle pounded. Maybe he had a wife and children whom he had gone to visit.

"Oh, no. This was not a trip to visit relatives... I have no family." Said Gold, the peaceful expression on he showed disappeared from his face, replaced by another, that Belle soon realized ... Was of sadness.

"No family? But you are not married or don't have children?"

She asked quietly, without really wanting to push him, but needed to have access to any information about him.

Gold didn't respond promptly and his eyes was watching to nowhere, as if his mind was far from that place. Belle could see the sadness and loneliness marked in his semblance, and she had a strange feeling of wanting to hug him and comfort him. At that moment she realized something few could see. Adrian Gold was not a monster. He was just a man.

"There was... There was a son ..." He spoke, his voice nothing more than a whisper. "Bealfire was his name...".

"What happened?" Belle asked, noticing that her voice also was nothing more than a whisper.

"I lost him... Like I did his mother..." He concluded and Belle realized at that moment that she had discovered one of the greatest weaknesses of Adrian Gold.

Belle had found the master key to unlocking the mystery that man was. The weak point. The way Gold mentioned his son was enough to Isabelle know that was his weakness. His son. But, Belle knew as even his son was his weakness, the boy was also Gold's strength.

The moment Gold talked about his son, Belle got an advance unchallenged in her mission, but she hadn't the feeling of pride, but of pity. Again she saw that the beast was nothing more than a mere man, who like everyone else, also suffered.

Belle wanted to say something to comfort him, but no words would suffice to bring solace to him. She didn't know what it was like to lose a son, but Belle remembered the night she had left her home. Her father carried the same burden of Gold, because her father had also lost her that day.

Stretching her hand, she landed gently on Gold's hand that was supported on the table. Perhaps that gesture could not console him, but she wanted to show him that she cared about the pain he was feeling. "I'm sorry..." She whispered, looking tenderly. Belle could not remember when she had begun to worry so much about that man... She guessed that maybe it was the night that Regina had given her the documents about him... Yes, it was that night that she could not stop thinking about Adrian Gold.

Gold looked at their hands, somehow united, and looking at her, Belle noticed the expression of sadness and also of gratitude in his face. Nodding silently, he removed his hand from her grip.

At that moment, Gaston returned to the table, guiding Mary Margaret, though he was staring from Isabelle to Gold. He had seen practically the whole scene, and it was clear that he was angry because, while he tried to share the briefest of touches possible with Belle, she does not hesitate any moment to touch Gold.

"Fräulein Isabelle, you grant me the opportunity to dance with me again?" He reached out to hold Belle. She shuddered again at the thought of the German sliding his inhibited fingers by her backs.

"I..."

"Sorry dearie, but Miss Chesneau promised that I could enjoy the company of her in the next dance" Gold interrupted Isabelle, holding her hand tightly in his, guiding her to the dance floor, without waiting for a response from Gaston.

Belle realized that the German was angrier than before, while watching her been taken away from him. It seemed as if he would tear her forces from Gold's arms, and Belle realized that Gaston was definitely a man she was afraid, because at any moment he could release his anger against her or against any other people.

Gold may have noticed the discomfort of Belle in relation to the German, while resting a hand on her back and with the other held her hand to his chest.

"Your hand is trembling," he remarked gently.

Belle sighed. "I don't know if I will bear the Commander Gaston for much long..." She said, trembling.

"Don't worry," he replied, shaking his hand firmly, approaching her and whispered in her ear. "You will always be safe with me, Isabelle."

Belle felt her heart stop beating for a moment only to return in a fast-paced and wildly. The words of Gold dominate her, and more than anything in her life, she wanted to believe in them. Why he had said that she didn't know but she was sure that they could be true. Realized that somehow she would always be safe with him... And now she was sure that her mission was compromised.

The music filled the place, but they were not dancing. Indeed, were barely moving. Belle naturally rested her head against his chest, realizing he hugged her fondly. There was a hint of... Belle searched for the right word... Intimacy in their body's language, a closeness that belied the fact that they had met so recently.

The barrier she had created was practically in ruins. Adrian Gold was a traitor? Adrian Gold was a murderer? None of these words made more sense to her. Belle concluded that Adrian Gold was just a man. An ordinary man. More than anything, she wanted to believe in this, wish she could believe that Adrian Gold would protect.

Regina's voice broke into her thoughts in a memory that seemed far away now... Don't trust in anyone. Maybe Gold would protect her from the Germans, but who would protect her from him? What would happen if the man who was holding her so tenderly that moment, knew that she was actually Isabelle French, an SOE agent sent to spy on him?

Maybe, she thought, Regina was right. She could not trust anyone, much less if this someone was Adrian Gold. That dance they were sharing with affection was just another game he undoubtedly was loving to play, simply to use her and Belle realized, to discover her weaknesses. And, unfortunately, he would realize sooner or later that one of her weaknesses was himself. This undoubtedly greatly would facilitate the time he would kill her, because he would know that Isabelle was going to hesitate.

So that was it. Adrian Gold didn't cared about her safety, but only about his own success, and at the first opportunity he wouldn't take her to the Germans, but would keep her prey to his own arms, so he could kill her. It was a perverse fate, but, thought Belle, a fate she would receive with open arms...

The only thing he cared about was the son he had told her he had lost. Only his son.

Adrian Gold was…

Belle didn't know more define what or who the man was, and it frightened her.

At that time the band played the last notes, and Gold removed his arms around her. Belle looked at him, trying to understand what had just happened between them. Apparently, he also showed the same curiosity and... Sorrow.

James and Mary Margaret came to meet them, both looked worried.

"Oh, Isabelle, you seem to be tired," James said.

"I'm a little, yes," she answered honestly.

"Then we'd better leave," James said, reaching for Gold. "See you soon Mr. Carruthers"'

"I'm sure we will. Perhaps we'll see in the opera, on the next Saturday evening?" Gold said, as he followed them out of the restaurant. Belle has not had the opportunity to say goodbye to Gaston, and had no desire to return to do it.

Then she realized she had exactly one week to the next meeting with Gold, and during this time she would have to have enough forces to establish a definitive point whether or not to trust this man.

For progressed in her mission she needed to set aside her feelings and give voice to reason. Should forget who Isabelle French was and become the agent who had been trained to survive the poisons of war.

Adrian Gold was a monster.

Please share your thoughts! :)