I do not own Once Upon a Time.
A/N: Hi guys! I'm so sorry for taking so long to post this chapter! But I did a lot of research and reading so this story could have quality. I hope you enjoy this chapter and PLEASE share your thoughts about it.! Thank youuuuuu 3
It was raining hard and the wind gusts were causing the water falling from the clouds strike it hard against the windows. The noise made Belle wake up; It was still dark and the rain did not seem to give evidence that would soon cease. Looking at the time on her watch, Belle saw that it was still 4am. James and Mary Margaret should still be asleep, like Laura; she wouldn't get up and do any noise that could wake them.
How strange was the room where she was. Didn't look anything like her room at James's house. This one was much more spacious and had a pleasant aroma of herbs and leather...
But, it was because this was not her room. What had happened? Belle was trying to remember...
She remembered having fled Gold's house with the files that she had been looking for a long time, but she didn't handed them to Regina. Why she didn't handed them to Regina?
Something was wrong...
There was something wrong with the information contained in those documents. They described two German attacks that occurred in Scapa Flow; the second of it had caused the death of several people. During the attack, the son of Gold was in the place where the bombs fell. Belle could not kill him, and so had decided to return to his house to return the documents. But something had happened...
Oh, she remembered. Belle remembered everything and still could not believe it. It was just a dream? Or maybe she really was dead. But at no time in her memories Gold had killed her...
What was in her memory had nothing related to death, but to life. Belle turned slowly on the bed to her left side and was faced with the evidence that was not a dream: Adrian Gold was lying beside her, sleeping soundly.
Belle remained silent, just watching him sleep; she never thought to see him so relaxed, so calm.
How it happen? He had been about to kill her, but still, he did not. Both had shared something wonderful and impossible. So impossible that she still could not believe it.
But what Gold would do to her when he wake up? Probably he would realize the big mistake he had made and would reject her.
Belle ran her fingertips gently over his bare chest, drawing invisible lines across the length of his skin.
What had she done? How could she get involved with this man? How could let things come to such proportions? No doubt, with what happened between them, Belle had sentenced her death herself, and Regina would never leave her alone.
"You shouldn't do this," Gold said. Belle quickly pulled her hand from his chest, startled to realize that he was awake, but contrary to what she expected Gold didn't look at her with hatred or reproach.
"I'm sorry... I didn't want to wake you." Belle said. She did not know what his reaction would be and was surprised when his lips touched her forehead gently.
"Good morning," he murmured, smiling.
"Good morning," Belle smiled back and laughed softly when he pulled her close to him, and sought her lips with a intense kiss. Both remained this way until they were forced to separate so they could breathe. "I think this meant that I'm forgiven?" Belle asked, putting one of the strands of his hair behind his ear.
"Perhaps..." He said, kissing the tip of her nose.
The two were silent then, just looking at each other. Belle could feel all the tension she was feeling before he wakes up, completely dissipated from her body. There, lying in the arms of Adrian, Belle knew she would never have to fear him. His eyes were warm and soft; a brown so dark and intense that could penetrate her whole being and soul.
Belle was safe with him.
"Why?" she asked, breaking the silence. It was a silly question to do and had a dozens of responses, but Belle knew he understood her; why he had not killed her?
"Why? Well, you are a true enigma. The day I met you, I knew you were different" Gold sighed. "You were lovely, breathtaking..."
"But you even look at me" Belle frowned, remembering how Gold had been oblivious to all around him that first night.
Gold showed a sad smile "To me you were just any other French... I only really noticed you when we were told that there was a new British agent in the field. You fit perfectly in the descriptions of Rose; in the beginning there was no reason to worry. I thought you were working for the Resistance, probably as radio operator. I needed to be sure, and I ended up discovering that the British had sent someone to spy on me. It would be a waste to have to kill you, but first of all I needed proof. I needed to keep an eye on you" As he spoke, Gold began to curl the ends of Belle's hair on his fingers. "For just a moment I thought I was wrong, especially after our meeting at the Café de Flore... I was disappointed to see how much you seemed to agree with the ideals of Hitler. For a moment I thought you were just a simple woman... Until I saw you that night, helping a woman who had been abused by a German from the Gestapo. "
"I couldn't stand to see that woman be treated that way... And I also didn't expect to see you there." Belle said, looking away from him.
"It was really stupid of you to venture that way, but it was also very noble... I think it was at that moment that I knew you were Rose, and scared me to know that I should kill you..."
"But you did not kill me... Why?"
"I realized that I was not the only man who had been captivated by you" Belle cringed; she knew exactly to who Gold was referring. "Colonel Alfred Von Gaston had always been seen as a man who always gotten everything he wanted, especially when it came to women." Gold smiled wryly. "And once again you surprised everyone when you rejected him. Unfortunately, this ended up creating in him a determination that while he does not possess you he would never leave you alone... I couldn't let that man lays a finger on you, and yet..." Adrian closed his eyes, feeling a wave of guilt and hatred back to his body; to remember how the woman who was there with him now, had been shattered. Like a rose.
Gold was so hurt as she was. The fact that he promised her he would never leave Gaston hurt her and know that he had failed, broke him to pieces.
Throughout all this time, Belle wanted to make excuses for blame him, but the truth was that no one was to blame in this story. Maybe it was the one to blame: the war. Everything that had happened and what would happen were the consequences of this war that seemed would never end.
"I felt so safe that night when we danced together. It was wrong to trust you. It was against all the principles I've learned. You were the enemy, but... I decided to believe in you... And I still believe." Belle held his face in her hands, waiting for him to open his eyes, but Gold was reluctant to do it, ashamed of himself and afraid to find his own guilt reflected in her eyes."Adrian, look at me"
Gold took a deep breath to hear her pronounce his name and finally gave in, looking at her. "It wasn't your fault...".
"Of course it was. I promised that I would protect you. Keep you safe," he retorted, angrily with himself.
"No Adrian, it wasn't! You could never imagine that he would meet with me. Thank God you saved James... "
"But I couldn't save you!" He snorted; the truth was that he was a stingy man and he would rather have saved Belle than James.
"It wasn't your fault!" Belle repeated, starting to get annoyed. The question was not to know who was to blame or not, because regardless of this, what had been done could not be undone.
Gold did not answer, and was visible in his features that he did not agree with her.
"I thought he was at the Café de La Paix that night. It was stupid to go there. I needed to alert them about the Germans, but it was too late. But then, in the midst of that chaos, I saw Bougton and he was about to be killed. I didn't think twice about shooting in the German... And all finally made sense." Gold said.
"He shouldn't have gone there. It was my duty. It was I who should be there... "
"What?" Gold interrupted, sitting on the bed to face her.
"It was I who should have gone there, but James stopped me..." Belle said.
"Are you insane? You go there and warn the French?" For the first time Belle saw Gold angry with her. "You could have died going up there! I'll have to remember myself to thank Bougton for having stopped you" Gold scolded her, getting quiet again for a while.
"It was... It was on this night that you discovered all about me." Belle said.
"Oh no, darling. I knew who you were long before that day." He said, tracing his finger on her forehead, that was furrowed in an expression of doubt. "That night at the Opera, you were playing Chopin".
Belle was surprised by that statement. "What? You discovered me because of that song?" That was impossible. Anyone could have played that same song and no one would ever come to the conclusion that she was a spy.
"Your song" Gold corrected. "If you really were a sympathizer of the nazi cause, you would never played that song. And once again you were very brave to venture that way. The Germans hate Chopin. For them the only songs worth listening to are the works of Wagner." Gold sighed. "That was the last piece of the puzzle. I finally knew who you were and needed to kill you at that moment."
"But instead of me killing you... You kissed me." Belle muttered. Now it was she who had to join the latest pieces of the puzzle.
"Because I'm too proud and too cowardly. You was a light to me in the midst of the complete darkness. You are my guide. I was too selfish... I'm too selfish... I could not lose you. After so many years of living with just this war, you were the only thing that made sense in my life. I never wanted anyone like I want you... As I still want."
Belle smiled and kissed him, mindful of the pleasure that rose in waves, while their naked bodies brushed under the sheets. "Make love to me," she whispered close to his ear, and felt triumphant with the tremor that ran through them both. Thus, smothered with kisses, he didn't need move a muscle, while Belle, approaching the climax, started to move faster and faster, while Gold remained with his teeth clenched with the effort to expected her last shudder of satisfaction.
Then for a few minutes, they stayed lying on their backs. Gold put his arm around her, kissing her hair. The rain had stopped but it was still dark outside, and some timid rays of sun were trying to penetrate through the thick clouds.
How was it possible they have fallen in love like that? Of all the ways that Belle imagined she would find love, never thought it would happen during the war.
At that moment, another question came to her mind. "I saw... I saw your letters, Adrian" Belle said quietly, and saw the man's body stiffen. Gold closed his eyes, knowing what she would ask. "What happened to him? What happened to Baelfire?"
Gold was silent for a long time, and Belle thought he would not say anything to her, when he took a deep breath and started talking.
"For several years, I was married to a woman named Milah. We never really loved each other, but of our relationship, the best thing that happened to us was Bae. When my son was fourteen, I divorced my wife. She could get along well with the stupid sailor she loved that worked in Scapa Flow. Unfortunately, she took my Bae with her and I lived alone in Glasgow for three years. I could go visit him, but then I was asked to introduce myself in London, in 1940. At this time, began to be created the first secret British government entities. Then, that same year, when my Bae was completing seventeen, the attacks occurred in Scapa Flow. Milah and her husband died in the attack..."
Gold fell silent, remembering with regret the events. He never loved Milah, but even so she was the mother of his child and he respected her.
"What about your son?" Belle questioned.
"I thought he was dead too. But Bae was always very clever. After the first attack, made by the German submarine, he fled."
"He fled?" Belle wondered, smiling with that. "So he's alive?"
"I think so. But... But I'm not sure where he is." Gold said, sitting again to explain. "Mr. Hatter has been helping me for two years to try to find him, and I think we're finally close. We found that he is also working with the Resistance, but we are not sure where."
"So he can be here in France?"
Gold nodded. "But you know how the resistance works. People who are involved use false identities, paint the hair, letting grow beards... Become complete strangers. And above all, are prohibited from making any contact with any relative or friend. "
Belle reflected about it. "Is that why you went to the Café de la Paix. You were trying to alert the Resistance. Because your son might be there" Gold agreed. But there was one last piece of the puzzle that did not fit. "But why Regina wants to kill you?"
After all, there was no reason to Regina chased a man looking for his son.
"Belle, you cannot forget that I am a monster." Gold said, sighing. "To get information about my son, I had to sneak in the lion's den. Getting the trust of the Germans, I could have access to all reports of attacks of the Resistance, or know when they would carry out attacks and reprisals. But for that, I needed to betray my country. I spent some information to them in exchange for prestige." He said, showing disgust with himself to tell it. "I'm not proud of what I've done and also I do not blame Regina. She's just doing her job. But I need to find my son." Gold finished speaking, covering his face with his hands, ashamed of what he had done.
Belle was silent not knowing how to react. So Regina had not lied, but now, on the facts, Belle wasn't relieved to know everything and how she wanted everything to be really a lie.
"Now you know who I am and know that behind this mask" Adrian pointed to his own face, while tears flowed from his eyes. "Behind this mask there is a monster, a coward. And I don't deserve anything. Nothing beyond your hatred."
Belle never thought she'd see this man in such a state of suffering and bitterness. How could she face him after hearing all that? After learning that he had betrayed their country? But Belle was not afraid. She sat on the bed, facing him, not bothering to hide her bust with the sheets, and held back his face in her hands, and with a astonishing determination, said: "You're not a monster, much less a coward. You're just a man looking for his son. I don't say you were right to betray our country, but again, you are just a man. And you said you are not proud of your actions".
"But that doesn't make me a man forgiven by my country."
"No. It doesn't. But for me... For me you're forgiven. And I know you will find your son" Belle said, feeling incredibly lighter.
Gold did not hesitate to hug her, hiding his face in her hair, and finally, cry. "I love you" Belle heard his voice muffled and sobbing.
"And I love you too" she whispered, hugging him harder, letting that man, so feared, cry in her arms.
For the first time, both felt at peace. However, peace is not a period of time, but a way of life. Little did they know that this way of life would soon be destroyed.