I do not own Once Upon a Time.
Hey guys, so, as an apology because I have taken to long to post the last chapter, I decided to post this here earlier. Hope you like it. Please share your thoughts about this one, because I really had great fun writing it. Thank you!
Belle was sitting in the kitchen holding a cup of hot tea and eating some croissants and watching Gold, who was sitting in the chair opposite her, with a newspaper of the same day, safe in his hands.
Belle glanced at Gold, who was accompanying the news in the paper with a strong interest. She often caught herself watching Adrian, amazed and impressed that he had come into her life and changed it irrevocably.
He saved her. Everything was different now, it seemed that she had awakened from a long and painful dream, and left to walk under the sun. Although reluctant to venture in the feelings she had, fearing that Gold could deceive and surrender her to the Germans, the stoic affection he showed eventually bring down all barriers. And now, after they had both been honest with each other, she let herself be surrounded by the love she felt for him, blooming like a flower suddenly drought that received water.
Sitting there, they could be regarded as a couple who had been together for years, as if nothing interfered in their love.
Gold realized that Belle was watching him and smiled. She knew that nothing would separate them, not even the War.
Was when Jefferson came almost running into the kitchen. Belle was scared. Jefferson was shaking from head to toe and the feature on his face was of pure desperation. Something was wrong.
"Sir, I apologize for entering this way." Said Jefferson rushed. "But I came to warn you that Miss Isabelle is in serious danger. The Gestapo suspected for some time that Bougton is a member of the Resistance. I knew, that Gaston was informed that one of his officers recognized Bougton when members of the network were arrested at the Café de La Paix, that night. They're going to his house when Gaston returned to Paris in two days. "Jefferson said. "If they find the Bougton, they will arrest her too. You need to get her out of here now. "
All color seemed to disappear from Belle's face. She looked at Jefferson trying to understand what was happening... The Gestapo was looking for Bougton? All her disguise had been destroyed and James and Mary Margaret were in danger...
Gold looked to Jefferson with a mixture of fear and tension in his features.
"No time to lose" Gold agreed, going up Belle and pulling her by the arm, led her along with Jefferson to the front door.
"Where... Where are you taking me?" Belle asked as she grabbed her coat and purse, and went with Gold to the black Citroen that was standing in front of the house.
"To a safe place. You cannot stay here." He said, while Jefferson drove way from that place.
"But... But James and Mary Margaret?" Belle said. "They are in more danger than I! We have to get them...".
"Don't worry, Miss French." Jefferson interrupted. "They are already in the place we're taking you, waiting for you."
Dozens of questions and fears paraded through Belle's mind, but she did not dare ask them. For the first time she was afraid of the unknown. Finally the car stopped in the Rue de Cherce Midi, and the three went to the apartment, which was much lower than Gold's house. And was on the fifth floor - with no elevator. However, Gold turned the studio into a lovely apartment with two bedrooms, and memorized all the walls. Had shower and bidet. The kitchen was in the corner secluded with glass wall; there were little stove with two burners and a refrigerator. There were a couple of deep, comfortable armchairs, a table for four people, and in a corner, a big divan surrounded by bookshelves.
When they entered, Belle was greeted with a hug from a tearful Mary Margaret. Laura, the housekeeper, was sitting in a corner, and looked suspiciously at everything around, and James was standing at the back of the room, talking to a man with light skin, dark hair and green eyes. Belle recognized him as the man who disguised himself as Gold in the night she entered the house.
"Belle, thank God!" Mary Margaret hugged her tightly. "My dear friend, I thought you were... You were... ".
"I'm fine Mary" Belle reassured. "Are you okay?"
"Yes! Thanks to your friend, Jefferson. He warned James this morning and we came here as soon as possible."
"Our house is under suspicion... Though Gaston is not in Paris, the Gestapo can be there any moment," James said, going to post next to his wife.
A feeling of shame came over Belle at that time. "Oh James! It's all my fault. If I had not met Ruby, nothing would have happened."
"No Belle, it's not your fault. We all knew that our disguise wouldn't last longer." He replied.
"What will we do now?" Mary Margaret asked.
"We have all the necessary documents. We will go to the Montparnasse station and will take the first train in the morning." Laura spoke for the first time, demonstrating to have more clarity than ever appeared to have.
"And then, where will you go?" Gold asked, leaning on his cane.
Laura glanced at James so hard that he didn't speak. "Where are you going?" Gold asked again.
For others the tone of his voice seemed to sound inquisitive, but Belle acknowledged that it was despair.
"James, please." Belle said. "They brought us here and are offering us help and protection... And I trust Adrian with my own life. Please..." Belle sighed, looking pleadingly. "Where are we going?"
James sighed, looking at Gold. "We'll travel to the Mary Margaret's family château in Rodez."
"Very well... Mr. Booth, be here tomorrow at 4 o'clock in the morning to take them to the station." Gold said to the man who had been talking to James. Then handed a key to James. "I'll be back later... I'll lock the door of this apartment from the outside, but stick with this copy of the key if you need to leave in a hurry. Try not to make too much noise." Speaking this, Gold asked Belle to accompany him to the door, while August and Jefferson went downstairs.
"Don't worry, my dear" He hugged her, whispering in her ear. "I'll come back later and everything will be fine."
Belle dared not utter a word, not trusting her voice didn't sound without transpire the pain she was feeling. Belle nodded silently and Adrian kissed her cheek, down the stairs, leaving Belle alone in the doorway.
James explained how they would leave Paris, using false identities to get to Rodez.
Belle realized that Mary Margaret could not stop glancing at her, and finally, when both were finally alone in a room, she asked: "Belle, what's going on between you and Gold?"
Belle remained silent, fixing her things inside one of the bags that Laura brought along with her. She wouldn't explain anything that Adrian had told her to that woman. "I love him. That's all you need to know."
Mary Margaret bit her lip, holding the urge to ask another question to the young.
"I hope you know what you're doing." She said finally, and before that Belle could give an answer, she had left the room.
It was amazing how people thought Belle was not able to make her own decisions alone. Belle loved Gold. Nothing would change that.
Later, in that last night, Gold returned, as he said. Laura slept on the couch in the living room, and Mary Margaret and James occupied the room next to the kitchen. Belle and Gold were in another room, in which the role that adorned the walls were decorated with drawings of roses; like a garden. Belle was wrapped in the arms of the man, but none of them were asleep. That was the last night they were together.
Belle couldn't believe the irony of fate; after having passed through so many difficulties, when they finally were together, they would be separated.
"I don't like this plan" Belle muttered. The problem they will have to face was not leaving Paris, but getting to the final destination alive.
"I don't like it either, dear. I really don't," he replied with his lips pressed to her forehead. "But if that will keeping you safe... Then you must go."
"Oh Adrian... It's not fair..." Her voice cracked in the end, betraying her emotions. Belle was foolish to believe that they could be together, and just like as happened with her mother and father, she was losing him. When she think about it, tears came into her eyes and she looked away, trying to avoid his gaze, staring across the room and wrapping her arms around herself.
Gold realized the agony Belle was feeling, because he also was feeling that way. Holding her chin, Gold made Belle look at him. His eyes glittered strangely, and for some reason he was apprehensive. "I promise we'll be together." And after another moment of hesitation, he said, "Marry me, Isabelle".
"What?" She whispered; her lower lip trembling slightly.
Gold moved to the side, taking something from inside the drawer of the bidet that was beside the bed. Holding tightly in his hand, Adrian showed her a small black velvet box, repeating again: "Marry me, Belle" and opened.
And in that moment of her life, Belle encountered the perfection. Realized that the alliance she looking was the more beautiful than she had ever seen. It was huge, pure, a sapphire blue sky, whose beauty was surrounded by a circle of sparkling diamonds.
When she saw the box, Belle gasped in pure amazement, then marveled; then took a deep breath. And finally, when she finished looking at the ring, threw her arms around the Gold's neck, almost shouting.
"Yes. Yes, yes! I love you more than anything" She smiled, tears streaming down her face while Gold retired the alliance from the box and placed it around the finger of her right hand. "The most beautiful alliance in the world. And it is mine forever, like the fool of my Scottish fiancé, that I will always love. I'll keep this alliance for all my life; then one day, from a long, long time, it will be for our daughter.
That last night, when they made love, they both knew that every touch, every kiss, was a promise that they would meet again and be together forever.
When Belle awoke in the next morning, she realized that the bed was already empty by her side. She packed her clothes and grabbing her small suitcase, went to the kitchen where everyone was properly prepared and ready.
At the station, James and Laura bought train tickets, and boarding was already being made; James would accompany Mary Margaret, while Laura was Belle's companion in that travel.
Disguising, Belle looked sadly at Gold; wishing she could kiss him and hug him, but in every corner of the station, there was a group of German soldiers with rifles strapped to hands, and watching every person who passed the boarding platform; they couldn't risk attracting the attention of those men to them. Finally, she could only hold his hand.
"Miss French..." Laura hastened, when the last passengers were boarding, and gave the signal that the train was leaving soon.
"We'll meet again, my beloved Belle. I promise." Gold said almost in a whisper so that only she could hear him, and reluctant to have to drop his hand, Belle walked away from the man she loved, into the wagon.
Instead of the luxury class, the four boarded a third class wagon, suitable to inferior status. The wagon, crowded with people, was dirty and smelled of sweat. After a few minutes, the train departed.
Was just a glimpse, but through the grimy windows of the train, Gold saw her and she saw him too. He didn't dare to make any special sign. Then, as the train was pulling away slowly, he feared that it was carrying a part of him forever, that they would never trail the ways of love, and he realized that Belle waved in token of farewell, not only for him, but to Paris.