Just one more chapter and the epilogue! Thank you for your review Ctdg (and happy belated birthday! :D). Please guys, share your thoughts and happy Rumbelle week!
Gold ran up the stairs that gave access to the kitchen where he had been the night before. Mary Margaret was sitting beside an old lady with blond hair stuck in a bun, which he had never seen before; James was standing next to the stove in the kitchen corner. When Gold came through the door, everyone was alarmed by his presence.
"Quick! Is Isabelle! She-She's giving birth to the baby.".
Mary Margaret and the woman who was talking to her stood in readiness.
"Mary, I need towels. Plenty of towels "And the woman was running upstairs to get them, while the other was still there, giving orders. "James, fill a bowl with the water that is boiling." While she spoke, Mary Margaret has returned to the room, bringing the linens and towels in her arms.
"Let's Johanna," Mary Margaret said to the woman, and they both went down into the cellar, followed by the two men.
The journey through the tunnel seemed endless, and when they finally reached the door, Gold saw Belle briefly, when Johanna stopped in front of him, preventing him entered the room.
"Stay here," the woman snapped.
"What? No! I'll go, I'll stay with her..." Gold countered, trying to enter the room, but being barred again.
"Mr. Gold, you've done enough by calling us. Now let me and Mary Margaret do the rest, " and before he could reply, Johanna shut the door in his face sharply.
How that old woman dared to do that? He had to stand next to Belle.
"Come..." James, who stood beside him, pulled him by the shoulder, but Gold broke away, turning toward the door. "Gold, we need to stand guard at the door of the basement. If someone heard she, and decide to come snooping, we need to be prepared.".
Adrian Gold scowled and kicked one of the wooden beams lying on the ground. "I cannot leave her alone," he growled. "How do I know if her or if the child is alive or dead, or if both are?".
"Both will be fine, but if you keep pushing in this way, will just let the woman more nervous," said James, leading Gold out of the corridor. "I'm sure she'll be fine.".
"How the hell do you know that for sure, Bougton?" Gold said while James sat on a wooden bench next to the staircase that led to the basement, and putting the gun he carried at his side.
"I know she is a strong woman. Extremely brave" he replied. "We both know what she had to face. A woman like this, who faced German tyrants, who risked her own life to save others, can survive anything.".
Gold stared dumbfounded, finally sitting at the foot of the stairs. "She is so brave, but so... Fragile." He said, his voice nothing more than a whisper. "I'm afraid it will tear her apart bringing our little one into the world…"
"I'm sure Johanna knows what she's doing." James said. "She'll be fine."
After a while, Gold was on his feet again, walking from one side to the other, while James remained silent. It was nearly an hour after noon, when Belle went into labor and her cries of pain flooded the once quiet environment.
James had to get up quickly to prevent Gold running back to the hiding place.
"Let me go, you bastard! She needs help!"
"Gold!" James grabbed the man from behind. "Let them. Johanna is taking care of her".
Gold turned violently, sitting back and burying his face in his hands. James never thought to see that man - the fearsome Adrian Gold - so upset. "I put that child in her belly. I am the cause of this agony." Gold was completely blown away, shaking from head to toe, while another wave of screams came. "It was not enough I have destroyed her life, I needed to put a child in her.".
"Gold, you have to believe in Belle," James was not alarmed by the screams that could attract people close to the château, but because of Gold; the man was so disturbed. "During all these months, I wondered why Isabelle was still fighting... Why carry that baby inside her. You would never return... It would be much easier to get rid of all that burden... You know what she told me? Belle told me that that child, that was growing inside her, was the most important thing in the world for her, because even if you do not return, the child would be a proof of the love you shared. It would be a mixture of both; if you don't come back, at least she would have a part of you in that child." James said, recalling everything that Belle had said during an afternoon that they were in the garden. "But she knew you'd come back... She had faith in you! Now it's your turn... It's your turn to have faith in her."
Gold's feature was contorted in pain, whimper and especially fear; there was tears in the edge of his eyes. "I cannot lose her.".
It was terrible to see former British agent, who had once held a reputation for dangerous, so afraid. "She'll be fine."
Belle was sobbing, bleeding, while in bed. She was weak, exhausted... The nightgown she wore was soaked with sweat and blood, and she was shaking as if with fever. The fabric was pushed up to her knees, huddled on her belly.
Mary Margaret was beside her, with her hair up, holding the hand of Isabelle firmly.
"Mary" Belle whispered, her head falling to rest against the pillows. "Mary, I can't."
The woman shook Belle's hand. "Come on, Belle. You always wanted Adrian to saw your child. Now that he's here you'll give up?".
She sobbed briefly. "I'm tired," she cried. "But I want this child.".
Mary could see that she was scared, but Belle had to be brave, now more than ever.
"Belle, you can do this. Little miss now," she said. "Be brave for this child.".
Belle was exhausted to the point of passing out, but her friend's words seemed to rekindle something in her, and gathering what little strength she had left, she nodded, panting.
"Now, Belle!" Johanna ordered.
Belle clenched teeth in a silent scream and she pushed back against Mary so strongly that she could feel the beating of the heart of Belle. Belle screamed again, this time aloud, and Mary stared wide-eyed as a glimpse of flesh appeared between Belle's thighs.
Johanna said nothing, her attention on the baby that emerged, and Belle breathed and cried and breathed again. There was blood about Belle's thighs, about Johanna's hands, about the limp and tiny body in her grasp. Johanna took the child by the ankles, and knocked it sharply on the back. Mary Margaret reminded that Sarah had told her that it was necessary to clear the lungs and to start the first cry, but the infant made no sound.
"It is well?" Belle demanded hoarsely. "Please! My baby!"
Johanna grabbed a cloth and wrapped the small little body, massaging its chest vigorously, and a thin, wet wail cut through the air. "There," she said, and Mary could see the terror in Johanna's line face melt away into relief. She moved the cloth aside and examined the infant. "There she is."
Belle withdrew her hand from Mary, stretching her arms. "Please," she whispered.
Johanna nodded. She tucked the child in cloth, standing up and circled the bed to put the child in the arms of her mother. "A girl," she said. "Small, but appears to be healthy."
Belle smiled sweetly, and at that moment Adrian Gold came through the door.
He could not stand there doing nothing while his Belle screamed and cried in pain in that room, humid and ghastly.
That's when he heard her scream even more, that he decided to leave. Gold did not stop when James tried to pull him out again.
"Gold!"
"It's my wife and my child over there. I have every right to be with her, and you ..." At that moment, amid the dark hallway, the screams of Belle stopped, and Adrian stopped talking when a cry emerged, the cry of a small child.
Gold felt his legs tremble, and he staggered, leaning against the wall of the maze. His legs seemed to not obey him more, as he walked slowly into the room, listening to the little cry disappear.
Finally opening the bedroom door, Gold saw that Mary Margaret and Johanna were standing upright at the end of the bed. But his eyes fell immediately on the woman who was lying there. Belle was exhausted, pale, with her messy hair plastered with sweat against her face, but the next moment his attention was focused on the small child Belle held tenderly in her arms.
When Belle looked up, she smiled as tears fell down her face. "Adrian, look," she called. "Look at our little girl.".
Gold awkwardly walked up beside Belle in bed, as he looked at the child. "A little girl…" he repeated.
"Here Adrian, hold her" Belle said, reaching for him to catch the child.
He looked at Belle frightened but nodded, holding his daughter in his arms. She was so small. So small. There were a few strands of hair, but he could tell they would be the same color as Belle. She would be identical to his mother, and Gold was relieved with that, except for the eyes; he could already distinguish be the same color as his. She was perfect. She was perfect because she was her mother's daughter, but she was perfect because she was also his daughter. "Hey, little sunshine." He whispered, marveling at the little creature in his arms. It was at that moment when he had the opportunity to see the most beautiful thing he had ever dreamed of seeing: the child smiled. A faint smile and momentary, but that was enough. That was enough for her to keep him in her little hands.
Gold again gave her daughter to Belle hold, but not before gently kissing the child's forehead. He then looked at Belle... What had he done to deserve something so amazing in his life? Belle, who was his light, had illuminated the darkness in which he stood, but it was not enough. She presented him with the sun, with that. His daughter. "I love you" he whispered as he felt tears fall down his face, and deposit an awkward kiss on the lips of the woman he loved.
Belle smiled, leaning her head against his chest as they both watched in awe the child among them.
"What's her name? You thought of any names? "Johanna asked, as she, Mary Margaret and James watched.
Belle's smile seemed to shine even more when she looked at Adrian, "We didn't have time to talk, but... I've been thinking... I think we should call her Rose" she said, looking for his approval.
Gold smiled, nodding. It was clear that this should be the name of their daughter, after all, this was always the name that haunted them. Rose was theirs. The small and brave Rose. Their Rose.