"Prompt: Instead of Belle losing her memories, it's Rumple who loses his."

Belle's eyes fluttered shut, her heart lunging into a galloping pace as she realized they were about to kiss. It'd been so very long since their lips had met, too long.

Her eyes jerked open as she was thrown backwards, skidding against the hard pavement. She flinched, quickly sitting up. "Rum..?" she called, not quite understanding what had just happened.

There was Hook, holding a smoking gun, a grin on his face. She jerked her head to the side to where Rumple had been standing. He was on the ground, but his scarf...it was discarded, laying limply on the ground.

"N-No!" she cried, stumbling to her feet and running to the line. She couldn't cross. If she did, she'd lose her memory, just like he most likely had. The anxiety of not being able to touch him, not being able to know if he'd been shot or not...It made her tremble as she reached for him.

Then she saw the car lights in the far distance. They were coming from...the other side? Her eyes widened in realization as she reached for Rumplestiltskin, who was sitting up, eyes bleary and confused. "Rumple..." she closed her eyes, a soft sob escaping her lips. "Mr. Gold, please, come here!" she cried.

He looked to her, brow furrowed as he snatched his cane from the ground. He appeared fine, other than disoriented.

"Please!" she pleaded as he dusted himself off.

He unsteadily came to her and as soon as he was in her reach, Belle grabbed onto him and jerked him to her, pulling so hard that he lost his balance, stumbling into her and sending them both crashing to the ground as the car rolled by.

He landed on top of her, head smashing against her chin so hard that she feared she'd hurt him. She clutched onto his arms, looking upward with confused and tear filled eyes. Why us? Why? Haven't we gone through enough?

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" said the voice of her one and only true love. She could've sobbed, had she been a sensitive damsel. To hear his voice sound so cold towards her...

It brought her back to their last time together.

"Go."

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Mr. Gold, but you were almost shot," she tried to explain, gently pushing him upwards.

He frowned, gazing into her eyes with a confused expression on his face. "Do I know you?" he stiffly asked.

Belle closed her eyes, tears sliding down her cheeks. "Yes," she quietly replied.

She helped him stand, her arm locked firmly around his arm as she had done before, walking from the car towards the line.

The ambulance arrived seconds later, Belle being torn away by Snow White's careful embrace to allow the EMTs to properly look over Rumple.

Belle stood still, eyes wide as she watched him from afar, glaring at the man checking his pulse. "If I were dead, you'd know, dearie," he spat.

Belle almost laughed, unable to believe the mouth on him. Had he been this way before she'd found him again?

She spited herself for making light out of the situation, but she didn't know of any other way.

She watched as Prince Charming, or rather David, approached him, asking him a few questions of what he remembered.

Gold replied snappishly, demanding to be allowed to leave.

"The EMTs think it'd be best if someone escorted you home, I could..."

"I want her," Gold interupted, pointing at Belle.

She was back home in an instant, Papa's arms around her rather than Snow White's.

"I will go with you...forever."

She quickly strode over, heart pounding as she took his arm in hers. "I...I don't know how to drive, Mr. Gold...I'm sure..."

"I can do it," he cut her off as he had David, frowning.

He allowed her to hold his arm as they returned to his car, Belle sitting in the passenger seat and staring towards him, wishing to go back to the conversation they had previously held in the same spot.

"You say I should know you..?" he asked, turning to blatantly observe her face.

Belle didn't let it bother her. Instead, she returned his stare. "Yes...we..."

"Love," he concluded, taking a long breath. "And you say I forgot this?"

Belle nodded with forlorn eyes.

He slowly reached out with a trembling hand to grip onto her hands, folded on her lap.

"I'll...try my best, dearie," he gently promised.

Belle was taken aback by his words. Had it been her, she knew she would've screamed and shouted at him, claiming not to know him at all.

And yet...Rumplestiltskin was simply taking the situation like she would've expected. Calm and collected.

Belle slowly slid a hand free, placing it atop his. "I'll be with you each step of the way, Rum-Mr. Gold, I promise."

Erghhh, that was a sad one to write! I did love writing this idea though. I really think Gold would've been completely different had it been him that lost his memory. Maybe he would've turned Belle down, but I prefer to think he'd realize that she was telling the truth.

Review if you desire to do so! Thanks for reading, dearie!