A/N Thank you to all of my beautiful reviewers! I really appreciate your support. Sorry if the formatting is weird, I'm using a different device.

Please R&R, and ENJOY, of course!

-Moxie

Gold pulled into her driveway in his old beat up Chevy. The radio was on the classical station and Beethoven's 5th symphony was streaming from the speakers. He sat there for a few minutes, waiting for her to come out.
Belle threw a few clothes into a bag and grabbed her cell phone. She wiped her eyes and stiffened her upper lip.

"Don't cry." She whispered to herself.

"Just wait a few more minutes until you get to Sydney's car."

She brushed wordlessly past her family members (and Gordon) and ran out to Sydney's car. She climbed in the passenger seat and began to cry which embarrassed her a bit but she couldn't hold it in any longer.

"Belle, what's the matter?" Gold asked, reaching out to touch the crying woman next to him.

"The things they said were terrible."

"About me?"
"Yes."

He sighed. "Oh Sweetheart, that's to be expected. I suppose I should have warned you about that."

Belle took a deep breath to calm herself before she spoke.
"It isn't fair though. They way they treat you, and the way that they treat me for being with you."

"They're treating you badly?" Gold asked, sitting up in an alarmed fashion, and Belle could tell that he was protective over her.
"It's not that bad." She said.

"Belle. Tell me." His voice took on a stern tone that she hadn't heard from him before.

Belle bit her tongue. She didn't want to hurt him by telling him the unfair things people had done to her, and the mean spirited things they said about him, but she knew she had to tell him.

"The only one of my 'friends' who will speak to me is Ruby, my mother begged me to be with anyone but you, and Gordon said you were a no good drunk who gambled away his life."

She began to tear up again.
"Oh he's just a sore loser is all." Sydney said, placing his hand on her cheek.
"First he lost to me at cards, and then he lost you to me. I would most likely say some mean things too."

Belle couldn't help but laugh a little.
She scooted closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder. She could see light flickering in the windows of her house and she knew that her parents and grandparents were watching them.
She sat up. "Let's go."

"Hmm?"

"Can I stay with you? Just until tomorrow when I can get to Ruby's?"
"Whatever you'd like Sweetheart."
She loved how he called her sweetheart. Everyone else was 'dearie' ( not meant in an endearing way), but she was his sweetheart.

When they got to his home Belle almost wanted to ask him to just bring her to Ruby's right now, because what she saw intimidated her too much.
His home was gigantic. A beautiful home that was so large that it may have been a mansion.

He opened her car door and led her up the front steps where he unlocked the door.

"Welcome to my humble abode."

"It's gorgeous." She breathed.

"Why thank you." He said. "Now if you'd like, I think I'll go inthe kitchen and start some tea, and you can wait for me in my library."

"You have a library?"

"Let me show you." He linked her arm in his and led her up the stairs to the most wonderful room she had ever seen. It was rather large with mahogany bookshelves lining every wall. The ceilings were quite high and a ladder was needed to reach the books at the top of the shelves.

There were four lovely red chairs, two on each side of the room and they sat by gorgeous fireplaces.
"It's so...so beautiful."

"You enjoy." Sydney said, kissing the top of her head gently. "I'll make the tea and be back in a moment."

Belle hardly knew he was gone. She flitted around the room like a hummingbird who just drank a red bull, brushing her hands over shelves full of books, climbing up the ladders and looking at the books on the top. Finally she brought out a gorgeous vintage version of Grimm's Fairytales and settled in the huge comfortable chair by the unlit fireplace.

As soon as she sat down, Gold came in with a tray of tea.
"Would you like a fire built in the fireplace?" He asked, setting the tray down on the small wooden table next to her chair.
"Oh yes, very much so." Belle replied.
He began building a fire in the fireplace.
"So, what book have you chosen to read?" He asked, stoking the newly made fire.

"Grimm's Fairytales." She replied, holding up the worn blue book with the golden script on the front.

Sydney smiled. "One of my favorites. You have good taste."
He stopped stoking the fire and came to sit with her. The chair was large, large enough for two, so she scooted over to accommodate him.
Sydney placed his hand over Belles. "Would you mind reading something out loud?"

"I would love to."

She began to read the story of Cinderella, and when they were finished with that she read Beauty and the Beast. When she was done she closed the book and moved closer to Sydney. He wrapped his arms around her and she relished in the warmth. Laying her head on his shoulder she nuzzled her face into his neck and breathed in the warm woodsy scent that he had. It was a mixture of leather, pine, and tobacco.

This was how she wished to stay forever. In his arms, alone by the fire with a good book. Spending every waking moment together protecting each other from those who look down upon and condemn them. No meddling family or ex fiancés, just her and the man she loved.

Belle almost bolted upright but she was so comfortable she didn't.
She realized now what it felt like to love someone.
She realized that she loved Sydney.
Her heart seemed to expand in her chest.

Oh I love him. I do. But how do I tell him?
She lifted her face to his and kissed his lips softy. And then, even though she didn't mean for it to then, the words slipped out.
"I love you."

He caressed her cheek with the back of his hand.
"Oh my beautiful Arabella. I love you too." He kissed her again, very soft and sweet.

When they broke apart he began to speak, wanting to warn her about the worries he had been having, but deciding instead to wait for another time. He kissed her again and then stood.

"I will show you where you'll be sleeping tonight."
She sighed with relief. She had hoped he wouldn't expect her to share his bed, and he didn't. Because he understood her boundaries and morals, and he had accepted them.

She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek.
He then took her hand and led her to her guest room.
One more kiss goodnight, then Gold closed her door behind him.
She crawled underneath the thick royal blue blanket and tried to sleep even though her mind was racing.

Eventually she dozed off and fell into a deep sleep.
She awoke to the tantalizing smell of bacon and waffles. Yawning and stretching she got up and found her way to the kitchen where Sydney was cooking breakfast.

"Good morning, Love. How'd you sleep?" He asked, flipping a piece of crispy bacon over.
"I slept pretty soundly." She smiled.

Gold walked over to his cupboards where he produced two plates and cups and dished up their food. After pouring two large glasses of orange juice, he set the dishes on the table.

"I know you have to go to work," he said. "But I thought it would be nice to share breakfast together."
"It's very nice Sydney, thank you."

After they ate she gathered all her things and put them in the car. Sydney came out to say goodbye and she hugged him tightly.
"Thank you so much. For everything." She whispered.

"It was no strenuous effort on my part." He replied with a chuckle.
Standing on her tiptoes, she kissed his cheek, and then drove off to work.