A/N Sorry this chapter took a while and it's so short! But I'd like to thank all the dearies who reviewed the last chapter.

Please R&R :)

Belle went to Ruby's and immediately took a shower after some of the stories she heard from Regina. Although she was disappointed to hear of the crazy things Sydney used to do, she knew that was his past.

When she recounted the events to Ruby, her friend merely shook her head.

"Don't believe a word that witch says!" She had exclaimed. "Can't you see she's trying to move in on your man?!"

Belle didn't think that's what was happening, but now that she thought about it, Regina had been toying with Sydney in a flirty way, flaunting her success in his face. Maybe she really did want him back...

That's when Belle started doubting herself.

"Ruby...Oh I hope she doesn't try to steal him back. She is very beautiful and successful, and they have history together-"

"STOP!" Ruby yelled. "Stop it. Are you out your mind girl? You are the most beautiful girl, well next to me of course. You are gorgeous and he is lucky to have you. If he leaves you for her, then it's his loss, and he obviously is blind with no intellect."

Belle smiled. Ruby had a roundabout way of making her feel better whenever she was upset.

A few days later Sydney and Belle sat together in his library.

"I hate to bring this up," He began, "But I'm sorry you had to listen to all those stories of Regina's. Although I don't deny most of them, a few of them were quite embellished." He bit his lip nervously.

"I hope you'll forgive me."

"Oh sweetheart!" Belle exclaimed, laying her hand on his shoulder. "I told you I forgive already. Don't worry about it. Everyone makes mistakes and do things that we regret. I forgive you, its in the past."

Gold didn't look certain. "I know it's in the past. And I know that you forgive me, because you're a good woman. But I can't forgive myself. For some reason I feel there is something else for me to do."

The library was quiet except for the crackling of the fire. Then Belle sat up straighter and placed both her hands on Sydney's shoulders.

"Come to church with me on Sunday."

Sydney looked away from her. He couldn't go to church. He would embarrass himself, and most importantly, Belle.

"Please Sydney. This month my Father does a sermon every Sunday on forgiveness. It would be good for you to hear. I'll be right there with you. I promise. Please?"

He passed his hand over his face and groaned. "Oh alright. I suppose it wouldn't do any harm."

"Oh, you won't regret it!" Belle exclaimed, kissing his face over and over.

Sydney wasn't so sure.

That Sunday, Sydney sat in the back row with Belle, grasping her hand so tightly that his knuckles were turning white. After the choir sang a few hymns, Pastor French went up to the pulpit.

"Today," He said, leafing through his Bible, "We are continuing our study of forgiveness. Now last Sunday we talked about Joseph forgiving his brothers who sold him into slavery, and today I am going to talk to you about the forgiving heart of Jesus. Now, after he had been ridiculed, savagely beaten, and hung on the cross, do you know what he did?" Moe looked around the church.

"Did he curse every man who had laid a stripe across his back? Did he spout hateful words toward his betrayer Judas? Did he swear vengeance?" Moe shook his head. "No, that's not what he did. He lay there on that cross, bloody and weak, and he prayed. He said `Father, forgive them. For they know not what they do.' Isn't that something?"

Moe closed his Bible. "My beloved people, I know there are some of you here, who have unforgiving hearts. Towards yourself, and each other. I'm not going to tell you what to do, but I'll simply say: What would our Lord do?"

There was prayer and more singing, but Sydney heard none of it. He couldn't stop thinking about the grace of Belle's God.

When he and Belle had dinner together that night, he thanked her for convincing him to go to church with her.

"I think I needed to hear that. About your God being so forgiving."

Belle took a sip of her tea. "Do you think you'll go again?" She asked, setting it down.

"It's a possibility." He replied.

When they stood up to wash the dishes, Belles phone rang.

"Belle its Em. I have to talk to you. In person. Now."

"Okay," Belle replied, her face turning white. "But are you okay? Harry? Nate?"

"Yes we're all fine. I just need to talk to you."

"Um, alright. I'm with Sydney right now, but I'll meet you at Granny's in like ten minutes."

"Alright see you soon."

She walked to Granny's and slid into the booth she saw Emma in.

Not wasting any time, Emily began speaking. "Listen Belle. Nate has been talking to me... He would have come to talk to you himself but he is to embarrassed."

"Embarrassed?"

"He thinks that Sydney... is his father."

Belle choked on the water Granny had brought her.

"Wh-what?" She sputtered.

"When he was a little kid, his dad deserted him and his mother. He was really little at the time, but Mr. Gold's face just reminds him of his father."

"Could he be wrong?" Belle asked quietly.

Emily sipped her soda thoughtfully. "Well yeah. But he is fairly certain."

"What's his mother's name?" Belle asked softly. Too softly for Emily to hear.

"Hmm?"

"What is Nate's mother's name?"

"Milana."

The blood drained from Belle's face, and she dropped the glass of water that was in her hand, not even caring that it shattered all over the floor.

A/N i was thinking of doing an AU YouTube video based on this fanfic. Would you watch that? Please review and give me your thoughts.