Author's Note. Please Read.
As some of you may know, I've started on another fic, Seasons. This was done in order to prepare myself to write these next few chapters, which will be very dark and potentially triggering. As I've said, there will be NO non-con/dub-con, but these next few chapters will have scenes of torture and a scene of death. They will also delve into Regina's psyche a bit more. For those of you who are sensitive to this, if you send me a message, I'll reply with the extremely toned down versions of the next chapters. This isn't for shock value- far from it. For the progression of the story and for further development, as well as the inner struggles with Rumplestiltskin's darkness, it's necessary for the characters to feel these things.

"The carriage ride black as night
I'm bleeding I'm broken I'm barely alive
The carriage ride
Time to turn out the lights
I won't focus on the pain
I'll just focus on your eyes."

Corinna Fugate - "Deirdre's Song"

The old woman from the camp rode the horse for miles, to a small mountain on the opposite end of the region. It was a good horse, and she would see that he would be comfortable wherever he journeyed.

As the old woman climbed off, she withdrew a small flask from her cloak and drank it.

Within moments, the old woman slowly shifted into the Blue Faerie.

After she stretched, she turned back to the horse and stroked its neck. The horse knickered and galloped off into the distant woods, feeling free and unbound.

The Blue Faerie stood at the top of the mountain, her eyes filling with tears. She knew of the pain to come for the players in this dark passion play. She knew of the loss that would happen- the great, immeasurable loss that would affect those involved and set a ripple effect into motion.

She knew loss. She understood it. The Blue Faerie had made her share of mistakes, all under her belief of the greater good. But what use was the greater good with no happy ending for anyone? She thought of Nova and Dreamy- how happy they were, forbidden love or not. She had made her decision without considering how either Dreamy or Nova felt. Now Dreamy was Grumpy, and Nova, while still a faerie, seemed to have lost her purpose. Her dreams had failed, her hopes had been broken- yet she still gave hope and dreams to others.

Belle and Rumplestiltskin...she could see the sorrow for them that was yet to come. For two people who had done nothing wrong, nothing except fall in love at the wrong time.

Sobbing now, she fell to the rocky earth, her hands clutching a small talisman and a deep urgency building in her chest. She could change it. She could stop it- reverse it. All she had to do was say the words.

Before she could utter even a syllable, she felt familiar hands on her waist lift her up. Turning around, tears in her eyes, she faced the figure, silently begging for one more chance to change things for the better- for everyone.

"It doesn't have to be like this, it doesn't. I can change it all- start it over again. They don't need to suffer what they are about to endure," she sobbed, wrapping her arms around the figure's shoulders.

The figure held her close, knowing she needed comfort right now, but also knowing each action from every restart had potentially worse outcomes. What ever would happen...ass sad as it was, as painful, as terrible as it would be- had to happen. This was their last chance.

She nodded against the comforting shoulder, hearing the words. Still, she wished she could change it one last time.

No one deserved to endure such pain.

His lab lay in ruins, the Dark One sitting in a corner, staring at what remained. Shards of glass, shattered- just like him. Corrupted and broken.

He was irreparable. Bae had tried to fix him- only to be thrust into an unknown and strange land, betrayed by the father whom he had loved so much. Belle...his beautiful Belle. The lies he told her, although in a fit of madness, could never be taken back. In his hands, he clutched the chipped cup gently, his fingers cooled by the smooth porcelain.

He was a monster. He bruised others, broke them down to mere shells. He stole their innocence and hope, crushing it in his hands as if it spun sugar.

He considered oblivion. Utter darkness and death, his body rotting in thr ground. It was what he believe he deserved.

Rumplestiltskin knew his curse, and he understood it well. As the Dark One, he was the bringer of destruction. Self-serving, cowardly, and consumed.

He looked around him, surverying the destruction of his lab. He considered fixing it, but changed his mind.

Destruction suited him.

Belle waited near the spot where the carriage was to arrive, apprehensive, yet hopeful. She'd missed her father, her...her home. The word sent a pain of regret through her heart suddenly, remembering her Dark One.

She rubbed her hand against her stomach, thinking hard. She knew the burdock root and its effects had worn off now. She knew he could be dangerous. She knew he could be so many things, but he had never hurt her intentionally. She knew what he held back deep in his heart, though she made careful note of it- to never let him know. She knew he loved her. She could feel it as she could feel the sun on her skin, the wind on her back.

She took a deep breath when she heard the wheels of the carriage. She'd wait until her father or emissary had stepped out before she spoke of her decision: she was going back home, to Rumplestiltskin.

She stood tall, waiting for the carriage to move closer, focusing solely on it.

She didn't hear the footsteps behind her. She didn't even feel the breath on her neck. As a small club hit her head, she could only see the world going black.

When Belle awoke, her hands were bound in front of her. She could feel dried blood on her head and neck and tried not to move, her body still trying to reawaken.

"Ah. I'm so glad to know you're all right," a sickenly sweet voice said across from her. Wincing at the sound, Belle shifted her eyes and saw Regina.

Just looking at the Queen caused her to feel as if she had been pulled into a dark abyss. Belle had never felt so mcuh malice in her life, so much...anger. She felt her heart open and was unable to control it- the blood had begun to flow.

"Quite interesting..." Regina said, a dark smile forming on her lips. Belle bit back tears of pain and sadness as she felt the Queen's anger and rage, all while noticing the opal ring on her finger had begun to swirl darkly.

"I suggest you rest, dear. It's a journey back to my castle, and I'd still like to test out my theories tonight."

Belle shifted her eyes away from Regina, unable to look her in the face. She leaned her forehead against the cool glass of the window, crying silently.

She closed her eyes tightly, focusing on how Rumplestiltskin looked when he was spinning, focusing on the impish smile he'd give her. Focusing on his eyes when they had first made love.

Focusing on his eyes.