It was a normal day in the castle, Belle was busy dusting the Great Hall humming softly while Rumple spun at his wheel. Well, he wasn't completely focused on the wheel. At last Rumple spoke.

"Belle," she turned to look at him.

"Yes?"

"It's tea time," he reminded her and she glanced at the clock. She put down the feather duster and he stepped away from his wheel the two of them coming to meet at the table.

Belle poured the tea as usual making sure to give him the chipped cup which he had truly grown fond of.

"I owe you an apology," he said as they sipped their tea.

"What for?" asked Belle.

"For the way I treated you when you first came here. Throwing you in the dungeon, shouting at you, dragging you through Sherwood Forest. You didn't deserve that."

"Oh Rumple, you were forgiven for all that a long time ago. But I appreciate your words."

"One has to wonder why you even thought to bother befriending me after the beastly way I behaved," said Rumple. Belle sighed setting down her tea cup

"Yes, you were awful at times in the beginning but you weren't always. You asked about my interests and healed my hand. Honestly I suspected from the day you didn't turn me into a toad for chipping the tea cup you weren't as terrible as tales said."

"Still, it doesn't excuse my actions," he shook his head. "You weren't wrong you know."

"About what?" asked Belle.

"You said I brought you here because I was lonely. I might not have been willing to admit it at the time. But that was certainly a part of it." He really did owe her an apology for how he'd acted. He had been lonely but he'd also had no idea how to handle having another person in the castle. Thank goodness for Belle's forgiving nature. He wasn't sure what was prompting him to be so open today but it was surprisingly easy to ignore the voices in his head. Especially with Belle so near.

"Well you aren't alone anymore," said Belle with a smile.

"Yes." For now. A voice in the back of his head added.

"Might I ask you something?" asked Belle.

"You're always free to ask me anything Belle. Whether I answer is a different matter but there will never be a punishment for inquiring," he told her gently.

"Is it a burden being the Dark One? You always say magic comes with a price so I can't imagine being the most magically powerful realm doesn't come with an equally large price. Not to mention sometimes you come home and you look so...weary. As if you have a great weight on your shoulders."

Rumple paused to think. It was an interesting and dangerous question. Of course, the main price for the power of the Dark One was the parasitic darkness and the fact that one's free will was tied to the dagger. But that wasn't something to share nor was it all of it. Finally, he sighed.

"Yes, it is. I told you before my life may be more comfortable now but it's far more complicated. Having this power comes with a certain responsibility the damage it would do if allowed to run unchecked would be insurmountable." He scoffed. "Not to mention all the annoying people who feel entitled to your help simply because you have the power to assist."

He didn't regret taking on the curse given that it had saved Bae's life and he certainly needed it. But in some ways, it was a burden.

"I don't envy you," said Belle quietly taking his hand and giving it a comforting squeeze. Ever so tentatively he returned the gesture.

OUAT

Belle wasn't entirely sure what to say in response to Rumple's confession so she tried to let her actions speak instead taking his hand and gently squeezing it. To her relief and slight delight, he returned the gesture. However, his next words both saddened and frustrated her.

"Singular as ever. Nobody else would try and know a monster," he murmured. Belle huffed setting down her tea.

"How many times must I say it? You AREN'T a monster," she strode over towards one of the floor length mirrors.

"Maybe if you looked in the mirror on occasion you would see..."

"Don't!" said Rumple sharply and suddenly he was behind her his hands catching her before she could get close enough to pull the cloth from the mirror. His voice lowered, "You never know who may be watching."

Belle was suddenly extremely aware of how close they were. Her back was pressed directly against his chest and she felt his hands on her waist. Indeed, they were so close she could feel his breath against here ear.

Her heart sped up. But not from fear. It was something else she couldn't quite describe. Something more...passionate. It was all so new to her. Though presumably not to him. She remembered him mentioning his wife as well as his son.

"What happened to them? Your family?"

"What happened," he all but whispered. "Is I'm a difficult man to love." Belle felt him turn his face into her hair slightly and her breath caught in her throat. Somehow, she felt like she could stay there forever. She was just contemplating turning in his arms to face him when there was a banging on the front doors and they jumped apart.

Rumple glanced towards the door and left to answer it without another word. Belle bit her lip looking after him.

"Not so difficult," she whispered.

OUAT

Rumple couldn't quite believe how close he was to Belle. His first thought had simply been to stop her uncovering the mirror but now as he stood with her pressed tightly against his back hands at her waist, he found his blacked heart racing.

Belle was slightly shorter than him even in heels. The crown of her head just barely reached his noise the soft locks brushing against his face. Suddenly the foolish thought occurred to him of how perfectly she fit in his arms as if she belonged there. Belle also made no move to pull away strangely enough although she did ask.

"What happened to them? Your family?"

I was a coward. My wife left me and then I killed her and my son saw me for the monster I was and in the worst mistake of my life I abandoned him. He thought. Yet that wasn't an answer he could give.

"What happened," he whispered not wanting to break the strange spell that seemed to be upon them granting him the opportunity to be this close to her and hold her in his arms this way. The way a part of him had longed to for ages. "Is I'm a difficult man to love." A look of sympathy and something else crossed Belle's face.

Taking a chance, he turned his face ever so slightly into her hair inhaling the scent of roses and old parchment that was always on her. Scents displaying both her beauty and her brilliance. He felt her begin to shift slightly but before anything further could happen there was a loud pounding at the door. The spell was broken and they jumped apart. Nervous of her reaction Rumple swiftly left to deal with the intruder feeling rather murderous.

The doors opened revealing none other than Belle's brutish former fiancée. Gaston, she had called him he recalled. The knight pointed his sword at Rumple.

"I am Sir Gaston, and you beast have taken..." the following words were cut off as Rumple snapped is fingers and in a swirl of purple smoke Gaston was transformed into a single red rose. Giggling slightly Rumple picked up the rose and returned inside holding the flower behind his back.

"Who was that?" asked Belle. Deciding against telling her about her former fiancée's fate he simply said.

"Just an old woman selling flowers." He pulled out the rose smiling slightly. "Here, if you'll have it." The bright smile that lit up Belle's face made her even more beautiful if that was possible.

"Why thank you," she said accepting the rose. She curtsied and he bowed. For a moment it was as if they were a regular couple courting. Then she turned and headed towards the cabinet to get a vase. Rumple placed his hands together watching her unable to keep the smile off his face.

"You had a life before this Belle. Friends, family, what made you decide to come here with me? he asked taking a seat at the table. She'd said before that she'd done it for the sake of her people because it was the right thing and one life outweighed many. Yet he still wondered what could drive someone to think that way. Belle glanced back at him.

"Heroism. Sacrifice. You know there aren't a lot of opportunities for women in this land to show what they can do. To see the world. To be heroes." she brought the vase over to the table and began to prune the rose.

"So when you arrived, that was my chance. I always wanted to be brave. I figured, do the brave thing, and bravery would follow."

"And is it everything you hoped?" asked Rumple slightly sarcastically. Belle came over to sit on the table in front of him.

"For the most part yes, I saved my kingdom, I've seen a bit of the world, and I've gained someone very dear to me." she smiled at him softly.

"And what about your betrothed?" asked Rumple she'd not spoken often of her fiancée but the few times she had it had never sounded like he'd treated her particularly well. Belle scoffed rolling her eyes slightly.

"It was an arranged marriage. Honestly, I never really cared much for Gaston." Rumple smirked feeling a slight rush of satisfaction at her words.

"No, to me, love...love is layered. Love is a mystery to be uncovered. I could never truly give my heart to someone as superficial as he." Rumple stared at her shaking his head slightly in awe and he knew in that moment he could no longer put off what he had so been dreading. He loved her too much to keep her here solely on the basis of a deal.

Belle leaned forward slightly.

"I was wondering, would you be willing to tell me about your son?" he heard the gentle hesitation in her tone. Rumple sighed internally and steepled his fingers.

"I'll tell you what. I'll make you a deal." Belle raised an eyebrow. "Go to town and fetch me some straw. When you return, I'll share my tale."

"It's a deal," said Belle and Rumple felt his heart break a little.

OUAT

Belle hurried to the entry way but was surprised to see Rumple wasn't wearing his cloak.

"Aren't you coming?" she asked as part of their rules for the village was for him to escort her.

"No," he said softly.

"So, you finally trust me to come back," she said with a small smile however Rumple simply looked slightly sad and resigned as he gently pulled the hood of her cloak up for her his amber gaze fixed on her blue one.

"Oh no, I expect I'll never see you again. You see, your kingdom is safe forever, whatever you choose."

"What?" asked Belle in confusion.

"You're a clever woman, I'm sure you'll work it out," he said softly. "Goodbye Belle." Then he turned and left the foyer leaving Belle perplexed as she left the castle.

Author's Note: So back into main canon we go. The mirror scene is based on a short-deleted scene that was made for skin deep and really shouldn't have been cut (seriously it's what 12 seconds of footage) but while the writers may have denied us the fluff I certainly will not. The lead up though is a bit different. Also, I'm totally in the camp of Gaston deserved what he got. You don't walk up to threaten an all-powerful sorcerer with nothing but a stick of metal and not expect to die. Seriously did he think Rumple was going to hand her over? Darwin award lol. I also had to make some tweaks with what Rumple tells her when he lets her go that I think made more sense. I never really bought canon Belle wanting to run off without any assurance that her kingdom was safe. And MY Belle certainly wouldn't. Until next week!