A/N: I do not own Once Upon a Time or the genius that is Plunkett and Macleane.

Chapter 9:

Laughter. There was so much of it. It filled the room as the waves of people moved about the French manor, mingling and dancing, eating and talking. To the outside eye it looked like any other celebration in London but to Belle it was a nightmare. She stood on the edge of the dance floor and wished she was back in bed, nestled in the blankets with William instead of laced up so tightly she could barely breathe. He had stayed as promised and kept her pressed against his chest, stroking her hair until she forgot her troubles and was able to drift off. The breeze coming in through the window would cause her to stir and he would tighten his hold and kiss the skin below her ear in reassurance that he hadn't snuck out while she slumbered.

The morning came too early and they both woke with a start as the maid knocked on Belle's locked door. They exchanged looks of horror as Belle threw off the blankets and hurried to the door.

"J-just a second Alice, I'm not dressed." She lied quickly as Plunkett threw on his boots and decided not to bother with the fastenings. After weeks of not having a single slip up, they had both let their guard down. Plunkett had been so at peace with Lady Belle in his arms that he had fallen into the best sleep of the last few years and lost track of the time. Belle motioned for him to hurry and she ran with him to the window. Plunkett swung his legs over and stood on the trellis, leaning back inside.

"When can I see you again?" he said hurriedly.

"William there's no time for this!" Belle laughed softly as she tried to push him down.

"When?" he smiled at her laughter and refused to budge, his pulse racing as the maid knocked again more loudly.

"Tonight, my father is having a party. I'll make sure you and Macleane are on the list. Now go!" she continued to smile. He lunged up and put his hand behind her head and pulled her down for a last goodbye. He worked as much passion into it as his parting few seconds would allow before pulling away and leaving her breathless. Whistling for his horse, Plunkett jumped down the last few feet and mounted up as Belle hurried back to the door so as not to raise the maid's suspicions. As she heard the distant thudding of the mares hooves, she opened the door and Alice was none the wiser.

Belle now leaned against the glass windows leading out to the balcony and smiled to herself at the memory. His eager eyes at the thought of seeing her again, and playful displays of affection in her presence caused her heart to flutter and her cheeks to burn in the best ways. The ball room was stuffy and the cool glass against her forehead helped make it a tad more bearable. A shadow fell on her and she reopened her eyes to look at Macleane.

"Well, he wasn't exaggerating when he said you were the most beautiful thing he had ever laid eyes on." Macleane smiled and gave her a proper bow, kissing the back of her hand.

Belle blushed something fierce and curtsied. "Captain Macleane, you flatter." She leaned in and whispered so they wouldn't be over heard, "Did he really say that?"

James chuckled and nodded, "Aye M'lady."

Belle stood back up positively beside herself and smoothed her bodice, trying to appear as a proper lady should as Plunkett walked up beside his partner. His breath caught in his chest as he took in her exquisiteness. The curls were bound in a French twist and although one of his favorite pastimes was running his fingers through all of her hair, he appreciated the unperturbed view of her neck line. The dress was a color he had never seen before and the deep crimson highlighted her pale skin in a way that made Plunkett want to drape her across sheets made of the very same color.

"Belle…" he said quietly.

"Plunkett! Where are your manners?" Macleane smacked him upside the head and covered for his friend's loss of sense as the sight of his secret lady.

Plunkett winced and started to retaliate then remembered where they were and bowed deeply, "My apologies Lady French..."

"That is more like it." Macleane huffed and turned back to Belle, sounding full of himself and speaking louder than was probably necessary. "Lady French, I must speak with you but sadly my attention is required elsewhere for a moment. Would you mind if my servant accompanied you out to the balcony until I return?" Macleane gave Belle a knowing smirk and Plunkett bit his lip to keep from gaining one of his own.

"Oh not at all good sir," Belle curtsied again, perhaps in dramatic emphasis and winked at Plunkett. She allowed William to take her by the arm and lead her outside. As soon as the door shut behind them, he pulled her into the shadows and placed her between the brick wall and his own body. Belle knew it was coming and parted her lips as he dipped his head and captured them in his own, inhaling deeply to close the gap. She slid her gloved hands into his hair and the satin feel against his scalp made him shudder. Her knees wobbled as he moved his attentions to her exposed throat and licked his lips enough so they could glide along her collar bone with ease.

"I don't think this is what Captain Macleane meant when he asked you to accompany me." She laughed breathlessly and gave a small yelp of surprise as he nipped her playfully and wrapped firm arms around her waist.

"Oh I think it is exactly what he meant." Plunkett chuckled and looked down at her. "You look lovely."

Belle blushed and looked down smiling before turning her head back to him. "Thank you."

He ran his fingertips along her shoulder, down the lower part of her arm and stopped when he reached the edge of the glove. She relaxed her hand and allowed him to slide the fabric off gracefully and he bowed once again to kiss the back of her hand directly. He moved up her arm stopping every so often to kiss her skin which only made Belle shiver and lean more heavily against the rail of the balcony.

She took a deep breath and stroked his left shoulder gently, whispering in the darkness of the night, "How is your arm?"

Plunkett stopped what he was doing and looked at her gently, wanting to run his fingers through her hair but resisting so as to not mess up her pinned back locks.

"A little sore," he said honestly. "But don't you worry love." He glanced back to the ball room and into the glowing windows. They were concealed from the wondering eyes of anyone still enjoying the party and Plunkett was thankful for that fact. "That wanker you told me about…is he here?"

Belle smiled at the insult and nodded, "Gaston? Yes, he's here. This…" her smile fell and she covered her face with her hands. "Oh William…he is making everyone believe this is our engagement party." She pulled herself together and shook her head. Before Macleane and Plunkett had arrived everyone in the ball room had been slowly coming up to her and offering her congratulations. At first she was confused and then as she locked eyes with Gaston at the other end of the hall, she knew. She knew what he had been saying, knew what was going on. He knew that she would never abandon her father, he knew he had won and therefore knew that she would accept his proposal because she had no other choice. However, Gaston was still oblivious to Plunkett and his promise to Belle and she would do anything to keep it that way.

Plunkett took a deep breath. In through his nose and out through his mouth. His mind was entering that place he went right before a hold up. The calm before the storm. This man had caused Belle so much pain in the last few weeks alone, how long had it gone on before Plunkett arrived? None of that mattered now; tonight it was going to end.

"Where is he?" Plunkett said calmly.

Belle's eyes grew wide and she looked up. "Will, no don't-…"

They both looked up as the door to the balcony opened and the noise of the party pierced their moonlit silence. It was Macleane. "Plunkett!" he called in a harsh whisper, not seeing them in the shadows. As both Belle and his partner came into the light he gave a sigh of relief and continued. "Plunkett, we have a problem."

"You better believe we do." Plunkett said firmly and moved around Macleane to walk back into the party.

Macleane looked baffled but followed his friend after holding the door open for Belle. Plunkett was now a man on a mission. He looked around the people in the ballroom and saw his intended target right away. Belle had briefly describer the tosser and it wasn't hard for William to figure out that Gaston was the oversized, pompous git at the far end of the hall. The man in question was talking loudly with a few other men and they all filed out onto the front porch for a smoke. Plunkett followed without delay, knowing that Belle and Macleane were hot on his heels. Social status be damned, appearance be damned; anyone who wanted to watch was welcome to. All his life the aristocrats of the city took what they wanted from him and he had let them, not anymore. He was a highwayman god dammit, his days of taking society's shit were over and so were Belle's. Macleane called after him and he heard the click of Belle's heels on the ballroom floor but his mind was made up and he refused to slow down. Gaston was outside on the front courtyard and he addressed the small cluster of men guffawing on the manor steps.

"Mister Delacour?" He said loudly and the men fell silent. As soon as Gaston removed his pipe and turned his head in response, Plunkett recoiled his arm and struck the man right between the eyes. Gaston fell down the steps and Macleane yelled for his partner, putting himself between Belle and the commotion. The lackeys surrounding Gaston had Plunkett quickly and shoved him up against the side of the house as their leader scrambled to his feet, his face a bloody mess. He looked around, assessing what had happened and his eyes fell on Belle. Slowly wiping the blood from his face he growled to the other men on the porch and pointed at Plunkett.

"Hold him."

It took three of them to restrain Plunkett as Gaston shoved Macleane aside and grabbed Belle by the face. "I knew it. I knew there was someone stealing you from me. What did you do? Cry to him about how unfair I am?" Gaston chuckled deeply as Belle winced and tried to pull away.

"Gaston…" She tried.

"Oh don't Gaston me…you little-…" He stopped short as the front doors to the manor opened and they now had a relatively large audience. Releasing Belle, he pulled her into the crook of his arm and held her tightly. Belle's father was the first out onto the porch and he looked around with wide eyes.

"Belle, what is the meaning of this?" He looked from his daughter, to Plunkett still fighting the men, to Gaston and he gawked at the amount of blood coming from his face.

"Papa…" she started but Gaston gripped her arm, a clear warning that if she said the wrong thing then there would be repercussions. Silence fell over the whole party and Maurice demanded a proper explanation once again.

"Sir, I was only enjoying this beautiful evening when this dog attacked me." Gaston said, wiping the blood from his nose as best he could with a pocket kerchief and releasing his hold on Belle.

"That's a lie!" Plunkett snarled and successfully shoved one of his captors off of him. There were incoherent shouts from both sides and Maurice put his foot down and held up his hands.

"Enough!" he paused and looked to Macleane. "Captain Macleane, I had high hopes when I saw your name on the guest list tonight but it seems I have misjudged you. Take your servant and kindly remove yourself from my home." He cast a dirty glance in Plunkett's direction as the younger man shoved the rest of Gaston's men off of him and stumbled onto the steps, straightening his coat once his balance had been reclaimed.

Belle had had enough. 'Be brave Belle, be brave,' she thought as she wrenched her arm from Gaston and stepped up. "Papa, listen please. That is not-…"

"No Belle. This is not your place. Inside." He pointed firmly to the door, towards the dissipating crowd. Belle didn't move, she looked at Plunkett hopelessly and then back to her father. Once the gawking maidens had left, Gaston approached Plunkett and loomed over the man, lowering his voice to a deadly growl.

"I will have my vengeance for this you mutt."

Plunkett was not intimidated in the least and nodded, looking up and meeting the much larger man's eyes confidently. "Anytime. Anyplace. You ignorant wanker." He resisted the urge to hop forward and head butt the pompous git.

"Dawn. The abandoned barn on Miller's Road. I assume you know the rules." With a nod from Plunkett, Gaston turned on his heel and shoved his way back into the ball room. Not even bothering to wait for Belle or the rest of his accompanying party. Belle ran to Plunkett and put her hands on his arms, not caring who saw or what they thought.

"William, please, please don't do this. I know Gaston. I know what he's like." She looked up at him with her pleading blue eyes and he cupped her cheek gently, giving her a dashing smile in reassurance.

"Do you have such little faith in me love?" he ran the pad of his thumb over her cheek and lowered his voice to a whisper only the two of them could understand. "I taught you to shoot didn't I?"

Belle shook her head and whispered back, "It's not my lack of faith in you; it's my lack of faith in him to play fair." She put her head on his chest and talked into the soft material of his dinner jacket. "Please, Plunkett please."

Maurice saw her actions and was both confused and enraged, "Belle! Inside, now!"

Plunkett slowly removed her from his arms and held her at arm's length, dipping his head ever so slightly so he could look her straight in the eyes. "Now you listen to me. I've done this before." He leaned in and whispered in her ear, placing a hand on her hair gently as to hold her in place. "Tomorrow night, after this is all said and done, we will finish that favorite book of yours. Nothing is going to happen because I have to know how it ends." He gave her a smile at that and added quickly as he father yelled for her again. "Leave your window unlocked…"

Belle simply stared at him as he released her gently and his bit her lip, shaking her head over and over. Plunkett was in danger and it was her fault. She felt more than heard her father's anger and she longed to throw her arms around William and persuade him with her kisses not to do this, not for her. But to do so would spell trouble for the both of them. There were too many witnesses; much more affection and their touches could not be explained as common decency. He gave her another encouraging smile and nodded for her to go inside. He had to go home and get his gun.

"Plunkett stop. Listen to me!" Macleane pleaded as Plunkett moved about the room, changing into more comfortable clothes. He tossed off the silk cloth at his neck and kicked his shiny shoes under the bed. The whole ride home Macleane had been on fire. Raving about Plunkett's rashness, about how he had lost sight on the importance of their dream and how he was going to get himself killed. Plunkett wasn't listening, he was focusing. This was serious, this was for Belle. Loosing was not an option. Macleane pulled a piece of parchment from his pocket and held it up.

"Would you look at this?" He shoved it in Plunkett's face. "Rebecca slipped this in my pocket on the dance floor. There are after us, we have to lay low."

Plunkett observed the tattered wanted poster, with rough sketches of their masked faces in the center. Macleane continued, "Look who is putting up the reward, Gaston. He's in alliance with Mister Chance, the bloody head of the militia! He is bad news-…"

"All the more reason for me to kill 'em." Plunkett snarled as he pressed the poster back into Macleane's chest. So this was the reason the jobs had been getting more difficult, this was why that crazed driver had pulled a pistol on him; they now had a bounty on their heads. Macleane grabbed his friend by the arm and looked at him intently.

"Be honest with me. When I first started courting Rebecca, you said I was just satisfying my lust. Is that all it is with Belle? Lust?"

Plunkett jerked his arm free and glared back in response. "How dare you, you ignorant pup. You think I don't care about America? Fine. You think I'm blinded by lust? Fine. Stay behind then, I don't need you." He slung his holster over his waist and walked out of the room with Macleane hollering after him. He wasted no time and threw himself up onto his horse and snapped the reigns, galloping off into the dark. For years he survived on his own without Macleane, he could do it again. He had to do this, for America, for him and most importantly, for Belle. The sky around him was becoming a light lavender as dawn quickly approached, it was becoming easier to see and he spurred his horse onward as he took the well known path through the forest. He came upon the old barn and slowed down the mare, patting her gently as she looked around on edge. Turning her around, inspecting the area slowly, he slid from the saddle once it appeared he was alone, he was wrong.

"Well well, you actually showed up." Gaston stepped from the broken door of the old building and popped his knuckles. He shrugged off his expensive looking coat and tossed it over the saddle of his horse. "Where's your back up?"

"I don't need any." Plunkett gave his own mare a light nudge so she would go and graze far away from whatever was about to happen.

"Oh, so brave. Is that what drew my little wench to you?" Gaston smirked and looked Plunkett up and down.

"Don't you dare speak about her, you-…"

"Temper, Temper." Gaston snapped his fingers and out walked three other men, the very same ones that had restrained Plunkett earlier tonight. "Some would say coming alone was brave. I like to think it was rather stupid."

The men at Gaston's beck and call were all considerably large and looked to be considerably dim witted. Plunkett looked around slowly as each man took up one of his flanks, his hand moved to the butt of his gun on instinct and a fist collided with his jaw.

"Nicely caught Lefou!" Gaston clapped slowly as his right hand man took the gun out of Plunkett's holster and pocketed it for himself. "Let's not spoil the fun now Mister…What did she call you? Plunkett? A worthless name, for a worthless man." The rest of his entourage chuckled deeply at the mocking words and moved closer; Gaston crossed his arms over his broad chest.

Plunkett went to one knee with the punch, keeping half of his balance as he rubbed his jaw and glared at the man that hit him. He was around Plunkett's size, but rather round in the middle; his beefy arms hung at his sides as he waited to see if Plunkett was going to retaliate. Unarmed and outmanned, he wasn't looking to do anything rash; he slowly stood up stayed silent.

Gaston walked up to Plunkett and tied his coal black hair out of his eyes. "Here's the deal, you're going to stay away from Belle. When it comes to taking care of her, I just don't think you can…shoulder the responsibility…" With that, he grabbed Plunkett by the left shoulder and squeezed over his bullet wound. Plunkett winced and crumbled under the force of his grip as pain shot though his shoulder and coursed through his entire body. How had he known? His mind raced as he concluded that Gaston must have been behind the deranged carriage driver the other night. It had been a rouse, a set up, all to lure the gentleman highwaymen out into the open. The man they had robbed had been working for Mister Chance as the man in front of him.

He squeezed harder and Plunkett bit his lip, refusing to cry out and instead tried to struggle against Gaston. However, his attempts were in vain, the man easily out weighted him by over 100 pounds.

"My my, feisty thing aren't you? Tonight is my lucky night boys!" Gaston chuckled deeply, pure joy issuing from his chest in deep waves and he squatted in front of Plunkett. "When I kill you tonight, not only will nothing stand between me and Belle, I'll get to collect the reward on finally ridding the city of the gentleman highwayman." With that he made and fist and uppercut Plunkett, knocking him backwards onto the grass. The men standing around jeered and issued howls of encouragement.

Plunkett rolled to his side and spit out blood. Belle had been right, Gaston had no intentions in a fair duel and the good man inside Plunkett had believed surely this man had some scrap of honor when in fact he had none. The sun was coming up now, the light around them was beginning to show and Plunkett grabbed one of the men by the leg before they could kick him and pulled them down to the ground as well. His act of defiance received him another jab to the ribs from the opposite side and he winced without thinking.

"Let's speed this up boys, I have appointments today…hold him." Gaston said sharply as Lefou grabbed Plunkett by the hair and forced him onto his knees. Another man, only a little smaller than Gaston, grabbed him by the bad shoulder and applied pressure to his bandaged tendon. Plunkett struggled and let out a string of curses as Gaston opened up the saddle bag on his own giant black stallion and revealed a pistol. A fair duel Plunkett could handle, but four against one was another story. He had to do something, had to break free if only to escape. As much as he hated anything involving cowardice, he had to make it back to Belle, back to Macleane, this was much bigger than his own life; other people were counting on him now too.

"I'll hand it to you Plunkett. You sure are brave, to be so worthless. Did you actually think you had a chance with my Belle? That her father would accept you?" He hit Plunkett across the face with the butt of the revolver and stood in front of him. "You're nothing. And now no one will even morn your death." He clicked the hammer on the gun and pressed the barrel to Plunkett's forehead. "Don't worry my good man…I'll take care of our girl."

Belle gripped the reigns tightly as she snapped them, urging the horse to go faster. After Macleane and Plunkett had left the party she had spent the rest of the evening avoiding Gaston and trying to brush off her father's questions. He accepted her lies of Plunkett being merely an acquaintance but he refused to believe that Gaston had been the one to cause the scuffle and told her she was not allowed to associate with the Captain and his servant. Belle was furious. Her father was so blind to status and money that he couldn't see what was right in front of him. After returning to her chambers, she had paced the room, up and down, back and forth and knew that she couldn't simply stay at home while Plunkett could very well be in danger for his life.

As quickly as she dared, giving her father and the rest of the household plenty of time to retire for the night, she dressed in her riding pants and pulled on the only pair of boots she owned. She strived for comfort and practicality as she threw her rucksack over her shoulder and quickly climbed down the trellis. She ran to her father's stables and saddled his fastest of stallions. Plunkett had shown her the basics on his gentle mare and she used that knowledge now. She snapped the reigns again as the trees flew passed her, lightly scratching her exposed flesh. Not being as skilled at riding as William was, she pressed on, ignoring the stinging of the thorns and focusing on the rhythmic thundering of her stallion's hooves. She topped the hill and her worst fears were confirmed as she laid eyes on Plunkett.

"William!" she yelled, but she was too far for her words to carry and she galloped faster.

He was on his knees in the weeds with Gaston's pistol pressed to his forehead. She would never make it in time. Her horse pranced in place as she looked around for answer as to what to do. Her mind raced as she slipped off the stallion and dropped to one knee, digging through her bag and breathing rapidly. 'Hurry Belle, hurry.' She delved through her bag and bit her lip as she heard Gaston's voice echoing through the glen. His words were not important, the only thing important was on his knees in need of her. She found what she was looking for and tossed the bag aside.

The metal of Macleane's pistol was cool in her hand as she raised her arms and cocked it. Her heart was racing, blood pounding in her ears, she willed her hands to stop shaking, this was her only chance. Squeezing her eye shut, she shook her head quickly. The ghosts of Plunkett's hands were at her waist and she felt his presence even though he was halfway across the field. Her eye opened up slowly as she heard his gentle voice in her ear, 'Both eyes open dearie, both eyes open…'

She let out a breath, aimed in the middle of Gaston's broad chest and pulled the trigger, without hesitation. The shot echoed across the nearby trees and his large form crumpled to the ground as her bullet struck home. Shouts of confusion and terror broke out amongst his men as two scattered into the woods and one hurried to his side. Plunkett stumbled back with the force of relief and looked around wildly for the source of his salvation expecting to find Macleane, but instead he laid eyes on Belle. Breathless, feral and shaking, her eyes met his and her hands fell to the side, clutching the pistol and staying rooted to the ground. Macleane hurried up behind her on his own brown mare, his eyes making sense of the scene as he broke through the line of the trees.

He jumped from his horse before it had even stopped moving and he looked at her, breath heaving. "Belle…" he said quietly. "W-what have you done?"

A/N: Alright guys, I hope you liked it. If the editing is a little Sub-par it is because I threw out my back and typing is difficult but I didn't want to keep you guys waiting! Thanks for the love and support and review if you wish! 3