Rumple gently set Belle on her feet by the tub. Belle eyed the water then looked at him unsure, she really didnt know what he expected of her, she wasn't used to being treated with such tenderness. Rumple took her hand and helped her into the tub ,clothes and all. She was only in her shift after all and many women bathed that way.

The water was cool and Belle didn't like it but the effects of the fever were worse and she really didn't know how he would react if she refused him, Gaston didnt allow her to refuse him.

Rumple pulled a stool up behind her. "Lean your head back dearie and I'll help you wash your hair." Unsure of herself Belle obeyed. Rum poured water over her hair and Belle could smell the perfume of the soap he used to lather her, it smelled expensive, like roses. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of his fingers working thier way through her scalp. Part of her was frightned that he would think her repulsive, Gaston had let her know in no uncertain terms that she was and had threatned many times to chop off her one beauty before he actually did.

Rumple worked the soap into a lather on Belle's head being as gentle as he could, he watched Belle's expression as she leaned into his touch. He was taken back by a tear that escaped out of the corner of her eye. "Did I hurt you, are you alright?" Rumple asked her, he pulled his hands back unsure of why she would suddenly be crying. "No, please continue, I'm alright" Belle whispered. Rumple procedded to rinse her hair till the water glistened off of it.

Rumplestiltskin was unsure of how to approach his next task, he licked his lips before speaking. "Um, Gale, if you will stand, I can help you wash. I know you are weak, but you'll feel better, I uh, I promise I won't look."

Belle was exhausted from what she had already done and she was going to have no choice but to let him help her, with Rumple's help Belle stood up. Rumple stared into her eyes. "Don't" she whispered. "Don't what?" Rumple said confused. "Don't look at my face" she said, "I'm embarassed."

"Close your eyes" Rumple whispered to Belle, she could feel his breath, she shivered and did as he asked. Slowly with shaking hands Rumple undid her shift, then pulled it gently down over her shoulders and off her hips. It came to rest in the water leaving Belle naked before him. Instinctivly Belle crossed her arms over her breasts. Rumple began lathering up the rag in his hand with the sented soap. he had never washed another person and he didn't want to frighten her so he really needed to get his breathing under control, this may be harder than he origionally thought it would be.

He started with Belle's neck and shoulders, running the rag along her skin leaving a trail of bubbles behind. He gently took her arm and lightly ran the cloth up and down it as if painting her body with the soap. She didn't resist him when he removed the other arm leaving her breasts bare. Rumple tried to keep his eyes on her face but he couldn't help but watch the soap wash away the grim to revel perfectly flawless skin underneath.

his hands shook slightly as he began to bathe her breasts with the soap, he could feel her skin with his hands as he ran the cloth along the underside of her breasts, her nipples grew hard at the touch and the feel of the cool water. Belle began to shake as he made his way down her belly, the bubbles clinging to her wet skin as Rumple continued bathing her. He washed her legs, starting at her calfs and working his way back up to the apex at her thighs. He was little nervous, should he? Rumple lightly touched her sex with the rag, moving it in round little circles across her downy hair, Belle parted her legs as He ever so gently pushed the soapy rag between them and massaged the soap against her,bubbles clung to her nether regions as Rumple tried to calm his racing heart. Belle began to visably shake as her breathing hitched in her throat. Rumple didn't know how much more he could take.

He asked her to turn around so that he could wash her back. Her hair hung wet and long as she faced away from him and Rum was not prepared for what he saw as he pulled her hair to the side to wash her. "What happened to you Gale, who did this to you?" Rumple was aghast at the long angry whelps across Belle's back from having a lash took to her.

"I was whiped for, uh stealing." Belle answered. Rumple's brows knitted in frustration at how somone could have done this. Whiping for thievrey wasn't uncommon but it was usually enforced on men. From what rumple could see this girl had lived a very hard life. Rumple leaned close to Belle and gently blew on her back. Belle shook with chills from his warm breath and the sensation it caused as the wounds disappeared. Belle moaned softly from the strange but pleasant felling it gave her skin. "It's gone now dearie" Rumple said as he carrassed her with the soapy rag.

"Thank you" Belle whispered. Rum worked his way down her hips but he couldn't take his eyes off her round little bottom as he watched the soap run in streams over her, disappering into secret places.

With his leather breeches growing uncomfortably tight Rumple decided that was about all the bathing that he could handle today so he gently helped her to sit in the tub to rise off. He poured the water over her shoulders as Belle used a rag to wash her face.

"My eye is feeling better today. It dosen't even hurt to wash it." Rumple smiled to himself, I'll just let her see for herself he thought.

Rumple helped Belle out of the tub and quickly placed a large warm towel around her so she didn't get chilled. "I don't have anything fit to put on" Belle said as she looked at him. "I took care of that, It's on the bed." Belle was delighted to find a soft white night gown awaiting her in the other room.

Rumple left to give her privacy to get dressed and returned with some soup and tea but she was already asleep when he returned, he sat the tray by her bed and pulled a chair up and watched her breathing for a while. He started to go to sleep but decided that a bath wouldn't hurt him either so instead opted for one himself.

In the middle of the night Belle awoke , her fever had broke and she was feeling much better. She pulled up in bed to look around, the fire was burning low and it gave a soft glow to the room. Beside her on the bed lay Rumplestiltskin asleep. Belle leaned close to look at him. His hair was still a bit damp from the bath he had taken and he was in different clothes , they must be his sleeping clothes she thought, soft cotton , no leather like he always wore. He looked like a child asleep next to her then the thought crossed his mind that this must be his bed that she lay in. His hair covered his eyes as she reached over with her little fingers and moved it away so that she could see his sleeping face. she thought him very handsome even though he looked so different from other men. People thought Gaston a handsome man but she saw him as evil, anything but handsome , but the man that lay sleeping before her was no monster even though she had heard stories, they could'nt be true, he had been so gentle with her before. She blushed thinking of thier bath earlier, how he saw just how ugly she truly was, how could he even stand to be this close to her, she was the true monster and yet he had helped her. She just hoped he would not throw her out now that she was feeling better. Belle snuggled back down into the covers, she would make him see her worth she vowed.