Morning brought sun light shining through the thin curtains of the motel room, the small gap making the sun light hit the man in the bed right in the face. He shook his head as he came from reality, he was wrapped around something warm.

Robert wrapped his arm around the body beside him, he knew it wasn't right, to lay in bed with a complete stranger but he felt closer to her, they'd been open with each other, they'd peeled back the layers of who they were.

He couldn't help but think how Belle was the most beautiful women he'd ever seen and get she'd been neglected by the very man that had claimed to love her and want to be with her for the rest of his life. This Gaston sounded like he just wanted to have her as a pretty ornament to have on his arm.

If he'd been as lucky as Gaston, he would have appreciated the women she was, he would have tried every day to show her that he was worthy of her. Running a hand through his hair he sighed, but he wasn't lucky, Belle was nothing but a women who'd he'd help get out of a sticky situation.

The fact that he'd found himself easy to open up with her, to tell her everything, to tell her about his ex-wife and son. He didn't know what it was about her, whether it was her beautiful blue eyes that calmed him, or perhaps it was the way she seemed to actually want to listen to him, something his former wife had never bothered to do.

The shrill cry of his phone made Robert cringe in the hope that it wouldn't wake the sleeping beauty beside him. Reaching over to the night stand to stop the noise, the caller I.D told him that it was 'Milah'. What was she calling for? did she want the rest of his money?

He put it down, he really didn't want to talk to her. He'd talk to her once he got his head back on straight.

Belle rolled over beside him, turning to face him "It could have been important" she told him.

Robert shook his head "Sorry it woke you" he gave her a weak smile "Do you want to keep driving today?" thought taking her back might break his heart a little bit, but he would do whatever she wanted him to.

"I'd love to" she told him with a bright smile "I just need to write some letters" she added.

"Of course" he nodded before moving to slip out of the bed that they had occupied for the night, the other single bed hadn't been touched. They'd fallen asleep next to one another after their heart to heart. "You did the right thing" he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper.

"What?" Belle asked, bushing her curls from her face.

"Not Marrying Gaston, you shouldn't have made yourself miserable out of obligation" he added "I know I'm out of place telling you that"

Belle shook her head "Your wife didn't deserve you and I'm sure you'll get your son back" she reached over and squeezed his hand gently before letting him go to the bathroom so she could write the letters to Gaston and her father.

...C\_'/...

An hour and a half later and the pair found themselves in a small antique shop. It was a small shop owned by a tiny, elderly lady.

Gold's eyes were darting from object to object, he'd loved antiques for years and collecting them had become some sort of hobby for him, now though, he guessed he would have to sell them to make back the money that his ex-wife had taken from him.

Belle was across the street at a post box when she saw him enter the shop. She too liked antique objects but mainly old books, she always wondered what the story was, who had it belonged too, had they cared for it, what had to book been through.

As she walked into the shop, the bell jingled above her making her feel warm and welcome. As she walked around she saw all of the books, reaching out to touch the leather bound book. Lifting her finger she found it caked in dust, sometimes the best books had the dustiest jacket.

With a light hum escaping her lips the beauty turned, as she did she was surprised with what she saw. Robert stood in a white shirt and black jeans, he was hunched over looking at an antique spinning wheel in great detail making his hair sweep forward. God he looked good, she tilted her head to the side to get a better view.

Then the guilt hit her, she shouldn't be looking at him like that, shouldn't be thinking like that. she was engaged, looking down at her hands there was no longer the ring on her finger, It was with the letter in the post box ready to be taken to the man who had bought it in the first place.

She thought that she should feel some sort of emptiness, guilt but she didn't feel anything, if anything she felt free, light, as if she didn't have to worry about anything. So she could take a little glance at admiring her companion, well as long as she didn't get caught.

"You okay?" Robert brought her back o the present where she stood staring at a beautiful antique tea-set. It was white china with a blue floral design and a gold rim. It was beautiful. She bet it was expensive, it made her want to drink tea in some big castle while wearing a big poufy dress.

She reached out and gently picked up one of the china tea cups and held it delicately in her hands knowing that she could be such a cluts at times.

"Beautiful isn't it?" a familiar voice spoke in her ears, his breath hot against her his. He stood right behind her, his chest against her back, his hands went to cover hers making the Australian shiver. Her breath hitched making the cup slip from both of their hands, hitting the floor with a clank.

The beauty turned to come face to face with Gold, her eyes searched his, why had he been standing so close? Why did she get all these feelings with him standing so close? Did he feel it too? When had he been so good looking, in an older, smarter, sexy way? when had his eyes been so dark?

"YOU BREAK IT...YOU BUY!" the old lady who owned the shop yelled at the couple who just stood staring at one another.

Belle looked down at the tea cup on the floor, there was a small chip in the top. She bent down to pick it up "It's chipped but you can barely see it" the younger women showed the older women.

Gold piped up "It's just a cup" the women didn't look impressed "You can still sell the rest of the set".

"You break you buy" the women spoke her mantra again, this time with gritted teeth, her grip on her cane increasing, both Gold and Belle were worried she might use it as a weapon.

"Fine, I'll buy the whole set" Gold pulled out his wallet and pulled out his last couple of bills.

"Pleasure doing business with you sir" the old women smiled at him "Would you like me to wrap it for you?" she asked him almost cheekily.

"Please" Gold smiled in return before following her to the till. A very guilty Belle followed behind them. Her IOU to Gold just kept on increasing.

Half an hour later Gold and Belle were back in the Cadillac, the only noise come from the back seat where the tea set and ripped gold dress sat rattling and clinking with every movement of the car.

"I'm sorry" Belle decided to break the awkwardness she and the man beside her were under.

Robert took a quick glance from the road to look at the women beside him "It's nothing to worry about" he told her "It's rather a beautiful peace"

"Even the chipped cup?" Belle asked him with a small smile. He'd changed from the man she'd met all those days ago. At first he'd been harsh, selfish and dark but now he seemed sweeter, more human.

"Sometimes the best tea cups are chipped" he gave her a small smile which Belle couldn't help but return.

The beauty turned and looked out of the window at the country side that rolled past them, unconsciously she lifted her hand and began to rub her ring finger on the left hand where her engagement ring had sat for just under a year.

Gold flicked his eyes to the passenger side and noticed what she was doing and was surprised to see no ring on her finger, did that mean she'd finally let him go? Had she sent it back in her letter to him?

"Where do you want to go?" he asked her as he still kept his eyes on the road, they were less on the motorway and more in the country than they had been before.

"Uhmmm, I'm not sure" Belle replied before running her hands through her hair. "Do you have a map? We could see what's near" she suggested.

Robert nodded "There should be a map in the back" he motioned to the back with the direction of his thumb.

Squirming in her seat a little bit the brunet reached behind her blindly hoping to find the map, her hand made contact with something hard and bottle like, her curiosity got the better of her and so she pulled it to the front.

It was a bottle of brown liquid "Hmmm Johnny Walker whiskey" she spoke as she traced the name on the bottle.

"I ugh don't actually drink" Gold told her.

"Then why..." Belle began but then she realised something "The accident that caused you to come to America, did you have a drinking problem?" she asked him, her voice full of curiosity.

"Yes...buying that was a moment of weakness" he explained "I need you to promise me that you wont let a drop of it pass my lips" he added "If I drink, it just means I lose my son more"

Belle reached across the car to cover his hand on the gear stick with her s "I promise" she assured him. She rubbed her thumb over his knuckles a few times for comfort before letting go and putting the alcohol back behind her seat.

A few more moments of searching in the back of the car "Uh huh" she almost squealed triumphantly before pulling the map into the front part of the car. Carefully she unfolded it and looking at the signs they passed determined where they were. "There's a small fishing and mining town nearby, some sea air might be good"

"Sounds good, what's it called?" He asked, sounding intreagued for once.

"Storybrooke"