Belle was in a somber mood waking up this morning. It wasn't because of Michael, or even his ex-wife Milah for that matter. It was because today would contain her last few hours of being Belle Gold. This evening she would return to being a single 34-year-old librarian named Belle French, nothing at all exciting. She rolled over and faced Gold. He was still asleep. His arm hadn't moved from around her since last night. Belle wraps her leg through his, interweaving them together. A little longer was all she wanted. More time to be his wife and Neal's birth mother. Of course, Belle knew that she and Michael would keep in touch, but the moment she was living in now, in this bed with him, was what she considered perfection to be.
Belle felt his arm tighten around her, bringing her closer into his embrace. He was slowly waking up, yawning while he stretched and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.
"Good morning." She greeted him with a soft smile.
"Morning sweetheart," he said. "How did you sleep?"
"Amazingly." She said with a provocative tone.
Gold chuckled. "That good, eh?"
"Mhm," she hummed happily with thoughts of last night. "How about you?"
"There's no reason for me to play coy, you were amazing." He said before kissing her lips then nuzzling his face into the crook of her neck, kissing Belle softly there.
"Can we stay in bed a bit longer?" She asked biting her lip.
"I would love to, but I really have to go sweetheart." he said gesturing to the bathroom.
Belle giggled, watching her pretend husband scurry off to the bathroom in a hurry. After relieving himself, Michael begins his morning regimen. Belle entered the bathroom wearing nothing but her panties and her pajama tank top.
After gawking at her body for a few seconds and wondering how did he become so lucky, he picks up his toothbrush. Belle does the same, copying his brushing motions while Michael looks at her humorously. Belle was perfect to him. Her beautiful personality shined inside and out. He never felt more completed than in these past three days with her. How was he going to be able to make it day by day without her after the wedding was over? He pushed the thought aside. He didn't want to think about it. Instead, he wanted to enjoy these last few hours making her smile.
After showering and getting dress, the pair returned to the bedroom. Both needed their energy replenished, so Michael ordered breakfast to be delivered to their room by the complimentary room service provided by the wedding arrangement.
It was a beautiful morning outside, and the view of the sun rising over the vineyard was too good to pass up. So they ate outside on the balcony, watching the sunlight roll across the hills of the countryside.
It was a breathtaking scenery, and Gold was happy he could share it with Belle. Hell, any moments that included her was perfect to him. There were no words that could express how he felt about her because he's simply never felt this way about any woman before. Was it possible to fall in love with someone in three days? Gold wasn't sure, but love was the closest thing it felt like with her.
Belle was in the same high spirits as him. They talked some more, Gold telling more embarrassing stories of Neal. Belle even had a few stories of her own from the time she spent as Neal's roommate. She regaled him her favorites, like the time Neal surprised her for her birthday.
"- I wasn't expecting anything really, but when I came home from class, Neal had decorated our whole dorm with balloons and a happy birthday banner," Belle explained. "He even bought me a light-up bookmark that I still cherish today."
Gold chuckled. "A bookmark you say? It wouldn't happen to be in the shape of a red rose?"
Belle did a double take. "Yes, how did you know?"
"Well, he called me one day, stressed out because he didn't know what to get his roommate for her birthday."
"You helped Neal pick out my gift?"
Michael took a sip of coffee. "Yes, he said you had a passion for literature. A bookmark was the only logical answer."
"Then I should thank you too. I use it for every book I read."
"No thanks is needed, after all, Neal purchased it for you."
Belle smiled knowing that it was both Neal and Micheal who bought her most prized possession. "Neal is so wonderful. My life completely changed when I met him."
"What made you so drawn to him?"
Belle took a moment to think before she answered. "Honestly, I don't know. I just felt like he needed someone. Someone to show him compassion and drive all his fears away. Someone to let him know that everything would be okay."
Michael gave a sympathetic nod. "He needed a mother."
"I didn't mean to replace his real mother. I just wanted to help."
"It's in your nature sweetheart. You see the good in others, and you're able to rid the darkness in a person's heart." He told her, and she smiled. "And I must commend you for getting rid of Milah."
Belle giggled. "I just couldn't stand to see her talk to you like that. She's a nasty woman. She didn't deserve you or Neal."
"You really believe that?"
"Of course, Michael, you're a very nice guy," She turned back to her coffee, using the spoon to stir it absentmindedly. "I just wished I've gotten the chance to know you sooner."
"I'm just happy to know you at all." He said frankly. Maybe Belle was sent into Neal's life to help Michael as well.
Neither Belle or Mr. Gold could take their eyes off of each other as they ate and continued to talk. He winked when he caught her staring at him, making her blush with a bashful smile. His desires for her was becoming unbearable, and there wasn't anything he wouldn't do for her.
xox0xox
Neal and Emma were on their way to Milah's room. Neal felt bad about the things he said to her last night and wanted to invite her to have breakfast with him and Emma. He knocked on her door, but there was no answer. They waited a minute before knocking again, assuming she was in the bathroom.
But still no answer. Neal twisted the doorknob expecting it to be locked, but it wasn't. He opened the door to find an empty room, and Milah was no longer there.
"Figures." he said closing the door to the empty room.
"I'm so sorry Neal," Emma cooed.
"It's okay." Neal sighed ruefully.
Emma gives her soon to be husband a kiss. "Look at it this way. Belle is still here. She's more of a mother to you anyways."
"You're right baby," Neal said, trying to look past the fact that his mother had abandoned him again. "You should go start getting ready. I need to speak with Belle and my dad."
Neal watched Emma take off down the hall before going next door to his father's room. Milah leaving again made him very apprehensive. What if Emma did the same? What if one day she realizes that she'd made a mistake and leaves him to be alone like what Milah did to his father. Neal sighed, then knocked on their door.
"Neal!" Belle answered the door excited to see him, although it was short lived when she saw his discouraged expression. "Is everything okay?"
Neal steps inside their room. "Well, I guess this is it," he said trying to seem hopeful, but Belle and his father weren't buying it.
"Indeed it is, how do you feel?" Mr. Gold asked his son.
Neal looked down at his shaky hands. "I'm not sure."
"It's okay to be nervous Neal," Belle tells him.
"Are you having cold feet?" His father asked.
"No-, at least I don't think so. I want to be with Emma. From the moment I saw her, I've wanted this. It's just now that it's here," He let out another sigh. "What if I'm not good enough for her? What if I can't make her happy?"
"Oh Neal," Belle whispered, pulling him into her embrace, it broke her heart that he was feeling inadequate when he should be joyous, especially today. "That's impossible. You are an amazing person with so much love in your heart and Emma sees that.
"How do you know?"
"I see the way she looks at you, that little twinkle she gets in her eyes, that small caring smile she has whenever you're near. Neal, don't you see, you are Emma's happiness."
"I have to agree with Belle son. I've never seen a truer love than what you share with Emma." He told Neal, placing a comforting hand on his son's shoulder, he understood why Neal was feeling this way. "Just because things between your mother and I didn't work out, doesn't mean the same will happen to you."
Neal nodded. "You guys are right. I don't know what I was thinking, Emma is nothing like Milah." Neal said, turning his frown into a smile. "I'm ready."
"Then go get married," Belle said with a warmhearted smile. "And just remember, your father and I will always be there for you."
Mr. Gold nodded. "Always son."
xox0xox
The soft afternoon sunlight shone through the ceremony hall windows placing the room in an elegant glow. Pink and gold streamers decorated the pews of the large room. The carpet of the aisle was white and flowed from the door to the golden wedding altar in the center of the room. The classical music of Chopin was played by a string quartet while everyone entered the hall and took their seats.
After all the guests had time to take their seats, it was officially time for the wedding to start. Neal stood at the altar in his black tuxedo with Archie Hopper, the sole minister and a very close friend of Neal's family. It was very apparent to Belle that Neal was still a bit nervous, but all that changed when Emma entered the room. All that worrying about not being good enough disappeared when he laid his eyes on his gorgeous bride. Emma was absolutely stunning. Her gown was a crisp white. The lace fitted bodice hugged her slender frame as the skirt flared out in a ballgown fashion. She looked like a princess in a fairytale, and Emma even wore a tiara to complete the look. When she took her place next to Neal, the music stopped, and everyone took their seats again.
As Emma read her vows, there wasn't a dry eye in the building. Mary Margaret was crying hysterically on the shoulder of her husband, David. It was all very emotional for Belle too. Neal was her best friend, and to see him being joined in matrimony to his true love brought tears of joy to her eyes. Luckily she had Michael there to wipe her tears, consoling her by wrapping his arm around her and bringing Belle close to him, letting her shed her tears on him. She wasn't alone, Mr. Gold was filled with immense happiness watching his son get his happy ending, but what delighted him more was that Belle was right by his side to witness their son's joyous occasion.
The newlyweds kissed to make their marriage official, and everyone stood and cheered. Rice and paper confetti were tossed in the air as everyone celebrated the union of Neal and Emma Gold.
Outside the Villa, the couple said goodbye and thanked everyone for coming before leaving in a limo with the words just married written on the back window. Neal mentioned their honeymoon location would be Paris, and that they would be back in a week.
Belle and Gold regretfully returned to their room and began packing to go back to their respective homes in two different states.
She was having trouble zipping up her suitcase and became frustrated by it, hitting the bag in a huff. Although it wasn't just the suitcase that was agitating her, it was more about leaving Michael.
"Belle," he called her. "Here let me help," he said zipping up her bag up without any difficulties.
"It's not the bag Michael," Belle confessed, desperately trying to keep it together.
"I didn't assume it was." He said candidly.
"I can't believe it's all over, just as it was starting." Belle felt like it wasn't fair, what she and Michael had felt so real, and now she was being torn apart from him.
"It's not over. I'll call you every day, and a flight from Maine to New York is only a couple of hours," he said, trying to lift her spirits. It was hard for Michael to cope with this too, Belle brought light into his life, and now he would return to his home in Maine to continue to live in solitude after knowing what it felt like to truly be happy with someone.
Belle tried to cheer up for the sake of Michael and even forced a smile, but if she were honest with herself, Belle was dying on the inside. She was on the verge of tears at the reminder that tonight, she would be sleeping in her bed alone. Even Neal wouldn't be there to take her mind off Michael since he was on his honeymoon with Emma.
Mr. Gold walked Belle outside to her car. In one of his hands was Belle's bag and his cane, in the other was her hand. He held it tightly as his heart pounded in his chest. They didn't speak while walking across the gravel of the parking lot. Both were too overwhelmed to say anything and words would only make things worse. Belle didn't want to go back to New York. All she wanted to do was relive this weekend with him over and over again for the rest of her life.
"Don't forget to call me after your flight has landed," She reminded him.
"I won't forget."
She fumbled with her car keys nervously, hesitant about leaving him. "Well, I guess this is goodbye for now."
"Goodbye Belle."
Belle forced an unconvincing smile before turning and opening the door to her car. She felt her heart clench in her chest and tears welling up in her eyes. She was just about to get into her car when she felt him wrap his hand around her wrist.
"Belle I can't do this," He said, pulling her closer to him and taking both her hands into his. "I'd be a fool if I let you go. This weekend has been the best three days of my life."
"I feel the same way."
"No woman has ever made me feel the way I feel when I'm with you." He told her. "I don't want to sleep another night alone, and I won't spend another second of my life without you."
"Michael, wha- what are you saying?" She stammered.
Belle was the perfect wife, and they weren't even married. She was the perfect mother and wasn't even related to Neal. She didn't have to be any of those things, but the fact that she was made it impossible for Michael to watch her leave him. There was simply no way he was going to live his life and be content without Belle by his side. In three days, they went from strangers to friends and then to lovers. There was only one thing left to do.
"Will you marry me?"
Overcome with joy, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply. "Yes." She answered and nodded excitedly, knowing that Michael would be forever hers and that she will always remain, Belle Gold.
Thanks for reading, and for all the nice comments.
One more chapter to go.
-RL