Belle woke the following morning to the sounds of whispers. She couldn't quite make out what Rumple was saying to her, but she knew he was intentionally making himself inaudible. Even with her eyes closed she could only make out a few words:

"…I love you and your mum… …no idea what to do now… …regret that Henry… …all that magic… …steep cost… …the dagger…"

When she felt some pressure lift away from her belly she realized that his hand had been there the entire time. He wasn't whispering to her like she had originally thought, he was whispering to their child. Rumple saw Belle's eyes move beneath her closed lids and he knew as her eyebrows furrowed in concentration that she was listening. Belle was awake.

"Good morning, my beautiful wife," Rumple greeted.

Belle opened her eyes and saw that he was sitting at the edge of his bed facing away from her. He was already dressed for work. Belle noticed how bright the sun lit their room and she searched for the clock that was on his side table.

"What time is it?" she asked as she craned her neck to see.

"Eight-thirty."

"I take it that… you're… not going to go into the shop today?" assumed Belle questionably.

"I've had a lot on my mind. I do eventually intend on making it to my shop today though."

"Did you sleep at all?" she asked as she wiped the sleep out from the corner of her eyes.

"You know I'm a light sleeper. So naturally, I sleep very little."

Belle slowly placed her hands strategically behind her back as she pushed herself off from the mattress to sit up in bed. She wondered, "I couldn't make out what you were saying earlier…"

"That's because I wasn't talking to you," he said correcting a misunderstanding, "I was talking to our daughter."

"Yeah? About what?"

"About… things."

"Will I ever know what these 'things' are?"

"Nope. Father-daughter stuff."

"She's not even born yet and you both are already keeping secrets from me. This can't be good."

"Why do you assume that what we talk about isn't good?"

She countered, "because you always avoid giving me a straight answer whenever you think I won't favor it. What's really on your mind? Rumple…" She reached for his hand and he immediately averted his gaze from her. "…you know you can tell me anything."

"I was thinking…," he said hesitantly, thinking of a clever response, "that we should get you your own vehicle." He completely avoided the topic.

Misdirection and evasion… both are familiar tactics that only the monster would use. The man that was talking to their unborn daughter just moments before had runaway and she could tell with his new jovial disposition that he was hiding behind the monster's mask to protect himself. She was now facing the beast.

She rolled her eyes at him, disappointed that he diverted the conversation entirely. He wasn't going to talk to her today. Still, it was nice for a change that his mood at least appeared to be better than what it was yesterday. She sighed as she consented to let the conversation slide. It was a topic she and him would eventually have to talk about later.

"Well… I've actually been looking into getting my own car for some time now."

"You have?" he asked with a tone of surprise.

"Yep. I, uh… have been working at the library for quite a while now and… I've looked up the prices for cars here and managed to save enough money to get one. I just, haven't gone because… I've always enjoyed riding in your car. It gives me a chance to be alone with you."

"Transportation throughout Storybrooke didn't use to be an issue for me until recently…" Belle knew immediately to what he was alluding to; he used to be able to magic himself to places without the use of his car. And now that magic was gone from Storybrooke, they both needed transportation.

"You know, I don't have to get a new car. I was actually looking into baby-seats the other day and saw a few that would go nicely in the car…" Belle said smiling as she imagined the various baby seats in his fancy Cadillac.

She wasn't completely ignorant of his intimidating reputation or of his finicky style. Even on their honeymoon he dressed with purpose and conviction. So she smiled because she always enjoyed the moments he would change for her, because it was the man she loved fighting through the Beast to be with her. Changes were never easy for him, so she loved how he was willingly making these small adjustments in his life because it always led to growth in their relationship. When they first got back from their honeymoon, it seemed like she was still fighting everyone's misconceptions about him, convincing them that he's changed his ways. So she thought that getting a baby seat instead of a new car was the perfect way to show the world that she was right; he's not intimidating.

But then again, this was a side only she was privy to see and that perhaps he wasn't ready to show the world that part of him yet. So it came of no surprise when she saw the subtle look of fear on the Beast's face as he thought of his vanity; how the baby seat would clash with his intimidating car and thus tarnishing his reputation. So without hesitation the Beast revealed his preference and insisted, "Let's go get you your own car."

"…Let's…," Belle repeated back as she sighed, disappointed in the Beast's decision. Suddenly she realized that 'let's' also meant the both of them, that he was interested in participating in this venture with her, so she clarified, "you mean, you're going to come with me when I buy my car?"

"Did you seriously think that I was going to let you go to a car dealership and make a deal on your own? I may not have magic, but dealing… is still what I do," he said, smirking with confidence.

Belle raised her eyebrow in suspicion and stared him down with scrutiny. He seemed to be handling this lack of magic in his life unbelievably well. It was a complete 180-degree turn from how he reacted last night, and it only made her seriously doubt that going to a car dealership this very moment was the best thing to do in light of yesterday's traumatic events.

… …

Gold and Belle pulled up into Shah's Car Palace at the opposite end of town, away from Storybrooke's main street. As they drove into the car lot they could see signs displaying special sales to coax potential customers and passer-byes in: "Our Sales are Out of this World!", "A Whole New Way to Travel", "Come Steal Our Cars at Street Rat Prices".

As much as Belle looked forward to finally getting her own car, she saw her husband's face and was immediately filled with trepidation. She could tell from Gold's focused face that beneath that calm and quiet exterior lurked a dangerous and strange kind of anxiety, almost like there was a twig that was waiting to snap. Gold parked his Cadillac in one of the available parking spots and turned off the ignition. Belle stared at her husband who stared fixatedly at a particular spot on the dashboard. Even though the car was stationary, he still gripped the steering wheel intensely. Without even realizing it, the white in his knuckles were beginning to show. He was consciously trying to slow his heart rate and calm himself down for Belle, but the evidence of his anxiety was augmenting by the second and Belle could tell that there was something wrong.

"Rumple," Belle said, distracting him from whatever it was that he was thinking about, "we don't have to do this today."

"No, you need this and it's about time you got your own mode of transportation. You need to be able to move about town on your own," he released his kung-fu grip on the wheel and reached gently for Belle's hand. As he delicately held Belle's hand within his own, he looked her sincerely in the eyes and said, "I value your independence."

"I know you do, but really, I don't mind sharing your car with you. Unless… you do?"

"Belle… there have been a lot of changes happening in my life lately and… I'm doing my best to accept these changes as gracefully as possible."

"Ok," Belle empathized. She didn't want to press the matter any further because his lack of magic was still a very sensitive issue to him. His response wasn't the answer she was looking for either, but it would have to suffice for now. She wondered, Who would have thought that the simple act of purchasing a car would make her question her husband's motives to help her? Why didn't he volunteer to utilize his car to transport their child or why he avoided the conversation of having a baby car seat in his Cadillac? She didn't think it was an issue, but apparently it was.

The truth was he wanted Belle's car to be the safer of the two vehicles that primarily hosted their child. If he still had his powers he would have insisted that the Cadillac was the safest in the world. He would have even been more inclined to choosing the car seat himself. However, with the sudden vacuum of power and his cursed reputation he felt vulnerable to the public and that anywhere he went he was a moving target for attacks. He feared not having power, but what he feared more was not being able to protect his loved ones. So he proactively did what he could to shield Belle and their daughter, hoping beyond hope that no such horrific incident would ever occur. In his mind, every day he was without magic was another day risked to the elements and trusting that nothing requiring his magic would happen. He couldn't bring himself to explain all of this to Belle; how he couldn't protect their child like he could before and it crushed him.

Gold smiled as he lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it before quickly getting out of the car. As he made his way around the front to open Belle's door he suddenly felt a pain in his right leg. He paused for a brief moment as the ghost pain from a past wound disappeared. He hesitantly took another step with the sore leg and when the pain completely subsided he resumed his trek to open Belle's door. He opened her side door and offered his hand to which she took.

"Is everything alright? Did you hurt yourself?" she inquired after witnessing the events from where she sat inside the car. She carefully lifted herself out from the car and looked down at the leg in question.

"Yeah, it's just… an old pain that had briefly resurfaced. I'm fine though. It's gone now. Come, let's go find you a new car," he said with a half-smile. He offered the crook of his arm and she gladly slipped her arm through the gap as they walked together toward the giant glass edifice together.

A young man in his mid-twenties with dark hair and a business suit came out of the building and greeted the oncoming couple. With a giant smile he extended his hand and greeted Mr. Gold, "Welcome back Mr. Gold! I see that you're still driving the Cadillac. See? I told you it would suit you much better than the Impala."

"Al," Gold said refusing to shake his hand, recognized the young man, "it appears that my wife is in need of a car of her own."

"Is that so? Well, you've come to the right place," Al said. Realizing that Mr. Gold wasn't going to shake his hand, Al turned to Belle and shook hers instead, "Hi, I'm Al."

"I'm Belle. Nice to meet you Al," Belle said matching Al with a congenial smile of her own.

"Belle, what a lovely name," noted Al. Seeing that Belle was more receptive to conversation than Mr. Gold, Al decided to work with Belle and continued the dialogue with her, "So, what kind of vehicle are you looking for?"

Gold remained quiet as he listened intently to the conversation between Al and Belle. He waited patiently for the trigger words to spring up naturally in the conversation before stepping in to deal. Al did his best to give Belle his undivided attention, but every so often he would glimpse at Gold to gauge his reaction.

"Well… I'm looking for something more family-friendly," she said while casually placing her available hand on her stomach, "obviously."

"I see, and congratulations by the way," Al said with a friendly and honest smile. To Belle, Al was definitely warm and welcoming so she felt it ok to unhook her arm around Gold and continued walking ahead to inspect the other cars in the lot. "Well we do have station-wagons and mini-vans, but I think you're more of a compact car kind of gal."

"Al, I did also want to let you know that I'm working on a budget…"

"Belle," Gold interrupted from behind them, cutting her off, "don't let that affect your decision in choosing the right car."

"I suppose that's one perk to being married to the Dar… I mean, Mr. Gold," commented Al. "If you don't mind my asking, what is your price range?"

"Well, I've got about ten thousand saved. I didn't want it to be a luxurious car, just something that's durable. Not a tank, but definitely something that could endure… um, childhood?"

"Ah, well, over here," Al said leading Belle over to a row of sports utility vehicles, "we've got a bunch of 2013 RAV-4's. I think these might be something suited to what you're looking for."

"How much?" asked Gold coldly, cutting straight to the negotiations.

"The starting price for these kinds of cars generally runs about twenty-k, but since these cars are on sale, if you both are seriously interested I'd give it to you for fifteen."

"It's Fall, you're about to roll-out 2015 cars making these 2013 models obsolete. You're going to give this car to Belle for eight," stated Gold, his words laced with confidence and ebbed on irritation.

"I'm a bit confused, I thought price was of no object," Al wondered.

"I'm a bit confused myself. Why are you acting like this Rumple?"

"I'm not acting like anything," Gold replied defensively, "This man is trying to sell you an over-priced car."

"Woah," exhaled Al, unsure who he was selling the car to. He took a few steps back allowing Belle and Gold a little more privacy to continue negotiations within themselves before continuing.

"I haven't even sat in the vehicle. I don't even know if I like it yet," pointed out Belle as she got closer to her husband.

"You can't allow him to set the prices like that," Gold continued, "You have to have a clear price in your head and find reasons to give them that price to you, no matter the car. I'm trying to get him to give you what you want."

"No, this isn't about what I want," Belle observed, reading between the lines.

"Belle, the reason why we're here is because you wanted a car!" said Gold raising his voice at her.

"No!" Belle stated firmly, "You're here on a personal vendetta to prove to me or whoever, that you still have power. I knew this was a bad idea from the start. We should go back home. I'll just have to find a way to come back here later and do this on my own."

"No, I'll… I'll go. You get whatever car you want. You obviously don't need me here," he said hurtfully, backing away from Belle.

"Rumple…," she called to him, yearning for him to stay with her.

"I'll be at the shop."

He dismissed himself angrily and returned to his Cadillac. He drove away not realizing that he was her only ride. He left her alone with Al, forcing her decision to purchase a car that day on her own.

Thanks for your patience guys! For the past few weeks I've been struggling with creating this section's story timeline (which is about 6 pages long), but now that I'm done with that I can finally get to the fun part, which is writing it and fleshing it out to you guys. It was so good connecting with all you guys again. Thank you OUATgirl17, TheGreenFairy25, Montreat11, BreathingintheSun, and Grace5231973 for your reviews from the previous chapter. Apparently you guys really liked it. Cool!

What did you guys think about this chapter? Did you like my interpretation of Aladdin's OUAT cursed version? I laugh at myself sometimes because it can feel a bit tongue-and-cheek at times.

OUATgirl17: To answer your question, I saw the documentary "Business of Being Born" with Riki Lake and it really opened my eyes to midwifery. Trust me, I cringe whenever television portrays birth incorrectly too.

See you guys next chapter!