Chapter Fourteen: Fallout

"Love is much like a wild rose,

beautiful and calm, but willing to draw blood in its defense."

~ Mark Overby

Baelfire hit against one of the thick trees and felt his shoulder pop out of place instantly. He slid to the ground where a tree root came to life and slapped him across the face. His lips burst open across the top and he gritted his teeth against the pain. His clothing already torn and dirtied from the beating that Chernabog insisted was needed. He pushed himself up into a sitting position and against the tree.

"You ruined everything," Chernabog growled at the man on the ground, "We had him in our clutches and your worthless sense of honor ruined it! You are too much your father's son."

"You say that as an insult… I take it proudly," Baelfire spat out and licked his burst lip with his tongue, "I will fight until my dying breath and choose him every time. You twisted words and manipulated my love for him."

"He abandoned you, and yet still you fight for him," Chernabog scoffed and shook his head.

"He retreated to fight another day," he groaned as he shifted his weight, "The day where he will defeat you."

"No one can defeat me," Chernabog chuckled over the thought of it.

Hook stepped up to Baelfire and knelt down next to him. His hook gently pushing the boy's head up to meet his eyes, "If you were any other man, you would be dead for taking my opportunity for vengeance away."

"He will kill you by the end of this," Baelfire nearly promised Hook and looked away.

"I am so tired of your courage," Chernabog's anger elevated and he picked up the man from the ground and out of Hook's grasp. He held him, forcing the magic to focus on his throat. Bealfire grasped at his neck with his able arm and looked down at Chernabog in defiance, "You are no longer of any use to me. You have made your last, heroic act."

Hook looked at the man in the air and then at Chernabog. His Milah's face flashed in front of his eyes and her pained expression pushed him forward. He held out his hand and pushed Chernabog's arms down, effectively dropping Baelfire to the ground again. Baelfire gasped for fresh air and coughed on the dust that had been picked up.

"What did you do that for?" Chernabog roared and stood over Hook, "You could always take his place, Hook, if your lover's son means that much to you."

"You say that he has no value, I disagree," Hook said quickly and then shifted his eyes, "…respectively."

"What do you mean?" Chernabog asked with narrowed eyes.

"We took the memory from the woman that he loves. He has lost her, even if she lives," Hook motions so that Chernabog would follow. After the black god nodded, he continued, "All he has is this boy. We dangle him in front of him and he will follow anywhere we take him. On to more common ground, maybe. See if he wouldn't give himself again for his safety. For his son's life…"

"Hm," Chernabog thought and looked at the still sputtering Baelfire. He nodded and looked at Hook, "If he fails us again, I will kill you both."

Hook nodded in agreement and let Chernabog walk toward the abandoned Mercedes. The black god took the car and turned it back toward town and the house they occupied. He let out a long breath and then turned to Baelfire.

"You should have let him kill me," Baelfire said and rolled against another tree.

"Well, you're welcome," Hook sat next to him and knew that some of his crew would come looking for him with a car. He didn't want to move Baelfire if he didn't have to.

"Why?" Baelfire asked and watched the trees around them.

"Because just as you won't let us take away the last of your family… I won't let him destroy the last of your mother."

Baelfire struggled, but he turned his head toward the pirate captain, "You really loved her."

"Just as your father loves that beauty," he nodded, "I would have given all my life for your mother if I was given a choice. I didn't then. But I will be damned if I let her son die."

"You shouldn't protect me."

"Why, don't believe a pirate?"

"No, I believe you," Baelfire paused and took a coughing breath, "But if it comes down to you or my father… I will kill you. It doesn't matter how kind you are, or how many times you have saved me. I will put you down at the first chance I get if it means that my father lives. Don't let your heart or head think otherwise."

Hook looked at Baelfire and nodded, "I understand… you're a good son, Baelfire."

Both men fell into a quiet, calm place among the trees; both contemplative and both a little less a mystery to the other.

Rumplestiltskin sat in the stiff chair, his hands folded in front of his mouth. It had been over thirty- six hours and she was still unconscious.

Belle was wrapped in the hospital blankets, a large piece of gauze over her cheek and monitors pasted to her head and body tracking her progress. She had a normal heart rate, but her brain activity was slow, if nonexistent. Many of the nurses and doctors didn't know what to make of it. Rumplestiltskin knew that it was because the curse was reacting to her blank state of mind she had as the prisoner below the hospital. Doctor Whale looked in on her every once in a while and would throw a cautious look over at Rumplestiltskin. They both knew that Whale looked over Belle when she was in the asylum down stairs. Ever since, Whale was very careful about stepping around Rumplestiltskin.

James stepped into the room with a paper bag in one hand and a small tray with a few drinks in the other. He looked at Rumplestiltskin and sighed as he put the bag down on a small table by her bed. He took the cups and set it next to it before he handed Rumplestiltskin one of the styrofoam cups.

"Coffee from Granny's," he offered and Rumplestiltskin hesitantly took the cup from his hand.

"From Miss Lucas, I'm guessing?" he asked before he took a sip of it.

"Yeah," James nodded and took a seat on the other side of the bed, "Also put in a couple of hamburgers in the bag for you if you get hungry."

Rumplestiltskin eyed the third cup and looked back at James as if he would explain, "Young Henry coming to visit again?"

"No, he is doing homework," James shook his head and looked at the cup, "Ruby included some iced tea… just in case she woke up."

"It is her favorite," Rumplestiltskin smiled stiffly. He looked from Belle back to James, "Any word on any other patients… or cadavers?"

"I haven't seen him come through," James shook his head and thought of the young man that helped to save the two of them. He remembered what the man looked like from the time he met him at the house and did keep a close eye on incoming patients, "He may have gotten away."

"Not with the shield that Chernabog had over him," Rumplestiltskin shook his head and leaned heavily over Belle's bed. He held her hand in his and set his coffee to the side, "I have to accept the fact that they have killed him."

"You don't know that for sure," James bit out.

"I have lived with his voice in my head for over three centuries," Rumplestiltskin growled back out, "Don't you think for one minute that I don't know what he is capable of. He will kill Bae if he thinks he is no longer any use to him. By giving us leave to escape… he made himself unusable. He sacrificed himself when it should have been me."

James bowed his head and took in a deep breath after a moment, "And Hook?"

"They will both come after me again… and again… and again until I am dead," Rumplestiltskin fidgeted with the blankets under Belle's hand, "Hook is determined to have his revenge and Chernabog wants my soul."

James looked back up at the man across the bed, "Do you think that she will remember anything after she wakes up?"

"I don't know if she even will wake up," Rumplestiltskin frowned deeply and touched her unwounded cheek, "When that dwarf-"

"Sneezy."

"Yes, when he stepped over, he became who Regina made him in this world," Rumplestiltskin explained and waited to see that the prince was following him, "Belle didn't have a made identity in this world. She didn't need one because Regina kept her locked up. Now, explain to me how you revert back to something that never was?"

James leaned back in his chair and watched Rumplestiltskin care for his sleeping love, "She will remember you-"

"Charming," Rumplestiltskin warned, but didn't look away from Belle, "I just lost my son again and more than likely will lose the only woman I have ever loved…Again… I am not in the mood for well wishes and hopeful dreams."

James nodded stiffly and stood up from his chair. He stood awkwardly until he found the right words, "I am going on my beat. See if I can't find any trace of your son. I will be back later to check on her. You better be here for when she wakes up."

"Goodnight, Sheriff," Rumplestiltskin pushed out.

James shook his head and left the man with his own thoughts.

Ruby was the next to visit before visiting hours ended. She found the bag she had given to James, weighed down by grease and the hamburgers in it cold. It looked like Gold hadn't even touched them. The man himself was asleep over the side of the bed, his one hand still gripping one of Belle's. Ruby sniffed the air a little bit and then grimaced.

"I am well aware that I have not showered, thank you, Miss Lucas," Rumplestiltskin grumbled against the bedding.

"You haven't eaten either, I see," Ruby scowled and narrowed her eyes at the man.

He finally sat up in the chair and heard some of his bones in his back crack. He grimaced a little and then looked at Ruby just inside the doorway, "I haven't been hungry."

"You aren't going to help her any by starving yourself to death."

"I can only wait for her to wake up, if she does so at all," he said quietly.

"So until then, you are going to sit here and mope?" Ruby crossed her arms over her chest, "Wait for those monsters out there to come to you? Finish you off?"

"What else would you have me do?" Rumplestiltskin asked in a harsher voice.

"Fight for her," Ruby growled and quickly took her seat across from him, "She needs your strength more than ever now. You need to lead her back, because if she will recognize anything, it will be you."

"She's been my light since the day I met her," Rumplestiltskin shook his head, "I don't know how to be the same for her."

"Give her a reason to come back," Ruby shrugged. She looked up at Belle's face and ran a friendly hand through her hair, "She'll come back. She's too stubborn not to."

Rumplestiltskin snorted a little in agreement and Ruby almost caught a small smile in the corner of his mouth. He shook his head so Ruby wouldn't see the tears that were starting to form in his eyes. He refused to let her see him cry. He had held them at bay for the past two days, and he could go longer. He pushed his forehead against Belle's hand and willed the darkness away. The darkness that edged its way back in every moment that she was gone and unable to chase it away. It pushed him toward total blackness, the acceptance that there was nothing left … that she was gone.

"Gold?" Ruby asked and stood from her chair.

He didn't answer and she crept around the bed carefully to see his shoulders began to heave in silent sobs. He couldn't hold it back anymore, as much as he wanted to. He couldn't remember the last time that he cried… was it when he lost her last? When he thought that she was dead and beyond his grasp? Is that what he feared now?

"Gold," Ruby whispered in a tone of amazement and of pity. Before he shifted away from her voice, she put a hand on his back and shook her head, "You don't need to be alone in this."

His tears receded a little as Belle's voice echoed the same sentiment. He took a deep breath and lifted his head from her warn hand.

"I would really much prefer that you tell no one of this," Rumplestiltskin said in what he hoped was an authoritative voice, "It really ruins the image."

"What? Having a heart?" Ruby smiled and slid back into her own chair.

"Having a weakness," he corrected and glanced from Ruby to Belle.

His mind turned over on itself and the sadness and hate began to rush in. His mouth tightened into a line and he knew that if he went through with it, that she definitely wouldn't like it should she wake. But the fact was that his mind was stuck in the revolving thought that she wouldn't; and he was going to take his pound of flesh. For his son and for Belle.

Rumplestiltskin pushed up from his chair and looked over at Ruby, "I know this seems a bit odd of a request…"

"A request?" Ruby's ears would have shot up if she was in her wolf form, "Not a deal?"

"Not in the mood for dealing today, dearie," he took a deep breath, "Would you watch her for me? I think that a shower and a somewhat hot meal will do me well. I will take back over in less than an hour."

'That's all I'll need…' he thought to himself.

"Of course. She can't wake up with you as you are. Get yourself put together," Ruby nodded and looked over her shoulder, "What should I do if the nurses try to kick me out?"

"Drop my name."

"Which one?"

He smirked at her and looked back at Belle. He hurried back to her side and leaned over her. His lips barely touched hers and he placed his forehead against hers, "I love you… please forgive me."

He didn't know what he was asking for forgiveness for in particular. He didn't know if it was for letting her get hurt, or for what he had done or for what he was about to do. He leaned back and looked at the monitor as her brain activity still would flash every other moment, but nothing that was out of the ordinary over the last two days.

"I'll watch her, don't worry," Ruby reassured him and slid closer to Belle's bed, "She'll be in one piece when you get back. Wolf's honor."

Rumplestiltskin nodded once and walked out of the hospital room without a look back.

Ruby gently tucked some hair around Belle's face and smiled sadly, "You got to come back, Belle. I don't think that he will make it if you don't. Then where will we be, huh?"

The monitor beeped again.

Rumplestiltskin did plan on a shower, but he must do some dirty business before he could think of becoming clean again. The pray he looked for weren't too hard to find. There were only a few pubs or bars in town, and the darkest one that he could think of was by the docks. He strolled into the establishment and saw the barkeep behind the counter, knocked out and the best brandy and rum gone from the shelves. He felt the rage begin to rise again. There was no one in this town more powerful than him, and they should be reminded of that.

It looked like half of his crew were at the back of the bar, drinking well and already past the limit. Their new clothes did little to hide the fact of what they truly were. Pirates, vermin and cowards.

"What's this then?" one of them called out, too drunk to notice the danger that stalked their way. He pointed to Rumplestiltskin and then began to chuckle. He picked up the closest bottle and heaved it toward Rumplestiltskin, "Do you want to have a pint, puppet?"

"No," Rumplestiltskin almost chuckled as he closed his eyes. He stayed silent for a moment and then clutched his cane as his eyes opened, "I would rather take it in blood."

Screams from the pirates filled the air as blood dripped to the floor. He was careful not to paint the walls with it as the barkeep was going to find a big enough mess to sort through when they woke up without it. One by one their bodies hit the floor and with each thump to the wooden floorboards, a piece of his anger and despair melted away. Magic flowed from his form and impaled all of the pirated who stood to run.

'Oh, how you enjoy it…' the little voice tried to creep back, '…revel in it. The blood and the glory. The pain and sweet, sweet agony…'

'No,' Rumplestiltskin answered the voice in his mind, 'I don't enjoy this.'

The sphere of darkness that had built up inside of him quivered at the answer.

Rumplestiltskin closed his eyes and let a single tear drop down his face, 'I may still be the monster, but this was not for the savagery of the kill or the thrill of a hunt. This was a message to Hook and the devil that leads him. This is retribution. You do not take all that's left from a hopeless man. Because when you do, all that's left is the monster that bows to no master.'

The sphere of darkness shriveled against itself and seemed to back further into the recesses of his mind. It was afraid. As it should be. It is part of Chernabog, and soon that devil will get its chance to serve in Hell.

The last pirate alive curled on himself against the corner wall and watched Rumplestiltskin come nearer. The man that had killed his fellow crew members without any effort knelt down to him and looked him in the eyes, "You are to tell your captain that we are not done- he and I."

"Aye," the pirate nodded viciously.

"He will pay for taking my son and destroying one of the last beautiful things in my life," Rumplestiltskin growled and pushed his cane toward the man's chin, "Tell him that he has days to live. I will not stand for this. Take a desperate man's family, and you haven't yet seen a desperate man."

"Aye…aye," the pirate nodded again and eyed the cane.

"Good," Rumplestiltskin stood up and walked out of the bar. He sniffed a little to get the air of the bar from his system and then pulled a roll of money from his jacket. He made it disappear in a puff of smoke and made sure that it landed within the pockets of the barkeep. He had served enough cruelty for the night and he yearned to feel at least a little of what was left of Belle's light within him.

In the darkest part of his soul, he felt just a tiny flicker of warmth and that was enough.