Hey there! Here's chapter 8!

Rumplestiltskin watched Belle walk up to her library and open it up. And how much it pained him. To know that Belle was just across the street and he couldn't even go to say hello to her. He began to regret ever making the curse. It was driving both him and his poor Belle mad. Rumplestiltskin was tempted to somehow find a way in forcing Emma to break the curse. He knew that wouldn't work, but he didn't care. Right now he was willing to do anything just so they could be together again. But he wasn't sure how long that would be. Until they could see each other again. To be on the safe side, they would have to wait until the curse broke. But love has no safe side. There was no way Rumplestiltskin was going to be waiting that long. Emma wasn't going to believe any time soon. What am I going to do?

Belle opened up the library, threw the keys on the desk and sighed. She knew Rumplestiltskin had been watching her. She could just feel it. But she couldn't look at him. Besides the fact that anyone could catch them exchanging looks since the street was pretty busy, Belle couldn't bare to look at him because she was afraid that if she did, she would break down in tears. It was too painful to think that she'd never know when they'd next be together again. If they'll ever be together again.
Belle quickly busied herself with work before she began to cry. She went over to the shelves to rearrange some of the books. Her father wouldn't be in the library for at least another hour. He'd be sorting out business around the town.

Belle wasn't exactly sure how long she'd been wandering round the bookshelves before she heard the door open, followed by a voice,

"Miss French?" it was Emma. Oh God, what did she want? Belle stepped out from one of the shelves and smiled kindly,

"Hi Emma. Can I help you with anything?"

"Yeah, do you think you could, tell me anything you know about Mr Gold?" she asked kindly, not exactly how Belle had imagined she'd be questioned.

She sighed, "I know about my problem, Emma."

She seemed a little surprised, "You do?" Belle nodded,

"I don't remember anything about him back then." She said slowly, purposely talking about him before, not now.

"And what about now?" Damn it! It's like she could read her mind. Belle didn't reply straight away, she didn't know how. And that was a good enough answer for Emma. "You remember meeting him recently, don't you?" she smiled, knowing that she was winning.

"I don't have to tell you anything that's happened between us."

"And I've heard from two little birdies that you guys kissed." She said, crossing her arms, loving the fact that she was actually getting somewhere. She could see by the look on Belle's face that this was all true. But she started to feel sick to the stomach.

"Henry and Ruby." She whispered. After a long moment of terrifying silence, Belle whispered again, it barely coming out audible from the sudden lump in her throat, "Please don't lock me away."

It was only then that Emma truly realised how terrified this woman was. And she stopped smiling, replacing it with a sympathetic frown, "Oh, no I'm not going to do that. I can't anyway, it's not my decision. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you like that. I was just asking a few questions…"

"Well you sure scared the hell out of me." Belle croaked. She thought Emma was in charge of everything that goes on around town. Even having the power to lock her away. Obviously not then.

"Sorry." Emma apologised again.

"So, you know about us then?" Belle was almost too afraid to ask. Was Emma just here to stick her nose in their business? Well, she was here, and she knew. She may as well start begging on her knees not to tell anyone. But what was the point? She had told two people, made them both promise, and they still ended up telling Emma anyway.

"Yeah. Well, I haven't actually seen it for myself, but you've just admitted it."

Belle wasn't able to keep her eyes fixed on Emma's. Her gaze slowly drifted towards the ground. What was going to happen now? Is this the part where Emma tells her that she has no choice in telling her father? Where she tells her she will be locked up but it's for her own good?
Belle just gave up on all hope.

"I won't tell anyone." Belle's head snapped up.

"What?"

"I won't. I promise." Belle shook her head,

"That's what they said."

"Henry and Ruby? I know, but that was kind of my fault. I forced it out of Ruby and Henry, I guess I just annoyed him by not believing another one of his stories, and he just came out with it."

Belle smiled half-heartedly and shook her head again, "But how do I know you'll keep this a secret? You barely know me, or trust me. Why should you care?"

She did have a point. But she didn't see anything wrong with this woman. Unless she saw something for herself, Belle was fine and she wasn't going to tell anyone, "I don't know. But whether you want to believe me or not, I'll keep my mouth shut. You're just going to have to trust me."

These words somehow did make Belle trust Emma a little. She had nothing to lose, she may as well have a little faith.

"Thank you." she said a little shyly. Belle just prayed that this time her secret would be kept.
Emma nodded and left. Leaving Belle standing alone with her thoughts. Then quickly resuming to work when her father walked in.

Belle left for lunch with Ruby. Telling her about her talk with Emma, leaving Ruby apologising a million times after.

Back at the library, Moe was in his office when he heard a knock at his door.

"Yes?" The door opened immediately, revealing the strangely happy mayor. Moe scowled, "What do you want, Regina?"

The mayor put on a mocking frown, "Now that's not a very nice way to greet a friend, Mr French."

He scowled again, "We're not friends."

"I helped cure your daughter, didn't I?"

"You suggested putting her in that hospital. You did not cure her." Regina closed the door, "What do you want?" he repeated.

"Are you aware that your daughter was screaming at Mr Gold yesterday?"

"She what?" Regina took a seat on the other side of Moe's desk.

"Yes, I saw her screaming at the pawnbroker in his shop yesterday." Moe shook his head.

"You're lying."

"What makes you say that?"

"I won't believe anything you tell me until I see it for myself."

"That's very true, Mr French. But are you keeping a close eye on your daughter?" Moe became angry. Is there something Regina wanted him to do?

"Don't tell me how I should look after my own daughter!" Regina stayed calm.

"I'm not. I'm simply asking if you're aware of where she's going and what she's doing."

"I'm not a stalker, Regina. I do have my own business to attend to. But of course I look after her."

"And you're still not going to believe me?"

"No." he replied simply.

"And what would you say if I were to tell you that I strongly suggest you think about sending her back?"

"To the psychiatric hospital? I'd say get the hell out of my office until I see some actual proof for myself that she's not sane."

Regina rolled her eyes and stood up. "Suit yourself. I just thought I'd warn you. I care about her, you know."

Moe didn't reply straight away. She'd said that in the past and he still wasn't completely sure if she was lying or not. Yes, Regina had given him the idea to put her in that hospital, but it did help. He was willing to listen to Regina, but he wasn't going to take on any advice from her until he'd seen something himself.

"I'll keep an eye on her." He said quietly.

Regina smiled and then left.

One month later.

Rumplestiltskin and Belle still hadn't talked to each other since they'd agreed that it'll be best from them not to. Obviously they'd seen each other round. But they kept their distance. Most people would still expect Belle to scream at him. So if one of them saw the other walking in one direction, they would have to take the other direction. It had gotten that bad.

Luckily Emma hadn't spoken of them to anyone. She hadn't even talked about it with Belle. In fact, no one really talked about them anymore. Belle never discussed it with Ruby, and she didn't see Henry enough for him to talk about it. It was almost as if it never happened. And Belle started to wonder if it ever did. Was this just part of her curse again? Making her think about things that never happened? But every time she looked at her name written on the note Rumplestiltskin had given her, she knew it was real.

One night before she locked up, Belle decided that she wanted to take a walk through the park back home. It was a beautiful night and the park was peaceful. She had no rush to get back home. She didn't really want to go home anyway. The park would be a nice detour.

Rumplestiltskin's leg was particularly hurting him today. No matter how many times he rubbed it, the sharp pain in his knee would not go away. Looks like he would have to take the shortcut home through the park so he could walk less.

Belle noticed that nobody was in the park. It was nice. A peaceful walk back home. She needed that. She only noticed about two minutes into her walk that there was someone else walking in front of her. They were about fifty meters apart, and it was dark, so Belle couldn't even see who it was. Until she saw the cane under one of the street lamps. Is it…? Even if it was she couldn't go up to him. That is, until she saw him fall to the ground.

Rumplestiltskin!

Belle immediately ran towards him to see if he was alright. When she got up to him she knelt on the ground beside him.

"Belle?" he breathed.

She didn't meet his eyes, she looked down at his leg, "What's the matter? Are you okay? Does your leg hurt?" she had a ton of questions she wanted to ask him, but right now she could only think of his safety. So much that she almost jumped when she felt Rumplestiltskin's finger on her chin, making her look into his eyes. And then his lips. Then she couldn't help bring her head closer and pressing her lips against his. Her worries and thoughts left her the minute their lips touched. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he pulled her in closer round the waist as they both kissed on the floor.
She had to pull back when she began to cry, "I'm sorry…" she said, laughing a little through her tears.

"What's wrong?" He leaned his forehead against hers and caressed her cheek.

"I've just missed you so much."

"Oh, sweetheart, I've missed you too." He started to whip away the tears that rolled down her cheeks, feeling a little lump in his throat himself.

"I don't want to leave you again."

"I don't want to either, but Belle-" she started to shake her head,

"No! Please don't leave me! I hate being without you!" she sobbed. She hadn't realised how much she'd actually missed him until now.

Rumplestiltskin put his arm around her, held her tight, letting her know that he'd never let her go. He'd seem to have forgotten about the pain in his leg, it was replaced by the pain in his heart. The way Belle was begging him not to go, "Shh, don't worry, I won't leave."

Belle hugged him tighter, "You'll stay with me?" she whispered into his shoulder.

"I'll stay with you. Forever and always."

Belle smiled, knowing she was safe with him.

But then all the happiness vanished within a heartbeat when she spotted someone walking up to them. The air left her lungs and she could barely speak, "Rum-Rumple…"

"What's wrong, Belle?" he lifted his head up to see petrified look on her face. And this alone scared him too. Her eyes were looking behind him and were wide with fear.

Rumplestiltskin turned his head in the same direction and saw what had frightened her.

Moe French was walking up to them and he did not look happy. At all.

"Pa-Papa…" Belle stuttered as she looked up at her father.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" he roared.

Belle stood up, helping Rumplestiltskin up too, and tried to be brave, "Look Papa, I-"

"Don't try to defend him, Belle! I saw the two of you sucking each other's face!"

"Papa!" She was horrified at how her father was speaking to her.

"You come with me right now, young lady!" he yelled, grabbing Belle's hand, but she was quick to pull it away, and held onto Rumplestiltskin's.

"No! This is my decision! Why can't you just accept that?!"

"Because you're sick, Belle. You're not cured!"

"She's perfectly fine!" Rumplestiltskin stood in, standing a little in front of Belle to protect her.

"No she's not! No daughter of mine would do something like this of her own accord."

"I'm not crazy, Papa! I know what I'm doing." Moe shook his head in disbelief, "I am a grown woman. I can make my own choices." She said, lowering her voice. Both Rumplestiltskin and Belle stood tall and strong together, and weren't letting their guard down.

Moe looked at Rumplestiltskin disapprovingly, "And he's your choice?"

"Yes." Belle said simply.

"Why did you do this? You knew this was a dangerous thing to do." he said to Rumplestiltskin.

"Because I love her. It was a risk I was willing to take." Belle smiled at his words, but her father only scowled.

"And I love him too." Moe was silent, "Please just accept that."

He shook his head, "This isn't right."

"Well it's right to me. Whether you want to believe that or not."

Moe sighed and began to walk back. He wasn't going to leave this. Both him and Belle knew that. And Belle was scared out of her mind, worrying about what he was going to do.

"I'm not talking about this anymore." And he turned around and started walking.

"Papa…"

"It's okay, Belle." Rumplestiltskin reassured her, bringing her in closer, letting her know she was safe. But she shook her head.

"No it's not. My father doesn't truly love me. He doesn't really care."

"I'm sure that's not true."

"But he doesn't. He's never once told me he loved me."

"Sometimes love doesn't always have to be told. It can be shown."

"But I'm afraid. What can he do?"

"He can't do anything to hurt you, Belle." But even as he was saying it, Rumplestiltskin wasn't completely sure if that was true. He didn't really know what the man was capable of. And what he was willing to do. But he didn't want Belle worrying about that. He just wanted them both to enjoy that fact that they were together again, and now they didn't have to hide from her father, "Come on. I'll walk you back home."

Belle looked up at him and smiled, "Thank you." He took her hand and they walked back home in peaceful silence.

When they got back to her apartment Belle invited Rumplestiltskin in.

"Are you sure?" Rumplestiltskin asked, a little wary of what she was asking him.

"Of course. There's not much we need to hide anymore, is there? And besides, you promised, remember?"

Rumplestiltskin did remember. He told her he'd stay with her. And he was going to keep that promise. So he stepped in the apartment.

"I remember." The he winced a little as his knee began to hurt again.

"Your leg! Here, lie down." She brought him over to the sofa.

"I'm fine, Belle." But she made him sit anyway.

"No you're not." She wiggled her finger, "Put your leg up." He sighed but obeyed, "You need to rest."

"Well then will you rest with me?" he grinned. Belle smiled back and lay next to him. She rested her head on his chest and he put his arm around her, "You don't have to worry. I'll always be with you." Belle smiled,

"Forever and always?"

Rumplestiltskin's fingers entwined with Belle's, and he put his mouth to her ear and whispered,

"Forever and always."

And within and few minutes the two of them drifted off to sleep.