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Chapter 16 – Day 9: Inner turmoil

"Not that kind of friend, eh?"

Bram said with a mocking tone as soon as Belle exited the cottage. He had asked her to call back the children, as lunch was almost done. And he was dying to get some minutes alone with Rumpelstiltskin.

"What do you mean?" Rumpelstiltskin tried to sound neutral, but scolded internally for feeling his face redden again. He felt his body temperature rise and he knew perfectly well it wasn't from fever. Of at least, not that kind of fever.

"Come on! I saw the way you two were switching looks!" Rumpelstiltskin groaned upset. He hated when he was unable to hide things from Bram. "This one is really pretty."

"I assure you it's nothing like that! Truly, Bram. I'm old enough to be her father!"

"Like if age would be an issue. She's young, pretty and available. What's to stop you, then?"

"She's different, okay?" Rumpelstiltskin spat. He was already regretting for coming out of his bed. Bram, on the other hand, lifted an eyebrow.

"Different how?" But Rumpelstiltskin gave no answer. He looked uncomfortable and avoided Bram's eyes. The woodman observed his friend intently and suddenly realized what was going on. "By the gods, Rumpel! You're in love!" Bram yelled at his own epiphany.

"What? No!" But his blunt reaction only made Bram laugh.

"I can't believe you are actually in love!"

"Stop it!"

"Have you ever been in love before?" Bram wondered out loud. "You've never been in love before. This is amazing!"

"The hell with you!"

"Come on, you like her and she seems to like you back."

"Wouldn't be so sure about that." Rumpelstiltskin complained, but sounded somehow hurt.

"Why not?"

"Don't know." He shrugged his shoulders. "I know nothing about her. She's so…surrounded by secrets." Bram looked at his friend with some compassion.

"Nevertheless, you should enjoy it. Maybe she just needs a little push in the right direction." Was Bram's conclusion, but Rumpelstiltskin remained silent with a contemplative look.

Little did the two friends know that Belle had heard part of their conversation. The princess had gone outside to gather the children, who were playing at the edge of the forest just outside Bram's property. Since she received answer immediately, Belle returned knowing the children would follow her soon. It was when she heard the men's voices. The were higher than usual. The princess opened the door a bit, but then stopped when she realized she was the subject of their discussion.

"She's different, okay?"

It was Rumpelstiltskin's voice, sounding annoyed. It sounded like he was defending her. Belle knew from this point she was eavesdropping, but she had become curious. She wondered what Bram had accused her of. It was no doubt related to her chat with him earlier, she thought. Bram wanted to know why she was different but he received no reply. A short pause followed and then, Bram spoke the words that made Belle's heart stop right there.

"By the gods, Rumpel! You're in love!"

From that moment Belle's brains froze. Her ears had become deaf, she heard the voices far away, but could not discern what was said. Her heart was racing madly. The world had become a strange blur of colors and Belle thought she would faint. It took some moments for the princess to come out of this state of shock. She suddenly gasped for air, for she had forgotten to breathe.

"Have you ever been in love before? You've never been in love before. This is amazing!"

Belle felt a smile draw on her lips. Suddenly she felt happy. An overwhelming and unexplainable happiness warmed her heart, made her feel incredible, made her feel that anything was possible. Bram's revelation made her feel special. She, being his first true love?

"The hell with you!" Rumpelstiltskin almost screamed. Belle could sense the emotion in it. The embarrassment, the insecurity, the exposure. Her heart skipped a heartbeat when the thought of rejection came to her mind. What if Bram was wrong?

"Come on, you like her and she seems to like you back."

"Wouldn't be so sure about that."

Belle frowned. Rumpelstiltskin sounded somewhat disappointed.

"Why not?"

"Don't know." She heard him pause, struggling in finding the right words. "I know nothing about her. She's so…" He sighed "…surrounded by secrets."

Belle didn't stay to listen to the rest. She walked away her hands clenched on her chest. Suddenly, she realized. She had hurt him that day. She had suspected it, but now she knew it for sure. It happened when she refused to reveal her true identity. Belle should have known better. His words about trust were wrapped in sorrow and she had been unable to understand them.

It hurt her. Rumpelstiltskin sadness in believing his feelings were was one-sided. She cursed herself and felt stupid for letting him believe she didn't care about him. Because she did care for him, more than she wanted to admit to herself. But was it love?

Her heart ached at the thought she had hurt him. She filled his heart with love for her and instead of making him happy, she hurt him with all her secrets. She wanted to slap herself, cry, run inside and beg for forgiveness. But she fought these irrational urges. After all, she didn't understand herself what she felt. Only that it hurt so bad.

On the other hand, the thought Rumpelstiltskin loved her had made her feel so indescribably happy. It confused her. She tried to work her mind into thinking, but it was distracted by her racing heart, her temperature rising and a horrible feeling of affliction taking over her. She felt happy, but also guilty, she trusted him, but was scared. Scared of what?

She almost groaned of frustration for not understating all these contradictions she was going through. She couldn't think. All she could do was feel.

Belle's thoughts were broken by the children's voices. Feeling too distressed, she quickly hid behind the house. Belle could not go back inside just now. She couldn't face Rumpelstiltskin, look to his face, to his eyes, knowing. Knowing he loved her.

Baelfire came running when he saw his father and quickly put his arms around him in a tight hug.

"You're awake!" The boy cheered as he pressed his head on his father's shoulder. Rumpelstiltskin let out a cheerful laughter and put one arm around the boy, enjoying the moment.

"Missed me already?" He half joked. He felt his son nod on his shoulder. Rumpelstiltskin smiled, unable to imagine anything more pleasant than to have his son so close to him.

"Uhmf. My kids never do that." Bram said joking, but slightly jealous, Hansel and Gretel giggling at their father's discontentment. "Good. Lunch is ready. Where's Linda?"

"I'm here." Belle entered smiling, with a new glow in her eyes.

She had decided to be brave and face reality. She knew it now. She knew what she felt was love too. It was too real, too powerful, too wonderful to be something else. When the moment was right, when she would be alone with him, she would tell him the words he wanted to hear. And she would tell him all the truth about her.

The princess sat next to Gretel, opposite to Rumpelstiltskin and Baelfire and had to smile genuinely. The image of the teenager embraced to his father was of pure tenderness. Rumpelstiltskin had his eyes closed and whispered something to the boy, planted a kiss on his head, making Baelfire's smile grow. Rumpelstiltskin lifted his eyes and met hers. He smiled, all his love for his son reflected in his gaze. And his love for her too, she knew. Belle couldn't help reattribute the smile, her eyes telling she loved him back.

After lunch, Bram sent the children to prepare the things for the afternoon. He would take Hansel and Baelfire to the woods, to help him with his work.

"She looks everyday more like her mother." Rumpelstiltskin said to Bram when the three children exited.

"Yeah, I know." Bram opened a shelf and got a small brown bottle out of it. "And your boy has an eye on her." He pointed out.

"Really? You don't mean it?" But Bram nodded. "Damn. They grow too fast! Before we know it, they'll be leaving and building up their own lives, far away." Rumpelstiltskin moaned.

"I doubt Baelfire will leave you that soon." Belle wisely said. Bram meanwhile peeled an orange and placed a slice of it and a small glass on the table before Rumpelstiltskin, who looked at them with a frown, already knowing what was coming at him.

"I agree. I don't see the boy following your example." Bram said as he opened the bottle. "Now, I want to know what you think about this. I made it myself!" He poured some of the transparent liquid on the small glass. Rumpelstiltskin smelled the content of the glass and flinched.

"Gods, Bram! What is this? Pure alcohol? Are you trying to kill me? I'm still recovering!"

"Come on. It's my master piece. Bet it will make you feel better right away." Bram proudly stated.

Rumpelstiltskin gave a suspicious look at the glass but then took a deep breath and drunk the small glass' contents in one shot. He groaned and his face contorted at the drink's strong and full taste. He put immediately a slice orange in his mouth.

"And?" Bram asked expectantly.

"This shit is really strong!" Rumpelstiltskin bluntly said, his voice hoarse from the fire spreading in his trough. "Oh gods, I feel like I'm burning!" He said as he shook his shirt. "It's the strongest firewater I ever tasted. You sell it and you'll earn a fortune!"

"I knew you would like it!" Bram proudly said as he patted Rumpelstiltskin back. Meanwhile the kids returned, announcing all was ready.

"What is that?" Baelfire asked as he saw the small empty glass. He smelled it and made a face. "You drank this?" He asked his father looking incredulous. The man was still fighting the heat that was spreading through his body, blowing uncomfortable, moving restlessly on his chair.

"I'm burning up!" Rumpelstiltskin yelled in a mix of a moan and laughter. "This shit would knock you out immediately! It hit my head right away! I'm already drunk!" He admitted amused. Bram laughed heartily, Belle looked shocked and Baelfire was staring accusingly at the woodcutter.

"Come on, Baelfire! You're father can handle much more than that."

"He's sick!" The teenager scolded.

"Actually I'm feeling better." Rumpelstiltskin slurred. His cheeks were already red and he had a wide grin on his face. He spread his arms on the table and laid his head between them.

"Oh no, you're not sleeping there." Bram said immediately. "Time for you to go rest again." He grabbed Rumpelstiltskin and hung him on his shoulder like a bag.

"Bae, do me a favor." Rumpelstiltskin said before he was brought away. "Don't follow your father's stupid examples."

Oh Belle...

And I do love the interaction between Bram and Rumple.

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