Thank you, thank you, thank you for the reviews, favorites, follows - it really means a great deal!

This chapter enters more "Once" territory than "Notting Hill" - although there's one scene that I pretty much halfway stole from the movie and just reworked it to fit Rumbelle -just cause it's one of the best scenes in the movie and I HAD to include it somehow.

By the way, I really thank those of you who feel that I've done a good job of capturing both OUAT and NH in this story - that really is what I'm going for, and I am trying to make it enjoyable for those who don't know the movie at all. That being said - and this being a OUAT fic - well, there's some fluff this chapter as well as some other stuff that's not as fluffy. But I do hope you like it, and please do review and tell me what you think!

I do not own "Once Upon a Time."

Chapter 4

"Hi – I'm not too early am I?" Belle asked as she entered Nick's shop.

"No, not at all – I was just working on a project." Nick said, sitting at the loom behind the counter. "It's a special order – this one is going to Seattle."

"So how does this work?" Belle asked, walking behind the counter.

"Well, you have to spin the yarn first, then you have to dye it, and then you begin – it's a pretty lengthy process. Spinning is the hardest part though."

"Can you show me?" Belle asked.

"Sure. Here, have a seat – I have a better wheel in the back room, that's where I have my classes – this one was my father's, it's a bit trickier to operate but it gets the job done." Nick said. Belle sat down behind the spinning wheel. Nick grabbed a stool and sat down beside her. "Alright, first you have to thread it. Then you have to pinch material like this." Nick put his arms around her from behind to demonstrate. "That's it, you've got it. See that pedal down there? You pump that with your foot – don't let go of the pinch, that's really important. The machine will do the rest."

"I'm doing it. This is fun." Belle said.

"You know you could come to my class if you'd like – I have one tomorrow morning." Nick suggested.

"My agent is sending me some scripts tomorrow morning, I have to spend the day looking them over." Belle said.

"Well, I have another class on Wednesday night. It's at six, you could come to the class and then we could go to dinner or a movie or whatever you'd like." Nick said.

"I'm not sure it would be a good idea to take a class – I don't want to distract anyone." Belle said.

"Belle, the average age of the people in my classes is about sixty. We have a couple of younger folks but – they won't fuss. And if they do I'll tell them to leave. You should be able to do what you like." Nick said.

"That's easier said than done, unfortunately. Once you're out there in the public eye, it's kind of hard to have a normal life where you can take a spinning class, or any kind of class, really. Would you consider – private lessons, perhaps?" Belle asked.

"I would." Nick replied. They had been spinning yarn the entire time they were talking. "Well look at that – you've finished. You've just spun your first spindle of yarn."

"I did! Does it look alright?" Belle asked.

"Well, we have to clean it up a bit but – that can be the next lesson." Nick said.

"I look forward to it." Belle said. She turned around in the chair, reached out to touch Nick's cheek, and gently began to kiss him. They were still kissing about a minute later when the door to the shop opened.

"Daddy, what are you still – doing here?" Ruby said. Belle and Nick immediately stopped their kiss and stood up.

"Ruby. Hi." Belle said awkwardly.

"Hey sweetheart – forgot you were coming tonight." Nick said. "Ruby cleans for me two nights a week. Sweetheart we're going out, can you – take care of locking up and everything?"

"Sure. No problem." Ruby said. "You guys have fun." Ruby smiled a huge smile at them as they left.

"Well, I won't be hearing the end of that any time soon." Nick said as they walked together.

"Oh, come on – how long have you been divorced?" Belle asked.

"Six years." Nick said.

"Ruby has to have seen you with other girls since then, right?" Belle asked.

"Not really." Nick said. "I uh – I actually haven't even had a date since Ruby turned seventeen."

"Really? I find that hard to believe. Why is that?" Belle asked.

"I – I guess I'm just a difficult man to love." Nick said.

"I just think you haven't met the right girl, that's all." Belle said. Perhaps he hadn't, Nick thought to himself. At least not until now.

Several days later, Nick and Belle were at dinner together. Belle asked Nick to look over the scripts that her agent sent to her in order to get an outside perspective. "Well – did you like any of them?" Belle asked.

"The one set in London wasn't bad. I didn't read all of it but – it seemed interesting. I suppose." Nick said.

"Which one?" Belle asked.

"Which one what?" Nick asked.

"Two of them were set in London." Belle said.

"Really? How did I miss that?" Nick asked.

"Because this is exactly the problem. All of my movies have the same basic formula. My character falls in love with an unavailable man, or someone that my father doesn't approve of, or both. At the end either I die, or he dies, or we break up only to have some ridiculously contrived reunion at the last minute. Nick, be honest with me – when you watched the one movie of mine – if it hadn't been for the fact that it starred some girl you'd never heard of who just kissed you in your hallway a few hours prior, would have sat through more than ten minutes of that film for any other reason aside from the possible option that you were on a date with a girl and you knew that if you sat through the entire thing without falling asleep she'd probably shag you afterward?"

"I suppose not, no." Nick replied.

"I'm tired of making the same shit over and over. I want to do something different. I want to do this." Belle took a paper out of her purse and showed it to Nick.

"August Booth?" Nick asked.

"Yes. Have you heard of him?"

"I think so. Doesn't he have a shitload of Oscars?" Nick asked.

"He won best picture for his first film five years ago, as well as best director and the actors swept half of the categories. He won best director two years ago, and his film that is coming out next month is already getting Oscar buzz all around. He writes and directs and he's absolutely brilliant. And he's casting that movie – and I want that part." Belle said.

"So try out for it then." Nick said. Belle laughed.

"I just can't show up and audition for an August Booth film. I'd have to have my agent get an appointment with him, and do you know how hard that is? Half of the actresses in Hollywood would give their left tit for an audition with him. Unfortunately he prefers unknowns – he doesn't give a shit about box office draw, his name IS the box office draw at this point – he just wants to make a good movie." Belle told him. "I'm almost thirty-two years old and I'm still playing fucking ingenues and I'm tired of it."

"You look younger – that's probably why." Nick said.

"I can look older – they can do lots of things with hair and make-up, and I'm willing to put on a few pounds if necessary. I just don't want to be stuck making movies for teenage and college-aged boys to get laid by for the next fifteen years." Belle said. "You know I wouldn't even be in this situation if it weren't for that damn Ashley Boyd."

"Who?" Nick asked.

"You haven't heard of her? I'm surprised, she's on the cover of every damn magazine out there almost every week." Belle said.

"Sorry, I don't really keep up with that sort of thing." Nick said. "Not a friend of yours, I take it?"

"Used to be. She was one of my co-stars on River's Road. We were pretty good friends back then – both just starting out, and I really didn't know anyone in the states yet. We actually shared an apartment for a while until both of us got enough money to get our own places. When it became clear that the show wasn't going to be picked up for a fifth season, we both started looking for other projects. My then-agent got me an audition for a movie that was definitely going to be an Oscar contender. I was very excited. I told Ashley about it and – well, for some reason my audition got canceled. I found out later it was because Ashley fucked my agent and took my audition – and then I also found out that for an entire year prior she was also sleeping with my boyfriend. She got the part – and an Oscar – and my ex, Sean. I fired my agent, hired a new one, and got to do shitty movies like November Rain for the past decade."

"That's pretty brutal. Sorry." Nick said.

"Oh, don't worry – karma has a way of handling things a bit. She ended up getting knocked up while shooting the movie – rumor has it she was also sleeping the with the film's director, wouldn't surprise me a bit if it's true. She ended up marrying my ex – actually he's HER ex now too – and the kid is supposedly his, but – I heard that there was a paternity test that was kept under wraps. Unfortunately though, despite being Hollywood's biggest whore, she does still get good movie roles. That's another reason I want that August Booth film – he won't touch her. I heard she tried to get an audition with him for his last film and he said no way in hell, even though I hate to admit she would have been perfect for the part. Too much baggage – she's a drama queen and he doesn't like drama on the set, and he doesn't like scandal surrounding his work, and she's a magnet for scandal."

"So this is about sticking it to your former friend then." Nick said.

"No – it's about getting a good movie role. Sticking it to Ashley would just be an added bonus." Belle said, grinning, and Nick laughed.

"You have a wicked streak hiding behind that innocent face of yours, Belle French. I like that." Nick said. Belle blushed a bit. They finished their dinner and left the restaurant, then ended up taking an evening walk together.

"Do like living here in New York?" Belle asked.

"Love it." Nick said. "I came here to go to school when I was twenty-one and ended up staying. I miss Glasgow sometimes but – this is home."

"I like it too. I like the parks. We don't really have nice parks in LA – and you walk down Hollywood Boulevard at night at your own peril. Or in the daytime for that matter." Belle said. They begin to walk through a residential area. "I love this too – these properties with the nice gardens on them. Wouldn't it be lovely to live here?" The garden she was looking at was surrounded by shrubbery that was about three feet tall. She began to climb over one of the shrubs.

"Belle, what are you doing?" Nick asked.

"I want to see this garden, come on." Belle said, putting her hand out to him.

"Belle, my days of illegally climbing over shrubs or fences or anything else are pretty much over." Nick said, looking down at his leg.

"It's only a few feet, you can make it. Come on, I'll help you." Belle said, already over onto the other side.

"You do realize that this is private property and we're breaking the law, right?" Nick asked.

"Do you always follow the rules?" Belle teased. Nick sighed.

"Oh, bloody hell." he said, and he handed her his cane and then took her hand. He carefully made his way over the bushes, then nervously jumped down to the other side.

"Damn." he said, grimacing when he landed.

"You alright?" Belle asked, handing him his cane.

"Yeah. I'll pay for it tomorrow, I'm sure. So what on earth was so wonderful about this garden that it was worth all this trouble?" Nick asked. Belle pulled him close, and they kissed for several minutes. "Right. Beautiful garden. Fantastic." Belle smiled at him, and they continued to walk for a bit. Belle found a bench with an inscription on it.

"For Mary, who loved this garden. From Andrew, who always sat beside her." Belle read out loud. "Some people really do find true love, don't they?" Belle sat down on the bench as Nick watched, and she looked up at him. "Come sit with me." she said. Nick hadn't opened his heart to anyone since Milah left him. He had reached a point where he thought he never would. This time with Belle was fleeting at best. She'd be leaving eventually. She'd go back to Hollywood or go off to shoot a film who knows where. And he'd be alone once again. Only this time, he'd be missing her terribly. This couldn't possibly end well for him, and if he were smart he'd put an end to it. He should just walk away. But he sat with her instead.

"So what do you think?" Leroy asked Belle, as they sat together in a coffee shop looking over several scripts. Leroy Miner was Belle's agent and had been since she began her film career. "You did read them, right?" he asked.

"I scanned them." Belle said.

"Scanned them? Belle, you've had them for a week, what the hell have you been doing the whole time?" Leroy asked.

"I've been busy." she said. "Relaxing for a change."

"Relaxing? In New York City? That's an oxymoron if I ever heard one."

"I've been spending most of my time here in SoHo. I'm taking some classes."

"In what?" Leroy asked.

"Spinning – and looming." Belle said.

"Spinning? You mean like – a spinning wheel thing?"

"Yes. Just like that." Belle replied.

"Get the fuck out of here." Leroy said, laughing.

"What's wrong with that? It's very calming, I'm enjoying it." Belle said. "And the man who is teaching me is -"

"Okay, now we're getting somewhere. This is about a guy isn't it, all this staying in New York and hanging out in the artsy fartsy hipster district bullshit. Don't tell me you've found yourself some long-haired, sandal-wearing, herbal tea-drinking bum to hang around with, the press will have a field day with that."

"He's not a bum, he's a legitimate businessman. And he doesn't wear sandals. And he prefers iced tea, not herbal tea." Belle said.

"But he does have long hair?" Leroy asked.

"Yes. But it's tasteful and very stylish."

"Have you heard from Tyler lately?" Leroy asked.

"He's called." Belle replied.

"What did he say?" Leroy asked.

"I said he's called. I didn't say I spoke to him." Belle said.

"Jesus, Belle. Look, if there's gonna have to be damage control on whatever the hell this is that you're doing, I need to know about it. Mulan already called me last week having a shit fit because you told her to cancel all of your appointments in LA for the next month for no reason whatsoever."

"Mulan is my manager, she's not my mother, she doesn't need to know my personal business."

"Belle, if we don't give them something – anything – they're gonna make shit up, you know that." Leroy said, looking over Belle's shoulder.

"What are you looking at?" Belle asked.

"Some creepy old guy over there – he's staring at you." Leroy said.

"He probably recognizes me, just ignore him." Belle said, not looking.

"No – this isn't a fan stare, this is more like a stalkery stare. Like he thinks he knows you. We'd better get out of here." Leroy said. Belle turned and looked, and then smiled. It was Nick. She gave him a gesture to come over to the table. "Belle, what the hell are you doing?" Leroy asked. Nick picked up his drink and walked over to the table.

"Hi – what are you doing here?" Belle asked.

"Just wanted to get some coffee. Is this the meeting you were telling me about?" Nick asked.

"Yes. Nick, this is my agent, Leroy Miner. Leroy, this is Nick Gold – he's the one I was telling you about. Nick, please, have a seat." Leroy looked Nick up and down with a look of puzzlement on his face. "I told Leroy I've been taking classes from you."

"Yes, Belle is a fine student." Nick said, sitting down. "One of the best I've ever had."

"Right." Leroy replied, giving Belle a strange look.

"Nick looked over those scripts you sent with me and – well, he agrees with me on them. They're shit." Belle said.

"You know, no offense – Nick – but you're not exactly Belle's target audience." Leroy said.

"Well maybe he should be." Belle said. She pulled a magazine out of her purse and showed a specific page to Leroy. "I found this in Backstage – this new project that August Booth is doing. He still hasn't cast anyone in the lead, and I want to try out for the part." Leroy gave her a half-smile.

"Belle – August Booth isn't even going to give you the time of day. He does Oscar-caliber independent film." Leroy said.

"And I don't? Or better yet – I'm not capable of it, is that what you're saying?" Belle asked.

"Belle – you have one of the most successful careers out there right now. You have a loyal fan base, and you know damn well that they won't give two shits about this sort of thing." Leroy said.

"So I'm not allowed to branch out? Try something different? Leroy – the main character in this movie – I know this girl. Dammit, I was this girl until I started modeling, and I would still be this girl if my career hadn't taken off. I can do this role. Get me an audition – that's all I want. I'll do the rest." Belle said.

"Listen, Belle I – I really have to get back to the shop, I have a client coming in at two." Nick said, interrupting. He had been uncomfortably quiet during Belle and Leroy's exchange.

"Of course. I'll see you tonight then?" Belle asked.

"Yeah – see you tonight." Nick said, smiling at her as he walked away. Leroy stared at Belle.

"What. The. Fuck?" he asked, emphasizing each word. "How old is that guy?"

"Fifty-two." Belle replied.

"You're doing more than taking classes from him, aren't you?" Leroy asked.

"We've gone out." Belle said. "So – how are things with Astrid?"

"Oh no – no, we're not changing the subject to my love life. How much do you even know about him?" Leroy asked.

"I know enough. He owns his own business and does very well with it, he has two grown kids that are absolutely lovely, and I like being with him. He treats me like a person. He's a sweet man. Even insists on paying for dinner all the time." Belle told him.

"What's with the cane and the limp?" Leroy asked.

"He had an accident some time ago. He hasn't told me all of the details yet but – it sounded pretty bad from what he's said." Belle told him.

"He's not exactly your type." Leroy said.

"Why do I have to have a type?" Belle asked.

"Belle, if any magazine gets a picture of you out with that guy they'll have a field day with it, they'll think you've lost your fucking mind. They'll start throwing around all kinds of theories like mental breakdowns and drinking binges and who knows what else."

"Why? Because he's an older man with a cane? Because he's not a typical pretty Hollywood face?" Belle asked.

"Belle, like it or not, you are one of Hollywood's sweethearts. The public has a certain image of who you are and who you would be with. Some creepy old man with a Scottish accent and a limp isn't it." Leroy said.

"He's not creepy. I think he's quite attractive, actually. Have you looked at yourself in the mirror lately, Leroy? You're not exactly male model material." Belle commented.

"I'm not the one that'll be on the cover of People magazine strolling through SoHo with a guy old enough to be her father." Leroy commented.

"I don't have to justify what I do or who I spend my private time with to you, People magazine, or anyone else. All I want from you is for you to get me an audition with August Booth. Call me when you have that set up. We're done here." Belle said, and she got up and left.

"Hi – is Nick here?" Belle asked Jefferson as she entered the shop, removing her sunglasses.

"You – you're uh – uh -"

"Belle French. Yes." Belle said.

"No – that's not it." Jefferson said.

"Actually yes it is. You must be Jefferson. Nick's told me about you." Belle said, just as Nick came out from the back room.

"Belle. What are you doing here, I didn't expect you for another hour." Nick said.

"I uh – thought we might have a quick lesson before we leave. If that's alright. Did you finish with your client?"

"Yes. Went very well." Nick said. "Jefferson – Belle and I are going to be in the back room. Please don't bother us."

"You were married to Tom Cruise, weren't you?" Jefferson asked.

"No – that would be Katie Holmes." Belle said.

"Belle, please, just ignore him and he'll go away, that's what I do." Nick said, as he led Belle into the back room. "Sorry about that."

"It's okay." Belle said, laughing. "Why do you keep him on if he's such an idiot?"

"The customers love him. I don't understand it either, but – it works." Nick said. "So – how did things go with your agent?"

"He's going to try and get me an audition. At least that's what I told him to do." Belle said.

"He didn't like me much, did he?" Nick asked.

"He doesn't know you. He can be a bit protective of me sometimes."

"Do you trust him?" Nick asked.

"Of course I trust him. I owe my career to him. If it weren't for him I'd be doing crappy commercials and Dancing With the Stars instead of movies." Belle said. "Why do you ask?"

"I don't know. He's got shifty eyes – he reminds me of some of the stockbrokers I dealt with over the years. All they wanted was a fast buck and they didn't care how they got it." Nick said.

"Well, don't worry about Leroy, he's a good guy. He can be a bit grumpy sometimes, but he's a good guy." Belle said. "Now – about that lesson. I think we left off right about here." Belle put her arms around Nick's waist and pulled him close.

"That's about right, I think." he replied, and he pulled her into a kiss.

"Um – hate to interrupt but – there's someone here." Jefferson said, peeking his head in the back room.

"So wait on them." Nick said, glaring at him, Belle's arms still wrapped around him. .

"She uh – she asked for you. It's – the evil queen." Jefferson said.

"Oh, fuck." Nick replied.

"I'm sorry, who?" Belle asked.

"My former employer. That's my nickname for her – and trust me, it is well deserved. I'll be right back, Belle. Please, just stay back here." Nick told her, and he proceeded to go out into the main store area. "Regina – how can I help you?"

"I need you to cut a deal for me." Regina said.

"I don't do deals anymore, how many times do I need to tell you that?" Nick asked, moving behind the counter and looking through his receipts, trying desperately not to make eye contact with her.

"I really thought you'd have given up this little hobby of yours by now." Regina said.

"It's not my hobby, it's my job. I have no desire to go back to that bullshit that you call work. I don't know why you insist on stopping in here every few months trying to lure me back to that. I don't need you anymore, dearie. I think that's what bothers you. You need me more than I need you – and you could never stand that." Nick said.

"I have plenty of people that could handle this. I just – well, I want it done right the first time." Regina said.

"Why don't you ask the brilliant Killian Jones to do the job for you? Oh, that's right – the last time you chose him to handle things over my expertise, he ended up running off with your top five clients and about twenty million dollars in revenue – oh, and my fucking wife." Nick retorted.

"I'd pay you well." Regina said.

"Do you think I give a fuck about your money? Let me tell you something, dearie – money is the root of every problem in this world. There are far more important things than money." Nick said. Regina laughed at him.

"Did your therapist tell you that or did you read it in a self-help book?" Regina asked.

"Didn't need anyone to tell me, I figured it out on my own. Took me twenty fucking years but I figured it out. There is no amount of money in the world you could pay me that would make me go back to that viper's nest."

"Oh, there's always a price for everything. You taught me that. Maybe it's not actual dollars for you anymore but – there's something. I just have to figure out what it is." Regina said.

"Are you threatening me, dearie?" Nick asked.

"Not yet." Regina replied.

"Get out of my shop. Please." Nick said. Regina sneered at him as she walked out the door. Nick took a deep breath and made his way to the back room. "Belle, can we go somewhere? I need to get out of here before I start breaking things and there are far too many things to break in this shop."

"So she was your former boss, huh? She sounded like a really nasty piece of work." Belle said.

"That was her on a good day. You should have seen her when she was in full bitch mode. I'm sorry you had to hear all of that." Nick said.

"It's alright. Come on – let's go have a nice dinner and try to forget all about it." Belle said.

"Jefferson – lock up, please." Nick said. Belle took Nick's hand and they walked out the door together. Belle stopped before they continued walking.

"Forgot to put my sunglasses on." Belle said as she reached into her purse.

"Do you always have to wear those? It's doesn't stop people from recognizing you." Nick said.

"It helps a bit. It's the best I can do to try and have a normal life. Does it bother you?" Belle asked.

"I suppose not. It's just that – well, you have such beautiful eyes, I hate that you have to cover them up all the time." Nick said.

"You'll get to see them plenty at dinner." Belle said. She put her glasses on and kissed him on the cheek. "How about a movie tonight, too? Preferably one that neither of us has much interest in watching."

"That sounds like a wonderful idea." Nick said. "Does Ashley Boyd have anything out right now?" Belle laughed.

"I said something I don't want to watch, not something I want to shout obscenities at." Belle said. She kissed him on the cheek and took his hand as they continued to walk. Regina watched them from around the corner, grinning wickedly.

"Like I said, Nick. Everyone has a price." she said to herself.