"Rumpelstiltskin, I…" Belle began, trying to explain herself, to make him understand. The seeds of doubt grew in his soul unbelievably fast, unlike any attempt of making him trust her. Those seeds never even got planted in the ground.

"So that is who your employer is," he began, squinting his eyes at her. "Well, it all makes sense now."

Belle wasn't sure what he meant by this but she knew he'd take the queen's words to heart and interpret them the worst way possible.

"What else did she bid you to do? Sniff around me, find out my weaknesses? Do whatever it takes to pull the secrets out of me?"

She scowled at that. He could not truly believe what he was saying. Rumpelstiltskin turned away from her, his shoulders slumped. She wished she had a way with words or knew the right thing to say to convince him. But all rational thoughts seemed to avoid her, they lingered on the tip of her tongue but recoiled to the back of her head when she tried to reach them. Belle put her hand on his shoulder, hoping that since words failed her, perhaps her touch could convey what she felt.

"Rumpelstiltskin," she breathed. His muscles were tense under her fingers and he didn't turn around.

"You made the deal following her orders," he concluded. He did not care that it sounded ridiculous, that he was the one to offer the deal. The truth was that he'd always been a coward. It was so much easier to believe that Belle had some secret motive, that she was paid to keep him company than to admit she might feel anything for him. Affection was a weakness, he learnt it the hard way.

"No, no! You misunderstand! It's never been like that," the girl tightened her grip on his shoulder.

"Oh do I?" he spoke dangerously, his voice so low he almost hissed, even the vowels sounding snake-like. "You lying, cunning, filthy little…" the man paused, clearly looking for the right words to deliver his resentment over her betrayal.

"Rumpelstiltskin!" Belle exclaimed. She did not want to hear the end of this sentence. She was on the verge of tears. How could it come to this? Less than half an hour ago she made such progress with her magic, she felt delighted and light-headed when he responded to her kiss. Why was he so cold and distant now? She did nothing wrong to deserve those cruel words.

It was that woman. She managed to break their fragile secluded world, piercing it with her poisoned words and making it pop like a soap bubble. She spoke of Belle as a thing, a mere decoration with no mind or will of its own. Yes, Regina did hire her to get rid of Snow White, but the only reason Belle accepted that was because she had no choice. She did not believe she could make it, she'd never harm anyone, let alone Queen Snow White but she did not want her people to suffer in case she refused. When the guards caught her at the Snow's bed with the knife and threw her in the dungeon, Belle thought that would be the end of her days until Rumpelstiltskin saved her. And now he was standing there, with his back turned to her. He was close enough to touch but at the same time miles away. He shrugged her hand off him.

"Out," he said quietly.

Belle wished he'd yell at her, break something or just keep accusing her of things she'd never done. His fingers were curling up in fists and unclenching, as if he wanted to grab something and squeeze it till the thing snapped. She stood there, feeling stupid. Surely he did not mean that? He was just overreacting, he needed to calm down and let her explain. Belle did think about the possibility of going back home before, she'd see her family but she didn't want to leave. Rumpelstiltskin turned around to look at the girl.

"Which word can you not understand?" he said slowly, enunciating every syllable. "The deal is off. You're free to go. I said out."

"No, wait… I can't," she blurted and he cocked his head, studying her. Why wouldn't he just listen?

He must have misread her intention, for he actually smiled. Somehow this false merriment frightened Belle even more.

"Of course you cannot, dearie. Forgive me being so inconsiderate." Rumpelstiltskin snapped his fingers and the girl found herself wrapped in a travel cloak, her belt heavy under the weight of a fat purse. She shifted on her feet and the metal rattled.

"There should be enough gold to pay for all your troubles. You know where the exit is, right, dearie? Pardon me but I do not feel like escorting you out." His hand was pressed against the small of her back as he firmly pushed her towards the door.

It was terribly wrong. She tripped, stepping on the folds of the long cloak. Bad dream, it was just a bad dream and she'd wake up in her bad, descend the stairs and see the real Rumpelstiltskin who'd smile at her and butter a toast for her and offer her morning tea.

The problem was her brain could never come up with something as bad as this. Belle felt like she was drowning, something that felt freezing cold and slimy bulging in her stomach and reaching its ugly tentacles to grasp her heart. Her hand was on the door handle and she turned, her eyes misty with tears, desperation cutting the air from her lungs.

"Rumpelstiltskin, please, listen to me," she pleaded and it seemed to be the last straw that broke the camel's back.

He almost made it back to the head of the table, but turned abruptly to look at her, his eyes wild. He radiated of anger and it pained her to see him so hurt.

"Out!" he shrieked, his voice high-pitched. "I said out! Get out of my sight!"

Belle gasped as something flew past her shoulder and shattered when it hit the wall. He grabbed the cups from the tray and was throwing them aimlessly at her, at the door, at the columns decorating the room. He cursed and swore, howling like a wounded animal. Belle knew she couldn't stay with him like that. She could only hope he'd not harm himself.

She turned around and walked away, her departure from the castle followed by the sound of breaking glass and china.