The afternoon the potion arrives Belle feels calm and collected. She had thought it over a hundred times and tells herself everything will go as planned. Still, the hand holding the vial shakes treacherously and she has to put the bottle aside for a minute to wait for the tremor to pass. There is no note or label attached to the glass, but when she eyes the thick liquid, sloshing inside, she knows exactly what it is. The antidote that will bring her love's memory back.

Luckily, Rumpelstiltskin is in his turret, so she doesn't have any explaining to do. She picks two cups, made of white china with blue flowers and a golden stripe around the rim and puts them on a silver tray alongside the potion. Isabelle hurries to the kitchen, finding the smallest kettle there is and setting it over the fire to boil. It takes an eternity for it to begin whistling and she puts it aside, carefully measuring half a spoon of tea leaves and pouring the boiling water over them. It's hardly the way to prepare tea – the water is too hot and she doesn't let it steep – but its taste is the last thing she cares about. Belle adds a bowl of honey and cream to the tray, looking over it critically. There's nothing suspicious about her bringing Rumpelstiltskin afternoon tea, is there? - aside from a bit of something extra in it.

Belle uncorks the vial and tips it over the cup. She expects a puff of smoke or perhaps a change of colour, but the potion drips into the cup with a plop instead of any dramatic effect and mingles with the dark liquid instantly. The girl wonders if a drop will be enough; he is the Dark One after all, which implies increased magical capacity. Biting onto her lip, she pours the rest out, hiding the empty vial in the cupboard behind the pots and pans.

She takes extra care climbing the stairs and holding the tray steady; she has to knock on the door with her foot clumsily as her hands are busy and gives Rumpelstiltskin the biggest smile when he opens the door.

"Care for some tea?" Belle asks as her heart flutters in her throat when the man steps aside, letting her in.

"What's the occasion?" he asks lightly as the girl places the tray next to his books and straightens up.

"Nothing. I thought you might want to take a break. Or am I keeping you from something important?"

"You're always a pleasant distraction, dearie," he offers warmly and waits for her to flop down on the chair before taking a seat himself.

Belle reaches for the cup – the one that is potion-free – and cradles it in both hands. The hot china burns her fingers, but she pays it no mind; the girl's eyes are fixed on the sorcerer in front of her. Rumpelstiltskin picks the second cup, adding a spoonful of honey to it and stirs it methodically. He does it painfully slowly - as if he suspects; as if he knows exactly what's in his tea and she squirms impatiently, moving closer to the edge of her seat, feeling she might burst any moment if he doesn't drink it.

"Are you alright, dearie?" she jumps at the question. Rumpelstiltskin raises his eyes at her. "You are acting a bit odd."

Is she? Oh gods, he knows. Belle tries to swallow the lump in her throat, looking down at her hands and the uncurled tea leaves at the bottom of her cup.

"I'm just a bit nervous," she confesses. "It's the first time I made tea for anyone and I'm afraid you may not like it."

"Then let's put an end to the doubts, shall we?" he raises the cup and toasts her. Belle watches him put the golden rim to his lips and blow at the steaming fluid before taking a small sip. His Adam's apple bobs as he swallows and he gives her a small smile.

"Not as disastrous as I expected," he quips and then his face twists.

At first, Rumpelstiltskin feels nothing; but then there is bitterness on his tongue despite the honey he added and the unmistakable tingle of magic.

"What did you give me?" he gasps, bringing the cup to his face and taking a sniff. His nostril's flare as he can detect a subtle undertone to the heavy smell of tea. "What potion was it?" he snarls, jumping to his feet. "Answer me! What was in the tea?"

Belle barely has time to duck as he flings the cup at her. It hits the opposite wall and shatters to pieces, sending drops of its contents splattering across the floor. Rumpelstiltskin is at her side in a blink and he yanks the girl to her feet, his hands squeezing her forearms in an iron grip.

"You little viper! Did you try to poison me?" He's shouting now, the drops of his spittle landing on her face. His teeth are bared and his features contorted with rage that almost makes him unrecognizable. He shakes her roughly. "Now, don't make me hit you to get the answers out of you!"

The fury he radiates is palpable, stinging her and she does feel frightened. Several glass containers behind him explode.

"You wouldn't dare hit me," she says in a shaky voice and the man grins darkly.

"Oh but I wouldn't have to. I've got magic for it. Now, for the last time, what did you slip in my cup?"

"It was a remembrance potion," Belle explains and his eyes widen with surprise.

"And, pray tell, why would I need it?"

"Can you remember the last two years of your life? Can you recall exactly where you've been, what you have been doing, who you've seen?"

"But of course I can," Rumpelstiltskin snaps irritably but there's a hint of uncertainty in his voice. "I was in the Castle."

"Every day for two years? Then where did the greenhouse come from? How do I know you?"

"What are you saying, dearie? That someone erased a few years from my past? Nonsense." At least he stopped shouting, but he still hadn't released his clutch on her and Belle's arms begin to feel numb in his grip." And even if that were true – which it is not… What of it? Some details may have slipped, yet what does it matter to you?"

Belle reaches for his face, stroking her fingers over his brows to smooth the vertical line of the frown. Taken aback, he lets go of her arms but she doesn't allow him to step back.

"Because it hurts when you look at me and see a stranger. Because I hate being a dearie to you and seeing you cringe away from my touch. Because I cannot stand the mistrust hidden in your eyes and knowing you constantly expect betrayal. Because I'm sick of not being able to tell you how I feel."

Rumpelstiltskin pries her hands off disapprovingly and tilts his head to the side.

"What do you feel then, dearie," he sneers, flicking his hand in the air dramatically. "Go on, enlighten me. You can hardly offer anything new, I'm afraid, but it'd be bitterly unfair to continue burdening yourself with all those emotions."

She's twisting her fingers as if battling with herself and her blue eyes all of a sudden glisten wetly.

"I love you, Rumpelstiltskin. And even if you cannot remember me, I know that you love me too."

His mouth falls open and he just gapes at her silently for a moment, but when his lips move, he hisses a single word.

"Out."

"What? Didn't you hear me? I said…"

"Out!" he shrieks but she smacks his hand when he makes a grab for her to push her out of his lab.

"No! I'm not going anywhere."

"Fine. I'll leave for an hour to let you pack but when I return, I do not want to see any traces of your existence in here!"

"Why won't you believe me?" she pleads and he lets out that manic high-pitched giggle that makes the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.

"Oh I believe it alright!" he says mockingly. "I fully and wholly believe that you're bloody insane!"

"What do I have to do to make you believe it?"

"Oh I don't know," he drawls. "Prove it."

"But I've tried everything!" she exclaims but Rumpelstiltskin shrugs indifferently.

"Tough luck then. Now stop wasting my time and get the hell out of my castle."

"Wait!" Now it's Belle's turn to grab his hand to make him stay. "I think I can do it. Wasn't there a True Love potion or something you created for Queen Snow White?"

"It gets better and better," the man shakes her hand off but at least he's curious enough to turn his face to her. "Now it's not just a casual fling, it's True Love." He crosses his arms and looks at her expectantly. "I don't know how you found out I've done it for the Charmings, but do entertain me further; make the potion."

"I don't know how," Belle says bitterly and the man rolls his eyes.

"Only because I want to witness your failure… You take a hair from each of the lovers, put them together and if it is twoo wuv it will turn into a potion," he mocks scornfully at her.

"That's it?" the girl actually has the audacity to grin, relieved that things are quite simple. "Do I need just the hairs?"

"Maybe," Rumpelstiltskin answers evasively. "Figure it out as you go. Here, I'll even make my donation."

He makes a vial appear in his hands and pulls a hair off, sliding it through the thin glass neck until it hits the bottom. He passes it to Belle and she takes a deep breath before yanking a single hair of hers and adding it to his in the vial. Absolutely nothing happens; she shakes the vial for good measure and is disappointed to see that the hair remains just that. In a way – it makes sense; they've hugged and touched and slept in the same bed, so their hair probably brushed together but no potion was created. Thus, they need another ingredient that would bind it. But what?

"Kiss me," she blurts out before she could even finish her train of thought; but her instincts tell her it's correct. It must be the intent to make the elixir that sets it in motion. "Please," she adds shyly.

"Oh, dearie, I'm saddened to see that you believe sexual favours can make me change my mind."

She should have hit him; smacked him right across his green scaled face to wipe off that mixture of scorn and smugness and convey at least a tenth of hurt she feels at his words. She puts the vial on the table and tries to shut everything but love from her mind as she tiptoes to kiss him, closing her eyes tight and hoping a simple press of her dry lips to his can convey all the depth of her feelings and work a miracle.

The man pulls away and wipes his mouth. Belle eyes are pleading, but he looks unmoved.

"See, dearie, I've told you that…"

Rumpelstiltskin turns to gesture at the vial but cuts himself off abruptly and his hand freezes in the air. The lifeless strands of hair are replaced by a swirling cloud of glittering gold and Belle is certain she has never seen anything quite as beautiful.

"Impossible," the man breathes and the girl squeaks as he plucks a hair off her head. "It must be some trick," he murmurs as he drops it to another vial and adds one of his own.

Repeating the process is easier for some reason and both of them watch in awe as the hairs twine together and begin glowing, turning into golden half-fluid half-gas with a small burst of light.

"But it can't be," the man whispers and drops on the chair heavily. He covers his face with his hands and his shoulders shake; Belle isn't sure whether he's crying or laughing. "Just look at me," he says and his voice is muffled by his hands, "how could anyone love me?"

"Don't say that," she puts a hand on his shoulder, feeling the man tense up under her touch. Reluctantly, he turns to her, slowly taking his hands away from his face and interlocking them in his lap.

"You just can't," he repeats miserably. "After all I've said… after all I've done…" He gulps and still avoids her eyes, choosing to stare at his hand. "How could I even forget you?"

"That part remains a mystery to me as well," Belle admits. "And yes, you do deserve a huge kick, but that's irrelevant." She sighs as the man shivers at her words like she truly hit him. He is so lost and confused, her heart swells with tenderness and the need to comfort him; she crouches down, covering his hands with both of hers.

"It's never been easy for us. Sometimes, I think that the whole world is trying to keep us apart, yet we always find each other, because we have something worth fighting for. I couldn't care less about it or what anyone thinks. I know that what we have is true. You are the only one who can make me happy, no matter how many times we quarrel." She pulls him into an embrace and smiles when he holds back with just as much vigour. "I love you, and don't you dare doubt it again."

Rumpelstiltskin sobs into the crook of her neck and her own eyes sting with un-spilled tears.

"You're stuck with me forever, I'm afraid. We'll find a way to bring your memory back." She can feel him nod in approval and adds sadly. "And if we don't, we'll just have to make new memories."