*Author's Note*

Well this story is slowly getting momentum and I hope it's followers continue to grow.

Thanks for the support and encouragement and I hope I did this part justice.

Thanks and Enjoy! I love reviews and comments so type away :)

"And all you'll have left is an empty heart and a chipped cup." ~Belle

Everything was still for a matter of seconds before the car burst into white hot flames. After that moment, everything was a bit of a blur until the ambulance showed up.

He remembered Emma, Mary Margaret, and David showing up in the squad car. Emma checked on Hook, while the others came to Mr. Gold's side to see if they could help. He brushed them off still shaken as he clutched her close. He heard Emma call for an ambulance, before she too joined Mr. Gold's side. She put pressure on the bleeding wound and barked orders at the royal couple. He remembered Emma asking him what happened and him being unable to answer. The next thing he heard was the screeching of sirens and the flashing lights of the ambulance.

Doctor Whale met them at the hospital and quickly began to work on her gunshot wound. He had to have two orderlies hold Mr. Gold back who was determined to follow Belle into surgery. Mr. Gold couldn't even think of a suitable revenge on Captain Hook who lay in a recovery room unconscious. He was too concerned for his dearest Belle. He had felt so helpless as he paced the waiting room. Ruby joined them moments later, she angrily stalked towards Mr. Gold.

"What did you do?" she hissed, concerned for her friend. "I always knew no good would come of her love for you."

Mr. Gold stood shell-shocked as David held Ruby back, trying to explain what happened. Gold turned his back to the group. David had just managed to calm down the upset wolf when Dr. Whale came into the waiting room. He looked tired and worn out. His hands were clasped around a chart clipboard as he met the face of each person in the room. Mr. Gold stepped forward, his cane clicking on the tile floor.

Belle was in a coma. Not the peaceful kind, either, but the life threatening doctor induced kind. She had gone into heart failure from blood loss after she had been shot. Dr. Whale explained that a medically induced coma would be the only way to give her a chance at life. She would stay in the coma until her body was strong enough for surgery. She would need several procedures to repair the damage done to her body internally.

Mr. Gold clutched the top of his cane for support, his mind as blank as his face. After Dr. Whale left to continue his rounds, the man went in search of the vending machine. His throat felt like a desert from his nerves. Slipping a few coins into the slot, he pressed the button for a bottled water. A few moments passed and nothing happened. Mr. Gold smacked his hand against the front panel of the glowing machine. Still nothing happened. He growled low before repeatedly slamming his fist against the non-compliant machine.

Soon his hand was flushed red and the cheap machine was slowly forming a dent where skin met thin metal. It was David Nolan who came to check on the man.

"Gold? Having problems?" he asked a bit guarded.

"The machine's broke. Just trying to get a bloody water," replied Gold sourly.

David knew this had nothing to do with the water, but before he could try to reassure the pawnbroker several orderlies raced by them. The stern nurse was among them pushing what appeared to be a crash cart. Mr. Gold saw them round the corner towards Belle's recovery room. He took off after them, moving as fast as his feet and cane would let him. David was right behind them.

Through the room window, they could see the whole tragedy unfold. The nurses, joined by Dr. Whale, cluttered around the bed. The alarms of the machines mingling with the frantic medical jargon as the doctor worked his hardest to save Belle. One of the nurse's aid, a young girl by the name of Andi, came to the window and pulled the drapes shut.

Mr. Gold didn't budge from his spot as he stared blankly at the now hidden room. Soon the alarms disappeared and the door opened. The nurses filed out of the room, avoiding the dealer's questioning gaze. Dr. Whale was the last to exit the room, pulling the door shut behind him. He took a deep breath and approached Mr. Gold.

"Well how is she?" he asked almost silently. His hand shook as he gripped the cane in his fist.

Dr. Whale's eyes shifted to David before returning to the man. "Mr. Gold I...There was severe internal bleeding...she suffered an aneurysm...Mr. Gold...I-I'm sorry...she's dead." Dr. Whale did his best to remain the collective doctor he always was, but his nerves were catching him off balance.

With those words, Mr. Gold's world came crashing down.