Emma

What?! H-How is this even possible?

Belle breathed so hard her complexion grew pale. I rubbed her back and tried to calm her. Grumpy started to walk toward her, but she lifted a hand to stop him.

"Don't come any closer."

Grumpy looked desperate to just get near her. But the tone of her voice certainly doesn't sound like a joy of happiness.

Belle took one of my hands shakily. "Let's go."

"Belle, how is this man your father?"

She shook her head. "I don't want to talk about it. Please, let's just go."

Grumpy kept walking toward Belle. I wrapped an arm around her and signaled Ruby we should go. She nodded and picked up both the boxes and sneaked her way out the door. "Grumpy, today is not a good day for you and your daughter. I think it's best if we leave."

He shook his head in refusal. "No. No I will not lose my little girl again."

Belle lifted her head and looked straight at him with the tears in her eyes. "I can't be your little girl again, daddy! I just can't!"

Grumpy reached his hands for her, but Belle and I took a step back. Ruby already headed out to the door to call for a cab. I just need for both of us to get out of here before Grumpy chases after us.

"Grumpy, look Belle isn't going anywhere."

He frowned at me. "Belle? Who is Belle? Oh he also made you change your own name, Marjorie?! Why do you make that bastard ruin your life?!"

Belle brightened to fury. "How could you say that?! I love him daddy! And no he's not ruining my life, he's helping my life!"

Are they talking about Bae's dad? Oh gosh, I knew she was a troubled girl from the first day I met her. But being with a man who completely separated her from her family and her true identity is drastic and quite saddening...This is unbelievable though. How am I going to tell Bae about this too? Him being blind is upsetting enough. But if Belle – I mean Marjorie pull it off with Bae's father, then he'll end up having a young mama in his life, including a grouched up grandpa who's the same age as his father.

I tried to pull Belle out the door, but she is too shaken in shock for me to push her in force. "Okay. Look Grumpy. Step back. Your daughter is in no condition to talk to you right now. Goodbye."

I quickly turned both of us around and ran out the door. As expected, Grumpy ran after us from behind. Ruby was beside the taxi and opened the door for us. The three of us quickly got inside and drove off before Grumpy got to us.

It was a long and awkward ride. Belle leaned on my shoulder and I wrapped an around her in comfort. For the first time, even though Ruby was not fond of Belle, she had the decency to cheer her spirits by telling some amusing stories and jokes.

We were almost there to the house. Belle stopped crying and finally pulled herself together. I know she doesn't want to talk about this dark secret she's been keeping from all of us, but I am dying for answers. Although, at a time like this, it's usually Ruby who gives up and ask, but this time I can't help but change that.

"Belle...I know you are..Well I'm aware you're in shock. But can you tell us what this is all about?"

Belle lowered her eyes down on her lap. Her head still rested on my shoulder. "...Marjorie. My name is Marjorie."

I bit my lower lip. "Sorry, Be-Marjorie I mean. Its going to take some time for me to get use to calling you that."

"I know you and Ruby are dying to know what happened back there. You guys are my friends and I trust you. Just...Please just promise me you'll keep it a secret...In the past, my family and I lived in Australia since I was seventeen. It was wonderful at the time. But when I turned nineteen, I got engaged with my boyfriend, Gaston. He's uncle gave away his building he owned here in New York to my dad as a wedding present. Before the wedding, my parents started business in that building ever since. But I was a rebel back then and didn't want a fancy princess wedding, so Gaston and I eloped to Las Vegas. My parents never forgave for ditching the wedding when we got back. After six months, we started to fall apart, thankfully we had a hangover before the ceremony so our wedding wasn't even finalized legally. We parted ways and I went back to living with my parents. This is where Robert comes along.

"My dad was in dept. The apartment was just wasting away all his money so he secretly made a deal in a pawn shop. Robert owned that pawn shop, and to be quite honest, I hated that man at the time. I found out about him when I caught my dad sneaking into his pawn shop. Daddy begged me to keep it a secret. I swore to him I will, fearing of my mother's reaction if she ever found out...My father requested me a couple times to send an errand to Mr. Gold when he suddenly had no courage to hide that secret from my mom. I did as he was told every time. At first, Robert was really rude and made me jump every time he slammed his fist straight down on something..But strangely, each and every day I met him, I pitied him. I found that out one day. I took out one of his collection of tea cups and prepared tea. When he saw me, I was just waiting for him to yell at my face, but instead he swallowed his anger and joined me. The tea softened him up a bit and told me things of his past. He told me about his bad marriage, him stressing over loan sharks, and...this one thing that really touched me was how much he talked about his precious son."

Precious son? Was Bae that close with his dad? Ever since we were together, Bae never liked talking about his family or his past. I always tried my best to never ask him. I find it hard to believe he had a close relationship with his dad, after all the trouble and disasters he caused at his shop doesn't make any sense to me now.

I cleared my throat and rubbed her arm up and down with my palm. "He has a son? How close were they?"

"Well, Robert told me since he was a baby he and his wife adored him. Things were fine in the beginning, but things got uneasy when his wife was suddenly focused too much in the business industry. So they divorced and his poor son ended up living with him. I'm not sure what Robert was like in the past, but I could guess gentleness and kindness in him at that time. It's hard for others to believe that, especially my dad. But I know he's not what others think he is, he is purely good, that's why I love him."

"Did he ever say anything else about his son?"

She shook her head. "No. No he didn't after that day. To think of it, he never told me his son's name."

"I see...Well, Marjorie I support you in every way. But I'm a little concerned about this guy you're dating."

Marjorie sat up straight and faced me. "Emma, don't get the wrong idea."

I lifted my hand to silence her. "Wait. Wait a minute, girl. I never ever agree with Grumpy. But after what I heard back there in the apartment, I can't deny the fact what this guy made you do. Marjorie, he actually told you to change your identity and run away from your family?"

"Yes he did. But I agreed with him about that. So technically he didn't make me do it against my will."

"But why did he suggest that?"

"Because we wanted to be together, and the only way to do that was for me to run away from my parents. So he helped me cover my identity and the next day after that, I became Belle Emile de Ravin."

I took her hand. "Marjorie, I know I have no right to say this, since I myself ran away from my family and got a child. But I have to say this, right now you shouldn't hide beside the man you love forever, all those years you been hiding hurt a lot of your loved ones. How do you think they felt when they couldn't find a trace of your existence?...I know its scary to come back from the past. But it is wrong to stay under the shadows in fear, you need to come back and settle it down. It's not going to be pretty, but after the long time you been hiding is sure has hell enough time to keep continuing this little charade of yours.

"Marjorie, promise me you'll find a way to make that possible...When Bae and I were settling down in your dad's apartment here in New York, the guilt of me leaving my family and my home town hurt me ever since the day I left. After years of waiting like a complete freaked out coward, Bae and I returned back to Storybroke and reunited back with my family and our friends again. Believe me, it was not easy to see all those familiar faces. But it felt good in the end to get that guilt off me. Well, that feeling necessarily didn't leave me, but the strength of courage made me proud to see everyone again. I promise you that's exactly what you'll feel once you wake up one morning and meet your dad again."

Her eyes wandered around and I could sense her nerves rising. "I don't know, Emma. I..I don't think I have the strength to confront daddy again. I think I might be able to do it if Robert is by my side, but if he tags along, daddy will kill him right in the spot."

"Think things through carefully. But don't run away from it. Okay?"

Her eyes locked with mine. Her expression is troubled nervously and full of fear. When I look at her now, I feel like I'm looking straight at a mirror, like she's me when I was in high school. My mom was in my room and held my hands to figure out what I should do about Bae. It feels a little scary to have this memory back after all these years.

Ruby cleared her throat and joined us. "Well, now that's taken care of. I'm glad I can talk freely now...Guess what guys? We're here!"

Marjorie and I looked through the glass window. I pointed to the white house. "That's the house...Urm. Driver, please just drop us by at that white house."

The driver nodded.

Marjorie and Ruby gasped in awe. When the driver pulled over, Ruby got out of the car excitedly. She was too eager she didn't bother to help me with the boxes and started toward the house. Marjorie was at least nice enough to help me out. I paid the taxi with Killian's credit card, which is the greatest challenge of my life. And went toward the house with Marjorie. I tossed Ruby the keys and she quickly unlocked the door.

Inside, the men arranged the boxes neatly on the side of the wall and some of the furniture – I'm guessing probably belongs to Killian – is so beautifully placed in the living room in front of the fire place. When Marjorie placed the box down, Ruby grabbed her hand and ran to every room of the house to explore. I smiled and placed the box I was holding on top of the other one.

I mumbled to myself with a smile."This is going to be a long night."