Before setting out from the castle a second time Belle made a few preparations changing from her dress into a pair of tall brown boots and dark leather breeches, over it went a gold shirt and a maroon leather jerkin with slightly poofy gold and maroon striped shoulders and maroon leather sleeves. She finished the look off with a black belt cinching the jerkin around her waist and a gold scarf around her neck.

Next, she packed plenty of food as well as taking some of the gold thread from next to Rumplestiltskin's wheel. It wasn't really stealing. After all, if the infuriating man was throwing her out at the very least, he could provide her with the means to support herself on her travels. Lastly Belle packed a few books in her satchel before walking to the front doors.

A part of her desperately hoped that Rumple would change his mind and stop her. Yet she'd given him plenty of time to change his mind. Belle took one final look around the castle that had become her home and many happy memories flew through her head. She would miss this place. But she wouldn't stay where she wasn't wanted. Taking a deep breath Belle turned around and left the Dark Castle for good this time.

OUAT

Belle really didn't have anywhere specific in mind as far as where to go. She figured that she'd eventually return to her father. But returning there also meant returning to the confines of her old life and she wasn't quite ready for that. Perhaps she could do a bit of exploring first.

So, she travelled slightly aimlessly away from the Dark Castle, camping in the forest when the weather allowed or other times staying at inns though she was careful to be sparing with her gold.

One night a few weeks after Belle had left Rumplestiltskin she was sitting in a tavern reading and drinking a mug of ale when she overheard several dwarves talking loudly

"I don't know. I can't eat, I can't sleep, I don't feel at all like myself. Maybe I should have Doc take a look at me." said a dark-haired dwarf. The white-haired one across from him shook his head.

"You're going to trust a dwarf that got his medical degree from a pick axe? I wouldn't worry about it. Dwarves don't get sick. It must be in your head." Belle smiled sadly because she very much recognized those symptoms having experienced them all too well recently.

"It's not in his head – it's in his heart. You're in love." The white-haired dwarf scoffed.

"Well, that's impossible. Dwarves can't fall in love."

"Says who?" said Belle.

"The blue fairy." Belle recalled Rumple's unpleasant opinions about the head fairy and judging by what she seemed to have been telling these dwarfs maybe he wasn't wrong. Still, she decided to focus on the lovestruck dwarf.

"Well maybe the blue fairy doesn't know everything. Trust me. I know love, and you're in it." The white-haired dwarf dismissed her but the dark haired one turned and came to sit by her.

"What's it like?" Belle smiled fondly thinking back on all her happy memories of times with Rumple. Of the hours the two of them had spent getting to know each other. If only he'd trusted her enough to believe she could love him.

"It's the most wonderful and amazing thing in the world. Love is hope. It fuels our dreams. And if you're in it, you need to enjoy it. Because love doesn't always last forever." She'd learnt that the hard way. She'd had true love and lost it before she'd fully realized the importance of what she had.

"But, if love's so great, then why do I feel so bad right now?" asked the dwarf.

"You need to be with the person you love." explained Belle. It certainly explained why she felt so miserable. She was doing her best to distract herself with this journey but there was also a part of her that simply wanted to be back in Rumple's arms the way she had been during that moment with the mirror.

"Yeah, but how do I know she feels the same way? All she talked about was going to see some fireflies – not loving me." Belle quirked an eyebrow.

"What... what did she tell you about these fireflies?"

"Uh, that she was going to go see them on the hilltop tonight. That she heard they were the most beautiful sight in all the land. What?" Belle laughed at his confused look. Men really were clueless.

"She wasn't telling you about the fireflies. She was inviting you to go be with her."

"You think so?" asked the dwarf hopefully.

"I've had my heart broken enough to know when somebody's reaching out. Now go. Find your love, find your hope, find your dreams."

"Alright I'll do it!" exclaimed the dwarf. "Thank you..." he broke off waiting for her name.

"Belle," she finished for him.

"I'm Dreamy. Thank you, Belle." She watched the dwarf turn and run out of the tavern. She could only hope his love wasn't as ill-fated as hers had been.

OUAT

The following night Belle was once again reading in the tavern. Nearby a man was speaking,

"There's a fearsome beast ravaging a faraway kingdom. Its eyes burn with fire. They call it the yaoguai. No man has been able to kill it, but we will. There's room on our wagon. Now, who's going to join us?"

As much as she wanted adventure a part of her was still nervous about taking it. She heard footsteps and looked up to see the dwarf from the previous night approaching.

"Dreamy, right?" said Belle as the dwarf smiled at her.

"Yes. I came to thank you. That advice you gave me last night? It worked. Nova and I are running away together." Belle felt her face burst into the first true smile since before she had kissed Rumple.

"That... That's wonderful!"

"Why don't you sign up?" suggested Dreamy nodding towards the group of men preparing to fight the yaoguai. Belle bit her lip uncertainly.

"I, um... I've always dreamt of heroics, but... I think it's safer I stick to my books. They're the only adventures I know that have happy endings." That was certainly true enough. Books didn't have the constantly changing variables that were real people.

"Well, maybe this one'll have one, too." said the dwarf encouragingly. Belle still felt unsure after all she didn't exactly have the best track record.

"Well, yeah, I doubt it. Last time I faced a beast, it... It didn't end well."

"What are you talking about?" said Dreamy looking confused. Belle brushed him off. There was no way she was going to be able to explain to someone especially a virtual stranger that she was in love with the Dark One. Sadly, Rumple's reputation went contrary to Belle's word and most people would probably just think her delusional.

"Men, follow me. The Yaoguai awaits." called the man from earlier. Men began to file out of the tavern.

"Get on that wagon. Go. Take a chance." Taking a deep breath Belle nodded. After all that really was what she had set out to do. Have an adventure. Do the brave thing and bravery will follow.

"Thank you." said Belle giving the dwarf a hug. She packed up her books and made to leave but Dreamy stopped her.

"Wait! Belle. It's fairy dust. Might come in handy." he handed her a small satchel. Belle was hesitant remembering her discussion with Rumple.

"Oh, no... Thank you, all magic comes at a price I'm not sure if I'm willing to pay it."

"Dark magic comes with a price. Fairies use this for good. Now go be a hero." Belle paused. She still thought Dreamy was wrong and was reminded again of her talk with Rumple and how the fairies perpetuated the myth that their magic came without a cost. Still. There was no harm in accepting it. Who was to say that she actually had to use it?

"Okay." Belle took the pouch and tied it to her belt. Then leaving the tavern she joined the men and went off to have her adventure.

Author's Note: So Belle's a little more careful about going around using magic in this version. I do hope people notice the dialogue changes since a lot of this is copy/paste. I promise Dreamy and Nova are actually both going to minorly come back a bit in my story because I was dissatisfied with how the writers handled them as well. It won't be anything major but we'll get mentions of them along the line. Also another reason Blue was an absolute hag in my opinion Nova ABSOLUTELY could have been a fairy godmother but the blue bug was too prejudiced to let a cross species relationship happen. At least that's my read. I also think Grumpy/Dreamy could have been a good friend to Belle so that may come into play when we reach Storybrooke. I have gotten some confusion over when the story is going to diverge from canon to which I can only say please bear with me as we have a little while further to go. I really hope that doesn't turn people off. I PROMISE IT WILL COME SOON. If you are enjoying (or at least tolerating it enough to keep reading lol) the story please leave your thoughts in the comments below it really is important to me. Until next time!