Belle had been quite happy to hear that the Huntsman had been freed from his servitude to the Queen. She had been quite worried about what sort of retaliation the Queen might come up with. It put her mind at easy to know the man was safe.

As for Rumple's punishment for the Queen. She knew she couldn't withhold him from punishing Regina in any form both because of the fact that it simply wasn't Rumple's way to let those who hurt his loved ones go without consequence but also because it would set a dangerous precedent.

If the Queen could harm her with no retaliation on Rumple's part then there was no reason for anyone else to be concerned about harming her. Belle also couldn't deny she didn't want the Queen to get some form of comeuppance. Death was a bit much but she didn't want Regina getting off scott free. So she contented herself with knowing the Queen wouldn't die and had left the rest to Rumple.

That said she'd been surprised she didn't need to talk him out of killing Regina. He'd said he would explain it and now as she sat next to him at his wheel she decided to ask.

"You said Regina was a necessary evil and that was why you didn't plan on killing her. What did you mean by that?" Rumple's spinning ceased and Belle waited at last he turned to her.

"I told you I've been looking for a way to find my son and you said you'd help me. However, you don't quite know what you're committing to there."

"What do you mean?" asked Belle. Rumple heaved a sigh.

"I have found a way to him. However, it isn't a pleasant one. Not for everyone else. There is a curse. One that I have built that is designed to take us to the land without magic. I've foreseen that Regina shall be the one to cast it for me. Everyone in the Enchanted Forest will be trapped in that world without their memories and under the thumb of the Evil Queen. I've written in a safety net though this curse is meant to be broken. Twenty-eight years after the curse is cast the Savior, the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming will come to break the curse."

Belle listened as he described this horrible torment that everyone would be put through.

"You've found no other way?" she said at last. Rumple shook his head.

"I've searched for centuries. Half the errands that I've sent Pip and the Hatter on were dead ends towards finding Bae. Believe me when I say this is a LAST resort."

"I believe you. After all you'd hardly willingly let yourself get cursed if there were another option." said Belle. At last, she met his gaze.

"You know for certain that this won't be permanent. That people WILL have their happy endings restored?" Rumple nodded.

"I do." Belle took a deep breath.

"Well then, I can't say I like it but I'm hardly going to chastise you for resorting to the only possible way of finding Bae."

"You aren't mad then?" asked Rumple. Belle shook her head.

"No. I know you aren't doing this out of malice. Not to mention it's hardly my place to tell you what to do with regards to finding your own son. I do wonder though why you can't simply cast it yourself. Wouldn't that allow you to avoid the pitfall of being stuck under Regina's control for 28 years?"

"The curse requires you to sacrifice the heart of the thing you love most. Before I simply couldn't now I won't."

Belle tilted her head.

"What if I offered?" she said quietly. Rumple looked at her sharply.

"Not even then. I will not reunite with one person I love by losing the only other. When I find him again. I want you by my side." It touched Belle's heart deeply that even to find his beloved son Rumple was unwilling to give her up even if she would have willingly provided her heart to give him a chance to find his son.

"Very well. With that said I do want you to keep me informed of your plans and how they are to proceed. I don't want you to make some drastic decision and blindside me." Rumple nodded.

"I can agree to that much." The pair clasped hands tightly.

"I don't deserve you Belle," said Rumple softly. Belle reached up and cupped his cheek.

"It has nothing to do with deserving you silly man. I chose you because I fell in love with you. Not because of some arbitrary rule regarding deserving." Rumple looked as if he still intended to argue so Belle simply leaned in and kissed him effectively cutting the man off.

OUAT

She was staying! Belle had learned about the curse and she was still staying!

It seemed too good to be true yet the proof of it was hear in front of him holding his hands. Belle was willing to join him in his quest and even accept the unfortunately drastic solution he'd found.

"I don't deserve you Belle," he told her looking into her beautiful blue eyes. Belle reached up her soft hand cupping his scaled cheek.

"It has nothing to do with deserving you silly man. I chose you because I fell in love with you. Not because of some arbitrary rule regarding deserving." Rumple still felt given his dark deeds having someone so light as his true love was certainly undeserved but Belle as if reading his mind cut him off with a kiss that he soon lost himself in. His last thought being he would find a way to repay her.

OUAT

Belle and Rumple strolled through the garden's one day it was spring again and flowers were beginning to bloom. Belle stroked a red rose smiling.

"I'll always love that rose you gave me," she said. Rumple coughed he'd promised honesty. Well, if she hadn't left him over the Dark Curse this next transgression PROBABLY wouldn't be the end all. Hopefully.

"Yes, about that. In the spirit of honesty, it wasn't always a rose." Belle stood raising a skeptical eyebrow.

"Oh?"

"Your dear betrothed may have come knocking at the door brandishing a sword demanding your return."

"AND YOU TURNED HIM INTO A ROSE?!" exclaimed Belle.

"He was more useful that way," muttered Rumple before he could stop himself. Belle clapped a hand to her face.

"A rose...really. So my current suitor gave me my former one in flower form as a gift."

"That is the gist of it," said Rumple. Belle gazed at him for a moment and then heaved a sigh.

"Well, I suppose one gets what you get when you threaten the Dark One. Just in the future when something relates to me, I want you to consult me first. I don't want people being turned into shrubbery for my sake."

"Very well, next time an idiot ex-fiancé of yours come to call I'll run my plans for punishment by you first," quipped Rumple dryly and Belle snorted.

OUAT

Belle hadn't exactly been PLEASED to learn that Rumple had turned Gaston into a rose. It did make the moment a tad less romantic.

BUT at the same time, she also remembered what a horrid man he was. The way he'd tortured that ogre child showed there was a cruelty in his heart. Different from that of her true love. Rumple didn't usually strike for petty reasons.

If he harmed someone it was usually because they crossed him first. Even Robin Hood, who didn't deserve the torture he'd gone through at Rumple's hands had technically been the one to cross Rumple first by stealing from him and then shooting him.

No, she wasn't pleased by Gaston's fate. She knew there was no getting him back after all, the flower had long since wilted and been thrown in the compost. But she also wasn't torn up over it.

"You know, I truly am quite lucky you came that day and not just because it saved the kingdom," she said leaning her head on Rumple's shoulder.

"Oh?" said Rumple.

"I could would never have been happy with Gaston. Certainly not the way I am with you."

"I am the lucky one, without you I would be in a far darker place and happiness would have been nothing more than a dream." replied Rumple kissing the back of her hand.

"You didn't foresee this?"

"Foreseeing things closer to me is far more difficult. And in all honesty if I had seen it I'd probably have run in the opposite direction."

"True enough," said Belle and Rumple faked a look of insult that had Belle laughing the sound ringing around the gardens and bringing back light to the Dark Castle.

Author's note: So Belle is again a bit more accepting of Rumple's darker side than in the show. She tries to temper him but she doesn't attempt to control him with ultimatums which I did think was a bit of problem. Belle's more ok with the Dark Curse because she trusts Rumple's guarantee it will work out in the end for everyone. She also doesn't generally take pleasure in the pain and suffering of others even if they did her wrong but she's not entirely repulsed by it which I personally think is quite human. She's still the light to his dark in most ways but it's more balanced. Thanks to all that commented if you like the story please leave a note in the comments! I update weekly! Until next time!