Rumple sent Jefferson on a variety of errands often dangerous, but sometimes they were just fetch and carry ones to perfectly normal, safe realms. In which case Belle was quite eager to join in the fun and see somewhere new. She wasn't really confined to the Dark Castle but it was unwise now to leave without someone with her.

Today's order was to get something from the Land Without Color.

"I want you to visit our old friend Dr Frankenstein." Rumple told Jefferson handing the man a list. "I have some items I'd like him to get me."

"Oh, the one that thinks science is more powerful than magic." said Jefferson. Rumple scoffed.

"Yes."

"Given your reaction I take it it's best YOU don't go for fear of starting an argument." said Belle.

"I simply feel no need to take an unnecessary trip to that visually dreary realm." Scoffed Rumple.

"Well, I'd love to go," said Belle cheerfully.

"Sound wonderful how about our darling girl and I take a little trip and you can go do some brooding!" said Jefferson clapping his hands as Belle went to get her cloak.

"Just be careful and stick with Jefferson please," said Rumple helping Belle into her green cloak once she returned.

"I'm always careful Rumple, don't worry."

"I worry anytime you are out of my sight," said Rumple stroking her cheek.

"Gosh you two are sickenly sweet." said Jefferson with an exaggerated sigh.

"Like you and Alice are any better," scoffed Belle.

"I'll be back before you know it," she told Rumple before giving him a quick peck on the lips and coming to stand by Jefferson.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Ready."

Jefferson threw down his hat and it became its usual purple swirling vortex. They grasped hands and jumped landing in the room of doors.

"This way," said Jefferson leading her to a plain white door. They stepped through and found themselves in what appeared to be some sort of laboratory. Looking around Belle was amazed to see how the color had disappeared from everything including herself and Jefferson.

Everything was in shades of black, white, and grey. Belle looked down at her now grey hands and her hair which appeared more black than brown.

"Hey!" shouted a voice and the two travelers turned to see a medium sized man in a high collared lab coat with buttons his eyes were dark and his hair a little messy as he came down the stairs.

"I thought we were finished!" he snapped at Jefferson.

"Oh, come on is that any way to greet an old friend?" said Jefferson warmly. The man approached his accent rather high class sounding.

"I'd hardly call us friends. We did a deal and I have not called on you since."

"No but I'm calling on you and I brought company!" said Jefferson totally unfazed.

"So, I see. Doctor Victor Frankenstein at your service Madame."

"Lady Belle of the Dark Castle," said Belle with a curtsy since they were using titles. "But you can just call me Belle."

"Then Victor will do. Since I'm clearly not getting you to jump back into that ridiculous hat any time soon can we at least retire from my laboratory?" asked Victor.

"Splendid, will there be drinks?" asked Jefferson. Victor rolled his eyes offering Belle his arm.

"I'm sure I have a bottle of wine somewhere."

OUAT

They left the lab and settled in a small but nice living room. Victor poured out some wine.

"You've downgraded to a small place since we last met," commented Jefferson.

"Yes, well my first experiment didn't go quite as hoped and I've had to go into something of an exile. Not that it's stopped me from my studies."

"What exactly was your experiment?" Belle asked.

"I wanted to resurrect my brother. It didn't quite work as planned."

"I thought dead was dead." said Belle.

"In a world of pure magic perhaps but science can do much. It just...didn't do it completely."

"Ah so that is the argument my husband mentioned he'd end up in if he came," said Belle. Victor nearly choked on his wine.

"Husband? Wait. You're Rumplestiltskin's WIFE?"

"Yes," said Belle simply.

"Brilliant, now I've got his little helper and his wife here to badger me," she heard him mutter.

"I take offense to that I'm hardly little. That's Belle." Quipped Jefferson and Belle rolled her eyes.

"Look we came because Rumple is in need of some ingredients. None of which are available in our realm."

"What sort of ingredients?" asked Victor.

"The morbid kind. a heart, a kidney and a tooth from a world of almost no magic," read off Jefferson.

"Like you my husband enjoys experimenting and well sometimes the ingredients are of a unique nature," said Belle.

"And you thought I'd have these?"

"You do have something of a history," said Jefferson with a shrug. Victor rolled his eyes.

"What do I get in return?"

"Gold," said Belle. "You said you are in exile and had to downgrade, presumably meaning you are on limited funds. I also imagine from your lab that your studies are not without their expenses." she could tell from the way Victor shifted she'd hit the mark.

"You can negotiate on his behalf?" asked Victor.

"Of all the things to offer gold is the one Rumple would be least concerned about I assure you." said Belle. And it was true. They really did have more gold than one knew what to do with and Rumple was capable of making infinitely more.

"Well, you aren't wrong. Funds are a bit tight at the moment. Especially given how I'm rather an outcast at the moment."

"I'm sorry you experiment to save your brother didn't work properly," said Belle quietly placing her hand over Victor's.

"As am I. He was the better of the two of us."

"Losing the ones, we love is difficult," she told him sympathetically.

"Yes, it is. Thats precisely why I hope one day to make it so that science can defy that boundary of life and death."

"Personally, I think as painful as it is the dead ought to stay that way. I've never heard of any form of resurrection in my travels magical or scientific that didn't end up in grief for both the person that died and the one that wanted them back," said Jefferson swirling his wine.

"You may have a point, but scientists are meant to push the boundaries of nature." countered Victor.

"Well, I think there's just a certain type of person in general who enjoys experimenting with the unknown. It is how the entire tower of our castle got blown up," said Belle to add some levity.

"Rumplestiltskin blew up his own castle?" said Victor.

"Yes, but don't go around spreading the word," said Belle with a conspiratorial smirk.

"Mums the word," said Victor. "Well, I suppose I can help you with those ingredients after all."

"Thank you! We truly are grateful," said Belle.

"Ah but I'd like to add one more condition," said Victor with a polite smile.

"Oh?" said Belle curious as to what the man would want.

"As I said I'm something of an outcast here and good company can be hard to find. I'd be greatly obliged if you'd return some time. You can even bring the Hatter if only so your husband doesn't think I'm trying to steal away his bride."

"I'd very much enjoy that Victor thank you," said Belle who did find the good doctor's company both charming and interesting.

"Brilliant! I knew bringing you along was going to make things easier," said Jefferson with a grin.

"I'm so glad I served a purpose," quipped Belle dryly.

"Before you go perhaps, you'd like to see the gardens? I take it that this is your first time in my world." added Victor.

"Yes, it is and that sounds wonderful," said Belle taking his offered arm and they headed outside it really was strange this world the flowers were pretty in shape of course but like the rest of the world they were painted in shades of black and white. She stroked the petals of what was clearly a rose however instead of red it appeared dark grey.

"It's truly fascinating the differences between our worlds," she commented.

"Yes, I admit your realm has it's beauties. But I'm afraid for all its lovely color I'll take scientific improvements of my time here to the more archaic world of the Enchanted Forest.

"That's fair," said Belle with a smile. "But then I think most of us would prefer our homes."

"Well technically Alice is from good old Wonderland and wild horses couldn't make that woman live there," snorted Jefferson with a laugh.

"Well, that's Wonderland," said Belle. "From what I've heard there aren't many sane people that would want to live there."

"Sane. That's what we're calling my wife. Right," snarked Jefferson.

"I didn't realize you were married Hatter," said Victor.

"Yes, met a lovely slightly murderous woman not long after my dealings with you. It was all quite nice." said Jefferson.

"You know you'll have to tell me that one sometime," said Belle as they returned to the house and Victor went and retrieved the ingredients.

"Certainly."

"There you go, right as ordered. When can I expect my gold?" asked Victor.

"As soon as Jefferson and I get back and pick it up," said Belle with a smile.

"Shouldn't be too long. Time doesn't vary that much between our realm and yours." said Jefferson taking off his hat and preparing to throw it.

"Well, I trust you to keep your word. It was a pleasure to meet you Belle," Victor kissed the back of her hand. "Before you go allow me to give you a parting gift." He stepped over and gave her large wooden object with a golden horn and a disc on it. "It's a phonograph. It plays music. With your curiosity for worlds, I figure you might like something from another one."

"Thank you, Victor. That's very kind of you. I do hope to see you again," said Belle before pulling away and jumping into the now swirling vortex that was Jefferson's hat.

OUAT

Rumple glanced up as the doorway appeared in his hall and Belle and Jefferson stepped out. Belle was carrying a strange wooden object with a golden sort of horn.

"Well? Did he cooperate?"

"Your dear wife charmed him into helping yes," said Jefferson. Rumple narrowed his eyes but before he could say anything Belle swooped down and kissed him once she'd set down the object.

"Don't even start, Victor is a perfectly lovely man with no dishonorable intentions at all. Jefferson was there the whole time. And before we left, he gifted us this object called a phonograph."

"Right," said Rumple ignoring the object for now. "So, what did he want gold?"

"Precisely," said Jefferson. With a wave of his hand Rumple transformed the pile of golden thread into a large number of golden coins in a sack charmed to be weightless.

"Take it back to him," he said handing it to Jefferson.

"As you wish your Darkness!" he said with a mocking bow. "When I get back Alice and I need to talk with you."

"I wonder what they want to discuss," said Belle curiously.

"I'm just as in the dark as you are," said Rumple curiosity aroused by the strange comment.

Jefferson returned not long after resetting the hat and popping back to his cottage to grab Pip.

Once they were all in the castle the four took a seat in front of the fire.

"What is it?" asked Belle. Rumple had to admit the Hatter and Pip both appeared quite solemn.

"It's about Grace," said Pip.

"It's something wrong with her?" said Rumple brow furrowing in concern.

"No no nothing like that," said the Hatter. "But you see. Alice and I have been talking and we've realized we've both made our fair share of enemies and while we're careful both in our daily life and when we run trips for you, there's always the chance something might happen to us."

"In that case we need someone we can rely on for Grace to go to. So, we'd like to ask that the two of you be her godparents." said Pip. Rumple dropped his goblet in shock.

"You do realize exactly what you just said Pip?"

"Yes," said the blond raising an eyebrow.

"You just asked the DARK ONE to be your child's godparent. Belle, I understand but me..."

"No, we just asked the two people we trust most in the world one of whom HAPPENS to be the Dark One, to be Grace's godparent," said Jefferson.

"That's a lot of trust to put in us are you sure?" said Belle.

"Absolutely, Grace already loves you, you two like her and would both protect her with your lives, and this way there's no risk of anyone else swooping in and grabbing her." said Pip. When put like that it did actually sound almost reasonable.

"I didn't do particularly well with my own son and you would put the care of your child in my hands?" asked Rumple softly.

"You made a mistake Rum. But I've never seen a parent that loved as fiercely as you." said Pip.

"The very first day we met you wanted to know how much I valued my child. Well right now I value her enough to put her future in the hands of someone who can both provide for her and protect her should anything happen to us," said Jefferson firmly.

"Rumple? I'd be willing but what about you?" asked Belle. Rumple sighed.

"If you are truly sure of your choice. Then I will accept this honor."

"Thank you," said Pip with a smile.

"But I suggest we get it in writing because nobody is going to bloody believe this," Rumple added and they all shared a laugh.

Author's Note: So new godparents! And Victor makes an appearance. Because I felt he was a bit underutilized in the show and would be a nice little otherworldly connection. Plus we get the origin of that phonograph we see in his castle which certainly wouldn't have come from the Enchanted Forest. Anyway! Let me know what you think in the comments below! As usual thank you to everyone for reading! Until next week (When we again depart the land of fluff!)