Lacey felt utterly elated at the judge's words. She was free. Finally free. Beaming she turned to Robert and threw her arms around him in a hug.
"Thank you so much!" She felt his arms tentatively enclose about her for a moment before she pulled away still smiling.
"It was nothing," Robert replied waving away her thanks. Lacey turned to Archie and Emma.
"And thank you two as well! We couldn't have done it without you."
"I'm glad I could help," said Archie with a small smile. "I'll be in contact so we can set up a time for you to come to my office for your first session alright?"
"Alright," agreed Lacey who found it a small price to pay.
"You deserve this," said Emma who was looking satisfied. "And anything that irritates Regina is always a plus."
"All the same I can't thank you enough." Lacey replied.
"Sure. We'll have to get lunch sometime now you don't have to stay locked up in the house and you can start planning your future." agreed Emma.
"I'd like that," said Lacey as she, Emma, and Robert walked out. They said their goodbyes and Robert drove her back to his house. Once they were inside he asked.
"So have you got any ideas of what you want to do now that you are a free woman?" Lacey shook her head.
"Honestly I've just been focused on trying to get from one day to the next. Now I have something to look forward to though..." she broke off.
"Well to start with I do have something for you."
"Oh, Robert you didn't have to get me anything you've already done so much," she said earnestly as he limped into out of the living room and returned with a small box.
"Trust me, it's more of a necessity than anything else." He replied firmly. She opened the box to reveal a sleek black cell phone.
"Now that you'll be able to go out on your own and will be making friends, I figured you ought to have some way of staying in contact with people." explained Robert. "I already have my number, Fae's, Dr. Hopper's, and the Sherriff's programmed in." Lacey clicked on the contact icon and saw the four names.
"Thank you," she said. The phone was useful yes but it was more than just an electronic. It was another way for her to be free while also being safe. Truthfully having Robert on speed dial did make her feel safer for some reason.
"You're very welcome," replied Robert with a smile. A smile that she noticed he reserved for her. It made her feel oddly special.
"Right then, well I'd best contact Dr. Hopper about setting up my session and maybe Emma and Fae about a lunch date."
"A good idea," said Robert. "Far better than you and I going out to lunch in public," he added jokingly. Lacey's brow furrowed.
"Why?"
"Well, you are making a first impression for the first time since people thought you were dead. Appearing with the town monster wouldn't do you any favors," he responded self depreciatingly.
"You aren't a monster," scoffed Lacey. He might not be a strictly good man in say the sense of a knight in shining armor. But it didn't have to be all one or the other. Good and evil were far too black and white terms for humanity.
"So, you say," said Robert though he didn't sound convinced.
"A monster wouldn't have protected and helped to free me at no cost," she countered. Robert shook his head.
"We both know that while I would never demand anything of you my motives are hardly altruistic. I wouldn't do this for just anybody."
"But you did do it," countered Lacey stubbornly and Robert shook his head a wry smile playing on his lips.
"You know your memories might not be back yet, but your personality is certainly coming through. You're as stubborn as ever."
"I take that as a compliment," she said smiling.
"It was meant as one," said Robert their eyes met and they were quiet for a moment before bursting into laughter.
OUAT
Everything played out exactly as Rumple had expected and the look on Regina's face as she'd stormed out was one he wished he'd had a camera to record.
More wonderful though was the complete joy on Belle's face now that she was granted freedom. Once they were home, he gifted her with her new phone. Something that made her even more ecstatic though she'd insisted he wasn't a monster. The words brought hope to his heart that his Belle was peeking through the facade of Lacey. So, he tried a bit of banter he would have once had with Belle.
"You know your memories might not be back yet, but your personality is certainly coming through. You're as stubborn as ever."
"I take that as a compliment." she said firmly.
"It was meant as one," he replied with a crooked smile. Their eyes met and in the ensuing silence for a moment he wanted to kiss her but then the tension broke and they both laughed.
OUAT
Lacey had arranged for her lunch day with Emma, Fae, and apparently their friend Mary Margaret to be at Granny's on the weekend. Robert had said he needed to fix some things in the shop so he drove her to Granny's dropping her off a little way's down the block where Fae was waiting.
"Hello you," Fae said with a grin as she linked arms with Lacey.
"Hello, Fae," said Lacey smiling back as they walked up the walkway of the diner.
"Emma and Mary Margaret already got us a booth," the blonde explained over the tinkling bell.
As soon as she was inside the diner silence fell. A tall young waitress with dark brown hair that had a red streak in it gasped dropping the coffee cup she was holding.
Fae ignored the hullabaloo and pulled Lacey towards a booth where Emma and a sweet looking woman with a black pixie cut were sitting. She noted many people seemed to be giving the dark-haired woman the cold shoulder.
"Hi Lacey," said Emma. "This is my roommate Mary Margaret Blanchard. The woman stood up and to her surprise hugged Lacey.
"It's so wonderful to see you again! Emma mentioned what happened that must have been absolutely dreadful. I mean we all thought you were dead."
"Yeah, someone want to explain what happened and why Lacey suddenly popped up from the grave?" asked a voice and they turned to see the waitress still looking shocked.
"Long story short I was forcibly locked up and my death faked by my father. Someone was recently kind enough to break me out and Mr. Gold protected me until he could help get me officially freed which happened earlier this week." said Lacey figuring it was best to get HER version of the story out before someone like Regina tried a different narrative.
"I presume I know you?" asked Lacey. At the woman's confused look, she added.
"I'm afraid I've also got a slight case of amnesia."
"Courtesy likely of the all the drugs from being locked up," interjected Fae from the booth.
"Jesus. That's the last time Moe gets a cup of coffee from this diner," growled the woman.
"I'm Ruby. You used to come in here all the time."
"I mean it is the main eating spot in town," added Emma. Lacey smiled.
"It's nice to meet you again Ruby and you Mary Margaret. Fae mentioned you also teach at the school."
"Yes, fourth grade, it's wonderful," said Mary Margaret brightly.
"Ruby!" called an old woman with grey hair and spectacles from behind the counter.
"No rest for the wicked," muttered Ruby before placing a hand on Lacey's shoulder.
"We'll talk again later and your meal is on the house. Welcome back." the waitress then sped off.
"I can't believe Moe would do something like that," said Mary Margaret.
"Yeah, Moe's awful. Why don't we talk about something more positive?" suggested Fae.
"Good ide..." began Emma however her phone rang. She answered it gave a few short replies and then hung up.
"Everything alright?" asked Lacey.
"Sorry gotta cut this short I just got a call from the Gym teacher reporting something," replied Emma scooting out of the booth and swiftly leaving.
"Well, I guess we'll find out what that is soon enough," said Fae.
"Won't she keep it quiet?" asked Lacey.
"You can't keep anything quiet in this town," replied Fae. Mary Margaret choked a little on her hot chocolate.
"Back to more positive matters, so now you can move around freely what do you plan to do. You're still staying at Mr. Gold's?"
"There's always a room here if you need one just so you know," interjected Ruby coming back with an iced tea and some pancakes. "Your old order." Lacey smiled touched the girl remembered.
"Thank you. But I'm alright. At least until I get on my feet which I would like to do soon. I don't want to impose on Mr. Gold longer than I already have."
"Dear I don't think he minds," snickered Fae and Lacey bumped her shoulder lightly.
"Well, we haven't had a librarian since you...disappeared. Would you want to do that again?" asked Ruby.
"I do love books," admitted Lacey. The idea did indeed sound appealing.
"One problem. The mayor condemned the building not long after Lacey disappeared." said Mary Margaret.
"And you don't find that suspicious?" asked Fae. Mary Margaret shook her head and Fae rolled her eyes. Lacey had to admit Mary Margaret did seem like the type to believe the best in everyone. Though something about her did set off a bell in her head it wasn't an inherent dislike but she didn't feel the same comfortable aura she got off Emma and Fae.
"You don't think it's actually very damaged?" asked Lacey hopefully. Fae sipped her English breakfast tea.
"It might need some clean up after being abandoned but I'm willing to bet my pension it's in safe condition."
"Plus, Gold could probably get it reopened for you. Regina might be mayor but Gold owns the town," said Ruby. Lacey hated asking Robert for more but at the same time it would get her out of his house and she didn't see any other way.
"Alright I'll ask him tonight." Then she smiled. "Thank you all of you for your help."
"Don't thank us yet. We haven't even started planning our shopping spree for a new wardrobe for you," replied Fae with a slightly mad grin and Lacey laughed.
OUAT
Rumplestiltskin had picked up Belle to find her in an incredibly happy mood after her lunch date. He was pleased she was making friends. Although how could one not love her? However, he only hoped these people would stay by her when they all awoke and learned she was the wife of the Dark One.
That night as they sat in the library after their salmon dinner, Rumple had for some reason gotten excellent cooking skills courtesy of the curse, Belle brought up a topic he'd dreaded slightly ever since she'd been freed.
"So, I was talking with the girls today and we came onto the topic of what I'm going to do now I'm free." she began.
"Oh?" he asked.
"Yes." He watched her take a deep breath as if gathering her courage. The thing is...I appreciate all you've done for me including letting me stay with you. But I would like to find a way to stand on my own two feet again which includes finding a place of my own. When I was talking with Fae and the others, they mentioned I might try running the library again."
"Except Regina had it closed down after getting rid of you," said Rumplestiltskin in understanding. Lacey nodded.
"I...I HATE to ask anything of you..." she began but he cut her off.
"Firstly, this is the first time you've ever actually requested something from me. Secondly, it's hardly something frivolous. I quite agree with your friends you ought to try getting your old life back. The library is city property which complicates things a little but I'll see what I can do."
He'd do it. He'd find a way around Regina to get the library for her. Because for Belle, he would do anything. But that didn't mean he wouldn't miss the comfort of having his wife here in the same house as him even if they weren't properly together.
"Thank you, Robert. Thank you," she said before standing from her chair and embracing him.
"You are welcome Lacey," he replied savoring the contact while he could.
OUAT
"So how have things been going lately?" asked Archie. It was the second of Lacey's court mandated therapy sessions and she already was building a decent rapport with Archie who seemed to have been tailor made for this position.
"Well, I made a few more friends, Mary Margaret and Ruby. We plan to find a time to go shopping together and have some "girl time" as they call it." she began.
"So, you've been getting out a bit that's good to hear. It's important to socialize and interact with people if you want to get used to being in society again. Starting small with a few new people is a great first step." Archie affirmed.
"I think the hardest thing really is meeting these people who supposedly knew me once upon a time," sighed Lacey.
"You've had no luck in remembering anything?" Lacey shook her head.
"Nothing. The most I get is...feelings with certain people."
"What do you mean?" asked Archie.
"Well, take Mr. Gold for instance. Even when I barely knew him. Something about him made me feel as if I could trust him. And it wasn't anything he actually did or that I didn't have much of a choice. Or Fae. It makes me wonder if maybe some of my feelings about people I knew still carry over even if the memories don't."
"It's not an impossibility," admitted Archie. "Has this happened with others?"
"Yes, not everyone. I didn't get it with Ruby for instance. But it happened with Fae and Mary Margaret."
"Perhaps it's your mind's way of still trying to recover from the trauma you experienced," suggested Archie. "But let's circle back to the topic of Mr. Gold. You've brought him up more than once in our sessions."
"All two of them," said Lacey. Archie chuckled.
"Yes, all two of them. But the question stands. How do you feel about him. You were together once. Though you've said he has refused to push you about rekindling the relationship at this point." Lacey bit her lip.
"I'm certainly drawn to him. He's the one for whom these "feelings" I mentioned are always strongest. I felt I could trust him, now after all he's done I know that I can. I'm not deluded about who he is Robert's never tried to hide that but...I do enjoy his presence none the less.
You won't find a better conversationalist anywhere. He's always got some interesting story or morbidly amusing quip. He pays attention to the things I'm interested in. And he goes out of the way to help me without asking for anything in return. Even if I'm the only person that applies to. I suppose the answer to your question is...I like him. Possibly as more than a friend. More than possibly.
"Well I would of course advise caution when getting into any relationship. However, Mr. Gold has proven himself to have your best interests at heart and if both of you are interested in pursuing that route, I think you both need to have a frank conversation about your feelings and expectations." said Archie calmly.
"I'm certainly not going to rush into anything." she agreed.
"At the end of the day it's your choice. You are free now and can do whatever you wish. Simply do what you feel is right." Lacey nodded still unsure what direction she wished to take things yet though one was appearing increasingly more appealing.
"Thank you, Archie. You've given me a lot to think about." Archie smiled.
"Well, that is my job."
Author's Note: So another chapter down. This one was a tad tricky but I hope you liked it. So, Belle's feelings from who she knew in the old world are bleeding through into the new one and we might be getting close to some more cuteness. If you like the story (or have suggestions on what you want to see) PLEASE do leave a comment below! Thank you so much to everyone so far who has supported me and been leaving your kind comments. I'm still in a bit of a lump slogging from A to D but I thank you for bearing with me and encouraging me. It's notes like the ones you leave which help give me the motivation to keep trying!