17.

"You guys need a date night," Emma said abruptly one afternoon.

Belle looked up from where she had been reading on the sofa. "Date night?" she echoed, setting the book down carefully and tilting her head in question.

"Yeah, you know? Dinner, a few drinks, spending time together."

"Rumple and I spend time together," Belle answered, though she was certain that the teenager was getting at something else. She just wasn't sure what.

"Yeah, but Neal's dad never takes you anywhere."

"We go to Granny's all the time."

"That doesn't count."

Belle laughed softly at her and that didn't go over well. Emma lobbed a glare her way and the older woman raised her hands in defence. "What do you mean then?"

"I mean just the two of you and some quality time. Like Neal and I do when we go out sometimes. It's fun. It's been quiet on the crazy-people front. Take advantage while it lasts."

There were many things about that world that Belle simply didn't understand yet. She had done her best to read up on relevant histories and various other books that would help her get a handle on the differences between her own world and the one she had found herself in, but a month and a half into her search she felt like she wasn't even scraping the surface. She spent most of the days that Rumple was at the shop with her nose deep in one of the times, but even his decent sized library had a limit. Ruby had told her about the library a few days before and she had yet to carve out the time to go see it. That day seemed as good as any other.

"Belle?"

Belle looked over to where Emma sat at the other end of the couch, her knees pulled up nearly to her chin and she was watching her like she had called her name several times before. "What is it?" she asked.

"Just thinking about the library in town," the older woman confessed softly and that was obviously not what Emma wanted to hear. "I have a lot of catching up to do," she defended. "I didn't even know what a date was."

Emma snorted. "That's not something you should learn in a book," she teased and unfolded herself.

Belle smiled. "Oh I know, and I understand what you mean by it, just not the phrasing. It's a bit different in our world is all."

The blonde teen leaned forward, curiosity peeking out from behind her walls. "So how did you and Gold meet?"

She still refused to call Rumplestiltskin by his name - unlike those from their own world, Emma wasn't afraid, she simply didn't seem inclined to try to pronounce it correctly and Rumple had gotten very irritated very quickly - and she referred to Baelfire as Neal, though he hardly seemed to mind. Belle liked her though, and she liked how straightforward and honest she was about everything. "We met when he saved my town from ogres."

Emma made a face that was part confusion, mostly disbelief. "Ogres? Like the guys that live under bridges?"

Belle tried not to laugh too hard at that. "No, those are trolls, but I hear they can be quite nasty as well. Ogres are much bigger and were a real problem for some time. Not for Rumple, of course."

"So, what, you just fell head over heels after the guy that saved you?"

"Not quite. I went to work for him as payment and he... Well he grows on you." Belle felt the smile take hold and it just wouldn't go away. "There's a lot more to him than he wishes the world to see."

"Neal's kind of like that. I guess you have to be if you're from another world or something. I still think it's all crazy, but it also makes a little more sense. I think he tried to tell me things in his own way, you know?"

"Lying to the one you love must be one of the most difficult things in the world," Belle mused, her eyes sweeping over all the books on the shelves. As beautiful as the words were, not one of them could do True Love justice. There was nothing quite like being in the middle of it.

"I just know there's a ton more," Emma murmured. "Not because he's hiding it, but he's just been through so much. Like Neverland. Who knew, right? Apparently Disney got it wrong."

Blue eyes stilled on the spine of one book in particular and Belle reached out. It was the same book of stories that they had let Mary Margaret borrow to read to that had woken up their John Doe. His name was David, Belle now knew, and he was Snow White's Prince Charming. He certainly didn't act like it in this world, but he was cursed. Few people acted as themselves in Storybrooke. She had glanced through the book a couple of times and Rumple had agreed that there was something otherworldly about it even before they had seen the stories that the pages told. It seemed to have a habit of popping up just when it was needed, and she thought it might be needed at that moment. She flipped it open and handed it over to Emma.

"What's this? The book Mary Margaret was reading?" the teen asked.

"Best Rumple could guess, he thinks the curse created it. We found some very familiar stories in there."

Emma smiled when she looked at the page Belle had opened to. "Aww," she cooed. "This kid kind of looks like a young Neal."

"That's because it is. At least that's what Rumple said."

Hazel eyes widened. "He's in this book?" she asked, flipping through the story and scanning the pages.

When Belle had brought the book to Rumple he hadn't wanted to talk about the story. He was never shown directly, but Bae was and the story detailed out how the Duke that ruled over their homeland had tried to take a fourteen year old Baelfire away from him to war and what a desperate father had been willing to do to save him. Emma was reading it as fast as she could and Belle pursed her lips together thoughtfully. "Might be best if you don't mention this to Rumple."

"Yeah, I could see where he could get a little touchy about everything being written out so plainly," Emma mused. "I guess it could probably be dangerous if someone got ahold of it, couldn't it? This whole thing about the dagger is a little intense. Why didn't he destroy the pages or something?"

"Because all magical dealings come with a price," a familiar voice said from the doorway and both young women whirled to see Rumplestiltskin standing there. His dark eyes were fixed on the book and he looked very much like he was holding his opinions on the fact Belle had shared it to himself. "Destroying it without understanding it could invite more trouble than I wish to add to the situation."

"Ah," Emma said noncommittally. "Are you going to make me give it back now?"

Rumple chuckled. "My dear, if I was too worried about those in this house reading it I would never have left it on the shelf. I'm very careful about who I let through my front door." He paused, eying it. "I would appreciate it if you kept it here though."

"Sure," the teen answered hesitantly and glanced at Belle. "I'm going to go look through it some more." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "Don't forget to ask."

"Ask what?" Rumple murmured as Emma brushed past him.

Belle laughed softly as she stood. "I thought you were at the shop until dinner," she said and crossed the space between them.

A sly smile tripped the corners of his lips. "Not expecting me home so soon?" he teased as she wrapped her arms around his middle and hugged him.

"A happy surprise," she assured him.

"Good," he murmured and kissed the top of her head. "Now what are you suppose to ask me?"

She felt her cheeks heat a bit. "I'm suppose to ask you what a date is."

Rumplestiltskin chuckled and tightened his hold on her. "A date, you say?"

Belle felt very silly now. "Emma said that we should have a date night and I wasn't sure of the term and she explained and told me I should ask you about it."

"Well, I do think she may be right," her love said and released her. "How about I make a reservation for us tonight? We can have a proper date."

"I think that sounds perfect, Rumple," Belle answered and he pulled her hand up to his lips to press a kiss to her knuckles and she could almost feel the same rush of True Love racing through her system that she did the day they had shared a kiss in the Dark Castle. Here, though, they were free of his curse and from all that brought with it. They could be together and love each other. She might not always understand it, but Belle was quite certain that she liked the land that they were in.

Magnus had sacrificed much over the years, but in doing so he had learned to pick his battles. Caiden had brought word to him just hours after Soren and Silas were arrested and nothing was safe from the lead cleric's furious outburst. Two witnesses had come forward and had identified the twins as the men that had attacked and beaten the so-assumed Mr Gold in the alley behind his shop. They had been locked away and, according to Caiden, were awaiting trial. In one fail swoop Rumplestiltskin had taken them out of the game and had secured Geppetto's wellbeing. Going after the puppet's father now would only bring unwanted attention on them and the Dark One knew that. He had to.

He hadn't given though. He was a cleric of a proud lineage and had fought to destroy one of the most evil curses in all the worlds for over a millennia now. He refused to be bullied into a deal of any kind, even if the Dark One made no move to protect himself with it. That within itself was an uncharacteristic move that set Magnus on edge.

It had taken two weeks for him to bend to the demands. It was only after the eviction notice had been served to the fairies, a notice of debts he knew had been created by the curse had been tacked to his own door, and further debts called on several clerics under his charge, both in and out of his inner circle. In the end, it was the fact that the sheriff had arrived at Caiden's door with a warrant for his arrest on charges of falsifying evidence on a trial that had never actually happened that caused Magnus to sign the Dark One's agreement. It was more of a non-interference agreement. As long as Baelfire or the little savior - and whoever else the Dark One wanted to claim as his family - didn't bother Magnus or his clerics, Magnus would let them be. In the same way, Gold would cease his legal attack on those that followed Magnus.

Like magic, everything quieted down as soon as the terms had been agreed to. The calls over the debts ceased and Caiden was released. Soren and Silas, though, remained where they were, though talk of sending them across the town line for their trial was quite suddenly dropped.

"The threat remains," Reul Ghorm reminded him quietly. "Not just to Soren and Silas, but to all of us. This world is different than our own, and I fear Rumplestiltskin may have been put down in a better place than we were to manipulate it."

Magnus growled lowly, hands gripping at the desk in which he stood at. "I will not be out maneuvered. Have you found the puppet yet?"

"Pinocchio is not responding," the Blue Fairy answered softly.

"Not since we lost our leverage on him."

She was frowning. He could practically hear it. "Perhaps we should never have used his father against him to begin with."

"And how do you suppose that we would have gotten what we need from him?"

"We would have found a way. Good doesn't need leverage."

Magnus snorted. "You forget yourself, Reul Ghorm, and you forget who you are speaking to. I have known you many, many years and I am no fool. I know the lengths you are willing to go to in order to achieve what you set out for."

"Some things are necessary for the greater good, but-"

"If it is indeed the greater good, then anything may become necessary if it is to reach it. Don't underestimate my resolve. Rumplestiltskin will die, even if I have to burn the worlds to make it happen."

"There are some things that I hope even you wouldn't sacrifice," Blue snapped tightly. "If you break this deal with him, if you go after his family, he will go after yours. He has already proven that much."

The question hadn't caught him entirely off guard. In fact, Bae had brought it up to him while they had been at the shop and teased him for not really knowing what to do in the situation. It wasn't like dating was a tradition in the Enchanted Forest, not like it was in Storybrooke. It wasn't like their relationship would have allowed for it anyway, but that little fact remained unspoken.

Rumplestiltskin had made the arrangements - he even had made a trip over to Moe French's flower shop and had dealt with excuses he hadn't asked for - and thought he had everything in order, but he couldn't have been prepared for the rush he felt as she made her way down the stairs in a new blue dress, hair loose around her shoulders, and a shy smile tilting her lips. Emma hovered just behind, smirking like the whole event had been her doing. He must have been staring, though, because Belle shifted a little self consciously. "Is it too much?" she asked, looking down at what must have been a new dress. "I wasn't quite sure where we were going or what we were doing."

"It's perfect," Rumplestiltskin said quickly and tried to regain control of himself. Belle certainly wouldn't want to be on the arm of a stammering fool that evening. "You look lovely." He swallowed hard and offered her the collection of roses that he'd bought earlier and her smile lit the room just as it had all those years ago when the beast she had been so determined wasn't quite so bad had given her a single rose. "If you'll have them," he echoed the words from back then softly and he hadn't thought her grin could widen.

"Thank you, Rumple," she answered and tipped up on her toes to press a kiss to his lips. "They're beautiful."

Rumplestiltskin was certain that he was going to stumble over anything further that he tried to say, so he kept his mouth shut. He was a bundle of nerves and all rather suddenly.

"Have fun," Bae offered from the door with a wink that was not helpful. At all.

Once they were in the car Belle giggled. "Let me guess, Bae put you up to this as much as Emma encouraged it?"

Rumplestiltskin ducked his head a bit as the engine came to life and the heater struggled to warm the car. "He mentioned it, but I'd say it's past time." While his curse wasn't very loud in the Land Without Magic, its influence over the past centuries had coloured the way he approached things in life. He hadn't been ready for an outside influence to remind him that perhaps he should remember that a human man resided under the curse, at least not when Belle had first come to the Dark Castle. His son, though, didn't let any height of wall deter him from reminding his papa that the self-focused, self-preserving reaction years under his curse had instilled in him wasn't always the way to go. Bae tried to be as subtle about it as he knew how, but often, like that afternoon when he had had very bluntly told his father that he shouldn't keep Belle cooped up in the house, he told him exactly what he needed to hear. It made him wonder if he might have balanced himself out a little bit if he'd managed to hold onto Baelfire in the early days of his curse. If his wonderful boy could have talked him out of the murderous rages that took hold. They could have lived a very different life if he had.

"Well, I'm excited," Belle confessed. "I attended a few balls during my engagement to Gaston, but I always felt more like a prop than someone he was interested in getting to know and to care for."

Rumplestiltskin snorted. He had his own opinions on Gaston, but there was no reason to sour the night with that.

"I'm not sure I knew there was anywhere else to eat besides Granny's."

"There are a few limited options. Bella Notte is what passes for the fancy restaurant."

"I suppose in a town where happy endings don't exist there's not a great deal of need for a place like that, is there?" she whispered sadly as they pulled into a parking spot in front of the restaurant.

Rumplestiltskin frowned a little. "I suppose not."

Belle reached over and took hold of his hand, squeezing it. "Good thing we're not under it. We'll find ours, and hopefully the curse will break soon and everyone else can find theirs as well."

"You're too good for me," he murmured and his love leaned over to kiss his cheek.

"Don't say that. You're not nearly as terrible as you pretend to be. Perhaps not even as much as you think you are."

He didn't dare disagree with her again on it so he lifted her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to it before opening his door and moved around to take her arm. She took it readily and they walked into the restaurant together.

Rumplestiltskin had never actually eaten at the little Italian place before. He stopped by like clockwork every month to collect rent, but had never stayed. Bae had taken Emma there on New Year's Eve, though, and had seemed to like it. The bartender - who was also the owner - offered a short, rather nervous nod as they followed the young lady that showed them to their seats and came to greet them personally.

"Mr Gold, I saw your name on the reservations. I hope everything will be to your liking. If you need anything, all you need to do is ask."

"Thank you."

Belle, for her part, looked impressed. "He's friendly."

"He's the owner. Likely he's frightened I'll raise their rent if the food is bad."

That brought a laugh from her. "You wouldn't, would you? Not really?"

"Well, I suppose that depends on how bad it was," Rumplestiltskin teased and she smiled.

"I have faith that it will be excellent. Perhaps you'll even lower their rent because of it?"

He chuckled. "There you go giving me far too much credit again, my dear."

The waiter came, took their order, and left again. Belle chattered on pleasantly about Storybrooke and the learning curve that it had turned out to be. She was almost through the books Rumplestiltskin kept in the house - impressive, but he'd seen how she could get when there was knowledge to be learned - and thought she might look into trying to find a way to get into the library to see what she could find stored away in there.

"I'm sure I can find the key to get in," he offered, the first words he had spoken since she had started talking. He had taken advantage of the pause that came with sipping at her wine to slip in, but apparently it was just the right thing to say. Her bright eyes lit just a little more.

"Really? Can you really, Rumple?"

Well, at least he could manage to do a few things right. Maybe he could continue to learn. "Of course. I'll reach out to the appropriate people in the morning. If all goes well, you'll have access by lunch."

Belle was nearly bouncing with excitement. She managed to get it under control as the owner walked up to the table to personally deliver the food. "Thank you," she whispered.

Rumplestiltskin smiled. "For you, anything," he said softly.

Bae wished he could say that he and Emma had set up his papa and Belle's date for completely unselfish reasons, but he couldn't quite lie to himself that well. They were downstairs, curled into each other in front of the fireplace and enjoying the quiet. Magnus had remained quiet after whatever threats Rumplestiltskin had levelled at him, and while they all knew it wouldn't last, it was at least a night that they could enjoy the temporary peace.

"So Regina cast the curse, right?" Emma asked as she leaned heavily back into him and he wrapped his arms around her. "Why doesn't she just rewrite his memory or something?"

"I don't think she can," Bae murmured.

"Can we just shove him over the town line? You said no one could leave. Maybe he'd catch on fire or something?"

He tried not to laugh, but failed and paid the price for it. She jabbed him hard enough in the ribs that he choked on the laugh. "Seriously, you watch too many movies."

"Okay Mr Son of Rumplestiltskin, tell me what would happen then."

"Well I don't know. It's not like I'm going to go grab the first cursed person I can find and toss them over the line."

"Maybe you and I could bait Magnus into following is across," she said thoughtfully.

"Papa would kill me if we tried to bait Magnus into anything," Baelfire sighed.

"I guess I just don't get why, with the crazy amount of power they have between them, your dad and Regina haven't wrapped this up yet."

"They're biding time. They can twist the curse to do a lot, but not everything, and Magnus has a lot of people willing to die for him. People that we don't know who they are here. That, and it wouldn't do a lot of good to do something too obvious and have the whole town turn on them."

"Yeah, I guess I could see that. It's just… He can't keep him hedged in forever," Emma said quietly. "You going to be okay with whatever he has to do to end this?"

Bae pulled in a deep breath as she shifted around to meet his eyes. His papa was capable of some truly horrific things, but he'd always said that he needed to do them to keep them safe. Now that seemed to be true.

Even so, he didn't want to see anyone that was innocent get hurt, and sometimes - at least when he was young - his papa could get carried away. "I won't let him lose himself to it, but I'll do my best not to hold what he thinks has to be done against him either."

Emma nodded thoughtfully, but if she was going to follow up with anything it was lost to the sound of a car door shutting outside. Her eyes grew wide. "They're home early."

Bae glanced at the clock on the wall. "Nah. It's later than we thought. C'mon, let's give them some privacy."

"Too old for childhood trauma?" Emma asked with a suggestive grin.

"Yes."

She probably shouldn't have had that last glass of wine, Belle decided as she stubbed her toe on a loose brick and nearly fell face first. She was far from drunk, certainly, but a little less steady than she had proven to be in the heels that were so fantastic in this world. Rumple reached a hand out to her and steadied her, and to be honest she didn't want him to let go. She didn't want to walk into that house and for him - the utter gentleman that he had been since she had regained her memories and before - to walk her up to her room and kiss her goodnight before returning to his own.

The warmth of the inside of the house hit her rather suddenly and she looked around. Lights had been left on for them and she could hear the crackling of the logs from the fireplace in the sitting room. She shrugged Rumple's coat from her shoulders and handed it to him, letting him put it up on the rack. He looked a bit chilled, but didn't bother to say so as he turned soft brown eyes on her. "So, what did you think of the date?"

Belle smiled and took his hands in her own. "I loved it," she said and tipped up, pressing a kiss to his lips. She felt his fingers tighten around her own, and she sank back down. "Does it have to end?"

"It's getting rather late," he said reluctantly. "I do need to get some work done tomorrow, especially if you want to go look at your library."

"My library?" she echoed.

A small smile perked his lips. "Well, it's been closed. No one else has made any sort of claim on it. I suspect you're best suited for the job. If you want it, that is."

When he had told her that he would get her the key, she had assumed that she would have a chance to look around and possibly even to grab a few books to take home with her. Now, though, it sounded as if she would have the run of the place. She could spend her days sorting through the tomes while Rumple was in the shop and find out everything that she didn't know about this world. She could open it up as a place where children could come read and people could come to learn. Few things could make her happier, and he handed it to her as if it were nothing. Belle launched herself forward, nearly taking him off his feet in her excitement. "Thank you!"

He chuckled as he regained his balance and wrapped an arm around her. "Well, I said you'd have it, didn't I? And aren't I a man of my word?"

Belle giggled as she kissed his nose. "Always," she assured him. Their eyes met and he smiled. There was always so much more behind his smiles than one could see on the surface, but even if it took the rest of their lives she was willing to peel back the layers that life had him hidden under to find the man beneath.

"To bed with you," he murmured and started forward, his fingers laced with hers as they climbed the stairs.

When they reached the top, though, Belle stopped. "Rumple?"

He paused, looking a bit tired when he turned. "Yes, sweetheart?"

"I don't want it to end."

He blinked at her and slowly understanding seeped into his expression. She thought she might have even seen him turn just a little red in the cheeks. "Alright," he said hesitantly.

"Give me just a moment." Belle didn't give him a chance to say no before she darted into the room and slipped into her pajamas. It only took a moment, but by the time she had made it back out he was already in his room. The door remained opened just a little, though, and she pushed it enough to step inside. He had managed to change as well and was seated on his bed, looking exhausted. He smiled for her, though, and she returned it as she moved forward.

"Belle, I just want to make sure-" he started, but she never let him finish. Instead she bent to kiss him. His hands came up, fingers tangled into her hair as the kiss deepened and she gave a short laugh as she toppled into the bed with him.

"I love you," she told him firmly when they broke for air, their eyes locked. "I'm sure of that."

TBC

Notes: Because, damn it all, they needed a date! Have I mentioned how much I love Rumbelle fluff? I love Rumbelle fluff.

So, I have a confession to make: a different fandom plot bunny has been gnawing at my ankle. It's a vicious little thing, but I'm managing to punt it off with short stories rather than an epic long one... at least until I finish BtW. If anyone likes Blacklist, the collection is under the title Truth in the Lies.

Next time: The brief time of peace between Rumple and his enemies comes to an end.