Saved By A Spinner (Rumbelle)

Chapter 2

The next morning, Rumpelstiltskin, after eating breakfast with Baelfire, left their small home and made his way to Belle's without Baelfire knowing. He didn't have to worry about Milah, for she was drowning herself in whiskey at the local tavern. He hated to leave Baelfire all alone, but he needed to see Belle.

As Rumpelstiltskin arrived at Belle's cottage, he saw her desperately trying to hang her clothing on a clothes line. She had her walking stick in one hand, trying to keep from falling on her broken leg, and the other hand fumbling around with a clothes pin and the sleeve of a gown.

"Good morning, Belle," Rumpelstiltskin greeted, startling Belle and making her drop her clothes pin.

"Oh! Good morning, Rumpelstiltskin. You startled me," Belle said, turning to face him. "I didn't know you'd be arriving so early. I would have put on some tea."

"Don't worry about it, dearie. I've already eaten. Would you like some help with that?" He asked, gesturing to the clothes.

"Oh, that's alright. This is the last one. I just can't seem to keep it on the line. Every time I try to pin it, it slips to the ground."

"Here, you hold it, and I'll pin it." Rumpelstiltskin took the clothes pin from her hand, and, while Belle held onto the dress, he secured it to the line.

"Thank you, Rumpelstiltskin! I've been trying to hang that for the past ten minutes! Won't you please allow me to prepare you some tea?"

"Well, I guess one cup wouldn't hurt." Belle smiled and led him inside.

"Please, make yourself comfortable, Rumpelstiltskin. I'll be right back with your tea." Belle, with the help of her walking stick, scurried into the kitchen and prepared some tea. She set two cups and a kettle on a tray and carried it with one hand back into the room.

"Here you are, Rumple," Belle said, setting his cup on the small table in front of him. As she turned to pick up the kettle, her hip hit against Rumpelstiltskin's cup, knocking it to the ground.

"Oh my! I'm terribly sorry, Rumpel. I didn't mean to knock it off." Belle bent down and picked the cup up, frowning at the small chip in the rim. "There seems to be a chip in the cup. You can use mine, if you'd like."

"That's alright, Belle. I don't mind the chip. I think it adds more character to the cup," Rumpelstiltskin joked. Belle nodded and poured the tea into both glasses.

"So tell me, Rumpel. Why are you here so early in the morning?" Belle inquired, sitting on the chair opposite from Rumpelstiltskin's.

"I wanted to see you," Rumpelstiltskin shyly admitted, hiding his face behind his cup.

"That's very sweet of you, but I thought you said you had a wife and son. Wouldn't you rather be spending your time with them?"

"Well, Milah, my wife, and I don't get along so well. I won't burden you with my problems, though. You don't want to here my life story."

"I would enjoy to learn more about you, Rumpelstiltskin. Please, tell me. Start from the beginning, if you will."

Rumpelstiltskin contemplated her request. He didn't know if he should. What if she hated him because of his cowardice? Milah surely had. She reminded him everyday of it. Though something told him that Belle wouldn't do that to him. It told him that she would be understanding. Although he highly doubted that and expected her rejection, he began his tale.

"When I was a child, my mother left my father and I to fend for ourselves. We weren't enough for her. My father didn't care for me well. He would gamble our money, and, whatever he won, he would use at the nearest tavern. He would come home reeking of whiskey with the occasional drunken harlot hanging on his arm."

"When I turned eight, he made a deal with a fairy. The terms were that if he gave me up, he could live forever. I guess those were conditions that he could live with, for he didn't waste a moment with his agreement. He left me, turning into a young boy and flying away to Neverland right before my eyes. I was terrified. I was all alone in the middle of the woods with limited food and water."

"I traveled back to my village, where I met three older spinstresses. The kind women took me in and cared for me until I was of age to marry. I met Milah when I was eighteen. We were young and foolish. She wanted to marry anyone so she could prove something to her parents. I just wanted someone to love. I only courted her for two months before we married. We never really were what you'd call a happy couple."

"It only got worse when I entered the Ogre Wars. At first she seemed proud of me. I finally thought our marriage was looking up. I was all suited up, standing around the campground with the other fighters, when a seer caught my attention. She told me of Milah's pregnancy. She said that my boy would grow up fatherless. I couldn't do that to my child, not like my father did to me."

"The night before we were to be sent to war, I hid behind a tent, lifted a sledgehammer over my head, and brought it down on my ankle, instantly shattering it. The others found me lying on the ground, cradling my ankle and crying out in pain."

"They sent me home with the other injured men, labeling me a coward for not staying and fighting. When I arrived home, I was met with an angered Milah and a new baby boy which she had named Baelfire. I loved him the moment I laid my eyes on him."

"Milah was not happy that I had come home. She's told me many times that she wished I would have stayed and been killed by the ogres instead of coming home and disgracing her. She can't stand being married to the town coward. She goes to the tavern almost every night, leaving me and Bae to fend for ourselves. She usually stays all night, leaving me to fetch her in the morning."

"She always smells of whiskey, and I know she sells herself to other men. I just don't want Bae to grow up without a mother in his life. I can't do that to my boy. I'm terrified, though. He's getting to the age where he's old enough to fight in those dreaded Ogre Wars. He's thirteen, and I know they get any available boy at the age of fourteen. His birthday is coming up. I can't let them take him, Belle. I'd rather die than see Bae sent to his death in those wars," Rumpelstiltskin finished, tears running down his face.

Belle stared at him, her own tears shining in her eyes, threatening to spill. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. He had had a terrible childhood, only to end up being married to a harlot who hated him for wanting to come home to his family. She placed a comforting hand on his knee.

"Rumpel, I had no idea. I can't believe you put up with that...that...harlot. I'm sorry to say that to you, but she is. I wish I could help you in some way. Where is your boy now?"

"He's at home. I believe Milah's still at the tavern. I don't care what she does to me, I just wish she would try to be a better mother to Baelfire. I'd do anything for that boy. I wish I could say the same about her," Rumpelstiltskin sighed.

"Could I meet Baelfire? I'd really like to see this boy that you love so much. I would like to be a part of your life, Rumpel. You're the only friend I've ever had, and you're a wonderful one."

"Maybe. I can't let Milah find out about you, though. She might take it the wrong way. I don't want to have another reason for her to hate me. I doubt Bae would say anything to her, though. Maybe I'll bring him along sometime." Belle smiled.

"I'd like that a lot, Rumpel." Rumpelstiltskin spent the next few hours in Belle's wonderful company, completely forgetting about Milah.
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A/N: I know that Rumpelstiltskin's childhood and life are not the same as on the show. I wanted to make it somewhat mine, but also keep most of the original story in there. Please review and tell me what you thought. I hope you enjoy the chapter!!