The Best Tea Cup is Chipped: Book 2

Selfless, Brave, and True

Belle leaned against a bookshelf watching as Bae fiddled with the computer in the library.

"Thank you again for helping with this," she said with a smile.

"No problem. Nice to do something useful."

"So have you decided how you are going to handle the situation with Henry? Are you headed back to New York or moving to Storybrooke?" she asked. Neal shrugged.

"Honestly I've got to talk with Tamara first. I've invited her here. But I know Henry is going to need to be my priority."

"Well, I'm sure you'll work it out. I look forward to meeting her properly."

"I'm sure you'll get along," replied Neal. "Although you do tend to get along with almost everyone so that might not be a high bar." Belle laughed.

"Well, unless you're a one-handed pirate or a psychotic sorceress." Neal chuckled.

"Tamara is neither. I do have a question is true my father owns the entire town?"

"Yes, it was part of the deal in the original curse, there are a couple exceptions but most people owe him their rent."

"Damn," muttered Neal.

"Why?" she asked.

"I've been looking for someplace other than Granny's to stay, consecutive nights in a B&B isn't exactly great on my bank account. But I'd also rather not owe my father at the moment."

"Ah, I see. Thank you by the way. For giving him a second chance."

"We'll see if he deserves it," responded Neal. Belle tilted her head thinking then went to her coat and fished her key ring from it just as Neal stood up and started the computer.

"There you go. That should work. Mind you everything in this town seems to be stuck in the 80s."

"That's what happens when life stalls for 28 years," said Belle with a shrug before stepping forward.

"Ba...I mean Neal," she was still having a hard time adjusting to the name change. However, Neal held up a hand.

"Look. Clearly I'm not going to get my father to call me anything else so...if it's easier for you to call be Bae you can."

"Are you sure?" asked Belle. Bae nodded and shot her a smile.

"Yeah I am."

"Well then Bae. I know you said you wouldn't let me pay you for the work today but I do have a solution to your little housing problem."

"Oh?" he asked. Belle slid a key off her key ring and held it up.

"It belongs to the apartment upstairs. Library opens at 900 on weekdays so you may hear me or Nova my assistant down here but otherwise things should be all set. The place is already furnished."

"Like I said I don't want to..."

"Owe your father yes. I said he owned the town with some exceptions. One of which is the library which he signed over to me. He said he wanted me to have a place of my own to go to so I wouldn't feel reliant on him."

Bae looked stunned.

"He let you go?"

"Your father has a much better handle on his curse than he once did," replied Belle. "Now take the apartment no strings attached. I quite insist." She pressed the key into his palm.

"Thank you, Belle."

Suddenly the door to the library opened and Belle looked up to see her father. Immediately she reached for her phone.