Once Upon A Time ~ Book 1

Chapter 67 - Belle And Rumplestiltskin

Emma stood in front of a desk in the sherif's station. There was a white sheet over the desk and Mr. Gold stood by it.
Emma pulled the sheet off the desk to reveal ornaments, jewellery boxes, cutlery, plates, vases, maps and other antiques that had been stolen from Mr. Gold.
He stepped closer and examined the antiques.
"Your welcome." said Emma. "You were right, your man Moe ripped you off. It was all still at his place." She sat down at the desk.
"And the man himself?"
"Closing in on him."
"So, job well half-done, then."
"In less than a day, I got everything back. Is something wrong?"
"You've recovered nothing. There's something missing." he walked to the door.
"I'll get it when I find him." she said to his back.
"Not if I find him first." he said, not looking at her.

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Rumplestiltskin picked up the chipped cup full of tea and looked up as he saw Belle walk towards him.
He walked to his chair and Belle sat on the long wooden table. She gazed at Rumplestiltskin standing by his chair."Why did you want me here?" she asked.
"The place was filthy." he took a sip from his tea and Belle tilted her head in disbelieve.
"I think you were lonely. I mean, any man would be lonely.
"Well, I'm not a man." he said after a moment. He sat leaned on the table next to her.
"So I've had a couple of months to look around, you know? And.....upstairs, there's...... clothing. Small, as if for a child?"
Rumplestiltskin sighed.
"Was it yours or was there a son?"
He thought for a moment then he turned his head to look at her."There was........... There was a son........ I lost him........ As I did his mother."
"I'm sorry....."
They sat in deep thought for a moment.
"So you were a man once. An ordinary man." she looked at him, but got no reply. "If I'm never going to know another person in my whole life, can't I at least know you?"
He stood straight and looked at her. "Perhaps, perhaps you just want to learn the monster's weaknesses. No, no, no."
"You're not a monster." she smiled. "You think you're uglier than you are. That's why you cover all the mirrors up, isn't it?"
He opened his mouth to say something but then there came a pounding on the front doors.

Rumplestiltskin walked to the front doors alone and waved his hands to open them.
Out side stood Gaston, in shining armor, brandishing his sword.
"I am Sir Gaston. And you, Beast, have taken........"
Rumplestiltskin grined and clicked his fingers.
Gaston disappeared in a poof of smoke and only a red rose lay in his place on the pebbled ground.

Rumplestiltskin walked back into the room where Belle awaited.
"Who was that?" she asked walking towards him.
"Just an old woman selling flowers." he lied and pulled the dark red rose from behond his back. "Here."
"Ahhh......" she smiled.
"If you'll have it."
Belle took the flower. "Why, thank you." she curtised and he bowed. She gleamed and walked away.
"You had a life, Belle......." said Rumplestiltskin. "........before this........"
Belle searched through a box as he spoke and took scissors from it.
".........Friends and family. What made you choose to come here with me?" he sat down at his table.
Belle opened a glass cabinet. "Heroism. Sacrifice. You know, there aren't a lot of opportunities for women in this land to show what they can do." she took a golden vase from the glass cabinet then closed it again. "To see the world, to be heroes. So when you arrived that was my chance." she walked to the table, the vase, the red rose and scissors in her hands. "I always wanted to be brave...... I figured, do the brave thing and bravery will follow." she cut the end if the stem and put the rose into the vase.
"And is it everything you hoped?"
She smiled and placed the vase in the middle of the table. "Well....... I did want to see the world." she sat on the table again. "That part didn't work out. But I did save my village."
"And what about your......... betrothed?"
"It was an arranged marriage. Honestly, I never really cared much for Gaston."
He smiled.
"No. To me, love is layered. Love is a mystery to be uncovered. You know, I could never truly give my heart to someone as superficial as he."
He shook his head and gazed at Belle.
"But you were going to tell me about your son."
"I'll tell you what. I'll make you a deal. Go to town and fetch me some straw. When you return, I'll share my tale."
"But, you........... Town?" she said, surprised.
He nodded.
"You trust me to come back?"
"Oh, no........... I expect I'll never see you again."

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Ruby, Ashley and Mary Margaret sat at a table in a bar. Ashley took shots and Mary Margaret and Ruby sipped at a glass of wine.
"Pace yourself, Ashley." said Mary Margaret.
"I am. This is the first night out since I've had the baby. I'm making up for lost time." she took another shot.
Ruby gazed a the men standing by the bar. "Ash, check out those guys." she said.
She glanced over at the men. "Honey, I'm still with Sean."
"You're not married. And he's not here."
"He's working."
"He's always working. Have fun moping. She stood up with her glass of white wine and walked briskly towards the men, leaving only Ashley and Mary Margaret at the table.
"She's right." said Ashley, staring at Ruby wearing her short red dress and her dark hair covering her back. "He is always working. I thought love would be different."
"Me, too." she took a sip of wine.

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David stood in the store then walked from the shelf of Valentine's cards to the quew by the till. He held two valentine's cards. One with a dog and another with a prince and a princess.
"Two valentines?" said Mr. Gold standing in front of him in the quew. He held a few bills, duck tape and some rope. "Sounds like a complicated life."
"Oh, no......... I just couldn't decide." said David.
He glanced at the cards. "These are both for the same woman?"
"Well, they're both so......us."
"I see. Well, your fortunate you have someone that loves you." he walked to the till.
"I really am."
"Love......." he put the bills, rope and duck tape on the counter. ".......it's like a delicate flame. And once it's gone, it's gone forever."
David smiled and nodded.
"Best of luck to you." he said taking his duck tape and rope in a plastic bag.
"Thanks." he placed both the cards on the counter and Mr. Clark sneezed into his handkerchief behind the counter.
"Bless you." said David.
"Thank you."
Mr. Gold then walked from the store.

Mr. Gold drove in the dark in the Game of thorns van he had taken from Mr. French.
In the back of the van lying amongst the red roses and flowers spewn accross floor, was Mr. French. His mouth was duck-taped as he attempted to mutter and scream and his arms were tyed behind him.

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Mr. Clark ~ Sneezey