Family Ties (Rumbelle)

Chapter 17 First Lunch

Belles POV

I cant hear any footsteps or voices upstairs.

I shakily walk up the basement steps and opened the door.

Realising I was still in my night dress, a slip on my knitted cardigan that was hanging on the coat-rack.

I walked into the kitchen, my arms hugged around me for warmth. Where are they...? The thing I hate most about this is, they are not here, so I could leave. There's a phone right there, I could call for help. But if I do, she'll kill him. She's more than capable... Wiping the nearly dried tears from my cheeks, I stare at the kitchen, better start dinner now.

Rumples POV

As we neared the house, I spotted Belle in the kitchen. She was stirring something on the stove. She shouldn't be doing this... She's wearing the cardigan I bought her a while ago. It's nothing special, but she loves that old thing. I remember telling her she could have anything she wanted. Anything in the whole entire shop and she picked up that up. A long knitted cardigan. It looks beautiful on her though. How does she make something so simple look so, well beautiful.

As we entered through the door, the smell of vegetables hit my nose. Belle was cooking our lunch. She shouldn't be doing this. This shouldn't be her job. All the things she's gone through, she doesn't deserve this. This can't be her life now...this can't be my life.

The table was set and Mila gestured me to sit at one end, whilst she sat on the other side.

I looked over and studied Belles face as she leant over the stove. She was as white as a sheet.

She started to walk over with the bowl over to us. Over to me. She came up beside me and started to pour some soup into my bowl. Her hands are shaking. I look up to see her hair all tangled around her pale face, her eyes are red and puffy. This is killing her.

"Belle..." I breathed.

She blinked hard, not even looking at me...

"Rumple!" Mila shouted.

Belle jumped backwards and hurried over to her, giving her the rest of the soup, before hurrying off back over to the kitchen.

She was terrified of her. She put the pan into the sink and raised her hand to turn on the tap. It was shaking even more than it had been before. She bit her lip, tears starting to form in her eyes.

Belles POV

Don't cry Belle. Don't let her see you cry. I dig my teeth into my lip even further.

Rumple had looked so disappointed with me when i didn't look at him. I couldn't, I just can't.

I scrubbed and scrubbed at the pan, trying to drown out the sound of Rumple and Mila's 'small talk'. She was asking him all these normal questions, but he wasn't replying properly. Who could blame him? He is in this position and it's all my fault and neither of us can do anything about it.

Mila made me jump as she stood right behind me. I hadn't heard her walk over.

"Remember what I said," she hissed,reaching behind me and grabbing the salt.

"Oh," she turns around again,

"The soups a little...bland," she smirked, before settling back down, giving Rumple a smile.

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Sorry this chapter is so short! I had so many interruptions! Basically people coming in and trying to talk to me every 5 minutes! Grrr! Please comment if you think this bit is ok and what you've thought on the story so far! Thanks for reading - Amy:-)