The Crocodile's Love [OUAT || RUMPELSTILTSKIN || Crocodile's Love #1]

Chapter 14

Flashback

Belle, Rumpelstiltskin and Calista were sat on the table in the dining room.

"Why did you want us here?" Belle asked.

"The place was filthy," He pointed to Belle then Calista, "Your brother took my wife, I take you," Rumpelstiltskin said.

"I think you were lonely. I mean, any man would be lonely," Calista said.

"I'm not a man," Rumpelstiltskin said.

"Even Crocodile's get lonely," Calista said.

"So, I've had, uh, a couple of months to look around, you know and, uh... Upstairs there's, uh, clothing, small, as if for a... A child? Was it yours, or... Or was there son?" Belle asked.

"There was... There was a son. I lost him, as I did his mother," Rumpelstiltskin said and Calista shifted in her seat anxiously.

"I'm... I'm sorry. So you... You were a man, one. An ordinary man," Rumpelstiltskin looked at Belle, "If I'm never going to know any other people in my whole life, can't I at least know the two of you?" Belle asked.

"Maybe, but I'm not one for telling my own secrets," Calista said.

"Perhaps... Perhaps you both just want to learn the monster's weaknesses," Rumpelstiltskin said.

"You're not a monster," Calista looked at the tea in her cup, "You think you're uglier than you are. That's why you cover all the mirror's up, isn't it?" Calista said.

There was a knock at the door and Rumpelstiltskin walked up, as he approached the door, the doors opened by themselves to see Gaston stood there with his sword drawn.

"I am Sir Gaston and you, beast, have taken-" Gaston began but Rumpelstiltskin snapped his fingers, turning Gaston into a rose in a puff of smoke.

Rumpelstiltskin picked up the rose and walked back into the dining room, "Who was that?" Belle asked.

"Just an old woman selling flowers. Here, if you'll have it... Blondie isn't much for flowers," Rumpelstiltskin said as he offered the rose to Belle.

"Nope, I am not... Though if they're selling anything I am interested in, I'll gladly accept," Calista said looking up at them.

Belle took the rose, "Why, thank you," Belle said as she began searching for a vase.

Rumpelstiltskin sat back down at the table, "You had a life, Belle. Before... this, friends, family. What made you choose to come here with me?" Rumpelstiltskin asked.

"I didn't know we had choices," Calista said.

"Heroism. Sacrifice. You know, there aren't a lot of opportunities for women in this land to... To show what they can do. To see the world, to be heroes. So, when you arrived, that was my chance. I always wanted to be brave. I figured, do the brave this and bravery would follow," Belle said.

"And is it everything you hoped?" Rumpelstiltskin said.

"Well, uh... I did want to see the world. That part didn't really work out, but, uh... I did save my village," Belle said.